this was not ynough Christ vpbraydeth his apostles of theyr infidefitie For it was necessary also that they shulde beleue Christes resurrection Wherfore he vpbraydeth them of theyr infidelitie sayenge that albeit they had sene altogether yet they beleued it not and that they yet wāted thys article of resurrection What it is to beleue the resurrection of Christ What is it than to beleue the resurrection of Christ whych beareth so great a stroke and is of such importaunce that the disciples were called infideles and mysbeleuynge persones for the defaute of it Certes to beleue the resurrection of Christ is nothynge els than to beleue we haue a reconciler before God whych is Christ whych maketh vs at one wyth God the father and iustifyeth vs in hys syght For what so euer is in man of hys owne nature and byrth wythout regeneratiō is but synne and death whereby he heapeth vpon hymselfe gods vengeaunce Agayne God is the eternal iustice and clerenes whych of hys nature hateth synne Hereof it commeth that betwene God and man is perpetuall enmitie neyther can they be frendes or agre together Christe therfore beynge incarnate dyd bothe translate our synnes vpon hymselfe and drowned the wrath of the father in himselfe to reconcile vs to his father Wythout thys fayth we be the chyldren of vēgeaunce we can do no good worke that maye be acceptable to God neyther wyll God heare our prayers For thus in the .xviij. psalme it is wryttē They cryed and ther was no helper to the Lorde and he answered them not Yea the moost excellente worke wherby we thought to obtayne grace helpe comforte of God was imputed vnto vs for synne as the prophete in the .cix. psalme sayth Oratio eius in peccatum fiat Be hys prayer counted for synne for surely we can not wyth al our powers of our owne nature pacifie god We neded therfore Christe to be mediatour for vs to the father and to make vs at one wyth hym and finally to obtayne what so euer is necessary for vs. By the same Christ it behoueth vs to aske of God what so euer thynge we nede Ioh. xvi as Christ hymselfe enstructeth vs sayenge What so euer ye aske the father in my name it shal be done vnto you What soeuer we demaunde of God surely by thys Christ which hath satisfied for our synnes we must obteyne and get it For Christ is he whych layeth a garison about vs ☜ he is the defēce and bukler vnder whome we be hydden euen as the chekens be nouryshed and hydde vnder the wynges of the henne By him only our prayer is allowed before God By hym onely we be herde and get the fauoure grace of the father Thys is now to beleue vpon Christes resurrection yf as it is recited we beleue that Christ hath borne vpon hym aswell our synnes as the synnes of the hole worlde hath drowned in hymselfe the one and the other and also they re of the father wherby we be reconciled to God and made ryghtuouse before hym Now ye se your selues howe fewe christian men and wemen there be whych haue thys fayth wherby all men be delyuered from theyr synnes and be made ryghtuouse All outwarde christen men beleue not in the resurrection For they beleue not in the resurrection of Christe that theyr synnes be taken awaye also by Christe but go about to be iustifyed by theyr owne workes Thys man entreth into the cloyster is made a monke or freer she a nonne some one thynge some another that they may be delyuered from theyr synnes and yet they saye they beleue in the resurrection of Christe where theyr workes do shew cleane contrary Wherfore thys article haue the holy fathers preached and inculked specially before other For thus saynt Paule in the .xv. chapter of hys fyrste epistle to the Corinthi sayeth Yf Christ hath not rysen frō death to lyfe thā vayne is our preachynge vayne also is your fayth And a lytle after Yf Christ haue not rysen vayne is youre fayth ye be yet in your sines What maner cōsequēs is thys how do thys folowe Thus truly yf Christe rose not from death to lyfe it foloweth that synne death dyd swalowe hym vp and kylled hym After that we could not ryd our selues out of our synnes Iesus Christ toke them vpon hym to treade vnder hys fete death and hell and to be made Lorde ouer them Now yf he rose not agayne than surely he ouercame not synne but was ouercome of synne And yf he rose not agayne he redemed vs not and so we be yet in our synnes Furthermore in the tēth to the Romaynes he sayeth thus Yf thou confessest wyth thy mouth Iesus to be the Lorde and beleuest in thy harte that God hath raysed hym from death ☞ thou shalt be saued Herevnto agreeth all scripture both olde and newe But it is not yet sufficient to beleue the resurrection of Christ For al wicked persones beleue thys yea Satan doubteth not but that God suffered rose agayne ☞ But we must also beleue the summe of the resurrection and also what frute and profyte we haue taken therby that is to saye pardon of our gylt and as it were a gayle delyuerey of all our synnes that Christe passed thorough death and by it ouercame synne death yea and what so euer coulde hurt vs he trode vnder his fote and is constitute and made at the ryght hande of the father in heauen the myghty Lorde ouer syn Satan death hell and what soeuer hurteth vs and that all these thynges be done for our sake whyche thynge the wycked persons beleue not Ye se than my frēdes how much is layde in thys artycle of resurrection so that we may better wante all the reste than thys one article For what were it to beleue all the artycles as that God was borne of the virgine Mary that he dyed and was buryed yf thou doest not also beleue that he rose agayne Abac. i. And thys God meaneth in Abacuc where he sayeth I shall worke a worke in you whych no man shall beleue whan it shal be tolde And thys is the cause why Paule in al hys epistles handleth no worke or myracle of Christ so diligently as he doth the resurrection of Christ Yea he letteth passe all the workes and myracles of Christ and chefly teacheth vs the frute of it so that none of thapostles hath so paynted Christ vnto vs as Paule Actu ix Wherfore not wythout cause Christ sayd to Ananias Thys is my vessell of election to beare my name before the Hethen people and kinges and the chyldren of Israell It foloweth in the texte Go ye into the hole worlde and preach the Gospell to euery creature What shall they preach none other thynge but that Christe is rysen from death and that he hathe vaynquished and takē awaye synne and all mysery What is gospel he that beleueth thys is saued For
in them Vndoubtedly thys answere teacheth vs two thynges Fyrst ☜ that the wyll of God ought not to be learned of the dead as Moses also forbyddeth in Deuteronomye sayenge Deut. xviij Let noman serch the trouth of the deade for God abhorreth it And surely not wythout cause for he that ensercheth the trouth of deade men sheweth hymselfe not contented wyth gods worde whych is a synne agaynst the seconde commaundement Also to serche the trouth of deade men is to put other meanes thā preachers by whome God wol haue hys word knowen and spred abrode Thys thynge doth the exemple of Saule teach vs i. Reg. xxviij whych after he was caste vp of the Lorde and vtterly wycked in his harte by the helpe of a wytche raysed vp the prophete Samuell from death that is to wyt a certayne person resemblynge Samuel in voyce and vysage Secondly thys answere of Abraham teacheth vs that besyde the worde wrytten none other is to be loked for or to be herde though an angell shulde come from heauen or a goost ryse frō death to lyfe Wherfore good christen brethren and systers I exhorte in the Lordes name you that be rych to make your selues frendes of your wicked Mammon Luc. xvi that is to saye of your worldly goodes that when ye dye they may receyue you into euerlastyng tabernacles lest ye be serued as thys ryche mā was And agayne I exhorte you that be poore to haue sure faith in the Lorde and pacience in your aduersitie and pouertie And doubt ye not but at your departure out of this transitory worlde accordynge to the example of this poore Lazarus ye shal be caryed by angels into the bosome of Abraham abrahās bosome that is to say into euerlastyng lyfe in whych after the exemple of the father Abraham who is the father of al beleuynge chyldren the godly be receyued as into the bosome of the heuēly father To whom wyth the sonne and holy goost be all honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ij. sondaye after trinitie The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iij. chapter Th argument ☞ Of the syngular loue of God towardes vs and howe we ought agayne to loue one another MAruayle not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated frō death vnto lyfe bycause we loue the brethren He that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death Who so euer hateth hys brother is a mansleer And ye knowe that no mansleer hath eternall lyfe abydynge in hym Hereby perceyue we loue bycause he gaue hys lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue our lyues for the brethren But who so hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede shutteth vp hys compassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of God in hym My babes let vs not loue in worde neyther in tonge but in dede and in veritie FOr asmuch as deare brethren and systers euen from the begynnynge of the worlde it hath bene sene as the exemple of Abel wytnesseth that the godly haue suffred persecution trouble ☜ and vexation of the vngodly and wycked persons therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Ihon doth here exhorte vs to pacience in persecution and in aduersitie and that we shulde not be false harted and discouraged bycause we se we be euell and vnworthely handeled intreated of the wycked worlde And it is not without cause that saynt Ihon moueth vs to pacience for of truth it is a ryght harde thynge a mā to stāde fast in trouble and not to despayre or at leste waye not to doubte of the trouth of gods word for al that he seeth so many euell and vnhappy chaunces vnto hym on euery syde And besydes that he exhorteth vs in thys place vnto pacience he also therwythall comforteth al that be vexed troubled for trouthes sake wyth the greate benefyte and profyte whyche they haue taken through gods worde that is to wyt that they be translated frō death to lyfe and be now made the beloued sonnes of God to whych commodities and profytes al the persecutions in the world be not able to be compared Maruayle not sayeth S. Ihon though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated frome death vnto lyfe bycause we loue our brethren O what an vnspeakable solace and comforte is this my frendes vnto vs to know that we now lyue vnto God warde albeit before the worlde we be daylye mortifyed and euen kylled none otherwise thā shepe that go to the slaughter And agayne on the contrary parte what a fearful horrible thynge is it that the wycked persons whych pursue the godly be dead to god warde We be than translated frō death to lyfe Wherfore Bycause sayeth Ihon we loue oure brethren Surely my frendes the louynge of our brethren is an open declaracion token to the worlde that we be the chyldren of God For he that sayeth he hath faythe and loue towardes God and yet loueth not hys neyghbour maketh a starke lye For a good tree must nedes brynge forth good frute He then that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death that is to saye Rom. vi he is not yet rysen from death to lyfe wyth Christ vnto a new lyfe Yea saynt Ihon goeth forther and sayeth Who so euer hateth hys brother is a manslayer The law is spirituall Surely my frendes the lawe is spirituall and requyreth also the inwarde affections as Ihon doth here testifye For not only he that kylleth by layeng on of handes and violence vpon hys brother is in daunger to the law of murther but also he that pursueth hys neyghbour wyth hatred So though that he be not a murtherer and māsleer in outward dede yet in harte he is But no mansleer hath eternal lyfe abydynge in hym For loke wyth what measure we meate to other Mat. vij wyth the same shall it be measured agayne to vs. Now in the doctrine and teachynge of charitie ye shal vnderstande that it is the maner of thapostles euer to brynge vs to the exemple of Christ whereby to frame our lyfe lest we shuld inuent and deuise of our owne heades newe formes fashions of louing our brethren S. Ihon therfore doth here preuente vs and setteth forth Christ for an exemple to be folowed of vs The loue of god toward vs whych loued vs hys brethren not after a lyght and base sorte but euen wyth the peryll of his owne lyfe He wol haue vs than in lyke wyse to loue our brethren not lyghtly but so vehemently that when nede requyreth we shulde not stycke to venture our goodes yea our lyfe also for theyr sauetie welth By thys we knowe charitie that is to saye the loue of Christ towardes vs and what our loue and charitie ought to be in asmuche as he gaue his soule or lyfe for vs O what excedynge and vehemente loue was thys of Christ And shall we then shewe our selues churlysh and vnkynde agayne
losse of theyr owne commodities and oftymes wyth ieopardye of theyr lyfe The chyldren of the worlde contrary wyse haue suche stomakes that they woll soner se them deed that doth them good then susteyne any losse of temporal thynges The armure of the chyldren of lyghte Armure of the chyldrē of lyght are fyrst the worde of God whych they euer sette forth wyth all diligence put it abrode that as much as in them lyeth it maye brynge forth fruite after this pacience and prayer wyth the whych in all aduersities the Lorde comforteth them Other thynges they cōmitte to God vnto whom they leue al reuengemēte Armure of worldes chyldren The armure of the chyldren of the worlde are somtyme fraudes and deceytes somtyme lyes money By the fyrst they make theyr dreames theyr traditions by the seconde they stablyshe and confyrme the same be they neuer so fonde neuer so agaynst scripture honestye reason And yf any man resiste them euen wyth these weapons they procure to slee hym Thus they bought Christes death the verye lighte it selfe and obscured him after hys deth Thus they bye euery day the chyldren of lyght obscure them and shall so do vntyll the worlde be at an ende So that it maye be euer true that Christ sayd The children of the worlde be wyser in their nacion then be the children of light These wordlynges pull downe the lyuely fayth whych worketh by charitie and loue sette vp an other fayth an other confidence of theyr owne makyng as in pardōs and such trompery the chyldren of lyght contrary These wordlynges sette lytel by such workes as God hath prepared for oure saluation but they auaunce traditions and workes of theyr owne inuention the chyldren of lyghte contrary The wordlinges yf they espye profite gaines lucre in any thynge be it neuer such a tryfle be it neuer so dānable they preach it to the people and defende it wyth toth and nayle They can scarse disalowe any abuses of thynges albeit they be intollerable lest in disalowynge the abuse they lose parte of theyr profyte The chyldren of the lyght cōtrary put all thynges in theyr degre best hyghest next next the worst lowest They extoll thynges necessary christian and cōmaunded of God They pull downe wyll workes fayned by men and put them in theyr place The abuses of all thynge they ernestly rebuke But yet these thynges be so done on both parties and so they both do gendre that chyldren of the worlde shewe themselues wyser than the chyldren of lyght Neyther the chyldren of the worlde be onely wyser than the chyldren of lyghte but are also some of them amonge themself much wyser then the other in theyr generation For albeit as touchyng the ende the generation of them all is one yet in thys same generation some of them haue more craftely ingēdred thā the other of their felowes For what a thinge was that that ones euery C. yere was brought forth in Rome of the chyldrē of this worlde with how much policie it was made it is a wōder to heare How som brought forth Canonizations some Expectations some pluralities and vnions some totquottes and dispensations some pardons and these of wonderfull varietie some stationaries some Iubilaries some pocularies for drynkers some manuaries for handlers of relyques some pedaries for pylgrimes some oscularies for kyssers some of them engēdred one some other such fetures and euery one in that he deuysed was excellent politike wyse yea so wyse that wyth theyr wysedome they had almoost made al the worlde fooles But yet they that begotte and brought forth that theyr old aūciēt purgatorie picke pourse I meane that which was swaged cooled with a graye freers coule put vpon a deade mans backe to the fourth parte of hys synnes that that was vtterly to be spoiled and of none other but of the moost prudēt lorde the byshop of Rome and of hym as ofte as hym lysted they I saye that were the wyse fathers and brochers of thys purgatorie were doubtles the wyseste of all theyr generation and so farre passe both the chyldren of lyght and also the rest of theyr company that they both are but fooles yf ye compare them with these It was a pleasaunt fiction and from the begynnynge so profytable to the feyners of it that almost I dare boldly say there hath ben no emperour that hath gottē more by taxes and tallages of them that were alyue than these the very and ryghte begotten sonnes of the worlde gotte by deade mennes tributes and gyftes But what go I aboute particularly to recoūte vnto you the wonderfull craftes and policies of the chyldren of thys worlde Certes no tonge no oration is able to expresse them they be so many and so sundry Wherfore my welbeloued frēdes were it not a right foule shame for vs English men for vs I saye that pretende vtterly to detest and renounce the fraudes and policies of the byshope of Rome and of all hys limmes and to ensue the true religion of Christ and whych counte oure selues the children of the lyghte were it not I say a shame that these worldlinges shuld haue such a forsyght prudence and wisdom in theyr kinde for thynges transitorie whych be of small valure and mere vanities and that we shuld be stacke and negligent by doinge of oure officies and duties towardes our neighbours to gette vs the rewardes of euerlastinge life namely sithe euery one of vs bycause of the incertain terme of thys life oughte euer to be in a redynes and to awayte when the Lorde of heuen wol say vnto vs as was here said to the Stuard Gyue accomptes of thy stuardshippe for thou maiste be no lengar stuard Thys tyme bicause it is both vncertaine to euery man also shorte we must therfore hasten vs to bestowe our erthly substaunce vpon the pore wherby to gette vs a pasporte to eternall life For so shall it come to passe that the good dedes benefites whyche other folke haue done we shal be made partakers of whyl we helpe them with our goodes For assuredly he that wyth hys wordlye substaunce helpeth the prophete I meane hym that setteth forth Christes worde the same shall receyue the rewarde of the prophete shal be reliued in semblable wyse in the kyngdome of heuen wyth the good deades of the prophete or preacher And therfore the Lorde sayeth here in thys place Make you frendes of the wicked Māmon Make you frendes of the Mammon of iniquitie As who shulde saye Se that ye prouyde for yourselues in tyme accordinge to thexemple of thys prudent and politike steward Get you good frendes of an euel thynge that whan at the lordes commaundement ye shal be compelled to departe from thys tente and pauilion of your bodye they maye receyue you into euerlastynge habitacions It is an happye chaunge whan earthly thynges be permuted for heauenly What thynge is vyler or goeth further from vertue thā the goodes of thys worlde They are
to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shal be betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vnto you that I shulde be condemned Mat. xij scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Christes raigne Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn with hym my spirituall raygne Ephe. i. and .iiij. Lo my deare frendes with such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how the coÌ„myng is to the same Assuredly the kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be the most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion Psal iiij leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spirite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye Psa cix and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege hereof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowlege and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth i. tim ii If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde An exeÌ„ple of our ignorauÌ„ce we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se him agayne after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome What it is to go to the father Ps lxvij For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the .v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of the prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre with themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to the wordes that he spake albeit he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and carnall power syth they se here so manyfestly that the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moch conuersaunt amonges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the summe and effecte of thys place that the flesh in suche thynges as perteine to iustification can do no good onles the holy gost beyng communitate by the word be receiued and had For as the prophete Ieremy recordeth Ier. xiij they shal be taught of God and not of themselues Thyrdly Christe doth preuent his apostles when he espyed them not to atteine his wordes and that they wold aske him the meanyng of the same sayeng vnto them in thys wise Of thys ye do question amonges your selues that I sayd a litle and ye shall not see me and agayne a lytle and ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lamente but the worlde shal reioyce Ye shal sorow but your sorowe shal be turned into ioye Lo how Christ tendereth his apostles he shaketh them not of for their rudenes and ignoraunce but moste gentlye instructeth them shewinge them howe his format wordes ought to be vnderstand sayenge vnto them in thys wise Ye shall wepe and be sory but why bycause ye shall see youre Lorde and mayster apprehended and takeÌ„ nayled vpon the crosse and put to death Crosse ê‘secutioÌ„ Then shall calamitie and sorow begynne and principally this shall trouble you that the world shal reioyce at your aduersitie and your maysters aduersitie And euen as Christ had spoken so it came to passe concernyng both hys owne crosse affliction and heuines also his apostles For do ye thynke yt a lytle crosse vnto hym when that he was reuiled and vpbrayded of the Iues sayeng vnto hym let God delyuer hym if he woll haue hym I omytte and passe ouer with
the Gospell perteyneth to the conscience and therfore it teacheth not the chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth Let vs then my frendes folowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter and hys penitent harte confessynge our vnworthynes And then doubt we not but we shal be called to the greate feaste where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauenly palace of God the father To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye AMEN The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the spirituall signification of oure baptisme BRethren knowe ye not that all we whych are baptised into Iesu Christ are baptysed to dye wyth hym We are buryed then wyth him by baptysme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new lyfe For yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym euen so shall we be partakers of the resurrection knowynge thys that our olde man is crucifyed wyth hym also that the bodye of synne myghte vtterly be destroyed that henseforth we shulde not be seruaūtes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustifyed from synne Wherfore yf we be deade wyth Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue wyth hym knowynge that Christe beynge raysed from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer hym For as touchynge that he dyed he dyed concernynge synne once And as touchynge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Lykewise consyder ye also that ye are dead as touchynge synne but are alyue vnto God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule good christē people had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth that is to saye christes death and his resurrection shewing them that Christ by hys moost precious death purchased the euerlastynge remission of our synne and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs and apeased the wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym that by this his dede we be iustified ☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen now in thys epistle he teacheth vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection and setteth it before vs as an exēple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection Do ye not knowe sayeth saynt Paule what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death or to what ende ye be baptysed Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by baptisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym Such a signification and fygure hath Christes death vnto vs that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne dayly to mortifye and to slee the euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs. The significacion of baptisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water and be lyfte vp agayne it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth whych our synne deserued to euerlasting lyfe It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe the lyfe of ryghtuousnes And thys is the vertue fygure of baptysme whych yf we take not after thys purpose we do but deceyue oure selues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy sacrament let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and penaunce of your synne wherof it is a sygne Ye be ones baptysed and nede nomore to receyue the sacrament but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll that is to dye to synne to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him that is to saye synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe walke continually there in And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God euen so by the power of the same spirite shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe In whych our doynge we shall in some maner worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God For he is none of Christes that hath not hys spirite and by thys token is it knowen who is grafte in Christe and is in the state of saluation For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe but he whych walketh after the spirite Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death we shal be partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte agaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to euerlastynge lyfe it shall also rayse vs from the corporall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam that is to saye all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell
hym a question temptynge hym and sayeng Mayster whych is the great commaūdement in the lawe Iesus sayd vnto hym Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy harte and wyth al thy mynde Thys is the fyrst and great cōmaundement And the seconde is lyke vnto it Thou shalte loue thyne neyghbour as thy selfe In these two cōmaūdementes hange all the lawe and the prophetes Whyle the pharisees were gathered together Iesus asked them sayenge what thynke ye of Christ Whose sonne is he They sayd vnto hym the sōne of Dauid He sayde vnto them howe then doth Dauid in spirite cal hym Lorde sayeng The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde syt thou on my ryght hande tyll I make thyne enemyes a footestoole Yf Dauid than call hym Lorde howe is he then hys sonne And no man was able to answere hym any thynge neyther durst any man from that day forth aske hym any mo questions THe Gospell red in the churche thys daye good christen audiēce doth reherse vnto vs how the pharisees Hierom hearynge that Iesus Christ had confounded the Saducees whych as saynt Hierome noteth were of contrarye opinions wythin themselues and as it were enemyes one to another yet they come ioyne together agaynst Christe to thintent as Ihon Chrysostome sayeth they myghte ouercome hym by multitude Chrysostome whome they coulde not cōuince wyth reasons And so sayeth he they confessed themselues to be naked of the trouth whych armed thēselues with multitude They come than all together And one amonge them a doctour of the lawe speakynge for all the reste to thintent yf that one ouercame they myght al seme to haue the vpperhande in tēptynge our Lorde Iesu Christ dyd put thys question vnto hym sayenge Mayster whyche is the greatest commaundement of the lawe Here you maye se what fashions these false foxes and ypocrites had Fyrste they called Iesu Christe mayster whose disciple for all that they had no desyre to be And they dyd demaunde hym of the greatest commaundement as Chrysostome sayeth which neuer had accomplished the least Chrysostome but rather by theyr cursed and auaricious constitucions had transgressed all the lawe of God And they thought that it was ynough for to dispute the one agaynst the other by pryde and vanitie for they dyd not desyre but all only to be sene and praysed of men yet for all thys the swete Sauiour desyrynge theyr saluation doth gyue them here true and sounde doctrine and healthfull correction answerynge them mekely that they ought to loue God with all theyr thought the whych they dyd not and theyr neyghbour as themselues but they dyd cleane contrarye For he whych was theyr God theyr neyghbour in as much as he was man they wold put him to death In whych he shewed them to be synners ypocrites that is to saye counterfayted holy transgressours of all the lawe and of the prophetes And accordynge vnto saynt Marke in the .xij. chapter they wyst not what to answere but theyr owne doctoure gaue sentence agaynst them sayenge Mayster in truth thou hast sayd well For there is one only god and ther is none other but he And to loue hym wyth all the harte wyth all the vnderstandyng wyth all the soule and with all the strength and the neyghbour as hymselfe is a greater thynge then al the brentofferynges and sacrifices made vnto God Here maye you se howe he hymselfe gyueth iudgement agaynst the couetousnes of the scribes pharisees whych loued so well the sacrifices for the profyte that came therof vnto them And on the contrary syde he approueth the answere of Iesu Christ the whych they thought to haue interrupted and checked Thus it appeareth that the craftye be taken in theyr craftynes and that ther is no coūsell against god And then fynally our Lorde demaunded of the pharisees beynge all there together whose sonne Christ was And forbycause they were carnall they knewe nothynge in Christ in Messias but flesh and they answered hym that he was the sonne of Dauid And then oure Lorde wolde shewe them and teache theyr saluatiō For it was not ynough for to beleue that he was a man cōmen of royall bloude but also it must be beleued that he was God vnied vnto humayne nature for to make the redemption of men And therfore he sheweth them by the wytnesse of Dauid selfe that he is God Psal xix where Dauid sayeth in spirite The Lorde god hath sayd vnto my Lorde Syt on my ryght hande vnto the tyme that I put thyne enemyes a foote stoole to thy feete Dauid calleth Christ hys Lorde syttynge on the ryghte hande of God whych is to vnderstande as the auncient doctour S. Remigius other doth expoune it not that God is corporall that he shulde haue a ryght or left syde but to syt on the ryghte hande of God Remigius is to remayne in the same honoure and dignitie egall wyth the father so that herby he cōfesseth that he is God And this the pharisees vnderstode not to be sayd of Christe but they were those whych the spirite of god calleth the enemyes of Christe for to be put vnder hys feete Than my brethren let vs not tempt Iesu Christ Let vs beleue that the greatest and the fyrst commaundement is to loue God wyth all our hart wyth all our thought and wyth all our soule that he is true God and that he is true mā And we shall be of the nombre of the chosen for to laude the heauenly father and our Lorde Iesu Christ syttyng on hys ryght hande Vnto the whyche wyth the holy goost be glorie wythout ende The Epistle on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ How we ought to put of our olde Adam and put on the newe BRethren be ye renewed in the spirite of youre mynde and to put on that newe man whych after God is shapen in ryghtuousnes and true holynes Wherfore put away lienge speake euery mā trouth vnto hys neyghbour for as much as we are members one of another Be angry and synne not let not the Sonne go downe vpon your wrath neyther gyue place vnto the backbyter Let hym that stole steale no more but let hym rather labour with hys handes the thynge which is good that he may gyue vnto hym that nedeth MY welbeloued frendes in our sauiour Christ ye shall vnderstande that in the texte immediatly goynge before thys epistle of thys present daye the Apostle doth admonysh vs for to leaue the olde mā that is to say our fyrst natiuitie or byrth by the which we be borne chyldren of the yre and wrath of God we be fulfylled wyth synnes wyth euel desyres and wyth concupiscences the whych woll turne vs vnto corrupcion and eternall death After in our epistle he exhorteth vs that we shuld be renewed not accordynge vnto the body but in the spirite of our soule For it is the spirite of God that wyl inhabyte there and