nor the damnation of the synner He dyd not wepe for the ruyne and fall that he knew shuld ensue of the fayre houses of the towers and great edifices and buyldynges but he bewayled the losse the ruyne and damnation of the people He sayde O Ierusalem yf thou dyddest knowe the thynges that belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede As yf he had sayd yf thou knewest thy mysery the confusion desolation whych is to come to the and specially yf thou dyddest knowe it in these dayes whan I am descended from heuen for to make thy peace wyth god my father and get the remyssion of thy synnes yf thou I saye dyddest knowe it thou shuldest haue good cause for to wepe wyth me But now all thys is hydden from the thou fearest nothynge forbycause that thou carest for nothynge But the dayes shall come in the and thyne enemyes shall enuiron the wyth bulwarkes c. Now my frendes by desolation and confusion temporall of them of Ierusalem whych wold not beleue nor receyue Iesu Christ is fygured the spirituall confusion whych shal come vnto them which yet wyll not receyue hym nor folowe hym and which make resystence agaynst hym hys gospel of whom the nomber is great For whome also Iesus Christe knowynge theyr distruction that was to come hath wept Those whych thynke to be saued by any other meanes then by hym and whych haue theyr fayth theyr hope in any other then in hym and by him surely they haue not yet receyued hym and euell shall come vnto them For God alone is the obiecte of the fayth hope and charitie of christen men Then foloweth that after he was arryued there he entred into the temple and droue out of it the byers and sellers God yf hys pleasure were I hertely beseche hym to vysite agayne hys holy temple I meane the churche of christen men and women and the house of prayer where as he alonly ought to be serued and worshipped by hys subiectes in spirite Ioh. iiij and veritie And that it wolde please hym to caste out those whych shal be founde byers and sellers by simonye and couetousnes and that woll resyst hys moost holy and sacred worde and that wyll let that the seruice of god in spirite and veritie be not accomplyshed accordynge as he wolde by hys ryghte holy worde ordenaunce to be serued and honoured Vnto him be al glorye and honoure in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xi. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle to the Corin. the .xv. chapter Th argument ☞ The resurrection of the deade BRethren as perteynynge to the gospel whych I preached vnto you whyche ye haue also accepted and in the whyche ye continue by the which also ye are saued I do you to wytte after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleued in vayne For fyrst of all I delyuered vnto you that whyche I receyued howe that Christe dyed for our synnes agreynge to the scriptures And that he was buryed and that he arose agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures and that he was sene of Cephas than of the twelue After that was he sene of mo then fyue hundred brethren atonce of whyche many remayne vnto thys daye and many are fallen aslepe After that appeared he to Iames then to all the apostles And last of all he was sene of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the lest of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacion of God But by the grace of god I am that I am And hys grace whych is in me was not in vayne THe thynge good people wherfore saynt Paule beynge in this worlde toke moost thought for and the whych he had moost at hys harte nexte Iesu Christ was for to knowe how euery churche dyd gouerne and entertayne themselues in the Gospell of Iesu Christ to thintēt that yf perdauenture any went out of the waye of trouth he shulde be forth wyth redressed as specially he doth shewe in the epistle of thys daye He admonysheth and reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās principally two thynges on the whych all the fayth and all the assuraūce and hope of christen men is founded The fyrst is that Iesus Christ is deade for our synnes It is a worde whych ought well to be imprinted in the hartes of christen people or els one ought not nor is not worthy to be called christened Iesus Christ is dead for our synnes sayth saynt Paul Then we be nomore in dette for our synnes syth that Iesus Christ hath satisfyed and payde for vs. Nor also we ought nomore to serue vnto synne seynge that by hys death he hath wylled to cause synne to dye in vs yf so be we beleue stedfastlye in hym The seconde thynge whych he reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās and to vs is that Iesus Christ hath ben buried and is rysen to lyfe agayne Thys is it where on the hope of the christen people ought to be founded For yf the heade be rysen agayne to lyfe in triumphe glorye in lyke case shall the mēbers ryse agayne They shal ryse agayne vnto grace and vnto spiritual lyfe in thys worlde and vnto glorye and lyfe eternall in the other Apo. xx As saynt Ihon sayeth in hys Apocalyps Happye shall they be holy is he whych hath parte in the fyrst resurrectiō the secōde death hath no power ouer them Some false preachers wolde haue tourned the Corinthians from the sayd fayth for thys cause doth saynt Paule warne them so busely sayenge My brethren I do you to vnderstande and I do reduce to your memory the good newes which I haue preached vnto you I meane the gospell which ye haue receyued by fayth to the whych ye haue stayed your selues and by the which ye shal be saued yf you folow it I let you to wyt for what reason in what fashion I haue preached it vnto you yf ye haue remembraunce therof yea yf ye haue not beleued in vayne Fyrst that whyche I haue receyued of God whyche hath bene to me reuelate What Christe is deade for our synnes accordynge as it is wrytten as it hath ben sayd before and wryttē by the prophetes Then he sayeth he hath bene buryed and is rysen agayne to lyfe And for to confirme the same the more he sayeth more ouer that Iesus Christ after hys resurrection hath bene sene by Peter and after by the xij apostles and sythin hath bene sene by .v. hūdreth brethren beynge together As yf he had sayd You ought to be well assured of thys for asmuch as these mysteries haue not ben shewed vnto me alone but the holy wrytynges doth wytnesse the same And also they vnto whome he hath appeared after hys resurrection whych be of great nomber Certes who soeuer leseth the hope of resurrection the same also
iugemente Thre lettes Here ye se good people thre lettes or obstacles whych by thoffice of tholy ghost muste be moued awey to thintente thys spirituall kyngdome mighte be vnderstande that is to saye synne whych is not to beleue in god this thinge noman doth vnderstande by his propre nature and yet onles it be vnderstande noman can haue accesse to the kingdome of Christ The seconde is the ignoraunce of the true iustice whych pleaseth god and this also can no man take nor perform of himselfe The third is iudgement wheras we vnderstand not naturally that the deuell is iuged by the disclosing of the gospell These thre lettes and impedimentes be roted naturally in euery mans mynde whych no man can vnderstande of himselfe or take them awaye by hys owne power Wherfore to the doinge hereof is the holy gost promysed in this gospell Now for asmoch as the kingdome of Christe is heare conuersaunt amonge men which be synners and whyche of nature can do nought but synne but loue their own rightuousenes and iudge after their owne faschion of the gospell therfore the holy ghost in executinge his office doth not moue the to departe out of this worlde that thou mayste haue no occasion to synne neyther woll he that ciuile iustice or humane iudgemente shulde not be executed in thys worlde but he teacheth the truly to knowe what thynge synne is For euery man of hys owne brayne by hys owne power wytte feyneth thys or that to be synne as it hath been sufficiently proued vnder the kyngdome of the Byshoppe of Rome But when the holy gooste cometh and repryueth vs by gods worde our owne imaginacions fantasyes destroyed then we know that to be synne whyche no man iudged before to be synne So we knowe nowe that it is synne yf a mā beleue not in only Christe concernynge iustice whyche thynge before the receyuynge of the holy gooste none of vs all knewe In semblable wyse it is to be spoken of ryghtousnes and iudgement whych two thynges we vtterly cōsydered not before the openyng of the gospell wherby the holy gooste reproueth the worlde But leste ye shuld suspecte thys interpretacion to be not grounded of scripture harken howe Christe hymselfe expouneth thys thynge Of sinne The holy gooste he sayeth shall rebuke the worlde of synne Why because they beleue not sayth Christ on me Loo howe Christ expouneth hymselfe what he meaneth by synne that is to witte incredulitie or mysbeleue towardes hym whyche only thynge doth condemne men lyke as on the contrary parte the onlye belefe in Christe saueth ☞ The papistes haue wrested thys texte as they do al other to the mysbeleue of the Turkes Sarasynes and such people as be farre from vs but they oughte to remembre that in thys behalfe they do synne worse then the Turkes forasmoch as they wold be counted Christianes and yet in the meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste Of thys abhominable synne the worlde knoweth nothynge at all Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke the worlde Why because sayeth Christe I go to my father and ye shall se me no more That is to saye bicause I shall begynne my newe reigne wherin an other maner of iustice then ye ymagine must be required and shal be of valour before god Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde why bycause sayeth Christe the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy Iugemēt And he calleth iugemēt the blyndnes of mā wherby the worlde alloweth naturallye the reygne and the workes of Satan for the worlde hath a corrupt iudgement by Adams fall so that it seeth not what thinges god aloweth and what not Adhuc multa habeo But sayth Christ I haue yet many thynges to speake vnto you meanyng of his crosse and of hys glory but by reason of your weakenes and infirmytie ye are not able to beare them nowe As who shuld saye ye be yet carnall and therfore ye perceiue not the thinges that be of the spirite But whē the spirite of trouth that is the holy ghost shall come he shall leade you into all trouth The spirite shall teache you thinges spirituall He shall transforme you and of carnall persones shall make you goostly For surely because ye be yet carnall ye cānot perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection whych is to be fulfilled for your redēptions sake Here ye se playnly good people that thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditiōs but rather agaynst them For I praye you what is thys trouth that the holy ghost shall teache you Mannes traditions no not so In them is no certayntie It is Christ and hys worde that is the only trouth Wherfore he shal teache only Christ and the worde of god for this is all trouthe Chrysostom For as Chrysostome sayth the gospel conteyneth al together And the office sayeth he of a good preacher is truely to prosecute all that is in hys commission not to chaunge ☜ put to or take away any thyng But this the Bishoppes of Rome in tymes paste haue done and yet at this day do presume to do Wherfore they are no interpretours but deprauers of scripture no vicars of Christe but of the deuell They speake of their owne heddes their own inuentions and dreames wheras the holy ghost whyche here is promysed by Christe vnto vs shall speake nothyng of hymselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake that is to saye he shall speake none other worde or gospel only he shal open and declare the worde that is alredy spoken by Christ This do not the papistes for they expoūde not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hethē persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persōs and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you And al that the father of heuē hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth Ioh. iij. He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure carnall and olde man and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of
full What is thys to saye that by Christ our sinne beynge taken away our conscience maye be quyet and sure of euerlastinge lyfe whyche is a ryght perfecte ioye Let vs praye that we maye be taught openly and playnly wythout prouerbes or parables that is that we maye receyue the holy spirite of cōforte into our soules whych in gods worde maye instructe vs of all trouth Whych graunt vs God the father of heuen Qui viuit et regnat in secula seculorum Amen A sermon in the Rogation weke or a briefe instruction for the weake in the faithe what they ought to do in these dayes of Rogation GOod people thys weke is called the Rogation weke bicause in thys weke we be wōte to make solemne and general supplycatiōs or prayers which in Greke be called Lytanyes litanies Nowe therfore I exhorte you and in the Lordes name I require you that in al your Litanies or supplications ye wol so do that the thynge maye agre to the name and that this oure Litanye thys our supplication and rogation may be made wythe such true and ernest fayth that we may admonishe god and put him in mynde of hys fatherly promises He that wyll not endeuour hymselfe to do this let hym tarye styll at home let him kepe him and absteyne from thys holy processiō lest he happen to iritate and to angre god more then other men shal be hable to pacifie and styll hym The abuse of these dayes Albeit alacke for pitie these solemne accustomable processions and supplications whyche we vse commonly as in this weke to make be now growen into a ryght foule and detestable abuse so that the moost parte of men and women in these solemne dayes of supplication do come forth rather to set out shewe themselues and to passe the tyme wyth vayne vnprofytable tales and mery fables than to make general supplications and prayers to god for theyr necessities I let passe the other enormities and vices whych on these dayes be customably perpetrate and done I wyll not speake of the rage and furour of these vplandysh processions and gangynges about whych be spente in ryottynge and in bely chere Furthermore the banners and badges of the crosse be so vnreuerently handled and abused that I maruayle greatly God destroye vs not all in one yeare What shall I say Surely they are now growen into such abuse that there be farre greter causes to take them awaye and vtterly to abrogate them wyth the other holydayes than ther were in tymes past to institute and ordeyne them And assuredly it is the parte of byshops of parsons of vycares and curates yea also of the prophane Magistrates to se that those vnchristen and vngodly abuses be auoyded and taken awaye or yf the thynge be past remedy vtterly to abolish and abrogate these letanies and supplicaciōs thus abused For assuredly it were much better and more christian lyke ☞ that christian men and women were gathered and assembled together in the church there to make theyr supplications prayers to god than after such an hethē vnruly fashion to mocke God and his holy sygnes And no doubt such as be curates and herdmen of Christes churche shall rendre a sharpe rekenynge and accomptes to God for wynkynge at these abuses Now in these Rogation dayes What is to be demaūded in supplications two thynges are to be asked of God and prayed for The fyrst is that God of hys goodnes and clemēcy woll defende and saue the corne in the felde and that he woll purge the ayer to thintent that not only the lappe of the earth may be replenished wyth seasonable rayne and that the ayer maye be tempered to the vtilitie and furtheraunce of the corne but also that it be not infected that by the eatynge and drynkynge therof neyther we nor our bestes do catche any pestilence poxe feuers or other diseases i. Timo. iiij For as testifyeth saynt Paul in hys fyrst epistle to Timothie gods creatures as meate drynke corne ☜ and such other thynges be sanctifyed by the worde of God and by prayer For frō whence come pestilencies the other kindes of diseases and of syckenesses than that the noysome spirites do infecte the aier And by reason herof cōmonly our corne and grayne be peryshed infected and blasted and so we God permyttynge the same by eatynge and drynkynge our owne grayne do gette vs death and greuouse affections of the body For this cause be certayne gospels redde in the wyde felde amōges the corne and grasse that by the vertue and efficacie of gods worde the power of the wycked spirites whych kepe in the ayer may be broken and the ayer made pure cleane to thintent the corne maye remayne vntouched not infected of the sayd hurtfull spirites but serue vs for our vse and bodely sustenaunce Wherfore my deare brethren we oughte to make these solemne processions wyth ernest myndes and wyth all reuerence in especiall we oughte to handle and to heare the worde of God wyth deuoute and religiouse myndes Thus doynge doute we nothynge but that gods worde wol vtter and execute hys vertue vpon the corne and ayer that those noysome spirites of the ayer shall do no hurte at all to our corne Seconde thys is also moost of all to be desyred humbly to be prayed for in these rogation dayes that God woll vouchsaue to blesse hys creatures not only as before is sayd for the cōmoditie of oure bodyes but also for our soules helth lest our miserable soules do herby catche vnto themselues pestiferous infection and damnable contagion I meane as thus The poyson and infection of the soule is synne Now whan God poureth vpon vs plentyful croppes and increase of all thynges forthwyth we beynge moost ingrate and vnkynde persons do vylaynously gyue oure selues to dayly bankettes and feastynges and to moost beastly fyllynge of our pāchies herof by by ensueth ydelnes of it sprynge whordomes adulteries blasphemies cursynges periuries murders warres and all myschiefe so that it were much better for vs yf our corne and cattel dyd not so happely and plenteously prosper and take So the thynge that we demaunded in our processions and supplications we do fynde for god maketh vs here aboundauntly in this behalfe to enioye our requestes and desyres and doth minister al thynges to the bodye wyth a large blessynge whyche thynge neuerthelesse is moost present poyson and pestilence to the soule and it is the occasion of great myschefe For doubtles surfettynge and ydelnes of all noughtynes be the rotes and the fountaynes of all euels But alake alake thys goostly infection we nothing at all regarde we passe not of it No man regardeth the spirituall pestilence The pestilēce which noyeth the body we eschue it with great care and we study to dryue it awaye wyth often prayers and supplications laynge vnto it all the medicines and remedies we can deuyse But in thys
holy ghoost to make bokes to enacte lawes but that he is suche a God that only wryteth the thynge in the harte that kyndleth it that createth a new mynde makynge man to reioyse before god and to be rauished with a new loue toward hym consequently with glad mynde to do hys dutye and seruice to all men franckly After thys sort the partes of the holy ghost be ryghtly preached he that paynteth them otherwise beleue him not For where he commeth thus thou seest he taketh awaye the letter and maketh men fre from synne and from the compulsion of the lawe so that he raynynge in theyr brest maketh thē in whome he is resident to do wythout compulsion all that the lawe cōmaundeth But thou wylt aske wherby he bryngeth to passe what thynge he vseth thus to chaūge and renue the hart Surely by that he sheweth and preacheth of Iesus Christ as Christ hymselfe in the .xv. chap. of Ihon sayeth whan the comforter cōmeth whome I shall sende you from my father I meane the spirite of trouth whych procedeth from the father he shal beare wytnes of me Nowe oftentymes ye haue herde that the gospel or Euangel is the thynge whych god suffreth to be preached in the worlde and to be tolde to euery man that is to wyt that none can be iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe but rather that a worse thinge come therby and therfore he sente downe hys moost deare sonne to dye and to shede hys bloud for vs bycause we of our owne powers coulde not rubbe out the spotte of synne nor be delyuered from it But to the preachynge hereof another thynge yet is requyred euen the holy goost whome God must sende He printeth in the harte thys sermon and preachyng to make it fixed and roted in it for it is moost sure and certayne that Christe hath done all thys geare he hath taken awaye oure synne and ouercōmen all that by hym we myght raigne ouer al and euen here in one heape is all the treasure hurded Thys treasure we can not get onles the holy goost be gyuen vs whych maye put in oure hartes and myndes to beleue and saye ☜ And I also am of the nombre of them to whō so greate treasure doth belonge When we haue ones felte thys that God hath thus holpen vs and bestowed vpon vs so great treasure then the mater goeth well forwarde neyther can it otherwise be but mans mynde must be rauyshed wyth a pleasure towardes God and lyfte vp hymselfe saye Oh good father if thys thy wyll be that thou haste shewed so great loue and suche excedynge kyndnes towardes me I must nedes agayne loue the wyth my hole hart and reioise and gladly do what so euer thy pleasure is Then the harte is nomore waywarde nor croked in the meditacion of God it thynketh not to be dryuen downe to hell of hym as before the cōmynge of the holy goost it thought when it felte no goodnes no loue no fydelitie but styll a pace the wrathe and indignacion of God Now therfore whyle the holy goost prynteth into the christen mās harte howe he hath God hys mercyfull and graciouse Lorde it is a pleasure for hym for Gods sake boldly to execute and suffre any maner of thynge After thys wyse thou shalt learne to knowe the holy goost and hys office whych is to distribute the great treasure Christ and al that in hym is whych is gyuen and declared vnto vs by the Gospell to thintent thou mayest put hym into thy harte to make hym thyne owne good Hytherto I haue declared vnto you the hystorie of the holy goost Now what we shall do in it we shall knowe further in the gospell Thus sayeth Christ Yf a man loue me he woll kepe my saynge and my father shall loue hym Lo good people here ye maye se as I haue often tymes preached vnto you that the frute of fayth is charitie Charite is the frute of fayth whych thynge can not be denyed For charitie or loue perfourmeth and doeth euen of the owne accorde all that euer scripture cōmaūdeth And thys doth saynt Paule declare Gal. v. He that loueth his neyghboure hath fulfylled the lawe Wherfore they that haue not fayth and charitie do not fulfyll the lawe albeit they seme in outwarde appearaunce to perfourme all the workes of the lawe The worde whych Christ preacheth he sayeth is not hys worde but hys fathers worde declarynge herby that nothyng ought to be added nor taken awaye from it And these thynges sayeth Christe concernynge aswell your loue towardes me as the kepynge of my word haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present dwellynge amonges you But that same comforter of whome I haue made so muche mencion vnto you I meane the holy goost whose feate and offyce shal be to sanctifye lyghten you vnto all trouth which holy goost my father shall sende in my name that is to saye for my cause he shall teach you altogether shall put you in remembraunce of all that euer ye haue herde of me A question Thou wolt saye vnto me Why knewe not the disciples all before whyche were so longe tyme wyth Christ I answere that the disciples ought nedes to haue bene taught by the holy goost for wythout hym they were yet imperfecte and carnall for they vnderstode neyther Christes glorificacion by the crosse nor yet hys raygne or kyngdome Wherfore they neded the holy goostes teachynge that is to saye ☜ hys sanctifyenge and makynge the thynges lyuely in them whych they had lerned of Christ For the disciples were as yet but litera they perceyued not the thynges that were of the spirite of God and therfore they neded the holy goost to quycken them accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule The letter sleeth but the spirite quickeneth Ye may not then vnderstande by thys worde teach that the holy goost shal set abroch a new doctrine that Christ had not taught before docebit but ye must vnderstande by it that the holy goost shall interprete the doctrine already taught by Christ and declare it to the spirituall vnderstandynge And therfore Christ expouneth hymselfe and sayeth he shall put you in remēbraūce of al the thynges that I haue shewed you So that ye can not gather herby that the holy goost shall adde any thynge to Christes doctrine as the wycked papistes do wyckedly gather It foloweth Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue vnto you not as the world gyueth gyue I vnto you c. My frendes what is Christes peace The peace of Christ Surely to be short it is nothynge els but the quyet and tranquilitie of conscience Thys peace the worlde can not gyue mans traditions can not gyue mās owne voluntary workes can not gyue no mōkery no pylgrimage no popysh pardons no pardon beades no relyques brefly no fleshly thynge can gyue thys peace of conscience It is only Christe that can gyue vs thys peace
worlde for to wynne Iesu christe Therfore the apostle in the .iij. chapter of his epistle vnto the Colossiās doth exhort vs sayenge Arraye you as chosen of God holy and beloued from the entrayles of mercy benignite humilite mekenesse and patience Supporte the one the other and pardone and forgyue one an other amonge your selues if any hath quarell to other So as god hathe pardonyd so pardone you And aboue all thynges haue charite whych is the bonde of perfection If we do thus we shall at laste comme vnto his bankete of the weddinges of the sonne of God and his spouse and we shall haue the weddinge garment where shal be nothinge reproched vnto vs but we shal be in the nombre of the chosen people shall haue the pleasures of the kingdome of heuen Vnto the glory of the father and of the sonne of the holy ghost whych conueyth all them that doth good vnto thys glorious weddinge wherunto he bryng vs al. Qui viuit et regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xxj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vj. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Sayncte Paule doth here describe vnto vs the armour of the christian souldioure MY brethren be stronge thorow the Lorde and thorowe the power of hys myghte Put on al the armour of God that ye maye stande agaynst the assautes of the deuil For we wrestle not against bloude and flesh but agaynst rule agaynst power agaynst worldly rulers euen gouerners of the darkenes of thys worlde againste spiritual craftynesse in heauenly thynges Wherfore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resiste in the euell daye and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and youre loynes gyrde wyth the trouth hauyng on the breste plate of ryghteousnes and hauynge shoes on your fete that ye maye be prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shild of fayth wherwith ye may quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wycked And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite whych is the worde of God MY brethren and frendes ye shal marke consydre that our enemye the deuel doth warre contynually agaynst vs and sercheth by all wyles and meanes possible to bryng vs to cōfusyon and death and that we maye be vnable to resiste hys assaultes and powers The apostle doth therefore teache vs what thyng we haue to do in such and so greate peryls that is that we shuld comfort and lyfte vp our selues in God and in hys moste comfortable myght and power Ps xxiij For as it is sayed in the .xxiij. psalme The Lorde God is strong and mightye The Lorde god is mighty in battel Certes my frēdes it is our Lord Iesus Christe that the prophete here speaketh of which by hys moste triumphante and gloriouse death and passion hath bene mighty in surmountyng our enemye I meane oure mortall enemye the Deuyll Then in thys bytter conflycte and battell that we haue agaynste both hym the worlde and the fleshe let vs take good corage and harte vnto vs not in trustyng so moch vnto our own power and strēgth but in the strenght and puysaunce of Iesus Christe whyche shall fight for vs and whych shall not leaue vs that be his membres but in hym and by hym we shal be made myghty to resiste valiauntly to withstande all temptacions yea and all the maliciouse powers of any princes myghty men that gouerne the darkenes of this worlde whych wolde inforce vs to vngodlynes or for vngodlynes wolde persecute and afflycte vs. Let vs then take the armour herneys of god wherwith we maye make resistence and stande stedfast agaynst the strenghtes assaultes and embushementes of the deuyl For if we be knyghtes of Iesu Christ certeynly we must entre in to battayl wyth hym for there shal be none crowned ☜ but they that shall haue fought worthylye The armour of a christē souldiour And what is the armoure of god Certes it is thys Firste we muste haue agaynst all corrupt lustes and concupiscences our loynes or raynes gyrthed with trueth Agaynst synne the brene plate of iustice and innocencye For shoes we must haue pure affection whych is the preparacion for to walke in the gospell of peace And in all thinges we muste take faythe for oure shelde by whych we maye put out the vehement temptacions of the deuell wherewyth he doth assayle vs as wyth dartes inflamed the whyche shal by no meanes annoye vs if we haue stedfast faith in Iesu Christ and in his holy worde For helmet we must haue hope of saluation And thus armed yet muste we haue the sworde of the spirite that is the worde of god by the whyche sworde all the puissances and force of the euyl spirite shal be cut And furthermore we muste neuer leue these armours as longe as we be in thys worlde for we shall alweyes haue batayle But by these armours we shall vanquyshe in Iesu Christe and by Iesu Christ and not by oure owne strength vnto hym then be perpetuall glorye togyther wyth the father and holy ghost in infinita seculorum secula Amen The gospel on the .xxi. sonday after Trinitie sonday The .iiij. chap. of Iohn̄ Th argument ☞ Iesus healeth the rulers sonne THere was a certen ruler whose sōne was sicke at Capernaum As sone as the same herd that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought hym that he wolde come downe and heale his sonne For he was euen at the poynt of death Thē sayde Iesus vnto hym except ye se sygnes and wōdres ye wyl not beleue The ruler sayeth vnto hym Syr come downe or euer that my sōne dye Iesus saieth vnto hym Go thy waye thy sonne lyueth The man beleued the worde that Iesus had spoken vnto him And he wēt hys waye And as he was nowe goinge downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying thy sonne lyueth Then enquired he of them the hour whē he begāne to amend And they sayde vnto him Yester daye at the seuenth houre the feuer left hym So the father knewe that it was the same hour in the which Iesus sayde vnto him Thy sonne lyueth And he beleued and al hys housholde IN this gospell good christen audience our Lord Iesus Christ doth rebuke hym whych desired the health of his sonne forbicause that he did not beleue sufficiently that is to saye that he had not hope in him as he ought to haue And did reproche him that if they se not tokens they wolde not beleue But ye wol say Why he that desired Christ to heale his son dyd not beleue Sainte Austine To thys doubte thus aunswereth S. Austine Aske not me but aske Christe what he thoughte of this mā For it foloweth in the text that Iesus sayd vnto hym Onles ye se sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleue So saith S. Austine he reproueth him bicause he was colde
the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wych hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue Ephe. ij He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartê to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê“spexit Psalm lxxxiiij The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlastynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe Eph. iiij CaptiuaÌ„ duxit captiuitatem the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vpwarde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes Luce. ii Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together Psalm lxxxiiij Misericordia et veritas obui auerunt sibi c. thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerlastynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was ones broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace Eph. iiij and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thynges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection that by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Lu. xviij let thy repentauÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth Phil. iij. our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chauÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vnto hymselfe Thus good christen people forasmuche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefytes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys resurrection rysen wyth hym by our fayth to lyfe euerlastynge beynge in full suretie of oure hope that we shall haue oure bodyes lykewyse reysed agayn from death to haue them glorifyed in immortalitie and ioyned to hys gloryouse body hauynge in the meane whyle hys holye spirite wythin our hartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlasting inheritaunce by whose assistence we be replenyshed wyth all ryghteousnes by whose power we shall be able to subdue al our euel affections that ryse againste the pleasure of God These thynges I saye well coÌ„sydered let vs nowe in the reste of oure lyfe declare our fayth the we haue to thys moost frutefull article by conformyng vs therunto in rysynge dayly from synne to ryghtousnes and holynes of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayeth S. Peter to be escaped and delyuered from the fylthynes of the worlde thorough the knolege of the Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christe yf we be entangled agayne therwyth be ouercome agayne ij pet ij it had bene better sayeth he neuer to haue knowen the waye of ryghteousnes than after it is knowen and receyued to torne backewarde agayne from the holy coÌ„maundemente of God gyuen vnto vs. For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs wher it is sayd ☜ the dogge is retorned to hys vomyte agayn and the sowe that was washed to her wallowynge in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beynge thus so clerely and frelye washed from oure synne to retorne to the fylthynes therof agayne What a foly were it thus endowed wyth ryghtousnes to lose it agayne What madnes were it to lose the enherytaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transytory pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndnes shulde it be where our Sauiour Christ of hys mercy is come to vs to dwell wythin vs as our geste to dryue hym from vs and to expell hym violentlye out of our soules in stede of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receyue the vngracyouse spirite of the deuyl the autor of al naughtynes and myschefe How can we fynde in our hartes to shewe such extreme vnkyndnes to Christ which hath now so gently called vs to mercy offered hymselfe vnto vs and he now entered wythin vs. Yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy goost nowe receyued in thys holy sacrament for where one is there is God al hole in maiestie together with al his power wysdoÌ„ goodnes feare not I saye the dauÌ„ger peryl of so traytorous a defiance Good christeÌ„ brethreÌ„ systers aduyse your selfe coÌ„syder the dignitie that ye be now set in Let not foly lose the thynge that grace hath so preciously offered
the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in the thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wherby we be deliuered from the captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from the bondage therof to ryse with Christ Exo. xij The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of .vij. dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner that is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs the leuen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast the hole terme of our lyfe with eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare that Christes gyftes graces haue theyr effect in vs that we haue the right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to the vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shal be suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. On the fyrst sondaye after Ester The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the .v. Chapter Th argument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde i. cor x. but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in earth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OVre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust no man amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes ☞ in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise The wordes of S. Austine Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Pertran sijt Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by that waye that thou cammest ☞ therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst mā beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yer thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by the worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth our selues that Iesus is Christe Ioh. iij. that is to saye the annoynted Kynge and Sauioure of the worlde Before we be newe borne agayn by spirite we be al Nicodemes For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomā coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whō Christ answereth Verely verely I saye vnto the onles a mā be borne agayne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Ioh. iij. whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge i. Ioh. v. he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue that Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secōdly What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ that he is a kynge anoynted with the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath A difference of faythes and so all hypocrites and betwene the true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borne agayne whan through the
holy goost we be called by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll ☞ to thintent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth Borne of God is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue that Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the same that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heuē the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than mās that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme Mat. iij. And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer the world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Vnto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen On the fyrste sondaye after Ester The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the .xx. chapter of Ihon. Th argument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr cōmission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whā they sawe the Lorde Esa lxi Mat. xi Ioh. xvii Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And whā he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whoseouers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Didimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my handes and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my God Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence of hys disciples Ioh. xxi whyche are not wrytten in thys boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleuynge ye myght haue lyfe thorowe hys name An exhortacion vpon thys Gospel THe Gospell of thys daye good people doth declare vnto vs the appearyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto hys disciples after hys resurrection that is to wyt how he came and shewed hymselfe vnto them the dores beynge shut for feare of the Iues. And here truly he dyd shew the diuersitie of bodyes and what difference there shal be betwene the sensuall bodyes and betwene the spirituall betwene the materiall and corruptible bodyes in thys worlde betwene the spirituall bodyes and incorruptible after the resurrection Trouth it is also that we ought not to suffer any infideles as were the Iues to enter in amonges vs from whome the Apostles dyd shut theyr dores Nowe Iesus beynge in the myddes of them dydde salute them in gyuynge vnto them hys peace wyth whych gretynge or salutation he conforted and confirmed hys disciples myndes that they shulde nothynge doubt of hys resurrectiō whych as the Euangelist Luke wytnesseth they counted but for a dreame Luke xxiiij Wherfore he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde perced And by thys shewynge of hys handes and feete Christe openeth two thynges Fyrst by these sygnes he wolde be knowen For in affliction is Christ truly knowen Seconde by them he wolde assure hys disciples of hys glorious resurrection And verely thys shal be the signe of saluation vnto the faithful at the greate daye of iugement and the signe of lamentation and of sorowe vnto the infidels which thā shal se whome they haue percyd The faithfull shal be gretly cōforted in seing him as his disciples were at this tyme. To these disciples I saye he did ones gyue his peace and made them his apostles that is to saye his legates or ambassadours not onely of Iurye but of al the worlde in lyke maner as god the father had sent him and made hym apostle in the worlde And he gaue them the holy gost for to remytte synnes and to pardō in his name and whose synnes so euer they pardoned shuld be forgyuen in heauen The pardone of the apostles assuredly was but a signe of the trewe pardone
conscience For as it foloweth here in the text so is the wyll of God that with well doing ye may stoppe the mouthes of folyshe and ignorant persons whych oftentymes iuge such thinges as they vnderstand not and whych esteme the gospell and the worde of god by the maners of the gospellers whych of humayne frayltie mnay tymes do fal into fowle vices and do not esteme it by the owne proper nature Rom. i. Wheras in very dede it is the power vertue of God to the helth and saluation of al them that beleue Let vs then good christen brethern so be free and vse the libertie of the gospell that we haue it not for a cloke of maliciousnes workyng vnder the pretence of it all naughtynes accordyng to our foule lustes and desires as many gospellers and euangelicall brethren do which be in dede no gospellers but bablers no trewe brethern but false brethern no christians but antichristes and sklaūders to gods holy worde Let vs then be no feyned christians but ryght christians and seruauntes of God Let vs honoure and haue in reuerence all men Fraternitie Let vs loue fraternitie not fraternitie of monkes fryers nunnes and such other cloystered disguysed people whych vnder the cloke of fraternitie deuoured pore wydowes houses the lyuinges of other in their fratryes of whom the christen people were fowly mocked and seduced while they perswaded them that they could not do better then be of their brotherhode or fraternitie whych in dede was nothyng elles but a swarme of ydle dranes that lyued not by the swette of their face as gods commaundement wylled them but by other mens labours vnder the pretence of longe prayer but let vs loue such brotherhode and fraternitie as gods worde alloweth whych is that we shulde loue one an nother after a gentle and christian maner al lordlines and proude lokes layde downe and when we make a dyner or feast not to call the ryche whych may quyte vs agayne but our poore christen brethern and systers whych cannot acquite vs but our father in heuen shal acquite it vs. This is the fraternitie or brotherhode that Christ alloweth and that saynt Peter doth here speake of Let vs then feare God whych doth prospere our obedience and helpeth vs that we maye truly honour all men that we may loue brotherhode and gyue due honour to our kynge whych is our supreme hedde next vnder Christe none excepted neyther bishop of Rome nor other For if there were ☜ saynt Peter wold not haue passed it ouer with silence Neyther is it to be thought that Peter which was one of Christes Apostles and that of the chefest knewe not the bisshop of Romes power or his own power He agnized no such supremacie as the bishoppe of Rome doth chalenge vnto him as S. Peters successour Saint Peter byddeth vs here feare god and honour the king If the bisshop of Rome were to be honoured next God and before kynges why doth saynt Peter set the kynge nexte God Yea why doth he speake nothynge at all of the byshop of Romes authoritie So ye se good christen people that saynte Peter maketh nothynge wyth the byshoppe of Rome and yet he sayeth he is hys successour But what shulde I speake more of thys mater I doubt not but lōge ago there is none of you but regardeth the byshop of Rome none otherwyse then an other byshop in hys byshopryche ought to be regarded Let him medle with his owne flocke with vs he hath no thing a do any otherwise then one christen man hath to do with an other Let vs therfore charitably pray for him that he may execute his office in his owne diocese and not entre into other mens officies Let vs thā honour our kinge next vnto God as our supreme hedde according to S. Peters counsayle in this epistle and according to the aduise of saynt Paule in the place before alleged Let also seruauntes obey theyr maisters not only if they be good courteouse but also thoughe they be froward not doynge seruice to the eye as Paule sayth wryting to the Ephesians and as they do that go aboute to please men phe vi but as the seruaūtes of Christ doing the wyll of God from the harte with good will seruinge the Lord and not men For it is then thanke worthy sayth saynt Peter Hitherto haue I brefly declared vnto you the meanyng of this Epistle Now therfore good people if ye wol be true christians if ye woll be true feithfull persons boost not of your feyth in wordes only but declare in youre dedes and workes that ye haue the feith of Christ Shewe your beleue in such workes as thys Apostle saynt Peter doth here exhort you vnto and then shal we beleue that you haue the right belefe fayth in Iesu Christ which in whom so euer it is in can not but fructifie and brynge forth fruct euen as sede doth that is sowne in the good grounde mat xiij some an hundreth folde some syxty fold some thyrty folde And this feyth shall iustifie you and make you the chyldren of god and inheritours of his heuēly kyngdome which was prepared for you before the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen Math. xxv .. to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The .xvi. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples After a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. vij and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me for I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe Ioh. xx but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is delyuered of the chylde she remēbreth no more the anguysh for ioy that a mā is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christē people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death
to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shal be betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vnto you that I shulde be condemned Mat. xij scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Christes raigne Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn with hym my spirituall raygne Ephe. i. and .iiij. Lo my deare frendes with such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how the coÌ„myng is to the same Assuredly the kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be the most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion Psal iiij leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spirite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye Psa cix and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege hereof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowlege and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth i. tim ii If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde An exeÌ„ple of our ignorauÌ„ce we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se him agayne after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome What it is to go to the father Ps lxvij For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the .v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of the prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre with themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to the wordes that he spake albeit he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and carnall power syth they se here so manyfestly that the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moch conuersaunt amonges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the summe and effecte of thys place that the flesh in suche thynges as perteine to iustification can do no good onles the holy gost beyng communitate by the word be receiued and had For as the prophete Ieremy recordeth Ier. xiij they shal be taught of God and not of themselues Thyrdly Christe doth preuent his apostles when he espyed them not to atteine his wordes and that they wold aske him the meanyng of the same sayeng vnto them in thys wise Of thys ye do question amonges your selues that I sayd a litle and ye shall not see me and agayne a lytle and ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lamente but the worlde shal reioyce Ye shal sorow but your sorowe shal be turned into ioye Lo how Christ tendereth his apostles he shaketh them not of for their rudenes and ignoraunce but moste gentlye instructeth them shewinge them howe his format wordes ought to be vnderstand sayenge vnto them in thys wise Ye shall wepe and be sory but why bycause ye shall see youre Lorde and mayster apprehended and takeÌ„ nayled vpon the crosse and put to death Crosse ê‘secutioÌ„ Then shall calamitie and sorow begynne and principally this shall trouble you that the world shal reioyce at your aduersitie and your maysters aduersitie And euen as Christ had spoken so it came to passe concernyng both hys owne crosse affliction and heuines also his apostles For do ye thynke yt a lytle crosse vnto hym when that he was reuiled and vpbrayded of the Iues sayeng vnto hym let God delyuer hym if he woll haue hym I omytte and passe ouer with
silence the thing that he himself complayneth of wher be sayeth by his prophet Dauid Psa cxx I am a worme and not a man a laughing stocke or an obprobrie of men and the refuse of the people As many as behold me mocke me they shake their hedes at me What is thys but to cast Christ into trouble and heuynesse not only hym but also hys apostles and louyng frēdes whyche kept hym company And albeit Christe dothe specially in this place speake of the tyme of his owne crosse whych shulde be the occasion of weping and mournyng to his apostles yet hys mynde was hereby to shewe what state and fortune is to be loked for in thys world vnto all true christiās True christians no doubt can not but suffer in this world moch displeasures and persecution wheras the wicked persons and such as care neither for God nor deuell make good chere and lyue according to their hartes ease Prou. iij Hereunto agreeth Salomon in his prouerbes sayeng Cast not awaye the chastisement of the lord Lo ye se how Christ instructeth his apostles and armeth them with pacience to abyde and suffer thobprobriouse wordes scornes and persecutions of the wicked persons and Antichristes And that he willeth the apostles to do the same he commaūdeth and speaketh euen vnto vs so many as wolbe hys disciples and folowers Sorowe turned to heuynes Fourthly forasmoche as Christe hath tolde hys apostles of the sorowe and heuines of the persecutions that shuld happen vnto them for hys sake he nowe agayne doth comforte them declaringe vnto them what shall happen after such stormes of affliction Your heuines sayth he shal be chaunged into ioye as who shulde saye the worlde as sone as they shal haue kylled me woll thynke they haue won the spurres that they haue put me downe but it shall not be so for the thyrde daye after shall I ryse agayne from death maugre theyr heades I shall comforte you and in your heuynes pacifie you make you gladde And albeit after that tyme also ye must styll suffre moch wronge and reproche for my name and for the gospel sake yet your affliction crosse shall not laste longe but eternall ioye shall anone ensue folowe An exemple of thys thynge I wol ye take in a woman that traueleth with chylde The parable of the trauelynge woman A woman whā she traueleth ye know is in heuynes payn for her houre is at hande But assone as she hath brought forth into the worlde a chylde is delyuered she remembreth no more her payne and greife for the ioye she hath of the chylde that is borne into the worlde In semblable wise ye be nowe sadde and heuy for my departure but I shal come see you agayne and thā your hartes shal leape for ioye no man shal be hable with all the displeasure he can do you to take awaye this your ioye from you Assuredly my frendes thys similitude whych is here brought forth of Christ is excedingly comfortable For fyrst of all yt sheweth that persecution trouble and crosse must as surely folowe the confession of the gospell as it is sure that a trauelyng woman cannot brynge forth her chyld without sorow and grefe but in the meane season the Christen man thorough the word of God muste nedes afterwarde haue greate comforte and ioye Furthermore this trouble crosse affliction and persecution of the true christians shall not be continuall and euerlastinge but it shall endure but for a season And on the contrary parte the worlde shall ioye for a season But their ioye shal not longe laste as Christe himself in an other place witnesseth wher he sayth Luc. vi Wo be to you which laugh here for ye shal wepe and lamente Albeit in very dede the christian man shall not be cleane voyde of ioye in this worlde but what ioye is thys I woll sayeth Christ see you agayne and your hartes shal ioye and no man shal take your ioye from you Vndoubtedly the ioye that Christe here speaketh of is the gladnes and peace of conscience that the true christians shall haue in asmoche as they knowe that God shal be merciful vnto them throughe Christ and shal kepe and preserue them into euerlasting liefe whych was prepared for them before the worlde was made as Christ hymself witnesseth by the father of heuen To whome wyth the sonne and holye ghost be thankes .c. The Epistle on the .iiij. sonday after Ester daye The .i. chapter of Iames. Th argument ☞ Saynt Iames sheweth that Gods worde is an heuenly gyfte and howe it ought to be receyued MOst derely beloued brethren euery good gyft and euery perfect gyft is from aboue and cōmethe downe frome the father of lyghtes wythe whome is no variablenes neyther is he chaunged vnto darkenes Of his owne will begate he vs wyth the word of trouth that we shulde be the first frutes of his creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery man be swyfte to heare slow to speake slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that whych is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye a parte all fylthynes and superfluitie of malyciousnes and receaue with mekenes the word that is grafted in you whych is hable to saue your soules The holy Apostle saynt Iames good christian brethren and systres in the epistle of this daye doth fyrste open and declare vnto vs the causes of gods worde frome whence it commeth and then he commendeth and setteth oute the authoritie of the same as a meane or instrument whereby throughe new birth or regeneration we be the chyldren of god and as saynt Iames here speaketh the firste frutes of gods creatures As towching the causes of gods worde ye shall vnderstande that the gospell or word of God is no humaine thinge it is the word neither of Emperour Kinge Prince Duke nor other temporall ruler neither is it any meritorious word whych cā chaūce vnto vs for our own deseruinges or merites neyther yet is it an vnpythy weake or vnperfect word whych eyther of it selfe is not stronge ynough or nedeth any other worde to the perfection and accomplyshement therof but it is a diuine or heuenly worde a good gyft of God and perfecte that is to saye whyche hath almyghty god for authour of yt whych god gyueth of his mere grace and fauour whych is stronge and full of efficacie and power according to saynt Paule whych sayth it is the power of god to the helth and sauetye of all such as beleue the same Rom i. It is perfecte forasmoche as it neither nedeth any other word neyther yet can it suffre any other to be matched with it Nowe al thys tendeth to this purpose and intent that saynt Iames woll cōmende and set forth vnto vs the authoritie of gods worde lest by errynge and strayeng out of the waye we myght happen to deceiue our selues thynkyng it ynough sufficient to heare the worde of god wyth out
trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my father and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged alredy I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you Why tholy goost was promysed THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purposis sente of Christe that he myghte reuelate and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be lettes and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene ☜ Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some carnall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde But now I go c. Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Expediâ— vobis Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and profitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde that is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you The profyte of Christes death Lo good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome and we yet carnall we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ê‘ceiueit No more then euen at thys daye we vnderstaÌ„d it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to be befor god more vnrightuousnes finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell all whyche thinges noman shuld haue vnderstanded had not Christ sente his holy ghost Actu i. whom in this place he surely promiseth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen froÌ„ tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure Paracletus quid fit to comforte mens consciences in this world When this comforter commeth saith Christ he shal rebuke the worlde of synne of rightuousnes and of
god which is here called the spirite of trouth Whych spirite by the instrument of godes word as here is declared shall open and disclose vnto vs all trouth necessarye to oure saluation and soule helth Which thyng also the aūcient doctour Ihon Chrysostome witnesseth Chrysostome in cap. mat xxij homi xli sayeng What so euer is sought to the soule helth the same is al togither conteyned and accomplished in holy scripture He that is ignoraunt shal fynde there ynoughe to lerne He that is stubborne and a synner shall fynde there the skourgies of the iudgemente to come that he maye feare He that laboureth shall fynde there the gloryes and promises of lief euerlasting by chawyng wherof he may be more more kyndled to do good workes as becommeth a christian man to do Let vs praye then to god with pure hartes that he woll vouche saue to send vs this holy ghost this cōforter vnto our myndes which may open vnto vs al trouth To whome be glory and prayse immortally .c. The Epistle on the .v. sondaye after Ester The fyrste chapter of saynt Iames. Th argument ☞ Saynt Iames exhorteth christen men to declare their feyth wyth good workes And he sheweth what thyng true Religion or deuotion is MOst deare beloued brethren euery good gifte and euery perfyte gyfte is from aboue and cometh downe from the father of lyghtes wyth whō is no variablenes neither is he chaunged vnto darckenes Of hys owne wyll begat he vs wyth the worde of trouth that we shuld be the fyrste frutes of hys creatures Wherfore deare brethrē let euery man be swyft to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of mā worketh not that whyche is ryghtouse before god Wherfore laye aparte all fylthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receaue wythe mekenes the worde that is grasted in you whych is hable to saue your soules THe holy Apostle of God saynte Iames good christen people in the epistle of this day doth discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers And ye shal vnderstande that the true hearers of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth who be the true hearers of gods worde mat xiij whiche vnderstande it in theyr harte whiche do garnishe it outwardely with suche workes as be prescribed and appoynted them to do and as the parable of Christe declareth whiche do heare the word of god and vnderstande it whiche also bryng forthe frute some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thyrty folde Psal i. And it is he according to the wordes of the prophete Dauid whiche is lyke a tre planted by the ryuer syde bearyng his frute in due tyme. But the false hearers of the worde be they the false hearers whiche heare it but they receiue it nat with fayth they vnderstande it nat in theyr harte neyther do they furnyshe and declare it to the worlde with good workes and as the parable of the sower sayeth they suffre the deuyll to take the worde out of theyr harte These be only temporall hearers and but for a season they be but starters they stycke nat by it They be also suche as when they haue perceyued taken the true word of god they choke it with the care of this world and with the disceitfulnes of ryches so make the worde vnfruteful for they receiue it nat with ful mynd but by snatches and myndyng other thynges euen as he whiche beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse and forthwith goeth hys waye and forgetteth by and by what maner thyng it was Estote factores verbi Be ye then doers of the worde that is to wete declare with good workes that ye truly vnderstande it and be nat hearers onely as who shulde say Ye that heare the worde of god with your eares and do boste and glory in the knowledge therof and neuertheles be occupyed and intangled in other maters ye do nothyng els but deceiue your selues whych thyng he declareth with a wonderful goodly and apte similitude ☜ For lyke as it nothinge helpeth a man to stāde before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire whan he goeth away forthwyth and forgetteth strayte hys beawtie So it helpeth a man nothynge at all to heare gods worde onles he receyue it in hys harte and take holde of it by fayth depely printyng in hys mynde the beautie therof and be delyted therin and fynally declare wyth good workes that he doth truly vnderstande it Furthermore he that standeth before a glasse maye well glorie and bragge of hys beautye for a tyme So he that heareth the worde may well reioyse and glorie of it But whan the glasse is taken away anone the beautie is out of the mynde So in tyme of necessitie and tribulation yf the true glasse of gods wyll that is to wyt the worde of God be taken awaye and not cōsydered anone the promyses and gospell that is to saye the glad tydynges concernynge our redemption is out of mynde the beautie of gods goodnes is forgotten and finally the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde is neglected But on the contrary parte who so loketh in the perfyte lawe of lybertie and continueth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke the same shal be happy in hys dede As who shulde saye He that rightly heareth and vnder standeth the worde and doeth expresse the same with worthy workes in such wyse as he sheweth hymselfe to haue a firme sure vnderstandynge of the same whereby he may vaynquish and chase away death Satan and synne he shal be happye in hys dede or worke he shal be declared by hys dedes to be a iustified person and saued For dedes workes in christē men be testimonies and wytnesses of our iustifyeng fayth and that we do vnderstande ryghtly and truly gods worde Augus For as saynt Augustine affirmeth fayth ought to go before workes Yea he declareth playnly the workes wythout fayth can not be good and he allegeth for hys purpose that texte of saynte Paule Ro. iiij Omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est That is to saye what so euer is not of faythe the fame is synne Chrysostome de fide et Lege Herevnto also agreeth Chrysostome where he sayeth Fayth ought to shyne before workes and workes muste be the handmaydes or waytynge seruauntes and folowers of fayth True religion Secōde in thys epistle saynt Iames doth teach vs good people what the ryght and perfyte religion of a christian man or woman is Yf any man sayeth saynt Iames woll seme to be religiouse amonges you not refraynynge hys tonge but seducynge and deceyuynge hys owne harte thys mans religion is vayne ☞ Pure and vndefyled religion before God the father is thys to vysite the fatherlesse and wedowes in theyr aduersitie to kepe thy selfe vnspotted in the worlde Lo
that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Chrisostome Thou shall nede no patrones or aduocates with god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Theophilactus in Iohan ca. xv Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua Math. v. thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging our owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure ij cor i. as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wryteth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be Ro. viij praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Phi. iiij Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synne I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me From whence the peace of coÌ„science springeth but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful ij pe iij. Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe if so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with the blessed virgine Marye Luce. ij Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost Psa xiij Ioh. iij. but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatute We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge lo nowe thou speakeste frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thinges c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to take any thynge vpon vs rashely and temerariously but that we shuld rather walke in an humble mynd and spirite confessinge and knowledginge continually that we be bothe miserable and ignoraunte persons in such thynges as concerne Christes glorye forasmoche as without the spirite of god we canne neuer vnderstande the mystery of the gospel For assuredly the wysdome of the fleshe is foly before god and the more knowlege it boasteth pretendith in spiritual and diuine thynges so moch the more is the foly of it declared and vttered Let vs then my good brethren and sisters in all oure necessities and troubles pray accordynge to the wordes of this gospel but to whom To the father of heuen In whose name In Christes ☞ And what shall we praye for that our ioye may be perfyte
to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make mē mete and apte to receceyue his gospel and shall teach none other thynge than that whyche he hymselfe hath taught But these tryflers bable that the holy goost ought to teach some thynge of more excellencye than that whych is comprysed in the holy gospell Surely I wolde thynke it moost conuenient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge math iij Thys is my welbeloued sōne in whom I am right wel pleased heare ye hym But they that can not be satisfied wyth Christes doctrine to whome not only thapostles but also the holy goost hath borne wytnesse let them at theyr parell chose them other doctrines Certes I wyll not counsayle you lyke owles to wāder in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the lyght Last of all ye shall consyder and note good christen brethren and systers in thys gospell that the word and institution of Christ of whych the spirite the apostles do testifye can in no wyse b gratefull and acceptable to the worlde For those that wol admyt thys worde the worlde wolle caste them out of al honest mens company as they call honeste men they woll as heretykes dryue them out of theyr churches and assembles they woll excommunicate them they woll curse them wyth boke bell and candell Yea yf they may wyth all kynde of punyshment and death persecute the true Apostles and messēgers of Christ they wyll thynke to do a hygh seruice to God that theyr zeale hath hyghly serued gods wyl But what sayeth Christ in the meane season Therfore I wyll be wyth you They shal so handle themselues towardes you bycause they knowe nother me nor my father Here ye se wyth what successe and fortune in thys wycked world the moost precious worde of the gospell wyth the imbrasers therof be commonly receyued For thou mayst not loke to lyue a swete an ydle and a delicate lyfe yf thou wolte confesse Christ For he that woll lyue after a godlye sorte as sayeth saynt Paule must nedes suffer persecution ij tim ij And in an other place he sayeth Gala. ij Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for cōfessynge of Christ it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutiō hangeth ouer our heades by the proper wyl of God to thyntent our fayth myght thus by such persecution be clarifyed tryed and purged For yf we be ful certifyed hereof we can not easely be offended wyth temptation but wyth a pacient mynde we shall suffer all the wronge that the world for Christes cause woll put vs to And surely thys shal be a comforte vnto vs that oure persecuters for all theyr proude bragges and vauntes neyther know Christ nor his father Fynally we be ryght well assured that the trouble and affliction of thys tyme as Paule sayth can in no wyse be cōpared wyth the glorye to come that shal be disclosed vnto vs. Ro. viij Wyth thys our knowlege comfortynge our selues we shall remayne quyet in our conscience styll awaytynge wyth stedfaste hope for the immortall crowne of the sayd glorye whyche the father of heauen hath prepared for vs. To whom wyth the sōne holy goost be al glorye and prayse for euer and euer AMEN The Epistle on wytsondaye The .ij. chapter of the actes of the Apostles ☞ The holy goost is here gyuen accordynge to Christes promyse before WHan the fyftye dayes were come to an ende they were all wyth one accorde together in one place And sodenly ther came a sounde frō heauen as it had bene the cōmynge of a myghty wind and it fylled al the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouē tonges lyke as they had ben of fyre and it sat vpon ech one of them and they were all fylled wyth the holy goost and begā to speake wyth other tonges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iues deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When thys was noysed aboute the multitude came together and were astonnyed bycuase that euery man herde thē speake wyth hys owne langage They wondered al and marueled saynge amonge themselues behold are not al these whych speake of Galile And how heare we euery man hys owne tonge wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamytes and the inhabyters of Mesopotamia and of Iury and of Capadocia of Ponthus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia of Egypte and of the parties of Lybia whych is besyde Syren and straungers of Rome Iues and Proselytes Grekes and Arabians we haue herde them speake in oure owne tonges the great workes of God CHrist had oftentymes good people promysed vnto hys disciples the holy goost to confirme them in the true doctrine For wythout the holy goost noman can ryghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God neyther can stycke by it cōstantly wythout staggerynge or shrynkyng from it It is the holy goost doubtles that teacheth al thynges and that putteth men in mynde of gods wyll Io. xiiij And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew It is not you that be the speakers but it is the spirite of your father whych speaketh in you Wherfore thys often promyse of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfourmeth But bycause it helpeth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the holy goost onles we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte auauntage therfore it were good to know the causes why the holy goost was sent Ye shall therfore vnderstande good people that the holy gost was not sent to thapostles nor at this daye is sent as some men do dreame to teache a dyuerse or straunge doctrine frome Christes doctrine whych Christ either taught not before or had forgotten to teache The causes why the holy goost is sent But he was sente and is sente for thre causes The fyrst is that he shulde teache and put in mynde expoūde all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the .xiiij. and .xv. chapters of Ihon very copiously and at length speketh The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente is to confirme strengthen and as it were to seale vs to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie of gods worde Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencion whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpō euery of them and fylled them whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els but that the holy goost confirmed and certifyed the myndes of the Apostles vpon the veritie of gods word Ephe. i. i. cor i. and therfore he is called of Paule
the gage and the ernest The thyrde cause that the holy goost is sente is that in temptation he myght comforte vs and preserue vs from desperacion and therfore he is called paracletus that is to say a comforter Now therfore yf ye couete to knowe who what the holy goost is whych is called the thyrde persone in trinitie consyder wel the forsayd offices of hym and ye shal ryghtly answere A description of the holy goost The holy goost is God equall wyth the father and sonne whych was to thys intent sent of them both that he shulde more clearly expoune the diuine wyll of the father whych was openly publisshed to the worlde by Christ and that he shulde put men in remembraunce of the same and confirme it in theyr hartes to thintent they myght boldlye confesse it But let vs now approche to the texte of thys present lesson Whan the daye of Pentecoste Pentecost That is to saye the fyftye daye from Ester was a fulfyllyng whych was one of thre solemne feastes in whych all the Iues were wont to be assembled accordynge to the lawe of Moses in Deuteromye in the .xvi. chapter whych feast we christen men do obserue wyth an other lybertie for an other respecte then it was kept of the Iues. For we do solemnize kepe thys daye onely in memorie of the speciall and wonderfull sendynge of the holy gooste as on thys daye Whan thys feast I saye of the Iewes called Pentecost otherwyse named the feast of wekes was in the complyshynge and doynge the Apostles were all wyth one accorde together in one place as Christ had commaunded them before to do Actu ij that they shuld not departe from Ierusalem but that they shuld awayte for the promyse of the father And sodenly there came a soūde from heauē as it had been the comynge of a myghtie wynde and it fylled all the house where they sate My frendes thys soden commynge of the holy goost doth admonyshe vs of the maner or forme of hys commynge whych is not humane nor chaūceth after mans fashion but as the similitude declareth in the thyrd chapter of Ihon. The spirite or wynde bloweth where it woll and thou hearest hys voyce but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth Now for as much as Christ applyeth thys similitude and sayth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite therfore ye must also vnderstand here that the holy goost in dede commeth vnto vs but how or after what sorte it passeth mans wyt and capacitie whyche neyther can comprehende the maner of hys commynge neyther yet the qualitie of hys accion albeit of the accion presence of the holy goost we be made certayne euen as we may be certayne of the blowynge of the wynde Finally it is here to be consydered in what wyse the holy goost is to be receyued of vs. ☞ Surely he is not to be receyued simpliciter as a doue that muste be miraculously sent from heauen as certayne heretykes at thys daye do thynke neyther is he to be taken as a vertue of God procedynge from the father and from the sonne as Campanus thynketh neyther yet in a prescribed and diuised forme as the papistes haue prefixed hym before all theyr counsaylles were they neuer so contrary to gods worde but he is to be receyued as very god of the selfe same essencie and godhed wyth the father and sonne It foloweth in the texte And there appeared vnto them clouen tonges lyke as they had bene of fyre and sat vpon ech one of them Here good people ye maye learne the effectes or frutes of the holy goostes comminge for he cōmeth not in vayne but maketh dispertite or clouen tōges and fyry he maketh men to speake wyth other tonges that is to saye he regendreth them he createth in them new motions he assureth them of the word that they heare he openeth theyr mouthes and maketh them boldly and wythout feare to confesse the trouth And al they that is to wyt the Apostles that were assēbled together for thys purpose were forthwyth and sodenly al at ones replete and fylled with the holy goost in such straunge sorte that by and by they beganne to speake wyth sondry and newe tonges Dyuerse tonges not wyth olde tonges and such as the tonge of Moses the lawspeaker is discribed to be that is to wyt harde and vnpleasaunt as it is wrytten in the fourth chapter of Exodus And here maye ye note the dyuersitie and difference of the lawe and gospel Moses tonge was sengle and but one ☞ for one certayne people But the tonges of the gospell be soundry whereby is sygnifyed the lybertie of the gospel They spake therfore wyth sundry tōges euen as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce The holy goost gaue not all to all Ro. xij i. cor xi but as Paule sayth accordynge to the measure of fayth as it semeth good vnto hym It foloweth in the texte There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iewes deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder the heauen and so forth Here be contayned the cōmune and vulgare effectes whych be wont to folowe the workes of the holy goost These effectes be stoynynge wonderyng and they declare vnto vs the power of the holy gooste in them whych were moued wyth the workes of the holy goost For the reste of people were rather more and more offended with the workes of the holy gooste than kyndled to imbrace them They sayd then how happeneth thys that we heare euerye one in hys owne tonge whych be of sundry nations speake the great wonders and hygh workes of God Magnalia Dei that is to saye the thynges that God hath wrought in hys Christe For to thys intent surely was the holy goost come euen to expoūde and declare Christ to the disciples and no doubt he exhorted them frely and boldlye to preache hym vnto the hole worlde whych thynge afterwarde they manfully executed as the sermon of Peter immediatly after made doth declare shewe Surely the holy goost sent from heauen make men frely to confesse the Euangelicall trouth before kynges and prynces whych thynge the fleshe otherwyse is not able to do For it is to muche afrayed that it can wyllyngly and gladly suffer the hatred of thys worlde whych is knyt and ioyned wyth thys confession Fynally ye shall vnderstande that the holy goost was gyuen to the Apostles in a vysible forme But it is now gyuen to the chosen and electe persons inuisiblye only by the worde Wherfore good christen people I hartely exhorte you that ye woll earnestly imbrace and loue gods worde and not mocke deryde it as certayne of the Iues here sayd that the apostles were dronken and full of new wyne Neyther do I exhorte you onely to reade and prayse the worde but also to worke after it to declare by youre dedes and procedynges that ye haue an vnfayned and ryght fayth
in Christ So doynge no doubte the holy goost shal come and dwell wythin you and declare and open vnto you all trouthe necessary to your soules helth to the extirpacion of all wycked doctrine and auauncement of gods glorye Vnto whome be all honoure and prayse worlde wythout ende Amen The gospell on Wytsondaye The xiiij chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the worde of Christe and of the holy goost IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Yf a man loue me he wyl kepe my saynges and my father wyl loue him and we wyl come vnto him ād dwel with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayenges And the word which ye heare is not myne but the fathers whych sent me These thynges haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present wyth you But the comforter which is the holy goost whome my father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thynges and brynge all thynges to your remembraūce what so euer I haue sayd vnto you Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue you Not as the worlde gyueth gyue I vnto you Let not your hertes be greued neyther feare Ye haue herde howe I sayd vnto you I go and come agayne vnto you Yf ye loued me ye wolde verely reioyse bycause I sayd I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I. And now haue I shewed it you before it come that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the prince of thys worlde commeth and hath nought in me But that the worlde maye know that I loue the father And as the father gaue me cōmaūdement euen so do I. BEfore we touch the gospell my brethrē we shal speake somwhat of this dayes feast The original begynning of Pētecost This feast whych they call Pentecost began in thys wyse Whan God shulde leade the Israelites out of Egypte the nyght before he ordeyned Passeouer which we call Ester to be solemnised and cōmaunded that euery yeare about that tyme that daye shulde be kepte holydaye for a memory of theyr departure out of Egypte And from that daye afterwarde for the space of fyfty dayes they walked in the wyldernes tyll at last they came to the moūt Sinay where by Moses the lawe was gyuen them of God For thys cause they kept that solempne holydaye whyche we call in Greke Pentecost that is to saye the fyftye daye and in Englysh Wytsonday Now therfore fyfty dayes from Ester beynge accomplyshed and the memory of the lawe whych god had promulgate to the people in the mounte Sinay fulfylled the holy goost came and gaue an other lawe Nowe therfore thys day is celebrate of vs not because of the olde facte but because of the newe I meane of the sēndyng of the holy ghost So we declare a certayne difference betwene oure Pentecoste and the Iues Pentecost Fyrste the Iues kept this daye bycause the lawe wrytten was then gyuen vnto them But we oughte to celebrate oure Pencecoste bycause the lawe of God was then spiritually delyuered vnto vs. For the better vnderstandynge hereof ij co iij and iiij Saynte Paule is to be broughte forth whiche also putteth the same difference wher he speaketh of two maner prechynges And as there be two maner preachynges so be there two sortes of people First was the lawe wryten which God commaunded and comprised in lettres and therfore it is called the lawe of the lettre bycause it remayneth in lettres and entreth not in the brest neyther do any workes folowe it saue hypocritical and constreyned workes and therfore the people also remayne styll but lyterall and fleshly And bycause it was comprysed onlye in lettres and was all togyther in deade wrytynge it kylled and made a dead people for the hart was dead bycause it dyd not of the owne accorde the commaundement of god For yf euery man shuld be lefte to his owne wyll to do what hym lusteth wythout all feare of punyshement there shulde be founde none but wolde rather be fre and louse from the law then bounde therto For thus he naturally thinketh Lo God wyll surely punyshe me yea and dryue me into hel onles I kepe his commaundementes Thā nature feleth it selfe vnwyllynge and to do them with no maner loue or delectation wherfore man is forth wyth made enemye to god by reason of the penaltye when he fealeth hymselfe a synner and that he walketh not ryghtly before God so that he wold rather that there were no God Thys bytternes is infixed in the harte agaynst God thoughe nature goeth about neuer so much to garnysh her selfe wyth fayre workes It appeareth therfore how that the lawe cōprysed in scripture and letters doth iustifye noman nor yet can entre into the harte The law spritual The other lawe is spirituall whyche is wrytten not with penne or ynke nor is declared wyth the mouth after the fashiō as Moses wrought the mater in tables of stone but lyke as we se in thys story The holy goost commeth downe from heauen and fylleth them all together makynge them to haue clouen fyry tonges and to preache frankely and frely farre otherwyse then it was done before so that al the people was astonnyed thereat and wondered The holy gooste I saye commeth and replenisheth the harte he chaungeth the man whych loueth God and doth gladly all that euer is acceptable vnto hym Wherfore al thynges be there lyuely quycke is the vnderstandynge the eye the mynde and the harte whyche brenneth and is rapte wyth the desyre of all goodnes And thys is the true difference betwene the lawe comprysed in letters and the spirituall lawe here is it sene whych be the workes of God Wherfore here is al the crafte set to discerne and preach ryghtly of the holy goost Heretofore men haue preached of hym that he bryngeth to passe and prompteth all thynges what so euer eyther the counsayles decerne or the B. of Rome in hys canonical law cōmaūdeth where as neuertheles al those thynges be only externe and outwarde whych he ordeneth or gouerneth Wherfore thys order of thynges is clene ouertwharte and preposterous in that they make of the workes of the holy goost a lettered and a dead lawe where it ought to be spiritual and lyuely so there is made of it a Mosaicall and humane tradition The cause is that they know not what the holy goost is wherūto he was gyuē or what hys feate office is Let vs learne then and consyder wel what he is to thintent hys offyce maye be discerned The office of the holy goost In the epistle of thys daye it is shewed howe the holy goost is sent downe from aboue and fylleth the disciples whych before sat in heuynes feare he cleueth theyr tonges he kyndleth he enflameth them that they myght take strength of harte and frely preache the Gospell without feare of any man Here thou seest it is not the offyce of the
Saynt Ambrose agreyng hervnto sayth that the redemption of Christes bloude were very vyle yf iustification whych is done by grace shuld be due to the merites goynge before so that it shuld be not the gyfte of the gyuer but the reward of the worker Also Ierome wrytynge vpon the epistle to the Galathians sayeth Ierome None is saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Austine Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys saynge Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse froÌ„ the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes but by the selfe lawe of fayth But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours All the prophetes as Peter here sayeth Christe hymselfe all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out all the auncient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy expositours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes It foloweth in the texte Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed c. Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the .xv. Chapter of Mathew I am not sent but to the lost shepe of the house of Israel Howbeit the callynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym Actu x. And therfore he began hys sermoÌ„ on thys wyse Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost and herde them speke wyth tonges magnifyed God Here ye shal also marke ☜ that thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of the holy goost the Apostles and other were so indowed that they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in the meane season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease It foloweth in the texte Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost aswell as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that the Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were outwardly baptysed wyth the water for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde For baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes What is baptisme but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„ber of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Ierome suê‘ Esa Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth maÌ„ only gyueth the water but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye and the synnes of bloude purged The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth in thys wyse Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ be not baptised in Christe For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ Yf a maÌ„ taketh only thys corporall washyng of water which is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ For albeit SimoÌ„ Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued the washing of water yet bycause he had not the holy gooste he was not baptised in Christ Wherfore as I declared vnto you on the AsceÌ„sioÌ„ day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstaÌ„d that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of infauntes or babes For they as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr infauncy to dye by the fayth of the catholyke church And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Anabaptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion For no doubte the promyse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or infauntes But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sacramentes And here vpon do all lerned men agre Now therfore good christen people syth your baptisme woll not serue you wythout faythe no nor all the workes ye can do I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of youre synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal enter into your hartes make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe to worke wel to the glorye of God and helth of your soules eternally Amen The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .iij. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ The moost comfortable glad tydynges of Christ is here wonderfully well described IEsus spake vnto a ruler amonge the pharises God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlastynge lyfe For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And thys is the condempnacion that light is come into the worlde and meÌ„ loued darkenes more thaÌ„ lyght bycause theyr dedes were euell For euery one that euell doeth hateth the lyght neyther commeth to the lyght lest hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth trouth commeth to the lyght that hys dedes may be knowen how that they are wrought in God THe Gospell of thys daye good people is in very dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges For in fewe wordes it declareth vnto vs the summe of the Christen mans religion Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus Thus he sayeth God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer beleueth in hym shulde
not perysh but haue euerlasting lyfe ☜ Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte as also saynt Austine noteth And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage For true loue standeth not in fayre wordes and amiable countenaūce or gesture but in the dede selfe Nowe the more mysery we were in before Christes commynge the greater is his benefyte and the more bounde be we vnto hym God as wryteth saynt Paule setteth forth hys loue towardes vs Rom. v. seyng that whyle we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Now Christ hymselfe assureth vs that who so euer beleueth in hym thus sente of the father downe vnto vs shall not quayle shall not be confounded shall not peryshe but shal be sure to attayne euerlastynge lyfe Seynge Christ hymselfe doth assure vs of euerlastynge lyfe for oure belefe or faythes sake why shulde we doubt Why shulde we go aboute to seke heauen by other wayes than Christ appointeth vs The sentēce is vniuersall all that beleue in him shall not perysh Wherfore let noman thynke hymselfe exempted as vnworthy Here is no respect eyther to thy worthynes or to thy vnworthynes Yf thou hast faith thou shalt be sure to be of the chosen company Only take hede thou mockest not God dissemblest not before the face of the worlde sayeng thou hast fayth and haue it not in dede Yf thou hast fayth in dede thou must nedes brynge forth the frutes of fayth thou canst not but declare thy faith wyth workes of charitie both to God man whom for God thou canst not but loue as thy natural brother Yf thou beyst a good tree thou muste nedes brynge forth good frute But a bad tre bryngeth forth bad frute Math. v. Christe goeth further and sayeth For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but to saue the worlde Here ye se the fynall cause of Christes commynge whyche was to saue that was lost Howbeit thys texte is to be vnderstande of Christes fyrst commynge and of the tyme of grace ye maye not vnderstande it of his seconde aduent or commynge whyche shal be at the last daye for thā he shal wythout fayle come to iuge accordynge to an other place where he sayeth Ioh. v. The father hath gyuen all iudgement to the sonne Neuerthelesse in the meane season whosoeuer beleueth not is already iudged and condempned wheras on the contrarye parte they that beleue can in no wyse be condempned But why is the infidele alreadye condempned Bycause sayeth Christe he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god Lo here ye se agayne how fayth saueth lacke of fayth condempneth And thys is the condempnacion that lyght is come into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause theyr dedes were euyl Who is thys lyght Christ Who is the darkenes Ioh. i. The worlde The lyght then shyned in the darkenes and the darknes dyd not comprehende it Do not men loue styll darkenes more then lyghte Had they not rather walke in theyr owne fanseys wylworkes then in Christes doctrine Alacke for pytie Yea though the lyght neuer so much shyne though the Gospell be neuer so much in the hande yf Christ by hys holy spirite do not teache the thou arte styll but darkenes and why so for thou louest styll darkenes better than the lyght for thy dedes are euell and therfore thou muste nedes conuince and damne thy selfe of infidelitie It foloweth For euery one that doth euell hateth the lyght neyther woll he come to the lyght that is to saye to Christ and hys worde lest the bryghtnes of the lyght shuld reproue his dedes Thys is the cause good people why these papistes are so loth that the scripture of God shulde be redde of you laye people lest ye myght happen to espye theyr hypocrisie and crafty iugelynge agaynste Christ and hys trouth For scripture is the rule or touchstone wherby ye maye easely trye and discerne the chaffe from the corne the chalke from chese that is to saye hypocrisye from true religion They haue good people longe holden you in ignoraunce and in blyndenes to auaunce them selues and to raygne lyke kynges ouer you contrary both to gods lawe and mans lawe Wherfore I blame them the lesse though they hate scripture whych discloseth theyr hypocrisie and vsurped authoritie lest as Christe here sayeth theyr dedes shulde be rebuked and reproued But he sayeth Christe that doeth trouth cōmeth to the lyghte that hys dedes may be knowen bycause they are wrought in God as who shuld saye He that is iustifyed declared a good person by hys fayth whych he hath in me for declaracion therof doth the truth that my worde moueth hym to do and worketh not after hys owne fāsey thys man commeth to the lyght that is to wyt he gladly suffreth hys workes and procedynges to be tryed and examined by the rule of my worde bycause they be done in God and be godly workes Where as cōtrary wyse the hypocrite doth so much abhorre from the iudgement of my worde that he fleeth by all meanes he can from it woll suffre none other to loke vpon it Math. xxiii He woll neyther enter into the kyngdome of heauen hymselfe nor yet suffer others that wolde enter Such persons vnder pretence of holynes haue longe shut vp the kyngdome of heauē from many men But now thanked be God the lyght hath somwhat shone agayne Wherfore good people let vs not hate thys lyght and loue darknes styl as we haue done in tymes past whan we were deceyued by the iuglynges of these papistes Let vs beleue in thys Christe sente downe from the father of heauen to redeme vs. And yf gods worde be true we shall surely be saued and raygne wyth hym in heauen worlde wythout ende c. The Epistle on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The .viij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ Peter Ihon be sent into Samaria where after baptisme the Samaritanes receyued the holy goost WHen the Apostles whyche were at Ierusalem hearde say that Samaria hadde receyued the word of god they sent vnto them Peter and Ihon Whyche when they were come downe prayed for them that they myght receaue the holy goost For as yet he was come on none of them but they were baptysed onely in the name of Christe Iesu Then layed they theyr handes on them and they receaued the holy gooste THys lesson good people is taken forth of the eyght chapter of the Actes of thapostles for a more perfyte vnderstandynge wherof ye shal know that in the selfe chapter a lytle before it is shewed how S. Philip thapostle entered into a cytie of Samaria and preached there to the Samaritanes the glad tydinges of our Sauiour Christ Iesu how he beynge the sonne of God came downe
for the redēpcion of mankynde Thys his preachynge he dyd also confirme wyth myracles For as the texte also declareth the vncleane spirites cryenge wyth loude voyce came out of many that were possessed of them And many takē wyth palfeis and many that halted were healed Now the people gaue great hede to the thynges whych Philip spake And assone as they gaue credence to Philips preachynge of the kyngdome of God and of the name of Iesu Christe they were baptised both mē and wemen Here ye se good people how the Samaritanes whych were Hethen persons yea and such persons as the Iues whyche were the peculiar and proper people of god toke for very contempte and vyle persons receyued the gospell of Christ forthwyth at the preachynge of saynt Philip and were by and by baptised Thus farforth are the Samaritanes brought Now the lection red in the church thys day goeth further and sayth that when the Apostles whyche were gathered togyther at Ierusalem herde say that the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God they sent vnto thē Peter and Iohn whiche when they were come downe from the hyghe cytie of Ierusalem thyther vnto thē they prayed for them to thintent they myght receiue the holy ghoste For as yet the holy ghoste was not come on none of thē onlye they were baptized in the name of Christ Iesu Thā layde these two Apostles theyr handes vpon the Samaritans and anone they receyued the holy ghost This is the history redde in the church as thys daye But now my frendes what frute and profyte shal we beare away of this lesson What is here to be gathered Nothyng Yes truly for there is nothynge wrytten Ro. xv sayeth S. Paule but it is wryten for our learnynge that by pacience and confort of scriptures we shuld haue hope ☞ Fyrst therfore ye shall note howe glad the Apostles were to heare that these Samaritans were turned to the Gospell of Christe and they were not only glad but also carefull for them lest they myght happen to go backe agayne to theyr olde baguage and blyndnes And therfore in all hast they sent these two Apostles Peter and Iohn to confirme and strengthen theyr faith Here we be taught what the office of true good Apostles yea of all good Christen men is For we ought in lykewyse to be carefull for oure brethren that they maye be broughte to the perfeyte knowlege of gods worde And namely suche as call them selfes Apostolicall persons and Apostles fellowes successours as the byshoppes of Rome do oughte in this behalfe to folow thexēple of thapostles charite But they do cleane contrary they rather plucke mē from the Gospell then allure them vnto it Seconde ye shall note that before the resurrection of Christe when as yet the Iues and Gentyles were not ioyned togyther by all one fayth Math. x the Apostels were forbydden to entre into the cyties of the Samaritanes But after the resurrection whē they were bydden for the spredynge abrode of the gospell to go into all partes of the worlde then that former commaundemente whiche was but temporall and whyche dyd serue but for a tyme was taken awaye and cessed Thyrdly in this historye ye shall marke that the Samaritanes receyued forthwyth the holy ghoste assone as they beleued and were baptized For assuredly true and perfecte baptisme can not be without the holy ghost Furthermore it is not possible that fayth can be in that person where the holy spirite of God dothe not inhabite as many places aswell of scripture as of auncient fathers do wytnesse Yea S. Austin affirmeth playnly in his boke de presentia dei Austine that the holy ghost dothe dwell and inhabite in infauntes or childrē that be baptized Wherfore how muche more is he resident and abydynge in persons of age and discretion which haue fayth and be baptised So it is no doute but these Samaritanes at the preachyng of S. Philip receiued the holy ghost excepte perchaunce ye woll saye that S. Philippes preachynge had lesse vertue and efficaciem it then the preachynges of thother Apostles had whyche in no wyse is to be graunted Questiō But peraduenture ye woll meruayle then howe it is that it followeth in the historye red in the Churche this daye that after the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God the holy Ghost as yet was not come on none of thē And therfore the Apostles euē for that purpose sent Peter and Iohan whiche prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy Ghoste My frendes what shal we say to this Dyd the Samaritanes receyue goddes worde dyd they beleue were they baptised and yet were they voyde of the holy ghost Howe cā this be Chryste hym selfe sayeth he that beleueth is baptysed shall be saued mar xvi But onles a man be renued with the holy ghost he can not be saued as the same Chryst also testifyeth in the thyrde Chapter of Iohn Wherfore it must nedes folowe that the Samaritaynes had receyued the holy ghost forasmuch as true baptisme can not be without the holy Ghost Howe than sayth S. Luke here that the holy ghost was not yet come on the Samarytanes To this doubte I answere in fewe wordes The solution that this texte in this place that the holy Ghost was not yet come vpon them is to be vnderstande not of the substaūce of the spirite or holy Ghoste ☞ but of those manifest and notable gyftes of the holy Ghost They had the holy Ghost to comforte them and to lede them to al trueth necessary to their saluacion but they had him not yet to do miracles and speake straunge tonges as in the primatyue Churche they had for the confirmacion of Christes doctrine Neyther is it at this day necessarye the Gospell being nowe stablyshed that men shuld haue suche wonderfull gyftes of the spirite Wherfore good chrysten people I exhorte you and in the name of Christ I requyre you that accordynge to the exemple of these Samaritanes here ye wol laye downe your supersticion and blyndnes of harte wherin ye haue wandered and wyth glad mindes receyue the worde of God accordynge to youre profession and promyse whych ye made at the fount stone and put on Christ renouncynge the worlde the flesh and the deuell wyth stedfast and earnest fayth And no doubt ye shal be endowed wyth the holy goost who in all your trouble and afflictions shall cōforte you and directe you in youre waye to heauenwarde where is our dwellynge place prepared wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all glorye wythout ende Amen The gospell on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The .x. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Christ is the true shepeherde IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Verely verely I say vnto you he that entreth not in by the dore into the shepefolde but clymmeth vp some other way the same is a thefe and a murtherer But he that entereth in by the dore is the shepherd of
thre therfore the fathers haue founde out the worde person for the auoydynge of many errours Why the feaste of Trinitie was institute And hereof for discernynge the sayd persons is the name of Trinitie come into the church wherby we sygnifye not .iij. vnegall persons but thre persons coequal of one in diuisible substaunce and essencie And as touchinge the vse of thys feast oure predecessours thought it good to haue some certayne tyme appoynted in the church wherin they myght intreate of the offices of those thre persons egall in godheade And bycause the fourth chapter of the Apocalyps semeth to sette forth wonderfully well the maiestie of God and not obscurely to touche the mysterye of the Trinitie the church of Englande condescended to haue the same red in the church thys daye whych brefely God wyllynge we shal declare vnto you Thus it beginneth After thys I loked and beholde a dore open in heauen and the fyrst voyce I herde was as of a trōpe speakynge wyth me sayenge Come vp hither and I shall shewe the what shal be done herafter Thys dore whych saynt Ihon sawe open no doubte is the intraunce and commynge to the new and heauenly lyfe whych Christe oure Sauioure hath made vs as the Epistle to the Hebrues the .x. phil iij. chapter wytnesseth For our cōuersacion ought now to be in heauē And saynt Ihon doth here describe the Iudicial power of Christe gyuen hym of the heauenlye father wherewyth he defendeth hys churche from the power of the aduersaries And he sayeth There was a seate set and vpon it a sytter wherby he sygnifyeth the stabilitie of Christes raygne For hys seate or trone is as Dauid sayeth worlde wythout ende And he that satte vpon thys glorious and princelye trone or seate was to loke vpon lyke a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone Psalm lxxxiiij By thys is vnderstanded nothynge els but a certayne heauenly royall bewty shewynge aswell the maiestye as the power most excellent of the iudge Christ For the cloth of estate royall seates of kynges be wont to be moost rychely decked and furnyshed for the settynge out of theyr Maiestye and authoritie Nowe the Iaspar stone they saye beareth the semblaunce of water and the Sardyn stone of fyer wherby is vnderstanded that the Lorde is wont to make hys iudgementes in water and in fyer as appeareth Gen. vij and .xix. Exo. xiiij and in the seconde Epistle of Peter the last chapiter and in many other places of scripture The raynebow And a raynebowe was about the seat in syght lyke to an Emerald The raynebowe is a token that god the father is made at one wyth vs by Christ and reconciled to mankynde emerald as appeareth Gen. ix Nowe the Emeralde they say is of such grenenes vertue that it maketh all thynges aboute it to floryshe and growe Lactantius Euen so by Christ the world is renewed and it reflorysheth as Lactantius doth very elegauntly and well declare in a certayne Hymne And aboute the seate were .xxiiij. seates And vpon the seates .xxiiij. elders syttynge clothed in whyte raiment and had on their heades crownes of gold Saint Ihon doth here allude to the maner of a realme well ordered where kynges and princes whyche are to gyue sentence in maters of weyghte woll not do it wythout the assistence of certayne auncient personages that haue good experience of thynges and knowlege of the best lawes lest they myght seme to condempne any man of theyr owne priuate lust and pleasure Wherfore by this allusiō he declareth that God is a moost iust iudge whose sentence all iuste persons shal approue and prayse as moost ryghtful and true By the .xxiiij. elders ye shall vnderstande aswell the patriarches and prophetes of the olde synagoge as the Apostles Euangelistes doctours of the new Testament Exod. xxiiii Nu. xi Act. xx and also the godly kynges iuges of both peoples For they in scripture be called Elders Now by the syttynge of these Elders is vnderstande the felowship of the iudiciall power with Christ accordynge to Christes owne sayenge Mat. xix Ye shall also syt vpon the .xij. seates iudgynge the xij trybes i. cor vi Also saynt Paule wytnesseth that saintes shall iudge of thys worlde By theyr whyte garmentes or robes wherewyth they were clothed is sygnifyed purenes of mynde innocencye and indifferent iudgement wythout affection Exod. xviiij By theyr crownes of golde vpon theyr heades I vnderstande the mooste pure sense of faith wherby they shal iuge of al accordynge to the arbitrement of God so that what so euer they shall iuge vpon earth shal be ratifyed also in heauen accordynge to that sayng of Christ Mathew xviii What soeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde in heuen and what soeuer ye louse on erth the same shal be loused in heauen Furthermore they sygnifye the felowshyp of the victories and raygne of Christ Cap. xi accordynge to that in the Epistle to the Hebrues The sayntes haue vaynquyshed realmes by fayth It foloweth in the texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtenynges and thonderynges and voyces And there were seuen lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whyche are the seuen spirites of God The preachynge of the Apostles and of men apostolical is compared to lyghtenynge and thondrynge bycause by it is proclamed the fearfulnes of gods iudgementes the whych hange ouer the heades of infideles and such as beleue not By the .vii. lampes of fyre brennyng before the trone I vnderstande the septiforme spirite of God that is to wyt the fulnes and perfection of the heauenly graces wherwyth the kyngdome of Christ is furnyshed Esa xi i. cor xij It foloweth And before the seate there was a see of glasse lyke vnto Crystall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde about the seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde c. My frendes the calamities of thys worlde wherwyth the stynch of the fleshe is repourged and the naughtye affectes of the same vtterly mortifyed muste nedes be passed ouer of vs euen as it behoued the people of God to passe the red see before they coulde entre into the lande of promission Wherfore those heauenly and spiritual waters be here sygnifyed wherwythal the pourgynge of the soules and the spiritual regeneratiō is made Ioh. iij. i. Pe. iiij For onles a man be borne agayne of water and spirite he can not se God And he calleth it a see after the Hebrues fashion whych be wont to call al gatherynges of waters sees as in the thyrd boke of kynges it is called the brasen see wherin the prestes in theyr ministracion washed and in certaine other places Now glasse is a bryght thyng wherby is meant that the water of baptisme purifyeth and maketh bryght not so much the bodye as the hartes yea euē in the outwarde conuersation of maners according to that of Christe Let your lyght so shyne before
to hym and not to expresse our loue towardes him vpon our brethrē accordynge to hys commaūdement For that whych is done to them he counteth it done to hym selfe Who so euer then hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede and shutteth vp his cōpassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of god in hym As who shulde saye yf we be not beneficiall and good to our nedy and poore neyghbour it is a sure token that we loue not God and consequently that he neyther loueth vs. And in contrary wyse yf we be beneficiall and good to oure neyghboure for gods sake it is a ryght sure sygne and declaracion of our fayth towardes God and that god loueth vs Wherfore deare brethren let vs be mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the heauenly father as Christ monysheth vs Luc. vi And let vs not as Ihon sayeth here loue in worde i. tim i neyther yet in tonge but in dede and in trouth and as saynt Paule sayeth of a pure harte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned Whych thynge he calleth the ende of the cōmaundement These be the worthy frutes of fayth These frutes yf we brynge forth we declare our selues to be good trees plāted by the ryuer syde whych bryngeth forth frute in due season psal i we declare oure selues to be of the nombre of them whych S. Ihon here speaketh of that be translated from death to lyfe euerlastynge Where we shall lyue eternally wyth the father sonne and holy gost To whome be all glorye AMEN The gospell on .ij. sondaye after Trinitie The .xiiij. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christe in thys parable declareth that he is not apte to the kyngdome of heauen whych wyl ones laye hys hande to the plough loke backe to hys affections IEsus put forth a similitude to hys disciples sayenge A certayne man ordeyned a great supper and bad many and sente hys seruaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for al thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst sayd vnto hym I haue bought a farme and I must nedes go se it I pray the haue me excused And another sayd I haue bought fyue yooke of oxen I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And another sayde I haue maryed a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruaunt retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the good man of the house displeased and sayd to hys seruaunt Go out quyckely into the stretes and quarters of the cytie and brynge in hyther the poore and the feble and the halt and the blynde And the seruaunt sayd Lorde it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is rowme And the Lorde sayd to the seruaunt Go out vnto the hye wayes and hedges and compell them to come in that my house may be fylled For I saye vnto you that none of those men whych were bydden shall tast of my supper OVr Sauiour Christ good christen people consyderynge the vanitie of mens myndes in the worlde whych for the moost parte are wonte rather to talke of God of hys word and of the blessed state of the lyfe to come thā ernestly to appoint theyr mindes to remoue out of theyr lyfes such impedimētes as myght hynder them from God and hys worde shutte them out in cōclusion from the kyngdome of heauen declareth in thys gospell as in a proper parable the great foly of suche as so content themselfe wyth wordes only and vayne prayses and consyder no further to temper theyr lyues in suche wyse that an other daye they maye enioye in dede the euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heauen wherin they confesse so muche blysse felicitie to be as one ther was whych was syttynge at the table wyth Christe hearynge hym talke of the resurrection of the iuste sayd vnto hym Blyssed is he whych eateth bread in the kyngdome of God Christ takynge occasion of hys wordes taught both hym and all other in hym that many ther were whych could cōfesse wyth theyr mouth such to be happy that shulde be receyued there but yet in the course of theyr lyues semed not much desyrous to be partakers of that blysse howe greate so euer it be how frely so euer it be offred or howe kyndly so euer they be called ther to whose vnkyndnes and forgetfulnes of theyr owne welth and commoditie he resembled and lykened to such gestes as were gently louyngly called to a rych feaste wel aboundauntly prepared in all thynges and yet refused to come hauynge very vayne excuses for them selues whose vnkynde behauiour was reported to the feastmaker moued hym to displeasure to renounce them for theyr vnworthynes to take other to syt at hys feast Whyche although they were but of poore estimation yet bycause they were ready with great thankes to receyue the lyberalitie of the feaste maker so gently offred wythout theyr deseruynge they were admytted to sytte at hys owne table wyth hymselfe had the fruition of those delicates which the other that were fyrst called refused despysed Here is mater my frendes for vs that be Gentyles to consyder wyth great thankes to almyghty God ☜ that where as the people of the Iues were fyrst called by the seruauntes and messangers of hys word to the great supper of the ioye of heauen and they refused to come that then it pleased the father of al mercy to sende hys seruauntes to call vs to his said feast whych of al people were moost vnworthy and furdest from hym in somuch as we were wyde of all truth and lyght syttynge in moost blynde darkenes of errour and ydolatrye wanderynge in the bye pathes and croked wayes of our owne lustes and ymaginations so poore and voyde of all grace that in stede of the true God we honoured mortal men and brute beastes as our God Thus prouoked we hym fyrst these were our merytes and deseruynges vnto hym And yet pleased it hym to sende hys seruauntes to preach vs hys gospell and by the violence of so great gentylnes offered vs and earnest callynge on vs by hys Apostles we were brought into his holy house church of hys electe and there plenteously were set before vs to receyue frely the innumerable graces benefytes conteined and promysed in the worde of the gospell so that now Christ wyth al his ryghtuousnes wyth all hys iustice and holynes is frely gyuen vs to our welth and commoditie yf we wyll applye our selues by fayth and charitie to oure callynge Yf we se the want of ryghtuousnes in our selfe be anhongred therfore let vs sue vnto Christ and he shall replenysh vs therwyth Yf we be stūge wyth synne and wolde be delyuered from the daunger therof in Christe shall we fynde clere remyssion and shal be quyte discharged Yf we wante strength to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes the worlde the fleshe and
than hys owne welbeloued sonne God graunt vs all grace so to heare the callynge of almyghtye God to thys hys mercyfull feaste that we may be redy to come vnto hym in thys lyfe by grace and in the lyfe to come to be at the feaste wyth hym in hys heauenly kyngdome in glorye To whome wyth the sonne and the holy goost be euermore honoure and prayse worlde wythout ende Amen The Epistle on the .iij. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle of Peter the .v. Chapter Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to humilitie BRethren submyt your selues therfore vnder the myghtye hande of God that he maye exalte you whan the tyme is come Cast all your care vpō him for he careth for you Be sober watch for your aduersary the deuell as a roarynge Lyon walketh about sekynge whome he maye deuoure whom resyst stedfast in the fayth knowynge that the same afflictions are apoynted vnto youre brethren that are in the worlde But the God of all grace whych hath called vs vnto hys eternall glory by Christ Iesus shall hys owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a lytell affliccion make you perfyt setle strength and stablysh you To him be glorye and dominion for euer and euer Amen THys epistle good people is a ryght comfortable lesson exhortynge vs to lowlynes and modestye by the hope of euerlastynge rewardes whych remayne vnto vs. Fyrst therfore saynt Peter byddeth vs here to be humbled vnder the myghty hāde of god But what calleth the scripture to be hūbled What is to be hūbled Surely to be humbled sygnifyeth in holy scripture to be throwen downe to be depressed and vtterly to be brought to nought so that dispayryng of al mās helpe we perceyue both that we be nothynge that we can do nothyng vpon whych humilitie also a certayne outwarde sobernes and mekenes foloweth towardes the worlde They that in thys wyse beynge humbled do cast the hole trust and affiaūce of theyr harte vpon God shall at length no doubt be promoted and auaunced vp on hygh Let vs then my frendes be humbled let vs submytte oure selues vnder the myghty hāde of God that is to say let vs know that whyle we submytte oure selues one to another ☜ we exhibite and do thys office of obediēce not to mē but to God hymselfe And assuredly thys oughte to be a ryght syngular comforte vnto vs yf we knowe that we by our obedience do please not mē only but also God hymselfe But ye woll obiecte agaynst me Who wolde not wysh to be obedient vnto God Ye saye well but we worship God wyth thoffice and seruice of obedience whan we honoure our neyghbour wyth obedience whom god commaundeth to be honoured Let vs then my frendes be meke and hūble aswell in weale as in wo and let vs euermore haue in remembraunce the myghty hande of God wherewyth we knowe that we shall ones be delyuered yea and also be exalted But when surely in due tyme not whan it semeth good to vs but whan God shall se it moost conuenient for vs. And let vs cast all our care vpon hym let vs I saye commende and commytte our cause to God whych shall fyght and care for vs. Seconde for asmuch as the deuel hateth nothynge worse then mutuall obedience and subiection in the congregacion ☞ Saynt Peter also in thys epistle monysheth vs that we shulde be sobre watch lest the deuell disturbe our concorde and whyle we be aslepe come and sowe tares accordynge to the parable of Christ in the .xiij. chapter of Matheu Let vs thā be sober aswel in our doctrine as in our outwarde cōuersation and maners of lyfe Let vs be vigilant prudent in all our doynges and procedynges And why For our aduersary I say not the worldes aduersary but the aduersary of thē which folow godlynes I meane the deuell busely wythout ceasynge walketh about lyke a roarynge Lyon on euery syde Tanq̄ leo rugiens to what ende to deuoure and vtterly to destroye vs. Surely good people our mortall enemye the deuell is euer lyenge in wayte not agaynst the worlde but agaynst such as renounce the worlde folow Christ I meane such as be ryght christian mē and women to thintent he myghte chase and dryue them awaye from the confession of the Gospel vnto foule and vncleane lustes whome onles we resyst wyth fayth sobrenes watchyng and warenes he wol surely haue the vpper hande of vs and cast vs downe hedlong How then shall we chase awaye the deuel wyth outwarde and carnall thynges No truly but with stedfast fayth whych commeth from the harte cleauyng fast to Christ the Lorde and conquerour of Satan our enemye knowynge this ☜ that the same afflicciōs be appoynted to the hole christen brotherhod through out the worlde Wherfore we ought not to thynke that we only be tempted and troubled but we suffer it in cōmune wyth so many as are earnest beleuers of Christes holy worde Fynally we be here cōforted agaynst the crosse and temptacions and be put in mynde by saynt Peter that the God of all grace whych hath called vs to hys eternal glorye by Christ our Lorde woll at last delyuer vs and not suffer vs to be tempted aboue oure powers and where he suffreth vs to be tempted yet he wyll make perfyte our temptacions and wyl confirme strengthen and stablysh vs in them lest we perysh or take a fal and so be vtterly vainquyshed of our enemy and be confounded To hym be glorye prayse dominion worlde wythout ende Amen The Gospell on the .iij. sondaye after Trinitie The .xv. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The parable of the hundred shepe and of the grote THen resorted vnto hym all the publicanes synners for to heare hym And the pharisees and scribes murmured sayenge He receyueth synners and eateth wyth them But he put forth thys parable vnto them sayenge What man of you hauynge an hundred shepe yf he lose one of them doth not leaue nynty and nyne in the wyldernes go after that whych is lost vntyll he fynde it And whan he hath founde it he layeth it on his shulders wyth ioye And assone as he cōmeth home he calleth together hys louers and neyghbours sayenge vnto them Reioyse wyth me for I haue foūde my shepe whych was lost I saye vnto you that lykewyse ioye shal be in heauen ouer one synner that repenteth more than ouer nyntye and nyne iust persons whych nede no repentaunce Eyther what woman hauynge ten grotes yf she lose one doth not she lyght a candell and swepe the house and seke diligently tyl she fynde it And whan she hath founde it she calleth her louers and her neghbours together sayenge Reioyce wyth me for I haue founde the grote whych I had lost Lykewise I say vnto you shall there be ioye in the presence of the angels of god ouer one synner that repenteth IN thys Gospell deare brethren is set before our eyen the notable exemple of
Finally forasmuch as Christ sayeth that the angels in heauen do ioye vpon such as repent we be here taught that repentaunce is a worke very acceptable and pleasynge to God Wherfore my frendes let vs not be lykened to these religiouse proude and presumptuouse Pharisees scribes whych murmured and grudged at the tēder harte and kyndnes of our Sauiour Christ which iustifyed themselues despysynge all other in comparison of them bycause of theyr owne tradicions and obseruaunces therfore thoughte they had no nede of Christ But let vs humbly and thankfully at the preachynge of Christes holy worde whyche it hathe pleased hym now in these last dayes to disclose and open agayne vnto vs to repente vs of oure wandrynge out of the ryght waye And thā doubtles the angels in heauen shall haue more ioye ouer vs thā ouer all those which were counted moost holy perfyte persons in the syght of the worlde Whych angels also at oure departure out of thys vale of mysery shal cary vp our soules into heuen where we shall haue the moost ful fruition of all ioye wyth Christe our Lorde To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye Amen The Epistle on the .iiij. sondaye after trinitie The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ In thys epistle we be comforted to beare aduersitie well in worth seynge it is the waye to euerlastynge glorye BRethren I suppose that the afflictions of thys lyfe are not worthy of the glory whych shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abydeth lokynge whan the sonnes of god shall appeare bycause the creature is subdued to vanitie agaynst the wyll therof but for hys wyll whych hath subdued the same in hope For the same creature shal be deliuered from the bondage of corrupcion into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For we know that euery creature groneth wyth vs also and trauayleth in payne euen vnto thys tyme. Not only it but we also which haue the fyrst frutes of the spirite mourne in our selues also and wayte for the adoption of the chyldrē of god euen the delyueraunce of our bodye THe holy Apostle saynt Paule welbeloued brethren and systers consyderyng the state of true christen men whych lyue godly in thys worlde to be full of aduersities and troubles whych be offred vnto them both by the worlde Psalm xxxiij the fleshe and the deuel and knowynge the weake power of frayle men to be farre vnable to stande stedfastly in them onles they be armed fensed with the armoure of gods worde exhorteth vs therfore in thys epistle by dyuerse reasons to pacience and sufferaūce and comforteth vs wyth the great ioye and glorye that shal be declared vnto vs in the worlde to come He affirmeth vnto vs that what so euer we can suffer in thys worlde is but shorte and transytory but the ioye that we shall receyue is durable and euerlastynge Howe great so euer the payne be of oure aduersitie that we suffer here I thynke it nothynge sayeth saynt Paule to the glorye that shall appeare vnto vs which is so great and infinite that it can not be comprehended of any mans vnderstandynge i. cor ij Esa lxiiij It farre passeth the eye of man to se thorowe it or the eare to heare the greatnes therof or the harte of man to vnderstande the glorye that God hath prepared for them that loue hym which are content after the exemple of hys welbeloued son Christ to suffer and to beare theyr crosse wyth good harte and wyll Let vs therfore behold not so much the grefe and despyte of persecution and despleasures of thys worlde as the bryghtnes and excellency of the glorye that we shal be in whyche although we se it not wyth our corporall eye yet wyth the eye of our fayth in the myrrour of goddes worde we se it much more clerly and shall more surely enioye it thā we se enioye those thynges whyche be vnder oure corporall syght Yf the greatnes of aduersitie feareth vs let vs call to mynde that whan we suffer innocently we suffer wyth Christ and Christ wyth vs. Yf we be of the body by true fayth than maye we be sure that the heade beareth parte wyth vs and helpeth vs in our aduersitie In hys power assistence we shall ouercome Of our selfe we be to weake but in hys power sayeth saynt Paule in whom is my cōforte phil iiij I can do all thynges Let noman thynke it impossible to beare paciently the losse of name of goodes of wyfe and chyldren to beare the great assaultes of the deuels temptacions for to ouercome the stronge vnruly affections of our corrupte nature and thervpon in cowardnes to gyue ouer and suffer our selues to be led vnder theyr captiuitie nay there is nothynge to harde to be performed of a christian man in whome the spirite of God is abydynge Ioh. xvi Take good hart sayeth our Sauiour and captaine Christ I haue ouercome the worlde and al these for you It is not impossible for you to resyst to haue the victory for fayth subdueth all thynges and hath the victory of al thynges that be agaynst you for al thynges be possible to fayth Mat. ix Thys is the comforte that a christian man maye haue to consyder that it is not hys aduersitie alone whyche he suffreth but Christ hys heade and captayne suffereth wyth hym As he sayd to Saul whā he persecuted the christian men Act. ix Saul Saul why doest thou persecute me It ought to be no straunge thynge to vs to suffer i. tess iij Heb. xij For saynt Paul sayeth that we be ordeyned for thys vse and purpose In chastisement doth god nurture his chyldren whome he loueth Yf our lyfe be in chastisement and aduersitie and we lyue in paciēce we may haue good hope that as we be made lyke to Christe in trouble and affliction so shall we be lyke to hym in glorye The waye to pleasure is by aduersitie to welth by infirmitie to glorye by rebuke and shame to ryches euerlastyng by transitory pouertie After none other sorte walked our sauiour Christ in thys worlde Math. ◠It were vnmete the disciple to be aboue the mayster It were not mete the souldioure to be more delicatly handled than hys captayne Ro. viij Who can requyre of God to be spared frō hys crosse where god spared not hys owne deare and welbeloued sonne Christ He suffred al reproffes and afflictions suffered to the death of the crosse and yet deserued it not Phil. ij why than shuld not we that be synners content our selues to suffer whether God ordeyneth aduersitie to fall vpon vs for our synnes to thintent to purge vs of them or whether he wolde haue vs suffer for the tryall of oure faytht hat so by oure pacience we myght glorifye hys name and edify our neyghbour by our exemple Let vs blisse our selues in the name of the
skant at any tyme gotten wythout fraude wythout deceyt and crafte neyther is there any other waye of kepynge augmentynge them than of gettynge them It is no doubt an onerouse and a chargeable possession and in the meane season neyther sure nor longe lastynge For truely they folowe not theyr mayster whan he departeth hense But wyth these yet maye he bye the thynge that is euerlastynge and that maye do hym good in the lyfe to come So shall it come to passe that that thynge whych yf it be layde vp maketh a man wycked and subiecte to many cares the same yf it be wel bestowed is become an instrument of the euangelicall ryghtuousnes whyle both he is relyued of hys necessities whych serueth the gospel and a rewarde retourneth wyth much gaynes to the gyuer Wherfore my frendes to conclude yf we wyll not be lyke these chyldren of the worlde whome I haue spoken of let vs hartely loue the lyghte let vs walke in the lyght and let vs so be the chyldrē of lyght whyle we are in thys worlde that we may shyne in the worlde that is to come bryght as the Sōne Let vs accordyng to our sauioure Christes aduertisement counsaile here playe the partes of the wyse stewarde Let vs make vs frendes of our money and worldly goodes in bestowynge them not vpon pardons as the byshop of Rome teacheth vs but vpon our poore and nedy neyghbours to thintent that they maye receyue vs agayne whither into theyr owne houses to gyue vs dyner for dyner cote for cote money for money No but into euerlastinge habitaciōs and tabernacles in heauen there to haue fruition of all celestiall ioye wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all honoure all glorye al imperie for euer euer Amen The Epistle on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .xij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The diuersitie of the gyftes of the holy goost BRethren ye knowe that ye were gentyles and wente your wayes vnto domme ymages euen as ye were led Wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speakyng by the spirite of God defieth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghoste There are diuersities of gyftes yet but one spirite And there are differēces of administracions and yet but one Lord. And there are dyuerse maners of operacions and yet but one God whyche worketh all in all The gyfte of the spirite is gyuen to euery mā to edifie wythall For to one is gyuen thorowe the spirite the vttraunce of wysdome To an other is gyuen the vttraūce of knolege by the same spirite To an other is gyuen fayth by the same spirite To an other the gyftes of healyng by the same spirite To an other power to do miracles To an other prophecie To an other iudgemente to discerne spirites To an other diuerse tōges To an other the interpretacion of tonges But these al worketh euen the selfe same spirite diuidyng to euery man a seuerall gyfte euen as he wyll THe auncient fathers good people which ordeyned thys epistle to be redde thys daye in the church thought it no doubt ryght necessarye that there shuld be some certayne tyme appoynted in the churche to intreate of the gyftes of the holy goost wherwyth he hath adourned and furnyshed one mēber of the same before another to thyntent that they whych haue the mo gyftes shulde the more laboure and the rather helpe other And therfore Christ sayd to hys disciples He that is the greater man of you be he the seruaunt of thother The occasion of thys epistle The occasion that moued saynt Paule to wryte these thynges of gyftes semeth to be thys The worde of God whan it is purely and syncerely preached can not be abydē ne suffred of the deuell who is the moost sworne enemy of the pure worde He commeth therfore by and by and attempteth al the meanes possible eyther vtterly to destroye it or at least waye to blotte it wyth false doctrine as we se the thynge to haue come to passe in our tyme not wythout great confusion The Apostle to remedye these inconueniencies wryteth these thynges concernynge gyftes bycause that of pryde and vayneglorye whych is conceyued by great gyftes of God sundrye sectes and cōtencions be wont to ryse Yea the deuell hath no redyer waye to take awaye gods worde than to make vs puffed vp wyth pryde in our lernynge and knowlege and so to set vs together by the eares whych meane also the deuell vsed in the church of the Corinthians in whych one pursued an other very vnchristianly for theyr gyftes Some there were whyche despysed the gyftes of the holy goost as at this daye there be some whych despice the expositions and interpretacions of all holy doctours fathers of the church leanynge onely to theyr owne wytte exposition some whych despice the lyberall sciencies and good artes some whych saye that the knowlege of the tonges do no good in the church But thys is the strayght waye to take away gods worde For whā preachers yea or laye mē shal stryue amonges themselues of vayne glorie there must the pure worde of God nedes be adulterated corrupted wyth infinite sectes Fyrste therfore saynte Paule in thys epistle putteth the Corinthians in remembraunce of the state of theyr former lyfe that they lyued in before they came to the knowlege of gods worde For there is surely no argument eyther greater or strōger to stey men frō takynge pryde of theyr gyftes than is this to put them in mynde of theyr former state and conuersation that they were in whyle they were oute of grace walked in blyndnes ydolatrie For what other thynge were we before the knowlege of gods worde than wycked panyms and ydolaters From whych inconueniencies and euels whan we are delyuered by grace I praye you what occasion doeth now remayne for vs to be proude In that we be turned of wycked panyms into christians it is not our meryte Furthermore where as of ydolaters we be made the true worshippers of God neyther can we ascribe thys to our owne powers That we haue gyftes now beynge vnder the Gospell by whose benefyte commeth it Surely not by our owne merite By whose than By the bountifulnes and benefyte of the holy goost What gloriacion than remayneth vnto vs Forsoth thys that we may saye we were wycked panyms worshippers of ydols enemyes of God but now through the grace fauour of god we be delyuered from so great euels Afore the worlde it wolde seme a great foly and madnes a mā to glorie and boast in other mens benefytes But what a greater foly and madnes is it as the Corinthians dyd to glorye in the gyftes of god whych do chaūce vnto men of mere grace and that but only for a tyme of thys lyfe The cause of arrogancye in gospellers Assuredly my frendes the chiefe arrogancie inflacion or puffynge vp with pryde which some
Math. vi Forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynst vs. And by these wordes sayeth saynt Austine humblynge oure soules we cease not after a maner to do dayly penaunce But it is to be feared lest many of vs playe rather the pharisees parte thynkynge our selues hyghly in gods fauour and in the meane season despysynge our neghbours whych by theyr humble submission and penitent hertes shall get vp before vs. Heauen is gyuen not to such as iustifie themselues by their owne dedes but to such as mekely and penitently call for mercy pardon and grace wherby they maye afterward worke that maye be pleasaunt in gods syght Who wol surely in heauen crowne them wyth glorye immortall To whome be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xij. sondaye after Trinitie The .ij. Epistle to the Corin. the .iij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The ministration of the gospel is here praysed BRethren such trust haue we thorow Christ to godwarde not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke any thynge as of oure selues but yf we be able vnto any thynge the same commeth of God whych hath made vs able to minister the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter kylleth but the spirite gyueth lyfe Yf the ministracion of death thorow the letters fygured in stones was glorious so that the chyldren of Israel coulde not behold the face of Moses for the glorye of hys countenaunce whych glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite be much more glorious For yf the ministrynge of condemnation be glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghtuousnes excede in glorye FOr bycause that saint Paule welbeloued brethrē in our sauiour Christe had a lytle before the begynnynge of the epistle of thys daye praysed the Corinthians sayenge vnto them that they were hys epistle in Iesu Christe in asmuch as they had receyued hys gospell and had wrytten and imprinted his fayth in theyr hartes by hys administration preachynge Ministred by vs sayeth he not wryttē with ynke but by the spirite of the lyuyng God Not written in tables of stone as those that Moses had but in tables of flesh in the harte therfore to thyntent to gyue them none occasion that they shulde waxe therwyth proude and to hope and glorie in themselues and not in God and also for to holde them in humilitie vnder the sauegarde of God saynt Paule sayeth We haue truely such hope in God by Christ not that we are sufficient of our selues c. As yf he had sayd Thys that I saye I do not speake it arrogantly presumynge of myne owne wyttes but I haue such hope in God by Iesu Christ that thys that I say is true and shall abyde true I do not saye it of my selfe as of my selfe for we be not sufficient to thinke any thynge of our selues as of our selues but oure sufficientnes and all that whyche we maye thynke speake and do touchynge goodnes cōmeth and dependeth from God whych is begynnynge myddes and ende of all goodnes The whych hath made vs and gyuen vs power to be ministers and preachers of the new testament of the new and good promises whych are by Iesu Christ He hath gyuen vs authoritie and commission to be a preacher not of the letter but of the spirite for the letter sayeth saint Paul sleeth the soule and the spirite doth quycken it We ought here to note well the difference that there is to preache the letter and the spirite For vnto the tyme that the lyuely worde of God be by feruēt fayth rooted in our hartes vnto the tyme I say that we serue God nomore wyth euell wyll but ioyfully and frely what studye or lections soeuer we take yea yf we knewe the olde and new testament by rote of harte yet folowe we the letter But the spirite of God the spirite of scripture the spirite of the which S. Paul speaketh of here is out of feare it serueth in lybertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is there is lybertie fredome Saynt Paule now after that he bare the lyght of God I meane the worde of Iesu Christ beynge desyrous and wyllynge not to hyde it vnder a bushell but exaltynge it and settynge it vp to be bruted and praysed of angels and of men commeth to compare the eternall gospell vnto the transitorye lawe of Moses He calleth the lawe of Moses the executynge or administracion of death damnation Not but that the law is good and holy yf it be vsed lawfully but forbycause the Iues haue abused it to theyr damnation And for the same cause by occasion it is called administration of death He sayeth than yf the administration of death that is to saye yf the auncient lawe was delyuered and gyuen in lyght in puissaunce and in glorye what shall the lawe of the gospell be whych is the administration of the spirite of lyfe and of iustice But forasmuche as dyuerse heretikes and vnlearned persones haue mysvnderstanded thys wrytynge of saint Paule in thys place therfore I thynke it not amysse brefly to make a faythfull reapport vnto you of S. Austines wordes concernynge the interpretacion of thys place Thus he wryteth in hys seconde boke agaynst the aduersary of the lawe and prophetes The lawe albeit it be holy iust and good The wordes S. Austine yet it bryngeth death to the transgressours and breakers therof whome the grace of God helpeth not to fulfyl the iustice of the lawe For it behoued that in the olde testament a lawe shuld be layde vpon the proude and stubborne Iues and on such as trusted vpon the power of theyr owne wyll whych lawe shuld not gyue them ryghtuousnes but shulde commaunde vnto them ryghtuousnes and so beynge wrapped and in tangled wyth the death for transgression that they myght fle to grace which grace not only cōmaūdeth but also helpeth thys grace in the new testament is reuelate and opened vnto vs. And of thys occasion do these blasphemours of gods worde thynke that the lawe was nought whych was gyuen by Moses bycause it is called the ministration of death fygured in stony letters They consyder not that it was so called bycause of them whyche thoughte by theyr owne fre wyll to satisfye the lawe not holpen with the spirite of grace were holden gyltye of transgression vnder the letter of the same lawe For assuredly the transgression or breakinge of the lawe shuld not be euell onles the law it selfe were good What maruayle is it than yf it be called the ministracion of death where the letter kylleth in prohibitynge euell whych is done and in commaundynge good whych is not done and on the contrary syde that the other is called the ministracion of the spirite whych quyckeneth that we mought ryse from the death of preuarication and rede not gyltie in tables ryghtuousnes ☞ but beynge fre might haue it in our hartes and maners that is to
saye the newe testament differrynge from the olde in asmuch as in the one the old man is hedged in wyth the straytes of feare but in the other the new man walketh at large in the wydenes of charitie For the prohibicion of sinne bycause it is a lawe vndoubtedly increaseth the desyre of sinnynge whych is not quenched but by the cōtrary desyre of doynge well where fayth worketh by loue Hythervnto I haue reported the wordes of S. Austine whych doth full well expounde and declare vnto vs the sentence meanynge of the Apostle Paule in thys epistle whose only mynde and purpose is to prouoke vs to loue esteme and folowe the holy and syncere gospell by the whych the holy goost is gyuē vnto vs and by the whych we be newly borne agayne and lyuynge in spirite or goost and no more after a fleshly sorte God gyue vs the grace that it maye be shedde ouer all the worlde as the foure floddes of paradyse as a see flowynge as floddes rysynge in lyfe eternal that euery body may drinke plentefully of eternall lyfe to thys ende purpose that we may altogether prayse and glorifye God euerlastyngly by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome be al honour Amen The Gospel on the .xij. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ The healynge of the deafe and dombe man IEsus departed agayne from the coastes of Tyre and Sidon and came vnto the see of Galile thorowe the myddes of the coastes of the ten cyties And they brought vnto hym one that was deaffe and hadde an impedimente in hys speche and they prayed hym to put hys hande vpon hym And whā he had taken him asyde from the people he put his fyngers into hys eares and dyd spyt and touched his tonge and loked vp to heauen and syghed and sayd vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayght waye hys eares were opened and the strynge of hys tonge was loused and spake plaine And he commaunded them that they shulde tell no man But the more he forbad them so muche the more a great deale they published sayeng he hath done all thynges wel he hath made both the deafe to heare and the dombe to speake THe Gospell redde in the church thys day good christen people teacheth vs that after that our sauiour Christ had priuely stolen away out of Iewry and had amonges the Tyrians Sidonians and Cananites secretlye sowen there the sede of his holy worde he reflected hys iourney and came agayne to the lake of Galilee takynge in hys waye the region of Decapoly where before that tyme he had healed a man possessed of a deuell Whan he was come hyther they brought vnto hym a ryght myserable spectacle that is to saye a man both deafe and dombe For he muste nedes be dombe whyche is of nature deafe ☞ But he is more myserably deafe whych hath no mete eares to heare gods word he is worse dōbe whych hath no tonge to confesse hys fylthynes and gods mercy By hearynge of the fayth is the begynnynge of health and saluation and by confession of the mouth is the perfection of helth The Iues albeit they dayly herde Iesus speakyng yet hearynge they herde not for asmuch as accordynge to thexemple of the serpent called the Aspik whyche stoppeth her eares agaynst the voyce of the wyse inchaunter The propertie of the Aspike they wolde not beleue such thynges as they herde And therfore they had a tonge to backbyte and detracte but they had no tōge to the holsome professiō of faith But what shal this sely poore mā do which hath no tonge wherewyth he maye craue hys soule helth of the Lorde whych hath no eares wherby he maye perceyue the voyce of Iesus whych is wonte to rayse euen the deade to lyfe They that had tonges and eares do helpe the sely mā they brynge him to Iesus They besech hym of hys tēder mercy that he woll vouchsaue to laye hys hande vpon hym Thus it pleaseth the moost mercyfull Lorde that euen other mens fayth shuld helpe synners Other mens fayth otherwhyles helpeth In lykewyse the hethen person whych is about to leaue his hethen lyfe to become christianed in which state he is called of the aūcient fathers of the church catechumenus is brought to Iesus he hath stynted to do euel he hath stinted to speake euel but he hath not yet lerned to do wel he hath not yet lerned to cōfesse the goodnes of the gospel For how cā he do thys yf Iesus lay not hys hāde vpō hym Mē labour in vayne onles the secrete power and vertue of Christ be put therto It was an easy thynge for the Lorde euen wyth the bare worde of hys mouth to gyue helth to the deafe and dombe man but thys forme of thynges is purposed and set forth vnto vs. For lyke as for the moost parte it is a parable that Christ speaketh so oftentymes it is a parable that he doth He toke the man by the hāde led hym asyde frō the multitude of people He is saufe whom Iesus taketh vp whō he leadeth away frō the hurley burly of thys worlde He put hys fyngers into hys eares and wyth hys spyttell touched hys tonge Assuredly my frendes ☜ helth and saluacion is then at hande whan our sauioure Christe Iesus by the vertue of hys spirite The allegorie whych is the fynger of God vouchsaueth to touch the eares of oure mynde and as often as wyth the spyttell of the heauenly wysedome whych is hymselfe commynge out from the mouth of the father aboue he vouchsaueth to touche the tonge of oure mynde to thintent that those thynges myght sauour vnto vs which belōge to God and be godly For wythout thys humour is made no taste mans spyttell yf it be infected hath a peruerse iudgement Thys spettell not onely louseth the tonge but also openeth the eyen of him that is borne blynde as often as beynge myxed with earth it be layde vpon the eyes wheras on the contraryesyde ☞ the spettel of philosophers and of pharisees do rather put out the eyes The same thynge in maner do also the teachers of the gospell They take men and leade them awaye from the multitude whā out of the broade way wherin the moost parte of people do walke into theyr owne damnacion they cal them backe and brynge them agayne to the felowship of the lytle flocke They put theyr fyngers into theyr eares whan by callynge them awaye from the vanities of thys worlde they sturre them to receyue the heauenly doctrine They laye spettell vpon theyr tōges whan they exhorte them to professe the euangelicall fayth they laye theyr handes vpon them whā they gyue the holy goost to such as be baptised by whome theyr synnes be wyped awaye and innocencie is conferred But all these thynges the curate or byshop doth outwardlye in vayne yf Christe worke not wythin and sende out hys godly vertue frō heauen
Of thys thynge Christe Iesus wyllynge to declare vnto vs as it were a certayne ymage or token after he had taken the man vnto hym after he had put hys fyngers into hys eares and had spetted on hys tonge he lyfted vp hys eyen to heuen syghed Thys syghynge was no mystrustynge Why Christ syghed but a bewaylynge of mans mysery calamitie For what thinge can be more myserable than they whych haue the eares of theyr mynde so encombred and occupied with earthly lustes that they can not heare the worde of God and whych haue theyr tonge so entangled and infected wyth vicious affectioÌ„s that they sauer not of heauenly thynges that they be dombe to confesse theyr naughtynes dombe to auaunce gods mercye Wherfore the syghynge of Iesus admonysheth vs what we were ☜ and hys lokynge vp to heauen plucketh awaye desperation declarynge from whence helpe commeth vnto vs also whome we be bouÌ„de to thanke that wheras before we had our eares opeÌ„ to detraction backbytynge to rybaudrye and foule wordes to foolysh fables to pharisaicall doctrine to vayne philosophie to the suggestioÌ„s of the deuel we haue them now open to receyue the heuenly doctrine of the gospell and wheras before we had oure toÌ„ge so infected wyth the spettel of flesh that the delicate foode of the gospel was loothed of vs so bouÌ„de wyth the bondes of Sathan that we could neyther confesse our owne sinnes nor yet auaunce the glorie of god we now confesse that of oure owne merytes we deserue nothynge but hell and that it commeth holly of gods goodnes that we be chosen to the name and inheritaunce of the chyldren of god Wherfore in lyke wyse doth euery good curate and preste bewayle rather then rage vpon mens synnes he is rather sory than angrye neyther doth he arrogantly calenge to hymselfe the power of assoylynge but he loketh vp to heauen confessyng and testifyenge that all that euer is done through the rytes of holy sacramentes is done by gods vertue and not mans power It foloweth in the texte that Iesus sayd vnto hym Ephata that is to say be opened And forthwyth the vertue folowed the worde For strayght hys eares were opened and the strynge of his tonge loused and he spake distinctly They had open cares whych when the Lorde sayd vnto them Come after me Actu ij left all and folowed hym They had an vntangled and louse tonge which after they had receyued the holy goost spake wyth sondrye tonges the wonders of God and whych answered the ruler that charged them no more to preach the name of Iesu in thys wyse Act. iiij Whyther it be ryght in the syght of God to obeye you rather then God iudge you Nowe these thynges that Christe dyd were done asyde from the multitude For he thought it not best to make the rude multitude a wytnes of the euangelicall begynnynges lest they shulde mocke the thynge that as yet they knew not Iesus therfore coÌ„maunded them that they shuld tell nomaÌ„ herof not bycause he wold not that the thynge were knoweÌ„ that was done but bycause the thynge selfe speaketh better the heaueÌ„ly vertue than doth the brute and reapporte of men They knewe all well ynough the deafe and dombe man Now he herde and spake plainly so he not disclosynge the thynge yet bruted the benefyte of Christ Furthermore Iesus bare here the ymage of man ☞ to thintent he wolde instructe men what they ought to do An exeÌ„ple for vs to folowe What soeuer excellent thynge a maÌ„ doth let him couet to haue hys dede vnknowen that the glorie of man myght be huyshed and the glorie of God preached Man is ieopardously praysed but the power goodnes of God is worthely auaunced Albeit neyther is mans glorye huyshed yf yet he hath any glorie but ofteÌ„tymes the more it is eschued the more it foloweth Yet neuerthelesse a christeÌ„ teacher ought to be thus affected that as much as in hym lyeth he couette to be knowen dâ—ly of God And herin he is the worthyer to be praysed amonges all men For who soeuer seketh for glorie amonges men is euen for that cause vnworthy therof Wherfore that Iesus forbad them whych brought the doâ—be man that they shulde tell no bodye what was done the selfe same thynge prouoked them the more to blâ—se it abrode and so much the more also they magnifyed auaunced Christ which wheras he had so great vertue and power dyd them therwyth such pleasure not onely requyred no rewarde of them for the same but also wolde not ones inioye the glorie of so noble a farre But as it is the parte of a weldoer not to requyre prayse for hys benefyte so agayne it is the office of a kynde man so much the more to gyue thankes in that that he whych dyd the benefyte loke for no thaÌ„ke Wherfore they neuer ceased to blase abrod the name of Iesus in euery place where so euer they came sayenge He hath done all thynges well He hath restored aswell hearynge to the deaffe as tonge to the dombe Assuredly my frendes thys prayse agreeth only vpon God There is no earthly no mortal person that doth all thynges well All Christes myracles no doubt were oure benefytes which myracles yf ye waye and expende them after the outward face of corporall thynges in dede there were many myracles whych he dyd that were of much more excelleÌ„cy and worthynes than thys that of a deafe man he made an hearer of a dombe a speaker ☜ But accordynge to the spirituall sense the summe of all a christian maÌ„s felicitie standeth in thys poynt that wyth hys eares he mought heare the worde of the gospell speake that he hath lerned and beleued This thynge good christen people yf we do we shall surely at length in heryte the kyngdome of heauen prepared for vs. Where God the father the sonne holy goost thre persons in deytie raygne eternally To whome be al glorie Amen The Epistle on the .xiij. sondaye after Trinitie The .iij. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ The lawe saueth vs not but Christ BRethren to Abraham and hys sede were the promyses made He sayeth not in the sedes as many but in thy sede as of one whych is Christ Thys I saye that the lawe whych began afterward beyond foure hundreth and thyrtye yeares doeth not disanull the testament that was confermed afore of God vnto Christward to make the promes of none effect For yf the inheritaunce come of the lawe it coÌ„meth not now of promes But God gaue it vnto Abraham by promes Wherfore than serueth the lawe The lawe was added because of traÌ„sgression tyll the sede came to whome the promes was made and it was ordeyned by Angels in the hande of a mediator A mediator is a mediator of one But God is one Is the lawe than agaynst the promes of God God forbyd For yf ther had ben a lawe gyuen whych coulde haue gyuen
what is wrytten in the lawe How redest thou And he answered and sayde Loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy hart and wyth all thy soule and wyth all thy strength and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghbour as thy selfe And he sayde vnto hym Thou hast answered ryght This do and thou shalt lyue But he wyllynge to iustifye hymselfe sayd vnto Iesus And who is my neyghboure Iesus answered and sayd A certayne man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge theues which robbed hym of hys rayment and wounded hym and departed leauynge hym halfe deade And it chaunced that there came downe a certayne prest that same waye and whan he sawe hym he passed by And lykewyse a Leuite whan he wente nye to the place came and loked on hym and passed by But a certayne Samaritane as he iorneyed came vnto hym and whā he sawe hym he had compassion on hym and went to and bounde vp hys woundes poured in oyle and wyne set him on his owne beast and brought hym to a cōmon ynne made prouision for hym And on the morowe whan he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the hoost and sayd vnto hym Take cure of hym and what so euer thou spendest more whā I come agayne I wyll recōpence the. Whych now of these thre thynkest thou was neyghbour vnto hym that fel amonge the theues And he said he that shewed mercy on hym Than sayde Iesus vnto hym Go and do thou lykewyse BLessed be the eyen whych se that you haue sene c. Welbeloued audience these be the wordes of our Sauiour Christ spoken to hys disciples in the x. chapter of Luke whych be red in the churche thys daye For the better vnderstandynge wherof ye shal marke that Christe a lytle before the speakynge of these wordes reioysyng in spirite gaue prayses and thankes to hys father of heuen bycause he had hyd the mysterye of the gospell from the proude Pharisees whych were counted the wyse and wyttye persones of the worlde and had disclosed and opened it to symple and vnlerned persons as to fyshermē publicanes and so forth such as were hys disciples And speakynge these wordes he turned hymselfe to hys disciples apart and sayde the wordes before rehersed Blessed be the eyen that se whych you do se For I tell you that many prophetes kynges wold haue sene that you se and sawe not and wolde haue herde that you heare herde not I praye you what herde what sawe these disciples that the prophetes and kynges whych were before them herde not nor sawe not Truly they sawe not they herd not Christ as dyd thappostles They busely wayted and loked for hym they knewe such one shulde come to redeme and saue them from euerlastynge dānation death wherof they were gyltie by the synne of Adam theyr fyrst father But they coulde not se hym personally For the tyme was not yet come that the father of heuen had set and determined to sende hym And amōges other holy fathers whych loked for thys redēption Luce. ij we reade in holy scripture of one Symeon a ryghtuouse and deuoute man whyche had receyued an answere of the holy goost that he shulde not se death tyll he had sene wyth hys eyen the Christe of the Lorde that is to saye the Messias that shulde saue and redeme the worlde whyche thynge came to passe For whan Christ our sauiour was brought to the temple on the eyght daye to be circumcised accordynge to the custome of the Iues thys Symeon in spyred with the holy goost came into the temple and takynge the chylde in hys armes praysed God and sayd Now thou lycencest me thy seruaunt to depart o Lorde accordyng to thy word in peace For myne eyen haue sene thy sauynge stocke whych thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. We reade also of a certayne wydowe prophetisse named Anne doughter of Phanuell Luce. ij which was also in the temple the same tyme and praysed the Lorde in lyke wyse spake of thys Christ vnto all those that wayted for the redemption of Israell These I saye and suche other whyche were in Christes tyme reioysed to se that they sawe and to heare that they herde But thys coulde not the holy prophetes and kynges whyche were before Christes commynge into thys world se bycause the tyme was not yet come So Christ myght very well call the disciples blessed bycause they saw thynges and also herde doctrine taught them which were not sene nor herde before Now whan Christe had spoken these wordes and was come agayne to the people to teache and instructe them hys doctrine beholde a certayne scribe which was a lawyer sterte vp to take Christ in a trippe and to tempte hym sayenge Mayster what shall I do to inherite euerlastynge lyfe Christ perceyuynge wherabout he went answered and sayd to the lawyer What is wrytten in the lawe Deut. vi How doest thou rede there He sayd In the lawe thus is it wrytten Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with thy hole harte and thy hole soule and wyth thy hole myght and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Than sayd Christ vnto hym Thou hast well answered Thys do and thou shalt lyue As who shulde saye Thou art a doctour a teacher and mayster in Israel Do the thynge that thou teachest other to do be a worker of the thynge that thou readest For not the hearers of the lawe be iust before God Rom. ij but the doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed Thynke not for al my new and straūge doctrine to your eares Math. v. that I am come to destroye the law and the prophetes as many do thinke of me No no I am not come to destroye but to fulfyll Ye scribes and pharisees cōmonly set lytle by gods hestes and commaundementes all your busye studye labour is to auaunce set vp your owne lawes your owne rytes and traditions But I tel you and take it for a warnynge that who so euer breaketh one of these lytle prety cōmaundementes of God for so ye coūte them in comparison of yours and teacheth men to do as he doth as cōmonly ye scribes and pharisees do Math. v beleue me he shall haue lest to do in heauen But that person whych fyrst doth hymselfe afterwarde teacheth other men these cōmaundementes of God of whych thou hast rekened vp the chefest of all and that whych conteyneth all the rest doubtles thys felowe shal be called a great man in heuen Now good people ye shall vnderstande that the scribes pharisees amonges the Iues in dede taught whā they sate in Moses chaire the lawe of God and hys commaundementes but they added many gloses interpretacions and additions of theyr owne heades They corrupted gods worde wyth theyr owne traditions as tauerners be wont to brewe and corrupt the pure wyne wyth other vnholsome thynges for theyr owne gaynes and auauntage
God they sayde in theyr hartes that he blasphemed in forgyuinge and pardonynge the synnes vnto the palsye man And it maye be that they had red that whych god had sayd in the .xliij. chapter of Esay It is I it is I my selfe that pardone the synnes bycause of me Then God dyd shewe hymselfe true God in rebukinge them of theyr euell thoughtes and seynge theyr hertes the whych apperteyneth vnto God onely of whome is sayd It is thou Lorde God whych sercheth the hartes and the raynes And yet more outwardly he shewed hymselfe For visibly and by hys only worde he healed the sycke mā dyd gyue him sodenly bodely strength and wythout beynge in any maner weake of hys syckenesse he commaunded hym to beare awaye hys bedde and to go vnto hys house shewyng that it was he of whom it is sayd He hath sayd and they were done Thys poore paralitique is the fygure of all synners the whych be vnable as of themselues to do any good they be borne in theyr beddes that is to saye in the fleshe of theyr concupiscences But whan they haue fayth vnto the worde of God whych apprehēdeth gods promyse wyth an ernest repentaunce of theyr former lyfe and a study of a newe lyfe they receyue full helth and where as before they were subiectes vnto theyr fleshe and fleshly desyres they be now maysters and holde them subiectes and fynally they go by the grace of God and the vertue of hys worde beynge conducted and fortifyed by the same in newnes of lyfe walkinge in the preceptes and ordinaūces of god they go I say vnto theyr house whych is the moost blessed and ioyful kyngdome of heauen And the people whā they saw thys myracle had feare and greate reuerence vnto God and espyenge hys great benefytes to mākinde gaue to hym glorie knowynge that the men coulde not do such workes whych be aboue nature yf God do it not by them and in thys doynge they glorified Iesu Christe whych is true God and true man and whych vndoubtedly is the iustice the glorie and perfection of all men whych not trustynge in themselues as dyd the proude pharisee whome the Gospell maketh mencion of but wyth sorowfull harte due penaunce accordynge to thexemple of the publicane lamentynge theyr synnes haue stedfast fayth and cōfidence in hym beynge in full mynde and a redynes not only to be hearers of the lawe and Gospell but also to be doers and workers of the same as Christe hath appoynted vs to do God graūt vs that grace To whome be all glorie imperie and peace in infinita seculorum secula Amen The Epistle on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The. v. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to vertuouse lyuynge BRethren take hede therfore howe ye walke circumspectly not as vnwyse but as wyse men auoydynge occasion bycause the dayes are euell Wherfore be ye not vnwyse but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lorde is and be not dronke wyth wyth wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled wyth the spirite speakynge vnto your selues in psalmes and in hymnes and spiritual songes syngynge and makynge melodie to the Lorde in your hartes gyuynge thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our lord Iesus Christ submyttynge your selues one to another in the feare of God MY good brethren and systers the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes that ther is a waye the whych semeth vnto mē to be strayght and good but it leadeth vnto eternall death Certes thys is the way of the worldly people whych lyue accordynge to the desyres of the fleshe not remēbrynge how they shall descēde in a minute of an houre vnto hell Therfore in our epistle whych thys day is redde in the church The apostle doth exhorte vs that we wol walke prudently and wysely as becommeth christē men in the meane tyme whyle we shal be in thys worlde vale of mysery not as the foolysh folke that shall perysh but as the wyse folke replenyshed with the true and heauenly sapience we be here exhorted to good workes followyng the steppes so nere as God shall gyue vs grace of oure Sauioure Iesu Christe sekynge by all meanes we possible can occasiō and oportunitie to do well as workes of fayth workes of mercy and pytie towardes our euen christen ☞ And in thus doynge vndoubtedly we shall redeme or bye agayne the tyme whych we haue yll bestowed And certainly we shuld be moued vnto this namely forbycause that the dayes be euel not in thēselues but for the synnes that be cōmytted in them For the deuell doth all he can to turne vs from the good waye whych be the cōmaundementes of God and the obseruation executyng of hys holy worde vnto the whych we must dyrecte our hole lyfe yf we wyll be saued and not perysh eternally Let vs not thā good people be as brute and vnreasonable beastes imprudent recheles vncircumspecte without vnderstandynge but let vs vnderstande what the good wyll of our Lorde Iesu Christe is the whyche wylleth that we shulde be saued all And for that cause he hath suffred death vnto the whyche we muste be confourmable in dyenge to our synnes lustes concupiscences to th ende that we be sober and chaste replynyshed wyth the holy goost the whyche shall cause vs to saye in our selues praysynges and spirituall songes vnto God and that wyth a pure and a clene harte and not alonly with outwarde voyces open deuotions the whych be often full of hypocrisye and pryde and for that cause displeasaunt vnto God And our Lorde sayeth in the Gospell of saynt Mathew Mat. xv where he speaketh of the pharisees which dyd all that they dyd ether by hypocrisie or by couetousnes Thys people sayeth he doth honoure me wyth theyr mouth but theyr herte is farre from me shewynge herby vnto vs that aboue all thynges he wold haue and requyre of vs the good desyre of the herte whych is true prayse and prayer And thus we shall yelde graces and louynge thankes alwayes vnto God for all thynges in our Lorde Iesu Christ aswell for aduesitie and tribulation as for prosperitie welth For we shall sauour of god in al goodnesse in such wyse that al thynges that it shal please hym to sende vs we shall beleue it to be ryght good ordeyned vnto hys glorie and honour and vnto the saluation of our soules And yet we ought to do all thys in the name of Iesu Christ that is for to saye that all the goodnes that we shall do we do knowlege that it is he whych doth it in vs and we ought to gyue hym the honoure and the glorie For it is in hym only that the father hath taken pleasure And also we shall suffre all thynges ioyously for the loue of hym whych hath suffred so much for vs. And in hys feare and charitie we must be subiectes the one to the other for he hymselfe that was mayster
in fayth or at leste way neither hot nor colde forasmoche as he thought our Sauiour Christ could not help hys sōne except he wente home wyth hym where as in verye dede Christ was able by the only word and commaundement of hys mouth to heal hym namely sith with hys wil he created and made al thynges of nought wherfore by thys he rebuked all them that do demaunde outward signes For he wil not giue vs any signes but only the token of his death and resurrection as only sufficient for oure temporall consolation and eternal saluation knowinge as saith saynte Paule that our olde man that is our sinnes and concupiscences is crucified and deade wyth hym to the ende that we serue no more to sinne but that we shuld walke in newnes of lyffe as risen agayne wyth hym Thys is the token that is giuen vnto vs for our saluation And albeit that he of whom we speake had not such fayth vnto Iesu Christ as he ought to haue had for he demaunded hys bodyly presence as neadefull for to helpe hys sōne yet for all that by hys inestimable goodnes he shewed hymselfe vnto hym suche as he was that is to saye God whyche is not absent from any place hauyng might by hys only word to heale all maladyes and infirmities as well spirituall as corporal and sayd vnto hym Go thy waye thy sōne lyueth and he beleued hys word And in goyng dyd mete wyth hys seruaūtes the whych gaue hym witnesse of the lyfe and health of hys sonne And whan he had demaunded of them the houre of the health of hys sonne and that he knewe that at the selfe houre that Iesu Christ had spoken the worde he was healed he beleued the more and hys fayth was augmēted and he dydde not only beleue but also all hys housholde Degreis in fayth after S. Bede Wherfore my frēdes the excellent clerke Bede noteth here in thys place that in fayth ther be degrees lyke as in other vertues whych haue initiū incrementum et perfectionem that is to saye a begynnynge an increase and a perfection The faythe then of thys man had begynnynge when he asked hys sōnes health increase when he beleued Christes wordes saynge thy sonne lyueth perfection when hys seruauntes brought hym tydynges that hys sōne was hole in dede aboute what tyme he recouered O howe the worde of god is myghty and of greate power the whych destroyeth thus al syknesses principally infidelite whych is the greuoust syknes that maye be for yt is cause of death not only bodely but eternall Let vs then haue fayth and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesu Christ whych seeth all and knoweth all and whyche is in all places And wyth one onlye worde shall he gyue vs lyfe both bodely and gostly vnto the glory of the celestiall father whych healeth all and wyll heale all that be sycke by him Qui uiuit et regnat c. Amen Thepistle on the .xxij. Sondaye after Trinitie sonday The first chap. to the Philippyans Th argument ☞ Paule wishethe that the grace of god charitie myght increase in vs. BRethren we trust in our Lord Iesu Christ that he whych hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntyll the daye of Iesus Christ as it becōmethe me so to iudge of you all because I haue you in my harte forasmoche as ye al are companyons of grace with me euen in my bondes and in the defendinge and stablyshynge of the gospell For god is my record how gretly I long after you all from the very hert rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue maye increace yet more and more in knowledge and in all vnderstandinge that ye maye accepte the thyngs that are most excellēt that ye maye be pure and suche as hurte no mans concsiens vntyll the daye of Christe beyng fylled with the frute of ryghtousnes which frute cometh by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of god THe apostle saynt Paule good people doth here teach vs that we must abyde and wayte for frō God the perfection and accomplyshyng of all good workes begonne sayeng that it apperteyneth vnto hym to make an ende of the woorke that he hath begonne the whych is wtout doute the worke of fayth whych worketh by charytie For Iesu Christe sayeth in the .vj. chapter of saynt Ihon Ioh. xj Yt is the worke of God sayeth oure Lorde that ye beleue in hym that he hath sente And also Iesu Christe is called auctor of fayth Also it apperteyneth vnto God for to gyue vs perseuerance and contynuaūce in the same fayth vnto the daye of Iesu Christe as it is written in the .xxxvi. psalme The afflictions of man shal be redressed in welth by god wherby we maye lightly vnderstand that man as of hymselfe cannot do any good and that all they whych vaunte them of theyr power do erre and blaspheme agaynste God when they attribute vnto thēselfes that whych apperteyneth vnto God whose power it is when we do any good The daye of Iesu Christe is the daye of the death of euery body The day of Iesus Christe and to speke generally it is domes daye at the whych daye he shall yelde vnto euery one accordyng vnto hys fayth or infidelitie that they shal haue folowed vnto the faythfull lyfe eternall and vnto the vnfaythfull the deathe eternall And the apostle might iustly thynke of the Philippians that god wold do vnto them this grace for to make them to perseuer vnto th ende for the charite that he had vnto them the which beleue lightly al thinges that is to the honour forbycause also that themselues did reioyce when they had vnderstande that in prysonmente at Rome he defended hym after suche a sorte that it was vnto the confirmation of the gospell and the greate ioye of the same And therfore he prayed them that thys charytie towarde god and loue vnto hys worde might aboūde and increase alwayes more more in the knowlege of god and in all spirituall sense for to discerne and approue the meruelouse thynges and for to be pure and clene and without offending and rebuke at the day of our lorde Iesu Christ both particuler vniuersal al replenished with the frute of iustice which is the iustice of faith by our lord Iesu christ vnto the glory of the eternal father In this saint Paule giueth vs to vnderstand how that al begynning the endes of good workes ought to be attributed vnto God And the charytie whych one ought to haue to another when one heareth or vnderstādeth that the worde of God doth growe it augmenteth and confirmeth whych is the doctrine of the Gospell for in the same is the true science and knowlege of god and the wit of the holy ghost wherby one maye proue and assaye the better thinges whych be the welthes spirituall and heuenly The whyche graunt vs the heuenly father by our lorde Iesu Christ Amen The gospel on
haue them hys dyscyples We knowe saye they that thou art rightfull and that thou teachest the doctrine of God in trouth and regardest no persone as who shulde saye thou haste respecte neyther to Herode nor yet to Cesar whych exacteth tribute of vs but only teachest frely the trouth Therfore shewe vs playnly we beseche the if it be leful for vs to gyue tribute vnto Cesar or no Oure sauiour and maister Iesus Christ whych knoweth all mens thoughtes sayde vnto them Wherfore do ye tempte me you hypocrites He answereth them not fayerly accordinge to their fayer wordes but roughly accordinge to their cruel conscience For god is wonte to aunswere to the will not to the word And he sayth vnto them Shewe me the money of the tribute And they did gyue him a pece And he demaūded of them to th ende that he shuld shame them with their own wordes whose was the ymage the superscription And they aunswered of Cesar And then he aunswered them Thē yelde ye vnto Cesar the thinges that apperteyne vnto Cesar And paye to god that which belongeth to god But these dissemblers surely did not vnderstande this aunswere for they loked that he shulde haue sayde eyther ye or no. If he had sayd that they ought for to haue gyuen tribute vnto Cesar they myghte haue accused hym as speakinge agaynst the lybertye gyuen vnto the children of Israell and also as a transgressour of the lawe and if he had sayd that it had not bene lawful to gyue tribute vnto Cesar the Herodians wolde haue accused hym forthwyth of treason and sedicion agaynst themperour of Rome And so in all fashions they myght haue had open occasion to cause hym to be condemned to death but by hys aunswere they had none occasion but were all ashamed And he shewed them well that agaynst the Lorde God there is no counsell that can serue Wherefore thys Gospell doth teach vs that they that teach the doctrine of Iesu Christe I meane the true Gospell shall haue other whyles the Pharisees and theyr discyples lyenge in wayte agaynste them whych shall accompany themselues wyth infidels beleuynge nothyng of God suche as were these Herodians for to attrappe them subtylly in theyr interrogations in any thyng that they saye whether it be so or not so searchyng apparant occasions for to delyuer them vnto death And so they shall not be able to eschue it yf the spirite of God do not delyuer them Wherfore my brethren let vs all take good courage for to announce and preache the word of Iesu Christ the holy Gospell Let vs leaue vnto the men that that is of men And let vs yeld vnto God that that is Gods that is fayth all hope and charytie vnto hym dewe by hys holye worde And our kynge whych is Iesu Christ shall reioyce in hys heauenly father the whych wyth hym shall gyue vs hys graces and our prayses shal be of God that whych also shall shutte vppe the mouthe of the sklaunderers and euyll speakers of hys holye worde as it is also wrytten But the kynge shall reioyce hym in God All those wyth true hartes shal be praysed for the mouth of them whych speake iniquitie is close vnto the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christe Qui viuit et regnat in seculorum secula Amen The Epystle on the .xxiiij. sonday after Trinite sonday The. fyrst chapiter to the Colossians Th argument ☞ Paule desiereth and praieth for the collossiās that they myght be fruetfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of god BRethren we haue not ceased to praye for you and to desire that ye myght be fulfylled wyth the knowledge of hys wyll in al wysdome and spiritual vnderstanding that ye myght walke worthy of the lorde that in al thinges ye maye please being frutefull in all good workes and encreasing in the knowledge of god strengthed with al myght thoroughe hys glorious power vnto all pacience and longe sufferinge wyth ioyfulnes THe epistle of thys daye my welbeloued frnedes doth teache vs how all christen men ought continually to desire and syghe whych is to pray and to demaunde vnto god that all the contreyes and nacions maye be replenyshed wyth the holy ghoste the whych folowe the fayth of the word of god that they may be replenyshed wyth the knowledge of the wyll of god whyche is all wisdome from aboue and vnderstanding from aboue of the holy ghoste Whiche thyng we ought to praye to th entent that in all places we maye walke worthyly accordyng vnto God and that in al good workes we maye please God that al maye fructifye and take encrease in the knowlege of God which is the vnderstādyng of hys worde Furthermore we must praye that al may be comforted in all strength vertue and might of god not according vnto our myght or the myght of men but according vnto the puissaūce and incomparable might of hys glory in the whych all they that knowledge to haue it of hym do prayse hym gloryfie hym in al mekenesse and pacience of hys abydyng in spirituall ioye in our Lorde Iesu Christe The desyres of al christen men Truly my brethren these be the desyres sighes prayers and peticyons of all christen men the whych be vnderstāded by the desyres prayers and peticiōs of S. Paule for the Collosiēs for in the scriptures the thynges spoken particularly oughte to be taken vniuersally that is that they be sayed vnto all men as oure Lorde doth wytnesse it spekyng vnto hys disciples this that I saye vnto you I speake it vnto all Let vs then praye contynually by these noble desyres and sighes whych the holye ghost maketh in vs we shal be spiritual we shal be a temple of the holye ghoste and such as we desyre the other to be We shall haue knowledge of the good wyll of God whych is the saluation of euery body by the fayth in Iesus Christe and in hys worde These desyres and prayers be workes of charytye workes of sapience and such as teach the wysdom of God and not of men they be woorkes pleasaunte vnto God frutefull and increasynge from daye to daye in the knowlege of god they be the woorkes of pacience abyding in ioye of spirite what soeuer thyng it shal please god for to sende whether it be prosperytye or aduersytye whether it be syckenes or health for the strength from aboue gyuen by Iesu Christe and his spirite doth comforte gyueth liefe to al. To whom be immortal glory and prayse wythout ende Amen The Gospell on the .xxiiij. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye The .ix. chapiter of Mathewe Th argument ☞ The woman whyche had the issue of bloude is healed WHyle Iesus yet spake vnto the people behold ther cam a certeyn ruler and worshipped him sayenge my doughter is euen nowe disceased but come and laie thy hand vpon her and she shal lyue And Iesus arose and folowed hym and so dyd hys disciples And beholde a woman whych was diseased
thys is the name that they shall call hym euen the lorde our rightousnesse And therfore beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde that it shall nomore be sayde the Lorde lyuethe whyche brought the chyldrene of Israell oute of the lande of Egypte But the lorde lyueth whyche broughte forth and led the sede of the house of Israel out of the northlande and frome all countreyes where I had scatered them and they shal dwel in theyr own lande agayne THis prophecy of Hieremie good people which we rede for our epistle in the churche thys daye doth shew vs that the dayes of the comming of messias our Sauiour Iesu Christ be at hande accōplyshed This is the trew braunche which God shal rcyse vp vnto Dauid And when shal this braunche be takē Of a vyrgyn descendyd from Dauid He shal be trewly iust for he shal be the iustice of all iust and he alonly ought of his owne purenes to be conceiued borne among men without syn But who shall reyse him vp vnto Dauid God alone and no tany man And therfore he shal be God and sonne of God And wherfore vnto Dauid Forbicause that god shall reyse him vp and make him to be borne of a virgyn descēdyd of Dauid He shall reygne kynge For he shal be kyng of kynges It is he which sayeth in the person of kyng Dauid in the seconde psalme Psal ij But I am constituted kyng by him ouer Sion his holy moūtayne preachyng his cōmaundement And he shal be wyse not without cause for he is the wysdome of god He shall do iustice and iudgement in earth for he shall condemne synne and the prynce of synne and shall iustifie by him selfe which is the sacrifice the redēpcion and iustice of pore synners And by this father he shall iustifie the synners In those dayes Iuda that is to saye those that shall confesse in faith shal be saued and Israell that is for to saye those that shall knowledge there strengthe to come from God shall liue in greate suertie and trust Iudas signifieth cōfessyng laudinge and thankyng and Israel strong in God And the name of messias shall be thys The Lorde God which is the greate name of God Wherby Hieremie in spirite giueth to vnderstande that he shall be the greate God hys name also shal be oure iuste Oures forbycause that he shall be made man for vs and in such wyse iust that he shall iustifie vs al that shal beleue in him as in God and man therfore he shal be ours and his iustice ours and for this he shuld come For as Esaie sayeth the lytle is borne vnto vs and the sonne is gyuē vnto vs and for this cause in the tyme of Messias one shall not affyrme any more in saieng The lord liueth which hath with drawen the chyldren of Israel out from the lande of Egypte But it shal be affyrmed in one hole witnes The lorde god lyueth that hath drawen out the sede of the chyldren of Israel from the lande of the North and from all other places where they were cast The lorde god is the Messias of whome Heremie sayde the dayes of his cōmyng is at hāde The which whē he shulde be comen shulde renewe al thinges al shadowes and all figures shulde cease and then shulde truthe reygne none shulde affyrme more accordyng to the olde lawe in fygure but according to the newe in truthe The chyldrē of Israel were deliuered from the lande of Egypte and Pharon in fygure But in the tyme of Messias the sede and chyldrē of true Israel which shal be sede and chyldren of faythe shal be delyuered in all places where they were caste before by god as enemies of the lande from the region and puissaunce of the greate Aquilon from whence dependeth all euyll which is the croked serpent the diuell of hell the prynce of darkenesse And they that shal inhabite in their lande of lyuinge people by the Messias which is our lorde Iesu Christ Striue we then my brethren with all our strength to be of the sede of fayth of the trewe Israel whiche is the onely stronge in our lorde Iesu Christ that hath vainquished the greate Aquilon which hath drawen vs out from the puissance and tyrānye of the same from all places from all nations And then he shall leade vs with hym into the lande of the lyuyng men eternally And we muste be all wel assured of this for this sayeth the lorde god almyghty Vnto whom be glory honour and myght eternally AMEN The Gospell on the .xxv. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye which is the nexte sonday before Aduent sonday the .vi. cha of Ihon. The argument ☞ Our lorde feadeth fyue thousande men with v. barley loues and two fyshes WHen Iesus then lyfte vp hys eyes and sawe a great company come vnto him he sayth vnto Philip whence shal we bye bread that these may eate Thys he sayde to proue him for he hym selfe knew what he wolde do Philip answered him two hundred peny worth of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man maye take a lytle One of hys disciples Andrew Symon Peters brother saith vnto hym There is a lad here whiche hath fyue barlye loues and two fyshes but what are they among so many And Iesus sayd Make the people syt downe There was moch grasse in the place So the men sat downe in nombre about fyue thousand And Iesus toke the bread And when he had geuen thankes he gaue to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down And likewyse of the fyshes as much as they wold When they had eatē ynough he sayth vnto his disciples gather vp the brokē meate which remayneth that nothynge be lost And they gathered it together and fylled twelue baskettes wyth the brokē meate of the fyue barly loues which broken meate remayned to them that had eaten Then those men when they had sene the myracle that Iesus dyd said thys is of a trueth the same Prophete that shulde come into the worlde THe royal prophete Dauid welbeloued audiēce knowing that the fedyng and meate as well of the body as of the soule is gyuen and distributed vnto men by the only goodnesse and grace of god howbeit more diligently neuerthelesse that of the soule then that of the body he maketh this request vnto god Lorde I haue had my refuge to the teach me to do thy wyll And in another place he fayth The lord god doth noryshe me and I shall lacke nothyng he hath set me in the place of the fedyng whiche is the place of the fedyng of god my frendes Trewly it is the holy scripture in whiche is declared vnto ss the wyll of this greate lorde and with the whiche euery christen soule is spiritually and ghostely fed reueled and nouryshed And this is it whiche at this daye is represented vnto vs by saynt Iohn in his .vj. chap. where as he sayeth that whē Iesus had lyfte vp his eyes and sawe that so greate a multitude was come vnto him he sayde vnto his disciple saynt Philippe wherwith shall we bye breade that these folkes here may eate He spake not this that he knewe not perfetly what he wolde do but he proued his fayth for it is he as sayeth Dauid that gyueth meate to beastes and vnto smale rauens that call to him and for to confyrme it and to giue knowledge vnto him and vnto the other that he was god Take we then doctryne of this place my frendys that our Lorde Iesu Christ is only gouernour of al thinges what so euer they be not only as towchinge the bodye but principally as towching the sowl And let vs not be as Philip and Andrew which not hauing yet stedfast fayth beleued not that he which by his only worde had made and created all the worlde myghte lykewyse by hys worde create and gyue noryshynge by fyue loues two fyshes vnto so great a multitude But what signifieth vnto vs the fyue loues and the two fyshes Suerly my frendes the fyue loues the whiche as S. Iohn sayeth were of barly represent vnto vs as S. Austine and other holy expositours thynke the fyue bokes of Moyses Austine For as barley outwarde hathe a huske very prickyng euen so haue the bokes of Moyses for as touchyng the lawe whiche they conteyne they be merueilous rough and rygorous but if they be spiritually vnderstandyd which can not be without faythe they gyue norishyng vnto the soule For as sayeth the prophete Abacuc Abac. ij The rightwyse man shall lyue by fayth And the two fyshes may sygnify the olde and newe testamēt The newe testament as touchyng the euangelicall apostolicall wrytinges wherin the christen mans faythe is lyuely described The olde as touchyng the other bokes and prophecies ☜ For euē as the fyshes can not lyue without water so lykewyse without faythe none hathe bene is nor shal be saued These fyue loues therfore and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded haue bene distributed vnto al christen people And if ye aske by whom Surely it is to be answered by the apostles they which be sent from god For this cause my frendes take ye the refection and fode of the soule in the fyue loues and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded that is to say in the holy scriptures and in fayth And vnderstande that the worldly doctrines can nat nourishe your soules but rather slee thē for our lorde sayeth that for nought we honour him in kepyng the doctrine of men namely if it be not grounded of gods worde but rather made to ouerwhelme subuerte and darken the same Let vs then desyre with instant and feruent peticions this heauenly fode of almyghty God and he wyll without doute gyue it vs aboundantly To whom be all honour glory prayse thankes for euer and euer Amen Finis ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and solde in Fletestrete at the synge of the whyte Harte by Anthony Clerke Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum