clxxxv POSTILLES OR HOMILIES VPON THE EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FROM ESTER vntyll TRINITIE sondaye wyth certayne other frutefull and godly SERMONS drawen forth by dyuerse lerned men for the syngular edificacion and commoditie of al good CHRISTEN parsons and in especiall of prestes and CVRATES ⧠Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ANNO. M. D. XL. THE COPY OF THE KYNGES graciouse priuilege HENRY the eight by the grace of god kynge of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce defensour of the fayth Lorde of Ireland and in earth supreme head immediatly vnder Christe of the church of EnglaÌ„d To all prynters of bokes wythin thys oure Realme and to all other our officers ministers and subiectes these our letters hearyng or seynge Gretynge We let you wit that of our grace especial we haue gyuen priuilege vnto our welbeloued subiecte Richarde Bankes that no maner person wythin thys our Realme shal prynte any maner of bokes what so euer our sayd subiecte shall prynte fyrste wythin the space of seuen yeares next ensuyng the printynge of euery suche boke so by hym prynted vpon payne of forfetynge the same Wherefore we woll and coÌ„maunde you that ye nor none of you do presume to prynte any of the sayde bokes durynge the tyme aforesayd as ye tender oure pleasure and woll auoyde the contrarye A SERMON OF THE RESVRRECTION CHRISTVS traditê° fuit ê“pter peccata nostra resurrexit propter iustificationem nostri Roma iiij ☞ Christ was delyuered for our synnes and rose agayne for the iustification of vs. Rom. iiij YF euer the greatnes or excellency of any matter hath styred vp youre myndes to gyue diligent eare at any tyme good chri sten people welbeloued in our Lorde and Sauiour Christe I doubt not but that I shall haue you now moost diligent and redy hearers of that matter whyche I haue at thys tyme to open vnto you For I am come to declare that great and moost comfortable article of our fayth the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus So great is thys article and of so great weyght and importaunce that it was thought worthy to kepe our said Sauiour styl on earth after he was rysen from death to lyfe to the confirmation therof in the hartes of hys disciples So that as Luke testifyeth in the fyrste chapter of the actes he was conuersant wyth hys disciples by the space of fourty dayes continually together to enstructe them the truth therof before he wold ascende vp to hys father in heauen to receyue the glorye of hys conquest and victory So comfortable is thys article to our coÌ„sciences that it is the locke and keye of all our fayth Yf it were not true sayeâ—h S. paule that Christe arose agayne oure preachynge were in vayne your fayth were but voyde ye were yet in the daunger of your synnes Yf Christe be not rysen agayne sayeth the Apostle than are they vtterly pery shed that be entred theey slepe in Christ than are we moost myserable of al meÌ„ yf we haue our hope fixed in Christ yf he were vnder the power of death not re stored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne froÌ„ death sayth he to be y e fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is ryseÌ„ again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor y t he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iudgement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe He began sayeth Luke at Mo ses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to son dry persons at sondry tymes Fyrst he sente hys angels to y t sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne wo men that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the emptygraue sa uynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed y t he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opeÌ„lye After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge He was sene of more thaÌ„ fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you After thys he ap peared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takeÌ„ vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to coÌ„firme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye and to haue prea ched openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligeÌ„t for oure coÌ„forte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe nomore dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule â—or out synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs
ye receyue with mekenes the worde that is grafte implanted in you of god the father of heueÌ„ Receyue it he sayth with mekenes that is to say with al modestie and reuerence not after a ryottouse and sediciouse sorte as thoughe ye wolde fyght for it nor agayne with an euel and struglyng mynde as many 〈…〉 do but gladly thankfully and gently For it is the thinge whych is hable to saue youre soules whych thing also saynt Panle proueth wrytinge to the Romaynes where he teacheth that we be iustified by fayth by the ministery of gods worde Nowe therfore good people let vs accordinge to the meanyng of this epistle whych I haue brefly declared vnto youe imbrase this worde of trouthe that saynt Iames doth here speake of and so imbrace it that we may be couÌ„ted doers and not hearers only Thus doynge we shall declare our selues to be the chosen people of God and we shall inioy at last the kyngdom prepared for vs of almyghty God Who be lauded .c. The Gospell on the. iiij sondaye after Ester the. xvj chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christe promyseth to sende the holy gooste and of hys offyce Iesus sayd to hys disciples Nowe I go my waye to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whyther I go And because I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes are ful of sorowe Neuer thel esse I tel you the trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my fa ther and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged â—â—â—â—â— I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what soÌ„ euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purpose is sente of Christe that he myghte â—â—uâ—late and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be letters and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some car nall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and pro fitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde y t is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you â—o good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome
alredy spoken by Christ. This do not the papistes for they expouÌ„de not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hetheÌ„ persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persoÌ„s and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vn to you And al that the father of heueÌ„ hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure carnall and olde man and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of god which is here called y e spirite of trouth Whych spirite by the instrument of godes word as here is declared shall open and disclose vnto vs all trouth necessarye to oure saluation and soule helth Which thyng also the auÌ„cient doctour Ihon Chrysostome witnesseth sayeng What so euer is sought to the soule helth the same is al togither conteyned and accomplished in holy scripture He that is ignoraunt shal fynde there ynoughe to lerne He that is stubborne and a synner shall fynde there the skourgies of the iudgemente to come that he maye feare He that laboureth shall fynde there the gloryes and promises of lief euerlasting by chawyng wherof he may be more more kyndled to do good workes as becommeth a christian man to do Let vs praye then to god with pure hartes that he woll vouche saue to send vs this holy ghost this coÌ„forter vnto our myndes which may open vnto vs al trouth To whome be glory and prayse immortally .c. The Epistle on the. v. sondaye after Ester The fyrste chapter of saynt Iames. Thargument ☞ Saynt Iames exhorteth christen men to declare their feyth wyth good workes And he sheweth what thyng true Religion or deuotion is MOst deare beloued brethren euery good gifte and euery perfyte gyfte is from aboue and cometh downe from the father of lyghtes wyth whoÌ„ is no variablenes neither is he chaunged vnto darckenes Of hys owne wyll begat he vs wyth the worde of trouth that we shuld be the fyrste frutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethreÌ„ let euery man be swyft to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of maÌ„ worketh not that why â—he is ryghtouse before god Wherfore laye aparte all fylthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receaue wythe mekenes the worde that is grasted in you whych is hable to saue your soules THe holy Apostle of God saynte Iames good christen people in the epistle of this day dothe discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers And ye shal vnderstande that the true heaters of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth whiche vnderstande it in theyr harte whiche do garnishe it outwardely with suche workes as be prescribed and appoynted them to do and as the pa rable of Christe declareth whiche do heare the word of god and vnderstande it whiche also bryng forthe frute some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thyrty folde And it is he according to the wordes of the prophete Dauid whiche is lyke a tre planted by the ryuer syde bearyng his frute in due tyme. But the false hearers of the worde be they whiche heare it but they receiue it nat with fayth they vnderstande it nat in theyr harte neyther do they furnyshe and declare it to the worlde with good workes and as the parable of y e sower sayeth they suffre the deuyll to take the worde out of theyr harte These be only temporall hearers and but for a season they be but starters they stycke nat by it They be also suche as when they haue perceyued taken the true word of god they choke it with the care of this world and with the disceitfulnes of ryches so make the worde vnfruteful for they receiue it nat with ful mynd but by snatches and myndyng other thynges euen as he whiche beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse and forthwith goeth hys waye and forgetteth by and by what maner thyng it was Be ye then doers of the worde that is to were declare w t good workes that ye truly vnderstande it and be â—at hearers onely as who shulde say Ye that heare the worde of god with your eares and do boste and glory in the knowledge therof and neuertheles be occupyed and intaugled in other maters ye do nothyng els but deceiue your selues whych thyng he declareth with a wonderful goodly and apte similitude For lyke as it nothinge helpeth a man to staÌ„de before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire whan he goeth away forthwyth and forgetteth strayte hys beawtie So it helpeth a man no thynge at all to heare gods worde onles he receyue it in hys harte and take holde of it by fayth depely printyng in hys mynde the beautie therof and be de lyted therin and fynally declare wyth good workes that he doth truly vnderstande it Furthermore he that standeth before a glasse maye well glorie and bragge of hys beautye for a tyme So he that heareth the worde may well reioyse and glorie of it But whan the glasse is taken away anone the beau tie is out of the mynde So in tyme of necessitie and tribulation yf the true glasse of gods wyll that is to wyt the worde of God be taken awaye and not coÌ„ sydered anone the promyses and gospell that is to saye the glad tydynges concernynge our redemption is out of mynde the beautie of gods goodnes is forgotten and finally the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde is neglected But on the contrary parte who so loketh in the perfyte lawe of lybertie and continu eth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke the same shalbe happy in hys dede As who shulde saye He that rightly heareth and vnder standeth the worde and doeth expresse the same with worthy workes in such wyse as he sheweth hymselfe to haue a firme sure vnderstandynge of the same whereby he may vaynquish and chase away death Satan and synne he shalbe happye in hys dede or worke he shalbe declared by hys dedes to be a iustifyed person and saued For dedes workes in christeÌ„ men be testimonies and wytnesses
thou cammest therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst maÌ„ beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yet thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by y e worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth ourselues that Iesus is Christe that is to saye the annoynted kynge and Sauioure of the worlde For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomaÌ„ coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whoÌ„ Christ answereth Uerely verely I saye vnto the onles a maÌ„ be borne agayne from about he can not se the kyngdome of God whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue y t Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secoÌ„dly that he is a kynge anoynted w t the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath and so all hypocrites and betwene y t true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borâ—e agayne when through the holy goost we be casted by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll to thuâ— tent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue y t Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the fame that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heueÌ„ the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than maÌ„s that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer y e world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Unto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the. xx chapter of Ihon. Thargument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr coÌ„mission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whaÌ„ they sawe the Lorde Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And wha he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whosoeuers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Di dimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my han des and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Tho mas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my Cod Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence
the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The. xvi chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ. IEsus sayd to â—is disciples After a whylâ— ye shal not se me and agayne after a whyle ye 〈…〉 me â—or I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and la ment but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shalbe turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is de lyuered of the chylde she remeÌ„breth nomore the anguysh for ioy that a maÌ„ is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christeÌ„ people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shalbe betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vn to you that I shulde be condemned scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn w t hym my spirituall raygne Lo my deare frendes w t such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how y e coÌ„myng is to y e same Assuredly y e kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be y e most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spi rite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege herof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowledge and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se hun agayhe after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the. v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of y e prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre w t themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall nâ—â— se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to y e wordes that he spake albert he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and caâ—â—tall power syth they se here so manyfestly y e the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moâ—h conuersaunt anionges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the suâ—â—ine and effecte of thys
place that the flesh in suche thynges as perteine to iustification can do no good onles the holy gost beyng communitate by the word be receiued and had For as the prophete Ieremy recordeth they shalbe taught of God and not of themselues Thyrdly Christe doth preuent his apostles when he espyed them not to atteine his wordes and that they wold aske him the meanyng of the same sayeng vnto them in thys wise Of thys ye do question amonges your selues that I sayd a litle and ye shall not see me and agayne a lytle and ye shall se me Uerely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lamente but the worlde shal reioyce Ye shal sorow but your sorowe shalbe turned into ioye Lo how Christ tendereth his apostles he shaketh them not of for their rudenes and ignoraunce but moste gentlye instructeth them shewinge them howe his format wordes ought to be vnderstand sayenge vnto them in thys wise Ye shall wepe and be sory but why bycause ye shall see youre Lorde and mayster apprehended and takeÌ„ nayled vpon the crosse and put to death Then shall calamitie and sorow begynne and principally this shall trouble you that the world shal reioyce at your aduersitie and your maysters aduersitie And euen as Christ had spoken so it came to passe concer â—yng both hys owne crosse affliction and heuines also his apostles For do ye thynke yt a lytle crosse vnto hym when y t he was reuiled and vpbrayded of the Iues â—ayeng vnto hym let God delyuer hym if he woll haue hym I omytte and passe ouer with silence the thing that he himself complayneth of wher he sayeth by his prophet Dauid I am a worme and not a man a laughing stocke or an obprobrie of men and the refuse of the people As many as behold me mocke me they shake their hedes at me What is thys but to cast Christ into trouble and heuynesse not only hym but also hys apostles and louyng freÌ„des whyche kept hym company And albeit Christe dothe specially in this place speake of the tyme of his owne crosse whych shulde be the occasion of weping and mournyng to his apostles yet hys mynde was hereby to shewe what state and fortune is to be loked for in thys world vnto all true christiaÌ„s True christians no doubt can not but suffer in this world moch displeasures and persecution wheras the wic ked persons and such as care neither for God nor deuell make good chere and lyue according to their hartes ease Hereunto agreeth Salomon in his pro uerbes sayeng Cast not awaye the chastisement of the lord Loye se how Christ instructeth his apostles and arineth them with paâ—ience to abyde and suffer thobprobriouse wordes scornes and persecutions of the wicked persons and Antichristes And that he willeth the apostles to do the same he commauÌ„deth and speaketh euen vnto vs so many as wolbe hys disciples and folowers Fourthly foraâ—â—noche as Christe hath tolde hys apostles of the sorowe and heuines of the persecutions that shuld happen vnto them for hys sake he nowe agayne doth comforte them declaringe vnto them what shall happen after such stormes of affliction Your heuines sayth he shalbe chaunged into ioye as who shulde saye the worlde as sone as they shal haue kylled me woll thynke they haue won thâ— spurres that they haue put me downe but it shall not be so for y e thyrde daye after shall I ryse agayne from death maugre theyr heades I shall comforte you and in your heuynes pacifie you make you gladde And albeit after that tyme also ye must styll suffre moch wronge and reproche for my name and for the gospel sake yet your affliction crosse shall not laste longe but eternall ioye shall anone ensue folowe An exemple of thys thynge I wol ye take in a woman that traueleth with chyide A woman whaÌ„ she traueleth ye know is in heuynes payn for her houre is at hande But assone as she hath brought forth into the worlde a chylde is delyuered she remembreth no more her payne and greife for the ioye she hath of the chylde that is borne into the worlde In semblable wise ye be nowe sadde and heuy for my departure but I shal come see you agayne and thaÌ„ your hartes shal leape for ioye no man shalbe hable with all the displeasure he can do you to take awaye this your ioye from you Assuredly my frendes thys similitude whych is here brought forth of Christ is excedingly comfortable For fyrst of all yt sheweth that persecution trouble and crosse must as surely folowe the confession of the gospell as it is sure that a trauelyng woman cannot brynge forth her chyld without sorow and grefe but in the meane season the Christen man thorough the word of God muste nedes afterwarde haue greate comforte and ioye Furthermore this trouble crosse affliction and persecution of the true christians shall not be continuall and euerlastinge but it shall endure but for a season And on the contrary parte the worlde shall ioye for a season But their ioye shal not longe laste as Christe himself in an other place witnesseth wher he sayth wo be to you which laughhere for ye shal wepe and lamente Albeit in very dede the christian man shall not be cleane voyde of ioye in this worlde but what ioye is thys I woll sayeth Christ see you agayne and your haries shal ioye and no man shal take your ioye from you Undoubtedly the ioye that Christe here speaketh of is the gladnes and peace of conscience that the true christians shall haue in asmoche as they knowe that God shalbe merciful vnto them throughe Christ and shal kepe and preserue them into euerlasting liefe whych was prepared for them before the worlde was made as Christ hymself witnesseth by the father of heuen To whome wyth the sonne and holye ghost be thankes c. The Epistle on the. iiij sonday after Ester daye The. i. chapter of Iames. Thargument ☞ Saynt Iames sheweth that Gods worde is an heuenly gyfte and howe it ought to be receyued Most derely beloued brethren euery good gyft and euery perfect gyft is from aboue and coÌ„ methe downe frome the father of lyghtes wythe whome is no variablenes neyther is he chaunged vnto darkenes Of his owne will begate he vs wyth the word of trouth that we shulde be the first frutes of his creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery man be swyfte to heare slow to speake slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that whych is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye a parte all fylthynes and superfluitie of malyciousnes and receaue with mekenes the word that is graf ted in you whych is hable to saue your soules The holy Apostle saynt Iames good christian brethren and systres in the epistle of this daye doth fyrste open and declare vnto vs the causes of gods worde frome whence it commeth and then he commendeth and
aduocate by whom all be forgyuen vs and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indignacion and wrath For I pray you what saynte what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and intercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren coÌ„municating vnto vs the rouine or of fice of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shalbe an intercessour or suter for you to my father For the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Thou shall nede no patrones or aduorates w t god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wrytcth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synue I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe â—f so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with y e blessed virgine Marye Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatuâ—e We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge â—o nowe thou speak este frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thin â—â—s c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to
wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectioÌ„ Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes vic torye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any maÌ„ doubt of thys victorye let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be coÌ„quered than must it folowe y t sinne wher fore death was appoynted as the wages must be al so destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the rulet of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiauÌ„t resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testa ment as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered y e lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtu ousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyueted from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy bycause he hath begotteÌ„ vs â—ayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wyth hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartâ— to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê‘spexit The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerla stynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vp warde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes â–ª Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerla stynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was oâ—es broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thyn ges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection y t by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament let thy repentanÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chanÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vn to hymselfe Thus good christen people for as muche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefy tes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys