⧠THE EPIstles and Gospelles with a brief Postil vpon the same from after Easter tyll Aduent which is the Somer parte setforth for the singuler coÌ„moditie of all good christen men and namely of Prestes and Curates Roma i. Euangelium est virtus dei in salutem omni credenti The Gospell is the power of god to the saluacion of euery faythfull Christen man ☞ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The preface of Richarde Tauerner to the reader declaring how this boke is to be red FOrasmuche as diuerse and sundry lyghte parsons at this day contrary to the mynde and sentence of the auncient doctours and also agaynste the expectacion of moderate wryters of this tyme do wonderfully wrest all that they reade into the worste sense in mayntenaunce of theyr carnall libertie and dissolute kynde of lyuinge I haue thought it very expedient yea as the case requireth more then necessary that sith this Postille is by me though not made yet recognized and in diuerse places augmented brefely to admonish the reader how it ought to be red and receiued Ye shal therfore vnderstand that this worke is set forth to youre profite and edification and not to your hurt and destruction ☞ It is I say setforth not that by the same ye shulde maynteyne any erroniouse doctrine contrary eyther to the kynges maiesties lawes and proclamations or to the determination and sentence of the catholike church Ye shal not lerne here to despise gods lawes mans nor the decent and laudable ceremonies and rytes of the church What is taught in this Postil Here is taught no lawles libertie to do what you lust but obedience to God and to hys coÌ„mauÌ„dementes obedience to the kynges maiestie and to hys lawes obedience to the holsome traditions of the churche The sacrament of the aultar the sacrament of penaunce wyth the other sacramentes of the church be here not heretically contemned but catholikely auaunced Feyth is here not so nakedly extolled but that good workes also be necessarily requyred to be in a christen man Neyther yet be good workes here in such sort magnified that fayeth which ought to be the fundatioÌ„ of the christen religion is defrauded of her due place Only thys one thing I requyre of you that you wol not rashly iuge of a pece of the writing wythout the hole circuÌ„stauÌ„ce but that ye wyll deliberately conferre one place with an other and then I doubte not but yf any sentence shall happen to be eyther obsurely or incircumspectly spoken yet by the coÌ„ference of places ye shal perceiue the true meanynge and sense of the same Certeynely as touchynge myne owne opinion in maters concernyng the christen religion I protest to all the worlde that as I submitte my selfe in all thinges to the censure and determination of the church so I thynke it vnlawful for any man of his own priuate authoritie either to speake or wryte against the same Yet I wol not deny but mans infirmitie shal otherwhiles erre Hierome Ambrose and Augustine were men of excellent lernyng also holines yet some faultes escaped them in their writinges Yea saynt Austine openly retracted many thinges Thys I dare say with saynt austine Errâ—â—n my writynges I may ☜ but an heretique I can be none For being ones admonished of my errour I wol not obstinately defend the same but submit my selfe to the ingemeÌ„t of the church Which I wold hartely wish that other wolde do the same Then these diuerse sectes of Anabaptistes of sacrameÌ„taries and of other heretiques shulde not thus swarme abrode Then shulde the christen church be in much more quiet then it is Then shuld Christes religioÌ„ be more truly kepte and Christe hym selfe better pleased wyth vs. Which thynge I beseche God bryng to pas Amen ⧠A TABLE OF THE EXHORTACIONS VPON the Epistles and Gospels conteyned in this present parte Fyrste a sermon of the resurrection The Epistle on the fyrste sonday after Easter called lowe sonday The .i. epistle of Ioh. the .v. cha fol. i. The Gospel on the fyrst sonday after Easter the .xx. chapter of Iohn fol. iii. The Epistle on the seconde sonday after Easter the fyrste epistle of Peter the .ii. chapter fol. vi The Gospell on the seconde sonday after Easter the x. chapter of Iohn fol. viii The Epistle on the thyrde sondaye after Easter the fyrste epistle of S. Peter the .ii. chap. fol. x. The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Easter the xvi chapter of Iohn fol. xv The epistle on the fourthe sondaye after Easter the fyrste chapter of Iames fol. xviii The Gospell on the fourthe sonday after Easter the xvi chapter of Iohn fol. xxi The epistle on the .v. sondaye after Easter the fyrste chapter of saynt Iames fol. xxvi The Gospell on the .v. sondaye after Easter the .xvi. chapter of Iohn fol. xxviii A sermon in the Rogacion weke fol. xxxii The epistle on the Ascension daye the fyrste chapter of the actes of the Apostles fol. xxxv The Gospell on Ascension daye the .xvi. chapter of saynt Marke fol. xxxviii The Epistle on the sonday after the Ascension daye the .i. epistle of Peter the .iiii. chap. fol. xlv The Gospell on the sonday after the Ascension daye the .xv. chapter of Iohn fol. xlvii The Epistle on whytsondaye the seconde chapter of the actes of the Apostles fol. l. The Gospell on whytsondaye the .xiiii. Chapter of Iohan. fol. liii The Epistle on the seconde day of Pentecoste the .x. chapter of the actes fol. lix The Gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecoste The thyrde chapter of Iohn fol. lxi The Epistle on the thyrde day of Pentecost the .viii. chapter of the actes fol lxiiii The Gospell on the thyrde daye of Penticoste the .x. chapter of Iohn fol. lxvi The Epistle on the fourthe day of Pentecoste the .ii. chapter of the actes fol. lxvii The gospell on the fourthe day of Pentecost the .vi. chapter of saynt Iohn fol. lxix The Epistle on Trinitie sonday the fourth chapiter of the Apocalyps fol. lxx The Gospell on Trinitie sondaye the thyrde chapter of Iohn fol. lxxiii The Epistle on Corpus Christi day the fyrst epistle to the Corinthyans the xi chapiter fol. lxvii The Gospell on Corpus Christi daye the .vi. chapter of Iohn fol. eodem The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Trinitie sonday the .i. epistle of Iohn the .iiii chap. fol. lxxvi The Gospell on the fyrste sondaye after Trinitie the xvi chapiter of Luke fol. lxxviii The epistle on the seconde sondaye after Trinitie the i. epistle of Iohn the .iii. chapter fol. lxxxi The Gospel on the seconde sonday after Trinitie the viii chapter of Luke fol. lxxxiii The Epistle on the thyrde sondaye after Trinitie the i. epistle of Peter the .v. chapter fol. lxxxvi The Gospel on the thyrde sondaye after Trinitie the xv chapter of Luke fol. lxxxviii The Epistle on the fourth sondaye after Trinitie the viii chapter to the Romaines fol. xci The Gospel on
spirituall pestilence we go styll on and procede wythout care or thought and euen for thys purpose as it semeth we desyre of God large sustentacion and aboundaunce of al thynges and to be delyuered from the corporal pestilence and infections that we maye the more frely and aboundaūtly endure after a delicate sorte in the spirituall infection But assuredly my frendes almyghty god the sercher of hartes whyle he seyth vs slepynge in such careles wyse and that we nothynge regarde thys so pestilent a pestilēce he also winketh at our destruction accordynge to our owne vowes requestes he graunteth vs copye and aboundaunce of all thynges and so blyndeth vs wyth the prosperous successe of all thynges and drowneth vs in the synke and puddell of synnes tyll at last oure synnes by longe vse runne into a custome and that the name of synne be forgotten Wherfore moost dearely beloued brethren and systers albeit euery day we ought to exhibite supplications and prayers to the Lorde wyth a rough chastisement of our body to dryue awaye frō vs so horrible floudes of all myschefe namely in thys region moost addict and gyuen to cōmessacions to bankettynges to reuelynges to surfettynges to ydelnes to the vyces that ensue of them to thintent that god ones at laste maye lyghten vs wyth hys grace that we maye vse his gyftes to the helth of our soule and to the holsomnes of our body in suche sorte as these goodes of the contrey I meane our corne and cattel myght be auaylable aswell to the tuicion and defēce of our body as to our soules health But as I haue sayd and saye agayne God hath made vs so blynde and so vnsauery The abuse of goddes gyftes that we are waxen playne Epicures vtterly voyde of all feare or care of God mooste shamefully abusynge hys gyftes to the ryot of the body and destruction of the soule And for asmuche as thys our detestable wickednes and abuse of this godly institucion is not amended but waxeth yerly worse and worse therfore God hath gyuen vs vp in to a disalowed mynde so that we make these letanyes and rogation dayes by our sinnes vtterly vnprofytable and vnfrutfull vnto vs. Rom. i. Beholde how angrye and how sore displeased God is wyth vs neyther is there any to aswage and appeace hys fury syth our letanyes our supplications processions prayers wherewyth we rather mocke god thā worshyp hym spendynge our tyme and abusynge hys benefites in thys wyse be rather kyndlynges and nouryshmentes of goddes indignation and vengeaunce thā mitigacions and swagynges therof God graunt therfore and be presently at hāde assystent to vs good people that ones at last we may come home againe to our selues and to returne to the hart and that we may beynge instincted and kyndled wyth ernest and sure fayth put from vs hys wrath and displeasure to whome be prayses and glory in secula seculorum Amen The epistle on the Ascension daye The fyrst chapter of the actes of the Apostles Th argument ☞ Christes Ascension into heauen is here described IN the former treatyse Deare Theophylus we haue spoken of all that Iesus beganne to do and teach vntyll the daye in whych he was taken vp after that he thorow the holy goost had gyuen commaundemente vnto the Apostles whome he hadde chosen Ioh. xx to whom also he shewed hymselfe alyue after hys passion and that by many tokens appearynge vnto them fourtye dayes and speakynge of the kyngdome of God lu xxiiij and gathered them together and commaunded them that they shulde not departe frō Ierusalē Ioh. iiij but to wayte for the promise of the father wherof sayth he ye haue herd of me For Ihon truly baptysed with water Ioh. i. but ye shal be baptised wyth the holy gost after these few dayes Whan they therfore were come together math iij they asked of hym saynge Lorde wylt thou at this tyme restore agayne the kyngdom to Israel And he said vnto them Math. xxiij lu xxiiij It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons whych the father hath put in hys owne power but ye shall receaue power after that the holy goost is come vpon you Ioh. xv And ye shal be wytnesses vnto me not only in Ierusalem but also in all Iewry and in Samary and euen vnto the worldes ende And whā he had spokē these thynges whyle they behelde he was taken vp an hye Mar. xvi and a cloude receaued hym vp out of theyr syght And whyle they loked stedfastly vp toward heauē as he went beholde two men stode by them in whyte apparell whych also sayd Math. xxiiij mar xiij Apoc. i. ye men of Galilee why stande ye gasynge vp into heauen Thys same Iesus whyche is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue sene hym go vp into heauen WElbeloued brethren and systers in our Sauiour Christe thys daye is called the Ascension daye because that as thys daye Christe our Sauiour and redemer mounted or styed vp to heauen after hys resurrection leauynge hys Apostles and disciples vpon the earth whych thynge is one of the articles of our Crede or beleue And albeit saynt Luke the holy Euāgelist doth ascertayne vs of this thing in the ende of hys Gospell whych he wrote of the actes and lyfe of Christ yet for asmuche as he touched the thynge but brefly and lyghtly there therfore he doeth here in the lesson of thys daye whych is the begynnynge of an other boke that he wrote for our instruction of the dedes and actes of the Apostles intreate the mater more at large Fyrst therfore ye shall marke and obserue good people that the Euangelical histories do paynt out Christ vnto vs as yet couered wyth the burthen of the fleshe ☞ as yet not glorifyed how be it in the meane season he declared hymselfe aswell by hys heauenly doctrine as by many hys myracles which he shewed that he was very God But in the actes of the Apostles he is described and set forth vnto vs as one that nowe raygneth is glorifyed Thus therfore saynt Luke begynneth hys description In the former treatyse or boke whych I wrote dearly beloued frēd Theophilus whych by interpretation sygnifyeth a louer of God we haue spoken of all that Iesus beganne to do and teache Theophilus He sayeth not of all that Iesus began to teache do For our Sauiour Christe fyrst dyd practyse and worke such thynges as he afterwarde taught He wente to Ihons baptisme Mat. iij. He wythdrewe hymselfe for a season out of the company of the worlde afore he wolde take vpon hym to preache and to teach other Mat. iiij The spirite led hym into wyldernesse where he fasted fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes He suffred there moost sharpe honger to arme hymselfe wyth abstinence and pacience He there endured the mooste bytter assaultes and temtacions of our goostly enemye the
come after hym Wherfore marke the difference of Christ and of the false Apostles Ioh. i. Christe is the preacher of grace the pseudapostles preach maÌ„s merytes Ioh. viij Christ is carefull for the fode of hys shepe the false Apostles seke theyr owne lucre and gaynes Christ seketh the glorye of the father the false Apostles steale from God hys glorye Ioh. xi Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe coÌ„meth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepeherde Now it shal be your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the .iiij. daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The .ij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of Iurye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde meÌ„ shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I wyll shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokeÌ„s in the earth beneth bloude and fyre and the vapor of smoke The Sonne shal be torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that who soeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of the holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vnreuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the .xi. apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes Erasmê° in paraphrasi He only spake the wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the lyuynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audieÌ„ce of people or before a great ruler chauÌ„ge colours be astoÌ„nyed vtterly dismayed Truly thys was that heauenly droÌ„kennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth Calix meus inebrians qÌ„ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned with hym in coÌ„mission the eleuen Apostles not to ayde hym but to accompany hym he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al he spake vnto them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do Neyther speaketh he for himselfe but beynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloqueÌ„ce but with the ayde of holy scripture Now the hose multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs also attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he beganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation The oration of Peter whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitauÌ„tes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is Ye haue cause perchauÌ„ce to wonder but ye haue no cause to sklauÌ„der Wherfore so many of you as be here gyue atteÌ„tiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me and knowe the matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but the thyrd houre froÌ„ the sonne rysynge at whych tyme nomaÌ„ is wont to be dronke But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe Harken to the prophecye and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not Sklaunder not bycause ye se a thynge vnwont but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you Iohel ij For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the tyme shulde come that God whych at sondry tymes before had imparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your coÌ„forte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two as hertofore but vpon all nations of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys coÌ„maundement we brynge now vnto you thus vttered the heuenly prophecye Erit in nouissimis die bus It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your soÌ„nes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions and your olde persons shall dreame dreames And truly vpon my seruauÌ„tes my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie And I shal gyue woÌ„ders in heauen aboue and tokens in
veritie All that herde hym speake and preach were astonnyed vpon hys doctrine For he taught them not after the fashion of the scribes and pharisees whych neuertheles were the greate doctours learned men of the lawe but as one hauynge a wonderfull grace and authoritie Yea euen his very enemyes were cōpelled to testifie of hym that he taught the waye of God in trouth as appeareth in the .xxij. chapter of Matheu Neyther dyd Christ only teach hys shepe that is to saye those that folowed hym lyke shepe that were well nere lost but he also healed them bestowynge euen hys very lyfe for them For I praye you dyd he not dye for our synnes Was it not he only which with his bloude wasshed awaye the fylthynes of oure synnes Yea doubtles But who be these hyrelynges whyche whan they se the wolfe come to deuoure the shepe they rūne theyr waye Surely these be those whych preach the worde and that also purely and syncerely but they prech it for lucre for honoure for glorye or for the belyes sake These I saye be no true herdmen but hyrelynges for these dryue not awaye the rauenous wolues that is to saye the deuyll and hys lymmes I meane the Antichristes whych persecute deuoure Christes flocke but as soone as persecution trouble for the worde commeth Ier. xxiij anone they are gone Of these do the prophete Ieremy speake sayenge Wo be vnto the shepeherders that destroye and skatter my flocke I wyll therfore vysite the wyckednes of theyr ymaginations It is true that the Apostle wryteth Episcopatus quid sit Qui episcopatū desiderat bonū opus concupiscit that is to saye He that desyreth an ouersyght or a cure ouer a flocke whych after the greke worde is called a byshoprych coueteth a good worke Lo sayeth saynt Ierome wrytynge to Oceanus the Apostle calleth a byshopryke a worke and not a dignitie Saynt Hierom a laboure and not a deyntenes a worke wherby through humilitie he muste be lowly not to swelle in pryde For a byshop or curate must be fautles sobre full of good doctrine not gyuen to foule and fylthy gaynes but meke diligent full of charitie accordynge to thexemple of Christ the hygh and supreme shepeherde of all and the shepeherde of shepeherdes whych as thys Gospell sayeth gaue hys owne lyfe for the sauegarde and health of hys shepe that is to saye of all vs that folowe and beleue on hym Wherfore my brethren and systers to conclude how happy be we for to haue suche a herdman for to know to loue to folowe to heare hys swete voyce that gyueth lyfe to heare hys doctrine to be refectioned fedde wyth the meate whyche gyueth euerlastynge lyfe to haue wysedome and myght that surmoūteth the worlde by the sayd our herdmen lyghtenyng vs in hym by fayth drawynge vs to hym by hope inflamynge vs by charitie Vnto hym therfore be glorye in all the nations wythin the compasse of the erth for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .iij. sonday after Ester The fyrst epistle of saynt Peter the .ij. Chapter Th argument ☞ Peter exhorteth to laye asyde all vyce to absteyne from fleshly lustes and to obeye worldlye rulers DEarely beloued brethrē I besech you as straūgers and pylgrems abstayne frō fleshly lustes Gala. v. which fyght agaynste the soule Ro. xiij and se that ye haue honest conuersaciō among the Gentils that where as they backbyte you as euyll doars they maye se your good workes Mat. v. and prayse God in the daye of visitation Submytte youre selues therfore vnto al maner ordinaūce of man for the Lordes sake Ro. xiij Tit. iij. whether it be vnto the Kynge as vnto the chiefe heed other vnto rulars as vnto thē that are sent of hym for the punyshemēt of euyl doars but for the laud of them that do well For so is the wyll of God that wyth well doynge ye maye stoppe the mouthes of folysh and ignoraunte men as fre and not as hauyng the libertye for a cloke of maliciousnes but euen as the seruaūtes of God Honoure al men Ro. xij Loue brotherly feloshyp Feare God honoure the Kynge Seruauntes obey your masters wyth feare not onely yf they be good and courteous but also thoughe they be frowarde For it cometh of grace in Christ Iesus our Lorde THys Epistle good christian brethern systers is very excellent and notable For in it is handeled the second part of Christianitie that is to wit how in thys liefe after we haue ones receyued and taken the euangell or glad tydynges of oure saluation whych thyng we call commonly in englyshe a gospell we ought to lyue In the processe that goeth before thys epistle saynt Peter taught and shewed the other parte of Christianitie whych is of fayth and howe we ought to beleue the gospell and also how we be edified and buylded vpon Christ the corner stone wheras before that tyme we were the chyldren of vengaunce and as abiectes and castawayes in gods syght but nowe we be made the chyldren of God by Christ Whyche treasure truly saynt Peter doth extolle and lyfte vp wyth prayses aboue measure so that it were well with vs if after the knowlege of so greate ryches we myght be lycenced forth with to departe out of thys miserable lyfe But forasmoch as we dye not by and by after the receyuing of so greate commodities felicities therfore nowe doth saynt Peter teache vs how and by what meanes we shuld lyue here in erth that we dye not eternally For Satan our mortal ennemy neuer slepeth but euer watcheth that he maye eyther quite and cleane plucke vs frome gods worde or at lest waye that he myght wery vs and make vs slauthful and negligent in doyng of good workes For assuredly it commethe so commenly to passe that forthwyth when we heare by the preachyng of the gospell that we be set at peax wyth God iustified in hys syght by only faith in him then noman wil do any longer any goodnes at al whych thynge no doubte chaunced euen in saynt Peters tyme. The occasion of thys epistle By reason wherof he toke occasion to wryte these thynges concernyng the institution of the christian liefe As though this holy Apostle Peter wold say Good brethern syth ye haue now receyued the gospell and syth ye be iustified by fayth in Christ now it shal be very good and necessarie for you to goo about to redresse your maner of lyuing and to absteyne from carnal and flesshely desires and lustes But it is an horrible thyng to be spoken that fleshly disires and lustes do not cease no not in the iustified persons Yea we se by daily experience that then more and more carnall desires do breake forth not bicause this faulte commeth by the gospel ☜ as many ennemyes of the Gospell and papystes blasphemously do allege but bycause Satan is the ennemy of the gospel and of the iustice
whych the gospell teacheth He doubtles neuer slepeth though we slepe neuer so soūdly carelessy but lyke a roryng lyon he runnyth and leapeth about seakyng whome to deuoure as thapostle S. Peter doth testifie in the ende of this firste epistle i. pet v. But forasmoche as the power of desires and lustes is so greate yea that after iustification receyued saynt Peter vseth certein warlyk wordes wherwith he expresseth the strength and power of these carnal worldly desires which he sayth do warre againste vs and as the greke worde purporteth do dayly exercise with vs a pyched felde militant whych thing the scripture otherwhyles calleth the conflycte of the fleshe and of the spirite agaynst whych no outwarde workes can do any good As the holy fathers also haue confessed and complayned of themselues Note thys exemple of saynt Hierom For saint Hierom hymselfe when he sought euery where a present remedy agaynst the desyres of the fleshe at last after longe delyberation departed into the woode trustynge that by thys meane he shulde eschue and shake of from hym hys carnal and fleshely desyres but it wolde not be for euen in his very mysery and vexation of hys body whych he toke vpon hymselfe for that purpose he yet thought he satte at Rome amōges the Romane ladies and fayre wenches and that he daunced wyth them Wherfore syth here in thys lyfe it is not in our powers vtterly to do awey carnall desyres the holy fathers and prophetes desyred wyth hygh lamentation that they myghte be lycenced to departe out of thys vale of teares to the heauenly and perfyte ioyes For here they thought themselues onely straungers and as pylgrimes or wayfarynge men Whych thynge thapostle Paule in hys seconde epistle to the Corinthians doth wonderfully well declare wrytynge on thys wyse We knowe ij cor v. sayeth he that yf our erthy mansion of thys dwellynge were destroyed we haue a buyldynge of God an habitation not made wyth handes but eternall in heauen And therfore sygh we desyrynge to be clothed wyth our mansion whych is from heuen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked and so forth Now suche straungers S. Peter here wylleth vs to be whyche ought continually to loke vp to contende and laboure thyther settynge asyde all earthly thynges all cares and worldly desyres and euer to stande redy in hope to be delyuered out of thys our earthly tabernacle or hostrye and to enioye the euerlastynge inheritaunce Howbeit yet in the meane season good people we teache not as do these Anabaptistes that he that hath ryches shulde cast them awaye but that he cleaue not in harte vnto them lyke as other places of holy scripture do teach vs and namely thys present epistle of S. Peter whych by a similitude of straungers or pylgrimes doth declare vnto vs that in the hostrye of thys present worlde we shulde be in loue with nothynge we shulde vaynly ambiciously require nothynge that is in our hoostes house whych is the worlde euen none otherwyse than a straunger a pawmer or wayfarynge body doth whych knoweth that nothinge in hys ynne or lodgynge doth pertayne vnto hym ☜ but only maketh hast homewarde into hys owne cōtrey Now they whych be in loue admiration with any thynge in thys worlde they can not be called forenners straungers or pylgrimes but cytizens and inhabitauntes of thys worlde Wherfore it is great folly now amonges christen men to be in loue wyth the thynges of the worlde to seke pleasure in carnall desyres What be carnall desyres syth suche thynges belonge no more to christians But I praye you what vyces doth saynt Peter cal here desyres Surely not only those grosse faultes but also the inwarde croked affections which doubtles be the very causes of those outwarde and grosse vyces Saynt Peter therfore wrytyng especyally to the Iewes whych were disperpled abrode in dyuers countreyes and by them vnto vs Englyshe men and to all others ryght tēderly exhorteth them callynge them hys moost derely beloued brethren to absteyne as forenners and pylgrymes from all fleshly lustes that is to wit all vices whyche of nature do stycke to the fleshe whych vices do kepe continuall warre and batell agaynst the soule and spirite of mā that euer more tendeth and laboureth to do the wyll of God And he wylleth them that they haue honest conuersacion amonges the Gentyls or paynems whych worshipped false Goddes amonge whome at that tyme when saynte Peter wrote thys epistle the christen men lyued Saint Peter therfore wyll not that christen men shulde departe from the panyms but that they shulde lyue honestly amōges them to thintent that where as they backbyte them as euyll doers they myght se theyr good workes myghte prayse and glorifye God in the daye of visitation In the daye of visitatiō that is to saye that the paynyms beynge more ryghtly instructed and taught by the honeste lyfe of the christians myghte by gods visitation be called also to the Gospell and so to haue a better opinion and iudgement of gods worde whych thynge in dede came to passe in the primatiue church by the godly exemple of the good Apostolicall fathers and christen people in Rome and els where Where as now the paynims and infidels as be turkes Iues be rather plucked frome the Gospell then allured vnto it by thexemple of those that woll neuertheles be called the successours of Peter and Paule and the vicares of Christ Wherfore it is to be feared leste God wyll visite them not by heapynge vpon them hys benefytes and graces whych they refuse neglecte but by pourynge vpon them hys iuste yre and vengeaunce accordynge to theyr desertes Be you subiecte therfore good christen people to the worde of God Obeye hys commaundementes prescribed in the same Let your lyght shyne before mē and namely before the proude Pharisees infidels whych thynke there is no God that they may se your good workes and honest conuersacion and glorifye your father in heauen Submytte your selues Mat. v. according to Peters counsayle here vnto euery humane creature that is to saye vnto all maner ordinaunce or power whych humane creatures do administer and that euen for the Lordes sake For it pleaseth the Lorde ye shulde so do lest your conscience shulde be polluted and defyled wyth synne through disobedience And euen here maye ye lerne good people that when ye obeye the publyke ruler and magistrate ye do please God by thys obedience Be obedient therfore sayth S. Peter whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chefe head or vnto rulers as to thē that are sent of hym for the punyshmēt of euel doers Ro. xiij And surely as wytnesseth S. Paule whoseoeuer resysteth power resysteth the ordinaūce of God For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euell Wherfore ye must obeye sayth Paule not only for feare of vengaunce but also bycause of
conscience For as it foloweth here in the text so is the wyll of God that with well doing ye may stoppe the mouthes of folyshe and ignorant persons whych oftentymes iuge such thinges as they vnderstand not and whych esteme the gospell and the worde of god by the maners of the gospellers whych of humayne frayltie mnay tymes do fal into fowle vices and do not esteme it by the owne proper nature Rom. i. Wheras in very dede it is the power vertue of God to the helth and saluation of al them that beleue Let vs then good christen brethern so be free and vse the libertie of the gospell that we haue it not for a cloke of maliciousnes workyng vnder the pretence of it all naughtynes accordyng to our foule lustes and desires as many gospellers and euangelicall brethren do which be in dede no gospellers but bablers no trewe brethern but false brethern no christians but antichristes and sklaūders to gods holy worde Let vs then be no feyned christians but ryght christians and seruauntes of God Let vs honoure and haue in reuerence all men Fraternitie Let vs loue fraternitie not fraternitie of monkes fryers nunnes and such other cloystered disguysed people whych vnder the cloke of fraternitie deuoured pore wydowes houses the lyuinges of other in their fratryes of whom the christen people were fowly mocked and seduced while they perswaded them that they could not do better then be of their brotherhode or fraternitie whych in dede was nothyng elles but a swarme of ydle dranes that lyued not by the swette of their face as gods commaundement wylled them but by other mens labours vnder the pretence of longe prayer but let vs loue such brotherhode and fraternitie as gods worde alloweth whych is that we shulde loue one an nother after a gentle and christian maner al lordlines and proude lokes layde downe and when we make a dyner or feast not to call the ryche whych may quyte vs agayne but our poore christen brethern and systers whych cannot acquite vs but our father in heuen shal acquite it vs. This is the fraternitie or brotherhode that Christ alloweth and that saynt Peter doth here speake of Let vs then feare God whych doth prospere our obedience and helpeth vs that we maye truly honour all men that we may loue brotherhode and gyue due honour to our kynge whych is our supreme hedde next vnder Christe none excepted neyther bishop of Rome nor other For if there were ☜ saynt Peter wold not haue passed it ouer with silence Neyther is it to be thought that Peter which was one of Christes Apostles and that of the chefest knewe not the bisshop of Romes power or his own power He agnized no such supremacie as the bishoppe of Rome doth chalenge vnto him as S. Peters successour Saint Peter byddeth vs here feare god and honour the king If the bisshop of Rome were to be honoured next God and before kynges why doth saynt Peter set the kynge nexte God Yea why doth he speake nothynge at all of the byshop of Romes authoritie So ye se good christen people that saynte Peter maketh nothynge wyth the byshoppe of Rome and yet he sayeth he is hys successour But what shulde I speake more of thys mater I doubt not but lōge ago there is none of you but regardeth the byshop of Rome none otherwyse then an other byshop in hys byshopryche ought to be regarded Let him medle with his owne flocke with vs he hath no thing a do any otherwise then one christen man hath to do with an other Let vs therfore charitably pray for him that he may execute his office in his owne diocese and not entre into other mens officies Let vs thā honour our kinge next vnto God as our supreme hedde according to S. Peters counsayle in this epistle and according to the aduise of saynt Paule in the place before alleged Let also seruauntes obey theyr maisters not only if they be good courteouse but also thoughe they be froward not doynge seruice to the eye as Paule sayth wryting to the Ephesians and as they do that go aboute to please men phe vi but as the seruaūtes of Christ doing the wyll of God from the harte with good will seruinge the Lord and not men For it is then thanke worthy sayth saynt Peter Hitherto haue I brefly declared vnto you the meanyng of this Epistle Now therfore good people if ye wol be true christians if ye woll be true feithfull persons boost not of your feyth in wordes only but declare in youre dedes and workes that ye haue the feith of Christ Shewe your beleue in such workes as thys Apostle saynt Peter doth here exhort you vnto and then shal we beleue that you haue the right belefe fayth in Iesu Christ which in whom so euer it is in can not but fructifie and brynge forth fruct euen as sede doth that is sowne in the good grounde mat xiij some an hundreth folde some syxty fold some thyrty folde And this feyth shall iustifie you and make you the chyldren of god and inheritours of his heuēly kyngdome which was prepared for you before the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen Math. xxv .. to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The .xvi. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples After a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. vij and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me for I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe Ioh. xx but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is delyuered of the chylde she remēbreth no more the anguysh for ioy that a mā is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christē people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death
good people here ye haue a true definicion of religion It is not to be locked vp in stone walles and to departe from the company of the worlde as those disguysed and false religiouse persones lately in thys realme dyd but it is to be conuersaunt amonges men wythout spotte or reproufe it is to vysite orphanes and fatherlesse chyldren to go and succour the poore wydowes to go aboute and to wynne the people to Christ to fysh mens soules and to brynge them into the kyngdome of Christ out of the tyranny and raygne of Antichriste I call Antichrist whosoeuer teacheth other deuotions and holynesses then Christ dyd ordeyne For he that is not wyth Christ is agaynst Christ Wherfore good brethren and systers let vs be accordynge to saynt Iames monition here not onely hearers but also doers of the worde but of what worde of the bishop of Romes worde of Antichristes word which is contrary to Christes vnspotted syncere worde no but of gods worde to thintent we maye loke into the perfyte lawe whych breaketh out of fre spirite fayth into workes of charitie Let vs imbrace the true religioÌ„ that is here prescribed and set forth vnto vs Let vs vysite the orphanes the desolate wydowes our poore neyghbours that be destitute of comforte and relyfe Thys let vs do of a fre and franke harte not as constraynedly but wyllyngly and gladly Thys doynge we shall declare by our dedes that we haue the lyuely fayth that shall iustifie vs in gods sight In these our dedes but not by these our dedes nor through these our dedes we shall as saynt Iames assureth vs be happy and so happy that nomaÌ„ shal be able to take our ioye and blysse from vs. For we shall not onely lyue here in thys worlde in peace of conscience and in the kyngdome of Christ but we shall also in an other worlde inherite the vnspeakable ioye and felicitie of heauen where lyueth raygneth the father the soÌ„ne and holy goost perpetually Amen The Gospel on the .v. Sondaye after Ester daye which is the next sonday before the crosse dayes the .xvi. Chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Prayers are hard through Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples after a whyle ye shall not se me and againe after a while ye shal se me for I go to the father ThaÌ„ sayd some of his disciples betwene them selues what is this that he saith vnto vs after a while ye shal not se me and againe after a whyle ye shal se me and that I go to the father They said therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he sayth Iesus perceyued that they wolde aske him and said vnto them Ye inquyre of this betwene youre selues because I sayd after a while ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wise the world shall reioyse Ye shal sorowe but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman wheÌ„ she traueyleth hath sorowe because her hour is come But as sone as she is deliuered of the child she remeÌ„breth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde And ye nowe therfore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and youre hartes shall reioyse and youre ioye shall no man take from you IN the first parte of the Gospel of this daie good people is a commauÌ„demeÌ„t and promise set forth vnto vs wherby we be allured and sturred to praye ⧠The vertu of prayers And surely sith a christian person can no wher haue better coumforte in such thynges as he is troubled in and in tyme of necessitie and aduersitie then instantly to pray and to open his affliction and grefe with ardent peticion and humble sute to God who onely wyll and can helpe him in his distres gyue him comforte vndoutedly it is ryght necessary that we throughly perceiue knowe the institucion and intent of this present gospel to the intent we might be the more inclined and disposed vnto prayer For who wolde reiecte and despice prayer as a thyng lytle necessary seyng it is so muche auaunced and coÌ„maunded by Christe vnto vs Yea this coÌ„maundement dothe as straytly bynde vs as the fyrste commaundemeÌ„t of the Decalogie doth This to be true we may se in another place where Christe byddeth vs alwayes to pray and that without ceasing or intermission lu xviij Marke that it is necessary then and conuenient that we shulde pray Wherfore as we be by speciall word and coÌ„maundement of Christe draweÌ„ and inforced to pray So also this gospell allureth vs to the same with a speciall promise For it is here promised vs by Christe that our prayers that is to wete the prayers of christen ê‘sons shal not be vaine ne frustrate but that we shal be surely herde shall obteyne our sutes For why elles wolde Christ haue bounde this his worde and promise with an othe sayeng verely verely What so euer ye aske the father in my name he shall gyue it you Also aske and it shal be gyuen you Do ye not heare how our prayers shal not be vayne nor frustrate Who then wold nowe be slouthfull to pray seyng Christe by his speciall coÌ„maundement hath wylled vs to the same Forthermore ye shal here vnderstande that bycause we shuld not thynke that the labour of our prayers shuld be in vayne therfore doth Christe here in this place allure vs with a notable and special promyse as is before remembred But herin are two thinges to be considered pondered of vs. The one is that we shuld pray in none other name theÌ„ in only Christes name we must pray only in the name of Christe Now we pray in the name of Christ when we approche to god in the faythe of Christ and do comforte our selues with the trust and affiaunce in him that is to wete that he only is our mediatour or aduocate by whom all be forgyuen vs and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indignacion and wrath For I pray you what saynte what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and intercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren coÌ„municating vnto vs the roume or office of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte i Pet. ij Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shal be an intercessour or suter for you to my father For the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng
deuell as appeareth manyfestly in the fourth chapter of Mathewe Al thys he dyd to shewe vs an exēple how we ought to do We haue many teachers but fewe doers Thou sayeth Paule whyche teachest another Rom. i. teachest not thy selfe Thou preachest a man shulde not steale and thou stealest thy selfe Thou that sayest a man shulde not commytte adultrye cōmyttest horedome thy selfe Thou abhorrest ymages yet thou doest robbe God of hys due honour Christ byddeth hys Apostles and preachers that theyr lyght shulde shyne before men Math. v He wolde haue them to be the salt of the earth But yf the salt sayeth he be vnsauery wherewith shal it be sauered it is good for nothyng but to be cast out of the dores and trodē vnder fete And in conclusion he sayeth in thys wyse Whosoeuer doth and teacheth the same shal be called greate in the kyngdome of heauen Yea he furthermore assureth vs Math. v that onles our ryghtuousnes do passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharisees we shall not entre into the kyngdome of heauen But wol ye knowe good people what be scribes and pharisees Herken what Christe sayeth in the .xxiij. chapter of Mathew The scribes and pharisees syt in Moses chaire All therfore that they byd you obserue that obserue and do but do not ye after theyr workes for they saye and do not Yea they bynde together heuy burthēs and greuous to be borne and laye them on mens backes but they themselues wyll not heue at them wyth one of theyr fyngers But let vs now se whether there be any suche scribes and pharisees amōges Christē men Origene as were in olde tyme amonges the Iues. Origene that auncient doctour Who be scribes wrytynge vpon thys place of Mathew sayeth that those be scribes whych depart not from the letter of the law These be such persons as teach nothynge but the outwarde obseruynge and as who shulde saye the barke of the lawe where as accordynge to saynt Paule the lawe kylleth and the spirite quyckeneth Ro. vij For as saynt Austine doth very well declare Austine the letter of the lawe wythout the spirite is not ynough It is the spirite that quyckeneth Ioh. iij. of whome onles a mā be borne agayne he can not entre into the kyngdome of God Thys spirite is wont to lede men into al trouth he discloseth and openeth vnto vs the pyth of the lawe that is to say the lyuely and ernest fayth in Messias that was promysed so longe before by the prophetes euen our sauiour Christ Iesus for whose loue we ought frelye to fulfyll and worke the lawe and not constrainedly lyke slaues and bondmen forasmuch as the spirite of God hath infranchised vs and made vs Christes freemen They than whych teach not thys fredome and enfranchisement of christian men that is to wit whych teach not the pyth or karnell of the lawe but the barke or houske be no better than scribes The papistes be scribes Now I pray you what other be al papistes but euen such worse for they can skant abyde to teache so muche as the letter of gods law whych neuertheles beyng taught nakedly and alone doth but kyll it quyckeneth not Yea they wol teach welnere nothynge but theyr owne traditions customes and beggerly elemētes I haue brefly shewed you my frendes which be scribes accordynge to the definition of the auncient doctour Origene Let vs now se What origene calleth pharisee what he calleth a Pharisee Such as professynge sayeth he some greater thyng do diuide themselues as better from the multitude and cōmon sorte of men be called pharisees which by interpretacion be as much to say as diuisi or segregati that is to wyt diuided or seuered persons For Phares in Ebrue is called a diuision Now accordynge to thys definicion whether there be any pharisees in Christendome I reporte me to your selues Lorde God what diuisions what sectes what sūdry sutes of holy holy persons haue we had in Englāde now of late whych thought themselues better and holyer than the rest of people yea whiche wolde suffer none to be called religiouse but themselues where as after the diffinitiō of saint Iames they were as farre wyde and differed as much from religiouse persons as an ape differre from an owle But let vs retourne to our lection These scribes and pharisees dyd teach but they dyd not the thinges whych they taught Christ as saynt Luke doth here wytnesse fyrste dyd the thynges and after he taught them And of all these thynges sayth Luke whych Iesus began to do and teache vntyll the tyme of hys ascension haue we spoken in the former treatyse Thys treatyse we call cōmonly the Gospell of saynt Luke Now than whan the Apostles were as on thys daye assembled and come together they asked Christ sayenge Lorde wylte thou at thys tyme restore agayne the kyngdome of Israel Lo good people here ye haue a ryght notable exemple of the Apostles infirmitie and weakenes The wekenes of the apostles For albeit they had herde oftentymes that Christes kyngdome or raygne shulde be spirituall yet they continued styll to dreame of a certaine corporal Monarchy or rule But nowe what doth Christe vnto them Albeit they thought spake foolyshly yet he reiected them not but ryght gently he plucketh them awaye from those carnall thoughtes saynge It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in hys owne power as who shulde saye medle ye wyth your office wherevnto ye be appoynted Your office is to testifye of me of my doctrine Ye shal be wytnesses sayeth Christ vnto me not only in Ierusalem but also in all Iury and in Samary The office of apostles or preachers and euen vnto the worldes ende And here is to be noted that Christ woll not haue hys preachers curiouse vpon ydle questions or vayne philosophie For theyr only office and feate is to preache Christe and hys doctrine that is to wyt to set forth and propowne only such thynges as Christe hath taught done to be beleued of the ignoraūt people for which cause also the holy goost was gyuen vnto them euē to thintent to make the Apostles mete to teache and vs to receyue theyr teachynge ☜ Now whan Christe had spokē these thynges whyle hys Apostles beheld hym lo sodenly he was taken vp on hygh a cloud receyued hym vp out of theyr syght The frute of the ascēsion Here my brethren ye shall marke the frute and profyte of our sauiour Christes Ascension For by hys styenge or ascendynge vp into heauen he wrought two thynges for vs. The one was he had a most goodly and gloriouse triumphe vpon oure mortall enemye the deuell The other was he anone sent downe the holy goost to hys Apostles as also the prophete Dauid wytnesseth sayenge Ascendit in altum captiuam duxit captiuitatem dedit dona hominibus That is to
allotted euerye man accordynge to the measure of hys fayth Ro. xij so let hym serue in hys callynge As good stewardes or dispensours let them behaue themselues in executynge theyr office Good stewardes I praye you is not he a foolysh stewarde whych of other mēs goodes wold glorie and take a pryde ☞ where he is but onely the stewarde and not the owner of them Nowe they be good stewardes whyche be faythfull and prudente whych knowe what how to whome and what tyme they oughte to preache and laye out the treasure of gods worde the treasure I saye of the manyfolde grace of God accordynge to the sundry and manyfold gyftes He that speaketh let hym speake the sermons and wordes of almyghtye God let hym not preach hys owne gloses hys owne inuencions hys owne dreames and fansies And to what so euer ministracion he be called and appointed in the church Ex virtute let hym do it sayeth saint Peter as of the vertue power and abilitie whyche God ministreth vnto hym and not as though he were able by hys owne wyt prudence to execute hys ministerie It foloweth That God in all thynges maye be glorifyed thorow Iesus Christ Here saynt Peter declareth the principall ende of all our gyftes offices and good workes whych is that by them shulde ryse contentions stryfes debates and discordes Howe god is glorified by our gyftes and workes Nowe God is glorifyed by oure gyftes offices duties and workes when we so vse them that the congregacion may take profyte edificacion therby and may take occasion by the good distribution of the same to glorifye God by Iesus Christe For oure Sauiour Christe Iesus ascendynge vp to heuen distributed and gaue gyftes vnto men as the prophete sayeth Ps lxvij To whome be all glorie al prayse all imperie and dominion aswel to saue as to rule and gouerne hys faythful ones together wyth the father and the holy goost for euer and euer AMEN The Gospell on the sondaye after the Ascension daye The .xv. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ The holy goost is promysed to be sente by Christ to hys Apostles IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples But whan the comforter is come whom I wyll sende vnto you frō the father euen the spirite of trouth whych procedeth of the father he shall testifye of me And ye shall beare wytnesse also bycause ye haue ben with me from the begynnynge These thynges haue I sayd vnto you bycause ye shulde not be offended They shall excommunicate you yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer kylleth you wyl thinke that he doth god seruice And such thinges wyl they do vnto you bycause they haue not knowē the father neyther yet me But these thynges haue I told you that whan the tyme is come ye may remēber them that I tolde you FOr asmuch as our Lorde Christ in his maundie good people wyth many promyses had bequethed and deputed the holy goost to his Apostles Paracletus he doth now at last name hym more playnly wyth hys proper name of office declarynge therby what profyte and commoditie he shall brynge to the worlde He sayeth whan the comforter is come Thys propre and true name he gyueth the holy goost callyng hym paracletum that is saye a comforter For who els certifyeth our conscience Ro. viij that we shulde beleue that by Christ we be the chyldren of God and crye Abba father but thys only comforter I praye you who maketh vs both desyrefull and also hardy to cōfesse thys fayth Who comforteth vs in all such mysfortune and afflictions as we suffre in thys worlde for thys confessions sake Surely the same selfe good spirite whych procedeth from the father doth al thys thys is hys feate and offyce For thobteynynge of whych spirite the prophet Dauid so busely prayeth in the .l. psalme But ye maye more lyuely beholde the nature and workynge of thys holy goost or spiryte in the apostles whyche before the commynge of the holy goost in tribulation fledde from the Lorde and vtterly denyed hym For they hyd themselues in corners some here some there But whā thys spirite thys comfortour was ones confirmed in them then they confessed Christ frely and hys resurrectiō in so much that they also toke pleasure and delyte in the crosse or affliction that was layde vpon them as appeareth playnly in the Actes Act. v. Now thys comforter The spirite of truth bycause by the vertue of hys offyce he maketh men trouthe tellers yea and comforteth and strengtheneth the faythfull in the confession of the trouth by the vertue also of hys office he shall testifie of Christ So ye must here marke that the holy goost ought to beare wytnesse of Christ But what shall he testifye what shall he teache of Christ ☜ Vndoubtedly none other thyng but that which Christ preached and taught before that is to say he shall make them whyche before coulde not perceyue Christes doctrine now to vnderstāde it by wrytyng the gospel in theyr hartes A mans owne wysedome can here do nothynge it muste be thys holy spirite comforter whych must do the dede The prophecie of Ieremye euen as Ieremy the prophete in the .xxxi. chapter sayeth I shal plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and wryte it in theyr hartes and wylbe theyr God and they shall be my people And from thence forth shall noman teach hys neyghbour or his brother and saye know the Lorde But they shall all knowe me from the lowest to the hyghest sayeth the Lorde Of all these thynges it is gathered manyfestly that wythout the holy goost we neyther can know the truth nor beare wytnes vnto Christ Iesus Seconde ye may espye here good people verye playnly thoffice of Apostles or Christes messangers That is to wyt that they ought to beare wytnesse of Christ ☞ For to testifye or beare wytnes in scripture sygnifyeth to teach and speake not the thynge that pleaseth vs but the thinge that almyghty god hath cōmaunded After thys sorte is Christ named in the psalme a faythfull wytnes in heauen Psalm lxxxviij Esa lv Also Esay the prophete speaketh of Christ in the persone of the father I haue set hym for a wytnes to the people for the prince and mayster of the gentyls Wherfore syth the recorde and wytnes of Christ and of hys apostles ought to be egall and agreable togethers surely they muste haue one tenure of theyr testimonies and furthermore it must nedes folowe that the holy goost executed his testimonie and recorde by the apostles as in the .x. of Mathew it appeareth It is not you sayth Christ whyche speake but the spirite of my father whych shall speake in you Where be nowe these felowes whyche here tofore haue cryed that the holy goost haue reuelated and disclosed to thapostles and fathers certaine secreter and hygher thynges whych be not comprised in the gospell To whome wyll ye gyue more credence To Christe or
thre therfore the fathers haue founde out the worde person for the auoydynge of many errours Why the feaste of Trinitie was institute And hereof for discernynge the sayd persons is the name of Trinitie come into the church wherby we sygnifye not .iij. vnegall persons but thre persons coequal of one in diuisible substaunce and essencie And as touchinge the vse of thys feast oure predecessours thought it good to haue some certayne tyme appoynted in the church wherin they myght intreate of the offices of those thre persons egall in godheade And bycause the fourth chapter of the Apocalyps semeth to sette forth wonderfully well the maiestie of God and not obscurely to touche the mysterye of the Trinitie the church of Englande condescended to haue the same red in the church thys daye whych brefely God wyllynge we shal declare vnto you Thus it beginneth After thys I loked and beholde a dore open in heauen and the fyrst voyce I herde was as of a trōpe speakynge wyth me sayenge Come vp hither and I shall shewe the what shal be done herafter Thys dore whych saynt Ihon sawe open no doubte is the intraunce and commynge to the new and heauenly lyfe whych Christe oure Sauioure hath made vs as the Epistle to the Hebrues the .x. phil iij. chapter wytnesseth For our cōuersacion ought now to be in heauē And saynt Ihon doth here describe the Iudicial power of Christe gyuen hym of the heauenlye father wherewyth he defendeth hys churche from the power of the aduersaries And he sayeth There was a seate set and vpon it a sytter wherby he sygnifyeth the stabilitie of Christes raygne For hys seate or trone is as Dauid sayeth worlde wythout ende And he that satte vpon thys glorious and princelye trone or seate was to loke vpon lyke a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone Psalm lxxxiiij By thys is vnderstanded nothynge els but a certayne heauenly royall bewty shewynge aswell the maiestye as the power most excellent of the iudge Christ For the cloth of estate royall seates of kynges be wont to be moost rychely decked and furnyshed for the settynge out of theyr Maiestye and authoritie Nowe the Iaspar stone they saye beareth the semblaunce of water and the Sardyn stone of fyer wherby is vnderstanded that the Lorde is wont to make hys iudgementes in water and in fyer as appeareth Gen. vij and .xix. Exo. xiiij and in the seconde Epistle of Peter the last chapiter and in many other places of scripture The raynebow And a raynebowe was about the seat in syght lyke to an Emerald The raynebowe is a token that god the father is made at one wyth vs by Christ and reconciled to mankynde emerald as appeareth Gen. ix Nowe the Emeralde they say is of such grenenes vertue that it maketh all thynges aboute it to floryshe and growe Lactantius Euen so by Christ the world is renewed and it reflorysheth as Lactantius doth very elegauntly and well declare in a certayne Hymne And aboute the seate were .xxiiij. seates And vpon the seates .xxiiij. elders syttynge clothed in whyte raiment and had on their heades crownes of gold Saint Ihon doth here allude to the maner of a realme well ordered where kynges and princes whyche are to gyue sentence in maters of weyghte woll not do it wythout the assistence of certayne auncient personages that haue good experience of thynges and knowlege of the best lawes lest they myght seme to condempne any man of theyr owne priuate lust and pleasure Wherfore by this allusiō he declareth that God is a moost iust iudge whose sentence all iuste persons shal approue and prayse as moost ryghtful and true By the .xxiiij. elders ye shall vnderstande aswell the patriarches and prophetes of the olde synagoge as the Apostles Euangelistes doctours of the new Testament Exod. xxiiii Nu. xi Act. xx and also the godly kynges iuges of both peoples For they in scripture be called Elders Now by the syttynge of these Elders is vnderstande the felowship of the iudiciall power with Christ accordynge to Christes owne sayenge Mat. xix Ye shall also syt vpon the .xij. seates iudgynge the xij trybes i. cor vi Also saynt Paule wytnesseth that saintes shall iudge of thys worlde By theyr whyte garmentes or robes wherewyth they were clothed is sygnifyed purenes of mynde innocencye and indifferent iudgement wythout affection Exod. xviiij By theyr crownes of golde vpon theyr heades I vnderstande the mooste pure sense of faith wherby they shal iuge of al accordynge to the arbitrement of God so that what so euer they shall iuge vpon earth shal be ratifyed also in heauen accordynge to that sayng of Christ Mathew xviii What soeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde in heuen and what soeuer ye louse on erth the same shal be loused in heauen Furthermore they sygnifye the felowshyp of the victories and raygne of Christ Cap. xi accordynge to that in the Epistle to the Hebrues The sayntes haue vaynquyshed realmes by fayth It foloweth in the texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtenynges and thonderynges and voyces And there were seuen lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whyche are the seuen spirites of God The preachynge of the Apostles and of men apostolical is compared to lyghtenynge and thondrynge bycause by it is proclamed the fearfulnes of gods iudgementes the whych hange ouer the heades of infideles and such as beleue not By the .vii. lampes of fyre brennyng before the trone I vnderstande the septiforme spirite of God that is to wyt the fulnes and perfection of the heauenly graces wherwyth the kyngdome of Christ is furnyshed Esa xi i. cor xij It foloweth And before the seate there was a see of glasse lyke vnto Crystall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde about the seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde c. My frendes the calamities of thys worlde wherwyth the stynch of the fleshe is repourged and the naughtye affectes of the same vtterly mortifyed muste nedes be passed ouer of vs euen as it behoued the people of God to passe the red see before they coulde entre into the lande of promission Wherfore those heauenly and spiritual waters be here sygnifyed wherwythal the pourgynge of the soules and the spiritual regeneratiō is made Ioh. iij. i. Pe. iiij For onles a man be borne agayne of water and spirite he can not se God And he calleth it a see after the Hebrues fashion whych be wont to call al gatherynges of waters sees as in the thyrd boke of kynges it is called the brasen see wherin the prestes in theyr ministracion washed and in certaine other places Now glasse is a bryght thyng wherby is meant that the water of baptisme purifyeth and maketh bryght not so much the bodye as the hartes yea euē in the outwarde conuersation of maners according to that of Christe Let your lyght so shyne before
brother Brother let me pull out the moote that is in thyne eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Thou ypocrite cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and rhen shalt thou se perfytly to pul out the moat that is in thy brothers eye GOod people our Sauiour Christ in thys gospell setteth forth vnto vs certayne christian lawes that is to saye certayne officies or duties of charitie and frutes of fayth Fyrst he byddeth vs be mercyfull and tender of hart But after what sorte As paynyms or publicanes be No but euen accordyng to thexemple of our heauenly father Why how mercyfull is oure heauenly father vnto vs Surely he whan we were hys enemyes and had deserued no kyndnes at hys handes yet of an excedyng mercy whych he bare to maÌ„kynd vouchesaued to sende downe hys only begotteÌ„ soÌ„ne to redeme vs wyth hys moost precious bloude He also from tyme to tyme as often as by frayltie we offende hys maiestye yf we humbly aske mercy forgyueth vs. Math. v Yea he sendeth hys rayne he causeth the Sonne the moone the starres and hys heuenly planetes to shyne aswel vpon hys enemyes as frendes and louers But yet sayth Christ blessed and happy be the mercyfull for they shall agayne receyue mercy He that hath the substaunce and goodes of thys worlde and seeth hys brother in nede and shutteth vp the intrayles of hys harte from hym howe can the loue and charitie of God remayne in such a person i. Io. iij sayeth the Euangelist Ihon Certes he that hath compassion and pytie of the poore is a great gayner and who so fedeth shal be fedde agayne Seconde Christ byddeth vs here not to iudge and we shall not be iudged For he shall haue iudgemeÌ„te wythout mercy sayth saynt Iames whych sheweth no mercy Iaco. ii Let me alone therfore wyth vengeaunce sayeth the Lorde and I shall requyte But marke my frendes that thys is only spoken of priuate iudgement and priuate condemnation that is to saye I maye not be myne owne iudge I maye not reuenge myne owne quarell but I muste coÌ„mytte the cause to God and he shall iudge my quarel and punysh accordyngly It is not ment of publyke iudgement For suche as be rulers and publyke officers represent not theyr owne persons but they represent the person of almyghty God and they be hys deputies and ministers Ro. xiij And for thys cause saynt Paule woll that euery soule shulde submytte hymselfe to the authoritie of the hygh powers For there is sayeth he no power but of God Yea the iudges and Magistrates in scripture be called Goddes Also saynt Peter thapostle sayeth i. Pet. ij Submytte your selues vnto euery humane creature for our Lordes sake whether it be vnto a kynge as vnto the chefe heade or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of hym for the punyshment of euell doers and prayse of wel doers By thys texte of S. Peter ye se playnly that it is lawfull for rulers to punysh But punysh they can not onles they iudge and condemne the gyltye So thaÌ„ it is lawfull for rulers to iudge and to coÌ„demne bycause they do it not in theyr own name but as gods ministers and vycares To thys do all the auncient expositours and doctours agre as saynte Austine ☜ Hierome Ambrose Chrysostome and the rest Wherfore the wycked Anabaptistes are to be banyshed whych condemne temporall or ciuile iudgementes It foloweth in the texte Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Here my frendes ye se that onles we forgyue other meÌ„ theyr offences whych they haue trespassed agaynst vs our heauenly father woll not surely forgyue vs. And therfore we saye in our pater noster called the Lordes prayer Dimitte nobis debita nostra Math. v sicut nos dimittimê° debitoribus nostris That is to saye Forgyue vs our dettes or synnes euen as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. So yf thou cannest not fynde in thy harte to forgyue thy neyghboure hys faultes thou mayest be ryght sure that god wyl not forgiue the thy faultes He byddeth vs also gyue and it shal be gyuen vnto vs. Math xviij Ro. xiiij For frely haue we taken and therfore frely we ought to gyue What hast thou sayeth Paule but thou hast receyued the same before of almyghty God ij cor ix Surely he that soweth skantly nygardly shall repe skantly Yf we be faythfull stewardes in lytle God wyll surely rewarde vs in muche But he that is vnfaythfull in lytle how can he be faythfull in muche sayeth Christ Wherfore loke with what measure that we mete wythall to others wyth the same shal other men mete to vs agayne I pray you sayeth our Sauiour Christ can the blynde leade the blynde Here he teacheth vs to be contente wyth hys doctrine for els we shal wander lyke blynde betels He is blynde whych hath not the pure ryghte vnderstandynge of gods worde yf thys man teacheth he teacheth not well he can be no good leader or guyde Why seest thou a moate in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame in thyne owne eye O how vncomly how wycked how ypocrite lyke how vncharitable a thynge is it to iudge oure neyghbours of lyghte maters where as we be an hundred tymes worse our selues Why do we not rather geÌ„tly bear dissemble and interprete well the small erroure and faulte of our brethren Why do we not rather go downe to the intrayles of our owne harte Esopes wallet and se our owne stuffe Esope the fable wryter doth very well paynt vs he fayneth that euery man hath two pookes or wallettes the one hangynge before him the other hangynge behynde hym In that whyche hangeth before vs be put other mens faultes Into thys pooke we be alwayes perynge and lokyng but in the other pooke of the wallet whyche hangeth at our backe wherin our own faultes be put we neuer loke Wherfore he wolde haue vs turne the wallet an other whyle the coÌ„trary way Assuredly he ought to be voyde of all faultes that shulde be ready to speake agaynst other meÌ„ Also it is dyrectly agaynst the eyght commaundemente of God to speake any false testimony or worde agaynst thy brother Yet thys notwythstandynge it is lawful for the charitably to monyshe thy neyghboure of hys faulte accordynge to saynt Paules lesson Yf a man be founde in any faulte ye that be goostly reproue suche a person after a gentle sorte Also he sayeth Reproue i. tim v. Esa lviij besech blame tymely vntymely in all pacience Crye cease not as a trompe lyfte vp thy voyce Yf thy brother sayeth Christ trespasse agaynst the Math. xviij go and tell hym hys faulte betwene the and hym alone Yf he heare the thou hast woÌ„ne thy brother but yf he hear the not than take yet with the one or two that in the mouth of two or thre wytnesses euery matter maye be establyshed Yf he heare not
into the depe and let slyppe your nettes to make a draught And Simon answered and sayd vnto hym Mayster we haue laboured all nyght and haue taken nothynge Neuertheles at thy commaundement I wyll louse forth the nette And whan they had thys done they inclosed a great multitude of fysshes But theyr net brake they beckned to theyr felowes which were in the shyp that they shulde come and helpe them And they came and fylled both the shyppes that they sonke agayne Whan Simon Peter sawe thys he fell downe at Iesus knees sayenge Lorde go from me for I am a synfull man For he was astonnyed al that were wyth hym at the draught of fysshes whych they had taken and so was also Iames and Ihon the sonnes of Zebede which were parteners with Simon And Iesus said vnto Simō feare not from hence forth thou shalt catch men And they broughte the shyppes to lande and forsoke all and folowed hym IN thys Gospel good people Christ teacheth the vertue and power of hys worde to thyntent to cōfirme the fayth of hys disciples that he is the true Messias God an man Furthermore he taketh care for theyr bodelye sustenaunce sygnifyenge that nothyng can wel prosper onles he furthereth and putteth hys hande thervnto Now thā after that Christ had preached in Galilie as in the chapter before is mencioned it came to passe when the synfull people whych were troubled in conscience wyth theyr offenses preassed vpon hym to heare the worde of God that theyr conscience myghte be healed by the medicine therof he stode by the lake of Genezareth which is a water of Galilie and he saw two shippes stande by the water syde but the fyshermen were gone out of them and were washynge theyr nettes For they had laboured al nyght in vayne and had caught no fyshe Wherfore they now vtterly despayred to take any there and therfore they were about to haue left worke But our Sauioure Christe knowynge all wythin hymselfe sekynge herby occasion to shewe hys power for thā is god wont moost of al to helpe when man can do no good entred into one of the shippes whych pertayned to Simon whome afterward Christ named Peter And Christ Rogauit eum wheras he was the sonne of God and had all in hys hande and myght haue commaunded and taken awaye all yet he dyd none of all thys but mekely and gently prayed this Symon that he wolde thurst out his shyppe a lytle from the lande to thintent he myght the more quyetly syt hymselfe downe and teache But ye wyll aske Sedens docebat why Christ sat whan he taught Surely syttinge is a sygne of a meke and peacible preacher he was not a busye and braggynge stryuer or contender as many preachers be but he taught in moost quyet and sober wyse And whan he had lefte speakyng he bad Simon launche out into the depe let slyppe theyr nettes to make a draught Here ye shall marke ☜ that Christ fyrst feadeth the soule wyth hys preachynge or euer he feade the bodye wyth meate for els forthwyth whan he had sene the fyshermen washyng theyr nettes he myght haue wrought the myracle folowynge But Christ is euer wonte to preferre the fode of the soule before the thynges pertaynynge to the sustentacion of the body Mat. vi and therfore he wylleth vs fyrst to seke the kyngdome of heauen and the iustice therof and all shal be cast vnto vs. Wherfore after he had fedde the people wyth preachynge he confirmeth it wyth a myracle The vse of myracles For the vse of all myracles is that by the same the doctrine of Christe shulde be confirmed Now thys myracle tendeth hervnto that all our labour trauayle for our bodely sustenaūce is in vayne onles the blessynge and helpinge hande of God be put therto Wherfore these fyshermen bycause they fyrst sought the kyngdom of god be now bydden to laūche out into the depe and to let slyppe theyr nettes to make a draught And albeit that Simon Peter dispayred that the lettynge downe of the nettes coulde do any good seynge they had laboured all the nyght before in vayne yet anone he beleueth Christes worde and applyeth hymselfe by faith to the byddynge of Christ So they dyd cast downe theyr nette and caught an excedynge great nombre of fyshes Here we be exhorted to labour and also to fayth that we shulde beleue the worde of god which yf we do there shal be no doubt at al for our lyuing but it shall folow not skasely but plētyfully so that it shal be ynough for Peter ☞ that Peter maye gyue parte to other Now whan Simon Peter sawe the great myracle that Christ wrought here wyth hym he fell downe at Iesus knees sayenge Lorde go frō me for I am a synfull man Here good people we be taught what we owe to the Lorde for hys benefites and large blessynge of foode Fyrst to be thankefull vnto hym accordynge to thexemple of Peter Secondly that we shulde acknowlege oure vnworthynes how we be farre vnworthy that God shulde bestowe so hygh benefytes vpon vs. Repentaunte harte And thys vnworthynes ought to sprynge of the knowlege of our sinnes as Peter here lyke a good penitent person said Lorde departe from me for I am a synfull man Thus a man to shewe hys kyndnes and to knowlege hymselfe a synfull person before God the scripture calleth it the sacrifice of prayse moost acceptable to the Lorde of heauen ☜ But what dyd our Sauiour Christ answere agayne vnto Symon Peter Feare not from hence forth thou shalt catch men Here we be warned by thexemple of Peter Iames Ihon to set all thynges behynde the studye of the Gospell and yf by the state of oure lyfe we be called to the offyce of preachynge to obey our callynge But mans reason as it woll rule all so it is here also very busye whych whan it heareth Obiecti ¦ on that these fyshermen left altogether and folowed Christe forthwyth gathereth Then after the receyuynge of the gospell we must forsake wyfe chyldren landes and all that we haue To thys I answere that thys conclusion can not be applyed to the exemples of these fyshermen Solutiō For they chaunged not the condicion and state of theyr lyfe For the Euangelist doth not expresse that But admytte they chaunged the state of theyr lyfe Ye muste consyder that they were called to an other state for they were called to catche men that is to saye to preach gods worde Howbeit here is not prescribed in these Apostles a commaundement for vs to folowe the same albeit they left al that they had The fayth of sayntes or holy persons is to be folowed of all men generally ☞ but it is not necessary that the workes shulde be egall in all For els we shulde be compelled to become fyrste fyshermen and afterwarde to leaue fyshyngcraft as these disciples dyd Ye must vnderstande then that
and also the religion of christen persones ye be ashamed of And why be ye ashamed Truly bycause ye perceyue that the ende of suche loose and vnruly lyuyng is death and what death death euerlastynge eternal dampnacion in the fyre of hel where is continuall wepynge and gnasshynge of teeth But now good people seynge ye be infraūchysed and delyuered from the bondage and consequētly from the condemnation of synne and are become the seruauntes of God ye haue your frute into sanctification that is to saye thys frute thys cōmoditie thys auauntage ye haue therby that ye be now sanctifyed and made holy and iuste persons in goddes syght and your ende shal be euerlastynge lyfe For truely so longe as ye were seruauntes to synne ye coulde loke for none other rewarde for none other stypende or wages then death Death I saye is the vndoubted stypende of synne and of beastly lyuyng But contrary wyse Deth is the wages of synne yf ye woll be folowers of ryghtuousnes and force your selues to serue God vtterly renouncynge the stynkynge seruyce of synne ye shall surely haue a farre contrarye rewarde that is to wyt euerlastynge lyfe Aug. in Enchiri capi cvi which as wryteth saint Austine is a certayne rewarde of good workes albeit the Apostle calleth it not so here but he calleth it the grace or gyfte of God Therfore herken what saynt Austine sayeth further The wordes of S Austine A stypende or wages due for the worke of a souldioure is payde and not gyuen therfore the apostle sayeth the stypende of synne is death to shewe that death is not vndeseruedlye put but due to synne But grace yf it be not frely is no grace Ye muste therfore vnderstande that euen the selfe good merytes of man be the rewardes of God vnto whych whan eternall lyfe is yelded what is rēdred but grace for grace These be saynt Austines wordes Wherfore good people let vs not thynke that we be fre from good workes by the bloud of Christ but rather cleane contrary that we be nowe bounde to good workes accordyng to saynt Pauls doctrine here whych affirmeth that yf we serue synne we shal be sure to haue the wages of synne euen euerlasting death But yf we lyue vertuously and iustly serue God we shal be sure to haue euerlastyng lyfe not as a rewarde of dutye but as a gyfte and grace of god through Iesus Christ our Lorde To whome be all glorye Amen The gospell on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ The myracle of the .vij. loues Whan there was a verye greate companye and had nothynge to eate Iesus called hys disciples to hym and sayde vnto them I haue cōpassion on the people because they haue nowe bene wyth me thre dayes and haue nothynge to eat and yf I sende them awaye fastyng to theyr owne houses they shall faynt by the waye For dyuerse of them came from farre And hys disciples answered hym where shulde a man haue breade here in the wyldernesse to satisfye these And he asked them how many looues haue ye They sayd seuen And he commaunded the people to syt downe on the grounde And he toke the seuen looues and whan he had gyuen thankes he brake and gaue to his disciples to set before them And they dyd set them before the people And they had a few smal fyshes And whan he had blessed he cōmaūded them also to be set before them And they dyd eate and were suffysed And they toke vp of the brokē meate that was lefte seuen baskettes full And they that dyd eate were aboute foure thousande And he sente them awaye IN thys gospel good christen people ye shal note that they whyche fyrst and formest do seke for the kyngdome of god and the ryghtuousnes of the same can in no wyse peryshe and dye for honger but that the grace of God doth preuente them in al thynges as we se in thys hystorye howe tenderly and buselye our Sauiour Christ prouideth for the peoples bodely sustenaūce euen before they aske it sayng I haue compassion ouer the people forasmuch as they haue bene now wyth me thre dayes and haue nothyng to eate Thys then is Christes order of fedynge fyrste to repast the soule wyth hys worde and then to releue the bodye Horatius in epist But the worldly care is contrarye accordynge to a Poetes sayenge O ciues ciues quaerēda pecunia primum est virtus post nummos That is to saye O citizens citizens fyrst seke for money and after money for vertue But Christ sayth Fyrst seke for the kyngdome of God and al these thynges shal be cast vnto you An exēple of infidelitie Secondly here is described vnto vs an exemple of infidelitie in thapostles and vnder them in all suche as woll do as they dyd here whyche leauynge gods worde forgettynge all the myracles whych Christ had done before by whyche they ought well to haue gathered that Christ myght haue fedde thys multytude wythout any vytayll at all be deceyued by the iudgement of reason whyche onely loketh vpon the thynge present and thynketh thynges only to folow of sure occasiōs only Surely whyle reason iudgeth thus it iudgeth wel before the worlde in ciuile thynges But before Christ and in his presence to cal reason into iudgement thervpon to despayre of Christes power is certaynly a point of infidelitie namely syth before God there is nothyng impossible Mat. xix And here furthermore we haue an exemple in Christe of great gentlenes and pacience The tyme of gods helpe whych reiecteth not the vnfaythfull disciples Thyrdly here is prescribed vnto vs the tyme whan Christ is wont moost of all to helpe whyche is euen then when no occasion is present but whan reason vtterly despayreth of her argumentes or coniectures So Christe in thys historye suffreth hys Apostles a lytle whyle to delude themselues wyth the argumētes of theyr owne reason that he might bringe them to the vttter denyall of themselues also that they myght learne to flee to the almyghtynes of god wherby he is able to helpe euen there where no occasion of helpynge is offered ☜ We be neuertheles here taught and admonished not to despise suche occasions of temporal lyuynge as be offered vnto vs. For Christ of hys omnipotency myght haue made bread of stones or myght haue caused foode to haue rayned downe frō heauen or yf he had wolde he myght haue fedde the people onely wyth the vertue of hys worde But Christ doth none of all these but taketh the breade and the fewe fyshes whyche by occasion was ministred vnto hym and by hys blessynge of breade maketh breade and of fyshe fyshe Fynally we be here instructed and taught that bodely foode and sustenaunce wyth all other necessaries of our lyfe commeth vnto vs by the only prouidence and blessynge of God yea euen then whan we thynke lest of it Wherfore good people accordynge to the lesson
nor the damnation of the synner He dyd not wepe for the ruyne and fall that he knew shuld ensue of the fayre houses of the towers and great edifices and buyldynges but he bewayled the losse the ruyne and damnation of the people He sayde O Ierusalem yf thou dyddest knowe the thynges that belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede As yf he had sayd yf thou knewest thy mysery the confusion desolation whych is to come to the and specially yf thou dyddest knowe it in these dayes whan I am descended from heuen for to make thy peace wyth god my father and get the remyssion of thy synnes yf thou I saye dyddest knowe it thou shuldest haue good cause for to wepe wyth me But now all thys is hydden from the thou fearest nothynge forbycause that thou carest for nothynge But the dayes shall come in the and thyne enemyes shall enuiron the wyth bulwarkes c. Now my frendes by desolation and confusion temporall of them of Ierusalem whych wold not beleue nor receyue Iesu Christ is fygured the spirituall confusion whych shal come vnto them which yet wyll not receyue hym nor folowe hym and which make resystence agaynst hym hys gospel of whom the nomber is great For whome also Iesus Christe knowynge theyr distruction that was to come hath wept Those whych thynke to be saued by any other meanes then by hym and whych haue theyr fayth theyr hope in any other then in hym and by him surely they haue not yet receyued hym and euell shall come vnto them For God alone is the obiecte of the fayth hope and charitie of christen men Then foloweth that after he was arryued there he entred into the temple and droue out of it the byers and sellers God yf hys pleasure were I hertely beseche hym to vysite agayne hys holy temple I meane the churche of christen men and women and the house of prayer where as he alonly ought to be serued and worshipped by hys subiectes in spirite Ioh. iiij and veritie And that it wolde please hym to caste out those whych shal be founde byers and sellers by simonye and couetousnes and that woll resyst hys moost holy and sacred worde and that wyll let that the seruice of god in spirite and veritie be not accomplyshed accordynge as he wolde by hys ryghte holy worde ordenaunce to be serued and honoured Vnto him be al glorye and honoure in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xi. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle to the Corin. the .xv. chapter Th argument ☞ The resurrection of the deade BRethren as perteynynge to the gospel whych I preached vnto you whyche ye haue also accepted and in the whyche ye continue by the which also ye are saued I do you to wytte after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne For fyrst of all I delyuered vnto you that whyche I receyued howe that Christe dyed for our synnes agreynge to the scriptures And that he was buryed and that he arose agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures and that he was sene of Cephas than of the twelue After that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren atonce of whyche many remayne vnto thys daye and many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to all the apostles And last of all he was sene of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the lest of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of god I am that I am And hys grace whych is in me was not in vayne THe thynge good people wherfore saynt Paule beynge in this worlde toke moost thought for and the whych he had moost at hys harte nexte Iesu Christ was for to knowe how euery churche dyd gouerne and entertayne themselues in the Gospell of Iesu Christ to thintēt that yf perdauenture any went out of the waye of trouth he shulde be forth wyth redressed as specially he doth shewe in the epistle of thys daye He admonysheth and reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās principally two thynges on the whych all the fayth and all the assuraūce and hope of christen men is founded The fyrst is that Iesus Christ is deade for our synnes It is a worde whych ought well to be imprinted in the hartes of christen people or els one ought not nor is not worthy to be called christened Iesus Christ is dead for our synnes sayth saynt Paul Then we be nomore in dette for our synnes syth that Iesus Christ hath satisfyed and payde for vs. Nor also we ought nomore to serue vnto synne seynge that by hys death he hath wylled to cause synne to dye in vs yf so be we beleue stedfastlye in hym The seconde thynge whych he reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās and to vs is that Iesus Christ hath ben buried and is rysen to lyfe agayne Thys is it where on the hope of the christen people ought to be founded For yf the heade be rysen agayne to lyfe in triumphe glorye in lyke case shall the mēbers ryse agayne They shal ryse agayne vnto grace and vnto spiritual lyfe in thys worlde and vnto glorye and lyfe eternall in the other Apo. xx As saynt Ihon sayeth in hys Apocalyps Happye shall they be holy is he whych hath parte in the fyrst resurrectiō the secōde death hath no power ouer them Some false preachers wolde haue tourned the Corinthians from the sayd fayth for thys cause doth saynt Paule warne them so busely sayenge My brethren I do you to vnderstande and I do reduce to your memory the good newes which I haue preached vnto you I meane the gospell which ye haue receyued by fayth to the whych ye haue stayed your selues and by the which ye shal be saued yf you folow it I let you to wyt for what reason in what fashion I haue preached it vnto you yf ye haue remembraunce therof yea yf ye haue not beleued in vayne Fyrst that whyche I haue receyued of God whyche hath bene to me reuelate What Christe is deade for our synnes accordynge as it is wrytten as it hath ben sayd before and wryttē by the prophetes Then he sayeth he hath bene buryed and is rysen agayne to lyfe And for to confirme the same the more he sayeth more ouer that Iesus Christ after hys resurrection hath bene sene by Peter and after by the xij apostles and sythin hath bene sene by .v. hūdreth brethren beynge together As yf he had sayd You ought to be well assured of thys for asmuch as these mysteries haue not ben shewed vnto me alone but the holy wrytynges doth wytnesse the same And also they vnto whome he hath appeared after hys resurrection whych be of great nomber Certes who soeuer leseth the hope of resurrection the same also
leseth all spirituall consolation and comforte Then after he commeth to speake in a great humilitie of the grace whych Iesus Christ hath gyuen him And after all he sayeth he hath bene sene by me he hath appeared vnto me whyche am as an abortiue creature For I am the least of the Apostles whyche am not worthy to be called an Apostle for I haue persecuted the church of God but I am that I am apostle amonge the Gentyls in fayth and in trouth I am that that I am not by my workes not by my merytes but by the grace of God And hys grace sayeth he hath not ben ydle in me As yf he wolde saye I haue not hyd the talent of gold whyche my mayster lorde Iesu Christ toke me to bestowe but I haue made it to gayne more then any other I haue laboured more abundauntly then they all But not I yet but the grace of God whych is in me Saint Paule in speakynge of hys owne person and of hys grace whyche he receyued of God speaketh vnto vs teachyng vs by hys exemple that we ought to presume nothynge of our selues but to yelde all vnto God vnderstande that all cometh from hym The ecclesiastes sayeth speakynge of the See The waters returne vnto the place from whence they come forth to th ende that they may runne agayne In lyke maner we must sende agayne and knowlege God to be all grace to th ende that he maye alwayes augment it vnto vs vnto the tyme that we maye come wyth hym into hys glorye for to prayse hym exalte hym perpetually to glorifye hym Amen The Gospell on the .xi. sonday after Trinitie The .xviij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The parable of the Pharise and Publicane IEsus put forth thys parable vnto certayn which trusted in themselues that they were perfite and despised other Two men wente vp into the temple to praye the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The pharise stode and prayed thus wyth hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorsioners vniust aduoutrers or as thys publicane I fast twyse in the weke I gyue tyth of all that I possesse And the publicane standynge afarre of wolde not lyfte vp his eyes to heuen but smote vpon hys brest sayenge God be mercyfull to me a synner I tell you thys man departed home to hys house iustifyed more thā the other For euery one that exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted MY frendes and brethrē in our Sauiour Christ Iesu I do you well to vnderstande that there was somtyme amonges the Iues and is yet at thys daye amonges christen folke a certayne pharisaicall kynde of iuste or ryghtuous persons whyche haue theyr cōfidence and trust in theyr owne workes and whych presumptuouslye seke to themselues laude prayse of iustice therby Psalm xiiij where as afore God as wytnesseth the prophete there is no ryghtuous persone Neyther dyd they only stāde foolyshly in theyr owne conceytes and pleased well themselues but also in comparison of themselues they dispraysed and also despysed others as synfulle and worldlye persones where as in very dede the humblenes and modestie of suche as be synners and the condēnation of themselues wyth request of mercy is muche more regarded and is more acceptable to God than is the proude and arrogant workynge of such pharisaical persōs Wherfore against such pharisaical rightuous folke and for the cōforte of such sinners as displease themselues and be hartely sory for theyr mysordred lyfe our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ dyd propoune thys parable or similitude vnto the Iues by them to all the worlde It befell so sayeth Christ that two certayne persons wente vp to the temple or churche for to praye the one was a Pharise that is to saye one that diuideth hymselfe as better from the multitude cōmon sorte of men Origine accordynge to Origenes interpretacion the other was a publicane that is to saye a customer a gatherer of toll or tribute or such other common officer deputed for such purposes The pharise standynge nye to the hygh aultare as one that thought hymselfe worthy to talke presently wyth God thus began to praye wyth himselfe God I thanke the that I am not lyke to the rest of folke whych lyue by rauyne pyllage and extorcion which do increase theyr substaunce by fraude and crafte which defyle other mens beddes wyth aduoutrye or finally whych bearynge any sklaunderouse rowme or office do pyll and poll the people of God or holy church as is thys publicane thys tribute gatherer thys collectour I am not riottouse and sumptuous in my fare and apparell as is the common sorte of people I fast twyse a weke and in somuch defraude I noman that also I distribute the tenth parte of my goodes vpon the poore people Thys was the prayer of the swellynge and proude pharise whyche albeit he reapported of hymselfe the trouth and thāked God yet he displeased the eyes of God euen bycause he pleased hymselfe flatterynge hymselfe and beynge cōtumeliouse agaynst hys neyghboure On the contrarye the publicane altogether displeasyng hymselfe for the knowlege of hys synnes stode a great waye of from the aultare beynge so ashamed of hymselfe and penitent that he durst not ones lyft vp hys eyen to heauen but strake hys brest sayeng Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori That is to say God be thou mercyfull vnto me a synner The pharise thought it ynough to gyue God thankes supposynge that he lacked nothynge that shulde be requisyte vnto perfyte holynes and therfore he confessed no offenses wheras in very dede euen in hys selfe prayers he synned moost greuouslye in that he boasted of hymselfe and despysed the penitent persone beynge an arrogant prayser of hymselfe and a rashe accuser of hys neyghbour Contrarye the publicane made no rehersall at all of hys good dedes Only acknowlegynge and confessynge hys naughtynes he knocketh hys brest condemnyng hymselfe and humbly beggynge grace and pardon of hys offenses My frendes woll ye knowe the conclusion and ende of thys sondrye and dyuerse prayer That same publicane whych came a synner into the church by Christes owne sentence and determination went home in the syght of God more iust and ryghtuouse than that pharise whyche thought hymselfe moost ryghtuouse For assuredly whosoeuer auaunceth hymselfe wyth hymself shal be deiected cast downe in the eyen of God And whosoeuer deiecteth and casteth hymselfe downe wyth hymselfe shal be hygh in the eyen of god By thys parable then good people let vs lerne to humble and lowly our selues Let vs lerne whan we be out of gods fauoure for the haynousnes of our sinnes by due penaunce to reconcile our selues agayne and to purchase remission of the same Austine I call penaūce accordynge to saynt Austines definicion a dayly payne and greue of the good and lowly christians wherin we knocke our brestes sayenge
and Lord by charitie was made minister seruaunt vnto all God gyue vs then grace good people to accōplyshe in al thynges his wyl To whom be gyuen al prayse glory and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ The kyngdome of heuen is resembled to the wedding of a kinges sonne c. IEsus saide vnto his disciples The kyngdome of heuen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng which made a mariage for his sōne and sent forth his seruauntes to cal them that were byd to the weddyng and they wolde not come Agayne he sente forthe other seruauntes sayeng Tell them which are bydden beholde I haue prepared my dyner myne oxē and my fatlynges are kylled althynges are ready come vnto the mariage But they made lyght of it and went theyr wayes one to his ferme place another to his marchandise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreted them shamefully and slew them But when the king hard therof he was wroth and sent forth his mē of warre and destroied those murtherers and brēt vp their citie Then sayd he to his seruauntes the mariage in dede is prepared But they which were bydden were not worthy Go ye therfore out into the hye wayes and as many as ye find byd them to the mariage And the seruauntes went out into the hye waies and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad and the weddyng was furnyshed with gestes Then the kynge came in to se the gestes and whan he spied there a man which had not on a wedding garmente he sayde vnto him frend howe cameste thou in hyther not hauynge a wedding garmente And he was euen spechlesse Then sayd the kynge to the ministers take bind him hād fote cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be wepynge and gnashing of teth For many be called but fewe are chosen THe mooste soueraygne goodnesse of god good christen people hathe bene so greate and large towardes vs sely poore synners that when we all worshiped ydoles seruing the deuell of hell and for our rewarde and stipende descendinge with him vnto eternall deathe and perdition it yet hathe pleased him of his clemencye for to haue pitie and mercy on vs. And thervpon he vouchesaued to sende none other but euen his own sonne into this worlde for to take our fleshe vpon him and to be made man for to be the spouse as saynte Gregorie saythe of our nature then beyng so vyle and vnhappye S. Gregorye This hathe bene for to take vpon him all our synnes and myseryes and for to gyue and distribute vnto vs all hys graces and richesses And this as holy doctours expounde is the weddinges wherof oure gospel speaketh whyche be truly weddinges of the whyche the bodely and worldly weddinges is but a figure ☞ For as we saye who weddethe the woman weddethe the debtes and is boūde for to paye them in like maner our most mercyfull Sauiour Iesu Christe in weddinge oure soules is becommyn debtour and payer of al our synnes and debtes And also al the goodes of the husbonde be commyn vnto the wyfe therfore he hathe made vs possessours heritours with hym of all hys goodes and his realme in whyche shal be truly solemnised the weddinges ther shal be made the greate euerlastinge banket whych he shall make vnto al them that shal haue bene in thys world perseuerantly conioyned and vnied vnto hym by faith Vnto the whych weddinges the Iues were called inuited whyche haue dispised them and wolde not comme thyther but haue vilanously slayne the prophetes and also Iesu Christe himselfe and some of hys apostles and dysciples that did call them vnto the euerlastinge feaste And therfore god hath sente hys men of warre that is to saye as sainct Hierom and other expositours do expounde thys place the romaines Vaspasian and Titus the whyche haue put the Iewes to death that were such murderers homicides and haue put their citie in ruyne and destruction And when the Iewes shewed them selues thus vnworthy of the grace of god whych was thus frely offred and presented vnto them the apostles disciples by the commaundemente of god wente to preache vnto the Gentilles whych as then were idolaters and out of the wayes of god and did assemble a church the whych is called catholike a church of fayth and of christendome And by the visitation that thys kynge maketh for to se them that be sette is figurid vnto vs the examinatiō whych God shall make of all them that be in his churche which shall do rigorous iustice vpon al them that shall be foūd wythoute the weddynge garmente that is to wytte wythout fayth workinge by charitie or as S Gregorie expouneth wythout charitie What the doctours call the weddīg garmēte Gregorye Hierom Chrysostome He therfore sayeth this holy doctour entreth to the mariages or weddynges wythout the weddynge garmente which in the church hath faith but hath not charitie Or after the mynde of saynt Hierome the weddyng garment be our Lordes commaundementes and the workes whych a man is bound to do by the lawe and gospel and whych make the garment of a newe man which garmente at the daye of iudgemente he that shal be founde vnder a christen mans name not to haue is forthwyth taken awey And the kynge sayeth vnto him Frend how comest thou hither or what makeste thou here not hauing the weddyng wede He calleth him frend forasmoch as he was bydde to the mariages as he had bene a frende by fayth But he reproueth hym of foly bycause wyth his fylthy garmente he hath defiled the clēnes of the mariage For those that oure Lorde God almyghty the father of heuen doth call vnto this most noble and blessed wedding he woll haue them come not wyth fete sayeth Chrisostome but wyth fayth maners This weddynge garmēt then they the lacke I meane they that haue not the liuely faith which by charitie worketh the wyl plesure and cōmaūdemētes of oure Lord albeit in outward apparaunce they haue done many goodly workes also myracles yet for all that they shal be gyuen vnto the mynisters and hangmen of hell for to be sent vnto the tormentes eternall hauinge their fete and handes bounde that is to saye that they shall neuer desire nor do any thynge that shal be pleasaūt vnto God And for the ende and conclusion of our gospel bycause as saynt Hierom sayth not the begynnyng but the ende is to be sought S. Hierō therfore oure sauyoure Iesu Christ saith that many be called For assuredly all they that haue herde the apostles and disciples whose wordes haue bene herde ouer all the earthe be called but yet fewe be chosen and elected The whyche sentence oughte to be a wonderfull cause of humilite before god and specially a cause for vs to despise all the thynges that be in thys