the church yet are they not the church For if they were they wold not persecute yâ— word but rather reuereÌ„tly extoll it In the contrary part Mary Ioseph SimeoÌ„ are without al nobilite of the coÌ„mon sort therfore are vnknoweÌ„ with such like But these are they that know Christe in whome dwelleth the holy ghost gouerneth theÌ„ that they may encrease in the knowledge of Christe be saued In both parts as I saied ye must beware ye stuÌ„ble not This is no tokeÌ„ of the true church for that the pope his vsurpeth their administration in such poÌ„pe neither may we gather herof that they can not erre be deceaued or that they must nedes be gods people This appeareth to be false iÌ„ this first history of Christ. on the coÌ„trary part the litle flock is not therfore to be despised Neither is the felowship of gods light to be taken awaye for because that they that beare it are in the worlde abiect persons For this is the maner of gods kyngdome in earth eueÌ„ to be neglected and abhorred of the wise and to be aduaunced and set forth of the poore to whom it is truely reueled For they can put their trust in no worldly ayde as they do which leane al to power riches councels decrees c. And let this be sufficient as touchyng the first part of this historie wherin Simeon by the holye Ghost acknowlegeth the childe Iesus to be the annointed of the Lord. After this I wil take vpon me to entreat of his sermon Wherby he signifieth to other what great helpe and what thynges he surely knoweth to be to come of this child And furthermore what is his office the greatest thing that he worketh in all the worlde that we herby by this example may knowlege Christe and be saued The euaÌ„gelist before described that Simeon receaued an answere of the holy Gost that he sholde not die before he had seen the annointed of the Lord. And when that promesse nowe was fulfylled in the temple he beheld with his eyes the child Iesus and toke hym into his armes and pronounced these wordes with a ioyfull spirite saying Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunte depart in peace accordyng to thy worde That is Now wil I gladly without any refusing yelde my selfe to nature Flesh and blood hath no such kynde of speache For we knowe all very well howe it goeth at that time when we muste departe out of this worlde Then is there sorow without hope theÌ„ is there conturbation trouble and anguishe of minde death desperation and lamentable cries c. Neither can the naturall man otherwise do as it is to see by the exaÌ„ple of brute beastes wheras is only a naturall death But in men it is called the death of syn For death is enioyned to vs for syn And what feare and despaire commeth by synne we fele by experience Wherfore mannes death is muche more greuâ—ous to them then it is to all other thynges that by the law of destinie are appointed to die For they must abyde the wrath and iudgement of God which are ioyned with death and neuer hath ende If these thynges accompanied not death it wold not be so terrible a thing for meÌ„ to die It is no litle grefe that commeth by departyng from thinges most delectable and dere vnto vs wheras we must therwith leaue wife children frends and suche lyke But yet it passeth al greife to fele sinnes to dreade gods iudgemeÌ„t to be opprest with death without any wayes to escape Wherfore the worlde can not singe this songe with Simeon when death commeth But it beginneth rather to synge this morneful verse O Lord I am giltie coÌ„demned for my sinnes Wherfore I can not be suffered to departe from them in peace My minde trembleth and shaketh I see no helpe offered to me I knowe from what thinges I must depart but I can not tel what thynges I shall haue hereafter excepte this that I am sure of Goddes wrath and damnation suche is mans minde towards death Neither can it fynde in nature or reason anye helpe or remedie against suche feare And therfore it must nedes at the coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of death fall in despeire Wherfore this lesson and doctrine that is put forth here to vs in the example of Simeon is not of mans witte He drew to his death without tremblynge he despeired not to be saued after the maner of other He knewe that he was olde and that olde men haue no longe continuance in this life he feleth his strength more and more to decay He perceaued not only by the necessary course of nature but also by his owne perill that the time was nigh wherin his frame sholde be disolued But yet he is not dismayed therby but euen now desireth and wisheth for the resolution therof the which all other and especially old men wold wish neuer to come It appeareth that he had marueilous helpe syth that he went to death with suche strength of mynde and ioyfull courage For if it had not ben for that he could neuer haue ben so glad at the beholdynge of death But what thynge shall we say that it was wherwith he was armed against it shall we saye he was no man or that he was without sin and therfore feared not gods wrath But the maner of obtaining saluation through this light vttereth plainlye that he felt himselfe to be a synner and a man in danger to gods ire and wrath And syth it goeth so with men synners what peace is it that this old man boasteth of His wordes shewe euidently that he had such sence felyng of peace as cold be hindred neither by mans fraile estate neither by contagion of syn And this is the thinge that ought well to be marked in this man that we sinners also may surely truste to the same And herby it may comme to passe that synners maye obtayne peaceable and quiete myndes agaynst death as we see Simeon to be indued with so greate and vncredible confidence and truste He had hard before that he shold not see death Now he perceaueth what was vnperformed of the couenant Yet he thought it not good to vse anye vnluckie wordes and to saye that he must die seinge he hath obtayned and gotten hym that is the Lorde of lyfe and peace Wherfore he expoundeth death to be but a licence of departyng in peace as souldiers after battaill are licensed to retourne home vnto their frendes and acquaintance But nowe let vs learne of hym this kynd of wonderful exposition For he is a gentle and free instructer He sheweth very louingly the ful reason meanyng of his opinion and iudgement without askyng wheras he sayeth For min eyes hath sene thy saluation Here he speaketh of the childe Iesu namynge him saluation sauynge health or sauiour Therfore whether he alludeth to the name of the childe whiche he knew and learned of his mother or whether he knew
it not yet properlye he toucheth the thynge that was meant by the name so that he consenteth in all points with the Angell whiche brought this diuine name from heauen causynge hym to be named Iesus because he shoulde saue his people from their synnes Simeon calleth him the saluatiō of the Lord that is whome the Lorde himselfe ordained to be a sauiour And as touching this name I haue spoken before of the childe Iesu that wheras God hath ordayned the maiestrate the parēts and such other necessary offices to be our sauiours in corporall and temporall affaires as the phisitions in sycknes lawyers in expoundynge what is euery mans right So yf this chylde had not cōme with an other kynd of saluation Simeon could neuer haue had suche great confidence in his matters as to expound that his death was but a licence to depart or a salfe conducte to go in peace he could neuer haue regarded synne and death so lyghtlye Wherfore sith Simeon confesseth that he shall depart in peace out of this life bycause he hath sene the saluation of God he defineth plainly that he is a sauiour againste sinne and death For how colde he els haue suche sure confidence of peace in a sauiour that was a man This description is not lightlye to be regarded For it cōprehendeth a great wayghtie matter in fewe wordes It is but one child whom Simeon so nameth Wherfore it is herby euidently proued that whatsoeuer is beside this childe seme it neuer so commendable through the name or outwarde shewe therof yet can it haue no power to bring to saluation or to put awaye death and synne But whosoeuer suffereth it to be applied vnto hym for saluation worketh his owne damnation Wher Simeon by this worde mindeth to abolishe and derogat all rites and ceremonies and all the obseruations of the lawe that no man shold put any hope of saluation in them and that whosoeuer trusteth in the lawe in his workes shall neuer obtayne to be saued For wheras he by a notable praise calleth this child the saluation of God it is easye to gather therby that all ayde and remedie againste death remaineth onely in hym Wherof then commeth this hope in the Iewes that put suche trust in the law and his workes What meaneth the Pope and his adherents so highly to extoll Masses Pilgrimages pardons as though saluation came by them syth this is the name of this child only neyther may it be geuen and communicat to any thyng or creature besydes The only wordes of Simeon may be taken for an argument against these wicked persuasions and opinions For mine eyes saith he hath sene thy saluation I say euen that thou almightie father hast ordayned hym to be a saluation to synners For the worlde must nedes finde out saluations againste sinne The Iewe thinketh it saluation if he obserue the law The monke and religious man thinketh it saluation if he bynde himselfe to a certaine kynd of life by a vowe and some chose certaine of the sainctes to be their patrones and defenders against synne and hell All thinke that purchasyng of saluation cōsisteth in their maner of lyuing But who can number the workes that procede of mēs traditions and Idolatrous seruice in the popedome wherin consisted their chiefe hope of saluation Yf they had well considered this verse of Simeon they shoulde haue perceaued that this ought to haue ben auoyded as a most haynous sacrilege and robbing God of his dewe honour and they wold not haue ordained any other sauiours thā was determined by the saying of Simeon They wolde haue suffered hym onlye to haue this glory whom God had appointed so to be in whome no man that trusteth can be disapointed For to this ende came this child and for this purpose was he sent of God euen to bring saluation vnto vs. Wherfore in this saluation whiche God hath prepared there is suche store of sauing helth that the conscience may therby haue perfect quiet and neuer more dreade the crueltie of death or violence of synne or the ragyng tyrannie of the deuill for as muche as he hath the sauing health of God prepared redie that is the almightie and euerlasting saluation whiche lacketh no kynde of succoure and helpe to saue vs againste synne and death and geue vs abondance of lyfe and rightuousnes Let vs only with this Simeō embrace this child that is stycke vnto hym with a true faith that we maye conceyue a sure comfort by hym For when this is surely printed in our heart that this child is that prepared saluation ordained to helpe vs againste synne and death then doth ensue therof suche peace of cōscience that syn and death skeareth vs but in vaine For our sauiour is redye to helpe vs against it And to entreat more at large of the saluation that commeth by this child let vs take the record of Iohn the Baptist discribynge hym thus Behold the lambe of god that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde In these wordes is described the sacrifice vpon the crosse for syn and the conqueringe of death by his resurrection to iustifie vs and to make vs rightuous Wherfore to the obtainment of this saluation he by his death and resurrection geueth vs helpe against sin and death And albeit that a Christian man must not omitte to do good workes yet is not saluation obtained therby neither remission of syn but this is only obedience due vnto god which god requireth And he that will not performe it is not deliuered from his sinnes for his disobedience For this is the only true way to obtayne that euen that he that seeketh howe to be deliuered from syn and death sholde whollie flee to this saluation that is prepared for vs of god that it might take our synnes vpon hym and make satisfaction for them so deliuer vs. He that doth this may say with Simeon Whatsoeuer feare or dreade by death and other perils is set before vs this is my sure comfort againste them all that thou Lorde lettest thy seruaunt departe in peace He that trusteth to anye other thynge shall in steade of peace fynde anguishe and extreme miserie in suche a tyme. For he shall not haue this sauynge health but in death and damnation shall he perishe Neither muste we make anye suche difference betwene vs and Simeon as thoughe he myght more boldlye truste in this saluation because he had power to take the childe in his armes and to beholde hym and we not so because we haue no suche power For as touchynge the effecte of the matter the bodely presence is not auaylable or hath no great importance Many other Iewes doubtlesse dyd at that very time beholde CHRIST and yet obtayned no saluation therbie Only this was effectuouse in Simeon and furthered hym to saluation for that he thorowe the inspiration of the holy Ghoste embraced this childe whiche nothynge differed from other children by reason and
sence as that onlye sauiour whiche was promised to the fathers Abraham and Dauid And in this are all Christian men equal to Simeon For the very same Christe is offered to them by the worde of the Gospell for their saluation whom Simeon coulde no other wayes knowe to be the saluation then by the worde And wheras he behelde hym wyth his eyes it was the gyfte of GOD proper to hym and not to vs and yet he obtayned not saluation therby but that was geuen vnto hym to be saued for that he beleued the worde as touchynge this child Which is as able to saue thee as Simeon And for this cause Simeon rehearseth in the verse folowynge all them to whome this saluation belongeth least it shoulde seme to pertayne vnto fewe sayinge Whiche thou haste prepared before the face of all people This child is a saluatiō against death syn this maketh Simeō to departe in peace But he is moued by the consideration of this sauinge health to open vnto al other by geuyng so euident commendation of it for what purpose God hath prepared this saluatiō This saluation saith he is not only ordained for my sake But many belong vnto the felowshipe and fruition of this sauing health For God hath prepared this saluation before the face of all people so that this child is not my sauiour only neither his mothers but the sauiour and saluation of all men Simeon sayinge is large and great He pronounceth him to be the sauiour of all nations as well as of the Iewes notwithstandyng that there was a great difference betwene them by reason of Moses lawe and the diuine ceremonies But when he cōsidereth this child he can make no difference For both haue like nede of saluation to be deliuered therby from death sinne For the obseruynge of all the lawe nothing preuayleth in deliueringe from synne and death By this sauiour only is all saluation prepared This sauiour is not suche a one that came for some for some not God hath prepared sayth he this saluation not before the face of certayne but before the face of all people The whiche sentence is all one with the promesse made vnto Abraham where as he promiseth blessynge to all kyndredes in his sede Neither can the Iewes be excluded frō all tribes neither from all people But they that are blessed were not blessed before but liued in gods curse Wherfore the meaning of this is no otherwise to be taken but that if this be the saluation of all people than is there none at all that can be saued whiche lacketh this saluation And this is one thinge that Simeon maketh all men equall pronouncyng that as well the Iewes as the Gentiles are suche as shold be damned for their synnes excepte they obteyned saluation by this sauyng healthe The second thynge is well to consider the pythe of these wordes and to conceaue a delectation and comfort by them The cause and spryng of all our misery is this our conscience can not denye hyde and cloke synne And synne muste nedes abyde Gods wrothe which is the most peinfullest styng of death to fear the iudgement of God For we can not denie but that sinners must abyde punyshment Now through this perceuerance and felyng of this dreade there is no hope of pardon and grace If these thoughtes be well considered they be so heynous that they count God to be a cruell and an vnmercyfull iudge that will remyt no part of the rigour of the lawe but execute it with extremitie Thus can we conceaue no other opinion of God and thus are we ouerladen with the heuynes of the burthen and opprest with the rodde of the taske-maister and beaten with the shoulder wande accordyng to the saying of the Prophete But Simeon doubtles hauyng respecte to the sayenge and description of this Prophete as touchynge this chylde describeth God after an other maner than any mans conscience is wont to conceaue or thynke of hym For if it were the wyl of GOD to punysh sinners with extremitie without grace and fauour then were it a vayne thynge to truste in mercye shewed in this Sauiour Nowe are the woordes of Simeon playne that God hathe prepared saluation before the face of all people Wherein all men may bee saued Wherefore hereby maye it bee euidentlye perceaued what is the will of God accordyng to Paule 1. Tim. 2. euen that God would haue all men to be saued not onely with bodily saluation but with euerlastyng saluation prepared agaynst synne and death For to this ende is that saluation ordeyned which God hath prepared for all people Who therefore woulde dreade this God Who woulde tremble at his iudgemente seynge that he declareth so openly that it is his wyll we shoulde be saued and seyng that he hath prouided all thynges necessary for our saluation And wher as many peryshe and be damned not obteynynge thys saluation God is not the fault therof but the stubbornes of man whiche despiseth Gods wyll and careth not for this saluation of God whiche is ordeyned of God to saue all men If there were a remedy prouided for the succoure and reliefe of all beggers and nedye folke and yet some woulde not vse that benefyte and remedy prouided for them the faulte were not in them that prouided for the sustētation but in thē that should haue receaued it In like maner goeth it with men in the world The saying of Simeon is true God hath prepared this saluation before the face of al people yf the Iewes iudge them selues vnworthy to receaue it yf the Pope and the Turke despise it and thou canste not fynde in thy heart to accept it if now it cometh to passe that thou and all these be damned ye can blame none but youre selues which refused the saluation and grace of God If this saluation seemeth not agreable to thy reason thou mayst searche with thy self where it may then be had But thou shalt not fynde in all the saluations in the worlde succour agaynst synne and deathe yf thou let passe this saluation Wherefore if thou carest earnestly for thy saluation imbrace this chyld Know for a suretie that God is mercyfull vnto thee and pardoneth thyne offences for this chyldes sake and so shalte thou well perceaue that thou art saued For he is the only saluation agaynst synne and deathe But if this way of saluation pleaseth thee not accuse thyne own stubbornesse whiche causeth thee that thou canste not escape Gods wrathe and damnation For GOD is not in the faute God hath prepared saluation Which is a sure token that he would haue mercy on synners and delyuer vs from our destruction And he hath not prepared it onely but also proffered it to all people that all myght remembre that all theyr saluation consysteth therein Not onely Marie Paule Simeon Peter but all people ought to trust in hym Who soeuer hath nede of helpe agaynst synne
God reueleth and therefore accuseth and condemneth If it be no synne in the lawe of God then is it a popishe synne vnknowen to God and therfore not to be regarded For that is onely synne that the lawe of God forbyddeth And thus may we see that very many lye weltring in great notorious synnes as couetousnes whoredome adultery theafte vsurie anger enuy glotony drunckenes bannynge cursyng blasphemy and suche lyke and styll remayne frowardly in the same without repentaunce without anye conscience of their wycked and vngodly behauiour as for their sinnes they care not onely this is their desire that they may so synne that it be not perceaued nor knowen of other Suche sinnes can not be forgeuen and vnto these belong byndinge or retayninge and the second power whereof Christe speaketh here that suche synnes are to be retayned Therefore here is a difference to be made and the true sinnes are so to be diuided that some are sinnes both before vs and God some only before God and not before vs. For we wil not knowledge them nor be sorie for them and desire of god remission and forgeuenes of them As Dauid saith against thee alone haue I synned and before thee haue I done euil Here both be ioyned together forasmuch as Dauid knowledgeth and confesseth that he hath done euill and knoweth that it doth displease God As thoughe he should saye verely I know and fele the synne not only because I remembre it but also because I fele what synne is able to do yea I feale the power and strength of synne that it is a cruel torment and an intollerable burden and that it accuseth me before god and goeth about to plucke me vnto death and vnto the deuill as Paule sayth to the Romains without the lawe synne was dead I lyued somtime without lawe As though he should saye Synne is alwayes in vs. But before the lawe commeth it is as though it were buried or a sleape For it disquieteth vs not it vexeth vs not it tormenteth vs not And hereof it commeth that we heape dayly more and more sinne vpon synne and make no conscience thereof otherwise woulde we repent and cease to synne But when that thonderbolte I meane the lawe of God stryketh the conscience pearceth it thorowe then begynneth synne as a man wolde saye to waxe alyue againe so that now we begynne to knowe how mightie a thing synne is whiche taketh god awaye from vs and casteth vs downe hedlong vnto the deuill and hell fyre Therfore sayth Paule when the lawe came synne waxed alyue again But I was dead the commandement which was vnto life was founde vnto me to be vnto death And this is the very sinne which is sin before God me as we may see in Dauid when he committed adultery with Bethseba the sin greued him nothing at all for sinne was dead But when Nathā the prophete ones came and did cast this thonderbolt at him Thou art this man then beganne syn to waxe aliue in Dauids hearte and threatned him death But Nathan conforteth him sayth Thou shalt not dye Thus sewe that the Apostlike regiment is an aucthoritie and power not ouer politique ciuile and temporall matters or ouer suche synnes alone as that world accuseth cōdemneth iudgeth and punisheth but ouer all those synnes whiche thou in thy consciēce and god in his righteousnes count to be sinnes so that by thys meanes the syns of the whole worlde are subiect to the Apostles to all the ministers of the church yea when time requireth to all Christians so that thou maist certenly persuade thy selfe when thou hearest of thy pastour or in his absence of any other Christian that thy sinnes are forgeuē thee in the name of Christ that that is so true iuste and certen and is also of no lesse power as though Christ himself had spoken it or an Angel from heauen had declared it vnto thee at the commandement of Christ. But this cōmission and power is not geuen to the Apostles ministers of the church that they shoulde thereby auaunce themselues setforth their owne honour waxe proude and exercise tyranny ouer the congregation of God For it is onely geuen them to this ende that therby they should serue thee and that thou mayest be defended agaynste thine enemye whiche is to stronge for thee Therfore this is a wonderfull and incredible power that wretched man whiche is a synner also should dryue the deuyll out with his power whom otherwise the hole worlde coulde not expell and driue out For so sayth Christ what soeuer ye losen in earth shal be losened in heauen Again whose synnes ye shall forgeue shal be forgeuen them And as it is rehersed in this our gospell as my father sent me so lykewise do I send you These wordes are so plaine and euident that no man ought to doubte of them but as he heareth the wordes of remission of sinnes pronounced vnto hym so lykewise shall he receaue and enioye it And this is the cause that we admonishe you so often seinge Christe hath geuen suche and so great power to his churche that ye shoulde vse the same and by no meanes despise it For vnto this ende hath Christ ordeined this ministerie that on this wise the synnes of the worlde shoulde be forgeuen and taken awaye so that they be sinnes in dede and with a repentaunt fayth and faithful repentaunce knowledged and confessed For as for counterfaite and forged synnes they pertayne nothynge vnto this matter They must be sinnes in dede which trouble vexe and disquiet the heart as Adam in the fyrste booke of Moyses preached and sayd to his son Cain If sayth he thou haddest done well and haddest ben good thyne oblation shoulde haue bene accepted But for asmuche as thou arte euill thy synne lyeth in the dores As though he shold say Thou standest nowe there and arte a synner but thou dost not yet fele it Thy synne lyeth but in a very troublesome and vnrestfull place Therfore se vnto it for it wyll one day awake and comme to light and then shall it otherwise go with thee For thy synne lieth lurketh not vnto this ende that it shoulde for euer rest and be kepte secrete but that it should comme to light that it may torment trouble vexe and byte thee so that thou shalt not know what to do nor whether to turne thee They therfore that are not moued with their sins haue notwithstandinge synnes in dede but yet suche as are not venial remissible or able to be forgeuen and therefore are their sinnes retained holden and boūde For they haue no luste nor desyre to be forgeuen for if they had they would repent and leaue to synne This was the doctrine of the Papistes that whosoeuer wold haue remissiō of their sinnes they should firste of all confesse all theyr synnes to the priest be contrite and sorie for them and receaue penaunce at the
what we are as it were with a fynger and what God is agayne what is our merite before God and yet what we obtaine For as concernyng the parable of the seruaunt that ought ten thousand talentes Christ putteth it forth to thys ende that he maye teache vs what oure cause is before the Iudgemente of God A talente wyth theym that were in tymes paste was almost in valoure syxe hundreth Crownes Of these the seruaunt oughte tenne thousande Talentes To so exceadynge greate a summe are oure synnes iustely compared before GOD that by thys it maye be declared that those oure synnes can neuer be put away by our selues or by our owne workes again that we ar not able to make satisfaction for them For the first beginnyng of vs and the verye propagation of our stocke is in synne so that as sone as we be borne we bringe synne with vs into this worlde And afterwarde the longer we lyue the more we synne so that besydes the Originall synne wherin we are begotten conceaued and borne we also accumulate and heape vp our owne actuall syns by this meanes become so great debters vnto god that we may right wel be resembled lykened compared to this seruant beyng in dede by no means able to satifie so gret a det But what iudgement shall suche a seruant haue Ueryly euen thys The Lorde commaundethe that he hys wyfe his chyldern and all that euer he hath shoulde be solde By thys Christe sheweth that we synners are not only not able to paye our debtes but we must also of necessitie for synnes sake suffer death as S. Paule saieth The rewarde of synne is death And God in Paradise threatned the same to Adam and Eue sayenge On whatsoeuer daye ye eate of thys tree ye shall dye the death After the transgression of this commaudement we al came to this point that the lawe of God dothe vtterly condemne vs yea and iudgeth vs vnto death as S. Paul saith By one man synne entred into the worlde and deathe by the meanes of synne and so death went ouer all menne in somuche that all men synned For yf syn were not we shold neuer dye Whyther therfore shall we turne vs The debte is certayne we can not denye it and the Lorde requireth the debte but wee are not hable to paye it And here nowe is set foorthe vnto vs a moste ioyfull and luckye thyng whyche we ought to imbrace as they saye with metyng armes that by this means we are delyuered from our debt and so escape deathe But for the attaynement hereof we muste doo that whiche Christ saieth this seruaunt dyd He confesseth his great debte he acknowlegeth also his extreme pouertie beggery and his payne which he by no meanes can auoyde Therfore he falleth downe before his Lorde worshyppeth him and saith Lord beare with me and I wil pay thee altogether This order of praying in this seruant Christ full well alloweth wold haue vs to praye after that maner whensoeuer wee desyre forgeuenesse of oure debtes For in so doynge we bothe confesse the debt and also desire to haue fauour shewed vs. For he that denyeth the debt as the phariseys do which mainteine their own rightousnes before God setteth himself in worse case then he was before And when it is ones confessed than is the danger present forasmuche as we are not able to paye it Therfore this is an abhominable errour in the Papacie when men be sent away vnto theyr own workes and satisfactions that by them their synnes maye bee clensed and put awaye But thou wyâ—t say vnâ—o me The seruant byndeth hym selfe to pay altogether It is true He promiseth that he wyll so doo But we may not consyder what he saythe but what he is able in dede to do Though he promyse it as one out of his wyttes yet thoughe he wyth all hys shoulde bee solde he is not able to satisfye for the leaste debte Therefore it appeareth euidentely that this is CHRISTES mynde euen to declare howe it goeth with manne when he is in feare daunger and trouble In suche case he doubteth not to bynde hymselfe to extreame inconueniences yea to thynges impossible so that he maye escape the present trouble and the daungers and paynes that are lyke to ensue yea in suche case he would guage all his promyses bargaynes compactes goodes landes mouables and vnmouables yea and his very lyfe also so that he maye be delyuered from those euyls that hange ouer his head In lyke maner when the matter is come to this poynt betwene God and vs that thorough the law our synnes are reueled and brought to lyght for by the law commeth the knoweledge of synne as the Apostle saythe to escape that daunger wherinto thorowe synne we are fallen wee spare no impossible conditions so that we maye obteyne some respite and fauour for as muche as we ryghte welle perceaue that we are not able to satisfye the debte But yet the Lorde here doothe not forgeue hys seruaunt for the condition of the bargayne whyche he knoweth to be impossible but because the seruant desyreth fauoure mercye and pardon whiche he estemeth more then the debtes of all the worlde Whyche notwithstandynge is not so to bee vnderstanded as though after that a man hath obteyned forgeuenesse he should afterwarde in noo poynte shewe hym selfe thankefull for so greate liberalitie and louynge kyndenesse as it shall afterwarde bee declared when thys seruaunte sheweth no gratitude no thankefulnesse no gentylnesse noo kyndenesse agayne but rather declarethe hymselfe moost cruell moste fierce moste churlysshe agaynste hys fellowe seruaunte Obedyence towarde the lawe of GOD is wyth a necessarye condytion and yet it is not to be referred vnto this ende as though the Lorde because of that shoulde remytte and forgeue the debt The forgeuenesse of debt and of synnes is grounded onelye in the mercy of GOD. Unto thys alone must wee haue oure resorte Thys is to bee desyred and heartylye to bee called for neyther oughte wee to doubte but that wee shall haue God as mercyfull and as readye to pleasure vs as he shewed himselfe good and bounteous beneficiall and lyberall to this seruaunt As the Sonne of GOD whiche is in the bosome of the Father pronouncethe in thys our gospell of the seruant The Lorde sayeth he hadde pitie on hym sette hym at lybertie and forgaue hym all hys debte This persuasyon and Fayth muste we vndoubtedly haue of God when synne and lawe do most of all vexe vs and threaten vnto vs death and damnation that GOD desyreth not the deathe of a synner but rather that he shoulde tourne and lyue as he sayeth by the Prophete My desyre is not that any manne shoulde dye sayeth the Lorde God returne and lyue Agayne As surely as I lyue saieth the Lord God I wyll not the deathe of the vngodly but rather that the vngodly turne from his wayes and lyue
confort In the whiche this doctryne is set foorth That if we desyer the way that leade vs to God it may not be obtayned by the lawe whiche commandeth Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy GOD with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe For we do neuer so nor can not do if we wold But this is oure only safegard to the whiche we make oure refuge euen CHRIST Iesus the sonne of God and oure Lorde He hath satisfied the will of God and made hym self subiecte as a synner to the lawe for if it had not bene for that he should neuer haue bene circumcised as other chyldern be vpon the eight day This was done for all mennes synnes that all men may haue trust in hym For it was no nede for hym selfe Wherfore this pertayneth vnto vs and we doo well put oure truste in hym that we may be saued for his righteousnes and holynes And that I may briefly in one word note this matter we must only sticke to the righteousnes and iustification of Christ before God This is a moste certayne and aproued way and it hath moste suer ayde and succoure against synne and death The whiche thing God graunt vs through oure Lord Iesus CHRIST Amen The second Sermon of the name Iesu out of the Gospell of Luke ij ANd when the viii daye was come that the chylde shoulde be circumcysed his name was called Iesus which was named of the Angell before he was conceaued in the wombe THE EXPOSITION WE haue spoken of one part of this Gospel that is of circumcision In the whiche CHRIST wold signifie vnto vs that he became subiecte to the law for oure sake that we might be free frō the curse of the law Now foloweth the other parte as concerning the name IESV Wherof the Euangelist maketh diligent rehersall as thoughe it were a great cause why this name ought not to be vnknowen of men and specially bycause it is of no mans inuention but brought from heauen and shewed by the Angell before the child was conceaued in the wombe Which thing is a token that the name is suche as is alowed of God If we expound this name in English it is as much to say as a Sauiour But why this name was geuen to Christ Gabriel the Angell declareth wheras he speaketh to Ioseph And thou shalt cal his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their synnes This name is moste worthie to be remembred and moste worthie to be regarded for oure owne behofe for that the chylde Iesu is called a sauiour which can saue vs from the greatest euill that is from syn and from no smalle myseries and calamities that befall vnto vs in this lyfe And where as corne feldes are destroyed by enemies and the graynes corrupted by tempestes and mennes bodyes vexed with diuers diseases and infirmities against all this hath God prouided help by other things as by the Princes and Kynges he defendeth frō robberies by the parents he prouideth for the liuelode of them that be in a familie by physitions he healeth diseases But as these things are not the greatest so are not these men the cheif sauiours in comparison and respecte of this sauiour that saueth from synne Wherfore he that regardeth this chylde earnestly hath a very Iesus and sauiour from all myseries Let him not require that saluation of him that belongeth to this present life which God hath cōmitted to other as I said before but that that is against death synne For when syn is takē away death also muste nedes be taken away Wherfore first consyder this thing wel with thy self whether thou maist hope for greater saluation from this sauiour or from them that are the mightiest in the worlde If thou hast no feling of the euerlasting lyfe to come thou shalt haue no nede of this Iesus God hath appointed the safegard of thy bodyly helth to officers parents physitions c. But if thou beleue that there is an other lyfe after this thou shalt haue nede of this sauiour For there is no helpe in other to euerlasting lyfe Whiche thing neuerthelesse is not so straightly to be taken For if the powers and parents cease from succourring and helping so that there is no ayde or goodnes in them we must looke for the easement of these presente euyls from Christ also Howbeit this is not his chyef and propre office Wherfore the doctryne of the Gospell is not referred especially to this corporall lyfe But this is his propre office and there will he declare this his name where as deliuerāce from syn death from the kyngdom of the dyuell is in hand To this also is he necessarie For if it were not for synne and death there should be no nede of this Sauiour The belly goddes haue no profite by this sauiour for of what things he is the sauiour those things do not they regarde And herof it appeareth how great the contempte of these Epicures is whiche thynk that there is neither God nor lyfe euerlasting But he that beleueth this that there is a God muste nedes collecte gather that al things are not ended by this lyfe but that ther remayneth an other lyfe that is euerlasting For this we proue by experience that God regardeth not muche this present lyfe sith the wicked hath such libertie and prospereth so wel He promiseth vs an other lyfe and that he may seme to haue great respecte to this lyfe this chylde Iesus is set foorth to be a sauiour for vs. And when he geueth vs this saluation no other thynge is greatly to be required of hym although other things in this lyfe go not as we wold and although we perceaue no great signes of Gods helpe in oure matters For his saluation is euerlasting saluation Let this be sufficient for vs be the difficulties and encombrances of this lyfe neuer so great We see that the Pope Cardinals Bishops and all that persecute the word do lyue in great securitie and that they are vnshamfastly bent agaynst the word and all Christians God seeth this and suffereth it and maketh as though he saw it not in so muche that he may seme to haue shewed more care for the Gentiles than for his people But if thou be a Christian let not this moue thee For euen for this very cause that God hath promised vs sure saluation to euerlasting lyfe he suffereth vs in this lyfe to wander as men destitute and without the helpe of God that we may know this by fayth that the chylde Iesus is such a Sauiour whiche neuerthelesse saueth vs although in all things besyde there can be no help gotten that is when syn shall either accuse vs or hath now alredy condemned vs to eternall death Excepte this tyme it appeareth that we haue no nede of this sauiour neither do we much regard him For he that is in helth hath plentie of goodes hath no nede of Christ for
mother Mary and Iohn the Baptist and other excellent sainctes But his procedyng is named to be from the old days Wherfore death could not shewe suche strength in this chylde wherwith hytherto he kylled all men For wher as he was God he coulde not synne neither bee made gyltie by the lawe neither be killed of deth neither damned of the diuel And yet for all that forasmuche as he had his procedynge in tyme out of Bethleem and was borne into the worlde as other chyldren were he coulde not but dye Hereof it is that death and the dyuell layeth snares for theym selues which consyder no more then the procedyng out of Bethleem And after this procedyng the chyld is in daunger of death But when he was now in his Sepulchre he trieth his righte by these woordes I was borne before the world and so by the diuine and godly power he breaketh the bandes of death of synne and of the diuel that they can take no hold vpon him at all Suche a memoriall would this Prophete set foorth as touchyng this kynge that we shoulde not be ignorant of his two maner of procedynges or as we saye of two maner of byrths For he is such a person whiche is bothe a true GOD and also a very man but yet on suche wyse that he is not two persons but one So that he confesseth that CHRIST is the sonne of Mary whiche sucked at her brestes and encreased in the body as other men dyd But yet neuerthelesse he was borne before the worlde without beginnynge so that nowe these two seuerall substances of manhoode and godhead be withoute separation vnited togyther in one persone and ioyned togyther This dyd not the hygh priestes tell Herode neyther was he worthye to knowe so greate mysterie This byrthe is excedynge meruaylous whiche if we desyre to knowe we muste take our begynnyng of our discipline and meditation out of his procedyng in Bethleem As this also is the order of the Prophete as soon as he reherseth the carnall byrthe Yea and hee maketh more large mention as touchyng this than as concernyng that byrthe that is eternalle For hee that wylle meddle wyth matters belongyng to God without peryll muste begyn at the lowest and first of all learne what thynge he doothe in the earthe and howe hee reueleth and openeth hym self to men Then shal he go foorth with out stumblyng as the order of the Prophetes description appoynteth and shall know that this chyld was borne from euerlastyng Then shall it not bee terrible but pleasant cōfortable But the ouerthwart nature of men marreth confoundethe all thynges because that all begyn their discipline at predestination Sithe God knewe all thynges before why dyd hee not take hede that man should not haue fallen And if thou takest this waye to the knowledge of God thou shalte fall downe headlong For this was the fall of Lucifer whiche coueted so hygh renoume that he coulde not comprehende hym selfe for pride But if thou wilt go the right waye to the knowledge of God take thy begynnyng at Christes swathing bands As the prophet setteth foorth this order that a man should fyrst go to Bethleem and afterward clymbe vp into heauen and to eternitie As Christ hym selfe teacheth where as he sayth Philyp I am the waye he that seeth me seeth the father He that despiseth these principles and tendeth or goeth forthewith to the hyghest as to searche what is the gouernement of God how he punysheth This reward of his folishnes he taketh euen to stumble to his damnation As the wise man saith He that is a searcher of the maiestie shall be oppressed of his glorie Wherfore this is the true waye for hym that desyreth the true knowledge of this chyld fyrst to come to Bethleem Then when he hath sufficientely beholden and considered hym in the maunger this will succede of it selfe that he is not onely the sonne of Mary but also the sonne of God borne of God before there was any creature created of God And so the matter shall be without perill For when thou canst truly comprehende this man Christ thou shalt know God also If thou beleuest in hym thou beleuest in God If thou callest vpon hym thou callest vpon God ▪ If thou blasphemest hym thou blasphemest God And this is the Prophecie as touchynge the chylde Iesus in Bethleem But consyder also therwith the peruerse and vnresonable reason of Herode and of the Scribes Herode persecutethe this chylde the Scribes despyse hym This way of God is worthy to be had in mynd whiche putteth foorthe a moste euident scripture to men wherof they may talke syng and speake dayly in their communication and yet they vnderstand not a word thereof For is not thys a straunge and monstrous thynge that the Scribes recite thys Prophecie Herode after the iudgemente of the Prophecie sendeth to Bethleem and addeth therto hym selfe saying Make dyligente searche for the chylde and whenne ye haue founde hym brynge me woorde that I maye come and worshyppe hym And yet they vnderstande not one iote of the meanynge thereof They are alwayes kept busye with the shadowes they neuer attayne to the bodye of the matter Neither goeth the matter anye otherwyse at this tyme amonge the vnkynde yea and that not onely amonge the Papistes whyche haue the Bible as wel as we whiche reade it and knowe it as wee doo but also amonge men of our part They reason of the Gospell but they vnderstande nothynge therof at all For if they vnderstode it they woulde with all their hearte declare it in theyr lyuyng As the Scribes and Herode reherseth this Prophete by mouthe But yf they had vnderstande they woulde haue surely gone with the wise men to this chylde and woorshypped hym But in that they doo not so and in that they despyse these greate thynges as the brute beastes doo it is a token that they knowe not that thynge whyche they teache other Wherefore Christians haue this aboue all other that they doo not onely heare but also vnderstande the woordes and conceaue an exceadynge meruaylle and pleasure thereof Wherefore althoughe that the worlde the Pope and our proude Citisens and husbandmenne doo farre passe vs both in rychesse strengthe and dygnitie yet wee knowe that we passe theym agayne farre in thys and that thys is theyr incredyble punyshemente that notwithstandynge they doo heare Gods woorde talke of it and teache it vnto other yet doo they vnderstande nothynge at all thereof As theyr owne lyfe maye bee an euidente proofe of thys that they haue eares as the Iewes had and heare not they haue eies and yet see not Let vs pray to GOD that he wil through the starre of his moste holy worde lead vs to his son Iesus Christ and preserue vs for euer agaynst all offences of his goodnes Amen An other sermon of the Baptisme of Christ vpon Twelfth daye Math. iii. THen came Iesus from Galile to
the water If water be mingled now it loseth her name Why then doe we in this place seue◠the word from the water and pronounce it to be water only as though the word of God or as though God hym self were not in this water But it is not so for the Father the sonne the holy Ghoste are present and be in this water As in Iordane when Christ stode in the water the holy Ghost was caried aboue it and God preached by it Wherfore baptisme is suche water that taketh away syn death and all euill and geueth saluation and euerlasting lyfe So great price is now added to this water in the which God demitteth hym selfe But God is the God of lyfe And sith he is in this water it muste nedes be the water of lyfe which taketh away death and damnation and geueth lyfe euerlastinge This ought baptisme truely to be knowen and highly estemed For he is not baptised in the name of any Angell or man but in the name of the Father of the sonne of the holy Ghost Or as it is in the actes of the Apostles in the name of Iesu which is as much For he that confesseth Iesus Christ truely with the same confession compriseth the Father and the holy Ghost For Christ saith that he commeth from the Father and that he sendeth the holy Ghost He then that confesseth truely Iesus Christ can not dyminish the authoritie of his word but shall beleue that the sonne is not alone but that the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost be there together although the Father and the holy Ghost be not named Wherfore let vs not lightly esteme this let vs not separate the word frō the holy baptisme or water wher with he is baptised but let vs confesse that this is therfore appointed of God to purifie vs from oure syn for Christs sake through the holy Ghost For if it were not for this what should the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost haue to do ther Wherfore if thou beleuest that a new borne chyld is synfull dippe hym into baptisme that God may worke his work in hym as his word commandeth and doth promise a new byrth by the water and the holy Ghost and also this that he that beleueth and is baptised might be saued Lykewyse if thou confesse that he is in death dippe hym in this baptisme and lauer after the commandement of Christ and then shall death be swalowed vp Neither muste thou that art baptised thinke any otherwyse than that baptisme is a seale and pledge of assurance that God hath forgeuen thee thy synnes and hath promised lyfe euerlasting for Christs sake For baptisme hath a godly power to take away death and synne For therfore are we baptised And although synnes be committed after that and the works of godlynes not perfectly done yet they that repente agayn do not forfeit their couenant of baptisme and the promise therof For this can by no meanes agree that a man should desyer remission of syn and also geue vp hym self wholy to synne But this is in all poyntes necessarie to repent and to consyder with hym self vprightly and truely that God hath promised vs his grace and fauour When he cam to the baptisme of his Sonne and that we should retourne to that grace and beleue surely that oure synnes are forgeuen not for vs or for any creatures sake but for CHRIST oure Lord whiche hath commanded this baptisme and was baptised hym self also as a synner Wherfore this reuelation passeth not a litle the other whiche was shewed to the wyse men by a starre For out of this the frute redoundeth to all Chrystian men where as in that reuelation of the wise men a few Gentiles only cam to the knowledge of the kynge of the Iewes Wherfore it were not without a good cause if this were called the day of the Baptisme of Christ and in the whiche Christ was baptised Then should we haue a iuste cause geuen to pleade the matter of Baptisme agaynst the Anabaptistes and the dyuell whiche may soner be entreated of vs for any matter then that we should consyder the busynes of oure saluation For ther he setteth agaynst vs with tooth and nayle that we may not come to the sight of oure inheritance As the example of the Popedome doth yet admonishe vs vnder the whiche litle or nothing was set foorth in the congregation as touching this reuelation at Iordane Wherfore thynke this to be a thing most worthye to be remembred where as God this daye with a moste euident sermon as touching his Sonne opened hym self euen that all matters that are betwene Christ and vs do highly please God the Father For he that obeyeth the sonne and kepeth his word he is accepted to God and receaueth the holy Ghost Whiche openeth hym self at this Baptisme in a very amiable and pleasant sight And herevnto also it agreeth that the Father sendeth foorth a verye bounteous voyce when he sayth Behold here is for you not an Angell nor a Prophet nor an Apostle but my sonne and my owne self also What reuelation can be greater And what seruice can we do that is more acceptable to hym than that we obey his decree and proclamation But he that is not moued with this let hym after his seeking perishe with the dyuell neither is he worthye to heare this Godly sermon Wherfore let vs geue thankes to God for this great and vnspekeable grace and let vs pray that he will preserue it in vs and thereby at lenghth saue vs. AMEN The fyrst Sonday after Twelfth day vpon the Gospell Luke ij THE Father and mother of Iesus went to Ierusalem after the custome of the feast day And when they hadde fulfilled the dayes as they returned home the chylde Iesus abode styll in Ierusalem and his Father and mother knewe not of it but they supposing him to haue ben in the companye came a dayes iourney and sought hym amonge theyr kinsfolke and acquayntaunce And when they founde hym not they went backe agayne to Ierusalem and sought hym And it fortuned that after three dayes they founde him in the tēple sitting in the middest of the doctours hearing them and posing them And all that hearde hym were astonyed at his vnderstanding and aunswers And when they sawe hym they meruayled and his mother sayd vnto him Sonne why hast thou thus dealt with vs Beholde thy father and I haue sought thee sorowing And he sayd vnto them Howe happened that ye sought me wyst ye not that I muste go about my fathers busynes And they vnderstode not that saying which he spake vnto them And he went downe with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient vnto them But his mother kept all these sayinges together in her heart And Iesus prospered in wysdome and age and in fauour with God and men THE EXPOSITION THIS Gospel hath a very depe profound vnderstāding and it is a hard thing to
because of this equalitie they are all lyke holy and righteous c. And syth we haue obteyned this lette vs be thankefull to God for so great treasure Let vs truely knowledge that and not be ignorant of our excellencie and renoume And let vs not thinke that our state and condition as much as belongeth to gods kyngdom is any thing inferiour to the state of all the great and mighty holy angels And how cometh this to passe euen by Christe Then when we are this instructed and made ioyfull and heartie let euery man diligently and gladly apply their busines according to their callyng and vocation encoragyng them selues with the hope and ful trust of that tresure which is in Christ. And this must we lern in this Gospel that in worldly thynges there must nedes be a difference and degree had as touching diuers persons and offices For the state of this lyfe can no otherwise be But in the kyngdome of Christ this is a right lawe I will geue vnto this laste euen as vnto thee And the right cōmeth of this The kingdome of heauen being a deliuerance from syn and from deathe is due to no man of merite it is geuen onely by grace Wherfore we ought specially to beware that we murmure not but rather geue thanks vnto God and take this for a comfort in all perils laboures and miseries that chaunce vnto vs in this corporall life Then shall we perceaue and fele great pleasure in all thinges In the last sentence of the gospell Many bee called but few be chosen the curious haue takē great occasion to inuent wicked vngodly opinions thoughtes and imaginations For this they thinke They must nedes be saued whom God hath chosen Contrarywise they that are not chosen whatsoeuer they do be it neuer so good a worke yet can they not escape damnation nor come to saluation Wherfore I wyl not striue against that must nedes be done If it be so determined that I shall be saued I shal be safe if not I will not leese my labor in vaine Euery man may easily iudge what frowardnes and carelesse liuyng springeth of these vngodly thoughtes But in the feaste of the Epiphanie when I expoūded the saying of Micheas the prophet we declared sufficiently that suche thoughts are to be auoided as the diuell hym selfe and that we must go an other way to work if we will haue the true knowledge of Gods will and not to medle with the priuities of Gods maiestie neither with predestination election For these things passe mans capacitie which can not as muche as thinke therof without great offence that is to say either must there nedes ensu after suche thoughtes desperation or dissolute lyuyng with out all fear of God But he that will come to the true way of knowing of Gods will he must so walke that he may beware at suche occasion of fallynge and seke how he may more and more encrease in godlynes As Christ hym selfe appointeth vs when he saith No mā commeth to the father but by me Wherfore he that wyl come vnto the Father and to the knowledge of hym he must go first vnto Christ to know what he is euen that Christ is the son of god God almightie But what doth the sonne of God He is made man for vs to deliuer vs from the lawe he is crucified dead on the crosse to satisfie for our synnes He riseth from death to opē vs the way to euerlasting life by his resurrection and aide vs against euerlasting death He sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs to geue vs the holy ghost by him to sanctifie gouerne leade vs to defende vs against temptation and all the dartes of the dyuell And this is the true knowledge of Christ. Now when thy mind is well confirmed and strengthened with this knowledge nowe is the way to heauen without perill and thou canst haue no imagination of God that shall bee euyll and dangerous For syth that the sonne of God hath done so much for mans saluation we may be assured therby that Gods wil is not but that we shold be saued Howe should he haue any pleasure in oure destruction syth he let nothyng passe wherby he may bryng man to life saluation agayn And this is the true way to God as Christe preacheth in the thirde of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that euery one that beleueth in hym should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting And now let these thoughts be cōpared with the former thoughtes of predestination and it shal euidently appere that the former thoughtes are of the deuyll whereby men ar seduced to their destruction so that either they now despaire or are made voyde of all godly motions For they can haue no trust of the good wyll of GOD towardes them There be some that expound the wordes after this maner Many are called that is to saye God offereth his grace to many but fewe are chosen that is he cōmunicateth his grace to fewe for fewe shall be saued This is a very wicked meanynge For who wyll not hate God vtterly yf he thought thys of GOD that it came by his wyll and faulte that we be not saued Nowe lette this sentence bee compared with the sentence before where as it was sayd that the knowlege of Christ must be as the ground foundation laide to buylde the knowledge of Gods wyll thereon and it shal be euident that this last exposition is blasphemous agaynste God Wherfore this must we take to be the true meanynge of this sentence Many sayth he are called For the preachyng of the Gospell is vniuersall and cōmon open to all that will receaue it And gods will is that it should be so spread abrode that all men should beleue and be saued But how doth it preuaile euen as it shall folowe in the next Gospell Fewe are chosen that is to say few endeuor them selues therby to doo as God requireth For some heare and care not for it some heare and yet sette so lyttell by it that they will not put them selues in danger for it Som heare it but they regarde riches and pleasure more then it And this pleaseth not God and as for suche he thinketh them not worthy of his kyngdom And this meaneth CHRIST where as he sayth Fewe are chosen fewe declare suche godlynes as God requireth But they are chosen and acceptable to God that diligently heare the Gospell beleue in Christ and declare theyr faith in good workes and refuse not to suffer any kynde of persecution for it This meanyng is true and seduceth no man to his destruction but maketh them learne the way to saluation For thus shold they serch out the truth in their doyngs if they wold please God be chosen They must beware of an euill conscience not syn against Gods cōmandement they must diligently resyst sinne
that we shoulde perishe and be damned in our synnes The third cause is the euerlastyng councell and prouidence of God wherwith he determyned by this meanes to shewe his loue and to deliuer mankynde frome synne The fourthe cause is the trewe and faithfull promise whiche he made in tymes paste Oute of the whiche afterwarde foloweth the blyndnes and indignation of the Iewes whiche is the fyfte cause As touchyng the fyrst cause I mean our synne the holy Prophete Esaie speaketh on this maner He was wounded euen vnto the death for our synnes and broken on pieces for our wickednesses In these wordes the Prophete declarech wherfore Christ was so euyll handled and so greuously punished verily not for his owne synne For he is the onely begotten and derely beloued sonne of God which neuer committed synne neither was there euer found any guyle in his mouth yea for our synne for thyn and myne iniquitie was he wounded and broken on peces Therfore saith the prophet For our sinne Now that he saith Our that is for the synne of all men did he suffer and die For whē he had ones takē vpon him our infirmities diseases then must he also die for our sinnes and wickednesses as the prophete saith in the afore recited chapter the Lord hath laid the iniquitie of vs all vpon hym And a lytle after the prophete speaking in the person of God sayth For the synne of my people haue I striken and smitten him And in the ende of this chapter he saieth He bare the synnes of many and paide for transgressors Dauid in like maner complaineth in a certayne Psalm and speaking in the person of Christ saith The rebukes of them whiche rebuked thee he meaneth the heuenly father fell on me And a litle afore I paid the things that I neuer toke We haue greuously offended God dishonored his holy name and greatly obscured his glorie All this must Christ pay satisfie make amendes for it Therfore saith Peter in his fyrst Epistle Christ suffred ones for our synnes the iuste for the vniust Herof doth it folow that not only the Iewes whiche lyued at that tyme neither the souldiors nor yet Pilate Herode c. are gilty of the passion and deth of Christe but also all sort of vs whyche all without exception haue synned For for Oure synnes was CHRIST slayne and nayled on the Crosse. Neyther are wee better thenne they that crucified hym Althoughe that the Iewes dydde not knowe hym as the sonne of GOD otherwyse they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glorye yet for all that euen of very malyce and enuie agaynst hym they layde hand on hym as a gyltlesse manne accused hym and flewe hym But he hadde neuer come to that poynte if our synnes had not ben for the whyche hee was stryken wounded and slayne So lykewise made we hym to serue in oure synnes and through hym much sorow with our iniquities Therefore lette vs no more bee angrye with that myserable caytife Iudas Pylate Herode Cayphas Annas c. as the maner heretofore hathe bene yea rather lette euery man be angrye wyth him selfe accuse hym selfe and impute the fault to hym selfe as vnto hym whych for his synnes dyd cast Christ that innocent lamb of God into this most horrible and intollerable payne Te seconde cause is the excedynge great charitie loue and mercye of GOD whyche he shewed vnto vs miserable men wicked synners without any merite or desert on our behalfe wherwyth the heauenly Father beyng prouoked spared not only his begoteen sonne as Sainct Paule sayth but for vs delyuered him vp euen vnto death This declareth Saint Iohn in his Epistle saying In this thyng hath the loue of God appeared that he sente his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we myght lyue thorough hym In thys is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make satisfaction for oure synnes And Christe hym selfe saythe GOD hathe so derely loued the worlde that he hath geuen hys onely begotten sonne to the ende that all that do beleue in hym shoulde not peryshe but haue lyfe euerlastynge Thys Charytie and Loue moued CHRIST alsoo to obeye hys Father in thys behalfe so that he came down into this world and toke oure synnes vpon hym as the Prophete Esaie saeith In his loue and in his fauour hath he redemed them And S. Paule saith God setteth forth his loue meruailously towarde vs in this that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. And Christ hym self saith No man hath a greater loue then thys that a manne shoulde geue his lyfe for his frendes Of these places of the holy scripture tofore alledged it appeareth euidently that the seconde cause of the death of Christ is the loue of God towarde all mankynde whome oure miserable and wretched state did so greatly moue and strike with tender compassion that he sent his onely begotten Sonne whyche also of very loue towarde man obeyed hys fathers wyll euen vnto the deathe the moste ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse into this worlde and gaue hym ouer into the handes of synners that he by his death and passion myght delyuer vs from euerlasting death damnation Wherof we may learne to loue one an other and so to bee mynded one to an other as Christe was mynded towarde vs. Of this thyng dothe S. Iohn admonyshe and teache vs in his Epistle where he saieth In this haue we knowen loue that he gaue his lyfe for vs we ought to geue our liues for our brethren Paule also in his epistle to the Philippians exhorteth vs that after the examples of Christ we shold humble our selues and serue one an other euen as Christ serued vs. The thirde cause is the euerlastynge councelle and prouidence of God which by his vnoutspeakable wisdome determined from euerlastynge to delyuer mankynd by the death of his sonne before the world was made as Peter in his sermon testifieth wher he after many wordes of the crucifying of Christ saith thus Hym Christ haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persōs after he was deliuered by the determinate councel foreknowledge of god and haue crucified slayne him And Christe himselfe in the gospell telleth aforehande in many places geueth his disciples forewarning how that this passion death shal chaunce and comme vnto him by the euerlasting councell and decree of his heauenly father as he said also vnto Pilate Thou shouldest haue no power at all ouer me excepte it were geuen thee from aboue The fourth cause is the faith and trueth of God For when this councel was determined from euerlasting then god wold not haue it kept in secret but did make open the same before many times and promised that Sauiour in many places of scripture by his holy Prophetes as S. Paule testifieth in his epistles This promes
wolde god as the euerlasting truth performe according to his promes sende the Sauiour suffer him to be crucifyed and slaine as witnesseth S. Peter in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes writtē by blessed Luke God saith he hath performed those thinges whiche he before declared by the mouth of all his Prophetes That Christe should suffer c. Christe also speaketh thus after his resurrection with the two Disciples that were iourneying towarde Emaus It was necessarie that all thinges shoulde be fulfilled that are written of me in the lawe of Moises in the Prophetes in the Psalmes What testimonies there are of the passion of Christ in the scriptures of the olde Testament ye may easelye see in the Euāgelicall historie of the passion death of Christe whiche I wolde wyshe you diligentlye to note for the confirmation of your faith in this behalfe The last cause is the induration or excecation and blyndnes of the Iewes which thorow their great cōtumacie stubburnes thorow their impenitēcie or vnrepētaūt heart being forsaken of god were punished blinded that they should heare and not vnderstād that they should see with their eyes and discerne nothynge as it is written in the scriptures By this meanes they flewe the sonne of God and so prouoked the fyerce vengeance and hote wrath of God against them as the Apostle sayth The wrath of God is comme on them euen to the vttermost For althoughe God from euerlastinge had determined that his sonne Christ shoulde suffer and dye and it could none otherwise be but as God had before decreed yet were not the Iewes excused For they founde no cause of death in hym And although they did not know that he was the sonne of God yet they knewe this for a certentie that he was a godly and innocent man whome they of mere enuye and malice slewe as Pilate againste hym selfe testified this saying I fynde no cause of death in hym Therfore they sought an other thyng then god did whiche appointed his Sonne to suffer and to dye that he by his sufferance and death myghte deliuer them that beleue from synne death deuill and hell and that he by his resurrection myght be glorifyed and become of moste worthie renoume But Satan with his mēbers the Scribes and Phariseyes sought an other thyng euen to slea Christe to bringe Christ to shame and vtterly to roote hym out of remembraunce both hym and his doctrine that there might be no more mention made of hym And so the wicked Iewes thorow their enuie their blinded heart and their vngracious coūcel executed contrary to theyr wyll and deuice the decree and determination of the heauenly father wherby thorowe the mercie of Christ dying for them health and saluation chaunced to so many as beleue Yea the vugodlye Iewes worthelye blynded were deceaued of their purpose and aduaunced Christ whome they determined vtterly to destroye vnto glorie as it is written The Lorde bringeth the councell of the heathen to naughte and maketh the deuices of the people to be of none effect But the councell of the Lorde shall endure for euer and the thoughtes of his hearte from generation to generation When we earnestlye consider these causes then shall we see how miserable and damnable synners we are verely euen suche as coulde none otherwise be saued but only by Christe so that for vs and for our saluation he muste neees dye yea and that the most ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse Again we shall see the moste brenninge heart and incomparable fyre of the loue of our heauēly father and of his sonne Christ which hauing no regard to our synnes nor yet that we were his enemies died for vs that we shold not perishe in our synnes Moreouer we see how faithfull and true god is and that all his wordes and promises will take place and procede against all the violence force power strength crafte and suttiltie of the deuill and the worlde and that heauen and earthe shall sonner fall perishe and cōme to naughte then one iote or title of gods worde shal be founde vntrue and false By the first we learne of the lawe howe greate and horrible a thynge synne is before the eyes of Gods maiestie for the abolishing wherof the onely and innocent sonne of God must be scourged and dye so bytter ignominious and spiteful death yea and that onely to take awaye other mennes synnes By the second we learne the Gospell and the louing gentle and mercifull hearte of GOD toward vs whiche for vs for our saluation sent his only begotten sonne that incomparable treasure into this world and suffred him to be nayled on the crosse By the third we learne assuredly to truste and beleue the promise of God and not to feare the vngodly and wicked persecutours forasmuche as we see that he hath so faithfully and so abundantly performed by his sonne all that euer he promised Again he hath confounded and brought to shame the deuill and all his children of this worlde and hath made frustrate and voyde all their deuices councels and imaginations in so muche that where as they thought with this their worke vtterly to kyl confounde and extinguish Christ they haue moste of all aduaunced Christe vnto his great honour and glorie and by this meanes brought to passe that all the faithfull shall receaue saluation by this crucified Christe For howe could Satan and the stifnecked Phariseyes thincke that Christ by death vnto life by buriall vnto resurrection by ignominie and contempt vnto glorie and honoure shoulde be brought and made king and ruler ouer all creatures both in heauen and in earth But mightie is the lorde our God to performe his promise and to confounde the worlde with his God the deuill as he both doth and shall do euen vnto the very ende of the worlde But now followeth the third thing which we ought to consider about the passion of Christ. This is howe great paine and affliction Christe suffered inwardly outwardly Of the externall passion outward suffring we haue abundantly in the Euāgelical history where we rede how he was taken be spitted whypped beaten crowned with thornes and at the last crucifyed put to death Of the inwarde passion and suffrynge that he had in his hearte and conscience when he must striue with death which was before his eyes hell and deuill Luke writeth in his gospell on this maner he was in an agonie and prayed the longer his sweat was lyke droppes of blood tricklynge downe to the grounde Of the whiche wordes the excedyng greate horror and torment whiche Christ suffered in his conscience may be estemed and iudged and how horrible the sight of death of sinne which he toke on him of hel and deuil was before hym seing that his sweate contrary to al reason of nature was bluddye and so came from hym Againe in that the cōfortour creatour of all the
vtterly put away the inward curse cōdemnatiō of the law so that for euer after it cā no more bynd vs nor hurte so many as beleue in Christ. For although outwardly wee are cursed euill spoken of despised and condemned as it chaunced vnto Christe and muste nedes so likewise cōme to passe with vs for we must be made cōformable and like vnto Christ in bearing the crosse yet inwardly we are free and blessed and the curse of the lawe can not preuaile againste vs neither can the lawe it selfe any more accuse vs and condemne vs. For if God thorowe Christ be with vs who can be againste vs So lykewise reade we in sainct Paules epistle to the Galathians when the fulnes of tyme was comme God sent his sonne made of a woman made subiect to the lawe that he might deliuer them that were bounde to the lawe Christe for our sake fel into the lawe that is to saye into the payne of the lawe that we might be deliuered from the same and obtaine that portion of enheritaunce whiche is due to the sonnes of God Wherof the prophete Esaye also sayeth ye are frely bought ye shall frely bedeliuered S. Peter also sayth we are deliuered by the precious blood of Christ that innocent lambe of God The second fruit profit of the passion of Christ is that by it we are made free from sinne and it is in a maner all one with the first For when we be free frō the lawe then are we also free from sinne not that we synne not or can not offend but that synne is no more imputed vnto vs nor brought in againste vs by the law Therfore saith blessed S Iohn in his epistle The blood of Christ maketh vs cleane from all synne And Paule in his epistle to the Hebrues sayth that the blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from deade workes to serue the lyuing God Again to the Corinthians he sayeth God made hym that knewe no sin synne for our sake that in him we might be made that righteousnes whiche is alowed before God Christe for our sake was made sinne that is to say a sacrifice and oblation for synne by this meanes hath he recōciled vs vnto god and made vs before god of vnrighteous righteous of sinneful wicked perfect good Now forasmuch as we be free from the curse of the lawe and from sinne it foloweth that we also are free and safe from death deuil and hel whiche is the thirde fruite and profit of Christes passion For seing death is the stipend and rewarde of synne as the Apostle sayeth and synne is abrogated and taken awaye from vs by the passion and death of Christe it foloweth that death is also taken awaye so that it hath no power againste vs. Therfore doth Christe threaten death by the Prophete and sayeth O death I will be thy death For seinge that Christe was the true lyfe he could not be ouercome of death but he being the noble cōquerour valiant victoure of death toke awaye the stynge from death and flewe hell as Christe him selfe saith by the aforesaid Prophet I wil deliuer them from hel from death wil I make them safe So was Satan also cast out as Christe sayth in the gospel of Iohn so that he can not execute against vs the paine of hell death And al this is comme to passe because Christ hath fulfilled the law for vs and purged our sinnes by the sprinklyng of his blood The fourth fruite profite of the passiō of Christ is that we are not only deliuered from the law sin death hel deuil but we are also thorow the merites of christs passiō receaued into the grace and fauour of god For he hath satisfyed the father for vs and hath reconciled vs vnto him as Paule testifieth sayinge when we were yet enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne Again God hath reconciled vs vnto hym by Iesus Christ. ones again God the father hath deliuered vs from the power of darcknes and hath translated vs into the kyngdome of his welbeloued sonne Yea we are not only by the death of Christe reconciled and set at one with God the Father but also wyth all the Angels and heauenly spirites For when the father thorowe his sonne fauoreth vs and is mercifull vnto vs then do al creatures the same thorowe him and be at concorde and perfecte agrement with vs as S. Paule saith It pleased the father that all fulnes shoulde dwell in hym and by him to reconcile all thynges vnto hymselfe pacifying by the blood of his crosse things both in heauen and in earth And ye which some time were farre of and enemies in your minde thorow euil workes hath he nowe reconciled in the body of his fleshe by death that he shoulde make you holy blameles and without fault in his sight And in many other places it is declared how we are reconciled set at one with the father and made heires of the kingdome of heauen thorowe Christe The fyfte fruit and profite of the passion of Christe is the newe testament whiche he promiseth vnto vs and bequethe vnto vs remission of synnes sealed and confirmed with the death and blood of Christe as it is written He is the mediatour of the new Testament that thorow death whiche chaunced for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the firste Testament they whiche were called mighte receaue the promesse of eternall inheritaunce For whersoeuer a testament is there muste also be the death of him that maketh the testament For the testament taketh authoritie when men are dead for it is of no value as long as he that made it is a liue Of these wordes it euidently appeareth that the newe testament wherin we haue remission of sinnes is sealed and ratifyed by the death of Christ. Therfore doth Christ cal the cuppe the cuppe of the newe Testament in his bloud which is shedde for remission of sinnes Last of all Christ with his death and passion hath goten vnto vs this fruite and profit that our crosse suffrance pleaseth GOD that after this it should no more be a cursyng or payne but an holy blessynge and mortifying of our olde Adam and wicked fleshe And by this meanes our tribulation persecution and death is an holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto god And all this comme to passe thorow the merite of Christ and his death as Paule sayth to the Romains Those whiche he knewe before he also ordeined before that they shoulde be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the firste begotten sonne among many brethren As the sacrifice of Christ and his death was a pure and acceptable sacrifice to god so likewise the death of al the Christians shal be an holy sacrifice to god not
from the curse of the law from desperation from death from hell from the wrathe of God and from euerlastyng damnation and are translated and remoued vnto the heauenly countrey that glorious kyngdome of the moste glorious God Last of all we opened vnto you how we ought by faith to take and chalenge vnto vs those moste singuler and inestimable benefites so forme and frame our conuersation and lyfe after the example of Christ that it may outwardly appere that we be the thankfull disciples of Christ and the faithful and louing children of the heauenly Father And for as muche as we can not doo this of our owne strengthe and power let vs moste humbly pray vnto God that he for Christ Iesus sake may geue vs his strength and spirite that we may liue before him in pure faith vnfained loue in the great day of the Lord appere fautlesse among the dere and welbeloued children of God and so heare out of his mouthe which suffered and dyed for vs this moste swete and comfortable saying Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kyngdome whych was prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde To this lord CHRIST our alone Sauiour and most perfect redemer with God the father the holy ghost our moste swete conforter be all honor glorie praise for euer Amen The Gospell on Easter day Iohn xx THe fyrst day of the Sabbothes came Mary Magdalen early when it was yet darke vnto the Sepulchre and saw the stone taken away from the graue Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Iesus loued and sayth vnto them They haue taken away the Lorde out of the graue and we can not tell where they haue layde hym Peter therfore went forth and that other disciple and came vnto the Sepulchre They ran bothe together and that other disciple dyd outrunne Peter and came firste to the Sepulchre And when he had stowped downe he sawe the lynnen clothes lyinge yet went he not in Then came Simon Peter folowynge hym and wente into the Sepulchre and sawe the lynnen clothes lye and the napkyn that was about his head not lying with the lynnen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it selfe Then went in also that other disciple whiche came fyrst to the Sepulchre and he sawe and beleued For as yet they knewe not the Scripture that he shoulde ryse agayne from death Then the Disciples went away againe to theyr owne home THE EXPOSITION IN as muche as thys daye accordyng to the auncient and commendable custome of Christs church we celebrate the laudable feast and worthy memorie of the moste noble and victorious resurrection of oure Sauioure Iesus Christ it is mete and conuenient that we speake and entreate of the same at this present For the true sanctifying and halowing of feastfull days consisteth in the true worshippyng of God which is none other thing praiers thankes geuing ones done then to exercise the worde bothe in preachyng and readyng We therfore at this tyme wyll make our conference according to the tyme of the glorious resurrection of our moste louyng Lorde and swete Sauiour Christe Iesu. And in this our conference we will firste of all consyder what maner of Resurrection the risyng agayn of Christ frome death vnto lyfe was After that we will declare what vtilitie and profyte what fruicte and goodnesse the moste victorious and triumphant Resurrection of Christe hathe broughte vnto vs as we haue to fore shewed of his Passion and deathe As touchynge the fyrste lette vs not thynke that the resurrection of Christ was a common resurrection frome deathe as was the Resurrection of Lazarus but besydes thys that Christe rose agayne in the fleshe and corporallye he also spiritually became the Lorde of deathe and ouercame it and broughte with hym euerlastynge lyfe so that all that beleue are risen agayne with hym and haue ouercome deathe And by this his resurrection he hath not onely obteined a temporall life but also a spirituall lyfe For as he before by the temporall deathe of the Crosse dyd slea and vtterly abolyshe the spirituall deathe of synne and hell So he lykewise by his resurrection hath not only recouered and broughte agayne the temporall lyfe and quietnesse but also euerlastynge lyfe and perpetuall ioye Wherof wee may learne that Christe is rysen agayne twoo manner of wayes Fyrste after the fleshe by the whyche Resurrection he made hys deade body quicke his despised body glorious His weake and feeble body mightie and stronge his naturall body supernaturall and spirituall Of this resurrection we reade in many places of the scripture Among all Paule hath these wordes in the chronicle of the Apostles Actes where he speaketh on this maner And we shewe vnto you that the promise whiche was made vnto the fathers God hath fulfilled to their children euen vnto vs in that he raised vp Iesus as it is written in the first Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten the. And in his firste epistle to the Corinthiās he saith that Christ after his resurrection was sene of more then of fiue hūdred brethren And moreouer that he shewed himself before to the .xii. and to many other brethren as we maye see playnly written in the Euangelistes Secondly there was in Christ also an inward spirituall resurrection in that he escaped from the horror of death hell syn and the wrath of God and came vnto euerlasting ioy life health peace gladnes Of this he glorieth and speaketh by the mouth of that prince like Prophet sayinge Thou haste made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me Thou shalt fill me ful of gladnes with thy countenance Againe Thou hast turned my heuines into ioye thou hast put of my sackclothe and girded me with gladnes All these ar gratulations reioycinges and thankes geuynges that God the heauenly Father hath deliuered his sonne Christ from the horror of hell and death and not him only but also with him and through him all faithfull christians Whereof we shall speake more largely hereafter How the resurrection of Christ was don according to the historie how he rose again on Easter day betymes in the morning before the sonne was vp howe the women found the sepulchre emptie Again howe they were conforted of the Aungell and admonished of his resurrection This with diuers other things appertaining vnto the resurrection of Christ ar diligently written of the foure Euangelistes and ye your selues haue hertofore both heard red them Therfore at this time we will speake nothinge of that matter but we will rather declare set forth vnto you the profites and fruites which Christ hath gotten for vs by his glorious and royal resurrection and opē vnto you how we ought to enter into a newe lyfe with Christ. But before we come vnto this matter let vs speake somwhat of the innocencie and Godhead of Christe by the whiche he
myghtily brake the chawes of hell braste on pieces the paunche of death and so valiantly victoriously and triumphantly rose agayne frome deathe Nowe for as muche as CHRIST was in all poyntes pure and innocente and vtterly wythout all synne Deathe and hell coulde by no meanes ouercome hym For seynge that death is the rewarde of synne as the Apostle saythe and Christe hadde no synne at all so doothe it ryghte well followe that death had no power ouer Christ and that it assaulted hym wythoute cause and therfore deathe loste hys ryghte because wythoute cause hee abused Christe beynge innocente and free frome all synne The Innocencye therefore of Christe was the cause that deathe and hell they onely haue power ouer synners For for synne entred deathe into the worlde coulde not retayne holde and deuoure hym but that hee muste needes retourne vnto lyfe and ryse agayne frome deathe Besides this innocencie Christe also had this that he was the true and naturall sonne of God and therfore coulde not he bee retained and holden of deathe nor yet of helle or of any other kynde of myserie as hee hym selfe glorieth and reioyceth of thys power sayinge That he hathe power to geue ouer hys lyfe and also to take it agayne And that no man takethe hys lyfe frome hym but he geueth it ouer of hym self Whiche is none other thyng then yf he should saye I am GOD and the Lord both of death and of lyfe I handle them as I my selfe lyste Therefore Saint Paule in hys Epistle to the Romaines writeth that by thys he was declared to bee the Sonne of GOD whenne he rose agayne frome deathe For no manne can escape deathe as Dauid saythe What manne is he that shall lyue and not see deathe And Saincte Paule to the Hebrues sayeth That all menne muste needes ones dye and after that commeth the Iudgement Seyng then that Christe was not onely man but also very GOD the Creator and lyfe geuer of all creatures yea the lyfe it selfe as he hym selfe testifyeth in the Gospell of Sainct Iohn It was not possible for deathe and helle to retayne and ouercome hym as S. Peter recordeth in the Chronicle of the Apostles Actes saying Whome he meaneth Christ God hath raysed vp and loosed the sorowes of death because it was impossible that he shoulde bee holden of it For seyng he was the holy one of God he could not abyde in helle neyther coulde his fleshe see corruption As S. Peter strongly proueth out of Dauid By this it is an easye thynge to aunswere that question howe this maye be that the passion and deathe of Christe and the syght of the infernall damnation wherin Christe was but a short tyme could be a sufficient satisfaction for the synnes of the whole worlde which notwithstandyng after the seuere iudgemente of God ought to haue ben punyshed with euerlasting payne and endles damnation I aunswere This satisfaction is of an incomparable force might strength and power and hath a meruailous energie and perfection because of the person of Christ. For seing Christe was true God and true man the God head the manhode ioyned in one person and yet toke vpon him this worke of our redemption the peyn which Christ God and man suffred ought worthily to be iudged and taken to be of suche excellencie and dignitie again of so great and such inestimable price that it ought to be estemed as it is in dede sufficiently great and large inough to the vttermoste for the synnes of the whole world For as the synne of man wherwith the noble maiestie of God is cōtemned and dishonored ought to be punished with perpetuall euerlastyng paine so in like maner the punishmēt which the sonne of God toke vpon him ought to be as it is vndoubtedly sufficiente full and perfect for al that beleue on him seke their saluation in his most blessed and glorious name For the deuine maiestie is of so great glorie that worthily al that offend it suffer euerlasting pain again all for whom it cam into so great ignominie torment and supplied their duties shold haue euerlastyng ioy and gladnes enioy the same worlds without end Seing then that Christ Iesus the true son of God of one substāce glory with the father hath offred himself an oblation swete smelling sacrifice to god by his death passion hath satisfied for our sinnes It is reason that for the worthynes of his person which was both god man it shold be also euerlasting and sufficient for euermore For consider how great worthye hygh infinite and euerlasting the person was that susteined this pain so great worthy high infinite and euerlasting is this worke of our redēption satisfaction wrought by Christ must endure and remaine for euer and euer in full force and strength for so many as repent beleue in his name Now forasmuch as wee know that Christe for his innocencie and Godheade rose agayne frome Deathe vnto lyfe we wyl briefly reherse the fruicts profytes and benefites which he hath purchased gotten deserued for vs by his victorious triumphaunt and glorious resurrection What soeuer Christe by hys deathe and passion hathe gotten and deserued for vs that dydde hee afterwarde receaue by hys Resurrection and broughte wyth hym so that the fruites of Christes resurrection doo not muche differ frome the fruites of hys Passion Wee wylle therefore speake and entreate of theym brefely at this presente for as muche as wee haue somewhat largely spoken of them when we handeled the Passyon of CHRIST our Sauioure The fyrste fruicte and profyte of Christes resurrection is that by it wee haue remyssion of synnes althoughe we feele them in vs and are not vtterly free frome them For when Christe dyed for vs and yet remayned not in deathe whyche muste needes haue comme to passe yf hee coulde not haue satisfied for synnes It followethe that hee by hys Resurrection broughte wyth hym Remyssion of synnes and gaue the same vnto vs as blessed Paule proueth in hys Epistle to the Corinthians sayenge If Christe bee not rysen agayne frome the dead thenne is your faythe vayne and you are stylle in youre synnes And agayne But nowe is Christe rysen agayn from the deade beynge the fyrste fruites of them that wer fallen a sleape For by manne came deathe and by man commeth the Resurrection of the dead As by Adam all dye so lykewyse by Christ all shall receaue lyfe Afterwarde the Apostle mocketh death saieth O deathe where is thy stynge The stynge of death is synne and the power of synne is the lawe But thankes bee to GOD whyche hathe geuen vs the victorie thorough our Lorde Iesus Christe Herof it is euident that Christ by his death hath slayne synne as we hearde in the Sermon of the Passion and by hys Resurrection hee hathe broughte with hym remission
of synnes because all the faythfull are wyth hym rysen agayne frome synne so that frome hensefoorth synne can not hurte theym althoughe whyle they are in thys wycked mortall bodye they can not be free from it For Christ brought wyth hym oute of hys graue remission of synnes The seconde fruicte foloweth of the fyrste and it is this That Christe by his Resurrection hathe abrogated the Lawe that is to saye hathe delyuered and sette at libertie our conscience from it and hath geuen our heartes peace tranquillitie and quietnesse For seynge that Christ by his Resurrection hath slain deathe whyche is the stypende of synne and hathe brought with hym vnto vs remission of synnes it necessarily foloweth that he hath also abolished the strength of synne whyche is the lawe that it can no more accuse vs. Therfore sayth Paule The lawe of the spirite that is to saye the Gospelle whiche quickeneth hathe delyuered me frome the power of synne and of death The quickenyng of the Gospell or in that the Gospelle quickeneth and makethe alyue it hathe hys strength power and efficacie of the Resurrection of Christe For if Christe hadde not rysen agayne then all oure preachynge and all our Faith had ben vayne The third fruict of Christs resurrection is that we by his Resurrection are deliuered from death In consideration whereof Paule glorieth with the Prophet Osee saying Deathe is swalowed vp into victorye As though he should saye The glorious and victorious resurrection of Christ hath swalowed vp deuoured and abolyshed death so that death from hensforth can doo nothyng at all against vs. And his cruel and terrible sight is none other thyng then an hornet with out a stynge whyche looketh terribly and with her wynges maketh a great and dreadfull noyse but yet hath she lost her styng and pricke so that she can hurt or wounde no man Our Sauior Christ sayth I am the resurrection and the life He that beleueth in mee although he were dead yet shall he lyue And all that lyueth beleueth in me shal neuer dye By the whiche wordes Christ signifieth that deathe to the Faithfull is nothyng ells then a sleape For as he that sleapeth lyueth and may ryse agayne so lykewise he that beleueth although he dye corporally yet abydeth he not in deathe but returneth vnto lyfe yea death is vnto him a very gate wherby he passeth oute of thys myserable and sorowfull lyfe vnto a trewe and an euerlastyng lyfe and is raysed vp frome thys sleape so that for euer after he waketh and abydeth alyue worldes without ende Therefore the holy Scripture callethe the corporall death of the Faithful a sleape as we rede in many places of the old and new Testament of Dauid Ezechias Stephen and other holy Sainctes The fourthe fruict of Christes Resurrection is the deuastation or destruction of helle so that nowe we are free and safe frome euerlastynge pestilence and curse For yf CHRIST saieth Sainct Paule be not rysen agayne then they whyche are fallen a slepe in Christ are vtterly loste Of the whyche wordes it foloweth that all they are blessed whyche sleape in Christe for as muche as hee is rysen agayne frome death And therefore dothe bothe the Prophete Osee and the blessed Apostle sainct Paule mocke helle and saye O helle where is thy victorie And the Apostle streyghte waye addeth Thankes bee vnto GOD whyche hathe geuen vs the victorie thorowe Iesus Christe If Christe had remayned in deathe then had all we perished as the Apostle sayth But for as muche as he remayned not in death therefore are we not loste but with hym we are escaped out of helle and made ioyfull and blessed The fyfth fruicte and profite of Christes Resurrection is that CHRIST risynge agayne frome the dead hathe gotten for vs the victorie ouer Sathan and all his kyngdome with all his membres also as it is written Christe by his deathe hath expelled him whyche hadde lordshyppe ouer death that is to say the deuyll that hee myghte delyuer theym whyche throughe feare of deathe were all theyr lyfe tyme subdued vnto bondage Christ by his Resurrection hathe taken away all power from Sathan so that now he can no more exercyse hys tyrannye againste the elect and chosen people of GOD. For Christe hathe taken hym prysoner and taken hys weapons awaye from hym bounde hym and so vtterly weakened him that hee hathe no power at all And thys hys victorye dydde hee in hys Resurrection myghtylye declare when he ledde awaye captyue all the rulers of helle as Saynct Paule sayth He hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of theym openly hath triumphed ouer them in his owne person And of this victorie against Satā it is recorded in a certen psalm of Dauid wher it is cōmāded that the gates dores shoulde bee sette open that the Kynge of glorie maye come in And the rulers and Princes of hell demand and saye Who is thys kynge of Glorye The Prophete aunswereth them sayenge It is the Lorde of Hostes. He is the kynge of glorie And of this victorie Christe also speakethe in a certayne Parable sayenge When a stronge manne armed watcheth hys house the thynges that hee possesseth are in peace But when a stronger then hee commeth vpon hym and ouercommeth hym Hee taketh frome hym all hys harneys wherein hee trusted and deuydeth hys goodes So lykewyse the deuyll possessed the world and shewed hys power in mainteynynge false worshyppynge of GOD and dyuers kyndes of Idolatrye and by thys hee stablyshed hys kyngedome and greately encreased the swarme of wycked and damned persones vntyll CHRIST whyche was stronger thenne hee inuaded hys kyngedome and tooke frome hym hys harneisse armour and weapon that is to saye synne and deathe wherewith he ouercamme the whole worlde and made spoyle of theim and by this meanes deliuered all the faithfull and electe people of GOD oute of his kingdome and sette theim free from his tirannie and power The sixt fruict of Christes resurrection is the preachynge of the Gospell For althoughe he dydde preache the Gospell to hys Disciples and to hys countreymenne the Iewes before hys deathe yet gaue hee oute noo Commyssion that it shoulde bee generally and vniuersallye preached to all Nations tyll after his Resurrection Therefore saieth he in the Gospell of Mathewe All power is geuen vnto me bothe in Heauen and in Earthe Go ye therefore throughout the whole worlde and teache all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost He that shal beleue and be baptised shal be saued But he that shall not beleue shall be damned This is a moste noble gyft whiche no man is able sufficiētly to expresse or to esteme For all hadd ben frustrate and voyde yf it had not ben publyshed and set foorth abrode For howe
deuyl is the cause that men remeÌ„ber not the word and doctrine Luc. 21. Gen. 3. Howe dangerous a rhynge it is lyghtly 〈◊〉 regarde Gods worde Math. 13. What maner of thynge a good hart is Math. 6. Fruicte in pacience 2. Tim. 3. Luc. 11. The word is not euerye where fruictfull Math. 11. Math. â—14 Marc. 6. Luc. 9. The word of Christ himself was not euery where fruitfull The cause why the worde is not fruictfull Math. 13. Leui. 12. The fyrst begottâ—n male muste be presented to the Lorde Exod. 13. Nuâ—â— â— The Turke taketh the first borne Exod. 11. Christ an example of obedience Of the fyrste borne The first begotteÌ„ by pride waxed worst Lucifer Cayne Ismaell Esau. The Iewes Dauid 1. Reg. 16. Carnall prerogatiues ought not to be applied to pryde Psal. 103. Luc. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 49. They that beleue in Christ are the first be gotten Math. 20. Ephes. 4. God hateth pride Iac. 4. â— Pet. 5. Iob. 4. 2. Pet. 2. Howe Christ is reueled Luc. 1. Math. 1. Luc. 1. Luc. 2. Math. 2. Luc. 2. The reuelation of SimeoÌ„ came by the holy ghost Gene. 49. The state of Christes churche in this worlde is poore and miserable Death maketh hartes to feare Rom. 6. Simeon learned not this way to dye by man Math. 1. The law and good workes caÌ„ do nothing against sin death The worlde ordaineth his sauiours besyde Christ. The saluation of God canonly saue How this sauiour saieth Iohn 1. Good works Simon hath no more prefermeÌ„t in this saluation then we haue Christ is the saluation of all men Simeon putteth no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile Gene. 22. What reason thynketh of Esai 9. 1. Timo. 2. The cause why all are not saued Note well There is no saluation but in Christ alone God is not the author of any mannes damnation Christ giueth lyght to the Gentiles Iohn 3. A syngular comfort for al synners The diligent study of Simeon in the prophetes Gen. 49. Dan. 9. Esa. 49. Rom. 3. Galat. â— Halowyng of candels The Papists borowe the most parte of their religion of the Iewes of the Gentiles Luc. 24. The disciples of Christ vnderstande not Christ. The workes of God are not vnderstanded before thei â—â—me to passe Faythe is requisite The example of Dauid 1. Reg. 17. Baptisme the resurrection of the dead God is almyghty can doo what he wyll Math. 19. Luc. 1. Reson ought not to Iudge Gods works Math. 13. Iohn 20. Luc. 15. Luc. 18. The word of God deceueth not although it seme impossible Note Howe we must praye We must be instant in prayer The praier of the blynd Iohn 16. Prayer prouoked God Luc. 1â— Prayer with out faith is a mockyng of God Luc. 4. TemtatioÌ„ is 〈◊〉 for Christians Diuersitie of temptation Howe we must staÌ„d sure when we are tempted Christ lead of the spirit Note well Our proper imagination without the worde is nothyng Rom. 14. Math. 15. The first teÌ„ptation that he shoulde haue no trust in god Two sortes of bread Psalm Iohn 6. The second temptation is to make to trust more in god then his worde requireth Psal. 91. Mat. 27. Deut. 6. To teÌ„pte god The deuill vseâ—h scriptures Math. 19. Anabaptistes Baptisme Iohn 3. Marc. 16. WheÌ„ that angels defeÌ„deth vs not The third teÌ„ptation is to make theÌ„ cast awaye true religion for riches poore Riches corrupted religion A change of the spirituall kyngdome in to a wordly of the wordlie into a spirituall Worshippyng of the deuill The popes religion is rather trymme then true A general admonition What is worshâ—ppinge of God God ought to be worshyped accordynge to his word and not after meÌ„s traditions Deut. 6. The dignitie and excelleÌ„cie of this gospel The deuyl is moste buly at the hower of deaâ—h The woman of Cananee diuersly temâ—â—ted 1. She is a Cananite Math. 10. A greuous stomblynge blocke Faith obteyneth al thynges of Christ Why this historie is sette foorth All thynges must be asked of God alone for Christes sake 2 Christ answereth nothing We must continually prayr and not cease â–ª Note and practise 3 Christ denyeth to helpe The constancy of this woman Marc. 7. Continue in prayer 4 Christ recouÌ„teth the woman as a dog Faith is before God a thyng most excâ—llent Faithe interpreteth all thyngs to the best Iohn 1. Roma 3. By fayth and prayer Christ is ouercome â—ohn 6. Why Christe shewed himself so hard to the woman Faithe obteyneth all thynges of God PerseueraÌ„ce in prayer Gen. 49. God for triaâ— of our faythe sometyme deferreth his helpe Gods promise is to be apprehended with strong and coÌ„ +stant faith Iohn 16. God geuethe more then we can or dare aske Ephe. 3. An extremities God heareth oure of hande When God â—eferreth to heare Abacuck 2. The Pope the Turk extreme enemies to the Churche of Christ. Iohn 36. Prayet made in fayth obteyneth all thynges of God Christ ouercometh the deuill Christ at this daye casteth out deuils by the worde and SacrameÌ„ts Esay 55. Baptisme Iohn Rom. 6. The declaration of Gods mercy to penitent sinners Math. 17. Iohn 20. Mat. 11. The Supper of the Lord. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. Luc. 1â— Iohn 14. Colos. 4. A Christiane must coÌ„tinually fight agaiÌ„st Satan 1. Pet. 5. Iac. 4. Iohn 12.16 Christ and in hym all Christians haue gotten the victory ouer the deuill and the worlde 1. Iohn 3. The papecie The wickednes of the minister hindereth the dignitie of the worde or sacraments nothing at all The worde the sacrameÌ„ts oughte to be had in greate reuerence The worde of god driueth awaye Satan Rom. 1. Esay 6. It is a greater miracle to driue the deuil out of mens heartes then out of their bodye Three sortes of people iudg of this miracle The first meruell at the worke The second blaspheme Beelzebub what it is in Englishe 2. Cor. 4. The godly reioyce in the gospell the vngodly blaspheme it The aduersaries grauÌ„t many thinges to be true yet they go forth to persecute 2. Cor. 4. The power of the deuill is not to be set lyght by The papistes in persecuting the true ChristiaÌ„s thincke they do God great seruice Iohn 16. The thirde seke signes from heauen The wise of the world are offeÌ„ded at the word because the preachers therof are so homly poore creatures The glorious worldlinges can not abyde to be reproued for their wycked lyuing Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Exod. 22. TeÌ„porall rulers owe no lesse obedience to God hys worde then subiectes do Esa. 53. Iohn 16. Preachers haue authoritie to rebuke the sinnes of all men without exception Preachers may be no meÌ„ pâ—easers Gala. 1. Marcke this well O thou preacher Christ confuteth his aduersaries Discorde The kyngdoÌ„ of the deuill Why so fewe receue the worde Why the deuyl preuaileth not agaynste Gods electe Acts. 9. Obiection Exorcistes Answere ii Thess. ii The deuyll worketh miracles to confirme
the vnbeleuers in their vnbelief The subtiltie of the deuyll 2. Cor. 4. ii Thess. ii The ende of true miracles Note Luc. â—i Math. 6. Psalm 34. Christ prouideth for his Worldlings The faithfull shall want to good thyng Psalm 34. Iosue 1. Psalm 55. 1. Pet. 5. The blessyng of God maketh all thynges plentifull The prouidence of God Math. 6. Labour Idelnesse Idelnes is the chief mistresse of vices all The absidaÌ„ce and prosperitie of the vngodly shall not long continue The cause of incredulitie coÌ„cerniÌ„g liuing Philip. Math. 14. Reason is an euyll counsailer in matters of God Andrewe Note well Care proâ—fyteth nothing The worde of God and not reason is to be considered God is at all tymes beneficiall 3. Reg. 17. 4. Reg. 4. Math. 6. Psalm 127. The miseries of thys our tyme. The wickednes of the byshop of Rome Marke this practise it Iohn 16. Math. 16. Psalm 34. 1. Pet. 3. 2. Petr. 2. Faithe in the worde worketh constaÌ„cie in the heart Exod. 3. Note thys counseil Hier. 17. The worlde abuseth the gyfts of God thorowe riot In time of wealth prouid for death Gene. 41. Artificers Cornemongers Prou. 11. Note this O ye riche men The misery of couetous men Apoc. â—â— Psal. 113. Rom. 10. Ephe. 3. The worde of god is diligeÌ„tly to be heard Not to be of â—od is the greatest miserie that can be The despisers of gods worde are the bonde slaues of sataÌ„ The enemies of gods worde procede from wickednes to wyckednes What is to be of the deuyl Stubborne children The tyranny of the Papistes The despising of gods worde is the greatest synne that is Iohn 16. Prou. 16. The despiserâ— of the worde can not abyde to be reproued Iohn 8. What it is to be of the deuill What it is to be of God The propertie of gods children wheÌ„ they offend The properties of the deuils children Iohn 7. Psal. â— The pope is an enemie of gods worde The worde of god deliuereth from drath What it is to kepe the word of God Death The death of the wycked The death of the Godly What comodities we haue by hearynge the worde of God The true christians are neuer free from the crosse Death to the faithfull is swete pleasaunt sleape The worde of god is a strong bucklar agâ—iÌ„st aduersitie Sap. 16. Of what word Christe speaketh The lawe of Moyses The lawe of the Gospell Synne is the cause of death Faithe is the gyft of God Christ God man onely saâ—eth By the passion and deathe of Christ we are deliuered frome the power of SataÌ„ The conteÌ„tes of this sermoÌ„ What the passion of Christ is The causes that moued Christ to suffer Gen. 3. The fyrstâ— cause Esa. 53. 1. Pet. 2. Esa. 53. Psal. 69. 1. Pet. â— Rom. 3. â— Cor. 3. Esa. 3. Our syn was the cause of Christs deth The seconde cause Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 3. Esa. 63. Rom. 5. Iohn 15. Philip. 2. â— Epistle 5. Acts. 2. Iohn 16. The iiii cause Rom. 1. Act. 3. Luk. 24. The .v. cause Esa. 5. Iohn 12. Act. 28. â— These 2. Act. 13. Iohn 19. Psal. 33. God performeth what so euer he promiseth Synne haynous in the sighte of God Of Christes Paynes both Inwardlye outwardly Luc. 22. Psalm 22. Esa. 53. Rom. 8. Luke 22. 1. Pet. 4. Synners Math. 3.17 Hippocrites The fruites of Christes passioÌ„ death Iohn 12. The firste fruites of Christes passion Gene. 6. Psal. 13. Rom. 3. Psal. 115. Deut. 27. Christ by his passion hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe Gala. 3. Deut. 27. Esa. 53. Rom. â— Galat. 4. Esâ— 55 â–ª 1. Pet. 1. The second fruit of christs Passion 1. Iohn 1. Heb. 9. 2. Cor. 5. DeliueraÌ„s froÌ„ syn by the passion of Christ. The third frut of Christes Passion Rom. 6. Deliuerance froÌ„ deathe deuill hell Oseâ— 13. Iohn 11. Osee. 13. Iohn 12. 1. Pet. 1. The fourth fruit of christs passion Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 5. Coll. 1. We are reconciled to God the father by the passioÌ„ death of Christ. Coll. 1. The fyfte fruâ—t of christs passion Heb. 9. In the newe testament confirmed by the death of christ is bequethed vnto vs remission of sinnes Mat. 26. 1. Cor. 1. The .vi. fruit of Christs passion Our suffrings please God Rom. 8. Psal. 116. Iohn 1. How we may be made partakers of the frutes of Christs Passion Rom. 8. Iohn 1. By fayth are we made the sons of God Iohn 15. Faith in christ obtaynethe all good thinges at the hande of god The nature of faythe Rom. 3. Ther is no saluation but by fayethe in Christ alone Iohn 1. The lyfe and maners of Christe are to be folowed of all true Christians Christe a sauiour and an Example Rom. 6. Galat. 5. The propertie of a true Christian. Math. 5. Rom. 5. Galat. 5. 2. Cor. Rom. 8. The benefits that we haue goten by the passion death of Christe 1. Cor. 1â— The true kepyng of holy dayes The resurrection of Christ Iohn 11. Christ is rysen again two maner of waies Math. 2â— Marc. 16. Luc. 24. Iohn 20.21 Acts. 1.2 â—â— 1. Cor· 15. Psal. 6. Psal 30. Christe innocâ—nte and free from all synn Rom. 6. Rom. 5. Christe true naturall God Ioan. 10. Rom. 1. Psal. 89. Heb. 9. Ioan. 14. Act. 2. Psal 15. Quâ—stion Answere The sufficienc of Christes sacrifice Note well EPhe. 5. The sacrifice of Christes dethe abydeth in ful strâ—nght for euer The Fruites of Christes resurrection The Fyrste fruite Remission of synnes 1. Cor. 15. 1. Cor. 13. Osee. 1â— Heb. 2. The second Fruite Abrogacion of the lawe Rom. 6. 1. Cor 15. Rom. 8. 1. Cor 15. The thirde fruite 1. Cor. 15. Osee. 13. Deliueraunce From deathe Ioan. 11. Deathe to the Faythefull is no thin geelles then a sleape Note well 3. Reg. 2. 4. Reg. 20. Act. 7. The fourth fruite 1. Cor. 15. The distruction of hell Osee. 13. â— Cor. 15. The fyfte-fruite Heb. 2. Uictori ouer Satan and his kingdom Luc. 11. Coloss. 2. Psal 24. Luc. 11. A declaracion of the parable The Syxte fruite Preachyng of the Gospell Math. 228. Mar. 16. Rom. 10. The seuenthe fruite Iustificacion Rom. 4. 1. Pet. 1. The eyght â–ª fruite Eternall lyfe Ephe. 2. Osee. 6. Act. 3. Rom. 10. Ioan. 20. Heb. 2. The nynte fruite The resrreccion and glorificacion of our bodyes Phil. 36. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Thess. 4. Math. 17. â— new lyfe Rom. 6. Gal. 1. â— Cor. 5. Colloss 3. An exhortacioÌ„ vnto good life Luk. 1. The office of preaching committed to Christes disciples and to their successours The scriptures oughte to be preached to the people Es. 61. Christe was sent of his father to preach the gospell so lykewise are all faithfull ministers The doctrine of Moyses The doctrine of Christ. A double regiment spiritual and corporall The spiritual regiment hath only to do with synnâ— The ministers of gods worde ought not to medle with temporall affaires The office of
in hymselfe to the contryte vexed and miserable consciences and make their herts that were full of tremblyng and ouercome by dreade and feare to be mery and ioyfull Moyses is an high prophete but this can he not doo For all his sermons doo sounde on this wise Thou must obserue the law orels perishe This was a very torment to the Iewes The Phariseys dyd fast payd tithes and endeuoured with all their study to represent the lawe and thought that they had no nede of any gospel of any Christ but that all other thynges were without peryll and that god coulde not but receaue them into heauen for their fastes prayers almes c. These be riche and perfect sprited men which haue no nede of god and his grace and this is very true that this doctrine of Moyses is necessarie and that men ought to be indued with this discipline and instruction euen as in an Empire or kyngdome there must nedes be had somners hangmen to execute corporall punyshement on theim that wyll not obey the lawe that steale that commytte aduoutrie and slaughter But when the agonie of death is at hand this doctrine of Moyses by all mēs iudgement is to no purpose although thou hast obserued it neuer so muche Thou must nedes saye and confesse Although I haue not ben an aduoutrer a thefe a robber yet doo I onely flee to thy mercy If this be not all workes be they neuer so great preuaile not against desperation As there is an historie in the lyues of the fathers of a certayne man that stode styll three whole dayes in one place and continually lyfted vp his eyes into heauen with mournyng and waylyng And whē his Disciples asked of hym why he was so greately troubled he answered I feare death Then euery man endeuored to comfort hym and thought it the best for that purpose to put him in remembrāce of his straight kynde of lyuyng and of his kepynge of Goddes preceptes But he testified playnly before them that this made nothing against the fear of death For although sayeth he I haue kept gods preceptes very straightly yet I can not be without the feare of death for I knowe that gods iudgement is not lyke vnto mans This Father proceded so farre that he vnderstoode that when these tourmentynges begynne and dryue vs to God and to his iudgement that Gods Iudgement is so greuous seuere and harde that our holines and good workes can not withstande and susteyn it Wherfore although the lawe is to be taught and the discipline of good woorkes is to bee put in execution the cōmandements to be done yet when death commeth let vs dispaire as concernyng all oure workes and the rightuousnes therof This is one of the poore that is mencioned in this place But hee can not telle what he myght surely stycke vnto For this was lackyng to him wherof Christ speketh in this place The Gospell is preached to the poore But the Gospell is suche a doctrine as touchyng Christe that it comforteth a synner and dothe adhort hym not to feare For Christ commaunded it to be preached to the contrite that he geueth his owne rightuousnes for thee which is euerlastinge Thys Grace dooth hee procure to bee taught to thee by his worde Wherfore doubt not It shall chance vnto thee as thou hearest if thou beleue For the Gospell signifieth a faire and quiet doctrine ioyfull tidynges If a riche man woulde promise to a begger a thousand nobles that would be a gospell to the begger and ioyfull tydynges and pleasant to the eare But what ar all riches in comparison of this gospell and good tidynges that Christe hath respect vnto the poore and is suche a kynge whiche maketh the dead synners and captiues of the lawe parttakers of euerlasting life righteousnes Suche is my kingdom saith he muche vnlike the kingdom of the worlde wher only this regard is had to aduaunce the mighty For he that is moste of might there doth moste oppresse the poore Ther the potestate vseth extremitie which spareth no man can not suffer vice vnpunished Wher it hath his sergeāts his rods the sword water fier that the euyll doers may be punished But in the kingdom of Christ it wil be otherwise Wherfore as it is a miracle to rayse the dead so is this the chiefe miracle that God hath sent vs such a kinge that is kinge of sinners and sheweth his gospell to them Moses and his law knoweth of no such kinge For there it is enacted that he that is a sinner is condemned to the diuell and to death This now appereth hereby that God is kinge of the holy and rightuous which hath farre perfecter holynes then that that the ciuill lawes requier And it is trew that that doctrine of the law is Gods word and that Moyses ministration by the lawe is Gods ministration As lykewise the ciuill empires are well called the empires of God for as much as he cōmaundeth such to be had vs also to obei therto But these are onli the empires of Gods lefte hād But the kingdome of his right hand is wher he reigneth him self neither doth he substitute any lieutenantes parētes magistrates other officers but he ruleth him self so ordreth the matter that the gospel be preached to the poore In the which thou learnest that whē thy rightuousnes cā not abide the iudgement of God to say thus I haue done lord that I cold I haue obeied my parēts masters with al diligence I haue done no man any dishonestie I haue not ben a murmurer I haue sene diligētli to my houshold them that were committed to my cure I haue done no wrong to my neighboure I haue not stollen I haue not cōmitted aduoutery c. But what is this to the purpose whē the matter is tried before thy Iudgemēt This is nothing to thy kingdō Wherfore whē I know that thing in thy gospel that thy sonne our Lord Iesu Christ shewed diuers signes amōgest the which this is also that thi sonne preached to the poore that is that he was sent frō the to this purpose to cōfort the afflicted cōsciences to this entēt haue I now receaued the gospel For I can not be without it wheras I am vexed and poore and there is no wher els any confort either in my goodes either in all the worlde Thus saith also the prophet Esaias of Christ as Christ saith here also the lord hath geuē me a learned toung that is God hath put this word in my tongue that I may at due season speake with the weary that is confort the dreadfull cōsciēces As the euāgelist doth expoūd it in this place saith that the gospell is preached to the poore for the king Christ was sent to preache good tydings to cōfirme the trembling fearful cōsciences And his kingdome is a kingdō of cōfort wherein the dreadful muste be
doing this message So ought we to do also We ought to vse our giftes wtout pride to other mēs profit saluatiō to despise no mā The exāple of Christ as touchīg this is more euidēt He regardeth euery man so much that as he cam poore nedy into this world so he taketh vnto him the pore nedy that seke helpe that hath nede of hym for this cause is he called sauiour The great estates of Ierusalem neuer thought that Christ pertayned vnto them The bare shepheards haue nede of this and therfore are iudged worthye to heare first this short sermon of the angels as touchyng the byrth of our sauiour Christ. Wherein the Angel wold vs to vnderstād the a sauiour is geuen vs against syn death and the dyuel For these are the words of the sermon Feare ye not this day is borne for you a sauiour which is Christ the Lord. These are no mannes words neither haue they their beginning of mannes hart For the wisest that be know nothing of this But these words are put out with a godly reuelation And we thāks be to God are chosen to this felowshippe For it is al one whether thou readest or hearest these words of the Angell as though thou hadst heard them presently of the Angell For the shepheardes sawe not the Angels only they dyd see a light brightnes they heard the words of the Angels whiche yet are rehersed in sermons and read in bookes if we had the grace to learne them put them in practyse Now if any mā should cōpare this word of the angel with that word of Moses which he heard of the angels in mount Sinay he shal fynd great differēce For this it was there Al things wer applied there to terrifie mē almost both body and lyfe was in daunger by thūder lyghtning such other things But here do the Angels preach to banishe feare to make men cherfull to put away dread and to truste for saluation and to begin to looke for better and that they might be of a good courage specially for this childes sake which is called oure sauiour is so named of the Angell and entitled Christ the Lord. For whatsoeuer ther is writē it is that we should always hope wayte for him that is called Christe For the law could do no thing against syn death works and euery mans righteousnes preuayled not All the saluation was sett in Christ that he might be trusted vnto in trouble This doth the angels beholde and testifie that it is he in whom dependeth all hope of saluation and remission of synnes Then muste we cast away al doctrines religiōs wherby saluation eternall lyfe is wrought without Christ. For if Christ be he thē cā not Mary his mother Peter Paule nor Austyne Frances nor Dominike with his rules wheras in the Papacie their doctrine led men to intercessions of saintes and obseruations of Mounkerie But how doth this agre with the angels sermon Yea or how doth it agre with the verse that is songe in the Church Wherin we that glorifie Christ condemne the Pope all his Iusticiaries of a moste greuouse wickednes wheras we syng after this sort If this childe had not bene borne for vs surely ther could haue bene no way foūd to saue vs If all them that are without Christ are damned what helpeth the Mounkes rule or the Priests Masse to saluation All things are subiect to damnation Ther is no exceptiō because the speach is vniuersal If they loke for saluation they haue it not by Mounkerie massinge faste and canonicall howers but by Christ which hath that name is called a sauiour This sermō of the Angels was lefte in the Papacie with that verse that is vsed in the church vnto this tyme but no man vnderstode it For there lacked true and faithful preachers therfore wher as no preaching and wher these words are not set foorth effectuously There be these things both song reade but no man vnderstandeth them For no man cā denye this but that all the other things were in the Papacie Baptisme the Lords supper the texte of the Gospell the prayer of the Lord the articles of the faith the ten commandements And euen now the Papistes haue all these things with vs sauing that they haue changed the supper of the Lord and hath peruerted his testament But al these things are domb with thē Wherfore when they reherse reade or otherwyse vse them they neither vnderstād the words nor the ceremonies Al the fault is that they regarded not the doctrine that by it men might be certified of the meaning of the words that are dayly vsed in hearing reading singing But he cā not wel stirre vp other that is a slepe himself The preacher must be earnest vigilāt For if he be cold he will make his audiēce wearie be they neuer so attēte as we may se this true by the Pope for he was dalying in al kind of Idlenes pastance Wherfore he cold not take hede to this sermō And although he set it forth with versicles lessons as we do yet they know nothīg of it nor vnderstād it And bi this meanes both these things are amōg the papistes They reade in the Gospel that a sauiour is borne they singe it in the Church that if this child had not bē borne no mā could be saued that this saluation is for al men Yet neuer the lesse they cal on the virgin Mary they faste they worship saints they go on pilgrimage to their relikes they hire bye masses What is this then to make an other sauiour not to be cōtent with the testimonie of this sermō but to set vp Mary other sayntes yea and the beggerly works of men in the rome of this sauiour borne child Wherfore we haue no small cause to pray to God for couragious earnest preachers to enkēdle the light of this doctrin that we not only heare reade but also vnderstande wher suche preachers be not ther is no other hope but that we falle therby in peril as it is now What good can a nutt do if thou can not come by the kernel what profiteth a treasure if we haue no power to bryng it abrode The sermon of the Angel is euident inough To you is borne a sauiour Yet it is not so pythye that an old papistical doctor cā perceaue it For if he did perceaue it he wold not councel men to mounkerie to pray vnto sayntes to purchase the merites of men to seke other sauiours But wher God sendeth a diligent wittie preacher that can stirre vp the vehemencie of such words in the mynds of the hearers he geueth a great power by this doctrine to iudge of all false doctrines deceytfull spirits Neither is it possible although the dyuell tourneth him self in to all sorts but that he must nedes be perceaued and reproued
vpon thy heart as a bracelet on thy arme Here it requireth a signe or marke not onely that it may flowe aboue in the heart as fome doth in the water or spettle in the tongue which is caste out but that all thynges might be surely printed in the hearte that it might be so surely graued therin that no man might abolishe it no other wyse than if it were geuen by byrth and nature whiche can be extinguished by no power Suche was the hearte of Mary whiche kept these words as sure as though they were graued therin And all that doth receaue the word on this wyse hath the true marke of CHRIST the true cautery and signe They will not suffer the word to be wreste out of the hands of their harte Whatsoeuer sectaries or scysmatykes rise agaynst it ye or the dyuell hym self as they haue once beleued and knowen of this chylde so they kepe it constantly But we must marke this also If we will desire that Gods word should enter after this maner in to our hartes we muste also take more hede Lett vs learne of this lytle example How oftentymes one thing is taught and repeted to childern vntill they beare it away And thynke we that such great matters be gotten with so lytle care By and by assone as the sermon is done we go vnto other busynes we care not for that that we hearde we vse deaffull ouerthwartnes in all things We ought fyrst to seke the kyngdom of God and to haue diligent studie theron But we think that that may be done laste we do all oure owne busynes fyrst as concerning oure wordly welth and pleasure c. If this were not we wold sett by Gods word as much as we do oure busines But men can not be persuaded so to do Wherfore it is no marueill if ther be such great infirmitie that we quickly forgett altogether as it appeareth in temtation Yet Christian men know their duetye They counte nothing better or more precious then GODS word Wherfore their myndes dwell only in it And although they haue muche wordly busines to do yet their mynde inclineth to this wherin lyeth matters of greater weight And this farre haue we spoken of the example of Mary whiche the Euangelist thought worthy to be rehersed because it is of no small commoditie and profite It foloweth The shepheards retourned glorifying and praysing God in all things which they had heard and seen as it was said vnto them AFTER that the shepheards hade spred abrode the fame as touchyng this chylde IESV so that it could now be vnknowen to no man in all the towne of Bethleem they retourne to their flockes they glorifie and prayse GOD. For the Angels gaue them this commandement in their verse This doctrine therfore besyde all other is to be taken as most worthy to be remembred that the shepheardes after they had gotten the great light and knowledge of Christ they go not to the desert they take not vp their lodgyng in a monasterie or abbey after the maner of Mounkes and Nonnes But they see to their vocation and bestowe them selues to serue and helpe their neighboure For they that leaue this kynde of lyuinge in this body and take on them to lyue after an other sorte be neuer made such by faith As the Mounkes were of this opinion that they could not be saued excepte in the ende they shewed them selues to be vnlyke other men For excepte they wore other apparell and dyd eat after an other sorte and also watche c. they thought thē selues also to be prophane vnreligious as other Wherfore they inuēted out an vnused trade of liuing peculiar to them selues for their apparel meate tyme place This did they count Christianitie naming it religiō And in dede it was religiō but yet of the diuell For he also hath his religious But Christ came not to change externall things and to subuert his creatures and make new Wherfore the body may be appareled fed and constrayned to labour as nede and necessitie requireth For the creature is to be vsed by Gods ordinance without any chaunging He came not to chaunge any thing therof It is permitted to mannes free will to chaunge apparell and meate when the matter require it And as for this chaunge it may be done in beastes also This chaunge is a thing of no great estimation neither was it is necessary for CHRIST to set it foorth How much more is it against reason that such mutation and change should be estemed for Gods seruice and for a religious obseruation But herein consisteth the true mutation for the which came Christ that men should be chaunged inwardly in their heartes Before this openinge of the Gospell at oure tyme I thought that God had no regard of me and that the gouernance of my saluatiō consisted in my self I knew nothing herof how synne or death ought to be ordered And therfore many fell vnto Mounkerie But there is not so great vertue in a cowle apparell eating and faste c. death is not slayne herby syn is not put asyde by this For both they remayne vnder a cowle as well as vnder other garmentes But this thing is here gone about that the heart it self may purchase a new light and a new token of remembrance as it was said before that it may be surely persuaded that GOD hath respecte vnto it and regardeth it For he sent his sonne into the flesh that I by hym myght ouercome death and obtayn euerlasting lyfe This is the true change For before my heart knew not but now it knoweth And this chaunge is now brought by CHRIST that the heart and mynd may be renewed and that an other vnderstanding will and affection might rise therin For where as before there was great loue of mony and riches now after that Christ is knowē not these things only but also body and lyfe and all other things are rather to be put in perill than that Christ should be forsaken and his word Before thou woldest not bye Christs fauour for an half peny now there is nothyng so hygh of pryce that thou woldest set more by than Christ. Before thou thoughtest that thy saluation consisted in a fryers wede now thou hatest it worse than a madde dogge or an adder Before we counted it a great synne if we hade eaten fleshe on frydaye nowe doo we abhorre and execrate their wickednes whiche made it deadly synne to doo it This is an inwarde chaunge whiche belongeth to the heart whereas is an other will and affection of the heart than was before and yet it forsaketh not his vocation but kepeth his old kynd of lyfe as the example of the shepheardes teacheth vs to do At the fyrst the shepheards neuer thought that a sauiour was borne But after that they knew it by the Angels they make haste to the towne and seke the chylde And when they had seen hym and declared
if he muste redeme the matter by pryce he hath mony enough to do that And this is it with all the other corporall gyftes wit wisdome power For in them is their store of helpe and saluation as farre as God hath appoynted them to be to oure saluation The mother bryngeth foorth chyldern The physition helpeth the sycke The lawyer by the exacte lawe defendeth against the wrongfull doers But when this lyfe is at an ende neither can the cōscience hyde her synnes before Gods iudgement then is there place made for this sauiour Iesu. For then is there no store of helpe in any thing besyde All things do fayle no power is so great or wil so redy that cā defēd against the euill of the conscience and of death In this case if thou demand from whence thou moste looke for helpe haue respecte only to this chylde For that cause is he named Iesus that he might be present and saue all that knowledge him looke for saluation of hym But in this resteth the whole matter that thou suffer no other name to be geuen to this chylde And then that thou graunt not that this name that belōgeth to this chylde should be transposed to other as to Frances Dominike to the Carthusians Masses Uigiles Pardōs almes fastings and such lyke For all this is abhominable And a good cause whi there cā no other sauiour be inuented against synne Wherfore he that wold haue an other sauiour whether it be the rule of the Carthusians or any other thing he goeth cleane without saluation Therfore he that could name this child by his true name and could inculcat Christ into hymself were blessed For in this name are al things wherfore store of saluation is there to be looked for and no wher els But now the dyuels endeuour lyeth all in this that this chyld might haue an other name made that men should perceaue hym to be a iudge and chose them other sauiours and helpers against Gods wrothe But the matter is certaine and can neuer be other wyse or made frustrat Iesus hath not his name that he should healpe the with corporall benefites As touching this matter the disposition and order is certainly ordeyned Gene. 2. where God saith Beare rule ouer the fishes of the sea the byrdes of the ayer and the beastes of the earth But he is called Iesus bycause he is a sauiour then sheweth saluatiō when al things do fayle and are voyd of helpe whan we muste now depart into an other lyfe Wherfore this name casteth of all things whatsoeuer without Christ is caste before vs for the remission of synnes For when the Mounke thinketh my rule is able to make God mercifull It is nothing els to say in dede than My rule is with the name Iesus And whereas the Pope and all teachers of that secte holdeth that only faith iustifieth not but workes also be necessarie to saluation It is no other thing than Good workes are with the name Iesus But it is abhominable sacrilege that my worke should be with the name Iesus This name belongeth only to this chyld The Pope the Byshops and Mounks c. doth not so Neither do we also at all when we geue place in oure conscience to feare for oure synnes sake than to confort for Christs sake neither when we thinke this If I had lyued on this wyse if I had done this or the worke I should haue an easier case before God The holy Ghost can not abyde this but indeuoreth with all might that this chyld may haue his name remayning whole and that no other may be receaued into the felowship therof That when we haue nede of saluation against syn and eternall death we put no trust in oure workes or in the merites of al the saintes but that we stycke vnto this child only by faith which hath this name and is called Iesus Neither can it be taken from hym without sacrilege But they that go about to take it from hym as the Pope Turke and Mounkes do presume they shal perceaue in dede that they haue committed such sacrilege that shall neuer be remitted Cōtrarily if there be but two or three of vs that trust in this name of the chyld all the might and power of hell is not able to caste vs from saluation I will not speake how the world should somwhat feare for hindering of this saluation For the Angell brought this name from heauen and named the child IESVS before he was conceaued in his mothers wombe Wherfore when they that persecute this name and sette vp other sauiours shall go against Gabriel the Angell or shal reproue him of a lye he him self shall appeale to God and say Lord thou hast geuen me this commaundement that I should geue this chylde this name And then shall it be knowen what the persecuters do preuayle against this name they haue remayning for them self neither God neither Iesus And they shall dye and perishe for euer in their synnes This shall be the ende of this matter with their moste greuouse destruction Wherfore let vs neuer forget this name but let vs surely beare this away that this chyld is the only Sauiour agaynst death syn and the dyuell If the world shall hate vs therfore surely it can not doo it with good lucke and prosperitie If it will not knowledge this chylde for a Sauiour we can not constrayne it But let it consyder from whence it shall receaue saluation when death shall fall on his head whether there be any defence agaynst it in mennes workes in faste prayer almes masses inuocation of sayntes c. Let this be the stablishement of all oure matters to know for a suertye this name to be geuen from God to this chylde that it should be called Iesus or a Sauiour For we shall know and fele this oure Sauiour without coaction that is we shall haue a suer truste in hym when the dreadfull senses of synne and death shall be caste agaynst vs that there is prepared in hym for vs moste sure saluation We knowe that this hope and fayth is greatly alowed of God that it receaueth great renoume Where as contraryly he suffereth the great indignation of God whiche doth either seeke other sauiours or els will not know this sauiour at all Now therfore compare the name of the chyld and the thyng that was done when the name was geuen The chylde Iesus receaueth circumcision as other chyldern doo where as neuerthelesse he hath no nede of it as a synner hath because he is without synne and nede not to be purifyed for as muche as he is pure all redye But this is done bycause his name is IESVS that he may be a Sauiour agaynst synne and an euill conscience agaynst death and all euill that commeth of synne For he is circumcised that he might be vnder the lawe and let none of al things vndone that were enioyned of God at any tyme to men
trēble they as these do 〈◊〉 fele no consolation nor conforte in the worde for he that feleth death and is not armed with the worde of god against death the terrours of the same he is madde wode frantike fareth as though he were in desperation yea and possessed with the deuil Cōsider therfore O dearely beloued what a great treasure precious Iewel ye get when ye diligently gladly heare the word of God The firste is this ye know the ye are of god haue ouercome the deuil and al his infernal armie that neither sinne nor damnation hath any power ouer you Moreouer what soeuer shoulde be obiected againste you to the hyndraunce of your saluation it can not preuaile againste you but ye shall easely ouercome it But contrariwise the worlde with the leaste trouble that cōmeth waxeth madde is impaciēt falleth vnto vtter desperation The Christians vndoubtedly in this worlde haue many troubles For the worlde the deuil hate thē most extremely Therfore are they at al times in daunger of life of goods of fame of al that euer they haue Now how shal they fynde meanes to suffer these thinges paciently verely by none otherwaye then by holdinge faste the worde and cleauinge harde to the same saying let it go as it wil go I am not of the world but of god for if I were of y◠world that worlde wolde deale otherwise with me But I had rather a thousand times that worlde should hate persecute me then loue me so fal out of the fauour good will of god Where the minde is thus affected setled all the troubles aduersities of that worlde passe awaye as a cloude or as a byrde that is swyfte of wynge They shewe them selues a litle while vnto vs but straight way they are gone Let this be your greate singuler consolation that euen in this life ye fele the power of y◠worde but specially then whē death cōmeth which now thorow the faith that ye haue in the worde is euē as a swete pleasaunt slepe And as he y◠walketh ī darkenes perceaueth not the theaues is y◠soner oppressed ouerthrowen yea that befor he be ware euē so goeth it with the faithful the deuil is the theife mur therer hath sworne our bodely death so that we cā not escape it notwithstāding when we are enarmed with the worde holde faste that we shal scasely fele death or any payne therof For the worde setteth men in a ioyeful and quiet state maketh their cōsciences chereful mery and gladde so that they despaire not when aduersitie cōme neither make they any busines whē they loose their promotiōs lyuinges but kepe pacience in all kinde of aduersitie yea when death cōme they embrace it ioyefully receaue it without any feare at al onely this is their conforte that for Christes sake they haue a merciful father in heauen For this they learne in the word without the word they can learne nothing If there were non other cause that we should desyre the knowledge of gods word but only to learne how we ought to take these dayly cōbrances aduersities that chaunce vnto vs it might worthely seme a cause sufficient But this is nothing in comparison of the last miserie that cōmeth by death For as cōcerning that it is euident that then there is no helpe in any phisition or in any other thinge Christe alone our Lord is he which helpeth vs which also ought to be more estemed of vs then al the things in the worlde But how goeth it with vs whē he offereth vs this helpe remedie yea and bringeth it home to our owne dores we despise it and set naught by it This therfore chaunceth vnto vs worthely afterwarde that we be not of God and so by litle and litle dayly fall more and more into more greuous sinnes and become worse worse as it is sufficiently before sayd When suche are at the point to dye they can fynde neyther helpe nor councel And what remayneth there for all suche then lamentation feare tremblyng horroure yollyng out roring yea desperation and damnation Therfore this is the principal point of doctrine contayned in the Gospell of this present sonday that we diligentlye embrace the worde gladly heare it and faithfully beleue it If ye do this then shall ye ouercome synne deuyll death hel c. And althoughe death shall take you out of this lyfe yet shal ye fele no payne of hym but it shal be vnto you as a moste swete and pleasaunt slepe For the worde of God is suche a conforte and present helpe that it bringeth vnto vs a quiet lyfe a mery cōscience euerlastyng saluation As for the vngodly and suche as despyse the worde of God there can no more mischief be wyshed vnto them then they suffer all redy For seing they heare not the worde of God they are not of God As an vnruly childe whiche despyseth the commandement of God careth not for his parentes What can be spoken more vnto his reproche then that he is the sonne of the deuill and not of God This is not lightly to be regarded or to be set naught by For it were better to be the bonde slaue of the Turke or of any other most barbarous and cruell tyraunt then to to be the captiue and bondslaue of the deuyll which is an accuser a calumniatour a picker of quarels a murderer and seketh all means possible to cast vs into vtter destruction Take hede of this mischiefe and dilygently consider with your selfs in what gret reuerēce and estimation ye ought to haue the woorde of God For there is none other reskue help or remedy against euerlasting death deuyl sinne hell c. then to hold fast the word of Christ that is to say to beleue his promise and thorow faith in his worde to haue a sure hope of euerlastyng saluation For when Christ saith He that wyll kepe my woorde shall neuer see deathe He meaneth not the lawe that God gaue to the Iewes by Moyses Whiche lawe although it bee a trewe holy and profitable doctrine yet seyng we because of our vicious and corrupt nature can not obey that doctrine it is become vnto vs the ministerie of deathe and alwaies reproueth accuseth and condemneth our sinne before God Therfore haue we nede of an other word that we may be delyuered from synne and be iustified before God And that nowe is the woorde of Christe where he sayth He that beleueth in me shall neuer se deathe This worde muste be apprehended and layde hande on with a strong faithe so that we may by no means doubt but that it is true which Christ promyseth For he that refuseth the worde and taketh counsell of his owne deuise he shal fynd death and not life Therfore in the agony of death not according to that we fancie but according to
though I shoulde dye with thee yet wyll I not denye thee lykewyse also sayde all the disciples Thenne came Iesus with theym vnto a farme place whiche is called Gethsemane and sayde vnto the Disciples Sytte ye here whyle I go and praye yonder And he tooke with hym Peter and the two sonnes of Zebede and beganne to waxe sorowfull and heauye Then saide Iesus vnto them My soule is heauye euen vnto the deathe Tary ye heare and watche with me And he wente a littell farther and felle flatte on his face and praied sayinge O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilte And he came vnto the Disciples and founde them a slepe and sayde vnto Peter What coulde ye not watche with me one houre Watche and praye that ye enter not into temptation The spirite is willyng but the fleshe is weake He wente awaye ones again praied saying O my father if this cup may not passe away from me except I drinke of it thy wyl be fulfylled And he came and found them a sleepe agayne for theyr eyes were heauye And he left them and wente agayne and prayed the thirde tyme saying the same wordes Then commethe he to his disciples and sayde vnto them Sleepe on nowe and take your rest Behold the houre is at hande and the sonne of man is be trayede into the handes of sinners Ryse let vs be goyng beholde he is at hande that doth betray me Whyle he yet spake loe Iudas one of the number of the twelue came and with hym a greate multitude with swordes and staues sent from the chief Priests and elders of the people But he that betrayed hym gaue them a token saying Who soeuer I kysse the same is he holde hym faste And forthe with he came to Iesus and sayde Hayle Maister and kyssed hym And Iesus sayd vnto hym Frend wherfore art thou come Then came they and layde handes on Iesus and toke hym And beholde one of them whiche were with Iesus stretchede out his hande and drewe his sworde and stroke a saruaunt of the hye Priestes and smote of his eare Then saide Iesus vnto hym Put vp thy sword into the sheathe for all they that take the sworde shall perysh with the sword Thinkest thou that I can not now pray to my father and he shall geue me euene nowe more then twelue legions of Angels But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfylled For thus muste it be In the same houre sayde Iesus to the multitude Ye be come out as it were to a thiefe with swordes and staues for to take me I sat dayly with you teachyng in the Temple and ye toke me not But all this is done that the Scriptures of the Prophetes myght be fulfylled Then all the Disciples forsoke him and fled And they toke Iesus and led him to Caiphas the hye priest where the Scribes and the Elders wer assembled But Peter folowed him afarre of vnto the hie priests palace went in and sat with the seruants to se the end The chief priests and Elders and all the counsel sought false witnes against Iesus for to put hym to death but founde none yea when many false witnesses came yet found they none At the last came two fals witnesses and sayd This felowe said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to buyld it agayn in thre daies And the chief priest arose and said vnto him Answerest thou nothing Why doo these beare witnes against thee But Iesus held his peace And the chief Priest answe red and said vnto hym I charge thee by the liuynge God that thou tell vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of God Iesus said vnto hym Thou hast said Neuerthelesse I saye vnto you herafter shal ye se the sonne of man sytting on the right hande of power and commynge in the cloudes of the skye Then the hye Priest rent his clothes saying He hath spoken blasphemye what nede we of any more wytnesses Behold nowe ye haue heard his blasphemie what thynke ye They aunswered and sayde Hee is woorthye to dye Then did they spit in his face and buffeted hym with fistes And other smote hym on the face with the palme of their handes saying Tell vs thou Christ who is he that smote thee Peter sate without in the Court and a damosel came to hym sayinge Thou also wast wyth Iesus of Galilee But hee denyed before them all saying I wote not what thou sayest When he was gone out into the Porche an other wenche sawe hym and sayde vnto theâ—â— that were there Thys fellowe was also wyth Iesus of Nazareth And agayn he denyed with an othe sayinge I do not know the man After a whyle came vnto hym they that stoode by and said vnto Peter Surely thou art euen one of them for thy speeche bewrayeth thee Then beganne he to curse and to sweare that he knewe not the man And immediatlye the Cocke crewe and Peter remembred the woorde of Iesu whiche sayd vnto hym Before the Cocke crowe thou shalt denye me thryse and he wente out and wept bytterly When the mornyng was come all the chiefe Priestes and Elders of the people healde a Councelle agaynste Iesus to put him to death and broughte him bounde and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pilate the deputie Then Iudas whiche hadde betraied him seing that he was condemned repented hym selfe and broughte againe the .xxx. plates of siluer to the chiefe Priestes and Elders sayinge I haue synned betrayinge the Innocent bloode And they saide What is that to vs See thou to that And he caste downe the syluer plates in the Temple and departed and wente and hanged hymselfe And the chiefe Priestes tooke the siluer plates and saide It is not lawfull for to put them into the treasure because it is the price of bloode And they tooke counsel and bought with them a potters field to bury strangers in Wherefore the fielde is called Acheldema that is the fielde of bloud vntill this day Then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by Hieremye the Prophete sayinge And they toke .xxx. siluer plates the price of him that was valued whome they boughte of the children of Israell and gaue them for the Potters fielde as the Lorde appoynted me Iesus stode before the Deputie and the deputie asked him sayinge Art thou the kinge of the Iewes Iesus said vnto hym Thou sayest And when hee was accused of the chiefe Priestes and Elders he aunswered nothinge Then saide Pylate vnto hym Hearest thou not howe many witnesses they laye against thee and he aunswered him to neuer a worde in somuche that the Deputie meruailed greatly At that feast the Deputie was wont to deliuer vnto the people a prisoner whom they would desire He had then a notable prisoner called Barrabas Therefore when they were gathered together Pylate sayde Whether wyll ye that I geue lose vnto you Barrabas or Iesus whiche is called Christ For he knew that
worlde was cast into such necessitie feare that his father sent an Angel vnto him for to conforte him as Luke in the aforesaid place doth also testifye That stryffe of death is fearefull beyond all measure and taketh awaye all strength of nature as we see in condemned persons whiche are sodenlye taken to be put vnto death What a meruelous torment anger appeareth there in them til nature hath made her selfe captiue to death so that the payne and death it selfe may iustly seme to be nothyng in comparison of that great agonie trouble and feare How excedyng greate vnmeasurable it was in Christe his bloudy sweate that came from him doth manifestly declare whiche thing was neuer done nor hearde of any other This calamitie and fearefulnes was afterwarde wonderfully encreased when he hanging vpon the crosse was forsaken of all his disciples frendes again mocked scorne and spitefully rayled on of his enemyes in somuche that he being in suche an agonie cried out vnto his heauenly father sayinge O my god O my God why hast thou forsakē me wherof we may rede more at large in the xxij Psalme of Dauid In the whiche psalme the Prophete hath exactly painted set forth the bytter complaintes and the afflicted conscience of Christe miserable and forsaken where also thou shalt fynde in what angore and affliction he was for our synnes And here let vs lerne as we sayde before the highe hatred greate displeasure and extreme wrathe that God beareth against synne in so muche that because of that he woulde not spare his only begotten and dearely beloued son nor yet forgeue him seinge he toke vpon him the cause of other mens sins as we may see in the Prophete Esaye And S. Paule sayeth He spared not his onely begotten sonne This signified Christ also when he spake to the women on this wise If they do this in a moyste tree what shall be done in a seare drie tree As though he should say Learne of me whiche beare other mens syns and in my selfe am innocent righteous and holy what punishmentes ye haue deserued and what shall chaunce vnto you which by nature are synners and wycked can do nothing that good is Therfore Christ warneth the women to wepe vpon thē selues which with their sinnes had deserued that payne and punishment that he nowe must suffer In consideration wherof s. Peter sayth If the righteous shall scaslye be saued where shall the sinner the vngodly appeare for God hath here plainly and euidētly set forth before our eyes in Christ his anger wrath displeasure against sinne seinge that he suffred the highe goodnes innocencie wisedome iustice euen his onely begotten sonne to to cōme because thereof into extreme pouertie paine contempt ignominie as though he were the greatest enemie that god hath suche one as is not worthy to liue on the groūd yea god did so shew him self toward him as thoughe he had geuen him ouer for euer euer wold neuer after be reconciled vnto him as Christe miserablye complaineth in the xxij psalme And al this came to passe for other mens sinnes whiche Christe tooke vpon him O how horribly shal god auenge sins in them that naturally are prone and bent vnto sinne and cane none otherwise then sinne and do wickedly seing he declared this so seuerely in his sonne in whō notwithstanding he had a singuler delight and great pleasure O howe greuously shall he punishe them whiche confesse not their sinnes yea whiche wil be counted holye and righteous and wyl by no meanes receaue Christe to be their sufficient Sauiour and perfecte redemer to purge and put away their sinnes but will rather cleaue to their owne righteousnes to their owne workes and to the merites an intercessiōs of other Therfore let all true and faithfull Christians diligently cōsider this matter and with all study and labour beware of sinne and of the wrath of god seing it coste the sonne of God the price of his lyfe seinge also that for the aduoydinge of the same he was enforced to suffer most greuous payne greate bytter sorowe and at the laste the moste ignominious and shamefull death of the crosse that by this meanes he mighte apeace the wrath of GOD kyndled againste man for synne delyuer man from synne reconcile man to his heauenly father and make him enheritour of euerlasting glorie Fourthly let vs consider the fruites and profites of the passion and death of Christ. For this is our ioye and comforte verely as they be greate so are they infinite and innumerable if they were diligently and at large wayghed pondered and considered for Christe is that true wheat corne wherof he himselfe speaketh in the Gospell of Iohn sayinge verely verely I saye vnto you except the wheate corne fall into the groūde die it abideth alone But if it dye it bring forth much fruite Of these many fruites we will declare some yea and those the cheife and principall For those being knowen and perfectly beleued no man shall lyghtly wauer in his conscience nor yet despaire thorowe pusillanimitie and wekenes of minde but he shal be conforted and lyfted vp with a sure hope of the merites of Christes passion and alwayes stand firme and constante in all assaultes of the enemie The first fruite of Christes passion is that Christe God man by his death hath redemed and deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe For seinge the hearte of man by nature is euil and there is no man that doth good but all sorte of vs before the iudgement of God are synners and lyars the curse of the lawe by this meanes cōmeth vpon vs and condempneth vs as despisers and transgressours of the lawe and saith Cursed be euery one that abideth not in all thynges that are written in the boke of the lawe that he maye do them From this curse and iudgement of the lawe hath Christe deliuered vs which hath taken vpon him our cause and satiified the lawe that so many as put their confidence faith and truste in him he shoulde make free from suche curse sentence and iudgement of the lawe and so by his death hath redemed and deliuered vs from the lawe so that it can no more condemne vs as sainct Paule testifieth in his Epistle to the Galathians sayinge Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe whyle he became accursed for our sake Nowe howe Christe became accursed Paule declareth more at large and sayth It is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree This sentence of the lawe was generall ouer all that were crucified and put to death on the crosse Among whom Christe also came and outwardly suffered the ignominie and curse of the lawe and was reputed taken and iudged as a malefactour and wycked person But Christe by suffrynge vnworthely the outwarde curse condēnatiō of the law ouercame did
Amen An other Sermon on Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell Iohn iii. THere was a man of the Pharyseis named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes The same came to Iesus by nyght and sayde vnto hym Rabbi we knowe that thou arte a teacher come from God for no man coulde do suche miracles as thou doest excepte God were with hym Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Ueryly veryly I saye vnto thee except a man be borne from aboue he can not se the kingdome of God Nichodemus sayde vnto hym Howe can a man bee borne when he is olde Canne he enter into his mothers wombe and be borne agayne Iesus aunswered Ueryly veryly I saye vnto thee excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdom of god That which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Marueyle not thou that I sayde to thee ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but thou canst not tell whence it commeth nor whyther he goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nicodemus answered and sayd vnto hym Howe can these thinges be Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Art thou a maister in Israell and knowest not these thynges Ueryly veryly I say vnto thee we speake that we know and testifie that we haue sene and ye receiue not our witnesse If I haue tolde you earthly thinges and ye beleue not howe shall ye beleue yf I tell you of heauenly thynges And no man ascendethe vp to heauen but he that came downe from heauen euen the sonne of man whiche is in heauen And as Moises lyfte vp the serpente in the wyldernes euen so muste the sonne of man be lyfte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in hym peryshe not but haue euerlastyng lyfe An other Sermon on Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell Iohn iii. THis is a speciall good gospell in the which is declared what is the true and only way to euerlasting life It appereth that it was apointed to the feast of the Trinitie because it maketh so plaine a distinction difference betwene the persons in setting forth the high work of God that god worketh amōg vs men whē he iustifieth saueth vs. For it is certainly pronoūced as touching the father that he loued the world gaue vnto it his only begotten sonne These ar two distinct persons the father the son ech of them hath his propre worke The father loueth the worlde and geueth his sonne The sonne is become a gift and as Christe saith here the sonne geueth hymself to be lift vpon the Crosse as the serpent was exalted of Moses in the desert that all that beleue in him should not perishe but haue euerlastynge lyfe And to this worke also commeth the thirde person the holye Ghoste which by the water of baptisme doth enkendle faithe in our heart and so regenerate vs vnto the kyngdome of heauen Which doctrine is full of swete confort ought to fyll vs with a great truste in God when we see that all the thre persons al the godhead tendeth to this end to preserue vs against deathe and the deuill and that Iustice euerlasting lyfe and the kyngedome of God myght be prepared and made redy for vs. What cause shold we haue therfore to feare in the presence of God for our syn How can we doubt of his good will toward vs For if he had ben willyng to condemne vs for our synnes as we always feare the father would neuer haue geuen vs his onely begotten sonne the father the sonne would neuer haue called vs to baptisme the lauer of regeneration vnder the gouernaunce of the holy ghost And this only thinge do I notifie here as concerning the testimonies of the Trinitie For as touching this article and the doctrine that thervnto belongeth we haue spoken in our former sermon more plentuously Now therfore wil we entreae in order of this gospel and all the partes therof Christ entreth into a long disputation with Nicodemus the chiefe of the Phariseis among the Iewes and that of a matter that Nicodemus coulde not vnderstande the doctrine therof because it semed strange vnto him for lacke of custome therto and because he was accustomed to an other kynd of doctrine Nicodemus beyng no euyll man declareth bothe by word and dede how highly he estemeth Christ where as he setteth so much by him whom his own companions hate so extremely and commeth vnto hym albeit by night to testifie this openly before Christ that he acknowledgeth the power of God to be in him and doth not condemne him against his conscience as dyd the other Phariseis and Scribes Neither is it to be counted blame worthy in this man that he doth acknowlege Christ for the man of God and thinketh him worthy to be receiued of all men for that that he is sent from god What is the cause then that Christ doth seme to receaue this man after an vngentyll sort which gaue suche an excellent praise as concernynge Christe Uerilye there was a verye deadly error in this man whiche ought not to be ouer passed of Christ least that he should seme to consent to Nicodeme in such a great matter wherof yet he was most blamelesse For as touching the knowlege of god he shewed himself here to be very perfect and certain in this that he pronounceth that he knoweth that Christ was sent from God to be a teacher in that he toke the miracles which Christ dyd for the very workes of God But Christ doth declare by his answere wherein he reproueth Nicodemus opinion as touchyng the kyngdome of God what this knowledge preuayleth Nicodemus therefore thynketh this that he knoweth what is the kyngdome of God bycause he knowethe God and vnderstandeth how al things are wrought and gouerned by hym It were true that if he knewe GOD well he muste nedes knowe hys kyngdome But bycause the firste is false CHRIST rebuketh him in the laste that is that he knoweth not what is the kyngdom of God as he thynketh that he doth Wherfore all the disputation standeth in this poynte what is the kyngdome of God and who dothe see it and know it Nicodemus neuer had other opinion before this tyme but that the kyngdom of God had his description in the lawe that out of it might be vnderstande the holynes and sanctitie of God the whiche ought to be performed and fulfylled of all mē yf they wold liue with God most holy in his kyngdom He neuer thought how the synne can not be takē away by the lawe and that the lawe should be but a testimony to declare to vs our synne that it myght be a begynning of a hygher knowledge as concernynge God and hys kyngdome in vs. For he that is ignorant of the kyngdome of grace is ignorant bothe of God and also of his kyngdome Wherfore we muste
the Phariseis in in comparison of them selues whom thei thought iuste exclude synners Thei did see that thei were directe againste the lawe of God in their doynges and therfore thei also pronounced plainly that thei ought to haue no place in the kyngdome of God Thei suspect Christ also that he doth not after Gods will bicause he had to doe with such But consider thou this with thy self to what case the matter will come if synners should be excluded from God and his kyngdome as the Phariseis thinke For although thei suppose that there is a kinde of men that liueth without synne yet GOD and the lawe knoweth none suche For although euery manne committeth not adulterie slaughter and thefte yet before God no manne is without synne yea and those synnes are the more greuous if thei fall in a manne that hath wisedome and strength to resist them If then the Phariseis iudgement be true that GOD doeth tourne awaie from synners it maketh as muche against them selues as against other For by the lawe are not onely reproued the sinnes of the Publicās and of synners but also their owne all others Then will it followe that no men haue place in the kingdome of God So that the Phariseis are proceded so farre by ignoraunce that as thei are fore against other so giue thei a moste greuous sentence against them selues But all their ouersight riseth here of bicause thei knowe not why Gods lawe was giuen neither what corruption of synne there is in all men And as in other thynges one errour bringeth an other so here also of the kyngdome of God doe these hypocrites knowe nothing whiche must nedes be set vp by Gods grace and goodnes But Christ groundyng his reason on true principles openeth the misterie of the Gospell vnknowē to naturall witte and to all that followe the rightuousnes of the lawe that is that God hateth not sinners nor willeth their death and that he declareth this his will in Christ whom he sent into the worlde to bring home againe to their foldes shepe that straye from their flockes and that all his intent hath onely respect to the fulfillyng of the Gospell that the loste and straies maie chiefly be regarded and that all the will of God might hereby bee declared and the Gospell opened to the poore This is plainly an other kinde of doctrine then the doctrine of the lawe and Phariseis whiche taketh not here seede and roote in our nature but is brought from heauen by the sonne of God as saith Ihon. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten soonne whiche is in the bosome of the father sheweth hym forthe For no man knoweth that will of God that he is not angrie with sinners nor damneth them for their synnes but receiueth them rather to his grace and saueth them but all knowe the contrary Wherefore the feare of the wrothe of GOD is naturally ioyned with synne But Christe teacheth vs here by his Gospell that GOD is otherwise mynded towarde synners and that he is not angrie but mercifull and that the Angelles in heauen reioyce when synners repent and amende This doctrine must be the better marked bicause it semeth contrary to our reason that we by it maie confirme our conscience For he that in suche temptation followeth reason and iudgement goeth hedlong to the Deuill and there is no remedie against desperation Wherefore this goeth the matter we must agree surely with Christ contrary to reason and al other thinges that although we are synners yet that by Christ we must be reuoked and called againe as shepe goyng a straye vnto the place of our saluacion As Christ setteth forth a plaine parable in this place to the declaracion of his moste excellent office In diuers other places doeth the Gospell declare why God casteth not awaie synners as in the third of Ihon that GOD is suche that hateth not the worlde but loueth it so that he giueth his onely begotten soonne for the recoueryng thereof that the worlde maie haue confidēce for these sacrifices sake and maie not despeire for their synne For although God might haue helped vs otherwise yet he purposed to doe it by his soonne so that we should haue no cause to doubte of his deliueryng and redemption For this is moste true that God is more pacified by the death of his sonne then offended by our synnes Furdermore there is an other cause set forthe by Christe why God casteth not awaie synners For he sheweth that sinners are a portiō of Gods substance whiche fell from him yet God hath suche respect to the matter that he regardeth not the greatest thynges that he hath vntill that that is loste be recouered And all this waie of recoueryng is sette vp by Christe as he hymself saieth in this place Wherfore it ought to seme no maruell if he make a searche for synners that straye from Gods houshold to bryng them home againe For he is sent for this very cause to bryng home synners againe and if he should dooe otherwise as the Phariseis appoinct hym he could not execute Gods commaundement But it is verie comfortable to see the affection of Christe toward synners whiche is described in the tipe and figure of this careful and studious shepherd whereas he followeth after the straye shepe takyng no care in the meane season of the reste and when he findeth her he beateth her not but handleth her gētly as though she were blamelesse He taketh her on his shoulders and at his retourne he maketh ioyfull gratulacions with his frendes All whiche declareth the greate bounteousnesse and loue of Christ toward man whiche if it should bee well cōmended and set forthe had nede of a long sermone The declaracion of this loue resteth chiefly in hym that is loste weake and in perill as men doe testifie in suche thynges that thei loue Loue is vncertaine when there is any sure trust of aduauntage But when there is daunger and yet there is more care for that that is in daunger then for all that is safe this is naturall and true loue Yet this maye not bee compared with the shadowe of the greate affection of Christe He searcheth for them of whō he was greuously hurt as shepe goyng a stray and as though thei wer in peril without their owne fault and when he findeth them he put them on his shulders What thyng maie a man inuent that is more comfortable and swete Whereas he followeth after thē that are fugitiues and by their owne fault seke their owne destruction ioynyng theim selues with the deuill that is Gods aduersarie and stoutly defendyng his parte and holdyng with Gods enemie the Deuill againste Gods kyngdome He pursueth not after theim I saie as after his hurtfull enemies but searcheth them out as miserable shepe that are in peril endeuoureth wholy hym self to recouer theim before the Woulfe oppresseth theim that is that thei dye not in
poyson with vntymely and vnsauery fruictes to kyll thee To be short there is no number of the plagues and punyshementes whiche God hath in store for synners and wicked persons This therefore is the cause that Christe so â—carefully monysheth weepeth and saieth Consyder nowe thy perill O Hierusalem Thynkest thou that the plague and punyshement will not come vpon thee because it is hyd and deferred for a tyme Thou arte greatly deceiued For the payne is not hyd to this end that thou shouldest escape free and vnplagued but that thou mayst be the more certayn and sure that it will come vppon thee for as muche as thou consyderest not the tyme of thy visitation If therfore thou wylt not abuse this delay and long suffring of God make ones an ende of synnyng and embrace the woorde and so shalt thou prouide well for thy selfe If thou wilt not thou shalt surely perishe and come to naught On this maner dothe Peter also preache sayinge Suppose that the longe sufferyng of the Lord is saluation That is to say Thynke it to be your saluation and that it is done for youre sake that ye shoulde not be damned For if God shold always punyshe accordyng to our deserte and synne none of vs all shold lyue long in this world Notwithstandyng God doth not so but he is long suffryng paciently abydeth our conuersion and deferreth the punyshement Understande this so sayth Peter as a thyng done for youre saluation that ye maye thus saye O Lorde I haue synned diuers waies and often and yet the punyshement therof hath not folowed but is deferred Notwithstandyng what dothe this signifie verily none other thyng then that although the payn be hid yet at the last it will surely come yea and that so much the more greuous because it is differred Therefore be mercyfull to me O Lord Forgeue me my synnes and geue me grace so to repente and amende that I offende no more Here Peter teacheth that we shoulde vse the pacience and long suffering of God vnto our confort and saluation For God desireth not the destruction of menne neyther deliteth he in the death of synners It is therfore for our saluation when God hideth the peyne and deferreth the punyshment But when this waie can do no good with synners but in the daye of wrath they heape vp more wrathe by goyng forthe to syn then can not God any longer deferre his plagues but seyng no hope of amendement he rendreth to the wicked accordyng to their wickednes as daily experience teacheth When theues will not cease from their stealing they at the last come to the gallowes and are hanged The whoremongers and adulterers also goyng forward in theyr vnclennes at the last are taken brought to shame punyshed Thus dyd Christ plainly declare to Hierusalem that although God did as yet hyde the peyne and deferre the punyshement yet that he would at the laste come and most miserably plage those stiffenecked and disobedient people Therfore let euery man feare God Let all thynke this lyttel great olde and yong that if they synne and wyll not cease and repente that punyshement wyll at the laste come For to this ende is the exaumple of Hierusalem that most holy and beautyfull Citie sette forth vnto vs of the whiche citie the very Ethnike histories also report that it was the goodliest citie of all the easte partes But it is now destroyed vtterly brought to naught The cause of the subuersion vtter ruine therof was because it made no ende of synnyng neither would it receaue the woorde of God but rather hate and persecute it Suche example dothe Christ set forth to vs in this Gospell that wee maye repente and amende or ells that we should knowe if we wyll not repent we shall surely bee plagued althoughe the peyne for a tyme be hyd and that when the tyme of punyshment cometh al praiers supplications vnto God shal be frustrate vain as God himself saith by the mouth of Salomon I haue called ye refused it I haue stretched out my hand and no maÌ„ regarded it but all my counsels haue ye despysed set my correction at naughte Therfore shall I also laugh in your destruction and mock you when that thyng that ye fear cometh vpon you euen when the thing that ye be afrayde of falleth in sodeinly lyke a storme and youre miserie like a tempest yea when trouble heuines coÌ„meth vpon you Then shall they call vpon me but I wil not heare They shall seke me early but they shall not fynd me and that because they hated knowledge and receaued not the feare of the Lorde but abhorred my counsayle and despised all my correction Therefore shall they eate the fruites of theyr owne way and be fylled with their own inuentions For the turnyng away of the vnwise shal slea them the prosperitie of fooles shal be their owne destruction Euen thus didde God handle the Iewes The tyme of the siege was not longe euen frome Easter vntill September and all that tyme there was sacrificyng praying and syngyng to the vttermost but all in vayne For God had shutte vp his eares The reason is this For he had hyd and deferred the punyshment that they myght heare his word repent amend and knowe the tyme of theyr visitation But all these thyngs dyd no good with that indurate hard herted and styffenecked people Therfore where he publyshed the punyshement he hyd hym selfe that he coulde bee founde in no place as Oseas the Prophete thretnethe also the kyngdome of Israell They shall come with their shepe and bullockes to seeke the Lorde but they shall not fynde hyme for he is gone from theim This example therfore ought not to be neglected or to be set at naught but for asmuche as God hath suche places in store and wyll at this tyme bryng them to lyghte let vs feare hym And forasmuch as he doth not take vengeance of our synnes out of hande but geueth vs daies of respite that we may repent and amende let vs loue hym as a moste mercyfull Father and saye O Lord I knowe that thou wylt not suffer synne to escape vnpunished notwithstandyng O Lord endue me with thy grace and holy Spirite that I maye amende and escape the punyshement and peyne of thy moste fierce anger He that thus repenteth easily obteyneth mercy and forgeuenes And without doubt Hierusalem had continued vnto thys daye if the Iewes woulde haue knowen the tyme of theyr visitation and mekely haue sayd vnto God O Lorde we haue offended we haue done wickedly our synnes are moste heynous for we haue slayn thy seruauntes the Prophetes Notwithstandyng thou hast now geuen vs thy Gospell to be our helpe and confort for the which we most humbly thanke thee O be thou mercyful vnto vs and geue vs grace to repent and to amend that is amysse that we may become newe creatures and serue thee in holynesse and ryghteousnes all the dayes
how children honor their parents howe seruants obey their masters howe the ministers of the churche are handled then shal ye vnderstand who loueth god and who doth not For children haue this commandement worde from god Honor thy father and mother But they say I let passe my father and mother and will honour and loue thee which art God in heauen Do not God saye thou hast my commandement set forth wherfore if thou loue me thou must loue honour thy parentes also and obey them in all things And this is the true louing of god But what do they Children would haue their parents awaye that they might lyue masterlesse Wherefore this must nedes be true that they loue not God So is it also in other kyndes of life Princes hath in their offices officers they charge them to do their deutie diligently If thou aske whether they loue God all will say yea and that they haue no cause to hate God Well I graunt that But answer why shewest thou no obedience and fidelitie to thy kynge If thou louest god with all thy hearte thou wouldest be more faithfull vnto thy Kyng and wouldest do thy office with more diligence So is there no seruaunt in any house so farre paste shame that will suffer this to be sayed by hym that he hateth God and loue hym not But what doth the louing of god signifie doth it not signifie to kepe Gods commandement and worde As Christ also saith If any man loue me he shal kepe my worde For if thou louest God thou canst not despise his commandements But what commandement geueth god to seruaÌ„ts Or what doth seruantes promise their maisters doth not GOD require that And they do promise also meat and drynke with wages and for that cause maketh a couenant that they shold be faythfull in doynge suche seruice as belonge to the house and shew obedience in their seruice And for this cause also are they called seruants because they serue the housholde by their seruice and helpe them that haue families with their labour and seruice But where be any suche in housholdes Yea rather there is almost no greater disobedience negligence pride then amongest suche Ye and here I let passe the pickynge and stealynge of many of them Wherfore they loue not GOD they hate GOD and care not for his worde or els they woulde shewe more diligence in their seruice But at last they shall be rewarded for theyr vngodlines and lyue all the tyme of their lyfe with the curse of GOD in miserie and beggerie But as touchynge the pastours and ministers of the Churche it is no nede in this place to make longe rehersall The matter is plaine howe they are handled of rulers husbandmen and of their neyghbours craftes men and courtyers so that almost they that kepe hogges are more set by But the commandement of GOD is straight that they shoulde be counted worthie of loue honor and that nothynge should be denied them that is dewe vnto them As it appeareth in Malachie and Christe hymselfe sayth also euery workeman is worthie of his wages Wherfore as thou maiste not denie thy seruant his wages because he is euil So must not thou defraud thy pastour and curate because he is euill If Gods commandement moue thee not be thou sure of this punishement that thy corne beastes and other things shall proue ill and thou shalte louse more therby than euer thou tokest from thy pastor and minister Whereby it is euident that the worlde not onely loueth not GOD but that it is full of hatered towarde GOD. And the condition semeth almost tollerable not to loue GOD if it would not hate hym But all deny this crime But in dede this is very hatynge of God when thou art stubburne against thy parents Lordes Officers and when thou doste not that that God commaunde thee For this is his commaundement that thou shouldest obey and by obedience honour them this commandement doste thou hate For thou canst not find in thy hearte to do it and thou doste refuse to hear hit Who will say than but that thou hateste god This do al men crake that they loue god but wher as they heare commonly to be gods commandement that they should flee couetousnes exercise vpright bargeining auoid auarice the more that these thinges are beaten into them by comon sermons so muche the more stuburnely they go againste it What nede that prieste care say they what I do with my goodes Will he take vpon him to rule me If this belongeth not vnto the prieste it belongeth to god He wil surely reuenge it when he shall see his time by pestilence famine and other mischeifes of fyre and water c. This shall take from thee neither shall they knowlege any benefite therin Wheras thou if thou were a Christian mightest get fauour before God and man and fele and perceaue all thy goodes to encrease Wherfore it coÌ„meth to passe that the Pope the Byshoppes and tyraunts but also townes men rustikes noble men and yomen do not only not heare but also moue persecution againste gods worde For they ought to geue honour vnto gods worde to obey it to fynde the ministers of the churche that that is dew vnto them But they are more redie to catch that from them that they haue then to geue them more and then they stande in their owne conceites as though they did well Wherfore this lesson ought to be borne wel awaye He that hath the worde ought also to loue god that is he ought to know what workes god requireth of hym and obey hym and say Lord Iesu Christ thou hast opened mine eyes to see and know howe thou hast deliuered men from death and syn by thy death and hast made me heier of the kyngdome of heauen of euerlasting lyfe I geue thee thanckes for so great a grace will gladly do again all that thou requirest of me Thou commandest me by thy precepte that I shall honour my father and mother and I will do it gladly and with all my heart Thou gauest me charge that I shold serue my master faythfully and with all my heart I will do my worke diligently and with all obedience I will not refuse to do thy coÌ„mandement Thou haste made me a mother and houswyfe ouer a familie I will well regard thy precepte and will rather bestow my lyfe then not regard my children and familie and see to them with al diligence that they be not seduced This is the very fruite that ought to procede of the woâ—de And it is not possible but god must nedes rewarde such Christian men But here let euery man trye inwardly with hymselfe how greatly he loueth god For to loue god consisteth not only in the thoughtes as the Monkes beleue but to loue god is as Christe sayth in an other place to loue thy neyghbour For so sayth god If thou wilt loue me do this for my sake to
doctrine aboue the lawe For syth we can not perfectly fulfill the lawe The law causeth vs to haue an euil conscience to feare gods wroth for our synnes sake Wherfore this doctrine tendeth to this ende that thou sholdest learne what is Christ and what he hath done And nowe this is his voyce that he is not onely the son of Dauid as the Iewes beleue but also Dauids Lord that is an euerlastinge and verye god But what dothe he he putteth asyde from hym the forme of god as Paule sayeth and becommeth a man He taketh vpon hym the deathe of the Crosse. And why so Uerilye because he is the sonne of god that is to saye a sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde After that he dyed and rosse agayne the thyrde day from death vnto euerlastinge lyfe and sytteth at the ryghte hande of god This must we learne and beare awaye as touchinge Christ. For he that holdethe this faste is safe He that holdeth it not shall perishe vnder his synnes The reason is we are all synners and the lawe doth not only not deliuer vs from oure synnes but maketh vs more greuous synners agaynst god accuseth vs before God so that we are in greate daunger and can fynde no wayes to escape by all that we can doe In sinnes are we conceaued and borne and the longer that oure lyfe is the more do oure synnes encrease For this burden is put on vs not as an other burden which we may put downe cast of when we will It cleaueth to our very mary bones most secret parts of vs neuer suffereth vs to be at reast as we cā not denie this if we wold cōsider wel proue our strēgth Against this is this the only remedie to learne what is Christ. For assone as thou knowest who he is and then what he doth this is the very way to come vnto saluation The reason why is this If thou be a sinner and haste sinned muche againste God haue respecte to this God sendeth this Christ to suffer for synners to make satisfaction for synnes But what should this debte trouble the whiche that most riche Christe hath taken vpon hym to pay yea and hath payd it allredie wherfore this only remaineth that thou embrace with true confidence and fayth this death and crosse of Christe This can be vnknowen to no man that death is dewe to vs all and no man can haue any hope of a priuilege for the contrarie When we are dead we are vndone We can not helpe our selues But consider wherof commeth death Is it not for sinnes sake Nowe haste thou heard wher thou muste set remission of thy synnes euen in the death of thy Lorde Iesu Christ. This Christ whan he was deade remained not in death But he arose frō death to lyfe And this is a sure profe that he is Lord ouer death Wherfore euen as thou hast remission of syn through hym so by him thou hast euerlastyng lyfe in that he shall rayse thee vp againe thy flesh bodie in the last day And this the true knowing of Christ to know whose sonne he is euen the son of Dauid For he is a mā yet neuertheles the Lord of Dauid which sitteth at the right hāde of god hath for his footstoole his enemis sin death and hel Wherfore he y◠nedeth any helpe against these enemies must not require it of Moses nor of the law nor of his own worke or righteousnes but let him require it of the son Lord of dauid wheras he shal be sure to find it This doth the idle kind of Phariseies not know Wherfore they care not for Christ are cōtent with this that they know out of the law how god the neighbour is to be loued Wheras yet it is not possible that god shold be knowen I will not speake of the loue of him except Christ be knowen firste As he saith in Math. 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne he to whom the son openeth him And this is the cause why Christ by this occasiō moueth this presēt questiō As though he should saye This ye know that god is to be loued But ye shal neuer loue god with all your heart wyth all your soule with all your mynde excepte ye knowe Christ well and perceaue who he is For how can we otherwise knowe what grace and mercie God hath geuen vnto vs This is no smale thinge that God hath made vs and geuen vs bodie and soule and all thinges But we vse these thinges but for a litle time in this lyfe But herein appeareth moste especially the riches and great goodnes and mere mercy of God wheras he spared not his only begotten sonne but deliuered hym vnto the death of the Crosse for our sinnes that we should be deliuered from sinne and obtayne euerlasting lyfe through hym This is the euerlasting infinite and incomprehensible loue and grace whiche no man can know excepte he know Christ. And therfore he can neuer loue God truely without Christ. Wherfore it appeareth hereby what the Phariseies and Scribes get by their question Euen this verely that they are openly conuicted of Christ before them al that they can talke much of the loue of God But they vnderstande not nor yet perceaue the leaste part therof truely And wheras they knowe not god whiche hath bestowed so great benefittes and liberalitie vpō them how shall they loue their neyghbour that hath nede of their helpe and can recompence nothynge for their pouertie Wherfore let vs highly esteme this doctrine and let vs geue thankes to God with all oure heart that we are deliuered out of vncredible darkenes vnder the Popedome euen like as the darkenes of the Iewes were here And we haue the pure doctrine of Christ wherby we do not only knowe howe we ought to be deliuered and saued from sin but we receaue the holy ghost Whiche by this doctrine moueth oure mindes so farre that we may begin to loue God and our neyghbour The whiche thing our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs. Amen Amen The .xix Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix IEsus entred into a shipe and passed ouer and came into his owne citie And beholde they brought to him a man sicke of the paulsey lying in abedde And when Iesus sawe the faythe of them he sayd to the sicke of the paulsey Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes be forgeuen thee And beholde certayne of the Scribes sayde within them selues this man blasphemethe And when Iesus sawe theyr thoughtes he sayde Wherefore thynke ye euyll in your heartes Whether is it easier to saye thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then sayeth he to the sicke of the paulsye Aryse take vp thy bedde and go vnto thine house And he rose and departed to his
Turne O turne from your wicked waies and wherfore will ye dye O ye house of Israell For where as our hertes thynke that God is a cruell Iudge with whome synners haue no hope of forgeuenesse of theyr synnes it is a false imagination For thys ought not to take awaye our hope from the mercy of God because the lawe is so fierce and vnmercyfull agaynst synners For the Lawe dothe but her office declaryng what the Iudgement of God shall bee agaynst synners Neyther canne the cause of synners bee otherwyse if it be examined by the Lawe whyche accuseth curseth condempneth woundeth and kylleth so manye as it fyndeth gyltie withoute exception For synners muste needes abyde the sentence and Iudgemente of the Lawe because of the ryghtuousnesse which GOD lawfully requireth of all menne Yet for all that the Lawe is no lette vnto God but that he by hys grace maye restore theym and sette them withoute all daunger that were before condemned of the lawe Who so euer therefore appeale frome God thorowe the decrees of the lawe cruell and suche one as wil not be intreated vnto god mercifull and such one as wyll not the deathe of synners and falle downe before the Lorde with this seruaunt and desyre mercye they without doubte obteyne the inwarde mercy of Gods moste mercyfull bowels as the testimonie of Christe is here that the bowels of God yearne and are moued when synners are driuen by the lawe and synne to destruction and euerlasting bondage Wherfore when thou feelest thy debt haue thy recourse with this seruaunt to the mercye of God and thynke for a suertie that it is Goddes will that thou sholdest not dye but haue euerlastyng lyfe And what is the meane by the whiche God would haue mercy vpon vs the Gospel sheweth in other places euen that the sonne of God Iesus Christ is becom man for vs synners and toke our syns vpon him and satisfied for them by his death Loke where this faith is as touchyng Christ his deathe there is the wrath of God ouercome so that he suffreth himselfe to be reconciled to man and is no more angry with him For he hath declared in Iesu Christe that he hathe a verye prompt redy mynd to mercy whiche hath mercy on vs as the father on his chyldren For he forthwith as soone as the kyngdom of death and of synne was set vp by Adam and Eue set forth a hope of saluation agaynst thys kyngdome by the promyse as touchynge the seede of the woman And thys is oure doctrine which thanks be to god in our Churche is sette foorth syncerely and withoute fault that remission of sinnes cometh vnto vs only by the grace and mercy of God As it is described in thys place by the seruant which oweth such a great summe but yet obtaineth a quittance of it not by merite and desert but onely by mercy and grace and that only for this that he sticketh sure to grace and prayeth for the mercy of God Wherfore the doctrine of the Papistes is erronious false and blasphemous whenne they preache as concernynge remission of synnes For they caste menne with theyr vnpayable dettes vnto theyr owne workes But when we teache that remyssion of synne is onely to be asked of God by Christe they condemne it as heresie and false But iudge thou thys by the true meanyng of the Gospell which of vs both do preache more truly as touching remission of sinnes whether we that cōmend the mercy of God in Christ or they that persuade mē to works and satisfactions To be brief al this sermon tendeth to this end that we shold learn that God hath mercy on vs freely and forgeueth all our debt for naught Christ admonisheth vs here as touching this grace that we also by this exāple shold behaue our selues likewise shew no crueltie towarde our neighbour for that we haue receaued the remittyng of so great debtes from God For other wise can they not do that acknowledge truly the remission of sinnes before GOD. And this is the fyrst cause the whyche Christe hath set foorthe and in the meane tyme hee doothe teache what is the way vnto Saluation whereby we myght obteyne grace and Remission of synnes The seconde cause is when Christ requireth of vs to consyder well the wronge and damage doone vnto vs. For yf that wee trye all thynges by a iust balaunce we shall perceaue that oure debtes to God be alwayes tenne myllions of talentes in comparyson of the debte of the hundred pence that our neighbour dooth owe vnto vs. If thys bee welle consydered it wylle admonyshe vs where as GOD hathe forgeuen vs so greate a summe that we shold not to straightly require our minute but iudge al things according to equitie For what are a hundred pens in respecte of tenne millyons of talentes Wherfore these thynges wyll make vs ashamed and not without a iuste cause yf that wee whyche haue gotten Remission of so greate thynges wyll not pardon our neighbours in lytle thyngs They do not well esteme the mercy of God that are so strait to their neighbors The third cause is that Christe in this Parable calleth vs all seruauntes Thys seruant sayeth he went foorth and chaunced vppon one of his fellowe seruantes that owed vnto hym an hundred pence Thys also might worthily adhort vs vnto mercyfulnes and withdraw vs from reuengyng For we are but felow seruauntes and all we haue one Lorde whose propre office it is to reuenge all trespasses whose maiestie is not to be resisted nor hys power to be mynished neyther will he suffer thee if thou do so as he saith in an other place Leaue to me the reuēging I wil reward saieth the Lorde For without thy reuengyng it is Gods office to punyshe syn And to thys ministration he hath not onely the deuyll that vexeth the body and goodes when GOD permytteth hym so to doo but he hath also certayne powers in the earthe that euerye one for theyr parte shoulde punyshe and reuenge that is the parentes and officers All these are commaunded to be a terrour and feare to euyll woorkes To these reuengers must al flee vnto that suffer wrōg eyther in Cities or in housholdes For they are all felow seruantes and ought not to reuenge their owne wronges If any haue an office to punyshe and yet punysheth not GOD wyll not leaue hym vnpunyshed For hee doothe not onely challenge thys for his owne office But hee hym selfe also whenne these reuengers appoynted of hym ceasse frome dooynge their dutie exerciseth reuenging for the oppressed and vexed Wherfore all men must beware that they reuenge not their owne wronge This is the meaninge of Christes saying wheras he sayth in the parable This seruant fell vpon one of his felow seruants The fowerth cause is He that will not also thinke vpon the greatnes of Gods mercie and the litle and small debt of his felowe seruant in whom he hath no power
wrath and heuie displeasure Wherfore he that feleth his heart thus to be hardened with desire of reuengyng let him looke in this gospell and behold as in a glasse what greate danger he is in and let hym pray vnto God for forgeuenes for that he hath so longe time borne hatered in his heart against his neyghbour so proudly despisynge the Iudgement of God And let him also forthwith begin to forgeue his neyghbour from the bottom of his heart least he fall into the Iudgement of god before he obtaine remission of sinne and life euerlastyng through Christ our redâ—mer and sauiour The whiche thing the mercifull God and heauenly father graunte vs. Amen The xxiii Sonday after trinitie Sonday The Gospell Math. xxii THen the Phariseis went out and toke counsayle howe they might tangle him in his wordes And they sente out vnto him theyr Disciples with Herodes seruauntes saying Master we knowe that thou art true and teacheste the waye of God trulye neyther carest thou for anye man for thou regardest not the out warde appearaunce of men Tell vs therefore howe thinkest thou Is it lawfull that tribute begeuen vnto Ceasar or not But Iesus perceauynge theyr wyckednes sayde Why tempte ye me ye hypocrites Shewe me the tribute moneye And they toke hym a penye And he sayd vnto them Whose is this ymage and superscription They sayde vnto hym Ceasars Then said he vnto them Geue therefore vnto Ceasar the thyngs whiche are Ceasars and vnto God those thynges whiche are Gods When they hearde these wordes they maruayled and left him and went theyr way THE EXPOSITION THe cause of this gospel depeÌ„deth hereof that the Iewes in the law of Moses had such a promise If they kept the commandementes of God they should haue a kyngdome and a kyng of their owne neuer be subiectes to any straÌ„ge gouernour They trusted so much to this promise that they thought they shold neuer loose their kyngdoÌ„ And although at that preseÌ„t they serued a straÌ„ge ruler yet they thought that they had not lost their right of the possession of that their kingdome And therfore they many times rebelled against the Romains when they had neuer so litle occasion offered to this end that they might recouer again their kingdome and imperie although many of them dyinge for the matter they neuer preuailed against the mightie Romains And albeit with al their iurisdictioÌ„s coÌ„motions rebellioÌ„s they did so litle yea rather nothiÌ„g profit that al things at al times grewe to be worse worse yet for the recouery of their right which they thought to be right good lawfull thei left nothiÌ„g vnatteÌ„pted This is a meruelous exaÌ„ple of hypocrisie The Iewes could both nobly notably bragge boste of the promise that was made vnto them coÌ„cerning the proprietie of their kingdom the coÌ„tinual possession of the same but they neuer remembred the coÌ„dition which was if they kept the coÌ„mandements of God walked in his wayes that they mighte obserue that for the promise sake They wold haue the kyngdoÌ„ made sure vnto them yet the obedience whiche they promised to god they performed nothing at al. The kingdom said they is ours it is promised to vs therfore wil we by no means suffer it to be takeÌ„ away froÌ„ vs euen as stubborne disobedient seruants alledge alwayes their couenauÌ„tes bargaines whatsoeuer they do afterward But they ought to know that as the maister is bounde to performe the couenauntes and bargaine made with his seruant so is the seruant first of all likewise bounde to worcke diligeÌ„tly to do that which his vocatioÌ„ calliÌ„g requireth what his masters will is that he shold do So was the matter also with the Iewes They rebelled against god vtterly neglected this coÌ„maÌ„dements yet wold they enioye their libertie Therfore this was a waighty earnest question amoÌ„ge them whether they ought of right to obeye the Emperour of Rome which was a stranger none of the Iewes stocke seyng they had so euident and plaine promise that they shold haue a kyng of theyr owne And about this matter come they now to Christ that they may snarle him and take him in a trappe as they thought what soeuer he answereth They ioyne vnto theÌ„ Herodes seruaÌ„ts demauÌ„de whether it be lawful to pay tribute vnto Cesar or not For thus they were persuaded surely thought that if Christ answered It is lawfull he shoulde fal into the indignation of the people and be counted to haue done a greate faulte for asmuche as he spake that which was contrary to the law of God For the promise was that this people should haue a kyng of their owne bloud and that they should haue no strangers to reigne ouer them Now on the contrarie side if he should say that it is not lawfull then were there no waye with hym but present death For the Romains would neuer suffer that Christ therfore after theyr iudgement muste nedes be taken in a trap and fal into present danger whether he doth affirme or denie so maliciously go they about to snarle Christ and to cast him into danger But what followed how handled Christ the matter verely euen so that he cut his aduersaries throtes wyth their owne sworde Shewe me saith he the tribute money And when they shewed hym the coyne accordinge to his request he demaunded of them whose image and superscription that was The Phariseyes thinckyng that their deuice should nothing be hindred by their answer said It is Cesars Christ hath nowe that he desired and therfore streightwayes he answereth them to the question If ye saith he saye that this is the image and superscription of Cesar then according to your confession geue Cesar his owne and that whiche is due vnto him For why should ye not geue that to Cesar whiche ye your selfe saye that it is his This could none otherwise be vnderstaÌ„ded but that they coÌ„fessed that they had receaued Cesar to be their Lord ruler and gouernour Therfore it was no harde matter for Christ eueÌ„ by their owne wordes to tourne the whole matter vpon their owne heades that he shold not take that awaye from Cesar that was Cesars in dede euen by the confession of them that put forth the question And this is the cause of this gospel a moste wise and prudent stratageme or a politique subtilitie or subtile policie of warre wherby he casteth his aduersaries into that snare which they had prepared for him Their desier was to snarle him in his answer For they thought that Christ durste neither affirme nor denie the matter Christ prouoketh theÌ„ again to answere and when they haue answered they are snarled in their owne snares taken in their owne trappes and perceaue right wel that their deuise was naught and plaine folyshnes yea and most pernicious to them selfes In this historie two thinges are dilgently to be coÌ„sidered noted marked First in
Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the god of the dead but of the liuinge Ergo Abraham Isaac and Iacob do liue and are not dead When notwithstanding they were dead and buried more then iij thousande yeres past and consumed before many hondred yeres vnto duste so that there remaineth nothing at all of them But Christe proueth for a certeintie that they lyue The reason is For all thinges liue to God but to vs all thinges are dead For the worlde and reason can none otherwise but behold death But the eyes of the Christians see those thinges which they see not only heare in the worde as here Christ and the father do behold the dead mayd And as we haue spoken of death so may it be sayd of sinne The knowledge and confession of sinne is necessarie and the glorie of righteousnes ought to be in sight For the worde of Christe in baptisme is He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued Again his worde in the supper is this Take eate this is my body that is broken for you Drincke This cuppe is a newe Testament in my bloud which shal be shed for you vnto the remissiō of sins This word must be beleued that it is true and although I fele see the contrary yet is there no credit to be geuen vnto it In like maner when thou seest a Christen man dyinge thy eyes beholde the dead man but thou must shutte and close vp those eyes and open suche eyes as beholde the word and so shalt thou see that the man is not dead but that he lyueth before god For the word of Christ is He that beleueth in me shal neuer se death And this must we learne of this gospell that all that is before our eyes be it neuer so plaine euident neuer so wide and open Yet is it nothing For if death in a Christian is to be reputed and taken for nothyng Uerely blindnes deafnes leprosie pestilence and other diseases are to be counted lesse then nothinge Therfore when pouertie sicknes syn c. offer them selues to thy eyes be not therfore troubled but shut thy carnall eyes and open thy Christen eyes and saye I am a Christian and haue a Lord. Whiche is able to rule all these thinges with a worde Why then should I vexe my selfe For this is certein loke how easely Christ deliuereth this mayd from corporal death euen so easely also wil he deliuer vs if we only beleue haue a sure hope to be relieued and holpen by him For this also must we consider here that this mayd was not restored to life by her owne faith For he that is dead beleueth not no more then he seeth or heareth but her father beleueth and this his faith is so mightie that the maide receaueth life again Again For as Christ saith All thinges are possible to him that beleueth So mightie is faith Be the matter neuer so great if thou canst beleue and haue sure hope in Christ thou shalt neuer be deceaued of thy desire neither shall the deuill or death be able to preuaile any thyng at all against thee as both these miracles testifie whiche are set forth to vs for this purpose and the faith both of the woman and of the dead maydes father commended of Christ that he might prouoke vs also to beleue and that we shold otherwise beholde creatures before god and otherwise before vs. Therfore although before our selues we be poore and dead subiecte to syn and afflicted with pouertie pestilence or any other diseases yet must we beleue that it is otherwise before god boldly say on this maner Although pouertie pestilēce sin death do now trouble me yet this as a christian I know that there is no pouertie no pestilence no sinne no death at hand For before Christ al thinges are wealth health righteousnes life And althoughe I see not this presently yet if the worde should come I should see it with these my carnall eyes And this is true and by no meanes to be doubted of God graunt vs for his son Iesu Christes sake our alon Sauiour and redemer thorow the holy ghost such eyes as may behold all calamities and mishappes otherwise then the worlde beholdeth them and kepe suche conforte light vnto the ende that in this worlde we may receaue ioye and pleasure and in the worlde to come euerlasting lyfe Amen The xxv Sonday after Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell of Iohn vi WHen Iesus lift vp his eyes and sawe a greate company come vnto hym he saithe vnto Philip Whence shal we bie bread that these may eate This he sayde to proue hym for hee hym selfe knewe what he woulde do Philip aunswered him Two hundreth penyworthe of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man may take a litle One of his Disciples Andrewe Simon Peters brother sayde vnto hym There is a ladde here whiche hath fiue barly loaues and two fishes but what are they among so many And Iesus sayd Make the people sit downe There was much grasse in the place So the men sat downe in number aboute fiue thousande And Iesus toke the bread and when he had geuen thankes he gaue to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set downe likewise of the fishes as much as they would When they had eaten enough he saith vnto his disciples Gather vp the broken meate whiche remayneth that nothynge be loste And they gathered it together and fylled twelue baskettes with the broken meate of the fiue barlye loaues which broken meate remayned vnto them that had eaten Then those men when they hadd sene the miracle that Iesus dyd saide This is of a trueth the same prophet that shoulde come into the worlde THE EXPOSITION THe Gospell of this present Sondaye is red in the temples of the Christiās twyse in the yeare Fyrst on the fourth sonday in lent Secondly on this present Sonday as ye haue hearde And albeit we treated of this Gospell in lent and declared what good and confortable doctrine is contained in the same yet for asmuche as it is reade this day in the Church I will speake somewhat of it again that our faith may be increased and we wel cōforted thorow the mercifull promises of god againste the care of the bellye For there is not at this present daye a greater obstacle and let to the gospel of Christ then this belly care It vtterly plucketh vs awaye frō the true faith which we ought to haue in God and in his promises enforceth vs vnto diuerse vices sinnes and wickednesses as we maye see in these our dayes thorow out the worlde For what is it that is not attempted to auoyde belly care and that we may haue wherof commodiouslye and wealthely to lyue One playeth the vsurer an other the Iugler the thirde a baude the fourth an extorcioner c. As I may speake nothing of the whoredome theafte murder periury flattery
A similitude The sluggishnes of christeans An example of acouetous man Note well Pro. 19. Preachers must do their duties in preachinge whâ—ther the people amende or not Marke well Wee oughte daylye to encrease in the waye of godlynes more and more Phil. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 8. We ought liberally to geue vnto the poore Papistes abuse the scriptures of god Note this reason Math. 25. Whyther by oure good workes wee deserue heauen Rom. 4. Iohn 11. Iohn 14. Iohn 3. Rom. 14. Faythe Rom. 8.12 Cor. 12. 2. Timoth. 2. Heb. 12. Rom. 4. Scriptures oughte to be conferred An aunswere to the quistioÌ„ of the iustification of good workes Galat. 16. An example of gods wrath agenst the despisers of his worde The dispysyng of gods worde is a most horrible synne Ierusalem Let vs repent betymes Rom. 11. At what tym Ierusalem was destroyed and with howe greate a multiâ—udâ— Why god differrethe hys plages Rom. 2. 2. Pet. 3. Note well It is a moste greuâ—us synn to dispise the worde of god Repente O England and amende Iere. 9. Ioan. 8. Psal. 109. PareÌ„tes and householders The plage is certen and yet hydde from the wycked The delaye of punyshement hurâ—eth greatly in common wealthes A sentence â—orâ—hy to be remembred 2. Pet. 3. Gods plages differrede are the more greuous Plinius lib. 5. cap. 14. Pro. 10. Osee. 5. Synne Securitie destroyeth the citie Remember this O Englande and beware betyms The seconde parte of the gospellr The priestes sought not the glorye of god but theyr owne gaynes Masse Note Osee. 6. The false doctrine of the Iewishe priestes Humilitie Phariseys Publicanes Christes iudgement of the phariseye and of the publicane two greuous synnes in the phariseye To despysed ther is a great synne Pride abhorred of god Iob. 4. Esa. 14. 2. Pet. 2. Gene. 3. vayne glorye or pride corruptethe all good workes 1. Pet. 5. Iac. 4. Luke 18. What the christen humilitie is Rom. 12. The publican an example of true humilitie 1. Cor. 4. Luke 12. All our glory ought to be in god alone Howe gods gyftes are to be vsed Christe alone is the sauiour The deuyl is the author of all euyll An whole and healthefull bodye is the gyfte of god Why god fulfrethe the deuyll to hurte vs. Ephe. 6. 2. Cor. 4. 1. timoth. 2. Note well God helpethe vs agaynste the deuyll by hys sonne 1. Iohn 3. Gen. 3. Christen men must haue theyr eares opened and theyr tonges losened Rom. 1.10 Iacob 1. Gladly to heare the worde of god is the gyfte of god The papistes are both deaff and dumme God openeth our eares by hys worde Rom. 10. We muste bothe beleue and confesse the worde Why Christ vsed so many circumstaÌ„ces in restoryng thys man to hys healthe Iohn 11. Math. 9. Note thys well Math. 17. Mat. 28. Marc. 16. Luc. 10· Act. 4.5 Disobediente children and seruauntes Disobediente subiectes The vnreuerent handling of the spirituall ministers in these our dayes The wycked worlde heareth gladlyer Robyn Hood then the word of god Psal. 109. Iohn 3. O Englande take hede be tymes and saye not but thou art warned Why christe lokethe vp to heauen and mournethe God is to be praysed for hys gyftes The word of god is christes fynger and spettle The fyrste parte of the gospell The worlde despyseth the gospell of christe Note well They are most miserable whiche haue not the knowlege of the gospell 1. Iohn 5. What maner of men the gospell makethe The opinion of holines puffethe men vp with pride and makethe the vnmercifull The laweyer What it is to loue god Exod. 20. To loue god is to kepe his commaundementes Iohn 14. Malach. 3. Matth. 10. Luc. â—0 To loue god is to loue thy neyghbour The vnkindenes of the worlde The samaritans loue towardes god God is euery where and in all places a lyke present Rom. Gal. Iobn Fayth obtayneth all thingges He that beleueth not obtayneth nothing Iac. 1. Heb. 1. An apte similitude The seconde doctrine of vnkindnes Unkindnes is the greatest synne The maner of the Monasteries Psal. 116. The world is most vnkynde to god The actes of certayne Gretians Pro. 25. Rom. 1â— Math. 5. We muste learne to be kynd of god The nature of Christen charitie The vnthankfull shall not escape vnpunished The whole worlde is set on couetousnes This sermon appertayneth to householders and to preachers â–ª What it is to serue What it is to serue god All gods seruice is coÌ„trary in the worde â–ª What the true seruice of god is Gen. â— Psal. 45. Pro. 1. Nowe couetousnes maye be auoyded Psal. 59. The fable of Midas Psal. 47. Gods blessing and not care maketh men ryche Not laboure but carefulnes is forbydden Laboure and fayth must go together He that despiseth the word of god despyseth god hym selfe Not idlenes but labour becomethe a christian Ryotus persons Prodigalitie and idlenes forbydden Note weâ—â— theâ—e â—yue poyntes A comfort agaynst deathe by Christe Christ is the lorde of death We must not feare death Iohn â—1 The deathe of Christen men is a swete and quiet sleape Iohn 5. Pytie or compassion Charitie issuethe out of faythe Rom. 12. Too sortes of compassion pitie Spirituall pitie reprouethe synne Apte and very proper similitudes Folyshe petie marrethe the citie A good lesson for maiestrates To punishe the wycked is greate 〈◊〉 and mercie What is the sanctifyeng of the Saboth Heare and do 1. Iohn 3. What it is to sanctifye the Sabbothe Osee. 6. To a Christian euery daye is the sabboth The seconde part intreateth of humilitie 1. Pet. 5. 1 Pet. 5. Psal. 113. Saull Dauid God can not abyde pride What it is to be perfect The blyndnes of seruing god in the papecie What it is to serue God Math. 2â— Monkery is against charitie and the true seruice of god Math. 25. Math. 25. The benefite done to oure neyghboure on earthe is done to god in heauen Why god geuethe vs hys gyftes and to what ende Too knowe christe is most necessari vnto saluacion The knoweledge of the lawe sufficeth not vnto salâ—â—cion Psal. 110. 1. Cor. 15 â–ª The lawe Phil â–ª â— Iohn 1. Rom. 3. â— 7 Psal. 51. Deathe â–ª Christ Lorde ouer deathe Math. 11. No man can loue god except he knowethe Christe Iohn 3. Rom. 8. Man hath power to forgeue sinnnes The worde and faythe muste be ioyned together Gods mercie is to be found in Christe alone Note well With out the worde it is an easye thing to beleue lyes What things are to be learned of this gospell God alone forgeueth synne The Minister certifyethe the conscience ther of by the worde Math. 28. Marc. 16. Luke 4. Math. 5. Math· 18. Iohn 20. Of the water of Baptisme Note Fayth an the worde are both the gifts of god In the true churche of Christe is remission of synnes and no where ells Math. 18. Numer 22. Contricion The propertie of the palseye Note well What the kyngdome of heauen signifyethe The longe
for the dignitie of it selfe but for Christ of whose fulnes all we haue receued euē grace for grace Now forasmuch as we knowe the fruit and profite and also the whole worke that CHRIST hath broughte to passe by his passion and death let vs nowe at the last learne also howe we maye be made partakers of the same and fromhensforth so frame oure lyfe compose our maners agreable therunto that we maye folowe Christe oure Sauiour and be knowen to be lyke vnto hym yea and his very disciples Uerely then shall we be partakers of the benefites of Christ of the fruites and profites of his passiō whē we beleue that we all were damned synners againe that Christe euen of mery loue and fauour vnto oure profit and singuler cōmoditie without all our merite and deserte suffered all that euer he suffered Item that by none other mediatour nor worke but by Christ alone and by his merite we can be saued so that the passion death resurrection life righteousnes and innocencie of Christ with all that euer he hath is oure owne frely geuen vnto vs of oure heauenly father Wherfore sainct Iohn sayth he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen so many as beleue in his name It is certen and sure that none can be the sonne of God except he be holy godlye and righteous But this can we not be of our selues of oure owne strengthes and workes Therefore he sayth that Christe geueth this vnto vs. It then foloweth that by Christe we haue receaued that which we had not before neither could we deserue to haue it with oure workes Whereby then did this chaunce vnto vs verely by faith For Iohn saith That he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of god euē so many as beleue in his name This power then haue they only that beleue not in their owne workes righteousnes but in the name of Christ which is Iesus that is to saye a Sauiour euen that they shoulde beleue that he is the only alone and true sauiour without whom we can do nothinge and without whose merites all our workes although neuer so holy and good are damnable cursed Thus by faith we do all our thinges By faith yea by fayth alone we obtayne all that euer Christ hath and are partakers of the same as his innocencie holines righteousnes wysedome perfectiō the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting lyfe not that faith is our worcke and therefore so nobly recompensed but that it is the hande organ and instrument wherewith we take and laye hande on Christe oure Sauiour For all thinge is prepared geuen and purchassed for vs before and fayth doth no more but take embrace this benefite cleueth surely vnto it doubteth not but that Christ hath obtayned performed al things for her For Christ is frely geuen vnto vs to be our sauiour whō the father hath set forth vnto vs to be our mercistocke so that whosoeuer wil haue enioye euerlasting saluatiō must haue and enioye it by Christ and by none other Therfore ought we all to laye hand on him with a strōg and vnshaken faith But he that wil not laye hand on him receaue him as his one only alone omni sufficiēt Sauiour but sticke to his owne workes righteousnes he wtout faile shal be dāned for euer and euer For to this ende haue we Christ geuen vs of god the father to be oure Sauiour that by him we should haue power to be made the sonnes of God I meane al suche as beleue in his name denie and forsake them selfes and their workes only ioye reioyce and glory in the name of Christe wyshing and desieringe only by that name to be made holy and acceptable before the presence of gods maiestie When we haue thus thorow faith and confidence in Christ Challenged vnto vs Christ all his merites with all the fruites ▪ commodities and profites that he gat eyther by hys lyfe or by his death as oure owne and proper goodes then let vs also endeuour oure selfes to set CHRIST afore vs as an example whose lyfe and conuersation whose actes and dedes we in oure lyfe and conuersation in all our actes and dedes ought to folowe For although as we heard afore we deserue nothyng by oure workes yet maye we not be wythout good workes in this life Therfore let vs frame all oure lyfe and all that euer we do after the example of CHRSIT whome the scripture setteth foorth vnto vs two maner of wayes Fyrste as a Sauiour And this is the principall parte of our righteousnes Secondlye as an example that wyth hym we shoulde mortifye and slea olde Adam as sainct Paule sayth So manye of vs as are baptised in Christe are baptised into his death that is to saye that we shoulde crucifye wyth hym oure fleshe and wycked lustes suppresse them and geue no place to the lewde appetite of the fleshe So do we declare our selues to be true Christians as the Apostle sayethe They that belong vnto Christ haue crucified the fleshe with the affectes and lustes therof For he that truly knoweth synne and the wrath of God against synne and howe dearely Christ boughte vs therefore and payde oure raunsome that we might be deliuered from it wil vndoubtedlye hate synne from the verye botome of his hearte And when he shall not be able to resiste it it wil maruellously trouble him Yea he wil be inwardly sory and study all meanes possible how he maye represse that synne and be able to tame restrayne that wicked fleshe Again if he truly beleue howe louinge merciful and gētle god hath shewed hymselfe toward him thorow Christe our Sauiour and how god hath pleasured hym frely and without deseruing he shall greatly be prouoked and styrred vp to laboure and to study how he maye serue and please god againe and for his sake loue his neighbour whome god hath commended vnto hym not onely if he be his frende but also though he be his vtter ennemie For Christ receaued him by his passion and death saued hym euen then when he was his enemie Thus doth the true diligent and earnest consideratiō of the passiō of Christe worke in vs true fruites and good workes that is to saye the mortifying and crucifying of olde Adam as Paule saieth They that haue put on Christ he meaneth by faith or they that be of Christ haue crucifyed their fleshe withall her concupiscences yea if any man be in Christ he is a newe creature so that we in the passion crosse and death of the olde man should be made like to Christe to his passion and death For so hath god ordayned Thus breifly haue we declared how we ought trulye to consider the passion of Christ with the fruites and causes therof By the which passion deth we ar deliuered from Sathan from synne