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
to hym and not to expresse our loue towardes him vpon our brethrē accordynge to hys commaūdement For that whych is done to them he counteth it done to hym selfe Who so euer then hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede and shutteth vp his cōpassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of god in hym As who shulde saye yf we be not beneficiall and good to our nedy and poore neyghbour it is a sure token that we loue not God and consequently that he neyther loueth vs. And in contrary wyse yf we be beneficiall and good to oure neyghboure for gods sake it is a ryght sure sygne and declaracion of our fayth towardes God and that god loueth vs Wherfore deare brethren let vs be mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the heauenly father as Christ monysheth vs Luc. vi And let vs not as Ihon sayeth here loue in worde i. tim i neyther yet in tonge but in dede and in trouth and as saynt Paule sayeth of a pure harte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned Whych thynge he calleth the ende of the cōmaundement These be the worthy frutes of fayth These frutes yf we brynge forth we declare our selues to be good trees plāted by the ryuer syde whych bryngeth forth frute in due season psal i we declare oure selues to be of the nombre of them whych S. Ihon here speaketh of that be translated from death to lyfe euerlastynge Where we shall lyue eternally wyth the father sonne and holy gost To whome be all glorye AMEN The gospell on .ij. sondaye after Trinitie The .xiiij. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christe in thys parable declareth that he is not apte to the kyngdome of heauen whych wyl ones laye hys hande to the plough loke backe to hys affections IEsus put forth a similitude to hys disciples sayenge A certayne man ordeyned a great supper and bad many and sente hys seruaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for al thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst sayd vnto hym I haue bought a farme and I must nedes go se it I pray the haue me excused And another sayd I haue bought fyue yooke of oxen I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And another sayde I haue maryed a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruaunt retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the good man of the house displeased and sayd to hys seruaunt Go out quyckely into the stretes and quarters of the cytie and brynge in hyther the poore and the feble and the halt and the blynde And the seruaunt sayd Lorde it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is rowme And the Lorde sayd to the seruaunt Go out vnto the hye wayes and hedges and compell them to come in that my house may be fylled For I saye vnto you that none of those men whych were bydden shall tast of my supper OVr Sauiour Christ good christen people consyderynge the vanitie of mens myndes in the worlde whych for the moost parte are wonte rather to talke of God of hys word and of the blessed state of the lyfe to come thā ernestly to appoint theyr mindes to remoue out of theyr lyfes such impedimētes as myght hynder them from God and hys worde shutte them out in cōclusion from the kyngdome of heauen declareth in thys gospell as in a proper parable the great foly of suche as so content themselfe wyth wordes only and vayne prayses and consyder no further to temper theyr lyues in suche wyse that an other daye they maye enioye in dede the euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heauen wherin they confesse so muche blysse felicitie to be as one ther was whych was syttynge at the table wyth Christe hearynge hym talke of the resurrection of the iuste sayd vnto hym Blyssed is he whych eateth bread in the kyngdome of God Christ takynge occasion of hys wordes taught both hym and all other in hym that many ther were whych could cōfesse wyth theyr mouth such to be happy that shulde be receyued there but yet in the course of theyr lyues semed not much desyrous to be partakers of that blysse howe greate so euer it be how frely so euer it be offred or howe kyndly so euer they be called ther to whose vnkyndnes and forgetfulnes of theyr owne welth and commoditie he resembled and lykened to such gestes as were gently louyngly called to a rych feaste wel aboundauntly prepared in all thynges and yet refused to come hauynge very vayne excuses for them selues whose vnkynde behauiour was reported to the feastmaker moued hym to displeasure to renounce them for theyr vnworthynes to take other to syt at hys feast Whyche although they were but of poore estimation yet bycause they were ready with great thankes to receyue the lyberalitie of the feaste maker so gently offred wythout theyr deseruynge they were admytted to sytte at hys owne table wyth hymselfe had the fruition of those delicates which the other that were fyrst called refused despysed Here is mater my frendes for vs that be Gentyles to consyder wyth great thankes to almyghty God ☜ that where as the people of the Iues were fyrst called by the seruauntes and messangers of hys word to the great supper of the ioye of heauen and they refused to come that then it pleased the father of al mercy to sende hys seruauntes to call vs to his said feast whych of al people were moost vnworthy and furdest from hym in somuch as we were wyde of all truth and lyght syttynge in moost blynde darkenes of errour and ydolatrye wanderynge in the bye pathes and croked wayes of our owne lustes and ymaginations so poore and voyde of all grace that in stede of the true God we honoured mortal men and brute beastes as our God Thus prouoked we hym fyrst these were our merytes and deseruynges vnto hym And yet pleased it hym to sende hys seruauntes to preach vs hys gospell and by the violence of so great gentylnes offered vs and earnest callynge on vs by hys Apostles we were brought into his holy house church of hys electe and there plenteously were set before vs to receyue frely the innumerable graces benefytes conteined and promysed in the worde of the gospell so that now Christ wyth al his ryghtuousnes wyth all hys iustice and holynes is frely gyuen vs to our welth and commoditie yf we wyll applye our selues by fayth and charitie to oure callynge Yf we se the want of ryghtuousnes in our selfe be anhongred therfore let vs sue vnto Christ and he shall replenysh vs therwyth Yf we be stūge wyth synne and wolde be delyuered from the daunger therof in Christe shall we fynde clere remyssion and shal be quyte discharged Yf we wante strength to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes the worlde the fleshe and
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
what is wrytten in the lawe How redest thou And he answered and sayde Loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy hart and wyth all thy soule and wyth all thy strength and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghbour as thy selfe And he sayde vnto hym Thou hast answered ryght This do and thou shalt lyue But he wyllynge to iustifye hymselfe sayd vnto Iesus And who is my neyghboure Iesus answered and sayd A certayne man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge theues which robbed hym of hys rayment and wounded hym and departed leauynge hym halfe deade And it chaunced that there came downe a certayne prest that same waye and whan he sawe hym he passed by And lykewyse a Leuite whan he wente nye to the place came and loked on hym and passed by But a certayne Samaritane as he iorneyed came vnto hym and whā he sawe hym he had compassion on hym and went to and bounde vp hys woundes poured in oyle and wyne set him on his owne beast and brought hym to a cōmon ynne made prouision for hym And on the morowe whan he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the hoost and sayd vnto hym Take cure of hym and what so euer thou spendest more whā I come agayne I wyll recōpence the. Whych now of these thre thynkest thou was neyghbour vnto hym that fel amonge the theues And he said he that shewed mercy on hym Than sayde Iesus vnto hym Go and do thou lykewyse BLessed be the eyen whych se that you haue sene c. Welbeloued audience these be the wordes of our Sauiour Christ spoken to hys disciples in the x. chapter of Luke whych be red in the churche thys daye For the better vnderstandynge wherof ye shal marke that Christe a lytle before the speakynge of these wordes reioysyng in spirite gaue prayses and thankes to hys father of heuen bycause he had hyd the mysterye of the gospell from the proude Pharisees whych were counted the wyse and wyttye persones of the worlde and had disclosed and opened it to symple and vnlerned persons as to fyshermē publicanes and so forth such as were hys disciples And speakynge these wordes he turned hymselfe to hys disciples apart and sayde the wordes before rehersed Blessed be the eyen that se whych you do se For I tell you that many prophetes kynges wold haue sene that you se and sawe not and wolde haue herde that you heare herde not I praye you what herde what sawe these disciples that the prophetes and kynges whych were before them herde not nor sawe not Truly they sawe not they herd not Christ as dyd thappostles They busely wayted and loked for hym they knewe such one shulde come to redeme and saue them from euerlastynge dānation death wherof they were gyltie by the synne of Adam theyr fyrst father But they coulde not se hym personally For the tyme was not yet come that the father of heuen had set and determined to sende hym And amōges other holy fathers whych loked for thys redēption Luce. ij we reade in holy scripture of one Symeon a ryghtuouse and deuoute man whyche had receyued an answere of the holy goost that he shulde not se death tyll he had sene wyth hys eyen the Christe of the Lorde that is to saye the Messias that shulde saue and redeme the worlde whyche thynge came to passe For whan Christ our sauiour was brought to the temple on the eyght daye to be circumcised accordynge to the custome of the Iues thys Symeon in spyred with the holy goost came into the temple and takynge the chylde in hys armes praysed God and sayd Now thou lycencest me thy seruaunt to depart o Lorde accordyng to thy word in peace For myne eyen haue sene thy sauynge stocke whych thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. We reade also of a certayne wydowe prophetisse named Anne doughter of Phanuell Luce. ij which was also in the temple the same tyme and praysed the Lorde in lyke wyse spake of thys Christ vnto all those that wayted for the redemption of Israell These I saye and suche other whyche were in Christes tyme reioysed to se that they sawe and to heare that they herde But thys coulde not the holy prophetes and kynges whyche were before Christes commynge into thys world se bycause the tyme was not yet come So Christ myght very well call the disciples blessed bycause they saw thynges and also herde doctrine taught them which were not sene nor herde before Now whan Christe had spoken these wordes and was come agayne to the people to teache and instructe them hys doctrine beholde a certayne scribe which was a lawyer sterte vp to take Christ in a trippe and to tempte hym sayenge Mayster what shall I do to inherite euerlastynge lyfe Christ perceyuynge wherabout he went answered and sayd to the lawyer What is wrytten in the lawe Deut. vi How doest thou rede there He sayd In the lawe thus is it wrytten Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with thy hole harte and thy hole soule and wyth thy hole myght and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Than sayd Christ vnto hym Thou hast well answered Thys do and thou shalt lyue As who shulde saye Thou art a doctour a teacher and mayster in Israel Do the thynge that thou teachest other to do be a worker of the thynge that thou readest For not the hearers of the lawe be iust before God Rom. ij but the doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed Thynke not for al my new and straūge doctrine to your eares Math. v. that I am come to destroye the law and the prophetes as many do thinke of me No no I am not come to destroye but to fulfyll Ye scribes and pharisees cōmonly set lytle by gods hestes and commaundementes all your busye studye labour is to auaunce set vp your owne lawes your owne rytes and traditions But I tel you and take it for a warnynge that who so euer breaketh one of these lytle prety cōmaundementes of God for so ye coūte them in comparison of yours and teacheth men to do as he doth as cōmonly ye scribes and pharisees do Math. v beleue me he shall haue lest to do in heauen But that person whych fyrst doth hymselfe afterwarde teacheth other men these cōmaundementes of God of whych thou hast rekened vp the chefest of all and that whych conteyneth all the rest doubtles thys felowe shal be called a great man in heuen Now good people ye shall vnderstande that the scribes pharisees amonges the Iues in dede taught whā they sate in Moses chaire the lawe of God and hys commaundementes but they added many gloses interpretacions and additions of theyr owne heades They corrupted gods worde wyth theyr owne traditions as tauerners be wont to brewe and corrupt the pure wyne wyth other vnholsome thynges for theyr owne gaynes and auauntage
please Iesu Christ the glorie of the father the glorie of the angels and of men to abyde in you by feruent faith in your hartes founded and rooted in charitie to thyntente that you maye knowe and vnderstande the incomprehensible graces whych by him be gyuen vnto vs the largenesse and length of the same for the earth is full of the mercy of the Loroe God sayeth the prophete Dauid and the hyghnesse and depthnesse Psalm xxxij for they do perse the heauens and the hylles He whych is descended is he which hath ascended aboue al the heauens sayeth saint Paul Eph. liij To thintent also that ye shall know the great charitie of Iesu Christ toward vs the whych knowlege is more to be estemed than all the science of the worlde and that you shulde be replenyshed in all aboundaunce wyth the graces of God In thys epistle saynt Paule declareth in short conclusions the perfection of the christen lyfe vnto the whych we ought to breath and to sygh He doth not praye that god shulde gyue them much temporall goodes for to lyue at theyr ease but he desyreth and prayeth that they maye haue strength for to endure and to beare with him the crosse of Iesu Christ For all the lyfe of a christen mā is to endure In the conclusion of the epistle wyth profounde harte and wyth great spirite he yeldeth graces louynge thankes vnto God sayenge Vnto him whych is able for to gyue vs more than we can demaunde or thynke accordynge vnto the myght the whych puissantly strongly worketh and laboureth in vs vnto hym be yelden all glorie by all the church by the meanes of hys sonne Iesu Christ For euen as by him al grace is gyuē vs from the father so it must nedes be that by hym whych is the begynnynge and the ende all glorie be vnto hym rendered Then my brethren let vs not discourage our selues of the worde of God of the doctrine of the gospell for any tribulation or worldly vexacion that may happē vnto any of them by which it shal haue pleased God that they shuld bear it yf it be hys pleasure to make them to beare hys crosse vnto them whych shall beare it but so much the more let vs be founded stedfast and ferme rooted in fayth hope and charitie and we shall knowe the incōprehensible graces of God And he that surmounteth all myght shall delyuer vs from al euell and shall leade vs vnto hys glorye vnto hys heauēly kyngdome where in eternall ioye we shall yelde perpetuall graces and prayses vnto the father of heuen by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome c. The Gospel on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ rayseth a deade man to lyfe agayne IEsus wente into a cytie whyche is called Naim and many of hys disciples went wyth hym and much people Whan he came nye to the gate of the cytie beholde there was a deade man caryed out whych was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a wedowe and much people of the cytie was wyth her And whan the Lorde sawe her he had cōpassion on her and said vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stode styll And be said Yonge man I say vnto the aryse And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake And he delyuered hym to hys mother And there came a feare on them all And they gaue the glorie vnto God sayenge A greate prophete is rysen vp amonge vs and god hath vysited his people THe thynge good people whych is moost agreable vnto god and that whyche he demaundeth requyreth of vs principally is to beleue hys word as saynt Paule saythin the .xi. chapter of hys epistle to the Hebrues It is impossible to please God with out fayth For thys cause all the myracles whyche were at any tyme done aswel by Iesu Christ in erth as by hym in hys members it hath not ben for to attribute the honoure vnto hys members or that hys members hath done myracles but for to approue the worde of God and for to manyfest hys glorie and myght to thintent that he shulde be honoured and reuerenced of euery body and in euery place as the prophete sayeth Lorde god all the earth doth worship the. For thys cause oure Lorde hath raysed vp from death to lyfe the wedowes sonne of the whych is made mention in the gospel of thys day He hath here raised one from bodely death for to make vs to beleue that he hath the power also for to rayse vs agayne from spirituall death And also he shall rayse vs vp agayne bodely at the day of dome As he said vnto Martha I am the resurrection and lyfe who so beleueth in me he shall not dye eternally Ioh. xi All they therfore whych do not lyue accordynge vnto the spirite whych folowe the olde lyfe of Adam whyche accomplish the desyres concupiscences and workes of the flesh of the whych was spoken in the epistle of the last sondaye they be deade spiritually For who that hath not the holy goost he hath no lyfe he doth not belonge vnto Iesu Christ whych is the lyfe Yf any hath not the spirite of Christ he is not Christes Ro. viij He is borne and conducted of euell spirites to the pytte of hell Yf Iesu Christ do not come quyckely for to touche hym wyth hys hande the whyche sygnifyeth hys great puissaunce and myght conioyned wyth hys worde Yf he do not speake and touch lyuely the harte it is impossible that the sayd creatures shulde haue power to ryse agayne or that they shulde euer chaunge from the death of the soule vnto newnes of lyfe and state of grace For surely so longe as we be in deadly synne and vnder the thraldome and subiection of the fende so longe we be as deade persons S. Ambrose And therfore sayeth saynt Ambrose We lye deade in secrete whan eyther the fyre of vnreasonable lust brenneth vs or the colde humoure drowneth and as it were wyth a certayne slouthfulnesse of the bodye the sharpenesse of the mynde is accombred and ouerwhelmed in which case we can not ryse out of our drousye slomber but by Christe And yf sayeth thys holy doctour saynt Ambrose An allegorie it be an heuye greuouse synne whych thou thy selfe arte not able to wash awaye wyth the teares of thy penaunce and repentaunce let thy mother the holy church wepe for the. Let the people also be assistente vnto her And fortwyth thou shalt ryse agayne oute of the coffyn or beere and shalte begynne to speake wyth an other lyfe and all that heare it shall feare shal be corrected by thexemple of one They shal also prayse God Bede whych hath gyuē vs so great remedies to eschue death And here sayeth Bede is the errour of the heretiques called Nouatians confounded whych whyle they go about to destroye the
and Lord by charitie was made minister seruaunt vnto all God gyue vs then grace good people to accōplyshe in al thynges his wyl To whom be gyuen al prayse glory and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ The kyngdome of heuen is resembled to the wedding of a kinges sonne c. IEsus saide vnto his disciples The kyngdome of heuen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng which made a mariage for his sōne and sent forth his seruauntes to cal them that were byd to the weddyng and they wolde not come Agayne he sente forthe other seruauntes sayeng Tell them which are bydden beholde I haue prepared my dyner myne oxē and my fatlynges are kylled althynges are ready come vnto the mariage But they made lyght of it and went theyr wayes one to his ferme place another to his marchandise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreted them shamefully and slew them But when the king hard therof he was wroth and sent forth his mē of warre and destroied those murtherers and brēt vp their citie Then sayd he to his seruauntes the mariage in dede is prepared But they which were bydden were not worthy Go ye therfore out into the hye wayes and as many as ye find byd them to the mariage And the seruauntes went out into the hye waies and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad and the weddyng was furnyshed with gestes Then the kynge came in to se the gestes and whan he spied there a man which had not on a wedding garmente he sayde vnto him frend howe cameste thou in hyther not hauynge a wedding garmente And he was euen spechlesse Then sayd the kynge to the ministers take bind him hād fote cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be wepynge and gnashing of teth For many be called but fewe are chosen THe mooste soueraygne goodnesse of god good christen people hathe bene so greate and large towardes vs sely poore synners that when we all worshiped ydoles seruing the deuell of hell and for our rewarde and stipende descendinge with him vnto eternall deathe and perdition it yet hathe pleased him of his clemencye for to haue pitie and mercy on vs. And thervpon he vouchesaued to sende none other but euen his own sonne into this worlde for to take our fleshe vpon him and to be made man for to be the spouse as saynte Gregorie saythe of our nature then beyng so vyle and vnhappye S. Gregorye This hathe bene for to take vpon him all our synnes and myseryes and for to gyue and distribute vnto vs all hys graces and richesses And this as holy doctours expounde is the weddinges wherof oure gospel speaketh whyche be truly weddinges of the whyche the bodely and worldly weddinges is but a figure ☞ For as we saye who weddethe the woman weddethe the debtes and is boūde for to paye them in like maner our most mercyfull Sauiour Iesu Christe in weddinge oure soules is becommyn debtour and payer of al our synnes and debtes And also al the goodes of the husbonde be commyn vnto the wyfe therfore he hathe made vs possessours heritours with hym of all hys goodes and his realme in whyche shal be truly solemnised the weddinges ther shal be made the greate euerlastinge banket whych he shall make vnto al them that shal haue bene in thys world perseuerantly conioyned and vnied vnto hym by faith Vnto the whych weddinges the Iues were called inuited whyche haue dispised them and wolde not comme thyther but haue vilanously slayne the prophetes and also Iesu Christe himselfe and some of hys apostles and dysciples that did call them vnto the euerlastinge feaste And therfore god hath sente hys men of warre that is to saye as sainct Hierom and other expositours do expounde thys place the romaines Vaspasian and Titus the whyche haue put the Iewes to death that were such murderers homicides and haue put their citie in ruyne and destruction And when the Iewes shewed them selues thus vnworthy of the grace of god whych was thus frely offred and presented vnto them the apostles disciples by the commaundemente of god wente to preache vnto the Gentilles whych as then were idolaters and out of the wayes of god and did assemble a church the whych is called catholike a church of fayth and of christendome And by the visitation that thys kynge maketh for to se them that be sette is figurid vnto vs the examinatiō whych God shall make of all them that be in his churche which shall do rigorous iustice vpon al them that shall be foūd wythoute the weddynge garmente that is to wytte wythout fayth workinge by charitie or as S Gregorie expouneth wythout charitie What the doctours call the weddīg garmēte Gregorye Hierom Chrysostome He therfore sayeth this holy doctour entreth to the mariages or weddynges wythout the weddynge garmente which in the church hath faith but hath not charitie Or after the mynde of saynt Hierome the weddyng garment be our Lordes commaundementes and the workes whych a man is bound to do by the lawe and gospel and whych make the garment of a newe man which garmente at the daye of iudgemente he that shal be founde vnder a christen mans name not to haue is forthwyth taken awey And the kynge sayeth vnto him Frend how comest thou hither or what makeste thou here not hauing the weddyng wede He calleth him frend forasmoch as he was bydde to the mariages as he had bene a frende by fayth But he reproueth hym of foly bycause wyth his fylthy garmente he hath defiled the clēnes of the mariage For those that oure Lorde God almyghty the father of heuen doth call vnto this most noble and blessed wedding he woll haue them come not wyth fete sayeth Chrisostome but wyth fayth maners This weddynge garmēt then they the lacke I meane they that haue not the liuely faith which by charitie worketh the wyl plesure and cōmaūdemētes of oure Lord albeit in outward apparaunce they haue done many goodly workes also myracles yet for all that they shal be gyuen vnto the mynisters and hangmen of hell for to be sent vnto the tormentes eternall hauinge their fete and handes bounde that is to saye that they shall neuer desire nor do any thynge that shal be pleasaūt vnto God And for the ende and conclusion of our gospel bycause as saynt Hierom sayth not the begynnyng but the ende is to be sought S. Hierō therfore oure sauyoure Iesu Christ saith that many be called For assuredly all they that haue herde the apostles and disciples whose wordes haue bene herde ouer all the earthe be called but yet fewe be chosen and elected The whyche sentence oughte to be a wonderfull cause of humilite before god and specially a cause for vs to despise all the thynges that be in thys
worlde for to wynne Iesu christe Therfore the apostle in the .iij. chapter of his epistle vnto the Colossiās doth exhort vs sayenge Arraye you as chosen of God holy and beloued from the entrayles of mercy benignite humilite mekenesse and patience Supporte the one the other and pardone and forgyue one an other amonge your selues if any hath quarell to other So as god hathe pardonyd so pardone you And aboue all thynges haue charite whych is the bonde of perfection If we do thus we shall at laste comme vnto his bankete of the weddinges of the sonne of God and his spouse and we shall haue the weddinge garment where shal be nothinge reproched vnto vs but we shal be in the nombre of the chosen people shall haue the pleasures of the kingdome of heuen Vnto the glory of the father and of the sonne of the holy ghost whych conueyth all them that doth good vnto thys glorious weddinge wherunto he bryng vs al. Qui viuit et regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xxj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vj. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Sayncte Paule doth here describe vnto vs the armour of the christian souldioure MY brethren be stronge thorow the Lorde and thorowe the power of hys myghte Put on al the armour of God that ye maye stande agaynst the assautes of the deuil For we wrestle not against bloude and flesh but agaynst rule agaynst power agaynst worldly rulers euen gouerners of the darkenes of thys worlde againste spiritual craftynesse in heauenly thynges Wherfore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resiste in the euell daye and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and youre loynes gyrde wyth the trouth hauyng on the breste plate of ryghteousnes and hauynge shoes on your fete that ye maye be prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shild of fayth wherwith ye may quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wycked And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite whych is the worde of God MY brethren and frendes ye shal marke consydre that our enemye the deuel doth warre contynually agaynst vs and sercheth by all wyles and meanes possible to bryng vs to cōfusyon and death and that we maye be vnable to resiste hys assaultes and powers The apostle doth therefore teache vs what thyng we haue to do in such and so greate peryls that is that we shuld comfort and lyfte vp our selues in God and in hys moste comfortable myght and power Ps xxiij For as it is sayed in the .xxiij. psalme The Lorde God is strong and mightye The Lorde god is mighty in battel Certes my frēdes it is our Lord Iesus Christe that the prophete here speaketh of which by hys moste triumphante and gloriouse death and passion hath bene mighty in surmountyng our enemye I meane oure mortall enemye the Deuyll Then in thys bytter conflycte and battell that we haue agaynste both hym the worlde and the fleshe let vs take good corage and harte vnto vs not in trustyng so moch vnto our own power and strēgth but in the strenght and puysaunce of Iesus Christe whyche shall fight for vs and whych shall not leaue vs that be his membres but in hym and by hym we shal be made myghty to resiste valiauntly to withstande all temptacions yea and all the maliciouse powers of any princes myghty men that gouerne the darkenes of this worlde whych wolde inforce vs to vngodlynes or for vngodlynes wolde persecute and afflycte vs. Let vs then take the armour herneys of god wherwith we maye make resistence and stande stedfast agaynst the strenghtes assaultes and embushementes of the deuyl For if we be knyghtes of Iesu Christ certeynly we must entre in to battayl wyth hym for there shal be none crowned ☜ but they that shall haue fought worthylye The armour of a christē souldiour And what is the armoure of god Certes it is thys Firste we muste haue agaynst all corrupt lustes and concupiscences our loynes or raynes gyrthed with trueth Agaynst synne the brene plate of iustice and innocencye For shoes we must haue pure affection whych is the preparacion for to walke in the gospell of peace And in all thinges we muste take faythe for oure shelde by whych we maye put out the vehement temptacions of the deuell wherewyth he doth assayle vs as wyth dartes inflamed the whyche shal by no meanes annoye vs if we haue stedfast faith in Iesu Christ and in his holy worde For helmet we must haue hope of saluation And thus armed yet muste we haue the sworde of the spirite that is the worde of god by the whyche sworde all the puissances and force of the euyl spirite shal be cut And furthermore we muste neuer leue these armours as longe as we be in thys worlde for we shall alweyes haue batayle But by these armours we shall vanquyshe in Iesu Christe and by Iesu Christ and not by oure owne strength vnto hym then be perpetuall glorye togyther wyth the father and holy ghost in infinita seculorum secula Amen The gospel on the .xxi. sonday after Trinitie sonday The .iiij. chap. of Iohn̄ Th argument ☞ Iesus healeth the rulers sonne THere was a certen ruler whose sōne was sicke at Capernaum As sone as the same herd that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought hym that he wolde come downe and heale his sonne For he was euen at the poynt of death Thē sayde Iesus vnto hym except ye se sygnes and wōdres ye wyl not beleue The ruler sayeth vnto hym Syr come downe or euer that my sōne dye Iesus saieth vnto hym Go thy waye thy sonne lyueth The man beleued the worde that Iesus had spoken vnto him And he wēt hys waye And as he was nowe goinge downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying thy sonne lyueth Then enquired he of them the hour whē he begāne to amend And they sayde vnto him Yester daye at the seuenth houre the feuer left hym So the father knewe that it was the same hour in the which Iesus sayde vnto him Thy sonne lyueth And he beleued and al hys housholde IN this gospell good christen audience our Lord Iesus Christ doth rebuke hym whych desired the health of his sonne forbicause that he did not beleue sufficiently that is to saye that he had not hope in him as he ought to haue And did reproche him that if they se not tokens they wolde not beleue But ye wol say Why he that desired Christ to heale his son dyd not beleue Sainte Austine To thys doubte thus aunswereth S. Austine Aske not me but aske Christe what he thoughte of this mā For it foloweth in the text that Iesus sayd vnto hym Onles ye se sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleue So saith S. Austine he reproueth him bicause he was colde