Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	sin_n	sin_v	world_n	14,747	5	5.7909	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69147	A postill or collection of moste godly doctrine vpon every gospell through the yeare aswell for holye dayes as Sondayes, dygested in suche order, as they bee appoynted and set forthe in the booke of Common Prayer. Uery profitable for all curates, parentes, maysters of housholdes, and other gouerners of youth.; Postilla Anthonii Corvini	Corvinus, Antonius, 1501-1553.	1550 (1550)	STC 5806; ESTC S109261	359,302	596

And the aungell sayde vnto them Be not afraide For beholde I bringe you tidinges of great ioye that shall come to all people for vnto you is borne this day in the citye of Dauid a sauioure which is Christe the Lorde And take this for a signe ye shall fynd the chylde wrapped in swadlynge clothes layed in a maunger And stra ght way there was with the aungel a multitude of heauenly souldiers praisinge God and saying Glorye to God on hye and peace on earth and vnto men a good will THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell first of all is treated the helthfull byrth of oure Lord Iesu Christ The natiuitie of Edriste which is the wel hedde of our saluacion and of eternal lyfe Wherefore it is necessary that euen as the euangelist hath described the same natiuitie or birthe so likewise that euerye manne doo receaue it into the inwarde partes of his harte and often tymes to reuolue it in himselfe whereby he may by the meditacion of such thinges be kendeled lyghtened and made ioyful and that they maye take and kepe in theyr hertes the chylde newelye borne by the worde of faith For the lower and poorer that this byrthe appeareth to the worlde Esa 9. so muche the holsomer and more profitable it is to them that receau it by faith And that it was so small of estymacion with the worlde it may be gathered of that that Ioseph and the virgyne Mary ascended from the city of Nazareth vnto the citie that is called Bethlehem in the lande of Iudea none other wise but as the other subiectes dyd to geue obedience to they re superioures and to yeld tribute as the other did Who wold I pray you beleue that Mary shuld be the mother of God whiche went vnto the professioÌ„ no otherwise then the other plebeial one dispised sort of women dyd And likewise the euangelist sayeth that in the towne of Bethlehem she was had in no respecte or regarde of any person in so much that she was fayn that scripture mygt be fulfilled to wrappe her welbeloued sonne Christ whiche she there brought forth in cloutê and lay him in an oxe stal What singuler or particular kind touch herest thou here to be shewed towardes Marye and her sonne Christ The pouerty oâ— Mary Nothing here is els but bare pouerty Mary is dispised Ioseph is dispised the chyld is dispised Nor thou canst here hear of any man that toke ony care or thought for them But thou maiest well heare that there was no place for theÌ„ in the inne And nowe marke wel how glorious how greatlye magnified was the same birth in heaueÌ„ althoghe it was not so estemed on earth The Angel of God staÌ„deth by is presente with the shepehardes that watched the nighte watch ouer their flock and sheweth vnto them greate ioy that shuld befal to all people The shewyng of Chrystis natiuitie that Christe our Lord and souiour was born in the citie of Dauid c. Now thou seest who was messauÌ„ger of the same glorious natiuitie and howe noble a message he broughte and yet doest thou but slenderlye esteeme that thou must cal this child Christ Lorde and sauiour How cold Christ haue ben more noblier described or the summe of the gospell more brieflyer comprehended Forthermore The sum of the gospell how could this matter haue bene better or godlyer handeled then it was handeled of the aungeles yea when when those poore and simple shepeherdes were in so greate feare how cold they haue bene better comforted then of the aungel And he saieth vnto them Feare ye not O ioyfull and swete message that for al the great waight of syn brought into this world with vs we shulde not feare why so Bycause ther is to day borne vnto vs suche a sauioure that shall take awaye the sinne of the world and through his passion and deathe shall obtaine for all them that beleue in him euerlastinge lyfe Wherefore it is bery meete that this natiuitie of the which we receyue so great profite ioy shuld be glorious in oure syght Our byrthe is vncleane subdued to syn Our natiuitie is vncleane and cursed But Christes is pure without syn and holye Therfore now yf the condeÌ„nation of our natiuitie muste be taken awaye and chaunged it muste nedes be by the pure and vndefiled natiuitie of our lorde Iesu Christe What and can it be corporally communicate to al men No. But spiritually we must attaine to it by the word What word is that The same worde when the aungell saithe To you to you this day is born a sauiour By this word is comunicate vnto vs the natiuitie of Christ And yf thou wylt hear the same also of the prophet Esa 9. he saith on this wise A child is borne to vs a son is gyuen to vs. In the childe is signified the humaninity of Christ And in the son is signified his Godhed Such a child is born that is in nature both god maÌ„ To whome is he borne To vs to vs the prophete saith Here we shuld now open the eyes of faith for many ther be that although they beleue that Christ was borne yet beleue they not that he was borne for their sake And therefore set thei their mindes so much vppoÌ„ their owne workes with the which they truste to obtatne both righteousnes and saluacion euen as thoughe with our owne merites we might stonde in the iudgement of God Therefore good syr deceiu not your selfe for the matter standeth not in that case but as Dauid saith Goodlord Psa 24 enter not into iudgmeÌ„t with thy seruauÌ„t for al lyuers shall not be iustified in thy syght The frut of faithe Here be no workes required able to coÌ„treuaile but grace mercy is to be loked for And therefore he that beleueth the Christe is borne geuen that he was incarnate died rose again is ascendid into heaueÌ„ for our iustification he is clean froÌ„ sinne righreous blessed the brother of Christ the son of God And that faith doughtles lyk a good maÌ„ herafter he shal declare with good workes that is with the loue of his neighboure with honest conuersacion Secondarelye it is to be noted in this gospell what persons they were that this holsome birth of Christ was shewed vnto Poore men receiue the Gospell Vereli poore and dispised shepeherdes But why was it not shewed to the rich men meÌ„ of great power the holy meÌ„ of IerusaleÌ„ Bicause that God hath chosen such as to the world appear folish 1. Cor. 1. to the intent to shame the wordly wise men Rich meÌ„ gentlemeÌ„ meÌ„ of great power of this world haue no respecte or regarde to this child Iesus but haue their peculier and priuate God in whom they put the whole and some of theire trust that is in pride in theire great strenth and power in riches and in their mightie god

discord to testifie a brotherly vnfained loue betwene vs. For wheÌ„ we be made al partakers of this one table what ought we to thinke but that we be al meÌ„bres of one spiritual body that we be ioyned togither in one Christe as a greate numbre of graines of corne bee ioyned togither in one lofe Wherefore they that can not bee persuaded to bee good to their christian brethren for whome Christ suffered death when in this sacrament they be put in remembraunce that the sonne of god bestowed his lyfe for his enemyes We see dayly that eating and drinking togither maketh friendes and continueth friendship Muche more then oughte the table of Christ to moue vs so to do whereby we confesse vs to be all membres of one body and acknowledge Christ to be giuen vs of God his father To whome with the sonne and holye ghoste be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer Amen The gospell on the second sermon vppon the passion of our lorde Iohn 18. WHen Iesus had spoken these woordes Mat. 19 Mar 14 Luce. 22 he went forth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron wher was a garden into whyche he entred and hys disciples Iudas also whiche betrayed him knew the place for Iesus ofte tymes resorted thyther with his disciples Iudas then after he had receiued a bonde of men ministers of the highe priestes and pharisees came thither with lanternes and fier brandes and weapons And Iesus knowyng all things that shulde come on him went forth and sayde vnto them Whom seeke ye They answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayth vnto them I am he Iudas also which betrayed hym stode with them As sone then as he had sayde vnto them I am he they went backeward and fell to the grounde Then asked he them againe Whom seek ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go theyr way that the sayinges might be fulfilled whiche he spake Ioh. 17 Of them which thou gauest me haue I not loste one Then Simon Peter hauynge a sworde drewe it and smote the high priestes seruaunt and cutte of his right eare The seruantes name was Maichus Therfore sayth Iesus vnto Peter Mat. 2â— Gene. 9 putte vp thy sworde into the sheath Shall I not drynke of the cuppe whiche my father hath geuen me THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche dearely beloued as wee haue vndertake to declare vnto you and to set out the deare death and most bytter passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ I haue thought it conuenient and nede also requireth the same that wee should first shew briefly what is the vse of the same passion and what vtilitee and fruit may come by it vnto vs. For there is no greatter folye nor more worthye laughter than to make only suche preachynges as should moue mennes myndes to fret at the Iewes because they dyd suche an horrible cryme against Christ by such wordes take an occasion to curse rebuke the traitour Iudas and to condempne him For surely here are to bee considered thynges farre greatter and higher then those And what thynges are they that we ought here to consider Fyrst wee ought to ponder what were the principal causes of that so great passion whiche the most innocent laÌ„be of God suffered For if this be depely wayed and coÌ„sidered in the heart it shall worke as muche in oure heartes as dothe the preachyng of the lawe whose office is commonly to set before oure eyes the huge greatnes of our synnes to feare vs and to driue vs vnto dispayre But nowe who were they that were the cause of that so paynful death and passion vnto Christ The cause of the doth of Christ Esai 53 that coÌ„mytted that horrible cryme to sley the soÌ„ne of God No maÌ„ can shewe this more truely nor better then the prophet whiche sayth Because of the transgression of my people I haue slayn him Kepe this sentence diligently in thy mynde And if thou wylt so doo thou shalt haue as great cause to fret at thy selfe as euer thou couldest fynde to bee displeased with the Iewes and that wretched poore felowe Iudas And if that the Lord our God gaue his dearely beloued soÌ„ne vnto this passion for the traÌ„sgression and synnes of his people surely we also do put to our workyng helpyng haÌ„des vnto this passion ar also aswel as other authors of his death Haue not we synned also with other Or are we except out of this senteÌ„ce Al men haue synned are destitute of the glory of God Rom. 3 Doubtles no maÌ„ can here excuse himselfe neither is any maÌ„ free froÌ„ sinne so that he may lay al the blame vpoÌ„ the Iewes for Christes death 1 Iho. 2 For as S. IhoÌ„ sayth He is the propiciacion obtayner of grace for our synnes not for our synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde Therfore when thou hearest that this innocent Christ was bound scourged spyt vpoÌ„ and skorned and besydes that beaten vpoÌ„ the face crouned with thorne crucifyed thou shuldest then call to mynd and remembre Our sinnes crucifyed Christ that thou thy selfe hast done this that thy synnes were the moost iust cause and very occasion of all these thynges Neither must thou remembre thynges lightly but so meditate them in thy mynde that thou mayst knowe thy selfe a most greuous synner and confesse thy selfe suche a one as by thy synnes prouoked so great wrathe and indignacion of God Nor thynke not that thy synnes were light for the whiche it was necessary that the sonne of God shuld come doune froÌ„ heauen and suffre the most vyllayn death of the crosse CoÌ„sider also in thy mynd that this passion What profite we haue by the death passion of Christ shedyng of that precious blud was done for thy welth profite that thy synnes and all thy traÌ„sgressions should by effusion of this blud be washed away so thou deliuered froÌ„ al thy synnes mightest be made the sonne heyre of God Nowe if thou by fayth takest hold vpoÌ„ this with all the whole fayth of thy heart trustest wholly vpoÌ„ it it shal make the fre froÌ„ al sinnes recoÌ„cile the vnto the heauenly father and bryng perpetual ioy eternal felicitie vnto the. Euen as S. Paule sayth Christ Rom 5. when we were yet weake accordyng vnto the tyme died for the vngodly And scarce wyl any maÌ„ dye for the righteous Yet peraduenture some maÌ„ dare dye for a good man But in this hath God set out his loue towarde vs that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Muche more now that we be iustifyed in his bloud we shal be saued froÌ„ the wrath by him c. After this maner the woundes of Christ may be vnto the a preachyng of the lawe when thou callest to mynde that he suffered them for thy synnes And agayne when thou remeÌ„brest

that the gospel is preached in vaine yet must we beleue that amongest so great a company of misbelieuers God hath some elect that gladly here his worde and kepe the same although as we haue saide the numbre of those be very small The sonday called Quinquagesima Luc. 18. IEsus toke vnto hym the twelue sayd vnto them Mat 18. Mar. 8.9 d 10. Luc. 9. c and. 17 Behold we go vp to Ierusalem and all shal be fulfilled that are written by the prophetes of the sonne of man For he shal be delyuered vnto the gentyls and shal be mocked and despitefully intreated and spitted on and when they haue scourged hym they wyll put hym to death and the thyrd day he shal arise again And they vnderstode none of these thinges And this saying was hyd from them so that they perceaued not the thinges which wer spokeÌ„ Mat 16 17. b Mar. 9. Luc. 2. g and. 9. f Mat 20 Mar. 11 And it came to passe that as he was come nighe vnto Hierico a certain blind man sate by the way side begging And when he herd the people passe by he asked what it ment And they sayd vnto him that Iesus of Nazareth passed vi And he cried sayiÌ„g Iesu the son of Dauid haue merci on me And they which weÌ„t before rebuked him that he shuld hold his peace But he cryed so much the more Mar 10 thou son of Dauid haue merci on me And Iesus stode stil coÌ„mauÌ„ded hiÌ„ to be brought vnto hiÌ„ And wheÌ„ he was cum neare he asked him saying What wilt thou that I do vnto the And he said lorde that I may receaue my syght And Iesus saide vnto hym receaue thy sighte thy fayth hath saued the. And immediatly he receaued hys syghte and folowed him and praysed God And all the people when they sawe it gaue prayse vnto God THE EXPOSITION The passion of Christe is oft rehersed IT is not without great cause that Christ so often times did shew and speake to his disci-disciples of his passion and death that was to come and that not onli in the gospel of this day but also in diuerse other places And to let passe the other euangelists I pray you how often times is it spoken of in the gospell of S. Iohn Ouerlooke the same euangelist through out from the beginning to the ende and thou shalt finde that the same faithful teacher Christ with all diligence did instruct strength his Apostels against the slaunder of the crosse Wherefore we shulde considre the same and marke wherfore Christe did it and why he made so many wordes thereof to his disciples First yt is manifest very plain that our nature flesh when it is not inlyghtened by the holy ghost cannot abide stedfast in time of persecution The fleshe hath persecution for the fleshe loueth herselfe and bitterly hateth persecution and deliteth more in long and mery dayes theÌ„ to abide trouble and vexacion with a quiet mynd As Nicodemus when he came in the night to Christ for feare of the Iewes Mat. 20 hard by and by of him these wordes That that is borne of the fleshe is fleshe And although the children of Zebedeus said Mat. 10 they coulde drinke of the cuppe that Christ shuld drink of And Peter also might well say Luc. 22. that he was readye euen to dye with Christ yet without the holye ghost it is impossible and is a highe presumption so to say And seinge that oure Lorde Iesu Christe knew very well the same frailenes of the fleshe not only in his disciples but in vs all he vseth the office of a good and faithfull maister and instructeth vs with the wholsome doctrine of the word of God againste persecution to come that when it shulde come vppon vs wee shulde be ready and not dispaire As thoughe he shulde saye I knowe verye well that yt is harde for a manne to stande styflye in persecution and to suffer all aduersities wyth a pacient minde but the prophecy muste needes bee fulfilled of me Doth not Zacharias say of me Zac. 13. I wyll stryke the shepeherde and all the flocke shal be sparsed abroad Wherfore now I shew you before bycause it muste needes bee that when so euer it shal be done you maye remember this and not bee offended therewith but rather beleue that it is my fathers wyll in heauen which will delyuer you through my death from sinne death the diuel and hell And although I shal dye the vylest death yet wyll I rise the third day and comforte you Thou seyste here how Christe comforteth his Apostelles whereby they may learne to haue respecte only to the good wyll of god in all tribulacions In necessities we muste haue respecte to the good wyl of God And this was not only done for the apostels sake but for vs also to learne and folowe the same In persecution and tribulacion we may not think that the wicked be as fierse in crueltye towarde vs as the Iewes were in persecuting Christ euen to very death but we muste looke to the good and mercyfull wyll of God the father whose will is that we for his sake shuld be dispised suffre persecution in this world The vse profite of the passion of Christe Secondaryly Christes intent is to shew in this gospel the vse profit of his passion in that that he saieth Al thinges shal be fulfilled that be writteÌ„ by the prophets of the son of man Yf then it be necessary that al these thinges must be done trewlye ther is no small profite hid vnder this passion And this profit doth S. Paul very cuÌ„ningly shew vnto vs Cap. 5. in his epistle to the Romaines saiyng Lyke as by the synne of one condemnacion came on al men so also by the righteousnes of one came iustificacion of lyfe vppon all men And in this place Sainte Paule conferreth Adame and Christ together Adam Christe and sheweth what we haue obteyned at both their handes of Adam we receiue deathe and of Christe lyfe Adam by synne brought in death and Christ with his death hath chaunged death into lyfe By the fall of Adam and his disobedience we are made the children of the deuel and by Christ we ar made the children of God For Christe onlye for vs hath broken the hedde of the serpent Gen. 3. that is the diuell Well then is not this a wonderfull profite of the passion of Christ that through the same we be receyued into fauoure And is it not to be taken as a greate benefite that hereafter by the passion and death of Christe we shall no more be the children of the diuel but the children of god And hereto pertayneth all that is saide of the passion of Christe in the 53. chapter of Esaias and the 13. chapiter of Oseas It is very necessary that the ministers of the worde of God Harken well do diligently

for to send me and all his elect his holy ghost to open vs the filthines of our workes and to instructe vs in the knowledge of god Beholde thus the holy ghost shal learn vs the rightousnes of faith Furthermore Iudgement the holy ghost shal rebuke the worlde of iudgement for as much as they iudge not right in thinges pertaininge to righteousnes and saluacion Which thou shalte vnderstande on this wise The diuell sinne deathe hell are constrained to giue place vnto Christe and his worde for by hym they be ouercome But how doth the world knowe this Truly the world euer regardeth workes and euer suffereth the diuell to blinde them so that thei know not nor yet can deuide nor separate the righteousnes of faith from the worldes righteousnes And so remaineth Christ the stone that menne shall stumble at Luc. 2. 1 Pet. 2. and a signe which shal be spokeÌ„ against For the thing which we shuld adscribe vnto Christ that is to saye whereas we shulde confesse that the prince of this world is iudged through Christ and his worde we adscribe yt vnto our righteousnes For the whych cause yt is needefull that the holye ghost do rebuke vs wherby we may learne to iudg right And here hast thou nowe the righte cause why the holy ghoste shall rebuke the worlde Thirdly here is to be noted that Christ sheweth vs here the infirmitie of the apostles saying The weakenes of the apostles I haue yet muche to saye vnto you but yee can not nowe beare it awaye That is as muche to saye Yf I shuld make many words with you of incredulity of righteousnes and of iudgement and of my spirituall kingdome that after my resurrection I shall entre into you colde not vnderstande it nor comprehend it for bicause you are yet carnall and fleshly and my spirite is not as yet confirmed in you For they that shall vnderstand and geue fayth and credence vnto my doctrine the spirite must worke inwardly in theÌ„ with the outward word that shall be expressed with the mouth Mat. 3. or els that sede shall not fal vpon a fruictefull grounde or so that yt shal be other troden of men or else deuoured and eaten of the birdes of the ayer Wherfore it is needefull that the holy ghoste come and when he cometh he shall leade you into all trewthe The gospel is the truthe The gospell is a doctrine of Christe whole and sounde which doth not alloÌ„ly teache the outward honesty but sheweth also the righteousnes of the harte inwardly wherefore it is called in the scripture the trewth The doctrine of men bee lyes And contrary wise the doctrine of men teacheth hypocrisy fynallye neither vnderstandeth nor teacheth any thing of the righteousnes of the hart Wherfore this doctrine and also the doctoures and teachers thereof are called false and lyars as yt is written in the Psalme Ther is no truth in the their mouth Psal 5. that is ther is no suer and certaine thing amongst theim And againe thou shalt lose and destroye all those that speake lies Now seing that the holy ghost shall leade vs into all truth and not into lyes Let euery christian man gesse in his mynd whether the fathers and the counsels haue had the holy ghost whose ordinaunuces and lawes The couÌ„seiles did erre haue beene commauÌ„ded vnto the church in stede of the gospel For if they had had the holy ghoste they wold haue concluded nothing against the worde of god The holy ghost leadeth vs not into lyes but into all truth Howe goodlye haue they vsed this texte in the defence of mans traditions Seinge the holy ghoste teacheth none other thing then that christ taught Further he teacheth onlye the Apostles and the elect of god to perceaue and receaue the doctrine of Christ which of our selues we cannot vnderstand If they hadde eies they mighte perceaue that the plaine texte reciteth the same He saith He shal not speake of him selfe but that he hath heard he shall speake Item He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of mine and shew it you Briefely Christ speaketh here of the infirmitie and weaknes of his disciples which shuld be strengthed comforted by the holy ghost is to be vnderstand of vs euery one Mat. 7. and 21. c Luc. 11. Iacob 1. Ioh. 14 and 15. b 1 Ioh. 3 and 5. c The fyfte sonday after Easter Ioh. 16. VErely verely I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he wil geue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothyng in my name Aske ye shall receiue that your ioye may be full These thinges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes The tyme wyl come when I shall no more speake to you by prouerbs but I shall shewe you plainly from my father At that day shall yee aske in my name And I saye vnto you Mat. 13 that I wyl speak vnto my father for you For the father himselfe loued you bicause ye loued me haue beleued that I came out froÌ„ god I weÌ„t out froÌ„ the father and came into the world Againe I leaue the worlde go to the father Ioh. 20 Hys disciples said vnto him Lo nowtalkest thou plainlye and speakest no prouerbe Nowe are we suer thou knowest all thinges Ioh. 21 and nedest not that any man shuld aske the any question Therfore â—eleue we that thou camest from God THE EXPOSITION IN the first part of this gospel With promyse and commaundement we ar called vnto prayer we haue a commaundement and a promise wherby we ar allured and entised to praier And truly forasmuch as in all trouble and misery wherwith a christian man is oppressed ther is no greater comfort here preseÌ„t in this world theÌ„ with continual daily praier to open shew our necessity vnto god Wherfore it is very necessary that we do note print in our harts this gospel wherby we may be the more inflamed stirred to praier Who wold reiect and despise praier as a thing not necessary seinge that it is here in this gospell so diligently and highly commended and commaunded to vs of Christe Aske saith he and you shall receaue This commaundemente of Christ bindeth vs aswell as the firste commaundement in the fyrst table of Moyses And this to be trewe wee maye more euidente and playne see in an other place where Christe sayeth Luc. 18. that wee oughte alwayes to praye and not to bee wery Here diligentely note that he saith we ought alwayes to praye Therefore as we throughe a syngular and speciall commaundement of god are egged and entysed to praye so lykewise this presente gospell allurethe vs therevnto throughe a greate and excellente promise Here is promised to vs which be Christian men that oure prayer shall not be in vayne but shal be suer to be heard Wherfore else wolde he confirme and binde this promise with an other Verely verely I saye vnto

which shuld dispise his flesh Iohn 6. shuld sai The flesh profiteth nothing which allonly mai be vnderstaÌ„d of our flesh And therfore that we may learn that god man is one Christe his flesh profitable holsom wherof it is right wel spokeÌ„ It is my flesh which I wil giue for the lyfe of the world Christ wold not heal this deaf maÌ„ allonly with worde but woulde adde therevnto both spittle haÌ„des fingers Which things whaÌ„ he did adde ther unto he loked vp into heueÌ„ sighed Psa 110 O how happy are we that ar so receiued of Christ that he for our sake loked vp vnto heaueÌ„ sighed as a true high prieste bishop prayed to his celestiall heauenly father Christ also did praye for Peter Luc. 22. for all thapostles that their faith shuld not faile and was heard And now likewise if he for our sake sigheth and praieth wee neede not to care for hee will bringe it to passe And that he will do the same for vs he doth testifye it with the deed so that we knowledging our weaknes corrupte nature beleue hope that he likewise as he did help this deafe maÌ„ wil help haue mercy vpon vs. After this hoâ—som handlyng of this man his voice bursteth out and said Hâ—pheta that is be opened Can Christes mercy benigniti be more plainly described vnto vs He taketh the deaf aside froÌ„ the people wherin he sheweth that he wold help him He speaketh a word helpeth him therby declaring how he could helpe him Now seing he can help vs and will helpe vs what greate blyndenes is than in vs that wee seeke or crye vnto anye other for helpe Is it possible that the opprest beeing in necessity canne be helped by any other meanes than by god through Christe The prophete Dauid saith When I am in trouble Psa 120 I call vpon the Lorde and he answereth me Thou turnest the same cleane contrarye and saiest When I am in trouble I call vppon the saintes c. What if it chaunce lyke vnto the as to the foolyshe virgynes which desiered oyle of the wise virgins Mat. 25. Shal they saue the which could not helpe them selues but allonly were saued throughe the grace and mercye of Christ I do not speake this to dishonour the saintes but to stablishe the glory of Christe which will giue hys honour and glorye to none other Esai 4â— It is Christe alone that can helpe vs and will helpe vs which forgiueth sinne and iustifieth sinners Now if thou canst not abide to hear the truth nor to confesse it thou arte strycken with the same disease that this deafe and dumme man is strycken withall Therfore get the vnto Christ and disclose vnto him thy sicknes disese he shal helpe the. Which yf thou doest not doubting of his benignity truly he wyll make the hole euen as hee made this miserable creature hole Howe was that done Immediately saith the Euangelist his eares were opened and the bond of his tunge was lowsed and he spake right Thirdly we find here an excellent frute of faith in those that out of this miracle acknowledged and confessed Christ to be their sauiour For thei saide He hathe doone all thinge well The praise of Christe The deafe hath he made to heare and the dumme to speake Thinkest thou not this to bee an hyghe prayse of Christe They saye Hee hathe doone all thynges welle Of whome vnder heauen myghte thys bee sayed Oure fyrste father Adame so behaued himselfe in Paradyse Rom. 5. that throughe his disobedience deathe and damnacion entred into the worlde And we folowynge oure fathers footesteppes daylye prouoke God to angre that if hee were not so mylde and mercyfull he myght by right thrust vs recheles and disobediente chyldrene into euerlastinge damnacion Phil. 2. And for that cause was Christe sente into the worlde to helpe vs and was obediente to the father vnto deathe yea the dethe of the crosse and hath taught vs faithfully the way of truth He hath allured vs intised vs vnto him through workes myracles Iohn 8. wherin he sought nothiÌ„g els theÌ„ the glory of the father our saluacioÌ„ And to be brief he left nothing vndone in his office but did all the ê‘tained other to the glori of his father or to our saluacioÌ„ Therefore by righte we muste adsribe vnto our selues all confusion and shame and to Christ all glorye For that same thing which we through oure inobedience and sinne had loste Christ through his death and merites hathe recouered againe Hereby we are reconciled vnto the father and of deafe men be made to heare and of dumme men and spechles haue obtained our speache The cause why Christe commaunded the people here that they shulde not manifest nor publyshe this miracle and yet other where commaunded the same to be shewed we can not nor will not reason of yt why hee did it he knoweth himselfe best For if it had bene meete for vs to haue knowen it he wolde not haue hidde it frome vs For that which cause we wyl not examen his iudgemente but rather call vppon hym for grace that we may be able to here his word and to vnderstand yt with our harte and afore the world whiche is so froward and synful frely to confesse it Which god through Christe graunte vs Amen The gospell on the thirtenth sonday after trinitye sonday Luc. 10. ANd he turned to hys dysciples and sayd secretly Mat. 13 Happy are the eyes which se the thynges that ye se For I tel you that many prophets and kynges haue desyred to se those thynges whyche ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges whyche yee heare and haue not harde them And beholde a certayne lawyer stoode vp and tempted hym saiyng Mat. 22 Maister what shall I do to inherite eternall lyfe He sayde vnto hym What ys wrytten in the lawe How readest thou And he answered and sayde Deut. 6 Mat. 22 Mar. 12 Loue the lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and wyth all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighboure as thy selfe And he sayd to hym Thou haste answered righte Thys do and thou shalte lyue But he wyllyng to iustifye himselfe sayde vnto Iesus And who is my neighboure Iesus answered and sayd A certayne man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge theues whyche robbed hym of hys rayment and wounded hym and departed leauing him halfe deade And yt chaunsed that there came downe a ceâ—ayne Prieste that same waye and when he saw hym he passed by And likewise a Leuite when he went nyghe to the place came and loked on him and passed by But a certaine Samaritan as he iournied came vnto him and when he sawe hym he had compassion on him went to and bounde vp hys woundes and poured in oyle and wine

beholde there came a certaine ruler worshipped him saiyng My doughter is euen nowe disceased but come and lay thy hand vpoÌ„ her and she shall liue And Iesus arose folowed him and so did his disciples Mar 5. Luc. 8. Leuâ— 15 and behold a womaÌ„ which was diseased with an issue of bloud xii yeres came behynd him and touched the hemme of his vesture For she sayd within her selfe If I may touche but euen his vesture only I shal be safe But Iesus turned him about when he sawe her he sayd Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made the safe and the woman was made whole euen that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION WE haue two examples of fayth in this Gospel One in the Ruler that came to Christ to get helpe for his doughter whiche Ruler sainct Marke calleth Iayrus And another in the woman that was diseased with a bluddy fluxe and healed by Christe In this woman was a perfecte sayth but the rulers fayth as yet was not perfect but weake Fyrst it was a point of fayth in this ruler because he beleued that Christ could rayse his daughter to life though she were dead wherewith he confesseth Christ to be God and a Lorde ouer life and death Then if Christe bee a Lorde ouer death he must nedes bee a Lorde ouer synne forasmuche as Adam through his synne brought death into the worlde and suche a Lorde dothe of death and of synne is he that both death and synne by his death he hath ouercome abrogated and taken away But howe and to what purpose That they should haue no power to coÌ„dempne vs that beleue in Christ For vndoubtedly we can not liue without synne whyle wee bee in this mortal life as it is written Pro. 24 A iust man falleth vii tymes in a day ryseth vp againe But the synne so that we beleue shal haue no power ouer vs nor condempne vs. Lykewise Rom. 6. although this naturall death is not cleane taken awaye yet is it so ouerthrowne that it is no more dampnable vnto vs but is the beginnyng of the true principal life Iho. 11 as Christ saith He that beleueth in me shal not dye euerlastyngly This must wee surely holde fast if we will be christian menne That is we must beleue that by the death and bloud of Christ wee are deliuered from synne death deuil and hell so that we perseuer in a true fayth we shall haue euerlastyng life through Christ And this beleueth Iayrus partly But in asmuche that he beleueth not that Christe by the might power of his worde could make whole his doughter except he had been personally present we must nedes confesse that his fayth was imperfect But what shall we say of the fayth of this woman She surely had so great confidence in Christ that she coÌ„cluded by her selfe that she should bee whole if she might touche only the hemme of his vesture Not that the vesture dyd make her whole for as S. Marke sayth he felte great vertue go from him and speaketh nothyng of the vesture but only the great fayth that she had in Christ Wherfore Christ highly prayseth and coÌ„mendeth the fayth of this woman saiyng Doughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made the safe Lo there thou hast an example both of perfect and vnperfect fayth Secondarily we see in this gospel howe frendly and familiarly Christe suffered the weakenes and imbecilitie of this Ruler and with the miracle done vnto the woman augmentyng and bryngyng him to more parfect fayth For he sheweth himselfe willyng at the desire of Iayrus foloweth him straight wayes home declaryng with his dede that whiche he had taught before saiyng Mat. 11 Come to me al ye that labour and are laden I wyll ease you But what happened in the way Beholde a woman that had been diseased xii yere with an issue of bloudde holdyng her peace by fayth gat and obtayned health She had determined also by her selfe that in holdyng her peace and in silence would haue gone home againe Mat. 5. But as a citie buylded vpon an high hyll can not be hyd so likewyse it was neither mete nor yet conuenient that suche great high and excellent fayth should be hyd And dothe not Christe say in the Gospell Mat. 10 There is nothyng hyd that shal not bee openly shewed and nothyng secrete that shall not be knowen So likewyse he wyl that the fayth of this woman should be manyfest brought to light And enquireth and sayth Who hath touched me The Apostles ignoraunt of this miracle answered him and sayd The people thruste thee But the woman feared and trembled for she knewe what was done in her came and fell doune before him and tolde him the whole truth Wherin Christ commendeth her fayth before al the people not only that this should bee an example for the people to folowe but also to strength Iayrus fayth that he should not doubte but that suche benignitee and mercy as was shewed vnto this womaÌ„ should likewyse bee shewed vnto his daughter Could Christe behaue him selfe more gentely or bee indued with greatter loue mekenes pitie and mercy He declareth with the very deede that he can helpe and succour vs in all trouble necessitee yea in the point of death and is ready and willyng therto But we of our nature are so indurate deaffe and blind that we wil neither with holsome doctrin and teachyng nor yet with miracle be moued vnto fayth Truely it is to be feared lest we take and receiue like ende with the styffe necked and blynde Iewes For wee can not excuse oure selues but the same that was spoken vnto the Iewes might likewyse be spoken vnto vs Ioh. 15. where Christe sayd If I my selfe had not come and spoken vnto theim then should they haue had no sinne Is not Christ come through his gospel and hath shewed the same Do we not heare his worde dayly but when do we heare the same for any ameÌ„dement of our life I pray the take it once to heart and remembre the goodnes frendlynes myldenes of Christe howe louyngly through his worde and miracles he intyseth allureth vs vnto fayth Howe familiarly he taketh and suffereth our imbecilitee and weakenes and howe feruently he desireth vs to be iust and blessed Let these thynges so moue vs that by the meditacion hereof we may not only encrease in fayth but perseuer in the same and therby get euerlastyng saluacion Thyrdly wee see in this miracle howe the woorkes of Christe are counted and adiudged in the world for foolishenes yea and are skorned and dispised For Christ saiyng The mayd is not dead but sleapeth what did they but laught him to skorne Doest thou not thinke it a miserable thynge that the creature shuld scorne his maker creatour of all thinges That vngracious and blynde fleshe stondeth well in his owne conceite and thinkinge him selfe to haue done a highe feate when it

in one heape gathered together the merites of all sainctes that euer were since the beginnyng of the worlde For in this matter that pertayneth to remission of synne iustificacion and eternal health it is not required to worke The Euagelist allege the scripture but to beleue Obserue also and note diligently that the Euangelistes describyng the passion of Christ howe the Iewes entreated him thei many tymes haue respect vnto the scripture which shewed before the selfe same thinges the which scripture thei also alege as in this place where thei shewe howe he was crucified betwene ii theues Also howee the souldiers cast lotte for his garmentes c. Neither do they this for any other purpose but to admonishe vs to direct our eyes vnto the scriptures and euer more in matter appertainyng vnto saluacion to waygh them direct oure iudgement accordyng to the same Fourthly Christ hangyng vpon the crosse doth excedyngly set furth that his moste heartie loue toward vs in this Christ is careful for his elect that he coÌ„mendeth his most derely beloued mother to the Apostle Ihon againe IhoÌ„ vnto his mother that he might be to her as a defender and comfortable patrone in that her extreme necessite and trouble For as he nowe is careful for his mother prouideth for her euen so is he careful and prouideth for al that loue his name receiue his gospel and through faith repose it in their heartes and so furthermore shewe it furth of theyr heartes doyng the workes of it through loue And that we might ascertainly chalenge to our selues suche clemency and goodnes in Christ therefore he sayth in another place Who is my mother Luc. 8. or who are my brethren Truely whosoeuer dothe the wylle of my father that is in heaueÌ„ he is my brother and syster and mother Christes mother By these woordes thou mayest well perceyue that Christ wyll take thee for his brother syster yea and for his mother also wyl euen so acknowlege thee if thou beleue in him and not onely will he defende and surely kepe thee in this life but also he wyll conserue the into eternal life Only let this be thy heartie study to do the will of his father that is in heauen But what calleth he the wyll of his father This is the will of him that hath seÌ„t me Ihon. 6 euen the fathers that euery man that seeth the soÌ„ne and beleueth in him should haue life eternal and I wyl againe rayse him in the last day In this place he playnly euidently sayth We must be armed with the scripture against temptacion that he that beleueth in him doth the wyll of his father And truely it is very necessary for vs earnestly to considre those examples that sheweth what mynde Christe beareth vnto vs. For the tyme wyll come yea it is all ready at hand that these places of scripture shall do vs excedyng muche good and singularly comforte vs in all oure necessitee and troubles But if persecucion fynde me here vnarmed sure it is that I shal not coÌ„tinue constant but sodenly forgette God and seeke helpe and coÌ„forte at creatures And what shal then chaunce to me Truly this that for mine vnthaÌ„kefulnes God wyll forsake me and because I am not armed with his worde therfore wyll he withdrawe his hand from me and forsake me so that I shal fal into destruction and for euer perishe bothe in body and soule Fyftly we see that Christe when he nowe knewe that al thynges were finished and he had tasted the vyneger and had sayd It is ended He bowed his head gaue vp the spirit That he cryed I thrust and by and by vyneger is geuen him to drynke Psa 69 it was done for this cause that we should beleue seyng that all thynges done in this passion agree so wel with the scriture that this maÌ„ without doubt is the same Christe whom the holy fathers haue so long tyme before wayted for And that before he dyed he cryed It is ended This is so excellent a worde and so precious All our saluacioÌ„ in Christ onely that not onely it is be graueÌ„ in oure heartes by fayth but also bee in all places written euen with letters of golde before our eyes Wyll you knowe why Herken We were by nature the children of wrath condempnacion so burthened in synne vnfaythfulnes that wee should perpetually haue perished if wee had not been succoured and helped Therfore onely this Iesus Christe our Lorde assisted vs with his helpe and comforte And bicause afore the heaueÌ„ly father we could find no fauour or grace without oblation and sacrifice therfore Christ offered him selfe vpon the crosse for vs reconciled his father with his owne blud and obtained of him for vs fauour forgiuenes righteousnes and eternall life Heb. 11. as the epistle to the Hebrues saith With one offering hath he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified I besech you what could we more desier or what greater benefites may be done vnto vs Sin is conquered death is conquered the diuel hel are conquered so that we may now freely sai 1 Co. 15. Death is swalowed into victory Death wher is thy sting Hel wher is thy victory But thankes to god that hath gyuen vs the victory by our lord Iesus Christ Christs glorye must be giuen hym oÌ„ly This now is our dueti that we remembre to giue to Christ only this his glory honor to knowledg him for our high Byshop which offered him self for vs and so by his passion and death finished and brought to perfecte ende all our saluacion For if we nowe giue to hym this his honor as our duty is and stedfastly beleue that al this that was done was done altogither for vs and for our saluacion douteles we shall so haue it that this his merite shall not be taken as vaine or frustrate but of most greatest strength efficacy for vs. On the other party if we wyl not giue vnto him this his glorye but rather wyll ascribe to our owne deseruinge merites and workes that thing which cost him that so great and inestimable price that is the effusion and sheding of his moste precious and holy bloud then truly we make our selues vnworthy to haue this passioÌ„ and inerite of Christ gyuen vnto vs neither are we lyke except we repent to haue ony other fauoure at Christes iudgement then the Iewes that crucified him The whiche thing the almighty god kepe farre from vs for his greate mercy and goodnes thorow the merites of Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen The syxte sermon on the Passion Ioh. xix THe Iewes therefore bycause it was the preparyng day of the Sabboth that the bodyes shoulde not remaine on the crosse on the Sabboth daye for the Sabboth day was an hyghe day besought Pylate that their legges might ve broken that they myght be taken doune Then came the souldiers and brake the legges

nor the thinge that is holy Mat. 7 may not be cast before him but only must it be communicate to those that despair of their owne workes and strengthes that knowledg that they need the help and comfort of Christ We beleue rem ssion of sins Therfore also we confesse in our Crede that ther is forgiuenes of sins which we must needs beleue Now if we obtain remission of sinnes by the sheding of the blud of Christ as the blud flowing from hys syde testifyeth where is then the bragging of our workes wher ar our merites They are shut out excluded by the deathe passion of Christ Note how workes are coÌ„cluded not that good works ought not to be doone but that they may not be ioyned with iustification which onli cometh by faith We muste in this behalfe giue Christe his own honor wholy perfectly apprehend his merite by faith so shall it come to passe that neyther synne nor death nor dyuel nor hel shal hurte the. And those good workes the fayth doth as in deed it ought to do good woorkes take them as frutes of fayth wherby the faith and sure trust of our hearts toward god is declared In like maner the water The water that flowed froÌ„ Christs syde declareth that Christe after his resurreccion would send his holy spirit that water of life wher with it is nedeful that the heartes of all the elect be purifyed And of this water dyd all the Prophetes prophecye especially Esaias when he sayd Esa 44 I wyll power water vpoÌ„ the thyrsty streames vpoÌ„ the dry ground I will power my spirit vpoÌ„ thy seede my blessyng vpon thy braunche and they shall spryng burgenyng among the herbes as the salowes that grewe by the syde of the ryuer Accordyng to this Christ also crieth in the gospel of S. Ihon Who so thursteth let him come to me drynke Ioh. 7. He that beleueth on me as the scripture sayth stremes of water of life shall flowe out froÌ„ his belly And the EuaÌ„gelist himself expouÌ„deth this shewyng that it is ment of the holy gost for he sayth This spake Iesus of the spirit which those that beleue in him should receiue Christ loueth vs. He then that hath by theffusion of his most precious bloud obtayned for vs remission of all our synnes deliuered vs froÌ„ eternal death reconciled vs into the fauor of god his father that wtout any of our merites or deseruinges also hath promised to seÌ„d his holy ghost whiche maye leede our heartes into the knowledge fayth of God thynke you he dothe not very heartely loue vs would our welfare Nowe seyng that he thus heartely wylleth oure welfare why should we not beleue in him why should we not acknowledge this so great loue Yet are there meÌ„ fouÌ„d the more pitie it is that ascribe more to their own merites then to Christ and therfore they cannot be thaÌ„keful whoÌ„ doubtles at that day Christ shal therfore punishe according to their owne deseruynges Thirdly we haue here described who they were that buried Christ with what reuerence his dead body was brought vnto the earth Some man perchance would meruaile that Ioseph Nicodemus nowe dare aske of Pylate the deade bodye of Iesu whiche yet when Iesus lyued they durst not come at him The death of Christe begynning to conquer scant by night But nowe the frutes and vtility of Christes passion somwhat openeth it self she winge what shulde ensue the passion and deathe of Christ when a litle and a litle it comech to mennes knowledg both what manner a man Christ is and also how innocently and vndeseruedly he was persecuted by the Iewes condemned vnto the crosse And these two doubtles came after the true knowledge of god and his sonne Iesu Christ which now so manifestly do this humanitie vnto Christ contemned and crucified hauinge no respect that hee was so hated of the Iewes For that they here do it cometh of an imperfecte faith for they were yet far from the perfection that Paul speaketh of Rom. 1 saying I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of god vnto saluacion to euery man that beleueth But that they exhibited to Christ such reuerence honor that thei take him doune from the crosse and enbalmed hym with Myrre and Aloe with such spice they winde vp his body laye it gloriously in the sepulture it is an humane and gentle affection done according to the custome of the Iewes The estimation of the worlde of Christes deth sepulchre Deu. 21 And here note howe the deathe and sepulture of Christe is esteemed afore the worlde bothe his death and buriall are ignominious and shamefull For it is written in the lawe He is accursed that haÌ„geth vpon a tree Besydes this the blynde Iewes had none other opinion of Christ neither by his life nor in his death as it is euident vnto this day But before God this death buryall is honest and precious as also it is estemed amoÌ„g al that beleue whiche know assuredly that by that dispised death the beleuers are delyuered from synne death deuil and hel Doth not S. Paule say often tyme 1. Cor. 2 I haue knowen no man but Christ and euen the same that was crucifyed And this is an vndoubted trueth Note this earnestly gentle reader take awaye this contemptible death and buryal of Christ and you shal perceyue that all men must be compelled to dispayre and to fall into the daunger of the deuil On the other part set before your eyes the passion death and buryal of Christ apprehendyng them by true fayth as most precious iewels deuine treasures done for thee and thou shalt fynd thy coÌ„science able to resyst against all the assaultes of Sathan and also of synne And as Ioseph and Nycodemus by fayth shewed this humanitee vnto Christ so endeuor thy selfe by fayth that vnto sinne thou may bee dead buryed with Christ Rom. 6. and after agayne ryse through fayth with him For surely this pleaseth Christ and is necessary and very profytable vnto thy saluacion Fourthly we see howe contemtuously Pylate delyuereth Christ to be buryed forsyng not for him nothyng regardyng that he should ryse agayne the thyrd day The sentence of Infidels In this mynde are al the enemyes of the gospel and truth of God When they haue slayne the ministers of the worde then they thynke all thyng very well safe and all whyst as they would haue it Exo. 1.2.3 Euen so did Pharao with intollerable burthens oppresse the chyldren of Israel thynkyng by that meanes to stoppe the ordynaunce of God that the Israelites should not so much growe and increase but the more they were oppressed so muche more they grewe and multiplyed and at the laste by his owne crueltee he was his owne destruccion Euen so chaunsed it to Pylate and

Psalmes of me Furthermore he opened theyr mynde that they should vnderstand the scriptures c. O howe gloriouslye goeth this preachynge of Christe forthe Christe instructeth these plaine men and vnlearned with the holy scripture taken out of the law the prophetes and the psalmes But as the epistle to the Hebrues sayeth Heb. 4. Preachinge is but vaine if it bee not adioyned to faithe therefore Christe also openeth the eyes and vnderstandynge of theyr mynde so that not onlye they maye heare hys woorde but also they maye vnderstande it Oh good preacher O gentle lorde Christe that thus faithfully teacheth his disciple and bringeth them to the knowledge of hys truth The moste best and greatest lorde our god graunt vs this grace The outwarde prechiÌ„g and the hollye ghoste must bee togither Apoc. 3. that the same manner maye be among vs in the offire of preching that is that we may with much seueritie and great diligence inculcate thy worde and that Christ may also as dililigentely teache the same worde inwardely by his holy spirite For suerly it is he that hath the key of Dauid wherwith he shutteth and no man openeth hee openeth and no man shutteth And verelye all preaching is vain except Christ do inwardly teach by his holy spirite Nowithstanding I wold no maÌ„ should esteeme as a light thinge the dignity of the vocall worde or the word pronounced and spoken takinge occasion of these my woordes so to doo for thys is myne opinion that bothe the woorde and spirite of god muste be ioyned togyther And who shall dare tontemne the woorde that Christe heere ordayneth and commaundeth and also committeth the same to his beeloued Apostels For thus he sayeth furthormore Thus it is written and thus muste Christe suffre and ryse again from the deade the third day to preach in his name penance forgiuenes of synnes among al nacioÌ„s c. In the gospell of sainct Ihon this coÌ„maundement and office of preachyng is more euideÌ„tly described For in the same place the Euangelist sayth thus Iho. 20 And Iesus sayd to them As my father hath seÌ„t me euen so I send you likewyse after that he brethed vpon them saiyng Receiue ye the holy ghost Whose synnes soeuer ye shal forgeue they are forgeuen whosesoeuer synnes ye shal retayne they are retayned The administracion of the worde of God Of these wordes it is euident that Christ commytted to them the office or administracion to teache his worde ouer all the vniuersal worlde Nowe if wee adioyne this place of S. Ihon with these wordes of Christ recyted in this gospel euery maÌ„ of vnderstandyng may easely perceyue howe this forgeuyng of synnes is done The lawe That is thus Fyrst must penance be preached that is men must be brought by the knowlege of the lawe of God to coÌ„fesse hate and abhorre their synne True penaÌ„ce For this is it that the deuine scriptures call doyng of penance as wee may see in the Prophete Esaie Esa 55 Let the vngodly sayth he forsake his euil way and the vnrightwise man his ymaginacions and let him returne vnto the Lord and he wyll haue mercy vpoÌ„ him Returne I say to our God for he is very ready to forgeue And sainct Paule also Ephe 4 describeth it saiyng He that did steale let him steale no more c. Nowe after that men are brought vnto the knowlege of their synnes also to hate them then must be preached vnto them and set before their eyes the merytes of Iesu Christ For to preache remission of synnes in his name The gospel is to ascribe the remission of synnes vnto his passion death and merites And when this is appreheÌ„ded and beleued there is forgeuenes of synnes not by him or for his sake that preacheth declareth this but by him and his merytes that hath geuen that commaundement and coÌ„mission to preache remyssion of synnes in his name To whom bee honor and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on sainct Markes day the EuaÌ„gelist you shall fynde after Alhallowen day The gospell on Philyp and Iacob the Apostles day Ihon. 14. Thomas sayth vnto him Lord we knowe not whether thou goest And howe is it possible for vs to knowe the waye Iesus sayth vnto him Ihon. 1 6.8 and .11 I am the way and the trueth and the life No man commeth vnto the father but by me If ye had knowen me ye had knowen my father also And nowe ye knowe him haue seen him Phylyp sayth vnto him Lord shewe vs the father it suffiseth vs Iesus sayth vnto him Haue I been so long tyme with you yet hast thou not knoweÌ„ me Phylyp he that hath seen me hath seen the father And howe sayest thou then shewe vs the father Beleuest thou not that Iho. 10. I am in the father and the father in me The woordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me is he that doth the workes Beleue me that I am in the father and Iho. 16. the father in me Or t is beleue me for the workes sake Verely verely I saye vnto you he that beleueth on me the workes that I do the same shall he do also and greater workes then these shal he do because I go to my father Ma. 17 and 21. Mar. 11 Luc. 9. Iho. 15 and .16 Iaco. 1. 1. Iho. 3 and .5 And whatsouer ye aske in my name that wyll I do that the father may be glorifyed by the sonne if ye shall aske any thyng in my name I wyll do it THE EXPOSITION Christ armeth his disciples against the slauÌ„der of the crosse OUr Lorde Iesus Christe in that most excellent sermon made vnto his disciples at his last supper among all other his moste godly exhortacions this he principally endeuored himselfe vnto to conserue his disciples froÌ„ the slaunder of the crosse and to prepare comfort them against the aduersaries of it that were commyng For he knewe right well the imbecilitee and weakenes not only of his disciples but also of all men in whom his holy gost and spirit is not yet confirmed And now the tyme was present at hand when Christ by his death should glorify the father and returne into his glorye Nowe forasmuche as the Apostles so sore abhorred the crosse rather would that Christe should after the maner of Kynges and prynces of this worlde begynne his kyngdome in Iewry wherein they might as great Lordes and Dukes rule with him therefore Christe would lead them away from suche imaginacions thoughtes vnto the meditacion of eternal glorye wherevnto there is no entraunce but by the crosse Act. 14. And thus he sayth Let not your heart be troubled nor be abashed needes must I suffre the scripture must needes bee fulfylled whiche testifyeth of my death and passion that by it I shal delyuer all men from eternall death I praye you then

we dispaire of all our workes merites and vertues and esteme them as thinges that can not helpe vs and therefore the Prophete Esai sayeth Esai 63 that all oure iustyce or righteousnes are as a defyled clothe And thus dispairyng of our selues to seke our righteousnes in the merytes passion and death of oure Lord Iesu Christ onely of whom Ihon the Baptist gaue this true testimonye that he is the Lambe of God Ihon. 1. that taketh away the synnes of the worlde This fayth I say dothe apprehende by Christe remission of synnes iustyce and eternal life Neither may we in this matter admyt any worke of man except we would plucke away steale take froÌ„ Christ his glory Esai 42 whiche he wyl not geue to any other and so stealyng Christes honor burthen our soules vnto the perpetual death damnacion of our selues Surely it is an vndoubted trueth that a christian man must do good workes and haue an honest conuersacion and with good workes confyrme allow his fayth For who would deny this But to sette a fayth and confidence in those workes and to admit our merytes in the cause of our iustifycacion is in no wyse to bee permytted For by that meanes grace were no grace and that whiche before was atributed by verye right vnto the onely loue of God that should we then ascrybe vnto our workes merites Therfore Christ sayth in this gospell He that beleueth in the sonne of man shal not be iudged But he that beleueth not is already iudged because he beleueth not in the name of the only begotten soÌ„ne of God Fayth onely abideth in battayle of coÌ„scieÌ„ce See ye that in the conflicte and battayle of the conscience fayth standeth sure and is not condempned nor iudged Contrarily that vnbeliefe is already coÌ„dempned the senteÌ„ce of eternal damnacion is pronouÌ„ced against it For Christ wyl in this gospel as he doth in many other places of the scripture ascribe quietnesse of conscience and saluacion vnto faithe and the disquietnes of conscience perpetuall damnacion to vnbeliefe Thirdely Condemnacion bicause Christe spake of iudgemente and condemnacioÌ„ he now procedeth and declareth what is condemnacioÌ„ and saith And this is the condemnacion that the light is come into the world men haue loued rather darkenes then lighte And why For bycause their workes were euell Christe him self with his doctrine gospel is this light The lyghte Ioh. 8. as in another place he calleth himselfe saying I am the light of the world Whosoeuer foloweth me he walketh not in darknes The darknes Darkenes is our flesh nature mannes reason and vnbeliefe yea all the wisdome prudencie of man which doth not spring out of faith but spring froÌ„ our reasoÌ„ without faith And now I beseche you to marke with me well at what point our reason our wisdome and prudence is wont to stumble at if it folow not the very word of god as his capitaine and leader Surely when Christ came into this world he was more redyer to saue help then to condemn nowithstanding that the father had giuen into his hand all iudgmente And truely the Iewes had wel eschaped this iudgement or eternall damnacion had by faith obtayned health saluation if they wold haue receiued Christ which is the light of the world and beleued his worde But what doo they They sette more by darknes then by lyght Iohn 1. And as Iohn saithe in the fyrst chap. of his gospel The light shined in darkenes the darknes comprehended it not Ther was no faulte in the lyght but a greate defaulte in the darkenes that receiued it not But what foloweth nowe out of this darkenes Forsoth this Those that neither knowlege nor learne their darkenes nor wyll not geue Christ his due honor they iudge and condempne themselues euen as Christe sayth Whoso beleueth not he is already condempned And truely it chauÌ„seth so by most rihgteous iudgement to him that is vnfaythfull Incredulitee is iudged by his own self that is through vnbeleif For inasmuche as he doth euil and yet can not abide the light or to be reprehended it is right that his owne vnbeleife should iudge or condempne him But so is it not with the faythful man for he can abyde that his workes that are done in the truth shuld come to the light be tryed wayed by the worde of God and iudged by the rule squire of the woorde of God For how should he feare the light seyng that all his workes are done in God CoÌ„sider it well For thus in euery place of the scripture life is ascribed vnto fayth and iudgement and condempnacion to incredulitee and vnbeleife God geue vs grace to receiue retayne with vs his light to the comfort of our soules Amen The gospel on the tewysday in the Whytson weke Ihon. 10. VErely verely I saye vnto you He that entreth not in by the doore into the shepe fold but clymeth vppe some other waye the same is a thefe and a murtherer But he that entreth in by the dore is that shepeherde of the shepe to him the porter openeth and the shepe heare hys voyce and Pro. 10. hee calleth hys owne sheepe by name leadeth them out And when he hath sent forth hys owne sheep he goeth before them the sheepe folowe hym for they knowe his voyce A straunger wyll they not folowe but wyll flee from hym for they knowe not the voyce of straungers This prouerbe spake Iesus vnto them but they vnderstode not what thinges they were whiche he spake vnto them Then sayde Iesus vnto them agayne Verely verely I say vnto you Iho. 14 I am the dore of the sheepe All euen as many as came before me are theues murtherers but the sheep did not heare them I am the dore by me yf any man enter in he shall be safe and shall go in and out and fynde pasture A thefe commeth not but for to steale kyll and destroye I am come that they myght haue lyfe and that they might haue it more aboundantlye THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche as Christ our Lord sheweth in this gospell or similitude by conferryng theim together both what the euil shepeherd teacher is also howe he may bee knowen and on the other parte what the good shepeherde and teacher is and by what sygnes also menne may knowe him I thynke it mete fyrst to treate of the good shepeherde especiall for this cause that it is a thinge very profitable and necessary and also a matter of great waight importance For Christ describeth here the good shepheard so A preachers callynge doctrine shal be vpright and law full that he must nedes entre in at the dore into the shepefold that is it is necessary that the preacher be called by some lawefull and godly meanes it is necessary also that his doctrine bee trewe and godly And howe can they teache the trewth that are

Which thing surly the peacible coÌ„ming of our lorde Iesu Christe to Ierusalem The coÌ„ming of Christe to Ierusalem doth goodly performe and bringe to passe For what kind of goodnes or mekenes ys not serued therein Other princes and Lordes as often as they newlye enter into ther kingdomes and Dominions lord what a poÌ„pe and greate companye goeth before them as it is written in the 19. psal Psal 19 Some in charettes some in horses They than put c. But Christ although he was constituted lord of heauen and earth as it apeareth in the laste chap. of Math. yet he porely rode vpon an asse back accompanied with a simple and despised companye Which thinge not onlye of the world had no comendacion but also gaue to euery body occasion of laughyng and iesting What manner a man Christ is Neuertheles if all this were printed in our hartes yt wolde teache vs what a maÌ„ner of man Christe was and what became euery christian man to loke of hiÌ„ He is verily such a one that escheweth shunneth chaseth away no man from hym but alureth calleth euery man to hym For certaynly to that inteÌ„t he cam into this world that through his onlye desertes and merites he might redeme all And therfore he sheweth him selfe vnto vs with so great humanitie not only in words and learnyng but also in works and miracles And here I think that the prophet Esa in spirite saw this great clemency goodnes of Christ wheÌ„ he cried so depely in his hert sayinge Esa 64 Break the heauens and come down Ye the euangelist also did diligently briÌ„g in the testimony of Zachary to set before our eyes the mekenes of Christ with the which he goeth about to help euery maÌ„ saying Zach. 9 Ecce rex tuus uenit tibi mansuetus c. that is Lo here thy kinge commeth vnto the c. all these wordes be spokeÌ„ with a great vehemency For wheÌ„ he saieth notablye this worde loe it can not be but that he goeth about to shew a thiÌ„g of great waight And here in syght was nothinge els done but that Christe in his lowly entryng into Ierusalem wold commeÌ„d toward vs his most bounteful wil great benefite as thoughe he shuld say thus Act. 15. Thou my dispised company hast hitherto lyen oppressed vnder the heauye yoke of the lawe which seyng thou coldest by no meanes fulfil was nother help to the nor to none other Moreouer before my adueÌ„t or coming thou haddest nothiÌ„g els but promise But nowe be of good comfort I wil make an ende of al thy miserie and wretchednes I wil take away the curse of the lawe and wyll forgeue the thy sinnes and shall obteyne for the euerlasting lyfe Verely al this can I do Christe Kyng Mat. 11 seing I am kynge lorde ouer synne death the deuel and hell And this not only I can do but will do cum sim mitis c. On this wise doth the aforesaid prophet Zachary shewe forthe vnto vs this worke of Christe Now he that of this place so learneth to knowe Christe that with all his herte he may say with the people Blessed be he that cometh in the name of God And so beleueth that here Christe with all his goodnes of his only grace is geuen to hym he beynge delyuered from sinne is made iuste and good accordiÌ„g to this scripture He the beleueth in him shal not be left comforteles but shall haue euerlasting lyfe Â¶ Secondarely Good workes this gospell teacheth vs the veri trew good workes of a christen man by the which the same faith is made clear and apparaunt in that that this place settethe forthe vnto vs the compassion and teres of Christe at his entrynge vnto IerusaleÌ„ Wold god that al the world knew what scripture calleth good workes And trewly it is very expedient that the ministers of the word of god shulde earnestly and diligently but yet wisely exhort the people to good workes seeyng that al the worlde is now geuen holy to naught and myschife For as admonitions wherwith the people are stirred to do good be necessary so affiaunce in the deseruinge of workes and in our owne iustice is noysome and perniciouse As coÌ„cernyng good workes these be they as often as by very loue thou doeste considre the necessitie pouertye infirmitie miserye and aduersitie of thy neighboure as thine owne And in all thinges in thy mynde thou art ready to helpe him As we se in saynt Paule where he speaketh to the Gala. in the 6. chap Gal. 6. Lette vs alwayes do good towarde euery man and cheiflye towarde them that be ioyned in the felowship of faith with vs. And in the 6. chapter of the first epistle to Tim. he saith 1. TiÌ„ 6. CoÌ„maund them that be rich in this world that they be not highe mynded and that thei putte not their hope and truste in their vncertayn riches but in the liuing God And that they do good and be rich in good workes and liberall in geuing and dealing theyr goods Here wee maye se that saynt Paule doth not onlye moue vs to good works but also sheweth namely vnto vs whiche be good workes that is to say to do well to euery manne and willingly to geue and to be liberall And here well may be alledgyd the saiyng of Esaie the prophete in the 58. chap. Thou shalt not despise thine oune kynde and fleshe Esa 58. Yf thou wilte dilligentlye marke this place and herken vnto suche thynges as the prophete speaketh of in the same doughtles thou shalt soone perceiue what he calleth good workes yea and all the prophets do so instauntlye stir vs vnto these workes that they dare say plainly that no kind of worshipping god doth preuaile wherin the loue of thy neighboure is not founde And Osee in the 6. chap. saieth Ose 6. Complacitum est mihi in misericordia non in sacrificio That is I am well pleased with mercy shewing and not in sacrifice doyng In this place to be mercifull signifieth to do good to my neighbour as it appeareth in the 6. of Luke Luc. 6 Nowe therfore like as Christ became seruaunt vnto vs in learnyng in lyfe in miracles doyng in his deathe in his resurrection and to bee short in euerye pointe of humantie so he wolde that we shuld become seruauntes one to an other What is to be mercifull in body power strenght in all our riches Neuertheles in suche wise not that we shuld put our coÌ„fidence in these workes and withstand the wrath of God therewith but to testifye and shewe forthe our faithe in light For saynct Paule by such workes declared his faith and lette passe diuerse other of his good workes what thinke you of that wher he dyd socoure and helpe that poore and miserable Onesmus For willing to reconcile he wold reconcile him to PhilemoÌ„ he calleth hiÌ„ his own hart ys not this a

greate parte of loue Vnto Philem. And afterwarde he excuseth Onesimus of his fleyng and ronnyng away as verye necessarye to this purpose that after his suche lapse and falle he might be not onlye a minister or seruaunt but as a brother vnto Philemon Forthermore the same good saint Paule took on hym selfe the harme whiche the same fugitiue seruaunt had done his mayster and wolde all the losse whatsoeuer it were to be layde on his necke Be not these good workes But by it that other workes do appeare greate and good yet may thei not well be called good workes whan they which haue neede of them be not releuyd by them Good workes must alway serue thy neyghboure hym that hath need Christ in the middest of his oy lameÌ„ted wepte And that Christ teacheth vs in this story when in the middest of the peoples ioy which reioysed and wished all thinges prosperous vnto him as to the son of Dauyd to their power gaue hym the moste honoure they could he wepte very sore and bitterly What shuld stir or moue him so to wepe thinke you Verely as he him selfe witnesseth the misery and wretchednes of the people entred into his hert for seing that by al the time that he was so conuersaunte amongest them they wolde not vnderstand nor receiue knowledge it was necessarye that thei in body soule honour and all their goods shuld perishe All this knewe Christ and therefore wepte so sore And besides this he faithfully gaue monicion vnto them before whereby they mighte learne to auoyd such inconuenience but all was in vayne Now lyke as Christ doth not disemble but by all meanes goeth aboute to preuente the losse of his people so shulde we when we are come to the knowledg of God take vpon vs the care and necessitie of our neighbour whether it be bodely or gostlye great or small to procure not only that there ryse or growe no hurt vnto them or theires but also that they feele our help at need As sainct Paule to the Galat. in the 9. chap. Galat. 9 saith Alter alterius one ra portate sic perficietis legem Christi That is One of you ease and help an other and so ye shall fulfill the lawe of Christ Let it be by vs at all time fulfilled that God the father by oure workes withoute seasing end may bee glorifyed Amen The seconde sonday in Aduent Luc. 21. AND there shal be signes in the sonne and in the moone and in the starres and in the yearth Mat. 24 Mat. 13 Ioel. 2. Ezec. 38 the people shal be at theire wittes ende thorowe dispaire The sea and the water shall roare and mens hartes shal faile them for fear and for lokyng after those thynges whiche shall come on the yeerth For the powers of heaueÌ„ shal moue And then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloud with power and greate glory When these thinges begin to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heades tor youre redemption draweth nye Mat. 24 Mar. 13 And he shewed them a similitude Be hold the figge tree and al the trees when theye shoote forth their buddes ye se and knowe of youre owne selues that sommer is then nye at hande So likewise ye also when ye se these thinges come to passe be sure that the kingdome of God is nye Verely I saye to you this generacion shal not passe in all be fulfilled Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shal not passe THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell first of all is declared vnto vs Christe careth for vs. the greate carke and care that Christ taketh for vs. And although he speake here of many and horrible signes and tokens that shal be before his coÌ„ming yet he wolde not that his electe shuld be destitute of comfort But very gentely taught them how they shulde behaue them selues when the tribulacion of this time shall come vpon them Neither wolde he kepe close from them what shulde folowe after this tribulacions verely the ende of the cursed and wicked world Mat 24 And althoughe these signes at the firste shal be terrible and bring muche sorowe and tremblinge with them yet shall they not all hurte the elect bycause thei shal haue knowledg of these thinges long before The ioy oâ— the electe And thei shal looke about and lift vp their heads as they which know by those signes the day of their redemtion from al euel to be at haÌ„d And that Christ then shall take from the tirannes 1 Cor. 15 Princes Lordes Kinges and Emperoures theyr power and yelde it vp to his heuenly father Further seing that thei know according to saint Pauls saiyng that all thinges worke for the best to gods elect Rom. 8. They do verelye also perceyue that all these signes muste be referred therevnto Likewise it is no small comforte that we haue of Christes saying in an other place Mat. 10 All the heares of your heade bee numbered In contrary wise the dispisers of gods word shall with a greate boldenesse set at naughte these signes and shall often haue in theire mothes Peace and quietnes 1 Tes 5. Also this prouerbe What heauen fall But at the laste they shall runne into greate fear for bycause they be drouned in that volupteousnes of this world Thei haue no hope in Christ and therfore thei caÌ„ not lift vp their heds vnto this sauiour redemer Wherfore it shall not here need so long explicacioÌ„ of the signes to keÌ„s as shall need diligeÌ„t admonitioÌ„ to faith through which we abide in Christ Christ in vs. For wher this thinge is so brought to passe ther is nother signes treÌ„blingê nor feares No nother sin the deuell hell nother death caÌ„ hurt vs. Wilt thou briefly know who abydeth in Christ Ioh. 15 in whom Christ abideth S. Iohn speketh that plainli saieng He that kepeth his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tê abideth in Christ Christ in hiÌ„ What is that commaundement 1. Ioh. 3 That we shuld beleue in the name of his son Iesu Christ one to loue an other Neuertheles brieflye to speak of those signes that S. Luke maketh mencioÌ„ of wherby al meÌ„ may vnderstaÌ„d how much thei are now done already how much they shal be done herafter Firste of all he saieth that there shall come mani fals prophets False prophets which shal deceue many Oh what an horrible thing is that that they shal come in the name of Christe But here considre the care that Christ taketh for the and execute his commauÌ„dementes then shal there be no ieoperdie at al. Beleue them not saieth Christ nor geue no faith to them Antichrist here may wel be noted Antechrist wâ—th his false doctrine and his outwarde worshipping of God of the which S. Paule speaketh in the seconde chapter of the seconde epistle to the Thessalonians Secondarely the words of the Euangelist doth shewe

mammon Mammon And in like manner these worke maisters as thei be called haue their priuate god that is the trust in their own works and merites Of the which false god Esaias sayth Esa 2 They haue worshipped the workê of they re owne handes And I pray you what shuld the birth of Christ haue profited those men if it had been shewed vnto them Mat. 7. Holy thinges maye not be caste to dogs nor perles to swyne He that putteth his trust in any other creature then in Christ to him Christ is vnprofitable Lykewyse he that by any other meanes seketh his iustificacion but by Christ to him also is Christ vnprofitable as S. Paule in manye places wytnesseth his eristle to the Galathians saiyng Gal. 2 Yf Iustificacion come by the lawe then died Christ in vayne And bycause Christe here requireth suche a herte that shuld not put hope or trust in any wordely goodes or in his owne power and righteousnes but should holy stycke to his passion Mat. 5. death and merite Therfore he chose none but poore folkes and not such as wer pore in this world after the flesh but poore in spirite that is they that knowe all they re owne sinnes frailnes misbeleue and corrupt natur and abid only in his word And to them also saithe he in an other place Mat. 11 Come to me al ye that be laden and I shall refreshe you Also If any man thirst let him come to me Iohn 7 and I shal geue him drinke These and such like wordes the riche men and they that wil be iustified by their owne workes do not receue nor regarde of the whiche the blessed virgin Mary in her songe singeth Quod dimittantur inanes They are seÌ„t awai empty Luc 2 Therfore this birth of Christ ioiful messaÌ„ger is shewed onli to the pore shepards Thirdely we may learne of this gospell that when this helthfull birth of Christe is layde forthe vnto vs by the ministers of the gospell which for the more part in scripture be signified by aungels and we therby assertained Mal. 2. that our saluacion consisteth in the same wee maye in no wise so dooe that wee shuld be forgetful of so great a benefit or be founde vnkind therin Thanks geuing but rather shuld with continual thaÌ„kes geuing praise and extol the same and alwaies sing with the angels Glory be in heauen vnto God c. Here God is praised of the Aungels heauenly company chiefly for this cause that he of his onlye grace mercy hath geuen his onlye begotten son a sauioure to the world that through him the way shuld be to euerlasting lyfe for al men and that by his goodnes syn deth the deuel and hel shuldde taken away Ys not this benefite worthy of praise coÌ„mendacioÌ„ Yes trewly no man can geue worthy thankes therefore Neueuertheles yet we must persist to say with the prophet Dauid Ps 146 My soule praise the Lord I wil praise the Lord in my lyfe I wil sing to my God as longe as I lyue And considre here that this honour and thankes geuing can not bee yelded to God where this oure Christe is not or not throughly knowen And that no peace or good will can abide with vs without Christ Ioel. 17 And in contrary wise wher Christ abideth and by his word is wel knowen ther also the heuenly father is knoweÌ„ praised extolled as such a father that hath geueÌ„ vs his only son Christ for a sauiour into al the world And there also is found the trew peace when we beleue that God the father wil not vs to bee damned but of his ineffable grace wil receiue and geue vs euerlastinge lyfe by Christe Who I praye you wolde not be of good chere when he hereth the aungels bring this peace quietnes of harte to vs And besides all this God reioyseth in vs through his sonne And againe they that beleue doth reioyce in all his workes singing without ende Glory be in heauen to god peace in earth good wil to men The gospel on the first sonday after Christemas Luc. 2. AND his father mother meruailed at those thinges whiche were spoken of him And Simeon blessed them and sayde vnto Mary his mother Beholde this chylde is sent to be the fall and vprysinge againe of many in Israel and for a signe whiche is spoken againste And moreouer the sweard shal perse thy soule that the thoughtes of many hertes may be opened And there was a prophetisse one Anaa the doughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser which was of greate age and had lyued with her husbande seuen yeares from her vyrginitie And she had bene a widowe aboue foure score foure yere which departed not from the temple but serueth God with fastinges and prayers nyght and day And she came forth that same hour and praysed the Lorde and spake of hym to al them that loked for the redemptioÌ„ in Ierusalem And when they had performed al thinges according to the law of the Lord they returned into Galile to theyr owne city Nazareth And the chylde grewe and waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedome â— Reg. 2. and the grace of God was vpon hym THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell we haue sufficieÌ„t testimony of Christ that he is the trew Messias the blessed sede of AbrahaÌ„ in that which all people shuld be saued SimeoÌ„s testimoni of Christ First we haue the great testimonye of Simeon which of long time had loked for the consolation coÌ„fort of Israel was enformed by the holy ghost that he shuld not se deth before he saw Christ And when Ioseph Mary had in the day of purificatioÌ„ takeÌ„ the childe Iesus set hiÌ„ before the lord in Ierusalem according to the custom made their host oblacion Lo Simeon also through the holy ghost came in to the temple toke the child in his aâ—mes called him the sauiour sent froÌ„ God the lighte of the gentiles and glorye of the people of Israel What it is to blesse And afterward wished al thinges prosperous ioyfull to the child and his parentes and that is signified by that that he did blesse them as it appeareth in the 24. cha of gen And theÌ„ said he to Mari Lo this child is set to the fal and vprisinge of many in Israel And for a signe which shal be spokeÌ„ against Of these words of Simeon it is manifest that Christ is the trew Messias sauiour of the world promised in holi scripture or els why wold he cal him the lyght sauiour glory of Israel yf he could not help saue iustiâ—i Iohn 1. Yea if he wel not the very sauiour by whom we take our saluacion verely he mighte seme but a dispised sauiour And besides this he shuld not haue byn called the light of the GeÌ„tilê if he shuld not haue lightned al meÌ„

in the gospell of this daye Lette it be what wayes soeuer he thinketh best verely this maye wee well learne of yt that Christe wyll helpe and comforte vs in all manner of perill and ieoperdy both of body and sowle so that we wyll tarry with him in the shyp that is Whal is to be in the shyppe yf we be ioyned wholye to hym by faith And if sometyme he seeme to tarry lenger then thou art able to abide or that to thy reason hee seeme heauy in sleepe and to haue vterly forgotten the yet let not thy mynde fall or dispaire but crye to hym wythe the Aposteles or else with Dauyd and saye Arise good lorde why doest thow sleepe Psa 45 And then thow shalte also knowe that yt was not sayde in vayne of Dauid yn an other place Ps 120 Beholde he that kepeth Israel shal neyther slomber nor slepe Secondarly this gospell teacheth vs howe to knowe the trewe faith from fained faith namelye by the crosse and persecution Doutelesse the Apostels were in that opinion when they entred the ship with Christe that they had very perfect faith and could by no manner temptacion or persecution be brought from the same But what did they wheÌ„ necessitie and lykelehod of death drewe neare vnto them By the crosse faithe is proued What constancye was there nowe in them None at all There was nothing but greate feare tremblinge and disperacion They remembred not that they had with them in the shippe the lorde of wyndes and of the sea but as we may see in saynte Marke the Euangelist they verely thought that God cared nothing at al for them Mar. 4. and that he had cleane forsaken them that he also being a slepe regarded not what became of them Wherefore they saye Maister doest thou not care that we perish Lo here thou hearest of nothinge but vnbeliefe Here it is to be noted Whye god proueth his electe that al the temptacioÌ„s of the electe be so ordeined of God that they shal worke to them all for the best wherwith he doth chasten and bridle the fersenes and securitye of the flesh doth teach them that they be not proude or high mynded but to know that all that they can do must be referred to god For we know how bolde and rebellious the fleshe is if it be not made lowe and with such scourges and stripes brought to pacience and humility Mat 26 Dyd not also S. Peter boldly say of him selfe that he was readye euen to dye with Christe And did not the children of Zebedeus stifly affirme that they coulde drinke of the same cup that Christ shoulde drinke of Trewly there was presumptioÌ„ Mat. 20 but a proued faith there was not And in lyke maÌ„ner be all we affectianate withoute that through the inspiration of the holy ghost our infirmitie bee strengthned We do speake very highely and with great expectacion of the gospel of the crosse of pacience such other like but when we se the crosse euen at hande when we shuld then striue and wag battayle with sinne death the deuel and hel then be we very could and cowardes and vnprofitable and then dooe we with the deede perceaue that we neuer had trew faith nor euer were sincerely in our myndes affectionat towards the gospell Now they that in the crosse in persecution in tribulacioÌ„ and in peril will so soone flee from Christ and deny him and will not suffre so small ieoperdye or perill for his sake if neede were and so continew alwaies in the same they neuer had one crome of sincere trewe faith but rather a shadow or vysard of faith Therefore they shal say in the latter day when God shall saye Iohn 2. Mat. 26 Get ye hence from me ye wicked and cursed into the euerlasting fyer But they that in their owne conscience knowledge that they do nothinge of their own strength before god and confesse their infirmitie nor do seeke or looke for constancye and perseuerance in the crosse and persecutioÌ„ any other wayes then of god through Christ they shall neuer be separated from Christe And although their fayth hath beene many tymes feeble in the tyme of the crosse and persecution yet haue they not alltogether fallen into despiracion but hath asked pacience and peseueraunce of god And so therby thorough the helpe of Christ and the vertu of the holy ghost they haue ouercome all their temptacioÌ„s So likewise did the Appostels when they were with Christ in the ship for when their faith was so weak that they weare not able to striue with temptacion in the very point of death they then wakened Christ and called vpon him for his helpe of whom also in their suche necessitie they had no small comforte Wherfore I haue tolde you that it is as necessary for faith to be proued by the crosse persecution and all kindes of trowble as syluer to be tried pourged with fier For yf she continewe abide stedfast in persecutioÌ„ then is she a right faith and not fayned Mat. 5. and shal inherite the kingdom of heauen Blessed be they sayth Christ that suffre persecution for righteousnesse for they shall haue the kingdome of heauen But yf faith be slipper and inconstante and deny Christ for the fauoure of the world then shall she haue perpetuall damnacion Chryste suffered the infirmitie of hys disciples Fourthly this gospell comforteth vs in that that christ dyd so meekly suffre the infirmity of his disciples and dyd not by and by reiecte them from him althoughe theire faith were not yet perfecte He reprehendeth theire incredulitie but doth not cast them vtterly from him Now yf Christ then so pacientlye suffered his disciples when they were weake and did not repel them for theyr infirmity vntyl they were made more stedfast and stronger suerly he wyll also suffre our imbecilitie and febelnes and will tourne it into the strength of faith yf we wyll knowledge our synnes and corrupte nature and will continuallye in our prayer call for his helpe saing Good lorde encrease our faythe Luc. 17. This exaumple of christe is layed before vs that wee shulde folowe it and receaue them that bee weake in the faithe and not despise and reiecte them but patiently to suffre theÌ„ vntyll they come to the knowledge of faythe as saincte Paule in many places teacheth and especially in the epistle to the Rom. Ro. 14. Luc. 12. Neither is it spoken in vayne that christe sayde to Peter When thou shalte hereafter be conuerted confirme and streÌ„gthen thy brethren The fyfte sonday after Epiphany Mathew 13. AN other similitude put he forth vnto them sayinge Mar. 4. The kyngdome of heauen is lykened vnto a man which sowed good seede in hys fielde But whyle men slepte his enemy came and sowed cares among the wheate and went hys waye But when the blade was spronge vp and had brought forth fruicte then appeared the tates also So the

of wordly and transitorye thinges that they sette by nothinge els nor bee mortyfied to the worlde and their concupiscence do in no wise appertain to the kyngedome of Christe but to the kingdome of the diuel For what so euer it be that I put my hole truste in besides god or do prefer and loue it more then god verely of the same I make to me an ydol And yf my harte be fully fixed vnto yt What is the worshippe of the diuel and is giuen to honour voluptuousnes riches power of the world or any such other like thing then be those thinges my ydoll and in them I worship the deuell Yea to be more plaine with you yf I outwardly shuld be good and honest and wolde accompte the same outewarde goodnes for righteousnesse before god then trewly shulde the same be myne Idoll as Esaias witnesseth sayinge Esai 2. They haue woshipped the workes of their owne handes And saynte Augustine saieth My God is my loue I praye you what is it els to loue creatures aboue god then to worship the deuell But herken here now greately this ydolatry and blasphemy displeaseth god Get the hence saieth he thou Sathan these thy suggestions can not be borne or suffered of any good hart for it is written Deut. â— Thou shalte worship thy lord god and him onlye shalte thou serue Lo in this wyse is the deuell no we thryse ouercome and driuen awaye of Christe onlye by the worde of god Nowe as it is necessary for vs throughe Christe to ouercome all temptacions the worlde synne death and the deuell so muste we also be wel instructed streÌ„gthned with the word of god wherein is promised to vs both comforte and helpe in our Lord Iesu Christe And if we bee not with this swearde of spirite which is the word of god wel armered then doughteles wil he bring vs out of the right way and lead vs about so loÌ„g vntil he bring vs into his snares and so entangle vs that we may scarsely get out agayne from the which I besech god the father of his greate goodnes and mercy to kepe and preserue vs throughe his sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Amen The seconde sonday in Lent Math. 15. ANd Iesus went thence and departed into the coastes of Tyrie and Sydon and behold a woman of Canaan which came out of the same coastes cryed vnto hym saiyng Haue mercy on me O lorde thou sonne of Dauid My doughter is piteously vexed wyth a deuel But he answered her nothyng at all And hys disciples came and besought hym saying Send her away for she crieth after vs. But he answered and sayde I am not sente Luc. 19. but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell Then came she and worshipped hym saying Lord helpe me He answered and sayd It is not meere to take the chyldrens breade and to caste it to dogges She answered and sayd Truth lorde forthe dogges eate of the crummes which fall from theyr maysters table Then Iesus answered and sayde vnto her O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto the euen as thou wylte And her doughter was made whole euen at that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION An exauÌ„ple of â—aithe the calliÌ„g of the heitheÌ„ FYrste of all this gospell layeth before vs an example of faith in the womaÌ„ of Chanane and sheweth vs also that the Gentils and Heithen shal be called to the knoweledg of faith Rom. 1. A trew and perfite faith is nothyng else but to know that Christe is the lorde and the son of Dauid For yf I knowledg him as lorde then do I also beleue that he is naturally the very sonne of God yea and god himselfe Moreouer God the father of heaueÌ„ wyl not be knowen in any other but in this Christe as S. Iohn witnesseth in the 14. chapter sayinge He that seeth me seeth my father And also in this wise to call Christe the lorde is not so small a trifle as yt semeth to the worlde but trewly it is the worke of the holy ghost as S. Paule saith 1. Co. 1â— No man canne say that Iesus is the lorde but through the holye ghoste And when I knowledg Christ to be the son of Dauyd then muste I beleue that he came into this worlde for my sake And that he was gyuen to me with all his goodnes merites passion death that by hym delyuered from sinne I may be made the sonne and heyre of al the goodnes of god Gen. 22 Psa 131 as do clearely declare the promises made to Abraham Dauyd Suche a fayth had this woman of Cananee although she had it not of her selfe but bicause she herde of Christ and of her suche hearinge she receaued faith Fyrste she knowledged Christ to be the lorde whych had power seyng he was god to delyuer his doughter from the vexacion of the deuell And therefore she put all her truste in him as one that coulde and wold help Or else I pray you why wolde she folowe him and make exclamacion yf she had not beleued that Yt must needes be that this woman had a trew and perfect fayth in Christ and loked for all manner of goodnesse of hym The property of saythe Secondarely it foloweth now what the nature and property of faith is namely in all temptacion and affliction to seeke remedy and help none other wher but at God through Christ For the faith that we haue spoken of before dyd prouoke the woman to drawe neare to Christ to open her necessitye and griefe and to call for his grace and helpe But what doth Christe here The faithe of the woman dothe not dysplease hym although shee was no woman of Israel Ioh. 10 but a Gentile for he wolde also bringe them into his flocke Yet bycause the womans faythe shoulde bee proued and made more cleare Chryste kepte scilence and gaue none aunswere to her fyrste peticion And what thinke ye that the woman thoughte in her mynde then Do ye not beleue that shee was heauye and sadde But yet she remembreth the great humanitye of Christ that she had harde so much commended And she dyd not forgette the benefites that he had gyuen to men of his great goodnes vnmocicioned or desyred And therfore she departed not at the first check nor did dispair of hir doughters helpe but stiffely sticketh to him and craueth for a gentel and meeke aunswere And in the meane tyme thappostels come and intreate for her sayinge Lorde sende her awaye for shee excedingelye crâ—eth after vs. But what doth Christ nowe Doth he graunte to the woman her desyre No but semeth to continewe still in his firste mynde that all men woulde iudge that he woulde not helpe her at all But why do wee not briefelye shewe what was hys aunswere I am not sente sayeth he but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel By these words he seemeth in a manner to conclude as though it were not

God hath prouided al thinges necessary to him froÌ„ his youth to his age Psal 36 Eccle. 1. To whom doth Salomon ascribe his greate wisdome From God is all wisedome saithe he And whereby commeth his riches and greate substaunce By his laboure No. Pro. 10. But he saith the blessyng of god maketh riche men Lo now in this wise muste we knowledge that all that wee canne or maye bothe in bodely and ghostly thinges commeth only of god which through Christ wyll gyue to vs all goodnes Wherfore it is meet that al the dayes of our lyfe we geue to him thankes therfore Fourthly this gospell teacheth howe we shulde diligently keepe such giftes as we haue receyued Not to mispend the benefâ—â—es of God not misspende them whan Christ commaunded hys Apostels to gather the fragmentes that they shuld not perish If thou haue receiued more riches of God then the necessitie of thine own house requireth looke thou kepe them well Mat. 6. not to get the great riches treasure here in the earth where the moth and rust shall destroye it and theues steale it awaye But spende it not in any euell vse or waste it in voluptuousnes furfetynge dronkennes and superfluous apparrel as it is spoken of in the 15. cha of Lu. of the prodigall childe And suche as is lefte to the more then for thyne owne necessitye lyke a faithful stewarde and housholder distribute it amongst the poore at tyme conueniente Doest thou thinke that that ys gyuen to the more then for thyne owne necessity and sustentacion that thow hast it to th entent thou mayst mayntaine thy vuluptuousnes pride Thou art deceiued if thou so beleue Thow art ordained a seruaunte ouer all thinges Luc. 12. and for that cause hast thou all that thou hast that therof thou mightest help the poore and needy and make the frendes of the mammon of iniquitye that when neede shal be they maye testifie good of the wherby thou maist fynd grace and fauour with God Luc. 16. What happened to the riche man that despised the poore Lazarus spoken of in the gospell He shulde not haue beene damned bycause he was clothed in purpure and sylke and faryd so daintily yf he had had fayth and had eaten with thankes geuinge and not haue forgotten the poore miserable Lazarus the which sate at his gateful of sores desiryng to be fedde of the cromes that fell vnder his table But what happeneth He vtterly forgat the poore Lazarus and tooke no care at all for hym Besids this he doth misuse his goodes and riches And therfore well worthy to be damned And to be shorte If thou haste more then for thyne owne store helpe thy neighbour therewith and mispend it not in ryot and voluptuousnesse The fyfte sonday in Lente Ioh 8. Ioh. 10. WHyche of you rebuketh me of synne yf I say the trewth why do yee not beleue me He that is of God heareth Goddes wordes Ye therefore heare them not bycause ye are not of God Then answered the Iewes and sayd vnto hym Saye we not wel that thou arte a Samaritane Ioh. 10. and haste the diuell Iesus answered I haue not the dyuell but I honoure my father and ye haue dishonoured me I seeke not myne owne prayse ther is one that speketh iudgeth Verely verely I say vnto you yf a man keepe my sayinge he shall neuer see death Then sayd the Iewes vnto hym Now know we that thou hast the dyuell Abraham is dead and the prophetes and thou sayst Yf a man kepe my saying he shal neuer tast of death Act thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the prophetes are deade Whom makest thou thy selfe Iesus aunswered If I honoure my selfe myne honoure is nothing It is my father that honoureth me which ye say is your God and yet ye haue not knowen hym But I knowe hym And yf I saye I knowe hym not I am a lyar vnto you But I knowe hym and keepe hys saying Your father Abraham was glad to se my daye Gen. 17 and. 23. and he sawe yt and reioyseth Then sayde the Iewes vnto him Thou art not yet L. yeare olde and hast thou seene Abraham Iesus sayd vnto them Verely verely I say vnto you yete Abraham was borne Exod. 3. I am Ioh. 10 Then cooke they vp stones to caste at hym But Iesus hyd hym selfe and Luc. 4 wente out of the temple THE EXPOSITION OFtentimes haue I sayde before and it wil be sayde to the end of the worlde that the worde of god can not be preached in this cursed world without persecution and greuous aduersaries seing that christ is set for a token which shal be spoken against Luc. 2. Neyther shuld a man meruayle that suche persecution shulde chaunce to the ministers of the worde seinge that it hapened so to Christ himselfe whiche is the very trewth and did so diligently and most singulerly of all men teach the word of his father In so much that he was put to the vileste death that myghte bee And that yt so was yt appeareth very plainlye in the gospell of this daye He was not only taken and reputed for a Samaritane and a false doctor amongest the Iewes Persecution but also they take stones to stone him to death withal Wherefore seinge that suche dissention betweene good and wicked men shall continew vnto the ende of the worlde we will considre howe a Christian man and chiefly the minister of the word of god shuld behaue himselfe We must always no doute suffre aduersities yet neuertheles we muste alwaies resiste the blasphemers of goddes worde Fyrste Christe stoppeth their mouthes that persecuted his doctrine with his clean and perfect lyuing when he spake vnto theim with gentle wordes in this wise Whyche of you can rebuke me of one synne you doo reiecte my learnynge and wyll not receaue yt what reasones or causes haue you of youre suche counseyle and doynge yf I taught otherwyse then I doo or yf I did otherwyse then I teache then had ye a good cause to forsake my doctrine But now can ye shewe nothinge at all wherein my lyuinge doth dissente frome my learnyng Howebeit your obstinacy ys so great that ye will not beleue Lo here the Iewes be reprehended and know not what to saye thereto or whether to turne theÌ„ For the lyfe of Christ was without faulte as Esaias witnesseth in his 53. Esa 53. chap. Ther is no deceite found in his mouth So shuld euery christian man be specially the minister of the worde of god that a man might not in deed blame his lyfe and conuersacion and chiefly for that cause that the enemies of goddes worde do looke more to the lyfe of the preacher then to his doctrine Yea and how can I blame other when I am not blameles my selfe or when the hearer thereof shall say vnto me Physition helpe thy selfe Luc. 4. When I shall reprehende

adultery in an other man it is necessarye that I be fautles thereof my selfe And when I shal speake against surfeting and dronkennes then muste not I my selfe be a glotton And yf I shal rebuke theft then must I beware least I my selfe at any tyme be accused of thefte Or else S. Paule geueth me a check in his Epistle to the Rom. saying Rom. 2. Loke wherin thou iudgest an other man thou condemnest thy selfe in so much that thou that iudgest doest euen the same And more ouer the holy ghost shall sende suche an other lyke songe into mine eares saiyng Wherfore doest thou shew abrode my rightousnes and hast my testament in thy mouth Psal 49 thou hatest my doctrine and doest cast my saiyngs behind the When thou sawest a thefe thou rannest wyth hym and with adulterers thou haddest thy portion And very trewth it is that before god we be all sinners vncleane and must therefore continually aske forgiuenes for our dayly fautes yet must the outward conuersacion of a christian man be vnreprouable chiefly of hym that preacheth the word of god least the enemies of the word 1 Tim. 3 through our vnhonest conuersacion may take occasion not only to slaunder but also to persecute the gospell Secondarely Wee shuld not be ignorante of Christes gospell Christe dothe commende his doctrine as it which is the very trewthe and therein hee signifieth againe that the Iewes withoute annye cause or mattier dothe reiecte hys doctrine seinge he teacheth nothynge else but the playne trewth receaued of hys heauenlye father And where as before he withstode the Iewes with his most pure and vncleane lyfe nowe doth he obiecte vnto them his doctrine whiche trewlye came from his father in heauen and not as the Iewes dyd lye and faine from the diuell But and yf the preacheâ— can not do this what shall he do He must needes be assured of the doctrine that it is of God howe so euer his lyfe be For through false doctrine many be brought to the diuell My vncleane lyfe condemneth no man but my selfe Wherfore if I shuld needes chuse one of the two and might none other wise bee I had leuer haue an vnchrifte to my teacher and preacher that woulde instructe me in the right and trew doctrine then a good and deuoute man that wolde leade me frome the worde of god to mennes tradicions and hypocrisye of workes And therein Christe agreeth with me when he sayeth that we shuld heare them that syt in Moyses chayre that is Mat. 23 those that teache the worde of god as Moyses dyd but we shulde not do accordinge to theyr workes Here he dothe reiecte the euell workes of the preacher and not his doctryne whiche is of god Wherefore thinke you dyd Paule reioyse so much Gal. 1. that he had receyued his gospell and preaching by the reuelacion of Iesu Christ Dougheteles he wolde the Iewes to vnderstande that the doctrine he taughte was not his but gods Now seing we be assertained that the doctrine is not ours but goddes we muste with all diligence study and endeuour to defende and knowledg the same against all aduersaries and slaunderers thereof euen to blodde shod and death as in this place Christ defendid al that was laid against his doctrine and that he was not possessed of a dyuell nor dyd speake any thinge through the dyuell And as much as touched his personage he let passe and medled not there with Therefore we muste be assured of oure doctrine that we receyue teache or preache nothinge els but that is very trewthe As Christ also saith of his fathers doctrine Ioh. 12. Thy word is trewth Thirdely Whye the Iewes wold not hear the worde of God Christ sheweth a reason in this gospel why the Iewes can not heare the worde of god and beleue him saying He that is of God heareth the worde of God and bycause ye be not of God therefore ye hear not his word Se here what great difference in as much as concerneth iustificacion is betwene the iudgement of the flesh and the iudgement of Christ The Iewes iudged this that seing they came of the seede of Abraham and the patryarkes and that they had circumcision therfore they muste needes be goddes people and children But how doth Christ iudge he saithe They be not of Abraham nor of the Patriarkes but the children of the diuell And that he proueth on this wise Bicause thei do not hear the word of god beleue it as Abraham dyd but doth rather despise set at naught and persecute the same Wher is now the boasting pryde and arrogancy of the Iewes what preuailet now their circumcision Or what helpeth it theÌ„ to be vnder the lawe and borne of the fathers Verely all is not worth a strawe neither is there lefte any hope at al We muste hear goddes word yf the word of god be not heard and stedfastly beleued No nor Abraham himselfe shuld haue byn numbered amongest the children of god excepte he had receiued the word of god and beleued the same as it is witnessed in scripture Abraham beleued in God and that was accompted to hym for righteousnes Ioh. 17 Moreouer scripture saith There is none other way to saluacion but to beleue in hym whome God hath sente into this worlde If nowe thou wylte knowe the children of God Howe the children of God are knoweÌ„ froÌ„ the children of the dyuell frome the children of the diuell marke this The dyuels children can by no meanes abyde or heare Goddes worde howe good iuste and holly so euer they apeare or seeme to vs. They will not haue theyr workes reiected and condemned although thei deserue none other but condemnacioÌ„ The chyldren of God do willyngly heare goddes word and receiue it in theyr hartes and beleue it considering that all theyr felicity and saluacion is set therin The power of Goddes worde Fourthly this gospell declareth vnto vs the power of the worde of god in that that Christ sayeth If a man keepe my worde he shall neuer se deathe that hath he confirmed with an oth And thinkest thou that that pleased the Iewes No no bycause they ascribed his doctrine to the diuell before they coulde in no wise be pleased with such a noble commendacion of his doctrine but were thereby the more steryd to enuye and hatred And lette them be angrye as long as they wyll Christe neuerthelesse goeth forth and ceaseth not to say the treuth howe wrothe so euer they be Therefore we seâ—tynge all mennes wrothe apart shall considre of this texte what our heauenly father by the words of hys welbeloued sone Iesu Christ wyll worke in them that hear beleue the same he saith They shall neuer se death O the excelent noble power of gods word From Adame by ryght inheritaunce Deathe through Adam Rom. 5. we tooke our damnacion and death so that no man in the world by any his works

could auoyde this sentence The wrath of god hath fallen vppon vs all And nowe cometh Christ and wil teache vs how we shal be delyuered from the same sentence that is by his word In the whiche is shewed vnto vs his passion and death considering this alwayes that we trewlye vnderstande and kepe this worde There is greate power and strength in this word Mine for by that he excludeth the lawe of al meÌ„ and of Moyses also and geueth iustification only to this gospell And yf we wolde well looke vppon the matter The difference betwene the doctrine of Moyses Christ we shall perceiue greate difference betwene the doctrine of Moyses and Christ Moyses doth only shew sinne in that that he commauÌ„deth and forbiddeth those thinges whiche of myne owne power and strengthe I can nother doo nor leaue vndonne And yet dothe he gyue the holy ghost wherwith I myght doo that he wolde to be doone But Christe in his worde dothe graunte the holye ghoste that I maye freelye and willynglye do those thinges that bee both good and righteous yea and by the gospell hee gyuethe me remission of synne ryghteousnes inheritaunce the kyngedome of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe that without any my merites or desertes of his onlye grace and mercye And this can no man nor Moyses â—y their lawes do Neither doth Christ aske any thinge of vs again but that we kepe his his his worde I saye And how shuld it be kepte We must in our hartes heare it What it is to kepe the worde of God Mat. 10 receyue it and kepe it The world goeth about to take it from the wheÌ„ she bringeth the to the trust in thine owne workes But thou must be stroÌ„g bold and hardy and suffre not Christ and his word to be taken from the but receyue it into thy hart kepe it which if thou do thou shalt liue for euer althoughe thou caste of this corruptible bodye Mat. 22 Abraham with all the Prophetes bee deade but yet they lyue with god bycause they beleued in Christe which was before Abraham and dyd ascribe their righteousnes to hym And yf thou do not receaue his word thou shalte dye for euer But paraduenture thou wylt say againe Yt were good for a man to heare and beleue this word sauing that so many wise and holy menne haue resisted it But what is that to the Doest thou not know that Christ is set as a token that shal be of many spoken against Thou arte not better then he If the Iewes wolde haue stoned him to death for his doctrine and holsome sermons as this gospell sheweth vs then must not thou looke to bee safe and sure frome aduarsities but muste suffre as he dyd seynge the seruaunte is not aboue or more theÌ„ hys maister And to make an end In the only worde of Christ is gyuen vnto vs remission of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting lyfe yf we beleue therein and will in no wyse be pulled from it which I pray almighty god through Iesu Christ to graunte to vs foreuer Amen The gospell on Palme sondaye is the same whiche is before on the fyrst sonday of Aduent The gospell on Easter day Math. 28. And beholde there was a great earthquake For the aungell of the Lorde descended from heauen and came and rowled backe the stone from the dore and satte vppon it His countenance was lyke lyghtenyng and hys tayment white as snow And for feare of him the keepers were astonyed and became as dead men Mar. 16 Luc. 24 The angell answered said vnto the wemen Feare yt not for I know that ye seeke Iesus whych was crucified he is not here he is risen as he sayd Come se the place wher that the lord was laid go quickely and tel his disciples that he is risen agayne from the dead And behold he goeth before you into Galilee there ye shal se him Lo I haue tolde you THE EXPOSITION THe EuaÌ„gelistes haue with great diligence written of the resurrection of Christe The resurrectioÌ„ an article of fayth and not without great and euident causes For it is an article of great grauitie in the knowledging of our faith one of the chieffest 1 Cor. 15 to beleeue that Christ rose from death and is become the first frutes of theim that sleepe And that it is an article of great weight and not easy to be vnderstand in especiall of a fleshly man so many actes and ensamples in this history declareth it that further proofe or more euident declaracion doth not neede Ys it not written in the Gospell of S. Luke Luc. 24 of the women that when they had declared to the Apostels that which they had seene their wordes were counted as wordes of no reputation or treuth Dyd not Christ himselfe shew them before Luc. 18. that all that was written by the prophetes of the sonne of man shuld be fulfilled and that he shulde bee delyuered vnto that heithen and shuld be mocked and when they had scourged him that they shulde put hym to death that vppon the thyrd day he shuld rise againe Yet this notwithstondinge they didde not beleue but through seinge touching handelynge and finally through many wordes and greate miracles at the lane were brought vnto the fayth Yea the angell here was not beleued vntyll suche tyme that Christ himselfe came and confirmed the Apostels in the faithe Therfore this article of the resurrection is not so hard to be taken and vnderstanded but it is as needefull and necessery to oure iustification and saluacion For without we do comprehend and beleue this article we shall neuer be holly iust or blessed Rom. 4 And this proueth S. Paule to the Romaynes brilfely but with wordes of greate efficacy and power saying Christ was gyuen for our synnes and raised vp for our righteousnes Thorow the resurrection of Chryste we haue obteined the iustification of God Esai 53 Wherin he sheweth two thyngs Fyrst he ascribeth to the passioÌ„ death and blode of Christ remission of sinnes which vndoubtedly by none other worke or deseruing maye be taken awaye as Esai witnesseth He is wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednes Secondarylye he assigneth vnto the resurrection of Christ our iustificacion Wherout it doth folowe â—hat the death of Christ how profitable so euer it be profiteth me nothing except that the same sauiour â—nd my Lorde Iesu Christe had risen from deathe Therefore yf I desire to bee discharged and loused â—rome those synnes that do stirre and pricke me Howe a man shal be deliuerâ—d from synne so â—s it requisite and needefull that I beleue that to be doone allonly throughe the passion and death of our Lord Iesu Christ without any worke or deseruyng of man And furthermore If I be made righteous the same righteousnes is obtained through the resurrection of Christe Now seing that our saluacion commeth and is brought to passe throughe the death and resurrection of

Christe so is it verye necessary that I with a pure faith confidence do vnderstande and beleue it For very little profyt cometh of an historicall beliefe For the dyuell knoweth and beleueth it and yet it profiteth hym nothynge at all Ye howe mannye be there amongest vs that bee named Christian men which doo confesse and knowledge that Christe rose frome deathe and yet shal be damned Wee do confesse and knowledge the resurrection but the merites thereof we doo cleane take awaye and condemne Howe so Throughe trustinge in workes to the whyche wee ascribe ryghteousnes The and me hath God serued with his resurreccion And therefore yf thou wylte goe the highe waye and pull nothinge frome the merites of Christ thou must beleue not alonly that Christ dyed and rose agayne but that hee dyed and rose for the for the I saye and all synners dyd hee pleasure and seruice therewith For through hys deathe he tooke away thy sinnes and by his resurrection he hath iustified the. Yea throughe his resurrection hee entringe in his kyngedome myghtelye hathe declared that all power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto hym and also that he hath ouercome synne death hell and the diuell And finally that there is nothinge which is not subiect vnto him and that he as a Lord of heauen and earth mercifully keepeth and saueth his and maketh they in partakers of his kyngdom Only requiryng of vs that we beleue in hym and dye as concernynge our synnes and walke in a newe lyfe Vnto this pertaineth the syxte chapiter to the Romaines Rom. 6 in the which Paule toucheth this article of the resurrection very highely amongst other thinges sayeng Yf we be dead with Chryst we beleue that we shall lyue also with hym and are sure that Christ raysed from death dieth no more death shal haue no more power ouer him For as touchiÌ„g that he died he dyed concerning sinne once But as touching that he lyueth he lyueth vnto god Likewyse ye also count your selues to be euen deade as concernyng sinne and to lyue vnto God throughe Iesu Christe our lorde God serueth vs by hys aungels Secondaryly we se here in this gospell that for bicause this article of the resurrection is so harde of the flesh to be receiued how mercifully and meekly God through his aungell handeleth and intreateth the wemen that brought spices and anoyntementes to the sepulchre of the lorde playnlye and manifestly shewing by wordes and signes that his only son Christ was risen Who wold now I pray you dispair of suche a gentle and mercyful father which so patiently suffering our inftrmitie and so louingely exhortinge and instructing vs Whom wolde not this greate and inestimable charity prouoke to beleue The wemen that bought this anoyntment and came to anoynt Christ surely had an honest intente And their going and hasting to the sepulchre doth plainly shewe the hartye loue that they bare vnto Christe yet not withstanding they did it after a fleshely manner and vtterly withoute any righte faith For yf they had had faithe they wold haue remeÌ„bred the words that Christ spake howe that he shulde rise the thirde day and go before theym into Galile But these wordes they forgatte and prepared them selues to anoynte Christ Mat 2â— which was not commaunded vnto them to do But so mannes reason is ofte wonte to do The curiositye of men For it doth often that which it shulde not do and that whiche it shulde do it ouerpasseth and leaueth vndone In so muche that our lorde god to oppresse this curious rashnes and curiousnes Deut. 1â— commaundeth in the lawe that we shulde not do that that seemed to vs good Yet notwithstandyng so good is our god that he doth not for this curiosity and vnfaithfulnes reiect these wemen but through the aungel entyseth and leadeth them froÌ„ this carnall and fleshly seruing of god vnto his worde Which thinge is here doone after this manner When these good women went toward the sepulchre said one to an other Who shall roule vs the stone from the graue Lookyng backe they sawe that the stone was rouled awaye And they going into the sepulchre they saw a yong man sittyng on the ryght hand whych had a longe white garment vppon him and they were abasshed But he said vnto them Be not ye afrayd Ye seke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified he is risen he is not here Beholde the place where they layde hym c. Here mayst thou hear and se that god sent not his angell alonly to roule of the stone from the graue but moste chiefly to enforme and instructe the women and to manifest and shewe vnto them the glorious brightnes of his resurrection What the shininge vesture signifieth whych the angelicall shynyng vesture dyd signifye Here marke how diligently it is written here how and in what manner a man muste be iustified and saued First there is written howe the women were sore abashed Suche troblinge and abashing the preaching of the lawe bringeth forthe Rom. 3. when my sinnes thereby be made euident and playne Yea trewelye whome shuld it not make afraid so many commaundementes in the law enioyned to vs and are impossible of vs to be brought to passe or doone and yet neuertheles that sentence remaineth immutable Cursed is he that continueth not in all the wordes of the lawe Deu. 27 to doo them Nexte nowe foloweth the aungels who represent and signifye the preachers of the gospell with their comfort and consolacion Angeles are preachers saiyng Be not afraid O ioyfull and glad tidings that we shall not discomfort vs for our sinnes But frome whence commeth these ioyfull and mery tydinges From Christ our lorde which was delyuered for our sinnes rose for our iustificacioÌ„ With such preachinge of the resurrection the Aungell comforteth these wemen bringeth them in remembraunce of the wordes that they had afortyme hard of the resurrection Moreouer he doth confirme his words with a signe A signe wheÌ„ he sheweth them the place where Christ was layd Do ye think that this was not a gentle way to instruct these women patiently to bear their infirmity by that meanes to make theym to beleue the resurrection Lyke as Christe thorow his aungels and miracles did instruct these women and the apostels so wil he likewise do dayly vnto vs through his word so we as obedient children obey and beleue his worde and seeke our saluacion none other where then alonly in the merits of Christe Thirdelye it foloweth nowe that the women were enioyned by the aungell to go and declare the rysynge of Christe not to the disciples allonlye but also in especiall to Petre Women becam apostelles which for the deniynge of the Lorde was in greate feare and heauines Here oute wee maye learne howe necessarye the preachinge of the resurrection is And contrarye wyse what a miserable calamitye it is where the glory of the resurrection is

not knowen For the apostels which were in so great heuines feare of death for their synne coulde by none other means receiue comfort tranquilitie of conscience then by hearing the tidinges of the resurrection of Christ And who can deny that they yf thei had ben demauÌ„ded as he was had not al don as Peter did Did thei not forsake Christ Fled not thei froÌ„ him If they fled then dyd they sinne Maâ— 26 after the sayinge of Christe This nyghte shall yee all bee offended in me For he that is offended in Christe must nedes syn Mat. 11 for it is written Blessed is he that is not offended in me Then go to If ther was syn so was there likewise feare and panges of deathe So that it is necessarye that these troubled consciences muste needes receyue comforte throughe the preachinge of the passion and resurrection of Iesus Christe As if the aungell shulde speake to the women Get you hence shortely to the troubled apostels and saye vnto them Christe is a conquerer ouer sinne hell and the diuell Moreouer byd them be of a good chear for Christ is risen froÌ„ death the prophecy of Oseas is fulfilled saying Death is swallowed vp in victory Ose 31. Deathe where is this stinge Hel wher is thy victory Tel them also that Christ himselfe wil go before them into Galilee wher they shall see him and haue these things declared of him and that they plucke vp their hartes and doubte not of his resurrection On this wise doth the aungell teache the women to preach instructing them what they shulde saye to the apostels Marke howe that at priestly officeis here inioyned to the women But who did consecrate them Priestes the byshoppe of Rome No. Who then God throughe his sonne Christ oure Bysshop For who so euer beleueth in Christe All Christian meÌ„ bee preestes 1. Pet. 2 and throughe hys worde hath receiued the holy ghoste pertayneth to those people and flocke of the which S. Peter speketh without any difference of kindes be they men or women saieng Ye are that chosen generacion that kingely preesthod that holy nacion that peculier people that ye shulde shew the vertues of him whiche hath called you oute of darkenes into hys meruailous lyght Luc. 2. Dyd not Anna the prophetisse exercise this priestely office Dydde not the foure doughters of Phylip prophecy Act. 12. And as touchinge that 2 Co. 14 S. Paule doth not permit a womaÌ„ to speake in the congregacion thereout it doth not folowe that it is not laufull for women to confesse Christ but that euery thinge shulde be doone in good ordre For it is meete and conueniente for women to holde their peace when men be present that exerciseth the office of teachinge But if suche menne shulde faile who wolde forbidde women to teache For suerly the aungell that commaunded the resurrection to be declared to the apostels by the womeÌ„ was no foole Finally we altogether whether we be men or women must confesse that we be regenerate into a liuinge hope through the resurrection of Christ Iesu from death For in this confession and knowledge as S. Peter saith consisteth and standeth our iustifieng and saluacion 1 Pet. 1. The fyrste sondaye after Easter Iohn 20. THe same day at nyghte Luc. 24 whyche was the fyrste day of the Sabathes when the dotes were shut wher the disciples were asseÌ„bled togyther for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the middest and sayth vnto them Peace be vnto you And when he had so sayde he sheweth vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad when they saw the lord TheÌ„ said Iesus to them againe Peace be vnto you As the father Esa 61 Mat. 11 Luc. 4. Io. 17. sent me euen so send I you also And when he had sayd those words he breathed on them and sayd vnto theÌ„ Because the holy ghost Whose so euer synnes ye remitte they are remitted vnto theÌ„ And whose soeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned THE EXPOSITION The weakenes of the disciples FYrste of all here we maye marke and se an exaumple of incredulitie in the apostles and howe meekely Christ suffereth their imbecility and weakenes and dothe not straight wayes caste them of The women shewed them that Christ was risen from death and that it was shewed and tolde them by the aungel Luc. 24 but as S. Luke witnesseth they toke their wordes for a iest and dyd not beleue them Yet this notwithstanding at the hearyng of it they were gathered togither But howe Very priuely and with the dores shutte Why so For fear of the Iewes The fear of the disciples Lo behold and marke here ye haue excellently set forth the power and myghte of the fleshe For the Apostles thoughe the women hadde shewed theym yet dyd not they beleue that Christ was risen from death Moreouer they were stryken with so great feare that they gathered togither priuely and ther abode with the dores shut to theim Whoe dare nowe be so bolde as to saye that the fleshe can do any thinge in thinges pertayning to our iustifiyng They that be after the flesh are fleshly minded Rom. 8. as Paule witnesseth Nowe if a fleshly man be fleshly minded he can not lyghtly beleue in Christ which rose from death was the first of the dead that rose as the same S. Paule likewise declareth in the actes of the Apostles Act. 26. And in this poynt must the holy ghost worke For when he thorough the word is giuen vs hath made vs newe creatures then shall we no more feare men as the apostles here do but we shall feare god not as a seruauÌ„t feareth his maister but as the welbeloued son whiche diligently will take heede and beware that he doth not that thing that shal prouoke his father that is in heauen to angre Such feare doth Christ teache vs saiyng Mat. 10 Feare not theim that kylle the body but rathet feare him that hath power to kyll both body and sowle for euer Boldnes of theim that hee lightned with the holy ghost Actu 5. Surely all they that be lightened with the holy spirite ar bold do wtout any feare persist and perseuere in the knowledging of the trewth and the gospell Yea very then when they suffre and are rebuked for the truth of the gospelles sake as the Apostels did as the actes of the Apostels witnesseth They departed from the presence of the counsaile reioysing that they were worthye to suffre rebuke for his names sake Nowe bycause that the apostles had not so greate strengthe and faith Christe cometh and appeareth commending and announcynge his peace vnto them And also giueth them his holy ghoste which afterwarde vppon Witsondaye shulde be confirmed in theyr hartes that nothinge shulde be lefte behinde wher throughe theyr faythe myghte bee increased The increduliti of ThoÌ„ Here wee muste needes bringe in saincte

the grace and mercy of the gospell that the church gathered of the gentyles and of the Iewes shal be made one flocke and haue one shepeharde But here marke and take hede in what manner this callyng shal be Christe alone must bringe it to passe and performe yt as he saithe I haue yet other shepe that be not of this folde and those same must I bring also c. Christe muste bringe the gentils whereout it foloweth necessarily that the gentiles of them selues without they be brought by Christe can not come And yf they can not come of them selues it is manifest and playne that we throughe grace and mercye be iustified and saued as saith S. Paule By grace are you saued throughe faythe Ephe. 2. and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of god not of workes least any man shulde boaste him selfe Now yf we are called to righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe by grace why do we then boast vs of oure workes Whervnto is now free wil become why do not you leaue Christe his honoure Wylte thou become a thefe and priuily steale awaye christes honour Is it not sufficient that the pharisies those glorifiers in workes are called theues If ye are wyse take counsayle with the scripture and beleue the same if ye will be saued which saith No man knoweth the father Ioh. 14 but the sonne and to whome the sonne wil reuele it .. Marke diligently that he saith To whoÌ„ the sonne wyl reuele it And in this gospell he saith also I I I my selfe muste bringe them When Christe doth bringe vs through his word and spirite then do we heare his voyce then do we willingly obey him and mortefie the old Adame in vs. To make shorte we lyue according to goddes will and pleasure Some there be that suppose that by this sentence Ther shalhe one flocke and one shepard is promised through out all the worlde Vnity concord in the doctrine of Christs faythe is not to be loked for vnitie and concorde in the doctrine and faithe of Christe but they be deceyued For this saiyng is fulfilled when both the Iews and gentyles are called by the word of god into the communion of one churche And in th ende of the worlde finally it shal be fulfilled when the faithfull as well of the Iewes as of the gentiles shal be disseuered diuided from the kiddes that is frome the vnfaithfull and taken into the kingdome of Christe Whiche God the father graunt vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The thirde sonday after Easter Ioh. 16 AFter a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. 7. agayne after a whyle ye shal se me for I go to the father TheÌ„ sayde some of hys dysciples betwene them selues What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a while ye shal se me and that I go to the fatherâ— They sayde therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he saith Iesus peceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayde vnto them Ye enquyre of this betwene your selues bicause I sayde After a whyle ye shal not se me and agayne After a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I say vnto you ye shall weepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyce Ye shall sorowe but Ioh. 2â— your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe bycause he thowâ— is come but as sone as she is delyuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the world And ye now therefore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and your hartes shall reioyse and your ioye shall no man take frome you THE EXPOSITION Chryste sheweth his passion resurrectioÌ„ to his disciples IN this gospell diligently we shall note foure thinges First how Christ shewed before vnto his disciples his passion and resurrection Furthermore in what wise through his resurrection he shuld raign in his kingdome and go to the father This sermon and teaching muste needes be verye necessary wheÌ„ Christ so oftentimes and with so many wordes repeteth it and sheweth yt his disciples Yea truly it is very needful considering the infirmitie of our flesh and the hard vnderstandynge of these articles Wherefore Christe after the manner of a faithfull maister and instructours ceasseth not contynuallye to inculcate and driue into the apostles hartes suche artycles that in all poyntes he mighte trulye and iustelye execute hys office And this is the exposition and meanynge thereof After a little while I shal be delyuered vnto the Iewes and they shal condemne me scourg me and at the last crucify me And lykewise as Ionas was three dayes and three nyghtes in the belly of the whale Mat. 21 so shall I be three dayes and so manny nyghtes also in the hart of the earth And that is the same that I say vnto you After a little while yee shall not see me and yet after a litle that is the thirde daye whan I am risen frome deathe yee shall see me But that shal be no great whyle for I muste go to the father and receaue my kingdome whiche is spirituall With the whiche hee instructethe and teacheth his dysciples what maner of kyngedome hee shall haue and in what wyse he shall entre into it The kiÌ„gdom of Christ Eph. 14 The kyngedome of Chryste lyeth herein That Christe hath ouercomme sinne deathe hell and the dyuell and hathe all the auctorytye and power of the father in heauen and in earthe that hereafter he beinge ordeined the moste mighty kinge vppon the hollye hyll of Sion Psal 2. shuld strength and rule his faithfull and electe through the holy ghoste And into this kiÌ„gdom he hath entred through his passion death and sheding of his blode as the prophete Dauyd sheweth before Psa 109 He shall drynke of the brooke in the waye therefore shall he lyfte vp his heade The Apostles knewe yet but little of the spirituall kingedome and thought it shulde haue been temporall vntill suche time that they receiued the holy ghost which opened their eyes and instructed them what manner of kingedome it shulde be how we shulde come vnto it and abide in it And if we desyre to enter into this kingedome and wyl ouercome synne death the diuell and hell it is moste conuenient necessarye that we know Christe oure Lorde and sauioure oure kinge and bysshoppe and that by his bloode wee are reconcyled to the euerlastinge father And we must do also as Paule monissheth vs in the epistle to Timothe sayinge 2 Tim. 2 If wee be dead with him we shall lyue with him also If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall denye vs. Secondarily here is layde before vs in the apostles an exaumple of our ignoraunce An exauÌ„ple of our ignoraunce For as the

our flesh as S. Paule saith We be buried with him by baptisme into death Rom. 6. c. and this is one part of this new natiuity Furthermore in baptysme the hollye ghoste ys geuen vs whych we beyng so mortefied dothe reuyue and regenerate vs agayne ruleth draweth pulleth and chaungeth vs and so worketh in vs that we sauoure and vnderstande now no more carnall but spirytual thynges Wee desire not wordly things but heauenly thinges lyue to righteousnes And this is the other part of thys new natyuitie Wher oute yt appeareth What it ys to bee borne agayne that to be borne agayne ys no other thing then to dye as concernyng syn and to lyne to ryghteousnes through the spiryt and fayth And wher so euer this is there is the kingdome of god sene and the entring thervnto openeth But I besech you what glory hath here the righteousnes of Nicodemus Truelye before god it is but durte dung Phil. 3. eueÌ„ as S. Paule did reckene and count all his righteousnes that came of the lawe he beynge a Iew and circumcised for dunge For not that whiche cometh of oure reason but that the spirite worketh in vs pleaseth god For that that is borne of the spirite is spirituall and of greate reputacion before god Therfore S. Paule to the Ephesians saith on this wise Ephe. 4 So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tymes paste laye frome you that olde man which marreth himselfe through deceiuable lustes and be you renewed in the spirit of your mynd How can reason do or comprehend these thinges when in earthly and bodely thinges he is so rude and ignoraunt that he cannot tell namely from whence the winde cometh or whether it will Briefelye to bringe to passe this newe natiuitie we muste needes haue the holye ghoste thoughe the papistes extoll neuer so highelye the righteousnes of the fleshe Thirdely this gospell teacheth vs Thoroughe Chryste we haue obtained the holy ghoste who hath obteyned and geuen vs this spirite by the which wee are newe regenerate and borne againe trulye Iesus Christe the sonne of man which allonly descended from heauen and ascended vp into heaueÌ„ But wherewith hathe he obtained and deserued this Euen therwith bicause that he was exalted on the crosse like as the serpent was in the wildernes But what serpente was that In times past the children of Israell murmered against the lorde in wildernes then was the lorde angry and sent fierye serpentes among the people whiche bote the people so that there dyed muche people in Israell And Moyses praiynge then for the people the lorde saide vnto him Num. 21 Make the a brasen serpent and set it vp for a token Whosoeuer is bitten and looketh on it shal lyue The serpent is the figure of Christe This figure applieth Christe vnto hymselfe as thoughe he wolde say I shall be crucified and put to deathe and with my deathe the wrathe of my heauenly father shall be pacefied for the sinnes of the worlde that whosoeuer is bitten with sinne and loketh vpon me whiche am crucified that is whosoeuer beleueth in me shall not perishe To beleue in Christe but haue euerlasting lyfe Beholde on this manner Christe is sette forthe vnto vs as hee that only forgiueth vs our sinne and giueth vs the holy ghoste maketh vs newe creatures the sonnes and heires of god so that we beleue and sette oure confidence and truste in him God graunte vnto vs that we may haue a trewe and perfect faith Amen The gospell on the firste sondaye after Trinitye sondaye Luc. 16 THe was a certaine riche man which was clothed in purple and fine white and fared deliciously euery day And there was a certayne beggar named Lazarus which lay at hys g ateful of sores desiryng to be refreshed with the cromes that fel from the rich mans bord and no man gaue vnto hiÌ„ The dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the beggar died and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich maÌ„ also died was buried And beiÌ„g in hell in tormentes he lyft vp his eyes and saw Abraham a far of Lazarus in his bosome and he cried said Father AbrahaÌ„ haue mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the typ of hi finger in water coole my tung for I am tormeÌ„ted in this flame But Abraham sayd Son Gal. 6â— remeÌ„bre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedst thy plesure contrary wyse Lazarus receaued paine But now he is comforted and thou art punished Beyond al this betwene vs and you ther is a great space set so that they which wold go from hence to you cannot neither may come froÌ„ thense to vs. Then he said I pray the therfore father seÌ„d him to my fathers house for I haue fyue brethreÌ„ for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormeÌ„t AbrahaÌ„ sayd vnto him They haue Moyses and the prophets let theÌ„ heare them And he sayde naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them frome the dead they wyll repent He sayd vnto him If If they heare not Moyses and the prophetes neither wyll they beleue though one to se from death agayne THE EXPOSITION FYrste of all A description of the rych man 1. Ti. 6. Mat. 19 What it is to be ryche this gospell treateth of a riche man in whome was neither faithe nor charitye This worde riche is here taken as Paule tooke it when he said to Timothy Charge them that are rich in this world c. And in the gospell of Mathew Yt is easier for a camel to go thorow the eye of a nedle then for a riche man to entre into the kingdome of heauen In this place a riche man signifieth him whose hart is set vppon riches which thinketh on nothing then vpon riches reioiseth in nothing then in riches Finally whose harte deliteth in nothing then in that diuelish mammon And s Paul chiefly for this cause calleth these rich meÌ„ the riche men of this worlde for that that they be geuen to transitory and worldely thinges more then to celestiall thinges Otherwise if riches of themselfe had bene euell Abraham Salomon Naaman Sirus had beene damned which were very riche but they did not abuse their riches Therefore this rich man is dâ—scribed not as a good but as an euell tre Now yf ye will heare the frutes of an euel tree Loe He clothed himselfe with purple and costly linnen c. Doubtlesse he shuld not haue ben damned for his clothing yf he had not had so great pleasure in theim and sought wordly honour and glorye therin vtterly forgetting the poore Lazarus We reade of Ioseph when he was in Egipte Gen. 41 how excellently he was clothed in riche apparell and a chaine of golde aboute his necke and yet pleased god for bicause his hart was not set vppon pompe and riches And that this riche man had his

them to drawe nighe vnto Christ and to here him To hear Christes word I saye not the word of the law only that maketh a fearefull conscience The knowledge of sinne Where oute learne that if Christe shal be profitable vnto the thou must firste become suche a publicane and synner that is that thou maye knoweledge thy selfe to be a sinner Secondarily this gospell describeth vnto suche publicans and sinners what a meeke and mercifull Christe he is vnto suche sinners which repenteth them of their wicked deedes and intend to leade a holy and a good lyfe Christ is a coÌ„forte to al sinners Mat. 10 The phariseis did not allonly saye of Christ This man doth receiue sinners and eateth with them but also Christ himselfe excuseth this his deade which not a litle did angre the phariseis that he lawfully might do it now seing that Christe receiueth sinners and reiecteth no man so that yf he will be penitente and aske grace yt muste needes folowe that for sinners he came into the world and to be the sauiour alonly of sinners Now for as much as he is a sauiour which forgiueth sin without any worke or deseruinge allonly of grace who I pray you wolde not beleue in him Whoe wolde not truste to receyue all goodnes of him If thou doest diligeÌ„tly coÌ„sidre both those similitudes wherein he declareth and proueth his greate charyty towarde vs thou shalte fynde howe plentyfullye thou mayest hope of the great goodnesse and benignitie of Christe The lost sheepe Fyrste hee compareth hym selfe to a manne that hath an hundreth sheepe whyche man yf hee shulde leese one of theym he wold leaue the foure score and nynety and go seeke the one loste vnto suche tyme that he hath founde it And when hee hathe founde it hee wold laye yt on his shoulders and bringe it home againe and therefore reioyce amongest his neyghboures Euen as thoughe he wolde saye You Phariseis do iudge euell of me bycause I receiue sinners but I wolde you shulde knowe it that for synners I am come into the worlde For they can not helpe them selues For the synne that is grafte in them is so greate and wayeth so heauye on their shulders and theyr nature is so corrupte that they bee a greate deale more inclined to sinne then to goodnes Finally their free wyll reason wisdome Gen. 6. maketh theim a greate deale worse rather then better For as muche as whatsoeuer is borne of fleshe Ioh. 3. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2. is fleshe and a fleshly man can vnderstand nothing but fleshly things and cannot perceaue godly thinges Wherefore I lyke as a good shepharde ouer my electe and chosen shepe seeke theim through my worde and take their sinnes vppon my shulders so bringe theim to the knowledg of their owne sin and worshipping of one God Furthermore for as muche as my father hath no pleasure in the deathe of a sinner Ezec. 1 but rather that he conuert and lyue truly it cannot be possible but that the aungels in heauen reioyse with me bicause I haue found the lost sheepe and tourned the sinner frome the way of iniquitie to the folowing of the gospell And you pharyseis likewise wolde I bringe to suche a point but ye will not be called sinners but iuste men wherfore I am constrained to forsake you and healpe theym that knoweledge them selues sinners In lykewise he compareth hymselfe to a woman that hath tenne grotes whiche leesinge one of theym seeketh so longe that she findeth it c. And he concludeth both these similitudes saiyng on this wise That their is more ioye in heauen vpon one sinner that hathe repentaunce then vpon foure score and ninetye iuste that thinke they haue no neede of repentaunce Behold thou haste here a Christe that seeketh the findeth the receaueth the iustifieth and saueth the. Beleue in him and thou arte safe The nature of ypocrisye Thirdelye wee see here in this gospell the disposition of fained holines and hypocrites For suche menne dooe not allonlye truste in theyr owne workes but also counte theim selues holye and contemne and despise other I wolde haue the considre the cause whye these phariseis murmure so againste Christe They say that this Christe receiueth sinners and eateth with them O thou most enuious and vnreasonable Ipocrite It were thy parte to extoll magnifie and prayse this excellent and precious worke of charitye of Christe towarde the sinners and beholde thou arte againste it and rebukest yt as though yt were not well and righteouslye done Thinkest thou that it is not well done that a sinner is tourned to repentaunce and broughte vnto the knowledge of god Christe oure sauioure careth not for meate and drinke but he regardeth muche the tournynge of a sinner to repentaunce Suche exaumples of charitye shuldest thou folowe also yf thou woldest be a righte iuste manne bothe in teachinge informinge exhortynge praying and deseching so that righteousnes not allonlye in the but also in other might be found But the case stondeth thus Thou arte againste the gospell and the gospell againste the. Why ypocrisye is agaiÌ„st the gospell If thou askest why I aunswere the The gospell can not suffre that thou shuldest hope and truste in thy workes Againe I saye Ipocrisy cannot leaue the confidence in theym Hereout springeth the stryfe betwene Abell and Cain betwene Iacob and Esai betweene Dauid and Saule Also that the workemenne murmured againste the householder forbicause the laste receaued equall rewarde with the fyrst Item Mat. 20 that the eldest brother disdained the yoÌ„gest that was lost To be short Christ receiueth and kepeth company with those sinners that knowledg their offeÌ„ces and aske grace and he will not haue them loste And againe hee codemneth hypocrisye for bicause she fained righteousnes wheÌ„ in dede she is neither right nor iuste Therefore all these hipocrites murmure againste Christe and his gospell but yt helpeth nothinge For Christe foloweth the same way and proceadeth where he beganne To whome with the father and holy ghoste be honoure and prayse Amen The gospell on the fowerth sonday after Trinitye sondaye Luc. 6. BE you therefore mercyfull as your father also is mercifull Mat. 7. Iudge not and yee shall not bee iudged Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgiue and yee shal be forgiuen Pro. 11. Gyue and it shal be gyuen vnto you good measure and pressed downe and shaken togyther and runnynge ouer shall men gyue into your bosomes Mat. 7. Mat. 4 For with the same measure that ye meere with all shall other men meate to you agayne And he put forth a similitude vnto Mat. 15 them Can the blinde leade the blynd Do they not both fall into the diche mat 10 The disciple is not aboue hys mayster Euery man shall be perfecte euen as his mayster is Ioh. 13. why seeste thou a mote in thy brothers eye but consideress not the beame that is in thyne owne

thynges through her workes And if the scripture sixehuÌ„dreth tymes did wytnesse Rom. 4 That he that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifyeth the wicked that his fayth were reputed to righteousnes Yet our curiosite can a great deale better do it and vnderstand it But lette euery man take hede that he go the right way and erre not For the tyme is nere at haÌ„d that we shall either for true doctrine reioyce with God or els for false doctrin be vtterly coÌ„founded Surely this woman had neither fayth before in Christe nor yet had done any worke where through she had deserued so great benefite and yet great grace was shewed vnto her He that not beyng desired nor yet intreated doth so great benefite vnto this woman thynkest thou that he wyll not do the same to those that praye to him for it Briefly At all tymes he is ready to helpe vs and to do vs good so that we can beleue doubte not And for the moste partie then doth he helpeth vs wheÌ„ we haue most neede of him yea when we thinke that God himselfe heauen and yearth all is against vs that we be vtterly forsaken then I say doth he begyn to helpe And the same thou seest to happen to this woman For when her sorowe was greatest then did he helpe her And that is the same that Dauid sayth When I call Psal 4. heare me O God of my righteousnes and comforte me in my trouble Thyrdly we see in this miracle the strength and vertue of Gods woorde The power and vertu of the word of God and what it worketh in vs when we coÌ„prehend it by fayth For the Euangelist after that he hath shewed declared vnto vs howe Christ had pitie on this woman and comforted her after he wryteth howe Christ through his woorde raysed this child froÌ„ death sayth He came nigh touched the coffyn they that bare him stode stil he sayd Yong maÌ„ I say vnto thee aryse Here you heare that Christ is Lorde aswell ouer the dead as ouer the quicke what he speaketh to this yong maÌ„ that is dead But what happened The dead sat vp and begaÌ„ne to speake Beholde the great vertue of Christes worde that by the same the dead are raised to life And whatsoeuer is done here after the history to this yong maÌ„ the same must be done dayly spiritually in vs. For who is without synne And the reward of synne is death Therfore if we wyll be deliuered froÌ„ synne escape euerlastyng death Christ with his worde must come do it For Christ sayth He that kepeth my worde Ihon. 8. shal not dye euerlastyngly And his worde must bee comprehended vnderstanded by a true fayth For where the knowlege of this worde lacketh Ihon. 1. there Christ which is the word is not knowen And againe where Christ is not knowen there cannot God be praised nor glorified with the woordes of this people saiyng A great prophet is risen amongst vs and God hath visited his people The knowlege of God briÌ„geth thankesgeuyng And contrary wise where this worde is comprehended in heart conceyued there is Christ knowen when he is knowen then is God praised and glorifyed because that he hath visited vs not in his wrath but with his infinite mercy and hath geueÌ„ vs his only welbeloued soÌ„ne so that through his passion death he hath redemed vs froÌ„ synne death deuil and hell For the whiche great benefite we are bounde to thanke him euerlastyngly Fynally the benignitee of Christ allureth vs vnto fayth and fayth acknowlegeth the power of Gods worde and this knowlege prayseth and glorifyeth God euerlastyngly To whom with the sonne and holy ghost be all honour and praise Amen The gospel on the .xvii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Luc. 14. ANd it chaunsed that he went into the house of one of the chiefe Pharises to eat bread on a Sabboth day and they watched him And behold there was a certain man before him whiche had the dropsye And Iesus answered and spake vnto the lawyers and Pharisies saiyng Mat. 12 Mar. 3. Luc. 6. is it lawful to heale on the sabboth day And they helde their peace And he toke him and healed him and let him go answered theim saiyng Whiche of you haue an Asse or an oxe fallen into a pyt Exo. 23 Deu. 22 Mat. 12 and wyl not straight waye pull him out on the Sabboth daye And they could not answere him again to these thynges He put furth also a similitude to the gestes when he marked howe they preased to the hyest roumes sayd vnto them when thou art bydden of any man to a weddyng sitte not doune in the hyest roume lest a more honorable man than thou be bydden of him and he that bad him and the come say to the Geue this man roume and thou then begyn with shame to take the lowest roume But rather when thou art bydden go and sytte in the lowest roume that when he that bad the commeth he may say vnto thee Frende sytte vp hyer Pro. 25 Then shalt thou haue worship in the presence of them that sytte at meate with thee Mat. 23 Luc. 81 For who soeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell Christ had to do handleth with two maner of persones Fyrst with the Pharisies whiche wayted him to fynde occasion to reprehende him also with this man that had the dropsye Let vs therfore see fyrst howe he handleth him selfe towarde these Phariseis and howe the Phariseis handle themselfes towardes Christ The condicion nature of the Phariseis The Phariseis euer went aboute to blaspheme Christes doyng accordyng to their nature and custome As for his doctryne semed vnto theim nothyng at all by reason it was coÌ„trary to hypocrisy Wherfore there was neuer nothyng that pleased them whatsoeuer Christe taught And though they sawe neuer so muche his great miracles whiche they could not denye yet would they not geue God the glory but sayd that it was all done through Belzebub prince of the deuils Muche suche blaspemye deceite and enuy shalt thou finde in the histories of the gospel Mat. 12. For euen as the Pharisies persecuted Christ Mat. 12 condempned his doctrine and blasphemed his workes and miracles so Christ set himselfe against them withstode them as moste great enemies to his holy doctrine If you loke in the histories of the gospel you shall fynde coÌ„tinual warre betwene Christ and the Phariseis And it could bee no other wyse For he was the stombling stone 1. Pe. 2. Luc. 2. a rocke to be offended at and a token whiche shal be spoken against of the worlde Wherfore it had not been well done if he should haue graunted them any thyng pertainyng and touchyng the glory of his father It was sufficient that he did declare with

commaundeth Thou wylte saye vnto me Why then is the lawe geuen and what is her office I aunswere with S. Paule Rom. 3. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of syn c. and for this pourpose shee serueth and is necessarye Shee bringeth me to the knowledge of imbecillitie and weakenes peruerse and frowarde nature synnes which canne throughe no worke be expelled dryuen away so than that I by that meanes am made the apter redyer to hear embrace the doctrine of Christ of the diuine grace goodnes Thirdely like as we haue had in this gospell a question partaininge to the lawe so wee haue here nowe an other question partaininge to the gospell After that an answere was giuen vnto the Pharisees according to their questioÌ„ which was the fyrst and greatest commaundement in the lawe Christe asked them again sayiÌ„g What think ye of Christ whose son is he They answere The son of Dauid Then Christ said vnto them How then did Dauid in spirite Ps â—09 call him lorde saying The lord sayd vnto my lorde Syt thou on my right hande c. Here were the pharisees taken at a baye how crafty or subtyle so euer they were And while they were ignoraunt therin knew not how Christ was the son and the lorde of Dauid they shewed them selfe to haue little vnderstanding in the mistery of the gospell And although the Pharisees had no vnderstaÌ„ding therin yet al they that will be counted christen men muste both know it and beleue it For what other thinge is the gospell then a swete and comfortable preaching of Christe the sonne of Dauid that hee for vs became man and came into the worlde to redeme saue vs through his death passion And the he is called as coÌ„cerning the flesh the son of Dauid Whose sonne Christ is is for the greate excellent promise that was made of Christ vnto Dauid So likewise we knowledgiÌ„g him to be the lord of Dauid we coÌ„fesse him to be very god man sent from the father into the worlde that by him we shulde be saued This so excellent a mistery is hidden from the Pharisees all that iustifie them selues but vnto vs that know worship the father in Christ Christ in the father it is plainly opened well knowen This preaching of Christ that he is the sonne and lord of Dauid agreeth wel with the question of the law The lawe openeth sin but it forgiueth not sinne for that high power is only giuen vnto Christ our lord the son of Dauid Also the lawe teacheth what we ought to do and forbere but she giueth not the spirite which canne do that the lawe commaundeth Wherfore ther belongeth besides the preaching of the lawe which doth humiliat vs the preaching of the sonne and lord of Dauid that is the goâ—pell which may pacifye our troubled consciences may giue vs the holy ghost to teach vs willyngly and for loue to do that thing that god requiret of vs. Which knowledg god the father graunt vs through Christ our lord Amen The ninetenth sonday after trinity sonday Mat. 9. HE entred also into a ship and passed ouer came into his owne citie And behold Mat. 2. Luc. 5. b they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying in a bed And when Iesus sawe the faith of theÌ„ he sayd vnto the sick of the palsy Son be of good chere thy sinnes be forgyuen the. And behold certain of the scribes said within them selues this maÌ„ blasphameth And when Iesus sawe their thoughts he said Wherfore think ye euell in your harts Whether is easyer to say Thy synnes be forgiueÌ„ the or to say arise walk But that ye may know that the son of maÌ„ hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then saith he vnto the sick of the palsy Actu 3. and. 9. f Mar. 2. Luc. 5. c Ioh. 5. b Arise take vp thy bed and go vnto thine house And he arose and departed to his house But the people that saw it meruailed and gloryfied God which had giuen suche power vnto men THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel is haÌ„dled one of the most principal articles of our faith that is remission of sinnes Wolde god that we might learn vnderstand this article For it is a necessary thing for vs to know how our sinnes be forgiuen vs. Sin is a terrible word briÌ„ging with him euerlastiÌ„g damnacioÌ„ if we abide perseuer therin Furthermore sinne so highly displeaseth god that he wold not be pleased with no other satisfaccioÌ„ thaÌ„ with the passion death of his onli son Iesus Christe our lorde Moreouer ther is scarce ani other word that hath more coÌ„solation comfort in it theÌ„ remissioÌ„ of syns hath in especial if we knowe froÌ„ whence it coÌ„meth and how we may apprehende it The whiche thyng we may perceiue in this gospel They offered vnto Christ a maÌ„ sicke of the Palsey that he should heale him But what did Christ He knewe full well The disease of the soule that the disease of the soule was muche more dauÌ„gerous then the disease of the body And though he intended to heale take awaye the bodily disease of this man that had the palsey yet he did and brought to passe fyrst that whiche was more nedefull necessary afterward healed the body And that is the cause why he is called a physicion in the gospel because he doth chiefly take away the diseases of the soule as he sayth of him selfe The whole nede not the Physicion Mat. 9. but they that are sicke Christ of his mere grace for geueth synne Wherfore he sayd to the maÌ„ that had the Palsey My soÌ„ne be of a good chere thy synnes bee forgeuen thee Here thou hearest the name of synne and hearest also that ioyfull name of forgeuyng And if diligently thou wylte considre who it is that speaketh these thynges thou mayst lightly perceiue and fynde what he is that wyl forgeue vs our synnes so that we knowlege and confesse theim and desire grace we may perceiue I say that it is Iesus Christe oure Lorde to whom is graunted of God the father this power to forgeue synne as the Angell wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 1. He shall saue his people from their synne And as wee necessarily may note and marke here that remission of synnes is and commeth of mere grace by Christe without any deseruyng of woorkes so lykewyse it is to bee noted howe gentely and mercyfully Christ here in this place doth shewe him selfe This man that had the palsey prayeth and desireth onely for his bodily health and Christ healeth him both in body and soule yea and maketh him the sonne and heyre of God and sayth Sonne be of a good chere O vnspeakeable charitee whiche can not bee expressed O mercyfull and louyng Lorde can there be shewed greatter grace to this maÌ„ that had the Palsey The sinnes are two maner of wayes forgeueÌ„ Esa 34 But

knowe sayth he that we shall iudge Angelles Albeit wee must not referre this iudgement to the last iudgement only but it must also be vnderstanded of the laste iudgement of the spirit among christians in this life For assone as by the worde wee receiue the holy ghost and are made the sons of God through fayth theÌ„ is this gyfte geuen vs also that by the worde we may iudge al thynges euen as sainct Paule wytnesseth in another place The spiiritual man iudgeth all thynges 1. Cor. 2 and he is iudged of no man And Christ also Nowe is come the iudgement of this worlde and the prince of this worlde shal be thrust out Are not the thynges which are promised vnto the Apostles in this place great and excellent And it is to be vnderstand that to leaue all thynges to folow Christ must be done at the fyrst For although the Apostles had left all thynges and folowed Christe when he spake these woordes yet was fayth at that tyme vnperfect in them Moreouer the holy ghost was not yet confirmed in them as it came to passe afterwarde vpon the day of Pentecost Yea euen Christe himselfe affirmeth that they lefte all thynges vnperfectly folowed him when he sayth that he sent furth his disciples without staffe and scrippe yet they lacked nothyng And in another place The children of the spouse fast not whiles the spouse is with them The Apostles in very dede folowed Christ He that beleueth is constant in tyme of persecucion were sent furth to preache in Iury But where was persecution yea rather where was fayth whiche could haue borne suche persecucion if it had happened Wherfore it is to be vnderstand that the Apostles left all thynges folowed Christ perfectly then not before when vpon the dai of Pentecost they did with coÌ„stant mynde confesse Christ before the Scribes Phariseis and all the people Moreouer when they preached not only in Iurye but in all the worlde vnto the people with suche sedulitee diligence and constancy that at last they wer also compelled to dye for preachyng of the Gospel The coÌ„uersion of sainct Paule And truely as concernyng this matter of folowyng Christ sainct Paule whose feast wee celebrate this day is not to be counted the least For after that he was coÌ„uerted of God as we reade in the nynth chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles and of a Wolfe was made a shepe he preached his Lorde Christ with suche zeale and earnest affection of mynde that euen at this day his voyce is heard of this matter and that not in one place onely but throughout all the whole worlde The almightie God graunt that we may receiue his doctrine and direct our life accordyng to the same Thyrdly forasmuche as Christe hath promised vnto his Apostles iudgement ouer the xii tribes of Israel because that in his name they left all thynges folowed him Nowe he procedeth to declare further what he wyll geue to all those that for his names sake shall lose any thyng Reward coÌ„meth of it self and sayth Euery one that forsaketh house or brethren or systers or father or mother or wyfe or children or landes for my names sake shal receiue an hundreth folde and the inheritance of euerlastyng life If any maÌ„ wyll referre the former promise only to the Apostles let him know that this promise is spoken so plainly to all christians generally that it must nedes remayne a general truth Only let vs marke this well howe it must be vnderstaÌ„d to leaue all things to folow Christ For to do this truly vnfaynedly doubtles is required a true fayth yea if I haue a true fayth whiche is dead vnto all creatures and liueth vnto Christ alone vnto righteousnes then haue I left all thinges in my heart To leue and forsake all although by the good will of God I may christianly godly vse enioye my goodes so long as I liue yet neuerthelesse I am alwaies redy if nede be to leaue al thinges willyngly to folow Christ yea eueÌ„ vnto death hauyng this hope assured trust that it pleaseth God that it be so that he requireth the same of me Besydes that I am certain that God wyll vse me with suche liberalite that I shal receiue an huÌ„dreth fold for the thynges that I haue forsakeÌ„ in this world Finally I knowe this also that in that other lyfe I shall receiue euerlastynge life For Christ which is the truth it selfe in no wyse doth lye but without dout dothe performe this promise with me But in this place it shal be expedient that we doo rightly vnderstand what it is to receiue an hundreth folde The erroure of the Anabaptists For the Anabaptistes go aboute hereof to proue a corporall kingedome of Christe and a suer and quiete lyfe which the christians muste inioye a thousand yeares after the resurrection of the deade all the wycked and vngodly being destroyed And of this erroure they make this the chiefe grounde bicause it is added in S. Luke and also in S. Marke In this lyfe Iohn 6 Iohn 8 But I praye you howe do these agree togyther that wher Christe in an other place dyd refuse to bee chosen a kynge amongest the Iewes after a corporall and worldly manner and sayde vnto Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde nowe as one forgetful of his former sentence is of a contrarye mynd and is come to administre a corporal kyngdome in this world and to geue vnto his christians earthly pleasures the pride and power of this worlde No To receiue an huÌ„dreth folde not so But to receiue an hundreth folde in this worlde is nothinge els than to haue a mercy quiete and suer conscience whiche esteemeth more his redemtion iustice and euerlasting health which he hath gotten by Christe onlye then all the ryches of this world be they neuer so glorious and delectable to the vngodly And in very deede suche a good thing is a quiet coÌ„science through the benefite of Christ And this so great a good thyng wyll Christe gyue in this lyfe vnto all theim which with a trew faith faith do hange vppon hym or leaue any thinge for his sake And in the countrey euerlastinge to come he will giue that felicitie of lyfe which euer shall indure To the whiche the almighty god preserue and keepe vs all through his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our lorde Amen The gospell on the purificacion of the Virgin Maryes daye Luc. 2. ANd when the tyme of theyr purificacion Leui. 12 after the law of Moyses was come they 1 Reg. 2 broughte him to Ierusalem to presente hym to the Lord as it is written in the lawe of the Lord Exo. 23. and. 22. Num. 8. Euery manne chylde that fyrste openeth the matrix shall be called holye to the Lord and to offre as it is sayd in the law of the Lord a payre of turtle doues

The ioy of Simeon Thirdelye here note in howe greate myrthe in what great ioy this old man triumphed as it were when the eyes of his hearte were opened to knowe his Messias Nowe saide he O lord thou lettest thy seruaunt depart in peace accordyng to thy promise Oh howe noble a thinge is a heart that beleueth well For I praye you what thinge careth Simeon for nowe when he knoweth his king and fauiour Doutles nothing nowe can make him pensiue or sorowfull Neither careth he much whether he liue or dye As though he shulde saye Oh lorde God I haue with great and feruent desire longed to see thy sonne the sauiour of the worlde and now by thy goodnes and mercye I haue that I euer desired And therfore now I feale my felfe in so great ioye that it is all one to me whether I liue or dye Phi. 1. Now if I must liue longer I knowe that my sauiour yea the sauiour of al the whole worlde is come and therfore there is nothyng can make me sorowfull But if I must dye then am I sure that death is to me auantage Yea verely oh Lord I heartely desire to be dissolued be with thee For I am sure that neither synne nor death nor deuil nor hell can hurt me for asmuche as I haue seen thy sonne my lorde and I haue knowen him as my Messias and sauiour Beholde howe after this maner Symeon maketh his song and declareth what fayth he hath in this childe And what dothe he more Sufficeth it that he only beleueth Christ is sauiour before all people and that this ioye tickleth his heart onely Nay not so But he would make this ioy knowen vnto all men and he sayth That God hath prepared this sauiour before the face of all people Wherevnto A light to lighten among the Heathen and the glory of thy people of Israel Surely that is it that I would so gladly haue hard spoken of And I beseche you what thyng might wee poore heathen require more Wee were bonde vnto this tyme in darkenes great incredulite vtterly ignorant what we shuld do to attaine euerlasting saluacion But God hath set furth this light and nowe hath he ended this miserye Who hath done this This childe of whom Symeon speaketh suche excellent thynges And by what thyng hath he brought this to passe By his helthsom doctrine and gospell For as he only is the glory of his people when they acknowledge him by faith so also is he a light vnto vs when he wolde that his most holy worde shuld come vnto vs. For then in deede began it to be fulfilled that the prophet longe before sawe in spirite and saide The people that dwelt in darknes sawe a great lyght c. Wherfore deerely beloued let vs with harty affection indeuour oure selues that in as much as we are made the childreÌ„ of god by the worde of god that we acknowledge the same with Simeon and be thankefull And neuer admitte to seeke remission of sinnes iustice and eternal health at any other then this childe whom Simeon acknowledgeth and nameth the sauioure of the whole worlde Who with the father and the holy ghoste preserue and keepe vs all Amen The gospell on saynte Mathias the apostels daye Math. 11. AT that time Iesus answered and sayd I thank the O father lorde of heauen and earth bicause thou haste hid those things from the wife and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes verely father eueÌ„ so was it thy good pleasure Mat. 12 Luc. 10. Ioh. 3. Al things are giuen ouer vnto me of my father â™£ Ioh. 7 8. b 10. b And no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father saue the sonne and he to whom so euer the sonne wyll open hym Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyl case you Eccle. 6 Take my yoke vpon you learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart ye shal find rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easye 1. Ioh. 5 and my burthen is lyghte THE EXPOSITION TO the right vnderstandyng of this presente Gospell Two natures in Christe it is necessary that we consider wel two natures in Christ And verely if these two natures bee well and christianly coÌ„sidered it shal open and make plaine many places of the godly scriptures which at the fyrst sight might seme to be contrary so that in very dede there shall appeare in them no repugnauncye at all As for an example I and my father are one And again in another place My father is greater then I. Nowe if you referre this senteÌ„ce vnto Christes deuine nature the other vnto his humaine nature I pray you shall not these saiynges well agree And in like maner must thou nedes do in this gospel For that he geueth thankes to his father it belongeth to his manhod and that he sayth All thynges are geuen me of my father it must be referred vnto his godhead But wherfore geueth Christ thankes vnto his father Forsoth because the worde whiche is contemned of Corazin and Bethsaida is hyd froÌ„ the wyse and prudeÌ„t and is reueled or opened vnto yong children Wise prudent men In this place he calleth theim wyse and prudet that trust to their ownes wysdome and by their owne wyttes and vnderstandynges will searche out all thynges Of whom also the prophet sayth Wo to you that are wise in your owne eyes Esai 5. prudent in your owne conceites Suche wysedome and suche prudence that is suche as will not be subdued and submit it selfe captiue vnder the worde of God and to the folishe preachyng of the crosse shal neuer bee able to perceiue any thyng at all of the matter of his iustificacion nor in any thyng that appertayneth to the glorye of God And why God can by no meanes nor will suffre suche pride as coÌ„monly coÌ„meth of carnal wysedome as it is written God resisteth the proud 1. Pe. 5. and geueth grace vnto the lowly Furthermore wee see that suche as are carnally wyse and ciuily prudent menne very seldome they come vnto the knowlege of God But who then are they that are admitted vnto the knowlege of God and vnto fayth Forsothe litle children And in this place Christe calleth theim children ChildreÌ„ or babes that dispayre of theim selues of all their carnall wysedome and prudence that only considereth and depely fyxeth in their heart those thynges whiche Christ taught preached wrought Knowyng also that in matter appertainyng vnto the honour of God to righteousnes our saluacion or our own carnall wytte is of no waytte nor value but onely the worde of God WysmeÌ„ And knowyng also that no man can kmowe or apprehende that iustice without the reuelacion of God And nowe vnto the fyrst noÌ„bre that is of carnall wyse men and prudent pertayne the hye priestes Phariseys and Scribes and all iusticiaries that from

the beginnyng of the worlde vnto this day defende maintayne iustice of workes contrary against the iustice of fayth And of such at this tyme in so opeÌ„ light of the Gospel ther are innumerable On the other parte that is to say among theim that bee litle children ChildreÌ„ are to bee nombred the Apostles and all that beleue whiche esteme the Euangelye as a most precious and holy relique and in nothyng are against it but with all gentilnes and lowly mynde do receyue it Therfore if thou wylt come with these children vnto the knowlege of the gospell and eternal felicitee well be not wise and prudent in thine owne conceite but meake thy selfe in thyne heart for the worde continueth hyd vnto carnall wysedome Wherfore also sainct Paule calleth it a misterye or a preuie secrete that all menne vnderstande not nor perceiue Wee speake sayth he the wisedome of God in a mistery Secondarily Christ is very God when Christe as very manne had ascribed the reuelacion of his Euangelie or gospel vnto his father he would nowe also shewe himselfe to be very God equal with the father and he sayth All thynges are geuen vnto me of my father And No man knoweth the sonne but the father neither knoweth any man the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will open him Of these wordes it is euident that Christ is not only very man but also very God For seyng that in this place he sheweth that the knowlege of his heauenly father is in his power to geue it vnto whom he wyll whiche thyng in another place he ascribeth vnto his father onely needes must it folowe Christ is equal with the father that as concernyng the deuine nature he is equal with his father And if he bee equal with his father it foloweth of necessitee that he is very God Nowe if he be very God why should I not beleue in him why shuld I refuse to put in him all my whole hope trust and coÌ„solacion especially seyng that he is so minded toward me and all men that beleue in him that both he will and also is hable to helpe vs. And that he wyl gladly succour vs it appeareth in this that for our sakes he geueth thankes vnto his heauenly father as one that hath great pleasure in our saluacion and health Besides that he is able to helpe vs for all thinges are geueÌ„ vnto him of his father And to this partaineth it Ioh. 14 that he sayd vnto Philip. Haue I been so long tyme with you and thou hast not knowen me Philip he that seeth me seeth also my father Againe Beleue me that I am in the father the father is in me Heare you not in this senteÌ„ce that Christ is equal with the father therfore nedes must he be God It wyll bee very profitable to collect and gather suche sentences together and to haue theim in oure myndes For howe hardes thyng is it to the fleshe to beleue that a maÌ„ so dispised and crucifyâ—â— should be the sonne of God yea God himselfe And that he hath by the effusion of his precious bloud washed awaye the synnes of all men obtained for them eternal life So strongly and with suche force is sathan wont to fight against this article For he knoweth certainly that if he may wynne vs froÌ„ this Christ it is impossible but he shal take vs for his praye For thynke you that it was for nought the Christ sayd Mat. 9. He is blessed that shall not be offended against me Surely he sawe before that his poore and coÌ„temptible person should make many afrayd to come to his doctrine Therfore he willeth that we loke vnto his worde considre it prudeÌ„tly and not only say Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. But also say with Thomas Mar. 10 Ioh. 20. My Lorde and my God Thyrdly Christ allureth and calleth vs vnto him selfe with a verye swete and fatherly promise and sayth Come vnto me all you that labour and are laden and I wyll refreshe comfort and ease you Christ allureth vs vnto himselfe with a merciful promise I pray you who now wil bee slowe not rather with all that he can make hast vnto so gentle a sauiour Christ And diligently note who thei be that Christ calleth here vnto himselfe They are suche as labour and are laden in their conscience And who be those Those doubtles that feele their synnes and knowlege theim and for theim bee fearefull and tremblyng without comfort of a contrite heart For to suche consciences there is no worke no holy deede no wysedome that canne succour theim but Christ onely by his death and passion and by that precious effusion of his bloud Many one there are that in suche trouble of conscience and in the great conflictes and anguishe of the same seke remedyes by certaine prescribed holynes and woorkes But these profyte no more then did that woman whiche was sicke of the issue of bloud xii yere which had suffered many thynges of many Physicions spent al her goodes was neuer the better Mar. 5. neither had any succour For the more they study with their workes those I say whiche are done without true fayth to pacifye the conscience the more they do hurt it Wherfore thus must wee seke for remedye When by the preaching of Moyses we be brought into the knowlege of oure synne Rom. 3. and wee feele our selues right soore oppressed with the burthen of synne then let vs seke for him which by his death and passion hath obtayned for vs remission of all our synnes But if Sathan wyll here drawe the backe and as he is ful of malice and craft so put it into thy mynde that thou shalt thynke Christ suche a one The coÌ„fort of coÌ„scieÌ„ce must be sought at Christ as can in no wise abide sinners then knowe thou that thou loke vnto this promise that Christ hath made to thee in this Gospell when he sayth Come vnto me al ye that labour and are laden and I euen I shal refreshe you Whiche els no worke nor sainct can do Why I beseche you bee you afrayde when I am gentle and lowely in heart and suche a one as it should be full sore against my will that any synner should depart fro me without comforte Beholde thus Christ allureth and calleth vs vnto himself and setteth furth to vs a promise that he will refreshe and comfort suche as are laden and oppressed with synne Yea further when wee bee comforted he will lay a yoke vpon vs but no suche as they felt before But Christes yoke is easye and his burthen light The doctrine of Christ because of the crosse whiche it euer bryngeth with it is a great yoke and heauye burthen to the fleshe But when the spirite commeth it is made easye and light were it afore neuere so heauy as sainct Ihon sayth His preceptes are not heauye 2. Ioh.

Christ that Iudas shuld betray him and deliuer him into the handes of the Iewes Surely no man But he beinge very god that searcheth the hertes raines of al men knew it neither nedeth he any man to shewe him suche things Now that hys clemency goodnes long suffering in all thinges might appeare therfore he handleth him that shuld betray him with such mercy friendly or familiare dealing calleth him vnto penance after that fashion that he vtereth him not by name but onlye with his worde toucheth his conscience Called not hee him sufficiently vnto repentaunce when hee sayde vnto him Woo to that manne by whome the sonne of man is betrayed It had been better for that man that he had neuer been borne Doubtles whom so great mercy of Christ as in this place is shewed vnto the traytour also offered vnto him prouoketh not vnto repentance fayth surely I say that man must nedes haue an indurate blinded hert as had Iudas For Christ could haÌ„dle him no better nor with more mercyful kyndnes Rom. 2. This great pacieÌ„ce of god and Christ coÌ„sidered S. Paule saiyng Dyspisest thou the ryches of his goodnes pacieÌ„ce loÌ„g sufferyng Knowest thou not that the louyng kyndnes of God leadeth the to repentance Of this now it foloweth that not Christ but we our selues are the cause of our own destruction Osee 13 as the prophet Oseas wytnesseth saiyng O Israel thy distruccion coÌ„meth of thy self But Christ offereth vnto vs grace and his spirite yea that very liberally in many places of the gospel Therfore whosoeuer now wyl not do penance that maÌ„ must nedes fal into like daunger with the Iewes which would not knowe the tyme of theyr visitacion Iudas heard what he ought to haue done what doubtles should folow vpoÌ„ that his betraiyng and what rewarde he might surely trust vnto except he forsoke that euil mischeuous enterpryse that he had taken in hand But dyd he repent or dyd this any thyng moue him Naye forsoth But as the serpent stoppeth his eares that he heare not the voyce of the enchanter Iudas an ensaÌ„ple to the impenitent euen so Iudas stoppeth his eares shut out al the admonicions of Christ Wherfore it came to passe that by his own sinne he is daÌ„pned perpetually And also he is set furth as a synguler ensaÌ„ple to all that are impeniteÌ„t But the God of mercy and father of our Lorde Iesus Christ vouchesafe of his great and tender mercyful goodnes to kepe and preserue vs al from suche impenitent heartes and desperate myndes Secondarily after that Christ with suche frendly wordes although in vaine had called Iudas to repentance and with his welbeloued Apostles had eaten that Easter lambe he ordained and instituted the remembraunce and commemoracion of our redempcion whiche here in this place of the newe testameÌ„t is aswel expressed and declared by figures figuratiue speaches as it was in the olde testameÌ„t For as the pure Paschal lambe without spotte The paschal laÌ„be signified Christ The effusion of the lambes bloud signified the effusion of Christes bloud And the saluacion of the children of Israel froÌ„ temporal death by the Lambes bloud signifyed oure saluacion from eternal death by Christes bloud And as almightie God passyng through Egypt kylled all the Egiptians heyres in euery house and left not one aliue neuerthelesse he passed by the children of Israels houses where he sawe the Lambes bloud vpon the doores and hurted none of them but saued them al by the meanes of the Lambes bloud so likewyse at the last iudgement of the whole worlde none shall be passed ouer and saued but that shall be founde marked with the bloud of that moste pure and immaculate lambe Iesus Christ And for asmuch as the sheddyng of that lambes bloud was a token and figure of the sheddyng of Christes bloud then to come The lordes supper and forasmuche also as all the sacramentes and figures of the olde testament ceassed and had an ende in Christe lest by our great vnkyndnes we shuld peradueÌ„ture be forgetfull of the great benefite of Christ therfore at his last supper when he toke his leaue of his Apostles to depart out of the world he did make a newe wylle testament wherin he bequeathed vnto vs cleane remission of all our synnes and the euerlastyng inheritaunce of heauen And the same he confirmed the next day with his owne bloud and death And lest we should forget the same he ordayned not a yerely memorye as the Paschal Lambe was eateÌ„ but ones euery yere out a dayly remembrance he ordained therof in bread wyne sanctified dedicated to that purpose Mat. 26 saiyng This is my body This cuppe is my bloud whiche is shed for the remission of synnes Do this in the remembraunce of me Admonishyng vs by these woordes spoken at the makyng of his last wyll and testament at his departyng out of the worlde because thei should be the better remembred that whensoeuer wee do eate the bread in his holy supper drinke of that cuppe wee should remembre how muche Christ hath done for vs and howe he dyed for oure sakes Therfore sayth sainct Paule 1 Cor. 11 As ofteÌ„ as you shal eate of this bread and drynke the cuppe you shall shewe furth the Lordes death vntyll he come And forasmuche as this holy bread broken and the wyne deuided do represent vnto vs the death of Christe nowe passed as the killyng of the Paschal Lambe did represent the same yet to come therfore our sauiour Christ vsed thesame maner of speche of the bread wyne as God before vsed of the Paschal lambe For as in the olde testament God sayd Exo. 12. This is the Lordes Passeby or Passeouer euen so sayth Christ in the newe testament This is my body Ma. 26 This is my bloud But in the old mistery and sacrament the Lambe was not the Lordes very Passeouer or passyng by but it was a figure whiche represented his passyng by So likewise in the newe testament the bread and wyne bee not Christes very body and bloud but they be figures whiche by Christes institucion bee vnto the godly receiuers therof sacramentes tokens significacions and represeÌ„tacions of his very fleshe bloud instructyng their fayth that as the bread and wyne feede theim corporally and continue this temporal life so the very fleshe bloud of Christ feedeth theim spiritually geueth them euerlastyng life For vnto the faythful Christ is at his owne holy table present with his mightie spirite and grace and is of them more fruitfully receyued than if corporally they should receiue him bodily preseÌ„t And therfore they that shal worthely come to this Goddes borde muste after due trial of themselues consider fyrst who ordained this table also what meate and drynke they shall haue that come thereto and howe they ought to behaue them selues thereat He that prepared the table is Christ himselfe The

beleuest that all this was done for thy wealth then receyuest thou that glad tidynges which preacheth vnto the that thou shalt not perishe but art deliuered from all thy synnes and shalt liue with Christ eternally Is not this a wonderous great profyte that thou hast by the passion of Christ where are I pray you nowe Note this ye sectaries that sell your merites to other those iusticiaries whiche ascribe their saluacion not vnto the passion and death of oure Lorde Iesu Christ but vnto the merites of their owne workes Surely they erre exceadyng sore that so beleue For doubtlesse our owne woorkes were neuer able to performe so great a thing but Christ Christ I say Christ only is he that by his death passion and by the effusion of his precious bloudde geueth freely and maketh vs to possesse eternal helth For he is made vnto vs wisedome from God 1. Cor. 1 and righteousnes and sanctificacion and redempcion Secondarily wee heare nowe of the Euangelist Ihon that when Christ had ended that his last supper had finished that excellent sermon made then vnto his disciples he went furth with his disciples ouer the broke called CedroÌ„ into a certain garden to pray Prayer requireth a secrete place 1. Ti. 2. Some men wyll say what meaneth this that Christ taryeth not within the house Shuld prayer be bound vnto certaine prescrybed places Nay truly For sainct Paule wylleth that in euery place we holde vp our handes vnto God Yet that notwithstanding suche is the nature of feruent and earnest prayer that it may bee farre better and deuoutlyer done Mat. 6 in some secrete place or as Christ sayth in thy chambre then in suche places where is great resort of people Ma. 14 as we also see in the gospel of Mathewe howe Iesus weÌ„t alone into the mountaine to pray But then specially is it agreable that he that prayeth be alone and farre from other when his necessitee panges of his mynd are great that he may so much the more frely shed furth his whole heart before the Lorde his God and in his lappe laye furth all his aduersitee whatsoeuer it be And now what thynke you moued Christ to departe asyde into the garden to pray Necessitee compelleth men to pray Surely that exceadyng great anguishe of his heart For nowe he knewe that the tyme was come of his passion whiche he so sore feared that he sayd My soule is sorowfull vnto the death And againe O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe froÌ„ me You heare in this place howe great feare how great anguishe how great tribulacion and pensiuenes was in the fleshe of Christ And doubtlesse the same feare inuaded him when he haÌ„gyng vpoÌ„ the crosse cryed out with the saiyng of the Psalmist Oh God Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me Psa 21. But nowe ponder what Christ doth in suche necessitee froÌ„ whence he asketh comfort helpe Christ asketh at his heaueÌ„ly father Doubtles he hath no maner of helpe comfort or hope but in his heaueÌ„ly father at whose hand also he loketh for all coÌ„solacion seyng that it was impossible for any creature to helpe in suche necessitee and trouble And although he muste needes drynke of the cuppe of his passion yet was he comforted strengthned by his heauenly father whiche sent an Angel from heauen to comfort him Luc. 22. which altogether was done for vs. For this infirmitee of Christe that wee here see was made our strength For surely we could neuer haue been able to ouercome any temptacioÌ„ but only by Christ Whensoeuer therfore in our necessitee wee aske any thyng of oure heauenly father for Christes sake we shal doubtles for Christ obtayne helpe comfort and all oure heartes desire and bee assured of most sure consolacion Thirdely when Christe hadde ended his prayer Iudas came with the seruantes of the Bishoppes and Phariseis to betraye his Maister and Lorde to delyuer him into the handes of the Bishops and Priestes Is not this an horrible thing to speake especially that an Apostle betrayed Christe Before he had preached the gospell before hee hadde done myracles yea and so behaued him selfe that he seemed nothing vnlyke the other Apostles Besydes this it was not longe before that he sate at one table with Christ and his Apostles and was partener of his Supper and hadde hearde with howe greate pacience and meekemes although in close wordes the lorde had called him vnto repentance Yet notwithstandinge he was so sore indurate and blynded that for a little vyle money he selleth hys Lord Ther is no truste in man and betrayeth him vnto the Iewes Who canne nowe haue any truste in manne seeyng this traytour dare be so bold as one that hathe none euell in his mynde or thynketh no harme to kysse Christe Who also shall boast himselfe of the gyfte that God hath gyuen him before hee come vnto a blessed and christian end Doutles it was not said for noughte Mat 24 Hee that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued There are manye that haue a good begynnyng when they firste beginne to beleue as we haue experience of suche in our times For ther haue been some whiche in the beginning when the gospell beganne to florysh were so feruent and excedinge herty that in manner they dyd durste oute all togither with feruent loue and seemed as they wold at ones deuour the whole gospell But a verye small numbre is there of theim that haue continued the same hartye good mind vnto a good fortunable and perfecte ende Wherefore this is euer true that our sauiour Christ saith Mat. 1â— The last shal be fyrst and the fyrst laste What nedeth mo wordes When suche men ones fall frome the gospell they runne into suche enuye and hatred against it that without doubt they would do as Iudas here doth to his lorde and maister if god woâ—d permitte vnto them occasion to do it Howe often I praye you complaineth S. Paul of such false brethren Note this O chrisâ—ian reader do it Therfore all christian men haue a greate cause without ceassyng to offre prayers vnto god by Christe that not only he wold bring vs vnto the trew and right faith but also that of his great mercy and vnspeakable goodnes he voutchsafe to conserue vs in the same vnto the ende Fourthely we see in this place Christe wyllinglye gaue him vnto the crosse howe willyngly Christe gaue himselfe vnto the crosse for so saithe the texte Then Iesus knowinge all thinges that shulde come vnto him hee wente to meete theym and sayde Whome seeke ye They answered hym Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus sayd vnto them I am he Is it not fulfilled in this place that the prophete sayd Esa 53. Hee shall bee ledde as a sheepe vnto the slaughter and as a lambe before the sherer so shal he hold his peace and he shall not open his mouth And

vnfearful open mouth let him shewe that this their vniust dealyng is euil and vnrighteous as in ded it is nothyng els but vnrighteous and wycked Tit. 1. And therfore also is it that S. Paule requireth in a bishop that he bee mightie and able to exhorte with true doctryne and to conuince the againsayers Thyrdly wee haue nowe the fall of sainct Peter The presumpcion and rashnes of fleshe whom we ought diligently to consider and marke For we not only beholde in him how foolish rashe and vnwise the presumption of man is but also we learne in him that when a manne hath by frailtye fallen he shulde not by and by dispaire but muche rather looke vnto the goodnesse and clemencye of Christe by the which Peter was againe receiued obtained remission of all his sinnes Doubteles it was a greate presumption that hee promised to go with Christ euen vnto the very death and by this presumtion fel he into so great sinne For how shuld fleshe wishe for death seing that very nature hathe so disposed the flesh that she rather desireth a quiet and pleasant liuinge For euen he that is indued with the holye ghost hath much a do to take heed least in death he be ouercome or dispair much lesse may we thinke that of our owne strength we maye be able to stande againste it Wherefore we oughte to be very circumspecte and ware that we presume not but that we stand in fear euermore yet for all that contynually beseching god the father that he will voutchsafe for his sonne Christes sake to comforte vs with his holy spirite that we be ouercome in no temptacion but that euermore wee maye perceiue and feele his helpe strength and consolacion For certainly this is truthe that the prophet saith The lorde is my helper Ps 117. I will not feare what man can doo to me The clemeÌ„cy of Christ towarde synners And thoughe it chaunce sometyme while we liue here that we fal yet let not our heart giue ouer nor we maye not dispaire but by and by arise againe and also call againe for the grace and mercy of god For surely Christe hath euen now the same mynd Anabaptistes erroure that he had then when he receiued Peter againe into his fauoure The Anabaptystes of this our tyme deny that those maye retorne again to grace which ones knew the truth and afterward againe fell into synne and as muche as in them is poore Peter and wee all should perishe and be perpetually coÌ„dempned But sett their folishe bablyng light for they bee vayne and vayne they continue But rather consider thou howe Peter fell and was againe receiued into grace and so shalte thou gette profite by consideryng it In what place Peter fell And note diligently in what place Peter fel commytted that great sinne namely he fell in the Byshoppes palace And of this place mayst thou learne howe great ieopardy it is to preachers of the woorde of God often to vse the courtes of great men of the worlde and especially for these consideracions Fyrst Ieopardyes of the courtes of great men it is an honesty for a man as courtyers repute it ofteÌ„ to haunt voluptuous pleasures with a certain pride dignitie to excell other whiche thynges in deede as suche tempatacions maye easely moue and breake a right godly man Then furthermore Sathan him selfe also is very ready our fleshe is exceadyng weake so that without doubt here needeth great carefulnes and studious hede to be taken But what shal the preacher of Gods truth do here Forsoth thus He may not haue to great loue vnto the courtly daintie fare nor to muche acquaint himselfe with those whiche in the court do seke none other thyng but voluptuous pleasures honor porte in suche thynges haue their heauen but he ought diligently to remembre his office and geue all his care and studye well to rule with the sworde of God and continually to whet that vpon theim Doubtlesse the maner of courtiers is suche that for a tyme thou shalt be welbeloued accepted and thou shalt haue geueÌ„ the swete wordes enough especially if thou seldom talke of the truth and can well lyft a great chalice and be a fayre Masser But if thou wylt play the true preacher and tell euery man his vice and synne as in deede it shal be thy duetie surely thou shalte sone perceiue whether moo Iosephes Danyels dwell in the court or els Herodes and Aman. And to say the truth Herode could very well abyde Ihon Baptist Ihon Baptyst payde for his fauor in Herodes court Mar. 6 Mat. 11 and gladly hearde he him But when Ihon rebuked him for the adultry by and by all his fauour was lost Ihon was fayne to pay no lesse then his head for the great fauor he had in the court Finally In kynges and prynces courtes thou shalte fynde very fewe Daniels but as Christ sayd suche as are clothed in fyne softe sylkes so that thou shalt haue great nede to be verye ware and wyse if thou wylte dwell and be conuersant among courtiers The fourth sermon on the Passion of our Lord Iesu Christ Ihon. xviii THen led they Iesus from Cayphas into the hall of iudgement It was in the mornyng and they them selues went not into the iudgement hall lest they should be defyled but that they might eate the passeouer Pylate then went out vnto theim sayd what accusacioÌ„s bryng you against this man They answered and sayd vnto him If he were not an euil doer wee would not haue deliuered him vnto thee Then sayd Pylate vnto them take ye him and iudge him after your owne lawe The Iewes therfore sayd vnto him it is not lawful for vs to put any manne to death That the woordes of Iesus might bee fulfylled Ma. 20 whiche he spake signifiyng what death he should dye Ma. 26 Then Pylate entred into the iudgement hall againe called Iesus and sayd vnto him Art thou the kyng of the Iewes Mar. 15 Luc. 23. Iesus answered Sayest thou that of thy self or hath any other told it thee of me Pylate answered Am I a Iewe Thyne owne nation hye priestes haue deliuered the vnto me What hast thou done Iesus answered My kyngdom is not of this world if my kyngdome were of this worlde then would my ministers surely fight that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes but nowe is my kyngdome not from hence Pylate therfore sayd vnto him Arte thou a kyng theÌ„ Iesus answered Thou sayst that I am a kyng Ihon. 6 For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I should beare wytnesse vnto the truth And al that are of the truth heare my voyce Pilate sayd vnto him What thing is truth And when he had sayd this he weÌ„t out againe vnto the Iewes and sayth vnto them Ma. 27 Mar. 15 Luc. 23. I fynde in him no cause at all

glorious name SecoÌ„darily note that the Iewes wyll haue Cesar for their Lord An horrible thyng to refuse Christ but they wyl not acknowlege Christ to be their kyng For thei cry away with him away with him Nowe is not this most ingratitude afore God that when he hath sent to them his only begotteÌ„ sonne a sauior whoÌ„ they so many yeres had loked trusted for nowe with suche crueltie to cast him froÌ„ them Thei might doubtles haue receiued Christ been deliuered froÌ„ sinne death deuil hell but thei will rather refuse Christ serue a forein lorde perishe bothe body soule And for this purpose they more wylliÌ„gly desired to let go a notable murtherer BarrabaÌ„ to pardon him because of their feastful daies custome then Christ To this ê‘taineth also that thei sayd to Pylate Wryte not kyng of the Iewes but that he sayd I am king of the Iewes What is this but to refuse Christ to cast him from theim But what is wont to folowe suche coÌ„tempt Truly this Note what foloweth coÌ„tempt of the word of God Mat. 8. Rom. 11 That the childreÌ„ of the kyngdome be throwen out and the poore Gentyles bee receyued into their place as S. Paule also sayth By their fal health chaunsed vnto the GeÌ„tyles that he might prouoke them to be zelous after them For if the fall of them be the riches of the worlde the minishyng of them the riches of the heathen howe muche more should it bee so if they all beleued yet it is done for theim that shall be receyued that theyr nombre may bee fulfylled For in the Actes of the Apostles sainct Paule sayeth that the Gospell and woorde of God must fyrst bee preached vnto the Iewes Act. 13 but because they thurst it from theim and iudged them selues vnworthy eternal life wee must turne vnto the heathen And this punishment is a plage of the soule And this blyndnes haue the Iewes dearely bought because they persecuted with suche hatred suche stubburnes their Messias kyng promised vnto them so mocked skorned him and nayled him vnto a crosse Besides this thei escaped not also corporall punishement Corporal punishement For they lost their bodyes honours all their goodes wife children and were banished from their owne countrey insomuch that vnto this daye there lyueth no people vnder the Sunne more wretched forsaken and dispised and that for this cause as I haue sayd that they would not receiue this Christ for their king What thinke you shal chaunse vnto vs if we nowe in oure tyme hauyng the worde of God so rychely among vs we reade and heare it dayly yet so yrke and be werye of it that neither would wee heare it or reade it Surely we be like the Gergesines For as they desired Christ to depart vnto some other countrey out of their coastes so we had muche rather that Christ should departe into some other straunge countrey then we wold for his woordes sake lose any of oure gaynes honor or riches Surely God will punishe suche vnthankefulnes in vs except we be turned do penance other wise dispose our selues towarde the woorde of God For euen so sayth sainct Paule to the Romaynes If God spared not the natural braunches take heede leste it come to passe that he spare not thee Thyrdly considre here reuolue in mynde with what wrath wodnes and furour the Iewes drewe Christ out of the citie hanged him vpon the crosse that not at aduenture but of set purpose betwene two theues and murtherers as the worste and one that had most greuously offeÌ„ded in like cryme with them When thou coÌ„siderest thy selfe and reuoluest this in thy mynde knowe thou that thou must not so muche consider the malice of the Iewes as thine owne most greuous synnes God is extreme enemy to synne And this lesson must thou learne in this most dispised and villaynous death that God is an extreme enemye vnto synne For is he not moste highly displeased with it is an vtter enemye vnto it when he would receiue none other satisfaction for it but the death of his only begotteÌ„ sonne Thoughe nothyng els were yet verely this should ouerthrowe our consciences that we might learne to knowe our sinnes and viciate nature and to seke with heartie intercessioÌ„ yea with teares the clemency and mercy of Christ Our sinnes crucified Christ For certainely those do farre sorer torment Christ that wil be called christians yet consider not why Christe would dye for theyr synnes then did the blynde Iewes that crucifyed him For if the Iewes had knowen him sayth S. Paule they would in no wise haue crucified the Lord of glorye 1. Cor. 2 But when do wee acknowlege oure synnes When do we apprehend the meryte of Christ by fayth Where is oure thankefulnes for those so many and so great vnspeakeable benefytes Yea wee dare plucke this Christes glory froÌ„m him whiche he hath so dearely bought that it can not be expressed and we seke newe waies whiche we also prescribe vnto righteousnes eternal helth Iusticiaries as al iusticiariers do whiche are persuaded in coÌ„science that they may by their owne righteousnes and vertues worthily deserue no lesse then heaueÌ„ it self eternal saluacion But certifie if we by our owne workes and our owne powers might obtayn helth and eternal life then it must nedes folowe that Christ suffered suche vexacion greuous paynes yea offered himselfe vnto so horrible a death passion but vainly for his pleasure and phantasy euen as S. Paule saith If rightwisenes came by the law Gala. 2. then is Christ dead in vain Wherfore if thou wylt bee thankeful vnto Christ for his passion death consider it well and knowlege that thy synnes haue geuen hym those woundes in his body and that for them he suffered that most painful passioÌ„ Then pray vnto him that it will please him to geue thee the merite of his passioÌ„ vnto thy profite For if thou do this with true fayth then wyll he forgeue the thy synnes washe away all thyne iniquities in his owne bloud Of this there is no doubt for he him selfe sayth in the gospel of sainct Ihon Ihon. 3 As Moses exalted the serpent in wildernes so must the sonne of man be exalted that euery maÌ„ that beleueth in him shal not perishe but shal haue life eternal And this is confirmed by all places throughout all the scripture that spake of the passion of Christ as is this senteÌ„ce of S. Paule to the Rommaynes Rom. 4 Christe dyed for our synnes hath risen again for our iustificacion And without doubt Note wel this senteÌ„ce whosoeuer suffereth this article of the death and passion of Christ of his blessed bloud sheding to be taken from him needes must that man at the houre of death when his conscience shall haue that great conflict with synne dispayre yea thoughe he had

of the fyrste and of the other whiche was crucyfyed with hym But when they came to Iesus and sawe that he was deade already they brake not his legges but one of the sowldiers wyth a speare thruste hym into the syde forth with came therout bloude and water And he that sawe it bare record and his record is true And he knoweth that he sayth true that ye myght beleue also For these thynges were done that the scripture myghte be fulfilled Exod. 12 Ye shall not break one bone of hym And agayn another scripture sayeth â™£ Zac. 12 They shall looke on hym whome they pearsed Mat. 26 Mar. 15 Luce. 23 After this Ioseph of Aramathia whych was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for fear of the Iewes besought Pylat that he myght take doune the body of Iesus And Pylate gaue him licence He came therfore and toke the body of Iesus and ther came also Nicodemus whiche at the beginninge came to Iesus by nyght and brought of Myrre and Aloes myngeled togither about an hundreth pound wayght Then toke they the body of Iesus and wounde it with linnen clothes with the odoures as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a newe sepulchre wherein was neuer manne layde There layde they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hand THE EXPOSITION WE haue treated dearely beloued in these former sermons very plainly vpon the prisonment or bindyg scourgyng spittyng vpon derision or scornyng lastly the very death of oure Lord Iesus Christ and accordyng to these articles we haue diligently put in your memory that the very chiefe and principal cause why Christ should suffre this was our synnes Furthermore we haue declared vnto you what vtilitee and profite commeth by this passion vnto those that by fayth apprehend it acknowledgyng theyr sinnes and beyng for the same confounded for feare in their consciences that is to say they obtayne forgeuens of synnes accordyng as blessed S. Peter testifyeth saiyng 1. Pet. 3 Christ ones suffered for oure synnes the righteous for the vnrighteous and to bryng vs to God he was mortified in the fleshe but quickened in the spitite And nowe foloweth what was done after his death before he was buryed The Euangelist writeth thus Then the Iewes because it was the preparyng day besought Pylate that the legges of those that wer crucifyed might be broken and that they might be taken doune and Pylate agreed to their peticion and permitted it But was it so done in dede They broke the theues legged but not Christes And this was done that the scripture shuld be fulfylled as the Euangelist allegeth whiche sayeth You shall not breake a bone of him And again an other scripture said Zac. 12 The aduersaris caÌ„ do no more then is permitted theÌ„ Psa 21. They shall see him whom they haue pearsed But what lessons haue we in this History First we must here marke and learn that the aduersaries of Christ could procede no further in their malice and furor against him theÌ„ was permited them of God And although Christ before was come into that angwyshe and necessitye that he cryed My god My god wherfore hast thou forsaken me yet euen then the heaueÌ„ly father toke the care and custodi of him so that nothiÌ„g might chauÌ„ce vnto him but that which before was coÌ„prehended in the scriptures testified of him And as in this place he tooke the care for his son and so defeÌ„ded him that his bones wer not broken euen so wil he mercifully conserue and keep al that beleue that receiue the word of his son Iesu Christ and continue in it vnto the ende so that nothynge may be able to chaunce vnto them but only that which is the good wil of god as we haue an example in Dauid Dauid whome god suffered for a time to be persecuted yea and banished of Saul yet at the laste he made hym king and brought him to honor Also take insample of Iob Iob. in whome god apointed Sathan bothe the tyme and measure how farre he shuld tempt goddes seruant Truth it is the world may take away our liues if god wil so permit them but the eternall lyfe whiche onlye is obtayned by Christ that can no man take from vs. We also learn in this place of this history that seyng the wordes spoken of the paschall lambe in the seconde booke of Moyses ar here by the euangelist applied and referred vnto Christ In this I saye we learne Christe is the true paschall lambe that Christe is therfore the true paschal lambe signified by that lambe in the old testament and now offered vppon the crosse for our sinnes by cause all that beleue in him shall not perishe nor be ashamed but shal haue lyfe euerlasting Doubtles this knewe S. Iohn when he saide Ioh. 1. Beholde the lambe of god which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And Paule also called Christe the paschall lambe sayinge after this manner 1 Cor. 5. Our Paschall Christe is offered vp for vs. Therfore let vs kepe our feaste not in olde leuen nor in leuen of malice wickednes but in vnleuened bread that is purenes and truthe True holynes of the heart Now to cleaue to this true paschal lamb whose bones according to the scripture wer not broken and by fayth to be planted in him bringeth a farre other holynes then any the Iews had which sought it in extreme outwarde thinges that is it bringeth holynes of the hearte whiche consysteth in spirite faith and truth Secondarily the Euangelist saithe that one of the souldiers opened with a spere Christes syde by and by ther ran forth bloud and water And furthermore though he saith he himself saw it yet bringeth he againe the scripture that ther might bee a more sure testimony out of the prophete Zacharye Zach. 12 Apoc. 1. whiche saith They shall see into whom they thrust their spear Now is this a sure testimony ful of coÌ„fort especially vnto vs taketh away al doubtes from our hartes as if infidelity shuld think Christ is not our redemer hee is not verye god c. These blasphemers I saye are put away for why we see that all thinge that is doone here in the passion of Christ is consonant agreable with the scripture And what signifieth it the there stremeth out bloud water The bloud of Christe signifieth the remissioÌ„ of sins froÌ„ the side of Christ By the blud Christ wold shew vnto vs that remission and forgiuenes of sinnes shuld euermore continue in his Church as wtout doubt it was obtained thorow the same his most precious blud But for whoÌ„ was it obtained Suerly for those that come to it bi knowledgiÌ„g of their sins and by faith But to the vnbeleuer this most precious treasure may not be propounded

beleue this lette him knowe it assuredly that he shall neuer comme vnto the father neither be partaker of eternal life Lyfe And I beseche you how shal he comme vnto the father that seketh other meanes to comme to him then by Christe Besydes that he rather geueth credence vnto false liyng then to the truth euen that trueth whereof Christe here testifyeth of affirmyng him selfe to be the trueth For I pray you Treuth what are all menne all mennes doctrynes all the studyes and counsels of menne if they bee conferred to Christe and his woordes Truely all lyers and mere lyes are all those thynges that are spoken without the woorde of God as the scripture testifyeth psa 115. Psalme Cxv. Euery manne is a lyar But of the woorde of God the scripture sayth Thy woorde is trueth Nowe if the woorde of God onely bee trueth Ioh 17. psa 118. then it necessarily muste folowe that whatsoeuer menne haue inuented without the worde of God it is lyes mere deceyuable iuglyng Howe can it be but truth seyng the to those that beleue in it Rom. 1. it is the power of God vnto saluacion and eternal health For to beleue the word of God is euen thesame as to beleue Christ For Christ is the same woorde and the woorde was made fleshe Ihon. 1. And to beleue Christe is so excellente and noble a thyng that it taketh away synnes and eternal death and for them geueth righteousnes and eternal life And thus it abydeth true that Christ sayd in this place I am the waye the truth and the life Fourthly consider also what Christe-sayd vnto Philip neither would Christ refuse him because of his imbecilitee or weakenes but rather instructeth him thus Philip he that seeth me seeth my father Philip would see the father Christ is very God but Christ would graue it not only in Philippes heart but also in all other his disciples heartes that he is one thyng and substaunce with the father one God equal with the father in maiestie and glory of a like strength wysedome with him This onely excepte that Christ for our infirmitees sakes to redeme vs was made maÌ„ and therefore asmuche as pertayneth to that he is made lesse then the father as it is wrytten in the viii Psalme Psal 8. Thou hast made him a lytle lesse vnder the dignitee of angels c. Philip sayth Christe he that seeth me seeth my father And furthermore I dwel in the father and the father in me Beholde howe earnestly Christ recyteth and bet eth into his disciples his deuine nature and essence with the father also requireth that thei shuld no lesse beleue on him Verely sayth he al that I do or speak I do it not or speake it of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me he dothe those workes Therfore for the workes sake at the lest beleue me that I am in the father and the father is in me Furthermore Christ highly prayseth this fayth as he most earnestly requyreth it sayth Verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me the woorkes that I do he also shall do them greatter thynges then these shall he do He shall do greatter thynges then these especially seyng that Christ goeth to the father to receyue his kyngdome and to sende the holy ghost Fayth askyng in the name of Christ obtayneth all thinges I beseche you nowe who date bee so impudent a beast or so styffe necked that he shall dare any thyng at all derogate or minishe the dignitee of fayth seyng that to the beleuer there are made such excellent promises Yea and furthermore here is made a comfortable and excellent promise vnto fayth that is to say that whatsoeuer she wyl aske in the name of Christ shal be geueÌ„ her Wherfore shal it be geueÌ„ Doubtles that the father may be glorifyed through the soÌ„ne And to speake briefely We must thus beleue of Christ that he is of the same esseÌ„ce of the same power wysedome with the father so that he that beleueth not in Christ that man I say shal neuer come at the father nor at his knowlege For Christ is the way the truth and the life And also noman coÌ„meth to the father but by Christ as our sauiour Iesus Christe hath testified in many places of his gospel Wherfore that we may come to the knowlege of the father dearly beloued of the Lord let vs diligently apply oure selues to heare the worde of God whereby the true knowlege of Christ is geueÌ„ vnto vs. Who knowen and apprehended by faith we may be made parteners and obtayne eternal life Amen The gospel on the Ascencion of our Lord Iesu Christ day Marke 16. AFterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they fat at meate and cast in their teth their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not theim whiche had seen that he was rysen agayne from the dead And he sayd vnto them Mat. 28 Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be dampned And those tokens shal folow them that beleue Actu 4.11.20 In my name they shall cast out deuils they â™£ Act. 2 and 19. shall speake with newe tongues they shal Luc. 10 and 18. dryue awaye serpentes And if they drynke any deadly thyng it shal not hurt them They shall lay theyr handes on the sycke and they shal recouer So then when the Lorde had spoken vnto them â™£ Lu. 24 Actu 1. he was receiued into heauen and is on the right hande of God And they went furth and preached euery where the Lord workyng with them * Heb. 2 and confirmyng the worde with myracles folowyng THE EXPOSITION SEyng that al thynges in the deuine scriptures ought well to be considered wayed this may not be ouerpassed but must diligently be noted and considered that the Euangelist S. Marke in this place where he descrybeth the asceÌ„cion of our Lord Iesu Christ wherein also lyke at in his passion and resurrection consysteth our whole iustificacion maketh mencion of that synne for the which our Lord Iesus Christe so often before he ascended into heauen rebuked his disciples namely of theyr incredulitee and vnbelief Surely it must needes be that this is an heauye and great synne yea it is to bee estemed and thought a verye spryng welle fountayn of all mischiefe seyng that our sauiour Christ euen nowe when he would departe go to his heauenly father rebuketh it so earnestly in his Apostles For thus sayth the Euangelist At the last as the eleuen sat at the table he shewed himselfe vnto theim and rebuked their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not them whiche had seen him rysen Here you heare what synne this was namely Incredulitee And I pray you Vnbeleife is the spryng of all sin who is so shamelesse to

into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For â™£ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When

is none other consolacion but in the onely merytes of Christ And that those only be partakers of it that take hold of it by fayth and so turne it vnto their owne profite And forasmuche as when the good shepeherde commeth he leadeth them no waye but vnto Christe They knowe also that they are bound to receyue him as a minister of the worde as Christ testifyeth in another place saiyng Mat. 10 He that receyueth you receyueth me And in another place when the thefe and murtherer commeth with his false doctryne preachyng another straunge doctryne that floweth not out of the fayth of Christ then can they by the worde of God know iudge and reproue that doctryne wyll in no wyse receiue nor admit nor heare that false prophet in the steade of a true Prophete of God For they knowe perfectly that Christe sayeth that he that heareth kepeth the worde of God I say the woorde of God he shal be saued Luc. 11. And what nedeth many woordes Doth not the scriptures euery where admonish vs to beware of such theues and murtherers Beware sayth Christ of false prophetes that comme to you in shepes clothing but inwardly thei are rauening Wolfes And sainct Paule forbyddeth the Galathians that they admit none other gospel then that they heard of him insomuch that if an Angel shuld come doune from heauen preache another gospel they ought not to receiue him The shepe of Christ knowe all this wherfore they wyl heare none other but their owne hyghest byshop shepeherd Christ whiche here sayth I am come that they maye haue life yea and haue it more aboundantly Furthermore they heare all the ministers of Christ that come in his name bryng his worde The other worke-doctors they do forsake coÌ„sideryng they are theues and murtherers suche as treate the worde of God both falsely and vngodly Wherfore Christ sayth They shal not folowe the forreyner or strange shepeherd but they wyll flee froÌ„ him for they knowe not the voyce of straungers Whiche God graunt that we may also acknowlege Christ our sheherde and folowe his worde Amen The sermon on sainct Barnabas the Apostles day is the same that is red on Symon and Iudes day The gospell on sainct Iohn the Baptystes daye Luc. 1. And it fortuned that in the eyght day they came to circumcise the chylde and called his name Zacharias after the name of his father And his mother answered and sayde Not so but he shal be called Iohn And they sayde vnto her There is none in thy kyndred that is named with thys name And they made signes to hys father howe he would haue him called And he asked for writing tables and wrote saying His name is Iohn And they meruayled all And his mouthe was opened immediatly and his tongue also and he spake and praysed God And fear came on al them the dwelt nye vnto them And all these sayinges were noysed abroade thorowe out all the hyll countrey of Iurye and all they that hearde them layed theym vp in their heartes saying What manner of chyld shal this be And the hande of the Lorde was with him And hys father zacharias was fylled wyth the holy ghoste prophecyed saying Praysed be the lorde god of Israel for he hathe visited and redemed his people THE EXPOSITION SEyng deere christians that the Euangeliste S. Luke hathe doone suche diligence in describing the natiuiti of Iohn the Baptist as it is plainly manifest in the gospell that this daye is recyted it shall be necessary that we diligently consider and well loke vpon the person of Iohn For surely this childe in whose byrthe those so great and glorious tokens chaunsed hath some syngular grace gyft aboue other children The natiuitie of sainct Ihon. Is not this a new and a syngular great thyng that he is borne of pareÌ„tes very olde yea in maner at the pyttes brynke with age is sanctifyed in his mothers wombe and ordayned to be the foreleaper that is a gentlemaÌ„ vssher vnto our Lord God Iesu Christ He shal be sayd the Angel when he declared his byrth vnto Zacharye his father what tyme he dyd his priestly offyce afore God great before the Lorde Wyne and strong drynke shal he not drinke euen from his mothers wombe shal he be fylled with the holy ghost many of the children of Israel shal he turne agayne wholly vnto the Lord theyr God c. By these wordes you heare that great excellent and wonderful thynges shal be brought to passe and accomplyshed by this chylde Furthermore Zacharye thus reioyseth in his canticle saiyng And thou O babe shalt be called a prophet of the most highest For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies c. What thynke you was this holy childe afterward Ihon is ane usaÌ„ple of a good precher He was made a true godly and excellent preacher whiche besydes that moost holy life that he altogether spent in godly and honest conuersacion he so administered and fulfylled his office that he may well be sette furth to all preachers and ministers of Gods worde as a worthy ensample president contynually to be present and sette before them For he not only preached penaunce and by preachyng the law prepared a way vnto Christ but also he shewed vnto the people Christ whiche is moost truely that Lambe of God that taketh away the synnes of the whole worlde As also the holy ghoste sayeth againe by Zacharye To geue knowlege vnto his people But what knowlege Knowlege of saluacion or health For thereto serueth the preachyng of Iohn whiche firste through the lawe feareth the consciences and afterward comforteth them rayseth them vp by preachyng vnto them the lambe of god Wherein then resteth this knowlege In the forgeuenes of synnes Howe then obtayne we that remission of synnes By the bowels of mercy of our Lord god wherein the day starre Christ hath visited vs from heauen And to whoÌ„ hath he appeared by that so great mercy To those that sytte in darkenes and in the shadowe of death aswell the Iewes as Gentyles Ihon 10 For Christ would as our archcbishop and true shepeherd make one flocke one shepefold of the Iewes and Heathen that the feare of al men if at the least they would receyue the daye starre or day spryng of the gospel and beleife in Christe that theyr feet I say might be set straight into the way of peace whiche procedeth of true fayth Beholde all these thynges appertayne to the office of Ihon whiche was not only a preacher and a prophet but also he was more then a prophete Ihon is more theÌ„ a Prophet For he preached not only Christ to come as other prophetes did but also he shewed Christ present And forasmuche as Ihon should thus shewe Christ whiche by his preachyng passion death and resurrection should take away all our sorowes sickenesses it was nedefull that great ioy should

well saide S. Paule The fyrste man of earthe is earthly For what speake wee what vnderstande wee what doo wee without the spirite of god but earthely thinges Some attribute muche to our reason our wyttes our free wyll but if we will confer and examine al our strengthes according to the scripture lo S. Paule standeth forthe and saithe Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitye to god for it is not subiect to the lawe of god nor in very deede it can not be You heare nowe in this place that it is not in our power to obey to the law of god Why then defend we so earnestly and so highly commend the strengthes of man and free will I beseche the knowledg it euen in the example of the Apostles what and how greate the infirmitie and powers of man is theÌ„ without doubt shalt thou the better vnderstand what thou must looke for of Christe For truelye thou shalte neuer haue the knoweledge of Christe except thou fyrste knowe thy selfe Christe dothe bear our weaknes instructed vs. Secondarily we se here with howe great pacyence Christe beareth this infirmity of the Apostels and many times familiarly talketh with them and teacheth them The kinges saithe Christe of the heythen beare rule ouer theym and those that vse power ouer theym are called gracious lordes In which wordes Christ confirmeth the ciuyl empiers and dominions of this world but he approueth it not in the Apostles For other men are called vnto those degrees and offices Who ar they Kinges of the Heithen princes other great men For douteles vnto them is the sweard giuen and committed as Paule saith to punish the euel Rom. 13 and defend the good and vertuous And forasmuche as they haue this sweard comitted to them of god not of theim selues therfore we the residue of the people must obey and be subiect to this ordinaunce of god for coÌ„science sake Pet. 2. And S. Peter saith Bee subiect vnto euery humane ordinaunce for the lordes sake And when the souldiers came to S. Iohn asked hym Luce. 3. saying What shall we do to be saued He coÌ„maunded not them to lay away their sweardes but that they shuld oppresse no man nor do no man wrong And euen so Christe in this place acknowledgeth the kinges and prynces other magistrates must haue the dominion that their dominions and regimentes are gods owne ordinaunce notwithstanding he wil bi no meanes admit his apostels and ministers of his worde vnto suche cyuyle impery As for you saith Christ you shal not be so How then He that is the greater among you shal be as the yongest the chiefest shal be as a seruaunt You se here howe goodly Christ turneth all otherwise The disciples would be rulers and Christ deposeth them from al cyuile goueruenaile The disciples wold be lordes Christ maketh theÌ„ seruantes Doth he this think ye lawfully and did he him self abstaine from such imperye and power Yea doubteles Phil. 2. For thus wryteth S. Paul Let the same mynde be among you that was in Christ Iesu which wheÌ„ he was in form of god he thought it not robbery to be equal with god but he humbleth him self taking the forme of a seruant made in the similitude of men and in habite found as man he meketh himselfe was made obedient vnto the death yea the death of the crosse And euen so Christ in this gospel allegeth his own example saying Who is greater he that sitteth or he that serueth Is not he that sitteth And I am among you as he that serueth Christe becomet out seruaunte Heare you not howe Christ although he was lorde yet he meketh hym selfe and is made a seruaunt to vs Euen so muste the apostels and all minysters of the woorde doo They maye beare rule but yet so as CHRIST bare rule in this world and as S. Paule said 1 Co. 7. Let men so esteeme vs as the ministers of Christe and dispensers of the mysteries of God Surely this gospel is a fearefull gospel to our Byshoppes and priestes For it is to be feared except they vse them selues otherwyse in expoundyng the worde of God then they haue done before tyme this gospell wyll eternally condempne them Thyrdly there is in this gospel a notable and excellent promise that Christ wyl ordain and appoint to his Apostles all his electes a kyngdome euen as his heauenly father hath appointed him that they may eat drynke vpoÌ„ his table in that kyngdom furthermore syt vpon seates iudgyng the xii tribes of Israel Who would not nowe gladly with all his heart lay himselfe vnder this crosse to suffre with Christ in this worlde seyng that by his passion wee shal entre into that great glory Doubtles thei are fooles without wyt that more set by esteme this temporal and smal ioye and voluptuous pleasures of this worlde then that glorious kyngdome that Christ wyll geue to his after this life Truth it is the Apostles fell in this thyng desired this temporall glory But what do ye thynke by this did not they after that their had receiued the holy ghost coÌ„temne and set not a strawe by this worldely glory I long sayd Paule to be dissolued Phi. 1. and to be with Christ Item Christ is life to me death is aduantage He sayd not that he desired to be a Lord beare rule or to desire the worldly glory or that the glorye of the worlde shuld be to him aduantage but this wisheth he with most heartie desire to be with Christ in his kyngdome Christes kyngdoÌ„ is spiritual And here note the Christes kyngdome is spiritual and though it standeth in this world is begon by the word spirit yet shal it not be made perfecte and ende in this worlde but in the worlde to come Nowe as this kyngdome is spiritual To eat drynke in the kyngdome of Christ so to eate and drynke in it is also spiritual And this is the meanyng of Christ In this worlde truely you shall haue smal ioye for you are not of this worlde therfore the worlde shall persecute shall hate you but be of a good comforte for this persecucion shal ones haue an ende I wyll then receiue you into my kyngdome In the whiche kyngdome ye shal enioy perpetual peace ioye aboundance of all spiritual riches And God shal wype al teares froÌ„ your eyes and death shal be no more nor lamentacion nor criyng nor sorowe shal be any more for they are gone before If ye haue sowed in teares ye shall reape in gladnes And in like maner must we speake of the thrones and iudgement For all these thynges are spiritual Those that beleue may iudge all thynges by the woorde and they can bee iudged of no man Furthermore at that daye they shal be wytnesses to those that beleued their woordes that they may bee saued and against those that beleued

and according to hys deseruyng suffereth for it although he loke to this promyse it shall lytle profyte hym Thou muste needes suffre in a good quarrell that thou mayest be sure that all that shall chaunce to thee happeneth for the truthes sake Euen as Sainct Peter also saith Let none of you suffre as a murtherer or a thefe or as an euell dooer or as a busye body in other mens maters Wherfore if thy cause bee good thou mayest assuredly haue this hope that this trouble and sufferynge shall be rewarded and recompensed with euerlastynge ioye Which almyghty God graunt vs through Iesus Christ AMEN The gospel vpon S. Markes day Iohn 15. I Am Eccl. 24 the true vyne and my father is the husband man Euery branche that beareth not frute in me hee wyll take away And euery braunche that beareth fruyt wyll he pourg that it may bryng forth more frute Act. 15. Now are ye cleane thorow the words which I haue spoken vnto you Byde in me and I in you As the branch can not beare frute of it selfe excepte it byde in the vyne no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches He that abydeth in me and I in him the same bringeth forthe muche frute For without me ye can do nothyng if a man byde not in me he is caste furth as a branche and is wythered and men gather them and caste them into the fyer and they burne Mat. 21 Iohn 3 If ye byde in me and my wordes abyde in you aske what ye wyll and it shall be doone for you THE EXPOSITION WE haue in this gospel a very comfortable lessoÌ„ for all them that ar true faithfull christen people wherin Christ exhorted al his vniuersal church to remain in him comparing him self vnto a vyne tre his louers vnto branches Which similitude hath bin vsed in the old testament also wher god called the house of Israel that is the church of god a vineyard Psa Esa Ier. Mat. 20 and. 21. as euideÌ„tly may be seene in the prophets And as Christ in the gospel of Mat. doth declare a vineyard to be his church so in this place he called it a vineyard also god the father an husbandmaÌ„ him self he called the vinetre his Apostels euery membre of his church braÌ„ches Let vs therfore apply compare one with the other se how thei do agree For as the vineyard is not ordained for to beare thornes and thystels but that the vine trees should be planted in it for to beare fruites so the church is ordained not to florishe with the riches of this worlde whiche verely are thornes but for to plante Christ in it For as the husband man doth make cleane the ground of the vyneyard and doth plante in it vyne trees and doth hedge it round aboute maketh a presse and buyldeth a tower in it purgeth maketh cleane the braunches that they may brynge furth fruite plentifullye so likewyse God the father hath chosen to him selfe froÌ„ among men a church in the whiche he hath planted Christ his sonne whiche garden he also hath strengthned with an inuincible stone namely Christ against whiche stone or tower eueÌ„ the gates of hell can not preuaile For eueÌ„ as when the godly be regenerate in Christ so he dothe purge and make cleane their heartes that they may bryng furth fruite In this vyne tree there be ii kyndes of braunches or sortes of men for some haue a shape of godlines seme to beleue in Christ and to be special in Christes churche hearyng sermons receiuyng the sacraments do many good woorkes and yet they do not truely beleue in Christ nor yet their woorkes do not procede out of a true fayth These be hypocritical vnfruitful braÌ„ches which shal at the length be cast into euerlastyng fyre There be some also without repeÌ„tance whiche beare the name of christian men yet do most abound are indued with moste horrible shameful crymes Some there be that are godly euen as they verely beleue in Christ so verely they worke by faythe brynge furthe fruit that alway doth remayne And this difference ought chiefly to be marked The vngodly wicked speaketh moste pestiferously of Christes churche for because that they se in it many impure wicked men for whose sakes they thinke that the churche of Christ is not the true church nor that it hath not the true Gospel But they that so do condempne the true churche forbecause it is admixed with euil persons are here againe condempned with this sermon of Christ For truely Christ speakyng of the braunches doth not speake of those that with their open profession be separated and deuided from the churche as the Iewes and Turkes but of those whiche be or seme to be in the vyne tre Christ And of these he maketh two sortes Two kynde of braunches some of theim be barraine some fruitfull By the whiche he teacheth very plainly that the churche here vpon yearth hath coÌ„mixed with her many euil persons whiche although they seme to bee the very membres of Christ yet they bee but braunches to be cutte away and to be cast into the fyre He sayth that the kyngdom of heauen is likened vnto a manne whiche soweth good seede in his felde But whylest the man was a slepe his enemy came and did sowe cockle among the wheate And againe the kyngdome of heauen is likened vnto a lytle nette that is cast into the sea whiche did pull vp all kynde of fyshes And in another place A certayne man went into the mariage whiche had not his mariage garment And sainct IhoÌ„ sayd They went out from vs but they were not of vs. But I pray you what becommeth of these braunches that bryngeth furth fruite He sayth He purgeth it and maketh it cleane to bryng furth fruite more plenteously Good braÌ„ches Braunches whiche be fruitfull and profitable in the church be all those that truely beleue in Christe and of a true fayth doth obay vnto the true callyng of God This braunche is not cast away is not taken away as the fyrst was but is cut with a hoke and is made cleane SecoÌ„darily Nowe are ye cleane sayth Christe because of the worde that I haue spoken vnto you I beseche the what meaneth these wordes Be the Apostles pure and cleane braunches when as yet they were synners and ready immediatly to leaue their mayster Christ and to deny him I say ye are cleane not forbecause of your owne fleshe whiche is yet synfull nor for the puritie cleanesse of your righteousnes whiche is myngled with muche impuritne and vncleanes but for the worde which I haue spoken vnto you sayth Christ That is for my gospel whiche I haue shewed vnto you that is to say that I am the very true Messias and satisfaction for synne whiche with my death hath kepte you from death whiche hath taken vpon me the

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