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A73502 The Epistles and Gospelles with a brief postil vpon the same from after Easter tyll Aduent, which is the somer parte set forth for the singuler cōmoditie of all good Christen men and namely of prestes and curates. 1542 (1542) STC 2968.3; ESTC S124410 239,766 422

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of thys Gospel let vs fyrst seke for our soule helth and foode as we se the people dyd here and doubt we no thynge but God wyll prouyde well ynough for our bodely foode Let vs not do as the Romane citizens dyd whych fyrst sought for money and then for vertue but let vs fyrst seke for vertue and for the kingdome of God and then wythout muche sekynge the rest shal be aboundauntly gyuē vs. Let vs not trust to much to our owne carnall reason as the Apostles dyd here but let vs thynke nothynge impossible to God yea let vs be ful assured that he wol helpe whā he seeth best hys tyme beynge throughly persuaded that all thynges come by the large blessynge of god To whome be all glorye Amen The Epistle on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the mortification of the fleshe BRethren we are detters not to the fleshe to lyue after the fleshe For yf ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye thorowe the spirite do mortifie the dedes of the body ye shall lyue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare eny moare but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of god Yf we be sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres ānexed wyth Christ yf so be that we suffer wyth hym that we maye be also glorified together wyth hym FYrst in thys Epistle we be taught good christen people We ought to mortifie our lustes that after we be ones grafted by the sacrament of baptysme into the holy communion of christen persons and thervpon through the intercession and merytes of Christes most holy bloude shed for vs be iustyfyed and reconcyled to the father of Heauen we ought nowe not to lyue accordynge to the lust of the flesshe but vtterly to mortyfye the dedes of the same and to do the workes of the spirite that is to say not fleshly workes but spirituall workes honest vertuous and charitable workes the stypende and reward wherof is euerlastyng lyfe wheras the rewarde of them that do otherwyse and that lyue after the fleshe is death without ende And here the Apostle Paule setteth before our eyes aswell the promyses as the thretnynges terrours wherwith he frayth vs away from carnall workes and exhorteth vs to the mortyfycacion of the flesshe and vnto ghostly workes whiche be semynge for christen men to vse To the carnal workes he yeldeth for rewarde death and consequently eternal damnacyon To spirituall and good worckes in place of rewarde he ascrybeth lyfe wherein the godly parsons do here in this worlde lyue holyly and after this worlde shall enioye eternall lyfe Secondly we be here taught by S. Paule that yf we be right Christiās I meane yf we lyue not after the fleshe but after the spirite and christianly we be sure to be the sons and chyldren of God And on the contrary syde yf we lyue otherwyse we be vndoubtedly the chyldren of Satā Two spirites And forasmuch as there be two sortes of spirites the spirite of feare or bondage and the spirite of adoptyon wherof the fyrste pertayneth to wycked persons and the other pertayneth to the good and godly persons therfore ye shal vnderstande that they whiche haue the spirite of bōdage do all that they do coactly and not of a fre hert these be the chyldren of the law or letter and be mere hypocrytes But they whiche do good workes euen of a fre hert and not as cōpelled by feare of the lawe but euen of loue these be the ryght chyldren of god these be the true christians these haue the harte and the grace in all their necessities to crye to God theyr father and to call hym Abba father and to aske of him with certayne and sure fayth all that they want whiche is necessarye for them to haue These haue peace of conscyence wherby they beynge iustyfyed and led of the spirite of god be throughly persuaded in their conscience that by the merites of Christ they haue God their mercyfull Lorde and father whiche wyll bothe helpe them and here them in theyr nede Of this peace speaketh S. Paule in the .v. Chapter of the Romaynes saying Nowe then that we be iustyfyed by fayth we haue peace towardes God by our Lord Iesu Christ But of the seruyle feare wherwith all hypocrites no true christians by indowed saynt Iohn wryteth in this wise i. Io. iiij feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth forthe feare because feare hath torment The office of the holy goost Thyrdly we be here taught what is the moste propre offyce of the holy ghost that is to say to certyfye vs of our enheritaunce whiche we receyue in Chryst Iesu With this confyrmacyon of the holy Ghoste were all sayntes and holy men sealed euen as many as constantly stode and persisted in the confession of Christe and whiche at this daye do persyst And for this cause dothe the Apostle oftentymes wyshe and desyre to suche as he wrote the strengthnyng of the holy ghost Eph. iij as to the Ephesians where he sayth For thys thynge do I bowe my knees that ye maye be strengthened by hys holy spirite And of thys office or propertie whych the holy goost hath Ephe. iij. cor i. he is oftentymes called the ernest the pledge the gage the seale or certificate Fynally we be here instructed the way of glorifyenge vs. that albeit we surelye knowe we be the heyres of God and felowe heyres with Christ yet neuertheles it behoueth vs to be glorifyed by tamynge and mortifyenge of oure lustes by pacient suffrynge of tribulation and displeasures as the apostle sayeth here Heyres wyth Christe yf so be we suffre wyth hym that we may also be glorifyed wyth hym Wherfore my frendes yf we couet to be of the saued nombre let vs accordynge to S. Paules exhortacion kyll the lustes of oure fleshe to thyntent we maye lyue and walke spiritually Then in all oure nedes we shall as louynge chyldren be bolde to call to our moost tender and kynde father for succoure Then shall we be certifyed by the holy goost that we be the sonnes and heyres of God and ioynt neyres wyth Christ wyth whome yf we suffre wyth hym we shall also be glorifyed To whome be honoure and glorye per infinita secula Amen The Gospell on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vij. chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Signes wherby to discerne false teachers IEsus sayd vnto hys dysciples Beware of false prophetes whyche come to you in shepes clothynge but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Ye shall knowe them by theyr frutes Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euery good tre bringeth forth good
frutes But a corrupte tre bryngeth forth euell frutes A good tre can not brynge forth bad frute neyther can a bad tre brynge forth good frutes Euery tre that bryngeth not forth good frute is hewen downe and cast into the fyre Wherfore by theyr frutes ye shall knowe them Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauē he shal entre into the kyngdom of heauen FOrasmuche as good christen people it is harde to know false teachers and theyr doctrine therfore our Sauiour Christ thought it not ynough to bydde vs beware of them but he addeth also certain tokens and sygnes wherby we maye easely discerne and knowe them They come sayeth Christe vnto you in shepes clothynge but inwardlye they are rauenynge wolues They come vncalled vnappoynted vnsent of God naye sent rather of the deuell to blase and sowe abrode the wycked learnynge doctrine eyther of the byshop of Rome or of the cursed Anabaptistes or of the sacramentaries or brefly to conclude of some other vngodly and detestable here tykes The Lorde of heauen kepe vs and preserue vs all from theyr infections They come I saye vnsent for accordynge to the sayenge of the prophete Hieremye Ier. xxiij Currebant ego non misi eos They ranne and I sente them not sayeth the Lorde In outwarde appearaunce they seme moost holy men and of great simplicitie But surely accordinge to the cōmon prouerbe they be foxes or rather wolues cladde in lambes skynnes They be lyke paynted and gaye sepulchres whyche be fayre wythout full of all stynche and caren wythin They come in shepes clothynge What beast is more simple more harmeles yea more profytable also to the common welth then the shepe But what be these false teachers inwardly Inwardly sayeth Christ they be rauenouse wolues The wolues propertie is to rauen Ioh. x. to rente to spoyle to deuoure the shepe But nowe how shall we kepe vs and beware of these woluyshe preachers By theyr frutes sayeth Christe ye shall knowe them as who shulde saye Yf they be good men in dede and ryght teachers and no hyprocrites I meane no counterfeyte nor deceiuable preachers they must nedes brynge forth good and godly workes euen such workes as God cōmaundeth them to do and not workes of theyr owne deuysynge fantasyenge but such as God alloweth and whych procede of a fayth vnfayned And not only they woll do them but also teache the same to other euē as Christ and hys Apostles wold haue them taught as they themselues taught them not that by them we shuld iustifye our selues as the proude and gloriouse pharisee dyd that Christ speaketh of in the .xviij. chapter of Luke lu xviij but that we shulde accordynge to thexemple of the lowly publicane cōfesse our selues synners and desyre gods mercy The good and ryghte preacher woll teach the people vnfaynedly to truste repose themselues in Christ to stycke to the merytes of hys passion vtterly to reuounce theyr owne ryghtuousnes and merytes in gods syght He woll teache them neuertheles to mortifye theyr carnal afections and to do good workes euen of a fre harte or els that accordyng to Paules rule they declare them selues not to be the chyldren of God Ro. viii For yf sayeth Paule ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye mortifye the dedes of the body through the spirite ye shall lyue But agayne he wol teache them not to clayme heauen as of duetye for theyr workes sake Rom. vi but rather for the promyse sake For thoughe death be the wages of synne yet eternall lyfe is no wages but as Paule calleth it the gyfte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Yea he woll teache them whan they haue done altogether yet to confesse and saye that they be vnprofytable seruauntes These I saye be the frutes of good teachers these be the grapes these be the figges that come of the good trees They that teache or lyue otherwyse be naughtye corrupte trees theyr frutes that they brynge forth be thornes and thystyls And I passe not though dyuerse false teachers haue dyed moost cōstantly and paciently in theyr erronious opinions as many papistes and also Anabaptistes sacramētaries haue done in our tyme and as it is redde that certayne heretiques named Donatistes dydde in olde tyme. Whose erroure S. Augustine confutynge wryteth Austine that in a christian man the sufferyng of death is not to be consydered but the cause of sufferynge that is to wyt whether hys doctrine be suche that he ought to suffer death for by the cōmaundement of God Seconde we be here taught that wycked euel doctrine can not endure but as an euell tree whyche beareth no good frute is hewen downe and caste in to the fyre euen so it is wyth euel doctrine and wyth the teachers therof Let men buylde vpon the foundacion of Christ what they woll surely yf theyr buyldynge be stubble or haye that is to saye yf it be no sounde sure doctrine i. cor iij the fyre at length woll brēne it vp But yf the buyldynge be golde syluer or preciouse stones it shall stande agaynst all tempestes As we se at thys daye how the papistical doctrine at the touch stone of gods worde appeareth in the lykenes what it is and how it begynneth to vanyshe awaye euerywhere where the gospell is preached But the pure worde of God abydeth for euer Fynally Christ doth teach vs here that these gloriouse and holy hypocrites whych in outwarde apparaunce and in name appeare christiās speakynge alwayes of god but doynge nothing that god byddeth them do shal not entre into the kingdome of heuen But they shal come thyther whych haue Christ and the gospell not in theyr mouthes onely but in theyr hartes also whych do the wyl of Christ and lyue as the gospell teacheth them These shall enheryte the kyngdome of heauen where they shall lyue eternally in all ioye wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ix. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .x. Chap. Th argument ☞ God 's vengeaunce vpon euell lyuers and ydolaters is here set forth in exemples vnto vs. BRethren we shulde not lust after euel thynges as they lusted And that ye shulde not be worshyppers of ymages as were some of them accordynge as it is written The people sat downe to eat and drynke and rose vp to playe Neyther let vs be defyled wyth fornication as some of them were defyled wyth fornicatiō and fel in one daye .xxiij. thousande Neyther let vs tempte Christe as some of them tempted and were destroyed of serpentes Neyther murmure ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer All these thinges happened vnto them for exemples but are written to put vs in remembraunce whome the
And therfore whan oure sauiour Christe came amonges them he went aboute to restore all agayne to the ryght sence and purenes and to seuer and wede out the fansyes dreames and leuen of the pharisees wherwyth they had ensoured and corrupted the swete breade of lyfe and he openly tolde the people that onles theyr perfection theyr goodnes and rightuousnes passed the ryghtuousnes and good lyuynge of the scribes and pharisees they shulde neuer come to the kyngdome of heauen Whervpon he went on and taught the commaundementes of God and the pure and ryght vnderstandynge of them as in hys moost excellente and swete sermon whyche he made to hys disciples on the mountayne whych the holy Euangelist saint Matthew setteth forth vnto vs in the v.vi and .vij. chapters more at large doth appeare Mat. vij A good tree sayth Christ bringeth forth good frute For not euery one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lord shal entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen Thou readest in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy harte wyth al thy soule wyth al thy power minde Do thys sayeth Christ and thou shalte lyue eternally in heauen Thou mayest not speake of God wyth thy mouth or praye vnto hym wyth thy lyppes and thy harte be farre from God Naye thou must loue hym wyth thy hole harte mynde and power and not fayntly And thou must loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe Who soeuer doth thys shall lyue And who soeuer hath not done thys let hym repent and become a newe mā Let hym aske grace of God that he may be able through hys ayde and helpe to do it He that seketh shall fynde he that asketh shall obtayne to hym that knocketh it shal be opened There is nothynge impossible to God So longe as we be carnall and vnrenewed by the spirite it is not possible for vs to loue God wyth harte We maye wel drede hym as a Lorde punysher of synne but loue hym as a father we can not We maye well lyke seruauntes feare hym but reuerently loue hym lyke sonnes and doughters we cānot It is not possible I say for a carnall man to fulfyll the lawe whych is spirituall Rom. vij The lawe as ye haue herde requyreth the hart We must loue God wyth harte and not drede hym for feare of punyshment as bondmen and bondwomen do theyr lorde Yf we woll consyder what God hath done for vs fyrst he made vs of nought he prouydeth for vs all thynges necessarie to oure soules helth he hath made our soules not as be the soules of beastes wythout reason and whych peryshe dye wyth the body but reasonable but immortall he sente also hys owne sonne from heauen to redeme mankinde from the tyranny and thraldome of the deuel and to teach them how to lyue a godly and an innocent lyfe Yf I saye we woll consyder all thys howe can we but loue god euen wyth harte do his swete wyll and pleasure onles we be harder then the Adamant stones onles we be made of suche a churlyshe nature that nothynge can moue vs. But the pharisees for moost parte were carnal and fleshly persons They obserued the letter of the lawe they kepte the outwarde wordes they dyd no lechery outwardlye they cōmytted no thefte no murther no periury nor suche other vyces outwardlye they dyd sacrifice to God they offered vnto him they sensed they pyped they played they prayed after theyr fashiō but none of all thys was done wyth the harte For inwardly they were full of all abhominacion as Christe hymselfe wytnessed vnto them For they dyd it onely for feare of punyshmēt and not for any harty loue that they had to God They fulfylled the letter of the lawe outwardly But theyr minde theyr spirite theyr hart was vpō other thynges that is to wyt vpō worldly vanities and pleasures So they coulde not fulfyll the lawe so longe as they were in that case For as Paule full well declareth the lawe is spirituall Rom. vij and ought to be done and executed wyth the harte wyth the spirite and mynde and not only outwardly Yet neuertheles all the Iewes were not in thys case for there were holy and iuste persons in all ages as appeareth full wel in the bokes of holy scripture And there were also many whych had good intentes but they were so drowned wyth the blyndnes supersticion gloses tradicions interpretacions and dreames of the pharisees and elders that they espyed not the true honoure and worshyp of God of whyche sorte was Nicodemus Ioh. iij. whych came by nyght to Christ to learne of hym and to dispute wyth hym But Christ perceyuynge that he was yet carnall and that he obserued but the letter of the lawe and not the spirite and mynde of the lawe sayd by and by vnto hym Verely verely I say vnto the onles thou be as who shulde saye new borne not of thy mother but of water and spirite thou canst not enter into the kyngdome of god That that is borne of flesh is flesh but that whych is borne of spirite is spirite A fleshly mā a naturall man a man vnbaptized vnrenewed with the spirite can not smel nor haue any sauour of thinges spirituall he can not worke the wyll and pleasure of God He maye well for feare satisfye the outward wordes but he shall neuer do the wyll of God wyllyngly hartely and with spirite as it is requyred of God that he shulde do For as I haue sayd the law is spirituall and requyreth the harte And surely it appeareth well that thys lawyer toke but the letter of the lawe not the spirite by the question folowyng where he asketh Christ who is hys neyghboure For yf he had loued God hertely he shulde haue counted euery man hys neyghboure as Christes similitude byddeth and not only hys owne nation as cōmonly the Iues dyd Wherfore my frendes yf we wol haue euerlastynge lyfe let vs do as Christe here byddeth vs. Let vs not be speakers nor hearers of the law but doers and not outwarde and lyterall doers but hartye but spirituall doers not for feare as bondmen but for loue as fremē and sonnes and heyres Thys let vs do and we shall lyue euerlastyngly in heauen wyth God To whome be all honoure and imperie for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .v. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ The batell betwene the spirite and the fleshe and the frutes of them both BRethren walke in the spirite and fulfil not the lust of the flesh For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrary to the fleshe These are contrary one to another so that ye can not do what soeuer ye wolde But and yf ye be led of the spirite than are ye not vnder the lawe The dedes of the fleshe are manyfest whyche are these aduoutrye fornication vnclenes
wantōnes worshyppynge of ymages wytchcraft hatred variaunce zele wrath stryfe sediciō sectes enuyeng murther dronkennes glottony and suche lyke of the whych I tell you before as I haue tolde you in tymes past that they whych commytte such thynges shall not be inheritours of the kyngdome of God Contrarely they frute of the spirite is loue ioye peace longe sufferynge gentlenes goodnes faythfulnes mekenes temperancy Agaynst suche there is no lawe They that are Christes haue crucifyed the flesh wyth the affections and lustes MY welbeloued brethren and systers in Christe ye muste well consyder and vnderstande that the lyfe of a christen man and womā in thys present worlde is as who shulde saye a continuall warfare a dayly batell and fyghtynge accordynge to the sayeng of Iob. Iob. vij Mans lyfe is on erth a warfare And ye shall furthermore vnderstande that the greatest aduersarie the greatest enemye the mā hath is him selfe Neyther hath mā any thinge so harde and so strōge an enemye to ouercome as hys owne flesh his owne stubborne and rebellous mynde and lust forasmuch as of our owne corrupt natures we be inclined to al naughtynes and euels as it is wrytten in the boke of Genesis Ge. viij The vnderstandinge and ymaginacion of mans harte is euell euen from hys youth The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite to the flesh Ioh. iij Wherfore yf we be not regenerate yf we be not borne agayne yf we be not purged clensed renewed by the spirite of God and so gouerned and directed in al our procedinges and doynges of the same surely we shall neuer enter into the kyngdome of heuen and thys is it that saint Paule doth here tel vs of He byddeth vs walke in the spirite that is to say cast awaye our olde corrupt nature and put on vs a new nature that is to saye a spirituall nature a new man so shall we not fulfyll the lustes and desyres of the flesh As who shulde say Albeit your flesh wrastleth and fyghteth agaynst your spirite whyche ye haue obtayned by Christ and againe your spirite agaynst your fleshe bycause it is not yet throughlye mortifyed nor crucifyed in such wyse that somtyme ye do not the thynge that ye wold fayne do through the infirmitie and weakenes of the fleshe whyche ye haue not yet fully conquered yet thys notwythstandynge se ye go styll on and walke accordynge to the spirite Folowe I saye the thynges of the spirite as holy meditacions readynges of scripture deuoute prayers abstinence of the body and all godly exercises Thus doynge ye shall growe stronge in the spirite ye shal be hable by gods grace and assistence to wythstande the lustes and desyres of the flesh and of the corrupte nature yea ye shal be new mē spirituall men conducted led and gouerned by the holy spirit of god ye shall then embrase the wyll of God frelye without compulsion and not as bondmen to the law Ye shall then be enfraunchised from the thraldome of the deuell Then shall charitie worke more in you than any outwarde lawe can do i. tim i. For a lawe is not made for iust and parfyte persons but to brydel and represse the lustes of synfull persons of carnall and beastly folke for as a certayne Philosopher sayeth Plato Of the euell maners of men dyd good lawes take begynnynge For yf all men wold do as they ought to do we shulde nede no lawes Good men therfore be not vnder the lawe For to be vnder the lawe is to be in seruile feare and not to do the lawe frely And bycause ye shulde knowe the better whan ye walke fleshly and whan spiritually the Apostle S. Paule setteth forth vnto vs the frutes of the fleshe and the frutes of the spirite Workes of the fleshe The workes of the fleshe sayeth he be easely knowen whych are these aduoutrye letchery vnclennes ydolatrye wytchcraft poysonynge hatred stryfe hartbrennynge fume chafynge discorde heresies sectes enuye dronkennes ryotte surfettynge and such lyke Of these foule vyces and frutes of the corrupte nature I tell you before sayeth saynt Paule that who so euer do them onles he ryse agayne by dew penaunce shall neuer inherite the kyngdome of God On the contrarye syde the frute of the spirite is loue charitie ioye peace wyth all men pacience sufferaunce myldnes lyberalitie faythfulnes meknes temperaūce And against such persons sayeth S. Paule as shew these frutes surely there is no lawe i. tim i. For as sayde is the lawe is made for the other sorte of men whych be iniust and disobedient it is not ordeyned for the chyldren of the spirite whych be infraunchysed and whyche be wyllyngly wythout compulsion obedient ynough For the chyldren of the spirite I meane all suche whych belonge vnto Iesu Christ haue mortifyed and crucifyed and do cōtinually mortifye and crucifye theyr fleshe theyr vyces and concupiscences by the power of the spirite that raygneth in them as S. Paul dyd sayenge i. cor ix I tame my bodye and brynge it into subiection Assuredly my frendes the chyldren of the spirite be now nomore subiecte to the fleshe but the fleshe rather is subiecte vnto them or at lest wayes vnto the spirite whych is in them Our Lorde graūt that hys spirite maye so worke in vs by hys lyuely word that we maye eschue the workes of the fleshe and folowe the frutes and workes of the same spirite by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome wyth the father and holy goost thre persons and one God be rēdred all honoure glorie prayse and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .xvij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ healeth the .x. lepers AS Iesus wente to Hierusalem he passed thorowe Samaria and Galile And as he entred in to a certayne towne there met hym ten men that were lepers Whych stode afarre of and put forth theyr voyces and sayd Iesu mayster haue mercye on vs. When he sawe them he sayd vnto them Go shewe your selues vnto the prestes And it came to passe that as they wente they were clensed And one of them when he sawe that he was clensed turned backe agayne and with a loude voyce praysed God and fell downe on hys face at hys fete gaue hym thankes And the same was a Samaritane And Iesus answered and sayd are there not ten clēsed But where are those nyne There are not foūd that returned againe to gyue God prayse saue only thys straunger And he sayd vnto hym aryse go thy waye thy fayth hath made the hole GOod christē people not only the wordes of our Lorde be full of great mysteries and significacions but also hys myracles and hys workes be as it were parables and ful of mystery and by them we ought to nourysh increase oure weake fayth more and more and to make it stronge as one may se and consyder in the gospell of thys daye whych maketh mencion of .x.
holy goost we be called by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll ☞ to thintent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth Borne of God is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue that Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the same that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heuē the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than mās that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme Mat. iij. And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer the world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Vnto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen On the fyrste sondaye after Ester The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the .xx. chapter of Ihon. Th argument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr cōmission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whā they sawe the Lorde Esa lxi Mat. xi Ioh. xvii Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And whā he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whoseouers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Didimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my handes and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my God Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence of hys disciples Ioh. xxi whyche are not wrytten in thys boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleuynge ye myght haue lyfe thorowe hys name An exhortacion vpon thys Gospel THe Gospell of thys daye good people doth declare vnto vs the appearyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto hys disciples after hys resurrection that is to wyt how he came and shewed hymselfe vnto them the dores beynge shut for feare of the Iues. And here truly he dyd shew the diuersitie of bodyes and what difference there shal be betwene the sensuall bodyes and betwene the spirituall betwene the materiall and corruptible bodyes in thys worlde betwene the spirituall bodyes and incorruptible after the resurrection Trouth it is also that we ought not to suffer any infideles as were the Iues to enter in amonges vs from whome the Apostles dyd shut theyr dores Nowe Iesus beynge in the myddes of them dydde salute them in gyuynge vnto them hys peace wyth whych gretynge or salutation he conforted and confirmed hys disciples myndes that they shulde nothynge doubt of hys resurrectiō whych as the Euangelist Luke wytnesseth they counted but for a dreame Luke xxiiij Wherfore he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde perced And by thys shewynge of hys handes and feete Christe openeth two thynges Fyrst by these sygnes he wolde be knowen For in affliction is Christ truly knowen Seconde by them he wolde assure hys disciples of hys glorious resurrection And verely thys shal be the signe of saluation vnto the faithful at the greate daye of iugement and the signe of lamentation and of sorowe vnto the infidels which thā shal se whome they haue percyd The faithfull shal be gretly cōforted in seing him as his disciples were at this tyme. To these disciples I saye he did ones gyue his peace and made them his apostles that is to saye his legates or ambassadours not onely of Iurye but of al the worlde in lyke maner as god the father had sent him and made hym apostle in the worlde And he gaue them the holy gost for to remytte synnes and to pardō in his name and whose synnes so euer they pardoned shuld be forgyuen in heauen The pardone of the apostles assuredly was but a signe of the trewe pardone
whych the gospell teacheth He doubtles neuer slepeth though we slepe neuer so soūdly carelessy but lyke a roryng lyon he runnyth and leapeth about seakyng whome to deuoure as thapostle S. Peter doth testifie in the ende of this firste epistle i. pet v. But forasmoche as the power of desires and lustes is so greate yea that after iustification receyued saynt Peter vseth certein warlyk wordes wherwith he expresseth the strength and power of these carnal worldly desires which he sayth do warre againste vs and as the greke worde purporteth do dayly exercise with vs a pyched felde militant whych thing the scripture otherwhyles calleth the conflycte of the fleshe and of the spirite agaynst whych no outwarde workes can do any good As the holy fathers also haue confessed and complayned of themselues Note thys exemple of saynt Hierom For saint Hierom hymselfe when he sought euery where a present remedy agaynst the desyres of the fleshe at last after longe delyberation departed into the woode trustynge that by thys meane he shulde eschue and shake of from hym hys carnal and fleshely desyres but it wolde not be for euen in his very mysery and vexation of hys body whych he toke vpon hymselfe for that purpose he yet thought he satte at Rome amōges the Romane ladies and fayre wenches and that he daunced wyth them Wherfore syth here in thys lyfe it is not in our powers vtterly to do awey carnall desyres the holy fathers and prophetes desyred wyth hygh lamentation that they myghte be lycenced to departe out of thys vale of teares to the heauenly and perfyte ioyes For here they thought themselues onely straungers and as pylgrimes or wayfarynge men Whych thynge thapostle Paule in hys seconde epistle to the Corinthians doth wonderfully well declare wrytynge on thys wyse We knowe ij cor v. sayeth he that yf our erthy mansion of thys dwellynge were destroyed we haue a buyldynge of God an habitation not made wyth handes but eternall in heauen And therfore sygh we desyrynge to be clothed wyth our mansion whych is from heuen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked and so forth Now suche straungers S. Peter here wylleth vs to be whyche ought continually to loke vp to contende and laboure thyther settynge asyde all earthly thynges all cares and worldly desyres and euer to stande redy in hope to be delyuered out of thys our earthly tabernacle or hostrye and to enioye the euerlastynge inheritaunce Howbeit yet in the meane season good people we teache not as do these Anabaptistes that he that hath ryches shulde cast them awaye but that he cleaue not in harte vnto them lyke as other places of holy scripture do teach vs and namely thys present epistle of S. Peter whych by a similitude of straungers or pylgrimes doth declare vnto vs that in the hostrye of thys present worlde we shulde be in loue with nothynge we shulde vaynly ambiciously require nothynge that is in our hoostes house whych is the worlde euen none otherwyse than a straunger a pawmer or wayfarynge body doth whych knoweth that nothinge in hys ynne or lodgynge doth pertayne vnto hym ☜ but only maketh hast homewarde into hys owne cōtrey Now they whych be in loue admiration with any thynge in thys worlde they can not be called forenners straungers or pylgrimes but cytizens and inhabitauntes of thys worlde Wherfore it is great folly now amonges christen men to be in loue wyth the thynges of the worlde to seke pleasure in carnall desyres What be carnall desyres syth suche thynges belonge no more to christians But I praye you what vyces doth saynt Peter cal here desyres Surely not only those grosse faultes but also the inwarde croked affections which doubtles be the very causes of those outwarde and grosse vyces Saynt Peter therfore wrytyng especyally to the Iewes whych were disperpled abrode in dyuers countreyes and by them vnto vs Englyshe men and to all others ryght tēderly exhorteth them callynge them hys moost derely beloued brethren to absteyne as forenners and pylgrymes from all fleshly lustes that is to wit all vices whyche of nature do stycke to the fleshe whych vices do kepe continuall warre and batell agaynst the soule and spirite of mā that euer more tendeth and laboureth to do the wyll of God And he wylleth them that they haue honest conuersacion amonges the Gentyls or paynems whych worshipped false Goddes amonge whome at that tyme when saynte Peter wrote thys epistle the christen men lyued Saint Peter therfore wyll not that christen men shulde departe from the panyms but that they shulde lyue honestly amōges them to thintent that where as they backbyte them as euyll doers they myght se theyr good workes myghte prayse and glorifye God in the daye of visitation In the daye of visitatiō that is to saye that the paynyms beynge more ryghtly instructed and taught by the honeste lyfe of the christians myghte by gods visitation be called also to the Gospell and so to haue a better opinion and iudgement of gods worde whych thynge in dede came to passe in the primatiue church by the godly exemple of the good Apostolicall fathers and christen people in Rome and els where Where as now the paynims and infidels as be turkes Iues be rather plucked frome the Gospell then allured vnto it by thexemple of those that woll neuertheles be called the successours of Peter and Paule and the vicares of Christ Wherfore it is to be feared leste God wyll visite them not by heapynge vpon them hys benefytes and graces whych they refuse neglecte but by pourynge vpon them hys iuste yre and vengeaunce accordynge to theyr desertes Be you subiecte therfore good christen people to the worde of God Obeye hys commaundementes prescribed in the same Let your lyght shyne before mē and namely before the proude Pharisees infidels whych thynke there is no God that they may se your good workes and honest conuersacion and glorifye your father in heauen Submytte your selues Mat. v. according to Peters counsayle here vnto euery humane creature that is to saye vnto all maner ordinaunce or power whych humane creatures do administer and that euen for the Lordes sake For it pleaseth the Lorde ye shulde so do lest your conscience shulde be polluted and defyled wyth synne through disobedience And euen here maye ye lerne good people that when ye obeye the publyke ruler and magistrate ye do please God by thys obedience Be obedient therfore sayth S. Peter whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chefe head or vnto rulers as to thē that are sent of hym for the punyshmēt of euel doers Ro. xiij And surely as wytnesseth S. Paule whoseoeuer resysteth power resysteth the ordinaūce of God For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euell Wherfore ye must obeye sayth Paule not only for feare of vengaunce but also bycause of
come after hym Wherfore marke the difference of Christ and of the false Apostles Ioh. i. Christe is the preacher of grace the pseudapostles preach mās merytes Ioh. viij Christ is carefull for the fode of hys shepe the false Apostles seke theyr owne lucre and gaynes Christ seketh the glorye of the father the false Apostles steale from God hys glorye Ioh. xi Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe cōmeth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepeherde Now it shal be your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the .iiij. daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The .ij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of Iurye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde mē shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I wyll shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokēs in the earth beneth bloude and fyre and the vapor of smoke The Sonne shal be torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that who soeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of the holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vnreuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the .xi. apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes Erasmꝰ in paraphrasi He only spake the wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the lyuynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audiēce of people or before a great ruler chaūge colours be astōnyed vtterly dismayed Truly thys was that heauenly drōkennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth Calix meus inebrians q̄ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned with hym in cōmission the eleuen Apostles not to ayde hym but to accompany hym he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al he spake vnto them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do Neyther speaketh he for himselfe but beynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloquēce but with the ayde of holy scripture Now the hose multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs also attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he beganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation The oration of Peter whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitaūtes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is Ye haue cause perchaūce to wonder but ye haue no cause to sklaūder Wherfore so many of you as be here gyue attētiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me and knowe the matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but the thyrd houre frō the sonne rysynge at whych tyme nomā is wont to be dronke But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe Harken to the prophecye and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not Sklaunder not bycause ye se a thynge vnwont but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you Iohel ij For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the tyme shulde come that God whych at sondry tymes before had imparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your cōforte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two as hertofore but vpon all nations of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys cōmaundement we brynge now vnto you thus vttered the heuenly prophecye Erit in nouissimis die bus It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your sōnes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions and your olde persons shall dreame dreames And truly vpon my seruaūtes my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie And I shal gyue wōders in heauen aboue and tokens in
mē that they maye se your good workes But why is thys see of glasse lykened to Crystall Surely bycause Crystall is a water whych by continuaunce of tyme is tourned into the hardenes of a stone suche ones ought they that be baptised to be brought vnto that is to saye stronge and harde in faythe By the .iiii. beastes full of eyes before and behynde some do vnderstande the .iiii. Euangelistes other whose iugemente better agreeth to the scripture as it semeth do vnderstande those heauenly and ministratoriouse spirites or angels whych be appoynted to stande at the foure quarters of heauen by whych the kyngdome of Christ that is Heb. ij the church is spred to execute the thynges that be determined by the vnserchable and eternall counsayle of God to be done in mens thynges These be full of eyes before and behynde that is to say they be replenyshed wyth the science and knowlege of thinges passed and thinges to come And the fyrst beast was lyke a Lyon the seconde lyke a Calfe the thyrd had a face like a Man and the fourth was lyke a flyenge Egle. Brethren ye shall vnderstande that in a lyon is courage and strength in a calfe laboure and diligence in the face of a man prudence and ryght iudgement in an egle swyftnes and also facilitie in doynge theyr ministeries al whych vertues they haue nede of ☜ whych wol administre well and prosperously any kyngdome And for thys cause in the psalmes the Lorde is said to syt and ryde vpon Cherubim bycause that by them he executeth hys iudgementes couragiously diligētly prudently and wyth great swyftnes To thys interpretaciō doth the scripture agre For the prophete Ezechiel in the .x. chapter doth vnderstande by the .iiii. beastes the Cherubim and he maketh also the foure beastes one hauynge yet foure faces or formes for the forsayde vertues wherwyth those ministrynge spirites whose seruice Christ vseth in the administracion of hys kyngdome were indowed In that they haue syxe wynges a pece is betokened theyr swyftnes of obedience to execute the thynges that they be appoynted vnto Esa vi In lyke maner doth Esay describe Seraphim These āgels or yf ye lyst these foure Euangelistes whych also be angels that is to say messangers by whome Christ the greate conquerour of the aduerse powers is caryed throughe out the hole worlde as it were in a triumphall charette haue no rest neyther day nor nyght but crye without ceasing Holy ☞ holy holy that is to saye holy father holy sonne and holy spirite comforter one Lorde God almyghty Math. xxviij in whose name all we that beleue be baptised And whan those beastes gaue glorye honoure and thankes to hym that sate on the seate whych lyueth for euer and euer the .xxiiii. elders of whom mēcion is made before fel also downe before him which sate on the trone and worshypped hym that lyueth for euer Now therfore good christen people syth those holy spirites or angels and the hole quere and church triumphant in heauen do wythout ceasynge laude prayse and magnifye the hygh maiestye of the Godheade let not vs whych be the churche or congregacion militant here in erth be behynde wyth our prayses cōmendacions and thankesgyuynge The holy angels do crye before let vs answere in the same note saye Holy father holy sonne holy goost cōforter Let vs I saye accordynge to the exemple of the .xxiiii. elders cast oure crownes before the trone that is to saye confesse the crownes and rewardes whyche we that be iustifyed persōs haue come of Christes mere goodnes and no parte of our owne deseruynge and saye Thou arte worthy o Lorde our God to receiue glorye and honoure and power For thou hast created all thynges and for thy wyll they be c. The gospell on Trinitie sondaye The .iij. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ A conflicte betwene the iustice of the flesh and the iustice of the spirite THere was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes The same came to Iesus by nyght and sayd vnto hym Rabbi we knowe that thou arte a teacher come from God for no man coulde do such myracles as thou doest excepte God were wyth hym Iesus answered and sayd vnto hym Verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a mā be borne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym how can a man be borne whan he is olde can he enter into hys mothers wombe and be borne againe Iesus answered verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God That whych is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruayle not thou that I sayd to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it lysteth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nicodemus answered and sayd vnto him how can these thynges be Iesus answered and sayd vnto hym arte thou a mayster in Israel and knowest not these thynges Verelye verelye I saye vnto the we speake that we do knowe and testifye that we haue sene and ye receyue not our wytnes Yf I haue tolde you earthly thinges and ye beleue not how shall ye beleue yf I tell you of heauenly thynges And no man ascendeth vp to heauen but he that came downe from heuen euen the sonne of man whych is in heauen And as Moses lyfte vp the serpent in the wyldernes euen so muste the sonne of man be lyfte vp that who so euer beleueth in hym perysh not but haue eternall lyfe IN thys Gospell good people is conteyned a sore disputacion vpon the iustyce of the spirtye and the iustice of the fleshe Christ teacheth and defēdeth the spirituall iustice Nicodemus thother but so yet that he suffreth himselfe to be taught and instructed of Christ Fyrst therfore we shall consyder the person of Nicodemus as the Gospell describeth hym and howe folyshly he speaketh of the new byrth The description of Nicodemus For hereby we shall espye what we also can do of oure owne power in godly and spirituall maters Now the Euangelyst certifyeth vs that Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Iues meanynge herby that for the outwarde conuersacion he was fautles in lyuynge and floryshed in such apparaunce of honesty and holynes that he was nombred of the Iues euen amongest the chefest fyrst Lo here thou hast the descripcion of Nicodemus person which before the worlde is both prudent and ryghtuouse And yet neuertheles this worldly wyse and holy man is not so hardy nor so stronge that he dare openlye come to Christe or speake vnto hym albeit he iudgeth Christ a teacher sente from God and can not denye hys sygnes and myracles I praye you why doth not reason here come forth openly to
confesse Christes doctrine For thys thynge doth Christ in any wyse requyre where he sayeth He that confesseth me before men The flesh is fearfull I shall also confesse him before my father and the angels of heauen Surely reason can not do thys it farre passeth her powers to subiecte herselfe to the hatred of the worlde for Christes sake And therfore Christ requyreth of vs to hate oure owne selues to kyll oure olde Adam Math. x that we may so be transformed into new creatures But what knowlege hath our flesh our nature of such transfourmynge or new byrth Surely no knowlege no felynge no vnderstandynge at al as thys sayntly Nicodemus this holy prelate trustynge to hys owne good workes ful wel declareth Christ talketh of the spirituall and new byrth Nicodemus loketh vpō the carnal byrth sayeng thus How can a man be borne agayne whan he is olde Shall he crepe agayne into hys mothers wombe Herken how foolyshly how vnwysely for al his outwarde holynes thys noble prelate speaketh of godly thynges Yea Christ is fayne to expounde vnto hym how it commeth to passe that we be made newe creatures Howbeit he yet vnderstandeth hym not therfore he asketh agayne how it can be I pray you what synguler poynt do ye se in thys Nicodemus or what other thynge do ye fynde in hym but ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie Wherfore though hys outwarde conuersacion shyneth neuer so muche before the worlde yet it can not please God God beholdeth not the outwarde face and vysoure but the mynde and fayth Iere v. Ro. xiiij as also Heremy sayeth And what so euer is not of fayth is synne The inwarde ryghtuousnes and goodnes must go before or els the outwarde can not please God Yf thou hast not the inwarde iustice forthwyth Christ sayeth Onles your ryghtuousnes be better then the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharises ye shall not come into the kyngdome of heauen Wherfore lyke as Nicodemus is here founde vnskylfull rude and foolysh in maters concernynge the honour of God and oure helth euē so be all we olde Adams and all fleshly accordynge to Christes sayenge what so euer is gendred of flesh is fleshe onles we be lyghtened of the Lordes spirite What the scripture calleth fleshe Ro. viij We cal flesh here the hole nature of mā the body mynde reson vnderstandyng wyl besyde the holy goost Such a man and such a body of synne surely can do nought but synne seme he neuer so gay to other men and be he decked wyth neuer so many good workes whych thynge saynt Paule declareth copiously to the Romaynes and in thys place thys Nicodeme ful playnly sheweth by hys wyse talking Newe byrth Secondly Christ teacheth vs in thys Gospel the new byrth whych thynge Nicodemus coulde not attayne vnto fyrst he so speaketh of thys new byrth or regeneration that he maketh it playnly necessary to our soules helth What it is to se the kingdom of God For thus he sayeth Onles a mā be borne agayne he can not se the kyngdome of god Now to se the kyngdome of God is as muche as to be iustifyed Wherfore consyder here wyth the eyen of thy mynde what Christe speaketh of thys maner iustificaciō and agayne what Nicodemus thinketh agaynst it Christ reasoneth and gathereth thus No worke no reason no outwarde conuersacion iustifyeth it is only the new byrth that must worke thys Agaynst thys conclusion Nicodeme thus obiecteth Yf so be my outwarde conuersacion workes lyfe be cōformable to the lawe thā for such workes sake God can not but iustifye me and make me eternally blessed But surely thys sayenge of hym is excedingly both false and wycked psa cxv for asmuche as all men be lyers and only God true Wherfore let vs consyder the nature of thys regendrynge in what sorte it is Onles sayeth Christ thou beyst borne againe of water and spirite thou canst not come into the kingdome of heauen Baptisme Marke that in baptisme thys new byrth begynneth For it is a token of sleynge the fleshe as Paule wytnesseth Rom. vi And thys is one parte of the newe byrth Now in baptisme the holy goost also is gyuen and where as we be thus kylled he rayseth vs vp agayne he dryueth draweth altereth and so worketh in vs that we be led nomore wyth fleshly affections but wyth goostly and that we shuld breath and thynke no lōger vpon earthly thynges but vpō heauenly thinges and shulde lyue hensforth only to ryghtuousnes And thys is thother parte of thys new byrth It foloweth herof What it is to be newe borne that to be borne again is nought els but to dye to synne warde and by spirite and fayth to lyue to iustice warde Where thys chaūceth there is the kyngdome of god espyed there is the realme of heauen entred into What gloriacion than is lefte here to the ryghtuousnes of Nicodemus Surely it is not worth a rushe nor to be sette an hawe by Phil. iij. none otherwise than Paule estemed his ryghtuousnes that he gat in hys Iewysh lyfe no better than donge For not the thynge that commeth of our owne reason but that whych the spirite worketh in vs is acceptable to God The thynge that is gendred of the spirite is spirite and is only of valure before God Eph iiij And therfore saynt Paul sayeth to the Ephesians Do of the olde man accordynge to youre former maners and conuersation and put ye on the new man How can reason do or compryse these thinges syth it can not perceyue thynges corporall and outward as from whence the wynde commeth and whyther it woll To conclude thys new byrth is a worke of the spirite though the Papistes do neuer so muche preache the iustice of theyr fleshe Christ hath purchased vs the spirite Thyrdly we be here taught who hath gottē gyuen delyuered and cōmunicated vnto vs thys spirite euen the sonne of man Christe who only came from heauen and retourned into heauen By what thynge then hathe he gotten and deserued vnto vs this spirite Truly herby that he was likewise exalted as the serpent in wyldernes Nu. xxi But what maner serpent is thys The people of Israell ones grudged agaynst god and blaspehmed hym so heynously that he sent vpon them fyery serpentes And who so euer was bytten of any such serpent dyed therof Here God at last moued with the prayers and requestes of Moses commaunded a brasen serpent to be erected for a signe that whosoeuer beynge strykē of any suche serpent shulde loke vp to that brasen serpent shulde be healed Thys fygure Christ draweth to hymselfe and this in sentence he sayeth I shal be delyuered to myne aduersaries to be crucifyed and at last slayne for thys intente that by my crosse and death God the moost louynge father myght be recōciled to the worlde Whosoeuer therfore beynge stryken wyth the poyson darte of synne loketh vp to me that is to saye
the Gospell perteyneth to the conscience and therfore it teacheth not the chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth Let vs then my frendes folowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter and hys penitent harte confessynge our vnworthynes And then doubt we not but we shal be called to the greate feaste where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauenly palace of God the father To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye AMEN The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the spirituall signification of oure baptisme BRethren knowe ye not that all we whych are baptised into Iesu Christ are baptysed to dye wyth hym We are buryed then wyth him by baptysme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new lyfe For yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym euen so shall we be partakers of the resurrection knowynge thys that our olde man is crucifyed wyth hym also that the bodye of synne myghte vtterly be destroyed that henseforth we shulde not be seruaūtes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustifyed from synne Wherfore yf we be deade wyth Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue wyth hym knowynge that Christe beynge raysed from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer hym For as touchynge that he dyed he dyed concernynge synne once And as touchynge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Lykewise consyder ye also that ye are dead as touchynge synne but are alyue vnto God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule good christē people had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth that is to saye christes death and his resurrection shewing them that Christ by hys moost precious death purchased the euerlastynge remission of our synne and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs and apeased the wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym that by this his dede we be iustified ☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen now in thys epistle he teacheth vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection and setteth it before vs as an exēple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection Do ye not knowe sayeth saynt Paule what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death or to what ende ye be baptysed Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by baptisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym Such a signification and fygure hath Christes death vnto vs that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne dayly to mortifye and to slee the euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs. The significacion of baptisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water and be lyfte vp agayne it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth whych our synne deserued to euerlasting lyfe It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe the lyfe of ryghtuousnes And thys is the vertue fygure of baptysme whych yf we take not after thys purpose we do but deceyue oure selues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy sacrament let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and penaunce of your synne wherof it is a sygne Ye be ones baptysed and nede nomore to receyue the sacrament but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll that is to dye to synne to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him that is to saye synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe walke continually there in And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God euen so by the power of the same spirite shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe In whych our doynge we shall in some maner worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God For he is none of Christes that hath not hys spirite and by thys token is it knowen who is grafte in Christe and is in the state of saluation For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe but he whych walketh after the spirite Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death we shal be partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte agaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to euerlastynge lyfe it shall also rayse vs from the corporall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam that is to saye all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell
lazers or lepers whome at that tyme our Lorde clensed of theyr leprye and of hys large mercye made them hole But what sygnifye these .x. lazers or lepers vnto vs Truly in the lawe of Moses God had forbydden that none shulde kepe company with them whych were infected and sycke with bodely leprye but commaunded that they shulde be put forth from amonges them and from the company of the rest lest they shulde infecte and pollute other as it is redde in the boke of Numeri where it is wryttē in this wyse Num. v The Lord god spake to Moses sayenge Commaunde the chyldren of Israell that they put out from theyr tentes all lazars or lepers But certaynly we ought a great deale more to take hede that we do not communicate nor kepe company wyth such as be lazars spiritually The spiritual lepry is infidelitie heresie and ignoraunce of God For lyke as the bodely leprye doth corrupt al the body euen so doth infidelitie corrupt all the soule and by the stynkynge breath therof that is to say by the wordes and conuersacion of suche as be corrupted therwith be other corrupted the company wyth them accordynge to that sayenge Corrumpūt bonos more 's colloquia praua that is to saye euell communicacions do corrupt good maners Wherfore al such ought to be eschued and fled from as lepers and lazars they must be excōmunicate and put out of the assemble and congregacion of christen people Yet thys notwythstandynge there is no sycknes no maladie no lepry so greuous but that the moost excellent phisician and surgeon our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus both can heale and wyll heale yf he be faithfully sought and called vpon as by exemple is well shewed in thys gospell But I say it is our partes to seke and call vpon hym it is our offyce to go and mete Iesu Christ yf we woll be cured We must crye afarre of after hym we muste wyth depe lowlynes and humilitie of harte pray vnto hym and say Iesus Sauioure and mayster haue mercy on vs take pytie and compassion ouer vs. By this meanes after that we haue ones offred and presented our selues vnto the prestes whych haue authoritie and power of God for to discerne and iudge ☜ accordyng vnto the scripture betwene the lepry and not lepry that is to saye betwene heresye and veritie betwene vice and vertue and accordynge vnto the scripture to assoyle as saynt Paule dyd assoyle a synner of whych is made mencion in the seconde epistle vnto the Corinthians ij cor ij we shal be receyued agayne into the nomber of the faythful euen into the flocke of Iesu Christ But after that we shal be assoyled of God in trouth and of men in sygnes we muste yet beware that we be not ingrate churlysh nor vnthankfull to God as the .ix. lazars were whyche dyd not retourne for to yeld thankes and prayses to Christ and for to gyue glorye vnto god for the great benefite and goodnes that they had receyued of hym Let vs be lyke the lazar Samaritane which fygured the christen gētyls and let vs saye that whych the spirite of God sayeth by the prophete Dauid in the .cij. psalme My soule blesse thou the Lorde God and do not forget all hys rewardes whych maketh hole all thyne iniquities all thy syckenesses Thys let vs do to thintent oure Lorde maye semblably saye vnto euery one of vs. Ryse vp and go thy waye thy true ernest and catholyke fayth hath preserued and made the hole Hense forth se thou synne nomore walke nomore after the flesh but after the spirite Yf we thus do my frēdes doubt we not but we shall haue the rewarde of euer lastynge blesse whych is endles ioye in the heauenly Hierusalem wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all glorie and imperie in infinita sesecula Amen The Epistle on the .xv. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. and .vi. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to good workes BRethren yf we lyue in the spirite let vs walke in the spirite Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye prouokynge one another enuyenge one an other Brethren yf a man also be taken in any faute ye whyche are spirituall helpe to amende hymin the spirite of mekenes consyderynge thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfyll the lawe of Christ For yf any man seme to hymselfe that he is somwhat whan in dede he is nothynge the same deceyueth hys owne mynde Let euery man proue hys owne worke and then shall he haue reioysynge onely in hys owne selfe and not in another For euery man shall beare hys owne burthen Let hym that is taught in the worde minister vnto hym that teacheth hym in al good thynges Be not deceyued God is not mocked For what so euer a man soweth that shall he al so reape For he that soweth in hys fleshe shall of the fleshe reape corrupcion But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape lyfe euerlastyng Let vs not be wery of well doynge For whan the tyme is come we shall reape wythout werynes While we haue therfore tyme let vs do good vnto all men and specially vnto them whych are of the housholde of fayth WElbeloued frendes in our Lorde Iesu Christ ye shal vnderstande that our Sauiour in the Gospell of saynt Mattheu sayeth mat viij that euery tree is knowen by hys frute for a good tree beareth good frute but an euell tree bryngeth forth euell frute Therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Paul doth in thys epistle admonyshe vs christen folke that yf we be good trees we ought to bringe forth good frutes and yf we lyue in the spirite as christē mē ought to lyue that we must walke also in spirite For surely it is not ynough for vs to be called christen folke onles we do also the dedes and workes of christen folke It is not ynough for the to saye I haue receyued the holy goost or I haue fayth ☜ yf thou shewest not worthy workes and frutes of the spirite Nowe one of the fyrst and principall frutes of the spirite is loue and brotherly supportacion or bearynge of one another whych thynge saynt Paule doth admonysh vs here of that we shulde kepe where he sayeth Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye c. Certes it is not possible for a man or woman that is vayne gloriouse and that loueth to be auaunced and praysed of the worlde eyther to supporte or to forbeare much an other man for he wyll alwayes couet to be herde afore all other and to be obeyed in all places wheresoeuer he goeth or rydeth Certaynly my frendes vayneglorie is an appetyte or luste of all lustes the moost daūgerouse and the moost subtyle and secretest that may be ymagined in so much that those persones whych be estemed for moost spiritual most holy moost godly be oftentymes infected therwyth Let vs sayeth Paule not
be couetous of vayneglorye prouokyng one another nor hauinge enuye one at an other But yf any one amonges you be taken in any faulte or offence through frayltie of nature not by obstinate euelnes you sayeth Paule whyche be or ought to be spirituall teach hym helpe to amende hym in all mekenesse in al swetnes of spirite consyderynge in your selues that ye also may fal in to lyke temptacion As yf he shulde saye Do not bragge nor vaunt your selues in the fall of another body but rather consyder that euen the same or lyke erroure maye happen vnto you And therfore saynt Paul sayth in another place i. cor x. He that thynketh hymselfe to be standynge let hym take hede he fall not Se ye beare supporte one anothers burthen charge and so ye shall accomplysh the lawe of Iesu Christ ☞ Whosoeuer loueth hys neyghboure he hath fulfylled the lawe Ro xiij as wytnesseth the apostle in hys epistle to the Romaynes Abuse not then your selues in trustynge in your selues and thynkynge your selues to be any thynge For surely ye be nothynge ye can do nothynge ye are worth nothyng yf God put not his hande vnto you So then of your selues ye can worthely chalenge nothynge He that alloweth and praiseth hymselfe is not forthwith approued allowed but he is prayse worthy he is allowable whom god prayseth alloweth ij cor x. Wherfore let euery bodye loke on hymselfe and well consyder hymselfe and he shal haue none occasion to bragge and glorie wyth hymselfe ouer the frailtie and weaknes of other persons What so euer it be euery man shall beare hys owne fardell hys owne burthen Mat. xvi The sonne of man shall yelde vnto euery man accordynge to hys workes as he hymselfe testifyeth After saint Paule had thus greatly praysed and commended brotherly supportacion or bearyng one wyth another he nowe exhorteth christen men to be helpynge and releuynge to all the bodely necessities of them that do teach the fayth and the gospel of Iesu Christ He sayeth Do not erre abuse not your selues for god can neyther be mocked nor begyled For what thynge so euer a man soweth the same shal he also reape and gather agayne as who shulde saye All that whych a man doth or soweth in thys world he shall fynde it and reape it in the other world Two feldes whyther it be good or euell Certaynly my frendes there be two maner of feldes whych men do sowe there is the fylde of the flesh and the fylde of the spirite He that soweth in hys flesh that is to saye he that doth the workes of the fleshe whych be euell workes deuelysh workes vngodly workes shal of the flesh reape corruption and euerlastynge curse and damnation But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape euerlastynge lyfe Wherfore in the meane tyme whyle we haue space to sowe let vs sowe in spirite let vs sow good sedes christen sedes charitable sedes let vs do well wythout fayntynge wythoute beynge wery not only to them whych do good vnto vs but vnto all and principally vnto the good and faythfull christen men And doubte we not but we shall gather in and reape in tyme conuenient good and full haruest in eternall lyfe to the glorie of the eternall father of heauen Vnto whome be thankes Amen The Gospel on the .xv. sonday after Trinitie The .vi. Chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Christe forbyddeth vs here to seke carefully for worldly thynges IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples No man can serue two maysters For eyther he shall hate the one and loue the other or els leane to the one and despyce the other ye can not serue God and Mammō Therfore I saye vnto you be not careful for your lyfe what ye shall eate or drynke nor yet for your bodye what raymēt ye shall put on Is not the lyfe more worth than meate and the body more of value than rayment Beholde the foules of the ayer for they sowe not neyther do they reape nor cary into the barnes and youre heauenly father fedeth them Are ye not much better than they Whyche of you by takynge careful thought can adde one cubyte vnto hys stature And why care ye for rayment Consyder the lylyes of the felde howe they growe They laboure not neyther do they spynne And yet I saye vnto you that euen Salomon in all hys royaltie was not arayed lyke one of these Wherfore yf God so cloth the grasse of the felde whych though it stande to daye is to morow cast into the fornace shall he not muche more do the same for you O ye of lytle fayth Therfore take no thought sayenge what shall we eate or what shal we drinke or wherwith shal we be clothed after al these thynges do the gentyls seke For your heuenly father knoweth that ye haue nede of all these thynges But rather seke ye fyrst the kyngdome of God and the ryghtwysnes therof and al these thinges shal be ministred vnto you GOod people yf we were christen men and womē wyth hartes and wyth workes I say yf we dyd beleue sufficiently as we boast our selues to beleue in Iesu Christ and in hys blessed and pure word we shulde wythoute fayle not be so troubled nor dysmayd nor yet so pensyfe and so carefull whan we haue any mysfortune and necessitie Iesu Christ our sauiour doth cōmaunde vs that we shulde in no wyse take thought what we shuld eate or what we shuld drynke or wherwyth we shulde be clothed And that they be the carnall men the paynyms and infideles whych take thought for these thynges and not the true faythful christen men He sayeth and assureth vs in the Gospell of thys daye that God hys father and ours shall nourysh vs and arraye vs And for all thys as yf he were a lyer an abuser we do not beleue in hym nor in hys wordes Certes the infidelitie of the worlde is greate The worlde I saye is blynde whych thynketh to beleue so well and so fermely and yet beleueth neuer a deale We do great iniury vnto Iesu Christ in mystrustynge hym But it is to be noted for the vnderstandynge of thys text that our Lord forbyddeth christen mē to take thought but he doth not forbydde them to laboure but commaūdeth that euery body shulde laboure accordyng to the grace might that god hath giuē him In the sweate of thy vysage thou shalt eat thy breade sayeth he in the .iij. chapter of Genesis And for all the rest let hym cast all hys hope in god And as S. Peter sheweth vs in the .v. chapter of hys fyrst Epistle and the Prophete in the .liiij. psalme Cast thy care vpon the Lorde God and he shall nourysh the. And saynt Paule sayeth in the .iiij. chapter vnto the Philippians Be not carefull for any thynge but in all prayer and petition wyth thankesgyuynge let your prayers be knowen vnto God And saynt Peter in the v.
please Iesu Christ the glorie of the father the glorie of the angels and of men to abyde in you by feruent faith in your hartes founded and rooted in charitie to thyntente that you maye knowe and vnderstande the incomprehensible graces whych by him be gyuen vnto vs the largenesse and length of the same for the earth is full of the mercy of the Loroe God sayeth the prophete Dauid and the hyghnesse and depthnesse Psalm xxxij for they do perse the heauens and the hylles He whych is descended is he which hath ascended aboue al the heauens sayeth saint Paul Eph. liij To thintent also that ye shall know the great charitie of Iesu Christ toward vs the whych knowlege is more to be estemed than all the science of the worlde and that you shulde be replenyshed in all aboundaunce wyth the graces of God In thys epistle saynt Paule declareth in short conclusions the perfection of the christen lyfe vnto the whych we ought to breath and to sygh He doth not praye that god shulde gyue them much temporall goodes for to lyue at theyr ease but he desyreth and prayeth that they maye haue strength for to endure and to beare with him the crosse of Iesu Christ For all the lyfe of a christen mā is to endure In the conclusion of the epistle wyth profounde harte and wyth great spirite he yeldeth graces louynge thankes vnto God sayenge Vnto him whych is able for to gyue vs more than we can demaunde or thynke accordynge vnto the myght the whych puissantly strongly worketh and laboureth in vs vnto hym be yelden all glorie by all the church by the meanes of hys sonne Iesu Christ For euen as by him al grace is gyuē vs from the father so it must nedes be that by hym whych is the begynnynge and the ende all glorie be vnto hym rendered Then my brethren let vs not discourage our selues of the worde of God of the doctrine of the gospell for any tribulation or worldly vexacion that may happē vnto any of them by which it shal haue pleased God that they shuld bear it yf it be hys pleasure to make them to beare hys crosse vnto them whych shall beare it but so much the more let vs be founded stedfast and ferme rooted in fayth hope and charitie and we shall knowe the incōprehensible graces of God And he that surmounteth all myght shall delyuer vs from al euell and shall leade vs vnto hys glorye vnto hys heauēly kyngdome where in eternall ioye we shall yelde perpetuall graces and prayses vnto the father of heuen by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome c. The Gospel on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ rayseth a deade man to lyfe agayne IEsus wente into a cytie whyche is called Naim and many of hys disciples went wyth hym and much people Whan he came nye to the gate of the cytie beholde there was a deade man caryed out whych was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a wedowe and much people of the cytie was wyth her And whan the Lorde sawe her he had cōpassion on her and said vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stode styll And be said Yonge man I say vnto the aryse And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake And he delyuered hym to hys mother And there came a feare on them all And they gaue the glorie vnto God sayenge A greate prophete is rysen vp amonge vs and god hath vysited his people THe thynge good people whych is moost agreable vnto god and that whyche he demaundeth requyreth of vs principally is to beleue hys word as saynt Paule saythin the .xi. chapter of hys epistle to the Hebrues It is impossible to please God with out fayth For thys cause all the myracles whyche were at any tyme done aswel by Iesu Christ in erth as by hym in hys members it hath not ben for to attribute the honoure vnto hys members or that hys members hath done myracles but for to approue the worde of God and for to manyfest hys glorie and myght to thintent that he shulde be honoured and reuerenced of euery body and in euery place as the prophete sayeth Lorde god all the earth doth worship the. For thys cause oure Lorde hath raysed vp from death to lyfe the wedowes sonne of the whych is made mention in the gospel of thys day He hath here raised one from bodely death for to make vs to beleue that he hath the power also for to rayse vs agayne from spirituall death And also he shall rayse vs vp agayne bodely at the day of dome As he said vnto Martha I am the resurrection and lyfe who so beleueth in me he shall not dye eternally Ioh. xi All they therfore whych do not lyue accordynge vnto the spirite whych folowe the olde lyfe of Adam whyche accomplish the desyres concupiscences and workes of the flesh of the whych was spoken in the epistle of the last sondaye they be deade spiritually For who that hath not the holy goost he hath no lyfe he doth not belonge vnto Iesu Christ whych is the lyfe Yf any hath not the spirite of Christ he is not Christes Ro. viij He is borne and conducted of euell spirites to the pytte of hell Yf Iesu Christ do not come quyckely for to touche hym wyth hys hande the whyche sygnifyeth hys great puissaunce and myght conioyned wyth hys worde Yf he do not speake and touch lyuely the harte it is impossible that the sayd creatures shulde haue power to ryse agayne or that they shulde euer chaunge from the death of the soule vnto newnes of lyfe and state of grace For surely so longe as we be in deadly synne and vnder the thraldome and subiection of the fende so longe we be as deade persons S. Ambrose And therfore sayeth saynt Ambrose We lye deade in secrete whan eyther the fyre of vnreasonable lust brenneth vs or the colde humoure drowneth and as it were wyth a certayne slouthfulnesse of the bodye the sharpenesse of the mynde is accombred and ouerwhelmed in which case we can not ryse out of our drousye slomber but by Christe And yf sayeth thys holy doctour saynt Ambrose An allegorie it be an heuye greuouse synne whych thou thy selfe arte not able to wash awaye wyth the teares of thy penaunce and repentaunce let thy mother the holy church wepe for the. Let the people also be assistente vnto her And fortwyth thou shalt ryse agayne oute of the coffyn or beere and shalte begynne to speake wyth an other lyfe and all that heare it shall feare shal be corrected by thexemple of one They shal also prayse God Bede whych hath gyuē vs so great remedies to eschue death And here sayeth Bede is the errour of the heretiques called Nouatians confounded whych whyle they go about to destroye the