and with one mynde approche at this present vnto the gracious throne of thy diuine maiestie moste humbly besechyng thee that forasmuche as we of our selues and of our owne nature are altogether corrupte ignoraunt blynde and vtterly estranged from the felyng and perceauynge of thy diuine mysteries suche is our ignorance and blyndnesse thorow olde Adam it may please thee of thy mercyfull goodnesse by thy holy and blessed spirite to open our senses to leade vs into all truthe to purifie our heartes and to make oure myndes mete vessels to receaue the swete wyne of thy most swete and glorious Gospell O open thou our eyes that we may see the wondrous thinges of thy lawe Hyde not thy commaundementes frome vs but teache vs thy statutes and make vs to vnderstand the way of thy commaundementes that we may talke of thy meruailous workes Teache vs O Lord the way of thy statutes and make vs to go in the pathe of thy commandementes Encline our heartes vnto thy testimonies quicken vs in thy wayes and take not the worde of truthe oute of our mouthe O geue vs vnderstandyng acordyng to thy word that we may learne thy commandementes and be occupied in thy lawes Let oure heartes be sounde in thy statutes that we be neuer ashamed O shewe the lyght of thy countenance vpon vs thy seruantes teache vs thy testimonies and so order oure steppes in thy worde that no wickednes may haue dominion ouer vs. Sanctifie vs thorowe thy truthe for thy woorde is the truthe Geue to me thy Minister and stewarde of the mysteries of God a well learned tongue that I may confort them whiche are troubled yea and that in due season that I may shew good tydynges vnto the poore that I maye bynde vp the wounded heartes that I may preache deliueraunce to the captiues and open the prison to them that are bound that I may make ioyfull all them that are in heauynesse and thorowe thy worde geue to them that mourne beaultie in stede of ashes ioyefull oyntment for syghyng and pleasant rayement for an heauye mynde that I may hold vp the weake that I maye heale the sycke that I may bynd together the broken that I may bryng agayne the outcastes and seke vp them that are loste so that thys people may be called trees of righteousnesse and a plantynge of the Lorde for hym to reioyce in O geue me that mouthe that spirite that wisedome agaynst the whyche all the aduersaries of thy truthe shall not be able to speake nor resyst Geue to me that preache thy worde with great power that I may be able to exhort by wholsome doctrine and to improue them that speake agaynst it Geue me grace also O Lorde that I may not only be the salt of the earth but also the lyghte of the worlde namely that I may not onely truly and faithfully sincerely and purely reuerently and godly bryng foorthe oute of the treasure house of thy holy worde thynges newe and olde that is to say the doctrine bothe of the olde and newe testamente euen the lawe and the Gospell but also that in my lyfe and maners I may be an ensample to the faithfull in worde in conuersation in loue in spirite in fayth in puritie and in all pointes shew my selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that nedeth not to be ashamed distributynge the woorde of truthe iustly so that I may be to the flocke an ensample of good workes in honestie and grauitie that he whyche withstandeth maye be ashamed hauyng no euyll thyng to speake of me lest by any meanes it come to passe that when I haue preached to other I my selfe should be a cast away and so become a slaunder to the good doctrine that I professe and teache Geue also to the people that are here gathered together to heare the worde of their saluation a good spirite that al cloudes of ignorancie brought in by olde Adam vtterly dispelled driuen away they may learne to knowe thee to be theyr alone Sauiour which knowledge is perfect righteousnesse and the roote of immortalitie yea it is euerlastyng lyfe and without the whyche knowledge we all are but as moyles and horses voyde of all goodnes and grace walkyng in the vanities of our owne imaginations vtterly estranged from God and all godlynesse O moste louynge Lorde open theyr heartes that they may vnderstand thorough the preachyng of the word thy holy and blessed wyll and always doo that not whiche carnall reason fleshly imagination blynd zeale good intent and humayne wysedome iudgeth to be good and holy but that only whiche thou in thy blessed lawe commaundest to be doone all strange woorshippynges vtterly excluded and banyshed O swete sauiour make them that good earth which receuing the healthfull sede of thy moste wholsom worde may bryng forth fruite plentuously some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thirty folde Geue theym grace so to lyue and so to behaue them selues in all poyntes as it becommeth them that embrace thy Gospell Lette theym not bee of the number of those whyche wyth theyr mouth professe God and with their deedes denye hym but make them not onely diligente hearers of thy woorde but also feruent and earnest doers of the same Let them not be lyke the fyue foolishe virgins whiche hadde lampes and no oyle but rather so woorke in theym by thy holy spirite that they maye worthyly be resembled to the fyue wyse virgins whyche had not onely lampes but also oyle in their lampes that is to saye they dyd not onely beare the name of Chrystians but theyr conuersation also was garnyshed wyth woorkes meete and seemely for Christians Make them suche as no man can iustely complayne on euen the vnfayned sonnes of God without rebuke shynynge as greate lyghtes in the worlde euen in the myddes of a croked and peruerse nation holdyng faste the woorde of lyfe that they whyche backebyte them as euyll doers seynge theyr good workes may cease to speake euyll and glorifie thee our Lord God in the day of visitation Fynally graunt bothe to me the Preacher and to these the hearers and to so manye as vnfaynedly professe thy blessed name grace and strength from aboue that we maye soo handle and heare thy woorde that we beynge no forgetfull hearers but diligent doers of the same may thorowe Faithe in thee obteyne that blessyng whyche thou haste promysed to all theym that heare the worde of God and kepe it Grant thys O moste louyng lorde and swete Sauiour for thy greate mercy and goodnes sake Amen A shorter prayer before the Sermon O Almyghty God and moste mercyfull Father the Authour and geuer of all wysedome whych at the intercession of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour diddest sende downe accordyng to thy promyse thy holy spirit to lyghten the heartes and senses of the apostles before they could syncerely vnderstande the
when thou prayest that the name of the heauenlye Father maye be sanctified that his kyngdom may come and that his wyll may be done On the contrary part that the deuyls name may be cursed and abhorred that his kyngdome maye be destroyed and that his wyl with all hys counsayles and deuises may come to naughte and be made vtterly frustrate and voyd When thou doest this then doest thou stande in thyne armoure lyke a good and trewe souldiour in the fielde and valyantly defendeth the Churche of Christe agaynst the deuyll the Pope and the worlde For euery Christen man is a warriour and myghtyly fighteth agaynst the power of darknesse for the defence of Gods people the preachers wyth doctrine all other godly people wyth Prayer yea the preachers and the people oughte together to fyghte agaynste Antichriste wyth Prayer These are the two thynges wherewyth the deuyll the Pope the Turke and the whole power of darkenesse is ouercome I meane preachynge and Prayer And surely the deuyll and hys kyngdome can not otherwyse bee ouercome then by preachyng and Prayer And oure heauenly Fathers wyll is that we shoulde thus fyght and striue agaynst the enemies of his holy congregation And I nothynge doubte but that thoroughe oure prayer the counsayles and deuices of oure ennemies those vnsatiable bloudsuppers and Neolike tyrantes haue bene disappoynted so that they coulde haue no successe If wee wyll haue the churche of Christe to prosper and to flourishe yea and to bee free from the danger of the enemy let vs earnestly and heartily fall vnto feruent prayer Lette vs not esteme prayer as a thyng vile and of no reputation but rather iudge of it as a thing of high price before the maiesty of the lord our GOD. Therfore exercise prayer and by no meanes neglect it although ye thinke your selues very vnmete and vnworthy For yf we shold respect our dignitie and worthynes so should we neuer pray Let vs not cast the burdeyn vpon other mens backes to pray but let euery Christen man pray and thinke thus with himselfe Forasmuche as prayer is so acceptable vnto God and profitable to me to the congregation to the cōmon welth I wyll go vnto the congregation pray with it vnto the vttermoste of my power For I am sure that I shall not spende my tyme in vayne nor lose my labour This is a meruailous dangerous imagination to thynke on this maner Let other praye what shouldest thou prophane person bee occupied in so holy a thyng Yea rather think thou thus with thy selfe I haue Christ and his worde and I had rather loose all that euer I haue in the worlde thenne denye CHRIST Thus then dothe it folowe that the Father loueth me and that he wyll heare my prayer as Christe hathe here promysed Therefore I wylle make no delaye nor ceasse frome prayenge but leauynge vnto thys promyse of Christe Uerily veryly I saye vnto you what so euer ye shall aske the Father in my name that wyll he geue you I wyll goe vnto my heauenlye Father and craue of hym in the name of Christe suche thynges as I haue neede of either for the conseruation of my body or for the saluation of my soule Nowe as touchynge thys that the Lorde Christe sayeth afterwarde These thynges that I haue spoken vnto you by Prouerbes it is not so to bee vnderstanded as thoughe he hadde spoken these obscurely and darkely vtterynge one thynge and meanynge an other For the woordes are very playne euidente and open But for as muche as the Disciples as yet hadde no experience of thys matter neyther dydde they knowe that Christe shoulde haue a Spirituall kyngedome that is to saye rule by hys woorde and Spirite For they looked for a temporall and worldly kyngedome euen as the Iewes do at thys day and not by swoorde and pollaxe it seemed to be vnto them what soeuer he spake as an obscure and darke sayenge and as a matter vttered in a strange tongue whyche they vnderstode not But sayth he the matter shall bee otherwyse For the tyme shall comme that I wyll speake no more wyth you by Prouerbes but I wyll openly and playnely shewe vnto you of my Father For whenne the Holye Ghoste commeth and kyndleth oure heartes wyth trewe Faith in the goodnesse and mercye of GOD thoroughe Christe then foloweth there an heartye good wylle and feruente desyre to praye For without the Holye ghoste it is not possible that any manne can haue a faythefull and couragious mynde for to praye Therefore the holye Prophete Zacharye callethe the Holye Ghoste the Spirite of grace and of prayer For bothe these muste bee ioygned together For Faythe whiche maketh vs to knowe God that he is our mercyfull Father for as muche as he hathe geuen vs hys sonne is the gyfte of God whyche the Holye Ghost worketh in vs by the Gospell Where thys spirite of grace is there foloweth the spirite of prayer also so that we in all our necessities and troubles calle vppon God for healpe with thys certayne persuasion and assured hope that God wyll heare vs and geue vs healthe and Saluation for his sonne Christes sake Therfore saithe Christ In that daye when I shall frankly and freely shewe you of the Father and teach you by the holye Ghoste that ye may knowe the Father truely ye shall aske in my name and your prayer shall not be frustrate nor vayne For howe can the father denye you any thynge seyng that hee loueth you because you haue loued me and beleued that I came out frome GOD Oute of suche a Faythe muste trewe prayer nedes come otherwyse it is no prayer althoughe it bee made with neuer so fyne and pyked woordes GOD oure deare and louynge Father of hys greate mercye and synguler goodnesse moughte vouchesafe for hys Sonne Christes Iesus sake to sende hys holye Spirite into oure heartes that wee in all oure troubles and aduersities maye so praye and so perfourme this seruice to GOD that we in this worlde maye be delyuered from all temporall myseries and in the worlde to come enioye those trewe pleasures and those heauenly ioyes whiche shall neuer haue ende Amen A Sermon for the feast of the Ascension of Christe made vpon the Epistle of that daye Actes i. IN the former treatise deare Theophilus we haue spoken of all that Iesus began to do and teache vntyll the daye in which he was taken vp after that he through the holy ghoste had geuen commaundementes vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he shewed him selfe aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appearyng vnto them .xi. dayes and speakyng of the kyngdom of God and gathered them together and commaunded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but to wayte for the promise of the father wherof sayth he ye haue herd of me For Iohn truly baptised with water but ye shal be baptised with the
vtterly put away the inward curse cōdemnatiō of the law so that for euer after it cā no more bynd vs nor hurte so many as beleue in Christ. For although outwardly wee are cursed euill spoken of despised and condemned as it chaunced vnto Christe and muste nedes so likewise cōme to passe with vs for we must be made cōformable and like vnto Christ in bearing the crosse yet inwardly we are free and blessed and the curse of the lawe can not preuaile againste vs neither can the lawe it selfe any more accuse vs and condemne vs. For if God thorowe Christ be with vs who can be againste vs So lykewise reade we in sainct Paules epistle to the Galathians when the fulnes of tyme was comme God sent his sonne made of a woman made subiect to the lawe that he might deliuer them that were bounde to the lawe Christe for our sake fel into the lawe that is to saye into the payne of the lawe that we might be deliuered from the same and obtaine that portion of enheritaunce whiche is due to the sonnes of God Wherof the prophete Esaye also sayeth ye are frely bought ye shall frely bedeliuered S. Peter also sayth we are deliuered by the precious blood of Christ that innocent lambe of God The second fruit profit of the passion of Christ is that by it we are made free from sinne and it is in a maner all one with the first For when we be free frō the lawe then are we also free from sinne not that we synne not or can not offend but that synne is no more imputed vnto vs nor brought in againste vs by the law Therfore saith blessed S Iohn in his epistle The blood of Christ maketh vs cleane from all synne And Paule in his epistle to the Hebrues sayth that the blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from deade workes to serue the lyuing God Again to the Corinthians he sayeth God made hym that knewe no sin synne for our sake that in him we might be made that righteousnes whiche is alowed before God Christe for our sake was made sinne that is to say a sacrifice and oblation for synne by this meanes hath he recōciled vs vnto god and made vs before god of vnrighteous righteous of sinneful wicked perfect good Now forasmuch as we be free from the curse of the lawe and from sinne it foloweth that we also are free and safe from death deuil and hel whiche is the thirde fruite and profit of Christes passion For seing death is the stipend and rewarde of synne as the Apostle sayeth and synne is abrogated and taken awaye from vs by the passion and death of Christe it foloweth that death is also taken awaye so that it hath no power againste vs. Therfore doth Christe threaten death by the Prophete and sayeth O death I will be thy death For seinge that Christe was the true lyfe he could not be ouercome of death but he being the noble cōquerour valiant victoure of death toke awaye the stynge from death and flewe hell as Christe him selfe saith by the aforesaid Prophet I wil deliuer them from hel from death wil I make them safe So was Satan also cast out as Christe sayth in the gospel of Iohn so that he can not execute against vs the paine of hell death And al this is comme to passe because Christ hath fulfilled the law for vs and purged our sinnes by the sprinklyng of his blood The fourth fruite profite of the passiō of Christ is that we are not only deliuered from the law sin death hel deuil but we are also thorow the merites of christs passiō receaued into the grace and fauour of god For he hath satisfyed the father for vs and hath reconciled vs vnto him as Paule testifieth sayinge when we were yet enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne Again God hath reconciled vs vnto hym by Iesus Christ. ones again God the father hath deliuered vs from the power of darcknes and hath translated vs into the kyngdome of his welbeloued sonne Yea we are not only by the death of Christe reconciled and set at one with God the Father but also wyth all the Angels and heauenly spirites For when the father thorowe his sonne fauoreth vs and is mercifull vnto vs then do al creatures the same thorowe him and be at concorde and perfecte agrement with vs as S. Paule saith It pleased the father that all fulnes shoulde dwell in hym and by him to reconcile all thynges vnto hymselfe pacifying by the blood of his crosse things both in heauen and in earth And ye which some time were farre of and enemies in your minde thorow euil workes hath he nowe reconciled in the body of his fleshe by death that he shoulde make you holy blameles and without fault in his sight And in many other places it is declared how we are reconciled set at one with the father and made heires of the kingdome of heauen thorowe Christe The fyfte fruit and profite of the passion of Christe is the newe testament whiche he promiseth vnto vs and bequethe vnto vs remission of synnes sealed and confirmed with the death and blood of Christe as it is written He is the mediatour of the new Testament that thorow death whiche chaunced for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the firste Testament they whiche were called mighte receaue the promesse of eternall inheritaunce For whersoeuer a testament is there muste also be the death of him that maketh the testament For the testament taketh authoritie when men are dead for it is of no value as long as he that made it is a liue Of these wordes it euidently appeareth that the newe testament wherin we haue remission of sinnes is sealed and ratifyed by the death of Christ. Therfore doth Christ cal the cuppe the cuppe of the newe Testament in his bloud which is shedde for remission of sinnes Last of all Christ with his death and passion hath goten vnto vs this fruite and profit that our crosse suffrance pleaseth GOD that after this it should no more be a cursyng or payne but an holy blessynge and mortifying of our olde Adam and wicked fleshe And by this meanes our tribulation persecution and death is an holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto god And all this comme to passe thorow the merite of Christ and his death as Paule sayth to the Romains Those whiche he knewe before he also ordeined before that they shoulde be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the firste begotten sonne among many brethren As the sacrifice of Christ and his death was a pure and acceptable sacrifice to god so likewise the death of al the Christians shal be an holy sacrifice to god not
shall truely iudge and make voyde and of no force the Popes excommunication and shal at the last day before God and his angels declare vs to be his true churche For it can none otherwise be in this lyfe then as Christe sayeth here that there shall be two churches and one shall excommunicate an other and by no meanes one abyde an other to dwell together But excommunication is neuer publikely exercised of the true Churche agaynste the false churche For the false churche hathe euermore for the moste parte the sworde in her hande and is able to defende her selfe at all tymes against suche as it fauoureth not as we may see by the Pope which is a moste sure argument that he and his can not be the true churche For as concernyng the true churche it is in thys our Gospell playnly declared that it shal be excommunicated vngentilly intreated and miserably handled They shall saythe Christe caste you out of the synagoges Who are those Yow Are they not the disciples and Apostles of Christ They shall kyll you saythe he Who Euen they that call theym selues the Churche And thus also goeth the matter euen at thys present daye Therfore thys excommunicatyng and murderyng whyche the Pope and hys churche vseth againste the sainctes of God whyche are the trewe churche ought not to make vs afrayde but rather to take it ioyfully paciently learne that these things are the right tokens and manyfest declarations of the true and christen churche yet so that there be lykewise aboue all thynges the true knowledge of Christe and of hys Father For the Anabaptistes and other sectes do suffer persecution also but they haue not the knowledge of Christe and of his father but they brynge in and sette vp a newe kynd of monkery and thorough thys they looke to be saued and to haue God mercyfull vnto them But contrary wyse the true Churche knoweth Christe and hys Father that is to saye it beleueth and trusteth onely in the goodnes and mercye of God for Christes sake and for that Fayth confidence and hope it gladly suffreth persecution so that whatsoeuer chanceth vnto it it grudgeth not but paently take it because it knoweth that Christe prophecied and tolde afore hande that these thynges should so come to passe Therefore it is well contente quietly to beare the tyrannie of the Pope beyng gladde of thys that it knoweth Christ and hys Father where as the Pope and all his adherentes althoughe they bragge neuer so muche of the Church neyther know Christe nor his Father but rather persecute them that haue thys knowledge Wherfore with a gladde heart and wyllynge spirite it suffreth all kynde of persecution wyth a sure hope that after thys lyfe it shall reygne with Christe and lyue with hym euerlastyngly in the kyngdome of his Father To whome with the same Christe his sonne and the holy Ghoste that moste swete comforter be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer Amen A Sermon on the Epistle on VVhitsondaye Acte ii WHen the fiftie dayes were come to an ende they were all with one accorde to gether in one place And sodaynelye there came a sounde from heauen as it had ben the commyng of a mightie wynde and it fylled all the house where they sat And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as they had bene of fire and it sat vpoÌ„ eche one of them and they were all fylled with the holye ghost and began to speake with other tongues euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce Then were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iewes deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When this was noysed about the multitude came together and were astonyed because that euerye man hearde them speake with hys owne language They wondred all and marueyled sayinge amonge theym selues Beholde are not all these whtche speake of Galile And howe heare we euery man his owne tongue wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamites the inhabiters of Mesopotamia and Iewry and of Capadâ—cia of Pontus and Asia Phrigia and Phamphilia of Egipte and of the parties of Libia whiche is beside Sirene and straungers of Rome Iewes and Proselites Grekes and Arrabians wee haue heard them speake in our owne tongues the great workes of God THE EXPOSITION VUhitsonday whiche of the Grecians is called Pentecoste doothe sygnifie fyftie dayes For Whitsondaye is the fyftie day in number from that daye that Christ rose again In the which day was celebrate kept holy amongest the Iewes also an high feast in remeÌ„brance that in the fiftieth day after that they had eaten the pascall lambe and departed out of Egipt they receiued the law at mount Sinai And for the continuaÌ„ce of this benefite of this setting forth of the law and of making a couenant with the people was this feast ordeined of god that they might neuer forget this holy obligation and bande as the hystorie in the seconde boke of Moyses and the .xx. chapter doothe declare And truely it doothe appere by the hystories of the olde testament as witnesseth sainct Paule also in his Epist. to the Corinthians that whatsoeuer befell then amongest the people of the Iewes was but a figure of those thynges that shoulde be declared to vs in the newe testament Wherfore euen as in the newe testament we haue an other pascall lambe and better then the olde For the blood of the lambe in Egypt was to anoynt yâ— doore postes that the Angel myght not hurt the bodies nor kil the fyrst borne therin but the blood of the lambe Christ was shed on the Crosse to the entent that we myght be delyuered throughe hym oute of the true Egypt that is from the tyranny of the deuyll synne and deathe so in the newe testamente we haue a better Whitsontide Penthecost then it was in the olde testament The Iewes in the olde testament dyd receaue in the mount Synai the tenne commaundementes Whiche doctrine was good profitable and necessarie and maye be worthily embraced as a great benefite but in it haue we no sure succoure and aide againste the kyngdome of the deuill synne and death but rather by the helpe of that lawe we are declared to be more greuous sinners and through our owne conscience are accused before God and proued gyltie for as muche as we doo not that whiche the lawe commaundeth vs to doo Wherfore euen as there was a very dreadfull sight in the mount when GOD spake and all thynges so troubled with thunder lyghtnynge that the hyll did smoke and semed to be moued So is this alwayes the propretie of the law when it worketh effectuously in the hearte to terrifie and feare and to dryue a man to desperation so that in the hearte there remayneth no deuice to escape that daunger And surely for a man to know what God requireth and to feele and perceaue that he hathe no power
manifest Idolatrie if he made inuocation to an Angel and asked blessynge of hym And by inuocation he sheweth that this Angell is true God and yet that his maner is not alwayes as it is of the inuisible God but that he shall come into the earth and take our fleshe on him and be offred for oure sins Wherof Christ in the newe Testament vseth a certain and sure kynd of speche the father that sent me And again as the father hath sent me In the Prophetes in Esaie he saith the Lord hath sent me that I might heale the contrite in hearte again The angel of his face hath saued them So Malachias calleth Christe the angell of the Testament So that by these two names God and an Angell two personnes are represented yet the substance is one and without differēce For he may be an Angell also and an eternal and true god He is called an Angell for his office and administration which he as the sonne hath of the father To the profe wherof do belong all the sentences in the whiche the Prophetes do make mention of the promised seede of the woman that he shall bryng blessyng vnto vs and that he shal begyn to set vp the eternall kyngdome and make satisfaction for our sinnes and geue vs euerlasting life For all these workes are suche as are agreable to no creature But only it is God that can do suche thynges And wheras suche workes be attribute to Christ as to a man in the prophetes it folowith therof that Christ is eternall and almighty god as Christ saith vnto Philippe Ioan. 14. If ye will not beleue that I am in the father and the father in me beleue it for the workes sake whiche I do So saith Esaias A childe is borne to vs and a Sonne is geuen to vs ▪ All men perceaue this plaine what it is that a childe is borne and a sonne geuen that that must nedes be spoken of a man which hath both a natural lyfe and bodie What doth the Prophete speake furthermore of suche a man And there shal be saith he no ende of the peace which he shal geue vpon the throne of Dauid and his kyngdome shall he syt from this time for euer And he doth expounde this peace that it shal be with iudgement and iustice this man shall forgeue synne and shall defend his people in all miseries succoure them against all ill And as the thinges before spoken doth declare that he is a true naturall man where he is called a sonne and borne a child So do these thinges proue his eternall kyngdome his iustice and his eternall defence of his that this man is also almightie and eternall God For how els could he haue eternal kyngdome and iustice And to this do belonge notable sentences that be euery where in the Prophetes wheras they geue euidentlye this name Iehoua to Christ Osee saith And after this shal the children of Israell returne and seke after the lord their god and Dauid their kynge shal tremble at the Lord and at his goodnes He hath by name made two distinct persons god and the kynge Dauid that is Christe whiche was promised to Dauid to syt on his seat for euer and yet he ioyneth after that Dauid and God together in one wheras he saith that the children of Israel shall seke God and Dauid For seing that Dauid is to be sought as god is that is seing he is to be honored with like trust with lyke glorie with like seruice worship either must this be manifest Idolatrie or els God and Dauid that is to say Christe the sonne of Dauid after the fleshe is one god as the Prophete a litle after do properly ioyne them in one when he saith they shal tremble at the Lord and at his goodnes So Christ him selfe applieth the 110. Psalme in the 22. of Mathew wheras he affirmeth this against the Phariseies that it is proued by this psalme that Christe is not only the sonne of Dauid but also the sonne of God that is god eternal These testimonies and suche other are diligently to be considered and marked that we may withstande the deuil and all heresies And as we haue heard hitherto the testimonials of the sonne of god our sauiour Christ So wyl we consider see the testimonies of the holy ghost both that he is very God also a distincte person that is he is neither the father neither the sonne although he is in al pointes like the father the sonne so that our religion is plaine and certaine for as much as we worship but one God almightie and not three gods as the Iewes and Turkes do slander vs. And yet because we wil not despise the difference of persōs we holde that god the father god the son and god the holy ghost is but one God And here again shold we acknoledge our felicitie before god that with thankes geuing that in such hard articles we haue suche notable plaine excellent testimonies in the holye scriptures wherby we may stablishe our heartes leane therto strongly against the deuill all the worlde We haue no nede of mās record But Christ himselfe doth testifie and teache very plainely that the holy spirit is eternal almightie god Or els he wold not haue put forth his commādemēt as concerning baptisme on such wise the baptisme shold be done in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost But for as much as the cōmandement is such in expresse wordes it must nedes folow that the holy ghost is the true eternal god of lyke power might with the father the son eternally without beginning Or els Christ in this worke wherin cōsisteth remissiō of sin life euerlasting wold not haue set him equal with himselfe the father So Christ also saith And I wil pray my father he shal send another cōforter vnto you to bide with you for euer euen the spirit of trueth whō the world cā not receaue because he seeth him not neither knoweth him Marke diligētly this sentēce For here shalte thou se a very good plaine differēce of the thre persōs I saith he wil aske my father here hast thou two persons Christ the son which asketh the father which is asked to send an other cōforter If this cōforter be to be sent frō the father it cā not be that the father is the cōforter And christ which asketh the father for this cōforter can not be the cōforter himselfe So that this is a proper distinctiō of the three persons which can be scoffed out by no meanes as the father the son are two distinct persons so the holy ghost the third person is an other person by himselfe then is the person of the father or of the sonne yet is there but one eternall god But what is this third person Christ
doth declare Weras he saith whē the conforter cōmeth whō I will send the spirit of truth y◠which procedeth frō the father he shall testifie of me And Christ here doth not onely speake of the office of the holy ghost but also of the substāce of the holy ghost wheras he saith that he procedeth which is as much to say as his proceding is eternal wtout beginnīg For the father frō whō the holy ghost procedeth is without beginning wherfore the Prophet cal hym by a proper name the spirit of the Lorde as ye heard on whitsonday wheras Peter allegeth the saying of Iohel which sayth thus And it shal come to passe in the latter dayes saith the Lord I will shed out of my spirit vpon all fleshe and your sonnes and daughters shal prophecie Marke this worde attentiuely wher God saith I will shed out of my spirit For ther can be els nothing in god that is not eternal almighty holy wife good and perpetuall as he is hymselfe This sentence and many suche other as concerning the holy ghost were the very same wherwith the holy fathers dyd defend this article against the deuil and the worlde and hath maintained it vnto our time that we beleue onely in one god and do confesse furthermore that this one god is god the father god the sōne and god the holy ghost eternally It is not as the heretikes saye and triflingly imagin that these three names do signifie but one person whiche hath diuerslye shewed forth their selues at diuers times If they are troubled with this article because it seme absurde to reason what is that to me For if a man myght reason in this matrer surely I coulde do that and not all of the worste ye and perchaunce better then any Iewe or Turke can But I count this thinge as the greate benefite of god that I do not dispute of this article whether it be true and agreable to reason but wheras I see that it is so plainly set forth in scripture and hath suche a sure fundation I beleue god more than my owne reason neither do I any thinge care howe this shoulde be true that ther is but one substance three persons in one substance For we go not about here to shewe whether the trueth may be cōcluded by a forme of reason but whether this be certayne by the worde of god If the word of god holdeth with thee care for no more It wil not deceaue thee Wher as the word then is certaine and euident as it is proued and this article is maintained of the holy fathers with suche constancie and power stycke thou also surelye therto and dispute not muche how the father the sonne and the holy ghost maye be one god Thou canst not know precisely what is the cause of laughing in the face neither what is the cause of the sight of the eyes that they see a thing so farre of And also when thou slepest wherof it commeth that as muche as belongeth to the bodie thou art deade yet a lyue We can not know a very litle thing of our owne reason yet we presume to go vp into heauē to searche comprehend god in his maiestie with our reason Why do we not first begin to serche our selues after that sorte first learne to know wher lyeth the operation of our senses when we slepe Ther might we dispute without perill But in this article there is great peril And here we must stycke surely simplely to the worde which sayth of Christ that he is the image of the father and his first begotten before al creatures that is he is no creature but eternall god as there are many testimonies in Iohn All thinges are geuen to me from my father he that seeth me seeth my father Doste thou not beleue that I am in the father and the father is in me There is no place for cauillations in this thyng God hath spoken and sayd that ther is no difference betwene the father and the sonne then in that the sonne is begotten of the father But how this sholde be done how this eternall generation shold be we can not know only know we this that as the scripture sayth he is the first begotten before all creatures and the image of the inuisible god in nature So doth scripture also teache of the third person euen of the holye Ghost which is called the spirit of God And as it is taught before he procedeth from the father that is he hath his substance of the father so that ther is no part of godhed wisdom veritie power in the father whiche is not also in the holy Ghoste But how this cōmeth to passe I can not expresse for it can not be by reason comprehended and it is aboue all angels and creatures Wherfore we must thynke and beleue no further of this than is declared in scripture but to the wordes therof we may surely sticke But to know that perfectly is a thynge not belōging to this lyfe but vnto the lyfe to come Wherfore we must differre the vnderstandyng of these and not dispute theron but beleue plainelye and simplye whatsoeuer the scripture affirmeth of this matter This article is very well set forth in the articles of faith And firste of all this is euident and agreed vpon amongest all men that we are not the first inuenters of this article Neither are the holy fathers the authors therof But they collected it out of the writynges of the Apostles and Prophetes very shortly and compendiouslye euen as bees of many floures gather honye Here first we saye I beleue in God the father This is the first person in the godhed And these are his proper workes in that he his omnipotent and the creatour which made all thinges preserueth all thinges vnto this time In this worke is the father described After that we say And I beleue furthermore in one person which is also god For we must beleue in none els but in only god What is the name of this person His only begotten son Iesus Christ. So hath al christiā men prayed beleued now more thā a thousand v. hundred yeres Yea rather frō the first beginning of the worlde Although this article hath not at al times so plainlye ben forth but hath ben taught at diuers times after diuers sortes For frō the time of Adā vnto Abrahā the son of god was called the sede of the woman After that was it named the sede of Abrahā of Iacob of Dauid so forth And al this is but that onely man Iesus Christ Yea the angels also are called the sonnes of god so are al godli mē are so in dede but neither is there Angell nor any other godly man whiche may be called the only begotten Wherfore only this Christ is so begotten of the father as the sonne to whome he hath none like nother in the angel nother in creatures
euery man so consider his neyghbour when he doth hym good that god may take it as done vnto hymselfe Then is ther nothyng in the worlde so vile base with which God may not be serued The seruant in the stable The mayde in the dayrie or kitchyn the child in the schole yea all shoulde be the Lordes seruantes and worshippers if they woulde do that diligently that God commande So shoulde houses be made churches where as nothyng is kepte but gods seruice But no man caÌ„ be persuaded to care for this No man will serue his neyghbour All men endeuer to serue them selues to seke their owne commoditie Wherfore euen as by doing good to our neyghbour we may worke a thing acceptable to god So the world doth alway gratifie and please the deuill in that it regard not Charitie toward his neyghbour But the ende therof will be sorowfull For how can this please God wher as god hath ordayned his seruice to be done so nigh that with out in the felde within in the house whersoeuer thou doest the workes of thy vocation thou art occupied as it were in an holy temple wher moste acceptable seruice may be done to god And yet we regard it not but despise it and had rather serue the deuil than hym Wherfore learne this that he that geueth a benefite to his neyghbour doth it not only to his neyghbour but to his heauenly father also For there is a sayinge in this place that God will take this to be done vnto him euen as though it were done to hym in heauen For els woulde not Christ haue sayde The second is lyke the first He that can not be brought into this beleife that he maye do heauenly thynges in the earth and that he may fynde euery where a temple let hym get hym to the deuill For euen as thou mayest make thee here a Paradise and an heauen when thou doest good to thy neyghboure for therin thou doest good to God whiche is in heauen so when thou doest not good to thy neyghboure thou makest a hell and damnation for thy selfe For thou doest gratifie the deuill whiche is appointed to hell Neither doth it skyll if thou doest not yet see it and fele it For the tyme shall come when thou shall both fele it and see it when thou shalte accuse thy selfe for thy stubburnes and great folye Wherfore it were very necessarie for vs to learne to exercise oure selues to doe good vnto our neyghbours For all thynges are geuen to vs from god to this entent hole and perfect senses riches vnderstandynge and suche other that we myght therby obey this commaundement and do to hym this seruice And as this doctrine as concernynge loue of GOD and our neyghbour belongeth to this present lyfe So the second doctrine whiche teacheth whose sonne Christe is doth teache vs howe we maye obtaine an other euerlastynge lyfe after this lyfe For we shall not obtayne euerlastynge lyfe by this if we knowe howe GOD and oure neyghbour ought to beloued of vs althoughe we begyne to performe this in dede with all diligence as the Phariseyes dyd suppose whiche thought that if they had Moses they neded no more But Christ sheweth here that this preuayleth not vnto the obtayninge of euerlastyng lyfe We must clyme and ascend to a hyer steppe and learne perfectly what is Christ and whose sonne he is The Phariseâ—es knewe that he should be the son of Dauid But Christe requireth more in this place The reason is this For if Christe were no more but the sonne of Dauid he must nedes die as Dauid dyd and should he haue only a corporal kyngdome But Christ hath an eternall kyngdome And Dauid his father calleth hym father in spirite Howe doth this agree that Christ should be both Dauides sonne and Lorde This is a question to the whiche the Phariseyes can make no answer neither can any of the Iewes at this present time answere therto In this question is nothing beloÌ„ging to thy neighbour to charitie to good workes But this is intented euen to teache vs to know what Christ is He that learneth yâ— can not wander froÌ„ the kyngdom of heauen and euerlasting life For it is not sufficient to euerlasting lyfe to know the law what is to be don The reason is this Because that also is required that it should be done Which thing is wont to procede very slowly Wherfore this is of necessitie required euen to know perfectly what CHRIST is Wherfore Christ doth so put forth the question and byddeth them to make answere whose sonne Christe is which after the flesh was Dauids sonne But for as muche as Dauid calleth him not son but his Lord yea and such a Lord that sitteth at the right hande of god to whoÌ„ god wil make all his enemies his footstoole By this questioÌ„ Christ mindeth to stirre vp the Iewes and all vs to haue a more hygher iudgement of Christ to beholde him with other maner of eyes than with suche as see hym only to be the son of Dauid For he is Dauids Lorde also that is he is not only a man but also very God borne eternallie out of the father Or els would not Dauid haue called him Lorde if he had not ben more then a man and if he had only byn Dauids sonne For Dauid was an excellent holy man and a most learned Kyng and yet he calleth Christ which is his sonne lorde As though he should say and openly confesse-My son passeth me farre I am a Kyng and beare the name of his father but yet he is my lord and such a Lord that sitteth at the right hand of God and by gods commandement beareth rule ouer all his enemies For wher as he is a man it is easie to iudge what maner of enemies he hath euen the deuill death as Paule gathereth out of this very psalme If the deuill then death ought to be made a footestoole to this sonne of Dauid that he might be their Lord this must nedes folowe that a godly power is in this sonne of Dauid For without this vertue he coulde do nothyng against death and the deuill no more then other men can By this meanes than doth Christ bringe vs to the true meaning declaring the way to euerlasting lyfe The law is a most profitable necessary doctrine For it sheweth what we ought to do to please God to serue him to escape yâ— punishement of sinne But this doctrine belongeth only to this present lyfe But for as much as after this life we must come to an other lyfe which is euerlastynge the doctrine of the lawe preuayleth nothing ther vnto The reason is There can be no hope of lyfe excepte we be whollie ridde and deliuered froÌ„ sinne And although the law be geuen to this ende that sinne might be restrained yet synnes be not therby layde a syde Wherfore we haue nede of an other
A new Postil Conteinyng most Godly and learned sermons vpon all the Sonday Gospelles that be redde in the Church thorowout the yeare Lately set foorth vnto the great profite not onely of al Curates and spirituall Ministers but also of all other godly and Faythfull Readers Perused and allowed accordyng to the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions Imprinted at London in Fletestrete nere to S. Dunstons church by Thomas Marshe M. D. LXVI Certayne Sentences of holy Scripture Esai lii Rom. x. O Howe beautiful are the feete of them which bryng the gladde tydynges of peace and shewe the good and ioyefull newes of our saluation Esai lv LIke as the rayne and snowe commeth downe from heauen and returneth not thither agayn but watereth the earth maketh it fruitful and grene that it may geue corne to the sower and bread to the eater so the worde also that commeth out of my mouthe shall not turne agayn voyde vnto me but shall accomplishe my wille and prosper in them vnto whome I sende it Hieremie xxiii WHat hath chaffe and wheate to doo together sayth the Lord Is not my worde like a fyre sayth the Lord And like an hammer that breaketh the harde stone Psalm Cvii HE sent his worde and healed them and they were saued from theyr destruction Sapien. xvi IT is neyther herbe nor playster that restored them to health but thy word O Lord which healeth all things Iohn xv NOw are ye cleane thorowe the worde that I haue spoken vnto you Rom. i. I Am not ashamed of the gospel of Christe because it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth Heb. 4. THe woorde of God is quicke and myghtie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth thorough euen vnto the deuidyng asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marye TO HIS FAITHFVLL FELOVV Labourers in the Lordes haruest ▪ the Ministers and Preachers of Gods most holy word THOMAS BECON wisheth the spirite of knowledge of strength and of constancie vnto the end from God the Father thorowe IESVS CHRIST our Lorde ALBEIT Moste deare Brethren GOD hath aboue all other mortall creatures greately garnished mankynds with diuers and manifold benefites yet I knowe not his sonne CHRIST onely excepted if he hath bestowed vppon vs Christians a more noble and more excellent gyfte then the gift of his most blessed and holy worde For as concerning the gyftes of Nature and the treasures of this worlde the Turke the Sarazen the Iewe the Infidell haue them common with the Christians yea for the moste parte the godlesse and wicked haue them more abundauntly then the godly and faythfull as not only examples in all ages both of diuine and prophane writers do euidently shewe but very experience also in these our dayes proueth it most certain and true Wisedome eloquence strength beautie fauour richesse honor fame promotions dignities welth lyuynges and what soeuer besydes the madde dotyng foolyshe and wicked worldlynges haue in moste hygh admiration are transitorie and not long endure more vayne then smoke more brittle then glasse more inconstant then wynde more flittyng then shadow But the worde of God abydeth for euer and euer euen from generation to generation and neuer leaueth the embracers therof vntil it hath safely brought them vnto the heauenly hauen of most fortunate felicitie and ioyfully placed them in that most ioyfull and celestiall Hierusalem the citie of the lyuyng God where IESVS the mediator of the new Testament where also an innumerable syght of angels a great congregation of the fyrst borne sonnes and the spirites of iuste and perfect men rule reigne and triumph in all ioy pleasure and glory And in the meane season while we liue in this worlde who is able to expresse howe noble and notable cōmodities the word of god bryngeth vnto vs Heauen and earthe yelde not suche multitudes of necessary fruictes for the sustentātion and safegard of this our vile wretched mortall and corruptible bodye as the word of God bringeth foorth for the healthe and saluation for the righteous making and glorification of our soul. Is not the word of God the same to the soule that meat is to the body Is not the knowledge of Gods word to the mynde that the syght of the eie is to the outward man Can the body endure the life beyng taken away No more can the soule continue in saulfe estate if the worde of God be drawen from it Where there is no knowledge of Gods worde saith the wyse man there is no goodnesse for the soule Agayn Uayn and thynges of nought are all those men in whome there is no knowledge of GOD. This is euerlastyng lyfe sayth Christ vnto his heauenly Father euen to knowe thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou haste sent To knowe thee O our God is perfect righteousnesse saieth the wyse man yea to know thy ryghteousnes and power is the roote of immortalitie Are not these the wordes of God by the Prophete Ieremye Lette not the wise man reioyce in his wysedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the riche man in his ryches but who soeuer wyl reioyce lette hym reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth knoweth me for I am the Lorde whiche doo mercy equitie and righteousnes vpon the earth The blessed apostle S. Paule before his conuersion vnto the Christen fayth was a great clerk and excellently learned not onely in the law of Moses and in the bokes of the Prophetes but also in all kynd of liberall sciences so that in knowledge he farre excelled the residue of the apostels yet writyng to the Corinthians he bosteth not hym selfe of this his vniuersall knowledge but he onely glorieth in this that he knoweth Christ. Thys was his delyghte his confort his plesure his ioy I brethren saith he when I came vnto you came not in gloriousnes of wordes or of wysedom shewing vnto you the testimonie of God Neither shewed I my self that I knew any thyng among you saue Iesus Christ euen the same that was crucified And in his epistle to the Philippians he coūteth al things in comparison of the knowledge of Christ vile base and nothyng worth Howe oftentymes in his epistles wysheth he that suche as he writeth vnto may be fulfylled with the knowledge of God in all wysedome and spiritual vnderstanding that they may increase in the same daily more more Let the word of Christ saieth he dwell in you plenteously with al wisedom This knowledge of God and of his sonne Christ Iesu abundātly suffiseth vnto the sanctification saluation of all faithfull christians as God saieth by the Prophet By the knowledge of him which is my rightous seruāt he shal iustify the multitude And without this knowledge al other knowledges sciences are nothing worth not onely not profitable but also wicked damnable as it is writtē
The wisedom of this world is foolishnes before God Again The wisdom that descendeth not from aboue is earthy naturall deuillish For this cause the holy apostle termed the great learned wise Gentiles which stode much in their owne conceite thought them selues to knowe all things fooles and vnwise Their foolish heart saith he was blynded in so much that whē they counted themselues wise they became fooles In consideration wherof if was wel said of that great lerned philosopher Socrates which notwithstanding by the oracle of Apollo was iudged of all men the wisest and best lerned This one thing I know saieth he that I knowe nothynge Uerily although a man know all natural morall thynges with the documentes therof and whatsoeuer other doctrine science or knowledge can be reckned vp besides so that in his one brest there is conteined whatsoeuer knowledge hath ben found in the breastes of all naturall men from the beginnynge of the worlde vnto this day or shal be vnto the end of the same yet yf he knowe not Christ he knoweth nothyng Notable is this Distichon and worthy for euer to be remembred Hoc est nescire sine Christo plurima scire Si Christum benescis satis est ▪ si caetera nescis Whiche is thus englished This is doubtlesse to know nothyng at all Without Christ many thyngs to know and see If thou know Christ well as it thee befall Thou nedest no more it is inough for thee But this knowledge of God and of his sonne Christ can we by no meanes obteyn but by the word of God only as our Sauior Christ saith Serche the Scriptures for in them ye think that ye haue eternal life and they ar they which testifie of me And as Abraham sayd to the riche man beyng in the tormentes of hell fyre They haue Moses and the prophets let them hear them Agayn as the Euangelist S. Iohn writeth No mā hath sene God at any tyme. The only begotten sonne whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared hym This word therfore is diligently bothe day and nyght to be read heard considered weighed and pondered Yea our whole delight and pleasure is to be reposed in it that we may truely vnfaynedly and from the very bottome of the heart say with the disciples vnto our Sauior Christ Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe And we beleue are sure that thou art Christ the son of the liuing God And also with the Psalmograph on this maner I haue had O Lorde as great delyght in the waie of thy testimonies as in all maner of rychesse For thy testimonies are my delight and my councellers The lawe of thy mouthe is derer vnto me then thousandes of golde and siluer For I loue thy commandementes aboue gold and precious stone And I am as glad of thy word as one that fyndeth great spoyles O how swete are thy wordes vnto my throte They are sweeter then honye vnto my mouth They are more to be desyred then gold yea then much fyne golde sweter also then the hony combe The woordes of the Lord are pure wordes euen as the syluer whiche frome earth is tried and purifyed seuen tymes in the fyre c. Moreouer thys worde of God is that hydde treasure in the fielde whyche whenne a manne hathe founde euen for verye ioye thereof he goeth and selleth all that he hathe and bieth the field Yea it is that precious pearle whiche when a merchant man by long sekyng hath ones found he selleth all that euer he hath and byeth it It is that swearde for byenge wherof Christe commandeth vs to sell our very cote signifieng hereby that aboue all thynges the worde of God and the knowledge therof is to be gotten as he saith in an other place Seke fyrst of all the kyngdome of God and the ryghteousnes therof And as he sayd to Martha which was busyly occupied about housholde businesses and preparynge for meate for the body her sister Mary sittyng at Christes feete hearynge his worde and doctrine Martha Martha sayd he Thou art carefull and troubled about many thynges Uerily one is nedeful Mary hath chosen the good part whiche shall not be taken away from her It is that meate which perisheth not but abydeth vnto euerlastynge lyfe Yea it is that heauenly Manna whych that princelike Prophete and moste counnyng musitian Dauid the Psalmograph calleth the bread of Angels and the wyse man termeth it not only the foode of Angels but also suche a meate as was very pleasant and of good taste It is that rock and fountayn of liuyng water wherof who soeuer drinketh shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that he shall drinke shal be in hym a well of water springyng vp into euerlastynge life It is that piller of fyre which geueth lighte to them that walke in darknes and syt in the shadow of death to guyde theyr fete into the way of peace as Dauid saithe Thy worde O Lorde is a lanterne to my feete and a lyght to my pathwaies And Salomon saith The commandement is a lanterne and the lawe a light yea it is the waye of life Likewise saith S. Peter We haue a right sure word of prophecie whervnto if ye take heede as vnto a lighte that shyneth in a darke place ye do well ▪ vntill the day dawne and the day starre aryse in your heartes To ende it is the power of God vnto saluation for so many as beleue Furthermore who is able to expresse what a ioyfull iewell precious pearle incomparable ouche and moste noble tresure the worde of God shall be founde if we in fewe wordes consider the commodities fruictes and profites that come thereof It turneth soules saieth Dauid It maketh of an vnfaithfull man a faithfull beleuer as the Apostle saieth Faith cōmeth by hearyng and hearing commeth by the word of God It maketh of an Idolater a true worshipper of God as the Psalmograph saieth The people whome I knewe not hathe serued me in the hering of the eare they haue ben obedient vnto me It maketh of a sinner a righteous person as we reade of Noha Loth Moyses Dauid Manasses Zachee Peter the thiefe Mary Magdalene c. It conuerteth synners and maketh them to be sory for theyr former wycked lyfe and to become newe creatures as God saieth by the Prophete Ieremie Loke that thou kepe not the worde backe if peraduenture they will herken and turne euery man from his wicked way Likewise said the Angell of Iohn Baptist to his father Zacharie the priest concernyng his preachyng He shall turne many of the sonnes of Israell vnto the Lorde their God And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Helias to turne the herts of the fathers to the children the vnbeleuers to the wisdome of the iust mē to make
may be geuen to the diuell and to the world I truely wyll not caste away my ioy for thy sake neither doo I regard muche thy displeasure Away from me I haue more pleasure and delite of Christe then thou canst worke me sorowe Suche a mynde dothe the angelles wyshe vs in this verse The dyuels songe is cleane contrarye wherein GOD is blasphemed and cursed where slaughter is commytted and all thynges so ordered that all thynges are defyled with care and sorowe and moste myserable calamytie And to the furtheraunce hereof doo the Secte maysters bestowe all theyr laboure and dylygence They are the dyuelles mouthe they banne God in heauen they sette Prynces at varyaunce and discorde they thynke nothynge of Amitie and Peace they feyne good wylle in syghte but priuilye they entende myschiefe by moste subtyll deuyses Thys pleaseth me wel saith the diuell And it is thys Glory be to the dyuell in hell and sedition in earth and amongest menne a desperate mynde and full of all care and whote blastynge myserye And manye are founde to be of suche a mynde which hath store of all goodes were it not for thys that theyr myndes are possessed with vexation and diuers torments and grypinges It helpeth them nothyng although they be in the myddle of all pleasure This doth the diuel wish to al his that gods gifts may be vnfruitful vnto them But the Angels songe is contrarie They wyshe a bold and couragious heart that is as vnmouable as the Marpese rocke and that glorieth agaynst all stormes of temptation most bitter tribulation This is the song of the angell that is found in no other bokes For it was not made amongst mē in earth but sēt down frō heauē Our God with his holy spirite help vs that we may holde it faste and fulfyll it in dede thorough Iesus Christ his sonne and our Lorde Amen The fourthe Sermon as concernyng the hystorie of Mary and the Shepheardes THus farr in the hystorie haue we proceded and taught how God sent his angels euē that great Princes to preach vnto two or thre shepheards The which were not only a few but also were rude people to sing vnto them the ioyfull verse as touchyng the chyld Iesus after the whiche nowe foloweth this hystorie And it came to passe that when the angels departed from them into heauen that they sayde one to an other c. BY this dothe it appere that the sermon and song of the angels was not vnfruitfull For the shepherds set not so much by theyr flocke but that they take their iorney to the child whom the Angel called their Lord. And this is one fruite that spronge of the Angels sermon An other is that the very shepheardes are made preachers and shewe to other men all that they heard of this chylde And the Euangelist saieth all that herd these thinges that were declared by the shepheards meruailed But this admiration continued not long with the greater sorte For this thing dothe testifie that such men are belongyng vnto the kyngdome of God that can not kepe long in mynde neither Gods mercye nor wrathe neyther his punyshemente nor benefites So wycked is mans mynde that it quickly forgetteth the examples of God shewed vnto vs and therby prouoketh God always to shew new examples by signes and plagues that he may not vtterly falle out of oure remembrance And so is it to be taken wheras the Euangelist saith All that heard merueiled so that this communication and talke was of no longe cōtinuance but endured only a few monethes how that a childe was borne in Bethleem for whome the Angels triumphed in the ayre for whome wyse men came from the easte to grete and worshippe him But after one or two yeares al this was cleane out of memorie and after that no man cared for it and wheras after thyrtie yeares CHRIST began to come abrode by teaching and doing miracles no man called to remēbrance these fyrst things And we verily are not much better than they For a man may scarsly finde one amōgest a thousand that remembreth the miseries and in especiall that great calamity vnder the which the doctrine and worshipping of God lay oppressed in the Popedome In all places was there tormēting of cōscience no where confort The Iewes were in lyke case Ther was no measure nor ende of complayning and lamenting when they were vexed in Egypte They had scarsely bene foure dayes in the desert after their deliuerāce but they desired to retourne into Egypte being mindefull of their old state Suche is the vnstablenes and vnconstancie of mannes mynde It forgetteth almost in a moment greuouse punishements howe should it long remēber a benefyte And in this case can not the prouerbe seme vntrue Nothing is so sone out worne as the remembrance of a good turne Although GOD sheweth examples of his wrathe by sendinge sycknes and such other euyls yet there commeth no more profit therby than if he should wash a tyle on a howse When there is grefe and payne in the body we are somwhat moued but assone as that is at an ende all is quite forgotten And this it is in all thyngs This is the meaning of the Euāgelist wheras he saith Men dyd meruaile But this meruaile had no longe continuance Yet there were some diligēt disciples to obserue this matter Certayne of great grauitie were there which set not lyghtly by all these thyngs as the world doth For the Euangeliste saith moreouer Mary kepte all these sayings and pondered them in her heart And this is nowe an example how the worde of GOD is truely to be hearde She pondreth it in her hearte and hath diligent meditation theron As they do that kepe Gods word diligently serchyng and puttyng it in practise Suche are dayly encreased more and more in vnderstandinge and surely confirmed It chanceth not so with the negligent which receaue with the one eare and forget with the other Whatsoeuer is put in them it fyndeth no more place of abyding then water doth in a botomles barrell But Mary doth otherwyse she kepeth pōdereth it in her heart She perceaueth that it belongeth vnto her wherefore she prynteth it in her mynde she pondereth it and bestoweth great studie in so great a matter howe it could come to passe that she should be called the mother of this chylde whom the Angels called Lord and as concerning whom they preache so magnificētly And after this sort did these thoughts caste so depe rootes in her heart that if all the worlde had afterward spoken agaynst this matter yet she could not be persuaded to thinke otherwyse But she was very certainly assured herof that her sonne was the sonne of GOD and the sauiour of the worlde The word of God wold haue it selfe so familiar vnto vs that it might by custome be turned in to oure nature As it is in the Balad of Ballades .8 Put me as a token of remembrance
sermon Galat. iiii WHen the tyme was ful come God sent hys son made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them whiche were bonde vnto the lawe that we thorowe election myght receaue the inheritaunce that belongethe vnto the naturall sonnes Because ye are sonnes God hathe sente the spirite of hys sonne into our heartes cryeng Abba deare Father Wherfore nowe thou arte not a seruaunt but a sonne If thou be a sonne thou arte also an heyer of God thorowe Christe THE EXPOSITION THis daye are they wont to preache of two matters First of Circumcision Then of the name Iesu. The which thynge the Euangelist doth especially notifie for that it was prophecied of before that the childe was conceaued in his mothers wōbe Wherfore the vertue of this name is hereby greatly aduāced And for asmuche as we intende to make the doctrine of circuncision plaine this difference is in especial to be marked that it consisteth not in the thing but in the persons For if we consider the thynge there is great differēce betwene the circūcision of the Iewes and of Christ. And that because the person of Christ is fare vnlyke the person of the Iewes The beginninge of circumcision is declared in the bible in the firste booke of Moyses it hath also an appointed ende to the whiche it shall endure that is euen vnto CHRIST Abraham is the principall ground of all the matter to whome GOD gaue commandement to circumcise hymselfe and all that were in his housholde And also whatsoeuer of the male kynde was borne it shoulde be circumcised the eyght daye after theyr byrth They therfore that came with suche a signe in theyr bodye had God their protectour and Sauiour as GOD promised he woulde be This was not appointed of GOD for nothynge are for a litle cause that not onely Abraham but also all in his familie and whatsoeuer of the male kynde was borne shoulde be subiect to Circumcision that not onelye the Iewes myghte boste them selfe to be the people of GOD. For he receaueth the seruaunts of Abraham whiche were Gentiles to be of his people and sonnes and to haue righte of inheritaunce whiche was appointed to Abraham and to his seede And these dyd obtayne it before Isaac to the whiche neuerthelesse afterwarde the promesse was ioyned where as yet these bought seruauntes were of the Gentyles Wherfore the Iewes haue not the cheife occasion to boste of this For although they extolle circumcision very muche yet this they can not denye that GOD hath called vnto it the Gentyls whiche are not the sonnes of Abraham but boughte seruauntes As touchinge this Circumcision there is nothynge els lefte for vs but the type and fygure of fayth As it is also as touchynge the other hystories paste whiche onelye profyte vs in this that we maye take therof examples of fayth and true godlynes We are not bounde to ceremonies yet haue we nede of suche obedience and suche fayth as theirs was than whiche lyued vnder suche ceremonies Wherefore the doctrine of Circumcision is not put foorth to the intent that we should be Circumcised For thys ceremonie is disanulled but that we by the rehersall therof shoulde remember to shewe obedience to GOD as Abraham shewed Yf CHRIST hade not come Circumcision shoulde haue ben necessarie euen at this tyme for vs if so be we woulde be of the people of God For the condition is straight and without exception he that is not circumcised his soule must be exempt out of the people of God Wherefore the example that we take of the olde Circumcision is this That GOD in this Image declareth vnto vs how contrarie to reason he worketh and commandeth if a man vse the iudgement of reason For amongest the proud Gentyls it semed a thynge to be laughed at that GOD which is so wise shoulde set foorth suche a mad precepte wherof is made mention in preachynge contrary to the lawe of shamfastnes honestie and chastitie and especiallye when they be aged that are commanded so to do For Abraham at that tyme was fowre score and nintyne yeres olde And herof riseth contumelious names so that the Iewes were named Recutiti and Appelles among the Gentyls that is to saye men whose skynne is growen againe or men without skynne But this is the true cause therof as it was sayde in the Gospell nexte before whatsoeuer is of GOD put foorth it is done with such a fashion that all men laughthe it to scorne no man aloweth it but all testeth vpon it as though it were olde wyues fables And contrarie looke whatsoeuer he commandeth not but is of our owne imagination this do we require to be acceptable vnto hym This woulde we haue obserued for an euerlastynge lawe But this can neuer be alowed of GOD. And herof springeth the cause of a greate offence As Paule saith After that in the wisedome of GOD the worlde knewe not God by wisedom it pleased God to saue them that beleue by folishnes of preachynge What maye be more against reason then that bread the body of Christ and the cuppe the bloud of Christe is receaued for the remission of synne Howe shoulde a lytle bread and wine worke suche and so a greate thynge This thynketh reason neyther can it thynke anye otherwise But GOD therfore purposeth not to change this Yf reason doth not beleue nor alow it gods cause is neuer the worse for that Lykewise also goeth it in baptisme Howe shoulde this seme proueable to reason that if the child be washed with a lytle water that therby he is purged from his sinnes and translated out of the kyngdome of the deuil into the kyngdome of God In dede it might stand wel with reason that synne shold be washed awaye with water if sinne were a spote but for asmuche as sin is fastened in the minde bones and in the inermost parte of the body it is not agreable to reason that water shoulde perse so far and washe it awaye But nowe consider well Circumcision Mighte not Abraham by lyke reason alleage for himselfe to refuse it What doth this profit me to saluation that I am Circumcised in mine age what good doth this to a child or what profit at all doth a man take by Circumcision If God would haue the bodye changed he mighte haue made it so at the beginnynge that it shold nede nothing to be cut frō it If reason had ben taken to councell at that time it wold haue sayd euen so neither doth it thinke any otherwise now a dayes when it proueth her wisedom But it is to be learned in this place that whensoeuer question is moued why god shold geue such commandement the deuill hath the vpper hand As the exāple of Eue in paradise doth shew Cōmādement was geuē that they shold not eat of the tree But whan she began to regarde litle the commandement and hard the deuill reasonynge why God made suche a
Iordan vnto Iohn to be baptised of hym But Iohn forbad him saying I ought to be baptised of thee and comest thou to me Iesus answeryng sayd to hym Let it be so nowe For thus it becometh vs to fulfyll all righteousnes Then he suffred him And Iesus as soone as he was baptised came straight oute of the water And loe heauen was open vnto hym and Iohn sawe the spirite of God descendynge lyke a doue and lightyng vpon hym And loe there came a voyce from heauen saying This is my beloued son in whom I am welpleased THE EXPOSITION OF the feast of the Epiphanie haue we intreated how that it hath his name of this that Christ opened hymselfe not onely by the starre but also at Iordan where hee was baptised But forasmuche as this reuelation is the greatest and chiefest and most comfortable vnto vs it should not be against reason if it wer called the feast of Christ baptised and opened at Iordan when he was thirtie yeares old The Euangelist dothe shew the hystorie playnly That he moued from Galile and came to Iohn vnto Iordan to be baptised of hym as other synners were whiche knew their synne and desired remissiō of them Iohn is troubled with this strange case For he knew Christ from his childhode And he thinketh him self not worthye to baptise hym But Christ saith suffer me this must be done that all righteousnes may be fulfilled that is that he may bring it to passe that all miserable synners may come to righteousnes and be saued Wherfore herein is now set forth a confortable example vnto vs wheras the sonne of God offered him self to be baptised which neuerthelesse synned not and doth that that he was not bounde to doe wheras we do not that that we are boūde to do And it is farre vnlyke that we should do more than oure duetie when we through oure wickednes are very farre from that that we shoulde do Wherfore this ought especially to be marked in this place that Christ the sonne of God whiche is holyer then al baptisme is notwithstanding baptised gaue commandement that baptisme should be kepte in the congregation and that al that wold be saued should be baptised And by this is it now euident that al men are damnable and accursed and stryken with madnes and blindnes of God for a punishemēt which can not intreat and obtayne so much of their eyes and eares as to marke what is done in this matter but contēne and dispraise baptisme and speake vilanously therof For why doste thou and thy childern refuse baptisme seing the sonne of God receaued it what great madnes or what great furie is this in the that thou shouldest denye suche a great worke Doth not baptisme seme worthye of great renoume for this cause if it were profitable for nothing els that this so great a mā vsed it wher as this is euident that he is the sonne of God came to baptisme that thou sholdest come to baptisme for the renoume therof if thou hadst no other cōmoditie therby But this matter is not without oure profyte For what good it doth vnto vs it appeareth in this wher as God by this baptisme sheweth foorth hym selfe wholye For as the Euangelist beareth witnes Iohn sawe the heauens open Whiche is a signe that God is delighted with baptisme whiche Christ hym selfe the Sonne of God sanctifieth with his body Wherfore heauen is opened which was shut vp before and now aboue the baptisme of Christ is the gate and windowe of heauen made wyde open so that from henceforth there is no distance betwene vs and God bycause GOD is now fallen downe vnto Iordane What is a reuelation then if this be none Wherfore if the feast of Epiphanie that is of reueling and appearing be requisite why is not this constitute and appointed wheras so playne a manifestation and opening of the Father of the Sonne and of the holye Ghost is sette foorth For the holy Ghost procedeth here after a moste gentle sight as a symple doue whiche amongest all byrdes is moste tame and is affirmed to be voyde of all wrathe To the entent that we might conceaue hereby a sure token that the holy Ghost will declare no crueltye towarde vs but bestowe that on vs thorough Christ wherby we may be iustified and saued And for this cause is Christ also opened after suche a gentle sorte to be the Sonne of God and wher as he had no nede of baptisme for his owne behalf he is present therat and receaueth baptisme not only for an example but also for a sacramēt that his baptisme might profite vs also may cause vs to haue sure truste that God is mercifull vnto vs. Besyde this wheras the Father openeth hym self by a voyce This is my dearly beloued sonne in whom I am delighted This is an other maner of voyce then was shewed in the mount Sinay when the earth and hylles dyd shake the men that hearde it thought them self to be in danger of their lyfe He sheweth not now such a cruell voyce All things are full of swetnes humanitie And God doth almost pronounce with this saying on this wyse To you mortall men is this man put forth in baptisme If ye desyre to know him it is my dearely beloued sonne in whome is my chief and only pleasure Neither is there any cause why ye shoulde feare him He is set forth to you as naked without armour without all cruel sight And there is no cause why ye should feare me For I come not now with thunder lightninge with a horrible a dreadful trumpe as I came to the mount Sinay but all things are peaceable quiet calme For what spice of crueltye may here be The sonne of God which is innocent without synne standeth in Iordane receaueth baptisme The holy Ghost commeth with the meeke forme of a doue Besides this God sheweth forth a very humane and gentle voyce declaringe that he sendeth vnto vs no Apostle no Prophet no Angell but his Sonne in whome he may greatly delyght What greater recorde can ye haue at al to make vs to marke and obserue the sonne of God Sith it hath pleased God to geue this cōmendation that his sonne is with vs that all maye be sure of this moste certain tried will of God If they wil haue God merciful vnto them let them imbrace his sonne only from whom the Father can by no meanes turne his fauour for the sonnes sake all his must nede be accepted to the Father Wherfore let all men regard diligently this commandement that they heare him obey his precept For he had no nede of circumcision and baptisme bycause he was voyd of synne But the baptisme of Iohn was made of God for sinne that al that acknowlegde their synnes be sory for them desyer that they might be pardoned should go to baptisme thinke for a
was so ouercom that he sayd least this wydow shold alwaies be troublesom vnto me I wil reueÌ„ge her quarell so that she wil not trouble me hereafter And shold not god sayeth Christ reuenge his electe that crie vnto him day night yea though he differre them I say vnto you he will soone take vengeaÌ„ce As though he shold say prayer crying maketh god not to proloÌ„g or to differce the matter which els he wold padueÌ„ture do This is then the fruite of prayer euen to obtayne quickly that that shold otherwise comme slowlye yea rather ther to obtaine wher without prayer nothinge shold haue ben gotten Wherfore this example is not lightlie to be regardede because it admonisheth vs of a great matter that when we pray before God we be not ashamed but put foorth our request boldly after this sorte I am a synner I graunt yet therfore I count not my selfe in a desperat case Certaine thinges moue and prike my conscience But what than I count not what I am but how nedie I am And I thinke also that thou art redie to geue whatsoeuer shal be necessarie either for bodie or soule therfore wheÌ„ thou hast prayed and ben instante then will God answere thee as he dyd this blynd man what wilt thou that I do for thee loke vp thy faith hath saued thee For to praye an not to beleue is to mocke God Faith stayeth onely on this point that god is mercifull to vs for Christe his sonne sake and that therfore he heareth and defendeth vs reuengeth and deliuereth vs. The whiche thing Iesu Christ our sauiour graunte vs. Amen The fyrst Sonday in Lent The Gospell Math. iiii THen was Iesus ledde awaye of the spirite into wyldernesse to be tempted of the deuyll And when he had fasted xl dayes and fortye nightes he was at the last an hungred And when the tempter came to him he said if thou be the sonne of GOD commaunde that these stones be made bread But he answered and sayde it is wrytten man shall not lyue by bread only but by euery worde that proceadeth out of the mouth of God Then the Deuill taketh him vp into the holy Citie and setteth hym on a pinacle of the Temple and sayeth vnto him yf thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe headlong For it is written he shall geue his Angelles charge ouer thee and with theyr handes they shal holde thee vp least at any tyme thou dashe thy foote against a stone And Iesus sayde vnto hym it is written again Thou shalt not tempte the Lorde thy God Againe the Deuill taketh hym vp into an exceading hygh mountayne and shewed hym all the kyngdomes of the worlde and the glory of them and sayeth vnto hym all these wyll I geue thee if thou wylt fall downe and worship me Then sayeth Iesus vnto hym Auoyde Sathan for it is written Thou shalte worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue Then the Deuyll leaueth hym and beholde the Angelles came and ministred vnto hym THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell ye heare of the three temptations of Christ whiche chanced vnto hym forthwith after baptisme after that he had fasted fortye dayes and nightes in the desert or as the description of Luke sheweth these temptations coÌ„tinued day by day for the space of fortye dayes and fortye nightes so that with eche of them he wrasteled certaine dayes not peraduenture after that order as Mathew describeth This Gospell is very large of matter if it be applied to the bodye of the whole church whiche is alwayes tempted with hunger persecution heresies and at last also with the kyngdom of the worlde as Christ was But this meanyng is more meette to be entreated of in scholes then in congregations of the coÌ„mon people Wherfore it is coÌ„uenieÌ„t for you here first to learne that euery Christian assone as he is baptised ought to knowledge that he is ordained to fyght continuallye against the deuill and not to looke for any other state as longe as he liueth And this enemie is so eger and so fearce that when he can not come to his purpose by temptatioÌ„s which is to plucke froÌ„ the Christians the kyngdome of God then he endeuoreth by all meanes possible to consume wast theÌ„ awaye by persecucioÌ„ so to dispatche theÌ„ whollie out of the worlde as his purpose was to do with Christ. And this peril belongeth to all the Christians The deadlye hatred of the ennemie canne by no meanes be pacified But he laboreth both with hand foote to make men to fall from Christ his baptisme vnto desperation or presumptioÌ„ through famine persecution through heresies false interpretation of scripture And when he preuaileth nothing by this he falleth vpon vs with death sleeth vs. Wherfore the exaÌ„ple of Christ is to be knowen and learned that we may be armed against our enemy that he may not preuaile against vs by teÌ„ptatioÌ„ And this shal we obtaine by faith trust in god in his worde He that hath these two weapoÌ„s vseth theÌ„ well is salfe froÌ„ the deuil And this ought to cause all Christians gladly to heare the worde of God diligeÌ„tly to learne it to put it in practise in the meane time to slacke nothing in prayer but to desyre for the spedie coÌ„minge of his kyngdome that we may not be lead into temptation but be deliuered from all euil through his fatherlye goodnes The euangelist beginneth the historie how that Christ was ledde into the desert of the spirit that is of the holy ghost For sith he had no other superiour lord to commande him he was obedient to the coÌ„mandement of the holy ghost wherby he was called into the desert And the euangelist speaketh this not without a singuler meaninge euen willinge therby that all men should beware of their owne inuentions and imaginations For Christe came not into desert by his owne councell will to wrastle with the deuil as manie doth which institute diuers thinges without the spirit and word Wheras it is forbiddeÌ„ so to do For no maÌ„ must take any thinge vpon hym or go forth as a pilgrime to any place to serue god except he know for a suretie that god hath commanded it eyther by his worde or by men whiche hath the power from god to shew vs what God byddeth vs to doe For they that take any thynge vpon them withoute this vocation as the monkes and nonnes went to their cloisters they not only do no seruice to God but offende also greuouslye contrarye to the obedience that they owe to God Wherfore this example of Christ is verye worthie to be had in remembraunce wheras he came not into the desert of his owne motâ—on But was commanded so to do by the holye Ghoste That we folowynge Christe shoulde institute nothinge of our owne witte so that in all oure doinges we maye boaste that we
y◠which we heare in the word must we iudge and saie I see that I must die but I heare the promise and word of Christ my Lorde that thorow hym I shall haue life For as touchyng sinne for the whiche I must nedes suffer death it is vtterly taken awaye by hym so that God for his deathe and resurrection wyll be mercyfull vnto me and geue me euerlastynge lyfe This is truely to kepe the woord of Christe But it is an harde thyng to haue this faythe For fleshe and blood can not otherwise bee persuaded then as they fele and proue Against this peruers and froward reason must we striue and aske of God hys holy spirite that he may stablishe our hearts throughe the worde that they may retaine and keepe the true Faith What the cause is why the worde of Christ is of so great efficacie myghte and power Christe hym selfe sheweth in the ende of this Gospell And in thys poynt he so greatly moueth the Iewes and stirreth them vnto anger that they are ready to stone hym vnto deathe For this troubled the Iewes that Christe said his worde preserueth and defendeth from euerlastyng death forasmuche as they sawe that Abraham Moyses and other holy men which be greately commended in the holy scripture wer dead They thought that Christ was muche inferiour to them and that it was a matter worthy to be laughed at that he should so muche bragge boast and sette out his worde But Christ answered Abraham desired to see my daye he sawe it and reioyced that is to say If Abraham had not kept my word he had dyed euerlastyngly and ben damned for euer Before Abraham was saith Christ I am And that is thus muche to say I am almightie and euerlasting God Now he that wil be deliuered from his synnes escape euerlastyng deathe and come vnto euerlasting life he must be holpē by me and seke help at none others hād but at myn alone This could neither Moses nor any of the Prophets speke truly of them selues For they were all men But Christ is god and man Therfore is he able to geue life euerlasting saluation none but he alone This is a great consort and a most sure confirmation of our faithe where we confesse that Christ is true euerlasting God as we haue the like testimonies of this thing in many diuers places of the Euangelical history that our whole trust shold be in hym in his word in none other For this is the word of god can by no means deceue vs. What soeuer he speaketh is certain and sure is neuer void but is as sure as God by his word made heauen earthe of nothing Lerne this diligently and with thankful hearts knowledge this inestimable benefit and pray that God by his holy spirite may kepe you in the truth of his word receiue you into euerlasting life through Christ his sonne to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen The Sonday next before Easter cōmonly called Palme sondaye ¶ The Gospell Math. xxvi AND it came to passe when Iesus hadde finished all these sayinges he sayd vnto his Disciples Ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter and the sonne of man shall bee delyuered ouer to be crucified Then assembled together the chief Priestes and the Scribes and the elders of the people vnto the Palace of the high Priest whiche was called Caiphae and healde a Counsell that they myght take Iesus by subtiltie and kill hym But they said not on the holy day lest there be an vprore amonge the people When Iesus was in Bethanie in the house of Symon the Leapor there came vnto hym a woman hauynge an Alabaster boxe of precious oyntment and powred it on his head as he sat at the boorde But when his disciples saw it they had indignatiō saying Wherto serueth this wast This oyntment might haue ben well sold and geuen to the poore When Iesus vnderstode that he sayd vnto them Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wroughte a good woorke vppon me For ye haue the poore alwayes with you but me ye shall not haue alwayes And in that she hath caste this oyntment on my body she did it to bury me Ueryly I say vnto you Wher so euer this Gospell shal be preached in all the worlde there shall also this be tolde that she hath done for a memoriall of her Then one of the twelue whiche was called Iudas Iscarioth wente vnto the chefe Priestes and sayde vnto them What wyll ye geue me and I wyll delyuer hym vnto you And they appointed vnto hym .xxx. pieces of syluer And from that tyme foorth he sought oportunitie to betraye hym The first daye of sweete bread the disciples came to Iesus saying to him Where wylt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the Passeouer And he sayde Goo into the Citie to suche a man and say vnto hym The master saith my tyme is at hande I wyll kepe my Easter by thee with my disciples And the disciples dyd as Iesus hadde appoynted them and they made redy the Passeouer When the euen was come he sat downe with the twelue And as they dyd eate he sayde Ueryly I saye vnto you that one of you shall betray me And they were exceadynge sorowfull and beganne euery one of them to saye vnto hym Lorde is it I He aunswered and sayd he that dyppeth his hande with me in the dyshe the same shall betraye me The sonne of man truely goeth as it is writen of hym but wo vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed it hadde bene good for that man yf he had not bene borne Then Iudas whiche betrayed hym aunswered and sayde Master is it I He sayd vnto him thou hast sayde And when they were eating Iesus toke bread and when he had geuen thanks he brake it gaue it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he toke the cup thanked gaue it to them saying Drynk ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I will not drinke hense forth of this fruite of the vine tree vntyll that daye when I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kyngdom And when they had sayde grace they went out vnto mount Oliuete Then saide Iesus vnto them All ye shal be offended because of me this night For it is writtene I wyll smyte the shepherd the shepe of the flock shal be scattered abrode but after I am risen again I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saide vnto hym Thoughe all men be offended because of thee yet wyll I not be offended Iesus saide vnto hym Uerily I saye vnto thee that in this same night befor the Cocke crowe thou shalte denye me thryse Peter saide vnto hym yea
from the curse of the law from desperation from death from hell from the wrathe of God and from euerlastyng damnation and are translated and remoued vnto the heauenly countrey that glorious kyngdome of the moste glorious God Last of all we opened vnto you how we ought by faith to take and chalenge vnto vs those moste singuler and inestimable benefites so forme and frame our conuersation and lyfe after the example of Christ that it may outwardly appere that we be the thankfull disciples of Christ and the faithful and louing children of the heauenly Father And for as muche as we can not doo this of our owne strengthe and power let vs moste humbly pray vnto God that he for Christ Iesus sake may geue vs his strength and spirite that we may liue before him in pure faith vnfained loue in the great day of the Lord appere fautlesse among the dere and welbeloued children of God and so heare out of his mouthe which suffered and dyed for vs this moste swete and comfortable saying Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kyngdome whych was prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde To this lord CHRIST our alone Sauiour and most perfect redemer with God the father the holy ghost our moste swete conforter be all honor glorie praise for euer Amen The Gospell on Easter day Iohn xx THe fyrst day of the Sabbothes came Mary Magdalen early when it was yet darke vnto the Sepulchre and saw the stone taken away from the graue Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Iesus loued and sayth vnto them They haue taken away the Lorde out of the graue and we can not tell where they haue layde hym Peter therfore went forth and that other disciple and came vnto the Sepulchre They ran bothe together and that other disciple dyd outrunne Peter and came firste to the Sepulchre And when he had stowped downe he sawe the lynnen clothes lyinge yet went he not in Then came Simon Peter folowynge hym and wente into the Sepulchre and sawe the lynnen clothes lye and the napkyn that was about his head not lying with the lynnen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it selfe Then went in also that other disciple whiche came fyrst to the Sepulchre and he sawe and beleued For as yet they knewe not the Scripture that he shoulde ryse agayne from death Then the Disciples went away againe to theyr owne home THE EXPOSITION IN as muche as thys daye accordyng to the auncient and commendable custome of Christs church we celebrate the laudable feast and worthy memorie of the moste noble and victorious resurrection of oure Sauioure Iesus Christ it is mete and conuenient that we speake and entreate of the same at this present For the true sanctifying and halowing of feastfull days consisteth in the true worshippyng of God which is none other thing praiers thankes geuing ones done then to exercise the worde bothe in preachyng and readyng We therfore at this tyme wyll make our conference according to the tyme of the glorious resurrection of our moste louyng Lorde and swete Sauiour Christe Iesu. And in this our conference we will firste of all consyder what maner of Resurrection the risyng agayn of Christ frome death vnto lyfe was After that we will declare what vtilitie and profyte what fruicte and goodnesse the moste victorious and triumphant Resurrection of Christe hathe broughte vnto vs as we haue to fore shewed of his Passion and deathe As touchynge the fyrste lette vs not thynke that the resurrection of Christ was a common resurrection frome deathe as was the Resurrection of Lazarus but besydes thys that Christe rose agayne in the fleshe and corporallye he also spiritually became the Lorde of deathe and ouercame it and broughte with hym euerlastynge lyfe so that all that beleue are risen agayne with hym and haue ouercome deathe And by this his resurrection he hath not onely obteined a temporall life but also a spirituall lyfe For as he before by the temporall deathe of the Crosse dyd slea and vtterly abolyshe the spirituall deathe of synne and hell So he lykewise by his resurrection hath not only recouered and broughte agayne the temporall lyfe and quietnesse but also euerlastynge lyfe and perpetuall ioye Wherof wee may learne that Christe is rysen agayne twoo manner of wayes Fyrste after the fleshe by the whyche Resurrection he made hys deade body quicke his despised body glorious His weake and feeble body mightie and stronge his naturall body supernaturall and spirituall Of this resurrection we reade in many places of the scripture Among all Paule hath these wordes in the chronicle of the Apostles Actes where he speaketh on this maner And we shewe vnto you that the promise whiche was made vnto the fathers God hath fulfilled to their children euen vnto vs in that he raised vp Iesus as it is written in the first Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten the. And in his firste epistle to the Corinthiās he saith that Christ after his resurrection was sene of more then of fiue hūdred brethren And moreouer that he shewed himself before to the .xii. and to many other brethren as we maye see playnly written in the Euangelistes Secondly there was in Christ also an inward spirituall resurrection in that he escaped from the horror of death hell syn and the wrath of God and came vnto euerlasting ioy life health peace gladnes Of this he glorieth and speaketh by the mouth of that prince like Prophet sayinge Thou haste made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me Thou shalt fill me ful of gladnes with thy countenance Againe Thou hast turned my heuines into ioye thou hast put of my sackclothe and girded me with gladnes All these ar gratulations reioycinges and thankes geuynges that God the heauenly Father hath deliuered his sonne Christ from the horror of hell and death and not him only but also with him and through him all faithfull christians Whereof we shall speake more largely hereafter How the resurrection of Christ was don according to the historie how he rose again on Easter day betymes in the morning before the sonne was vp howe the women found the sepulchre emptie Again howe they were conforted of the Aungell and admonished of his resurrection This with diuers other things appertaining vnto the resurrection of Christ ar diligently written of the foure Euangelistes and ye your selues haue hertofore both heard red them Therfore at this time we will speake nothinge of that matter but we will rather declare set forth vnto you the profites and fruites which Christ hath gotten for vs by his glorious and royal resurrection and opē vnto you how we ought to enter into a newe lyfe with Christ. But before we come vnto this matter let vs speake somwhat of the innocencie and Godhead of Christe by the whiche he
in conuersation we maye be new doughe and swete bread Therfore seing we by risen againe with Christe let vs seke the thinges that are aboue where Christe sytteth on the righte hande of God that is to saye let vs forsake earthye and transitorye thinges And aspire and labour forewarde vnto heauenlye and euerlastynge thynges that the resurrection of Christe and the benefites therof of the whiche ye haue now heard may be fruitefull and full of efficacie and power in vs that by our newe lyfe and Christen conuersation we maye shewe oure selues thankfeull vnto GOD and proffitable to oure neyghbours again that they which are without enemies to the Christian trueth maye thorowe oure Godly and honest behauiour be conuerted and turne from their Idolatrie vnto the worshippynge of God from their superstition vnto Gods pure religion from corrupt and wicked maners vnto holines and purenes of lyfe that by this meanes GOD oure heauenly father maye be glorified both by them and by vs whiche vnto this ende hath geuen vs his holy Spirite that in all pointes both in body and soule we being holy and righteous maye serue hym euen the Lorde oure GOD in holynes and righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe to whome with Christe our Lorde and the holy ghoste be all prayse honour and glorye worldes without end Amen The first Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xx THe same daye at nyght whiche was the firste daye of the Sabboethes when the dores were shutte where the Disciples were assemblede together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the middes and sayde vnto them Peace be vnto you And when he had so sayde he shewede vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the Disciples glad when they sawe the Lorde Then sayde Iesus to them agayne Peace be vnto you As my father sente me euen so sende I you also And when he had sayde these wordes he breathed on them and sayde vnto them Receyue ye the holy ghoste Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them And whosoeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned THE EXPOSITION ALbeit in the gospell of this present Sondaye manye thinges are contained concerninge the glorious resurrection of oure Sauiour Christ Iesu worthy to be treated of and called vnto remembraunce yet forasmuch as we on Sonday laste spake abondātly of that matter sufficiently ynough to confirme stablishe oure faith in this article of Christs resurrectiō we haue thougt it good at this present to speake of some other matter specially to handle those wordes which Christe after he had wyshed peace to his disciples shewed thē his handes his side for the more confirmation of their fayth in his resurrection spake vnto them said As my Father sent me so lykewyse do I send you c. These wordes of our Sauiour Christ are very notable worthy to be remembred wherewith he gaue to his disciples committed vnto them the office of teaching preachinge that by this meanes the vse fruite of his death resurrectiō with the cause therof might also be knowen of other and so obtaine euerlasting saluation For if this matter had only ben chronicled and not published and set abrode by preaching wherfore it was done what commoditie cōmeth therof to the faithful beleuers howe coulde it haue ben greatly profitable as we see in the kingdome of the Pope In that as touchynge the historie nothinge wanteth nothing can be desired But when in the preachinge of the papistes these thinges are not handled as Christ cōmandeth here the matter is vnprofitable is in a maner none other thing then as a man should tell an historie of kyng Alexander of Iulius Cesar of the great Turke suche like Therfore the whole matter cōsisteth in this that the history of the death resurrectiō of Christ be brought vnto the righte vse This cōmeth to passe on this maner as Christ determineth when he saieth I send you as my father sent me But how the father sent Christ Esaye the Prophete declared lōg before saying The spirit of the lord is vpō me for the lord hath anointed me sent me to preache glad and ioyefull tydings vnto the pore that I might binde vp the wounded heartes that I might preach deliuerance to the captiue and open the prison to thē that are bounde that I might declare the acceptable yere of the Lorde This is the commandement wherewith Christe is sent And he sayeth here that after the same maner he sendeth his disciples as he was sent and geueth vnto them that ministerie and office that he exercised before that they shold teache after the same sorte as he had taught so that this commandement is only to be referred vnto doctrine that the disciples sholde declare the same of Christ whiche he had before declared of hymselfe Now what maner of doctrine this is Esaye describeth and setteth forth with most goodly and euident wordes that is to saye that Christ was anointed and sent vnto this end that he should conforte the feareful the contrite and broken in heart the poore in spirit c. The doctrine that is not agreable to this is not the doctrine of Christ neither hath Christ commanded it but it is the doctrine of the lawe of Moyses for the doctrine of Moyses is that suche as be troubled fearefull shold be driuen vnto more trouble and vnto more feare But the doctrine of Christe is to conforte the weake hearted and to preache glad and ioyfull tydings to them that be sorowful and brought vnto the bryncke of desperation For it behoued Christe to comme with a newe commandement and doctrine as his workes whiche he did were also new as the like were neuer before sene in the worlde I meane that the sonne of God suffered and rose again from death And as Esaye prophecied of the doctrine of Christe euen so doth Christe sett forth here also For these are the wordes of Christe as they are rehersed of the Euangelist And he breathed vpon them saying Take the holy ghost whose synnes ye shall forgeue are forgeuen them But whose synnes ye shal retaine are retayned Here haue ye the right spiritual regiment which doth no lesse differ from the Ciuile and worldly regiment then the heauen is distāt from the earth They that are in this spirituall regiment are righte kynges right princes right lordes haue also their regiment But here consyder marke and learne how farre this regiment goeth and howe wyde it stretcheth forth it selfe Uerely as the wordes sounde euē so wyde and brode as the worlde is And yet hath it nothinge to do but with sinne as touchinge golde syluer richesse worldly substaunce temporall possessions Lordshippes farmes parkes dominions and suche lyke it hath nothinge to do with them For all these thinges pertayne vnto the worldly and ciuile regiment and they are to be handled of temporal
more maruelous The Lord hath appointed and set the deuill and the worlde their limites beyonde the which they can not go And this is worthy to be noted and for euer to be remembred that thou in thine affliction persuade thy selfe that what soeuer aduersitie chaunceth vnto thee it commeth not by fortune or by chaunce but by the singuler prouidence councell and determinatiō of god yea and that vnto thy greate cōmoditie althoughe it semeth otherwise to thy blinde and carnal reason And here nowe riseth also a greater difficultie for yf I must thus persuade my selfe that all the aduersities and troubles whiche I suffer cōme by the prouidence of God then by the Iudgement of reason it maye be gathered that the councell and determination of god concernyng myne affliction is vnto my destruction and damnation For what health or saluation maye be loked for of paynes plagues and punishmentes in our great and greuous afflictions we can not otherwise be persuaded but that God euen of displeasure and hatred againste vs doth plague and punishe vs. And this greatly encreaseth our sorowe and in a maner bringeth vs to desperation because God doth so punishe vs If any other thing were the cause of oure plagues and troubles it would not so greatlye greue vs for then we woulde thincke that there were some helpe and conforte remayninge in God towardes vs. In this case therfore must we haue recourse vnto the worde of God and not heare nor obey the iudgement sentence of reason For if we heare and beleue that we shall surely fall into desperation yea and vtterlye detest and abhorre God The worde whiche in this behalfe conforteth and openeth vnto vs the will of God is this S. Paule sayth If we wolde iudge oure selues we should not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged of the Lorde we are chastened that we should not be dāned with the worlde By this sentence of the Apostle it is euident that whome God wil not haue condemned with the worlde but preserued and kept vnto euerlasting life he correcteth and punisheth them neither ought this to be counted a token of hatred but rather a signe of fauour loue good will although they be afflicted and troubled This sentence in affliction is diligently to be considered and remembred One hath this crosse an other hath that whereof they woulde gladly be eased But if euery mā wold thincke on this maner saye to him selfe If thou were not restrained with this byt of aduersitie if thou were not thus correcte thou wouldest surely do that which shold worke thee greater displeasure and be the cause of a more euil but God doth send thee this aduersitie that thou sholdest not be damned with this worlde but hereof take an occasion to amend thy life to call thy selfe vnto repentance to feare GOD to call on his blessed name to thancke him for his benefites c. If euery man in his trouble wold thus thincke with himselfe then would they not be angry with god for laying that crosse vpō them nor thincke that he doth it of hatred displeasure against thē but rather of fauour good wil towarde them yea then would they loue and praise god that he in that affliction sheweth tokens of his fauour and good will toward them by this meanes preseruinge them from eternall damnation vnto euerlastynge saluation Unto this ende also doth S. Paule in hys Epistle to the Hebrues alledge this sayinge of Salomon out of his prouerbes My sonne despise not thou the chasteninge of the Lord neither faint when thou arte rebuked of hym For whom the lord loueth hym he chasteneth yea he scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth If ye endure chastening god offereth himself vnto you as vnto sonnes For what sonne is he whō the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correction wherof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Therfore seing we haue had fathers of our fleshe whiche corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shal we not muche rather be in subiectiō vnto the father of spirites and lyfe And they verely for a fewe dayes nurtered vs after their own pleasure but he nurtereth vs for our profite to the intent that he may minister of his holines vnto vs. No maner chastising for the presēt time semeth to be ioyous but greuous neuerthelesse afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto thē whiche are exercised therby This sentēce of the holy Apostle doth testifie not only that the discipline correction which god laieth vpon vs is no token of his anger displeasure againste vs but also that it is a most manifeste signe euident argument of his fatherly and frendly good wil toward vs. Let vs not therfore thinke whē we are corrected punished that GOD is angry with vs or that he set naught by vs. For the cause why he corrected vs is because we are his sonnes and should not loose oure enheritaunce nor at any time be put from it And as the worde doth preach and declare vnto vs of the crosse and of afflictions so lykewise is it set forth by examples who can or dare say that god the father hated his onely begotten sonne Christe Iesu And yet for all that yf thou considerest his lyfe and death and weighest the matter after the iudgement of reason there shall appeare no great signes of gods loue towarde hym yea rather signes of hatred then of loue and that the vngodly and wicked Iewes were more regarded with god then Christ whom they hādled at their pleasure and entreated as they woulde accordyng to the saying of the Prophete He hath nether beautie nor fauour when we looked vpon hym there was no fayrenes we had no luste to hym He was despised abhorred of menne We reckoned him so vile that we hyd our faces from hym yea he was despised and therefore we regarded hym not We dyd iudge him as though he were plagued cast downe of god And Christ hymselfe sayth by the psalmographe As for me I am a worme and no man a very scorne of men and the outcaste of the people All they that see me laughe me to scorne they shote out their lyppes shake the heade c. They gape vpon me with theyr mouthes as it were a ramping and roaring Lyon c. Yea the very Iewes when he hanged on the crosse mocked him saying If he be the sonne of God let him comme downe from the crosse c. Now as god did handle his owne derely beloued only begotten sonne Christe Iesu here on earth euen so wil he handle al Christians in this worlde as Christ hath to fore saide The seruant is not greater then his maister If they haue persecuted me they wil persecute you likewise And it is sayde both moste trimly and truly in the Epistle to the Hebreues as we heard afore If ye be not
the euerlasting lyfe So sayth Paule I suppose that the afflictions of thys lyfe are not woorthy of the glorie whiche shall be shewed vppon vs. Agayne Our tribulation whyche is shorte and lighte prepareth an excedynge and an eternall weight of glorye vnto vs while we looke not on the things that are sene but on the thinges which are not sene For the thinges whiche are seene are temporall but things which are not sene ar eternaâ—l Blessed Peter saith also In the which ye reioyce thoughe now for a season ye are in heuines thorow many folde tentations that the triall of your faithe being muche more precious then gold that perisheth might be fouÌ„d vnto praise glorie honor at the appearing of Iesus Christ whom ye haue not sene yet loue hym in whoÌ„ euen now though ye see him not yet doo you beleue and reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious receauing the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules Again The God of all grace which hath called vs vnto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus shal his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a lyttell affliction make you perfect settle strength and stablish you He that coulde thus beleue and be thus certainely persuaded of this saying A lyttell whyle should fynd great consolation in hys affliction wherwith he shold bee able to staye hym selfe Therefore all the matter standeth in thys one poynte that wee surely truste the Lorde CHRIST and counte hys woorde to be moste certayne and trewe and that although we be troubled and afflicted yet it shall continue but a lytle while so that we may comfort our selues in the crosse as they comforte a woman that trauayleth of chyld namely that she shall haue good lucke bee delyuered of her payne and haue a fayre chylde to her great ioye and comfort For it is not possible that there shoulde be any great gladnesse where no sorowe and sadnesse hath ben before But thorowe the importunitie of reason we are kepte in myserable bondage whyche alwaies putteth vs in mynde that our affliction commeth not from the fauour but the anger of God and that we shall perishe in the same and neuer be deliuered But the matter is farre otherwise For as sorowes and paynes doo therfore chance to women trauailyng of chylde that an infant may be borne so likewise oure afflictions are therfore sent to vs from God that by this meanes we may obteyne our trewe glorie and so for euer be saued This also is not to be passed ouer with silence that Christe interpreteth and maketh playn to his disciples what ioye shall chaunce vnto them I sayth he wyll see you agayne This came to passe in the daye of his resurrection when they sawe hym in a new and euerlastyng lyfe Christe therfore seeth vs also and our hert reioyceth when we meditate and consider his resurrection that for oure sake he hathe ouercome synne deathe and deuyll that we thorough hym myght liue euerlastyngly And this is a true sound perfect and euerlastyng ioye whyche changeth all sadnesse neyther shall it at any tyme be taken away from vs. Lette vs therefore beware and take hede of impaciencie and desperation when we are in trouble And this comfort is diligently to bee retayned and kepte faste that although wee suffer and beare the Crosse yet it shall bee but A litle while For Christe is rysen from the dead and sytteth on the ryght hande of GOD the Father that he may represse and keepe vnder the deuyll and all euyls and geue vs euerlastyng saluation Whiche thynge oure faythfull GOD mought vouchsafe to bestowe vpon vs for his sonne Christ Iesus sake oure Lorde and alone Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste be all honour glory and prayse worldes without ende Amen The fourthe Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xvi IEsus said vnto his Disciples Nowe I go my way to hym that sente me and none of you asketh me whither I go But because I haue said suche things vnto you your heartes are full of sorowe Neuerthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go away for if I go not away that comforter wyll not come vntn you But if I depart I wyll sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyll rebuke the worlde of sinne and of ryghteousnes and of iudgment Of sinne because they beleue not on me Of ryghteousnes because I go to my father and ye shall see me no more Of iudgement because the Prince of this world is iudged alredy I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them away nowe How be it when he is come which is the sprite of trueth he wyll leade you into all trueth He shall not speake of hym selfe but whatsoeuer he shal heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to com He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shall shewe vnto you All thinges that the father hath are mine therefore sayde I vnto you that hee shall take of mine and shewe vnto you THE EXPOSITION THis is a most noble and excellent Gospell For it entreateth specially of that high necessarie article for the which wee are and are called Christians Therfore although it be redde euery yeare among vs yet canne wee not thynke and speake it sufficiently If we entend truely to haue the profite and fruite that commeth by it so must we diligently exercise our selues in the meditation therof It is also part of that sermon which Christ made after his laste Supper And this parte euen as all the rest tendeth also to this end that the Disciples may be enarmed agaynst the sclaunder offendicle or stomblyng blocke of Christes Passion and death that they shoulde not onely not be heauy but also iudge so of the matter that as the truthe is they should right well perceaue that the saluation bothe of them and of all synners dothe onely consyste in the deathe of the Lorde Christe Wherfore euen as of late he set foorth vnto vs a consolation and conforte concernynge the shortnes and small continuance of affliction and trouble and the perpetuitie of our ioye and gladnesse soo lykewyse dothe he declare the matter here and setteth foorthe the cause of his passion I goe sayeth he vnto hym that sent mee that is to saye To morowe I shall be crucified and slayne and yet there is none of you that asketh me whyther I goe nor what I entend by this my departure But because I haue spokeÌ„ this vnto you your hertes are ful of sorow But I tell you truth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go away For if I shall not go away the coÌ„forter shal not come vnto you and the prince of this worlde shall not bee Iudged But when I shall go away I will send the comforter vnto you Christe woulde haue it well beaten in to all mens heades that they should not
this worlde He instructeth them as touchinge the conuersion of the Gētiles and the receauing of them into the nombre of gods people whome they iudged to be dogges and caste awayes He teacheth them that the gospell belongeth no les to the Gentile then to the Iewe and that there is no respecte of persons before God but that who so euer beleueth and worketh righteousnes is welcomme vnto hym He enformeth them that they in this worlde shoulde not looke for wealth glorie riches ease fauour of men c. But for the crosse trouble affliction persecution losse of goodes banishment imprisonment and at the last death wheras the Apostles so blinded were they with the vaine opiniō of Christes carnal and worldly kyngdome as we may se in many places of the Euangelicall historie looked for the cleane contrary These and suche lyke thinges whiche Christe to fore had taught the Apostles the holy ghoste renued and broughte vnto their remembrance and all carnall fansies and worldly imaginations vtterlye secluded and sette a parte he inspired and breathed into them true iudgements and godly persuasions concerning the high misteries of Christes doctrine by this meanes not onely deliuerynge them from errours and false doctrine but also making them able to do the same thorow the ministerie of the word For the holy ghoste is a true interpretour of Christes minde and a faithfull teacher of gods holy misteries Whosoeuer hath hym for his guide he maye be sure to walke the waye of truth and to be led into the same But whosoeuer hath not the holy ghoste to be his teacher and guyde he falleth into errours and heresies and wandereth from the waye of trueth as many examples of all ages do proue Arrius that Arche heretike had or rather semed to haue one or two sentences of the holy scripture to defende hys wycked and abhominable doctrine in denyinge the godhead of Christ wherunto he did sticke with toothe and nayle as they vse to saye But in the meane season he did not marke and consider the great multitude of both sentences and examples of the holy scripture moste plaine and moste euident whiche most plainely and most euidently do proue and declare that Christe is true and naturall God begotten of God the father from euerlasting The Anabaptistes also in these our dayes are the authors of a newe doctrine and custome because CHRIST saith Go and teache all nations baptising them c. Now forasmuch as doctrine is set forth before baptisme they gather that chyldren ought not to be baptised before they be taught not cōsideringe that Christ had here speciall respecte to them that were growen in age are endued with witt reason vnderstanding These ought first to be taught afterwarde if they receue and beleue the doctrine to be baptised so receaued into the nombre of Godes children In infantes baptisme which haue not the vse of reason doctrine presently is not required no more then it was in the Circūcisiō of the infants of the Iewes which were the people of god Lykewise errours haue risen vp about the lords supper many great as trāssubstantiation reseruation and circūgestation of the Sacramentall bread the adoration of the same the priuate eating therof likewise the taking away of the Lords cuppe frō the laytie in the administratiō of the Supper the making of the Lords supper of a sacrifice of thanckes geuinge a propiciatorie satisfactorie and expietorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead c. Menne easely fall into errours when they haue not the holy ghost to be their guyde and leader He sayth Christ which is the spirite of trueth euen he shall lede you into all truth He shall teache you all trueth He shall put you in remembrance of those thinges that I to fore haue taughte you Moreouer Christe saith The holy ghost shal shew you thinges to come For that also pertaineth vnto his office as there be examples in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes Again he sayth He shall glorifie me that is to saye he shall replenishe you with the knowledge of God that ye will not doubt to suffer all thinges for my names sake set more by me thē by al other things in the worlde These and such like shal be the offices workes of the holy ghost These thinges can ye not now awaye with neither do ye vnderstāde them Ye must tarye til the holy ghost cōmeth that by experience ye maye knowe this doctrine Therefore I wyll not speake muche vnto you of these thynges at this present But of this one thinge I wil only admonishe you that ye be not dismayde nor discouraged by the reason of my departure For this my departure shall be the cause that the holy ghoste shall be sent vnto you whiche shal haue in the worlde this office of rebukynge whereby they that beleue shal be deliuered from sinne endued with euerlasting righteousnes and be thorowly confirmed against all kynde of aduersitie trouble persecution c. And this is the doctrine of the Gospell redde in the Church this present sondaye God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs his holy spirite that by hym we may be enstructed of all these thinges and be confirmed in the same vnto the ende Amen The fyfte Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xvi VEryly veryly I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wil geue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothynge in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioye maye be full These thynges haue I spoken vnto you by Prouerbes The time wyll come when I shal no more speake vnto you by Prouerbes but I shall shewe you plainely from my father At that day shall ye aske in my name And I saye not vnto you that I wyll speake vnto my father for you for the father hym selfe loueth you because ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God I went out from the father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the worlde and go to the father His Disciples sayde vnto him Lowe nowe thou talkest plainelye and speakest no Prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thinges nedest not that any man shoulde aske thee any question therfore beleue we that thou camest from God Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is alredy come that ye shal be scattered euery man to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye myght haue peace for in the worlde shall ye haue tribulation But be of good chere I haue ouercome the worlde THE EXPOSITION THe Gospell of this daye as ye haue heard is a singuler and very notable exhortation vnto prayer for after the ministerie of the worde this is the highest seruice that Christen men can do
euerlastingly neither can synne condemne them Therefore all thinges are now turned cleane contrarie Before we were holden vnder the captiuitie of synne Before we perceaued that the deuill by the reason of oure sinne was a cruell tyrant againste vs. Before we coulde by no meanes escape the moste bytter payne of death Before we looked for yea and that worthely euerlasting damnation and the most cruell tormentes of hell fyre But fromhensforth it shall no more be so For Christe vnto this ende is ascended into heauen that he shoulde holde in bondes as slaues of no power synne death and deuill that they fromhensforth should not exercise their tyranny againste vs as tofore they haue done or if they do attempt any violence against vs it should chaunce for the best on our behalfe Synne ceaseth not to prouoke vs if by any meanes it may enforce vs to do any thing againste the will of God and so to make vs to haue gyltie consciences And our infirmitie is great We do not resiste sin as we ought to do Dauid was a great man an holy yet was he throwne into two most greuous haynous sinnes Nowe that he was deliuered again frō those sinnes that they were forgiuen him The cause was that he beleued on that blessed sede that was promised to come which shold destroye the power of synne and make it his bonde prisoner It therfore can not only not oppresse Dauid but it is the cause also that he prayeth the more feruently and is the more circumspecte in all his doinges for euer after If he had not thus fallen he had neuer made that moste godly and swete psalme Miserere And so likewise is the matter concerning death It can not refraine his violence from vs neither can we any otherwise then tremble for feare at the beholdinge therof But how cōmeth it to passe that death can do none of all those thinges that it entendeth Because death is taken prisoner bounde so that nowe it can not hurt nor kyl euerlastingly the faithful the styng therof being taken awaye by Christ and it selfe being vtterly subdued and ouercome as Christ him selfe saith by the Prophet O death I wil be thy death Therfore whē death sheweth it selfe moste fearce and vttereth the greatest violence that it can yet it doth no more with the true Christians then that it should be the cause for them to flee vnto the worde of God that they maye exercise them selues in it the more diligently and confirme them selues with it which otherwise they wold not haue done if the terrours of death had not bene Euen the same may be spoken concerning the deuil which is a sutle deceiptfull craftie and cruell enemie He at all times lyeth in waight for the Christians if by any meanes he may make their hope frustrat vaine But Christ is Lord ouer him so that he shal not onely not do bring to passe that he entendeth but also the more that Christians are assalted of him the more ware circumspecte doth he make them and prouoke them the more diligently to geue their mindes to prayer to the meditation studie of gods worde to cōmit them selfe wholly to the tuition defence of god euermore calling on him for helpe and succour And where as if they were without this sutle and craftie enemie they wold become careles and negligent because they should stand in no feare of suche an aduersarie nowe they watch now they are circumspecte and take hede that they fall not into his daunger Al these thinges therfore profit the Christians whiche are to other because of their corrupt pernitious nature a very plague pestilence confusion and destruction And this chaunceth to the Christians because Christ is ascended into heauen and hath by that meanes made them his prisoners so that now they can not do against the Christians what they wold but what it pleaseth Christ to suffer or appoint them Synne wold gladly condēne vs death wold very faine kyl vs The deuil is altogether desirous to cast vs hedlōg into euerlasting damnati ōbut they can not do what they wold forasmuch as they are although enemies yet the captiues bond slaues of Christ so that although they be cruel fearce against vs yet can they not hurt against vs. And this is the noble fruit singuler cōmoditie of Christes Ascentiō that our greate enemies synne death deuill whose captiues and bonde slaues we were are nowe imprisoned of Christe and holden in bondage so that by this meanes we are free from their tyranny For for this purpose dyd he go vp into heauen and sytteth on the right hande of God that he might defende the churche against them It foloweth in the psalme Thou hast receaued gyfts for men that is to saye suche gyftes as thou wilt distribute vnto men and thorowe those gyftes helpe cōfort them What maner of gyftes these are God by the Prophet Ioel declareth saying After this will I poure out my spirit vpon all fleshe and your sonnes your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal se visions yea in those dayes I wil poure out my spirit vpon seruantes maydens I wil shewe wonders in heauen aboue tokens in the earth beneth And in the gospel of Iohn Christ saith thus If I go away I wil send the confortour vnto you And when he shal come he will rebuke the worlde of sin of righteousnes of iudgemēt Peter also saith Sence now that Christ by the right hand of god is exalted and hath receaued now of the father the promes of the holy ghost he hath shed forth this gyfte whiche ye nowe see and heare Now there are two thinges principally whiche the holye ghost worketh Firste he leadeth vs thorowe the Gospel vnto the true knowledge of CHRIST that we maye beleue to haue remission of our synnes in his name Again that we maye bringe forth the worthy fruites of repentaunce resiste synne mortifye it earnestly begin to obeye god And this newnes of lyfe afterwarde taketh place in oure soule bodye heart and in al the partes of vs. For although because of our sinnefull body we can neuer be so free from sinne that we shall be vtterly without synne yet that sinne that remaineth in vs is not imputed to vs nor layde to our charge for Christes sake neyther doth it condemne vs. And this is the firste thynge that the holy ghost worketh in vs. Secondly the holy ghoste also maketh his instruments that thorowe the worde and the preachynge therof other maye be brought vnto the knowledge of this grace In consideration wherof Paule interpreteth this psalme to this ende that thorowe the Ascention of Christ these giftes chaunce vnto vs that he hath made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepheardes and teachers to
desyre hym that he will conserue kepe vs in this grace at the last geue vs the ioyeful enheritauÌ„ce of his moste glorious kingdome for Iesus Christ his sonnes sake our alone Sauiour and our alone redemer our alone aduocat and our alon mediatour our alon lawfulfiller and our alone peace maker to whom with God the father and God the holy ghost be all honour glory and praise both nowe and worldes without ende Amen The Sonday after the Ascension ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xvi WHen the comforter is come whom I wyll send vnto you from the father euene the spirite of trueth whiche procedeth of the father he shal testifie of me yee shall beare witnesse also because ye haue ben with me from the beginninge These thinges haue I sayde vnto you because yee shoulde not be offended They shall excommunicate you yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer killethe you wyll thinke that he doth God seruice And such thynges wyl they do vnto you because they haue not knowen the father neyther yet me But these thynges I haue tolde you that when the time is come ye may remember then that I tolde you THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel are specially to be considered two thinges The first is coÌ„cerning the holy ghost The second is of the persecution whiche shall come to the confessours and professours of the gospell before the worlde As touchinge the holy ghost we confesse that he is almightie euerlasting god Christ calleth him by a special name euen the conforter And by this he declareth that true godlines can not be without the crosse and affliction For what nede should there be of a conforter if there were no troubles no persecutions But Christ describeth setteth forth the persecutioÌ„ to be such that the godly shal not only be slaine whiche is a most haynous offence but also they shal be counted such people as are verye aduersaries open enemies of all true religion godlines and therefore by no meanes to be suffred but by the iudgement of all men to be taken out of the earth by the most cruel death that can be deuised as pestiferous persons and intollerable heretikes hated both of god man so that the punishment of the Christians shal excede all other And they are somtime also troubled in their conscience by thincking that they haue ben to muche vehement and haue gone to farre or that they might haue done spoken more circumspectly warely and so shold lesse danger haue chaunced they haue liued longer done more good Thus are the ChristiaÌ„s troubled outwardlye of the tyrantes of this world inwardly of the weakenes of their conscience In consideration herof doth Christ call the holy ghost a conforter as though he should saye I know into what great troubles miserable afflictions blouddy persecutions other vnrestful griffes ye shall fall howe the whole worlde and all that euer is in it shal be againste you But I wil prouide helpe for you se that ye shall not stick in the myre nor be left confortles Yea when there appeareth no confort at al no helpe no succour ye your selues also thorow the weakenes of your coÌ„science shal be troubled inwardly theÌ„ wâ—il I send vnto you the holy ghost which is the conforter that he may coÌ„firme make stroÌ„g your mindes that ye despaire not encourage you to abide by that which he shal say vnto you Now are there two maner of coÌ„solatioÌ„s or coÌ„forts The one is a worldly coÌ„fort which is but an vncertein vaine coÌ„fort For it dependeth altogether on riches power glorie frendship good wil of princes great men but saith Christ none of al these shal you my disciples haue yea these thinges shall be against you not with you NotwitstaÌ„ding let it not dismay you that ye finde no coÌ„fort at the worldes handes For that coÌ„forte is of no great waight neither is the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce therof long Som sodeÌ„ mischauÌ„ce displeasure of great meÌ„ sicknes agewe plague pestilence misfortune maketh sone an end of worldly coÌ„forte But I saith he wil prouide for you an other conforter euen the spirite of truth which shal then coÌ„fort confirme and strengthen you when ye shall be combred and opprest with terrours fears infirmities miseries calamities outwardly before the worlde inwardly in your mynde For for this cause hath the holy ghost this name that he is called a coÌ„forter not an accuser or troubler For where sadnes perturbation is it is a token that the holy ghoste is not there And this conforter is also called the spirite of truth For he coÌ„forteth not as the world doth where nothyng is sure coÌ„stant but his coÌ„solation or confort is perpetual euerlastiÌ„g which no maÌ„ is able to destroie But here again is a scrupule or doubt for the conscience answereth Thou speakest muche of conforte but I fele it not I fele rather the contrarie that the worlde is mery and ful of pleasure But the ChristiaÌ„s mourne are euer vnder the crosse Iohn Baptiste is beheaded But Herode and his harlotte Herodias are frolike and mery And euen so goeth it with vs. The worlde enuieth vs a bytte of breade and euery man thincketh that whatsoeuer mischiefe he doth to a Christian it is well done when in the meane while the pope the Cardinalles the Bishoppes and all that hate the gospell lyue all in pleasure and iolytie in reaste and peace in idlenes and heartes ease and without all affliction trouble Is this therfore a conforte Christ answereth that it is a conforte but we must make a distinction betwene confortes The worlde also hath his coÌ„forte for if it had not it could neuer be so secure careles mery and without all care but that is not the conforte whiche coÌ„meth from the spirite of truth but it is a deceitfull confort For it maye sodenly come to passe that in those things wherin the worlde reposeth his conforte and staye there may be founde no coÌ„fort nor helpe at all But the holy ghost which is the conforter of the Christians is the spirite of truth whiche inwardly conforteth vs with most certein sounde and sure consolation Therfore although Iohn haue not that conforte that Herode with his whore hath but is caste of them into prison where he lieth most miserably afflicted and withoue all consolation tyll at the laste he looseth his head yet the holy ghost conforteth coÌ„firmeth him secretly in his hearte speaketh vnto him on this maner Be of good courage O Iohn and let no aduersitie dismaye thee neither be thou disconforted that thou art so miserably vniustly caste into prison and that the wycked worlde doth so hate thee and reuile thee Thou knowest this that all worldly thinges can not continew long it now hath the ouerhand but the tyranny therof shall not longe endure For
decreed of the holy ghost to worke in vs by the worde sacramentes He therfore that litle regarde these thinges to him shall the holy ghost never come For to this entent are we baptised receaue we the Supper of the Lorde and heare the worde of God For we know that all these thinges are as instruments by the whiche the holye ghoste doth accomplishe his operation in vs. As examples doth shewe The three thousand soles whiche were conuerted this daye of sainct Peter had neuer ben conuerted if they had not hearde the worde before After that they heard the worde and their heartes were therby moued they came to baptisme For Christ so commanded So the chamberlain of the Quene of Aethiops could not obtaine the holy ghost without the worde whiche Philippe spake by the interpretinge of scripture When his heart was touched by the preachynge of Philippe it behoued hym also to receaue baptisme that the holy Ghoste myghte worke therby Wherefore if thou be desirous to haue the holye Ghost first of all thou must pray to the father for it and after that thou muste geue diligent hede to the worde and preachinge thou must often call to minde thy baptisme what God promised thee there and what maner of couenaunt he hath made ther with thee Thou must often come to the Lords Supper For by the worde and sacraments the holy ghost doth kendle oure heartes with a new light of fayth that we maye not onely heare the worde as the harde hearted Iewes dyd heare but that we maye vnderstand it also that therby we may become new men and get vs new heartes Furthermore we must beware that we do not let the holy Ghost in his worke by fylthy and shamfull liuinge and that we caste hym not out of vs by wanton an sinfull maners For one place can not serue both for the holy Ghost and the deuill Therfore when the deuill tempteth the with couetousnes wrath lechery and other synnes flee straight waye to prayer as thou woldest to an anker in a tempeste that GOD maye preserue thee against temptation and kepe the obedient vnto hym For it is necessary to abstayne frō sinne the workes of the fleshe eyther that the holy ghost may remayne with thee styll after thou hast receaued hym or that thou mayst obtayne hym that was neuer in thee or if by infirmitie thou chaunce to fall thou mayst ryse again retourne to the newnes of liuing And then specially shal we perceaue that the holy ghost must nedes take place in vs and helpe vs against the deuil death and hell wheras contrarie wyse they that continew in voluntarie synnes willinglye by a lytle and a lytle fall more and more into the deuils power liue with out all repentaunce and neuer are part takers of the holy Ghost whose proper office it is as I sayd before first to sanctifie vs thorowe faith and remission of our synnes and then to be an helpe vnto vs against sinne that we may shewe obedience to God But we saide before that we receaue only the first frutes of the holy ghost and that fleshe and bloud doth yet remaine in vs shall as longe as we liue abide in this worlde And herof it is that they whiche haue receaued the holy ghost are neuerthelesse weake and doth fal often Let no man here be offended and thinke as the Anabaptistes do whiche are of this opinion that no man can fal which haue receaued the holy ghost This opinion shold be true if euery man would folow the holy ghost alwayes For than shold we neuer fal But that is not possible because of the craftes and giles of the deuil and the offences of the worlde and the infirmitie of the fleshe Wherfore it is alwayes necessarie to praye that the lord wil not take his spirit from vs but that he wil of his goodnes kepe vs in his grace dayly encrease in vs this gifte of the holy ghost and to forgeue vs our trespasses as we pray in the lords prayer For the holyest that be can not liue without such trespasses but yet by fayth in Christe are they pardoned that they hurt vs not Ye haue hearde therfore what is your true whitsontyd and pentecost Whiche is much more glorious than the whitsontide of the Iewes For the holye Ghoste is shedforth vpon all fleshe that we by the Gospell may knowe God and maye be sanctified and iustified by the holye ghost both in bodie and spirit if so be that we fulfil the office of true religion by prayer by hearynge the worde and bringing forth the true fruites of the spirite Whiche thing the holy ghoste graunt vs all to do thoroughe Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome with the father and the holy ghoste be all glory for euer Amen The second Sermon on whitsonday ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xiiii IEsus sayde vnto his Disciples yf ye loue me kepe my commaundementes and I wyll pray the father and he shall geue you another comforter that be may abide with you for euer euen the spirite of trueth whom the worlde can not receyue because the world seeth hym not neyther knoweth hym But ye know hym for he dwelleth with you shal be in you I wyll not leaue you comfortlesse but wyll come to you Yet a lytle whyle and the worlde seeth me no more but ye see me For I lyue and ye shall lyue That day shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you He that hath my commaundementes and kepeth them the same is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I wyll loue hym wyll shewe myne owne selfe vnto hym Iudas saiethe vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth Lord what is done that thou wylt shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the world Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto hym If a man loue me he wyll kepe my sayinges and my father wyll loue hym and wee wyll come vnto hym and dwel with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye hear is not mine but the fathers which sente me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you But the comforter whiche is the holy ghoste whom my father wyll send in my name he shall teach you all thinges and bringe al thinges to your remembraunce what soeuer I haue saide vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you Not as the worlde geuethe geue I vnto you Let not your hartes be greued neyther feare ye haue hearde how I said vnto you I go and come againe vnto you If ye loued me ye would verily reioyce because I sayd I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I. And nowe haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye mighte beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the Prince of this
is of strēgth to be borne again wher this is lacking there is no hope to come to the kingdom of God All our powers with the lawes and preceptes are of no efficacie and strength But thou wilt say If it be so I had rather doo no good worke at all then to take muche peyne if I obteyne nothynge therwith in the kyngdome of God But to thynke or saye this is an euident token of vngodlines Wherfore do both Fyrst see diligently to the lawe with all his woorkes then know thy self to be a synner and that thou canst not by thy workes escape damnation Then turne thy selfe to the doctrine of Christ and hearken what hee preacheth of the kyngdom of God after that he hath declared that the old man can not enter into the kingdome of God Nicodemus perceaueth the straighte Iudgement of Christ that without the newe Byrthe there is no hope of the kyngdom of GOD and he is soone reformed and persuaded that the carnall byrth healpethe nothynge thereto And therefore he asketh howe the newe byrthe might be And CHRIST And doth redyly shew a notable doctrin therof saying on this wise Uerily verily I say vnto the. Except a man bee borne agayn he can not enter into the kyngdom of God Whatsoeuer is borne of the fleshe is flesh what soeuer is born of the spirit is spirite This is the second sentence against the first byrthe shewyng that it is carnall synful and that it can not be encouraged to obteyne the kingdome of God As though he should say Thou demandest whether thou shouldest otherwise be borne of thy mothers wombe although thou were borne a thousande tymes of thy mothers wombe yet thou shouldest not bee borne to the kyngdom of God Ther is no nede of father and mother to the kyngdome of God which are also them selues fleshe but there is nede to haue water and the spirite but he that hath ben so borne agayne is a new man and shall come to the kyngdome of God This doctrine had Nicodemus neuer learned in Moses He had learned there what he should doo or not do by the preceptes But as touchyng this new creature he had learned nothyng at all not as muche as by a dreame Wherfore he is so confounded that he graunt that all this while he had lerned nothyng at all But the wordes of this sentence ar not so lyghtly to be passed ouer the sentence is perfect that good works must be done and obedience is to be geuen to the lawe But the seyng of the kyngdom of God cometh not hereby But if we will come to the seyng therof not good workes but a newe man is requisite thereto And that is not doone by the carnall manne but by water and by the spirite They are the verye parentes that are mete to bryng forth this new chyld of God Water is nothyng els but baptism For so saith Christ in y◠last of Marke He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued Thys strength of the water is not of his owne nature For water is water that is to say an elemēt and creature whiche can not change the hert and wash away syn But the water wherof Christ speketh here and which we call the water of Baptisme is not only water naturall but water in the worde and promyse of God Two things are here ioyned together the water the word and are so ioyned together that they can not be sundred If thou sunder the water from the worde it is no baptisme If thou sunder the word from the water neither than is it Baptisme But when the word and water ar ioyned together this water is such with the whiche the holy ghost will come vnto thee and regenerate thee to the kyngdome of God Whiche is as much to say as to forgeue synnes and to bryng saluation This sentence therfore is not lyghtly to be regarded and especiallye because of the Anabaptistes whiche holde opinion that the Baptisme of infantes is nothyng woorth where as yet Christ in this place applieth water to regeneratiō to the new birth and ioyneth it as the cause therof with the holy ghost If children therfore haue nede of this new byrth and can not see the kyngdome of God without it and seynge Baptisme is ordeyned of Christ as the cause of all that muste bee newe borne It is not onely an vnmercyfull thynge but also violence in the kyngdome of god and playne tyranny to exclude them from Baptisme and from the kyngdome of God for whome Christe dyed and decreed that this benefite should be free to all them that are newe borne that they myght be baptised to dye with hym and be borne agayn Wherfore this newe byrth is also necessary for children that they may see the kyngdome of God And although the water dothe nothing profite without the holy ghost yet the holy ghoste by the water of Regeneration muste woorke in vs as Paule dothe so ioygne them bothe together Accordyng to his mercy saith he he saued vs by the water of regeneration and renuyng of the holy spirite the which he shed vpon vs abundantly This lauer or washyng can not be without regeneration and renuyng of the holy spirite Wherfore the errour is detestable that in certaine places dyuers preachers doo baptise chyldren without water For it is not only requisite in baptisme to haue the word spirite but also to haue water For so did Christ ordein no man hath power to change his lawe institution The baptisme of water is seene with the eies but the worke of Regeneration and new birth whiche is wrought by the holy ghost inwardly is not sene Therfore this outward ceremonie of the water of baptism may not be omitted because of the priuie and inuisible administration of the holy ghost Christ sayth furthermore vnto Nicodemus Meruail not that I sayd vnto thee thou muste be borne again from aboue the wynd bloweth wher he will and thou hearest the soūd therof but thou canst not tel frō whence it cōmeth and whether it gothe So is euery man that is born of the Spirite These wordes are very simple as the ceremonie is it selfe For it is not estemed with reason when an infant or an aged man is offered to make his confession on this wise that foloweth Behold the yoke of synne and of the deuyll is so great that there is no helpe or remedy against it but that he whether he be chyld or man be baptised and washed with water in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost But here must we rather marke what Christ sayth where he biddeth vs rather to consyder what is done by priuie operation then by the open ceremonie outward signe For the worke of the holy ghost is priuie hyd from the eies Wherfore we must beleue it as it is set forthe in the worde Thou shalte neuer perceaue it by the eies
neither hande nor mouthe is to be restrained We maie lawfully vse these instrumentes to reuenge accordyng to euery mannes vocation office and aucthoritie For here there is no place for lenitie and mercie but for vengeaunce So that in this behalfe would neglecte vengeance he should giue an occasion to GOD the high iudge that he should punishe the sinnes and offences of men and then were the matter in worse case For when GOD punisheth he punisheth more greuously then men doe· And this is the doctrine of the Gospell for this presente Sondaie The Lorde our GOD helpe vs by his holy spirite and giue vs grace for his sonne Iesus Christes sake that in this worlde we maye liue here a Godly rightuous and sober life euery manne accordyng to his vocation and office and in the worlde to come enioye the fruicion presence and sight of the moste blessed and glorious Trinitie GOD the father GOD the sonne and GOD the holy Ghoste three distincte persones and one true immortall and euerlastyng GOD To whom be all power glory and honor bothe now and euer Amen ¶ The .vij. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie The Gospell Matth. viii IN those daies when there was a verie great companie and had nothyng to eate Iesus called his disciples vnto hym and saied vnto theim I haue compassion on the people because thei haue been now with me three dayes and haue nothyng to eate and if I sende theim awaie fastyng to their owne houses thei shall fainte by the waie for diuers of theim came from farre And his disciples answered hym where should a manne haue breade here in the wildernesse to satisfie these And he asked them how many loaues haue ye Thei saied seuen And he commaunded the people to sitte doune on the grounde And he tooke the seuen loaues and when he had giuen thankes he brake and gaue to his disciples to sette before theim And thei did sette them before the people and thei had a fewe small fishes and when he had blessed he commaūnded them also to be sette before them and thei did eate and were suffised And thei tooke vp of the broken meate that was lefte seuen baskettes full And thei that did eate were aboue fower thousande And he sent them awaie THE EXPOSITION THis miracle did Christe twise For on midde Lent Sondaie is the like historie sette forthe when with fiue barlie loaues and twoo fishes he fed fiue thousande menne besides women and children and yet there remained so many fragmentes as filled twelue Baskettes full But in this Gospell ye heare how with seuen loaues and a fewe little fishes he fedde fower thousande and there were lefte so many fragmentes as filled seuen Baskettes It appereth that suche as appoincted this Gospell now to bee redde had a consideracion of the tyme seyng that this miracle is set foorthe in the fruitfull tyme of the yere that all men maie learne and vnderstande that all these thynges whiche wee receiue and take of the grounde come vnto vs by the blessyng of God and that God euen at this presente daie worketh with vs this miracle whiche at the tyme he wroughte in the wildernes saiyng that with a fewe nourishmentes or slender prouision he is able now also through his blessyng to minister foode to many yea to thousandes thousandes of people as he daily doeth so that although many times through tempestes the fruictes of the yearth haue no good successe yet that wee should knowe that our chief help and comfort consisteth in the blessyng of God For it is not the abundance of foode but the blessing of God that feedeth For suche is the naturall frowardnes of the vnfaithfull worlde that when it seeth not present store of victuall yea also enough the same straight waies it beginneth to despaire as though it should out of hand perishe for honger Thei that haue great plentie of victuall as of corne wine c. thei will vtter none of it before thei bee able to make the moste of it and to sell it so dearely as is possible These are very leude persones and suche as knowe nothing of Gods blessyng neither doe thei beleue it Or els thei would so behaue thē selues that thei might haue Christ with them and so should thei neuer doubt but that he through his blessyng bothe were able and also would make of their little store great abundance and sende plentie of all thynges For this miracle teacheth vs that there is no cause why we should doubte of the good will of Christe but that he will prouide abūdauntly bothe for our soule and bodie for our soule his spirite worde and faithe for our bodie meate drinke clothe lodgyng c. so that although sometyme he suffereth suche as beleue in him to be vexed and greued with penurie scarsenesse pouertie and contēpt for thei are greatly hated of the world neither doeth the worlde thinke them worthy to be fedde or to liue on the yearth yet thei should not doubte of this but that Christ euen in the greatest tyme of penurie and then all thynges bee moste scarse and deare will plentifully prouide for theim all thinges necessary for this present life Notwithstandyng Christe ministereth his blessyng accordyng to the rule whiche he prescribeth in the Gospell of Matthew Seke ye first saieth he the kingdome of GOD and the rightuousnes thereof and al these thynges shall be caste vnto you For the Euāgeliste declareth that the people taried with Christ three daies What was the cause of their so long abode with Christ it is easie to conceiue Uerely to heare the worde of GOD at his mouthe And this is the cause that he afterward is so carefully moued to make prouision for them and coumpteth it his office to see that thei lacke nothyng leaste thei should perishe for honger that it should bee a speciall doctrine to vs first of all to haue a singuler regarde to the woorde of GOD and to practise the same in our life and conuersacion and afterward as touching thinges apperteining vnto our liuing to caste all our care vpon Christ. For he hath taken vpon hym to make prouisiō for vs so that he will by no meanes suffer vs to perishe for honger Stones shall soner be made bread then thei which seke the kyngdome of GOD the rightuousnesse thereof shall lacke any good thyng as the Psalmographe saieth O feare the Lorde ye that be his sainctes for thei that feare hym lacke nothyng The Lions doe lacke and suffer honger but thei which seke the Lorde shall want no maner of thyng that is good Again I haue been yong and now am old and yet sawe I neuer the rightuous forsaken nor his seede beggyng their breade The rightuous is euer mercifull and lendeth and yet haue his children Gods blessyng and inough So saieth blessed Marke in the sixt Chapiter of his Gospell that muche people came flockyngly together out of diuers cities tounes and
Ananias Misaell and Asarias when thei might haue eaten and dronken of the same meate and wine that kyng Nabuchodonozor did eate and drinke refused so to dooe and chosed rather in stede of that princely fare to eate Potage and to drinke water and yet wer thei better liking and fatter then thei whiche did eate of the kynges meate The meate whiche GOD sent to Daniell beyng in prison at Babilon by Abacut the Prophete was it any other then Potage and broken bread GOD giueth not deinties but necessaries to his people whiche thei shall neuer want that loue hym Sainct Paule saieth hauyng nourishement and clothyng he saith not hauyng delicious fare sumptuous apparell let vs be conteÌ„t For nothing brought we into the worlde neither shall we cary any thyng out of it Therefore our sauiour Christ in that praier whiche he taughte his Disciples to saie commaundeth vs to praie not for deinties and varietie of pleasaunte dishes but for breade that is to saie for necessary foode wherof preseÌ„tly we haue neede Giue vs this daie our daiely breade And that moste wise and noble kyng Salomon desired of GOD onely a necessary liuyng O Lorde saieth he giue me neither pouertie nor richesse onely graunt me a necessary liuyng least I be to full I deny thee and saie Who is the Lorde And least I beyng coÌ„strained through pouertie fall vnto stealyng and take the name of my GOD in vaine This frugalitie therefore and simple fare accompanied with the blessyng of Christe and practised of all good and Godly men from the beginning in all agâ—s ought to moue vs for to eschewe al kindes of voluptuous and dilicious fare and to content our selues with thinne and necessarie diete auoidyng all excesse and superfluitie not onely as a synne displeasaunt vnto GOD but also as a pestilent noysome and hurtfull to our healthe and life alwaies hauing before our eyes this saiyng of our sauiour Christe Take hede that your heartes bee not ouercome with surfettyng and dronkennesse And as saincte Paule saieth Make no prouision for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes thereof To ende This is not the meanyng of this our Gospell that we acknowledge and confesse Iesus Christ our Lorde to be our nurse father prouider and Steward whiche giueth vnto vs all thynges abundantly to enioye them whiche notwithstandyng hath the moste speciall care for the foode of the soulle that we maie get aboue all thynges the knowledge of Gods woorde and of true Godlinesse and so obtaine euerlastyng life Againe that so many as seeke the kyngdome of GOD and the rightuousnes thereof should not despaire concernyng corporall sustenaunce but in all their necessities flee vnto Christes blessyng and faithfully beleue that Christ will no lesse feede theim and take care for theim then he did for the fiue thousande of whom our Gospell maketh mention although reason se not how this thing maie be brought to passe so that here we are taught that as we be made of twoo partes that is to saie of soulle and bodie so likewise doeth Christ make prouision for theÌ„ bothe neither will he suffer suche as trust in hym to waÌ„t any good thing either for the soulle or for the body but giue theim all thynges liberally as the Psalmographe saieth O feare the lorde ye that be his Sainctes for thei that feare hym lacke nothyng The Lions dooe lacke and suffer honger but thei whiche seeke the Lorde shall wante no maner of thyng that is good That we maie obtaine these twoo blessynges of GOD the father through Christ accordyng to his moste swete and comfortable promises that is to saie foode bothe for soule and bodie necessarie liuyng for the sustentacion of this mortall life in this worlde and euerlastyng glorie in the worlde to come bothe for soule and bodie let vs at all tymes diligently praie for the assistaunce of Gods moste holy spirite that he maie breath into vs suche heauenly and spirituall motions that we maie aboue all thynges seke the Kyngdome of GOD and the rightuousnes therof depende whollie on his faithfull prouideÌ„ce and alwaie be thankfull to hym for his benefites where with daiely he inricheth vs through his sonne Christe Iesu To whom bothe now and euer bee all glorie and honour Amen The .viij. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie The Gospell Matth. vii BEware of false Prophetes whiche come to you in Shepes clothyng but inwardly thei are rauenyng Woulues ye shall knowe theÌ„ by their fruictes Doe menne gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of Thisties â–ª Euen so euery good Tree bryngeth forthe good fruites But a corrupte Tree bryngeth forthe euill fruites A good tree can not bryng forthe badde fruites neither can a badde tree bryng forthe good fruites Euery tree that bryngeth not forthe good fruite is hewen doune and caste into the fire wherefore by their fruites ye shall knowe them Not euery one that saith vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that dooeth the will of my father whiche is in heauen he shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen THE EXPOSITION THis our Gospell is part of that long sermon whiche our sauiour Christ made in the mountaine described of the blessed EuaÌ„gelist S. Matthewe in the .v. vi vii Chapiters of his Gospell and it is almoste at the latter ende of the aforesaied sermon And the occasion of these his woordes maie right well seme to bee this The Lorde Christ knewe right well that accordyng to our Englishe Prouerbe where so euer GOD buildeth a Churche there the Deuill will builde a Chapell iuste by That is to saie where so euer the woorde of GOD is truely sette forthe and sincerely preached there the Deuill ceaseth not through his Tares of wicked heresies and false doctrine to hinder and to lette yea to obscure and deface that good woorke as we maie se in the Gospell that fewe or none maie receiue profite thereby least his kyngdome should bee diminished and he spoiled of his praie Therefore in this our Gospell Christe admonisheth warneth and chargeth vs to beware of false Prophetes As though he should saie I haue set forthe my worde vnto you and diligently taught you what ye ought to doe how ye should rightly and truely vnderstande the tenne commaundementes praie faste beleue in GOD giue almose c. This now remaineth that ye diligently take hede that ye by no meanes suffer your selues to be plucked awaie from this my doctrine neither by the subtile suggestions of moste subtile Satan nor by the craftie conueighaunce and fleshly perswasions of Antichrist his adherentes For I sende you not forthe emong Angels but emoÌ„g Wolffes neither dooe I sowe you emong Wheate but emong Tares Therefore take hede diligently that ye be not deceiued nor allured from the waie of truthe vnto the rockes of errours and heresies Wherefor Christ in this our Gospell chargeth vs aboue all thynges that wee holde faste the sincere and
altogether pure again that God of his liberalitie and munificence will rewarde them in the lyfe to come as we hearde before out of the gospell of S. Mathewe And Paule saith that the passions or suffringes of the Sainctes shall be rewarded in the lyfe to come Therfore when Christ sayth make you frendes of wicked Mammon that when ye departe or fayle they maye receaue you into euerlastinge tabernacles the sence and meaning of these wordes can be none other but this If we be the Disciples of Christ and do good workes that god will rewarde those good workes in the life to come But what saith Paule good workes can not be don but of fayth And Christ saith that we obtaine remission of sinnes and euerlastynge lyfe by fayth Thou must conferre these sentences with this present text But howe can these be made to agreee Uerily none otherwise then that thorowe fayth in Christ we haue remission of sinnes and euerlastynge lyfe and that god for this faithes sake doth approue and allowe our Almoses and other good workes and of his owne liberalitie for his promise sake which we do firmely beleue and sticke vnto will abundantly liberally rewarde in the worlde to come So that although it be laborious and painful vnto vs when we do obey god and worke well yet this hope conforteth vs and maketh vs chereful and encourageth vs to go forward in doing good workes forasmuch as we are most certeinly assured that they shal not be vnrewarded at gods hand in the lyfe after this This is the proper true natiue sence or meaning of this sentēce and a good and substanciall answere vnto the question of good workes God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ helpe vs and by his holy spirite stirre vp our heartes that this exhortation vnto good workes the liberall promes ioyned to the same beinge done in fayth maye take good effect in vs and so worke in our mindes that in this worlde we maye plentifully sowe the seede of good workes and in the worlde to come reape the fruites of euerlastinge lyfe thorowe Iesus Christe our Lorde and alone Sauiour to whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorie both now and euer Amen The tenth Sonday after Trinitie sonday ¶ The Gospell Luke xix AND when he was come nere to Ierusalem he beheld the Citie and wept on it saying If thou haddest knowen those thynges whiche belong vnto thy peace euen in this thy day thou wouldeste take heede But nowe are they hyd from thine eyes For the dayes shall come vnto the that thy enymies shall caste a banke about the and compasse the rounde and kepe the in on euerye syde and make the euen with the grounde and thy chyldren whiche are in thee And they shall not leaue in the one stone vpon another because thou knoweste not the tyme of thy visitation And he wente into the Temple and began to cast out them that solde therein and them that boughte sayinge vnto them It is written my house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of thieues And he taught daylye in the Temple THE EXPOSITION THis Gospell ought diligently to be remēbred weighed considered of al Christiās that they also hereby maye learne to feare God For of all the histories that be contayned in the gospell of Luke it is moste terrible fearefull horrible it ought worthely so to moue vs that we might neuer forget it For in this our gospel is mentiō made how great anger vengeance god shewed against the Citie of Ierusalem the inhabitants of the same for their incredulitie and disobediēce And it is a most certein sure doctrine vnto vs that all such as are obstinate secure and carelesse in their sins despysing the iudgement of god shall euen finde at the hand of god the very same anger vengeaunce so that they shal neuer escape it For if the most noble goodly beautifull citie were not spared because hauyng the worde of god it repented not let all men thincke this for a moste certeintie that except they repent in time amend they lykewise shal neuer escape the dreadful displeasure whote vengeance of god Christ himself is marueilously troubled concerning the heauy destruction of so great so noble a Citie wysheth that it wold call it selfe to remembraunce and well consider aforehande the wrath that is to come and addresse it selfe vnto amendement mourne wepe and lament desire god to be merciful vnto it to forgeue it tourne awaye those plagues that it worthely hath deserued And although Christ speaketh here only of Ierusalē yet he willeth that his commination commonition that is to saye that his threatning warning shoulde be vnderstanded to pertayne vnto so many as haue the worde of god and yet heare it without fruite yea despise it that they shoulde not be carelesse nor thincke with themselfes that god wil forgeue them this fault This punishment shall as surely chaunce to all suche as god lyueth Therfore let vs repent in tyme cease from all sinnes but specially from that sinne that despiseth the worde of god or the tyme of visitation and that heare the sermons and yet truly tourne they not vnto godlines but goeth forth in all kynde of wyckednes whatsoeuer is preached and taught to the contrarie For the paine is not therfore taken awaye because it is differred for a time For here is set before vs a terrible example of the most fearce and horrible iudgement of god against a Citie that he most dearly loued and was counted the holiest Citie in the world and against a people which God had chosen as peculiar to himselfe before all other nations vnder heauen This Citie was the house and dwelling place of god and the people therof were his owne familie houshold For next vnto heauen Ierusalem was the holiest place where god and his Angels dwelte where al the seruice of god was appointed to be done where almost all the Patriarches lyued and were buried where also Christ the Sonne of God was walked in the fleshe died and was buried rose again and sent the holy ghost so that this Citie in holynes passed all Cities in the worlde neyther was the lyke euer founde on the earth neither shal be vnto the worldes end And yet for all that all these thinges nothyng at all regarded seing it receaued not the word of god nor obeyed the same god did so seuerely punishe that offence for the honour of his worde that he woulde rather haue that Citie ones tenderly loued extirped and plucked vp by the rootes then he wolde suffer his worde so to to be dishonoured and the glorie therof defaced If God delt thus with his best beloued citie is it to bee thought that he will spare other cities kyngdomes and nations where he hath not dwelt and where the people
poyson with vntymely and vnsauery fruictes to kyll thee To be short there is no number of the plagues and punyshementes whiche God hath in store for synners and wicked persons This therefore is the cause that Christe so â—carefully monysheth weepeth and saieth Consyder nowe thy perill O Hierusalem Thynkest thou that the plague and punyshement will not come vpon thee because it is hyd and deferred for a tyme Thou arte greatly deceiued For the payne is not hyd to this end that thou shouldest escape free and vnplagued but that thou mayst be the more certayn and sure that it will come vppon thee for as muche as thou consyderest not the tyme of thy visitation If therfore thou wylt not abuse this delay and long suffring of God make ones an ende of synnyng and embrace the woorde and so shalt thou prouide well for thy selfe If thou wilt not thou shalt surely perishe and come to naught On this maner dothe Peter also preache sayinge Suppose that the longe sufferyng of the Lord is saluation That is to say Thynke it to be your saluation and that it is done for youre sake that ye shoulde not be damned For if God shold always punyshe accordyng to our deserte and synne none of vs all shold lyue long in this world Notwithstandyng God doth not so but he is long suffryng paciently abydeth our conuersion and deferreth the punyshement Understande this so sayth Peter as a thyng done for youre saluation that ye maye thus saye O Lorde I haue synned diuers waies and often and yet the punyshement therof hath not folowed but is deferred Notwithstandyng what dothe this signifie verily none other thyng then that although the payn be hid yet at the last it will surely come yea and that so much the more greuous because it is differred Therefore be mercyfull to me O Lord Forgeue me my synnes and geue me grace so to repente and amende that I offende no more Here Peter teacheth that we shoulde vse the pacience and long suffering of God vnto our confort and saluation For God desireth not the destruction of menne neyther deliteth he in the death of synners It is therfore for our saluation when God hideth the peyne and deferreth the punyshment But when this waie can do no good with synners but in the daye of wrath they heape vp more wrathe by goyng forthe to syn then can not God any longer deferre his plagues but seyng no hope of amendement he rendreth to the wicked accordyng to their wickednes as daily experience teacheth When theues will not cease from their stealing they at the last come to the gallowes and are hanged The whoremongers and adulterers also goyng forward in theyr vnclennes at the last are taken brought to shame punyshed Thus dyd Christ plainly declare to Hierusalem that although God did as yet hyde the peyne and deferre the punyshement yet that he would at the laste come and most miserably plage those stiffenecked and disobedient people Therfore let euery man feare God Let all thynke this lyttel great olde and yong that if they synne and wyll not cease and repente that punyshement wyll at the laste come For to this ende is the exaumple of Hierusalem that most holy and beautyfull Citie sette forth vnto vs of the whiche citie the very Ethnike histories also report that it was the goodliest citie of all the easte partes But it is now destroyed vtterly brought to naught The cause of the subuersion vtter ruine therof was because it made no ende of synnyng neither would it receaue the woorde of God but rather hate and persecute it Suche example dothe Christ set forth to vs in this Gospell that wee maye repente and amende or ells that we should knowe if we wyll not repent we shall surely bee plagued althoughe the peyne for a tyme be hyd and that when the tyme of punyshment cometh al praiers supplications vnto God shal be frustrate vain as God himself saith by the mouth of Salomon I haue called ye refused it I haue stretched out my hand and no maÌ„ regarded it but all my counsels haue ye despysed set my correction at naughte Therfore shall I also laugh in your destruction and mock you when that thyng that ye fear cometh vpon you euen when the thing that ye be afrayde of falleth in sodeinly lyke a storme and youre miserie like a tempest yea when trouble heuines coÌ„meth vpon you Then shall they call vpon me but I wil not heare They shall seke me early but they shall not fynd me and that because they hated knowledge and receaued not the feare of the Lorde but abhorred my counsayle and despised all my correction Therefore shall they eate the fruites of theyr owne way and be fylled with their own inuentions For the turnyng away of the vnwise shal slea them the prosperitie of fooles shal be their owne destruction Euen thus didde God handle the Iewes The tyme of the siege was not longe euen frome Easter vntill September and all that tyme there was sacrificyng praying and syngyng to the vttermost but all in vayne For God had shutte vp his eares The reason is this For he had hyd and deferred the punyshment that they myght heare his word repent amend and knowe the tyme of theyr visitation But all these thyngs dyd no good with that indurate hard herted and styffenecked people Therfore where he publyshed the punyshement he hyd hym selfe that he coulde bee founde in no place as Oseas the Prophete thretnethe also the kyngdome of Israell They shall come with their shepe and bullockes to seeke the Lorde but they shall not fynde hyme for he is gone from theim This example therfore ought not to be neglected or to be set at naught but for asmuche as God hath suche places in store and wyll at this tyme bryng them to lyghte let vs feare hym And forasmuch as he doth not take vengeance of our synnes out of hande but geueth vs daies of respite that we may repent and amende let vs loue hym as a moste mercyfull Father and saye O Lord I knowe that thou wylt not suffer synne to escape vnpunished notwithstandyng O Lord endue me with thy grace and holy Spirite that I maye amende and escape the punyshement and peyne of thy moste fierce anger He that thus repenteth easily obteyneth mercy and forgeuenes And without doubt Hierusalem had continued vnto thys daye if the Iewes woulde haue knowen the tyme of theyr visitation and mekely haue sayd vnto God O Lorde we haue offended we haue done wickedly our synnes are moste heynous for we haue slayn thy seruauntes the Prophetes Notwithstandyng thou hast now geuen vs thy Gospell to be our helpe and confort for the which we most humbly thanke thee O be thou mercyful vnto vs and geue vs grace to repent and to amend that is amysse that we may become newe creatures and serue thee in holynesse and ryghteousnes all the dayes
workes not in the grace and mercie of god Thus could Christ by no meanes abide neither ought we to suffer it but by the word of god to resiste it vnto the vttermost of our power For without this there is no waie vnto saluation Men must be brought froÌ„ their owne workes and merites vnto the sacrifice and merite of Christ vnto the mercie of god afterwarde they must be exhorted vnto a godly lyfe that they folowe not their owne imaginations but the worde of god and frame them selues in all pointes according vnto that He that doth this vseth the temple the ministerie aright he that doth otherwise abuseth them is a theif murderer of soules as Oseas the Prophet also calleth the priestes in the kyngdom of Israel As theaues armed saith he waite for him that passeth by the waye such is the councell of the priestes which with one agreed couÌ„cell murder cruelly such as kepe the waye yea they dare do all vnspeakeable mischeife By these his wordes the Prophet describeth the great slaughter that they made amonge the people with their false doctrine For wheras their duetie was to coÌ„mend set forth to the people the sacrifice of Christ they coÌ„meÌ„ded the sacrifices of beastes For that was for their aduaÌ„tage that made their kitchin to smoke For they had alwayes a portion of those sacrifices But by this meanes men were not only polled and pylled of their money but they were also in daunger of their soules saluation Christ by no meanes could abide this and therfore he made hauocke in the Temple He did cast out such as bought sold in the temple He threwe downe topled ouer the tables of the money chaungers c. He wold rather do any thing then suffer that suche thefte murder should be maintayned yea and that vnder the pretence of gods seruice But as Christ did this at the time by miracle so is the same exaÌ„ple exercised diligently by the iudgement of god against Schismatikes The vngodly Bishops priests monkes whiche for couetousnes of worldly things defende the wicked sacrifice of the Masse the other ydolatrie shall shortly feele this zele and whote indignation of god wheÌ„ they shal be worthely cast out of the temple be had in contempt of all men And this muche haue we spoken of our gospel God the father of mercies for Christes sake mought vouchesafe to raise vp his holye spirite in our heartes vnto his feare faith and loue and mercifully kepe vs in his worde and defend vs against all euil both bodely and ghostly to the glory of his blessed name Amen The xi Sonday after Trinitie sonday ¶ The Gospell Luke xviii CHriste tolde this Parable vnto certayne whiche trusted in them selues that they were perfect and despised other Two men went vp into the Temple to praye the one a Phariseye and the other a Publican The Pharisey stode prayed thus with hym selfe God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican I fast twise in the weke I geue tithe of all that I possesse And the Publican standynge a farre of woulde not lyfte vp his eyes to heauen but smote on his breaste sayinge God be mercyfull to me a sinner I tell you this man departed home to his house iustified more then the other For euery man that exalteth hym selfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hym selfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION CHrist in this gospell teacheth vs to be humble and lowly as it becometh true Christians For by this vertue onely by none other is the grace and fauour of God obtayned as it is described set forth to vs in these two men that is to say in the Phariseye and in the Publicane The Phariseyes were amonge the Iewes euen as the Monckes and Nonnes were amonge vs in the tyme of Papistrie For they ware apparel contrary to the coÌ„mon fashion they had certein daies appointed for fastinge and prayinge and they pretended suche an holynes in their life and conuersation that al other men in comparison of them were counted very sinners And therof had they their name For a Phariseye in the Hebreue tong is asmuch to say in Englishe as a man that is exempted and deuided from the nomber of other people suche one as by no meanes can abyde to be counted lyke other The Publicanes were as the officers are with vs that gather tribute tolle custome c. of the people They hyred the offices for a certein summe of money and afterwarde by pollynge and pilling and suche other craftie and iniurious wayes they made the moste of them that they could deuise vnto the greate greuaunce of other And therfore they were reported of all men to be couetous persons synners and naughty packes for asmuche as suche as were in those offices polled and pylled all that they could get and wrongfully vexed the people by takyng of them more then was their dutie to haue Therfore it was not very lyke that there was any of them righteous as it was also iudged that amonge the Phariseyes ther was none euill But Christ iudgeth here farre otherwise pronouncing the Publican righteous and the Phariseye a synner yea and that a greuous sinner For Luke prosecuteth the description meruailous odiously doth so bytterly reporte the matter that a man would maruaile at it For thus beginneth he this parable There were certein men which trusted in them selues that they were righteous and despised other These are two moste fowle and filthie vices and Luke describeth the Phariseyes to be such in that they were not content with this one sinne that they trusted in them selues which is a sinne hainous ynough but also they despised other Now consider thou this with thy selfe what fastynge praying can profite such a moÌ„ster whome the deuil hath puffed vp â—â—th suche pride both spiritually corporally that he doth not only glorie in himselfe and in his owne workes merites but he also despyseth other As though he should saye If I shoulde not testifye of mine owne righteousnes I should in vaine looke for the equitie and sinceritie of god in my cause So great and often are my fastes my almose dedes my prayers c. That the residue of the Iewes are not able to compare with me I pay faithfully truly all my tithes As for other if they could defraude and deceaue the priestes of their duties they wold do it such is the vnrighteousnes of other but iÌ„ me ther is no such thiÌ„g In this holy man and god wil we finde as I said two moste haynous vices an incomparable pride or haultines of minde and the contempte or despysynge of other yea and that suche and so great that he counteth all other to be extorcioners vnrighteous persons adulterers c. But the poore Publican he specially and namelye pointeth setteth foorth saying As for
commaundement vntill Samuel comme and annoint hym kyng yea and the hystorie maketh speciall mention that he had seuen proude and stately brothers whiche despised hym as the yongest But God saieth to Samuell Let passe these stately persones annoint hym kyng whom I shewe vnto thee for I wyll none of the other Dauid when he was nowe exalted of God is not stately For if he had ben so he should haue ben reiected of God after the example of Saul But for as muche as he sheweth modestie and lowlynes although he be put besyde his kyngedome yet dothe he recouer it agayne and is also aduaunced to great renoume of God for that that hee promiseth that Christ shall procede of his stocke and kynred All these thynges are written and declared in sermons to the intente that wee shoulde vse humilitie and beware of pride and not saye after the maner of the stately Who canne abyde thys drudgerie Lette vs couete to lyue more gentylmanlyke But whenne thou thynkest thus thou arte more certayne of nothynge then that GOD is made thy aduersarie therby For thys is trewe that God can not abyde pride and loftynesse as we haue exaumples to proue thys euery where For what other thyng thynkest thou to be the cause of so great trouble in the world and that there is suche a multitude of rustikes barbarous rude and wretched men then because they were delited in theyr youth with pride licētious liuyng wherfore after that God counteth them not worthy to be regarded of hym neither can they euer waxe thriftie in any kynd of lyfe For this is surely decreed that what so euer exalteth it selfe shall be brought lowe Contrarily what soeuer humbleth it self that God can not chose but exalte Moste hearty thankes bee vnto our God whiche hathe shewed forthe to vs this day this doctrine and graunt vs his grace that we may shew our selues obedient to this doctrine through Iesu Christe Amen The xviii Sonday after trinitie Sonday The Gospell Math xxii WHen the Phariseis had heard that Iesus dyd put the Saduceis to scilence they came together and one of them whiche was a doctour of lawe asked hym a question temptyng hym and sayinge Master whiche is the greatest commaundement in the lawe Iesus sayde vnto hym Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the fyrst and greatest commaundement And the seconde is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange all the lawe and the Prophetes Whyle the Phariseis were gathered together Iesus asked them saying what thynke ye of Christe Whose sonne is he They sayde vnto hym the sonne of Dauid He sayde vnto them Howe then doth Dauid in spirite call hym Lorde saying The Lorde sayd vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foote stoole If Dauid then call hym Lorde howe is he then his sonne And no man was hable to aunswere him any thing neyther durst◠any man from that day forth aske him any mo questions THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospel are two thynges to be marked aboue all other The one is of that scribe which demandeth what is the greatest commandement in the lawe The other howe Christ demaundeth again the phariseis as touching Christ whose son he shold be For Dauid in spirit calleth him his lord The first question declareth that the ignorance blindnes of the Iewes was so great that they had forgottē the ten commaundementes which children are wont to learne by heart Wherfore it were an easy thyng for a chylde to geue them answer The first and greatest commandement is Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me But the phariseys and scribes take it not for the greatest and they be fallen to suche foly that they call in question what that commandement should be One saieth that it is sacrifice an other to geue almes an other to fast and to vse a peculiar kynd of apparell c. As we see it to come to passe when men fall from Gods commaundement and worde and ordeyn and sette vp other workes for them selfe of their owne inuentyng For this came to passe with oure religious men also when they became cloysterers they made their profession they had no propre goodes and therwith they forgat also what is faithe and what is charitie And their Religion they called afterwarde the state of perfection But is not a chyld now more able to declare what is the state of perfection then all the monkes The reason is that they haue only in their syght their rules of their profession But a christen man saieth To be perfect signifieth to feare and loue God to profite thy neighbour with al kynd of benefit For god gaue no other cōmaundement But at last the matter came to that poynte that ceremonies be inuented whiche appeare pleasant and full of pompe as when dayes vestures meats be chosen wherin they diffre from the other multitude This moueth the eyes of the rude and turneth them on them selues But in the mean tyme the principall workes and commandementes where as God is commaunded to be loued and thy neighbour to bee holpen is cleane left a side as the example of the phariseys and Scribes is euident in this place Wherfore thys is a notable exaumple where as suche notable learned menne were in so great blyndnesse that they knewe not whiche was the greatest or smallest precepte And yet if a man may say the truthe they were doctours whiche oughte to make declaration to the people howe God was to be worshypped truely As oure religious menne bee also If a man shoulde demaunde of them as touchynge good woorkes and what is to be doone they woulde not putte foorthe the tenne commaundementes but aunswere that he must become a religious man and bye Masses go on pilgrimage faste c. But this is nothyng els then to withdraw men frō the true cōmandements vnto trifles And such reward haue they at length for theyr errors that folow mans doctrine and sett foorth suche workes as touchyng the whych God gaue no commaundement By suche are menne deceaued so that they haue no more respecte to the tenne commaundementes but doo let them wholly passe For yf it were not for that it would not haue ben harde for them to answere that that is the greatest precepte that God commanded But the phariseys Scribes priests and monkes knewe not that Wherefore this erroure is to bee auoyded and your owne foolyshe deuotion is alwaies to be eschued ▪ But contrarily the Catechisme and Christian discipline is not lightly to be regarded yf that menne woulde be instructed to know what is theyr duetie to doo For here we doo learne that GOD is to bee loued and that we muste haue no other Gods that is we oughte to preferre nothyng before the loue of God but rather to lette all thyngs passe and to suffer all thynges for his
as he canne and saythe CHRIST dyed for me therfore am I free frome synne and I canne not dye neyther hathe death nor synne any power vppon me For Christe hathe made satisfaction for all thynges that I shod pay This is true faith neither is it possible that he should be deceaued of this hope that sticketh to the word on this wise This is true it is not yet sene or felte but yet it is trewe and the tyme shall surely comme whenne it shal be opened The ruler dyd euen so and sticked surely to the woorde He perceyued not the thynge but because he beleued the woorde hys seruauntes come on the nexte daye with ioyefull tydynges that hys sonne was alyue At lengthe also he seeth it wyth hys eyes Then is Faithe no longer requisite it is come to passe as he beleued Thus is it wyth vs also We haue remission of oure synnes and euerlastynge lyfe We heare the Gospel we beleue the absolution we vse the supper of the Lorde yet do we styll fele always deathe and synne neyther can wee remoue thys sence and feelynge frome vs whyle we lyue in thys lyfe But yet beleue thou the word neuertheles For so must we also wholly beleue gods word without signes and vse the condition of Paule that is to lyue content with Gods grace We must beleue the worde although it is not our chaunce to see with Thomas But we shall see when the tyme shal come wyth thys Ruler that as we beleued the Remyssion of synnes and euerlastyng lyfe by the woorde euen soo shall wee haue it in deede in euerlastynge ryghteousnesse and lyfe As long as we lyue here we muste be content wyth the word and beleue it After thys lyfe we shall feele it and haue it in dede The whyche thyng God our mercifull Father graunt for his sonne Iesus Christes sake thorough his holye spirite Amen The .xxii Sonday after Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell Math. xviii PEter sayd vnto Iesus Lorde howe oft shall I forgeue my brother if he sinne agaynst me tyll seuen times Iesus sayethe vnto hym I saye not vnto the vntyll seuen tymes but seuentie times seuen tymes Therefore is the kyngedome of heauen lykenede vnto a certayne man that was akynge whiche woulde take accoumptes of his seruauntes And when he had begon to recken one was brought vnto hym whiche ought hym ten thousande talentes But forasmuche as he was not hable to paye his Lorde commaunded hym to be solde and his wyfe and chyldren and all that he had and payment to be made The seruaunt fell downe and besought him saying Sir haue pacience with me and I wyll paye the all Then had the Lorde pitie on that seruaunte and losed hym and forgaue hym the debt So the same seruaunte wente out and founde one of his felowes which ought hym an hundred pence and he layd handes on him toke hym by the throate saying paye that thou owest And his felowe fell downe and besought hym saying haue pacience with me and I wyll paye the all And he woulde not but wente and caste hym into pryson tyll he shoulde pay the debt So when his felowes sawe what was done they were very sory and came and tolde vnto theyr Lorde all that hadd happened Then his Lorde called hym and sayde vnto hym O thou vngracious seruaunte I forgaue the all that debt when thou desiredst me shouldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy felowe euen as I had pitie on thee And his Lorde was wroth and delyuered hym to the Iaylers tyll he shoulde pay all that was due vnto him So like wise shall my heauenlye father do also vnto you yf ye from your heartes forgeue not euery one his brother theyr trespasses THE EXPOSITION YE heare in the very begynnynge what is the summe of this Gospell When Peter asketh of Christe what was nedefull to be done when his brother synned againste hym and howe often hee shoulde forgeue hym whether seuen tymes were inough Christ aunswereth Not seuen tymes but seuentie tymes seuen tymes That is the forgeuyng of synnes amongest Christians ought to bee withoute measure and ende and they must pardon one an others synnes and beware of reuengyng For that belongeth only to God whose maiestie ought not to bee violated neyther hys iurisdiction to be broken As the parable also sheweth it in order And we afterwarde wyll gather togyther the causes and declare theim But here muste we especially marke howe Christe saieth That the kyngdome of God is lyke a kynge whiche purposeth to make a reckenynge and accompt with his seruantes For this commaundement as touching remission of sinne is not to be applied to the gouernance of a comminaltie where as are seuerall offices and diuersities of persons therfore all thynges there consist in the varieties of rulynge and obeyeng that licence may not be geuen to the lustes and vices of men but that a discipline and honest order maye be hadde for the restraynynge of the lewde and wicked Wherefore it is not ment that parentes should geue theyr chylderne all lycencious libertie They ought to vse a certayne kynde of reuengyng and by no meanes to couete and desyre the name of facilitie and gentylnesse Lykewise is it also with the maysters ouer their houshold seruauntes and with maiestrates and officers Let all them knowe that they are appointed certainly to reuenge For thys is the worldes faulte that it is the worse for libertie as it appereth by wyld children that wyll not obey theyr parentes vntyll at length they come to hangyng Wherfore this commandement is not to be vsed in a common welth but in the kyngdom of God where all we are equall and are subiecte but onely to God whiche is the head of the lyfe of vs all He calleth the kyngdom of God not only the lyfe that is after this but the holy churche in this lyfe wher as God by hys word and by his holy spirite hath the gouernance In thys churche thou must obserue this trade if it be not thy peculiar office to reuenge synne that there may alway be pardonyng one an other and no reuengynge that al things may be done toward thy neighbor with mercy gentlenes whersoeuer he hath nede althoughe by reason we might seme to haue a iust cause to do the cōtrarie Why Christ requireth this he sheweth sure causes in the parable of the two seruants and of the king The first is that Christ requireth that the christians should thynk with themselues howe great mercie God hathe shewed vnto them which also if he would deale extremely with vs had many and great causes to be reuenged of vs and to vexe vs with moste greuous euyls But seyng that we obteined mercy without our desert we must shew mercy and gentlenes to our neighbor And this must be obserued with great diligence For by this Christ declareth what is the true way to obteyn remission of synne and sheweth vs to our selues