this little ship for that the Churche reprooueth the woorkes of the worlde that is too say blameth the worldly wyse men of follie condemneth the rightuous men as giltie of sinne and aduaunceth not the riche men but pronounceth them vnhappie and wretched vnlesse true godlinesse bée the gouernoure and ruler of their riches And this is it that Christ promised when hée sayde The holy Ghoste shall reproue the world of sinne of rightuousnesse and of iudgement What had Abel offended against Caine who horribly murthered him Iohn answereth Abels woorkes were good and his brothers were euil What did Noe What did Hieremie What did Esay What did Christe and too bée short what did so many martyrs from the beginning of the world vntoo this day They would haue brought the worlde backe from darknesse vntoo light that menne renouncing worldy lusts might liue godlily honestly and vprightly in the world This is the thanke that the worlde is woont too requite his benefactours withall For it woulde drown them in his waues Howbéeit all things fall not out as hée would wishe he cannot destroy this little ship vtterly for out of the bloud of the martyrs spring vp other newe martyrs ageine Wée may therefore learne hereby a holy arte against the stumbling blocke of persecution and fewenesse If the tossing of the ship trouble thée haue an eye vntoo Christe whoo is present at hand in the ship If the fewenesse trouble thée haue an eye too the Arke of Noe too the Sodomites and too the rest of the whole world Those things that are best did neuer like but the fewest The Churche at the beginnning was very small in the middes it was biggest and in the ende it shalbée so small againe that what with the malice of the Deuil and what with the leude doctrine of Diuels and what with wicked maners it may séem ouerwhelmed with waues In these waues therfore let vs learne too waken Christe with oure calling vppon him whoo is neuer away from his ship but guydeth it with his holy spirit his woord his sacraments and his discipline Too whome with the Father and the holy Ghoste bée honour and glorie worlde without end Amen The .v. Sunday after Epiphany ¶ The Gospel Math. xiij HE put foorth another parable vntoo them saying The kingdome of Heauen is like vntoo a man vvhich sovved good seede in his feeld but vvhile men slept his enimie came and sovved tares among vvheate and vvent his vvay But vvhen the blade vvas sprong vp and had brought foorth frute then appeared the tares also So the seruants of the housholder came and sayd vntoo him Sir didst not thou sovve god seede in thy feeld from vvhence thē hath it tares He sayd vntoo them the enuious man hath done this The seruants sayd vntoo him vvilt thou thē that vve go and vveede them vp But he sayd nay least vvhile yee gather vp the tares yee plucke vp also the vvheat vvith them let both grovv togither vntill the haruest and in the time of haruest I vvill say too the reapers gather yee first the tares and bind them togither in sheaues too bee brent but gather the vvheate intoo my barne The exposition of the text OCcasion of this Gospell was giuen by Christes hearers of whom some were Hipocrites who notwithstanding liked very wel of them selues that they were accounted of Christes flocke and other some were sincere and good How bée it bicause they sawe a confused mixture of the good and euill toogither their mindes were not a little troubled Too the intent therefore that the Lord might both warn the one of their hipocrisie and of the punishment that shoulde one day ensue for it raise vp the other too stedfastnesse and vnvanquishable confidence by laying béefore them the seperation and reward that was too come he propounded this parable vntoo them Whereof the meaning is this that the euil must be mixed with the good in the church as long as this world stādeth which in the end of the world shall bée seperated one from another so as vntoo the godly may be rendered reward and vntoo the wicked deserued punishment This Gospel therefore serueth too this purpose too put the hipocrites in feare and by setting foorth their punishment too prouoke them too repentaunce and too comforte the godly arming them too the sufferance of euils And the places of this Gospel are foure 1 What maner of kingdome Christes kingdome in this world is 2 Of the enimies of this kingdome 3 The prayer of Christes disciples ageinst the enimies why God suffreth enimies in his Churche 4 Of the punishment of Christes enimies and of the reward of the godly ¶ Of the first THe kingdome of heauen is takē diuersly in scripture For first when Iohn sayeth Repent and amend for the kingdome of heauen is at hand the kingdome of heauen is none other thing than the newnesse of life wherby GOD setteth vs vp ageine intoo the hope of blissed immortalitie For deliuering vs out of the bondage of sinne and death he taketh vs too him selfe that wandering as Pilgrimes vpon the earth we may before hand possesse the heauenly life through faith Therefore where as hée sayeth the kingdome of heauen is at hād he meaneth that the restoring of vs vntoo blissed life yea and the verye true and euerlasting felicitie is offered too vs in Christe Besides this it signifieth the Gospel of Christe it selfe whereby the Citizens are gathered toogither intoo the kingdome of heauen as when the Lord sayth the kingdome of heauen is within you Thirdly it signifieth the frute of the Gospel preached in the hearts of the godly and then it is as Paule defineth in the xiiij too the Romaines righteousnesse ioy spirite and peace of conscience Fourthly it signifieth the felicitie too come in euerlasting life after the iudgement as when Christe promiseth it should come too passe that manie shall come from the East and from the Weast and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdom of heauen Fifthly it signifieth the verie visible Churche it selfe in this world wherin are good and euil mingled toogither vntil haruest time that is too say til the end of this world In this signification is the kingdome of heauen taken in this Gospell of which kingdome I wil nowe speake a fewe things out of this present parable The kingdome of Heauen is like a man that sovved good seed in his feeld c. The man that soweth is Chryst verie God and verie man The féeld is the world The séed are the children of the kingdom Eche of these thre doo teach many things For first when Chryst is called a sower these things are ment therby First how great the dignitie of the Church is which hath the sonne of God too hir founder Secondly that the wise of the world doo not sowe the church for that belongeth alonely vntoo Chryst and therefore that it is not preseued by the wisedom of the world Thirdely that it
Pharisie who thought himself godly and rightuous and was not so maketh vs a Prayer too knowe an Hypocrite by Contrariwise the silie Publicane casting himselfe flat before God and acknowledging his own vnclennesse and yet neuerthelesse fléeing vntoo mercy dooth by his exāple set foorth a forme of true and healthful prayer The places are thrée 1 Of the rightuousnesse of the Law and of the fondnesse of the Pharisie 2 Of Christen rightuousnesse and of true repentance 3 Chrystes iudgement concerning the Pharisie and the Publicane ¶ Of the firste HE sayde too certeine vvhiche had an opinion of themselues that they vvere ryghtuous Héere I must néedes speake of the rightuousnesse of the Lawe what is it and what is the vse end and prerogatiue of it For thereby wée shall vnderstand how farre the Pharisies are wide from the true rightuousnesse What is the rightuousnesse of the Lawe It is a perfecte obedience of all our members inwarde and outwarde vntoo Gods lawe of the harte the affections the will the mouth and ▪ bréeflye of all the powers and abilities as well of the bodie as the minde whiche obedience it behoueth too be not at startes but continuall not vayne but perfecte and full not stayned but pure and chaste suche as mighte haue bin performed by Adam before his fall and suche as is performed by the holye Angelles in Heauen That the rightuousnesse of the Law ought too bée suche a one bothe Moyses and Chryst doo teache in these woords Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy strengthe and with all thy power and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Moreouer forasmuche as hée is pure holy chaste nothing can please him but that whiche is pure holye and chaste And they that fulfill this rightuousnesse they onely haue the promisse of the Law For thus sayeth Moyses The man that dooth these things shall liue in thē No man Chryst onely excepted didde euer performe this perfecte and continuall obedience suche as the Lawe requireth Wherefore all they ▪ that thynke them selues ryghtuous wyth thys rightuousnesse of the law are not only blinde and arrogant but also blasphemous ageinst the law of GOD which they measure by their owne slender skill and not by the voyce of GOD. That none is able too fulfil the law of GOD I haue declared a late and will now bréefly bring the same too oure remembrance ageine Firste oure members bothe inwarde and outward wherwith wée should execute obedience to the Lawe are mangled and corrupted with a certeine horrible outrage so as they are able too doo nothing aryght Agein the Law of sinne as a moste stoute Gyant grypeth our limmes euen after that wée bée borne a newe that wée cannot performe what we woulde Héereuppon S. Paule cryeth oute O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this bodye subiecte too Death And in another place Too will is present with mée but too performe I finde not in my selfe Also I doo not the good that I would doo but the euill whiche I would not doo that doo I. Thus the regenerate haue a forewarde will but they are destitute of ablenesse too performe that which they would so importunate is our houshold enimie withdrawing vs from that whiche is good What shall wée saye then of them whose will is not yet reformed suche as all they bée that are not regenerate Too the furtherance héereof also maketh it that the Law of God is spirituall but wée are carnall For thus hathe Paule béeing at that time a faythfull Chrystian sayd The Law is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Héereby it is easie too sée that wée are not able to performe due obedience too the law For how is it possible that flesh should performe spirituall rightuousnesse I alledged many and sundry other reasons not long agoe whereby I shewed that no man in this life is able too yéeld perfect and ful obedience too the Law What is too bée doone then Héere thou shalt firste heare the voyce of the Lawe What sayeth hée Curssed is hée that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the Lawe Héere thou hearest the sentence of the Lawe Let this saying of the lawe humble thée before God and vtterly cast thée downe that thou maist acknowledge both the filthinesse of thy sinne and thy iust damnation What is too bée doone héer Are we able too eschue the cursse of the lawe Thou art not able of thine owne power Wherefore thou must eyther perish or else séeke a remedie ageinst this damnation of the lawe but other remedie surely there is none than only Iesus Chryst who purposely came into the world too take vppon himselfe the curse of the lawe and too delyuer all that beléeue on him from the power of the lawe that is from damnation which the law threatneth too those y t transgresse it Therefore this cursse extendeth it selfe too all men that héere not Chryst nor are clothed with his rightuousnesses that they may appéere apparelled therewith in the sight of God For Chryst is the end of the law too iustifie all that beléeue Rom. 10. These things haue I spoken concerning the rightuousnesse of the lawe too this intent that I might shewe how fond these Pharisies were which thought themselues rightuous and hilde scorne of others as vnholy and vnrightuous But what is the cause that this Pharisie and the rest of his rable thought themselues rightuous The cause was blindnesse For he was so blinde that he saw not the méening of the lawe yea rather he saw only the couering of the lawe and neuer looked into the brest of the lawe according as the text of this gospel sufficiently declareth For he sayth I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicane He had séene the letter of the law then but not the spirit that is he stacke only in the outward woorks but he considered not the spirituall méening which the law requireth How bée it too the intent these things may be set the playner before our eyes let vs sée first what maner of woorkes this Pharisies were Secondly Let vs lay them too the law of God Thirdly let vs gather therby what wanted in him And fourthly let vs sée of how many sinnes he was founde giltie and cast by the lawe though he vaunted himselfe rightuous before men The woorkes of this Pharisie were faithlesse procéeding of méere misbeléefe and pryde Now in as much as the scripture saieth plainely without faith it is impossible too please God who is so madde as too call this outwarde visor rightuousnesse Let vs lay his woorkes that he bosteth of too the woord of God The lawe requireth pure obedience This man out of his most vncleane hart draweth slaunders ageinst God and his neighboure The lawe commaundeth him too loue his neighboure He accuseth him yea and that before the iudgement seate of God
of GOD. Blissed are they vvhyche suffer persecution for ryghtuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Blissed are ye vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsly say all maner of euyll sayings ageynst you for my sake reioyce bee glad for great is your revvard in Heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhiche vvere before you The exposition of the Text. FEastes of Sainctes were appoynted in the Churche not without right weighty causes which I wil reherse in order that we may vse the feastes of Sainctes too our owne behoofe The first cause is that the Storie of the Church may bée knowen for that is excéeding profitable For thereby wée vnderstand both the state of the Church and also what defenders what enimies the church hath had The second is that Gods benefits towards the membres of his Church may bée thought vppon Paule of a persecuter became an Apostle Peter for all that he had denied his master was receyued intoo fauor ageyne Mary Magdalen the sinner was accepted for a daughter whyle she stayed vppon Chryst by fayth At the very poynt of death Chryst offered himself too be séene of Steuen And so in euery of the Saincts are seuerall benefits of God to bée séene The third is that hauing considered these benefits of God towards the Saincts wée should giue God thanks for that he was so merciful to wretched sinners turning themselues too the Lord by true repentance as to receiue them intoo fauor and too garnish them with so many benefits and to hold them vp with his spirit in this wildernesse The fourth is that the sundry casualties of the Sainctes should be weyed and compared with the perils of our times As the godly were oppressed by the vngodly in old time So are they at this day In times past the Sainctes reioyced vnder godly gouernours and now and then ageine were faine too féele the hard yoke of Tyrantes and so doo they in these dayes also In these variable chaunces wée must harten our selues with the examples of the Sainctes The fifth is that wée should folowe the Sainctes in pacience in lyfe in seruing God in profession in stedfastnesse and in other vertues The Sainctes therefore must bée as it were examples and rules too lead our life by Gods woord requireth repentance woorshipping of God confession and pacience And the Sainctes minister vntoo vs examples of the same The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the company of the Sainctes too the intent that being at length deliuered from these distresses wée may liue blissedly for euermore with Chryst. In consideration wherof Chryst auoucheth his disciples to be blissed although they bée afflicted with sundry miseryes in this lyfe And to this purpose perteyneth this dayes Gospell concerning sundry blissednesses according as wée shal héere anon Therfore let vs declare euery blissednesse seuerally by it selfe There is but one poynt ¶ Of the blissednesse of Christs Disciples BLissed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈…〉 of this place is that there is no cause why they should thinke them selues vnhappie that from the bottome of their harte féel themselues in very déed too be voyd of all rightuousnesse sith this selfe same féeling of a mannes own poorenesse is the first step wherby hée mounteth vp too the chéef riches that is too saye too the kingdome of Heauen not by it selfe and of it owne nature but bicause it compelleth vs too séeke him who is the onely way intoo Heauen What manner a thing spirituall or ghostly pouertie is it may bée the easlier vnderstood by a comparison For like as the poorenesse of beggerie is not onely extréeme néedinesse but also the open profession of the same so the poorenesse of spirite is not onely the vttermoste want of heauenly riches that is too wit of rightuousnesse holinesse and innocencie but also the profession of the same want before God of whō wée desire reléefe of oure néedinesse for Chrystes sake This poorenesse then consisteth in true repentance and in crauing the riches of Heauen The Moonkes abused this place For out of it they taught that by pouertie that is too say by beggerie men merited the kingdome of heauen whereas Paule in the sixth too the Romaines sayeth plainely Eternall life is Gods gift through Iesus Chryste our Lorde If it bée a frée gifte surely it is not purchased with pouertie whiche doutlesse deserueth nothing of it owne nature but is a punishement the cause whereof is partly wastefulnesse partly slouth partly the penaltie of some sinne and partly tryalles sake as was the beggerie of Lazarus Blissed are those that mourne for they shall receyue comfort This is a woonderful Sermon He auoucheth the mourners too bée blissed whereas nothing is more ageinst blissednesse than mourning But Chrystes saying is too bée vnderstoode of the successe of the mourning and not of the time of mourning For thus sayth he bicause they shall receiue comforte that is when their mourning is at ende in this world This mourning procéedeth partly of the poornesse of spirit partly of the miseries of this present life which doo as it wer with a certeine fire boile vs trie vs as it were w t spurres quicken vs vp too craue the endlesse ioy whiche shall wipe away all teares Then is not mourning of it selfe the cause of blisfulnesse but bicause it driueth vs vnto Christ who is the author of all comfort Héervntoo therfore maketh that saying of Paule wée reioyce in tribulations bicause they woork pacience pacience trial trial hope and hope is not confounded bicause god loueth vs. Héerby it may bée easly perceiued that Chryste speaketh not of euery kinde of mourning but of the mourning y t is according to God not according to y e world Blissed are the meke for they shall receyue the inheritance of the earth The méeke are peaceable milde gentle curteous such as bridle their affections such as are easie too be entreated to forgiue wrong when they are misused and such as had leuer lose a thing than to stand in contention for it This vertue of méeknesse springeth of the true feare of God of true lowlinesse the which Chryst commendeth to those y t are his saying lerne of mée bicause I am méeke lowly of hart It is a rule y t Chrysts Disciples must be méeke The exāple of the rule is Chryst. For hée wil that we looke vpon him when we mind this vertue The Lord sayth not lerne of mée too rayse the dead to chase away diuels to walk drishod vpon the sea to fast .xl. dayes .xl. nights without sustenance but he sayth lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart This lowlynesse hathe with it brotherly louingnesse whereof the Lorde sayth By this shall all men knowe yée too be my Disciples if yée loue one another But what is promised too the méeke Blissednesse and that is for the
theyr mindes douting with what company they may ioyn themselues in felowship For while some boast of one maister and some of another glorying of his wisdom and godlynesse not without contempt of others whom they outface with their lofty lookes it coÌ„meth to passe that according as they perceiue any maÌ„ affectioned towards them to holde with them or ageinst them so they with blind iudgement commend or discommende his doctrine and Religion Héereuppon growe hartburnings froward suspicions hatred fallings out and desire of reuenge wherthrough all things are turned vpsidedowne And from hence to passe ouer other things with silence springeth a double pleasure For both the enemies of the Gospell are boldned in theyr stubbornesse and vngodlinesse and also the weaker and vnskilfuller sort which earst were more forward in imbracing of the truth are not a litle trobled wauering and vncertein too whether part they were best too ioyne themselues â–ª AmoÌ„g whom not a few as though nothing certein could be taught or determined of all the whole Religion begin too dout not only of al the partes of it but also of all maner of Religions In this case it is our duetie my déere brethren too succor the weake bothe with our Prayers and aduertisements that they stumble not at this huge heape and dunghill of opinions and so fall headlong intoo certeine destruction The best remedie for this mischéefe is to marke the continuall consent of the Catholike church in Doctrine and in the true seruice of God For as there is but one God so is there also but one euerlasting stedfast and infallible truthe of God one true religion one faith one rule wherby to liue well and one Church of Chryst which only knoweth the true maner how too serue God aright He that is not a Citizen of this Churche is falne from grace and saluation though he boast himselfe too haue neuer so great maisters Contrarywise he that in this Church woorshippeth God in spirit and truthe â–ª is the heir of grace and saluation though he had but a Cow-herd too his maister or teacher For this matter hangeth not vpon the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of man but vppon the mastership of Chrystes spirit whose wil is that his pure and vncorrupt woord should be oure rule of life saluation In the which woord and woorshipping taught in the woorde there hath bin a most sound and perfect consent of all the holy Patriarkes before the flud and after the flud of the Prophets and Apostles yea and of al godly men Whâ—se doctrin and manner of worshipping if wée holde aright wée may lawfully glorie in Chryste that wée are Citizens of the Churche of Iesu Chryst althoughe the whole world hated vs and abhorred vs as Heretikes I méene therefore brethren too say somewhat concerning this contynuall agréement too the intent wée may bée assured in our selues whither wée bée in that consent of the Catholike Church or not or whither oure aduersaries bée in it who making greatâ— braggs of theyr maysters whom they call fathers endeuer with sword and fire too stop the course of the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles In the handling of this matter many things surely do méete which all ame as it were at this one marke For of necessitie it must come héere in question from whence true religion hathe his begynning and what assurance is therof how great hath bin the consent of the church in the same doctrine through all ages by what sleights Sathan is woont too assault the true religion and finally what aduisednesse the Godly ought too vse ageinst the treasons and crafts of Sathan least as oure first parents did wee suffer our selues too bée led with faire words from the fountains of saluation too the Diuels puddles that is too mens traditions and wilworshippings Wée should not néede to shew from whence true religion hath his beginning but that the rage of men and féends bothe hath bin in olde time and is at this day so greate that they durst set vp newe religions after the blynd imagination of their owne brayn maynteyning them with swoorde and fyre and persecuting that Religion whiche is onely of God that they may fulfil the prophecie whiche was spoken of the serpents séede that should byte the héele of the womaÌ„s séede But muche more rightly than these iudged that heathen man Socrates who being demaunded in Xenophon which was the true religion answered It was that whiche God himselfe had appointed â–ª For in as muche as the Lord sayth playnly by his Prophet that he abhorreth the doctrines and worshippings of men Let vs be out of all doute that the true and continuall abyding Religion hath his beginning from the euerlasting God himselfe Apollo Pithius béeing asked of the Atheniens what religions they shoulde chéefly folow answered those that their auncetors had vsed When they obiected ageyn that the custome of their auncetours had oftentimes bin chaunged hée sayde that the best was too bée folowed For as Hesiodus sayeth the auncient custome is euer best After the same maner our aduersaries in these dayes boast of antiquitie vtterly suppressyng the name of the author of true Religion where as they oughte rather too aunswere as Socrates did than as the wicked féend did For like as Sathan abused the authoritie of antiquitie to stablish errors so do they True it is in déede y t the auncientest religion is best so as it haue his beginning from God who is best and not from the olde serpent who froÌ„ the first beginning brought into the worlde his Religion fighting full but ageinst the religion of God Wherefore there is a distinction too bée made betwéene the twoo Antiquities For the one antiquitie is referred too God and the other too Sathan The first of these antiquities is the auncientest of all antiquities as which hath neither beginning nor shall haue ending Out of this most ancient antiquitie sprang the truth of God whereby is taught whiche is the true Religion for the confirmation whereof God hath added woonderfull recordes which should bee as it were certeyne euerlasting and authorised seales of his heauenly truthe The later antiquitie is such a one as both had beginning and shall haue ende out of which issued all superstition and vngodlynesse Either of these religions hath his furtherers and as it were certeine Patriarks whome the men of late yéeres haue termed fathers of whome they glorie not a litle The Papists haue alwayes in theyr mouthe the Fathers the Fathers And in all controuersies concerning the doctrine and seruice of GOD they flée to them as too theyr last Anchor-holde Wee also acknowledge the Fathers howebéeit farre after another manner than they doo For wee admitte those for Fathers who hauing receiued theyr Religion at Gods hande haue also deliuered the same faythfully too posteritie as are the Patriaks holy Kings Prophetes Chryst himselfe and the Apostles These onely doo wée reuerence as fathers and too vary from them in opinion wée iudge it a
the worlde when as notwithstanding they are not able too shewe any true contrarietie in no part of the foundation of the doctrine and woorshipping of God howsoeuer these Prothëuses transforme themselues intoo a thousande shapes By these practises of Sathan wée sée it brought too passe that the wilful sorte are made more stoute in their superstitioÌ„ and the weaker and vnstedier sort doo for the most part giue ouer too the great gréef of all the godly and vnlesse Chryst make hast of his coÌ„ming it is too bée feared least many wil bée wrapped ageine in their former darknesse What is too bée doone in this case my brethren I beséeche you Wée muste beware of Sathans wyles Wée muste haue an eye backe too the examples of our aunceters Abel Abraham the Prophets Chryst and his Apostles Let vs accompany oure selues with them in doctrine woorshipping and Inuocation Let vs not bee disquyeted at the multitude of our enimies Let vs not bée mooued at the number of the runnagates Let vs not bée dismayed in harte at the persecution and miseries whyche the godly are fayne too suffer in this worlde Let vs not onely haue an eye too the lowlynesse of the church which in this world lyeth vpon the ground despised but also let vs haue an eye too Chryst tryumphing who wil in time to come reward those with the glory of blissed immortalitie whome hée maketh like vntoo hym selfe in thys life so they continue stedfast too the ende Let vs beare in minde this most weightie saying of Chrystes Watche and pray that yée enter not intoo temptation That whiche I say too you sayth hée I say too all The world tempteth the fleshe prouoketh the armies of Heretikes trouble the stumbling blockes of doctrine and manners offende the fonde quarellings of proude persones vexe ageinste all these things the surest remedie is too call vppon GOD. For it is not for nought that Salomon sayeth The name of the Lorde is a moste strong Towre the ryghtuous man shall flée vntoo it and bée saued In oure calling vppon God let vs haue an eye too the Propheticall and Apostolike churche and let vs arme our mindes ageinst the Idoll gaddings of Mahomet and the Papistes and ageynste the wranglyngs of the Heretikes Lette vs oftentimes bethinke vs vppon how sure and vnmouable foundations the continuall doctrine of the Churche and the stedfaste religion of the Catholike Churche is grounded Lette vs bethinke vs of the heauenly Reuelations wherby GOD himselfe reueled his will vntoo men when hée spake too the holy Patriarkes and Prophets whiche wil of his hée hath confirmed by many woonderful miracles bothe in the olde and new testament Let vs beholde the moste swéet consent of Moyses the Prophets Chryst and the Apostles in doctrine and religion Let vs bée stirred vp too the acknowledging of GOD by the example of many Martirs who with Abell the firste Martir confirmed the heauenly doctrine with their owne bloud Let vs absteyne from fonde disputyng by whiche the bonde of peace whiche is charitie is broken and let vs rather applye oure selues too godly life than too suttle and vnprofitable disputations by meanes of whiche what euill hathe rysen in the Churche it gréeueth mée ryght sore at the harte too thynke For although in these realmes GOD bee thanked there bée a very great calme and a godly agréement in al our churches yet notwithstanding godlinesse wold we should bée sory for the miseries of those whiche at this day are afflicted through the vnsesonable strife of certein persons wherwith y e mindes of many princes diuers others are wouÌ„ded How béeit sith wée are not able too remedy these euils let vs flée too him who alonly is able too doo al things Pray yée therfore w t the whole church of Chryst vnto y e eternal God the father of our Lord Iesu Chryst y t he wil gather to himself a church in this world that he wil in y e same church mainteine y e purenesse of doctrin the true worshipping of him so as wée may woorship him aright for euermore magnifie praise him Pray him too gouerne w t his spirit our most méeke soueraine Lord king Frederike the secoÌ„d of y e name who as he hath succéeded his most holy father in y e kingdom so also is hée y e very right heir of his fathers vertues is not only a prince y t beareth special loue too iustice equitie but also a singuler fauorer and patrone or rather a most faithfull foster father of the churches schooles Pray too Chryst that he wil with his spirite rule the counsellers and nobilitie of the realm the gouerners of churches ciuill offices schooles and housholdes giuing them courage too mainteyne Gods glorie true doctrine and honest discipline so as wée may leade a peaceable and quiet lyfe with all godlynesse and honestie Pray for all the states of this realm y t all may knit them selues toogither in swéete concord one reléeue an other so as the superiors may think that their inferiors shal be coheires with them of Gods kingdom the inferiors obey their superiors in the Lord as Paul willeth them so y t al the degrées of this realm béeing setled in a moste swéete tunablenesse wée may liue peaceably quietly Pray ageinst the enimies of the king this realme Pray Christ too represse the rage of Sathan too graunt vntoo his church teachers shepherds agréeing in true doctrine and godlinesse which may set foorâ—h gods glorie by teaching aright by example of godly life too the intent that at the length all of vs fully beholding the glorie of the Lord with open face as it were in a glasse may bée transformed intoo the same likenesse as it were from glorie too glorie by the spirite of the Lord. So bée it Now remayneth that I should say somwhat concerning mine own purpose namely wherfore I haue published these expositions of the gospels vpon y e Sundays About a fourten yéeres ago I vttred priuatly certein short notes vpon y e sundays Gospels too my scholers at home at my house to y e inteÌ„t I might by this my small trauell further their studies not thinking at all too haue put them foorth But what folowed The things that wer endâ—â—ed too a few scholers were coÌ„municated too many And when I perceyued that diuers sought earnestly after them I enlarged them somwhat a sixe yéeres ago And nâ—â—at length the entreatance of certeine godly Shepherds compelled me too publish them and put them foorth in print Wherfore séeing that this woorke is wholly ordeyned for the godly ministers of the Gospell I thought it good right déere brethren too put foorth this my trauaile vnder your name If yée shall reape any thing thereby giue GOD the thanks and commende me too God with your Prayers This one thing haue I earnestly regarded namely too set foorth purely the doctrine of the Catholike Church whiche bothe the vniuersitie of
things then it is too bée vnderstād that Christ came for twoo causes The first is to destroy the works of the diuel and the other too bring the blissyng vpon the children of Abraham y t is too say vpon all that shall receiue Christ by fayth as Abraham did For when Adam had by his fall yéelded him selfe and all his ofspring bondslaues vnder the Tirannie of Sathan and cast them intoo deserued curse the rightuousnesse of God required that either wée should suffer due deserued punishmēt or else that some of mankinde should satisfie Gods iustice Now forasmuch as no meane power was able too vanquish the diuell and pacifie Gods wrath the sonne of God cōmeth foorth of his secret dwelling place he cōmeth intoo y e world he becomes man he taketh our case vpon him he ouerthroweth the kingdome of the deuill and pacifieth his Fathers wrath being made vntoo vs both our sacrifice and our préest This selfe same thing doo many types figurate as the sacrifices of the Fathers the pascall Lambe the sprinklyng of the red cowes blood vpon the people and moreouer the Arke of couenant and all the Aaronical sacrifice with all the rites and ceremonies thereof Innumerable sayings of the Prophetes doo declare these selfe same causes of the Lordes commyng with agréeable consent as Esay 53. He suffered our diseases and bare our sorowes in déede he was wounded for our transgressiōs and was torne for our iniquities The Lord did take vpon him the iniquities of vs al. Many such testimonies as these are in the Prophets which for bréefnesse sake I omit The woordes and woorkes of Chryst at his comming doo proue the same thing Come vntoo mée sayth he all yée that labour and are heauie loden and I will refresh you Also he that beléeueth in mée shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting Also For these do I sanctifie my self that is to say I offer my selfe a sacrifice too God the father for the purgyng of their sinnes Which thing not onely the great numbre of miracles that he did and by which he destroyed the woorkes of the diuell doo assuredly proue but also his very death and his glorious victorie ensuing the same The testimonies of the Apostles who is able to numbre Paule sayth He dyed for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification The same man wryteth thus Him that knewe no sinne hée made sinne too the intent that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of god in him Iohn Baptist cryeth out Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Iohn the Apostle Iesus Chryst clenseth vs from al our iniquitie The same apostle making a bréefe summe of Christes benefites writeth Christ appéered too destroy the diuels woorkes Finally the whole Churche of Christ ioyfully through Christes spirit confesseth these selfe same causes of Christes cōming singing thus Thou taking vpon thée to deliuer mā didst not abhorre the virgins wombe Thou when thou haddest ouercome the sharpnes of death didst set open the kingdome of heauen to all beléeuers Now if yée demaund the time of his cōming the Apostle Paul answereth After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent out his sonne borne of woman boūd vnder y e law too the intent he should redéeme them that were giltie of the law that wée might receiue the adoption of childrē He came therfore neither later nor slowlyer than hée ought too come Concerning this time of the Lords comming the Prophets Iacob and Daniell spake before Of which thing more shalbée spoken in the day of the Lordes birth One thing more is yet behind namely the way by which hée commeth This also is too bée sought out diligently that wée may méet him rightly Therfore like as too our saluatiō he came once in the flesh visible so too saue eche mans soule wheresoeuer his woord is thought vpon red or preached hée commeth daily in spirit and inuisible yea rather hée is there alwayes present according too his promise I will bée with you vntoo the end of the world And then againe shal hée appéere visible too iudge the quick the dead too the intent that they which héertofore held scorne too take him for their phisitian and sauyour shall then féele him a most iust iudge and punisher of their wickednesse Of which comming wée shall héere more the next Sunday And thus much bréefly concerning the comming of the Lord. ¶ Of the seconde THe second place which the text of the Gospel conteineth importeth the description of Christ our king and of his kingdom Which description is confirmed by the testimonie of Zacharie which the Euangelist alledgeth that wée may vnderstand how this pomp was not instituted rashly but foreshewed long before according too the wil of God and the secrete counsell of the Trinitie For this pomp teacheth vs many things of the state of Christ our king and of his kingdome First this pomp of Chrystes riding intoo Hierusalem maketh a difference betwéen Christ our king and the kings of the world and sheweth the diuersitie of their kingdomes For this base pompe dooth sufficiently argue that neyther Chryst is a worldly king nor the administration of his kingdom worldly For worldly kings to the intēt they may bée counted honorable of their people are gorgeously apparelled In likewyse the administration of worldly kingdomes requireth gorgeousnesse and sumptuous furniture Secondly this storie teacheth y t vnder this base pompe lieth hid a certeine almightinesse godhead For when hée sayeth loose yée and bring vnto mée and ageine the Lord hath néed of them and also he shall by and by let them go Christ our king giueth vs too vnderstand that by his heauenly power hée is able too bring too passe what hée listeth yea and that hée hath the hartes and willes of men in his hand Therefore although the kingdome of Christ séem dispisable in this world yet notwithstanding if a man look vpon y e power diuinitie of y e king nothing is more stately nothing is more mightie nothing finally is more glorious than it Moreouer the prophecy of the Prophete conteyneth thrée things First an exhortation too the churche at that time cast downe and vtterly vnder foot Be glad saith he and leap for ioy thou daughter of Sion Héereby wée are taught that the Gospel perteyneth too them that are cast down vnder foot and altoogither broken in spirit Secondly this prophecie coteyneth a cōmaundement from God that wée should doo homage too this king like as y e second Psalme exhorteth wher it sayeth kisse the sonne Thirdly this prophecy conteineth a description of the person of Christ namely that he is y e king that was promised too the church Beholde saith it thy king cōmeth As if he should haue said héer is at length that king that was promised thée of whom are written so many testimonies which shall restore the kingdome of God that the diuel hath inuaded destroyed through sinne He saieth that this king is
office Fifthly if it happen them too bée cast intoo prison and too bée put too torture for performing their dutie accordingly what shall they then doo Shall they denie Chryst in no wyse But they shall sende theyr Disciples vntoo Chryst not fearing them that an doo no more but kil the body but him rather who as hée can destroy bothe body and soule so also can hée saue them bothe Thus much is spoken bréefly concernyng the first place ¶ Of the second ARt thou hee that shall come or doo vvee looke for an other The errour of Iohns disciples conâ—erning y e Messias gaue occasion of this message and demaunde For they béeing partly offended at the outward appéerance of Chryst as it appereth by the Lords answer and partly béeing begiled through affection too theyr maister mystooke Iohn too haue béen the Messias Iohn too the intent too rid his disciples of this errrour sendeth them too Chryst too enquire of hym whether hée were the very Messias or whether some other were styll too bée looked for that by this meanes they myght bothe by words and déedes of Chryste himselfe bée more fully instructed concernyng Chryste that he was the true Messias and not Iohn Iohn then sendeth not his disciples to Chryst for that he himselfe douted of Chryst but too procure the saluation of his douting disciples Let vs therefore learne of Iohn too haue a lowly opinion of our selues that wée take not any thing vppon vs arrogantly And let vs learne of his disciples to performe obedience too our superiours and specially too them that by woorde and lyfe doo send vs the right way to Chryst. ¶ Of the third BUt what aunswereth Chryst Go and beare Iohn vvoord vvhat ye heare and see The blinde see the lame vvalke the lepres are clensed the deafe heare the dead rise ageyne the poore receyue the glad tydings of the Gospell and blissed is he that is not offended at mee This answer conteineth foure things signes vndoutedly shewing the true Messias the image of the Churche in thys life to whome the Gospell perteyneth and an admonition that no man should bée offended at the outwarde appéerance of Chryst and his Church The proofe that Iesus himselfe is the very Messias is this Whosoeuer by his owne power giueth sight too the blinde to the criples ablenesse too go vpright to the lepres helth too the deafe hearing to the dead lyfe and preacheth the glad tydings of the gospel too the poore that is to say too the consciences that are broken and sorowful with the féeling of sinne Hée out of all doubte is the true Messias For Esay prophesieth of the Messias in these Ye weake hearted bée of good comfort feare not Behold your God shall bring a discharge of vengeance God himself shall come and saue vs Wherby shal we know him the Prophet answereth Then shall the eyes of the blinde bée opened and the eares of the deafe shall heare and the lame shall leape as a hart and the toongs of many shal be loosened And the same prophet sayth The spirit of y e Lord is vpon mée bicause he hath annointed mée to preach glad tidings to the poore that I should remedie them that are broken in heart and preach libertie too prisoners and let them out that are shut vp In as much then as yée sée mée according too the foresayings of the Prophets too perfourme these things by mine owne power why doo yée not acknowlege mée to be the Messias And so Christ by this demonstration proueth himselfe to be the true Messias and teacheth that it is his office too giue aide too the miserable and afflicted Furthermore y e image of the church kingdom of Christ is séene héere to be despised before the world The hearers of Christ are the poore the sick and the despised in the sight of the world vnto these doth Christ preach y e way of saluation and healeth their diseases And like as he did then heale the diseases of the body euen so at this day healeth he the coÌ„sciences of sinners wouÌ„ded with sin bringeth spiritual gladnesse to their hartes whiche thing they féele in very déede which in true inuocation doo heare the voice of the Gospel Where he sayeth that the poore receiue the glad tydings of the Gospell he sheweth to whom the Gospel belongeth namely to the poore that is to say to the broken in hart for the filthynesse of their sinnes Whereupon it is sayd in the psalme A sacrifice too god is a troubled spirite a contrite and humbled hart O God shalt thou not despise And an other Psalme Whiche healeth them that be of a broken harte And Esaye the .57 GOD dwelleth with the broken and lowly spirite too quicken the spirite of the lowly and too quicken the heart of the broken The Gospell then perteineth only too such as féeling their owne sinnes are sorie for them and are afrayde of Gods iudgement and cast away purpose of sinning any more The Gospell therfore is a ioyfull tydings of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and a comfort in the heart through the woord and the holy ghost which belongeth vntoo them only that repent and beléeue the Gospell receyue remission of theyr sinnes are endued with the rightuousnesse of Chryst which béeing imputed too them for theyr owne they appéere as ryghtuous in the sight of God are endued with the holy Ghost and being now made a newe creature in Chryst beginne too obey Chryst through Faith and endeuer daily too abounde in all knowledge and vnderstanding Philip. j. The Lords admonishment Blissed is hee that is not offended at mee giueth an inckling héere first that Iohns Disciples were offended at the person of Christ secondly it warneth all men in generall not too bée offended at the outward appéerance of Chrystes kingdome so as they should eyther not receiue the Gospell at all or else hauing receiued it should reiect it after which sort many are in all times offended Cicero in his time was so offended at the bondage of Gods people that hée would not receiue the Doctrine of the Churche Euery citie sayth hée too Laelius hath his peculiar religion and wée haue ours Though Hierusalem were in prosperitie and that the Iewes were in quietnesse yet notwithstanding should wée for the glory of our Empyre the maiestie of our name and the traditions and customes of our auncetors holde scorne of the superstitions of their religion and now much more bicause that nation hath shewed what good wil it beareth to our empire by warres and how déere it is too the Gods immortall in that it is subdued and let out too ferme c. These foure things doo the Papistes also boast of at this day Glorie maiestie of name traditions of elders Lordship But Christ in this place biddeth vs take héede that wée suffer not our selues too be deceiued with such ghosts but rather that we should ioyne our selues with the litle and despised flock which heareth the voice of
Christ is this That Christe is very man very God the true Messias and the forgiuer of sinnes For when hée sayeth he it is that vvas too come after mee hée sheweth his true manhood and wher he addeth and yet vvas before me hée confesseth his godhead But wheras hée sayeth and hee standeth among you vvhome you knovve not he answereth too their question pronounceth Iesus too bee the Messias The lauer of baptism dooth opeÌ„ly declare y t it is thoffice of the Messias to forgiue sinnes 5 The vse and frute of this recorde is that wée ought too beléeue the witnesse of Iohn and embrace Christe the true forgiuer of sinnes whoo hath washed vs from all our sinnes with his owne blood whereof hée hath deliuered vntoo vs an effectuall signe namely Baptisme of whiche wée wil intreat else where 6 The Phariseis are an Image of disguised Christians that is too say hipocrites which cannot away with the doctrine of true godlinesse but feine them selues godly in outward behauior and pretend too bée most holy whereas they beare another persone inwardlye and thereupon it is that such are called hypocrites For like as they are hypocrites in Enterludes which in apparel and outward gesture represeÌ„t persons absent Euen so the Pharisies set foorth as it were but onely a visor of godlinesse which is farre from them for men to looke vpon where vpon they are called Hypocrites as whoo althoughe in very déede they bée vngodly in their hearts yet doo séeme outwardly moste holy ¶ Of the seconde I Am the voice of a cryer in the desert First Iohn defineth all Prophets Apostles and ministers of Gods woord that they are a voice Secondly that they are not a vain voice but y e voice of a cryer that is to say of a preacher Thirdly in the desert that is too say in the whole world Fourthly the hearers are doon to vnderstand of the woorthinesse of the voice for it is not the voice of man but of God that cryeth c. Fiftly that Iohn alledgeth the testimonie of Esay For the godly preacher must auouch nothing without the testimonie of the holy scriptures This present testimonie is taken out of the .40 Chapter Sixthly the preachers also are warned that they father not another mannes voyce vppon God than his owne For such as doo so are not the ministers of God but the bellowes of the Deuil which kind of men wée ought to flée no lesse than woolues ¶ Of the third TOo make way too the lord is by the witnesse of the same Iohn Baptist too woorke repentance And not without great cause did Iohn vse this figure of spéech which properly perteineth vntoo worldly kingdomes For the wayes where kings shall passe are woont too bée prepared or made leuel ageinst their coÌ„ming too the inteÌ„t they may go without peril and stumbling This dooth Esay expound when he sayth Euery vally shall bée raised and euery mountaine and hil shal bée made leuel and the crooked wayes shalbée made streight and the rough places shalbée made smoothe These things are too bée vnderstoode spiritually concerning all impedimentes bothe inward outward which may hinder the comming of Christ our king vnto vs. Inward impediments are lacke of the knowledge of God lustes leudnesse foolish boldnesse and such like Outward impediments are all stumbling blockes which Sathan casteth in our wayes in doctrine in the Sacraments in coÌ„uersation And too speake the matter in few woords the mountains that is to say whatsoeuer is high in y e world are to be cast down by y e preaching of the law The vallies that is too say such as are broken in spirit are â—o be raised vp by preching of y e gospel Bréers y t is to say euil life leud affections are too bée stubbed vp by new obedience with an earnest desire too frame the life according to goddes woord And too th entent that that may bée doon it is required first y t there bée criers in y e desert Secondly there is néede of wholsom doctrine which is y e laÌ„pe of them y t prepare y e way Thirdly it is requisite that when the Lord commeth that is too say when the grace of God shyneth in our hearts wée yéeld our selues obedient through true repentance and shew our selues too bée gods people by dooing homage vnto Christ our Lord. Lastly it behooueth vs too offer vntoo him gifts and the sacrifice of our lips that is too say too acknowledge him both with mind voice confession and conuersation Howbéeit in as much as these things cannot bée vnderstood without applying of examples We wil bréefly declare the méening of Iohn and of the Prophet by examples The summe of Iohns sermon was this Doe penance and beleue the Gospell which is all one with that which he sayeth out of Esay prepare the way of the Lord. How did hée that He did beate downe the hilles For when he saw many of the Pharisies and Saduces come vntoo his Baptim hée sayd vntoo them Yée generation of Uipers whoo taught you to flée from the wrath that is too come Say not within your selues wée haue Abraham too our Father For I say vntoo you that god is able euen out of these stones too raise vp children vntoo Abraham for now is the axe layd too the roote of the trée Euery trée that yéeldeth not good frute shalbée hewen down and cast intoo the fire Sée héere how Iohn maketh the mouÌ„taines lowe First when hée calleth them the generation of Uipers he findeth fault with their leud hart which was desirous of blood and vnthankful SecoÌ„dly he taketh away the cause of their chéefe boasting For they had a pride in themselues bycause they were the children of Abraham But hée telleth them that this auaileth them nothing For GOD is not an accepter of persones Neither are those by and by the children of Abraham which are borne of the fleshly séede of Abraham but those are Abrahams children which followe Abraham in faith and obedience like as Christ beareth witnesse in the Gospell of S. Iohn calling them the children of the Deuill which boasted themselues too bée the children of Abraham Thirdly hée addeth a threatning vnlesse they amend The ax sayth he is layd too the roote of the trée That is to say Gods vengeance is not farre of that euery euil trée may be cut downe and cast into the fire In likewise must other ministers of Gods word dig downe the mountaines by telling men their faultes by taking away the cause of boasting and by laying before them the punishmeÌ„ts which rest vpon all them that amend not Then shal they also raise vp the vallies and how Euen as Iohn did in shewing Chryst when he sayd behold the Lamb of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world When he sayth behold he allureth them to faith When he addeth the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world he expresseth the ground of reconciliation Thirdly he cutteth
glorie is then rightly yéelded vntoo him first as soone as wée acknowledge this woonderful benefit of God Secondly when we imbrace his sonne by fayth Thirdly whē we praise God with minde with voyce with confession and with behauiour And fourthly when wée allure as many as wée can too the knowledging of him Afterwarde when the Angels say Peace on earth there is noted the chéefe benefite of Chryst for which hée came intoo the worlde namely that peace might bée made betwéene GOD and man Thys peace is the mutuall consent of God and men Of GOD receyuing men intoo his fauoure for hys sonnes sake And of men receyuing through fayth the benefite offered wyth rendryng of thankes and continuall thankfulnesse of minde Most swéete are the frutes of this peace that is to say accesse vnto God ioyfulnesse of spirite a good conscience and gladsome passage out of this lyfe The things that breake this peace are sinnes doone against conscience carelessenesse and neglecting of the woorde And therfore they are too bée shunned no lesse than plagues In the last place they adde And too men good vvill That is too wéet As soone as God is reconciled vntoo men through Christ hée fauoreth and embraceth them with a true and fatherly affection as moste déerely beloued children whom hée holdeth right déere as adopted in Christe Of this good will speaketh Dauid also in his fifth Psalme Bicause thou shalt blisse the righteous O Lorde thou defendest him with thy good wil as with a shéelde When as Dauid in this place compareth Gods good will too a shéeld he sheweth the true vse and frute thereof For hée meaneth that Gods fauoure is too vs in stéede of a buckler wherewith wée are defended against the weapons of them that assault vs. The deuil brandisheth his fiery dartes at vs but this shéeld kéepeth vs safe And so of all others ¶ Of the seconde THe vse of it is double Generall which is deriued of the whole historie and Speciall which is deriued of the seuerall parts The generall vse therefore is that wée should learne to receiue and embrace our true Sauiour God man borne of the virgin by setting him against all our miseries sinne death curse Gods wrath and hell assuring our selues that this sonne of God and Mary is according vnto the prophecie of Esay borne too vs and giuen too vs yea and that too the intent hée shoulde bée righteousnesse and saluation too all that beléeue in him The speciall vse of it is manifolde First that wée should learne of Christs parents too bée obedient too magistrates Secondly that wée should lerne of the shepherds to giue credite to y e testimonies cōcerning Christ too séek Christ and too return too the woorks of our vocation Thirdly that we should learn of the Angels first too preache Christe too them that are vnknowen wherby all the godly ministers of Gods woord may comforte them selues in their ministerie for that they teache the same thing that was deliuered béefore by so princely spirites Moreouer wée may learn of the Angels and shepherds togither too confesse this Christ. Finally wée may learne too glorifie God and too sing with the angels Glory be to God on high too whom bée honour and praise world without end Amen The second holyday in Christmas called S. Stephens day ¶ The Gospell Math. xxiij BEholde I sende vntoo you Prophets and vvise men and Scribes and some of them yee shal kil and crucifie and some of them shal ye scourge in your Synagoges and persecute them from citie too citie that vpon you may come all the rightuous blood vvhich hath been shed vppon the earth from the blood of righteous Abell vntoo the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias vvhome yee slevv betvveene the Temple and the aultare Verely I say vntoo you all these things shall come vppon this generation O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest them vvhich are sent vntoo thee hovve often vvoulde I haue gathered thy children toogither euen as the henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir vvings and ye vvould not Behold your house is left vnto you desolate For I say vntoo you Yee shall not see mee hencefoorth til that yee say Blissed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. The exposition of the Text. BEFORE wée goe in hande with the Exposition of the Text bicause this day is dedicated to Saint Steuen I will declare why the feastes of saincts are woont too bée halowed in the church of God and what wée ought too marke in the example of Saint Stephen Dayes are kept holy in the Churche of GOD not after the maner of the heathen as is woont too bee among the Papists that wée should cal vpon the saints as patrons intercessors which thing cannot be doon w tout horrible sacriledge cōtempt of y e son of god but there are many right weighty causes why it is profitable that the feasts of certeine saints should bée reteyned in our Churches they bée chéefly sixe The first cause is y t the continual historie of y e church may bée alwayes before our eyes which must bée vnto vs both a rule to liue by a mean to put vs in mind of gods prouidēce For if it bée a pleasure too reade the histories of heathē men in whō apéered a visor of some vertue vndoutedly it wil bée much more pleasure to read y e histories of those in whō shoon bright y e liuely images of true vertues as in Paule Péeter Mary Stephen Magdalen the théefe and many others The second is that the testimonies of the doctrine of the ministerie of teaching and of the Church might bée considered For there were miracles doone there were woonderfull callings too the ministerie of the Churche and the doctrine was set open throughe the whole Churche In these testimonies it is a moste beautifull sight too behold the continuall consent of the true Churche in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the groundes or chéefe articles of the faith and too discerne the true doctrine of the Churche from the corruptions lies and deceits of all ages The third is that GOD should bée glorified and thanks yéelded vntoo him for opening him selfe vntoo vs for delyuering vs his doctrine for shewing his presence in the churche for making vs frée Denizens of that company whiche is witnessed too bée his true Churche and true woorshippers of him The fourth is that the examples may strengthē our faith when wée reade that their prayers were hearde and that they were helped from heauen as it is sayde in the .xxxiij. psalme This poore man cried vntoo the Lord and the Lorde heard him we conceiue assured hope that hée will likewise helpe vs when wée call vpon him Let euery one of vs therfore determine and reason with him selfe in this wise God receiued Magdalene the Théefe and Paule intoo fauor vppon repentance notwithstanding their excéeding great sinnes wherwith they had
offended God before Therfore wil I flée vntoo the same Lorde God that hée may take mée intoo fauour also Hée vouchsafed to pardon Péeter after his horrible fall and therfore though I bée falne I wil not dispair for hée is alwayes stable in him self and euermore like him selfe and there is no respect of persons with him The fifth is that euery one of vs should follow the example of the Saincts in our vocation Paule was not quayled with the hugenesse of persecutions but taught the Gospell constantly His example let the ministers of Gods woord folow Iohn feared not the threats of Herod therefore let the godlye preacher learne by his example too set lighte hy the woodnesse of the world Abraham through faith trayned vp his house holylie in the true feare of God and in calling vpon him Therfore let all godly housholders lern at his hād and so let all other examples bée applyed The sixt is that the memoriall of Saincts may bée pleasant vntoo vs and their vertue bée commended for that they vsed well the gifts of GOD for that they are Gods houses and witnesses of him for that they are garnished with great vertues and for that they are vntoo vs liuely examples of conuersion faith repentaunce stedfastnesse pacience and other vertues These sixe causes are the weightiest for whiche bothe the memoriall of the Sainctes according too the example of the auncient Churche is reteyned and their feasts halowed which points béeing rightly obserued all things turn too the glory of God and too the welfare of our selues Now must I speak a litle concerning Stephen in whose storie let vs consider these circumstances his religion his office in the Church the defence of his religion his constancie in confessing it his calling vppon Chryste his comforte and the ende of his life The religion of Stephen Stephen was a christian a man full of faith and the holy ghoste full of grace and manlinesse For where as is true faithe there is the holye Ghoste The greater encreasment that faith taketh so muche the more dooth the holy Ghoste witnesse him self too bée present kindling motions in mens heartes agréeable with the lawe of God Contrarywise where the holy Ghoste is not felt effectuall there also it is manifest that true faith is away Wée haue héere therfore that which we may followe in Stephen that is too wéete an effectuall faith whervntoo the holy ghost beareth witnesse Those men followe not Stephens faith which haue it in their mouth and yet therewithall wallowe in wicked lustes and runne headlong whither soeuer their blinde affections leade them Stephens office in the church was too minister too y e poore and too kéepe the treasure of the church too the vse of the poore sainctes in whiche office no dout but hée was diligent For he had the holy ghoste his gouerner and true faith and charitie as a rule too woorke by Let maisters of Hospitalles and Deacons then set thys man before their faces Firste let them bring faith with them without whiche no charge nor office can be executed as it ought for to bée Secondly in the execution let them shew them selues too bée gouerned by the holy ghoste that they doo not eyther deale too hardly with the poore or laye out the goodes at other mennes pleasure or bée slacke in their dutie or purloyne it away them selues or els bestowe that vppon others whiche of right belongeth vntoo the poore but let them performe all faithfulnesse in their office bearing in minde that God is a looker vppon their dealing assuring them selues that those of whom they haue the chardge are the membres of Christe and beléeuing verily that they ouer whome they are set are the temples of God how muche soeuer they bée brought vnder foote with pouertie diseases and store of biles and botches How Stephen defended the religion that hée professed hée sheweth in the sixt and seuenth chapters of the Acts. He dooth not in daunger forsake his profession hée cloketh it not as many doo But hée is a constant and manfull defender of his religion The multitude of sects whiche at that time swarmed hindred him not at all Hée was not abashed at the authoritie of the Phariseys and great men in Iewry But setting him self manfully against sects he susteyneth the brunt of the people alone and defendeth his religion with a long oration whiche example let vs followe also His constancie in his confession appéereth héereby that he is not feared from his confession neyther by threatnings nor by excommunication nor by stoning but as an inuincible Souldiour holdeth faste his Confession euen in the myddes of peryls This also is set foorth as an example too vs. His calling vpon Christe at suche tyme as hée lay ouerwhelmed with stones bothe sheweth hys fayth and also beareth recorde of the charitie of this man For hée made intercession for them that put him too death and he made not intercession for them in vain For Paule whoo was the kéeper of their garmentes that stoned Stephen was afterward conuerted Comfort is founde in thys inuocation For he sawe the sonne of God for whose sake he suffred these things standing at the right hand of GOD and making intercession for him through which consolation the bitternesse of his punishment was not a little asswaged If wée therfore followe the example of this man in our Crosse or persecution wée shall assuredly féele the present help of GOD comforting vs with his holy spirite The end of his life was moste ioyfull For in this prayer Lorde Iesu receyue my soule he yéelded vp his ghoste and fell a sléepe in the Lorde And so hée bothe finished his race and kept his faith and also as a stout conqueror obteined a garland with glory Let vs therfore at the time of our death also set him for an example before our eyes Now let vs looke vpon the text of the Gospel the summe wherof is this Christ foretelleth the daungers of the ministers of Gods woord and threatneth punishment too their persecuters Wée for instruction sake will entreat of foure places which are these 1 The foretelling of the persecutions of the ministers of Gods woord 2 The aggrauating of the sinne of the persecuters 3 The threatning of punishment 4 The vpbraiding of the vnthankfulnesse of them that refuse Christ when hée allureth them too repentaunce ¶ Of the first BEhold I send vntoo you prophets and vvise men and scribes and of them some yee shall kill and crucifie and some of them you shall vvhip in your synagoges and yee shall persecute them from Citie too Citie Thys speaketh Christ too the Iewes who séemed at that time too bée the very churche of GOD and dooth them too vnderstand with howe greate outrage they shoulde in time too come persecute his Ambassadors the Prophets and Apostles Uerily God sendeth his woord too the intent that such as receiue his woorde and beléeue it might bée saued Nowe that some by meanes therof become worser it
saide before yet will I repete certeine poyntes héere First therfore let vs knowe that our Baptim is héere halowed and that the water of Baptim is made holy by Christ who vouchsaued too bée baptized with water Agein the whole sight of the thing that was don peinteth out Christes church before our eyes as it were in a table Héere is to bée séene Iohn a teacher in the Churche For whereas is not the word of God and wheras the voyce of the teacher is not herde there the Church cannot be shewed Moreouer Christ is baptized For the Church that is well ordered cannot be without the vse of Sacramentes Thirdly Christ being baptized prayeth whose example his members folowe and exhibite true worship vnto God through faith Fourthly the sonne standes in the middes the fathers voice soundeth from heauen and the holy ghost resteth vpon him that was baptized The same thing is doone in very déede at this day in our churche For the father the sonne and the holy ghost is present with his churche and by the voyce of the preachers witnesseth his good will towards Christes churche By the presence of his sonne he testifieth that he hath adopted vs too bée his children and by the holy ghost he witnesseth that he gouerneth his church Whervpon we may conceiue this assured confidence that hel gates shall not preuaile ageinst it ¶ Of the thirde THe more part of those thinges that perteine to our Baptim are declared in the places aboue mentioned Wherfore I will bréefly touche certeine things whiche it is excéeding néedefull to knowe The things that I wil tel are two What maner of signe baptim is and whiche is the true consideration of the same What maner a signe then is Baptisme First it is a testimonie of grace as wel exhibited as also applyed too the party that is baptized Namely that God is pacified towards him through Chryste which testimonie verely requireth too bée apprehended by faith Agein this Sacrament is a signe that teacheth by a certein comparison For it is a sign of Christes spirituall vertue namely that Chryst by his owne death buriall and resurrection is the deliuerance of vs from death buriall and the giuer of euerlasting life Moreouer it is a representation of our newe life before God as Paule teacheth Rom. 6. by these woords As many of vs as are baptized in Iesus Chryst are baptized intoo his death We are therfore buryed together with him vntoo death that like as Chryst is raised frō the dead so we also shuld walk in newnesse of life Furthermore before men it is a certein badge of our profession wherby wée testifie our selues too bée Christes members and the Diuels enimies The godly consideration of baptisme consisteth in these things First wée must bée fully resolued that our baptisme is a certeine moste sure ensealement and Sacrament of our attonement with God Secondly baptism must bée a certein continuall warning vntoo vs that this attonement is made by the bloud deathe buriall and resurrection of Chryst. Thirdly it must put vs in minde of the mortifying of the flesh of the quickning of the spirit and so consequently of a continuall repentance in this worlde and of the glorifying that shall bée héerafter by Chryst. Fourthly it must put vs in minde that the benefite of regeneration is the gifte and woorke of the whole Trinitie in whose name wée are baptized too the intent we should stick thereuntoo and woorship it all our life long too whom be honor and glory for euermore So bée it The first Sunday in Lent ¶ The Gospel Math. iiij THen vvas Iesus led avvay of the spirit into vvildernesse too be tempted of the Deuill And vvhē he had fasted fortie dayes fortie nights he vvas at the last an hungred And vvhen the tempter came too him he sayde if thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones bee made bread But he ansvvered and said it is vvritten man shall not liue by bread only but by euery vvoord that procedeth out of the mouth of God Then the Deuil taketh him vp intoo the holy Citie and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple and saith vntoo him if thou be the sonne of GOD cast thy selfe dovvne hedlong For it is vvritten he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and vvith their hands they shall holde thee vp least at any time thou dashe thy foote against a stone And Iesus said vntoo him it is vvritten again Thou shalt not tēpt the Lord thy God Ageine the Deuil taketh him vp intoo an exceding high moūtain shevved him all the kingdomes of the vvorld the glory of them and sayth vntoo him all these vvil I giue thee if thou vvilt fal dovvn and vvorship me Then saith Iesus vntoo him Auoyd Sathan for it is vvrittē Thou shalt vvorship the Lord thy GOD and him only shalt thou serue Then the Deuil leaueth him and beholde the Angels came and ministred vntoo him The exposition of the text LIke as the last Sunday we héerd the story of Chrystes baptim wherein very great things are cōteyned So this Gospel also conteyneth parte of Christes dooings that is too wit his fasting and temrtation by which things God of his singular wisdome wold his sonne should be humbled and also would shew how true it was that he had forespokē long ago namely that like as the serpent should lie in waite for the héele of the womans séede that is too say that Sathan should practize mischéefe ageinst the person and kingdome of Chryst which thing this story sheweth too bée most true so also would the same séede crush the head of the serpent with his héele wherof wée sée a certeine proof in this story Al these things are to be applied in suche wise that wée may bothe lerne Christes obedience vnder the crosse and knowe what shéeld it béehoueth vs to set before vs ageinst the temptatiōs and dartes of the diuel The places are two 1 Of Fasting 2 Of Temptation ¶ Of the firste IN this place are two things to bée considered First what is the maner of fasting in generall and secondly what is too bée thought of Christes fast in speciall Fasting is an vtter forbearing of meate and drinke for a time wherby the body is kept low and as it were mortified And it is of three sortes Indifferent Godly and vngodly Indifferent fast is whē a man absteineth from meate and drinke either for pouertie or for healthes sake or for some great sorowe of minde This of it selfe neither pleaseth nor displeaseth God but is too bée thought to please or displease according as fayth and pacience go with it The fast that is godly Christian and acceptable too God is an abstinence not only from meate and drinke whereby the body is pinched and mortified but also from all other things that may in any wise delight the flesh tending too this purpose that the spirite may haue full souereintie through true pacience godly prayer and
his disciples forsooke him What suffered he in the house of Cayphas He was mocked with false witnesses he was rayled vpon beyond measure and he catched a blowe of the preests seruaunt What suffered he in the consistorie of the Préests He was charged with false witnesses he was scoffed at he was spit in the face he was buffetted he was striken blindféeld and bidden gesse who strake him What suffred he in Herods house He was scorned by the tyrant and all his whole court and in token of vtter contempt Herod clothed Iesus in a faire garment and sent him backe agein vntoo Pylate What suffered hée in the common hall There is he accused false witnesses are brought in ageinst him he is demaunded too bée crucified for more despite Pylates men of warre put a purple garment vpon him A crown of thorne is set vpon his head a réede is giuen him in his right hand and in crouching knéeling vntoo him he is scoffed at with this taunt Hayle king of Iewes they spit in his face they buffetted him his most holy head was strikē with cudgels and in y e end at the request of the préest the whole people he was condemned too the crosse a most vile kind of death What suffered he after his condemnation There is laide vpon his shoulders the tymber of the crosse wherevpon he should bée nayled hée is crucified betwéene two théeues too the intent he should bée déenied the wickeddest of them al as he hangeth on the crosse there is giuen him vineger and gall too drink and at length in these most gréeuous torments he dieth Héereby it appereth how bitter punishment the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Chryst endured But of what things shall the gréeuousnesse of his punishment put vs in minde Sure of many things and specially of foure For first is séene the greatnesse of Gods wrath ageynst sinne For our sinne had so prouoked the wrath of God that it would not bée pacified but by the sonne of god who taking mans nature vppon him supplyeth our roome and satisfieth Gods iustice Secondly héere is séene the filthinesse of sinne For according too the qualitie of the misdéede doo the punishments also varie A traytour is punished vpon the whéele a théef on the galowes a murtherer with the swoorde and a childe offending with a rod. But the sonne of God suffered a moste shamefull death and a death that was accursed in Gods law By which thing is signified howe abhominable sinne is in the sight of God Thirdly is séene the humbling of Gods sonne who was abased beneath all creatures by whiche humbling of himselfe he testifieth his loue towards mankinde for the redéeming of whom he abode so great things Fourthly is séene the horrible and vnappeasable hatred of the Iewes ageinst the Sauior that was sent vntoo them And although nothing is héere doone more than God had determined should bée doone For Chrysts Passion was long time before prefigured and foretold by the holy Prophets of God as Peter sayth in y e first Chapter of the first Epistle yet notwithstanding the Iewes did not this thing too the intent too obey or accomplyshe the purpose of God but too satisfie their owne hatred For the nature of the woorld is such that if any man rebuke the wickednesse thereof any thing sharply it séekes too rid them out of the way too the intent it may sinne the more licentiously Let this bréefe saying suffize for the first part ¶ Of the second WE haue séene of what sort Chrysts passion was now concerning that which I haue promised in the seconde place I will shew what estimation Chrysts passion is of before God and what frute groweth therof What estimation then is it of before God The passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is the sacrifice propiciatorie wherin the euerlasting sonne of God becomming man and being appoynted by God too bée the euerlasting préest offered himselfe by the euerlasting spirite too the euerlasting father that by this his oblation he might pacifie Gods wrath and make amends for the fault and punishment of mankind too the intent that all which beléeue or shall beléeue in him might by him bée sanctified vntoo eternal life according too that saying of Iohn in his .xvij. chapter for these doo I sanctifie my self Héerby is manifested how great is the estimatiō of our Lordes passion and what frute redoundeth thereof too vs men vpon condition that we rest vpon Chryst by lyuely Fayth Chryst béeing ordeined mediator betwéene vs and God doth by his sacrifice that is too say by his death and passion pacifie Gods wrath he himself being the préest offreth himself vp too God and that is too the intent too deliuer vs from deserued damnation ▪ Wée sée therfore that ther be fiue things in this sacrifice First the préest is Chryste himselfe 2. The sacrifice or thing that is offered vp is the Prest himselfe 3. God is he to whom this sacrifice is offred vp 4. The world is it for which this oblation is made 5. The bargain couenant is that this oblatiō turneth too the welfare of the faithfull only But howe can it come too passe that the death of Chryste alone shoulde make sufficient and full amends for the sinnes of the whole worlde Beholde the Lambe of God sayth Iohn which taketh away the sinnes of the world For of the vndiuidable and vnspeakable vnion of the Godhead and māhood in one person groweth the woorthinesse estimation and endlesse merite of all the woorkes and passions of Chryste Therfore when it is sayd The sonne of man hath redéemed vs by the desert of his passion a woork of inestimable price and incomparable value is named bycause the same sonne of man that hath suffered is also God Also the death of the Sonne of man is a satisfaction bicause it is the death of such a man as is God The obedience of the Sonne of man is our rightuousnesse bicause it is the obedience of a man that is GOD. So the sonne of man forgiueth sinnes bicause hée is God The fleshe of Chryst is the foode of life bicause it is the flesh of a man that is God And although the Godhead in Chryst suffred not but his manhood only as sayth Peter Chryst suffred in the fleshe yet his passion extendeth too his whole person In so muche that what so euer reproche is doone too Chrystes manhod the same redoundeth too the reproche of his whole person according too this sentence they haue crucifyed the Lord of glorie In consideration wherof the Churche confesseth the sonne of God too haue suffred bicause hée suffred in the manhod which he had taken vpon him Of what estimation our Lordes passion is before God it is already sayd and also what is the frute therof in general Howbéeit now to the intent the frute of oure Lordes passion may bée séene the better I wil deuide it intoo partes These therfore are the frutes The first is y t obedience
light of the Gospell Ageinst the giltinesse of sinne Chryste is vntoo vs rightuousnesse For his obedience is imputed too vs that beléeue so as now wée may appéere in Gods sight not as sinners but as righteous persons Ageinst the vices and lustes naturally bred in our fleshe Chryste is vntoo vs sanctification while by the vertue of the Resurrection he sanctifieth vs through the holy ghost Ageinst the feare of endlesse damnation Chryste is vntoo vs redemption These foure benefites of Chryst doth Paule ioyne togither in the first Epistle too the Corynthians and the first Chapter in these woords God hath made Chryste vnto vs wisdom rightuousnesse sanctification and redemption Hée therefore that desireth this highest and vtmost benefite must spéedely passe foorth vntoo it by the former as by steppes For assoone as any man hath lerned Chryst he must beléeue in him when he beléeueth in him he must be sanctified with his spirite that is to say he must after the example of Chryst risen ageyne lead a new life After this newe life shall at lengthe folow full deliuerance in the last iudgement when he shal render vnto euery man according too his déedes Let this therfore wherof I haue now spoken bée the thirde frut of our Lords Resurrection namely that wée liue a new life after his example Héerevntoo tendeth that saying of Paule If ye be risen ageyn with Chryst sauor the things that are aboue The fourth frute of the Lords Resurrection is that it is bothe the cause and the warrant of oure Resurrection by which the soules of the dead shall be ioyned ageyne too theyr bodyes at the second comming of Chryst when he shal come too iudge the quick and the dead Héerevppon Paule 1. Cor. 1◠chapter disputeth at large and handleth this poynt Christ is risen from the dead Ergo wée shal rise ageyn also 1. Thes. 4. For if wée beléeue that Chryst Iesus died and is risen ageine so shall God also reise vp with him those that are faln a sléepe through him And Iohn in the .v. Chapiter The hour shal come in which all that are in their graues shal héere his voice and come forthe They that haue done good too the Resurrection of life and they that haue done euill to the Resurrection of iudgement Héere is mention made of a double resurrection that is to wit of life and of iudgement The Resurrectiō of life is that which he promised too them that haue done well The Resurrection of iudgement is that which he threatneth to those that haue done euill Héereunto also perteyneth that saying of Paule in the tenthe too the Romanes This is the woord of faith which we preach If thou shalt acknowledge the Lord Iesus with thy mouthe and beléeue in thy hart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt bée saued that is to say thou shalt rise ageine to the Resurrection of life and euerlasting saluation And these things are bréefly spoken concerning the Resurrection of our Lorde wherby first of all is to be confirmed our faithe concerning the Article of the Resurrection Secondly is to be confuted the erroure of the Iews which denie Chrystes Resurrection And so shall we be putte in minde of the frute of his Resurrection that by the same wée also may in this life rise from sinne and at length in the last day rise to the Resurrection of lyfe through Iesus Chryst our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost be honor praise and glorie for euermore Amen The second Holyday in Easter weeke ¶ The Gospell Luke xxiiij ANd behold tvvo of his disciples vvent that same daye too a tovvne called Emaus vvhiche vvas frō Ierusalē about .lx. furlonges and they talked togither of all the things that had happened And it chaunced vvhyle they commoned together and reasoned Iesus himselfe drevv neere and vvent vvith them But their eyes vvere holdē that they shold not knovv him And he sayde vnto them vvhat maner of communications are these that yee haue one too an other as ye vvalke and are sadde And the one of them vvhose name vvas Cleophas aunsvvered and sayde vnto him art thou only a stranger in Ierusalem and hast not knovvne the things vvhich haue chanced there in these dayes he sayd vnto them vvhat things And they sayd vnto him of Iesus of Nazareth vvhiche vvas a Prophet mighty in deede and vvord before God and all the people and hovv the high preests and our rulers deliuered him to be condēned to death and haue crucified him But vvee trusted that it had bin hee vvhiche should haue redemed Israel And as touching all these things too day is euen the thirde daye that they vvere doone Yea and certain vvomen also of our company made vs astonied vvhich came earely vntoo the Sepulchre and founde not his bodye and came saying that they had seene a vision of Angels vvhich sayd that he vvas aliue And certaine of them vvhiche vvere vvith vs vvent too the Sepulchre and found it euen so as the vvomen had sayde but him they savv not And he sayde vntoo them O fooles and slovv of hart too beleeue all that the Prophettes haue spoken Ought not Chryste too haue suffred these things and too enter intoo his glorie And he began at Moyses and all the Prophets and interpreted vntoo them in all Scriptures vvhich vvere vvritten of him And they drevve nigh vntoo the tovvne vvhiche they vvent vntoo And he made as though he vvould haue gone further And they constrayned him saying Abide vvith vs for it dravveth tovvards night and the day is farre passed And he vvent in to tary vvith them And it came to passe as he sate at meate vvith them he tooke bread and blissed it and brake and gaue to them And their eyes vvere opened and they knevv him and he vanished out of their sight And they sayd betvveene themselues did not our harts burne vvithin vs vvhile he talked vvith vs by the vvay and opened too vs the Scriptures And they rose vp the same houre and returned too Ierusalem and founde the eleuen gathered to gether and them that vvere vvith them saying the Lorde is risen in deede and hath appeared to Simon And they told vvhat things vvere done in the vvay and hovv they knevve him in breaking of bread and they beleued them not And it vvas tovvard euentide the same day vvhich vvas one of the Saboth and the dores vvere shut vvhere the disciples vvere gathered togither for fear of the Ievves The exposition of the text THe summe of this storie is that Christ y e same day y t he arose appéered to two of his disciples as they were going to Emaus now this Emaus was a town almost .ij. miles of frō Hierusalem and commoned with them concerning the Messias Whome when he had instructed and made himselfe knowne too them in breaking of bread he vanished out of their sight And they béeing certified of his resurrection returned by and by too Hierusalem and
betwéene man and man but betwéene God man Howbeit too y e intent wée may vnderstand how great a good thing this peace is whiche Chryste offreth to those that bée his I will expounde more at large the things that come too hand in consideration of this peace wherby wée may gather a full description of this peace Bicause peace is stablished betwéene such as were at ods first we must consider who are the parties that are at ods These are two God and man God is happie blissed without man Man is miserable and damned without God Thē had God no néede to séeke peace with man but man without peace with God is in extréeme miserie therfore hath néed◠of nothing somuch as of peace with God Secondely when parties are at variance it must néedes be that there went some offence before This offence taketh his beginning not of God but of man What is this offence Sinne. This sinne was a certaine falling awaye from God to the diuell vnto whome Man made himselfe subiect Now how sore an offence this was it is easie to déeme by y e greatnesse by the manyfoldnesse by the shamefulnesse and by the penaltie therof The greatnesse of it is that the Creature offended and despised his Creator who was the soueraigne goodnesse of man The manyfoldnesse therof is too bée séene by the frutes The shāfulnesse appéereth by the horrible defilement of all mankynd which followed his offence The penaltie was curse and damnation besides innumerable calamities and miseries wherewith mankind lyeth ouerwhelmed in this life The offence being known which hath made vs gods enimies in the third place is too bée considered the mediatour who verily ought to be suche a one as bothe coulde appease Gods displeasure and also make full amends for the wrong that was done Too pacifie the displeasure of GOD no creature was able and too make amends for the wrong God ought not Therfore such a mediator was too bée sought as both coulde by reason of his power and oughte by reason of nature ▪ When such a one was not to be had the second person in trinitie came intoo the world and tooke mans nature vpon him became man Iesus Chryst. This Iesus Chryst is ioyned too God the father in Godhead and too man by his manhoode Wherefore he both coulde as God and ought as man bicause he tooke our case vppon him The mediator hath made amends for the wrong For he hath taken vppon him our gyltinesse for which he hath suffered punishment vpon the alter of the crosse and hath satisfied Gods Iustice. Howbeit forasmuch as wée abide yet still defyled with sinne Chryst during all his whole lyfe in this worlde did continually obey Gods law fully and perfectly whiche Ryghteousnesse of his he imputeth too all beléeuers that they may bée righteous in Gods sighte And so with his oblation he pacifieth Gods wrath and clotheth vs with obedience that wée may appéere righteous in Gods sight Amendes béeing made attonement is begonne betwéene God and man For the father is appeased through the obedience of his sonne Howbeit forasmuche as in all attonements there must néedes passe some couenant betwéene those that are reconciled the same thing is séene also in this place stablished betwéene vs and God For as on the behalfe of GOD there is a franke and fatherly promise of mercy according too this text I will bée thy God and the God of thy séede after thée Also This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased and agein As truely as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he should turne and liue so on mans behalfe there is faith wherby the fatherly promise is taken wherby wée are adopted too bée the children of God through his only begotten sonne Iesus Chryst. And forasmuche as in couenaunts seales are wont too bée set too these also are not omitted in this most high couenant For there bée thrée seales The first is Chrysts othe Uerely verely I say vnto you hée that beléeueth in mée hath life euerlasting The second sealing is by the Sacramēts of Baptim and the Lordes supper which are the most assured seales of the couenaunt betwéene God and man and shal neuer bée cancelled vnlesse man through his owne default doo cast away Fayth The third◠seale is the earnestpeny of the holy ghost who beareth witnesse too our spirite that wée are the sonnes of God Héerevnto also perteyneth that saying 2. Cor. 1. He hath sealed vs vp and hath giuen vs the earnest of the spirite in our hartes These are the signes and seales wherewith the peace that is agréed vpon betwéene God and man is sealed and confirmed that it may stand stedfast Furthermore least any man may surmise that this peace perteyneth but too a certeyne fewe the publishing thereof is too bée marked which is vniuersall For Chryste at his going vp intoo heauen gaue commaundement too his Disciples that they should proclayme this peace ouer al the woorld For thus sayth he Goo intoo the whole worlde and preache the Gospell too all creatures This peace therefore belongeth too all that receiue the voyce of the Gospel and beléeue in Chryst continuing so too the ende For thus sayeth the Lord Blissed is he that continueth too the ende For it is not ynough for a man too haue begoon wel vnlesse he procéed forward from day too day If yée enquire after the frutes of this most amiable peace yée shall finde them too bée many both in this life and after the resurrection In this lyfe by the benefite of this peace thou hast accesse too God as too a most méeke father through Iesus Christ. For thus sayth Paule Wée being iustified by fayth haue peace with God through Iesus Chryst by whom also wée haue accesse too this grace in which wée stande The second frute of this peace is a good conscience For before the conscience of sinne vexeth vs but after wée féele this peace our conscience is made good and chereful as was the théeues vpon the crosse when he herd This day shalt thou bée with mée in Paradise After the same maner when wée héere in the Gospell that remission of sinnes is denounced too them that beléeue the conscience of the beléeuers becōmeth quiet With this good conscience is ioyned the ioye of the Spirite whereby it cometh too passe that wée glorie euen in the mids of afflictions as Paul saith Howbeit this glorying and this ioy of Spirite is increased by thinking vppon the woorde by prayer by vse of the Sacramentes and by other godly exercises After this frute followeth also a fourthe namely brotherly loue For when wée perceiue and féele by fayth that God our common father is reconciled too vs by our common mediator wée begin too loue one another as coparteners of this common treasure With this fourth frute there goeth also a fifth whiche is a glad departure oute of this life according as Simeon when he had
set forth the gospel concerning the chéef shepherd Iesus Chryst his care toward his shéepe and that to this intent that the faithfull ministers of the woord might in their doctrine life and charge folow the example of this shepherd Hithertoo concerning the occasion why this present Gospell is red as this day The summe of the Gospell is that lyke as Chryst professeth himselfe too be the true shepherd and to haue a care of his shéepe So on the contrary parte he testifieth that there bée woolues that lie in wait for his flock whom the hirelings séeing doo flée away leaue the shéepe too be torne in péeces by the wolues against the falsenesse of whom the Lord promiseth that he himselfe will looke to his shéepe he declareth that he hath yet other shéepe which he will bring togither that there may be made one fold and one shepherd The places are thrée 1 Of Christ the shepherd and other true shepherds 2 Of the Woolfe the hireling the fléeing of the hireling 3 Of Chrystes shéepe of their marke and of the vnitie of the shéepfold ¶ Of the firste IN the first place concerning the shepherd Chryst we haue two things The one is what is his towardnesse the other what are his benefits towards his church Now as touching Chryst the shepherd wée must alwais beare in mynd the coÌ„fession of Thomas which we herd an eight dayes ago For wheras he saith my Lord and my God first he coÌ„fesseth him whom he speaketh too too bée the same man that had bin crucified and dead whom he now acknowledgeth too bée risen agein from the dead in déede Secondly he confesseth also the same maÌ„ to be very God for he sayth my God Thirdly he confesseth this man God to be one person For he sayth not my Lords but my Lord. Fourthly he coÌ„fesseth this God and man one person which is both God man too bée his sauior For he is my Lord hath charge of mée and he is my God that hath taken mée intoo his tutâ—on and fauor Therfore he confesseth Chryst to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the world and consequently that true shepherd that was promised of old time of whom Zach 10. I wil raise vp a shepherde vppon the earth Him doth Peter call the shepherd Bishop of our soules This haue I spoken bréefly of Thomas confession concerning Chryst the shepherd too the entent we may vnderstande what is the towardnesse or inclination of this our shepherd Now let vs héer our Lords woords I sayth he am the good shepherd but what dooth the good shepherd The good shepherd giueth his life for his sheepe That is to say he is a good shepherd which loueth his shéepe so well that he wil rather suffer death than leaue his shéepe to be a pray too théeues and to bée torne of the wolues This promis he confirmed also by his déede for he suffred a most shamefull death for his shéepe Wée haue herd how great Chrystes loue is towards his shéepe Now that we may behold his benefits which he bestoweth of his méere goodnesse we will apply the similitude of a shepherd of shéepe to Chryst our shepherd What then dooth a good shepherd First he gathereth his shéepe togither secondly he goeth before them thirdly he leadeth them forth intoo pastures fourthly he féedeth them fifthly he watcheth them sixthly he ruleth them seuenthly he defendeth them eightly he healeth them that bée hurt ninthly he fetcheth in theÌ„ that stray with his shepherds hooke and tenthly he bringeth them home when he hath fed them All these benefites dooth Chryst perfourme spiritually too his church First therfore Chryst our shepherd gathereth his shéep togither But how by the preaching of the Gospel This begaÌ„ he too doo by and by after the fal of our first pareÌ„ts For in spirit he was present with the Prophets and gathered many shéepe vnto him Afterward he came himself to séeke the lost shéepe And at this day he giueth preachers too gather shéepe in his name Secondly he goeth before his shéepe How In persecution and in glorie In persecution wheÌ„ he suffred diuers miseries in this life which the saincts also must néedes tast of And in glory when by rising ageine from death he entered intoo the glory of heauen whom in their time all shall folow as many as bée his true shéepe Thirdly he leadeth them foorth too féede into most plesant and fine medowes as Dauid saith in the .23 Psalm he made me sit downe in well growen pastures to the waters of refreshment shall he leade mée Fourthly when he hath led them intoo the medowes he féedeth them with his woorde with his spirit With his spirit when he comforteth them and strengthneth them within and with his woord when his gospel is preached wherby faith is conceiued too beléeue vpon this shepheard Fifthly he watcheth them sitteth as it were in a watch-toure too foresée that no body fal vpon his shéepe vnbewares And this dooth he by his Angels by the faithful ministers of his woorde by the godly Magistrate and too bée short by good gouernors in families â–ª common weales and housholdes â–ª Sixthly he ruleth them namely with his spirit his word and his discipline Whervpon Dauid saith The Lorde ruleth mée and nothing shall be wanting to mée In a place of pasture hath he setled mée Seuenthly he defendeth them Wherupon Paule saith if God bée on our side who can be against vs And Dauid Although I walk in the valey of the shadow of death I wil not feare any harme bicause thou art with me Thy rod and thy staffe they haue comforted me Eightly he healeth them that bée hurt for as shéepe are oftentimes atteinted with thornes venims which are healed by the skilful shepherd so Chryst our shepherd doth cure and heale his shéep that are hurt with the thornes of euil conditions and the venim of poysoned doctrine Wherupon the .146 Psalm saith which healeth the wouÌ„ded in hart bindeth vp their sores Ezech. 34. I wil féede my shéepe I wil make theÌ„ sit down I wil séeke that which was lost I will bring ageine that which was cast away I wil binde toogither that which was broken I wil strengthen y t which was weake Ninthly he fetcheth in them that stray with his shéephook while he lodeth them with the crosse and as it were casteth a snaâ—â—le vpon their heads If that good shepherd should not doo so many shéepe would through the delights prosperities of this world bée led away from Christes flocke and cast them selues intoo the mouthes of the woolues Wherupon Dauid saith of himself It is good for mée o Lord that thou hast brought mée low that I might lerne thy Iustifications Lastly when he hath fedde them he leadeth them home Chryst gathereth féedeth defendeth and cureth his shéepe in this world as in a wildernesse of a forein realme But at the last day he shall conuey
this present life shall in the end enioy ful glory with Christ so shée continue stedfast in his faith vntoo the end The places are thrée 1 Chrysts forewarning concerning his owne death and Resurrection 2 The weaknesse of the apostles and so consequently of all mortall men 3 The Crosse of the Church in this world and the glorious and ioyfull deliuerance of the same ¶ Of the firste COncerning the death and resurrection of Chryst I will speake somwhat bréefly bicause wée haue herd all thinges alate more plenteously After a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and ageine after a vvhile yee shall see mee for I goe too the father Héere doth Chryst somwhat darkly foreshew them his death and resurrection But his méening is this After a vvhile sayth he yee shall not see mee that is too say I shall lye dead a thrée days in my graue so that you shall not sée mée And againe after a vvhile yee shall see mee that is too say I shall be raised ageine from death and you shall sée mée fortie days before I ascende visibly into heauen and be taken away out of your sight by a cloude And this is it that he sayeth bicause I go to the Father that is too say after my death I shall passe from persecution to the glorie of heauen What is he not present with his churche after his ascension Yes he is present according too his promise euen vntoo the end of the worlde Howbéeit not after a bodyly maner but after a diuine and spiritual maner For Gods woord and the holy Ghost are the glasse â–ª wherin Chryst will be holden and this beholding is sufficient wherwith wée must be contented vntill he himselfe come to iudgement for afterward wée shall enioy the sight of him for euermore But why did hée put his Disciples in minde of his death and resurrection Surely there be many causes of which the chéefe is this which he alleageth in these woords I haue told you of these things before hand that vvhen they bee come to passe you may beleeue For mens minds are gretly strengthned when they sée things fall out â–ª according too that whiche was tolde them before Neither dyd any thing more raise the Apostles than that they saw all things aunswerable too Chrystes foresayings wherby they might bothe vnderstand his Godhead and throughly perceiue his office Moreouer the Lordes will was by the often forewarnings too prouide for the infirmitie of his disciples For this is the poynt of a faythfull maister to haue a consideration of their capacitie whome he taketh vppon him to teache and too remedie theyr rawnesse by often beating the selfe same things intoo their heads Besides this also he therfore foretold his death and resurrection too the intent his disciples shoulde knowe that he knew before of his owne death and resurrection and that he willingly obeyed the father euen vntoo death too the intent he might deliuer vs froÌ„ death This sermon of Chrystes is too bée applyed vnto vs also for not muche vnlike happeneth vntoo vs. Hée sêemeth too bée a whyle from vs when he leaueth vs comfortlesse wrestling vnder the crosse And afterwarde ageyne hée is séene of vs when hée comforteth vs by the Gospell and manifesteth the presence of his spirite in our prayers ¶ Of the second THe rawnesse of Christes disciples in matters of saluation is described in these woords VVhat is it say they that he sayth After a vvhile yee shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhile yee shall see mee and that I go to the father vve knovv not vvhat he speaketh It is a greater wonder that they being so often warned of the Lordes death and Resurrection not only by types figures and riddles but also by expresse woordes coulde neuer the more vnderstande him What is the cause héerof Surely there are twoo causes One is for that an opinion once conceiued in the mynde is not easly pulled out specially if it haue taken déepe roote The Iewes yea and the Lords Disciples themselues dreamed that Chrysts gouernement should haue bin ciuill so as Chryste himselfe béeing made chéefe Emperor should subdue the whole world and reign ouer it and that his disciples should haue bin next about him whiche thing the moother of Zebedies children declared sufficiently when she made request that the one of hir sonnes might sit at Chrystes right hande and the other at his left An other cause is the dimnesse that is in all mankynd wherby it commeth to passe that no man is able too perceiue the things that pertein too God vnlesse he haue the holy Ghost too bée his teacher Héerby we may leene first too bewaile this our blindnesse Secondly too héere Gods woord more often wherby we may bée deliuered fâ—rom this dimnesse of ignorance and thirdly to craue of God that he him selfe will teache vs according too that place of the .xxv. Psalme Leade me foorth in thy truth and teach mée bycause thou art the God of my saluation Good and rightfull is the Lord therfore shall he teach sinners in the way But wée must take héede that when the Lorde teacheth we shut not the eares of our hert against his voyce lyke as all they doo that héere Gods woorde without frute As for those that so stop their eares against Gods voyce they may at length deserue too be left vp in their blindnesse and ignoraunce for euer God preserue vs that we incurre not this penaltie of vnthankefulnesse wherewith wée sée many to be horribly punished For there are many too bée found that if a man aske them after the héering of a Sermon what they haue brought away haue not a woord to aunswer But if yée question with them of talke had at a feast or in game they can reherse you euery thing so as they will not misse ye a woord What is the reason In some folke the cause of it is mannes naturall dulnesse in matters of Saluation In other some the cause of it is the punishment of sinne also that héering they héere not and vnderstanding they vnderstande not Wherfore right déere beloued let vs fall too amendement of lyfe let vs call vpon God for help and when wée féele in our selues a wéerinesse of héering and learning the woord of God Let vs by and by think that the diuel layeth a snare for vs and let vs forthwith flée vntoo Praier beséeching GOD that he will both teach vs and also by his spirit make roome for his woord in vs. ¶ Of the third VErely verely I say vntoo you that you shall moorne and vveepe but the vvorld shall reioyce And you shall be sadde but your sadnesse shall bee turned intoo ioy He repeteth the same thing that he had spoken a litle before concerning his death and Resurrection For by thrée signes which were set foorth he gaue an inklyng what should come after although somwhat darkly By the moorning of his Disciples is signified the death and buriall of Chryste By the gladnesse of
glory is too bée preferred before all things And thus muche concerning prayer GOD graunt vs grace that these woords may take roote in our harts through Iesus Chryst too whom bée honor and glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the day of our Lords Ascension ¶ The Gospel Mark xvj IEsus appeared vntoo the eleuen as they satte at meate and cast in their teeth their vnbeleefe and hardenesse of harte bycause they beleeued not them vvhiche had seene that he vvas risen agein from the dead and he sayde vntoo them Go yee intoo all the vvorld and preache the Gospel too all creatures hee that beleeueth and is baptised shall bee saued But he that beleeueth not shall bee damned And these tokens shall folovv them that beleeue In my name they shall caste out Deuiles they shall speake vvith nevve tongs they shall driue avvay Serpentes And if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurte them They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shal recouer So then vvhen the Lord had spoken vnto them he vvas receyued intoo Heauen and is on the right hand of GOD. And they vvent forthe and preached euery vvhere The Lord vvorking vvith them and confirming the vvoord vvith miracles follovving The exposition of the Text. THis feast is ordeyned in the Church for that article of our Créed wherin wée professe our selues too beléeue in Iesus Chryste ascending intoo Heauen when hée had bin conuersaunt with his Disciples fortie dayes after his glorious resurrection In this feast as in others there be thrée things too be weyed First the storie with the circumstances thereof Then the benefite that is bestowed vppon vs And lastly the right vse and minding of the story These thrée things offer them selues in the exposition of this Gospel The summe wherof is that the Lord the fortith day after his resurrection appéered too his Disciples whome hée vpbrayded with their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of hart commaunded them too preache the Gospell throughe oute all the world shewing what frute shall redound of the preaching of it too the hearers so they receiue the Gospel by fayth Moreouer too the intente their preaching may bée credited hée promiseth too confirme their doctrine with miracles When hée had giuen this charge hée ascended visibly intoo heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father And his Disciples obeying his commaundement went abrode too preach the gospel the which our Lord confirmed with signes ensuing And this is the effect of the Gospel The places are thrée 1 The rebuking of the Apostles 2 The institution of the ministerie of the woord 3 Chrystes Ascension intoo heauen ¶ Of the first THe fortith day after his resurrection he appered to his Disciples and vpbrayded them vvith their vnbeleefe and hardenesse of harte bycause they had not beleeued those that tolde them they had seene him risen ageine from death Hée findeth fault with two things in his Disciples hardnesse of hart and vnbeléefe that is too say the roote and his frute The roote is hardnesse of hart whiche taketh increasement and strength partly of it own originall beginning partly of it own corruption For a man that is not inspired with the holy ghost cannot vnderstand any of those things that are of the spirite of God Of this most naughtie roote there are very many and euil frutes The first is that whiche is rebuked héer namely vnbeléefe Out of this afterward bud moste naughtie brauÌ„ches as disobedience towards God whatsoeuer leudnesse and wickednesse is in this life By whiche the power of the roote vnsuppressed is perceyued and also séene how great increasement vnbeléefe hath taken For this is a moste assured token that whersoeuer sinne reigneth there vnbeléefe as an Empresse possesseth the hart of man Furthermore wée may learne héereby first after the example of the weake Apostles not too despaire of oure selues béeing weake althoughe wée cannot by and by comprehende the heauenly misteries For the Churche hath euermore hir certein woundes for oure Lorde too poure his wine and Oyle intoo Neyther is it reason for any man too hope that hée maye put of all weaknesse as long as hée carieth this mortall body about him But like as in olde time the people of God béeing brought intoo the promised land had their neygbors the Philisâ—ines enimies vntoo them ageynst whom they kept continuall warre So wée béeing brought intoo Chrystes churche haue bothe inward and outward enimies ageinst whom wée must make warre leaste wée were sluggishe thorough idlenesse The other thing that wée haue too learne héere is that wée should consider by the déede of Chryst not casting off his rawe weake Disciples how gentle a high Préest we haue who casteth vs not off for oure weakenesse so there bée any sparke of fayth in vs. And consequently by his example also wée may learne too deale gently fauourably with the weaker sorte ¶ Of the second WHen Chryst béeing ready too ascende intoo Heauen giueth commission too his Disciples saying Go yee intoo the vvhole vvorlde and preache the Gospel too al creatures Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued and hee that beleeueth not is condemned already hée beginneth the maner of setting vp his kingdome and sheweth the frute of the same kingdome By twoo meanes is the kingdome of Chryste set vppe by woord and by the sacrament the frute whereof is saluation of the people Contrarywise they that be not Citizens in this kingdome are subiect too the sentence of damnation Héere wée sée there is great difference betwéene the aministration of a kingdome of the worlde Chrystes kingdome and no maruel at all For the kingdome of the world is fleshly but the kingdome of Chryste is spirituall That is set vp mainteyned by the lawes of men but this is set vp mainteyned by the woord of God Howbéeit forasmuch as the woord of God conteyneth singular doctrines I will expound them somewhat more largely and distinctly too the intent wée may the better vnderstaÌ„d Chrysts minde towards vs and the benefits of the Gospel First he saith Go intoo the vvhole vvorld Yée sée the commission For hée sendeth his disciples not too any one nation but too all men dwelling abrode through the whole worlde Héerby wée may consider the riches of Gods mercie and the preciousnesse of Chrystes sacrifice It is Gods mercie that al that were damned throughe sinne shoulde héere the voyce of the Sonne of GOD concerning saluation too bée obteyned through Chryst. For it is not too be thought that God would haue the voice of the sonne of maÌ„ sound vnto the world y t the gretest part should be destitute of the frute therof but rather that by héering they shuld liue bée saued through Christ so that they receyued the preaching of the Apostles by fayth This is more playnly declared by this saying Preache yée or proclayme yée Too whom Too all creatures that is too say too all men without any exceptions of
ascension And thirdly the frute of Chrystes ascension In the comming downe of Chryste from heauen intoo the earth there are twoo things too bée considered the gifte and the Example The gift for that Chryst descended from Heauen and took mannes nature vpon him that by offering him selfe in sacrifice hée might ridde vs of oure sinnes For by the sacrifice of Chryst the father is pacified and for Chryste our mediatours sake so abased all beléeuers are receiued and are the children and heires of God For therefore did the Lorde come downe from heauen therefore did he humble and abase him selfe that wée might ascende from the earth too Heauen and that wée might bée exalted too euerlasting life and glory And the example That wée also should come downe and be humbled 1. Peter 2. Chryst suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wée should folow his steps Of what maner Chrystes ascension intoo heauen was the scripture sheweth He ascended visibly with a bodily and naturall mouing and a cloude tooke him vp intoo heauen Whervpon is saide he ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4. Neuerthelesse he did not by ascending chaunge his humayne nature intoo his godhead or so shed it out that it shuld bée euerywher with his godhead although the vnion of them bée inseparable The frute of Chrysts ascension is manifolde according as it is easy too gather by diuers places of scripture The first frute therfore is that Chryst is a triumpher ouer his enimies which are sinne death the deuill and hell For these enimies hath he vanquished and triumphed ouer them by his glorious ascension Hée wyped out sinne when he was made a sacrifice for sinne Assoone as sinne was wyped away death was disarmed for sinne is the sting of death When death was once destroyed the deuil lost his force and weapons Lastly for as much as hell deuoureth onely them that are vnder sinne death and the deuill it foloweth that Chryst beyng the conqueror of sinne death and the deuill did also ouercome hell Secondly he ascended too bée our head which ascended into heauen first that he may shew the way vntoo vs whervppon Iohn 14. I go my way to prepare you a place and I will take you vp vntoo mée Thirdly he ascended that hée might from heauen spred the beames of his power ouer all the world Eph. 4. Hée ascended aboue all the heauens that hée might fill all things Then is hée not ascended too bée vtterly away from vs but that with his present power hée may rule heauen and earth and bée present with his Church vnto the ende of the world Fourthly he ascended that he might giue giftes too men Eph. 4. And he hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes and some teachers That is too say hée ascended that he might bée effectuall in the ministerie confirming it by wonderfull miracles and sealing it in the hartes of men Fifthly he ascended that wée might haue an aduocate in heauen 1. Iohn 1. If any man sinne wée haue an aduocate with God the father Iesus Chryst the rightuous and hée is the propitiation for our sinnes Sixthly he ascended that he might draw our harts vntoo himself Math. 6. Where as is thy treasure there is also thy hart Coll. 3. If yée bée risen agein with Christ séeke the thinges that are aboue where Chryst sitteth at the right hand of the father Our conuersation then must bée in heauen where our Sauiour sitteth in glorie too whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste bée honour prayse and glorie world◠without ende Amen The .vj. Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xv WHen the comforter is come vvhom I vvill send vntoo you from the father euen the spirite of truth vvhich proceedeth from the father hee shall testifie of mee And yee are vvitnesses also bicause yee haue bin vvith mee from the beginning These things haue I saide vntoo you bicause yee should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that vvho soeuer killeth you shall thinke he doth God high seruice And such thinges vvill they doo vntoo you bicause they haue not knovvne the father neither yet mee But these things haue I tolde you that vvhen that houre is come yee might remember then that I tolde you These things saide I not vntoo you at the beginning bicause I vvas vvith you The exposition of the text THis Gospel also is a part of that sermon that Chryste made too his Disciples the night before he suffred the summe wherof wée haue herd a whyle ago This text conteyneth the promis of the Aduocate the holy Ghost whoo shall bée present in the Churche when it suffereth persecution by the wicked worlde For Chryst telleth vs it will come to passe that wicked men and specially the Iewes shall bée caryed with so great woodnesse ageynst the Church that vnder the pretence of Religion they shal rūne with might and mayn vpon the godly yea and persuade the world that it is a certeyne seruice of God too kill the godly and too cast them out of their congregations And he sayeth that the cause of this outrage is ignoraunce and blindnesse that is too wit that they neither acknowledge the wrath of God ageinst sinne nor vnderstande the benefites of Chryst. The places are thrée 1 The office of the holy ghost and of the ministers of the woord in the Church 2 A warning least the godly being offended at the stumbling block shuld renounce that profession faith 3 Of the crosse of y e godly of their glorious deliuerance ¶ Of the firste ANd vvhen the comforter shall bee come vvhom I vvill send you from my father he shal beare vvitnesse of mee yea and you also shall beare vvitnesse These woords contein the first doctrine of this Gospell namely that the holy Ghost and Apostles and their successours must beare witnesse of Chryst. Concerning the holy ghost these things are gathered out of the text First that he is one God with the father and the sonne Secondly that he is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Thirdly that he procéedeth from the father the son And fourthly y t he is giuen too the church by Chryst. And why he is giuen to the church it is héer declared namely that he may bée a comforter that he may bée a teacher of the truth and that he may beare witnes of Christ. Of which offices I will therefore speake the more bréefly bicause the same things are too bée repeted vpon Whitson Sunday Why is he called a comforter or Aduocate Lyke as by this terming of him is giuen an inkling of the persecution and accusing or condemning of the churche by the heathenish world so is it also expresly ment therby that it shall not bée forsaken of Chryst in the time of persecution but that Christ sendeth it an aduocate namely the holy Ghost The properties of this aduocate are foure First that hée bée at hande too his Clyant that is
Dauid the periurie of Peter the harde yoke that Ioseph layde vpon the Egiptians and the gréedie gathering of Zachey too the intent they may sel themselues too al naughtinesse Yea rather they séek by mennes vices how they may hardeÌ„ them selues too the contempt of God Wherefore not without cause this kinde of stumbling is called deuilish as the whiche is shored vp with slaunders too the contempt of God ¶ Of the third THe third place is of the persecutioÌ„ or crosse of the churche for whiche place looke before in the thirde Sunday after Easter ¶ Vpon the feast of Pentecost which we call Whitsonday ¶ The Gospel Iohn xiiij IF yee loue mee keepe my commaundementes and I vvil pray the Father and hee shall giue you another comâ—orter that hee may abide vvith you for euer euen the spirite of truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receyue bycause the vvorld seeth him not neyther knovveth him But yee knovve him for he dvvelleth vvith you and shal bee in you I vvill not leaue you comfortlesse but vvill come too you Yet a little vvhile and the vvorld seeth mee no more but yee see mee For I liue and yee shall liue That day shall yee knovve that I am in my Father and you in mee and I in you Flee that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them the same is hee that loueth mee And hee that loueth mee shall bee loued of my Father and I vvill loue him and vvill shevve my ovvne selfe vntoo him Iudas sayth vntoo him not Iudas Iscarioth â–ª Lord vvhat is doone that thou vvilte shevve thy selfe vntoo vs and not vntoo the vvorld Iesus ansvvered and sayd vntoo them â–ª if a man loue mee hee vvill keepe my sayings and my Father vvill loue him and vve vvil come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Hee that Ioueth mee not keepeth not my sayings And the vvoord vvhiche yee heere is not mine but the Fathers vvhiche sent mee These things haue I spoken vntoo you beeyng yet present vvith you But the comforter vvhich is the holy Ghost vvhome my Father vvil sende in my name hee shall teache you all things and bring all things too your remembraunce vvhat so euer I haue sayd vntoo you Peace I leaue vvith you my peace I gyue vntoo you Not as the vvorld giueth giue I vntoo you Let not your hartes bee greeued neyther fear Yee haue herd hovv I sayd vntoo you I go and come ageine vntoo you If yee loued mee yee vvoulde verely reioyce bycause I sayd I go vntoo the Father For the Father is greater than I. And novv haue I shevved before it come that vvhen it is come too passe yee might beleeue Heereafter vvil I not talke many vvoords vntoo you For the Prince of this vvorld commeth and hathe naught in mee But that the vvorlde may knovve that I loue the Father And as the Father gaue mee commaundement euen so doo I. The exposition of the text THis feast which wée call Pentecost that is the fiftith daye was ordeyned in remembraunce of the confirmation of the Gospell the fiftith daye after Chrystes resurrection For that day our Lord sent the holy Ghost from heauen who sate vppon the Apostles visibly in likenesse of flambes of fire and hée according too Chrystes promisse not onely leadeth the Apostles intoo all truthe but also certifieth the whole world that Iesus Chryst is in heauen who from thence confirmeth his doctrine by this woonderfull déede For like as the fiftith day after the Iewish passeouer which they ate first in Egipt the law was giuen and the doctrine thereof confirmed with great miracles according as it is written Exod. 19. Euen so after the true Passeouer that is too wit after the killing of the Lamb of GOD which is Chryst Gods wil was too confirme the Gospel of his Sonne with this woonderful déede that is by the visible giuing of the holy Ghoste according as wée shall héere more largely in the lesson at Euensong Now let vs enter vppon the most swéete Gospell which also is a péece of that long Sermon that the Lord made to his Disciples the day before he suffered The summe of the text that you haue herd is that Chryste giueth a true marke of faith and loue of God and of the frute of the same fayth and loue namely that the disciples should haue quiet consciences through the holy ghost whom he promiseth that the father shall send in his name Also Christ giueth them to vnderstaÌ„d of his victorie ageinst Sathan that euen by this victorie the world may know how well the father loueth it And al these things tend too y e strengthening of his disciples least through offence of the crosse they might go backe from their profession The places are foure 1 The true marke of fayth and of the loue of God 2 The frute and vse of kéeping the woord of God 3 Chrysts promising the holy ghost the comforter 4 Of the peace that Christ promiseth too those that bée his ¶ Of the firste IF a man loue mee he vvill keepe my sayings Let vs marke these woords aduisedly For they shew a true mark of faith of the loue of God He that loueth Christ héereth him willingly He willingly kéepeth that which he héereth And he willingly dooth that which he kéepeth For these things are by nature ioyned togither Wée sée it is a custome among men that they doo not without wéerinesse héer those persons towardes whom they are not very well minded And that contrarywise they couet nothing more than with all attentiuenesse of mind to héer those whom they loue entirely specially when they know they speake many things sagely and wisely too their welfare and profit But what is the saying of Chryst First too repent For so did his messenger Iohn Baptist and he himself also begin his preaching Héerby is vttered his affection towardes vs For without repentaunce it is vnpossible too bée saued Wherevpon he sayth except yée repent yée shall all perishe Secondly too beléeue the Gospel that is too beléeue assuredly that Chryst is suche a one towards him as he is declared too vs in his Gospell too bée that is too wit a Sauiour a Iustifier and a Redéemer The end of this faith is the health of our soules 1. Peter 1. and in Iohn Hée that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life Thirdly too bring foorth frute by this faith First deuotion too godward or seruice of God â–ª Secondly inâ—â—cencie of life and kéeping holy both of minde and body Thirdly loue of our neighbor flowing out of a true faith a pure hart a good conscience And fourthly too doo the woork of our vocation in feare too the glory of God and profit of our neighbour All these vertues ar beutified with true patience which is a certeyn obedience towards God vnder the crosse He that wil bée my Disciple sayth the Lord let him take vp his crosse and folow mée What Wherfore requirest thou so many things Are we not iustified saued by
héere promyseth so great things and sith that the heauenly Trinitie dwelleth in them that beléeue Let vs endeuer too bée cleane and pure as it be commeth Gods temples too bée Let vs bée spiritual things that wée may reigne ouer sinne and not serue it any more in the lustes thereof Let vs bée prests that may offer quicke sacrifices vntoo God and call vpon him by fayth in Chryst. Let vs bée saincts and segregated from the heathenish routes of the world that wée fall not intoo our former filthinesse agein ¶ Of the thirde ANd the comforter the holy Ghost vvhom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things This is Chrysts promisse whereby he promiseth his Disciples the holy ghost Wée haue herd before what is the woorthinesse of the Chrystians Now let vs héer what is ioyned with this woorthinesse And bicause I am not able to vtter these things according too their woorthinesse I will after the manner of babes prattle of eche thing that is spoken in this royall promisse These few woords therfore doo conteine seuen poynts concerning the holy ghost the which I will reherse bréefly and apply them too our vse For these points contein the causes why the holy ghost is sent and giuen First he is called an Aduocate Although I haue spoken somewhat an eight dayes hence concerning this name Yet peraduenture it shal not bée amisse too repete it agein too day Therfore he is called an Aduocate that is too say a spokesman bicause hée is at hande too the afflicted and dooth teache them comfort them take their case vpon him as his owne and in conclusion compelleth vs too crye out and too say with all our hart Abba father haue mercy vpon vs for thy sonnes sake whom thou hast giuen too bée our Sauiour And this is the first cause why the holy ghost is giuen The second is that he may quicken vs and thervpon he is called a spirit Now there is a double life The one naturall wherethrough all liuing creatures liue and this endureth for a short time for it is swalowed vp by death and the other life is of God from which Paule sayeth that all those are estraungers which haue not knowne Chryste The author of this life is that spirit of Chryst which he promised too his disciples This is not of short continuance but euerlasting as which is proper too the euerlasting God And this life liue al they that beléeue in the sonne of God Gala. 2. The thirde cause of sending and géeuing the holy ghost is that he may make vs holy of which operation he is called holy and he maketh vs holy at what time he worketh faith in vs when he regenerateth vs when he reformeth our vnderstanding affections and will and too bée bréefe when he bringeth too passe that wée become newe creatures and liue according too the will of God The fourth cause of sending giuing the holy ghost vntoo vs is that he may stablish a certeyne louingnesse among vs and therfore he is said too bée sent from the father too his children For as the father embraceth his children with an inward kindnesse loue so he desireth nothing more than that the childrē folowing the nature of their father should mainteine brotherly loue among them selues Thus too doo it béecommeth them that acknowledge God too bée their common father As for those that refuse too doo so either they neuer were his children or else they are shamefully growen out of kind from the nature of their father The fifth cause of sending the holy ghost is that wée may lerne of him in what sort our heauenly father is mynded towards vs. Therfore the Lord sayth and he shal teach you al things What Shall he teach any other thing than y t which the Prophets and Moyses haue taught Or any other thing than is deliuered vs in the scripture No forsoth For he shal teach the self same things Doth not y e scripture suffise Yes it suffiseth as in respect of doctrine but not as in respect of our capacitie For although wée héere the woord a thousande times yet is it vneffectuall vnlesse he teache within For anoynting as sayth the Apostle teacheth all things The sixth cause of sending and giuing the holy ghost is shewed in this saying in my name By which saying is signified the vttermost ende or the final cause why the holy ghost is giuen which is that they which beléeue in Chryst may bée saued For in as much as Chryst is our saluation that the holy ghost is sent in his name there is no dout but he is sent for our saluation sake The seuenth cause is that he may confirme Christs woord in vs. He sayth Chryst shall teach you all things he shall put you in mynde of all thyngs that I haue spoken vntoo you These things ar signifyed bréefly concerning the holy ghost in our Gospel that is red this day in our Church mo things are noted yet more bréefly in our Créede which are that the holy ghost is very God that he is the thirde person in Trinitie that he quickeneth and sanctifyeth that wée must leane vntoo him by liuely fayth as vntoo the father and the sonne But as concerning these things wée shall héer more another time and haue herd more a while ago ¶ Of the fourth MY peace I leaue vntoo you my peace I giue vntoo you not as the vvorld giueth doo I giue you This promisse of Chryst is right great also and much greater than the world vnderstādeth Dooth not Christ say as we haue herd of late in the world ye shall haue trouble and they shal cast you out of their sinagoges It is so Therfore Chryst maketh a difference betwéene the two sortes of peace betwéene the peace of the world and his peace What maner of peace the peace of the world is there is no man but he vnderstandeth But what maner of peace Chrysts peace is onely the children of God vnderstande For it is that peace whereof the Gospell speaketh and of which I haue entreated abundantly the first Sunday after Easter Neuerthelesse too the intent I may bréefly repete the same things The peace of Christ is our reconcilemēt vntoo God the remission of our sinnes the giuing of the holy ghost and euerlasting life according too this prayer of the Church O God which by the lightning of the holy Ghost hast taught the hartes of the faythfull giue vntoo vs that peace which the world cannot giue and that our hartes may bée quiet This peace the sonne of God graunt vntoo vs too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euermore Amen Vpon Whitson Monday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. SO GOD loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvho so euer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne intoo the vvorld too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde
the name of the onely begotten sonne of GOD. These woords conteine a thirde place that is too wit comforte and terrour For it bothe comforteth the godly acknowledging their sinnes and putteth the stubborne in feare that wil not beléeue in Chryste Nowe for as muche as GOD easly sawe what the weaknesse of men was and chéefly of those that earnestly think vppon the sentence of the lawe and saw the wilfulnesse of no small number hée applyed his woord vntoo them bothe For the first sorte when they héere how all that yéelde not ful obedience too the lawe are subiecte too the sentence of death can not but be dismayed at the threatnings of the law Those therefore dooth Chryste comforte and sayeth GOD hath not sent his Sonne too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorld might be saued by him Hée speaketh of his first comming intoo the worlde whiche was too saue sinners that fall too amendment For hée vsed this swéete allurement Come vntoo mée all yée that labor and are laden and I wil refreshe you Also I came not too call the rightuous but the sinners too repentaunce As many then as obey Chrystes voyce and repente are frée from the iudgement of damnation For thus sayeth the trueth Hee that beleeueth in him is not iudged That is too say with the iudgement of damnation This promisse wil comfort vs ageinst the sentence of the lawe and of our owne conscience For hée that shall bée iudge of the quick and the dead sayeth openly Hée that beléeueth in him is not iudged The trust vntoo this promise shal be néedful for vs in y e houre of death ageinst the thretnings of the law y e dredfulnes of death y e flames of hel the tirannie of the deuil For it cannot come too passe y t the euerlasting trueth should lie Hithertoo concerning the coÌ„fort of them y t beleue CoÌ„cerning the terror of them y t wil not beléeue y e gospel it foloweth but he that beleueth not is iudged alredy bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotteÌ„ son of God what Shal ther theÌ„ bée none other iudgement Yes the son of man shal come too iugement in his time according as he hath promised What méeneth he then by saying He is alredy iudged y t is too say condemned By this saying he sheweth what maner of ones al the childreÌ„ of Adam be without faith y t is without Christ our mediatour namely that they be iudged y t is too say condemned y t is to wit as in respect of y e cause the matter For the cause matter of their daÌ„nation is in themselues which is the transgression of gods law wilfully rebelling ageinst God Besides this the sentence of the lawe spoken long ago when he had first created man afterward repeÌ„ted in mouÌ„t Sinai is that al they are cursed that obey not God according too his commaundement Untoo this curse are all they tyed that bèléeue not in the Sonne of God who alone hath taken vppon him the curse of them that beléeue in him That this is so wee are doone too vnderstande by the things that folowe And this is the iudgement that light is come intoo the vvorlde and men haue loued darkenesse more than light That is too say therfore shall men bée damned bicause they haue not receiued the light of the son of God by faith but rather would abide still in their owne ignoraunce and that by reason their woorks were euill ¶ Of the fourth FOr euery one that dooth euill haâ—eth the light and vvill not come too the light least his vvoorks should bee reproued When théeues will steale they loue the darke so men that are not yet borne agein by faith in Christ too doo wel are caried with might and mayne vntoo naughtinesse and therfore doo hate the light of the Gospell where contrarywise he that dealeth vprightly with a good conscience coÌ„meth to the light that is to say dooth his woorks openly and is not afrayd that men shuld sée theÌ„ That is too wit he that coÌ„meth too the light of Chryst and hath lerned of his spirit too doo wel he abideth no longer in the darkenesse of ignoraunce but endeuereth too walke like the childe of Light Héereby then wée may learne first the difference betwéene them that beléeue and them that beléeue not For the difference is too bée found out by their works as the Lord sayth in an other place A good trée bringeth foorth good frute and an euil trée bringeth foorth euill frute Ageine wée may learne that the light of the Gospell cannot abide that wée shoulde bée wrapped in our olde darknesse Too this purpose make so many exhortations of Chryst and his Apostles In Mathew the Lorde sayth Let your light so shine before men that they may glorifie your heauenly father And Paule sayeth Ye are the children of light walke as in the light After the same maner also speketh Peter Untoo whiche liuely stone reiected of men but chosen and honored of God come you and as liuely stones bée builded vppon it a spirituall house and a holy préesthood too offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable too god through Iesus Chryst. Let no man thinke therfore that the Gospell giueth libertie too sinne The Gospel deliuereth from sinne Wherfore it will not that we should any more yéeld our selues vnder the yoke of sinne when wée are once rid of it If sayeth our Sauiour the sonne haue set you frée yée shall bée frée in déede He that committeth sinne is the flaue of sinne Then sith wée are set frée by Iesus Chryste let vs vse our fréedome in suche wise as wée may bée the seruaunts not of sinne but of God through Iesus Chryst our Lorde Too whom bée honour for euer So be it The third holy day in Whitson weeke ¶ The Gospell Iohn x. VErely verely I say vntoo you he that entreth not in by the doore intoo the shepefolde but clymbeth vp some other vvaye the same is a theefe and a murtherer But he that entreth in by the doore is the shepeheard of the sheepe To him the porter openeth and the shepe heer his voice and hee calleth his ovvne sheep by name and leadeth them out And vvhen hee hath sent foorth his ovvne sheepe hee goeth before them and the sheepe folovv him for they knovv his voyce A straunger vvil they not folovve but vvil flee from him for they knovve not the voyce of straungers This Prouerbe spake Iesus vntoo them but they vnderstoode not vvhat things they vvere vvhiche he spake vntoo them Then sayde Iesus vntoo them ageine Verely verely I say vnto you I am the door of the sheepe All euen as many as come before mee are theeues and murtherers but the sheep did not heare them I am the doore by mee if any enter in he shal be safe and shall go in and oute and finde pasture A theefe commeth not but for too steale kil and destroy I am come that they
might haue life and that they might haue it more abundantly The exposition of the text WE herd yesterday of the euerlasting life whiche wée atteine by faith in Christe this day is shewed vntoo vs the true door and the true doore kéeper least any man might stray from the righte gate of eternall life and séeke an other way or door by whiche he cannot come too eternall life Now too the intente wée may the better vnderstand the texte of this Gospel wée must marke the occasion and purpose or drifte therof wherby the effect of the meaning may bée gathered The occasion was this Chryste healed a blinde man that had bin blind from his birth by which déede hée shewed his Godheade and that hée was the Messias whiche had bin promised long agoe But the Pharisies and Scribes who at that time were counted the shepheardes of Gods people were offended as they that enuyed Chryst the honor of the Messias and true shephearde that was promised Ageynst the vngodlynesse of whome Chryste maynteyneth and vpholdeth him selfe too bée the true shepeheard His drift therfore is too shewe the true shéepfolde that is too define the true Churche wherof hée alone is the true shepeherd Thus haue wée the occasion drift of this sermon And the summe of it is that he bothe confuteth the Scribes whiche vaunted them selues too bée the true shepeherds and auoucheth himself too bée the true shepherd in whose shéepfolde bée as many as héere his voice and folow him and depart from strangers that is too say from false shepherds The places are twoo 1 Of false shepeherds 2 Of the true shepeherd and shéepfolde ¶ Of the firste VErely verely I say vntoo you hee that entreth not intoo the sheepefolde at the doore but climbeth in another vvay hee is a theefe and a murtherer This is the description of a false Prophet And by setting foorthe the example of one hée signifieth all false Prophets Hée is a false Prophete that entreth not in at the doore What is it not too enter in at the doore It is too appoint another way too saluation than Chryste onely Then whosoeuer strayeth from Chryste strayeth from the doore is a false shepeherde Arrius denyed Chrystes Godhead therfore did hée stray from the doore for Chryst is very God Photinus denyed Chrystes manhood therefore hée strayed from the doore for Chryste is verye man Sabellius made twoo persons in Chryst therfore strayed hée from the doore for Iesus is both God and man one Lorde and one Chryste The Papistes say wée are not saued by the onely merite of Chryste therefore they straye from the doore for Chryste alone is the Sauioure of the worlde The Pharisies and Papists thrust vpon vs mennes traditions in stéede of the Gospell wherefore they stray from the doore and enter intoo the shéepfolde that is intoo the Church by another doctrine than the doctrine of Moyses the Prophetes the Psalmes and the Apostles for this is too climbe in another waye Wée maye therfore note héerby the true mark of false Prophets which is too climbe intoo the shéepefolde some other way than by the very gospel of Chryst or than by Chryst himself and to take vpon them the office of teching These false techers are théeues and murtherers They are murtherers after a double manner First in that they thought their owne doctrine too bée sufficient too saluation the only doctrine that fed when neuerthelesse there is no vnderstanding of the woorde but if Christ open and as it were vnbolt the doore Secondly for that they deuised also new traditions of their owne brayne which they thought too bée auaylable too saluation according as wée manyfestly sée it to haue bin customably doone by the Papists which haue taught that this work this Masse this Rosarie this praying vnto Saincts and this order deserued saluation They are théeues moreouer first bicause by their craftinesse they take away the true doctrine 2. Cor. 11. lyke as the serpent deceyued Eue by his wilinesse Secondly for that whē they haue stolne away the true doctrine they foyst in a wycked doctrine wherethrough they strengthen the handes of the vngodly and discourage the hart of the rightuous Ezech. 13. But what méeneth it that it foloweth in the text As many as came before mee are theeues and murtherers Came not Moyses Elias Esay Heliseus Ieremie Daniel many others before Chryst If they came before him they wer théeues robbers according as y e lord in this place auoucheth openly They are said too come before Christ y t come without Christ y t come without his doctrine and spirit But the holy prophets of God came with Chrysts spirit and doctrine therfore they came not before Chryst neyther were they théeues murtherers but true shepherds of Chrysts shéepfold Héervpō Austin saith wel They come w t him y t come with gods word I saith he am the way y e truth the life If he bée the truth they come with him y t be true As many then as come w tout him ar théeues murtherers y t is too say they come of their owne heads to y e intent to steale kil They ar théeues bicause they say that that is theirs which is an other mans and they are murtherers bicause they also kill that whiche they haue stolne Soo then how great daunger there is in false teachers They clayme Chrysts flocke to them selues like théeues and they kill them like murtherers Upon good cause therfore dooth Chryst in the Gospel warne all men too beware of false prophets that is of false teachers that bring not with them Gods truth ¶ Of the second BVt hee that entreth at the doore is the shepeherde of the sheepe Héere he entreateth of the good shepherd and defineth him too bée the good shepeherd that entreth in at y e doore There are foure sorts of good shepeherds For first God himselfe is called the shepeherd of his shéepe according too that which is written Hierem. 22. Behold I wil gather the remnant of my flock out of al lands intoo which I had cast them out and will bring them ageine intoo their owne grounds and they shall encrease and bée multiplied Also Psalme 23. The Lorde is my shepeherde I shall want nothing he shall put me in a place of pasture Secondly Chryst God man is also a true shepherd as he himselfe witnesseth in this gospell and as wée haue herd euen nowe I am the good shepeherd whiche thing hée proued by that that hée redéemed his shéepe with his owne life The thirde kinde of shepeherdes are the godly teachers of whom the Lorde speaketh in Hieremie I will rayse vp shepeheardes among them and they shall féede And Chryst maketh Peter a shepeherd when hée sayeth Féede my shéepe The fourth kinde of Shepherds is the ciuill magistrate Wherevpon king Dauid is called the shepeherd of the people and in olde time kings were called shepherds of people Howbeit the Lord in
the woman séeking hir lost mony set foorth Now let vs look vppon the parable of the shéepe by péecemeale y t wée may finde the more swéetnesse in it when wée beholde the carefulnesse of Chryste our shepherd for vs. The man that had a hundred shéepe is Chryste Iesus the true shepherd who gaue his life for his shéep Iohn 10. By the stray shéep are ment all those y t perceiue theÌ„ selues too wander in the wildernesse that is too say which acknowledge themselues too be sinners and desire too be receiued as the Publicans did héere They acknowledged themselues too bée sinners and they herde reporte of the true shepeherd and therefore they had a minde too bée receyued of him when they herd him say Come vnto me all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you â–ª And so the text openeth too vs the parable of the stray shéepe in the publicans who héering Chrystes voyce come too him and acknowledge their error By the ninetie and nine shéepe vnderstand all men in the worlde who although they sticke still in their sinnes and in damnation yet they perceiue it not but rather thinke them selues righteous and blissed and therfore they refuse too héer Chryst. For they imagin them selues too be more rightuous than y â— they haue â—éed of the rightuousnesse of Chryst. They thinke them selues more sounde and healthful than too haue néed of Chryst the Phisitians helpe That these are signified by the ninetie and nine shéepe the texte it selfe dooth openly proue For the ninetie and nine shéepe are compared too the Scribes and Pharisies that is too the Hipocrites that bragged them selues too be rightuous We haue who is the shepherde who is the stray shéepe and who be the fourescore and ninetéene that straye not Now let vs sée first what tâ—me the shéepe began too stray 2. How the shepherde came too séeke the stray shéep â–ª 3. How he caryeth it when he hath found it intoo the folde and healeth it and féedeth it 4. What hapned when the shéep was found When began the shéepe too straye First when it was driuen intoo the wildernesse by the woolfe That is too wit wheÌ„ Sathan led our first parents away from God And secondly as often as men hauing bin called from their moste wicked wayes are by Sathans sleight led away ageine froÌ„ Chrysts shéepfolde So also at this day as often as we step aside from the right way of saluation eyther in doctrine or in maners we are likened too the stray shéepe How came Chryst our shepherde too séek the stray shéepe â–ª First â—ée come in spirite and that was in the holy Prophets and Patriarks as often as he stirred them vp too shew men the way of saluatioÌ„ In this wise came he wheÌ„ Moyses was sent when Helias was sent when Helizeus Esay manye others were sent Secondly hée came in the fleshe when hée took mannes nature vpon him and suffered for vs. How séeketh he â–ª and when he hath found how bringeth he it home too his shéepefolde Hée séeketh the stray shéep by the preaching of the Gospel when he coÌ„maundeth the gospel too be preached And hé caryeth it home intoo the shéepfold when he gathereth the faithful intoo the Church For he went intoo the wildernesse and finding the shéep layd it vpon his shoulders that is too say by the merite of his passion hée broughte intoo his Churche those that beléeued in him How dooth hée heale féed the shéep that he hath broughte home into his fold He healeth all his bruses with his bloud while he acquitteth those that beléeue in him from all giltinesse and endueth them with his owne rightuousnesse Hée féedeth them when he bestoweth the fodder of the Gospel vp on them cherisheth theÌ„ with his spirit These good turnes of the shepherde toward his stray shéep are excéeding great But what happeneth when the shéep is found He calleth toogither his fréends and neighbours saying Reioyce with mée bycause I haue found my shéepe that was lost What this is he himself expoundeth when he saith I say vnto you there shall bée ioy in Heauen for one sinner that repenteth more than for foure score and ninetéene rightuous men that néede no repentance Lo what commeth too passe when a sinner repeÌ„teth Euen the Angels reioice with Christ the shepherd And the Angels in heauen reioice for thrée considerations First for that meÌ„ as wel as they are created too set forth Gods glory which thing caÌ„not bée done of them that repent not For they as much as in them lyeth doo hinder the prayse of God by all means Secondly for that they sée the kingdom of Chryste increased by the comming in of newe Citizens Thirdly for that nothing liketh them better than too sée the kingdome of sathan abolished whiche thing coÌ„meth too passe when men repent But which are those ninetie nine rightuous men that néed no repentance Is there any man with out sinne then Surely there is no man without sinne For all haue gone astray and are become vnprofitable But ther bée thrée sortes of sinners For there bée sinners that thinke themselues rightuous and therfore are said too haue no néed of repentance whiche thing doutlesse is too bée vnderstood of their owne iudgement concerning them selues For in very déede there is no man but hath néede of repentaunce Ageine there are sinners that know themselues too haue sinnes and yet neuerthelesse go on still in their sinnes not passing for the law of God which accuseth them Also there are sinners that acknowledge their sinne that is whiche hate sinne and therfore do repent and flée vnto Christ. The first and second sorte are signifyed by the ninetie and nine shéepe And the third sorte is signifyed by the one stray shéepe The Scribes and Pharisies represent a likenesse of the foure score ninetéene that repent not and the Publicanes represent the one straye shéepe What are wée taught héere That the greatest number is of them that perishe and the leaste is of them that are saued that is too wit skarse one of euery hundred Héerevpon is that complaint of Chryste many are called but few chosen that is too say good that obey Chryst calling them by his Gospell Wée see this in examples Before the floud the greatest part of the world folowed the leudnesse of Caine in so much as there were but only eyght men found righteous whiche were saued by the Arke Ageine many yéeres after Melchisedech and Abraham wel néer alone were godly Besides that only Loth with his daughters escaped out of those great Cities Sodome and Gomorre all the reste perishing in the fire for their sinnes Neyther standeth the case anye otherwise at this day The Gospell is despised of moste men and receyued of very few Therfore let vs take warning by this peril too repent that wée perishe not with the greatest parte of this thankelesse worlde The Lorde is gentle too receyue vs The Angelles long for oure
deale in suche wise as sin may bée wiped out and we made holy vntoo GOD. Thirdly they sinne in thefte bycause they robbe GOD of hys honor Fourthly In murther bicause they kil first themselues through false persuasion and then their neighbor by euill example Fifthly they vnhalow the temple of the holy Ghost Who are saued They that doo the will of the heauenly Father But héere manye stumble and ouershoote themselues First those that say the heathen are saued which liue honestly in this worlde whose opinion this saying confuteth Hée that beléeueth not the wrathe of GOD abideth vppon hym Secondly those that mainteine their own rule too be the wil of God Ageinst whom Chryst sayth They woorship mée in vaine teaching the commaundemēts of men Thirdly those that say the lawe is Gods wil which thing is true in déede But if saluation depended vpon the dooing of this wil then should no man be saued What is the wil then the fulfillers whereof are saued Chryste answereth in Iohn the .vj. This is the wil of the Father that they should beléeue in him whō hée hath sent For thus sayeth the Lorde Hée that beléeueth on the sonne hath life euerlasting This fayth caryeth with it godlynesse and charitie his naturall frutes which the godly bring foorth throughe Iesus Chryste too whome bée glorie world without end Amen Vpon the .ix. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xvj IEsus sayde too his Disciples There vvas a certein riche man vvhyche hadde a Stevvarde and the same vvas accused vntoo him that hee had vvasted hys goods And hee called hym and sayde vntoo him hovve is it that I heate this of thee Gyue accoumpts of thy stevvardshippe for thou mayest bee no longer Stevvarde The Stevvarde sayde vvithin himselfe VVhat shall I doo For my mayster taketh avvay from mee the stevvardship I cannot digge and too begge I am ashamed I vvote vvhat too do that vvhē I am put out of the stevvardship they may receiue mee intoo their houses So vvhen hee hadde called all his maysters debters toogither hee sayde vntoo the firste hovv muche ovvest thou vntoo my mayster And hee sayd an hundred runnes of Oyle And hee sayde vntoo him take thy bill and sitte dovvne quickly and vvryte fiftie Then sayde hee too another hovv muche ovvest thou And hee sayde one hundred quarters of VVheat Hee sayde vntoo him take thy bil and vvrite foure skore And the Lorde commended the vniust Stevvarde bicause hee had doone vvisely For the children of this vvorlde are in their nation vviser than the children of lyght And I saye vntoo you Make you freends of the vnrightuous Mammon that vvhē yee shall haue neede they may receiue you intoo euerlasting habitations The exposition of the Text. CHrist in this Gospel exhorteth his Disciples too doo good too their neighbours and hée dooth it by example of a parable the effect of which is this The stewarde of a certeine very riche man is carefull what shall béecome of hymselfe when hée is put from his office Muche more therefore must Chrysten folke whiche are Gods stewards in sundry giftes bée carefull what shall befall them when they haue made their account that is too witte when they shall bée departed oute of this life But as the stewarde purchaseth hym selfe fréendes with the Mammon of vnrightuousnesse that may receiue him when he is remoued from his office So let Chrysten folke with their goods and with their giftes make the poore beholding too them that they by their recorde maye receiue them intoo euerlasting habitations This is the sūme of this present Gospel Howbéeit too the intent it may turne to our more plentifull instruction I will intreate of foure poyntes Which are these 1 A reproofe of the abuse of Gods giftes 2 Causes of dooing good too the poore 3 A complaynt that the children of this woorld are wiser than the children of light 4 The vse of riches and the desert of good déedes ¶ Of the third WHen as this text setteth before vs a steward that had wasted his maisters goodes in generall the abuse of Gods giftes is blamed For who is he that for the most part abuseth not the giftes that God hath bestowed vppon him After what sort this is I will declare by a fewe examples Wisdome is giuen too some man too help the vnskilful with his counsell and too rule the rude with his discretion but now it is made an instrument of craftinesse to beguile men Riches are giuen too cherish the members of the church with all but now they are spent about vnprofitable shewes and charges The toong is giuen too man that he should vse it in teaching things godly and honest and too beare witnesse too the truthe but what is doone nowe a dayes It serues too slaunder rayle forsweare backbyte blaspheme Strength and power are giuen for the defence of Iustice and of good matters But now they are a maintenāce of y e tyrants who vse them too ouerthrow the truth and too subuert common weales After the same maner other gifts of God are greatly abused which abuses surely issue from these springs folowing and not from else where First the sinne that dwelleth in vs bringeth foorth suche buddes and the lesse it is at commaundement of the spirit so much y e mo euils dooth it bring foorth For it is a moste déepe sink of al euils which can not bée wholly purged in this life Agein our aduersarie the deuill thirsting our damnation lyeth in wayt for men and practiseth a thousande fetches too destroy vs too the intent that either vtterly abolishing Christes kingdome or pestering it vp intoo a streight roome hée may stablish his owne kingdome Besides that the worlde yéeldeth moste lewde examples wherby wée are allured too do the lyke For as one sayeth euill custome is the foode of naughtynesse And Paule sayth A little leuen sowreth a whole lumpe of dough Moreouer this euill is increased by the negligence of gouerners which compel not mē by streighter awe to do their duetie aright Howbéeit wée that glorie too bée called Christians ought too bée kept in our dueties by the remēbrance of these things ensuing First the commaundement of God sticking continually in our mindes ought too put vs in remembraunce of our dutie Secondly honestie it selfe and the renoume of vertue ought too spurre vs forward that wée abuse not shamefully the gifts of GOD. Thirdly the woorthinesse of the thing oughte too bée a spurre vntoo vs. For what is more séemely for the children of God than too make them selues conformable too y e example of their most louing father and fourthly our owne calling For wée bée called too holynesse that wée also might bée holy and that the vse of those things that God hath graunted vntoo vs might bée holy These things must wée thinke vpon earnestly ¶ Of the second FOr as much as all this whole gospell is set foorth too stirre vs vp too do good too our neighboure I will speake these
onely Carnally only Chryste was séene of the greatest parte of the Iewish nation which neuerthelesse was damned Therfore the séeing of Chryst in the flesh onely dooth not of it selfe profit too saluation but rather furthereth too greater damnation Herode saw Chryste so did Pilate likewise so did Iudas Cayphas and many other vngodly persons whose damnation teacheth vs that too sée Chryst outwardly in the flesh auayleth not too saluation if there go not true faith in Christ with it Chryst was séen in the flesh and in the spirit at once toogither of the wise men of Marie of Simeon Zacharie Zacheus the Apostles and many others whose séeing turned too their soule helth bicause they not only beheld Chryste with their outwarde eyes but also with the eyes of their harte Whiche thing is manifestly séen in that woman whiche for washing Chrystes féete with hir teares wiping them with the hear of hir head heard Chryst say vntoo hir that hir sinnes were forgiuen hir for the faiths sake whiche shée had in him Of this séeing chéefly speaketh our Lord in this place when he sayth Many Prophets and Kinges haue longed too see that you see and haue not seene In spirite onely doo all they sée Chryste whiche beléeue in him for so dooth Chryst him self interprete it when he saith As Moyses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse So must the sonne of man bée exalted that all whiche beléeue in him may not perishe but haue life euerâ—asting After this sort did Abel sée Chryste in his sacrifice so did Abraham of whome Chryst beareth recorde saying Abraham sawe my day and was glad So sée we Chryst at this day as many of vs as beléeue in him Now that they whiche sée Chryst in this wise are blissed this saying of our Lord vntoo Thomas testifieth Blissed are they that beléeue and sée not For we sée him in the Gospel where he appéereth face too face vntoo vs that we should be transformed intoo the likenesse of him Hithertoo concerning the first maner of séeing Chryst and the partes of the same after which maner hée is séene in this world Now foloweth the other maner of séeing which is in the glory too come where we shall sée him moste perfectlie bée delighted with euerlasting gladnesse enioying the moste pleasant and comfortable beholding of him But wherfore dooth hée auouch those too bée happy that sée Chryst First for that Chryste is the woorde of life without which there is no saluation too bée looked for For this woord of life deliuereth the beléeuers from eternall death For like as he that séeth not Chryste and specially with the eyes of faith abideth in prison and vnder the power of the Diuell euen so he that séeth Chryst ouercommeth the world and all euils according too this of Iohn This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen your faith But doo we not sée many godly men too be in yl case in this life and too be put too moste gréeuous punishement I answere Yet are they blissed for the sequele of the matter For there shall be a moste ioyfull deliueraunce from all euils wherewith the godly are oppressed in this life And therefore Christe saythe in Mathew Blissed are those that mourne for they shal receiue comfort ¶ Of the second A Certeine Lavvyer stood vp tempting him and saying Master vvhat shall I doo too haue euerlasting life Iesus ansvvered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD. And as it is written in Mathew if thou wilte enter intoo life kéepe the commaundements Too the intent we may vnderstande this answere of Chryste aright it is too bée noted that there are two kindes of men with whom Chryst hath too doo For some are Hipocrites and some repent in good earnest The Hipocrites béeing proude and swelling throughe opinion of their owne rightuousnesse think them selues too haue no néed of Chryst and therfore they persecute him one while by tempting him another while by slaundering his doctrine and sometime by open violence When suche as these bée doo séeke the way of saluation he poynteth them too the lawe and saythe If thou wilt enter intoo life kéepe the commaundementes But those that fall vntoo repentaunce and séeke the way of saluation at Chrystes hand are not sent by Chryste vntoo the law and too Moyses but he taketh them too him self and biddeth them beléeue on him Which thing wheÌ„ they do he grauÌ„teth ouer his owne rightuousnesse vntoo them that they should not be subiect too the curse of the law Wée wil make this more apparant by examples The Pharisie of whom wée heard a late séemed rightuous vntoo him self but he was pronounced vnrightuous by Chryste bicause he had not the rightuousnesse of the law whiche he made his bragges of Contrariwise the Publicane that broughte his sinnes intoo the Temple with him whiche hée there bewayled fléeing too the mercy of God went his way home iustified And in as much as he was iustified and made rightuous he was also made an heir of eternal life In Mathew the lawyer asketh Christe the question saying what shall I doo too get eternall life and Chryste answereth If thou wilt enter intoo life kéepe the commaundements Contrariwise the wretched théefe being a sinner repenteth vpon the Crosse and calleth vpon Chryste by faith too whom Chryst sayth This day shalt thou bée with mée in Paradise that is too wit in euerlasting lyfe In this Gospel coÌ„meth also a Doctor of the law too tempt the Lord sayth what shall I doo too possesse eternal life Too whom our Lord answereth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God thy neighbor as thy self which is all one as if hée sayd if thou wilt enter intoo life kéep the commaundements But too the sinfull womaÌ„ Luk. 7. he saith Thy faith hath made thée whole And so Chryst dealeth with twoo kindes of men according too the diuersitie of whom hée sheweth the right way vntoo heauen Why sheweth he the way by y e law sith no man was euer able too come too heauen by y e way Bicause it is the straightest way too heauen according too this The man that doth these things shall liue by them This way therfore doth Chryst shew too them that hold scorn of him For whosoeuer despiseth Chryst eyther hée shall die for euer or else fulfill the lawe which is impossible for him too doo Agein there is another way to heauen which is open too those only that beléeue in Chryst who is the way intoo heauen ¶ Of the thirde THou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy vvhole hart vvith all thy vvhole soule vvith all thy vvhole povver and vvith all thy vvhole thoughte and thy neighboure as thy selfe This is a summe of Gods lawe and an abridgement of the ten commaundements In both of these commaundementes there are foure things too bée considered First the affection that is required too bée in man towardes God and his neighbour 2. The obiect namely God and
not only ageinst the sorow that wée conceiue for the deade but also ageinst all afflictions as well of minde as bodie But some man obiecteth I haue forgon the comfort of my life TheÌ„ thou bewaylest not him that is dead but thou bewaylest thine owne self and thy losse that thou hast by forgoing him It is a naturall thing too wéepe Thou sayest truthe but let grace ouercome nature Thâ—s muche is added bréeflye in the seconde circumstance concerning comfort at the death of our déere fréends The third Our Lord toucheth the coffin wherin the deadâ— men lay By which touching he declareth that his body was the instrument too get vs life and saluation The fourth He speaketh too the yoong man and sayeth I say to thee yong man arise So also raysed he the yong maâ—d as is in Marke So raysed he Lazarus that had bin buried foure dayes as is in Iohn Héere wée are taught bothe that Chryst is stronger than death and that his word is the word of life and saluation The fifth The dead man ryseth at Chrysts call and this is the miracle he riseth y t was dead he began streight wayes too speake and our Lord deliuered him too his moother The sixth Feare fel vpon them al â–ª and they glorified God saying A great prophet is risen vp among vs and God hath visited his people and this saying vvas spred abrode of him through all Ievvrie Héere is described a double frute of this miracle The one befalleth too the present héerers and the other extendeth vntoo others too whom the report of this miracle came The present beholders conceyued faith héereby and so feared God glorifying him with true woorship and acknowledged the Messias too bée come whom also they confessed Besides that the report héereof came vntoo others that were in Iewrie and the countrey bordering thervpon who in likewyse conceyued Fayth in the Messias And in these dayes the report héereof commeth vntoo vs wherby we may acknowledge Christ too bée the very Messias and too bée stroÌ„ger than death â–ª and may conceiue faith in him magnifying God with hart voyce confession and manners and so it will come too passe that one day wée shall haue by him a ioyfull resurrection too euerlasting life ¶ Of the second SAinct Ambrose sayeth that the image of the Churche is set foorthe héere and bicause it representeth our estates it is woorth the opening The widow saith he signifieth y e church the dead yong man euery sinner y t liueth without repentaÌ„ce and the 〈…〉 the body of sinne The widow bewaileth hir dead 〈◊〉 â–ª That is to say the church lâ—â—â—nenteth for the vnrepentantnesse of the wicked entreateth Chryst too moue them and draw them too him with his woord his spirit Chryst therefore biddeth them that caried the corse too stand still Foâ— the sinner is borne to hell byfoure porters which are theâ—e First 〈◊〉 of longer life Secondly looking vppon other mennes faultes Thirdly presumption vppon Gods mercy And fourthly â—â—atterie of lend company Now if thâ—u wilt ryse from the death of sinne thou must néedes héere Chryst who biddeth the porters stay First therefore then must exclude hope of long lyfe bicause life is â—ncerteyn according as the experience of many teacheth and perill is at hand as it is too bée séene in the riche glutton Ageine thou muste not set another mannes euill lâ—â—e before thée as a paterne too follow â–ª but thou must submit thy selfe too God as Abraham did thou must trust in him and thou must â—mend thy coÌ„ditions knowing thâ—t the 〈…〉 in iudgement â–ª It 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 that thou gauest mee hath giuen mée of the Apple Thirdly lâ—y away presumption of Gods mercy for this presumption is a great contempt of God Rom. 2. Fourthly put away flatterers that entice thee too euill And when thou hast done so leane vppon Chryst with liuely faith the will quicken thée too eternall lyfe the which Chryst graunt vnto vs 〈◊〉 whom bée 〈◊〉 for euermore Amen Vpon the .xvij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xiiij IT chaunced that Iesus vvent intoo the house of one of the cheefe Pharisies to eate bread on the Saboth day and they vvatched him And behold there vvas a certeine man before him vvhich had the dropsie And Iesus ansvvered and spake vntoo the Lavvyers and Pharisies saying Is it lavvfull too heale on the Sabboth day And they hild their peace And he tooke him and healed him and let him go and ansvvered them saying vvhich of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen intoo a pitte and vvyll not straight vvay pull him out on the Sabboth day And they coulde not ansvvere him ageine too these things He put foorth also a similitude too the guestes vvhen he marked hovve they preaced too bee in the highest roumes and sayde vntoo them VVhen thou art bidden too a vvedding of any man sit not dovvne in the hyest roume lest a more honourable man than thou bee bidden of him and he that bad him and thee come and saye too thee giue this man roume and thou beginne vvith shame too take the lovvest roume But rather vvhen thou art bidden goe and sit in the lovvest roume that vvhen he that bad thee commeth he may say vntoo thee frende sit vp hyer Then shalt thou haue vvoorship in the presence of them that fit at meate vvith thee For vvhosoeuer exalteth him selfe shall bee brought lovve and he that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this Gospell was this Chryst beyng bidden too dinner of a certeyne Pharisie was watched by those that sate at meate with him that either in his woordes or in his déedes they might haue found somwhat too charge him withall For the world is so wicked that like as men cloke vices vnder the visors of vertue So they are not ashamed too rayse slaunder vppon honest déedes and true vertue So great is the malice of men Notwithstanding Chryst is not feared away with their leudnesse but kéepeth his old woont and executeth his office euen in the thickest of his enimies leauing vs an example that wée should not cease too procéede in well dooing though wée should sée all the whole world hent ageinst vs. Chryst therefore healeth this wretche declaring therein the might of his Godhead his most forward will too helpe them that bée in miserie and his Office for which he came intoo the worlde Moreouer he sheweth the right maner of halowing the Saboth day and by his déede dooth as it were define the true kéeping of the Saboth By which thing like as he reproueth the pryde of the Pharisies and their ignorance in the scriptures So he exhorteth them vntoo true humilitie And thus much concerning the summe of this present Gospell The places are thrée 1 Of the Saboth and the true woorks therof 2 Of the miracle by which the true vse of the Saboth is confirmed 3 Of true Humilitie ¶ Of the firste WHen the
Hierusalem testifie Thirdly he punisheth spiritually in this life with darknesse and ignorance and after death with euerlasting paynes Greece Turkie and Italie and the greatest most flourishing parte of the whole world are examples of this punishment This dooth the riche glutton testifie who repenting too late and in vayne in Hell is tormented there with endlesse paynes The ninthe Dooth the king for mens vnthankfulnesse breake of the mariage which he had determined vpon No But he sayth too the seruants The vvedding is redy but those that vvere bidden are not vvorthy Although this may bée vnderstood of the vnthankfulnesse of the whole world yet doth Chryst in this place entreat chéefly of the vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes whom in these woords he threatneth too shut out from the mariage of the kings sonne Go yee therefore out intoo the high vvayes and as many as yee finde bid them to the mariage Behold the bountifulnesse of this king He willeth all men too bée bidden too his sonnes mariage without respect of nation or persons For he speaketh of the calling of the Gentiles too the gospel And it is too bée marked aduisedly that he sayth whom so euer you find bid them too the mariage But when was this spoken too the Bridegroomes seruaunts Euen then when Chryst said Go yée intoo the whole world and preach the gospell too all creatures He that beléeueth and is baptised shal be saued and he that beléeueth not is condemned already The tenth And the seruaunts vvent foorth intoo the high vvayes and gathered togither all as many as they could finde both good and hadde and the vvedding vvas furnished vvith guests This came too passe after Whitsonday after that the Apostles were armed with the holy Ghost and from thencefoorth vntoo this day by the ministers of the gospell ¶ Of the second ANd the king came too see his guests and vvhen he spyed a man there vvhich had not on a vvedding garment he said vntoo him Freend hovve camest thou hyther hauing not a vvedding garment This place teacheth first that in the visible congregation of the Churche the euill are mingled with the good vntill the last day which thing the Parable of the Darnell declareth also Neither is any such Church to bée hoped for in this lyfe as the Anabaptistes dreame of For the Church is in all poynts like a féeld wherin wheat and Darnell grewe both toogither For like as wheat abideth wheat still although neuer so much Darnel spring vp from time to time So the Church continueth holy though it haue diuers rotten members As many as professe christen religion are members of the Church howbéeit some be quicke and some dead Those bée quicke that haue a liuely fayth and those bée dead which professe the religion without liuely confidence in Chryst. As for those that are out of the visible congregation of the Churche they are enimies of the doctrine and neyther quicke nor dead members of the Churche It foloweth that the King comming in saw a man without his wedding garment What is this wedding garment This is néedful too be known that we may enioy the swéetnesse of Chrystes mariage perpetually At the last day there shall stand in this kings sight twoo kindes of men of whom the one refused too come too this wedding as the Turks and the vngodly Iewes many heathen nations at this daye It is manifest that none of these hath a wedding garment Of whom notwithstāding many doo loue ciuil honestie Wherfore this outwarde ciuilnesse of Aristides Fabritius Fabius Maximus and Cato is not that wedding garment whiche hée requireth And the other sort came too the mariage that is too say they conueyed themselues intoo the outward congregetion of the Churche at the preaching of the Gospell Howbéeit these are not all of one hewe For some trust too their owne woorks and thinke their shamefulnesse too bée couered with the garment of their woorkes Is this the wedding garment No in good sooth For they are thrust out from the mariage but none are thrust out from the mariage that bring a wedding garment with them Others some haue no woorkes but euil woorks howbéeit they bragge of fayth and boast themselues too bée faithfull and they suppose that this their fonde craking is the wedding garment but they are deceyued For of such hipocrits the Lord saith Not euery one that saith vntoo me Lord Lord shal enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen but he that dooth the wil of my father which is in heauē And other some beléeue a right and these mortifie the fleshe and liue in the spirit repent set their mind too liue blamelesse These only haue y e wedding garment Therfore whither yée call liuely faith or holinesse of life the wedding garment yée shall not take your marke amisse For as the calling too this mariage requireth faith so requireth it also true holynesse And that this is the true wedding garmente it appéereth in Abel Abraham Maudelin and many other Sainctes And it is no maruaile that suche a liuely fayth shoulde bée the wedding garmente For whosoeuer beléeueth his sinnes are released Gods wrath is taken from him and hée becommeth the sonne of God For it is written hée gaue them power too become the sonnes of God as many as beleued in his name Hée that beléeueth on him hathe euerlasting life Moreouer Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too the beléeuer wherewith the man béeing apparayled appéereth rightuous in the sight of God But héere thou must beware that thou put not on a visor in stede of the true garment that is too say y t thou boste not of vaine presumption in stede of true liuely faith If thou couet too know the marks of it these they bée Whersoeuer is true fayth there is also repentance with it there is hate of sinne there is true feare and ageine there is comfortablenesse of hart kindled by the holy Ghoste a desire too further Gods glory among men the duties of charitie or too cōprehend all in one woord true holinesse which is none other thing than a sequestring of our selues from the wickednesse of the world by mortifying the fleshe a clinging vntoo God by quickening of the spirit Wheresoeuer this holynesse is it is at continuall strife For the fleshe fighteth ageinst the spirite This holynesse is not made perfect at an instante but groweth all the time of a mannes life which thing the liues of the sainctes may easly teache vs. And thus muche concerning the wedding garment But I pray you what shal be doone too them that haue not this wedding garmente That dooth the Texte tell in these woords Binde him hand fote and cast him intoo vtter darknesse there shall bee vveeping and gnashing of teeth The outer darknesse betokeneth punishment and sorow which are out of the kingdome of God namely in Hel. Intoo this darknesse was the rich glutton cast and so shall all those bée caste that are not found clothed
in the wedding garment ¶ Of the third MAny are called and fevv chosen This saying of Chryste conteyneth twoo things that is too witte a setting foorth of the mercy and goodnesse of GOD who calleth all men too his sonnes mariage Neither is it too bée thought that hée calleth any whoÌ„ hée would not haue too bée at his sonnes wedding and a complaint ageinste the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of tâ—â— world Many sayth hée are called For the Bridegroom commaunded his Apostles too go foorth intoo all the whole world and too call men too this mariage as hée sayd afore Cal too the mariage whosoeuer yée finde But fevv are chosen That is few haue the wedding garmeÌ„t For such are chosen as are sorted out from others and are excellente aboue others Therfore Peter saith that Christians are chosen too sanctification of spirit that is too wit that they should bée holy in spirit Uerely GOD will haue all men saued as Paule teacheth and this parable sheweth yea and Chrystes owne woords witnesse Math. xj Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you Let vs set this saying ageinst all the enimies of Gods grace Therefore if thou looke too Godwarde Gods will is that all men shoulde bée saued and come too the knoweledge of the truthe and hée calleth all men without exception too the mariage of hys Sonne But if thou looke vntoo menwarde fewe are chosen that is too saye fewe when they heare the Gospell doo receiue it by fayth and become holy in spirite Wherefore the cause of damnation is not in GOD but it is too bée sought for in our selues How often sayth Chryste would I haue gathered thy Children toogither and thou wouldest not Beholde thou hast héere twoo things Chryste would and Ierusalem would not Therfore by this saying wée are warned that it is not inough too hear the Gospel but wée must also obey the Gospell For as Peter sayeth it is therefore preached that wée should bée mortified as towarde the fleshe and too liue after the spirite Thus muche concerning this dayes Gospel wherby wée may lerne that God hathe not created vs too damnation but too blisfulnesse and that hée hathe fréely prepared all things that perteine vntoo true blissednesse And ageine that those which are damned are damned through their owne fault as which would not obey the Gospel Wherfore if we haue regarde of our soulehelth let vs put on the wedding garment and let vs minde true holinesse through Iesus Chryste oure Lord Too whom with the Father and the holie Ghoste bée honour for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Iohn iiij THere vvas a certein ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capernaum Assoone as the same hearde that Iesus vvas come out of Ievvrie intoo Galilee hee vvent vntoo him and besought him that hee vvoulde come dovvne and heale his Sonne For hee vvas euen at the point of death Then sayde Iesus vntoo him except yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleeue The ruler sayde vntoo him Sir come dovvne or euer that my Sonne die Iesus sayeth vntoo him Go thy vvay thy Sonne lyueth The man beleeued the vvoorde that Iesus hadde spoken vntoo him And hee vvente his vvaye And as hee vvas goyng dovvne the seruauntes mette him and tolde him saying Thy Sonne liueth Then enquyred hee of them the houre vvhen hee beganne too amende And they sayde vntoo him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the Feuer lefte him So the Father knevve that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vntoo him Thy Sonne liueth and hee beleeued all his housholde This is ageine the second miracle that Iesus did vvhen he vvas come out of Ievvry intoo Galilee The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell teacheth vs whither wée ought too flée for succour in all the troubles of this lyfe that is too wit too the fountayne of all welfare and felicitie Iesus Chryst. Which thing Esay also putteth vs in minde of when he sayâ—h Yée shall drawe water out of the welles of the Sauioure Too this well wée must come not with féete but with minde not with reason but with Fayth Furthermore this Gospell sheweth howe forwarde Chryste is too helpe who sendeth away none that commeth too him without comforte For he is not otherwise affectioned towards any man than towarde this noble man this Courtyer of Herodes court whom hée not only comforted by worde but also helped by miracle The summe of this Gospell therefore is included in this saying of Ioel Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued The places are thrée 2 Of mens miseries and of the cause and remedie of the same 2 Of the rebuke wherewith Chryst rebuketh this seruant of the kings 3 The true nature and inclination of Faith ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine Ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke This sad father and his sicke sonne doo set before our eyes the miseries of this worlde which as they are the punishments of sinne so are they also as it were certein sermons of Gods iudgement whereby wée are allured too repentance like as this Courtier béeing sad for the sicknesse of his sonne féeleth his owne sinne bewayleth it Héervntoo maketh also that saying of Esay Their distresse shall bée a lerning vntoo thée Howbéeit too the intent wée may the better consider Gods goodnesse towards vs I will declare by what meanes God is woont too call vs chéefly too repentance These wayes are chéefly sixe The first He setteth foorth the doctrine of the law wherin he paynteth out our sins as in a table sheweth the blindnesse of our minde be wrayeth our douting of Gods prouidence promises and threats vttereth the vnclennesse of our affections and sheweth the stinche of the stomacke the turning away our will from God and the horrible atteinting of all our powers Agein in the second table of the law he paynteth our vnfaythfulnesse towards men and the vncleanenesse of our thoughtes so that yf there appéere any vprightnesse in our whole life before wée bée conuerted vntoo Chryste the same is no better than a cloth stayned with matter and most vnpure blud which thing Esay complayneth of in these woordes All our rightuous dooing are as a moste filthie cloute The cause why the lawe setteth this our filthinesse before vs is that wée béeing warned of their stinche should repent and departe from our moste wicked wayes The second The excesse of inward miseries which no maÌ„ is able too describe and bewayle sufficiently was neuer yet so great neither was any mannes calamitie yet so extreme but that any of vs might fall intoo the same as Ambrose godlyly admonisheth vs saying Wee eyther are now presently or heeretofore haue bin or may be in the selfe same ease that this same man was in In how great miserie was Adam who not only sawe the one of his sonnes murther his brother but also behilde the moste sorowfull fallings of
bothe eternal and present punishment Héer had hée bin forâ—â—â— for sorowe if hée had not herd the comforte of the Prophete in Gods roume Thou shalt not die the Lorde hath taken away thy sinne At the hearing of this comforte fayth kindled in him wherby taking holde vpon the releasement began too beholde the mercie of God and rested vpon the mediatour Wée haue hearde a late a moste goodlye example in the Publicane whoo in suche wise acknowledged the greatnesse of his det that hée durst not so muche as lift vp his eyes And yet hauing bearde of the greatnesse of Gods mercie hée rayseth himselfe by faith and prayeth O God bée mercifull too mée a sinner And so hée obteyned a frée discharge of y e whole dette Let vs set before vs these exaÌ„ples which playnly shew vs the doctrine of repentance and fogiuenesse of sinnes That forgiuenesse of sinnes is the frée releasement of the dette which happeneth too him that repenteth and fléeth too Gods mercie for Chrysts sake And although this release bée vtterly frée as in respect of our selues yeâ— if wée looke vppon Chryst who for our sinnes suffered dreadfull punishment there is made satisfaction too God for our det Let vs therfore marke wel this woord releasement which of itselfe alone conteyneth in it right manyfolde Doctrine First it ouerthroweth the Moonkish doctrine of satisfaction For if saluation befall men through releasement of the dette according too the Gospell what a madnesse is it too say that saluation happeneth for satisfaction of the det for releasemeÌ„t and payment doo so fight one ageynst an other that they can innâ— wise stand both in one respecte Secondly it ouerthroweth all merites of men For howe 〈◊〉 that bée of merite which is of frée gift Paul sayth openly Unto him that woorketh rewards is giuen not of fauour but of duetie but vntoo him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is imputed too him for rightuousnesse â–ª According wherewitâ— Dauid also sayth Blissed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Thirdly the woord of releasment ouerthroweth satisfaction which the Papists teach â–ª whiche satisfaction muste bée made as they beare men in hand by pilgrimages fastings almes déedes Also it quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For if the det bée released why is the detter punished Lastly this woord releasement openeth vntoo wretched sinners the gate of grace in the conflict of death it is the hauen of saluation and it is the welspring of al comfort And thus much concerning the first place ¶ Of the second BIcause this text coÌ„cerning the parable of the creditor sheweth how gret gods loue mercy are toward mankind â–ª I will speake somewhat therof The mercy of God is of twoo sortes The one is vniuersall wherthrough he suffereth the sunne too rise vppon the good and bad and the other is particuler wherewith as a most déere father he embraceth the Churche of his sonne Of which Christ speaketh in the third of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Our heauenly father could not by any greater recorde haue declared his mercy towards vs than in giuing his sonne who might by his death redéeme â—â— from deserued damnation and giue vs euerlasting life Therefore as ofte as wée héere Gods mercy named let vs thinke thâ—â—â— things First let vs thinke how great the miserie of mankinde is before he bée receyued intoo fauoure Mankinde lieth vnder foote and wounded by the Diuell with whose venime being moreouer poysâ—â—ed he breatheth nothing but sin for which he is subiect too eternall paines 2. The causes of this miserie are too bée thought vppon which are partly the sinnes of our first parents and also our owne filthinesse For although that by the fall of them wée hée bound vntoo the sentence of damnation yet notwithstanding by our owne 〈…〉 from day too day we are bouÌ„d too sorer punishments 3 The louingnesse of God and his gentlenesse toowards mankinde is too bée thought vpon For the louing kindnesse sayth Paule and the gentlenesse of God our Sauiour appéered vntoo all men What greater louing kindnesse could there 〈◊〉 than that he hath not cast vs away for so great shamefulnesse and filth 4. Is too bée thought vppon the raunsome that is too wit the Sacrifice of the sonne whereby mannes misery is reléeued and sinne abolished Him that knewe no sinne he made 〈◊〉 that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 5 Is too bée thought vpon the way by which wée may come too the possession of Gods mercy That way is shewed in the first place and is none other than true repentance 6 Is too bée thought how far foorth Gods mercy stretcheth that it is not belonging too a fewe or too the men of one age but indifferently too all that feare him For the holie virgin béeing taught by the spirit of Chryst whom shée had conceyued by the holy Ghost singeth in this wise Gods mercie is from generation too generation too them that feare him that is too all that repent 7 Is too bée thought vppon continuall thankfulnesse in all the whole life that wée may glorifie GOD for his so greate mercie with hart mouth profession and behauiour 8 Wée must thinke howe wée may bée héedfull in framing our whole life that wée lose not so greate a benefite through our owne fault as this detter did ¶ Of the thirde THe third thing that I purposed vpon is of mutuall forgiuing eche others skapes that are woonte too happen For this goeth iointly with beléefe of forgiuenesse of sins Nowe there are twoo things y t go ioyntlye with beléefe of remission of sinnes Namely Grace Gifte Grace is the very Iustification it selfe whereby Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too them that beléeue and their sinnes cléerely are forgyuen Of this wée haue spoken in the firste place Gifte is the very bestowing of the holy Ghost wherthrough a man that is iustified by faith only is toogither therwithal regenerated and sanctified that is too say is mortified in the fleshe and quickened in the spirit The flesh is mortified when the custome of sinning is abolished and the spirite is quickened when wée begin to performe new obedience vnto God A certeine parcell of this quickening is mutuall forgiuing wherby eche of vs forgiue other their misdéedes and displeasures Howe necessarie this forgiuenesse is this dayes Gospel sheweth most euidently as I sayd at the entrance intoo it Chryst hath commaunded vs too pray forgiue vs our dets as wée forgiue our detters For Christ wil haue vs too folow his fathers exaÌ„ple How bée it there are twoo kindes of men that offende vs. Some as soone as they perceiue themselues too haue offended doo by and by in humble wise desire forgiuenesse But as touching those that procéed too offend
say Graunt mée now that I may die in peace and happily Héereof may wée gather bothe instruction and comfort Instruction that the spirituall beholding of Chryst whiche is by Faith maketh a man too depart ioyfullye oute of this life bicause hée that before his death séeth Chryst in this wise hath a light too guyde â—â—m vntoo lyfe He that foloweth me sayth the Lorde walketh not in darknesse Contrarywise he that séeth not Chryste passeth from the death of this present lyfe vntoo euerlasting darknesse And wée may gather comforte bycause they that sée Chryst at the instant of death haue wherewith too comforte themselues They know they are at the point too bée dismissed in peace They know they shall not goo too darknesse but too euerlasting ioy Bicause the théefe vppon the Crosse not only saw Chryst with his bodily eyes piteously tormented but also saw him conqueror of death with eyes of his faith he herd the Lord say This day shalt thou bée with me in Paradyse So Steuen at his death saw Chryst and with excéeding pleasure and ioyfulnesse of mynde sayde vntoo him Intoo thy hands O Lorde I commit my spirit After this maner thou also when sickenesse brings thée too the pittes brinke looke too Chryst thy Sauiour by Faith and desire of him that he will let thée departe in peace that is too say that he will giue thée leaue too depart out of this lyfe and too enter intoo the rest that is promised too al the faithfull This thought will make vs manfully despise this world and the miseries of this present lyfe and comfort our minde with hope of saluation the whiche he that can not lye hath promised vs. Now ensueth the other part of this song VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all people to bee a light to lighten the Gentyles and to bee the glory of thy people Israel Héere are bréefly shewed two things The one what are Chrysts benefites the other to whoÌ„ these benefits are appoynted The benefits are saluation light and glorie Without Chryst then the world sticketh stil in damnation darkenesse and shame and that is for sin For Christ taketh away damnation and restoreth saluation he driueth away darknesse sheadeth foorth light he remoueth shame and giueth glorie How great things are these I pray you Surely no man is able too value them sufficiently But 〈◊〉 whom are these benefites appoynted Too all people Iewes and Gentiles howbéeit they must bée receyued by faith For they are offered vniuersally too all suche is the vnserchable goodnesse of God Howbéeit with condition he that beléeueth shal bée saued and he that beléeueth not shall bée damned Wherfore if wée couet these good things let vs with Simeon receiue this our Lord and Sauior Iesus intoo the armes of our hart leane vntoo him with stedy faith To this our sauior be honor glory for euer euer So be it Vpon the Annuntiation of our Lady Sainct Mary the Virgin The Gospel Luke j. AND in the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriell vvas sent from God intoo a citie of Galilee named Nazareth too a virgin spoused too a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name vvas Mary And the Angell vvent in vntoo hir and sayde Hayle full of grace the Lorde is vvith thee Blissed art thou among vvomen VVhen she savv him she vvas abashed at his saying and cast in hir minde vvhat manner of Salutation that shoulde bee And the Angell saide vntoo hir feare not Mary for thou hast founde grace vvith God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy vvombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall bee greate and shall bee called the sonne of the hyghest And the Lord God shal giue vntoo him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none ende Then sayde Mary too the Angell hovv shall this bee seeing I knovv not a man And the Angell aunsvvered and saide vntoo hir the holy Ghost shal come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovv thee Therfore also that holy thing vvhiche shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God And beholde thy cousin Elizabeth shee hathe also conceyued a Sonne in hir age and this is the sixth Moneth vvhiche vvas called barrein for vvith God nothing shall bee vnpossible And Mary sayde Beholde the handmayde of the Lord be it vntoo mee according too thy vvoord And the Angel departed from hir The exposition of the text THis feaste conteyneth the story of the conception of Iesu Chryst which is told vntoo the virgin by the Angel of God For long agoe the thrée thousande nine hundred sixtith yéere before his conception God promised the séede of the woman that shoulde tread downe the Serpents head that is too say which shuld destroy the Deuils woorks sin and death God béeing mindful of this promise sends his Angel too the most chast virgin too whome hée bringeth tidings that shée shoulde conceiue by the holy Ghoste without the séede of man and bring foorth a Sonne that should bée the sauiour of the worlde This is the summe of the story whereof there be fiue principall points and these are they 1 A description of the message 2 The Salutation of the Angel 3 The comforting of the troubled Uirgin 4 An exposition of the Message 5 The maner of the conception ¶ Of the firste IN the description of this Message many circumstances are too bée obserued of whiche wée wil consider euery one seuerally by it selfe too the intente wée may drawe out of it some doctrine too confirme our selues The first is time In the sixth moneth sayeth hée that is too wit after the conception of Iohn Baptist who according too the sayings of the Prophets should bée the forerunner of the Lorde that men myghte prepare the waye ageinste the comming of their King And it was the twentith yéere since the Scepter was taken from Iuda For thus was it Prophecied before by the Patriarke Iacob The scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda â–ª vntill Silo come that is till the séede of the woman come whiche was promised too our firste Parentes Therfore this circumstance of time conuinceth that this son of the virgin is the true Messias For hée was borne the selfe same time that y e holy Ghost had spoken of before by the prophets And as concerning y e day this is woorthy too bée remeÌ„bred that the killing of the paschal Lambe the conception of Chryst the passion of him fel all vpoÌ„ one day of the yéer on which day the holy Fathers supposed that AdaÌ„ was created These things set oute vntoo vs the truthe of Gods promises God delayed too sende his Sonne a great while after the promise was made but yet hée continued true in his promises The Sonne hath promised that hée wil come too iudgement but he maketh delay yet wil hée come when he
fortunes But at the length she shal ouercome all things by Iesus Chryst the ouercommer of the world whom when wée take holde on by fayth wée also become ouercommers of the world according too this saying This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen your fayth Why dooth this ouercome the world bycause it hath Chryst. Secondlye this saying of Chrystes warneth vs that wée our selues bée not eyther by woord or déede an occasion of offence vntoo others or suffer our selues too bée led intoo offences and slip backe ageine intoo our former darkenesse and so fall away shamefully from Chryste as it hapneth too many now a dayes where Sophisters and Tirantes tosse and turmoyle all things at their pleasures Thirdly this saying of Chryste confirmeth vs in the fayth of Chryste For when wée sée the sequele answerable too the forwarning wée are assured of the Gospel and strengthened in our fayth that wée shoulde not with the moste parte of the world renounce our profession The seconde thing that Chrystes saying conteyneth is a somwhat dark inkling of y e causes of offeÌ„ce Needs must offeÌ„ces come sayth he But whence is this necessitie Of God No truly For God is not y e author of euil neyther deliteth he in offences but is angry w t the authors of offence as y e punishemeÌ„ts of them shew Whence are they theÌ„ are they of the deuilâ—â—ea verily euen of the Deuil For hée practiseth nothing else than too ouerthrowe Chrystes Churche by offences and stumbling blockes in doctrine in manners and in affliction The Deuil ioynes too him the Sophisters Hipocrites and tirants of the world whom hée stirreth vp too the intente hée may leaue nothing vnattempted which by any meanes may make eyther too the ouerthrow or too the rending of the churche in péeces and that dooth the story of the church shew both before the flud and after the flud in Egipt in the wildernesse in diuers persecutions vnder Iudges Kings and Capteyns in captiuitie and out of captiuitie euen vntoo the comming of Chryst. Agein after Chryst the story of the churche hath infinite testimonies of stumbling blocks wherwith SathaÌ„ like an enimie inuadeth Chrysts church The third thing that Chrysts saying conteyneth is a thretning of punishement whiche the author of offences shall endure VVo be to that man sayth he by vvhom the offence commeth His meaning is that those which are an occasion of offence too others shal be punished with most gréeuous paines And it is not to be douted but he méeneth euerlasting pains Howbeit too the intent wée may take the better héede y t wée become not authors of offence I wil entreat of them bréefly Some kindes of offences are too bée eschued whiche take their differences of their causes There is one kind of offence that ryseth of euill doctrine or of corrupting the doctrine of the Churche Hée that after this maner is an offence vntoo others foloweth the steps of the Deuil his Father who ouerthrew the first man and woman with this kinde of stuÌ„bling block Gen. 3. Another kinde of offence is that whiche springeth of euil maners that is too wit when other folks regarding thée doo counterfeit thine ill conditions Hée that in this wise is an offence too men buildeth vp the kingdome of Sathan ouerthroweth the kingdome of Chryst and therefore greate héede is too bée taken of them Where I pray you is ther one among a number that giueth not occasion of offence in this wise Whither yée look too the Clergie or too the laytie too the Magistrate or too the subiects yée shall sée al things full of offences of manners so as it was not for nought that Chryst sayd Wâ— bée too the world for offences The thirde kinde of offence riseth of the abuse of things which of their owne nature are indifferent which must bée shunned that the weak be not offended The wilful and vngodly are too bée despised and for warrant thereof wée haue Chrystes example As concerning offences wée haue sayde more elsewhere ¶ Of the third TAke heede that yee despise not one of these little ones for I say vntoo you that in heauen their Angels do alvvayes beholde the face of my Father vvhiche is in Heauen Héer Chryst commendeth Children vntoo vs that wée shoulde not by any meanes offend them And he addeth the reason why Bicause the Angels of them beholde the face of God the father that is in heauen that is too say séeing God hath so great regarde of children that hée chargeth his Angels too kéepe them it becoÌ„meth not vs too dishonor them Héer wée may note that children haue Angels too their kéepers which defend theÌ„ ageinst Sathan Ageine wée may bée stirred vp too thankfulnesse towards God for so great a benefite Moreouer let vs endeuer too kéepe it stil by godly behauiour And lastly let vs beware that wée doo not by any vngodlynesse or shamefull dealing estraunge from vs those whiche in heauen reioyce in the holynesse and pure life of the godly ¶ Of the fourth THe fourth thing that I purposed vppon was concerning Angels of whose nature and office I will speake a little partly that wée may know what maner of kéepers the churche hath and also that wée may vnderstand in how great perils wée are An Angel is a creature of God spirituall vnderstanding mighty made too serue God in his Church From which end of their creation certeine of them are falne and become enimies of the Church But some fel not but continued in their innocencie wherin they doo seruice too God and his Church Of which the Epistle too the Hebrues sayth thus Are not all ministring spirites sent too minister for their sakes which shall bée heires of saluation Of the euil Angelles the Lorde sayeth that Sathan with his companie is a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning And Peter sayth The Deuil goeth about like a Lyon séeking whom hée may deuoure Héerby it is easie too vnderstand that the Churche in this worlde is as a Citie which as it is defended within by good Angels so is it assaulted without by ill Angels Then séeing wée are set in so greate daunger let vs pray God too defende vs with his Angels and vntoo him bée prayse honour and power for euermore Amen Vpon the feast of all Sainctes ¶ The Gospel Math. v. IEsus seeing the people vvent vp into the Mountaine and vvhen he vvas set his Disciples came vntoo him and after that hee had opened his mouth hee taught them saying Blissed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Blissed are they that mourne for they shall receyue comfort Blissed are the meeke for they shal receyue the inheritaunce of the earth Blissed are they vvhiche hunger and thirst after ryghtuousnesse for they shall bee satisfied Blissed are the merciful for they shall obteyne mercy Blissed are the pure in harte for they shall see God Blissed are the peacemakers for they shall bee called the Children