after thy fayth And to Lazare foure dayes in hys graue veni foras come forth lyue Cryste neuer vsyd emplastre pocion bayne ne oyntment but it wer ones whan with his holy spotell medled with clay he enoynted the eyen of hym that was borne blynde Whyche after saynt Iohn Crisostom was moâ— for mystery than for the matere ¶ Of this apereth how our sauiour by mynystracoÌ„n of his grete cures on the soules bodies of syke men nyghed to man kynde by his grete almyghty power shewynge hymself a meke seruauÌ„t to cause mankynde to nighe vnto him by hertly loue his grete benefites duly consydred ¶ Thyrde and fynally in thys party I sayd our sauyour Crist nyghed vnto man my nystrynge vnto him his holy sacramentes leuynge in his holy chyrche wyth man for euer auctoryte power to doo the same This dyde our sauyour of his grete goodnes but bi his power auctorite For as hyÌ„self sayd in ye. xxviij chapytre of Mathu All power in heuen erth is yeuen vnto our IhuÌ„ Crist ¶ For the declaracoÌ„n of this trouth how crist hath nyghed vnto mankynde by his sacrament I shall shortly shewe you thre truthes Fyrst whi criste instituted yâ— holy sacramentâ— in his chirche second what sacramenâ— â–ª he instituted thyrd how he nyghed to man in yâ— same ¶ Fyrst whi our sauyour instytutde holy sacâ—amentes in his chyrche declareth the mayster of the sentence in the fyrste disâ—ynccion of the fourth For thre causes For mannes humâ—lyacion for his eâ—udycoÌ„n for his exercytacō◠¶ Thise holy sacramentes were Instytute ones for man shold meke hymself whyche had offendid by pryde seke helpe euerlastynge in thynges sensyble not of themself but of god in them by them ¶ Agayn thyse sacramentes were Institute for mannys ghostly erudycoÌ„n That man whyche by his synne had loste the syghte perfyghte knowlege of god had in the state of Innocency myghte by vysyble sygnes outward tokens come to the knowlege of secrete mysteryes graces of god in thyse vysyble to kens sygnyfyed conteyned ¶ For ye must vnderstonde that sacramentuÌ„ a sacrament after yâ— mayster in the same place is a token or a sygne of an holy thynge That is true sayth mayster Dwns on the same but that it is a practik effectuous sigge not fayllynge ne vncertayn of his sygnyfycacy on For it putteth in effecte and vnder god in a manere is cause of that thynge whyche is therby sygnyfyed for the thynge surely And vndowtidly folowyth yf there be no defawte on him whiche sholde receyue the sacrament ¶ Thyrde I saye the holy sacramentes were Institute for mannys excercytacoÌ„n that man sholde be contynually ocupyed in the seruyce of god not geue hymself to vayn ydilnesse For as sayth saynt Austyn ¶ That man is not lâ—ghtly wonne bi the deuylles temptacoÌ„n whiche geuyth hymself to good occupacoÌ„n Exhortyth therfore saynt Ierom Be thou man euer more besyed in some vertuous labour that the deuyll fynde not the ydyll ¶ Thenne here appereth the fyrst why our sauyour dyde mstitute sacramentes in his holy chyrche I saye for our humylyacoÌ„n erudicoÌ„n excercytacoÌ„n but fynally for our saluacoÌ„n as in the seconde trouth of this party shall appere whyche I sayd to be this ¶ What sacramentes our sauyour dyde ordeyne institute in his chyrche Vij I saye as the mayster declareth at large in the â—ij whyche all ben effectuous sygnes of grace to eche man whyche them or ony of them worthyly doth receyue And so be meanes of mannes fynall saluacoÌ„n ¶ To talke of all thyse sacramentes to yâ— purpoos tyme woll not permitt I wote I shall therfore talke of thre of them shewynge how kyndly our sauyour Cryste IhuÌ„s nyghed vnto man in eche of them For that is my purpoos to shewe The fyrst is the sacrament of baptym The seconde of penaunce The thyrde the holy sacrament of the awter The fyrst is of necessite simplicâ—â— to man The seconde is of necessyte condicional The thyrde is of necessyte conuenient The fyrste that is the sacrament of baptym is of necessyte simplicâ—â— For baptym is that fyrste gate by the whyche euery man must passe of necessite that purposeth entre in to heuen Cryste this affermed in the thyrde chapytre of Iohn ¶ Maye no man sayd Cryste vnto Nichodeme entre in to heuen but he be regenerate redemyd in water the holy ghost ¶ I call this sacrament of necessite simpliciâ— for syth all men be borne syÌ„ners as is aboue declared al men must be clensyd of ther synnes or they entre into heuen for therne comyth ne yet abydeth syth ony synne or syÌ„nerâ— Thenne our sauyour IhuÌ„s Criste of his grete godenes ordenyd Instituted the sacrament of baptym as a necessary gate to entree by towardes heuen Here is none excepcoÌ„n but yonge olde cristen maÌ„nys chylde hethens Iewe or gentile what soeuer state he be of by this holy sacrament must he passe wythout the baptym of blood as holy martyrdom it lette or preuent And for this sacrament is so necessary Cryste prechyd declaryd this specyally as testifieth both Marke Maâ—â—u a lytyll before his Ascencyon he coÌ„maundyd his dyscyples this wyse Go ye forth sayd Cryste in to all yâ— worlde teche ye all people â—aptisynge them in the name of the fader the sone the holy ghost Who so euer haue true fayth is baptysed he shal be sauyd ¶ Seconde I saye the sacrament of penaunce is of necessite condicionall That declare I thus For as baptym wassheth awaye origynall synne actuall where it is So doth yâ— sacrament of penauÌ„ce take awaye synne or synnes actuall after baptym coÌ„mytted In wytnesse of this Cryst geuyng auctorytee to preesthode for euer to geue remyssyoâ— of synnes â—nsufflate and gracyously brethyd in his discyples sayeng ¶ Receyue ye the holy ghost who so euer synnes ye forgeue forgeuen be they at god And whose synnes ye retayne retayned be they att god the. xx chapitre of Iohn Now for as moche as euery man is a syÌ„ner in this lyf comynly as saynt Iohn shewyth the fyrste chapytre of hys fyrst epistle in thyse wordes ¶ Yf we saye yâ— we be no synners we disceyue ourself trouth is not in vs And not oonly in one synne we offende god but in many synnes as declareth saynt Iamys in his epystle the fyrste chapytre We all sayth he offende god in many offences â—respasses is therfor yâ— sacrament of penauÌ„ce necessary to man condicionally That is to say yf man offeÌ„de as we do all cominly thenÌ„ is yâ— sacrament of penauÌ„ce necessary to yâ— releyf of maÌ„nys synne to put hyÌ„ in surete of remyssion For peniteÌ„cia habitê° thabite of penauÌ„ce is not of suche surete as declareth mayster Dwns in the .iiij. ThenÌ„ syth this sacrament is of necessyte requyred to all syÌ„ners Crist sayeng in yâ— .xiij. chapytre of Luke Wythout ye do penaunce all shall ye perysshe Caste
in to our kyÌ„de ¶ Amonge many prophetes Ysay in especyall ¶ There shall goo forth sayth he a rodde of yâ— rote of Iesse a precyous floure shall ascende of that rote the .xi. chapytre of Ysai But for this was som what derkly spoken in an allegory he more playnly by the lyghte of prophecy in him inspyred expressyd the same comynge of Criste in to our kynde sheynge how he sholde be borne of a vyrgyn ¶ Beholde sayth Ysai a vyrgyn shall conceyuâ— beere a sone whoo 's name shal be callyd god is to vs the .vij. chapytre Daniel the prophete by his to ken lefte wyth hym shewed in the. xij chapytre of his boke whan our sauyour Cryste sholde come ¶ After sayth he tyme tymes and halfe a tyme all thyse trouthes of Cryste forsayâ— shall be acomplysshid Baruch the the thyrde chapytour of this boâ—e declared the condycoÌ„ns of IhuÌ„ Cryste in our nature thenne to come as though he had be come in dede ¶ After this sayth Baruch Crist was seen in this erthe and conuersaunt was he wyth man And so forth of other prophetes Eueryman spake of Crystis comynge after the lyghte token lefte wyth hym by god So that in genynge this lighte of prophecye and certen knowlege of his mysteries to come god nyghed wonderly to man ¶ The deuyll seenge this enuyed the mateâ—e and besyed hâ—self to torne away man from god that man shold not yelde kyndnesse for kyndnesse ne â—orne to god nyghe vnto hym as was his ducâ—y And what dyde trowe ye the deuyll to brynge hys purpoos abowte I shall goo sayth he I woll be a lyenge spiryte in the mouth of all my propheteâ— the. xxij chapytre in the thyrde boke of kynges And where as almyghty god lyghted his holy prophetes wyth trouth The deuyll inpressyd in his prophetes lyes and falshede to flatere and to disceyue the people This openly aperyth in the same chapytre â—yng Achab sayd of Miche the prophete of god that Miche neuer prophecyed or foresayd good vnto hym He tolde Achab the trouth that he werred in Ramoth Galaade he sholde be slayne neuer retorne agayn ¶ Yf euer sayd Miche to Achab thou reâ—orn home in peas god hath not spoken in me Four hundrid prophetes of the deuylles were thâ—â—e wâ— Achab. whiche lyed vnto him and sayd ¶ Ascende in to Ramoth Galaad fyghte with them for god shall geue Ramoth in to thy hondes Accordynge vnto their flaterynge he went vnto the werre And accordynge vnto the sayenge of Miche there was he slayne wyth an arowe ¶ From suche false prophetes Flatterers in englysshe our lorde saue oure prynce his londe and vs all Moche myscheyf haue they doon in tymes passyd and yet doo they no good For suche woll saye That all is well whan they knowe the contrary Worthy lytyll thankes is suche one For he entendyth to disceyue For after Ysai in the thirde chapytre The people whiche coÌ„mende the dysceyue the ¶ Here is now declaryd vnto you how that our sauyour IhuÌ„s Crist hath nyghed vnto mankynde bi his almyghty power in the acte of creacion where I haue shewed you that he hath contynually lefte tokens wyth mankynde of his nyghynge vnto hym As fyrste his ymage symylytude Thenne the lawe of kynde and other specyall graces After that CircuÌ„sicion Thenne yâ— lawe wryten And fynally the lyghte of prophecye And all thyse wayes he nyghed to man to the entent that man sholde agayn nyghe vnto hym loue hym And yelde vnto him kyndnesse for kyndnesse That is it that god in especyall desyreth of man For of our goodes he hath no nede the. xv psalme Now how waye warde man hathe be vnto god for alle his kyndnesse And for eche of the same somwhat haue I shewed you ¶ Seconde in this party of the nyghynge of god to man by his almyghty power I sayde was by his ryght hyghe and myghty acte of his holy and most blessyd Incarnacion whanne the sone of god became man and dwellyd wyth vs in oure kynde The fyrste chapytre of Iohn ¶ To talke moche of this matere of Crystis IncarnacoÌ„n is to al synners bothe peryllous and moche dredefull In as moche as saynt Iohn Baptist. the frende of the spowse durste not this presume As it is open of his owne wordes in the fyrste chapytre of Iohn in thise wordes ¶ After me sayth saynt Iohn comyth by temporall natyuytee IhuÌ„s Cryste god man whyche was byfore me in excellence of euerlastynge dygnytee whoo 's shoo I am vnworthy to lose Vppon the whyche wordes sayth saynt Gregory Iohn Baptist the humble and meke seruauÌ„t and true frende vnto Cryste consyderynge hys hyghe and excellent dygnytee sayth of hym in this wyse ¶ Saynt Iohn Baptist was vnworthy to lose yâ— welte of Crystis shoo For he was Insuffysaunt to Inuestigate the mysterye of his Incarnacion As though he sholde playnly saye What wonder is it though IhuÌ„s Cryste be to me preferryd in dignyte whom I knowe well bi temporall natyuyte boâ— ne after me syth I can not attayne the secretes of his Incarnacion ¶ Thenne in so moche as thys holy frende of god the grettest man in vertue and holynesse that euer was borne bytwyxe man and woman durste not presume to treate in this hyghe mystery of Cryste IhuÌ„s blessyd Incarnacion Moche lesse sholde all synners presume the same ¶ I shall therfore in thys matere noo thynge talke by waye of determynacoÌ„n But wyth all reuerence honoure shewe and declare vnto you thre truthes after my lytyll lernynge ¶ Fyrst wherin stondeth this hyghe acte of Lryst IhuÌ„s IncarnacoÌ„n ¶ Seconde that this acte is an acte of the almyghty power of god ¶ And thyrde how in this acte our sauyour Cryste IhuÌ„s nyghed vnto mankynde As to yâ— fyrste wherin slondeth this acte of Lrysâ—ts In carnacoÌ„n ye shall vnderstonde ¶ That whan the full abundauÌ„ce of the tyme of grace was come acordynge to the hyghe counsell of the holy trynyte From for euer determyned The holy trynyte sent downe the seconde persone of the same And toke our nature in the wombe of the gloryouse vyrgyn our lady saynt Mary in to the vnyte of hys persone wâ— out consent of man without spotte of weÌ„me of synne Accordyng to the wordes of holy Gabriel in yâ— fyrst chapitre of Luke The holy ghost sayd tharchangel Gabriel to yâ— blessid virgyn shal descende on the bi yâ— plenteuous abuÌ„dance of his grace And the vertue of god shall shadowe the from all synne ¶ So that this acte of Crystis IncarnacoÌ„n stondeth herin yâ— by thanctorite of the hoole trinyte yâ— seconde persone of the same hath take our nature in toâ—â—hunite of his ê‘sone bileue ye this truthe it is ynough it nedith not dispute the matere ¶ Seconde I say this acte was an acte or dede of the almyghty power of god For as in creacoÌ„n of the worlde all thynges were made at goddis oâ—nly worde and coÌ„maundement Soo this
hym for his synne For so it is that almyghty god often punyssheth the body for synnes of the soule And it foloweth though it be so that al men ben not in this lyf punysshid bodyly for theyr synnes lete vs not theron truste ne be to prowde For assurydly a synner to passe this lyf wythout aduersyte sygne it is of grete punysshment dampnacy on in hell After the wordes of Iob the. xxi chapytre grete syÌ„ners sayth he passyth this world ful of ten in moche prosperite and at a soden poynt they descende in to hell ¶ Thenne some there be whyche be here punysshid bodyly for ther ghostly syÌ„nes yet not alle hauynge bodyly syknesse haue it for their synnes but somtyme of naturall causes Many tymes of surfeyte ye somtyme for god woll shewe his grete power be glorifyed on wretchyd persones As Cryste playnly shewed in the. ix chapytre of Iohn where his discyples askyd hym of yâ— blynde man of natyuyte ¶ Who offendyd thys man or his frendes that he was borne blynde Criste answerde sayd that neyther he ne yet his tâ—endes but that the glory of god sholde be made open on hym Wherupon sayth saynt Austin Hadr this man not originall synne ne yet actuall in progresse of his lyfe that Cryste sayd of him he had not offendyd yes lurely sayth sayne Austin both he and his frendes had dyuers wayes synned And yet for â—heyr synnes was not this man born blynde but yâ— cause was that god wold shewe his almyghty power be glorifyed in hym ¶ So theme at our sauyours comyng in to this world al were syke ghostly many bodyly Now he lyke a grete physicyen bâ— his almyÈty poâ—er mynystrid cure vnto them He nyghed vnto them that were synners and like both ghostly bodyly He disdayned not theyr coÌ„pany etc dranke wyth them famylyarly This meke acte of cryst displeysid the proude Scribes Pharisees sayd to his disciples Whi eteâ—h dryketh your mayster wyth grete open synners the v. chapytre of Luke Cryste was thenne in yâ— house of Leui or Mathu whiche made him a greâ—e fest wherunto came many Publicans grete syÌ„ners vsurers I deme many of them Crâ—ste I say ete dranke wyth them to cure them not to folowe them to drawe them to hym not him to them â–ª yâ— they shold folowe his steppes not he theyrs He nyghed vnto theym by grace yâ— they sholde nyghe vnto hym by penaunce Wherfore he answerde forth wyth to the acusacoÌ„n of the Scribes Pharisees this wyse Sike men nedeth a physicyen not hoole men â–ª Wher vpon sayth saynt Iohn Crisostom in thyse wordes ¶ Cryste remembred them of the comyn Infyrmy â—e of synne shewynge them to be of the nombre of synners And hymself to be a perfyte physicyen therfore addeth forth with I cam not in to this worlde to calle ryghtwysmen but rather synners to penaunce As though he sholde saye I disdayne not synners syth oonly for synners loue I came in to thys worlde not yâ— they shold remayne synners but rather to be conuerted lyue euerlastyngly ThenÌ„ I say our sauyour IhuÌ„s Cryst dispysed not the coÌ„pany of syke men gostly ne bodyly but of his infinyte goodnes bi his grete power cured them all all yâ— wolde come nyghe or cleue vnto hym forsake hyÌ„ not For yâ— vertue of him yede forth curyd all men yâ— vi chapitre of Luke ¶ We neuer rede yâ— crist euer caste ony syÌ„ner or syke man fro hym yâ— sued to hyÌ„ for mercy grace Al be it we fynde yâ— some cast away themself wold not come at his callyng but were alle waywarde wrange from hym As the ryche man of whom we rede the. xviij chapytre of Luke after moche comunycacoÌ„n atwyxe them criste sayd vnto hym Goo thy waye selle all thy godes geue them to poore men Come folowe me thou shalt haue a tresour in heuen It folowyth This ryche man departyd heuyly soryly fro Criste for he had grete possessions Cryste lokynge abowte knowyng this man departyd sayd to his discyples Full harde it is a ryche man to entre the kyngdom of heuen ◠¶ Taketh good hede here vnto ye ryche men of this worlde Full harde it is to you to nyghe vnto god but ye wyth Leui caste from you your burdon folowe Cryste We rede also in the. viij chapytre of Iohn That many refusyd caste Cryste from theym whan they went backe from hym walkyd no more wyth hym but folowed the deuyll This was it of the. ix leprous men of whom we rede in the. xvij chapytre of Luke This was it of Iudas the traytour to Cryste of fewe other we rede that raste Cryste from them sayenge in a parable the. xix chapytre of Luke We wol not this man to regne on vs But we neuer rede that Cryst caste ony seke man from hym ghost ly or bodyly whyche wolde come vnto hym be curyd In token of this he sayd hymself in the. xi chapytre of Mathu Come ye vnto me all yâ— ben chargyd wyth the burdon of synne I shall cure you ¶ Ye but thou asâ—ryst me here a questyon Curyd Cryste his paâ—yentes Ye surely Neuer physicyen lyke vnto hym For he made all the man hoole the vij chapitre of Iohn He neuer curyd man in his body but he fyrste curyd hym in his soule And ful resonably For a perfyte physicyen sholde fyrste cure that thynge in his pacyent whyche is of grete peryll of grettest pryce Now is there incomparably grettest peryll in syknesse of the soule than of yâ— body For the syknesse of the soule foloweth comynly euerlastynge dethe whyche is euerlastynge dampnacoÌ„n in hell And the syknesse of the body foloweth but temporall dethe the departyng of the body the soule whyche Cryste accountyd for no grete thynge as it is open in the. x. chapytre of Mathu Drede ye not sayth Cryste to his seruauntes theÌ„ whyche whan they haue slayne the body can hurte you no ferther But drede ye hym whyche hath ful power to coÌ„mytte bothe body soule to euerlastynge payne of hell Ye sayth Cryste hym drede ye ¶ Thenne syth there is so grete peryll in syknesse dethe of the soule aboue the syknesse deth of yâ— body our sauyour Lryst curyd alway the soule firste and folowyngly the bodyes of whom was lesse charge ¶ Ye but ye must vnderstond all his phisyk was heuenly not erthly all from aboue not fro by neth For after saynt Austyn He. whyche wyth his oonly worde made all thynge of nought he with yâ— samÌ„ his oonly worde repayred his creatures at his pleysur He mynistred al his cures both gostly bodily by his almyghty power sayeng to one blynde man respiceâ— beholde se. To a nother that was longe with the Palsey contracte Ryse vp take wyth the thi bedr walke To a nother Be it vnto the