wantōnes worshyppynge of ymages wytchcraft hatred variaunce zele wrath stryfe sediciō sectes enuyeng murther dronkennes glottony and suche lyke of the whych I tell you before as I haue tolde you in tymes past that they whych commytte such thynges shall not be inheritours of the kyngdome of God Contrarely they frute of the spirite is loue ioye peace longe sufferynge gentlenes goodnes faythfulnes mekenes temperancy Agaynst suche there is no lawe They that are Christes haue crucifyed the flesh wyth the affections and lustes MY welbeloued brethren and systers in Christe ye muste well consyder and vnderstande that the lyfe of a christen man and womā in thys present worlde is as who shulde saye a continuall warfare a dayly batell and fyghtynge accordynge to the sayeng of Iob. Iob. vij Mans lyfe is on erth a warfare And ye shall furthermore vnderstande that the greatest aduersarie the greatest enemye the mā hath is him selfe Neyther hath mā any thinge so harde and so strōge an enemye to ouercome as hys owne flesh his owne stubborne and rebellous mynde and lust forasmuch as of our owne corrupt natures we be inclined to al naughtynes and euels as it is wrytten in the boke of Genesis Ge. viij The vnderstandinge and ymaginacion of mans harte is euell euen from hys youth The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite to the flesh Ioh. iij Wherfore yf we be not regenerate yf we be not borne agayne yf we be not purged clensed renewed by the spirite of God and so gouerned and directed in al our procedinges and doynges of the same surely we shall neuer enter into the kyngdome of heuen and thys is it that saint Paule doth here tel vs of He byddeth vs walke in the spirite that is to say cast awaye our olde corrupt nature and put on vs a new nature that is to saye a spirituall nature a new man so shall we not fulfyll the lustes and desyres of the flesh As who shulde say Albeit your flesh wrastleth and fyghteth agaynst your spirite whyche ye haue obtayned by Christ and againe your spirite agaynst your fleshe bycause it is not yet throughlye mortifyed nor crucifyed in such wyse that somtyme ye do not the thynge that ye wold fayne do through the infirmitie and weakenes of the fleshe whyche ye haue not yet fully conquered yet thys notwythstandynge se ye go styll on and walke accordynge to the spirite Folowe I saye the thynges of the spirite as holy meditacions readynges of scripture deuoute prayers abstinence of the body and all godly exercises Thus doynge ye shall growe stronge in the spirite ye shal be hable by gods grace and assistence to wythstande the lustes and desyres of the flesh and of the corrupte nature yea ye shal be new mē spirituall men conducted led and gouerned by the holy spirit of god ye shall then embrase the wyll of God frelye without compulsion and not as bondmen to the law Ye shall then be enfraunchised from the thraldome of the deuell Then shall charitie worke more in you than any outwarde lawe can do i. tim i. For a lawe is not made for iust and parfyte persons but to brydel and represse the lustes of synfull persons of carnall and beastly folke for as a certayne Philosopher sayeth Plato Of the euell maners of men dyd good lawes take begynnynge For yf all men wold do as they ought to do we shulde nede no lawes Good men therfore be not vnder the lawe For to be vnder the lawe is to be in seruile feare and not to do the lawe frely And bycause ye shulde knowe the better whan ye walke fleshly and whan spiritually the Apostle S. Paule setteth forth vnto vs the frutes of the fleshe and the frutes of the spirite Workes of the fleshe The workes of the fleshe sayeth he be easely knowen whych are these aduoutrye letchery vnclennes ydolatrye wytchcraft poysonynge hatred stryfe hartbrennynge fume chafynge discorde heresies sectes enuye dronkennes ryotte surfettynge and such lyke Of these foule vyces and frutes of the corrupte nature I tell you before sayeth saynt Paule that who so euer do them onles he ryse agayne by dew penaunce shall neuer inherite the kyngdome of God On the contrarye syde the frute of the spirite is loue charitie ioye peace wyth all men pacience sufferaunce myldnes lyberalitie faythfulnes meknes temperaūce And against such persons sayeth S. Paule as shew these frutes surely there is no lawe i. tim i. For as sayde is the lawe is made for the other sorte of men whych be iniust and disobedient it is not ordeyned for the chyldren of the spirite whych be infraunchysed and whyche be wyllyngly wythout compulsion obedient ynough For the chyldren of the spirite I meane all suche whych belonge vnto Iesu Christ haue mortifyed and crucifyed and do cōtinually mortifye and crucifye theyr fleshe theyr vyces and concupiscences by the power of the spirite that raygneth in them as S. Paul dyd sayenge i. cor ix I tame my bodye and brynge it into subiection Assuredly my frendes the chyldren of the spirite be now nomore subiecte to the fleshe but the fleshe rather is subiecte vnto them or at lest wayes vnto the spirite whych is in them Our Lorde graūt that hys spirite maye so worke in vs by hys lyuely word that we maye eschue the workes of the fleshe and folowe the frutes and workes of the same spirite by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome wyth the father and holy goost thre persons and one God be rēdred all honoure glorie prayse and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .xvij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ healeth the .x. lepers AS Iesus wente to Hierusalem he passed thorowe Samaria and Galile And as he entred in to a certayne towne there met hym ten men that were lepers Whych stode afarre of and put forth theyr voyces and sayd Iesu mayster haue mercye on vs. When he sawe them he sayd vnto them Go shewe your selues vnto the prestes And it came to passe that as they wente they were clensed And one of them when he sawe that he was clensed turned backe agayne and with a loude voyce praysed God and fell downe on hys face at hys fete gaue hym thankes And the same was a Samaritane And Iesus answered and sayd are there not ten clēsed But where are those nyne There are not foūd that returned againe to gyue God prayse saue only thys straunger And he sayd vnto hym aryse go thy waye thy fayth hath made the hole GOod christē people not only the wordes of our Lorde be full of great mysteries and significacions but also hys myracles and hys workes be as it were parables and ful of mystery and by them we ought to nourysh increase oure weake fayth more and more and to make it stronge as one may se and consyder in the gospell of thys daye whych maketh mencion of .x.
haue them hys dyscyples We knowe saye they that thou art rightfull and that thou teachest the doctrine of God in trouth and regardest no persone as who shulde saye thou haste respecte neyther to Herode nor yet to Cesar whych exacteth tribute of vs but only teachest frely the trouth Therfore shewe vs playnly we beseche the if it be leful for vs to gyue tribute vnto Cesar or no Oure sauiour and maister Iesus Christ whych knoweth all mens thoughtes sayde vnto them Wherfore do ye tempte me you hypocrites He answereth them not fayerly accordinge to their fayer wordes but roughly accordinge to their cruel conscience For god is wonte to aunswere to the will not to the word And he sayth vnto them Shewe me the money of the tribute And they did gyue him a pece And he demaūded of them to th ende that he shuld shame them with their own wordes whose was the ymage the superscription And they aunswered of Cesar And then he aunswered them Thē yelde ye vnto Cesar the thinges that apperteyne vnto Cesar And paye to god that which belongeth to god But these dissemblers surely did not vnderstande this aunswere for they loked that he shulde haue sayde eyther ye or no. If he had sayd that they ought for to haue gyuen tribute vnto Cesar they myghte haue accused hym as speakinge agaynst the lybertye gyuen vnto the children of Israell and also as a transgressour of the lawe and if he had sayd that it had not bene lawful to gyue tribute vnto Cesar the Herodians wolde haue accused hym forthwyth of treason and sedicion agaynst themperour of Rome And so in all fashions they myght haue had open occasion to cause hym to be condemned to death but by hys aunswere they had none occasion but were all ashamed And he shewed them well that agaynst the Lorde God there is no counsell that can serue Wherefore thys Gospell doth teach vs that they that teach the doctrine of Iesu Christe I meane the true Gospell shall haue other whyles the Pharisees and theyr discyples lyenge in wayte agaynste them whych shall accompany themselues wyth infidels beleuynge nothyng of God suche as were these Herodians for to attrappe them subtylly in theyr interrogations in any thyng that they saye whether it be so or not so searchyng apparant occasions for to delyuer them vnto death And so they shall not be able to eschue it yf the spirite of God do not delyuer them Wherfore my brethren let vs all take good courage for to announce and preache the word of Iesu Christ the holy Gospell Let vs leaue vnto the men that that is of men And let vs yeld vnto God that that is Gods that is fayth all hope and charytie vnto hym dewe by hys holye worde And our kynge whych is Iesu Christ shall reioyce in hys heauenly father the whych wyth hym shall gyue vs hys graces and our prayses shal be of God that whych also shall shutte vppe the mouthe of the sklaunderers and euyll speakers of hys holye worde as it is also wrytten But the kynge shall reioyce hym in God All those wyth true hartes shal be praysed for the mouth of them whych speake iniquitie is close vnto the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christe Qui viuit et regnat in seculorum secula Amen The Epystle on the .xxiiij. sonday after Trinite sonday The. fyrst chapiter to the Colossians Th argument ☞ Paule desiereth and praieth for the collossiās that they myght be fruetfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of god BRethren we haue not ceased to praye for you and to desire that ye myght be fulfylled wyth the knowledge of hys wyll in al wysdome and spiritual vnderstanding that ye myght walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye maye please being frutefull in all good workes and encreasing in the knowledge of god strengthed with al myght thoroughe hys glorious power vnto all pacience and longe sufferinge wyth ioyfulnes THe epistle of thys daye my welbeloued frnedes doth teache vs how all christen men ought continually to desire and syghe whych is to pray and to demaunde vnto god that all the contreyes and nacions maye be replenyshed wyth the holy ghoste the whych folowe the fayth of the word of god that they may be replenyshed wyth the knowledge of the wyll of god whyche is all wisdome from aboue and vnderstanding from aboue of the holy ghoste Whiche thyng we ought to praye to th entent that in all places we maye walke worthyly accordyng vnto God and that in al good workes we maye please God that al maye fructifye and take encrease in the knowlege of God which is the vnderstādyng of hys worde Furthermore we must praye that al may be comforted in all strength vertue and might of god not according vnto our myght or the myght of men but according vnto the puissaūce and incomparable might of hys glory in the whych all they that knowledge to haue it of hym do prayse hym gloryfie hym in al mekenesse and pacience of hys abydyng in spirituall ioye in our Lorde Iesu Christe The desyres of al christen men Truly my brethren these be the desyres sighes prayers and peticyons of all christen men the whych be vnderstāded by the desyres prayers and peticiōs of S. Paule for the Collosiēs for in the scriptures the thynges spoken particularly oughte to be taken vniuersally that is that they be sayed vnto all men as oure Lorde doth wytnesse it spekyng vnto hys disciples this that I saye vnto you I speake it vnto all Let vs then praye contynually by these noble desyres and sighes whych the holye ghost maketh in vs we shal be spiritual we shal be a temple of the holye ghoste and such as we desyre the other to be We shall haue knowledge of the good wyll of God whych is the saluation of euery body by the fayth in Iesus Christe and in hys worde These desyres and prayers be workes of charytye workes of sapience and such as teach the wysdom of God and not of men they be woorkes pleasaunte vnto God frutefull and increasynge from daye to daye in the knowlege of god they be the woorkes of pacience abyding in ioye of spirite what soeuer thyng it shal please god for to sende whether it be prosperytye or aduersytye whether it be syckenes or health for the strength from aboue gyuen by Iesu Christe and his spirite doth comforte gyueth liefe to al. To whom be immortal glory and prayse wythout ende Amen The Gospell on the .xxiiij. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye The .ix. chapiter of Mathewe Th argument ☞ The woman whyche had the issue of bloude is healed WHyle Iesus yet spake vnto the people behold ther cam a certeyn ruler and worshipped him sayenge my doughter is euen nowe disceased but come and laie thy hand vpon her and she shal lyue And Iesus arose and folowed hym and so dyd hys disciples And beholde a woman whych was diseased
iustifienge spirite of God whych worketh by pure and lyuely fayth Wherfore good brethren systers let vs not thinke trustynge to our owne merytes and workes that we loued God fyrst and so deserued kyndnes at hys hādes For yf ye thynke so saynt Ihon reproueth you sayenge We loue God bycause he fyrst loued vs. Now yf a man sayeth he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that loueth not hys brother whome he seeth how can he loue God whom he hath not sene And thys cōmaundemēt sayeth saint Ihō we haue of God that he that loueth God must also loue hys brother But I praye you howe do we loue our brother and se so many lye in euery corner wythout comforte Yea we se Christ an hōgred Math. xxvi and we gyue hym no meate We se hym thyrstye and we gyue hym no drynke We se hym harbroughles and we take hym not in naked we cloth hym not syck and we vysite him not in prison and we come not to hym For in asmuch as we do it not to one of these our poore brethren Christ count it vndone to hym Wherfore yf we vnfaynedlye loue God let vs declare our loue wyth worthy frutes let vs loue oure brethren as we be here wylled to do Then shall we wyth confidence and full hope loke for the daye of iudgement wythout feare at whych tyme the heuenly kynge shall saye vnto vs. Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde To thys heauenly kynge the sonne of man oure Lorde and Sauiour be gyuen al glorye for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Trinitie The .xvi. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Of the ryche man and of poore Lazarus IEsus put forth a parable vnto hys disciples sayenge There was a certayne rych man whyche was clothed in purple and fyne whyte and fared deliciously euery daye And there was a certayne begger named Lazarus which laye at his gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes which fell from the rych mans borde and no man gaue vnto hym The dogges came also and lycked hys sores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also dyed and was buried And beyng in hel in tormētes he lyft vp hys eyes and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in hys bosome and he cryed and sayd father Abraham haue mercy on me and sende Lazarus that he may dyppe the typpe of hys fynger in water and coole my tonge for I am tormented in thys flame But Abraham sayd Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuest thy pleasure and cōtrary wyse Lazarus receyued payne But nowe is he cōforted and thou arte punyshed Beyonde all this betwene vs and you there is a greate space set so that they whych wolde go from hence to you can not neyther maye come from thence to vs. Then he sayd I praye the therfore father sende hym to my fathers house For I haue fyue brethrē for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormēt Abraham sayd vnto hym they haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them And he sayd naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them from the deade they wyll repente He sayd vnto hym Yf they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther wyll they beleue thoughe one rose frome death agayne GOod people thys Gospel as it is ryght comfortable to the poore godly persons so it is ryght fearfull to the vngodly rych persons The sely pore godly person is muche vexed wyth troubles and diseases in thys lyfe he lyeth otherwhyles beggynge at ryche mens gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes whych fal frō theyr tables The vngodly person lyueth all at pleasure and florysheth But se the ende of these two in theyr death The poore Lazarus is forthwyth caryed by angels into Abrahams bosome The rych man is buryed in hell What is thys to be borne vp of angels and to be layd in Abrahās bosome Surely it is nothynge els but to dye in the fayth of Abraham whose soules must nedes be in the handes of God What is it to be buryed and to lye in hell in tormentes To dye wyth an euell conscience These thynges do chaūce in death ☞ what tyme we passe out of thys worlde Albeit ye shall yet vnderstande that it was not pouertie that saued Lazarus nor the ryches that damned the rych man but it is the fayth that saueth which worketh pacience and hope and agayne it is the lacke of fayth and despisynge of the neyghboure that dāneth As longe as the rych man lyued he was so choked wyth worldlye pleasures that he coulde not se what was what but whan he was in hell and in tormentes than he lyfted vp hys eyes then he sawe Abraham afarre of and Lazarus in hys bosome Surely my frendes in death fyrst we espye our vngodlynes and damnacion Thā we se the felicitie ioye of the godly persons esa lxvj Math. xxv Thys is that worme that dyeth not whych the prophete Esaye speaketh of Thā fyrst the vnwyse virgines se that the wyse haue oyle Then it commeth to our mynde to whome we haue done good and to whome we haue done euel Then doth the lawe shewe it selfe where as the gospell is taken awaye then fyrst but to late and in vayne we seke fauoure Prou. i. Then thou rych mā thou canst speake fayre and saye Father Abraham haue mercy on me But herken o thou vngodly rych man what father Abraham shall answere the agayne Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst thy pleasure and contrary wyse thys poore Lazarus receyued payne Lo the sentence of the sharpe iudgement of God For as saynt Iames sayeth Iaco. ii Iudgemente wythout mercy shal be to them whych haue shewed no mercy Also the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes He that stoppeth hys eare at the cryenge of the poore shall also crye and not be herde Furthermore the prophete sayeth Ps xxxij For thys shall euery godly person make hys prayer vnto the in due season but in the greate water floudes they shall not come nyghe hym So good people ye se by thys parable that after thys lyfe we shall come shorte to make intercession eyther for our selues or for others For the soule of thys rych gluttō here espyenge he could nothing preuayle for hymselfe began to intreate for hys fyue brethren and desyred that Lazarus might be sent to hys fathers house for to warne them leste they also come into that place of tourmēt But what was answered vnto hym agayne They haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them as who shulde saye they haue gods worde amonges them whyche teacheth them how to eschue euerlastynge punyshmentes and how to be saued yf they wol not regard it there is no recouery
the deuell in Christes power and assystence shall we no fayle haue the victory and ouer come them all Yf we desyre to be delyuered of thys transytory world and to be present wyth God to syt at hys table let vs a whyle tary in hope vntyll the Lorde call vs and we shall not doubt but be caryed thyther wyth his holy angels wyth hym to dwel for euer He hath not prepared thys supper of euerlastynge lyfe of hys fre mercy onely but hath also as frely prepared all necessarye helpes and meanes for vs to vse to the better attaynynge of thys supper Onely let vs be ware by the exemples of the Iues that we be not vnkynde to so mercyfull a callynge leste we be refused as they were We be not more in gods fauour than they were They were gods elect people we were not so They were the chyldren of the house we were foryners and straungers and none of the householde They were the natural braūches we are but grafted in theyr stockes and receyued in theyr rowmes We ought to feare the more that we shall not be spared yf we shewe vnkyndnes as they dyd Ye haue herd what were the lettes wherby the Iewes were drawen abacke from theyr saluation One had bought a farme and was so holly bente to improue and enlarge that to beare rule and raygne in the worlde that he hadde no leasure nor space to gyue eare to the feastmakers callynge and to come to hys supper An other was so busely set about hys oxen and other possession couetously gatherynge lucre and gaynes to enrych hymselfe that he chose rather to lose the commoditie of that delicate supper then to lose hys gaynes An other excused hymselfe that he had maryed a wyfe and therfore answered he that he coulde not come He desyred not to be excused as the other two dyd but sayde flatlye that he coulde not come so harde it is for hym to come to Christ whych hath hys harte set vpō the flateryng vanities and pleasures of the worlde Let vs take hede my frendes that we be not so ouercome of these euel affections before rehersed that we folowe not them and refuse to come to the supper of euerlastyng lyfe wherevnto we be called Lu. xiiij Let vs call to mynde what our sauiour Christe sayeth excepte we renounce all that we possesse we cā not be hys disciples It is not euell to haue rule and dominion in the worlde but so to set our hartes vpon our dignities and preeminence that we shal for the sauegard of them forsake the truth and peruerte iustice that is abhominable before God So to ensue honoure and worshyp that we shall labour by falshode and sedition by secrete conspiracye to gette it that is abominable before God and wylbe surely reuenged i. pet v for God euer hateth the proude in harte he setteth hymselfe a parte agaynst them Psalm xxxvi euer to depose such Though sayeth Dauid the vngodlye shryne hymselfe neuer so hye yet I sawe hym whan he was exalted aboue the Cedre trees brought downe agayne to the grounde I sought hys rowme and place but he was wasted and vanyshed awaye lyke the smoke Kepe therfore byddeth Dauid innocency and beholde equitie for the godly man hath euer permanent issue It is not euell to haue ryches and possessiōs to vse the course of lawfull occupyenge but so to ensue our gaynes that we shall not spare by ryght or wronge to gette them that is wyckednes before God So to possesse ryches that vnmercyfully we shall kepe them and not reliefe the poore with our superfluities as Christ cōmaundeth vs to be stewardes of hys goodes cōmytted in our trust Math. xxv that is the thynge which prouoketh hym to displeasure to pronoūce that it is very harde for a rych man to entre in the kyngdome of heauen mat xix more easy for a camell to go thorowe a nedles eye Of all myschyfe is couetyse the roote and foūtayne sayeth S. Paule i. tim vi sayeth that they whych desyre to be rych fall into temptacion and snare of the deuell and to dyuerse lustes hurtfull and foolyshe whyche drowne men in death and destruction It is that affection sayeth saynte Paule whyche make the suers therof to erre frō theyr fayth They can neuer haue leasure to wayte vpon Christ and his worde that folowe thys affection saye and cal Christ what ye wyl they haue no lust nor desyre to come vnto hym And the reason of thys thynge he openeth in an other place where he sayeth ii co iiij that the Gospell is not receyued of these worldlye men bycause the God of thys worlde hath blynded theyr vnderstandynge leste the lyght of the gospel shuld shyne appeare vnto thē As these .ij. euell affections I meane the desyre of dominion and authoritie and the insaciable desyre of ryches be greate impedimentes and lettes that hynder many a man from saluation so is the affection to pleasures of thys worlde as great a let in whome it raygneth to cause them set lytel by the callynge of God to thys great feast of the glorye to come This affection is so subtle that where the other two can not alter and occupye the mynde of many men yet of thys they be ouercome A beastly affection to be led wyth the volupties of thys worlde and therfore Christ compareth them to swyne walowynge in the myer of beastly and carnal lyfe and wolde haue no perles cast before them for they can none otherwyse do but trede them vnder foote despyse them Let vs therfore good people take good aduisement let vs consyder of what gentlenes and mercy we be called Let vs consyder whereto we be called not to payne and mysery but to feastynge and bankettyng in the kyngdome of heauen We prouoked not God to call vs by our merytes which were nothynge but blyndnes and Idolatry but he of hys mercy preuented vs only to haue the prayse of our saluacion which wyl come at hys calling Let vs cōsider how great a zele God beareth to our helth whych semeth to be angrye whan we refuse to come at hys callynge not only calleth vs and leaueth vs there but hath prouided all thynges to helpe vs to come thyther whervnto we be called hys worde we haue hys sacramētes and hys holy spirite workynge in our hartes we haue to be present wyth vs to strength vs to come Yf we come we be saued and shal be blessed for euer if we com not but make our excuses we deceiue our selues and for the loue of vayne and transytory delytes and pleasures lose the lyfe euerlastynge And what shall it auayle to wynne all the worlde lose our soules Yf we refuse to come to thys feast let vs not loke to be bydden to any other for it is the last feast and none other to be loked for after No better messanger could he sende to vs to moue vs to come to thys feast
the Gospell perteyneth to the conscience and therfore it teacheth not the chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth Let vs then my frendes folowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter and hys penitent harte confessynge our vnworthynes And then doubt we not but we shal be called to the greate feaste where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauenly palace of God the father To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye AMEN The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the spirituall signification of oure baptisme BRethren knowe ye not that all we whych are baptised into Iesu Christ are baptysed to dye wyth hym We are buryed then wyth him by baptysme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new lyfe For yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym euen so shall we be partakers of the resurrection knowynge thys that our olde man is crucifyed wyth hym also that the bodye of synne myghte vtterly be destroyed that henseforth we shulde not be seruaūtes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustifyed from synne Wherfore yf we be deade wyth Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue wyth hym knowynge that Christe beynge raysed from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer hym For as touchynge that he dyed he dyed concernynge synne once And as touchynge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Lykewise consyder ye also that ye are dead as touchynge synne but are alyue vnto God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule good christē people had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth that is to saye christes death and his resurrection shewing them that Christ by hys moost precious death purchased the euerlastynge remission of our synne and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs and apeased the wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym that by this his dede we be iustified ☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen now in thys epistle he teacheth vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection and setteth it before vs as an exēple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection Do ye not knowe sayeth saynt Paule what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death or to what ende ye be baptysed Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by baptisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym Such a signification and fygure hath Christes death vnto vs that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne dayly to mortifye and to slee the euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs. The significacion of baptisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water and be lyfte vp agayne it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth whych our synne deserued to euerlasting lyfe It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe the lyfe of ryghtuousnes And thys is the vertue fygure of baptysme whych yf we take not after thys purpose we do but deceyue oure selues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy sacrament let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and penaunce of your synne wherof it is a sygne Ye be ones baptysed and nede nomore to receyue the sacrament but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll that is to dye to synne to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him that is to saye synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe walke continually there in And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God euen so by the power of the same spirite shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe In whych our doynge we shall in some maner worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God For he is none of Christes that hath not hys spirite and by thys token is it knowen who is grafte in Christe and is in the state of saluation For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe but he whych walketh after the spirite Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death we shal be partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte agaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to euerlastynge lyfe it shall also rayse vs from the corporall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam that is to saye all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell
And therfore whan oure sauiour Christe came amonges them he went aboute to restore all agayne to the ryght sence and purenes and to seuer and wede out the fansyes dreames and leuen of the pharisees wherwyth they had ensoured and corrupted the swete breade of lyfe and he openly tolde the people that onles theyr perfection theyr goodnes and rightuousnes passed the ryghtuousnes and good lyuynge of the scribes and pharisees they shulde neuer come to the kyngdome of heauen Whervpon he went on and taught the commaundementes of God and the pure and ryght vnderstandynge of them as in hys moost excellente and swete sermon whyche he made to hys disciples on the mountayne whych the holy Euangelist saint Matthew setteth forth vnto vs in the v.vi and .vij. chapters more at large doth appeare Mat. vij A good tree sayth Christ bringeth forth good frute For not euery one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lord shal entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen Thou readest in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy harte wyth al thy soule wyth al thy power minde Do thys sayeth Christ and thou shalte lyue eternally in heauen Thou mayest not speake of God wyth thy mouth or praye vnto hym wyth thy lyppes and thy harte be farre from God Naye thou must loue hym wyth thy hole harte mynde and power and not fayntly And thou must loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe Who soeuer doth thys shall lyue And who soeuer hath not done thys let hym repent and become a newe mā Let hym aske grace of God that he may be able through hys ayde and helpe to do it He that seketh shall fynde he that asketh shall obtayne to hym that knocketh it shal be opened There is nothynge impossible to God So longe as we be carnall and vnrenewed by the spirite it is not possible for vs to loue God wyth harte We maye wel drede hym as a Lorde punysher of synne but loue hym as a father we can not We maye well lyke seruauntes feare hym but reuerently loue hym lyke sonnes and doughters we cānot It is not possible I say for a carnall man to fulfyll the lawe whych is spirituall Rom. vij The lawe as ye haue herde requyreth the hart We must loue God wyth harte and not drede hym for feare of punyshment as bondmen and bondwomen do theyr lorde Yf we woll consyder what God hath done for vs fyrst he made vs of nought he prouydeth for vs all thynges necessarie to oure soules helth he hath made our soules not as be the soules of beastes wythout reason and whych peryshe dye wyth the body but reasonable but immortall he sente also hys owne sonne from heauen to redeme mankinde from the tyranny and thraldome of the deuel and to teach them how to lyue a godly and an innocent lyfe Yf I saye we woll consyder all thys howe can we but loue god euen wyth harte do his swete wyll and pleasure onles we be harder then the Adamant stones onles we be made of suche a churlyshe nature that nothynge can moue vs. But the pharisees for moost parte were carnal and fleshly persons They obserued the letter of the lawe they kepte the outwarde wordes they dyd no lechery outwardlye they cōmytted no thefte no murther no periury nor suche other vyces outwardlye they dyd sacrifice to God they offered vnto him they sensed they pyped they played they prayed after theyr fashiō but none of all thys was done wyth the harte For inwardly they were full of all abhominacion as Christe hymselfe wytnessed vnto them For they dyd it onely for feare of punyshmēt and not for any harty loue that they had to God They fulfylled the letter of the lawe outwardly But theyr minde theyr spirite theyr hart was vpō other thynges that is to wyt vpō worldly vanities and pleasures So they coulde not fulfyll the lawe so longe as they were in that case For as Paule full well declareth the lawe is spirituall Rom. vij and ought to be done and executed wyth the harte wyth the spirite and mynde and not only outwardly Yet neuertheles all the Iewes were not in thys case for there were holy and iuste persons in all ages as appeareth full wel in the bokes of holy scripture And there were also many whych had good intentes but they were so drowned wyth the blyndnes supersticion gloses tradicions interpretacions and dreames of the pharisees and elders that they espyed not the true honoure and worshyp of God of whyche sorte was Nicodemus Ioh. iij. whych came by nyght to Christ to learne of hym and to dispute wyth hym But Christ perceyuynge that he was yet carnall and that he obserued but the letter of the lawe and not the spirite and mynde of the lawe sayd by and by vnto hym Verely verely I say vnto the onles thou be as who shulde saye new borne not of thy mother but of water and spirite thou canst not enter into the kyngdome of god That that is borne of flesh is flesh but that whych is borne of spirite is spirite A fleshly mā a naturall man a man vnbaptized vnrenewed with the spirite can not smel nor haue any sauour of thinges spirituall he can not worke the wyll and pleasure of God He maye well for feare satisfye the outward wordes but he shall neuer do the wyll of God wyllyngly hartely and with spirite as it is requyred of God that he shulde do For as I haue sayd the law is spirituall and requyreth the harte And surely it appeareth well that thys lawyer toke but the letter of the lawe not the spirite by the question folowyng where he asketh Christ who is hys neyghboure For yf he had loued God hertely he shulde haue counted euery man hys neyghboure as Christes similitude byddeth and not only hys owne nation as cōmonly the Iues dyd Wherfore my frendes yf we wol haue euerlastynge lyfe let vs do as Christe here byddeth vs. Let vs not be speakers nor hearers of the law but doers and not outwarde and lyterall doers but hartye but spirituall doers not for feare as bondmen but for loue as fremē and sonnes and heyres Thys let vs do and we shall lyue euerlastyngly in heauen wyth God To whome be all honoure and imperie for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .v. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ The batell betwene the spirite and the fleshe and the frutes of them both BRethren walke in the spirite and fulfil not the lust of the flesh For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrary to the fleshe These are contrary one to another so that ye can not do what soeuer ye wolde But and yf ye be led of the spirite than are ye not vnder the lawe The dedes of the fleshe are manyfest whyche are these aduoutrye fornication vnclenes
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 the thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wherby we be deliuered from the captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from the bondage therof to ryse with Christ Exo. xij 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 that 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 the leuen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast the hole terme of our lyfe with eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare that Christes gyftes graces haue theyr effect in vs that we haue the right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to the vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shal be 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. On the fyrst sondaye after Ester The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the .v. Chapter Th argument 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 i. cor x. 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 earth 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 OVre 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 no man 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 The wordes of S. Austine 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 Pertran sijt 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 that waye that thou cammest ☞ therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst mā beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yer 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 the 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 our selues that Iesus is Christe Ioh. iij. that is to saye the annoynted Kynge and Sauioure of the worlde Before we be newe borne agayn by spirite we be al Nicodemes 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 nomā 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 whō Christ answereth Verely verely I saye vnto the onles a mā be borne agayne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Ioh. iij. whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge i. Ioh. v. he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue that Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secōdly What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ that he is a kynge anoynted with 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 A difference of faythes and so all hypocrites and betwene the 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 borne agayne whan through the
whych the gospell teacheth He doubtles neuer slepeth though we slepe neuer so soūdly carelessy but lyke a roryng lyon he runnyth and leapeth about seakyng whome to deuoure as thapostle S. Peter doth testifie in the ende of this firste epistle i. pet v. But forasmoche as the power of desires and lustes is so greate yea that after iustification receyued saynt Peter vseth certein warlyk wordes wherwith he expresseth the strength and power of these carnal worldly desires which he sayth do warre againste vs and as the greke worde purporteth do dayly exercise with vs a pyched felde militant whych thing the scripture otherwhyles calleth the conflycte of the fleshe and of the spirite agaynst whych no outwarde workes can do any good As the holy fathers also haue confessed and complayned of themselues Note thys exemple of saynt Hierom For saint Hierom hymselfe when he sought euery where a present remedy agaynst the desyres of the fleshe at last after longe delyberation departed into the woode trustynge that by thys meane he shulde eschue and shake of from hym hys carnal and fleshely desyres but it wolde not be for euen in his very mysery and vexation of hys body whych he toke vpon hymselfe for that purpose he yet thought he satte at Rome amōges the Romane ladies and fayre wenches and that he daunced wyth them Wherfore syth here in thys lyfe it is not in our powers vtterly to do awey carnall desyres the holy fathers and prophetes desyred wyth hygh lamentation that they myghte be lycenced to departe out of thys vale of teares to the heauenly and perfyte ioyes For here they thought themselues onely straungers and as pylgrimes or wayfarynge men Whych thynge thapostle Paule in hys seconde epistle to the Corinthians doth wonderfully well declare wrytynge on thys wyse We knowe ij cor v. sayeth he that yf our erthy mansion of thys dwellynge were destroyed we haue a buyldynge of God an habitation not made wyth handes but eternall in heauen And therfore sygh we desyrynge to be clothed wyth our mansion whych is from heuen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked and so forth Now suche straungers S. Peter here wylleth vs to be whyche ought continually to loke vp to contende and laboure thyther settynge asyde all earthly thynges all cares and worldly desyres and euer to stande redy in hope to be delyuered out of thys our earthly tabernacle or hostrye and to enioye the euerlastynge inheritaunce Howbeit yet in the meane season good people we teache not as do these Anabaptistes that he that hath ryches shulde cast them awaye but that he cleaue not in harte vnto them lyke as other places of holy scripture do teach vs and namely thys present epistle of S. Peter whych by a similitude of straungers or pylgrimes doth declare vnto vs that in the hostrye of thys present worlde we shulde be in loue with nothynge we shulde vaynly ambiciously require nothynge that is in our hoostes house whych is the worlde euen none otherwyse than a straunger a pawmer or wayfarynge body doth whych knoweth that nothinge in hys ynne or lodgynge doth pertayne vnto hym ☜ but only maketh hast homewarde into hys owne cōtrey Now they whych be in loue admiration with any thynge in thys worlde they can not be called forenners straungers or pylgrimes but cytizens and inhabitauntes of thys worlde Wherfore it is great folly now amonges christen men to be in loue wyth the thynges of the worlde to seke pleasure in carnall desyres What be carnall desyres syth suche thynges belonge no more to christians But I praye you what vyces doth saynt Peter cal here desyres Surely not only those grosse faultes but also the inwarde croked affections which doubtles be the very causes of those outwarde and grosse vyces Saynt Peter therfore wrytyng especyally to the Iewes whych were disperpled abrode in dyuers countreyes and by them vnto vs Englyshe men and to all others ryght tēderly exhorteth them callynge them hys moost derely beloued brethren to absteyne as forenners and pylgrymes from all fleshly lustes that is to wit all vices whyche of nature do stycke to the fleshe whych vices do kepe continuall warre and batell agaynst the soule and spirite of mā that euer more tendeth and laboureth to do the wyll of God And he wylleth them that they haue honest conuersacion amonges the Gentyls or paynems whych worshipped false Goddes amonge whome at that tyme when saynte Peter wrote thys epistle the christen men lyued Saint Peter therfore wyll not that christen men shulde departe from the panyms but that they shulde lyue honestly amōges them to thintent that where as they backbyte them as euyll doers they myght se theyr good workes myghte prayse and glorifye God in the daye of visitation In the daye of visitatiō that is to saye that the paynyms beynge more ryghtly instructed and taught by the honeste lyfe of the christians myghte by gods visitation be called also to the Gospell and so to haue a better opinion and iudgement of gods worde whych thynge in dede came to passe in the primatiue church by the godly exemple of the good Apostolicall fathers and christen people in Rome and els where Where as now the paynims and infidels as be turkes Iues be rather plucked frome the Gospell then allured vnto it by thexemple of those that woll neuertheles be called the successours of Peter and Paule and the vicares of Christ Wherfore it is to be feared leste God wyll visite them not by heapynge vpon them hys benefytes and graces whych they refuse neglecte but by pourynge vpon them hys iuste yre and vengeaunce accordynge to theyr desertes Be you subiecte therfore good christen people to the worde of God Obeye hys commaundementes prescribed in the same Let your lyght shyne before mē and namely before the proude Pharisees infidels whych thynke there is no God that they may se your good workes and honest conuersacion and glorifye your father in heauen Submytte your selues Mat. v. according to Peters counsayle here vnto euery humane creature that is to saye vnto all maner ordinaunce or power whych humane creatures do administer and that euen for the Lordes sake For it pleaseth the Lorde ye shulde so do lest your conscience shulde be polluted and defyled wyth synne through disobedience And euen here maye ye lerne good people that when ye obeye the publyke ruler and magistrate ye do please God by thys obedience Be obedient therfore sayth S. Peter whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chefe head or vnto rulers as to thē that are sent of hym for the punyshmēt of euel doers Ro. xiij And surely as wytnesseth S. Paule whoseoeuer resysteth power resysteth the ordinaūce of God For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euell Wherfore ye must obeye sayth Paule not only for feare of vengaunce but also bycause of
iugemente Thre lettes 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 the 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 mā 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 cōsydered not before the 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 Of sinne 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 mysbeleue of the 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 the meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste Of thys abhominable synne the worlde knoweth nothynge at all Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke the 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 shal be of valour before god Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde why bycause sayeth Christe the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy Iugemēt And he calleth iugemēt the blyndnes of mā 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 Adhuc multa habeo 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 whē 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 cānot perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection whych is to be fulfilled for your redēptions sake Here ye se playnly good people that thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditiōs 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 Chrysostom For as Chrysostome sayth the gospel conteyneth al together And the office sayeth he of a good preacher is truely to prosecute all that is in hys commission not to chaunge ☜ put to or take away any thyng But this the 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 expoūde 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 hethē persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persōs 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 vnto you And al that the father of heuē 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 Ioh. iij. 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
good people here ye haue a true definicion of religion It is not to be locked vp in stone walles and to departe from the company of the worlde as those disguysed and false religiouse persones lately in thys realme dyd but it is to be conuersaunt amonges men wythout spotte or reproufe it is to vysite orphanes and fatherlesse chyldren to go and succour the poore wydowes to go aboute and to wynne the people to Christ to fysh mens soules and to brynge them into the kyngdome of Christ out of the tyranny and raygne of Antichriste I call Antichrist whosoeuer teacheth other deuotions and holynesses then Christ dyd ordeyne For he that is not wyth Christ is agaynst Christ Wherfore good brethren and systers let vs be accordynge to saynt Iames monition here not onely hearers but also doers of the worde but of what worde of the bishop of Romes worde of Antichristes word which is contrary to Christes vnspotted syncere worde no but of gods worde to thintent we maye loke into the perfyte lawe whych breaketh out of fre spirite fayth into workes of charitie Let vs imbrace the true religioÌ„ that is here prescribed and set forth vnto vs Let vs vysite the orphanes the desolate wydowes our poore neyghbours that be destitute of comforte and relyfe Thys let vs do of a fre and franke harte not as constraynedly but wyllyngly and gladly Thys doynge we shall declare by our dedes that we haue the lyuely fayth that shall iustifie vs in gods sight In these our dedes but not by these our dedes nor through these our dedes we shall as saynt Iames assureth vs be happy and so happy that nomaÌ„ shal be able to take our ioye and blysse from vs. For we shall not onely lyue here in thys worlde in peace of conscience and in the kyngdome of Christ but we shall also in an other worlde inherite the vnspeakable ioye and felicitie of heauen where lyueth raygneth the father the soÌ„ne and holy goost perpetually Amen The Gospel on the .v. Sondaye after Ester daye which is the next sonday before the crosse dayes the .xvi. Chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Prayers are hard through Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples after a whyle ye shall not se me and againe after a while ye shal se me for I go to the father ThaÌ„ sayd some of his disciples betwene them selues what is this that he saith vnto vs after a while ye shal not se me and againe after a whyle ye shal se me and that I go to the father They said therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he sayth Iesus perceyued that they wolde aske him and said vnto them Ye inquyre of this betwene youre selues because I sayd after a while ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wise the world shall reioyse Ye shal sorowe but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman wheÌ„ she traueyleth hath sorowe because her hour is come But as sone as she is deliuered of the child she remeÌ„breth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde And ye nowe therfore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and youre hartes shall reioyse and youre ioye shall no man take from you IN the first parte of the Gospel of this daie good people is a commauÌ„demeÌ„t and promise set forth vnto vs wherby we be allured and sturred to praye ⧠The vertu of prayers And surely sith a christian person can no wher haue better coumforte in such thynges as he is troubled in and in tyme of necessitie and aduersitie then instantly to pray and to open his affliction and grefe with ardent peticion and humble sute to God who onely wyll and can helpe him in his distres gyue him comforte vndoutedly it is ryght necessary that we throughly perceiue knowe the institucion and intent of this present gospel to the intent we might be the more inclined and disposed vnto prayer For who wolde reiecte and despice prayer as a thyng lytle necessary seyng it is so muche auaunced and coÌ„maunded by Christe vnto vs Yea this coÌ„maundement dothe as straytly bynde vs as the fyrste commaundemeÌ„t of the Decalogie doth This to be true we may se in another place where Christe byddeth vs alwayes to pray and that without ceasing or intermission lu xviij Marke that it is necessary then and conuenient that we shulde pray Wherfore as we be by speciall word and coÌ„maundement of Christe draweÌ„ and inforced to pray So also this gospell allureth vs to the same with a speciall promise For it is here promised vs by Christe that our prayers that is to wete the prayers of christen ê‘sons shal not be vaine ne frustrate but that we shal be surely herde shall obteyne our sutes For why elles wolde Christ haue bounde this his worde and promise with an othe sayeng verely verely What so euer ye aske the father in my name he shall gyue it you Also aske and it shal be gyuen you Do ye not heare how our prayers shal not be vayne nor frustrate Who then wold nowe be slouthfull to pray seyng Christe by his speciall coÌ„maundement hath wylled vs to the same Forthermore ye shal here vnderstande that bycause we shuld not thynke that the labour of our prayers shuld be in vayne therfore doth Christe here in this place allure vs with a notable and special promyse as is before remembred But herin are two thinges to be considered pondered of vs. The one is that we shuld pray in none other name theÌ„ in only Christes name we must pray only in the name of Christe Now we pray in the name of Christ when we approche to god in the faythe of Christ and do comforte our selues with the trust and affiaunce in him that is to wete that he only is our mediatour or 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 roume or office 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 i Pet. ij Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shal be 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 Chrisostome Thou shall nede no patrones or aduocates with 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. Theophilactus in Iohan ca. xv 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 Math. v. 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 our 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 ij cor i. as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wryteth 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 Ro. viij 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 Phi. iiij 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 synne 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 From whence the peace of coÌ„science springeth 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 ij pe iij. Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe if 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 the blessed virgine Marye Luce. ij 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 Psa xiij Ioh. iij. 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 creatute We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge lo nowe thou speakeste frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thinges 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 knowlege 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 that 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 secula seculorum Amen A sermon in the Rogation weke or a briefe instruction 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 litanies 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 him and absteyne from thys holy processiō lest he happen to iritate and to angre god more then other men shal be hable to pacifie and styll hym The abuse of these dayes 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 the prophane Magistrates to se that those vnchristen and vngodly abuses be 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 What is to be demaūded in supplications 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 the 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 furtheraunce 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 i. Timo. iiij 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 diseases 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 spirites 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 reuerence 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 execute 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 miserable 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 periuries 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 we do fynde for god maketh vs here aboundauntly in this behalfe to enioye our requestes and desyres and doth minister al thynges to the bodye wyth a large blessynge whyche thynge neuerthelesse is moost present poyson and pestilence to the soule and it is the occasion of great myschefe For doubtles surfettynge and ydelnes of all noughtynes be the rotes and the fountaynes of all euels But alake alake thys goostly infection we nothing at all regarde we passe not of it No man regardeth the spirituall pestilence The pestilēce which noyeth the body we eschue it with great care and we study to dryue it awaye wyth often prayers and supplications laynge vnto it all the medicines and remedies we can deuyse But in thys
same goodes wyth Christ Furthermore Christ gaue them power agaynst wycked spirites to cast them out to heale al maner of syckenesses as it is redde in the tenth of Matheu Also in the .xix. psalme ye rede Thou shalt walke vpon Lions and Dragons Wherfore where a christen man is the power to worke these sygnes myracles is not taken awaye as by many exemples it hath ben proued But no man ought to do them onles it be necessarie and the case requyre it For the Apostles thēselues wrought not these myracles but only to the testification of gods worde that so by myracles the Gospell myght be confirmed as the texte sayeth They went and preached euery where the Lorde workynge wyth them and confirmynge the worde wyth myracles folowynge But nowe after that the Gospell is spred abrode and opened to the hole world myracles be not necessary as they were in the Apostles tyme. It foloweth whan the Lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen That is to saye he went vp to begyn hys spirituall and heauenly kyngdome and drewe wyth hym oure hopes into heuen that thyther whether we sawe him ascende we shulde also folowe And he sytteth on the ryght hande of God Thys is a maner or fygure of speakynge and it sygnifyeth he is God egall and of lyke power wyth the father And as the prophete sayeth he ascended vp on hygh hath led captiuitie a prisoner So that nowe we be no longer in thraldome for Christ hath caryed it awaye wyth hym and made vs the chyldren of hys father to lyue eternally wyth hym in heauen To whome be glorye for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the sonday after the Ascension daye The .i. Epistle of Peter the .iiij. chap. Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to do good workes according to thexemple of Christ MOost deare beloued brethren Be ye therfore sober and watch vnto prayer But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge your selues For loue shall couer the multitude of synnes Be ye herberous one to another wythout grudgynge As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so minister the same one to another as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God Yf any man minister let hym do it as of the abilitie whych god ministreth vnto hym that god in all thynges maye be glorifyed thorow Iesus Christ GOod brethrē and systers in our sauiour Christ the lection of the epistle of thys daye redde in the church is taken forth of the .iiij. chapter of the fyrste epistle of the Apostle messanger of Christ S. Peter Ye shall therfore vnderstande that forasmuch as thys holy mā S. Peter had now in the chapters goynge before thys place sufficiently taught the Iues and others whome he wrote thys epistle vnto The occasion of thys epistle of the fayth and iustification whych cōmeth by Christe he doth now in the chapters folowynge monysh them of good workes ☜ accordynge to the maner of syncere and pure preachers whych before they gyue any preceptes of good maners woll fyrst intreate of the causes of new lyfe Wherfore thys present lesson is nothynge but an exhortation to good workes after the exemple of Christe Thus than he sayeth Be ye therfore sobre and watch vnto prayer Thys texte contayneth a generall exhortacion to all such thynges as become christen men to do in this lyfe Sobrenes and modestie For modesty and sobrenes be not so greatly good workes as they be the selfe rules wherby al good woorkes be tempered Ye shall therfore vnderstand here by modestie and sobrenesse fyrst those ciuile vertues whych haue contrary vyces arrogancye and pryde In lyke wyse doth also Paule vnderstande them in the .xij. to the Romaynes where he wryteth I saye vnto you by the grace whych is gyuen me to euery one of you that none thynke proudly of hymself aboue that it becōmeth hym to thynke but lette hym so thynke that he be demure and sobre euen as God hath bestowed to euerye one the measure of fayth Seconde ye shal vnderstande by modestye and sobrenes here also the soūdnes of mynde so that ye thynke modestly soberly of gods worde lest through your owne ymaginations and good intencions ye go awaye from the true vnderstandyng of gods worde or suffer your selues to be plucked away wyth any maner wynde of new doctrine Now whā we be modest and sober aswell in lyfe as in doctrine it foloweth consequently that we muste nedes watch and gyue our selues to prayer It foloweth But afore all haue feruent loue amonges youre selues for loue shal couer the multitude of synnes As though saynt Peter shuld saye It may happen peraduenture that a man may fayne wyth hymselfe that he is sober Charite modest and busye in prayer Therfore before al thynges se ye haue charitie without whych youre demurenes youre sobernes your prayer maye be but fayned and cloked workes with out whych charitie also they be nothynge worth nor yet thankfull to God accordynge to the sayenge of Christ Math. v Whan thou shalte offer thy offerynge at the aulter and remembrest that thy brother haue ought agaynst the leaue there thy offeryng and go and be at one wyth thy brother first and then come and offre thy oblation Doubtles my brethren charitie is to be preferred before all other workes for wythout it none of all oure other workes can please God as Christ hymselfe wytnesseth Math. v. And also the prophete Esay in the fyrst chapter Thou shalt nomore offer to me sacrifice and so forth but learne to do ryghte helpe the nedye c. Vehemēt charitie And saint Peter wyl that our charitie be vehement or feruent not colde and negligent such as theyrs is whych wyth theyr mouth make as though they loue a man but wyth theyr harte they hate hym as euel as a tode And he addeth the cause ☜ for loue or charitie couereth the multitude of synnes Thys sentence is taken forth of the x. chapter of the prouerbes For the moost proper office of charitie is to hyde the infirmities of the neghboure Furthermore hospitalitie and harbourynge wythout murmurynge or grudgynge is also one of the effectes of charitie It foloweth in the texte As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so minister the same one to another as good dispensours or stewardes of the manyfold grace of god Here good people the Apostle Peter exhorteth euery man particularlye to do hys office in hys callynge He that is a preacher of gods worde oughte to be content wyth hys gyfte and to execute his dutie in hys vocatiō that is to wyt he ought to preach not hys owne dreames but the sermōs and wordes of God and so of all other offices in Christes cōgregation whych yf they were done accordynge to S. Peters aduyse here we shuld both haue gods word more purely set forth and also the churche in better vnitie and concorde Then accordyng to euery mās gyfte and as Paule sayeth euen as God hath
to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make mē 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 the holy gospell Surely I wolde thynke it moost conuenient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge math iij Thys is my welbeloued sōne 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 wāder in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the lyght Last of all ye shall consyder and note good christen brethren and systers in thys gospell that 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 honest 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 messēgers 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 towardes 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 ij tim ij And in an other place he sayeth Gala. ij Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for cōfessynge of Christ it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutiō 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 shal be 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 the trouble and affliction of thys tyme as Paule sayth can in no wyse be cōpared wyth the glorye to come that shal be disclosed vnto vs. Ro. viij 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 prepared for vs. To whom wyth the sōne 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 frō heauen as it had bene the cōmynge of a myghty wind and it fylled al the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouē 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 begā 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 thē 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 Lybia 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 the holy goost noman can ryghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God neyther can stycke by it cōstantly 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 Io. xiiij And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew It is not you that be the speakers but it is the spirite of your father whych speaketh in you Wherfore thys often promyse of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfourmeth But bycause it helpeth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the holy goost onles we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte auauntage 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 forgotten to teache The causes why the holy goost is sent But he was sente and is sente for thre causes The fyrst is that he shulde teache and put in mynde expoūde all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the .xiiij. and .xv. chapters of Ihon very copiously and at length speketh The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente is to confirme strengthen and as it were to seale vs to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie of gods worde Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencion whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpō euery of them and fylled them whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els but that the holy goost confirmed and certifyed the myndes of the Apostles vpon the veritie of gods word Ephe. i. i. cor i. and therfore he is called of Paule
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 charitie to entre into oure soules and to dwell wythin vs whych thynge he promyseth vs here in this gospell that he woll do in case we declare the frute of our fayth and kepe hys worde ☞ Furthermore ye shall obserue good people in thys gospell that Christe here shewed hys disciples that he must go awaye from them but yet he sayeth he woll come agayne But I praye you when commeth Christ agayne vnto vs Surely he cōmeth agayne when he sendeth hys worde and hys spirite vnto vs. For loke where the worde is and there is Christ moost presently So in an other place he sayeth Math. xxviij Lo I am wyth you euen to the ende of the world Fynally where Christ sayeth that the father is greter then he ye shall vnderstande that Christe otherwhyles speaketh as a man otherwhyles as God whyche thynge oughte diligently to be obserued of such as woll studye holy scripture For that he here sayeth My father is greater than I ye must referre it to hys humanitie But of hys diuinitie in an other place he speaketh in thys wyse Ioh. x. I and my father be one And now sayeth Christ callynge backe hys disciples to hys worde whereby they myght comforte themselues after hys departure I haue tolde you of it before hande to thintent that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue that I wolle surely come vnto you agayne Herafter woll I not speake much vnto you Prīceps mundi that is to wyt presently in person wyth mans voyce For the prince of this worlde commeth that is to saye my mortall enemy and yours Satā the deuel whych treadeth vpon my hele is at hande Gen. iij. And he calleth hym the prince of the worlde of hys effecte bycause he cōmaundeth and ruleth the worlde after hys wyll and pleasure and draweth it whether he woll as he lust hymselfe But thys prince of the worlde thys Satan sayeth Christe hath nought in me As who shulde saye albeit the prince of the world is commyng agaynst me to vtter and worke al that euer he can deuise to put me downe yet sure I am that I shall ouercome hym So he maketh hys disciples afrayed in that he telleth them that the prince of thys worlde is marchyng forwarde agaynst him but agayne he comforteth them when he sayeth he hath nought in hym And in these few wordes is expressed the pyth of the hole gospell Wherfore to cōclude of thys victory of Christ all we good christen people shal be partakers in case we beleue accordynge as in thys Gospell we be taught And consequently the holy goost who is the true and only comforter in al troubles and affliccion shal make hys mansion and abode wythin vs and put vs in mynde of all Christes wyll and pleasure to the glorye of God the father of heauen and hys only begotten sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde Qui viuit regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .x. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ How the Heythen receyued the holy goost were baptised PEter opened hys mouth and sayd Iesus commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifye that it is he whych was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quycke and deade To him gyue all the prophetes wytnes that thorowe hys name who so euer beleueth in hym shall receaue remission of synnes Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whyche herde the preachynge And they of the circumcision whyche beleued were astonnyed as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost For they herde them speake wyth tonges and magnifye God Then answered Peter can any mā forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whyche haue receyued the holy goost as well as we And he commaunded them to be baptised in the name of the Lorde The sūme of S. Peters prechīg GOod people the summe of saynt Peters sermō here is that Iesus Christ whych for hys benefytes and wonderfull vertues that he shewed amonges the Iues was crucifyed that is to wyt nayled moost vilanously to the crosse whych was the moost paynfull and cruell death that the Iues coulde ymagyne dyd notwythstandynge ryse agayne from death to lyfe and that who soeuer wol beleue in him shal be saued And he sayeth furthermore that God annoynted thys Iesus of Nazareth wyth the holy goost and wyth power Wherby he declareth hym to be the true Messias whych was promysed to the fathers and of whome the prophete Dauid spake I haue anoynted my kinge ouer Zion my holy hyl He declareth also that Christes office is to do good to all Now thys resurrection of Christ he cōfirmeth both wyth hys owne wytnesse and wyth the wytnes of all that sawe the thynge wyth theyr eyes And lest a man shulde reiecte them as parciall wytnesses bycause they were hys seruauntes and disciples he fetcheth out a moost sure recorde of scripture sayenge that all the prophetes do testifye of thys Christ Fynally lest a man woll fynde cauillacion and say they cam forth of their owne mynd vncalled to beare wytnes of thys thynge he addeth that they were commaunded and sent by God to preache to the people to testifye that it is thys same Iesus Christ which was ordeyned of God to be the iuge of the quycke deade Whych thynge is also an vndoubted artycle of our fayth To thys Christ sayeth Peter gyue all the prophetes wytnes that through hys name who so euer beleue in hym shal be saued And amonges other the prophete Esaye who wryteth of Christe in thys wyse Esa liij He only hath taken on hym our infirmitie and borne our paynes The payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and wyth hys strypes are we healed Surely we haue gone all astray lyke shepe euery one hath turned hys owne waye But through hym the Lorde hath pardoned all our synnes Lo here ye maye se playnly aswell by the wordes of saynt Peter in thys place as by thys prophet Esay how we get remission of synnes by beleuynge in Christ Thys doth also saynt Paule in many places declare namely through out hys hole epistle to the Romaynes Origene in epist ad Ro. li. iij. ca. iij. Whereupon the auncient doctoure Origene wrytynge sayth Man therfore is iustified by fayth whome the workes of the lawe do nothyng helpe to ryghtuousnes For where fayth is not which iustifyeth the beleuer althoughe a man haue workes of the lawe yet bycause they be not buylded vpon the foundacion of fayth albeit they seme to be good they can not iustifye the worker yf fayth be awaye whyche is the seale of all that be iustifyed of God Ambrose of the callynge of the gentyls
Saynt Ambrose agreyng hervnto sayth that the redemption of Christes bloude were very vyle yf iustification whych is done by grace shuld be due to the merites goynge before so that it shuld be not the gyfte of the gyuer but the reward of the worker Also Ierome wrytynge vpon the epistle to the Galathians sayeth Ierome None is saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Austine 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 auncient 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 the 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 Actu x. 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 ☜ that thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of the holy goost the Apostles and other were so indowed that they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in the meane 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 aswell as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that the Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were outwardly 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 What is baptisme but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„ber of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Ierome suê‘ Esa 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 purged 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 which 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 the 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 Anabaptistes 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 baptisme 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 youre 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. Th argument ☞ 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 begotten 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 vnto 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
for the redēpcion of mankynde Thys his preachynge he dyd also confirme wyth myracles For as the texte also declareth the vncleane spirites cryenge wyth loude voyce came out of many that were possessed of them And many takē wyth palfeis and many that halted were healed Now the people gaue great hede to the thynges whych 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 mē 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 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 thē Peter and Iohn whiche when they were come downe from the hyghe cytie of Ierusalem thyther vnto thē they prayed for them to thintent they myght receiue the holy ghoste For as yet the holy ghoste was not come on none of thē onlye they were baptized in the name of Christ Iesu Thā layde these two Apostles theyr handes vpon the 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 Ro. xv sayeth S. Paule but it is wryten for our learnynge that by pacience and confort of scriptures we shuld haue hope ☞ Fyrst therfore ye shall 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 the office of true good Apostles yea of all good Christen men is For we ought in lykewyse to be carefull for oure brethren that 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 thexēple of thapostles charite But they do cleane contrary they rather plucke mē 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 Math. x the Apostels were forbydden to entre into the cyties of the Samaritanes But after the resurrection whē 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 presentia dei Austine that the holy ghost dothe dwell and inhabite in infauntes or childrē that 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 Samaritanes at the preachyng of S. Philip receiued the holy ghost excepte perchaunce ye woll saye that S. Philippes preachynge had lesse vertue and efficaciem it then the preachynges of thother Apostles had whyche in no wyse is to be graunted Questiō 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 thē And therfore the Apostles euē 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 cā this be Chryste hym selfe sayeth he that beleueth is baptysed shall be saued mar xvi But onles a man be renued with the holy ghost he can not be saued as the same Chryst also testifyeth in the thyrde 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 The solution that this texte in this place that the holy Ghost was not yet come vpon them is to be vnderstande not of the substaūce 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 tonges 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 and blyndnes of harte wherin ye haue wandered and wyth glad mindes receyue the worde of God accordynge to youre profession and promyse whych ye made at the fount stone and put on Christ renouncynge the worlde the flesh and the deuell wyth stedfast and earnest fayth And no doubt ye shal be endowed wyth the holy goost who in all your trouble and afflictions shall cōforte 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. Th argument ☞ 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 thefe and a murtherer But he that entereth in by the dore is the shepherd of
come after hym Wherfore marke the difference of Christ and of the false Apostles Ioh. i. Christe is the preacher of grace the pseudapostles preach maÌ„s merytes Ioh. viij Christ is carefull for the fode of hys shepe the false Apostles seke theyr owne lucre and gaynes Christ seketh the glorye of the father the false Apostles steale from God hys glorye Ioh. xi Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe coÌ„meth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepeherde Now it shal be your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the .iiij. daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The .ij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of Iurye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde 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 shal be torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that who soeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of the holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vnreuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the .xi. apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes Erasmê° in paraphrasi He only spake the wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the lyuynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audieÌ„ce of people or before 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 inebrians qÌ„ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned with 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 with the ayde of holy scripture Now the hose multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs also attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he beganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation The oration of Peter whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be 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 the matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but the thyrd houre 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 Iohel ij For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the tyme shulde come that God whych at sondry tymes before had imparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your 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 Erit in nouissimis die bus It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your 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 shal be 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 shal be saued Thys my frendes hath the prophete Iohel so longe ago prophecied vnto vs. And hetherto goeth the lesson of thys presente daye whych conteyneth the fyrst parte of S. Peters sermon Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of the holy goost after such a plentyful sorte the scripture teacheth 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 oure sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs. Math. xxvij lu xxiij 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 the Lorde and we shal be saued Let vs thā in al our aduersitie woo and trouble yea and also in our welth prosperitie 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 shal be 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. Th argument ☞ Christ teacheth vs here that 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 shal be all taught of god Euery man therfore that hath herde and hath learned of the father cōmeth 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 Māna in the wyldernes and are dead This is that breade whych cōmeth downe frō heauen that a man maye eate therof and not dye I am that lyuynge breade whych came downe from heauen Yf any mā 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 the 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 that he spake sayenge vnto them that they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge that he spake For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysbeleue Seynge Nemo potest venire ad me they saw not and hearyng they herde not beynge present they were absent Whosoeuer commeth 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 cōmeth by the inspiracion of the father who lyke as by the sōne he draweth mens myndes vnto hym so with 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 the father the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse the deade to lyfe agayne in the last daye A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ but without the helpe of the heuēly 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 that is not drawē is in fault himselfe bycause he with draweth hymselfe frō hym that wolde drawe hym Humane thynges be lerned with humane studye but this heauenly lernynge is not perceyued onles the secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte teachable harte And this is it that longe sythens was prophecied of the prophetes to come to passe Esa liiij And they all shal be 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 mā heareth with hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne onles he heare wtin fyrst the secrete voyce of the father whych breatheth the mynde with 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 that god was both sene herde of Moses of the prophetes yet no mortall mā euer sawe or herde god as he is For thys is only graūted to the sonne of mā oure 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 Austine 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 Augu. de ciuitate dei li. xxi cap. xxv He that is in the vnitie of Christes bodye that is to wytte in the felowshipe of the christen mēbres the sacramēte of whych body all faythfull persones be wonte to receyue when they cōmunicate 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 cā make ourselues mete and apte to receyue the holye spirite of god wherby we maye be drawen to Christ Let vs also take parte of hys passions and folowe the cōuersation whych he had in hys fleshe Austine Bernard 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
confesse Christes doctrine For thys thynge doth Christ in any wyse requyre where he sayeth He that confesseth me before men The flesh is fearfull I shall also confesse him before my father and the angels of heauen Surely reason can not do thys it farre passeth her powers to subiecte herselfe to the hatred of the worlde for Christes sake And therfore Christ requyreth of vs to hate oure owne selues to kyll oure olde Adam Math. x that we may so be transformed into new creatures But what knowlege hath our flesh our nature of such transfourmynge or new byrth Surely no knowlege no felynge no vnderstandynge at al as thys sayntly Nicodemus this holy prelate trustynge to hys owne good workes ful wel declareth Christ talketh of the spirituall and new byrth Nicodemus loketh vpō the carnal byrth sayeng thus How can a man be borne agayne whan he is olde Shall he crepe agayne into hys mothers wombe Herken how foolyshly how vnwysely for al his outwarde holynes thys noble prelate speaketh of godly thynges Yea Christ is fayne to expounde vnto hym how it commeth to passe that we be made newe creatures Howbeit he yet vnderstandeth hym not therfore he asketh agayne how it can be I pray you what synguler poynt do ye se in thys Nicodemus or what other thynge do ye fynde in hym but ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie Wherfore though hys outwarde conuersacion shyneth neuer so muche before the worlde yet it can not please God God beholdeth not the outwarde face and vysoure but the mynde and fayth Iere v. Ro. xiiij as also Heremy sayeth And what so euer is not of fayth is synne The inwarde ryghtuousnes and goodnes must go before or els the outwarde can not please God Yf thou hast not the inwarde iustice forthwyth Christ sayeth Onles your ryghtuousnes be better then the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharises ye shall not come into the kyngdome of heauen Wherfore lyke as Nicodemus is here founde vnskylfull rude and foolysh in maters concernynge the honour of God and oure helth euē so be all we olde Adams and all fleshly accordynge to Christes sayenge what so euer is gendred of flesh is fleshe onles we be lyghtened of the Lordes spirite What the scripture calleth fleshe Ro. viij We cal flesh here the hole nature of mā the body mynde reson vnderstandyng wyl besyde the holy goost Such a man and such a body of synne surely can do nought but synne seme he neuer so gay to other men and be he decked wyth neuer so many good workes whych thynge saynt Paule declareth copiously to the Romaynes and in thys place thys Nicodeme ful playnly sheweth by hys wyse talking Newe byrth Secondly Christ teacheth vs in thys Gospel the new byrth whych thynge Nicodemus coulde not attayne vnto fyrst he so speaketh of thys new byrth or regeneration that he maketh it playnly necessary to our soules helth What it is to se the kingdom of God For thus he sayeth Onles a mā be borne agayne he can not se the kyngdome of god Now to se the kyngdome of God is as muche as to be iustifyed Wherfore consyder here wyth the eyen of thy mynde what Christe speaketh of thys maner iustificaciō and agayne what Nicodemus thinketh agaynst it Christ reasoneth and gathereth thus No worke no reason no outwarde conuersacion iustifyeth it is only the new byrth that must worke thys Agaynst thys conclusion Nicodeme thus obiecteth Yf so be my outwarde conuersacion workes lyfe be cōformable to the lawe thā for such workes sake God can not but iustifye me and make me eternally blessed But surely thys sayenge of hym is excedingly both false and wycked psa cxv for asmuche as all men be lyers and only God true Wherfore let vs consyder the nature of thys regendrynge in what sorte it is Onles sayeth Christ thou beyst borne againe of water and spirite thou canst not come into the kingdome of heauen Baptisme Marke that in baptisme thys new byrth begynneth For it is a token of sleynge the fleshe as Paule wytnesseth Rom. vi And thys is one parte of the newe byrth Now in baptisme the holy goost also is gyuen and where as we be thus kylled he rayseth vs vp agayne he dryueth draweth altereth and so worketh in vs that we be led nomore wyth fleshly affections but wyth goostly and that we shuld breath and thynke no lōger vpon earthly thynges but vpō heauenly thinges and shulde lyue hensforth only to ryghtuousnes And thys is thother parte of thys new byrth It foloweth herof What it is to be newe borne that to be borne again is nought els but to dye to synne warde and by spirite and fayth to lyue to iustice warde Where thys chaūceth there is the kyngdome of god espyed there is the realme of heauen entred into What gloriacion than is lefte here to the ryghtuousnes of Nicodemus Surely it is not worth a rushe nor to be sette an hawe by Phil. iij. none otherwise than Paule estemed his ryghtuousnes that he gat in hys Iewysh lyfe no better than donge For not the thynge that commeth of our owne reason but that whych the spirite worketh in vs is acceptable to God The thynge that is gendred of the spirite is spirite and is only of valure before God Eph iiij And therfore saynt Paul sayeth to the Ephesians Do of the olde man accordynge to youre former maners and conuersation and put ye on the new man How can reason do or compryse these thinges syth it can not perceyue thynges corporall and outward as from whence the wynde commeth and whyther it woll To conclude thys new byrth is a worke of the spirite though the Papistes do neuer so muche preache the iustice of theyr fleshe Christ hath purchased vs the spirite Thyrdly we be here taught who hath gottē gyuen delyuered and cōmunicated vnto vs thys spirite euen the sonne of man Christe who only came from heauen and retourned into heauen By what thynge then hathe he gotten and deserued vnto vs this spirite Truly herby that he was likewise exalted as the serpent in wyldernes Nu. xxi But what maner serpent is thys The people of Israell ones grudged agaynst god and blaspehmed hym so heynously that he sent vpon them fyery serpentes And who so euer was bytten of any such serpent dyed therof Here God at last moued with the prayers and requestes of Moses commaunded a brasen serpent to be erected for a signe that whosoeuer beynge strykē of any suche serpent shulde loke vp to that brasen serpent shulde be healed Thys fygure Christ draweth to hymselfe and this in sentence he sayeth I shal be delyuered to myne aduersaries to be crucifyed and at last slayne for thys intente that by my crosse and death God the moost louynge father myght be recōciled to the worlde Whosoeuer therfore beynge stryken wyth the poyson darte of synne loketh vp to me that is to saye
skant at any tyme gotten wythout fraude wythout deceyt and crafte neyther is there any other waye of kepynge augmentynge them than of gettynge them It is no doubt an onerouse and a chargeable possession and in the meane season neyther sure nor longe lastynge For truely they folowe not theyr mayster whan he departeth hense But wyth these yet maye he bye the thynge that is euerlastynge and that maye do hym good in the lyfe to come So shall it come to passe that that thynge whych yf it be layde vp maketh a man wycked and subiecte to many cares the same yf it be wel bestowed is become an instrument of the euangelicall ryghtuousnes whyle both he is relyued of hys necessities whych serueth the gospel and a rewarde retourneth wyth much gaynes to the gyuer Wherfore my frendes to conclude yf we wyll not be lyke these chyldren of the worlde whome I haue spoken of let vs hartely loue the lyghte let vs walke in the lyght and let vs so be the chyldrē of lyght whyle we are in thys worlde that we may shyne in the worlde that is to come bryght as the Sōne Let vs accordyng to our sauioure Christes aduertisement counsaile here playe the partes of the wyse stewarde Let vs make vs frendes of our money and worldly goodes in bestowynge them not vpon pardons as the byshop of Rome teacheth vs but vpon our poore and nedy neyghbours to thintent that they maye receyue vs agayne whither into theyr owne houses to gyue vs dyner for dyner cote for cote money for money No but into euerlastinge habitaciōs and tabernacles in heauen there to haue fruition of all celestiall ioye wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all honoure all glorye al imperie for euer euer Amen The Epistle on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .xij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The diuersitie of the gyftes of the holy goost BRethren ye knowe that ye were gentyles and wente your wayes vnto domme ymages euen as ye were led Wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speakyng by the spirite of God defieth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghoste There are diuersities of gyftes yet but one spirite And there are differēces of administracions and yet but one Lord. And there are dyuerse maners of operacions and yet but one God whyche worketh all in all The gyfte of the spirite is gyuen to euery mā to edifie wythall For to one is gyuen thorowe the spirite the vttraunce of wysdome To an other is gyuen the vttraūce of knolege by the same spirite To an other is gyuen fayth by the same spirite To an other the gyftes of healyng by the same spirite To an other power to do miracles To an other prophecie To an other iudgemente to discerne spirites To an other diuerse tōges To an other the interpretacion of tonges But these al worketh euen the selfe same spirite diuidyng to euery man a seuerall gyfte euen as he wyll THe auncient fathers good people which ordeyned thys epistle to be redde thys daye in the church thought it no doubt ryght necessarye that there shuld be some certayne tyme appoynted in the churche to intreate of the gyftes of the holy goost wherwyth he hath adourned and furnyshed one mēber of the same before another to thyntent that they whych haue the mo gyftes shulde the more laboure and the rather helpe other And therfore Christ sayd to hys disciples He that is the greater man of you be he the seruaunt of thother The occasion of thys epistle The occasion that moued saynt Paule to wryte these thynges of gyftes semeth to be thys The worde of God whan it is purely and syncerely preached can not be abydē ne suffred of the deuell who is the moost sworne enemy of the pure worde He commeth therfore by and by and attempteth al the meanes possible eyther vtterly to destroye it or at least waye to blotte it wyth false doctrine as we se the thynge to haue come to passe in our tyme not wythout great confusion The Apostle to remedye these inconueniencies wryteth these thynges concernynge gyftes bycause that of pryde and vayneglorye whych is conceyued by great gyftes of God sundrye sectes and cōtencions be wont to ryse Yea the deuell hath no redyer waye to take awaye gods worde than to make vs puffed vp wyth pryde in our lernynge and knowlege and so to set vs together by the eares whych meane also the deuell vsed in the church of the Corinthians in whych one pursued an other very vnchristianly for theyr gyftes Some there were whyche despysed the gyftes of the holy goost as at this daye there be some whych despice the expositions and interpretacions of all holy doctours fathers of the church leanynge onely to theyr owne wytte exposition some whych despice the lyberall sciencies and good artes some whych saye that the knowlege of the tonges do no good in the church But thys is the strayght waye to take away gods worde For whā preachers yea or laye mē shal stryue amonges themselues of vayne glorie there must the pure worde of God nedes be adulterated corrupted wyth infinite sectes Fyrste therfore saynte Paule in thys epistle putteth the Corinthians in remembraunce of the state of theyr former lyfe that they lyued in before they came to the knowlege of gods worde For there is surely no argument eyther greater or strōger to stey men frō takynge pryde of theyr gyftes than is this to put them in mynde of theyr former state and conuersation that they were in whyle they were oute of grace walked in blyndnes ydolatrie For what other thynge were we before the knowlege of gods worde than wycked panyms and ydolaters From whych inconueniencies and euels whan we are delyuered by grace I praye you what occasion doeth now remayne for vs to be proude In that we be turned of wycked panyms into christians it is not our meryte Furthermore where as of ydolaters we be made the true worshippers of God neyther can we ascribe thys to our owne powers That we haue gyftes now beynge vnder the Gospell by whose benefyte commeth it Surely not by our owne merite By whose than By the bountifulnes and benefyte of the holy goost What gloriacion than remayneth vnto vs Forsoth thys that we may saye we were wycked panyms worshippers of ydols enemyes of God but now through the grace fauour of god we be delyuered from so great euels Afore the worlde it wolde seme a great foly and madnes a mā to glorie and boast in other mens benefytes But what a greater foly and madnes is it as the Corinthians dyd to glorye in the gyftes of god whych do chaūce vnto men of mere grace and that but only for a tyme of thys lyfe The cause of arrogancye in gospellers Assuredly my frendes the chiefe arrogancie inflacion or puffynge vp with pryde which some
nor the damnation of the synner He dyd not wepe for the ruyne and fall that he knew shuld ensue of the fayre houses of the towers and great edifices and buyldynges but he bewayled the losse the ruyne and damnation of the people He sayde O Ierusalem yf thou dyddest knowe the thynges that belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede As yf he had sayd yf thou knewest thy mysery the confusion desolation whych is to come to the and specially yf thou dyddest knowe it in these dayes whan I am descended from heuen for to make thy peace wyth god my father and get the remyssion of thy synnes yf thou I saye dyddest knowe it thou shuldest haue good cause for to wepe wyth me But now all thys is hydden from the thou fearest nothynge forbycause that thou carest for nothynge But the dayes shall come in the and thyne enemyes shall enuiron the wyth bulwarkes c. Now my frendes by desolation and confusion temporall of them of Ierusalem whych wold not beleue nor receyue Iesu Christ is fygured the spirituall confusion whych shal come vnto them which yet wyll not receyue hym nor folowe hym and which make resystence agaynst hym hys gospel of whom the nomber is great For whome also Iesus Christe knowynge theyr distruction that was to come hath wept Those whych thynke to be saued by any other meanes then by hym and whych haue theyr fayth theyr hope in any other then in hym and by him surely they haue not yet receyued hym and euell shall come vnto them For God alone is the obiecte of the fayth hope and charitie of christen men Then foloweth that after he was arryued there he entred into the temple and droue out of it the byers and sellers God yf hys pleasure were I hertely beseche hym to vysite agayne hys holy temple I meane the churche of christen men and women and the house of prayer where as he alonly ought to be serued and worshipped by hys subiectes in spirite Ioh. iiij and veritie And that it wolde please hym to caste out those whych shal be founde byers and sellers by simonye and couetousnes and that woll resyst hys moost holy and sacred worde and that wyll let that the seruice of god in spirite and veritie be not accomplyshed accordynge as he wolde by hys ryghte holy worde ordenaunce to be serued and honoured Vnto him be al glorye and honoure in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xi. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle to the Corin. the .xv. chapter Th argument ☞ The resurrection of the deade BRethren as perteynynge to the gospel whych I preached vnto you whyche ye haue also accepted and in the whyche ye continue by the which also ye are saued I do you to wytte after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne For fyrst of all I delyuered vnto you that whyche I receyued howe that Christe dyed for our synnes agreynge to the scriptures And that he was buryed and that he arose agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures and that he was sene of Cephas than of the twelue After that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren atonce of whyche many remayne vnto thys daye and many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to all the apostles And last of all he was sene of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the lest of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of god I am that I am And hys grace whych is in me was not in vayne THe thynge good people wherfore saynt Paule beynge in this worlde toke moost thought for and the whych he had moost at hys harte nexte Iesu Christ was for to knowe how euery churche dyd gouerne and entertayne themselues in the Gospell of Iesu Christ to thintēt that yf perdauenture any went out of the waye of trouth he shulde be forth wyth redressed as specially he doth shewe in the epistle of thys daye He admonysheth and reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās principally two thynges on the whych all the fayth and all the assuraūce and hope of christen men is founded The fyrst is that Iesus Christ is deade for our synnes It is a worde whych ought well to be imprinted in the hartes of christen people or els one ought not nor is not worthy to be called christened Iesus Christ is dead for our synnes sayth saynt Paul Then we be nomore in dette for our synnes syth that Iesus Christ hath satisfyed and payde for vs. Nor also we ought nomore to serue vnto synne seynge that by hys death he hath wylled to cause synne to dye in vs yf so be we beleue stedfastlye in hym The seconde thynge whych he reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās and to vs is that Iesus Christ hath ben buried and is rysen to lyfe agayne Thys is it where on the hope of the christen people ought to be founded For yf the heade be rysen agayne to lyfe in triumphe glorye in lyke case shall the mēbers ryse agayne They shal ryse agayne vnto grace and vnto spiritual lyfe in thys worlde and vnto glorye and lyfe eternall in the other Apo. xx As saynt Ihon sayeth in hys Apocalyps Happye shall they be holy is he whych hath parte in the fyrst resurrectiō the secōde death hath no power ouer them Some false preachers wolde haue tourned the Corinthians from the sayd fayth for thys cause doth saynt Paule warne them so busely sayenge My brethren I do you to vnderstande and I do reduce to your memory the good newes which I haue preached vnto you I meane the gospell which ye haue receyued by fayth to the whych ye haue stayed your selues and by the which ye shal be saued yf you folow it I let you to wyt for what reason in what fashion I haue preached it vnto you yf ye haue remembraunce therof yea yf ye haue not beleued in vayne Fyrst that whyche I haue receyued of God whyche hath bene to me reuelate What Christe is deade for our synnes accordynge as it is wrytten as it hath ben sayd before and wryttē by the prophetes Then he sayeth he hath bene buryed and is rysen agayne to lyfe And for to confirme the same the more he sayeth more ouer that Iesus Christ after hys resurrection hath bene sene by Peter and after by the xij apostles and sythin hath bene sene by .v. hūdreth brethren beynge together As yf he had sayd You ought to be well assured of thys for asmuch as these mysteries haue not ben shewed vnto me alone but the holy wrytynges doth wytnesse the same And also they vnto whome he hath appeared after hys resurrection whych be of great nomber Certes who soeuer leseth the hope of resurrection the same also
Math. vi Forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynst vs. And by these wordes sayeth saynt Austine humblynge oure soules we cease not after a maner to do dayly penaunce But it is to be feared lest many of vs playe rather the pharisees parte thynkynge our selues hyghly in gods fauour and in the meane season despysynge our neghbours whych by theyr humble submission and penitent hertes shall get vp before vs. Heauen is gyuen not to such as iustifie themselues by their owne dedes but to such as mekely and penitently call for mercy pardon and grace wherby they maye afterward worke that maye be pleasaunt in gods syght Who wol surely in heauen crowne them wyth glorye immortall To whome be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xij. sondaye after Trinitie The .ij. Epistle to the Corin. the .iij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The ministration of the gospel is here praysed BRethren such trust haue we thorow Christ to godwarde not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke any thynge as of oure selues but yf we be able vnto any thynge the same commeth of God whych hath made vs able to minister the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter kylleth but the spirite gyueth lyfe Yf the ministracion of death thorow the letters fygured in stones was glorious so that the chyldren of Israel coulde not behold the face of Moses for the glorye of hys countenaunce whych glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite be much more glorious For yf the ministrynge of condemnation be glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghtuousnes excede in glorye FOr bycause that saint Paule welbeloued brethrē in our sauiour Christe had a lytle before the begynnynge of the epistle of thys daye praysed the Corinthians sayenge vnto them that they were hys epistle in Iesu Christe in asmuch as they had receyued hys gospell and had wrytten and imprinted his fayth in theyr hartes by hys administration preachynge Ministred by vs sayeth he not wryttē with ynke but by the spirite of the lyuyng God Not written in tables of stone as those that Moses had but in tables of flesh in the harte therfore to thyntent to gyue them none occasion that they shulde waxe therwyth proude and to hope and glorie in themselues and not in God and also for to holde them in humilitie vnder the sauegarde of God saynt Paule sayeth We haue truely such hope in God by Christ not that we are sufficient of our selues c. As yf he had sayd Thys that I saye I do not speake it arrogantly presumynge of myne owne wyttes but I haue such hope in God by Iesu Christ that thys that I say is true and shall abyde true I do not saye it of my selfe as of my selfe for we be not sufficient to thinke any thynge of our selues as of our selues but oure sufficientnes and all that whyche we maye thynke speake and do touchynge goodnes cōmeth and dependeth from God whych is begynnynge myddes and ende of all goodnes The whych hath made vs and gyuen vs power to be ministers and preachers of the new testament of the new and good promises whych are by Iesu Christ He hath gyuen vs authoritie and commission to be a preacher not of the letter but of the spirite for the letter sayeth saint Paul sleeth the soule and the spirite doth quycken it We ought here to note well the difference that there is to preache the letter and the spirite For vnto the tyme that the lyuely worde of God be by feruēt fayth rooted in our hartes vnto the tyme I say that we serue God nomore wyth euell wyll but ioyfully and frely what studye or lections soeuer we take yea yf we knewe the olde and new testament by rote of harte yet folowe we the letter But the spirite of God the spirite of scripture the spirite of the which S. Paul speaketh of here is out of feare it serueth in lybertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is there is lybertie fredome Saynt Paule now after that he bare the lyght of God I meane the worde of Iesu Christ beynge desyrous and wyllynge not to hyde it vnder a bushell but exaltynge it and settynge it vp to be bruted and praysed of angels and of men commeth to compare the eternall gospell vnto the transitorye lawe of Moses He calleth the lawe of Moses the executynge or administracion of death damnation Not but that the law is good and holy yf it be vsed lawfully but forbycause the Iues haue abused it to theyr damnation And for the same cause by occasion it is called administration of death He sayeth than yf the administration of death that is to saye yf the auncient lawe was delyuered and gyuen in lyght in puissaunce and in glorye what shall the lawe of the gospell be whych is the administration of the spirite of lyfe and of iustice But forasmuche as dyuerse heretikes and vnlearned persones haue mysvnderstanded thys wrytynge of saint Paule in thys place therfore I thynke it not amysse brefly to make a faythfull reapport vnto you of S. Austines wordes concernynge the interpretacion of thys place Thus he wryteth in hys seconde boke agaynst the aduersary of the lawe and prophetes The lawe albeit it be holy iust and good The wordes S. Austine yet it bryngeth death to the transgressours and breakers therof whome the grace of God helpeth not to fulfyl the iustice of the lawe For it behoued that in the olde testament a lawe shuld be layde vpon the proude and stubborne Iues and on such as trusted vpon the power of theyr owne wyll whych lawe shuld not gyue them ryghtuousnes but shulde commaunde vnto them ryghtuousnes and so beynge wrapped and in tangled wyth the death for transgression that they myght fle to grace which grace not only cōmaūdeth but also helpeth thys grace in the new testament is reuelate and opened vnto vs. And of thys occasion do these blasphemours of gods worde thynke that the lawe was nought whych was gyuen by Moses bycause it is called the ministration of death fygured in stony letters They consyder not that it was so called bycause of them whyche thoughte by theyr owne fre wyll to satisfye the lawe not holpen with the spirite of grace were holden gyltye of transgression vnder the letter of the same lawe For assuredly the transgression or breakinge of the lawe shuld not be euell onles the law it selfe were good What maruayle is it than yf it be called the ministracion of death where the letter kylleth in prohibitynge euell whych is done and in commaundynge good whych is not done and on the contrary syde that the other is called the ministracion of the spirite whych quyckeneth that we mought ryse from the death of preuarication and rede not gyltie in tables ryghtuousnes ☞ but beynge fre might haue it in our hartes and maners that is to
what is wrytten in the lawe How redest thou And he answered and sayde Loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy hart and wyth all thy soule and wyth all thy strength and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghbour as thy selfe And he sayde vnto hym Thou hast answered ryght This do and thou shalt lyue But he wyllynge to iustifye hymselfe sayd vnto Iesus And who is my neyghboure Iesus answered and sayd A certayne man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge theues which robbed hym of hys rayment and wounded hym and departed leauynge hym halfe deade And it chaunced that there came downe a certayne prest that same waye and whan he sawe hym he passed by And lykewyse a Leuite whan he wente nye to the place came and loked on hym and passed by But a certayne Samaritane as he iorneyed came vnto hym and whā he sawe hym he had compassion on hym and went to and bounde vp hys woundes poured in oyle and wyne set him on his owne beast and brought hym to a cōmon ynne made prouision for hym And on the morowe whan he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the hoost and sayd vnto hym Take cure of hym and what so euer thou spendest more whā I come agayne I wyll recōpence the. Whych now of these thre thynkest thou was neyghbour vnto hym that fel amonge the theues And he said he that shewed mercy on hym Than sayde Iesus vnto hym Go and do thou lykewyse BLessed be the eyen whych se that you haue sene c. Welbeloued audience these be the wordes of our Sauiour Christ spoken to hys disciples in the x. chapter of Luke whych be red in the churche thys daye For the better vnderstandynge wherof ye shal marke that Christe a lytle before the speakynge of these wordes reioysyng in spirite gaue prayses and thankes to hys father of heuen bycause he had hyd the mysterye of the gospell from the proude Pharisees whych were counted the wyse and wyttye persones of the worlde and had disclosed and opened it to symple and vnlerned persons as to fyshermē publicanes and so forth such as were hys disciples And speakynge these wordes he turned hymselfe to hys disciples apart and sayde the wordes before rehersed Blessed be the eyen that se whych you do se For I tell you that many prophetes kynges wold haue sene that you se and sawe not and wolde haue herde that you heare herde not I praye you what herde what sawe these disciples that the prophetes and kynges whych were before them herde not nor sawe not Truly they sawe not they herd not Christ as dyd thappostles They busely wayted and loked for hym they knewe such one shulde come to redeme and saue them from euerlastynge dānation death wherof they were gyltie by the synne of Adam theyr fyrst father But they coulde not se hym personally For the tyme was not yet come that the father of heuen had set and determined to sende hym And amōges other holy fathers whych loked for thys redēption Luce. ij we reade in holy scripture of one Symeon a ryghtuouse and deuoute man whyche had receyued an answere of the holy goost that he shulde not se death tyll he had sene wyth hys eyen the Christe of the Lorde that is to saye the Messias that shulde saue and redeme the worlde whyche thynge came to passe For whan Christ our sauiour was brought to the temple on the eyght daye to be circumcised accordynge to the custome of the Iues thys Symeon in spyred with the holy goost came into the temple and takynge the chylde in hys armes praysed God and sayd Now thou lycencest me thy seruaunt to depart o Lorde accordyng to thy word in peace For myne eyen haue sene thy sauynge stocke whych thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. We reade also of a certayne wydowe prophetisse named Anne doughter of Phanuell Luce. ij which was also in the temple the same tyme and praysed the Lorde in lyke wyse spake of thys Christ vnto all those that wayted for the redemption of Israell These I saye and suche other whyche were in Christes tyme reioysed to se that they sawe and to heare that they herde But thys coulde not the holy prophetes and kynges whyche were before Christes commynge into thys world se bycause the tyme was not yet come So Christ myght very well call the disciples blessed bycause they saw thynges and also herde doctrine taught them which were not sene nor herde before Now whan Christe had spoken these wordes and was come agayne to the people to teache and instructe them hys doctrine beholde a certayne scribe which was a lawyer sterte vp to take Christ in a trippe and to tempte hym sayenge Mayster what shall I do to inherite euerlastynge lyfe Christ perceyuynge wherabout he went answered and sayd to the lawyer What is wrytten in the lawe Deut. vi How doest thou rede there He sayd In the lawe thus is it wrytten Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with thy hole harte and thy hole soule and wyth thy hole myght and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Than sayd Christ vnto hym Thou hast well answered Thys do and thou shalt lyue As who shulde saye Thou art a doctour a teacher and mayster in Israel Do the thynge that thou teachest other to do be a worker of the thynge that thou readest For not the hearers of the lawe be iust before God Rom. ij but the doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed Thynke not for al my new and straūge doctrine to your eares Math. v. that I am come to destroye the law and the prophetes as many do thinke of me No no I am not come to destroye but to fulfyll Ye scribes and pharisees cōmonly set lytle by gods hestes and commaundementes all your busye studye labour is to auaunce set vp your owne lawes your owne rytes and traditions But I tel you and take it for a warnynge that who so euer breaketh one of these lytle prety cōmaundementes of God for so ye coūte them in comparison of yours and teacheth men to do as he doth as cōmonly ye scribes and pharisees do Math. v beleue me he shall haue lest to do in heauen But that person whych fyrst doth hymselfe afterwarde teacheth other men these cōmaundementes of God of whych thou hast rekened vp the chefest of all and that whych conteyneth all the rest doubtles thys felowe shal be called a great man in heuen Now good people ye shall vnderstande that the scribes pharisees amonges the Iues in dede taught whā they sate in Moses chaire the lawe of God and hys commaundementes but they added many gloses interpretacions and additions of theyr owne heades They corrupted gods worde wyth theyr owne traditions as tauerners be wont to brewe and corrupt the pure wyne wyth other vnholsome thynges for theyr owne gaynes and auauntage
lazers or lepers whome at that tyme our Lorde clensed of theyr leprye and of hys large mercye made them hole But what sygnifye these .x. lazers or lepers vnto vs Truly in the lawe of Moses God had forbydden that none shulde kepe company with them whych were infected and sycke with bodely leprye but commaunded that they shulde be put forth from amonges them and from the company of the rest lest they shulde infecte and pollute other as it is redde in the boke of Numeri where it is wryttē in this wyse Num. v The Lord god spake to Moses sayenge Commaunde the chyldren of Israell that they put out from theyr tentes all lazars or lepers But certaynly we ought a great deale more to take hede that we do not communicate nor kepe company wyth such as be lazars spiritually The spiritual lepry is infidelitie heresie and ignoraunce of God For lyke as the bodely leprye doth corrupt al the body euen so doth infidelitie corrupt all the soule and by the stynkynge breath therof that is to say by the wordes and conuersacion of suche as be corrupted therwith be other corrupted the company wyth them accordynge to that sayenge Corrumpūt bonos more 's colloquia praua that is to saye euell communicacions do corrupt good maners Wherfore al such ought to be eschued and fled from as lepers and lazars they must be excōmunicate and put out of the assemble and congregacion of christen people Yet thys notwythstandynge there is no sycknes no maladie no lepry so greuous but that the moost excellent phisician and surgeon our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus both can heale and wyll heale yf he be faithfully sought and called vpon as by exemple is well shewed in thys gospell But I say it is our partes to seke and call vpon hym it is our offyce to go and mete Iesu Christ yf we woll be cured We must crye afarre of after hym we muste wyth depe lowlynes and humilitie of harte pray vnto hym and say Iesus Sauioure and mayster haue mercy on vs take pytie and compassion ouer vs. By this meanes after that we haue ones offred and presented our selues vnto the prestes whych haue authoritie and power of God for to discerne and iudge ☜ accordyng vnto the scripture betwene the lepry and not lepry that is to saye betwene heresye and veritie betwene vice and vertue and accordynge vnto the scripture to assoyle as saynt Paule dyd assoyle a synner of whych is made mencion in the seconde epistle vnto the Corinthians ij cor ij we shal be receyued agayne into the nomber of the faythful euen into the flocke of Iesu Christ But after that we shal be assoyled of God in trouth and of men in sygnes we muste yet beware that we be not ingrate churlysh nor vnthankfull to God as the .ix. lazars were whyche dyd not retourne for to yeld thankes and prayses to Christ and for to gyue glorye vnto god for the great benefite and goodnes that they had receyued of hym Let vs be lyke the lazar Samaritane which fygured the christen gētyls and let vs saye that whych the spirite of God sayeth by the prophete Dauid in the .cij. psalme My soule blesse thou the Lorde God and do not forget all hys rewardes whych maketh hole all thyne iniquities all thy syckenesses Thys let vs do to thintent oure Lorde maye semblably saye vnto euery one of vs. Ryse vp and go thy waye thy true ernest and catholyke fayth hath preserued and made the hole Hense forth se thou synne nomore walke nomore after the flesh but after the spirite Yf we thus do my frēdes doubt we not but we shall haue the rewarde of euer lastynge blesse whych is endles ioye in the heauenly Hierusalem wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all glorie and imperie in infinita sesecula Amen The Epistle on the .xv. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. and .vi. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to good workes BRethren yf we lyue in the spirite let vs walke in the spirite Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye prouokynge one another enuyenge one an other Brethren yf a man also be taken in any faute ye whyche are spirituall helpe to amende hymin the spirite of mekenes consyderynge thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfyll the lawe of Christ For yf any man seme to hymselfe that he is somwhat whan in dede he is nothynge the same deceyueth hys owne mynde Let euery man proue hys owne worke and then shall he haue reioysynge onely in hys owne selfe and not in another For euery man shall beare hys owne burthen Let hym that is taught in the worde minister vnto hym that teacheth hym in al good thynges Be not deceyued God is not mocked For what so euer a man soweth that shall he al so reape For he that soweth in hys fleshe shall of the fleshe reape corrupcion But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape lyfe euerlastyng Let vs not be wery of well doynge For whan the tyme is come we shall reape wythout werynes While we haue therfore tyme let vs do good vnto all men and specially vnto them whych are of the housholde of fayth WElbeloued frendes in our Lorde Iesu Christ ye shal vnderstande that our Sauiour in the Gospell of saynt Mattheu sayeth mat viij that euery tree is knowen by hys frute for a good tree beareth good frute but an euell tree bryngeth forth euell frute Therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Paul doth in thys epistle admonyshe vs christen folke that yf we be good trees we ought to bringe forth good frutes and yf we lyue in the spirite as christē mē ought to lyue that we must walke also in spirite For surely it is not ynough for vs to be called christen folke onles we do also the dedes and workes of christen folke It is not ynough for the to saye I haue receyued the holy goost or I haue fayth ☜ yf thou shewest not worthy workes and frutes of the spirite Nowe one of the fyrst and principall frutes of the spirite is loue and brotherly supportacion or bearynge of one another whych thynge saynt Paule doth admonysh vs here of that we shulde kepe where he sayeth Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye c. Certes it is not possible for a man or woman that is vayne gloriouse and that loueth to be auaunced and praysed of the worlde eyther to supporte or to forbeare much an other man for he wyll alwayes couet to be herde afore all other and to be obeyed in all places wheresoeuer he goeth or rydeth Certaynly my frendes vayneglorie is an appetyte or luste of all lustes the moost daūgerouse and the moost subtyle and secretest that may be ymagined in so much that those persones whych be estemed for moost spiritual most holy moost godly be oftentymes infected therwyth Let vs sayeth Paule not
please Iesu Christ the glorie of the father the glorie of the angels and of men to abyde in you by feruent faith in your hartes founded and rooted in charitie to thyntente that you maye knowe and vnderstande the incomprehensible graces whych by him be gyuen vnto vs the largenesse and length of the same for the earth is full of the mercy of the Loroe God sayeth the prophete Dauid and the hyghnesse and depthnesse Psalm xxxij for they do perse the heauens and the hylles He whych is descended is he which hath ascended aboue al the heauens sayeth saint Paul Eph. liij To thintent also that ye shall know the great charitie of Iesu Christ toward vs the whych knowlege is more to be estemed than all the science of the worlde and that you shulde be replenyshed in all aboundaunce wyth the graces of God In thys epistle saynt Paule declareth in short conclusions the perfection of the christen lyfe vnto the whych we ought to breath and to sygh He doth not praye that god shulde gyue them much temporall goodes for to lyue at theyr ease but he desyreth and prayeth that they maye haue strength for to endure and to beare with him the crosse of Iesu Christ For all the lyfe of a christen mā is to endure In the conclusion of the epistle wyth profounde harte and wyth great spirite he yeldeth graces louynge thankes vnto God sayenge Vnto him whych is able for to gyue vs more than we can demaunde or thynke accordynge vnto the myght the whych puissantly strongly worketh and laboureth in vs vnto hym be yelden all glorie by all the church by the meanes of hys sonne Iesu Christ For euen as by him al grace is gyuē vs from the father so it must nedes be that by hym whych is the begynnynge and the ende all glorie be vnto hym rendered Then my brethren let vs not discourage our selues of the worde of God of the doctrine of the gospell for any tribulation or worldly vexacion that may happē vnto any of them by which it shal haue pleased God that they shuld bear it yf it be hys pleasure to make them to beare hys crosse vnto them whych shall beare it but so much the more let vs be founded stedfast and ferme rooted in fayth hope and charitie and we shall knowe the incōprehensible graces of God And he that surmounteth all myght shall delyuer vs from al euell and shall leade vs vnto hys glorye vnto hys heauēly kyngdome where in eternall ioye we shall yelde perpetuall graces and prayses vnto the father of heuen by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome c. The Gospel on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ rayseth a deade man to lyfe agayne IEsus wente into a cytie whyche is called Naim and many of hys disciples went wyth hym and much people Whan he came nye to the gate of the cytie beholde there was a deade man caryed out whych was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a wedowe and much people of the cytie was wyth her And whan the Lorde sawe her he had cōpassion on her and said vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stode styll And be said Yonge man I say vnto the aryse And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake And he delyuered hym to hys mother And there came a feare on them all And they gaue the glorie vnto God sayenge A greate prophete is rysen vp amonge vs and god hath vysited his people THe thynge good people whych is moost agreable vnto god and that whyche he demaundeth requyreth of vs principally is to beleue hys word as saynt Paule saythin the .xi. chapter of hys epistle to the Hebrues It is impossible to please God with out fayth For thys cause all the myracles whyche were at any tyme done aswel by Iesu Christ in erth as by hym in hys members it hath not ben for to attribute the honoure vnto hys members or that hys members hath done myracles but for to approue the worde of God and for to manyfest hys glorie and myght to thintent that he shulde be honoured and reuerenced of euery body and in euery place as the prophete sayeth Lorde god all the earth doth worship the. For thys cause oure Lorde hath raysed vp from death to lyfe the wedowes sonne of the whych is made mention in the gospel of thys day He hath here raised one from bodely death for to make vs to beleue that he hath the power also for to rayse vs agayne from spirituall death And also he shall rayse vs vp agayne bodely at the day of dome As he said vnto Martha I am the resurrection and lyfe who so beleueth in me he shall not dye eternally Ioh. xi All they therfore whych do not lyue accordynge vnto the spirite whych folowe the olde lyfe of Adam whyche accomplish the desyres concupiscences and workes of the flesh of the whych was spoken in the epistle of the last sondaye they be deade spiritually For who that hath not the holy goost he hath no lyfe he doth not belonge vnto Iesu Christ whych is the lyfe Yf any hath not the spirite of Christ he is not Christes Ro. viij He is borne and conducted of euell spirites to the pytte of hell Yf Iesu Christ do not come quyckely for to touche hym wyth hys hande the whyche sygnifyeth hys great puissaunce and myght conioyned wyth hys worde Yf he do not speake and touch lyuely the harte it is impossible that the sayd creatures shulde haue power to ryse agayne or that they shulde euer chaunge from the death of the soule vnto newnes of lyfe and state of grace For surely so longe as we be in deadly synne and vnder the thraldome and subiection of the fende so longe we be as deade persons S. Ambrose And therfore sayeth saynt Ambrose We lye deade in secrete whan eyther the fyre of vnreasonable lust brenneth vs or the colde humoure drowneth and as it were wyth a certayne slouthfulnesse of the bodye the sharpenesse of the mynde is accombred and ouerwhelmed in which case we can not ryse out of our drousye slomber but by Christe And yf sayeth thys holy doctour saynt Ambrose An allegorie it be an heuye greuouse synne whych thou thy selfe arte not able to wash awaye wyth the teares of thy penaunce and repentaunce let thy mother the holy church wepe for the. Let the people also be assistente vnto her And fortwyth thou shalt ryse agayne oute of the coffyn or beere and shalte begynne to speake wyth an other lyfe and all that heare it shall feare shal be corrected by thexemple of one They shal also prayse God Bede whych hath gyuē vs so great remedies to eschue death And here sayeth Bede is the errour of the heretiques called Nouatians confounded whych whyle they go about to destroye the
clensyng of penitent persons do denye that our mother the church wepynge for the spiritual death of her chyldren ought to be comforted by hope of restoryng agayne to lyfe Whyche damnable opinion the wycked Anabaptistes at thys daye haue renewed in dyuers places of christendome whych denye that they that fall into deadly synne after baptisme can by due penaunce or any other meanes come agayne to the state of grace whome we praye God to brynge out of theyr foule heresye Let vs than good people instauntly humbly praye to almyghty God the father of heuen that it wolde please hym so ofte as we fall into synne to touch and speake to vs so vertuous and pythy wordes that maye quicken vs and rayse vs from death to lyfe in yeldynge and restorynge vs lyuyng truly in spirite vnto our mother whych is the churche of faythfull men and that we may speake continually the worde of prayse and of grace vnto God in suche wyse that by occasion of vs our neyghbours maye be edifyed and exhorted for to prayse glorifye god wyth vs knowynge that God hath vysited his people by Iesu Christe Vnto whome apperteyneth glorie and honoure eternally Amen The Epistle on the .xvij. sonday after Trinitie The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Of the vnitie of fayth that there be no dissension amonges christen people BRethren I whych am a presoner of the lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherwyth ye are called wyth all lowlynes and mekenesse wyth humblenesse of mynde forbearinge one another thorow loue and be diligent to kepe the vnitie of the spirite thorowe the bonde of peace beynge one bodye and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge Let there be but one Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whych is aboue all and thorow all and in you all MY brethren and systers in Iesu Christe let vs consyder the benignitie louynge kyndnes and swetnesse of the holy goost the whych doth not commaūde vs wyth rygoure and sharpnesse as men do often but doth desyre vs louyngly by his great messanger the apostle saynt Paule that we shuld walke worthely in the vocacion or callynge vnto which we be callyd Of thys vocacion is spoken in the fyrste chapter of the fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthias where he sayeth God is true and faythfull by whome you are called into the company of hys sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Thys companyenge with Iesu Christ is the christen and catholyke churche the whyche is called a bodye wherof he is the heade and we be his members in case we be conducted and leade by the holy goost For he is the sturrer the lyfe and the conductour of all the catholyke churche for to make it to walke worthely wyth the heade in all humilitie mekenesse and swetnesse He doth teache vs also by true loue and charitie in all pacience to supporte beare the faultes and infirmities of our neyghbours And saynt Paule induceth vs to do thys in the .vi. chapter of the epistle vnto the Galathians Beare the burthens one of another and so ye shall accomplysh the lawe of Christ The whych doth admonysh vs aboue al thynges that we shulde endeuoure our selues to kepe the vnitie of the spirite of fayth in a bonde of peace and cōcorde that is to wyte in sauourynge in fayth one selfe thynge And what is that that we shulde all sauour That we be one body one spirite and all called into one hope of saluation by Iesu Christ That ther is one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whych is aboue al and ouer all thynges and in vs al whych is he that is blessed in the worlde of worldes Thys is the fayth in the whych we ought to be vnied and knytte with the holy goost and to haue stedfast peace concorde The whych thynges yf we haue we shal be conducted by thys holy goost in all graces and vertues for to blesse laude and glorifye thys ryght hygh and souerayne father by our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto glorie of al the Trinitie wythout ende Amen The gospell on the .xvij. sonday after Trinitie The xiiij chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ healeth on the sabboth daye and commended humilitie vnto vs. WHan Iesus went into the house of one of the chefe pharisees to eate breade on a Sabboth daye and they watched hym And behold ther was a certayne man before hym whych had the dropsy And Iesus answered and spake vnto the lawyers and pharisees sayenge Is it lawfull to heale vpon the sabboth daye And they helde theyr peace And he toke hym and healed hym and let hym go and answered them sayenge whych of you shall haue an asse or an oxe fallen into a pytte and wyll not strayght waye pull hym out on the sabboth daye And they coulde not answere hym agayne to these thynges He put forth also a similitude to the gestes whan he marked how they preased to the hyghest roumes and sayd vnto them Whan thou art bydden of any man to a weddinge syt not downe in the hyest roume lest a more honorable man thā thou be bydden of hym and he that bad hym and the come and saye to the gyue thys man roume and thou than begynne wyth shame to take the lowest rowme But rather whan thou art bydden go and syt in the lowest rowme that whan he that bad the commeth he may saye vnto the frende syt vp hyer Thā shalt thou haue worshyp in the presence of them that syt at meate with the For whosoeuer exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted AT the begynnynge of our gospell good christē people Iesu Christ doth cōmende vnto vs syngularly loue and charitie towarde al men whan we se that so familiarly he haūted and frequented wyth them that were hys enemyes and hys euell wyllers that also he dyd eate and drynke wyth them for to haue occasion to teache them and to conuerte them vnto God hys father as the auncient doctour Cyrillus noteth Cyrillus And here be rebuked and checked those whych haue hatred malyce rancor agaynst theyr christen brethren and do not vouchsaufe to company wyth them nor also to speake vnto them whan that by the diuine commaundement of almyghtye God they be bounde for to to remytte and to pardon al iniuries math vi and ought by all meanes they can for to recōcile them or els God shall neuer be reconciled wyth them Consequently Iesu Christe doth instructe vs that we ought at al tymes to accomplysh and do the workes of mercy towardes our brethren and neyghbours And specially that the sondaye be not in any wyse violated by the sayd workes of charitie The whych he shewed well whan that vpon the sabboth day he dyd heale the poore mā of the dropsie Which as holy doctours do expoune is truely the fygure of all humane nature The
worlde for to wynne Iesu christe Therfore the apostle in the .iij. chapter of his epistle vnto the Colossiās doth exhort vs sayenge Arraye you as chosen of God holy and beloued from the entrayles of mercy benignite humilite mekenesse and patience Supporte the one the other and pardone and forgyue one an other amonge your selues if any hath quarell to other So as god hathe pardonyd so pardone you And aboue all thynges haue charite whych is the bonde of perfection If we do thus we shall at laste comme vnto his bankete of the weddinges of the sonne of God and his spouse and we shall haue the weddinge garment where shal be nothinge reproched vnto vs but we shal be in the nombre of the chosen people shall haue the pleasures of the kingdome of heuen Vnto the glory of the father and of the sonne of the holy ghost whych conueyth all them that doth good vnto thys glorious weddinge wherunto he bryng vs al. Qui viuit et regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xxj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vj. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Sayncte Paule doth here describe vnto vs the armour of the christian souldioure MY brethren be stronge thorow the Lorde and thorowe the power of hys myghte Put on al the armour of God that ye maye stande agaynst the assautes of the deuil For we wrestle not against bloude and flesh but agaynst rule agaynst power agaynst worldly rulers euen gouerners of the darkenes of thys worlde againste spiritual craftynesse in heauenly thynges Wherfore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resiste in the euell daye and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and youre loynes gyrde wyth the trouth hauyng on the breste plate of ryghteousnes and hauynge shoes on your fete that ye maye be prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shild of fayth wherwith ye may quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wycked And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite whych is the worde of God MY brethren and frendes ye shal marke consydre that our enemye the deuel doth warre contynually agaynst vs and sercheth by all wyles and meanes possible to bryng vs to cōfusyon and death and that we maye be vnable to resiste hys assaultes and powers The apostle doth therefore teache vs what thyng we haue to do in such and so greate peryls that is that we shuld comfort and lyfte vp our selues in God and in hys moste comfortable myght and power Ps xxiij For as it is sayed in the .xxiij. psalme The Lorde God is strong and mightye The Lorde god is mighty in battel Certes my frēdes it is our Lord Iesus Christe that the prophete here speaketh of which by hys moste triumphante and gloriouse death and passion hath bene mighty in surmountyng our enemye I meane oure mortall enemye the Deuyll Then in thys bytter conflycte and battell that we haue agaynste both hym the worlde and the fleshe let vs take good corage and harte vnto vs not in trustyng so moch vnto our own power and strēgth but in the strenght and puysaunce of Iesus Christe whyche shall fight for vs and whych shall not leaue vs that be his membres but in hym and by hym we shal be made myghty to resiste valiauntly to withstande all temptacions yea and all the maliciouse powers of any princes myghty men that gouerne the darkenes of this worlde whych wolde inforce vs to vngodlynes or for vngodlynes wolde persecute and afflycte vs. Let vs then take the armour herneys of god wherwith we maye make resistence and stande stedfast agaynst the strenghtes assaultes and embushementes of the deuyl For if we be knyghtes of Iesu Christ certeynly we must entre in to battayl wyth hym for there shal be none crowned ☜ but they that shall haue fought worthylye The armour of a christē souldiour And what is the armoure of god Certes it is thys Firste we muste haue agaynst all corrupt lustes and concupiscences our loynes or raynes gyrthed with trueth Agaynst synne the brene plate of iustice and innocencye For shoes we must haue pure affection whych is the preparacion for to walke in the gospell of peace And in all thinges we muste take faythe for oure shelde by whych we maye put out the vehement temptacions of the deuell wherewyth he doth assayle vs as wyth dartes inflamed the whyche shal by no meanes annoye vs if we haue stedfast faith in Iesu Christ and in his holy worde For helmet we must haue hope of saluation And thus armed yet muste we haue the sworde of the spirite that is the worde of god by the whyche sworde all the puissances and force of the euyl spirite shal be cut And furthermore we muste neuer leue these armours as longe as we be in thys worlde for we shall alweyes haue batayle But by these armours we shall vanquyshe in Iesu Christe and by Iesu Christ and not by oure owne strength vnto hym then be perpetuall glorye togyther wyth the father and holy ghost in infinita seculorum secula Amen The gospel on the .xxi. sonday after Trinitie sonday The .iiij. chap. of Iohn̄ Th argument ☞ Iesus healeth the rulers sonne THere was a certen ruler whose sōne was sicke at Capernaum As sone as the same herd that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought hym that he wolde come downe and heale his sonne For he was euen at the poynt of death Thē sayde Iesus vnto hym except ye se sygnes and wōdres ye wyl not beleue The ruler sayeth vnto hym Syr come downe or euer that my sōne dye Iesus saieth vnto hym Go thy waye thy sonne lyueth The man beleued the worde that Iesus had spoken vnto him And he wēt hys waye And as he was nowe goinge downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying thy sonne lyueth Then enquired he of them the hour whē he begāne to amend And they sayde vnto him Yester daye at the seuenth houre the feuer left hym So the father knewe that it was the same hour in the which Iesus sayde vnto him Thy sonne lyueth And he beleued and al hys housholde IN this gospell good christen audience our Lord Iesus Christ doth rebuke hym whych desired the health of his sonne forbicause that he did not beleue sufficiently that is to saye that he had not hope in him as he ought to haue And did reproche him that if they se not tokens they wolde not beleue But ye wol say Why he that desired Christ to heale his son dyd not beleue Sainte Austine To thys doubte thus aunswereth S. Austine Aske not me but aske Christe what he thoughte of this mā For it foloweth in the text that Iesus sayd vnto hym Onles ye se sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleue So saith S. Austine he reproueth him bicause he was colde
carnall and olde man and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of god which is here called the 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 aūcient doctour Ihon Chrysostome witnesseth Chrysostome in cap. mat xxij homi xli 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 cōforter 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. Th argument ☞ 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 whō 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 brethrē let euery man be swyft to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of mā worketh not that whyche 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 doth discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers And ye shal vnderstande that the true hearers of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth who be the true hearers of gods worde mat xiij 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 parable 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 Psal i. 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 the false hearers 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 the 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 Estote factores verbi Be ye then doers of the worde that is to wete declare with good workes that ye truly vnderstande it and be nat 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 intangled 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 stāde before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire whan he goeth away forthwyth and forgetteth strayte hys beawtie So it helpeth a man nothynge 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 delyted 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 beautie 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 cōsydered 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 continueth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke the same shal be 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 shal be happye in hys dede or worke he shal be declared by hys dedes to be a iustified person and saued For dedes workes in christē men be testimonies and wytnesses of our iustifyeng fayth and that we do vnderstande ryghtly and truly gods worde Augus For as saynt Augustine affirmeth fayth ought to go before workes Yea he declareth playnly the workes wythout fayth can not be good and he allegeth for hys purpose that texte of saynte Paule Ro. iiij Omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est That is to saye what so euer is not of faythe the fame is synne Chrysostome de fide et Lege Herevnto also agreeth Chrysostome where he sayeth Fayth ought to shyne before workes and workes muste be the handmaydes or waytynge seruauntes and folowers of fayth True religion Secōde in thys epistle saynt Iames doth teach vs good people what the ryght and perfyte religion of a christian man or woman is Yf any man sayeth saynt Iames woll seme to be religiouse amonges you not refraynynge hys tonge but seducynge and deceyuynge hys owne harte thys mans religion is vayne ☞ Pure and vndefyled religion before God the father is thys to vysite the fatherlesse and wedowes in theyr aduersitie to kepe thy selfe vnspotted in the worlde Lo
beleueth on me shal not than perysh but shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe Lo such one is Christ vnto vs he forgyueth vs our synnes and bestoweth on vs hys spirite he trāsformeth vs to new creatures ☜ he ordeyneth vs the sonnes and heyres of God so that we cleaue vnto hym and beleue on him wythout doubtynge Wherfore good people that God of hys endles goodnes woll vouchsaue to create in vs a syncere and a ryghte fayth let vs al praye To whom be all glorye and honour for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the fyrst sonday after trinitie The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iiij. chapter Th argument ☞ How God loued vs fyrst and how we ought by hys exemple to loue our neyghbour MOost dearely beloued brethren God is loue In thys appeared the loue of God to vs ward bycause that God sent hys only begotten sonne in to the worlde that we myght lyue thorow hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agrement for our synnes Dearely beloued yf God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another No man hath sene god at any tyme. Yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs and hys loue is perfyte in vs. Hereby knowe we that we dwell in hym and he in vs bycause he hath gyuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and do testifye that the father sent the sonne to be the Sauiour of the world Whosoeuer cōfesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in hym dwelleth God and he in God And we haue knowen beleued the loue that God hath to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in hym Herin is the loue perfite in vs that we shulde haue trust in the daye of iudgement For as he is euen so are we in thys worlde There is no feare in loue but perfyte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynfulnes He that feareth is not perfyte in loue We loue hym for he loued vs fyrst Yf a man saye I loue god and yet hate hys brother he is a lyer For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath sene loue God whom he hath not sene And thys commaundement haue we of hym that he whyche loueth God shulde loue hys brother also MY frendes thys hole lection is a commendacion of gods loue towardes vs by whose exemple we also be commaunded to loue one another He that loueth not sayeth saint Ihon which wrote this epistle knoweth not God though he neuer so much bosteth hymselfe to be a christen mā for god is loue Yea herin appeared the greate loue and charitie of God towardes vs men that he sent hys only begotten sonne into the worlde to thintent that by his meryte we myght lyue through hym whyche els shulde haue dyed wyth perpetuall death But happely ye wolle here saye that we prouoked God wyth oure loue and merytes fyrst to loue vs. No not so sayeth saynt Ihon that is a false opinion and a starke lye For in thys is the loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs fyrst and sent hys sonne to be a sacrifice and a purgynge for our synnes Aug. cōtra Pela cap. xx But herken what S. Austine sayeth of thys mater What good merytes coulde we than haue whan we loued not God For that we myght take loue to loue wyth we were loued whan as yet we had it not There be no merites before grace This sayeth he doth Ihon thapostle moost openly affirme Not that we loued God but that he loued fyrst vs. Truly sayeth saynt Austine thys is moost ryghtly and well spoken For we could not haue to loue hym onles we had taken thys of hym in that he loued vs fyrst How can we do good yf we loue not or howe do we not good yf we loue ☜ For albeit gods cōmaūdemente semeth somtyme to be done of not louers but of fearers yet there is no loue no good worke is imputed neyther ryghtly is it called a good worke for all that is not of fayth is synne And fayth worketh by loue Hytherto speaketh Austine Wherfore my dearly beloued sayeth Ihon yf God hath so loued vs we ought also to loue one another Questiō Ye wol saye How can God dwell in vs syth we se him not Solutiō Ihon answereth Albeit we se hym not wyth the eyes of fleshe yet he dwelleth in vs for God there wol dwell where charitie is exercised Questiō But againe ye wol aske howe is it that Ihon sayeth here Exod. xxxiii noman euer sawe God seynge it is red in scripture that many of the fathers haue sene hym face to face as Iacob Moses and other Solutiō I answere noman euer saw God as god and visibly For the lawe was gyuen by angels act vii and it is playne that Iacob sawe but an angell For euen in the selfe same .xxxiij. chapter of Exodus God sayeth Man shall not se me and lyue So thā God dwelleth in vs inuisibly It foloweth therfore yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs hys loue is made perfyte in vs. Surely the knowlege confession of Christe maketh vs all one wyth God so that we shal be perpetually in hym The spirite of God and he in vs. But here ye muste marke that thys knowlege can not chaunce but to such as be indowed with the holy goost For he sayeth Herby we knowe that we dwell in hym he in vs bycause he hath gyuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and do testifye sayeth S. Ihon that the father hath sent his sonne to be the Sauiour of the worlde O glad and ioyfull tydynges What an excedynge charitie and loue was thys Then syth God is so louynge vnto vs yea syth he is the selfe loue yf we woll dwell in hym we muste loue not only hī but also for hym our neighboure For that we do to our neyghbour he coūteth it done to hymselfe Now it is a moost certayne token of our loue towardes God yf we boldly wyth confidence loke for the daye of iudgement For yf we feare we declare that we be no perfyte louers For feare is not in loue but perfyte loue casteth out feare My frendes herken agayne what saynt Austine sayeth herin He that feareth hell feareth not to synne Aug. ad Anastasiū epi. cxliiij but to brenne But he feareth to synne which hateth syn as hell Thys is the chast feare that remayneth for euer and euer For that feare of punyshment hath torment and paynefulnes in it and it is not in charitie but perfyte charitie casteth it out And surely a mā so much hateth synne as he loueth iustice which he can not do the lawe fearynge hym by the letter but the spirite healynge hym by grace Thys wryteth the moost excellent doctour of the church saynt Austine to the confusion of the vayne sophistes which blasphemously write and speake agaynst the