world hath euer bene ful of mischiefe gylty of sinne neither is no man in it but nedeth the merites of Christe yet doo not all men vnderstande this nor acknowledge thys And especyallye the indurate and hard hearted Pharaos Pharao and after them the hipocrites acknoweledge it not For the indurate synners leade furth their lyues euen lyke beastes not greatly forsyng whether there bee any other lyfe after this or no or whether there bee any Christ to bryng them to that life or no. But the hypocrites Hypocrittes that leane to their own righteousnes in dede they can talke of the wrath to come yet notwithstandyng they leaue Christ take thus muche vpon theim selues that they trust in their owne good workes to obtaine that lyfe and saluacion I praye you what good can Christe do to suche Yea what shuld he do with suche This fyrst sort of people are stubburne necked hard hearted and thynketh they haue no neede of Christe The other sorte of iusticiaryers forsaketh the meryte of Christ True synners lyke as they would deserue heauen by theyr owne workes Christ seyng and consideryng this leaueth these two sortes ioyneth himselfe to suche as acknowlege them selues sinners and desire and seke for tomforte and helpe And they also with all their heart with true loue and gladnes receiue him and beleue his preachyng Mich 7 they doubte not his promise but they say with the Prophet Mycheas He shal be turned and he wyll haue mercy vpō vs and he wyll caste all oure synnes into the deapth of the seas Euen so must we do Let vs adioyne our selues to Christ as synners shewe to him our synnes and with teares require his mercye If wee do this with a faythfull heart surely in this gospel he hath declared in dede that he is ready to help suche sinners And furthermore with this his deede agreeth also his woordes that here he speaketh vnto the Phariseys saiyng The whole nedeth not the Physician but the sicke Agayne I am not comme to call the righteous but synners to repentaunce Fourthly the Euangelist discrybeth howe the Phariseys murmured against Christ wherein they open and shewe plainly that notable pryde of theyr heartes But wherefore murmure they Because Christ eateth and drynketh with synners O great holynes of these Phariseys Tell me I praye ye O holy hypocrites where is it wrytten that suche as knowlege themselues synners do repent it ought to bee fledde and their company to be eschewed Is not this thinke you a good vertuous dede to seke out agayne the lost stray shepe and to bryng him agayne into the right waye But I see you do the cleane contrary for ye iudge it both wicked and vngodly Surely Christ sayd well of you in the gospel of Mathew Blynd guydes coulyng out the gnat and swolowe the Camel Ma. 27 Ye obserue mennes tradicions would men should esteme you vertuous and godly yet can ye very well awaye with it that your neighbour should continue in synne and be cōdempned Nowe if ye were vertuous in deede ye would surely neuer do so For true righteousnes because it cōmeth of fayth and therfore also loueth his neighbor with all the heart it wisheth that all men might be vertuous righteous blessed Wherfore wyl ye knowe what ye want Ye haue no fayth and therfore can ye not loue your neighbour for in very deede that is the fruite of fayth Nowe because ye lacke fayth and loue ye haue not only no cōpassion vpō them that be loden with synne and would with al their heartes be deliuered from their synnes but also euen as the nature of hypocrites and iusticiariers is ye dispise them and caste them frome you But this your dispising can do you no good in this behalf Ye must neds take an other trade of liuing yf ye wyll be taken for righteous Wyll ye knowe how so Learn what this meaneth that the prophet Oseas said Osee 6. I will mercye and not sacrifice For all these outewarde woorkes all these outewarde sacrifices profyte nothynge at all excepte there bee presente in the hearte a true faythe in God and true loue to your neyghboure Behold thus haue wee here paynted vnto vs the arrogancy and pride of hypocrisy and furthermore howe Christe stoppeth vppe the Phariseys mouthes and confuteth theym by the holye scriptures God graunte that the aduersaryes of the truthe in thys oure presente tyme maye acknowledge hys holye woorde and beecome wyth the chylderen of god partakers of hys heauenly kyngdome through CHRIST our Lorde Amen The gospell vpon S. Mychael the Archangell daye Math. 18. AT the same tyme came the disciples vnto Iesus sayinge Mar 9. Luc. 9. Who is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Iesus called a chylde to hym set hym in the middest of them and said Verely I say vnto you Mar. 10 Except ye turn and become as Luc. 18. Actu 2. children ye shall not enter into the kyngdome of heauen Whosoeuer therfore humbleth himself as this chyld the same is the greatest in the kīgdome of heauen And who so receaueth suche a chyld in my name receiueth me But who so doth offende one of these lytleones Actu 9 Luc. 17 whiche beleue in me it were better for him that a mylstone were hāged about his necke that he were doruned in the depth of the sea Wo vnto the worlde because of offences 1. Co. 11 Necessarye it is that offences come But wo vnto the man by whom the offence commeth Wherfore Mat. 5 if thy hand or thy foote hynder the cutte him of cast it from thee It is better for thee to entre into life halte or maymed rather then thou shouldest hauyng two handes or two feete be cast into euerlastyng fyre And it thyne eye offende thee plucke it out and cast it from thee It is better for thee to entre into life with one eye rather then hauyng two eyes to be cast in to hel fyre Take hede that ye despise not one of these lytleones For I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels do alwayes be holde the face of my father whiche is in heauen THE EXPOSITION of this present gospel WE haue againe here in this gospel an example of the Apostles infirmitee ignorance wherin we see howe paciētly Christ beareth their infirmitee And as the goodnes of Christe appeareth in this Gospell euen so the affection of the Apostles sheweth it selfe to bee exceadyng grosse and rude and full of ignoraunce For consider what they do They came to Christ sayd Who is greattest in the kyngdome of heauē What meane they by these woordes Thynke they that Christe shoulde haue a corporall knogdome in this worlde promote his disciples vnto greate lordships as it is done in worldly princes courtes Heard they euer Christ so teachīg Did not he shew them afore Mat. 5. Ye ar blessed whan men shall rayle vpō you
Which thing surly the peacible cōming of our lorde Iesu Christe to Ierusalem The cōming of Christe to Ierusalem doth goodly performe and bringe to passe For what kind of goodnes or mekenes ys not serued therein Other princes and Lordes as often as they newlye enter into ther kingdomes and Dominions lord what a pōpe and greate companye goeth before them as it is written in the 19. psal Psal 19 Some in charettes some in horses They than put c. But Christ although he was constituted lord of heauen and earth as it apeareth in the laste chap. of Math. yet he porely rode vpon an asse back accompanied with a simple and despised companye Which thinge not onlye of the world had no comendacion but also gaue to euery body occasion of laughyng and iesting What manner a man Christ is Neuertheles if all this were printed in our hartes yt wolde teache vs what a māner of man Christe was and what became euery christian man to loke of hī He is verily such a one that escheweth shunneth chaseth away no man from hym but alureth calleth euery man to hym For certaynly to that intēt he cam into this world that through his onlye desertes and merites he might redeme all And therfore he sheweth him selfe vnto vs with so great humanitie not only in words and learnyng but also in works and miracles And here I think that the prophet Esa in spirite saw this great clemency goodnes of Christ whē he cried so depely in his hert sayinge Esa 64 Break the heauens and come down Ye the euangelist also did diligently brīg in the testimony of Zachary to set before our eyes the mekenes of Christ with the which he goeth about to help euery mā saying Zach. 9 Ecce rex tuus uenit tibi mansuetus c. that is Lo here thy kinge commeth vnto the c. all these wordes be spokē with a great vehemency For whē he saieth notablye this worde loe it can not be but that he goeth about to shew a thīg of great waight And here in syght was nothinge els done but that Christe in his lowly entryng into Ierusalem wold commēd toward vs his most bounteful wil great benefite as thoughe he shuld say thus Act. 15. Thou my dispised company hast hitherto lyen oppressed vnder the heauye yoke of the lawe which seyng thou coldest by no meanes fulfil was nother help to the nor to none other Moreouer before my aduēt or coming thou haddest nothīg els but promise But nowe be of good comfort I wil make an ende of al thy miserie and wretchednes I wil take away the curse of the lawe and wyll forgeue the thy sinnes and shall obteyne for the euerlasting lyfe Verely al this can I do Christe Kyng Mat. 11 seing I am kynge lorde ouer synne death the deuel and hell And this not only I can do but will do cum sim mitis c. On this wise doth the aforesaid prophet Zachary shewe forthe vnto vs this worke of Christe Now he that of this place so learneth to knowe Christe that with all his herte he may say with the people Blessed be he that cometh in the name of God And so beleueth that here Christe with all his goodnes of his only grace is geuen to hym he beynge delyuered from sinne is made iuste and good accordīg to this scripture He the beleueth in him shal not be left comforteles but shall haue euerlasting lyfe ¶ Secondarely Good workes this gospell teacheth vs the veri trew good workes of a christen man by the which the same faith is made clear and apparaunt in that that this place settethe forthe vnto vs the compassion and teres of Christe at his entrynge vnto Ierusalē Wold god that al the world knew what scripture calleth good workes And trewly it is very expedient that the ministers of the word of god shulde earnestly and diligently but yet wisely exhort the people to good workes seeyng that al the worlde is now geuen holy to naught and myschife For as admonitions wherwith the people are stirred to do good be necessary so affiaunce in the deseruinge of workes and in our owne iustice is noysome and perniciouse As cōcernyng good workes these be they as often as by very loue thou doeste considre the necessitie pouertye infirmitie miserye and aduersitie of thy neighboure as thine owne And in all thinges in thy mynde thou art ready to helpe him As we se in saynt Paule where he speaketh to the Gala. in the 6. chap Gal. 6. Lette vs alwayes do good towarde euery man and cheiflye towarde them that be ioyned in the felowship of faith with vs. And in the 6. chapter of the first epistle to Tim. he saith 1. Tī 6. Cōmaund them that be rich in this world that they be not highe mynded and that thei putte not their hope and truste in their vncertayn riches but in the liuing God And that they do good and be rich in good workes and liberall in geuing and dealing theyr goods Here wee maye se that saynt Paule doth not onlye moue vs to good works but also sheweth namely vnto vs whiche be good workes that is to say to do well to euery manne and willingly to geue and to be liberall And here well may be alledgyd the saiyng of Esaie the prophete in the 58. chap. Thou shalt not despise thine oune kynde and fleshe Esa 58. Yf thou wilte dilligentlye marke this place and herken vnto suche thynges as the prophete speaketh of in the same doughtles thou shalt soone perceiue what he calleth good workes yea and all the prophets do so instauntlye stir vs vnto these workes that they dare say plainly that no kind of worshipping god doth preuaile wherin the loue of thy neighboure is not founde And Osee in the 6. chap. saieth Ose 6. Complacitum est mihi in misericordia non in sacrificio That is I am well pleased with mercy shewing and not in sacrifice doyng In this place to be mercifull signifieth to do good to my neighbour as it appeareth in the 6. of Luke Luc. 6 Nowe therfore like as Christ became seruaunt vnto vs in learnyng in lyfe in miracles doyng in his deathe in his resurrection and to bee short in euerye pointe of humantie so he wolde that we shuld become seruauntes one to an other What is to be mercifull in body power strenght in all our riches Neuertheles in suche wise not that we shuld put our cōfidence in these workes and withstand the wrath of God therewith but to testifye and shewe forthe our faithe in light For saynct Paule by such workes declared his faith and lette passe diuerse other of his good workes what thinke you of that wher he dyd socoure and helpe that poore and miserable Onesmus For willing to reconcile he wold reconcile him to Philemō he calleth hī his own hart ys not this a
that surfete and ouer greate couetousnes of riches with greate violence shall invade The car of the belli In the whiche place againe Christ taketh care for vs and saieth Beware c. Thirdly the Gospell shal be preached euery where as we do nowe euidently se so that wee muste needes confesse and knowledge that these manye yeares hitherto the Gospell hathe not beene so purelye preached as we se in these latter daies Item the son moone and the sterres shal be destitute of their naturall lighte The course of the law And hereto shall folowe the sorowfulnes of the people for the feare and lookinge for those thinges whiche shall chaunce to all the worlde The rombling and noise of the sea and floudes the mouinge of the celestiall powers and diuerse other signes whereof Christe maketh mention Now thou perceiuest what shall signes necessarily happen and moreouer thou hast harde that to those that abide in Christe Rom. 5. thâ—y shall bringe no feare at all Forthermore see in this case that thou take hold of Christe by faithe as suche a Lorde and mayster 1 Pet. 5. that hath taken charge ouer the yea and shall abide with the to the end of the worlde Mat. 28 so shall there bee nothing that shall hurte or feare the. The second aduente of Christe Also Christ in this gospell sheweth the maiestye of his laste comminge for none other cause but to comforte his people and to the wicked he bringeth an horrible fear when he saieth And then thei shal se the sonne of man come in a cloud with a great power and clerenesse as thoughe he shuld say Thou my dispised company hast suffered griefe and paine in this worlde thou haste beene made the ofscouringe of al for my worde in the desence therof thou hast suffered many ieopardies of goodes honoure lyfe 1 Cor. 4 and so forthe Therefore now beholde him in whome thou hast laied or sette all thy trust or hope What thinkest thou nowe by my power where bee they that haue persecuted the Ps 72 whreunto is their power come where is nowe seene the pompe and magnificeÌ„ce of thi enemies Al thei by coÌ„fusioÌ„ shame ar destroyed Rom. 8. being damned both body soule for euer And lyke as thy misery shal now haue an end so shall their perpetuall infelicitye and condemnacion nowe begyn and last for euermore Feare thou not this my power whiche thou nowe seeste it shall make more for the then against the Likewise lette not my maiestye be it neuer so greate trouble the The greater it is the more socoure shalt thou haue at my hande And nowe suffre a while and let vs se what the enemyes of the word of God can do Lo Psa 43 thus it is manifest that the maiestie of Godds iudgement to vs that beleue his worde and for the same alwaies be counted and taken as shepe apoynted to the slaunghter bringeth not feare but rather a comforte To vs I say that beleue in him for wee shall hear that ioyfull voice Mat. 15 Come hither the blessed children of my father And nowe may we plainlye se what it is that saynt Paule saith 2 Tim. 1 I knowe in whome I haue beleuid and am sure that he is able to kepe that I haue committed to his kepyng vnto that day In contrary wise Ioh. 19 the enemies of the word of God shal se whom they haue persecuted and whether Christ shall winke at all those ylles that hathe chaunsed to the electe people of God There shal be wepinge and gnashing of teath there shal be hell euerlasting death Thirdly we haue in this gospell a perfecte admonicion that we shal abiecte and cast away al fleshly truste and securitie Carefulnes hurteth and to geue dilygence to haue perfect knowledge of our selues and to be alwayes readye against the glorious adneÌ„t or comming of our lord Iesu Christ For bycause he hath moued and kindeled our hartê with these wordes Looke vp and lyfte up your heades hath putte awaye all feare He wil also that we be warned to prepare our selues againste these times and this he doth by a rude and homely similitude saying Ye se the figge tree and all other trees when they bring forth their fruicte and theÌ„ you say somer draweth nigh So when ye shal see al these thinges done know you for certain that the kingdome of heauen is at hande And note wel nowe that he wolde vs to vnderstand perceiue that when al these thinges shal be brought to passe that then Christ shall make an end of the world But the wicked shal boldly dispise and saye God seeth not vs Ezec. 9. he hath forsaken the earth c. yet shall christian men geue hede loke for these times Luc. 11. as a faithful seruauÌ„t doth loke his mayster when he shall retourne from the mariages And that thou mayest knowe that hee greatlye desireth that we shuld be mindefull of this day he maketh an ende of his sermon with this worde Watche ye How must we watch Verely it is nedeful that we haue a liuely feruente faith Mat 25 which by loue shulde bee effectuall like vnto the fyue wyse virgines For trewly to watch is to be diligente in faithe To watche To slepe and the workes of God as in the contrary wise to slepe is nothing els but to dispise the worde of God to abide in infidelitie and playnly to doo no good at all Now how many is there emongest vs al that doth loke for that helthful and glorious comming or aduent or watcheth therefore Verelye all the worlde slepeth and routeth 1 Tes 5. Night and darkenes hath ouer compassed all that euer ys Wherfore thou that art the minister of the word of God folowe Christ sette it forth with all instancye and feruentnes Call to repentaunce Correcte the euell Comforte the good and beware leste God require the bloode of the synner at thy hand Ezec. 5. For trewly it is not all in vayne that God hath so purposed and decreede in his minde He hath spoken it and therefore it muste needes bee Heauen and earthe shall passe awaye but his worde shall euer abide If thou do thy dewtye and ceasest not with all thy minde to admonishe and warne althoughe it were so that the more parte wolde not beleue or obey but lyke the Sodomytes encrese synne vpon synne yet wold there be found some good grounde that wold receiue the seede of Godes worde bring forth frute Thy diligence and labour can not lack his reward Mat. 25 as scripture witnesseth saieÌ„g Wel good seruaunt and faithfull bycause thou haste beene faithfull ouer a little I shall set the ouer muche Enter into the kingdome of thy Lorde The thirde sondaye in Aduent Mat. 11. WHen Iohn beyng in prison herd the workes of Christ he sente two of his disciples Esa 35. and sayde vnto him Art thou he that
vp his eyes in to heauen to saye Luc. 15. God haue mercy vpon me a sinner Luke the 18. chap. Likewise the elder brother disdained his yonger brother that was loste when he retorned came to himselfe againe Mar 14 And in like manner Iudas dispised that simple wretched woman which in the house of Simeon the leper powred out vpoÌ„ Iesus head a box of costly oyntment And also the Iewes dispised Christe when he didde eate and drinke amongeste the publicans and sinners But what sayed Christe to that Verely I saye vnto you that sinners and whores shall enter into the kingdom of heauen before Mat. 21 you What doth not the houshoulder here think so to when he saieth Shall I not do with mine owne what pleaseth me And in this we miserable sinners haue one speciall thing and prerogatiue before those great high holy men that when we do good workes we haue no respect thereto nor do them for that cause that therefore we may aske heauen of God as dewe dette to vs but wee beleue in hym that maketh the sinner righteous and oure fayth is imputed to vs to iustificacion Rom. 4 And forbicause the iustifiers do aske their rewarde as dette and couenaunt and not of grace therefore yt happeneth to them that they be made of the firste the laste Nor yet shal they leaue or forsake their pride so grafte in them which alwaies foloweth them but alwaies they shall iudge and condemne and often tymes haue in theire mouthes and call here tyckes heretickes vntil they them selues be condemned The sonday called Seragesima Luc. 8. WHen much people wer gathered together and were come to him out of all cityes he spake by a similitude ♣ The sower wente oute to sowe his seade and as he sowed some fell by the way syde and yt was troden downe and the foules of the ayre deuoured yt vp And some fell on stone and as soone as it was spronge vp it wythered awaye bycase it lacked moystenes And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprange vp with it and choked it And some fell vpon good ground and bare frute and hundreth folde And as he sayd these thynges he cryed He that hath eares to hear let him heare And his diciples asked hym saiyng what manner of similitude is this And he sayde Vnto you it is geuen to knowe the secrets of the kyngdome of God but to other by parables that wheÌ„ they see they shoulde not se Mat. 12 Mar. 4 and when they heare they shoulde not vnderstande The parable is thys Esa 6. c Mat. 13 Mar. 4. Ioh. 12. Act. 28. f Rom. 11 Mat. 13 Mar. 4. The feede is the worde of God Those that are beside the waye are they that heare then cometh the deuell and taketh away the word out of theyr hartes lest they shuld beleue and bee saued They on the stones are they which when they heare receiue the worde with ioye and these haue no rootes which for a while beleue and in tyme of temptacion go awaye And that which fell amonge thornes are they which when they haue herde go forthe and are choked wyth cares and ryches and voluptuous lyuing and bring forth no frute That which fell in the good ground are they which with apure and good herte hear the worde and kepe it and bring forth frute through pacience THE EXPOSITION THe similitude of the gospel of this day Christ himselfe hath sufficiently expounded I wold wishe that all we might receiue the grace of God not only to vnderstand the same but to haue it written in our hartes that we might oftentymes thinke theron For seing that Christ himselfe with a loude voyce saied He that hath eares to hear let hiÌ„ harkin we may well perceiue that it is not geuen to euery man to heare the worde of God and kepe the same For as S. Paule witnesseth in the third cha of his first epist to the Cor Plant we may The outwarde worde water may as wel as we can but the encrease cometh of no maÌ„ but of God And that we may learn how god bi the outward preaching of his word doth also inwardly through the holye ghoste worke in oure hartes there ar fower kiÌ„des of herers laied here before vs. Fyrste of all Christe speaketh of the seede that fel by the waies syde and was trodden vnder foot and the foules of the aier eate it vp And he calleth the seed the worde of God and the byrdes he calleth the deuel which by innumerable means pluck and rote vp the word of God out of meÌ„nes hartes And he speaketh as though he shulde saye on this wise False christiaÌ„s Many there be that hear the gospel wyll in any wise be called christian men moreouer they vse the sacraments liberty of a christian maÌ„ but trewly they shal obtain of me nothing els but the vayne name that they so greatly glory in And out wardly they shew a certaine grauiti and face of holynes but inwardely they be filled with al malice And why so Bicause they haue receyued the word of God vnder a pretext as it were vnder a shadow or visarde it neuer descended into they re hartes neither were they kindeled any thinge therewith whereby a man myghte perceiue it to haue been any thing liuely or effectual in them There haue entred in false doctours and secte maisters which thorow their deceitful exposition of scripture haue suppressed and troden vnder foot the good seede of the word of God Iere. 5. 27 Of whom the prophet Ieremy saith That they shall speak their lyes in the name of the lorde 1. TiÌ„ 1. And S. Paule called the doctrine of those men idle speach They haue adioyned themselues to suche doctoures forsaking the fountayne of the water of lyfe and folowe with all desire and couet to drinke the troubled and muddye water infected with mans tradicions and hereticall lerning And afterward cometh in the deuell which is signified by the byrdes And bicause his ministers the false techers haue with their false preachiÌ„g prepared to hiÌ„ his waies he goeth forth entreth priuily iÌ„to their hartê so that thei beiÌ„g brought froÌ„ the trew doctrine of Christ shall both body soule run into the snares of the deuel And those deceits snares The deuell of noone dayes be the very deuel of that none tyde that the 90 psal speaketh of And now forasmuch as we haue perfect knowledg that the deuel layeth netê snares for vs as wel by his false prophets which by the peruerse expositioÌ„ of scripture go about to deceiue vs As also by his owne gyles and inspiracioÌ„s yt shal be very necessary that we so establish our lyues that by no meanes we be brought froÌ„ the trew simple doctrine of Christ For as sone as we begin to despise and set litle by that word of god that is shewed vnto vs by Christ We must
the grace and mercy of the gospell that the church gathered of the gentyles and of the Iewes shal be made one flocke and haue one shepeharde But here marke and take hede in what manner this callyng shal be Christe alone must bringe it to passe and performe yt as he saithe I haue yet other shepe that be not of this folde and those same must I bring also c. Christe muste bringe the gentils whereout it foloweth necessarily that the gentiles of them selues without they be brought by Christe can not come And yf they can not come of them selues it is manifest and playne that we throughe grace and mercye be iustified and saued as saith S. Paule By grace are you saued throughe faythe Ephe. 2. and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of god not of workes least any man shulde boaste him selfe Now yf we are called to righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe by grace why do we then boast vs of oure workes Whervnto is now free wil become why do not you leaue Christe his honoure Wylte thou become a thefe and priuily steale awaye christes honour Is it not sufficient that the pharisies those glorifiers in workes are called theues If ye are wyse take counsayle with the scripture and beleue the same if ye will be saued which saith No man knoweth the father Ioh. 14 but the sonne and to whome the sonne wil reuele it .. Marke diligently that he saith To whō the sonne wyl reuele it And in this gospell he saith also I I I my selfe muste bringe them When Christe doth bringe vs through his word and spirite then do we heare his voyce then do we willingly obey him and mortefie the old Adame in vs. To make shorte we lyue according to goddes will and pleasure Some there be that suppose that by this sentence Ther shalhe one flocke and one shepard is promised through out all the worlde Vnity concord in the doctrine of Christs faythe is not to be loked for vnitie and concorde in the doctrine and faithe of Christe but they be deceyued For this saiyng is fulfilled when both the Iews and gentyles are called by the word of god into the communion of one churche And in th ende of the worlde finally it shal be fulfilled when the faithfull as well of the Iewes as of the gentiles shal be disseuered diuided from the kiddes that is frome the vnfaithfull and taken into the kingdome of Christe Whiche God the father graunt vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The thirde sonday after Easter Ioh. 16 AFter a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. 7. agayne after a whyle ye shal se me for I go to the father Thē sayde some of hys dysciples betwene them selues What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a while ye shal se me and that I go to the father◠They sayde therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he saith Iesus peceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayde vnto them Ye enquyre of this betwene your selues bicause I sayde After a whyle ye shal not se me and agayne After a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I say vnto you ye shall weepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyce Ye shall sorowe but Ioh. 2◠your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe bycause he thow◠is come but as sone as she is delyuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the world And ye now therefore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and your hartes shall reioyse and your ioye shall no man take frome you THE EXPOSITION Chryste sheweth his passion resurrectiō to his disciples IN this gospell diligently we shall note foure thinges First how Christ shewed before vnto his disciples his passion and resurrection Furthermore in what wise through his resurrection he shuld raign in his kingdome and go to the father This sermon and teaching muste needes be verye necessary whē Christ so oftentimes and with so many wordes repeteth it and sheweth yt his disciples Yea truly it is very needful considering the infirmitie of our flesh and the hard vnderstandynge of these articles Wherefore Christe after the manner of a faithfull maister and instructours ceasseth not contynuallye to inculcate and driue into the apostles hartes suche artycles that in all poyntes he mighte trulye and iustelye execute hys office And this is the exposition and meanynge thereof After a little while I shal be delyuered vnto the Iewes and they shal condemne me scourg me and at the last crucify me And lykewise as Ionas was three dayes and three nyghtes in the belly of the whale Mat. 21 so shall I be three dayes and so manny nyghtes also in the hart of the earth And that is the same that I say vnto you After a little while yee shall not see me and yet after a litle that is the thirde daye whan I am risen frome deathe yee shall see me But that shal be no great whyle for I muste go to the father and receaue my kingdome whiche is spirituall With the whiche hee instructethe and teacheth his dysciples what maner of kyngedome hee shall haue and in what wyse he shall entre into it The kīgdom of Christ Eph. 14 The kyngedome of Chryste lyeth herein That Christe hath ouercomme sinne deathe hell and the dyuell and hathe all the auctorytye and power of the father in heauen and in earthe that hereafter he beinge ordeined the moste mighty kinge vppon the hollye hyll of Sion Psal 2. shuld strength and rule his faithfull and electe through the holy ghoste And into this kīgdom he hath entred through his passion death and sheding of his blode as the prophete Dauyd sheweth before Psa 109 He shall drynke of the brooke in the waye therefore shall he lyfte vp his heade The Apostles knewe yet but little of the spirituall kingedome and thought it shulde haue been temporall vntill suche time that they receiued the holy ghost which opened their eyes and instructed them what manner of kingedome it shulde be how we shulde come vnto it and abide in it And if we desyre to enter into this kingedome and wyl ouercome synne death the diuell and hell it is moste conuenient necessarye that we know Christe oure Lorde and sauioure oure kinge and bysshoppe and that by his bloode wee are reconcyled to the euerlastinge father And we must do also as Paule monissheth vs in the epistle to Timothe sayinge 2 Tim. 2 If wee be dead with him we shall lyue with him also If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall denye vs. Secondarily here is layde before vs in the apostles an exaumple of our ignoraunce An exaūple of our ignoraunce For as the
4. and. 7. Tit. 3. a Rom. 8. That whiche is borne of the fleshe is flesh and thâ—â— whyche is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruayle not thou that I sayd to the ye muste be borne frome aboue The wynde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof Eccl. 11. but canst not tell whence it cometh and whether it goeth So is euerye one that is borne of the spirite Nycodemus aunswered and sayd vnto him How can these thiâ—ges be Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Arte thou a mayster 〈◊〉 Israel knowest not these thiÌ„gs Verely verely I say vnto the 〈◊〉 speake that we do know and testifye that we haue seene and ye receyue not our witnes Yf I haue tolde you earthly thinges and yet beleue not how shall you beleue if I tell you of heauenly thynges Ephe. 4 And no man ascâ—nded vp into heauen but he that came doâ—â—â— from heauen euen the sonne of man whyche is in heauen And as Moyses lyft vs the serpente in wildernes Nu. 21. euen so must the â—onne of man be lyfte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in him perishe â—oâ— but haue eternall lyfe THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell we haue and excellent disputacion of the righteousnes of the fleshe and also of the righteousnes of the spirite Christ teacheth vs the one and Nicodemus defendeth the other But so that in the meane while he is content to be taughte and enformed of Christe Fyrste of all lette vs considre the persone of Nicodemus as it is here described of the euangeliste The description of Nicodemus howe vnwisely and vndiscretelye he speaketh of regeneracion Whereout we maye note what reason and mannes strength can do in vnderstandyng of diuine and heauenly thinges The euangelist sayeth on this wise There was a man of the phariseis named Nicodemus a ruler amoÌ„g the Iews Herein he declareth that Nicodemus as conceriÌ„ng his outward conuersacion led an honest and a worshipful lyfe which coulde not bee reprehended or rebuked so that he was taken and counted one of the chiefe rulers amongest the Iewes Here also thou haste the discription of the person whiche after worldely fashion and maner is taken and counted both wise and righteous Yet this nowistanding The fleshe is fearfull there is not so greate strengthe or boldenes in Nicodemus that he durste speake vnto Christe openlye though he knewe him to be a teacher sente from god whose wondres and miracles he coulde not deny Whye doth not reason here steppe forth boldely and openlye professe the doctrine of Christe For so Christe wolde haue it according to that he spake Whosoeuer knowledgeth me before men Mat. 10 him will I knowledge before my father which is in heauen and the angelles But reason canne not do this for it passeth and excelleth farre his capacitye and conning He will not be charged with the hatred of the world for the truthes sake For the which cause Christe wyll haue vs mortifie this olde Adame in vs and become a newe creature But what knoweth or vnderstandeth the fleshe and oure nature here of Trulye nothing at all as it is playne and euidente here declared by this Nicodemus For Christe speaketh of a new and a spirituall natiuity but Nicodemus contrary wise vnderstandeth a carnal and a fleshly natiuity How can a man saith he be borne when he is olde can he enter into his mothers womb and be borne againe Wee are all Nicodemes ignorauÌ„t of godly thinges Here you heare in what wise this wordly righteous man answereth to godly things Yea Christ himselfe must open declare vnto hym in what wise a man must become a new creature be borne agayne yet he vnderstandeth it not but demaundeth again saiyng How may these things be What other thing can a maÌ„ se perceiue in this Nicodemus then ignoraunce incredulity Wherfore if his outward coÌ„uersacioÌ„ had ben a great deale more glorious theÌ„ it was yet could it not haue pleased god why Bicause that god doth not regard the outward fashions of men but iudgeth according to the hart faith of a man as the prophete Ieremye declareth saiyng Thou o lorde lookest only vpon faith Iere. 5. Ro. 14. And S. Paul to the Romaines saith What soeuer is not of faith that same is sinne Mat. 5. For first we muste get the inward righteousnes if the outward shall please god For if wee wante righteousnes inwardly Christ may straight way say vnto vs as he said to the Iues Except your righteousnes excede the righteousnes of the scribes phariseis ye caÌ„not enter into the kingdom of heauen Therfore likewise as Nicodemus had here but a rude blinde vnderstanding in those thingê that pertaine to the grace of god our saluacion euen so be wee euery one rude ignorauÌ„t and the very olde Adam yea nothing but flesh carnal according to the saiyng of Christ That saith he which is borne of flesh is flesh What the scripture calleth fleshe If it be not renewed and lightned with the spirite I vnderstaÌ„d by flesh the whole vniuersal nature of maÌ„ both body soule reason vnderstanding freewyl wtoute the holy ghost For such a man yea suche a body of sin caÌ„ do nothing but sin how excellently so euer he shineth outwardly though outwardly he garnisheth himselfe with neuer so manye workes Which thiÌ„g S. Paul expresseth with manifest words Rom. 8. to the Romaines And here also it is playne and euidente by this Nicodemus which in the sight of the worlde was holy and righteous Secondarelye The new birthe is necessarye Christe teacheth vs in this gospell a newe natiuity which Nicodemus could not comprehende or vnderstande and so speaketh of it that it maye apeare to bee a thinge necessarye to saluacion Hee sayeth on this wise Excepte a man bee borne a newe hee canne not see the kyngedome of God To se the kyngedome of God is to be iustified Now mark considre what Christ speaketh of this iustifiyng and contrarywise what Nicodemus thinketh thereof To see what the kiÌ„gdom of god is Christe concludeth that no worke no reason no outward conuersacion canne iustifye and saue vs excepte allonlye that the man be borne a newe Contrary wise thus thinketh Nycodemus that yf oure outward conuersacion lyfe and working be allonly confirmable vnto the law that for those workes god is constrained and bouÌ„d to iustifye and saue vs. But herein he erreth greatly Not Nicodemus but Christe hat here the victorye forasmuche as all men are lyars and all onlye god is trewe Psall 115 Rom. 3. Wherefore lette vs sharpely marke and considre in what wise this newe natiuity and regeneracioÌ„ is so brought to passe He saith on this wise Excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not come into the kingdome of god Here thou hearest Baptisme that this regeneracion and new natiuity beginneth in Baptisme For baptisme is a signe of mortefiynge
ghost be all praise and honoure Amen The gospell on the sixte sondaye after trinitye sonday Math. 5. FOr I saye vnto you Except your rightousnes excede the rightousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kyngedome of heauen Ye haue hard that it was sayd vnto thē of olde tyme Exo. 20 Leu. 18. Deut. 5. Thou shalt not kill whosoeuer kylleth shal be in daunger of iudgmēt But I saye vnto you that whosoeuer ys angry with hys brother vnaduisedly shal be in daunger of iudgmēt And whosoeuer sayth vnto hys brother Racha shal be in daūger of a counsayle But whosoeuer sayth Thou foole shal be in daunger of hell fyer Therefore yf thou offerest thy gifte at the aultare and ther remēbrest that thy brother hath ought against the leaue there thyne offerynge before the aultare Iob. 42 and go thy waye fyrste and be reconcyled to thy brother and than come and offre thy gyfte THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche as oure lorde Iesus Christe deuideth his righteousnes frō the righteousnes of the scribes and phariseis Two rightousnesses The rightousnes of workes it is to be noted that ther is two righteousnesses that is to say the righteousnes of workes and the righteousnes of fayth The righteousnes of works is when I intende and go aboute to do workes withoute fayth in Christ thinking that by suche outward workes the law is fulfilled And suche righteousnes did the Iewes vse for the moste party and in especiall the scribes and phariseis For the flesh wherin is graft hipocrisye is so affectioned and of suche nature that nothinge can please yt so excellentlye as the outward shine of workes and it canne haue none other iudgemente herein then that suche workes are acceptable before god and that the same are rewarded with euerlasting life Hereof commeth this damnable and detestable truste in workes with the whiche the holye prophetes haue so warred and foughten Esai 1. and. 19 and especiall Esaias complaininge on the Iewes bicause that they did worshippe the works of their owne handes And in an other place he saith This people draweth nigh me with their mouth and praiseth me highely with their lyppes where as their harte neuertheles is farre frome me But how doth Christ lyke this righteousnes Truly he thrusteth it into the deep pit of hell in so much that hee denieth his disciples the entringe into the kingedome of heauen excepte theyr righteousnes excede the rightousnes of the scribes and pharises How could this rightousnes of the Iewes be more contemptuously depressed If our spiritual men in tyme paste and so likewise nowe a dayes were and had beene so iudged and condemned vnto hell for their hypocrisy good lord I thinke for very pure angre they wolde spewe out tier But the spirite of Christe which is sent to rebuke the world of this in credulity setteth little by their threatnynges and angre Righteousnes of fayth The righteousnes of faith is when I hope and truste in Christ and not in workes but in such wise that I open and declare my selfe in the meane-while to haue this truste and confidence throughe fulfilling of his cōmaundementes good workes And suche righteousnes is the worke of the spirite and can not be comprehēded nor vnderstand of the flesh And forbicause she geueth god his honour looketh and trusteth allonly in his grace and mercy whiche is giuen vs in and by Christe therefore she pleaseth and is so acceptable before god that she is suer to haue euerlastinge life Good workes Marke that this inwarde righteousnes canne in no wise consiste or be without charity and good workes and withoute an honeste lyfe or conuersacion For it is the same good seede that fel in the good ground brought forth muche frute Againe contrary wise the outewarde righteousnes as a worke of the fleshe may be done without the righteousnes of faythe as we see in the phariseis Mat. 24 whiche be likened vnto painted sepulchres that apeare beutyfull outward with in are full of deade mens bones and filthines But thou wilte say vnto me Doth not Christe himselfe here call the righteousnes of the phariseis a righteousnes Yes Act. 10. but bicause god hathe not respecte of persones that is he careth not so much for the outwarde shininge of thinges as he dothe require the harte faith and spirite therfore he attributeth and giueth euerlastinge lyfe vnto the inwarde righteousnes forasmuche as the same neuer seeketh nothing so muche as the glorye of Christe And to the hipocrisye of the phariseis he hathe assured euerlasting damnacion Secondarily Christ proueth by a declaracion of a cōmaundemēt takē out of the law that the exterior outward rightousnes is not acceptable nor of valu before god wtout we haue ioyned therūto the inward rightousnes which procedeth from the harte Yee haue harde saith he how it was saide to theim of olde tyme Thou shalte not kill for whosoeuer killeth shal be in daunger of iudgement But I saye vnto you Whosoeuer is angry with his brother is in daunger of iudgement c. Likewise also Saint Paule saith Rom. 7 The law is spirituall that is the lawe cannot be fulfilled excepte the spirite faith and the harte be ioyned with the outwarde workes seynge that the lawe requireth not allonly the outward fashion but also the affection of the harte Therfore Christe in this commaunde mente that pertayneth to man slaughter maketh foure degrees wherein hee counteth giltye not allonly those that kyll and slaye with the swearde but also all them that with thought and worde sinne against their neighboure Anger The firste degree is the anger of the harte which Christe doth lyken vnto the outwarde worke of man slaughter And forasmuche as this angre is grafte in euery one of vs no man canne kepe this cōmaundement and precept except he be new borne againe through the spirit The second degre is Racha Racha by which worde is signified tokens of wrathe and hatred that is when I beholde my brother wyth a lowrynge and a grimme countinaunce or passynge by do disdaine to speake familiarlye vnto him And those outwarde misfashioned manners dooe condemne euen as muche as the deede it selfe The thirde degree is if I call my brother Foole Foole. By whiche worde is signified and vnderstande all manner of opprobrious and ignominious wordes and those wordes yf they come oute of rancoure and malyce they condempne me as well as man slaughter But it is possible also that such iniurious wordes ofte times procede of a faithful hart as we see that the pharise is were called fooles often tymes of Christe Mat 14 Manne slaughter and that is nother hurtefull nor damnable The fourth degre is man slaughter euen committed with the deede that is when I not being contente with mine iniurious and opprobrious words and straunge vncorteous countenaūce but go farther to handstrokes with my hande as did Cain I kil my neighbour
his dede his doctrine of christian pacience in those thynges that pertayned to his person Loue is the maister of al the lawes Wherfore Christ after his accustomed maner though the Phariseis neuer so muche wayted him healed this dropsy man vpon the sabboth daye shewyng with the same miracle that aswell Gods lawes as mannes lawes ought to serue and geue place vnto charitee And though the sabbot was cōmaunded vnto the Iewes most straightly to be kept yet that commaundement did not extende to the hynderaunce of charite wherof Christ in another place sheweth the reason why saiyng The sabbot was made for mans sake Mar. 2. and not man for the sabbothes sake 1. Ti. 1. And S. Paule sayth The chiefe somme of the commaundement is loue from a pure heart and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned Wherfore when I see my neighbour in necessitee I am bounde to shewe him charitee and loue if it were xx tymes holy day because loue is the rule and maistres of all lawes Nowe consider well with thy selfe whether Christe did not right in healyng of this manne that had the dropsye howe frowardly soeuer the Phariseis toke it If an Oxe or an asse had fallen into a hole on the sabboth day thynkest thou that they would haue taryed tyll the sabboth day had been past No surely Why then should not Christe shewe vnto a manne that they shewed vnto a beast Christiā libertie Ro. 14. And so let vs likewise vse the libertie that we haue in Christ Iesu our Lorde Let vs receiue those that be weake into the faith beware to trouble not their conscience And as for these obdurate and stubburne iustifiers of theim selfe whiche haue heard oure doctrine of christian libertie and yet dispiseth it against theim let vs vse the same libertie For whatsoeuer we do or leaue for their pleasure and weakenesse sake it wyll healpe nothyng at all but styll they wyll obstinately remayne in their blyndnes For so are the Phariseis against Christ and Christ against the Phariseis yet is there so great power strēgth in the trueth that the Phariseis are constrayned to holde their peace Secondarily Christ gentely handled this sick man we see in this gospel howe familiarly and gentely Christ handeleth this man sicke of the dropsy he handeled healeth him letteth him go Fyrst he was in hand with these Pharisies whō he would haue gladly instructed howe all lawes in tyme of neede are bounde to geue place vnto loue and charitee but they would neither heare not yet receyue his doctrine their heartes were stricken with so great blyndes Yea they would not onely refuse to heare Christe but sought alwayes meanes to distroy him whiche thyng happened chiefly vpon the Sabboth daye Deu 18. Mar. 3. when in the synagoge he made whole the mans hand that was drye and wythered Neuerthelesse Christ is frendly to this man that had the dropsy he healeth him byddeth him go his waies Howbeit it is to be thought that this man that had the dropsye had a good hope trust in Christ insomuch that he folowed Christ into the Phariseis house And without doubt he had not been healed if he had not had suche an hope in Christe And as the blyndnes of these Phariseis ought to abashe and feare vs because that thei had eyen and sawe not eares and heard not an heart beleued not so the goodnes benignite of Christe shewed vnto this man that had the dropsy ought to moue vs to lift vp our heartes and to put al our trust and confidence in Christ Therfore this miracle and suche like Rom. 25 are written vnto vs that therout we may learne what maner a man Christ is why the father hath sent him into this worlde and what from him is to be hoped for of a christen mā He did good vnto this man that had the dropsye because he hoped well in him Wherfore then should he deny vs any good thyng if we beleue in him Is his hand shortened Esai 59 that it can not helpe No truely His mercy endureth for euer The faute is in vs not in his helpyng hand that forbecause we wyll neither acknowlege our infirmite nor yet beleue But if we wyl acknowlege our imbecilite weakenes specially in those thinges that partayne to our soule and aske grace of Christ in a true fayth it is not possible but it shall be graunted vs. Furthermore it is requisite that we once obtaynyng this his grace and mercy endeuour our selues to shewe lyke loue and charity to our neighbour as Christe shewed here vnto this man that had the dropsye Thirdely The Pharises styl remaining in their blyndnes and so that they could neither throughe Christes wordes nor yet through his myracles be moued to beeleue Christe payed them home and forasmuch as he perceaued in them a desirous appety of vaine glory and euer chosing themselues the vppermost seates at feastes and sayd Christ reprehended the ambitiousnes of the pharises When thou art bidde to dinner to a mariage thou shalt not set thy selfe in the highgest place lest peraduenture one that is more honourable then thou be also bidden And then he that bad bothe the and him come and saye vnto the Giue this man place But when thou art called set the doune in the lowest place that he may say Friend syt vp higher With these wordes Christ would haue corrected the ambitiō of the phariseis For they sought the glory of thys world and were in their hartes al giuen to pomp and pride Mat. 23 As he saith in an other place That all the workes they did were done for the intent that thei might be seen of men Mat. 6. And in the syxt chap. of Math. wher Christ taught vs truly to pray to fast giue almes Ther likewise hee warned vs to take heede of suche phariseis and not to do good works in that intent like as thei did ther he addeth sayīg Thei haue receaued their reward He hath teached vs here mystically that if any man be called to the mariage of the godly grace he must not bee pufte vp nor yet thinke of him selfe more then becometh him but rather he ought to take heed that he beareth hīselfe vpright and be euer in feare lest he leese the goodnes and gifts that he hath receiued For thus it stondeth in the kingdome of Christe that he that exalteth him selfe shall come low he that meketh him selfe shall he exalted And in an other place He that will bee greatest amongest you Mar. 20 let him becom your seruant The same thing aloweth Christ Mat. 19 whē he toke a child and set him in the middest of his disciples and said Except ye tourn and become as childrē ye shall not entre into the kingedome of god Luc. 28. Likewise What happened vnto the pharisey in preferring himselfe before the publican Very this The
death but the ende shewed that it was but the purpose of a man The cuppe and baptisme of Christ in this place are taken for his passion and persecucion that he suffered as it is also in the Prophete Psal I wyll take to me sayth he the cuppe of saluacion and I wyll call vpon the name of the Lorde Of this baptisme Christ himselfe sayth I must be baptised with a baptisme and what pangues suffre I tyll it be fulfylled To drynke this cuppe and to be baptized with this baptisme is not in euery mans power but there longeth to it an especial connyng But what is that Forsoth the same commyng that is wrought in vs only by the holy ghost For where soeuer he cometh there must it needes be wrought that in tribulaciō they shall haue paciens But on the other part where the holy ghost is not there are men none otherwise mynded than Peter was when he did strike of the Bishops seruauntes eare And truly these disciples whiche at this tyme were thus presumptuous knewe but litle what the crosse and baptism ment But did god therfore cast thē of No forsoth But he beareth theyr weaknesse and suffereth it very gentelye And also promyseth thme that they shall drinke his cup and suffre wyth him many tribulacions so by many tribulacions at the laste enter into the kingdome of heauen and perpetually raygne with hym Therfore if Christe cast not of his disciples The weak ar to be boren with all bicause of their weakenes but beareth with them with all humanitie and gentlenes tyll they might come to the trewe vnderstanding doubtles no more becometh it vs to condemn those that are weake but muche rather it is our deuty to instructe teache them and to bring them vnto better knowledge Thirdly for as much as these disciples required to sit in Christes kingdome that thei estemed to be a temporall raygne one on the ryghte hande and an other vppon the lefte Christe denayeth not his heauenly kingdome to them only shewing to them of whose hande they shall receiue it To sitte at my right hand saith he or at my lefte hand it pertaineth not to me to giue Christe speaketh some times as a mā and somtyme as God but vnto them for whome it is prepared of my father Here note diligently that Christ speaketh sometimes as a man and sometime as god For this is very necessarye to bee obserued and noted if we will at the least vnderstand the scriptures In the gospel of sainct Ihon Christ sayth As the father rayseth vp the dead and geueth life euen so the sonne geueth life to whō he wyll Here Christ maketh himself in all thynges equal with the father Therfore nedes must this place be vnderstand of the godly nature of Christ In this presēt gospel Christ sayth that onely the father and not he geueth to syt on the right hand or on the left Except this be vnderstand of Christes humayne nature I pray you howe shal these two so contrary sentences els agre Wherfore it is very necessary to note diligently as we before admonished when Christ speaketh as mā and whē he speaketh as God And also furthermore note this that vnto the kyngdome of Christ vnto that ioy that is euerlasting none can bryng vs but God only which prepared it for vs from the beginnyng of the worlde This is altogether in his power to geue it vnto whom he wyll Nowe if this power bee all in him where are then oure woorkes where is our vertue righteousnesse or holynes Doubtles we are bound to do good workes ye and to be vertuous righteous holy for Christes wyll is that oure light should shyne before menne to the glory of our heauenly father This is very truth who can deny it But here must wee diligently take hede that vnto our iustificacion no mannes worke or merite be ioyned with al for that cōmeth onely of fayth wherin also the grace goodnes and mercy of God worketh altogether whiche onely is apprehended by fayth And where as this fayth is there is also forgeuenes of synnes righteousnes eternall saluacion is Then folowe good workes as the fruites tokens and argumētes of true fayth But this haue we sufficiently treated vpon before Only the Lord God geue vs grace to perceiue it and retaine it in our heartes Amen The gospel on sainct Bartholomewes day the Apostle Luc. 22. ANd there was a strife among thē whiche of them should seme to bee the greatest And he sayd vnto thē The kinges of nacions raigne ouer them and they that haue authoritee vpō them are called gracious Lordes but ye shall not be so Mat. 20 But he that is greatest among you shal be as the younger And he that is chief shall be as he that doth minister For whether is greatter he that sytteth at meate or he that serueth Is not he that sytteth at meate But I am among you as he that ministreth Ye are they whiche haue bydden with me in my temptacions And I appoint vnto you a kyngdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table im my kyngdome and Mat. 19 syttee on seates iudgyng the xii tribes of Israel THE EXPOSITION The ignorance of the Apostles THis Gospel againe setteth out to vs an ensample of the ignorance and infirmitie that was in the Apostles And surely a mā might wel meruaile that the Apostles whiche had heard Christ so long yet had obtayned no more vnderstādyng of the spiritual kyngdome of Christ and of spiritual thynges Yea and if we consider at what tyme this strife and contencion was surely the infirmitee of the Apostles shal appeare farre more and greater then if it had chaunced at some other tyme. When then chaunced thys contention By and by after that laste supper wherein Christ had said that his Traytours hand was with him at his table and that the son of man shuld passe as it was writtē of him The which wordes suerly should rather haue stricken the Apostels into feare and made them heuy and pensiue seyng that Christ shewed them with these wordes so openly that he shuld suffre yet begin they to striue whiche of them shuld be highest in reputacion Iho. 13 Didde not Christe a lyttle before tell them that a seruaunt is not greater then his lorde Nowe wher did Christe their lord euer desire great dominiōs of this worlde or the great pompes of it Didde not he flye Iohn 6 when the Iewes woulde haue taken hym and made hym kynge Did not he before shew them Mat. 10 that he would send them as sheepe among wolues When was it euer seene that sheepe bare rule as Emperoures amonge wolues But truth it is although this bee preached tyll menne leesse their voice for wearines yet is fleshe flesh still and so continneth excepte the spyrite of God come to yt and lighten it Iohn 2 1. Co. 15 So that
woorde and faythfully minister in the Churche of God I sayth sainct Paule haue plaÌ„ted Apollo hath watered but God hath geueÌ„ the increase So than nother is he that planteth any thyng nother he that watereth but God whiche geueth the increase Therfore shall not we plant nor water Let vs not thynke so for it foloweth Euery one shall receiue his reward accordyng to his labor For we are Gods laborers ye are Gods husbandrye ye are Gods buildyng Wherfore in callyng receiuyng of ministers of the church we ought so to pray that we do not neglect our duetie in the meane whyle so we ought to do our dueties that we forgette not to praye also that God wyll geue the increase and his benediction vnto our worke Fourthly wee lerne here the great daunger and persecucion that Christ hath called seth his preachers in For he sayth Go your way behold I send you furth as Lambes among the Wolues It is not vnknowen howe fearce cruel and rauenyng a beast a Wolfe is of nature against the vnarmed Lambes This saiyng of Christ what is it els but as he would say I send you wholly wtout weapon among extreme and cruel enemyes What peace traÌ„quilitee or comfort shall a maÌ„ loke for amonges suche enemies The prophecies of Messias are not to be vnderstaÌ„d corrally Surely this saiyng was necessary to be spoken to the Apostles and disciples of Christ For when they should be sent of Christ to preache that the kyngdom of Messias was nere at hande already come they were put in remembrance of persecutions and afflictions that should happen vnto them because they should not imagyne and dreame of a corporal kyngdom of Messias and that they shuld perceiue also that when the Prophetes settyng furth the peaceable ioyfull happye kyngdome of Messias they did not speake of the outward peace and tranquilitee of this worlde but of the spiritual maiestie perpetuall felicitee then preached by the Gospell and afterwarde to be manyfested vnto the whole worlde For if the kyngdome of Christe were of this worlde Christ should not haue sent his Apostles as shepe among Wolues but rather he would haue brought it to passe that they shuld haue been had in great reputacion and should haue been honourably entreated and receiued as it had become suche a great kynges Ambassadors But nowe he setteth theim furth into many daungers saiyng They shall deliuer you vp sayth he to the counsails Mat. 10 and shall scourge you in their synagoges Mar. 13 And ye shall be brought to the head rulers and kynges for my sake And in another place he sayth Ma. 14 They shall put you to trouble and shall kyll you and ye shal be hated of all people for my names sake Thesame that Christ preacheth here to his Apostles partaineth to all other priuate persons beleuyng the wordes of the Apostles For euery manne in his owne vocacion is sent like a Lambe among Wolues And necessarily wee must entre through many afflictioâ—s into the kyngdom of God For we must bee euer on the sufferyng syde The Lambe hurteth not he spoyleth not nor deuoureth But he is hurt spoyled deuoured So likewyse the smal and weake flocke of Christ is of other iniured spoyled and troubled We must I say by many tribulacions enter into the kyngdome of heauen Also we are here commaunded not to be carefull but euery man in folowing his vocacion muste bee diligent to execute the same trusting and beleuing that god so wil prouide and care for vs that we shal lacke nothinge as it apeareth in his apostels and disciples whom he sente forthe without any wallet scrip or shooes yet thei did lack nothing for wheÌ„ he did ask theÌ„ whether they had lacked ani thiÌ„g or no thei answered No. Therefore let vs as Christ coÌ„mandeth vs seke first the kingdom of god and the righteousnes thereof and all these thinges shal be ministred vnto vs. Filftey here is to be noted that we must earnestly and diligently do that which we are bidden to do and not to be withdrawen from it by no manner of wayes nother vnder pretence of loue and friendeshippe or visityng our friends and saluting them but as the disciples were commaunded to go forwards and not to be stayed or returned by any such meetings communings by the way so neglecting our offyce After this manner did Eliza the Prophete saye vnto his seruaunt If ye mete any man salute him not and if anye salute the answere him not againe Wherwith commaunding him that he diligentlye and spedely shuld do and performe hys maisters busines and commaundement Wherfore let euery man so apply and take heede in his vocation that god thereby may be glorified and praysed To whome with the sonne and holy ghost be all honour worlde without ende Amen Certayne fautes which at the fyrst sight might stay the reader are these The fyrst numbre signifieth the lease of the queyre the seconde numbre the syde b. 1. the second syde for mothes reade mouthes b. 2. facie 1. what shall signes what signes shal b. 3. fac 1. doth loke his mayster loke for his maister c. 2 fac 2. then so then to c. 5 fa. 1. folish folishnes folio eodem mystery ministery d. 2. 1. a mes armes d 3. 1 he aith he saith e. 1. did long did not longe e. 8. 1. inogh ynough f. 3. 2 our neceues our necessaries f. 4. 1. this is place this place it is f. 5. 1. and wag battail and wage battail eodem shall say shal heare f. 6. 2. satisfaction sanctificacion g. 1. 2. so much adde so much to whoÌ„ it pleaseth him g. 4. 1. faith by hearyng faith cometh by heryng h. 5. 1. laiyng saying h. 5. 2. wold worlde k. 4. 1. doth he giue doth he not giue Where the gospell on Easter daye is appointed Mathew 28. take for it Marc. 16. for the exposition is applyed to the same o. 2. 1. whiche go which would go p. 2. 1. deseching besechinge s 5. 2. mihtely mightely v. 2. 2 Christ was Christ which was v. 8. 1 Fentils Gentyls x. 5. 1. hereinand herein and. y 4. 2. worde worlde IMPRINTED at London in Poules churcheyarde at the signe of the Brasen serpent by Reynold Wolfe Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ANNO DOMINI M.D.L.