redy a perfect people for the Lord. That Iohn turned many by the preachyng of Gods word vnto the Lord it is manifest in the EuaÌ„gelical history What great multitudes of people S. Peter as I may speake nothing of the other apostels turned vnto Christ by preaching the word blessed Luke in his Chronicle of the Apostles acts doth partly declare Was not the holle world in a maner turned vnto the faith of Christ thorow the preaching of the word As sainct Paul saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing coÌ„meth by the worde of God But I aske Haue they not heard No doubt their sound went oute into all landes and their woordes into the endes of the worlde In matters of controuersie concernyng religion it declareth and sheweth who maintaineth truthe and who approueth falshode It is the true touchestone wherby we easily discerne the true doctrine of Christ froÌ„ the fals corrupte teachyng of Antichrist And therefore it is called of the Psalmograph the faithfull testimonie or wytnes of the Lorde And in all matters of doubt the Prophet exhorteth vs to flee vnto this word of that to learne the certaintie of al matters coÌ„cerning Faith and Doctrine If any man saieth he want lyght lette hym looke vpon the law the testimonie whether they speake not after this meanyng If he doo not this he stumbleth and suffreth hunger And if he suffer hunger he is out of pacience and blasphemeth his king his God So reade we of the noble men of Thessalonica whiche when they herd Paul and Sylas preache that Christ muste nedes suffer and rise agayn frome death for the saluation of the worlde receaued the word wyth all diligence of mynde and yet notwithstandyng searched the scriptures dayly whether those things were euen so as Paul and Sylas preached And therfore S. Paul afterward writing vnto theÌ„ as one greatly alowing this their act saith in his epistle Quench not the spirite despise not prophecyings Examyn al things kepe that which is good And. S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle saieth Derely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they are of God or not c. It geueth wisedom to the simple to the poore in spirit to the huÌ„ble to the meke to the litle ones to the babes This wisdom is the true knowlege of god of his blessed wil. This wisedom caÌ„ we not haue but by the word as God himself saith by the prophet Unto whom shall I haue respect but vnto him that is poore of a lowly troubled spirit and standeth in awe of my wordes The fyne Phariseys the sawcie Saduceis the subtil Scribes the lustye Lawyers the biteâ—hepe Byshoppes the patteryng Priestes as I maye speake nothyng of the eloquente Oratours noble hystoriographers learned Poetes quickewitted Logitians farre syghted Astronomers c. were before the worlde great wyse learned men and yet vnderstode they nothyng of God aryght The symple ideots and vnlearned men had more true knowledge of God then all they as oure sauiour Christ sayd vnto his heauenly Father I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes Uerily Father eueÌ„ so was it thy good plesure Likewise sayth S. Paule Not many wise men after the flesh not many myghty not many of highe degree are called But God hathe chosen the foolish thynges of the worlde to confound the wise And God hath chosen the weake thynges of the worlde to confounde thynges whiche are mightie and vile thinges of the world and thynges whiche are despised hath God chosen yea and thinges of no reputation for to bring to naught things of reputation that no flesh should reioyce in his presence S. Iames also saith Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde suche as are riche in Faith and heyres of the kyngdom which he promised to them that loue hym It reioyceth and maketh the heart mery as the Prophet Ieremie saieth When I had found thy wordes I dyd eate them vp gredily They haue made my heart ioyfull glad For thy name was called vpon me O Lord God of Hostes. The Prophete Ezechiel saith also I dyd eate the boke and it was in my mouth sweter then hony Were not these the woordes of the two disciples that went vnto Emaus after that Christ had interpreted vnto them the scriptures which wer writen of him Did not our heartes say they burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the scriptures Who is able to expresse what ioy what mirth what solace what confort Adam and Heua receaued after their transgression when they heard out of the mouth of God that the sede of the womaÌ„ should treade downe the serpentes head Who can sufficiently declare how greatly king Dauid being rebuked of the prophet Nathan for his whoredome and manslaughter was conforted and replenished with all true perfect gladnes when he heard out of the prophetes mouthe these most swete and confortable wordes The Lorde hath put away thy synne thou shalte not dye What ioye and confort the synfull woman conceaued in her heart which before was almost swalowed vp of sorowe for her wicked and synfull life past as her teares and outward behauiour do manifestly declare when she hearde these wordes out of the mouthe of Christ Thy synnes are forgeuen thee Go in peace no man is able to expresse The thefe likewise hanging on the crosse and hearyng these wordes spoken vnto him of Christ Uerily verily I say vnto thee This day shalte thou be with me in Paradise conceaued in his heart an vnoutspeakable ioye Many suche examples fynde we in the Scriptures bothe of the olde and newe Testament The worde of God I meane the Gospel of our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesu apprehended and layde hande on with a sure and strong faith bryngeth to the heart and conscience of man peace rest ioy solace confort c. For thys cause it is called the worde of reconciliation or attonement of ioy of peace of confort of helth of spirite of lyfe c. It lyghtneth the eyes It sheweth vnto men the ryght waie howe they ought to walke to please God and to doo those thynges which are acceptable vnto him It deliuereth men from the cloudes of ignorancie and from the darknes of mens traditions and openeth vnto them the glorious God that they may not stumble and walke safely in that way that the Lord hath appointed declinyng neither on the righte hande nor on the left hande as the Psalmographe saieth Thy worde O Lord is a lanterne vnto my fete and a lyghte to my pathewaies For this cause it is termed of the holye writers Light in diuers places of the sacred Bible Our Sauior Christ saieth This is condemnation that the light is come into the world and men haue loued
holy ghoste doth rebuke the worlde because it hath sinne for asmuch as it beleueth not in Christ that it hath no righteousnes because it knoweth not neither hath any conforte therin that Christe is gone to the father so likewise doth he rebuke it of iudgement because it knoweth nothing hereof and therfore feareth where nothinge is to be feared if it wolde heare him and receaue his worde For this is an extreme miserie and a lamentable plague to haue syn no righteousnes and besides that not to knowe of any consolation and conforte againste sinne death and all other euilles In this also sayth Christe is the office of the holy ghost that he should preach of iudgement and procure to be pronounced and set forth by the gospel that the prince of the worlde is iudged and that therfore he can not hurte them that beleue in Christ and put their cōfidence in his goinge vnto the father He maye vexe them with diuerse tentations but he can neuer preuaile againste them For although he be the prince of the worlde yet the prince is iudged he is spoiled of his pallace armour and with the chaines of darcknes as Peter speaketh is he bounde of Christ. There is no cause why Christen men should feare him or all his kyngdome For if the prince be iudged the world also whiche is his kyngdome muste nedes be iudged and depriued of all his power This the vngodly knowe not Therfore althoughe somtime they heare the worde and begynne to beleue yet so sone as the worlde rageth and goeth about to persecute they straightwaye are a frayde and fall awaye both from Christ and his worde as Christ saith in the parable of the sower parte of whose sede fell vpon the stones But the Christians are constant and stand stedfaste lyke a stronge and an inuincible bulwarcke For this voyce whiche rebuketh the prince of the worlde is alwaye in their heartes and eares Why sholdest thou feare why shouldest thou be faint hearted geue ouer to these tentations knowest thou not that the Prince of the worlde is iudged He is no more a lorde or a prince Thou hast a Lord that is mightier then he euen Christe Iesus whiche hath ouercome and bounde this prince Therfore let hym threaten bragge and boaste let him be as madde as he luste yet feare thou not For he shal hurt thee no more then that cruell beaste whose violence and crueltie is repressed and restrained with stronge and mightye chaines If thou wilte only beware that thou comest not nighe vnto hym and so willyngly cast thy selfe into daunger thou nedest not feare Thou arte without peril He shall do thee no harme Wherfore this only is required that the Christiās do not make light of the enemie kepe them selues in the feare of God diligentlye praye and the enemie that is iudged shall neuer hurte them Contrariwyse he that wyll not take hede but be secure and carelesse he shall sone be caste hedlonge into diuers perilles of this prince although iudged And of this cōfirmation strenghtening they haue moste nede which are the instrumentes of the holy ghoste in the worlde and do rebuke it of synne and righteousnes For there is no accusation that the worlde can les beare then of synne whiche is a thing most haynous and of righteousnes that it hath none at all Where this publique accusation is as it ought to be that world waxeth wode maketh an hurly burly and attempteth all kinde of violence tyrāny againste the ministers of the worde But the holy ghost by this iudgemēt setteth forth cōsolatiō For if this were not the preachers could neuer endure againste the violēce of the world but must nedes feare tremble And for this cause specially is the holy ghost called Paracletus that is to say a cōforter or an Aduocate which in aduersitie trouble stādeth by the preachers cōforteth thē encourageth thē boldly stoutly to cōfesse the truth forasmuch as they heare that the prince of the worlde is iudged And this is the doctrine of the office of the holy ghost euen what misteries of most worthie matters he shall declare and most specially set forth vnto men in this worlde He can be no Christen man that not only not knoweth these moste excellent misteries but also that when he knoweth thē doth not set more by thē then by all the goodes in the worlde For as for all other thinges they are transitorie and passe awaye but these thinges are euerlastinge which shall neuer decaye as Paule sayth The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation for so many as beleue This going awaye therefore whereof Christ here speaketh is greatly to be estemed and to be reioyced in as a moste singuler benefite for the whiche we are bounde dayly to geue god oure heauenly father most hartie thanckes and to desire him with feruent prayer that we maye dayly more and more fele in our selues thorowe fayth the fruite of this his inestimable benefite namely remission of sinnes and euerlasting righteousnes again the consolation and conforte of this iudgement that the prince of this worlde is iudged Nowe goeth Christe forth in his sermon and saith I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto you whych you can not nowe beare But when that spirite of trueth shall come he shall teache you all trueth How the Papistes interprete this sentence of Christ it is well knowen All their traditions innouations and alterations they defende by this saying of Christe and make the holy ghost author of them al as though Christe had to fore spoken of them But this is not true For this is the righte vnderstanding of Christs wordes that the holy ghost shall teache the Apostles and the churche and instruct them concerninge suche matters as Christe him self had to fore taught them whiche by the reason of their carnal iudgements they could not vnderstād nor attaine vnto the knowledge therof No new doctrine but the same doctrine that Christ tofore had taught shall the holy ghost teache as Christ declareth more plainely by these his wordes He shall not speake of him selfe but what so euer he shal heare that shall he speake and he will shewe you thinges to comme He shall glorifye me for he shall receaue of mine and shal shewe vnto you Again The conforter whiche is the holy ghost whome my father will sende in my name he shall teache you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you The holy ghost openeth and lightneth the darke mindes of the Apostles with the golden glisteryng beames of his godly influence He maketh plaine vnto them and vnto the whole church the true doctrine of Christe concerning sinne righteousnes and Iudgement He maketh them to haue a righte iudgement of Christes kyngdome whiche they looked for to be a carnall and glorious kingdome in
theym that althoughe they confesse they are synners and so are in deede yet they approche vnto God and boldely speake vnto hym on this maner O Father wee are thy chyldren we lack and haue nede of dyuers thynges Oh bee mercyfull vnto vs Beholde not oure synnes but thy Sonne Christe Iesus In hys name we come vnto thee Oh heare vs. It is truely sayde of Sainct Augustine The prayer that is not made thorowe Christe that is to say in the name of Christe doothe not only not put awaye synne but the very prayer it selfe is made synne Sainct Ambrose also saieth Christ alone is our mouthe whereby we speake to the Father our eye wherby we see the Father Our right hand wherby we offer vnto the Father whyche Christe excepte he maketh intercession for vs neither we nor all the saintes haue any thyng to doo with God For that is to praye truely when the prayer is made onely in the name of Iesu Christ. And therof doth it folowe that whatsoeuer we aske in his name faithfully and truly that shall we surely obteyne whiche thynge ought to moue and prouoke vs gladly to praye For we heare that what soeuer we aske in the name of Christ it shal neuer cease tyll it come vnto the throne of God and obtayne that is required In consideration of suche promyse Christ sayth vnto his disciples Hytherto ye haue asked nothynge in my name For they trusted onely in hys healpe that hee prayde for theym euen as the menne of the countrey thynke that they nede not to praye because theyr parishe prieste dothe it for them all But Christ commaundeth that from hensefoorth they them selues shoulde praye that they maye receaue for themselues and that their ioy may be perfect Suche commaundement ought diligently to be consydered and accordyng thervnto we oughte earnestly to prepare our selues vnto prayer As for myseries troubles afflictions crosses c. we shall neuer want in this world for the redresse wherof we ought continually to praye He therfore that desyreth full and perfect ioye and to be delyuered from these perils and euyls let hym so embrace prayer as Christ dothe here coÌ„mend it Neyther let hym doubt but that he shall obteyn what soeuer he asketh in the name of Christ if it be vnto the glorie of God vnto his own saluatioÌ„ For this is a great incommoditie vnto vs that we knowe not as S. Paule sayeth howe we ought to praye Hereof it commeth that many praye for delyuerance from certayn myseries but they doo not obtayne For God knoweth what is best and most profitable for vs. S. Paule hymselfe also prayde that God woulde delyuer him out of tentation But what sayd Christe My grace sayth he is sufficient for thee For my strength is made perfect thorough weakenes So lykewise may it come to passe nowe a days that thou desirest deliuerance from this trouble I from that But God knoweth that it is better for vs to be still in that trouble and therfore he taketh not awaye that affliction and miserie from vs. For if we were delyuered frome it we shoulde peraduenture falle into some wycked vice as insolencie pride negligence securitie wantonnes gluttonie vnclennesse c. Therfore before the prayer concernynge dayly breade there is a petition touchyng the wyll of God wherin wee praye that not oure wyll but Gods will may be done And Christ himself when he praied in the garden said Not my will but thy will be done Our prayer ought so to be tempered that we should set before vs the wil of God in all thynges preferre that before our owne will after the example of the leapour and then lett vs not doubte but that God wyll geue vs all thynges whiche are vnto his glorie and vnto our saluation But there is yet an other incommoditie God will healpe and geue what soeuer we aske in the name of his sonne Christe Iesu. This is moste certayne and true Notwithstanding the maner and tyme we may not determyne howe and when hee muste healpe and geue vs. Reason ceasseth not to make importune suite but if it haue not good successe out of hande streyght ways it despaireth of helpe So lykewyse concerning the tyme if healpe cometh not vnto vs within so many howers dayes or yeares Then caste we awaye all hope of helpe Neyther are these small tentations wherewith Faith is vehemently impugned and enfebled Therfore it is necessary that we with a sure faith apprehende and laye hande on the worde of God and with silence hope and pacience loke for healpe of God which is promised vs in the name of Christ what soeuer be done concernyng the tyme way maner c. contrary to our expectatioÌ„ according to the wil of god For for this cause is he called an helper incoÌ„uenient tyme. Nowe for asmuch as we of our owne nature are very impacient we thynke always that it is now high tyme to healpe and that God deferreth the matter to longe and thus we prescribe and appoint God how when and what he shall doo But wee must auoyde and eschewe thys arrogancye and pryde that oure faythe may be fyrmely and constantly fixed and sette vppon the promyse that God for Christe his sonnes sake wyll healpe vs in conuenient tyme euen when it shall make moste for hys glory and for our healthe and saluation And this is the doctrine concernyng prayer whereof we haue great nede in these our dayes neyther haue we any other healpe in this worlde as Christe declareth here when he he sayth Aske that your ioy may be perfect For where prayer is not there can bee no trewe sounde perfect and full ioye but in the place thereof commeth care sorowe trouble disquietnesse c. And this didde we proue to bee trewe not many yeares paste For yf we had geuen our myndes earnestly to faythefull prayer the Pope wyth hys tirannye had not so greatly preuayled in this realme But when prayer is diligently exercised the more that the Pope and the tyrantes of this worlde rage and persecute the worse it goeth wyth them and with theyr wicked deuises as we haue also lerned by experieÌ„ce in this our tyme. Therfore let vs loke wel about vs and diligently do that that is apointed vs. First let the miniâ—ters of the word diligently teach the truth let the other fal to praier yea let so many as loue the glory of God practise theÌ„ selues coÌ„tinually in this holy exercise of prayer By thys meanes shall the Church of Christ be safelye preserued frome the deuyll and Antichrist yea and from all the tyrantes of this worlde He therfore that loueth the church and faithfull congregation of GOD and is desyrous to see it prosper lette hym thynke that he ought to laboure vnto the vttermost of his power that it maye bee conserued and safely kepte This commeth to passe onely by prayer
to do the same must nedes be occasion of great feare and dreade inwardely For herof it doth folow that a man thinketh that he is condemned alredy of God to death orels that he shall forthwith suffer the paynes of deathe Wherfore the Pentecost of the Iewes is a remembraunce of a great and necessarie thyng yet the consideration therof can not be pleasant and acceptable For the example of the people dothe declare what thys mysterie woorketh inwardly When they desyre Moses to be a mean betwene them and God and when they thought it necessarie in theyr heart to haue a meane yet could not fynde who might be this meane and mediatour But GOD hym selfe hathe promysed a Mediatour whyche is a Prophete lyke vnto Moyses c. And by thys he doothe declare what shoulde bee the Whytsontyde of the Newe Testamente that it is fulle of comforte swetenesse ioye and peace For thus sayeth the Euangeliste as it is rehersed that in the daye of Pentecoste whenne the Iewes dydde kepe holye the feast of theyr lawe at what tyme that the Apostles and Disciples were gathered togyther sodeynelye there camme as it were the sounde of a vehemente wynde and fylled the whole house and there appered vppon them clouen tongues as it hadde bene of fyre and so the Holy ghoste was opened there bothe to the syghte of the eyes and the hearynge of the eares For in the sounde was he hearde and seene in the fyre as Christ hadde promised before and Iohn Baptist prophecied that they shold be baptised in fyre and spirite But all these thynges haue theyr signification and meanynge The tongues doothe sygnifie the office of preachynge whiche thenne shall woorke with effecte when the holy ghost worketh therwith that therby maye be enkendled a newe lyght inwardly And forthwith after this sounde and fyry tongues he sytteth on eche of them and so dothe inflame their heartes and with such a blast and motion perceth their vnderstandyng that in a momente of an hower they knowe bothe God and his sonne Iesus Christ they vnderstand the scriptures and waxeth so bold in heart that they dare openly professe the true knowlege of God so that thei can speake with all languages where as before they knewe but their owne For out of Sion it behoued that the lawe shoulde procede and the woorde of the Lorde oute of Hierusalem and that afterwarde the Gospell shold be heard in al lāguages And forasmuch as the Gospel shuld be publyshed not only in Iury but also in all the worlde therfore the holy ghost dothe instruct his apostles with languages that it myght bee vniuersally sette foorth throughout all the earth This is our Whitsontide and Pentecost in the new Testament wherby the trewe knowledge of God is ordeyned not with feare and dreade but with ioy and peace whereby there ryseth suche a conscience at the length which turneth not from God but abydeth all things for Christs sake as the apostles by theyr examples doo shewe Not only Christ at his laste supper prophecieth of this Whitsontyde but also the Prophetes Dauid Esaias Hieremias Ioell Zacharias and other Wherfore we shall not lose our labour but rather bestowe our tyme very well yf we at a certayne appoynted tyme enstructe men of the holye Ghost teaching what he is and what is his propretie and what is nedefull for vs to doo that we also maye obteyne the same spirite And fyrst of all we muste not thynke that the holy ghoste was then firste in the congregation and neuer before For hee is God eternall and almyghtie as Christ sayth that he cometh of the father Wherfore he is of one substance and nature with the Father and there be many euident testimonies that the holy ghoste hath always bene effectuous in men and hath lightned them and broughte them into the waye For Christ hymselfe and Peter also sayth that the Holy Ghost spake by the Prophets and the Euangelistes doo testifye of Anna Zacharia Elizabeth Iohn Baptist that they had the holy ghost Wherfore we must thynke and beleue none other thyng of the holy ghoste then wee beleue of Christe which hath ben for euer and forthwith after the fyrste promyse made in Paradyse exercised his office and stode in battaile against the deuil and began to breke the head of the serpent This worke was long agone began of the sonne of man and euer diligently done and at laste fully accomplyshed at what tyme he became manne and dyed on the Crosse and the thyrde daye rose agayne from the deade Therfore the workynge of the Holy Ghoste was therewyth and the holy Ghoste was alwayes in the worlde gouernyng mens hearts and stirryng vp their faith by the word in them he kyndled a lyght and them he cōfirmed and brought into all truthe But yet he dydde at lengthe perfectly and absolutely fulfylle thys greate woorke vppon thys Whytsondaye wherein hee was not secrete and priuie as hee was before But hee declared hym selfe openlye that all that dyd see myghte perceaue and confesse that the holy ghoste was present For where as there were some amongest theym in thys place that iudged the woorkynge of the holy Ghoste to be dronkennesse it was doone of an aduysed and purposed madnesse For they are proued false by theyr owne reason wherby they may knowe that diuers languages commeth not of dronkennesse or of newe wyne It shoulde make muche with oure matter to consyder why the reuelation of the holy Ghost was deferred vnto this daye For euen as after the delyuerance of the old people there folowed immediatly the couenant betwene GOD and the people so after our delyuerance whyche commeth thorough Christe doothe this pledge of the Holy Ghoste ensue whereby we myght be made certayne and confirmed as concernyng the couenant betwene God vs. For fyrst was it mete that this deliuerance shoulde be made and confyrmed thoroughe CHRIST and that he should entreate the Father to sende vs the Holy Ghoste And by hym onely are we made parte takers of thys greate gyfte as wee sayde in the daye of the Ascension prouynge it by the thre score eight Psalme That hee ascended on hye and receaued gyftes for men For thus doothe Peter also expounde that saying in his sermon of this daye where as he saieth Wherfore Christe beynge exalted on the ryght hand of God when he had receaued the promise of the holy ghoste of his father he dyd shedde foorth this as you now see and heare And this is the fyrste worke of his but hath bene alwayes in the worlde wyth dewe administration and workynge But yet on this daye at the laste dyd he openly declare hymselfe where as he shewed foorth hymselfe with greate vertue and strengthe so that by this reuelation we maye knowe what a greate thynge CHRIST hath wrought and brought to passe for vs thorowe his death and resurrection
darknes more then the lyght It is a myghty shielde and stronge defence agaynst Satan and all his infernall army as Salomon sayth The worde of God is a bucklar to such as beleue it Therfore S. Paule in a certaine Epistle where he appointeth what armour we shold put on that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the deuill and to resist the gouernours of darknes in the euyl day and to stande perfect in all thynges exhorteth vs among other weapons to put on the sworde of the spirite which saieth he is the worde of God With this spirituall sword dyd our sauiour Christ in the wyldernes fight against Sathan and mightily ouercame him by this his conflict declaring vnto vs what a noble weapon the word of God is to vanquishe and to ouercome Satan so that who soeuer putteth on this swearde and with a myghty faith falleth in hand with this olde cankred ennemy of mankind he may be sure to haue the victory For this word is that percyng stone wherewith Dauid ouerthrue and kylled that mighty great gyant Goliath that prowd Philstine and blasphemous rayler vpon God and his hoste It ouercommeth and subdueth Antichrist and all the aduersaries of Gods pure and true doctrine as S. Paul witnesseth saying That wycked that synfull man that sonne of perdition whiche is an aduersarie to Gods trueth and is exalted aboue all that is called GOD or that is worshipped so that he dothe sitte in the Temple of God bostyng himself to be God shall be disclosed vttered and broughte to lyghte whome the Lorde shall consume with the spirite of his mouth c. Agayn As Iames and Iambres withstode Moses euen so do these also resyst the truth men they are of corrupt myndes and leude as concernyng the Faith but they shall preuayle no longer For their madnes shal be vttered vnto all men euen as theirs was Of this thing God be thanked wee haue experience at this daye wherein Antichrist is reueled and all his wycked doctrine disclosed so that the very blynde begynne to see hys iugglyng And though there be whyche after the manner of Atlas susteyn vnderprop and hold vp wyth their shoulders that is to say with their writynges and preachings the kyngdom of Antichrist so much as they can with his Antichristian actes deuillish decrees croked cōstitutions trifling traditions drousie dreames idle inuentions vnwritten verities c. yet is the tyme of the iudgement of that great whore of Babylon at hande wherin she with her marked merchauntes wyth that blasphemous beast and false prophete shall bee caste into that lake that burneth with fyre and brymstone He whome Iohn sawe syttyng vpon a white horse clothed with a vesture dipte in bloode whose eies were as a flame of fyre and whose name is the worde of God and out of whose mouthe went a sharpe two edged sworde shall smyte kyll and destroy them Euery plant saieth Christ that my heauenly Father hath not planted shal be pluckt vp by the rootes Agayn The Gospell of the kyngdome shall be preached in all the world for a wytnesse vnto all nations and then shall the ende come It defendeth the louer and embracer therof frome all synne wyckednesse and lewde behauiour as the Psalmograph saith Thy wordes haue I hydde within my heart that I should not synne agaynst thee Agayne wherwithall shall a yonge man clense hys waye euen by rulyng hymselfe by thy word Ones agayne Order my steppes in thy worde and so shall no wickednes haue dominion ouer me It comforteth the troubled in his tribulation so that it suffereth not hym to faynt or to be of a desperate mynde as Dauid saythe If my delight had not bene in thy lawe I should haue perished in my trouble Agayne O thinke vpon thy seruant as concernynge the woorde wherein thou haste caused me to put my trust The same is my conforte in my trouble For thy woorde hath quickened me In an other place he also sayeth Though I walke through the valley of the shadowe of deathe I will feare no euyll for thou art with me Thy rod and thy staffe confort me It cureth and healeth all spiritual sicknesses and diseases as the wyse man sayth It is neyther herbe nor emplasture that restored them to health but thy woorde O Lorde which healeth al things Likewise saieth the Psalmograph He sent hys word and healed them they were saued frō their destruction It purifieth and clenseth the hearte of man yea the whole man as our Sauiour Christ saieth Nowe are ye cleane thorowe the worde that I haue spoken vnto you Hereto pertaineth the saying of thapostle Christe loued the congregation and gaue hymselfe for it to sanctifie it clensed it in the fountayne of water thorough the worde S. Peter also saith Ye are borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the worde of God whiche lyueth and abideth for euer It bringeth peace rest quietnes ioye and conforte to mens consciēces as the Psalmograph saith Great is the peace that they haue which loue thy law and they are not offended at it Peace peace vnto thē that are farre of to them that are nye saith the Lord and I make him whole But the wicked are lyke the ragyng sea that can not rest whose water fometh with the myre and grauell Euen so the wicked haue no peace saieth God It bringeth the holy Ghost to them y◠beleue as we rede in the chronicle of the apostles acts while Peter yet spake these wordes saith the blessed historiograph S. Luke the holy gost fell on al them which heard the preaching Likewise saeith S. Paule In Christ also we beleue forasmuch as we haue herd the word of trueth euen the Gospel of your saluation wherin when ye had beleued ye were sealed with the holye Spirite c. And in his Epistle to the Galathians he saieth that they receyued the spirite by the preachyng of the Faithe It is able to make a man learned vnto saluation thorow the Faith whiche is in Christ Iesu. It teacheth al degrees how they ought to behaue thē selues euery one in theyr vocation and callyng that they may please God and woorke that whiche is acceptable before the eyes of hys diuine Maiestie It bryngeth health lyfe saluation glorification to so many as beleue accordyng to this testimonie of S. Paule I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one the beleueth Likewise saith sainct Iames in his Epistle Lay apart all filthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receaue with mekenes the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules As I may ones make an ende if an ende may be founde in an endlesse matter All scripture geuen by inspiration of god is profitable as the Apostle saieth to teache to improue to amend
frendes if ye doo those thynges that I commaunde you Christe hathe commaunded you to feede his flocke and to preache the Gospell If ye doo this so are ye Christes frendes and louers yf ye doo it not so are ye his foes and ennemies Christe saieth A good shepheard geueth his lyfe for hys shepe signifyinge hereby that he whiche is a faithfull feder and trewe pastor of the Lordes flocke doth not only faithfully and truely feede the shepe but he also yf nede require is redy to bestow his lyfe and al that euer he hath for the safegarde of the flocke If these thynges be found in you so are ye good shepheardes But if ye doo not teache but rather reache after as muche as ye can get bearyng no good affection towarde the flocke concernyng theyr saluation seking not the cōmoditie of the shepe but your own priuat lucre gain so are ye no shepheardes but hyrelynges no pastors but wolues no heardmen and teachers but theues and robbers no kepers but murtherers A theefe commeth not saieth oure Sauioure Christe but for to steale to kylle and to destroye Agayn An hirelyng seeth the wolfe commynge and leaueth the shepe and fleeth and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe Christe requireth that suche as bee in the ministerye should be faithfull and wise seruants euen such as in due time wil geue meate to the Lordes houshold And Christ calleth that seruant blessed whom his Lord when he commeth shal fynd so doyng He addeth more ouer and saith that the Lord wil make hym ruler ouer al his goodes Here heare you that it is required of you if ye be true seruautes fyrst that ye bee faithfull as S. Paule sayth It is required of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the secretes of God that a man be found faith full Ye shall shew your selues faithfull if ye truely faithfully purely syncerely and diligently behaue your selues accordyng to your commission in executyng youre lordes and maisters commaundement You may not display and sette abrode your owne will fancie nor yet the decrees and traditions of other but ye must publish set forth the good wyl and plesure of your Lord with al sinceritie purenes without all corruption or cōmixtion of mans doctrine yea that after such sort as is conteyned in your commission alwais remembring that ye are the Legates and Embassadours of the moste myghtye kyng yea that ye are the mouthe of the moste hygh God He that heareth you heareth me saieth Christ. Agayne It is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father whiche speaketh in you For as he is a faythefull and true ambassadour that symply and playnly without addition or diminution expresseth his Lordes mynd wyll and pleasure to suche as he is sent vnto euen so shall ye shewe your selues faithfull seruantes if ye vtter vnto the people those thynges onely which are conteyned in your commission that is to say in the sacred Bible as our Sauiour Christ saieth teachynge them to obserue all thynges what soeuer I haue commaunded you Notable are these wordes of that most noble and eloquent Doctor S. Iohn Chrysostom Nothing ought to be put vnto the words of god nor to be pluckt away from them For the very proper and peculiar worke and office of an Embassadour is onely to carye those thynges that are committed vnto hym Therefore the priest is called an Embassadour because he declareth not hys owne matters but the matters of hym that sent hym Again he sayeth The Apostles were sent vnto this ende that they should vtter declare and sette foorth those thynges that they had receaued and not that they shoulde put any thyng thervnto of theyr owne Secondly it is required of you that ye be not onely faithfull but also wyse and prudent seruantes wherby is signified that ye ought to haue not onely a zeale to doo good as many vnlearned ministers pretende nowe a dayes but also a wysedome a knowledge an vnderstandyng how to do good howe to doo your duetie howe to accomplishe that which is enioyned you in your commission lest it be sayd of you as it is written of the Iewes They haue a feruent zeale and good mynde to Godwarde but not accordyng to knowlege The ministers and seruantes of the Lord may not be lyke horses and moyles that haue no vnderstandyng but suche must be theyr knowledge that they may be able as thapostle saieth to exhort by wholsome learnyng and to improue them that speke against it In the priests lips saieth the prophet should be sure knowledge that men may seke the law at his mouth for he is a messenger of the Lord of hostes The blessed Apostle S. Paule in the description of a bishoppe or spirituall ouerseer requireth that such one shold be chosen to be a pastor or feder of the Lords flocke as is apte and able to teache to distribute the worde of truthe iustly to informe them that resist the truthe to doo the worke throughly of an Euangelist to fulfyl the office of a spirituall minister vnto the vttermost to preache the word to be feruent in season out of season to improue to rebuke to exhort with al long suffring doctrine to watche in all thinges to suffer afflictions to rebuke sharply them that ar enemies to the truth that they may be found in the faith to speake those things which becom holsome doctrine c. Christ the Apostles and the Fathers of the primatiue churche committed the ministerie of the worde not to dumbe dogges that were not able to barke not to horses and moyles that had no vnderstandyng not to Mammonistes and Epicures whyche onely seke gayn and pleasure lucre and ease but to suche as were myghtye in worde and doctrine full of power and of the holy Ghoste and throughly furnyshed with wysdome knowledge and vnderstandyng of the holy scriptures ready at all tymes to geue euen their very lyues if nede so require for the glory of God for the confirmation of theyr doctrine and for the healthe of the flock which Christ purchased with his most precious blood as the Apostle saith The holy ghost witnesseth in euery citie sayeng that bandes and trouble abyde me But none of these thynges moue me neyther is my lyfe deare vnto me so that I may fulfyll my course with ioy and the ministration of the word which I haue receued of the Lord Iesu to testify the gospel of the grace of God Agayn I am redy not only to be bound but also to dy for the name of the Lorde Iesu. Ignorancy is discommendable in common persones but in them that ought to be teachers of other it is not onely discommendable but also intollerable yea and abhominable For as Christe sayth If the blynde leade the blynde bothe falle into the dyche Agayn The lyght of the body is the eye
to all the flocke amonge whom the holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers to rule the congregation of God whiche he hath purchased with hys bloode For I am sure of this that after my departyng shall greuous wolues enter in among you not sparyng the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shall men aryse speakynge peruerse thynges to drawe disciples after them Therfore awake and remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and daye wyth teares S. Peter speakyng of hym selfe writeth on this maner I wyll not bee negligente to put you alwayes in remembrance of suche thynges though ye knowe them your selues and be stablyshed in the present truthe Not withstandyng I thynke it mete as longe as I am in this tabernacle to stere you vp by puttyng you in remembrance c. Thus ye see what diligence is required of you in feedynge the Lordes housholde wyth the holy worde of God This office aboue all other maye by no means be neglected For herein as I maye so speake consisteth either the saluation or damnation bothe of you and of the Lordes householde as God saythe by the Prophete O thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watcheman vnto the house of Israell that where as thou hearest any thyng out of my mouth thou mayst warn them on my behalfe If I saye vnto the wycked Thou wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou geuest hym not warning that he may beware of his vngodly way the wicked shal die in his owne sinne but his blood I will require of thy hande Neuertheles if thou warne the wicked of his way to turn frō it where as he yet will not be turned from it then shal he die because of his sinne but thou hast deliuered thy soule But if the wicked turne frō his sinnes do the thing that is laufull right then shall he surely liue not dye Yea the sinnes that he hath done shall neuer be thought vpon For in somuche as he doth now the thyng that is laufull and ryght he shall lyue If ye be tongue tyed or playe Placebo ▪ so that ye reproue not the wycked by the worde of God of theyr wickednes but suffer them to go forthe in theyr wickednes as though they were good righteous and fautlesse so bryng ye damnation bothe vpon your selues and vpon them But yf ye sharpely rebuke the wicked of theyr wyckednesse so that by this meanes they turne from theyr lewdnes and woorke that whyche is good and pleasant before the eyes of Gods maiestie so do ye that which shall bring saluation to you bothe as the Apostle sayth Take hede to thy selfe and vnto learnyng and continue therin For yf thou shalt so do thou shalt saue thy self them that heare thee Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Iames Brethren yf any of you doo erre from the truth an other conuert hym let the same know that he whiche conuerteth the synner from goyng astray out of his way shall saue a soule from deathe and shall hyde the multitude of synnes As the Lord hath committed to you the meate wherwith his housholde shoulde be fedde so is it your duetie not to withdrawe it from them but liberally to geue it vnto them as good faithfull and wyse seruantes and stewardes The distribution of the heauenly sede sayeth a certayne man is enioyned vs. Wo therfore be vnto vs if we doo not sprinkle it abrode Wo be vnto vs yf wee holde oure peace as the Apostle sayeth Wo is vnto me yf I preache not the Gospelle The verye titles and names whiche are appropriated vnto you by the holy Ghost in the sacred scriptures ought to moue you to doo youre duetie in this behalfe and by no meanes to be negligent herein Ye are called priestes elders shepheardes feders ouerseers apostles prophetes salt lyght workmen preachers labourers seruantes byshops planters waterers fathers angelles embassadours Gods labourers buylders ministers of Christ stewardes of the secretes of God schoolemasters sowers of spirituall thynges Gospell preachers ministers of the newe testament seruantes of the faithfull preachers of the attonement Christes messangers Christes seruantes Catechistes doctors or teachers Euangelistes Christes witnesses souldiours of Iesus Christ husbandmen laboures distributers of the worde of truth informers of them that resyst the truthe watchers for the health of mens soules c. If your trauayles doyngs lyfe and conuersation agree with these titles and names so are ye faithfull and wise seruantes and great is your reward in heauen But contrarywyse if ye vainly and withoute cause vsurpe these names so that ye are not the same in dede that ye are called in name and worde what other thing are ye then painted sepulchres white daubed walles whose portion is in that lake that burneth with fyre and brymstone Moreouer the salarie stipende and wages that ye receaue of your parishoners appointed for the true pastors of the Lordes flock and for the faithful ministers of Gods word ought to bee no dulle spurre vnto you to pricke you forwarde to feede the Lordes housholde The lyuynges whiche many of you enioye are neyther small nor slender but ryche and wealthy great and many They are not geuen you vnto thys ende that ye shoulde lyue of them lyke voluptuous Epicures and ydell bellygods but for thys purpose that ye beynge voyde of worldly care hauyng al necessary thynges prouided for you should the more frankely and freely geue your myndes to the study of the holy Scriptures and to the preachyng of the same to the ministration of the sacramentes to prayer to thankes geuyng and to suche other spirituall exercyses Our sauiour Christ sayeth The workeman is woorthy of his meate Hee saieth not The loyteryng lurden is worthye of his meate If any man be in the mynisterie and will liue of that he muste labour fyrst and afterwarde eate If he labour not so ought he not to eate accordyng to this rule of S. Paule He that laboureth not ought not to eate And his laboure is not to hunte and hauke to kepe great horses to fede many dogges and a sorte of ydell lasye lubbers to lye lurkyng in the court in Byshoppes and noble mens houses in the vniuersities c. but as I sayd to geue meate to the Lordes housholde to preache the Gospell to mynister the sacramentes to pray vnto God for the people to thank God for his benefites to watch day and nyght aboute the health of the Lordes flocke c. The Apostle sayeth that hee whyche soweth spirituall thynges ought to reape temporall thynges If ye therfore wyll reape temporall thynges ye muste fyrst of all sowe spirituall thynges If ye doo not sow so oughte ye not to mowe If ye doo mowe where ye dyd not sowe so are ye not pastors but raptors no shepheardes but hyrelynges noo flockelouers but flockelubbers yea very playne theues as CHRIST saieth A thefe commeth not but
and with one mynde approche at this present vnto the gracious throne of thy diuine maiestie moste humbly besechyng thee that forasmuche as we of our selues and of our owne nature are altogether corrupte ignoraunt blynde and vtterly estranged from the felyng and perceauynge of thy diuine mysteries suche is our ignorance and blyndnesse thorow olde Adam it may please thee of thy mercyfull goodnesse by thy holy and blessed spirite to open our senses to leade vs into all truthe to purifie our heartes and to make oure myndes mete vessels to receaue the swete wyne of thy most swete and glorious Gospell O open thou our eyes that we may see the wondrous thinges of thy lawe Hyde not thy commaundementes frome vs but teache vs thy statutes and make vs to vnderstand the way of thy commaundementes that we may talke of thy meruailous workes Teache vs O Lord the way of thy statutes and make vs to go in the pathe of thy commandementes Encline our heartes vnto thy testimonies quicken vs in thy wayes and take not the worde of truthe oute of our mouthe O geue vs vnderstandyng acordyng to thy word that we may learne thy commandementes and be occupied in thy lawes Let oure heartes be sounde in thy statutes that we be neuer ashamed O shewe the lyght of thy countenance vpon vs thy seruantes teache vs thy testimonies and so order oure steppes in thy worde that no wickednes may haue dominion ouer vs. Sanctifie vs thorowe thy truthe for thy woorde is the truthe Geue to me thy Minister and stewarde of the mysteries of God a well learned tongue that I may confort them whiche are troubled yea and that in due season that I may shew good tydynges vnto the poore that I maye bynde vp the wounded heartes that I may preache deliueraunce to the captiues and open the prison to them that are bound that I may make ioyfull all them that are in heauynesse and thorowe thy worde geue to them that mourne beaultie in stede of ashes ioyefull oyntment for syghyng and pleasant rayement for an heauye mynde that I may hold vp the weake that I maye heale the sycke that I may bynd together the broken that I may bryng agayne the outcastes and seke vp them that are loste so that thys people may be called trees of righteousnesse and a plantynge of the Lorde for hym to reioyce in O geue me that mouthe that spirite that wisedome agaynst the whyche all the aduersaries of thy truthe shall not be able to speake nor resyst Geue to me that preache thy worde with great power that I may be able to exhort by wholsome doctrine and to improue them that speake agaynst it Geue me grace also O Lorde that I may not only be the salt of the earth but also the lyghte of the worlde namely that I may not onely truly and faithfully sincerely and purely reuerently and godly bryng foorthe oute of the treasure house of thy holy worde thynges newe and olde that is to say the doctrine bothe of the olde and newe testamente euen the lawe and the Gospell but also that in my lyfe and maners I may be an ensample to the faithfull in worde in conuersation in loue in spirite in fayth in puritie and in all pointes shew my selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that nedeth not to be ashamed distributynge the woorde of truthe iustly so that I may be to the flocke an ensample of good workes in honestie and grauitie that he whyche withstandeth maye be ashamed hauyng no euyll thyng to speake of me lest by any meanes it come to passe that when I haue preached to other I my selfe should be a cast away and so become a slaunder to the good doctrine that I professe and teache Geue also to the people that are here gathered together to heare the worde of their saluation a good spirite that al cloudes of ignorancie brought in by olde Adam vtterly dispelled driuen away they may learne to knowe thee to be theyr alone Sauiour which knowledge is perfect righteousnesse and the roote of immortalitie yea it is euerlastyng lyfe and without the whyche knowledge we all are but as moyles and horses voyde of all goodnes and grace walkyng in the vanities of our owne imaginations vtterly estranged from God and all godlynesse O moste louynge Lorde open theyr heartes that they may vnderstand thorough the preachyng of the word thy holy and blessed wyll and always doo that not whiche carnall reason fleshly imagination blynd zeale good intent and humayne wysedome iudgeth to be good and holy but that only whiche thou in thy blessed lawe commaundest to be doone all strange woorshippynges vtterly excluded and banyshed O swete sauiour make them that good earth which receuing the healthfull sede of thy moste wholsom worde may bryng forth fruite plentuously some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thirty folde Geue theym grace so to lyue and so to behaue them selues in all poyntes as it becommeth them that embrace thy Gospell Lette theym not bee of the number of those whyche wyth theyr mouth professe God and with their deedes denye hym but make them not onely diligente hearers of thy woorde but also feruent and earnest doers of the same Let them not be lyke the fyue foolishe virgins whiche hadde lampes and no oyle but rather so woorke in theym by thy holy spirite that they maye worthyly be resembled to the fyue wyse virgins whyche had not onely lampes but also oyle in their lampes that is to saye they dyd not onely beare the name of Chrystians but theyr conuersation also was garnyshed wyth woorkes meete and seemely for Christians Make them suche as no man can iustely complayne on euen the vnfayned sonnes of God without rebuke shynynge as greate lyghtes in the worlde euen in the myddes of a croked and peruerse nation holdyng faste the woorde of lyfe that they whyche backebyte them as euyll doers seynge theyr good workes may cease to speake euyll and glorifie thee our Lord God in the day of visitation Fynally graunt bothe to me the Preacher and to these the hearers and to so manye as vnfaynedly professe thy blessed name grace and strength from aboue that we maye soo handle and heare thy woorde that we beynge no forgetfull hearers but diligent doers of the same may thorowe Faithe in thee obteyne that blessyng whyche thou haste promysed to all theym that heare the worde of God and kepe it Grant thys O moste louyng lorde and swete Sauiour for thy greate mercy and goodnes sake Amen A shorter prayer before the Sermon O Almyghty God and moste mercyfull Father the Authour and geuer of all wysedome whych at the intercession of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour diddest sende downe accordyng to thy promyse thy holy spirit to lyghten the heartes and senses of the apostles before they could syncerely vnderstande the
here the word yet ar no more moued therby then blocks as we se the plaine experieÌ„ce herof by the examples of the couetous byers and sellers of husbandmen and townes men and especially of our aduersaries the Papistes which regarde the doctrine of the gospell no more than the wolfe dothe the lambe Thinke here verilye that the diuell dwelleth in their hearts and swaloweth vp al the word of God that coÌ„meth therein that they may not beleue be saued For if the diuel wer not present or if this forgetfulnes came of nature as we se that one man hath a better remeÌ„braÌ„ce memory then an other yet the ferueâ—t desyre losse of it would constrayn hym to thynk this How miesrable am I that I can not remember muche O Lord bee mercyfulle to me and fashion thou my mynde that I may regard and marke these thynges whiche are set foorth vnto me in thy Gospel With such as on this wise thirst after the worde and embrace it with their full wyl the deuil can not preuaile For this hartie desyre and the deuyll can not abyde together But these forsayde persones that are described of Christe care not a iote when Gods word is sente vnto them No they thynke it not so muche worthe as is a lytle gaynes or lucre Lette no man thynke otherwise but that these men are in the deuils power And verily the greatest part of men ar of this sort they here the word and regard it not because the deuill plucketh it out of their heartes The other two sorts ar not so wicked but ar weake they despise not to be instructed they begyn well and are delighted therwith Wherfore Christ doth not here say that they are so farre in the diuels daunger as the fyrst are although neuerthelesse there appeareth not in them the true fruites of godlynes that should therof consequently succede And first ar they of both that in tyme of persecution temptation forsake the worde Which after the maner of corrupt fruicte as long as they are not shaken with the wynde abyde in their place with the other but as soone as a tempest ryseth shaketh the tree they fall of one after an other So they also accordyng to Christes wordes for a tyme beleue but when they see the crosse commyng they can not abyde that terrour and they seke how to be out of danger as the multitude dothe So that here can not folow the fruite of euerlasting life nor any other good fruict that springeth of the worde and faith The thyrd be they that for loue of worldly riches pleasures regard not the worde For he that is geuen to worldly cares seketh sercheth scrapeth togither bestoweth all labour that he can to get hym store of riches This man ouerladeth his heart as Christ saith in Luke and so it cometh to passe that the fruicte of godlynesse is choked vp euen as the corn is with thornes Substance must be gotten by labour and euery man acording to his vocation is bouÌ„d therin to shew industrie and diligence as God hath coÌ„manded But when al the mynd care is bent al thy heart wholly addict geueÌ„ to such kynd of study care that almost thou studiest nothyng els this is that mischief of thornes that presseth down Gods word that it cannot grow vp to bring forth fruit For it is not studied as it shold be but other things are alwais set more by then it And these are the thre sortes in whom Gods word taketh no place neither can it bryng forth in them the feare of euerlastyng lyfe which thing is not to be couÌ„ted any small losse Wherfore Christ exhorteth all that heare saith Se that ye geue good eare For to him that hath shal be geuen and to hym that hath not shall that also be taken from hym that he thinketh that he hath By these wordes it appereth that he speaketh of no light matters For it is no litle daunger thus to neglect and contemne the word As when a maÌ„ doth this deuise with hymselfe I wyl without cessyng vse my customable trade in bargainyng in occupying in gaynyng in winnyng in takyng my pleasure in folowing my heartes lust and in dissemblyng what I thynk of gods truthe and worde I shall haue tyme sufficient to heare it and to lyue accordingly therunto hereafter when I shal haue more leisure to take the fruition of my goodes But take diligent hede that thou be not preuented in making thyne accompt Thou knowest not how long thou hast to liue neither whether thou shalt euer again haue such oportunitie occasioÌ„ to heare it neither what chaÌ„ce god shal seÌ„d the. And al this deuise is to thyne owne peril danger only Al thy craft shal turne to no mans hurt but to thyne owne Wherfore heare Christ when he warneth thee He that hath eares to heare let hym hear By the which saying he meaneth that we shold not in this busines prolong lynger and delaye the tyme as it is the maner of vs all Begynne nowe sayth he whyle thou hearest to study for this that death may not come out of season Wherfore let vs so order our selues that we maye be in the fowerth sort although it be small Let vs by prayer and diligence so prouide that our mynde be not sinistrall and vntoward Let vs regarde the worde of God and kepe it and bryng forth good fruicts And of this sorte is the company of sainctes I meane not of the Pope holy sainctes which are disguysed shorne whyche are Massmongers and fryday fasters whose holynes is in their wedes strange vestures c. But they that heare the word of God wher as contrary wise the Pope his holy ones as it euidently appereth are very extreme persecuters of Gods worde They that heare the word bringeth foorthe fruicte yea a hundred fold that is much and plentifully or as Mathew speketh in parcels som a hundred fold som sixtie fold som thirtie fold For as the ministrations offices ar sundry so are the fruits vnlike The ministration of the precher in the church is better in the coÌ„mon congregation thaÌ„ is the craftesman in rulyng his owne house And yet bothe are Christians made free from synne and death and ordeined heires of euerlasting life through Christ. Let vs be of this number which truly is small But we haue nede of a toward and pure heart as Christ saith that is suche a heart that is not negligent and forgetfull but careth earnestly for Gods woorde For that thynge is fyrst of all necessary that the deuyl may haue no waye in leste he come and steale awaye the word Secondarily it is necessary to haue a strong and a couragious heart and not a feareful dastardly that wyll be moued with terror and dreade or care for mens hatred or fauor For except we loue God aboue all thynges and dread hym the woorde can not longe endure with
y◠which we heare in the word must we iudge and saie I see that I must die but I heare the promise and word of Christ my Lorde that thorow hym I shall haue life For as touchyng sinne for the whiche I must nedes suffer death it is vtterly taken awaye by hym so that God for his deathe and resurrection wyll be mercyfull vnto me and geue me euerlastynge lyfe This is truely to kepe the woord of Christe But it is an harde thyng to haue this faythe For fleshe and blood can not otherwise bee persuaded then as they fele and proue Against this peruers and froward reason must we striue and aske of God hys holy spirite that he may stablishe our hearts throughe the worde that they may retaine and keepe the true Faith What the cause is why the worde of Christ is of so great efficacie myghte and power Christe hym selfe sheweth in the ende of this Gospell And in thys poynt he so greatly moueth the Iewes and stirreth them vnto anger that they are ready to stone hym vnto deathe For this troubled the Iewes that Christe said his worde preserueth and defendeth from euerlastyng death forasmuche as they sawe that Abraham Moyses and other holy men which be greately commended in the holy scripture wer dead They thought that Christ was muche inferiour to them and that it was a matter worthy to be laughed at that he should so muche bragge boast and sette out his worde But Christ answered Abraham desired to see my daye he sawe it and reioyced that is to say If Abraham had not kept my word he had dyed euerlastyngly and ben damned for euer Before Abraham was saith Christ I am And that is thus muche to say I am almightie and euerlasting God Now he that wil be deliuered from his synnes escape euerlastyng deathe and come vnto euerlasting life he must be holpē by me and seke help at none others hād but at myn alone This could neither Moses nor any of the Prophets speke truly of them selues For they were all men But Christ is god and man Therfore is he able to geue life euerlasting saluation none but he alone This is a great consort and a most sure confirmation of our faithe where we confesse that Christ is true euerlasting God as we haue the like testimonies of this thing in many diuers places of the Euangelical history that our whole trust shold be in hym in his word in none other For this is the word of god can by no means deceue vs. What soeuer he speaketh is certain and sure is neuer void but is as sure as God by his word made heauen earthe of nothing Lerne this diligently and with thankful hearts knowledge this inestimable benefit and pray that God by his holy spirite may kepe you in the truth of his word receiue you into euerlasting life through Christ his sonne to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen The Sonday next before Easter cōmonly called Palme sondaye ¶ The Gospell Math. xxvi AND it came to passe when Iesus hadde finished all these sayinges he sayd vnto his Disciples Ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter and the sonne of man shall bee delyuered ouer to be crucified Then assembled together the chief Priestes and the Scribes and the elders of the people vnto the Palace of the high Priest whiche was called Caiphae and healde a Counsell that they myght take Iesus by subtiltie and kill hym But they said not on the holy day lest there be an vprore amonge the people When Iesus was in Bethanie in the house of Symon the Leapor there came vnto hym a woman hauynge an Alabaster boxe of precious oyntment and powred it on his head as he sat at the boorde But when his disciples saw it they had indignatiō saying Wherto serueth this wast This oyntment might haue ben well sold and geuen to the poore When Iesus vnderstode that he sayd vnto them Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wroughte a good woorke vppon me For ye haue the poore alwayes with you but me ye shall not haue alwayes And in that she hath caste this oyntment on my body she did it to bury me Ueryly I say vnto you Wher so euer this Gospell shal be preached in all the worlde there shall also this be tolde that she hath done for a memoriall of her Then one of the twelue whiche was called Iudas Iscarioth wente vnto the chefe Priestes and sayde vnto them What wyll ye geue me and I wyll delyuer hym vnto you And they appointed vnto hym .xxx. pieces of syluer And from that tyme foorth he sought oportunitie to betraye hym The first daye of sweete bread the disciples came to Iesus saying to him Where wylt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the Passeouer And he sayde Goo into the Citie to suche a man and say vnto hym The master saith my tyme is at hande I wyll kepe my Easter by thee with my disciples And the disciples dyd as Iesus hadde appoynted them and they made redy the Passeouer When the euen was come he sat downe with the twelue And as they dyd eate he sayde Ueryly I saye vnto you that one of you shall betray me And they were exceadynge sorowfull and beganne euery one of them to saye vnto hym Lorde is it I He aunswered and sayd he that dyppeth his hande with me in the dyshe the same shall betraye me The sonne of man truely goeth as it is writen of hym but wo vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed it hadde bene good for that man yf he had not bene borne Then Iudas whiche betrayed hym aunswered and sayde Master is it I He sayd vnto him thou hast sayde And when they were eating Iesus toke bread and when he had geuen thanks he brake it gaue it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he toke the cup thanked gaue it to them saying Drynk ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I will not drinke hense forth of this fruite of the vine tree vntyll that daye when I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kyngdom And when they had sayde grace they went out vnto mount Oliuete Then saide Iesus vnto them All ye shal be offended because of me this night For it is writtene I wyll smyte the shepherd the shepe of the flock shal be scattered abrode but after I am risen again I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saide vnto hym Thoughe all men be offended because of thee yet wyll I not be offended Iesus saide vnto hym Uerily I saye vnto thee that in this same night befor the Cocke crowe thou shalte denye me thryse Peter saide vnto hym yea
this worlde He instructeth them as touchinge the conuersion of the Gētiles and the receauing of them into the nombre of gods people whome they iudged to be dogges and caste awayes He teacheth them that the gospell belongeth no les to the Gentile then to the Iewe and that there is no respecte of persons before God but that who so euer beleueth and worketh righteousnes is welcomme vnto hym He enformeth them that they in this worlde shoulde not looke for wealth glorie riches ease fauour of men c. But for the crosse trouble affliction persecution losse of goodes banishment imprisonment and at the last death wheras the Apostles so blinded were they with the vaine opiniō of Christes carnal and worldly kyngdome as we may se in many places of the Euangelicall historie looked for the cleane contrary These and suche lyke thinges whiche Christe to fore had taught the Apostles the holy ghoste renued and broughte vnto their remembrance and all carnall fansies and worldly imaginations vtterlye secluded and sette a parte he inspired and breathed into them true iudgements and godly persuasions concerning the high misteries of Christes doctrine by this meanes not onely deliuerynge them from errours and false doctrine but also making them able to do the same thorow the ministerie of the word For the holy ghoste is a true interpretour of Christes minde and a faithfull teacher of gods holy misteries Whosoeuer hath hym for his guide he maye be sure to walke the waye of truth and to be led into the same But whosoeuer hath not the holy ghoste to be his teacher and guyde he falleth into errours and heresies and wandereth from the waye of trueth as many examples of all ages do proue Arrius that Arche heretike had or rather semed to haue one or two sentences of the holy scripture to defende hys wycked and abhominable doctrine in denyinge the godhead of Christ wherunto he did sticke with toothe and nayle as they vse to saye But in the meane season he did not marke and consider the great multitude of both sentences and examples of the holy scripture moste plaine and moste euident whiche most plainely and most euidently do proue and declare that Christe is true and naturall God begotten of God the father from euerlasting The Anabaptistes also in these our dayes are the authors of a newe doctrine and custome because CHRIST saith Go and teache all nations baptising them c. Now forasmuch as doctrine is set forth before baptisme they gather that chyldren ought not to be baptised before they be taught not cōsideringe that Christ had here speciall respecte to them that were growen in age are endued with witt reason vnderstanding These ought first to be taught afterwarde if they receue and beleue the doctrine to be baptised so receaued into the nombre of Godes children In infantes baptisme which haue not the vse of reason doctrine presently is not required no more then it was in the Circūcisiō of the infants of the Iewes which were the people of god Lykewise errours haue risen vp about the lords supper many great as trāssubstantiation reseruation and circūgestation of the Sacramentall bread the adoration of the same the priuate eating therof likewise the taking away of the Lords cuppe frō the laytie in the administratiō of the Supper the making of the Lords supper of a sacrifice of thanckes geuinge a propiciatorie satisfactorie and expietorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead c. Menne easely fall into errours when they haue not the holy ghost to be their guyde and leader He sayth Christ which is the spirite of trueth euen he shall lede you into all truth He shall teache you all trueth He shall put you in remembrance of those thinges that I to fore haue taughte you Moreouer Christe saith The holy ghost shal shew you thinges to come For that also pertaineth vnto his office as there be examples in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes Again he sayth He shall glorifie me that is to saye he shall replenishe you with the knowledge of God that ye will not doubt to suffer all thinges for my names sake set more by me thē by al other things in the worlde These and such like shal be the offices workes of the holy ghost These thinges can ye not now awaye with neither do ye vnderstāde them Ye must tarye til the holy ghost cōmeth that by experience ye maye knowe this doctrine Therefore I wyll not speake muche vnto you of these thynges at this present But of this one thinge I wil only admonishe you that ye be not dismayde nor discouraged by the reason of my departure For this my departure shall be the cause that the holy ghoste shall be sent vnto you whiche shal haue in the worlde this office of rebukynge whereby they that beleue shal be deliuered from sinne endued with euerlasting righteousnes and be thorowly confirmed against all kynde of aduersitie trouble persecution c. And this is the doctrine of the Gospell redde in the Church this present sondaye God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs his holy spirite that by hym we may be enstructed of all these thinges and be confirmed in the same vnto the ende Amen The fyfte Sonday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Ihon. xvi VEryly veryly I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he wil geue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothynge in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioye maye be full These thynges haue I spoken vnto you by Prouerbes The time wyll come when I shal no more speake vnto you by Prouerbes but I shall shewe you plainely from my father At that day shall ye aske in my name And I saye not vnto you that I wyll speake vnto my father for you for the father hym selfe loueth you because ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God I went out from the father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the worlde and go to the father His Disciples sayde vnto him Lowe nowe thou talkest plainelye and speakest no Prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thinges nedest not that any man shoulde aske thee any question therfore beleue we that thou camest from God Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is alredy come that ye shal be scattered euery man to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye myght haue peace for in the worlde shall ye haue tribulation But be of good chere I haue ouercome the worlde THE EXPOSITION THe Gospell of this daye as ye haue heard is a singuler and very notable exhortation vnto prayer for after the ministerie of the worde this is the highest seruice that Christen men can do
and right vp behauiour For it oftentymes chaunceth that when a manne perceiueth that he is not trusted he sheweth hymself the more negligent in doyng his duetie As loue with loue so faithe also is bought with faithe and trust with trust Notwithstandyng this matter is to bee handled with measure and discrecion so that we shall not rashly and without good aduisement commit all thinges to all men neyther at all tymes nor in all places And men are so to be trusted that not withstandyng they shall thynke that the Father of the houshold hath also hymselfe an eye to his thynges and that he wyll easily perceaue it if any thynge be doone amysse of suche as he trusteth or hath in his house For the negligence of maisters is many tymes the occasion that seruantes are negligente and geue them selues to a more licencious and retchelesse lyfe when notwithstandyng the householde seruantes ought not to be carelesse but studiously to obey the wyll and commaundement of theyr maisters and not to suffer theym selues by any meanes thorough the counsayle of the wycked to bee broughte vnto lewdnesse For what good successe of thynges canne be there where the maysters commaunde one thynge and the seruauntes neglectyng theyr maysters commaundement thoroughe the wicked aduyse of certayne naughty persones do the contrarye yea geue theyr myndes to idlenesse to plays to pastymes to dycyng to cardynge to drynkyng to whooryng c. And yet many in these theyr lewde doynges wyll beare a faire face outwardly as thoughe nothynge were amysse but all thynges welle yea as though they dydde theyr office accordynge to theyr bounden duetie But yet for all that seynge disobedience is shewed to theyr maisters it must nedes come of the deuyll whatsoeuer they doo in this behalf And many tymes seruauntes dwell with suche maysters as by no meanes can abyde suche neglygente lewde and lyghte behauioure But here commeth in the deuyll with hys subtilties and craftye deuices whyche by somme naughtye packe goeth about to persuade them that suche seruice is myserable bondage and therefore they oughte to caste awaye that captiuitie and seeke more libertie whyche they shall easylye and with greater profyt fynd in some other more conuenient place Awaye therfore with the olde maisters and seeke after newe The vnwise seruantes thynke thys to be good councell and to come from a louyng and frendly hearte towarde theym and therefore they bothe obeye and disobeye The dyuell they obeye God they disobeye whyche hathe commaunded to obeye theyr bodyly maysters in all thynges yea and that with simplenesse of hearte But the symple are soone deceaued specially when frendeshyp is pretended and those thynges vttered which delite the foolyshe fancie of men But why make I many woordes The wolfe is redy at all tymes both in weightie and in slender matters For all thynges that with trewe diligence and good mynde oughte to bee doone in the Churche in commune wealthes or in householdes the deuyll by no meanes canne abyde but all offices that are ordeined of GOD hee goeth aboute to hynder and lette yea vtterly to subuert and to destroy them that that whyche is ordeyned vnto the conseruation bothe of thynges presente and of thynges to comme maye be euyll spoken of that no goodnesse maye ensewe thereof· We muste therefore dilygentlye take heede and marke what the deuyll at all tymes goeth aboute leaste wyth hys fayre face and pleasant countenance he deceaueth vs and bryngeth vs into erroure For all suche as wyth whome wee haue to doo are not syncere in Relygion but manye are hypocrites They doo pretende Relygion and godlynesse but they haue not one poynte of trewe Relygion in them Wherfore it is harde for to knowe the wolfe thoroughly except we be very diligent circumspecte and discrete But thys thynge is moste daungerous and grienous in the Churche For scismatykes sectaries and heretykes comme in wyth suche pretence as though that earnestly and euen frome the verye hearte they dydde regarde the saluation of mennes soules and that they hadde a feruente zeale and greedy desyre to sette foorthe the woorde of GOD and the truthe thereof Whenne the symple sely shepe behold theyr shepishe garmentes they suspect no euyll no deceit no crafte no subtiltie They streyght waies embrace them as trewe and godly teachers For who woulde not greatly regarde suche and so noble professoures of Gods woorde and of the truthe But the Christians must knowe thys that the deuyll also is wont to bragge and boaste of the truthe and woorde of God no lesse then the very godly Therfore they ought to be so enstructed that they myght say on this maner The truthe and woorde of GOD I loue fulle derely Notwithstandyng I wyll regarde no mans authoritie so muche but that I wyll conferre thys woorde that he speakethe with my Catechisme and wyth the doctrine whyche I haue hytherto hearde He that is so circumspecte and is not moued wyth euery newfangled fancie but hath respecte vnto the worde he is without all danger neither can he be deceiued He that dothe otherwise it is not possible but that he must fall into bothe errours and heresies and be seduced from the truthe of the worde Eue in Paradyse is an example for thys matter The deuyls oration vnto her was moste pleasaunte and full of sugred eloquence He paynteth foorth god to be so gentyll and meke that he knoweth not what anger meaneth Why saieth he hathe not God geuen all this gardeyn into your power that ye shoulde doo wythall what ye wylle and enioye the commodities therof after your owne luste and pleasure Howe vnsyttynge then were it that hee shoulde denye you this one only tree whych can so greatly not hurt you that by the benefyte thereof ye shall gette wysedome comparable with the wysedome of God Honylyke and mete to deceaue are these wordes whiche were able in dede easyly to seduce Eue that she myghte fall away and forgette the commandement whych God had geuen to her and to her husbande And although she hadde not forgotten it yet she beganne to doubte of it And there came in her myserie Fyrste of all whenne the deuyll assaulted her she behaued her selfe wysely and gaue the deuyll a repulse by the vertue of che commaundement whyche GOD had geuen vnto them But when Sathan went an other way to woorke because he hadde no good successe in the former enterprise and broughte the matter to thys poynte that if the commaundemente concernynge the tree were true GOD muste nedes be malicious and full of enuy whyche woulde not also grant them the lyke wysedome with hym thenne she out of hand casteth awaye the woorde plucketh the apple and eateth By the eatynge of the whyche apple she and all we were most myserably yea for our disobedience moste iustly caste into all kynde of euyls Nowe for the lyke peryll because that we also shold not be deceaued on suche sorte Christe warneth vs and saythe
Beware of false Prophetes As though he should say If ye bee deceaued hereafter the faulte shal be yours and not myne For I haue delyuered vnto you my woorde whole and pure See that it be your fortresse conforte and lyghte Onely prouide that ye lette not this lyght go from your eyes but holde fast the word WheÌ„ any other word is brought vnto you that agreeth not with thys my worde say I am deaffe This my lyght is of an other sort And verily God hath sufficiently prouided for vs agaynst the deuyll and Antichrist with all theyr complices in that he hathe geuen vs his worde And he is excused neyther can we putt any faulte in hym But we are not excused when we holde not faste the worde but folowe the woorde of the wolfe where as the very daunger of the damnation both of our body and soule oughte to admonishe vs that we shoulde not heare suche voyces For it is the voyce of suche an ennemye as onely seeketh oure destruction as he declared in Paradyse concernynge our fyrste parentes Adam and Eue when he threwe them headlonge with all theyr posteritie into synne deathe and wrathe of God out of the whyche myserye oure moste mercyfull God and heauenly Father hath delyuered vs by hys sonne that we myght be enfranchised from synne and deathe But nowe the second tyme our enemy layeth wayt agayn for vs yf he by any mean can pluck vs from this grace and throw vs agayn into our old myserie Therfore we must diligently watche and with all mayn hold fast the word of God For otherwyse can we by no meanes be free from daunger And thus muche haue we spoken concernyng this one sentence of the Gospell wherein Christ commandeth vs to beware of false Prophetes and straighly chargeth vs that we holde fast the woorde and by no meanes suffer our selues to be drawen from that but whatsoeuer is contrary to the word to flee from it as from the deuyll and the pestilence And that shall suffise For as it is tofore said He that foloweth this lyght and suffereth it not departe frome hys eyes he may be sure to be saued But Christ to shew how carefull he is for vs and for our saluation is not contente with this generall commaundement but he also prescribeth to his christians two rules which they ought to folow that they may the more easily eschue this perill The fyrst is that they bee not deceaued with the shepes clothyng and iudge accordyng vnto that For as wolues when they oppressed with hunger practise the barkynges of dogges if by that meanes they may deceaue either man or beaste so lykewise doo the false prophetes they beare a godly face outwardly and pretende as they were the true prophetes and preachers of God but no man ought to reste on that alone least he be deceaued This one rule is diligently to be consydered For it is a matter of great weyght The clothing or garmeÌ„t signifieth this that no false Prophete commeth which plainely and openly declareth his subâ—iltie fals doctrine but they hyghly commende and sette foorth theyr good wyll towarde the flocke of CHRIST and that of a very zeale towarde the kyngdome of GOD they are moued and enforced to preache Agayn that they can by no meanes suffer so greate an iniurie to be doone to the pore people in kepyng them so longe tyme in blyndenesse and in concealyng the truth of Gods word from them c. The wilie sleights of such words the simple people perceaueth not Therfore they thinke by and by that the matter is euen so as they say and pretende They thynke that these seductours and deceauers beare an heartie good affection toward them so that they commyt them selues to their tuition beynge ready to beleue as they will haue them and to receaue what so euer doctrine they teache And by this meanes are the myserable poore ignorant people moste miserably deceaued But a christen man must beware as it hathe tofore ben said For the dyuel sheweth not hymselfe in his owne likenes terrible blacke foule euil fauored c. but he pretendeth a certain godly maiestie and chaungeth him selfe into an angell of light Wolues likewise com not as wolues but they put about theÌ„ shepes clothyng that they whiche knowe them not wold thynk them in dede to be symple innocent harmeles shepe Moreouer shepes clothynge signifieth an office or vocation and glorious titles as we also haue proued by experience that the Pope and byshops herein haue done much harme and yet do in that they bragge and boast of their office and therfore would that their traditioÌ„s shold be of great authoritie For although their life be such that by it they can deceiue no man yet this hath a great shew and a goodly outwarde face that they haue the ministery of the church coÌ„mitted vnto them As Christ also reporteth of the scribes and Phariseys that they sit in the chaire of Moses And we caÌ„ not make them to leaue this bostyng We must nedes grant that they haue that ministery or office that it is of his owne nature true in theÌ„ if they wold vse it wel truly But forasmuch as the Pope the bishops crake of their office therfore require to be herd as such as can not erre a Christen maÌ„ must take good hede to himself and saye I knowledge the office It is a very shepes clothing But Christ commaundeth me not to be content with that when the shepes clothyng commeth foorthe but that I also searche boult out and see whether vnder that garment there lurketh and lyeth hyd a rauenyng wolfe or not In lyke maner this is also a shepes clothyng when false Prophetes shewe outwardly a great holinesse of lyfe As we haue the Anabaptists for an exaÌ„ple They vse no vayne wycked or worldly talke They swear not They vse all simplicitie both in theyr diete and apparell they speake muche of Gods worde they pray continually they suffer persecution paciently they renenge not what soeuer is doone to them they suffer no man to lacke that is of theyr profession but haue al thynges common among them as it was in the time of the Apostles c. These thynges of their owne nature are not euyll and it were to bee wyshed that all men were suche in these thyngs according to the christen profession But that their doctrine should be iudged trewe because of these thynges That is contrarye to Christes counsell For vnder a shepes clothyng a wolfe maye hyde hymselfe As when they after the maner of monkes put theyr truste in workes when they make God a lyer in that they be baptised twise and cast away theyr first and true baptisme as vnprofitable wicked and naught when they teach corruptly of the Lordes Supper as though there were in it nothyng els but bare bread and bare wyne Agayne that the receauynge thereof is an
of our lyfe If the Iewes had done this the Romans although neuer so stronge and myghtie hadde neuer bene able to doo any thynge agaynste them yea they had neuer moued warre agaynste them But seynge they remained and continued in theyr synne obstinatly without any repentance and saide Tushe there is no ieopardie What should God cast away this citie wher his dwellyng place is wherin also alone his honour worshyp is maintened It will neuer come to passe Because of this vain bosting and vnrepentance God so plagued that their citie that ther was not one stone left vpon an other so that it is now vtterly destroyed and brought to naught and made an example for all them that obstinatly synne and wyl not amēd that the lyke peynes and plagues shall also chaunce to them but to other that receaue the word of God and repent it is a comfort and doctrine that they may lern when God hydeth the payne it is for their peace and that God will forgeue them their synnes if they only cease nowe from their wickednesse and returne vnto God For it is no meruayle though we synne But to defende oure synnes and obstinatly to perseuere and continue in them Thys by no meanes can GOD abyde hee wyll rather make hauocke of all togyther namely when he commeth on his gracious visitation and woulde gladdely call vs vnto repentance Thys Citie therefore was vnhappie neyther dyd any thynge destroye that but the glorious and noble title in that it was called the citie of GOD the house and dwellyng place of God Thys made the Iewes carelesse so that they thought on this maner Shold this citie come to naught It will neuer com to passe God can not cast it away Therefore though all the kyngdomes of the worlde came against it they shold neuer preuayle God wyll not suffer his citie dwelling place to be destroyed This title made thē so bold that for the redresse of their synfull lyfe they regarded not the visitation by the worde And by this meanes was God compelled that forasmuche as they refused to be visited vnto peace they shoulde be visited vnto deathe and destruction We Englishe men also are at this present daie of speciall grace and mere mercie visited of God by his worde but we in euery condition shewe our selues vnworthy of this syngular goodnes of God Some impugne the manifest truth of gods worde bothe by wordes and writynges Some abuse Gods worde vnto the maintenance of their couetousnes pride vnclennesse excesse and other moste greuous synnes It is therfore to be feared that excepte we spedily repent some great plague wyl sodeinly fall vpon vs whether it be by pestilence or by hunger by ciuile warre or by the inuasion of foreyne enemies Therfore let vs not forget this example that Ierusalem was so miserably destroyed because it receaued not the word of God but despised it that we mai lern gladly to hear the word of God and though we sinne yet that we should repent and amend And this is the first part of the Gospell After this the Euangeliste maketh mention that Christ wente into the Temple and did cast out all byers and sellers and sayde My house is the house of praier but ye haue made it a den of theues This dyd Christ with a meruailous great power and it is to be reckned with his other miracles which we are not able to folow For except it had ben so without doubte so many myghtie marchantes or occupiers had easily ben able to withstand Christ that they shold not geue place vnto him alone which without any weapon only with a whip as the Euangelist saith toke this weightie matter in hande In that they gaue place and made no resistence it sheweth euidently that Christ spake such wordes vnto the Iewes as he dyd to the Iewes in the gardein when they fell backward vnto the ground But thys act of Christ we Christians shall not folow Therfore let no man vse the storie to this ende as thoughe the Eclesiasticall ministers had any corporall or temporall iurisdiction as Christ exerciseth here such power For if Christ had not farre excelled the power of man hee alone agaynste so many coulde not haue done muche But we may not haue so great respect vnto the work as vnto the cause This expresseth Christ in these wordes when he saieth My house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theues what cause had Christe that he should speake suche a fierce and harde sentence to the Iewes For without doubte they dyd not robbe nor steale in the temple But this was the matter The money changers had here their money dyd exercise bying and sellyng of shepe oxen doues c. for the sacrifices For euery Iewe could not bring with hym from home that he woulde sacrifice The priests deuised things for their owne auātage as the papistes did in time of blindnes that there should alwais be at hande plentie of cattall and peraduenture money also for to offer For the tēple also had her money as histories shew This semeth a thing more worthi of praise then of dispraise For seyng that God appointed and commaunded this seruice who durst be bolde to condemne this forasmuche as all these thynges made to auance and sette forth this seruice and worshipping of God that it myght be moste glorious and goodly But there was an other matter The priestes in dede made this pretence that they dyd all thynges to sette foorth the seruice of God but they wold not so greatly haue regarded that if they had not had so great profite by it Therfore what so euer they dyd they dyd it not for Gods cause but for theyr owne lucre and gain This couetousnes moued them that in all theyr doctrine they commended nothyng but sacrifices as our monkes and Priestes commende theyr sacrifice of the Masse that by it synnes are put away and the grace of God obteyned This made the people to swarme in goyng to Masse as though they had ben flockes of shepe But in the mean season while they sought their owne priuate commoditie and in their doctrine extolled their Missall sacrifice they vtterly omitted and left vntaught the true seruice and acceptable worshipping of God whiche is to feare God to beleue in God and to kepe his worde and by this meanes they encouraged men to go foorth in theyr wicked lyfe with great securitie and without any remorse of conscience Euē so played the Iewishe priestes They taughte the people that if they dyd kyll and sacrifice muche al things shoulde goe well with theym as we maye gather of the Prophetes whyche was the cause that they spake so muche agaynst sacrifices And this is a very great synne in deede when suche a robbery is committed that not the bodies but the soules are slayne for euer which is whē men are taught to put their confidence and trust in their owne
enioye lyfe euerlastynge thorowe hym whyche is the true lyfe euen Christ Iesus our Lord to whome with God the father and the holye ghost be all honour glorie and praise both now and euer Amen The xij Sonday after Trinitie sonday ¶ The Gospell Marc. vii IEsus departed frome the coastes of Tyre and Sydon and came vnto the Sea of Galile througe the myddes of the coastes of the tenne Cities And they brought vnto hym one that was deafe and had an impedyment in his speach and they prayed him to put his hande vpon him And when he had taken him aside from the people he put his fingers into his eares and dyd spitte and touched his tongue and loked vp to heauen and syghed and saide vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayghtwaye his cares were opened and the stryng of his tongue was loused and he spake playne And he commaunded them that they should tell no man But the more he forbadde them so muche the more a greate deale they published saying He hathe done all thinges well he hath made bothe the deafe to heare and the dumbe to speake THE EXPOSITION THis Gospel is very easie and nothing hard forasmuche as it onely conteyneth the myracle whyche Christe wroughte in the dumme and deafe man For as concernyng this suche lyke miracles ye heare oftentymes in the yeare that Christ by this meanes hath declared that he is the Sauiour which helpeth and defendeth vs agaynst the violence of the deuyll Therfore we oughte to geue thankes vnto God whiche hath geuen vnto vs suche a sauiour as of his owne mere grace and tender mercy is alwais at hand and redy to assist vs againste all suche pernicious and hurtfull thynges as Sathan imagineth and deuiseth against vs. For as touchyng that this myser and wretched creature is in suche a miserable wretched state that he can not vse naturally neither his tonge nor his eares all these are the plages and strokes of Satan where as by the iudgement of men they are thoughte to be naturall vices For men know not the deuyl that he is the author of so many calamities and miseries He maketh men lunatike and madde He tormenteth not only their bodies but also their soules that beyng vtterly dismayed they may thynk that there is no confort to be loked for and so fall into desperation and so in fyne vnto damnation Uerily these are nothing els then the strokes and plagues of the deuil which is the author of all sorowes and miseries and hurteth as many and as oft as he can We are therfore moste indebtedly bounde to God and we ought at all tymes to geue hym humble and heartie thankes that he hauyng pitie on vs hath sent his sonne CHRIST Iesu oure Lorde into thys worlde to healpe not onely thys wretched creature but vs also and mercyfully to keepe and defende vs that we bee not afflicted with the lyke euyls and diseases thorough the violence and tyrannye of the deuyll For thys muste we all thynke that eyes eares handes feete c. beynge wholle and sounde are not so by chaunce and naturally as Reason iudgeth but these all are the gyftes of God Notwithstandynge when menne beleue not this and thynke them to be but vile and base thinges because they are cōmon and geuen to all lyuyng creatures GOD euen of necessitie is compelled many tymes to geue the deuyll lybertie to take away frome certaine menne the vse of theyr eares eyes handes and feete c. yea and sometyme also to kylle theyr bodies that menne maye learne that that is done of the deuyll thorow the permission and sufferaunce of God and by that meanes they may bee the more earnestly moued to geue God thankes that he of his great mercy defendeth and preserueth vs agaynst the fyery dartes of that euyll euen the deuyll So is thys lykewyse the worke of the deuyl when hee blyndeth the heartes of men thorowe false doctrines that they can not see nor receaue the truthe Thys cometh not of GOD whyche is good the author of all goodnesse whyche wysheth no man to peryshe but all men to come vnto the knowledge of the truthe but it commeth of the deuyll whyche is euyll and the author of all euyll whiche wysheth also all men to perysh and neuer to come vnto the knowledge of the truthe Therfore where God geueth him libertie he dothe as muche myschiefe as he can deuise And this is euen as when a tree bryngeth forth good fruict and afterwarde wormes come and destroye it The fault herof is not in God whyche made the tree good Neyther is the faulte in the tree or fruicte but in the woormes whyche hurte the thynges that are good So is it wyth vs menne Therfore we must learne that what so euer aduersitie or myschaunce doothe happen vnto vs all that commethe of the plagues and stroakes of the deuyll namely when wee bee Christianes and seeke the glorye of the Lorde oure GOD. For the deuyll is a greatter ennemye vnto the Christians then he is tothe infidells It is vndoubtedlye horrible and maketh euerye part of a man to shake for to consider that this enemy the deuil hath so muche power to harme and to hurt But on the contrary part this Gospell conforteth vs. For here we see as S. Iohn saith that the Sonne of God hath appered to this ende that he should destroy the workes of the deuyll For seyng that the deuyl presumed to go into Paradyse to destroy the workes of God there and to make of righteous and holy persones I speake of Adam and Eue disobediente and wicked people It semed good agayne to God for to be reuenged of this his enemie He therfore recouereth and maketh whole agayn whatsoeuer was destroied of the deuyll He destroyeth agayne the deuyls workes that is to say synne death and hell and as we see in this our Gospell he deliuereth the tonge oute of the bondes wherwith the deuyll had bounde and tyed it and openeth the eares whiche the deuyll had stopped Christ came to doo this woorke and he dothe it styll continually among his Christians as we shall herafter heare And thus muche of the miracle worke of Christ wherby he hath declared here hymselfe that he is the healper of all suche as are in myserie and that he wyll heale all euyls and afflictions whiche the deuyll heapeth vpon vs yea and vtterly putte hym awaie frome vs. Moreouer Christ by this would also shew vnto vs that these two thynges most specially appertayn vnto a Christian that is to saye that the eares bee opened and the tongue be losened and that he exercyseth this worke diligentlye in his congregation or church agaynst the deuyll For as concernynge the corporall benefite as the eares and the tongue with the vse of them he geueth that also to the Heathen But the spirituall benefite is onely amonge the Christians when he
all our trust in God and in his sonne Iesu. For that that wee can not he can if we oure selues haue no helpe yet he hath wherwith to helpe vs and is ready to doo it with all his heart as the matter is playne And wher as is such a mynd which beleueth constātly in Christe it dothe the true seruice which he requireth All other that despayre hate hym and doo not acknowledge hym for God or ells they would haue all theyr comfort in hym The second example is that we after the example of Christ haue respect to the necessitie of our neighbor pitie him The Lord our God haue mercy on vs that we may learne bothe these lessons and that with these men we maye glorifie Christ for hys benefite Amen The .xvii. Sonday after Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell of Luke xiiii IT chauncede that Iesus wente into the house of one of the chiefe Phariseis to eate bread on the Sabboth day and they watched him And beholde there was a certayne man before hym whiche had the dropsie And Iesus aunswered and spake vnto the lawyers and phariseis saying Is it lauful to heale on the Sabbothe day And they helde theyr peace And he toke hym and healed hym and let him go and aunswered them saying Whiche of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen into a pitte and wyll not straight way pull hym out on the Sabboth day And they coulde not aunswere hym a gayne to these thinges He put forth also a similitude to the geastes when he marked howe they preacede to be in the highest rowmes and sayde vnto them When thou art bydden to a weddyng of any man sit not downe in the hyghest rowme lest a more honorable man then thou be bidden of him and he that bad hym and the come and say to the geue this man rowme and thou begyne with shame to take the lowest rowme But rather when thou art bydden go and sit in the lowest rowme that when he that bad thee cometh he maye saye vnto the frende sitte vp hyer Then shalt thou haue worship in the presence of them that fit at meate with thee For who soeuer exaltethe hym selfe shal be broughte lowe and he that humbleth him selfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION IN thys Gospelle are two questions The fyrste belongeth to the seruice of GOD whyche ought to be done vnto God The secōd is what one mā oweth to an other betwene them selues And here ryseth a question whether it be better before God to kepe the Sabboth or to helpe thy neighbour and to doo hym good For the Phariseys hadde no other matter but to proue and marke what Christ would doo as touchyng the man that was diseased of the dropsye If he healpe not he myght bee reproued as hard hearted but yf he helpeth then is he wycked and kepeth not hys Sabboth and maye be reproued in this that hee obeyeth not God and his worde Therfore what soeuer CHRIST doth he is taken For they haue euery where places to turne vnto For amongest the Iewes the ceremonie of the Sabboth was moste holy Wherfore they keepe it straightlye But what doothe Christ beynge so belayed on euery syde they thought he had no wayes to scape He vseth fewe wordes after his maner and so confuteth his aduersaries with their folyshenes For this is the summe of all the matter where as he saieth plainly that they vnderstande not what it is to sanctify the Sabboth Thys thinke you saith he that to kepe the sabboth wer to be idle to do no good This interpretation is very leude For sanctifying of the saboth signifieth to hear gods word and to serue thy neyghbour as muche as thou canste For God dothe not so highly esteme the holynes of the Sabboth that he would that the peryll of the neyghbour shold therfore be litle regarded Wherfore when I helpe my neyghbour althoughe this is doone with labour yet hereby I haue sanctified my Saboth truly For I haue done a godly woorke therin So that this doctrine ought chiefly to be referred to this ende that we may lerne therby to kepe our Sabboth that is not to do nothing and to be ydle but sermons must be heard there must be had respect to the workes of charitie But what doo the sermons teache do not al thynges therof tende to this very ende that we shold loue one an other and be diligent in doyng good one for an other This dothe God require that thou shold heare and learne in the Sabboth Wherof it foloweth that thou muste doo the same also on the Sabboth if thou wylt truely sanctifie it Wherfore Christ sayeth you Phariseys are grosse doctours For ye saye that the Sabboth is broken when any good is doone on the Sabboth Where as this is the chiefe doctrine of the Sabboth to haue mutual loue What is it to loue This thyng is not done by thynkyng but by true and effectuous affections whiche stirreth vp the tong the handes and other membres wherby good dedes are done as Iohn saieth Chyldren lette vs not loue in woord and tongue but in dede and truth Thys hath GOD saieth Christ commaunded thee to do on the Sabboth yea and that that is more he ordeined the Sabboth that thou shouldest heare and learne thys and that thou sholdest declare al beneuolence in word dede toward thy neighbor whensoeuer he hath nede Wherfore CHRIST reproueth this ouerthwart kind of saints which depraue and corrupt the word of God and boast that they kepe the Sabboth wher as yet they are so out of Charitie that they will not bestowe a worne garment to the couerynge of a poore naked man They are false writhers that inuerte and change the word of God For where as the worde of God commaundeth Loue thy neighbour and do the best for hym that euer thou canst They answere this will we not doo least we violate the Sabboth But Christe confuteth them by this that GOD procureth that thyng to be preached on the Sabboth that in it thou mayst loue thy neighbor care for him and helpe him all that thou canst As it is playn in that example that no man thynketh it a breakyng of the Sabbothe to delyuer hym by all meanes possible Now what an vnreasonable waye is this to excuse it when it is don in the danger of a brute beast and to affirme that it is a greuous offence to doo the lyke when a manne is in peryll least any worke of charitie should be done vnto hym in the Saboth yea thus is it mete that they should stumble whiche take vpon them to iudge and geue sentence of Gods doinge that they might entangle them selues and so betraye their foolishenesse For this do the Phariseis take vpon them in this place presume against Christe that they maye haue hym in their daunger to trippe hym whether he helpeth that then he may seme to violate the Sabboth or whether he helpeth not that then he
this vice is geuen by nature that we are glad to beleue lies for because our heart is proue therto By this meanes the Pope and his sectaries beleue constantly in the masse and in the seruice and intercession of sainctes in monasticall vowes ceremonies fastes c. But it is a false and fayned fayth and by your reuerence ful of whoredome baudrie The heart is full of fornication False faith causeth spiritual whoredom But on the contrari part we which thankes be vnto god haue the pure and chaste spowse for the word is doubtlesse sincere and true do not beleue constantly wher as neuerthelesse we sholde beleue cōstantly But they can not beleue so constantly seing they haue not the worde All the cause therof is in oure olde man in the deuill for that that we thorow originall sinne depart from the worde and truth vnto lyes Out of this gospell we must first learne that we haue nede of the worde And then that we embrace it with a sure faith And that afterwarde doth therof ensue remission of sin and euerlastyng lyfe so that we are surely ridde from all difficulties and dangers both in this life and in the life euerlasting But when the worde is lackyng ther is a faith also as the Anabaptistes Arrians Turkes Iewes Papistes haue a fayth But it is a faith without the worde which is ingenerat in vs by nature through the fall of Adam This is a lying fayth which by nature we may kepe more surely then the worde of God After that Christe had preached this to the sicke of the Palsye and forgaue his sinnes The scribes thinke that Christ blasphemeth God in that he forgeueth sin This part is necessarie also and of greate wayght For this is euident by the example of all phantasticall persons that all are in this errour that they know not howe synnes be forgeuen Demaunde this of the Pope and of his doctours add they can not tell thee what absolution doth For all the Popedome holdeth fast by this doctrine and it is surely holden vp therby that grace is powred into them that he that would obtaine it hath nede of contrition confession satisfaction But when it is demanded what is the office of absolution and of the keies they answere that it is an exterial administration which is obserued in the church So saye the Anabaptistes also what shall baptisme preuayle to the obtayning of remission of sinnes sith it is but a litle water The spirit is requisite To be short no secte maker no monke no priest could see this that remission of sinne is a power geuen to man As it is here in the gospell Wherfore learne thou this and say I know that God doth onely forgeue the sinne that I confesse yet this is also to be knowen by what I may be certified that my synnes are forgeuen or what is the meane by the whiche my sinnes are forgeuen And there say If I desire remission of sin I must not go into some corner and say O god forgeue me my sins And thē loke for som Angel whom god shold send vnto thee to say that thy sinnes are forgeuen For god promiseth that he will come vnto vs that baptisme may be amonge vs and his word most holy that it might be said I baptise thee in the name of the father of the son and of the holy ghost He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued But thou sayste that baptisme is water onely It is true but this water is not alone but Gods worde is with it Therfore when I come to the minister whiche hath the peculier commandement of GOD or to any other Christian and desyre remission of my synnes There doth the minister pronounce I in the stede of GOD declare vnto thee through Iesus the remission of all thy synnes And here mayste thou surely truste that thy synnes are forgeuen For baptime and the worde will not deceaue thee This dyd they not teache in the Popedome neither doth any of their preachers vnderstand this Wherfore geue you thankes to God for this benefite light and learne diligently that God alone forgeueth sinne But how verely no otherwise then it is here in that he hath geuen men such power As Christ begynneth that in this place and afterwarde geueth commandement that frō henceforth it shold alwayes be obserued and kepte in the congregation vnto the ende of the worlde that repentaunce remission of sinnes sholde be preached in his name So is remission of sinnes amongest men to be required or in the worde and no wher els For ther only may it be founde This suffereth thee not to ascend into heauen therfore But whē thou desirest remission of synne receaue baptisme if thou be not yet Christined or if thou be see that thou doest call to minde that promesse and be not harde of of belife Go also and be at one with thy neyghbour then aske absolution And as thou hearest that remission of sinne is pronounced vnto thee in the name of Iesu so beleue and thou shalt obtaine thy desire So that baptisme absolution the publike worde the sacrament maye not seme a lyght thing vnto thee but that remission of sin may be asked and required therby For to this intent God hath called and ordained thy Pastour and Curate thy father and mother thy Christian neyghbour hath put his word in their mouth that thou shouldest aske confort and remission of syn of them so that this maye so be counted the commandement and ordinance of god that we shold geue credence to the wordes of men when they according to Christes worde and commandement vse their ministration and office For these are not the wordes of men but of God Wherfore these wordes are to be beleued constantly and not to be despised When the minister baptiseth a childe accordyng to Christes commādement There thou hearest the wordes pronoūced of a man But they are the wordes of God neither must thou take them any otherwise then if god had pronounced theym hymselfe So whenne thy synnes are forgeuen thee in absolution thou mayest no more doubte then yf God hadde spoken theym hymselfe For GOD hym selfe pronounceth this sentence that thy synnes maye be forgeuen thee Wherefore learne in this place the waye howe to aunswere these phantasticall persons when they crie on this wyse What is water but water We know thys also But they are ignorant hereof that the worde of God is ioyned with suche water Wherfore it is no longer pure water but diuine water whyche the mynister geueth not of hymselfe but God commaunded it so to be geuen to the intente that by it we myghte haue a new byrthe to enter into the kyngdome of God and Remyssion of all oure synnes And as GOD geuethe the worde whyche is hys and not oures so dothe hee geue also Faythe vnto the worde For bothe of them are the gyftes of God Faithe and the worde