hym in euerlastynge lyfe Yf ye refuse so great grace wherto ye be called what other thynge do ye then heape your damnation more and more and so prouoke God to caste hys displeasure vnto you and to reuenge thys mockage of hys holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Applye your selfe good frēdes to lyue in Christ that Christ may styl lyue in you whose fauour and assistēce yf ye haue thā haue ye euerlastynge lyfe alredy wythin you than can no thynge hurte you What soeuer is hytherto done and cōmytted Christe ye se hath offered you pardon and clerly receyued you to hys fauoure agayne in full suertye wherof ye haue hym nowe uihabytynge and dwellynge wythin you Only shewe you youre selfe thankeful in your lyues cōpounde wyth youre selfe to refuse and auoyde al such thynges in youre conuersations that shuld offende hys eyes of mercy Endeuoure your selfe that waye to ryse vp agayne whych waye ye fell into the well pyt of synne Yf by your tonge ye haue offended now therby ryse agayne and glorifye God therwyth Accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue therwyth dishonoured it and as ye haue hurte the name of your neghboure or otherwyse hyndered him now entende to restore hym agayne for wythout restituci on God accepteth not your shryft nor yet your repētaunce It is not ynough to forsake euell except ye set your corage to do good By what occasiō so euer ye haue offended tourne now the occasion to the honourynge of God profytynge of your neyghbour Truth it is that synne is stronge and affections vnruly harde to subdue resyst our nature so corrupte leuened w t the soure bitternes of the poyson which we receyued by the inheritan̄ce of our olde father Adam but yet take good corage sayeth our Sauiour Christ for I haue ouercommed the world al other enemyes for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace sayeth saynt Paule Though your power be weake yet Christ is rysen a gayne to strength you in your batel hys holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of hys confidence take you in hande to purge thys olde leuen of synne that corrupteth soureth the swetnes of your lyfe before God that ye maye be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all soure leuen of wyckednes so shall ye shew your self to be swete bred to god to haue his delyte in you I say kyl offer you vp the worldly erthly affectiōs of your bodyes for Christ our Ester lambe is offred vp for vs to flee the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in y t thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wher by we be deliuered from y e captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from y e bondage therof to tyse w t Christ. The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of vij dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner y t is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs y t leuen of corrupt doctrine y t wyl iufect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast y t hole terme of our lyfe w t eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare y t Christes gyftes graces haue theyr ef fect in vs. that we haue y t right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to y t vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shalbe suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the. v. Chapter Thargument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in erth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OUre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust noman amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by y t waye that
man to reioyse before god and to be rauished with a new loue toward hym consequently w t glad mynde to do hys dutye and seruice to all men franckly After thys sort the partes of the holy ghost be ryghtly preached he that paynteth them otherwise beleue him not For where he commeth thus thou seest he taketh awaye the letter and maketh men fre from synne and from the compulsion of the lawe so that he taynynge in theyr brest maketh theÌ„ in whome he is resident to do wyth out compulsion all that the lawe coÌ„maundeth But thou wylt aske wherby he bryngeth to passe what thynge he vseth thus to chauÌ„ge and renue the hart Surely by that he sheweth and preacheth of Iesus Christ as Christ hymselfe in the .xv. chap. of Ihon sayeth whan the comforter coÌ„meth whome I shall sende you from my father I meane the spirite of trouth whych procedeth from y e father he shal beare wytnes of me Nowe oftentymes ye haue herde that the gospel or Euangel is the thynge whych god suffreth to be preached in the worlde and to be tolde to euery man that is to wyt that none can be iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe but rather y t a worse thinge come therby and therfore he sente downe hys moost deare sonne to dye and to shede hys bloud for vs by cause we of our owne powers coulde not rubbe out the spotte of synne nor be delyuered from it But to the preachynge hereof another thynge yet is requyred euen the holy goost whome God must sende He printeth in the harte thys sermon and preachyng to make it fixed and roted in it for it is moost sure and certayne y t Christe hath done all thys geare he hath taken awaye oure synne and ouercoÌ„men all that by hym we myght raigne ouer al and euen here in one heape is all the treasure hurded Thys treasure we can not get onles the holy goost be gyuen vs whych maye put in oure hartes and myndes to beleue and saye And I also am of the nombre of them to whoÌ„ so greate treasure doth belonge When we haue ones felte thys that God hath thus holpen vs and bestowed vpon vs so great treasure then the mater goeth well forwarde neyther can it otherwise be but mans mynde must be rauyshed wyth a pleasure towardes God and lyfte vp hymselfe saye Oh good father if thys thy wyll be that thou haste shewed so great loue and suche excedynge kyndnes towardes me I must nedes agayne loue y e wyth my hole hart and reioise and gladly do what so euer thy pleasure is Then the harte is nomore waywarde nor croked in the meditacion of God it thynketh not to be dryuen downe to hell of hym as before the coÌ„mynge of the holy goost it thought when it felte no goodnes no loue no fydelitie but styll a pace the wrathe and indignacion of God Now therfore whyle the holy goost prynteth into the christen maÌ„s harte howe he hath God hys mercyfull and graciouse Lorde it is a pleasure for hym for Gods sake boldly to execute and suffre any maner of thynge After thys wyse thou shalt learne to knowe the holy goost and hys office whych is to distribute y e great treasure Christ and al that in hym is whych is gyuen and declared vnto vs by the Gospell to thintent thou mayest put hym into thy harte to make hym thyne owne good Hytherto I haue declared vnto you the hystorie of the holy goost Now what we shall do in it we shall knowe further in the gospell Thus sayeth Christ Yf a man loue me he woll kepe my saynge and my father shall loue hym Lo good people here ye maye se as I haue often tymes preached vnto you that the frute of fayth is charitie whych thynge can not be denyed For chari tie or loue perfourmeth and doeth euen of the owne accorde all that euer scripture coÌ„mauÌ„deth And thys doth saynt Paule declare Gal. v. He that loueth his neyghboure hath fulfylled the lawe Wherfore they that haue not fayth and charitie do not fulfyll the lawe albeit they seme in outwarde appearaunce to perfourme all the workes of the lawe The worde whych Christ preacheth he sayeth is not hys worde but hys fathers worde declarynge herby y t nothyng ought to be added nor taken awaye from it And these thynges sayeth Christe concernynge aswell your loue towardes me as the kepynge of my word haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present dwel lynge amonges you But that same comforter of whome I haue made so muche mencion vnto you I meane the holy goost whose feate and offyce shal be to sanctifye lyghten you vnto all trouth which holy goost my father shall sende in my name that is to saye for my cause he shall teach you altogether shall put you in remembraunce of all that euer ye haue herde of me Thou wolt saye vnto me Why knewe not the disciples all before whyche were so longe tyme wyth Christ I answere that y e disciples ought nedes to haue bene taught by the holy goost for wythout hym they were yet imperfecte and carnall for they vnderstode neyther Christes glorificacion by the crosse nor yet hys raygne or kyngdome Wherfore they neded the holy goostes teachynge y t is to saye hys sanctifyenge and makynge the thynges lyuely in them whych they had lerned of Christ For y e disciples were as yet but litera they perceyued not the thynges that were of the spirite of God and therfore they neded the holy goost to quycken them accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule The letter sleeth but the spirite quickeneth Ye may not then vnderstande by thys worde teach that the holy goost shal set abroch a new doctrine that Christ had not taught before but ye must vnderstande by it that the holy goost shall interprete the doctrine al ready taught by Christ and declare it to the spirituall vnderstandynge And therfore Christ expouneth hymselfe and sayeth he shall put you in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of al the thynges that I haue shewed you So that ye can not gather herby that y e holy goost shall adde any thynge to Christes doctrine as the wycked papistes do wyckedly gather It foloweth Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue vnto you â–ª not as the world gyueth gyue I vnto you c. My frendes what is Christes peace Surely to be short it is nothynge eis but the quyet and tranquilitie of conscience Thys peace the worlde can not gyue mans traditions can not gyue maÌ„s owne voluntary workes can not gyue â—â— moÌ„kery â—â— pylgrimage no popysh pardons no pardon beades no relyques breâ—â—y no fleshly thynge can gyue thys pea ce of conscience It is only Christe that can gyue vs thys peace whan we spiritually eate hym drynke hym that is to saye when we know wherfore Christ serueth vs and so suffre hym by true fayth and cha ritie to entre into oure soules and to
ye receyue with mekenes the worde that is grafte implanted in you of god the father of heueÌ„ Receyue it he sayth with mekenes that is to say with al modestie and reuerence not after a ryottouse and sediciouse sorte as thoughe ye wolde fyght for it nor agayne with an euel and struglyng mynde as many 〈…〉 do but gladly thankfully and gently For it is the thinge whych is hable to saue youre soules whych thing also saynt Panle proueth wrytinge to the Romaynes where he teacheth that we be iustified by fayth by the ministery of gods worde Nowe therfore good people let vs accordinge to the meanyng of this epistle whych I haue brefly declared vnto youe imbrase this worde of trouthe that saynt Iames doth here speake of and so imbrace it that we may be couÌ„ted doers and not hearers only Thus doynge we shall declare our selues to be the chosen people of God and we shall inioy at last the kyngdom prepared for vs of almyghty God Who be lauded .c. The Gospell on the. iiij sondaye after Ester the. xvj chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christe promyseth to sende the holy gooste and of hys offyce Iesus sayd to hys disciples Nowe I go my waye to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whyther I go And because I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes are ful of sorowe Neuer thel esse I tel you the trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my fa ther and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged â—â—â—â—â— I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what soÌ„ euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purpose is sente of Christe that he myghte â—â—uâ—late and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be letters and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some car nall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and pro fitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde y t is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you â—o good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome
thou cammest therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst maÌ„ beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yet thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by y e worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth ourselues that Iesus is Christe that is to saye the annoynted kynge and Sauioure of the worlde For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomaÌ„ coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whoÌ„ Christ answereth Uerely verely I saye vnto the onles a maÌ„ be borne agayne from about he can not se the kyngdome of God whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue y t Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secoÌ„dly that he is a kynge anoynted w t the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath and so all hypocrites and betwene y t true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borâ—e agayne when through the holy goost we be casted by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll to thuâ— tent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue y t Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the fame that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heueÌ„ the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than maÌ„s that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer y e world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Unto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the. xx chapter of Ihon. Thargument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr coÌ„mission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whaÌ„ they sawe the Lorde Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And wha he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whosoeuers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Di dimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my han des and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Tho mas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my Cod Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence
alredy spoken by Christ. This do not the papistes for they expouÌ„de not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hetheÌ„ persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persoÌ„s and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vn to you And al that the father of heueÌ„ hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure carnall and olde man and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of god which is here called y e spirite of trouth Whych spirite by the instrument of godes word as here is declared shall open and disclose vnto vs all trouth necessarye to oure saluation and soule helth Which thyng also the auÌ„cient doctour Ihon Chrysostome witnesseth sayeng What so euer is sought to the soule helth the same is al togither conteyned and accomplished in holy scripture He that is ignoraunt shal fynde there ynoughe to lerne He that is stubborne and a synner shall fynde there the skourgies of the iudgemente to come that he maye feare He that laboureth shall fynde there the gloryes and promises of lief euerlasting by chawyng wherof he may be more more kyndled to do good workes as becommeth a christian man to do Let vs praye then to god with pure hartes that he woll vouche saue to send vs this holy ghost this coÌ„forter vnto our myndes which may open vnto vs al trouth To whome be glory and prayse immortally .c. The Epistle on the. v. sondaye after Ester The fyrste chapter of saynt Iames. Thargument ☞ Saynt Iames exhorteth christen men to declare their feyth wyth good workes And he sheweth what thyng true Religion or deuotion is MOst deare beloued brethren euery good gifte and euery perfyte gyfte is from aboue and cometh downe from the father of lyghtes wyth whoÌ„ is no variablenes neither is he chaunged vnto darckenes Of hys owne wyll begat he vs wyth the worde of trouth that we shuld be the fyrste frutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethreÌ„ let euery man be swyft to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of maÌ„ worketh not that why â—he is ryghtouse before god Wherfore laye aparte all fylthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receaue wythe mekenes the worde that is grasted in you whych is hable to saue your soules THe holy Apostle of God saynte Iames good christen people in the epistle of this day dothe discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers And ye shal vnderstande that the true heaters of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth whiche vnderstande it in theyr harte whiche do garnishe it outwardely with suche workes as be prescribed and appoynted them to do and as the pa rable of Christe declareth whiche do heare the word of god and vnderstande it whiche also bryng forthe frute some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thyrty folde And it is he according to the wordes of the prophete Dauid whiche is lyke a tre planted by the ryuer syde bearyng his frute in due tyme. But the false hearers of the worde be they whiche heare it but they receiue it nat with fayth they vnderstande it nat in theyr harte neyther do they furnyshe and declare it to the worlde with good workes and as the parable of y e sower sayeth they suffre the deuyll to take the worde out of theyr harte These be only temporall hearers and but for a season they be but starters they stycke nat by it They be also suche as when they haue perceyued taken the true word of god they choke it with the care of this world and with the disceitfulnes of ryches so make the worde vnfruteful for they receiue it nat with ful mynd but by snatches and myndyng other thynges euen as he whiche beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse and forthwith goeth hys waye and forgetteth by and by what maner thyng it was Be ye then doers of the worde that is to were declare w t good workes that ye truly vnderstande it and be â—at hearers onely as who shulde say Ye that heare the worde of god with your eares and do boste and glory in the knowledge therof and neuertheles be occupyed and intaugled in other maters ye do nothyng els but deceiue your selues whych thyng he declareth with a wonderful goodly and apte similitude For lyke as it nothinge helpeth a man to staÌ„de before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire whan he goeth away forthwyth and forgetteth strayte hys beawtie So it helpeth a man no thynge at all to heare gods worde onles he receyue it in hys harte and take holde of it by fayth depely printyng in hys mynde the beautie therof and be de lyted therin and fynally declare wyth good workes that he doth truly vnderstande it Furthermore he that standeth before a glasse maye well glorie and bragge of hys beautye for a tyme So he that heareth the worde may well reioyse and glorie of it But whan the glasse is taken away anone the beau tie is out of the mynde So in tyme of necessitie and tribulation yf the true glasse of gods wyll that is to wyt the worde of God be taken awaye and not coÌ„ sydered anone the promyses and gospell that is to saye the glad tydynges concernynge our redemption is out of mynde the beautie of gods goodnes is forgotten and finally the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde is neglected But on the contrary parte who so loketh in the perfyte lawe of lybertie and continu eth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke the same shalbe happy in hys dede As who shulde saye He that rightly heareth and vnder standeth the worde and doeth expresse the same with worthy workes in such wyse as he sheweth hymselfe to haue a firme sure vnderstandynge of the same whereby he may vaynquish and chase away death Satan and synne he shalbe happye in hys dede or worke he shalbe declared by hys dedes to be a iustifyed person and saued For dedes workes in christeÌ„ men be testimonies and wytnesses
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
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
Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of y t ho ly goost after such a plentyful sorte the scripture tea cheth vs that it was fulfylled aboute thys tyme of Pentecost as in our sermons before we haue fully at large declared vnto you And as for the rest of the prophecie concernynge the great calamitie and terrible tokens that shall come agaynste domes daye there is no doubte but it shall come to passe as oute sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs. But my frendes let vs be nothynge dismayed nor troubled wyth the remembraunce of thys dradfull tyme whych no doubt yet approcheth nere and shall steale vpon vs or euer we be ware we knowe not how sone Onely let vs do as the prophete teacheth vs here we shal not nede to feare Let vs cal on the name of y t Lorde and we shalbe saued Let vs thaÌ„ in al our aduersitie woo and trouble yea and also in our welth prosperitic and felicitie remember God loue God prayse God call on God with fayth But let it be such faith as shall worke by charitie Let it be a lyuely fayth no deade fayth that maye brynge forth good workes Yf we thus do we shall not nede to feare these terrible tokens but we shalbe sure to be translated from thys myserye vnto immortall ioye wyth God To whome c. The Gospell on the .iiij. daye of Pentecost The. vi chapter of S. Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christ teacheth vs here y t onles we be renewed by the holy goost we can not come vnto him IEsus sayd to hys disciples and to the company of the Iewes No man can come to me excepte the father whych hath sent me drawe hym And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye It is wrytten in the prophetes and they shalbe all taught of god Euery man therfore that hath herde and hath learned of the father coÌ„meth vnto me Not that any man hath sene the father saue he whych is of god the same hath sene the father Verely verely I saye vnto you he that putteth hys trust in me hath euerlastynge lyfe I am that bread of lyfe Your fathers dyd eate Mana in the wyldernes and are dead This is that breade whych coÌ„meth downe froÌ„ heauen that a man maye eate therof and not dye I am that lyuynge breade whych came downe from heauen Yf any maÌ„ eate of thys bread he shal lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my flesh which I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde IN thys Gospell good people our sauiour Christ makynge answer to the murmourynge of y t people agaynst hym bycause he sayd he was the breade of lyfe and declarynge that theyr thoughtes coulde not be hyd from hym expouneth and also fortifyeth the worde y t he spake sayenge vnto them y t they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge y t he spake For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysoeleue Seynge they saw not and hearyng they herde not beynge present they were absent Whosoeuer com meth to Christ shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe But there is no waye to come vnto hym but by fayth Thys fayth is not lyghtly had but coÌ„meth by the in spiracion of the father who lyke as by y t soÌ„ne he draweth mens myndes vnto hym so w t secrete inspiracions of fayth he draweth them to the sonne He bestoweth not so great a gyfte but to suche as be wyllynge gredy Whosoeuer then shall meryte by hys prompte wyl deuoute mynde to be drawen of y e father the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse yeâ— deade to lyfe agayne in y e last daye A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ but without the helpe of the heueÌ„ly father he can not do it Yet neuertheles they are not excused bycause they be not drawen For the father as much as in hym is coueteth to drawe all He y t is not draweÌ„ is in fault himselfe bycause he w t draweth hymselfe froÌ„ hym y t wolde drawe hym Humane thynges be lerned w t humane studye but this heauently lernynge is not perceyued onles y e secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte teachable harte And this is it y t longe sythens was pro phecied of the prophetes to come to passe And they all shalbe taught of God But the desyre of thys worlde do make many vnapt I say it is the gyft of god but the indeuoure must be ours A maÌ„ heareth w t hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne onles he heare w tin fyrst y e secrete voyce of y e father whych breatheth the mynde w t an insensible grace of fayth For god is a spirite is neyther herde nor sene but of spiritual persons Many haue sene herd Christ to theyr damnation And albeit the Iues boasted y t god was both sene herde of Moses of y t prophetes yet no mortall maÌ„ euer sawe or herde god as he is For thys is only grauÌ„ted to the sonne of maÌ„ ours sauiour Christ. Let vs then shake of the care of this lyfe and not so moch seke for the bread whereby our bodyes be fedde as thys breade whych giueth euerlastynge lyfe We counte the olde fathers happye whych dyd eate Manna yet thys Manna preserued them not from death and why Not bycause Manna was euyll sayeth saynte Austine but because of theyr euyll eatyng Christe is the breade whych descendeth from heauen whyche is signified by Manna He that eateth of thys breade shal lyue for euer But ye wol aske who thys is Saynt Austine answereth in thys wyse He that is in y e vnitie of Christes bodye that is to wytte in the felowshipe of the christen meÌ„bres the sacrameÌ„te of whych body all fayth full persones be wonte to receyue when they coÌ„municate at the altare come to gods borde doth truly eate the bodye of Christe and drynke the bloude of Christe Nowe therfore let vs by all indeuours we caÌ„ make ourselues mete and apte to receyue y e holye spirite of god wherby we maye be drawen to Christ. Let vs also take parte of hys passions and folowe the coÌ„uersation whych he had in hys fleshe Whyche thynge as S. Austine others expoune thys place is to eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye AMEN ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and are to be solde in Fletestrete at the sygne of the whyte Harte Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Matâ— IX Xâ—â— Luk. Matâ— xxvi i. cor xv psa lxxi Iu. xxiiij Math. xxviij Ioh. xx i. cor xv lu xxiiij Ioh. xxi i. cor xv Actu i. Iu. xxiiij i. cor xv i. cor xv Iu. xiiij i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij Col. ij i. Pet. i. Ephe. ij Psalm lxxxiiij Eph. iiij