who being armed by Sathan at length slue his owne brother bicause hée was of an other religion than hée was of After him folowed many false Prophetes vntill the flud wherewith bothe the false teachers themselues and also their disciples were punished Anon after the floud Sathan sent false teachers ageine into the church which so wasted the Lordes vineyarde that the truthe of God remayned alonely with a few of the house of Sem. So also froÌ„ thencefoorth vntoo Chryste alwayes false teachers crepte intoo the Church most coÌ„monly they got intoo their hands the chéefe ordering of things as well in lay matters as matters of the Churche After Chrystes resurrection there came moe false Prophetes and at all times they were moste in number At length the Pope who is very Antichryste hathe sente out swarmes of heretickes and chéeflye Monkes whiche haue moste miserably torne Chrystes Church with false doctrine And at this day there bée false teachers euery where In conclusion where so euer Chryste layeth his good séede intoo the ground there by and by Sathan putteth too his séede of Darnel Therfore it is not for nothing that Chryste warneth vs too beware of false Prophets Wée know from whence false teachers come and whyther they goe Now that the greatenesse of the daunger may bée weyed I will reherse certeyne of their names First they are called by a general name false Prophets that is too say suche as séem too be teachers of the truthe hauing ordinarie succession authoritie and yet neuerthelesse are lyers as who in steade of true doctrine doo foyst in deuilishe lyes and mennes dreames of whiche sorte there were store in the papacie 2. Of Iohn the Apostle they bée called euill spirites as well for that they are sent by Sathan who is euill as also an occasion of euill of damnation vntoo many 3. Of Iude the Apostle they are termed Clouds without water like vntoo Caine Balaam and Chore. Woe be vntoo them sayth hée for they haue folowed the wayes of Cain are vtterly giuen too the error of Balaam for lukers sake and perishe in the treason of Chore. Fourthlye Paule calleth them Dogges bothe bicause they teare Gods woord and also bicause they scare Chrystes shéepe from his shéepefolde Fifthlye they bée called euill woorkemen bicause they woorke amisse and the ende of their laboure is bothe the destruction of them selues and the damnation of those that giue eare vntoo them Sixthly The Apostle Iohn calleth them Antichrystes not bicause they denie Chryste but bycause they peruert Chrystes doctrin and are ageinst Chryst in their life Seuenthly Paul calleth them enimies of Christes crosse bycause they impute not the begynning meane and ende of Saluation vntoo Chrystes merite alone In this Gospell they are called woolues but yet masking in shéepes clothing that is too say pretending themselues too bée made men where as that notwithstanding they lyke woolues leape priuâ—lie into Chrysts fold tearing and killing Chrysts shéepe with false doctrine and counterfeyt holynesse But what is the outwarde countenaunce of false teachers They come sayth Chryst in sheepes clothing The Lorde in this place speaketh not generally of all euill teachers but onely of one kinde For there bée some that teache well and liue amisse and some that teach amisse and liue amisse and other some that teache amisse and séeme too liue well Of this thirde kinde of Prophets the Lorde speaketh héere For by them is greatest danger What is their desire That dooth Chryste set foorthe in a trimme image When he termeth them Woolues For as the desire of the Woolfe is first too scare the shéepe from the folde then too harrie them intoo the wooddes and thirdlye too deuoure them and destroy them Euen so the false Prophets endeuer by their wile too withdraw the shéep that is too say the godly and weake persons from the true church and too driue them intoo the wyldernesse where is no foode of Gods woorde too the intent they may get the masterie of them and at the length murther not so muche their bodies as their soules Howe true this it Turkey beareth wytnesse whiche is deceyued by their false Prophet Mahomet So doothe the papacie plunged in errour by the Antichriste of Rome So do many nations whiche are ledde awaye in horrible outrages by the Libertines and Anabaptistes But thou sayst How can I that am a rude and ignorant person discerne in this varietie of opinions who bée the true techers who hée the false Too the intent wée may discerne and iudge the shepherd from the woolfe Chryst sheweth vs the marks of the woolf he draweth out the false teachers in their proper colors They come to you saith he in sheeps clothing If a man looke but vpon their outward visor he wold take them for most holy men or rather for angelles of God But if yée plucke off their visours yée shall fynde them woolues first for that their voyce is not lyke Chrysts voyce yea rather with a strange noyse they scare away Chrysts shéepe from their shéepfold intoo the wildernesse too the intent they may kil mens consciences and destroy their soules And this is one marke Besides this hée addeth an other when he sayeth Yee shal knovv them by their frutes Héere thou must bée well aduysed that thou take not the leaues for the frute An euill trée hath now and then beautiful leaues and ageinâ— A good trée oftentimes hath plentifull frute but leaues not altoogether so fayre too sée too But what are the true frutes of Prophets They are thrée worshipping doctrine and maners comformable too the doctrine The true Prophete hath his maner of worshipping his doctrine and his manners according too the prescript woord of God The false prophet hath a manner of worshipping deuised by men a doctrine of mens traditions and manners too outwarde shewe honest howbéeit sauouring altogither of hipocrisie ¶ Of the third NOt euery one that sayth too mee Lorde Lorde shall enter intoo the kingdome of heauen but he that dooth the vvil of my father vvhich is in heauen he shall enter intoo the kingdome of heauen This saying of the Lorde conteyneth two lessons One concerning them that shal bée damned and an other concerning them that shall bée saued And he speaketh of them that are in the outwarde felowship of the Churche for of the others there is no dout but they bée damned But who are they that be damned They are those that glorie of Chryst and do not the will of the heauenly father Who are those They that brag of Fayth which they haue not that is too wit which professe fayth without repentaunce and godly life These dooth Christ pronounce too bée daâ—â—ed and no maruell at all For such persons sinne horribly First they sinne in lying bycause they lie vntoo God Secondly in dooing reproche bicause they abuse Chrystes bloud whiche was shedde for vs. Therefore let vs not folow the outrages of lustes and tirannie but let vs
calling vppon God For whatsoeuer thou hast as thine owne is another bodies and vnlawful vnlesse thou desire it of him Héervppon it is that Chryst teacheth his seruants too pray Giue vs this day our daily bread Sée héer The selfe same bread is called oures and Gods It is oures when wée get it by iust trauell And it is Gods bycause it is his creature which it is not lawful for thée too vse except thou aske him leaue before Therfore Paule addeth also for it is sanctified or made holy by the woord of God and by prayer It is sanctified that is too say the vse of it is made pure and lawfull vntoo vs that wée may vse the creature with a good conscience But by what meanes is it sanctified By the woord and by prayer By the woord vnderstand thou faith which the word requireth For by the woord taken holde on by fayth we professe our selues too beléeue two things The one is that the Lorde according too his vnmeasurable and infinite wisedome hath created all things for mannes sake The other is that we are of y e number of those who through grace in Chryst haue recouered that right of lordship ouer al other liuing things which was loâ—â— in Adam that we may mayntayne this lyfe whiche wée ought too imploy too the enlarging of his glorie This profession of fayth is accompanyed with prayer that GOD may graunt vs too enioye the foode receyued at his hande with a good conscience in all feare and reuerence Lastly wée must knit vp our meales with thanksgiuing yea and with repetition of prayers and so are our meats halowed vntoo vs. But they too whom their meats are not halowed in this wise doo double wrong For first they robbe God of his honor in that they call not vpon him nor acknowledge him too bée the giuer of all good things And secondly they vse the creature of God ageinst the will of it Whereuppon Paule sayeth that the creature is made subiect vntoo vanitie From the whiche vanitie God in the second of Osée promiseth that he wil deliuer the creature Now although these things which are already spoken may sufficiently warne vs too vse Gods creatures aright after the example of Chryst yet notwithstanding too the intent our slothfulnesse may be the more reproued I wil recite certeine reasons that may moue vs. The first Chryst himselfe who created all things prayed gaue thankes as often as hée had occasion too vse Gods giftes Muche more then becommeth it vs so too doo who are stark beggers in the Lords sight The seconde The yoong Rauens doo after their maner call vppon the Lord and hée féedeth them Whereupon Dauid sayth that the Lord giueth food to the yoong Rauens that call vpon him For the Rauen acknowledgeth not hir birds for hir owne as long as they bée callowe and therefore shée forsaketh theÌ„ but the Lord bicause they should not starue féedeth them with little wormes til they bée spoone fethered and then their damme commeth ageine and knowing them brings them vp The third The Turks assemble twice a day before dinner and before supper too desire the blissing of the Lord and wée chrysten folkes neglect it The fourth The Heathen men began their meales alwayes with sacrifice and inuocation although they could not call vpon God aright The fifth The church froÌ„ the beginning of the world begaÌ„ with blissing whensoeuer it had occasion to vse Gods gifts For nothing was more rise amoÌ„g theÌ„ thaÌ„ calling vpoÌ„ God For by oure prayers wée bid God too our meales too whom bée honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .viij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Math. vij BEvvare of false Prophetes vvhiche come vntoo you in Sheeps clothing but invvardly they are rauening VVolues Yee shall knovve them by their frutes Do meÌ„ gather Grapes of thornes Or Figges of thistles Euen so euery good tree bringeth foorth good frutes But a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euil frutes A good tree cannot bring foorth bad fruites neyther can a bad tree bring foorth good fruites Euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruite is hevven dovvn and caste intoo the fire VVherefore by their fruites yee shall knovve them Not euery one that sayth vntoo mee Lord Lord shall enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen but hee that dooth the vvil of my Father vvhiche is in Heauen hee shall enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen The exposition of the text OF thys Gospell there were twoo causes One was the doctrine of our Lord Chryst whiche hée set foorth in the v.vj .vij. chapiters Another was the vanitie of false teachers among the Iewes who partely corrupted the doctrine of Moyses and the Prophetes and partely abolished it The Lorde therefore commaundeth all men bothe too learne the things that are arighte and too beware of the corruptions of false teachers And in this respect the Lorde who is the Phisition of mennes soules foloweth the maner of faithful Phisitians of the bodie For like as these after they haue ministred true Physicke doo teache what hurtefull things are too bée auoyded So the sonne of God our Sauior Phisitian dooth first and formost appoynt a wholsome medicine for the soule and afterward warneth what things are too bée eschued The effect of this gospell is this That as the false Prophets which are too bée knowne by their woorks are too bée shunned so true godlynesse consisteth not in the bare professing of religion but in true repentance and ameÌ„dment The places are thrée 1 A charge of eschuing false Prophets 2 A description of false Prophets 3 The forewarning of Chryst Not euery one that saith vntoo me Lord Lord shal enter intoo the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of my father c. ¶ Of the firste BEvvare of false Prophets This charge of Chryste is vniuersall and perteyneth too all men wherefore it is too bée aduisedly weyed and borne away And in this charge thrée things are too bée considered Néedfulnesse Bond and Use. The néedfulnesse surely is muche greater than the coÌ„mon sorte vnderstandeth For the Diuell the enemie of Chryst and of mankind dooth all that he can eyther too abolishe vtterly the kingdome of Christ or too deface it with stumbling blocks For the performance wherof he vseth diuers fetches according too his owne woont For either he laboreth too take the wholsome doctrine quite away as he hath doone in Turkey or else he endeuereth too corrupt it with his trash as he did in Paradise and at all times sithens or else he mangleth and misturneth the Sacraments as he hath doone in the papacie and many other places Or else he poysoneth the manners and liues of men with his venim Then he assaileth the Scripture and the sound Doctrine too the intent too obteyne at least wise one of these four things First too persuade vs that God regardeth vs not Secondly that wée should attempt somwhat ageinst our own vocation Thirdly that we
be made a iestingstocke too the people his doctrine bée defamed his aucthoritie bée abased and he at last bée haled too punishment as a blasphemer ageinst God an heretike euill dooer Yée sée the drifte of the Pharisies counselling toogither In the thirde place foloweth what manner of deuise they founde out It lyked these good councellers too sende their disciples with Herodes seruauntes A very suttle fetche that they might haue witnesses present too report his errande too Herode if he had sayde ought that afterwarde might scarce bée wel lyked of These their disciples had they noozeled thorowly in hypocrisie that they might bée the fitter too deceyue For none deceyue men â—ooner than those that outwardly pretende holynesse and curtesie when priuily they purpose too beguyle Fourthly the coÌ„munication of those hypocrites is described in this wise Maister vvee knovve that thou speakest the truth and teachest the vvay of the Lorde aright and that thou carest not for any man This is the beginning of their talke which surely if thou looke vpon the woordes is most apt For it conteyneth two things First they acknowledge him too bée their master and afterwarde they attribute vntoo him the vertues whiche a faythfull teacher ought too haue WheÌ„ they acknowledge him too bée their master their méening is too séeme not his enimies but his fréends or rather his disciples and such as had great desire too learne at his hande And when they attribute vntoo him the vertues that a true teacher ought too haue they craftely wynde them selues in with him too the intent he shold beléeue they ment him no harme But there is no deuise there is no wisedome ageinst the Lord. And what are those vertues which they attribute vntoo Chryst The first is the loue of truthe Wée knowe saye they that thou arte true The seconde is certeyntie of doctrine And that say they thou teachest the way of God aright And the thirde is stedfastnesse and stoutnesse of minde And thou carest for no man say they Wherfore Bicause thou respectest not any mans persone and this is the fourth vertue for thou say they regardest not any maÌ„s person These foure vertues are great and are required of all Gods ministers The loue of trueth dryueth away the darknesse of ignoraunce and maketh the truth too shine out cléere The certeintie of doctrine makes vs that wée bée not tossed too and fro with the windes of variable doctrine nor flote in the fondnesse of false reports Stedfastnesse stoutnesse of mynde make a man inuincible in his office When the teacher hathe no respecte of any mennes persones it maketh that the truthe can not bée suppressed for feare or for any other thing These vertues dooth the Lorde attribute too Iohn the Baptist and the sequele shewed that hée was endued with them in déede For when Herode had taken away his brother Philips wife Iohn boldely withstoode him not fearing the persone or state that Herode bare For hée sayd It is not lawfull for thée too haue thy brothers wife For which thing he was put too death within a while after Such vertues had Helias also who resisted the wicked King Ahab and sayd openly too his face It is thou and thy fathers house that trouble Israell But as for those that doo not this are more rightly too be called hirelings than true shepherds Hithertoo concerning the practises of Hypocrites ageynste Chryste ¶ Of the second NOw foloweth their question wherewith they thinke too catche suche hold of Chryst that he cannot shift away froÌ„ them Is it lavvfull say they too pay Tribute vntoo Caesar or no Héere they thoughte that of necessitie and simplye hée must haue aunswered one of these twoo things eyther that it was lauful or not lawful If he had sayd it had bin lawful he should haue displeased the people vpon whom the Emperor had layd this burthen ageinst their willes so the Pharisies might haue had a gap opened to destroy him wheÌ„ the people had abandoned him And if hée had sayd it had not bin lawful Herods seruantes were at hand too cary him foorthwith as a seditious person too bée punished What dooth the Lord then too this questioÌ„ He dooth twoo things First he rebuketh theÌ„ and afterward hee assâ—yleth their question Iesus sayeth the Euangelist perceyuing their vvickednesse sayd vvhy tempt you mee yee Hipocrites Héere they found true by their own experience the thing that they had spoken too him before in the way of flatterie thou respectest not the persons of men The solution too their question hée framed in this wise Shevv mee a peece of the tribute money and they shevved him a pennie VVhose image and inperscription is this sayeth hee They sayd vntoo him Caesars Then sayd he vntoo them Giue therfore vntoo Caesar the things that are Caesars vntoo God those things that are Gods The question is answered in such wise as that neyther our Lord suppresseth the truth nor the Pharisies haue any holde too picke quarels too him Wherfore béeing confounded they wondered went their wayes So little can any deuise or any craftinesse preuaile ageinste the Lord. But what dooth this answere of Chrystes teache vs First it putteth a difference betwixte Cesars kingdome and Gods kingdome that is betwéene the kingdome of the worlde and the Church Ageine it putteth a difference betwéene the persones that are chéefe of these twoo diuers kingdomes Also it teacheth that obedience is too bée perfourmed in bothe kingdomes that is too say that God must haue his seruice in his spirituall kingdome and that due dutifulnesse must bée performed too the ciuil magistrate In this place I should shewe what is due too God and what too the ciuil magistrate Howbéeit forasmuche as I haue often héeretofore entreated of the seruice of GOD I wil now speake héere onely of the Magistrate too the intente wée may bée put in minde how godly opinion wée ought too haue of the magistrate I will therefore say fiue things concerning the Magistrate First froÌ„ whence hée is and what hée is Secondlye what conditions ought too â—elong too a good Magistrate Thirdly what is his dutie and what are the endes of the ciuill gouernemente Fourthlye what right the Magistrate hath vppon the bodies and goodes of his Subiectes And fiftly what the Subiectes owe too their Magistrate The first that I purposed that is too wit from whence and what the Magistrate is is declared by Paule in the thirde too the Romaines where hée teacheth that the Magistrate is of God For there is no power sayth hée but of God and the powers that are are ordeyned of God Which thing truely is too bée vnderstoode of the rightfull gouernement and not of the confusion that is oftentimes séene in states of gouernement for mennes wickednesse Therefore as long as good Magistrates guyde the helme wée sée God after a sort present with vs and ruling vs by the hande of those whom he hath sent ouer vs. Contrarywise where
theyr mindes douting with what company they may ioyn themselues in felowship For while some boast of one maister and some of another glorying of his wisdom and godlynesse not without contempt of others whom they outface with their lofty lookes it coÌ„meth to passe that according as they perceiue any maÌ„ affectioned towards them to holde with them or ageinst them so they with blind iudgement commend or discommende his doctrine and Religion Héereuppon growe hartburnings froward suspicions hatred fallings out and desire of reuenge wherthrough all things are turned vpsidedowne And from hence to passe ouer other things with silence springeth a double pleasure For both the enemies of the Gospell are boldned in theyr stubbornesse and vngodlinesse and also the weaker and vnskilfuller sort which earst were more forward in imbracing of the truth are not a litle trobled wauering and vncertein too whether part they were best too ioyne themselues â–ª AmoÌ„g whom not a few as though nothing certein could be taught or determined of all the whole Religion begin too dout not only of al the partes of it but also of all maner of Religions In this case it is our duetie my déere brethren too succor the weake bothe with our Prayers and aduertisements that they stumble not at this huge heape and dunghill of opinions and so fall headlong intoo certeine destruction The best remedie for this mischéefe is to marke the continuall consent of the Catholike church in Doctrine and in the true seruice of God For as there is but one God so is there also but one euerlasting stedfast and infallible truthe of God one true religion one faith one rule wherby to liue well and one Church of Chryst which only knoweth the true maner how too serue God aright He that is not a Citizen of this Churche is falne from grace and saluation though he boast himselfe too haue neuer so great maisters Contrarywise he that in this Church woorshippeth God in spirit and truthe â–ª is the heir of grace and saluation though he had but a Cow-herd too his maister or teacher For this matter hangeth not vpon the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of man but vppon the mastership of Chrystes spirit whose wil is that his pure and vncorrupt woord should be oure rule of life saluation In the which woord and woorshipping taught in the woorde there hath bin a most sound and perfect consent of all the holy Patriarkes before the flud and after the flud of the Prophets and Apostles yea and of al godly men Whâ—se doctrin and manner of worshipping if wée holde aright wée may lawfully glorie in Chryste that wée are Citizens of the Churche of Iesu Chryst althoughe the whole world hated vs and abhorred vs as Heretikes I méene therefore brethren too say somewhat concerning this contynuall agréement too the intent wée may bée assured in our selues whither wée bée in that consent of the Catholike Church or not or whither oure aduersaries bée in it who making greatâ— braggs of theyr maysters whom they call fathers endeuer with sword and fire too stop the course of the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles In the handling of this matter many things surely do méete which all ame as it were at this one marke For of necessitie it must come héere in question from whence true religion hathe his begynning and what assurance is therof how great hath bin the consent of the church in the same doctrine through all ages by what sleights Sathan is woont too assault the true religion and finally what aduisednesse the Godly ought too vse ageinst the treasons and crafts of Sathan least as oure first parents did wee suffer our selues too bée led with faire words from the fountains of saluation too the Diuels puddles that is too mens traditions and wilworshippings Wée should not néede to shew from whence true religion hath his beginning but that the rage of men and féends bothe hath bin in olde time and is at this day so greate that they durst set vp newe religions after the blynd imagination of their owne brayn maynteyning them with swoorde and fyre and persecuting that Religion whiche is onely of God that they may fulfil the prophecie whiche was spoken of the serpents séede that should byte the héele of the womaÌ„s séede But muche more rightly than these iudged that heathen man Socrates who being demaunded in Xenophon which was the true religion answered It was that whiche God himselfe had appointed â–ª For in as muche as the Lord sayth playnly by his Prophet that he abhorreth the doctrines and worshippings of men Let vs be out of all doute that the true and continuall abyding Religion hath his beginning from the euerlasting God himselfe Apollo Pithius béeing asked of the Atheniens what religions they shoulde chéefly folow answered those that their auncetors had vsed When they obiected ageyn that the custome of their auncetours had oftentimes bin chaunged hée sayde that the best was too bée folowed For as Hesiodus sayeth the auncient custome is euer best After the same maner our aduersaries in these dayes boast of antiquitie vtterly suppressyng the name of the author of true Religion where as they oughte rather too aunswere as Socrates did than as the wicked féend did For like as Sathan abused the authoritie of antiquitie to stablish errors so do they True it is in déede y t the auncientest religion is best so as it haue his beginning from God who is best and not from the olde serpent who froÌ„ the first beginning brought into the worlde his Religion fighting full but ageinst the religion of God Wherefore there is a distinction too bée made betwéene the twoo Antiquities For the one antiquitie is referred too God and the other too Sathan The first of these antiquities is the auncientest of all antiquities as which hath neither beginning nor shall haue ending Out of this most ancient antiquitie sprang the truth of God whereby is taught whiche is the true Religion for the confirmation whereof God hath added woonderfull recordes which should bee as it were certeyne euerlasting and authorised seales of his heauenly truthe The later antiquitie is such a one as both had beginning and shall haue ende out of which issued all superstition and vngodlynesse Either of these religions hath his furtherers and as it were certeine Patriarks whome the men of late yéeres haue termed fathers of whome they glorie not a litle The Papists haue alwayes in theyr mouthe the Fathers the Fathers And in all controuersies concerning the doctrine and seruice of GOD they flée to them as too theyr last Anchor-holde Wee also acknowledge the Fathers howebéeit farre after another manner than they doo For wee admitte those for Fathers who hauing receiued theyr Religion at Gods hande haue also deliuered the same faythfully too posteritie as are the Patriaks holy Kings Prophetes Chryst himselfe and the Apostles These onely doo wée reuerence as fathers and too vary from them in opinion wée iudge it a
the worlde when as notwithstanding they are not able too shewe any true contrarietie in no part of the foundation of the doctrine and woorshipping of God howsoeuer these Prothëuses transforme themselues intoo a thousande shapes By these practises of Sathan wée sée it brought too passe that the wilful sorte are made more stoute in their superstitioÌ„ and the weaker and vnstedier sort doo for the most part giue ouer too the great gréef of all the godly and vnlesse Chryst make hast of his coÌ„ming it is too bée feared least many wil bée wrapped ageine in their former darknesse What is too bée doone in this case my brethren I beséeche you Wée muste beware of Sathans wyles Wée muste haue an eye backe too the examples of our aunceters Abel Abraham the Prophets Chryst and his Apostles Let vs accompany oure selues with them in doctrine woorshipping and Inuocation Let vs not bee disquyeted at the multitude of our enimies Let vs not bée mooued at the number of the runnagates Let vs not bée dismayed in harte at the persecution and miseries whyche the godly are fayne too suffer in this worlde Let vs not onely haue an eye too the lowlynesse of the church which in this world lyeth vpon the ground despised but also let vs haue an eye too Chryst tryumphing who wil in time to come reward those with the glory of blissed immortalitie whome hée maketh like vntoo hym selfe in thys life so they continue stedfast too the ende Let vs beare in minde this most weightie saying of Chrystes Watche and pray that yée enter not intoo temptation That whiche I say too you sayth hée I say too all The world tempteth the fleshe prouoketh the armies of Heretikes trouble the stumbling blockes of doctrine and manners offende the fonde quarellings of proude persones vexe ageinste all these things the surest remedie is too call vppon GOD. For it is not for nought that Salomon sayeth The name of the Lorde is a moste strong Towre the ryghtuous man shall flée vntoo it and bée saued In oure calling vppon God let vs haue an eye too the Propheticall and Apostolike churche and let vs arme our mindes ageinst the Idoll gaddings of Mahomet and the Papistes and ageynste the wranglyngs of the Heretikes Lette vs oftentimes bethinke vs vppon how sure and vnmouable foundations the continuall doctrine of the Churche and the stedfaste religion of the Catholike Churche is grounded Lette vs bethinke vs of the heauenly Reuelations wherby GOD himselfe reueled his will vntoo men when hée spake too the holy Patriarkes and Prophets whiche wil of his hée hath confirmed by many woonderful miracles bothe in the olde and new testament Let vs beholde the moste swéet consent of Moyses the Prophets Chryst and the Apostles in doctrine and religion Let vs bée stirred vp too the acknowledging of GOD by the example of many Martirs who with Abell the firste Martir confirmed the heauenly doctrine with their owne bloud Let vs absteyne from fonde disputyng by whiche the bonde of peace whiche is charitie is broken and let vs rather applye oure selues too godly life than too suttle and vnprofitable disputations by meanes of whiche what euill hathe rysen in the Churche it gréeueth mée ryght sore at the harte too thynke For although in these realmes GOD bee thanked there bée a very great calme and a godly agréement in al our churches yet notwithstanding godlinesse wold we should bée sory for the miseries of those whiche at this day are afflicted through the vnsesonable strife of certein persons wherwith y e mindes of many princes diuers others are wouÌ„ded How béeit sith wée are not able too remedy these euils let vs flée too him who alonly is able too doo al things Pray yée therfore w t the whole church of Chryst vnto y e eternal God the father of our Lord Iesu Chryst y t he wil gather to himself a church in this world that he wil in y e same church mainteine y e purenesse of doctrin the true worshipping of him so as wée may woorship him aright for euermore magnifie praise him Pray him too gouerne w t his spirit our most méeke soueraine Lord king Frederike the secoÌ„d of y e name who as he hath succéeded his most holy father in y e kingdom so also is hée y e very right heir of his fathers vertues is not only a prince y t beareth special loue too iustice equitie but also a singuler fauorer and patrone or rather a most faithfull foster father of the churches schooles Pray too Chryst that he wil with his spirite rule the counsellers and nobilitie of the realm the gouerners of churches ciuill offices schooles and housholdes giuing them courage too mainteyne Gods glorie true doctrine and honest discipline so as wée may leade a peaceable and quiet lyfe with all godlynesse and honestie Pray for all the states of this realm y t all may knit them selues toogither in swéete concord one reléeue an other so as the superiors may think that their inferiors shal be coheires with them of Gods kingdom the inferiors obey their superiors in the Lord as Paul willeth them so y t al the degrées of this realm béeing setled in a moste swéete tunablenesse wée may liue peaceably quietly Pray ageinst the enimies of the king this realme Pray Christ too represse the rage of Sathan too graunt vntoo his church teachers shepherds agréeing in true doctrine and godlinesse which may set foorâ—h gods glorie by teaching aright by example of godly life too the intent that at the length all of vs fully beholding the glorie of the Lord with open face as it were in a glasse may bée transformed intoo the same likenesse as it were from glorie too glorie by the spirite of the Lord. So bée it Now remayneth that I should say somwhat concerning mine own purpose namely wherfore I haue published these expositions of the gospels vpon y e Sundays About a fourten yéeres ago I vttred priuatly certein short notes vpon y e sundays Gospels too my scholers at home at my house to y e inteÌ„t I might by this my small trauell further their studies not thinking at all too haue put them foorth But what folowed The things that wer endâ—â—ed too a few scholers were coÌ„municated too many And when I perceyued that diuers sought earnestly after them I enlarged them somwhat a sixe yéeres ago And nâ—â—at length the entreatance of certeine godly Shepherds compelled me too publish them and put them foorth in print Wherfore séeing that this woorke is wholly ordeyned for the godly ministers of the Gospell I thought it good right déere brethren too put foorth this my trauaile vnder your name If yée shall reape any thing thereby giue GOD the thanks and commende me too God with your Prayers This one thing haue I earnestly regarded namely too set foorth purely the doctrine of the Catholike Church whiche bothe the vniuersitie of
glorie is then rightly yéelded vntoo him first as soone as wée acknowledge this woonderful benefit of God Secondly when we imbrace his sonne by fayth Thirdly whē we praise God with minde with voyce with confession and with behauiour And fourthly when wée allure as many as wée can too the knowledging of him Afterwarde when the Angels say Peace on earth there is noted the chéefe benefite of Chryst for which hée came intoo the worlde namely that peace might bée made betwéene GOD and man Thys peace is the mutuall consent of God and men Of GOD receyuing men intoo his fauoure for hys sonnes sake And of men receyuing through fayth the benefite offered wyth rendryng of thankes and continuall thankfulnesse of minde Most swéete are the frutes of this peace that is to say accesse vnto God ioyfulnesse of spirite a good conscience and gladsome passage out of this lyfe The things that breake this peace are sinnes doone against conscience carelessenesse and neglecting of the woorde And therfore they are too bée shunned no lesse than plagues In the last place they adde And too men good vvill That is too wéet As soone as God is reconciled vntoo men through Christ hée fauoreth and embraceth them with a true and fatherly affection as moste déerely beloued children whom hée holdeth right déere as adopted in Christe Of this good will speaketh Dauid also in his fifth Psalme Bicause thou shalt blisse the righteous O Lorde thou defendest him with thy good wil as with a shéelde When as Dauid in this place compareth Gods good will too a shéeld he sheweth the true vse and frute thereof For hée meaneth that Gods fauoure is too vs in stéede of a buckler wherewith wée are defended against the weapons of them that assault vs. The deuil brandisheth his fiery dartes at vs but this shéeld kéepeth vs safe And so of all others ¶ Of the seconde THe vse of it is double Generall which is deriued of the whole historie and Speciall which is deriued of the seuerall parts The generall vse therefore is that wée should learne to receiue and embrace our true Sauiour God man borne of the virgin by setting him against all our miseries sinne death curse Gods wrath and hell assuring our selues that this sonne of God and Mary is according vnto the prophecie of Esay borne too vs and giuen too vs yea and that too the intent hée shoulde bée righteousnesse and saluation too all that beléeue in him The speciall vse of it is manifolde First that wée should learne of Christs parents too bée obedient too magistrates Secondly that wée should lerne of the shepherds to giue credite to y e testimonies cōcerning Christ too séek Christ and too return too the woorks of our vocation Thirdly that we should learn of the Angels first too preache Christe too them that are vnknowen wherby all the godly ministers of Gods woord may comforte them selues in their ministerie for that they teache the same thing that was deliuered béefore by so princely spirites Moreouer wée may learn of the Angels and shepherds togither too confesse this Christ. Finally wée may learne too glorifie God and too sing with the angels Glory be to God on high too whom bée honour and praise world without end Amen The second holyday in Christmas called S. Stephens day ¶ The Gospell Math. xxiij BEholde I sende vntoo you Prophets and vvise men and Scribes and some of them yee shal kil and crucifie and some of them shal ye scourge in your Synagoges and persecute them from citie too citie that vpon you may come all the rightuous blood vvhich hath been shed vppon the earth from the blood of righteous Abell vntoo the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias vvhome yee slevv betvveene the Temple and the aultare Verely I say vntoo you all these things shall come vppon this generation O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest them vvhich are sent vntoo thee hovve often vvoulde I haue gathered thy children toogither euen as the henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir vvings and ye vvould not Behold your house is left vnto you desolate For I say vntoo you Yee shall not see mee hencefoorth til that yee say Blissed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. The exposition of the Text. BEFORE wée goe in hande with the Exposition of the Text bicause this day is dedicated to Saint Steuen I will declare why the feastes of saincts are woont too bée halowed in the church of God and what wée ought too marke in the example of Saint Stephen Dayes are kept holy in the Churche of GOD not after the maner of the heathen as is woont too bee among the Papists that wée should cal vpon the saints as patrons intercessors which thing cannot be doon w tout horrible sacriledge cōtempt of y e son of god but there are many right weighty causes why it is profitable that the feasts of certeine saints should bée reteyned in our Churches they bée chéefly sixe The first cause is y t the continual historie of y e church may bée alwayes before our eyes which must bée vnto vs both a rule to liue by a mean to put vs in mind of gods prouidēce For if it bée a pleasure too reade the histories of heathē men in whō apéered a visor of some vertue vndoutedly it wil bée much more pleasure to read y e histories of those in whō shoon bright y e liuely images of true vertues as in Paule Péeter Mary Stephen Magdalen the théefe and many others The second is that the testimonies of the doctrine of the ministerie of teaching and of the Church might bée considered For there were miracles doone there were woonderfull callings too the ministerie of the Churche and the doctrine was set open throughe the whole Churche In these testimonies it is a moste beautifull sight too behold the continuall consent of the true Churche in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the groundes or chéefe articles of the faith and too discerne the true doctrine of the Churche from the corruptions lies and deceits of all ages The third is that GOD should bée glorified and thanks yéelded vntoo him for opening him selfe vntoo vs for delyuering vs his doctrine for shewing his presence in the churche for making vs frée Denizens of that company whiche is witnessed too bée his true Churche and true woorshippers of him The fourth is that the examples may strengthē our faith when wée reade that their prayers were hearde and that they were helped from heauen as it is sayde in the .xxxiij. psalme This poore man cried vntoo the Lord and the Lorde heard him we conceiue assured hope that hée will likewise helpe vs when wée call vpon him Let euery one of vs therfore determine and reason with him selfe in this wise God receiued Magdalene the Théefe and Paule intoo fauor vppon repentance notwithstanding their excéeding great sinnes wherwith they had
bee vvritten euery one I suppose the vvorlde could nor conteine the bookes that should bee vvritten The exposition of the text THe summe of the Gospell After that Christe had asked Peter thrice whether hée looued him hée commaunded him too followe him meaning thereby that he should glorifie him by his death Furthermore by correcting Peters errour the Euangelist correcteth the opinion of the other disciples who misvnderstanding the Lordes woordes were in a wrong opinion that Iohn should not die Last of al he auoucheth that the Gospel whiche Iohn wrate concerning Christe is true And of this Gospel let vs make foure places whiche are these 1 The talke betwéene Christ and Peter Christs commaundement that he should folow him 2 As euery mans vocation is commended too him so is curiousnesse condemned 3 The correcting of the errour of Christes disciples risen of the mistaking of the Lordes woordes 4 A commendation of the Gospel written by Iohn ¶ Of the first ANd vvhen he had sayd so he said vntoo Peter folovve mee Bicause Peter had denied Christ thrice it was the Lordes wil to restore him too his former estate and Apostleship by his thrice confessing him For it was méete that hée whiche had so often denied his Lord and maister should by this meane and as it were by this discipline bée chastised and tried and that his conuersion should bée made knowen There are thrée things whiche Christ dooth héer with Peter First hée asketh him thrée times whither hée looueth him Too whom Péeter answereth thrice also that by this thrée times confessing hée might washe away his thrice denying of him and so bée restored into his place againe Secondlye hée commendeth vntoo him the office of Apostleship thrice saying Féed my shéepe that is too say bée my Apostle too gather my shéepe vntoo me by the doctrine of the Gospell by my sacramentes and by holy life Here it is giuen vs too vnderstand that the duetie of the Apostleship yea and of all ministers of Gods woord is too féede Christes shéepe Besides this by the metaphor of Shéepe is signified what maner a companie of men that shall bée whiche is figured vnder the name of shéepe First therefore somewhat must bée sayde héere of the manner of féeding and secondlye of the Shéepe Christ féedeth and the apostles and other ministers of the woorde féede but the manner of them all is not alike For Christ féedeth as owner and shepherde of the shéep the apostles féede as his seruantes Christe inwardly by his spirite the Apostles by their outwarde ministerie For suche as in crueltie of cōditiōs were Beares or Lions they make tame through the Lordes woorking inwardly by his holy spirite And so they bring them intoo the shéepfolde of Christ that is too say Christes kingdome and this they doo by putting too the keys of Christes churche giuen them of Chryst the true shepeheard Nothing else are these keys than the woord and Faith The minister applyeth the woorde outwardely and the spirite of Chryste inwardly ioyneth fayth too the preaching For the preaching of Gods woorde concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée obteyned through Christ is the onely key too open the kingdome of heauen Now if he that heareth ioyneth also thervnto true faith and do verily agrée vnto the Gospell then commeth also the other key With these two keis is the kingdom of heuen opened and forgiuenesse of sinnes obteined That is too say the Ambassage of Chryst sheweth wherein that which is spoken figuratiuely vnder the name of keyes is expressed in cléere and plaine meanyng woordes When hée sayth Go and preach the gospell too all creatures Behold héere haue you the firste key And when hée addeth hee that beleeueth shall bee saued Hée sheweth the other key The woord and fayth therfore are the twoo keys wherewith the kingdome of heauen is opened The woorde is applyed outwardly by the Minister which béeing receyued by the vertue of the spirite engendreth Faythe wherethrough men enter intoo the shéepefolde of Chryst. And when the shepherds haue let in the shéepe into Christes shéepfolde they must féede them with the woord and with his Sacraments When any stray from the shéepfold they must fetch them backe againe wyth theyr shéepehookes that is too say with rebuking them If any bée weake and sickely they must refresh them with chéerfull comforte And they must alwayes kéep watche about their flock least wolues come and breake vp the folde and scatter the shéepe All these things the Lorde committed too Peter and the other Apostles or rather too all the ministers of the Gospell when hée sayd too Peter féede my shéepe But why calleth he them shéep whom the apostles bring vntoo Chryst I finde specially thrée causes Wherof the first is for that it behoueth them too bée méeke which professe Chryste or will bée named Christians For it becommeth not them that will bée registred intoo Chrystes houshold too bée cruel like Lions rauening like Wolues wylie like foxes lecherous like Goats filthy like swine or too shewe them selues in affections like too other wilde beastes The second cause is for that like as shéepe doo know the voyce of their owne shepeherde and flée from a straunger so the godly acknowledge Chryste onely for their teacher and will héere those onely that vtter his woord and not any other how greatly renoumed so euer they bée no thoughe they were Angels from heauen The thirde cause is for that like as shéepe followe their owne shepherde whither so euer he goeth so must the godly folowe Christ in life in persecution and in glorie beholding hys lyfe as a rule too leade their life by bearing his Crosse through pacience as often as néede shall require and afterwarde becomming partakers of his glorie whose companions they had bene in persecution according as Paule sayth If wée suffer with him wée shall also bée glorified with him Hereby therfore may the godly ministers of y e woord learne too féede Christes flock And let the shéepe bée méeke let them héere the voyce of their shepherd only and let them folowe him in life in crosse and in glorie The thirde thing that Christ dooth héere is that he doothe Peter too vnderstand with what kinde of death hée shoulde glorifie God when he sayth VVhen thou vvert yong thou diddest girde thy selfe and vventest vvhither thou vvoldest but vvhen thou art olde thou shalte stretche out thy hande and an other shall girde thee and leade thee vvhither thou vvoldest not It is ment by these woordes that Peter for confessing Christ should one day be crucified which thing Irenaeus and diuers of the auncient writers testifie too haue béene done at Rome in the reigne of Nero. Herevntoo Christ addeth his commaundement vntoo Peter and bids him folow him not deny him any more as he had heretofore done but too shew him self stoutly an inuincible souldier of Christ euen vntoo death And let euery one of vs think the same too bée spoken too him selfe ¶
contented too possesse many hartes but hée muste also returne ageine too those from whiche he was expulsed before Whereupon hée sayth I vvill returne intoo my house from vvhence I came By these woords is giuen vs too vnderstand y t he ceasseth not too tempt those that are purged by Fayth but laboureth too enter intoo the hartes of them ageyne too the intent too carrie them away from the kingdome of Christe and if hee bring that too passe the end of that manne béecommeth woorse than the beginning bicause he becometh a new the enimie of Chryste and expulseth the holy Ghoste And hée shal suffer sorer punishement if hée cast not out the Deuil agein by true repentaunce Let vs marke then how perillous a thing it is for them that haue once professed them selues Chrystians too put their necks ageine vnder the Deuils yoke For as suche men doo moste gréeuously sinne against the holy Ghoste so must they also stand in feare of moste gréeuous punishment Therefore they that are touched with any care of their Saluation let them spéedely amende and fight stoutely against Sathan that he cast them not againe hedlong intoo the gulfe of sinne ¶ Of the fourth IT came too passe that as he spake these things a certaine vvoman in the coÌ„pany lifting vp hir voice sayd vntoo him Blissed is the vvombe that c. But he sayde yea rather blissed are they that heare the vvoord of God and keepe it Héer first wée may marke the diuersitie of mennes iudgementes concernyng Gods woord Some wonder at the woorde and loue it as this woman did Some speak euil of it as they did ageinst whom Chryst dealeth héere For there haue bin alwayes suche héerers of the woord froÌ„ the beginning of the world Caine despised the woorde and Abel loued it Noe loued it and all the whole worlde beside despised it In the time of Ieremy fewe or none receyued the woorde of the Prophets with frute but the most part chose rather too return too their olde Idolatrie Héerupon they say too Hieremie When wée made sacrifice too the Quéene of Heauen that is too say too the Sunne all things went wel with vs. Wée had abundance of Corne. c. After the same manner say the men of our time When wée hearde Masse and gaue too Moonkes all things were better cheape the feare of GOD was greater and there was more loue betwéene man and man This is the thanke that the world yeeldeth too God for his wel dooing Hée giueth vs the woord of saluation and wée had leauer haue mens dreames Hée offreth it too vs fréely and wée wil earne it with the geugawes of the Moonkes But let vs leaue these things harken vntoo Chryste Blissed are they sayth hée that héere the woord of God and kéepe it These woordes are few and haue a great promise annexed too them What maner of woord is that woord of GOD It can bée none other than that which the prophets haue deliuered vs Chryste hathe confirmed with his owne bloud and the Apostles haue taught What maner of woorde is that The suÌ„me therof is conteyned in the instructioÌ„ of our childreÌ„ called the Cathechisme and these are they The ten commaundemeÌ„ts the Articles of our beléefe the doctrine of the Sacraments the doctrine which yée héer euery Sunday out of the Gospel that is too wit in one woord the same doctrine that the Prophets Chryste and the Apostles taught This woord will hée haue herd Ergo he wil also that there be ministers pastors that are able too teache this woord For séeing that hée giueth his woord and offreth soule helth whiche is receyued by faith through hearing it is néedfull that there bée persons that can teache this woord How be it for as much as it is not inough that the woord bée taught and herd vnlesse it be also kept the Lord addeth and keepeth it What is too kéepe the woord It is too lerne the word that is herd too hold it too beléeue it and too performe true obedience vntoo God through faith So did our father Abraham He herd the word he held it he beleued it yea and yéelded such obedience too it by faith that he would at Gods appointment rather â—â—ea his onely begotten Sonne than breake Gods commaundementes But who is hée amongst vs that yéeldeth this obedience vntoo God wée will bée called Abrahams children but wée wil not treade in our fathers footsteps What promiseth hée too them that heare it and obey it Blissed are they sayth hee c. They are blissed that is too say set frée from al wretchednesse from sinne and from damnation Blissed that is too say infeoffed in euerlasting life and glorie through Iesus Chryste oure Lorde who with the father and the holy Ghoste liueth one God worlde without end Amen The fourth Sunday in Lent coÌ„monly called Midlent Sunday ¶ The Gospell Iohn vj. AFter these things Iesus vvent his vvaye ouer the Sea of Galilee vvhiche is the Sea of Tyberias and muche people follovved hym bycause they savve his miracles vvhiche hee did on them that vvere diseased And Iesus vvent vp into a mountayne and there hee sat vvith his Disciples And Easter a feaste of the Ievves vvas nie VVhen Iesus then lift vp his eyes and savv a greate companie come vntoo him hee sayde vntoo Phillip vvhence shall vvee buy bread that these may eate This he sayde too proue him for he him selfe knevve vvhat he vvould doo Philip aunsvvered him Tvvoo hundred penyvvorth of breade are not sufficient for them that euery man may take a little One of his disciples Andrevve Simon Peters brother sayeth vntoo him There is a lad vvhich hath fiue barley loues and tvvo fishes but vvhat are they among so many And Iesus said Make the people sit dovvne There vvas muche grasse in the place So the men sate dovvne in number about fiue thousande And Iesus tooke the breade and vvhen he had giuen thankes he gaue too the Disciples and the Disciples to them that vvere set dovvne and likevvise of the fishes as muche as they vvould VVhen they had eaten ynough he sayd vntoo his disciples Gather vp the broken meate vvhich remayneth that nothing bee lost And they gathered it togither and filled .xij. baskets vvith the broken meat of the fiue barley loaues vvhich broken meat remayned vntoo them that had eaten Then those men vvhen they had seene the miracle that Iesus did sayd This is of a truth the same prophete that should come intoo the vvorlde Therefore vvhen Iesus perceyued that they vvould come and take him too make him king he departed agein intoo a mountaine him selfe alone The exposition of the text THe summe of this Gospell is that Chryst dooth héere by his dede and example confirme the doctrine which he taught in the .vj. of Mathewe First séeke ye the kingdome of God the rightuousnesse of him that is to say of God and all things else shall bée cast vntoo you to y e intent
bicause Sathan and his seruantes hate the truth Chryst confirmed his doctrine by innocencie of life the recorde of the Prophets and sundry miracles so as the Iewes might haue knowne hym too bée the true Messias and also haue beléeued in hym too theyr saluation Therfore when as they through the instinct of Sathan for hatred to Chryst ward and of loue too their own false doctrine whiche they had receiued of their forefather did with all their power set themselues agaynst Chryste Chryste on the other syde thirsting mannes saluation defended his owne innocentnesse doctrine and office too the intent he might at least wise yet win some of his foes vnto God and call them backe from falling headlong intoo damnation First therfore he asketh if any man can finde faulte with his conuersation VVhich of you sayth he can reproue mee of sinne As if he had sayd I haue liued openly amōg you without faulte from my cradle so as none of you is able too reproue mée of any sinne Nowe séeyng that so to do is the propertie of the Messias why do you not acknowledge mée too bée the Messias that was promised long agoe For none is cléere withoute Synne but the Messias onely In as muche then as none of you is able too conuicte me of sinne yée doo foolishely not onely for that yée acknowledge mée not too bée the Messias but also for that you condemne mée of sinne Héerevntoo he addeth concernyng his doctrine If I speake the truthe vntoo you vvhy beleeue you mee not As if he had sayd In asmuch as I do by innocencie of lyfe by record of the Prophets and by many miracles cōfirme my doctrine too be so true that whither you will or nil yée confesse it to be true why beléeue you mée not Hée is woorse than mad that persecuteth that thyng as false whiche he knowes to be true But this is the nature of men He that is noozeled in naughtynesse of a childe is hardly reclaimed from his errour So great a mater it is too bée enured too a thing from the shell But what may wée lerne héer of Chryst and the Iewes Of Chryst all ministers of the woorde may lerne so too frame their life and doctrine that no man may haue aught too reproue eyther in theyr lyfe or in their doctrine For albeit that only Christ was pure from all sinne yet notwithstanding those that will teach his gospel with frute must be cléer from opē crimes For the Poet sayeth aright It turneth too the teachers shame When hee hymselfe is found too blame For how I pray you can a tippling Préest fynde fault with tiplers How dare a whoorehunter chasten whooremongers and aduoutrers Howe shall a couetous person condemne couetousnesse or an vsurer vsurie or a quareller quarels or a proud man pride In fine he that will rebuke others must be fautlesse himselfe As for those that say doo as I teach but doo not as I doo they are not the ministers of Chryste but of sathan For no man is too be accounted too teache vnlesse hée expresse the same thyng in hys life that hée teacheth in his woordes For so doothe Paule teache Timothye Bée thou sayeth hée a paterne too the flocke That is to say expresse the thing in life that thou teachest in woord that the héerers may behold in thée a liuely example of thy doctrine Wherevpon Paule sayeth of himself Be yée folowers of mée lyke as I am of Chryst. Moreouer they that héere the Gospell must learne somewhat of these Iewes Not too set them selues ageynste Chryst and their teachers as they did but to take warning at their damnation and so too repent that they may be saued by the benefit of Chryst. On the other part of the first lesson the text speaketh in this wise He that is of God heereth the vvooord of God and the cause vvhy you heere not is for that yee are not of God He assigneth the cause why the Iewes so maliciously despised Chrystes doctrine that is to wit for that they were not of God but of Sathan He speaketh not héer of mans nature which in very déede is of God but of mens maliciousnesse which is of the diuell For this maliciousnesse maketh men vnwilling to héere Gods woord Héer let euery man examin himselfe and déeme of himselfe whither hée bée of God or of the Diuell For he that with a good will héereth Gods woord hath Chrystes recorde that hée is of God Contrarywise he that despiseth the woord and persecuteth it is vndoutedly of the Diuell though the vngodly are not willing too héere of this But in lyke maner as the Iewes doo héere persecute and slaunder Chryst that told them this so in lykewise are the ministers of the Gospell persecuted at this day by those whome in their sermons they declare to be of the Diuell What then say the Iewes héere They aunswered and sayd vnto him Say vvee not vvell that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Diuell This is the craft of Sathan when he can not deny the truth he falleth to flat rayling So also standeth the case at this day when men are not able too denie but that it is Gods woord wherby their wickednesse is reproued by and by they fall too rayling and séeke for somewhat too carye at in the ministers of the Gospell But what dooth Chryst héer He answered I haue no diuell but I honor my father and you dishonor mee And I seeke not myne ovvne glorie but there is one that seeketh and iudgeth In this aunswer Chryst first denyeth himselfe to haue a diuell whiche thing the Lord confirmeth héereby that he séeketh Gods glorie which they doo not that haue made a couenant with the diuell Afterward hée turneth the slaunder vpon the Iewes when he sayth And you haue dishonored mee that honour God For those that rayle vpon them that honor God must of necessitie bée led by the Diuell Further more when he addeth I seeke not myne ovvn glorie but there is one that seketh and iudgeth Hée remoueth from himselfe the desire of vainglorie and in his dutifulnesse commendeth himself to his father By this aunswere of Chrystes the ministers of the woord may lerne thrée things First as much as may be too defend themselues from the slaunders wherwith they are charged least their ministery should be abased when they themselues are brought in contempt Secondly to cast those railers in the téeth with their owne sinnes bycause they make warre not so much against men as against God him selfe And thirdely not to séeke their owne glorie but the glorie of God and to persuade thēselues assuredly that God defendeth their innocencie ¶ Of the second OF the seconde lesson the Lordes woordes speake in thys wise Verely I say vntoo you if any man keepe my sayings he shall not see death for euer These woords are too hée throughly well weyd as which conteine the highest benefite of Chryst towards men that is to wit that he which
sorts visibly and inuisibly Hée came visibly intoo the Apostles vppon Whitson-Sunday as wée shall hear when the time commeth He commeth inuisibly intoo mennes harts when the Gospel is preached and he sealeth vp the truthe of the Gospell in the hartes of the hearers Chryste speaketh of both the commings of the holy Ghoste For that whiche went before in the Apostles visibly the same followeth inuisibly wheresoeuer the Gospel is taught purely But too what end tendeth the doctrine of the holy Ghoste He shall not speake of him selfe but vvhatsoeuer he heereth that shall he speake That is the holy Ghoste shall teache you the same doctrine that I haue taughte you shall tel you whatsoeuer shall come too passe That is hée shall reuele vntoo you what maner of kingdome my kingdome shalbée bothe in this life and after the generall resurrection And he shall glorify mee bicause he shall take of mine and shevv vntoo you That is the holy Ghoste shall by his recorde and effectuall woorking stablishe the glory whiche the Father hath giuen mée so as the gates of Hel shall not bée able too preuail a whitte ageinste my kingdome for they can neuer darken my glory ¶ Of the third NOw remayneth too speake of this saying I haue yet many things too say vntoo you but you cannot beare them avvay as novv This place doo the Papists abuse as thoughe the Apostles had not deliuered a ful doctrine too the churche And this they vpholde too the end they may stablish their Masses prayings too Saincts Rosaries Pardons holy water and other deceits of Antichrist But Chryste speaketh according too the capacitie of his Disciples and of the weaknesse that was in them before his death of the gift that they should receiue after his resurrection vppon Whitson Sunday As if hée had sayd I would speak many things too vntoo you coÌ„cerning my kingdome and other misteries but as yet yée are not fully throughly taught by the holy Ghost whom I wil giue you in his time who shall lead you intoo all trueth that is too say intoo full knoweledge of my kingdome This full trueth did the Apostles obteine vpon the very day of Pentecoste or Whitson Sunday whiche afterward they did put in wryting We must séek the same trueth and holde our selues contiÌ„ted therwith if wée minde too be the Scholers of the holy Ghoste too whom with GOD the father and the euerlasting Sonne bée praise and glory for euer and euer Amen The .v. Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xvj VErely verely I say vntoo you vvhat so euer yee aske the Father in my name he vvil giue it you Hithertoo haue yee asked nothing in my name Aske and yee shall receyue that your ioye may bee full These things haue I spoken vntoo you by Prouerbes The time vvill come vvhen I shall no more speake vntoo you by Prouerbes but I shall shevv you plainely from my Father At that day shal yee aske in my namâ— And I say not vntoo you that I vvill speake vntoo my Father for you For the Father him selfe loueth you bycause yee haue loued mee and haue beleeued that I came out from GOD. I vvent out from the Father and came intoo the vvorlde Againe I leaue the vvorlde and go vntoo the Father His Disciples sayde vntoo him Loe novv thou talkest plainly and speakest no Prouerbe Novv are vve sure that thou knovvest all things and needest not that any man should aske thee any question Therfore beleeue vve that thou cammest from GOD. Iesus ansvvered them novv yee doe beleeue Beholde the houre dravveth me and is already come that yee shall bee scattered euery man too his ovvne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the Father is vvith mee These vvoords haue I spoken vntoo you that in mee yee might haue peace for in the vvorlde shall yee haue tribulation but bee of good cheere I haue ouercome the vvorld The exposition of the text FOr a good consideration is this Gospel read in the church as vpon this day For it conteyneth the chéefest woork of Christians and the woork that is peculier to them For onely Christen folks can performe this seruice of Inuocation vntoo God For after that vpon last Sunday was declared what is true Faith what is righteousnesse what is iudgement and too bée bréef what is the kingdom of Christ and in whom it consisteth In very good time order is mention made this day of the chéefe seruice that the Citizens of Chrystes kingdome can performe which is the true calling vpoÌ„ god And bicause no exercise of the godly is more néedful than prayer and that no woork is more hard than too pray aright I wil in this sermon entreat of praier only And too the intent wée may the eassier vnderstand this doctrine I wil say two things concerning prayer which are these 1 What Christian prayer is and how many sorts there bée of it 2 What are the conditions that must goe with euery prayer For when I haue discussed these two places I hope there shal bée no man so he yéeld himself easie to bée taught which shal not clerely and plainely vnderstande what thing Christian prayer is and how néedefully the seruice of prayer is required at our hands ¶ Of the firste WHat thing is Christian prayer It is a lowly lifting vp of the minde vntoo God in desiring ought at Gods hand or yéelding thanks for benefites receiued Now y t there bée two sorts of lifting vp the mind vntoo God first it is confirmed by y e record of Dauid who going about too pray saith in the .25 Psalme Unto thée O Lord haue I lift vp my soule and secondly by the forme of praying appointed too vs by the Lord Our father which art in heauen Moreouer by the gesture of them that pray whoo as they are praying are woont too lift vp their eyes vnto heauen This therfore it behooueth vs to know that prayer is not a pratling of the spéech only but that it is an humble lifting vp of the hart vntoo God with which humble lifting vp of the hart woords also procéede out of the mouth But of how many sorts is Chrysten prayer It is of foure sortes Deprecation Adoration Intreatance and thanks geuing These foure kinds of prayer will I declare bréefly Deprecation is an humble lifting vp of a mannes minde vntoo God wherby is desired deliueraunce from such things as trouble or veâ—e him As when wée desire too bée deliuered from Tirannie violence diseases famine and other things that séeme sharpe vntoo vs. Adoration is a lowly lifting vp of mans soule vntoo God wherby wée desire some benefite at his hande as when wée desire encreasements of faith loue patience chastitie and when wée craue those things that wée haue néede of toward the maintenance of this life Intretance is an humble lifting vp of a mannes mind vntoo God wherby one maketh sute for an other as when wée pray for
too him that suffreth violence or wrong or is accused by the wicked world Secondly that he take vppon him the case of eche man yea and of the whole Churche as his owne case Thirdly that he teach and admonishe him that erreth and instruct him that hée bée not ouerthrowne in his case Fourthly that he comfort him in his trouble Therfore when the holy ghost is called an aduocate it is ment therby that he is the defender of the Church that he taketh the case therof vpon himselfe and that he teacheth and comforteth the church Agein the text saith that the holy Ghost shal bée the teacher of truth By which name is shewed first that men can not obteyn healthful truth of their owne disposition and nature Secondly y t the doctrine of truth is not of the lawe but of the Gospell For reason of his owne inclination dooth after a sort vnderstande the doctrine of the law And thirdly y t the holy ghost woorketh mightily both in the teachers and in the learners For he maketh the teachers too vnderstande the truth and the learners too receiue it And therefore wée are admonished too call vppon the teacher of truth that hée may giue vs the key of knowledge and too beware that wée driue not away from vs that same most pure spirite through our vnclennesse For in asmuch as he is holy that is cleane chast and a maker of others holy hée dwelleth not in an vnpure harte that is too wit in suche a hart as tumbleth it selfe in his owne filthines and defileth it selfe as a swine by wallowing in the myre Besides this hée sayth This holy Ghoste shall beare witnesse of mée Of whiche office the ministers of Gods woorde also shalbée partakers But what dooth the holy Ghoste witnesse of Chryste and what shall the ministers of the woord witnesse of him First the holy Ghost and the ministers of Gods woorde beare witnesse of Chryst that he is very God according too the Scripture one in Godhead with the father and the holy Ghoste as wée professe in our Créed Secondly the holy Ghoste witnesseth that Chryst is very man according too oure Créede who was conceyued by the holye Ghoste and borne of the virgin Mary Thirdly y e holy Ghost witnesseth that Christe though hée be bothe God and man yet is but one Lord one Chryste one person according as our Créed beareth record Chryst also of himself when he sayth No man goeth vp intoo heauē but he that came downe from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen Fourthly the holy Ghoste beareth witnesse of Chrystes office that he is a bishop and a king A bishop verely whiche with his owne sacrifice pacifieth the wrath of the father and by his intercession bringeth vs vntoo GOD. And a King in that he hath vanquished our enimies death sinne the Deuil and hel and shall come too iudge the quicke and the dead These foure things dooth the spirit witnesse of Chryst. These foure things are deliuered vs cōcerning Christ in our Créede These foure things shall all godly ministers of Gods woord witnesse of Chryst til hée come too iudgement Of the second THese things haue I spoken to you that yee shold not be offēded Christ dooth thē to vnderstād to what end he spake so much of the church of the holy ghost of his death resurrectiō y t is to wit y t being cōfirmed by these things they shold not bée offended with the rest of the world This admonishment is necessarie at all times for the world is full of stumbling blocks Woe sayth Chryst bée vntoo the world for offence méening that they are like too buy it déer that fal from the Gospel bycause of offences Now too the intent euery one of vs may iudge a right concerning an offence I wil set forth a ful doctrine concerning offences An offence in general is whatsoeuer kéepeth a man backe from the righte course of the Gospell that is too saye eyther woorde déede or outwarde appéerance if I may so terme it whiche is too any man a cause or occasion of stumbling or of béeing offended so as eyther he bée hindred or else step aside from the right course of saluation Of this stumbling blocke there are moe kindes than one For there is one offence or stumbling block whiche is called giuen and another that is called taken Which what maner of ones they bée I wil declare by definitions and examples An offence giuen is that which riseth eyther of som woord or déede that is euill in it selfe or else of some woorde or déed that is indifferent that is too wit neyther good nor euill but cast foorth out of season Both of these is streightly forbidden by Gods woord and Chryste him self auoucheth it too bée better for a man too bée drowned in the middes of the Sea than too giue occasion of offence too any bodye The examples are these Arrius denyed Chryst too bée God whereby he caused manye too stumble and was a cause of endlesse damnation bothe too him selfe and too many others Dauid by his aduoutrie was a stumbling blocke too all the inhabiters of his Realme and had pearished for euer if hée had not repented Ageinst this stūbling block prayeth Salomon when he sayth Kéep me frō the snare that they haue layd for me from the stūbling block of thē that work wickednesse The most part of the world stūbling at this block stick in damnation dayly many fall headlong intoo destruction by dasshing ageynste this stūbling block bothe priuately publikly Priuatly are offended children seruants and maryed couples Children sée their parents absteyne from Gods seruice and they absteine likewise They héere their parentes sweare and they sweare as well as they They héere them talke of ribaudry and by and by they folow their example For wicked things sticke fastest in minde They sée them bibbing deceyuing and dealing vniustly with their neibours and they like good scholers lerne the same trades But wo bée too them by whō such stumbling blockes are made For they with the whirle winde and tempest of their stumbling blockes doo throwe downe and beate out the crop of Chrysts church This houshold stumbling block is the séede of all euils in the world For such things as childrē lerne of their fathers moothers they kéepe stil when they bée old and also teach the same too their children Wherfore the parents that fear god must take excéeding great héede that they bée not stumbling blocks too their owne children Therfore let them talk godlily let them doo all things rightly Let them serue God and stirre vp their children too do the like and let them bring thē vp in correction and nurture of the Lord according as Paul admonisheth and let them always bear in mind this saying of Chryst which is written in the ninth of Mark whoosoeuer offendeth one of these little ones that beléeueth in mée it were better for him that he had a milstone hanged
Dauid the periurie of Peter the harde yoke that Ioseph layde vpon the Egiptians and the gréedie gathering of Zachey too the intent they may sel themselues too al naughtinesse Yea rather they séek by mennes vices how they may hardeÌ„ them selues too the contempt of God Wherefore not without cause this kinde of stumbling is called deuilish as the whiche is shored vp with slaunders too the contempt of God ¶ Of the third THe third place is of the persecutioÌ„ or crosse of the churche for whiche place looke before in the thirde Sunday after Easter ¶ Vpon the feast of Pentecost which we call Whitsonday ¶ The Gospel Iohn xiiij IF yee loue mee keepe my commaundementes and I vvil pray the Father and hee shall giue you another comâ—orter that hee may abide vvith you for euer euen the spirite of truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receyue bycause the vvorld seeth him not neyther knovveth him But yee knovve him for he dvvelleth vvith you and shal bee in you I vvill not leaue you comfortlesse but vvill come too you Yet a little vvhile and the vvorld seeth mee no more but yee see mee For I liue and yee shall liue That day shall yee knovve that I am in my Father and you in mee and I in you Flee that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them the same is hee that loueth mee And hee that loueth mee shall bee loued of my Father and I vvill loue him and vvill shevve my ovvne selfe vntoo him Iudas sayth vntoo him not Iudas Iscarioth â–ª Lord vvhat is doone that thou vvilte shevve thy selfe vntoo vs and not vntoo the vvorld Iesus ansvvered and sayd vntoo them â–ª if a man loue mee hee vvill keepe my sayings and my Father vvill loue him and vve vvil come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Hee that Ioueth mee not keepeth not my sayings And the vvoord vvhiche yee heere is not mine but the Fathers vvhiche sent mee These things haue I spoken vntoo you beeyng yet present vvith you But the comforter vvhich is the holy Ghost vvhome my Father vvil sende in my name hee shall teache you all things and bring all things too your remembraunce vvhat so euer I haue sayd vntoo you Peace I leaue vvith you my peace I gyue vntoo you Not as the vvorld giueth giue I vntoo you Let not your hartes bee greeued neyther fear Yee haue herd hovv I sayd vntoo you I go and come ageine vntoo you If yee loued mee yee vvoulde verely reioyce bycause I sayd I go vntoo the Father For the Father is greater than I. And novv haue I shevved before it come that vvhen it is come too passe yee might beleeue Heereafter vvil I not talke many vvoords vntoo you For the Prince of this vvorld commeth and hathe naught in mee But that the vvorlde may knovve that I loue the Father And as the Father gaue mee commaundement euen so doo I. The exposition of the text THis feast which wée call Pentecost that is the fiftith daye was ordeyned in remembraunce of the confirmation of the Gospell the fiftith daye after Chrystes resurrection For that day our Lord sent the holy Ghost from heauen who sate vppon the Apostles visibly in likenesse of flambes of fire and hée according too Chrystes promisse not onely leadeth the Apostles intoo all truthe but also certifieth the whole world that Iesus Chryst is in heauen who from thence confirmeth his doctrine by this woonderfull déede For like as the fiftith day after the Iewish passeouer which they ate first in Egipt the law was giuen and the doctrine thereof confirmed with great miracles according as it is written Exod. 19. Euen so after the true Passeouer that is too wit after the killing of the Lamb of GOD which is Chryst Gods wil was too confirme the Gospel of his Sonne with this woonderful déede that is by the visible giuing of the holy Ghoste according as wée shall héere more largely in the lesson at Euensong Now let vs enter vppon the most swéete Gospell which also is a péece of that long Sermon that the Lord made to his Disciples the day before he suffered The summe of the text that you haue herd is that Chryste giueth a true marke of faith and loue of God and of the frute of the same fayth and loue namely that the disciples should haue quiet consciences through the holy ghost whom he promiseth that the father shall send in his name Also Christ giueth them to vnderstaÌ„d of his victorie ageinst Sathan that euen by this victorie the world may know how well the father loueth it And al these things tend too y e strengthening of his disciples least through offence of the crosse they might go backe from their profession The places are foure 1 The true marke of fayth and of the loue of God 2 The frute and vse of kéeping the woord of God 3 Chrysts promising the holy ghost the comforter 4 Of the peace that Christ promiseth too those that bée his ¶ Of the firste IF a man loue mee he vvill keepe my sayings Let vs marke these woords aduisedly For they shew a true mark of faith of the loue of God He that loueth Christ héereth him willingly He willingly kéepeth that which he héereth And he willingly dooth that which he kéepeth For these things are by nature ioyned togither Wée sée it is a custome among men that they doo not without wéerinesse héer those persons towardes whom they are not very well minded And that contrarywise they couet nothing more than with all attentiuenesse of mind to héer those whom they loue entirely specially when they know they speake many things sagely and wisely too their welfare and profit But what is the saying of Chryst First too repent For so did his messenger Iohn Baptist and he himself also begin his preaching Héerby is vttered his affection towardes vs For without repentaunce it is vnpossible too bée saued Wherevpon he sayth except yée repent yée shall all perishe Secondly too beléeue the Gospel that is too beléeue assuredly that Chryst is suche a one towards him as he is declared too vs in his Gospell too bée that is too wit a Sauiour a Iustifier and a Redéemer The end of this faith is the health of our soules 1. Peter 1. and in Iohn Hée that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life Thirdly too bring foorth frute by this faith First deuotion too godward or seruice of God â–ª Secondly inâ—â—cencie of life and kéeping holy both of minde and body Thirdly loue of our neighbor flowing out of a true faith a pure hart a good conscience And fourthly too doo the woork of our vocation in feare too the glory of God and profit of our neighbour All these vertues ar beutified with true patience which is a certeyn obedience towards God vnder the crosse He that wil bée my Disciple sayth the Lord let him take vp his crosse and folow mée What Wherfore requirest thou so many things Are we not iustified saued by
through him mighte bee saued But hee that beleeueth on him is not condemned But hee that beleeueth not is condēned already bicause hee hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And this is the condemnacion that light is come intoo the vvorlde and men loued darknesse more than light bicause their deedes vvere euill For euery one that euil dooth hateth the light neyther commeth too the light least his deeds should be reproued But he that dooth the truthe commeth too the light that his deeds may bee knovvne hovv that they are vvrought in God The exposition of the Text. WE heard yesterday how the Gospel of Iesus Chryst was confirmed by a woonderfull miracle namely that Chryst sent the holy ghost from heauen in a visible shape whō not onely the Apostles felt but also al that wer that day at Hierusalem sawe according as Luke declareth Act. 2. This day the Church setteth foorth a Gospel wherin Chryst comprehendeth a summe of that doctrine for the confirmation whereof the holy Ghoste was giuen vpon Whitsonday Chryste talketh with Nichodemus who was one of the Pharisies and a Prince of the Iewes as wée shall héere more at large vpon Trinitie Sunday Untoo him dooth Chryste in the texte whiche I recited euen now declare the causes of saluation and damnation sheweth from whence commeth the originall bothe of saluation also of damnation Hée sayeth that Chryst was giuen too the intent that they which beléeue in him shoulde bée saued The reste hée witnesseth too sticke still in their damnation as wée shall cléerly sée in the exposition of the text The places 1 The commendation of Gods louingnesse and mercy towards men 2 The instrument wherby Chrystes benefites are applyed too men is sealed 3 A comfort for the godly ageinst the temptation of sinne and iudgement 4 The difference betwixte the beléeuers and the vnbeléeuers ¶ Of the first SO GOD loued the vvorlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne In these few woords is commended vntoo vs the louingnesse and mercy of God and that not by naked woords but by a déed most excellent of all others For it is not a true loue which eyther lyeth hid in the hart only or sitteth in the tong but which procéeding frō the innermore affection of the hart vttreth it selfe by woord and déede How then dooth God loue héer Hée loueth in such wise that he gaue euen his own sonne too be the price of the raunsome for the redēption of the world that he might by his death redéem them that were adiudged too death damnation Of this loue of God speaketh Paul Rom. 5. God condemneth his loue towards vs in that when wée were yet sinners Chryst dyed for vs. And Rom. 8 If God bée on oure side who can bée ageinst vs Who spared not euen his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Wée dayly behold great tokens of Gods loue towards men in al our whole life in the gouernment of things Notwithstanding that loue whiche so shineth foorthe in the matters of this life is scarsly a slender shadow of that most excellent loue wherwith he embraceth vs in his sonne whom he hath giuen too most bitter death for vs. This loue of GOD hath excéeding mercy going with it of which Moises the Prophets and the Psalmes doo preach in many places out of whom I wil take a few testimonies too confirme our beléefe concerning Gods good wil towards vs. Moses Exo. 34. saith thus O Lord God of power mercifull and gentle and of much compassion and true which extendest mercy vntoo thousands which takest away iniquitie wickednesse and sinne Deut. 5. I am the Lord thy God that sheweth mercy vntoo many thousāds that loue me and kéepe my commaundements Esai 16. And his throne shalbée prepared in mercy Ionas 4. for I know that thou art a gentle and merciful God pacient and of much compassion a forgiuer of mens wickednesse Dauid Psa. 2. The earth is full of the Lords mercy And the .102 Psal. As farre as the heauen is from the earth so hath he strengthened his mercy vpon them that feare him Also Psal. 103. The mercy of the Lord is from generation too generation vpon them that fear him and his rightuousnesse vpon their childrens childrē Also in the same Psalm The Lord is merciful and gentle slow too anger great in mercy he dealeth not with vs according too our iniquities neither rewardeth he vs according too our misdéedes but as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so much hath his mercy surmounted towards them that feare him As the father pitieth his children so doth the Lord pitie thē that feare him There be many such testimonies of scripture which set out vntoo vs the vnspeakable loue and mercy of God and shew the largenesse of the same loue and mercy and the effect and applying therof For the largenes of gods mercy is séene in these poynts that it extendeth it selfe vntoo thousandes that it filleth the earth that God pitieth as the father pitieth his owne children The effect or frute of it is séene in this that it taketh away sinne that it iustifieth sinners that it acquiteth of y e due penaltie This mercy is groūded in his sone bicause he by offring himself in sacrifice hath satisfied Gods iustice by his obedience towards the law of God hath purchased rightuousnesse vntoo vs. This mercy is applied too them that loue God feare him kéepe his commaundements that is too them that beléeue in Christ which through faith performe new obedience But as touching this matter more is to be spoken in the second place Let vs héere consider more déepely the woords of the text God so loued the vvorld sayth he Who loueth God Whom loueth he The world Héer stay thy self think vpon this woord He loueth this world Ergo his healthfull louingnesse perteyneth not to the Iewes only for they ar but a péece of y e world He loueth the world Ergo he loueth not only a certeine few of y e world as the holy vertuous y t are in the world but rather Chryst cam into y e world of purpose to saue y e sinners What meneth he then by the world Al men that are in y e world Behold the Lamb of God saith Iohn which taketh away y e sinnes of the world And agein gods wil is y t al men shuld be saued As often therfore as we héer y t God loueth the world let vs think our selues to be a parcel of that world which he loueth How falles it out then y t he loueth vs cōsidering y t we are sinners God findeth two things in vs. One whiche he himselfe hath made and another which cōmeth of our selues That we are men consisting of soule body it procéedeth of him This his creature God loueth But that we are sinners we haue it not of him but it procéeeeth of our selues This dooth God hate for the
this Gospel speaketh not of the first and last kinds of shepherds but onely of the middle sorts of shepherds that is of himselfe and other godly teachers of the Church of whom I will speake somewhat howebéeit bréefly bicause I spake of this matter a while ago A good shepheard therfore in generall is first he that entreth in at the dore that is which cōmeth with Christ and bringeth the true Gospel as the prophets and Apostles did in old time and as all do at this day as many as teache the Gospell purely Secondly he that féedeth the shéepe not with rotten but with wholsome foder namely with the liuely woord of God Thirdly this doorekéeper or porter openeth that is too say Chryst maketh the woord effectuall and auaylable too the saluation of the shéepe For vnlesse Christ open in vayne is the labour taken and the shéepe are not fed too any purpose Fourthly he calleth his owne shéepe by their names that is too say he knoweth his shéepe he loueth them and embraceth them with a singuler care Fifthly he goeth before them How In doctrine lyfe and Crosse. For a good shepherd must be a pattern too his flocke in doctrine life and crosse Sixthly his shéepe folow him that is too wit in purenesse of doctrine in holynesse of lyfe and in patience vnder the crosse But why doo his shéepe folow him First bycause they know his voyce Secondly bicause they flée frō a stranger for they know not his voice We haue here a descriptiō not only of a true shepherd but also of the true shéepe which are in one shéepfold of the chéefe shepherd God What is the shéepfold It is the catholike church Who bée the shéepe All that héer the voice of the shepherd folowing him and fléeing from strange shepherds who in déede are no shepherds but théeues and murtherers Héer are the differences too bée hild betwixt the true Church and the false Church The proper marks of the true Church are these which whoso hath not let him know that he is none of Chrysts shéepfold Which are these marks of the true Church or of Chrysts true shepfold The first is the vncorrupted voice of the heauenly doctrine according too this saying My shéepe héer my voice The second is the right vse of Baptime The third is the vse of the Lords supper according to Chrysts institution The fourth is the vse of the keys according too Chrysts commaundement The fifth is the Crosse. The sixth is mutuall loue among Chrysts shéepe The seuenth is mutuall prayer one for another And the eight is the mayntenance of the ministerie of gods woord These are the true marks of Christes church the which a man may cōprehend in fewer woordes As wée may say that the first mark of Christs shéepe is the vncorrupt voice or preching of the gospel the second the lawfull vse of the Sacraments and the third obedience towards the ministerie of the woord For in these thrée are conteined the other eight that I set Wée haue in generall who is a good shepherd and who bée the true shéepe Now let vs apply them too examples First vntoo Chryst the chéefe shepherd and vntoo his shéepe And afterward too other ministers of the woord who vnder Chryst are also called shepherds Chryst proueth himselfe too bée a good shepherd by that he giueth his life for his shéepe For he came downe frō heauen too séeke that was loste too heale that was diseased and too close vp the wounds which the wolues had giuen his shéepe This shepherd went before his shéep in purenesse of doctrin innocencie of life crosse He féedeth his shéep with the helthful foder of God that is with the woord of the gospel He gathereth togither his stray shéepe He kéepeth away the woolues with his shéepehooke And too bée bréefe he setteth by nothing so much as by the welfare of his shéepe His shéepe are Abel Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid Ioseph Anna Mary Simeon and many others whiche leauing their errour gaue eare too Chrysts voyce folowing him in doctrine lyfe and crosse whō they shall folow in glorie also in their time For if wée suffer with him wée shall bée glorified with him His shéep at this day are as many as beléeue the gospel and serue Chryst in true profession and godlinesse Now what reward Chrysts shéepe shall looke for at their shepherds hande who is both the doore and the doorekéeper Chryst himselfe sheweth when he sayeth If any man enter by mee he shall bee saued and he shall go in and out and shall finde feeding That is too say if any man leaue the darknesse and followe mée that am the light hee shall go in namely by fayth and hée shall go out by profession godlynesse and charitie and hée shall finde féeding that is too wit by the woorde of life in this worlde and by euerlasting blissednesse in the life too come Besides this good shepherds are all godly ministers of the woorde whiche followe Chrystes example in féeding of their shéepe Suche a one was Helias suche a one was Hieremie suche a one was Esay suche were the Apostles suche now a dayes are all they that preache Chryst sincerely and go before their shéep in doctrine life and crosse whiche flée not the Woolues but kéep them from Chrystes shéepfolde with the swoord of the spirit and ernest prayers These also haue shéep of their owne those that heare their voice and followe them in doctrine godlinesse pacience What doo not their shéepe belong vntoo Chryst only Yes that doo they How then saith hée that they belong too the shepheards that féede them They are their shepheards in respecte of charge but they are onely Chrystes in respect of possession and ownership for hée hathe purchased the shéepe vntoo him selfe with his owne precious bloud But in as muche as we haue lately heard the sermon concerning the shepherde and his shéepe I will say no more of them héer but wil betake you all too our chéefe shepherd Iesus Chryst too whom with the father and the holy Ghoste be honour and glory for euer Amen Vpon Trinitie Sunday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. THere vvas a man of the Phariseys named Nichodemus a ruler of the Ievves The same came vntoo Iesus by night and sayde vntoo him Rabbi vvee knovve that thou art a teacher come from GOD for no man could do such miracles as thou doost except GOD vvere vvith him Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vntoo him verely verely I say vntoo thee excepte a man bee borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God Nichodemus sayde vntoo him hovv can a man bee borne vvhen hee is olde can hee enter intoo his mothers vvombe and be borne ageyne Iesus aunsvvered verely verely I say vntoo thee excepte a man be borne of vvater and of the spirite he cannot enter intoo the kingdome of God That vvhich is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that vvhiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruaile not thou that
wicked Achab who obiected these woordes ageinste the moste holye Prophet Helias Art not thou hée that troubleth all Israell What shall I say concerning the new manner of assaulting the Churche whiche those haue found out that wil bothe bée and are termed Gospellers Like vngodly persons church-robbers thâ—y conuerte too secular vses the goods that belong too the maintenance of the ministerie of Gods woorde Earnestly dooth Sathan with all his members bend him self too this one point that is too ouerthrowe the floting Churche of Chryst. But Christ is stronger than that hel gates may preuaile against it I haue spoken of the floting of Chrystes church whereby also may easly bée perceyued how great the perilles of Gods ministers bée For as Chryste sitteth in the ship so they also susteine a right great brunte of daungers and many are haled too moste gréeuous torments But the people standeth on the shore that is the moste parte of the héerers are out of peril For when anye tempeste ariseth eyther they hide them selues or else they shrink quite away And thus much bréefly concerning the shaking of the church ¶ Of the third ANd the Lorde sayde too Simon Launche intoo the deepe and caste out a net too fishe Then Simon ansvvering sayde vntoo him Sir vvee haue laboured all this nighte and caughte nothing notvvithstanding seeing you bidde mee I vvyll caste forth a net And vvhen they had doone so they enclosed a great number of Fishes c. This is the description of the miracle Peter béeing paste hope of catching any fishe casteth foorth a net at Chrystes commaundement and caught a great multitude so as twoo ships were not able too holde them Albéeit that this miracle were wrought as wel too confirme the doctrine of Chryste as also too strengthen the faith of the beholders yet notwithstanding it perteyneth after a certeyne manner vntoo vs also For what so euer hathe bin written héeretoofore it was written for oure instruction that by pacyence and comforte of the Scriptures wée myghte haue hope I will therefore shewe how this presente miracle serueth for vs. First this miracle will assure vs of the truthe of the Gospel For it is as an authorised seale wherewith God the Father sealeth the Gospel of his sonne For whatsoeuer miracles Chryst the Prophets or Apostles euer wrought they serue all too confirme the doctrine So wée réed in Mark and in the Epistle too the Hebrues Marke in his .xvj. Chapter sayth thus The Lorde wrought with the Apostles and confirmed their doctrine with signs that ensued And too the Hebrues .ij. The doctrine of saluation was confirmed GOD auouching it by signes and woonders and sundry miracles giftes of the holy Ghost Secondlye this present miracle proueth that Chryste is Lorde not onely of men and of the Lande but also of the Sea Whereby our fayth conceyueth this assurednesse that it persuadeth it selfe that nothyng eyther on the Lande or on the Sea is able too withstande this puissaunt Lorde but that hée can puissauntly deliuer his seruants from all perill like as hée deliuered the Prophet Ionas out of the Whales belly by his heauenly power There is no cause then why wée should feare the crueltie eyther offéendes or of men or of the sea so wée leaue vntoo Chryst by lyuely fayth Whervpon Iohn sayth This is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen your fayth Héerwithall this present miracle teacheth from whence â—ommeth the blissing of our labour and the increase of our substance Peter had laboured all night and too no purpose Why so bicause he had sought for blissing by his owne trauell and not out of the fountayn of blissing which is Chryst. But after he had cast foorth his net at the commaundement of Chryst he tooke a great number of fishes Whereby wée are taught that all blissing dependeth of Chrystes woorde Ageinst this doo foure kindes of men offend First faythlesse folkes which thinke that all blissing dependeth of their owne trauaile ageinst whose folly Dauid soong the Psalme Unlesse the Lorde builde the house in vaine dooth he watch that kéepeth it Nexte vngodly folkes which imagine that the increase of their substance goods procéedeth of vsurie and euill trades y t is too say â–ª of y e blissing of Sathan and in déede many séeme too growe riche by suche meanes But Salomon sayeth the contrary The blissing of the Lord maketh men rich For as man can not of ryght bée counted streyghtway riche when he possesseth many things Breade is one thing and the strength of bread is another Many haue breade and other goodes of whom some can not vse them some abuse them too ryot and pryde some cram themselues with them from day too day and other some make them instruments too put their lustes and tyranny in vre I pray you what maner of blissing is this Contrarywyse the Godly that hath but meane substance vseth his goodes too the glorie of God and the reliefe of others and setteth out the giuer of them with â— good conscience The third kind of men that offend in this behalfe ar those sort which when they haue herde that the increase of things coÌ„meth of y e lords blissing becom more slouthful slask and neglect the labour of their vocation where as Dauid in his psalme speaketh ageynst it Blissed is the man that feareth the Lord and delyghteth altogither in his wayes thou shalt eate the labour of thy handes Blissed art thou and well at ease shalt thou bée 〈…〉 and thou shalt bée well at ease If many now a dayes would folow this rule they should féele the Lords blissing The fourth sort of offenders in this case is of them that neither call vpon God when they vse his blissing nor call vpon him for helpe â–ª nor yéeld him thanks for his blissing Let vs learne héere therfore by this present miracle both that men ought too labour and that the successe and blissing of the labour commeth onely of God in what state so euer a man bée If a man bée set ouer of hers as a magistrate a leuetenant and a master of a house let him thinke thus I will labor lustely in the feare of God I will serue God I will call vpon him that he may prosper my labours When the husbandmaÌ„ tilleth his ground when he soweth it when he carieth his haruest into the barne let him haue God before his eyes let him know that all blissing is of the Lorde let him call vpon him that he will vouchsafe too prosper his labour and too bestowe his blissing vppon him So also let the preacher doo let him teache admonishe and exhort but yet at the commaundement of Chryste and in the feare of God But perchaunce thou wilt obiecte I doo my duetie I till the grounde I preache the gospell I instructe my householde but too no purpose my paynefulnesse hath no good successe Lerne héere of Peter what thou wantest Peter laboured in vayne vntill he had taken
It may bée gathered by the Scripture that it was ordeined too fiue endes First that it was done of purpose too blisse and pray as in Mat. 19. and Mark 7. is declared Secondely for offering for the Préests were woont too lay their handes vpon the heads of the beasts that were slaine for sacrifice 3. For healing lyke as Chryste did oftentimes lay on his hands when he went about too heale suche as were brought vntoo him 4. That by praying the holy ghost might be bestowed vpon them as wée réede in the Acts of the Apostles Fiftly in giuing orders too the ministers of the woord handes were woont too bée layde vppon those that were receiued intoo the ministerie Nowe will wée adde somwhat concerning the mysticall méening of handes They that blissed folke by laying on of their hands dyd supplie the roome of God The hands signified Gods helpe and fauoure The laying on of hands signified that he on whom the handes were layd was vnder the fauor and protection of God and that hée was blissed of god In their blissings Gods fauour and help were wished for and in sacrifices the hosts were dedicated vntoo God In healyngs Gods hand stretched out it selfe whyle by his power he restored the sicke vntoo helth Likewise in the giuing of the holy ghost the handes signified Gods presence In consecrating the Préests this was ment by laying on of handes that those whiche tooke orders were dedicated vntoo God as sacrifices and wer allowed and appoynted too the seruice of God Thus muche concerning the firste place namely concerning the laying on of handes Now let vs bréefly consider what this place confirmeth what it confuteth and whereof it admonisheth vs. It confirmeth that the children of God are led by the spirite of God and should exercise themselues in godlinesse and charitie It confuteth those that boaste of their emptie fayth voyde of the true feare of God and charitie too their neighbour And it admonisheth vs too performe the woorkes of faith as well inward as outward if wée will bée accounted among the children of God ¶ Of the second THe seconde doctrine that I purposed is concerning the déede and miracle of Chryst. Now too the intent wée may vnderstand this déede certein things are too be noted concerning Chrystes miracles The Prophets Chryst and the Apostles wroughte miracles too assure men that the doctrine which they taught was of God and too the intent that men béeing conuicted of Gods truth by miracles mighte beléeue and by beleeuing bée saued That these are the chéef endes of miracles Iohn the Euangelist beareth witnesse in his seconde chapter where he sayth thus This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilée and manifested his own glorie and his Disciples beléeued on him Héere are twoo endes signified Chrystes glorie and the fayth of the Apostles The glorie of Chryst comprehendeth the power of his Godhead his affection towardes mankinde and his office and the certeintie of his doctrine Howbéeit there is a difference too bée made betwene the Prophets and Apostles and Chryst. The Prophets and Apostles wrought not miracles by their owne power but by the diuine power of Chryste whose spirite spake by the mouth of them But Chryste wrought miracles by his owne power Wherefore lyke as the Prophets and Apostles by their miracles declared them selues too bée the seruantes of Chryst so Chryst by his miracles shewed himself too bée the Lord and God of them And if any man demaund why miracles are not wrought now a dayes by the ministers of Gods woord Thou shalt vnderstand that assoon as miracles had confirmed Christes glory the truthe of God they had discharged their dutie And therefore we must no more looke for miracles but we must holde our selues content with the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which God hath confirmed with many miracles lōg ago Thus much cōcerning miracles in generall Now let vs come too the miracle of this day in whiche are many circumstances too be obserued wherof eche one conteyneth a singuler doctrine and admonishement The first Chryst took him aside from the people And why did he so For twoo considerations that is too wit for y e time for the meaning For the time bicause he wold not as yet haue his kingdome published vntoo the whole world For he had not yet accomplished his sacrifice he had not yet broken downe the wall that was betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles whiche thing was doone afterwarde when hée armed his disciples with this cōmission Go intoo the whole world and preache the Gospel too all nations And for the meaning bicause he that desireth too haue Chryste too bée his Phisitian must departe out of the preace of the malicious persons and repiners For there is no agréement betwéene Chryste and Beliall The second He thrust his fingers intoo his eares Surely this was not doon but for some purpose For by that signe he bothe shewed the preciousnesse of his fleshe which he had taken vpon him that by offring it in sacrifice mankinde might be restored too his former helthfulnesse whiche he had lost by sinne and also giueth vs too vnderstand that his woorde can neither be heard nor vnderstood vnlesse our eares be opened by Chrystes finger that is too say vnlesse the holy Ghoste doo open the eares of our hart The thirde And hee spit and touched his toong By this mysticall maner of dealing hée dooth vs too wit that the abilitie too speake procéedeth of him and that hée will woorke effectually in his churche by meanes The fourth He looked vp intoo Heauen By this gesture hée signifieth that his minde is lifted vp too his heauenly father whom hée prayed vntoo not onely for this man but for all others that are afflicted For prayer is not so muche the sound of the mouth as the humble lifting vp of the hart vnto God which lifting vp of the hart is signified by the outward sign of the eyes looking vp too heauenward Whervpon Dauid sayth I haue lift vp mine eyes vntoo thée that dwellest in the Heauens Of which thing wée also are put in minde when wée say Our father which art in heauen The fifth Hee sighed Surely it must néedes bée a great matter that caused so great a personage too sighe Therefore had he not an eye al only too this dumb man whom he could haue deliuered from his disease with one becke but hée had an eye too these fiue things First too sin which is the cause of all miseries in mankinde 2. Too the tirannie of the Deuil who had so sore oppressed mankinde with whiche tirannie he knew he had too encounter 3. Too the curse of the lawe whiche he should take vpon him self too the intent we might bée cléered of oure giltinesse 4. Too his owne moste bitter death which he should suffer for all mankinde 5. Too the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of the world For hée foresaw that many should vtterly holde skorn of his