Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe coÌ„meth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepe herde Now it shalbe your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the. iiij daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The. ij chapter of the Actes Thargument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of â—urye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde meÌ„ shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I wyll shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokeÌ„s in the earth beneth bloude and fyre and the vapor of smoke The Sonne shalbe torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shalbe saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of y e holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vn reuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the. xi apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes He only spake y e wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the ly uynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audieÌ„ce of people or be fore a great ruler chauÌ„ge colours be astoÌ„nyed vtterly dismayed Truly thys was that heauenly droÌ„kennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth Calix meus mebrians qÌ„ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned w t hym in coÌ„mission the eleuen Apostles not to ayde hym but to accompany hym he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al he spake vnto them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do Neyther speaketh he for himselfe but beynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloqueÌ„ce but w t the ayde of holy scripture Now y e hole multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs al so attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he be ganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitauÌ„tes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is Ye haue cause perchauÌ„ce to wonder but ye haue no cause to sklauÌ„der Wherfore so many of you as be here gyue atteÌ„tiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me and knowe y e matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but y e thyrd houre froÌ„ the sonne rysynge at whych tyme nomaÌ„ is wont to be dronke But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe Harken to the prophecye and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not Sklaunder not bycause ye se a thynge vnwont but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the ty me shulde come that God whych at sondry tyines be fore had unparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your coÌ„forte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two as hertofore but vpon all nations of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys coÌ„maundement we brynge now vnto you thus vttered the heuenly prophecye It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your soÌ„nes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions and your olde persons shall dreame dreames And truly vpon my seruauÌ„tes my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie And I shal gyue woÌ„ ders in heauen aboue and tokens in earth beneth bloude and fyre the vapoure of smoke The sonne shalbe conuerted into darkenes and the moone into bloude before that great and renowmed daye of the Lorde come And whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shalbe saued Thys my frendes hath y e prophete Iohel so longe ago prophecied vnto vs. And hetherto goeth the lesson of thys presente dayâ— whych conteyneth the fyrst parte of S. Peters sermon
hym in euerlastynge lyfe Yf ye refuse so great grace wherto ye be called what other thynge do ye then heape your damnation more and more and so prouoke God to caste hys displeasure vnto you and to reuenge thys mockage of hys holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Applye your selfe good frēdes to lyue in Christ that Christ may styl lyue in you whose fauour and assistēce yf ye haue thā haue ye euerlastynge lyfe alredy wythin you than can no thynge hurte you What soeuer is hytherto done and cōmytted Christe ye se hath offered you pardon and clerly receyued you to hys fauoure agayne in full suertye wherof ye haue hym nowe uihabytynge and dwellynge wythin you Only shewe you youre selfe thankeful in your lyues cōpounde wyth youre selfe to refuse and auoyde al such thynges in youre conuersations that shuld offende hys eyes of mercy Endeuoure your selfe that waye to ryse vp agayne whych waye ye fell into the well pyt of synne Yf by your tonge ye haue offended now therby ryse agayne and glorifye God therwyth Accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue therwyth dishonoured it and as ye haue hurte the name of your neghboure or otherwyse hyndered him now entende to restore hym agayne for wythout restituci on God accepteth not your shryft nor yet your repētaunce It is not ynough to forsake euell except ye set your corage to do good By what occasiō so euer ye haue offended tourne now the occasion to the honourynge of God profytynge of your neyghbour Truth it is that synne is stronge and affections vnruly harde to subdue resyst our nature so corrupte leuened w t the soure bitternes of the poyson which we receyued by the inheritan̄ce of our olde father Adam but yet take good corage sayeth our Sauiour Christ for I haue ouercommed the world al other enemyes for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace sayeth saynt Paule Though your power be weake yet Christ is rysen a gayne to strength you in your batel hys holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of hys confidence take you in hande to purge thys olde leuen of synne that corrupteth soureth the swetnes of your lyfe before God that ye maye be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all soure leuen of wyckednes so shall ye shew your self to be swete bred to god to haue his delyte in you I say kyl offer you vp the worldly erthly affectiōs of your bodyes for Christ our Ester lambe is offred vp for vs to flee the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in y t thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wher by we be deliuered from y e captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from y e bondage therof to tyse w t Christ. The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of vij dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner y t is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs y t leuen of corrupt doctrine y t wyl iufect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast y t hole terme of our lyfe w t eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare y t Christes gyftes graces haue theyr ef fect in vs. that we haue y t right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to y t vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shalbe suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the. v. Chapter Thargument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in erth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OUre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust noman amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by y t waye that
ye receyue with mekenes the worde that is grafte implanted in you of god the father of heueÌ„ Receyue it he sayth with mekenes that is to say with al modestie and reuerence not after a ryottouse and sediciouse sorte as thoughe ye wolde fyght for it nor agayne with an euel and struglyng mynde as many 〈…〉 do but gladly thankfully and gently For it is the thinge whych is hable to saue youre soules whych thing also saynt Panle proueth wrytinge to the Romaynes where he teacheth that we be iustified by fayth by the ministery of gods worde Nowe therfore good people let vs accordinge to the meanyng of this epistle whych I haue brefly declared vnto youe imbrase this worde of trouthe that saynt Iames doth here speake of and so imbrace it that we may be couÌ„ted doers and not hearers only Thus doynge we shall declare our selues to be the chosen people of God and we shall inioy at last the kyngdom prepared for vs of almyghty God Who be lauded .c. The Gospell on the. iiij sondaye after Ester the. xvj chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christe promyseth to sende the holy gooste and of hys offyce Iesus sayd to hys disciples Nowe I go my waye to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whyther I go And because I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes are ful of sorowe Neuer thel esse I tel you the trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my fa ther and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged â—â—â—â—â— I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what soÌ„ euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purpose is sente of Christe that he myghte â—â—uâ—late and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be letters and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some car nall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and pro fitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde y t is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you â—o good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome
Philip spake And assone as they gaue credence to Philips preachynge of the kyngdome of God and of the name of Iesu Christe they were baptised both meÌ„ and wemen Here ye se good people how the Samaritanes whych were Hethen persons yea and such persons as the Iues whyche were the peculiar and proper people of god toke for very contempte and vyle persons receyued the gospell of Christ forthwyth at the preachynge of saynt Philip and were by and by baptised Thus farforth are the Samaritanes brought â–ª Now the lection red in the church thys day goeth further and sayth that when the Apostles whyche were gathered togyther at Ierusalem herde say that the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God they sent vnto theÌ„ Peter and Iohn whiche when they were come downe from the hyghe cytie of Ierusalem thyther vnto theÌ„ they prayed for them to thintent they myght receiue the holy ghoste For as yet the holy ghoste was not come on none of theÌ„ onlye they were baptized in the name of Christ Iesu. ThaÌ„ layde these two Apostles theyr handes vpon y e Samaritans and anone they receyued the holy ghost This is the history redde in the church as thys daye But now my frendes what frute and profyte shal we beare away of this lesson What is here to be gathered Nothyng Yes truly for there is nothynge wrytten sayeth S. Paule but it is wryten for our learnynge that by pacience and confort of scriptures we shuld haue hope Fyrst ther fore ye shallâ— note howe glad the Apostles were to heare that these Samaritans were turned to the Gospell of Christe and they were not only glad but also carefull for them lest they myght happen to go backe agayne to theyr olde baguage and blyndnes And therfore in all hast they sent these two Apostles Peter and Iohn to confirme and strengthen theyr faith Here we be taught what y e office of true good Apostles yea of all good Christen men is For we ought in lykewyse to be carefull for oure brethren y t they maye be broughte to the perfeyte knowlege of gods worde And namely suche as call them selfes Apostolicall persons and Apostles fellowes successours as the byshoppes of Rome do oughte in this behalfe to folow thereÌ„ple of thapostles charite But they do cleane contrary they rather plucke me from the Gospell then allure them vnto it Seconde ye shall note that before the resurrection of Christe when as yet the Iues and Gentyles were not ioyned togyther by all one fayth the Apostels were forbydden to entre into the cyties of the Samaritanes But after the resurrection wheÌ„ they were bydden for the spredynge abrode of the gospell to go into all partes of the worlde then that former commaundemente whiche was but temporall and whyche dyd serue but for a tyme was taken awaye and cessed Thyrdly in this historye ye shall marke that the Samaritanes receyued forthwyth the holy ghoste assone as they beleued and were baptized For assuredly true and perfecte baptisme can not be without the holy ghost Furthermore it is not possible that fayth can be in that person where the holy spirite of God dothe not inhabite as many places aswell of scripture as of auncient fathers do wytnesse Yea S. Austin affirmeth playnly in his boke de presenâ—ia deâ— that the holy ghost dothe dwell and inhabite in infauntes or childreÌ„ y t be baptized Wherfore how muche more is he resident and abydynge in persons of age and discretion which haue fayth and be baptised So it is no doute but these Samaritâ—nes at the preachyng of S. Philip receiued the holy ghost excepte perchaunce ye woll saye that S. Philippes preachynge had lesse vertue and efficaciein it then the preachynges of thother Apostles had whyche in no wyse is to be graunted But peraduenture ye woll meruayle then howe it is that it followeth in the historye red in the Churche this daye that after the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God the holy Ghost as yet was not come on none of theÌ„ And therfore the Apostles eueÌ„ for that purpose sent Peter and Iohan whiche prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy Ghoste My frendes what shal we say to this Dyd the Samaritanes receyue goddes worde dyd they beleue were they baptised and yet were they voyde of the holy ghost Howe caÌ„ this be Chryste hym selfe sayeth he that beleueth is baptysed shall be saued But onles a man be renued with the holy ghost he can not be saued as the same Chryst also testifyeth in the thryde Chapter of Iohn Wherfore it must nedes folowe that the Samaritaynes had receyued the holy ghost forasmuch as true baptisme can not be without the holy Ghost Howe than sayth S. Luke here that the holy ghost was not yet come on the Samarytanes To this doubte I answere in fewe wordes that this texte in this place that the holy Ghost was not yet come vpon them is to be vnderstande not oâ— the substauÌ„ce of the spirite or holy Ghoste but of those manifest and notable gyftes of the holy Ghost They had the holy Ghost to comforte them and to lede them to al trueth necessary to their saluacion but they had him not yet to do miracles and speake straunge â—onges as in the primatyue Churche they had for the confirmacion of Christes doctrine Neyther is it at this day necessarye the Gospell being nowe stablyshed that men shuld haue suche wonderfull gyftes of the spirite Wherfore good chrysten people I exhorte you and in the name of Christ I requyre you that accordynge to the exemple of these Samaritanes here ye wol laye downe your supersticion aâ—d blyndnes of harte wherin ye haue wandered and wyth glad min des receyue the worde of God accordynge to youre profession and promyse whych ye made at the fount stone and put on Christ renouncynge y e worlde the flesh and the deuell wyth stedfast and earnest fayth And no doubt ye shalbe endowed wyth y e holy goost who in all your trouble and afflictions shall coÌ„forte you and directe you in youre waye to heauenwarde where is our dwellynge place prepared wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all glorye wythout ende Amen The gospell on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The. x. chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christ is the true shepeherde IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Verely verely I say vnto you he that entreth not in by the dore into the shepefolde but clymmeth vp some other way the same is a theâ—e and a murtherer But he that entereth in by the dore is the shepherd of the shepe to hym the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne shepe by name and he leadeth them out And whan he hath sent forth hys owne shepe he goeth before theÌ„ and the shepe folowe hym for they knowe hys voyce A straunger wyll they not folowe but wyll flee from hym for they knowe not the voyce of
Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of y t ho ly goost after such a plentyful sorte the scripture tea cheth vs that it was fulfylled aboute thys tyme of Pentecost as in our sermons before we haue fully at large declared vnto you And as for the rest of the prophecie concernynge the great calamitie and terrible tokens that shall come agaynste domes daye there is no doubte but it shall come to passe as oute sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs. But my frendes let vs be nothynge dismayed nor troubled wyth the remembraunce of thys dradfull tyme whych no doubt yet approcheth nere and shall steale vpon vs or euer we be ware we knowe not how sone Onely let vs do as the prophete teacheth vs here we shal not nede to feare Let vs cal on the name of y t Lorde and we shalbe saued Let vs thaÌ„ in al our aduersitie woo and trouble yea and also in our welth prosperitic and felicitie remember God loue God prayse God call on God with fayth But let it be such faith as shall worke by charitie Let it be a lyuely fayth no deade fayth that maye brynge forth good workes Yf we thus do we shall not nede to feare these terrible tokens but we shalbe sure to be translated from thys myserye vnto immortall ioye wyth God To whome c. The Gospell on the .iiij. daye of Pentecost The. vi chapter of S. Ihon. Thargument ☞ Christ teacheth vs here y t onles we be renewed by the holy goost we can not come vnto him IEsus sayd to hys disciples and to the company of the Iewes No man can come to me excepte the father whych hath sent me drawe hym And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye It is wrytten in the prophetes and they shalbe all taught of god Euery man therfore that hath herde and hath learned of the father coÌ„meth vnto me Not that any man hath sene the father saue he whych is of god the same hath sene the father Verely verely I saye vnto you he that putteth hys trust in me hath euerlastynge lyfe I am that bread of lyfe Your fathers dyd eate Mana in the wyldernes and are dead This is that breade whych coÌ„meth downe froÌ„ heauen that a man maye eate therof and not dye I am that lyuynge breade whych came downe from heauen Yf any maÌ„ eate of thys bread he shal lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my flesh which I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde IN thys Gospell good people our sauiour Christ makynge answer to the murmourynge of y t people agaynst hym bycause he sayd he was the breade of lyfe and declarynge that theyr thoughtes coulde not be hyd from hym expouneth and also fortifyeth the worde y t he spake sayenge vnto them y t they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge y t he spake For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysoeleue Seynge they saw not and hearyng they herde not beynge present they were absent Whosoeuer com meth to Christ shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe But there is no waye to come vnto hym but by fayth Thys fayth is not lyghtly had but coÌ„meth by the in spiracion of the father who lyke as by y t soÌ„ne he draweth mens myndes vnto hym so w t secrete inspiracions of fayth he draweth them to the sonne He bestoweth not so great a gyfte but to suche as be wyllynge gredy Whosoeuer then shall meryte by hys prompte wyl deuoute mynde to be drawen of y e father the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse yeâ— deade to lyfe agayne in y e last daye A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ but without the helpe of the heueÌ„ly father he can not do it Yet neuertheles they are not excused bycause they be not drawen For the father as much as in hym is coueteth to drawe all He y t is not draweÌ„ is in fault himselfe bycause he w t draweth hymselfe froÌ„ hym y t wolde drawe hym Humane thynges be lerned w t humane studye but this heauently lernynge is not perceyued onles y e secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte teachable harte And this is it y t longe sythens was pro phecied of the prophetes to come to passe And they all shalbe taught of God But the desyre of thys worlde do make many vnapt I say it is the gyft of god but the indeuoure must be ours A maÌ„ heareth w t hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne onles he heare w tin fyrst y e secrete voyce of y e father whych breatheth the mynde w t an insensible grace of fayth For god is a spirite is neyther herde nor sene but of spiritual persons Many haue sene herd Christ to theyr damnation And albeit the Iues boasted y t god was both sene herde of Moses of y t prophetes yet no mortall maÌ„ euer sawe or herde god as he is For thys is only grauÌ„ted to the sonne of maÌ„ ours sauiour Christ. Let vs then shake of the care of this lyfe and not so moch seke for the bread whereby our bodyes be fedde as thys breade whych giueth euerlastynge lyfe We counte the olde fathers happye whych dyd eate Manna yet thys Manna preserued them not from death and why Not bycause Manna was euyll sayeth saynte Austine but because of theyr euyll eatyng Christe is the breade whych descendeth from heauen whyche is signified by Manna He that eateth of thys breade shal lyue for euer But ye wol aske who thys is Saynt Austine answereth in thys wyse He that is in y e vnitie of Christes bodye that is to wytte in the felowshipe of the christen meÌ„bres the sacrameÌ„te of whych body all fayth full persones be wonte to receyue when they coÌ„municate at the altare come to gods borde doth truly eate the bodye of Christe and drynke the bloude of Christe Nowe therfore let vs by all indeuours we caÌ„ make ourselues mete and apte to receyue y e holye spirite of god wherby we maye be drawen to Christ. Let vs also take parte of hys passions and folowe the coÌ„uersation whych he had in hys fleshe Whyche thynge as S. Austine others expoune thys place is to eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye AMEN ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and are to be solde in Fletestrete at the sygne of the whyte Harte Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Matâ— IX Xâ—â— Luk. Matâ— xxvi i. cor xv psa lxxi Iu. xxiiij Math. xxviij Ioh. xx i. cor xv lu xxiiij Ioh. xxi i. cor xv Actu i. Iu. xxiiij i. cor xv i. cor xv Iu. xiiij i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij Col. ij i. Pet. i. Ephe. ij Psalm lxxxiiij Eph. iiij
wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectioÌ„ Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes vic torye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any maÌ„ doubt of thys victorye let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be coÌ„quered than must it folowe y t sinne wher fore death was appoynted as the wages must be al so destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the rulet of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiauÌ„t resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testa ment as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered y e lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtu ousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyueted from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy bycause he hath begotteÌ„ vs â—ayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wyth hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartâ— to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê‘spexit The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerla stynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vp warde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes â–ª Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerla stynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was oâ—es broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thyn ges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection y t by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament let thy repentanÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chanÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vn to hymselfe Thus good christen people for as muche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefy tes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys
resurrection rysen wyth hym by our fayth to lyfe euerlastynge beynge in full suretie of oure hope that we shall haue oure bodyes lykewyse reysed agayn from death to haue them glorifyed in immortalitie and ioyned to hys gloryouse body hauynge in the meane whyle hys holye spirite wythin out hartes as a feaâ—e and pledge of our euerlasting inheritaunce by whose assistence we be replenyshed wyth all ryghteousnes by whose power we shall be able to subdue al our euel affections y t ryse againste the pleasure of God These thynges I saye well coÌ„sydered let vs nowe in the reste of oure lyfe declare our fayth y t we haue to thys moost furtefull article by conformyng vs therunto in rysynge dayly from synne to ryghtousnes and holynes of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayeth S. Peter to be escaped and delyuered from y e fylthynes of the worlde thorough the knolege of the Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christe yf we be enâ—augled agayne therwyth be ouercome agayne it had bene better sayeth he neuer to haue knowen the waye of ryghteousnes than after it is knowen and receyued to torne backewarde agayne from the holy coÌ„maundemente of God gyuen vnto vs. For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs wher it is sayd y e dogge is retorned to hys vomyte agayn and the sowe that was washed to her wallowynge in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beynge thus so clerely and frelye washed from oure synne to retorne to the fylthynes therof agayne What a foly were it thus endowed wyth ryghtousnes to loâ—e it agayne What madnes were it to lose the enherytaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transytory pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndnes shulde it be where our Sauiour Christ of hys mercy is come to vs to dwell wythin vs as our geste to dryue hym from vs and to expell hym violentlye out of our soules in stede of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receyue the vngracyouse spirite of the deuyl the autor of al naughtynes and myschefe How can we fynde in our hartes to shewe such extreme vnkyndnes to Christ which hath now so gently called vs to mercy offered hymselfe vnto vs and he now entered wythin vs. Yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of y e father the sonne and the holy goost nowe receyued in thys holy sacrament for where one is there is God al hole in maiestie together w e al his power wyldoÌ„ goodnes feare not I saye the dauÌ„ger peryl of so traytorous a defiance Good christeÌ„ brethreÌ„ systers aduyse your selfe coÌ„syder y e dignitie y t ye be now set in Let not foly lose the thynge y t grace hath so preci ously offered and purchased Let not wylfulnes and blyndnes put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Only take good hartes vnto you and put vpon you all the armoure of God that ye may staÌ„de agaynst your enemyes whych wolde agayne subdue you and brynge you into theyr thraldome RemeÌ„ber ye be bought from your bayne conuersation your fredome purchased neyther wyth golde nor syluer but wyth the price of y e precious bloud of that moost innocent lambe Iesus Christ whych was ordeyned to thys same purpose before the worlde was made but was so declared in the later tyme of grace for your sakes whych by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death hath gyuen hym glorye that you shulde haue your fayth and hope to ward god Therfore as ye haue hytherto folowed y e vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased god to the dauÌ„ger of your soules now lyke obedieÌ„t chyldren thus purifyed by faythe gyue youre selues to walke that waye whych god moueth you to that ye maye receyue the ende of your faith the saluation of your soules And as ye haue gyuen your bodyes to vnryghtuousnes to synne after synne nowe gyue youre selfe to ryghtuousnes to be sanctifyed therin Yf ye delyte in thys artycle of youre faythe that Christ is rysen agayne from death to lyfe So folow you the exemple of hys resurrection as S. Paul exhorteth vs sayng As we be buryed with Christ by our baptisme into death so let vs dayly dye to sinne mortifynge and kyllynge the euell desyres and motions therof And as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by the glory of the father so let vs ryse to a new lyfe walke coÌ„tinually therin that we may lykewyse as natural chyldren lyue a coÌ„uersacion to moue men to glorifie our father whych is in heuen Yf we then be rysen w t Christe by oure fayth to the hope of euerlastynge lyfe so let vs ryse also wyth Christ after hys exemple to a new lyfe leue our olde We shal then be truly rysen yf we seke for thynges that be heuenly yf we haue our affection vpoÌ„ thynges y t be aboue and not on thynges that be on erth Yf ye desyre to know what these erthly thynges be whych ye shuld put of and what be the heuenly thynges aboue that ye shulde seke and ensue S. Paule in y e epistle to the Collossians declareth whan he exhorteth vs thus Mortifie your erthly meÌ„bers and olde affections of synne as fornication vnclennes vnnaturall lust euell concupiscence and couetousnes whyche is worshippynge of ydols for whych thynges the wrath of God is wont to fal on the chyldren of vnbeleue In whyche thynges ones ye walked whan ye lyued in them but nowe put ye also awaye from you wrathe tearsenes maliciousnes cursed speakynge fylthye speakynge out of your mouthes Lye not one to an other that the olde man wyth hys workes be put of and the newe put on These be the earthly thynges whych saynt Paule moueth you to caste from you to plucke your hartes from For in folowynge these ye declare your selues earthly and worldly These be the frutes of the earthly Adam These shulde ye dayly kyll by good diligence in wythstandynge the desyres of them that ye myghte ryse to ryghtuousnes Let your affection from henceforth be set on heuenly thynges Sue and serch for mercy kyndnes mekenes paciens forbearynge one another and for gyuynge one another Yf any man haue quarell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Yf these and such other heuenly vertues ye ensue in the residue of your lyfe ye shall shewe playnly that ye be rysen wyth Christ and that ye be the heauenly chyldren of youre father in heauen froÌ„ whom as froÌ„ the gyuer commeth these graces gyftes Ye shall proue by thys maner that your coÌ„uersacion is in heuen where your hope is and not on earth folowing the beastly appetites of the flesh Ye must consyder that ye be therfore clensed renewed that ye shulde from henceforth serue God in holynes ryghtuous nes all the dayes of your lyues that ye may targue wyth
thou cammest therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst maÌ„ beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yet thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by y e worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth ourselues that Iesus is Christe that is to saye the annoynted kynge and Sauioure of the worlde For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomaÌ„ coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whoÌ„ Christ answereth Uerely verely I saye vnto the onles a maÌ„ be borne agayne from about he can not se the kyngdome of God whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue y t Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secoÌ„dly that he is a kynge anoynted w t the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath and so all hypocrites and betwene y t true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borâ—e agayne when through the holy goost we be casted by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll to thuâ— tent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue y t Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the fame that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heueÌ„ the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than maÌ„s that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer y e world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Unto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the. xx chapter of Ihon. Thargument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr coÌ„mission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whaÌ„ they sawe the Lorde Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And wha he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whosoeuers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Di dimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my han des and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Tho mas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my Cod Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence
and we yet carnall we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ê‘ceiueit Nomore then euen at thys daye we vnderstaÌ„d it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to be beâ—or god more vnrightuousnes finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell all whyche thinges noman shuld haue vnderstanded had not Christ sente his holy ghost whom in this place he surely promiseth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen froÌ„ tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure to comforte mens consciences in this world When this comforter commeth saith Christ he shal rebuke the worlde of synne of rightuousnes and of iugemente Here ye se good people thre lettes or obstacles whych by thoffice of tholy ghost muste be moued awey to thintente thys spirituall kyngdome mighte be vnderstande that is to saye synne whych is not to beleue in god this thinge noman doth vnderstande by his propre nature and yet onles it be vnderstande noman can haue accesse to the kingdome of Christ. The seconde is the ignoraunce of the true iustice whych pleaseth god and this also can no man take nor perform of himselfe The third is iudgement wheras we vnderstand not naturally that the deuell is iuged by the disclosing of the gospell These thre lettes and impedimentes be roted naturally in euery mans mynde whych no man can vnderstande of himselfe or take them awaye by hys owne power Wherfore to the doinge hereof is the holy gost promysed in this gospell Now for asmoch as the kingdome of Christe is heare conuersaunt amonge men which be synners and whyche of nature can do nought but synne but loue their own rightuousenes and iudge after their owne faschion of the gospell therfore the holy ghost in executinge his office doth not moue the to departe out of this worlde that thou mayste haue no occasion to synne neyther woll he that ciuile iustice or humane iudgemente shulde not be executed in thys worlde but he teacheth the truly to knowe what thynge synne is For euery man of hys owne brayne by hys owne power wytte feyneth thys or that to be synne as it hath been sufficiently proued vnder y e kyngdome of the Byshoppe of Rome But when the holy gooste cometh and repryueth vs by gods worde our owne imaginacions fantasyes destroyed then we know that to be synne whyche no man iudged before to be synne So we knowe nowe that it is synne yf a maÌ„ beleue not in only Christe concernynge iustice whyche thynge before the receyuynge of the holy gooste none of vs all knewe In semblable wyse it is to be spoken of ryghtousnes and iudgement whych two thynges we vtterly coÌ„sydered not before y e openyng of the gospell wherby the holy gooste reproueth the worlde But leste ye shuld suspecte thys interpretacion to be not grounded of scripture harken howe Christe hymselfe expouneth thys thynge The holy gooste he sayeth shall rebuke the worlde of synne Why because they beleue not sayth Christ on me Loo howe Christ expouneth hymselfe what he meaneth by synne that is to witte incredulitie or mysbeleue towardes hym whyche only thynge doth condemne men lyke as on the contrary parte the onlye belefe in Christe saueth The papistes haue wrested thys texte as they do al other to the mysâ—eleue of y e Turkes Sarasynes and such people as be farre from vs but they oughte to remembre that in thys behalfe they do synne worse then the Turkes forasmoch as they wold be counted Christianes and yet in y e meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste Of thys abhonâ—â—able synne the worlde knoweth nothynge at all Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke y e worlde Why because sayeth Christe I go to my father and ye shall se me no more That is to saye bicause I shall begynne my newe reigne wherin an other maner of iustice then ye ymagine must be required and shalbe of va lour before god Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde why bycause sayeth Christe the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy And he calleth iugemeÌ„t the blyndnes of maÌ„ wherby the worlde alloweth naturallye the reygne and the workes of Satan for the worlde hath a corrupt iudgement by Adams fall so that it seeth not what thinges god aloweth and what not But sayth Christ I haue yet many thynges to speake vnto you meanyng of his crosse and of hys glory but by reason of your weakenes and infirmytie ye are not able to beare them nowe As who shuld saye ye be yet carnall and therfore ye perceiue not the thinges that be of the spirite But wheÌ„ the spirite of trouth that is the holy ghost shall come he shall leade you into all trouth The spirite shall teache you thinges spirituall He shall transforme you and of carnall persones shall make you goostly For surely because ye be yet carnall ye caÌ„not perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection whych is to be fulfilled for your redeÌ„ptions sake Here ye se playnly good people y t thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditioÌ„s but rather agaynst them For I praye you what is thys trouth that the holy ghost shall teache you Mannes traditions no not so In them is no certayntie It is Christ and hys worde that is the only trouth Wherfore he shal teache only Christ and the worde of god for this is all trouthe For as Chrysostome sayth the gospel conteyneth al together And the office sayeth he of a good preacher is truly to prosecute all that is in hys commission not to thaunge put to or take away any thyng But this y e Bishoppes of Rome in tymes paste haue done and yet at this day do presume to do Wherfore they are no interpretours but deprauers of scripture no vicars of Christe but of the deuell They speake of their owne heddes their own inuentions and dreames wheras the holy ghost whyche here is promysed by Christe vnto vs shall speake nothyng of hymselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake that is to saye he shall speake none other worde or gospel only he shal open and declare the worde that is
alredy spoken by Christ. This do not the papistes for they expouÌ„de not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hetheÌ„ persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persoÌ„s and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vn to you And al that the father of heueÌ„ hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure carnall and olde man and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of god which is here called y e spirite of trouth Whych spirite by the instrument of godes word as here is declared shall open and disclose vnto vs all trouth necessarye to oure saluation and soule helth Which thyng also the auÌ„cient doctour Ihon Chrysostome witnesseth sayeng What so euer is sought to the soule helth the same is al togither conteyned and accomplished in holy scripture He that is ignoraunt shal fynde there ynoughe to lerne He that is stubborne and a synner shall fynde there the skourgies of the iudgemente to come that he maye feare He that laboureth shall fynde there the gloryes and promises of lief euerlasting by chawyng wherof he may be more more kyndled to do good workes as becommeth a christian man to do Let vs praye then to god with pure hartes that he woll vouche saue to send vs this holy ghost this coÌ„forter vnto our myndes which may open vnto vs al trouth To whome be glory and prayse immortally .c. The Epistle on the. v. sondaye after Ester The fyrste chapter of saynt Iames. Thargument ☞ Saynt Iames exhorteth christen men to declare their feyth wyth good workes And he sheweth what thyng true Religion or deuotion is MOst deare beloued brethren euery good gifte and euery perfyte gyfte is from aboue and cometh downe from the father of lyghtes wyth whoÌ„ is no variablenes neither is he chaunged vnto darckenes Of hys owne wyll begat he vs wyth the worde of trouth that we shuld be the fyrste frutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethreÌ„ let euery man be swyft to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of maÌ„ worketh not that why â—he is ryghtouse before god Wherfore laye aparte all fylthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receaue wythe mekenes the worde that is grasted in you whych is hable to saue your soules THe holy Apostle of God saynte Iames good christen people in the epistle of this day dothe discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers And ye shal vnderstande that the true heaters of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth whiche vnderstande it in theyr harte whiche do garnishe it outwardely with suche workes as be prescribed and appoynted them to do and as the pa rable of Christe declareth whiche do heare the word of god and vnderstande it whiche also bryng forthe frute some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thyrty folde And it is he according to the wordes of the prophete Dauid whiche is lyke a tre planted by the ryuer syde bearyng his frute in due tyme. But the false hearers of the worde be they whiche heare it but they receiue it nat with fayth they vnderstande it nat in theyr harte neyther do they furnyshe and declare it to the worlde with good workes and as the parable of y e sower sayeth they suffre the deuyll to take the worde out of theyr harte These be only temporall hearers and but for a season they be but starters they stycke nat by it They be also suche as when they haue perceyued taken the true word of god they choke it with the care of this world and with the disceitfulnes of ryches so make the worde vnfruteful for they receiue it nat with ful mynd but by snatches and myndyng other thynges euen as he whiche beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse and forthwith goeth hys waye and forgetteth by and by what maner thyng it was Be ye then doers of the worde that is to were declare w t good workes that ye truly vnderstande it and be â—at hearers onely as who shulde say Ye that heare the worde of god with your eares and do boste and glory in the knowledge therof and neuertheles be occupyed and intaugled in other maters ye do nothyng els but deceiue your selues whych thyng he declareth with a wonderful goodly and apte similitude For lyke as it nothinge helpeth a man to staÌ„de before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire whan he goeth away forthwyth and forgetteth strayte hys beawtie So it helpeth a man no thynge at all to heare gods worde onles he receyue it in hys harte and take holde of it by fayth depely printyng in hys mynde the beautie therof and be de lyted therin and fynally declare wyth good workes that he doth truly vnderstande it Furthermore he that standeth before a glasse maye well glorie and bragge of hys beautye for a tyme So he that heareth the worde may well reioyse and glorie of it But whan the glasse is taken away anone the beau tie is out of the mynde So in tyme of necessitie and tribulation yf the true glasse of gods wyll that is to wyt the worde of God be taken awaye and not coÌ„ sydered anone the promyses and gospell that is to saye the glad tydynges concernynge our redemption is out of mynde the beautie of gods goodnes is forgotten and finally the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde is neglected But on the contrary parte who so loketh in the perfyte lawe of lybertie and continu eth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke the same shalbe happy in hys dede As who shulde saye He that rightly heareth and vnder standeth the worde and doeth expresse the same with worthy workes in such wyse as he sheweth hymselfe to haue a firme sure vnderstandynge of the same whereby he may vaynquish and chase away death Satan and synne he shalbe happye in hys dede or worke he shalbe declared by hys dedes to be a iustifyed person and saued For dedes workes in christeÌ„ men be testimonies and wytnesses
aduocate by whom all be forgyuen vs and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indignacion and wrath For I pray you what saynte what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and intercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren coÌ„municating vnto vs the rouine or of fice of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shalbe an intercessour or suter for you to my father For the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Thou shall nede no patrones or aduorates w t god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wrytcth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synue I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe â—f so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with y e blessed virgine Marye Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatuâ—e We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge â—o nowe thou speak este frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thin â—â—s c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to
take any thynge vpon vs rashely and temerariously but that we shuld rather walke in an humble mynd and spirite confessinge and knowledginge continually that we be bothe miserable and ignoraunte persons in such thynges as concerne Christes glorye forasmoche as without the spirite of god we canne neuer vnderstande the mystery of the gospel For assuredly the wysdome of the fleshe is foly before god and the more knowledge it boasteth pretendith in spiritual and diuine thynges so moch the more is the foly of it declared and vttered Let vs then my good brethren and sisters in all oure necessities and troubles pray accordynge to the wordes of this gospel but to whom To the father of heuen In whose name In Christes And what shall we praye for that our ioye may be perfyte full What is thys to saye that by Christ our sinne beynge taken away our conscience maye be quyet and sure of euerlastinge lyfe whyche is a ryght perfecte ioye Let vs praye that we maye be taught openly and playnly wythout prouerbes or parables that is y t we maye receyue the holy spirite of cōforte into our soules whych in gods worde maye instructe vs of all trouth Whych graunt vs God the father of heuen Qui viuit et regnat in secu la seculorum Amen A sermon in the Rogation weke or a briefe instruc tion for the weake in the faithe what they ought to do in these dayes of Rogation GOod people thys weke is called the Rogation weke bicause in thys weke we be wōte to make solemne and general supplycatiōs or prayers which in Greke be called Lytanyes Nowe therfore I exhorte you and in the Lordes name I require you that in al your Litanies or supplications ye wol so do that the thynge maye agre to the name and that this oure Litanye thys our supplication and rogation may be made wythe such true and ernest fayth that we may admonishe god and put him in mynde of hys fatherly promises He that wyll not endeuour hymselfe to do this let hym tarye styll at home let him kepe hun and absteyne from thys holy processiō lest he happen to iritate and to angre god more then other men shalbe hable to pacifie and styll hym Albeit alacke for pitie these solemne accustomable processions and supplications whyche we vse commonly as in this weke to make be now growen into a ryght foule and detestable abuse so that the moost parte of men and women in these solemne dayes of supplication do come forth rather to set out shewe themselues and to passe the tyme wyth vayne vnprofytable tales and mery fables than to make general supplications and prayers to god for theyr necessities I let passe the other enormities and vices whych on these dayes be customably perpetrate and done I wyll not speake of the rage and furour of these vplandysh processions and gangynges about whych be spente in ryottynge and in bely chere Furthermore the banners and badges of the crosse be so vnreuerently handled and abused that I maruayle greatly God destroye vs not all in one yeare What shall I say Surely they are now growen into such abuse that there be farre greter causes to take them awaye and vtterly to abrogate them wyth the other holydayes than ther were in tymes past to institute and ordeyne them And assuredly it is the parte of byshops of parsons of vycares and curates yea also of y e prophane Magistrates to se that those vnchristen and vngodly abuses bē auoyded and taken awaye or yf the thynge be past remedy vtterly to abolish and abrogate these letanies and supplicaciōs thus abused For assuredly it were much better and more christian lyke that christian men and women were gathered and assembled together in the church there to make theyr supplications prayers to god than after such an hethē vnruly fashion to mocke God and his holy sygnes And no doubt such as be curates and herdmen of Christes churche shall rendre a sharpe rekenynge and accomptes to God for wynkynge at these abuses Now in these Rogation dayes two thynges are to be asked of God and prayed for The fyrst is that God of hys goodnes and clemēcy woll defende and saue y e corne in the felde and that he woll purge the ayer to thintent that not only the lappe of the earth may be replenished wyth seasonable rayne and that the ayer maye be tempered to the vtilitie and furthe raunce of the corne but also that it be not infected that by the eatynge and drynkynge therof neyther we nor our bestes do catche any pestilence poxe feuers or other diseases For as testifyeth saynt Paul in hys fyrst epistle to Timothie gods creatures as meate drynke corne and such other thynges be sanctifyed by the worde of God and by prayer For frō whence come pestilencies the other kindes of disea ses and of syckenesses than that the noysome spirites do infecte the aier And by reason herof cōmonly our corne and grayne be peryshed infected and blasted and so we God permyttynge the same by eatynge and drynkynge our owne grayne do gette vs death and greuouse affections of the body For this cause be certayne gospels redde in the wyde felde amōges the corne and grasse that by the vertue and efficacie of gods worde the power of the wycked spi rites whych kepe in the ayer may be broken and the ayer made pure cleane to thintent the corne maye remayne vntouched not infected of the sayd hurtfull spirites but serue vs for our vse and bodely sustenaunce Wherfore my deare brethren we oughte to make these solemne processions wyth ernest myndes and wyth all reucrence in especiall we oughte to handle and to heare the worde of God wyth deuoute and religiouse myndes Thus doynge doute we nothynge but that gods worde wol vtter and ex ecute hys vertue vpon the corne and ayer that those noysome spirites of the ayer shall do no hurte at all to our corne Seconde thys is also moost of all to be desyred humbly to be prayed for in these rogation dayes that God woll vouchsaue to blesse hys creatures not only as before is sayd for the cōmoditie of oure bodyes but also for our soules helth lest our misera ble soules do herby catche vnto themselues pestiferous infection and damnable contagion I meane as thus The poyson and infection of the soule is synne Now whan God poureth vpon vs plentyful croppes and increase of all thynges forthwyth we beynge moost ingrate and vnkynde persons do vylaynously gyue oure selues to dayly bankettes and feastynges and to moost beastly fyllynge of our pāchies herof by by ensueth ydelnes of it sprynge whordomes adulteries blasphemies cursynges per iuries murders warres and all myschiefe so that it were much better for vs yf our corne and cattel dyd not so happely and plenteously prosper and take So the thynge that we demaunded in our processions and supplications
in better vnitie and concorde Then accordyng to euery mās gyfte and as Paule sayeth euen as God hath allot ted euerye man accordynge to the measure of hys fayth so let hym serue in hys callynge As good ste wardes or dispensours let them behaue themselues in executynge theyr office I praye you is not he a foolysh stewarde whych of other mēs goodes wold glorie and take a pryde where he is but onely y e stewarde and not the owner of them Nowe they be good stewardes whyche be faythfull and prudente whych knowe what how to whome and what tyme they oughte to preache and laye out the treasure of gods worde the treasure I saye of the manyfolde grace of God accordynge to the sundry and manyfold gyftes He that speaketh let hym speake the ser mons and wordes of almyghtye God let hym not preach hys owne gloses hys owne inuencions hys owne dreames and fausies And to what so euer ministracion he be called and appointed in the church let hym do it sayeth saint Peter as of the vertue po wer and abilitie whyche God ministreth vnto hym and not as though he were able by hys owne wyt prudence to execute hys ministerie It foloweth That God in all thynges maye be glorifyed tho row Iesus Christ. Here saynt Peter declareth the principall ende of all our gyftes offices and good workes whych is that by them shulde ryse contentions stryfes debates and discordes Nowe God is glorifyed by oure gyftes offices duties and workes when we so vse them that the congregacion may take profyte edificacion therby and may take occasion by the good distribution of the same to glorifye God by Iesus Christe For oure Sauiour Christe Iesus ascendynge vp to heuen distributed and gaue gyftes vnto men as the prophete sayeth To whome be all glorie al prayse all imperie and dominion aswel to saue as to rule and gouerne hys faythful ones together wyth the father and the holy goost foreeuer and euer AMEN The Gospell on the sondaye after the Ascension daye The. xv chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ The holy goost is promysed to be sente by Christ to hys Apostles IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples But whan the com forter is come whom I wyll sende vnto you frō the father euen the spirite of trouth whych procedeth of the father he shall testifye of me And ye shall beare wytnesse also bycause ye haue ben with me from the begynnynge These thynges haue I sayd vnto you bycause ye shulde not be offended They shall excommunicate you yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer kylleth you wyl thinke that he doth god seruice And such thinges wyl they do vnto you bycause they haue not knowē the father neyther yet me But these thynges haue I told you that whan the tyme is come ye may remēber them that I tolde you FOr asmuch as our Lorde Christ in his maundie good people wyth many promyses had bequethed and deputed the holy goost to his Apostles he doth now at last name hym more playnly wyth hys proper name of office declarynge therby what profyte and commoditie he shall brynge to the worlde He sayeth whan the comforter is come Thys propre and true name he gyueth the holy goost callyng hym paracletum that is saye a comforter For who els certifyeth our conscience that we shulde beleue y t by Christ we be the chyldren of God and crye Abba father but thys only comforter I praye you who maketh vs both desyrefull and also hardy to cōfesse thys fayth Who comforteth vs in all such mysfortune and afflictions as we suffre in thys worlde for thys confessions sake Surely the same selfe good spirite whych procedeth from y e father doth al thys thys is hys feate and offyce For thobteynynge of whych spirite the prophet Dauid so busely prayeth in the. l. psalme But ye maye more lyuely beholde the nature and workynge of thys holy goost or spiryte in the apostles whyche before the commynge of the holy goost in tribulation fledde from the Lorde and vtterly denyed hym For they hyd themselues in corners some here some there But wha thys spirite thys comfortour was ones confirmed in them then they confessed Christ frely and hys resurrectiō in so much that they also toke pleasure and delyte in the crosse or affliction that was layde vpon them as appeareth playnly in the Actes Now thys comforter bycause by the vertue of hys offyce he maketh men trouthe tellers yea and comforteth and strengtheneth the faythfull in the confession of the trouth by the vertue also of hys office he shall testifie of Christ. So ye must here marke that y e holy goost ought to beare wytnesse of Christ. But what shall he testifye what shall he teache of Christ Undoubtedly none other thyng but y t which Christ preached and taught before that is to say he shall make them whyche before coulde not perceyue Christes doctrine now to vnderstāde it by wrytyng the gospel in theyr hartes A mans owne wysedome can here do nothynge it muste be thys holy spirite comforter whych must do the dede euen as Ieremy the prophete in the. xxxi chapter sayeth I shal plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and wryte it in theyr hartes and wylbe theyr God and they shall be my people And from thence forth shall noman teach hys neyghbour or his brother and saye know the Lorde But they shall all knowe me from the lowest to the hyghest sayeth the Lorde Of all these thynges it is gathered manyfestly that wythout the holy goost we neyther can know the truth nor beare wytnes vnto Christ Iesus Seconde ye may espye here good people verye playnly thoffice of Apostles or Christes messangers That is to wyt that they ought to beare wytnesse of Christ. For to testifye or beare wytnes in scripture sygnifyeth to teach and speake not the thynge that pleaseth vs but the thinge that almyghty god hath cōmaunded After thys sorte is Christ named in the psalme a faythfull wytnes in heauen Also Esay the prophete speaketh of Christ in the persone of the father I haue set hym for a wytnes to the people for the prince and mayster of the gentyls Wherfore syth the recorde and wytnes of Christ and of hys apostles ought to be egall and agreable togethers surely they muste haue one tenure of theyr testimonies and furthermore it must nedes folowe that the holy goost executed his testimonie and recorde by y e apostles as in the. x. of Mathew it appeareth It is not you sayth Christ whyche speake but the spirite of my father whych shall speake in you Where be nowe these felowes whyche here tofore haue cryed that the holy goost haue reuelated and disclosed to thapostles and fathers certaine secreter and hygher thynges whych be not comprised in the gospell To whome wyll ye gyue more credence To Christe or to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost
shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make meÌ„ mete and apte to receceyue his gospel and shall teach none other thynge than that whyche he hymselfe hath taught But these tryflers bable that the holy goost ought to teach some thynge of more excellencye than that whych is comprysed in y e holy gospell Surely I wolde thynke it moost conueuient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge Thys is my welbeloued soÌ„ne in whom I am right wel pleased heare ye hym But they that can not be satisfied wyth Christes doctrine to whome not only thapostles but also the holy goost hath borne wytnesse let them at theyr parell chose them other doctrines Certes I wyll not counsayle you lyke owles to waÌ„der in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the â—yght Last of all ye shall consyder and note good chri sten brethren and systers in thys gospell y t the word and institution of Christ of whych the spirite the apostles do testifye can in no wyse b gratefull and acceptable to the worlde For those that wol admyt thys worde the worlde wolle caste them out of al ho nest mens company as they call honeste men they woll as heretykes dryue them out of theyr churches and assembles they woll excommunicate them they woll curse them wyth boke bell and candell Yea yf they may wyth all kynde of punyshment and death persecute the true Apostles and messeÌ„gers of Christ they wyll thynke to do a hygh seruice to God that theyr zeale hath hyghly serued gods wyl But what sayeth Christ in the meane season Therfore I wyll be wyth you They shal so handle themselues towar des you bycause they knowe nother me nor my father Here ye se wyth what successe and fortune in thys wycked world the moost precious worde of the gospell wyth the imbrasers therof be commonly receyued For thou mayst not loke to lyue a swete an ydle and a delicate lyfe yf thou wolte confesse Christ for he that woll lyue after a godlye sorte as sayeth saynt Paule must nedes suffer persecution And in an other place he sayeth Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ. Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for coÌ„fessynge of Christ it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutioÌ„ hangeth ouer our heades by the proper wyl of God to thyntent our fayth myght thus by such persecution be clarifyed tryed and purged For yf we be ful certifyed hereof we can not easely be offended wyth temptation but wyth a pacient mynde we shall suffer all the wronge that the world for Christes cause woll put vs to And surely thys shalbe a comforte vnto vs that oure persecuters for all theyr proude bragges and vauntes neyther know Christ nor his father Fynally we be ryght well assured that y e trouble and affliction of thys tyme as Paule sayth can in no wyse be coÌ„pared wyth the glorye to come that shalbe disclosed vnto vs. Wyth thys our knowlege comfortynge our selues we shall remayne quyet in our conscience styll awaytynge wyth stedfaste hope for the immortall crowne of the sayd glorye whyche the father of heauen hath prepaâ—ed for vs. To whom wyth the soÌ„ne holy goost be al glorye and prayse for euer and euer AMEN The Epistle on wytsondaye The. ij chapter of the actes of the Apostles ☞ The holy goost is here gyuen accordynge to Christes promyse before WHan the fyftye dayes were come to an ende they were all wyth one accorde together in one place And sodenly ther came a sounde froÌ„ hea uen as it had bene the coÌ„mynge of a myghty wind and it fylled al the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them cloueÌ„ tonges lyke as they had ben of fyre and it sat vpon ech one of them and they were all fylled wyth the holy goost and begaÌ„ to speake wyth other tonges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iues deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When thys was noysed aboute the multitude came together and were astonnyed bycuase that euery man herde theÌ„ speake wyth hys owne langage They wondered al and marueled saynge amonge themselues behold are not al these whych speake of Galile And how heare we euery man hys owne tonge wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamytes and the inhabyters of Mesopotamia and of Iury and of Capadocia of Ponthus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia of Egypte and of the parties of Ly bia whych is besyde Syren and straungers of Rome Iues and Proselytes Grekes and Arabians we haue herde them speake in oure owne tonges the great workes of God CHrist had oftentymes good people promysed vnto hys disciples the holy goost to confirme them in the true doctrine For wythout y e holy goost noman can tyghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God neyther can stycke by it costantly wythout staggerynge or shrynkyng from it It is the holy goost doubtles that teacheth al thynges and that putteth men in mynde of gods wyll And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew It is not you that be the speakers but it is y e spirite of your father whych speaketh in you Wher fore thys often promysâ— of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfouâ—neth But bycause it helpeth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the ho ly goost oules we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte auanntage therfore it were good to know the causes why the holy goost was sent Ye shall therfore vnderstande good people that the holy gost was not sent to thapostles nor at this daye is sent as some men do dreame to teache a dyuerse or straunge doctrine frome Christes doctrine whych Christ either taught not before or had forgot ten to teache But he was sente and is sente for thre causes The fyrst is that he shâ—â—de teache and put in mynde expouÌ„de all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the xiiiâ— and .xv. chap ters of Ihon very coâ—iously and at length speketh The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente is to confirme strengthen and as it were to sease vs to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie of gods worde Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencâ—â—iâ— whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpoÌ„ euery of them and fylled them whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els but that the holy goost confirined and certifyed the myndes of the Apostles vpon the veritie of gods word and therfore he is called of Paule the gage and the ernest The thyde cause that the holy goost is sente is that in temptation he myght comforte vs and preserue
vs from desperacion and therfore he is called paracletus that is to say a comforter Now therfore yf ye couete to knowe who what the holy goost is whych is called the thyrde persone in trinitie consyder wel the forsayd offices of hym and ye shal ryght ly answere The holy goost is God equall wyth the father and sonne whych was to thys intent sent of them both that he shulde more clearly expoune the diuine wyll of the father whych was openly publisshed to the worlde by Christ and that he shulde put men in remembraunce of the same and confirme it in theyr hartes to thintent they myght boldlye confesse it But let vs now approche to the texte of thys present lesson Whan the daye of Pentecoste That is to saye the fyftye daye from Ester was a fulfyllyng whych was one of thre solemne feastes in whych all the Iues were wont to be assembled ac cordynge to the lawe of Moses in Deuteromye in the .xvi. chapter whych feast we christen men do obserue wyth an other lybertie for an other respecte then it was kept of the Iues. For we do solemnize kepe thys daye onely in memorie of the speciall and wonderfull sendynge of the holy gooste as on thys daye Whan thys feast I saye of the Iewes called Pentecost otherwyse named the feast of wekes was in the complyshynge and doynge the Apostles were all wyth one accorde together in one place as Christ had commaunded them before to do that they shuld not departe from Ierusalem but that they shuld awayte for the promyse of the father And sodenly there came a soūde from heauē as it had been the comynge of a myghtie wynde and it fylled all the house where they sate My frendes thys soden commynge of the holy goost doth admonyshe vs of the maner or forme of hys commynge whych is not humane nor chaūceth after mans fashion but as the similitude declareth in the thyrd chapter of Ihon. The spirite or wynde bloweth where it woll and thou hearest hys voyce but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth Now for as much as Christ applyeth thys similitude and sayth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite therfore ye must also vnderstand here that the holy goost in dede commeth vnto vs but how or after what sorte it passeth mans wyt and capacitie ▪ whyche neyther can comprehende the maner of hys commynge neyther yet the qualitie of hys ac cion albeit of the accion presence of the holy goost we be made certayne euen as we may be certayne of the blowynge of the wynde Finally it is here to be consydered in what wyse the holy goost is to be receyued of vs. Surely he is not to be receyued simpliciter as a doue that muste be miraculously sent from heauen as certayne here tykes at thys daye do thynke neyther is he to be taken as a vertue of God procedynge from the father and from the sonne as Campanus thynketh neyther yet in a prescribed and diuised forme as the papistes haue prefixed hyin before all theyr counsaylles were they neuer so contrary to gods worde but he is to be receyued as very god of the selfe same essencie and godhed wyth the father and sonne It fo loweth in the texte And there appeared vnto them clouen tonges lyke as they had bene of fyre and sat vpon ech one of them Here good people ye maye learne the effectes or frutes of the holy goostes comminge for he cōmeth not in vayne but maketh dispertite or clouen tōges and fyry he maketh men to speake wyth other tonges that is to saye he regendreth them he createth in them new motions he assureth them of the word that they heare he openeth theyr mouthes and maketh them boldly and wythout feare to confesse the trouth And al they that is to wyt the Apostles that were assebled together for thys purpose were forthwyth and sodenly al at ones replete and fylled with the holy goost in such straunge sorte that by and by they beganne to speake wyth sondry and newe tonges not wyth olde tonges and such as the tonge of Moses the lawspeaker is discribed to be that is to wyt harde and vnpleasaunt as it is wrytten in the fourth chapter of Exodus And here maye ye note the dyuersitie and difference of the lawe and gospel Moses tonge was sengle and but one for one certayne people But the tonges of the gospell be soun dry whereby is sygnifyed the lybertie of the gospel They spake therfore wyth sundry tōges euen as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce The holy goost gaue not all to all but as Paule sayth accordynge to the measure of faytli as it semeth good vnto hym It fo loweth in the texte There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iewes deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vn der the heauen and so forth Here be contayned the cōmune and vulgate ef fectes whych be wont to folowe the workes of y e holy goost These effectes be stoynynge wonderyng and they declare vnto vs y e power of the holy gooste in them whych were moued wyth the workes of the holy goost For the reste of people were rather more and more offended w t the workes of the holy gooste than kyndled to unbrace them They sayd then how happeneth thys y t we heare euerye one in hys owne tonge whych be of sundry nations speake the great wonders and hygh workes of God that is to saye the thynges that God hath wrought in hys Christe For to thys intent surely was the holy goost come euen to expoūde and declare Christ to the disciples and no doubt he exhorted them frely and boldlye to preache hym vnto the hole worlde whych thynge af terwarde they ▪ manfully executed as the sermon of Peter immediatly after made doth declare shewe Surely the holy goost sent from heauen make men frely to confesse the Euangelicall trouth before kyn ges and prynces whych thynge the fleshe otherwyse is not able to do For it is to muche afrayed that it can wyllyngly and gladly suffer the hatred of thys worlde whych is knyt and ioyned wyth thys confes sion Fynally ye shall vnderstande that y e holy goost was gyuen to the Apostles in a vysible forme But it is now gyuen to the chosen and electe persons inuisiblye only by the worde Wherfore good christen people I hartely exhorte you that ye woll earnestly imbrace and loue gods worde and not mocke deryde it as certayne of the Iues here sayd that the apostles were dronken and full of new wyne Neyther do I exhorte you onely to reade and prayse the worde but also to worke after it to declare by youre dedes and procedynges that ye haue an vnfayned and ryght fayth in Christ. So doynge no doubte the holy goost shal come and dwell wythin you and declare and open vnto you all trouthe necessary to your soules helth to
man to reioyse before god and to be rauished with a new loue toward hym consequently w t glad mynde to do hys dutye and seruice to all men franckly After thys sort the partes of the holy ghost be ryghtly preached he that paynteth them otherwise beleue him not For where he commeth thus thou seest he taketh awaye the letter and maketh men fre from synne and from the compulsion of the lawe so that he taynynge in theyr brest maketh theÌ„ in whome he is resident to do wyth out compulsion all that the lawe coÌ„maundeth But thou wylt aske wherby he bryngeth to passe what thynge he vseth thus to chauÌ„ge and renue the hart Surely by that he sheweth and preacheth of Iesus Christ as Christ hymselfe in the .xv. chap. of Ihon sayeth whan the comforter coÌ„meth whome I shall sende you from my father I meane the spirite of trouth whych procedeth from y e father he shal beare wytnes of me Nowe oftentymes ye haue herde that the gospel or Euangel is the thynge whych god suffreth to be preached in the worlde and to be tolde to euery man that is to wyt that none can be iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe but rather y t a worse thinge come therby and therfore he sente downe hys moost deare sonne to dye and to shede hys bloud for vs by cause we of our owne powers coulde not rubbe out the spotte of synne nor be delyuered from it But to the preachynge hereof another thynge yet is requyred euen the holy goost whome God must sende He printeth in the harte thys sermon and preachyng to make it fixed and roted in it for it is moost sure and certayne y t Christe hath done all thys geare he hath taken awaye oure synne and ouercoÌ„men all that by hym we myght raigne ouer al and euen here in one heape is all the treasure hurded Thys treasure we can not get onles the holy goost be gyuen vs whych maye put in oure hartes and myndes to beleue and saye And I also am of the nombre of them to whoÌ„ so greate treasure doth belonge When we haue ones felte thys that God hath thus holpen vs and bestowed vpon vs so great treasure then the mater goeth well forwarde neyther can it otherwise be but mans mynde must be rauyshed wyth a pleasure towardes God and lyfte vp hymselfe saye Oh good father if thys thy wyll be that thou haste shewed so great loue and suche excedynge kyndnes towardes me I must nedes agayne loue y e wyth my hole hart and reioise and gladly do what so euer thy pleasure is Then the harte is nomore waywarde nor croked in the meditacion of God it thynketh not to be dryuen downe to hell of hym as before the coÌ„mynge of the holy goost it thought when it felte no goodnes no loue no fydelitie but styll a pace the wrathe and indignacion of God Now therfore whyle the holy goost prynteth into the christen maÌ„s harte howe he hath God hys mercyfull and graciouse Lorde it is a pleasure for hym for Gods sake boldly to execute and suffre any maner of thynge After thys wyse thou shalt learne to knowe the holy goost and hys office whych is to distribute y e great treasure Christ and al that in hym is whych is gyuen and declared vnto vs by the Gospell to thintent thou mayest put hym into thy harte to make hym thyne owne good Hytherto I haue declared vnto you the hystorie of the holy goost Now what we shall do in it we shall knowe further in the gospell Thus sayeth Christ Yf a man loue me he woll kepe my saynge and my father shall loue hym Lo good people here ye maye se as I haue often tymes preached vnto you that the frute of fayth is charitie whych thynge can not be denyed For chari tie or loue perfourmeth and doeth euen of the owne accorde all that euer scripture coÌ„mauÌ„deth And thys doth saynt Paule declare Gal. v. He that loueth his neyghboure hath fulfylled the lawe Wherfore they that haue not fayth and charitie do not fulfyll the lawe albeit they seme in outwarde appearaunce to perfourme all the workes of the lawe The worde whych Christ preacheth he sayeth is not hys worde but hys fathers worde declarynge herby y t nothyng ought to be added nor taken awaye from it And these thynges sayeth Christe concernynge aswell your loue towardes me as the kepynge of my word haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present dwel lynge amonges you But that same comforter of whome I haue made so muche mencion vnto you I meane the holy goost whose feate and offyce shal be to sanctifye lyghten you vnto all trouth which holy goost my father shall sende in my name that is to saye for my cause he shall teach you altogether shall put you in remembraunce of all that euer ye haue herde of me Thou wolt saye vnto me Why knewe not the disciples all before whyche were so longe tyme wyth Christ I answere that y e disciples ought nedes to haue bene taught by the holy goost for wythout hym they were yet imperfecte and carnall for they vnderstode neyther Christes glorificacion by the crosse nor yet hys raygne or kyngdome Wherfore they neded the holy goostes teachynge y t is to saye hys sanctifyenge and makynge the thynges lyuely in them whych they had lerned of Christ For y e disciples were as yet but litera they perceyued not the thynges that were of the spirite of God and therfore they neded the holy goost to quycken them accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule The letter sleeth but the spirite quickeneth Ye may not then vnderstande by thys worde teach that the holy goost shal set abroch a new doctrine that Christ had not taught before but ye must vnderstande by it that the holy goost shall interprete the doctrine al ready taught by Christ and declare it to the spirituall vnderstandynge And therfore Christ expouneth hymselfe and sayeth he shall put you in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of al the thynges that I haue shewed you So that ye can not gather herby that y e holy goost shall adde any thynge to Christes doctrine as the wycked papistes do wyckedly gather It foloweth Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue vnto you â–ª not as the world gyueth gyue I vnto you c. My frendes what is Christes peace Surely to be short it is nothynge eis but the quyet and tranquilitie of conscience Thys peace the worlde can not gyue mans traditions can not gyue maÌ„s owne voluntary workes can not gyue â—â— moÌ„kery â—â— pylgrimage no popysh pardons no pardon beades no relyques breâ—â—y no fleshly thynge can gyue thys pea ce of conscience It is only Christe that can gyue vs thys peace whan we spiritually eate hym drynke hym that is to saye when we know wherfore Christ serueth vs and so suffre hym by true fayth and cha ritie to entre into oure soules and to
saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys saynge Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse froÌ„ the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes but by the selfe lawe of fayth But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours All the prophetes as Peter here sayeth Christe hymselfe all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out all the aun cient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy expositours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes It foloweth in the texte Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed c. Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the. xv Chapter of Mathew I am not sent but to y e lost shepe of the house of Israel Howbeit the callynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym And therfore he began hys sermoÌ„ on thys wyse Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost and herde them speke wyth tonges magnifyed God Here ye shal also marke y t thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of y e holy goost y e Apostles and other were so indowed y t they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in y e mea ne season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease It foloweth in the texte Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost as well as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that y e Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were out wardly baptysed wyth the water for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde for baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„bâ—r of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth maÌ„ only gyueth the water but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye and the synnes of bloude purgeb The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth in thys wyse Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ be not baptised in Christe For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ. Yf a maÌ„ taketh only thys corporall washyng of water whiâ—h is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ. For albeit SimoÌ„ Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued y e washing of water yet bycause he had not the holy gooste he was not baptised in Christ. Wherfore as I declared vnto you on the AsceÌ„sioÌ„ day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstaÌ„d that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of infauntes or babes For they as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr infauncy to dye by the fayth of the catholyke church And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Ana baptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion For no doubte the promyse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or infauntes But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sacramentes And here vpon do all lerned men agre Now therfore good christen people syth your bap tisme woll not serue you wythout faythe no nor all the workes ye can do I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of yourâ— synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ. So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal enter into your hartes make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe to worke wel to the glorye of God and helth of your soules eternally Amen The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost The. iij. chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ The moost comfortable glad tydynges of Christ is here wonderfully well described IEsus spake vnto a ruler amonge the pharises God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only he gotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlastynge lyfe For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And thys is the condempnacion that light is come into the worlde and meÌ„ loued darkenes more thaÌ„ lyght bycause theyr dedes were euell For euery one that euell doeth hateth the lyght neyther commeth to the lyght lest hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth trouth commeth to the lyght that hys dedes may be knowen how that they are wrought in God THe Gospell of thys daye good people is in very dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges For in fewe wordes it declareth vn to vs the summe of the Christen mans religion Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus Thus he sayeth God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlasting lyfe Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte as also saynt Austine noteth And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage For true
loue standeth not in fayre wor des and amiable countenauÌ„ce or gesture but in the dede selfe Nowe the more mysery we were in before Christes commynge the greater is his benefyte and the more bounde be we vnto hym God as wryteth saynt Paule setteth forth hys loue towardes vs seyng that whyle we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Now Christ hymselfe assureth vs that who so euer beleueth in hym thus sente of the father downe vnto vs shall not quayle shall not be confounded shall not peryshe but shalbe sure to attayne euerlastynge lyfe Seynge Christ hymselfe doth assure vs of euerlastynge lyfe for oure belefe or faythes sake why shulde we doubt Why shulde we go aboute to seke heauen by other wayes than Christ appointeth vs The senteÌ„ce is vniuersall all that beleue in him shall not perysh Wherfore let noman thynke hym selfe exempted as vnworthy Here is no respect eyther to thy worthynes or to thy vnworthynes Yf thou hast faith thou shalt be sure to be of the chosen company Only take hede thou mockest not God dissemblest not before the face of the worlde sayeng thou hast fayth and haue it not in dede Yf thou hast fayth in dede thou must nedes brynge forth the frutes of fayth thou canst not but declare thy faith wyth workes of charitie both to God man whom for God thou canst not but loue as thy natural bro ther. Yf thou beyst a good tree thou muste nedes brynge forth good frute But a bad tre bryngeth forth bad frute Christe goeth further and sayeth For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to con dempne the worlde but to saue the worlde Here ye se the fynall cause of Christes commynge whyche was to saue that was lost Howbeit thys texte is to be vnderstande of Christes fyrst commynge and of the tyme of grace ye maye not vnderstande it of his seconde aduent or commynge whyche shalbe at the last daye for thaÌ„ he shal wythout fayle come to iuge accordynge to an other place where he sayeth The father hath gyuen all iudgement to the sonne Neuerthelesse in the meane season whosoeuer beleueth not is already iudged and condempned wheras on the contrarye parte they that beleue can in no wyse be condempned But why is the infidele alreadye condempned Bycause sayeth Christe he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god Lo here ye se agayne how fayth saueth lacke of fayth condempneth And thys is the condempna cion that lyght is come into the worlde and men lo ued darkenes more then lyght bycause theyr dedes were euyl Who is thys lyght Christ. Who is y e darkenes The worlde The lyght then shyned in y e darkenes and the darknes dyd not comprehende it Do not men loue styll darkenes more then lyghte Had they not rather walke in theyr owne fanseys wylworkes then in Christes doctrine Alacke for pytie Yea though the lyght neuer so much shyne though the Gospell be neuer so much in the hande yf Christ by hys holy spirite do not teache the thou arte styll but darkenes and why so for thou louest styll darkenes better than the lyght for thy dedes are euell and therfore thou muste nedes conuince and damne thy selfe of infidelitie It foloweth For euery one that doth euell hateth y e lyght neyther woll he come to the lyght that is to saye to Christ and hys worde lest the bryghtnes of the lyght shuld reproue his dedes Thys is the cause good people why these papistes are so loth that the scripture of God shulde be redde of you laye people lest ye myght happen to espye theyr hypocrisie and crafty iugelynge agaynste Christ and hys trouth For scripture is the rule or touchstone wherby ye maye easely trye and discerne the chaffe from the corne the chalke from chese that is to saye hypocrisye from true religion They haue good people longe holden you in ignoraunce and in blyndenes to auaunce them selues and to raygne lyke kynges ouer you contrary both to gods lawe and mans lawe Wherfore I blame them the lesse though they hate scripture whych dis closeth theyr hypocrisie and vsurped authoritie lest as Christe here sayeth theyr dedes shulde be rebuâ—ed and reproued But he sayeth Christe that doeth trouth coÌ„meth to the lyghte that hys dedes may be knowen bycause they are wrought in God as who shuld saye He that is iustifyed declared a good person by hys fayth whych he hath in me for deâ—laracion therof doth the truth that my worde mo ueth hym to do and worketh not after hys owne faÌ„sey thys man commeth to the lyght that is to wyt he gladly suffreth hys workes and procedynges to be tryed and examined by the rule of my worde bycause they be doâ—e in God and be godly workes Where as coÌ„trary wyse the hypocrite doth so much abhorre from the iudgement of my worde that he fle eth by all meanes he can from it woll suffre none other to loke vpon it He woll neyther enter into the kyngdome of heauen hymselfe nor yet suffer others that wolde enter Such persons vnder pretence of holynes haue longe shut vp the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ from many men But now thanked be God y t lyght hath somwhat shone agayne Wherfore good people let vs not hate thys lyght and loue darknes styl as we haue done in tymes past whan we were decey ued by the iuglynges of these papistes Let vs beleue in thys Christe sente downe from the father of heauen to redeme vs. And yf gods worde be true we shall surely be saued and raygne wyth hym in heauen worlde wythout ende c. The Epistle on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The. viij chapter of the Actes Thargument ☞ Peter Ihon be sent into Samaria where after baptisme the Samaritanes receyued the holy goost WHen the Apostles whyche were at Ierusalem hearde say that Samaria hadde receyued the word of god they sent vnto them Peter and Ihon Whyche when they were come downe prayed for them that they myght receaue â—he holy goost For as yet he was come on none of them but they were baptysed onely in the name of Christe Iesu. Then layed they theyr handes on them and they receaued the holy gooste THys lesson good people is taken forth of the eyght chapter of the Actes of thapostles for a more perfyte vnderstandynge wherof ye shal know that in the selfe chapter a lytle before it is shewed how S. Philip thapostle entered into a cytie of Sa maria and preached there to the Samaritanes the glad tydinges of our Sauiour Christ Iesu how he beynge the sonne of God came downe for the redeÌ„pcion of mankynde Thys his preachynge he dyd also confirme wyth myracles For as the texte also de clareth the vncleane spirites cryenge wyth loude voyce came out of many that were possessed of them And many takeÌ„ wyth palseâ—s and many that halted were healed Now the people gaue great hede to the thynges whych