if he muste redeme the matter by pryce he hath mony enough to do that And this is it with all the other corporall gyftes wit wisdome power For in them is their store of helpe and saluation as farre as God hath appoynted them to be to oure saluation The mother bryngeth foorth chyldern The physition helpeth the sycke The lawyer by the exacte lawe defendeth against the wrongfull doers But when this lyfe is at an ende neither can the cōscience hyde her synnes before Gods iudgement then is there place made for this sauiour Iesu. For then is there no store of helpe in any thing besyde All things do fayle no power is so great or wil so redy that cā defēd against the euill of the conscience and of death In this case if thou demand from whence thou moste looke for helpe haue respecte only to this chylde For that cause is he named Iesus that he might be present and saue all that knowledge him looke for saluation of hym But in this resteth the whole matter that thou suffer no other name to be geuen to this chylde And then that thou graunt not that this name that belōgeth to this chylde should be transposed to other as to Frances Dominike to the Carthusians Masses Uigiles Pardōs almes fastings and such lyke For all this is abhominable And a good cause whi there cā no other sauiour be inuented against synne Wherfore he that wold haue an other sauiour whether it be the rule of the Carthusians or any other thing he goeth cleane without saluation Therfore he that could name this child by his true name and could inculcat Christ into hymself were blessed For in this name are al things wherfore store of saluation is there to be looked for and no wher els But now the dyuels endeuour lyeth all in this that this chyld might haue an other name made that men should perceaue hym to be a iudge and chose them other sauiours and helpers against Gods wrothe But the matter is certaine and can neuer be other wyse or made frustrat Iesus hath not his name that he should healpe the with corporall benefites As touching this matter the disposition and order is certainly ordeyned Gene. 2. where God saith Beare rule ouer the fishes of the sea the byrdes of the ayer and the beastes of the earth But he is called Iesus bycause he is a sauiour then sheweth saluatiō when al things do fayle and are voyd of helpe whan we muste now depart into an other lyfe Wherfore this name casteth of all things whatsoeuer without Christ is caste before vs for the remission of synnes For when the Mounke thinketh my rule is able to make God mercifull It is nothing els to say in dede than My rule is with the name Iesus And whereas the Pope and all teachers of that secte holdeth that only faith iustifieth not but workes also be necessarie to saluation It is no other thing than Good workes are with the name Iesus But it is abhominable sacrilege that my worke should be with the name Iesus This name belongeth only to this chyld The Pope the Byshops and Mounks c. doth not so Neither do we also at all when we geue place in oure conscience to feare for oure synnes sake than to confort for Christs sake neither when we thinke this If I had lyued on this wyse if I had done this or the worke I should haue an easier case before God The holy Ghost can not abyde this but indeuoreth with all might that this chyld may haue his name remayning whole and that no other may be receaued into the felowship therof That when we haue nede of saluation against syn and eternall death we put no trust in oure workes or in the merites of al the saintes but that we stycke vnto this child only by faith which hath this name and is called Iesus Neither can it be taken from hym without sacrilege But they that go about to take it from hym as the Pope Turke and Mounkes do presume they shal perceaue in dede that they haue committed such sacrilege that shall neuer be remitted Cōtrarily if there be but two or three of vs that trust in this name of the chyld all the might and power of hell is not able to caste vs from saluation I will not speake how the world should somwhat feare for hindering of this saluation For the Angell brought this name from heauen and named the child IESVS before he was conceaued in his mothers wombe Wherfore when they that persecute this name and sette vp other sauiours shall go against Gabriel the Angell or shal reproue him of a lye he him self shall appeale to God and say Lord thou hast geuen me this commaundement that I should geue this chylde this name And then shall it be knowen what the persecuters do preuayle against this name they haue remayning for them self neither God neither Iesus And they shall dye and perishe for euer in their synnes This shall be the ende of this matter with their moste greuouse destruction Wherfore let vs neuer forget this name but let vs surely beare this away that this chyld is the only Sauiour agaynst death syn and the dyuell If the world shall hate vs therfore surely it can not doo it with good lucke and prosperitie If it will not knowledge this chylde for a Sauiour we can not constrayne it But let it consyder from whence it shall receaue saluation when death shall fall on his head whether there be any defence agaynst it in mennes workes in faste prayer almes masses inuocation of sayntes c. Let this be the stablishement of all oure matters to know for a suertye this name to be geuen from God to this chylde that it should be called Iesus or a Sauiour For we shall know and fele this oure Sauiour without coaction that is we shall haue a suer truste in hym when the dreadfull senses of synne and death shall be caste agaynst vs that there is prepared in hym for vs moste sure saluation We knowe that this hope and fayth is greatly alowed of God that it receaueth great renoume Where as contraryly he suffereth the great indignation of God whiche doth either seeke other sauiours or els will not know this sauiour at all Now therfore compare the name of the chyld and the thyng that was done when the name was geuen The chylde Iesus receaueth circumcision as other chyldern doo where as neuerthelesse he hath no nede of it as a synner hath because he is without synne and nede not to be purifyed for as muche as he is pure all redye But this is done bycause his name is IESVS that he may be a Sauiour agaynst synne and an euill conscience agaynst death and all euill that commeth of synne For he is circumcised that he might be vnder the lawe and let none of al things vndone that were enioyned of God at any tyme to men
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
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
doing this message So ought we to do also We ought to vse our giftes wtout pride to other mēs profit saluatiō to despise no mā The exāple of Christ as touchīg this is more euidēt He regardeth euery man so much that as he cam poore nedy into this world so he taketh vnto him the pore nedy that seke helpe that hath nede of hym for this cause is he called sauiour The great estates of Ierusalem neuer thought that Christ pertayned vnto them The bare shepheards haue nede of this and therfore are iudged worthye to heare first this short sermon of the angels as touchyng the byrth of our sauiour Christ. Wherein the Angel wold vs to vnderstād the a sauiour is geuen vs against syn death and the dyuel For these are the words of the sermon Feare ye not this day is borne for you a sauiour which is Christ the Lord. These are no mannes words neither haue they their beginning of mannes hart For the wisest that be know nothing of this But these words are put out with a godly reuelation And we thāks be to God are chosen to this felowshippe For it is al one whether thou readest or hearest these words of the Angell as though thou hadst heard them presently of the Angell For the shepheardes sawe not the Angels only they dyd see a light brightnes they heard the words of the Angels whiche yet are rehersed in sermons and read in bookes if we had the grace to learne them put them in practyse Now if any mā should cōpare this word of the angel with that word of Moses which he heard of the angels in mount Sinay he shal fynd great differēce For this it was there Al things wer applied there to terrifie mē almost both body and lyfe was in daunger by thūder lyghtning such other things But here do the Angels preach to banishe feare to make men cherfull to put away dread and to truste for saluation and to begin to looke for better and that they might be of a good courage specially for this childes sake which is called oure sauiour is so named of the Angell and entitled Christ the Lord. For whatsoeuer ther is writē it is that we should always hope wayte for him that is called Christe For the law could do no thing against syn death works and euery mans righteousnes preuayled not All the saluation was sett in Christ that he might be trusted vnto in trouble This doth the angels beholde and testifie that it is he in whom dependeth all hope of saluation and remission of synnes Then muste we cast away al doctrines religiōs wherby saluation eternall lyfe is wrought without Christ. For if Christ be he thē cā not Mary his mother Peter Paule nor Austyne Frances nor Dominike with his rules wheras in the Papacie their doctrine led men to intercessions of saintes and obseruations of Mounkerie But how doth this agre with the angels sermon Yea or how doth it agre with the verse that is songe in the Church Wherin we that glorifie Christ condemne the Pope all his Iusticiaries of a moste greuouse wickednes wheras we syng after this sort If this childe had not bene borne for vs surely ther could haue bene no way foūd to saue vs If all them that are without Christ are damned what helpeth the Mounkes rule or the Priests Masse to saluation All things are subiect to damnation Ther is no exceptiō because the speach is vniuersal If they loke for saluation they haue it not by Mounkerie massinge faste and canonicall howers but by Christ which hath that name is called a sauiour This sermō of the Angels was lefte in the Papacie with that verse that is vsed in the church vnto this tyme but no man vnderstode it For there lacked true and faithful preachers therfore wher as no preaching and wher these words are not set foorth effectuously There be these things both song reade but no man vnderstandeth them For no man cā denye this but that all the other things were in the Papacie Baptisme the Lords supper the texte of the Gospell the prayer of the Lord the articles of the faith the ten commandements And euen now the Papistes haue all these things with vs sauing that they haue changed the supper of the Lord and hath peruerted his testament But al these things are domb with thē Wherfore when they reherse reade or otherwyse vse them they neither vnderstād the words nor the ceremonies Al the fault is that they regarded not the doctrine that by it men might be certified of the meaning of the words that are dayly vsed in hearing reading singing But he cā not wel stirre vp other that is a slepe himself The preacher must be earnest vigilāt For if he be cold he will make his audiēce wearie be they neuer so attēte as we may se this true by the Pope for he was dalying in al kind of Idlenes pastance Wherfore he cold not take hede to this sermō And although he set it forth with versicles lessons as we do yet they know nothīg of it nor vnderstād it And bi this meanes both these things are amōg the papistes They reade in the Gospel that a sauiour is borne they singe it in the Church that if this child had not bē borne no mā could be saued that this saluation is for al men Yet neuer the lesse they cal on the virgin Mary they faste they worship saints they go on pilgrimage to their relikes they hire bye masses What is this then to make an other sauiour not to be cōtent with the testimonie of this sermō but to set vp Mary other sayntes yea and the beggerly works of men in the rome of this sauiour borne child Wherfore we haue no small cause to pray to God for couragious earnest preachers to enkēdle the light of this doctrin that we not only heare reade but also vnderstande wher suche preachers be not ther is no other hope but that we falle therby in peril as it is now What good can a nutt do if thou can not come by the kernel what profiteth a treasure if we haue no power to bryng it abrode The sermon of the Angel is euident inough To you is borne a sauiour Yet it is not so pythye that an old papistical doctor cā perceaue it For if he did perceaue it he wold not councel men to mounkerie to pray vnto sayntes to purchase the merites of men to seke other sauiours But wher God sendeth a diligent wittie preacher that can stirre vp the vehemencie of such words in the mynds of the hearers he geueth a great power by this doctrine to iudge of all false doctrines deceytfull spirits Neither is it possible although the dyuell tourneth him self in to all sorts but that he must nedes be perceaued and reproued
fyrst the Iewes and the people of Israel shold receaue it and then the Gentiles That is that it shal be to the ruine and fall of a great parte as we declared vpon the third sonday of Aduent But neuertheles in the mean season herby shold come resurrection and abundance of Saluation to many Besydes this there be dyuers other lessons which we purpose to runne lightly ouer as it were by the waye This hystorie befell when the chylde IESVS was a moneth and a half olde and brought into the temple after the maner of the Iewes and redemed of the Lord by an offring as the first begotten wer wont to be As it is wont to be taught in the day whan Christ is offred in the temple Then cam Simeon into the temple by the holy ghost and began to preache of this chylde that he shoulde become a saluation and lyght not only to the Iewes in one place but to all the Gentiles in the whole world The Euāgelist saith that Simeon caused the father and mother to meruaile greately at his Sermon that he made as touchyng the chyld He called Ioseph Christes father speakynge after the common sorte of other men But the Euangelist was circumspect and warie inough be fore wher as he wrote testifying that Christ was conceiued by the holy ghost and born of the virgin Mary Wherfore that is to be noted that no man take hereof an occasion of erroure in that Luke in this place and the scripture in an other place dothe vse the very same wordes as the other doth in declaring the matter For this was the priuie working of God That the virgin Mary wared great with chylde whiche thing it was Iosephs dutie to beleue after that the Angel opened it vnto him in his slepe And in that that the old man Simeon commeth whose eyes were dimme for age and preached so magnificentely of this chylde doubtlesse there were many that iudged that his wordes came not of a right mynde that it was no meruaile that an old dotysh man spake so dotyshly But the testimonie of the Euangeliste sheweth the contrarie Suche was his sermon saith he that the father and mother were taken with great meruail For as touchyng this matter they were not so well instructed of the aungels as they are in this place of Simeon that is that he should be a lyghte to the Gentiles Wherfore there can be no place for that exposition here which sheweth that this meruailynge signifieth doubte but it is more rather a token of a greate faithe For this is the disposition of faythe the greater it is the more admiration and meruaile it causeth and the more vncredible ioye it bryngeth But where as is no fayth all thyngs are colde without affection withoute all motions And that we may take this for an exāple we haue heard now a fewe days of Christes natiuitie and byrth that this chylde is made our fleshe and bloud that he myght be our sauiour to delyuer vs from synne death and the kyngdome of the diuell And if thou haste true beliefe this faith can not bee withoute admiration Neither can the eye be satisfied by seyng neither the hearte by thynkynge of this chylde Wherefore this is a prayse bothe of the fathers and mothers faythe The mother was excedyng glad that this chylde was put foorthe as a lyght to lyghten the Gentiles in comparison of whome all other kynges and princes shoulde be but very darknesse and nyght which hath no store of coūcell or healpe for other men for asmuch as they are oppressed and bound them selues wyth synne and death If we were not of such a corrupt nature we shold not be voyde of meruaile when we heare these tydinges but oure myndes woulde bee exalted and puffed vp with a prowde ioyefulnes and woulde boaste on this sorte I am a christian and baptised I doubt not but that I haue the maistrie ouer synne and deathe thorough Christe and that Heauen and all creatures shall turne to the best for my saluation Howe greatly dothe a greate gyfte of some greate manne delyghte a poore man But what is that in comparison of this If the Turkes dominion whiche is nowe the greatest vpon the earth were myne yet were that in noo poynt to be compared with this that I haue a portion in the inheritaunce of Christe to lyue with hym for euer But howe many are there that are truely delyted herewith All we haue learned and knowe this but wee beleue it not as it is easye to proue For wee meruayle not therat Wherfore this faith muste nedes be very colde and scarcely half alyue For they that beleue truely are not only glad but also are prowd with gladnesse And lette no manne meruaile at this that pride in Christians is commendable For this is their excellent manfulnes that they haue hyghe myndes agaynst the dyuell and all aduersitie For they knowe that through Christe they are lordes ouer them all Thou muste euer haue respect to that lytle people and chose their felowshyp that neuer falleth but embraceth this kynge and ryseth to saluation Wherfore be not offended yf many peryshe by heapes For this is the very course of all thynges accordyng to the prophecie of Simeon The Pope banneth and curseth our doctrine after suche an horrible sorte as neuer was heard of and goeth aboute with all his myght to destroy it Not because he feareth to be seduced thereby For he vnderstandeth very well that it is the truthe but it is of verye malice and stubbornesse wherewith he is moued agaynst vs. There bee other that are offended euen they that take it heauylye and are greued when they heare that thys chyld is a Sauiour For what say they shoulde thys be nothynge that I doo Should all they be damned that hitherto haue folowed thys kynde of doctrine and religion as I haue Thys is a principall offence of the whiche Simeon speaketh in this place Therefore when soeuer thou seest these thynges call this to remembrance foorth with that they are not doone after Gods commaundemente For the Chylde whome Mary hathe brought foorthe is an offence and a stumblyng block at the whyche the wyse of the worlde and the holye shall stumble and fall headlonge Wherefore where so euer hee is not receaued we muste passe by wyth closed eyes and deafe eares neyther must we change any thyng of our purposed order The Iewes in thys matter geueth vs an euidente example They were greatly offended when Christe disputed with them and spake vnto them on this wise Ye shall dye in youre synnes They iudged this to be the sayinge of a foole For howe shoulde this people be ignoraunt of the truthe and wyll of GOD that hath Moses and the Prophetes Shoulde thys nothynge preuayle nor healpe vs to saluation Are we condempned to suche myserie that a carpenters sonne shal teache vs the way of saluation These men stumbled and brake their necks and were throwen
confort In the whiche this doctryne is set foorth That if we desyer the way that leade vs to God it may not be obtayned by the lawe whiche commandeth Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy GOD with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe For we do neuer so nor can not do if we wold But this is oure only safegard to the whiche we make oure refuge euen CHRIST Iesus the sonne of God and oure Lorde He hath satisfied the will of God and made hym self subiecte as a synner to the lawe for if it had not bene for that he should neuer haue bene circumcised as other chyldern be vpon the eight day This was done for all mennes synnes that all men may haue trust in hym For it was no nede for hym selfe Wherfore this pertayneth vnto vs and we doo well put oure truste in hym that we may be saued for his righteousnes and holynes And that I may briefly in one word note this matter we must only sticke to the righteousnes and iustification of Christ before God This is a moste certayne and aproued way and it hath moste suer ayde and succoure against synne and death The whiche thing God graunt vs through oure Lord Iesus CHRIST Amen The second Sermon of the name Iesu out of the Gospell of Luke ij ANd when the viii daye was come that the chylde shoulde be circumcysed his name was called Iesus which was named of the Angell before he was conceaued in the wombe THE EXPOSITION WE haue spoken of one part of this Gospel that is of circumcision In the whiche CHRIST wold signifie vnto vs that he became subiecte to the law for oure sake that we might be free frō the curse of the law Now foloweth the other parte as concerning the name IESV Wherof the Euangelist maketh diligent rehersall as thoughe it were a great cause why this name ought not to be vnknowen of men and specially bycause it is of no mans inuention but brought from heauen and shewed by the Angell before the child was conceaued in the wombe Which thing is a token that the name is suche as is alowed of God If we expound this name in English it is as much to say as a Sauiour But why this name was geuen to Christ Gabriel the Angell declareth wheras he speaketh to Ioseph And thou shalt cal his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their synnes This name is moste worthie to be remembred and moste worthie to be regarded for oure owne behofe for that the chylde Iesu is called a sauiour which can saue vs from the greatest euill that is from syn and from no smalle myseries and calamities that befall vnto vs in this lyfe And where as corne feldes are destroyed by enemies and the graynes corrupted by tempestes and mennes bodyes vexed with diuers diseases and infirmities against all this hath God prouided help by other things as by the Princes and Kynges he defendeth frō robberies by the parents he prouideth for the liuelode of them that be in a familie by physitions he healeth diseases But as these things are not the greatest so are not these men the cheif sauiours in comparison and respecte of this sauiour that saueth from synne Wherfore he that regardeth this chylde earnestly hath a very Iesus and sauiour from all myseries Let him not require that saluation of him that belongeth to this present life which God hath cōmitted to other as I said before but that that is against death synne For when syn is takē away death also muste nedes be taken away Wherfore first consyder this thing wel with thy self whether thou maist hope for greater saluation from this sauiour or from them that are the mightiest in the worlde If thou hast no feling of the euerlasting lyfe to come thou shalt haue no nede of this Iesus God hath appointed the safegard of thy bodyly helth to officers parents physitions c. But if thou beleue that there is an other lyfe after this thou shalt haue nede of this sauiour For there is no helpe in other to euerlasting lyfe Whiche thing neuerthelesse is not so straightly to be taken For if the powers and parents cease from succourring and helping so that there is no ayde or goodnes in them we must looke for the easement of these presente euyls from Christ also Howbeit this is not his chyef and propre office Wherfore the doctryne of the Gospell is not referred especially to this corporall lyfe But this is his propre office and there will he declare this his name where as deliuerāce from syn death from the kyngdom of the dyuell is in hand To this also is he necessarie For if it were not for synne and death there should be no nede of this Sauiour The belly goddes haue no profite by this sauiour for of what things he is the sauiour those things do not they regarde And herof it appeareth how great the contempte of these Epicures is whiche thynk that there is neither God nor lyfe euerlasting But he that beleueth this that there is a God muste nedes collecte gather that al things are not ended by this lyfe but that ther remayneth an other lyfe that is euerlasting For this we proue by experience that God regardeth not muche this present lyfe sith the wicked hath such libertie and prospereth so wel He promiseth vs an other lyfe and that he may seme to haue great respecte to this lyfe this chylde Iesus is set foorth to be a sauiour for vs. And when he geueth vs this saluation no other thynge is greatly to be required of hym although other things in this lyfe go not as we wold and although we perceaue no great signes of Gods helpe in oure matters For his saluation is euerlasting saluation Let this be sufficient for vs be the difficulties and encombrances of this lyfe neuer so great We see that the Pope Cardinals Bishops and all that persecute the word do lyue in great securitie and that they are vnshamfastly bent agaynst the word and all Christians God seeth this and suffereth it and maketh as though he saw it not in so muche that he may seme to haue shewed more care for the Gentiles than for his people But if thou be a Christian let not this moue thee For euen for this very cause that God hath promised vs sure saluation to euerlasting lyfe he suffereth vs in this lyfe to wander as men destitute and without the helpe of God that we may know this by fayth that the chylde Iesus is such a Sauiour whiche neuerthelesse saueth vs although in all things besyde there can be no help gotten that is when syn shall either accuse vs or hath now alredy condemned vs to eternall death Excepte this tyme it appeareth that we haue no nede of this sauiour neither do we much regard him For he that is in helth hath plentie of goodes hath no nede of Christ for
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
mother Mary and Iohn the Baptist and other excellent sainctes But his procedyng is named to be from the old days Wherfore death could not shewe suche strength in this chylde wherwith hytherto he kylled all men For wher as he was God he coulde not synne neither bee made gyltie by the lawe neither be killed of deth neither damned of the diuel And yet for all that forasmuche as he had his procedynge in tyme out of Bethleem and was borne into the worlde as other chyldren were he coulde not but dye Hereof it is that death and the dyuell layeth snares for theym selues which consyder no more then the procedyng out of Bethleem And after this procedyng the chyld is in daunger of death But when he was now in his Sepulchre he trieth his righte by these woordes I was borne before the world and so by the diuine and godly power he breaketh the bandes of death of synne and of the diuel that they can take no hold vpon him at all Suche a memoriall would this Prophete set foorth as touchyng this kynge that we shoulde not be ignorant of his two maner of procedynges or as we saye of two maner of byrths For he is such a person whiche is bothe a true GOD and also a very man but yet on suche wyse that he is not two persons but one So that he confesseth that CHRIST is the sonne of Mary whiche sucked at her brestes and encreased in the body as other men dyd But yet neuerthelesse he was borne before the worlde without beginnynge so that nowe these two seuerall substances of manhoode and godhead be withoute separation vnited togyther in one persone and ioyned togyther This dyd not the hygh priestes tell Herode neyther was he worthye to knowe so greate mysterie This byrthe is excedynge meruaylous whiche if we desyre to knowe we muste take our begynnyng of our discipline and meditation out of his procedyng in Bethleem As this also is the order of the Prophete as soon as he reherseth the carnall byrthe Yea and hee maketh more large mention as touchyng this than as concernyng that byrthe that is eternalle For hee that wylle meddle wyth matters belongyng to God without peryll muste begyn at the lowest and first of all learne what thynge he doothe in the earthe and howe hee reueleth and openeth hym self to men Then shal he go foorth with out stumblyng as the order of the Prophetes description appoynteth and shall know that this chyld was borne from euerlastyng Then shall it not bee terrible but pleasant cōfortable But the ouerthwart nature of men marreth confoundethe all thynges because that all begyn their discipline at predestination Sithe God knewe all thynges before why dyd hee not take hede that man should not haue fallen And if thou takest this waye to the knowledge of God thou shalte fall downe headlong For this was the fall of Lucifer whiche coueted so hygh renoume that he coulde not comprehende hym selfe for pride But if thou wilt go the right waye to the knowledge of God take thy begynnyng at Christes swathing bands As the prophet setteth foorth this order that a man should fyrst go to Bethleem and afterward clymbe vp into heauen and to eternitie As Christ hym selfe teacheth where as he sayth Philyp I am the waye he that seeth me seeth the father He that despiseth these principles and tendeth or goeth forthewith to the hyghest as to searche what is the gouernement of God how he punysheth This reward of his folishnes he taketh euen to stumble to his damnation As the wise man saith He that is a searcher of the maiestie shall be oppressed of his glorie Wherfore this is the true waye for hym that desyreth the true knowledge of this chyld fyrst to come to Bethleem Then when he hath sufficientely beholden and considered hym in the maunger this will succede of it selfe that he is not onely the sonne of Mary but also the sonne of God borne of God before there was any creature created of God And so the matter shall be without perill For when thou canst truly comprehende this man Christ thou shalt know God also If thou beleuest in hym thou beleuest in God If thou callest vpon hym thou callest vpon God ▪ If thou blasphemest hym thou blasphemest God And this is the Prophecie as touchynge the chylde Iesus in Bethleem But consyder also therwith the peruerse and vnresonable reason of Herode and of the Scribes Herode persecutethe this chylde the Scribes despyse hym This way of God is worthy to be had in mynd whiche putteth foorthe a moste euident scripture to men wherof they may talke syng and speake dayly in their communication and yet they vnderstand not a word thereof For is not thys a straunge and monstrous thynge that the Scribes recite thys Prophecie Herode after the iudgemente of the Prophecie sendeth to Bethleem and addeth therto hym selfe saying Make dyligente searche for the chylde and whenne ye haue founde hym brynge me woorde that I maye come and worshyppe hym And yet they vnderstande not one iote of the meanynge thereof They are alwayes kept busye with the shadowes they neuer attayne to the bodye of the matter Neither goeth the matter anye otherwyse at this tyme amonge the vnkynde yea and that not onely amonge the Papistes whyche haue the Bible as wel as we whiche reade it and knowe it as wee doo but also amonge men of our part They reason of the Gospell but they vnderstande nothynge therof at all For if they vnderstode it they woulde with all their hearte declare it in theyr lyuyng As the Scribes and Herode reherseth this Prophete by mouthe But yf they had vnderstande they woulde haue surely gone with the wise men to this chylde and woorshypped hym But in that they doo not so and in that they despyse these greate thynges as the brute beastes doo it is a token that they knowe not that thynge whyche they teache other Wherefore Christians haue this aboue all other that they doo not onely heare but also vnderstande the woordes and conceaue an exceadynge meruaylle and pleasure thereof Wherefore althoughe that the worlde the Pope and our proude Citisens and husbandmenne doo farre passe vs both in rychesse strengthe and dygnitie yet wee knowe that we passe theym agayne farre in thys and that thys is theyr incredyble punyshemente that notwithstandynge they doo heare Gods woorde talke of it and teache it vnto other yet doo they vnderstande nothynge at all thereof As theyr owne lyfe maye bee an euidente proofe of thys that they haue eares as the Iewes had and heare not they haue eies and yet see not Let vs pray to GOD that he wil through the starre of his moste holy worde lead vs to his son Iesus Christ and preserue vs for euer agaynst all offences of his goodnes Amen An other sermon of the Baptisme of Christ vpon Twelfth daye Math. iii. THen came Iesus from Galile to
The second Sermon of Simeon in the Temple ¶ The Gospell Luke ii AAnd beholde there was a man in Ierus a lem whose name was Simeon And the same man was iust and godlye and loked for the consolation of Israell and the holy ghost was in hym And an answere had he receyued of the holye ghoste that he shoulde not see death except he first sawe the Lorde Christ. And he came by inspiration into the Temple THE EXPOSITION THis is a notable hystory wherwith is ioyned also a notable Sermon whiche Simeon preached openlye in the Temple as concernynge the childe Iesu. And it pertayneth vnto other reuelations openynge this child to the worlde especially to make him knowen amonge his owne people The fyrste reuelation was made to Marye by the Aungell The second to Ioseph and that also by an Aungell The thyrd by Elizabeth Iohns mother whā she receued mary great with child and when the child sprang in her wombe The fourth by Zacharie Iohns father And although he named not the person yet he declareth euidētly that Christ was cōme that it was the time of Messias to be borne in wheras god being mīdful of his holy couenaunt now performeth it And after these reuelatiōs whiche be fel before Christs byrth other folowed whē Christ was newe borne The firste was of the Angell vnto the shepherdes watchinge their flocke And the shepherds also kepte it not priuie but spred abrod the sermon of the angell euery where After that was there made a reuelation by the starre vnto the wise men And last of al these two reuelations by the testimonie of Simon and Anna the prophetesse which both bare record in the temple of this child That he is the comforth of Israell whiche shall helpe the worlde againste synne and death And first let vs accordyng to the description of the Euangeliste consider the matter as concernyng Simeon And he saieth the texte was a righteous man godly and suche a one that feared God lokyng for the consolation of Israell that is hauing a ful hope that God would shortly fulfill his promesse send Christe And it is a sure token that he had a pefect hope faith in this for that it was reueled vnto him that he shold not see death before he had sene Christ the anointed of the Lord. And this faith was not a vaine opiniō nor rashlye conceaued as men do commonlye imagine in matters that fall by chaunce and fortune But the holy ghost had touched his heart that doubtles by gods worde after that he had considered the prophecie in Genesis That Christ shold come at that time when the sceptre was taken from Iuda and foreiners had it likewise he had caste the count and duly numbred the times as touchyng the weekes of Daniel These prophecies cōpared with the tymes semed plainlye to him that the time was come wherin Christe shold be reueled But this motiō in his minde was wrought by the holy ghost and by his peculier operation that he shold liue vnto that time and see Christ the Lords anointed with his eyes Wherfore by the singuler procurement of the holie ghost when Marye and Ioseph came into the temple to present the childe before the Lorde and to redeme hym by an offeringe Simeon also commeth into the temple not by chaunce or of custome but by the motion of the holy ghost which put in his minde that it was the very houre wherin he might behold the borne Messias in the temple whome he had hitherto loked for Wherfore he toke no doubtful deliberation about the matter when he saw the child but went forthwith and toke him in his armes shewinge therwith all maner of ioye myrth that is accustomed to be shewen in suche greate and comfortable matter And there he pronounceth before them all suche an hartie thankes geuinge vnto God that teacheth that he truely estemeth this gyfte and certified other also of this great matter And he appered to other and especially to the priests not to do this of any custome Simeon semed to them not to haue his right wittes For all that was done was litle estemed the chyld beyng yonge the parents poore and nothing had in estimation But Simeon is nothing moued with this poore shew neither regardeth he the iudgement of other in this behalfe but boldly and frelye affirmeth that this is the very child in whome God hath ordayned succour and saluation not only for the Iewes but for the Gentils also and for all men If a man shoulde demaunde of Simeō howe he knewe this wher as there appered at this tyme in hym no notable thynge more than in other wher as there had ben many before this time more likelye persons whiche for their magnificence might seme more apte for this purpos he might haue had a iuste cause so to haue done Wherfore this is a merueilous case that causeth the parents Ioseph and Mary to wonder when they see this man Simeon without externall signes to perceaue such an inwarde light in this childe as wherby he acknowledgeth Christe notwithstandynge that he was hid by that poore shewe The parents were certifyed of this child what he was by the Angels neither could these thīgs appeare to be opened and reueled to Simeon by flesh bloud And this was a certain token of the church and congregation of GOD at that tyme when certayne were confirmed by reuelations from GOD. They that were chief at Ierusalē as the high priests Herod the Scribes the Leuites and Phariseis dyd not muche regarde the scriptures and the promises as touchyng Messias All their mindes were bent to encrease their power their dignitie their authoritie and riches And amonge them was there a litle number despised and vnknowen of the faythfull Of the which was Mary Ioseph Zacharie Elizabeth the sheppeherds Simeon Anne the prophetesse These had all their hope fired not in wordly things but in the promises as touchinge Christe They looked for them to be fulfilled and with them they comforted themselues and obtayned them as they trusted wheras the hye Priests and suche lyke were sent awaye emptie And after lyke maner is the state of the church at this tyme. There is alwayes a people that is poore hungrye whiche hath God and his worde for their falsegarde That doth it only regard without anye further care Wheras the Pope and his adherentes in the meane time which are named the holy churche knoweth nothing of God nor of Christ nor of his worde For they regard and esteme only things of this worlde boaste themselues for Christian men because that they can do more with their riches and power than the other common sorte in the congregation Wherfore you must beware in both parts that ye be not seduced The hie priest execute the administration yet they are not in the true church And so y◠pope the bishops take vpō thē the gouernance of
the church yet are they not the church For if they were they wold not persecute yâ— word but rather reuereÌ„tly extoll it In the contrary part Mary Ioseph SimeoÌ„ are without al nobilite of the coÌ„mon sort therfore are vnknoweÌ„ with such like But these are they that know Christe in whome dwelleth the holy ghost gouerneth theÌ„ that they may encrease in the knowledge of Christe be saued In both parts as I saied ye must beware ye stuÌ„ble not This is no tokeÌ„ of the true church for that the pope his vsurpeth their administration in such poÌ„pe neither may we gather herof that they can not erre be deceaued or that they must nedes be gods people This appeareth to be false iÌ„ this first history of Christ. on the coÌ„trary part the litle flock is not therfore to be despised Neither is the felowship of gods light to be taken awaye for because that they that beare it are in the worlde abiect persons For this is the maner of gods kyngdome in earth eueÌ„ to be neglected and abhorred of the wise and to be aduaunced and set forth of the poore to whom it is truely reueled For they can put their trust in no worldly ayde as they do which leane al to power riches councels decrees c. And let this be sufficient as touchyng the first part of this historie wherin Simeon by the holye Ghost acknowlegeth the childe Iesus to be the annointed of the Lord. After this I wil take vpon me to entreat of his sermon Wherby he signifieth to other what great helpe and what thynges he surely knoweth to be to come of this child And furthermore what is his office the greatest thing that he worketh in all the worlde that we herby by this example may knowlege Christe and be saued The euaÌ„gelist before described that Simeon receaued an answere of the holy Gost that he sholde not die before he had seen the annointed of the Lord. And when that promesse nowe was fulfylled in the temple he beheld with his eyes the child Iesus and toke hym into his armes and pronounced these wordes with a ioyfull spirite saying Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunte depart in peace accordyng to thy worde That is Now wil I gladly without any refusing yelde my selfe to nature Flesh and blood hath no such kynde of speache For we knowe all very well howe it goeth at that time when we muste departe out of this worlde Then is there sorow without hope theÌ„ is there conturbation trouble and anguishe of minde death desperation and lamentable cries c. Neither can the naturall man otherwise do as it is to see by the exaÌ„ple of brute beastes wheras is only a naturall death But in men it is called the death of syn For death is enioyned to vs for syn And what feare and despaire commeth by synne we fele by experience Wherfore mannes death is muche more greuâ—ous to them then it is to all other thynges that by the law of destinie are appointed to die For they must abyde the wrath and iudgement of God which are ioyned with death and neuer hath ende If these thynges accompanied not death it wold not be so terrible a thing for meÌ„ to die It is no litle grefe that commeth by departyng from thinges most delectable and dere vnto vs wheras we must therwith leaue wife children frends and suche lyke But yet it passeth al greife to fele sinnes to dreade gods iudgemeÌ„t to be opprest with death without any wayes to escape Wherfore the worlde can not singe this songe with Simeon when death commeth But it beginneth rather to synge this morneful verse O Lord I am giltie coÌ„demned for my sinnes Wherfore I can not be suffered to departe from them in peace My minde trembleth and shaketh I see no helpe offered to me I knowe from what thinges I must depart but I can not tel what thynges I shall haue hereafter excepte this that I am sure of Goddes wrath and damnation suche is mans minde towards death Neither can it fynde in nature or reason anye helpe or remedie against suche feare And therfore it must nedes at the coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of death fall in despeire Wherfore this lesson and doctrine that is put forth here to vs in the example of Simeon is not of mans witte He drew to his death without tremblynge he despeired not to be saued after the maner of other He knewe that he was olde and that olde men haue no longe continuance in this life he feleth his strength more and more to decay He perceaued not only by the necessary course of nature but also by his owne perill that the time was nigh wherin his frame sholde be disolued But yet he is not dismayed therby but euen now desireth and wisheth for the resolution therof the which all other and especially old men wold wish neuer to come It appeareth that he had marueilous helpe syth that he went to death with suche strength of mynde and ioyfull courage For if it had not ben for that he could neuer haue ben so glad at the beholdynge of death But what thynge shall we say that it was wherwith he was armed against it shall we saye he was no man or that he was without sin and therfore feared not gods wrath But the maner of obtaining saluation through this light vttereth plainlye that he felt himselfe to be a synner and a man in danger to gods ire and wrath And syth it goeth so with men synners what peace is it that this old man boasteth of His wordes shewe euidently that he had such sence felyng of peace as cold be hindred neither by mans fraile estate neither by contagion of syn And this is the thinge that ought well to be marked in this man that we sinners also may surely truste to the same And herby it may comme to passe that synners maye obtayne peaceable and quiete myndes agaynst death as we see Simeon to be indued with so greate and vncredible confidence and truste He had hard before that he shold not see death Now he perceaueth what was vnperformed of the couenant Yet he thought it not good to vse anye vnluckie wordes and to saye that he must die seinge he hath obtayned and gotten hym that is the Lorde of lyfe and peace Wherfore he expoundeth death to be but a licence of departyng in peace as souldiers after battaill are licensed to retourne home vnto their frendes and acquaintance But nowe let vs learne of hym this kynd of wonderful exposition For he is a gentle and free instructer He sheweth very louingly the ful reason meanyng of his opinion and iudgement without askyng wheras he sayeth For min eyes hath sene thy saluation Here he speaketh of the childe Iesu namynge him saluation sauynge health or sauiour Therfore whether he alludeth to the name of the childe whiche he knew and learned of his mother or whether he knew
sence as that onlye sauiour whiche was promised to the fathers Abraham and Dauid And in this are all Christian men equal to Simeon For the very same Christe is offered to them by the worde of the Gospell for their saluation whom Simeon coulde no other wayes knowe to be the saluation then by the worde And wheras he behelde hym wyth his eyes it was the gyfte of GOD proper to hym and not to vs and yet he obtayned not saluation therby but that was geuen vnto hym to be saued for that he beleued the worde as touchynge this child Which is as able to saue thee as Simeon And for this cause Simeon rehearseth in the verse folowynge all them to whome this saluation belongeth least it shoulde seme to pertayne vnto fewe sayinge Whiche thou haste prepared before the face of all people This child is a saluatiō against death syn this maketh Simeō to departe in peace But he is moued by the consideration of this sauinge health to open vnto al other by geuyng so euident commendation of it for what purpose God hath prepared this saluatiō This saluation saith he is not only ordained for my sake But many belong vnto the felowshipe and fruition of this sauing health For God hath prepared this saluation before the face of all people so that this child is not my sauiour only neither his mothers but the sauiour and saluation of all men Simeon sayinge is large and great He pronounceth him to be the sauiour of all nations as well as of the Iewes notwithstandyng that there was a great difference betwene them by reason of Moses lawe and the diuine ceremonies But when he cōsidereth this child he can make no difference For both haue like nede of saluation to be deliuered therby from death sinne For the obseruynge of all the lawe nothing preuayleth in deliueringe from synne and death By this sauiour only is all saluation prepared This sauiour is not suche a one that came for some for some not God hath prepared sayth he this saluation not before the face of certayne but before the face of all people The whiche sentence is all one with the promesse made vnto Abraham where as he promiseth blessynge to all kyndredes in his sede Neither can the Iewes be excluded frō all tribes neither from all people But they that are blessed were not blessed before but liued in gods curse Wherfore the meaning of this is no otherwise to be taken but that if this be the saluation of all people than is there none at all that can be saued whiche lacketh this saluation And this is one thinge that Simeon maketh all men equall pronouncyng that as well the Iewes as the Gentiles are suche as shold be damned for their synnes excepte they obteyned saluation by this sauyng healthe The second thynge is well to consider the pythe of these wordes and to conceaue a delectation and comfort by them The cause and spryng of all our misery is this our conscience can not denye hyde and cloke synne And synne muste nedes abyde Gods wrothe which is the most peinfullest styng of death to fear the iudgement of God For we can not denie but that sinners must abyde punyshment Now through this perceuerance and felyng of this dreade there is no hope of pardon and grace If these thoughtes be well considered they be so heynous that they count God to be a cruell and an vnmercyfull iudge that will remyt no part of the rigour of the lawe but execute it with extremitie Thus can we conceaue no other opinion of God and thus are we ouerladen with the heuynes of the burthen and opprest with the rodde of the taske-maister and beaten with the shoulder wande accordyng to the saying of the Prophete But Simeon doubtles hauyng respecte to the sayenge and description of this Prophete as touchynge this chylde describeth God after an other maner than any mans conscience is wont to conceaue or thynke of hym For if it were the wyl of GOD to punysh sinners with extremitie without grace and fauour then were it a vayne thynge to truste in mercye shewed in this Sauiour Nowe are the woordes of Simeon playne that God hathe prepared saluation before the face of all people Wherein all men may bee saued Wherefore hereby maye it bee euidentlye perceaued what is the will of God accordyng to Paule 1. Tim. 2. euen that God would haue all men to be saued not onely with bodily saluation but with euerlastyng saluation prepared agaynst synne and death For to this ende is that saluation ordeyned which God hath prepared for all people Who therefore woulde dreade this God Who woulde tremble at his iudgemente seynge that he declareth so openly that it is his wyll we shoulde be saued and seyng that he hath prouided all thynges necessary for our saluation And wher as many peryshe and be damned not obteynynge thys saluation God is not the fault therof but the stubbornes of man whiche despiseth Gods wyll and careth not for this saluation of God whiche is ordeyned of God to saue all men If there were a remedy prouided for the succoure and reliefe of all beggers and nedye folke and yet some woulde not vse that benefyte and remedy prouided for them the faulte were not in them that prouided for the sustētation but in thē that should haue receaued it In like maner goeth it with men in the world The saying of Simeon is true God hath prepared this saluation before the face of al people yf the Iewes iudge them selues vnworthy to receaue it yf the Pope and the Turke despise it and thou canste not fynde in thy heart to accept it if now it cometh to passe that thou and all these be damned ye can blame none but youre selues which refused the saluation and grace of God If this saluation seemeth not agreable to thy reason thou mayst searche with thy self where it may then be had But thou shalt not fynde in all the saluations in the worlde succour agaynst synne and deathe yf thou let passe this saluation Wherefore if thou carest earnestly for thy saluation imbrace this chyld Know for a suretie that God is mercyfull vnto thee and pardoneth thyne offences for this chyldes sake and so shalte thou well perceaue that thou art saued For he is the only saluation agaynst synne and deathe But if this way of saluation pleaseth thee not accuse thyne own stubbornesse whiche causeth thee that thou canste not escape Gods wrathe and damnation For GOD is not in the faute God hath prepared saluation Which is a sure token that he would haue mercy on synners and delyuer vs from our destruction And he hath not prepared it onely but also proffered it to all people that all myght remembre that all theyr saluation consysteth therein Not onely Marie Paule Simeon Peter but all people ought to trust in hym Who soeuer hath nede of helpe agaynst synne
otherwise falle oute Therfore lette vs moste certainly persuade our selues that our cause is moste true and moste vndoubted before Christ our Lorde and before GOD his father although it appeareth not nowe that God careth for vs any thyng at all but that the deuyll and all his haue the vpper hande ouer vs treadeth vs vnder foote and triumpheth agaynst vs. Rather assure thou thy self and say I know for a certaintie that God wil not forsake his churche and that he wyll euer be at hand to helpe and defend it if she be diligent with feruent prayer to call vpon hym for ayde and succour Our state and condition is certaine and good because of this his promise Whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name he wyl surely geue it you Wherfore I wyl not dispute whether I am electe and woorthye to praye but I wyll moste certaynly perswade my selfe that his promyse is certayne sure and mooste vndoubted when soeuer that I do praye and be constant in the same And that he wyll deale with me and with his whole Churche accordyng to his word and promise Which doctrin is both nobly and notably set forth in this our gospel worthy at al times diligently to be consydered For it describeth and liuely setteth forth Faythe wyth her exercise whyche at the last obteyneth all thynges at the hande of God if we faint not after the example of this woman For she although diuersly proued and tried fainted not in her faith neyther ceased she by feruent and continual praier to call vpon Christ euer persuading her selfe euen in the middest of those stormes that Christ was gentill louyng and mercifull at the last wold vndoubtedly helpe her geue her her desyre which thyng as ye haue herd she obteined The Lord our God bee mercyfull vnto vs and geue vs grace to folow the faith of this woman and to holde fast his worde and promise without wauering or doubting to continue in the same vnto the ende Amen The thirde Sonday in Lent ¶ The Gospell Luc. xi IEsus was casting out a Deuil that was dumb And when he had cast out the deuil the dumbe spake the people wondred But som of them sayd he casteth out deuils through Beelzebub the chiefe of the deuyls And other tempted him and required of him a signe from heauen But he knowyng theyr thoughtes sayde vnto them Euery kyngdome deuyded agaynst it selfe is desolate and one house doth fall vppon another if Sathan also be deuided agaynst hym selfe howe shall his kingdome endure Because ye say I caste out Deuylles through Beelzebub If I by the helpe of Belzebub cast out deuylles by whose helpe do your chyldren caste them out Therefore shall they be your iudges But if I with the fynger of GOD caste out deuyls no doubte the kyngdome of God is come vpon you When a stronge man armed watcheth his house the thynges that he possessethe are in peace But when a strâ—nger then he commethe vpon hym and ouercommeth hym he taketh from hym all his Harnesse wherein he trusted and deuydeth his goodes He that is not with me is a gaynste me And he that gathereth not with me scatâ—ereth a broade When the vncleane spirite is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seekyng rest And when he fyndeth none he sayeth I wyâ—l returne agayne into my house whence I came out And wheÌ„ he commeth he fyndeth it swept and garnyshed Then goeth he and takethe to hym seuen other spirites worse then hym selfe and they enter in and dwell there And the enâ—e of that man is worse then the beginninge And it fortuned that as he spake these thinges a certayne woman of the company lyfte vp her voyce and sayde vnto hym happye is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes whiche gaue thee sucke But he sayde yea happy are they that heare the worde of GOD and kepe it THE EXPOSITION THe Gospell of this present sonday setteth forth vnto vs the story of a certain man possessed with a dumme deuill which Christ did cast out and healed the man so that the dumbe maÌ„ spake vnto the greate admiration and meruellynge of all the people that were present In this our gospell many thinges are contayned vnto our greate consolation comfort But oure cheiffe principal coÌ„solation is this that Christ casteth out the deuill that by this meanes we may certainlye knowe that Christ hath greater power then the deuil all his kyngdome And that this worke which was theÌ„ corporally done doth not yet ceasse but is shal be coÌ„tinually exercised while the churche endure For all things that are geuen to the curch of Christ as baptisme the Lordes Supper the worde absolution or declaration of the merciful promises of God vnto penitent synners and all other thynges that pertayne vnto the ministery of the worde as instrumentes are prouided vnto this ende that by them the kyngdome of the deuill may be destroyed agayne that menne maye be receaued out of Satans kyngdome into the kingdome of god and in fine that by them the deuil may be put out of men For as it is written in the Prophet my worde shall not returne voyde or withoute fruite As the raine that falleth vpoÌ„ the grounde that is drie is not without fruite for grasse or blades come forth and all thinges ware grene so is the worde of god alwayes fruitful with some for the holy ghoste is with the worde and by the same worde lighteneth kyndleth purifieth the heartes and by this meanes deliuereth them from the tyranny of the deuill And although mans reason can not coÌ„prehend it howe the deuil is theÌ„ cast out it maketh no matter For the worlde is not worthie to see so much as a sparcke of gods power but remaining in darcknes to cursse to blaspheme all thinges that belong vnto God as they do here vnto Christ. But we that receaue embrace the worde ought to know to coÌ„forte our selues herewith that god hath geueÌ„ vs power here vpoÌ„ earth whereby we may coÌ„tinually cast out the deuil Let vs take an exaÌ„ple of the child that is new borne Euery child that coÌ„meth into the world is borne in the deuils kingdom where he thorowe sinne as a Lord ruleth exerciseth all kynde of tiraÌ„ny But wheÌ„ this child according to the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of Christe is brought vnto baptisme whereby sinners are borne again into the kiÌ„gdom of god as Christ saieth Except a maÌ„ be borne a newe he caÌ„not see the kingdom of god For that is borne of fleshe is flesh that is borne of the spirit is spirite Then must the deuill nedes geue place the child be deliuered out of his kyngdom For in baptisme the grace of god is promised geuen to the child because he is baptised into the death of Christ In like maner may it be said of theÌ„ that haue troubled consciences whoÌ„ the
for enuy thei had deliuered him When he was set downe to geue iudgement his wife sent vnto him saying haue thou nothing to do with that iust mā for I haue suffred this day many things in my slepe because of him But the chief Priests Elders persuaded the people that they should aske Barrabas and destroy Iesus The deputie answered and said vnto them Whether of the twaine wil ye that I let lose vnto you They said Barrabas Pilate said vnto them what shall I do then with Iesus that is called Christ They all said vnto him let him be crucified The deputie said What euil hath he done But they cried more saying Let him be crucified When Pilate saw that he coulde preuaile nothing but that more busynes was made he toke water and washed his handes before the people saying I am innocent of the bloud of this iust person se ye Then answered all the people and said His bloud be on vs on our childrē Then let he Barrabas loose vnto thē and scourged Iesus and deliuered him to be crucified Then the souldiors of the deputie toke Iesus into the cōmon hal and gathered vnto him all the cōpany and they stripped him and put on him a purple robe and platted a crowne of thornes and put it vpon his head and a reed in his right hande and bowed the knee before hym and mocked hym sayinge Haile kyng of the Iewes And whenne they hadde spytte vppon him they tooke the reede and smote hym on the head And after that they hadde mocked hym they tooke the roabe of hym agayne and putte hys owne rayemente on hym and ledde hym away to crucify hym And as they cam out they found a manne of Cyrene named Symon hym they compelled to beare hys Crosse. And they camme vnto the place whyche is called Golgotha That is to say a place of dead mennes skulles and gaue hym vineger myngled with gaulle to drynke And whenne he hadde tasted thereof he woulde not drynke Whenne they hadde crucifyed hym they parted hys garmentes and dydde caste lottes that it myghte bee fulfylled whyche was spoken by the Prophete They parted my garmentes amonge theym and vppon my vesture dydde they caste lottes And they satte and wacched hym there and sette vp ouer hys head the cause of his deathe written Thys is Iesus kynge of the Iewes Then were the twoo theeues crucifyed wyth hym one on the ryghte hande and an other on the lefte They that passed by reuyled hym waggynge theyr heades and sayinge Thou that destroyedst the Temple of God and dyddest buylde it in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou bee the sonne of GOD come downe frome the Crosse. Lykewyse also the hye Priestes mockynge hym wyth the Scrybes and Elders sayde He saued other hym selfe he can not saue If he bee the Kynge of Israell lette hym nowe comme downe from the Crosse and we wyll beleue hym Hee trusted in God lette hym delyuer hym nowe yf he wyll haue hym For hee sayde I am the sonne of GOD. The thieues also whych were crucified with hym caste the same in hys teethe Frome the sixthe hower was there darkenesse ouer all the land vntyll the nynthe hower And aboute the nynthe hower Iesus cryed wyth a lowde voyce sayinge Ely Ely lamasabathany That is to saye My God my God why haste thou forsaken me Some of them that stode there when they hearde that sayde Thys manne callethe for Helias And streyghte waye one of them ronne and toke a spunge and whenne he hadde fylled it full of vineger hee putte it on a reede and gaue hym to drynke Other sayde Lette bee lette vs see whether Helias wylle come and delyuer hym Iesus whenne hee hadde cryed agayne wyth a lowde voyce yealded vp the ghoste And beholde the vayle of the Temple dydde rent in two partes frome the toppe to the bottome and the earthe dydde quake and the stones rente and graues dydde open and manye bodyes of Sainctes whiche slepte arose and wente out of the graues after hys Resurrection and came into the holye Citie and appered vnto many When the Centurion and they that were wyth hym watchynge Iesus sawe the earthequake and those thynges whiche hapned they feared greately saying Truly this was the sonne of GOD. And many women were there beholdyng hym a farre of whyche folowed Iesus frome Galilee mynistryng vnto hym amonge which was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedes children THE EXPOSITION THIS daye is redde in the Churche as ye haue hearde the storye of the paynefull Passyon and dreadefulle death of our most louynge Lorde and swete Sauioure Iesus Christe And although the passion of Christ oughte at all tymes and euery daye dylygentely to bee remembred of vs and of euery Christian seyng it is that onely and alone precious treasure whereby wee are delyuered and sette at lybertie frome all the power of helle from Sathan synne deathe damnation c. yet the aunciente Fathers of Christes churche in tymes paste haue well prouyded that we shold haue euery yeare a certayne peculiar tyme appoynted for this purpose in the whyche we myght doo and exercise this eyther priuately or publykely For by this meanes shall the Passion of Christ be the more dilygently inculked and beaten into the youthe and also bee the more surelye engraffed in the memorie of the Elder sorte of people Nowe forasmuch as the Passion of Christe hathe in tymes paste ben meruaylouslye abused by vayne meditations and cogitations of superstitious and ignorant hypocrites we wyl at this present leaue all suche vanitie and declare howe the passion and deathe of CHRIST oughte trewely and profytablye to bee consydered weyghed and pondered vnto oure synguler consolation and comforte and also vnto the amendement of our lyfe and conuersation Thys shall bee brought to passe if wee dilygentlye expende weyghe ponder and consyder these principall poyntes followynge Fyrst what the Passion of Christe is Secondly what prouoked and moued hym to suffer thys Passion Thirdly how Christ bothe outwardly and inwardlye suffered Fourthly what fruite and profite he hath procured and gotten for vs by his Passion Fyrst the passion of Christ is none other thing then an vnmeasurable dolour sorowe torment and payne whiche he of a singular vnoutspekable loue toward vs for our synnes that hee myghte purge them and vtterly put them away thorow his satisfaction outwardly in his body and inwardly in his soule susteined and suffered tyll at the laste he died on the crosse which shal be opened declared more playnly herafter Secondly there are fyue causes that moued Christ to suffer his most dolorous and peinful passion The first is our synne which could none otherwise be clensed purged and put away but only by the passion death of Christ. The second cause is the greate and vnoutspeakable charitie loue and fauor that Christ and his heauenly father bore toward vs men whiche charitie coulde not abyd
could we beleue on Christe of whome we hadde not hearde as it is wrytten But howe shall they heare without a preacher Fayth commeth by hearyng hearyng commeth by the worde of God Therefore Christ suffered that victorie ouer death and hell and also that his glorious Gospell to be published to the whole world and all nations thorow the preachyng of the holy apostles and other godly doctours and teachers to be inuited bydden and called vnto it The seuenth fruict of Christs Resurrection is that Christe wyth his rysynge agayne frome death hathe iustified vs thorowe Faithe For as hee by his deathe hath abolyshed and put awaye synne euen so by hys Resurrection hath he brought vnto vs ryghtousnes as Paule saieth Christe was betrayde for oure synnes and rose agayne for oure iustification And blessed Peter sayth Blessed be God and the Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe whyche accordyng to his abundant mercy begate vs agayn vnto a lyuely hope by that that Iesus Christ rose agayne from deathe to an inheritance immortall and vndefyled and that perysheth not reserued in heauen for you which ar kept by the power of God thorough Faythe vnto saluation Thus hath Christe by his resurrection made vs godly and ryghteous thorowe Fayth that we shold not onely by hym be made free frome synne but also become holy and righteous in hym if as Peter saith we beleue in God thorough hym which raised him vp from the dead and gaue the glorie vnto hym that we myght haue faith and hope toward God The eyght fruicte of Christes Resurrection is the glorious blessednesse and eternall lyfe of the soules whyche foloweth of Iustification and Faythe wherof the holy Apostle S. Paul speaketh in hys Epistle to the Ephesians sayenge GOD whyche is ryche in mercye for hys greate loue wherewyth hee loued vs euen whenne wee were deade in synnes quyckned vs together in CHRIST by grace are ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym and made vs sytte togyther wyth hym amonge them that are in heauen The Prophete Osee also saythe He shall make vs alyue after twoo dayes and on the thyrde daye he shall rayse vs vppe that wee maye lyue in hys syghte Hereof commeth it that S. Peter calleth Christe the Lorde of lyfe For he that confesseth wyth hys mouthe and beleueth wyth his heart that GOD raysed vp Christe he is saued Thys lyfe and euerlastynge saluation Christe by hys Resurrection hath purchased and geuen vnto vs. Therefore Christ sayde to Mary Magdalene that she shoulde telle hys disciples that he would go vp vnto his father and their father As though he shoulde saye Nowe we haue a common inheritaunce one father one kyngedome and an euerlastynge lyfe common to vs all For hee that sanctifyethe and they that are sanctifyed are all one The laste fruite of Christes resurrection is the glorification and dignitie of our mortall bodies For as Christe in his Resurrection dydde caste awaye frome hym all weakenesse of mannes bodye because from hensefoorthe he shoulde bee no more mortall weake hungrye thyrstie nor haue any other infirmities but immortall and withoute all infirmitie and weakenesse So shall our mortall bodies bee lyke vnto hys glorious bodye at the Resurrection of the deade and shall for euer remayne in that glory and honour worldes without ende Of thys speaketh Sainct Paule sayenge Our conuersation is in heauen from whens wee looke for a Sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christe whyche shall transfigure and chaunge thys oure vyle bodye that hee maye make it lyke to his owne glorious bodye accordyng to the power wherwyth he is able to make all thynges subiecte to hymselfe And in an other place Paule reioyceth wyth all the Christians that we haue an euerlastyng dwelling place in heauen although this oure corruptible body destroyed and put awaye For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose agayn then shall God bryng them with hym that are fallen a sleape by Iesus So shall we bee glorifyed with Christe as he before was glorified by hys Resurrection and made hys mortall bodye immortall and brought it vnto glorie As he also before gaue a shewe of this matter to hys Disciples in mount Thabor where his face dydde shyne as the Sunne and hys garmentes were made whiter thenne snowe He that desyreth to heare more of this matter lette hym reade the .xv. Chapter of saint Paules first epist. to the Corinthiās There shall he abundātly find how Christ rose again how manyfold and great fruict he hath purchased and gotten for vs by that his glorious resurrection Nowe forasmuche as we haue hearde and do perfectly knowe what great and singuler benefites we haue receaued by the victorious and triumphant resurrection of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ How he hath ouercome synne death deuyll and hell and hath made vs not only free and safe frome them but also holy godly and rightous thorowe fayth so that we shall haue with hym euerlastyng lyfe and a glorified body it becometh vs as thankfull children with Christ to take vpon vs a new pure syncere vncorrupt and fautlesse lyfe as S. Paule exhorteth vs in his Epistle to the Romains saying We are buryed with Christe by baptisme for to dye that likewyse as Christ was raised vp from death by the glorie of the father euen so we also should walke in a newe lyfe Nowe what other thyng is a new lyfe then to eschew sinne and to doo that whiche is good and godly As Paul saith in his foresaid Epistle We ought no more from hensforth to serue synne And in an other Epistle hee sayth that Christ dyed to this ende for all menne that they whyche lyue shoulde from hensefoorth lyue not to them selues but to hym that died for thē and rose agayne So lykewyse doothe Paule reioyce that he lyueth not but Christ in hym And he exhorteth the Corinthians that forasmuche as they through faith in Christe are holye and righteous and yet for the remnantes of the vncleane fleshe are synners and vnrighteous they would purge out that olde leauyn Know ye not saith he that a litle leauen so wreth the whole lumpe of dough Purge out therfore the olde leauen that ye may be new dough as ye are swete bread For Christ our passeouer is offred vp for vs. Therfore lette vs kepe a ioyfull feast not with olde leauen neyther with the leauen of maliciousnes wickednes but with the swete bread of purenes trueth In the whiche wordes Paule doth euidentlye expresse require that we should leaue the olde vnpure lyfe whiche we haue of Adam and in spirite begin exercise a newe spirituall lyfe vnto the whiche Christe hath brought vs and that we should from tyme to tyme if anye olde leauen of wyckednes we fynde in our selues purge it out and vtterly cast it out awaye from vs so that for euer after as in profession so lykewise
in this worlde for a Christen man But those troubles are shorte transitorie and of no continuance Againste all these thynges the word teacheth me that here after I shal haue euerlasting life And although I feele death must nedes dye as other do that beleue not in Christ what then the voice of my shepehearde whiche maketh for me doth most highly conforte me He that beleueth in me sayth he shall neuer dye euerlastingly Again I geue my lyfe for my shepe Therfore I doubte not but that my moste faithfull shepehearde Christe Iesu knoweth me But this knowledge is therfore thus hydde and kepte secret that it maye be an exercise and triall of my fayth Otherwise if straightwayes after baptisme we shoulde be comme cleane righteous and immortall we shoulde nede neither the worde nor faith But for asmuch as the worde remayneth it necessarilye requireth fayth neyther shall oure matters haue altogether good successe before that great daye of Iudgement For then shall we se oure shepehearde face to face euen as he is and beholde all this matter without fayth Therfore it is not to be doubted but that so sone as a man is baptised there chaunceth vnto hym high◠glorie so that he is vtterly without synne and endued with perfect and euerlastynge righteousnes For so saith Christe He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued But this is not perceaued with our sences neither can reason attaine ther vnto yet is it true if we iudge after the worde and determine according to the voyce of our shephearde Wherfore this only remaineth that we holde fast the worde and by no meanes cast it awaye til al these thinges be reueled brought to light in that euerlasting lyfe that is to cōme which we now heare in the worde and beleue For as this life the life to cōme do differ so is it impossible that the true feling and experience of those thinges sholde chaunce in this life which are to be felt and perceaued in the life to comme Therfore it is a matter of greate waight to knowe a Christen man yea he can not be perfectly knowen in this lyfe For what man can saye this that he is in euerlasting lyfe And notwithstanding we must confesse that this child which is vexed with death sinne and all kynd of miseries where no point of euerlasting lyfe appeareth immediatly after his baptisme biginneth in this worlde euerlasting life But howe commeth this thing to passe There is nothing sene neither doth any thing appeare besydes the olde and accustomed lyfe But yet for all that aboue that accustomed and defyled lyfe God hath ordained euerlasting lyfe wherin we also liue accordynge to the worde and faith although we do not yet se and feele it And this it is to knowe a true Christian not to iudge hym after the iudgement of reason and mans vnderstandinge but by the voyce and worde As a shepes lyfe is in the voyce For when she is destitute of her shepeheardes voyce she can not escape the danger of wolues For without the shepeheardes voice she can not be kept in order and safetie when she heareth that she is safe and without all perill But when that is ones lost she is in danger on euery side After the same maner goeth it with the Christians if the worde be lost there remayneth no conforte But the worde being safe they beholde Christ their shepheard and what so euer maketh for their saluation thorowe Christe that is to say forgeuenes of synnes and euerlasting lyfe Therfore hauing this assured hope a true Christian serueth his vocation doth his worke eateth dryncketh yea and in the middest of his crosse and trouble he is ioyefull and merye For he is altogether geuen to heare the voyce of his shepheard and accustometh hym selfe to iudge not after the sence and course of reason but accordinge to the voyce and worde And this it is that Christ sayth here I knowe my shepe and my shepe know me as the father knoweth me and I knowe the father I geue my lyfe for my shepe This thing must we learne and diligently consider in our heartes that we be not offended nor forsake the voyce of our shephearde though the Christians be afflicted and troubled yea and dye as other do For this is the alone knowledge of the Christians that they cā saye As concernynge the outwarde life I do no see any difference betwene the godly the vngodly Yea many times the state of the Christians is harder and more intollerable they are incombred with mo miseries then other are But in the worde there is greate difference namely that the Christians the vngodly haue much diuersitie betwene them not as cōcerning outwarde thinges but that the Christians heare the voyce of theire shepeheard which the Ethnickes and Infidelles heare not nor yet the Turkes Iewes and Papistes but only the shepe of Christ. As touching all other external thinges there is no difference Wheras Christ speaketh of other shepe which must also be broughte that there maye be one shepehearde and one flocke that began immediatly to be brought to passe after the sending of the holy Ghoste when the Gospell was preached thorow out the worlde and by the Ministers of the word it is yet practised shall be vnto the ende of the worlde not that by this meanes all men without exception shall be conuerted vnto the Gospell For that will the deuill neuer suffer and the worlde also moste extremely hateth the worde and will not abyde to be reproued Therfore there is no hope that the varietie of religions should be taken awaye But this is to be one shepehearde one flocke that god doth accept so many as euer receue the Gospell as his sonnes for Christes sake whyther they be Iewes or Gentiles For this is the alone true religiō to folowe this shepehearde Christ and to heare hys voyce and to be obedient to the same whiche thynge graunt vs that true and only shepeheard and Byshop of our soules Iesus Christe with the father the holy ghoste to whome be glorie honour and prayse for euer and euer Amen The third Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xvi IEsus sayde to his Disciples After a whyle ye shall not see me agayne after a whyle ye shal see me for I go to the father Then sayd some of his disciples betwene them selues What is this that he sayethe vnto vs after awhile ye shal not see me and agayne after awhyle ye shall see me that I go to the father They sayde therefore what is this that he sayeth after awhyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceyued that they woulde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquire of this betwene your selues because I sayd After a whyle ye shal not se me againe after a whyle ye shall see me Uerylye verylye I saye vnto you ye shall wepe lament but contrary wyse
vnder correction wherof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Thus see we by the wonderful and certein consent both of sentences and examples and by them are we taught that god not of euill but of good will not of displeasure but of fauoure correcteth vs and that in the middest of our trouble we should knowe the good wil of god and certeinly be persuaded that God although our affliction be neuer so great doth not hate vs nor set naught by vs but rather that this correctiō is a most assured signe that he loueth vs and taketh vs for his children seinge he doth so louingly correcte and chasten vs. Nowe must we also learne to knowe the cause why God doth so correcte punishe his children S. Paule setteth it forth in these his wordes we are corrected of the Lorde sayth he that we should not be damned with the worlde And Dauid sayeth It is highly for my profite that thou hast corrected me that I mighte learne thy righteous ordinaunces Esay the Prophete also sayeth vexation geueth vnderstanding For this is certen if god wold serue our fansies accomplishe our desires and neuer send vs aduersitie and trouble we should become altogether secure and carelesse neither shoulde we at any tyme call our synne vnto remembraunce nor care for the worde nor geue oure selues vnto prayer But when now and then we and such thinges as appertayne vnto vs are assayled with aduersitis misfortunes thē haue we a iuste nedeful cause not only to fal vnto prayer but also to remēber our sins our former wicked life to cōsider that suche plagues punishmēts chaunce vnto vs for our syns And that therfore we ought frō hensforth to liue more warely to lay aside our sins to feare god to fram our life according to his blessed will c. that by this means god seing our cōuersion may either take awaye those paines frō vs or els mitigate ease them as it semeth best to his godly wisedō as s. Paule saieth in his epistle to the Hebrues the heauēly father nurtereth vs for our profit to the intent the he may minister of his holines vnto vs. We therfore may not despaire because of the crosse We should rather thincke on this maner with our selues By this signe token I perceaue right well that God is merciful vnto me fauoreth loueth me for he nurtereth me as his sonne by these aduersities and afflictiōs his pleasure is to put me in remēbrāce of my sins to cal me vnto repentance that by this meanes I may amend that is a misse fromhensforth auoide sinne no more offend my heauenly father He that doth this vseth the crosse a right neither doth he murmur against God in his aduersitie nor yet thorowe impaciencie is brought vnto that point that he fleeth vnto supersticious idolatrous wicked artes to be released of his trouble but paciently quietly he abideth the helpe of god feruently by prayer desireth the same Now ensueth the fourth parte of this matter After that we be thorowly persuaded that nothing can chaunce vnto vs without the will of god and that it is Gods pleasure when aduersitie trouble chaunce vnto vs that it is for our saluation that we are thus afflicted troubled we must also assuredly assure our selues of this thing that god wil geue a fortunate ende to these our troubles and most prosperously deliuer vs from them as S. Paule saith god is faithful whiche shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but shall in the middes of the temptation make a waye that ye maye be able to beare it And vnto this confort do those thinges cheifly pertaine that Christ speaketh here of that A lytle while Against this doctrine of A lytle while are two thinges First whē we are opprest with the greatnes vehemēcie of afflictiō or trouble so that there appeareth none other thinge but that the very crosse wil haue the vppermost hand that nothing so far as reasō iudgeth can preuayle against it as we haue in the example of king Ezechias Whē Rabsakes the captaine of the hoost of the king of the Assiriās required that the Citie of Ierusalem should be yelded and geuen ouer vnto hym Ezechias sent vnto Esaye the Prophete with this embassage This is the day of trouble of plague of blasphemie for the children are comme to the place of byrth but there is no power to bring them forth And Christ here also vseth the same similitude of a woman that goeth on her trauayle There appeareth to be very great peril both of the mother of the child For the afflictiōs are not small as it is set forth in a certein psalme where Christ him self crieth out on this maner Saue me O God for the waters are cōme in euen vnto my soule I sticke faste in the depe myre where no grounde is I am comme into depe waters so that the fluddes runne ouer me Secōdly whē we se no waye howe to escape that great daūger Thē we straightwayes fal to desperatiō nether cā we beleue that this matter is but of a litle while And vnto this ende specially belonged the similitude of the woman that trauaileth of child whiche CHRSIT vseth here For here the peril semeth to be infinitie vnmeasurable and endlesse and yet sodeinly commeth there greate ioye as lyfe springinge out of death when a man is borne into the worlde the mother also beinge safe and with out daunger In consideration wherof al the sadnes is turned into gladnes These thinges chaunce dayly And where as some time the ende of suche trauaile is not gladnes that chaunceth but seldome The common trade is as Christ saith that sodenly and vnlooked for sounde ful true and perfect ioye foloweth sorow and sadnes as the Psalmographe sayeth Heuines may endure for a night but ioye commeth in the morning This would Christe haue his Disciples to learne when they are tossed and troubled with the waues of cruell aduersitie that they maye thincke and remember this his saying A lytle while as S. Paule sayeth to the Hebrues No maner chastisynge for the present tyme semeth to be ioyous but greuous neuerthelesse afterwarde it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto them whiche are exercised thereby So that it is fyrste called A lytle while for the sodayne vnloked for mutation or chaunge whiche chaunceth soner then we looked for Secondlye affliction is called A lytle while because this short trouble shall be turned into euerlastinge ioye and this sorowfull transitorie lyfe into a ioyefull perpetuall lyfe as Christe sayde to his Disciples ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned into ioye For what is to be thought of al that time wherin Lazarus paraduenture ten or twentie yeares was in miserie and affliction in respect of that tyme whiche is afterward in
be so great that it finde al things abundātly to the euill which do not only not serue him but moreouer persecute his word blaspheme it How is it possible that he should suffer you to be forsaken that loue him heare his word gladly set it forth as much as ye can put all your trust in him Wherfore the doctrin of Christ tēdeth to this end that we shold embrace his word beleue it folow godlines lay aside all care beleue that god wil finde vs al things sufficiētly But what do they A great part careth not for the word but rather geueth them self to play pleasure pastime sport wātonnes thē to the hearyng of holy sermons After the whiche must nedes folow an vnholie bestiall life which is of necessitie subiecte to diuers curses of pouertie euils manifold discommodities Then cōmeth ther to this also an other disprofite y◠many being slouthful and sluggishe haue no regard of labour Or if they labour and graunt them selues no time voyd of labour yet they spend riot out of measure that oftentimes they spend in one holyday all that was gathered to gether the hole weke before GOD forbiddeth both as wel prodigalitie as idlenes But whatsoeuer is goten that shold be preserued studiously Therfore he sayth byrds doth not mow nor gather into barnes As though he should say Ye do both of them and both must be done in that ye labour and lay vp afterward that that ye gotte that it may be saued for necessarie vses But as for hym that doth not so what faulte is ther in God if all his busines lacketh successe Thou mayst blame thy owne negligence slouthfulnes and wasting and not God which wold geue gladly if thou wouldest embrace godlines and heare Gods worde beleue put awaye care and fal to labour As he sayth here All thinges shall be geuen vnto you but thou doest refuse it When thou shouldest heare a sermon thou fallest a slepe or doste some other trifles When thou shouldest labour thou art idle c. Not so muche as the foule hath his meat without labour he findeth it not in his neaste doe thou also lykewise feare God and labour diligently let God care for the residew how he wil finde thee thy liuing yet as I sayd before beware beware of couetousnes rake not vp to muche For GOD can not abyde that This is the doctrine of this Gospell The Lorde our God graunt vs throughe his holye spirite that we maye earnestly embrace Godlines and that our heartes maye be inclined to his testimonies and not to couetousnes as Dauid sayth Amen The .xvi Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vii ANd it fortuned that Iesus wente into a Citie called Naim and many of his Disciples went with hym and muche people When he came nye to the gate of the Citie beholde there was a dead man caryed out whiche was the only sonne of his mother and she was a widowe and muche people of the citie was with her And when the Lorde sawe her he had compassion on her and sayde vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffen and they that bare hym stode styll And he sayde yonge man I saye vnto the arise And he that was deade set vp and began to speake And he deliuered him to his mother And there came a feare on thē all And they gaue the glory vnto God saying A great Prophet is rysen vp amonge vs and GOD hath visited his people And this rumour of hym went forth throughout all Iewry and through out all the regions whiche lye rounde aboute THE EXPOSITION MAny thinges were to be spoken touching this gospell howbeit we haue chosen but twoo thinges therof The one is how we ought to take confort against death The other is as touchyng Christian pitie and mutuall affection in these cōmon euills Ye heare here of a miserable widow whiche first lost her husbande and then her sonne which was her only solace in al her trouble For it was counted the cheif myserie in this people to haue no sonne to be heyre of the familie For the trade of this commonaltie was suche that al was appointed to the heyre Wherfore this widow was miserable in all pointes in great aduersitie in so muche that this semed sure tokens that God was displeased with her and againste her for that he tooke awaye first her husband then her son And it was no marueill if she had caste away all her hope and trust in God Christe hath respecte to this woman and hath pitie vpon her and restoreth her ded chylde to lyfe and turneth her greate sorow into great ioye This hystorie is therfore to be marked of vs that we may confirme our faith For Christ doth the busines not only of this woman but he studieth to certifie all vs of this what a weake thinge death is that we should not feare it at all but that we should do all thinges with a pacient mynde on suche wise that we maye not be put in feare by death or by anye other things For that that we haue such a prince to ayde vs which hath present and redie helpe againste all euill and death yea and in this example he declareth how soone he can put awaye death For who would haue thought that this dead yonge man that was carried foorth to be buried coulde haue reliued again But Christ coming vpon them when the matter was past cure speaketh but this yonge man I say to thee arise And the dead rose and began to speake Wherby ye may vnderstande that death before Christe is euen as lyfe And all is one with him whether we liue or be dead For although we be dead yet are we not dead to our destruction The reason why is this with one worde he can cal lyfe again and put away death So that hereby we may well vnderstāde Christes saying to be true euen that god is the god of the lyuynge and of the dead For although Abraham Isaac Iacob and other holy Patriarkes be dead to vs yet they be alyue to god This muste we learne out of this Gospell in this widowes son how great god will declare his power to be in the last day through Christ when he with one worde will call men to life againe and geue to them that beleue euerlasting lyfe This shall be done in a moment so that we nede not doubt but that both these thinges are in Christ that is power as he declareth here and also wil to do it gladly For this is an euident proufe and example therof The widowes son is deade he is voyde of sence and felynge but as soone as Christ speaketh with him he heareth Is not this a wonderful thynge He that heareth not nowe heareth he that liueth not nowe liueth and yet is ther nothynge els done but that Christ speaketh a worde and byddeth him Arise This only worde is
Turne O turne from your wicked waies and wherfore will ye dye O ye house of Israell For where as our hertes thynke that God is a cruell Iudge with whome synners haue no hope of forgeuenesse of theyr synnes it is a false imagination For thys ought not to take awaye our hope from the mercy of God because the lawe is so fierce and vnmercyfull agaynst synners For the Lawe dothe but her office declaryng what the Iudgement of God shall bee agaynst synners Neyther canne the cause of synners bee otherwyse if it be examined by the Lawe whyche accuseth curseth condempneth woundeth and kylleth so manye as it fyndeth gyltie withoute exception For synners muste needes abyde the sentence and Iudgemente of the Lawe because of the ryghtuousnesse which GOD lawfully requireth of all menne Yet for all that the Lawe is no lette vnto God but that he by hys grace maye restore theym and sette them withoute all daunger that were before condemned of the lawe Who so euer therefore appeale frome God thorowe the decrees of the lawe cruell and suche one as wil not be intreated vnto god mercifull and such one as wyll not the deathe of synners and falle downe before the Lorde with this seruaunt and desyre mercye they without doubte obteyne the inwarde mercy of Gods moste mercyfull bowels as the testimonie of Christe is here that the bowels of God yearne and are moued when synners are driuen by the lawe and synne to destruction and euerlasting bondage Wherfore when thou feelest thy debt haue thy recourse with this seruaunt to the mercye of God and thynke for a suertie that it is Goddes will that thou sholdest not dye but haue euerlastyng lyfe And what is the meane by the whiche God would haue mercy vpon vs the Gospel sheweth in other places euen that the sonne of God Iesus Christ is becom man for vs synners and toke our syns vpon him and satisfied for them by his death Loke where this faith is as touchyng Christ his deathe there is the wrath of God ouercome so that he suffreth himselfe to be reconciled to man and is no more angry with him For he hath declared in Iesu Christe that he hathe a verye prompt redy mynd to mercy whiche hath mercy on vs as the father on his chyldren For he forthwith as soone as the kyngdom of death and of synne was set vp by Adam and Eue set forth a hope of saluation agaynst thys kyngdome by the promyse as touchynge the seede of the woman And thys is oure doctrine which thanks be to god in our Churche is sette foorth syncerely and withoute fault that remission of sinnes cometh vnto vs only by the grace and mercy of God As it is described in thys place by the seruant which oweth such a great summe but yet obtaineth a quittance of it not by merite and desert but onely by mercy and grace and that only for this that he sticketh sure to grace and prayeth for the mercy of God Wherfore the doctrine of the Papistes is erronious false and blasphemous whenne they preache as concernynge remission of synnes For they caste menne with theyr vnpayable dettes vnto theyr owne workes But when we teache that remyssion of synne is onely to be asked of God by Christe they condemne it as heresie and false But iudge thou thys by the true meanyng of the Gospell which of vs both do preache more truly as touching remission of sinnes whether we that cōmend the mercy of God in Christ or they that persuade mē to works and satisfactions To be brief al this sermon tendeth to this end that we shold learn that God hath mercy on vs freely and forgeueth all our debt for naught Christ admonisheth vs here as touching this grace that we also by this exāple shold behaue our selues likewise shew no crueltie towarde our neighbour for that we haue receaued the remittyng of so great debtes from God For other wise can they not do that acknowledge truly the remission of sinnes before GOD. And this is the fyrst cause the whyche Christe hath set foorthe and in the meane tyme hee doothe teache what is the way vnto Saluation whereby we myght obteyne grace and Remission of synnes The seconde cause is when Christ requireth of vs to consyder well the wronge and damage doone vnto vs. For yf that wee trye all thynges by a iust balaunce we shall perceaue that oure debtes to God be alwayes tenne myllions of talentes in comparyson of the debte of the hundred pence that our neighbour dooth owe vnto vs. If thys bee welle consydered it wylle admonyshe vs where as GOD hathe forgeuen vs so greate a summe that we shold not to straightly require our minute but iudge al things according to equitie For what are a hundred pens in respecte of tenne millyons of talentes Wherfore these thynges wyll make vs ashamed and not without a iuste cause yf that wee whyche haue gotten Remission of so greate thynges wyll not pardon our neighbours in lytle thyngs They do not well esteme the mercy of God that are so strait to their neighbors The third cause is that Christe in this Parable calleth vs all seruauntes Thys seruant sayeth he went foorth and chaunced vppon one of his fellowe seruantes that owed vnto hym an hundred pence Thys also might worthily adhort vs vnto mercyfulnes and withdraw vs from reuengyng For we are but felow seruauntes and all we haue one Lorde whose propre office it is to reuenge all trespasses whose maiestie is not to be resisted nor hys power to be mynished neyther will he suffer thee if thou do so as he saith in an other place Leaue to me the reuēging I wil reward saieth the Lorde For without thy reuengyng it is Gods office to punyshe syn And to thys ministration he hath not onely the deuyll that vexeth the body and goodes when GOD permytteth hym so to doo but he hath also certayne powers in the earthe that euerye one for theyr parte shoulde punyshe and reuenge that is the parentes and officers All these are commaunded to be a terrour and feare to euyll woorkes To these reuengers must al flee vnto that suffer wrōg eyther in Cities or in housholdes For they are all felow seruantes and ought not to reuenge their owne wronges If any haue an office to punyshe and yet punysheth not GOD wyll not leaue hym vnpunyshed For hee doothe not onely challenge thys for his owne office But hee hym selfe also whenne these reuengers appoynted of hym ceasse frome dooynge their dutie exerciseth reuenging for the oppressed and vexed Wherfore all men must beware that they reuenge not their owne wronge This is the meaninge of Christes saying wheras he sayth in the parable This seruant fell vpon one of his felow seruants The fowerth cause is He that will not also thinke vpon the greatnes of Gods mercie and the litle and small debt of his felowe seruant in whom he hath no power
the vnbeleuers in their vnbelief The subtiltie of the deuyll 2. Cor. 4. ii Thess. ii The ende of true miracles Note Luc. â—i Math. 6. Psalm 34. Christ prouideth for his Worldlings The faithfull shall want to good thyng Psalm 34. Iosue 1. Psalm 55. 1. Pet. 5. The blessyng of God maketh all thynges plentifull The prouidence of God Math. 6. Labour Idelnesse Idelnes is the chief mistresse of vices all The absidaÌ„ce and prosperitie of the vngodly shall not long continue The cause of incredulitie coÌ„cerniÌ„g liuing Philip. Math. 14. Reason is an euyll counsailer in matters of God Andrewe Note well Care proâ—fyteth nothing The worde of God and not reason is to be considered God is at all tymes beneficiall 3. Reg. 17. 4. Reg. 4. Math. 6. Psalm 127. The miseries of thys our tyme. The wickednes of the byshop of Rome Marke this practise it Iohn 16. Math. 16. Psalm 34. 1. Pet. 3. 2. Petr. 2. Faithe in the worde worketh constaÌ„cie in the heart Exod. 3. Note thys counseil Hier. 17. The worlde abuseth the gyfts of God thorowe riot In time of wealth prouid for death Gene. 41. Artificers Cornemongers Prou. 11. Note this O ye riche men The misery of couetous men Apoc. â—â— Psal. 113. Rom. 10. Ephe. 3. The worde of god is diligeÌ„tly to be heard Not to be of â—od is the greatest miserie that can be The despisers of gods worde are the bonde slaues of sataÌ„ The enemies of gods worde procede from wickednes to wyckednes What is to be of the deuyl Stubborne children The tyranny of the Papistes The despising of gods worde is the greatest synne that is Iohn 16. Prou. 16. The despiserâ— of the worde can not abyde to be reproued Iohn 8. What it is to be of the deuill What it is to be of God The propertie of gods children wheÌ„ they offend The properties of the deuils children Iohn 7. Psal. â— The pope is an enemie of gods worde The worde of god deliuereth from drath What it is to kepe the word of God Death The death of the wycked The death of the Godly What comodities we haue by hearynge the worde of God The true christians are neuer free from the crosse Death to the faithfull is swete pleasaunt sleape The worde of god is a strong bucklar agâ—iÌ„st aduersitie Sap. 16. Of what word Christe speaketh The lawe of Moyses The lawe of the Gospell Synne is the cause of death Faithe is the gyft of God Christ God man onely saâ—eth By the passion and deathe of Christ we are deliuered frome the power of SataÌ„ The conteÌ„tes of this sermoÌ„ What the passion of Christ is The causes that moued Christ to suffer Gen. 3. The fyrstâ— cause Esa. 53. 1. Pet. 2. Esa. 53. Psal. 69. 1. Pet. â— Rom. 3. â— Cor. 3. Esa. 3. Our syn was the cause of Christs deth The seconde cause Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 3. Esa. 63. Rom. 5. Iohn 15. Philip. 2. â— Epistle 5. Acts. 2. Iohn 16. The iiii cause Rom. 1. Act. 3. Luk. 24. The .v. cause Esa. 5. Iohn 12. Act. 28. â— These 2. Act. 13. Iohn 19. Psal. 33. God performeth what so euer he promiseth Synne haynous in the sighte of God Of Christes Paynes both Inwardlye outwardly Luc. 22. Psalm 22. Esa. 53. Rom. 8. Luke 22. 1. Pet. 4. Synners Math. 3.17 Hippocrites The fruites of Christes passioÌ„ death Iohn 12. The firste fruites of Christes passion Gene. 6. Psal. 13. Rom. 3. Psal. 115. Deut. 27. Christ by his passion hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe Gala. 3. Deut. 27. Esa. 53. Rom. â— Galat. 4. Esâ— 55 â–ª 1. Pet. 1. The second fruit of christs Passion 1. Iohn 1. Heb. 9. 2. Cor. 5. DeliueraÌ„s froÌ„ syn by the passion of Christ. The third frut of Christes Passion Rom. 6. Deliuerance froÌ„ deathe deuill hell Oseâ— 13. Iohn 11. Osee. 13. Iohn 12. 1. Pet. 1. The fourth fruit of christs passion Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 5. Coll. 1. We are reconciled to God the father by the passioÌ„ death of Christ. Coll. 1. The fyfte fruâ—t of christs passion Heb. 9. In the newe testament confirmed by the death of christ is bequethed vnto vs remission of sinnes Mat. 26. 1. Cor. 1. The .vi. fruit of Christs passion Our suffrings please God Rom. 8. Psal. 116. Iohn 1. How we may be made partakers of the frutes of Christs Passion Rom. 8. Iohn 1. By fayth are we made the sons of God Iohn 15. Faith in christ obtaynethe all good thinges at the hande of god The nature of faythe Rom. 3. Ther is no saluation but by fayethe in Christ alone Iohn 1. The lyfe and maners of Christe are to be folowed of all true Christians Christe a sauiour and an Example Rom. 6. Galat. 5. The propertie of a true Christian. Math. 5. Rom. 5. Galat. 5. 2. Cor. Rom. 8. The benefits that we haue goten by the passion death of Christe 1. Cor. 1â— The true kepyng of holy dayes The resurrection of Christ Iohn 11. Christ is rysen again two maner of waies Math. 2â— Marc. 16. Luc. 24. Iohn 20.21 Acts. 1.2 â—â— 1. Cor· 15. Psal. 6. Psal 30. Christe innocâ—nte and free from all synn Rom. 6. Rom. 5. Christe true naturall God Ioan. 10. Rom. 1. Psal. 89. Heb. 9. Ioan. 14. Act. 2. Psal 15. Quâ—stion Answere The sufficienc of Christes sacrifice Note well EPhe. 5. The sacrifice of Christes dethe abydeth in ful strâ—nght for euer The Fruites of Christes resurrection The Fyrste fruite Remission of synnes 1. Cor. 15. 1. Cor. 13. Osee. 1â— Heb. 2. The second Fruite Abrogacion of the lawe Rom. 6. 1. Cor 15. Rom. 8. 1. Cor 15. The thirde fruite 1. Cor. 15. Osee. 13. Deliueraunce From deathe Ioan. 11. Deathe to the Faythefull is no thin geelles then a sleape Note well 3. Reg. 2. 4. Reg. 20. Act. 7. The fourth fruite 1. Cor. 15. The distruction of hell Osee. 13. â— Cor. 15. The fyfte-fruite Heb. 2. Uictori ouer Satan and his kingdom Luc. 11. Coloss. 2. Psal 24. Luc. 11. A declaracion of the parable The Syxte fruite Preachyng of the Gospell Math. 228. Mar. 16. Rom. 10. The seuenthe fruite Iustificacion Rom. 4. 1. Pet. 1. The eyght â–ª fruite Eternall lyfe Ephe. 2. Osee. 6. Act. 3. Rom. 10. Ioan. 20. Heb. 2. The nynte fruite The resrreccion and glorificacion of our bodyes Phil. 36. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Thess. 4. Math. 17. â— new lyfe Rom. 6. Gal. 1. â— Cor. 5. Colloss 3. An exhortacioÌ„ vnto good life Luk. 1. The office of preaching committed to Christes disciples and to their successours The scriptures oughte to be preached to the people Es. 61. Christe was sent of his father to preach the gospell so lykewise are all faithfull ministers The doctrine of Moyses The doctrine of Christ. A double regiment spiritual and corporall The spiritual regiment hath only to do with synnâ— The ministers of gods worde ought not to medle with temporall affaires The office of