of death not restored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne frō death sayth he to be the fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is rysē again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see psa lxxi nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iugement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe lu xxiiij He began sayeth Luke at Moses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to sondry persons at sondry tymes Math. xxviij Fyrst he sente hys angels to the sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne women that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the empty graue sauynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed that he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opēlye Ioh. xx After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus i. cor xv lu xxiiij He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut Ioh. xxi At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge i. cor xv He was sene of more thā fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you Actu i. After thys he appeared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takē vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to cōfirme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye lu xxiiij and to haue preached openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligēt for oure cōforte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe no more dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule for our synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectiō Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes victorye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any mā doubt of thys victorye i. cor xv let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be cōquered than must it folowe that sinne wherfore death was appoynted as the wages must be also destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the ruler of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiaūt resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule i. cor xv where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testament as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon Iu. xiiij out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered the lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes Col. ij He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtuousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyuered from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy i. Pet. i. bycause he hath begottē vs sayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by
the Gospell perteyneth to the conscience and therfore it teacheth not the chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth Let vs then my frendes folowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter and hys penitent harte confessynge our vnworthynes And then doubt we not but we shal be called to the greate feaste where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauenly palace of God the father To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye AMEN The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the spirituall signification of oure baptisme BRethren knowe ye not that all we whych are baptised into Iesu Christ are baptysed to dye wyth hym We are buryed then wyth him by baptysme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new lyfe For yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym euen so shall we be partakers of the resurrection knowynge thys that our olde man is crucifyed wyth hym also that the bodye of synne myghte vtterly be destroyed that henseforth we shulde not be seruaūtes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustifyed from synne Wherfore yf we be deade wyth Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue wyth hym knowynge that Christe beynge raysed from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer hym For as touchynge that he dyed he dyed concernynge synne once And as touchynge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Lykewise consyder ye also that ye are dead as touchynge synne but are alyue vnto God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule good christē people had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth that is to saye christes death and his resurrection shewing them that Christ by hys moost precious death purchased the euerlastynge remission of our synne and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs and apeased the wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym that by this his dede we be iustified ☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen now in thys epistle he teacheth vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection and setteth it before vs as an exēple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection Do ye not knowe sayeth saynt Paule what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death or to what ende ye be baptysed Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by baptisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym Such a signification and fygure hath Christes death vnto vs that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne dayly to mortifye and to slee the euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs. The significacion of baptisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water and be lyfte vp agayne it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth whych our synne deserued to euerlasting lyfe It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe the lyfe of ryghtuousnes And thys is the vertue fygure of baptysme whych yf we take not after thys purpose we do but deceyue oure selues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy sacrament let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and penaunce of your synne wherof it is a sygne Ye be ones baptysed and nede nomore to receyue the sacrament but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll that is to dye to synne to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him that is to saye synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe walke continually there in And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God euen so by the power of the same spirite shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe In whych our doynge we shall in some maner worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God For he is none of Christes that hath not hys spirite and by thys token is it knowen who is grafte in Christe and is in the state of saluation For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe but he whych walketh after the spirite Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death we shal be partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte agaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to euerlastynge lyfe it shall also rayse vs from the corporall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam that is to saye all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell
out of our soules the hole body and lompe of synne viciouse nature wherin we be borne In dede so to mortifye synne that we shulde fele no motions therof so loÌ„ge as we be in the body it can not be but yet by goddes holy spirite yf we take good hede we maye so lyue that we shall not serue synne and be led wylfully vnder the dominion therof Wherfore they whyche so loue theyr euell affections that they stryue not agaynst them to subdue them to God wante goddes spirite the gage of theyr saluation and so serue synne as theyr lorde and mayster and therfore be vnder the daunger of synne and deserue the stypende therof whych is euerlastyng deth Rom. vi but he that with good hart and wyll studyeth to resyst and fyght against synne and the motions therof and laboureth to kyll it dayly more and more is now iustifyed from synne that is to saye delyuered from the daunger and penaltye therof Rom. ix For saynt Paule sayeth playnly to the Romaynes Yf ye mortifye the dedes of the fleshe and lustes of the corruptible body ye shal lyue in this epistle he sayeth the same that yf we be folowers of Christ in his death that is in dyeng to synne we beleue certaynly that we shall lyue wyth hym Christe ones was rysen froÌ„ death and dyeth nomore death shall nomore haue power of hym for in that he dyed sayeth oure epistle he dyed ones for all and by hys ones dyenge he destroyed synne for euer He dyed ones to synne and after he was ones deade he was neuer assauted of synne after but quyte discharged of it and nowe lyueth to God and euermore shall he enioye the lyfe whych he is now attayned vnto and shall neuer dye agayne Euen so suppose you youre selues deade to synne that is to saye thynke youre selues so to be discharged from synne that Christe hath destroyed the power therof for you as ye conforme your selfe to the lyfe of vertue In baptysme ye dye to synne and promyse to lyue to ryghtuousnes and therfore yf ye kepe youre promyse you be deade to synne and synne is vtterly deade in you so that ye folowe not the lustes therof Euen so the lyfe whych you now lyue is to God and to hys pleasure Ye lyue now by your fayth in ryghtuousnes which commeth by Iesus Christ our Lorde not of any workes of ryghtuousnes whyche we haue done sayeth S. Paule lest we shulde glorye in our selfe for thys lyfe of grace wherin we lyue before God TituÌ„ iij But of his mercy hath he saued vs thorow the fouÌ„tayne of baptysme wherin we be new borne agayne and renewed by the holy goost to lyue thys newe lyfe acceptable before god And as by the mercy of our Lorde we be set in thys lyfe of grace and strenghthed by hys gracyouse spirite to contynue vs therin no more to retorne and fall to synne and to the lustes therof euen so is the lyfe of glory which we now tary for in hope the gyfte of almyghty God thorow the merites and purchasynge of Christe Iesu Rom. vi i. cor i that all myghte be of God and no fleshe shulde glorye in his syght but he that wyll glory let hym glorye in the Lorde Nowe my frendes these thynges afore rehersed wel consydered let vs diligently laboure wyth oure selues to mortifye and subdue the euell desyres of our fleshe Yf we wyll haue any parte of Christes death and resurrection let vs kepe batayl wyth the flesh and beware we be not subdued therof We do boast of Christ in vayne yf we serue the desyre of synne For it is not ynough to say that we be christen men and that we pertayne to Christe i. Io. ij for he that sayeth he abyde in Christ as wryteth saynt Ihon must in such wyse walke in hys lyfe as Christ walked in hys for it is not he sayeth our Sauiour whyche sayeth to me Lorde Mat. xij Lorde that shal enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen How much then are they deceyued whych in such wyse do fansye of Christ and hys death that they care not into what synne they fall continue in only trustyng vaynly vpon the merytes of the same where here saynt Paule affirmeth that we shall neuer lyue wyth Christ excepte we mortifye our euyll affections and desyres and lyue in ryghtuousnes Heb. xi For though God requyreth fayth as the fyrste entre to come to Christe yet he requyreth also that out of thys fayth shulde springe good and vertuouse lyuyng Fyrst he sayeth in the gospel of saynt Marke Marc. i. Repent and beleue the Gospell It is no fayth that hath not repentaunce It is a vayne repentaunce wherin be espyed no workes of repentaunce Nowe the workes of true repentaunce be feare and drede of God hatred of synne purpose of amendemente diligence to watch agaynst the euell motions of syn Surely ther is no fayth where the spirite of God is not And there is not the spirite of God but the spirite of the deuell where such frutes be raygnyng as be adultery fornication wantonnes hatred stryfe enuye wrath coÌ„tention sedition partestakyng Gal. v. murther dronkennes and excesse The doers of these yf they repent not shall neuer be inheritours with Christ how much so euer they boast of Christ And agaynst these must we dayly fight to subdue them yf we wil be of Christes flocke For as saynt Hierom wryteth Ne semel putemus ardorem fidei posse sufficere Hiero. suê‘ mathe x. semper crux portanda est vt semper Christum amare doceamur Ita apostolus portabat iugiter carnis mortificationem in corpore suo quod qui facit omni tempore semper orat semper poenitet c. Let vs not thinke that the feruentnesse of fayth can ones suffyse euermore must the crosse be borne that so we maye be taught euer to loue Christ Thus dyd the apostle beare coÌ„tinually the mortification of the fleshe in hys body August ad Iuli. lib. iiij cap. iij whych thynge he that doth dothe praye alwaye and repent alwaye Also saint Austine sayeth Whosoeuer is wythout the fayth which worketh by charitie though he seme to repent doynge it but faynedly is an euel tree and of such a tree what sayeth saynt Ihon baptyst Mat. iij. Euery tree whych bryngeth not forth good frute shal be cut vp and cast into the fyer Let vs my frendes all vayne presumptions and false trustes cast awaye labour to performe our promyse whych we made at the fount stone let vs I saye renounce the deuell and hys suggestions and serue Christ our Lorde and mayster by the true workes of ryghtuousnes Let vs watch daylye agaynst oure euell dispositions that we maye lyke obedient chyldren of God glorifye God in oure lyfe i. Ioh. iij In so doynge we shall persuade oure owne hartes that we pertayne to hym
nor the damnation of the synner He dyd not wepe for the ruyne and fall that he knew shuld ensue of the fayre houses of the towers and great edifices and buyldynges but he bewayled the losse the ruyne and damnation of the people He sayde O Ierusalem yf thou dyddest knowe the thynges that belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede As yf he had sayd yf thou knewest thy mysery the confusion desolation whych is to come to the and specially yf thou dyddest knowe it in these dayes whan I am descended from heuen for to make thy peace wyth god my father and get the remyssion of thy synnes yf thou I saye dyddest knowe it thou shuldest haue good cause for to wepe wyth me But now all thys is hydden from the thou fearest nothynge forbycause that thou carest for nothynge But the dayes shall come in the and thyne enemyes shall enuiron the wyth bulwarkes c. Now my frendes by desolation and confusion temporall of them of Ierusalem whych wold not beleue nor receyue Iesu Christ is fygured the spirituall confusion whych shal come vnto them which yet wyll not receyue hym nor folowe hym and which make resystence agaynst hym hys gospel of whom the nomber is great For whome also Iesus Christe knowynge theyr distruction that was to come hath wept Those whych thynke to be saued by any other meanes then by hym and whych haue theyr fayth theyr hope in any other then in hym and by him surely they haue not yet receyued hym and euell shall come vnto them For God alone is the obiecte of the fayth hope and charitie of christen men Then foloweth that after he was arryued there he entred into the temple and droue out of it the byers and sellers God yf hys pleasure were I hertely beseche hym to vysite agayne hys holy temple I meane the churche of christen men and women and the house of prayer where as he alonly ought to be serued and worshipped by hys subiectes in spirite Ioh. iiij and veritie And that it wolde please hym to caste out those whych shal be founde byers and sellers by simonye and couetousnes and that woll resyst hys moost holy and sacred worde and that wyll let that the seruice of god in spirite and veritie be not accomplyshed accordynge as he wolde by hys ryghte holy worde ordenaunce to be serued and honoured Vnto him be al glorye and honoure in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xi. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle to the Corin. the .xv. chapter Th argument ☞ The resurrection of the deade BRethren as perteynynge to the gospel whych I preached vnto you whyche ye haue also accepted and in the whyche ye continue by the which also ye are saued I do you to wytte after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne For fyrst of all I delyuered vnto you that whyche I receyued howe that Christe dyed for our synnes agreynge to the scriptures And that he was buryed and that he arose agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures and that he was sene of Cephas than of the twelue After that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren atonce of whyche many remayne vnto thys daye and many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to all the apostles And last of all he was sene of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the lest of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of god I am that I am And hys grace whych is in me was not in vayne THe thynge good people wherfore saynt Paule beynge in this worlde toke moost thought for and the whych he had moost at hys harte nexte Iesu Christ was for to knowe how euery churche dyd gouerne and entertayne themselues in the Gospell of Iesu Christ to thintēt that yf perdauenture any went out of the waye of trouth he shulde be forth wyth redressed as specially he doth shewe in the epistle of thys daye He admonysheth and reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās principally two thynges on the whych all the fayth and all the assuraūce and hope of christen men is founded The fyrst is that Iesus Christ is deade for our synnes It is a worde whych ought well to be imprinted in the hartes of christen people or els one ought not nor is not worthy to be called christened Iesus Christ is dead for our synnes sayth saynt Paul Then we be nomore in dette for our synnes syth that Iesus Christ hath satisfyed and payde for vs. Nor also we ought nomore to serue vnto synne seynge that by hys death he hath wylled to cause synne to dye in vs yf so be we beleue stedfastlye in hym The seconde thynge whych he reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās and to vs is that Iesus Christ hath ben buried and is rysen to lyfe agayne Thys is it where on the hope of the christen people ought to be founded For yf the heade be rysen agayne to lyfe in triumphe glorye in lyke case shall the mēbers ryse agayne They shal ryse agayne vnto grace and vnto spiritual lyfe in thys worlde and vnto glorye and lyfe eternall in the other Apo. xx As saynt Ihon sayeth in hys Apocalyps Happye shall they be holy is he whych hath parte in the fyrst resurrectiō the secōde death hath no power ouer them Some false preachers wolde haue tourned the Corinthians from the sayd fayth for thys cause doth saynt Paule warne them so busely sayenge My brethren I do you to vnderstande and I do reduce to your memory the good newes which I haue preached vnto you I meane the gospell which ye haue receyued by fayth to the whych ye haue stayed your selues and by the which ye shal be saued yf you folow it I let you to wyt for what reason in what fashion I haue preached it vnto you yf ye haue remembraunce therof yea yf ye haue not beleued in vayne Fyrst that whyche I haue receyued of God whyche hath bene to me reuelate What Christe is deade for our synnes accordynge as it is wrytten as it hath ben sayd before and wryttē by the prophetes Then he sayeth he hath bene buryed and is rysen agayne to lyfe And for to confirme the same the more he sayeth more ouer that Iesus Christ after hys resurrection hath bene sene by Peter and after by the xij apostles and sythin hath bene sene by .v. hūdreth brethren beynge together As yf he had sayd You ought to be well assured of thys for asmuch as these mysteries haue not ben shewed vnto me alone but the holy wrytynges doth wytnesse the same And also they vnto whome he hath appeared after hys resurrection whych be of great nomber Certes who soeuer leseth the hope of resurrection the same also
in fayth or at leste way neither hot nor colde forasmoche as he thought our Sauiour Christ could not help hys sōne except he wente home wyth hym where as in verye dede Christ was able by the only word and commaundement of hys mouth to heal hym namely sith with hys wil he created and made al thynges of nought wherfore by thys he rebuked all them that do demaunde outward signes For he wil not giue vs any signes but only the token of his death and resurrection as only sufficient for oure temporall consolation and eternal saluation knowinge as saith saynte Paule that our olde man that is our sinnes and concupiscences is crucified and deade wyth hym to the ende that we serue no more to sinne but that we shuld walke in newnes of lyffe as risen agayne wyth hym Thys is the token that is giuen vnto vs for our saluation And albeit that he of whom we speake had not such fayth vnto Iesu Christ as he ought to haue had for he demaunded hys bodyly presence as neadefull for to helpe hys sōne yet for all that by hys inestimable goodnes he shewed hymselfe vnto hym suche as he was that is to saye God whyche is not absent from any place hauyng might by hys only word to heale all maladyes and infirmities as well spirituall as corporal and sayd vnto hym Go thy waye thy sōne lyueth and he beleued hys word And in goyng dyd mete wyth hys seruaūtes the whych gaue hym witnesse of the lyfe and health of hys sonne And whan he had demaunded of them the houre of the health of hys sonne and that he knewe that at the selfe houre that Iesu Christ had spoken the worde he was healed he beleued the more and hys fayth was augmēted and he dydde not only beleue but also all hys housholde Degreis in fayth after S. Bede Wherfore my frēdes the excellent clerke Bede noteth here in thys place that in fayth ther be degrees lyke as in other vertues whych haue initiū incrementum et perfectionem that is to saye a begynnynge an increase and a perfection The faythe then of thys man had begynnynge when he asked hys sōnes health increase when he beleued Christes wordes saynge thy sonne lyueth perfection when hys seruauntes brought hym tydynges that hys sōne was hole in dede aboute what tyme he recouered O howe the worde of god is myghty and of greate power the whych destroyeth thus al syknesses principally infidelite whych is the greuoust syknes that maye be for yt is cause of death not only bodely but eternall Let vs then haue fayth and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesu Christ whych seeth all and knoweth all and whyche is in all places And wyth one onlye worde shall he gyue vs lyfe both bodely and gostly vnto the glory of the celestiall father whych healeth all and wyll heale all that be sycke by him Qui uiuit et regnat c. Amen Thepistle on the .xxij. Sondaye after Trinitie sonday The first chap. to the Philippyans Th argument ☞ Paule wishethe that the grace of god charitie myght increase in vs. BRethren we trust in our Lord Iesu Christ that he whych hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntyll the daye of Iesus Christ as it becōmethe me so to iudge of you all because I haue you in my harte forasmoche as ye al are companyons of grace with me euen in my bondes and in the defendinge and stablyshynge of the gospell For god is my record how gretly I long after you all from the very hert rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue maye increace yet more and more in knowledge and in all vnderstandinge that ye maye accepte the thyngs that are most excellēt that ye maye be pure and suche as hurte no mans concsiens vntyll the daye of Christe beyng fylled with the frute of ryghtousnes which frute cometh by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of god THe apostle saynt Paule good people doth here teach vs that we must abyde and wayte for frō God the perfection and accomplyshyng of all good workes begonne sayeng that it apperteyneth vnto hym to make an ende of the woorke that he hath begonne the whych is wtout doute the worke of fayth whych worketh by charytie For Iesu Christe sayeth in the .vj. chapter of saynt Ihon Ioh. xj Yt is the worke of God sayeth oure Lorde that ye beleue in hym that he hath sente And also Iesu Christe is called auctor of fayth Also it apperteyneth vnto God for to gyue vs perseuerance and contynuaūce in the same fayth vnto the daye of Iesu Christe as it is written in the .xxxvi. psalme The afflictions of man shal be redressed in welth by god wherby we maye lightly vnderstand that man as of hymselfe cannot do any good and that all they whych vaunte them of theyr power do erre and blaspheme agaynste God when they attribute vnto thēselfes that whych apperteyneth vnto God whose power it is when we do any good The daye of Iesu Christe is the daye of the death of euery body The day of Iesus Christe and to speke generally it is domes daye at the whych daye he shall yelde vnto euery one accordyng vnto hys fayth or infidelitie that they shal haue folowed vnto the faythfull lyfe eternall and vnto the vnfaythfull the deathe eternall And the apostle might iustly thynke of the Philippians that god wold do vnto them this grace for to make them to perseuer vnto th ende for the charite that he had vnto them the which beleue lightly al thinges that is to the honour forbycause also that themselues did reioyce when they had vnderstande that in prysonmente at Rome he defended hym after suche a sorte that it was vnto the confirmation of the gospell and the greate ioye of the same And therfore he prayed them that thys charytie towarde god and loue vnto hys worde might aboūde and increase alwayes more more in the knowlege of god and in all spirituall sense for to discerne and approue the meruelouse thynges and for to be pure and clene and without offending and rebuke at the day of our lorde Iesu Christ both particuler vniuersal al replenished with the frute of iustice which is the iustice of faith by our lord Iesu christ vnto the glory of the eternal father In this saint Paule giueth vs to vnderstand how that al begynning the endes of good workes ought to be attributed vnto God And the charytie whych one ought to haue to another when one heareth or vnderstādeth that the worde of God doth growe it augmenteth and confirmeth whych is the doctrine of the Gospell for in the same is the true science and knowlege of god and the wit of the holy ghost wherby one maye proue and assaye the better thinges whych be the welthes spirituall and heuenly The whyche graunt vs the heuenly father by our lorde Iesu Christ Amen The gospel on
which was made on hygh alredye And vnto them to whome they wolde not remytte here in erthe they shulde not be remytted nor pardoned in heuen And this that they did not pardon them was signe that they were not pardonyd on hygh S. Cyprian Surely it is not man of him selfe that forgiueth but God For as saynt Cypriane sayth Non potest seruus remittere quod in dominuÌ„ commissum est that is to say the seruant can not pardone the thinge that is trespassed againste the maister S. Ambrose And therfore saint Ambrose sayth in his boke of Cain Abell that synnes be forgiuen by the worde of god wherof the prest is as an interpretour and certain executour But who were they whome they dyd not forgyue Truly all those which dyd not giue feith and credence to their wordes Nowe in thys apperinge Thomas called Didimus was not present Wherfore when the disciples dyd shewe hym that they had sene our Lorde rysyn agayne to life whyche had shewed vnto them bothe his handes and hys syde percyd he answered that he wolde not beleue them onles he myghte se him and put his finger in to the holes of the nailes and hys hande into hys syde So eighte dayes after oure Lorde the dores beynge shutte dyd againe apere in the myddes of them as he had done before and gaue them for gretynge hys peace accordynge to the vsage of the Iues Pax vobis by whyche is vnderstande quietnes of conscience and all goodnes And nowe Thomas was there also vnto whome he sayde answering hym vnto the wordes whyche he had sayde by hys vnfeithfulnes beholde my handes and put thy finger into the holes hold forthe thy hande and put it into my syde Be no more feithles but faythfull hereby declaringe vnto hym that he seeth all that he heareth all that he is in all places and that he maye do all Whiche done Thomas did confesse hym to be his Lorde and his God And truly not so much Thomas as the spirite of fayth whiche wyth the fayth entred into hym At that tyme oure Lorde gaue witnesse of fayth vnto Thomas whiche hathe beleued in seynge of hym but he dothe gyue farre greater prayse and coÌ„mendacion vnto them whiche haue beleued and yet haue not sene hym in person corporally but only spiritually with the eye of feyth or mystically in forme of breade in the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter and also vnto them whiche shall beleue him Then let vs beleue him by seynge him spiritually and so doyng we shal be more happy then Thomas in thys that he hath sene hym corporally Now sayth the Euangelist al these thinges be wryten vnto vs to th ende that we shulde beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God The vse of miracles and in beleuyng this that we shulde haue euerlastynge lyfe by his name For asmuch as the ende and vse of all the sygnes and miracles of Christe is that by them we shulde be broughte and allured to the true fayth in Christ which thyng shal make vs to enioye euerlastyng blysse through his name that is to wit by his word Rom. i. For verely Gods word is the vertue power of God vnto the helth saluation of al that beleue on Christ Iesus our Lorde redemer To whoÌ„ with the father holy goost be glory praise for euer AmeÌ„ The Epistle on the seconde sondaye after Ester The .i. Epistle of Peter the .ij. Chapter Th argument ☞ The Apostle saynt Peter doth exhort vs here to folow Christ in al thynges euen as shepe folowe theyr shepherde MOst derely beloued brethren Christe also suffered for vs leauing to vs an exemple that ye shuld folow his steppes which dyd no synne neyther was there gyle founde in his mouthe whiche whan he was reuyled reuyled not agayne whan he suffered he threatened not but coÌ„mytted the vengeaunce to hym that iudgeth ryghtuously whiche his owne selfe bare oure synnes in his body on the tree that we beynge delyuered from synne shulde lyue vnto ryghtuousnes By whose strypes ye were healed For ye were as shepe goynge astraye but are now turned vnto the shepherde and byshop of your soules THe Epistle of thys daye good christen people whiche be the wordes of saynt Peter doth put before our eyes the liefe of our Lord Iesu Christ to this intent purpose that we shuld folow hym as a perfecte president and exemplar For it is he whiche dyed for vs which hath done no synne according to the sayeng of the prophete Esaye in whose mouth hath bene founde no gyle nor deceipte Esa lij And whiche when any sayde harme by hym he sayde no harme agayne When he suffered he dyd not threaten but commytted the vengeaunce vnto hym that iudgeth iustly that is to wit vnto God the father No doubt God iugeth ryghtly neyther regardyng mens persons as doth the worlde neither only after the outwarde workes but after the hart outwarde workê to And therfore is gods iugement according to the trouthe as Paule sayeth Rom. ij Furthermore it is Christe whiche hath borne our synnes on the tree of the crosse that our synnes myghte be so by hym taken awaye and we beynge deade vnto synne shulde lyue vnto iustice But what iustice Truly vnto the iustice or ryghtuousnes that procedeth of fayth which is froÌ„ aboue For we be healed of our synne by hys woundes by his passion by his sacrifisyng for vs. Wherfor this is the final vse of our deliueraunce or iustificacion by Christ that we shulde no loÌ„ger lyue vnto synne but vnto iustice vertue As though saint Peter wolde saye Ye wol be christians whoÌ„ Christe hath redemed ☞ than go to it shall not become you any longer by disobedience towardes youre rulers superiours to lyue vnto sinne but vnto ryghteousnes to thintent ye maye be obedient vnto them and suffre persecution vexacioÌ„ yea and dethe of them yf occacion be gyuen euen as Christ dyd And thys is euen the right vse of Christes passioÌ„ to lyue a newe lyfe to become iust rightuous in al our lyuyng For as the Apostle saynt Paule witnesseth writyng to the Ephesians Ephe. ij we be the workmanshyp of God created made to do good workes But to returne to the texte S. Peter allegeth here vnto you good people the workes of the prophete Esaye where he sayeth Esa liij that by the strypes woundes of Christe ye were healed O moost comfortable wordes Bytter verely were these strypes to our Sauiour Christe but they were swete to vs so swete that wythout them we shulde haue ben in moost paynfull misery anguyshe Let vs than neuer put out of our myndes thys moost comfortable tydynges thys swete mery Gospell that Christ bare our synnes in hys body on the tree Thys treasure I meane the knowlege of this thyng who so wanteth is moost nedy pore yea he hath nothynge at all For this is no doubte
any maner of regeneracion and newe lyefe For the worde is a farre greater thyng it is euen an heuenly diuine good and perfecte gyfte whych cōmeth from aboue euen from the father of lyghtnes wyth whome is no transmutation of lyght and of darkenes neither can he suffer that we shuld mengle our dreames and darknes with his lyghtsome worde I meane our owne inuētiōs our blindnes our careles maners our carnal lybertie our euel liefe so forth We be also here admonished and taught of the final vse of gods worde wherfore it serueth Yt serueth doubtles that by it we shulde be regenerate and be made the fyrste frutes of the creature of god whych cometh not of oure owne deseruynges but it is the worke of god the father whych doth renewe and regendre vs wythe the worde of trouth that we maye be the first frutes of hys creature Saynt Iames therfore in thys place wylleth vs to sette asyde and laye downe all securitie and slauthfulnes towardes the worde of god and that we shulde praye god that he woll vouchesaue to open disclose vnto vs the vnderstandynge of hys worde and that he wolle gyue vs also encrease in the same that we maye heare the worde wyth frute vnderstandynge it and beynge regenerate therby Nolite errare might be made the fyrst frutes of the creature of god Do not then erre my dere brethrē as thoughe it were inoughe only to heare the worde of god and not to vnderstande it wyth the harte not to catche holde of it by faythe not to worke well outwardlye Euery good and perfyte gyfte is from aboue that is to saye the worde of god is perfyte it nedeth none other worde to stey it to make it perfyte Yea thou cānest neither take it nor vnderstāde it perfytly onles it be gyuen the of god Yt is of it selfe moste perfyte and it is it also whych onlye can make vs perfyte Yt procedeth frome the father of lyghtes that is to wytte from god whych is the only cause of all lyght in such sorte that the thynge whych we se in vnderstandynge the worde is of god Yt is also the gyfte of god that hys worde dothe lyghten for the father is of hymselfe lyght Wyth whom is no variablenes nor chaunge into darkenes that is to saye he can not abyde nor suffer that the lyght darknes shuld be confounded or myngled togither For he is the father of lyght only and not of darkenes Neither can he suffer that we shulde glorye and bragge of his worde as of a gyfte and in the meane season do the workes of darkenes And by this the apostle saynt Iames doth moue vs from euyl workes by thexemple of god whyche is intransmutable and inconuertible that is to say he is not now light now darkenes And therfore ought not we to folow both lyght and darknes togither For wyllyngly be gatte he vs wyth the worde of his trouth that we shulde be the first frutes of his creature As though saynt Iames wold saye Bicause god hath regenerate vs by the word of trouth that we might be now his first frutes then seing we be his first frutes it becommeth vs not to folow the darkenes it becōmeth vs no more to leade oure lyefe in vyce and naughtines but it behoueth vs to be doers not only hearers of the word In that he sayth voluntarily or of his owne will Voluntarie he excludeth marite It is called the word of trouth aswel because of it selfe of the own nature it is true as bicause it maketh other true Secondly Ye shal diligently note and marke good people that thappostle Iames in the latter parte of this epistle doth sturre vs to newe liefe and to such workes as the worde of god and regeneration wold aske For it is euen due and annexed to newe byrth that a man shulde do good workes as also Paule testifieth sayenge Rom. vi What shall we then saye shall we abyde in synne that grace myght aboūd God forbyd We that be deade to synne howe shall we hereafter lyue in the same Eph◠ij Also to the Ephesians he sayeth We be gods hādworke created in Christ to do good workes whyche god hathe prepared that we shulde walke in them Col. iij. And to the Colossians Wherfore if ye haue risen wythe Christe seke ye the thynges aboue regard heuenly thinges not erthly thinges wherfore deare brethren sayeth saynt Iames let euery man be swyfte to heare slowe to speake By whych wordes he forbyddeth chefely moch talkyng and pratlynge wherby in saynte Iames tyme many dyd bragge as they do at this daye of the gospell without chaunging of their former liefe and wythout lyuinge after the gospell Slow to speake Such persons sainte Iames wolde haue swyft to heare slow to speake tyl tyme they rightly vnderstande the worde and do dedes worthy for the same He willeth vs also to be slowe to wrath but he wol we shuld be meke and paciēt For the wrath of mā worketh not that whych is rightouse before god that is to saye Ire or wrath the effectes therof can not do the thynges whych be iust before god or whyche god requireth of vs. And saynt Iames calleth here the iustice of god not that where by we be iustifyed before God but that whych god requireth of vs beyng alredy iustified to the declaration of that iustice whyche iustifieth and whych is gotten by fayth Wherfore casting awaye all vnclenlynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes se ye receyue with mekenes the worde that is grafte implanted in you of god the father of heuē In mansuetudine Receyue it he sayth with mekenes that is to say with al modestie and reuerence not after a ryottouse and sediciouse sorte as thoughe ye wolde fyght for it nor agayne with an euel and struglyng mynde as many Papistes do but gladly thankfully and gently For it is the thinge whych is hable to saue youre soules whych thing also saynt Paule proueth wrytinge to the Romaynes where he teacheth that we be iustified by fayth by the ministery of gods worde Rom. x. Nowe therfore good people let vs accordinge to the meanyng of this epistle whych I haue brefly declared vnto youe imbrase this worde of trouthe that saynt Iames doth here speake of and so imbrace it that we may be coūted doers and not hearers only Thus doynge we shall declare our selues to be the chosen people of God and we shall inioy at last the kyngdom prepared for vs of almyghty God Who be lauded .c. The Gospell on the .iiij. sondaye after Ester the .xvj. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Christe promyseth to sende the holy gooste and of hys offyce Iesus sayd to hys disciples Nowe I go my waye to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whyther I go And because I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes are ful of sorowe Neuerthelesse I tel you the
whan we spiritually eate hym drynke hym that is to saye when we know wherfore Christ serueth vs and so suffre hym by true fayth and charitie to entre into oure soules and to dwell wythin vs whych thynge he promyseth vs here in this gospell that he woll do in case we declare the frute of our fayth and kepe hys worde ☞ Furthermore ye shall obserue good people in thys gospell that Christe here shewed hys disciples that he must go awaye from them but yet he sayeth he woll come agayne But I praye you when commeth Christ agayne vnto vs Surely he cōmeth agayne when he sendeth hys worde and hys spirite vnto vs. For loke where the worde is and there is Christ moost presently So in an other place he sayeth Math. xxviij Lo I am wyth you euen to the ende of the world Fynally where Christ sayeth that the father is greter then he ye shall vnderstande that Christe otherwhyles speaketh as a man otherwhyles as God whyche thynge oughte diligently to be obserued of such as woll studye holy scripture For that he here sayeth My father is greater than I ye must referre it to hys humanitie But of hys diuinitie in an other place he speaketh in thys wyse Ioh. x. I and my father be one And now sayeth Christ callynge backe hys disciples to hys worde whereby they myght comforte themselues after hys departure I haue tolde you of it before hande to thintent that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue that I wolle surely come vnto you agayne Herafter woll I not speake much vnto you Prīceps mundi that is to wyt presently in person wyth mans voyce For the prince of this worlde commeth that is to saye my mortall enemy and yours Satā the deuel whych treadeth vpon my hele is at hande Gen. iij. And he calleth hym the prince of the worlde of hys effecte bycause he cōmaundeth and ruleth the worlde after hys wyll and pleasure and draweth it whether he woll as he lust hymselfe But thys prince of the worlde thys Satan sayeth Christe hath nought in me As who shulde saye albeit the prince of the world is commyng agaynst me to vtter and worke al that euer he can deuise to put me downe yet sure I am that I shall ouercome hym So he maketh hys disciples afrayed in that he telleth them that the prince of thys worlde is marchyng forwarde agaynst him but agayne he comforteth them when he sayeth he hath nought in hym And in these few wordes is expressed the pyth of the hole gospell Wherfore to cōclude of thys victory of Christ all we good christen people shal be partakers in case we beleue accordynge as in thys Gospell we be taught And consequently the holy goost who is the true and only comforter in al troubles and affliccion shal make hys mansion and abode wythin vs and put vs in mynde of all Christes wyll and pleasure to the glorye of God the father of heauen and hys only begotten sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde Qui viuit regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .x. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ How the Heythen receyued the holy goost were baptised PEter opened hys mouth and sayd Iesus commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifye that it is he whych was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quycke and deade To him gyue all the prophetes wytnes that thorowe hys name who so euer beleueth in hym shall receaue remission of synnes Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whyche herde the preachynge And they of the circumcision whyche beleued were astonnyed as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost For they herde them speake wyth tonges and magnifye God Then answered Peter can any mā forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whyche haue receyued the holy goost as well as we And he commaunded them to be baptised in the name of the Lorde The sūme of S. Peters prechīg GOod people the summe of saynt Peters sermō here is that Iesus Christ whych for hys benefytes and wonderfull vertues that he shewed amonges the Iues was crucifyed that is to wyt nayled moost vilanously to the crosse whych was the moost paynfull and cruell death that the Iues coulde ymagyne dyd notwythstandynge ryse agayne from death to lyfe and that who soeuer wol beleue in him shal be saued And he sayeth furthermore that God annoynted thys Iesus of Nazareth wyth the holy goost and wyth power Wherby he declareth hym to be the true Messias whych was promysed to the fathers and of whome the prophete Dauid spake I haue anoynted my kinge ouer Zion my holy hyl He declareth also that Christes office is to do good to all Now thys resurrection of Christ he cōfirmeth both wyth hys owne wytnesse and wyth the wytnes of all that sawe the thynge wyth theyr eyes And lest a man shulde reiecte them as parciall wytnesses bycause they were hys seruauntes and disciples he fetcheth out a moost sure recorde of scripture sayenge that all the prophetes do testifye of thys Christ Fynally lest a man woll fynde cauillacion and say they cam forth of their owne mynd vncalled to beare wytnes of thys thynge he addeth that they were commaunded and sent by God to preache to the people to testifye that it is thys same Iesus Christ which was ordeyned of God to be the iuge of the quycke deade Whych thynge is also an vndoubted artycle of our fayth To thys Christ sayeth Peter gyue all the prophetes wytnes that through hys name who so euer beleue in hym shal be saued And amonges other the prophete Esaye who wryteth of Christe in thys wyse Esa liij He only hath taken on hym our infirmitie and borne our paynes The payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and wyth hys strypes are we healed Surely we haue gone all astray lyke shepe euery one hath turned hys owne waye But through hym the Lorde hath pardoned all our synnes Lo here ye maye se playnly aswell by the wordes of saynt Peter in thys place as by thys prophet Esay how we get remission of synnes by beleuynge in Christ Thys doth also saynt Paule in many places declare namely through out hys hole epistle to the Romaynes Origene in epist ad Ro. li. iij. ca. iij. Whereupon the auncient doctoure Origene wrytynge sayth Man therfore is iustified by fayth whome the workes of the lawe do nothyng helpe to ryghtuousnes For where fayth is not which iustifyeth the beleuer althoughe a man haue workes of the lawe yet bycause they be not buylded vpon the foundacion of fayth albeit they seme to be good they can not iustifye the worker yf fayth be awaye whyche is the seale of all that be iustifyed of God Ambrose of the callynge of the gentyls
in them Vndoubtedly thys answere teacheth vs two thynges Fyrst ☜ that the wyll of God ought not to be learned of the dead as Moses also forbyddeth in Deuteronomye sayenge Deut. xviij Let noman serch the trouth of the deade for God abhorreth it And surely not wythout cause for he that ensercheth the trouth of deade men sheweth hymselfe not contented wyth gods worde whych is a synne agaynst the seconde commaundement Also to serche the trouth of deade men is to put other meanes thā preachers by whome God wol haue hys word knowen and spred abrode Thys thynge doth the exemple of Saule teach vs i. Reg. xxviij whych after he was caste vp of the Lorde and vtterly wycked in his harte by the helpe of a wytche raysed vp the prophete Samuell from death that is to wyt a certayne person resemblynge Samuel in voyce and vysage Secondly thys answere of Abraham teacheth vs that besyde the worde wrytten none other is to be loked for or to be herde though an angell shulde come from heauen or a goost ryse frō death to lyfe Wherfore good christen brethren and systers I exhorte in the Lordes name you that be rych to make your selues frendes of your wicked Mammon Luc. xvi that is to saye of your worldly goodes that when ye dye they may receyue you into euerlastyng tabernacles lest ye be serued as thys ryche mā was And agayne I exhorte you that be poore to haue sure faith in the Lorde and pacience in your aduersitie and pouertie And doubt ye not but at your departure out of this transitory worlde accordynge to the example of this poore Lazarus ye shal be caryed by angels into the bosome of Abraham abrahās bosome that is to say into euerlastyng lyfe in whych after the exemple of the father Abraham who is the father of al beleuynge chyldren the godly be receyued as into the bosome of the heuēly father To whom wyth the sonne and holy goost be all honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ij. sondaye after trinitie The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iij. chapter Th argument ☞ Of the syngular loue of God towardes vs and howe we ought agayne to loue one another MAruayle not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated frō death vnto lyfe bycause we loue the brethren He that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death Who so euer hateth hys brother is a mansleer And ye knowe that no mansleer hath eternall lyfe abydynge in hym Hereby perceyue we loue bycause he gaue hys lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue our lyues for the brethren But who so hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede shutteth vp hys compassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of God in hym My babes let vs not loue in worde neyther in tonge but in dede and in veritie FOr asmuch as deare brethren and systers euen from the begynnynge of the worlde it hath bene sene as the exemple of Abel wytnesseth that the godly haue suffred persecution trouble ☜ and vexation of the vngodly and wycked persons therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Ihon doth here exhorte vs to pacience in persecution and in aduersitie and that we shulde not be false harted and discouraged bycause we se we be euell and vnworthely handeled intreated of the wycked worlde And it is not without cause that saynt Ihon moueth vs to pacience for of truth it is a ryght harde thynge a mā to stāde fast in trouble and not to despayre or at leste waye not to doubte of the trouth of gods word for al that he seeth so many euell and vnhappy chaunces vnto hym on euery syde And besydes that he exhorteth vs in thys place vnto pacience he also therwythall comforteth al that be vexed troubled for trouthes sake wyth the greate benefyte and profyte whyche they haue taken through gods worde that is to wyt that they be translated frō death to lyfe and be now made the beloued sonnes of God to whych commodities and profytes al the persecutions in the world be not able to be compared Maruayle not sayeth S. Ihon though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated frome death vnto lyfe bycause we loue our brethren O what an vnspeakable solace and comforte is this my frendes vnto vs to know that we now lyue vnto God warde albeit before the worlde we be daylye mortifyed and euen kylled none otherwise thā shepe that go to the slaughter And agayne on the contrary parte what a fearful horrible thynge is it that the wycked persons whych pursue the godly be dead to god warde We be than translated frō death to lyfe Wherfore Bycause sayeth Ihon we loue oure brethren Surely my frendes the louynge of our brethren is an open declaracion token to the worlde that we be the chyldren of God For he that sayeth he hath faythe and loue towardes God and yet loueth not hys neyghbour maketh a starke lye For a good tree must nedes brynge forth good frute He then that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death that is to saye Rom. vi he is not yet rysen from death to lyfe wyth Christ vnto a new lyfe Yea saynt Ihon goeth forther and sayeth Who so euer hateth hys brother is a manslayer The law is spirituall Surely my frendes the lawe is spirituall and requyreth also the inwarde affections as Ihon doth here testifye For not only he that kylleth by layeng on of handes and violence vpon hys brother is in daunger to the law of murther but also he that pursueth hys neyghbour wyth hatred So though that he be not a murtherer and māsleer in outward dede yet in harte he is But no mansleer hath eternal lyfe abydynge in hym For loke wyth what measure we meate to other Mat. vij wyth the same shall it be measured agayne to vs. Now in the doctrine and teachynge of charitie ye shal vnderstande that it is the maner of thapostles euer to brynge vs to the exemple of Christ whereby to frame our lyfe lest we shuld inuent and deuise of our owne heades newe formes fashions of louing our brethren S. Ihon therfore doth here preuente vs and setteth forth Christ for an exemple to be folowed of vs The loue of god toward vs whych loued vs hys brethren not after a lyght and base sorte but euen wyth the peryll of his owne lyfe He wol haue vs than in lyke wyse to loue our brethren not lyghtly but so vehemently that when nede requyreth we shulde not stycke to venture our goodes yea our lyfe also for theyr sauetie welth By thys we knowe charitie that is to saye the loue of Christ towardes vs and what our loue and charitie ought to be in asmuche as he gaue his soule or lyfe for vs O what excedynge and vehemente loue was thys of Christ And shall we then shewe our selues churlysh and vnkynde agayne
brother Brother let me pull out the moote that is in thyne eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Thou ypocrite cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and rhen shalt thou se perfytly to pul out the moat that is in thy brothers eye GOod people our Sauiour Christ in thys gospell setteth forth vnto vs certayne christian lawes that is to saye certayne officies or duties of charitie and frutes of fayth Fyrst he byddeth vs be mercyfull and tender of hart But after what sorte As paynyms or publicanes be No but euen accordyng to thexemple of our heauenly father Why how mercyfull is oure heauenly father vnto vs Surely he whan we were hys enemyes and had deserued no kyndnes at hys handes yet of an excedyng mercy whych he bare to maÌ„kynd vouchesaued to sende downe hys only begotteÌ„ soÌ„ne to redeme vs wyth hys moost precious bloude He also from tyme to tyme as often as by frayltie we offende hys maiestye yf we humbly aske mercy forgyueth vs. Math. v Yea he sendeth hys rayne he causeth the Sonne the moone the starres and hys heuenly planetes to shyne aswel vpon hys enemyes as frendes and louers But yet sayth Christ blessed and happy be the mercyfull for they shall agayne receyue mercy He that hath the substaunce and goodes of thys worlde and seeth hys brother in nede and shutteth vp the intrayles of hys harte from hym howe can the loue and charitie of God remayne in such a person i. Io. iij sayeth the Euangelist Ihon Certes he that hath compassion and pytie of the poore is a great gayner and who so fedeth shal be fedde agayne Seconde Christ byddeth vs here not to iudge and we shall not be iudged For he shall haue iudgemeÌ„te wythout mercy sayth saynt Iames whych sheweth no mercy Iaco. ii Let me alone therfore wyth vengeaunce sayeth the Lorde and I shall requyte But marke my frendes that thys is only spoken of priuate iudgement and priuate condemnation that is to saye I maye not be myne owne iudge I maye not reuenge myne owne quarell but I muste coÌ„mytte the cause to God and he shall iudge my quarel and punysh accordyngly It is not ment of publyke iudgement For suche as be rulers and publyke officers represent not theyr owne persons but they represent the person of almyghty God and they be hys deputies and ministers Ro. xiij And for thys cause saynt Paule woll that euery soule shulde submytte hymselfe to the authoritie of the hygh powers For there is sayeth he no power but of God Yea the iudges and Magistrates in scripture be called Goddes Also saynt Peter thapostle sayeth i. Pet. ij Submytte your selues vnto euery humane creature for our Lordes sake whether it be vnto a kynge as vnto the chefe heade or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of hym for the punyshment of euell doers and prayse of wel doers By thys texte of S. Peter ye se playnly that it is lawfull for rulers to punysh But punysh they can not onles they iudge and condemne the gyltye So thaÌ„ it is lawfull for rulers to iudge and to coÌ„demne bycause they do it not in theyr own name but as gods ministers and vycares To thys do all the auncient expositours and doctours agre as saynte Austine ☜ Hierome Ambrose Chrysostome and the rest Wherfore the wycked Anabaptistes are to be banyshed whych condemne temporall or ciuile iudgementes It foloweth in the texte Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Here my frendes ye se that onles we forgyue other meÌ„ theyr offences whych they haue trespassed agaynst vs our heauenly father woll not surely forgyue vs. And therfore we saye in our pater noster called the Lordes prayer Dimitte nobis debita nostra Math. v sicut nos dimittimê° debitoribus nostris That is to saye Forgyue vs our dettes or synnes euen as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. So yf thou cannest not fynde in thy harte to forgyue thy neyghboure hys faultes thou mayest be ryght sure that god wyl not forgiue the thy faultes He byddeth vs also gyue and it shal be gyuen vnto vs. Math xviij Ro. xiiij For frely haue we taken and therfore frely we ought to gyue What hast thou sayeth Paule but thou hast receyued the same before of almyghty God ij cor ix Surely he that soweth skantly nygardly shall repe skantly Yf we be faythfull stewardes in lytle God wyll surely rewarde vs in muche But he that is vnfaythfull in lytle how can he be faythfull in muche sayeth Christ Wherfore loke with what measure that we mete wythall to others wyth the same shal other men mete to vs agayne I pray you sayeth our Sauiour Christ can the blynde leade the blynde Here he teacheth vs to be contente wyth hys doctrine for els we shal wander lyke blynde betels He is blynde whych hath not the pure ryghte vnderstandynge of gods worde yf thys man teacheth he teacheth not well he can be no good leader or guyde Why seest thou a moate in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame in thyne owne eye O how vncomly how wycked how ypocrite lyke how vncharitable a thynge is it to iudge oure neyghbours of lyghte maters where as we be an hundred tymes worse our selues Why do we not rather geÌ„tly bear dissemble and interprete well the small erroure and faulte of our brethren Why do we not rather go downe to the intrayles of our owne harte Esopes wallet and se our owne stuffe Esope the fable wryter doth very well paynt vs he fayneth that euery man hath two pookes or wallettes the one hangynge before him the other hangynge behynde hym In that whyche hangeth before vs be put other mens faultes Into thys pooke we be alwayes perynge and lokyng but in the other pooke of the wallet whyche hangeth at our backe wherin our own faultes be put we neuer loke Wherfore he wolde haue vs turne the wallet an other whyle the coÌ„trary way Assuredly he ought to be voyde of all faultes that shulde be ready to speake agaynst other meÌ„ Also it is dyrectly agaynst the eyght commaundemente of God to speake any false testimony or worde agaynst thy brother Yet thys notwythstandynge it is lawful for the charitably to monyshe thy neyghboure of hys faulte accordynge to saynt Paules lesson Yf a man be founde in any faulte ye that be goostly reproue suche a person after a gentle sorte Also he sayeth Reproue i. tim v. Esa lviij besech blame tymely vntymely in all pacience Crye cease not as a trompe lyfte vp thy voyce Yf thy brother sayeth Christ trespasse agaynst the Math. xviij go and tell hym hys faulte betwene the and hym alone Yf he heare the thou hast woÌ„ne thy brother but yf he hear the not than take yet with the one or two that in the mouth of two or thre wytnesses euery matter maye be establyshed Yf he heare not
losse of theyr owne commodities and oftymes wyth ieopardye of theyr lyfe The chyldren of the worlde contrary wyse haue suche stomakes that they woll soner se them deed that doth them good then susteyne any losse of temporal thynges The armure of the chyldren of lyghte Armure of the chyldrē of lyght are fyrst the worde of God whych they euer sette forth wyth all diligence put it abrode that as much as in them lyeth it maye brynge forth fruite after this pacience and prayer wyth the whych in all aduersities the Lorde comforteth them Other thynges they cōmitte to God vnto whom they leue al reuengemēte Armure of worldes chyldren The armure of the chyldren of the worlde are somtyme fraudes and deceytes somtyme lyes money By the fyrst they make theyr dreames theyr traditions by the seconde they stablyshe and confyrme the same be they neuer so fonde neuer so agaynst scripture honestye reason And yf any man resiste them euen wyth these weapons they procure to slee hym Thus they bought Christes death the verye lighte it selfe and obscured him after hys deth Thus they bye euery day the chyldren of lyght obscure them and shall so do vntyll the worlde be at an ende So that it maye be euer true that Christ sayd The children of the worlde be wyser in their nacion then be the children of light These wordlynges pull downe the lyuely fayth whych worketh by charitie and loue sette vp an other fayth an other confidence of theyr owne makyng as in pardōs and such trompery the chyldren of lyght contrary These wordlynges sette lytel by such workes as God hath prepared for oure saluation but they auaunce traditions and workes of theyr owne inuention the chyldren of lyghte contrary The wordlinges yf they espye profite gaines lucre in any thynge be it neuer such a tryfle be it neuer so dānable they preach it to the people and defende it wyth toth and nayle They can scarse disalowe any abuses of thynges albeit they be intollerable lest in disalowynge the abuse they lose parte of theyr profyte The chyldren of the lyght cōtrary put all thynges in theyr degre best hyghest next next the worst lowest They extoll thynges necessary christian and cōmaunded of God They pull downe wyll workes fayned by men and put them in theyr place The abuses of all thynge they ernestly rebuke But yet these thynges be so done on both parties and so they both do gendre that chyldren of the worlde shewe themselues wyser than the chyldren of lyght Neyther the chyldren of the worlde be onely wyser than the chyldren of lyghte but are also some of them amonge themself much wyser then the other in theyr generation For albeit as touchyng the ende the generation of them all is one yet in thys same generation some of them haue more craftely ingēdred thā the other of their felowes For what a thinge was that that ones euery C. yere was brought forth in Rome of the chyldrē of this worlde with how much policie it was made it is a wōder to heare How som brought forth Canonizations some Expectations some pluralities and vnions some totquottes and dispensations some pardons and these of wonderfull varietie some stationaries some Iubilaries some pocularies for drynkers some manuaries for handlers of relyques some pedaries for pylgrimes some oscularies for kyssers some of them engēdred one some other such fetures and euery one in that he deuysed was excellent politike wyse yea so wyse that wyth theyr wysedome they had almoost made al the worlde fooles But yet they that begotte and brought forth that theyr old aūciēt purgatorie picke pourse I meane that which was swaged cooled with a graye freers coule put vpon a deade mans backe to the fourth parte of hys synnes that that was vtterly to be spoiled and of none other but of the moost prudēt lorde the byshop of Rome and of hym as ofte as hym lysted they I saye that were the wyse fathers and brochers of thys purgatorie were doubtles the wyseste of all theyr generation and so farre passe both the chyldren of lyght and also the rest of theyr company that they both are but fooles yf ye compare them with these It was a pleasaunt fiction and from the begynnynge so profytable to the feyners of it that almost I dare boldly say there hath ben no emperour that hath gottē more by taxes and tallages of them that were alyue than these the very and ryghte begotten sonnes of the worlde gotte by deade mennes tributes and gyftes But what go I aboute particularly to recoūte vnto you the wonderfull craftes and policies of the chyldren of thys worlde Certes no tonge no oration is able to expresse them they be so many and so sundry Wherfore my welbeloued frēdes were it not a right foule shame for vs English men for vs I saye that pretende vtterly to detest and renounce the fraudes and policies of the byshope of Rome and of all hys limmes and to ensue the true religion of Christ and whych counte oure selues the children of the lyghte were it not I say a shame that these worldlinges shuld haue such a forsyght prudence and wisdom in theyr kinde for thynges transitorie whych be of small valure and mere vanities and that we shuld be stacke and negligent by doinge of oure officies and duties towardes our neighbours to gette vs the rewardes of euerlastinge life namely sithe euery one of vs bycause of the incertain terme of thys life oughte euer to be in a redynes and to awayte when the Lorde of heuen wol say vnto vs as was here said to the Stuard Gyue accomptes of thy stuardshippe for thou maiste be no lengar stuard Thys tyme bicause it is both vncertaine to euery man also shorte we must therfore hasten vs to bestowe our erthly substaunce vpon the pore wherby to gette vs a pasporte to eternall life For so shall it come to passe that the good dedes benefites whyche other folke haue done we shal be made partakers of whyl we helpe them with our goodes For assuredly he that wyth hys wordlye substaunce helpeth the prophete I meane hym that setteth forth Christes worde the same shall receyue the rewarde of the prophete shal be reliued in semblable wyse in the kyngdome of heuen wyth the good deades of the prophete or preacher And therfore the Lorde sayeth here in thys place Make you frendes of the wicked Māmon Make you frendes of the Mammon of iniquitie As who shulde saye Se that ye prouyde for yourselues in tyme accordinge to thexemple of thys prudent and politike steward Get you good frendes of an euel thynge that whan at the lordes commaundement ye shal be compelled to departe from thys tente and pauilion of your bodye they maye receyue you into euerlastynge habitacions It is an happye chaunge whan earthly thynges be permuted for heauenly What thynge is vyler or goeth further from vertue thā the goodes of thys worlde They are
wyth an issue of blod twelue yeres cam behind him and touched the hem of hys vesture For she sayd wythin her selfe if I maye touche but euen his vesture only I shal be safe But Iesus turned hym aboute and when he sawe her he sayde Doughter be of good comforte thy faythe hath made the safe And the woman was made hole euen that same tyme. THys Gospell good christen audience doth put before our eyes how moche that our fayth and hope in god our sauiour doth please hym and is to hym gratefull and acceptable and whych thing our lorde doth shewe vs here by the faythe of a prince of the Sinagoge which as sayeth saynte Marke was named Iayrus And albeit that hys fayth and confidence in god was vnperfite yet neuerthelesse oure lorde did applye and graunte to his prayer yea and wente also with him for to rayse his doughter which was nere deade and in dede she dyed In whyche thing the holy doctour Remigius sayth that the humilite and mildnes of our lorde is moche to be wondered at and also to be folowed of vs by exemple Remigius For forthwith as sone as he was desired he beganne to folowe him that desired him Wherin he instructeth sayth thys doctour both subiectes and also prelates To subiectes he hath left an exemple of obedience To prelates he did demōstrate and shewe howe they ought to be instaunte and paynfull in the office of teachynge that as often as they here tell of any parson to be deade in soule they shulde study forthwyth to be at hand and presente with hym to reuiele and rayse him vp agayn euen as our sauiour Christ of hys most tendre pitie and mercy was ready forthwith at the humble sute of this ruler to go with him to rayse vp his doughter And if that he had had as perfecte fayth as he which saied lord I am not worthy that thou shuldest entre in to my howse but only saye the worde and my chylde shal be hole he myght haue healed her wyth a worde and saye be it done to the according vnto thy faith and it shuld haue bene so but he did to him accordinge vnto hys fayth and so he doth to vs. He had thus moche fayth that if he touched her she shulde lyue and so was it therfore done to hym according vnto his fayth He shewed it vs also by the woman whych had the blody flyxe by the space of .xij. yeres the whyche had thys fayth in him that if she touched alonly hys garmēt she shuld be healed She did touche it and she had accordinge vnto her fayth not that she had her fayth in the garmente or that the garmente shulde heale her but her fayth and her hope was in Iesu Christ For assuredly the vertue of her healinge did not come from the garment but from our lord Iesu Christ as he saied I haue knowne that power is issued oute from me For certes she touched oure lorde inuisibly by fayth and the garment visibly by signe of fayth And therfore oure Lorde sayde vnto her Daughter haue full hope and be of good chere thy fayth hath made that to be saued for he did vnto her accordīg vnto her fayth Then the gospel dothe shew vs here that if we haue right perfyte fayth ther shal be done vnto vs accordinge to our fayth ☞ O that mortall men and women wold haue this perfecte fayth working by charytie confidēce and thys trust in our lorde Iesus Chryst Our lord did neuer denye any whych hath had stedfast fayth hope in hym If we be in neuer so great sickenes of synne yea if we be deade by synne yet yf we praye vnto hym and desyre him of pardon hauīg full hope and faythe in him that in asking it of hym we shal be healyd and iustified that is for to saie that our sinnes shal be pardomd and that we shal be reuiued frō the death of synne assuredlye it shal be so done vnto vs and we shal heare thys swete answere Thy fayth hath saued the. And the gospel is ful of the same that he wyl do to vs according to oure fayth Wherfore let vs haue stedfast fayth in all the promysses of the wordes of God and then shal be accomplished in all hys promysses Faythe without charitie is nothinge worth But thys fayth is a liuely fayth which worketh by charitie The sōne which shyneth gyueth no heate dothe not gyue lyfe to any thyng no more doth faiyh without charitie If thou haue thys fayth that Iesu Christ is dead for the and for to put awaye thy synnes it is soo and thy synnes be put awaye and hys death is thine and the merite of hys death thyne If thou beleue also not faynedly but truly that he is risen agayne for thy iustificatiō it is soo and his resurrection is thyne thy iustification and thou art truly iustified if thou so perseuer cōtinue in godly lyuing as becommeth a christen man And thus of all the other wordes of God and of the holy scripture the whych is clene hydde frō vs and made darke and vnprofitable without thys working faith and agayne all open and shyninge by thys fayth It is it that is alwayes sene of God and is neuer denyed in all signes and meruels in al holy reuiuinges of God For to be healed of all syckenesses and death we nede principally thys lyuely and workyng fayth whych is the most beloued grace of God The womā hadde none other thynge to be healed of her bloudy flixe The prince of the synagoge hadde none other thynge for to haue hys doughter reysed from death to lyffe For to be inheritour vnto the kyngdome of heauen is required this fayth that I now speake of as first chife foūdatiō of all together What wolde you that I shulde saye vnto you There is nothyng impossible vnto fayth Wherfore then lette vs praye vnto oure Lorde Iesu Christe whyche is auctour of fayth that he maye giue vs this fayeth to thintent that we maye praye laude and glorifie him so as he wold be prayed that he wol not denye or hyde any thing vnto them whych so do praye hym in fayeth but that he woll enflambe them from daye to daye for to luoe feare honoure and serue hym more and more and to praye hym the more feruentlye vnto the glorie of the celestiall father whyche giueth vs all in hym and by hym in thys world and in the other by glorie eternally Amen The epistle on the .xxv. sonday after Trinitie sonday which is the nexte sondaie before Aduent sonday Ieremias .xxxiij. Th argument ☞ The prophecye of Hieremye concerninge the raygne of Christe BRetherne beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde that I wyll rayse vp the ryghteous braunche of Dauid whych shall beare rule and discusse maters with wisdome and shal set vp equitie and righteousnes agayne in the erthe In hys tyme shall Iuda be saued and Israel shal dwell wythoute feare And
leseth all spirituall consolation and comforte Then after he commeth to speake in a great humilitie of the grace whych Iesus Christ hath gyuen him And after all he sayeth he hath bene sene by me he hath appeared vnto me whyche am as an abortiue creature For I am the least of the Apostles whyche am not worthy to be called an Apostle for I haue persecuted the church of God but I am that I am apostle amonge the Gentyls in fayth and in trouth I am that that I am not by my workes not by my merytes but by the grace of God And hys grace sayeth he hath not ben ydle in me As yf he wolde saye I haue not hyd the talent of gold whyche my mayster lorde Iesu Christ toke me to bestowe but I haue made it to gayne more then any other I haue laboured more abundauntly then they all But not I yet but the grace of God whych is in me Saint Paule in speakynge of hys owne person and of hys grace whyche he receyued of God speaketh vnto vs teachyng vs by hys exemple that we ought to presume nothynge of our selues but to yelde all vnto God vnderstande that all cometh from hym The ecclesiastes sayeth speakynge of the See The waters returne vnto the place from whence they come forth to th ende that they may runne agayne In lyke maner we must sende agayne and knowlege God to be all grace to th ende that he maye alwayes augment it vnto vs vnto the tyme that we maye come wyth hym into hys glorye for to prayse hym exalte hym perpetually to glorifye hym Amen The Gospell on the .xi. sonday after Trinitie The .xviij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The parable of the Pharise and Publicane IEsus put forth thys parable vnto certayn which trusted in themselues that they were perfite and despised other Two men wente vp into the temple to praye the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The pharise stode and prayed thus wyth hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorsioners vniust aduoutrers or as thys publicane I fast twyse in the weke I gyue tyth of all that I possesse And the publicane standynge afarre of wolde not lyfte vp his eyes to heuen but smote vpon hys brest sayenge God be mercyfull to me a synner I tell you thys man departed home to hys house iustifyed more thā the other For euery one that exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted MY frendes and brethrē in our Sauiour Christ Iesu I do you well to vnderstande that there was somtyme amonges the Iues and is yet at thys daye amonges christen folke a certayne pharisaicall kynde of iuste or ryghtuous persons whyche haue theyr cōfidence and trust in theyr owne workes and whych presumptuouslye seke to themselues laude prayse of iustice therby Psalm xiiij where as afore God as wytnesseth the prophete there is no ryghtuous persone Neyther dyd they only stāde foolyshly in theyr owne conceytes and pleased well themselues but also in comparison of themselues they dispraysed and also despysed others as synfulle and worldlye persones where as in very dede the humblenes and modestie of suche as be synners and the condēnation of themselues wyth request of mercy is muche more regarded and is more acceptable to God than is the proude and arrogant workynge of such pharisaical persōs Wherfore against such pharisaical rightuous folke and for the cōforte of such sinners as displease themselues and be hartely sory for theyr mysordred lyfe our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ dyd propoune thys parable or similitude vnto the Iues by them to all the worlde It befell so sayeth Christ that two certayne persons wente vp to the temple or churche for to praye the one was a Pharise that is to saye one that diuideth hymselfe as better from the multitude cōmon sorte of men Origine accordynge to Origenes interpretacion the other was a publicane that is to saye a customer a gatherer of toll or tribute or such other common officer deputed for such purposes The pharise standynge nye to the hygh aultare as one that thought hymselfe worthy to talke presently wyth God thus began to praye wyth himselfe God I thanke the that I am not lyke to the rest of folke whych lyue by rauyne pyllage and extorcion which do increase theyr substaunce by fraude and crafte which defyle other mens beddes wyth aduoutrye or finally whych bearynge any sklaunderouse rowme or office do pyll and poll the people of God or holy church as is thys publicane thys tribute gatherer thys collectour I am not riottouse and sumptuous in my fare and apparell as is the common sorte of people I fast twyse a weke and in somuch defraude I noman that also I distribute the tenth parte of my goodes vpon the poore people Thys was the prayer of the swellynge and proude pharise whyche albeit he reapported of hymselfe the trouth and thāked God yet he displeased the eyes of God euen bycause he pleased hymselfe flatterynge hymselfe and beynge cōtumeliouse agaynst hys neyghboure On the contrarye the publicane altogether displeasyng hymselfe for the knowlege of hys synnes stode a great waye of from the aultare beynge so ashamed of hymselfe and penitent that he durst not ones lyft vp hys eyen to heauen but strake hys brest sayeng Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori That is to say God be thou mercyfull vnto me a synner The pharise thought it ynough to gyue God thankes supposynge that he lacked nothynge that shulde be requisyte vnto perfyte holynes and therfore he confessed no offenses wheras in very dede euen in hys selfe prayers he synned moost greuouslye in that he boasted of hymselfe and despysed the penitent persone beynge an arrogant prayser of hymselfe and a rashe accuser of hys neyghbour Contrarye the publicane made no rehersall at all of hys good dedes Only acknowlegynge and confessynge hys naughtynes he knocketh hys brest condemnyng hymselfe and humbly beggynge grace and pardon of hys offenses My frendes woll ye knowe the conclusion and ende of thys sondrye and dyuerse prayer That same publicane whych came a synner into the church by Christes owne sentence and determination went home in the syght of God more iust and ryghtuouse than that pharise whyche thought hymselfe moost ryghtuouse For assuredly whosoeuer auaunceth hymselfe wyth hymself shal be deiected cast downe in the eyen of God And whosoeuer deiecteth and casteth hymselfe downe wyth hymselfe shal be hygh in the eyen of god By thys parable then good people let vs lerne to humble and lowly our selues Let vs lerne whan we be out of gods fauoure for the haynousnes of our sinnes by due penaunce to reconcile our selues agayne and to purchase remission of the same Austine I call penaūce accordynge to saynt Austines definicion a dayly payne and greue of the good and lowly christians wherin we knocke our brestes sayenge
Math. vi Forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynst vs. And by these wordes sayeth saynt Austine humblynge oure soules we cease not after a maner to do dayly penaunce But it is to be feared lest many of vs playe rather the pharisees parte thynkynge our selues hyghly in gods fauour and in the meane season despysynge our neghbours whych by theyr humble submission and penitent hertes shall get vp before vs. Heauen is gyuen not to such as iustifie themselues by their owne dedes but to such as mekely and penitently call for mercy pardon and grace wherby they maye afterward worke that maye be pleasaunt in gods syght Who wol surely in heauen crowne them wyth glorye immortall To whome be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xij. sondaye after Trinitie The .ij. Epistle to the Corin. the .iij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The ministration of the gospel is here praysed BRethren such trust haue we thorow Christ to godwarde not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke any thynge as of oure selues but yf we be able vnto any thynge the same commeth of God whych hath made vs able to minister the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter kylleth but the spirite gyueth lyfe Yf the ministracion of death thorow the letters fygured in stones was glorious so that the chyldren of Israel coulde not behold the face of Moses for the glorye of hys countenaunce whych glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite be much more glorious For yf the ministrynge of condemnation be glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghtuousnes excede in glorye FOr bycause that saint Paule welbeloued brethrē in our sauiour Christe had a lytle before the begynnynge of the epistle of thys daye praysed the Corinthians sayenge vnto them that they were hys epistle in Iesu Christe in asmuch as they had receyued hys gospell and had wrytten and imprinted his fayth in theyr hartes by hys administration preachynge Ministred by vs sayeth he not wryttē with ynke but by the spirite of the lyuyng God Not written in tables of stone as those that Moses had but in tables of flesh in the harte therfore to thyntent to gyue them none occasion that they shulde waxe therwyth proude and to hope and glorie in themselues and not in God and also for to holde them in humilitie vnder the sauegarde of God saynt Paule sayeth We haue truely such hope in God by Christ not that we are sufficient of our selues c. As yf he had sayd Thys that I saye I do not speake it arrogantly presumynge of myne owne wyttes but I haue such hope in God by Iesu Christ that thys that I say is true and shall abyde true I do not saye it of my selfe as of my selfe for we be not sufficient to thinke any thynge of our selues as of our selues but oure sufficientnes and all that whyche we maye thynke speake and do touchynge goodnes cōmeth and dependeth from God whych is begynnynge myddes and ende of all goodnes The whych hath made vs and gyuen vs power to be ministers and preachers of the new testament of the new and good promises whych are by Iesu Christ He hath gyuen vs authoritie and commission to be a preacher not of the letter but of the spirite for the letter sayeth saint Paul sleeth the soule and the spirite doth quycken it We ought here to note well the difference that there is to preache the letter and the spirite For vnto the tyme that the lyuely worde of God be by feruēt fayth rooted in our hartes vnto the tyme I say that we serue God nomore wyth euell wyll but ioyfully and frely what studye or lections soeuer we take yea yf we knewe the olde and new testament by rote of harte yet folowe we the letter But the spirite of God the spirite of scripture the spirite of the which S. Paul speaketh of here is out of feare it serueth in lybertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is there is lybertie fredome Saynt Paule now after that he bare the lyght of God I meane the worde of Iesu Christ beynge desyrous and wyllynge not to hyde it vnder a bushell but exaltynge it and settynge it vp to be bruted and praysed of angels and of men commeth to compare the eternall gospell vnto the transitorye lawe of Moses He calleth the lawe of Moses the executynge or administracion of death damnation Not but that the law is good and holy yf it be vsed lawfully but forbycause the Iues haue abused it to theyr damnation And for the same cause by occasion it is called administration of death He sayeth than yf the administration of death that is to saye yf the auncient lawe was delyuered and gyuen in lyght in puissaunce and in glorye what shall the lawe of the gospell be whych is the administration of the spirite of lyfe and of iustice But forasmuche as dyuerse heretikes and vnlearned persones haue mysvnderstanded thys wrytynge of saint Paule in thys place therfore I thynke it not amysse brefly to make a faythfull reapport vnto you of S. Austines wordes concernynge the interpretacion of thys place Thus he wryteth in hys seconde boke agaynst the aduersary of the lawe and prophetes The lawe albeit it be holy iust and good The wordes S. Austine yet it bryngeth death to the transgressours and breakers therof whome the grace of God helpeth not to fulfyl the iustice of the lawe For it behoued that in the olde testament a lawe shuld be layde vpon the proude and stubborne Iues and on such as trusted vpon the power of theyr owne wyll whych lawe shuld not gyue them ryghtuousnes but shulde commaunde vnto them ryghtuousnes and so beynge wrapped and in tangled wyth the death for transgression that they myght fle to grace which grace not only cōmaūdeth but also helpeth thys grace in the new testament is reuelate and opened vnto vs. And of thys occasion do these blasphemours of gods worde thynke that the lawe was nought whych was gyuen by Moses bycause it is called the ministration of death fygured in stony letters They consyder not that it was so called bycause of them whyche thoughte by theyr owne fre wyll to satisfye the lawe not holpen with the spirite of grace were holden gyltye of transgression vnder the letter of the same lawe For assuredly the transgression or breakinge of the lawe shuld not be euell onles the law it selfe were good What maruayle is it than yf it be called the ministracion of death where the letter kylleth in prohibitynge euell whych is done and in commaundynge good whych is not done and on the contrary syde that the other is called the ministracion of the spirite whych quyckeneth that we mought ryse from the death of preuarication and rede not gyltie in tables ryghtuousnes ☞ but beynge fre might haue it in our hartes and maners that is to