beleue this lette him knowe it assuredly that he shall neuer comme vnto the father neither be partaker of eternal life Lyfe And I beseche you how shal he comme vnto the father that seketh other meanes to comme to him then by Christe Besydes that he rather geueth credence vnto false liyng then to the truth euen that trueth whereof Christe here testifyeth of affirmyng him selfe to be the trueth For I pray you Treuth what are all menne all mennes doctrynes all the studyes and counsels of menne if they bee conferred to Christe and his woordes Truely all lyers and mere lyes are all those thynges that are spoken without the woorde of God as the scripture testifyeth psa 115. Psalme Cxv. Euery manne is a lyar But of the woorde of God the scripture sayth Thy woorde is trueth Nowe if the woorde of God onely bee trueth Ioh 17. psa 118. then it necessarily muste folowe that whatsoeuer menne haue inuented without the worde of God it is lyes mere deceyuable iuglyng Howe can it be but truth seyng the to those that beleue in it Rom. 1. it is the power of God vnto saluacion and eternal health For to beleue the word of God is euen thesame as to beleue Christ For Christ is the same woorde and the woorde was made fleshe Ihon. 1. And to beleue Christe is so excellente and noble a thyng that it taketh away synnes and eternal death and for them geueth righteousnes and eternal life And thus it abydeth true that Christ sayd in this place I am the waye the truth and the life Fourthly consider also what Christe-sayd vnto Philip neither would Christ refuse him because of his imbecilitee or weakenes but rather instructeth him thus Philip he that seeth me seeth my father Philip would see the father Christ is very God but Christ would graue it not only in Philippes heart but also in all other his disciples heartes that he is one thyng and substaunce with the father one God equal with the father in maiestie and glory of a like strength wysedome with him This onely excepte that Christ for our infirmitees sakes to redeme vs was made mā and therefore asmuche as pertayneth to that he is made lesse then the father as it is wrytten in the viii Psalme Psal 8. Thou hast made him a lytle lesse vnder the dignitee of angels c. Philip sayth Christe he that seeth me seeth my father And furthermore I dwel in the father and the father in me Beholde howe earnestly Christ recyteth and bet eth into his disciples his deuine nature and essence with the father also requireth that thei shuld no lesse beleue on him Verely sayth he al that I do or speak I do it not or speake it of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me he dothe those workes Therfore for the workes sake at the lest beleue me that I am in the father and the father is in me Furthermore Christ highly prayseth this fayth as he most earnestly requyreth it sayth Verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me the woorkes that I do he also shall do them greatter thynges then these shall he do He shall do greatter thynges then these especially seyng that Christ goeth to the father to receyue his kyngdome and to sende the holy ghost Fayth askyng in the name of Christ obtayneth all thinges I beseche you nowe who date bee so impudent a beast or so styffe necked that he shall dare any thyng at all derogate or minishe the dignitee of fayth seyng that to the beleuer there are made such excellent promises Yea and furthermore here is made a comfortable and excellent promise vnto fayth that is to say that whatsoeuer she wyl aske in the name of Christ shal be geuē her Wherfore shal it be geuē Doubtles that the father may be glorifyed through the sōne And to speake briefely We must thus beleue of Christ that he is of the same essēce of the same power wysedome with the father so that he that beleueth not in Christ that man I say shal neuer come at the father nor at his knowlege For Christ is the way the truth and the life And also noman cōmeth to the father but by Christ as our sauiour Iesus Christe hath testified in many places of his gospel Wherfore that we may come to the knowlege of the father dearly beloued of the Lord let vs diligently apply oure selues to heare the worde of God whereby the true knowlege of Christ is geuē vnto vs. Who knowen and apprehended by faith we may be made parteners and obtayne eternal life Amen The gospel on the Ascencion of our Lord Iesu Christ day Marke 16. AFterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they fat at meate and cast in their teth their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not theim whiche had seen that he was rysen agayne from the dead And he sayd vnto them Mat. 28 Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be dampned And those tokens shal folow them that beleue Actu 4.11.20 In my name they shall cast out deuils they ♣ Act. 2 and 19. shall speake with newe tongues they shal Luc. 10 and 18. dryue awaye serpentes And if they drynke any deadly thyng it shal not hurt them They shall lay theyr handes on the sycke and they shal recouer So then when the Lorde had spoken vnto them ♣ Lu. 24 Actu 1. he was receiued into heauen and is on the right hande of God And they went furth and preached euery where the Lord workyng with them * Heb. 2 and confirmyng the worde with myracles folowyng THE EXPOSITION SEyng that al thynges in the deuine scriptures ought well to be considered wayed this may not be ouerpassed but must diligently be noted and considered that the Euangelist S. Marke in this place where he descrybeth the ascēcion of our Lord Iesu Christ wherein also lyke at in his passion and resurrection consysteth our whole iustificacion maketh mencion of that synne for the which our Lord Iesus Christe so often before he ascended into heauen rebuked his disciples namely of theyr incredulitee and vnbelief Surely it must needes be that this is an heauye and great synne yea it is to bee estemed and thought a verye spryng welle fountayn of all mischiefe seyng that our sauiour Christ euen nowe when he would departe go to his heauenly father rebuketh it so earnestly in his Apostles For thus sayth the Euangelist At the last as the eleuen sat at the table he shewed himselfe vnto theim and rebuked their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not them whiche had seen him rysen Here you heare what synne this was namely Incredulitee And I pray you Vnbeleife is the spryng of all sin who is so shamelesse to
The ioy of Simeon Thirdelye here note in howe greate myrthe in what great ioy this old man triumphed as it were when the eyes of his hearte were opened to knowe his Messias Nowe saide he O lord thou lettest thy seruaunt depart in peace accordyng to thy promise Oh howe noble a thinge is a heart that beleueth well For I praye you what thinge careth Simeon for nowe when he knoweth his king and fauiour Doutles nothing nowe can make him pensiue or sorowfull Neither careth he much whether he liue or dye As though he shulde saye Oh lorde God I haue with great and feruent desire longed to see thy sonne the sauiour of the worlde and now by thy goodnes and mercye I haue that I euer desired And therfore now I feale my felfe in so great ioye that it is all one to me whether I liue or dye Phi. 1. Now if I must liue longer I knowe that my sauiour yea the sauiour of al the whole worlde is come and therfore there is nothyng can make me sorowfull But if I must dye then am I sure that death is to me auantage Yea verely oh Lord I heartely desire to be dissolued be with thee For I am sure that neither synne nor death nor deuil nor hell can hurt me for asmuche as I haue seen thy sonne my lorde and I haue knowen him as my Messias and sauiour Beholde howe after this maner Symeon maketh his song and declareth what fayth he hath in this childe And what dothe he more Sufficeth it that he only beleueth Christ is sauiour before all people and that this ioye tickleth his heart onely Nay not so But he would make this ioy knowen vnto all men and he sayth That God hath prepared this sauiour before the face of all people Wherevnto A light to lighten among the Heathen and the glory of thy people of Israel Surely that is it that I would so gladly haue hard spoken of And I beseche you what thyng might wee poore heathen require more Wee were bonde vnto this tyme in darkenes great incredulite vtterly ignorant what we shuld do to attaine euerlasting saluacion But God hath set furth this light and nowe hath he ended this miserye Who hath done this This childe of whom Symeon speaketh suche excellent thynges And by what thyng hath he brought this to passe By his helthsom doctrine and gospell For as he only is the glory of his people when they acknowledge him by faith so also is he a light vnto vs when he wolde that his most holy worde shuld come vnto vs. For then in deede began it to be fulfilled that the prophet longe before sawe in spirite and saide The people that dwelt in darknes sawe a great lyght c. Wherfore deerely beloued let vs with harty affection indeuour oure selues that in as much as we are made the childrē of god by the worde of god that we acknowledge the same with Simeon and be thankefull And neuer admitte to seeke remission of sinnes iustice and eternal health at any other then this childe whom Simeon acknowledgeth and nameth the sauioure of the whole worlde Who with the father and the holy ghoste preserue and keepe vs all Amen The gospell on saynte Mathias the apostels daye Math. 11. AT that time Iesus answered and sayd I thank the O father lorde of heauen and earth bicause thou haste hid those things from the wife and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes verely father euē so was it thy good pleasure Mat. 12 Luc. 10. Ioh. 3. Al things are giuen ouer vnto me of my father ♣ Ioh. 7 8. b 10. b And no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father saue the sonne and he to whom so euer the sonne wyll open hym Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyl case you Eccle. 6 Take my yoke vpon you learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart ye shal find rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easye 1. Ioh. 5 and my burthen is lyghte THE EXPOSITION TO the right vnderstandyng of this presente Gospell Two natures in Christe it is necessary that we consider wel two natures in Christ And verely if these two natures bee well and christianly cōsidered it shal open and make plaine many places of the godly scriptures which at the fyrst sight might seme to be contrary so that in very dede there shall appeare in them no repugnauncye at all As for an example I and my father are one And again in another place My father is greater then I. Nowe if you referre this sentēce vnto Christes deuine nature the other vnto his humaine nature I pray you shall not these saiynges well agree And in like maner must thou nedes do in this gospel For that he geueth thankes to his father it belongeth to his manhod and that he sayth All thynges are geuen me of my father it must be referred vnto his godhead But wherfore geueth Christ thankes vnto his father Forsoth because the worde whiche is contemned of Corazin and Bethsaida is hyd frō the wyse and prudēt and is reueled or opened vnto yong children Wise prudent men In this place he calleth theim wyse and prudet that trust to their ownes wysdome and by their owne wyttes and vnderstandynges will searche out all thynges Of whom also the prophet sayth Wo to you that are wise in your owne eyes Esai 5. prudent in your owne conceites Suche wysedome and suche prudence that is suche as will not be subdued and submit it selfe captiue vnder the worde of God and to the folishe preachyng of the crosse shal neuer bee able to perceiue any thyng at all of the matter of his iustificacion nor in any thyng that appertayneth to the glorye of God And why God can by no meanes nor will suffre suche pride as cōmonly cōmeth of carnal wysedome as it is written God resisteth the proud 1. Pe. 5. and geueth grace vnto the lowly Furthermore wee see that suche as are carnally wyse and ciuily prudent menne very seldome they come vnto the knowlege of God But who then are they that are admitted vnto the knowlege of God and vnto fayth Forsothe litle children And in this place Christe calleth theim children Childrē or babes that dispayre of theim selues of all their carnall wysedome and prudence that only considereth and depely fyxeth in their heart those thynges whiche Christ taught preached wrought Knowyng also that in matter appertainyng vnto the honour of God to righteousnes our saluacion or our own carnall wytte is of no waytte nor value but onely the worde of God Wysmē And knowyng also that no man can kmowe or apprehende that iustice without the reuelacion of God And nowe vnto the fyrst nōbre that is of carnall wyse men and prudent pertayne the hye priestes Phariseys and Scribes and all iusticiaries that from
beleuest that all this was done for thy wealth then receyuest thou that glad tidynges which preacheth vnto the that thou shalt not perishe but art deliuered from all thy synnes and shalt liue with Christ eternally Is not this a wonderous great profyte that thou hast by the passion of Christ where are I pray you nowe Note this ye sectaries that sell your merites to other those iusticiaries whiche ascribe their saluacion not vnto the passion and death of oure Lorde Iesu Christ but vnto the merites of their owne workes Surely they erre exceadyng sore that so beleue For doubtlesse our owne woorkes were neuer able to performe so great a thing but Christ Christ I say Christ only is he that by his death passion and by the effusion of his precious bloudde geueth freely and maketh vs to possesse eternal helth For he is made vnto vs wisedome from God 1. Cor. 1 and righteousnes and sanctificacion and redempcion Secondarily wee heare nowe of the Euangelist Ihon that when Christ had ended that his last supper had finished that excellent sermon made then vnto his disciples he went furth with his disciples ouer the broke called CedroÌ„ into a certain garden to pray Prayer requireth a secrete place 1. Ti. 2. Some men wyll say what meaneth this that Christ taryeth not within the house Shuld prayer be bound vnto certaine prescrybed places Nay truly For sainct Paule wylleth that in euery place we holde vp our handes vnto God Yet that notwithstanding suche is the nature of feruent and earnest prayer that it may bee farre better and deuoutlyer done Mat. 6 in some secrete place or as Christ sayth in thy chambre then in suche places where is great resort of people Ma. 14 as we also see in the gospel of Mathewe howe Iesus weÌ„t alone into the mountaine to pray But then specially is it agreable that he that prayeth be alone and farre from other when his necessitee panges of his mynd are great that he may so much the more frely shed furth his whole heart before the Lorde his God and in his lappe laye furth all his aduersitee whatsoeuer it be And now what thynke you moued Christ to departe asyde into the garden to pray Necessitee compelleth men to pray Surely that exceadyng great anguishe of his heart For nowe he knewe that the tyme was come of his passion whiche he so sore feared that he sayd My soule is sorowfull vnto the death And againe O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe froÌ„ me You heare in this place howe great feare how great anguishe how great tribulacion and pensiuenes was in the fleshe of Christ And doubtlesse the same feare inuaded him when he haÌ„gyng vpoÌ„ the crosse cryed out with the saiyng of the Psalmist Oh God Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me Psa 21. But nowe ponder what Christ doth in suche necessitee froÌ„ whence he asketh comfort helpe Christ asketh at his heaueÌ„ly father Doubtles he hath no maner of helpe comfort or hope but in his heaueÌ„ly father at whose hand also he loketh for all coÌ„solacion seyng that it was impossible for any creature to helpe in suche necessitee and trouble And although he muste needes drynke of the cuppe of his passion yet was he comforted strengthned by his heauenly father whiche sent an Angel from heauen to comfort him Luc. 22. which altogether was done for vs. For this infirmitee of Christe that wee here see was made our strength For surely we could neuer haue been able to ouercome any temptacioÌ„ but only by Christ Whensoeuer therfore in our necessitee wee aske any thyng of oure heauenly father for Christes sake we shal doubtles for Christ obtayne helpe comfort and all oure heartes desire and bee assured of most sure consolacion Thirdely when Christe hadde ended his prayer Iudas came with the seruantes of the Bishoppes and Phariseis to betraye his Maister and Lorde to delyuer him into the handes of the Bishops and Priestes Is not this an horrible thing to speake especially that an Apostle betrayed Christe Before he had preached the gospell before hee hadde done myracles yea and so behaued him selfe that he seemed nothing vnlyke the other Apostles Besydes this it was not longe before that he sate at one table with Christ and his Apostles and was partener of his Supper and hadde hearde with howe greate pacience and meekemes although in close wordes the lorde had called him vnto repentance Yet notwithstandinge he was so sore indurate and blynded that for a little vyle money he selleth hys Lord Ther is no truste in man and betrayeth him vnto the Iewes Who canne nowe haue any truste in manne seeyng this traytour dare be so bold as one that hathe none euell in his mynde or thynketh no harme to kysse Christe Who also shall boast himselfe of the gyfte that God hath gyuen him before hee come vnto a blessed and christian end Doutles it was not said for noughte Mat 24 Hee that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued There are manye that haue a good begynnyng when they firste beginne to beleue as we haue experience of suche in our times For ther haue been some whiche in the beginning when the gospell beganne to florysh were so feruent and excedinge herty that in manner they dyd durste oute all togither with feruent loue and seemed as they wold at ones deuour the whole gospell But a verye small numbre is there of theim that haue continued the same hartye good mind vnto a good fortunable and perfecte ende Wherefore this is euer true that our sauiour Christ saith Mat. 1â— The last shal be fyrst and the fyrst laste What nedeth mo wordes When suche men ones fall frome the gospell they runne into suche enuye and hatred against it that without doubt they would do as Iudas here doth to his lorde and maister if god woâ—d permitte vnto them occasion to do it Howe often I praye you complaineth S. Paul of such false brethren Note this O chrisâ—ian reader do it Therfore all christian men haue a greate cause without ceassyng to offre prayers vnto god by Christe that not only he wold bring vs vnto the trew and right faith but also that of his great mercy and vnspeakable goodnes he voutchsafe to conserue vs in the same vnto the ende Fourthely we see in this place Christe wyllinglye gaue him vnto the crosse howe willyngly Christe gaue himselfe vnto the crosse for so saithe the texte Then Iesus knowinge all thinges that shulde come vnto him hee wente to meete theym and sayde Whome seeke ye They answered hym Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus sayd vnto them I am he Is it not fulfilled in this place that the prophete sayd Esa 53. Hee shall bee ledde as a sheepe vnto the slaughter and as a lambe before the sherer so shal he hold his peace and he shall not open his mouth And
they wyll men should report them as though thei did all this of an exceadyng great zeale to defende the lawe of Moses and the tradicions of the fathers like as it is commonly practised that their can bee imagined none so great or haynous a cryme against the truth but hypocrisie can before the worlde paint it out with fayre colours Nothīg so euil but hipocrisy can make it holy yea and set it furthe with a glorious shyne of godlynes Well let hypocrisye vse her colours as long as she lust deceiue men as much as she can For surely when the truth cōmeth the light of the Gospell dothe shyne abrode doubtlesse then it shall euidently appeare what lay hydde in suche mennes heartes and wherof that their zeale came that is of mere enuye and stubburne hatred where with they are so set on fyre and do fret against the truth that they can by no meanes abyde it For why the trueth so rebuketh and reprehendeth that outwarde shyne of righteous woorkes and all their holynes and it sheweth that althoughe outwardely they bee honest and vertuous yet in heart they are detestable wretches and bloudthursty dogges vnto whom also God shall say at the laste day Depart from me you workers of iniquitee Mat. 7 I know you not But this they can suffre in no wyse and it is a double edged sworde in their heartes when so euer they are compelled to heare these thynges spoken Nowe forasmuche as Christ had tolde them their faultes many tymes and euermore rebuked sharply their hypocrisy they nowe therfore swarme together and gather their counsels and for money do hyer the traytor to betray him Psal 2. and delyuer him into their handes Yet do they not this to conserue and defēde their lawe Money maketh Iudas betray the truth to this day but this they do to oppresse the truth wherwith Christ had sore troubled them and would in no wyse suffre their hypocrisye to bee estemed as righteousnes This I say is the only cause why thei would so gladly rid Christ out of the way I pray you who wyll nowe wōder that in our daies our religious fathers surely induced by this example rage with suche crueltie against the woorde of God his gospel I assure you they are not so vnwyse but rightwell they can considre what is expedient for them to do in this behalfe and therefore they often assemble and cōsulte among themselfes For why they see if the gospell may goo furth and prospere that this outward and carnal goddes seruice that they haue this outward shewe of holynes that they crake vpon wyll in shorte tyme bee very litle set by And if these thynges ones be had in no reputacion then doubtlesse that holy god of theirs the belly shall be iacke out of office no more worshipped And then men shal syng to him an Anthem nothyng pleasaunt that is to say Ps 127 Labores manuum tuarum manducabis Thou shalt eate the labours of thyne owne handes I pray you who wyll not with this be disquieted and discōtent in his mynd Who of them wyll not take counsel to rydde this doctrin out of the waye Therefore in this place note diligently who they are that take Christe bynde him skourge him and geue commaundement to crucify him and you shal euidētly perceiue what lyeth hyd vnder the hypocrisye of all men Secondarily it is not lightly to bee passed ouer Christe knowledgeth and defendeth his doctrine but diligētly to be noted that Christ when he was examined before the bishop as cōcernyng his doctrin he appealed vnto the hearers of his sermons and defēded boldly and constātly the same his doctrin as true doctrine And so was it very necessary that Christ should do For God not only requireth that we shuld cōtinually apply his doctrin by teachyng hearyng learning it but also that we should frely confesse it and defende it whensoeuer we should be examined of it For Christendome standeth not as somesay in beleue well and holde thy tongue but beleue and cōfesse as the Prophet sayth Ps 115. I beleued and therefore I spake But thou wylt say I am no enemy of the worde and asmuche as in me is I can well suffre the gospel to be preached if at the least it should not breake peace and concorde among the people What is this Sekest thou peace in this worlde and wouldest thou haue constant frendship with it Doubtles it were a fayre thyng if it might be possible to bryng it to passe And also I thynke there can no mā be found but he rather would haue glad and mery dayes then tribulacion and persecucions Mat. 10 But would he so that sayd I am not come to sende peace vpon yearth but a sworde I suppose his mynde is not so He that wil haue the gospel must haue the crosse also with the gospel For if thou wylt haue peace with this worlde then nedes must thou lacke the worde and all the good thynges that in it are offered and geuen to thee But if thou wylt haue the worde nedes must thou also haue the crosse whiche the worde bryngeth with it and thou muste willyngly take it and perseuer in the same vnto the ende of thy life Yea though one crosse would folowe vpon another and lye moste heauily vpon thy necke euen as the prophet Dauid also sayth Ps 118. And I spake of thy testimonies in the presence of Kynges and I was not ashamed Paciēce boldnes And note that vnto the sufferance of the crosse wee neede muche pacience and vnto the defence of the worde we must haue a mouthe that can speake with out fear Mat. 5. For although Christ had taught that if a manne were stryken vpon the right cheake he should turne the other also yet wyll he not nowe approue this strype geuē him by sylence and holdyng his peace but he sayd If I haue spoken euil bryng wytnesse of that euil But if I sayd well why doest thou stryke me Christ toke this strype paciently as the scripture sayth When he was raysed vpon he dyd not geue euil woordes agayne When he was euil intreated he did not thret them Yet could not hee approue that their iniust delyng as a thyng well done And euen so it is expedient for euerye christian manne to do that is he ought doubtlesse freely to confesse the trueth before the worlde and all men as did the Prophetes sainct Ihon Baptist Christ himselfe and the Apostles and as al the elect synce the beginnyng of the worlde haue done And if he therfore be skorned beaten persecuted and cōdempned of menne he ought after the ensample of Christ with quiete and pacient mynde to take vpō him and suffre suche iniurye persecucion Yet not withstandyng he ought not to approue nor prayse their quarel that so do nor yet suffre that by his silence suche tyrannye bee approued or lauded but with free and
into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For ♣ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When
deny that vnbeleif is the fountayn of all euil especially if he compare fayth whereof scripture speaketh with her effectes with incredulitee and her frutes For so comparyng them it shal be an easy thyng to perceyue howe good and what a great thyng fayth is and howe excedyng an euil vnbeliefe is The scripture euery where testifieth this of fayth and doubtles suche is the nature of it that it vtterly dispayreth of all the workes that mā other dothe or can do nor putteth no trust or confidence in none of them but alonely seketh at Christ that righteousnes that is of value afore God of mere grace and mercy without any merytes or deseruynges of woorkes And this fayth is of suche power that when it is true and right it obtayneth also by Christe remission of synnes righteousnes and eternall health yea of the chyldren of the deuyl it maketh the sonnes and heyres of God as S. Paule wryteth in the Epistle to the Romaynes saiyng Rom. 8. Surely whosoeuer are led by the spirite of God these are the children of God For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage agayne to feare but ye haue receyued the spirit of adopcion by whō wee cry abba father Thesame spirit testifyeth together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God If wee bee chyldren then are wee heyres also Namely heyres of God and annexed heyres of Christ c. And doubtles thus it is with true fayth Contrary vnbelief hath his peculyar nature and suche is his condicion that it determyneth his owne righteousnes and eternall lyfe to come of his owne woorkes and not of the meryte of Christ whiche can not bee but to the great iniury of the passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christe by whose meryte onely the heauenly father is pacifyed Incredulite alwayes robbeth Christ of his honour 1. Iho. 3 And what greater contumely and blasphemy may be done vnto our Lord Christ then to dispoyle him of his honour and to ascribe vnto our woorkes that thyng whiche iustly ought to be attributed onely vnto his merite grace For dothe not the scripture say He is the obtainyng of grace or propiciacion for oure synnes Agayne in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians Christe is made vnto vs sayth sainct Paule wysedome from God and righteousnes and sanctifiyng and redempciō Those then that agayne say the merytes of Christ and with woordes crye out against it asmuche as in them lyeth go about to suppresse it they do with al theyr study seke righteousnes eternal helth by the merites of their own workes And those wtout dout are false christians euē thesame the Christ speketh on in Mat. that thei shuld come vnder his name sai Mat 24 Lo heree is Christe c. And thus shall it chaunce to thē that they shal neuer haue the righteousnes eternall health and inheritaunce of the sonnes of god but a vaine prayse and a deceyuable glorye that onlye shall they obtayne And why For in all theyr workes they sought nothing els then the phariseis did whome Christe blameth in the gospell of Mathew and saith Mat. 6. that they did their workes for this intent that they might be glorified of menne And S. Paule saith Ro. 10. They beynge ignoraunte of the righteousnes that is alowed and giuen of god and seekinge to set vppe a righteousnesse of theyr owne they were not subiect to the righteousnes of god To this pertaineth also the promise of the holy ghost wher Christe saithe Ioh. 16 When the holy ghost shall come he shall rebuke the world of sin bicause they beleued not in me c. In this place wee heare again that vnbeliefe is so great a sinne that needs muste the holy ghost be giuen frome heauen to rebuke men of their vnbeliefe Who can now think it meruail though Christe often times so sore blamed rebuked vnbelief in his disciples again in so highlye praised and avaunced faith It is therfore dearlye beloued our part studiously to avoide vnbelief and by al means to embrace the true faith of Christ that by it we may be iustified before god and haue eternall lyfe Secondarily The worde Baptisme in this gospell ys committed vnto the apostels the offyce to preache the worde of god and accordynge to the same worde the administration of Baptisme And suerly this commaundemēt of Christ highly setteth out praiseth and extolleth the vocation of the Apostels and also the ministers of the worde which euery christian man ought diligently to consyder pythely to root it in his heart For where men are assured that the Apostels and ministers of the worde come not forth vncommaunded nor do not headilye of their owne autoritye vsurpe this office of teaching bu are sent to preache and baptise frome the Lorde oure God there without doubt the office of preaching and administration of the sacramentes shal be esteemed accordinglye in highe honoure and dignitie Therefore doubteles it is very necessary for euery christian diligently to obserue marke and learne this gospell as wherin we ar taught that highe honour ought to be giuen to the administracion of the worde and sacraments as to thinges that Christ himselfe the only begotten sonne of god so earnestly commaunded to his beloued Apostles and also adourned these thinges with his owne worde But lette vs now heare what wordes Christe spake to his disciples Go said he into the whole world and preach the gospell to euery creature Who so beleueth is baptized shal be saued but who so beleueth not shal be damned In this text there are two thinges especially cōmaunded the Apostles that is to teach the gospel and to baptise As it is also more euidently plainly declared by the euangelist Math. where Christ saith thus to his apostels Mat 20 Go ye your waye therefore and teache all nacions and baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of holy Ghost And teache them to keepe all thinges whatsoeuer I haue cōmaunded you In these wordes againe we perceiue that these two thynges are cōmaunded chiefly to the Apostles that is to teache and to baptise Nowe it is nedeful that we with al diligence marke this cōmaundement as a thyng that Christ so studiously and earnestly yea as euidently as was possible expresseth beateth it into his disciples memorye and that for none other cause but to declare that he specially taketh cure and regardeth the administracion of his holy worde and the sacramētes and to admonishe vs that we also beare attribute vnto these his ordinances their right honor geue vnto them their due glory But amōg al men the ministers of this word ought well to consider take diligēt hede vnto this cōmaundemēt of Christ For seyng that the office to teache is the ordinance cōmaundement of the most best most mighty god therfore the ministers part is in this office cōmaundement of God so to behaue him selfe to order