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A69147 A postill or collection of moste godly doctrine vpon every gospell through the yeare aswell for holye dayes as Sondayes, dygested in suche order, as they bee appoynted and set forthe in the booke of Common Prayer. Uery profitable for all curates, parentes, maysters of housholdes, and other gouerners of youth.; Postilla Anthonii Corvini Corvinus, Antonius, 1501-1553. 1550 (1550) STC 5806; ESTC S109261 359,302 596

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A Postill or COLLECTION OF MOSTE GODLY DOCTRINE VPON EVERY gospell through the yeare aswell for Holye dayes as Sondayes dygested in suche order as they bee appoynted and set forthe in the booke of Common Prayer Verye profytable for all Curates Parentes maysters of housholdes and other gouerners of youth CHRISTE The haruest is great but the labourers are fewe pray ye therefore the Lorde of the haruest to sende forthe labourers into the haruest LVC. X. LONDINI ANNO DOMINI M.D.L. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum A PREFACE TO THE GODLY READER FOR AS MVCH DEERELY beloued in oure sauiour Iesu as faith which is the gift of god without the which we canne not please god cometh by hearing of the worde of god it is expedient Ephe. 2. Heb. 11. Rom. 12 and more then necessary that we earnestly embrace the same woorde of god least the Lorde be wrathe with vs Psal 1. and wee perishe from the righte waye We may not at our pleasure as the world doth trifle with it neglecte it and contemne it which is the lyuely foode of the sowle as Christe himselfe by the same beareth winesse saynge Mat. 4 A man shall not lyue by breade only but by euery worde that procedeth out of the mouthe of God What manne neglecteth the foode and norishmente of his bodye whiche is mortall vyle earth and wormes meate Nay howe do all men diligently awayte the tyme season and oportunitye to prepare the foode and noryshmente for the body The husband man ploweth soweth barroweth weedeth reapeth moweth dryeth his corne and gathereth it into his barne in season The marchaunte marketh the oportunitye and taketh the winde that serueth for his vyage in due tyme. The Passinger leeseth not the tyde but taketh it whē it is offered The lawyer obserueth the term Euerye man in his science occupacion and crafte applyeth the tyme and season when it serueth them beste for their purpose but Lorde how dulle negligente and carelesse be we of this tyme that goddes woorde speaketh of 2. Co. 6 sayinge Beholde nowe is the accepted tyme beholde now is the daye of saluacion Ful truely therefore is this saying of Christ verified vppon vs. Luc. 16 The chyldren of this worlde are in their nacion wiser than the children of lyfe Almyghtye god hath nowe vysyted vs with his holye woorde but yet wee prouoke him to lamente oure miserable state no lesse then the Iewes did vppon whome he saithe by his prophete Esai Esay 1. I haue nourished and brought vppe children but they haue doone wyckedly against me The oxe hath knowen his owner and the asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath receiued no knowledge my people hath no vnderstandinge Alas for thys synfull nacion a people of greate iniquitye a frowarde generation vnnaturall chyldren Nowe least any manne flattering him selfe wold apply this lamentable prophecy only vnto the Iewes let him note this sentence which toucheth the cause of our blyndenesse to be twise rehersed namely Israel hath receiued no knowledg my people hath no vnderstandinge If it had beene spoken only of the Iewes yt had beene ynough to haue saide Israell hathe receiued no knowledge But bicause it shulde be truely applyed vnto vs also god saith My people hath no vnderstanding Luc. 10 Whye Verely CHRIST him selfe sheweth the cause sayinge The haruest is great but the labourers are fewe Wherfore christē reader it hath been thought good to commend this small volume of godlye and sincere doctrine into our mother and English tong that it mighte be a spurre vnto the dull shepherds and helpe vnto the simple and godlye mynded curates and comforte to the fathers of the houshold parents and gouernoures of youth Truly it must needes be a spurre vnto the ydle dul and negligent curates bicause the doctrine hereof is so brief simple and plaine that a cyllye woman or poore prentyse occupyinge theim selues the whole weeke in their vocacion onlye with the studyinge and learnynge of this booke vpon the sondaye and hollye daye shall within one yeare be better able to teach hereafter their own housholdes then many curats do now instructe their congregacion committed to their cure and charg At whose hand without fayl Ezec. 3. and .33 the Lorde wyll requyre the bloude of euerye one of their flock that perisheth for lack of godly teching Also the profite that the godlye mynded curates although they be but meanly learned shall hereby obtaine their flocke and congregacion in shorte tyme by the grace of God shall better declare in their lyfe by good frutes than here can be expressed with woordes Finally the honest housholders for whose sake principally this booke is putte forth whiche wyll take paines to practise the doctrine herof vpon the sondayes and holy dayes in teachinge their familyes and lookinge to them so on the working daies with discipline that they exercyse the same in their lyfe shall fynde more faithfulnes quietenesse and obedience in their families then their policie and worldely wysedome otherwyse is able to bryng to passe with all that they can do Let not parentes and maysters hereafter fynde faulte with the pryde stubburnesse slouthe and falshed of their youthes seruauntes if they theim selues be styffe necked and slowe to learne the word of the Lord and negligent in teachyng their families to serue God But let them knowe that the vntowardnesse of their youth seruauntes is the iust plague of god vnto them because they teache them not to knowe feare and serue God What meane they that murmure would they haue their children and seruantes obedient faythfull and diligente to serue theim Yea verely it is mete they should so be Then lette they them selues begynne fyrst to be diligent in learnyng the worde of God faythful in teachyng it and obediēt in doyng it Tit. 2. For S. Paul sayth Speake the thinges that become wholsome learnyng that the elder men bee sober sage discrete sound in the fayth in loue and in pacience When they haue learned this than let them be diligent to shewe the same by example and to teache their cure that whiche foloweth Fyrst that their wyues be in suche apparel as becommeth holynes not geuen to muche wyne sobre minded discrete chast howsewyfly good obedyent to their own husbandes dilygent in teaching their chyldren that the worde of God be not euel spoken of Secondarily that yonge men be sobre mynded Thyrdly that seruantes be obedient vnto their own maisters and please them in all thinges not answeringe againe neither pickers but they must shew al faithfulnes that they may do worship to the doctrine of God our sauiour in all thinges Thus dyd Adam after hee was called to repentaunce teache his children fyrste to knowe theyr sauiour and to serue god in true faith as witnesseth the oblation of his obedient sonne Abell Gene. 4 Also Seth and Enos did the same and therfore it is written of them that they began to make inuocacion in the name
thynges through her workes And if the scripture sixehūdreth tymes did wytnesse Rom. 4 That he that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifyeth the wicked that his fayth were reputed to righteousnes Yet our curiosite can a great deale better do it and vnderstand it But lette euery man take hede that he go the right way and erre not For the tyme is nere at hād that we shall either for true doctrine reioyce with God or els for false doctrin be vtterly cōfounded Surely this woman had neither fayth before in Christe nor yet had done any worke where through she had deserued so great benefite and yet great grace was shewed vnto her He that not beyng desired nor yet intreated doth so great benefite vnto this woman thynkest thou that he wyll not do the same to those that praye to him for it Briefly At all tymes he is ready to helpe vs and to do vs good so that we can beleue doubte not And for the moste partie then doth he helpeth vs whē we haue most neede of him yea when we thinke that God himselfe heauen and yearth all is against vs that we be vtterly forsaken then I say doth he begyn to helpe And the same thou seest to happen to this woman For when her sorowe was greatest then did he helpe her And that is the same that Dauid sayth When I call Psal 4. heare me O God of my righteousnes and comforte me in my trouble Thyrdly we see in this miracle the strength and vertue of Gods woorde The power and vertu of the word of God and what it worketh in vs when we cōprehend it by fayth For the Euangelist after that he hath shewed declared vnto vs howe Christ had pitie on this woman and comforted her after he wryteth howe Christ through his woorde raysed this child frō death sayth He came nigh touched the coffyn they that bare him stode stil he sayd Yong mā I say vnto thee aryse Here you heare that Christ is Lorde aswell ouer the dead as ouer the quicke what he speaketh to this yong mā that is dead But what happened The dead sat vp and begāne to speake Beholde the great vertue of Christes worde that by the same the dead are raised to life And whatsoeuer is done here after the history to this yong mā the same must be done dayly spiritually in vs. For who is without synne And the reward of synne is death Therfore if we wyll be deliuered frō synne escape euerlastyng death Christ with his worde must come do it For Christ sayth He that kepeth my worde Ihon. 8. shal not dye euerlastyngly And his worde must bee comprehended vnderstanded by a true fayth For where the knowlege of this worde lacketh Ihon. 1. there Christ which is the word is not knowen And againe where Christ is not knowen there cannot God be praised nor glorified with the woordes of this people saiyng A great prophet is risen amongst vs and God hath visited his people The knowlege of God brīgeth thankesgeuyng And contrary wise where this worde is comprehended in heart conceyued there is Christ knowen when he is knowen then is God praised and glorifyed because that he hath visited vs not in his wrath but with his infinite mercy and hath geuē vs his only welbeloued sōne so that through his passion death he hath redemed vs frō synne death deuil and hell For the whiche great benefite we are bounde to thanke him euerlastyngly Fynally the benignitee of Christ allureth vs vnto fayth and fayth acknowlegeth the power of Gods worde and this knowlege prayseth and glorifyeth God euerlastyngly To whom with the sonne and holy ghost be all honour and praise Amen The gospel on the .xvii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Luc. 14. ANd it chaunsed that he went into the house of one of the chiefe Pharises to eat bread on a Sabboth day and they watched him And behold there was a certain man before him whiche had the dropsye And Iesus answered and spake vnto the lawyers and Pharisies saiyng Mat. 12 Mar. 3. Luc. 6. is it lawful to heale on the sabboth day And they helde their peace And he toke him and healed him and let him go answered theim saiyng Whiche of you haue an Asse or an oxe fallen into a pyt Exo. 23 Deu. 22 Mat. 12 and wyl not straight waye pull him out on the Sabboth daye And they could not answere him again to these thynges He put furth also a similitude to the gestes when he marked howe they preased to the hyest roumes sayd vnto them when thou art bydden of any man to a weddyng sitte not doune in the hyest roume lest a more honorable man than thou be bydden of him and he that bad him and the come say to the Geue this man roume and thou then begyn with shame to take the lowest roume But rather when thou art bydden go and sytte in the lowest roume that when he that bad the commeth he may say vnto thee Frende sytte vp hyer Pro. 25 Then shalt thou haue worship in the presence of them that sytte at meate with thee Mat. 23 Luc. 81 For who soeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell Christ had to do handleth with two maner of persones Fyrst with the Pharisies whiche wayted him to fynde occasion to reprehende him also with this man that had the dropsye Let vs therfore see fyrst howe he handleth him selfe towarde these Phariseis and howe the Phariseis handle themselfes towardes Christ The condicion nature of the Phariseis The Phariseis euer went aboute to blaspheme Christes doyng accordyng to their nature and custome As for his doctryne semed vnto theim nothyng at all by reason it was cōtrary to hypocrisy Wherfore there was neuer nothyng that pleased them whatsoeuer Christe taught And though they sawe neuer so muche his great miracles whiche they could not denye yet would they not geue God the glory but sayd that it was all done through Belzebub prince of the deuils Muche suche blaspemye deceite and enuy shalt thou finde in the histories of the gospel Mat. 12. For euen as the Pharisies persecuted Christ Mat. 12 condempned his doctrine and blasphemed his workes and miracles so Christ set himselfe against them withstode them as moste great enemies to his holy doctrine If you loke in the histories of the gospel you shall fynde cōtinual warre betwene Christ and the Phariseis And it could bee no other wyse For he was the stombling stone 1. Pe. 2. Luc. 2. a rocke to be offended at and a token whiche shal be spoken against of the worlde Wherfore it had not been well done if he should haue graunted them any thyng pertainyng and touchyng the glory of his father It was sufficient that he did declare with
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
and constantly adioyne this vtilitie or profite with the doctrine of penaunce and ofte tymes to repete and beate in the same in theyr sermons There is no greater or sweter comfort neyther in heauen nor in earth wherw t the troubled cōscience may be better pacefied then is the passion resurrection of Christ And for that cause Paule saide vnto the Cor. That he knewe nothing but Christ and that he was crucified 1. Co. 2. And to the Gal. God forbid that I shuld reioyse Gal. 6. but onlye in the crosse of our lord Iesu Christ by the which the world is crucyfyed to me I vnto the world Lette other reioyse in theyr workes we will reioyse in the merites of our lord Iesu Christe Yet neuertheles doinge through the grace of the holy ghoste that which is commaunded vs of him to be done Thirdelye it is not to be omitted which be the enemyes and the dispisers of Christ but diligentely to be noted and marked that Christ so specially dyd shewe of whome he shulde be condemned to death that is of his owne people of the chiefest of his priestes of the phariseis and scribes And S. Luke addeth of the gentiles also But S. Math. sheweth by name that wee maye playnlye knowe what they were that haue not onlye frome the begynnynge persecuted Christe and his doctryne but also shall persecute euen to the very end That is these most holy highest learned and greatest mē of power in this world For they be so depely drowned in theire carnall wisedome and learnynge that theye canne by no m●anes attayne to and vnderstande the word of God which is contrary to their reason Yt must needes chaunce to those men as Ieremy the prophete saith in his 10. chap. Euery man is become folish and destitute of wisedome Loke on the texte of this place and vppon the 44. chap. of Esaias And moreouer they muste needes discharge Dauyd and make him no lyer who complayneth of the greate men of power of this world and saieth Psal 2. The kynges and princes of the earthe haue risen vp and gathered together against theyr lorde and against his Christ In such prophecy are comprehended al men of great power learned men wise men and the holy men of all times to the ende of the world The cause of the blindnes of the great lerned men For trewly the gospel reiecteth and condēneth al colour ypocrisy and requireth only the fayth and goodnes that cometh from the hart And therfore they must needs with a deadly hatred persecute the same when they repute and take theire outewarde shadowe of holines to be righteousnes before God Fourthelye wee haue in this blynde manne an example of faythe and howe wee shu●de praye For doughteles he hadde herde of Christ that he was a man of greate humanitye and gentlenes and wold deny his help to no man Howe we shuld praye By this hearyng he receaued faith of Christ trewly beleued the Christe wolde work mercy with him as he had done also before tyme with many other And hauing this truste of mynd he asketh helth And although for his crienge he was of the great multitude blamed yet he left not of his purpose but styl cried vntil he harde that ioyfull voyce Thy faith hath saued the. Wherein wee may considre and learne that faithe muste worke all thinges as it is saide in the 19. Fayth bringeth all thing to passe cha of S. Marke All thinges be possible to him that beleueth Also if ye had fayth as a mustarde seede and wolde say to this tree roote vp and growe in the sea yt shulde be doone He that now wyll aske any thing of God he must not come voyde emptye that is withoute fayth For as much as thou beleuest so muche shalte thou obtain thi peticion And withoute faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. But and if thy faith be so farre tempted that thou shalte heare thine enemyes saye by the Psa 5. God wyll not help or saue him Yet leaue not of thy purpose but crye Iesu the sonne of Dauyd haue mercye on me Crye with harte and mouthe that he maye remember hys mercye which thing by the often calling thou shalt bringe to remembraunce and he wyll heare the as he hath herde this blynde man The firste sonday in Lente Math. 4. THen was Iesus Mar. 1. Luc. 4. led away of the spirite into wyldernes to be tempted of the deuel And when he fasted fourty dayes and fortye nightes he was at the laste an hungred Bud when the temter came to him he sayied Yf thou be the sonne of God cōmaund that these stones may be made breade But he aunswered and saide It is written Deut. 8. Luc. 4. Sap. 16 man shall not lyue by breade onlye but by euery word that procedeth out of the mouth of God Then the deuel toke hym vp vnto the holy city and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple and saieth vnto him Yf thou be the son of God caste thy selfe downe hedlynge For it written Psa 9.2 He shall geue hys aungels charge ouer the and with theyr handes they shal hold the vp leaste at any tyme thou dashe thy foote against a stout And Iesus sayde to hym It is wrytten agayne Deut. 6. Luc. 4. Thou shalt not tempt the lorde thy God Agayne the deuell taketh hym vp into an exceding high mountaine and sheweth hym all the kingdomes of the worlde and the glory of them and sayeth vnto hym All these wyll I geue the yf thou wylte fall downe and worshippe me Then sayth Iesus vnto hym Auoyde Sathan For it is written Deut. 6. and .10 c Thou shalt worship the lord thy God and hym only shalte thou serue Then the deuell leaueth hym and beholde Luc. 4. c 1. Re. 7. the aungeles came and ministred vnto him THE EXPOSITION FIrste of all in this gospell is shewed vnto vs The tēptacion of Christ is our victorye how Christ was ledde through the holy ghoste into wildernes and tempted of the diuel And also how strongly he ouercame trode vnder foot the diuel that cruel enemy to christian men And yf we wold behold these things with the eyes of faithe we shulde proue by experience that Christe suffered all these thinges for our sake For there was nothing done of him more or lesse wherin hee didde not seruice to vs wretched synners His temptaeions fastinges victorye yea and his verye passion and bitter deathe was seruice vnto vs Luc. 22. as he in S. Luke saythe that he came to minister or serue other and not that other shuld serue or minister to hym Wherfore I must here in this place take Christ as a gift that he with al that he hath done is geuen to me by the father so that hereafter he maye bee mine And furthermore I muste putte him before myne eyes as an exaumple and take my crosse vppon me
Mat. 10 and folowe hys steppes 1. Pet. 2. Christ suffered for vs leauinge to vs exaumple that wee shulde folowe his steppes Yea and when thou hearest that he was led by the holye ghost into wyldernes to be tempted of the diuell Yt is the will of god that we be tempted Thou shalte learne thereby that god of his good wyl sendeth al temptacion to his elect that they may in time of temptacion know wherof they neede and with great constancy aske of god both helpe and comforte Euery mannes necessitie shuld prouoke him to pray as the prophete saieth When I was troubled then I cryed to the Lord and he herde me And againe when thou hearest how mightely Christ ouercame the deuyl and how with scripture he ouerthrew his subtill and malicious counsaile thou shalt remembre to learne that no temptaciō may be ouercome but by Christ And also that a christian souldiar shulde haue a strong armoure which is the worde of god when so euer he shall fal into battaile with the deuel Ephe. ● And what clayme or righte coulde that enemy make to me yf I had none other weapon in tyme of temptacion to defende me withall but this onlye sentence of scripture conceaued through faith Ioh. 16. Haue good hope trust for I haue ouercome the worlde Yet we wyl somewhat se in this place with what crafts and deceites of temptacion the deuell cometh with all to Christe Fyrste The care for the belly he compasseth him with the carke and care of the bellye and that hee attempteth wythe a wonderfull pollecye He sayeth on this wise Yf thou be the son of God Gen. 6. make these stones bread As many as do beleue may be called the chyldren of God And the deuel sayth as it were on this wise Yf thou be the sonne of God as thow doest boaste thy selfe wher then is the care that God taketh for the why doth he not prouide to the meate drinke and all other necessaryes to lyue by what hath God to do with the thinkest thou He taketh much care for the in dede Tarye a while vntill a rosted chicken flye in to thy mouthe And by this meanes goeth the deuell about to bringe Christe from the cōfidēce trust in God and to burthē him with incredulity and vayne carefulnes that yet he might so moue him to forsake God and make of his belly an idol Chryste ouercometh the deuel Deut. 8. But what doth Christ He geueth no place at al to these diabolical instructions but strongely doth perseuer in that faith and truste which he receiued of his heuenly father and saith Man liueth not only by bread but by the worde that procedeth from the mouth of God As though he shuld saye I know very wel that when ther is plenty of bread the lyfe muste be susteined thereby But that is not bicause of the bread but for the word of God wher by the bread is sāctified and power geuen to it to feede and replenish men And yf there be no plenty of bread then must we needes lyue by the word of God yf then faith do wholye depend and hange of this worde and be wrapped therin then must ther nedes be also bread yea and the same muste come from heauen as in the olde tyme Manna was geuen to the children of Israel in wildernes Ps 77 Lo now in this wise doth Christ ouercome the deuell and that for oure comforte that we shulde applye oure selues and prouide as often as we fall into suche temptaciōs that incredulitie raigne not amongst vs but to remembre the exaumple of Christ confirmed with so many promises of god wherethrough we may withstand the carefulnes of the belly ouercome the deuell and all his councell and tread hym vnderfote Secondarly To tempte God the deuel wold faine perswade Christ to tempte god and without any cause why to caste him selfe down from the pinacle of the temple And to bring that to passe he allegeth although it bee falsely a place of scripture assayīg yet by that meanes if he might with his outward appearaunce vnder such a lambes skinne ouercome Christ and moue him to do contrary to the worde of god And note well here that the deuell hath mo wayes then one to circumuente and begile menne and as he is craftye and subtyll a thousande folde so hath he a thousande wayes to bringe men in his snares He knoweth wel inough wherin we be moste weakest and yf he bringe not his purpose to passe one way he assaieth an other He taketh great delite pleasure in oure destruction and cōdemnacion And by cause he coulde not bringe Christ to that poynte to make his belly a god he yet hadde greate hope to bringe that his other porpose to passe to moue him to tempte God and so set hym vp vppon a pinnacle of the temple layng If thou be the son of God cast downe thy selfe hedlinge for it is wrytten Psal 9. He shall giue his angels charge ouer the and with there handes shal they hold the vp that thou dashe not thy foote against a stone But wherfore did the deuel leue out Vt custodiāt te in omnibus vijs tuis that is to say That they shal kepe the in all thy wayes Bicause it was contrary to his purpose and made nothīg for his intent Whervpon Christ obiecteth against him this answere Deut. 6. saying It is also writtē Thou shalt not tempt thi Lord god As though he shuld say God doth mightely defend his will not leaue them in any necessity And moreouer as thou thy selfe doest knowledg he hath geuen in cōmaundemēt to his aūgels to take the charge not only of me but also of all his elect that they maye walke without any offence or slaunder Wherefore shuld I cast my selfe into the water when I maye passe by a bridge or ship And so why shuld I cast my selfe downe hedlīg from the temple whē I may easlye go downe by a ladder The wise man saith He that loueth ieoperdye Eccle. 3. No man ought to put hym selfe in ieoperdy shall fall into the same Lo here now again the diuel is ouercome bi Christ and that with no small argumentes of scripture wherwith he doth confute him Let vs now knowe and perceiue that all these thinges be done for our instruction that we may learne likewise to ouercome the deuell when neede shall require Thirdelye the dyuell is not yet contented nor leaueth of Christ but taketh him vp vpon a great high hyll and sheweth to hym all the kingedomes and glory of the wolde saying All these thinges will I geue vn to the yf thou wylt fall downe and worshippe me The dyuell is lord and prince of the world And of this place we learne that the deuell is the Lorde and Prince of this worlde as Christ also nameth him in the 12. chapter of Iohn Moreouer all those that so depende and hange
of wordly and transitorye thinges that they sette by nothinge els nor bee mortyfied to the worlde and their concupiscence do in no wise appertain to the kyngedome of Christe but to the kingdome of the diuel For what so euer it be that I put my hole truste in besides god or do prefer and loue it more then god verely of the same I make to me an ydol And yf my harte be fully fixed vnto yt What is the worshippe of the diuel and is giuen to honour voluptuousnes riches power of the world or any such other like thing then be those thinges my ydoll and in them I worship the deuell Yea to be more plaine with you yf I outwardly shuld be good and honest and wolde accompte the same outewarde goodnes for righteousnesse before god then trewly shulde the same be myne Idoll as Esaias witnesseth sayinge Esai 2. They haue woshipped the workes of their owne handes And saynte Augustine saieth My God is my loue I praye you what is it els to loue creatures aboue god then to worship the deuell But herken here now greately this ydolatry and blasphemy displeaseth god Get the hence saieth he thou Sathan these thy suggestions can not be borne or suffered of any good hart for it is written Deut. ● Thou shalte worship thy lord god and him onlye shalte thou serue Lo in this wyse is the deuell no we thryse ouercome and driuen awaye of Christe onlye by the worde of god Nowe as it is necessary for vs throughe Christe to ouercome all temptacions the worlde synne death and the deuell so muste we also be wel instructed strēgthned with the word of god wherein is promised to vs both comforte and helpe in our Lord Iesu Christe And if we bee not with this swearde of spirite which is the word of god wel armered then doughteles wil he bring vs out of the right way and lead vs about so lōg vntil he bring vs into his snares and so entangle vs that we may scarsely get out agayne from the which I besech god the father of his greate goodnes and mercy to kepe and preserue vs throughe his sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Amen The seconde sonday in Lent Math. 15. ANd Iesus went thence and departed into the coastes of Tyrie and Sydon and behold a woman of Canaan which came out of the same coastes cryed vnto hym saiyng Haue mercy on me O lorde thou sonne of Dauid My doughter is piteously vexed wyth a deuel But he answered her nothyng at all And hys disciples came and besought hym saying Send her away for she crieth after vs. But he answered and sayde I am not sente Luc. 19. but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell Then came she and worshipped hym saying Lord helpe me He answered and sayd It is not meere to take the chyldrens breade and to caste it to dogges She answered and sayd Truth lorde forthe dogges eate of the crummes which fall from theyr maysters table Then Iesus answered and sayde vnto her O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto the euen as thou wylte And her doughter was made whole euen at that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION An exaūple of ●aithe the callīg of the heithē FYrste of all this gospell layeth before vs an example of faith in the womā of Chanane and sheweth vs also that the Gentils and Heithen shal be called to the knoweledg of faith Rom. 1. A trew and perfite faith is nothyng else but to know that Christe is the lorde and the son of Dauid For yf I knowledg him as lorde then do I also beleue that he is naturally the very sonne of God yea and god himselfe Moreouer God the father of heauē wyl not be knowen in any other but in this Christe as S. Iohn witnesseth in the 14. chapter sayinge He that seeth me seeth my father And also in this wise to call Christe the lorde is not so small a trifle as yt semeth to the worlde but trewly it is the worke of the holy ghost as S. Paule saith 1. Co. 1● No man canne say that Iesus is the lorde but through the holye ghoste And when I knowledg Christ to be the son of Dauyd then muste I beleue that he came into this worlde for my sake And that he was gyuen to me with all his goodnes merites passion death that by hym delyuered from sinne I may be made the sonne and heyre of al the goodnes of god Gen. 22 Psa 131 as do clearely declare the promises made to Abraham Dauyd Suche a fayth had this woman of Cananee although she had it not of her selfe but bicause she herde of Christ and of her suche hearinge she receaued faith Fyrste she knowledged Christ to be the lorde whych had power seyng he was god to delyuer his doughter from the vexacion of the deuell And therefore she put all her truste in him as one that coulde and wold help Or else I pray you why wolde she folowe him and make exclamacion yf she had not beleued that Yt must needes be that this woman had a trew and perfect fayth in Christ and loked for all manner of goodnesse of hym The property of saythe Secondarely it foloweth now what the nature and property of faith is namely in all temptacion and affliction to seeke remedy and help none other wher but at God through Christ For the faith that we haue spoken of before dyd prouoke the woman to drawe neare to Christ to open her necessitye and griefe and to call for his grace and helpe But what doth Christe here The faithe of the woman dothe not dysplease hym although shee was no woman of Israel Ioh. 10 but a Gentile for he wolde also bringe them into his flocke Yet bycause the womans faythe shoulde bee proued and made more cleare Chryste kepte scilence and gaue none aunswere to her fyrste peticion And what thinke ye that the woman thoughte in her mynde then Do ye not beleue that shee was heauye and sadde But yet she remembreth the great humanitye of Christ that she had harde so much commended And she dyd not forgette the benefites that he had gyuen to men of his great goodnes vnmocicioned or desyred And therfore she departed not at the first check nor did dispair of hir doughters helpe but stiffely sticketh to him and craueth for a gentel and meeke aunswere And in the meane tyme thappostels come and intreate for her sayinge Lorde sende her awaye for shee excedingelye cr●eth after vs. But what doth Christ nowe Doth he graunte to the woman her desyre No but semeth to continewe still in his firste mynde that all men woulde iudge that he woulde not helpe her at all But why do wee not briefelye shewe what was hys aunswere I am not sente sayeth he but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel By these words he seemeth in a manner to conclude as though it were not
Thomas wyth his incredulitie which wolde not beleue vnto suche tyme he saw and felte How goodly I pray you did he take heed vnto Christs wordes kepe in remembrance that Christ had said namely that he shuld be delyuered vnto the Gentiles Luc. 18. they shuld mock him put him to death that the third day he shuld rise Yet neuertheles Christ did him lyke seruice as he did the other For eight daies after he came saide vnto Thomas Ioh. 20 Reache hither thy hand and put it in my syde and be not vnfaithfull but beleue Here is the hart of Thomas opened so that he crieth out and saith My lord my god Out of all these thingꝭ it must needs folow The corruptnes of the flesh that we concernīg our nature and kind ar euell and very mischieuous and euer prone to incredulitie and misbeliefe and that wee cannot with our owne power attaine vnto faith except through the word of god the holy ghoste be geuen vs and that he lykewise as Christe serued the Apostels maye serue and asiste vs also Frute of the resurrection Secondarily we haue in this gospel the frute commoditie of the resurrection that is to say peace and tranquility of our consciences which is he● thre times pronoūced to the Apostels To haue peace Peace with god is no other thing then to beleue the Christe died for vs and rose from death for our iustificaciō in so much that nowe sin can neither accuse vs nor condemne vs. But who giueth suche peace Christ oure lorde Whereby By his worde in the which the merite of his passion and resurrection is freely offred gyuen vnto vs. Likewise in the same word the holly ghoste is giuen vnto vs which worketh faith in vs whiche faith comprehendeth the mercy of god in Christ and to Christ shee casteth vp hyr eyen in hym shee putteth hyr truste and confydence and finallye shee knoweth all her synnes to be forgyuen by Christe Wherefore then shulde not the conscience haue peace If she knewe and tooke God firste for a straight iudge now she knoweth him and taketh him for a louing and mercifull father that mercifully wyll defende and saue her and that by Christ This peace doth S. Paul praise and wisheth to all christian menne when he writeth in his epistles Grace peace Grace and peace from God the father and frome oure lorde Iesu Christe By grace yf we do beleue we obteine remissiō of sines whom the peace aforesaide foloweth Where oute marke that they that intende to obteine remission with their workes haue not this peace as witnesseth scripture The wicked mē haue no peace Esa 45 saith the lorde But how maye this be Bicause they go aboute to obteine remission peace with God thorow deseruing of workes which is vnpossible So longe as no man can do so muche as he is bounde for to do so long must he needs doubte be vncertayne whether he please be acceptable vnto God or no. And in so doubtyng I pray the Where doubt is cannot be a pacefied cōscience Rom. 5. 2 Tes 4 The sendynge of the apostels how can thy harte and conscience be pacefied and at reste when thou arte doubtefull whether thy sinnes be forgiuen the or no Wherefore it is faithe that getteth this peace whiche cleaueth and hangeth to the resurrection of Christe and not to deseruing of workes Thirdely and last of all here we may se and cōsidre in what manner of wise the apostels were sent forth to preache the gospell As the father sente me saith Christe so doo I sende you But howe was Christ sente That he shulde preach repentaunce remission of sinne That selfe same preachinge for as much as it is contrari to our reasō and capacity which alwayes trusteth in the deseruinge of oure workes did so stirre vp against Christe all Ierusalem and Iewry that they named not him all only a false deceiuer of the people and possessed with a diuell but also after so greate benefites doone vnto theym moste dispitefully crucified him and put him to deathe Neuertheles yet muste we confesse that this poore dispised scourged and crucifyed Christe had auctoritie and power of the father to forgiue sinne Luc. 14 After this manner wise also are the apostles sent forth that in the name of Christ they shulde preach repentaunce and remission of sinnes to all people Luc. 22. beginnyng at Ierusalem c. Further more that they shulde haue lykewise power also as Christe had That is to saye power throughe the word to forgiue and retayne sinnes Also as Christ was dispised persecuted that they euen so shuld of the worlde be dispised and persecuted But thou wilte saye Can the priest torgiue sinne Doeth not that al only pertayn vnto god I aunswere Truth it is that through Christ we haue remission of sinne yet notwithstanding ther must ministers be in this busines by whome this precious treasure must be published opened and distributed The minister of the gospell as concernynge his owne power doth not forgiue sinne but through the commission and worde of Christe Who doth forgiue syn Therefore when thou heareste the gospell out of the mouthe of the preacher and beleuest the worde whether it be openly or priuately ministred thy sinnes be forgiuen the. And thou hast not here respect vnto the persone that denounseth the remission of sinnes but vnto the commaundement and word of Christ The cōmaundemente word of Chryste forgyueth sin And thou doest not here receyue and heare the preacher but Christ himselfe as he saith He that receiueth you receaueth me And although the precher be he the alōly with the mouth absolueth the declareth and promiseth the remission of sinnes through the worde yet Christe is he that fulfilleth it which hath committed this thing to the minister here to be done with his word Here to pertaineth that Christe faithe Whose sinnes so euer you remitte they are remitted vnto them And whose sinnes so euer ye retaine they are retayned With the which wordes he declareth him selfe how in what maner shuld be vnderstande the promise made vnto Peter Mat. 16 Peter in the persō steed of all the apostels saide Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Lykewise in the persone of Peter was gyuen power to all the Apostelles to open and shutte heauen which thinge so to bee is here by this gospell manifest and playne Fynally the Apostelles are sence to preache repentaunce and to forgyue synnes and that not of theym selues but by the power of Christe and by his worde The seconde sonday after Easter Iohn 10. I Am Eze. 24 Mic. 4 the good shepehard A good shepeherd geueth his lyfe for the sheepe An hyred seruaunte and he which is not the shepeharde neyther the sheepe are hys owne seeth the wolfe commynge and leaueth the sheepe and flyeth and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe
you sayeth he If you axe the father oughte in my name hee shall gyue it you also Aske and ye shall receaue Here thou hearest that we shall not praye in vaine Who wold now be slothfull and loth to prayer Christe constraineth vs thorow his commaundement And furthermore that wee shall not thinke to praye in vaine he as I sayde before entiseth vs here with a greate and high promise Wherfore two thinges are heere to bee considered and noted The firste is that we shall pray in none other name thē all only in Christs name Then we pray in Christs name Christe is oure mediator only whē we come vnto god in the faith of Christ in such mind and confidence that he all only is our mediatour by whom all thinges be giuen vnto vs and that without him we can deserue nothing thē wrath and indignacion Can there bee I beseche you any sainte in heauen or in earth that prayeth for vs vnto god the father as Christ doth For by his merites and aduocacion we do not all only obtaine righteousnes and remission of sinnes but also wee be made his brethren and pertakers of hys preestly office so that we our selues maye go vnto Christ and call vpon him and seke his helpe in all our necessity and nede And that is it that he saieth here And I saye not vnto you that I will pray the father for you for the father him selfe loueth you for bicause you haue loued me and beleue that I am come out from god Al Christian mē are prestes Seinge therefore that wee haue suche a mediatour yea seing that we our selues are admitted vnto this prestly office by Christ why do we not with true faithe and confidence call vpon him in oure necessitie An other thinge to be noted is this We must considre that in no wyse we do praye that What we ought to desire that shal be against the glorie wyll of god or contrary to our saluacion For it is apparaunt that he wyll not hear such prayer in so much as in the Pater noster he teacheth vs daily to praye that his will be fulfilled Finally when so euer we praye vnto god in our vrgent necessities we shall looke vpon the merites of Christ not vppon oure worthines which commaundeth vs to praye and promised vs to heare vs when so euer we cal vpon him For all the promises of god in Christ are suer and need not to be doubted at For S. Paule saith that all the promises of god ar ye in him and amē 2 Cor. 11 Secondaryly it is to be noted that forasmuch as we are fleshly and know not ofte times what we haue neede of as S. Paule saith to the Romanes Christe voutchsaueth here to learne vs Rom. 8. what oure prayer shuld be And as he himselfe faith we ought to praye that our ioye maye be perfect But what manner of ioye is this Truly it shall neuer be temporal nor wordly but spirituall Of the which Phil. 4. S. Paule writeth saying Reioyse in the lorde alwaies and againe I say reioyse But whence cometh this reioysinge Of faith And how is that broughte to passe That is brought to passe when I heare the gospel preached in the which remission of sinnes is geuen to all mortall creatures by Christ Whiche preaching yf I wyll haue it profitable and fruitful vnto me I must needs beleue it which thing I cannot do except it be geuen me through the word by the holy ghoste which muste worke this faithe in me And when this worde and the holye ghoste worke this fayth in me I shall not dout but beleue the Christ hath all only forgeuen me all my sinnes so that they can neither accuse nor condemne me And further that he hath pourchased me a mercifull father in heauen that will acknowledge me for hys son and bring me into euerlasting lyfe And hereoute commeth tranquilitie of conscience and that spirituall ioye Trāquilitie of cōsciēce 2 Pet. 3. of the whiche this gospell to day speakethe of and it is verye needefull and necessarye that this ioye growe and increase euen as oure faythe oughte to growe and increase yf yt shal be perfecte which thinge doubteles God shal bringe to passe yf we daylye praye vnto hym for it He will that we shall praye alwayes and not with oute a cause For we haue nothinge to geue him But he as a mercifull god creatoure and father forgiueth vs al things And for as much as he commaundeth vs to praye that oure ioye myghte be perfecte lette vs obeye him that wee maye saye withe the virgine Marye Luce. 2. My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Thirdelye Chryste sh●weth vs here the ignoraunce of his disciples and witnesseth that hitherto his learnyng hath beene vnto theim as a prouerbe and that if they shuld vnderstande that doctrine it is needefull that he speake no more through prouerbs but playnly to shew thē of his father that Is. it is needefull that he sende them the holy ghoste to make them apte to vnderstand his wordes Such ignoraunce and blindn●s hath not beene all only in the apostles before the ho●y ghost was confirmed in them but also hath ben grafte in all mortall men so that there is not one that vnderstandeth no not one that dothe good Psal 13 Ioh. 3. without they be transformed into a newe creature through the holy ghost We thinke oure selues sub●ile and wise as thapostels saye here in this gospel Beholde nowe thou speakest playne and shewest vs no prouerbe now we knowe that thou knowest all thinges But this is suche an other folyshe presumption as was in Saint Peter Mat. 26 which promysed that he wold go to prison and to death with Christ and yet that nighte before the cocke crew he denied him thrise which presumption brought him to confusion Wherefore all this is written for vs that we shulde not rashely presume but rather to meke oure selues and to confesse that we as concerning godlye thinges are rude and ignoraunte and that we can not perceyue the mistery of the gospell with oute the holy ghost For the wisedome of the fleshe is foolishnes before god And as much the more we go aboute to boaste oure selues of our subtilty and wisedome concernyng godlynes so much the more we declare and shewe forthe our folysshnes The sixte sonday after Easter Ioh. 15. BVt when the comforter is come Ioh. 14 and. 17. Act. 3. d whome I wyll send you from the father euen the spirit of trewthe whiche procedeth of the father he shall testifye of me And ye shall beare witnes also bicause ye haue beene with me from the beginninge THE EXPOSITION After that our lord Iesus Christ in the laste supper had promised his disciples with dyuers promises to send thē the holy ghost now he nameth the same spirit by his propre name and declareth vnto vs what vtilitie and profit he shall bringe into the world and saith
on this wise When the comforter whom I shall sende you from the father even the spirite of truthe c. Firste wee se here how Chryst nameth the holy ghoste by hys propre name The cōfortet and calleth him a comforter Whoe hath made oure conscience so suer that we beleue that by Christe we be made the sonnes of God and crye Abba deere father but allonly this same comforter Rom. 7 Gal. 4. Who maketh vs withoute anye feare or abashement at the confessiō of this faith Who comforteth vs and aideth vs in all our calamities and miseries which we must suffre here in this worlde for his names sake None other but this spirite of truthe whiche procedeth frome the father and is the same good spirite for the which the prophet Dauid so earnestly prayeth to obtaine in the 50. psalm For this we se in the examples of the apostles that whē the holy ghost was not yet confirmed in them they lefte their maister and fled from him they also denied him lockte them selues vp now here now there in corners But after that the holy ghost was confirmed in theyr hartes they confessed Chryste boldelye and bare witnes that he was risen In so muche that in persetution and tribulacyon they reioysed and tooke greate pleasure as we reade in the actes of the apostels Act. 5. The holy ghoste maketh vs faithfull Now forasmuche as this holy ghost by reason of his office maketh tru men and faithfull and boldeth and comforteth vs in cōfessing and shewing of the trewth so lykewise by his office he shall testifie of Christ Then yf he shal testifie of Christ he shal teache no other thing then the same that Christe taughte and preached before that is he shall instruct the apostles and make thē meete to receiue the doctrine of Christe and wryte the gospell in their hartes for as muche as of their owne power they canne not perceiue the learnynge of Christe The wisedome of the fleshe can not bringe it to passe but the holye ghoste muste needes do it as the lorde promised by hys prophet Ieremye saiynge Ier. 31. I wyll plante my lawe in the inwarde partes of ●heym and wryte it in their hartes and wyll be their God and they shal be my people And frome henseforth shall no man teache his neighboure or his brother and saye Knowe the lorde But shall all knowe me frome the lowest vnto the highest sayth the lorde Hereof it is euident and playne that without the holy ghoste wee can neither saye the truthe nor yet beleue the truthe Secondarily we be taught and learned The office of the apostels what thoffice of the apostles is which is no more but to testifye and beare witnes of Christe To beare witnes signifieth in scriptures Testifiing to speake and teache not that we thinke good but that God comaunded And therefore is Christe in the psalm called a faythfull witnes in heauen Psal 88. And lykewyse Esaias sayeth Beholde I shall gyue him for a witnes amonge the folke for a prince and capitaine vnto the people Nowe forasmuche as the holye ghoste and the apostles muste testifie of the selfe same thinge it is to bee thoughte that theyr witnes muste bee both one And that the holy ghoste bare witnes in the apostles it is apparaunte accordynge to Christes sayinge You be not they that speake but the spyrite of your father The papistes saiynge that is in you speakethe Where bee they nowe that hitherto haue taught and preached that Christe hathe reueled to the apostles and to the fathers a higher thing then is contained in the gospell Whome shall I beleue Christ or else theyr chatteringe and vnprofitable ianglinges Christe saithe the holy ghoste shall beare witnesse of him and make the folke mete to receaue and vnderstand the gospell And plainlye that we shall be taughte none other thinge of him then that he hymselfe taughte And these ianglers chatter that we must teache higher thinges then is contayned in the gospell After my iudgemente it is beste that wee obeye and beleue hym that hath this testimony and witnes of the father Mat. 7. This is my dere sonne in whome I delite heare him And he that is not contente with the doctrine of Christ of the which not allonlye the Apostels but also the hollye ghoste beareth witnesse lette him chose himselfe an other kinde of learninge and byde the aduenture of yt I had leuer bee suer then doubtefull herein The worlde persecuted the gospell Thyrdelye wee bee taughte in this gospell that the doctrine of Christe of which aswell the holye ghoste as the apostels shall beare witnesse shall not please this worlde For the worlde shall curse and abhorre all those as heretiques that shall confesse this doctrine And when they haue tourmented and persecuted withe all kyndes of tourmentes the apostles and faithfull menne they shall thynke they haue doone a highe seruice vnto God But what sayeth Christe All these thynges shall they dooe vnto you bycause they neyther knowe the father nor me Beholde the fortune that this holy and precious worde of the gospell and the faythfull shall haue in this world If thou wylte confesse Christe looke for no merye nor quiete dayes For Paule saieth 2. Ti. 2. All they that wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu muste suffre persecution And in an other place hee sayeth If I shulde please menne Gala. 1. I were not the seruaunt of Christe Seeynge than that for the confessing of Christe I muste suffre persecution it is needfull that I bee well instructed and armed with the worde of God and that wee knowe it to be the wyll of God that with suche temptacion our faythe shulde bee proued And when wee knowe this wee shall not lightelye bee offended but what so euer the worlde for Christes name putteth vnto vs wee shall patientely suffre it For this is oure comforte that they that persecute vs neyther knowe Christe nor the father thoughe they thinke and boaste them selfe neuer so high Moreouer lette vs not be ignoraunte Rom. 8. that the persecutiōs tribulaciōs of this world be not to be compared to the ioye and blysse that is prepared for vs. And therewith lette vs comforte our selues that we maye lyue with a quiete mynde in this present worlde through Christe oure lorde Amen The gospell on Whytsonday Ioh. 14. Yet a litle while and the worlde seeth me no more but ye se me for I lyue and you shall lyue That day shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Ioh. 15. 1 Ioh. 5. 2. Ioh. 1 He that hath my commaundementes and kepeth them the same is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I wyll loue hym and wyll shewe myne owne selfe to hym Act. 15 Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth Lord what is done that thou wylt shew thy selfe vnto vs
in this gospel that when his worde is bothe harde and receaued and so therewith the sowle feede that he likewise will giue the necessaryes for the body But marke this that Christe feedeth and norisheth vs here by a meane For he saith vnto Peter Lanche out into the deepe and lette slyppe your nettes and make a draught as thoughe he wolde saye I will feed you and geue you that you lacke but euerye manne shall do the thinge that he is called vnto that is they shall laboure Gene. 3. For if you laboure Labour and put youre confidence in me I wyll see that your laborure shall not be loste And this considereth Peter saiynge Maister wee haue laboured all the night and gatte nothinge but at thy word I will lose forthe the nette Whoe dothe not perceiue in these wordes of Peter that all oure counsailes thoughtes and all oure merites what so euer wee intende for to dooe or leaue are all in vaine and to none effecte excepte that they be taken in hande and begonne in the name of god For before they had laboured all the night and toke nothing And that happened vpon theim which ys written in the psalme where the prophete saith Psa 126 It is but lost laboure that ye rise vp earlye and take no reste but eate the breaded of care fulnes For loke to whome it pleaseth the lorde he geueth yt in sleepe But when Christe saide Lette slyppe your nettes and the disciples regarded not their owne labour but hauing respecte to the worde of Christe then tooke they a greate multitude in so muche that they were fayne to call to their felows which were in an other ship for helpe and filled bothe the shippes full Deut. 4. Whoe wolde not nowe beleue Christe whiche not all only wyll but can helpe vs Therfore beleue nowe and he will see that thou shalte lacke nothinge nother for body nor sowle As touchinge thy soule he wyll keepe it by his worde and thy body with corporall meates and norishinges which thinge thou mayst euidently perceaue by this miracle To this pertayneth that Paule saieth to Timothe 1 Tim. 6 Godlynes is profitable vnto all thinges as a thinge whiche hathe promises of the life that is nowe and of the lyfe that is to come And Christe sayeth in the gospell of Mathewe Mat. 6. Seeke yee fyrste the kyngedome of heauen and the righteousnesse therof so shall all these thynges bee mynystred vnto you The callynge of the apostels Thyrdelye Peter was not allonly here comforted whiche for simplenes ignoraunce or feare bad Christe departe from him bicause he was a sinner but also the other likewise whiche were called to the apostolicall office For Christe sayed Feare not as thoughe he wold saye When a man feeleth and knoweledgeth hys synne there shulde he not flye frome me but runne to me forasmuche as I am come into the worlde for sinners For they that be hole Mat. 9. neede no physicion but the sycke Wherefore my Peter take heede that thou biddest me not go frome the but to tarye with the. For I am no tyraunte whiche for cruelnesse kyll and destroye men but with mercye and goodnes I wyll alure mē vnto me and truly I will not allonly forgiue you and pardon you your offēces for bicause you knowledg them but also I wyl make you fishers of menne that hereafter ye shal become myne apostels disciples And likewise as hitherto ye haue taken fyshe with bodely nettes so ye shal hereafter get take mē with spirituall nettes out of the stormie sea of this worlde and bringe them into my kingedome And Christ hath here respect to the prophecie of Ieremy where he saith Ier. 16. Behold I wil send out many fishers to take them Mat. 13 And in the gospel of S. Mathew we haue that the gospel is compared to a nette caste into the sea wherewith are taken al manner of fishes And likewise as Christ comforteth here Peter with the other bicause they wer abashed and afrayed and were comforted so we shall learne hereoute howe a sinner can get no consolacion and comforte by nothinge but all only by Christ Also by the calling of Peter Iames Iohn we learn that no mā oughte to thrust himselfe into the office of a precher except he be called For those thre apostles were before in the common callyng which euery man is called vnto That is Gen. 3. that in the sweate of theyr face they shulde eate theyr breade And therein lyke good and symple menne they wolde haue remayned yf they hadde not beene otherwise called Fourthly we haue in this gospel The power and strength of the gospell The obedience of the apostels what strength and vertue the worde of Christe hathe and also the obedyence of the aforesayde Apostels For as soone as Christe hadde sayde Frome hence forthe ye shal be fysshers of men incontinent when they hadde brought theyr shyppes to lande they forsoke al and folowed him Here wee muste needes graunte that Christe dydde not speake yt allonlye in theyr eares but also in theyr hartes for else howe shulde they haue so soone folowed hym For it is not so lyghte a matter nor so easy to forsake father and mother lande house and money that a manne canne dooe it of his owne selfe It is the worke of the hollye ghoste Ioh. 6. and cometh not of the fleshe Wherefore seeinge that the wordes of Christe are spiryte and lyfe yee maye well perceaue this callynge not to haue sounde alonly in the eares of the apostels but also in their hartes or else they wolde not haue forsaken their parentes wyues and children so lightly and haue takē Christ for their sauioure and Lorde To forsake all But what is that to forsake all thinges It is none other thinge but so to be affectioned that gladly whensoeuer god wil a man be ready to forsake wife and children father and mother and all that in the worlde is and to folowe Christe Remembre also that the folowing of Christe consisteth not alwaies in the outewarde worke but moste chieflye in the harte For wee see many christian menne that do abide and lyue styll with their wiues and children whiche are not called to folowe Christe as the Apostels were and yet natwithstandinge are so mynded that at all tymes they bee readye and willynge when it shall please God to forsake al nother suffre them by no meanes to bee called frome the acknowledging and confessynge of the gospell and the righteousnes thereof whiche is in Christe Iesu whiche also folow Christ as well as those apostels did But they that be not called there vnto to forsake wyfe and children go run ouer all the wide world to be a charg a burthen to other men as do the Anabaptistes 2. Cor. ● may be counted rather to be folowers of the diuell then of Christe oure sauioure To whom with the father and the holly
folke shall entre into the kingedome of heauen Those saith Christ that fulfil the will of my father that is in heauen But what is the wil of the father in heauen That we shulde beleue in him Ioh. 17 whome he hathe sente Here thou doest heare that the kingdome of god is promised not to fained workes but to those that haue fayth in Christ We do not speak here of an historical faith as the call it but of that fayth that commeth by hearynge of the gospell the whiche also the holye ghoste worketh in vs. This fayth lyke as it obtayneth the grace and mercye of god in Christe and setteth all his truste in him and finallye seeketh his rigteousnesse allonly in the merites of Christe so likewise it worketh doth good workes throughe loue and causeth vs to mortefye the olde Adame in vs and dye vnto all creatures he prayeth prayseth and comendeth god withe giuinge thankes in what so euer state and degree he is in Finallye he lyueth accordinge to the wyll of god and throughe Christe shall hee obtayne euerlastinge lyfe Whiche god graunte vs all Amen The gospell on the nynthe sondaye after trinitye sondaye Luc. 16. ANd he sayd also vnto hys disciples Ther was a certayne ryche man which hadde a stewarde and the same was accused vnto hym that hee hadde wasted hys goodes And he called him and sayde vnto hym Howe is it that I heare thus of the Gyue accompte of thy stewardeshyppe for thou mayest be no lenger stewarde The stewarde sayde within hym selfe What shall I do For my mayster taketh awaye frome me the stewarshyppe I can not digge and to begge I am ashamed I wote what to dooe that when I am putte pute of the stewarde shyppe they maye receaue me into theyr houses So when he hadde called all hys maysters detters togither hee sayd vnto the fyrste Howe much owest thou vnto my maister And he sayde an hundreth tunnes of oyle And he sayd vnto hym Take thy bylle and sytte downe quickely and wryte fyftye Then sayd he to an other Howe muche owest thou And he sayde an hundreth quarters of wheate He sayde vnto hym Take thy byll and write ●oure score And the lorde commended the vniuste stewarde bicause he hadde done wysely For the chyldren of this world are in their nation wiser then the chyldren of the lyghte And I saye vnto you Make you friendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when ye shall haue ●eede they maye ●●ceaue you into euerlastinge habitacions THE EXPOSITION THere be three thinges in this gospell to bee noted Fyrste Worldlye wisdome we rynde in the similitude of this gospel how the wicked steward is praised not for his iniquitie and deceitfulnes but as a wordely childe which handlethe himselfe wiselye For the children of thys world in al that they go about seeke their owne profite and ease and not the vtilyty and profyte of their neighbour They geue great diligence that they thē selues may be ful and haue sufficient care not how they get it other by right or by wrong so that they haue it and maye be suer that they do not lacke not cōsidering the need pouerty of his neighboure This word Māmon signifieth here goodes riches and ar called wicked not the of thē selues they be euel but forbicause the thorow great abuses they be both kept spent and not distributed to the profit vse of the poore needy And therfore Christ fetteth before our eyes the wisedome craftines of this world not that he praiseth or commēdeth the disceitfulnes where through the goodes of this world be gathered togyther gottē but that we therby ar admonyshed the which lyke study dilligēce we do indeuor our selues to obtain get celestyal heuēly ryches whē we ꝑceaue marke that the chyldrē of this worlde seke with so greate studye that which is transitory and earthlye And if they dispise and scorne oure eternall and celestiall goodes that wee seeke here wel let them seeke their treasure here on earth and lette vs gather our treasure in heauen And then hereafter it shal be tried which haue kept the better treasure Moreouer this admonicion that we with all diligence shulde seeke eternall ryches is uery necessary for we be very flowe and negligent and shulde very lightely forsake the faith and feare of god yf we were not with suche godlye exhortacions well instructed and armed Slothefulnes is pernicious For what greater ieoperdy can be vnto a christian man then to be negligent and slacke in the worde of god We muste euer wake and stande in awe and feare with continuall prayer that oure faith may be increased and daylye waxe more and more And in any wise lette vs beware and take hede that we be not carelesse Ma. 24 and to saye with the wicked Pax securitas there is no ieoperdy Let them that dispise goddes worde do so whiche saye in their hartes that there is no god And do thou accordinge to the doctrine of the prophete Dauid 1 Tes 5 Psal 2. saiynge Serue the lorde with feare and reioyce before him with reuerence which if thou doest thou shalt not leese the greate benefite that thou hast gotten through the gospel Surely thou shalte go and abide in the right way and thou shalte auoyde all daunger to fall into the broade waye Mat. 7 that leadeth to damnacion according to the saying of the wise man Who so feareth god walketh in the right pathe Pro. 14 and he that regardeth not hym goeth out of his wayes Then yf those go the ryghte waye that feare god then take earnestlye to harte this exhortacion of Christe and all security or rechelenes layd a parte with all diligence do that that is commaunded the of Christe leaste the children of this world be found in their kynde more dilligent then the children of lyght Secondarely we see in this gospell that our study and diligence to get euerlastinge treasure lieth herein that we do make vs frendes of the wicked Mammon To make friendes of the wicked māmon But how doth this agree with our doctrine For we haue taughte hitherto that allonly throughe faythe we be iustified and saued shall the workes do it nowe No not so The wordes sounde as thoughe it shulde seeme so but well expounded and vnderstande they pull nothing frome faythe Christe speaketh here of good frutes and wyll not that the tree that beareth those good frutes shulde be reproued and caste awaye For how wolde you haue good frutes yf there were not fyrste a good tree And howe wolde you haue frute yf the tree didde not beare it and bring it forth Therfore it is necessarye that the tree be good before it bringeth forth good frute What good workes do pleese God And so likewise we speake of good workes No worke how precious or excellēt so euer yt bee can be acceptable or pleasaūt before god except the person which doth
which shuld dispise his flesh Iohn 6. shuld sai The flesh profiteth nothing which allonly mai be vnderstād of our flesh And therfore that we may learn that god man is one Christe his flesh profitable holsom wherof it is right wel spokē It is my flesh which I wil giue for the lyfe of the world Christ wold not heal this deaf mā allonly with worde but woulde adde therevnto both spittle hādes fingers Which things whā he did adde ther unto he loked vp into heuē sighed Psa 110 O how happy are we that ar so receiued of Christ that he for our sake loked vp vnto heauē sighed as a true high prieste bishop prayed to his celestiall heauenly father Christ also did praye for Peter Luc. 22. for all thapostles that their faith shuld not faile and was heard And now likewise if he for our sake sigheth and praieth wee neede not to care for hee will bringe it to passe And that he will do the same for vs he doth testifye it with the deed so that we knowledging our weaknes corrupte nature beleue hope that he likewise as he did help this deafe mā wil help haue mercy vpon vs. After this ho●som handlyng of this man his voice bursteth out and said H●pheta that is be opened Can Christes mercy benigniti be more plainly described vnto vs He taketh the deaf aside frō the people wherin he sheweth that he wold help him He speaketh a word helpeth him therby declaring how he could helpe him Now seing he can help vs and will helpe vs what greate blyndenes is than in vs that wee seeke or crye vnto anye other for helpe Is it possible that the opprest beeing in necessity canne be helped by any other meanes than by god through Christe The prophete Dauid saith When I am in trouble Psa 120 I call vpon the Lorde and he answereth me Thou turnest the same cleane contrarye and saiest When I am in trouble I call vppon the saintes c. What if it chaunce lyke vnto the as to the foolyshe virgynes which desiered oyle of the wise virgins Mat. 25. Shal they saue the which could not helpe them selues but allonly were saued throughe the grace and mercye of Christ I do not speake this to dishonour the saintes but to stablishe the glory of Christe which will giue hys honour and glorye to none other Esai 4● It is Christe alone that can helpe vs and will helpe vs which forgiueth sinne and iustifieth sinners Now if thou canst not abide to hear the truth nor to confesse it thou arte strycken with the same disease that this deafe and dumme man is strycken withall Therfore get the vnto Christ and disclose vnto him thy sicknes disese he shal helpe the. Which yf thou doest not doubting of his benignity truly he wyll make the hole euen as hee made this miserable creature hole Howe was that done Immediately saith the Euangelist his eares were opened and the bond of his tunge was lowsed and he spake right Thirdly we find here an excellent frute of faith in those that out of this miracle acknowledged and confessed Christ to be their sauiour For thei saide He hathe doone all thinge well The praise of Christe The deafe hath he made to heare and the dumme to speake Thinkest thou not this to bee an hyghe prayse of Christe They saye Hee hathe doone all thynges welle Of whome vnder heauen myghte thys bee sayed Oure fyrste father Adame so behaued himselfe in Paradyse Rom. 5. that throughe his disobedience deathe and damnacion entred into the worlde And we folowynge oure fathers footesteppes daylye prouoke God to angre that if hee were not so mylde and mercyfull he myght by right thrust vs recheles and disobediente chyldrene into euerlastinge damnacion Phil. 2. And for that cause was Christe sente into the worlde to helpe vs and was obediente to the father vnto deathe yea the dethe of the crosse and hath taught vs faithfully the way of truth He hath allured vs intised vs vnto him through workes myracles Iohn 8. wherin he sought nothīg els thē the glory of the father our saluaciō And to be brief he left nothing vndone in his office but did all the ꝑtained other to the glori of his father or to our saluaciō Therefore by righte we muste adsribe vnto our selues all confusion and shame and to Christ all glorye For that same thing which we through oure inobedience and sinne had loste Christ through his death and merites hathe recouered againe Hereby we are reconciled vnto the father and of deafe men be made to heare and of dumme men and spechles haue obtained our speache The cause why Christe commaunded the people here that they shulde not manifest nor publyshe this miracle and yet other where commaunded the same to be shewed we can not nor will not reason of yt why hee did it he knoweth himselfe best For if it had bene meete for vs to haue knowen it he wolde not haue hidde it frome vs For that which cause we wyl not examen his iudgemente but rather call vppon hym for grace that we may be able to here his word and to vnderstand yt with our harte and afore the world whiche is so froward and synful frely to confesse it Which god through Christe graunte vs Amen The gospell on the thirtenth sonday after trinitye sonday Luc. 10. ANd he turned to hys dysciples and sayd secretly Mat. 13 Happy are the eyes which se the thynges that ye se For I tel you that many prophets and kynges haue desyred to se those thynges whyche ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges whyche yee heare and haue not harde them And beholde a certayne lawyer stoode vp and tempted hym saiyng Mat. 22 Maister what shall I do to inherite eternall lyfe He sayde vnto hym What ys wrytten in the lawe How readest thou And he answered and sayde Deut. 6 Mat. 22 Mar. 12 Loue the lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and wyth all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighboure as thy selfe And he sayd to hym Thou haste answered righte Thys do and thou shalte lyue But he wyllyng to iustifye himselfe sayde vnto Iesus And who is my neighboure Iesus answered and sayd A certayne man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge theues whyche robbed hym of hys rayment and wounded hym and departed leauing him halfe deade And yt chaunsed that there came downe a ce●ayne Prieste that same waye and when he saw hym he passed by And likewise a Leuite when he went nyghe to the place came and loked on him and passed by But a certaine Samaritan as he iournied came vnto him and when he sawe hym he had compassion on him went to and bounde vp hys woundes and poured in oyle and wine
and set hym on hys owne beaste and broughte hym to a cōmon ynne made prouision for hym And on the morowe when he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the hoste and sayd vnto him Take cure of hym and what so euer thou spēdest more whē I come againe I wyll recompence the. Whiche now of these thre thynkest thou was neighboure vnto hym that tell amongest the theues And he sayd He that shewed mercy on hym Then sayd Iesus vnto him Go and do lykewise THE EXPOSITION Whithe apostels were called blesed IN the beginning of this gospell we see howe the Apostles were pronounced and declared blessed And though at that tyme yt was allonly spoken to thappostels yet notwithstanding yt is vniuersally spoken vnto all the worlde And for as much as they be so counted let vs therfore serch out the cause why He saith on this wise Blessed at the eyes which see that ye se Thoughe Christ speaketh here simply of his person his office and myracles yet notwithstanding yf we wyl esteme count blessed the apostels and those that saw Christe that is knew Christe so is it very needfull necessary that thei haue the inward sight of the hart which is faith For what had profited them the outward bodelye seing of Christ if thei had not had in likewise the inward seing For if the outward seing might haue attained gotten saluaciō so had Pilate Annas Caiphas and Herode bene saued forasmuche as they both saw Christ with their bodely eyen also spoke with him It saueth nor helpeth no more a man to se Christe with hys bodely eyen then it did the Iewes their boasting in their father Abraham Ioh. 8. Here be requiered greater things But which ar they A pure hart that beleueth the worde of god and Christ the truth and the same Messias that was promised vnto vs and also to beleue and knowledg him the sauioure of the worlde And suche faith and confession hadde the apostles when the holye ghoste was not yet openly giuen but hidde For Christ asking theym Wyll ye also go awaye Ioh. 6. Peter answered in the name of theim all Lord to whom shuld we go thou haste the worde of euerlasting lyfe and we beleue and know that thou arte Christ the son of the liuing god Doth not this seeme vnto the an excellēt glorious confessiō which confessiō pleased Christ so highly that he said Blessed art thou Symō Bar Iona for flesh bloud hath not reueled this thing vnto the but my father that is in heauē Wherout it is euidēt that the apostels saw not Christ allōly with their bodely fleshly eien but also saw hī spiritualli wherby they gat obtained blessednes In that thei sawe Christ they ar to be preferred before kinges prophetes forbicause they knewe Christe not only through his word but also they saw his personage and myracles and were a lyue at that tyme in the which his diuine and godly grace through the gospell was diclared vnto the world For Abraham desyered to see this day and saw it in spirite and reioysed therein Iohn 8. But he could not come therevnto to see him bodely And bicause we in these dayes can not see Christ bodely to be conuersaunte amongest vs to preache and to do miracles to eate and drink amongest vs let vs therefore indeuour our cogitacions and thoughts to se and know him spiritually And in so doyng the sayīg of Christ vnto Thomas shall be perfurmed in vs wher he saieth Blessed at they that see not Ioh. 20. and yet beleue Secondarely when Christe had pronounced his disciples blessed for their faithe sake beholde there stode vp a scribe and tempted him and sayde Maister what muste I do to inherite euerlastinge lyfe In the which properly is discribed vnto vs the nature of hipocrisy For hipocrites euer treate of works yea they truste in works and therfore euer they bee speaking of theim Doth yt not seeme vnto the a folishe thinge to dispute of the frutest before the tree be planted What preuayleth it to know what is written and commaunded in the law If I know not how to fulfyl it For that knowledge dothe not alōly not preuaile but also worketh angre wrath accordyng to the sayinge of S. Paule Rom. 4 Wherefore it is necessary for theim that desier to be saued to in quiernot only what manner of work they shuld do but howe and when the lawe is fulfilled For the lawe is spirituall Rom. 5. as S. Paule writeth to the Romaines And if the lawe then be spiritual so can it not be fulfilled with outwarde workes which haue outwardely a shine but it is necessary that it bee fulfilled in the spirite and inward affection Furthermore for as muche as the spirite and the affection pertaine necessarily to the fulfilling of the lawe to what purpose is this questiō of the scribe Yet thou shalte note that he answered bothe wisely and truly to that questiō that Christ obiected against him In the lawe is written Thou shalte loue thy lorde god with all thy harte with all thy sowle with all thy strength with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe This only wanted and lacked whiche Christ bringeth in Do this saith he thou shalte lyue And forbicause he didde not enquire by what meanes or how that same mighte be fulfilled it appeareth thereby that he was one of those scribes that iustified himselfe and so styll remayned And though he of presumption pryde which euer doth folowe hipocrisy enquired no more of that thinge that he cōmoned of yet must not we leaue ther but are bounde to knowe what is the lawe and what it worketh and what the gospell is and what it bringeth to passe The lawe The lawe is a doctrine that teacheth me what I am bound to do and to eschewe and vndoubtedly the effecte thereof is nothing else then that it sheweth vs our offences and our sinne For whersoeuer the lawe is preached there I do heare what thinge I am bounde to do and to leaue but in dede I perceiue that of myne owne power I can not do nor bringe to passe that thinge that is commaunded me to do by that meanes meeked and brought low I come to the knowledg of my corrupte nature syn Also I find that wtout the holy ghost I can not fulfyl the law Hereto then pertaineth the gospell The gospell that glad ioyfull tidings of Christ which declareth sheweth me how that my sinnes be forgiuē me through Christ which gospel brīgeth with him the holy ghost a working faith in me so that now I shal fulfil the law not by coaccion but willynglye But this scribe careth not for these thīgs Mat. 7. wherfore Christ wold not cast that which was holy vnto dogs Thirdely when this scribe iustifieng him selfe asked Christ who was his neighbour Christ by a symilitude layeth it
biddeth vs Seeke fyrste the kingedome of god To seeke the kingdome of god is no other thinge then to pray that hee wyll brynge vs vnto faithe and throughe his holye ghoste comforte and holde vs in the same faithe vnto our end as the Prophete Dauid did of whome wee reade in the 50. psal and in the 118. Whiche if we diligently doo our faith for the which we pray shall not bee allonly encresed and augmented according to Christes promise Mat. 7. saying Aske you shal haue but also it shal happen that likewise temporal things being promised vs shal be giuen ministred vnto vs. This word Ioh. 16 It shal be ministred vnto you declareth our labour prouision to be nothing yf god should not giue the increase Therfore let vs wel considre and comprehend this promise in our harte that we may learn both in our spirituall and worldly matters to hope trust and put our confidence only in god through Christ that we may not through such ethnicall carefulnes for bodely thinges be separated frome Christe and the true seruing of god To whom with the son holy ghost be al honour Amē The gospell on the syxtenth sonday after trinitye sondaye Luce. 7. ANd it fortuned after this that he betwente into a citie whiche is called Naim and manye of hys disciples went with hym and muche people When he came nighe to the gate of the citye beholde there was a deade man caried out which was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a widow and much people of the citye was with her And when the lorde sawe her he hadde compassion on her and said vnto her Weep not And he came nighe and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stoode styll And he said Yong man I say vnto the arise And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake 4 Re. 17 4 Re. 4. Accu 9. and 20. Ioh. 4. and. 6. And hee deliuered him to his mother And there came a feare on them all and they gaue the glory vnto god saying 4 Re. 17 4 Re. 4. Accu 9. and 20. Ioh. 4. and. 6. A greate prophete is risen vp among vs and god hath visited his people THE EXPOSION FOrasmuche as in this gospell we find what great benefite and charity was shewed vnto this widow therfore let vs search out afore al things with what sorowe misfortune shee was oppressed with al. This wel diligently considered and taken to hart shal the better cōmend vnto vs declare set forth this benefite done by Christ First the euangelyst describeth the state of this woman and saith that shee was a wydowe A woman euen of her nature is a weake vessell as witnesseth S. Peter 1 Pet. 3. Yf now that incommoditie also chaunce vnto her to leese her husband than vttterly shee hathe no comfort in this world Herof it cometh that ther is no man welnigh that more moueth a good hart and allureth him to pitye and compassion then the name of a wydowe and a fatherlesse childe yea god him selfe bycause that this kind of people liue without comfort and consolation vtterly are dispised of the world helpeth them and careth for them ye with this example he cōmēdeth them vnto vs that we herein shuld folow him For it is written in the fift boke of Moises Deu. 18. The lord your god is god of al goddes and lord ouer all lordes a great mighty terrible god which regardeth no parsō taketh no gift He doth right vnto the fatherlesse widow He loueth the stranger giueth him food and raymēt Therfore loue you also the strangers c. Two thinges are here to be noted The one is That God wil not forsake the widowes and fatherles children but that he wil kepe and mercifully saue them Another is that we shal loue and helpe poore miserable and forsaken people To the first the prophetes and in espetiall Dauyd hath much respecte and regard cōmending and praisinge god to be the father of wydowes of orphanes Psa 67 saying Oh synge vnto god sing praises vnto his name Magnifie him that rydeth aboue the heauēs whose name is the lord Reioyse before him He is a father of the fatherles he is a defēder of widows Psal 9. And in an other place he saith The lord is a defēce for the poore Of the last writeth S. Iames saiyng Pure deuocion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the frendles wydowes in their aduersitee and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde Nowe forasmuche as this womā had lost her husband and was become a wydowe vndoubtedly she was in a miserable state Neuerthelesse she had some comforte solace left in her only sonne in whom was her delite But he in like maner died also so that nowe all her ioy comforte in this worlde was spent and gone He that knoweth with what great affections the mother loueth and embraceth her children after the death of the father may lightly perceiue and vnderstand in what trouble and misery this womā was in But what should I make many wordes vndoubtedly I thinke there could skant chaunce more trouble vnto this woman then to lese both her husband her childe and to be so vtterly comfortles Wherfore let a man first consider her misery as it is written of the Euangelist Secondarily we see perceiue in this gospel the goodnes and loue of Christ with the whiche he pityeth this woman And this is to be noted that though the loue of Christ is highly commēded and praised in al the histories of the gospel yet chifly we may perceiue it here in this place more plainer and excellent for here was no fayth that should expresse the sorowe of this woman and seke for grace All that is done here of Christ is done of mercy loue and of great pitie and compassion of the heart that was had towarde this woman And it is here fulfylled that was spoken of Esaias saiyng Esa 65 Before they cry vnto me I shall heare them Seyng that all is done here of mere grace who would presumptuously glory in woorkes though he had wrought neuer so muche And againe who would dispayre for synne and would not rather hast him to Christ This benefite done to this wydowe is and may be to vs a lyuely doctrine that we shall hope for all goodnes of Christ if that vngratious infidelite did not hynder vs and leade vs awaye from the confidence in Christ The holy scripture doth teache cōmendeth fayth Suche examples of the great loue and charite of Christ do leade instruct vs to true fayth so that we may perceiue that we be not onely restored vnto health by grace but also thereby are iustified and saued This fayth requireth of vs the whole scripture with al thapostolical Epistles But reason and maisters subtiltie wyll not vnderstande it but thynketh to obtayne all
knowe sayth he that we shall iudge Angelles Albeit wee must not referre this iudgement to the last iudgement only but it must also be vnderstanded of the laste iudgement of the spirit among christians in this life For assone as by the worde wee receiue the holy ghost and are made the sons of God through fayth thē is this gyfte geuen vs also that by the worde we may iudge al thynges euen as sainct Paule wytnesseth in another place The spiiritual man iudgeth all thynges 1. Cor. 2 and he is iudged of no man And Christ also Nowe is come the iudgement of this worlde and the prince of this worlde shal be thrust out Are not the thynges which are promised vnto the Apostles in this place great and excellent And it is to be vnderstand that to leaue all thynges to folow Christ must be done at the fyrst For although the Apostles had left all thynges and folowed Christe when he spake these woordes yet was fayth at that tyme vnperfect in them Moreouer the holy ghost was not yet confirmed in them as it came to passe afterwarde vpon the day of Pentecost Yea euen Christe himselfe affirmeth that they lefte all thynges vnperfectly folowed him when he sayth that he sent furth his disciples without staffe and scrippe yet they lacked nothyng And in another place The children of the spouse fast not whiles the spouse is with them The Apostles in very dede folowed Christ He that beleueth is constant in tyme of persecucion were sent furth to preache in Iury But where was persecution yea rather where was fayth whiche could haue borne suche persecucion if it had happened Wherfore it is to be vnderstand that the Apostles left all thynges folowed Christ perfectly then not before when vpon the dai of Pentecost they did with cōstant mynde confesse Christ before the Scribes Phariseis and all the people Moreouer when they preached not only in Iurye but in all the worlde vnto the people with suche sedulitee diligence and constancy that at last they wer also compelled to dye for preachyng of the Gospel The cōuersion of sainct Paule And truely as concernyng this matter of folowyng Christ sainct Paule whose feast wee celebrate this day is not to be counted the least For after that he was cōuerted of God as we reade in the nynth chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles and of a Wolfe was made a shepe he preached his Lorde Christ with suche zeale and earnest affection of mynde that euen at this day his voyce is heard of this matter and that not in one place onely but throughout all the whole worlde The almightie God graunt that we may receiue his doctrine and direct our life accordyng to the same Thyrdly forasmuche as Christe hath promised vnto his Apostles iudgement ouer the xii tribes of Israel because that in his name they left all thynges folowed him Nowe he procedeth to declare further what he wyll geue to all those that for his names sake shall lose any thyng Reward cōmeth of it self and sayth Euery one that forsaketh house or brethren or systers or father or mother or wyfe or children or landes for my names sake shal receiue an hundreth folde and the inheritance of euerlastyng life If any mā wyll referre the former promise only to the Apostles let him know that this promise is spoken so plainly to all christians generally that it must nedes remayne a general truth Only let vs marke this well howe it must be vnderstād to leaue all things to folow Christ For to do this truly vnfaynedly doubtles is required a true fayth yea if I haue a true fayth whiche is dead vnto all creatures and liueth vnto Christ alone vnto righteousnes then haue I left all thinges in my heart To leue and forsake all although by the good will of God I may christianly godly vse enioye my goodes so long as I liue yet neuerthelesse I am alwaies redy if nede be to leaue al thinges willyngly to folow Christ yea euē vnto death hauyng this hope assured trust that it pleaseth God that it be so that he requireth the same of me Besydes that I am certain that God wyll vse me with suche liberalite that I shal receiue an hūdreth fold for the thynges that I haue forsakē in this world Finally I knowe this also that in that other lyfe I shall receiue euerlastynge life For Christ which is the truth it selfe in no wyse doth lye but without dout dothe performe this promise with me But in this place it shal be expedient that we doo rightly vnderstand what it is to receiue an hundreth folde The erroure of the Anabaptists For the Anabaptistes go aboute hereof to proue a corporall kingedome of Christe and a suer and quiete lyfe which the christians muste inioye a thousand yeares after the resurrection of the deade all the wycked and vngodly being destroyed And of this erroure they make this the chiefe grounde bicause it is added in S. Luke and also in S. Marke In this lyfe Iohn 6 Iohn 8 But I praye you howe do these agree togyther that wher Christe in an other place dyd refuse to bee chosen a kynge amongest the Iewes after a corporall and worldly manner and sayde vnto Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde nowe as one forgetful of his former sentence is of a contrarye mynd and is come to administre a corporal kyngdome in this world and to geue vnto his christians earthly pleasures the pride and power of this worlde No To receiue an hūdreth folde not so But to receiue an hundreth folde in this worlde is nothinge els than to haue a mercy quiete and suer conscience whiche esteemeth more his redemtion iustice and euerlasting health which he hath gotten by Christe onlye then all the ryches of this world be they neuer so glorious and delectable to the vngodly And in very deede suche a good thing is a quiet cōscience through the benefite of Christ And this so great a good thyng wyll Christe gyue in this lyfe vnto all theim which with a trew faith faith do hange vppon hym or leaue any thinge for his sake And in the countrey euerlastinge to come he will giue that felicitie of lyfe which euer shall indure To the whiche the almighty god preserue and keepe vs all through his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our lorde Amen The gospell on the purificacion of the Virgin Maryes daye Luc. 2. ANd when the tyme of theyr purificacion Leui. 12 after the law of Moyses was come they 1 Reg. 2 broughte him to Ierusalem to presente hym to the Lord as it is written in the lawe of the Lord Exo. 23. and. 22. Num. 8. Euery manne chylde that fyrste openeth the matrix shall be called holye to the Lord and to offre as it is sayd in the law of the Lord a payre of turtle doues
in one heape gathered together the merites of all sainctes that euer were since the beginnyng of the worlde For in this matter that pertayneth to remission of synne iustificacion and eternal health it is not required to worke The Euagelist allege the scripture but to beleue Obserue also and note diligently that the Euangelistes describyng the passion of Christ howe the Iewes entreated him thei many tymes haue respect vnto the scripture which shewed before the selfe same thinges the which scripture thei also alege as in this place where thei shewe howe he was crucified betwene ii theues Also howee the souldiers cast lotte for his garmentes c. Neither do they this for any other purpose but to admonishe vs to direct our eyes vnto the scriptures and euer more in matter appertainyng vnto saluacion to waygh them direct oure iudgement accordyng to the same Fourthly Christ hangyng vpon the crosse doth excedyngly set furth that his moste heartie loue toward vs in this Christ is careful for his elect that he cōmendeth his most derely beloued mother to the Apostle Ihon againe Ihō vnto his mother that he might be to her as a defender and comfortable patrone in that her extreme necessite and trouble For as he nowe is careful for his mother prouideth for her euen so is he careful and prouideth for al that loue his name receiue his gospel and through faith repose it in their heartes and so furthermore shewe it furth of theyr heartes doyng the workes of it through loue And that we might ascertainly chalenge to our selues suche clemency and goodnes in Christ therefore he sayth in another place Who is my mother Luc. 8. or who are my brethren Truely whosoeuer dothe the wylle of my father that is in heauē he is my brother and syster and mother Christes mother By these woordes thou mayest well perceyue that Christ wyll take thee for his brother syster yea and for his mother also wyl euen so acknowlege thee if thou beleue in him and not onely will he defende and surely kepe thee in this life but also he wyll conserue the into eternal life Only let this be thy heartie study to do the will of his father that is in heauen But what calleth he the wyll of his father This is the will of him that hath sēt me Ihon. 6 euen the fathers that euery man that seeth the sōne and beleueth in him should haue life eternal and I wyl againe rayse him in the last day In this place he playnly euidently sayth We must be armed with the scripture against temptacion that he that beleueth in him doth the wyll of his father And truely it is very necessary for vs earnestly to considre those examples that sheweth what mynde Christe beareth vnto vs. For the tyme wyll come yea it is all ready at hand that these places of scripture shall do vs excedyng muche good and singularly comforte vs in all oure necessitee and troubles But if persecucion fynde me here vnarmed sure it is that I shal not cōtinue constant but sodenly forgette God and seeke helpe and cōforte at creatures And what shal then chaunce to me Truly this that for mine vnthākefulnes God wyll forsake me and because I am not armed with his worde therfore wyll he withdrawe his hand from me and forsake me so that I shal fal into destruction and for euer perishe bothe in body and soule Fyftly we see that Christe when he nowe knewe that al thynges were finished and he had tasted the vyneger and had sayd It is ended He bowed his head gaue vp the spirit That he cryed I thrust and by and by vyneger is geuen him to drynke Psa 69 it was done for this cause that we should beleue seyng that all thynges done in this passion agree so wel with the scriture that this mā without doubt is the same Christe whom the holy fathers haue so long tyme before wayted for And that before he dyed he cryed It is ended This is so excellent a worde and so precious All our saluaciō in Christ onely that not onely it is be grauē in oure heartes by fayth but also bee in all places written euen with letters of golde before our eyes Wyll you knowe why Herken We were by nature the children of wrath condempnacion so burthened in synne vnfaythfulnes that wee should perpetually haue perished if wee had not been succoured and helped Therfore onely this Iesus Christe our Lorde assisted vs with his helpe and comforte And bicause afore the heauēly father we could find no fauour or grace without oblation and sacrifice therfore Christ offered him selfe vpon the crosse for vs reconciled his father with his owne blud and obtained of him for vs fauour forgiuenes righteousnes and eternall life Heb. 11. as the epistle to the Hebrues saith With one offering hath he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified I besech you what could we more desier or what greater benefites may be done vnto vs Sin is conquered death is conquered the diuel hel are conquered so that we may now freely sai 1 Co. 15. Death is swalowed into victory Death wher is thy sting Hel wher is thy victory But thankes to god that hath gyuen vs the victory by our lord Iesus Christ Christs glorye must be giuen hym ōly This now is our dueti that we remembre to giue to Christ only this his glory honor to knowledg him for our high Byshop which offered him self for vs and so by his passion and death finished and brought to perfecte ende all our saluacion For if we nowe giue to hym this his honor as our duty is and stedfastly beleue that al this that was done was done altogither for vs and for our saluacion douteles we shall so haue it that this his merite shall not be taken as vaine or frustrate but of most greatest strength efficacy for vs. On the other party if we wyl not giue vnto him this his glorye but rather wyll ascribe to our owne deseruinge merites and workes that thing which cost him that so great and inestimable price that is the effusion and sheding of his moste precious and holy bloud then truly we make our selues vnworthy to haue this passiō and inerite of Christ gyuen vnto vs neither are we lyke except we repent to haue ony other fauoure at Christes iudgement then the Iewes that crucified him The whiche thing the almighty god kepe farre from vs for his greate mercy and goodnes thorow the merites of Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen The syxte sermon on the Passion Ioh. xix THe Iewes therefore bycause it was the preparyng day of the Sabboth that the bodyes shoulde not remaine on the crosse on the Sabboth daye for the Sabboth day was an hyghe day besought Pylate that their legges might ve broken that they myght be taken doune Then came the souldiers and brake the legges
he sayd to the woman Mat. 5. Thy fayth hath saued thee Go in peace THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell deare Christians is fyrst descrybed a poore synner whiche not onely was come to the knowledge of her synnes but also by fayth obtained remissiō of thē Wherfore it is a verye necessarye thyng that this worde A synfull woman A sinner be well cōsidered and wayed in our heartes that by it we may put a true difference betwene an indurate blynde synner as was the Pharisey a synner that acknowlegeth his myserye synnes For there are synners whiche are doubtlesse blynded and deliuered into a reprouable sence as was Pharao of whom the scripture sayth that his heart was hardened Exo. 14 There are also some that are synners only afore God and not afore the worlde as the hypocrites of whō the scrip sayth sayth Luc. 16. You are those that iustifye your selues afore men Notwithstandyng God knoweth your heartes Also there are synners both before God and the world And forasmuche as their synnes displease them and thei acknowlege their synnes therfore especially is the gospell occupyed aboute these afore any other And suche a synner also was this woman that is spoken of in this gospel For she felt her synnes acknowleged that she had broken the lawe and further that she had nede of helpe counsel And therfore maketh she so great hast and deferreth it not when she had heard that Iesus was in the Phariseys house sekyng grace of him that had power and authoritee to remyt sinne Furthermore with weapyng teares annoyntyng washyng and wypyng his feet she testifyeth what strong fayth and loue she bare vnto Christ Faith is an excellēt thing And nowe ponder it well howe excellent a thyng fayth is that fyrste acknowlegeth her sinnes and after that fleeth vnto Christ This woman beyng a publike open synner knewe right well that she should haue but a syngle welcome into the Phariseys house neither should she escape the rebukes and tauntes of theim yet so great is her loue and fayth toward Christ that neglectyng and contemnynge al their rebukes checkes other contumelyes without feare she hasteth vnto Christe of whom she might obtayne remission of her synnes Wherfore nowe note diligētly and cōsider the processe also the successe of this womā for doubtles she shal teach both the me how they must be disposed that wyll obtain remission of their syns of god the father through Christ Thus sayth the Euangelist She began to weete his feete with teares Teares are a mooste certayne sygne of a penitent mynde that the synnes displease from the heart But what were suche repentaunce without fayth But this woman hath fayth also Repentāce and ●ayth muste be ioyned together Truely it is a great token of fayth in this woman that settyng light the threttes and checkes of the Phariseys she hasteth vnto Christe and that Christe him selfe testifyed saiyng Thy fayth hath made the safe Nowe doubtles this fayth was not idle in this woman but is shed furth it selfe through loue Are not these manyfest sygnes of loue that accordyng to the custome of the region she enbalmeth Christes head with moste precious oyntment weeteth his feete with teares kysseth them and wypeth theim with the heares of her heade Euen so it is expedient that wee bee lyke this woman if at the least wee wyll obtayne eternall health True penaunce Needes muste wee haue a perpetuall penaunce that is to say the knowlege of synne the forsakyng of synne and the hatyng of synne Furthermore wee muste haue fayth whereby wee may take holde vpon the promyse of the Gospell Last of all it is necessarye that wee declare oure fayth with woorkes of loue euen as we here se ensāple set surth in this woman Secondarily in this Gospel is Christ descrybed as a good gentle and mercyfull Lorde The goodnes of Christ For he receyueth this woman with so great humanitee and gentlenes nothyng consideryng the murmuryng of the Phariseys so that this receyuyng should well moue and styrre vppe all synners to true fayth Lette vs marke all thynges orderly as they stand and we shal fynde Christ in all thynges merciful gentle and ful of compassion lyke as hee is set forth vnto vs in the scriptures Fyrst Christ suffereth the sinful woman to annoynt him he suffereth her to washe his feete and to wype them he suffereth her to kysse him whiche no Pharisey would haue suffered to bee done especially of suche a woman Furthermore when the Pharisey murmured that he receiued so great a sinner Christ defēdeth this his facte by a similitude of a creditor that had two debters the one ought fiue hundreth pence the other fyfty Now seyng neither of both wer able to pay he forgaue them both And then he asked Symō Tel me whether of these twayne shal loue him most Wherfore Christ came in to the worlde Surely with this similitude Christ sheweth wherfore he came into this worlde namely for synners For without doubt we all are his debters And who is it that is not a debter or that wyll deny this debte If we wyll say sayth sainct Ihon that we haue not synne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs. Rom. 3. And S. Paule sayeth All haue synned and want the glorye of God What shall I say of the similitude whiche is written in the gospel of sainct Luke To make short wee all are debters of this Lord which way soeuer we turne our selues Luc. 12. And would to God he would geue vs this grace to knowlege our debt to beleue in Christ whiche for geueth it also furthermore that we might find grace as this woman did Doubtles she knowleged her synnes sought grace and found it And inasmuche as fiue hundred pence were forgeuē her all her iniquite remitted pardoned therfore also she shewed her selfe thankefull and heartely loued him of whō she was thus receiued into grace Loue folowed fayth Wherfore if thou also wylte haue remission of thy synnes set thy selfe among these debters that owe fyue hundred pence know thy selfe to be the greatest synner liuyng vpō the yearth say with the Publicane I am not worthy to looke vp into the heauen and then aske grace at Christ beleue the woordes of his Gospel If thou thus do doubtles thou shalt obtayne thy request For that swete worde spoken vnto the woman pertayneth also aswell vnto that as vnto her The worde is this Thy synnes are forgeuen thee And this worde ought euer to sounde in a christians eare as oft as our sinnes oppresse vs and we would gladly be deliuered from them as wee say in the confession of our fayth I beleue that in this life there is perpetually forgeuenes of synnes The Churche hath euer synners as the scripture testifyeth The righteous falleth vii tymes in the day ryseth agayne Therfore seyng that we are so weake that we synne
of the Lord. Gene. 5 Lykewise Henoch of whom it is written that hee walked with God Noe thereby was not onely saued frō drownyng Gen. 7. but also hath obtained this godly title euen to bee called The preacher of righteousnes 2. Pe. 2. A notable tytle What neede I to speake of Abraham Loth Isaac Iacob Ioseph c. which in steed of preachers retained the true faith suerly grounded vpon goddes woorde and by good exāple and doctrine haue taughte the same to their families and posterytie A noble example to all gouernoures parentes and maysters is set forth in Tobie Tob. 1. which as it is written taught his sonne from his youthe vp to feare god and to refraine from euell And to the end that no manne should wante the godly lessons that hee taught lo here they folow Tobi. 4. Haue god in thy thought all the dayes of thy lyfe and beware at any tyme thow cōsent not vnto synne and lest thou lette slyppe the commaundementes of the Lord our God Gyue almes of thy goodes and turne neuer thy face from the poore and so shal it come to passe that the face of the Lorde shall not be turned away from the. Be mercifull after thy power Yf thow haue muche gyue plenteousely Yf thou haue lytle do thy diligence gladly to geue of that lytle For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good rewarde in the day of necessitee Laste of all hee departed this lyfe in peace but yet before he should depart he called vnto him his sonne his sonnes vii children saiyng My children Tob. 14 heare your father Serue the Lord in truth seeke after his wyll and doo the thynge that pleseth him Commaunde your children that they do right gyue almes be mindeful of God and euer to be thankefull vnto him in truthe and with all their power Prynt this godly example in your hartes and for want of a curate let this booke be your teacher if you can not reade lette your childe seruaunt or prentyse reade And hear you and learn to entre in at this straight gate and to walke in the narrow way that leadeth vnto life whiche these godly fathers entred and walked in So doyng you shal be suer as Toby departed in peace to haue a quiet houshold obedient children and faythfull seruauntes yea and that which is great deale better the quietnes peace of conscience through our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with God the father and the holy gost be al thanke prayse and glory Amen Pray ye the Lord of the haruest to send furth labourers into his haruest So be it The Gospell on the fyrste sonday in Aduent Mat. 21. AND when they Mat. 11 Luc. 19. drew nigh vnto Ierusalem and wer come to Bethphage vnto mounte Olyuete then sente Iesus two disciples sayinge vnto them Go into the towne that lyeth oueragaynst you and anone ye shall fynde an asse bounde a colte with her lose them and brynge them vnto me And yf anye man saye ought vnto you say ye the Lorde hath neede of them and straight waye he will let them go All this was done that it myght be fulfylled which was spoken by the prophet saying Es 62. d Zac. 9. b Io. 12. c Tel ye the doughter of Sion beholde the kynge commeth vnto the meek syttyng vpon an asse and a colte the fole of the asse vsed so the yoke The disciples went and dyd as Iesus commaunded them and brought the asse and the colte and put on them theyr clothes and set hym thereon And many of the people spred their garmentes in the way other cut downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the waye Moreouer the people that went before and they that came after cried saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauyd Lu. 19. f Io. 12. b Ps 118. Mat. 11 Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Lu. 19. t Io. 12 b Ps 118. Mat. 12 Hosanna in the hyghest THE EXPOSITION SEyng that nowe from the beginnynge of the worlde amonge all Godes elect hath beene hitherto obserued and in this latter dais throughe the synguler grace of God indespite of the deuell by noble victory hath beene recouered and wonne Gen. 15 Abac. ● Ioh. 3. that only fayth by Christ maketh a man ryghteous good and blessed It shal be therfore very expedient that we whome God hath called to thoffice of preachynge the Gospell faithfully and with all seueritye and treuth do often handle earnestly and beate into the heddes of men the doctrine of faith with repentaunce For suerly the deuel the very enemy of this doctryne slepeth not nor can by any means leaue of his peruerse malice and deceitfulnes For it is trewly alwayes his propertye to sowe cocle that is to say false doctryne amonge wheate Mat. 13 and when he hath done harme amongest the god wheate priuely to wipe hym selfe awaye Therefore when we shall preach or speake any thing of faith to the people we muste wiselye playnly and circumspectly declare what maner of faith it is that scripture so greatly commendeth Whence it commeth what it worketh in vs what her fruictes be and what things be contrary to the same or els our aduersaries shall alwayes be readye to slander and misreport vs saying that thorowe such learninge wee geue occasion to synne and forbidde good workes to be done Therefore that I may briefly sette forth vnto you an exaumple of this thinge ye shall vnderstande that faithe is a trewe trust Fayth and perfect hope in God That God by Christe forgeueth synnes iustyfieth vs and will graunt eternall lyfe of his only grace and mercy without any our merites or workes And such faith haue we not of our selues Rom. 12 but receiue it by the word of God the holy ghost And whē it is so by the word of God and the holy ghoste made liuely and effectuall in vs Righteousnesse of faith Gal. 5. then thorough Christe it maketh vs good iuste and blessed as the prophet Abacuc witnesseth saying The iust mā lyueth by fayth And suche a faythe can not stande without hope loue it must needes break out and by good conuersacion and godlye workes be made apparaunt not after the nature and custome of hypocrisy whiche is contrary to faith but of a voluntary wyl and an vnfayned harte Lo Mat. 7. this is the faithe that wee here speake of which is commended by the testimonye of scripture Eph. 4. And in likewise ye muste instructe of the repentaunce Repentaunce of a christen man That penance is nothing else but with all thy harte to be sory for thy synne to leaue synne and by fayth to cleaue to rigteousnes But of these things we shal speak mor at large an other tyme let vs nowe see what is to be noted in this Gospell ☞ Fyrste of all let vs considre what may alure and prouok vs to the same faith here mentioned of