A frutefull and godly Exposition and declaracion of the kyngdom of Christ and of the christen lybertye made vpō the wordes of the Prophete Ieremye in the xxiij Chapter with an exposycyon of the viij Psalme intreatyng of thesame matter by the famous clerke Doctor Martyn Luther whereunto is annexed a Godly sermon of Doctor Vrbanus Regius vpon the ix Chapyter of Mathewe of the woman that had an issew of blood of the rulers daughter newly translated oute of hyghe Almayne ⧠Imprinted for Gwalter Lynne Anno. M. D.xiviij To the most gratiouse vertuouse Lady Elizabeth syster to the Kynges moost Royal Maiestie Her most faythfull dayly Oratour Gwalter Lynne wyssheth long lyfe to GODS pleasure encrease of honour and the lyfe euerlastynge COnsiderynge thys tyme moste vertuouse Ladye to be the tyme of Christes raygne kyngedome wherein the Gospel is the rule of the prinxely powers and mercy is more estemed then sacrifyce I thoughte that I coulde not gratify your grace more with any kynde of obsequye that I coulde shewe through the slender talentes that it hathe pleased the almighty to endue me withall then yf I shoulde set forth in the Englysh tōg some godly lesson of some learned and Christian teacher concernyng thesame I haue therfore translated into the Englishe long this little boke of maister Martine Luthers doyng concernyng the kyngedome of Christe and Christian libertie made vpon the Epistle of Ieremye the Prophete And because I know that a good thing can not be to often nor to muche spoken of I haue added hereunto another piece of thesame mans labours a sermon that he made vpon the eyghte Psalme Lorde our Lorde c. concernynge the same matter and cousyderyng that fayth in the bloude of christe our sufficient price and raunsome the hope of the resurrection these mortal bodyes is most necessary to be knowen to al christians I haue also added in the ende of this litle boke a sermon made by the famouse doctour Vrbanus Regius concernyng thesame made vpō the ix Chapyter of Mathewe occasyon taken by the mencyon of the woman that suffered the bloude flixe and the rulers daughter Howe pithilye learnedly and christianlye the these matters be handled it shal not nede me to reporte knowing that your grace delyteth more in the the pervsyng readynge of the Authours themselues then of any encomion or prayse that can be geuen vnto them willynge all other therfore to followe your graces example herein I committe this my labour vnto your grace as a most sure tokē of my good wyll to gratifie your grace by setting forth and furthering to my power the trueth of Christ who alwayes preserue your grace to muche honour spirituall knowledge and lyfe wythout ende So be it Your graces faythfull and dayly Oratour Gwalter Lynne Of the kyngdom of Christ Ieremye in the xxiij Chap. BEholde the tyme cometh saith the Lorde that I wil rayse vp vnto Dauid a righ teous braūche he shal prospere with wysedome shal set vp equitie and righteousnes agayne in earth In his tyme shal Iuda be saued and Israel shaldwell without feare this is the name that they shall call hym the Lord our righteousnes And therfore beholde the tyme cōmeth saith the Lord that it shal be no more sayd the Lord lyueth which brought the childrē of Israel out of that land of Egipte But the Lord and the Christen liberte lyueth which brought forth led the seed of the house of Israel out of the Northlande and from all countries where I haue scattred thē and they shaldwel in theyr owne lande agayne IN this Epistle or prophecye of Ieremie is Christ shewed vnto vs what he is and what his kyngedome is howe he shal rule and howe they that are vnder hys kyngedom shal dwel without feare First sayth the Prophete that Christ is the braunche and seed of Dauid Euen so sayth also Saynct Paull to the Rumayns in the .i. That God hath caused hys Gospel of hys sonne to be prophecyed by the Prophetes in the scriptures that he should be suche a Lorde whiche should be borne of the seed of Dauid as pertaynyng to the flesshe and yet myghtelye declared to be the sonne of God after the spirite that sanctifyeth c. Rom. i. Euen suche a sayeng is this also and therfore it is cuydent that the hole olde Testament serueth vnto thys purpose that we may see that all thynges whiche we nowe preache and beleue are performed euen as they were shewed prophecyed before as we shall further marke and perceyue in the processe Ye haue heard that it was said vnto Abraham Ge. xxij Gen. xxij In thy seed shall al the nations of the earth be blessed Thys is a Gospel wherewith the holy fathers were susteyned a very long tyme but it was not yet fulfilled for he sayth It shal come to passe that all nacyons shal be blessed In thys sayng is it surely promysed vnto Abraham that this seed shoulde be borne of hys generatiō to thintēt that he should not nede to grope here there as in the tyme of Adam wheras they had also a Gospel but it was very dark namely where as God sayde vnto the serpent Gene. Gen. iij. iij. I wyl put enemitye betwene the and the woman and betwene thi seed and her seed the same shal treade doune thy heade and thou shalt treade vpon his hele Whiche is spoken altogether of Christe that he should treade doune the deuills heade and all nacions shoulde be blessed in hym In all these saynges it appeareth clearly that Christe must be God and man that he must dye and ryse agayne and receyue an euerlasting kyngdome here vpon earth whiche onely is done by his worde All whiche thinges although they be not expressely mencioned in these wordes yet they are neuer theles contayned there in vndoubtedly and it may well be gathered of the wordes yf the Texte be indifferently loked vpon and merked But yf a man do passe euer the wordes vnaduisedly and vndiscretely without any further consideracion than can no such thing appeare to be in them As in this sayenge In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed They be fewe and shorte wordes but yf thou marke them diligētly thou shalt fyud therein that Christe is God and man and that he must dye and ryse agayne from the deade For yf he shall blesse whiche is as muche as to take awaye the curse then truely must he be aboue the curse which curse is nothing elles but death synne and all myschiefe yf he shall do this then muste he nedes haue power to take awaye synne death to geue lyfe where vpō it must nedes followe that he is more then a pure man For noman is able to do suche workes but God alone and he that doth this worke must nedes be God also Furthermore yf he shall be the naturall seede of Abraham then muste he nedes be man also Nowe yf he
on the ryghte hande of God hys heauenly father and yet shall iustifye the people and thys shall also be done here vpon earthe whiche is yet more merneylous But howe cometh thys to passe Euen thus The kyngedome of Christe is a spirituall kyngedome whiche ruleth herein earth and yet it is not of the earh but of heauen Thys could neuer no King brynge to passe that he had set vp a kyngdome whiche were in earth and yet were not terrestrial but celestiall Wherfore thys worke declareth that thys Kynge must be more then a bare or pure man For he that knoweth thys science hathe the power that he is aboue synne and can iustifye synne thesame muste nedes be God for God onely iustifyeth the vngodly Ro. iiij as Paul sayth Roma in the .iiij. And for as much as thys Kyng performeth and bryngeth to passe suche thynges it followeth therfore that he is very God sence he hath the honour and doth the workes which onely belonge to God Nowe then yf he can bryng to passe that the people maye be delyuered from theyr synnes and by that meanes make thē ryghteous then can he also soone delyuer them from death for where as is no synne there can be no death for the stynge of death is synne as Paul saith to the Torinthians i. Co. xv i. Cor. xv for yf there were no synne then shoulde death haue no myghte nor power and thus doth thys Kynge delyuer vs from synne and death from the deuil from hell and from all infelicite and geueth vs the eternall ryghteousnes and euerlastynge lyfe He maketh GOD oure father and geueth vs the kyngedome of heauen Nowe thys is no man able to do neyther angell nor saynete neither also Mary the mother of God but onely GOD hym self whereout it followeth then that thys kyng muste nedes be God and although it be not expressed with manifest wordes yet do the wordes and the vnderstandynge of thys sayenge brynge it with them that he is verye GOD and man So goodlye coulde the Prophetes speake of Christe and counterfayte hym so excellentely vnto vs that it is to be merneyled to thintent that we should not mysse hym Here ryseth nowe a questyon Thou saydest euen nowe howe that all saynctes muste crye with Sayncte Paule ouer synne death O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from thys body subdued vnto death Here se we also that the Christians dye yea the better Christians the heauyer death they suffre what meaneth thys call ye that delyueryng from death synne Thys is it that I haue sayde It is a spiritual kyngedome and kyugedome of faythe It wyll stande in faythe and men muste also beholde it with the eyes of fayth Otherwyse can no man at no tyme vnderstande it for there remayneth yet that death muste deuoure vs The Emperours and Cyrannous haue behedded the Apostles and holye martyrs Sayncte Paule was fayne to stretche forthe hys heade Moreouer there remayne yet the lustes and inclinations towarde synne There be also manye heresyes and sectes whiche al obiecte themselues agayuste the Christians where is here lyfe where is here the ouercōmynge of death which is preached in thys kyngedome Vnto that do I answer thus We haue dominion and rule ouer syune ouer death howe be it we haue not yet ouercome them and we be not yet delyuered from them for the text saith that the Kynge is yet workynge For he doth alwayes rayse vp righteousnes and maketh yet styliuste ryghteousnes lyke as a Tayllour which maketh a garment as longe as he maketh thereouer so longe is he in the worke and it can not be sayd that the garment be al hole fynyshed Euen so is the kyngdome of Christe in earthe styll in worke he worketh and rayseth dayly thereouer and shal so continue vntyl the latter daye And then shal althynges fyrst be made ryght perfecte In the meane season do the Christiās styl fall in syune albeit agayust theyr wyl But thys aduauntage hath a Christian although he do fele the synne yet is he neuertheles lorde ouer it but to that ende can he not brynge it that he myghte cleane be delyuered from synne vntyl the olde wretche dye cleane and peryshe Therfore albeit that the Christians fall yet is Christe present with them which ruleth by hys spirite and ouercōmeth synne and styll rayseth them vp agayne sayeng aryse brother be of good comfort there is no daunger And so is Christ alwayes in the battel and in workynge and fyghteth with oure enemyes They do often resiste agaynst hym but at the laste he obtayneth the victory and they are depressed Euen so goeth it also with them that are hys in whome God triumphet and ouercometh thorough Christ Therfore sayth Paule i. Cor. xv i. Co. xv But thankes be vnto God which hath geuen vs victory thorough oure Lorde Iesus Christe And. ij Cor. ij saith he ij Cor. ij Thankes be vnto God which alwayes geueth vs the victory in Christ Although sometyme one be put to the worste yet is Christ at hande and lyfteth hym vp agayne sayenges vp brother aryse thou hast no hurte at it agayne styll thou must nedes fighte it oute it can not be done withoute fallynge but take hede that thou lye not styl There is euermore fallynge and rysynge agayne as long as we lyue in thys worlde Nowe Nota bene as Christe hath ouercome synne euen so doth he also ouercome death when death is at hande presseth vpon the and wyll destroye the then is Christ present with the and sayth at it lustely he can not hurte the and although he do stryke the it shall be no more vnto the then yf thou wētest to slepe Nowe go to it is but a smal matter within this shorte houre it shal be better A man may fele that death is bitter and sharpe But he can not prenayle nor triumphe ouer the. For Christe hath made hym faynte hys stynge or darte is made to blunt He hathe weryed hym selfe vpon CHRISE whiche hath ouercome hym and treaden hym vnder hys fete Euen so goeth it also with the Sectes and Heresyes and with all other aduersities whiche all can not hurte vs for we haue one in heauen vnto whome all thynges are possyble and be is able to preserue vs that nothing shall happen vnto vs withoute hys wyll Therfore I saye that the outward temptatious maye well remayne but yet oure fayth can not be hurte for there remayneth yet in the herte a certayne power agaynste synne and a courage agaynste death and all aduersities Thys is it that CHRISTE continueth in hys offyce and dryueth hys worke stryueth with synne and fyghteth with death vntyll hys kyngedome be at complysshed that is vntill the latter daye Thus haue we heard nowe howe the Prophete Ierempe hath declared Christe what hys person is and what hys offyce shall be namely that hys offyce tendeth to thys ende that he prospere with wysedome and rule wysely so that
be a man then muste he nedes be mortall or elles he coulde not be called Abrahams sonne Agayne yf he shall brynge the blessinge vppon all nations of the earthe then muste he nedes lyue alwaye and for euer where vppon it foloweth that he is mortall and lyuinge c. And so shalt thou fynde it in all other places of the scripture yf the saynges be iustely and diligently marked But we will see from worde to worde what Ieremie doth notifie vnto vs in this sayeng that we may fynd this also in lyke maner Fyrst sayth he thus Beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the Lorde that I will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous braunche These wordes are vndoubtebly spoken of Christe wherein is contayned as the Prophecye declareth that he shoulde come of the synage and stocke of Dauid Therefore saith Sayncte Paule well Rom. i that after the flesshe he is borne of the seed of Dauid For the Prophete Ieremie would describe the sauiour plenteoufly that he myght be perfytely knowen what he shoulde be and from whence he shoulde come because of them whiche cyther at that tyme or afterwarde should come vnto the fayth beleue in him that they should not nede to grope after him here or there or seke him any where elles Therfore doth he knyite hym vnto the generation and stock of Dauid from whence men should loke for hym vndoubtedly With such wordes haue the Prophetes conforted the people and warned them that they shoulde marke diligently vpon this generation and that they shoulde be throughly perswaded that he should come none other waye but from the stocke of Dauid This knewe the Iewes well ynough out of the sayenges of the scripture were as sure of it as we knowe surely be leue that Christ shal come agayn at the later daye Therefore sayd also the Angel Gabriell vnto Marie Luce. i. Luc. i. The Lord God shall geue vnto hym the seate of his father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kyndgdome shal be none ende He sayeth I wyll rayse vp that is to say I will sette stablysshe it that it may staÌ„de sure As though he would saye The people of the Iewes haue bene hitherto afflicted and troubled with their kynges For where as I haue sometyme styred vp vnto them iiij Re. xviij â—ne good kynge as Ezechiam they haue had tenne bad for hym But I wil once rayse vp and ordeyne a kynge which shall continue For euer but I will not rayse hym for this cause that he shall assaulte any man But he hym selfe shall be assaulted of the world of the deuill of all whatsoeuer is great and mightie in the worlde but I will so sett hym that he shall stand fast and sure and his enemies shall not preuaile agaynst hym And he sayeth he will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous braunche EueÌ„ so saith Sachary also Sach ix that he is righteous and a sauiour Lo saith he Thy kynge cometh vnto the a righteous kyng and also a sauiour On this wyse dyd the Prophetes see Christ euen as we see hym also namely a kinge that iustifieth the worlde For the worlde is nothinge elles but a stable full of vnthriftes The worlde is the kyngdome of the deiull and bloude and flesshe is her housseholde of whose vngracious and wycked assanltes al saynctes haue euer complayned and muste also euer more complayne as Paule declareth to the Romaynes in the vij Ro. vij Therefore did the holy Fathers and Prophetes without ceassing desyre and crye after this righteous brauÌ„ce after this Christ whiche shoulde make them iuste and righteous and take awaye synne and death And this also doo all good and faithfull hertes yea the vnfaythefull also styll contynually desyre For who would not rather haue lyfe then death and rather haue righteousnes then synne Ro. vij Therefore cryeth Paule O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from this body of deathe But thus crye not all men for they fele it not all The deuill possesseth the heries of many and seduceth them that they can not thynke therevpon Thus may we see that this is the Summe or Chiefe poynt of this Prophecye that this kynge is iuste and righteous that is withoute all synne where by he is segregated and secluded from all other men whiche all are vnrighteous wicked and synners Nowe yf he be righteous than maye he not be borne after the maner as other mennes Children be borne Therefore it foloweth that his mother muste be a virgyn For it is sayde of all other men by the Prophete Dauid Psalm li. Beholde Psal li. I was shapen in wickednes and in synne hath my mother conceyued me Therefore muste this kynge nedes haue had another Maister that he was conceyned and borne withoute synne For yf he shall be righteous and not gyltie of deathe then maye he not be borne of a woman by the helpe of a man as we are But he must be pure from his byrthe But howe cometh this to passe that he is pure and not subiecte vnto death From whence cometh this vnto hym He shoulde come from the stocke of Dauid And is not the kynred of Dauid also vnder the malediction Yes truely but here vnto must a virgin be vsed out of the stocke of Dauid the other hath the holy Ghoost executed he hath purified this byrth as the Angell sayde vnto the virgyne Mary Luc. i. Luce. i. The holy Ghoost shall come vpoÌ„ the and the power of the hygeste shall ouershadowe the. Therfore also that holy thinge whiche shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God Therfore haue we suche a kyng which hath a name before all other kynges that he is righteous and righteous in all thinges In so muche that he also maketh other good and righteous And so will these wordes that he muste nedes be God and man and be borne of a virgyn albeit that these wordes do not clearly and manifestely expresse it yet bringe they so much with them yf they be throughly searched But where he calleth hym a braunche that is spoken after the maner of the Ebrewes whiche calle the children braunches whiche waxe and growe eueÌ„ as the herbes busshes trees do grow which soundeth not so well in oure eares as in the eares of the Iewes So sayth God also in Esa Cap. xiiij Esa xiiij of the kyngdome of Babylon I will roote oute the name remnaunte sonne and sonnes sonne of Babilon For the children come froÌ„ the parentes eueÌ„ as the braunches boughes come oute of the trees Therfore saith also Esaye in the xi Chap. Esa xi A rod shall come forth oute of the stocke of Iesse oute of a stocke whiche nowe is deade sayth he shall growe a braunche that is oute of an olde withered stocke Where of nomaÌ„ loked for any thinge to springe forth of it For Dauid was dead his kynred laye altogether
ryghteousnes shall be spred abroade throughout the hole worlde These be oure letters and sealles that we be a free people withoutlawe and withoute compulsyon but onely for the Christians which knowe how to vse the Christian libertye for we maye not do as the plowemen dyd the laest yeare But where be such Christians that vse the Christian liberte a ryght that do all thynges willyngly and gladly that so serue theyr neyghboure and make other partakers of theyr goodes and do accordynge as God hath done vnto them where be they that gladly suffre the Crosse A christian is a seldome byrde There are very fewe that knowe what is the true Christian liberte The mooste parte do drawe it to the body and knowe not that it is a liberte of the conscience and of the soule namely that thou arte not pure nor ryghteous after the herte and conscience but yf thou shalt be pure and ryghteous then muste thou knoweledge that thou arte made pure and ryghteous by thys Kynge Christe IESVS onely by the meanes of hys bloud whithe he hath shedde for thy vpon the crosse thys maketh the free But the Lawe of Moyses and the lawe of the Emperour other thynges more do not make the free Vvhen I preache thus then do I not meane that men shoulde not obey to the hyer powers serue them and geue vnto them that whiche is due vnto them for the Christian liberte is nothynge touchynge the bodye nor the outwarde behaueoure and conuersation but the soule Therfore whan thou doest serue or obeye the hyer powers then doest thou euen as muche as thoughe thou dyddest geue to a naked man a coatte or diddest fede the hungry for it is also a dede of charite whiche floweth and springeth onte of fayth not that thou shouldest be made ryghteous through thys worke but that it declare thy fayth Therfore is thys the summe before god shalt thou be ryghteous without workes without al lawes onely through Christe Iesus Here seest thou Nota bene howe counyngly and myghtelye the Prophetes coulde counterfaycte Christe and hye kyngdome to thintent that they would make vs sure and certayn wherein our saluation consisteth God grasit that we maye so comprehende it and beleue it Thankes be to GOD A sermon of D. Marten Luther of the kyngedome of Christe oute of the eyght Psalm Lord our Lord c. made at Mersburg the syxte daye of Aug. anno 1545. THys is one of the principall Psalmes of the kyngely Prophete Dauid wherin he hath written of Christe and his kyngdom And they are no darke wordes but cleare light and easy to vnderstande And he describeth the kyngdome of Christ on this wyse that although it be in heauē by working yet is it also here beneeth in earth and in all the worlde and seperateth the kyngdom of Christ from the worldely kyngdome which is gouerned by worldly kynges Powers These two kyngdomes are here beneth in earth amonge men for also the kingdome of Christe is here beneth in earth among mē But there is a great difference that notwithstandinge that bothe the kyngdome of Christ and also of the worlde are here in earth yet are they ruled gouerned after an vnlyke sorte For the kyng of whome here the Psalme speaketh albeit that he haue his kyngdom in earth yet doth he rule spiritually and after a heauenly fasshion So that although his kingdome be not sene as the worldely kingdome is sene yet is it hearde but howe Out of the mouth of infauntes and sucking babes hast thou ordeyned strength so is the kyngdome of Christ a kyngdome of hearinge and not of seynge For the eyes do not leade and bring vs thither where as we fynde learn to knowe Christe but the eares muste do that and also suche eares as heare the worde out of the mouth of Infantes and sucking babes This is not the fasshion of the worldely kyngdom for thesame standeth not onely in the hearinge but in workyng and by putting in vre that the good may be defended and kepte in equitie Iustice and peace and that the vngodly vntowarde and euill may be punysshed that men may also labour with their handes and obtayne goodes profites for there shal they not rule nor waxe ryche by their eares For that thou arte made riche is not done by the eares but by the eyes and handes that thou doeste take it in hande and accomplyshe it in dede In those pointes consisteth the worldely kyngdome farre segregated from the spirituall kyngdome of Christ whiche kyngdom although it be here in earth yet is it not executed with plowynge and with our handes But it consisteth in the worde and is executed through the worde whiche procedeth furth of the mouthes of Infantes and suckinge babes As when thou seest and hearest a preacher preaching the word of God thorough the whiche by the commaun hemente of Christe he pronounceth Repentaunce and forgeuenes of synnes there seeste thou neither plough nor harrowe But thou seest and hearest that the Preacher onely vseth the tonge and the worde and yet not hys owne word but the word of Godwher by Christe ruleth here in earth In lyke maner also when we se the holy Sacramentes ministred wherein God offereth and geueth vnto vs remission of all our syunes mercy saluation and the lyfe euerlastinge There seest thou the delyueraunce from synne and death that thou also arte no more deteyned captiue in the kingdom of the deuill thou doeste not se it but onely heare it that it is offered geuê the with the tonge of the Preacher thorough the worde Lykewyse whan a chylde is yonge borue into the worlde of father mother whiche is a synfull byrth this do we se with oure eyes but whan the Chylde is brought to Christe grafted in Christe through Baptisme and is borne agayne of newe wasshed from synne and is made the Chylde heyre of God then is it borne agayne a new whiche is farre an other byrthe than the fyrste whiche we se and fele The seconde and newe byrth which is done through the water worde and the spirite is not sene there are onely the wordes hearde whiche yf I beleue I am made the chyld and heyre of God and fellowe heyre with Christe not of this corruptible lyfe wherein we are borne thorough the fyrst byrth but of the euerlastinge lyfe not an heyre of money and goodes Siluer and Gold But I am made heyre of the euerlasting and heauenly goodes and giftes of God Of these thinges se I none but onely heare the worde whiche profereth me such goodes and sayth that I shall so enioye them yf I do then receyue and beleue it then is it euen so and I obteyne all whatsoeuer the word doth profer promise and geue me So do we also saye in oure Chylder Crede I beleue in the holy Ghost c. forgeuenes of synnes the lyfe euerlastinge These are thinges which we neither se nor fele They are not
some time also his flesh body as a felowe worker that he myght declare by the selfe worke that also hys body hath vertue of quickeninge making linely for asmoch as it is in vnitie ioined togither to his diuine nature that mā beleuing might lerne that it was his ownproper body no other mās So he raised vp the doughter of iairus by his worde touchinge of her body frō death whiche warke was done of him whiche is God mā in one person for he called not againe the dead vnto life alwaies by his onely word but also by touchinge that he might declare trache that his body also might make lyuely quicken than for asmuche as the thinges whiche haue bene corrupted perished be restored renewed begonne a freshe how than should we not liue whiche do eate the flesh of Christe Ther is no doubte but he will bringe reforme them to perpetuall lyfe which be partakers of him for not onely thee soule must nedes ascende vnto a blessed lyfe by the holyghost but also this grosse eartly body must nedes be brought to a perpetuall lyfe by tastinge touching and by meate whichis conueniēt and agreat to his nature Hilarius speaketh almost after the same maner of the se thinges also vpon Matthew the. Mat. ix ix chapter And therfor the apostles call death a sleape teaching vs by this selfe thing that death is to be condemned not to be feared Luke saith in the .vij. of the actes Act. vij the Steuen sleaped whā he was stoned Paul i. Corin. xv nameth Christ the fyrst fruites of them whiche had sleaped i. Cor. xv he saith we all shall not sleape also he saith i. tes 4. brethrē I wil not that ye be ignoraunt of these which hath sleaped i. Tessa iiij Daniel xij that ye be not sory c. Also Dauiel hath spoken in the xij after this maner of corporal death for sosaith he many of them whiche sleape in the dust of the earth shal awake here he calleth the resurrection to come in the last day awakinge all these forsoth be very great consolation to all Christianes whan they be troubled with temtation of death Now let vs heare wherfor scripture compareth our death to natural sleape fyrst whosoeuer sleapeth naturally he resteth from those thoughtes and laboures which he suffereth that watche◠and he reneweth his strēghtes by that rest whan he waketh he is not so wery as he was before he did take the sleape but quicke of spirite and witte freshe stronger his strēghtes being renewed and more dilygent and spedy to take laboures So also our death is a rest frō all care heuinesse thoughtes and laboures of this lyfe a litle whyle enduring miserable most punished and most full of aduersitie our body onely resteth in the groūde it shal returne againe in the last day renewed swifte well fortifyed whole mery stronge endewed with most prosperouse and perpetuall health i. Cor. xv as Paule teacheth vs. i. Corin. xv The body is sowen in corruption reproche feblenesse is a beastly body but it riseth again without corruption in glory in power a spirituall body whiche is so pure so subtile is preseued so merualousely of God him self that it hath nede of no meate drinke or sleape that it is subiecte to no corporal feblenesses miseries as it was in this lyfe whā it was yet constrained to take meate to drinke to sleape to digest to suffre colde heate hungre and suche other things Secondly whosoeuer lieng in his bed sleapeth and resteth naturally he may be raysed vp easely because his soule is in his body the man lineth Christ our God may cal againe so easely and much more easely deade men vnto lyfe whose soules be not deade nor may die Math. x. but be in the hāde of Christe Thyroly we go not to bedde that we may sleape cōtinually fastened alwaies in our bedde but that we may rest a fewe houres that our body may restore and renewe his strenghtes that after we being wakened frō sleape we may do our office and duetie that we may apply our studies workes of our office So whan we dye corporally our bodyes are not buried in to the earthe that they may lie hidde perpetually in it but they be buried that they may rest their a certain tyme in sure hope of resurrection that they may raise againe in the last day that they may lyue togither with the soule euerlastingly because death is vtterly ouercome by Christe and corporall death or sleape is conuerted and ordeined here to vs by him vnto a necessary and holsome medicine that is to say that synne and the body of synne may haue sometyme their end and that we may put awaye mortalitie by this corporall death afterwarde come furth immortall at the due tyme. But although Christ raiseth vp also so easely wicked men from corporall death as vs not withstandinge the death of deuout and godly men is called properly a sleape and deuout and Godly mē are said to sleape onely for whan the soule of a wicked or mesheuouse mā hath departed from the body than nether rest nor cōforting is their for his body was the most filthie stable swynes stye of the citie Augia yea of the deuyl which he builded by euill thoughtes desyres and workes without all rest and is afterward as a certaine abominable thīg cast vnto the earth tarieng that God may raise it vp to euerlastinge ponishement that it may be made a fyrebrande of hell which burneth alwaies and nut withstanding it may not make an ende of burninge nor be consumed In the meane season the soule is vexed and trubled with very great tormentes extreme inquietnes like as an euill doar worthy to be headed whiles he sytteth bounden in prison cage knowinge the a very sure rewarde or whele is at haude althongh that punishemēt is differred a few daies he feled it not yet in hys body notwithstādinge he is care full in minde aboue measure his harte thinketh no other thinge than gallowes wheles and his lyfe is no other thing than trēblinge terrour feare coming before the peine being at hāde a most cruell death Athanasins writinge of diuerse questions vseth this symilitude as Luke teacheth vs of the riche man lieng in tourmētes in the .xvi. chapter Luc. xv◠and desyreth greatly at the least his tung to be refreshed of Lazarus not withstāding he coulde not receyue at the least a little droppe of water But Lazarus had consolation rest in the bosome of Abraham wher that blessed kepar tariethto gither with the sanctes vntil all the chosen be borne be called Heb. xi for they holy fathers as Paul saith in the xi chapter to the Hebrues receiued not the promise because God had prouided a certain better thīg for vs that they should not be made perfecte with out vs.
Tit. iij. A man that is geuen to heresie after the fyrste and the second admonicion auoyd remembringe that he that is suche is peruerted and synneth euen damned by hys owne iudgemente Therefore beware of Sectes It is easy to come into them but it is harde to come oute agayne beleue me thou canst not so easely come oute agayne as thou wentest in All this haue I sayde because of the Iewes whiche by this manifeste Texte will not be perswaded that Christe is a naturall and very God More ouer it can not be sayde that God doth participate this name vnto hym as vnto men as it is written in the fyrste boke of Moses Gene .i. Gene .i. Let vs make man in oure Image after oure lykenes but that man should be called a very naturall God that can not be for God speaketh in Esaye Chapiter .xlij. Esa xlij my glory will I geue to none other But this name geueth he verely vnto this man Christe the seede or braunche of Dauid Vvhereof he hath spoken before because that he is also a naturall God And therefore speaketh the one Lorde of the other Lorde that is one very naturall God of another very naturall God for the Prophete speaketh hereof two persons and sayth I Lord and very God wil rayse vp vnto Dauid a braunche which also shal be called Lorde and very God And herevnto is requisite a fayth which maye comprehende these thynges There is yet as I haue sayd an heresye to come agaynste thys Article of our faith that Christ is a very naturall God God graunte that we do not lyue so longe Furthermore sayth the Prophete that thys sede of Dauid shall also be called oure ryghteousnes The fyrst name that he is called Lorde is concernyng hys Godly person whereof he geueth nothynge neyther doth he participate any thynge thereof vnto vs. But the other that he is called oure ryghteousnes is as touchinge hys offyce wherewith he ministreth vnto vs For in thys name is comprehended hys hole offyce and the fruyte or commoditie of thys Kynge We haue suche a Kynge whiche is very God and not onely very God but he is pertaynyng vnto vs For he is oure righteousnes Thys is oure greatest conforte that thys Kynge and Lorde is oures And he is become oures through the humanite whiche he toke vpon hym to thintent that he shoulde care for vs as for hys own flessh Suche names ought to be written with golden letters yea not onelye with golden letters but also with druppels of bloude in the botome of the herte Here seest thou that thys Kyng Christ is not onely God but also our ryghteousnes or oure iustification whiche maketh vs iuste and ryghteous as also Paule declareth in many places and specially to the Corith i. Cor. i. i. Corint i. whereas he sayth Christe of God is made vnto vs wysedome and also ryghteousnes and sanctifyenge and redemption I haue sayd ofteÌ„tymes that a christen lyfe standeth in these two poyntes Fyrst that our synnes whiche we haue committed are quyte and cleane forgeuen remitted vnto vs through Christe whan I beleue in hym Secondarely that not onelye our synnes be remitted and haue obtayned a righteousnes but there is also a sanctifyenge from the remnaunt of synnes so that the remnaunt of sinnes can not hurte me for Christe is there present the moost perfecte ryghteousnes whiche is hole ryghteous and pure and clenseth me also from the synnes whiche yet remayne in my flesshe for this ryghteousnes of Christe is myne and is counted to me so that I am without synne not of my selfe but because of the ryghteousnes of Christe Nowe when I beleue in Christe then muste Christe with his ryghteousnes steppe forth before the face of God in heauen and make answer for me Therfore ought we and muste repute hys righteousnes as though it were oure owne and be so bolde thereon as on oure inheritaunce For these wordes that he is called oure ryghteousnes and no gestes Now behold what rychesse a christeÌ„ man hath which can neuer dye Nota bene for he hath CHRIST hymselfe what wyll nowe death or synne preuayle agaynst a Christen man at the houre of hys departynge Nota beâ—â— Nothynge death is a laughinge stock for hym he doeth also care nothynge for synne for neyther synne nor death neyther deuyll nor hel is able to bryng vp any thyng agaynst Christe whome a Christian hath vp hym Therfore when death cometh to a faythfull Christian then sayth the Christian Ye are welcome good Syr death what good newes with you what seke ye here knowest thou not whome I haue by my Christe is my ryghteousnes I pray the go to and take her from me yf thou doest take her from me then wyl I folowe the but thou shalt not be able to do it And so do the Christians defye death and speake with sayncte Paule i. Cor. xv i. Co. xv Death where is thy stynge Helle where is thy victory And as he saith in another place Philip. i Philip. i Christ is to me lyfe and death is to me aduauntage yf I dye I haue aduauntage for I come so muche the sooner to lyfe There seest thou what death preuayleth agaynst the Christians he is now theyr aduauntage they lose nothynge by hym but he byteth hymselfe to death vpon them Euen so goeth it also with the synne which is yet remaynyug Nota. and cleaneth yet vnto vs she can not hynder vs neyther can she damne vs for Christe is by vs which clenseth and puryfyeth vs so that we from day to day become more holyer and holyer and the longer we lyue the more enemyes we become vnto synne and so desyre to dye longynge for the saluation and after the lyfe euerlastyuge This is oure sanctification Therfore whylest Christes righteousnes is oures she is not ydle but clenseth and purgeth vs as longe as we lyue in thys worlde vntyll that we also be pure and holy as Christe is holy But all thys commeth from hym And thus hath the Prophete by these wordes declared the offyce of Christe namely that he is our Kyng Nota bene our Bysshop or Priest and our ryghteousnes and also oure redemer delyuerer from synne death deuyll and hell and that he delyuereth vs oute of al tribulations and that he is our lyfe and health and saluation Therfore when I haue hym by faythe then can the hole worlde inuente nothynge agaynst me nor hurte me in any thyng for he is to great and sitteth on the ryght hande of God where also he shall remayne howe soeuer saith nay Let me see yf any man can thruste hym downe from thence He hath good holde let vs also take good holde vpon hym and on hys ryghteousnes than shall we not nede to feare It followeth further nowe in Ieremye And therfore beholde the tyme cometh sayth the Lorde that it shall be no more sayde the Lorde lyueth whiche brought the children of
whiche we haue nede of And we maye not make propre to vs and clayme or laye hande on thys treasure and gyfte of God by anye other meane than by tiue fayth which faith withoute controuersy is effectual also by good workes because it receaueth the holye Ghooste and reneweth and purifyeth the man No deuyll nor wicked and myscheuouse person hath thys faythe albe it they be not verye ignoraunte of the historye of Christe what hys person is and what is hys seruyce notwithstandynge they haue not thys confidence of him that he is theyr redemer and sauyoure and that he wyll delyuer helpe thē For the Deuils know what thing God hath thretened to them that is to saie iudgement and most sure damnation and therfore they tremble and quake But whan we praise so greatly fayth than we speake of true faythe in Christ which is a certayne liuely trust hope of the grace of God whiche he hath promysed to vs in Christe that is to say that he wyl forgeue to vs all oure synnes for Christes sake whiche hath satisfyed for our synnes he wil repute vs iuste and he wil gyue to vs eternal lyfe Neyther the deuill nor hys membres may haue this fayth of the promises of god but the chosē in Christ haue onely it And this is that faith whiche hath restored this womā by which she was made partetaker of the diuine grace help Thys fayth hath made thys woman the doughter of Christ that he dyd vouchesafe to call her hys doughter as Chrysostome sayth And whan scripture prayseth thys fayth thā is the grace and mercy of god for this fayth is the trust vnto the meregrace of god promysed for christes sakerther for thei mē must uede be rude dismaied vnaduised yea frowarde and maliciouse whiche can not suffre that ye most abundaunt grace of God by whiche we ware delyuered from the power of darkenesse be praysed and exalted See that ye be ware of thys kynde of men for they be leadde of thatsame euyll spirite whiche blynded once the Pelagianes Let vs set before oure eyes and folowe also here the example of charitie and mercy which we see here in Christ Iesu oure Lorde and God and that we maye be moued by affection of calamitie and misery of our neyghboures And that we maye helpe and ayde them accordynge to the facultie of our powers and goodes For fayth ought not to be without fruytes ⧠An other Article of the resurrection of the dead Here let vs behold cōsider with intentyue eyes bothe the word work of Christ our Lorde For as moche as they he so merueylouse that we may neuer meruayle ynough at them nor neuer prayse ynough the glory of hys grace He sayth that the wenche slepeth anone he toke her hād and calleth her vnto lyfe The worlde hearyng this standeth by with styf astouyeng eyes reasō mocketh for it semeth incredible and a mere folyshenes that a deformed mortall colde styffe and stynkyng caryon sleapeth In conclusyon how may reasone beleue that death is not death Augustine in the .lxviij. Psalm sayeth We knewe vnderstande then before the comyng of Christe before the worde of God was publyshed in the worlde or before our conuersyon regeneration in mankynde two thinges but one thing was vtterlyvnknowē to vs. That men be borne dyeth that we knowe but that they shal aryse agayn frō the dead and shal lyue euerlastyugly that we knewe not The misteries of God be hyd before reasō The knoweledge of these very greate thynges is not graffed set in the hartes of mē as the lawe of nature therfore reasō all philosophy worldlye wysedome myght knowe nothing of that It was knowē first of al by the gospel of christe which was sent by the holy ghoost from heauen vnto earth Whosoeuer hath not the gospel or beleueth not it he cā knowe nothing of the resurrectiō nor of eternal lyfe which thing the blind ignorant gētiles witnesseth sufficiētly in their writtynges Therfor sayeth Paule i. Cor. ij i. Cor. ij that God hath reueled shewed to vs these thinges by hys spirite that we haue not receaued the spirite of the world but the spirite of God that we may knowe what thynges haue bē geuen to vs of Christe A naturall man vnderstandeth not those thinges which be of the spirite of God it is folyshenesse to hym and he cā not vnderstand it And we heare that here in the Iewes which mocke scorne the Lorde where he saith she is not dead but she slepeth For they could not perceyue and knowe howe death myghte be a slepe Whe◠for thei supposed that these wordes of Christe was dreames of a sycke man and mere tryfles and saiynges of a madde man And this is the desteny of the gospell alwayes in the worlde that it is supposed called folyshenesse .i. Cor. i. i Cor. i. Whan Paul in the .xxvi. Ac. xxvi of the Actes teached of the resurrection of the dead the lieuetenaunt Festus iudged that he was madde How hardly beleued Thomas that Christ was reuiued frō dead Iohn xx Iohn xx At Athenes they called the sermones of Paul of the resurrection a babblynge although they auaunted that there was the fountayne of al artes sciences and wysedome Ac. xvij the xvij of the Actes The Sadducees amōg the Iewes iudged that the sermones of Christe of the resurrection was a certayne tryflyng fable thynges impossyble Math. xxij Matth. xxij And Augustyne writeth in the .xxij. boke de ciui dei the .v. Chapter There be thre thinges incredyble which not withstādyng haue bē done It is incredible that christ hath rysē agayne in body hath ascended vnto the heauens with hys body It is incredible that the worlde hath beleued a thyng so incredyble It is incredyble that that men of none estimaton feble very few vnlerned myght perswade so effectually a thyng so incredible to the worlde also to lerned connyng mē in it The carnal sonnes of thys world suffer not to beleue the first point that is to say that Christ hath rysen again The secōd point that is to say that mē notwithstāding hath beleued this thinge although it was incredible they be constrayned to see before ther eyes it forasmuche as the resurrection of the dead is beleued so stedfastly constat̄ly throughout al the worlde of al christianes that therfor they may dispise this lyfe with al his ryches profittes pleasures power shewe also their middel fynger to death as Paule doeth i. Corin. xv i. Co. xv Vvhere is death thy prick The sonnes of this world cā not fynd or know frō whence that other is done that is to say that the worlde beleueth the resurrectiō except they shal beleue also the third point that is to say that it was done by the Apostles men beleuyug theyr preachyng sermōs Our fayth dependeth not of opiniōs of mē nor hath causes set and
grounded vpō reason as philosophy or worldly sciences but it dependeth consisteth all in the word of God Vvhat thynges soeuer god hath promysed he may performe thē no man may let it The world knoweth nothing of the word power of God it beleueth not the first article of the almighty power of God and of the creation conseruatiō of all thynges it hath regard onely vpon creatures their mutatiōs it seeth death but it can see nothyng els here than these thynges which may be apprehended with corporal outward senses that is to say a wenche theyr lyeng styf horryble in sight deade and destitute of alher strenghtes It seeth also that she beynge deade can not helpe her selfe that none in earth can call her agayne vnto lyfe Reason thincketh vpon nothynge but mannes strenghtes it can not go further therfor it mocketh the wordes of Christe For as al worldely power may not make a creature of nothing so it may not rayse vp agayne a dead man Therfor yf we loke and regarde only mās power strenghtes than our laboure is in vayne and it is plainly impossyble that a dead mā be called agayne to lyfe aryse agayne Wherfor it is necessary that we haue regarde here vnto the diuine power strenghtes of the creatour excepte we desyre to erre and blaspheme with the wicked and myscheuous world Vvho is he that sayth the wenche sleapeth If I or any other pure tried mā should say these wordes of him self thā shoulde there be onely consolation of the wordes nothyng elles For we may not call agayne a deade man vnto lyfe of our propre strenghtes as we cal vp a man sleapyng naturally in hys bedde But here speaketh that great man that greatest noble Lord which cā order rule death at hys pleasure Here speaketh the creatoure and first maker himself of al thynges of hys own creature which he made before of nothing of whome Iohn and Paule beare witnesse Iohn i. that al thynges be made by hym they haue there byeng by hym But that thing was hidde frō the preastes phariseys the vulgar people of the Iewes at that tyme. For they knewe neyther Christ nor hys ministration or seruyce The chief mē of the synagoge ware blynd guydes as Christe calleth them neyther vnderstāding nor belening to the lawe the Prophetes Therfor what might that miserable poore peoople or that vnlerued people knowe So it was fulfilled Esa ivi and .iij. that Esaias prophecyed of thē al theyr blynd espialles was ignoraunt the shepeherdes theirselfes knewe not wysdome Esa lvi iij. my people which cal the blessed they their selfes deceaue the. c. But yf they had knowen lerned of the lawe the prophetes two thīges that is to say of what qualite should their Messias be and what should be his ministratiō work amōg men in earth thā wold they not haue scorned christ but they would haue thanked him their hartes handes lifted vp to god because thei had come to had sene that quiet ioious most wisshed day of health in their lyfe in whiche Messyas presente dyd these selfe workes which be attributed assigned to his first coming in scriptures in whiche tyme he declareth also hym self a true perfite sauyour of our bodies soules The lawe the Prophetes teache vs first that Messias was to come not onely a very man but also a verye God so that very God himself was to come in his own propre persō vnto the earth to become mā to teache and to saue hys people Gene. i. Psalm C. xxiij Psalm lxxxxvi For Moses saith that God hath made heauē earth whiche thing the prophetes teache also in many places as in 123. Psalm God made heauen earth Psal 96. God made heauē earth all thynges whiche be in thē Moreouer the prophetes beare witnesse also that thatsame adonay that is to say that true one God was to come to vs to become a very man of the stocke of Dauid that he mighte be our sauiour Christ Esaye xxxiij For Esaias in the xxxiij Chapter sayth Iehouah or God our iudge God our gyuer of lawes God our king he himself shal saue vs. Ieremi xxxiij And Ier. xxxiij where the Prote promyseth Christ he calleth him not onely the braunche of iustice which he was to gyue to Dauid but he calleth hym in thesame chapter clerely well to the purpose Iehouah or god our iustice which thing nether the Iewes nor christianes may deuye whyche hath knowen the holy tonge Also in xxij psalme Psal xxij and in the prophete Abdia the kingdome is the lordes or gods In bothe the places the speche is of Messias or of Christe and it calleth hym by thesame name by whiche scripture nameth in euery place the trewe and onely God maker of heauē and earth therfore it must nedes followe and can not be denied that Christe is trew God Is it than so incredible that the creatour and maker of all thinges restoreth and calleth againe vnto life his creature now fallē and deade whiche he made before of nothing Actu xxvi And so saith Paule in the 26 chapter of the actes before kinge Agrippa wherfor is it thought incredible amonge you if God rayse vp deade men as he wold say For asmuche as ye beleue that God is almightie that he hath made heauen and earthe how thā may he not also cal again vnto lyfe his creature that is deade Is it not more difficell and a greater thyng to make something of nothing than to restore renewe that which was made before Whosoeuer beleueth the creation of al thinges he must nedes beleue also that God may raise vp againe dead men that he will do it because he promised that he him selfe wolde do it Secōdely that law the prophetes teache vs what is the ministratiō of Messias or what he hys workes which he wolde do after in earthe that is to say to put away synnes to slea death to redeme his chosē mē frō power of death to call again dead men vnto lyfe to giue to his chosen mē euerlasting life here for a shorte time to be throwen doune to be made lesse to be made lowe poore abiect but therfore a litle after to be exalted and to reigne with his own for euer world without ende Of these the Iewes might haue gottē forsothe to them selfes so great vnderstandinge if they had takē heede that they wolde not haue mocked the wordes of Christ saing the whenche sleapeth like as he had spoken vaine thinges and had promised opēly impossible thinges Moses teacheth Gene. ij Gen. ij Ge. iji how death came vnto the worlde by synne And 3. chapter he teacheth who shall take away and destroie death truely the sede of the woman whiche shoulde after tread doune the head of the serpēt the deuyll that is to
say to ouerthrowe destroie his Kingedome The deuyll subdued all man kinde to him selfe by synne that al mē was subiecte to death and damnatiō Heb. ij Therfore Paul saith in the .ij. chapter to the Hebrues that the deuyll haith rule ouer death The sede of the womā that is to say christ should breake and trouble this kingdome and this power of syune and death holde faste and slea synne and kyl death Esai xxxxiij Esa xxxxiij whan Christ had said thou hast made me to serue in thy synnes thou hast geuē labour to me in thy iniquities he reherseth anone I am I am my selfe whiche put away thy iniquities for my sake If he putteth awai sinne or iniquities from whense death cometh than withoute all controuersy he putteth away death the wages of synne Esa xxv the prophete sayth of Messias he shall throwe doune headlynge Osee xiij or consume death for euer Osee xiij I shall delyuer them from the power of death I shall redeme them frō death O death I shal be thy death Esa ix Esay ix Christe is called the father of the world to come or father euerlastingly Therfore it is necessary suerly that he raise vp his sonnes frō death graunt to them euerlasting lyfe Ioh. xi Therfore he sayth in Iohn the .xi. I am the resurrection and lyfe Whosoeuer beleueth on me shal liue although he weredead And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in me shal neuer die And Iohn the .v. as the father rayseth vp the dead and quicheneth them Iohn v. euenso the sonne quit keneth whome he wyll Ye see here of now how great and grosse blyndenesse was in Iewry whā Christe was sent to them he declareth by mightie and meruailous workes myracles that he is very Messias whiche scripture promysed sauiour delyueret of the whole worlde doith thesame selfe workes whiche scripture had prophecied Messias to do wher of he might be knowen most playnly and most easely but not withstanding where he saith that the wenche sleapeth that myserable and blinded people mocketh their lorde and God but neuer the lesse their mockinge must nedes serue to faith for by that self thing they graunt that the whench is veryly deade as also the seruauntes of the house of the lieuetenaunt meetinge their maister shewe that the whench is deade that he should not offend Christ Therfor they myght not say that the whenc did lie in a traunse or a swoune or slaped naturally but they doubted not and they confessed opnely that she had verely departed frō this lyfe And therfor they ware cōstrained after to knowledge and confesse that a trew miracle was done here that is to say that the whench was called againe trewly from death vnto lyfe And therfor Christ cōmaundeth to giue to her some thinge that she may eat that they should not doubt that she was raysed again truly Mat ix Matthew declared this myracle in fewe words but Marc Mare viij Luc viji and Luc adde to that anone after that Christ had said whenche ryse thou vp her spirite returned she dyd aryse vp by by that Christ cōmaunded meate to be giuen to her Some mē suppose that that miracle which Math. declareth where Christe onely raiseth vp again the dead whēche by touching her is an other miracle from that whiche Luke Marke declare whome they suppose to write of a whenche of ij peres olde the doughter of a chiefman of the synagoge whose name was Iairus but I haue supposed hither to with Ensebius Hierome Augustine in the ij boke of the consent of the Euāgelistes the xxvi chapter also with Chrisostome other of trew opinion faith that these thre Enangelistes declare thesame history speake of thesame miracle Therfore our lord Iesu Christe willed to declare his diuine power ministration whan he said the whenche sleapeth for as Augustine saith no mā can raise vp so easely from sleape a man sleapinge naturally in his bedde how easely christe raiseth vp a deade man furth of his sepulchre And so wōt Christe to speake of death as an almighty lord as lord of lyfe death he calleth death a sleape vnto the comfort of faithfull Christians for death is made a pacified quiet sleape to them that beleue in Christ for because they be graffen in Christ by faith they shal not se death for although they suffer very greatly corporal death and their soule departe frō their body notwithstāding they come not vnto the second death which is euerlasting dānation but to Christ wher ther propre ioye gladnesse reioicinge is the body resteth in the earth in sure hope of sauinge resurrection vnto the day of the lord So saith also christ Iohn the xi of Lazarus our frēd Lazarus sleapeth but I go that I may raise him vp from sleape than his diciples said Ioh. xi lord if he sleapeth he shall be safe that is to say he shall be better at ease thā their is no perill But Christ did speake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of the sleaping of sleape Than said he manyfestly to them Lazarus is deade forwhan the soule departeth from the body than that departinge by it self is death it should remaine death and euerlastinge sleape against all the power of the whole worlde whiche might not at any tyme breake vanquishe euerlastingly this sleape but whan death is compared to Christe is put against him than it is non other thing thā a sleape to his diuine power because Christ for asmuche as he him self is almighty lyfe and euerlastinge fontaine of al lyfe speaketh onely one word Ioh. xi Lazarus come thou fourth Iohn the .xi. Ionge man I say to the ryse thou vp Luc. vij in Luke the .vij. also he thoucheth the dead body and death is constrayned to departe and the selfe lyfe to returne as here Matthew the ix anone after he helde the hande of the whenche Mat. ix the soule returneth vnto the body For as Chrisostome saith he put not in an other soule into the body but he restored so easely to the body that selfe soule whiche it had before euen as he had raysed it vp from sleape The fathers of trew faith hath wined and consydered with muche more diligence than we this diuine power of Christ which he hath declared in raisyng vp the dead by onely touchinge and they had here very good and very excellent meditations of the parson of Christ of the mistery of his humanitie as Cyrillus vpō Iohn in the .vi. Ioh. vi chapter wher he saith that the fleshe of our sauiour Christ is vnited or ioined together also made lyuely to the eternal worde of God which is naturally the self lyfe so that it may make liuely And therfor Christ whā he raised vp the dead vsed not onely words nor commaūded onely as almyghtye God but he vsed to that busines
It is plainly a contrary thing betwene them and which haue not beleued to the gospel of Iesu christ the denout Godly men fyrst the bodies of the deuout and godly men be so holy reliques that the wicked misheuous mē be vnworthy to beholde with their eyes deuout godly men because their bodies be as Paule saith i. Cor. vi i. cor vi membres of Christ and tēples of the holi ghost which duelleth in deuout godly men And although they be buryed in the earth notwithstandinge they sleape now in sauing hope of resurrectiō of that clearnesse of whiche the sonne is in the firmamēt they shall come furth of the earth and shal be ioined to the blessed soules and shal be made fellowes of the celastyall and eternall life and ioy togither with the soules This is the most sure and blessed hope of the chosen and faithful Christianes i. Tes iiij as Paul teacheth i. Tes iiij If we beleue saith he that Iesu is deade and hath risen againe So also God shall bringe them whiche haue sleaped by Iesu with him so we shal be alwaies with him This most sure hope was somuch worth alwaies with deuout faithful Christianes that they did not caste away their bodies as som most vile and naughty carion as that gētile Philosopher diogenes but they honoured it as a welbeloued cōpanion and tellowe worker of their blessed soule and buried it honorably And as we see here that a great cōpany of mē was presēt before the house of this principal mā of the sinagoge that hys doughter beīg dead might be brought houorabely to the sepulture be buried For they had hearde learned of scriptures to haue a sure hope that it shuld be thereafter that that self body shuld reuiue raysed vp agayne in the owne tyme for the Iewes hath the promise the word of God that is to say the gospell of Iesu Christ whiche we haue whiche is the promyse of eternal lyfe ij tim i ij Tim. i. Paul calleth this hope in the xxviij of the Act. a hope of Israel Actu xxviij that is to say which al true Israelites or deuout Iewes loked for And therfore they called their church yardes or places appoyuted to the buriēg of the bodyes Bethhachaum that is to say the house of the liuing And so they knewe of the worde of god God to be God the is to say a sauiour deliuerer of Abraham Isaac Iacob and of theirs or theyr posterities sede whiche be the faithful Christian sonnes of these faith ful Christian Patriarches The greke church also calleth the court or that plase of sepulchres or tōbes cemiterium that is to say a place of sleapyng that they shuld not doubt that mē there buryed should sleape rest vnto the laste day onely in which they shal aryse agayne vnto euerlastynge lyfe But bechaunche some man wil say than why mock the Christ if thei knewe by the word of God that dead mē should aryse agayn I answer thei waxe not al true Israelites that is to say faithfull Chistianes there was yet much darkenesse ignoraunce with the chosē mē dyuine matters in which haue ben conuerted afterwarde I besech the at what poynt is the matters now in the churche Suppose ye that thei al be true Christianes which professe Christ by name and foloweth the bodies of dead men to be buried by cause of honour how many Epicuries and Saduceis how many stynkynge hogges myght thou fynde which knowe beleue little of these greatest matters chaffe is alwaies mixed to corne Of these we lerne that churchyardes and burienges of faithful Christianes shud be honoured and had in reuerende dreade for asmuch as we witnesse by this self thing a Christian hope of our resurrectiō in Christ Wherfor the men in our tymes be wycked and Saduceis whiche worshippe not fearfully the churcheyardes of Christianes and setteth nothinge by an honourable sepulture and handleth no other wyse the bones of Christianes nor setteth more by thē than thei ware the bones of brute beastes All faythful Christianes as wel among the Iewes as the gentiles worshipped alwayes fearefully sepultures as bothe the testamentes beareth witnesse Ye haue now what Christ meaneth here where he saith the whenche sleapeth And what he dothe whā he calleth her agayne vnto lyfe whiche miracle is writen for vs that we may renewe fortifie and preserue our faith of the resurrectïon of the body by it for this promyse is so great by whiche Christe promiseth to vs the resurrection of the body and euerlastyng lyfe after this lyfe that we can not vnderstande it by reason for it passeth al vnderstādyng reason and wysedome of the whole world Therfor oure faithful deliuerer Iesu Christ annexed hāgeth to a most sure most strōge seale to this hys promyse whā he calleth agayn deade mē vnto lyfe that we should not doubte of this promise but beleue stedfastly that as he hath called this doughter of the man in chief auctorite So also he shal rayse vp agayne in one momente vs all in the laste daye not vnto a mortal lyfe but vnto an euerlastyng lyfe for as Iohn sayth in the .v. Chapt. the houre shal come Iohn v in which all men that be in sepulchres shal heare his voyce they which haue done good shall come fourth vnto the resurrectiō of lyfe but they which haue done euil shall come fourth vnto resurrectiō of iudgemēt So also Chrisostome wont to apply these miracles drawe them to an Article of our faith of the mystery of the resurrection that we may fortifie by thēthe faith of that generall resurrection which shal be in the later commyng of christ And he cōmaūdeth vs to be of good hope and courage in the peril of death bycause that our death is no more a death but a sleap And he saith that not we but the deuill with his shoulde be sorowfull and carefull or complayue For he sayth that we go from thys temporal life by death vnto immortal lyfe and perpetual reste but that the deuyll with hys fall doune strayghte vnto eternall punyshmētes Therfor whan temptations inuade vs in these greatest articles that is to saye of resurrection and lyfe to come that they may ouerthrowe destroye oure faythe of the diuine promyse to vs than thys gospel such like where Christ hath called agayne the dead vnto lyfe and by whiche he promiseth a glorious resurrection vnto eternal lyfe is to be taken and layd hande on our fayth should be fortifyed and confirmed with these agaynste the fyery dartes of the deuyll And because as Augustine sayth in the C. iiij Psal our faythful God hath gyuen to vs holy scripture hys diuyne worde as a writynge or obligation of hys owne hand that it myght remayn with vs Therfor in al suche temptations in the articles of our faith we shal shewe forth anone the very propre obligation of God we shal beholde hys mercy veritie in it Yf Satan tēpteth vs putting voluptuous thoughtes vnto our hartes as yf god wold suffre vs to perysh by death as yf we shoulde remayn vnder the earth thā let vs take quickely his hand writtyng the holye guspel let vs see what God hath promyseth to vs what now he hath done gyuē shall gyue yet He hath promised surely to vs his only begottē sonne vnto a sauinur Nota bene He hath sent him in fulnesse of tyme. He hath sayd the shuld dye for vs the hath ben done He said that he should ryse agayn aseēd to the heauēs so it came to passe He sayd the he wolde send his holy ghost for ernest money of the celestial heritage the also was done He promysed the he wold publishe abrode the gospel throughout the hole world cal the gentiles to euerlastyng lyfe Hè dyd that also he promised that he wolde saue defend hys welbeloued people faithful christianes in the world among so many deuils impedimētes that they may perseuer abyde vnto the ende He did that also See thou his hand writing loke thou what he oweth moreouer He shal come vnto iudgement he shall rayse vp frō the sea earthe all dead mē frō Adā vnto the last mā he shal leade good mē vnto his king dō he shal thruste doune euil mē to the helles vnto euer lasting tourmētes Thā he hath accomplyshed al thynges which he promised to vs in the obligation of his hand writtinge Therfor for as muche as the most true god celestial father hath accomplished paied al thiges with so faithful executiō of his promise as we knowe confesse thā wherfor shoulde we doubte of the rest the is of that resurrection of the blessyng to come O vnthankefull man Thou readest the dette thou feast what is payed wherfor doubtest thou but also he will performe pay the reste By what faythful execution of promyse he hath payed those thinges which we haue receyued now by thesame faithful executiō of promyse he wil pay those thynges which rest remayne he shal rayse vs vp agayne he wil trāsfigure our bodyes which be now vyle that he may make thē lyke to hys gloriouse body in effect or vertue by which it may also make subiect to it self al thynges Phil. iij. Phil. iij These be sayd of this gospel Christ our Lord God vouchesafe to fortifye our faith that we neuer doubte of the moste sure veritie of hys promyse AMEN FINIS ⧠Seke peace and ensue it Psalm xxxiij i. Pet. iij. W L ⧠Imprinted for Gwalter Lynne dwellyng vpon Somers kaye by Byllynges gate In the yeare of our Lorde God M. D.xiviij