adultery in an other man it is necessarye that I be fautles thereof my selfe And when I shal speake against surfeting and dronkennes then muste not I my selfe be a glotton And yf I shal rebuke theft then must I beware least I my selfe at any tyme be accused of thefte Or else S. Paule geueth me a check in his Epistle to the Rom. saying Rom. 2. Loke wherin thou iudgest an other man thou condemnest thy selfe in so much that thou that iudgest doest euen the same And more ouer the holy ghost shall sende suche an other lyke songe into mine eares saiyng Wherfore doest thou shew abrode my rightousnes and hast my testament in thy mouth Psal 49 thou hatest my doctrine and doest cast my saiyngs behind the When thou sawest a thefe thou rannest wyth hym and with adulterers thou haddest thy portion And very trewth it is that before god we be all sinners vncleane and must therefore continually aske forgiuenes for our dayly fautes yet must the outward conuersacion of a christian man be vnreprouable chiefly of hym that preacheth the word of god least the enemies of the word 1 Tim. 3 through our vnhonest conuersacion may take occasion not only to slaunder but also to persecute the gospell Secondarely Wee shuld not be ignorante of Christes gospell Christe dothe commende his doctrine as it which is the very trewthe and therein hee signifieth againe that the Iewes withoute annye cause or mattier dothe reiecte hys doctrine seinge he teacheth nothynge else but the playne trewth receaued of hys heauenlye father And where as before he withstode the Iewes with his most pure and vncleane lyfe nowe doth he obiecte vnto them his doctrine whiche trewlye came from his father in heauen and not as the Iewes dyd lye and faine from the diuell But and yf the preacheâ— can not do this what shall he do He must needes be assured of the doctrine that it is of God howe so euer his lyfe be For through false doctrine many be brought to the diuell My vncleane lyfe condemneth no man but my selfe Wherfore if I shuld needes chuse one of the two and might none other wise bee I had leuer haue an vnchrifte to my teacher and preacher that woulde instructe me in the right and trew doctrine then a good and deuoute man that wolde leade me frome the worde of god to mennes tradicions and hypocrisye of workes And therein Christe agreeth with me when he sayeth that we shuld heare them that syt in Moyses chayre that is Mat. 23 those that teache the worde of god as Moyses dyd but we shulde not do accordinge to theyr workes Here he dothe reiecte the euell workes of the preacher and not his doctryne whiche is of god Wherefore thinke you dyd Paule reioyse so much Gal. 1. that he had receyued his gospell and preaching by the reuelacion of Iesu Christ Dougheteles he wolde the Iewes to vnderstande that the doctrine he taughte was not his but gods Now seing we be assertained that the doctrine is not ours but goddes we muste with all diligence study and endeuour to defende and knowledg the same against all aduersaries and slaunderers thereof euen to blodde shod and death as in this place Christ defendid al that was laid against his doctrine and that he was not possessed of a dyuell nor dyd speake any thinge through the dyuell And as much as touched his personage he let passe and medled not there with Therefore we muste be assured of oure doctrine that we receyue teache or preache nothinge els but that is very trewthe As Christ also saith of his fathers doctrine Ioh. 12. Thy word is trewth Thirdely Whye the Iewes wold not hear the worde of God Christ sheweth a reason in this gospel why the Iewes can not heare the worde of god and beleue him saying He that is of God heareth the worde of God and bycause ye be not of God therefore ye hear not his word Se here what great difference in as much as concerneth iustificacion is betwene the iudgement of the flesh and the iudgement of Christ The Iewes iudged this that seing they came of the seede of Abraham and the patryarkes and that they had circumcision therfore they muste needes be goddes people and children But how doth Christ iudge he saithe They be not of Abraham nor of the Patriarkes but the children of the diuell And that he proueth on this wise Bicause thei do not hear the word of god beleue it as Abraham dyd but doth rather despise set at naught and persecute the same Wher is now the boasting pryde and arrogancy of the Iewes what preuailet now their circumcision Or what helpeth it theÌ„ to be vnder the lawe and borne of the fathers Verely all is not worth a strawe neither is there lefte any hope at al We muste hear goddes word yf the word of god be not heard and stedfastly beleued No nor Abraham himselfe shuld haue byn numbered amongest the children of god excepte he had receiued the word of god and beleued the same as it is witnessed in scripture Abraham beleued in God and that was accompted to hym for righteousnes Ioh. 17 Moreouer scripture saith There is none other way to saluacion but to beleue in hym whome God hath sente into this worlde If nowe thou wylte knowe the children of God Howe the children of God are knoweÌ„ froÌ„ the children of the dyuell frome the children of the diuell marke this The dyuels children can by no meanes abyde or heare Goddes worde howe good iuste and holly so euer they apeare or seeme to vs. They will not haue theyr workes reiected and condemned although thei deserue none other but condemnacioÌ„ The chyldren of God do willyngly heare goddes word and receiue it in theyr hartes and beleue it considering that all theyr felicity and saluacion is set therin The power of Goddes worde Fourthly this gospell declareth vnto vs the power of the worde of god in that that Christ sayeth If a man keepe my worde he shall neuer se deathe that hath he confirmed with an oth And thinkest thou that that pleased the Iewes No no bycause they ascribed his doctrine to the diuell before they coulde in no wise be pleased with such a noble commendacion of his doctrine but were thereby the more steryd to enuye and hatred And lette them be angrye as long as they wyll Christe neuerthelesse goeth forth and ceaseth not to say the treuth howe wrothe so euer they be Therefore we seâ—tynge all mennes wrothe apart shall considre of this texte what our heauenly father by the words of hys welbeloued sone Iesu Christ wyll worke in them that hear beleue the same he saith They shall neuer se death O the excelent noble power of gods word From Adame by ryght inheritaunce Deathe through Adam Rom. 5. we tooke our damnacion and death so that no man in the world by any his works
could auoyde this sentence The wrath of god hath fallen vppon vs all And nowe cometh Christ and wil teache vs how we shal be delyuered from the same sentence that is by his word In the whiche is shewed vnto vs his passion and death considering this alwayes that we trewlye vnderstande and kepe this worde There is greate power and strength in this word Mine for by that he excludeth the lawe of al meÌ„ and of Moyses also and geueth iustification only to this gospell And yf we wolde well looke vppon the matter The difference betwene the doctrine of Moyses Christ we shall perceiue greate difference betwene the doctrine of Moyses and Christ Moyses doth only shew sinne in that that he commauÌ„deth and forbiddeth those thinges whiche of myne owne power and strengthe I can nother doo nor leaue vndonne And yet dothe he gyue the holy ghost wherwith I myght doo that he wolde to be doone But Christe in his worde dothe graunte the holye ghoste that I maye freelye and willynglye do those thinges that bee both good and righteous yea and by the gospell hee gyuethe me remission of synne ryghteousnes inheritaunce the kyngedome of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe that without any my merites or desertes of his onlye grace and mercye And this can no man nor Moyses â—y their lawes do Neither doth Christ aske any thinge of vs again but that we kepe his his his worde I saye And how shuld it be kepte We must in our hartes heare it What it is to kepe the worde of God Mat. 10 receyue it and kepe it The world goeth about to take it from the wheÌ„ she bringeth the to the trust in thine owne workes But thou must be stroÌ„g bold and hardy and suffre not Christ and his word to be taken from the but receyue it into thy hart kepe it which if thou do thou shalt liue for euer althoughe thou caste of this corruptible bodye Mat. 22 Abraham with all the Prophetes bee deade but yet they lyue with god bycause they beleued in Christe which was before Abraham and dyd ascribe their righteousnes to hym And yf thou do not receaue his word thou shalte dye for euer But paraduenture thou wylt say againe Yt were good for a man to heare and beleue this word sauing that so many wise and holy menne haue resisted it But what is that to the Doest thou not know that Christ is set as a token that shal be of many spoken against Thou arte not better then he If the Iewes wolde haue stoned him to death for his doctrine and holsome sermons as this gospell sheweth vs then must not thou looke to bee safe and sure frome aduarsities but muste suffre as he dyd seynge the seruaunte is not aboue or more theÌ„ hys maister And to make an end In the only worde of Christ is gyuen vnto vs remission of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting lyfe yf we beleue therein and will in no wyse be pulled from it which I pray almighty god through Iesu Christ to graunte to vs foreuer Amen The gospell on Palme sondaye is the same whiche is before on the fyrst sonday of Aduent The gospell on Easter day Math. 28. And beholde there was a great earthquake For the aungell of the Lorde descended from heauen and came and rowled backe the stone from the dore and satte vppon it His countenance was lyke lyghtenyng and hys tayment white as snow And for feare of him the keepers were astonyed and became as dead men Mar. 16 Luc. 24 The angell answered said vnto the wemen Feare yt not for I know that ye seeke Iesus whych was crucified he is not here he is risen as he sayd Come se the place wher that the lord was laid go quickely and tel his disciples that he is risen agayne from the dead And behold he goeth before you into Galilee there ye shal se him Lo I haue tolde you THE EXPOSITION THe EuaÌ„gelistes haue with great diligence written of the resurrection of Christe The resurrectioÌ„ an article of fayth and not without great and euident causes For it is an article of great grauitie in the knowledging of our faith one of the chieffest 1 Cor. 15 to beleeue that Christ rose from death and is become the first frutes of theim that sleepe And that it is an article of great weight and not easy to be vnderstand in especiall of a fleshly man so many actes and ensamples in this history declareth it that further proofe or more euident declaracion doth not neede Ys it not written in the Gospell of S. Luke Luc. 24 of the women that when they had declared to the Apostels that which they had seene their wordes were counted as wordes of no reputation or treuth Dyd not Christ himselfe shew them before Luc. 18. that all that was written by the prophetes of the sonne of man shuld be fulfilled and that he shulde bee delyuered vnto that heithen and shuld be mocked and when they had scourged him that they shulde put hym to death that vppon the thyrd day he shuld rise againe Yet this notwithstondinge they didde not beleue but through seinge touching handelynge and finally through many wordes and greate miracles at the lane were brought vnto the fayth Yea the angell here was not beleued vntyll suche tyme that Christ himselfe came and confirmed the Apostels in the faithe Therfore this article of the resurrection is not so hard to be taken and vnderstanded but it is as needefull and necessery to oure iustification and saluacion For without we do comprehend and beleue this article we shall neuer be holly iust or blessed Rom. 4 And this proueth S. Paule to the Romaynes brilfely but with wordes of greate efficacy and power saying Christ was gyuen for our synnes and raised vp for our righteousnes Thorow the resurrection of Chryste we haue obteined the iustification of God Esai 53 Wherin he sheweth two thyngs Fyrst he ascribeth to the passioÌ„ death and blode of Christ remission of sinnes which vndoubtedly by none other worke or deseruing maye be taken awaye as Esai witnesseth He is wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednes Secondarylye he assigneth vnto the resurrection of Christ our iustificacion Wherout it doth folowe â—hat the death of Christ how profitable so euer it be profiteth me nothing except that the same sauiour â—nd my Lorde Iesu Christe had risen from deathe Therefore yf I desire to bee discharged and loused â—rome those synnes that do stirre and pricke me Howe a man shal be deliuerâ—d from synne so â—s it requisite and needefull that I beleue that to be doone allonly throughe the passion and death of our Lord Iesu Christ without any worke or deseruyng of man And furthermore If I be made righteous the same righteousnes is obtained through the resurrection of Christe Now seing that our saluacion commeth and is brought to passe throughe the death and resurrection of
thynges through her workes And if the scripture sixehūdreth tymes did wytnesse Rom. 4 That he that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifyeth the wicked that his fayth were reputed to righteousnes Yet our curiosite can a great deale better do it and vnderstand it But lette euery man take hede that he go the right way and erre not For the tyme is nere at hād that we shall either for true doctrine reioyce with God or els for false doctrin be vtterly cōfounded Surely this woman had neither fayth before in Christe nor yet had done any worke where through she had deserued so great benefite and yet great grace was shewed vnto her He that not beyng desired nor yet intreated doth so great benefite vnto this woman thynkest thou that he wyll not do the same to those that praye to him for it Briefly At all tymes he is ready to helpe vs and to do vs good so that we can beleue doubte not And for the moste partie then doth he helpeth vs whē we haue most neede of him yea when we thinke that God himselfe heauen and yearth all is against vs that we be vtterly forsaken then I say doth he begyn to helpe And the same thou seest to happen to this woman For when her sorowe was greatest then did he helpe her And that is the same that Dauid sayth When I call Psal 4. heare me O God of my righteousnes and comforte me in my trouble Thyrdly we see in this miracle the strength and vertue of Gods woorde The power and vertu of the word of God and what it worketh in vs when we cōprehend it by fayth For the Euangelist after that he hath shewed declared vnto vs howe Christ had pitie on this woman and comforted her after he wryteth howe Christ through his woorde raysed this child frō death sayth He came nigh touched the coffyn they that bare him stode stil he sayd Yong mā I say vnto thee aryse Here you heare that Christ is Lorde aswell ouer the dead as ouer the quicke what he speaketh to this yong mā that is dead But what happened The dead sat vp and begāne to speake Beholde the great vertue of Christes worde that by the same the dead are raised to life And whatsoeuer is done here after the history to this yong mā the same must be done dayly spiritually in vs. For who is without synne And the reward of synne is death Therfore if we wyll be deliuered frō synne escape euerlastyng death Christ with his worde must come do it For Christ sayth He that kepeth my worde Ihon. 8. shal not dye euerlastyngly And his worde must bee comprehended vnderstanded by a true fayth For where the knowlege of this worde lacketh Ihon. 1. there Christ which is the word is not knowen And againe where Christ is not knowen there cannot God be praised nor glorified with the woordes of this people saiyng A great prophet is risen amongst vs and God hath visited his people The knowlege of God brīgeth thankesgeuyng And contrary wise where this worde is comprehended in heart conceyued there is Christ knowen when he is knowen then is God praised and glorifyed because that he hath visited vs not in his wrath but with his infinite mercy and hath geuē vs his only welbeloued sōne so that through his passion death he hath redemed vs frō synne death deuil and hell For the whiche great benefite we are bounde to thanke him euerlastyngly Fynally the benignitee of Christ allureth vs vnto fayth and fayth acknowlegeth the power of Gods worde and this knowlege prayseth and glorifyeth God euerlastyngly To whom with the sonne and holy ghost be all honour and praise Amen The gospel on the .xvii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Luc. 14. ANd it chaunsed that he went into the house of one of the chiefe Pharises to eat bread on a Sabboth day and they watched him And behold there was a certain man before him whiche had the dropsye And Iesus answered and spake vnto the lawyers and Pharisies saiyng Mat. 12 Mar. 3. Luc. 6. is it lawful to heale on the sabboth day And they helde their peace And he toke him and healed him and let him go answered theim saiyng Whiche of you haue an Asse or an oxe fallen into a pyt Exo. 23 Deu. 22 Mat. 12 and wyl not straight waye pull him out on the Sabboth daye And they could not answere him again to these thynges He put furth also a similitude to the gestes when he marked howe they preased to the hyest roumes sayd vnto them when thou art bydden of any man to a weddyng sitte not doune in the hyest roume lest a more honorable man than thou be bydden of him and he that bad him and the come say to the Geue this man roume and thou then begyn with shame to take the lowest roume But rather when thou art bydden go and sytte in the lowest roume that when he that bad the commeth he may say vnto thee Frende sytte vp hyer Pro. 25 Then shalt thou haue worship in the presence of them that sytte at meate with thee Mat. 23 Luc. 81 For who soeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell Christ had to do handleth with two maner of persones Fyrst with the Pharisies whiche wayted him to fynde occasion to reprehende him also with this man that had the dropsye Let vs therfore see fyrst howe he handleth him selfe towarde these Phariseis and howe the Phariseis handle themselfes towardes Christ The condicion nature of the Phariseis The Phariseis euer went aboute to blaspheme Christes doyng accordyng to their nature and custome As for his doctryne semed vnto theim nothyng at all by reason it was cōtrary to hypocrisy Wherfore there was neuer nothyng that pleased them whatsoeuer Christe taught And though they sawe neuer so muche his great miracles whiche they could not denye yet would they not geue God the glory but sayd that it was all done through Belzebub prince of the deuils Muche suche blaspemye deceite and enuy shalt thou finde in the histories of the gospel Mat. 12. For euen as the Pharisies persecuted Christ Mat. 12 condempned his doctrine and blasphemed his workes and miracles so Christ set himselfe against them withstode them as moste great enemies to his holy doctrine If you loke in the histories of the gospel you shall fynde cōtinual warre betwene Christ and the Phariseis And it could bee no other wyse For he was the stombling stone 1. Pe. 2. Luc. 2. a rocke to be offended at and a token whiche shal be spoken against of the worlde Wherfore it had not been well done if he should haue graunted them any thyng pertainyng and touchyng the glory of his father It was sufficient that he did declare with
that surfete and ouer greate couetousnes of riches with greate violence shall invade The car of the belli In the whiche place againe Christ taketh care for vs and saieth Beware c. Thirdly the Gospell shal be preached euery where as we do nowe euidently se so that wee muste needes confesse and knowledge that these manye yeares hitherto the Gospell hathe not beene so purelye preached as we se in these latter daies Item the son moone and the sterres shal be destitute of their naturall lighte The course of the law And hereto shall folowe the sorowfulnes of the people for the feare and lookinge for those thinges whiche shall chaunce to all the worlde The rombling and noise of the sea and floudes the mouinge of the celestiall powers and diuerse other signes whereof Christe maketh mention Now thou perceiuest what shall signes necessarily happen and moreouer thou hast harde that to those that abide in Christe Rom. 5. thâ—y shall bringe no feare at all Forthermore see in this case that thou take hold of Christe by faithe as suche a Lorde and mayster 1 Pet. 5. that hath taken charge ouer the yea and shall abide with the to the end of the worlde Mat. 28 so shall there bee nothing that shall hurte or feare the. The second aduente of Christe Also Christ in this gospell sheweth the maiestye of his laste comminge for none other cause but to comforte his people and to the wicked he bringeth an horrible fear when he saieth And then thei shal se the sonne of man come in a cloud with a great power and clerenesse as thoughe he shuld say Thou my dispised company hast suffered griefe and paine in this worlde thou haste beene made the ofscouringe of al for my worde in the desence therof thou hast suffered many ieopardies of goodes honoure lyfe 1 Cor. 4 and so forthe Therefore now beholde him in whome thou hast laied or sette all thy trust or hope What thinkest thou nowe by my power where bee they that haue persecuted the Ps 72 whreunto is their power come where is nowe seene the pompe and magnificeÌ„ce of thi enemies Al thei by coÌ„fusioÌ„ shame ar destroyed Rom. 8. being damned both body soule for euer And lyke as thy misery shal now haue an end so shall their perpetuall infelicitye and condemnacion nowe begyn and last for euermore Feare thou not this my power whiche thou nowe seeste it shall make more for the then against the Likewise lette not my maiestye be it neuer so greate trouble the The greater it is the more socoure shalt thou haue at my hande And nowe suffre a while and let vs se what the enemyes of the word of God can do Lo Psa 43 thus it is manifest that the maiestie of Godds iudgement to vs that beleue his worde and for the same alwaies be counted and taken as shepe apoynted to the slaunghter bringeth not feare but rather a comforte To vs I say that beleue in him for wee shall hear that ioyfull voice Mat. 15 Come hither the blessed children of my father And nowe may we plainlye se what it is that saynt Paule saith 2 Tim. 1 I knowe in whome I haue beleuid and am sure that he is able to kepe that I haue committed to his kepyng vnto that day In contrary wise Ioh. 19 the enemies of the word of God shal se whom they haue persecuted and whether Christ shall winke at all those ylles that hathe chaunsed to the electe people of God There shal be wepinge and gnashing of teath there shal be hell euerlasting death Thirdly we haue in this gospell a perfecte admonicion that we shal abiecte and cast away al fleshly truste and securitie Carefulnes hurteth and to geue dilygence to haue perfect knowledge of our selues and to be alwayes readye against the glorious adneÌ„t or comming of our lord Iesu Christ For bycause he hath moued and kindeled our hartê with these wordes Looke vp and lyfte up your heades hath putte awaye all feare He wil also that we be warned to prepare our selues againste these times and this he doth by a rude and homely similitude saying Ye se the figge tree and all other trees when they bring forth their fruicte and theÌ„ you say somer draweth nigh So when ye shal see al these thinges done know you for certain that the kingdome of heauen is at hande And note wel nowe that he wolde vs to vnderstand perceiue that when al these thinges shal be brought to passe that then Christ shall make an end of the world But the wicked shal boldly dispise and saye God seeth not vs Ezec. 9. he hath forsaken the earth c. yet shall christian men geue hede loke for these times Luc. 11. as a faithful seruauÌ„t doth loke his mayster when he shall retourne from the mariages And that thou mayest knowe that hee greatlye desireth that we shuld be mindefull of this day he maketh an ende of his sermon with this worde Watche ye How must we watch Verely it is nedeful that we haue a liuely feruente faith Mat 25 which by loue shulde bee effectuall like vnto the fyue wyse virgines For trewly to watch is to be diligente in faithe To watche To slepe and the workes of God as in the contrary wise to slepe is nothing els but to dispise the worde of God to abide in infidelitie and playnly to doo no good at all Now how many is there emongest vs al that doth loke for that helthful and glorious comming or aduent or watcheth therefore Verelye all the worlde slepeth and routeth 1 Tes 5. Night and darkenes hath ouer compassed all that euer ys Wherfore thou that art the minister of the word of God folowe Christ sette it forth with all instancye and feruentnes Call to repentaunce Correcte the euell Comforte the good and beware leste God require the bloode of the synner at thy hand Ezec. 5. For trewly it is not all in vayne that God hath so purposed and decreede in his minde He hath spoken it and therefore it muste needes bee Heauen and earthe shall passe awaye but his worde shall euer abide If thou do thy dewtye and ceasest not with all thy minde to admonishe and warne althoughe it were so that the more parte wolde not beleue or obey but lyke the Sodomytes encrese synne vpon synne yet wold there be found some good grounde that wold receiue the seede of Godes worde bring forth frute Thy diligence and labour can not lack his reward Mat. 25 as scripture witnesseth saieÌ„g Wel good seruaunt and faithfull bycause thou haste beene faithfull ouer a little I shall set the ouer muche Enter into the kingdome of thy Lorde The thirde sondaye in Aduent Mat. 11. WHen Iohn beyng in prison herd the workes of Christ he sente two of his disciples Esa 35. and sayde vnto him Art thou he that
abide in the word Thē by by with great violence we run into the snares gynnes of the deuell And if we stedfastly beleue in the worde of god Then neither false prophet nother the deuell himselfe shal deceiue vs. And thē wtout dout he is greater that is in vs then he that is in the world 1. Io. 4 Secondarylye Christe speaketh of the seede that fell vpon the stone which although it sprange vp yet bicause it lacked moysture it withered awaye And so he declareth that the seed that fel on the stone be thei that when they hear the word of God they receiue it with ioy To fall from the worde in tyme of persecution but thei haue no rotes bicause thei beleue but for a while in tyme of temptacion and tribulacion they fall cleane away Wherin Christe sheweth that his gospell shall neuer bee preached withoute aduersaries that shall striue againste it And lykewise that the perfect and trew faith cannot be knowen but by tribulacion and temptacious so proued and tried as gold and siluer is by fier Yf thou wylt then search know what faith I haue and whether it be a trew or a fayned faith mark wel behold my lyfe when I chaunce to fal into temptacion tribulacion And yf then it be a pure and righte fayth and by the worde of god in my harte made liuelye and effectuall then muste I needes saye with sainct Paule Rom. 8. I am sure that nother death nor lyfe nor aungell nor rule or power nother things present or thinges to come nother high nor low nor any māner of creature shal seperate me from the loue of god that is in Iesu Christ Yea and I will frely confesse commend preach the word of god though I shuld dye an hundreth tymes Mat. 10 or forsake all that euer I haue had in this world For it must needes be in such case that other I forsake all and bere the crosse of Christ or else cease to be his disciple any lenger And in contrary wise when my fayth is not pure but fayned trewly thē wyl I not so hate my selfe that for the gospels sake I shuld ronne into daunger of my bodye and lyfe But then wyll I sette moste by and loue my body be it neuer so rotten and full of wormes Wherfore I am constrayned to heare Christ in an other place Mat. 16 saying He that findeth his lyfe shall lose it Cares riches voluptuousnesse be lette hīderāce vnto fayth Thyrdely Christ speaketh of other seed that fel amongest thornes and so sprong vp was choked amongest the thornes And that he expoundeth on this wise The seed that fell amongest the thornes be they that haue herd the worde of god and then thorowgh the cares ryches and voluptuosnes of this worlde be so ouer growne and choked that they can not bryng fourth frute Thow herist here repeted that suche heare the word of god yf then thei heare the word and yet be reiected of Christ I praye the what is the cause or what lettyth whye they be not saued verely euen that be cause they receyued not the worde of god ernestly and in they re hartes and for that they be founde neglegente in fayth loue and honest conuersations and fal from god the creatour vnto creatures Marke here how finely Chryst hath paynted and set oute the mindes and harts of riche men First of all he geueth vnto them cares for we commonly se that the more they haue the more the couet as it is said in the 5. cha Ecclesiastes The couetous man is neuer satisfied of money c. And he geueth also vnto thē the loue and affection of riches and desyre of this worldly lyfe As though he shulde saye To haue greate riches doth not damne a man for there hath beene sins the beginning of the world many deuout and holy men that hath had greate riches and yet neuerthelesse haue obtayned euerlasting lyfe But to sette harte and minde in riches and through them to seeke the pleasures of this lyfe not to knowe that we be but seruauntes and stewardes of suche riches to th entent that the poore and nedye maye be holpen thereby that is the very thing that condemneth a man Wherfore seing it is so with riche men for the more parte that they with all theire diligence seeke and folow the pleasures of this lyfe and do not mortefye the fleshe by the spirite but passe ouer their lyfe in all securitie and wealthe of this world Mat. 19 Christ sayeth also in an other place Soner may a camell runne thorow the eye of a nedle then a riche man entre into heauē And to be briefe Such rich men What condemneth the rich mē and men that abuse their riches in this world haue but smal prayse in scripture and in many places we hear of their condemnacion not bicause they haue much riches or that they be men of great power and might but for that they do abuse their such giftes and take their lusts and pleasure in it and do not make frends to them of their wicked mammon Fourthly Christ speaketh of the seede that fell in the good grounde and sprang vp and brought forth fruict an hundreth fold And that he declared on this wise That that fell in the good ground be thei which with good hert mind Good grounde do hear the worde of god and kepe the same and bring forth fruict in pacience And there be two thinges to be noted in that Fewe christian men First that there be merueilous few christian mē in this earth But of them that in body soule go to the deuel ther is a great nomber how highly soeuer they pretend the name of christians or boaste of the gospell as Christ doth witnes in the 7 chapt of Mathew saiyng The gate is larg and the way is broad that leadeth to perdition and many there be that entreth into the same But the way that leadeth to lyfe is straite the gate very narrow and fewe haue found the same And the other thinge that Christ sheweth vs is this that although the more parte of menne be euell and so abyde yet the word of god shal not be preached in vaine In some corner there shal be found good ground The worde of God is not preached in vayne Esa 55. wherin the good seede of the word of god is sowen shal spring vp and bring forth frute plenteously whereof god speaketh by his prophete Esaias in this wise Lyke as the shoures of rayne and snow descendeth frō heauen and retourneth not thither againe but sinketh into the earth and norisheth the same and maketh it bring forth seede vnto the sower bread to the eater so shal the word that cometh out of my mouth it shal not retourne vnto me empti but shal do all that I wil shall prosper whersoeuer I shal send it And although it seme
of wordly and transitorye thinges that they sette by nothinge els nor bee mortyfied to the worlde and their concupiscence do in no wise appertain to the kyngedome of Christe but to the kingdome of the diuel For what so euer it be that I put my hole truste in besides god or do prefer and loue it more then god verely of the same I make to me an ydol And yf my harte be fully fixed vnto yt What is the worshippe of the diuel and is giuen to honour voluptuousnes riches power of the world or any such other like thing then be those thinges my ydoll and in them I worship the deuell Yea to be more plaine with you yf I outwardly shuld be good and honest and wolde accompte the same outewarde goodnes for righteousnesse before god then trewly shulde the same be myne Idoll as Esaias witnesseth sayinge Esai 2. They haue woshipped the workes of their owne handes And saynte Augustine saieth My God is my loue I praye you what is it els to loue creatures aboue god then to worship the deuell But herken here now greately this ydolatry and blasphemy displeaseth god Get the hence saieth he thou Sathan these thy suggestions can not be borne or suffered of any good hart for it is written Deut. â— Thou shalte worship thy lord god and him onlye shalte thou serue Lo in this wyse is the deuell no we thryse ouercome and driuen awaye of Christe onlye by the worde of god Nowe as it is necessary for vs throughe Christe to ouercome all temptacions the worlde synne death and the deuell so muste we also be wel instructed streÌ„gthned with the word of god wherein is promised to vs both comforte and helpe in our Lord Iesu Christe And if we bee not with this swearde of spirite which is the word of god wel armered then doughteles wil he bring vs out of the right way and lead vs about so loÌ„g vntil he bring vs into his snares and so entangle vs that we may scarsely get out agayne from the which I besech god the father of his greate goodnes and mercy to kepe and preserue vs throughe his sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Amen The seconde sonday in Lent Math. 15. ANd Iesus went thence and departed into the coastes of Tyrie and Sydon and behold a woman of Canaan which came out of the same coastes cryed vnto hym saiyng Haue mercy on me O lorde thou sonne of Dauid My doughter is piteously vexed wyth a deuel But he answered her nothyng at all And hys disciples came and besought hym saying Send her away for she crieth after vs. But he answered and sayde I am not sente Luc. 19. but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell Then came she and worshipped hym saying Lord helpe me He answered and sayd It is not meere to take the chyldrens breade and to caste it to dogges She answered and sayd Truth lorde forthe dogges eate of the crummes which fall from theyr maysters table Then Iesus answered and sayde vnto her O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto the euen as thou wylte And her doughter was made whole euen at that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION An exauÌ„ple of â—aithe the calliÌ„g of the heitheÌ„ FYrste of all this gospell layeth before vs an example of faith in the womaÌ„ of Chanane and sheweth vs also that the Gentils and Heithen shal be called to the knoweledg of faith Rom. 1. A trew and perfite faith is nothyng else but to know that Christe is the lorde and the son of Dauid For yf I knowledg him as lorde then do I also beleue that he is naturally the very sonne of God yea and god himselfe Moreouer God the father of heaueÌ„ wyl not be knowen in any other but in this Christe as S. Iohn witnesseth in the 14. chapter sayinge He that seeth me seeth my father And also in this wise to call Christe the lorde is not so small a trifle as yt semeth to the worlde but trewly it is the worke of the holy ghost as S. Paule saith 1. Co. 1â— No man canne say that Iesus is the lorde but through the holye ghoste And when I knowledg Christ to be the son of Dauyd then muste I beleue that he came into this worlde for my sake And that he was gyuen to me with all his goodnes merites passion death that by hym delyuered from sinne I may be made the sonne and heyre of al the goodnes of god Gen. 22 Psa 131 as do clearely declare the promises made to Abraham Dauyd Suche a fayth had this woman of Cananee although she had it not of her selfe but bicause she herde of Christ and of her suche hearinge she receaued faith Fyrste she knowledged Christ to be the lorde whych had power seyng he was god to delyuer his doughter from the vexacion of the deuell And therefore she put all her truste in him as one that coulde and wold help Or else I pray you why wolde she folowe him and make exclamacion yf she had not beleued that Yt must needes be that this woman had a trew and perfect fayth in Christ and loked for all manner of goodnesse of hym The property of saythe Secondarely it foloweth now what the nature and property of faith is namely in all temptacion and affliction to seeke remedy and help none other wher but at God through Christ For the faith that we haue spoken of before dyd prouoke the woman to drawe neare to Christ to open her necessitye and griefe and to call for his grace and helpe But what doth Christe here The faithe of the woman dothe not dysplease hym although shee was no woman of Israel Ioh. 10 but a Gentile for he wolde also bringe them into his flocke Yet bycause the womans faythe shoulde bee proued and made more cleare Chryste kepte scilence and gaue none aunswere to her fyrste peticion And what thinke ye that the woman thoughte in her mynde then Do ye not beleue that shee was heauye and sadde But yet she remembreth the great humanitye of Christ that she had harde so much commended And she dyd not forgette the benefites that he had gyuen to men of his great goodnes vnmocicioned or desyred And therfore she departed not at the first check nor did dispair of hir doughters helpe but stiffely sticketh to him and craueth for a gentel and meeke aunswere And in the meane tyme thappostels come and intreate for her sayinge Lorde sende her awaye for shee excedingelye crâ—eth after vs. But what doth Christ nowe Doth he graunte to the woman her desyre No but semeth to continewe still in his firste mynde that all men woulde iudge that he woulde not helpe her at all But why do wee not briefelye shewe what was hys aunswere I am not sente sayeth he but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel By these words he seemeth in a manner to conclude as though it were not
God hath prouided al thinges necessary to him froÌ„ his youth to his age Psal 36 Eccle. 1. To whom doth Salomon ascribe his greate wisdome From God is all wisedome saithe he And whereby commeth his riches and greate substaunce By his laboure No. Pro. 10. But he saith the blessyng of god maketh riche men Lo now in this wise muste we knowledge that all that wee canne or maye bothe in bodely and ghostly thinges commeth only of god which through Christ wyll gyue to vs all goodnes Wherfore it is meet that al the dayes of our lyfe we geue to him thankes therfore Fourthly this gospell teacheth howe we shulde diligently keepe such giftes as we haue receyued Not to mispend the benefâ—â—es of God not misspende them whan Christ commaunded hys Apostels to gather the fragmentes that they shuld not perish If thou haue receiued more riches of God then the necessitie of thine own house requireth looke thou kepe them well Mat. 6. not to get the great riches treasure here in the earth where the moth and rust shall destroye it and theues steale it awaye But spende it not in any euell vse or waste it in voluptuousnes furfetynge dronkennes and superfluous apparrel as it is spoken of in the 15. cha of Lu. of the prodigall childe And suche as is lefte to the more then for thyne owne necessitye lyke a faithful stewarde and housholder distribute it amongst the poore at tyme conueniente Doest thou thinke that that ys gyuen to the more then for thyne owne necessity and sustentacion that thow hast it to th entent thou mayst mayntaine thy vuluptuousnes pride Thou art deceiued if thou so beleue Thow art ordained a seruaunte ouer all thinges Luc. 12. and for that cause hast thou all that thou hast that therof thou mightest help the poore and needy and make the frendes of the mammon of iniquitye that when neede shal be they maye testifie good of the wherby thou maist fynd grace and fauour with God Luc. 16. What happened to the riche man that despised the poore Lazarus spoken of in the gospell He shulde not haue beene damned bycause he was clothed in purpure and sylke and faryd so daintily yf he had had fayth and had eaten with thankes geuinge and not haue forgotten the poore miserable Lazarus the which sate at his gateful of sores desiryng to be fedde of the cromes that fell vnder his table But what happeneth He vtterly forgat the poore Lazarus and tooke no care at all for hym Besids this he doth misuse his goodes and riches And therfore well worthy to be damned And to be shorte If thou haste more then for thyne owne store helpe thy neighbour therewith and mispend it not in ryot and voluptuousnesse The fyfte sonday in Lente Ioh 8. Ioh. 10. WHyche of you rebuketh me of synne yf I say the trewth why do yee not beleue me He that is of God heareth Goddes wordes Ye therefore heare them not bycause ye are not of God Then answered the Iewes and sayd vnto hym Saye we not wel that thou arte a Samaritane Ioh. 10. and haste the diuell Iesus answered I haue not the dyuell but I honoure my father and ye haue dishonoured me I seeke not myne owne prayse ther is one that speketh iudgeth Verely verely I say vnto you yf a man keepe my sayinge he shall neuer see death Then sayd the Iewes vnto hym Now know we that thou hast the dyuell Abraham is dead and the prophetes and thou sayst Yf a man kepe my saying he shal neuer tast of death Act thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the prophetes are deade Whom makest thou thy selfe Iesus aunswered If I honoure my selfe myne honoure is nothing It is my father that honoureth me which ye say is your God and yet ye haue not knowen hym But I knowe hym And yf I saye I knowe hym not I am a lyar vnto you But I knowe hym and keepe hys saying Your father Abraham was glad to se my daye Gen. 17 and. 23. and he sawe yt and reioyseth Then sayde the Iewes vnto him Thou art not yet L. yeare olde and hast thou seene Abraham Iesus sayd vnto them Verely verely I say vnto you yete Abraham was borne Exod. 3. I am Ioh. 10 Then cooke they vp stones to caste at hym But Iesus hyd hym selfe and Luc. 4 wente out of the temple THE EXPOSITION OFtentimes haue I sayde before and it wil be sayde to the end of the worlde that the worde of god can not be preached in this cursed world without persecution and greuous aduersaries seing that christ is set for a token which shal be spoken against Luc. 2. Neyther shuld a man meruayle that suche persecution shulde chaunce to the ministers of the worde seinge that it hapened so to Christ himselfe whiche is the very trewth and did so diligently and most singulerly of all men teach the word of his father In so much that he was put to the vileste death that myghte bee And that yt so was yt appeareth very plainlye in the gospell of this daye He was not only taken and reputed for a Samaritane and a false doctor amongest the Iewes Persecution but also they take stones to stone him to death withal Wherefore seinge that suche dissention betweene good and wicked men shall continew vnto the ende of the worlde we will considre howe a Christian man and chiefly the minister of the word of god shuld behaue himselfe We must always no doute suffre aduersities yet neuertheles we muste alwaies resiste the blasphemers of goddes worde Fyrste Christe stoppeth their mouthes that persecuted his doctrine with his clean and perfect lyuing when he spake vnto theim with gentle wordes in this wise Whyche of you can rebuke me of one synne you doo reiecte my learnynge and wyll not receaue yt what reasones or causes haue you of youre suche counseyle and doynge yf I taught otherwyse then I doo or yf I did otherwyse then I teache then had ye a good cause to forsake my doctrine But now can ye shewe nothinge at all wherein my lyuinge doth dissente frome my learnyng Howebeit your obstinacy ys so great that ye will not beleue Lo here the Iewes be reprehended and know not what to saye thereto or whether to turne theÌ„ For the lyfe of Christ was without faulte as Esaias witnesseth in his 53. Esa 53. chap. Ther is no deceite found in his mouth So shuld euery christian man be specially the minister of the worde of god that a man might not in deed blame his lyfe and conuersacion and chiefly for that cause that the enemies of goddes worde do looke more to the lyfe of the preacher then to his doctrine Yea and how can I blame other when I am not blameles my selfe or when the hearer thereof shall say vnto me Physition helpe thy selfe Luc. 4. When I shall reprehende
Thomas wyth his incredulitie which wolde not beleue vnto suche tyme he saw and felte How goodly I pray you did he take heed vnto Christs wordes kepe in remembrance that Christ had said namely that he shuld be delyuered vnto the Gentiles Luc. 18. they shuld mock him put him to death that the third day he shuld rise Yet neuertheles Christ did him lyke seruice as he did the other For eight daies after he came saide vnto Thomas Ioh. 20 Reache hither thy hand and put it in my syde and be not vnfaithfull but beleue Here is the hart of Thomas opened so that he crieth out and saith My lord my god Out of all these thingê it must needs folow The corruptnes of the flesh that we concerniÌ„g our nature and kind ar euell and very mischieuous and euer prone to incredulitie and misbeliefe and that wee cannot with our owne power attaine vnto faith except through the word of god the holy ghoste be geuen vs and that he lykewise as Christe serued the Apostels maye serue and asiste vs also Frute of the resurrection Secondarily we haue in this gospel the frute commoditie of the resurrection that is to say peace and tranquility of our consciences which is heâ— thre times pronouÌ„ced to the Apostels To haue peace Peace with god is no other thing then to beleue the Christe died for vs and rose from death for our iustificacioÌ„ in so much that nowe sin can neither accuse vs nor condemne vs. But who giueth suche peace Christ oure lorde Whereby By his worde in the which the merite of his passion and resurrection is freely offred gyuen vnto vs. Likewise in the same word the holly ghoste is giuen vnto vs which worketh faith in vs whiche faith comprehendeth the mercy of god in Christ and to Christ shee casteth vp hyr eyen in hym shee putteth hyr truste and confydence and finallye shee knoweth all her synnes to be forgyuen by Christe Wherefore then shulde not the conscience haue peace If she knewe and tooke God firste for a straight iudge now she knoweth him and taketh him for a louing and mercifull father that mercifully wyll defende and saue her and that by Christ This peace doth S. Paul praise and wisheth to all christian menne when he writeth in his epistles Grace peace Grace and peace from God the father and frome oure lorde Iesu Christe By grace yf we do beleue we obteine remissioÌ„ of sines whom the peace aforesaide foloweth Where oute marke that they that intende to obteine remission with their workes haue not this peace as witnesseth scripture The wicked meÌ„ haue no peace Esa 45 saith the lorde But how maye this be Bicause they go aboute to obteine remission peace with God thorow deseruing of workes which is vnpossible So longe as no man can do so muche as he is bounde for to do so long must he needs doubte be vncertayne whether he please be acceptable vnto God or no. And in so doubtyng I pray the Where doubt is cannot be a pacefied coÌ„science Rom. 5. 2 Tes 4 The sendynge of the apostels how can thy harte and conscience be pacefied and at reste when thou arte doubtefull whether thy sinnes be forgiuen the or no Wherefore it is faithe that getteth this peace whiche cleaueth and hangeth to the resurrection of Christe and not to deseruing of workes Thirdely and last of all here we may se and coÌ„sidre in what manner of wise the apostels were sent forth to preache the gospell As the father sente me saith Christe so doo I sende you But howe was Christ sente That he shulde preach repentaunce remission of sinne That selfe same preachinge for as much as it is contrari to our reasoÌ„ and capacity which alwayes trusteth in the deseruinge of oure workes did so stirre vp against Christe all Ierusalem and Iewry that they named not him all only a false deceiuer of the people and possessed with a diuell but also after so greate benefites doone vnto theym moste dispitefully crucified him and put him to deathe Neuertheles yet muste we confesse that this poore dispised scourged and crucifyed Christe had auctoritie and power of the father to forgiue sinne Luc. 14 After this manner wise also are the apostles sent forth that in the name of Christ they shulde preach repentaunce and remission of sinnes to all people Luc. 22. beginnyng at Ierusalem c. Further more that they shulde haue lykewise power also as Christe had That is to saye power throughe the word to forgiue and retayne sinnes Also as Christ was dispised persecuted that they euen so shuld of the worlde be dispised and persecuted But thou wilte saye Can the priest torgiue sinne Doeth not that al only pertayn vnto god I aunswere Truth it is that through Christ we haue remission of sinne yet notwithstanding ther must ministers be in this busines by whome this precious treasure must be published opened and distributed The minister of the gospell as concernynge his owne power doth not forgiue sinne but through the commission and worde of Christe Who doth forgiue syn Therefore when thou heareste the gospell out of the mouthe of the preacher and beleuest the worde whether it be openly or priuately ministred thy sinnes be forgiuen the. And thou hast not here respect vnto the persone that denounseth the remission of sinnes but vnto the commaundement and word of Christ The coÌ„maundemente word of Chryste forgyueth sin And thou doest not here receyue and heare the preacher but Christ himselfe as he saith He that receiueth you receaueth me And although the precher be he the aloÌ„ly with the mouth absolueth the declareth and promiseth the remission of sinnes through the worde yet Christe is he that fulfilleth it which hath committed this thing to the minister here to be done with his word Here to pertaineth that Christe faithe Whose sinnes so euer you remitte they are remitted vnto them And whose sinnes so euer ye retaine they are retayned With the which wordes he declareth him selfe how in what maner shuld be vnderstande the promise made vnto Peter Mat. 16 Peter in the persoÌ„ steed of all the apostels saide Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Lykewise in the persone of Peter was gyuen power to all the Apostelles to open and shutte heauen which thinge so to bee is here by this gospell manifest and playne Fynally the Apostelles are sence to preache repentaunce and to forgyue synnes and that not of theym selues but by the power of Christe and by his worde The seconde sonday after Easter Iohn 10. I Am Eze. 24 Mic. 4 the good shepehard A good shepeherd geueth his lyfe for the sheepe An hyred seruaunte and he which is not the shepeharde neyther the sheepe are hys owne seeth the wolfe commynge and leaueth the sheepe and flyeth and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe
our flesh as S. Paule saith We be buried with him by baptisme into death Rom. 6. c. and this is one part of this new natiuity Furthermore in baptysme the hollye ghoste ys geuen vs whych we beyng so mortefied dothe reuyue and regenerate vs agayne ruleth draweth pulleth and chaungeth vs and so worketh in vs that we sauoure and vnderstande now no more carnall but spirytual thynges Wee desire not wordly things but heauenly thinges lyue to righteousnes And this is the other part of thys new natyuitie Wher oute yt appeareth What it ys to bee borne agayne that to be borne agayne ys no other thing then to dye as concernyng syn and to lyne to ryghteousnes through the spiryt and fayth And wher so euer this is there is the kingdome of god sene and the entring thervnto openeth But I besech you what glory hath here the righteousnes of Nicodemus Truelye before god it is but durte dung Phil. 3. eueÌ„ as S. Paule did reckene and count all his righteousnes that came of the lawe he beynge a Iew and circumcised for dunge For not that whiche cometh of oure reason but that the spirite worketh in vs pleaseth god For that that is borne of the spirite is spirituall and of greate reputacion before god Therfore S. Paule to the Ephesians saith on this wise Ephe. 4 So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tymes paste laye frome you that olde man which marreth himselfe through deceiuable lustes and be you renewed in the spirit of your mynd How can reason do or comprehend these thinges when in earthly and bodely thinges he is so rude and ignoraunt that he cannot tell namely from whence the winde cometh or whether it will Briefelye to bringe to passe this newe natiuitie we muste needes haue the holye ghoste thoughe the papistes extoll neuer so highelye the righteousnes of the fleshe Thirdely this gospell teacheth vs Thoroughe Chryste we haue obtained the holy ghoste who hath obteyned and geuen vs this spirite by the which wee are newe regenerate and borne againe trulye Iesus Christe the sonne of man which allonly descended from heauen and ascended vp into heaueÌ„ But wherewith hathe he obtained and deserued this Euen therwith bicause that he was exalted on the crosse like as the serpent was in the wildernes But what serpente was that In times past the children of Israell murmered against the lorde in wildernes then was the lorde angry and sent fierye serpentes among the people whiche bote the people so that there dyed muche people in Israell And Moyses praiynge then for the people the lorde saide vnto him Num. 21 Make the a brasen serpent and set it vp for a token Whosoeuer is bitten and looketh on it shal lyue The serpent is the figure of Christe This figure applieth Christe vnto hymselfe as thoughe he wolde say I shall be crucified and put to deathe and with my deathe the wrathe of my heauenly father shall be pacefied for the sinnes of the worlde that whosoeuer is bitten with sinne and loketh vpon me whiche am crucified that is whosoeuer beleueth in me shall not perishe To beleue in Christe but haue euerlasting lyfe Beholde on this manner Christe is sette forthe vnto vs as hee that only forgiueth vs our sinne and giueth vs the holy ghoste maketh vs newe creatures the sonnes and heires of god so that we beleue and sette oure confidence and truste in him God graunte vnto vs that we may haue a trewe and perfect faith Amen The gospell on the firste sondaye after Trinitye sondaye Luc. 16 THe was a certaine riche man which was clothed in purple and fine white and fared deliciously euery day And there was a certayne beggar named Lazarus which lay at hys g ateful of sores desiryng to be refreshed with the cromes that fel from the rich mans bord and no man gaue vnto hiÌ„ The dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the beggar died and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich maÌ„ also died was buried And beiÌ„g in hell in tormentes he lyft vp his eyes and saw Abraham a far of Lazarus in his bosome and he cried said Father AbrahaÌ„ haue mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the typ of hi finger in water coole my tung for I am tormeÌ„ted in this flame But Abraham sayd Son Gal. 6â— remeÌ„bre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedst thy plesure contrary wyse Lazarus receaued paine But now he is comforted and thou art punished Beyond al this betwene vs and you ther is a great space set so that they which wold go from hence to you cannot neither may come froÌ„ thense to vs. Then he said I pray the therfore father seÌ„d him to my fathers house for I haue fyue brethreÌ„ for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormeÌ„t AbrahaÌ„ sayd vnto him They haue Moyses and the prophets let theÌ„ heare them And he sayde naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them frome the dead they wyll repent He sayd vnto him If If they heare not Moyses and the prophetes neither wyll they beleue though one to se from death agayne THE EXPOSITION FYrste of all A description of the rych man 1. Ti. 6. Mat. 19 What it is to be ryche this gospell treateth of a riche man in whome was neither faithe nor charitye This worde riche is here taken as Paule tooke it when he said to Timothy Charge them that are rich in this world c. And in the gospell of Mathew Yt is easier for a camel to go thorow the eye of a nedle then for a riche man to entre into the kingdome of heauen In this place a riche man signifieth him whose hart is set vppon riches which thinketh on nothing then vpon riches reioiseth in nothing then in riches Finally whose harte deliteth in nothing then in that diuelish mammon And s Paul chiefly for this cause calleth these rich meÌ„ the riche men of this worlde for that that they be geuen to transitory and worldely thinges more then to celestiall thinges Otherwise if riches of themselfe had bene euell Abraham Salomon Naaman Sirus had beene damned which were very riche but they did not abuse their riches Therefore this rich man is dâ—scribed not as a good but as an euell tre Now yf ye will heare the frutes of an euel tree Loe He clothed himselfe with purple and costly linnen c. Doubtlesse he shuld not haue ben damned for his clothing yf he had not had so great pleasure in theim and sought wordly honour and glorye therin vtterly forgetting the poore Lazarus We reade of Ioseph when he was in Egipte Gen. 41 how excellently he was clothed in riche apparell and a chaine of golde aboute his necke and yet pleased god for bicause his hart was not set vppon pompe and riches And that this riche man had his
them to drawe nighe vnto Christ and to here him To hear Christes word I saye not the word of the law only that maketh a fearefull conscience The knowledge of sinne Where oute learne that if Christe shal be profitable vnto the thou must firste become suche a publicane and synner that is that thou maye knoweledge thy selfe to be a sinner Secondarily this gospell describeth vnto suche publicans and sinners what a meeke and mercifull Christe he is vnto suche sinners which repenteth them of their wicked deedes and intend to leade a holy and a good lyfe Christ is a cōforte to al sinners Mat. 10 The phariseis did not allonly saye of Christ This man doth receiue sinners and eateth with them but also Christ himselfe excuseth this his deade which not a litle did angre the phariseis that he lawfully might do it now seing that Christe receiueth sinners and reiecteth no man so that yf he will be penitente and aske grace yt muste needes folowe that for sinners he came into the world and to be the sauiour alonly of sinners Now for as much as he is a sauiour which forgiueth sin without any worke or deseruinge allonly of grace who I pray you wolde not beleue in him Whoe wolde not truste to receyue all goodnes of him If thou doest diligētly cōsidre both those similitudes wherein he declareth and proueth his greate charyty towarde vs thou shalte fynde howe plentyfullye thou mayest hope of the great goodnesse and benignitie of Christe The lost sheepe Fyrste hee compareth hym selfe to a manne that hath an hundreth sheepe whyche man yf hee shulde leese one of theym he wold leaue the foure score and nynety and go seeke the one loste vnto suche tyme that he hath founde it And when hee hathe founde it hee wold laye yt on his shoulders and bringe it home againe and therefore reioyce amongest his neyghboures Euen as thoughe he wolde saye You Phariseis do iudge euell of me bycause I receiue sinners but I wolde you shulde knowe it that for synners I am come into the worlde For they can not helpe them selues For the synne that is grafte in them is so greate and wayeth so heauye on their shulders and theyr nature is so corrupte that they bee a greate deale more inclined to sinne then to goodnes Finally their free wyll reason wisdome Gen. 6. maketh theim a greate deale worse rather then better For as muche as whatsoeuer is borne of fleshe Ioh. 3. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2. is fleshe and a fleshly man can vnderstand nothing but fleshly things and cannot perceaue godly thinges Wherefore I lyke as a good shepharde ouer my electe and chosen shepe seeke theim through my worde and take their sinnes vppon my shulders so bringe theim to the knowledg of their owne sin and worshipping of one God Furthermore for as muche as my father hath no pleasure in the deathe of a sinner Ezec. 1 but rather that he conuert and lyue truly it cannot be possible but that the aungels in heauen reioyse with me bicause I haue found the lost sheepe and tourned the sinner frome the way of iniquitie to the folowing of the gospell And you pharyseis likewise wolde I bringe to suche a point but ye will not be called sinners but iuste men wherfore I am constrained to forsake you and healpe theym that knoweledge them selues sinners In lykewise he compareth hymselfe to a woman that hath tenne grotes whiche leesinge one of theym seeketh so longe that she findeth it c. And he concludeth both these similitudes saiyng on this wise That their is more ioye in heauen vpon one sinner that hathe repentaunce then vpon foure score and ninetye iuste that thinke they haue no neede of repentaunce Behold thou haste here a Christe that seeketh the findeth the receaueth the iustifieth and saueth the. Beleue in him and thou arte safe The nature of ypocrisye Thirdelye wee see here in this gospell the disposition of fained holines and hypocrites For suche menne dooe not allonlye truste in theyr owne workes but also counte theim selues holye and contemne and despise other I wolde haue the considre the cause whye these phariseis murmure so againste Christe They say that this Christe receiueth sinners and eateth with them O thou most enuious and vnreasonable Ipocrite It were thy parte to extoll magnifie and prayse this excellent and precious worke of charitye of Christe towarde the sinners and beholde thou arte againste it and rebukest yt as though yt were not well and righteouslye done Thinkest thou that it is not well done that a sinner is tourned to repentaunce and broughte vnto the knowledge of god Christe oure sauioure careth not for meate and drinke but he regardeth muche the tournynge of a sinner to repentaunce Suche exaumples of charitye shuldest thou folowe also yf thou woldest be a righte iuste manne bothe in teachinge informinge exhortynge praying and deseching so that righteousnes not allonlye in the but also in other might be found But the case stondeth thus Thou arte againste the gospell and the gospell againste the. Why ypocrisye is agaīst the gospell If thou askest why I aunswere the The gospell can not suffre that thou shuldest hope and truste in thy workes Againe I saye Ipocrisy cannot leaue the confidence in theym Hereout springeth the stryfe betwene Abell and Cain betwene Iacob and Esai betweene Dauid and Saule Also that the workemenne murmured againste the householder forbicause the laste receaued equall rewarde with the fyrst Item Mat. 20 that the eldest brother disdained the yōgest that was lost To be short Christ receiueth and kepeth company with those sinners that knowledg their offēces and aske grace and he will not haue them loste And againe hee codemneth hypocrisye for bicause she fained righteousnes whē in dede she is neither right nor iuste Therefore all these hipocrites murmure againste Christe and his gospell but yt helpeth nothinge For Christe foloweth the same way and proceadeth where he beganne To whome with the father and holy ghoste be honoure and prayse Amen The gospell on the fowerth sonday after Trinitye sondaye Luc. 6. BE you therefore mercyfull as your father also is mercifull Mat. 7. Iudge not and yee shall not bee iudged Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgiue and yee shal be forgiuen Pro. 11. Gyue and it shal be gyuen vnto you good measure and pressed downe and shaken togyther and runnynge ouer shall men gyue into your bosomes Mat. 7. Mat. 4 For with the same measure that ye meere with all shall other men meate to you agayne And he put forth a similitude vnto Mat. 15 them Can the blinde leade the blynd Do they not both fall into the diche mat 10 The disciple is not aboue hys mayster Euery man shall be perfecte euen as his mayster is Ioh. 13. why seeste thou a mote in thy brothers eye but consideress not the beame that is in thyne owne
against the coÌ„maundemente and precepte of god Gen. 4. Nowe for as muche as god in his preceptes doth not allonly forbid the outeward vngracious workes but also the inward mischiefe and affection of the harte howe is it then possible that the outewarde righteousnes can saue and iustifye Surely hereto pertayneth the saying of S. Ioh. He that hateth hys brother 1 Ioh. 5 is a murtherer that is It is not sufficient that thou haste not killed thy brother with thy hande but thou muste haue a louinge and gentle harte towarde all men not to dooe and wishe well allonlye to thy friendes but also to thine enemyes Finallye If I desire to be saued so it is needefull that I be iuste righteous both inwardely and outwardely or else outewarde righteousnesse profyteth the nothynge at all Thyrdely Christ exhorteth allureth vs here in this gospel to the loue of oure neighbour forasmuch as he hath referred this precepte Thou shalt not kyll to the loue of oure brother and that two manner of wayes Firste for as muche as hee teacheth that no worke how good or precious so euer it be canne please God excepte that thou do firste desire thy brother whome thou haste offended to pardon and forgiue the. Therefore he maketh mention of all oblation commaunded of God in the olde lawe which is nowe abrogated and was then a hyghe excellente worke This is the meaning of the wordes of Christe If you dooe obserue with neuer so greate diligence all goddes seruice whiche heretofore hath beene commaunded you through Moises which nowe after my death shall cease and take no more effecte yet in that shall ye not please god excepte you be reconciled to your brother whome you haue offended For it is not seruinge of god when thou offendest thy neighboure but that is called seruyng of god when thou offendest not thy neighboure For that that thou doest with hinderaunce of thy brother cannot please god Therefore God through the prophete Oseas speaketh Osee 6. sayinge I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Truly oblacion was commaunded in the lawe by god yet did he not set by yt yf thou diddest offende thy neighbour excepte he that had offended his brother did fyrste reconcyle himselfe And as Christe speaketh of oblacion vnto the Iewes as vnto those whiche as yet were vnder the lawe so likewise goddes seruyce in the newe testament is to no purpose except thou be recoÌ„ciled to thy brother whom thou hast offeÌ„ded Secondarily Christe warneth vs here to agree with our aduersary quickly while we are in the way with him c. That is if any man offend the and he that hath offended the desireth the to pardon him forgiue him gladly as Christ did saiyng Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they do And if you be not desired therunto yet be alwaies readye to forgiue or else thy conscience in the day of iugemente shall accuse the and so thou shalt be caste into prison Luc. 24 Verely I say vnto you saith Christ thou shalt not come out thence tyll thou haue payed the vttermost farthing that is Thou shalt neuer come out For this word vntil so signifieth in this place Therfore let euery christiaÌ„ maÌ„ well considre take heede that he be founde in brotherly loue so that his workes whiche he serueth god withall may be acceptable and pleasaunte before god throughe Christ our sauiour Amen The seuenth sonday after trinitye sonday Mark 8. IN Mat. 15 those dayes when ther was a very great company had nothing to eate Iesus called his disciples to him and sayd vnto them I haue compassioÌ„ on the people bicause they haue nowe beene withe me three dayes and haue nothing to eate and yf I send them awaye fastynge to their owne houses they shall faynte by the way Esai 14 Tob. 13. For diuers of them came from farre And his disciples answered him Wher shuld a maÌ„ haue bread here in the wildernesse to satisfie these And he asked them howe many loaues haue ye They sayd seuen And he commaunded the people to syt downe on the grounde And he tooke the seuen loaues and when he had gyuen thankes he brake and gaue to his disciples to set before them And they did set them before the people And they had a few small fysshes And whan he had blessed he commaunded theim also to be sette before them And they didde eate and were sufficed And they toke vp of the broken meate that was lefte seuen basketes fulle And they that didde eate were about foure thousand And he sente them awaye We haue treated of this gospel vpon the fourth sonday in lente oute of the syxte chapter of Iohn whiche shall agree well herevnto also that allonly excepted that there is fiue loues and two fishes fiue thousande menne And here seuen loues and a fewe fishes and four thousande men which Christ did feed This thing also is to be noted that there Christe spake allonly vnto Philip and here vnto all the apostels Looke vppon the exposition The gospell on the eight sonday after trinitye son daye Math. 7. Deut. 13 1 Ioh. 4 BEware of false prophetes which come to you in sheepes clothyng but inwardly they are rauenyng wolues ye shall knowe them by there frutes Luce. 6. Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euerye good tree bringeth forth good frutes But a corrupt tre bringeth forth euell frutes Mat. 12 A good tree cannot brynge forth bad frutes neyther can a bad tree brynge sorthe good frutes Mat. 13 Luc. 3. c Euery tre that bringeth not forth good frute is heueÌ„ doune and caste into the fyer Wherefore by theyr frutes yee shall knowe them Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Mat. 25 Luce. 6. and. 14. Lorde lorde shall entre into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whiche is in heauen he shall entre into the kyngdome of heauen THE EXPOSITION WE haue here in this gospel a good admonition that we shuld beware of false prophets For yt is coÌ„moÌ„ly seen that those be alwais mixt with the good and faithful preachers And in this admonityon Christe hym selfe dothe lyke a good shephearde The office of a good shephard For a wise and a diligente shepharde dothe not onlye leade his sheepe into an holsome pasture but also dilligentlye taketh heede that they be not taken and deuoured of the wolues In lyke manner muste a dilligente preacher do He muste instructe and bringe vp the churche committed vnto his charge withe the holsome doctrine of Christe and take heede that hee instructeth not the people with none other doctrine but onlye with the puer word of god For Christ said vnto Peter Ioh 21. Feed my sheepe and not satisfied with the once rehersall thereof he repeted the same coÌ„maundemeÌ„t wherby it might be ê‘ceaued how feruentely he desyred the wealth of his shepe This done the
commaundeth Thou wylte saye vnto me Why then is the lawe geuen and what is her office I aunswere with S. Paule Rom. 3. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of syn c. and for this pourpose shee serueth and is necessarye Shee bringeth me to the knowledge of imbecillitie and weakenes peruerse and frowarde nature synnes which canne throughe no worke be expelled dryuen away so than that I by that meanes am made the apter redyer to hear embrace the doctrine of Christ of the diuine grace goodnes Thirdely like as we haue had in this gospell a question partaininge to the lawe so wee haue here nowe an other question partaininge to the gospell After that an answere was giuen vnto the Pharisees according to their questioÌ„ which was the fyrst and greatest commaundement in the lawe Christe asked them again sayiÌ„g What think ye of Christ whose son is he They answere The son of Dauid Then Christ said vnto them How then did Dauid in spirite Ps â—09 call him lorde saying The lord sayd vnto my lorde Syt thou on my right hande c. Here were the pharisees taken at a baye how crafty or subtyle so euer they were And while they were ignoraunt therin knew not how Christ was the son and the lorde of Dauid they shewed them selfe to haue little vnderstanding in the mistery of the gospell And although the Pharisees had no vnderstaÌ„ding therin yet al they that will be counted christen men muste both know it and beleue it For what other thinge is the gospell then a swete and comfortable preaching of Christe the sonne of Dauid that hee for vs became man and came into the worlde to redeme saue vs through his death passion And the he is called as coÌ„cerning the flesh the son of Dauid Whose sonne Christ is is for the greate excellent promise that was made of Christ vnto Dauid So likewise we knowledgiÌ„g him to be the lord of Dauid we coÌ„fesse him to be very god man sent from the father into the worlde that by him we shulde be saued This so excellent a mistery is hidden from the Pharisees all that iustifie them selues but vnto vs that know worship the father in Christ Christ in the father it is plainly opened well knowen This preaching of Christ that he is the sonne and lord of Dauid agreeth wel with the question of the law The lawe openeth sin but it forgiueth not sinne for that high power is only giuen vnto Christ our lord the son of Dauid Also the lawe teacheth what we ought to do and forbere but she giueth not the spirite which canne do that the lawe commaundeth Wherfore ther belongeth besides the preaching of the lawe which doth humiliat vs the preaching of the sonne and lord of Dauid that is the goâ—pell which may pacifye our troubled consciences may giue vs the holy ghost to teach vs willyngly and for loue to do that thing that god requiret of vs. Which knowledg god the father graunt vs through Christ our lord Amen The ninetenth sonday after trinity sonday Mat. 9. HE entred also into a ship and passed ouer came into his owne citie And behold Mat. 2. Luc. 5. b they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying in a bed And when Iesus sawe the faith of theÌ„ he sayd vnto the sick of the palsy Son be of good chere thy sinnes be forgyuen the. And behold certain of the scribes said within them selues this maÌ„ blasphameth And when Iesus sawe their thoughts he said Wherfore think ye euell in your harts Whether is easyer to say Thy synnes be forgiueÌ„ the or to say arise walk But that ye may know that the son of maÌ„ hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then saith he vnto the sick of the palsy Actu 3. and. 9. f Mar. 2. Luc. 5. c Ioh. 5. b Arise take vp thy bed and go vnto thine house And he arose and departed to his house But the people that saw it meruailed and gloryfied God which had giuen suche power vnto men THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel is haÌ„dled one of the most principal articles of our faith that is remission of sinnes Wolde god that we might learn vnderstand this article For it is a necessary thing for vs to know how our sinnes be forgiuen vs. Sin is a terrible word briÌ„ging with him euerlastiÌ„g damnacioÌ„ if we abide perseuer therin Furthermore sinne so highly displeaseth god that he wold not be pleased with no other satisfaccioÌ„ thaÌ„ with the passion death of his onli son Iesus Christe our lorde Moreouer ther is scarce ani other word that hath more coÌ„solation comfort in it theÌ„ remissioÌ„ of syns hath in especial if we knowe froÌ„ whence it coÌ„meth and how we may apprehende it The whiche thyng we may perceiue in this gospel They offered vnto Christ a maÌ„ sicke of the Palsey that he should heale him But what did Christ He knewe full well The disease of the soule that the disease of the soule was muche more dauÌ„gerous then the disease of the body And though he intended to heale take awaye the bodily disease of this man that had the palsey yet he did and brought to passe fyrst that whiche was more nedefull necessary afterward healed the body And that is the cause why he is called a physicion in the gospel because he doth chiefly take away the diseases of the soule as he sayth of him selfe The whole nede not the Physicion Mat. 9. but they that are sicke Christ of his mere grace for geueth synne Wherfore he sayd to the maÌ„ that had the Palsey My soÌ„ne be of a good chere thy synnes bee forgeuen thee Here thou hearest the name of synne and hearest also that ioyfull name of forgeuyng And if diligently thou wylte considre who it is that speaketh these thynges thou mayst lightly perceiue and fynde what he is that wyl forgeue vs our synnes so that we knowlege and confesse theim and desire grace we may perceiue I say that it is Iesus Christe oure Lorde to whom is graunted of God the father this power to forgeue synne as the Angell wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 1. He shall saue his people from their synne And as wee necessarily may note and marke here that remission of synnes is and commeth of mere grace by Christe without any deseruyng of woorkes so lykewyse it is to bee noted howe gentely and mercyfully Christ here in this place doth shewe him selfe This man that had the palsey prayeth and desireth onely for his bodily health and Christ healeth him both in body and soule yea and maketh him the sonne and heyre of God and sayth Sonne be of a good chere O vnspeakeable charitee whiche can not bee expressed O mercyfull and louyng Lorde can there be shewed greatter grace to this maÌ„ that had the Palsey The sinnes are two maner of wayes forgeueÌ„ Esa 34 But
suche subtyl obiections Here out it cōmeth that whiche Dauid the Prophet complayneth of these wicked persons Psal 20 saiyng Lo they haue bent their bowes made ready their arrowes in the quiuer that they may priuily shote at thē which are true in heart So likewyse do these Phariseys here they go to counsel howe they might take Iesus in his saiynges euen the same that they cōcluded they cōmaund their disciples instructyng thē how what they should say vnto him namely this Mayster we know that thou art true teachest the way of God truly carest for no man For thou regardest not the outwarde apparance of men c. Howe goodly are these wolues drest with shepes garmēt They cal Christ a maister al for to constrain him with suche flatteryng wordes to make answer vnto them yet be not they of suche disposicion to become his disciples although ther had been taught neuer so much goodnes vnto thē Furthermore thei adde that he is true teacheth the worde of God truely This is not euil spoken of Christe Iho. 14 For he teacheth not only Gods worde truly but also he is the truth himselfe And this is required of al preachers that they so endeuor them selfes that these wordes may be truly spoken of thē For it is our office to be true to teache Gods word truly Furthermore that thei say Thou carest for no mā nor regardest the outward apparance of men partaineth vnto vs also For the truth is not to be hidden for no mans pleasure but faythfully to bee preached teached yea although his distructiō shuld folow should be put to death as S. Ihon Baptist was And although Christ is excellently described vnto vs by these wordes yet they that were sent did speake it with a false fainyng dissemblyng heart Wherout we may learne the disposiciō of those hypocrites which persecute the word of god Thei omit the head the principal of the thing and bryng in vnprofitable questions They speake nothing with the heart But whatsoeuer thei speake is for that purpose that they may take and tryp the innocētes and good men in their communicacion Secondarily after that the Phariseys had put furth their subtill deuised question Christ knowyng that thei did it to tempt him so he did answer them that it was not spoken in vayne of the wyse man Pro. 21. saiyng There is no wysedome there is no vnderstādyng there is no counsail against the Lord. Therfore he calleth them hypocrites And that thei might wel vnderstand that he knewe their malicious thoughtes he added Why do ye tempte me Whiche wordes by right should haue reuoked the Phariseys and the ministers from their maliciousnes and deceit and caused them to haue amended their liues But they were blynde remayned styll blynd Yet notwtstādyng Christ bad them to shewe him their tribute money and sayd Whose is this ymage superscripcion They sayd vnto him The Emperours Then sayd he vnto them Geue therfore vnto the Emperour that whiche is the Emperours and geue vnto God that whiche is Gods As though he would saye Forasmuche as you are come therto that for your synne you are brought vnder the yoke of the Emperour of Rome you must nedes geue as vnto your head highest lorde here vpon yearth vnder God that whiche belōgeth vnto him Here is to be noted the difference that Christ maketh betwene the kyngdome of God and this worlde For he doth not onely approue and allowe this high power and polliticke life The kīgdome of Christ but also confermeth it For the kyngdome of God or of Christ is spiritual whiche consisteth in the spirite fayth and truth wherfore it commeth not with outwarde doynges but it must be inwardly in vs. Now because that it is a spiritual kyngdome God requireth and wyll be worshypped in spirite Luc. 17 Ihon. 4 and in the trueth as Christ sayth in the fourth chapiter of sainct Ihon. The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in truthe But to worship God in spirite and truth is to loue him with all thy heart Deut. 6. with all thy power and to truste in him For suche fayth and loue geueth God his honor and kepeth his cōmaundementes as Christ sayeth in an other place He that loueth me shall keepe my woorde Ioh. 14 Wherefore when I put my whole truste in god the father through Christe and loue him aboue all creatures then doo I gyue god that pertaineth to god and pull from him none of his honour And herevnto pertaineth the fruteful admonicion of the prophete Dauid saying Psal 28. Adscribe vnto the Lorde O yee mighty ascribe vnto the Lord worshyp strength And contrary wise Cesars kingedō the kyngdome of the Emperour is worldly it is visible in the which the Emperour him selfe gouerneth and beareth rule mightely with hys lordes and prynces as the scripture witnesseth in an other place sayinge Luc. 22. The Kynges of the worlde haue dominion ouer the people and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious lordes Neuertheles that kingdome is of god Rom. 13 and stablished by goddes ordinaunce in suche wise that he that resisteth this ordinaunce resisteth god him selfe Thinkest thou that princes and greate lordes in the scripture are called goddes in vaine and withoute a cause For if they bee goddes Psa 8◠and are made by god partakers of his magnificence then muste they needes be in goddes steed whose roome they beare Therfore seyng they rule in gods steed it is both meete and conuenient to giue theim that wee are bounde to giue theim But what are those thinges S. Paule setteth them furthe and sayth Geue vnto euery man his dutie Ro 13. Tribute to whom tribute belōgeth Custome to whō custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom honour pertayneth Here thou hearest what thou art bound to geue vnto highe powers But paraduenture thou wilt say Shall I geue obedience vnto a tyrant an vngracious prince or Lord Yea truly thou art bound both to geue obey him For what hast thou to do with his tyranny If the magistrate doth naught contrary to equitie he hath a iudge whom he must answere in that appointed day Iudgement is not here graunted vnto thee except he constrayneth thee to do any thyng against God Then thou mayst say with the Apostles Act. 5. We ought more to obay God then men But if he cōstrayneth the do nothyng against God then hast thou here the sentence of Christe Geue to Cesar that belongeth vnto him and to God that is Gods Whiche answere is so good and godly that they that were sent of the Phariseys meruailed at it And for because they could say nothyng against it They wēt their wayes God graunt vs his grace The gospel on the .xxiiii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Math. 9. WHyles he thus spake vnto them Mat. 5. Luc. 8.
is not possible that I can haue any peace in my conscience towarde God for my synnes sake whiche alwayes accuseth me in my conscience nor wyll not suffre me to come nor attaine to this spiritual peace Fourthly The cōfession of Thomas wee fynde here an excellent confession in Thomas in whiche he knowlegeth Christ to bee his God and his Lorde And this confession is so nedefull and necessary without the whiche no man can haue the true righteousnes that preuaileth before God nor entre into the kyngdome of heauen But note also howe afore that Christe had shewed his handes and his feete vnto Thomas he could not haue this cōfession Handes and fete what it is in scripture Handes and feete in scripture betokeneth often tymes workes and conuersacion Therfore when Christ sheweth vs his handes and feete that is When he hath brought vs to that point throught his spirite and worde that we acknowlege his merites passion death and finally all his workes onely to be the cause of our righteousnes and saluacion then may we saye with the Apostle My Lorde my God and put all our trust in him accordīg to the saiyng of Dauid Ps 54. Set your trust in the Lorde and he shall care for you When Christ doth not in suche wyse shewe vs his handes and fete so is it for vs vnpossible to make any such confession For sainct Paule sayeth not without a cause to the Corinthians saiyng 1. Co. 12 No man can say that IESVS is the Lorde then through the holy ghost Wherefore it is Christe that must bryng vs to this confession Further note that Thomas beyng enflamed with the holy ghost calleth Christ his god This such lyke sentences by the whiche it is proued that Christ is the true naturall God ought diligently to bee noted and surely layde vp in our mindes and especially nowe in this last and perilous tyme. Wherfore it is very necessary when suche errors abuses crepe in whiche God forbid that wee bee well instructed with this confession of Thomas lest wee bee vtterly drawen from the true fayth of Christe With this confession of Thomas sainct Ihon in his canonical Epistle agreeth very aptely 1. Iho. 5 where he calleth Christ very God and euerlastyng light whiche is freely confessed Christ to be the true God He that wyll these admonicions notwithstandyng be deceiued on his perill be it For we truely through the helpe of God wyll stand liue and dye in this article in suche hope and trust that the almightie God of his great mercy goodnes will maintayn vs here euerlastyngly through his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen The Gospell on sainct Stephin his day the Martyr Math. 23. WHerfore beholde Mat. 10 Luc. 11. Ioh. 16 Act. 6. and. 7. I sende vnto you prophetes and wyse men ◠Scribes and some of theim ye shall kyll and crucifie and some of theim shall ye scourge in your synagoges and perse cure theim frō citie to citie that vpō you may come all the righteous bloud whiche hath been shedde vpon the yearth frō the bloud of righteous Gen. 3. Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharye the sonne o◠Barachias 2. Pa. 24 whom ye flewe betwene the temple and the altar Verely I say vnto you all these thynges shall come vpon this generacion Luc. 13. O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that kyilest the prophetes and stonest theim whiche are sent vnto thee howe often would 4. Es ◠I haue gathered thy children together euen as the Henne gathereth her chickyns vnder her wynges and ye would not Behold Psal 9. your house is lefte vnto you desolate For I say vnto you ye shall not see me hencefurth tyll that ye say * Ps 118 Luc. 9. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell Christ handeleth the Iewes somewhat roughly like as one that almost had made an ende of his course runnyng and nere to his death ready to be offered vppe Yea he reproueth them in suche wyse of their blyndnes maliciousnes and their indurate heart and that with so great vehemency and so ernestly that he could not hardlyer assault them And that their ingratitude shuld be the better knowen vnto them and be brought to light he reciteth vnto theim the great benefites that God from the beginnyng of the worlde had visited theim with all yea and that whiche was yet commyng before that their great cicie of Ierusalem should bee destroyed And sayd howe he sent theim Prophetes Wysemen and Scribes and euer had sought all meanes and occasions to bryng them through their preachyng to saluacion yet al would not helpe Prophetes He calleth Prophetes those whiche throughe the inspiracion of the holy ghost and by the commaundement of God prophecie and teache the people the will of God And which haue been taught of no mā except of God onely as Moses was Wyse men And he calleth wyse men those that haue learned and heard all their wysdome of other good men and are ready to vtter it againe to all men as was Aaron in the olde Testament and sainct Stephin in the newe Testament Scrybes Scribes he calleth those whiche not onely throughe preachyng the woorde of God but also through their diligent labour in writyng teache other menne and profiteth theim highely as were many after the Apostles tyme and likewyse in our tyme there be many that haue done muche good in the church of Christ and dayly yet dothe Of the whiche in another place Christ sayth Mat. 13 Euery Scribe taught vnto the kyngdome of heauen is like an housholder which bringeth furth of his treasure thynges newe and olde Out of whiche woordes lightly may bee gathered the greate benefites that God had shewed vpon the Iewes And how I pray you can be so wyse or wel learned that can comprehend with words al the benefites that god had shewed vnto the Iewes from that tyme that he had brought them out of Egypt and deliuered them frō bondage A great benefite to haue the word of God And yet amongst all other this was the greatest highest benefite that he had geuen them his worde without doubt a most precious and excellent gyfte Whiche gyfte was so great Rom. 4 that as sainct Paule sayth they farre excelled vs Heathen people forasmuche as God hadde committed his woorde vnto theim And the prophete Dauid boasteth Psal 16 that god had doone no suche thinge to all nations lyke as he had done vnto the Iewes But they shewed them selues againe so vnthankefull that it constrained god to take awaye that same worde from them as wee see in the eight chapiter of the prophet Amos saying Beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde god Amos. 8 that I shall sende an hunger into the earthe not the hunger of breade neither the thruste of water but an hunger to heare the worde of the lorde And the truthe of
vnfearful open mouth let him shewe that this their vniust dealyng is euil and vnrighteous as in ded it is nothyng els but vnrighteous and wycked Tit. 1. And therfore also is it that S. Paule requireth in a bishop that he bee mightie and able to exhorte with true doctryne and to conuince the againsayers Thyrdly wee haue nowe the fall of sainct Peter The presumpcion and rashnes of fleshe whom we ought diligently to consider and marke For we not only beholde in him how foolish rashe and vnwise the presumption of man is but also we learne in him that when a manne hath by frailtye fallen he shulde not by and by dispaire but muche rather looke vnto the goodnesse and clemencye of Christe by the which Peter was againe receiued obtained remission of all his sinnes Doubteles it was a greate presumption that hee promised to go with Christ euen vnto the very death and by this presumtion fel he into so great sinne For how shuld fleshe wishe for death seing that very nature hathe so disposed the flesh that she rather desireth a quiet and pleasant liuinge For euen he that is indued with the holye ghost hath much a do to take heed least in death he be ouercome or dispair much lesse may we thinke that of our owne strength we maye be able to stande againste it Wherefore we oughte to be very circumspecte and ware that we presume not but that we stand in fear euermore yet for all that contynually beseching god the father that he will voutchsafe for his sonne Christes sake to comforte vs with his holy spirite that we be ouercome in no temptacion but that euermore wee maye perceiue and feele his helpe strength and consolacion For certainly this is truthe that the prophet saith The lorde is my helper Ps 117. I will not feare what man can doo to me The clemēcy of Christ towarde synners And thoughe it chaunce sometyme while we liue here that we fal yet let not our heart giue ouer nor we maye not dispaire but by and by arise againe and also call againe for the grace and mercy of god For surely Christe hath euen now the same mynd Anabaptistes erroure that he had then when he receiued Peter againe into his fauoure The Anabaptystes of this our tyme deny that those maye retorne again to grace which ones knew the truth and afterward againe fell into synne and as muche as in them is poore Peter and wee all should perishe and be perpetually cōdempned But sett their folishe bablyng light for they bee vayne and vayne they continue But rather consider thou howe Peter fell and was againe receiued into grace and so shalte thou gette profite by consideryng it In what place Peter fell And note diligently in what place Peter fel commytted that great sinne namely he fell in the Byshoppes palace And of this place mayst thou learne howe great ieopardy it is to preachers of the woorde of God often to vse the courtes of great men of the worlde and especially for these consideracions Fyrst Ieopardyes of the courtes of great men it is an honesty for a man as courtyers repute it oftē to haunt voluptuous pleasures with a certain pride dignitie to excell other whiche thynges in deede as suche tempatacions maye easely moue and breake a right godly man Then furthermore Sathan him selfe also is very ready our fleshe is exceadyng weake so that without doubt here needeth great carefulnes and studious hede to be taken But what shal the preacher of Gods truth do here Forsoth thus He may not haue to great loue vnto the courtly daintie fare nor to muche acquaint himselfe with those whiche in the court do seke none other thyng but voluptuous pleasures honor porte in suche thynges haue their heauen but he ought diligently to remembre his office and geue all his care and studye well to rule with the sworde of God and continually to whet that vpon theim Doubtlesse the maner of courtiers is suche that for a tyme thou shalt be welbeloued accepted and thou shalt haue geuē the swete wordes enough especially if thou seldom talke of the truth and can well lyft a great chalice and be a fayre Masser But if thou wylt play the true preacher and tell euery man his vice and synne as in deede it shal be thy duetie surely thou shalte sone perceiue whether moo Iosephes Danyels dwell in the court or els Herodes and Aman. And to say the truth Herode could very well abyde Ihon Baptist Ihon Baptyst payde for his fauor in Herodes court Mar. 6 Mat. 11 and gladly hearde he him But when Ihon rebuked him for the adultry by and by all his fauour was lost Ihon was fayne to pay no lesse then his head for the great fauor he had in the court Finally In kynges and prynces courtes thou shalte fynde very fewe Daniels but as Christ sayd suche as are clothed in fyne softe sylkes so that thou shalt haue great nede to be verye ware and wyse if thou wylte dwell and be conuersant among courtiers The fourth sermon on the Passion of our Lord Iesu Christ Ihon. xviii THen led they Iesus from Cayphas into the hall of iudgement It was in the mornyng and they them selues went not into the iudgement hall lest they should be defyled but that they might eate the passeouer Pylate then went out vnto theim sayd what accusaciōs bryng you against this man They answered and sayd vnto him If he were not an euil doer wee would not haue deliuered him vnto thee Then sayd Pylate vnto them take ye him and iudge him after your owne lawe The Iewes therfore sayd vnto him it is not lawful for vs to put any manne to death That the woordes of Iesus might bee fulfylled Ma. 20 whiche he spake signifiyng what death he should dye Ma. 26 Then Pylate entred into the iudgement hall againe called Iesus and sayd vnto him Art thou the kyng of the Iewes Mar. 15 Luc. 23. Iesus answered Sayest thou that of thy self or hath any other told it thee of me Pylate answered Am I a Iewe Thyne owne nation hye priestes haue deliuered the vnto me What hast thou done Iesus answered My kyngdom is not of this world if my kyngdome were of this worlde then would my ministers surely fight that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes but nowe is my kyngdome not from hence Pylate therfore sayd vnto him Arte thou a kyng thē Iesus answered Thou sayst that I am a kyng Ihon. 6 For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I should beare wytnesse vnto the truth And al that are of the truth heare my voyce Pilate sayd vnto him What thing is truth And when he had sayd this he wēt out againe vnto the Iewes and sayth vnto them Ma. 27 Mar. 15 Luc. 23. I fynde in him no cause at all
the Iewes whiche thynke all sure nowe that they haue slayne Christ whose preachyng so muche moueth the people But yet euen then brust furth that fyre whereof Christ sayd Luc. 12. I am come to send fyre into the yearth This fyre was kyndled brent when after the resurrection and ascencion of Christ he sent his Apostles into all the whole worlde coÌ„maunded them to preache penance in his name and remission of synnes to all creatures Money maketh men say Christ is not risen And though the Iewes gaue the souldiers money to say that Christ was not rysen againe but his disciples had taken him away out of the graue yet that notwithstandyng Christ rose agayne and appeared vnto his Apostles declaryng by many myracles that he had verely rysen that vnto him as vnto the kyng most hyest Lord was deliuered al power in heauen and in yearth Neither Herode Pylate all the Iewes could then lette this Christ wyll be kyng the deuil sware nay nor yet afterwarde were the Romayne Emperours able to queÌ„che it no nor at this perylous tyme can the enemyes of the truth preuayle but Christ wyll contynue eternall Lorde and kyng yea maugre theyr berdes that go about to suppresse the trueth They thynke that if they may murther the chiefe authors capitaynes and make away with them then shall theyr power and magnificence floryshe and haue no hynderance nor hurte Luc. 1. But Christe that exalteth the lowly and throweth doune the mightie from theyr seate knoweth whan and howe to ouerthrowe those Nembrothes theyr ymaginacions that wyll they nyll they they shal be fayne to heare the truth And euen in our tyme god hath so set furth the strength of his power that by his grace we haue the syncere truth and pure gospell spite of all the vngodly aduersaries though they would burst for payne I beseche God graunt that wee may acknowlege the same his truth and apprehend take hold vpoÌ„ the same and vnto the ende cleaue faste vnto this contempned Christe crucifyed so that after this life we may come vnto his glory and eternal lyfe by the merytes of thesame our only sauior mediator and aduocate Iesus Christe to whoÌ„ with the father and the holy gost be al honor laude and glory for euer and euer Amen The gospel on Easter Munday Luc. xxiiii ANd beholde two of them went that same day to a toune called Emaus which was from Ierusalem about thre score forlonges and they talked together of all these thynges that had happened And it chaunsed the whyle they communed together reasoned Iesus himselfe drewe neare went with them But their eyes were holden that thei should not knowe him And he sayd vnto them What maner of communicacions are those that ye haue one to another as ye walke and are sadde And the one of them whose name was Cleophas answered and sayd to him Art thou only a straunger in IerusaleÌ„ and hast not knowen the thynges which haue chaunsed there in these dayes He sayd vnto them What thynges And they sayd vnto him Of Iesus of Nazareth which was a prophet mighty in dede and worde before God and all the people and howe the hye priestes and our rulers deliuered him to bee condempned to death and haue crucified him But wee trusted that it had been he whiche should haue redemed Israel And as touchyng all these thynges to day is euen the thyrd day that this were done Luc. 24 Ioh. 20. Yea and certain women also of our company made vs astonied whiche came carely vnto the sepulchre and found not his body came saiyng that they had seen a vision of Angels whiche sayd that he was aliue And certain of them which were with vs weÌ„t to the sepulchre and found it euen as the women had sayd but him they sawe not And he sayd vnto them O fooles and slowe of heart to beleue all that the Prophetes haue spoken Esai 53 Mat 25 Ought not Christ to haue suffered these thynges and to entre into his glory And he began at Moses and all the Prophetes and interpreted vnto them all scriptures whiche were writâ—en of him they drewe nye vnto the roune whiche they went vnto And he made as thought he would haue gone further And they Gen. 19 Luc. 14 constrayned him saiyng Abide with vs for it draweth towardes night the day is farre passed And he went in to tary with them ♣ Ma. 15 And it came to passe as he farre at meate with theim he toke bread and blyssed it and brake gaue to them And their eyes were opened and they knewe him and he vanished out of theyr sight And they sayd betwene theimselues Dyd not our heartes burne within vs whyle he talked with vs by the waye opened to vs the scriptures And they arose in thesame houre and returned againe to Ierusalem found the eleuen gathered together and them that werwith them saiyng The Lord is risen in dede hath appeared to Symon And they tolde what thynges were done in the waye howe they knewe him in breakyng of bread THE EXPOSITION FYrst of all dearely beloued let vs coÌ„sidre the vnbeleiefe infirmitee of these two disciples that went from IerusaleÌ„ to Emaus For as it chaunsed to these euen so chaunsed it to diuers other as wee may read in this history of the resurrection of Christ Neither was it possible that this article of Christes resurrection shuld be perceiued or beleued without great difficultee yea that they might apprehend it Christ serueth our infirmitee Christe was in a maner coÌ„pelled to serue them in wordes dedes miracles the angels Furthermore in shewyng his woundes and yet for all this verye hardely could they be persuaded in this article of the resurrection So peruerse is the fleshe and so ful of euil if it be not by the spirit of God illuminate and brought to the knowlege of God NotwithstaÌ„dyng there remayned yet in these two certaine smal sparkes of loue towarde Christ so that they must nedes talke of Christ and the one open his grief vnto the other And when they thus do Christ gladly commeth vnto them and as a straunger iournyeth with them saluteth them and asketh the cause of their comunicacion and reasonyng and why they were so sorowful Wherein we haue a lesson that Christe hath a meruaylous delite in deuout godly christian communyng or talkyng ChristiaÌ„ talking Mat. 18 ye be his owne doctrin he alloweth it and sheweth it saiyng whersoeuer it are come together in my name there wyll I bee the thyrde thus callyng vs from vayne and filthy vncomly woordes and talkyng It is to be wyshed that this lesson were diligeÌ„tly inculcate in mennes memorye For truely menne are to nothyng so muche enclyned as vnto euil talkyng detraction and filthye communicacion so that a manne maye fynde more honesty and nurture in the talkyng of the heathen vnchristened
why should your heartes be troubled You beleue in God well beleue also in me for though it shal so come to passe that I shal be betrayed to the Iewes I shal suffre be crucifyed and dye yea and furthermore it shal be nedeful that my deuine nature my strength and power be for a tyme hyd secrete vnder the crosse yet neuerthelesse I am in deede God of on and the sam substance with the father wherfore let neuer suche perturbacion in any wyse bee heard of among you for why my crosse shall not come but to the great aduantage and welfare both of you and also of all the worlde For doubtles this is a truth Many maÌ„sions in the fathers kyngdome that in my fathers house there are many mansions wher into he wyl receiue his seruauntes kepe theim also be glorifyed in them Furthermore both you and all the lecte are already predestinate vnto those mansions that is vnto eternall life NotwithstaÌ„diÌ„g as yet those mansioÌ„s are not perfect nor prepared as they must bee But if you wyll knowe howe they must bee prepared and made ready Marke my saiyng It is necessary that by my passion and my death I should fyrst abolishe and take away the kyngdome of death and synne Then that I should go vnto my father and receyue that my kyngdome whiche shall contynue for euer euen for this cause that I may the more better gouerne mayntayne and defend in that my kyngdome all that are my disciples Neither thinke you that I shal take this kyngdom to myne owne commodite onely for truely I wyll returne vnto you by my woorde and holy spirit and I wyl take you vnto my selfe that where I am you also may bee Ma. 10 I wyll not leaue you Orphalynges I loue you more dearlyer then to leaue you among so many Wolfes persecutyng you for my woorde sake onely bee you of a good comfort be nothyng afrayde Neither let this my passion that shal chance seme so great a meruayle vnto you Yea if ye wyl be my disciples knowe you assuredly that you must abyde lyke chance and fortune with me as I abyde Now what nedeth many wordes To go to the father to receyue the kyngdome You haue alredy hearde whether I must go that is vnto my father to receyue there my kyngdome You also know the way vnto my father so that in this matter there nedeth not many woordes Beholde after this maner Christ comforteth his Apostles against the slaunder of the crosse that shuld come and stablysheth them tellyng that his death and passion shuld be the perfect preparyng of those dwellyng places wherinto they should be receiued yea and also that all their saluacion ought to be fyxed in the same his mooste blessed death and passion Weakenesse and ignorance of man Secondarily here are set out two examples that is of the ignorance and weakenes of the Apostles For when Christe had sayd Whether I go you knowe and you knowe the way Sainct Thomas by and by sayd Lorde we knowe not whether thou goest and howe may we knowe the way But if one of these muste bee a lyer truely Thomas shal be the lyer and not Christ For had they not heard Christ often tymes say Mat 20 The sonne of man shal be betrayed to the princes of the priestes and Scribes and they shal coÌ„dempne him to death and deliuer him to the Heathen to be scorned scourged and crucified the thyrd day he shall ryse againe Furthermore were they vtterly ignoraunt of these thynges without knowlege when they sayd Lorde Ihon. 6 vnto whoÌ„ shal we go thou hast the woordes of eternal life and wee do beleue and we haue knowen that thou art the same Christ the sonne of the liuyng God Doubtles wee fynde here in theim a fayth but yet it hath this vnperfectnes that this faith as yet was not coÌ„firmed by the holy ghost nor yet tryed by any persecucion Euen so doth Philip also when Christ sayd If you knewe me doubtles you should knowe my father also c. Philip sayd Lord shewe vs the father and it suffiseth to vs. What meaneth this Would Philyp also then see the father with his corporall eyes or would he none otherwyse holde himselfe contented Suffiseth it not that Christ had sayd before vnto him If you had knowen me surely you should haue knowe my father also Verely in this matter appertainyng to the knowledge of God al men haue one affection neither can they do any other wyse Verely wee are blynde in this cause touchyng God We are blynd in maâ—ters of fayth Ioh. 3. and his honor except we be lightned by the holy gost and coÌ„forted in fayth approued by the crosse For that whiche is borne of the fleshe it is fleshe and it hath annexed and knyt to it selfe incredulitee and ignoraunce as examples through the scripture do euidently proue and as in this gospel also we may see it playnely set furth in thse Apostles Thyrdly wee shal nowe come to the answere geuen vnto the Apostle sainct Thomas whiche also we wyll wey diligeÌ„tly consider for in it is propouÌ„ded vnto vs the excedyng great goodnes mercy of Christ For though as yet thei wer rude ignorant in the matter of fayth yet Christ forsoke them not but in this his godly and most excellent answere so intreateth them that it may very well be perceiued that he desyred nothing so much as to procure their helth to bryng them vnto the knowlege of fayth Nowe what answere gaue he to them Christ is the way I am the way the truth and the life O worthy and excellent sentence worthy to be written eueÌ„ with golden letters in the heartes of all men But it is to be lamented that it hath so long tyme lyen despysed neglected and that so fewe haue in heartes apprehended and vnderstande it Mens wayes I pray you howe many wayes before tymes hath theyr been whereby we haue interprysed to obtayne eternal lyfe Surely I thynke in numerable For loke howe many heades so many wayes were inuented of our awne braynes to come vnto iustice eternal lyfe But these wayes in dede if they were conferred and iudged by the woorde of God were nothyng els but wrong pathes and false wayes out of the true waye whiche led vs not vnto eternal lyfe but to perpetuall condempnacion of death not vnto heauen but vnto hell in dede And these are the wayes that the Wyse man spake of saiyng Pro. 12. The waye of a foole is straight in his owne eyes But what sayth Christ to this Forsoth he sayth that he onely is the waye as he is in very deede and without doubt For by him we haue remission of sinnes righteousnes and eternal health and a free entraunce in vnto the father Neither is any man admytted vnto the fathers presence by any other mediatour or meane but by this Christe onely And he that wyll not
beleue this lette him knowe it assuredly that he shall neuer comme vnto the father neither be partaker of eternal life Lyfe And I beseche you how shal he comme vnto the father that seketh other meanes to comme to him then by Christe Besydes that he rather geueth credence vnto false liyng then to the truth euen that trueth whereof Christe here testifyeth of affirmyng him selfe to be the trueth For I pray you Treuth what are all menne all mennes doctrynes all the studyes and counsels of menne if they bee conferred to Christe and his woordes Truely all lyers and mere lyes are all those thynges that are spoken without the woorde of God as the scripture testifyeth psa 115. Psalme Cxv. Euery manne is a lyar But of the woorde of God the scripture sayth Thy woorde is trueth Nowe if the woorde of God onely bee trueth Ioh 17. psa 118. then it necessarily muste folowe that whatsoeuer menne haue inuented without the worde of God it is lyes mere deceyuable iuglyng Howe can it be but truth seyng the to those that beleue in it Rom. 1. it is the power of God vnto saluacion and eternal health For to beleue the word of God is euen thesame as to beleue Christ For Christ is the same woorde and the woorde was made fleshe Ihon. 1. And to beleue Christe is so excellente and noble a thyng that it taketh away synnes and eternal death and for them geueth righteousnes and eternal life And thus it abydeth true that Christ sayd in this place I am the waye the truth and the life Fourthly consider also what Christe-sayd vnto Philip neither would Christ refuse him because of his imbecilitee or weakenes but rather instructeth him thus Philip he that seeth me seeth my father Philip would see the father Christ is very God but Christ would graue it not only in Philippes heart but also in all other his disciples heartes that he is one thyng and substaunce with the father one God equal with the father in maiestie and glory of a like strength wysedome with him This onely excepte that Christ for our infirmitees sakes to redeme vs was made mā and therefore asmuche as pertayneth to that he is made lesse then the father as it is wrytten in the viii Psalme Psal 8. Thou hast made him a lytle lesse vnder the dignitee of angels c. Philip sayth Christe he that seeth me seeth my father And furthermore I dwel in the father and the father in me Beholde howe earnestly Christ recyteth and bet eth into his disciples his deuine nature and essence with the father also requireth that thei shuld no lesse beleue on him Verely sayth he al that I do or speak I do it not or speake it of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me he dothe those workes Therfore for the workes sake at the lest beleue me that I am in the father and the father is in me Furthermore Christ highly prayseth this fayth as he most earnestly requyreth it sayth Verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me the woorkes that I do he also shall do them greatter thynges then these shall he do He shall do greatter thynges then these especially seyng that Christ goeth to the father to receyue his kyngdome and to sende the holy ghost Fayth askyng in the name of Christ obtayneth all thinges I beseche you nowe who date bee so impudent a beast or so styffe necked that he shall dare any thyng at all derogate or minishe the dignitee of fayth seyng that to the beleuer there are made such excellent promises Yea and furthermore here is made a comfortable and excellent promise vnto fayth that is to say that whatsoeuer she wyl aske in the name of Christ shal be geuē her Wherfore shal it be geuē Doubtles that the father may be glorifyed through the sōne And to speake briefely We must thus beleue of Christ that he is of the same essēce of the same power wysedome with the father so that he that beleueth not in Christ that man I say shal neuer come at the father nor at his knowlege For Christ is the way the truth and the life And also noman cōmeth to the father but by Christ as our sauiour Iesus Christe hath testified in many places of his gospel Wherfore that we may come to the knowlege of the father dearly beloued of the Lord let vs diligently apply oure selues to heare the worde of God whereby the true knowlege of Christ is geuē vnto vs. Who knowen and apprehended by faith we may be made parteners and obtayne eternal life Amen The gospel on the Ascencion of our Lord Iesu Christ day Marke 16. AFterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they fat at meate and cast in their teth their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not theim whiche had seen that he was rysen agayne from the dead And he sayd vnto them Mat. 28 Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be dampned And those tokens shal folow them that beleue Actu 4.11.20 In my name they shall cast out deuils they ♣ Act. 2 and 19. shall speake with newe tongues they shal Luc. 10 and 18. dryue awaye serpentes And if they drynke any deadly thyng it shal not hurt them They shall lay theyr handes on the sycke and they shal recouer So then when the Lorde had spoken vnto them ♣ Lu. 24 Actu 1. he was receiued into heauen and is on the right hande of God And they went furth and preached euery where the Lord workyng with them * Heb. 2 and confirmyng the worde with myracles folowyng THE EXPOSITION SEyng that al thynges in the deuine scriptures ought well to be considered wayed this may not be ouerpassed but must diligently be noted and considered that the Euangelist S. Marke in this place where he descrybeth the ascēcion of our Lord Iesu Christ wherein also lyke at in his passion and resurrection consysteth our whole iustificacion maketh mencion of that synne for the which our Lord Iesus Christe so often before he ascended into heauen rebuked his disciples namely of theyr incredulitee and vnbelief Surely it must needes be that this is an heauye and great synne yea it is to bee estemed and thought a verye spryng welle fountayn of all mischiefe seyng that our sauiour Christ euen nowe when he would departe go to his heauenly father rebuketh it so earnestly in his Apostles For thus sayth the Euangelist At the last as the eleuen sat at the table he shewed himselfe vnto theim and rebuked their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not them whiche had seen him rysen Here you heare what synne this was namely Incredulitee And I pray you Vnbeleife is the spryng of all sin who is so shamelesse to
and according to hys deseruyng suffereth for it although he loke to this promyse it shall lytle profyte hym Thou muste needes suffre in a good quarrell that thou mayest be sure that all that shall chaunce to thee happeneth for the truthes sake Euen as Sainct Peter also saith Let none of you suffre as a murtherer or a thefe or as an euell dooer or as a busye body in other mens maters Wherfore if thy cause bee good thou mayest assuredly haue this hope that this trouble and sufferynge shall be rewarded and recompensed with euerlastynge ioye Which almyghty God graunt vs through Iesus Christ AMEN The gospel vpon S. Markes day Iohn 15. I Am Eccl. 24 the true vyne and my father is the husband man Euery branche that beareth not frute in me hee wyll take away And euery braunche that beareth fruyt wyll he pourg that it may bryng forth more frute Act. 15. Now are ye cleane thorow the words which I haue spoken vnto you Byde in me and I in you As the branch can not beare frute of it selfe excepte it byde in the vyne no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches He that abydeth in me and I in him the same bringeth forthe muche frute For without me ye can do nothyng if a man byde not in me he is caste furth as a branche and is wythered and men gather them and caste them into the fyer and they burne Mat. 21 Iohn 3 If ye byde in me and my wordes abyde in you aske what ye wyll and it shall be doone for you THE EXPOSITION WE haue in this gospel a very comfortable lessō for all them that ar true faithfull christen people wherin Christ exhorted al his vniuersal church to remain in him comparing him self vnto a vyne tre his louers vnto branches Which similitude hath bin vsed in the old testament also wher god called the house of Israel that is the church of god a vineyard Psa Esa Ier. Mat. 20 and. 21. as euidētly may be seene in the prophets And as Christ in the gospel of Mat. doth declare a vineyard to be his church so in this place he called it a vineyard also god the father an husbandmā him self he called the vinetre his Apostels euery membre of his church brāches Let vs therfore apply compare one with the other se how thei do agree For as the vineyard is not ordained for to beare thornes and thystels but that the vine trees should be planted in it for to beare fruites so the church is ordained not to florishe with the riches of this worlde whiche verely are thornes but for to plante Christ in it For as the husband man doth make cleane the ground of the vyneyard and doth plante in it vyne trees and doth hedge it round aboute maketh a presse and buyldeth a tower in it purgeth maketh cleane the braunches that they may brynge furth fruite plentifullye so likewyse God the father hath chosen to him selfe frō among men a church in the whiche he hath planted Christ his sonne whiche garden he also hath strengthned with an inuincible stone namely Christ against whiche stone or tower euē the gates of hell can not preuaile For euē as when the godly be regenerate in Christ so he dothe purge and make cleane their heartes that they may bryng furth fruite In this vyne tree there be ii kyndes of braunches or sortes of men for some haue a shape of godlines seme to beleue in Christ and to be special in Christes churche hearyng sermons receiuyng the sacraments do many good woorkes and yet they do not truely beleue in Christ nor yet their woorkes do not procede out of a true fayth These be hypocritical vnfruitful brāches which shal at the length be cast into euerlastyng fyre There be some also without repētance whiche beare the name of christian men yet do most abound are indued with moste horrible shameful crymes Some there be that are godly euen as they verely beleue in Christ so verely they worke by faythe brynge furthe fruit that alway doth remayne And this difference ought chiefly to be marked The vngodly wicked speaketh moste pestiferously of Christes churche for because that they se in it many impure wicked men for whose sakes they thinke that the churche of Christ is not the true church nor that it hath not the true Gospel But they that so do condempne the true churche forbecause it is admixed with euil persons are here againe condempned with this sermon of Christ For truely Christ speakyng of the braunches doth not speake of those that with their open profession be separated and deuided from the churche as the Iewes and Turkes but of those whiche be or seme to be in the vyne tre Christ And of these he maketh two sortes Two kynde of braunches some of theim be barraine some fruitfull By the whiche he teacheth very plainly that the churche here vpon yearth hath cōmixed with her many euil persons whiche although they seme to bee the very membres of Christ yet they bee but braunches to be cutte away and to be cast into the fyre He sayth that the kyngdom of heauen is likened vnto a manne whiche soweth good seede in his felde But whylest the man was a slepe his enemy came and did sowe cockle among the wheate And againe the kyngdome of heauen is likened vnto a lytle nette that is cast into the sea whiche did pull vp all kynde of fyshes And in another place A certayne man went into the mariage whiche had not his mariage garment And sainct Ihō sayd They went out from vs but they were not of vs. But I pray you what becommeth of these braunches that bryngeth furth fruite He sayth He purgeth it and maketh it cleane to bryng furth fruite more plenteously Good brāches Braunches whiche be fruitfull and profitable in the church be all those that truely beleue in Christe and of a true fayth doth obay vnto the true callyng of God This braunche is not cast away is not taken away as the fyrst was but is cut with a hoke and is made cleane Secōdarily Nowe are ye cleane sayth Christe because of the worde that I haue spoken vnto you I beseche the what meaneth these wordes Be the Apostles pure and cleane braunches when as yet they were synners and ready immediatly to leaue their mayster Christ and to deny him I say ye are cleane not forbecause of your owne fleshe whiche is yet synfull nor for the puritie cleanesse of your righteousnes whiche is myngled with muche impuritne and vncleanes but for the worde which I haue spoken vnto you sayth Christ That is for my gospel whiche I haue shewed vnto you that is to say that I am the very true Messias and satisfaction for synne whiche with my death hath kepte you from death whiche hath taken vpon me the
horriblenes of hell that I might deliuer you from hell yea and I haue purchased for you of God my father that he shall take you for his children soÌ„nes and heyres of the heauenly kyngdome And this is the worde by the whiche man is verely purifyed made cleane if it be receyued by fayth Fyrst who soeuer doth receiue this woorde of the Gospell by fayth he is accoÌ„pted before God for very iust pure and holy and that not for the workes of righteousnes whiche wee doo but onely for Iesus Christ the sonne of God receyued by fayth S. Paule sayth they be made righteous frely by his grace by the redempcion whiche is in Christ Iesu whiche God hath put as attonement maker by fâ—yth his bloud beyng a meane Therfore whosoeuer doth beleue the worde of the gospel of Christ although that synne doth styll remayne in his fleshe yet sinne is not imputed vnto him so that he nowe may be iust before God not with his owne righteousnes but with an others righteousnes that is the righteousnes of Iesu Christe whiche is geuen vnto him by fayth For blessed is that man to whom God doth not impute synne Furthermore whosoeuer receiueth the woorde of the Gospell by faythe whiche is geuen by the holy ghost whiche shal mortifie the remnaÌ„tes of the fleshe The houke is the holy ghost shal so rule synne that it shal not reigne in our mortal bodyes Therfore the holy ghost is the very true houke with the whiche the braunches be purged and that by the woordes of the Gospell Fyrst that by fayth wee may bee accompted before God iust for Christes sake Secondly that the deedes of the fleshe may be mortified the lustes of synne be quenched And although it can not be done in this life that synne wholly might be pulled vp out of the fleshe yet it may bee done through the holy ghost that synne shal be paired away and the fruit of it destroyed so that we shall not walke after the fleshe but after the spirite In conclusion whosoeuer doth receiue the worde of the gospel by fayth he shal be troubled with many afflictions and persecusions in this worlde Christ sayth If they haue persecuted me they shall persecute you And in an other place We must by many tribulacions sayth he entre into the kyngdome of God TribulacioÌ„ and trouble is the houke also Wherfore afflictions are to be accoÌ„pted among those houkes with the whiche the heauenlye father dothe purge his braunches The keper of the vyneyard cutteth away the braunches with an houke not for to hurte theim and so to perishe but that they might bryng plenteously furth fruite Tribulacion is sent and wherfore So God the father sendeth to the godly the crosse and afflictions not that they should perish but that they should be preseuerued To this man is sent a crosse that he should bee admonished of the synne yet remainyng in his fleshe to that man because he should walke in his vocacion least synne should reigne in his fleshe to another that he should be an example for the amendement of other men and so to other for other causes not for this cause that they should vtterly perishe but that they should bee deliuered from perishyng and to attayne eternall health When we bee punished with the crosse and misery wee must go to the vyneyarde wee must call to remembraunce the cuttyng knyfe or houke of the keper of the vineyarde and wee must knowe to what ende they cutte in the vyneyarde and that ende is th ende of affliction which is accustomed to chance to the godly that is to say that they should not bee cast into the fyer and so to peryshe in the flame but that they should bee purged and that as well they might bryng furthe more plentyfully fruite as to bryng furth and increase And that it is euen so that they whiche remayne in the true vynetree whiche is Christe might bee purged or made cleane and bryng furth muche fruite Christe addeth vnto it and sayth Tarrye in me and I in you As the braunche can not beare fruite of him selfe except he tarry in the vynetree c. This is as it were an handsonme conclusion of the fyrst exhortacion I haue sayd that I am the verye true vyne tree I haue sayd that the braunche that taryeth in me shall bryng furth fruite plentifully Therfore I besech you that you would tary in me forasmuche as I do tarye in you and ye shal bryng furth muche fruite But tell me howe shall wee tarye in Christe Do wee tary in him when wee do tary in tradicions and commaundementes of men No truly Christ sayth They worship me in vayne with the commaundementes of men But we tarye in Christ when we tarry in the woorde of Christ by fayth Whosoeuer beleueth in me sayth he kepeth my worde and my father shall loue him we shall come vnto him and make our dwellyng place with him What benefite dothe chaunce to him that taryeth in Christ Fyrst Christ taryeth in him for he sayth Tarye in me I in you What thyng better or more greatter doest thou seke Whosoeuer hath Christ hath all the treasure of heauenly goodnesse Sainct Paule sayth Iesus Christe is made vnto vs from God wisedome righteousnes holynes redemption Therfore whosoeuer hath Christ is made before God iust holy and righteous and is deliuered from all trouble Thyrdly let vs coÌ„sider what fruite the Apostles brought whiche taryed in Christ Although the Apostles a lytle whyle after did forsake Christ by fliyng away from him and deniyng of him yet for all that by and by they dyd repent and they were so ioyneth in couple with Christ that they did alway continue in him Wherfore they brought furth at the fyrst beginnyng muche fruite by preachyng of the gospell of Christ After that they had receyued the gyftes of the holy ghost on Whytsonday they did sprede abrode the Gospell throughout all the worlde gathered together the churche of Christ not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Sainct Paule sayth that the gospel was preached among all creatures which were vnder heaueÌ„ And againe The gospel hath increased euen through the whole worlde Furthermore besydes many other godlines and good workes they brough furth plentyful fruite in doyng of great miracles which they did in the name of Christ whereby Christ did florishe and the authoritee truth of Gods worde was highly commended They shewed themselues towardes the Magistrates as they ought to doo They loued their neighbours accordyng to the order of charitee Thei gaue not them selues to gluttony and riotous bankettynges or to vncleanes wantonnes Fynally they did aswell priuately as openly leade a godly life and suffereth very muche trouble persecucion for the woorde of God They were tryed by many mockes and stripes They wer cast into prisons and chaynes They suffered much hunger penury at the last they suffered all kynd of persecution
and death and yet they forsoke not their vocation but the more they were persecuted the more stronger did they confesse Christ Wherfore they did the rather optayne with Christ his heauenly kyngdom And this is the fruites which the Apostles brought furth when they did tarye in Christ Euery man hath his owne fruites tariyng in Christ For he that tarryeth in Christ he euen at the fyrst beginnyng bryngeth furth fruite by the callyng and confessyng the name of Christ both by his honest behauiour and with al kindes of godlynes and vertue by obediēce chastitee temperance sobrietie by true biyng and sellyng by other such kyndes of vertues And these be the miracles whiche bee nowe required of the godly And vndoubtedly whosoeuer doth folow these vertues in this world bryngeth furth great miracles There is so great a multitude of vnshamefast menne of gluttons and deceyuers in this corruptible worlde that it is no lesse a miracle to liue among theim iustly chastly shamefastly and soberly then it was in tymes past to make a blynd man to see or els to raise vp a dead man To conclude whosoeuer remayneth in Christ bryngeth furth fruite by sufferaunce and pacience in the crosse in aduersitee and afflictions Let him not forsake his vocacion although he be persecuted but let him rather be encouraged by affliction to maintayne his vocacion that he may openly declare that he knoweth Iesus Christ to be his righteousnes and health What should bee the let but he that remayneth in Christ shal bryng furth much fruite He that doth not tarrye in Christe doth not bryng furth fruite Fourthly let vs well vnderstand that he sayth Without me ye can do nothyng that is ye can not bryng furth any profitable or healthful fruite nor ye can do no good worke that is acceptable to God except ye beleue in me tary by fayth in me What is it to be and to tarrye in Christe Surely it is to beleue Iesus Christ to be borne of the virgin Mary to be very Christ this Christ to be the only propiciatorye and sacrifice for our sinnes whiche hathe made reconciliacion for thee to the father and for whose sake thou art made his son by adoption and heire of the heauenly and celestiall kingedome By this faith thou art accepted for Christs sake of god by this faith thou art accompted afore god as iust by this faith what workes so euer they be that thou doest whether they be of publicke or priuate vocations here we do not speake of sinne which canne not be doone by faithe they be accepted of god not as the honest doynges of Ethnikes but as the true godly workes vnto euerlasting lyfe And here wee muste not thynke that god dothe giue eternall lyfe to the godlye for their merytes sakes but that the godly taketh the righte of etrrnall lyfe by faith for Christes sake Therfore those workes that be done by this faith bee called the fruites of eternall lyfe partely bicause they be done to declare our thankfulnes for that that we haue receiued the right of the kyngdome of heauen and eternall lyfe and partely that they be rewarded with rewardes in the lyfe euerlastynge Who so euer shall bide in Christe that is shall beleue that hee is accepted of God and to be his sonne adoptiue for CHRISTES sake hee what so euer he dothe althoughe it seeme neuer so excellent and pleasaunt pure and holy it profiteth nothinge before god To be short they that do not remaine in Christe are those which know the name of Christ leadeth a wicked lyfe walketh after the fleshe and obeyeth to sinne If Christe doth not tary in him how shall he tary in Christ S. Iohn sayth Hee that saieth I knowe him and doth not keepe his commaundementes is a lyer and there is no truthe in hym And againe Whosoeuer shal say I loue god and shal hate his brother is a lyer And S. Paul saith If there be any man that shall not prouide for his and especiall for his housholde he is worse then an Infidele It is very plaine that those whych leade a wycked lyfe althoughe they boaste themselues of the name of a christian yet for all that they tarye not in Christe What shal be come of those that remain not in Christ Euen verely that thing that belongeth to the vnfrutefull braunches which are in the vine tree Ezec. 16 These beynge cut away frome the vine tree are profitable to no buyldinge as other woode and tymbre is but beynge cast out a dores they wyther and thē be gathered togither and cast into the fier and there be burned And thei are profitable for nothynge els but for to feede the fyer The selfe same thing is to be said of those whyche do not tarry in Christe These serue for none other purpose but euen for to be meate not for temporall fier that consumeth the braunches Mar. 9. 1. Tes ◠Esa 66 but they shal be punished with perpetuall and inextinquible fire and as Esay saith where their worme doth not dye and the fyer goeth neuer out c. Therefore good christian people let vs tarry in Christe and let hys worde abide in vs acknowledging him oure onlye satisfier for our sinnes sauiour and the pacifier of goddes wrathe Fiftly let vs consider and learne out of this gospel that if this his worde dothe tarrye in vs if wee haue a sure and a stronge faith vnto it declaringe our selfe thankfull towarde so worthy a benefactor with our obedience to kepe his commaundementes thus I say if we tary in him his word tary in vs then this promise Ye shall aske what ye will and it shal be done vnto you shal be perfourmed vnto vs Here is nothing excepted either corporal spiritual or heauenly goodes What can a christen mā lacke hauinge this firme and sure promise for he sayeth What so euer ye shal aske Is ther any kind of people vpon earth that hathe so rich and so excellent a promise as a true christian hathe No trewly But let vs not swarue the wordes of Christ are dligently to be consydered and rightly to be vnderstand Christe dothe not simpely saye What so euer yee wyll aske it shall bee doone vnto you But thys sayinge hath hee putte before these woordes If yee abyde in me and my woordes abyde in you wyth the whyche woordes is to bee vnderstande that then shall bee vnto vs what so euer wee wyll and shall aske Therefore hee that wyll and aske those thynges whyche bee contrary vnto Christes wordes and the whych be prohybited by the words of the Lorde he tarieth not in Christ nor the words of Christ abide not in him wherefore this promise pertaineth not to him Iohn in an other place saith This is the truste the whiche we haue in him that if we aske anye thinge after his wyl he heareth vs. God hathe made manifest hys wyll by hys promises and Gospell Therefore those that shall call vppon God and shall