more he feeleth consolation the lesse doth the burthen of afflictions trouble him It is pleasaunt to all fleshe to receaue grace or consolation in aduersities but wholly to denye him self and to seeke neyther in him self nor without him selfe any thing but God only in al things Here is the workâ— here is the labour This finally declareth him to be a stoute souldier of Christ Let it not therefore be greuous to vs if we bee forsaken of all men yea and of our most derest frends This is not one dayes worke but it requyreth a longe and continual fight if a maÌ„ wil ouercome him selfe and cleaue only to God A man is hardened by afflictions so that all thynges be they neuer so paynfull will be easye Let vs not therfore despayre if the Lord somtimes hide away withdrawe hys ayde and comforte from vs. Thys is no newe or rare thing to those which are exercised in the waye of God and in the spiritual battayle Courses of thynges are altered so that after rayne and tempestes followeth most pleasaunte fayre weather and calmes The Lord is neuer vnmyndfull of hys how so euer he dissemble sometymes whiche is myghtie to comforte vs after oure longe temptation and that with a great increase of spirituall ioy Wherfore the saintes complayne in their extreme aduersities that they be forsaken of god when as yet for all that in the meane tyme they dispaire not but desyre helpe of God so much the more feruently as they doe acknowledge them selues to bee more forsaken nothyng doubting but that God wil be present in tyme and shew forth hys power in theyr weakenes We must therefore according to the example of Christe stande stedfaste in afflictions neyther muste we come downe from the crosse how so euer our enemyes rage or bee woode agaynste vs. We shall see streyght waye God will ayde vs from aboue He is ready to succor them which fyghte and hope in hys grace And althoughe he seeme somtymes to vs to deferre or to bee a slepe thys is done to geue vs an occasion to fyght so by that meanes to ouercome These thynges happen vnto vs from oure moste pitifull Father to trye our fayth and to teache vs to acknowlede our weakenes to flye vnto him and to requyre helpe of him Let their doctrine therefore be put awaye from the Churche of Christ whiche affyrme Christ to haue dispayred vpon the crosse But let vs rather thynke thus that the heauenly Phisition tooke vpon him self al euils for vs Heb. 2. that we myght acknowledge that we haue a faithful high priest which can be sicke with them whiche bee sicke and to haue compassion of oure infyrmitie Christ soroweth with them which are sorowfull and the hed powreth out his complaynte for the members which are sicke This voyce is of the fleshe whiche feleth payne yet doth it not rebell nor dispayre Innocent flesh feleth extreme payne a moste holy bodye feleth moste greuous torment which is so wonderful great that euen the insensible creatures beare witnesse that they be sorowfull concernyng a certayne horror for the death of theyr creator Christ expresseth thys vnmeasurable griefe by â—xample and graue wordes ☞ Afterward when Iesus knewe that all thinges were finyshed that the scriptur might be fulfilled he said I thirst And there was set a vessel ful of vineger and they filled a sponge with vineger and ysope and put to hys mouthe Then when Iesus had receaued the vineger he sayde it is finyshed THere is no member in Christ withoute paine and torment Wherin we may perceaue partly the loue of the father which put hys Sonne so forth to all euils for vs and partly the cruelty and ingratitude of the Iews God hath not spared hys owne Sonne sayeth Paule but hath deliuered hym for vs al. The heauenly Phisition setteth before vs a remedy against the disease of our first parents who by the prouocation of the apple would satisfie their appetite whereby synne hath flowed into vs all Christ therfore woulde not offend with his tonge that he might heale thys disease teaching in the meane tyme all the Godly to temper them selues from the delicatenesse pleasures of the body wherby the feare of god doth almost growe out of vse in the hartes of men In that he sayeth it is finyshed he declareth that whatsoeuer thynges were Prophecied of him in the law and Prophetes are now finyshed For al did demoÌ„strate Christ the shaddowes and olde figures were put oute when Christ the true light shined Of the which thing we haue spoken more aboundauntlye in other places Let vs learne here that our saluation is finished in Christ and let vs not seke it any further in other things besides Christ There remayneth nothing whiche can be added vnto it eyther by the Pope or by any creature Thys is left that we should followe the accomplisher of our fayth constantly and stoutely and to abide in our calling euen to the end 2. Tim. 4. 1. Gor. 9. that we may at the length say with Paule I haue fought a good fighte I haue finished my course I haue kept the fayth and that we runne not as in an vncertaine course but that we may win the price ☞ And Iesus cried with a loude voice Father into thy handes I committe my spirite And when he had sayde thus he bowed hys hed and gaue vp the Ghost THe lyfe of al mortall men dieth vpon the crosse as touching the flesh opening vnto vs by his death the way of life and deuouring death by his death An innoceÌ„te dyeth for wicked meÌ„ a laÌ„be wtout spot is made a most acceptable sacrifyce vnto the father for our sinnes Let vs pore wretches therfore flye vnto so healthful a death and draw out our life there Furthermore let vs also learne to dye dayly to the the affections of the flesh we must cast away the world and those thinges which are in the worlde that beynge cleane from the contagiousnes of the world so beynge naked we may follow Christ naked in whome hereafter we must both liue and dye we must offer our selues wholy vnto him which hath offred himselfe for vs in whose mercye we puttinge our trust let vs commend our soules to the father which is a true God hath redemed vs. ☞ And beholde the vayle of the temple was rent into two partes from the top to the botome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen the graues wer open and many bodies of the saintes which slept arose and came oute of the graues after his resurrection and wente into the hollye citye and appeared to many But when the Centurion and they which were with hym watching Iesus saw the erth quake the things that were done they feared greatly saying trulye this was the sonne of god For when the CenturioÌ„ which stode ouer against hiÌ„ saw that which happened and that he thus crienge gaue vp the Ghost he glorified God
nature in Christ and reuoke from hel Marcyons opinion Christs body was not in the sepulchre after his resurrection when as it appeared vnto Marye Magdalene neyther was it wyth the eleuen at Ierusalē when as it was with the two which went toward Emaus No more can it be in the breade when as according to the scriptures it was taken vp to heauē and setteth at the right hand of God the father For Christ went from the father and came into the worlde againe he left the world and went to the father But he left not the worlde in respecte that he is God when as he is with vs to the end of the world therfore left he the worlde as concerninge his manhed that is he caried into heauen the body which he toke of the virgin Mary into the glorye of the father This is the foundation of the Catholike and Christian faythe and the hope of all the elect which whilest they denye or stirre let them take heede what they make of Chryste or howe they are to be counted for Christians Let them take heede I saye what foundation they stick vnto The flesh of Christ also is glorified after his resurrection and yet for all that is it flesh in deede and putteth not of the nature of flesh and although it be spirituall yet is it not conuerted into a spirite and much lesse into God A spyrite sayth Christe hath neyther flesh nor bone as ye see me haue The body therfore of Christ is in heauen and not in the bread of the supper which coulde be neyther necessarye nor profitable yea it was caried vp is heauen after the resurrection in the sight of the Apostles which was so expedient for theyr fayth which fayth they could neuer establysh by the suppenor by the presence of his body glorified but that thei alwaies wauered and doubted til suche time as they were confyrmed by the holy ghost We must therefore transferre our minde from all corporal and visible thing into heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of god beleue that Christe hath geuen his body to the death for vs. After this sorte is the body of Christ eaten not with the teeth of the body but by the contemplacion of fayth For fayth in dede which cleaueth only to God may vse corporall things but not as though saluation were bounde to those things and be deliuered to vs thorough them but to put in practise fayth and charitie Euen so we cary about the bread and wine in the Supper we distribute it amongest vs and we eate not to merite any thing of God by the same as it were by a certayn worshipping but bycause by these outward signes our senses are stirred vp to weigh consider more diligentlye the grace of God geuen vs by the death of Christ and to lift vp our mindes to Christe the bread of lyfe which for our sakes descended frō heauen For our weakenesse therefore are the sacramentes instituted of Christ as it were certayne signes of the grace and beneuolence of God towardes vs which do stirre vs vp to consider the promises of God wherein our fayth is exercised For they whiche vse these signes doe testifye that they haue fayth in the promises of God and that they bee of the number of those which acknowledge God for theyr God whom they worship in spirite in whom they trust to whō they geue thanks c. And whē doth god more declare shewe him selfe to be our God most louing Father thē when he promiseth to geue vs hys sonne and also performeth it Roma viii For how can he not geue vs all thinges with hys sonne Or what can he denye whiche hath geuen vs his only begotten Sonne Iohn iii. And he hath geuen him vnto vs not to punishe and condemne vs as we iustly haue deserued but that by him we might be saued and haue euerlasting lyfe For he gaue him to be ours al whole to be our righteousnesse wisedome hollynesse redemption saluation and life What a great loue is thys what a great grace the eternal Sonne of God descendeth and taketh vpon hym selfe our nature that we being made newe by his grace might ascend taking after a sort the diuine nature He descended that we creping on the groūd might be thoroughe him transferred and lift vp to his glory The Lord of al things taketh vpon him the shape of a seruaūt to make vs which are by nature seruaunts oppressed with most greuous bondage the sonnes of God He taketh vpō him selfe our weakenes to strengthē vs with his spirite He is made man to transforme vs by his grace in a manner into Gods He hath communicated with vs in fleshe and bloude being made partaker of the same that also the children namely we might haue euerlasting fellowship with him In fine he would be made like to hys brethren in al thyngs Hebr. 3. that we myghte see that we haue a mercifull and faythfull high prieste to doe all those thinges which we haue to do with God which maketh satisfaction by his bloude for all our sinnes He hath taken vpon hym selfe all that is ours to participate vnto vs what so euer he him selfe is and hath And thys is it which he sayeth to Magdalene I ascende to my Father and your father my God and your God See what a loue the father hath geuē vs both to be named and to be the Sonnes of God i. Iohn iii For the which cause he is not ashamed to cal vs brethren saying God to my brethren c. For his spirite beareth witnes to our spirit that we are the sōnes of God For we haue not receaued a spirite of bondage to be affeard Roma viii but the spirite of Adoption by the which we crye Abba Father God therefore is our Father and our God and we are hys children with whom he hath made a new couenaunte and confyrmed it by the bloud of hys Sonne that we might nowe haue fellowship mutuall perticipacion with the father hys sōne Iesus Christ These benefites so great and most ample are geuen vnto vs of God ii Cor. iii. i. Cor. xiii but they are receaued of vs only by faith which selfe fayth is also the gifte of God and are felt inwardly in spirite For as yet we doe not beholde the glorye of the Lorde with open face for partlye we knowe and perceaue by a glasse in a riddell and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be which is done to our profit that the father should not make vs fully perfecte whilest we liue in this fleshe but doth geue vs the knowledge and fruition of him selfe by certain degrees that we might learne to think humblye of oure selues to walke before oure heauenly father in the feare of God and to depend al wholly vpō him we are therfore made safe but yet in hope whiche hope is not nowe sene fullye otherwise it shoulde be no hope
For let him which standeth saith Paule take heede that he fall not There is nothyng safe from chaunce nothyng is of all partes blessed when as suche a great disciple of Christ doth fal who can heÌ„ceforth trust to him selfe Let vs beware of hipocrisy that we be not wolues amongest the shepe of Christ and false brethren in the felowship of the godly Nothing is more contrary to god than hipocrisy and vnpurenesse Nothing doth more alienate vs from God than doth the couetous desire of things Let vs not therfore faynte from the grace of God lette vs not slip away from so greate dignitie as to be the sonnes of God Let vs not refuse the gatheryng together of vs for what a foule thing shall it be for to depart from the lyuyng God from suche a most louing father to fall awaye from so great a benefactor and to ioin himself to be a souldiour of the Diuell and to flee vnto the enemy of Christ Ah how great an vnthankfulnesse is it for them which be washed wyth the bloud of Christe and sanctified with the spirite of God for to ioyne themselues in fellowship which the vngodly wicked ones and to be made of the sonnes of God the seruauntes of Sathan In that they come with weapons it is a figure of those whiche fighte agaynste the truthe by violence and not by the truthe ¶ Then they came and layed handes vpon Iesus toke him wheÌ„ thei which were aboute him sawe what would follow they sayd vnto hym Lord shal we smite with the sword And Iesus answered and sayd suffer them hytherto and beholde Simon Peter one of them which wer with hym stretchyng out his hande drewe out his sworde and strikyng the seruaunt of the high priest cut of his right eare the seruauÌ„ts name was Malchus Then said Iesus to Peter put vp thy sword in the sheth wilt thou not that I shall drinke of the cuppe which my father hath geuen me Put vp therfore the sword in his place For all that take the sworde shal perish with the sword Either thinkest thou that I cannot now desyre my father and he wyll geue me moe than twelue legions of Aungels How then shoulde the scriptures be fulfylled whiche saye that it muste so bee done and when Iesus had touched his eare he healed it THe flesh is wonte in aduersitie not to ruÌ„ vnto God but to his own weapons and this doth Christ reprehende in Peter as though he would saye we must not fighte now with weapons but with sufferaunce and mekenes It is no time now to strike the enemy with the sworde but to obey the wil of God If I haue nede of weapons armies of souldiours I coulde sodenly haue of my father a great and infinite number of souldiors redy to helpe me I am not also here neither came I hither to the intent I shoulde fight with the sword but that I mighte redeme you by my death and leaue with you an example of patience By these wordes Christ doth teache vs patience that we should not reuenge our selues if that any man haue done vs any displeasure in priuate things but that we should patiently and quietly beare the iniuries whiche he dothe vnto vs he doth not for all that take away the sworde from the magistrate which beareth it according to the lawes for the defence of the good and the destruction of the euell Rom. xiii Math. xv for he sayeth he which taketh the sword vnderstaÌ„d beyng moued therunto of his own pleasure rashly and of a wicked affection as for the magistrate he taketh it not after that sorte but receiueth it God deliuering and coÌ„mitting it vnto him and taketh it that he may vse it iustly and according to the will of God that he may with the same punish the hurtful as often as nede shall require that is as often as the glory of God and helth of the godly requireth it Rom. xiii The magistrate as long as he vseth the sword laufully he himselfe doth not strike but God by him For god vseth the magistrate as his minister all things haue their tyme to sondrye men are certaine offices appointed so that it is not euery mans parte to take vnto hym the sword and to stryke neyther must it be done at all tymes That was the tyme wherin Christ would shew his most great loue towardes mankinde wherein he woulde declare himselfe to bee the sauiour of the worlde and would put forth himself to all euils and not the tyme wherin he would vse his power and most iust iudgemente Christe therfore restraineth kepeth vnder the zeale of Peter which was fâ—ruenâ—e in dede but it was not directed to gods will and he declareth that he came not to hurt or to worke displeasure but to saue and obey the will of the father in all thynges Iesus is taken that we might be deliuered he is bouÌ„d that we might be losed from the bondes of sinnes he is solde to vngodly ones that we being solde vnder sight be broughte into the libertye of the sonnes of God Let thys exaumple of Christe be sette alwayes before oure eyes let it be depelye imprynted in oure hartes that we maye learne to put oure stubborne and obstinate stiffe necke vnder the yoke of Christ Let vs not put awaye the bondes of gods law let vs willingly serue God and our neighbor let vs not be full of ianglyng stiffenecked stubborn and desirous of reuengemente but let vs goe forward in humilitie obedieÌ„ce and lowlines of mynde as shepe appointed to be slayne and kylled ¶ The same houre sayde Iesus to the multitude and to them which came vnto him from the high priests and magistrate of the temple and elders ye be come out as it were agaynste a thiefe with swordes and clubbes to take me I sate daily teaching in the temple amongest you ye toke me not but this is your howre and the power of darknesse but all this is done that the Scriptures of the prophets myght be fulfilled Then al his disciples forsoke him and fled and there followed hym a certaine young man clothed in linnen vpon his bare bodye and the young men caughte him but he lefte his linnen cloth and fled from them naked CHrist as he is redye to suffer all thynges which these men deuised to work against him so also he ceaseth not to reuoke them from their malice which they hadde taken in hande neither doth he allow their entent although he suffer it quietly declaring also vnto theÌ„ that thei could haue had no power against him if he him selfe had would As though he would say and do ye not vnderstande that ye can do nothing against me when as I beyng dayly conuersaunt amongest you â–ª and yet ye could not take me although ye assayed it diuers tymes Now ye haue chosen the nighte for this purpose and that not vnaptly for ye be crafty varlettes and children of darkenesse the prince of
for how can a man hope for the same thing that he seeth Roma viii Therefore we wayte for that by pacience which we see not but onely beleue hope for Let vs be exercised in the meane time vnder the crosse so shal we continually be made perfect by his spirit being hated oppressed in the world that we may the soner aspire vnto our father be very desirous to come to our heauenly coūtrey Heb 13. Titus ii We are straūgers in this world we haue here no abiding citie but we looke for one to come wayting for that blessed hope appearīg of the glory of the great God our sauior Iesus Christ i. Iohn iii ii Cor. iii. And we knowe that whē he appeareth we shal be like vnto him bycause we shal see him as he is and we al representing the glorye of the lord in a glasse with vncouered face are transformed into the same Image frō glory to glorye as it were by the spirite of the Lorde This is signified shewed before as it were in a certayn figure in that Christ openeth him selfe after his resurrection by litle litle leasurely by certain degrees as we see in the women in the trauellers of Emaus in the disciples Sometime he appeareth in the forme of a straūger holdeth their eyes that thei knew him not sometime he talketh with Marye in forme of a gardener sometime he sendeth hys Aungell vnto them sometime he offreth hym selfe to be sene and handled openly sometyme he forbiddeth them to handle him sometime he appeareth at Ierusalem sometime in Galile till he openly ascended into heauen al doubt set asyde they loking vpon him sent his spirite fully vnto them from aboue So God oftentimes deferreth and will not be sene by and by and being called vpon sendeth not succoure strayght waye that our hartes mighte be kindled more more our fayth shine forth more brighte Who vnderstandeth not that Mary Magdalene was pulled away frō Christ with an euil wil whē as he sent her to the Apostels For vndoubtedly shee woulde haue gladlier abiden longer with Christ satiated her minde with the contemplacion fruition of him But it was more necessary to serue her neyghbor that that ioye and so wonderfull comfort shuld also be brought to the Apostles Whereby we learne that we can not fully haue the commoditie of the contemplacion of the Godhead whilst we liue here but we had neede to serue oure neighbour by charitie Paule acknowledging thys writeth vnto the Philippians after thys sorte What to chose I knowe not Phillip i. for I am constrayned of these two thinges I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is much and farre better Neuerthelesse to abide in the fleshe is more nedefull for you And the woman entred into the sepulchre found not the body of the Lord Iesus And it happened as thei wer amased therat behold two mē stode by thē in shining garments And as they were affrayed bowed downe theyr faces to the earth thei said vnto them why seeke ye the liuyng among the dead He is not here but is risen Remember howe he spake vnto you wen he was yet in Galile saying That the sōne of mā must be deliuered into the hands of sinneful men be crucified the thirde daye rise agayn And they remembred his words returned frō the sepulchre tolde al these thinges to the eleuen to al the rest And as they wer going to tel it to the disciples beholde Iesus met thē saying Al hayle And they came held him by the fete and worshipped him Then sayed Iesus vnto thē be not affeard Go tell my brethren that they go into Galile there they shall see me And it was Mary Magdalene Ioanna others that were with them whiche tolde the Apostles these things And their words semed vnto them fained things neither beleued they them DIuerse wayes doth Christe as I haue sayd before declare that he is risen from death in deede but yet to those oute of whose hartes the feare of the crosse had not altogether shakē of Christ which sought hym with a feruent fayth Charitie is diligent neuer ceasseth they go often to one place looke againe being desirous to serue Christ Whose feruentnes doth put to shame our sluggishnes They seke one absent being very desirous of him we eyther disdayne Christ being presente in the poore or els we thinke scorne to bestowe a litle of our money vpon thē They spare no laboure nor coste we are so addicted to thinges that we can let thē go empty away The Lord therefore doth not frustrate the desire of these godly womē but meteth thē saluteth thē frendly offreth him selfe to be felte of thē finallye he comforteth them All these things are done that their weake faith might be strengthened Let vs not doubt therefore at all but that the Lord wil be with vs and comfort vs whē we are in afflictions and temptacions So that we seke the lord and cease not till we fynde hym And behold two of them went the same day to a castle called Emaus whiche was about threscore furlongs distant frō Ierusalē And thei talked betwene thē of al these things that had happened And it came to passe as thei were in talking and reasoning together Iesus also him selfe drewe nere went with them but theyr eyes were holden that they knew him not And he said vnto thē what manner of talke is thys whiche ye haue together as ye walke and be so sad And one of them aunswered whose name was Cleophas and sayd vnto him Arte thou only a straunger in Ierusalem and knowest not the things that are happened there in these dayes To whom he answered what thinges And they sayd vnto him of Iesus of Nazareth whiche was a Prophete mighty in dede and word before god and al the people And how the high priests and our rulers deliuered him to be condemned to death and haue crucifyed hym But we hoped that it had bene he whiche shoulde redeme Israell And nowe as touching al these thynges this is the thyrde day since these thyngs are done yea and certayne women also of our company amased vs which came to the sepulchre before daye lyghte finding not hys body came and sayed that they had seene a vision of Aungels which sayed that he is on lyue And some of them whiche were with vs went vnto the sepulchre and founde it euen so as the women had saide but him they saw not THe same daye namely in the which the Lord had risen Luke 10. two of these seuenty disciples whom the Lorde whē he was yet liuing had chosen wente forth It appeareth that these disciples woulde haue fled for feare namelye of the persecution which they supposed to be at hande This historye also teacheth that it was true which Christ promised namely that he
are but fewe which haue the libertie to bee familiarly conuersaunte with him and yet in the meane time al of theÌ„ though they dwel neuer so farre of haue the fruition of the common peace and tranquilitie which he hath gotten and defendeth by his wysedome euen as â—mplye as thei which are alwaies present with him in the courte And if so be that the king die yet do the citizens reioyce in the lawes and ordinaunces ordayned by him Euen after the same sorte is it with our king Christ it is not geuen to al meÌ„ to see him corporally which happened to the apostles by a singulare prerogatiue yet may all the godly by faith haue the fruition of the grace and redemption gotten by him yea euen those whiche neuer saw thym with theyr corporall eyes and for this cause dyd Christe when he shoulde departe from his Disciples as concerning his had promise vnto them an other comforter and aduocate namely the holy ghoste whiche shoulde teache them the spirituall and true knowledge of Christ He draweth oure hartes vpward where Christ is at the ryghte hand of God that we despising all the goodes of this worlde mighte cleaue only to him and haue reste in hym Let vs in the meane time serue our neyghboures by charitie and diligently plante the Kingdome of Christe in the world namely that he may reigne in the harts of all men Let the eyes of our mind be alwaies fixed in heaueÌ„ vpoÌ„ him which is our aduocate before the father which hath sanctified our flesh in him selfe which hath ioyned our nature vnto the godhed and hath so exalted it that ther might be an assured hope in vs that we shall liue with him for euer He is flesh of our flesh bone of our boÌ„es our brother hed in whoÌ„ is setforth vnto vs the hope of immortall lyfe Ephe. 2. Wherfore for asmuch as god which is rich in mercy hath of his singuler loue wherby he loued vs yea euen then when we were deade thoroughe sins hath quickned vs together with Christe and hath raysed vs vp to gether agayne with hym and made vs set together in heauenlye places with Christe Iesus and hath sealed vs with the holy spirite of promyse whyche is the earneste penye of our enheritance for the redemptioÌ„ of the possession gotteÌ„ to the praise of his glory Ephe. 1. let vs for al these things geue thaÌ„ks to God and pray that the god of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glory would geue vs the spirite of wysdome reuelation by knowledge illuminate the eyes of our minde that we may know what the hope is wherunto he hath called vs and how rich the glorye of his inheritaunce is toward the sayntes and how excellente the mightines of his power is toward vs which beleue according to the efficacy of his might and streÌ„gth which he hath shewed forth in Christ when he raised him from the deade and made him to sit at his right haÌ„d in heauen aboue all principalitye and power strength and dominion and euery name that is named not only in this worlde but also in the world to come and hath subdued al thinges vnder his feete and hath made him the heade of the church aboue al thinges which is his body the perfection of him which filleth all in all to whome be prayse and glory worlde without end AMEN Jmprinted at London hy Iohn Daye dwellinge ouer Aldersgate beneath Sainct Martynes Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis