that we shoulde perishe and be damned in our synnes The third cause is the euerlastyng councell and prouidence of God wherwith he determyned by this meanes to shewe his loue and to deliuer mankynde frome synne The fourthe cause is the trewe and faithfull promise whiche he made in tymes paste Oute of the whiche afterwarde foloweth the blyndnes and indignation of the Iewes whiche is the fyfte cause As touchyng the fyrst cause I mean our synne the holy Prophete Esaie speaketh on this maner He was wounded euen vnto the death for our synnes and broken on pieces for our wickednesses In these wordes the Prophete declarech wherfore Christ was so euyll handled and so greuously punished verily not for his owne synne For he is the onely begotten and derely beloued sonne of God which neuer committed synne neither was there euer found any guyle in his mouth yea for our synne for thyn and myne iniquitie was he wounded and broken on peces Therfore saith the prophet For our sinne Now that he saith Our that is for the synne of all men did he suffer and die For whē he had ones takē vpon him our infirmities diseases then must he also die for our sinnes and wickednesses as the prophete saith in the afore recited chapter the Lord hath laid the iniquitie of vs all vpon hym And a lytle after the prophete speaking in the person of God sayth For the synne of my people haue I striken and smitten him And in the ende of this chapter he saieth He bare the synnes of many and paide for transgressors Dauid in like maner complaineth in a certayne Psalm and speaking in the person of Christ saith The rebukes of them whiche rebuked thee he meaneth the heuenly father fell on me And a litle afore I paid the things that I neuer toke We haue greuously offended God dishonored his holy name and greatly obscured his glorie All this must Christ pay satisfie make amendes for it Therfore saith Peter in his fyrst Epistle Christ suffred ones for our synnes the iuste for the vniust Herof doth it folow that not only the Iewes whiche lyued at that tyme neither the souldiors nor yet Pilate Herode c. are gilty of the passion and deth of Christe but also all sort of vs whyche all without exception haue synned For for Oure synnes was CHRIST slayne and nayled on the Crosse. Neyther are wee better thenne they that crucified hym Althoughe that the Iewes dydde not knowe hym as the sonne of GOD otherwyse they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glorye yet for all that euen of very malyce and enuie agaynst hym they layde hand on hym as a gyltlesse manne accused hym and flewe hym But he hadde neuer come to that poynte if our synnes had not ben for the whyche hee was stryken wounded and slayne So lykewise made we hym to serue in oure synnes and through hym much sorow with our iniquities Therefore lette vs no more bee angrye with that myserable caytife Iudas Pylate Herode Cayphas Annas c. as the maner heretofore hathe bene yea rather lette euery man be angrye wyth him selfe accuse hym selfe and impute the fault to hym selfe as vnto hym whych for his synnes dyd cast Christ that innocent lamb of God into this most horrible and intollerable payne Te seconde cause is the excedynge great charitie loue and mercye of GOD whyche he shewed vnto vs miserable men wicked synners without any merite or desert on our behalfe wherwyth the heauenly Father beyng prouoked spared not only his begoteen sonne as Sainct Paule sayth but for vs delyuered him vp euen vnto death This declareth Saint Iohn in his Epistle saying In this thyng hath the loue of God appeared that he sente his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that we myght lyue thorough hym In thys is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make satisfaction for oure synnes And Christe hym selfe saythe GOD hathe so derely loued the worlde that he hath geuen hys onely begotten sonne to the ende that all that do beleue in hym shoulde not peryshe but haue lyfe euerlastynge Thys Charytie and Loue moued CHRIST alsoo to obeye hys Father in thys behalfe so that he came down into this world and toke oure synnes vpon hym as the Prophete Esaie saeith In his loue and in his fauour hath he redemed them And S. Paule saith God setteth forth his loue meruailously towarde vs in this that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. And Christ hym self saith No man hath a greater loue then thys that a manne shoulde geue his lyfe for his frendes Of these places of the holy scripture tofore alledged it appeareth euidently that the seconde cause of the death of Christ is the loue of God towarde all mankynde whome oure miserable and wretched state did so greatly moue and strike with tender compassion that he sent his onely begotten Sonne whyche also of very loue towarde man obeyed hys fathers wyll euen vnto the deathe the moste ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse into this worlde and gaue hym ouer into the handes of synners that he by his death and passion myght delyuer vs from euerlasting death damnation Wherof we may learne to loue one an other and so to bee mynded one to an other as Christe was mynded towarde vs. Of this thyng dothe S. Iohn admonyshe and teache vs in his Epistle where he saieth In this haue we knowen loue that he gaue his lyfe for vs we ought to geue our liues for our brethren Paule also in his epistle to the Philippians exhorteth vs that after the examples of Christ we shold humble our selues and serue one an other euen as Christ serued vs. The thirde cause is the euerlastynge councelle and prouidence of God which by his vnoutspeakable wisdome determined from euerlastynge to delyuer mankynd by the death of his sonne before the world was made as Peter in his sermon testifieth wher he after many wordes of the crucifying of Christ saith thus Hym Christ haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persōs after he was deliuered by the determinate councel foreknowledge of god and haue crucified slayne him And Christe himselfe in the gospell telleth aforehande in many places geueth his disciples forewarning how that this passion death shal chaunce and comme vnto him by the euerlasting councell and decree of his heauenly father as he said also vnto Pilate Thou shouldest haue no power at all ouer me excepte it were geuen thee from aboue The fourth cause is the faith and trueth of God For when this councel was determined from euerlasting then god wold not haue it kept in secret but did make open the same before many times and promised that Sauiour in many places of scripture by his holy Prophetes as S. Paule testifieth in his epistles This promes
suerty that God is merciful vnto them But why is Christ baptised which neuerthelesse is without synne Not for his owne behalf but for ours which are synners For he taketh oure synnes vpon hym and deliuereth vs from them And for this cause he cometh to baptisme as the Euangelist sheweth very properly wheras he saith Christ forbidden of Iohn aunswereth Suffer me for this is it mete to fulfill all righteousnes Which is as much as to say In his baptisme is conteyned the righteousnes of al the world For wheras al the worlds synnes are put on me if the recouer of the worlde be sought for I muste do that that God commanded synners to do that is that they should be baptised of the. Do not thou forbyd it but rather further it that euen as I do gladly take vpon me baptisme for synnes sake so do thou gladly procure baptisme for me that the wrath of God may be pacified and remission of synnes ordeyned To this meaning sendeth the Father this voyce out of heauen This is my dearly beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased He speaketh these words at that tyme when Christ is baptised that we may vnderstande that this is oure baptisme and thinke surely that the wrathe of God is pacified and oure synnes purged by this baptisme and that God wil receaue vs again into fauour for his sonnes sake No difficultie or combrance be it neuer so great should take the sound of this voyce and so magnificēt a reuelation out of oure sight and mynde wheras the Lord oure GOD openeth the heauens and sendeth doune the holy Ghost in the forme of a doue wher as God the Father hym self sendeth forth such a pleasant voyce saying Beholde here is for you my sonne whome I loue and esteme aboue all things yea and my self also wholy for you But what doth the sonne he behaueth hym selfe as a miserable and wretched synner and is baptised of Iohn There coulde be no gentler and meker reuelatiō of al the godheade according to the three persons in three sortes than this was so that all men may be sure of this that he that receaueth Christ and beleueth his word and trusteth in his working pleaseth God in all pointes Which thing is set forth and confirmed in this place Whatsoeuer he commandeth saith or doth all that is verily after the will and pleasure of the Father Blessed were we if we wold obey his will and embrace his sonne with a stedfaste faith and confidence But who wold not meruaill at the great madnes of them which at the sound of this most magnificent voice passe by as deafe But yet the rable of Papistes adde to this contempte a more greuouse crime They curse and persecute this voyce and they speake with open blasphemy that Christ is not only he in whome the Father is delighted but that he is delighted also in Mounkes Masses Pilgrimages and suche lyke He that wold earnestly ponder with hym selfe what a blasphemy this is to dishonour and disgrace Gods goodnes and humanitie with such pryde wold thynk it better to dye then to lyue leaste he should fede on that ayer with this wicked kinde Wherfore my childern learne this whyle ye haue occasion A fewe yeares paste ye knew not these things Then was heauen shut vppe Then were we fayne to hear and beleue Mounkes dreames as touchyng purgatorie and terrible spirits and soules and suche other lyes But now other things are taught and only it remayneth that men learne But for as muche as we preuayle nothing with the worlde as touching this at leaste wyse let vs remember oure duetye and geue GOD thankes for this benefite for that he reueleth his mynde vnto vs on this daye geuing vnto vs a thing of inestimable pryce euen the holye Ghost in the lykenes of a doue his owne sonne at Iordane in baptisme and hym self in a voyce full of maiestie and confort Who woulde not therfore condemne hym worthely whiche geueth not thanks which reioyceth not which receaueth not the sonne of God with a feruent desyer whiche standeth here in Iordane receueth baptisme as a synner Upon whom commeth the holy Ghost in the sight of a doue where the Fathers voyce is so nighe that it can be no nigher There is no doubt but that the angels of God were present For where as is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghoste there muste nedes be a great multitude of Angels Wherfore see that ye esteme this hystory hyghly In dede it is a reuelatiō wher as CHRIST openeth hym self to the wyse men by a starre But this reuelation passeth that very farre For these are three especiall kynges God the Father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost whiche are al present together when Christ is baptised If it had so pleased hym this reuelation might haue ben done as well either in the wildernes or in the temple of Ierusalem But it was shewed euen at baptisme of the set purpose of God that we might learne religiously and reuerently to esteme baptisme And bycause we also are baptised let vs esteme oure selues no other wyse then fresh and new made sayntes The pratynge of the Anabaptistes is very great where as they say now that baptisme is nothyng els than water But with what word myght a man sufficientlye curse these execrable heddye persons This is the Iudgement of brute beastes and not of Christians For there is not only water but also the worde of GOD as it is seen at CHRITES Baptisme For God the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghost is present Wherfore it is no more water of the Element but suche water as in the which the Sonne of God is washed vpon the which the holy Ghost is caried God the Father preacheth that this water might not be counted symple water but sanctified whereat God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is present As Christ also for that cause appoynteth the forme of baptisme that it should be geuen in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Wherfore when a chylde is now baptised the Sonne of GOD is present at this baptisme whiche with his body The holy Ghoste whiche with his presence God the Father whiche with his voyce hath consecrated and halowed baptisme Wherfore it can not be said that it is but water For all the Godhead is present And for this cause we iudge baptisme no mans worke For although a man baptiseth yet he baptiseth not in his name but in the name of the Father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost whiche come and are present at the worke of their owne accorde Or els that wold neuer folow at baptisme that ought to folow Now who is he that wold count this vile and of no valew that God the father the sonne the holy Ghost is present who will be so bold as to calle it very water Is it not euident what God of his owne addeth to
to our frendes but to all men yea to theim that hate vs to them that offende vs and semeth vnworthie of our good will and benefite This great displeasure and anger of ours whiche wee declare by bitter and hatefull woordes is to ouer come as when we saie what shall I medle with suche a knaue I am sore hurte of hym His slaunderyng tongue is not vnknowen to me What Should I helpe him No truely And he were full of Magottes I could not finde in my heart to doe him good And this is the lessō that our nature teacheth vs as touching lende mercie whiche onely hath respecte to our companions and riotfelowes but as for other it abhorreth vs vtterly to shewe any mercie But Christ seketh a remedie for this fault when he requireth vs to doe good to our enemies and to theim that hurte vs Suche mercie saieth he is mete for a christian as your father of heauen hath For without this ye can not be his sonnes nor my brethren whiche haue redemed you with my blood from synne and deathe Doubtlesse ye haue offended your heauēly father manifolde waies you haue broken his commaundementes in all poinctes And God hath a iust cause by your sinne to saie should I giue my sōne for suche vnthriftes yea rather let thē die as thei haue deserued For thei for sweare them selues thei slaunder thei are giuen to coueteousnes and to adulterie thei leaue no kinde of wickednes vndoen let them goe for me and for their leudnesse leudely perishe as thei deserue This maie GOD saieth Christe laye against you but he doeth not yea rather for all the iniuries ye doe vnto hym he hath mercie vpon you and doeth you good giuing you not onely bodie and life foode and familie wife and children and for all them liuelode but also his owne sonne and life euerlastyng Suche mercie also must we vse For what if one haue hurt and offēded thee what is that in respect that thou hast offended GOD so often and so greuously Wherefore if Gods mercie be so greate that he giueth his sonne for his enemies to deliuer thē from death and synne by hym and also giueth all thynges beside as life bodie soule substaunce yea and that when he hath rather an occasion to take vengeaunce to punishe and to plague Put this before thee for an exāple that thou maiest saie thus Although this man hath hurte me greuously and maie seme worthie of a misfortune at my hande yet will I not reuenge For els my mercie should not be christian like but like the Gentiles If he hath doen me wrōg perchaunce I haue otherwise deserued it Now when he hath nede of my helpe I will not requit euill for euill For I se that he hath nede of helpe and that it is in my power to helpe hym For thus dealeth my heauenly father with me c. It is euidently seen how full of wickednes and wrong the husbande menne and the people of the countrie be If thei could sell the vilest thyng thei haue for the moste highest price thei would not feare to doe it The tounes men and citezens also hath very corrupt maners thei scrape together substāce by right or by wrong thei care not how Thei liue riotuously thei deceiue and defraude as many as euer thei can This might well moue other to stomacke their doyng and to deny theim helpe when thei are in aduersitie But a christian hath a precept cōtrary to it whiche is that he should not remember any displeasure doen vnto hym What is this to me saith he if thei be wicked leude shall I giue vp therefore my purpose of well doyng Yea I will doe rather after the maner of a good tree from the whiche if a man plucke beate or shake doune fruicte it bringeth out the more the next yere with out paine So will I doe If I haue doen good for thee and thou shewest thy self vnkinde and dooest me a shrewde turne for it yet will I not hereby be compelled to forsake well dooyng If thou art a thornie bushe and canst doe nothing but pricke yet I will not become like vnto thee in life but I will rather shewe my self a fruitfull vine to bring forth swete grapes For so doeth my heauenly father He geueth to wicked people and vnthriftes housholde stuffe liuelode clothyng goodes bodie and soule peace seasonable weather and all thynges necessarie He giueth vs the light of the Sonne whereas we rather haue deserued Brimstome and fire from heauen but yet we haue it not For he will not bee made a churle for our vnkindnes sake but he saith If you are disposed to bee naught yet will not I forsake my naturall goodnesse I will giue bothe Sonne and water from heauen to the good euil And this is the example that Christ appointeth vs to followe that we also likewise maie be mercifull and not prouoked to malice by other mennes malice after the maner of the worlde that reuengeth and pursueth his right This maie not christian menne doe Yea rather thei ought to praie for their foes that GOD will make of them profitable and fruictfull plantes whiche are now wilde thornie and baren bushes And this is be you mercifull as your father of heauen is mercifull whiche is also moste bountefull euen to his very enemies But we must put in a caueat in this place and beware that wee take not this doctrine of mercie so although all kynde of reuengyng were disanulled hereby For there are diuers persones in one christian man A christian and the disciple of Christ doeth not reuenge But after this there be diuers descriptions of offices as of fathers in a familie of Iudges in a shire of Magistrates in a citie of Erles in an Erledome of Kynges in a Kyngdome All these offices can not bee without reuengyng And thei that are in theim should offende if thei should not punishe suche thynges as are dooen against the common wealthe For by the commaūdement of God in this must those thynges be performed whiche are ordained of GOD for the preseruation of the commonaltie that the offenders bee punished and breakers of order restrained For if any manne would exercise ouerth warte mercie it would euidently appere to what poincte it would come when foolishe mercie shewed to a fewe shall be tourned to the vtter vndoing of many First are thei betrayed to whom this vntrue mercie is shewed then ensueth the breakyng of discipline rule without the whiche the worlde can not consiste in safegard Wherefore GOD requireth this of all gouernours and ouerseers of order that accordyng to their office thei vse straight punishement and if thei cease to doe so let theim knowe thei shall giue accompt thereof to the high magistrate whiche is God hymself Wherefore this commaundement of Christ consisteth in a certaine respecte to an other order that is that the sonnes of GOD that is to saie Christiās
and to instructe in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes Thus haue we heard most dere brethren both what a precious pearle ioyfull iewell and noble treasure the woorde of God is and also what inestimable fruictes incomparable commodities and vnoutspeakable profites it bryngeth vnto vs. Uerily it is more woorthe then precious stones and all the thynges as Salomon saieth that thou canst desyre are not to be compared vnto it For the gettyng of it is better then any marchandise of syluer and the profite of it is better then gold Upon her ryght hand is long lyfe and vpon her left hande is richesse and honour Her waies are pleasant wayes and all her pathes are peaceable She is a tree of lyfe to them that lay holde vpon her and blessed is he that kepeth her faste For her doctrine is better then syluer and the knowledge thereof is more worthe then fyne gold and precious stones O blessed is the man that heareth the word of God watching dayly at her gates and geuyng attendance at the postes of her doores For who so fyndeth her fyndeth lyfe and shall obteyne fauoure of the LORDE But who so offendeth agaynste her hurteth his owne soule But all they that hate her are the louers of deathe Now what fruictes cōmodities and profites we receyue by the word of God we haue tofore partly heard Salomon addeth and saith That the worde of God geueth long life maketh mē to walke safely to slepe swetely deliuereth from sodain feare preserueth such as embrace her promoteth them bringeth thē vnto honor is lyfe vnto them and health vnto al their bodies deliuereth from the straunge woman and from the harlote which geueth swete woordes enricheth her louers with wisedome knowledge vnderstanding doctrine learning councell magnanimitie strength righteousnes iudgement richesse wealth prosperitie honour renoume glorie c. This incomparable treasure I meane the woorde of God with the fruites therof hath God of his great mercy committed vnto you by callyng you vnto the ministerie of his moste glorious Gospell and vnto the dispensation of his diuine misteries not that ye should become dumbe dogges not able to barke not that ye should conceale hyde and kepe secrete these ioyfull iewels and precious pearles but that ye should publish sette foorth declare and make them to be knowen to other as our Sauiour Christe saieth A citie that is sette on an hyll can not be hyd neither doo men lyght a candel and put it vnder a bushell but on a candell sticke and it geueth lyght vnto all that are in the house Agayn What I tell you in darknes that speake ye in lyghte And what ye heare in the eare that preache ye on the house tops God wyll haue his mysteries his lawes his decrees his statutes his testimonies blased abrode and made knowen to all creatures and not be kept in houcker moucker as thynges not able to abyde the lyght that all men may glorify prayse his holy blessed name by hauyng knowledge of them And that it may so come to passe accordynge to his godly wyll he hath called you to an office not to say masse not to mumble a great number of prayers in a strange tonge not to exorcise or coniure water salt bread candles fyre palmes ashes c. not to offer sacrifices for the quicke and the dead not to hear auricular confession not to absolue men from their synnes with a fewe latin wordes c. but to preache the gospell to declare the lawe of the Lorde to the people to publyshe his holy testament to reproue synne to declare to the world their vices synnes and wickednes to exhort al men to repentance fayth hope loue pacience long suffryng mercy gentlenes and such other fruictes of the spirite and to leade a lyfe agreable to theyr profession in all godlynesse and honestie As my Father hath sent me saieth Christ so send I you Now who knoweth not that Christ was sent to preache as he hymselfe saieth by the Prophete He hath sent me to preach the Gospell to the poore And in the Euangelicall hystorie he saieth Let vs go into the next townes that I may preache there also For therfore am I come And he preached sayeth the Euangelist in theyr synagoges and in all Galilee Again he sayth I must preache also to other cities the Gospell of the kyngdome of God for to that ende was I sent If ye therfore be sent of Christ and called vnto the ministerie and haue not rather thruste in your selues for hope of worldly gayne and bodyly ease euen to the entent that ye maye lyue wealthylye and ydelly of the labour of other mennes handes and of the sweate of other mennes browes as it is to bee feared that a greate number doo at this present daye rather seekyng their owne then the profyte of the flocke so are ye sent to preache not mennes traditions but the Gospell of the kyngdome of God And this was the commission that Christe gaue to his Apostles and to all theyr successours Goe sayeth he thoroughe out the worlde and preache the Gospell to euerye creature If ye therefore bee the successours of Christes Apostles so haue ye receaued an Iniunction frome the hyghe shepehearde and euerlastynge Byshoppe Iesus Christe to preache the Gospelle Neyther canne ye bee his Disciples excepte ye earnestly studye to obeye and fulfyll his Iniunction Christe woulde haue the loue of hys Apostles towarde hym none otherwyse knowen but by feedynge his lambes and shepe If thou louest me sayeth he feede my lambes feede my shepe fede my shepe If ye therefore wyll shewe your selues to loue Christe so muste ye feede the flocke of Christ as Sainct Peter saieth The Elders whiche are among you I exhorte whyche am also an elder and a wytnesse of the afflictions of Christe and also a partaker of the glorye that shall bee opened Feede ye Christes flocke as muche as lieth in you takyng the ouersyght of theym not as compelled thereto but wyllynglye not for the desyre of fylthy lucre but of a good mynde not as thoughe ye were lordes ouer the paryshes but that ye be an ensample to the flocke And whenne the chiefe shephearde shall appeare ye shall receaue an incorruptible crowne of glorie Now yf ye feede not the flocke of Christe but rather your selues if ye eate vp the fatte if ye clothe your selues wyth the wolle if ye deuoure the mylke and yet laboure not aboute the safe kepyng of the flocke but rather churlyshly and cruelly reigne and rule ouer them catchyng and snatchynge frome theym what ye can gette so that they are scattered here and there as shepe without a shephearde and are deuoured of all the beastes of the fielde howe can ye iustly saye that ye loue Christ If thou louest me saith he fede my lambes and fede my shepe Agayne Ye are my
and with one mynde approche at this present vnto the gracious throne of thy diuine maiestie moste humbly besechyng thee that forasmuche as we of our selues and of our owne nature are altogether corrupte ignoraunt blynde and vtterly estranged from the felyng and perceauynge of thy diuine mysteries suche is our ignorance and blyndnesse thorow olde Adam it may please thee of thy mercyfull goodnesse by thy holy and blessed spirite to open our senses to leade vs into all truthe to purifie our heartes and to make oure myndes mete vessels to receaue the swete wyne of thy most swete and glorious Gospell O open thou our eyes that we may see the wondrous thinges of thy lawe Hyde not thy commaundementes frome vs but teache vs thy statutes and make vs to vnderstand the way of thy commaundementes that we may talke of thy meruailous workes Teache vs O Lord the way of thy statutes and make vs to go in the pathe of thy commandementes Encline our heartes vnto thy testimonies quicken vs in thy wayes and take not the worde of truthe oute of our mouthe O geue vs vnderstandyng acordyng to thy word that we may learne thy commandementes and be occupied in thy lawes Let oure heartes be sounde in thy statutes that we be neuer ashamed O shewe the lyght of thy countenance vpon vs thy seruantes teache vs thy testimonies and so order oure steppes in thy worde that no wickednes may haue dominion ouer vs. Sanctifie vs thorowe thy truthe for thy woorde is the truthe Geue to me thy Minister and stewarde of the mysteries of God a well learned tongue that I may confort them whiche are troubled yea and that in due season that I may shew good tydynges vnto the poore that I maye bynde vp the wounded heartes that I may preache deliueraunce to the captiues and open the prison to them that are bound that I may make ioyfull all them that are in heauynesse and thorowe thy worde geue to them that mourne beaultie in stede of ashes ioyefull oyntment for syghyng and pleasant rayement for an heauye mynde that I may hold vp the weake that I maye heale the sycke that I may bynd together the broken that I may bryng agayne the outcastes and seke vp them that are loste so that thys people may be called trees of righteousnesse and a plantynge of the Lorde for hym to reioyce in O geue me that mouthe that spirite that wisedome agaynst the whyche all the aduersaries of thy truthe shall not be able to speake nor resyst Geue to me that preache thy worde with great power that I may be able to exhort by wholsome doctrine and to improue them that speake agaynst it Geue me grace also O Lorde that I may not only be the salt of the earth but also the lyghte of the worlde namely that I may not onely truly and faithfully sincerely and purely reuerently and godly bryng foorthe oute of the treasure house of thy holy worde thynges newe and olde that is to say the doctrine bothe of the olde and newe testamente euen the lawe and the Gospell but also that in my lyfe and maners I may be an ensample to the faithfull in worde in conuersation in loue in spirite in fayth in puritie and in all pointes shew my selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that nedeth not to be ashamed distributynge the woorde of truthe iustly so that I may be to the flocke an ensample of good workes in honestie and grauitie that he whyche withstandeth maye be ashamed hauyng no euyll thyng to speake of me lest by any meanes it come to passe that when I haue preached to other I my selfe should be a cast away and so become a slaunder to the good doctrine that I professe and teache Geue also to the people that are here gathered together to heare the worde of their saluation a good spirite that al cloudes of ignorancie brought in by olde Adam vtterly dispelled driuen away they may learne to knowe thee to be theyr alone Sauiour which knowledge is perfect righteousnesse and the roote of immortalitie yea it is euerlastyng lyfe and without the whyche knowledge we all are but as moyles and horses voyde of all goodnes and grace walkyng in the vanities of our owne imaginations vtterly estranged from God and all godlynesse O moste louynge Lorde open theyr heartes that they may vnderstand thorough the preachyng of the word thy holy and blessed wyll and always doo that not whiche carnall reason fleshly imagination blynd zeale good intent and humayne wysedome iudgeth to be good and holy but that only whiche thou in thy blessed lawe commaundest to be doone all strange woorshippynges vtterly excluded and banyshed O swete sauiour make them that good earth which receuing the healthfull sede of thy moste wholsom worde may bryng forth fruite plentuously some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thirty folde Geue theym grace so to lyue and so to behaue them selues in all poyntes as it becommeth them that embrace thy Gospell Lette theym not bee of the number of those whyche wyth theyr mouth professe God and with their deedes denye hym but make them not onely diligente hearers of thy woorde but also feruent and earnest doers of the same Let them not be lyke the fyue foolishe virgins whiche hadde lampes and no oyle but rather so woorke in theym by thy holy spirite that they maye worthyly be resembled to the fyue wyse virgins whyche had not onely lampes but also oyle in their lampes that is to saye they dyd not onely beare the name of Chrystians but theyr conuersation also was garnyshed wyth woorkes meete and seemely for Christians Make them suche as no man can iustely complayne on euen the vnfayned sonnes of God without rebuke shynynge as greate lyghtes in the worlde euen in the myddes of a croked and peruerse nation holdyng faste the woorde of lyfe that they whyche backebyte them as euyll doers seynge theyr good workes may cease to speake euyll and glorifie thee our Lord God in the day of visitation Fynally graunt bothe to me the Preacher and to these the hearers and to so manye as vnfaynedly professe thy blessed name grace and strength from aboue that we maye soo handle and heare thy woorde that we beynge no forgetfull hearers but diligent doers of the same may thorowe Faithe in thee obteyne that blessyng whyche thou haste promysed to all theym that heare the worde of God and kepe it Grant thys O moste louyng lorde and swete Sauiour for thy greate mercy and goodnes sake Amen A shorter prayer before the Sermon O Almyghty God and moste mercyfull Father the Authour and geuer of all wysedome whych at the intercession of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour diddest sende downe accordyng to thy promyse thy holy spirit to lyghten the heartes and senses of the apostles before they could syncerely vnderstande the
in hymselfe to the contryte vexed and miserable consciences and make their herts that were full of tremblyng and ouercome by dreade and feare to be mery and ioyfull Moyses is an high prophete but this can he not doo For all his sermons doo sounde on this wise Thou must obserue the law orels perishe This was a very torment to the Iewes The Phariseys dyd fast payd tithes and endeuoured with all their study to represent the lawe and thought that they had no nede of any gospel of any Christ but that all other thynges were without peryll and that god coulde not but receaue them into heauen for their fastes prayers almes c. These be riche and perfect sprited men which haue no nede of god and his grace and this is very true that this doctrine of Moyses is necessarie and that men ought to be indued with this discipline and instruction euen as in an Empire or kyngdome there must nedes be had somners hangmen to execute corporall punyshement on theim that wyll not obey the lawe that steale that commytte aduoutrie and slaughter But when the agonie of death is at hand this doctrine of Moyses by all mēs iudgement is to no purpose although thou hast obserued it neuer so muche Thou must nedes saye and confesse Although I haue not ben an aduoutrer a thefe a robber yet doo I onely flee to thy mercy If this be not all workes be they neuer so great preuaile not against desperation As there is an historie in the lyues of the fathers of a certayne man that stode styll three whole dayes in one place and continually lyfted vp his eyes into heauen with mournyng and waylyng And whē his Disciples asked of hym why he was so greately troubled he answered I feare death Then euery man endeuored to comfort hym and thought it the best for that purpose to put him in remembrāce of his straight kynde of lyuyng and of his kepynge of Goddes preceptes But he testified playnly before them that this made nothing against the fear of death For although sayeth he I haue kept gods preceptes very straightly yet I can not be without the feare of death for I knowe that gods iudgement is not lyke vnto mans This Father proceded so farre that he vnderstoode that when these tourmentynges begynne and dryue vs to God and to his iudgement that Gods Iudgement is so greuous seuere and harde that our holines and good workes can not withstande and susteyn it Wherfore although the lawe is to be taught and the discipline of good woorkes is to bee put in execution the cōmandements to be done yet when death commeth let vs dispaire as concernyng all oure workes and the rightuousnes therof This is one of the poore that is mencioned in this place But hee can not telle what he myght surely stycke vnto For this was lackyng to him wherof Christ speketh in this place The Gospell is preached to the poore But the Gospell is suche a doctrine as touchyng Christe that it comforteth a synner and dothe adhort hym not to feare For Christ commaunded it to be preached to the contrite that he geueth his owne rightuousnes for thee which is euerlastinge Thys Grace dooth hee procure to bee taught to thee by his worde Wherfore doubt not It shall chance vnto thee as thou hearest if thou beleue For the Gospell signifieth a faire and quiet doctrine ioyfull tidynges If a riche man woulde promise to a begger a thousand nobles that would be a gospell to the begger and ioyfull tydynges and pleasant to the eare But what ar all riches in comparison of this gospell and good tidynges that Christe hath respect vnto the poore and is suche a kynge whiche maketh the dead synners and captiues of the lawe parttakers of euerlasting life righteousnes Suche is my kingdom saith he muche vnlike the kingdom of the worlde wher only this regard is had to aduaunce the mighty For he that is moste of might there doth moste oppresse the poore Ther the potestate vseth extremitie which spareth no man can not suffer vice vnpunished Wher it hath his sergeāts his rods the sword water fier that the euyll doers may be punished But in the kingdom of Christ it wil be otherwise Wherfore as it is a miracle to rayse the dead so is this the chiefe miracle that God hath sent vs such a kinge that is kinge of sinners and sheweth his gospell to them Moses and his law knoweth of no such kinge For there it is enacted that he that is a sinner is condemned to the diuell and to death This now appereth hereby that God is kinge of the holy and rightuous which hath farre perfecter holynes then that that the ciuill lawes requier And it is trew that that doctrine of the law is Gods word and that Moyses ministration by the lawe is Gods ministration As lykewise the ciuill empires are well called the empires of God for as much as he cōmaundeth such to be had vs also to obei therto But these are onli the empires of Gods lefte hād But the kingdome of his right hand is wher he reigneth him self neither doth he substitute any lieutenantes parētes magistrates other officers but he ruleth him self so ordreth the matter that the gospel be preached to the poore In the which thou learnest that whē thy rightuousnes cā not abide the iudgement of God to say thus I haue done lord that I cold I haue obeied my parēts masters with al diligence I haue done no man any dishonestie I haue not ben a murmurer I haue sene diligētli to my houshold them that were committed to my cure I haue done no wrong to my neighboure I haue not stollen I haue not cōmitted aduoutery c. But what is this to the purpose whē the matter is tried before thy Iudgemēt This is nothing to thy kingdō Wherfore whē I know that thing in thy gospel that thy sonne our Lord Iesu Christ shewed diuers signes amōgest the which this is also that thi sonne preached to the poore that is that he was sent frō the to this purpose to cōfort the afflicted cōsciences to this entēt haue I now receaued the gospel For I can not be without it wheras I am vexed and poore and there is no wher els any confort either in my goodes either in all the worlde Thus saith also the prophet Esaias of Christ as Christ saith here also the lord hath geuē me a learned toung that is God hath put this word in my tongue that I may at due season speake with the weary that is confort the dreadfull cōsciēces As the euāgelist doth expoūd it in this place saith that the gospell is preached to the poore for the king Christ was sent to preache good tydings to cōfirme the trembling fearful cōsciences And his kingdome is a kingdō of cōfort wherein the dreadful muste be
it not yet properlye he toucheth the thynge that was meant by the name so that he consenteth in all points with the Angell whiche brought this diuine name from heauen causynge hym to be named Iesus because he shoulde saue his people from their synnes Simeon calleth him the saluatiō of the Lord that is whome the Lorde himselfe ordained to be a sauiour And as touching this name I haue spoken before of the childe Iesu that wheras God hath ordayned the maiestrate the parēts and such other necessary offices to be our sauiours in corporall and temporall affaires as the phisitions in sycknes lawyers in expoundynge what is euery mans right So yf this chylde had not cōme with an other kynd of saluation Simeon could neuer haue had suche great confidence in his matters as to expound that his death was but a licence to depart or a salfe conducte to go in peace he could neuer haue regarded synne and death so lyghtlye Wherfore sith Simeon confesseth that he shall depart in peace out of this life bycause he hath sene the saluation of God he defineth plainly that he is a sauiour againste sinne and death For how colde he els haue suche sure confidence of peace in a sauiour that was a man This description is not lightlye to be regarded For it cōprehendeth a great wayghtie matter in fewe wordes It is but one child whom Simeon so nameth Wherfore it is herby euidently proued that whatsoeuer is beside this childe seme it neuer so commendable through the name or outwarde shewe therof yet can it haue no power to bring to saluation or to put awaye death and synne But whosoeuer suffereth it to be applied vnto hym for saluation worketh his owne damnation Wher Simeon by this worde mindeth to abolishe and derogat all rites and ceremonies and all the obseruations of the lawe that no man shold put any hope of saluation in them and that whosoeuer trusteth in the lawe in his workes shall neuer obtayne to be saued For wheras he by a notable praise calleth this child the saluation of God it is easye to gather therby that all ayde and remedie againste death remaineth onely in hym Wherof then commeth this hope in the Iewes that put suche trust in the law and his workes What meaneth the Pope and his adherents so highly to extoll Masses Pilgrimages pardons as though saluation came by them syth this is the name of this child only neyther may it be geuen and communicat to any thyng or creature besydes The only wordes of Simeon may be taken for an argument against these wicked persuasions and opinions For mine eyes saith he hath sene thy saluation I say euen that thou almightie father hast ordayned hym to be a saluation to synners For the worlde must nedes finde out saluations againste sinne The Iewe thinketh it saluation if he obserue the law The monke and religious man thinketh it saluation if he bynde himselfe to a certaine kynd of life by a vowe and some chose certaine of the sainctes to be their patrones and defenders against synne and hell All thinke that purchasyng of saluation cōsisteth in their maner of lyuing But who can number the workes that procede of mēs traditions and Idolatrous seruice in the popedome wherin consisted their chiefe hope of saluation Yf they had well considered this verse of Simeon they shoulde haue perceaued that this ought to haue ben auoyded as a most haynous sacrilege and robbing God of his dewe honour and they wold not haue ordained any other sauiours thā was determined by the saying of Simeon They wolde haue suffered hym onlye to haue this glory whom God had appointed so to be in whome no man that trusteth can be disapointed For to this ende came this child and for this purpose was he sent of God euen to bring saluation vnto vs. Wherfore in this saluation whiche God hath prepared there is suche store of sauing helth that the conscience may therby haue perfect quiet and neuer more dreade the crueltie of death or violence of synne or the ragyng tyrannie of the deuill for as muche as he hath the sauing health of God prepared redie that is the almightie and euerlasting saluation whiche lacketh no kynde of succoure and helpe to saue vs againste synne and death and geue vs abondance of lyfe and rightuousnes Let vs only with this Simeō embrace this child that is stycke vnto hym with a true faith that we maye conceyue a sure comfort by hym For when this is surely printed in our heart that this child is that prepared saluation ordained to helpe vs againste synne and death then doth ensue therof suche peace of cōscience that syn and death skeareth vs but in vaine For our sauiour is redye to helpe vs against it And to entreat more at large of the saluation that commeth by this child let vs take the record of Iohn the Baptist discribynge hym thus Behold the lambe of god that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde In these wordes is described the sacrifice vpon the crosse for syn and the conqueringe of death by his resurrection to iustifie vs and to make vs rightuous Wherfore to the obtainment of this saluation he by his death and resurrection geueth vs helpe against sin and death And albeit that a Christian man must not omitte to do good workes yet is not saluation obtained therby neither remission of syn but this is only obedience due vnto god which god requireth And he that will not performe it is not deliuered from his sinnes for his disobedience For this is the only true way to obtayne that euen that he that seeketh howe to be deliuered from syn and death sholde whollie flee to this saluation that is prepared for vs of god that it might take our synnes vpon hym and make satisfaction for them so deliuer vs. He that doth this may say with Simeon Whatsoeuer feare or dreade by death and other perils is set before vs this is my sure comfort againste them all that thou Lorde lettest thy seruaunt departe in peace He that trusteth to anye other thynge shall in steade of peace fynde anguishe and extreme miserie in suche a tyme. For he shall not haue this sauynge health but in death and damnation shall he perishe Neither muste we make anye suche difference betwene vs and Simeon as thoughe he myght more boldlye truste in this saluation because he had power to take the childe in his armes and to beholde hym and we not so because we haue no suche power For as touchynge the effecte of the matter the bodely presence is not auaylable or hath no great importance Many other Iewes doubtlesse dyd at that very time beholde CHRIST and yet obtayned no saluation therbie Only this was effectuouse in Simeon and furthered hym to saluation for that he thorowe the inspiration of the holy Ghoste embraced this childe whiche nothynge differed from other children by reason and
owne commoditie makyng them of angry woordes moste comfortable wordes She denieth not the wordes of Christ but graunteth them to be trewe Thou sayth she callest me dogge I grant I am a dogge neither doo I desire to be in better case then dogges are Let the children haue those thinges that are most fyne plesant and daintie Onely lette me haue the crummes that fall frome the table and are not regarded of the children This shall right well suffise me Here snareth she Christ in his owne woordes And by this meanes commeth it so to passe that she whyche dydde humble her selfe to be compared vnto dogges is nowe receaued of Christe amonge the children This is a most singular and notable example sette foorthe vnto vs to declare that we ought to be not waueryng but constant in Faythe and continually to call vpon yea as I may so speake euen make wearye Christ with oure prayers and not to leaue of tyll we haue obteined oure desire Lette vs be moued nothinge at all with the contumelious and reprochefull woordes of Dogges Ethnyckes Paynymes c. For dogges are not wythoute maysters neyther are they wythout theyr meate And the Heathen also haue a GOD. With thys harde holde and stronge fayth of the woman is the Lorde Christe taken and ouercome so that he aunswereth and saythe O woman haste thou so muche strengthe in thee to resyste suche so many and so great tentations Uerily great is thy faythe Be it vnto thee accordyng to thy desyre and faithe For it semed vnto hym a rare thynge and seldome founde in any other As touchyng the Iewes he knewe ryght welle that they were offended streyght wayes euen with one worde when he sayd that they must eate his fleshe or els they could not be saued But thys woman not withstandyng all these vnkynd wordes and ouerthwart answers of Christ continued styll in her promyse nothyng doubtyng but surely beleuyng that at the last she should obteyn her desyre But one thyng is not here to be passed ouer I meane the cause why Christ shewed him selfe so hard to this woman Ueryly not to the end that he would not healpe her nor graunt her her requeste but that by this meanes the womans fayth myght be proued and sette foorth vnto other for an example and that the Iewes whych were chyldern and heyres myght learne of thys Cananite whyche was no heyre howe they shoulde beleue in CHRISTE and repose all theyr affiaunce confydence and truste in hym For thys is the thynge that Christe requyrethe wherein also hee chiefly delyghteth Therefore hauynge triall of thys womans faythe he coulde no longer hyde and kepe secrete hys mercy and louyng kyndnes from her but sayde Go thy way Bee it vnto thee accordyng to thy desyre And by this meanes he makethe not only her daughter whole but he also of his owne free will promiseth moreouer to geue vnto her what so euer shee wille or desire yea and geuethe vnto her also the dignitie and right of the sede of Abraham And all these thynges are brought to passe thorough faith so that now she is become the daughter of AbrahaÌ„ an holy womaÌ„ And herof may we lern that though God somtyme when we pray vnto hym do make delay in grauntyng vs our desyres yet we should not be weary but continue still in prayer faythfully beleuing that he wyll at the laste graunt vs our requestes and abundantlye satisfie our desyres For although he seemeth sometyme by outwarde apparance to neglect not to respecte nor regard our prayers yet in his heart he beareth alwayes an heartie good wyll toward vs whiche in his tyme he wyll openly declare and bryng all thynges vnto good effecte so that we cease not to pray vnto him nor geue ouer our suite as we may se not onely by the example of this woman but also of many other Ioseph beyng in prison .xiii. yeres cryed vnto God for helpe But the more he cried the worse wente it with hym And soo goeth it nowe adayes with the Christians When they haue long cryed and called vpon God they feele no reliefe or ease of their paynes at all but the longer the worse euen as it came to passe with Ioseph If God had sooner delyuered Ioseph it had ben to the greate ioye and comforte of Iacob his father but then shoulde the dignitie of Ioseph neuer haue ben so greatly beautified and auanced His abode was longe in pryson but it was abundantly recoÌ„penced For after this his so long emprisonmeÌ„t he was made the myghtiest lord greatest gouernour in all the lande of Egypte nexte vnto the king Neyther do we rede in the holy scriptures that any of a subiect captiue came vnto higher dignitie vnder hys prince then Ioseph Euen so â—ouyngly and fauourably wyll God deale with vs although he heareth not streight waies our prayers nor granteth vs our requestes Let vs holde faste his promyse with a constant faithe Lette vs not waxe wearie of praying but stylle contynue in supplication and prayer vntyll he haue mercy on vs. For he wyll at the last vndoubtedly come and perfourme his promyse For thys hys worde must always abyde true Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will geue it you Our nature can abyde no delayes but woulde haue oure prayers hearde and graunted out of hande We must therfore enarme our selues with strong Faith against suche tentations Let it so be that God a long tyme semeth to denye our requestes and maketh delayes a great number of yeares yet must we diligently take heede that wee by no meanes suffer oure faythe and hope to be taken away from his promise For the end wyll be he wyll geue vs more then we haue asked as we may see in the storye of this woman If she hadde asked mo thynges without doubt CHRIST wold neuer haue denyed them vnto her By this example therfore we are taughte that it is not alwayes for our profite when we praye streight wayes to be hearde When we be in greatest danger and almoste paste all hope then God heareth vs out of hande As when we be in peryll of drownyng or in daunger of ennemies There is no taryance to be made where peryll with destruction is at hande But where the matter maye be deferred there lette vs knowe that GOD doothe it to exercyse and to trye oure Faythe yet so that hee wyll in his tyme come and healpe as the Prophete Abacucke saythe If the Lorde make any tariance see that thou paciently abyde his commynge For he wyll surely come and not tary In these oure dayes also he seemeth to make delayes He suffereth the Pope and the Turke to doo what they wyll agaynste vs. We crye and lament He heareth not and maketh as though he knew vs not In the meane season we are myserably handeled as though we had no God at all But the matter wyll one daye
to praye c. But the whole pythe and summe of the matter consisteth in this and so is delyuerance frome synne obteyned that thou knowest that Christ is gone vnto the Father although good workes may not be left vndone For thou arte commanded of God in the tenne commaundementes to doo them and diligentely to exercise thy selfe in all good dedes commaunded of God and prescribed in hys holye woorde But thow mayste not adde thys vnto theym That thou sekest to bee iustified and made ryghteous by theym For by thys is righteousnesse onely to bee goten that CHRIST is gone vnto the Father Thys is the alone waye and none other whereby wee are delyuered frome our synnes and iustifyed Christes iourneye or goyng vnto the Father is none other thynge thenne that hee hathe suffered dyed on the Crosse and by deathe is gone awaye oute of the worlde vnto the Father that is He is ascended into heauen and there sytteth on the ryghte hande of GOD the Father and gouerneth his Kyngedome Wee see not thys but we beleue it Thys is the whole matter whereby we are iustifyed so that ryghteousnesse is not to bee imputed to my strengthe or power but to Iesus Christe because hee goeth vnto the Father And yf wee wylle speake it wyth playne woordes it is thus muche to saye No man is iustified or saued or delyuered from synne but by this onely that Iesus Christ hath suffered dyed and risen agayne This goyng of Christ iustifieth thee and none other thyng But nowe marke howe that doothe agree wyth thys doctrine that the Papistes teache He that wyll be saued say they must bryng that to passe with his owne workes In dede this is godly and truely sayd that a Christen man must lyue in this worlde godlye iustly and holyly but that he shall bee made righteous by his holy and good workes that is most false For it is here playne that the goynge of Christe vnto the Father worketh that onely This is the assured certayn true and infallible righteousnes wherof the worlde knoweth nothynge The Holye Ghoste onely reueleth and openeth that mysterie But the Papistes obiecte thys saying of Christe agaynst vs If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes Thys hathe an other maner of meanynge And by this it appearethe euidentely that the Papystes knowe not what it is to keepe the commaundementes For yf they dydde they woulde otherwyse expounde that sentence of CHRIST Therefore this sayenge abydethe sure and certayne that there is none other Ryghteousenesse and Euerlastynge lyfe for vs thenne thys that the Lorde Christe Iesus is gone oute of thys worlde vnto the Father Holde faste thys Doctrine and lette not the deuyll by any meanes plucke it awaye frome thee The deuyll maye feare me and trouble my conscience for of oure owne strengthes wee are not able to preuayle agaynst hym but there is an other way which not I but Christe goeth thoroughe hyghe obedience towarde his heauenly Father Hym that is to saye CHRIST shall the deuyll neuer bee able to make vnryghteous or a synner althoughe thoroughe synne hee hathe the hygher hande of me Therefore lette thys bee oure assured truste and synguler great conforte and stedfastely beleue that by Christes goyng vnto the Father wee haue ryghteousnesse euen Remyssion of oure synnes and Euerlastynge lyfe For Faythe is necessarie to embrace thys woorke of oure Sauiour Christe The goynge and worke of Christ is certayne Christe hath fynyshed all the whole matter soo that nowe there remaynethe nothynge elles but that we embrace thys woorke of Christe wyth a sure and vndoubted Faythe and conforte our selues therewyth Doest thou beleue it So haste thou it Doest thou not beleue it Then haste thou nothyng Thys is doone that we shoulde vtterly caste awaye our owne ryghteousnesse whyche is altogether spotted and vnpure as the Prophete saythe All oure ryghteousnesses are as a polluted and defyled clothe and sette all oure Faythe hope truste and confydence onely vppon CHRIST alone and vppon his worke or goynge vnto hys Father that we may be at all tymes certayne and sure where to reste and of whome to seeke our saluation For yf oure Righteousnesse dydde consyste in our owne woorkes and satisfactions in oure owne confession and contrition as they preached and yet do in the Popes church so should our heartes neuer be quiet neither shold we at any tyme bee certayne and sure of our saluation For whenne shoulde we knowe and be sure that we haue bene sorye ynoughe confessed doone penaunce ynoughe and made satisfaction ynoughe Therefore hathe CHRIST taken all that matter frome vs and layde it vppon hym selfe that wee shoulde leaue to hym alone moste stedfastely beleeuynge that hys goyng vnto the Father hys deathe and satisfaction is oure Ryghteousnesse For in this behalfe there can bee no vncertayntie For the persone is suche euen CHRISTE Iesus the sonne of GOD as in whome no faulte canne be founde And he it is that dothe thys worke whyche was ordeyned of the Father that by hym we myght haue healpe agaynste synne deuyll and deathe In consideration wherof Iohn Baptist calleth him the lambe of God saying Beholde that lambe of God that taketh awaye the synne of the worlde Thys therefore is a moste perfect determination in thys oure Gospelle that ryghteousnesse consisteth not in that we eyther doo or leaue vndoone but in thys that Christe goeth vnto the Father Whyche ryghteousnesse whenne that thou haste ones gotten through Fayth then do thou also good workes and apply thy self to the vttermost of thy power to shew thyâ—e obedience whyche thou owest vnto GOD. For before thou haste embraced Christe wyth a certayne and sure Faythe thou canste doo noo good woorke The Christen ryghteousnesse therefore is a mooste synguler and excellente ryghteousnesse whiche no hearte can thynke no reason or wysedome can conceaue All the matter is to be knowen and learned of the Holye Ghoste Neyther though we heare it can neither though we heare it can it otherwise be perceaued then by faith alone as Christe sayth here I go vnto the father yea shall se me no more That is to say ye must beleue otherwise shal ye neuer coÌ„preheÌ„de this my worke of your iustification This is the Christian righteousnes whiche the holy ghoste alone teacheth Of the righteousnes of the world Philolosophers Lawyers and the expositours of the lawe do teache parentes also in their familie But a Christen mans knowledge is an other maner of science wherof the worlde knoweth nothing namely that without faith all things are sin that the true euerlasting righteousnes consisteth in this only that Christ goeth to the father we se him no more The third part is that the holy ghoste also rebuketh the worlde of iudgement What maner of iudgement this is Christ sheweth on this wise The prince of the world saieth he is iudged Therfore as the
vnto God euen to cal on his glorious name by feruent prayer This exhortation vnto prayer Christe made after his last supper when he had vttered that parte of his sermon whiche ye haue to fore hearde when he tolde them aforehand that they shoulde be sadde for his departure but notwithstanding that it should be but for a litle whyle for asmuche as he wolde shortly comme againe and see them and so turne their sadnes into gladnes After this consolation foloweth nowe this exhortation vnto prayer and it followeth very aptly in conuenient place For Christen men in their afflictions and troubles in all perilles daungers haue none other helpe then to staye them selfe with praier and to crye vnto God for helpe This doth Christe teache his Disciples in this place that in the tyme of sadnes they shoulde haue their refuge vnto prayer And this he vttereth maruelous pithyly with great vehemencie of wordes that they shoulde do this worke with a stout courage with a stronge fayth and by no meanes be dysmayd For sayth he I say not vnto you that I shal pray my father for you For the father himselfe loueth you because ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I come out from God This is true that Christ sitteth on the right hande of the father and maketh intercession for vs as Paule saith And we knowe that his prayer which he made after his laste supper for his churche and for poore sinners and afterwarde on the crosse was hearde and yet is stil of suche efficacie strength mighte and power that it remaineth styll of full force euen vnto the worldles ende But sayth Christ ye haue no nede of suche prayer as I make for you for ye are able to praye the father neither doubte ye but that your prayer is heard for my father therefore loueth you because ye haue loued me Which is not so to be vnderstanded as though the prayer of Christ should be vnto vs neither conforte nor helpe but that we should not set our owne prayer at naught forasmuche as we loue Christ. For this is most certein and a thing earnestly to be beleued that all that fauour and loue Christe them can not the father hate yea their prayer can he none otherwise then heare Where are nowe the Papistes which haue inculked and set forth vnto vs the inuocation of Sainctes What can be of greater force for the auauncement and setting forth of our prayer then that Christ by his death and departure out of the worlde vnto his father hath gotten vnto vs that entraunce that wheresoeuer we be in temple in house in secret places in the feilde in the shoppe so that we be Christians loue Christe we maye be bolde to come before God to talke with him to praye vnto hym and to craue of hym whatsoeuer we haue nede of For vnto suche prayer we nede nothinge but only suche an hearte as can saye O our heauenly father I knowe that thou louest me because I loue thy sonne and my redemer Christ Iesu. With this boldnes wil I now pray vnto thee not that I am so holy and righteous but because I knowe that thou gladly geuest all thinges for thy sons sake Iesus Christ. In his name I nowe come vnto thee and praye and I doubt not but that thou wilt heare this my prayer whatsoeuer I be For euery man must diligently take hede of this that he do not so long differre his prayer till he shall thincke him selfe pure and cleane ynoug and apt to praye as the deuill will sometime put in a mans mynde and saye Thou arte not nowe apte and mete to praye Thou arte a sinner and god heareth no synners Do this and that worke fyrst and afterwarde when thou felest thy selfe pure and without sinne fall to prayer But he that geueth place to such suggestions of Satan suffreth himselfe to be troubled with suche idle imaginations he shal finde lettes plenty to withdraw and plucke hym awaye from prayer The deuill is sutle and craftie and seketh all meanes possible to let vs from prayer We must therefore get vs certein and present helpes that we maye remoue his subtilties frō vs. And whē soeuer thy necessitie requireth praier thincke that to be the time whē thou oughtest to pray and differre the tyme no lenger but fall straightwaies in hande with prayer If thou of thy selfe be not apte or worthie to praye God will make the apte and worthie For thincke this verely with thy selfe that God loueth thee for Christes sake and not because thou art righteous and holye otherwise should he neuer loue thee nor heare thy prayer For who can be founde righteous and holy in his sight before whom the child of one daye olde yea the Angells in heauen be not pure Enter not O lorde into iudgement with thy seruant saith Dauid for none that lyueth shal be founde righteous before thee God hath wrapped all thinges vnder sinne that he might haue mercie on al sayth S. Paule This requireth Christ in this place that we diligently praye and by no meanes neglecte prayer as some wicked persones are wont scoffingly to saye I said not the lordes prayer not a great whyle and yet I haue as good a stomacke to my meate and drincke as euer I had in my lyfe If thou be a Christen man and chalengest vnto thee that name let neuer suche a worde come out of thy mouth If thou saye the lords prayer no ofter at the lest say it in the morninge when thou ryseth again both before and after meate also when thou goest to bedde at night For we that are Christians are bounde to pray alwayes whiche with the mouth can not at all times be done but this is the prayer of the heart For the heartes of the faythful ought to wyshe this continually that the name of God may be sanctified that his kyngdome maye come that he wil geue vs peace seasonable weather a sounde body good health c. This doth euery Christen man inwardly wishe at all times and although he doth not euer thincke in it yet that is his continuall desire This is a spirituall prayer and a prayer of the hearte And we haue nede of such prayer at all tymes because a Christen man can not so muche as a moment of an houre be safe and without ieopardie for the deuill and his owne fleshe lest he should be cas◠hedlong into diuers sinnes and vices But as with the heart so likewise with the mouth ought we to praye Now what maner of prayer it ought to be Christ teacheth here sayth Aske in my name Againe the father loueth you-because ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I haue come out frō God· And when a man is so instructed that he beleueth in Christ he is the true priest with all his furniture neither wanteth he any thinge but that
Secondarilye this is to be noted that as the scripture geueth a peculiar name vnto CHRIST and calleth hym the worde of GOD So doth it also geue a proper name to the sprite callynge it Spiritus Sanctus that is the holye Ghoste whiche by his grace doth sanctifye the heartes whiche were before vnholy and defiled with synne This name bringeth greate conforte to all good Christian men For they perceaue that they are weaker then the deuill and vnable at all times to resyste hys temptations And as they are verye sorowfull that they fele the euyll spirite sore sette agaynste them so are they put in good hope that by CHRIST they obtayne the holye Ghoste whiche pardoneth theyr synnes and styrreth them to obeye God truly But howe the holye Ghoste dooth bringe thys to passe it is shewed in Iohns Gospell The holye Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of synne of iustice and of iudgement For so are the properties of the Trinitie discerned in the articles of our faith that GOD the father gaue vs bodye and lyfe and made vs to his Kyngedome And after that oure parentes became the firste synners and vnder deaths danger and we also as by enheritance succeded vnto their synne and forfet The sonne of god was made man and thorough his death restored to vs that that was loste deliuered vs from sinne and death This deliuerance doth the holy ghost set forth by the Gospell and so instructe the heartes of men to beleue therin that is to haue sure confort therin that CHRIST died for them and that they maye not doubt but that they are reconciled to God the father by that death so that he wili no more remember their synnes but will forgeue them for Christes sake This doth signifie the sanctifiynge of the heartes or the purifying by fayth as Peter speaketh in the Actes of the Apostles And wher as is suche remission of synnes by faith so that we do not despaire althoughe diuers sinnes remaine but take sure conforte thorowe the death and resurrection of CHRIST There foloweth at the lenght the second sanctifyinge of the holye Ghoste wherein oure bodyes also are sanctified by the holye Ghoste as when we geue ouer oure selues no more to sin nor be delighted therwith but abstayne and studie to do those thynges that please God as Paule teacheth He that stole set hym steale no more but rather let hym labor with his owne handes that that is good that he maye haue to geue to the nedefull c. This is the propertie of the holy Ghoste to begin in vs a newe and true obedience towarde GOD that we maye resiste synne and mortifye the fleshe and so obtaine remission of oure sinnes by faith But this sanctifying is not parfect by and by with the first For if the fyrst were not the second coulde not muche preuayle For fleshe and bloud are full of infirmitie but the deuill is excedynge mighty against vs and we haue receaued onely the firste fruites of the spirite Wherefore this obedience can not be parfect and there is no sanctifyinge to attayne vnto ryghteousnes before GOD and euerlastynge lyfe than the sanctifyinge of fayth wherof is spoken before For thereof dependeth the whole matter wheras the second sanctifyinge when it hath done all that it can confesseth his owne vnprofitablenes and stycketh onelye to the sanctifyinge whiche commeth of Gods grace and mercie Hereof then is it plaine why the holye Ghoste is so called because it doth make holy and sanctifye that is by the word it stirreth vp in vs fayth towarde CHRIST that thereby we maye obtayne remission of oure synnes Besyde this office of sanctifyinge the holy Ghoste hath other offices as he hath other names in scripture For Zacharie calleth hym the spirite of prayer because he encourageth the heartes to truste surelye in GOD and to call vpon hym in their necessities Also CHRIST calleth hym the conforter whiche helpeth oure heartes by stirringe vs to take paciently all thynges that they shoulde be feared by no misfortune or combrance of the worlde Also he calleth him the spirit of truth because to withstand lies and heresies and to confirme the pure word and true faith he is alwayes bent Wheras contrariwise the deuill by our reason and false doctrine woulde caste vs hedlong into errours and lyes These are the proper offices of the holye Ghoste besyde that he garnisheth the heartes of the faythfull with diuers vertues and gyftes and is suche a conforter that bydeth with vs alwayes where as all the worldlye conforte is but for a tyme and at laste forsaketh vs. Seynge then that the holye Ghoste dooth worke suche greate thynges in vs. This also is to be learned Whiche is the waye to attaine to suche greate gyftes and howe they maye begynne to growe in vs and that we maye receaue the holye Ghoste and thereby be sanctifyed and saued As touchynge this thynge CHRIST hymselfe doth teache vs. Luke xj Wheras he sayth on this wise Seynge that you that are euyll can geue good thynges to youre sonnes howe muche more can youre heauenly father geue his holye spyrite vnto them that aske it of hym Yt is a sentence worthy to be rehearsed teachynge fyrste that GOD woulde that the holye Ghoste shoulde be obtayned by prayer of hym and that he geueth it to them that wyth humble prayers desire it of the father Wherefore when thou haste a desyre in thy mynde to obtayne the holy Ghoste of GOD continewe in prayinge and doubte not but thou shalte obtayne This is the redye waye to obtayne the holye Ghoste For CHRIST hym selfe dooth teache thee so to doo and to call vpon GOD the father often for the holye Ghoste but this prayer as all other prayers muste be made also in the name of IESV and on suche wyse muste we praye GOD that he for CHRIST his Sonne sake wyll geue vs the holye Ghoste And to the attainement thereof haue greate helpe in that that Christ ascended to the father for no other cause but to receaue these gyftes of the father and to geue them vnto vs. Wherfore in our prayers we can not doubt for it is not onely commanded of God that we shoulde praye for the holye ghoste and also promised that we shall obtayne but also his wil is redie to geue it For as muche as Christ therfore sitteth at the right hande of God the father to distribute amongest vs these gyftes For he also receaued them of the father as it is writent in the .lxviij. psal Not for hymselfe but for men to geue them vnto them Besides prayers there are other things also necessary to the obtayninge of the holye Ghoste For we muste haue a feruent studie to read or heare the worde of God and to vse often the Sacraments that all these thinges ioyned to gether may make opē the way for the holy ghost For this is once for all
wrathe of the housholder For this is the propertie of greate men when thei are earnestly moued thei speake not many wordes but that that thei speake is ponderous and weightie For thei thinke more greuously inwardly then thei speake outwardly And how muche more dooe these brief woordes signifie the vnspeakeable wrathe of GOD whiche no man can pacifie Yet we esteme them as little as though a gester or skoffer whom we might worthely despise had spoken theim or as though GOD had spoken these thynge in sporte Neither doe we heare or se that as the wordes be in the texte GOD is angrie with vs and that thei proceade of a greate anger and wrathe and that he is neither foole nor childe but the Lorde and GOD aboue all before whom all thynges doe tremble and quake and as the scripture saieth the mountaines with their foundatiōs and the seas and floodes flie from the face of GOD. Onely man is so stiffe necked that he can not feare but rather despise GOD and mocke hym But we preachers are excused For we exhorte you with all diligence that ye regard and set more by this supper then all riches and goodes Wherfore at that daie all the worlde shall beare vs recorde and confesse that we are blamelesse For we set forthe this doctrine so earnestly and studiously that our very aduersaries doe heare it and condēne it for heresie And we are not muche discontēt that thei so dooe For hereby doe thei confesse that thei haue heard read and seen that we haue dooen our message But if we haue not holde our peace but haue taught earnestly and diligently yea and preached so muche that our aduersaries saie we are to vehement let this man be our iudge whiche commaunded vs so to doe And lette hym defende them and condemne vs. We doe not refuse to be iudged which haue the true GOD the true Christe and the true Churche on our part This matter shall be plain when all hidde thynges shall be made open In the meane season lette vs praie to GOD that he will preserue and kepe vs stedfast in suche doctrine and faithe through the holy ghoste And doubtles we shall be welcome to this supper The which thyng our heauenly father graunte vs for Iesus Christes sake through the holie ghost Amen The .iij. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie The Gospell Luke xv THen resorted vnto hym all the Publicanes and synners for to heare him And the Phariseis and Scribes murmured saiyng He receiueth synners and eateth with theim But he put forthe this parable vnto theim saiyng What manne emong you hauyng a hundred Shepe if he lose one of theim dooeth not leaue ninetie and nine in the wildernesse and goeth after that whiche is loste vntill he finde it And when he hath founde it he laieth it on his shulders with ioye And assone as he commeth home he calleth together his louers and neighbours saiyng vnto them Reioyce with me for I haue founde my Shepe whiche was loste I saie vnto you that likewise ioye shall bee in heauen ouer one synner that repenteth more then ouer ninetie and nine iuste persones whiche nede no repentaunce Either what woman hauyng tenne grotes i◠she lose one doeth not light a candle and swepe the house and seeke diligently till she finde it And when she hath founde it she calleth her louers and her neighbours together saiyng Reioyce with me for I haue founde the grote whiche I loste Likewise I saie vnto you shall there be ioye in the presence of the Aungelles of God ouer one synner that repenteth THE EXPOSITION OF all the Gospelles that are reade through the yere this is the moste comfortable In the whiche Christe teacheth of his office as of a Shepherd how he maketh inquisition for synners and restoreth theim that thei maie not be plucte in pieces of the Wolffe that is of the Deuill And this was the occasion of this sermon of Christe When all kynde of synners and Publicans drewe nigh vnto Christe to heare his worde the Scribes and Phariseis seyng that laied it to Christes charge as a crime that he vsed the companie of this kinde of men with whom GOD and thei that are beloued of GOD could haue nothyng to doe and that by this he did declare that he was farre vnlike GOD. Christ answereth and alledgeth a iuste cause of his doing that is that he doeth nothing otherwise then the common maner of men is yea and that in inferiour matters when their chief care at all tymes is to recouer that is loste or in daunger that hereby he might reproue the vntolerable frowardnes and arrogance of the Phariseis wheras thei giue iudgemēt so vnshame-fastly of a matter that thei vnderstande not And that the matter maie be the better perceiued the questiō is this whether there is any place for synners in the kyngdome of GOD For if there be not Christes doing was worthely reproued that whereas he professeth hymself to bee the sonne of GOD yet he companieth with theim that are not of the kyngdome of GOD. The Phariseis Scribes are deceiued in iudgyng Christes doyng bicause thei knewe not truly what is the kyngdome of GOD and yet thei thought theim selues moste perfect thereof This is the cause of their false iudgement Thei knewe Moises and the Prophetes by cōtinuall readyng and studie but after this vnderstandyng that the woorkes of the lawe muste be doen and that he that doeth theim is now allowed as rightuous before GOD but he that doeth theim not is banished as an outlawe from GOD. And after this vnderstandyng thei iudge of Christes doyng in this place bicause that GOD by his lawe hath put a plaine determinaciō of his kyngdome out of the whiche synners are excluded as aduersaries and that Gods kingdome ought to be taken no otherwise then GOD determine it hymself and that synners are not to bee admitted nor receiued emong suche as are of GOD. And this is the verie iudgement of reason also For as sone as there riseth any sense of synne naturally there is had respect vnto the wrathe of God whiche is alwaies dread and looked for in synne For thei iudge that he can haue no hope in the mercifull God which stireth hym to wroth with their synnes As Adam and Eue maie be an example as sone as thei had transgressed the precept thei could not abide their owne conscience thei seke to be hid ▪ and dare not come in sight And yong children also declare this to be true when thei are in any faute thei seke corners For this is the nature of synne to make the hearte afraied bicause it dooeth alwaies feare wrothe and punishemente Contrarie wise when the conscience is pure and fautlesse it trusteth well in it self although other mennes iudgementes be neuer so muche against theim Like as all reason therefore in synne doeth naturally flie from God and for her vpright and honest behauiour is wont to haue confidence before God So
the Phariseis in in comparison of them selues whom thei thought iuste exclude synners Thei did see that thei were directe againste the lawe of God in their doynges and therfore thei also pronounced plainly that thei ought to haue no place in the kyngdome of God Thei suspect Christ also that he doth not after Gods will bicause he had to doe with such But consider thou this with thy self to what case the matter will come if synners should be excluded from God and his kyngdome as the Phariseis thinke For although thei suppose that there is a kinde of men that liueth without synne yet GOD and the lawe knoweth none suche For although euery manne committeth not adulterie slaughter and thefte yet before God no manne is without synne yea and those synnes are the more greuous if thei fall in a manne that hath wisedome and strength to resist them If then the Phariseis iudgement be true that GOD doeth tourne awaie from synners it maketh as muche against them selues as against other For by the lawe are not onely reproued the sinnes of the Publicās and of synners but also their owne all others Then will it followe that no men haue place in the kingdome of God So that the Phariseis are proceded so farre by ignoraunce that as thei are fore against other so giue thei a moste greuous sentence against them selues But all their ouersight riseth here of bicause thei knowe not why Gods lawe was giuen neither what corruption of synne there is in all men And as in other thynges one errour bringeth an other so here also of the kyngdome of God doe these hypocrites knowe nothing whiche must nedes be set vp by Gods grace and goodnes But Christ groundyng his reason on true principles openeth the misterie of the Gospell vnknowē to naturall witte and to all that followe the rightuousnes of the lawe that is that God hateth not sinners nor willeth their death and that he declareth this his will in Christ whom he sent into the worlde to bring home againe to their foldes shepe that straye from their flockes and that all his intent hath onely respect to the fulfillyng of the Gospell that the loste and straies maie chiefly be regarded and that all the will of God might hereby bee declared and the Gospell opened to the poore This is plainly an other kinde of doctrine then the doctrine of the lawe and Phariseis whiche taketh not here seede and roote in our nature but is brought from heauen by the sonne of God as saith Ihon. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten soonne whiche is in the bosome of the father sheweth hym forthe For no man knoweth that will of God that he is not angrie with sinners nor damneth them for their synnes but receiueth them rather to his grace and saueth them but all knowe the contrary Wherefore the feare of the wrothe of GOD is naturally ioyned with synne But Christe teacheth vs here by his Gospell that GOD is otherwise mynded towarde synners and that he is not angrie but mercifull and that the Angelles in heauen reioyce when synners repent and amende This doctrine must be the better marked bicause it semeth contrary to our reason that we by it maie confirme our conscience For he that in suche temptation followeth reason and iudgement goeth hedlong to the Deuill and there is no remedie against desperation Wherefore this goeth the matter we must agree surely with Christ contrary to reason and al other thinges that although we are synners yet that by Christ we must be reuoked and called againe as shepe goyng a straye vnto the place of our saluacion As Christ setteth forth a plaine parable in this place to the declaracion of his moste excellent office In diuers other places doeth the Gospell declare why God casteth not awaie synners as in the third of Ihon that GOD is suche that hateth not the worlde but loueth it so that he giueth his onely begotten soonne for the recoueryng thereof that the worlde maie haue confidēce for these sacrifices sake and maie not despeire for their synne For although God might haue helped vs otherwise yet he purposed to doe it by his soonne so that we should haue no cause to doubte of his deliueryng and redemption For this is moste true that God is more pacified by the death of his sonne then offended by our synnes Furdermore there is an other cause set forthe by Christe why God casteth not awaie synners For he sheweth that sinners are a portiō of Gods substance whiche fell from him yet God hath suche respect to the matter that he regardeth not the greatest thynges that he hath vntill that that is loste be recouered And all this waie of recoueryng is sette vp by Christe as he hymself saieth in this place Wherfore it ought to seme no maruell if he make a searche for synners that straye from Gods houshold to bryng them home againe For he is sent for this very cause to bryng home synners againe and if he should dooe otherwise as the Phariseis appoinct hym he could not execute Gods commaundement But it is verie comfortable to see the affection of Christe toward synners whiche is described in the tipe and figure of this careful and studious shepherd whereas he followeth after the straye shepe takyng no care in the meane season of the reste and when he findeth her he beateth her not but handleth her gētly as though she were blamelesse He taketh her on his shoulders and at his retourne he maketh ioyfull gratulacions with his frendes All whiche declareth the greate bounteousnesse and loue of Christ toward man whiche if it should bee well cōmended and set forthe had nede of a long sermone The declaracion of this loue resteth chiefly in hym that is loste weake and in perill as men doe testifie in suche thynges that thei loue Loue is vncertaine when there is any sure trust of aduauntage But when there is daunger and yet there is more care for that that is in daunger then for all that is safe this is naturall and true loue Yet this maye not bee compared with the shadowe of the greate affection of Christe He searcheth for them of whō he was greuously hurt as shepe goyng a stray and as though thei wer in peril without their owne fault and when he findeth them he put them on his shulders What thyng maie a man inuent that is more comfortable and swete Whereas he followeth after thē that are fugitiues and by their owne fault seke their owne destruction ioynyng theim selues with the deuill that is Gods aduersarie and stoutly defendyng his parte and holdyng with Gods enemie the Deuill againste Gods kyngdome He pursueth not after theim I saie as after his hurtfull enemies but searcheth them out as miserable shepe that are in peril endeuoureth wholy hym self to recouer theim before the Woulfe oppresseth theim that is that thei dye not in
For whilest thei are so obstinate thei can not be deliuered frō their straiyng so that at the lengthe thei shall be torne and plucte in pieces of the Wolues in wildernesse Wherfore the comfort of the Gospell for sinners ▪ ought not lightly to be estemed bicause Christ their shepherd seketh theim and taketh thē vp as straye shepe Furdermore his doctrine also is necessarie to knowe what is our duetie to this shepherd euen to heare his voyce and to tourne vnto him as the historie of the Publicans and synners maie be an example vnto vs in that thei were conuerted at the woorde of Christe This woorde teacheth nothyng els but that GOD is mercifull vnto synners to saue them for Christes sake so that thei doe not harden their heartes at the voyce of their shepheard and delight with longer wanderyng and straiyng but that after thei haue heard the voyce thei caste thē selues on Christes shoulders whiche hath satisfied for their synnes and reconciled them to God the father And we can not without great synne seyng that GOD hath purchased our deliueraunce so dearely despise and set naught by it but we must with greate and studious labour worship and reuerence his worde and shewe our selues worthie of the companie of sainctes Wherefore this worde ought greatly and studiously to be regarded that we may be defended and strōgly armed against the deuill and our owne hearte least we be in suche an opinion of GOD that he hateth synners For suche a sence and felyng is in all mennes myndes But the helpe of Gods woorde is to bee preferred against this in that that he is the shepheard and doeth proclaime his woorde openly in the worlde to the intent that the stray shepe maie heare it and tourne againe vnto hym Wherefore if thou dooest knowledge this that thou art a straie shepe which by synne art banished farre from the kyngdome of GOD and despaire not but haue respecte to the woorde of Christe as touchyng the shepheard For he is set forthe for thy sake and for all suche as are like thee that thou maiest beginne to repent that thou maiest haue trust before GOD through Christ and walke worthie of God in his kyngdome Neither thinke that thou haste a long respite to take councell of this matter whē the voyce of the shepherd commeth vnto thee but tourne thy self forthwith vnto hym and embrace hym Whiche thing if thou doe thou art saulfe and giuest the Angelles a greate cause of ioye whiche after that will be verie desirous of thy companie and will kepe and defende thee against all perill Where as cōtrariwise the vnpenitent tourne the Angelles to mournyng and therefore are faine to bee without their helpe and defence And in that that Christe is not contente with one parable but putteth there vnto the seconde as concernyng the woman that had loste a grote he doeth it to the intent that other should folowe his example and not vtterly giue vp synners but hunt for them and bryng them to repentaunce For the first parable belongeth onely to Christ our sauiour whiche is onely the true shepherde that embraceth straye shepe with true saluation where as he vestoweth his life for them that thei maie be deliuered from destruction and defended againste the deuill The seconde parable of the woman perteineth to the congregacion which is there in her ministracion and office that synners might be called to repentaunce and deliuered from eternall death and damnacion and obtaineth euerlastyng saluacion She reioyceth also euen as doeth the shepeherd when she findeth her grote she lighteth a cādell euen Gods woorde and swepeth the house that is she teacheth of rightuousnesse and of comforte for Gods mercies sake in Christe before the iudgement of God And by this doctrine commeth the loste grote to light And this is the true and glorious commendacion of Gods woorde whiche onely hath suche vertue that it taketh a waie synne and all the infectiō that came thereof as death damnation the deuill and helle so that wee are no more synners and the enemies of GOD but suche as of whom the Aungelles in heauen and the sainctes in yearth reioyce Wherfore we should worthely magnifie this word and highly esteme the teachers thereof to the ende we might achiue and get this greate benefite therby that is be deliuered from this wanderyng and deuilles daunger so be saued for euer The which thyng the moste bountifull and louyng shepherde of our soules our Lorde Iesu Christ graunte vs through the holy ghost Amen ¶ The .iiij. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie The Gospell Luke vi BE ye mercifull as your father also is mercifull Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged Condēne not and ye shall not bee condemned Forgeue ye shall be forgeuen Geue and it shal be geuen vnto you good measure and pressed doune and shaken together and runnyng ouer shall menne geue into your bosomes For with thesame measure that you mete withal shal other men mete to you againe And he put forthe a similitude vnto them Can the blinde leade the blinde Doe thei not bothe fall into the diche The disciple is not aboue his master euery man shal be perfecte euen as his master is Why seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Either how canst thou saie to thy brother Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thine owne eye Firste thou hypocrite caste out the beame out of thyne owne eye then shalt thou se perfectly to pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell Christ teacheth his disciples and vs what we should do one to an other For after we beleue and are become christian men therby bicause we are sure that we are deliuered from death synne and all euill through Christ now is it necessarie to liue after a newe sorte and that frō henceforthe we shewe our selues obedient vnto hym This newe life doth Christ comprise in one worde saiyng Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull And all knowe this what is mercie truly suche an affection whiche conceiueth a sorowe at the verie hearte when a man seeth his neighbour troubled either in body or soule and is stirred by his will to helpe hym Christe requireth here suche a minde of all men not that there should be suche mercie as is betwene light and lende persones For suche mercie extendeth no farder then emongest the felowes of that leudenes tarieth no longer then thei haue power to do that leudnes As experiēce declareth A thefe is not mercifull to him that stealeth not for if he were he would robbe no man But he is mercifull onely to hym that stealeth with him and this is the mercie of euil doers But we that are christians muste be mercifull euen as our heauenly father is not onely
followe the example of the mercie of their father But whereas GOD garnisheth vs also with other persones when he maketh vs fathers Lordes magistrates Iudges Princes Emperors c. we must not thinke that this lawe of mercie belongeth not vnto vs. But this is to be performed with all diligence that we see to our office straightly And yet that this that must nedes be dooen with seueritie and straightnes hath his gouernaunce of mercie and that nothyng be doen to satisfie our owne lust To sight therefore is doen now and then a woorke of greate crueltie and sharpnes where as in deede it maie well bee coumpted an acte of mercie and clemencie As when Ioseph accuseth his brethren to his Father as his duetie was concernyng their leude doynges although he was euill spokē of as a blab emong his brethrē yet hath he more regard to the truthe and his owne office whereas he vnderstandeth that al that wer of that houshold yea and his brethren also be bounde so to doe that thei hide not the enormities of the familie nor conceall the fautes of other So after that neighbors citezens c. Hath certaine offices of seueritie for the behoue of the common wealthe although thei seme to sightfull of vnmercifulnes yet in deede thei are the very woorkers of mercie The maister and fathers are mercifull when thei punishe the disobediente and stubburne The Magistrates are mercifull when the wicked are put to execution And Princes whē thei resist wrongfull violēce with power of armes and when thei maintain the innocent against tyrantes Mercie is the chiefest intent why al these thinges that are cruell to sight are doen least all thynges should lye open for the Deuill to make hauoke If al men cā not be holpen by sharpe correction yet must it bee seen that all mennes saufegarde and wealth be not brought into hasarde by leuitie and mercie ▪ Wherefore it was necessarie to sette forthe the other offices nexte the precepte of mercie leaste vnder the pretēce of vntrue mercie the deuill should destroye all to gether yea and that vnder the pretence of religion and godlines And this is a greate subtiltie of the Deuill that againste the moste necessarie offices of mercie he inuenteth the names of a blab a traitour a tyraunte a termegante a spoyler c. But no manne ought to be feared from his duetie and from true mercie for this but let hym dooe rather that that is profitable for the saftie of man in deede then that that semeth to sight Wherefore youth must be diligently instructed as touchyng those offices that thei maie learne to doe that is good in their first yeres that afterward when thei by ripenesse of age shall attaine to more and waightier offices that require seueritie Thei maie knowe how to vse alwaies true mercie emongest the citezens bothe in house kepyng and also in a common office Neither let them be withdrawen at any tyme by guile and desimulation from the true vnderstandyng of thinges For thei doe muche hurte in a commonaltie that either in congregations cities or families doe suffer good order to decaye by vntimely mercie Thou must therefore take diligent hede to what ende this precept of mercie is giuen that first of all thou regarde the commaundementes of GOD specially made vnto thee to shewe thee thy duetie and yet that all these ought to be mingled with mercy Then remember that thou take paciently al wrōges and be not withdrawen therby from thy well dooyng As thou haste an euidente example of the Sonne whiche is not greued that the very adulterers and vsurers are guided by his light But let them take hede whiche now doe so abuse the mercie of GOD in his giftes and the paciēce of the christians For thei shall haue no good and ioyfull ende that heapeth vp from daie to daie wrathe vpon wrathe for thē selues For the more thei escape now vnpunished the greater shall their punishement be hereafter as the examples of stubburne childrē do declare which when thei refuse to be ruled by their parentes thei fall into the handes of hangmen For GOD suffreth not his pacience long to be mocked and dalied withall But as I maie retourne to my purpose it appereth by this precepte what is Christes councell ▪ euen that we should earnestly embrace godlinesse and doe suche workes emong our selues as be true and vnfained Wherfore he commaundeth vs to be mercifull not as the Heathē be whiche shewe mercie vnto them from whom thei loke for helpe and so that one hande should washe an other But as the father in heauen whiche sheddeth out all thinges plentuously that are necessary for vs so that there is sufficient for all men to gather not onely for the good whom he could dispatche in one daie but also for the euill For GOD doeth not suffer his goodnes to wither awaie bicause there be many euill and vnkinde Yea rather in this poincte the euill are better prouided for This example saieth Christ put I forthe to you that professe my name not onely to doe good to your frendes for this vertue maie bee also in the Gentiles but also to your enemies as ye se that your heauenly father grudged no man the light of the Sonne no not asmuche as the theues robbers adulterers vsurers whiche are not worthie to looke on this moste beautifull creature and to take any benefite of hym But yet thei are not shutte out neither doeth this good father suffer his goodnes to be withdrawen from his housholde for the leudnes of the wicked Doe you saieth he likewise Suffer not pacience to be taken from you Bee not lesse beneficiall for other mennes faultes as the worlde is wonte when it craketh All thinges are full of ingratitude and churlishenes A manne can neuer doe to little But this is not true It is no greate thyng to helpe your frendes For the Gentiles will no longer dooe good then when thei looke for like wherof if there be no hope farewell good doyng Hereof it appereth that this benignitie commeth not out of the fountaine of Charitie but groweth in drie places and will sone wither awaie by a little blast of impatience But you Christians must dooe good with more perfectnes yea to your owne enemies loking for no like kindnes and requityng And thus must ye thinke in the meane season what if thei be vnkinde Yea GOD hath so greate power that he can punishe the vnkinde by diuers instrumentes by water fire and stones c. Wherefore seyng I am sure of this that all these thynges shall bee punished I am purposed to kepe my accustomable liberalitie mercie And this is a very Christian minde and loue whiche is not in the Gentiles whiche do good no lenger then when thei mete with kynde men and them that will doe the like When these be lackyng Charitie also continueth not Contrariewise the Charitie of Christian men doeth good without ceasyng and
although many benefites be cast awaie vpon the vnkinde yet ceaseth not their will of well doyng Now doeth Christe procede and deuideth mercie into diuers partes Iudge ye not and ye shall not bee iudged Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgiue and it shall be forgiuen you Christe would haue vs godlie in deede that we should not crake of faithe and the Gospell in wordes as the moste parte doeth that boaste them selues to bee Gospellers and prate muche of Christe But if the matter be well tried thei are but dissemblars And a greate part deceiueth them selues and perishe hereby with their hypocrisie This hypocrisie would Christe gladly restraine Wherefore he putteth forthe to vs no straunge or vnknowen example of his father doen to our profite that as we fele his goodnes and humanitie so we should shew our selues beneficiall and not high mynded toward other For we are in daunger of Gods iudgement and damnation for our synnes What hath the heauenly father doen He would not iudge and condemne thee as he might but he forgaue thee thy synnes tooke from thee hell and damnation and receiued thee to his mercie This example is put for thee Applie thy self thereto Bee thou likewise vnto other then art thou a true christian whiche beleuest in Christ neither condemnest thou thy neighbour but forgiuest hym gladlie thy hurte But if thou wilte not dooe so but rather dooe like the leude seruaunt Math. xviii thou declarest that thou canst receiue no mercie before GOD nor shewe to other in this life that thou art a Christian man but rather that GOD will exclude thee from his mercie and appoinct thee to iudgemente and damnation and depriue thee of all his benefites wherewith he hath indued thee and require again all the debtes that he remitted forgaue Thou nedest not doubt of this For the commaundement is this Iudge ye not and ye shall not bee Iudged but if ye will not cease iudgyng GOD shall iudge you also The common practise sheweth how harde this inibitiō is Assone as we iudge our selues hurt forth with we vse this iudgement Why should I do good to the vnkinde I haue holpen hym often and he dooeth not onely like for like but dooeth a shrode turne for a good I should offende if I should helpe the vnkinde so often But this is an vnmercifull mercie and painfull helpyng When thei Iudge bicause thei obtain not the like And then appereth Gregorius saiyng true True Iustice hath doen compassion but vntrue is double iniquitie For when a man giueth me a croune he is thought to go about to make me his bondman thereby Wherfore assone as any thyng is doen or saied that pleaseth not or if I be not obsequius forth with he embraideth me haue not I doen this for thee and requitest me with suche kindnes This is truely nothyng els but to serue and Iudge as the Gentiles doe that there maie be a recompensation For this is no good waie If thou doe good to an other and he acknowledge it not or doeth euill for good thou maiest admonishe him not so to doe least he offende God greatly But yet hast thou no iust cause to hate hym to iudge and condemne hym Giue hym vp to his Iudge For thou knowest not what GOD will doe with hym whither he will amende hym If he be not amended GOD hath officers sufficiēt to be reuenged of hym And so suche thinges chance daily that there rise sodain tempestes against the stubburne Onely beware that thou iudge him not but thinke thus GOD hath not so cruelly dealte with me For if he had I should haue been killed long a gone in my synne when I liued in filthy Idolatrie and Hypocrisie Likewise also beware that thou dooest not condemne for it is not thy duetie To chide to tell one of his faut to dehort to declare to them that iudge and condemne it is lawfull But thou haste no more to doe then to be mercifull thou maiest not Iudge thou maiest not condemne And if thy neighbour be so obstinatly set to do thee hurt that he will not cease yet thou oughtest to bee willyng to forgiue and not to hinder his profite or goe about to reuenge but rather to furder to helpe him These thynges are harde to doe but remember that thou art a Christian and that more perfection is required of thee if thou earnestly embrace this name euen as the example of our heauenly father plainly declareth before vs. For if thou dooe good to thy neighbour and he be vnkinde and doeth requit thee with euill doubte not but that GOD will laye it to his charge Resigne and giue ouer thou the vengeaunce vnto him and do thou thy duetie GOD doth reuenge all these thynges at his tyme. Wherefore commit thou all other thynges to hym and execute this commaundement that thou reuenge not but be mercifull It followeth in our Gospell Giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you good measure filled vp and shaken together yea runnyng ouer shall men giue into your bosome For with what measure ye meate vnto other with the same shall it be measured vnto you againe Christ hath comprised these preceptes very properly and laboureth specially to cause vs to fulfill the true workes of Charitie Wherefore as he hath commaunded that synners should be mercifullie and gentlely handeled as we are gently handled of hym that we Iudge and condemne theim not but committe that vnto GOD and praie for theim to GOD So he commaundeth to doe thē good by giuyng helpyng and counsaillyng c. and then not to doubt but GOD will requite our liberalitie bee it neuer so greate That so the minde maie abounde with Charitie alwaie and neuer bee ouergrowne with the thornes of vnkindenesse to cease thereby from well doyng as the Gentiles doe whiche can not abstaine from iudgyng and condemnyng For assone as thei thinke them selues hurt thei forgiue not before thei are humblie asked forgiuenesse So thei will not giue any thyng but where as thei loke for gaines and for benefite Wherefore thei can neuer escape the Iudgemente of GOD neither are thei Iudged worthy of Gods benefites and of his mercie and grace This faute must we eschewe and so doe for our neighbours as our heauenly father doeth for vs. He slacketh his straight Iudgement he pardoneth vs he will not be cruell and cōdemne vs although we be vnkinde He enioyneth vs to do likewise also or if wee will not he putteth before vs a dreadfull ende that we shall loke so to be serued of hym as we serue other For with the same measure saith he shall other measure to you as you haue measured with And we can not deny but GOD hath giuen vs good measure For if he would haue giuen vs after our desertes he might haue plagued vs with wrathe plague pestilēce and all euill and put vs to death assone as we were borne I will not rehearse how manifolde waies we haue offended hym
is very true that we cā not be without tēptacion when it chaunceth to vs as it did to Peter To labour all the night and to take no profite thereby we take it vnpaciently and goe about to lay all aside and depart But we ought to ouercome this temptacion and sticke to our vocation stedfastly and to caste all our care on the Lorde For I haue knowen this often tymes by experience when the obedient children in a familie hath had misfortune and contrariwise the disobedient and stubburne good fortune But at laste the hard case of the good was more commended and the wicked had an euill ende Wherefore if it chaunce likewise to thee that all thinges goe not well be constaunt and strengthen thy self that thou be not ouercome of temptacion For better is misfortune with obedience then good fortune with wickednesse The reason is that GOD at the laste casteth awaie the disobediente with their prosperitie bee it neuer so greate and exalteth the hūble and meke to great renoume This example of Peter is studiously to bee followed in that he hath respecte onely to the worde and followeth that and is nothing moued with these thoughtes whiche surely would greatly haue troubled vs and doubtles thei were in his minde also For we are commaunded aswell as Peter to labour and to serue in our vocation He that taketh holde to his vocation and suffereth not him self to be withdrawen from his purpose although it doeth but slowly prosper and the blessyng is lōg in comming yet must he not doubt of a prosperous ende For GOD can do no otherwise but at length haue respecte to obedience although he differreth it for a tyme and proueth vs whether we regarde his commaundement or not Wherefor no manne ought to be weary if he hath laboured all the night without profite For if Peter had gone about this draught in the night he would haue imputed it to his cunnyng and labour neither would he haue thought any thyng els requisite to suche a successe But whereas he fisheth all nighte and taketh nothyng and Christ first ministreth his woorde biddyng hym there with to assaie againe there hath Peter a sure triall that this good successe came not by fishyng and labour but of Gods worde and blessyng And lette this suffice you as concernyng the firste doctrine whiche is corporall and pertaineth to the bodily liuelode that Christe will be present with all his that laboure by his blessyng and not suffer them to perishe for hunger The second doctrine is spirituall For thus doth it followe in the historie that Peter is astonied by the draught of fishe and cōmeth to the knowledge of Christe that he is not onely man And whereas he acknowledgeth hymself a synner and falleth doune at Christes feete saiyng departe from me Lorde for I am a synner It is a spirituall matter and fewe vnderstande it For it semeth hereby that Peter did it of a certaine religion and that he desired for a reuerence to departe from Christe But the meanyng of it is not so The consciēce is in this case When GOD commeth with his grace and promiseth remission of synne and life euerlastyng frely for Christes sake the grace is so large that all thinges seme to greate for vs neither dare we approch nigh thereto for the greatnesse thereof It is easie to beleue that GOD is good and mercifull but that he imbraceth vs with his greate mercie our heart can not be made to beleue that All men thinke if I wer so pure and rightuous as Marie the virgin sainct Peter sainct Paule I would couple my self also to his grace but I am a sinner I am not worthie of grace but rather of wrothe Then commeth the Deuill and he inlargeth sinne so muche in thy heart that thou maiest see nothing but thy vnworthinesse and thou canst not but wonder and be amased at the greatnes of that exceding grace This is a spirituall temptacion whereof the prophane and rude as wee bee almoste all haue no perceueraunce nor vnderstanding For this is learned by experience onely and no otherwise Wherefore the greatest sort liueth on such wise that thei thinke not muche either of their sinne or of the grace of GOD. But true Christian men doe alwaies tremble and feare that that is to muche that GOD doth on his owne behalf Who am I saie thei O Lorde GOD that thou bryngest me thus farre I am not worthie of so greate mercie of GOD. And herevnto belōgeth that Christ comforteth Peter to be without feare for bicause he goeth not about now to iudge Peters synnes but to deliuer hym from sinne and to sette hym in suche an office that he maie bryng other also to the same grace So that all this comforte maie bee applied if wee should chaunce to haue suche thoughtes and be put in like feare to encourage vs to resiste theim and not to giue place vnto them For Christe came not to driue synners from hym but he came into the yearth for their sakes Wherfore he comforteth Peter against suche thoughtes and biddeth hym not to feare as he saieth also in an other place Feare not little flocke it is my fathers will to giue you the kyngdome In that place Christe talketh also with suche that thinke How canste thou come to heauen and to eternall life Canst thou obtaine to the fellowshippe of Angelles If thou were holier there were no cause why thou shouldest despaire But as thou art now all thy hope is in vaine But Christe answereth otherwise you feare saieth he but dooe not so For it hath pleased my father to giue you the kyngdome and that of his owne free will For whereas you are vnworthie beyng synners this is his mercifull will to giue it you of his grace and mercie wherefore feare not but receiue it ioyfully and with a gladde hearte For if GOD would not giue vs vntill wee were worthie wee should neither haue meate nor drinke But he will not haue respect to our worthinesse merites but to our nede and to his owne goodnes mercy And this is the cause that he giueth vs not onely thynges requisite to the bodie but also euerlasting life with suche temptacion is Peter also here encombred He perceiueth the greate goodnes of Christe and casteth in his mynde howe vnworthie he is thereof and therefore he beginneth to despaire what place saieth he is there for thee with vs Couple thy self with the rightuous I am a synner But Christ comforteth hym and sheweth hymself to be farre vnlike that that Peter thought of him commaundyng hym to bee of good chere and to take heart of grace and that the matter as concernyng the fishe is but little in comparison of that that he will make hym a fisher of men Now thou art a Fisher but I will giue thee an other office to enter into other waters and to take other Fishe that is men that heauen maie haue store of suche fishes
graunte vs for hys mercies sake To whome wyth God the Father and the holy Ghoste be all honour glory prayse and dominion worldes withoute ende Amen The .xiii. Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke x. HAppye are the eyes whiche see the thinges that ye see For I tell you that manye prophetes and kinges haue desired to see those thinges whiche ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them And behold a certaine lawyer stode vp and tempted him saying Maister what shall I do to inherite eternall lyfe He sayde vnto him what is written in the lawe howe readest thou And he aunswered and saide Loue the Lorde thy God with all thy harte and with al thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neyghboure as thy selfe And he sayd vnto hym Thou hast aunswered right This do and thou shalt liue But he wyllyng to iustifie him selfe saide vnto Iesus And who is my neyghbour Iesus aunswered and sayde A certaine man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge thieues whiche robbed hym of his rayment and wounded him and departed leauynge hym halfe deade And it chaunced that there came downe a certaine priest that same waye and when he sawe him he passed by And likewise a Leuite when he went nye to the place came and loked on him and passed by But a certayne Samaritane as he iourneyed came vnto hym and when he sawe him he had compassion on him and went to and bounde vp his woundes and powred in oyle and wine and sett hym on his owne beast and brought hym to a common Inne and made prouision for hym And on the morowe when he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the host and said vnto him Take cure of him and what soeuer thou spendest more when I come agayne I wyll recompence thee Whiche nowe of these three thynkeste thou was neyghbour vnto hym that fell amonge the thieues And he saide vnto him He that shewed mercye on hym Then sayde Iesus to hym Go and do thou lykewyse THE EXPOSITION THys gospel is long Therfore we wyll selecte and chose out of it one or two partes thereof whyche wee maye remember and fele the fruâ—ct and swetnesse thereof The fyrst part is that Christ greatly extolleth and auanceth hys woorde and Gospell and turnyng hym selfe vnto his Disciples he sayd vnto them Blessed are the eies which se the things that ye do se. For I say vnto you many Prophetes and kynges woulde haue seene the thynges whyche ye doo see and they haue not seene them and haue hearde the thynges whych you heare and they haue not heard them By this Christs mynd is to confirme and strengthen vs agaynst the miserie whiche we see in the worlde for asmuche as nothyng is more vile and more despised in this wicked worlde then the Gospell For the worlde can abyde and heare all other doctrines lyes and heresies but as for the Gospell it wyll neyther see it nor heare it yea the worlde blasphemeth it and persecuteth it moste cruelly and vexeth them with all kynde of tormentes that professe it as there hath bene great store of examples before certaine yeares the more pitie in this realme of Englande and yet is in dyuers places of the worlde Thys seeth Christe and therefore hee comfortethe his disciples and sayth The world blasphemeth the Gospell but hee that is so wyse as to heare it hathe blessed and happy eares and is most indebtedly bounden to geue god thanks therfore that he is made partaker thereof and so he may worthily magnifye that whyche the worlde dothe so contemptuously handle and so spitefully entreate For this is moste certayne that ye are happier and more blessed then Dauid and other kynges For thys was al theyr desyre that they myghte lyue in that tyme when they myghte see me wyth theyr bodylye eyes beholde my myracles and heare my Sermons But that theyr desyre coulde they not obtayne For the full tyme that GOD hadde appoynted frome euerlastynge was not yet come In spirite and with the eyes of theyr Faithe they sawe mee my commynge into the fleshe my byrthe my passion my deathe my Resurrection my Ascension c. and greately reioyced But vnto you it is geuen to see me in the fleshe to beholde my myracles and also to heare my Sermons Therfore see that ye be thankfull to God that suche felicitie is chaunced vnto you that ye may both heare and see me For our state is so miserable â–ª and specially when we are without the Gospell that by lytle and litell errors crepe in yea errour vpon errour is heaped so that ther is almost no ende of errours and heresies in so muche that very hardly many tymes we canne defende oure selues agaynst them as alas for sorowe we had experience hereof to muche in the tyme of the Papacie For at the last the matter came to this poynt that the deuyll was taken for a preacher and credite was geuen vnto hym whatsoeuer he fayned by his busy wicked spirites and moste vayne and lyeng preachers as touchyng Masse pylgremages purgatory pardons and suche lyke trumperie And euen so is at in all places where soeuer the worde is not Errours and lies are there receaued and beleued And then is this the opinion also that that is the way vnto saluation where as in dede it leadeth streyght vnto hell and to the dyuell But on the contrarye parte if the Gospell be present so great madnesse reigneth in the world that very fewe receaue it Therfore I maye well and truely saye that the state of vs men is moste myserable and harde If God denyeth vs his worde we can not be without the destruction of oure soules If he geue it vs all the world refuseth it so that it were beste for men that God woulde haste his commynge vnto the iudgement and shortly make an ende of this wicked wretched synnefull worlde For thys vnthankefulle worlde is neuer the better whether God sendeth vnto it punyshementes or benefites so truely is it sayd of S. Iohn All the worlde is sette vpon wyckednes And this is the fyrste thynge wherof Christ complayneth here which is that he offereth and geueth to the worlde his worde and with that remission of synnes and yet is the worde despised and set naught by Therfore he turneth hymselfe to his Disciples and sayth ye are blessed whiche haue the worde of God and heare it and that ye dyed not before it was reueled brought to light I say vnto you that moste mightie and puissant Kyngs and most worthie Prophetes also would gladly haue liued in this time and haue both sene and heard these thinges And yet such is the wickednes of the worlde whereas it may haue now plentie and abundaunce of so noble thynges it regardeth them not Let not this wickednes of the worlde trouble you but so behaue your selues that ye be
Turne O turne from your wicked waies and wherfore will ye dye O ye house of Israell For where as our hertes thynke that God is a cruell Iudge with whome synners haue no hope of forgeuenesse of theyr synnes it is a false imagination For thys ought not to take awaye our hope from the mercy of God because the lawe is so fierce and vnmercyfull agaynst synners For the Lawe dothe but her office declaryng what the Iudgement of God shall bee agaynst synners Neyther canne the cause of synners bee otherwyse if it be examined by the Lawe whyche accuseth curseth condempneth woundeth and kylleth so manye as it fyndeth gyltie withoute exception For synners muste needes abyde the sentence and Iudgemente of the Lawe because of the ryghtuousnesse which GOD lawfully requireth of all menne Yet for all that the Lawe is no lette vnto God but that he by hys grace maye restore theym and sette them withoute all daunger that were before condemned of the lawe Who so euer therefore appeale frome God thorowe the decrees of the lawe cruell and suche one as wil not be intreated vnto god mercifull and such one as wyll not the deathe of synners and falle downe before the Lorde with this seruaunt and desyre mercye they without doubte obteyne the inwarde mercy of Gods moste mercyfull bowels as the testimonie of Christe is here that the bowels of God yearne and are moued when synners are driuen by the lawe and synne to destruction and euerlasting bondage Wherfore when thou feelest thy debt haue thy recourse with this seruaunt to the mercye of God and thynke for a suertie that it is Goddes will that thou sholdest not dye but haue euerlastyng lyfe And what is the meane by the whiche God would haue mercy vpon vs the Gospel sheweth in other places euen that the sonne of God Iesus Christ is becom man for vs synners and toke our syns vpon him and satisfied for them by his death Loke where this faith is as touchyng Christ his deathe there is the wrath of God ouercome so that he suffreth himselfe to be reconciled to man and is no more angry with him For he hath declared in Iesu Christe that he hathe a verye prompt redy mynd to mercy whiche hath mercy on vs as the father on his chyldren For he forthwith as soone as the kyngdom of death and of synne was set vp by Adam and Eue set forth a hope of saluation agaynst thys kyngdome by the promyse as touchynge the seede of the woman And thys is oure doctrine which thanks be to god in our Churche is sette foorth syncerely and withoute fault that remission of sinnes cometh vnto vs only by the grace and mercy of God As it is described in thys place by the seruant which oweth such a great summe but yet obtaineth a quittance of it not by merite and desert but onely by mercy and grace and that only for this that he sticketh sure to grace and prayeth for the mercy of God Wherfore the doctrine of the Papistes is erronious false and blasphemous whenne they preache as concernynge remission of synnes For they caste menne with theyr vnpayable dettes vnto theyr owne workes But when we teache that remyssion of synne is onely to be asked of God by Christe they condemne it as heresie and false But iudge thou thys by the true meanyng of the Gospell which of vs both do preache more truly as touching remission of sinnes whether we that cōmend the mercy of God in Christ or they that persuade mē to works and satisfactions To be brief al this sermon tendeth to this end that we shold learn that God hath mercy on vs freely and forgeueth all our debt for naught Christ admonisheth vs here as touching this grace that we also by this exāple shold behaue our selues likewise shew no crueltie towarde our neighbour for that we haue receaued the remittyng of so great debtes from God For other wise can they not do that acknowledge truly the remission of sinnes before GOD. And this is the fyrst cause the whyche Christe hath set foorthe and in the meane tyme hee doothe teache what is the way vnto Saluation whereby we myght obteyne grace and Remission of synnes The seconde cause is when Christ requireth of vs to consyder well the wronge and damage doone vnto vs. For yf that wee trye all thynges by a iust balaunce we shall perceaue that oure debtes to God be alwayes tenne myllions of talentes in comparyson of the debte of the hundred pence that our neighbour dooth owe vnto vs. If thys bee welle consydered it wylle admonyshe vs where as GOD hathe forgeuen vs so greate a summe that we shold not to straightly require our minute but iudge al things according to equitie For what are a hundred pens in respecte of tenne millyons of talentes Wherfore these thynges wyll make vs ashamed and not without a iuste cause yf that wee whyche haue gotten Remission of so greate thynges wyll not pardon our neighbours in lytle thyngs They do not well esteme the mercy of God that are so strait to their neighbors The third cause is that Christe in this Parable calleth vs all seruauntes Thys seruant sayeth he went foorth and chaunced vppon one of his fellowe seruantes that owed vnto hym an hundred pence Thys also might worthily adhort vs vnto mercyfulnes and withdraw vs from reuengyng For we are but felow seruauntes and all we haue one Lorde whose propre office it is to reuenge all trespasses whose maiestie is not to be resisted nor hys power to be mynished neyther will he suffer thee if thou do so as he saith in an other place Leaue to me the reuēging I wil reward saieth the Lorde For without thy reuengyng it is Gods office to punyshe syn And to thys ministration he hath not onely the deuyll that vexeth the body and goodes when GOD permytteth hym so to doo but he hath also certayne powers in the earthe that euerye one for theyr parte shoulde punyshe and reuenge that is the parentes and officers All these are commaunded to be a terrour and feare to euyll woorkes To these reuengers must al flee vnto that suffer wrōg eyther in Cities or in housholdes For they are all felow seruantes and ought not to reuenge their owne wronges If any haue an office to punyshe and yet punysheth not GOD wyll not leaue hym vnpunyshed For hee doothe not onely challenge thys for his owne office But hee hym selfe also whenne these reuengers appoynted of hym ceasse frome dooynge their dutie exerciseth reuenging for the oppressed and vexed Wherfore all men must beware that they reuenge not their owne wronge This is the meaninge of Christes saying wheras he sayth in the parable This seruant fell vpon one of his felow seruants The fowerth cause is He that will not also thinke vpon the greatnes of Gods mercie and the litle and small debt of his felowe seruant in whom he hath no power
Ihon. x. i. Peter ii A newe life is required oâ— euery true Christian. What mercie is Math. v. Roma xii Math. v. The exceadyng greate mercie of god toward synners This is proued true in our Corne-mongers A goodly similitude God the father is sette forthe to vs for an exaÌ„ple Math. v. Math. v. Roma xii All reuengemente is not forbidden The Magistrate beareth not the swerd in vaine Roma xiii Folishe pitie marreth the citee A good lesson for rulers Gene. 37. To punishe euill doers is a great work of mercie Youth ought to be brought vppe in the knowledge of Gods misteries Synne scapeth not vnpunished for euer Mercie is to bee shewed not onely to frendes but also to foes Christes exhortacion to the christians The loue of the christiaÌ„s differeth gretly from the loue of the Gentiles The heauenly father iudgeth vs not neither ought wee to iudge other Math. xviii Deut. 32. Romo xii How God measureth to vs before faithe Math. xviii Psalm iiii Ephe. iiii Confession of the faulte is necessary vnto the forgiuenes of synnes i. Reg. xiii The similitude of the moate The moate we euer beholde the beame we regarde not Why God coÌ„cealeth our synnes What fruite commeth of the woorde of God Whatsoeuer is dooen in faithe pleaseth God Rom. xiiii All our doynges in Gods woorde Psal. cxix A difference betwene the woorkes of the Christians and Infideles Ephe. vi Exod. xx Psal. cxix Christe helpeth vs after pouertie commeth We muste not cease froÌ„ hope and labour i. Peter v. God giueth all good thinges yet he giueth not the Bull by the hornes Peter obeyeth the word Reason doth alwaies correcte Gods woorde God requireth obedieÌ„ce to his worde We muste not despaire if it succede not The example of Peter Marke well Christe hath mercie on synners Math. ix Luke xii God giueth to the vnworthie of his mercie A Nette for spiritual fish True godlinesse The rightuousnes of the Phariseis What is greatest rightuousnesse The rightuousnes that is required Psal. xxxii Roma iiii Actes xv Wherein the christian purenesse consisteth Math. v. Luke xviii The errour of the Phariseis An exposition of the sixt coÌ„maundement What it is to kille Luke xvi i. Ihon. iii. Fower maner of waies the sixte commaundement is transgressed and brokeÌ„ 1. Hearte 2. Gesture Racha 3. Mouthe â–ª 4. Hande â–ª Math. v. Deut. 27. Gala. 3. What is to be doen concernyng the fulfillyng of the sixt commauÌ„demente The Pharisaicall rightuousnesse The christiaÌ„ righteousnes Confession of our synnes to God is necessarie Praier Faithe The Papistes interprete not this lawe a right Math. v. In dissention there are two parties What the partie ought to doe that hath doen hurte Gene. iiii Leuii xix Math. xxii Marke xii Luke xx Roma xiii Math. vi Eccle. 28. Follow this counsail Math. v. Note well What the partie ought to doe that is hurte â–ª The Iudge is God The Sergeaunte is the Angell The prison is helle Luke vi Superiours maie lawfully punishe ofâ—endours Roma xiii i. Peter ii Psalm iiii Ephe. iiii The kyngdoÌ„ of Christe and of the worlde Titus ii Why this gospell is redde in the church this tyme of the yere The incredulitie of the worlde The coueteousnes of the wicked worldlynges reproued What this miracle teacheth Christes blessyng pertaineth to them that regarde his worde Math. vi Psalm 34. Psalm 37. Math. vi The greate miserie is the lacke of gods worde which is the foode of the soule Priestes giuen to priuat lucre more then to consider their cure A shepe with out a Shepheard Pro. xxix Where the word of God is not taught the people are sone seduced Psalm 34. Eccle. xv Hebr. iiii Marke vi Christe firste regardeth the soule and afterwarde the bodie Math. ix Luke x. The louyng affection of Christe towarde the people The punishment of them that haue not brought their people vnto the true knowledge of christ Why princes are set in aucthoritie Esai xlix and .lx. The highest seruice that we can doe to GOD is to bryng men to the knowlege of his worde Note well â–ª Christ fedeth the body also Mat. ix xv Luke xix The bodie with to much labour is not to be destroid Petturie is not to be feared of a christian Proue x. Psalm 127. How christian meÌ„ ought to behaue theÌ„ selues in euery kynde of fortune Christes blessyng enricheth Couetuousnesse Math. vi Psalm 34 35.37.55.104·145 i. Timo. vi i. Peter v. Against delicate fare Sumptuous fare health of bodie seldome agree Epicures How greate euilles come of excesse in eatyng and drinkyng Eccle. 27. Luke xvi Esai lviii Exod. xvi Nume xi i. Cor. x. Gen. xxviii iii. Reg. xix iii. Re. xvii iii. Re. xvii Daniel i. Dani. xiiii i. Timo. vi Math. vi Luke xi Prou. xxx Luke xxi Roma xiii Math. vi Psalm 34. With the sede of gods word heresi alwaie groweth· Math. xiii Math. x. We ought diligently and aboue al thinges to holde fast the word of God Gala. ii Ioan. epi. ii Sectaries come of the Deuill Newe faugled Gospellers The Cathechisme necessarie to bee knowen of al degrees The woorde of God is a defeÌ„se against the Deuill and all his ministers Ephe. vi Math. iiii Sectaries Schismatikes and Heretikes ii Cor. xi Carnal securitie openeth a waie to the Deuill for to enter into the hartes of meÌ„ Negligence of Princes bryngeth destruction of the common wealthe Note well NegligeÌ„ce of housholders bryngeth destruction of housholdes Disobediente seruantes The disobedience of seruauntes vnto their masters comâ—th of the deuyll Ephe. 6. Coloss. 3. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. The deuyll can not abyde gods ordinances Scismatikes Sectaries Heretykes· All mens doctrine must be tryede by the worde of god Gen. 3. Ephe. 2. Rom. 5. The word of god is a sufficient armour agenste the deuyll and antichriste Gen. 3. Rom. 5. The first rule The nature of wolffes Shepes clothynge is not to be regarded Shepes clothyng what it signifiethe Flattiringe wordes 2. Cor. â—1 Office vocâ—cion title c. Math. 23. Marcke well Holynes of lyfe Anabaptistes Act. 2.4 The errores and heresies of anabaptistes Great giftes The seconde rule The fruites are to be considered The fruite of a true preacher or prophet What the wyll of god is Iohn 6. The fruite of true prophets and teachers Godly lyfe of the teachers Not the lyfe but the doctrine of the preacher is chefelye to be consydered Howe the pope and hys churche are to be tryed The doctrine and lyfe of the pope and hys churche The reward of false prophetes Mammon what it signifieth Why it is called vnryghteous MammoÌ„ Esa. 61. Goods wroÌ„gfully gotten are to be restored Ezech. 6. Note well Christen men ought not to spende their goods vnprofitable Riches ought to be bestowed vpon the poore Coueâ—osnes rulethe generally Behold ye oppressors of the poore Math. 25. Iac. 2. Act. 20. Good works are wytnesses of our faythe Ephe. 5. Couetousnes Gen. 4. Howe the master praised the vnrighteous stâ—eward