her faith But this is a meruailous sayeng of Christ yf wee wyll weygh the matter aryghte He confessethe that power proceded from him ▪ And when the woman cōfesseth the matter openly before hym he doothe not impute it to hym selfe but to the fayth of the woman that so greate vertue and power goeth frome hym when notwithstandyng thys healthe proceded not frome the womanne but frome Christe But Christ doothe this to thys ende that hee maye shewe vnto vs how greatly this thyng pleaseth hym when the Faythe is suche as moste certainely hopeth and looketh for health and helpe of hym alone As though he shoulde saye onely prouide thys that ye may bee well endewed with Faythe in what soeuer daunger ye bee For my mynde is muche more ready to helpe then your desyre is to craue it I doo much more redyly delyuer you from death then ye desyre lyfe This to bee true Christe declareth it plainely in this place seyng that he so bothe liberally and gladly suffreth vertue and power to procede from him in healpynge this woman Therfore we ought to learne by this example that in all peryls and daungers we shold set our Faith only vpon Christ and looke for all healpe at his hande onely But what doo we We heare this at sermons in the temples we are put in remembrance therof at home neyther doo wee wante his miracles at thys daye yet canne not our Faithe be excited and stirred vp to beleue hym Menne wyll not beleue tyll they haue great abundance of all necessarye thynges As long as we are in healthe we hope and beleue well of the helpe of God But if pouertie and sycknesses ones come we haue no Faithe at all We lament we crye we complayne as though there were no healpe to be had neither in heauen nor in earth although we heare dayly both in sermons and otherwise that God wil haue mercy on vs for Christes sake and deliuer vs from all euill if we flee vnto hym with strong Faithe and doubt nothyng of his mercifull promise made vnto vs in the blood of Christ. But how doth this agre with the womans act whiche peraduenture ones or twise had heard of Christe and of his myracles and yet commeth she with so stoute and strong faith vnto Christ that if Christ had ben in the highest part of heuen this Faith would haue brast thorowe all thynges yea and haue brought Christ downe into the earth for to haue holpen her For as we haue oftentymes sayd God can not there deny helpe where he is truely and with a right faith sought and called vpon Wherfore we are alas for sorowe to muche wretches whiche hauyng the worde of God so playnly yet suffer not our faith therby to be excited stirred vp and confirmed But all the faulte of this matter is in the diuell and in oure corrupte and wycked fleshe For if thys were not we shoulde neuer be so vntowarde to beleue that Christ would helpe vs in all our necessities and combraunces were they neuer so great and many For as it is sayde Faythe can not deceaue vs. Therefore Christ dooth here ascribe it to Faithe that he made thys woman whole Thy Fayth sayeth he hathe made thee whole Go in peace be thou whole from thy disease So lykewise shall faithe in Christe rayse vp from death vnto lyfe vanquyshe the deuyll destroye synne and bryng euerlastyng saluation Although CHRIST doothe suche woorkes yet are they the works of Fayth for without faith such workes are not wrought as ye know that neither Christ nor the sacramentes nor the word of God profite any thyng without Faith Faith muste doo all thynges or ells they must be lefte vndoone I speake of things pertainyng vnto saluation For what soeuer is not of Faith is synne And thus much of the first miracle The second miracle is of the rulers daughter that was dead Luke recordeth that thys mayde was so olde in yeres as the woman was diseased of the bloudy issue that is to saye she was .xij. yeres olde for so long had the woman be troubled with her sycknesse All thynges were prepared for the funerall The minstrelles whyche by theyr syngyng and playinge as the maner of that people was gaue tokens of the buryall were there present There was a great noyse of them that wept cried as the maner is in preparation for so noble a buriall In the meane season the Father of the mayde when all thynges were paste hope for what hope can there bee when lyfe is gone out of the body maketh haste vnto Christe nothyng doubting but if Christe were present the mayde myght easylye be restored vnto her lyfe For so declare his wordes He fell downe at the feete of Iesus sayth the Euangelist and sayd My daughter is dead I pray thee come and lay thy hand vpon her that she may be safe and lyue For although Marke and Luke saye that he came to Iesus when hys daughter laye a dyenge yet they also declare that before Christe came to the rulers house the mayde had geuen vp the Ghost and notwithstandyng they signifie that the father dydde not caste awaye his Faithe but surely beleeued that CHRIST woulde restore vnto her bothe lyfe and healthe Who hathe euer sene or hearde of suche meruaylous people A woman whyche in no place of the worlde coulde fynde healpe conceaued suche a fayth hope truste and confidence in Christ that if she might but touche the hemme of his garment she should be healed And this her persuasion was not so farre out of the waye but that as she beleued so came it to passe in very dede In like maner the maides father when his daughter was dead was certeinly persuaded that if Christe did but laye his hande vpon the dead mayd she should receaue her lyfe againe It is easie to be beleued that a man by his hande may rayse vp one that is fallen a sleape But to rayse vp one frō death no hande no diligence no paine taking no noise c. Is able to do it Would not reason thus thincke But the ruler thought not so for if he had he would haue tarried at home and neuer haue taken that iourney vnto Christ but he surely beleued that Christ both was able and also wold restore his dead daughter vnto life And here may we see how acceptable pleasant a thing ▪ faith is to Christ which faith notwithstāding reason the worlde iudgeth plaine folishnes For although Christ was occupied about necessary busines was in disputation with the disciples of Iohn yet all these things set a part when he perceaued this faith of the ruler he turneth vnto him foloweth him satisfieth his desire according to his faith in somuch that when he cōmeth into the house seeth all things prepared for the burial fearinge lest that present sight shold tourne the fathers minde that the example and incredulitie of the men that were there
workes that they myght be deliuered from their synnes and haue quiete consciences But at the last they were compelled to graunt that neyther garment nor monasticall order nor prayers nor fastynges nor Masses nor Pylgrimages nor anye other kynde of paynefull dedes coulde appease and quyete the griefes and tourmentes of theyr conscience Why so Because that synnes can neyther be retayned nor remytted by any other waye then by the worde as we haue tofore hearde Therfore who soeuer embraceth not this word wherin alone is Remission of synnes he muste nedes be vnder that worde wherein synnes are retained For there is none other waye or meane to forgeue synne but the worde Therfore whatsoeuer a man dothe yet shall his synnes be retained excepte he commeth to the worde For the Lorde our GOD hath sette the forgeuenes of synnes in no worke that we do but in thys one onely worke that Christ hath suffred and rysen agayn from deathe And this worke by the woorde hath he putte in the mouthe of hys Apostles and preachers yea in the mouthe of all christen men if nede require that by it they may distribute and declare remission of synnes to so many as desire it If thou wilt fetche forgeuenes of thy sinnes from thens thou shalt not be deceaued of thy purpose For the cōmandement of Christ is at hand that synnes shold be forgeuen If thou wylt not fetch forgeuenes of thy synnes from thens I meane from the word of God thy synnes shall styll be retayned and holden doo what thou wylte For as it hath bene many tymes sayde Wythout the worde there is no Remission of synnes CHRIST hath put thys woorde in the mouthe of his Apostles and mynisters yea in tyme of nede in the mouth also of al the Christians to declare the same vnto the comfort of all troubled consciences He that will not fetche it there and beleue the worde he shall dye in hys synnes doo what he wyll For this commaundement is strong and sure that the Lord taketh away from the whole worlde and from all works the forgeuenes of synnes and repose it onely in his word there hangeth all the matter But this is not onely to be vnderstanded of absolution or of the preachyng of the worde but as it was sayde in the begynnynge Christe comprehendeth the whole ministerie in this commandement that remission of synnes should be declared and distributed to the faythfull bothe in the worde and in the sacramentes For to this ende is the Gospell preached that menne may knowe theyr synnes afterward thorow faithe bee iustified and so for euer after leade a godlye and vertuous lyfe We also to this ende are baptised that oure synnes should be forgeuen vs thorough the death of Christe Agayne the sayde Christe hath ordeyned his holy Supper vnto this ende that we shoulde beleue that his body was betrayde for vs and that his bloud was shedde for vs and that wee shoulde not doubt of the remyssion of our synnes And that faith myght be constant sure and throughely perswaded that oure synnes are forgeuen vs thee and me and the whole worlde if the whole worlde would repent beleue and amend Christ hath ordeyned not that one for an other shold be baptised and receaue the Lordes supper but that euery one should be baptised receiue the lordes Supper for him self and require priuate absolution if he can not be sufficientely confirmed and comforted by the publike preachyng so that no man ought any thyng at all to doubt but that as hee heareth Remission of hys synnes in the name of Iesus so lykewise hee dooth receaue it and is vtterly made free frome his synnes before GOD in heauen Therefore the woorde and the Sacramentes are not to be separated for Christe hathe ioyned the worde and the Sacramentes together so that wythout the woorde the Sacramentes can brynge no consolation or confort at all yea withoute the woorde we coulde not knowe what the Sacramentes were nor vnto what ende they serue Therfore it is not only a great blyndnes and erroure but also a moste greuous myserie that the Papistes prate muche of the forgyuenes of synnes and yet vtterly forgette the worde wherin all the whole matter consysteth and telle the people a tale of a tubbe that they muste gette them Remssions of theyr synnes by theyr owne workes by theyr owne inuentions But seyng that oure Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesu hath placed forgeuenes of synnes in the worde And as it hath often ben sayde hath commytted the same to his Apostles and to the Ministers of the woorde yea and to all Christians in tyme of necessitie to bee pronounced and declared so foloweth it that we must beleue the forgiuenes of sinnes that this forgeuenesse of synnes commeth vnto vs onely by Faith geuen to the worde and promise of Christe as this is the foundation of oure doctrine that we are freely iustified and saued by faithe alone in Christe For this can no man denye that the word of Christe whyche he put in the mouthe of his Disciples can not be comprehended nor gryped with handes nor yet with the woorkes of fastynges prayers almosse dedes pylgrimages or what soeuer kynde of work it be besides It is Faith alone that laieth hand on this worde and receaueth it and the heart only is the very true cheast wherin the word can be included or shutte in so that by this it is most playne and euident that we are iustifyed by Fayth alone seyng that Remyssion of synnes is onely comprehended in the woorde and the worde can not otherwyse bee apprehended and layd hand on than by Faithe alone But this knoweth not the Pope with all his sectaries neither doo they vnderstand this doctrine of Christe yea they are so blockyshe and doltyshe so mad and so farre estranged from the knowledge of Christen doctrine that they neither can nor will vnderstande it and so blynde that they wyll by no meanes se it yea so stubborne and so styffe necked that in no wyse they wyll receaue and beleue it Therfore bothe Faithe and the worde were neglected and nothyng regarded in the Popes churche The people were taught commanded to trust in the merites of their own righteousnes and woorkes But GOD confounde Sathan Antichriste Pope and all Sectaries which wyth their wycked doctryne of woorkes laboure to obscure yea and vtterly to extinguyshe the glorye of GOD the merites of Christes deathe and Resurrection the Iustification of faythe c. It shall therefore at all tymes bee mooste necessarye and conueniente that wee conferre the Popes doctrine wyth ours whyche is the trewe and sounde doctrine and that we neuer forgette the abhomynations whyche hee hathe broughte into the Churche of Chryste and wyth fyre faggotte sweard halter drownynge and all other kynde of force and tyrannye goeth foorthe to defende the same that we bee not ledde agayne oute of the trewe waye nor seeke remyssion of our
synnes in our owne woorkes contrary to the woorde of GOD. For the Lord Christ doothe not instructe vs here of our woorkes but of the woorde whyche he putteth in the mouth of his Disciples and sendeth them euen as he was sent of his father Nowe where forgeuenesse of synne is and the heartes as Saincte Peter saythe are purifyed by Faythe There out of that good and purifyed hearte shall vndoubtedly issue and flowe foorthe abundance and plentie of all good and christen works For Faythe is not ydell and the holy Ghoste accordynge to hys nature and propretie alwaye mouethe and prycketh forwarde the faythefull vnto the obedience of Goddes holy wyll and vnto the mortification of the flesh and synne God through CHRIST gyue vs hys grace that we may beleue this and truly fele it in our heartes Amen The second sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn x. CHriste said vnto his Disciples I am the good shepheard A good shepheard geueth his life for the sheepe An hired seruaunâ— and he which is not the shephearde neyther the sheepe are his owne seeth the wolfe comming and leaueth yâ— sheepe and fleeth and the Wolfe catcheth and scattreth the sheepe The hyred seruaunt fleeth because he is an hyrede seruaunt and careth not for the sheepe I am the good shepheard and knowe my sheepe and am knowen of myne As my father knowethe me euen so knowe I also my father And I geue my life for the sheepe And other sheepe I haue whiche are not of this folde them also muste I brynge and they shal heare my voyce and there shal be one folde and one shepheard THE EXPOSITION THis Gospel as likewise the other workes of Christ may be handeled two maner of wais First coÌ„cerning faith SecoÌ„dly touching charitie It is the doctrine of Faith because it teacheth that Christ is the alone shepherd none other that dieth for his shepe For vnto this work that Christ dieth for vs no maÌ„ no saint no nor yet angâ—ll was mete that he might restore man which was slain of that deuil in Paradise thorow synne so that it shold be the very proper work of this shepherd Christ with whom none is able to compare as none of all his other workes which he dyd in this behalf I meane in making satisfaction for our sinnes can be of any creature imitated folowed and expressed Therfore no maÌ„ can speake these wordes of himselfe which Christ pronouÌ„ceth in this place I am the good Shepherd A good shepheard geueth his lyfe for his shepe so that by these his wordes he allureth vs vnto hym and teacheth vs that we shoulde beleue that none can be like vnto hym in accomplishyng the work of our redemption whyche he broughte to passe by his Passion and deathe Moyses and the Prophets were men of great authoritie and of singuler excellencie whiche taughte truly what we ought to beleue and to do yea they suffered many thynges for this their doctrine yet as concernyng this worke wherof Christ speaketh here I meane to dye for the shepe they are only mercenaries and hirelynges neither can they defende the shepe agaynst the wolfe For this is without all doubt that Moyses and the Prophetes when they had taught a longe tyme and done all thyngs aswell as they 〈◊〉 were not yet able to recouer them selues out of death What then could they be able to do for the shepe against the wolf whiche is the deuill death And verily it is euen as Christ saith The hireling which is not the shepherd to whom the shepe do not belong seeth the wolfe coÌ„ming forsaketh the shepe fleeth and the wolf catcheth scattereth the shepe But the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling the shepe do not pertaine vnto him Therfore he that in this perill desireth to be without ieoperdy not to be rent torne of the wolf must diligeÌ„tly take hede that he put not his coÌ„fideÌ„ce in the law or in good works For ther is no help in the law yea yâ— law is rather against vs accuseth condemneth vs neither can good workes helpe any thyng in this behalf Therfore all our trust concernyng our owne righteousnes and good workes must we vtterly caste awaye and lerne with true faith to resorte vnto him alone which saith I am the good shepehearde I geue my life for my shepe For he fleeth not the wolfe neither is he afraide of him yea he rather offereth himselfe o the wolfe for to be rent and torne on pieces then that one of his shepe should perishe and decay Therfore when we are in daÌ„ger we must resort and flee vnto him alone And this is one thing that we muste stedfastly beleue We our selues can do nothyng in this behalfe but Christe that good shepheard he alone doth it and worketh all good thynges for vs and commandeth vs to embrace it with a sure faith and stedfastly to beleue it The second doctrine is that this act of our shepherd is set forth vnto vs for an example as Peter witnesseth sayinge Christ hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being dead to sinne might lyue vnto righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were sometime as shepe that runne astray but ye are turned vnto the shepheard and curate of your soules This is the doctrine of faythe whiche he afterward applieth vnto Charitie saying Christ hath suffred for vs leauyng vnto vs an example that ye shold folow his steppes As Christe died for vs that by his worke he myght redeme vs without our worke from synne and euerlastyng deathe so are we bounde one to helpe and confort an other when soeuer any man beyng in daunger hath nede of our helpe and confort This is to folowe the example of Christe that euery christen man also shoulde be a good shepheard For although I with my death can not redeme other from death and synne for that is the only worke of thee alone and true shepheard Christe Iesu as ye haue tofore heard yet may I geue my life that other by thys example may be allured vnto the worde and brought vnto the knowledge of Christ as S. Iohn saith By this haue we knoweÌ„ the loue of God because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we are bound also to geue our lyfe for the brethren For this we right well knowe howe great the hatred of the world and the deuil is against the word of God And specially the Pope laboreth with all mayne to oppresse the word yea and so many as be the true pastors preachers therof Therfore we haue nede of faithful and good teachers whiche seyng they be redemed by the deth of Christ ought also they them selues to imitate and folow the example of Christ and also to die for the sheepe and to geue their life for the word This death redemeth not other for saluation cometh only by the death
in hymselfe to the contryte vexed and miserable consciences and make their herts that were full of tremblyng and ouercome by dreade and feare to be mery and ioyfull Moyses is an high prophete but this can he not doo For all his sermons doo sounde on this wise Thou must obserue the law orels perishe This was a very torment to the Iewes The Phariseys dyd fast payd tithes and endeuoured with all their study to represent the lawe and thought that they had no nede of any gospel of any Christ but that all other thynges were without peryll and that god coulde not but receaue them into heauen for their fastes prayers almes c. These be riche and perfect sprited men which haue no nede of god and his grace and this is very true that this doctrine of Moyses is necessarie and that men ought to be indued with this discipline and instruction euen as in an Empire or kyngdome there must nedes be had somners hangmen to execute corporall punyshement on theim that wyll not obey the lawe that steale that commytte aduoutrie and slaughter But when the agonie of death is at hand this doctrine of Moyses by all mēs iudgement is to no purpose although thou hast obserued it neuer so muche Thou must nedes saye and confesse Although I haue not ben an aduoutrer a thefe a robber yet doo I onely flee to thy mercy If this be not all workes be they neuer so great preuaile not against desperation As there is an historie in the lyues of the fathers of a certayne man that stode styll three whole dayes in one place and continually lyfted vp his eyes into heauen with mournyng and waylyng And whē his Disciples asked of hym why he was so greately troubled he answered I feare death Then euery man endeuored to comfort hym and thought it the best for that purpose to put him in remembrāce of his straight kynde of lyuyng and of his kepynge of Goddes preceptes But he testified playnly before them that this made nothing against the fear of death For although sayeth he I haue kept gods preceptes very straightly yet I can not be without the feare of death for I knowe that gods iudgement is not lyke vnto mans This Father proceded so farre that he vnderstoode that when these tourmentynges begynne and dryue vs to God and to his iudgement that Gods Iudgement is so greuous seuere and harde that our holines and good workes can not withstande and susteyn it Wherfore although the lawe is to be taught and the discipline of good woorkes is to bee put in execution the cōmandements to be done yet when death commeth let vs dispaire as concernyng all oure workes and the rightuousnes therof This is one of the poore that is mencioned in this place But hee can not telle what he myght surely stycke vnto For this was lackyng to him wherof Christ speketh in this place The Gospell is preached to the poore But the Gospell is suche a doctrine as touchyng Christe that it comforteth a synner and dothe adhort hym not to feare For Christ commaunded it to be preached to the contrite that he geueth his owne rightuousnes for thee which is euerlastinge Thys Grace dooth hee procure to bee taught to thee by his worde Wherfore doubt not It shall chance vnto thee as thou hearest if thou beleue For the Gospell signifieth a faire and quiet doctrine ioyfull tidynges If a riche man woulde promise to a begger a thousand nobles that would be a gospell to the begger and ioyfull tydynges and pleasant to the eare But what ar all riches in comparison of this gospell and good tidynges that Christe hath respect vnto the poore and is suche a kynge whiche maketh the dead synners and captiues of the lawe parttakers of euerlasting life righteousnes Suche is my kingdom saith he muche vnlike the kingdom of the worlde wher only this regard is had to aduaunce the mighty For he that is moste of might there doth moste oppresse the poore Ther the potestate vseth extremitie which spareth no man can not suffer vice vnpunished Wher it hath his sergeāts his rods the sword water fier that the euyll doers may be punished But in the kingdom of Christ it wil be otherwise Wherfore as it is a miracle to rayse the dead so is this the chiefe miracle that God hath sent vs such a kinge that is kinge of sinners and sheweth his gospell to them Moses and his law knoweth of no such kinge For there it is enacted that he that is a sinner is condemned to the diuell and to death This now appereth hereby that God is kinge of the holy and rightuous which hath farre perfecter holynes then that that the ciuill lawes requier And it is trew that that doctrine of the law is Gods word and that Moyses ministration by the lawe is Gods ministration As lykewise the ciuill empires are well called the empires of God for as much as he cōmaundeth such to be had vs also to obei therto But these are onli the empires of Gods lefte hād But the kingdome of his right hand is wher he reigneth him self neither doth he substitute any lieutenantes parētes magistrates other officers but he ruleth him self so ordreth the matter that the gospel be preached to the poore In the which thou learnest that whē thy rightuousnes cā not abide the iudgement of God to say thus I haue done lord that I cold I haue obeied my parēts masters with al diligence I haue done no man any dishonestie I haue not ben a murmurer I haue sene diligētli to my houshold them that were committed to my cure I haue done no wrong to my neighboure I haue not stollen I haue not cōmitted aduoutery c. But what is this to the purpose whē the matter is tried before thy Iudgemēt This is nothing to thy kingdō Wherfore whē I know that thing in thy gospel that thy sonne our Lord Iesu Christ shewed diuers signes amōgest the which this is also that thi sonne preached to the poore that is that he was sent frō the to this purpose to cōfort the afflicted cōsciences to this entēt haue I now receaued the gospel For I can not be without it wheras I am vexed and poore and there is no wher els any confort either in my goodes either in all the worlde Thus saith also the prophet Esaias of Christ as Christ saith here also the lord hath geuē me a learned toung that is God hath put this word in my tongue that I may at due season speake with the weary that is confort the dreadfull cōsciēces As the euāgelist doth expoūd it in this place saith that the gospell is preached to the poore for the king Christ was sent to preache good tydings to cōfirme the trembling fearful cōsciences And his kingdome is a kingdō of cōfort wherein the dreadful muste be
faith is sufficient but we muste do good workes And so they make not the holynes of Christ their ground and piller as Iohn dydde which is gladde to forgo his owne holynes and count it not so much worthy as the cloutes wherwith durty shoes are made cleane He testifieth plainly that his holynes is not so muche worth as a vyle cloute and how much lesse worthy dothe he iudge it to wipe CHRISTES nose and to do any higher office This doth the Pope and his Churche refuse to doo They extolle them self highly with their workes and that they haue euerlastyng lyfe for them And can not abyde that their workes and holynes should be counted as vyle cloutes Yea rather they doubt whether they may iudge Christe worthie to haue this holines geuen in steade of almes and sacrifice This heard the Iewes but thei despised and persecuted it and vnto this tyme is not this cōtempt and persecution lefte But as this madnes chaunced to the Iewes destruction so shall it by Gods grace chaunce to the Papistes Wherefore we muste diligently marke this example where as Iohn that moste holieste man which as Christ saith hathe none lyke him amōgest all that are borne of women which passed all mounkes and priests farre yet dothe he so demitte and humble him self and saith that he with all his holines and workes is not worthy to be as a clout to wipe shooes Truly this example is worthye to be folowed Good workes muste be doone and that with great diligence For so hath God commanded in the ten preceptes But when we come to that pointe that we muste entreat of this man as Iohn doth all is to be caste downe at his feete we muste confesse hartely with Iohn that it is not worthy to doo him the leste seruice that is Before mānes iudgemēt hereof is had chief respecte that thou art no aduouterer no thefe no robber that thou geuest almes that thou seruest well in thy vocation These thynges are boasted of amongest men and had in highe estimation But when the matter is tried in the sight and iudgement of God be not lothe to say this O Lorde I know that before thee the excellentest thinges in me are nothing worthe Wherfore iudge me not accordīg to my workes I am willinge to byde the losse of them And can wishe no better thinge yf so be I might haue my desier therin I may thinke my self well blessed So doth Paule also to the Philippi I am saith he an Israelite after the profession of the lawe a Pharisei and as touchyng righteousnes vnblameable so that no man can reproue me It is not much sene that one should stande so in these thyngs against the iudgement of men Yet he saith I thinke all this but chyppes and all my trust and confort resteth herein that I may be found not hauing my owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but the righteousnes which is by fayth in CHRISTE whiche righteousnes belongeth to faith as God saith Wherfore that I might take fruite of this man I caste away all my owne righteousnes as chips The saying of Paule is more cōtumelious against good workes thē Iohns For he is cōtent to suffer them to be estemed cloutes but Paule nameth them very chips paryngs or scrapyngs Paule the Apostle nothing feareth the reproch of vnciuilitie wheras he vseth suche vnpure words Suche examples are very necessary to maintayn the study of honesty and sobernes before the worlde that men might not haue any cause to reproue vs. This righteousnes is belonging to this lyfe and hath his ende with this lyfe as it is knowen Good men are put into the graue as well as the euill the matrones as well as the harlots But whē thou wilt make thee a way to euerlasting lyfe say this Christ is my refuge and his righteousnes which he promiseth and geueth in Baptisme by his worde and in the supper by his body and bloud At last I shall stand by hym as a poore worme That so by this meanes there may be put a difference betwene oure righteousnes whiche consisteth in the functions of this common lyfe and betwene the righteousnes whiche is before God The Ethnykes also hath shewed honesty and sobernes in theyr lyuinge and donne and suffered many thyngs for their natiue countreye for the which they haue their due renoume But when death commeth nothyng therof will steppe foorth to take their part For by suche righteousnes and good workes we can not attayne to the remission of synnes But whyther must we then go for righteousnes and such holynes that is accepted before GOD and alowed in the euerlasting lyfe There then is this holy anker to be caste this muste be oure refuge that we come humbly after the precept of Iohn and thynke vyle of oure self or as Paule saith shamefully In the eyes of the worlde this maye perchaunce seme excellent but before God it is but a cloute to wipe the shoes of the sonne of GOD. Whose righteousnes I wold gladly haue to be geuen to me by the helpe wherof I might be certayn of saluation wheras for my owne righteousnes I ought not to refuse damnation in hell And this is the cause that we say surely that Mounkes Priests cooles and all things of this sort is destinate to damnation For they applie not their works to the obedience of God to honest lyuing to the auoyding of offence but that they might hereby obtayne saluation Wherfore they sell these thyngs also to other and this it is to denie CHRIST and to mocke and despise him as the Iewes mocked and despised hym Lett vs beware of such abomination and here let vs learne how to aunswer suche Iuglers Woldest thou wretched mā be so mighty with thy workes and righteousnes that thou mightest purchase me saluation therby The vertue of Iohn Peter nor of any other was euer of suche power If it had ben otherwyse they would neuer haue thought so lightly of it as their words shewe If the vse of the Abbeis were turned to the instruction of youth to the trayning vp of them in scriptures no man could reproue it because it was done with great reason But they can not be brought from their wicked order They referre all to the obtayning of saluation Wherfore yt were better that suche Abbeis were cleane put downe than that men shoulde fall into offence thereby and straye from CHRIST and lose both body and sowle Learne therfore of this Gospell to lyue godly righteously and chastly and to be diligent in good workes For suche obedience doth God require by his lawe and wold haue vs to do it And when we do it not let vs know that punishement is redy for vs and if he seeth vs not to amende by bodyly paynes he will punishe vs euerlastyng These things are to be done before mē but yet before God say on this wyse Lord for as much as belongeth to my works
doing this message So ought we to do also We ought to vse our giftes wtout pride to other mēs profit saluatiō to despise no mā The exāple of Christ as touchīg this is more euidēt He regardeth euery man so much that as he cam poore nedy into this world so he taketh vnto him the pore nedy that seke helpe that hath nede of hym for this cause is he called sauiour The great estates of Ierusalem neuer thought that Christ pertayned vnto them The bare shepheards haue nede of this and therfore are iudged worthye to heare first this short sermon of the angels as touchyng the byrth of our sauiour Christ. Wherein the Angel wold vs to vnderstād the a sauiour is geuen vs against syn death and the dyuel For these are the words of the sermon Feare ye not this day is borne for you a sauiour which is Christ the Lord. These are no mannes words neither haue they their beginning of mannes hart For the wisest that be know nothing of this But these words are put out with a godly reuelation And we thāks be to God are chosen to this felowshippe For it is al one whether thou readest or hearest these words of the Angell as though thou hadst heard them presently of the Angell For the shepheardes sawe not the Angels only they dyd see a light brightnes they heard the words of the Angels whiche yet are rehersed in sermons and read in bookes if we had the grace to learne them put them in practyse Now if any mā should cōpare this word of the angel with that word of Moses which he heard of the angels in mount Sinay he shal fynd great differēce For this it was there Al things wer applied there to terrifie mē almost both body and lyfe was in daunger by thūder lyghtning such other things But here do the Angels preach to banishe feare to make men cherfull to put away dread and to truste for saluation and to begin to looke for better and that they might be of a good courage specially for this childes sake which is called oure sauiour is so named of the Angell and entitled Christ the Lord. For whatsoeuer ther is writē it is that we should always hope wayte for him that is called Christe For the law could do no thing against syn death works and euery mans righteousnes preuayled not All the saluation was sett in Christ that he might be trusted vnto in trouble This doth the angels beholde and testifie that it is he in whom dependeth all hope of saluation and remission of synnes Then muste we cast away al doctrines religiōs wherby saluation eternall lyfe is wrought without Christ. For if Christ be he thē cā not Mary his mother Peter Paule nor Austyne Frances nor Dominike with his rules wheras in the Papacie their doctrine led men to intercessions of saintes and obseruations of Mounkerie But how doth this agre with the angels sermon Yea or how doth it agre with the verse that is songe in the Church Wherin we that glorifie Christ condemne the Pope all his Iusticiaries of a moste greuouse wickednes wheras we syng after this sort If this childe had not bene borne for vs surely ther could haue bene no way foūd to saue vs If all them that are without Christ are damned what helpeth the Mounkes rule or the Priests Masse to saluation All things are subiect to damnation Ther is no exceptiō because the speach is vniuersal If they loke for saluation they haue it not by Mounkerie massinge faste and canonicall howers but by Christ which hath that name is called a sauiour This sermō of the Angels was lefte in the Papacie with that verse that is vsed in the church vnto this tyme but no man vnderstode it For there lacked true and faithful preachers therfore wher as no preaching and wher these words are not set foorth effectuously There be these things both song reade but no man vnderstandeth them For no man cā denye this but that all the other things were in the Papacie Baptisme the Lords supper the texte of the Gospell the prayer of the Lord the articles of the faith the ten commandements And euen now the Papistes haue all these things with vs sauing that they haue changed the supper of the Lord and hath peruerted his testament But al these things are domb with thē Wherfore when they reherse reade or otherwyse vse them they neither vnderstād the words nor the ceremonies Al the fault is that they regarded not the doctrine that by it men might be certified of the meaning of the words that are dayly vsed in hearing reading singing But he cā not wel stirre vp other that is a slepe himself The preacher must be earnest vigilāt For if he be cold he will make his audiēce wearie be they neuer so attēte as we may se this true by the Pope for he was dalying in al kind of Idlenes pastance Wherfore he cold not take hede to this sermō And although he set it forth with versicles lessons as we do yet they know nothīg of it nor vnderstād it And bi this meanes both these things are amōg the papistes They reade in the Gospel that a sauiour is borne they singe it in the Church that if this child had not bē borne no mā could be saued that this saluation is for al men Yet neuer the lesse they cal on the virgin Mary they faste they worship saints they go on pilgrimage to their relikes they hire bye masses What is this then to make an other sauiour not to be cōtent with the testimonie of this sermō but to set vp Mary other sayntes yea and the beggerly works of men in the rome of this sauiour borne child Wherfore we haue no small cause to pray to God for couragious earnest preachers to enkēdle the light of this doctrin that we not only heare reade but also vnderstande wher suche preachers be not ther is no other hope but that we falle therby in peril as it is now What good can a nutt do if thou can not come by the kernel what profiteth a treasure if we haue no power to bryng it abrode The sermon of the Angel is euident inough To you is borne a sauiour Yet it is not so pythye that an old papistical doctor cā perceaue it For if he did perceaue it he wold not councel men to mounkerie to pray vnto sayntes to purchase the merites of men to seke other sauiours But wher God sendeth a diligent wittie preacher that can stirre vp the vehemencie of such words in the mynds of the hearers he geueth a great power by this doctrine to iudge of all false doctrines deceytfull spirits Neither is it possible although the dyuell tourneth him self in to all sorts but that he must nedes be perceaued and reproued
if he muste redeme the matter by pryce he hath mony enough to do that And this is it with all the other corporall gyftes wit wisdome power For in them is their store of helpe and saluation as farre as God hath appoynted them to be to oure saluation The mother bryngeth foorth chyldern The physition helpeth the sycke The lawyer by the exacte lawe defendeth against the wrongfull doers But when this lyfe is at an ende neither can the cōscience hyde her synnes before Gods iudgement then is there place made for this sauiour Iesu. For then is there no store of helpe in any thing besyde All things do fayle no power is so great or wil so redy that cā defēd against the euill of the conscience and of death In this case if thou demand from whence thou moste looke for helpe haue respecte only to this chylde For that cause is he named Iesus that he might be present and saue all that knowledge him looke for saluation of hym But in this resteth the whole matter that thou suffer no other name to be geuen to this chylde And then that thou graunt not that this name that belōgeth to this chylde should be transposed to other as to Frances Dominike to the Carthusians Masses Uigiles Pardōs almes fastings and such lyke For all this is abhominable And a good cause whi there cā no other sauiour be inuented against synne Wherfore he that wold haue an other sauiour whether it be the rule of the Carthusians or any other thing he goeth cleane without saluation Therfore he that could name this child by his true name and could inculcat Christ into hymself were blessed For in this name are al things wherfore store of saluation is there to be looked for and no wher els But now the dyuels endeuour lyeth all in this that this chyld might haue an other name made that men should perceaue hym to be a iudge and chose them other sauiours and helpers against Gods wrothe But the matter is certaine and can neuer be other wyse or made frustrat Iesus hath not his name that he should healpe the with corporall benefites As touching this matter the disposition and order is certainly ordeyned Gene. 2. where God saith Beare rule ouer the fishes of the sea the byrdes of the ayer and the beastes of the earth But he is called Iesus bycause he is a sauiour then sheweth saluatiō when al things do fayle and are voyd of helpe whan we muste now depart into an other lyfe Wherfore this name casteth of all things whatsoeuer without Christ is caste before vs for the remission of synnes For when the Mounke thinketh my rule is able to make God mercifull It is nothing els to say in dede than My rule is with the name Iesus And whereas the Pope and all teachers of that secte holdeth that only faith iustifieth not but workes also be necessarie to saluation It is no other thing than Good workes are with the name Iesus But it is abhominable sacrilege that my worke should be with the name Iesus This name belongeth only to this chyld The Pope the Byshops and Mounks c. doth not so Neither do we also at all when we geue place in oure conscience to feare for oure synnes sake than to confort for Christs sake neither when we thinke this If I had lyued on this wyse if I had done this or the worke I should haue an easier case before God The holy Ghost can not abyde this but indeuoreth with all might that this chyld may haue his name remayning whole and that no other may be receaued into the felowship therof That when we haue nede of saluation against syn and eternall death we put no trust in oure workes or in the merites of al the saintes but that we stycke vnto this child only by faith which hath this name and is called Iesus Neither can it be taken from hym without sacrilege But they that go about to take it from hym as the Pope Turke and Mounkes do presume they shal perceaue in dede that they haue committed such sacrilege that shall neuer be remitted Cōtrarily if there be but two or three of vs that trust in this name of the chyld all the might and power of hell is not able to caste vs from saluation I will not speake how the world should somwhat feare for hindering of this saluation For the Angell brought this name from heauen and named the child IESVS before he was conceaued in his mothers wombe Wherfore when they that persecute this name and sette vp other sauiours shall go against Gabriel the Angell or shal reproue him of a lye he him self shall appeale to God and say Lord thou hast geuen me this commaundement that I should geue this chylde this name And then shall it be knowen what the persecuters do preuayle against this name they haue remayning for them self neither God neither Iesus And they shall dye and perishe for euer in their synnes This shall be the ende of this matter with their moste greuouse destruction Wherfore let vs neuer forget this name but let vs surely beare this away that this chyld is the only Sauiour agaynst death syn and the dyuell If the world shall hate vs therfore surely it can not doo it with good lucke and prosperitie If it will not knowledge this chylde for a Sauiour we can not constrayne it But let it consyder from whence it shall receaue saluation when death shall fall on his head whether there be any defence agaynst it in mennes workes in faste prayer almes masses inuocation of sayntes c. Let this be the stablishement of all oure matters to know for a suertye this name to be geuen from God to this chylde that it should be called Iesus or a Sauiour For we shall know and fele this oure Sauiour without coaction that is we shall haue a suer truste in hym when the dreadfull senses of synne and death shall be caste agaynst vs that there is prepared in hym for vs moste sure saluation We knowe that this hope and fayth is greatly alowed of God that it receaueth great renoume Where as contraryly he suffereth the great indignation of God whiche doth either seeke other sauiours or els will not know this sauiour at all Now therfore compare the name of the chyld and the thyng that was done when the name was geuen The chylde Iesus receaueth circumcision as other chyldern doo where as neuerthelesse he hath no nede of it as a synner hath because he is without synne and nede not to be purifyed for as muche as he is pure all redye But this is done bycause his name is IESVS that he may be a Sauiour agaynst synne and an euill conscience agaynst death and all euill that commeth of synne For he is circumcised that he might be vnder the lawe and let none of al things vndone that were enioyned of God at any tyme to men
the water If water be mingled now it loseth her name Why then doe we in this place seue◠the word from the water and pronounce it to be water only as though the word of God or as though God hym self were not in this water But it is not so for the Father the sonne the holy Ghoste are present and be in this water As in Iordane when Christ stode in the water the holy Ghost was caried aboue it and God preached by it Wherfore baptisme is suche water that taketh away syn death and all euill and geueth saluation and euerlasting lyfe So great price is now added to this water in the which God demitteth hym selfe But God is the God of lyfe And sith he is in this water it muste nedes be the water of lyfe which taketh away death and damnation and geueth lyfe euerlastinge This ought baptisme truely to be knowen and highly estemed For he is not baptised in the name of any Angell or man but in the name of the Father of the sonne of the holy Ghost Or as it is in the actes of the Apostles in the name of Iesu which is as much For he that confesseth Iesus Christ truely with the same confession compriseth the Father and the holy Ghost For Christ saith that he commeth from the Father and that he sendeth the holy Ghost He then that confesseth truely Iesus Christ can not dyminish the authoritie of his word but shall beleue that the sonne is not alone but that the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost be there together although the Father and the holy Ghost be not named Wherfore let vs not lightly esteme this let vs not separate the word frō the holy baptisme or water wher with he is baptised but let vs confesse that this is therfore appointed of God to purifie vs from oure syn for Christs sake through the holy Ghost For if it were not for this what should the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost haue to do ther Wherfore if thou beleuest that a new borne chyld is synfull dippe hym into baptisme that God may worke his work in hym as his word commandeth and doth promise a new byrth by the water and the holy Ghost and also this that he that beleueth and is baptised might be saued Lykewyse if thou confesse that he is in death dippe hym in this baptisme and lauer after the commandement of Christ and then shall death be swalowed vp Neither muste thou that art baptised thinke any otherwyse than that baptisme is a seale and pledge of assurance that God hath forgeuen thee thy synnes and hath promised lyfe euerlasting for Christs sake For baptisme hath a godly power to take away death and synne For therfore are we baptised And although synnes be committed after that and the works of godlynes not perfectly done yet they that repente agayn do not forfeit their couenant of baptisme and the promise therof For this can by no meanes agree that a man should desyer remission of syn and also geue vp hym self wholy to synne But this is in all poyntes necessarie to repent and to consyder with hym self vprightly and truely that God hath promised vs his grace and fauour When he cam to the baptisme of his Sonne and that we should retourne to that grace and beleue surely that oure synnes are forgeuen not for vs or for any creatures sake but for CHRIST oure Lord whiche hath commanded this baptisme and was baptised hym self also as a synner Wherfore this reuelation passeth not a litle the other whiche was shewed to the wyse men by a starre For out of this the frute redoundeth to all Chrystian men where as in that reuelation of the wise men a few Gentiles only cam to the knowledge of the kynge of the Iewes Wherfore it were not without a good cause if this were called the day of the Baptisme of Christ and in the whiche Christ was baptised Then should we haue a iuste cause geuen to pleade the matter of Baptisme agaynst the Anabaptistes and the dyuell whiche may soner be entreated of vs for any matter then that we should consyder the busynes of oure saluation For ther he setteth agaynst vs with tooth and nayle that we may not come to the sight of oure inheritance As the example of the Popedome doth yet admonishe vs vnder the whiche litle or nothing was set foorth in the congregation as touching this reuelation at Iordane Wherfore thynke this to be a thing most worthye to be remembred where as God this daye with a moste euident sermon as touching his Sonne opened hym self euen that all matters that are betwene Christ and vs do highly please God the Father For he that obeyeth the sonne and kepeth his word he is accepted to God and receaueth the holy Ghost Whiche openeth hym self at this Baptisme in a very amiable and pleasant sight And herevnto also it agreeth that the Father sendeth foorth a verye bounteous voyce when he sayth Behold here is for you not an Angell nor a Prophet nor an Apostle but my sonne and my owne self also What reuelation can be greater And what seruice can we do that is more acceptable to hym than that we obey his decree and proclamation But he that is not moued with this let hym after his seeking perishe with the dyuell neither is he worthye to heare this Godly sermon Wherfore let vs geue thankes to God for this great and vnspekeable grace and let vs pray that he will preserue it in vs and thereby at lenghth saue vs. AMEN The fyrst Sonday after Twelfth day vpon the Gospell Luke ij THE Father and mother of Iesus went to Ierusalem after the custome of the feast day And when they hadde fulfilled the dayes as they returned home the chylde Iesus abode styll in Ierusalem and his Father and mother knewe not of it but they supposing him to haue ben in the companye came a dayes iourney and sought hym amonge theyr kinsfolke and acquayntaunce And when they founde hym not they went backe agayne to Ierusalem and sought hym And it fortuned that after three dayes they founde him in the tēple sitting in the middest of the doctours hearing them and posing them And all that hearde hym were astonyed at his vnderstanding and aunswers And when they sawe hym they meruayled and his mother sayd vnto him Sonne why hast thou thus dealt with vs Beholde thy father and I haue sought thee sorowing And he sayd vnto them Howe happened that ye sought me wyst ye not that I muste go about my fathers busynes And they vnderstode not that saying which he spake vnto them And he went downe with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient vnto them But his mother kept all these sayinges together in her heart And Iesus prospered in wysdome and age and in fauour with God and men THE EXPOSITION THIS Gospel hath a very depe profound vnderstāding and it is a hard thing to
it not yet properlye he toucheth the thynge that was meant by the name so that he consenteth in all points with the Angell whiche brought this diuine name from heauen causynge hym to be named Iesus because he shoulde saue his people from their synnes Simeon calleth him the saluatiō of the Lord that is whome the Lorde himselfe ordained to be a sauiour And as touching this name I haue spoken before of the childe Iesu that wheras God hath ordayned the maiestrate the parēts and such other necessary offices to be our sauiours in corporall and temporall affaires as the phisitions in sycknes lawyers in expoundynge what is euery mans right So yf this chylde had not cōme with an other kynd of saluation Simeon could neuer haue had suche great confidence in his matters as to expound that his death was but a licence to depart or a salfe conducte to go in peace he could neuer haue regarded synne and death so lyghtlye Wherfore sith Simeon confesseth that he shall depart in peace out of this life bycause he hath sene the saluation of God he defineth plainly that he is a sauiour againste sinne and death For how colde he els haue suche sure confidence of peace in a sauiour that was a man This description is not lightlye to be regarded For it cōprehendeth a great wayghtie matter in fewe wordes It is but one child whom Simeon so nameth Wherfore it is herby euidently proued that whatsoeuer is beside this childe seme it neuer so commendable through the name or outwarde shewe therof yet can it haue no power to bring to saluation or to put awaye death and synne But whosoeuer suffereth it to be applied vnto hym for saluation worketh his owne damnation Wher Simeon by this worde mindeth to abolishe and derogat all rites and ceremonies and all the obseruations of the lawe that no man shold put any hope of saluation in them and that whosoeuer trusteth in the lawe in his workes shall neuer obtayne to be saued For wheras he by a notable praise calleth this child the saluation of God it is easye to gather therby that all ayde and remedie againste death remaineth onely in hym Wherof then commeth this hope in the Iewes that put suche trust in the law and his workes What meaneth the Pope and his adherents so highly to extoll Masses Pilgrimages pardons as though saluation came by them syth this is the name of this child only neyther may it be geuen and communicat to any thyng or creature besydes The only wordes of Simeon may be taken for an argument against these wicked persuasions and opinions For mine eyes saith he hath sene thy saluation I say euen that thou almightie father hast ordayned hym to be a saluation to synners For the worlde must nedes finde out saluations againste sinne The Iewe thinketh it saluation if he obserue the law The monke and religious man thinketh it saluation if he bynde himselfe to a certaine kynd of life by a vowe and some chose certaine of the sainctes to be their patrones and defenders against synne and hell All thinke that purchasyng of saluation cōsisteth in their maner of lyuing But who can number the workes that procede of mēs traditions and Idolatrous seruice in the popedome wherin consisted their chiefe hope of saluation Yf they had well considered this verse of Simeon they shoulde haue perceaued that this ought to haue ben auoyded as a most haynous sacrilege and robbing God of his dewe honour and they wold not haue ordained any other sauiours thā was determined by the saying of Simeon They wolde haue suffered hym onlye to haue this glory whom God had appointed so to be in whome no man that trusteth can be disapointed For to this ende came this child and for this purpose was he sent of God euen to bring saluation vnto vs. Wherfore in this saluation whiche God hath prepared there is suche store of sauing helth that the conscience may therby haue perfect quiet and neuer more dreade the crueltie of death or violence of synne or the ragyng tyrannie of the deuill for as muche as he hath the sauing health of God prepared redie that is the almightie and euerlasting saluation whiche lacketh no kynde of succoure and helpe to saue vs againste synne and death and geue vs abondance of lyfe and rightuousnes Let vs only with this Simeō embrace this child that is stycke vnto hym with a true faith that we maye conceyue a sure comfort by hym For when this is surely printed in our heart that this child is that prepared saluation ordained to helpe vs againste synne and death then doth ensue therof suche peace of cōscience that syn and death skeareth vs but in vaine For our sauiour is redye to helpe vs against it And to entreat more at large of the saluation that commeth by this child let vs take the record of Iohn the Baptist discribynge hym thus Behold the lambe of god that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde In these wordes is described the sacrifice vpon the crosse for syn and the conqueringe of death by his resurrection to iustifie vs and to make vs rightuous Wherfore to the obtainment of this saluation he by his death and resurrection geueth vs helpe against sin and death And albeit that a Christian man must not omitte to do good workes yet is not saluation obtained therby neither remission of syn but this is only obedience due vnto god which god requireth And he that will not performe it is not deliuered from his sinnes for his disobedience For this is the only true way to obtayne that euen that he that seeketh howe to be deliuered from syn and death sholde whollie flee to this saluation that is prepared for vs of god that it might take our synnes vpon hym and make satisfaction for them so deliuer vs. He that doth this may say with Simeon Whatsoeuer feare or dreade by death and other perils is set before vs this is my sure comfort againste them all that thou Lorde lettest thy seruaunt departe in peace He that trusteth to anye other thynge shall in steade of peace fynde anguishe and extreme miserie in suche a tyme. For he shall not haue this sauynge health but in death and damnation shall he perishe Neither muste we make anye suche difference betwene vs and Simeon as thoughe he myght more boldlye truste in this saluation because he had power to take the childe in his armes and to beholde hym and we not so because we haue no suche power For as touchynge the effecte of the matter the bodely presence is not auaylable or hath no great importance Many other Iewes doubtlesse dyd at that very time beholde CHRIST and yet obtayned no saluation therbie Only this was effectuouse in Simeon and furthered hym to saluation for that he thorowe the inspiration of the holy Ghoste embraced this childe whiche nothynge differed from other children by reason and
for the dignitie of it selfe but for Christ of whose fulnes all we haue receued euē grace for grace Now forasmuch as we knowe the fruit and profite and also the whole worke that CHRIST hath broughte to passe by his passion and death let vs nowe at the last learne also howe we maye be made partakers of the same and fromhensforth so frame oure lyfe compose our maners agreable therunto that we maye folowe Christe oure Sauiour and be knowen to be lyke vnto hym yea and his very disciples Uerely then shall we be partakers of the benefites of Christ of the fruites and profites of his passiō whē we beleue that we all were damned synners againe that Christe euen of mery loue and fauour vnto oure profit and singuler cōmoditie without all our merite and deserte suffered all that euer he suffered Item that by none other mediatour nor worke but by Christ alone and by his merite we can be saued so that the passion death resurrection life righteousnes and innocencie of Christ with all that euer he hath is oure owne frely geuen vnto vs of oure heauenly father Wherfore sainct Iohn sayth he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen so many as beleue in his name It is certen and sure that none can be the sonne of God except he be holy godlye and righteous But this can we not be of our selues of oure owne strengthes and workes Therefore he sayth that Christe geueth this vnto vs. It then foloweth that by Christe we haue receaued that which we had not before neither could we deserue to haue it with oure workes Whereby then did this chaunce vnto vs verely by faith For Iohn saith That he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of god euē so many as beleue in his name This power then haue they only that beleue not in their owne workes righteousnes but in the name of Christ which is Iesus that is to saye a Sauiour euen that they shoulde beleue that he is the only alone and true sauiour without whom we can do nothinge and without whose merites all our workes although neuer so holy and good are damnable cursed Thus by faith we do all our thinges By faith yea by fayth alone we obtayne all that euer Christ hath and are partakers of the same as his innocencie holines righteousnes wysedome perfectiō the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting lyfe not that faith is our worcke and therefore so nobly recompensed but that it is the hande organ and instrument wherewith we take and laye hande on Christe oure Sauiour For all thinge is prepared geuen and purchassed for vs before and fayth doth no more but take embrace this benefite cleueth surely vnto it doubteth not but that Christ hath obtayned performed al things for her For Christ is frely geuen vnto vs to be our sauiour whō the father hath set forth vnto vs to be our mercistocke so that whosoeuer wil haue enioye euerlasting saluatiō must haue and enioye it by Christ and by none other Therfore ought we all to laye hand on him with a strōg and vnshaken faith But he that wil not laye hand on him receaue him as his one only alone omni sufficiēt Sauiour but sticke to his owne workes righteousnes he wtout faile shal be dāned for euer and euer For to this ende haue we Christ geuen vs of god the father to be oure Sauiour that by him we should haue power to be made the sonnes of God I meane al suche as beleue in his name denie and forsake them selfes and their workes only ioye reioyce and glory in the name of Christe wyshing and desieringe only by that name to be made holy and acceptable before the presence of gods maiestie When we haue thus thorow faith and confidence in Christ Challenged vnto vs Christ all his merites with all the fruites ▪ commodities and profites that he gat eyther by hys lyfe or by his death as oure owne and proper goodes then let vs also endeuour oure selfes to set CHRIST afore vs as an example whose lyfe and conuersation whose actes and dedes we in oure lyfe and conuersation in all our actes and dedes ought to folowe For although as we heard afore we deserue nothyng by oure workes yet maye we not be wythout good workes in this life Therfore let vs frame all oure lyfe and all that euer we do after the example of CHRSIT whome the scripture setteth foorth vnto vs two maner of wayes Fyrste as a Sauiour And this is the principall parte of our righteousnes Secondlye as an example that wyth hym we shoulde mortifye and slea olde Adam as sainct Paule sayth So manye of vs as are baptised in Christe are baptised into his death that is to saye that we shoulde crucifye wyth hym oure fleshe and wycked lustes suppresse them and geue no place to the lewde appetite of the fleshe So do we declare our selues to be true Christians as the Apostle sayethe They that belong vnto Christ haue crucified the fleshe with the affectes and lustes therof For he that truly knoweth synne and the wrath of God against synne and howe dearely Christ boughte vs therefore and payde oure raunsome that we might be deliuered from it wil vndoubtedlye hate synne from the verye botome of his hearte And when he shall not be able to resiste it it wil maruellously trouble him Yea he wil be inwardly sory and study all meanes possible how he maye represse that synne and be able to tame restrayne that wicked fleshe Again if he truly beleue howe louinge merciful and gētle god hath shewed hymselfe toward him thorow Christe our Sauiour and how god hath pleasured hym frely and without deseruing he shall greatly be prouoked and styrred vp to laboure and to study how he maye serue and please god againe and for his sake loue his neighbour whome god hath commended vnto hym not onely if he be his frende but also though he be his vtter ennemie For Christ receaued him by his passion and death saued hym euen then when he was his enemie Thus doth the true diligent and earnest consideratiō of the passiō of Christe worke in vs true fruites and good workes that is to saye the mortifying and crucifying of olde Adam as Paule saieth They that haue put on Christ he meaneth by faith or they that be of Christ haue crucifyed their fleshe withall her concupiscences yea if any man be in Christ he is a newe creature so that we in the passion crosse and death of the olde man should be made like to Christe to his passion and death For so hath god ordayned Thus breifly haue we declared how we ought trulye to consider the passion of Christ with the fruites and causes therof By the which passion deth we ar deliuered from Sathan from synne
of Christ Notwithstādyng this confirmeth other and so is God glorified by my blood and death and my neighbor by this means is cōfirmed in the faith although by it he be not deliuered from death For that is done only by the deathe of the true shepherd as it hath ben oftentymes sayde And here also come in the mercenaries or hirelynges and the wolues In the former doctrine of faith are that mercenaries Moses the law the prophets and al men be they counted neuer so rightous For no man is able to defend hym selfe as I may let other thyngs passe agaynst the wolfe that is to say the deuyll and sinne But in thys doctrine of charitie the wolues are false teachers and tyrantes which persecute and condemne the doctrine of the Gospell But the true godly man is not afrayde whenne he seeth the wolfe yea rather then he wold be the cause that any man should be offended and fall away from the word the true knowlege of Christ he wyl ieopard his hed lyfe and all that euer he hath as the exaumples of the Apostles and of the holy martyrs do abundantly declare These were not afrayd at the cruelnes of the wolfe that they shold ones flee So ought it to be nowe He that professeth him self a teacher of Gods word and a shepherd of the Lordes flocke there is so great sinceritie required of hym that he should onely seke the glorie of God and the saluation of his neighbour If he be not only carefull for these things but hunteth after his owne commoditie and profite then wyll not he abyde the comming of the wolf For he wil either cowardly flee and forsake the shepe or ells he wyll holde his peace and suffer the shepe to runne astray without foode that is to say without the worde of God They are the very hyrelynges whiche teache for their owne priuate lucre and aduantage and are not content with this that God geueth them sufficient for theyr dayly foode For we that ar in the ministerie ought to require no more then meate drinke and cloth as the Apostle saith hauyng foode and rayment let vs be contente For we brought not hynge into the worlde neyther shall wee carie any thyng out of it They that require more are hyrelynges and care not for the shepe But on the contrarye parte a trewe teacher for the safegarde of the shepe putteth his head life goodes and all that euer he hathe in ieopardie And thys is the seconde doctrine cōcerning the example of the good and true shepheard CHRIST which pertaineth not onely vnto them that are in the ministerie but also vnto al Christians For all men ought to confesse the truth and rather to lose their lyues then to forsake the worde and to imbrace idolatrie For this they knowe that they haue a shephearde whiche to this ende gaue his lyfe that althoughe they also bee enforced to geue theyr lyfe yet shall they receaue it agayne and neuer lose it after Nowe Christe goeth foorthe and maketh mencion of hys shepe and putteth a difference betwene them and other shepe And this he doothe for this purpose to make a diuersitie betwene his doctrine and heresy or any other doctrine saying I am the good shepherd and I knowe my shepe and my shepe knowe me As the Father hath knowen me and I know the father and I geue my lyfe for my shepe As though he should say Thus goeth the matter If ye wyl be my shepe and knowledge that I in dede am youre shephearde so shall ye be withoute perill and daunger Therfore a true teacher ought to sette foorth none other thyng vnto men but Christ alone that he maye be truely knowen what he is and what he geueth that no man turne asyde from his worde but that he alone be taken for the true and good shepheard which geueth his lyfe for his shepe This oughte to be sette foorthe vnto menne that they maye knowe theyr shephearde Therfore this doctrine is to bee receaued as an ensample that as Christ dyd and suffred all thynges for vs so likewise we shold gladly do suffre al things for the wordes sake Whyche twoo thynges are to bee taughte in the Churche Hee that heareth and vnderstandeth these thynges is Christes shepe as he hym selfe sayeth My sheepe heare my voyce Hee that teacheth trewely is a good shepehearde thys one thynge excepted that hee canne not geue hys lyfe for the sheepe on suche sorte as our Sauiour Christ dydde But they that heare not thys doctrine or wyll not sette it foorthe to the sheepe are not the sheepe of CHRISTE neyther are they the trewe shepheardes but they are in dede hyrelynges yea and rauening wolues Suche are not to be herd but to be eschued as the deuill After this sorte goeth it with the doctrine of the pope which is full both of errours and heresies He setteth not forth the wordes of Christ sincerely and purely when he sayeth I am the good shepherd and I geue my lyfe for my shepe But the Pope teacheth thus He that will be safe against the wolfe that is to say against the deuyl and deathe he must be his owne shepheard and loke for help in his owne works As ye know what thyngs they taught in the Popedome of the sacrifice of the Masse of purgatorie of pilgrimages of vowes of the monasticall lyfe of the workes of supererogation c. If therfore we will be true christians we muste folowe the shepe whiche knowe the voyce of their shephearde and take hede vnto that As for a strangers voyce they knowe not neyther wyll they heare it Therfore we ought to send them away from vs with these words I know not thy voyce I heare a wolfe which goeth about to pluck me away from the flock of Christ. Away hence with this woluysh houling I wil folow my shepherd and heare his voice For so saith Christ here They shal heare my voyce And a litle before he said They folow no strāger but flee from hym because they know not the voyce of strangers For it is not possible that a shepe whiche hath begunne to beleue and hath herd that voice of his shepheard receiued it shold here allowe that doctrine whyche is contrary to the voyce of Christe The shepe heareth the commaundementes of Emperours Kynges Princes Maiestrates c. but it knoweth that these thynges pertayn not vnto saluation For thys worketh not saluation because this politike and ciuile obedience is declared and shewed But whē a teacher commethe foorthe with this doctrine and saythe If thou wylt bee saued thou thy selfe muste satisfy for thy synnes Thou must cause Masses to be sayd for thee Thou must geue almes that thy sinnes may be forgeuen thee Thou must put on S. Francis coule that thou dying and beynge buried in the same mayst be saued c. In this case the shepe heareth not but sayth I know
the worlde shal reioyce ye shal sorow but your sorow shal be turned to ioy A womā whē she trauayleth hath sorow because her houre is come But assone as she is delyuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguishe for ioy that a man is borne into the worlde And ye nowe therfore haue sorowe but I wyll see you agayne and your heartes shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take from you THE EXPOSITION THis Gospell is parte of that longe sermon whiche Christe made vnto his disciples for to conforte and confirme them in the waye of trueth after his last supper before he suffered This conforte tendeth specially to this ende that for the shortnes of the tentation which should chaunce very vehemēt to the Disciples by the reason of Christs passion and death they should not despaire but be on a good conforte and courage forasmuche as he would absente hym selfe from them but a litle while that he would comme againe vnto them after his resurrection and make them ioyeful and mery for euer after so that of this their ioye there should be no ende The Euangeliste S. Iohn maketh many wordes in this behalfe and oftentimes repeateth the same that the Disciples did not vnderstande what Christe ment by this his saying A lytle while And although christ declared his mind ī this behalfe yet did not they vnderstande it But this is not written for the disciples only For S. Iohn by this wolde signifye wherof all we haue dayly experience that we are not able well and truly to cōsider this saying and that we are not free frō that thing which did so greatly hinder the vnderstandinge of the disciples For when tentation was at hande and the most ignominious and spitefull death of Christ troubled al their wittes they could not then cōsider what this lytle while ment but their heartes were so astonyed that they thought Christe to be vtterly vndone that they shortly after should also comme to that point and for Christes sake be in lyke maner moste miserably handled But that this their sorowe and tentation should not continew past two or three daies when the Lorde Christ should rise again from death vnto an euerlastyng lyfe and helpe them here in this worlde againste the worlde deuill synne and death and at the laste geue them a moste ioyefull and euerlastinge lyfe in the worlde to comme that vnderstode they not neither though they it possible Therfore S. Iohn afterwarde in his Gospel declareth how the disciples hyd them selues and kepte thē secret for feare of the Iewes neither wolde they beleue that Christe was rysen again although the women Peter and other two disciples declared it vnto them To be short they coulde not beleue that whiche Christe spake vnto them of A lytle whyle For they thought that Christ shoulde haue remayned in death still as other men do otherwise they woulde neuer haue bene so weake and fainte hearted but with a lustye courage and stronge hope they woulde haue looked for his resurrection We maruell at the infirmitie and weakenes of the disciples and yet for al that when we be assayled with the lyke tentation and in daunger to be ouerwhelmed with the waues of the like aduersitie we forget also that A litle whyle and caste awaye all hope of confort and thincke that this oure vexation and trouble will continewe so long as we lyue We can not be persuaded by any meanes that this trouble will cōtinue but a lytle while and that God in his tyme wyll geue a fortunate and ioyefull ende to these oure euilles and miseries And by this means are we in tentation clene out of courage and vtterly dismayde fallyng to lamentynge and wepinge as thoughe there were no GOD that wolde helpe vs or had any regard vnto vs When not withstandinge the blessed Apostle S. Paule commandeth vs to ioye and reioyce in trouble not onely for the assured deliuerance whiche muste nedes chaunce to the faithfull but also because that by the crosse and trouble a moste certein and sure tryall is made whereby we knowe that we are the sonnes of GOD and heires of euerlastynge lyfe as we shall more at large declare hereafter This Gospell therfore contayneth a moste noble and notable doctrine of conforte not onely for the Disciples of Christe but also for all Christians that in tentations and afflictions they shoulde euer haue before their eyes and remember this A lytle whyle and diligentlye consider that althoughe reason and mans wytt can not see howe deliueraunce maye cōme yet that we shall not be left succourles in those oure euilles not without helpe and confort but that they shall shortly haue an ende againe that in steade of them ioye and gladnes shall comme and continually abyde with vs. And that this confort ioye gladnes maye the better be perceaued of vs we wyll at this present speake altogether of the crosse and afflictions Mannes witt and reason thinketh and Iudgeth on this wyse If God had any regard vnto vs the godly shold neuer be in so great miseries and troubles as they are And therefore when there aryse diuerse troubles which diuersely vexe vs our mynde thynketh straight wayes that god hath eyther vtterly forgotten vs or that he hateth vs and regarde vs not otherwise that we coulde neuer lacke his defence and helpe Against these thoughtes and imaginations of reason we muste get vs ayde and helpe out of the worde of God lest we suffer this matter to be disputed after the iudgemēt of reason where as we ought to referre the whole iudgement in this behalfe vnto the worde of god For if we iudge these thinges without the worde our iudgement shall be false and nothing to the purpose But what sayeth the worde Fyrste of all it sayth that not somuche as an heare of our head shall fall to the grounde without the wil of God Of this worde then this followeth that although the kingdom of the deuill and the worlde be a mightie and stronge kyngdome yet that it can do nothing at al against a Christian man but so farre as God doth permit and suffer it As Christ sheweth also by this his saying One of these litle sparowes shal not fall vnto the groūd with out the will of the father The price of a sparowe is but lytle It is solde for halfe a farthing yet Christe sayth that God hath care of it How muche more shal he care for the godly whiche are better then many sparowes He will not therfore suffer the deuil and the worlde to do with them that their pleasure is but what his good will is so that what soeuer hindraunce shall chaunce to the godly thorow the deuill and the worlde it can not be without the prouidence of god neither can they rage further then God appointeth The surges of the Sea are maruelous sayeth Dauid but the Lorde on hye is
vnder correction wherof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Thus see we by the wonderful and certein consent both of sentences and examples and by them are we taught that god not of euill but of good will not of displeasure but of fauoure correcteth vs and that in the middest of our trouble we should knowe the good wil of god and certeinly be persuaded that God although our affliction be neuer so great doth not hate vs nor set naught by vs but rather that this correctiō is a most assured signe that he loueth vs and taketh vs for his children seinge he doth so louingly correcte and chasten vs. Nowe must we also learne to knowe the cause why God doth so correcte punishe his children S. Paule setteth it forth in these his wordes we are corrected of the Lorde sayth he that we should not be damned with the worlde And Dauid sayeth It is highly for my profite that thou hast corrected me that I mighte learne thy righteous ordinaunces Esay the Prophete also sayeth vexation geueth vnderstanding For this is certen if god wold serue our fansies accomplishe our desires and neuer send vs aduersitie and trouble we should become altogether secure and carelesse neither shoulde we at any tyme call our synne vnto remembraunce nor care for the worde nor geue oure selues vnto prayer But when now and then we and such thinges as appertayne vnto vs are assayled with aduersitis misfortunes thē haue we a iuste nedeful cause not only to fal vnto prayer but also to remēber our sins our former wicked life to cōsider that suche plagues punishmēts chaunce vnto vs for our syns And that therfore we ought frō hensforth to liue more warely to lay aside our sins to feare god to fram our life according to his blessed will c. that by this means god seing our cōuersion may either take awaye those paines frō vs or els mitigate ease them as it semeth best to his godly wisedō as s. Paule saieth in his epistle to the Hebrues the heauēly father nurtereth vs for our profit to the intent the he may minister of his holines vnto vs. We therfore may not despaire because of the crosse We should rather thincke on this maner with our selues By this signe token I perceaue right well that God is merciful vnto me fauoreth loueth me for he nurtereth me as his sonne by these aduersities and afflictiōs his pleasure is to put me in remēbrāce of my sins to cal me vnto repentance that by this meanes I may amend that is a misse fromhensforth auoide sinne no more offend my heauenly father He that doth this vseth the crosse a right neither doth he murmur against God in his aduersitie nor yet thorowe impaciencie is brought vnto that point that he fleeth vnto supersticious idolatrous wicked artes to be released of his trouble but paciently quietly he abideth the helpe of god feruently by prayer desireth the same Now ensueth the fourth parte of this matter After that we be thorowly persuaded that nothing can chaunce vnto vs without the will of god and that it is Gods pleasure when aduersitie trouble chaunce vnto vs that it is for our saluation that we are thus afflicted troubled we must also assuredly assure our selues of this thing that god wil geue a fortunate ende to these our troubles and most prosperously deliuer vs from them as S. Paule saith god is faithful whiche shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but shall in the middes of the temptation make a waye that ye maye be able to beare it And vnto this confort do those thinges cheifly pertaine that Christ speaketh here of that A lytle while Against this doctrine of A lytle while are two thinges First whē we are opprest with the greatnes vehemēcie of afflictiō or trouble so that there appeareth none other thinge but that the very crosse wil haue the vppermost hand that nothing so far as reasō iudgeth can preuayle against it as we haue in the example of king Ezechias Whē Rabsakes the captaine of the hoost of the king of the Assiriās required that the Citie of Ierusalem should be yelded and geuen ouer vnto hym Ezechias sent vnto Esaye the Prophete with this embassage This is the day of trouble of plague of blasphemie for the children are comme to the place of byrth but there is no power to bring them forth And Christ here also vseth the same similitude of a woman that goeth on her trauayle There appeareth to be very great peril both of the mother of the child For the afflictiōs are not small as it is set forth in a certein psalme where Christ him self crieth out on this maner Saue me O God for the waters are cōme in euen vnto my soule I sticke faste in the depe myre where no grounde is I am comme into depe waters so that the fluddes runne ouer me Secōdly whē we se no waye howe to escape that great daūger Thē we straightwayes fal to desperatiō nether cā we beleue that this matter is but of a litle while And vnto this ende specially belonged the similitude of the woman that trauaileth of child whiche CHRSIT vseth here For here the peril semeth to be infinitie vnmeasurable and endlesse and yet sodeinly commeth there greate ioye as lyfe springinge out of death when a man is borne into the worlde the mother also beinge safe and with out daunger In consideration wherof al the sadnes is turned into gladnes These thinges chaunce dayly And where as some time the ende of suche trauaile is not gladnes that chaunceth but seldome The common trade is as Christ saith that sodenly and vnlooked for sounde ful true and perfect ioye foloweth sorow and sadnes as the Psalmographe sayeth Heuines may endure for a night but ioye commeth in the morning This would Christe haue his Disciples to learne when they are tossed and troubled with the waues of cruell aduersitie that they maye thincke and remember this his saying A lytle while as S. Paule sayeth to the Hebrues No maner chastisynge for the present tyme semeth to be ioyous but greuous neuerthelesse afterwarde it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto them whiche are exercised thereby So that it is fyrste called A lytle while for the sodayne vnloked for mutation or chaunge whiche chaunceth soner then we looked for Secondlye affliction is called A lytle while because this short trouble shall be turned into euerlastinge ioye and this sorowfull transitorie lyfe into a ioyefull perpetuall lyfe as Christe sayde to his Disciples ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned into ioye For what is to be thought of al that time wherin Lazarus paraduenture ten or twentie yeares was in miserie and affliction in respect of that tyme whiche is afterward in
Christ hath not the holy Ghost neyther can he thynke any godly thinge aright And although he doth that which of the owne nature is not vicious and wicked but agreable to the commaundementes of God yet dothe he the same as a seruant onely for feare not frely to shew his obedience to the will of God so that the worlde is euen suche one as lyke a most bondslaue is ledde of the deuyll which can neither speake do or thinke any thing that good and godly is as S. Iohn saith The world is altogether set on wyckednes The reason hereof is this For incredulitie is the fountayne and welspring of all euyll And he that exactly and throughly desireth to describe the worlde may well saye on this maner The worlde is a multitude of men which beleue not in Christ and therfore hate curse and blaspheme his worde whiche inwardly in their heartes outwardly in their dedes and workes steale robbe kylle commytte whoredome and are bent to all kynde of lewdnes and wickedly abuse all the good gyftes of God All suche sayth Christ in this place shall you myne Apostles and ministers of the worde haue euermore your aduersaries with suche muste you haue to doo This rebukyng of the worlde shall not be taken away before the laste daye but it shall bee continuallye taught that whatsoeuer is the worlde that beleueth not on Christ that pertayneth not vnto the kyngdom of Christ but vnto the deuyll not only for the notorious and outward syns but also for this principall and moste greuous synne I meane incredulitie or vnbelefe Neyther dothe this profite any thyng at all that thou keepest this or that monasticall rule that thou doest this or that woorke For so longe as incredulitie is presente thou arte a damned synner neyther canste thou auoyde damnation so longe as thou remaynest in that state The one and alone waye to escape damnation is to geue ouer thyne incredulitie and to beleue in Christe and to holde fast this confort agaynst synne deuyll and deathe As concernyng Faithe what it is it is not vnknowen vnto you and ye haue many tymes heard that Faythe is not onely to knowe and beleue that the hystorie of Christe is true but faithfully to be persuaded that all that euer Christe dydde was doone for thy sake for thy cōmoditie and wealthe for thy health and euerlastynge saluation For the deuyll also knoweth that Christ dyed and doothe as certainly beleue it as all the Papistes of the worlde but he beleueth not that Christe dyed for hym and for his saluation Thys Fayth that we here speake of that all that Christe dyd was done for our sake and for our saluation is onely the gyfte of the holye Ghoste Hee that hath not thys Faythe that he can saye Christe dyed for me that I myghte be delyuered from synne and euerlastynge deathe is vngodly and appertayneth not vnto the kyngdome of Christ neyther hath he remoued synne from him whatsoeuer good works he dothe and taketh neuer soo muche payne otherwyse And this is the firste parte of the office of the holy Ghost that all thyngs are wrapped in synne and that we with all our good workes are not withstandyng iudged of the holy Ghoste synners and so damned forasmuche as we beleue not in Christ Iesu. Therefore lette vs refuse and vtterlye caste awaye coules monkyshe orders foolyshe vowes superstitious fastynges vnfaythfull prayers mens wicked traditions vnfruitfull ceremonies and ydell obseruations of mennes mooste ydell inuentions and carnall imaginations and moreouer what soeuer we haue taken vppon vs to this ende that we maye obteyne Remission of oure synnes and lette vs laye on hande and holde faste trewe Faythe in Christe For these thynges can not agree together that I should saye Christe dyed for me and yet I dooe and obserue certayne woorkes that I maye bee iustified and saued by them He that can not abyde to bee rebuked of the holye Ghoste for suche thynges It is a manyfeste signe that he doothe not beleue and that he is a damned synner and of the number of them that doo not beleue in Christe Iesu. The seconde parte is that the Holye Ghoste wyll rebuke the worlde of ryghteousnesse Thys alsoo is an harde sayenge The worlde hathe Synne but it hathe not Ryghteousnesse neyther dothe it knowe howe it shoulde bee Iustifyed and made Ryghteous But what is thys Ryghteousnesse Lawe and righteousnes be the chiefe thynges of the worlde And the Philosophers haue prescribed Rules and Preceptes of the Offices and dueties of Righteousnesse and of other vertues that menne myght lyue an honest and Ciuile lyfe Neyther canne thys be counted vnrighteous to hange vp theues to punyshe adulterers c. Yea it is an acte bothe ryghte and good But Christe speakethe not here of that Ryghteousnesse whiche the world counteth righteousnes but of that righteousnes whyche is of valour and wyll goe for payment before God He speaketh not here of politike and humayne iustice or rightousnes but of that which is comprehended in this worde of Christe I go vnto the Father and ye shall see me no more This is more mysticall and harder to be vnderstanded then the last where it is pronounced that it is synne not to beleue in Christe For thus men thynke that they haue naturall strength inough to lyue godly to prepare them selues vnto grace and to praye for it And that is the cause nowe a dayes also that the Papists can not perceaue nor vnderstand this doctrine so far out of frame semeth here the description of righteousnes that thou art then righteous when Christe goeth vnto the Father and thou seest hym no more This is a meruailous goodly text and nothynge can bee more euident and playne then this description For what will man nowe glorye and boaste hymselfe of his good works Christes worde is manyfest in this place that righteousnes is not gotten by woorkes but it is gotten by this meanes onely that Christe gothe to the Father This his iourney and goynge vnto the Father is the true and euerlastynge righteousnes This knowledge is vtterly vnknowen vnto the worlde For in all his monumentes and bookes there is not one syllable of this rightousnes This is sette foorth in theyr bookes that he whyche kepeth the tenne commaundementes dothe nothyng agaynst honestie publique ordinances lawes custome c. is a good honeste and righteous man But Christe speaketh not one worde here what I ought to doo or to leaue vndoone but he speakethe symply and onely of his owne worke that is to saye that he goeth vnto the Father and that we shall see hym no more and that this is our righteousnes and none other thyng Therefore when we doo determyne to get vs true ryghteousnesse we maye not go about to obteyne it with our owne workes and with our owne righteousnes It maketh nothyng vnto this matter to become a Monke to watche to faste
to praye c. But the whole pythe and summe of the matter consisteth in this and so is delyuerance frome synne obteyned that thou knowest that Christ is gone vnto the Father although good workes may not be left vndone For thou arte commanded of God in the tenne commaundementes to doo them and diligentely to exercise thy selfe in all good dedes commaunded of God and prescribed in hys holye woorde But thow mayste not adde thys vnto theym That thou sekest to bee iustified and made ryghteous by theym For by thys is righteousnesse onely to bee goten that CHRIST is gone vnto the Father Thys is the alone waye and none other whereby wee are delyuered frome our synnes and iustifyed Christes iourneye or goyng vnto the Father is none other thynge thenne that hee hathe suffered dyed on the Crosse and by deathe is gone awaye oute of the worlde vnto the Father that is He is ascended into heauen and there sytteth on the ryghte hande of GOD the Father and gouerneth his Kyngedome Wee see not thys but we beleue it Thys is the whole matter whereby we are iustifyed so that ryghteousnesse is not to bee imputed to my strengthe or power but to Iesus Christe because hee goeth vnto the Father And yf wee wylle speake it wyth playne woordes it is thus muche to saye No man is iustified or saued or delyuered from synne but by this onely that Iesus Christ hath suffered dyed and risen agayne This goyng of Christ iustifieth thee and none other thyng But nowe marke howe that doothe agree wyth thys doctrine that the Papistes teache He that wyll be saued say they must bryng that to passe with his owne workes In dede this is godly and truely sayd that a Christen man must lyue in this worlde godlye iustly and holyly but that he shall bee made righteous by his holy and good workes that is most false For it is here playne that the goynge of Christe vnto the Father worketh that onely This is the assured certayn true and infallible righteousnes wherof the worlde knoweth nothynge The Holye Ghoste onely reueleth and openeth that mysterie But the Papistes obiecte thys saying of Christe agaynst vs If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes Thys hathe an other maner of meanynge And by this it appearethe euidentely that the Papystes knowe not what it is to keepe the commaundementes For yf they dydde they woulde otherwyse expounde that sentence of CHRIST Therefore this sayenge abydethe sure and certayne that there is none other Ryghteousenesse and Euerlastynge lyfe for vs thenne thys that the Lorde Christe Iesus is gone oute of thys worlde vnto the Father Holde faste thys Doctrine and lette not the deuyll by any meanes plucke it awaye frome thee The deuyll maye feare me and trouble my conscience for of oure owne strengthes wee are not able to preuayle agaynst hym but there is an other way which not I but Christe goeth thoroughe hyghe obedience towarde his heauenly Father Hym that is to saye CHRIST shall the deuyll neuer bee able to make vnryghteous or a synner althoughe thoroughe synne hee hathe the hygher hande of me Therefore lette thys bee oure assured truste and synguler great conforte and stedfastely beleue that by Christes goyng vnto the Father wee haue ryghteousnesse euen Remyssion of oure synnes and Euerlastynge lyfe For Faythe is necessarie to embrace thys woorke of oure Sauiour Christe The goynge and worke of Christ is certayne Christe hath fynyshed all the whole matter soo that nowe there remaynethe nothynge elles but that we embrace thys woorke of Christe wyth a sure and vndoubted Faythe and conforte our selues therewyth Doest thou beleue it So haste thou it Doest thou not beleue it Then haste thou nothyng Thys is doone that we shoulde vtterly caste awaye our owne ryghteousnesse whyche is altogether spotted and vnpure as the Prophete saythe All oure ryghteousnesses are as a polluted and defyled clothe and sette all oure Faythe hope truste and confydence onely vppon CHRIST alone and vppon his worke or goynge vnto hys Father that we may be at all tymes certayne and sure where to reste and of whome to seeke our saluation For yf oure Righteousnesse dydde consyste in our owne woorkes and satisfactions in oure owne confession and contrition as they preached and yet do in the Popes church so should our heartes neuer be quiet neither shold we at any tyme bee certayne and sure of our saluation For whenne shoulde we knowe and be sure that we haue bene sorye ynoughe confessed doone penaunce ynoughe and made satisfaction ynoughe Therefore hathe CHRIST taken all that matter frome vs and layde it vppon hym selfe that wee shoulde leaue to hym alone moste stedfastely beleeuynge that hys goyng vnto the Father hys deathe and satisfaction is oure Ryghteousnesse For in this behalfe there can bee no vncertayntie For the persone is suche euen CHRISTE Iesus the sonne of GOD as in whome no faulte canne be founde And he it is that dothe thys worke whyche was ordeyned of the Father that by hym we myght haue healpe agaynste synne deuyll and deathe In consideration wherof Iohn Baptist calleth him the lambe of God saying Beholde that lambe of God that taketh awaye the synne of the worlde Thys therefore is a moste perfect determination in thys oure Gospelle that ryghteousnesse consisteth not in that we eyther doo or leaue vndoone but in thys that Christe goeth vnto the Father Whyche ryghteousnesse whenne that thou haste ones gotten through Fayth then do thou also good workes and apply thy self to the vttermost of thy power to shew thyâ—e obedience whyche thou owest vnto GOD. For before thou haste embraced Christe wyth a certayne and sure Faythe thou canste doo noo good woorke The Christen ryghteousnesse therefore is a mooste synguler and excellente ryghteousnesse whiche no hearte can thynke no reason or wysedome can conceaue All the matter is to be knowen and learned of the Holye Ghoste Neyther though we heare it can neither though we heare it can it otherwise be perceaued then by faith alone as Christe sayth here I go vnto the father yea shall se me no more That is to say ye must beleue otherwise shal ye neuer coÌ„preheÌ„de this my worke of your iustification This is the Christian righteousnes whiche the holy ghoste alone teacheth Of the righteousnes of the world Philolosophers Lawyers and the expositours of the lawe do teache parentes also in their familie But a Christen mans knowledge is an other maner of science wherof the worlde knoweth nothing namely that without faith all things are sin that the true euerlasting righteousnes consisteth in this only that Christ goeth to the father we se him no more The third part is that the holy ghoste also rebuketh the worlde of iudgement What maner of iudgement this is Christ sheweth on this wise The prince of the world saieth he is iudged Therfore as the
the worlde with all his tyranny shall shortly vanishe awaye and for euer after be plagued in hel fyre But contrariwise thy affliction shall not endure long but euerlasting ioye shall come in place thereof where a momēt of an houre is better then a thousand yeres in this lyfe although the worldly ioye were not entermedled with any greife or sorowe This consolation confirmation doth so replenish Iohns hearte with ioye that he doth not only not feare death but he also geueth God thankes that by this meanes he is deliuered from this body of synne and translated and remoued vnto euerlasting lyfe But from whence hath the holy ghoste this cōfort from the father saith Christ here For the holy Ghoste procedeth from the father And this is a noble and notable sentence to confirme our article of the Trinitie For if the holy ghoste procedeth from the father then must it nedes folowe that he is euerlastinge For nothinge can procede from the father but that is of his owne nature essence and substance Therfore as god the Sonne is euerlasting because he was begotten of the euerlastinge father for god can beget nothynge but that is like to hymselfe so is this also a necessarie consequence that the holy ghost whiche procedeth frō god is euerlasting But this article we will leaue at this presēt whē time requireth we will speake more largely of it But where with doth the holy ghost cōforte Of me saith Christe shall he beare witnesse As though he shoulde saye In this worlde loke for nothinge els but for persecution emprisonment losse of goods and at the last death This is the rewarde of the true Christians in this lyfe But be not dismayde The holy ghost shall come vnto thee conforte thee He shall testifie of me He shall put thee in remēbrance of me He shall so encourage thee enflame thee with the loue of me that thou shalt feare the tyranny of the worlde nothinge at all He shal not encrease the with vaine richesse as the worlde doth but he shall beare witnes of me so that although thou shouldest loose al that euer thou hast thy wife thy children thy lande thy possessions thy houshold stuffe c. Yea thy head life This yet should be thy confort that Christ Iesus remaineth vnto thee safe sounde vntouched which for thy sake for thy health saluation for thy cōmoditie and profit came down from heauē was made man died rose again ascended into heauen according to the articles of the Christen faith If this be true as nothing is more true why thē sholdest thou feare Thus speketh the holy ghost dayly in the heartes of the afflicted Christiās vnto their great encouragemēt cōfort And verely he that died for our sake can not hate vs nor beare any euill will against vs. If he then loueth vs what shold we feare as though he loued vs not Yea what shold we not be cōtent to suffer to lose so that we may obtaine Christ his richesse as the Apostle saith I thīcke al things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesu my Lord. For whome I haue coūted all thing losse and do iudge them but vile that I may wynne Christ and be foounde in him c. And this is that which Christ here saith He shal beare witnesse of me for in this testimonie or witnes consisteth the whole confort Therfore these wordes Of me are worthie to be writen in letters of gold diligently to be obserued For these wordes are able to assure vs that the holy ghost bringeth no new doctrine neyther setteth he forth vnto vs Moises or any other thing to cōforte the conscience but Christ alone his worde For nothing can cōforte the conscience but the testimonie witnesse bearing of Christ of his death resurrection All other thinges trouble fraye the conscience by whatsoeuer name they be called lawe good workes Pilgrimages worshippinge of saints c. For god him selfe when we deale with him withoute Christ is terrible neither can we finde any fauour or conforte at his hande but anger wrath displeasure as Christ sayth I am the waye the truth and the lyfe No man cometh vnto the father but by me Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Ambrose Christ alone is our mouth whereby we speake to the father oure eye whereby we see the father our right hande whereby we offer to the father whiche Christ excepte he make intercession for vs neither we nor all the saintes haue any thing to do with god The doctrine that setteth forth Christ that bringeth true consolation maketh the heartes of men mery All other bring to the afflicted conscience not conforte but disconforte not lyfe but death not saluation but damnation Therfore all the matter cōsisteth in this one point that thou truly rightly and certeinly know this consolatiō confort so mayste thou be bolde to saye I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche died for me And I know that the holy ghost whiche is and is called a conforter wil bring none other testimonie confort then this alone that he shal testifie and beare witnesse of Christ which alone and non other will I admitte and receaue For if there were any conforte better or surer then this the holy ghost wolde also haue brought it but he doth nothing elles then testifie of Christ. But why doth Christ vse the worde of testifyinge or bearing of witnes This is don to this ende that we should the more diligently attende and marke the worde For this is certein and true that the worke of the holy ghost is inwardly in the hearte But yet will not he administer this worke otherwise then by the outwarde worde as Paule also saith that fayth cōmeth by the hearyng of the worde Therfore Christe calleth the holy ghost a witnesse nowe doth he beare wytnes by the mouth and word of the Apostles and Preachers whiche sincerelye and purely set forth the gospell of Christ. Therfore he that desireth conforte may not tarye tyl the holy ghost come personally and preache Christ vnto him or speake vnto him frō heauē He geueth forth his witnes openly in the worde ther is he to be sought and loked for tyll by the worde which thou outwardly hearest he touche thy hearte so inwardly thorowe his workyng thou felest his testimonie of Christ. But this inward witnesse cometh not except the outwarde witnesse of the worde goeth before wherin it is declared that Christ for oure sake became man was crucified died and rose again So that the summe of this gospel is that if we entende to be Christians we maye not in this lyfe loke for richesse dignities renowne glorie c. But rather thincke most certeinly that for this our profession we shall haue the world an enemy to persecute vs besydes the vexatiōs of synne deuill and death Therfore when these tormentes
cause for men to depart from his baptisme preachynge ministration of the Lordes supper c. But if he alter not nor change the institution and commaundement of Christe what soeuer he bee although neuer so synfull and wycked persone yet hyndreth that nothyng at all the ministerie Therefore he that wyll ryghtly and truely discerne these two churches he maye not onely haue an eye to the ministerie For the false churche also may haue the mynisterie and yet is it not the true Churche As the false Churche in lyke maner vsurpethe the name of GOD and glorieth of it but we maye not therfore beleue it For the thyrde commaundement chargethe vs that we take not the name of GOD in vayne And where as we aske in the fyrst petition of the Lordes Prayer that the name of God maye be sanctifyed This doothe also argue that this name of God is prophanated and dishonoured of many Therefore when the false churche vnder the name of God and of the Churche curseth and condemneth thee it is nothynge to the purpose neyther nedest thou feare any thyng at all theyr curse and cōdemnation but streight wayes make thou a difference betwene the trewe and false churche and saye I heare well the name of god and of the Churche but the vngodly also can and do vsurpe that For excepte it were so we shoulde haue no nede of thys commaundement that wee shoulde not take the name of God in vayne Wherefore we muste fyrst of all consyder thys whyther they vse the name of God and of hys Church aryght or not And vnto this matter dothe the rule greatly helpe whyche Christe prescribeth in thys place when he in the ryght colours poynteth and setteth foorth the fals churche For the true churche doothe not vsurpe the power of the swearde and of temporall punyshement But the false churche chalengeth this power and moste cruelly persecuteth the trewe Churche as Christe prophecied before that it should come to passe By thys mayst thou well knowe whyche is the fals church But yet this is a more certayn argumēt that Christ saith These things shal they do to you because they neyther knowe me nor my Father Here is also the false churche paynted and sette foorthe in her right colours with her ordinarie power They may cloke theyr matters with the name of God and of the churche and so bleare the eyes of the vnwyse and symple as theyr manner is to doo but yet for all theyr fayre shewe and glorious pretence Christe sayth that they neither knowe hym nor hys Father But what is it to know Christ and his Father It is not to say Masse to be shauē in the crown to wear a typpet a long gowne to be cladde with a monkes coule to vowe pouertie chastitie and obedience at the appoyntement of Antichriste to absteyne frome fleshe and to enforce the bealy with all kynde of daintie fyshe to lyue idelly in the cloyster of other mens labours c. But to knowe Christe is to beleue that Christ is the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde whyche for our sake became man dyed for vs on the crosse rose agayn from the dead ascended into heauen c. Wyth this full persuasion and assured hope that God wyll be mercyfull vnto vs for his sonne Christ Iesus sake And this is to know the Father to be throughly persuaded that he for his son Christes sake will haue mercy on vs and not impute our synnes vnto vs but frankly frely forgeue them for Christes sake Where this knowledge is there is the true churche But where this knowledge is not there is not the true churche although the ministerie and the name of God be there Therfore we muste haue respect to this knowledge aboue all thynges that the true churche may certainly be knowen The scisme or dissention that nowe a dayes is in the Churche offendeth manye that they can not telle to what parte they shoulde ioyne themselues But in thys they fayle and do not theyr duetie in that they wyll not consyder this rule Thys is our doctrine that before God nothing can preuail against synne and death but the alone death and Resurrection of Christ that who soeuer doth truly beleue this is saued But whosoeuer beleueth not this what soeuer workes he dothe besydes he can not be saued Nowe what foundation confirmation and probation we haue for this our doctrine the scriptures both of the olde and newe testamente doo abundantly declare and it hath ben sette foorth afore vnto you many tymes But what hath folowed For this doctrin the Pope and his church most cruelly persecute vs excommunicateth pronounceth and killeth vs as heretikes For this is his doctrin who soeuer loketh to be saued he hymself must make satisfaction for his own sinnes Christe saieth he satisfied onely for Originall synne what soeuer wee offende after Baptisme that muste euery mā make amendes for and with his good workes recompence the same and so pacifye the wrath of GOD. But howe agreeth thys doctrine with the knowledge of Christ For thys is a good consequence If Christ hath satisfied for oure synnes then are not we able to make satisfaction for them Good workes ar not to be left vndone but we must do them for an other purpose then to make satisfaction for our sinnes and to deserue euerlastyng lyfe by them euen to shew our obedience to God and to his holy comaundementes to sette foorth the glory of our heauenly Father to stoppe the mouthes of the aduersaries to declare our Faithe in Christe not to be vayne idle or dead to mortifie olde Adam to profite our neighbour to wyn other vnto the trueth of the Gospell c. Thus see you by this rule of Christ whyche is the right and true churche But notwithstandyng we are caste out of the synagoges and excommunicate of the Pope and his sect because we repose and set our righteousnes and acceptation before God in CHRIST in his deathe and Resurrection Nowe where as the the Pope and hys churche chalengeth vnto them saluation by theyr owne workes merites and satisfactions it is an euidente argumente that they neyther knowe Christ nor the Father Forasmuche as we be well assured and certain that we know Christ aright and the Papistes knowe not Christ it ought not to trouble or moue vs any thynge at all although suche a church as neither knoweth Christ nor the father dothe excommunicate vs and pronounce vs Heretikes and the church of the deuil Let this rather confort vs that we know the sonne and the father and nothing at all care that the Pope doth so greatly auance set forthe himselfe against vs with the name of the church whē in dede his church is nothing els then the very synagoge of Satan Let vs in the meane season looke for an other iudgement where not men with their lewde iudgement but God hym selfe
For whilest thei are so obstinate thei can not be deliuered frō their straiyng so that at the lengthe thei shall be torne and plucte in pieces of the Wolues in wildernesse Wherfore the comfort of the Gospell for sinners ▪ ought not lightly to be estemed bicause Christ their shepherd seketh theim and taketh thē vp as straye shepe Furdermore his doctrine also is necessarie to knowe what is our duetie to this shepherd euen to heare his voyce and to tourne vnto him as the historie of the Publicans and synners maie be an example vnto vs in that thei were conuerted at the woorde of Christe This woorde teacheth nothyng els but that GOD is mercifull vnto synners to saue them for Christes sake so that thei doe not harden their heartes at the voyce of their shepheard and delight with longer wanderyng and straiyng but that after thei haue heard the voyce thei caste thē selues on Christes shoulders whiche hath satisfied for their synnes and reconciled them to God the father And we can not without great synne seyng that GOD hath purchased our deliueraunce so dearely despise and set naught by it but we must with greate and studious labour worship and reuerence his worde and shewe our selues worthie of the companie of sainctes Wherefore this worde ought greatly and studiously to be regarded that we may be defended and strōgly armed against the deuill and our owne hearte least we be in suche an opinion of GOD that he hateth synners For suche a sence and felyng is in all mennes myndes But the helpe of Gods woorde is to bee preferred against this in that that he is the shepheard and doeth proclaime his woorde openly in the worlde to the intent that the stray shepe maie heare it and tourne againe vnto hym Wherefore if thou dooest knowledge this that thou art a straie shepe which by synne art banished farre from the kyngdome of GOD and despaire not but haue respecte to the woorde of Christe as touchyng the shepheard For he is set forthe for thy sake and for all suche as are like thee that thou maiest beginne to repent that thou maiest haue trust before GOD through Christ and walke worthie of God in his kyngdome Neither thinke that thou haste a long respite to take councell of this matter whē the voyce of the shepherd commeth vnto thee but tourne thy self forthwith vnto hym and embrace hym Whiche thing if thou doe thou art saulfe and giuest the Angelles a greate cause of ioye whiche after that will be verie desirous of thy companie and will kepe and defende thee against all perill Where as cōtrariwise the vnpenitent tourne the Angelles to mournyng and therefore are faine to bee without their helpe and defence And in that that Christe is not contente with one parable but putteth there vnto the seconde as concernyng the woman that had loste a grote he doeth it to the intent that other should folowe his example and not vtterly giue vp synners but hunt for them and bryng them to repentaunce For the first parable belongeth onely to Christ our sauiour whiche is onely the true shepherde that embraceth straye shepe with true saluation where as he vestoweth his life for them that thei maie be deliuered from destruction and defended againste the deuill The seconde parable of the woman perteineth to the congregacion which is there in her ministracion and office that synners might be called to repentaunce and deliuered from eternall death and damnacion and obtaineth euerlastyng saluacion She reioyceth also euen as doeth the shepeherd when she findeth her grote she lighteth a cādell euen Gods woorde and swepeth the house that is she teacheth of rightuousnesse and of comforte for Gods mercies sake in Christe before the iudgement of God And by this doctrine commeth the loste grote to light And this is the true and glorious commendacion of Gods woorde whiche onely hath suche vertue that it taketh a waie synne and all the infectiō that came thereof as death damnation the deuill and helle so that wee are no more synners and the enemies of GOD but suche as of whom the Aungelles in heauen and the sainctes in yearth reioyce Wherfore we should worthely magnifie this word and highly esteme the teachers thereof to the ende we might achiue and get this greate benefite therby that is be deliuered from this wanderyng and deuilles daunger so be saued for euer The which thyng the moste bountifull and louyng shepherde of our soules our Lorde Iesu Christ graunte vs through the holy ghost Amen ¶ The .iiij. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie The Gospell Luke vi BE ye mercifull as your father also is mercifull Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged Condēne not and ye shall not bee condemned Forgeue ye shall be forgeuen Geue and it shal be geuen vnto you good measure and pressed doune and shaken together and runnyng ouer shall menne geue into your bosomes For with thesame measure that you mete withal shal other men mete to you againe And he put forthe a similitude vnto them Can the blinde leade the blinde Doe thei not bothe fall into the diche The disciple is not aboue his master euery man shal be perfecte euen as his master is Why seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Either how canst thou saie to thy brother Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thine owne eye Firste thou hypocrite caste out the beame out of thyne owne eye then shalt thou se perfectly to pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell Christ teacheth his disciples and vs what we should do one to an other For after we beleue and are become christian men therby bicause we are sure that we are deliuered from death synne and all euill through Christ now is it necessarie to liue after a newe sorte and that frō henceforthe we shewe our selues obedient vnto hym This newe life doth Christ comprise in one worde saiyng Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull And all knowe this what is mercie truly suche an affection whiche conceiueth a sorowe at the verie hearte when a man seeth his neighbour troubled either in body or soule and is stirred by his will to helpe hym Christe requireth here suche a minde of all men not that there should be suche mercie as is betwene light and lende persones For suche mercie extendeth no farder then emongest the felowes of that leudenes tarieth no longer then thei haue power to do that leudnes As experiēce declareth A thefe is not mercifull to him that stealeth not for if he were he would robbe no man But he is mercifull onely to hym that stealeth with him and this is the mercie of euil doers But we that are christians muste be mercifull euen as our heauenly father is not onely
enioye lyfe euerlastynge thorowe hym whyche is the true lyfe euen Christ Iesus our Lord to whome with God the father and the holye ghost be all honour glorie and praise both now and euer Amen The xij Sonday after Trinitie sonday ¶ The Gospell Marc. vii IEsus departed frome the coastes of Tyre and Sydon and came vnto the Sea of Galile througe the myddes of the coastes of the tenne Cities And they brought vnto hym one that was deafe and had an impedyment in his speach and they prayed him to put his hande vpon him And when he had taken him aside from the people he put his fingers into his eares and dyd spitte and touched his tongue and loked vp to heauen and syghed and saide vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayghtwaye his cares were opened and the stryng of his tongue was loused and he spake playne And he commaunded them that they should tell no man But the more he forbadde them so muche the more a greate deale they published saying He hathe done all thinges well he hath made bothe the deafe to heare and the dumbe to speake THE EXPOSITION THis Gospel is very easie and nothing hard forasmuche as it onely conteyneth the myracle whyche Christe wroughte in the dumme and deafe man For as concernyng this suche lyke miracles ye heare oftentymes in the yeare that Christ by this meanes hath declared that he is the Sauiour which helpeth and defendeth vs agaynst the violence of the deuyll Therfore we oughte to geue thankes vnto God whiche hath geuen vnto vs suche a sauiour as of his owne mere grace and tender mercy is alwais at hand and redy to assist vs againste all suche pernicious and hurtfull thynges as Sathan imagineth and deuiseth against vs. For as touchyng that this myser and wretched creature is in suche a miserable wretched state that he can not vse naturally neither his tonge nor his eares all these are the plages and strokes of Satan where as by the iudgement of men they are thoughte to be naturall vices For men know not the deuyl that he is the author of so many calamities and miseries He maketh men lunatike and madde He tormenteth not only their bodies but also their soules that beyng vtterly dismayed they may thynk that there is no confort to be loked for and so fall into desperation and so in fyne vnto damnation Uerily these are nothing els then the strokes and plagues of the deuil which is the author of all sorowes and miseries and hurteth as many and as oft as he can We are therfore moste indebtedly bounde to God and we ought at all tymes to geue hym humble and heartie thankes that he hauyng pitie on vs hath sent his sonne CHRIST Iesu oure Lorde into thys worlde to healpe not onely thys wretched creature but vs also and mercyfully to keepe and defende vs that we bee not afflicted with the lyke euyls and diseases thorough the violence and tyrannye of the deuyll For thys muste we all thynke that eyes eares handes feete c. beynge wholle and sounde are not so by chaunce and naturally as Reason iudgeth but these all are the gyftes of God Notwithstandynge when menne beleue not this and thynke them to be but vile and base thinges because they are cōmon and geuen to all lyuyng creatures GOD euen of necessitie is compelled many tymes to geue the deuyll lybertie to take away frome certaine menne the vse of theyr eares eyes handes and feete c. yea and sometyme also to kylle theyr bodies that menne maye learne that that is done of the deuyll thorow the permission and sufferaunce of God and by that meanes they may bee the more earnestly moued to geue God thankes that he of his great mercy defendeth and preserueth vs agaynst the fyery dartes of that euyll euen the deuyll So is thys lykewyse the worke of the deuyl when hee blyndeth the heartes of men thorowe false doctrines that they can not see nor receaue the truthe Thys cometh not of GOD whyche is good the author of all goodnesse whyche wysheth no man to peryshe but all men to come vnto the knowledge of the truthe but it commeth of the deuyll whyche is euyll and the author of all euyll whiche wysheth also all men to perysh and neuer to come vnto the knowledge of the truthe Therfore where God geueth him libertie he dothe as muche myschiefe as he can deuise And this is euen as when a tree bryngeth forth good fruict and afterwarde wormes come and destroye it The fault herof is not in God whyche made the tree good Neyther is the faulte in the tree or fruicte but in the woormes whyche hurte the thynges that are good So is it wyth vs menne Therfore we must learne that what so euer aduersitie or myschaunce doothe happen vnto vs all that commethe of the plagues and stroakes of the deuyll namely when wee bee Christianes and seeke the glorye of the Lorde oure GOD. For the deuyll is a greatter ennemye vnto the Christians then he is tothe infidells It is vndoubtedlye horrible and maketh euerye part of a man to shake for to consider that this enemy the deuil hath so muche power to harme and to hurt But on the contrary part this Gospell conforteth vs. For here we see as S. Iohn saith that the Sonne of God hath appered to this ende that he should destroy the workes of the deuyll For seyng that the deuyl presumed to go into Paradyse to destroy the workes of God there and to make of righteous and holy persones I speake of Adam and Eue disobediente and wicked people It semed good agayne to God for to be reuenged of this his enemie He therfore recouereth and maketh whole agayn whatsoeuer was destroied of the deuyll He destroyeth agayne the deuyls workes that is to say synne death and hell and as we see in this our Gospell he deliuereth the tonge oute of the bondes wherwith the deuyll had bounde and tyed it and openeth the eares whiche the deuyll had stopped Christ came to doo this woorke and he dothe it styll continually among his Christians as we shall herafter heare And thus muche of the miracle worke of Christ wherby he hath declared here hymselfe that he is the healper of all suche as are in myserie and that he wyll heale all euyls and afflictions whiche the deuyll heapeth vpon vs yea and vtterly putte hym awaie frome vs. Moreouer Christ by this would also shew vnto vs that these two thynges most specially appertayn vnto a Christian that is to saye that the eares bee opened and the tongue be losened and that he exercyseth this worke diligentlye in his congregation or church agaynst the deuyll For as concernynge the corporall benefite as the eares and the tongue with the vse of them he geueth that also to the Heathen But the spirituall benefite is onely amonge the Christians when he
be so great that it finde al things abundātly to the euill which do not only not serue him but moreouer persecute his word blaspheme it How is it possible that he should suffer you to be forsaken that loue him heare his word gladly set it forth as much as ye can put all your trust in him Wherfore the doctrin of Christ tēdeth to this end that we shold embrace his word beleue it folow godlines lay aside all care beleue that god wil finde vs al things sufficiētly But what do they A great part careth not for the word but rather geueth them self to play pleasure pastime sport wātonnes thē to the hearyng of holy sermons After the whiche must nedes folow an vnholie bestiall life which is of necessitie subiecte to diuers curses of pouertie euils manifold discommodities Then cōmeth ther to this also an other disprofite y◠many being slouthful and sluggishe haue no regard of labour Or if they labour and graunt them selues no time voyd of labour yet they spend riot out of measure that oftentimes they spend in one holyday all that was gathered to gether the hole weke before GOD forbiddeth both as wel prodigalitie as idlenes But whatsoeuer is goten that shold be preserued studiously Therfore he sayth byrds doth not mow nor gather into barnes As though he should say Ye do both of them and both must be done in that ye labour and lay vp afterward that that ye gotte that it may be saued for necessarie vses But as for hym that doth not so what faulte is ther in God if all his busines lacketh successe Thou mayst blame thy owne negligence slouthfulnes and wasting and not God which wold geue gladly if thou wouldest embrace godlines and heare Gods worde beleue put awaye care and fal to labour As he sayth here All thinges shall be geuen vnto you but thou doest refuse it When thou shouldest heare a sermon thou fallest a slepe or doste some other trifles When thou shouldest labour thou art idle c. Not so muche as the foule hath his meat without labour he findeth it not in his neaste doe thou also lykewise feare God and labour diligently let God care for the residew how he wil finde thee thy liuing yet as I sayd before beware beware of couetousnes rake not vp to muche For GOD can not abyde that This is the doctrine of this Gospell The Lorde our God graunt vs throughe his holye spirite that we maye earnestly embrace Godlines and that our heartes maye be inclined to his testimonies and not to couetousnes as Dauid sayth Amen The .xvi Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vii ANd it fortuned that Iesus wente into a Citie called Naim and many of his Disciples went with hym and muche people When he came nye to the gate of the Citie beholde there was a dead man caryed out whiche was the only sonne of his mother and she was a widowe and muche people of the citie was with her And when the Lorde sawe her he had compassion on her and sayde vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffen and they that bare hym stode styll And he sayde yonge man I saye vnto the arise And he that was deade set vp and began to speake And he deliuered him to his mother And there came a feare on thē all And they gaue the glory vnto God saying A great Prophet is rysen vp amonge vs and GOD hath visited his people And this rumour of hym went forth throughout all Iewry and through out all the regions whiche lye rounde aboute THE EXPOSITION MAny thinges were to be spoken touching this gospell howbeit we haue chosen but twoo thinges therof The one is how we ought to take confort against death The other is as touchyng Christian pitie and mutuall affection in these cōmon euills Ye heare here of a miserable widow whiche first lost her husbande and then her sonne which was her only solace in al her trouble For it was counted the cheif myserie in this people to haue no sonne to be heyre of the familie For the trade of this commonaltie was suche that al was appointed to the heyre Wherfore this widow was miserable in all pointes in great aduersitie in so muche that this semed sure tokens that God was displeased with her and againste her for that he tooke awaye first her husband then her son And it was no marueill if she had caste away all her hope and trust in God Christe hath respecte to this woman and hath pitie vpon her and restoreth her ded chylde to lyfe and turneth her greate sorow into great ioye This hystorie is therfore to be marked of vs that we may confirme our faith For Christ doth the busines not only of this woman but he studieth to certifie all vs of this what a weake thinge death is that we should not feare it at all but that we should do all thinges with a pacient mynde on suche wise that we maye not be put in feare by death or by anye other things For that that we haue such a prince to ayde vs which hath present and redie helpe againste all euill and death yea and in this example he declareth how soone he can put awaye death For who would haue thought that this dead yonge man that was carried foorth to be buried coulde haue reliued again But Christ coming vpon them when the matter was past cure speaketh but this yonge man I say to thee arise And the dead rose and began to speake Wherby ye may vnderstande that death before Christe is euen as lyfe And all is one with him whether we liue or be dead For although we be dead yet are we not dead to our destruction The reason why is this with one worde he can cal lyfe again and put away death So that hereby we may well vnderstāde Christes saying to be true euen that god is the god of the lyuynge and of the dead For although Abraham Isaac Iacob and other holy Patriarkes be dead to vs yet they be alyue to god This muste we learne out of this Gospell in this widowes son how great god will declare his power to be in the last day through Christ when he with one worde will call men to life againe and geue to them that beleue euerlasting lyfe This shall be done in a moment so that we nede not doubt but that both these thinges are in Christ that is power as he declareth here and also wil to do it gladly For this is an euident proufe and example therof The widowes son is deade he is voyde of sence and felynge but as soone as Christ speaketh with him he heareth Is not this a wonderful thynge He that heareth not nowe heareth he that liueth not nowe liueth and yet is ther nothynge els done but that Christ speaketh a worde and byddeth him Arise This only worde is
of suche force and might that it putteth awaye death and restoreth lyfe But for asmuche as we knowe that Christ can so soon rydde vs from death and restore vs to lyfe let vs se also how redie he is and willing to do it For there is none amongest them all that desire this of him only is he moued with the miserie of the widow and goeth vnto her without askynge and restoreth her son vnto her alyue again Wherfore let vs thinke that this example belongeth vnto vs that we should not feare death For this was done for our sake As though he shold say It is not vnknowen vnto me that you feare death but put awaye all feare For what power can it haue on you at all It maye make you feare but prouide you such sauegard against it that ye may not only iudge according to your sense which is the verie cause of your feare but haue ye respect vnto me also what I can do what I will do euen that I can as easely raise you from death as you are wont to rayse a mā that is a slepe wil do it gladly desirously so that there can lacke neither power neither will therto Wherfore it foloweth therof that they that are buried in their graues do slepe more lightly then we in our bodies For it is possible that thou be in such a deade slepe that although thou be called ten times yet thou cāst not heare But the dead awake at one word of Christ as ye see by the example of this yonge man of Lazarus Wherfore death before god is not called death before vs it is both death is so called but before god it is so quiet light a slepe that nothing can be lighter And this wold Christ haue to be wel beaten into vs that we shold not feare when the pestilence or death it selfe taketh vs but that we shold with a bold minde answere thus against it What is thy greatest might then Tou layst before me very greuous matters thou puttest me in great feare how thou wil execute punishmēt on me like a tormēter But I wil cōsider what god on the contrarie part can do wil do whē y◠hast slaine me For he feareth thee not neyther do he care for thy outragiouse furie but iesteth more rather vpon the saying O death I wil be thy death o hel I wil be thy destructiō If thou killest my Christians I will kil thee again restore them to life This is the cōfort that Christe setteth forth in this gospell that although Christiā men dye yet they be not dead but slepe a slepe yea that such a light slepe that Christ can awake thē with his litle fingar but this is but a litle praise for death that whē it doth here the worste yet it can do no more by all his rage but cast a mā into a slepe so that Christ may raise him vp with one worde As it is written The hower cōmeth when they that are dead in their graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of man and shall come forth they that haue done wel to the resurrection of lyfe but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of Iudgement This hope haue Christians but the Turkes the Iewes haue it not neyther the Papistes This they knowe that they must die and that there remaineth iudgement and hell But what do they They haue no truste in Christ But they seeke helpe of their diriges Masses trentalles pardons fastes such other thinges And they take Christe for no other but for a Iudge whiche hath onely the office to iudge and condemne This is the greatest wickednes that is that they Imagin that Christe is crueller then death Wherfore when they heare of the day of Iudgement they are afraid they tremble quake in their heartes So do not Christian men They know that Christe in that day shall iudge them that beleue not whiche will not receaue the worde or beleue it And therfore they boldly say I am baptised and do beleue in Iesu Christe my Lord that he dyed for my synnes and that by his resurrection he hath gotten me righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe Why shold I feare therfore he is not mine enemie but my frend and patrone with the father Wherfore although the laste day draweth nigh or death chanceth vnto me by anye other meanes al this shall not put me beside my state My Lord Iesus Christ holdeth himselfe stil for a time at the iniuries that death doth vnto me But when death thinketh that I am wholly opprest then am I only holden with slepe and that with such lyght slepe that Christe can scarselye speake a worde but I heare and rise vnto euerlastyng life Let this seme a necessarie lesson for vs that we may feare neither at death nor at the laste daye For Christ cōmeth not to iudge and condemne vs. He commeth as he came in this place to the widow and to her dead sonne to rayse vs from death that we may heare see speake again and do other thynges After this sorte will he come to all vs that beleue and saue vs. But they that beleue not them will he iudge Wherfore we must accustome our selues to looke for this our Sauiour to beleue in hym that by a litle a litle we may be more and more certified of this oure hope and saluation that we may feare neither death neither the laste day But he that feareth foloweth the fleshe and the olde man and not Christe his worde For the matter is playne that Christ shall come and rayse vs from death Where Christians bodies reaste in their sepulchres slepe vntil Christ come knocke at the sepulchre and saith Arise arise Then shall we rise as out of a most quiet and swete slepe we shall lyue and reioyce with Christ our Lord for euer And thus ought Christians to haue other thoughtes thā the Turkes or Iewes haue whiche are vtterly confounded with feare Yea and the Papistes mōkes all are dismayd in their heartes And this chaunceth vnto them worthily For why come they not to learne this lesson and beleue that CHRIST is the helper of them that beleue the iudge of them that beleue not If thou art a Christian and hast hope in Christ he will not take away his helpe succour and saluation from thee when deliuerance defence shal be requisite for thee against death and the deuill But if thou trustest for helpe any where els and despisest his helpe as the Pope both teacheth doth so in dede looke for no other of Christ but a very Iudge for because thou art the seruant of the deuil the minister of death and takest that on thee that is the worke of the deuill and of hell They hate Christ and care not for his kyngdome Wherfore he can be no other to them then a iudge But for the good
that put their truste in him he wil procure them peace and saluation for euer and euer After this lesson doctrine which is called the doctrine of faith must we learne also of Christ the doctrine of pitie merci compassion And this ye heare often times in the yeare as touchyng charitie that we shold remember that one of vs is bound to helpe an other But pitie is a thing somwhat greater as when we are greued with other mens miseries and calamities no lesse then with our owne as when I haue a neighbour that is nedie or sycke I ought not only to be redie to helpe but I must be sorie for his miserie and that at my very heart as though it were min owne euil As this is put forth to vs in Christ. He is in this place as a foreiner and stranger But when he seeth the miserie of this widdow he is asmuch greued as though it were his owne sonne he geueth confort and helpe This is the exāple of charitie which ought to folow after faith it doth alwais folow faith if it be true faith So that we ought not to behaue our self after the exāple of certein mercilesse people which hath stonie and yron heartes laugh at their neighbours miseries and are greued at their prosperitie The affectiōs of Christian men ought to be otherwise which ought to be greued at other mens misfortune glad at their prosperitie as Paule saith that we may be greued with thē that are greued reioyce with them that are ioyfull This is the propertie of enuious persons to be glad of other mens hurt to be greued at euery mās wealth sauing their own But there are two sortes of pitie A spiritual a corporall In these corporal bodilie euils we muste succour helpe al that we can for their defēce whā we see this that the poore haue nede of helpe can not helpe thē selues It is a spiritual euil whē the soule is in peril as whā I see a yōg mā voyde of al holines caryng nothing for religiō holy doctrine but is ignorāt of the principles of religiō liueth wtout any discipline or order fearce stubborne obstinat Here it is the office of pitie not to speake faier gentle wordes vnto him but to chide him sharply rebuke him yea rather to beate him or stricke him For ther is greater peril whē the soule is diseased with such euils thā whā the bodie is sicke of any disease Wherfore we must let nothīg passe as touchīg this pitie that these euilles may with wordes stripes wandes such other remedies be restrained But thou saiest that this is a cruel pitie to vexe the bodie with stripes Yea but necessitie causeth this to be the beste pitie that is in this case For the Physitions must nedes shewe crueltie vpon some part of the bodie that the hole bodie maye be saued and so is it also as concernynge this pitie For suche chastisements are done to see to thee that thou mayst be deliuered from the tyranny of the deuill from his kingdome He that is almost drowned in a floude taketh it for no wronge if he be plucked out by the heare although it be done to his great grief and payne Wherfore if thou doest not refuse in the bodilie euiles to suffer a litle payne for the auoydynge of greate perill why shouldeste thou in a more dangerous perill of soule and euerlastynge lyfe take greuously suche chastisement as is requisite and necessarie So is it truely the worke of pitie when stubburne children and obstinate seruantes are sharply by stripes put in remembrance of their deutie This is a spiritual medicin against the disease of the soule which is the rebellyng againste the parentes and maisters Wherfore this is the worke of mercie when mannes miserie is considered and helpe is geuen This pitie ought parents cheifly to regard in a familie and maiestrates in a communaltie and to beware diligentlie that neither that sufferers impaciens neither their own negligence make them geue vp this pitie as it commeth to passe oftentimes For he that would be pitifull and wil dissemble or winke at syn he should commit two kindes of crueltie towarde his neyghbour should fall into gods high displeasure Wherfore thou must not seeke after the prayse of gentlenes and pitifulnes by dissembling and winkyng at sin when euerlasting perill dependeth therof neither must thou loke for that time when he wil come to himself and amende by his owne accorde Thou must cut of the snares of the deuill by sharpe discipline but as touchinge this sorte of pitie I wil intreate more largely in an other place But now is the example of Christ put forth to vs how he pitied the miserie of this woman and therby taught vs true pitie That we shoulde remember that this precepte is set forth to vs to thinke surely that this is oure duetie to helpe yea with the lssoe of oure goodes when our neighbour is in bodily necessitie so truly to shewe the office of pitie Whiche thynge afterwarde hath so great renoum that it is cōmended not as though it were done to our neyghbour only but also to God hymselfe whiche promiseth also to requit it by a reward Or if the contagion or disease be spiritual that is to say syn as if our children and familie be stubburne negligent wanton in doinge and saying here must be shewed pitie that is cruel in sight and yet for all that dothe all thynges for the best But that that is past tamyng amendement geue it vp as a thyng past cure into the hands of the ministers and officers For the matter can not scape vnpunyshed And it is to be counted a parte of pitie to punyshe in suche case with extremitie of death For they that are paste grace can bee restrayned by no other meanes They woulde be the destruction as well of other as theyr selues yf thys office of pitie were not exercised vppon them by the sworde Wherfore punyshementes are very workes of pitie seme they neuer so cruell and bytter to a mans syght For if it were not for this punyshment and sharp correction there could be no cōminaltie nor ciuile felowshyp mainteyned Wherfore let euery man in his vocation shewe pitie not only with affection but also with discretion and let him not helpe in bodyly euyls onely but muche rather in spirituall euyls And these are the two doctrines out of this gospel wherof the one belongeth vnto faith that we shoulde be without feare in the myddest of all euyll and specially when the feares and terrors of deth come to sight And let vs thynke that the almightie healpe of all our saluation is sette in Christ. Wherefore we can not despaire of hym without our hurte The helpe of man and of vs is but vayn For they can not represse deth Death is valyant agaynst them But we muste haue
doctrine aboue the lawe For syth we can not perfectly fulfill the lawe The law causeth vs to haue an euil conscience to feare gods wroth for our synnes sake Wherfore this doctrine tendeth to this ende that thou sholdest learne what is Christ and what he hath done And nowe this is his voyce that he is not onely the son of Dauid as the Iewes beleue but also Dauids Lord that is an euerlastinge and verye god But what dothe he he putteth asyde from hym the forme of god as Paule sayeth and becommeth a man He taketh vpon hym the deathe of the Crosse. And why so Uerilye because he is the sonne of god that is to saye a sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde After that he dyed and rosse agayne the thyrde day from death vnto euerlastinge lyfe and sytteth at the ryghte hande of god This must we learne and beare awaye as touchinge Christ. For he that holdethe this faste is safe He that holdeth it not shall perishe vnder his synnes The reason is we are all synners and the lawe doth not only not deliuer vs from oure synnes but maketh vs more greuous synners agaynst god accuseth vs before God so that we are in greate daunger and can fynde no wayes to escape by all that we can doe In sinnes are we conceaued and borne and the longer that oure lyfe is the more do oure synnes encrease For this burden is put on vs not as an other burden which we may put downe cast of when we will It cleaueth to our very mary bones most secret parts of vs neuer suffereth vs to be at reast as we cā not denie this if we wold cōsider wel proue our strēgth Against this is this the only remedie to learne what is Christ. For assone as thou knowest who he is and then what he doth this is the very way to come vnto saluation The reason why is this If thou be a sinner and haste sinned muche againste God haue respecte to this God sendeth this Christ to suffer for synners to make satisfaction for synnes But what should this debte trouble the whiche that most riche Christe hath taken vpon hym to pay yea and hath payd it allredie wherfore this only remaineth that thou embrace with true confidence and fayth this death and crosse of Christe This can be vnknowen to no man that death is dewe to vs all and no man can haue any hope of a priuilege for the contrarie When we are dead we are vndone We can not helpe our selues But consider wherof commeth death Is it not for sinnes sake Nowe haste thou heard wher thou muste set remission of thy synnes euen in the death of thy Lorde Iesu Christ. This Christ whan he was deade remained not in death But he arose frō death to lyfe And this is a sure profe that he is Lord ouer death Wherfore euen as thou hast remission of syn through hym so by him thou hast euerlastyng lyfe in that he shall rayse thee vp againe thy flesh bodie in the last day And this the true knowing of Christ to know whose sonne he is euen the son of Dauid For he is a mā yet neuertheles the Lord of Dauid which sitteth at the right hāde of god hath for his footstoole his enemis sin death and hel Wherfore he y◠nedeth any helpe against these enemies must not require it of Moses nor of the law nor of his own worke or righteousnes but let him require it of the son Lord of dauid wheras he shal be sure to find it This doth the idle kind of Phariseies not know Wherfore they care not for Christ are cōtent with this that they know out of the law how god the neighbour is to be loued Wheras yet it is not possible that god shold be knowen I will not speake of the loue of him except Christ be knowen firste As he saith in Math. 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne he to whom the son openeth him And this is the cause why Christ by this occasiō moueth this presēt questiō As though he should saye This ye know that god is to be loued But ye shal neuer loue god with all your heart wyth all your soule with all your mynde excepte ye knowe Christ well and perceaue who he is For how can we otherwise knowe what grace and mercie God hath geuen vnto vs This is no smale thinge that God hath made vs and geuen vs bodie and soule and all thinges But we vse these thinges but for a litle time in this lyfe But herein appeareth moste especially the riches and great goodnes and mere mercy of God wheras he spared not his only begotten sonne but deliuered hym vnto the death of the Crosse for our sinnes that we should be deliuered from sinne and obtayne euerlasting lyfe through hym This is the euerlasting infinite and incomprehensible loue and grace whiche no man can know excepte he know Christ. And therfore he can neuer loue God truely without Christ. Wherfore it appeareth hereby what the Phariseies and Scribes get by their question Euen this verely that they are openly conuicted of Christ before them al that they can talke much of the loue of God But they vnderstande not nor yet perceaue the leaste part therof truely And wheras they knowe not god whiche hath bestowed so great benefittes and liberalitie vpō them how shall they loue their neyghbour that hath nede of their helpe and can recompence nothynge for their pouertie Wherfore let vs highly esteme this doctrine and let vs geue thankes to God with all oure heart that we are deliuered out of vncredible darkenes vnder the Popedome euen like as the darkenes of the Iewes were here And we haue the pure doctrine of Christ wherby we do not only knowe howe we ought to be deliuered and saued from sin but we receaue the holy ghost Whiche by this doctrine moueth oure mindes so farre that we may begin to loue God and our neyghbour The whiche thing our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs. Amen Amen The .xix Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix IEsus entred into a shipe and passed ouer and came into his owne citie And beholde they brought to him a man sicke of the paulsey lying in abedde And when Iesus sawe the faythe of them he sayd to the sicke of the paulsey Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes be forgeuen thee And beholde certayne of the Scribes sayde within them selues this man blasphemethe And when Iesus sawe theyr thoughtes he sayde Wherefore thynke ye euyll in your heartes Whether is it easier to saye thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then sayeth he to the sicke of the paulsye Aryse take vp thy bedde and go vnto thine house And he rose and departed to his
hom Dignus est merâ—en c. Math. 24. The rewarde 1. Pet. 5. Dan. 12. Math. 13. Math. 22. Math. 24. Luc. 12. Esa. 66. Apo. 21. 1. Cor. 2. Esa. 64. Math. 12. Iohn 6. Rom. 1. Iac. 1. Psal. 51. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 2. Ephe. 2.5 Tit. 3. Luc. 24. Iohn 16. Math. 9. Psal. 119. Iohn 1â— 1. Cor. 4. Esa. 50. Esa. 61. Ezech. 34. Esa. 61. Luc. 21. Act. 6. Psâ—l 68. Tit. 1. Math. 5. Math. â—3 2. Timoth. 2. Tit. â— 1. Cor. 9. Sap. 15. Iohn 17. Math. 13. Phil. 1. Tit. 1. Iac. 1. Math. 25. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Iac. 1. Luc. 11. Eccle. â— Iac. 1. Iohn 14. Luc. 24. Act. 1.2 Math. 5. Iohn 6. Of the kyng Christ and of his kyngdom Why Zacharye prophcied the low degre of Christ long before his coÌ„commyng Zacharie 9. What is the power of this kyng and his righteousnes and how it is ioyned wyth pouertie The kyngedome of the worlde is no suche power as Christs is The ryghtuousnes saluation of Christ in baptisme in the supper of the Lorde and in the Gospell The lyfe and saluation of the congregation lyeth hid in the pouertie of Christ. The worlde is vnkynd for this lyght Luc. 11. An abhortatioÌ„ to be ware of danger To vs is this spoken of the kyngdome of Christe The example of the apostles The fyrst seruice of thys king halowed be thy name What the Asse and the colt signifieth The seconde worship Thy kingdoÌ„ come The third Thy wyll bee fulfylled Who began the seruice of this kyng The signes of God goeth be fore strange new mutations The apostles asketh of the destruction of Ierusalem also of the destruction of the world Question Where the signes muste be marked Signes in the Sonne Moone The signes in the sea and waters The sygnes in men A speciall conâ—usion in men The wycked despise the sygnes The coÌ„myng of Christ after the signes These signes are not geuen to terrify the congregation These signes are not geuen to terrifie the congregation The cause of ioy by these signes The sainctes also fear these signes but not deathe The last daye the day of daÌ„nation and redemption Myth 24. Christes commyng is terrible that the oppressed congregation myght be delyuered Christes coÌ„myng is lyke the sprynge The figure of the destructioÌ„ of Sodome compared to the destructioÌ„ of the worlde The suÌ„me of the doctrine coÌ„cernynge the last day The Popes doctrine of Christes coÌ„myng The daye of Iudgemente shall come sodeynly What is to be done â–ª that the day of iudgement be not sodayn vnto vs Watche Prayer Repentance The work of God is hyghly to be magnified The question of Iohn by his disciples Deuter. 18. What Iohn mente by sendyng his disciples vnto Christ. Esay 35. Of Christe his kyngdom Christes doctrine Moyses doctrine Moyses doctrine can doo nothynge against deathe An hystorie Workes can not quiete the conscience of a synner The Gospell is a doctrine of comfort What the gospell is Difference betwene the kingdome of Christe and the worldes The kingdoÌ„ oâ— Christes right hand The doctrine of the gospell is wath offence The doctrine of the Gospel forbyddeth not good workes but the trust in them Christ an offenceful preacher wicked worldlings can not abyde the gospel nor the preachers therof Math. 11. Christe alone saueth Iohn 14. The patriarkes and Prophetes were saued by faith iâ— Christ. Withoute Christe there is no saluatioÌ„ Gen. 3. The office of Iohn Esaye 40. Iohn 8. Esa. 20. Iohn declareth his baptisme The Iewes regarde not Iohns doctrine Papistes can not abyde the word of God Papistes seke saluation by theyr owne workes Matth. 116 Good workes Phil. 3. The differeÌ„ce betwene the righteousnes of faith and good workes Papistes sell theyr words Monasteries Good works ought diligeÌ„tly to be done Math. 1. The cause of the feast 1. The tyme of this byrth 2. The place Miche 5. 3. The Emperour of Rome helpeth knowing not what he doth 4 The maner of the byrth Why this hystory is writeÌ„ We are made on fleshe and blâ—d with the sone of God Hebr. 4. The incarnation of Christ Gen. 1.2 Heb. 4. Phil. 2. The humblenes of Christ. 1. That this natiuite might be confortable to vs. 2. And also that he myght make vs humble and meke 1. The honor of the congregation 2. An example of loue and patience Christ not knowen profiteth lytle Prouerb Gods messengers conforte the fearefull SataÌ„ thorow sinne reigneth in men Christ only ouercommeth Satan Math. 1. Luc. 1. Psal. 51. Ephe. 2. Phil. 2. The byrth of Christ ought to moue vs vnto mutuall charitie and loue Note What Christ is Christ is no corporal thing Christ is the sauiour of meÌ„ Miche 5. Gene. 3. Why the Angell calleth Christ a Lord. Christ is true and naturall God Christ is the Lord of Angells also Why the Angells reioyced in the byrth of Christ. Esai â— Ioan. 3. Rom. 8. The Angel is an huÌ„ble spirit Christes people are pore nedy If Christ be the sauiour thâ—n can not the saincts works be By the ministerie of the worde is the doctrine preserued Good preachers helpe much By the Angels doctrine are al false doctrines to be iudged The office of Christ. Note well Withoute Christ god caÌ„ not be knoweÌ„ nor glorified God is diuersly dishonored in the world Originall syn broughte in ambition To glorifye God The worlde dothe chaunge this verse There is nothynge in the worlde but synne Christen men are peaceable Peace what it signifieth The dyuell changeth this verse what is good wyll Papystes The sermon of thangelles was not vnfruitfull The world forgeteth Gods miracles We also to forget the miseries in the Popedome Nihil citâ—us senescit quam gratia Mary forgetteth not Gods word The word of God is not lightly to be regarded Great diligeÌ„ce is to be geueÌ„ to the learning of Gods word Math. 6. He that will serue God must not chaÌ„ge his vocatioÌ„ as Mounkes do Christ commeth not to change externall thyngs Christ chaungeth the heart The example of the shepheards The chaunge of creatures in the last day Galat. 3. The prophetes do alwais require the inward change True godlynes consisteth not in outewarde obseruations Luke calleth Ioseph the father of Christ Math. 1. This meruailyng ryseth of faythe we ought not to be voyde of meruailyngâ— It becoÌ„meth a christen maÌ„ to be proude Howe offence is hadde in Christ. The offence to the Iewes Iohn 8. The offence to Monkes Christen men are offence to other Christ is put foorth to be a risyng Math. 18. 1. Cor. 11. The Gospell is not the cause of trouble but mens stubbournes The Gospell openeth the heartes The Gospell plucketh of the visards of the world and openeth the heartes The Gospell openeth the heartes The holyest hateth the Gospel moste This opening pertayneth to Iudgement The opening pertayneth to confort The greatest vice is to preseÌ„te the word of God to despise it The greateste vice is to persecute
deuyl is the cause that men remeÌ„ber not the word and doctrine Luc. 21. Gen. 3. Howe dangerous a rhynge it is lyghtly 〈◊〉 regarde Gods worde Math. 13. What maner of thynge a good hart is Math. 6. Fruicte in pacience 2. Tim. 3. Luc. 11. The word is not euerye where fruictfull Math. 11. Math. â—14 Marc. 6. Luc. 9. The word of Christ himself was not euery where fruitfull The cause why the worde is not fruictfull Math. 13. Leui. 12. The fyrst begottâ—n male muste be presented to the Lorde Exod. 13. Nuâ—â— â— The Turke taketh the first borne Exod. 11. Christ an example of obedience Of the fyrste borne The first begotteÌ„ by pride waxed worst Lucifer Cayne Ismaell Esau. The Iewes Dauid 1. Reg. 16. Carnall prerogatiues ought not to be applied to pryde Psal. 103. Luc. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 49. They that beleue in Christ are the first be gotten Math. 20. Ephes. 4. God hateth pride Iac. 4. â— Pet. 5. Iob. 4. 2. Pet. 2. Howe Christ is reueled Luc. 1. Math. 1. Luc. 1. Luc. 2. Math. 2. Luc. 2. The reuelation of SimeoÌ„ came by the holy ghost Gene. 49. The state of Christes churche in this worlde is poore and miserable Death maketh hartes to feare Rom. 6. Simeon learned not this way to dye by man Math. 1. The law and good workes caÌ„ do nothing against sin death The worlde ordaineth his sauiours besyde Christ. The saluation of God canonly saue How this sauiour saieth Iohn 1. Good works Simon hath no more prefermeÌ„t in this saluation then we haue Christ is the saluation of all men Simeon putteth no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile Gene. 22. What reason thynketh of Esai 9. 1. Timo. 2. The cause why all are not saued Note well There is no saluation but in Christ alone God is not the author of any mannes damnation Christ giueth lyght to the Gentiles Iohn 3. A syngular comfort for al synners The diligent study of Simeon in the prophetes Gen. 49. Dan. 9. Esa. 49. Rom. 3. Galat. â— Halowyng of candels The Papists borowe the most parte of their religion of the Iewes of the Gentiles Luc. 24. The disciples of Christ vnderstande not Christ. The workes of God are not vnderstanded before thei â—â—me to passe Faythe is requisite The example of Dauid 1. Reg. 17. Baptisme the resurrection of the dead God is almyghty can doo what he wyll Math. 19. Luc. 1. Reson ought not to Iudge Gods works Math. 13. Iohn 20. Luc. 15. Luc. 18. The word of God deceueth not although it seme impossible Note Howe we must praye We must be instant in prayer The praier of the blynd Iohn 16. Prayer prouoked God Luc. 1â— Prayer with out faith is a mockyng of God Luc. 4. TemtatioÌ„ is 〈◊〉 for Christians Diuersitie of temptation Howe we must staÌ„d sure when we are tempted Christ lead of the spirit Note well Our proper imagination without the worde is nothyng Rom. 14. Math. 15. The first teÌ„ptation that he shoulde haue no trust in god Two sortes of bread Psalm Iohn 6. The second temptation is to make to trust more in god then his worde requireth Psal. 91. Mat. 27. Deut. 6. To teÌ„pte god The deuill vseâ—h scriptures Math. 19. Anabaptistes Baptisme Iohn 3. Marc. 16. WheÌ„ that angels defeÌ„deth vs not The third teÌ„ptation is to make theÌ„ cast awaye true religion for riches poore Riches corrupted religion A change of the spirituall kyngdome in to a wordly of the wordlie into a spirituall Worshippyng of the deuill The popes religion is rather trymme then true A general admonition What is worshâ—ppinge of God God ought to be worshyped accordynge to his word and not after meÌ„s traditions Deut. 6. The dignitie and excelleÌ„cie of this gospel The deuyl is moste buly at the hower of deaâ—h The woman of Cananee diuersly temâ—â—ted 1. She is a Cananite Math. 10. A greuous stomblynge blocke Faith obteyneth al thynges of Christ Why this historie is sette foorth All thynges must be asked of God alone for Christes sake 2 Christ answereth nothing We must continually prayr and not cease â–ª Note and practise 3 Christ denyeth to helpe The constancy of this woman Marc. 7. Continue in prayer 4 Christ recouÌ„teth the woman as a dog Faith is before God a thyng most excâ—llent Faithe interpreteth all thyngs to the best Iohn 1. Roma 3. By fayth and prayer Christ is ouercome â—ohn 6. Why Christe shewed himself so hard to the woman Faithe obteyneth all thynges of God PerseueraÌ„ce in prayer Gen. 49. God for triaâ— of our faythe sometyme deferreth his helpe Gods promise is to be apprehended with strong and coÌ„ +stant faith Iohn 16. God geuethe more then we can or dare aske Ephe. 3. An extremities God heareth oure of hande When God â—eferreth to heare Abacuck 2. The Pope the Turk extreme enemies to the Churche of Christ. Iohn 36. Prayet made in fayth obteyneth all thynges of God Christ ouercometh the deuill Christ at this daye casteth out deuils by the worde and SacrameÌ„ts Esay 55. Baptisme Iohn Rom. 6. The declaration of Gods mercy to penitent sinners Math. 17. Iohn 20. Mat. 11. The Supper of the Lord. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. Luc. 1â— Iohn 14. Colos. 4. A Christiane must coÌ„tinually fight agaiÌ„st Satan 1. Pet. 5. Iac. 4. Iohn 12.16 Christ and in hym all Christians haue gotten the victory ouer the deuill and the worlde 1. Iohn 3. The papecie The wickednes of the minister hindereth the dignitie of the worde or sacraments nothing at all The worde the sacrameÌ„ts oughte to be had in greate reuerence The worde of god driueth awaye Satan Rom. 1. Esay 6. It is a greater miracle to driue the deuil out of mens heartes then out of their bodye Three sortes of people iudg of this miracle The first meruell at the worke The second blaspheme Beelzebub what it is in Englishe 2. Cor. 4. The godly reioyce in the gospell the vngodly blaspheme it The aduersaries grauÌ„t many thinges to be true yet they go forth to persecute 2. Cor. 4. The power of the deuill is not to be set lyght by The papistes in persecuting the true ChristiaÌ„s thincke they do God great seruice Iohn 16. The thirde seke signes from heauen The wise of the world are offeÌ„ded at the word because the preachers therof are so homly poore creatures The glorious worldlinges can not abyde to be reproued for their wycked lyuing Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Exod. 22. TeÌ„porall rulers owe no lesse obedience to God hys worde then subiectes do Esa. 53. Iohn 16. Preachers haue authoritie to rebuke the sinnes of all men without exception Preachers may be no meÌ„ pâ—easers Gala. 1. Marcke this well O thou preacher Christ confuteth his aduersaries Discorde The kyngdoÌ„ of the deuill Why so fewe receue the worde Why the deuyl preuaileth not agaynste Gods electe Acts. 9. Obiection Exorcistes Answere ii Thess. ii The deuyll worketh miracles to confirme
Psal. 143. Rom. 11. Galat. 3. Epicures We muste praye contynually Luc. 18. 1. Thess. 5. Eccle. 18. A christen maÌ„ is euer in danger therefore ought he euer to pray Every christen man is a priest Cause to pray Iohn 8. A short declaration of the lordes prayer The first peticion Math. 9. The second peâ—icion The thirde peticion The fourthe peticion The fyfte peticion The sixt peticion The seuenth peticion We oughte to be feruentlye geuen to prayer Math 6. Psal. 50. We muste praye in the name of christ Prayer not made in the name of christ is no prayer God hearethe only those prayers that are made in yâ— name of christ Note well Ioan. 14.16 In Psal. 108. Libro de Isaac etamina What it is to praye trulye Prayer onlye râ—dressethe all our mesiries Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 12. God dothe all thynges for the beste Math. 6. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. A good lesson Math. 8. We maye no appoinc god in oure prayer how and wheÌ„ hee shall helpe vs. Iudith 7. Esa. 30. Thren â— Psal. 9. God wyl help all them in coÌ„ueniente tymâ— that pray vnto him Praier is our onlye staye in thys worlde Ioan. 16. Forget not this o EnglaÌ„d How the church of christ maye be safly preserued froÌ„ the deuil and Antichriâ—ste â–ª Euery christeÌ„ man is a souldiour Ephe. 6. With preaching praier the kingdome of Antichriste is ouercome 2. Corin. 10. An exhortarioÌ„ vnto prayer A wicked imagenacion Iohn â—5 Christes kingdom is spiritu all Math. 10. Luc. 22. Act. 1. The holye ghost teacheth to praye Zacha. â—2 Faythe is the gyft of God Rom. 10. Praier without Faithe is no prayer Two thinges speciallye taught in this sermon The historie of christes ascension Act. 1. Act. 1. The state of glorified bodies Rom. 4. Christ by his ascension declareth the his kyngdome is not of thys worlde Iohn 18. Actes 1. Why Christ came down from heauen Psal 68. Ephe. 4. Phil. 2. Ioan. 16. Ioan. 14. Gen. 5. 4. Reg. 2. Iohn 6. Iohn 10. Act. 2. The differenc of christes ascension and oures â—oan 3. Ioan. 18. The maners of thys world discribed Thoughe our bodyes be on the earth yet our myndes ought to be in heaueÌ„ Coloss. 3. Luc. 11. Synne hath made vs bond slaues to the deuyll and deathe Christes humilitie Christes glorious tryumph ouer synne deuill and hell Rom. 8. By christ are we made free from synne â–ª deuyll death damnation Why christ is ascendede into heauen Rom. â— Synne 2. Reg. 11. 2. Reg. 12. All thinges worke for the best vnto theÌ„ that loue god Psal. 51. Deathe 1. Cor. 5. Osee. 3. The deuyll 1. Pet. 5. Note well Synne death and deuyll are taken prisoners of christ The fruite of christes ascencion Christ hath receued gyftes for men Ioel. 2. Iohn 16. Act. 2. The workes of the holye ghost Rom. 4. Psal. 32. Psal. 68. Ephe. 4. Enemies of godes worde Psal. 2. Persâ—ecutyon maketh the worde of god to florishe Math. 16. Math. 21. God defeÌ„deth his churche Iohn 16. 1. Cor. 4. Iac. 1. Math. 16. Luke 24. Christe blessed his disciples what christes blessing was Math. 28. Marc. 16. Marc. 16. What it is to preach the gospell to euerye creature Esa. 55. Whersoeuer yâ— gospell is preached there the blessinge of Christe is What christe mente by blessing his disciples Rom. 1. Luc. 24. The holye ghoste is almighte and euerlasting god The miseries of the true christians in thys worlde both outwardly inwardly Why the holy ghost is called a conforter Note well Two kyndes of conforte The conforte of the worlde The conforte of the holye ghoste An obiection Ihon. 16. Math· 14. Marâ— 6. Luc. 9. Antichristes disciples are in better case in this world then the disciples of christe Christes humilitie the answer worldly confort is vncerten The conforte of the holy ghost is most certen and sure 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 16. The holye ghost is god The rewarde of the godlye in this lyfe How the holy ghost coÌ„forteh the faithful inwardly Phil. â— The holye ghost teacheth no newe doctrine The wytnes bearinge of christe only coÌ„forteth the troubled and weak conscience Note Iohn 14. lib. de Isaac et anima Galat. 1. Epist. 2. Iohn The holye ghoste confortethe by the worde Rom. 10. What ChristiaÌ„s shal loke for this world vnconfortable thoughtes are of the deuyll Rom. 4. A swete conforte Math. 2â— Of the crosse and affliction Luc. 24. The true and false churche The pope and hys Secte is not the true churche Ciprians erroure Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Math. 6. The excommunicate and curse of the false churche is not to be feared How the false churche maye be knowen What it is to knowe god Iohn 1. What it is to knowe christ What it is to know the father The doctrine of the true churche The doctrine of the false churche whi we ought to do good workes Apoc. 2. The tokens of the true churche The true chureh taketh all troubles pacientlye and thankefuly Pentecoste â–ª what it signifyeth Exod. 20. 1. Cor. 10. Exod. 12. â— Cor. 5. Heb. 9.10 The PeÌ„tecost of the Iewes Rom. 7. Iohn 7. Exod. 34. 2. Cor. 3. The lawe accuseth 2. Cor. 3. Exod. 19. Deut. 8. The Whytsontide or PeÌ„thecost of the christians Actes 2. Luc. 24. Act. 1. Math. 3. What the fyrye tongues signifye Esa. 2. Math. 23. Marc. â—6 Why the Apostles speake with diuers languages Act. 5. Act. 20.21 Psal. 6â— Esa. 60. Hiere 3. Ioel. 2. Zachar. 3. The holye ghost hath alwayes ben of the churche Iohn 16. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 12. Christe the sonne of god Gen. 3. The reuelacion of the holye ghost on whitsondaye why the holye ghost was opened on whitsonday By christ receaue we the holy ghoste Psal. 68. Act. 2. The holye ghoste is god from euerlastyng Why the spirite of god is called the holye ghoste Iohn 6. Diuers propertis of the trinitie The proper office of the holye ghoste Act. 15. The seconde sanctifying of the holy ghost Ephe. 4. Zach. 2. Other offices of the holye ghoste Iohn 14. Iohn 15. How the holy ghoste may be obtayned Luc. 11. Prayer The holye ghost is to be obtaynede by prayer We muste pray in the name of christ Psal. 68. Act. 2. Math. 28. Marc. 16. Act. 3. The lyfe is godly to be ordered The office of the holye ghoste Math. 6. Psal. 51. The dignitie of this gospel To loue christ and to beleue in hym are all one thyng The nature of loue It is necessari that Christ beloued Loue doth all thinges Loue procedeth of fayth What is christes worâ— The lawe of god is to be obeyed How god is to be knowen Note well A great coÌ„fort Deut. 30. Rom. 10. What it is to be in heauen What it is to haue god dwellyng in vs. Esa. 66. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 3. â— 2. Cor. 6. Loue maketh all thynges lyghte Spollers of church goods That Christ keth god spea speakethe vexacion geueth vnderstaÌ„dynge Wyth out the in warde
vtterly put away the inward curse cōdemnatiō of the law so that for euer after it cā no more bynd vs nor hurte so many as beleue in Christ. For although outwardly wee are cursed euill spoken of despised and condemned as it chaunced vnto Christe and muste nedes so likewise cōme to passe with vs for we must be made cōformable and like vnto Christ in bearing the crosse yet inwardly we are free and blessed and the curse of the lawe can not preuaile againste vs neither can the lawe it selfe any more accuse vs and condemne vs. For if God thorowe Christ be with vs who can be againste vs So lykewise reade we in sainct Paules epistle to the Galathians when the fulnes of tyme was comme God sent his sonne made of a woman made subiect to the lawe that he might deliuer them that were bounde to the lawe Christe for our sake fel into the lawe that is to saye into the payne of the lawe that we might be deliuered from the same and obtaine that portion of enheritaunce whiche is due to the sonnes of God Wherof the prophete Esaye also sayeth ye are frely bought ye shall frely bedeliuered S. Peter also sayth we are deliuered by the precious blood of Christ that innocent lambe of God The second fruit profit of the passion of Christ is that by it we are made free from sinne and it is in a maner all one with the first For when we be free frō the lawe then are we also free from sinne not that we synne not or can not offend but that synne is no more imputed vnto vs nor brought in againste vs by the law Therfore saith blessed S Iohn in his epistle The blood of Christ maketh vs cleane from all synne And Paule in his epistle to the Hebrues sayth that the blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from deade workes to serue the lyuing God Again to the Corinthians he sayeth God made hym that knewe no sin synne for our sake that in him we might be made that righteousnes whiche is alowed before God Christe for our sake was made sinne that is to say a sacrifice and oblation for synne by this meanes hath he recōciled vs vnto god and made vs before god of vnrighteous righteous of sinneful wicked perfect good Now forasmuch as we be free from the curse of the lawe and from sinne it foloweth that we also are free and safe from death deuil and hel whiche is the thirde fruite and profit of Christes passion For seing death is the stipend and rewarde of synne as the Apostle sayeth and synne is abrogated and taken awaye from vs by the passion and death of Christe it foloweth that death is also taken awaye so that it hath no power againste vs. Therfore doth Christe threaten death by the Prophete and sayeth O death I will be thy death For seinge that Christe was the true lyfe he could not be ouercome of death but he being the noble cōquerour valiant victoure of death toke awaye the stynge from death and flewe hell as Christe him selfe saith by the aforesaid Prophet I wil deliuer them from hel from death wil I make them safe So was Satan also cast out as Christe sayth in the gospel of Iohn so that he can not execute against vs the paine of hell death And al this is comme to passe because Christ hath fulfilled the law for vs and purged our sinnes by the sprinklyng of his blood The fourth fruite profite of the passiō of Christ is that we are not only deliuered from the law sin death hel deuil but we are also thorow the merites of christs passiō receaued into the grace and fauour of god For he hath satisfyed the father for vs and hath reconciled vs vnto him as Paule testifieth sayinge when we were yet enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne Again God hath reconciled vs vnto hym by Iesus Christ. ones again God the father hath deliuered vs from the power of darcknes and hath translated vs into the kyngdome of his welbeloued sonne Yea we are not only by the death of Christe reconciled and set at one with God the Father but also wyth all the Angels and heauenly spirites For when the father thorowe his sonne fauoreth vs and is mercifull vnto vs then do al creatures the same thorowe him and be at concorde and perfecte agrement with vs as S. Paule saith It pleased the father that all fulnes shoulde dwell in hym and by him to reconcile all thynges vnto hymselfe pacifying by the blood of his crosse things both in heauen and in earth And ye which some time were farre of and enemies in your minde thorow euil workes hath he nowe reconciled in the body of his fleshe by death that he shoulde make you holy blameles and without fault in his sight And in many other places it is declared how we are reconciled set at one with the father and made heires of the kingdome of heauen thorowe Christe The fyfte fruit and profite of the passion of Christe is the newe testament whiche he promiseth vnto vs and bequethe vnto vs remission of synnes sealed and confirmed with the death and blood of Christe as it is written He is the mediatour of the new Testament that thorow death whiche chaunced for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the firste Testament they whiche were called mighte receaue the promesse of eternall inheritaunce For whersoeuer a testament is there muste also be the death of him that maketh the testament For the testament taketh authoritie when men are dead for it is of no value as long as he that made it is a liue Of these wordes it euidently appeareth that the newe testament wherin we haue remission of sinnes is sealed and ratifyed by the death of Christ. Therfore doth Christ cal the cuppe the cuppe of the newe Testament in his bloud which is shedde for remission of sinnes Last of all Christ with his death and passion hath goten vnto vs this fruite and profit that our crosse suffrance pleaseth GOD that after this it should no more be a cursyng or payne but an holy blessynge and mortifying of our olde Adam and wicked fleshe And by this meanes our tribulation persecution and death is an holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto god And all this comme to passe thorow the merite of Christ and his death as Paule sayth to the Romains Those whiche he knewe before he also ordeined before that they shoulde be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the firste begotten sonne among many brethren As the sacrifice of Christ and his death was a pure and acceptable sacrifice to god so likewise the death of al the Christians shal be an holy sacrifice to god not