of the worlde He shal be a kyng saieth the Prophet but yet with pouertie miserie without al princely reputation if the matter be consydered after the custom of the world of princes This Prophete also speaketh of an other power of this kyng For he calleth hym righteous and a sauiour and not riche fortunate or a glorious kyng before the worlde but righteous and a sauior whiche bryngeth with hym iustice and saluation and destroyeth synne and death the enemie of synne and death whiche shall delyuer all from synne and death that beleue in hym and take hym for theyr kyng and are not offēded with the borowed asse They that do this haue geuen vnto them remission of synne and remedye agaynst deathe to the attainement of euerlastyng lyfe And althoughe their body dye and be buried yet is it not to be called death but rather a slepe And this it is that Zacharie wyll teache vs of Christ when he geueth him these two names that is of a righteous and Sauior whiche may be the deathe of deathe and destroy the power of the deuyll and by this meanes deliuer vs that beleue in hym from sinne and death and transpose vs into the kingdom of angels wher is life and saluation He left for the kynges of the worlde their glorie richesse towers palaces Let them lyue in glorie neuer so muche buyld they neuer so gorgeously be theyr apparell neuer so costely yet haue they not this power whiche this poore kyng had For there is no emperor kyng or pope so mighty with all hys power that can delyuer vs from the least synne that is and that can heale a small disease with all the richesse that he hath And what shall I say than that they haue muche lesse any power agaynst euerlastyng deathe and hell But this poore kyng onely helpeth therin and that not only against one synne but against al sinne and not only agaynst my synnes but agaynst the synnes of the whole worlde He came not onely to take awaye diseases but also death and not onely death but also the deathe of all the world Tell this sayth the prophet to the daughter of Syon that she be not offended for his lowe behauiour but that she shut vp her eies and open her eares and let her not consyder howe poore this kyng is in syght but what the word doth teache of this kyng The pouertie is open forasmuche as he commeth on an asse without ridyng apparell But in that he forgeueth synne deliuereth from death geueth saluation and euerlastyng life to them that are sanctified that is not sene wherfore the word therof is only to be herd and to be beleued So saith Zacharie Tel the daughter of Sion that she may knowe and not be moued nor offended that he commeth so pore vnto his people and dyeth so shamefull a deathe For all these thynges be doone for thy sake that thou by thys Sauior mightest be saued against the deuyl death his purpose is to sanctifie thee and to delyuer the frō synne All endeuours are in vayne when we regarde not the sence of the eares but loke to haue it allowed by the eies For this kyng differeth very muche from other kyngs What so euer they do they do it in great magnificence and pompe But in Christe it is not so which fyrst in Baptisme gaue vs this strength wher by we ar deliuered from sinne from death Here the eies se nothing but cōmon water ▪ which is included in the word and pronunciation therof Here the eies see nothing then the breath of a man but this we must be ware that we folowe not the iudgement of the eyes The eies ar to be shut vp and the eares to be opened and the worde to be heard Whiche teacheth that our Lord Iesu Christ shed his bloode for the remission of synnes and euerlastyng lyfe These gyftes are founde for a suretie in the holye Baptisme in the Supper of the Lorde in the preachynge of the Gospell This is true But because of the simplicitie therof they ar not thought to haue so great efficacie by the lauer of water supper of the Lorde But beware thy eies bring the not to this straite It semeth an absurde thyng in the eies of the people that he that came on a vile asse and after was crucified shoulde be thought to haue power agaynst synne death and hell No mans sight was so clere as to see that But the prophet saith it Therfore in this matter there is no nede of eies but of Faithe and eares Wherfore sayth the Euangelist Tell the daughter of Syon And the Prophete sayth Reioyce Syon be glad daunce and leape for ioye O Ierusalem beholde thy kyng commeth What maner of kyng A righteous kyng and a sauior which shall sanctifie thee and saue thee For he wyl communicate his righteousnes and saluation with thee that thou myghtest be free from synne and he wyl dye for thee that thou by his death mayst be delyuered frome eternall death Wherfore let not the great pouertie that is in hym offend thee thy lyfe and saluation lyeth hydde in hym Geue thankes for the benefyte and vse it to thy comforte For all these thynges are doone for thy saluation Wherfore this is our kyng Iesus Christ this is his kingdome and office He handleth no taxes and tributes he careth for no towers nor for worldly magnificence But when we are now come to the marke of deathe so that we can lyue here no longer Then is it the office of this kyng that we by his passion and death may walke into Paradise and say on this maner I am sanctified through my kyng Iesus Christe whiche for that cause came after a vile forme and would be crucified that he myghte sanctifie me and that in me he might slea synne and death He that beleueth this on this wise as he heareth and is preached in the Gospell shal be sure of saluation For therfore was Baptisme ordeined of Christe that by it he might put his iustice on the and that his holynes and innocencie may become thyne by right For al we are miserable synners But in Baptisme Christ doth comfort vs and saith Geue me thy synnes and take thou my rightousnes and holynes Let thy death be taken from thee and my lyfe put on thee Wherfore this doctrine ought gladly to be receiued and the godlynes therof then also it ought to be declared in our lyfe that God myght not seme to haue geuen this lyght in vayne vnto the earthe But it chanceth contrarywise and the world is made oftentimes the worse for this doctrine And here is the very diuel reigning with al his kingdom in the vnkynd worldly man for all this greate grace of God The matter is playne that there is nowe more auarice couetousnes crueltie impudent lechery aduoutrie and wickednes then was before vnder the popedome What is the cause Uerily no other thing then
vtterly put away the inward curse cōdemnatiō of the law so that for euer after it cā no more bynd vs nor hurte so many as beleue in Christ. For although outwardly wee are cursed euill spoken of despised and condemned as it chaunced vnto Christe and muste nedes so likewise cōme to passe with vs for we must be made cōformable and like vnto Christ in bearing the crosse yet inwardly we are free and blessed and the curse of the lawe can not preuaile againste vs neither can the lawe it selfe any more accuse vs and condemne vs. For if God thorowe Christ be with vs who can be againste vs So lykewise reade we in sainct Paules epistle to the Galathians when the fulnes of tyme was comme God sent his sonne made of a woman made subiect to the lawe that he might deliuer them that were bounde to the lawe Christe for our sake fel into the lawe that is to saye into the payne of the lawe that we might be deliuered from the same and obtaine that portion of enheritaunce whiche is due to the sonnes of God Wherof the prophete Esaye also sayeth ye are frely bought ye shall frely bedeliuered S. Peter also sayth we are deliuered by the precious blood of Christ that innocent lambe of God The second fruit profit of the passion of Christ is that by it we are made free from sinne and it is in a maner all one with the first For when we be free frō the lawe then are we also free from sinne not that we synne not or can not offend but that synne is no more imputed vnto vs nor brought in againste vs by the law Therfore saith blessed S Iohn in his epistle The blood of Christ maketh vs cleane from all synne And Paule in his epistle to the Hebrues sayth that the blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from deade workes to serue the lyuing God Again to the Corinthians he sayeth God made hym that knewe no sin synne for our sake that in him we might be made that righteousnes whiche is alowed before God Christe for our sake was made sinne that is to say a sacrifice and oblation for synne by this meanes hath he recōciled vs vnto god and made vs before god of vnrighteous righteous of sinneful wicked perfect good Now forasmuch as we be free from the curse of the lawe and from sinne it foloweth that we also are free and safe from death deuil and hel whiche is the thirde fruite and profit of Christes passion For seing death is the stipend and rewarde of synne as the Apostle sayeth and synne is abrogated and taken awaye from vs by the passion and death of Christe it foloweth that death is also taken awaye so that it hath no power againste vs. Therfore doth Christe threaten death by the Prophete and sayeth O death I will be thy death For seinge that Christe was the true lyfe he could not be ouercome of death but he being the noble cōquerour valiant victoure of death toke awaye the stynge from death and flewe hell as Christe him selfe saith by the aforesaid Prophet I wil deliuer them from hel from death wil I make them safe So was Satan also cast out as Christe sayth in the gospel of Iohn so that he can not execute against vs the paine of hell death And al this is comme to passe because Christ hath fulfilled the law for vs and purged our sinnes by the sprinklyng of his blood The fourth fruite profite of the passiō of Christ is that we are not only deliuered from the law sin death hel deuil but we are also thorow the merites of christs passiō receaued into the grace and fauour of god For he hath satisfyed the father for vs and hath reconciled vs vnto him as Paule testifieth sayinge when we were yet enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne Again God hath reconciled vs vnto hym by Iesus Christ. ones again God the father hath deliuered vs from the power of darcknes and hath translated vs into the kyngdome of his welbeloued sonne Yea we are not only by the death of Christe reconciled and set at one with God the Father but also wyth all the Angels and heauenly spirites For when the father thorowe his sonne fauoreth vs and is mercifull vnto vs then do al creatures the same thorowe him and be at concorde and perfecte agrement with vs as S. Paule saith It pleased the father that all fulnes shoulde dwell in hym and by him to reconcile all thynges vnto hymselfe pacifying by the blood of his crosse things both in heauen and in earth And ye which some time were farre of and enemies in your minde thorow euil workes hath he nowe reconciled in the body of his fleshe by death that he shoulde make you holy blameles and without fault in his sight And in many other places it is declared how we are reconciled set at one with the father and made heires of the kingdome of heauen thorowe Christe The fyfte fruit and profite of the passion of Christe is the newe testament whiche he promiseth vnto vs and bequethe vnto vs remission of synnes sealed and confirmed with the death and blood of Christe as it is written He is the mediatour of the new Testament that thorow death whiche chaunced for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the firste Testament they whiche were called mighte receaue the promesse of eternall inheritaunce For whersoeuer a testament is there muste also be the death of him that maketh the testament For the testament taketh authoritie when men are dead for it is of no value as long as he that made it is a liue Of these wordes it euidently appeareth that the newe testament wherin we haue remission of sinnes is sealed and ratifyed by the death of Christ. Therfore doth Christ cal the cuppe the cuppe of the newe Testament in his bloud which is shedde for remission of sinnes Last of all Christ with his death and passion hath goten vnto vs this fruite and profit that our crosse suffrance pleaseth GOD that after this it should no more be a cursyng or payne but an holy blessynge and mortifying of our olde Adam and wicked fleshe And by this meanes our tribulation persecution and death is an holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto god And all this comme to passe thorow the merite of Christ and his death as Paule sayth to the Romains Those whiche he knewe before he also ordeined before that they shoulde be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the firste begotten sonne among many brethren As the sacrifice of Christ and his death was a pure and acceptable sacrifice to god so likewise the death of al the Christians shal be an holy sacrifice to god not
workes that they myght be deliuered from their synnes and haue quiete consciences But at the last they were compelled to graunt that neyther garment nor monasticall order nor prayers nor fastynges nor Masses nor Pylgrimages nor anye other kynde of paynefull dedes coulde appease and quyete the griefes and tourmentes of theyr conscience Why so Because that synnes can neyther be retayned nor remytted by any other waye then by the worde as we haue tofore hearde Therfore who soeuer embraceth not this word wherin alone is Remission of synnes he muste nedes be vnder that worde wherein synnes are retained For there is none other waye or meane to forgeue synne but the worde Therfore whatsoeuer a man dothe yet shall his synnes be retained excepte he commeth to the worde For the Lorde our GOD hath sette the forgeuenes of synnes in no worke that we do but in thys one onely worke that Christ hath suffred and rysen agayn from deathe And this worke by the woorde hath he putte in the mouthe of hys Apostles and preachers yea in the mouthe of all christen men if nede require that by it they may distribute and declare remission of synnes to so many as desire it If thou wilt fetche forgeuenes of thy sinnes from thens thou shalt not be deceaued of thy purpose For the cōmandement of Christ is at hand that synnes shold be forgeuen If thou wylt not fetch forgeuenes of thy synnes from thens I meane from the word of God thy synnes shall styll be retayned and holden doo what thou wylte For as it hath bene many tymes sayde Wythout the worde there is no Remission of synnes CHRIST hath put thys woorde in the mouthe of his Apostles and mynisters yea in tyme of nede in the mouth also of al the Christians to declare the same vnto the comfort of all troubled consciences He that will not fetche it there and beleue the worde he shall dye in hys synnes doo what he wyll For this commaundement is strong and sure that the Lord taketh away from the whole worlde and from all works the forgeuenes of synnes and repose it onely in his word there hangeth all the matter But this is not onely to be vnderstanded of absolution or of the preachyng of the worde but as it was sayde in the begynnynge Christe comprehendeth the whole ministerie in this commandement that remission of synnes should be declared and distributed to the faythfull bothe in the worde and in the sacramentes For to this ende is the Gospell preached that menne may knowe theyr synnes afterward thorow faithe bee iustified and so for euer after leade a godlye and vertuous lyfe We also to this ende are baptised that oure synnes should be forgeuen vs thorough the death of Christe Agayne the sayde Christe hath ordeyned his holy Supper vnto this ende that we shoulde beleue that his body was betrayde for vs and that his bloud was shedde for vs and that wee shoulde not doubt of the remyssion of our synnes And that faith myght be constant sure and throughely perswaded that oure synnes are forgeuen vs thee and me and the whole worlde if the whole worlde would repent beleue and amend Christ hath ordeyned not that one for an other shold be baptised and receaue the Lordes supper but that euery one should be baptised receiue the lordes Supper for him self and require priuate absolution if he can not be sufficientely confirmed and comforted by the publike preachyng so that no man ought any thyng at all to doubt but that as hee heareth Remission of hys synnes in the name of Iesus so lykewise hee dooth receaue it and is vtterly made free frome his synnes before GOD in heauen Therefore the woorde and the Sacramentes are not to be separated for Christe hathe ioyned the worde and the Sacramentes together so that wythout the woorde the Sacramentes can brynge no consolation or confort at all yea withoute the woorde we coulde not knowe what the Sacramentes were nor vnto what ende they serue Therfore it is not only a great blyndnes and erroure but also a moste greuous myserie that the Papistes prate muche of the forgyuenes of synnes and yet vtterly forgette the worde wherin all the whole matter consysteth and telle the people a tale of a tubbe that they muste gette them Remssions of theyr synnes by theyr owne workes by theyr owne inuentions But seyng that oure Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesu hath placed forgeuenes of synnes in the worde And as it hath often ben sayde hath commytted the same to his Apostles and to the Ministers of the woorde yea and to all Christians in tyme of necessitie to bee pronounced and declared so foloweth it that we must beleue the forgiuenes of sinnes that this forgeuenesse of synnes commeth vnto vs onely by Faith geuen to the worde and promise of Christe as this is the foundation of oure doctrine that we are freely iustified and saued by faithe alone in Christe For this can no man denye that the word of Christe whyche he put in the mouthe of his Disciples can not be comprehended nor gryped with handes nor yet with the woorkes of fastynges prayers almosse dedes pylgrimages or what soeuer kynde of work it be besides It is Faith alone that laieth hand on this worde and receaueth it and the heart only is the very true cheast wherin the word can be included or shutte in so that by this it is most playne and euident that we are iustifyed by Fayth alone seyng that Remyssion of synnes is onely comprehended in the woorde and the worde can not otherwyse bee apprehended and layd hand on than by Faithe alone But this knoweth not the Pope with all his sectaries neither doo they vnderstand this doctrine of Christe yea they are so blockyshe and doltyshe so mad and so farre estranged from the knowledge of Christen doctrine that they neither can nor will vnderstande it and so blynde that they wyll by no meanes se it yea so stubborne and so styffe necked that in no wyse they wyll receaue and beleue it Therfore bothe Faithe and the worde were neglected and nothyng regarded in the Popes churche The people were taught commanded to trust in the merites of their own righteousnes and woorkes But GOD confounde Sathan Antichriste Pope and all Sectaries which wyth their wycked doctryne of woorkes laboure to obscure yea and vtterly to extinguyshe the glorye of GOD the merites of Christes deathe and Resurrection the Iustification of faythe c. It shall therefore at all tymes bee mooste necessarye and conueniente that wee conferre the Popes doctrine wyth ours whyche is the trewe and sounde doctrine and that we neuer forgette the abhomynations whyche hee hathe broughte into the Churche of Chryste and wyth fyre faggotte sweard halter drownynge and all other kynde of force and tyrannye goeth foorthe to defende the same that we bee not ledde agayne oute of the trewe waye nor seeke remyssion of our
the worlde with all his tyranny shall shortly vanishe awaye and for euer after be plagued in hel fyre But contrariwise thy affliction shall not endure long but euerlasting ioye shall come in place thereof where a momēt of an houre is better then a thousand yeres in this lyfe although the worldly ioye were not entermedled with any greife or sorowe This consolation confirmation doth so replenish Iohns hearte with ioye that he doth not only not feare death but he also geueth God thankes that by this meanes he is deliuered from this body of synne and translated and remoued vnto euerlasting lyfe But from whence hath the holy ghoste this cōfort from the father saith Christ here For the holy Ghoste procedeth from the father And this is a noble and notable sentence to confirme our article of the Trinitie For if the holy ghoste procedeth from the father then must it nedes folowe that he is euerlastinge For nothinge can procede from the father but that is of his owne nature essence and substance Therfore as god the Sonne is euerlasting because he was begotten of the euerlastinge father for god can beget nothynge but that is like to hymselfe so is this also a necessarie consequence that the holy ghost whiche procedeth frō god is euerlasting But this article we will leaue at this presēt whē time requireth we will speake more largely of it But where with doth the holy ghost cōforte Of me saith Christe shall he beare witnesse As though he shoulde saye In this worlde loke for nothinge els but for persecution emprisonment losse of goods and at the last death This is the rewarde of the true Christians in this lyfe But be not dismayde The holy ghost shall come vnto thee conforte thee He shall testifie of me He shall put thee in remēbrance of me He shall so encourage thee enflame thee with the loue of me that thou shalt feare the tyranny of the worlde nothinge at all He shal not encrease the with vaine richesse as the worlde doth but he shall beare witnes of me so that although thou shouldest loose al that euer thou hast thy wife thy children thy lande thy possessions thy houshold stuffe c. Yea thy head life This yet should be thy confort that Christ Iesus remaineth vnto thee safe sounde vntouched which for thy sake for thy health saluation for thy cōmoditie and profit came down from heauē was made man died rose again ascended into heauen according to the articles of the Christen faith If this be true as nothing is more true why thē sholdest thou feare Thus speketh the holy ghost dayly in the heartes of the afflicted Christiās vnto their great encouragemēt cōfort And verely he that died for our sake can not hate vs nor beare any euill will against vs. If he then loueth vs what shold we feare as though he loued vs not Yea what shold we not be cōtent to suffer to lose so that we may obtaine Christ his richesse as the Apostle saith I thīcke al things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesu my Lord. For whome I haue coūted all thing losse and do iudge them but vile that I may wynne Christ and be foounde in him c. And this is that which Christ here saith He shal beare witnesse of me for in this testimonie or witnes consisteth the whole confort Therfore these wordes Of me are worthie to be writen in letters of gold diligently to be obserued For these wordes are able to assure vs that the holy ghost bringeth no new doctrine neyther setteth he forth vnto vs Moises or any other thing to cōforte the conscience but Christ alone his worde For nothing can cōforte the conscience but the testimonie witnesse bearing of Christ of his death resurrection All other thinges trouble fraye the conscience by whatsoeuer name they be called lawe good workes Pilgrimages worshippinge of saints c. For god him selfe when we deale with him withoute Christ is terrible neither can we finde any fauour or conforte at his hande but anger wrath displeasure as Christ sayth I am the waye the truth and the lyfe No man cometh vnto the father but by me Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Ambrose Christ alone is our mouth whereby we speake to the father oure eye whereby we see the father our right hande whereby we offer to the father whiche Christ excepte he make intercession for vs neither we nor all the saintes haue any thing to do with god The doctrine that setteth forth Christ that bringeth true consolation maketh the heartes of men mery All other bring to the afflicted conscience not conforte but disconforte not lyfe but death not saluation but damnation Therfore all the matter cōsisteth in this one point that thou truly rightly and certeinly know this consolatiō confort so mayste thou be bolde to saye I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche died for me And I know that the holy ghost whiche is and is called a conforter wil bring none other testimonie confort then this alone that he shal testifie and beare witnesse of Christ which alone and non other will I admitte and receaue For if there were any conforte better or surer then this the holy ghost wolde also haue brought it but he doth nothing elles then testifie of Christ. But why doth Christ vse the worde of testifyinge or bearing of witnes This is don to this ende that we should the more diligently attende and marke the worde For this is certein and true that the worke of the holy ghost is inwardly in the hearte But yet will not he administer this worke otherwise then by the outwarde worde as Paule also saith that fayth cōmeth by the hearyng of the worde Therfore Christe calleth the holy ghost a witnesse nowe doth he beare wytnes by the mouth and word of the Apostles and Preachers whiche sincerelye and purely set forth the gospell of Christ. Therfore he that desireth conforte may not tarye tyl the holy ghost come personally and preache Christ vnto him or speake vnto him frō heauē He geueth forth his witnes openly in the worde ther is he to be sought and loked for tyll by the worde which thou outwardly hearest he touche thy hearte so inwardly thorowe his workyng thou felest his testimonie of Christ. But this inward witnesse cometh not except the outwarde witnesse of the worde goeth before wherin it is declared that Christ for oure sake became man was crucified died and rose again So that the summe of this gospel is that if we entende to be Christians we maye not in this lyfe loke for richesse dignities renowne glorie c. But rather thincke most certeinly that for this our profession we shall haue the world an enemy to persecute vs besydes the vexatiōs of synne deuill and death Therfore when these tormentes
Secondarilye this is to be noted that as the scripture geueth a peculiar name vnto CHRIST and calleth hym the worde of GOD So doth it also geue a proper name to the sprite callynge it Spiritus Sanctus that is the holye Ghoste whiche by his grace doth sanctifye the heartes whiche were before vnholy and defiled with synne This name bringeth greate conforte to all good Christian men For they perceaue that they are weaker then the deuill and vnable at all times to resyste hys temptations And as they are verye sorowfull that they fele the euyll spirite sore sette agaynste them so are they put in good hope that by CHRIST they obtayne the holye Ghoste whiche pardoneth theyr synnes and styrreth them to obeye God truly But howe the holye Ghoste dooth bringe thys to passe it is shewed in Iohns Gospell The holye Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of synne of iustice and of iudgement For so are the properties of the Trinitie discerned in the articles of our faith that GOD the father gaue vs bodye and lyfe and made vs to his Kyngedome And after that oure parentes became the firste synners and vnder deaths danger and we also as by enheritance succeded vnto their synne and forfet The sonne of god was made man and thorough his death restored to vs that that was loste deliuered vs from sinne and death This deliuerance doth the holy ghost set forth by the Gospell and so instructe the heartes of men to beleue therin that is to haue sure confort therin that CHRIST died for them and that they maye not doubt but that they are reconciled to God the father by that death so that he wili no more remember their synnes but will forgeue them for Christes sake This doth signifie the sanctifiynge of the heartes or the purifying by fayth as Peter speaketh in the Actes of the Apostles And wher as is suche remission of synnes by faith so that we do not despaire althoughe diuers sinnes remaine but take sure conforte thorowe the death and resurrection of CHRIST There foloweth at the lenght the second sanctifyinge of the holye Ghoste wherein oure bodyes also are sanctified by the holye Ghoste as when we geue ouer oure selues no more to sin nor be delighted therwith but abstayne and studie to do those thynges that please God as Paule teacheth He that stole set hym steale no more but rather let hym labor with his owne handes that that is good that he maye haue to geue to the nedefull c. This is the propertie of the holy Ghoste to begin in vs a newe and true obedience towarde GOD that we maye resiste synne and mortifye the fleshe and so obtaine remission of oure sinnes by faith But this sanctifying is not parfect by and by with the first For if the fyrst were not the second coulde not muche preuayle For fleshe and bloud are full of infirmitie but the deuill is excedynge mighty against vs and we haue receaued onely the firste fruites of the spirite Wherefore this obedience can not be parfect and there is no sanctifyinge to attayne vnto ryghteousnes before GOD and euerlastynge lyfe than the sanctifyinge of fayth wherof is spoken before For thereof dependeth the whole matter wheras the second sanctifyinge when it hath done all that it can confesseth his owne vnprofitablenes and stycketh onelye to the sanctifyinge whiche commeth of Gods grace and mercie Hereof then is it plaine why the holye Ghoste is so called because it doth make holy and sanctifye that is by the word it stirreth vp in vs fayth towarde CHRIST that thereby we maye obtayne remission of oure synnes Besyde this office of sanctifyinge the holy Ghoste hath other offices as he hath other names in scripture For Zacharie calleth hym the spirite of prayer because he encourageth the heartes to truste surelye in GOD and to call vpon hym in their necessities Also CHRIST calleth hym the conforter whiche helpeth oure heartes by stirringe vs to take paciently all thynges that they shoulde be feared by no misfortune or combrance of the worlde Also he calleth him the spirit of truth because to withstand lies and heresies and to confirme the pure word and true faith he is alwayes bent Wheras contrariwise the deuill by our reason and false doctrine woulde caste vs hedlong into errours and lyes These are the proper offices of the holye Ghoste besyde that he garnisheth the heartes of the faythfull with diuers vertues and gyftes and is suche a conforter that bydeth with vs alwayes where as all the worldlye conforte is but for a tyme and at laste forsaketh vs. Seynge then that the holye Ghoste dooth worke suche greate thynges in vs. This also is to be learned Whiche is the waye to attaine to suche greate gyftes and howe they maye begynne to growe in vs and that we maye receaue the holye Ghoste and thereby be sanctifyed and saued As touchynge this thynge CHRIST hymselfe doth teache vs. Luke xj Wheras he sayth on this wise Seynge that you that are euyll can geue good thynges to youre sonnes howe muche more can youre heauenly father geue his holye spyrite vnto them that aske it of hym Yt is a sentence worthy to be rehearsed teachynge fyrste that GOD woulde that the holye Ghoste shoulde be obtayned by prayer of hym and that he geueth it to them that wyth humble prayers desire it of the father Wherefore when thou haste a desyre in thy mynde to obtayne the holy Ghoste of GOD continewe in prayinge and doubte not but thou shalte obtayne This is the redye waye to obtayne the holye Ghoste For CHRIST hym selfe dooth teache thee so to doo and to call vpon GOD the father often for the holye Ghoste but this prayer as all other prayers muste be made also in the name of IESV and on suche wyse muste we praye GOD that he for CHRIST his Sonne sake wyll geue vs the holye Ghoste And to the attainement thereof haue greate helpe in that that Christ ascended to the father for no other cause but to receaue these gyftes of the father and to geue them vnto vs. Wherfore in our prayers we can not doubt for it is not onely commanded of God that we shoulde praye for the holye ghoste and also promised that we shall obtayne but also his wil is redie to geue it For as muche as Christ therfore sitteth at the right hande of God the father to distribute amongest vs these gyftes For he also receaued them of the father as it is writent in the .lxviij. psal Not for hymselfe but for men to geue them vnto them Besides prayers there are other things also necessary to the obtayninge of the holye Ghoste For we muste haue a feruent studie to read or heare the worde of God and to vse often the Sacraments that all these thinges ioyned to gether may make opē the way for the holy ghost For this is once for all
Beware of false Prophetes As though he should say If ye bee deceaued hereafter the faulte shal be yours and not myne For I haue delyuered vnto you my woorde whole and pure See that it be your fortresse conforte and lyghte Onely prouide that ye lette not this lyght go from your eyes but holde fast the word WheÌ„ any other word is brought vnto you that agreeth not with thys my worde say I am deaffe This my lyght is of an other sort And verily God hath sufficiently prouided for vs agaynst the deuyll and Antichrist with all theyr complices in that he hathe geuen vs his worde And he is excused neyther can we putt any faulte in hym But we are not excused when we holde not faste the worde but folowe the woorde of the wolfe where as the very daunger of the damnation both of our body and soule oughte to admonishe vs that we shoulde not heare suche voyces For it is the voyce of suche an ennemye as onely seeketh oure destruction as he declared in Paradyse concernynge our fyrste parentes Adam and Eue when he threwe them headlonge with all theyr posteritie into synne deathe and wrathe of God out of the whyche myserye oure moste mercyfull God and heauenly Father hath delyuered vs by hys sonne that we myght be enfranchised from synne and deathe But nowe the second tyme our enemy layeth wayt agayn for vs yf he by any mean can pluck vs from this grace and throw vs agayn into our old myserie Therfore we must diligently watche and with all mayn hold fast the word of God For otherwyse can we by no meanes be free from daunger And thus muche haue we spoken concernyng this one sentence of the Gospell wherein Christ commandeth vs to beware of false Prophetes and straighly chargeth vs that we holde fast the woorde and by no meanes suffer our selues to be drawen from that but whatsoeuer is contrary to the word to flee from it as from the deuyll and the pestilence And that shall suffise For as it is tofore said He that foloweth this lyght and suffereth it not departe frome hys eyes he may be sure to be saued But Christ to shew how carefull he is for vs and for our saluation is not contente with this generall commaundement but he also prescribeth to his christians two rules which they ought to folow that they may the more easily eschue this perill The fyrst is that they bee not deceaued with the shepes clothyng and iudge accordyng vnto that For as wolues when they oppressed with hunger practise the barkynges of dogges if by that meanes they may deceaue either man or beaste so lykewise doo the false prophetes they beare a godly face outwardly and pretende as they were the true prophetes and preachers of God but no man ought to reste on that alone least he be deceaued This one rule is diligently to be consydered For it is a matter of great weyght The clothing or garmeÌ„t signifieth this that no false Prophete commeth which plainely and openly declareth his subâ—iltie fals doctrine but they hyghly commende and sette foorth theyr good wyll towarde the flocke of CHRIST and that of a very zeale towarde the kyngdome of GOD they are moued and enforced to preache Agayn that they can by no meanes suffer so greate an iniurie to be doone to the pore people in kepyng them so longe tyme in blyndenesse and in concealyng the truth of Gods word from them c. The wilie sleights of such words the simple people perceaueth not Therfore they thinke by and by that the matter is euen so as they say and pretende They thynke that these seductours and deceauers beare an heartie good affection toward them so that they commyt them selues to their tuition beynge ready to beleue as they will haue them and to receaue what so euer doctrine they teache And by this meanes are the myserable poore ignorant people moste miserably deceaued But a christen man must beware as it hathe tofore ben said For the dyuel sheweth not hymselfe in his owne likenes terrible blacke foule euil fauored c. but he pretendeth a certain godly maiestie and chaungeth him selfe into an angell of light Wolues likewise com not as wolues but they put about theÌ„ shepes clothyng that they whiche knowe them not wold thynk them in dede to be symple innocent harmeles shepe Moreouer shepes clothynge signifieth an office or vocation and glorious titles as we also haue proued by experience that the Pope and byshops herein haue done much harme and yet do in that they bragge and boast of their office and therfore would that their traditioÌ„s shold be of great authoritie For although their life be such that by it they can deceiue no man yet this hath a great shew and a goodly outwarde face that they haue the ministery of the church coÌ„mitted vnto them As Christ also reporteth of the scribes and Phariseys that they sit in the chaire of Moses And we caÌ„ not make them to leaue this bostyng We must nedes grant that they haue that ministery or office that it is of his owne nature true in theÌ„ if they wold vse it wel truly But forasmuch as the Pope the bishops crake of their office therfore require to be herd as such as can not erre a Christen maÌ„ must take good hede to himself and saye I knowledge the office It is a very shepes clothing But Christ commaundeth me not to be content with that when the shepes clothyng commeth foorthe but that I also searche boult out and see whether vnder that garment there lurketh and lyeth hyd a rauenyng wolfe or not In lyke maner this is also a shepes clothyng when false Prophetes shewe outwardly a great holinesse of lyfe As we haue the Anabaptists for an exaÌ„ple They vse no vayne wycked or worldly talke They swear not They vse all simplicitie both in theyr diete and apparell they speake muche of Gods worde they pray continually they suffer persecution paciently they renenge not what soeuer is doone to them they suffer no man to lacke that is of theyr profession but haue al thynges common among them as it was in the time of the Apostles c. These thynges of their owne nature are not euyll and it were to bee wyshed that all men were suche in these thyngs according to the christen profession But that their doctrine should be iudged trewe because of these thynges That is contrarye to Christes counsell For vnder a shepes clothyng a wolfe maye hyde hymselfe As when they after the maner of monkes put theyr truste in workes when they make God a lyer in that they be baptised twise and cast away theyr first and true baptisme as vnprofitable wicked and naught when they teach corruptly of the Lordes Supper as though there were in it nothyng els but bare bread and bare wyne Agayne that the receauynge thereof is an
is excluded from Baptisme the sacrament and the worde is bounde also in heauen By this power that we men in earthe doo lose and bynd sinnes god is not spoiled of his glorie neyther ar we made Gods therby as the prophane and wicked mynded men doo oftentymes say of this matter For we haue no more than the ministerie and office Wherfore God hath coupled vs together by this ministerie that alwaies one of vs shoulde conforte and confirme an other And that the other shoulde thynke hym selfe bounde to beleue as farre as the worde is purely preached vnto hym that is to say remission of synnes in the name of Christ. And this is the very bryngyng vnto God and remission of syns He that dieth in thys beliefe dieth to his saluation But hee that dyeth as he is taught in the Popedome with a confidence and trust of the intercession of Sainctes dyeth euyll and to his destruction For hee lackethe those defenders whiche God ordeyned agaynst the violence of death that is the trewe pastor the pure worde and absolution So great miserie the deuyll brought in by the Pope yea and nowe begynneth to bee the author of an other infection by the sectaries For they can not abyde the worde This offendeth his eyes Wherefore the Pope toke it clean away and in his place brought in the monkes rules masses pilgremages pardons and suche other This can the dyuel well away with For it hyndreth his kyngdom nothyng The Anabaptistes furder the matter which speake very contemptuously of the water of Baptisme The Swenckfeldians also mooste vilely and wickedly contemne the outward preachynge of the worde All haue loste the worde wherfore they are to be auoyded and this is to be learned that remission is no where els but there as the woorde is That woorde is in Baptisme in the Supper of the Lorde in absolution in publike preachyng Wherfore remission of synne is there also and let hym be accursed that sayeth otherwise But wher as the word is there is faith requisite And then the membres begyn to be fastned which the syck of the palsey could before moue by no means But loke wher the worde is not the palsey is neuer taken away and it is vnpossible that any true mouyng should ioyn the membres together This wold I the more earnestly dryue into you because the Pope and sectes are the authors of suche great disorder in the Congregation The Pope bryngeth neyther to the worde nor sacramentes The sectaries can not but speake contemptuously of the worde and sacrament and nothynge preuayleth with them but the holy Ghoste And we knowe thys that the holye ghoste wyll not doo hys worke without the woorde and sacramentes Wherfore we can not despise the woorde and sacramentes but we wyll obserue them for the chiefe thynges that we haue God graunte his grace that we maye preserue this pure doctrine and continue in it to the end and be saued Amen The .xx Sonday after Trinitie Sondaye ¶ The Gospell Math. xxii IEsus sayde to his Disciples The kyngdom of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a kynge which made a maryage for his sonne and sent forthe his seruauntes to call them that were bydden to the weddyng and they woulde not come Agayne he sent forth other seruauntes saying Tell them which are bydden behold I haue prepared my dinner mine Oxen and my fatlynges are kylled and all thynges are redy come vnto the mariage But they made light of it and went their wayes one to his farme place another to his marchaundise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreated them shamefully and slewe them But when the kyng heard thereof he was wrothe and sent forthe his men of warre and destroyed those murtherers and brente vp theyr Citie Then sayde he to his seruauntes The maryage in dede is prepared but they whiche were bydden were not worthy Go ye therefore out into the hye wayes and as manye as ye fynde bydde theym to the maryage And the seruauntes wente foorthe into the hyghe wayes and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde bothe good and badde and the weddynge was furnyshed with geastes Then the kynge came in to see the geastes and when he spyed there a man whiche had not on a weddyng garment he saide vnto him Frende howe camest thou in hyther not hauyng a weddynge garmente And he was euen spechelesse Then sayde the kynge to the ministers Take and bynde hym hande and foote and caste him into vtter darknesse there shal be weepyng and gnashynge of teeth For many be called but fewe are chosen THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospel ye heare that the kingdom of God is lyke vnto a mariage vnto the whiche many are bydden that not onely come not and regarde not but that also reuile and kyll the seruants that call them Here must we first learn what this word Kyngdom of heauen signifieth euen that it is no worldly kyngdom but a kyngdome in heauen where as God onely is kyng That doo we call the holye churche whiche is nowe For Christ dothe therfore vse the parable of the mariage because that he beyng the kynges sonne taketh the churche to be his spouse Wherfore the kyngdome of heauen is to be taken on suche wise that it is in earth and yet it is no politicall or earthly kyngdome but spirituall and eternall For the state of the Christians that are in this lyfe is suche that they are halfe in the kyngdome of God that is in soule and spirite and after theyr fayth Wherfore when thou heareste of the kyngdome of heauen thou must not loke to heauen but thou must seke after it in the earth amongest men and that in all the world where soeuer the Gospel is beleued and the true vse of the sacraments ministred So that proprely the kyngdom of heauen is nothyng els then the kyngdom of Christ the kyngdome of the Gospell and of faith For whersoeuer the Gospell is there is Christ. And wher Christ is there is the holy ghost and his kyngdome whiche is the true kyngdom of heauen For the which cause all that haue the word and sacramentes and beleue continue in Christ by faith they are heauenly princes and sonnes of God And onely this remayneth that God moue away the half wall which is put betwene that is that we die then shall all thynges be heauen and saluation This therfore must be lerned first that the kingdome of heauen is the kyngdome of Christe where as the worde Faith is For in this kyngdome we haue lyfe in hope and are cleane from synnes free from death hell Sauyng that the body of synne is lefte whiche is not yet abolyshed and yet shal be abolished when al thinges shal be lyfe saluation and heauen To this mariage sayeth Christ God hathe called the Iewes his people dyuers tymes before his commynge by his holy Prophets For it was their office specially bycause they cōmanded the Iewes to waite for
Psal. 143. Rom. 11. Galat. 3. Epicures We muste praye contynually Luc. 18. 1. Thess. 5. Eccle. 18. A christen maÌ„ is euer in danger therefore ought he euer to pray Every christen man is a priest Cause to pray Iohn 8. A short declaration of the lordes prayer The first peticion Math. 9. The second peâ—icion The thirde peticion The fourthe peticion The fyfte peticion The sixt peticion The seuenth peticion We oughte to be feruentlye geuen to prayer Math 6. Psal. 50. We muste praye in the name of christ Prayer not made in the name of christ is no prayer God hearethe only those prayers that are made in yâ— name of christ Note well Ioan. 14.16 In Psal. 108. Libro de Isaac etamina What it is to praye trulye Prayer onlye râ—dressethe all our mesiries Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 12. God dothe all thynges for the beste Math. 6. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. A good lesson Math. 8. We maye no appoinc god in oure prayer how and wheÌ„ hee shall helpe vs. Iudith 7. Esa. 30. Thren â— Psal. 9. God wyl help all them in coÌ„ueniente tymâ— that pray vnto him Praier is our onlye staye in thys worlde Ioan. 16. Forget not this o EnglaÌ„d How the church of christ maye be safly preserued froÌ„ the deuil and Antichriâ—ste â–ª Euery christeÌ„ man is a souldiour Ephe. 6. With preaching praier the kingdome of Antichriste is ouercome 2. Corin. 10. An exhortarioÌ„ vnto prayer A wicked imagenacion Iohn â—5 Christes kingdom is spiritu all Math. 10. Luc. 22. Act. 1. The holye ghost teacheth to praye Zacha. â—2 Faythe is the gyft of God Rom. 10. Praier without Faithe is no prayer Two thinges speciallye taught in this sermon The historie of christes ascension Act. 1. Act. 1. The state of glorified bodies Rom. 4. Christ by his ascension declareth the his kyngdome is not of thys worlde Iohn 18. Actes 1. Why Christ came down from heauen Psal 68. Ephe. 4. Phil. 2. Ioan. 16. Ioan. 14. Gen. 5. 4. Reg. 2. Iohn 6. Iohn 10. Act. 2. The differenc of christes ascension and oures â—oan 3. Ioan. 18. The maners of thys world discribed Thoughe our bodyes be on the earth yet our myndes ought to be in heaueÌ„ Coloss. 3. Luc. 11. Synne hath made vs bond slaues to the deuyll and deathe Christes humilitie Christes glorious tryumph ouer synne deuill and hell Rom. 8. By christ are we made free from synne â–ª deuyll death damnation Why christ is ascendede into heauen Rom. â— Synne 2. Reg. 11. 2. Reg. 12. All thinges worke for the best vnto theÌ„ that loue god Psal. 51. Deathe 1. Cor. 5. Osee. 3. The deuyll 1. Pet. 5. Note well Synne death and deuyll are taken prisoners of christ The fruite of christes ascencion Christ hath receued gyftes for men Ioel. 2. Iohn 16. Act. 2. The workes of the holye ghost Rom. 4. Psal. 32. Psal. 68. Ephe. 4. Enemies of godes worde Psal. 2. Persâ—ecutyon maketh the worde of god to florishe Math. 16. Math. 21. God defeÌ„deth his churche Iohn 16. 1. Cor. 4. Iac. 1. Math. 16. Luke 24. Christe blessed his disciples what christes blessing was Math. 28. Marc. 16. Marc. 16. What it is to preach the gospell to euerye creature Esa. 55. Whersoeuer yâ— gospell is preached there the blessinge of Christe is What christe mente by blessing his disciples Rom. 1. Luc. 24. The holye ghoste is almighte and euerlasting god The miseries of the true christians in thys worlde both outwardly inwardly Why the holy ghost is called a conforter Note well Two kyndes of conforte The conforte of the worlde The conforte of the holye ghoste An obiection Ihon. 16. Math· 14. Marâ— 6. Luc. 9. Antichristes disciples are in better case in this world then the disciples of christe Christes humilitie the answer worldly confort is vncerten The conforte of the holy ghost is most certen and sure 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 16. The holye ghost is god The rewarde of the godlye in this lyfe How the holy ghost coÌ„forteh the faithful inwardly Phil. â— The holye ghost teacheth no newe doctrine The wytnes bearinge of christe only coÌ„forteth the troubled and weak conscience Note Iohn 14. lib. de Isaac et anima Galat. 1. Epist. 2. Iohn The holye ghoste confortethe by the worde Rom. 10. What ChristiaÌ„s shal loke for this world vnconfortable thoughtes are of the deuyll Rom. 4. A swete conforte Math. 2â— Of the crosse and affliction Luc. 24. The true and false churche The pope and hys Secte is not the true churche Ciprians erroure Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Math. 6. The excommunicate and curse of the false churche is not to be feared How the false churche maye be knowen What it is to knowe god Iohn 1. What it is to knowe christ What it is to know the father The doctrine of the true churche The doctrine of the false churche whi we ought to do good workes Apoc. 2. The tokens of the true churche The true chureh taketh all troubles pacientlye and thankefuly Pentecoste â–ª what it signifyeth Exod. 20. 1. Cor. 10. Exod. 12. â— Cor. 5. Heb. 9.10 The PeÌ„tecost of the Iewes Rom. 7. Iohn 7. Exod. 34. 2. Cor. 3. The lawe accuseth 2. Cor. 3. Exod. 19. Deut. 8. The Whytsontide or PeÌ„thecost of the christians Actes 2. Luc. 24. Act. 1. Math. 3. What the fyrye tongues signifye Esa. 2. Math. 23. Marc. â—6 Why the Apostles speake with diuers languages Act. 5. Act. 20.21 Psal. 6â— Esa. 60. Hiere 3. Ioel. 2. Zachar. 3. The holye ghost hath alwayes ben of the churche Iohn 16. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 12. Christe the sonne of god Gen. 3. The reuelacion of the holye ghost on whitsondaye why the holye ghost was opened on whitsonday By christ receaue we the holy ghoste Psal. 68. Act. 2. The holye ghoste is god from euerlastyng Why the spirite of god is called the holye ghoste Iohn 6. Diuers propertis of the trinitie The proper office of the holye ghoste Act. 15. The seconde sanctifying of the holy ghost Ephe. 4. Zach. 2. Other offices of the holye ghoste Iohn 14. Iohn 15. How the holy ghoste may be obtayned Luc. 11. Prayer The holye ghost is to be obtaynede by prayer We muste pray in the name of christ Psal. 68. Act. 2. Math. 28. Marc. 16. Act. 3. The lyfe is godly to be ordered The office of the holye ghoste Math. 6. Psal. 51. The dignitie of this gospel To loue christ and to beleue in hym are all one thyng The nature of loue It is necessari that Christ beloued Loue doth all thinges Loue procedeth of fayth What is christes worâ— The lawe of god is to be obeyed How god is to be knowen Note well A great coÌ„fort Deut. 30. Rom. 10. What it is to be in heauen What it is to haue god dwellyng in vs. Esa. 66. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 3. â— 2. Cor. 6. Loue maketh all thynges lyghte Spollers of church goods That Christ keth god spea speakethe vexacion geueth vnderstaÌ„dynge Wyth out the in warde
Nazareth of Galile vnto this toune Bethleem They went further then it is from Saxon to Franconie And herof a man may easely gather that they caried not much stuffe with them and that their swathelyng clothes and suche other things wer not very costely so that he put on her smocke on the child and laid it in the maunger For she could not alwayes hold yt in her lappe she must warme the clothes and dresse their couche and do such other things that wer requisite for an infāt And in the meane tyme must the babe reste in the oxe stalle Neither could Ioseph be lackyng to this necessary busynes And it is lyke that he went about to some of the maydens of the house to gett water and to do such other busines But this is not written that any mā came to proffer seruice vnto them in this trauaill They regarded it not whan it was tolde them that the mayde was deliuered of a chylde in the stable Wherfore this towne is worthy to be hated with his great barbarousnes For although Mary because of her pouerty was not thought so much worth and yf she had bene vnhoneste yet at this tyme had it ben the part of a man to shewe humanitie But no man is greued therewith The childe muste suffer paciently this great extreme pouertye and looke for no better In this beggerie sorowfull life this Lord is borne Wheras other deuoure riot awaie cōsume prodigallie al things by costly apparell gorgeous buildīg c. This is the historie Whiche is set forthe to vs to the entent that we should graue this picture of Christes byrthe faste in oure hart with how great miserie the Lord Iesus was borne in this wordle that we might learne to geue God thankes for this so great benefit For we misers and wretched men and also damned came this day to high renoume For on this day were we made one fleshe and bloud with the sonne of God and he that made heauen and earth of nothing is borne a man lyke vnto vs only this thing excepted that with this child all things are without synne Wherfore we may boste magnificently that God is become oure brother oure fleshe and bloude This renoum is not geuen to the angells or diuels but to vs men Wherfore although the angells are more excellēt creatures then we yet God geueth more renoume to vs then to all the angells For he was not made an angell but a mā Wherfore yf we men could thinke and beleue this as the greatnes therof requirethe our mynde wold be moste redie to sett moste by God to thanke him and to obey his will gladly When the Popes religion reigned there was suche an historie read vnto vs That vpon a time the diuell came into the Churche to masse And when these wordes and he was made man were songe and men made no obbeisance by bowinge of their knees he gaue one of them a great blow and rebukinge him said Thou monsterous beaste art not ashamed to be so litle moued why fallest thou not downe on thy face for ioy yf the sonne of God had ben made oure brother as he was youres surely we wold haue no measure in reioycing And although this matter be not true yet it semeth to be fayned of a good man which well dyd perceaue the great renoume geuen vnto vs when the sonne of God became man and that not after the maner of Adam and Eue which was made of the grounde but he was made more conioyned vnto vs. For he was borne of the fleshe and bloud of the virgin Mary as other men were excepte this that Mary the virgin was sole and alone and he was conceaued without synne by the holy Ghoste Excepte this that he is worthely named the naturall sonne of a woman Adam and Eue were not borne but made For God made man out of the earth and a woman of his ribbe But how much nigher is Christ to vs then Eue to Adam because he is oure bloud and flesh We ought to esteme this renoume highly and to haue great meditation thervpon in that the sonne of God is made oure fleshe and that there is no difference betwene his flesh and ours except only synne For he was conceaued of the holy Goste and God replenished bothe the body and sowle of the virgin with the holy Ghoste because she was without synne when she conceaued Christe and afterward wared great with child by hym And this is the only difference in all other things he is lyke other men in that he vsed meate and drynke felt hunger thyrst and colde as other dyd He was subiect to all suche naturall infirmities as Paule sayth in shape he was found lyke a man he eate he drounke he was sorowfull and gladde This is truely a profound humilitie and subiection For he myght haue vsed an other sorte when he became man after what sort he is nowe in heauen where as he hath flesh and bloud as we haue But yet he is not subiecte to naturall actions He might haue done this at the begynning but he wold not that he might declare his singular loue toward vs that we might haue therby sure confort and ioy when we knowe that we haue a brother nowe in heauen whose sure helpe we may stycke vnto are bound so to doo For cursed is euery man that doth not receaue him and conceaue stedfast hope for his sake And therfore is this history rehersed euery yere that the tender myndes might haue meditation theron and geue God thanks and say My matter is in good takynge I haue a brother and he is made lyke me But why he was made so I do not yet tell for this was the cause that he might helpe me agaynst syn and eternall death But nowe I speake of the renoume of all mankynde wherof we boaste and reioyce that the sonne of God is become man Of this renoume may euery man boaste But Christian men somwhat more then all other for because this renoume shall be to their endlesse profyte And this is firste to be learned of the history Secondarily marke also this great example Where as Christe the sonne of God dothe so humble him self and communicate all his glory with fleshe and wheras his hyghe maiestie before whome the Angells tremble dothe so demitte hym self and goeth after the lykenes of a man In heauen the Angels worship him in the earth he serueth vs and is subiect to our beggery Seing then the sonne of God doth this this matter is not lightly to be sett by Lett vs caste our selues away for his glory honours sake And yf aduersitie be to be suffered we muste not refuse it For Christe him self hathe suffered likewise frost hunger miseries and troubles not only these For whan he was borne into the wordle he was poore in all things he had neither place neither bed clothes neither stuffe for houshold A maunger and
sermon Galat. iiii WHen the tyme was ful come God sent hys son made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we thorowe election myght receaue the inheritaunce that belongethe vnto the naturall sonnes Because ye are sonnes God hathe sente the spirite of hys sonne into our heartes cryeng Abba deare Father Wherfore nowe thou arte not a seruaunt but a sonne If thou be a sonne thou arte also an heyer of God thorowe Christe THE EXPOSITION THis daye are they wont to preache of two matters First of Circumcision Then of the name Iesu. The which thynge the Euangelist doth especially notifie for that it was prophecied of before that the childe was conceaued in his mothers wōbe Wherfore the vertue of this name is hereby greatly aduāced And for asmuche as we intende to make the doctrine of circuncision plaine this difference is in especial to be marked that it consisteth not in the thing but in the persons For if we consider the thynge there is great differēce betwene the circūcision of the Iewes and of Christ. And that because the person of Christ is fare vnlyke the person of the Iewes The beginninge of circumcision is declared in the bible in the firste booke of Moyses it hath also an appointed ende to the whiche it shall endure that is euen vnto CHRIST Abraham is the principall ground of all the matter to whome GOD gaue commandement to circumcise hymselfe and all that were in his housholde And also whatsoeuer of the male kynde was borne it shoulde be circumcised the eyght daye after theyr byrth They therfore that came with suche a signe in theyr bodye had God their protectour and Sauiour as GOD promised he woulde be This was not appointed of GOD for nothynge are for a litle cause that not onely Abraham but also all in his familie and whatsoeuer of the male kynde was borne shoulde be subiect to Circumcision that not onelye the Iewes myghte boste them selfe to be the people of GOD. For he receaueth the seruaunts of Abraham whiche were Gentiles to be of his people and sonnes and to haue righte of inheritaunce whiche was appointed to Abraham and to his seede And these dyd obtayne it before Isaac to the whiche neuerthelesse afterwarde the promesse was ioyned where as yet these bought seruauntes were of the Gentyles Wherfore the Iewes haue not the cheife occasion to boste of this For although they extolle circumcision very muche yet this they can not denye that GOD hath called vnto it the Gentyls whiche are not the sonnes of Abraham but boughte seruauntes As touchinge this Circumcision there is nothynge els lefte for vs but the type and fygure of fayth As it is also as touchynge the other hystories paste whiche onelye profyte vs in this that we maye take therof examples of fayth and true godlynes We are not bounde to ceremonies yet haue we nede of suche obedience and suche fayth as theirs was than whiche lyued vnder suche ceremonies Wherefore the doctrine of Circumcision is not put foorth to the intent that we should be Circumcised For thys ceremonie is disanulled but that we by the rehersall therof shoulde remember to shewe obedience to GOD as Abraham shewed Yf CHRIST hade not come Circumcision shoulde haue ben necessarie euen at this tyme for vs if so be we woulde be of the people of God For the condition is straight and without exception he that is not circumcised his soule must be exempt out of the people of God Wherefore the example that we take of the olde Circumcision is this That GOD in this Image declareth vnto vs how contrarie to reason he worketh and commandeth if a man vse the iudgement of reason For amongest the proud Gentyls it semed a thynge to be laughed at that GOD which is so wise shoulde set foorth suche a mad precepte wherof is made mention in preachynge contrary to the lawe of shamfastnes honestie and chastitie and especiallye when they be aged that are commanded so to do For Abraham at that tyme was fowre score and nintyne yeres olde And herof riseth contumelious names so that the Iewes were named Recutiti and Appelles among the Gentyls that is to saye men whose skynne is growen againe or men without skynne But this is the true cause therof as it was sayde in the Gospell nexte before whatsoeuer is of GOD put foorth it is done with such a fashion that all men laughthe it to scorne no man aloweth it but all testeth vpon it as though it were olde wyues fables And contrarie looke whatsoeuer he commandeth not but is of our owne imagination this do we require to be acceptable vnto hym This woulde we haue obserued for an euerlastynge lawe But this can neuer be alowed of GOD. And herof springeth the cause of a greate offence As Paule saith After that in the wisedome of GOD the worlde knewe not God by wisedom it pleased God to saue them that beleue by folishnes of preachynge What maye be more against reason then that bread the body of Christ and the cuppe the bloud of Christe is receaued for the remission of synne Howe shoulde a lytle bread and wine worke suche and so a greate thynge This thynketh reason neyther can it thynke anye otherwise But GOD therfore purposeth not to change this Yf reason doth not beleue nor alow it gods cause is neuer the worse for that Lykewise also goeth it in baptisme Howe shoulde this seme proueable to reason that if the child be washed with a lytle water that therby he is purged from his sinnes and translated out of the kyngdome of the deuil into the kyngdome of God In dede it might stand wel with reason that synne shold be washed awaye with water if sinne were a spote but for asmuche as sin is fastened in the minde bones and in the inermost parte of the body it is not agreable to reason that water shoulde perse so far and washe it awaye But nowe consider well Circumcision Mighte not Abraham by lyke reason alleage for himselfe to refuse it What doth this profit me to saluation that I am Circumcised in mine age what good doth this to a child or what profit at all doth a man take by Circumcision If God would haue the bodye changed he mighte haue made it so at the beginnynge that it shold nede nothing to be cut frō it If reason had ben taken to councell at that time it wold haue sayd euen so neither doth it thinke any otherwise now a dayes when it proueth her wisedom But it is to be learned in this place that whensoeuer question is moued why god shold geue such commandement the deuill hath the vpper hand As the exāple of Eue in paradise doth shew Cōmādement was geuē that they shold not eat of the tree But whan she began to regarde litle the commandement and hard the deuill reasonynge why God made suche a
signe ought to be receaued and that we ought to beleue in him as in the true Messias For the Prophesies agree herevnto that Christ shall come with such signes into the worlde And that Christ had respecte vnto this he testifieth by his owne wordes saying Offer thy gifte as Moses commanded for a testimoniall vnto them As though he should say They muste nedes confesse that thou art cleane that thou art truely clensed of the leaprosy But in that that they will not know me for their Messias they bewray theyr vncurable stubburnes which shall be duely punished at their tyme. Yet in the meane season this testimonie against them shall profite other that they may receaue me and beleue in me The Pope of Rome wolde stablyshe confession by this commandement because synne may be compared with leprosie therfore that the Iudgement of the priest and purifyinge from synne is requisite But there is no sure establishement for this sentence For what haue we to do with that that God commāded the Iewes as touching the busynes of leprosie We haue no suche Priests at this tyme. And if we hadde yet this is euident that the Priests clensed not the leapers but that they bare record of their clensinge when they were cleane But I pray you what maketh this for confession whiche was referred to the remission of synnes For the leapers should not offer their leprosie but a cleane body when they offer theyr gifte to the Priest But these thinges are not worthie to be aunswered to at all of a wyseman He that will nedes confesse let hym fulfill his phantasie But we knowledge only that confession to be necessarie when mannes mynd cōfesseth freely his synnes before God This is the confession of the heart whiche deceaueth not as doth the confession of the eares of the mouth And yet such confessiō before God clenseth vs not frō synne nor iustifieth muche lesse the confession of the eares can do it But this doth only clense and iustifie euen the fayth in CHRIST Iesu. The worde is apprehended by fayth and in his name is remission of synnes receaued as the promisse offereth it vnto vs. And let this be sufficient as touchyng the fyrst example The second miracle as concerning the sick chyld is also a testimoniall of the doctryne of CHRIST That these thinges may be knowen to be vndeniable If God with signes and miracles be redye to helpe this man so gloriously then that this doctryne is syncere true and fautlesse and that this is very Messias or Christ. And besyde all this it is an example of a singuler and true faith in the Centurion As Christ hym selfe testifieth as touching his fayth that he found not the lyke in Israel This fayth is hereby tried that where as this Centurion was no Iew but a gentile yet it sendeth hym to CHRIST and beleueth steadfastly that Christes will is not contrarie to his and that as he is able so he will helpe hym For if he had not thought this with hym self he wold neuer according to the wrytinge of Luke had helpe of the elders of the Iewes to intreat Iesus for hym But in that they send vnto hym it is a sure token that he hoped to obtayne his matter And with this faith he ioyned great and incredible modestie and humilitie in that that he counteth him self vnworthy to come vnto Christ and to aske any thing of hym But fyrst he sendeth the elders of the Synagog and afterward when he heard the Lord to be comminge he sendeth his fryndes to mete hym that he should not take the paynes to come any further and that he is vnworthie to haue suche a great man to come vnto hym And that he nedeth not so muche to wearie him selfe syth the Lord cā bryng to effect with a word that that he desyreth although he be not present therat And he thynketh with hym self that this is so sure that he taketh his owne example for a confirmation thereof and sayth I verily am a man subiect to power hauing vnder me souldiers and I say vnto one go and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruaunt do this and he dothe it Wherfore if my word that am but a man can doo so muche how muche more shall it be done if thou do but speake the worde And in so doyng he doth not only beleue but therewith also put foorth a true doctryne of faith and of her nature Wherfore this also were to be wyshede that oure faith of CHRIST might be of lyke sort whiche might helpe vs with so great vertue of his word although we see not his person It is an example of exceding faith that this man can be so diligently attente vnto the word of Christ. Fyrst he doubteth nothing of the fauour of Christ towarde hym Then he desyreth no more but that Christ shoulde speake the worde This doth he looke for with as sure truste and persuasion as though he had obtayned all redy the perfecte recoueringe of his chyld Wherfore thou that now hast the worde studie to folow him in this point For there are now extant very large promises that God will be mercifull for Christes sake And that we for the faithes sake in Christ haue remission of oure synnes and lyfe euerlastinge But we for the moste part lacke this faith wher with this Centurion was endewed as we see which thinketh that if he obtayne a word of hym he nede not care for the reste It will forthwith ensue that the word doth promise We can not obtain so much of oure selues And herof it commeth that we regard not the word but in the meane season haue oure recourse to carnall succour wher as the word is almightie and as the Centurion doth testifie here it can not deceaue That that he promesse is sure to haue good successe But this fayth is so much the more worthye to be meruayled at bycause the Centurion is an Heathen to whome the promise was not lykewyse made as it was to the Iewes Wherfore he can not challenge that right which was only belonginge to the Iewes as to the people of God For this is the nature of faith that it maketh humble myndes that thinke not prowdly of them selues nor are high minded and therfore they sticke only to the mercie and grace of God And this ought to be consydered of vs in this example and that for a speciall cause that when anye thought of oure owne synnes and vnworthynes shall vexe oure myndes yet that we caste not of all hope but constantlie embrace the word of God and beleue in hope contrarie to hope This is acceptable to God and this he requireth of vs. For without this there coulde be no grace if that we wold not applye oure selues to the promise without merite or any worthynes at all As this Centurion can not alledge as the Iewes that God oweth any thing to hym And this maketh
it shoulde serue for the encreasyng of the Apostles faith as all his works hath chiefe regarde therunto And this is it that Christe euen this tyme also sheweth such a countenance of himself vnto his churche as thoughe hee nothynge regarded it and as thoughe he hadde forgotten vs as he dothe here in the shyppe He sleapeth and regardeth not the tempest the disciples the shyppe But yet he is in the shyppe be he neuer so muche a slepe And these be the temptaions that vexe the Churche where as CHRIST sufferethe the fluddes to ryse agaynste the shyppe that is hee suffereth the deuyll and the worlde to bee so troublesome vnto his Christians so that hereof riseth feare that all thynges shall come to naught And we also at this tyme see the very same things come to passe The Pope with his rable hateth the worde he stirreth the high powers continually against vs. The Turkes ar set forward by the diuell We are in the shyppe There be tempestes and the wyndes among the which we can not looke for safegard And it is possible that the Lorde may wynke at these thynges and shewe no token of helpe for vs. And yet this sleape of hys is in the shyppe But here we must take a good heart and think that we must not vtterly dispair because the Lord is with vs in the shyppe And although he faineth that he regardeth vs not yet this ought we to declare that we do not let him go out of our syght but that we thynk constantly of hym that he may make the sea calme although it be now neuer so muche opprest with waues tempestes So must we doo also in oure priuate temptations when the deuyl layeth thy synnes to thy charge and feareth thee with the wrath of God yea threatneth euerlasting damnation also And herin must thou not thynke but that Christ is at hand and yet a slepe and that thou must not sette it lyght and be negligent to go vnto hym and wake hym by prayer when he is founde as the Disciples do in this place They thinke it better to saue them selues then to suffer Christe to slepe They thynke thys ▪ Now haue we nede to haue Christ waked or els we are vndoone Wherfore they cease not from callyng vntill they had hym wakynge Folowe thou this example also For bothe must nedes be done If thou enter with Christ into the shyp the tempest wyll not bee lackynge Christ layeth him down to slepe that we myght fele temptation in dede For yf he shoulde not slepe and afterward represse the tempest we should neuer well perceaue what is true christianitie yea and we myght soone be brought in belefe that we were saued by oure owne power But here is faith strengthned through temptatiō that this confession myght be made a thyng necessarie No power of man coulde here haue preuayled this deliuerance came onely by GOD and his worde Besyde this doctrine Christ is described and sette forth vnto vs as a very man and accordyng to mans nature whiche consisteth of body and soule and therfore had nede of the naturall actions of eatyng drinkyng sleapyng and such other thyngs that are without synne euen as we haue That we myght bee defenced agaynst the dotage of the Manichees whiche iudged Christ to haue but a counterfait body and not a very body And as he declareth him selfe to be verye man by this that he slepeth as an other naturall man dothe so dothe he declare his godhead and almyghtinesse in this that he maketh the sea calme agayne by the worde For thys is no worke or dede belongynge to mans power Herein is gods power requisite that the violence of suche a great creature of God may bee restrained by his word That for that cause we might the more esteme this miracle forasmuche as here it is open howe God and man is one person in Christ. For the which cause he both can and wyll helpe in all combrance and affliction all suche as call vpon hym And if this can not be doone without the felynge of feare and peryll as well he declared before we must be content therewith For not so muche as the wicked can bee withoute affliction And therefore they are neuer free frome an euyll conscience and fynally they goe to damnation with all that they haue The thirde part is as touchynge the fruite whiche ryseth of suche a Faythe that is that other consyderynge thys myracle fall to repentaunce and say with greate admiration What man is this that the wyndes and the seas are obediente vnto hym It is lyke that these hytherto tooke hym but for a carpenter neyther thoughte they that ayde agaynste the perylle of deathe oughte to bee asked and desyred of hym Nowe they atteyne to so farre knowledge of hym that he hathe greate and sure myghte to helpe where as in man there is no helpe And this is the continuall nature of these thynges by howe much the temptation is the more greuous so much the fruict is greater in the ende Nowe is the rage of the worlde very great against vs so that almost we can hope for none other thyng then very destruction and that the tempest and the sea shall haue the victorie to our destruction But so that we haue this grace to sticke sure to the woorde and Faith we shall see a more ioyful end then we could thynke in heart The hate of the Pope Turk is greater then a man wold beleue wherwith they persecute the congregation for the whiche cause we grone mourn as a woman in her trauaile whiche hate neuerthelesse shall bring with it some comfortable thing that we neuer hoped for So ought euery man to thynk surely in his own behalf also that when he is enuironned and belayd round about with temptations that in the ende the fruict shall be moste certain swete and pleasant Wherefore howe greate the doctrine of this Gospell is and howe muche necessarye ayde it hathe for to further true godlynes that may be knowē by these thynges whiche are setforth and intreated of as touchyng the whole course of vertue and godlynes And if we be sure to be in the congregation amōg the godly let vs take shyppe with Christ and there let vs not refuse to abyde the tempeste and this moste greuous and troublous estate in the sea of this worlde And when this greuous trouble commeth foorthe lette vs kepe our selues diligently within our hold and defence of faith and of the word of God and lette vs thynke truely that the tempest and temptation shall not only haue an ende but that the conclusion shall folow with suche a prosperous successe of all thynges and with suche abundance of ioye that it shall soon recompence all myserie whiche we felt in suffering with the ioy of the victorie and with the approued power of faithe of the word so that we can not be sory for the labours and afflictions that
vs to ouerthrowe this kingdom Let vs consider the example of the Mounkes and Bishop of Rome whiche whyle they went about to auoyde such offences and seducinges as chance in this common lyfe brought in more greuouse occasions to offende where as they chaunged true religion into ceremonies rites and obseruatiōs They vtterly abolished the kingdom of mercie and grace And this is now also the very practice of the diuel for that he slaundereth the professers of the Gospell bycause there be many offences and euill examples amongest them For we can not denye but suche offensiue examples be in many hypocrites which boaste of Gods mercie and grace and yet by their licentiouse liuinge and maners by their aduoutrie extortiō vsurie sensual lustes and many other vices declare that they regard not the grace of God truely But what remedie we are forth with tempted to plucke vp the tares and to seke such a separation of the euil from the good that in the meane season we corrupte the heauenly doctrine as touching the grace of God and remission of synnes But if we be wise we wil not suffer oure selues to be withdrawen from doing oure duetie by their importunite and outragiouse behauioure For it is muche better to resiste and striue with the wicked examples of their lyfe and maners by doing the contrarie and so to preserue this doctrine of mercie and grace then to correcte and plucke it vp violently and so by that and examples of the Mounkes and Nouatians to flee from Scylla and to fall into Charybdis that is for auoiding of the lesse daunger to fall into the greater And especially syth the nature of this kingdom is such that it can not vterly auoyde all offences bycause such muste be for the maintenance of this necessarie doctrine of grace Wherfore where as the Papistes now lay to oure charge the frutes of oure Gospell what other thing meane they therby than that this kyngdom should be without all offences and euill examples But we may iustly lay this to their charge again that where as they go about by the Mounkerye and other traditions of theirs to make this kingdom without offences they are fallen into such errour and blyndnes therby that they haue cleane loste all the doctrine of iustification and godly righteousnes and all the workes of true godlines also If therfore it should be put to oure choyce whiche of these discommodities we had rather haue whether of them both should we rather take Uerily all wold graunt this that for as muche as this kingdom can not be without offences yet that it were better to chose that offence where with neuerthelesse the kingdom might be sumwhat vpholden than that wherby the kingdom should quite be destroyed without hope of recoueryng wherby the doctrine and true godlines should vtterlie decay perishe as it chanced amongest the papistes and monkes And the doctrine and meaning of this parable of Christ was put forth to th ende that aboue all thinges we might haue good respect to know the maner of gods kingdome and not be offended with suche inconueniences as chaunce alwayes in the wordle vnto it For wheras it offereth free remission of sinnes to sinners fyrste it cometh herby to passe that many hypocrites come to the felowshippe of this kingdome Then also som men laboringe to remedie this discōmoditie finde out a meanes to make a ciuil separatiō that they may falsly boste of the grace of God and yet not be in the felowship with thē that vse it well But Christ sheweth what greate damage ensueth therby euen that by this separatiō they plucke vp the good corne also For the doctrine of grace is pluckt vp by mens traditions whiche were inuented to make this separation So that nowe the churche is brought to suche a miserable and vnscapable case that where as before the members were in perill now the hed is like to decay Wherfore we muste folowe Christes councel which byddeth vs to suffer the tares and not to be so precise in pluckyng them vp least we by oure vndiscrete diligence ouerthrowe the gouernaunce of this kyngdome as touchyng remission of sinnes Nowe must we vse this kyngdome that many by remission of sinne may be forgeuen If ther be any as ther be many that had rather be sene to be in this kingdome of grace then to be true members therof in dede what can we do therwith if they will nedes misuse the gyfte of God But if we shoulde be so extreme against them that for their sake we would vse violēce and force in this kyngdome what shall we get therby than that as we see in the examples before while we go about to seperat the wycked for their abusynge of Goddes grace we vtterlye subuerte the kyngdome of Grace Wherfore let vs leue this to be done of the angels that they may sunder the euill from the good For after that shal the kyngdom of grace be no lenger amōg sinners Euery man then shall receaue accordynge to his workes Ther shal be no such peril than as is now wher as if the grace of the gospel and of the kyngdom of heauen shoulde be taken away by pluckynge vp of the tares before the appearinge of the sonne of God then the greatest yea and the onely refuge for sinners might seme to be disturbed and taken awaye And at this separation by the Angels it shall not nede to inquire whether there are any more lefte to be called to saluation But it shal be cōsidered who hath vsed well this kyngdom of cōfort hath ben true mēbers therof in dede who hath ben subiectes ther vnto by name only yet in very dede had neuer any true felowship therwith And this haue we spoken as touchinge the true meanyng of this parable After this we will intreat not onlye what must be done with heretikes but vniuersally what they that hath offices to correcte offēces ought to do with al kynd of offenders whether it is ment by this saying Let thē grow that no kynd of offence either in life or in doctrine shold be punished restrained we haue declared before what is Christs especial entent by this parable Euen that by the vndiscrete vsage of men the kyngdome of heauē shold not be hindred Now such things as by Gods commandement are ordeyned for the furtherance of this kingdom ought not to be thought cōtrarie to the same And fyrst to begin at the principall matter the excommunication vsed in the Churche is not against this parable For it is so necessary for the preseruation therof that without it mercie remission of synne and the pure doctrine therof can not be retayned for as by absolution Gods grace must be applied to the penitent so by byndinge must Gods wrathe curse be applied to the vnpenitēt Paule hym self saith that power of binding was geuen to hym not to destroy but to edifie Wherfore they that are excommunicat are not
deuil haue snarled made vnquiet thorow some sinne or offence These men thus troubled tormeÌ„ted in their coÌ„sciences mindes come vnto me or vnto some other ChistiaÌ„ they lament their most miserable state they declare their greif paine desire instructioÌ„ coÌ„fort In this behalf may I bicause of the coÌ„maÌ„dement of Christ yea I am bouÌ„de so to do coÌ„fort streÌ„gthen my brother declare vnto him the grace fauoure mercie of god thorowe the merites of Christ to all theÌ„ that be greued heauy loden with the burden of sin And by this meanes is the deuil cast out of him not by me which also am a sinner but by the word which is leaste vnto vs of Christ here in earth Likewise when thou art troubled in thy mind disquieted in thy coÌ„science so that thou caÌ„st not sufficieÌ„tly receaue coÌ„solatioÌ„ nor stedfastly beleue that god is merciful vnto thee wil forgeue thee thy sin resorte thou vnto the lordes Supper For Iesus Christ our Lord hath instituted the sacrameÌ„t of his body blod vnto this ende that wheÌ„ thou in those holy misteries receauest his body blod thou sholdest not dout but certeÌ„ly be ê‘suaded that his bodi was betraied his blod shed for thy sins wher this faith is ther is the deuil driueÌ„ out coÌ„pelled to seke other restiÌ„g places thus is this worke of castiÌ„g out deuils coÌ„tinually iÌ„ the church of Christ thorow the worde the ministration of the Sacraments â–ª which church thorow Christe her heade euermore fighteth striueth against this serpent and with all maine impugneth his force violence no lesse then Christ himselfe did if not more as the Lorde him selfe sayth verely verely I say vnto you he that beleueth in me shal do the workes that I do yea greater then these shall he do because I go vnto the father The reason is this The church hath a larger office then Christe For he taught only amonge the Iewes in a streight place or small circuite and conuerted fewe He taught also not fullye fowre whole yeares But the church thorow the helpe of her heade which is on the right haÌ„de of god is coÌ„tinually in this office when it preacheth the gospell distributeth the Sacramentes euermore reproueth the wyckednes of the deuill and now driueth him out of this place now out of that place so that it suffreth hym to haue no reaste doinge thys thorow out the worlde wheresoeuer the worde is preached the sacraments truly ministred And yet haue we not so driuen him out neither are we in all pointes so free and set at libertie from hym but that we muste dayly fyght against him for asmuche as sainct Peter sayeth he goeth aboute lyke a rorynge Lyon sekynge whome he maye deuoure and continually beware of hym Resiste the deuil sayeth sainct Iames and he shall flee from you This greatlye greueth the deuill therfore as we cast him out thorow the doctrine of the worde Sacraments so likewise leaueth he nothing vnattempted if he cannot vtterly subdue vs yet at the leaste to take our lyues from vs thorowe persecution Thus hath it bene and shal be vnto the verye ende of the world It chaunced so vnto Christ he droue the deuill out of theÌ„ that desiered hym The deuill sought to be reuenged on him therfore moued he the Iewes to crucifie hym and at the last by death to dispatche hym out of the waye Yet had neither the deuill nor the Iewes the ouerhand For Christ ouercame them both As concernynge the Iewes they were so cast out of their countrye that there is no hope at all of their returne The deuil whiche is the prince of the worlde is iudged and condempned and shall at the last daye by the Christians accompanied with Christe their head be so caste out of both heauen earth that he shall neuer trouble them more For Christ hath not onely driuen the deuyl out of this man of whom the gospel of this present sondaye maketh mention but he hath appeared as S. Iohn sayth that he shoulde destroye the workes of the deuill so that the deuyll hath no power ouer them that beleue But they that beleue not on Christe they remayne vnder the power of the deuill and must at the last come vnto destruction with the Iewes In the Papecie the deuil thorowly stablished as ye knowe his kyngdome and set it meruelouslye with greate wealth riches and dignitie in somuche that although thorowe the singuler mercie and grace of god there remained in it the holy Sacramentes and the worde yet was there not at all any true knowledge either of the Sacramentes or of the worde as al men herof can beare witnesse And yet in the very Papecie the deuil founde not all thinges mete for his kingdom For euen in the ministration of baptisme was he cast out when the Infantes were baptised in the name of the blessed Trinitie and so brought vnto God For nothing can make voyde the promes of God Neither is the holye Ghoste therefore of the lesse power in the worde and in the Sacramentes althoughe the person be wycked and without the holy ghost whiche ministreth the worde and the Sacramentes we therfore are most indebtedly bounde to render vnto god most hartie thaÌ„ckes for this his singuler goodnes towards vs whiche hath geuen vs suche power and strengthe againste our moste cruell enemy and extreme foe the deuil though he buffeteth vs again it is no merueill For how can he abyde this that we miserable sinners should so disquiet hym beinge a proude and myghtie spirite only with the worde that he can haue no place to rest in Therfore he maketh against vs all that euer he can by raysinge vp in euerye place persecutions and other tentations against vs. But that thyng ought not to seme greuous vnto vs for the hope that wee knowe that we shall not onely dryue hym oute here but we shall also at the last daye as we toforesayde iudge and condemne hym vnto hell fyre for euermore These thinges well diligently considered we ought to haue in great estimation and honour the worde of GOD and the Sacramentes and not so vilelye to thincke or speake of them as many do commonlye nowe a dayes and speciallye the wise and prudent of this worlde The Sacraments I graunt are outwarde ceremonies as the eyes see The very worde also is an externall thynge whiche is receaued by the eare and redde with the eye As the Christians also are bodely menne But these thinges are not therefore to be despised The reason is this When a Christen man handleth the worde of GOD accordyng to the commandement of Christe then is that power present whiche the deuill can not abyde In that therefore the worde and the Sacramente do outwardlye appeare so homely and base we ought not to dispise them but rather geue thanckes vnto
y◠which we heare in the word must we iudge and saie I see that I must die but I heare the promise and word of Christ my Lorde that thorow hym I shall haue life For as touchyng sinne for the whiche I must nedes suffer death it is vtterly taken awaye by hym so that God for his deathe and resurrection wyll be mercyfull vnto me and geue me euerlastynge lyfe This is truely to kepe the woord of Christe But it is an harde thyng to haue this faythe For fleshe and blood can not otherwise bee persuaded then as they fele and proue Against this peruers and froward reason must we striue and aske of God hys holy spirite that he may stablishe our hearts throughe the worde that they may retaine and keepe the true Faith What the cause is why the worde of Christ is of so great efficacie myghte and power Christe hym selfe sheweth in the ende of this Gospell And in thys poynt he so greatly moueth the Iewes and stirreth them vnto anger that they are ready to stone hym vnto deathe For this troubled the Iewes that Christe said his worde preserueth and defendeth from euerlastyng death forasmuche as they sawe that Abraham Moyses and other holy men which be greately commended in the holy scripture wer dead They thought that Christ was muche inferiour to them and that it was a matter worthy to be laughed at that he should so muche bragge boast and sette out his worde But Christ answered Abraham desired to see my daye he sawe it and reioyced that is to say If Abraham had not kept my word he had dyed euerlastyngly and ben damned for euer Before Abraham was saith Christ I am And that is thus muche to say I am almightie and euerlasting God Now he that wil be deliuered from his synnes escape euerlastyng deathe and come vnto euerlasting life he must be holpē by me and seke help at none others hād but at myn alone This could neither Moses nor any of the Prophets speke truly of them selues For they were all men But Christ is god and man Therfore is he able to geue life euerlasting saluation none but he alone This is a great consort and a most sure confirmation of our faithe where we confesse that Christ is true euerlasting God as we haue the like testimonies of this thing in many diuers places of the Euangelical history that our whole trust shold be in hym in his word in none other For this is the word of god can by no means deceue vs. What soeuer he speaketh is certain and sure is neuer void but is as sure as God by his word made heauen earthe of nothing Lerne this diligently and with thankful hearts knowledge this inestimable benefit and pray that God by his holy spirite may kepe you in the truth of his word receiue you into euerlasting life through Christ his sonne to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen The Sonday next before Easter cōmonly called Palme sondaye ¶ The Gospell Math. xxvi AND it came to passe when Iesus hadde finished all these sayinges he sayd vnto his Disciples Ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter and the sonne of man shall bee delyuered ouer to be crucified Then assembled together the chief Priestes and the Scribes and the elders of the people vnto the Palace of the high Priest whiche was called Caiphae and healde a Counsell that they myght take Iesus by subtiltie and kill hym But they said not on the holy day lest there be an vprore amonge the people When Iesus was in Bethanie in the house of Symon the Leapor there came vnto hym a woman hauynge an Alabaster boxe of precious oyntment and powred it on his head as he sat at the boorde But when his disciples saw it they had indignatiō saying Wherto serueth this wast This oyntment might haue ben well sold and geuen to the poore When Iesus vnderstode that he sayd vnto them Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wroughte a good woorke vppon me For ye haue the poore alwayes with you but me ye shall not haue alwayes And in that she hath caste this oyntment on my body she did it to bury me Ueryly I say vnto you Wher so euer this Gospell shal be preached in all the worlde there shall also this be tolde that she hath done for a memoriall of her Then one of the twelue whiche was called Iudas Iscarioth wente vnto the chefe Priestes and sayde vnto them What wyll ye geue me and I wyll delyuer hym vnto you And they appointed vnto hym .xxx. pieces of syluer And from that tyme foorth he sought oportunitie to betraye hym The first daye of sweete bread the disciples came to Iesus saying to him Where wylt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the Passeouer And he sayde Goo into the Citie to suche a man and say vnto hym The master saith my tyme is at hande I wyll kepe my Easter by thee with my disciples And the disciples dyd as Iesus hadde appoynted them and they made redy the Passeouer When the euen was come he sat downe with the twelue And as they dyd eate he sayde Ueryly I saye vnto you that one of you shall betray me And they were exceadynge sorowfull and beganne euery one of them to saye vnto hym Lorde is it I He aunswered and sayd he that dyppeth his hande with me in the dyshe the same shall betraye me The sonne of man truely goeth as it is writen of hym but wo vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed it hadde bene good for that man yf he had not bene borne Then Iudas whiche betrayed hym aunswered and sayde Master is it I He sayd vnto him thou hast sayde And when they were eating Iesus toke bread and when he had geuen thanks he brake it gaue it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he toke the cup thanked gaue it to them saying Drynk ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I will not drinke hense forth of this fruite of the vine tree vntyll that daye when I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kyngdom And when they had sayde grace they went out vnto mount Oliuete Then saide Iesus vnto them All ye shal be offended because of me this night For it is writtene I wyll smyte the shepherd the shepe of the flock shal be scattered abrode but after I am risen again I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saide vnto hym Thoughe all men be offended because of thee yet wyll I not be offended Iesus saide vnto hym Uerily I saye vnto thee that in this same night befor the Cocke crowe thou shalte denye me thryse Peter saide vnto hym yea
for enuy thei had deliuered him When he was set downe to geue iudgement his wife sent vnto him saying haue thou nothing to do with that iust mā for I haue suffred this day many things in my slepe because of him But the chief Priests Elders persuaded the people that they should aske Barrabas and destroy Iesus The deputie answered and said vnto them Whether of the twaine wil ye that I let lose vnto you They said Barrabas Pilate said vnto them what shall I do then with Iesus that is called Christ They all said vnto him let him be crucified The deputie said What euil hath he done But they cried more saying Let him be crucified When Pilate saw that he coulde preuaile nothing but that more busynes was made he toke water and washed his handes before the people saying I am innocent of the bloud of this iust person se ye Then answered all the people and said His bloud be on vs on our childrē Then let he Barrabas loose vnto thē and scourged Iesus and deliuered him to be crucified Then the souldiors of the deputie toke Iesus into the cōmon hal and gathered vnto him all the cōpany and they stripped him and put on him a purple robe and platted a crowne of thornes and put it vpon his head and a reed in his right hande and bowed the knee before hym and mocked hym sayinge Haile kyng of the Iewes And whenne they hadde spytte vppon him they tooke the reede and smote hym on the head And after that they hadde mocked hym they tooke the roabe of hym agayne and putte hys owne rayemente on hym and ledde hym away to crucify hym And as they cam out they found a manne of Cyrene named Symon hym they compelled to beare hys Crosse. And they camme vnto the place whyche is called Golgotha That is to say a place of dead mennes skulles and gaue hym vineger myngled with gaulle to drynke And whenne he hadde tasted thereof he woulde not drynke Whenne they hadde crucifyed hym they parted hys garmentes and dydde caste lottes that it myghte bee fulfylled whyche was spoken by the Prophete They parted my garmentes amonge theym and vppon my vesture dydde they caste lottes And they satte and wacched hym there and sette vp ouer hys head the cause of his deathe written Thys is Iesus kynge of the Iewes Then were the twoo theeues crucifyed wyth hym one on the ryghte hande and an other on the lefte They that passed by reuyled hym waggynge theyr heades and sayinge Thou that destroyedst the Temple of God and dyddest buylde it in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou bee the sonne of GOD come downe frome the Crosse. Lykewyse also the hye Priestes mockynge hym wyth the Scrybes and Elders sayde He saued other hym selfe he can not saue If he bee the Kynge of Israell lette hym nowe comme downe from the Crosse and we wyll beleue hym Hee trusted in God lette hym delyuer hym nowe yf he wyll haue hym For hee sayde I am the sonne of GOD. The thieues also whych were crucified with hym caste the same in hys teethe Frome the sixthe hower was there darkenesse ouer all the land vntyll the nynthe hower And aboute the nynthe hower Iesus cryed wyth a lowde voyce sayinge Ely Ely lamasabathany That is to saye My God my God why haste thou forsaken me Some of them that stode there when they hearde that sayde Thys manne callethe for Helias And streyghte waye one of them ronne and toke a spunge and whenne he hadde fylled it full of vineger hee putte it on a reede and gaue hym to drynke Other sayde Lette bee lette vs see whether Helias wylle come and delyuer hym Iesus whenne hee hadde cryed agayne wyth a lowde voyce yealded vp the ghoste And beholde the vayle of the Temple dydde rent in two partes frome the toppe to the bottome and the earthe dydde quake and the stones rente and graues dydde open and manye bodyes of Sainctes whiche slepte arose and wente out of the graues after hys Resurrection and came into the holye Citie and appered vnto many When the Centurion and they that were wyth hym watchynge Iesus sawe the earthequake and those thynges whiche hapned they feared greately saying Truly this was the sonne of GOD. And many women were there beholdyng hym a farre of whyche folowed Iesus frome Galilee mynistryng vnto hym amonge which was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedes children THE EXPOSITION THIS daye is redde in the Churche as ye haue hearde the storye of the paynefull Passyon and dreadefulle death of our most louynge Lorde and swete Sauioure Iesus Christe And although the passion of Christ oughte at all tymes and euery daye dylygentely to bee remembred of vs and of euery Christian seyng it is that onely and alone precious treasure whereby wee are delyuered and sette at lybertie frome all the power of helle from Sathan synne deathe damnation c. yet the aunciente Fathers of Christes churche in tymes paste haue well prouyded that we shold haue euery yeare a certayne peculiar tyme appoynted for this purpose in the whyche we myght doo and exercise this eyther priuately or publykely For by this meanes shall the Passion of Christ be the more dilygently inculked and beaten into the youthe and also bee the more surelye engraffed in the memorie of the Elder sorte of people Nowe forasmuch as the Passion of Christe hathe in tymes paste ben meruaylouslye abused by vayne meditations and cogitations of superstitious and ignorant hypocrites we wyl at this present leaue all suche vanitie and declare howe the passion and deathe of CHRIST oughte trewely and profytablye to bee consydered weyghed and pondered vnto oure synguler consolation and comforte and also vnto the amendement of our lyfe and conuersation Thys shall bee brought to passe if wee dilygentlye expende weyghe ponder and consyder these principall poyntes followynge Fyrst what the Passion of Christe is Secondly what prouoked and moued hym to suffer thys Passion Thirdly how Christ bothe outwardly and inwardlye suffered Fourthly what fruite and profite he hath procured and gotten for vs by his Passion Fyrst the passion of Christ is none other thing then an vnmeasurable dolour sorowe torment and payne whiche he of a singular vnoutspekable loue toward vs for our synnes that hee myghte purge them and vtterly put them away thorow his satisfaction outwardly in his body and inwardly in his soule susteined and suffered tyll at the laste he died on the crosse which shal be opened declared more playnly herafter Secondly there are fyue causes that moued Christ to suffer his most dolorous and peinful passion The first is our synne which could none otherwise be clensed purged and put away but only by the passion death of Christ. The second cause is the greate and vnoutspeakable charitie loue and fauor that Christ and his heauenly father bore toward vs men whiche charitie coulde not abyd
of synnes because all the faythfull are wyth hym rysen agayne frome synne so that frome hensefoorth synne can not hurte theym althoughe whyle they are in thys wycked mortall bodye they can not be free from it For Christ brought wyth hym oute of hys graue remission of synnes The seconde fruicte foloweth of the fyrste and it is this That Christe by his Resurrection hathe abrogated the Lawe that is to saye hathe delyuered and sette at libertie our conscience from it and hath geuen our heartes peace tranquillitie and quietnesse For seynge that Christ by his Resurrection hath slain deathe whyche is the stypende of synne and hathe brought with hym vnto vs remission of synnes it necessarily foloweth that he hath also abolished the strength of synne whyche is the lawe that it can no more accuse vs. Therfore sayth Paule The lawe of the spirite that is to saye the Gospelle whiche quickeneth hathe delyuered me frome the power of synne and of death The quickenyng of the Gospell or in that the Gospelle quickeneth and makethe alyue it hathe hys strength power and efficacie of the Resurrection of Christe For if Christe hadde not rysen agayne then all oure preachynge and all our Faith had ben vayne The third fruict of Christs resurrection is that we by his Resurrection are deliuered from death In consideration whereof Paule glorieth with the Prophet Osee saying Deathe is swalowed vp into victorye As though he should saye The glorious and victorious resurrection of Christ hath swalowed vp deuoured and abolyshed death so that death from hensforth can doo nothyng at all against vs. And his cruel and terrible sight is none other thyng then an hornet with out a stynge whyche looketh terribly and with her wynges maketh a great and dreadfull noyse but yet hath she lost her styng and pricke so that she can hurt or wounde no man Our Sauior Christ sayth I am the resurrection and the life He that beleueth in mee although he were dead yet shall he lyue And all that lyueth beleueth in me shal neuer dye By the whiche wordes Christ signifieth that deathe to the Faithfull is nothyng ells then a sleape For as he that sleapeth lyueth and may ryse agayne so lykewise he that beleueth although he dye corporally yet abydeth he not in deathe but returneth vnto lyfe yea death is vnto him a very gate wherby he passeth oute of thys myserable and sorowfull lyfe vnto a trewe and an euerlastyng lyfe and is raysed vp frome thys sleape so that for euer after he waketh and abydeth alyue worldes without ende Therefore the holy Scripture callethe the corporall death of the Faithful a sleape as we rede in many places of the old and new Testament of Dauid Ezechias Stephen and other holy Sainctes The fourthe fruict of Christes Resurrection is the deuastation or destruction of helle so that nowe we are free and safe frome euerlastynge pestilence and curse For yf CHRIST saieth Sainct Paule be not rysen agayne then they whyche are fallen a slepe in Christ are vtterly loste Of the whyche wordes it foloweth that all they are blessed whyche sleape in Christe for as muche as hee is rysen agayne frome death And therefore dothe bothe the Prophete Osee and the blessed Apostle sainct Paule mocke helle and saye O helle where is thy victorie And the Apostle streyghte waye addeth Thankes bee vnto GOD whyche hathe geuen vs the victorie thorowe Iesus Christe If Christe had remayned in deathe then had all we perished as the Apostle sayth But for as muche as he remayned not in death therefore are we not loste but with hym we are escaped out of helle and made ioyfull and blessed The fyfth fruicte and profite of Christes Resurrection is that CHRIST risynge agayne frome the dead hathe gotten for vs the victorie ouer Sathan and all his kyngdome with all his membres also as it is written Christe by his deathe hath expelled him whyche hadde lordshyppe ouer death that is to say the deuyll that hee myghte delyuer theym whyche throughe feare of deathe were all theyr lyfe tyme subdued vnto bondage Christ by his Resurrection hathe taken away all power from Sathan so that now he can no more exercyse hys tyrannye againste the elect and chosen people of GOD. For Christe hathe taken hym prysoner and taken hys weapons awaye from hym bounde hym and so vtterly weakened him that hee hathe no power at all And thys hys victorye dydde hee in hys Resurrection myghtylye declare when he ledde awaye captyue all the rulers of helle as Saynct Paule sayth He hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of theym openly hath triumphed ouer them in his owne person And of this victorie against Satā it is recorded in a certen psalm of Dauid wher it is cōmāded that the gates dores shoulde bee sette open that the Kynge of glorie maye come in And the rulers and Princes of hell demand and saye Who is thys kynge of Glorye The Prophete aunswereth them sayenge It is the Lorde of Hostes. He is the kynge of glorie And of this victorie Christe also speakethe in a certayne Parable sayenge When a stronge manne armed watcheth hys house the thynges that hee possesseth are in peace But when a stronger then hee commeth vpon hym and ouercommeth hym Hee taketh frome hym all hys harneys wherein hee trusted and deuydeth hys goodes So lykewyse the deuyll possessed the world and shewed hys power in mainteynynge false worshyppynge of GOD and dyuers kyndes of Idolatrye and by thys hee stablyshed hys kyngedome and greately encreased the swarme of wycked and damned persones vntyll CHRIST whyche was stronger thenne hee inuaded hys kyngedome and tooke frome hym hys harneisse armour and weapon that is to saye synne and deathe wherewith he ouercamme the whole worlde and made spoyle of theim and by this meanes deliuered all the faithfull and electe people of GOD oute of his kingdome and sette theim free from his tirannie and power The sixt fruict of Christes resurrection is the preachynge of the Gospell For althoughe he dydde preache the Gospell to hys Disciples and to hys countreymenne the Iewes before hys deathe yet gaue hee oute noo Commyssion that it shoulde bee generally and vniuersallye preached to all Nations tyll after his Resurrection Therefore saieth he in the Gospell of Mathewe All power is geuen vnto me bothe in Heauen and in Earthe Go ye therefore throughout the whole worlde and teache all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost He that shal beleue and be baptised shal be saued But he that shall not beleue shall be damned This is a moste noble gyft whiche no man is able sufficiētly to expresse or to esteme For all hadd ben frustrate and voyde yf it had not ben publyshed and set foorth abrode For howe
synnes in our owne woorkes contrary to the woorde of GOD. For the Lord Christ doothe not instructe vs here of our woorkes but of the woorde whyche he putteth in the mouth of his Disciples and sendeth them euen as he was sent of his father Nowe where forgeuenesse of synne is and the heartes as Saincte Peter saythe are purifyed by Faythe There out of that good and purifyed hearte shall vndoubtedly issue and flowe foorthe abundance and plentie of all good and christen works For Faythe is not ydell and the holy Ghoste accordynge to hys nature and propretie alwaye mouethe and prycketh forwarde the faythefull vnto the obedience of Goddes holy wyll and vnto the mortification of the flesh and synne God through CHRIST gyue vs hys grace that we may beleue this and truly fele it in our heartes Amen The second sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn x. CHriste said vnto his Disciples I am the good shepheard A good shepheard geueth his life for the sheepe An hired seruaunâ— and he which is not the shephearde neyther the sheepe are his owne seeth the wolfe comming and leaueth yâ— sheepe and fleeth and the Wolfe catcheth and scattreth the sheepe The hyred seruaunt fleeth because he is an hyrede seruaunt and careth not for the sheepe I am the good shepheard and knowe my sheepe and am knowen of myne As my father knowethe me euen so knowe I also my father And I geue my life for the sheepe And other sheepe I haue whiche are not of this folde them also muste I brynge and they shal heare my voyce and there shal be one folde and one shepheard THE EXPOSITION THis Gospel as likewise the other workes of Christ may be handeled two maner of wais First coÌ„cerning faith SecoÌ„dly touching charitie It is the doctrine of Faith because it teacheth that Christ is the alone shepherd none other that dieth for his shepe For vnto this work that Christ dieth for vs no maÌ„ no saint no nor yet angâ—ll was mete that he might restore man which was slain of that deuil in Paradise thorow synne so that it shold be the very proper work of this shepherd Christ with whom none is able to compare as none of all his other workes which he dyd in this behalf I meane in making satisfaction for our sinnes can be of any creature imitated folowed and expressed Therfore no maÌ„ can speake these wordes of himselfe which Christ pronouÌ„ceth in this place I am the good Shepherd A good shepheard geueth his lyfe for his shepe so that by these his wordes he allureth vs vnto hym and teacheth vs that we shoulde beleue that none can be like vnto hym in accomplishyng the work of our redemption whyche he broughte to passe by his Passion and deathe Moyses and the Prophets were men of great authoritie and of singuler excellencie whiche taughte truly what we ought to beleue and to do yea they suffered many thynges for this their doctrine yet as concernyng this worke wherof Christ speaketh here I meane to dye for the shepe they are only mercenaries and hirelynges neither can they defende the shepe agaynst the wolfe For this is without all doubt that Moyses and the Prophetes when they had taught a longe tyme and done all thyngs aswell as they 〈◊〉 were not yet able to recouer them selues out of death What then could they be able to do for the shepe against the wolf whiche is the deuill death And verily it is euen as Christ saith The hireling which is not the shepherd to whom the shepe do not belong seeth the wolfe coÌ„ming forsaketh the shepe fleeth and the wolf catcheth scattereth the shepe But the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling the shepe do not pertaine vnto him Therfore he that in this perill desireth to be without ieoperdy not to be rent torne of the wolf must diligeÌ„tly take hede that he put not his coÌ„fideÌ„ce in the law or in good works For ther is no help in the law yea yâ— law is rather against vs accuseth condemneth vs neither can good workes helpe any thyng in this behalf Therfore all our trust concernyng our owne righteousnes and good workes must we vtterly caste awaye and lerne with true faith to resorte vnto him alone which saith I am the good shepehearde I geue my life for my shepe For he fleeth not the wolfe neither is he afraide of him yea he rather offereth himselfe o the wolfe for to be rent and torne on pieces then that one of his shepe should perishe and decay Therfore when we are in daÌ„ger we must resort and flee vnto him alone And this is one thing that we muste stedfastly beleue We our selues can do nothyng in this behalfe but Christe that good shepheard he alone doth it and worketh all good thynges for vs and commandeth vs to embrace it with a sure faith and stedfastly to beleue it The second doctrine is that this act of our shepherd is set forth vnto vs for an example as Peter witnesseth sayinge Christ hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being dead to sinne might lyue vnto righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were sometime as shepe that runne astray but ye are turned vnto the shepheard and curate of your soules This is the doctrine of faythe whiche he afterward applieth vnto Charitie saying Christ hath suffred for vs leauyng vnto vs an example that ye shold folow his steppes As Christe died for vs that by his worke he myght redeme vs without our worke from synne and euerlastyng deathe so are we bounde one to helpe and confort an other when soeuer any man beyng in daunger hath nede of our helpe and confort This is to folowe the example of Christe that euery christen man also shoulde be a good shepheard For although I with my death can not redeme other from death and synne for that is the only worke of thee alone and true shepheard Christe Iesu as ye haue tofore heard yet may I geue my life that other by thys example may be allured vnto the worde and brought vnto the knowledge of Christ as S. Iohn saith By this haue we knoweÌ„ the loue of God because he gaue his lyfe for vs and we are bound also to geue our lyfe for the brethren For this we right well knowe howe great the hatred of the world and the deuil is against the word of God And specially the Pope laboreth with all mayne to oppresse the word yea and so many as be the true pastors preachers therof Therfore we haue nede of faithful and good teachers whiche seyng they be redemed by the deth of Christ ought also they them selues to imitate and folow the example of Christ and also to die for the sheepe and to geue their life for the word This death redemeth not other for saluation cometh only by the death
euerlastingly neither can synne condemne them Therefore all thinges are now turned cleane contrarie Before we were holden vnder the captiuitie of synne Before we perceaued that the deuill by the reason of oure sinne was a cruell tyrant againste vs. Before we coulde by no meanes escape the moste bytter payne of death Before we looked for yea and that worthely euerlasting damnation and the most cruell tormentes of hell fyre But fromhensforth it shall no more be so For Christe vnto this ende is ascended into heauen that he shoulde holde in bondes as slaues of no power synne death and deuill that they fromhensforth should not exercise their tyranny againste vs as tofore they haue done or if they do attempt any violence against vs it should chaunce for the best on our behalfe Synne ceaseth not to prouoke vs if by any meanes it may enforce vs to do any thing againste the will of God and so to make vs to haue gyltie consciences And our infirmitie is great We do not resiste sin as we ought to do Dauid was a great man an holy yet was he throwne into two most greuous haynous sinnes Nowe that he was deliuered again frō those sinnes that they were forgiuen him The cause was that he beleued on that blessed sede that was promised to come which shold destroye the power of synne and make it his bonde prisoner It therfore can not only not oppresse Dauid but it is the cause also that he prayeth the more feruently and is the more circumspecte in all his doinges for euer after If he had not thus fallen he had neuer made that moste godly and swete psalme Miserere And so likewise is the matter concerning death It can not refraine his violence from vs neither can we any otherwise then tremble for feare at the beholdinge therof But how cōmeth it to passe that death can do none of all those thinges that it entendeth Because death is taken prisoner bounde so that nowe it can not hurt nor kyl euerlastingly the faithful the styng therof being taken awaye by Christ and it selfe being vtterly subdued and ouercome as Christ him selfe saith by the Prophet O death I wil be thy death Therfore whē death sheweth it selfe moste fearce and vttereth the greatest violence that it can yet it doth no more with the true Christians then that it should be the cause for them to flee vnto the worde of God that they maye exercise them selues in it the more diligently and confirme them selues with it which otherwise they wold not haue done if the terrours of death had not bene Euen the same may be spoken concerning the deuil which is a sutle deceiptfull craftie and cruell enemie He at all times lyeth in waight for the Christians if by any meanes he may make their hope frustrat vaine But Christ is Lord ouer him so that he shal not onely not do bring to passe that he entendeth but also the more that Christians are assalted of him the more ware circumspecte doth he make them and prouoke them the more diligently to geue their mindes to prayer to the meditation studie of gods worde to cōmit them selfe wholly to the tuition defence of god euermore calling on him for helpe and succour And where as if they were without this sutle and craftie enemie they wold become careles and negligent because they should stand in no feare of suche an aduersarie nowe they watch now they are circumspecte and take hede that they fall not into his daunger Al these thinges therfore profit the Christians whiche are to other because of their corrupt pernitious nature a very plague pestilence confusion and destruction And this chaunceth to the Christians because Christ is ascended into heauen and hath by that meanes made them his prisoners so that now they can not do against the Christians what they wold but what it pleaseth Christ to suffer or appoint them Synne wold gladly condēne vs death wold very faine kyl vs The deuil is altogether desirous to cast vs hedlōg into euerlasting damnati ōbut they can not do what they wold forasmuch as they are although enemies yet the captiues bond slaues of Christ so that although they be cruel fearce against vs yet can they not hurt against vs. And this is the noble fruit singuler cōmoditie of Christes Ascentiō that our greate enemies synne death deuill whose captiues and bonde slaues we were are nowe imprisoned of Christe and holden in bondage so that by this meanes we are free from their tyranny For for this purpose dyd he go vp into heauen and sytteth on the right hande of God that he might defende the churche against them It foloweth in the psalme Thou hast receaued gyfts for men that is to saye suche gyftes as thou wilt distribute vnto men and thorowe those gyftes helpe cōfort them What maner of gyftes these are God by the Prophet Ioel declareth saying After this will I poure out my spirit vpon all fleshe and your sonnes your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal se visions yea in those dayes I wil poure out my spirit vpon seruantes maydens I wil shewe wonders in heauen aboue tokens in the earth beneth And in the gospel of Iohn Christ saith thus If I go away I wil send the confortour vnto you And when he shal come he will rebuke the worlde of sin of righteousnes of iudgemēt Peter also saith Sence now that Christ by the right hand of god is exalted and hath receaued now of the father the promes of the holy ghost he hath shed forth this gyfte whiche ye nowe see and heare Now there are two thinges principally whiche the holye ghost worketh Firste he leadeth vs thorowe the Gospel vnto the true knowledge of CHRIST that we maye beleue to haue remission of our synnes in his name Again that we maye bringe forth the worthy fruites of repentaunce resiste synne mortifye it earnestly begin to obeye god And this newnes of lyfe afterwarde taketh place in oure soule bodye heart and in al the partes of vs. For although because of our sinnefull body we can neuer be so free from sinne that we shall be vtterly without synne yet that sinne that remaineth in vs is not imputed to vs nor layde to our charge for Christes sake neyther doth it condemne vs. And this is the firste thynge that the holy ghost worketh in vs. Secondly the holy ghoste also maketh his instruments that thorowe the worde and the preachynge therof other maye be brought vnto the knowledge of this grace In consideration wherof Paule interpreteth this psalme to this ende that thorowe the Ascention of Christ these giftes chaunce vnto vs that he hath made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepheardes and teachers to
shall truely iudge and make voyde and of no force the Popes excommunication and shal at the last day before God and his angels declare vs to be his true churche For it can none otherwise be in this lyfe then as Christe sayeth here that there shall be two churches and one shall excommunicate an other and by no meanes one abyde an other to dwell together But excommunication is neuer publikely exercised of the true Churche agaynste the false churche For the false churche hathe euermore for the moste parte the sworde in her hande and is able to defende her selfe at all tymes against suche as it fauoureth not as we may see by the Pope which is a moste sure argument that he and his can not be the true churche For as concernyng the true churche it is in thys our Gospell playnly declared that it shal be excommunicated vngentilly intreated and miserably handled They shall saythe Christe caste you out of the synagoges Who are those Yow Are they not the disciples and Apostles of Christ They shall kyll you saythe he Who Euen they that call theym selues the Churche And thus also goeth the matter euen at thys present daye Therfore thys excommunicatyng and murderyng whyche the Pope and hys churche vseth againste the sainctes of God whyche are the trewe churche ought not to make vs afrayde but rather to take it ioyfully paciently learne that these things are the right tokens and manyfest declarations of the true and christen churche yet so that there be lykewise aboue all thynges the true knowledge of Christe and of hys Father For the Anabaptistes and other sectes do suffer persecution also but they haue not the knowledge of Christe and of his father but they brynge in and sette vp a newe kynd of monkery and thorough thys they looke to be saued and to haue God mercyfull vnto them But contrary wyse the true Churche knoweth Christe and hys Father that is to saye it beleueth and trusteth onely in the goodnes and mercye of God for Christes sake and for that Fayth confidence and hope it gladly suffreth persecution so that whatsoeuer chanceth vnto it it grudgeth not but paently take it because it knoweth that Christe prophecied and tolde afore hande that these thynges should so come to passe Therefore it is well contente quietly to beare the tyrannie of the Pope beyng gladde of thys that it knoweth Christ and hys Father where as the Pope and all his adherentes althoughe they bragge neuer so muche of the Church neyther know Christe nor his Father but rather persecute them that haue thys knowledge Wherfore with a gladde heart and wyllynge spirite it suffreth all kynde of persecution wyth a sure hope that after thys lyfe it shall reygne with Christe and lyue with hym euerlastyngly in the kyngdome of his Father To whome with the same Christe his sonne and the holy Ghoste that moste swete comforter be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer Amen A Sermon on the Epistle on VVhitsondaye Acte ii WHen the fiftie dayes were come to an ende they were all with one accorde to gether in one place And sodaynelye there came a sounde from heauen as it had ben the commyng of a mightie wynde and it fylled all the house where they sat And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as they had bene of fire and it sat vpoÌ„ eche one of them and they were all fylled with the holye ghost and began to speake with other tongues euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce Then were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iewes deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When this was noysed about the multitude came together and were astonyed because that euerye man hearde them speake with hys owne language They wondred all and marueyled sayinge amonge theym selues Beholde are not all these whtche speake of Galile And howe heare we euery man his owne tongue wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamites the inhabiters of Mesopotamia and Iewry and of Capadâ—cia of Pontus and Asia Phrigia and Phamphilia of Egipte and of the parties of Libia whiche is beside Sirene and straungers of Rome Iewes and Proselites Grekes and Arrabians wee haue heard them speake in our owne tongues the great workes of God THE EXPOSITION VUhitsonday whiche of the Grecians is called Pentecoste doothe sygnifie fyftie dayes For Whitsondaye is the fyftie day in number from that daye that Christ rose again In the which day was celebrate kept holy amongest the Iewes also an high feast in remeÌ„brance that in the fiftieth day after that they had eaten the pascall lambe and departed out of Egipt they receiued the law at mount Sinai And for the continuaÌ„ce of this benefite of this setting forth of the law and of making a couenant with the people was this feast ordeined of god that they might neuer forget this holy obligation and bande as the hystorie in the seconde boke of Moyses and the .xx. chapter doothe declare And truely it doothe appere by the hystories of the olde testament as witnesseth sainct Paule also in his Epist. to the Corinthians that whatsoeuer befell then amongest the people of the Iewes was but a figure of those thynges that shoulde be declared to vs in the newe testament Wherfore euen as in the newe testament we haue an other pascall lambe and better then the olde For the blood of the lambe in Egypt was to anoynt yâ— doore postes that the Angel myght not hurt the bodies nor kil the fyrst borne therin but the blood of the lambe Christ was shed on the Crosse to the entent that we myght be delyuered throughe hym oute of the true Egypt that is from the tyranny of the deuyll synne and deathe so in the newe testamente we haue a better Whitsontide Penthecost then it was in the olde testament The Iewes in the olde testament dyd receaue in the mount Synai the tenne commaundementes Whiche doctrine was good profitable and necessarie and maye be worthily embraced as a great benefite but in it haue we no sure succoure and aide againste the kyngdome of the deuill synne and death but rather by the helpe of that lawe we are declared to be more greuous sinners and through our owne conscience are accused before God and proued gyltie for as muche as we doo not that whiche the lawe commaundeth vs to doo Wherfore euen as there was a very dreadfull sight in the mount when GOD spake and all thynges so troubled with thunder lyghtnynge that the hyll did smoke and semed to be moued So is this alwayes the propretie of the law when it worketh effectuously in the hearte to terrifie and feare and to dryue a man to desperation so that in the hearte there remayneth no deuice to escape that daunger And surely for a man to know what God requireth and to feele and perceaue that he hathe no power
Wherefore it is euident therby that he is also God This do we beleue and confesse and our children also with all Christian men and women After this confession foloweth there a rehersall of his workes and office what the sonne of God hath especiallye done That he was conceaued by the holy Ghoste borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and rose from the dead and ascended into heauen and sytteth at the ryght hande of god the father almightie And here doth he retourne again to his godhed that he may be knowen and beleued of all men that he is the Image of the father and lyke vnto God And this I say againe that we inuented not these wordes but receaued them of the congregation as a man woulde by hand to hand Thirdly we saye I beleue in the holy ghost Here we geue lyke glorie to the holy ghost as we geue to the father and to the sonne wheras we beleue in him So that this article is plainlie comprehended in the comō crede and that so wel that it can not be better so that it may wel be called the crede of the Apostles For it was scarsely a thyng possible for any other beside the Apostles to comprise it so simplely and certainly Nowe what be the workes of the holy Ghoste it is plainely also described that is that he gathereth together the churche out of all languages and ioyneth thē together in the vnitie of fayth doth sanctifie them by the remission of synnes and doth enkendle in them the hope of remission of sinnes as we saye I beleue the remission of synnes the resurrection of the fleshe lyfe euerlastyng So here be comprised verie properly in the crede the three persons in one diuine substance and yet neuerthelesse euery person is set forth with the ornamēt of his owne office and propertie To the father is attribute and geuen the creation To the sonne redemption to the holy ghost the power of sanctification and makyng holy That is that he doth distribute pacifie and confirme the remission of synnes and transpose vs from death vnto euerlastyng lyfe These are as a man wolde say certaine markes and differences that the persons may not be confusely put together but distinctly discerned that the father is the creatour Christe becometh man the holy ghost cometh wyth tounges like fire and pacifieth mens heartes All these are the workes of the only god But accordyng to the distinction of the offices and properties we must make a distinction also of persons For god the father was not made man and the sonne dyd not shew forth himselfe in fyerie tounges These are the proper workes of the sonne and of the holy ghoste Wherfore this article was deliuered vnto vs we made it not And this we know also by histories that GOD hath defended this article with great plagues and hath punished the heretikes that went about to ouerthrow it with great punishement Wherefore we must nedes sticke constantly vnto it and not forsake the word neither must we reason or dispute any thing in this matter For thus saieth the hystorie that Iohn was constreigned to write his Gospell especially for the heretike Cherinthus sake whiche dyd denie Christ his godhead and blasphemed hym It chanced that Iohn and they that wer with him entred into a bathing house in the which when he saw Cherinthus a washyng by and by he and his disciples went out with hast saying this withall let vs flee with all hast possible frō this blasphemer And they say that not long after the bathe fell on hym and slew Cherinthus the enemie of truthe And the end of Arrius the heretike was not muche better He was the head and author of great disturbance and tumult in the church which endured in the church more then foure hundred yeres In so much that not euen now can the sparkles of this vngodlynes be quēched and extinct out of the myndes of the common sorte He dydde graunt that Christ was borne of God before all creatures but yet that he was a creature and neuerthelesse farre better and worthier then all other be And wher as all faithfull byshoppes in euery place dyd as it was meete resyste thys blasphemie and many variances and discentions dydde ryse thereof it pleased Constantinus the Emperour to quenche this flame whiche at Nicea gathered together a councell of many learned men and godly byshops which condemned the error of Arrius And when that not long after Constantinus was dead and his sonne Constantine whiche was fauourable to Arrius was made Emperor they that were Arrians laboured with all their power to restore Arrius agayne from the excommunication And when that Arrius on a certayne day was commyng to the churche to be receaued agayne into the congregation in the waye he was taken with a great griping in the bealye And thereby was fayne to go out of the way to a cōmon place of easement where as when he was set downe his bowells and guts gushed out into the draught and so he gaue vp the goste Let all blasphemers therfore beware This is the article of the Trinitie which is fyrst approued by scripture then by the disputations of the apostles and holy fathers and at the laste also by miracles defended against the diuell and the world shall yet be defended and mainteined by Gods grace That is that we beleue in one God whiche is called the Father the sonne the holy ghost But that there might not be a certayn confused thing as cōcernyng the thre persons or one person Therfore their operations and propreties are distincted so that the Father is the maker the Sonne the Redemer the holy Ghost the sanctifier so that the common sort of the christians maye know a difference betwene the persones and yet not distincte or diuide the substance of the godhed This thyng is wont to be taught on this day and the christen men are onely they that beleue these thinges which seme contrary to reason as Paule saieth that it hath pleased God to make safe by the foolyshnes of preachyng them that beleue For reason can neuer make any forme of argument to proue that three are one and one thre that God is man that we when we are baptised are by the blood of Christ washed frō our syns and that in the sacramental bread we eate the body of the Lorde and in the mysticall wyne drinke his blood spiritually and so obteyne Remission of oure synnes All these articles are counted for fables and folye amongest the wyse of this world And therfore doothe Paule name it the foolyshenesse of preachyng But yet he that can beleue it shall get euerlastyng saluation The whiche thyng God the father graunt vs by the holy ghoste for his sonnes sake Iesus Christe our Lorde and alone Sauiour to whome be honor and glorie worldes without ende
their synnes For this shepherd doeth alwaies crie after the shepe goyng a straye I will not the death of a synner but rather that he repent and liue Despaire not of thy matters bicause of thy synne Knowe that GOD is mercifull in his sonne Iesu Christ whom he hath sent vnto thee as a shepherd to bestowe his life for thee and to laye thee on his shoulders and to bryng thee againe to the folde of saluacion And these thynges ought to be considered fullie and perfectly that wee maie vnderstande howe greate loue and care GOD hath for the saluacion of man that he can not abide to se hym to be made a praye for the deuill He maketh sute for synners as for his owne right And least he should be repelled for sinne as though he had no right he appoint a shepherd whiche hath right to recouer synners as straye shepe And when he seeth that thei are not able to retourne againe he followeth after theim and bryngeth theim againe vpon the shoulders of his mercie By the lawe of Moises whereon the Phariseis grounde their determinaciō of the kingdome of GOD there could neuer be ordeined suche a recoueryng of the loste For the lawe dooeth not onely not entise vnto it the straunge shepe but also it driueth her furder of with sharpe and cruell wordes For what can the lawe preuaile with a synner by this saiyng If thou be cleane and without all sinne thou maiest obtaine a place in the kingdome of GOD and not otherwise He knoweth truly the woorde of GOD but he can not tell what to dooe He is commaunded to ascende into heauen but he vnderstandeth that there is no place for synners in heauen Wherfore except there commeth a shepeherd from heauen vnto these straiyng shepe and beareth them on his shoulders againe to the kingdome of GOD there is no doctrine beside that sheweth the kyngdome of GOD neither that councelleth or preuaileth any thyng with theim that should come thereto onely this doctrine that commendeth and setteth forthe this shepherd sheweth the redie waie to it For it dooeth not onely declare that no man entereth into heauen excepte he descended from thens which is a deniyng of saluaciō vnto synners for the lawe is alwaies against synners saiyng thou descēdedst not therfore thou shalt not ascende but it sheweth this also that the sonne of man is come doune from heauen and become the shepherd of the loste shepe that thei maie be borne into heauen vpon his shoulders Thei could neuer haue come thither by their owne power As Christ in Ihon saieth that the sonne of man should therfore bee exalted that all that beleue in hym should not perishe but haue euerlastyng life For this are synners and straunge Shepe recouered when the Shepherde is exalted on the Crosse that he might beare theim vp into heauen on his shoulders and make them partakers of the kyngdome of heauen from whence he descended that sinners might thither ascende Whereby appereth what right GOD hath to challenge sinners into his owne familie The greate errour also of the Phariseis and Scribes and of all suche as measure the kyngdome of GOD by the rightuousnes of workes is declared For GOD can not allowe and commēde them that honour hym onely with their lippes but he requireth a true and a nigh hearte whiche can not be so except it be recouered by this shepherd This shepherd when he bryngeth hym againe on his shoulders maketh the heart full of hope confirmyng it with the holy ghost so that now he maie call boldly on GOD in his kyngdome without distruste he maie earnestly embrace the hope of saluacion and not doubt to bestowe this present life with al that he hath for the life euerlastyng Wherefore he so ioyneth hymself with his shepherd that he is onely disioyned from hym in that that he is not yet deliuered from the bodie of sinne But yet while he liueth in this corporall life he bestoweth hymself whollie to that heauenly conuersation And in it now he bryngeth forthe suche workes of the spirite as no hypocrite no Pharisie no Monke can bryng And yet alwaies hauing in minde his first condicion and state and after his recoueryng he trusteth onely to the Shepherd and his shoulders before God He is glad to shewe hym obedience yet taketh hede that he cōpare not this with Christ and his shoulders This is the kingdome of God described by Christ wherein is place for synners and yet none can enter in thither but with true and earnest confession of their synnes And yet so that thei be partakers of the shephearde and of his bringyng againe to the flocke If thou shouldest aske the Phariseis Scribes Papistes Monkes of the kyngdome of God thei would aunswere beware of the companie of synners doe good woorkes faste saie the ordinarie praiers giue almose to make satisfactiō for thy synnes c. but that a manne should put his onely trust in the shoulders of this shepherd thei will cōfesse that thei doubt thereof Yea thei will compte it contrary to the kyngdome of GOD as the Phariseis doe in this place And hitherto hath Christe taken part against the Phariseis and Hypocrites to defende this sentēce as moste true that synners haue place in the kyngdome of GOD and that Publicans and sinners are not to be excluded from gods kyngdome and from his sainctes For the gouernaunce and order of all his kyngdome consisteth of mercie and nedes must we abide the losse of all ours and cast them awaie as thynges of naught that our gaines in Christ maie be cōplete whole But there are diuers sortes of synners For although Christe came to call all synners to repentaunce yet all doe not repent Thei heare the worde with their eares but thei chaūge nothyng of their old condicions and maners thei giue thēselues to their owne sensualitie and pleasure and declare plainly by their life and doynges that thei haue no regarde of eternall life But what cōmeth thereof Nothing els but that although thei be on Christes shoulders yet thei fall of againe begin after that to stray with more perill then euer thei did before vntill at the length thei are without recouering caught in the deuilles snare so that thei can neuer ridde them selues out of coueteousnes lecherie and of vngodlie opinions These sinners belong not to the kingdome of God but thei onely that after thei haue heard the voyce of the shepherd doe repente and mortifie the woorkes of the fleshe For thei perceiue by the course of al thynges that thei that are in Christe Iesu and truste in the shoulders of this shepherd must not walke after the fleshe but must kill and slea their concupiscences and woorkes of the fleshe Suche synners doeth Christe beare againe vnto the flocke He foloweth after the other also but thei flie to farre of and tourneth awaie their eares from his woordes neither can he done theim any good
mirthe for whatsoeuer is dooen in faithe be it neuer so little pleaseth God and are moste excellent woorkes But after that this also is necessarie for the cōmon life whereof commeth the congregation of God that is that euery man maie be certaine as touchyng his doynges and degree Wherfore of this also doeth God put forthe a sure woorde and commaundeth obedience toward parentes Wherefore whatsoeuer worke office children seruauntes be in the housholde all that is sanctified by this worde so thei that doe these thinges in a familie maie well boaste of a sure commaundemente of God and by this worde are the officers and maisters of householdes blessed and sanctified For thei are the ministers of this common life wherein God would haue tranquilitie and quiet for the continuaunce of his congregation And as touchyng their honor God hath put forthe lawes that thei might accordyng to their honour behaue them selues in their offices and bee sure of their dooynges by the lawe that thei are doen accordyng to Gods woorde and commaundement And as their conscience maie be established whiche followe Gods woorde in their doyng so he that hath not his worde can haue no sure ground to sticke vnto and is tossed hither and thither with euery little blaste like a moueable Rede Wherefore we ought highly to esteme Gods worde that as the Prophet speaketh but of the old age of youth that it should correct his waie in kepyng Gods wordes So all ages al kindes offices and functions might haue wherto thei might vprightly order their life Onely this trade of life hath asure and quiete conscience Neither the Turke Iewe nor Gentile Monke nor Papist can obtain this so greate a thyng This Science belongeth onely to the good that thei maie knowe for a suretie that bothe their inwarde iudgemente and outward actions procede accordyng to Gods woorde Wherefore thei set on their matters without waueryng and feare although thei bee perilous For all thynges belongyng to their vocation are sette forth by Gods commaundement neither haue thei any thing wherein thei ought to feare vngodlines This doctrine ought chiefly to be taught vnto all Christian men that thei might knowe how to sette on all thynges and to bryng theim to passe in Gods worde and so shall thei the soner beware all the tyme of their life of supersticious and wicked perswasions If Monkes had folowed this trade thei had neuer fallen to so greate vngodlines by the preceptes of mennes traditions Neither doe the Apostles care for any thyng more then to propound the plaine and simple worde of Gods commaundement as touchyng Iustification before God and the residue of the life to be passed ouer with Godlines Thei that followe the obedience of this worde can not be put beside saluacion although thei either in warfare for their countrie or doyng some other daungerous charge of their vocatiō chaunce to die The reason is thei serue in their vocation and obeie God and knowe for a suretie that thei doe all thinges according to Gods commaundement And so might this life bee passed ouer of all men Godlie and vertuously if thei would onely order it after the tenne commaundementes and the faithe in Christ. But the Deuill withstandeth this withall his might least the worde of GOD should come in mynde at any of our doinges Neither when we rise nor when we goe to bedde nor when we eate haue we any care or thought on Gods worde And it is no maruaill if thei before thei are wares are oppreste with the wicked worlde But christian men must haue more regard of so great and necessary a thyng that thei maie be sure at all tymes to be of Gods Kyngdome so that thei maie haue Gods worde for a testimonie whiche sanctifieth all thynges in al their matters The thinges that are doen be not alwaies greate nor glorious and the moste part are common bothe to the Ethenike and Christians But in this there is greate difference onely the Christians hath Gods worde for their leader wherby all their workes are sāctified before God As for an example when Paule saieth seruauntes obey your bodily maisters in feare and trembling through singlenes of heart And againe Children obeye your parentes in the lorde This worde and faithe sanctifieth all their woorkes that thei maie be pleasaunte vnto GOD whereas emongest the vnfaithfull thei can not bee acceptable for lacke of the worde and faithe For there is nothyng holy in the yearth besides Gods name and faithe And all thynges that are sanctified are sanctified onely by the name and worde of GOD. And surely by the worde of the fifte commaundement all mannes life bothe in the gouernement of a commonaltie and also of an houshold is blessed if so be faithe lacketh not but that thou doest euery thyng obediently in the name of GOD. But lette this be sufficient to admonishe here that we maye vnderstande that this example of Christe was put forthe to the intent that many of them that folow Christe should be prouoked and stirred studiously and diligently to heare the worde of GOD whereas it is setforthe for them onely that thei maie not bee confounded when thei looke on all his commaundementes But as for the other muste needes abide confusion bicause thei haue no light of gods worde in their doynges Now therfore as we intended at the beginning let vs come to the historie wherof are twoo partes The firste is a doctrine as touchyng this corporall life that GOD also will prouide for the necessities of the bodie after that of the Spirituall life that he will not leaue vs destitute of hope for our synnes sake but bee mercifull vnto vs and recouer vs from destruction Bothe these doctrines are very necessary and profitable and are worthy to be learned with all diligence of the godly The comfort of the corporall life resteth herein where as Christ commaundeth Peter to caste his Nettes and Peter obeieth and taketh a great scull of fish Here is a good steward if a man could make hym ouersear of his businesse For nothyng could lacke where he is present But the Euangeliste declareth sufficiently that Christ will not doe so to al men but to theim onely that all the night laboured in vaine and afterwarde heard Gods woorde that is he will helpe the righteous and poore that felt nede For the Christians in this life hath many troubles and temptacions But when thei are tempted and yet sticke constantly to their vocation and to the worde Christ is ready to helpe them And this is one comfort put forthe for vs in this place that wee maie retaine faithe and although we are now and then in pouertie and lacke thynges necessarie yet that we despaire not nor vnpaciently murmure but to stande in good hope that blessyng shall not long cease For it chaunceth likewise with Peter his fellowes to spende a whole night in vaine and to take nothyng Afterwarde commeth Christ. And first he putteth for his
without the luste thereof And likewise in all other preceptes For the Lawe requireth not onely to dooe woorkes but that the heart also be pure and agreable in all poinctes to Gods worde and lawe But thou wilt saie where maie suche an hearte be founde Uerely neither I neither thou haue it in store For we se how sone we fall into wrothe and how sone also sensualitie riseth in our heartes yea otherwise then wee thought or willed Yea and where we purposed the contrary and hate our selues therefore What must be dooen then We haue not suche perfect rightuousnes and a cleane heart and yet we heare the sentence that the Phariseis rightuousnes hath no place in heauen Truely this must we doe We must not followe the Scribes and Phariseis to thinke our selues rightuous for our woorkes But for all our rightuousnes what soeuer we dooe we muste shewe suche submission and humblenesse before GOD that wee maie saie O Lorde I am a synner be thou mercifull vnto me and enter not into Iudgement with thy seruaunt as touchyng workes but deale with me accordyng to thy mercie and grace whiche thou haste promised and performed to vs in Christ. This doctrine tendeth to this ende specially that spirituall pride maie therby be restrained and wee by that meanes come vnto the knowledge of our filthy hearte and moste corrupt nature and so at the laste be brought to the hope of Gods grace fauour and mercie And this is the very rightuousnesse that obtaineth the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen whiche hath her foundation of our workes although thei ought to be good and Godly but of the remission of synne and of the grace of GOD. For although we preuaile som what by that we labour to offende no bodie by our leudnes and studie as muche as wee can to accomplishe Gods will yet the greatest fault remaineth still wheras the hearte is vnpure and full of sensualitie and wickednes But he that obtaineth remission of his sinnes is rightuous not by his owne power but by grace forasmuche as his synnes are forgiuen hym for his fathers sake in Christ. Wherefore Peter in the Actes of the Apostles saieth that our heartes are purified by faithe But this purifiyng is not on suche wise as though no euill thoughtes or vncleane concupiscence should after that be felt in our heartes for that should neuer come to passe before this bodie of synne bee laied in the grounde and a passage made vnto euerlastyng life then shall the hearte be cleane in deede and pure of his owne nature But so long as this life endureth all the purenesse is in faithe and in the woorde that GOD for Christes sake will not impute our sinnes to vs nor punishe vs for them but rather remit pardon and forgiue them And this neuerthelesse must followe therof that afterward by the help of the holy ghost we begin to leade a pure holy and Godly life and shewe GOD due obedience But as I saied before this is an vnperfect obedience Therefore the whole rightuousnes before GOD consisteth onely in the remission of synnes And this is the true meanyng of these wordes where Christ saieth Excepte your rightuousnesse excede the rightuousnes of the Scribes and of the Phariseis ye can not enter into the kyngdome of heauen These wordes are not to be vnderstand as though all that the Phariseis dooe is naught by nature For where as the Pharisie in the Gospell of Luke boasteth that he is not vnrightuous no robber no adulterer againe that he fasteth twise in a weeke and paieth tithes of all that he possesseth to do these thinges is not euill and we would wish that all men wer suche euen vnto their liues ende then should the Maiestrates Iudges and parentes with suche like haue lesse businesse But herein is the fault that for this outward rightuousnes sake the Pharisie boasteth himself to be rightuous before GOD neither thought he that he had neede of Gods mercie and remission of synne for the obtainment of true and perfect rightuousnes Christ resisteth this leude persuasion that wee should not trust in suche rightuousnes before GOD but make inquisition for better if we determine to haue any hope of the heauenly inheritaunce And he putteth forthe vnto vs the sixt commaundement for an example that by that wee maie learne what is the rightuousnes of the Phariseis and beware of it The sixt commaundement as ye knowe is this Thou shalt not kill Here the Phariseis persuaded them selues that if thei did but onely abstain from grosse murder thei neded not to care for any more and that thei had fulfilled this commaundemente againe that nothyng els was required of them in this behalfe But Christe requireth greater thynges For the woordes of this commaundement are not Thy handes shall not kill but Thou shalt not kille That is to saie Thy hearte thy mouthe thy tongue and all the powers in thy senses and what soeuer is in thy bodie besides whereby murder is committed thou shalt auoyde so that thou doe not onely eschewe grosse murder but all other thinges in hearte in minde in woorde in gesture in countenaunce c. whiche are as a manne would saie the waie and preparatiō vnto murder For this saiyng Thou shalt not kill Christ doeth not so nakedly expounde it that it should signifie slaughter onely whereby mennes bodies are slaine and depriued of their life but what soeuer is doen besides wherby murder ensueth As when thou hatest any man ▪ and wilte in no condition helpe hym but art so affected toward him as the riche glottō was toward poore Lazarus Suche through thy faulte might perishe and so art thou by this precept giltie of murder as Ambrose saieth If thou hast not fedde thou haste slaine and committed murder And S. Ihon saieth he that hateth his brother is a murderer And ye knowe that a murderer hath euerlastyng life dwellyng in hym Therefore he that purposeth to kepe this commaundement must not onely refraine his handes but his harte also muste be voide of wrathe so that he neither shewe churlishe countenaunce nor giue cruell woorde against them that haue deserued an euill tourne at his hande yea and that by all mennes iudgement For Christ saieth plainly that this commaundement is transgressed and broken fiue maner of waies Firste with the hearte when it is moued with anger displeasure against thy neighbour Secondly when the hearte betraieth it self outwardly and sheweth by some externall gesture that it is angrie in deede as when we passe by any man and tourne awaie our faces from theim that salute vs and will not ones giue them an answere no not so muche as a louyng looke For this worde Racha pertaineth specially to a disdainfull and angrie mocion as when the anger is Iudged by the eyes by the countenaūce or by some croked worde Thirdly when wrathe procedeth out of the heart into the mouthe
families and subiectes maie be brought vnto the true knowledge of the worde feare GOD become rightuous and Godly in their conuersacion and so at the laste obtaine euerlastyng saluacion Therefore this is the highest woorke and the moste principall seruice that we can doe vnto God in this worlde euen to bryng all suche as be committed to our charge vnto the true knowledge of God and of his blessed Gospell For who seeth not how earnestly the Deuill labour partly by sectes and partly by tyrauntes to stoppe the procedinges of the Gospell that no kinde no age maie come vnto the religiō feare of GOD As I maie speake nothyng how laborious and painfull a thyng it is to bryng the people vnto the true knowledge of God Suche seruice to God and suche almose to the peoples soulles doeth Christe here firste of all declare to them that come vnto him that is to saie he first fedeth their hongrie soules with the worde of God And this is truely to sanctifie the Sabboth daie I meane to preache and heare the woorde of God in so muche that thei whiche doe this please God more then if thei should offer to hym greate mountaines of golde We therfore must also followe this example And verely if Princes Parētes Gouernours of housholdes c. would dooe this thei might deserue heauen by this their office that is to saie thei should doe vnto God moste high and acceptable sacrifice for asmuche as thei to the vtteryng of their poore labour and doe their true diligence that the soulles whiche are committed vnto them maie be brought vnto the true knowledge of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ and so be deliuered from the kyngdome of the Deuill and bee made inheritours of euerlastyng glory After this spirituall refection I meane the preachyng of Gods woorde followeth the seconde refection or almose when Christ also taketh care for the bodie For Christ came not into this worlde to destroie either soule or bodie but to saue bothe Therfore the Carthusian or Monke of the Charterhouse went not the right waie to worke whē he thought his greate abstinence and longe praiers hindered the health of his bodie The bodie is subiect to labour that it should not be idle yet must that so be dooen that the bodie loose not his healthe For he that destroieth his bodie as the Monkes many tymes enfebleth thē selues and weaken their strengthes by their loude syngyng long fastyng and tedious praiyng doeth nothing els then murder him self This muste bee auoided as a moste greuous synne as Iesus Sirach prescribeth The fodder the whippe and the burthen belongeth vnto the Asse meate correction and worke vnto the seruaunt But saieth he doe not to muche vnto hym in any wise and without discretion doe nothyng For the body is mortall and therfore it hath nede of meate that it maie be in healthe It is also to be put vnto labour that it waxe not wanton and imagin some euill Moreouer it hath nede of correction and discipline that thereby it maie be prouoked excited and stirred vp vnto labour that it waxe not idle and negligently do the thinges that are to be doen. And yet in all these thynges there must be a measure or meane For the bodie can not alwaies labour It must somtime haue rest And for this cause hath GOD appoincted not onely the daie vnto labour but also the night vnto slepe and reste And the middaie serueth vs to eate For GOD is no murderer as the Deuill is whiche Deuill laboureth to this ende that the Monke maie vtterly kill hym self with the immoderate exercises of fasting watchyng praiyng c. But GOD will none of this He will haue measure to be kept in all thynges Measure is a merie meane as thei vse to saie This is the seconde comfort that we should goe the right waie to worke and aboue all thynges seke after the worde of GOD whiche when we fall euen into the desert and wildernes and therefore are in daunger of famine yet lette vs not despaire nor be dismaied For euē here is the lorde with vs which is moued with our necessitie and also is carefull for vs yea and that muche better then we be able to care for our selues For we with our care can bryng nothyng vnto good effecte But where Christe careth there must nedes be greate plentie of all thynges though there were nothyng els in the worlde then highe penurie and moste miserable lacke as we se here The Apostles also take care But what is their care For sothe this whens shall we gette bread here in the wildernes that we maie fede this people This their care is suche that no goodnesse cometh of it But when Christ ones taketh care of the people and appoincteth with hym self how he will fede them although there be present onely .vii. loues and a fewe little fishes yet through his blessyng thei be made so great and plentifull that thei suffice fower thousande menne yea and there remain of their fragmentes seuē baskettes full Women and children are not nombred whereof it is to be thought that there was also a greate nomber Now tell me if any man were certain and sure that he should go as farre and dooe asmuche with one pece of golde as a riche manne should doe with many thousādes would not he wishe that his one pece of golde cast a side all care and be as mery and as frolike as the riche man with all his thousandes And if the riche man should boaste auaunce hym self bicause of his riches would not the poore man mocke hym and saie Thou hast no cause to be proude for all thy riches For although thou hast muche yea more then I yet art thou in no better case then I am For my one pece of gold is as muche to me as all thy heape of golde is to thee Neither can thy so many thousandes any lenger indure then this my one pece of golde Therefore I am in as good state with my little as thou with all that thou hast c. But how come this to passe when we be christians or at the least will so be coumpted that we dooe not in all poinctes so behaue our selues that neither in wealthe and plētie we waxe proude nor yet in penurie and scarsenes we faint are dismaied or despaire For if we earnestly and diligently seke the worde of GOD there shall bee no perill of scarsenes Christ will be carefull for vs neither shall we want any good thyng at all For this is nothyng to the purpose whither wee haue muche or little This is altogether that Christe maye blesse that we haue When he putteth his blessyng vnto that little thou hast then shalt thou not onely not lacke any thyng ▪ but also for that blessynges sake thou shalt haue more remainyng then thou haddest at the beginnyng If we would truely and earnestly beleue this doctrine we should
not onely be without carefulnes but we should also represse couetuousnes whiche maketh vs almoste as persones besides our selues or out of our wittes For suche wickednesse ruleth and reigneth in the heartes of coueteous people that the more thei haue the more the couite Yea the couetuous man dooeth as well lacke that he hath as that he hath not and for the moste parte couetuousnes doeth so blinde his eyes that he falleth into al kinde of mischief fearyng neither GOD nor manne But he that would consider this miracle a right should be of an other minde I meane he would neither because of plentie bee to bolde or trust to muche nor yet for his penurie despaire or be vtterly dismaied For this he knoweth that he whiche hath Christe hath suche a dispensatour and stewarde as is able to make muche of a little And again contrariwise that where Christe is absent with his blessyng all thinges out of hāde must nedes come to naught be thei neuer so great and plentuous Paraduenture these seuen loaues and a fewe fishes were for Christe and his disciples For seyng this was Christes maner oftētimes to go into desert solitarie places to praie and to fight against Satan it is to be thought that the disciples prepared victuall for their purpose Therefore so sone as Christe taketh the breade into his handes it is straight waies increased as it maie bee perceiued so that although he distributeth thereof yet remaineth there in his handes still more and more This arte and connyng Christ knoweth and gladly exerciseth the same for their sake whiche loue and embrace his worde and yet not before that the lacke be perceiued and felt Therefore he that desireth to haue this blessyng let hym not bee greued though he suffer penurie for a little tyme. Embrace thou the worde constantly and liue accordyng to thy vocation For this doeth Christe require of thee and as for all other care caste it vpon him and he shall nourishe thee For no man hath euer either heard or seen that a Christian man hath perished and died for honger Thei haue been afflicted and caste into prison but after thei haue receiued the fatte almoste of the worde of GOD thei haue founde other meate sufficient neither haue thei lacked any good thing Neither ought this to moue a christian man any thing at all that he hath not suche and so great deinties as the riche worldlynges haue For Christ did not ouer deintely fede his geastes Bread and fishe was their meate water was their drinke He setteth not before thē many dishes and varietie of precious and pleasaunt wines as the maner is of rich men and of men of power that haue plētie and superfluitie of al worldly thinges He willeth that meane meat and drinke shuld be our fare while we are in this world that therwith we ought to be content For what requirest thou more then that thou maiest represse and slake honger and preserue thy health Be therfore content herewith If other fare more daintely thei haue the more cause to thāke God for it and to take heede that thei doe not abuse that their abundaunce and large blessyng of GOD nor make it an occasion of wickednes For experiēce teacheth that deintie fare can not agree with all men and that good health and delicious foode haue seldome concorde betwene them so that bread salte and water with prosperous welfare and good health is more to be wished then al the deinties of the worlde with sickenesses diseases and tormētes of the bodie As we haue examples by diuers riche menne whiche rather followe their beastly pleasures then their naturall appetite of feedyng But thei receiue a reward with their foolishenes For where as if thei would liue soberly temperatly and accordyng to the desire of Nature thei should bothe haue their health the better and also be the more able in good and semely order to doe suche thynges as belong vnto their vocation and callyng and so please both GOD and man Now oppressyng nature by their to muche ingurgilatiō and excesse by their surfettyng and dronkennes thei doe not onely make thē selues vnapt vnto the seruice of GOD of their neighbour and of them selues but also thei fill and infect their myndes and bodies with many synnes and diseases yea and haste death vnto theim selues before the naturall tyme as the wiseman saieth Excesse of meates bryngeth sickenesse and glotonie cometh at the laste to an vnmeasurable hate Thorowe surfette haue many one perished but he that dieteth hymself temperatly prolongeth his life Moreouer through this their to moche delicate fare and varietie of dishes the poore people are defrauded of their porcion For the more that the rich glotons spende thus wastfully vpon theim selues the lesse haue thei to bestowe vpon the poore yea thei are moned nothyng at all with pitie and compassion toward the nedie people as we maie see by that voluptuous Epicure in the Gospell of Luke whiche faryng deintely euery daie hymself disdained to geue vnto poore and beggerly Lazarus so muche as of the cromes that fell from his table so farre was it of that he shewed any obediēce to this commaundement of GOD Breake thy bread to the hongrie As for the nedie and waifaring men leade them into thy house And when thou seest a naked man clothe hym and despise not thyne owne flesh But these cormorantlike Epicures little regarde this and suche like commaundementes of GOD. Therefore in makyng prouision for their owne bellies thei spare no coste but vnto the maintainaūce of the poore all that euer thei geue is not worthe God a mercie We ought therefore to haue a speciall regard to this simple fare whiche is here setforthe and greatly garnished with the moste comfortable blessyng of GOD and therewith to be content seyng as the Philosopher saieth we liue not to eate but we eate to liue And nature is content with a little When GOD gaue to his people Manna in the wildernesse daiely for their foode suche as were thākfull and Godlie minded receiued it not onely as a moste goodly noble meate but thei also thought it to be sufficient for their corporall necessitie neither required thei any other kinde of meate or varietie of dishes But the delicate belligoddes it could by no meanes suffice whiche desired rather to retourne into Egipt and to sitte there emong the greasie fleshe pottes But what the reward of thē was the holie scriptures doe manifestly declare The Patriarche Iacob departyng frō his countrie when he praied vnto GOD asked no more of hym but foode and raiment GOD gaue to Helias the Prophet by his Angell a loafe of broiled bread and a vessell of water At an other tyme he fedde hym by a Rauen twise a daie with bread fleshe and willed hym to drinke the water of the Brooke Cherith Here is no varietie of dishes nor delicate wines Daniel
tyme of youre visitation I come not vnto you with swearde or armour but meke gentyll and lyke a Sauiour I teache and cry Repent repent Amend amend Heare and be obediente vnto God before his anger waxe whote and there be no manne that can quenche it Thus I visite you but I profite nothing ye heape synne vppon synne yea and that extremely because ye haue no regarde to the tyme of your visitation neyther can ye abyde it Therefore for as muche as ye refuse all good counsell all good help shal forsake you For who wyll be the surgion of that wounded man whiche would go aboute to destroye the body of that surgion whiche seketh his health After this sort are ye Iewes God procureth that remission of synnes shoulde be declared to you by me and that he wil be a mercifull God vnto you Agayne that he pardoneth and forgeueth you al things so clerely as though ye had neuer offended onely this is his desyre that nowe at the last ye should ceasse frome synne and receaue his word But ye blaspheme me ye say I haue a deuyll ye condemne my doctrine as heresie and are fully determined to put me to death yea the most vile ignominious and spitefull death of the crosse This is to muche a beastlynesse where God dothe determine not onely to forgeue you your synnes but also to geue you great abundaunce of bothe heauenly and worldly benefites to turne your backes and most churlishlye to refuse yea to blaspheme his grace and to sette naughte by hys mercye But forasmuche as the matter is come to that poynt there nowe remayneth nothyng that may appease the wrathe of God the pain plague and punyshement must nedes procede suffer it ye muste They that refuse peace muste nedes haue warre ye woulde not haue the blessynge of God his curse therfore muste nedes fall vppon you For where men can not abyde remission of synnes and the fauor of God there is no more hope of saluation And this is the principall cause why the anger of god is so fierce and great For as the Iewes coulde not abyde eyther to see or to heare the worde of GOD so lykewise God afterwarde vtterly refused theyr crienges prayers sacrifices and all other thynges neither coulde his anger be pacified tyll this citie was vtterly destroyed pulckt vp by the rootes so that neither man neither beast nor yet any the lest part of the citie remayned whereby the place or situation of the citie might be discerned For the souldiors laboured to the vttermost of their power that nothing at all myght remayn neither of the citie nor yet of the thyngs appertainyng vnto the Citie And this is that most horrible and terrible example whiche the Euangelist setteth foorthe in this Gospell of this present sonday to admonyshe and warne vs that wee despise not the worde of God nor let passe the tyme of our visitation But this is moste of all woorthy to be consydered that Christ saieth here But nowe thys thynge is hyd frome thyne eyes For so for the mooste parte it commeth to passe that men do neuer remember the plague and punyshement that is at hande but because God for his long suffryng sake deferreth the payn loketh for amendmeÌ„t the world thynketh that he wyl wink at the matter and regardethe not theyr synnes But Christ sayth Although ye doo not thynke of the pain because ye see it not yet knowe ye that it shall moste certainly come God hath prepared so many plagues peines punyshementes snares fetters manicles lockes boltes stockes cheynes c. for the wicked that ye can by no meanes escape For first of all he hathe appoynted parentes and gouernours of housholdes and to them hath he committed the care and charge of vnruly youth and of families He that will not be gouerned and ruled by this power he muste be delyuered to the maiestrate to correct and punyshe hym After these the deuyll remayneth whiche if thou canste not yet be tamed hath so muche power thorough the sufferance of God that he will punyshe thee with pestilence famyne drownynge burnyng c. so that no man ought to thynk that he can preuayl agaynst god or that he shall escape vnpunyshed If thou regardest not thyne office nor wilt not heare obey the word of God thou shalt haue the hangman and the deuill to be thy maisters and gouernors whiche shall discipline thee to the vttermoste bryng thee so low that thou shalt neuer be able to rise againe or ones to lift vp thy heade Therfore receaue ye this doctrine in tyme that ye maie discerne and iudge betweene the hidde and the open payne For the peyn of sinne is euer certaine and yet it is hydde and in that it is hydde it dothe deceaue menne as Salomon also sayeth It is not good nor profitable that men be not punyshed out of hand that god doth so long wink at matters For by this meanes all kynd of mischief encreaseth in the wicked so that they waxe daiely worse and worse The thiefe whiche hath this daye good lucke in hys theft goeth foreward in the same to morowe neither thynketh he then to haue worse chance then he hadde tofore whiche notwithstandyng at the laste bringeth hym to the gallowes Whyche thynge if he had before considered and so geuen ouer his stealyng in tyme he myght haue escaped that vile and shameful death So lykewise goeth it with whoremongeâ—s adulterers vsurers and all other synners the better successe they haue at the beginnyng in doyng theyr wyckednes the bolder they are and the more desyrous to proceede in theyr euyl dede For they coÌ„syder not this sentence Although the payne be hid for a tyme and differred yet it is certayne and will surely at the laste come accordyng to our englishe prouerbe So long goeth the pot to the water tyll at the laste it commeth home broken Therfore take hede diligently and euer remember this sayenge Though the payn be hyd for a tyme and deferred yet it is certain and wyll surely at the last come as the Heathen by experience taught sayd When God commeth to punyshe he goeth in shoes of wolle that he may be vpon the wycked with his plagues before they be aware Lerne thou thys and cease to be careles And although God cometh not streight waies with his thunderbolte â–ª vtterly to destroye thee for thy wickednes and sinne yet beware and aforesee the mischiefe that is to come stande in feare of Gods vengeance and repent betymes For he is garded and waited on with so many ministers and angels he hath in his power so many plagues warres famyne pestilence c. that thou canst neuer escape vnpunyshed He able to sende downe fire frome heauen and with the flames therof vtterly to consume thee vnto ashes He is able with the tempestuous showers of rayne or otherwise with water to suffocate and smother thee vp He is able with
doctrine aboue the lawe For syth we can not perfectly fulfill the lawe The law causeth vs to haue an euil conscience to feare gods wroth for our synnes sake Wherfore this doctrine tendeth to this ende that thou sholdest learne what is Christ and what he hath done And nowe this is his voyce that he is not onely the son of Dauid as the Iewes beleue but also Dauids Lord that is an euerlastinge and verye god But what dothe he he putteth asyde from hym the forme of god as Paule sayeth and becommeth a man He taketh vpon hym the deathe of the Crosse. And why so Uerilye because he is the sonne of god that is to saye a sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde After that he dyed and rosse agayne the thyrde day from death vnto euerlastinge lyfe and sytteth at the ryghte hande of god This must we learne and beare awaye as touchinge Christ. For he that holdethe this faste is safe He that holdeth it not shall perishe vnder his synnes The reason is we are all synners and the lawe doth not only not deliuer vs from oure synnes but maketh vs more greuous synners agaynst god accuseth vs before God so that we are in greate daunger and can fynde no wayes to escape by all that we can doe In sinnes are we conceaued and borne and the longer that oure lyfe is the more do oure synnes encrease For this burden is put on vs not as an other burden which we may put downe cast of when we will It cleaueth to our very mary bones most secret parts of vs neuer suffereth vs to be at reast as we cā not denie this if we wold cōsider wel proue our strēgth Against this is this the only remedie to learne what is Christ. For assone as thou knowest who he is and then what he doth this is the very way to come vnto saluation The reason why is this If thou be a sinner and haste sinned muche againste God haue respecte to this God sendeth this Christ to suffer for synners to make satisfaction for synnes But what should this debte trouble the whiche that most riche Christe hath taken vpon hym to pay yea and hath payd it allredie wherfore this only remaineth that thou embrace with true confidence and fayth this death and crosse of Christe This can be vnknowen to no man that death is dewe to vs all and no man can haue any hope of a priuilege for the contrarie When we are dead we are vndone We can not helpe our selues But consider wherof commeth death Is it not for sinnes sake Nowe haste thou heard wher thou muste set remission of thy synnes euen in the death of thy Lorde Iesu Christ. This Christ whan he was deade remained not in death But he arose frō death to lyfe And this is a sure profe that he is Lord ouer death Wherfore euen as thou hast remission of syn through hym so by him thou hast euerlastyng lyfe in that he shall rayse thee vp againe thy flesh bodie in the last day And this the true knowing of Christ to know whose sonne he is euen the son of Dauid For he is a mā yet neuertheles the Lord of Dauid which sitteth at the right hāde of god hath for his footstoole his enemis sin death and hel Wherfore he y◠nedeth any helpe against these enemies must not require it of Moses nor of the law nor of his own worke or righteousnes but let him require it of the son Lord of dauid wheras he shal be sure to find it This doth the idle kind of Phariseies not know Wherfore they care not for Christ are cōtent with this that they know out of the law how god the neighbour is to be loued Wheras yet it is not possible that god shold be knowen I will not speake of the loue of him except Christ be knowen firste As he saith in Math. 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne he to whom the son openeth him And this is the cause why Christ by this occasiō moueth this presēt questiō As though he should saye This ye know that god is to be loued But ye shal neuer loue god with all your heart wyth all your soule with all your mynde excepte ye knowe Christ well and perceaue who he is For how can we otherwise knowe what grace and mercie God hath geuen vnto vs This is no smale thinge that God hath made vs and geuen vs bodie and soule and all thinges But we vse these thinges but for a litle time in this lyfe But herein appeareth moste especially the riches and great goodnes and mere mercy of God wheras he spared not his only begotten sonne but deliuered hym vnto the death of the Crosse for our sinnes that we should be deliuered from sinne and obtayne euerlasting lyfe through hym This is the euerlasting infinite and incomprehensible loue and grace whiche no man can know excepte he know Christ. And therfore he can neuer loue God truely without Christ. Wherfore it appeareth hereby what the Phariseies and Scribes get by their question Euen this verely that they are openly conuicted of Christ before them al that they can talke much of the loue of God But they vnderstande not nor yet perceaue the leaste part therof truely And wheras they knowe not god whiche hath bestowed so great benefittes and liberalitie vpō them how shall they loue their neyghbour that hath nede of their helpe and can recompence nothynge for their pouertie Wherfore let vs highly esteme this doctrine and let vs geue thankes to God with all oure heart that we are deliuered out of vncredible darkenes vnder the Popedome euen like as the darkenes of the Iewes were here And we haue the pure doctrine of Christ wherby we do not only knowe howe we ought to be deliuered and saued from sin but we receaue the holy ghost Whiche by this doctrine moueth oure mindes so farre that we may begin to loue God and our neyghbour The whiche thing our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs. Amen Amen The .xix Sonday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. ix IEsus entred into a shipe and passed ouer and came into his owne citie And beholde they brought to him a man sicke of the paulsey lying in abedde And when Iesus sawe the faythe of them he sayd to the sicke of the paulsey Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes be forgeuen thee And beholde certayne of the Scribes sayde within them selues this man blasphemethe And when Iesus sawe theyr thoughtes he sayde Wherefore thynke ye euyll in your heartes Whether is it easier to saye thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then sayeth he to the sicke of the paulsye Aryse take vp thy bedde and go vnto thine house And he rose and departed to his
Wherfore Remyssion of synnes is the woorke of GOD although God woorketh it by man Thus then must Remission of synnes be required in the worde which is put in mans mouthe and in the Sacramentes whiche are ministred by men and no where els For it can be found no where ells Who can not vnderstande this that my woorkes are farre otherwyse whyche I doo than the worde and woorkes of God What madnesse thenne moueth the Papists to attribute the Remission of their synnes to theyr workes Wherefore whenne they in the laste daye shall comme foorth with their workes CHRIST shall aske theym and saye Where is my worde then I ordeyned in my Congregation Baptisme the Sacramente of my body and bloode absolution the open preachyng of my word that men myght by them obteyne remission of their synnes and be partakers of my grace Why haue not ye vsed this way and trade Here might ye haue had a sure way of remission of synnes but in your workes there is no certayntie Wherfore you must marke this doctrine diligētly what is proprely the remission of sin how we may be assured therof wherof we muste aske it receyue it Uerily in this ye must haue respect only vnto the holy church wher the word sacraments are ther is it found not in heauen as the Phariseis thynk supposyng that Christ blasphemeth God because he remitteth syn But beware thou of that and say God hath bestowed remission of synne in Baptisme and in the worde yea he hath put it in euery Christian mannes mouthe when he conforteth thee and sheweth to the the grace of God that thou mayste receaue and beleue it no otherwyse then yf Christ hym selfe had pronounced it by hys owne mouthe as he pronouncethe to the man that was sycke of the palseye Wherefore these heretikes are greately deceaued where as they sunder the woorde frome Remission of synne Thys myght be doone yf it were the woorde of man but it is Gods worde and Gods water He that goeth about to take that frome man and to defraude hym of it takethe awaye frome manne also remission of synnes neyther is there any remedye agaynste it Wherefore the Anabaptistes and other heretikes do loose also the Remyssion of synnes Baptisme the Sacramente the holye Congregation and all christian woorkes because they caste awaye the worde that they heare of theyr mynister and care no more for it then yf it were the voyce of a beast God spake ones by an asse and yf he should yet speake by an oxe or by any other beast he ought to be hearde Why should it not preuayle than when men speake by the commandement of God For althoughe thou doest heare the voyce of a manne yet doste thou heare God and receauest for a suretie Remission of thy synnes frome GOD if thou embrace it onely with Faithe I thought it good to make mention of this matter in thys place that ye myght make stronge your selues agaynste sectes and that ye myghte bee prepared agaynst theyr assaultes For as I said in the Popedom they knewe nothyng lesse then this doctrine For this they thynk in the popedome that baptisme came to an ende nowe longe agone But if they haue nede of remission of synne then that contrition confession and satisfaction are requisite For thus dydde they describe penaunce But thys diuinitie is suche that the dyuell canne well awaye therewith For it hurteth not hys kyngedome This is trewe that contrition is requisite and that we must be sorie for our synnes but we obteyne not remission of synne thereby For Remission of synnes commeth onely hereby yf that I haue respecte to the worde and promyse of God and embrace that with a stronge faithe But they inuert this and turne it vp syde downe They omytte the worde they regarde not what the Minister pronounceth by the commandement of Iesu CHRIST they haue respecte onely to theyr contrition and penaunce But by this meanes they lese bothe Christe and all his benefyttes Neyther is it possyble that they shoulde conforte or solace as much as one troubled conscience For they lette passe the woorde in the whiche onelye remayneth all hope of saluation and bryngeth menne to contrition and rightuousnesse But lerne you this as concernyng Remission of synnes to conforte both youre selues and other also For as muche as God in Baptisme in absolution in the open preaching of his word in the sacrament doth talke with vs by his minister and by al other christians to this must credence be geuen and then for a suretie we obteyn remission of our synnes whiche remission in the Popedome was dead and buried For as touchynge it there is not a woorde mentioned in all the Popes bulles onely they make rehersall ▪ of contrition and referre the remission of synnes vnto it And thus haue we remit synne Now let vs briefly touche the hystorie The sycke of the palsey is an example of all synners For this is the propretie of this disease The members can not do their offices and when a man goeth aboute to drawe his fete or his handes to hym the farther they falle frome hym Wherefore Aristotle in his Ethikes compareth suche a man to wylde and fierce youthe whyche can by no meanes be tamed But he that wyll wel vnderstande this disease muste take it to be spoken of hypocrites that wyll be iustified by theyr woorkes For the more that these labour to drawe nyghe vnto God and to pacifie hym the farther they ar cast from him And when they thynke that they do hym moste pleasure they displease hym most For they haue no Faythe He therfore that coueteth to be ridde of this euyll let hym come to this man which deliuereth on this wise when he saith My sonne be of good comfort thy synnes ar forgeuen thee By such a worde is strengthe restored to the membres that they maye healpe one an other For where as is remission of synnes there shall ensue very true good workes for sinne is taken away This was Christes especial meaning with the sick of the palsey He laye downe sicke in his bed for his disease woulde suffer hym to do no otherwise he was as a killed hog and vnprofitable in all his mēbers But when Christ biddeth him to rise he riseth and is strong and lustie where as he was wont to be caried from home now he beareth home his owne couche This wold Christ that we herof shold take and behold an example and signe of that that he hath power in earth to forgeue synne He speaketh playnely in the earth that we shold not loke for it from heauen or as the Pope taught to hope for remission of syns in purgatorie by other mens workes and merites For so it is in this place that remission of synnes is a power which is geuen to men in earth at Baptisme at ministryng of the sacramente in absolution and in open preachyng Contrarywise whatsoeuer is bound that is
all his other miracles signes should serue geue place to this that is cheif Wherfore these thinges must be loked for in none other then in them which know that God is to be praised in this great signe aboue all and doth so vse this that neuerthelesse they may cheifly regarde the first and cheifest signe And if it pleaseth God to omitt the inferiour signes for the true procuring of that cheif signe let vs beware that we be not importune and that we thinke not that they must be done of necessitie For God requireth that the cheife should be counted such amōgest vs al that al shold beleue surely that they shal be saued for the most euident and pure couenant of God Neuerthelesse in the meane season god doth not suspend and prolonge the ende successe of these present temptations specially amonge the weake but yet so that they strenghthen themselues by litle litle to the spirituall vse and learne to obey god in al thinges that please hym and put his worde before them And althoughe the promise of this is to be loked for without a signe sensuall feling for a time yet let them not faint and geue vp but vse the holy ghost as a president and confortour although Christ departe with his signes and miracles And this is the true faith as I said before whiche stycketh vnto the word of Christ as touching saluatiō euerlasting life also as concerning the sure preseruation of the church also of euery one of vs all so that it be done without the temptation of God and we wholly depēd of his wil which therfore hath so boūd himselfe to the principal saluatiō which is certaine that he might haue all other thinges depending on y◠faith and trust therof and that he may be iudged to administer them wel vnto vs although he fulfil not our desirs in all pointes And betwene these two which belonge to the common ecclesiasticall trade he graunteth as a man would saye personal priuileges to this kyng euen a peculiaer word as touchinge the saluation of his son The which syth it is put forth so plaine euident it ought to be embraced with as sure faith as that that is put forth to all as concernyng remission of sinne and euerlasting life in the name of Christ. For loke of what thing the word is put forth with a promise that it shall certeinly come to passe that must certainelye be beleued For as GOD is tempted whan that a signe of a determined and appointed promise is required So is he not truly glorified when the appointed worde is not beleued as it was in Achas but this ruler doth glorifie GOD when he beleueth the determined word of CHRIST and forthwith obtayneth helth for his sonne as he knoweth of his familie at his retournyng home Learne therfore in this place what is true fayth euen to doubt nothing of the word of Christe of his promise but to beleue surely that as the worde promiseth so shall it come to passe although it be not sene perceaued For this is the cheif nature of faith to embrace and beleue that that is not present For thinges present are not beleued but are seen felte The riche man although he beleueth that he shal not die for hunger this yere yet is this no faith But he that hath no store nor substāce yet sticketh surely to gods word that god as a father wil prouide for his liuing but yet so that he caste not away the feare of god but serue his owne vocation he beleueth truly and it is not possible that such a faith shold deceaue him For it is grounded on gods word which is almighti promiseth that if fyrst we seeke the kyngdome of God the righteousnes therof that all other things shall be cast vnto vs. So all we do proue this that we are so corrupted by sin that we lyue voyde of all righteousnes But when the worde preacheth vnto vs remission of sinnes and righteousnes this can none otherwise be apprehended but by faith Wherfore the state of a Christiā is such that although he sustaineth the body of sin yet he is pure righteous wtout sin through faith the worde And this doth fayth worke in him the worke cā neuer do it as the brainlesse papistes teach For as touching the workes althoughe they be neuer so good yet are we vnprofitable seruāts as Christ saith And as I haue said as touching righteousnes so is it also as cōcerning lyfe We are so infected by synne and drowned vp in it that we can not be sure of lyfe for the space of a momēt So that this may truly be said with the wise Paynimes and Ethnickes that nothing is more certaine to a man then death As we proue that to be true not only by our examples but also by the example of others also that is how soone men are inuegled and enuironed with sycknes and other dangers And yet haue we the word set forth to vs which putteth vs in hope not only of lyfe but also of euerlasting life This do not we that beleue touche with our handes we fele it not we grope it not but it is promised to vs in the worde and we beleue it And it is sure that this faith shall not deceaue vs. For it is grounded on gods worde whiche is omnipotent and euerlastynge To be shorte this is the nature of faith As the worde doth promise thinges that are vnuisible and thīgs to come so doth faith beleue these inuisible thīgs and surely loketh for them to come The reason is It knoweth that the word of god is almightie that god is true and without lyinge wherfore fayth hath diligent respect vnto the worde If it perceaue the word it embrace it boldlye and careth nothinge eyther for the worlde or for the deuil For it is sure of the end and what shal befalle although the deuil the fleshe and the worlde make neuer so muche a do But wher as it perceaueth that the worde is lackyng it setteth not this much by the outward apperāce by that threates nor by any violence whiche is done of the worlde so that it maye perceaue that to be true and will suffer all extremitie rather then to be constrained to receaue any falshod And if in the Popedome we had had suche respecte vnto true faith we had neuer fallen into such horrible Idolatries and errours Wherfore it is a very necessarie and profitable doctrine for vs to be taught and certifyed as touchinge true faith that is that we should haue the worde of god and promise and stycke surely therunto and beleue that it shall surely come to passe For to beleue any thyng without the worde of God is no Faythe but a vaine opinion which can neuer well escape As if thou shouldest beleue that thou shouldest be Emperor of Rome Thou mayst this persuade thy selfe but yet so
Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the god of the dead but of the liuinge Ergo Abraham Isaac and Iacob do liue and are not dead When notwithstanding they were dead and buried more then iij thousande yeres past and consumed before many hondred yeres vnto duste so that there remaineth nothing at all of them But Christe proueth for a certeintie that they lyue The reason is For all thinges liue to God but to vs all thinges are dead For the worlde and reason can none otherwise but behold death But the eyes of the Christians see those thinges which they see not only heare in the worde as here Christ and the father do behold the dead mayd And as we haue spoken of death so may it be sayd of sinne The knowledge and confession of sinne is necessarie and the glorie of righteousnes ought to be in sight For the worde of Christe in baptisme is He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued Again his worde in the supper is this Take eate this is my body that is broken for you Drincke This cuppe is a newe Testament in my bloud which shal be shed for you vnto the remissiō of sins This word must be beleued that it is true and although I fele see the contrary yet is there no credit to be geuen vnto it In like maner when thou seest a Christen man dyinge thy eyes beholde the dead man but thou must shutte and close vp those eyes and open suche eyes as beholde the word and so shalt thou see that the man is not dead but that he lyueth before god For the word of Christ is He that beleueth in me shal neuer se death And this must we learne of this gospell that all that is before our eyes be it neuer so plaine euident neuer so wide and open Yet is it nothing For if death in a Christian is to be reputed and taken for nothyng Uerely blindnes deafnes leprosie pestilence and other diseases are to be counted lesse then nothinge Therfore when pouertie sicknes syn c. offer them selues to thy eyes be not therfore troubled but shut thy carnall eyes and open thy Christen eyes and saye I am a Christian and haue a Lord. Whiche is able to rule all these thinges with a worde Why then should I vexe my selfe For this is certein loke how easely Christ deliuereth this mayd from corporal death euen so easely also wil he deliuer vs if we only beleue haue a sure hope to be relieued and holpen by him For this also must we consider here that this mayd was not restored to life by her owne faith For he that is dead beleueth not no more then he seeth or heareth but her father beleueth and this his faith is so mightie that the maide receaueth life again Again For as Christ saith All thinges are possible to him that beleueth So mightie is faith Be the matter neuer so great if thou canst beleue and haue sure hope in Christ thou shalt neuer be deceaued of thy desire neither shall the deuill or death be able to preuaile any thyng at all against thee as both these miracles testifie whiche are set forth to vs for this purpose and the faith both of the woman and of the dead maydes father commended of Christ that he might prouoke vs also to beleue and that we shold otherwise beholde creatures before god and otherwise before vs. Therfore although before our selues we be poore and dead subiecte to syn and afflicted with pouertie pestilence or any other diseases yet must we beleue that it is otherwise before god boldly say on this maner Although pouertie pestilēce sin death do now trouble me yet this as a christian I know that there is no pouertie no pestilence no sinne no death at hand For before Christ al thinges are wealth health righteousnes life And althoughe I see not this presently yet if the worde should come I should see it with these my carnall eyes And this is true and by no meanes to be doubted of God graunt vs for his son Iesu Christes sake our alon Sauiour and redemer thorow the holy ghost such eyes as may behold all calamities and mishappes otherwise then the worlde beholdeth them and kepe suche conforte light vnto the ende that in this worlde we may receaue ioye and pleasure and in the worlde to come euerlasting lyfe Amen The xxv Sonday after Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell of Iohn vi WHen Iesus lift vp his eyes and sawe a greate company come vnto hym he saithe vnto Philip Whence shal we bie bread that these may eate This he sayde to proue hym for hee hym selfe knewe what he woulde do Philip aunswered him Two hundreth penyworthe of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man may take a litle One of his Disciples Andrewe Simon Peters brother sayde vnto hym There is a ladde here whiche hath fiue barly loaues and two fishes but what are they among so many And Iesus sayd Make the people sit downe There was much grasse in the place So the men sat downe in number aboute fiue thousande And Iesus toke the bread and when he had geuen thankes he gaue to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set downe likewise of the fishes as much as they would When they had eaten enough he saith vnto his disciples Gather vp the broken meate whiche remayneth that nothynge be loste And they gathered it together and fylled twelue baskettes with the broken meate of the fiue barlye loaues which broken meate remayned vnto them that had eaten Then those men when they hadd sene the miracle that Iesus dyd saide This is of a trueth the same prophet that shoulde come into the worlde THE EXPOSITION THe Gospell of this present Sondaye is red in the temples of the Christiās twyse in the yeare Fyrst on the fourth sonday in lent Secondly on this present Sonday as ye haue hearde And albeit we treated of this Gospell in lent and declared what good and confortable doctrine is contained in the same yet for asmuche as it is reade this day in the Church I will speake somewhat of it again that our faith may be increased and we wel cōforted thorow the mercifull promises of god againste the care of the bellye For there is not at this present daye a greater obstacle and let to the gospel of Christ then this belly care It vtterly plucketh vs awaye frō the true faith which we ought to haue in God and in his promises enforceth vs vnto diuerse vices sinnes and wickednesses as we maye see in these our dayes thorow out the worlde For what is it that is not attempted to auoyde belly care and that we may haue wherof commodiouslye and wealthely to lyue One playeth the vsurer an other the Iugler the thirde a baude the fourth an extorcioner c. As I may speake nothing of the whoredome theafte murder periury flattery