in the gospell of this daye Lette it be what wayes soeuer he thinketh best verely this maye wee well learne of yt that Christe wyll helpe and comforte vs in all manner of perill and ieoperdy both of body and sowle so that we wyll tarry with him in the shyp that is Whal is to be in the shyppe yf we be ioyned wholye to hym by faith And if sometyme he seeme to tarry lenger then thou art able to abide or that to thy reason hee seeme heauy in sleepe and to haue vterly forgotten the yet let not thy mynde fall or dispaire but crye to hym wythe the Aposteles or else with Dauyd and saye Arise good lorde why doest thow sleepe Psa 45 And then thow shalte also knowe that yt was not sayde in vayne of Dauid yn an other place Ps 120 Beholde he that kepeth Israel shal neyther slomber nor slepe Secondarly this gospell teacheth vs howe to knowe the trewe faith from fained faith namelye by the crosse and persecution Doutelesse the Apostels were in that opinion when they entred the ship with Christe that they had very perfect faith and could by no manner temptacion or persecution be brought from the same But what did they whē necessitie and lykelehod of death drewe neare vnto them By the crosse faithe is proued What constancye was there nowe in them None at all There was nothing but greate feare tremblinge and disperacion They remembred not that they had with them in the shippe the lorde of wyndes and of the sea but as we may see in saynte Marke the Euangelist they verely thought that God cared nothing at al for them Mar. 4. and that he had cleane forsaken them that he also being a slepe regarded not what became of them Wherefore they saye Maister doest thou not care that we perish Lo here thou hearest of nothinge but vnbeliefe Here it is to be noted Whye god proueth his electe that al the temptaciōs of the electe be so ordeined of God that they shal worke to them all for the best wherwith he doth chasten and bridle the fersenes and securitye of the flesh doth teach them that they be not proude or high mynded but to know that all that they can do must be referred to god For we know how bolde and rebellious the fleshe is if it be not made lowe and with such scourges and stripes brought to pacience and humility Mat 26 Dyd not also S. Peter boldly say of him selfe that he was readye euen to dye with Christe And did not the children of Zebedeus stifly affirme that they coulde drinke of the same cup that Christ shoulde drinke of Trewly there was presumptiō Mat. 20 but a proued faith there was not And in lyke māner be all we affectianate withoute that through the inspiration of the holy ghost our infirmitie bee strengthned We do speake very highely and with great expectacion of the gospel of the crosse of pacience such other like but when we se the crosse euen at hande when we shuld then striue and wag battayle with sinne death the deuel and hel then be we very could and cowardes and vnprofitable and then dooe we with the deede perceaue that we neuer had trew faith nor euer were sincerely in our myndes affectionat towards the gospell Now they that in the crosse in persecution in tribulaciō and in peril will so soone flee from Christ and deny him and will not suffre so small ieoperdye or perill for his sake if neede were and so continew alwaies in the same they neuer had one crome of sincere trewe faith but rather a shadow or vysard of faith Therefore they shal say in the latter day when God shall saye Iohn 2. Mat. 26 Get ye hence from me ye wicked and cursed into the euerlasting fyer But they that in their owne conscience knowledge that they do nothinge of their own strength before god and confesse their infirmitie nor do seeke or looke for constancye and perseuerance in the crosse and persecutiō any other wayes then of god through Christ they shall neuer be separated from Christe And although their fayth hath beene many tymes feeble in the tyme of the crosse and persecution yet haue they not alltogether fallen into despiracion but hath asked pacience and peseueraunce of god And so therby thorough the helpe of Christ and the vertu of the holy ghost they haue ouercome all their temptaciōs So likewise did the Appostels when they were with Christ in the ship for when their faith was so weak that they weare not able to striue with temptacion in the very point of death they then wakened Christ and called vpon him for his helpe of whom also in their suche necessitie they had no small comforte Wherfore I haue tolde you that it is as necessary for faith to be proued by the crosse persecution and all kindes of trowble as syluer to be tried pourged with fier For yf she continewe abide stedfast in persecutiō then is she a right faith and not fayned Mat. 5. and shal inherite the kingdom of heauen Blessed be they sayth Christ that suffre persecution for righteousnesse for they shall haue the kingdome of heauen But yf faith be slipper and inconstante and deny Christ for the fauoure of the world then shall she haue perpetuall damnacion Chryste suffered the infirmitie of hys disciples Fourthly this gospell comforteth vs in that that christ dyd so meekly suffre the infirmity of his disciples and dyd not by and by reiecte them from him althoughe theire faith were not yet perfecte He reprehendeth theire incredulitie but doth not cast them vtterly from him Now yf Christ then so pacientlye suffered his disciples when they were weake and did not repel them for theyr infirmity vntyl they were made more stedfast and stronger suerly he wyll also suffre our imbecilitie and febelnes and will tourne it into the strength of faith yf we wyll knowledge our synnes and corrupte nature and will continuallye in our prayer call for his helpe saing Good lorde encrease our faythe Luc. 17. This exaumple of christe is layed before vs that wee shulde folowe it and receaue them that bee weake in the faithe and not despise and reiecte them but patiently to suffre thē vntyll they come to the knowledge of faythe as saincte Paule in many places teacheth and especially in the epistle to the Rom. Ro. 14. Luc. 12. Neither is it spoken in vayne that christe sayde to Peter When thou shalte hereafter be conuerted confirme and strēgthen thy brethren The fyfte sonday after Epiphany Mathew 13. AN other similitude put he forth vnto them sayinge Mar. 4. The kyngdome of heauen is lykened vnto a man which sowed good seede in hys fielde But whyle men slepte his enemy came and sowed cares among the wheate and went hys waye But when the blade was spronge vp and had brought forth fruicte then appeared the tates also So the
and according to hys deseruyng suffereth for it although he loke to this promyse it shall lytle profyte hym Thou muste needes suffre in a good quarrell that thou mayest be sure that all that shall chaunce to thee happeneth for the truthes sake Euen as Sainct Peter also saith Let none of you suffre as a murtherer or a thefe or as an euell dooer or as a busye body in other mens maters Wherfore if thy cause bee good thou mayest assuredly haue this hope that this trouble and sufferynge shall be rewarded and recompensed with euerlastynge ioye Which almyghty God graunt vs through Iesus Christ AMEN The gospel vpon S. Markes day Iohn 15. I Am Eccl. 24 the true vyne and my father is the husband man Euery branche that beareth not frute in me hee wyll take away And euery braunche that beareth fruyt wyll he pourg that it may bryng forth more frute Act. 15. Now are ye cleane thorow the words which I haue spoken vnto you Byde in me and I in you As the branch can not beare frute of it selfe excepte it byde in the vyne no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches He that abydeth in me and I in him the same bringeth forthe muche frute For without me ye can do nothyng if a man byde not in me he is caste furth as a branche and is wythered and men gather them and caste them into the fyer and they burne Mat. 21 Iohn 3 If ye byde in me and my wordes abyde in you aske what ye wyll and it shall be doone for you THE EXPOSITION WE haue in this gospel a very comfortable lessō for all them that ar true faithfull christen people wherin Christ exhorted al his vniuersal church to remain in him comparing him self vnto a vyne tre his louers vnto branches Which similitude hath bin vsed in the old testament also wher god called the house of Israel that is the church of god a vineyard Psa Esa Ier. Mat. 20 and. 21. as euidētly may be seene in the prophets And as Christ in the gospel of Mat. doth declare a vineyard to be his church so in this place he called it a vineyard also god the father an husbandmā him self he called the vinetre his Apostels euery membre of his church brāches Let vs therfore apply compare one with the other se how thei do agree For as the vineyard is not ordained for to beare thornes and thystels but that the vine trees should be planted in it for to beare fruites so the church is ordained not to florishe with the riches of this worlde whiche verely are thornes but for to plante Christ in it For as the husband man doth make cleane the ground of the vyneyard and doth plante in it vyne trees and doth hedge it round aboute maketh a presse and buyldeth a tower in it purgeth maketh cleane the braunches that they may brynge furth fruite plentifullye so likewyse God the father hath chosen to him selfe frō among men a church in the whiche he hath planted Christ his sonne whiche garden he also hath strengthned with an inuincible stone namely Christ against whiche stone or tower euē the gates of hell can not preuaile For euē as when the godly be regenerate in Christ so he dothe purge and make cleane their heartes that they may bryng furth fruite In this vyne tree there be ii kyndes of braunches or sortes of men for some haue a shape of godlines seme to beleue in Christ and to be special in Christes churche hearyng sermons receiuyng the sacraments do many good woorkes and yet they do not truely beleue in Christ nor yet their woorkes do not procede out of a true fayth These be hypocritical vnfruitful brāches which shal at the length be cast into euerlastyng fyre There be some also without repētance whiche beare the name of christian men yet do most abound are indued with moste horrible shameful crymes Some there be that are godly euen as they verely beleue in Christ so verely they worke by faythe brynge furthe fruit that alway doth remayne And this difference ought chiefly to be marked The vngodly wicked speaketh moste pestiferously of Christes churche for because that they se in it many impure wicked men for whose sakes they thinke that the churche of Christ is not the true church nor that it hath not the true Gospel But they that so do condempne the true churche forbecause it is admixed with euil persons are here againe condempned with this sermon of Christ For truely Christ speakyng of the braunches doth not speake of those that with their open profession be separated and deuided from the churche as the Iewes and Turkes but of those whiche be or seme to be in the vyne tre Christ And of these he maketh two sortes Two kynde of braunches some of theim be barraine some fruitfull By the whiche he teacheth very plainly that the churche here vpon yearth hath cōmixed with her many euil persons whiche although they seme to bee the very membres of Christ yet they bee but braunches to be cutte away and to be cast into the fyre He sayth that the kyngdom of heauen is likened vnto a manne whiche soweth good seede in his felde But whylest the man was a slepe his enemy came and did sowe cockle among the wheate And againe the kyngdome of heauen is likened vnto a lytle nette that is cast into the sea whiche did pull vp all kynde of fyshes And in another place A certayne man went into the mariage whiche had not his mariage garment And sainct Ihō sayd They went out from vs but they were not of vs. But I pray you what becommeth of these braunches that bryngeth furth fruite He sayth He purgeth it and maketh it cleane to bryng furth fruite more plenteously Good brāches Braunches whiche be fruitfull and profitable in the church be all those that truely beleue in Christe and of a true fayth doth obay vnto the true callyng of God This braunche is not cast away is not taken away as the fyrst was but is cut with a hoke and is made cleane Secōdarily Nowe are ye cleane sayth Christe because of the worde that I haue spoken vnto you I beseche the what meaneth these wordes Be the Apostles pure and cleane braunches when as yet they were synners and ready immediatly to leaue their mayster Christ and to deny him I say ye are cleane not forbecause of your owne fleshe whiche is yet synfull nor for the puritie cleanesse of your righteousnes whiche is myngled with muche impuritne and vncleanes but for the worde which I haue spoken vnto you sayth Christ That is for my gospel whiche I haue shewed vnto you that is to say that I am the very true Messias and satisfaction for synne whiche with my death hath kepte you from death whiche hath taken vpon me the
seruauntes of the houshoulder came and sayde vnto hym Syr didest not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde from whence then hath it tares He sayde vnto them the enuious manne hath done this The seruauntes sayd vnto hym wylte thou then that wee go and weede them vp But he said nay leste while ye gather the tares ye plucke vp also the wheate with them lette both growe togyther vntyll the haruest and in tyme of haruest I wyll saye to the reapers gather ye fyrste the tares and bynde them together in shynes to be brente but gather the wheat into my barne THE EXPOSITION The kiÌ„gdome of heauen THis similitude Christ himselfe at the request of hys disciples hath expounded and in his expositioÌ„ hath sufficiently declared what in the church or christianite which after the manner of scripture he calleth the kingdome of heauen shuld happen and namely that that alwayes the euell shal be admyxte amongest the good vntil Christ in the laste iudgement shal send forth his aungels together and deuide the shepe froÌ„ the goates Wee wil now shew somewhat what is to be chiefely noted here in this gospell concernyng the dortrine of Christ For it must needs be all good holy and helthfull that cometh from the mouth of Christ We cum through Christ only to the father Fyrste in the exposition of this gospell Christe saith that the sonne of man soweth this good sede and the fielde is the world Also the good seede be the children of the kingdome Wherin he teacheth nothinge els but that is in the 14. chap of S. Iohn spoken more plainly in this wyse No man cometh to my father but by me And also in an other place I am the way Ioh. 14 the treuth and life And bicause thorow Christ allonly we be made inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen as the gospell witnesseth yt is therefore very necessary that we geue vnto him that honoure and knowledge hym for such a man that hath made vs christians And trewly to knowledg that Christ by his word and spirite doth make vs christians 1. Cor. 1 And like wise that he is our righteousnesse satisfaccion and redemption is nothing els but freelye to confesse that wee naturallye be synners vnrighteous the children of the deuell in the daunger of eternall damnacion Ephe. 2 and that we can obteine saluacion by none other meanes or wayes but by christ allonly Where is nowe here the glory wisedome merite and fre wyll of man Here must we needs say with Daniel the prophet Dan. 9. To the good lord righteousnesse and to vs open coÌ„fusion And this is the very christian confession yf we confesse our selues siÌ„ners vnrighteous proue to eternall damnacion and Christ to be our goodnes righteousnes and saluacion for as S. Mat. in the firste chapter witnesseth 1. Tim. 2 Iohn 3 Yt is he alone that delyuereth vs from synne And reconcileth vs to his father in heauen And by his spirite doth regenerate vs into a newe creature And verely if he he I saye had not renewed my corrupte nature if I hadde not receiued of his goodnes Iohn 1. I had byn vtterly damned and cursed for euer Howe coulde I withstande if God wolde enter into iudgemente with me and I shulde not pretende and aledge the merites of Chryst There doughteles shall not my merites prevaile no nother once be seene or apear Wherfore it is necessary that of this similitude I learne to knowe what the trewth of the worde of God is namely to repute Christ allonly to bee the very same that maketh me the son and inheritoure of the kingdome of heauen For thus sayth the euangeliste Ioh. 14 No man knoweth the father but the sonne and no man knoweth the sonne but the father and to whome the father will shew it And althoughe workes must needes be done yet is it so that by them we shall not obteine righteousnes before God For yf oure righteousnes were founded and buylded vpon workes it coulde not be but vncertaine and sone ouertourned with a little blaste of wynde In so much that no man loueth so much as he oughte to do nor anye man doth as manye workes and dedes as are required of hym The deuel is enemy to Christe to all that beleue in him Mat. 7 Secondarely this similitude Christ in the expositioÌ„ of the same teacheth vs that sathan the deuel is a perpetual enemy not only of Christ the sower but also of al them that beleue in Christ Christ maketh men good sheweth a narrow way a strait that leadeth to lyfe The deuel maketh meÌ„ naught and euell and sheweth a broade and large waye to damnacion and yet he coueteth allwayes to be there where the children of God be not for anye loue he heareth to them but goethe aboute by all the meanes he can to pul them froÌ„ Christ and hys word and to bring vs to mens traditions And bicause he is ful of subtiltie he knoweth very well that he must work wililye and craftely to deceaue men And therfore in the night and when meÌ„ be in slepe he soweth his tares and cocle That is he tourneth him selfe into an aungel of light as S. Paul saith cometh not 1 Cor. 11 but with great hypocrisy holines He taketh vpon him the name of Christ boasteth glorifieth hymselfe of his workê In so much that he shal bring the elect into errour if it be possible But as Christ saith Mat 24 He is an vtter enemy to his doctrin and name And there is nothing hid vnder that holynes but vtter destruction which the prophete Dauid perceiued very wel when he prayed God that he wold kepe him from the pestilence that walked in darknes from the sicknes that destroyeth in the none day Loke through oute the same 91. Psal And in the 10. chapter of Iohn Christe saith that this thefe how honestly so euer he go he cometh for nothing else but to steale slaye and destroye And hereto it maye be referred also Mat. 7 that in an other place he is called a raueniÌ„g wolfe that is hid in false prophetes Wherfore seing it is so euery one of vs with great diligence shuld beware lest he suffre him selfe to be drawen from God and his worde or els the deuell wyll so longe laye wayte for the vntyll he hathe transformed the into the child of darkenes Nether is he weried with any labour taking no reste day nor night alwaies ready at hande quick diligeÌ„t to oure destruction and condemnacion 1. Pet. 5 as S. Peter witnesseth Thirdely Chryst teacheth vs in this place Alwaies the euell is admixt with the good that the wheat alwaies groweth nigh the tares that is the euel shal be alwaies mingled amongest the good vnto the end of the world I call them euel that be occupied in false doctrine vnbeliefe as all hypocrites heretikes be which wil for the
of the Lord. Gene. 5 Lykewise Henoch of whom it is written that hee walked with God Noe thereby was not onely saued frō drownyng Gen. 7. but also hath obtained this godly title euen to bee called The preacher of righteousnes 2. Pe. 2. A notable tytle What neede I to speake of Abraham Loth Isaac Iacob Ioseph c. which in steed of preachers retained the true faith suerly grounded vpon goddes woorde and by good exāple and doctrine haue taughte the same to their families and posterytie A noble example to all gouernoures parentes and maysters is set forth in Tobie Tob. 1. which as it is written taught his sonne from his youthe vp to feare god and to refraine from euell And to the end that no manne should wante the godly lessons that hee taught lo here they folow Tobi. 4. Haue god in thy thought all the dayes of thy lyfe and beware at any tyme thow cōsent not vnto synne and lest thou lette slyppe the commaundementes of the Lord our God Gyue almes of thy goodes and turne neuer thy face from the poore and so shal it come to passe that the face of the Lorde shall not be turned away from the. Be mercifull after thy power Yf thow haue muche gyue plenteousely Yf thou haue lytle do thy diligence gladly to geue of that lytle For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good rewarde in the day of necessitee Laste of all hee departed this lyfe in peace but yet before he should depart he called vnto him his sonne his sonnes vii children saiyng My children Tob. 14 heare your father Serue the Lord in truth seeke after his wyll and doo the thynge that pleseth him Commaunde your children that they do right gyue almes be mindeful of God and euer to be thankefull vnto him in truthe and with all their power Prynt this godly example in your hartes and for want of a curate let this booke be your teacher if you can not reade lette your childe seruaunt or prentyse reade And hear you and learn to entre in at this straight gate and to walke in the narrow way that leadeth vnto life whiche these godly fathers entred and walked in So doyng you shal be suer as Toby departed in peace to haue a quiet houshold obedient children and faythfull seruauntes yea and that which is great deale better the quietnes peace of conscience through our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with God the father and the holy gost be al thanke prayse and glory Amen Pray ye the Lord of the haruest to send furth labourers into his haruest So be it The Gospell on the fyrste sonday in Aduent Mat. 21. AND when they Mat. 11 Luc. 19. drew nigh vnto Ierusalem and wer come to Bethphage vnto mounte Olyuete then sente Iesus two disciples sayinge vnto them Go into the towne that lyeth oueragaynst you and anone ye shall fynde an asse bounde a colte with her lose them and brynge them vnto me And yf anye man saye ought vnto you say ye the Lorde hath neede of them and straight waye he will let them go All this was done that it myght be fulfylled which was spoken by the prophet saying Es 62. d Zac. 9. b Io. 12. c Tel ye the doughter of Sion beholde the kynge commeth vnto the meek syttyng vpon an asse and a colte the fole of the asse vsed so the yoke The disciples went and dyd as Iesus commaunded them and brought the asse and the colte and put on them theyr clothes and set hym thereon And many of the people spred their garmentes in the way other cut downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the waye Moreouer the people that went before and they that came after cried saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauyd Lu. 19. f Io. 12. b Ps 118. Mat. 11 Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Lu. 19. t Io. 12 b Ps 118. Mat. 12 Hosanna in the hyghest THE EXPOSITION SEyng that nowe from the beginnynge of the worlde amonge all Godes elect hath beene hitherto obserued and in this latter dais throughe the synguler grace of God indespite of the deuell by noble victory hath beene recouered and wonne Gen. 15 Abac. ◠Ioh. 3. that only fayth by Christ maketh a man ryghteous good and blessed It shal be therfore very expedient that we whome God hath called to thoffice of preachynge the Gospell faithfully and with all seueritye and treuth do often handle earnestly and beate into the heddes of men the doctrine of faith with repentaunce For suerly the deuel the very enemy of this doctryne slepeth not nor can by any means leaue of his peruerse malice and deceitfulnes For it is trewly alwayes his propertye to sowe cocle that is to say false doctryne amonge wheate Mat. 13 and when he hath done harme amongest the god wheate priuely to wipe hym selfe awaye Therefore when we shall preach or speake any thing of faith to the people we muste wiselye playnly and circumspectly declare what maner of faith it is that scripture so greatly commendeth Whence it commeth what it worketh in vs what her fruictes be and what things be contrary to the same or els our aduersaries shall alwayes be readye to slander and misreport vs saying that thorowe such learninge wee geue occasion to synne and forbidde good workes to be done Therefore that I may briefly sette forth vnto you an exaumple of this thinge ye shall vnderstande that faithe is a trewe trust Fayth and perfect hope in God That God by Christe forgeueth synnes iustyfieth vs and will graunt eternall lyfe of his only grace and mercy without any our merites or workes And such faith haue we not of our selues Rom. 12 but receiue it by the word of God the holy ghost And whē it is so by the word of God and the holy ghoste made liuely and effectuall in vs Righteousnesse of faith Gal. 5. then thorough Christe it maketh vs good iuste and blessed as the prophet Abacuc witnesseth saying The iust mā lyueth by fayth And suche a faythe can not stande without hope loue it must needes break out and by good conuersacion and godlye workes be made apparaunt not after the nature and custome of hypocrisy whiche is contrary to faith but of a voluntary wyl and an vnfayned harte Lo Mat. 7. this is the faithe that wee here speake of which is commended by the testimonye of scripture Eph. 4. And in likewise ye muste instructe of the repentaunce Repentaunce of a christen man That penance is nothing else but with all thy harte to be sory for thy synne to leaue synne and by fayth to cleaue to rigteousnes But of these things we shal speak mor at large an other tyme let vs nowe see what is to be noted in this Gospell ☞ Fyrste of all let vs considre what may alure and prouok vs to the same faith here mentioned of