and we yet carnall we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ê‘ceiueit Nomore then euen at thys daye we vnderstaÌ„d it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to be beâ—or god more vnrightuousnes finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell all whyche thinges noman shuld haue vnderstanded had not Christ sente his holy ghost whom in this place he surely promiseth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen froÌ„ tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure to comforte mens consciences in this world When this comforter commeth saith Christ he shal rebuke the worlde of synne of rightuousnes and of iugemente Here ye se good people thre lettes or obstacles whych by thoffice of tholy ghost muste be moued awey to thintente thys spirituall kyngdome mighte be vnderstande that is to saye synne whych is not to beleue in god this thinge noman doth vnderstande by his propre nature and yet onles it be vnderstande noman can haue accesse to the kingdome of Christ. The seconde is the ignoraunce of the true iustice whych pleaseth god and this also can no man take nor perform of himselfe The third is iudgement wheras we vnderstand not naturally that the deuell is iuged by the disclosing of the gospell These thre lettes and impedimentes be roted naturally in euery mans mynde whych no man can vnderstande of himselfe or take them awaye by hys owne power Wherfore to the doinge hereof is the holy gost promysed in this gospell Now for asmoch as the kingdome of Christe is heare conuersaunt amonge men which be synners and whyche of nature can do nought but synne but loue their own rightuousenes and iudge after their owne faschion of the gospell therfore the holy ghost in executinge his office doth not moue the to departe out of this worlde that thou mayste haue no occasion to synne neyther woll he that ciuile iustice or humane iudgemente shulde not be executed in thys worlde but he teacheth the truly to knowe what thynge synne is For euery man of hys owne brayne by hys owne power wytte feyneth thys or that to be synne as it hath been sufficiently proued vnder y e kyngdome of the Byshoppe of Rome But when the holy gooste cometh and repryueth vs by gods worde our owne imaginacions fantasyes destroyed then we know that to be synne whyche no man iudged before to be synne So we knowe nowe that it is synne yf a maÌ„ beleue not in only Christe concernynge iustice whyche thynge before the receyuynge of the holy gooste none of vs all knewe In semblable wyse it is to be spoken of ryghtousnes and iudgement whych two thynges we vtterly coÌ„sydered not before y e openyng of the gospell wherby the holy gooste reproueth the worlde But leste ye shuld suspecte thys interpretacion to be not grounded of scripture harken howe Christe hymselfe expouneth thys thynge The holy gooste he sayeth shall rebuke the worlde of synne Why because they beleue not sayth Christ on me Loo howe Christ expouneth hymselfe what he meaneth by synne that is to witte incredulitie or mysbeleue towardes hym whyche only thynge doth condemne men lyke as on the contrary parte the onlye belefe in Christe saueth The papistes haue wrested thys texte as they do al other to the mysâ—eleue of y e Turkes Sarasynes and such people as be farre from vs but they oughte to remembre that in thys behalfe they do synne worse then the Turkes forasmoch as they wold be counted Christianes and yet in y e meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste Of thys abhonâ—â—able synne the worlde knoweth nothynge at all Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke y e worlde Why because sayeth Christe I go to my father and ye shall se me no more That is to saye bicause I shall begynne my newe reigne wherin an other maner of iustice then ye ymagine must be required and shalbe of va lour before god Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde why bycause sayeth Christe the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy And he calleth iugemeÌ„t the blyndnes of maÌ„ wherby the worlde alloweth naturallye the reygne and the workes of Satan for the worlde hath a corrupt iudgement by Adams fall so that it seeth not what thinges god aloweth and what not But sayth Christ I haue yet many thynges to speake vnto you meanyng of his crosse and of hys glory but by reason of your weakenes and infirmytie ye are not able to beare them nowe As who shuld saye ye be yet carnall and therfore ye perceiue not the thinges that be of the spirite But wheÌ„ the spirite of trouth that is the holy ghost shall come he shall leade you into all trouth The spirite shall teache you thinges spirituall He shall transforme you and of carnall persones shall make you goostly For surely because ye be yet carnall ye caÌ„not perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection whych is to be fulfilled for your redeÌ„ptions sake Here ye se playnly good people y t thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditioÌ„s but rather agaynst them For I praye you what is thys trouth that the holy ghost shall teache you Mannes traditions no not so In them is no certayntie It is Christ and hys worde that is the only trouth Wherfore he shal teache only Christ and the worde of god for this is all trouthe For as Chrysostome sayth the gospel conteyneth al together And the office sayeth he of a good preacher is truly to prosecute all that is in hys commission not to thaunge put to or take away any thyng But this y e Bishoppes of Rome in tymes paste haue done and yet at this day do presume to do Wherfore they are no interpretours but deprauers of scripture no vicars of Christe but of the deuell They speake of their owne heddes their own inuentions and dreames wheras the holy ghost whyche here is promysed by Christe vnto vs shall speake nothyng of hymselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake that is to saye he shall speake none other worde or gospel only he shal open and declare the worde that is
Philip spake And assone as they gaue credence to Philips preachynge of the kyngdome of God and of the name of Iesu Christe they were baptised both meÌ„ and wemen Here ye se good people how the Samaritanes whych were Hethen persons yea and such persons as the Iues whyche were the peculiar and proper people of god toke for very contempte and vyle persons receyued the gospell of Christ forthwyth at the preachynge of saynt Philip and were by and by baptised Thus farforth are the Samaritanes brought â–ª Now the lection red in the church thys day goeth further and sayth that when the Apostles whyche were gathered togyther at Ierusalem herde say that the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God they sent vnto theÌ„ Peter and Iohn whiche when they were come downe from the hyghe cytie of Ierusalem thyther vnto theÌ„ they prayed for them to thintent they myght receiue the holy ghoste For as yet the holy ghoste was not come on none of theÌ„ onlye they were baptized in the name of Christ Iesu. ThaÌ„ layde these two Apostles theyr handes vpon y e Samaritans and anone they receyued the holy ghost This is the history redde in the church as thys daye But now my frendes what frute and profyte shal we beare away of this lesson What is here to be gathered Nothyng Yes truly for there is nothynge wrytten sayeth S. Paule but it is wryten for our learnynge that by pacience and confort of scriptures we shuld haue hope Fyrst ther fore ye shallâ— note howe glad the Apostles were to heare that these Samaritans were turned to the Gospell of Christe and they were not only glad but also carefull for them lest they myght happen to go backe agayne to theyr olde baguage and blyndnes And therfore in all hast they sent these two Apostles Peter and Iohn to confirme and strengthen theyr faith Here we be taught what y e office of true good Apostles yea of all good Christen men is For we ought in lykewyse to be carefull for oure brethren y t they maye be broughte to the perfeyte knowlege of gods worde And namely suche as call them selfes Apostolicall persons and Apostles fellowes successours as the byshoppes of Rome do oughte in this behalfe to folow thereÌ„ple of thapostles charite But they do cleane contrary they rather plucke me from the Gospell then allure them vnto it Seconde ye shall note that before the resurrection of Christe when as yet the Iues and Gentyles were not ioyned togyther by all one fayth the Apostels were forbydden to entre into the cyties of the Samaritanes But after the resurrection wheÌ„ they were bydden for the spredynge abrode of the gospell to go into all partes of the worlde then that former commaundemente whiche was but temporall and whyche dyd serue but for a tyme was taken awaye and cessed Thyrdly in this historye ye shall marke that the Samaritanes receyued forthwyth the holy ghoste assone as they beleued and were baptized For assuredly true and perfecte baptisme can not be without the holy ghost Furthermore it is not possible that fayth can be in that person where the holy spirite of God dothe not inhabite as many places aswell of scripture as of auncient fathers do wytnesse Yea S. Austin affirmeth playnly in his boke de presenâ—ia deâ— that the holy ghost dothe dwell and inhabite in infauntes or childreÌ„ y t be baptized Wherfore how muche more is he resident and abydynge in persons of age and discretion which haue fayth and be baptised So it is no doute but these Samaritâ—nes at the preachyng of S. Philip receiued the holy ghost excepte perchaunce ye woll saye that S. Philippes preachynge had lesse vertue and efficaciein it then the preachynges of thother Apostles had whyche in no wyse is to be graunted But peraduenture ye woll meruayle then howe it is that it followeth in the historye red in the Churche this daye that after the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God the holy Ghost as yet was not come on none of theÌ„ And therfore the Apostles eueÌ„ for that purpose sent Peter and Iohan whiche prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy Ghoste My frendes what shal we say to this Dyd the Samaritanes receyue goddes worde dyd they beleue were they baptised and yet were they voyde of the holy ghost Howe caÌ„ this be Chryste hym selfe sayeth he that beleueth is baptysed shall be saued But onles a man be renued with the holy ghost he can not be saued as the same Chryst also testifyeth in the thryde Chapter of Iohn Wherfore it must nedes folowe that the Samaritaynes had receyued the holy ghost forasmuch as true baptisme can not be without the holy Ghost Howe than sayth S. Luke here that the holy ghost was not yet come on the Samarytanes To this doubte I answere in fewe wordes that this texte in this place that the holy Ghost was not yet come vpon them is to be vnderstande not oâ— the substauÌ„ce of the spirite or holy Ghoste but of those manifest and notable gyftes of the holy Ghost They had the holy Ghost to comforte them and to lede them to al trueth necessary to their saluacion but they had him not yet to do miracles and speake straunge â—onges as in the primatyue Churche they had for the confirmacion of Christes doctrine Neyther is it at this day necessarye the Gospell being nowe stablyshed that men shuld haue suche wonderfull gyftes of the spirite Wherfore good chrysten people I exhorte you and in the name of Christ I requyre you that accordynge to the exemple of these Samaritanes here ye wol laye downe your supersticion aâ—d blyndnes of harte wherin ye haue wandered and wyth glad min des receyue the worde of God accordynge to youre profession and promyse whych ye made at the fount stone and put on Christ renouncynge y e worlde the flesh and the deuell wyth stedfast and earnest fayth And no doubt ye shalbe endowed wyth y e holy goost who in all your trouble and afflictions shall coÌ„forte you and directe you in youre waye to heauenwarde where is our dwellynge place prepared wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all glorye wythout ende Amen The gospell on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The. x. chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christ is the true shepeherde IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Verely verely I say vnto you he that entreth not in by the dore into the shepefolde but clymmeth vp some other way the same is a theâ—e and a murtherer But he that entereth in by the dore is the shepherd of the shepe to hym the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne shepe by name and he leadeth them out And whan he hath sent forth hys owne shepe he goeth before theÌ„ and the shepe folowe hym for they knowe hys voyce A straunger wyll they not folowe but wyll flee from hym for they knowe not the voyce of
hym in euerlastynge lyfe Yf ye refuse so great grace wherto ye be called what other thynge do ye then heape your damnation more and more and so prouoke God to caste hys displeasure vnto you and to reuenge thys mockage of hys holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Applye your selfe good frēdes to lyue in Christ that Christ may styl lyue in you whose fauour and assistēce yf ye haue thā haue ye euerlastynge lyfe alredy wythin you than can no thynge hurte you What soeuer is hytherto done and cōmytted Christe ye se hath offered you pardon and clerly receyued you to hys fauoure agayne in full suertye wherof ye haue hym nowe uihabytynge and dwellynge wythin you Only shewe you youre selfe thankeful in your lyues cōpounde wyth youre selfe to refuse and auoyde al such thynges in youre conuersations that shuld offende hys eyes of mercy Endeuoure your selfe that waye to ryse vp agayne whych waye ye fell into the well pyt of synne Yf by your tonge ye haue offended now therby ryse agayne and glorifye God therwyth Accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue therwyth dishonoured it and as ye haue hurte the name of your neghboure or otherwyse hyndered him now entende to restore hym agayne for wythout restituci on God accepteth not your shryft nor yet your repētaunce It is not ynough to forsake euell except ye set your corage to do good By what occasiō so euer ye haue offended tourne now the occasion to the honourynge of God profytynge of your neyghbour Truth it is that synne is stronge and affections vnruly harde to subdue resyst our nature so corrupte leuened w t the soure bitternes of the poyson which we receyued by the inheritan̄ce of our olde father Adam but yet take good corage sayeth our Sauiour Christ for I haue ouercommed the world al other enemyes for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace sayeth saynt Paule Though your power be weake yet Christ is rysen a gayne to strength you in your batel hys holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of hys confidence take you in hande to purge thys olde leuen of synne that corrupteth soureth the swetnes of your lyfe before God that ye maye be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all soure leuen of wyckednes so shall ye shew your self to be swete bred to god to haue his delyte in you I say kyl offer you vp the worldly erthly affectiōs of your bodyes for Christ our Ester lambe is offred vp for vs to flee the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in y t thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wher by we be deliuered from y e captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from y e bondage therof to tyse w t Christ. The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of vij dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner y t is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs y t leuen of corrupt doctrine y t wyl iufect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast y t hole terme of our lyfe w t eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare y t Christes gyftes graces haue theyr ef fect in vs. that we haue y t right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to y t vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shalbe suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the. v. Chapter Thargument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in erth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OUre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust noman amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by y t waye that
thou cammest therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst maÌ„ beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yet thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by y e worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth ourselues that Iesus is Christe that is to saye the annoynted kynge and Sauioure of the worlde For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomaÌ„ coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whoÌ„ Christ answereth Uerely verely I saye vnto the onles a maÌ„ be borne agayne from about he can not se the kyngdome of God whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue y t Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secoÌ„dly that he is a kynge anoynted w t the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath and so all hypocrites and betwene y t true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borâ—e agayne when through the holy goost we be casted by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll to thuâ— tent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue y t Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the fame that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heueÌ„ the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than maÌ„s that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer y e world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Unto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the. xx chapter of Ihon. Thargument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr coÌ„mission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whaÌ„ they sawe the Lorde Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And wha he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whosoeuers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Di dimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my han des and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Tho mas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my Cod Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence
ye receyue with mekenes the worde that is grafte implanted in you of god the father of heueÌ„ Receyue it he sayth with mekenes that is to say with al modestie and reuerence not after a ryottouse and sediciouse sorte as thoughe ye wolde fyght for it nor agayne with an euel and struglyng mynde as many 〈…〉 do but gladly thankfully and gently For it is the thinge whych is hable to saue youre soules whych thing also saynt Panle proueth wrytinge to the Romaynes where he teacheth that we be iustified by fayth by the ministery of gods worde Nowe therfore good people let vs accordinge to the meanyng of this epistle whych I haue brefly declared vnto youe imbrase this worde of trouthe that saynt Iames doth here speake of and so imbrace it that we may be couÌ„ted doers and not hearers only Thus doynge we shall declare our selues to be the chosen people of God and we shall inioy at last the kyngdom prepared for vs of almyghty God Who be lauded .c. The Gospell on the. iiij sondaye after Ester the. xvj chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christe promyseth to sende the holy gooste and of hys offyce Iesus sayd to hys disciples Nowe I go my waye to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whyther I go And because I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes are ful of sorowe Neuer thel esse I tel you the trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my fa ther and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged â—â—â—â—â— I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what soÌ„ euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purpose is sente of Christe that he myghte â—â—uâ—late and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be letters and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some car nall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and pro fitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde y t is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you â—o good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome
alredy spoken by Christ. This do not the papistes for they expouÌ„de not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hetheÌ„ persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persoÌ„s and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vn to you And al that the father of heueÌ„ hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure carnall and olde man and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of god which is here called y e spirite of trouth Whych spirite by the instrument of godes word as here is declared shall open and disclose vnto vs all trouth necessarye to oure saluation and soule helth Which thyng also the auÌ„cient doctour Ihon Chrysostome witnesseth sayeng What so euer is sought to the soule helth the same is al togither conteyned and accomplished in holy scripture He that is ignoraunt shal fynde there ynoughe to lerne He that is stubborne and a synner shall fynde there the skourgies of the iudgemente to come that he maye feare He that laboureth shall fynde there the gloryes and promises of lief euerlasting by chawyng wherof he may be more more kyndled to do good workes as becommeth a christian man to do Let vs praye then to god with pure hartes that he woll vouche saue to send vs this holy ghost this coÌ„forter vnto our myndes which may open vnto vs al trouth To whome be glory and prayse immortally .c. The Epistle on the. v. sondaye after Ester The fyrste chapter of saynt Iames. Thargument ☞ Saynt Iames exhorteth christen men to declare their feyth wyth good workes And he sheweth what thyng true Religion or deuotion is MOst deare beloued brethren euery good gifte and euery perfyte gyfte is from aboue and cometh downe from the father of lyghtes wyth whoÌ„ is no variablenes neither is he chaunged vnto darckenes Of hys owne wyll begat he vs wyth the worde of trouth that we shuld be the fyrste frutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethreÌ„ let euery man be swyft to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of maÌ„ worketh not that why â—he is ryghtouse before god Wherfore laye aparte all fylthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receaue wythe mekenes the worde that is grasted in you whych is hable to saue your soules THe holy Apostle of God saynte Iames good christen people in the epistle of this day dothe discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers And ye shal vnderstande that the true heaters of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth whiche vnderstande it in theyr harte whiche do garnishe it outwardely with suche workes as be prescribed and appoynted them to do and as the pa rable of Christe declareth whiche do heare the word of god and vnderstande it whiche also bryng forthe frute some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thyrty folde And it is he according to the wordes of the prophete Dauid whiche is lyke a tre planted by the ryuer syde bearyng his frute in due tyme. But the false hearers of the worde be they whiche heare it but they receiue it nat with fayth they vnderstande it nat in theyr harte neyther do they furnyshe and declare it to the worlde with good workes and as the parable of y e sower sayeth they suffre the deuyll to take the worde out of theyr harte These be only temporall hearers and but for a season they be but starters they stycke nat by it They be also suche as when they haue perceyued taken the true word of god they choke it with the care of this world and with the disceitfulnes of ryches so make the worde vnfruteful for they receiue it nat with ful mynd but by snatches and myndyng other thynges euen as he whiche beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse and forthwith goeth hys waye and forgetteth by and by what maner thyng it was Be ye then doers of the worde that is to were declare w t good workes that ye truly vnderstande it and be â—at hearers onely as who shulde say Ye that heare the worde of god with your eares and do boste and glory in the knowledge therof and neuertheles be occupyed and intaugled in other maters ye do nothyng els but deceiue your selues whych thyng he declareth with a wonderful goodly and apte similitude For lyke as it nothinge helpeth a man to staÌ„de before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire whan he goeth away forthwyth and forgetteth strayte hys beawtie So it helpeth a man no thynge at all to heare gods worde onles he receyue it in hys harte and take holde of it by fayth depely printyng in hys mynde the beautie therof and be de lyted therin and fynally declare wyth good workes that he doth truly vnderstande it Furthermore he that standeth before a glasse maye well glorie and bragge of hys beautye for a tyme So he that heareth the worde may well reioyse and glorie of it But whan the glasse is taken away anone the beau tie is out of the mynde So in tyme of necessitie and tribulation yf the true glasse of gods wyll that is to wyt the worde of God be taken awaye and not coÌ„ sydered anone the promyses and gospell that is to saye the glad tydynges concernynge our redemption is out of mynde the beautie of gods goodnes is forgotten and finally the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde is neglected But on the contrary parte who so loketh in the perfyte lawe of lybertie and continu eth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke the same shalbe happy in hys dede As who shulde saye He that rightly heareth and vnder standeth the worde and doeth expresse the same with worthy workes in such wyse as he sheweth hymselfe to haue a firme sure vnderstandynge of the same whereby he may vaynquish and chase away death Satan and synne he shalbe happye in hys dede or worke he shalbe declared by hys dedes to be a iustifyed person and saued For dedes workes in christeÌ„ men be testimonies and wytnesses
aduocate by whom all be forgyuen vs and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indignacion and wrath For I pray you what saynte what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and intercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren coÌ„municating vnto vs the rouine or of fice of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shalbe an intercessour or suter for you to my father For the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Thou shall nede no patrones or aduorates w t god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wrytcth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synue I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe â—f so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with y e blessed virgine Marye Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatuâ—e We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge â—o nowe thou speak este frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thin â—â—s c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to
clxxxv POSTILLES OR HOMILIES VPON THE EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FROM ESTER vntyll TRINITIE sondaye wyth certayne other frutefull and godly SERMONS drawen forth by dyuerse lerned men for the syngular edificacion and commoditie of al good CHRISTEN parsons and in especiall of prestes and CVRATES ⧠Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ANNO. M. D. XL. THE COPY OF THE KYNGES graciouse priuilege HENRY the eight by the grace of god kynge of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce defensour of the fayth Lorde of Ireland and in earth supreme head immediatly vnder Christe of the church of EnglaÌ„d To all prynters of bokes wythin thys oure Realme and to all other our officers ministers and subiectes these our letters hearyng or seynge Gretynge We let you wit that of our grace especial we haue gyuen priuilege vnto our welbeloued subiecte Richarde Bankes that no maner person wythin thys our Realme shal prynte any maner of bokes what so euer our sayd subiecte shall prynte fyrste wythin the space of seuen yeares next ensuyng the printynge of euery suche boke so by hym prynted vpon payne of forfetynge the same Wherefore we woll and coÌ„maunde you that ye nor none of you do presume to prynte any of the sayde bokes durynge the tyme aforesayd as ye tender oure pleasure and woll auoyde the contrarye A SERMON OF THE RESVRRECTION CHRISTVS traditê° fuit ê“pter peccata nostra resurrexit propter iustificationem nostri Roma iiij ☞ Christ was delyuered for our synnes and rose agayne for the iustification of vs. Rom. iiij YF euer the greatnes or excellency of any matter hath styred vp youre myndes to gyue diligent eare at any tyme good chri sten people welbeloued in our Lorde and Sauiour Christe I doubt not but that I shall haue you now moost diligent and redy hearers of that matter whyche I haue at thys tyme to open vnto you For I am come to declare that great and moost comfortable article of our fayth the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus So great is thys article and of so great weyght and importaunce that it was thought worthy to kepe our said Sauiour styl on earth after he was rysen from death to lyfe to the confirmation therof in the hartes of hys disciples So that as Luke testifyeth in the fyrste chapter of the actes he was conuersant wyth hys disciples by the space of fourty dayes continually together to enstructe them the truth therof before he wold ascende vp to hys father in heauen to receyue the glorye of hys conquest and victory So comfortable is thys article to our coÌ„sciences that it is the locke and keye of all our fayth Yf it were not true sayeâ—h S. paule that Christe arose agayne oure preachynge were in vayne your fayth were but voyde ye were yet in the daunger of your synnes Yf Christe be not rysen agayne sayeth the Apostle than are they vtterly pery shed that be entred theey slepe in Christ than are we moost myserable of al meÌ„ yf we haue our hope fixed in Christ yf he were vnder the power of death not re stored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne froÌ„ death sayth he to be y e fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is ryseÌ„ again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor y t he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iudgement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe He began sayeth Luke at Mo ses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to son dry persons at sondry tymes Fyrst he sente hys angels to y t sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne wo men that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the emptygraue sa uynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed y t he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opeÌ„lye After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge He was sene of more thaÌ„ fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you After thys he ap peared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takeÌ„ vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to coÌ„firme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye and to haue prea ched openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligeÌ„t for oure coÌ„forte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe nomore dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule â—or out synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs