in better vnitie and concorde Then accordyng to euery mās gyfte and as Paule sayeth euen as God hath allot ted euerye man accordynge to the measure of hys fayth so let hym serue in hys callynge As good ste wardes or dispensours let them behaue themselues in executynge theyr office I praye you is not he a foolysh stewarde whych of other mēs goodes wold glorie and take a pryde where he is but onely y e stewarde and not the owner of them Nowe they be good stewardes whyche be faythfull and prudente whych knowe what how to whome and what tyme they oughte to preache and laye out the treasure of gods worde the treasure I saye of the manyfolde grace of God accordynge to the sundry and manyfold gyftes He that speaketh let hym speake the ser mons and wordes of almyghtye God let hym not preach hys owne gloses hys owne inuencions hys owne dreames and fausies And to what so euer ministracion he be called and appointed in the church let hym do it sayeth saint Peter as of the vertue po wer and abilitie whyche God ministreth vnto hym and not as though he were able by hys owne wyt prudence to execute hys ministerie It foloweth That God in all thynges maye be glorifyed tho row Iesus Christ. Here saynt Peter declareth the principall ende of all our gyftes offices and good workes whych is that by them shulde ryse contentions stryfes debates and discordes Nowe God is glorifyed by oure gyftes offices duties and workes when we so vse them that the congregacion may take profyte edificacion therby and may take occasion by the good distribution of the same to glorifye God by Iesus Christe For oure Sauiour Christe Iesus ascendynge vp to heuen distributed and gaue gyftes vnto men as the prophete sayeth To whome be all glorie al prayse all imperie and dominion aswel to saue as to rule and gouerne hys faythful ones together wyth the father and the holy goost foreeuer and euer AMEN The Gospell on the sondaye after the Ascension daye The. xv chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ The holy goost is promysed to be sente by Christ to hys Apostles IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples But whan the com forter is come whom I wyll sende vnto you frō the father euen the spirite of trouth whych procedeth of the father he shall testifye of me And ye shall beare wytnesse also bycause ye haue ben with me from the begynnynge These thynges haue I sayd vnto you bycause ye shulde not be offended They shall excommunicate you yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer kylleth you wyl thinke that he doth god seruice And such thinges wyl they do vnto you bycause they haue not knowē the father neyther yet me But these thynges haue I told you that whan the tyme is come ye may remēber them that I tolde you FOr asmuch as our Lorde Christ in his maundie good people wyth many promyses had bequethed and deputed the holy goost to his Apostles he doth now at last name hym more playnly wyth hys proper name of office declarynge therby what profyte and commoditie he shall brynge to the worlde He sayeth whan the comforter is come Thys propre and true name he gyueth the holy goost callyng hym paracletum that is saye a comforter For who els certifyeth our conscience that we shulde beleue y t by Christ we be the chyldren of God and crye Abba father but thys only comforter I praye you who maketh vs both desyrefull and also hardy to cōfesse thys fayth Who comforteth vs in all such mysfortune and afflictions as we suffre in thys worlde for thys confessions sake Surely the same selfe good spirite whych procedeth from y e father doth al thys thys is hys feate and offyce For thobteynynge of whych spirite the prophet Dauid so busely prayeth in the. l. psalme But ye maye more lyuely beholde the nature and workynge of thys holy goost or spiryte in the apostles whyche before the commynge of the holy goost in tribulation fledde from the Lorde and vtterly denyed hym For they hyd themselues in corners some here some there But wha thys spirite thys comfortour was ones confirmed in them then they confessed Christ frely and hys resurrectiō in so much that they also toke pleasure and delyte in the crosse or affliction that was layde vpon them as appeareth playnly in the Actes Now thys comforter bycause by the vertue of hys offyce he maketh men trouthe tellers yea and comforteth and strengtheneth the faythfull in the confession of the trouth by the vertue also of hys office he shall testifie of Christ. So ye must here marke that y e holy goost ought to beare wytnesse of Christ. But what shall he testifye what shall he teache of Christ Undoubtedly none other thyng but y t which Christ preached and taught before that is to say he shall make them whyche before coulde not perceyue Christes doctrine now to vnderstāde it by wrytyng the gospel in theyr hartes A mans owne wysedome can here do nothynge it muste be thys holy spirite comforter whych must do the dede euen as Ieremy the prophete in the. xxxi chapter sayeth I shal plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and wryte it in theyr hartes and wylbe theyr God and they shall be my people And from thence forth shall noman teach hys neyghbour or his brother and saye know the Lorde But they shall all knowe me from the lowest to the hyghest sayeth the Lorde Of all these thynges it is gathered manyfestly that wythout the holy goost we neyther can know the truth nor beare wytnes vnto Christ Iesus Seconde ye may espye here good people verye playnly thoffice of Apostles or Christes messangers That is to wyt that they ought to beare wytnesse of Christ. For to testifye or beare wytnes in scripture sygnifyeth to teach and speake not the thynge that pleaseth vs but the thinge that almyghty god hath cōmaunded After thys sorte is Christ named in the psalme a faythfull wytnes in heauen Also Esay the prophete speaketh of Christ in the persone of the father I haue set hym for a wytnes to the people for the prince and mayster of the gentyls Wherfore syth the recorde and wytnes of Christ and of hys apostles ought to be egall and agreable togethers surely they muste haue one tenure of theyr testimonies and furthermore it must nedes folowe that the holy goost executed his testimonie and recorde by y e apostles as in the. x. of Mathew it appeareth It is not you sayth Christ whyche speake but the spirite of my father whych shall speake in you Where be nowe these felowes whyche here tofore haue cryed that the holy goost haue reuelated and disclosed to thapostles and fathers certaine secreter and hygher thynges whych be not comprised in the gospell To whome wyll ye gyue more credence To Christe or to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost
aduocate by whom all be forgyuen vs and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indignacion and wrath For I pray you what saynte what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and intercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren coÌ„municating vnto vs the rouine or of fice of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shalbe an intercessour or suter for you to my father For the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Thou shall nede no patrones or aduorates w t god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wrytcth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synue I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe â—f so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with y e blessed virgine Marye Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatuâ—e We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge â—o nowe thou speak este frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thin â—â—s c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to
of hys disciples whyche are not wrytten in thys boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleuynge ye myght haue lyfe thorowe hys name An exhortacion vpon thys Gospel THe Gospell of thys daye good people doth declare vnto vs the appearyng of our Lorde Ie su Christ vnto hys disciples after hys resurrection that is to wyt how he came and shewed hymselfe vit to them the dores beynge shut for feare of y e Iues. And here truly he dyd shew the diuersitie of bodyes and what difference there shalbe betwene the sensuall bodyes and betwene the spirituall betwene the materiall and corruptible bodyes in thys worlde betwene the spirituall bodyes and incorruptible after the resurrection Trouth it is also that we ought not to suffer any â—nfideles as were the Iues to enter in amonges vs from whome the Apostles dyd shut theyr dores Nowe Iesus beynge in the myddes of them dydde salute them in gyuynge vnto them hys peace wyth whych grâ—tynge or salutation he confor ted and confirmed hys disciples myndes that they shulde nothynge doubt of hys resurrectioÌ„ whych as the Euangelist Luke wytnesseth they counted but for a dreame Wherfore he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde perced And by thys shewynge of hys handes and feere Christe openeth two thynges Fyrst by these sygnes he wolde be knowen For in affliction is Christ truly kâ—owen Seconde by them he wolde assure hys disciples of hys glorious resurrection And verely thys shalbe the signe of sal uation vnto the faithful at the greate daye of iugement and the signe of lamentation and of sorowe vnto the infidels which thaÌ„ shal se whome they haue percyd The faithfull shalbe gretly coÌ„forted in seing him as his diseiples were at this tyme. To these disciples I saye he did ones gyue his peace and made them his apostles that is to saye his legates or ambassadours not onely of Iurye but of al the worlde in lyke maner as god the father had sent him and made hym apostle in the worlde And he gaue them the holy gost for to remytte synnes and to pardoÌ„ in his name and whose synnes so euer they pardoned shuld be forgyuen in heauen The pardone of the apostles assuredly was but a signe of the trewe pardone 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 Suerly it is not man that foregyueth or reteyneth but God For as saynt Cypriane sayth Non potest seruus remittere quod in dominum coÌ„missum est that is to say the seruauut cannot pardon the thynge that is trespassed agaynst y e maister And saynt Ambrose sayth in his boke of Cain and Abell that synnes be foregyuen by the worde of God wherof the prest is but an interpretour and as a certiane executour But I praye you good frendes who were they whome they dyd not forgyue Truly all those whych dyd not beleue in their worâ—â—s And in this apperynge Thomas called Didimus was not presente Wherfore when the disciples did shewe him that they had sene our Lorde rysyn agayne to liefe whych had shewed vnto them both his handes and his syde percyd he dyd aunswere that he wolde not beleue them onles he myght se hym and put his fynger into the holes of the nayles and his hande into hys syde Eyght dayes after our Lorde the dores beyng shutte dyd eftsones apere in the myddes of them as he hadde done before and gaue them for salutinge hys peace according to the vsage of the Iues by whych is vnderstande tranquyllitie of conscience and all goodnes And Thomas was there also vnto whome he sayde aunswering hym vnto the wordes whyche he had sayde by his infidelite behold my handes and put thy fynger into the holes holde forth thy hande and put it into my syde Be no more in mysâ—eleue but faythfull Declaryng vnto hym that he seeth al that he heareth all that he is in all places and that he may do al. And thys done Thomas dyd confesse him to be his Lorde and hys God And truly not so moch Thomas as the spirite of fayth whyche with the fayth entred into hym At that tyme our Lorde gaue witnesse of fayth vnto Thomas whyche hath beleued in seynge of hym but he doth gyue farre greater prayse and coÌ„mendation vnto them whiche haue beleuyd and yet haue not sene him corporally but only spiritually with the eye of faythe and also vnto them whych shal beleue hym Then let vs beleue him by seyng him spiritually and so doyng we shalbe more happy then Thomas in thys that he hath sene hym corporally Now sayth the Euangelyst al these thynges be wrytten vnto vs to thende that we beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and in beleuynge thys that we shall haue the liefe eternall by hys name Forasmoche as the ende and vse of al the signes and miracles of Christe is that by them we shuld be brought and allured to be leue on Christe whyche thynge only shall make vs haue euerlasting blysse through his name that is to wit by hys worde For the worde is the vertue and power of God vnto the health and saluation of all that beleue on Christ Iesus our Lord and redemer To whome with the father and holy ghost be glorie and prayse c. The Epistle on the seconde sondaye after Ester The. i. Epistle of Peter the. ij chapter Thargument ☞ The Apostle sait Peter doth exhorte vs here to folowe Christ in al thynges euen as shepe do folowe theyr shepeherde MOst derely beloued brethren Christ also suffered for vs leauyng vs an exeÌ„ple that ye shulde folowe hys steppes whych dyd no synne neyther was there gyle founde in hys mouth whych whan he was reuyled reuyled not agayne whan he suffered he threatened not but commytted the vengeaunce to hym that iudgeth ryghtuously whych his owne selfe bare our synnes in hys body on the tree that we beynge delyuered from synne shulde lyue vnto ryghteousnes By whose strypes ye were healed For ye were as sâ—epe goynge astraye but are nowe turned vnto the sheperde bysshop of your soules THe Epistle of thys daye good christen people whyche is of saynt Peter doth put before oure eyes the liefe of oure Lorde Iesu Christ to the effect and purpose that we shuld folowe him as a perfecte president and exemplar For it is he whyche is deed for vs whych hath done no synne accordinge to the sayeng of the prophete Esaye and in whose mouthe hath bene founde no gyle nor deceipte The whyche when any sayde harme by hym he sayde no harme agayne When he suffered he dyd not threaten but he commytted the vengaunce vnto him that iugeth iustely that is to wyte vnto God No doubte God iugeth ryghtly
the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The. xvi chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ. IEsus sayd to â—is disciples After a whylâ— ye shal not se me and agayne after a whyle ye 〈…〉 me â—or I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and la ment but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shalbe turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is de lyuered of the chylde she remeÌ„breth nomore the anguysh for ioy that a maÌ„ is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christeÌ„ people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shalbe betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vn to you that I shulde be condemned scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn w t hym my spirituall raygne Lo my deare frendes w t such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how y e coÌ„myng is to y e same Assuredly y e kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be y e most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spi rite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege herof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowledge and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se hun agayhe after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the. v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of y e prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre w t themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall nâ—â— se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to y e wordes that he spake albert he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and caâ—â—tall power syth they se here so manyfestly y e the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moâ—h conuersaunt anionges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the suâ—â—ine and effecte of thys
saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys saynge Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse froÌ„ the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes but by the selfe lawe of fayth But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours All the prophetes as Peter here sayeth Christe hymselfe all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out all the aun cient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy expositours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes It foloweth in the texte Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed c. Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the. xv Chapter of Mathew I am not sent but to y e lost shepe of the house of Israel Howbeit the callynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym And therfore he began hys sermoÌ„ on thys wyse Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost and herde them speke wyth tonges magnifyed God Here ye shal also marke y t thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of y e holy goost y e Apostles and other were so indowed y t they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in y e mea ne season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease It foloweth in the texte Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost as well as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that y e Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were out wardly baptysed wyth the water for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde for baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„bâ—r of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth maÌ„ only gyueth the water but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye and the synnes of bloude purgeb The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth in thys wyse Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ be not baptised in Christe For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ. Yf a maÌ„ taketh only thys corporall washyng of water whiâ—h is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ. For albeit SimoÌ„ Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued y e washing of water yet bycause he had not the holy gooste he was not baptised in Christ. Wherfore as I declared vnto you on the AsceÌ„sioÌ„ day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstaÌ„d that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of infauntes or babes For they as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr infauncy to dye by the fayth of the catholyke church And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Ana baptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion For no doubte the promyse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or infauntes But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sacramentes And here vpon do all lerned men agre Now therfore good christen people syth your bap tisme woll not serue you wythout faythe no nor all the workes ye can do I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of yourâ— synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ. So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal enter into your hartes make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe to worke wel to the glorye of God and helth of your soules eternally Amen The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost The. iij. chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ The moost comfortable glad tydynges of Christ is here wonderfully well described IEsus spake vnto a ruler amonge the pharises God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only he gotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlastynge lyfe For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And thys is the condempnacion that light is come into the worlde and meÌ„ loued darkenes more thaÌ„ lyght bycause theyr dedes were euell For euery one that euell doeth hateth the lyght neyther commeth to the lyght lest hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth trouth commeth to the lyght that hys dedes may be knowen how that they are wrought in God THe Gospell of thys daye good people is in very dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges For in fewe wordes it declareth vn to vs the summe of the Christen mans religion Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus Thus he sayeth God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlasting lyfe Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte as also saynt Austine noteth And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage For true
Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe coÌ„meth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepe herde Now it shalbe your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the. iiij daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The. ij chapter of the Actes Thargument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of â—urye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde meÌ„ shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I wyll shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokeÌ„s in the earth beneth bloude and fyre and the vapor of smoke The Sonne shalbe torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shalbe saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of y e holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vn reuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the. xi apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes He only spake y e wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the ly uynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audieÌ„ce of people or be fore a great ruler chauÌ„ge colours be astoÌ„nyed vtterly dismayed Truly thys was that heauenly droÌ„kennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth Calix meus mebrians qÌ„ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned w t hym in coÌ„mission the eleuen Apostles not to ayde hym but to accompany hym he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al he spake vnto them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do Neyther speaketh he for himselfe but beynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloqueÌ„ce but w t the ayde of holy scripture Now y e hole multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs al so attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he be ganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitauÌ„tes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is Ye haue cause perchauÌ„ce to wonder but ye haue no cause to sklauÌ„der Wherfore so many of you as be here gyue atteÌ„tiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me and knowe y e matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but y e thyrd houre froÌ„ the sonne rysynge at whych tyme nomaÌ„ is wont to be dronke But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe Harken to the prophecye and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not Sklaunder not bycause ye se a thynge vnwont but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the ty me shulde come that God whych at sondry tyines be fore had unparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your coÌ„forte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two as hertofore but vpon all nations of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys coÌ„maundement we brynge now vnto you thus vttered the heuenly prophecye It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your soÌ„nes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions and your olde persons shall dreame dreames And truly vpon my seruauÌ„tes my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie And I shal gyue woÌ„ ders in heauen aboue and tokens in earth beneth bloude and fyre the vapoure of smoke The sonne shalbe conuerted into darkenes and the moone into bloude before that great and renowmed daye of the Lorde come And whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shalbe saued Thys my frendes hath y e prophete Iohel so longe ago prophecied vnto vs. And hetherto goeth the lesson of thys presente dayâ— whych conteyneth the fyrst parte of S. Peters sermon