executed with handes there vnto belongeth no plough nor other externall worke But the worde yf I heare it and beleue it then do I receyue and obtayue whatsoeuer the worde proferet promiseth vnto me namely remission of synnes and the lyfe euerlastinge for the worde deceyueth not whatsoeuer it promiseth thesame is yea cometh so to passe agayne whatsoeuer it denyeth the same is â—ay whosoeuer therfore doth sticke to the worde and his promises thesame doth also receyue whatsoeuer it promiseth and offereth Whansoeuer I fele my synnes and confesse them vnto God and desyre of a Prieste or Minister of the worde absolution or remission of Synnes then doth the Minister of the worde laye his hande vpon my heade and by the commaundement of Christ our Lorde he assoyleth me quyte from my synnes There do I heare and se nothinge but onely the worde whereby he assoyleth me from my synues Neuertheles yf I beleue the worde as it foundeth then is it sure whatsoeuer it promiseth vnto me and I receyue through the absolution remissioÌ„ of all my synnes and knowledge a mercifull God Here might nowe any man saye they are greate and hygh thinges where of thou speakest yf it were true how happye were we that incontinently remission of synnes and all heauenly goodes shoulde folowe the worde yf I heare it and beleue it Then coulde I no more feare deathe nor dispayre for my synnes nor yet feare the deuill For all these thinges are nowe through the worde of absolution taken awaye from me Yea I say all those thinges haste thou and obtayneste them euen as the worde promiseth vnto the yf thou doeste accepte it with a sure and stedfast fayth and doeste not doute at all As sone as thou begyuneste to wauer and to doute then haste thou also and receyueste nothinge at all we maye not here hauge vpon the sighte but vpon the worde that I beleue it than do I obtayne it euery whitte But yf I do not beleue but will brynge it to passe and obtayne it by the sighte than haue I also nothinge c. Whosoeuer nowe heareth remembreth and marketh this with diligeÌ„ce shall easely and â—one vnderstande and marke what these two kingedomes namely the kyngedome of Christe and the kyngedome of the worlde are what their office is and wherein they do consiste And what difference there is betwene bothe these kyngedomes namely that although they be are gouerned bothe here in earth yet doth the outwarde and worldly hyngdome consiste onely in doinge and framinge whiche requyreth eyes handes But the kyngdome of Christ consisteth onely in the hearinge so that I heare the worde receyue it and beleue it namely the worde which also procedeth from the mouthes of Infantes is taught preached by suckelinges yf I do beleue it I haue all thinges After this sorte can no Emperour Kynge nor Prince rule for he must do stwith the dede Yf I shall be ryche he muste not geue me wordes but money and goodes with the dede For wordes will not helpe the matter But here in Christes kyngedome is it cleane contrarye for here although I were excedinge ryche and had all the goodes of the worlde yet were they not able to forgeue nor to take awaye my synnes with all their might dominion and power with al the plowes harrowes and with all the strenght power of al the substaunce and ryches of this worlde Wherfore and why so I thought whosoeuer had money and goodes power dominioÌ„ had hadde all thinges No not so he is yet farre from the remissioÌ„ of synnes the lyfe euerlasting although he be ryche and haue greate goodes and is mightie for they heare not the word wherfore they beleue not but sticke in darkenes are drowned in couetousnes in the substaunce of this world and they regarde not the word nor God hym selfe And whersoeuer the worde nor God hym selfe is not there is darkenes and the kyngedome of the deuill out of the whiche nomoney goodes power nor dominion is able to delyuer him But yf he will be losed out of the kingdome of darkenes and of the deuill and haue remission of synnes and the lyfe euerlasting which in the kingdome of Christ through the worde is offered geuen vs frely then let hym sticke faste and cleaue to the worde heare thesame receyue it and beleue it so shall he obtayne all thinges c. Thus speaketh the Prophete clearly distinctly of bothe the kingdomes not that he doth abrogate and disanull the worldely and externall kyngdome which consisteth in the doyuge and applyenge but rather doth approue and confirme it For rulers must be had for to kepe peace iustice and vnitie to defende the good to punysshe the euill or elles there shoulde be a great disordre in all thinges therfore doth not the Prophet abolysshe thesame outward kyngedome But in the Spirituall kyngdom of Christ whan a minister of the Church baptiseth with wordes and water after the institution of Christe yf an vngodly and vnbeleuyng person do se it he doth langh it to scorne as a folysshe dede in mans reason because he doth neither se nor fele what there is executed namely that there are present and baptise al the thre persons of the godly maiestie receyue the maÌ„ which was conceyued and borne in synne make hym lose from the kyngdom of the deuill and fette hym in the kyngdome of heauen wherin is remission of synnes Grace and saluation In likemaner also whaÌ„ an vngodly person and an infidele seeth a Prieste sayenge his handes vpoÌ„ a synner coÌ„trite herte for his synnes sake forgeuing synne or assoyling him froÌ„ synne he doth also laugh it to scorne would set more by it yf a Cronne of syluer or of Golde garnyshed with Perles precious stones were set on a mans heade this doth an infidell regarde muche a thousandtymes more then the layenge on of handes and forgeuing of synnes notwitstanding that it is not to be compared with any substaunce treasure of this worlde But a Christen man beholdeth it with other eyes with another herte he regardeth not the Golden Crowne but hath a respecte to the word which he heareth marketh thesame and cleaueth therevnto which sayth vnto hym on this wyse Beleue and cleaue vnto the worde and thou shalt lyue for euer and be a Lorde ouer Synne Lawe Deathe Deuill and Hell albeit that there are yet synnes left remaynynge in the they shall not be imputed vnto the but they shall be all couered and quenched for Iesus Christus sake the sonne of God What can be more confortable vnto vs then this that all out synnes shall be forgeuen put oute and taken awaye And besydes that shall haue a mercifull God obtayne euerlastinge lyfe This is wonderfully spoken but thou muste beleue then shalt thou obtayne all these thinges for withoute fayth doeste thou continue in synne and in captiuite in the deuills kyngedome But yf thou
A frutefull and godly Exposition and declaracion of the kyngdom of Christ and of the christen lybertye made vpō the wordes of the Prophete Ieremye in the xxiij Chapter with an exposycyon of the viij Psalme intreatyng of thesame matter by the famous clerke Doctor Martyn Luther whereunto is annexed a Godly sermon of Doctor Vrbanus Regius vpon the ix Chapyter of Mathewe of the woman that had an issew of blood of the rulers daughter newly translated oute of hyghe Almayne ⧠Imprinted for Gwalter Lynne Anno. M. D.xiviij To the most gratiouse vertuouse Lady Elizabeth syster to the Kynges moost Royal Maiestie Her most faythfull dayly Oratour Gwalter Lynne wyssheth long lyfe to GODS pleasure encrease of honour and the lyfe euerlastynge COnsiderynge thys tyme moste vertuouse Ladye to be the tyme of Christes raygne kyngedome wherein the Gospel is the rule of the prinxely powers and mercy is more estemed then sacrifyce I thoughte that I coulde not gratify your grace more with any kynde of obsequye that I coulde shewe through the slender talentes that it hathe pleased the almighty to endue me withall then yf I shoulde set forth in the Englysh tōg some godly lesson of some learned and Christian teacher concernyng thesame I haue therfore translated into the Englishe long this little boke of maister Martine Luthers doyng concernyng the kyngedome of Christe and Christian libertie made vpon the Epistle of Ieremye the Prophete And because I know that a good thing can not be to often nor to muche spoken of I haue added hereunto another piece of thesame mans labours a sermon that he made vpon the eyghte Psalme Lorde our Lorde c. concernynge the same matter and cousyderyng that fayth in the bloude of christe our sufficient price and raunsome the hope of the resurrection these mortal bodyes is most necessary to be knowen to al christians I haue also added in the ende of this litle boke a sermon made by the famouse doctour Vrbanus Regius concernyng thesame made vpō the ix Chapyter of Mathewe occasyon taken by the mencyon of the woman that suffered the bloude flixe and the rulers daughter Howe pithilye learnedly and christianlye the these matters be handled it shal not nede me to reporte knowing that your grace delyteth more in the the pervsyng readynge of the Authours themselues then of any encomion or prayse that can be geuen vnto them willynge all other therfore to followe your graces example herein I committe this my labour vnto your grace as a most sure tokē of my good wyll to gratifie your grace by setting forth and furthering to my power the trueth of Christ who alwayes preserue your grace to muche honour spirituall knowledge and lyfe wythout ende So be it Your graces faythfull and dayly Oratour Gwalter Lynne Of the kyngdom of Christ Ieremye in the xxiij Chap. BEholde the tyme cometh saith the Lorde that I wil rayse vp vnto Dauid a righ teous braūche he shal prospere with wysedome shal set vp equitie and righteousnes agayne in earth In his tyme shal Iuda be saued and Israel shaldwell without feare this is the name that they shall call hym the Lord our righteousnes And therfore beholde the tyme cōmeth saith the Lord that it shal be no more sayd the Lord lyueth which brought the childrē of Israel out of that land of Egipte But the Lord and the Christen liberte lyueth which brought forth led the seed of the house of Israel out of the Northlande and from all countries where I haue scattred thē and they shaldwel in theyr owne lande agayne IN this Epistle or prophecye of Ieremie is Christ shewed vnto vs what he is and what his kyngedome is howe he shal rule and howe they that are vnder hys kyngedom shal dwel without feare First sayth the Prophete that Christ is the braunche and seed of Dauid Euen so sayth also Saynct Paull to the Rumayns in the .i. That God hath caused hys Gospel of hys sonne to be prophecyed by the Prophetes in the scriptures that he should be suche a Lorde whiche should be borne of the seed of Dauid as pertaynyng to the flesshe and yet myghtelye declared to be the sonne of God after the spirite that sanctifyeth c. Rom. i. Euen suche a sayeng is this also and therfore it is cuydent that the hole olde Testament serueth vnto thys purpose that we may see that all thynges whiche we nowe preache and beleue are performed euen as they were shewed prophecyed before as we shall further marke and perceyue in the processe Ye haue heard that it was said vnto Abraham Ge. xxij Gen. xxij In thy seed shall al the nations of the earth be blessed Thys is a Gospel wherewith the holy fathers were susteyned a very long tyme but it was not yet fulfilled for he sayth It shal come to passe that all nacyons shal be blessed In thys sayng is it surely promysed vnto Abraham that this seed shoulde be borne of hys generatiō to thintēt that he should not nede to grope here there as in the tyme of Adam wheras they had also a Gospel but it was very dark namely where as God sayde vnto the serpent Gene. Gen. iij. iij. I wyl put enemitye betwene the and the woman and betwene thi seed and her seed the same shal treade doune thy heade and thou shalt treade vpon his hele Whiche is spoken altogether of Christe that he should treade doune the deuills heade and all nacions shoulde be blessed in hym In all these saynges it appeareth clearly that Christe must be God and man that he must dye and ryse agayne and receyue an euerlasting kyngdome here vpon earth whiche onely is done by his worde All whiche thinges although they be not expressely mencioned in these wordes yet they are neuer theles contayned there in vndoubtedly and it may well be gathered of the wordes yf the Texte be indifferently loked vpon and merked But yf a man do passe euer the wordes vnaduisedly and vndiscretely without any further consideracion than can no such thing appeare to be in them As in this sayenge In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed They be fewe and shorte wordes but yf thou marke them diligētly thou shalt fyud therein that Christe is God and man and that he must dye and ryse agayne from the deade For yf he shall blesse whiche is as muche as to take awaye the curse then truely must he be aboue the curse which curse is nothing elles but death synne and all myschiefe yf he shall do this then muste he nedes haue power to take awaye synne death to geue lyfe where vpō it must nedes followe that he is more then a pure man For noman is able to do suche workes but God alone and he that doth this worke must nedes be God also Furthermore yf he shall be the naturall seede of Abraham then muste he nedes be man also Nowe yf he
be a man then muste he nedes be mortall or elles he coulde not be called Abrahams sonne Agayne yf he shall brynge the blessinge vppon all nations of the earthe then muste he nedes lyue alwaye and for euer where vppon it foloweth that he is mortall and lyuinge c. And so shalt thou fynde it in all other places of the scripture yf the saynges be iustely and diligently marked But we will see from worde to worde what Ieremie doth notifie vnto vs in this sayeng that we may fynd this also in lyke maner Fyrst sayth he thus Beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the Lorde that I will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous braunche These wordes are vndoubtebly spoken of Christe wherein is contayned as the Prophecye declareth that he shoulde come of the synage and stocke of Dauid Therefore saith Sayncte Paule well Rom. i that after the flesshe he is borne of the seed of Dauid For the Prophete Ieremie would describe the sauiour plenteoufly that he myght be perfytely knowen what he shoulde be and from whence he shoulde come because of them whiche cyther at that tyme or afterwarde should come vnto the fayth beleue in him that they should not nede to grope after him here or there or seke him any where elles Therfore doth he knyite hym vnto the generation and stock of Dauid from whence men should loke for hym vndoubtedly With such wordes haue the Prophetes conforted the people and warned them that they shoulde marke diligently vpon this generation and that they shoulde be throughly perswaded that he should come none other waye but from the stocke of Dauid This knewe the Iewes well ynough out of the sayenges of the scripture were as sure of it as we knowe surely be leue that Christ shal come agayn at the later daye Therefore sayd also the Angel Gabriell vnto Marie Luce. i. Luc. i. The Lord God shall geue vnto hym the seate of his father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kyndgdome shal be none ende He sayeth I wyll rayse vp that is to say I will sette stablysshe it that it may staÌ„de sure As though he would saye The people of the Iewes haue bene hitherto afflicted and troubled with their kynges For where as I haue sometyme styred vp vnto them iiij Re. xviij â—ne good kynge as Ezechiam they haue had tenne bad for hym But I wil once rayse vp and ordeyne a kynge which shall continue For euer but I will not rayse hym for this cause that he shall assaulte any man But he hym selfe shall be assaulted of the world of the deuill of all whatsoeuer is great and mightie in the worlde but I will so sett hym that he shall stand fast and sure and his enemies shall not preuaile agaynst hym And he sayeth he will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous braunche EueÌ„ so saith Sachary also Sach ix that he is righteous and a sauiour Lo saith he Thy kynge cometh vnto the a righteous kyng and also a sauiour On this wyse dyd the Prophetes see Christ euen as we see hym also namely a kinge that iustifieth the worlde For the worlde is nothinge elles but a stable full of vnthriftes The worlde is the kyngdome of the deiull and bloude and flesshe is her housseholde of whose vngracious and wycked assanltes al saynctes haue euer complayned and muste also euer more complayne as Paule declareth to the Romaynes in the vij Ro. vij Therefore did the holy Fathers and Prophetes without ceassing desyre and crye after this righteous brauÌ„ce after this Christ whiche shoulde make them iuste and righteous and take awaye synne and death And this also doo all good and faithfull hertes yea the vnfaythefull also styll contynually desyre For who would not rather haue lyfe then death and rather haue righteousnes then synne Ro. vij Therefore cryeth Paule O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from this body of deathe But thus crye not all men for they fele it not all The deuill possesseth the heries of many and seduceth them that they can not thynke therevpon Thus may we see that this is the Summe or Chiefe poynt of this Prophecye that this kynge is iuste and righteous that is withoute all synne where by he is segregated and secluded from all other men whiche all are vnrighteous wicked and synners Nowe yf he be righteous than maye he not be borne after the maner as other mennes Children be borne Therefore it foloweth that his mother muste be a virgyn For it is sayde of all other men by the Prophete Dauid Psalm li. Beholde Psal li. I was shapen in wickednes and in synne hath my mother conceyued me Therefore muste this kynge nedes haue had another Maister that he was conceyned and borne withoute synne For yf he shall be righteous and not gyltie of deathe then maye he not be borne of a woman by the helpe of a man as we are But he must be pure from his byrthe But howe cometh this to passe that he is pure and not subiecte vnto death From whence cometh this vnto hym He shoulde come from the stocke of Dauid And is not the kynred of Dauid also vnder the malediction Yes truely but here vnto must a virgin be vsed out of the stocke of Dauid the other hath the holy Ghoost executed he hath purified this byrth as the Angell sayde vnto the virgyne Mary Luc. i. Luce. i. The holy Ghoost shall come vpoÌ„ the and the power of the hygeste shall ouershadowe the. Therfore also that holy thinge whiche shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God Therfore haue we suche a kyng which hath a name before all other kynges that he is righteous and righteous in all thinges In so muche that he also maketh other good and righteous And so will these wordes that he muste nedes be God and man and be borne of a virgyn albeit that these wordes do not clearly and manifestely expresse it yet bringe they so much with them yf they be throughly searched But where he calleth hym a braunche that is spoken after the maner of the Ebrewes whiche calle the children braunches whiche waxe and growe eueÌ„ as the herbes busshes trees do grow which soundeth not so well in oure eares as in the eares of the Iewes So sayth God also in Esa Cap. xiiij Esa xiiij of the kyngdome of Babylon I will roote oute the name remnaunte sonne and sonnes sonne of Babilon For the children come froÌ„ the parentes eueÌ„ as the braunches boughes come oute of the trees Therfore saith also Esaye in the xi Chap. Esa xi A rod shall come forth oute of the stocke of Iesse oute of a stocke whiche nowe is deade sayth he shall growe a braunche that is oute of an olde withered stocke Where of nomaÌ„ loked for any thinge to springe forth of it For Dauid was dead his kynred laye altogether
on the ryghte hande of God hys heauenly father and yet shall iustifye the people and thys shall also be done here vpon earthe whiche is yet more merneylous But howe cometh thys to passe Euen thus The kyngedome of Christe is a spirituall kyngedome whiche ruleth herein earth and yet it is not of the earh but of heauen Thys could neuer no King brynge to passe that he had set vp a kyngdome whiche were in earth and yet were not terrestrial but celestiall Wherfore thys worke declareth that thys Kynge must be more then a bare or pure man For he that knoweth thys science hathe the power that he is aboue synne and can iustifye synne thesame muste nedes be God for God onely iustifyeth the vngodly Ro. iiij as Paul sayth Roma in the .iiij. And for as much as thys Kyng performeth and bryngeth to passe suche thynges it followeth therfore that he is very God sence he hath the honour and doth the workes which onely belonge to God Nowe then yf he can bryng to passe that the people maye be delyuered from theyr synnes and by that meanes make thē ryghteous then can he also soone delyuer them from death for where as is no synne there can be no death for the stynge of death is synne as Paul saith to the Torinthians i. Co. xv i. Cor. xv for yf there were no synne then shoulde death haue no myghte nor power and thus doth thys Kynge delyuer vs from synne and death from the deuil from hell and from all infelicite and geueth vs the eternall ryghteousnes and euerlastynge lyfe He maketh GOD oure father and geueth vs the kyngedome of heauen Nowe thys is no man able to do neyther angell nor saynete neither also Mary the mother of God but onely GOD hym self whereout it followeth then that thys kyng muste nedes be God and although it be not expressed with manifest wordes yet do the wordes and the vnderstandynge of thys sayenge brynge it with them that he is verye GOD and man So goodlye coulde the Prophetes speake of Christe and counterfayte hym so excellentely vnto vs that it is to be merneyled to thintent that we should not mysse hym Here ryseth nowe a questyon Thou saydest euen nowe howe that all saynctes muste crye with Sayncte Paule ouer synne death O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from thys body subdued vnto death Here se we also that the Christians dye yea the better Christians the heauyer death they suffre what meaneth thys call ye that delyueryng from death synne Thys is it that I haue sayde It is a spiritual kyngedome and kyugedome of faythe It wyll stande in faythe and men muste also beholde it with the eyes of fayth Otherwyse can no man at no tyme vnderstande it for there remayneth yet that death muste deuoure vs The Emperours and Cyrannous haue behedded the Apostles and holye martyrs Sayncte Paule was fayne to stretche forthe hys heade Moreouer there remayne yet the lustes and inclinations towarde synne There be also manye heresyes and sectes whiche al obiecte themselues agayuste the Christians where is here lyfe where is here the ouercōmynge of death which is preached in thys kyngedome Vnto that do I answer thus We haue dominion and rule ouer syune ouer death howe be it we haue not yet ouercome them and we be not yet delyuered from them for the text saith that the Kynge is yet workynge For he doth alwayes rayse vp righteousnes and maketh yet styliuste ryghteousnes lyke as a Tayllour which maketh a garment as longe as he maketh thereouer so longe is he in the worke and it can not be sayd that the garment be al hole fynyshed Euen so is the kyngdome of Christe in earthe styll in worke he worketh and rayseth dayly thereouer and shal so continue vntyl the latter daye And then shal althynges fyrst be made ryght perfecte In the meane season do the Christiās styl fall in syune albeit agayust theyr wyl But thys aduauntage hath a Christian although he do fele the synne yet is he neuertheles lorde ouer it but to that ende can he not brynge it that he myghte cleane be delyuered from synne vntyl the olde wretche dye cleane and peryshe Therfore albeit that the Christians fall yet is Christe present with them which ruleth by hys spirite and ouercōmeth synne and styll rayseth them vp agayne sayeng aryse brother be of good comfort there is no daunger And so is Christ alwayes in the battel and in workynge and fyghteth with oure enemyes They do often resiste agaynst hym but at the laste he obtayneth the victory and they are depressed Euen so goeth it also with them that are hys in whome God triumphet and ouercometh thorough Christ Therfore sayth Paule i. Cor. xv i. Co. xv But thankes be vnto God which hath geuen vs victory thorough oure Lorde Iesus Christe And. ij Cor. ij saith he ij Cor. ij Thankes be vnto God which alwayes geueth vs the victory in Christ Although sometyme one be put to the worste yet is Christ at hande and lyfteth hym vp agayne sayenges vp brother aryse thou hast no hurte at it agayne styll thou must nedes fighte it oute it can not be done withoute fallynge but take hede that thou lye not styl There is euermore fallynge and rysynge agayne as long as we lyue in thys worlde Nowe Nota bene as Christe hath ouercome synne euen so doth he also ouercome death when death is at hande presseth vpon the and wyll destroye the then is Christ present with the and sayth at it lustely he can not hurte the and although he do stryke the it shall be no more vnto the then yf thou wētest to slepe Nowe go to it is but a smal matter within this shorte houre it shal be better A man may fele that death is bitter and sharpe But he can not prenayle nor triumphe ouer the. For Christe hath made hym faynte hys stynge or darte is made to blunt He hathe weryed hym selfe vpon CHRISE whiche hath ouercome hym and treaden hym vnder hys fete Euen so goeth it also with the Sectes and Heresyes and with all other aduersities whiche all can not hurte vs for we haue one in heauen vnto whome all thynges are possyble and be is able to preserue vs that nothing shall happen vnto vs withoute hys wyll Therfore I saye that the outward temptatious maye well remayne but yet oure fayth can not be hurte for there remayneth yet in the herte a certayne power agaynste synne and a courage agaynste death and all aduersities Thys is it that CHRISTE continueth in hys offyce and dryueth hys worke stryueth with synne and fyghteth with death vntyll hys kyngedome be at complysshed that is vntill the latter daye Thus haue we heard nowe howe the Prophete Ierempe hath declared Christe what hys person is and what hys offyce shall be namely that hys offyce tendeth to thys ende that he prospere with wysedome and rule wysely so that
grounded vpō reason as philosophy or worldly sciences but it dependeth consisteth all in the word of God Vvhat thynges soeuer god hath promysed he may performe thē no man may let it The world knoweth nothing of the word power of God it beleueth not the first article of the almighty power of God and of the creation conseruatiō of all thynges it hath regard onely vpon creatures their mutatiōs it seeth death but it can see nothyng els here than these thynges which may be apprehended with corporal outward senses that is to say a wenche theyr lyeng styf horryble in sight deade and destitute of alher strenghtes It seeth also that she beynge deade can not helpe her selfe that none in earth can call her agayne vnto lyfe Reason thincketh vpon nothynge but mannes strenghtes it can not go further therfor it mocketh the wordes of Christe For as al worldely power may not make a creature of nothing so it may not rayse vp agayne a dead man Therfor yf we loke and regarde only mās power strenghtes than our laboure is in vayne and it is plainly impossyble that a dead mā be called agayne to lyfe aryse agayne Wherfor it is necessary that we haue regarde here vnto the diuine power strenghtes of the creatour excepte we desyre to erre and blaspheme with the wicked and myscheuous world Vvho is he that sayth the wenche sleapeth If I or any other pure tried mā should say these wordes of him self thā shoulde there be onely consolation of the wordes nothyng elles For we may not call agayne a deade man vnto lyfe of our propre strenghtes as we cal vp a man sleapyng naturally in hys bedde But here speaketh that great man that greatest noble Lord which cā order rule death at hys pleasure Here speaketh the creatoure and first maker himself of al thynges of hys own creature which he made before of nothing of whome Iohn and Paule beare witnesse Iohn i. that al thynges be made by hym they haue there byeng by hym But that thing was hidde frō the preastes phariseys the vulgar people of the Iewes at that tyme. For they knewe neyther Christ nor hys ministration or seruyce The chief mē of the synagoge ware blynd guydes as Christe calleth them neyther vnderstāding nor belening to the lawe the Prophetes Therfor what might that miserable poore peoople or that vnlerued people knowe So it was fulfilled Esa ivi and .iij. that Esaias prophecyed of thē al theyr blynd espialles was ignoraunt the shepeherdes theirselfes knewe not wysdome Esa lvi iij. my people which cal the blessed they their selfes deceaue the. c. But yf they had knowen lerned of the lawe the prophetes two thīges that is to say of what qualite should their Messias be and what should be his ministratiō work amōg men in earth thā wold they not haue scorned christ but they would haue thanked him their hartes handes lifted vp to god because thei had come to had sene that quiet ioious most wisshed day of health in their lyfe in whiche Messyas presente dyd these selfe workes which be attributed assigned to his first coming in scriptures in whiche tyme he declareth also hym self a true perfite sauyour of our bodies soules The lawe the Prophetes teache vs first that Messias was to come not onely a very man but also a verye God so that very God himself was to come in his own propre persō vnto the earth to become mā to teache and to saue hys people Gene. i. Psalm C. xxiij Psalm lxxxxvi For Moses saith that God hath made heauē earth whiche thing the prophetes teache also in many places as in 123. Psalm God made heauen earth Psal 96. God made heauē earth all thynges whiche be in thē Moreouer the prophetes beare witnesse also that thatsame adonay that is to say that true one God was to come to vs to become a very man of the stocke of Dauid that he mighte be our sauiour Christ Esaye xxxiij For Esaias in the xxxiij Chapter sayth Iehouah or God our iudge God our gyuer of lawes God our king he himself shal saue vs. Ieremi xxxiij And Ier. xxxiij where the Prote promyseth Christ he calleth him not onely the braunche of iustice which he was to gyue to Dauid but he calleth hym in thesame chapter clerely well to the purpose Iehouah or god our iustice which thing nether the Iewes nor christianes may deuye whyche hath knowen the holy tonge Also in xxij psalme Psal xxij and in the prophete Abdia the kingdome is the lordes or gods In bothe the places the speche is of Messias or of Christe and it calleth hym by thesame name by whiche scripture nameth in euery place the trewe and onely God maker of heauē and earth therfore it must nedes followe and can not be denied that Christe is trew God Is it than so incredible that the creatour and maker of all thinges restoreth and calleth againe vnto life his creature now fallē and deade whiche he made before of nothing Actu xxvi And so saith Paule in the 26 chapter of the actes before kinge Agrippa wherfor is it thought incredible amonge you if God rayse vp deade men as he wold say For asmuche as ye beleue that God is almightie that he hath made heauen and earthe how thā may he not also cal again vnto lyfe his creature that is deade Is it not more difficell and a greater thyng to make something of nothing than to restore renewe that which was made before Whosoeuer beleueth the creation of al thinges he must nedes beleue also that God may raise vp againe dead men that he will do it because he promised that he him selfe wolde do it Secōdely that law the prophetes teache vs what is the ministratiō of Messias or what he hys workes which he wolde do after in earthe that is to say to put away synnes to slea death to redeme his chosē mē frō power of death to call again dead men vnto lyfe to giue to his chosen mē euerlasting life here for a shorte time to be throwen doune to be made lesse to be made lowe poore abiect but therfore a litle after to be exalted and to reigne with his own for euer world without ende Of these the Iewes might haue gottē forsothe to them selfes so great vnderstandinge if they had takē heede that they wolde not haue mocked the wordes of Christ saing the whenche sleapeth like as he had spoken vaine thinges and had promised opēly impossible thinges Moses teacheth Gene. ij Gen. ij Ge. iji how death came vnto the worlde by synne And 3. chapter he teacheth who shall take away and destroie death truely the sede of the woman whiche shoulde after tread doune the head of the serpēt the deuyll that is to
Tit. iij. A man that is geuen to heresie after the fyrste and the second admonicion auoyd remembringe that he that is suche is peruerted and synneth euen damned by hys owne iudgemente Therefore beware of Sectes It is easy to come into them but it is harde to come oute agayne beleue me thou canst not so easely come oute agayne as thou wentest in All this haue I sayde because of the Iewes whiche by this manifeste Texte will not be perswaded that Christe is a naturall and very God More ouer it can not be sayde that God doth participate this name vnto hym as vnto men as it is written in the fyrste boke of Moses Gene .i. Gene .i. Let vs make man in oure Image after oure lykenes but that man should be called a very naturall God that can not be for God speaketh in Esaye Chapiter .xlij. Esa xlij my glory will I geue to none other But this name geueth he verely vnto this man Christe the seede or braunche of Dauid Vvhereof he hath spoken before because that he is also a naturall God And therefore speaketh the one Lorde of the other Lorde that is one very naturall God of another very naturall God for the Prophete speaketh hereof two persons and sayth I Lord and very God wil rayse vp vnto Dauid a braunche which also shal be called Lorde and very God And herevnto is requisite a fayth which maye comprehende these thynges There is yet as I haue sayd an heresye to come agaynste thys Article of our faith that Christ is a very naturall God God graunte that we do not lyue so longe Furthermore sayth the Prophete that thys sede of Dauid shall also be called oure ryghteousnes The fyrst name that he is called Lorde is concernyng hys Godly person whereof he geueth nothynge neyther doth he participate any thynge thereof vnto vs. But the other that he is called oure ryghteousnes is as touchinge hys offyce wherewith he ministreth vnto vs For in thys name is comprehended hys hole offyce and the fruyte or commoditie of thys Kynge We haue suche a Kynge whiche is very God and not onely very God but he is pertaynyng vnto vs For he is oure righteousnes Thys is oure greatest conforte that thys Kynge and Lorde is oures And he is become oures through the humanite whiche he toke vpon hym to thintent that he shoulde care for vs as for hys own flessh Suche names ought to be written with golden letters yea not onelye with golden letters but also with druppels of bloude in the botome of the herte Here seest thou that thys Kyng Christ is not onely God but also our ryghteousnes or oure iustification whiche maketh vs iuste and ryghteous as also Paule declareth in many places and specially to the Corith i. Cor. i. i. Corint i. whereas he sayth Christe of God is made vnto vs wysedome and also ryghteousnes and sanctifyenge and redemption I haue sayd ofteÌ„tymes that a christen lyfe standeth in these two poyntes Fyrst that our synnes whiche we haue committed are quyte and cleane forgeuen remitted vnto vs through Christe whan I beleue in hym Secondarely that not onelye our synnes be remitted and haue obtayned a righteousnes but there is also a sanctifyenge from the remnaunt of synnes so that the remnaunt of sinnes can not hurte me for Christe is there present the moost perfecte ryghteousnes whiche is hole ryghteous and pure and clenseth me also from the synnes whiche yet remayne in my flesshe for this ryghteousnes of Christe is myne and is counted to me so that I am without synne not of my selfe but because of the ryghteousnes of Christe Nowe when I beleue in Christe then muste Christe with his ryghteousnes steppe forth before the face of God in heauen and make answer for me Therfore ought we and muste repute hys righteousnes as though it were oure owne and be so bolde thereon as on oure inheritaunce For these wordes that he is called oure ryghteousnes and no gestes Now behold what rychesse a christeÌ„ man hath which can neuer dye Nota bene for he hath CHRIST hymselfe what wyll nowe death or synne preuayle agaynst a Christen man at the houre of hys departynge Nota beâ—â— Nothynge death is a laughinge stock for hym he doeth also care nothynge for synne for neyther synne nor death neyther deuyll nor hel is able to bryng vp any thyng agaynst Christe whome a Christian hath vp hym Therfore when death cometh to a faythfull Christian then sayth the Christian Ye are welcome good Syr death what good newes with you what seke ye here knowest thou not whome I haue by my Christe is my ryghteousnes I pray the go to and take her from me yf thou doest take her from me then wyl I folowe the but thou shalt not be able to do it And so do the Christians defye death and speake with sayncte Paule i. Cor. xv i. Co. xv Death where is thy stynge Helle where is thy victory And as he saith in another place Philip. i Philip. i Christ is to me lyfe and death is to me aduauntage yf I dye I haue aduauntage for I come so muche the sooner to lyfe There seest thou what death preuayleth agaynst the Christians he is now theyr aduauntage they lose nothynge by hym but he byteth hymselfe to death vpon them Euen so goeth it also with the synne which is yet remaynyug Nota. and cleaneth yet vnto vs she can not hynder vs neyther can she damne vs for Christe is by vs which clenseth and puryfyeth vs so that we from day to day become more holyer and holyer and the longer we lyue the more enemyes we become vnto synne and so desyre to dye longynge for the saluation and after the lyfe euerlastyuge This is oure sanctification Therfore whylest Christes righteousnes is oures she is not ydle but clenseth and purgeth vs as longe as we lyue in thys worlde vntyll that we also be pure and holy as Christe is holy But all thys commeth from hym And thus hath the Prophete by these wordes declared the offyce of Christe namely that he is our Kyng Nota bene our Bysshop or Priest and our ryghteousnes and also oure redemer delyuerer from synne death deuyll and hell and that he delyuereth vs oute of al tribulations and that he is our lyfe and health and saluation Therfore when I haue hym by faythe then can the hole worlde inuente nothynge agaynst me nor hurte me in any thyng for he is to great and sitteth on the ryght hande of God where also he shall remayne howe soeuer saith nay Let me see yf any man can thruste hym downe from thence He hath good holde let vs also take good holde vpon hym and on hys ryghteousnes than shall we not nede to feare It followeth further nowe in Ieremye And therfore beholde the tyme cometh sayth the Lorde that it shall be no more sayde the Lorde lyueth whiche brought the children of
beleue thou arte lose from synne and delyuered out of the kyngedome of the deuill into the kyngdome of Christe And yf here any man woulde saye I haue euen as well a mouth speake euen as well make wordes as a Curate yet doth not this folow my wordes that they might delyuer me from syn set me in the kyngdome of God howe is it then possible that the mouth wordes of my Curate shoulde haue more efficacie to geue all the benefices aboue rehersed To this shall we answer on this wyse There is a great diuersitie betwene thy mouth and the mouth of a Preacher betwene thy worde and the worde of a Preacher which difference Dauid doth here clerely shewe saynge Thou haste anaunced thy prayse out of the mouth of Infantes suckinge babes This is now an other word than thyne or my word which cometh by the cōmaundemēt of hym whiche sayethe Ite Math. xxviij Marci xvi Go ye into all the worlde and preache the glad tydinges teach all nations baptising them c. he that beleueth is baptised shall be saued but he that beleueth not shall be dāned Christ Iesus the sonne of God oure Lorde which geueth this commaundemente vnto his Apostles and to all ministers of the Churche of God biddeth here to speake and to preache he doth laye a worde in their mouth which is another word thā thy word Esa xl namely the word of God which is euerlastinge and endureth for euer and sayeth he that beleueth thesame shall be saued but he that beleueth not shall be damned this worde hath another vertue to forgeue synne whiche none other worde hath Yf thou now hearest me which am a preacher and hearest me none otherwyse than euen as thou hearest another man and also genest none other credence vnto my wordes then thou doeste geue to the wordes of another man then arte thou damned with me Yf I also did preach no more but mine owne worde as the Pope hath done whiche hath taught his owne worde and not Goddes worde whome we haue also hearde as a man and is so hearde yet of many which all are damned with the Pope as they that hange vpon the worde yf men Thus mayest thou not heare me as a man whiche preacheth the worde of men for yf thou do so heare me it were muche better that thou diddest not heare me at all lykewyse also thou mayest not heare thy Curate as a man that speaketh and preacheth the wordes of men But thou muste heare hym as one that speaketh the worde oute of the mouth of Infantes and suckelinges whiche saye on this wyse I beleue in the holy Ghooste the holy Catholyke Churche whiche hath the worde forgeuenes of synnes the holy Sacramentes and the right vse of the Sacramentes This church preacheth the worde of God commaundeth to beleue forgeueth synnes ministreth the Sacramentes vpon the worde whiche is the ryghte foundation and the sure grounde agaynste the whiche all the Deuills can not preuayle there on must I truste buylde This is the cōmaundement of Christ whiche he hath left vnto his Churche and felloweship namely that she in his name and by his commaundemēt hath geuen and left vs his worde whiche he speaketh and preacheth by oure mouthes which also we ought to heare receyue and beleue as his owne worde where as this is done in suche wyse there maye it be saide Thou hast prepared a power for thyne enemies for to destroye the aduersary and the reuenger This power or strength is prepared made through the worde wherby he beginneth his dominion so that whan synne cometh will byte and deuoure me that then I maye saye Ah synne soft a while I haue nothing to do with the neither do I know of any synne for I am made lose and assoyled frō synne thorough the worde whereunto I will sticke Item yf the deuill come and will also assaulte me and obtayne the victory ouer me that as them I maye saye I set not by the a strowe Euen so shoulde I also saye to hell and to death Oh Death I knowe of no Death c. Nowe euen as the worde sayth vnto the so hast thou al thynges yf thou doest beleue it But yf thou do not beleue it thou hast nothynge neyther doest thou obtayne any thing but abydest in synne vnder the power of the deuyll and muste attende the euerlastynge damnation and death But the Catholyke Churche which hath thys confort and power notwithstandynge that in comparyson of the worlde whiche exercyseth great and mighty thinges she is counted for foolyshenes and despysed Yet hath she suche great strength and domynion But whence cometh suche great power strength to the poore despysed flocke the feloweshyppe of Christe The worldely power geueth her not thys strenght neyther hath she it to geue But the worde of God ordeyneth thys power kyngedome and churche whiche is suche a people called here in earth through the Gospel in the vniuersall Christianite that hath the pure and syncere worde and the ryght vse of the Sacramentes is myghtyer and of greater power then the Deuyll Death and hell and that not in one place nor in one people But in all the worlde wheresoeuer the Christians are dispersed whiche kyngdome of Christe is ruled and gouerned withoute external compulsyon and violence and withoute worldely wysedome and vnderstandynge but onelye through the mouth of infaūten that is onelye through the worde of fayth Thesame sucke lynges and infantes are the foules of the worlde are despysed Vvell so shoulde it be thys is ryght so ought they to be called before the worlde howe be it they haue another name before God and a better respecte They are called princes and Angels of God and they are so in dede For beholde what sayth here Dauid therof He sayeth that the kyngdome of the Lorde Christ is such a kyngdom which ruleth beareth do minion throughoute al the worlde not with haruas Golde syluer dominyons and Lordeshyppes howe doth he than set furth suche a great power only through the worde which procedeth is hearde out of the mouthes of the sucke lynges and infantes For whan our Lorde Iesus Christ began thys hys kyngedome in thys worlde he toke not the Emperour of Rome or the hygh Priestes of Hierusalem or the beste hyest and myghtyest amonge the people But he toke poore despysed beggers poore fysshers as Peter Andrewe Iohn Iames Thomas and other poore synners for it into theyr mouthes dyd he put hys worde and sent them furth to preache whiche notwithstandynge that they were called chosen and sent of Christ yet were they counted called fooles before the worlde But behold in what case were they on Vvhit sonday there dyd theyr power shyne breoke furth when by the fyrst Sermon of S. Peter there were thre thou sande persons conuerted afterward by theyr preachyng many thousandes were broughte to the kyngedome of Christe then was theyr power sene and
hys power bare rule in Hierusalem and amonge the people of the Iewes vntyl he had cleane gathered out the wheate then dyd he put fyre in the chaffe and burned it through the Romaynes Than dyd it appeare what maner of kyngdome and power Christe had set vp Thys kyngdome powerdoeth Dauid here boaste whā he sayth Thou hast prepared a power because of thyne enemyes c. And is also worthy to be boasted and magnyfyed Therfore do we also whiche are preachers of the worde suffre greate wronge iniurye that we be so hated reuyled and abhorred which notwithstandynge brynge neytherharnas nor weapen neyther also poyson nor any other euyll thynge with vs But only the sauynge worde of God what do we then or wherewith do we deserue it that they do so be heretyke vs what are the great crymes wherein we do offende Here sayst thou yea the Pope hath cōdemned you with your doctrine therfore do we take you also forheretykes and damned But what can I do withall I haue not deserued it the worde and the doctryne is not myne yf I dyd it and yf it were my word then ought it to be condemned and accursed as mans worde and doctryne But nowe is it not my word neyther is it my doynge But it is done by the mouthe of suckelynges and infantes through the worde which is not myne but God hys worde We bryng with vs a goodly hoolsome doctrine the holy Gospell which offereth and geueth remissyon of synnes and the lyfe euerlastynge verely thys is a goodly and louely doctryne which is none of oures but hys that sent vs Iesu Christes the sonne of God yf we shoulde saye that she were oures we shoulde do amysse yf we shoulde also teache brynge with vs oure owne doctryne and would leade and instruct the people in oure owne wordes than were we worthy to be counted for heretikes condemned and put to death for heretykes and no iniurye shoulde be done vnto vs But whereas we be condemned and muste be called Heretykes of them for the hoolsome doctryne of the Gospell which we as ye haue heard brynge with vs and yet is none of oures God amende thys that for suche healthfull doctrynes sake we must be called heretykes and condemned O good Lord what doeth the word what doth it worke wherewith doeth it deserue it that it is so persecuted Thys doeth the worde speake and teache howe thou shalt be delyuered frō thy synnes from Death from the power of the deuyll and from hell Is thys any hurte or heresye I thoughte that men woulde haue runne after the doctryne and the worde whiche teacheth vs howe we shall be delyuered from synne euen to the worldes ende thys wyl not men do nowe but persecute it and teache vs to dout in it and leade vs to many other places where we shoulde seke saluation remissiō of synnes as that we should go to Vvalsingam to Vvilsedom to Caunterbury to S. Iames in Compostella to many innumerable places more Vvhat goo doe shaue men broughte home frō thence but a pouche of lether and a payr of wery legges had it not ben bitter and godlyer that thou haddest taryed at home and haddest exercysed thyne offyce and vocation wherein thou arte ordeyned of God and haddest hearbe thy Curate whiche preacheth vnto the and out of the mouthe of the suckelynges infantes sheweth the the sure ryght way to saluation where thou mightest be sure to haue remissyon of synnes for thy wyfe and children sitte ydell thou spendest thy money and makest wery legges and yet doest no good and at the last thou arte euen as vnsure yea muche vnsurer of the remissyon of synnes then thou wast before Here saye they agayne yea but it hyndereth the masses they haue borne muche hitherto O what hurte is that although it dyd hurte thē whiche notwithstandyng it doth not what harme were it whan thou muste departe out of thys world dye what good can than the masses do vnto the. Who abydeth than by the Masses not one Masse they are all gone bothe they that haue sayde masse and they that haue hearde masse what doth it helpe the than that thou doest longe holde taste for thou muste awaye where are they become that lye aboute and are buryed in the Cloysters what good hath the masse done to them what profite haue they had by her they haue ben and abydē by the masses but the masses haue not abyden by them for the masses are here but they are damned Vvith all oure hartes do we wysshe vnto them saluation and euerlastynge lyfe but thou muste leaue the masse yf not thou haste euerlastynge hell fyre for it why wilt thou not rather embrace receyue loue and beleue the worde c. Moreouer they haue thys obiectiō and excusation that they are poore can not otherwyse gette theyr lyuyng as he sayth also they can or wyl not laboure and they are ashamed to begge Vvell yf thou wilte not in any wyse haue it otherwyse then go thy wayes But I holde me selfe to the euerlastynge incorruptyble promyse of the worde go thou thy waies stil with thy temporall goodes masses prebendes and Canosyes Go to let vs see howe sure are the Chanous then of theyr rētes and Prebendes This is sure yf oure Lorde God of hys mere goodnes and grace had not fent vs the Gospel in Germany ye shoulde haue here by thys tyme nothynge at all neyther prebendes nor Canonisyes to graunt for they had all ben gone for twenty yeares agone But not through vs they nede not to be afrayed for vs But the Pope had hadde them all awaye twenty yeares agone But howe Fyrste thorow the Pallia Annates Bulles and Pardons wherevpon the Emperoure Maximilian hath cōplayned sence aboue measure aboue xlviij yeares agone whā the Pope by a Pardon toke oute of Douchelande more then foure hundreth thousande crounes whereby they waxed hote couetous vpō the money came agayne thre yeres after with another Pardō would fayn haue takē euery day so much money for theyr pardon Then what haue they taken yerely oute of the great Mynsters Bisshoprikes and of the great Prelatures Yf I do well remember they toke euery yere of the Prouostye of Mirtzburg ij m. crounes so in other Mynsters more whiche amounteth yerely to a great sōme of money Nowe what doth the Pope with the money He geueth it to his Meretricibus Ciuedis and Chamberlaynes to this vse doeth he put it Vvel to the matter agayne I saye thus yf the Gospel had not come the Pope with hys Romysh court had aboue twenty yeares agone and more plucked to hym selfe al Prebendes Prelatures Canonisyes so that there shoulde not haue ben one in no Bysshopryke which the Pope should not haue had to loue and pulled into hys power Thorough these tittels rycheners Chamberlaynes Commensales c. Vvhiche Tytels they do laboure oute and bye them before of the Pope for a greate somme
say to ouerthrowe destroie his Kingedome The deuyll subdued all man kinde to him selfe by synne that al mē was subiecte to death and damnatiō Heb. ij Therfore Paul saith in the .ij. chapter to the Hebrues that the deuyll haith rule ouer death The sede of the womā that is to say christ should breake and trouble this kingdome and this power of syune and death holde faste and slea synne and kyl death Esai xxxxiij Esa xxxxiij whan Christ had said thou hast made me to serue in thy synnes thou hast geuē labour to me in thy iniquities he reherseth anone I am I am my selfe whiche put away thy iniquities for my sake If he putteth awai sinne or iniquities from whense death cometh than withoute all controuersy he putteth away death the wages of synne Esa xxv the prophete sayth of Messias he shall throwe doune headlynge Osee xiij or consume death for euer Osee xiij I shall delyuer them from the power of death I shall redeme them frō death O death I shal be thy death Esa ix Esay ix Christe is called the father of the world to come or father euerlastingly Therfore it is necessary suerly that he raise vp his sonnes frō death graunt to them euerlasting lyfe Ioh. xi Therfore he sayth in Iohn the .xi. I am the resurrection and lyfe Whosoeuer beleueth on me shal liue although he weredead And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in me shal neuer die And Iohn the .v. as the father rayseth vp the dead and quicheneth them Iohn v. euenso the sonne quit keneth whome he wyll Ye see here of now how great and grosse blyndenesse was in Iewry whā Christe was sent to them he declareth by mightie and meruailous workes myracles that he is very Messias whiche scripture promysed sauiour delyueret of the whole worlde doith thesame selfe workes whiche scripture had prophecied Messias to do wher of he might be knowen most playnly and most easely but not withstanding where he saith that the wenche sleapeth that myserable and blinded people mocketh their lorde and God but neuer the lesse their mockinge must nedes serue to faith for by that self thing they graunt that the whench is veryly deade as also the seruauntes of the house of the lieuetenaunt meetinge their maister shewe that the whench is deade that he should not offend Christ Therfor they myght not say that the whenc did lie in a traunse or a swoune or slaped naturally but they doubted not and they confessed opnely that she had verely departed frō this lyfe And therfor they ware cōstrained after to knowledge and confesse that a trew miracle was done here that is to say that the whench was called againe trewly from death vnto lyfe And therfor Christ cōmaundeth to giue to her some thinge that she may eat that they should not doubt that she was raysed again truly Mat ix Matthew declared this myracle in fewe words but Marc Mare viij Luc viji and Luc adde to that anone after that Christ had said whenche ryse thou vp her spirite returned she dyd aryse vp by by that Christ cōmaunded meate to be giuen to her Some mē suppose that that miracle which Math. declareth where Christe onely raiseth vp again the dead whēche by touching her is an other miracle from that whiche Luke Marke declare whome they suppose to write of a whenche of ij peres olde the doughter of a chiefman of the synagoge whose name was Iairus but I haue supposed hither to with Ensebius Hierome Augustine in the ij boke of the consent of the Euāgelistes the xxvi chapter also with Chrisostome other of trew opinion faith that these thre Enangelistes declare thesame history speake of thesame miracle Therfore our lord Iesu Christe willed to declare his diuine power ministration whan he said the whenche sleapeth for as Augustine saith no mā can raise vp so easely from sleape a man sleapinge naturally in his bedde how easely christe raiseth vp a deade man furth of his sepulchre And so wōt Christe to speake of death as an almighty lord as lord of lyfe death he calleth death a sleape vnto the comfort of faithfull Christians for death is made a pacified quiet sleape to them that beleue in Christ for because they be graffen in Christ by faith they shal not se death for although they suffer very greatly corporal death and their soule departe frō their body notwithstāding they come not vnto the second death which is euerlasting dānation but to Christ wher ther propre ioye gladnesse reioicinge is the body resteth in the earth in sure hope of sauinge resurrection vnto the day of the lord So saith also christ Iohn the xi of Lazarus our frēd Lazarus sleapeth but I go that I may raise him vp from sleape than his diciples said Ioh. xi lord if he sleapeth he shall be safe that is to say he shall be better at ease thā their is no perill But Christ did speake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of the sleaping of sleape Than said he manyfestly to them Lazarus is deade forwhan the soule departeth from the body than that departinge by it self is death it should remaine death and euerlastinge sleape against all the power of the whole worlde whiche might not at any tyme breake vanquishe euerlastingly this sleape but whan death is compared to Christe is put against him than it is non other thing thā a sleape to his diuine power because Christ for asmuche as he him self is almighty lyfe and euerlastinge fontaine of al lyfe speaketh onely one word Ioh. xi Lazarus come thou fourth Iohn the .xi. Ionge man I say to the ryse thou vp Luc. vij in Luke the .vij. also he thoucheth the dead body and death is constrayned to departe and the selfe lyfe to returne as here Matthew the ix anone after he helde the hande of the whenche Mat. ix the soule returneth vnto the body For as Chrisostome saith he put not in an other soule into the body but he restored so easely to the body that selfe soule whiche it had before euen as he had raysed it vp from sleape The fathers of trew faith hath wined and consydered with muche more diligence than we this diuine power of Christ which he hath declared in raisyng vp the dead by onely touchinge and they had here very good and very excellent meditations of the parson of Christ of the mistery of his humanitie as Cyrillus vpō Iohn in the .vi. Ioh. vi chapter wher he saith that the fleshe of our sauiour Christ is vnited or ioined together also made lyuely to the eternal worde of God which is naturally the self lyfe so that it may make liuely And therfor Christ whā he raised vp the dead vsed not onely words nor commaūded onely as almyghtye God but he vsed to that busines
some time also his flesh body as a felowe worker that he myght declare by the selfe worke that also hys body hath vertue of quickeninge making linely for asmoch as it is in vnitie ioined togither to his diuine nature that mā beleuing might lerne that it was his ownproper body no other mās So he raised vp the doughter of iairus by his worde touchinge of her body frō death whiche warke was done of him whiche is God mā in one person for he called not againe the dead vnto life alwaies by his onely word but also by touchinge that he might declare trache that his body also might make lyuely quicken than for asmuche as the thinges whiche haue bene corrupted perished be restored renewed begonne a freshe how than should we not liue whiche do eate the flesh of Christe Ther is no doubte but he will bringe reforme them to perpetuall lyfe which be partakers of him for not onely thee soule must nedes ascende vnto a blessed lyfe by the holyghost but also this grosse eartly body must nedes be brought to a perpetuall lyfe by tastinge touching and by meate whichis conueniēt and agreat to his nature Hilarius speaketh almost after the same maner of the se thinges also vpon Matthew the. Mat. ix ix chapter And therfor the apostles call death a sleape teaching vs by this selfe thing that death is to be condemned not to be feared Luke saith in the .vij. of the actes Act. vij the Steuen sleaped whā he was stoned Paul i. Corin. xv nameth Christ the fyrst fruites of them whiche had sleaped i. Cor. xv he saith we all shall not sleape also he saith i. tes 4. brethrē I wil not that ye be ignoraunt of these which hath sleaped i. Tessa iiij Daniel xij that ye be not sory c. Also Dauiel hath spoken in the xij after this maner of corporal death for sosaith he many of them whiche sleape in the dust of the earth shal awake here he calleth the resurrection to come in the last day awakinge all these forsoth be very great consolation to all Christianes whan they be troubled with temtation of death Now let vs heare wherfor scripture compareth our death to natural sleape fyrst whosoeuer sleapeth naturally he resteth from those thoughtes and laboures which he suffereth that watche◠and he reneweth his strēghtes by that rest whan he waketh he is not so wery as he was before he did take the sleape but quicke of spirite and witte freshe stronger his strēghtes being renewed and more dilygent and spedy to take laboures So also our death is a rest frō all care heuinesse thoughtes and laboures of this lyfe a litle whyle enduring miserable most punished and most full of aduersitie our body onely resteth in the groūde it shal returne againe in the last day renewed swifte well fortifyed whole mery stronge endewed with most prosperouse and perpetuall health i. Cor. xv as Paule teacheth vs. i. Corin. xv The body is sowen in corruption reproche feblenesse is a beastly body but it riseth again without corruption in glory in power a spirituall body whiche is so pure so subtile is preseued so merualousely of God him self that it hath nede of no meate drinke or sleape that it is subiecte to no corporal feblenesses miseries as it was in this lyfe whā it was yet constrained to take meate to drinke to sleape to digest to suffre colde heate hungre and suche other things Secondly whosoeuer lieng in his bed sleapeth and resteth naturally he may be raysed vp easely because his soule is in his body the man lineth Christ our God may cal againe so easely and much more easely deade men vnto lyfe whose soules be not deade nor may die Math. x. but be in the hāde of Christe Thyroly we go not to bedde that we may sleape cōtinually fastened alwaies in our bedde but that we may rest a fewe houres that our body may restore and renewe his strenghtes that after we being wakened frō sleape we may do our office and duetie that we may apply our studies workes of our office So whan we dye corporally our bodyes are not buried in to the earthe that they may lie hidde perpetually in it but they be buried that they may rest their a certain tyme in sure hope of resurrection that they may raise againe in the last day that they may lyue togither with the soule euerlastingly because death is vtterly ouercome by Christe and corporall death or sleape is conuerted and ordeined here to vs by him vnto a necessary and holsome medicine that is to say that synne and the body of synne may haue sometyme their end and that we may put awaye mortalitie by this corporall death afterwarde come furth immortall at the due tyme. But although Christ raiseth vp also so easely wicked men from corporall death as vs not withstandinge the death of deuout and godly men is called properly a sleape and deuout and Godly mē are said to sleape onely for whan the soule of a wicked or mesheuouse mā hath departed from the body than nether rest nor cōforting is their for his body was the most filthie stable swynes stye of the citie Augia yea of the deuyl which he builded by euill thoughtes desyres and workes without all rest and is afterward as a certaine abominable thīg cast vnto the earth tarieng that God may raise it vp to euerlastinge ponishement that it may be made a fyrebrande of hell which burneth alwaies and nut withstanding it may not make an ende of burninge nor be consumed In the meane season the soule is vexed and trubled with very great tormentes extreme inquietnes like as an euill doar worthy to be headed whiles he sytteth bounden in prison cage knowinge the a very sure rewarde or whele is at haude althongh that punishemēt is differred a few daies he feled it not yet in hys body notwithstādinge he is care full in minde aboue measure his harte thinketh no other thinge than gallowes wheles and his lyfe is no other thing than trēblinge terrour feare coming before the peine being at hāde a most cruell death Athanasins writinge of diuerse questions vseth this symilitude as Luke teacheth vs of the riche man lieng in tourmētes in the .xvi. chapter Luc. xv◠and desyreth greatly at the least his tung to be refreshed of Lazarus not withstāding he coulde not receyue at the least a little droppe of water But Lazarus had consolation rest in the bosome of Abraham wher that blessed kepar tariethto gither with the sanctes vntil all the chosen be borne be called Heb. xi for they holy fathers as Paul saith in the xi chapter to the Hebrues receiued not the promise because God had prouided a certain better thīg for vs that they should not be made perfecte with out vs.