shal be blessed of gods holy hande they shal increase and multiplye they shal replenish the erth and haue it subiecte vnto them accordinge to the saynge of scripture If they feare the Lorde and walke togither in his wayes god shalle surely blesse them prosper and further them in al their doinges Wherfor thou maÌ„ which art hed of thy wife so loue maynteyne cherishe tender thy wyfe euen as Christe hath loued and moste tendrely imbrased his spouse the church If thou so do thou shalt eate the labours of thy haÌ„d as the prophet writeth thou shalt be happy and it shal be wel with the. Thy wife shal be as a plentifull vine tree vpon the walles of thy house Thy chyldren as oliue braunches rownd about thy table Loo sayth he thus shal the man be blessed whiche feareth the lorde This is gods institution of mariage these be the officies of maryed persons In these if ye walke like feithful and right christian persons though through the malice of the worlde ye suffre affliction here ye shal be sure after thys frayle lyfe perpetually to raygne wyth Christe oure lorde whyche wyth the father and holy goost thre per sons and one god is to be glorifyed and praised worlde without ende Amen ¶ At burienges The Gospel Ihon. xi MArtha sayd vnto Iesus Lorde if thou haddest bene here my brother had not dyed But nowe also I know y â— whatsoeuer thou askest of god god wol giue it the. Iesus sayde vnto her Thy brother shal rise againe Martha sayde vnto him I knowe y â— he shal rise at the resurrectioÌ„ in the last day Iesus sayd vnto her I am the resurrectioÌ„ and the life He that beleueth on me though he were dead yet shall he liue And euery one which liueth and beleueth in me shal neuer dye Beleuest thou this She sayeth vnto him Yea lorde I beleue that thou art Christe the sonne of god which cammest into the worlde The sermon vpon this Gospell WElbeloued people in our sauiour Christ this gospel is right comfortable to al feithful and true christian folke For in it is conteyned the glad and swere tydinges to al vnfeyned Christians that is to wit how Christ is our resurrectioÌ„ and our life if we beleue vnfeynedly vpon him and verely this is one of the chiefest articles of our religioÌ„ to beleue that though we dye here bodily for a tyme or rather slepe for so the scripture calleth it yet we shal rise againe and lyue euerlastingly wyth God in heauen through Christ in case we haue had stedfast feith in him and be founde cladde and adourned wyth the wedding garment at the day of the great Solempnitie that is to say at the generall resurrectioÌ„ of the chosen people of god when Christ the sonne of God shal be in full most perfite wise knitte conioyned in mariage to his louing espouse the church or congregation of the feithful persons But ye wol aske what thys weddynge garment is Ueryly after the minde of saint Gregorie it is charitie And that per sone entreth to the maryage but wythout the wedding garment whych being in the church hath feith but lacketh charitie Truly thys mans feith is not the true and liuely feith but it is a feyned feith and a deade feith as saint Iames calleth it bicause it is wythout workes For what auaileth it o my brethreÌ„ sayth thys holy Apostle Saynte Iames if a man wold say he had feith and hath no workes Trowe you that this feith shal saue him if your christeÌ„ brother or suster be naked and lacking dayly sustenaÌ„ce and one of you wolde say vnto them Go your way in peace warme your selues and fylle your belyes and yet neuertheles ye gyue them not the thynges necessarye for the body what wol this helpe So also feith if it hath not deades it is of it self dead By these wordes of saynt Iames we may lerne my freendes that it is not inough for a christeÌ„ man or womaÌ„ to say he beleue in Christ but he must also shew vs his feyth as saynt Iames sayeth by his dedes and workes Wherfore the weddinge wede that we must be cladde with is not bare fayth but it is charitie whyche is the frute of feyth or if ye wol nedes haue it feyth let it be that liuely fâ—yth which is garnished wyth this charitie that is to wit wyth suche zeale loue and affection whiche ye beare to god that for his sake ye freely aide releue your euen christeÌ„ accordinge to youre power And verely these be the workes that almyghty God requyreth of vs if we wol be counted his children and the inheritours of euerlasting blesse He commaundeth that our lyght shuld shyne afore men that they maye se our good workes and glorifye the father of heauen Finally the doers of these as hymselfe doth wytnes shal be called the blessed children of his father at the general resurrection and shal be â—ydden to come and entre into the vnspeakable ioyes of heuen which were prepared for theÌ„ sithens the beginning of the world Neither doth the most excellent clerke saint Hierom disagree from this interpretation saynge that the wedding garment may very wel be called the commaundementes of the lorde and the workes whiche be accomplyshed and fulfilled at the bidding of the law and gospell and he sayth that these workes do in a christen persone make the garment of the newe man whych garment verily who soeuer in the drad full day of iugement shal be found vnder a christen name not to haue shal be forthwith taken and caste into vtter â—arknes where according to the sentence of Christ shal be weping gnashing of teethe This by occasioÌ„ deare freeÌ„des haue I spoken of the weddyng garment wher w t must that sowle be cladde adourned which at y e general resurrectioÌ„ vprising again of al mankinde in flesh according to y â— article of our beleue shal by Christ liue euerlastingly But yet for the better more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of this gospel I thinke it very expedieÌ„t to repete declare vnto you the very begynning of the historie whiche is red in this gospel accordyng as saynte Ihon the Euangelist doth report it in the begynninge of the xi chapter namely sith in it is conteined the most coÌ„fortable chefest article of the christen mans beleue The historie is this As our Sauiour Christ abode at Iordan it chaunced that in a towne named Bethania a certayne man called Lazarus laye sycke This towne was the natyue place countrey both of the sycke man and of his two susters Mary and Martha Uerely this Mary was she which wyth a notable record of loue towardes our sauiour Christ had annoynted hys hed as he sate at meate wyth a right preciouse oyntment with her heare had wyped hys feete whyche she had washed with the very teares that ranne downe from her eyen By reason wherof
w t oyle but this woman hath anoynted my feete w t oyntmēt For which thing I tel the many synnes be forgiuen her bicause she loued moche But he to whōles is forgiuē loueth les And he said to her Thy synnes be forgiuen the. And they y ◠sate at meate with him begāne to say within themselfes who is thys whiche also forgiueth synnes But he said to y ◠womā Thy feith hath saued y ◠go in peace The sermon vpon this Gospel THe gospel red in the church this day good peo ple is right cōfortable to all christē men womē cōteineth a very holsom doctrine For the most part of them which iustifie thēselfes be puffed vp w t a vayne opiniō of godlynes before they haue atteyned to the true iugemēt separatyng thēselfes as lābes frō gootes not vouchesauing ones to be cōuersant in the same house nor yet to eate the same meates with other but abhorring al which be not of like perfection as they thinke thēselfes to be of Saynte Luke therfore a phisiciō more of the soule thā of the bodye sheweth vs here howe Christe our Sauiour most tenderly did visite other He entred therfore in to a pharisees house not so much to take bodily sustenaūce of the pharisee as to giue goostly fode and instructiō to the pharisee to heale him of his vain opiniō wherby he iustified himselfe For lo as he sat at meate w t the pharisee Mary Magdalen for that was her name after the mynde of aunciēt doctours being at y ◠tyme a notable synful woman hearyng y ◠Christ which of his moost tēdre mercy was ready to receiue al synners was there cam moost penitently thither into the house to bewayle her synful life to heare some cōfort of her saluatiō She had already herd of the great miracles y t he did specially howe merciful he was to al repentant synners She therfore moued w t thys fame came wyth great humilitie stāding behind him at his feet wept so plētifully that euen w t the teares whiche fel frō her eyen she washed Christes feet which she wiped agayn not w t any cloth but with the very heare of her heade she thought not this ynough but she also kyssed them anoynted thē w t a very preciouse oyntmēt which she brought w t her The pharisee seinge thys despiceth this dede in his harte reproueth not only the synful womā but also our lorde which suffred her thus to do Sayng w tin him selfe yf thys mā were a prophet doubtles he shulde haue knowne what maner womā this is for she is a notable synner By like yf she had come thus to the pharisees feet he wold violētly haue spurned her awey with his feete And in like maner it is to be feared sayth saynt Gregory y ◠some persōs which be indowed w t the office of presthod yf they haue doon any thing in outward apparaūce iustly anone they despice their vnderlinges haue great skorn indignatiō at al y ◠cōmon sinners in the world Howbeit not only the religious persōs suche as haue diuided thēselfes frō the cōmon sort of people haue been infected w t this vice but also ge nerally euery mā is readier to espye a mote in his bro ther 's eye thā a beame in his owne Thus he despiced y ◠miserable synner which was infected him selfe w t enuye w t presūptiō w t the sicknes of bacbyting sklādering of other was so much y ◠more incurable y ◠he acknowleged not hys disease For it cōmeth cōmonly so to pas y ◠mē be soner cōuerted frō notable open vices as aduowtry ydolatry such like than frō such as cloke thēselfes vnder y ◠colour of holines Our Lorde therfore not hearing the pharisees wor des but espyeng his inward thoughtes answereth him sheweth himselfe to be lorde of the prophetes He asketh y ◠pharisee whē a creditour forgiueth two dettours the one a greater sūme y ◠other a les whether of thē welloue him best He answered he y t hath more forgiuē him Thā said Christe seest y u this woman Thou baddest me home to thy house water to my fete y u gauest me none this woman hath washed thē w t teares dryed thē agayne w t her heare She neuer ceased kyssinge of them syns I came into thy house Yea moreouer she hathe anoynted them w t oyntmēt Wherfore I tel the many synnes be forgiuē her bicause she hath loued much speaking this he turned him to the woman said thy feith hath sa ued the go in peace Oh howe cōfortable is this exemple to all synners Christe came to cal synners to repētance not those that thought thēselfes holy iust So here in the person of the pharisee may very wel be figured the people of the Iues whiche loked for Christ whā he came of presūption they wolde not know him But in Mary Magdalē maye be figured the synful Gentils ▪ whiche vnloked for of thē louingly receiued him Let vs then good people folow thys holy woman and not dispaire thoughe we be neuer so greate synners Only lette vs come to Christ wyth strong feith desire forgiuenes lamentynge and wailynge our offences brastynge out into workes of loue and charitie as she dyd and no doubt we shal be forgiuen as she was and at last en ioye euerlastynge blesse by Christe our Lorde who be praysed Amen ¶ On saint Iames day the Apostle The Gospell Mathew xx THere cam to Iesus the mother of Zebedees sonnes with her sonnes worshypping and demaunding somwhat of him But he sayd vnto her What wilt thou haue She sayth vnto him Saye that these my two sonnes may sitte one on thy right hand one on thy left in thy kingdō Iesus answered sayd Ye wot not what ye aske Can ye drinke the cuppe that I shal drynke They say to him We can He sayeth to them Ueryly my cuppe ye shall drynke But to sytte on my ryght hande and on my left it is not myne to gyue but to them for whom it is prepared of my father A sermon vpon this Gospell FReendes the gospell of this day declareth vnto vs how the mother of saynt Iames and saynte Ihon which were called the sōnes of Zebedee cam to Christ to aske a certayne petition of him Saynt Marke the Euangeliste telleth the tale as though the sonnes themselues asked the peticion And in dede it was theyr petition and sute to Christ but to thintent they myght the soner obteyne it they toke they re mother wyth them and had set her to speake for them as appeareth well by Christes answere This womans name was Salome which by interpretation betokeneth peacefull and truly she begat the children of peace And a great praise of this woman is gathered out of this text as
persones be called in latine publicani And surely this kind of meÌ„ bycause they did exercise an occupation or office of fylthy gaines and of violent rapacitie were many ways infamed noted and euyl spokeÌ„ of and specially amonges the Iewes But our Sauiour Iesus Christ which had called a lytle before vnto him SimoÌ„ and Andrewe IhoÌ„ Iames froÌ„ a base though yet not vnlawful kynde of lyuyng to thintent he wold openly declare vnto the worlde that he abhorred no sorte of men at al so they wold conuert themselfes to better he calleth this Mattheu vnto hym and coÌ„maunded hym to folowe hym Mattheu castynge no perilles or at lest wey despising al perilles whiche myght happen of Rulers forthwyth without delay leauing his accomptes vnperfite and leauing his gaynfull office beganne to folowe Iesus beinge sodenly made of a publicane a disciple And bycause he forsoke earthly gaynes he was ryghtly made a stuard of the Lordê talentes Truly the very brightnes and maiestie of the hidde godhed of our Sauiour Christ which also glystered in his humane face had power to pluck vnto him with the first syght those that beheld him For yf the Magnes stone hathe as they saye suche vertue efficacie in it that it caÌ„ draw vp yron vnto it howe much more could he that is the Lorde of al creatures drawe vnto hym whom he wolde And it happened afterward that this Matheu being now called to be Christê disciple desired him that he wold vouchesaue to take a repast wyth him at his house Our Lorde neyther disdayned to do thys thynge at hys new disciples request to thintent he wold gyue vs instruction that the company and felawshyp of wicked ê‘sons ought not to be eschued of preachers and holy men yf there be any hope that by their coÌ„pany they woll amende there nawghty lyfe Mattheu therfore beyng honored by Christes commyng into hys house made vnto hys maister a great and sumptuouse feast wherunto he also had byddeÌ„ many men of his ordre and facultie that is to wit euen a bourde full of customers publicans and synners whom by hys exemple and wordes he had allured and drawen into admiration loue of Iesus The pharisees therfore whiche were euer huntynge and seking occasions how to sklaunder trappe Christ espyeng hym nowe wyth hys disciples syttyng and eatyng wyth these synful sorte of men durst not yet rebuke Christe to hys face lest he shulde peraduenture taunt them againe as he had oftentymes doon before but went about to drawe and trayne his disciples from him Wherfore they come to them say Why doth your maister eate wyth these publicans and synful persons Trouth it is good people that the euil talkes of euyl men do corrupt the good maners of good meÌ„ But Christes coÌ„munication wyth these euil men was not to catche the euil maÌ„ners of them but by his heueÌ„ly medicine to plucke the euyl maÌ„ners froÌ„ theÌ„ He cam to cal the shepe y t were lost strayed out of the right pathe of godlines being seduced led out therof by suche hypocrites pharisees as these were which were here offeÌ„ded w t Christ These be they that Paule speaketh of which glorieng in the lawe do disworship god by the traÌ„gressioÌ„ of the lawe vaynly reputynge themselfes to be the guydes of y â— blind the light of theÌ„ y e be in darknes Our Sauiour therfore hearing the pharisees thus disputing wyth his disciples which as yet were but weake he defeÌ„deth them in this wise The hole nede no phisician but the sicke Christe calleth him selfe a phisician whiche by a wonderfull kynde of surgery was wouÌ„ded for our iniquities that he myght heale the woundes of oure synnes He calleth them hole which wyllyng to stablyshe there owne iustice were not subiect to the true iustice of God And he calleth them sicke and diseased whiche beynge ouercome in their coÌ„science do acknowlege their frailtie and espi yng howe by the lawe they be not iustifyed do submitte themselfes by penaunce to the grace of God But go your weys sayeth Christe and learne what thys sentence of the prophete Osee meaneth where God sayeth I require mercye and not sacrifice as who shulde saye Why accuse ye me when I releue and correcte synners Why do ye not rather accuse God the father of heauen which speaketh thys sentence by his prophet He admonisheth vs than that by workes of mercie we shulde gette vs the reward of the heuenly mercy and not that despising the necessities of the pore nedye we shuld trust to please God by the oblation of sacrifices Wherfore good people lette vs folowe thys blessed Apostle saynte Matheu let vs leaue al fylthy gaynes and come to Christ when he calleth vs by the preachynge of hys word Let vs be charitable do the workes of mercie as Christe teacheth vs that we maye be of the nombre of those which shall inheritie the kingdome of heuen prepared froÌ„ the beginnyng of the worlde by the father of heuen to whom be al prayse Amen ¶ On the Assumption of our Lady Gospell Luc. x. IEsus entred into a certaine towne And a certain woman named Martha receyued hym into her house And this woman had a sustre named Mary which also sitting at Iesus fete herd his word But Martha was combred about moch seruing stode and sayd Lord hast thou no regarde that my sustre hath left me alone to serue Byd her therfor that she helpe me Iesus answered said vnto her Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many thinges but one is necessarie Mary hath chosen the best parte which shal not be taken from her The sermon vpon this Gospell What time our sauiour Christ walked here vpon erth w t his disciples which leauing the cares of earthly thinges gaue themselues only and holly to the gospel it chauÌ„ced so that he entred into a certain village In this village there dwelled two women the name of the one was Martha the others name was Mary whiche women ioyfully receyued Christ and his disciples into their house The loue and zeale of either of them towardes the lorde was egal but their fourme maner of lyfe was diuerse like as in one body be sundry vses of the partes and membres of the same as also in the bodie of Iesus which is the church be diuerse sundry giftes of the spirite For Mary making as it were holyday from al busynes of the house now at Christes comming sat her downe at his fete hearing his wordes wherwith she was so rauished that forgettinge all other thinges she coulde not be plucked thens Contrary wise Martha being carefull for the purueaunce of the feast ranne about hither thether al busye that nothing at al shuld lacke that perteined to the welcoÌ„ming feasting of such a gest Wherfor not being sufficient of her selfe alone to do al y e she wold haue done
The princes of this worlde do practice Lordlines ouer such as be vnder theÌ„ they persuade not their subiectes to loue honestie but by feare of punyshemeÌ„t they fraye them froÌ„ wronges and they compell men to honour them though they haue neuer so euill deserued it Yea the nerer they approche to tyranny the more wol they be honored of the people with hygh tytles Uerily such is for moost parte the kyngdome of seculare and worldly rulers But amonges the clergie the disciples of Christ preachers of his gospell to whom he bequethed hys spirituall kyngdom ought to be an other fashion of liuyuge The greater one be among them the les violent power or glorye he oughte to chalenge to hym selfe Wherfore sayeth Basilius that auncient doctour of the churche lette not the dignitie extolle the prelate of the church lest he falle froÌ„ the blesse of humilitie But let him â–ª rather know thys that true humilitie is seruaunte of very many For lyke as he whiche ministreth to many wounded persons and wypeth awey the fylth of euery wounde taketh not this office vpoÌ„ him to extolle and vawnte hym selfe therupon so moch rather he to whom is committed the cure and charge of maladies and diseases of his goostly brethren and susters ought to caste and be carefull wyth himselfe as the minister of all whiche muste render accomptes for all Neyther is it to be feared saith he that the purpose of humilitie shulde be broken of the subiecte whyle hys better serueth hym Let prestes therfore the prelates of Christes churche not be ashamed to shewe that sobrenes and modestie to the worlde which Christ tawght hys Apostles to vse And the more Apostolicall that men wol be counted and vicares of Christes churche so much the more ought they to folow Christe and his Apostles in lowlynes sobrietie It is not ynoughe truely to be called by a vayne tytle of name the seruant of God or the seruant of seruauntes in dede to practise all Lordilnes skant vouchsauyng y â— men shulde kysse there feete If there be any of this sorte surely they be no vicares of Châ—ist but of Antichrist they be not apostolical but diabolical no good herdmen but false hyrelynges no feaders of Christes flocke but deuourers no buylders but destroyers no pyllers of his church but pollers If they wol nedes be couÌ„ted for meÌ„ apostolical let theÌ„ folow the exemple steppes of Peter Paule resemble theÌ„ in dede of whom they woll be counted the vicares Let theÌ„ be irreprehenlible sobre chast modest louers of hospitalitie ful of holsom doctrine no drunkerdes no warryours no louers of fylthy marchandise no bruers of gods word but pure prechers Let theÌ„ attende to y â— hole flocke as Peter coÌ„mauÌ„deth fede it as much as in theÌ„â—s takinge charge of it w eout desire of fylthy lucre vsinge theÌ„selfes as they may be estemed ministers of Christ and feithful stuardes of y â— heueÌ„ly mysteries of god as Peter Paule were You sayeth Christe to hys disciples be they whiche haue abode with me in my teÌ„tations as who shuld say He that begynneth to be pacient and anone leaueth of is not rewarded wyth the crowne of glorye but he that holdeth on to the ende For as Bede sayeth perseueraunce whiche is called a constancie or strongnes of mynde is full well cleped the pyller of all vertues The son of God therfore leadeth wyth him to his euerlastinge kyngdom such as stycke by him and be no starters awey froÌ„ hym at euery puffe of winde For if we by planted in him and be partakers wyth hym of hys death doubtles we shal also be pertakers and companions of his resurrection Christ saith here that he hath disposed or bequethed to his disciples the kingdoÌ„ which his heueÌ„ly father ordeined disposed to him The kingdom of Christ surely is not of this worlde Neyther is there any equalitie to the lorde but only an emulation of likenes For only Christ is the ful image of God wheras the iust maÌ„ is accordinge to the likenes or image of God yf accordynge to the same he despiceth thys world and for this cause also we do eate the blessed bodye of Christ that we may be pertakers of the heueÌ„ly life Such a sticker by Christ in al his temptations was thys holy Apostle saynte Bartilmew he was a true prelate of Christes Church neither was he a minister or seruaunt of other in name and tytle only but in dede he preached truely and syncerely not his owne coÌ„stitutions and decrees but Christes gospel hym let vs folow that we also may be made pertakers of that heuenly ioye by Christ our lorde â–ª To whom be rendred al thaÌ„kes and prayses Amen â–ª ¶ On Michelmas daye The Gospell Mathew xviij IN that time the disciples cam to Iesus sayng Who is the greater person in the kingdom of heuen And Iesus calling vnto hym a chylde dyd sette hym in the middes of them and sayd Uerily I say vnto you onles ye turne and become as children ye shal not entre into the kingdom of heauen Who soeuer therfore shal humble hymselfe as thys chylde he is the greater person in the kyngdom of heauen And he that receiueth suche a childe in my name receyueth me But he that greueth one of these lytle ones which beleue in me it were bettre for him that a mylstone were hanged about hys necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the see Wo be to the worlde bycause of offenses For it is necessarye offenses to come Yet neuertheles wo be to that maÌ„ by whom the offense commeth Uerily if thy hand or thy fote offende the cutte it of and cast it from the. Bettre it is for the to entre into life halt or maimed then thou shuldest hauyng two handes or two fete be cast into euerlasting fyer And if thyne eye offend the plucke it out and cast it from the. Bettre it were for the wyth one eye to entre into lyfe than hauing two eyen to be cast into hell fyre Se ye despice not one of these lytle ones For I saye vnto you that their angels in heuen do alweyes see the face of my father whyche is in heauen The sermon vpon this Gospell NOt without great cause and consideration good people the churche hath appoynted a certaine daye in the yeare for the solemnization of saint Michael the Archangel and by him of al the angels of heuen sith in them is put no small coÌ„fort in earth to al good and deuout persons First therfore by the help of god we intende sum what to intreate of their nature and office which done we wil brefely declare the gospel of this day Wherfore ye shal vnderstaÌ„d that there be two sortes of angels some be good and some badde The good angells do continually ministre vnto god and serue for our behouf and their delite is to do men good bicause they
after he had ones tasted of Christes heuenly doctrine he forsoke al worldly vanities and gaue hym selfe holly to the preachinge setting forth of Christes Gospel in so much that diuerse of the auncient fathers be in opinion that he was one of the seuentie Apostes which oure Sauiour Christ sent forth into the couÌ„tres to preache By reason wherof he hath inerited to be called an EuaÌ„gelist of Christ in more excellent wise then the most parte of his felawes be consideryng that he hath so much holpeÌ„ the ChristeÌ„ feith not only wyth his prethingê but also wyth his large writinges The gospel therfore of thys daye is of the sendynge forth of these seuentie prechers of the coÌ„missioÌ„ and charge that Christ gaue them In the chapter before thys gospel it is writen that our Lorde sent forth .xij. Apostles into Galilee to preach the glad tydynges of the kyngdome of God and to coÌ„firme it with miracles But now wheÌ„ he cam out of Galilee into Iewry and perceyued the greate desyre of the people to heare the gospel beside the .xii. apostles he chase out of al the nuÌ„bre of his disciples threscore and .x. more whom he sendeth forth to preach Let vs heare therfore with what coÌ„missions and with what prerogatiues these threscore .x. were sent to the executynge of this busines After this saith saynt Luke did the Lorde appoynt also other seuentie Truely in the election of the numbre both of the Apostles and also of the seuentie preachers Christ obserued the soleÌ„pe vsage of his couÌ„trey people For amoÌ„ges the Iues not only the numbre of .xii. but also the nuÌ„bre of seuentie was as who shuld say halowed appropred consecrate to a publike authoritie which thyng had his coÌ„mencement and original beginnyng either of that that Iacob wyth seuentie sowles as the scripture speaketh went into Egypte or of that that seuentie elders of al the tribes were choseÌ„ which with Moises shuld gouerne the people of Israell Christ sendeth therfore seuentie not seuerally but two and two together for one maÌ„ alone were as noman and of no streÌ„gth nor authoritie in the law which coÌ„mauÌ„ deth y t in the mouth of two or thre all witnes shulde stande And he addeth a reason why he sent forth so many sayng The haruest is great but the laborers are fewe Praye therfore the Lorde of the haruest to send forth laborers into his haruest Certainly these be few wordes but many thinges in them com here to be marked Firste the multitude of them whiche desire the Gospel is here expressed with a very haÌ„dsom resemblauÌ„ce by the name of haruest For in husbandry be certaine due seasons goinges forwarde tyl at laste the corne waxe ripe and the haruest is at hand First of al the grounde is broken vp with the plough thaÌ„ it is sowed after that the sede springeth vp into grasse and shoteth vp into blades stalkes and at last the frute ripeth is cut downe brought into the barne In semblable wise the tyllage of the Lordes ground hath his certaine tymes hys procedinges and growinges At the begynnynge Moses brake vp the Lordes grounde wyth the ploughe of the lawe Then cam the prophetes and did sowe the sede After that in the tyme of Ihon Baptist appeared the blades And at last whaÌ„ Christ cam and sent forth his Apostles cam also the haruest the weate beganne to be conueyed into the barne of God Of this haruest Christ in an other place precheth to his Apostles sayng Lyft vp your eyen and be holde the couÌ„treis for they be white alredy vnto haruest And he that reapeth receiueth a rewarde and gathereth frute into euerlastinge lyfe so that both he that soweth may be glad also he that reapeth For herein is the worde true that there is one that soweth and an other that reapeth I haue sent you to reape that which ye haue not labored Other haue labored and ye haue entred into their labours For this purpose also maketh that which Ihon the baptist preacheth sayeng that a fanne is in Christes hand and he shal make cleane hys floore gather hys corne into the barne but the chaffe he shal burne w t fyre vnquenchable Wherfore syth the tyme that the gospell of Iesu Chryste is preached is the tyme of harueste it must be seen what the corne is that is brought into the barne of god The corne therfore is partely the men theÌ„selfes which by the preaching of the gospel be gathered into y â— barne of Christê churche partely it is the riches which men by feyth do gather of the gospel This ryches is no worldly goodes but spiritual goodes It is first of al rightuousnes before god and maÌ„ wherof the one is wrought by feith in Christ for the rightuouse man liueth through feith the other is gotten by obedience and the frutes of feyth Finally it is euerlasting life and heuenly ioy These be the goodes riches and corne which be gathered of the spirituall haruest But lyke as in the corporal haruest the corne is not gathered into the barnes w t out great sweat laboure so who soeuer wil gather the gostly corne must abide many aduersities And y â— more we labour suffre aduersitie the more corne shal we gather into our barnes Wherfor deare frendes while it is now the tyme of our haruest let vs not playe let vs not trifle but with glad myndes let vs take the labours of the harueste He that gathereth sayth SalomoÌ„ in the haruest is the childe of wisdom but he that slepeth in somer is the child of confusion Go sayth Christ lo I send you as lambes amonges wolues Uerily wolues be naturally disposed to hurt vex shepe shepe against y â— crueltie of wolues be altogither vnarmed Wherfore when Christ saith I send you as laÌ„bes amongê wolues it is asmoche to say as I sende you vtterly vnarmed amonges most cruell hurtfull enemies What peace what rest what helth can one loke for amongê such enemies But ye wil say this is not to coÌ„fort his disciples but rather to discourage them from imbrasing the gospel Trouth it is that this is a very hard word I send you as lambes in middes of wolues but yet it was a word necessary to be spo ken vnto the apostles disciples to monish them of the troubles persecutioÌ„s that they shuld suffre lest they shulde dreame that the kyngdom of Christe in erth shuld be a corporal thinge For if the kyngdom of Christ had bene of this worlde he wold not haue sent forth his disciples as shepe amoÌ„gê wolues but rather he wold haue brought to pas that they shuld haue bene receiued of al men with high reuerence honour wheras now he layth them out to exceding daungers and perilles They shal sayth he deliuer you vp vnto councelles and in their assembles they shal scourge you yea and ye shal be led vnto
propre power and vertue as appeareth by that she putteth to but now also I know that whatsoeuer thou askest of god he woll gyue it the. So that she toke Christ but for a prophete and a very vertuouse and holy man Christ therfore answereth her Thy brother shal rise agayne I wote ê™ Martha that he shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day Here we se that Martha was a good woman and beleued the general resurrection Wherfore our sauiour Christ to thintent he myght yet augment the womans feith opinion in him that he might declare that he coulde not only as an holy man prophet obteyne of god life to the dead but also that he himself is the fountaigne and giuer of life to al men and that no death is to be feared of them which put their trust and hope in him bicause that although death coÌ„meth yet it can not hurt him that beleueth on him which is fountaigne of al life he answered Martha in thys wyse I am the resurrection and the lyfe Ueryly my freendes this is the gospel â–ª this is the Euangel this is the glad ioyful tydinges most pleasaunt coÌ„fortable to al Christen men and women In this word Christ openeth himselfe vnto vs giueth vs resurrection life which be the greatest best gyftes that caÌ„ be giuen to maÌ„kynd But wherby is Christe made vnto vs our resurrectioÌ„ and our lyfe Uerily by feith And therfore he goeth further and sayth He that beleueth in me althoughe he be deade yet shall he lyue By feith doubtles the deade man liueth by feith the quicke maÌ„ neuer dyeth For ye may not thinke that Christ spake this only of Lazarus But who so euer he be that beleueth and hath the lyuely vnfeyned feith in Christ which in the begynnyng of this sermon â–ª I spake of he shall neuer dye albeit that the bodye for a tyme shall slepe This I say is the Gospell wherwith in the straightes of deth ours coÌ„sciencies must be fensed and made stronge agaynst al the gates of hell and of death For agaynst this sure feith thys rocke wherupon Christes church is buylt not al the gates of hell as Christ himselfe promiseth can preuaile And to thintent we shulde beleue this the better that Christe is oure resurrection he confirmed it with the raisyng of Lazarus froÌ„ death to life he coÌ„firmed it also with hys owne resurrection Why do we then mourne the deth of oure freendes Harken what Christ sayth I am the resurrection What do we fear thingê we wote not what in an other world Let vs beleue in Christ which saith I am the lyfe Truly he giueth himselfe hole vnto vs by this gospell only let vs take hede lest by our vnfeithfulnes we put froÌ„ vs so highe excellent a gyfte If Christ had neuer been made man we could haue hoped of no risyng agayne By our first father AdaÌ„ we were al made thral vnto death accordyng to gods worde in Genesis vnto AdaÌ„ What day so euer thou shalt eate of the tree of knowlege of good and euill thou shalt surely dye a death By Adam verily as witnesseth saynt Paule death entred first and agayne by Christe cam resurrection and lyfe Wherfore truly these wordes of our Sauiour Christe haue a ryght great comforte in them vnto all christen men forasmuch as they declare moost high vertue and power to be in Christe â–ª that is to witte that by hym chaunceth to maÌ„kind the vertue and power to rise againe into euerlastyng lyfe Both the good and bad shall ryse againe but not a like for the good shal rise vnto life â–ª and the badde shal rise vnto iugement and euerlasting death and therfore Christe to them is no resurrection For whiche they be that shal be made pertakers of euerlastynge lyfe he sheweth when he goeth on and sayeth in thys wyse He that beleueth in me shal lyue that is to say he shall not dye the second death We haue therfore good people two maners of risynge agayne for first we rise agayne here by grace out of the doungeon of synne when we â—e renewed into a new life and be regenerate by Christ as it is declared in the thyrde chapter of Ihon. And who soeuer after thys sorte doth ryse agayne out of synne here in thys lyfe â–ª shall neuer tast of the second death which is euerlastyng damnation but shal be pertaker of the seconde resurrection through Christ at the day of iugemeÌ„t which shal be lyfe euerlasting and endles ioye Thys in effecte were Christes wordes to Martha and after he had thus opened hymself vnto her he asked her whether she beleued this Wherunto she answered and said Yea Lorde I beleue that thou art Christe the sonne of God whiche hast come into the worlde Uerily thys confession of feith that this blessed woman Martha maketh here of Christe semeth to be lyke vnto that whiche saynt Peter and the rest of thapostles made when Christ asked them whom they said that he was and saynt Peter in al their names answered Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuyng god that is to say thou arte the Messias or Sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long before promised by the prophetes and loked for of the fathers And lyke as fleshe and bloud disclosed not thys feith to saynt Peter but the heuenly father so thys lyke confession that Martha made ê“ceded not of any carnal loue but of the holy ghost But what do these wordes betokeÌ„ thou art Christ Uerily to be Christ is to be the lorde and coÌ„querour ouer synne afflictions death and helle And for this cause was he promised euen to vanquish al the aduerse powers in heueÌ„ly thyngê I say he is that sede of the woman which shulde breake the serpeÌ„tes hed that is to wit the power of the deuill For the deuill ruleth in the worlde through Gods permission and sufferaunce by synne afflictions death and helle But all these thynges in the feithfull persons be ouercome and vanquished through Christ. Christ is our mediatour our peace He is the hed foundatioÌ„ of the church he is our prest our byshop to make sute to his father for vâ— and to saue vs hys people from our synnes Yea there is none other lucy to heuen but by him for he is the doore He is our lucy he is the trouth he is the lyfe for lyke as all were dead by Adam so by Christ must they he reuiuâ—â— This haue I spoken concerning the declaration of thys present Gospell Now deare freÌ„des accordyng to the instruction whiche we haue rehersed here out of holy scripture let vs not feare nor lameÌ„t this bodily death but rather the spiritual deth of the soule both in this worlde and in the next And on the contrary as often as we fall into synne let vs by due repentaunce rise againe here in thys lyfe let vs beleue stedfastly