manifold First therefore these things will frame our iudgement aright concerning GOD. For wée must acknowledge God too bée such a one as he hath shewed himself too bée by his woord record according too the verse Beleeue thou God that thing too bee whiche he hath shewed he is too thee Secondly these things teache vs too haue a right opinion concerning the creation which is the woorke of the whole Trinitie Thirdly too haue a right opinion concerning the reparatioÌ„ of mankind which is also the woorke of the whole Trinitie as is sayde afore Fifthly these things instruct vs how to cal vpon god aright For inuocation is too bée directed too this God alone which is the father the sonne and the holy ghost Sixthly these things admonish vs too liue warely and holily as in the sight of god And thus much concerning God and the Trinitie all which things are bréefly set foorth in our Créede ¶ Of the second VNlesse a man be borne agein of vvater and the holy ghost he cannot enter intoo the kingdome of God This is the second doctrine that I purposed vpon For the better vnderstanding wherof two things are too be marked The first is with whom Chryst talketh the other what was the occasion of this saying â–ª What maner a one he was with whom Chryst talked the text sheweth He was an honorable and a noble man he was a Prince of the Iewes he was a Pharisie suche a one as liued blamelesse according too the lawe of Moyses And the occasion was this Nicodemus came too Chryst by night and lyke a right Pharisie thought himselfe righteous by the déedes of the lawe by sacrifyses and by kéeping of the Saâ—othes Wherefore he wondred y t Iohn set out a nowe doctrine concerning righteousnesse and Baptim â–ª which he himself being a doctor of the law was ignoraÌ„t of â–ª Christ therfore preueÌ„teth his iudgemeÌ„t with this saying Unlesse a man bée borne ageyne he cannot enter intoo the kingdome of God At these woords Nicodemus is astonyed and sayth How can a man when he is old be borne ageine Too whom Chryst answereth Verely I say vntoo thee except a man bee borne agein of vvater and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Héere Chryst sheweth that he ment not of the fleshly birthe according as Nicodemus vnderstood him but of the spiritual birth which he proueth too be néedful by this that our former birth is vncleane That sayth he vvhich is borne of the flesh is flesh That is too say whatsoeuer is borne in this corruption of nature is vnclene and giltie and therfore not méete too receiue the kingdome of God Héerevntoo he addeth the maner of regeneration The vvinde blovveth vvhere it listeth and thou heerest the noyse of it but thou knovvest not from vvhence it commeth nor vvhyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirit That is too say Like as the wind is then â—irst felt when it bloweth albéeit that no man know from whence it commeth or whither it goeth so this spirituall regeneration is made after a certein secret maner by the power of the holy ghost whiche when it is doone is perceyued by the newe motions of the newe man Howbéeit too the intent 〈◊〉 may vnderstande these things wée must marke the conueyances and instruments of this spiritual birth â–ª First the séede of this birth is the woord of the Gospel which is preached by the voyce of the ministers Secondly the holy Ghost who in the preaching of the gospell is effectual worketh faith by which wée both giue credit too the woord of God and also persuade our selues that god is at one with vs for his sonnes sake and therwithall altreth our nature too a new obedience Thirdly when these benefits are receyued by â—ayth â–ª as it were intoo the soyle of the hâ—â—t then man being borne a new féeleth by and by within himself the motions of the holy ghost and water is applyed outwardly as a seale of the inward regeneration and a testimoniall of the grace of Chryst bestowed vppon him The effects of this new birth are séen in the minde in the affections in the will and in the outward woorks For the minde is lightened with the brightnesse of God the affections are purged the wil is made forward and a new obedience of all the powers is begon Bréefly he that beléeueth is borne a new ¶ Of the third AS Moyses lifted vppe the Serpent in the Desert so must the Sonne of man bee exalted too the entente that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perrish but haue life euerlasting The Storie of the setting vp of the Serpent in the wildernesse is in the fourth booke of Moyses and the xij Chapter Which figure Chryste in this place applyeth too his owne person saying Like as Moyses lifted vp the Serpente in the vvildernesse This saying of Chryst conteyneth many things For first it openly witnesseth that the lawe taketh not away sinne For if the law coulde take away sinne then Chryste had not néeded too haue bin sacrifized too purge sinne Ageine it sheweth why Chryst was giuen too bée the Messias and why the sonne of GOD tooke mannes nature vpon him For he was giuen too bée lifted vp vpon the Crosse and that saluation might by that meanes happen too the whole worlde Besides that this saying sheweth that Chrystes kingdome is spirituall and euerlasting Moreouer it teacheth what maner of rightuousnesse it is wherby we stand before God or how we bée made partakers of Chrystes benefites that is too wit when we beléeue on Chryste that was lifted vp that is too saye that dyed vpon the altar of the Crosse. Last of al héer is set forth a most swéet comforte that this grace whereby wee haue entraunce intoo heauen is offred vntoo all men whiche thing this woord of vniuersalitie all that beleeue dooth shewe Let vs therefore conceiue good hope of saluation whiche is offered too all men by Iesus Christ too whom with the father the holy Ghoste bée honor for euer and euer Amen ¶ Vpon the first Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Iohn x. THere vvas a certeine riche man vvhich vvas clothed in purple and fine vvhite and faâ—ed deliciously euery day And there vvas a certayne begger named Lazarus vvhiche lay at his gate full of sores desiring too bee refresshed vvith the crummes vvhiche fell from the riche mannes boorde and no man gaue vntoo him The Dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and vvas caryed by the Angelles intoo Abrahams bosome The rich man also dyed and vvas buryed And beeing in Hell in tormenres hee lifted vp his eyes and savve Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome and hee cryed and sayde Father Abraham haue mercy on mee and sende Lazarus that hee may dippe the tippe of his finger in vvater and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flambe But Abraham sayde Sonne remember
this Gospel speaketh not of the first and last kinds of shepherds but onely of the middle sorts of shepherds that is of himselfe and other godly teachers of the Church of whom I will speake somewhat howebéeit bréefly bicause I spake of this matter a while ago A good shepheard therfore in generall is first he that entreth in at the dore that is which cōmeth with Christ and bringeth the true Gospel as the prophets and Apostles did in old time and as all do at this day as many as teache the Gospell purely Secondly he that féedeth the shéepe not with rotten but with wholsome foder namely with the liuely woord of God Thirdly this doorekéeper or porter openeth that is too say Chryst maketh the woord effectuall and auaylable too the saluation of the shéepe For vnlesse Christ open in vayne is the labour taken and the shéepe are not fed too any purpose Fourthly he calleth his owne shéepe by their names that is too say he knoweth his shéepe he loueth them and embraceth them with a singuler care Fifthly he goeth before them How In doctrine lyfe and Crosse. For a good shepherd must be a pattern too his flocke in doctrine life and crosse Sixthly his shéepe folow him that is too wit in purenesse of doctrine in holynesse of lyfe and in patience vnder the crosse But why doo his shéepe folow him First bycause they know his voyce Secondly bicause they flée frō a stranger for they know not his voice We haue here a descriptiō not only of a true shepherd but also of the true shéepe which are in one shéepfold of the chéefe shepherd God What is the shéepfold It is the catholike church Who bée the shéepe All that héer the voice of the shepherd folowing him and fléeing from strange shepherds who in déede are no shepherds but théeues and murtherers Héer are the differences too bée hild betwixt the true Church and the false Church The proper marks of the true Church are these which whoso hath not let him know that he is none of Chrysts shéepfold Which are these marks of the true Church or of Chrysts true shepfold The first is the vncorrupted voice of the heauenly doctrine according too this saying My shéepe héer my voice The second is the right vse of Baptime The third is the vse of the Lords supper according to Chrysts institution The fourth is the vse of the keys according too Chrysts commaundement The fifth is the Crosse. The sixth is mutuall loue among Chrysts shéepe The seuenth is mutuall prayer one for another And the eight is the mayntenance of the ministerie of gods woord These are the true marks of Christes church the which a man may cōprehend in fewer woordes As wée may say that the first mark of Christs shéepe is the vncorrupt voice or preching of the gospel the second the lawfull vse of the Sacraments and the third obedience towards the ministerie of the woord For in these thrée are conteined the other eight that I set Wée haue in generall who is a good shepherd and who bée the true shéepe Now let vs apply them too examples First vntoo Chryst the chéefe shepherd and vntoo his shéepe And afterward too other ministers of the woord who vnder Chryst are also called shepherds Chryst proueth himselfe too bée a good shepherd by that he giueth his life for his shéepe For he came downe frō heauen too séeke that was loste too heale that was diseased and too close vp the wounds which the wolues had giuen his shéepe This shepherd went before his shéep in purenesse of doctrin innocencie of life crosse He féedeth his shéep with the helthful foder of God that is with the woord of the gospel He gathereth togither his stray shéepe He kéepeth away the woolues with his shéepehooke And too bée bréefe he setteth by nothing so much as by the welfare of his shéepe His shéepe are Abel Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid Ioseph Anna Mary Simeon and many others whiche leauing their errour gaue eare too Chrysts voyce folowing him in doctrine lyfe and crosse whō they shall folow in glorie also in their time For if wée suffer with him wée shall bée glorified with him His shéep at this day are as many as beléeue the gospel and serue Chryst in true profession and godlinesse Now what reward Chrysts shéepe shall looke for at their shepherds hande who is both the doore and the doorekéeper Chryst himselfe sheweth when he sayeth If any man enter by mee he shall bee saued and he shall go in and out and shall finde feeding That is too say if any man leaue the darknesse and followe mée that am the light hee shall go in namely by fayth and hée shall go out by profession godlynesse and charitie and hée shall finde féeding that is too wit by the woorde of life in this worlde and by euerlasting blissednesse in the life too come Besides this good shepherds are all godly ministers of the woorde whiche followe Chrystes example in féeding of their shéepe Suche a one was Helias suche a one was Hieremie suche a one was Esay suche were the Apostles suche now a dayes are all they that preache Chryst sincerely and go before their shéep in doctrine life and crosse whiche flée not the Woolues but kéep them from Chrystes shéepfolde with the swoord of the spirit and ernest prayers These also haue shéep of their owne those that heare their voice and followe them in doctrine godlinesse pacience What doo not their shéepe belong vntoo Chryst only Yes that doo they How then saith hée that they belong too the shepheards that féede them They are their shepheards in respecte of charge but they are onely Chrystes in respect of possession and ownership for hée hathe purchased the shéepe vntoo him selfe with his owne precious bloud But in as muche as we haue lately heard the sermon concerning the shepherde and his shéepe I will say no more of them héer but wil betake you all too our chéefe shepherd Iesus Chryst too whom with the father and the holy Ghoste be honour and glory for euer Amen Vpon Trinitie Sunday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. THere vvas a man of the Phariseys named Nichodemus a ruler of the Ievves The same came vntoo Iesus by night and sayde vntoo him Rabbi vvee knovve that thou art a teacher come from GOD for no man could do such miracles as thou doost except GOD vvere vvith him Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vntoo him verely verely I say vntoo thee excepte a man bee borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God Nichodemus sayde vntoo him hovv can a man bee borne vvhen hee is olde can hee enter intoo his mothers vvombe and be borne ageyne Iesus aunsvvered verely verely I say vntoo thee excepte a man be borne of vvater and of the spirite he cannot enter intoo the kingdome of God That vvhich is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that vvhiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruaile not thou that
the worlde when as notwithstanding they are not able too shewe any true contrarietie in no part of the foundation of the doctrine and woorshipping of God howsoeuer these Prothëuses transforme themselues intoo a thousande shapes By these practises of Sathan wée sée it brought too passe that the wilful sorte are made more stoute in their superstitioÌ„ and the weaker and vnstedier sort doo for the most part giue ouer too the great gréef of all the godly and vnlesse Chryst make hast of his coÌ„ming it is too bée feared least many wil bée wrapped ageine in their former darknesse What is too bée doone in this case my brethren I beséeche you Wée muste beware of Sathans wyles Wée muste haue an eye backe too the examples of our aunceters Abel Abraham the Prophets Chryst and his Apostles Let vs accompany oure selues with them in doctrine woorshipping and Inuocation Let vs not bee disquyeted at the multitude of our enimies Let vs not bée mooued at the number of the runnagates Let vs not bée dismayed in harte at the persecution and miseries whyche the godly are fayne too suffer in this worlde Let vs not onely haue an eye too the lowlynesse of the church which in this world lyeth vpon the ground despised but also let vs haue an eye too Chryst tryumphing who wil in time to come reward those with the glory of blissed immortalitie whome hée maketh like vntoo hym selfe in thys life so they continue stedfast too the ende Let vs beare in minde this most weightie saying of Chrystes Watche and pray that yée enter not intoo temptation That whiche I say too you sayth hée I say too all The world tempteth the fleshe prouoketh the armies of Heretikes trouble the stumbling blockes of doctrine and manners offende the fonde quarellings of proude persones vexe ageinste all these things the surest remedie is too call vppon GOD. For it is not for nought that Salomon sayeth The name of the Lorde is a moste strong Towre the ryghtuous man shall flée vntoo it and bée saued In oure calling vppon God let vs haue an eye too the Propheticall and Apostolike churche and let vs arme our mindes ageinst the Idoll gaddings of Mahomet and the Papistes and ageynste the wranglyngs of the Heretikes Lette vs oftentimes bethinke vs vppon how sure and vnmouable foundations the continuall doctrine of the Churche and the stedfaste religion of the Catholike Churche is grounded Lette vs bethinke vs of the heauenly Reuelations wherby GOD himselfe reueled his will vntoo men when hée spake too the holy Patriarkes and Prophets whiche wil of his hée hath confirmed by many woonderful miracles bothe in the olde and new testament Let vs beholde the moste swéet consent of Moyses the Prophets Chryst and the Apostles in doctrine and religion Let vs bée stirred vp too the acknowledging of GOD by the example of many Martirs who with Abell the firste Martir confirmed the heauenly doctrine with their owne bloud Let vs absteyne from fonde disputyng by whiche the bonde of peace whiche is charitie is broken and let vs rather applye oure selues too godly life than too suttle and vnprofitable disputations by meanes of whiche what euill hathe rysen in the Churche it gréeueth mée ryght sore at the harte too thynke For although in these realmes GOD bee thanked there bée a very great calme and a godly agréement in al our churches yet notwithstanding godlinesse wold we should bée sory for the miseries of those whiche at this day are afflicted through the vnsesonable strife of certein persons wherwith y e mindes of many princes diuers others are wouÌ„ded How béeit sith wée are not able too remedy these euils let vs flée too him who alonly is able too doo al things Pray yée therfore w t the whole church of Chryst vnto y e eternal God the father of our Lord Iesu Chryst y t he wil gather to himself a church in this world that he wil in y e same church mainteine y e purenesse of doctrin the true worshipping of him so as wée may woorship him aright for euermore magnifie praise him Pray him too gouerne w t his spirit our most méeke soueraine Lord king Frederike the secoÌ„d of y e name who as he hath succéeded his most holy father in y e kingdom so also is hée y e very right heir of his fathers vertues is not only a prince y t beareth special loue too iustice equitie but also a singuler fauorer and patrone or rather a most faithfull foster father of the churches schooles Pray too Chryst that he wil with his spirite rule the counsellers and nobilitie of the realm the gouerners of churches ciuill offices schooles and housholdes giuing them courage too mainteyne Gods glorie true doctrine and honest discipline so as wée may leade a peaceable and quiet lyfe with all godlynesse and honestie Pray for all the states of this realm y t all may knit them selues toogither in swéete concord one reléeue an other so as the superiors may think that their inferiors shal be coheires with them of Gods kingdom the inferiors obey their superiors in the Lord as Paul willeth them so y t al the degrées of this realm béeing setled in a moste swéete tunablenesse wée may liue peaceably quietly Pray ageinst the enimies of the king this realme Pray Christ too represse the rage of Sathan too graunt vntoo his church teachers shepherds agréeing in true doctrine and godlinesse which may set foorâ—h gods glorie by teaching aright by example of godly life too the intent that at the length all of vs fully beholding the glorie of the Lord with open face as it were in a glasse may bée transformed intoo the same likenesse as it were from glorie too glorie by the spirite of the Lord. So bée it Now remayneth that I should say somwhat concerning mine own purpose namely wherfore I haue published these expositions of the gospels vpon y e Sundays About a fourten yéeres ago I vttred priuatly certein short notes vpon y e sundays Gospels too my scholers at home at my house to y e inteÌ„t I might by this my small trauell further their studies not thinking at all too haue put them foorth But what folowed The things that wer endâ—â—ed too a few scholers were coÌ„municated too many And when I perceyued that diuers sought earnestly after them I enlarged them somwhat a sixe yéeres ago And nâ—â—at length the entreatance of certeine godly Shepherds compelled me too publish them and put them foorth in print Wherfore séeing that this woorke is wholly ordeyned for the godly ministers of the Gospell I thought it good right déere brethren too put foorth this my trauaile vnder your name If yée shall reape any thing thereby giue GOD the thanks and commende me too God with your Prayers This one thing haue I earnestly regarded namely too set foorth purely the doctrine of the Catholike Church whiche bothe the vniuersitie of
of Simeon Anne concerning Christe 3 The proofe of Christes manhood ¶ Of the first THe maruelling of Christes parents sheweth that reason perceiueth nothing of heauenly matters We must therfore beléeue the voice of God and maruell at it rather than deny it or renounce it They woonder that God now according too his eternall and secret purpose hath sent the Messias whom so many Prophets Patriarkes and kings looked for They wonder at the testimonie of the angel They wonder at old Simeons saying whereby they are also confirmed the more substancially in the fayth This woonderment is a certein holy bethinking of themselues wherethrough they reuerently consider and embrace the prophecie of the holy Ghost whereby they profite more and more in the knowledge of Chryst. This also is too bée set before our eyes for an example For we wil by and by shake of those things that reason comprehēdeth not But wée must with holy woonderment embrace the heauenly Oracles and too the intent our Faythe may take new encreasement wée must gather toogither all the helpes that may bée out of the prophecies out of miracles out of examples and finally out of all things too our greater admiration For he is like too profit best in Chrystes schoole which with the encreasement of his faith woondereth daily more and more Furthermore Ioseph is héere called the father of Chryst bicause Marie was maryed vntoo him and bicause Ioseph by Gods commaundement had the charge of the childe and his moother and bicause he was commōly thought too bée the father of Chryst. Paule sayeth too the Hebrues that Chryst is fatherlesse and motherlesse Fatherlesse in respect of his fleshly birth and motherlesse in respect of that woonderfull and eternall birth of his wherby he is borne the sonne of God begotten of the father without moother from euerlasting Of which birth the beginning of S. Iohns Gospel preacheth as wée haue heard of late ¶ Of the second IN the testimonie of Simeon foure things are too bée considered First he blisseth them By which dooing Simeon declareth his affection towardes Christe and his kingdome namely that hée wisheth well too the newe kingdome of this new king and this did Simeon according to the custome of the holy Patriarkes which being olde were wont too wishe well too the yonger For too blisse is in the Hebrew maner of spéeche nothing else but too wish one happy successe and to desire good things for him Héerby euery one of vs may lern first too confesse Chryst then too wish wel too his kingdom which thing perteineth too the second commaundement and too the second petition One thing that is too bée considered in Simeons testimonie is his prophesie which comprehendeth two things First that Christ shall bée vntoo many an occasion of falling that many dashing against him may stomble and not perish not through his fault but through their owne for that they will not embrace this Chryst. But some man wil demaund how Chryst is put too bée a fall too the vnbeléeuers which are already cast away The vngodly perish twice First they are lost through their owne vnbeléefe and secondly for that they wilfully depriue themselues of the saluation that is offered them For they deale in like wise as if a man being once already condemned too death for theft should afterward spit at the kings sonne that sueth for his pardon and despise the deliuerance offered by him Such a one may woorthily bée called twice cast away partly for his owne theft but more bycause hée holdeth skorne of his deliuerer too his greater punishment Therefore although that all the vngodly which haue not heard of Christes name are assured of perdition for their vnbeléefe yet notwithstanding those that wittingly willingly refuse Christ shal féele the second fall and receiue gréeuouser punishment For the seruaunt that knowes his masters will and doeth it not shall bée beaten with many stripes Therfore the Turks and heathen men shalbée more gently delt withal in the last day than they vnlesse they repent An other thing is that the same Christ shall bée the rising ageine of many in Israel that is too say their deliuerāce from sinne their rewarde of righteousnesse their resurrection from death and their heritage of all good things The third thing that is too bée considered in Simeons testimonie is the turning of his talke vntoo the virgin Christes moother too whō he prophecieth crosse persecution saying And through thy soule shall the svvoord passe Although these woords pertaine properly to Mary yet they are too bée referred too the whole churche wherof Mary bare a figure Mary néeded this admonishment in twoo respects First that being warned by this Oracle of the holy ghost shée should settle hir selfe too beare the sorowfull aduentures that were too come when she should sée hir sōne euil entreated of his owne coūtrie folk at the length hanged vpon the crosse And secōdly that béeing so fensed against the assaults that were too come shée should neuerthelesse reioyce through assured confidence for y t in the end hir sonne should become conqueror of his enemies Therfore being stablished with this confidence shée stood by his crosse looking for his triumphe with a stout courage Also these woords perteine too the whole Churche For by this Prophecie is shewed that the churche it selfe in this world shalbée vnder the crosse whiche after the example of y e virgin must raise vp it selfe with hope of the glory too come The fourth thing that is too be considered in this testimonie of Simeons is that Simeon sayeth that the thoughtes shalbée disclosed out of y e harts of many By which spéeche he signifieth there shall bée many that shall shewe them selues openly too bée Christes enemies and many ageine that shall confesse Christ yea and that euen with vtter perill and sheding of their bloud The one serueth too comforte vs against the offence or stumbling block of the crosse the other to nourishe our trust or faith In the testimonie of Anne twoo things are too bée considered First the description of the persone of Anne whome hée cōmendeth for the spirite of Prophecie that is too say for hir knowledge of spirituall things or of the kingdom of Christ for hir parents for hir age for hir chastitie and for hir earnestnesse in praying These things tend too the end too purchace greater credite too that moste holy matrone too the intent wée should more beléeue one holy matrone than all the pack of the Pharisies and priests which acknowledge not this Christe Let vs therfore rather folow the example of a few godly thā an innumerable multitude of the vngodly which persecute the Gospel Also wée may here beholde the Image of Christes Churche whiche is a small flocke and sheweth no countenaunce of glistering too the worlde but the Cresset of Gods heauenly woorde The other is Annes confession whiche conteyneth thrée things One is that with Simeon shée confessed Christ and ioyntly
olde For like as in Circūcision there méete foure things viz. promis commaundement of the signe the vse of the signe and the beléefe of the promis So in the méening of euery sacramēt the same things must of necessitie méete namely that a godly Sacrament bée a visible signe commaunded and ordained by God wherby like as God heareth recorde of his promis vnto men so man accepting the signe doth on the other side professe his faith towardes GOD and confirmeth the same with the vse of the signe and by thinking vpon it How bée it in euery signe the singular likelinesse of the signes vnto the thing signified by them is too bée considered For example the likelinesse of water in Baptim vntoo the thing signifyed therby is this Like as water washeth a mā outwardly frō outward filth so the blood of Christ washeth our consciences inwardly frō deadly woorks And so of all other sacraments But why was Chryste circumcised séeing he is exempted from the number of sinners This doth Paule expound too the Galathians when he sayth when the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made subiect too the Lawe that he might redéeme those that were vnder the Lawe Wherefore as he was borne for vs so also was he circumcised for vs. Neither was it his wil too abolish circumcision before he had made his perfect sacrifice vpō the altare of the Crosse by which doing he bare witnesse that Circumcision was a sacrament ordeyned by God Now are a few things too bée added concerning spirituall Circumcision which in the scripture is called the Circumcision of the hart made in spirit and not by hand which is signified by the outward Circumcision as a thing inuisible by a thing visible Of this the Lord giueth commaundement in the tenth of Deuteronomy Cut of the forskin of your harts and harden not your necks any more But in the third to the Phillippians Paule most plainly of al defineth this spirituall Circumcision where he sayeth wée are the Circumcision which woorship God in spirit and bost of Christ and put not our trust in flesh In these woordes of Paule twoo things are too bée considered The cause and the effect or the actiue Circumcision and the passiue Circumcision The cause is Christ himselfe and consequently the actiue Circumcision is that whereby the sonne of God cutteth of whatsoeuer sinne and cursednesse is in vs which Circumcision is felt in all the godly sort of all ages The effect or passiue circūcision is that whereby the regenerate sorte doo daily more and more cutte of the relikes of sinne and giue themselues too newnesse of life shredding of all vices as much as may bée But Paule in most goodly order distributeth the effectes maketh thrée sortes of them One is that wée worship God in spirite another is that wée boast in Chryst The third is that wée cast away the trust in fleshe by denying our selues The effect that is set last in place is the first in order of consequence next which foloweth the second and lastly that which was set in the first place Therefore wée must circumcise all our members as wel inward as outward Inward as the mind the hart the will The mind is too bée circumcised by casting away of erroure and by getting the true knowledge of God From the heart must all sinful thoughts bée cut of The wil must bée circumcised by conuerting vnto God The outward such as are the eares the eyes the lippes the nose c. So as now they may no more yéelde obedience vntoo corrupted nature but obey the spirit of regeneration ¶ Of the second CHildren were woont to haue their names giuen them in their Circumcision as they haue them now giuen them in their baptism Then too the entent they might bee witnesses of their circumcision and now too the intent they may bée signes of the baptism bestowed vpon them And therfore as often as wée hear our selues named wée must call too minde the couenant that wée haue made with God in our baptism And so after the maner of other children Christs name was giuen him in his baptism and hée was called Iesus Names were woont to bée giuen too children either at the pleasure of men and that was sometimes by meanes of kinred and aliance sometime for the vertue of noble men sometime vpon chaunce sometime vpon affection or at the commaundement of God and that not without some representation of a thing eyther past or too come For God whoo cannot bée deceyued dooth not giue names too things without cause why Why then was the Sonne of the virgin named Iesus For the office sake which he should haue in the worlde For thus sayth the Angel by the commaundement of God in the firste of Mathew Thou shalt call his name Iesus bycause hée shall delyuer his people from their sinnes For Iesus is as much too say as Sauiour The Angel added the kinde of saluation namely from sinne and so consequentlye from death damnation Gods wrath and hel Wherevpon it must néedes folowe that hée pacifieth the Father restoreth the Image of God and rewardeth the beléeuers with eternal life For all these things are ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinne How bée it too the intent wée may more certainlye kéepe in minde the vse of this name Iesus I wil reduce it intoo foure respectes The first is that it putteth vs in minde that wée are forlorne if it were not for this Iesus that is too say this Sauiour And therfore it putteth vs in minde of our sinne and of repentance The second is that it pointeth vs too the fountaine of saluation For hée that wil bée saued must néedes draw out of this wel And so wée are admonished therby too beléeue vpon this Sauiour The third is that it is our comfort ageinst dispair ageinst the greatnesse of sinne ageinst repining ageinst particularitie and ageinst the power strength of the Deuil And herevpon groweth the ground or establishment of faith The fourth is that it putteth vs in mind of obedience and thankfulnesse that throughe our owne default wée fall not from the saluation purchased for vs by Christ too whom bée glory for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the day of Epiphanie commonly called Twelfth day ¶ The Gospell Math. ij WHen Iesus vvas borne in Bethleem a Cittie of Ievvrye in the time of Herode the King Beholde there came vvise men from the East too Hierusalem saying vvhere is hee that is borne King of the Ievves For vve haue seene his Starre in the East and are come too vvoorship him VVhen Herode the King had heard these things hee vvas troubled and all the Citie of Hierusalem vvith him And vvhen hee had gathered all the cheefe Preests and Scribes of the people toogether hee demaunded of them vvhere Christe shoulde bee borne And they sayed vntoo him at Bethleem in Ievvrie ▪ For thus it is vvritten by the Prophete And thou Bethleem in the
betwéene man and man but betwéene God man Howbeit too y e intent wée may vnderstand how great a good thing this peace is whiche Chryste offreth to those that bée his I will expounde more at large the things that come too hand in consideration of this peace wherby wée may gather a full description of this peace Bicause peace is stablished betwéene such as were at ods first we must consider who are the parties that are at ods These are two God and man God is happie blissed without man Man is miserable and damned without God Thē had God no néede to séeke peace with man but man without peace with God is in extréeme miserie therfore hath néed◠of nothing somuch as of peace with God Secondely when parties are at variance it must néedes be that there went some offence before This offence taketh his beginning not of God but of man What is this offence Sinne. This sinne was a certaine falling awaye from God to the diuell vnto whome Man made himselfe subiect Now how sore an offence this was it is easie to déeme by y e greatnesse by the manyfoldnesse by the shamefulnesse and by the penaltie therof The greatnesse of it is that the Creature offended and despised his Creator who was the soueraigne goodnesse of man The manyfoldnesse therof is too bée séene by the frutes The shāfulnesse appéereth by the horrible defilement of all mankynd which followed his offence The penaltie was curse and damnation besides innumerable calamities and miseries wherewith mankind lyeth ouerwhelmed in this life The offence being known which hath made vs gods enimies in the third place is too bée considered the mediatour who verily ought to be suche a one as bothe coulde appease Gods displeasure and also make full amends for the wrong that was done Too pacifie the displeasure of GOD no creature was able and too make amends for the wrong God ought not Therfore such a mediator was too bée sought as both coulde by reason of his power and oughte by reason of nature ▪ When such a one was not to be had the second person in trinitie came intoo the world and tooke mans nature vpon him became man Iesus Chryst. This Iesus Chryst is ioyned too God the father in Godhead and too man by his manhoode Wherefore he both coulde as God and ought as man bicause he tooke our case vppon him The mediator hath made amends for the wrong For he hath taken vppon him our gyltinesse for which he hath suffered punishment vpon the alter of the crosse and hath satisfied Gods Iustice. Howbeit forasmuch as wée abide yet still defyled with sinne Chryst during all his whole lyfe in this worlde did continually obey Gods law fully and perfectly whiche Ryghteousnesse of his he imputeth too all beléeuers that they may bée righteous in Gods sighte And so with his oblation he pacifieth Gods wrath and clotheth vs with obedience that wée may appéere righteous in Gods sight Amendes béeing made attonement is begonne betwéene God and man For the father is appeased through the obedience of his sonne Howbeit forasmuche as in all attonements there must néedes passe some couenant betwéene those that are reconciled the same thing is séene also in this place stablished betwéene vs and God For as on the behalfe of GOD there is a franke and fatherly promise of mercy according too this text I will bée thy God and the God of thy séede after thée Also This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased and agein As truely as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he should turne and liue so on mans behalfe there is faith wherby the fatherly promise is taken wherby wée are adopted too bée the children of God through his only begotten sonne Iesus Chryst. And forasmuche as in couenaunts seales are wont too bée set too these also are not omitted in this most high couenant For there bée thrée seales The first is Chrysts othe Uerely verely I say vnto you hée that beléeueth in mée hath life euerlasting The second sealing is by the Sacramēts of Baptim and the Lordes supper which are the most assured seales of the couenaunt betwéene God and man and shal neuer bée cancelled vnlesse man through his owne default doo cast away Fayth The third◠seale is the earnestpeny of the holy ghost who beareth witnesse too our spirite that wée are the sonnes of God Héerevnto also perteyneth that saying 2. Cor. 1. He hath sealed vs vp and hath giuen vs the earnest of the spirite in our hartes These are the signes and seales wherewith the peace that is agréed vpon betwéene God and man is sealed and confirmed that it may stand stedfast Furthermore least any man may surmise that this peace perteyneth but too a certeyne fewe the publishing thereof is too bée marked which is vniuersall For Chryste at his going vp intoo heauen gaue commaundement too his Disciples that they should proclayme this peace ouer al the woorld For thus sayth he Goo intoo the whole worlde and preache the Gospell too all creatures This peace therefore belongeth too all that receiue the voyce of the Gospel and beléeue in Chryst continuing so too the ende For thus sayeth the Lord Blissed is he that continueth too the ende For it is not ynough for a man too haue begoon wel vnlesse he procéed forward from day too day If yée enquire after the frutes of this most amiable peace yée shall finde them too bée many both in this life and after the resurrection In this lyfe by the benefite of this peace thou hast accesse too God as too a most méeke father through Iesus Christ. For thus sayth Paule Wée being iustified by fayth haue peace with God through Iesus Chryst by whom also wée haue accesse too this grace in which wée stande The second frute of this peace is a good conscience For before the conscience of sinne vexeth vs but after wée féele this peace our conscience is made good and chereful as was the théeues vpon the crosse when he herd This day shalt thou bée with mée in Paradise After the same maner when wée héere in the Gospell that remission of sinnes is denounced too them that beléeue the conscience of the beléeuers becōmeth quiet With this good conscience is ioyned the ioye of the Spirite whereby it cometh too passe that wée glorie euen in the mids of afflictions as Paul saith Howbeit this glorying and this ioy of Spirite is increased by thinking vppon the woorde by prayer by vse of the Sacramentes and by other godly exercises After this frute followeth also a fourthe namely brotherly loue For when wée perceiue and féele by fayth that God our common father is reconciled too vs by our common mediator wée begin too loue one another as coparteners of this common treasure With this fourth frute there goeth also a fifth whiche is a glad departure oute of this life according as Simeon when he had
their vndooing vnlesse they amende The thirde difference is taken of the effects For the godly doo blisse God and call vpon him in their crosse as Iob dyd But the vngodly freat at God and are angry with him The godly are nurtured the vngodly are confounded The godly are tried the vngodly are distroubled The godly vnder the crosse doo hope the vngodly do despaire The fourth difference is taken of the time The godly are afflicted for a shorte time that afterwarde they may bée glorified with Christ their head but the vngodly are wrapped in mischéefe for euer Whose present affliction is as it were a handfull of their endlesse paines in hell The fifth difference is taken of the place The godly are chastized in this world only but the fire of the vngodly shal neuer bée quenched For héere they are tormented with an euill conscience and in the woorld too come they shal bée ouerwhelmed with Gods euerlasting wrath and suffer punishement that neuer shall haue ende So haue wée the differences of the crosses of the godly and the punishments of the vngodly Now wil I adde a few things concerning the comforte wherewith the godly muste raise vp them selues vnder the Crosse. From whence then is comforte too bée sought First the godly that is pressed vnder the crosse shall consider two thinges in his affliction namely iudgement and mercie Iudgemente that hée is punished for his sinnes Therefore sayeth Chryste Sinne not leaste some woorser thing happen vntoo thée And mercie that hée is punished too the intent hée shoulde turne and repent according too this text 1. Cor. 11. When wée are iudged of the Lorde wée are chastized that wée bée not damned with this worlde Therfore when the faythful is exercised with the crosse let him séeke comforte at the fatherly mercy of God Secondly the godly in his crosse shall take comforte by examples whereof many are recited in the .xj. too the Hebrues And Paule dooth oftentimes lay before vs the example of Chryst too which it behoueth vs too become conformable vnder the Crosse that wée may be gloryfied with him in time too come For the godly suffereth with Chryste as it were a meÌ„ber of his For like as Chryst suffered first that hée might obey the Father and secondly that hée mighte vanquishe and condemne our sinne so must wée also obey GOD vnder the crosse bothe too vanquishe and too condemn our owne sinne not by making satisfaction for it as hée didde but by mortifying it Thirdly the godly shall fetche comfort at the endes of the Crosse. For the godly is not chastized with the Crosse too the end hée should perrish but too the end hée may bée holden in and as it were reyned with a certeine brydle from falling away from God Fourthly the godly shal coÌ„fort him self with the presence of God for thus saith God I am with thée in tribulation For if God defeÌ„ded vs not with his presence in our crosse our harts would vtterly faile and wée should renounce our profession Fiftly the godly shall take comforte at the promise of deliuerance asuagement of paines and at Gods helpe Our fathers cryed vntoo thée sayeth the Psalme and thou heardest them Sixtly the godly shall séeke comfort by comparing the present affliction with the glory too come The one lasteth but a moment the other is eternall Let this suffise concerning the crosse of the godly GOD graunt vs grace too glorifie him with true patience vnder the Crosse through our Lord Iesus Chryste too whom bée honour and glorie world without end Amen The iiij Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xvj IEsus â—ayed vntoo his Disciples Novv I go my vvaye vntoo him that sent mee and none of you asketh mee vvhyther I go But bycause I haue sayed suche things vntoo you your harts are ful of sorovv Neuerthelesse I tel you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go avvay For if I go not avvay that comforter vvill not come vntoo you But if I depart I vvil send him vntoo you And vvhen he is come he vvill rebuke the vvorld of sinne and of ryghtuousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bycause they beleeue not on mee Of rightuousnesse bicause I go too my Father and yee shall see me no more Of iudgement bicause the Prince of this vvorld is iudged alreadie I haue yet manye things too say vntoo you but yee cannot beare them avvay novv hovv be it vvhen he is come vvhiche is the spirite of truthe he vvil lead you intoo all trueth Hee shall not speake of him selfe but vvhatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speak and he vvil shevv you things too come He shall glorifie mee for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shevv vntoo you All things that the Father hathe are mine therefore sayde I vntoo you that he shall take of mine and shevv vntoo you The exposition of the text THis gospel is a péece of that sermon that Christ made after Supper the night before he suffred wherin as I tolde you this day seuennight he warned his Disciples aforehande of his Passion Death and Resurrection and disputed of the persecution and comfort of the Churche and the state of his kingdome of what sorte it shoulde bée vntoo the ende of the world and that too this end that his Disciples should be confirmed in the faith and not renounce their profession for the crosse and stumbling blockes thervpon risen among many This also was the cause of this Sermon that I haue rehearsed the effect wherof is that Chryst promiseth to his church an aduocate teacher and gouerner the holy Ghost Wherby is shewed the difference betwéene the administration of the ciuill gouernement and the kingdome of Chryst. For that hath néede of outwarde sinues as lawes decrées of magistrates open punishmentes c. But this is gouerned by the woord by the spirite by fatherly discipline and by sacraments The places are thrée 1 The profite and néedefulnesse of Chrysts departure too the Father wherein the kingdome of Chryste is described 2 What the holy Ghost dooth in the world 3 Of the saying I haue many things too say vntoo you but you are not able too beare them away at this time ¶ Of the first I Go too him that sente mee and none of you asketh mee vvhither goest thou that is too say Nowe is my death at hande and my victorie ouer death which when I haue obteyned I will ascende too my father That the Lorde speaketh so darklye hée dooth it too this purpose too stirre vp his Disciples too make more diligent enquirie of his Death and resurrection But they for all that thought nothing lesse than that he whom they had acknowledged too bée the Messias should bée deliuered too so reprochful a death so blinde is reason in matters perteyning to God It créepeth héer vpon ground it can not déeme aright of heauenly things and of Chrysts kingdome Bicause sayth he I haue tolde you these things your hartes are filled
I sayde vntoo thee yee muste bee borne from aboue The vvinde blovveth vvhere it lusteth thou hearest the sound thereof but thou canst not tell vvhence it commeth nor vvhyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nichodemus ansvvered and sayd vntoo him hovv can these thinges bee Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vntoo him Arte thou a mayster in Israell and knovvest not these things Verely verely I saye vntoo thee VVee speake that vvee knovve and testifie that vve haue seene and yee receyue not oure vvitnesse If I haue tolde you earthly things and yee beleeue not hovv shall yee beleeue if I tell you of heauenly things And no man ascendeth vp intoo Heauen but hee that came dovvne from Heauen euen the Sonne of man vvhiche is in Heauen And as Moyses lifte vp the Serpente in the vvildernesse euen so must the Sonne of man bee lifte vp that vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him perishe not but haue euerlasting life The exposition of the Text. THis feaste may woorthely bée called the feast of our Créed or of our Faith For it is ordeyned too the intent folke should in the Church bée taught concerning God whoo is one and true in substāce and thrée in persons and of benefites towardes the Churche For after that Chryste and his benefites the louingnesse of the Father in sending his sonne intoo the worlde and the sending of the holy Ghost too comfort the Gospell had bin intreated of the former Sundayes the Churche thought it conuenient too knit al these things togither and too teach them as this day too the intent the things that were declared at large might bréefly bée brought too remembraunce agein And the church setteth foorth this text of the gospell which you haue herd for a very good purpose For in it are set foorth Gods benefites towards his Churche For as the Father sente his Sonne y t he might become a sacrifice for sinne so is the holy Ghost giuen too beget the beléeuers ageyn vntoo euerlasting lyfe The summe of this present Gospell therefore is that those whiche are begotten ageyn in the fayth of Chryst are heyres of eternall lyfe by the benefite and meryte of Chryste whom the father hath sent Now to the intent wée may kéepe a certein order I will in this sermon entreate 1 Of the knowledge of God 2 Of the spirituall regeneration or new birth 3 Of that most comfortable saying of Chryste as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man also bée lifted vp c. ¶ Of the firste FOr as much as too know God is lyfe euerlasting it standeth men in hand too looke for the true knowledge of God The knowledge of God is of two sortes The one is heathenish naturall and philosophicall and this is vnperfect For the wyse men of the worlde whiche were not instructed by Gods woord erred in foure poynts First in the substance of the Godhead Secondly in the persons Thirdly in his prouidence And fourthly in his will The Epicures are hissed out of all men who denied that there is any god at all The wise men which confessed that ther was but one God misdéemed of his substance For they thought not him too bée God who is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste Neyther déemed they aright concerning the persons As for Gods prouidence some of them toke it quite away Other some denyed it too bée vniuersal For they were of opinion that god cared for the gretest things but not for these earthly things As for Gods will concerning frée mercy they were vtterly ignorant of it but that he will one day punishe the stubborne they were warned by the recorde of their owne conscience But from whēce had the heathen this slender knowledge such as it is Dauid and Paule witnesse that they had this knowledge of God by his creatures For Paule in the first too the Romanes sayth That whiche is too bée knowne concerning God was manyfest vntoo them For God dyd shew it vntoo them So that his inuisible things that is too say his eternall power and godhed are vnderstood and séene by the woorks from the creation of the world too this intent that they might bée without excuse Dauid also sayth The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handy woorks That is too say the heauen that wée sée sheweth God the woorkmaister therof The effect of all philosophicall knowledge concerning God commeth too this point First man by beholding the things that are created is brought too this point that he confesseth ther is some body by whom all these things were made and by whose power all things are gouerned and héerby he must of necessitie bée drawne too this eternall power and godhead for it must nedes bée that he that made all things must bée of auncienter continuance than all the things that are made and so consequently without beginning And it foloweth of necessitie that this incomparable power whiche suffizeth too rule so huge a woork must néedes bée more excellent than any other power bée it neuer so excéeding Now this is the selfe same thing that wée cal God who ageyn vnlesse he bée only one surely is not he that made all things nor that ruleth al thinges and therefore neyther euerlasting nor almightie no nor GOD. This is the summe of that whiche the wyse men of the worlde doo knowe concerning God Of whiche knowledge the vse is of thrée sortes The first is that men may acknowledge God by his creatures secondly that whē they knowe him they should woorship him and thirdly that when they knowe God and woorship him not they shoulde bée inexcusable The firste and seconde are the propre ende of knowing God The thirde is accessarie through mans owne faulte Another knowing God commeth of the Scripture or of Gods woord which knowledge is bréefly conteyned in the Apostles Créede whiche is that wée beléeue there is but one God that wée beléeue there is thrée persons in one Godhed that wée should know Gods will and his benefites towards his church that wée should knowe the mean by whom wée may bée made partakers of the benefites of the holy trinitie Howbéeit too the intent wée haue the fuller perceiuerance of this knowing of God I will set and expound foure points concerning this helthful knowledge of God wherof the first shal be a cōfirmation y t there is but one God The second a declaration that ther be thrée persons in that one godhead The thirde what is too bée considered in euery of the persons seuerally the fourth what is the helthful vse of knowing God First the confirmation is too bée fetched out of recordes And as for records y t confirme the vnitie of God I wil take them out of Moyses the prophets the Psalmes and the wrytings of the Apostles Moyses Exod. 20. Deut. 5. I am the Lorde thy God that brought thée out of the lande of Egipte thou shalte haue none
Pharisie who thought himself godly and rightuous and was not so maketh vs a Prayer too knowe an Hypocrite by Contrariwise the silie Publicane casting himselfe flat before God and acknowledging his own vnclennesse and yet neuerthelesse fléeing vntoo mercy dooth by his exāple set foorth a forme of true and healthful prayer The places are thrée 1 Of the rightuousnesse of the Law and of the fondnesse of the Pharisie 2 Of Christen rightuousnesse and of true repentance 3 Chrystes iudgement concerning the Pharisie and the Publicane ¶ Of the firste HE sayde too certeine vvhiche had an opinion of themselues that they vvere ryghtuous Héere I must néedes speake of the rightuousnesse of the Lawe what is it and what is the vse end and prerogatiue of it For thereby wée shall vnderstand how farre the Pharisies are wide from the true rightuousnesse What is the rightuousnesse of the Lawe It is a perfecte obedience of all our members inwarde and outwarde vntoo Gods lawe of the harte the affections the will the mouth and ▪ bréeflye of all the powers and abilities as well of the bodie as the minde whiche obedience it behoueth too be not at startes but continuall not vayne but perfecte and full not stayned but pure and chaste suche as mighte haue bin performed by Adam before his fall and suche as is performed by the holye Angelles in Heauen That the rightuousnesse of the Law ought too bée suche a one bothe Moyses and Chryst doo teache in these woords Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy strengthe and with all thy power and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Moreouer forasmuche as hée is pure holy chaste nothing can please him but that whiche is pure holye and chaste And they that fulfill this rightuousnesse they onely haue the promisse of the Law For thus sayeth Moyses The man that dooth these things shall liue in thē No man Chryst onely excepted didde euer performe this perfecte and continuall obedience suche as the Lawe requireth Wherefore all they ▪ that thynke them selues ryghtuous wyth thys rightuousnesse of the law are not only blinde and arrogant but also blasphemous ageinst the law of GOD which they measure by their owne slender skill and not by the voyce of GOD. That none is able too fulfil the law of GOD I haue declared a late and will now bréefly bring the same too oure remembrance ageine Firste oure members bothe inwarde and outward wherwith wée should execute obedience to the Lawe are mangled and corrupted with a certeine horrible outrage so as they are able too doo nothing aryght Agein the Law of sinne as a moste stoute Gyant grypeth our limmes euen after that wée bée borne a newe that wée cannot performe what we woulde Héereuppon S. Paule cryeth oute O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this bodye subiecte too Death And in another place Too will is present with mée but too performe I finde not in my selfe Also I doo not the good that I would doo but the euill whiche I would not doo that doo I. Thus the regenerate haue a forewarde will but they are destitute of ablenesse too performe that which they would so importunate is our houshold enimie withdrawing vs from that whiche is good What shall wée saye then of them whose will is not yet reformed suche as all they bée that are not regenerate Too the furtherance héereof also maketh it that the Law of God is spirituall but wée are carnall For thus hathe Paule béeing at that time a faythfull Chrystian sayd The Law is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Héereby it is easie too sée that wée are not able to performe due obedience too the law For how is it possible that flesh should performe spirituall rightuousnesse I alledged many and sundry other reasons not long agoe whereby I shewed that no man in this life is able too yéeld perfect and ful obedience too the Law What is too bée doone then Héere thou shalt firste heare the voyce of the Lawe What sayeth hée Curssed is hée that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the Lawe Héere thou hearest the sentence of the Lawe Let this saying of the lawe humble thée before God and vtterly cast thée downe that thou maist acknowledge both the filthinesse of thy sinne and thy iust damnation What is too bée doone héer Are we able too eschue the cursse of the lawe Thou art not able of thine owne power Wherefore thou must eyther perish or else séeke a remedie ageinst this damnation of the lawe but other remedie surely there is none than only Iesus Chryst who purposely came into the world too take vppon himselfe the curse of the lawe and too delyuer all that beléeue on him from the power of the lawe that is from damnation which the law threatneth too those y t transgresse it Therefore this cursse extendeth it selfe too all men that héere not Chryst nor are clothed with his rightuousnesses that they may appéere apparelled therewith in the sight of God For Chryst is the end of the law too iustifie all that beléeue Rom. 10. These things haue I spoken concerning the rightuousnesse of the lawe too this intent that I might shewe how fond these Pharisies were which thought themselues rightuous and hilde scorne of others as vnholy and vnrightuous But what is the cause that this Pharisie and the rest of his rable thought themselues rightuous The cause was blindnesse For he was so blinde that he saw not the méening of the lawe yea rather he saw only the couering of the lawe and neuer looked into the brest of the lawe according as the text of this gospel sufficiently declareth For he sayth I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicane He had séene the letter of the law then but not the spirit that is he stacke only in the outward woorks but he considered not the spirituall méening which the law requireth How bée it too the intent these things may be set the playner before our eyes let vs sée first what maner of woorkes this Pharisies were Secondly Let vs lay them too the law of God Thirdly let vs gather therby what wanted in him And fourthly let vs sée of how many sinnes he was founde giltie and cast by the lawe though he vaunted himselfe rightuous before men The woorkes of this Pharisie were faithlesse procéeding of méere misbeléefe and pryde Now in as much as the scripture saieth plainely without faith it is impossible too please God who is so madde as too call this outwarde visor rightuousnesse Let vs lay his woorkes that he bosteth of too the woord of God The lawe requireth pure obedience This man out of his most vncleane hart draweth slaunders ageinst God and his neighboure The lawe commaundeth him too loue his neighboure He accuseth him yea and that before the iudgement seate of God
thinks good The second The Angel Gabriel was sent of the message Why so First that Gods ordinance might bée obserued for like as GOD was woont too send his Angels before too giue men knoweledge of his wil so now an Angel is sent of an ambassade in the saluation of mankinde For the Apostle in the first too the Hebrues sheweth that this is the dutie of Angels Agein in as muche as a bad Angel was the cause of our first destruction it was conuenient that a good Angell should bée the first messenger of the restorement of saluation agein And thirdly this was conuenient for the moste pure virgin also that a moste pure messenger should bée sent vntoo hir The third That this messenger was sent from God The Ambassadours of Emperours and Kings are looked for very desirouslye that it may bée knowne what is the pleasure of suche greate Princes Beholde hée that sendeth héere is the highest Emperoure and greate is the Ambassadoure that is sent Wherfore wée ought of dutie too bée stirred vp too great woonder The .iiij. The place to which he is set is rehersed by name For hée is sente too a Citie of Galilee named Nazareth The cause that this was done was for that it was so prophesied before And besides that God sheweth that hée regardeth the things that are base vpon earth Wherfore there is no cause that any man should thinke himselfe a castaway bicause hée is eyther poore or an abiect vpon earth The fifth Too what persone hée is sent namely too a virgin that was betrouthed too a husband In déede Chryst ought too bée conceyued of a virgin and borne of a virgin according too the forsayings of the Prophets for men haue bin brought foorth intoo the world after foure sundry manners The first maner was of Adam onely who was shaped of the slime of the earth The second was of onely Eue who was wrought out of a ribbe of Adams The third was of Chryst only who was borne of a moste pure virgin And the fourth is the common birth of all other men which are conceyued of the séede of male and female toogither Chryst then was conceyued and borne of a virgin Firste for that if hée had bin borne of the séede of man and woman he should haue bin conceyued and born in sinne But it was méete that hée which came too take away sin should be without sinne Ageine it was méete that the Prophesies shoulde bée fulfilled It was said in the third of Genesis the womans séede shall tread downe the Serpents head And in the .29 of Genesis the scepter shal not bée taken away from Iuda vntil the comming of Silo that is too say of the sonne of that foresayd woman Esay 7. Behold sayth he a mayd shal conceiue and beare a sonne Moreouer it was conuenient it should bée so for the signification of the spirituall regeneration whiche is not the will of the fleshe or of the will of man but of the will of God Wherupon S. Austin sayeth It behoued oure head by special miracle as touching his body too bée borne of a virgin too the intent he might doo vs too vnderstand y t those which are his members must bée borne a newe of the spirit And wheras this virgin was betrouthed too a husbād there were good causes therof For by this meanes bothe the woorthinesse of mariage is commended and prouision was made for the sauegarde of the Uirgins honestie and good name yea and the virgin had giuen vntoo hir a kéeper that should haue care of hir The sixth That Ioseph was of the house of Dauid And it was conuenient hée should so bée chéeflye for the Prophesies For it was foretolde that when Chryst came hée should bée borne of the linage of Dauid Whiche thing was not vnknowen too the very Scribes and Pharisies ¶ Of the second THe second membre of this Euangelical storie is the Salutation of the Angel whiche is this Haile full of grace the Lorde is vvith thee blissed art thou among vvomen Héere let vs think of our first moother Eue and the moste holy virgin the moother of Iesus and let vs marke howe diuers sayings they heard Eue heard I wil multiply thy sorowes Sorowes are tokens of cursing before faith Mary herd Haile that is too say bée glad And hée addeth the cause Thou art full of grace that is too say God hath receyued thée intoo fauour and hath chosen thée alone of all womankinde too whom hée will doo a singular benefite The Lord is vvith thee That is too say thou hast God thy defender and Sauioure Blissed arte thou among vvomen That is too saye like as Eue was cursed among women or rather all women were cursed for hir sake So art thou blissed through the gift and fauour of God For vntoo thée is happened so great good luck that thou shalt bée the moother of the promised séede This is the meaning of the Angels gréeting Whereby it is easie too gather how foolish they are that will make a prayer of it wherewith they call vppon the blissed virgin contrary too the manifest woord of God Untoo whiche kinde of people I say no more but this at this time Cursed is euery one that calleth vpon any creature and which wresteth the woordes of the scripture too stablish horrible Idolatrie in contempt of the sonne of God too the slaunder of the most holy virgin and too their owne most certein damnation At such time as true Inuocatiō is taught in the Church it is also shewed therwith that calling vpon Sainctes is a seruice of the Diuell brought intoo the Church by the Diuell ¶ Of the thirde AT the heering of this greeting the virgin is troubled and museth vvithin hir selfe vvhat maner of salutation it should bee Too vvhom the Angel said Mary feare not for thou hast foūd fauor vvith God Sée héer what Gods woord dooth First it maketh afrayde and afterwarde it comforteth Feare not saith he as if he should say I come not too bring thée tidings of any sadnesse I come not too shew that God is angry with thée For thou hast found fauour with God Héere we haue a sure doctrine that only Gods fauour putteth away feare Al other things haue feare ioyned with them Fréendes haue feare ioyned with them least they should forsake vs whē we haue most néede of them Health hath fear least it should bée appaired Riches are not possessed without feare For they may bée lost the losse of them leaueth sorow behind it Power feareth as which may bée ouercome by a stronger thā it self Only Gods fauor driueth feare away He that is in this may fréely both in life and in death laugh the Diuell and all his craftes too scorne Inasmuch as this fauor or grace is possessed by faith and increased by godly exercises it stādeth vs all in hand to beware wée lose it not through our owne default For if wée lose that there remaineth nothing but trouble of