allonly ouercome the worlde and that that is in it but also ye shal ouercome death the diuell and hel And in lyke wise when I haue comprehēded Christ as a gift Ioh. 11. I must learne thereby to serue my neighboure bothe with body and goodes euen as Christe here both wyth his weeping passion and deathe hathe serued vs. As sainte Peter saith 1 Pet. 2. Christe hath suffered for vs leauinge vs an ensample to folow his footesteppes And these be the very true workes whiche scripture dothe alowe the which also we muste do to manifest and declare our faithe withall Secondarily in this gospel Christ doth morne weepe for the Iewes bicause they knewe not what was for their peace wherwith he declared shewed vnto vs the blindenes and wickednes of the flesh Wherof I beseche you can a man glorify seing so many excellent sermones so many and great myracles done by Christ at Ierusalem and those in a maner all done in vaine Where is here free wil with his power whiche the prudente and wise men of this worlde hathe attributed vnto yt Wherefore wolde not they beleue his worde and knowe him to be the sonne of god and the trewe Messias Surely it was hidden frome their eies though notwithstandinge they did both hear his wordes and sawe his miracles Wherout it foloweth that our fleshe while it is not lightened with the holy ghost and a newe harte giuen vnto it Eze. 36. is very blind indurate and wicked whiche canne in no wise know god in Christ The blīdnes of the fleshe Psal 51 This blindnes beleue verely is not in our outward vesture but is graft in vs in our mothers wombe Wherfore if we will entre into the kingedome of heauen wee muste be newe borne agayne thorowe water and the holye ghoste Iohn 3. Suche lyke maliciousnes and blyndenes we see in theym that solde and boughte in the temple whiche Iesus droue oute Whoe amongest theym knewe theym selues or amended theyr lyues thoughe they were neuer so muche admonyshed and taughte that the house of God was a house of prayer They were fleshelye and therefore as yet they coulde not vnderstande nor iudge ryghte the wordes and actes of Christe Thyrdely here is declared vnto the Iewes the rewarde and punishemente of their blindenes and infidelitie The punishmēt of incredulitye For thy enemies saieth he shall caste vp a banke about the and thy children and shal not leaue in the one stone vpon an other bicause thou haste not knowen the tyme wherein thou hast been visited O meruailous greuous ponyshment First the Iewes are ponished for bicause they wolde not knowe Christe and this is a spirituall punishment For they haue eyes and see not eares and hear not Esay 6. so that Christe myght well saye Ioh. 9. I am come to iudgment into this world that they which se not might see and that they whiche see might be made blinde But who ys able to serch the depth of his incomprehensible iudgement No man but allonly god Rom. 12 for we maye not nor can not Nowe after this spirituall punishemente foloweth bodylye punishemente in that he saithe howe the Iewes shal be beseeged on euerye side that there shall not be lefte one stone vpon an other And euen as it was tolde theym of Christe so was it brought to passe Surelye it was such an horrible cruell punishment that it is lamētable to heare Which if thou wilt know reade Iosephus de bello Iud. Now ye haue hard of the punishmēt wher with the Iewes haue bin punished with all Mat. 7. for the dispising of the gospel What thīkest thou shall chaunce and happen vnto vs which so longe a tyme haue harde the gospell and yet haue not amended oure vngracyous liuinge and conuersacion but rather haue troden vnder our feete neglected and dispysed that precious perle Wherefore yf we tourne not he hath whet his swerde saith the prophet Dauid he hath bente his bowe made yt ready Psal 7. He hath prepared him the weapōs of death and ordained his arrowes to destroye Here thou doest hear that not allonly the Iewes but all those that will not tourne to amendement of lyfe shal he punished Sometyme doth God prolonge the punishemente but the lenger he suffreth the greuouser at the laste dothe hee punishe Therefore lette euerye manne tourne frome his wicked waye and beleue the gospell leste wee perishe both body and soule Fourthlye Christe commendeth in this gospell his office in that that the next day folowyng he wēt into the temple droue out the byers sellers saying Esa 56. It is written My house is a house of prayer and ye haue made it a denne of murtherers And also in that he declareth his office The office of Chryste that hee daylye taughte in the temple It became Christe to do all these thinges for hee was sente into the worlde to teache the will of his father by preaching Bicause for as muche as goddes worde and the oute warde worshipping of god in ceremonyes which shortly after shulde be abrogated and taken away was very muche letted and hindred in the temple at Ierusalem throughe the couetousnes of the scribes and phariseis therefore wolde Christe not only teache Abuses to be takē away but also roote out all the abuses whiche did hyndre the trewe worshipping of God And what so euer Christe doth here by scripture he approueth it that hee maye do it by righte For why may not Christ in so much as he ys lord both of the bodely temple spirituall also driue out suche villains Now that Christe did here with the handes and with the doctrine that maye we not do but all only with the doctrine and worde of god For we maye do nothinge but to teache the gospell but yf that shulde be hindred and those doctoures which seeking nothing but their owne profite through teaching the tradicions of men shuld defyle the temple of god which is the harte of faithfull menne then muste wee holde our hands I graunte but not oure mouth and make suche dreamers ashamed to the intente that the gospell maye haue his righte course and florishe amongest vs. Hereto pertaineth the saiyng of saynte Paule to Titus Tit. 1. A byshoppe muste bee suche a one that cleaueth to the trewe worde of doctrine that hee maye be able to exhorte with holesome learnynge and to improue theim that saye against yt The eleuenth sonday after trinitye Luc. 18. ANd he tolde this parable vnto certayne which trusted in them selues that they were perfecte and despised other Two men went vp into the temple to pray the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The Pharise stode and praied thus with hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniuste aduouterers or as thys publicane I faste twyse in the weke Deu. 26 Eccle. 7 I geue tythe of all that I possesse And
haue respect to this worde Dauid saith He hath sent forth his word Ps 106. and hath healed them But in these thinges is this ruler as yet ignoraunt also did not perceiue that which Christ spake Ioh. 11. He that beleueth in me shall liue though he were dead already Wherfore he desyereth Christ once and againe that he would vouchsafe to come home into his house And as Christ doth not reiecte this man weake in the faith beyng not as yet perfecte so like wyse wee shall not dispaire thoughe wee feele lyke weaknes in vs but suerly hope in Christ that is so mercifull and wyl beare and suffre our weaknes vnto such tyme that through his word and holy ghost we shall be brought vnto more perfection Fayth muste increase Secondaryly we see here how faith muste euer augment and increase No doubte this ruler hathe faith thoughe it be not hole and perfecte Hee truesteth in the goodnes of Christ and beleueth that he is redy to helpe euery bodye and that he is a moste gentle a meeke lorde Or els why shuld this ruler hearing Christes comyng out of Iury into Galile come vnto Christ to aske grace It must needes be that he here had a good hope in Christ But in this he failed bicause he thought that Christes person must needes haue been ther if his sonne shuld haue been healed For as yet he did not vnderstand what power the word of god had Wherfore his faith must needs be encreased and augmeÌ„ted For it is not sufficient that I beleue only that Christ wil be my merciful lord ready to help me without I beleue also that he can do it yea that he can doo it only with a word though he were not personalli preseÌ„t And further also I muste beleue that in what so euer trouble I am in my helpe must come from god though al things semed to be agaiÌ„st me But this is a high conninge which euery body knoweth not Yet did that good Abraham learne it of whome S. Paule sayth that he beleued vppon hope Rom. 4 where nothinge was to hope that he shuld be a father of many people This knowledge in so muche that it was vnknoweÌ„ vnto this ruler Christ instructed him frienly and with a soft a gentle fashion bringeth him vnto the true perfect faith And he doth repreheÌ„d him bicause he wold not be coÌ„tent with a word but was one of those 1. Cor. 1 that seeketh signes myracles as though he wold say For to seek signes myracles not to be coÌ„tent trust to the word is a token of infidelitie Therfore take thou heed Mat. 12 that thou apprehend the worde for there shall none other token be geuen to this aduouterous generacioÌ„ theÌ„ the tokeÌ„ of Ionas the prophete Lo after this sort was this ruler rebuked Thus whaÌ„ he was yet lacking true faith and did not cease praying Christ that he wold vouchsafe to go with him before hys sonne dyed Christe did not only speake in his eare but also in his hart saying Go thy wayes thy sonne is a liue But what doth the Euangelist adde vnto it He beleued those wordes c. Here thou hearest that hee that afore was vnperfecte and weake in faith now hath a stedfast faith beliefe By whom by Christ which through hys word spirit yf we do increase in the knowledg of god dayely dothe and wil help vs. Hyther maye bee referred the saying of Sainct Paule in all his Episteles where hee prayeth and wysheth that the faithfull myghte growe and increase in faythe and in the knowledge of god Howe much we at heard in our prayer Thirdely we see in this gospell that we are not hearde further then in those thinges that pertaine to the health of our soules For Christe although he was desired of the ruler to go home with him yet for al that he went not but denyed him the same wtout doubt for that intent that when he shuld ê‘ceiue his son to be made hole by the word he shuld hereafter so muche the more cleaue to the same word learne therw t to be content And though Christ heareth vs no further then in those thinges that pertaine to the glory of god and our saluacion yet neuertheles we ought stil to be diligent in prayer without ceassing for bicause that the holy spirit it selfe although we know not how what to pray maketh intercession myghtely for vs with vnspeakable syghynge Rom. 8. Vnto vs therefore is made a promise that what so euer wee desier in CHRISTES name shall bee geuen vs. Wherfore if our prayer pertaine to the saluacion of our soule we ar suer through promise to obtaine it as Sainct Paule saith 2 Cor. 1. All the promises of god are yea in him and are Amen in hym to the praise of god by vs. And if wee desier anye thinge that is both contrarye to the glory of god and against our saluacion and if we be not heard it is for our wealth and it is so meete that we be not heard For it is better not to be heard in our prayer and receiue therwith saluacion then to obtain our petition and owne wyll in thinges beinge to our damnacion Of this mynd was also S. Augustine And this is the cause that we are taught to praye in the lordes prayer Fiat voluntas tua Mat. 8. Let thy wyll be fulfilled Doth not the lepre praye on this wise Lord and thou wilt thou maist make me hole He prayeth for health but in suche wise that the thing whiche hee desyereth bee neither againste God nor the saluacion of hys soule And so lykewise oughte wee to praye that what so euer we desyer shulde bee referred vnto the wyll of God Fourthelye wee see in this gospell Miracles are testimonials of the word that signes and myracles are testimonials wherwith was confirmed that the word came from god and to be his woorde And also throughe myracles menne are alured vnto faythe But wee do not speake here of those sygnes and myracles whiche happen after a doctrine once taken receiued and confyrmed but of those myracles whiche approue euery new doctrine to be of god Exo. 17. As we see in the second book of Moyses that the lawe was stablished by and through many signes and myracles And if a false prophete had come and taughte contrary to that lawe as often times god suffereth vs to be tempted and had approued it with miracles yet ought we to geue no faith to such prophetes Deu. 13. 2. Tes 2. As wee see lykewyse in the gospell whiche was preached by Christ in the world after the abrogacion of the law and approued throughe so manye myracles that no doctrine yf it bee contrarye to that oughte to be receiued thoughe the false prophetes shewe neuer so greate myracles For in the beginnynge by Christe and after throughe the Apostels hathe the gospell beene
a man is borne into the worlde And euen so you nowe haue sorowe but I wyll see you agayne and your heart shall ioye and no man shall take awaye your ioy from you These and suche lyke woordes doth the christian man set hand vpō in persecucion so that he may stand stedfast in them and syng with the Prophete Ps 129. My soule stayeth her in his woorde my soule hath trusted in the Lorde And therefore sayth Christe here to his disciples Mat. 10 Remembre my worde that I haue spoken to you But what worde is it The seruaunt is not greater then his Lorde Nowe if they haue persecuted the Lorde in this worlde let the seruaunt holde him cōtented though all thynges procede not accordyng to his purpose and thoughe some tyme he speade as his mayster speade afore him For doubtles it can be none other wyse If they sayth Christe haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you If they haue kept my worde they wyll also kepe yours In these wordes Christ sheweth very plainely that there should bee perpetual dissencion betwene his disciples and the worlde for his disciples wyll cleaue to his woorde the whiche in deede the worlde can not abyde And therfore Christ geueth his disciples this counsaile that they shall looke to the worde and steadfastly stand in that yea though the worlde neuer so madly and furiously rage raue against it Whiche God graunt that all wee may apprehende and persyst in it to his honour and oure soules health throughe Christ our Lord. Amen The Gospel on all Sainctes day Math. 5. Blessed are the pure in hearte for they shall se God Blessed are the peace makers for they shal be called the chyldren of god Blessed are they which suffre persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen 1 Pet. 2.3 c 4. c Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and shal falsely say all maner of euel sayinges agaynst you for my sake ♣ Actu 5. Reioyce and be glad for greate is your rewarde in heauen THE EXPOSITION WE muste verye diligently deere christians obserue and note in this gospell The office of Christe is to teache to saue that when Christe saw the people and his disciples were come vp to him he maketh vnto them a godly and fruteful sermon whiche comprehendeth in a maner all thinges that are necessary for a christian man to do spiritually before god For by this sermon we may see how diligent Christ was in administrynge his office and feeding his shepe Furthermore we muste needes confesse that as al that Christ taughte and preached was bothe good and helthsome so no sermon that euer he made is more diligenlye and perfectlye written then this in the mounte and that which he made after his last supper Surely by this his example Christ would not only teache the ministers of his worde with all diligence faithfull to attende their office but also that all that they teache they shuld teache it faithfullye driue it into the peoples eares as we se that Christ dyd here in this gospell Let vs then see what was the beginning of Christes doctrin in this his most excellent and noble sermon Fyrst Ghostly pouerte Christ promiseth the kingdome of heauen and saluacion to the poore in spirite But what signifieth it to be poore in spirite The poore in spirit are those that cleaue to no transitory thing of thys worlde that set their confidence in no creature that are deade vnto the worlde and leaue and whollye put their faith in Christ and his worde Vpon such poore shall the spiryte of the lorde reste as the prophete Esaias saith These poore receiue the gospel Esa 66 Mat. 11 as our Sauiour said to the disciples of Iohn And furthermore suche pore men are so deerely beloued of god that he promiseth peculier gyftes and synguler graces to such as do them ony benefite as ye maye reade in the 40 Psal And suche pore are not proud in the ymaginaciō of their own hartes Thei contemn no man thei dispise no man but are lowly and meeke euen frome the hearte Wherefore they shal haue as Christ promiseth here the kyngdome of heuen wher as all hypocrites that swell by their outward righteousnes for the same preferre them selues before al other shal haue perpetual fire and euerlasting damnacion Secondly Christ promiseth to those that morne comforte heere by the spirite and in the worlde to come eternal life and the kingdome of heauen But what signifieth here this word To mourn Doubtles the same that Christ speaketh on in another place Ioh. 16 saying You shal morne wepe but the worlde shal be gladde Nowe is this as cleare as mydde daye neyther can any manne denaye yt that suche as confesse Christe and beleue his woorde The crosse persecution the crosse hangeth euer vppon them and they are diuers and many wayes tempted sometyme on the one syde sometyme on the other that euer they fynde Chrystes worde trewe Ioh. 16 whiche sayd Ye shall haue tribulacion in the worlde Wherefore excepte in these so greate troubles and vexacions as christian man had some comforte and these great and excellent promises howe could he abyde all these thinges Howe coulde he contynew stedfast For suerlye the crosse is not so sweet and pleasaunte to the fleshe that it will freerely and with a glad mynde come vnder it and suffre it The holy ghost Ioh. 4. Needes must the spirite come whiche therefore is called of Christ the Comforter bicause that in tribulacion he comforteth the sorowful And also though we haue the spirite yet must the word be applied and diligently put in our myndes least we waxe slothfull sluggardes and liuers in a careles securitee And to this purpose serueth this sentence of Christe which promiseth eternall consolacion to those that mourne Here in this lyfe they shal be comforted by his worde and in the worlde to come by his blesse and eternall lyfe Nowe thys promise so ful of comforte maketh a man glad minded so that he is more ready to suffre and abide euē with a glad heart the crosse that god shal please to laye vpon him Meekenes Thirdly Christ promiseth to those that ar meke the possession of the lande and blessednes Nowe to be meke is not only when a man is not angrye but also when hee canne represse and refrayne hys wrathe hadde he neuer so iust a cause to bee discontented and angrye Of suche angre the prophete Dauid saithe Psal 4 Be yee angrye but synne not For to be neuer angry at all it is impossible for suche as lyue heere in this bodye For why wrathe is euen borne in vs as are also all other vices so that wee canne not vtterly laye it from vs. Ephe. ◠Suerlye it were our duety and very right that we shulde contynue euer in meekenes and gentlenes and neuer be angrye I speake of
A Postill or COLLECTION OF MOSTE GODLY DOCTRINE VPON EVERY gospell through the yeare aswell for Holye dayes as Sondayes dygested in suche order as they bee appoynted and set forthe in the booke of Common Prayer Verye profytable for all Curates Parentes maysters of housholdes and other gouerners of youth CHRISTE The haruest is great but the labourers are fewe pray ye therefore the Lorde of the haruest to sende forthe labourers into the haruest LVC. X. LONDINI ANNO DOMINI M.D.L. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum A PREFACE TO THE GODLY READER FOR AS MVCH DEERELY beloued in oure sauiour Iesu as faith which is the gift of god without the which we canne not please god cometh by hearing of the worde of god it is expedient Ephe. 2. Heb. 11. Rom. 12 and more then necessary that we earnestly embrace the same woorde of god least the Lorde be wrathe with vs Psal 1. and wee perishe from the righte waye We may not at our pleasure as the world doth trifle with it neglecte it and contemne it which is the lyuely foode of the sowle as Christe himselfe by the same beareth winesse saynge Mat. 4 A man shall not lyue by breade only but by euery worde that procedeth out of the mouthe of God What manne neglecteth the foode and norishmente of his bodye whiche is mortall vyle earth and wormes meate Nay howe do all men diligently awayte the tyme season and oportunitye to prepare the foode and noryshmente for the body The husband man ploweth soweth barroweth weedeth reapeth moweth dryeth his corne and gathereth it into his barne in season The marchaunte marketh the oportunitye and taketh the winde that serueth for his vyage in due tyme. The Passinger leeseth not the tyde but taketh it whē it is offered The lawyer obserueth the term Euerye man in his science occupacion and crafte applyeth the tyme and season when it serueth them beste for their purpose but Lorde how dulle negligente and carelesse be we of this tyme that goddes woorde speaketh of 2. Co. 6 sayinge Beholde nowe is the accepted tyme beholde now is the daye of saluacion Ful truely therefore is this saying of Christ verified vppon vs. Luc. 16 The chyldren of this worlde are in their nacion wiser than the children of lyfe Almyghtye god hath nowe vysyted vs with his holye woorde but yet wee prouoke him to lamente oure miserable state no lesse then the Iewes did vppon whome he saithe by his prophete Esai Esay 1. I haue nourished and brought vppe children but they haue doone wyckedly against me The oxe hath knowen his owner and the asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath receiued no knowledge my people hath no vnderstandinge Alas for thys synfull nacion a people of greate iniquitye a frowarde generation vnnaturall chyldren Nowe least any manne flattering him selfe wold apply this lamentable prophecy only vnto the Iewes let him note this sentence which toucheth the cause of our blyndenesse to be twise rehersed namely Israel hath receiued no knowledg my people hath no vnderstandinge If it had beene spoken only of the Iewes yt had beene ynough to haue saide Israell hathe receiued no knowledge But bicause it shulde be truely applyed vnto vs also god saith My people hath no vnderstanding Luc. 10 Whye Verely CHRIST him selfe sheweth the cause sayinge The haruest is great but the labourers are fewe Wherfore christē reader it hath been thought good to commend this small volume of godlye and sincere doctrine into our mother and English tong that it mighte be a spurre vnto the dull shepherds and helpe vnto the simple and godlye mynded curates and comforte to the fathers of the houshold parents and gouernoures of youth Truly it must needes be a spurre vnto the ydle dul and negligent curates bicause the doctrine hereof is so brief simple and plaine that a cyllye woman or poore prentyse occupyinge theim selues the whole weeke in their vocacion onlye with the studyinge and learnynge of this booke vpon the sondaye and hollye daye shall within one yeare be better able to teach hereafter their own housholdes then many curats do now instructe their congregacion committed to their cure and charg At whose hand without fayl Ezec. 3. and .33 the Lorde wyll requyre the bloude of euerye one of their flock that perisheth for lack of godly teching Also the profite that the godlye mynded curates although they be but meanly learned shall hereby obtaine their flocke and congregacion in shorte tyme by the grace of God shall better declare in their lyfe by good frutes than here can be expressed with woordes Finally the honest housholders for whose sake principally this booke is putte forth whiche wyll take paines to practise the doctrine herof vpon the sondayes and holy dayes in teachinge their familyes and lookinge to them so on the working daies with discipline that they exercyse the same in their lyfe shall fynde more faithfulnes quietenesse and obedience in their families then their policie and worldely wysedome otherwyse is able to bryng to passe with all that they can do Let not parentes and maysters hereafter fynde faulte with the pryde stubburnesse slouthe and falshed of their youthes seruauntes if they theim selues be styffe necked and slowe to learne the word of the Lord and negligent in teachyng their families to serue God But let them knowe that the vntowardnesse of their youth seruauntes is the iust plague of god vnto them because they teache them not to knowe feare and serue God What meane they that murmure would they haue their children and seruantes obedient faythfull and diligente to serue theim Yea verely it is mete they should so be Then lette they them selues begynne fyrst to be diligent in learnyng the worde of God faythful in teachyng it and obediēt in doyng it Tit. 2. For S. Paul sayth Speake the thinges that become wholsome learnyng that the elder men bee sober sage discrete sound in the fayth in loue and in pacience When they haue learned this than let them be diligent to shewe the same by example and to teache their cure that whiche foloweth Fyrst that their wyues be in suche apparel as becommeth holynes not geuen to muche wyne sobre minded discrete chast howsewyfly good obedyent to their own husbandes dilygent in teaching their chyldren that the worde of God be not euel spoken of Secondarily that yonge men be sobre mynded Thyrdly that seruantes be obedient vnto their own maisters and please them in all thinges not answeringe againe neither pickers but they must shew al faithfulnes that they may do worship to the doctrine of God our sauiour in all thinges Thus dyd Adam after hee was called to repentaunce teache his children fyrste to knowe theyr sauiour and to serue god in true faith as witnesseth the oblation of his obedient sonne Abell Gene. 4 Also Seth and Enos did the same and therfore it is written of them that they began to make inuocacion in the name
that surfete and ouer greate couetousnes of riches with greate violence shall invade The car of the belli In the whiche place againe Christ taketh care for vs and saieth Beware c. Thirdly the Gospell shal be preached euery where as we do nowe euidently se so that wee muste needes confesse and knowledge that these manye yeares hitherto the Gospell hathe not beene so purelye preached as we se in these latter daies Item the son moone and the sterres shal be destitute of their naturall lighte The course of the law And hereto shall folowe the sorowfulnes of the people for the feare and lookinge for those thinges whiche shall chaunce to all the worlde The rombling and noise of the sea and floudes the mouinge of the celestiall powers and diuerse other signes whereof Christe maketh mention Now thou perceiuest what shall signes necessarily happen and moreouer thou hast harde that to those that abide in Christe Rom. 5. thâ—y shall bringe no feare at all Forthermore see in this case that thou take hold of Christe by faithe as suche a Lorde and mayster 1 Pet. 5. that hath taken charge ouer the yea and shall abide with the to the end of the worlde Mat. 28 so shall there bee nothing that shall hurte or feare the. The second aduente of Christe Also Christ in this gospell sheweth the maiestye of his laste comminge for none other cause but to comforte his people and to the wicked he bringeth an horrible fear when he saieth And then thei shal se the sonne of man come in a cloud with a great power and clerenesse as thoughe he shuld say Thou my dispised company hast suffered griefe and paine in this worlde thou haste beene made the ofscouringe of al for my worde in the desence therof thou hast suffered many ieopardies of goodes honoure lyfe 1 Cor. 4 and so forthe Therefore now beholde him in whome thou hast laied or sette all thy trust or hope What thinkest thou nowe by my power where bee they that haue persecuted the Ps 72 whreunto is their power come where is nowe seene the pompe and magnificeÌ„ce of thi enemies Al thei by coÌ„fusioÌ„ shame ar destroyed Rom. 8. being damned both body soule for euer And lyke as thy misery shal now haue an end so shall their perpetuall infelicitye and condemnacion nowe begyn and last for euermore Feare thou not this my power whiche thou nowe seeste it shall make more for the then against the Likewise lette not my maiestye be it neuer so greate trouble the The greater it is the more socoure shalt thou haue at my hande And nowe suffre a while and let vs se what the enemyes of the word of God can do Lo Psa 43 thus it is manifest that the maiestie of Godds iudgement to vs that beleue his worde and for the same alwaies be counted and taken as shepe apoynted to the slaunghter bringeth not feare but rather a comforte To vs I say that beleue in him for wee shall hear that ioyfull voice Mat. 15 Come hither the blessed children of my father And nowe may we plainlye se what it is that saynt Paule saith 2 Tim. 1 I knowe in whome I haue beleuid and am sure that he is able to kepe that I haue committed to his kepyng vnto that day In contrary wise Ioh. 19 the enemies of the word of God shal se whom they haue persecuted and whether Christ shall winke at all those ylles that hathe chaunsed to the electe people of God There shal be wepinge and gnashing of teath there shal be hell euerlasting death Thirdly we haue in this gospell a perfecte admonicion that we shal abiecte and cast away al fleshly truste and securitie Carefulnes hurteth and to geue dilygence to haue perfect knowledge of our selues and to be alwayes readye against the glorious adneÌ„t or comming of our lord Iesu Christ For bycause he hath moued and kindeled our hartê with these wordes Looke vp and lyfte up your heades hath putte awaye all feare He wil also that we be warned to prepare our selues againste these times and this he doth by a rude and homely similitude saying Ye se the figge tree and all other trees when they bring forth their fruicte and theÌ„ you say somer draweth nigh So when ye shal see al these thinges done know you for certain that the kingdome of heauen is at hande And note wel nowe that he wolde vs to vnderstand perceiue that when al these thinges shal be brought to passe that then Christ shall make an end of the world But the wicked shal boldly dispise and saye God seeth not vs Ezec. 9. he hath forsaken the earth c. yet shall christian men geue hede loke for these times Luc. 11. as a faithful seruauÌ„t doth loke his mayster when he shall retourne from the mariages And that thou mayest knowe that hee greatlye desireth that we shuld be mindefull of this day he maketh an ende of his sermon with this worde Watche ye How must we watch Verely it is nedeful that we haue a liuely feruente faith Mat 25 which by loue shulde bee effectuall like vnto the fyue wyse virgines For trewly to watch is to be diligente in faithe To watche To slepe and the workes of God as in the contrary wise to slepe is nothing els but to dispise the worde of God to abide in infidelitie and playnly to doo no good at all Now how many is there emongest vs al that doth loke for that helthful and glorious comming or aduent or watcheth therefore Verelye all the worlde slepeth and routeth 1 Tes 5. Night and darkenes hath ouer compassed all that euer ys Wherfore thou that art the minister of the word of God folowe Christ sette it forth with all instancye and feruentnes Call to repentaunce Correcte the euell Comforte the good and beware leste God require the bloode of the synner at thy hand Ezec. 5. For trewly it is not all in vayne that God hath so purposed and decreede in his minde He hath spoken it and therefore it muste needes bee Heauen and earthe shall passe awaye but his worde shall euer abide If thou do thy dewtye and ceasest not with all thy minde to admonishe and warne althoughe it were so that the more parte wolde not beleue or obey but lyke the Sodomytes encrese synne vpon synne yet wold there be found some good grounde that wold receiue the seede of Godes worde bring forth frute Thy diligence and labour can not lack his reward Mat. 25 as scripture witnesseth saieÌ„g Wel good seruaunt and faithfull bycause thou haste beene faithfull ouer a little I shall set the ouer muche Enter into the kingdome of thy Lorde The thirde sondaye in Aduent Mat. 11. WHen Iohn beyng in prison herd the workes of Christ he sente two of his disciples Esa 35. and sayde vnto him Art thou he that
thinke that vnaduisedlye or by chaunce it might so be but rather for that cause that we shulde learne thereby that none of vs do intermedle or take vpoÌ„ vs the office of a preacher but he that is of God by lawefull meanes called thereto For the fruicte of this calling is that the worde of God be purely sincerely delyuered out as thou maiest se in Aaron Esaias Christe the Apostels and other faithfull ministers Howe often times doth Christ in the 5. Iohn 5. 6. and all other chapters of S. Iohn say Rom. 1. that he is sent from the father of heauen As we do also se in S. Paule wher he nameth him selfe the seruauÌ„t of Iesu Christ the Apostell but yet called And in contrary wise it is greate hurte and dammage amongest christian meÌ„ whan a minister not called wyll take vpon hym to declare the gospell Ier. 25. Where as the calling is false not of God there must nedes the doctrine be wronge out of course And of this thing thou hast a dredfull example in the religious persones of our time that lyue vnder the dominioÌ„ of the bishop of Rome Thei came in at the wiÌ„dowes back dores and therfore as S. Iohn saith in the 10. Ioh. 10 chap thes be theues spoilers And likewise doth not S. Paul in the Actes of the apostels speak of the same Act 10. saieÌ„g And amoÌ„gst your selues shal rise such as shal speak peruersly decline froÌ„ the right trade Here thou hast that diuelish calling of theÌ„ that teach not the right way Thou seest the fruites of this manner of callynge But Iohn that he might shewe his callynge to bee of God saide For they loked for an answere I am the voice of one that cryeth in wildernes c. As though he shulde say Ye knowe by the prophet Esay Esa 40 that one shall come before Messias to prepare his way And ye can not be ignoraunt in that that he that shal come in that place shal be called the voice of one that crieth in the wildernes Euen the verye same voyce am I. And for that cause am I sent froÌ„ God nor of my selfe do I anye thinge that I doo Nowe euen as the minister sente from God muste preache the worde of God accordinge to the example of S. Iohn so likewise muste he bee receyued and taken in the steede of God Fleshe Thirdely wee maye see in this gospell what â—he fleshe may doo that is not renewed by the spirite of God I cal the fleshe the hole nature of man which of him selfe bringeth forth none other fruictes then synne Iohn 3 as scripture saieth in the 3. chapter of Iohn That that is conceiued and borne of fleshe is flesh Of this thinge thou haste heere a goodly example There came to Iohn that passed all other of the Iewes in learnynge and behauioure and they had herde who sente him to preach and baptise and that of the prophete that with them was chiefest yet dyd they not vnderstande S. Iohn Whereby thou mayst perceyue that the knowledg of God and Christe oure sauioure commeth not throughe oure power and strength but by the spirite of Christe It is the gifte of God leste any man shoulde glory thereof in him selfe Thy wisedome is very foolishe before God for so scripture sayeth I wyll destroye the wisedome of the wise 1. Cor ... and cast away the vnderstandyng of the prudent If than nother wisemeÌ„ holy men preests nor leuites without the spirite of our lorde Iesu Christe canne attayne to the worde of God doughteles neither canst thou not without the grace of God be broght to beleue Fourthly S. Iohn putteth a difference betwene his baptisme the baptisme of Christ wheÌ„ he saith I baptise in water and preach penauÌ„ce The difference betwene the baptime of Iohn the baptime of Christe But Christ doth not only paptise in water but also forgeueth syn sendeth the holy ghost Mark here that S. Iohn putteth no differeÌ„ce betwen yâ— outward signe of water that he ministreth the same that Christ vseth The exteriour signe both of Christe and S. Iohn is al one for S. Iohn preacheth the worde of God and baptiseth with water as also the Apostels doo Iohn 3. But S. Iohn maketh a distinction betwene his persone and office The office of Christe and the office and person of Christe For Christ as is saide before besydes that that he preacheth and baptiseth doth also by his owne power forgeue synnes and send the holy ghoste that shal lighten and renewe our hartê which Iohn cannot doo but by his misterye And this is the cause whye he doth so greatlye commende and prayse Christe for that he is the very lambe of God that takethe awaye the synne of the worlde And likewise yt is he that was before me and shall come after me as who saieth He is more then Iohn and forgeueth synne also I am not worthy to lose the latchet of his showe Is not this the verye waye to knowe prayse and describe Christ And yet when wee are baptised wee be baptised bothe with the baptisme of Iohn and Christe also The lawe is fyrste preched that is It is necessary that that olde Adame be layed vnder feete as it is signified by that outwarde signe before Christ dothe baptise in fyer and the spirite Moreouer wee muste also come to the knowledge of synne by Iohnes preachyng And when we be brought in this wise to the knowledge of our sinne then Christe fyndeth place for the exercising of hys office to remitte synnes and geue into our hartes the holye ghoste which he will do accordyng to S. Iohnes wordes This is he that baptiseth in the holye ghoste And yt is necessarye that by faithe wee attayne that yf we will be made newe creatures The ende of this Exposition Foloweth The gospell on Christemas daye Luc. 2. ANd it chaunsed in thoâ—e dayes that there went oute a commaundemente from Augustus the emperoure that all the worlde should be taxed And this taxing was the fyrste and executed when Sitenius was liftâ—anâ—e in Syria And euerye man wente vnto his owne cuâ—e to bee taxed And Ioâ—eph also ascended from Galile oâ—re of the citie called Nazarethe into Iewry vnto 1 Re. 20 the citye of Dauyd whiche is called Bethlehem bycause he was of the house and lynage of Dauyd to be taxed with Marye his spoused wyfe which was wich chylde And it fortuned that while theye were there her tyme was come that she should be delyuered and she brought forth hee fyrst begotten sonne and wrâ—pped him in swadâ—inge clothes and laide him in a maunger bycause there was no come for them in the Inne And there were in the same region shepcherdes watchynge and kepynge theyr flocke by nyght And lo the aungel of the Lord stode harde by them and the bryghtenes of the Lorde shone round about them and they were sore afrayde
And the aungell sayde vnto them Be not afraide For beholde I bringe you tidinges of great ioye that shall come to all people for vnto you is borne this day in the citye of Dauid a sauioure which is Christe the Lorde And take this for a signe ye shall fynd the chylde wrapped in swadlynge clothes layed in a maunger And stra ght way there was with the aungel a multitude of heauenly souldiers praisinge God and saying Glorye to God on hye and peace on earth and vnto men a good will THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell first of all is treated the helthfull byrth of oure Lord Iesu Christ The natiuitie of Edriste which is the wel hedde of our saluacion and of eternal lyfe Wherefore it is necessary that euen as the euangelist hath described the same natiuitie or birthe so likewise that euerye manne doo receaue it into the inwarde partes of his harte and often tymes to reuolue it in himselfe whereby he may by the meditacion of such thinges be kendeled lyghtened and made ioyful and that they maye take and kepe in theyr hertes the chylde newelye borne by the worde of faith For the lower and poorer that this byrthe appeareth to the worlde Esa 9. so muche the holsomer and more profitable it is to them that receau it by faith And that it was so small of estymacion with the worlde it may be gathered of that that Ioseph and the virgyne Mary ascended from the city of Nazareth vnto the citie that is called Bethlehem in the lande of Iudea none other wise but as the other subiectes dyd to geue obedience to they re superioures and to yeld tribute as the other did Who wold I pray you beleue that Mary shuld be the mother of God whiche went vnto the professioÌ„ no otherwise then the other plebeial one dispised sort of women dyd And likewise the euangelist sayeth that in the towne of Bethlehem she was had in no respecte or regarde of any person in so much that she was fayn that scripture mygt be fulfilled to wrappe her welbeloued sonne Christ whiche she there brought forth in cloutê and lay him in an oxe stal What singuler or particular kind touch herest thou here to be shewed towardes Marye and her sonne Christ The pouerty oâ— Mary Nothing here is els but bare pouerty Mary is dispised Ioseph is dispised the chyld is dispised Nor thou canst here hear of any man that toke ony care or thought for them But thou maiest well heare that there was no place for theÌ„ in the inne And nowe marke wel how glorious how greatlye magnified was the same birth in heaueÌ„ althoghe it was not so estemed on earth The Angel of God staÌ„deth by is presente with the shepehardes that watched the nighte watch ouer their flock and sheweth vnto them greate ioy that shuld befal to all people The shewyng of Chrystis natiuitie that Christe our Lord and souiour was born in the citie of Dauid c. Now thou seest who was messauÌ„ger of the same glorious natiuitie and howe noble a message he broughte and yet doest thou but slenderlye esteeme that thou must cal this child Christ Lorde and sauiour How cold Christ haue ben more noblier described or the summe of the gospell more brieflyer comprehended Forthermore The sum of the gospell how could this matter haue bene better or godlyer handeled then it was handeled of the aungeles yea when when those poore and simple shepeherdes were in so greate feare how cold they haue bene better comforted then of the aungel And he saieth vnto them Feare ye not O ioyfull and swete message that for al the great waight of syn brought into this world with vs we shulde not feare why so Bycause ther is to day borne vnto vs suche a sauioure that shall take awaye the sinne of the world and through his passion and deathe shall obtaine for all them that beleue in him euerlastinge lyfe Wherefore it is bery meete that this natiuitie of the which we receyue so great profite ioy shuld be glorious in oure syght Our byrthe is vncleane subdued to syn Our natiuitie is vncleane and cursed But Christes is pure without syn and holye Therfore now yf the condeÌ„nation of our natiuitie muste be taken awaye and chaunged it muste nedes be by the pure and vndefiled natiuitie of our lorde Iesu Christe What and can it be corporally communicate to al men No. But spiritually we must attaine to it by the word What word is that The same worde when the aungell saithe To you to you this day is born a sauiour By this word is comunicate vnto vs the natiuitie of Christ And yf thou wylt hear the same also of the prophet Esa 9. he saith on this wise A child is borne to vs a son is gyuen to vs. In the childe is signified the humaninity of Christ And in the son is signified his Godhed Such a child is born that is in nature both god maÌ„ To whome is he borne To vs to vs the prophete saith Here we shuld now open the eyes of faith for many ther be that although they beleue that Christ was borne yet beleue they not that he was borne for their sake And therefore set thei their mindes so much vppoÌ„ their owne workes with the which they truste to obtatne both righteousnes and saluacion euen as thoughe with our owne merites we might stonde in the iudgement of God Therefore good syr deceiu not your selfe for the matter standeth not in that case but as Dauid saith Goodlord Psa 24 enter not into iudgmeÌ„t with thy seruauÌ„t for al lyuers shall not be iustified in thy syght The frut of faithe Here be no workes required able to coÌ„treuaile but grace mercy is to be loked for And therefore he that beleueth the Christe is borne geuen that he was incarnate died rose again is ascendid into heaueÌ„ for our iustification he is clean froÌ„ sinne righreous blessed the brother of Christ the son of God And that faith doughtles lyk a good maÌ„ herafter he shal declare with good workes that is with the loue of his neighboure with honest conuersacion Secondarelye it is to be noted in this gospell what persons they were that this holsome birth of Christ was shewed vnto Poore men receiue the Gospell Vereli poore and dispised shepeherdes But why was it not shewed to the rich men meÌ„ of great power the holy meÌ„ of IerusaleÌ„ Bicause that God hath chosen such as to the world appear folish 1. Cor. 1. to the intent to shame the wordly wise men Rich meÌ„ gentlemeÌ„ meÌ„ of great power of this world haue no respecte or regarde to this child Iesus but haue their peculier and priuate God in whom they put the whole and some of theire trust that is in pride in theire great strenth and power in riches and in their mightie god
worde of God And therefore the grace of God cannot be in them To conclude As Christ is very God so by this gospel it appeareth he was very man and sent from his father into this world that we by him might enioye euerlasting life The Gospell on Newe yeares day Luc. 2. AND when the eihht day was come that the childe shulde be circumcised his name was called Iesus Gen 17 Mat. 1. Luc. 1. whiche was named of the Aungell before he was conceaued in the wombe THE EXPOSITION FYrste bycause saint Luke the Euangelyste hath so dilligently sette forthe the natiuitie of Christe Nowe he goeth about to declare what profite and commoditie it hathe brought vnto vs. That is to say that through Christ the burden and yoke of the lawe is taken away and a free harte and willing spirite is geuen vnto vs Gal. 4. Esa 44 which not constrained with the feare of paine shuld kepe the commaundementes af God and do that is iust For it is very euident and can by no meanes be denyed that seyng the law is spirituall it doth not only require outwarde workes but muche soner the inward affections of the hart No man by his own power can fulfil the lawe as S. Peter witnesseth in the Actes cap. 15. saying Whye tempte ye God laying the yoke vpon the disciples neckes which our forefathers Gala. 3. nor we were able to beare Now therefore it is necessarye other the lawe to be fulfilled or else vs to be damned as scripture saith Cursed bee euery man that abideth not in all thinges written in the booke of lawe Go to then here of this place I perceyue that the law requireth a perfectioÌ„ And again In my selfe I fele nothing whereby I may fulfil it Rom. 10 what shal I now here do Thou must by faith obteine Christe which hath for the satisfied the lawe and deliuered the from the curse thereof He is the ende of the lawe Gala. 4 as S. Paule saith In whome euery man that beleueth shal be saued And in an other place When the time was fully come God sent doune his sonne borne of a woman subdued to the lawe Abrogacion of the lawe that he shulde redeme suche as wer in daunger of the law and so we shuld be made the children of God And hereto it pertaineth that Christ suffered himselfe to be circuÌ„cised This thiÌ„g betokeneth that Christe came to fulfil the lawe for vs and to make vs free from the curse of the law that by the doctryne of the gospell he might communicate vnto vs the holy ghost that we so by him renewed myght hereafter not constrayned but frely and louingely do those thinges that God requireth of vs. And secondarely it is to be vnderstand and knowen that circumcision was a token and signe of the promise that God made vnto Abraham Signes cofirme faith yea and to his seede also as apeareth in the 17. chap. of Genesis Nother was this signe geuen that men thereby myght bee iustified but that they which shulde heare of the promise of God shulde be confirmed in faith and that the Iewes might be knowen froÌ„ thother Heythen and infideles For trewly euerye signe hath his promise whereunto it is meete that all men sticke and beleue As in the 6. chap. of Gen. it is promised to Noe that he shall not perishe by the floude And in token of that promise he had a ship which he was commaunded of God to builde And in the 9. chap. of the same also it is promised that the worlde after that shulde neuer be drowned or destroyed by floude And in token thereof God gaue vnto hym the rayn bow And in lyke case it is here God promised himselfe to be the God of Abraham and of his sede And therefore gaue vnto hym the token of circumcision wherewith he dothe confirme and certefie his faith that he shuld in no wise doubt but suerely beleue that God wolde kepe his promise But thou must so vnderstand these things that we shal receiue these promises The worde not through the outwarde signe but by the worde in the which the signe is conteined Faithe and oure faithe hath gotten it Alwaies the spiritual thing must be ioyned to the corporal internal thiÌ„gs must be added to the exteriors The outward circumcision Circumcision is nothing without the circumcision of the hart which is made by the spirite is signified by the outward circuÌ„cision And Deut. in the 10. chap. it is saide Circumcide the foreskin of your hartê Yf then the exterior circuÌ„cision did profyt the Iews it must nedê be that they theÌ„ shuld holy stick and abide in faith the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts promises of God seing that the same exterior sign doth but confyrme strength them as thou maist see in Gedeon in the 6. chap. Iud. And in lyke manner we say of the signes of the new testament as yf when I am baptised I haue no respecte but to the water That outward dippiÌ„g in water profiteth nothiÌ„g at al The sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t Baptime But if I regard haue respect to the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts promises of god wyth the which this water is sanctified and beleue the same so by this means am baptised wtin through the holy ghost theÌ„ trewly this baptism is very profitable vnto me Yt hath the word promise of God and is not wtout a cause called of S. Paule the fountayn of the new byrth Lykewyse when in the supper of our Lord I regard not the commaundement and promise of Christ nor come by faith to receaue yt The supper of the Lorde then the eating drinking of the sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ not only profiteth me not but rather maketh to my damnacioÌ„ as S Paul speketh of such as vnworthely receiue the same And wheÌ„ I behold the coÌ„maundement word and promise of God 1 Cor 11 then doth the eatinge drinking of the sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ profit me much bycause in the word I fiÌ„d remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes in the sacrament or outward signe I find the confirmacioÌ„ of my faith And it is to be noted that christian meÌ„ in the steed of circumcision haue baptisme begonne of S. Iohn confirmed by Christ as yt apeareth in the last chap. of Mark. The baptisme of children And like as circumcision was communycate to the children so must baptism be conferred to our childreÌ„ although the phantasticall anabaptistes teach otherwise Thirdly we learn by the name that was geuen vnto Christ shewed before of the angel that in matters of faith and in such as coÌ„cern our iustyficatioÌ„ our workes merytes be of no strength before God but alonly grace mercy which God in Christ hath shewed to all the world For the name of Iesus yf thou wylt interpret yt signyfyeth a sauyoure Iesus oÌ„ly iustifieth Nor thynke thowe yt to bee a poore and
hilles and reade sea wher was so great trembling fear that they thought it impossible any of them to escape the wrath of Pharao But god by by layde a block in Pharaos way Al thes things knew Mary wel inoghe Yea and although Christ sayde Woman what haue I to do with the yet was she not astonyed by and by although Christe sharpely did answere but sayde to the seruauntes and ministers What soeuer he sayth to you do the same And therfore she obtayned the thynge that she desired of Christ Which raigned with the father and the holye ghoste worlde withoute ende Amen The thyrde sonday after Epiphany Mathew 8. WHEN hee was come downe from the mountayne muche people folowed hym And beholde Luc. 5. Mar. â— there came a leper and worshiped hym saying Maister yf thou wylâ—e thoâ— canst make me clean And Iesus put forth his hand and touched hym saiyng I wyll be thou cleane and immediatly hys leprosyâ— was clensed And Iesus sayth vnto hym se thou tell no man Leu. 14. but go and shewe thy selfe to the priest and offre the gyfte that Moyses commaunded to be offered for a witnesse vnto them THE EXPOSITION The goodnes oâ— Christ IN this gospell we se fyrste of all how greate goodnes mercye and loue God had not allonly towarde the leprouse man but also towarde the capitayn beyng a gentyle yea and how ready he is to yelde hymselfe wholy for vs al yf we knowyng our owne disease and sycknes wil seeke him the faithfull physicion for the sowle and long for his help and grace They be al lyuely examples that be here layde before vs. Fyrst the benefyt of loue and beneuolence of Christ is conferred to the leper For at his instaunce and desyre Iesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou cleane O what great clemencye here is As sone as the lepper had spoken one word and asked helth Christ by and by was redy and holpe hym Further marke that this word I wyll I wyll is nother vayne nor ydell but full of comfort For suche promise as he made to the leper by the same worde he wolde generally to be a promise to vs all whereby he certefieth strengneth our hartes also that wee should not dought but that he is ready in all necessities without any denay to geue vs his continual helpe And hereto may be applied that is sayde by S. Marke Cap. 1. that Iesus had compassion vpon this man For in this compassion wee maye see that Christ hath pity vpon our misery The pitefulnes of Christ Heb. 4. and that we haue suche a bishoppe which in his harte is moued and stered with our miserye Now as the goodnes and loue of Christ doth appeare and sheweth himselfe towarde the lepoure so likewise the moste gentell harte of Christ is shewed and commended towarde vs in that he did so soone promise at the fyrste desyre of the Centurion to come and helpe his seruaunte And althoughe Christe came not but to redeeme the lost sheepe of the house of Israell Mat. 15 yet in this doinge he wolde shewe vnto vs that after his resurrection The callinge of heithen he shuld cal the Iewes and gentils to the felowshippe and communion of one faythe as he saith here That many shall come from the easte and the west and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Seynge nowe that God the father of heauen hath so plenteouslye on euery partye shewed and geuen vnto vs throughe Christ his grace and mercy yt is meere that we knowe this grace and attaine vnto it by faith wherthrough we may be by hym kepte and reserued both in body and sowle for euer Secondarely Exaumples of fayth we haue in this place two goodly examples of faith One of the lepour and thother of the Centurion or capitayne And it appeareth manifestly by the lepoure that he had a righte and trewe faith in that that he draweth neare Christe asking his helpe and knowledging that he cannot helpe himselfe And although by Moyses lawe he was set aparte from the communion of men and muste therefore escâ—ewe their company yet he ronneth to Christ faithfully beleuing in his mind that he is lord ouer the law and the leprye Wherin he expressed the nature property of fayth whych hasteth not but only to Christ of hiÌ„ in euery necessitie she loketh for his comfort and help norwyl suffre her to be stayed nor letted by no meanes from the fruicioÌ„ of this Christ As it is written in S. Mat. of the blynde men Mat. 20 which the more the people dyd for byd them to cry the lowder they cried But how came this lepoure by such faith He had herd that Christ was a man of greate humanitie and gentelnes and that he was very diligent ready to help and geue health to the sicke and so by such heariÌ„g he conceaued such a trust of Christ that he wolde as verely help him as he had holpen many other diuers times Faythe And this is the trew fath when I beleue that god the father through Christ wil make me whole righteous and blessed by his grace and mercy withoute any merite of mine owne workes And such a faith was in the Centurion For by hearing the gospel he learned and knew that Christe was lord ouer syn and al sickenes and diseases He did not onlye beleue that Christe coulde helpe if he were present but also yf he were absent and spake but a word And therfore wolde not the Christ shulde enter into his house as he offered to do but in speaking of a word beleued that his seruaunt shulde be healed I sayth he haue seruaunts vnder me to whome if I saye come hither they come And if I byd them go theyr waye they do by and by departe Howe much more must those thinges needs be done which thou commaundest that arte not such a capitayn â—as I am but lord of heauen and earth This faith did Christ coÌ„mend and said that he had not found so great faith no not in Israell Now if thou wilt be made cleane from the leprosye of false doctrine and stedfastly abide in the gospel euen to the ende go to then Christe wil be prayed vnto and call vpon Christ that he maye geue you his spirite and grace and he shall saye vnto the I wyll I wyll geue the my spirite Forthermore yf thou wylt thyselfe and all thine to be saued bodye and soule seeke oute Christe and dispaire of thy selfe then shal he saye vnto the Be yt vnto the as thou beleuest Thirdely we learne of this lepour that whatsoeuer we aske in our prayer To commytte al thinges vnto God we shulde remitte all to the goodnes and wyll of God consyderinge that wee bee so ignoraunte of oure owne saluacion that wee knowe not what wee shulde pray as wee oughte to dooe The leapoure asketh of Christe
that the gospel is preached in vaine yet must we beleue that amongest so great a company of misbelieuers God hath some elect that gladly here his worde and kepe the same although as we haue saide the numbre of those be very small The sonday called Quinquagesima Luc. 18. IEsus toke vnto hym the twelue sayd vnto them Mat 18. Mar. 8.9 d 10. Luc. 9. c and. 17 Behold we go vp to Ierusalem and all shal be fulfilled that are written by the prophetes of the sonne of man For he shal be delyuered vnto the gentyls and shal be mocked and despitefully intreated and spitted on and when they haue scourged hym they wyll put hym to death and the thyrd day he shal arise again And they vnderstode none of these thinges And this saying was hyd from them so that they perceaued not the thinges which wer spokē Mat 16 17. b Mar. 9. Luc. 2. g and. 9. f Mat 20 Mar. 11 And it came to passe that as he was come nighe vnto Hierico a certain blind man sate by the way side begging And when he herd the people passe by he asked what it ment And they sayd vnto him that Iesus of Nazareth passed vi And he cried sayīg Iesu the son of Dauid haue merci on me And they which wēt before rebuked him that he shuld hold his peace But he cryed so much the more Mar 10 thou son of Dauid haue merci on me And Iesus stode stil cōmaūded hī to be brought vnto hī And whē he was cum neare he asked him saying What wilt thou that I do vnto the And he said lorde that I may receaue my syght And Iesus saide vnto hym receaue thy sighte thy fayth hath saued the. And immediatly he receaued hys syghte and folowed him and praysed God And all the people when they sawe it gaue prayse vnto God THE EXPOSITION The passion of Christe is oft rehersed IT is not without great cause that Christ so often times did shew and speake to his disci-disciples of his passion and death that was to come and that not onli in the gospel of this day but also in diuerse other places And to let passe the other euangelists I pray you how often times is it spoken of in the gospell of S. Iohn Ouerlooke the same euangelist through out from the beginning to the ende and thou shalt finde that the same faithful teacher Christ with all diligence did instruct strength his Apostels against the slaunder of the crosse Wherefore we shulde considre the same and marke wherfore Christe did it and why he made so many wordes thereof to his disciples First yt is manifest very plain that our nature flesh when it is not inlyghtened by the holy ghost cannot abide stedfast in time of persecution The fleshe hath persecution for the fleshe loueth herselfe and bitterly hateth persecution and deliteth more in long and mery dayes thē to abide trouble and vexacion with a quiet mynd As Nicodemus when he came in the night to Christ for feare of the Iewes Mat. 20 hard by and by of him these wordes That that is borne of the fleshe is fleshe And although the children of Zebedeus said Mat. 10 they coulde drinke of the cuppe that Christ shuld drink of And Peter also might well say Luc. 22. that he was readye euen to dye with Christ yet without the holye ghost it is impossible and is a highe presumption so to say And seinge that oure Lorde Iesu Christe knew very well the same frailenes of the fleshe not only in his disciples but in vs all he vseth the office of a good and faithfull maister and instructeth vs with the wholsome doctrine of the word of God againste persecution to come that when it shulde come vppon vs wee shulde be ready and not dispaire As thoughe he shulde saye I knowe verye well that yt is harde for a manne to stande styflye in persecution and to suffer all aduersities wyth a pacient minde but the prophecy muste needes bee fulfilled of me Doth not Zacharias say of me Zac. 13. I wyll stryke the shepeherde and all the flocke shal be sparsed abroad Wherfore now I shew you before bycause it muste needes bee that when so euer it shal be done you maye remember this and not bee offended therewith but rather beleue that it is my fathers wyll in heauen which will delyuer you through my death from sinne death the diuel and hell And although I shal dye the vylest death yet wyll I rise the third day and comforte you Thou seyste here how Christe comforteth his Apostelles whereby they may learne to haue respecte only to the good wyll of god in all tribulacions In necessities we muste haue respecte to the good wyl of God And this was not only done for the apostels sake but for vs also to learne and folowe the same In persecution and tribulacion we may not think that the wicked be as fierse in crueltye towarde vs as the Iewes were in persecuting Christ euen to very death but we muste looke to the good and mercyfull wyll of God the father whose will is that we for his sake shuld be dispised suffre persecution in this world The vse profite of the passion of Christe Secondaryly Christes intent is to shew in this gospel the vse profit of his passion in that that he saieth Al thinges shal be fulfilled that be writtē by the prophets of the son of man Yf then it be necessary that al these thinges must be done trewlye ther is no small profite hid vnder this passion And this profit doth S. Paul very cūningly shew vnto vs Cap. 5. in his epistle to the Romaines saiyng Lyke as by the synne of one condemnacion came on al men so also by the righteousnes of one came iustificacion of lyfe vppon all men And in this place Sainte Paule conferreth Adame and Christ together Adam Christe and sheweth what we haue obteyned at both their handes of Adam we receiue deathe and of Christe lyfe Adam by synne brought in death and Christ with his death hath chaunged death into lyfe By the fall of Adam and his disobedience we are made the children of the deuel and by Christ we ar made the children of God For Christe onlye for vs hath broken the hedde of the serpent Gen. 3. that is the diuell Well then is not this a wonderfull profite of the passion of Christ that through the same we be receyued into fauoure And is it not to be taken as a greate benefite that hereafter by the passion and death of Christe we shall no more be the children of the diuel but the children of god And hereto pertayneth all that is saide of the passion of Christe in the 53. chapter of Esaias and the 13. chapiter of Oseas It is very necessary that the ministers of the worde of God Harken well do diligently
of wordly and transitorye thinges that they sette by nothinge els nor bee mortyfied to the worlde and their concupiscence do in no wise appertain to the kyngedome of Christe but to the kingdome of the diuel For what so euer it be that I put my hole truste in besides god or do prefer and loue it more then god verely of the same I make to me an ydol And yf my harte be fully fixed vnto yt What is the worshippe of the diuel and is giuen to honour voluptuousnes riches power of the world or any such other like thing then be those thinges my ydoll and in them I worship the deuell Yea to be more plaine with you yf I outwardly shuld be good and honest and wolde accompte the same outewarde goodnes for righteousnesse before god then trewly shulde the same be myne Idoll as Esaias witnesseth sayinge Esai 2. They haue woshipped the workes of their owne handes And saynte Augustine saieth My God is my loue I praye you what is it els to loue creatures aboue god then to worship the deuell But herken here now greately this ydolatry and blasphemy displeaseth god Get the hence saieth he thou Sathan these thy suggestions can not be borne or suffered of any good hart for it is written Deut. â— Thou shalte worship thy lord god and him onlye shalte thou serue Lo in this wyse is the deuell no we thryse ouercome and driuen awaye of Christe onlye by the worde of god Nowe as it is necessary for vs throughe Christe to ouercome all temptacions the worlde synne death and the deuell so muste we also be wel instructed streÌ„gthned with the word of god wherein is promised to vs both comforte and helpe in our Lord Iesu Christe And if we bee not with this swearde of spirite which is the word of god wel armered then doughteles wil he bring vs out of the right way and lead vs about so loÌ„g vntil he bring vs into his snares and so entangle vs that we may scarsely get out agayne from the which I besech god the father of his greate goodnes and mercy to kepe and preserue vs throughe his sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Amen The seconde sonday in Lent Math. 15. ANd Iesus went thence and departed into the coastes of Tyrie and Sydon and behold a woman of Canaan which came out of the same coastes cryed vnto hym saiyng Haue mercy on me O lorde thou sonne of Dauid My doughter is piteously vexed wyth a deuel But he answered her nothyng at all And hys disciples came and besought hym saying Send her away for she crieth after vs. But he answered and sayde I am not sente Luc. 19. but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell Then came she and worshipped hym saying Lord helpe me He answered and sayd It is not meere to take the chyldrens breade and to caste it to dogges She answered and sayd Truth lorde forthe dogges eate of the crummes which fall from theyr maysters table Then Iesus answered and sayde vnto her O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto the euen as thou wylte And her doughter was made whole euen at that same tyme. THE EXPOSITION An exauÌ„ple of â—aithe the calliÌ„g of the heitheÌ„ FYrste of all this gospell layeth before vs an example of faith in the womaÌ„ of Chanane and sheweth vs also that the Gentils and Heithen shal be called to the knoweledg of faith Rom. 1. A trew and perfite faith is nothyng else but to know that Christe is the lorde and the son of Dauid For yf I knowledg him as lorde then do I also beleue that he is naturally the very sonne of God yea and god himselfe Moreouer God the father of heaueÌ„ wyl not be knowen in any other but in this Christe as S. Iohn witnesseth in the 14. chapter sayinge He that seeth me seeth my father And also in this wise to call Christe the lorde is not so small a trifle as yt semeth to the worlde but trewly it is the worke of the holy ghost as S. Paule saith 1. Co. 1â— No man canne say that Iesus is the lorde but through the holye ghoste And when I knowledg Christ to be the son of Dauyd then muste I beleue that he came into this worlde for my sake And that he was gyuen to me with all his goodnes merites passion death that by hym delyuered from sinne I may be made the sonne and heyre of al the goodnes of god Gen. 22 Psa 131 as do clearely declare the promises made to Abraham Dauyd Suche a fayth had this woman of Cananee although she had it not of her selfe but bicause she herde of Christ and of her suche hearinge she receaued faith Fyrste she knowledged Christ to be the lorde whych had power seyng he was god to delyuer his doughter from the vexacion of the deuell And therefore she put all her truste in him as one that coulde and wold help Or else I pray you why wolde she folowe him and make exclamacion yf she had not beleued that Yt must needes be that this woman had a trew and perfect fayth in Christ and loked for all manner of goodnesse of hym The property of saythe Secondarely it foloweth now what the nature and property of faith is namely in all temptacion and affliction to seeke remedy and help none other wher but at God through Christ For the faith that we haue spoken of before dyd prouoke the woman to drawe neare to Christ to open her necessitye and griefe and to call for his grace and helpe But what doth Christe here The faithe of the woman dothe not dysplease hym although shee was no woman of Israel Ioh. 10 but a Gentile for he wolde also bringe them into his flocke Yet bycause the womans faythe shoulde bee proued and made more cleare Chryste kepte scilence and gaue none aunswere to her fyrste peticion And what thinke ye that the woman thoughte in her mynde then Do ye not beleue that shee was heauye and sadde But yet she remembreth the great humanitye of Christ that she had harde so much commended And she dyd not forgette the benefites that he had gyuen to men of his great goodnes vnmocicioned or desyred And therfore she departed not at the first check nor did dispair of hir doughters helpe but stiffely sticketh to him and craueth for a gentel and meeke aunswere And in the meane tyme thappostels come and intreate for her sayinge Lorde sende her awaye for shee excedingelye crâ—eth after vs. But what doth Christ nowe Doth he graunte to the woman her desyre No but semeth to continewe still in his firste mynde that all men woulde iudge that he woulde not helpe her at all But why do wee not briefelye shewe what was hys aunswere I am not sente sayeth he but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel By these words he seemeth in a manner to conclude as though it were not
EXPOSITION THe miracle of Christ mencioned in the gospel of this day is a liuely doctrine sermon All thiÌ„g is subiect to the dyuel with oute the knowledge of Christe For we do not only learn therby the Christ is indued with singuler humanitye and pity and that he is ready to gyue his diligence labour to al meÌ„ but also that al thinges be subdued to the dyuell where Christ is not knowen And to this knowledg can no man come through any workes or mannes wisedom except the father of heauen draw hiÌ„ therto as sâ—ripture witnesseth sayinge on this wise Ioh. 10 No man knoweth the son of God but only the father and he to whome God wyll open yt Yet hathe God lefte vnto vs in this worlde certayne meanes wherby he leadeth vs to that knowledg that is by his worde and gospell that he gaue to his son The gospell to teache and shewe vnto vs whiche he will also to be preched in this world for euer And moreouer also by that he giueth vs the holy ghoste Act. 10 as we se in the actes of the Apost that euery maÌ„ that heareth it receiueth it in faith shal not perish but shal haue euerlasting lyfe And in lyke maner must the gospel or miracle of this day be taken Ioh. 5. in the whiche Christe ys so set forth vnto vs that it is very he the of his mere grace and mercye hath deliuered from the diuell this man miserable poore and destitute of all helpe mannes comforte Wee maye well saye that this man was miserable wretched For besides that he was blynd as saint Mat. saith he was also dumb deafe possessed of a diuel Mat 14 What can we els learne hereby but that all things be subdued to the diuel wher Christ cometh not And in contrary wise that the diuel as sone as Christ by his word is come vnto vs is compelled to avoyd and departe And there is it manifestly declared The dyuel must obeye to Chryste Ioh. 12. the Christe speaketh of Ioh. 12. Now is the iudgement of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde be caste forthe Therefore yf wee wil be partakers of the goodnes of Christe which this gospell sheweth vnto vs then muste we needes knowledge before that we be blinde deafe and dombe And moreouer yt is meete that wee beleue the preachyng of Christ to be trewe To bee possessed of a dyuell namelye that only he doth heale vs from al diseases both bodely and ghostly Which of vs al yf in our hartes we ponder trewly looke vpon our birth natiuity wyl not knowledg confesse that he is possessed of a diuel Psal 50 Wer we not conceiued borne in sinne And doth not sin pertaine to the kingdom of the deuell And to be in the kingdome of the diuel whâ—t is it els but to be possessed of a diuell And in lyke manner it is to be sayde of our blindnes deafnes and dumnes To be blynde We be blinde and se nothing that is we beleue not how Abraham saw Christ and his Apostels Io 4. To be dumbe And we be also dumb to coÌ„fesse Christ of the which confession the apostle speaketh of saying If a man beleue from the hert he shal be made righteous Rom. 10 And if he knowledg god with his mouth he shal be saued And Christ in the gospel saith He the knowledgeth me before men I wyll knowledge hym before my father that is in heauen To be deafe And we be also deafe and heare the trewthe of the gospell vnwyllyngly against our minds And yet muste we nedes heare it if we desire to be brought frome the kingedome of the deuell to the kingedome of Christ Who can take from vs so many defautes The onlye mediatoure betwene god and man our Lord Iesu Christ through whom yf we beleue we shal be saued both body and sowle Secondarilye we learne by this gospell The worlde dothe mock all Christes words deedes howe Christes wordes and deedes be taken and interpretyd of the peruerse and misbeleuing worlde Al was euel that good Christ did how good so euer it were And yf he had not done that miracle before the faces in the sight of the vnbeleuing Iewes doughtles they wolde boldely haue denied anye suche to haue beene done And bycause they can not deny it they say that Christ dyd that miracle through Belzebub the prynce of dyuels And is not this wonderfull blasphemy againste god that so godly precious and so noble an acte and miracle shuld be adscribed to the power of the diuell Mat. 7 An euel tre bringeth not forth good frute Gen. 4. But Caim wyll always hate his brother although there be no cause whye Yea there was nothing done by Christ were it neuer so good godly but cursed incredulity dyd euer detract mock and reproue it Is it not a greate token of godly loue yf a man shulde eate and drynke with publicanes and sinners Mar. 2. whereby they might be conuerted from sinne and repente Yet for that deede was Christe hated and slaundred as though he had coÌ„mitted some great mischefe Yea and was it not to be highelye praised that Christe with so great diligence dyd preach the word of his heauenly father And yet for that founde he no fauoure with the obstinate Iewes but was compelled to heare He is a disturber of the people And suche other lyke Ioh. 7. What happened to the Apostelles after the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ what happened to Paule when he saide I haue wished my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren Rom. 9 He did with so feruent desyre wishe the saluacion of his kinsfolkes after the flesh that by some meanes they might be brought to the faith but he profited not For the Iewes called hym a sedicious persone Act. 26. and Festus sayde he was madde And in lyke manner was yt wyth Christ at this tyme he dyd a noble acte that might haue allured the Iewes to beleue but they not onlye do not beleue but despiseth and slaundreth hys worke Some aske signes and be not content with that is doone And some saye agayne that by the vertue and power of Belzebub the prince of diuels he casteth out the diuel But to be short whatsoeuer Christ doth worketh or teacheth it is verye contrary and repugnant to the worlde and can not be void from blame slauÌ„dre 1 Pet. 2. So that Christ shall alwayes be a stone and rocke to be stombled at Christe defeÌ„deth his doctrine Thirdely we se in this gospell how Christe with greate diligence and feruent zeale of loue dyd defende hys doctrine and godlye workes And althoughe in the ende he answered them that asked signes from heauen and remitted theÌ„ to the signe of Ionas the prophete yet did he moste chiefelye stoppe theyr proude mouthes that did adscribe his doctrine and workes
Christe so is it verye necessary that I with a pure faith confidence do vnderstande and beleue it For very little profyt cometh of an historicall beliefe For the dyuell knoweth and beleueth it and yet it profiteth hym nothynge at all Ye howe mannye be there amongest vs that bee named Christian men which doo confesse and knowledge that Christe rose frome deathe and yet shal be damned Wee do confesse and knowledge the resurrection but the merites thereof we doo cleane take awaye and condemne Howe so Throughe trustinge in workes to the whyche wee ascribe ryghteousnes The and me hath God serued with his resurreccion And therefore yf thou wylte goe the highe waye and pull nothinge frome the merites of Christ thou must beleue not alonly that Christ dyed and rose agayne but that hee dyed and rose for the for the I saye and all synners dyd hee pleasure and seruice therewith For through hys deathe he tooke away thy sinnes and by his resurrection he hath iustified the. Yea throughe his resurrection hee entringe in his kyngedome myghtelye hathe declared that all power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto hym and also that he hath ouercome synne death hell and the diuell And finally that there is nothinge which is not subiect vnto him and that he as a Lord of heauen and earth mercifully keepeth and saueth his and maketh they in partakers of his kyngdom Only requiryng of vs that we beleue in hym and dye as concernynge our synnes and walke in a newe lyfe Vnto this pertaineth the syxte chapiter to the Romaines Rom. 6 in the which Paule toucheth this article of the resurrection very highely amongst other thinges sayeng Yf we be dead with Chryst we beleue that we shall lyue also with hym and are sure that Christ raysed from death dieth no more death shal haue no more power ouer him For as touchīg that he died he dyed concerning sinne once But as touching that he lyueth he lyueth vnto god Likewyse ye also count your selues to be euen deade as concernyng sinne and to lyue vnto God throughe Iesu Christe our lorde God serueth vs by hys aungels Secondaryly we se here in this gospell that for bicause this article of the resurrection is so harde of the flesh to be receiued how mercifully and meekly God through his aungell handeleth and intreateth the wemen that brought spices and anoyntementes to the sepulchre of the lorde playnlye and manifestly shewing by wordes and signes that his only son Christ was risen Who wold now I pray you dispair of suche a gentle and mercyful father which so patiently suffering our inftrmitie and so louingely exhortinge and instructing vs Whom wolde not this greate and inestimable charity prouoke to beleue The wemen that bought this anoyntment and came to anoynt Christ surely had an honest intente And their going and hasting to the sepulchre doth plainly shewe the hartye loue that they bare vnto Christe yet not withstanding they did it after a fleshely manner and vtterly withoute any righte faith For yf they had had faithe they wold haue remēbred the words that Christ spake howe that he shulde rise the thirde day and go before theym into Galile But these wordes they forgatte and prepared them selues to anoynte Christ Mat 2◠which was not commaunded vnto them to do But so mannes reason is ofte wonte to do The curiositye of men For it doth often that which it shulde not do and that whiche it shulde do it ouerpasseth and leaueth vndone In so muche that our lorde god to oppresse this curious rashnes and curiousnes Deut. 1◠commaundeth in the lawe that we shulde not do that that seemed to vs good Yet notwithstandyng so good is our god that he doth not for this curiosity and vnfaithfulnes reiect these wemen but through the aungel entyseth and leadeth them frō this carnall and fleshly seruing of god vnto his worde Which thinge is here doone after this manner When these good women went toward the sepulchre said one to an other Who shall roule vs the stone from the graue Lookyng backe they sawe that the stone was rouled awaye And they going into the sepulchre they saw a yong man sittyng on the ryght hand whych had a longe white garment vppon him and they were abasshed But he said vnto them Be not ye afrayd Ye seke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified he is risen he is not here Beholde the place where they layde hym c. Here mayst thou hear and se that god sent not his angell alonly to roule of the stone from the graue but moste chiefly to enforme and instructe the women and to manifest and shewe vnto them the glorious brightnes of his resurrection What the shininge vesture signifieth whych the angelicall shynyng vesture dyd signifye Here marke how diligently it is written here how and in what manner a man muste be iustified and saued First there is written howe the women were sore abashed Suche troblinge and abashing the preaching of the lawe bringeth forthe Rom. 3. when my sinnes thereby be made euident and playne Yea trewelye whome shuld it not make afraid so many commaundementes in the law enioyned to vs and are impossible of vs to be brought to passe or doone and yet neuertheles that sentence remaineth immutable Cursed is he that continueth not in all the wordes of the lawe Deu. 27 to doo them Nexte nowe foloweth the aungels who represent and signifye the preachers of the gospell with their comfort and consolacion Angeles are preachers saiyng Be not afraid O ioyfull and glad tidings that we shall not discomfort vs for our sinnes But frome whence commeth these ioyfull and mery tydinges From Christ our lorde which was delyuered for our sinnes rose for our iustificaciō With such preachinge of the resurrection the Aungell comforteth these wemen bringeth them in remembraunce of the wordes that they had afortyme hard of the resurrection Moreouer he doth confirme his words with a signe A signe whē he sheweth them the place where Christ was layd Do ye think that this was not a gentle way to instruct these women patiently to bear their infirmity by that meanes to make theym to beleue the resurrection Lyke as Christe thorow his aungels and miracles did instruct these women and the apostels so wil he likewise do dayly vnto vs through his word so we as obedient children obey and beleue his worde and seeke our saluacion none other where then alonly in the merits of Christe Thirdelye it foloweth nowe that the women were enioyned by the aungell to go and declare the rysynge of Christe not to the disciples allonlye but also in especiall to Petre Women becam apostelles which for the deniynge of the Lorde was in greate feare and heauines Here oute wee maye learne howe necessarye the preachinge of the resurrection is And contrarye wyse what a miserable calamitye it is where the glory of the resurrection is
not knowen For the apostels which were in so great heuines feare of death for their synne coulde by none other means receiue comfort tranquilitie of conscience then by hearing the tidinges of the resurrection of Christ And who can deny that they yf thei had ben demaūded as he was had not al don as Peter did Did thei not forsake Christ Fled not thei frō him If they fled then dyd they sinne Ma◠26 after the sayinge of Christe This nyghte shall yee all bee offended in me For he that is offended in Christe must nedes syn Mat. 11 for it is written Blessed is he that is not offended in me Then go to If ther was syn so was there likewise feare and panges of deathe So that it is necessarye that these troubled consciences muste needes receyue comforte throughe the preachinge of the passion and resurrection of Iesus Christe As if the aungell shulde speake to the women Get you hence shortely to the troubled apostels and saye vnto them Christe is a conquerer ouer sinne hell and the diuell Moreouer byd them be of a good chear for Christ is risen frō death the prophecy of Oseas is fulfilled saying Death is swallowed vp in victory Ose 31. Deathe where is this stinge Hel wher is thy victory Tel them also that Christ himselfe wil go before them into Galilee wher they shall see him and haue these things declared of him and that they plucke vp their hartes and doubte not of his resurrection On this wise doth the aungell teache the women to preach instructing them what they shulde saye to the apostels Marke howe that at priestly officeis here inioyned to the women But who did consecrate them Priestes the byshoppe of Rome No. Who then God throughe his sonne Christ oure Bysshop For who so euer beleueth in Christe All Christian mē bee preestes 1. Pet. 2 and throughe hys worde hath receiued the holy ghoste pertayneth to those people and flocke of the which S. Peter speketh without any difference of kindes be they men or women saieng Ye are that chosen generacion that kingely preesthod that holy nacion that peculier people that ye shulde shew the vertues of him whiche hath called you oute of darkenes into hys meruailous lyght Luc. 2. Dyd not Anna the prophetisse exercise this priestely office Dydde not the foure doughters of Phylip prophecy Act. 12. And as touchinge that 2 Co. 14 S. Paule doth not permit a womā to speake in the congregacion thereout it doth not folowe that it is not laufull for women to confesse Christ but that euery thinge shulde be doone in good ordre For it is meete and conueniente for women to holde their peace when men be present that exerciseth the office of teachinge But if suche menne shulde faile who wolde forbidde women to teache For suerly the aungell that commaunded the resurrection to be declared to the apostels by the womē was no foole Finally we altogether whether we be men or women must confesse that we be regenerate into a liuinge hope through the resurrection of Christ Iesu from death For in this confession and knowledge as S. Peter saith consisteth and standeth our iustifieng and saluacion 1 Pet. 1. The fyrste sondaye after Easter Iohn 20. THe same day at nyghte Luc. 24 whyche was the fyrste day of the Sabathes when the dotes were shut wher the disciples were assēbled togyther for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the middest and sayth vnto them Peace be vnto you And when he had so sayde he sheweth vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad when they saw the lord Thē said Iesus to them againe Peace be vnto you As the father Esa 61 Mat. 11 Luc. 4. Io. 17. sent me euen so send I you also And when he had sayd those words he breathed on them and sayd vnto thē Because the holy ghost Whose so euer synnes ye remitte they are remitted vnto thē And whose soeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned THE EXPOSITION The weakenes of the disciples FYrste of all here we maye marke and se an exaumple of incredulitie in the apostles and howe meekely Christ suffereth their imbecility and weakenes and dothe not straight wayes caste them of The women shewed them that Christ was risen from death and that it was shewed and tolde them by the aungel Luc. 24 but as S. Luke witnesseth they toke their wordes for a iest and dyd not beleue them Yet this notwithstanding at the hearyng of it they were gathered togither But howe Very priuely and with the dores shutte Why so For fear of the Iewes The fear of the disciples Lo behold and marke here ye haue excellently set forth the power and myghte of the fleshe For the Apostles thoughe the women hadde shewed theym yet dyd not they beleue that Christ was risen from death Moreouer they were stryken with so great feare that they gathered togither priuely and ther abode with the dores shut to theim Whoe dare nowe be so bolde as to saye that the fleshe can do any thinge in thinges pertayning to our iustifiyng They that be after the flesh are fleshly minded Rom. 8. as Paule witnesseth Nowe if a fleshly man be fleshly minded he can not lyghtly beleue in Christ which rose from death was the first of the dead that rose as the same S. Paule likewise declareth in the actes of the Apostles Act. 26. And in this poynt must the holy ghost worke For when he thorough the word is giuen vs hath made vs newe creatures then shall we no more feare men as the apostles here do but we shall feare god not as a seruaūt feareth his maister but as the welbeloued son whiche diligently will take heede and beware that he doth not that thing that shal prouoke his father that is in heauen to angre Such feare doth Christ teache vs saiyng Mat. 10 Feare not theim that kylle the body but rathet feare him that hath power to kyll both body and sowle for euer Boldnes of theim that hee lightned with the holy ghost Actu 5. Surely all they that be lightened with the holy spirite ar bold do wtout any feare persist and perseuere in the knowledging of the trewth and the gospell Yea very then when they suffre and are rebuked for the truth of the gospelles sake as the Apostels did as the actes of the Apostels witnesseth They departed from the presence of the counsaile reioysing that they were worthye to suffre rebuke for his names sake Nowe bycause that the apostles had not so greate strengthe and faith Christe cometh and appeareth commending and announcynge his peace vnto them And also giueth them his holy ghoste which afterwarde vppon Witsondaye shulde be confirmed in theyr hartes that nothinge shulde be lefte behinde wher throughe theyr faythe myghte bee increased The increduliti of Thō Here wee muste needes bringe in saincte
Thomas wyth his incredulitie which wolde not beleue vnto suche tyme he saw and felte How goodly I pray you did he take heed vnto Christs wordes kepe in remembrance that Christ had said namely that he shuld be delyuered vnto the Gentiles Luc. 18. they shuld mock him put him to death that the third day he shuld rise Yet neuertheles Christ did him lyke seruice as he did the other For eight daies after he came saide vnto Thomas Ioh. 20 Reache hither thy hand and put it in my syde and be not vnfaithfull but beleue Here is the hart of Thomas opened so that he crieth out and saith My lord my god Out of all these thingê it must needs folow The corruptnes of the flesh that we concerniÌ„g our nature and kind ar euell and very mischieuous and euer prone to incredulitie and misbeliefe and that wee cannot with our owne power attaine vnto faith except through the word of god the holy ghoste be geuen vs and that he lykewise as Christe serued the Apostels maye serue and asiste vs also Frute of the resurrection Secondarily we haue in this gospel the frute commoditie of the resurrection that is to say peace and tranquility of our consciences which is heâ— thre times pronouÌ„ced to the Apostels To haue peace Peace with god is no other thing then to beleue the Christe died for vs and rose from death for our iustificacioÌ„ in so much that nowe sin can neither accuse vs nor condemne vs. But who giueth suche peace Christ oure lorde Whereby By his worde in the which the merite of his passion and resurrection is freely offred gyuen vnto vs. Likewise in the same word the holly ghoste is giuen vnto vs which worketh faith in vs whiche faith comprehendeth the mercy of god in Christ and to Christ shee casteth vp hyr eyen in hym shee putteth hyr truste and confydence and finallye shee knoweth all her synnes to be forgyuen by Christe Wherefore then shulde not the conscience haue peace If she knewe and tooke God firste for a straight iudge now she knoweth him and taketh him for a louing and mercifull father that mercifully wyll defende and saue her and that by Christ This peace doth S. Paul praise and wisheth to all christian menne when he writeth in his epistles Grace peace Grace and peace from God the father and frome oure lorde Iesu Christe By grace yf we do beleue we obteine remissioÌ„ of sines whom the peace aforesaide foloweth Where oute marke that they that intende to obteine remission with their workes haue not this peace as witnesseth scripture The wicked meÌ„ haue no peace Esa 45 saith the lorde But how maye this be Bicause they go aboute to obteine remission peace with God thorow deseruing of workes which is vnpossible So longe as no man can do so muche as he is bounde for to do so long must he needs doubte be vncertayne whether he please be acceptable vnto God or no. And in so doubtyng I pray the Where doubt is cannot be a pacefied coÌ„science Rom. 5. 2 Tes 4 The sendynge of the apostels how can thy harte and conscience be pacefied and at reste when thou arte doubtefull whether thy sinnes be forgiuen the or no Wherefore it is faithe that getteth this peace whiche cleaueth and hangeth to the resurrection of Christe and not to deseruing of workes Thirdely and last of all here we may se and coÌ„sidre in what manner of wise the apostels were sent forth to preache the gospell As the father sente me saith Christe so doo I sende you But howe was Christ sente That he shulde preach repentaunce remission of sinne That selfe same preachinge for as much as it is contrari to our reasoÌ„ and capacity which alwayes trusteth in the deseruinge of oure workes did so stirre vp against Christe all Ierusalem and Iewry that they named not him all only a false deceiuer of the people and possessed with a diuell but also after so greate benefites doone vnto theym moste dispitefully crucified him and put him to deathe Neuertheles yet muste we confesse that this poore dispised scourged and crucifyed Christe had auctoritie and power of the father to forgiue sinne Luc. 14 After this manner wise also are the apostles sent forth that in the name of Christ they shulde preach repentaunce and remission of sinnes to all people Luc. 22. beginnyng at Ierusalem c. Further more that they shulde haue lykewise power also as Christe had That is to saye power throughe the word to forgiue and retayne sinnes Also as Christ was dispised persecuted that they euen so shuld of the worlde be dispised and persecuted But thou wilte saye Can the priest torgiue sinne Doeth not that al only pertayn vnto god I aunswere Truth it is that through Christ we haue remission of sinne yet notwithstanding ther must ministers be in this busines by whome this precious treasure must be published opened and distributed The minister of the gospell as concernynge his owne power doth not forgiue sinne but through the commission and worde of Christe Who doth forgiue syn Therefore when thou heareste the gospell out of the mouthe of the preacher and beleuest the worde whether it be openly or priuately ministred thy sinnes be forgiuen the. And thou hast not here respect vnto the persone that denounseth the remission of sinnes but vnto the commaundement and word of Christ The coÌ„maundemente word of Chryste forgyueth sin And thou doest not here receyue and heare the preacher but Christ himselfe as he saith He that receiueth you receaueth me And although the precher be he the aloÌ„ly with the mouth absolueth the declareth and promiseth the remission of sinnes through the worde yet Christe is he that fulfilleth it which hath committed this thing to the minister here to be done with his word Here to pertaineth that Christe faithe Whose sinnes so euer you remitte they are remitted vnto them And whose sinnes so euer ye retaine they are retayned With the which wordes he declareth him selfe how in what maner shuld be vnderstande the promise made vnto Peter Mat. 16 Peter in the persoÌ„ steed of all the apostels saide Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Lykewise in the persone of Peter was gyuen power to all the Apostelles to open and shutte heauen which thinge so to bee is here by this gospell manifest and playne Fynally the Apostelles are sence to preache repentaunce and to forgyue synnes and that not of theym selues but by the power of Christe and by his worde The seconde sonday after Easter Iohn 10. I Am Eze. 24 Mic. 4 the good shepehard A good shepeherd geueth his lyfe for the sheepe An hyred seruaunte and he which is not the shepeharde neyther the sheepe are hys owne seeth the wolfe commynge and leaueth the sheepe and flyeth and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe
apostels coulde not vnderstand and perceaue the mistery of the gospell without the holy ghost so lykewise we can not attaine or get vs iustificacion and saluacion of our owne power or free will Note and perceiue now this ignorance of the apostels out of the text Christ saied After a little while and ye shal not se me and agayne after a little while and ye shall se me for I go to the father Which are to be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spirituall kingdome What is to go to the rather For to go to the father is none other thinge then to fulfyl and accomplishe al thinges and through the holy ghost to lighten and illuminate mens hartes and to saue theym or as the prophete saith to geue giftes vnto men Psa 67 But howe dyd the Apostles vnderstande these thinges They said amongst them selues What is it that he speaketh After a little while and ye shal not se me and againe after a little while and ye shal se me for I go to the father We know not what he speaketh after a little while and ye shall se me for I go to the father We knowe not what he sayeth The apostles confesse that they vnderstode not what Christe spake thoughe diuers and sondrye tymes before he had declared and shewed them of his passion resurrection and kingdom Wherfore I greatly meruaile what those creatures think that so sharpely and earnestly defend our free wyl and the power of our fleshe seynge that they haue bothe reade and heard in this texte and suche other lyke of the ignoraunce of the apostles I think that they must haue wonderfull gloses to healpe theym withall But rather I thinke that they are in lyke case with the apostles here that they cannot tell what they saye euen as S. Paule hathe written of theim saiyng Some haue erred 2. Tim. 1 and haue tourned vnto vayne iangling willing to be doctoures of the scripture and vnderstande not what they speake neyther what they affirme The summe and effecte of all this is nothing else but that the fleshe can do or bringe nothinge to passe concerninge righteousnes and our saluacion withoute it be geuen thorough the helpe of the holye ghoste and the word For it is written in the prophete Esa 45 All menne shal be lerned of God Of God he saith not of them selues Thirdly while the apostles vnderstode not these wordes and were in mind to axe Christ preuented theim saiyng Ye demaund and enquire amongest you for bicause I saide After a while ye shal not se me c. Verely verely I say vnto you you shall wepe and lament but the world shal reioyse and ye shall be sory Note here with what mildnes gentlenes familiarity he behaueth himselfe toward his disciples He doth not reiect or despise theÌ„ for their ignoraunce but moste familiarly instructeth them and sheweth theim how his wordes be to be vnderstande saiynge vnto theim that they shulde be sory and lament and why bicause they shuld se their lord and maister taken of the Iues and crucified The crosse persecution herefore shal they morne and lament But specially this shall greeue them that the world shuld reiose both at theirs and their maisters misfortune Therfore lyke as Christ here sheweth before to his disciples that he shuld be put to death and shuld suffre and that they shuld morne and lamente euen soâ—t came to passe and chaunced Supposest thou that his passion was easye or a triflinge matter when Christ hanging vppon the crosse muste he are the Iewes iestinge and scourning him saiyng He trusted in god Mat. 27 lette him deliuer him nowe if he will I resite not here wherof he coÌ„plaineth in the psal saiyng Psal 21. But as for me I am a worme and no man the scorne of men and the outcast of the people All they that se me laugh me to scorne c. I think that the apostels wer stricken with great heuines seing this shame and despysinge of Christe Nowe althoughe Christe chiefelye speakethe here of the tyme of his passion whiche shulde bee a greate cause of sorowe and heauines to the disciples yet notwithstanding here he sheweth what fortune and chaunce all faithfull menne shall haue in this worlde For christiane men shall suffre persecution and the wicked shall haue good dayes and prospere Prou. 3. Therefore the wise man saieth My chylde despise not the chasteninge of the lorde neyther faynte when thou arte rebuked of him Is not this a ientle teachinge of the apostels Now further that thing that Christe doth to his apostels he wyll haue it doone lykewise dailye to vs thoroughe his worde and spirite requirynge only of vs that wee suffre patientely to be warned and taughte The sorowfulnes tourned into â—oye Fourhely here is to be noted that though Christ shewed before to his disciples howe they shulde haue sorowe and anguishe throughe his passion yet bicause they shulde not be lefte withoute comforte he sayde Your mournynge shal be tourned into ioye and gladnes That is The worlde wyll thinke when they haue put me to deathe they haue wonne all and that my dayes bee paste But yet on the thirde daye I wyll rise agayne come and comforte you in your greate heauines And though hereafter ye shall chaunce to suffre slaundre and rebuke for my gospel yet that passion and sorow shal be shorte and not endure longe But the ioye that shall folowe the same heauines shal be euerlasting Take here an exaumple of this thinge A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe for hyr hour is come but when shee is delyuered of the childe shee thinketh no more of the anguisshe for ioye that a manne is borne into the worlde So lykewyse yee bee nowe full of sorowe but I wyll see you agayne and your hartes shall reioyse and that same your reioysynge no man shall take frome you This similitude put forth of Christ is verye full of greate comforte and consolacion Fyrste yt declarethe that the professoures of Christe so suerly shall suffre persecucion as it is suer that a trauailyng woman shall not be delyuered withoute payne How be it in that pointe the worde of God shall be a greate comforte to euerye Christian man Furthermore note Of the sorowfulnes of the apostels that this persecution shal be for a tyme and not euerlasting And finallye that the reioysynge of this worlde dothe not continue longe as Christe saith in an other place Luce. 6. Wo vnto you that laughe here for yee shall weepe and wayle Howe be it in the meane whyle a christian man shall not bee withoute ioye But what ioye shall it be I wyll saith Christe visite you againe and your hartes shall reioise that reioysinge shall no man take frome you The peace of conscience This is the verye ioye and this is the quietnes of conscience to knowe that God by Christe is mercifull and
and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him If a man loue me he wyll keepe my saiynges and my father wyll loue hym and we wyll come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not myne but the fathers which sente me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beeynge yet present wythe you But the comforter whyche is the hollye ghoste Ioh. 15. and .16 Act. 2. whome my father wyll sende in my name hee shall teache you all thynges and bringe all things to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayde vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you Not as the world geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hartes be greued neyther feare Ye haue hearde howe I sayde vnto you I go and come againe vnto you Yf ye loued me ye wolde verely reioyse bicause I sayde I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I Ioh. 13 and 16. And nowe haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the prince of this worlde cometh and Ioh. 12. and .16 hath nought in me But that the worlde maye knowe that I loue the father And as the father gaue me commaundemente euen so do I. THE EXPOSITION THe apostels were euer of that mynd The ignorauÌ„ce of the flesh before the holy ghost was confirmed in them that the kingedome of Christe shulde haue ben temporall and wordly wherin he shuld haue mightely raigned as in times paste did Dauid and Salomon Truly when Iudas not the Iscariot according to this saiyng did aske Christ in his laste supper Lorde what is the cause then that thou wilt shew thy selfe vnto vs not vnto the world Christ did lead him with the other disciples away from this hope and trusting of a temporall kingedome to those thinges that were more necessary which was the fulfillyng of his word And therfore he doth teache in this gospell Fyrste of all hee teachethe heere what the frute of oure loue towarde god is whiche muste needes flowe oute of the harte and cannot stande without faith For how can I loue him Loue towards God of whome I hope and loke for no goodnes For in that I loke for goodnes of Christe that I hope and truste in him and set al my consolacion and comforte in him that faith I say oÌ„ly bringeth to passe which receiueth the worde and thereby knoweth that the father wyll be knowen and glorified in this Christe alone Ioh. 1. And that is the meaninge of this sentence Who so euer beleueth not that he receiueth of his fulnes that by Christe he hathe a mercifull father in heauen and remission of sinnes righteousnes and saluacioÌ„ moreouer that it is God through Christ that keepeth vs and defendeth vs frome the ieopardyes and periles of this worlde hee loueth not Christe but rather his owne propre workes righteousnes and wisedome Moreouer where Christ is neither loued nor knowen there of a suertye is his worde neither obserued nor kepte And contrarye wise Where the same mercifull father with all his benefites done vnto vs is knowen and all oure hope caste in hym by Christ yt is not possible but that there shal be trewe loue towardes Christ Trewe loue wylleth that god willeth lyueth accordinge to his godlye wyll hath greate delyte and pleasure to heare what god desireth of vs and when he heareth it he fulfilleth it in worke And suche faith and loue dyd Moyses require of the people of Israell Deut. 6. saying Heare o Israell the lord our God is one lord onely and thou shalt loue the lord thy god with al thy hart with al thy soule c. Faythe Chieffely here note that Moyses as a lawe gyuer requireth faith and hope of the harte towarde the onlye god that he is the same that kepeth and preserueth the people and wil be to vs a mercifull father And after that he requireth loue towardes god though he cannot giue it by the lawe that we shuld loue god with all our hart with all our soule with all our might And on this wise Moyses draweth vs from all creature and directeth vs to god only Moreouer he desireth such maner of loue Loue towardes God that not constrained but frely and volutarily shal serue god and keepe his commaundementes and fulfyll his wil as the nature of loue is Which more plainly we find in the gospel Mat. 13 that the seed that fell in a good grouÌ„d gaue frute c. Here thou hearest that the word of god taken with the hart through preaching bringeth forth frute By the worde we receiue faith from faith cometh loue toward god our neighboure of loue cometh the fulfilling of godê coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts Finally Faith loue bring a godly a christian coÌ„uersacion lyfe Wherefore Christ in the gospell of this day constraineth no maÌ„ by the law but exhorteth them to faith and loue as they that willyngly wolde kepe his word and fulfyll his comaundment accordinge to sainte Paules saiyng 1. Tim. 1 howe that the lawe is noâ— gâ—uen vnto the righteous but vnto the vngodly disobedient and sinners Secondaryly this gospell teacheth The kiÌ„gdome of god ioin the harts of the faithfull wher Christ will haue his kingedome and dominioÌ„ namely in the harts of the faithfull Likewise he promiseth vs here not onli that if we shew this loue outwardly with the word that the father shal loue vs but also more greater and more excellent thinges that is to saue â–ª that he with the father and the vertue of the holy ghost wyll come vnto vs. O comforte O grace It was out dewty to 〈◊〉 vnto him seing that our nature is so corrupte and wanteth so muche ameÌ„demente But behold God wil come vnto vs. so mercifull is our god that he preuenteth vs and promiseth to come vnto vs by Christ And what will he do with vs He wyll make hym a dwellinge place with vs. If wee considre the disposition of oure nature and firste natiuity we shall fynde that our harte is the dwellyng place of the diuell Which alas is to trewe in so much that S. Paul saith Ephe. 2. that naturally we were the childreÌ„ of wrath euen as well as other And for this originall sinne that is grafte in vs god by right might condempne vs wretched creatures But yet considre how mercifully goodly he handleth vs which not all only forgiueth vs our originall and actuall sinne as they call it so mercifully through Christ but also he geueth vnto vs Christ himselfe And so he giueth him vnto vs that he with him voutchsafeth to dwell in vs whereby Satan is expulsed and driuen away 1 Cor. 6. and our hartes made the dwelling place and temple of the holy ghoste He now that here in this worlde
belongeth vnto the politike ordre may therfore lawfully be done But if I wolde so sticke and cleaue to wordly thinges that I shulde forget heauenly thinges that shuld damne me After this maÌ„ner we speake of mariag To haue a wyfe is a good thiÌ„g lauful But if I loue mi wife better thaÌ„ god it is to my damnacion Therfore S. Paule teacheh vs â— Co. 7. that they that haue wyues bee as though they had none that is in the acknowledging of the gospel I shall not permit my wyfe to be an impedimeÌ„t vnto me but rather for the gospels sake if nede require I shal be readye to forsake wyfe children and all Finally those men outwardely appeare here to be good menne but whyle they wyll not beleue the gospelle of Christe thys sentence goethe vppon theim None of those men that were called shal cast of my supper The calling of that heithens Thirdely we se here that while the chiefe in Iury did dispise this supper how god called thervnto all sinners whores and publicanes oute of euerye strete of the towne that they shuld knowledg there sinnes and are grace and pardon of Christ Also we see here the gentyles that were not named the people of god nowe to be called to this excellente and great supper Here is two thinges also to be noted Fyrste that it hath pleased god to call the pore and the weak that is those that be of a contrite harte a louely spirite and by the preaching of the law be come vnto the knowledge and repentaunce of their sinnes For by those wordes compell them to come in properly we vnderstand the preaching of the law For suche be lette into this supper that is they be comforted through the gospell Luc. 1. as the virgine Marye saythe He filleth the hungry with good thingê and letteth the riche go emptye The seconde that thow shalte marke is that after the resurrection of Christe all prophecies Osee 2. both of the reiecting of the Iews and of the calling of the gentiles must needs be fullfilled To go into the streetes of the towne is none other thinge then to preach the gospel to al men as Christ sayth in the gospel of Iohn Ioh. 10. I haue yet other sheepe that be not of this folde and those must I bringe The calling of the gentiles wel considered in faith causeth a man to haue great coÌ„fort For who wolde now be discomforted when we hear that god all only for incredulity hathe reiected his people whiche didde excell vs withe so greate priuileges and receaued vs sinners vnto his mercye grace that neuer did good at al Wherfore good people lett vs beware that we now being called to this supper of grace be not loth to come therevnto in which supper we shall euerlastingly see and taste howe good and sweete the lorde is Psal 35. and .85 Which god the father graunte vs through his son our lord Iesus Christe Amen The gospell on the thirde sonday after trinity sonday Luc. 15. Mat. 9. Mar. 2. THen resorted vnto him all the publicanes sinners for to hear hym And the phariseys and scribes murmured saiyng He receueth sinners and eateth with them But he put forth this parable vnto theÌ„ saiyng Mat. 18 What man of you hauing an hundreth sheep if he lose one of theÌ„ doth not leaue nynty nine in the wildernes and goeth after the which is lost vntill he fynd it And wheÌ„ he hath found it he layeth it on hys shoulders with ioye And as sone as he cometh home he calleth togither his louers and neighbours saiyng vnto them Reioyse with me for I haue founde my sheepe which was loste I say vnto you that lykewyse ioye shal be in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninty and nine iuste persones which neede no repentauÌ„ce Eyther what woman hauinge ten grotes yf shee lose one doth not lyghte a candle and sweepe the house and seeke dilligently tyll she fynd it and when she hath found it she calleth hir louers hir neigh boures togither saiynge Reioyse with me for I haue founde my grote which I hadde loste Likewyse I saye vnto you shall therbe ioye in the presence of the aungels of God ouer one sinner Luc. 5. that repenteth THE EXPOSITION THis gospel teacheth vs first of al how that publicans sinners drew nigh vnto Christ to heare hym And although they were receaued and defended of Christe Psal 5. yet he is not suche a God that hathe pleasure in synne Therefore it is conuenient that we learn to know a difference betwene sinners Vnshameful sinners There be sinners of such vnshame fastenes that they lyue in open sinnes and in suche wyse encrease therein that they forget god and all honesty and glory and reioyse in moste abhominable things and seke prayse in wickednes And these villanes for the greate crymes and grosse sinnes Pro. 2. whiche they do vse and daylye committe euen the worlde counteth and taketh them for knaues and vagabundes not worthy that any diuine scripture shuld make muche rehersall of theym There bee also other sinners which outwardly faine holynes but ar in their hartes most mischieuous wretches Againste whom both the prophets and the gospell cryeth out Esay 3. Esa 52. Esaias accuseth them for this mischiefe bycause they call good euell and euell good and make lyghte darkenesse and darkenesse light c. and Dauid witnesseth of theÌ„ that in their hartes they thinke that there is no god Psal thoughe outwardly they appeare neuer so good and holy Doth not this apeare also in the gospell Christ saith Mat. 5. Excepte youre righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the scribes and Phariseis ye canne not entre into the kingdome of heauen And suche hypocrits here in this gospell Christ calleth iuste not that be fore god they be iust but that they think themselues to bee iuste and neede not repentaunce SiÌ„nes that acknowledg ther sinnes There be also synners whiche knowledgynge theyr offences bee sorye for theyr euell deedes and drawe vnto Christe for to aske pardone and grace Suche a synner and publicane was Zacheus which ioyfully receaued Christ our lord into his house and at the hearing of his word sayd Behold I geue halfe my good to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man I restore him four fold Of suche sayth Christ in on other place Mat. 9. I am not come to cal the iust but sinners to repentaunce Suche publicans and sinners drawe nowe nighe vnto Christ And why To heare his worde For they feele their sin they knowledge their sinne they seeke grace that they might be delyuered frome the borden of sinne Now forasmuch as grace remission of sines rightousnes and saluacion is offered and giuen vnto them through the worde of Christe withoute any worke or deseruinge Moreouer for as muche as the doctrine of Christe is the doctrine of lyfe it becometh
in this gospel that when his worde is bothe harde and receaued and so therewith the sowle feede that he likewise will giue the necessaryes for the body But marke this that Christe feedeth and norisheth vs here by a meane For he saith vnto Peter Lanche out into the deepe and lette slyppe your nettes and make a draught as thoughe he wolde saye I will feed you and geue you that you lacke but euerye manne shall do the thinge that he is called vnto that is they shall laboure Gene. 3. For if you laboure Labour and put youre confidence in me I wyll see that your laborure shall not be loste And this considereth Peter saiynge Maister wee haue laboured all the night and gatte nothinge but at thy word I will lose forthe the nette Whoe dothe not perceiue in these wordes of Peter that all oure counsailes thoughtes and all oure merites what so euer wee intende for to dooe or leaue are all in vaine and to none effecte excepte that they be taken in hande and begonne in the name of god For before they had laboured all the night and toke nothing And that happened vpon theim which ys written in the psalme where the prophete saith Psa 126 It is but lost laboure that ye rise vp earlye and take no reste but eate the breaded of care fulnes For loke to whome it pleaseth the lorde he geueth yt in sleepe But when Christe saide Lette slyppe your nettes and the disciples regarded not their owne labour but hauing respecte to the worde of Christe then tooke they a greate multitude in so muche that they were fayne to call to their felows which were in an other ship for helpe and filled bothe the shippes full Deut. 4. Whoe wolde not nowe beleue Christe whiche not all only wyll but can helpe vs Therfore beleue nowe and he will see that thou shalte lacke nothinge nother for body nor sowle As touchinge thy soule he wyll keepe it by his worde and thy body with corporall meates and norishinges which thinge thou mayst euidently perceaue by this miracle To this pertayneth that Paule saieth to Timothe 1 Tim. 6 Godlynes is profitable vnto all thinges as a thinge whiche hathe promises of the life that is nowe and of the lyfe that is to come And Christe sayeth in the gospell of Mathewe Mat. 6. Seeke yee fyrste the kyngedome of heauen and the righteousnesse therof so shall all these thynges bee mynystred vnto you The callynge of the apostels Thyrdelye Peter was not allonly here comforted whiche for simplenes ignoraunce or feare bad Christe departe from him bicause he was a sinner but also the other likewise whiche were called to the apostolicall office For Christe sayed Feare not as thoughe he wold saye When a man feeleth and knoweledgeth hys synne there shulde he not flye frome me but runne to me forasmuche as I am come into the worlde for sinners For they that be hole Mat. 9. neede no physicion but the sycke Wherefore my Peter take heede that thou biddest me not go frome the but to tarye with the. For I am no tyraunte whiche for cruelnesse kyll and destroye men but with mercye and goodnes I wyll alure mē vnto me and truly I will not allonly forgiue you and pardon you your offēces for bicause you knowledg them but also I wyl make you fishers of menne that hereafter ye shal become myne apostels disciples And likewise as hitherto ye haue taken fyshe with bodely nettes so ye shal hereafter get take mē with spirituall nettes out of the stormie sea of this worlde and bringe them into my kingedome And Christ hath here respect to the prophecie of Ieremy where he saith Ier. 16. Behold I wil send out many fishers to take them Mat. 13 And in the gospel of S. Mathew we haue that the gospel is compared to a nette caste into the sea wherewith are taken al manner of fishes And likewise as Christ comforteth here Peter with the other bicause they wer abashed and afrayed and were comforted so we shall learne hereoute howe a sinner can get no consolacion and comforte by nothinge but all only by Christ Also by the calling of Peter Iames Iohn we learn that no mā oughte to thrust himselfe into the office of a precher except he be called For those thre apostles were before in the common callyng which euery man is called vnto That is Gen. 3. that in the sweate of theyr face they shulde eate theyr breade And therein lyke good and symple menne they wolde haue remayned yf they hadde not beene otherwise called Fourthly we haue in this gospel The power and strength of the gospell The obedience of the apostels what strength and vertue the worde of Christe hathe and also the obedyence of the aforesayde Apostels For as soone as Christe hadde sayde Frome hence forthe ye shal be fysshers of men incontinent when they hadde brought theyr shyppes to lande they forsoke al and folowed him Here wee muste needes graunte that Christe dydde not speake yt allonlye in theyr eares but also in theyr hartes for else howe shulde they haue so soone folowed hym For it is not so lyghte a matter nor so easy to forsake father and mother lande house and money that a manne canne dooe it of his owne selfe It is the worke of the hollye ghoste Ioh. 6. and cometh not of the fleshe Wherefore seeinge that the wordes of Christe are spiryte and lyfe yee maye well perceaue this callynge not to haue sounde alonly in the eares of the apostels but also in their hartes or else they wolde not haue forsaken their parentes wyues and children so lightly and haue takē Christ for their sauioure and Lorde To forsake all But what is that to forsake all thinges It is none other thinge but so to be affectioned that gladly whensoeuer god wil a man be ready to forsake wife and children father and mother and all that in the worlde is and to folowe Christe Remembre also that the folowing of Christe consisteth not alwaies in the outewarde worke but moste chieflye in the harte For wee see many christian menne that do abide and lyue styll with their wiues and children whiche are not called to folowe Christe as the Apostels were and yet natwithstandinge are so mynded that at all tymes they bee readye and willynge when it shall please God to forsake al nother suffre them by no meanes to bee called frome the acknowledging and confessynge of the gospell and the righteousnes thereof whiche is in Christe Iesu whiche also folow Christ as well as those apostels did But they that be not called there vnto to forsake wyfe and children go run ouer all the wide world to be a charg a burthen to other men as do the Anabaptistes 2. Cor. ◠may be counted rather to be folowers of the diuell then of Christe oure sauioure To whom with the father and the holly
pastour ought diligentlye to looke aboute hym that the flocke of Christe be not seduced and deceyued by false prophetes which teache peruerse doctrine contrarye to the holsome doctrine of Christe But that pointe belongeth not allonlye to the pastor and preacher but also it behoueth euerye christian manne to bee so instructed in things pertainyng to faith that he by the word of god may iudge whether he be right taught or no. For thiÌ„kest thou that this power to iudg euery preachers doctrine was giuen the of Christe in vaine 1. Tes 5. Or thinkest thou that Paule commaunded the Thessalonians in vaine to proue all thinges and keepe that whiche was good Ioh. 4. And also S. Iohn writeth that we shulde proue the spirites whether they bee of God Wherefore seynge that many false prophets are gone into the world beleue verelye that this libertye to iudge is giuen the for somewhat For the diuell is subtyle and is an extreme enemy of holsome doctrine and such a one that hathe in his kyngedome nothynge then lyes Ioh. 16 1 Cor. 11 Ma. 24 and murdre whiche hee bringeth in vnder a coloure of holynes For hee canne chaunge hymselfe into the fashion of an aungell of lyghte so that yf it were possible he shulde deceaue and seduce the verye electe of God And no manne knoweth this better then Christe whiche teacheth vs so earnestlye to beware of theim whiche also painteth the minysters of Satan in theire owne coloures Wherefore lette vs take to harte this his faithfull monition But howe and with what coloures dothe he describe theym Prophetes To prophecye He calleth theym prophetes whereby he declareth that they shal vse the office of preachinge For to prophecye signifieth other whyle to teache and to interprete holy scripture as we fynde in the 14. chapiter of Saint Paule in the firste epist to the Corinthians More ouer hee sayeth Sheeps clothiÌ„g They shall come in sheepes clothinge That is they shall come in greate and angelicall meekenes and withoute all pride hauinge outwardly the shine of holines but inwardly they are rauening wolues euen the destroyers of the lordes flocke Now forasmuch as we shall haue such in the ministery of the worde of god whose outwarde conuersacion shall apeare as most simple and holy therefore it is necessarye that wee note and printe in our mindes this doctryne of Christe wherby we maye auoyde theym and daily pray vnto god that he wil vouchsafe to retaine vs in holsome doctrine and preserue vs from the vaine ianglynge of these false prophetes Secondarily it is to be noted that Christe doth not all onlye instructe vs to beware of false prophetes but also telleth vs howe wee shall knowe theym Yee shall knowe theym sayeth hee by theyr frutes Whiche thinge that he myght driue into vs the better hee putteth forthe a similitude and sayeth on this wise Do menne gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystelles As thoughe he wolde saye Howe possible it is to gather grapes of thornes or figges of thystles so possible it is that a false prophete in whome the knowledge of god is not shulde teache anye good thynge thoughe hee neuer so muche gloryfye hym selfe in the knowledge of the worde of god A false prophete maye boaste and gloryfye him selfe of the gospell but the trewe doctrine of the faith he shal neuer attayne nor folow All that they haue taught with theyr vaine ianglinge are but leaues and remayne leaues hauinge only an outeward shining And for to knowe these false prophetes and theyr spirite It is needefull to haue the holye spirit and perfecte knoweledge of God Wherefore wee christian menne whyche in this daungerous tyme are assaulted with thys pestiferous and straunge learnyng must so indeuoure our selues Faythe charity that fayth and charity wherin consisteth the hole summe and foundacion of oure doctrine maye euer bee oure rule whereby we maye discerne and iudge all manner of doctrine that shall bee layde before vs. For faythe cleaueth allonlye to the worde of god and sayeth wyth Saincte Paule I knowe nothinge but Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1 and hym crucified that is I seeke remission of sinnes righteousnes and saluacion allonlye in the passion and merytes of Christe And charitie with the deede and worke witnesseth suche fayth to be in the harte And what so euer is contrarye to this doctrine of faythe and charitie commeth of the diuell thoughe they that teache so in their so teachinge leade neuer so relygious a lyfe For the tree is euell and so likewise is the frute euell Shall we iudge nowe some trees by theyr frutes The papistes haue a longe season had the handlyng and administracion of the worde of god and the sacramentes The papistes with so great shyne of holines outwardli the thei haue nigh subiected vnto them the whole world But now that the gospell is broken out come to lyght through the greatinercy of god it hath geuen vs power to know the tree by the fruicte thereof throughe goddes worde Now we haue the word of god which we set against their doctrine concerning works and we find their learning to striue be repugnaÌ„t with the manifest worde of god and to bringe nothinge to passe but hipocrisy Therfore according to their frutes we reproue and abiect the whole papasie with all that belongeth vnto it yea if the diuel rage neuer so much We reproue detest also those spriteful meÌ„ whiche with their Masses suê‘sticion haue abused the supper instituted by Christ contrary to the manifest words of Christe Yea we reproue theim for the fruicte of their doctrine For besides the false expoundinge laiyng out of Christes wordes they haue brought the sacramentes into greate abusion What shall I saye of the anabaptistes I wolde to god the vngracious frute of their doctrine were not so manyfest To make short we haue the clear and manifest gospell by the greate grace of god in our hartes receaued wherein by his mercye we shall abide wheÌ„ all the false prophetes shall go to the diuel Thirdelye Christe expoundeth these wordes by theyr frutes ye shall knowe theim euen as he wold haue theim vnderstanded making a difference betwene hipocrites and those that fulfill his fathers will and declareth both their rewardes The iustifiers and glorifiers in workes crye euer Lord Lord and that more is they glorifie in the gospell and in the holy ghoste yea and are so bold that they dare saye Lorde haue wee not prophecied in thy name haue we not caste out diuels in thy name c. But it is but hypocrisye remaineth hypocrisye for the whiche they haue no rewarde For Christe sayeth Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I knowe you not And fayth in this present gospell Euerye tree that bringeth not forth good frute shal be hewen downe and caste in to the fier Beholde with what rewarde the frute of false doctrine shal be rewarded with all And againe considre what maner of
and set hym on hys owne beaste and broughte hym to a cōmon ynne made prouision for hym And on the morowe when he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the hoste and sayd vnto him Take cure of hym and what so euer thou spēdest more whē I come againe I wyll recompence the. Whiche now of these thre thynkest thou was neighboure vnto hym that tell amongest the theues And he sayd He that shewed mercy on hym Then sayd Iesus vnto him Go and do lykewise THE EXPOSITION Whithe apostels were called blesed IN the beginning of this gospell we see howe the Apostles were pronounced and declared blessed And though at that tyme yt was allonly spoken to thappostels yet notwithstanding yt is vniuersally spoken vnto all the worlde And for as much as they be so counted let vs therfore serch out the cause why He saith on this wise Blessed at the eyes which see that ye se Thoughe Christ speaketh here simply of his person his office and myracles yet notwithstanding yf we wyl esteme count blessed the apostels and those that saw Christe that is knew Christe so is it very needfull necessary that thei haue the inward sight of the hart which is faith For what had profited them the outward bodelye seing of Christ if thei had not had in likewise the inward seing For if the outward seing might haue attained gotten saluaciō so had Pilate Annas Caiphas and Herode bene saued forasmuche as they both saw Christ with their bodely eyen also spoke with him It saueth nor helpeth no more a man to se Christe with hys bodely eyen then it did the Iewes their boasting in their father Abraham Ioh. 8. Here be requiered greater things But which ar they A pure hart that beleueth the worde of god and Christ the truth and the same Messias that was promised vnto vs and also to beleue and knowledg him the sauioure of the worlde And suche faith and confession hadde the apostles when the holye ghoste was not yet openly giuen but hidde For Christ asking theym Wyll ye also go awaye Ioh. 6. Peter answered in the name of theim all Lord to whom shuld we go thou haste the worde of euerlasting lyfe and we beleue and know that thou arte Christ the son of the liuing god Doth not this seeme vnto the an excellēt glorious confessiō which confessiō pleased Christ so highly that he said Blessed art thou Symō Bar Iona for flesh bloud hath not reueled this thing vnto the but my father that is in heauē Wherout it is euidēt that the apostels saw not Christ allōly with their bodely fleshly eien but also saw hī spiritualli wherby they gat obtained blessednes In that thei sawe Christ they ar to be preferred before kinges prophetes forbicause they knewe Christe not only through his word but also they saw his personage and myracles and were a lyue at that tyme in the which his diuine and godly grace through the gospell was diclared vnto the world For Abraham desyered to see this day and saw it in spirite and reioysed therein Iohn 8. But he could not come therevnto to see him bodely And bicause we in these dayes can not see Christ bodely to be conuersaunte amongest vs to preache and to do miracles to eate and drink amongest vs let vs therefore indeuour our cogitacions and thoughts to se and know him spiritually And in so doyng the sayīg of Christ vnto Thomas shall be perfurmed in vs wher he saieth Blessed at they that see not Ioh. 20. and yet beleue Secondarely when Christe had pronounced his disciples blessed for their faithe sake beholde there stode vp a scribe and tempted him and sayde Maister what muste I do to inherite euerlastinge lyfe In the which properly is discribed vnto vs the nature of hipocrisy For hipocrites euer treate of works yea they truste in works and therfore euer they bee speaking of theim Doth yt not seeme vnto the a folishe thinge to dispute of the frutest before the tree be planted What preuayleth it to know what is written and commaunded in the law If I know not how to fulfyl it For that knowledge dothe not alōly not preuaile but also worketh angre wrath accordyng to the sayinge of S. Paule Rom. 4 Wherefore it is necessary for theim that desier to be saued to in quiernot only what manner of work they shuld do but howe and when the lawe is fulfilled For the lawe is spirituall Rom. 5. as S. Paule writeth to the Romaines And if the lawe then be spiritual so can it not be fulfilled with outwarde workes which haue outwardely a shine but it is necessary that it bee fulfilled in the spirite and inward affection Furthermore for as muche as the spirite and the affection pertaine necessarily to the fulfilling of the lawe to what purpose is this questiō of the scribe Yet thou shalte note that he answered bothe wisely and truly to that questiō that Christ obiected against him In the lawe is written Thou shalte loue thy lorde god with all thy harte with all thy sowle with all thy strength with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe This only wanted and lacked whiche Christ bringeth in Do this saith he thou shalte lyue And forbicause he didde not enquire by what meanes or how that same mighte be fulfilled it appeareth thereby that he was one of those scribes that iustified himselfe and so styll remayned And though he of presumption pryde which euer doth folowe hipocrisy enquired no more of that thinge that he cōmoned of yet must not we leaue ther but are bounde to knowe what is the lawe and what it worketh and what the gospell is and what it bringeth to passe The lawe The lawe is a doctrine that teacheth me what I am bound to do and to eschewe and vndoubtedly the effecte thereof is nothing else then that it sheweth vs our offences and our sinne For whersoeuer the lawe is preached there I do heare what thinge I am bounde to do and to leaue but in dede I perceiue that of myne owne power I can not do nor bringe to passe that thinge that is commaunded me to do by that meanes meeked and brought low I come to the knowledg of my corrupte nature syn Also I find that wtout the holy ghost I can not fulfyl the law Hereto then pertaineth the gospell The gospell that glad ioyfull tidings of Christ which declareth sheweth me how that my sinnes be forgiuē me through Christ which gospel brīgeth with him the holy ghost a working faith in me so that now I shal fulfil the law not by coaccion but willynglye But this scribe careth not for these thīgs Mat. 7. wherfore Christ wold not cast that which was holy vnto dogs Thirdely when this scribe iustifieng him selfe asked Christ who was his neighbour Christ by a symilitude layeth it
the priestes whose office and duetie was to iudge and discerne Lepre What do nowe these Lepres They do euen as Abraham did Gen. 12 whan God commaunded him to go out of his countrey and from his kynred and from his fathers house he asked not where hee should become but obayed vnto God and in his so goyng conceiued a sure coÌ„fidence that God would not lede him amysse And in likewyse do these ten Leepres They beleued that this woorde of Christ Go your wayes was not spoken in vayne but vndoubtedly would bring them their health as it did For thus sayth the text As they went it came to passe that they were clensed Who would not nowe hope I trust in the goodnes of Christ whiche healpeth so willyngly so louyngly so gladly so that for his benignitee familiaritee and mercy sake all the whole worlde is bound to hast vnto him to aske mercy But we alas The worlde is indurated are so vngratious indurate that no beneuolence or gratiousnes although it be neuer so great can moue vs to seeke Christ Wherfore it is sayd in a certaine place If you had fayth like a grayne of Mustardsede Luc. 17 Mat. 17 and should say vnto this Mulbery tree Plucke thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thy self in the sea it should obey you As though he would say In you shal be the fault and not in me If you can beleue my helpe shal alwayes be at hande But let euery Christian manne learne hereout howe he should behaue himselfe towarde Christe oure Lorde and so he nedeth not to care Thyrdly we see in this gospel the geuyng of thaÌ„kes of this Samaritane which when he perceiued himselfe to be cleane he returned againe and with a loude voyce magnifyed God geuyng him thankes for the great benefite done vnto him And againe wee see here the ingratitude and vnthankefulnes of the other nyne whiche fell from their fayth and gaue no thankes to Christ for the great benefite done vnto them Wherout we learne Mat. 20 that there be many called to the fayth but fewe which perseuer therin vnto the ende It is a meruailous thynge and wonderfull to say that these ten menne had fayth and therby obtayned helth and yet was there but one of them that perseuered therein and was saued Who would not nowe feare him selfe and stande in dreade to see these nyne Iewes that first beleued Mat. 10 and. 14. and so shamefully fell againe from it This is a true saiyng where Christ sayth Whoseeuer perseuereth vnto th ende shal be saued There are many of vs which heare the worde of God and receiue it with ioye and shewe theim selues as though they would deuour the whole Gospell and yet for all that in the ende they do not alonely forsake their fayth but also against their owne conscience Gala. 5. they do persecute the manyfest trueth Vnto whom might very well bee spoken Ye ranne well who was a let vnto you that you should not obaye the truth Mat. 10 Briefely Christ is true in that he hath spoken saiyng There be many called but there be but fewe chosen Wherfore by right the ingratitude and vnthankefulnes of these nyne Iewes ought to feare vs and not only to feare vs but also to constraine vs dayly and hourely to pray vnto God that we may obtayne through Christ this constancie and perseuerance Also the thankefulnes of the Samaritane may prouoke vs to laude praise God for his goodnes that we receiue of him Forasmuche as our mercyfull God meruaylously deliteth in rendryng and geuyng suche thankes as he speaketh through the Prophete Dauid Psa 49 Who so offereth vnto me thankes and praise he honoureth me Why I pray you doth Christ aske after these nyne that were cleane and doth not returne again vnto him to geue him thankes Truely therfore that their ingratitude and vnthankefulnes highly displeased him And wherfore thynke you doth the Euangelist so diligently discribe that this Samaritane whiche criyng out did fall doune vpon his face at Iesus feete and magnifyed God and gaue him thankes doubteles that hee therwith woulde commend publishe and shewe vs the constancy of his faith and how highely the sacrifice of giuinge thankes and praise pleaseth god Nowe forasmuch as the kingdome of god is taken from the vnthankful Iewes and giuen vnto vs Gentiles we knowledging this benefite let vs daily giue thankes vnto God throughe Christe that hee will vouchsafe to make vs constant in faith and bring vs to euerlasting saluacion through Christe our lord Amen The gospell on the fyftenth sonday after trinitie sonday Math. 6. NO man can serue two maisters Luc. 16. For eyther hee shall hate the one and loue the other or els leane to the one and dispise the other Ye can not serue God and Mammon Therfore I say vnto you Luc. 12. Psal 55 1 Pet. 5. Be not carefull for your lyfe what yee shall eate or drynke nor yet for youre bodye what rayment ye shall put on Is not the lyfe more worth than meate and the bodye more of valewe than rayment Beholde the foules of the ayer for they sowe not neyther do they reape nor carye into their barnes and youre heauenly father feedeth them Are ye not muche better then they Luc. 12. Which of you by takyng carefull thought canne adde one cubyte vnto hys stature And why care ye for rayâ—ente Considre the lylyes of the fielde howe they growe They laboure not neither dooe they spynne And yet I saye vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltee was not arayedlyke vnto one of these Wherefore yf god so clothe the grasse of the fielde whiche though it stande to day is to morowe caste into the fornace shall he not much more do the same for you O ye of lyttle fayth Therefore take no thought saying What shall wee eate or what shall we drynke or wherwith shall we be clothed After all these thinges doo the Gentyles seeke For your heauenly father knoweth that you haue neede of all these thinges But rather seeke ye fyrst the kingdome of god and the righteousnes therof and all these thinges shal be ministred vnto you THE EXPOSITION The true seruice of god is repugnaÌ„t with the false seruice CHrist teacheth vs first in this gospel how that he can not suffre the false seruice of god wherwith in the steed of god the creatures ar worshipped to stand with the true seruice of god concluding it on this wise that it is needefull for vs other to be in al things christian men or els whole heithen infidels For if I will be a christen maÌ„ I must with al my hart set my trust confideÌ„ce in Christ And if it be not done with al the whole hart but partly that is if I think I must trust put my confideÌ„ce in creatures I haue here the sentence giuen vpon me that I am no christen man but rather
biddeth vs Seeke fyrste the kingedome of god To seeke the kingdome of god is no other thinge then to pray that hee wyll brynge vs vnto faithe and throughe his holye ghoste comforte and holde vs in the same faithe vnto our end as the Prophete Dauid did of whome wee reade in the 50. psal and in the 118. Whiche if we diligently doo our faith for the which we pray shall not bee allonly encresed and augmented according to Christes promise Mat. 7. saying Aske you shal haue but also it shal happen that likewise temporal things being promised vs shal be giuen ministred vnto vs. This word Ioh. 16 It shal be ministred vnto you declareth our labour prouision to be nothing yf god should not giue the increase Therfore let vs wel considre and comprehend this promise in our harte that we may learn both in our spirituall and worldly matters to hope trust and put our confidence only in god through Christ that we may not through such ethnicall carefulnes for bodely thinges be separated frome Christe and the true seruing of god To whom with the son holy ghost be al honour Amē The gospell on the syxtenth sonday after trinitye sondaye Luce. 7. ANd it fortuned after this that he betwente into a citie whiche is called Naim and manye of hys disciples went with hym and muche people When he came nighe to the gate of the citye beholde there was a deade man caried out which was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a widow and much people of the citye was with her And when the lorde sawe her he hadde compassion on her and said vnto her Weep not And he came nighe and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stoode styll And he said Yong man I say vnto the arise And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake 4 Re. 17 4 Re. 4. Accu 9. and 20. Ioh. 4. and. 6. And hee deliuered him to his mother And there came a feare on them all and they gaue the glory vnto god saying 4 Re. 17 4 Re. 4. Accu 9. and 20. Ioh. 4. and. 6. A greate prophete is risen vp among vs and god hath visited his people THE EXPOSION FOrasmuche as in this gospell we find what great benefite and charity was shewed vnto this widow therfore let vs search out afore al things with what sorowe misfortune shee was oppressed with al. This wel diligently considered and taken to hart shal the better cōmend vnto vs declare set forth this benefite done by Christ First the euangelyst describeth the state of this woman and saith that shee was a wydowe A woman euen of her nature is a weake vessell as witnesseth S. Peter 1 Pet. 3. Yf now that incommoditie also chaunce vnto her to leese her husband than vttterly shee hathe no comfort in this world Herof it cometh that ther is no man welnigh that more moueth a good hart and allureth him to pitye and compassion then the name of a wydowe and a fatherlesse childe yea god him selfe bycause that this kind of people liue without comfort and consolation vtterly are dispised of the world helpeth them and careth for them ye with this example he cōmēdeth them vnto vs that we herein shuld folow him For it is written in the fift boke of Moises Deu. 18. The lord your god is god of al goddes and lord ouer all lordes a great mighty terrible god which regardeth no parsō taketh no gift He doth right vnto the fatherlesse widow He loueth the stranger giueth him food and raymēt Therfore loue you also the strangers c. Two thinges are here to be noted The one is That God wil not forsake the widowes and fatherles children but that he wil kepe and mercifully saue them Another is that we shal loue and helpe poore miserable and forsaken people To the first the prophetes and in espetiall Dauyd hath much respecte and regard cōmending and praisinge god to be the father of wydowes of orphanes Psa 67 saying Oh synge vnto god sing praises vnto his name Magnifie him that rydeth aboue the heauēs whose name is the lord Reioyse before him He is a father of the fatherles he is a defēder of widows Psal 9. And in an other place he saith The lord is a defēce for the poore Of the last writeth S. Iames saiyng Pure deuocion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the frendles wydowes in their aduersitee and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde Nowe forasmuche as this womā had lost her husband and was become a wydowe vndoubtedly she was in a miserable state Neuerthelesse she had some comforte solace left in her only sonne in whom was her delite But he in like maner died also so that nowe all her ioy comforte in this worlde was spent and gone He that knoweth with what great affections the mother loueth and embraceth her children after the death of the father may lightly perceiue and vnderstand in what trouble and misery this womā was in But what should I make many wordes vndoubtedly I thinke there could skant chaunce more trouble vnto this woman then to lese both her husband her childe and to be so vtterly comfortles Wherfore let a man first consider her misery as it is written of the Euangelist Secondarily we see perceiue in this gospel the goodnes and loue of Christ with the whiche he pityeth this woman And this is to be noted that though the loue of Christ is highly commēded and praised in al the histories of the gospel yet chifly we may perceiue it here in this place more plainer and excellent for here was no fayth that should expresse the sorowe of this woman and seke for grace All that is done here of Christ is done of mercy loue and of great pitie and compassion of the heart that was had towarde this woman And it is here fulfylled that was spoken of Esaias saiyng Esa 65 Before they cry vnto me I shall heare them Seyng that all is done here of mere grace who would presumptuously glory in woorkes though he had wrought neuer so muche And againe who would dispayre for synne and would not rather hast him to Christ This benefite done to this wydowe is and may be to vs a lyuely doctrine that we shall hope for all goodnes of Christ if that vngratious infidelite did not hynder vs and leade vs awaye from the confidence in Christ The holy scripture doth teache cōmendeth fayth Suche examples of the great loue and charite of Christ do leade instruct vs to true fayth so that we may perceiue that we be not onely restored vnto health by grace but also thereby are iustified and saued This fayth requireth of vs the whole scripture with al thapostolical Epistles But reason and maisters subtiltie wyll not vnderstande it but thynketh to obtayne all
thynges through her workes And if the scripture sixehūdreth tymes did wytnesse Rom. 4 That he that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifyeth the wicked that his fayth were reputed to righteousnes Yet our curiosite can a great deale better do it and vnderstand it But lette euery man take hede that he go the right way and erre not For the tyme is nere at hād that we shall either for true doctrine reioyce with God or els for false doctrin be vtterly cōfounded Surely this woman had neither fayth before in Christe nor yet had done any worke where through she had deserued so great benefite and yet great grace was shewed vnto her He that not beyng desired nor yet intreated doth so great benefite vnto this woman thynkest thou that he wyll not do the same to those that praye to him for it Briefly At all tymes he is ready to helpe vs and to do vs good so that we can beleue doubte not And for the moste partie then doth he helpeth vs whē we haue most neede of him yea when we thinke that God himselfe heauen and yearth all is against vs that we be vtterly forsaken then I say doth he begyn to helpe And the same thou seest to happen to this woman For when her sorowe was greatest then did he helpe her And that is the same that Dauid sayth When I call Psal 4. heare me O God of my righteousnes and comforte me in my trouble Thyrdly we see in this miracle the strength and vertue of Gods woorde The power and vertu of the word of God and what it worketh in vs when we cōprehend it by fayth For the Euangelist after that he hath shewed declared vnto vs howe Christ had pitie on this woman and comforted her after he wryteth howe Christ through his woorde raysed this child frō death sayth He came nigh touched the coffyn they that bare him stode stil he sayd Yong mā I say vnto thee aryse Here you heare that Christ is Lorde aswell ouer the dead as ouer the quicke what he speaketh to this yong mā that is dead But what happened The dead sat vp and begāne to speake Beholde the great vertue of Christes worde that by the same the dead are raised to life And whatsoeuer is done here after the history to this yong mā the same must be done dayly spiritually in vs. For who is without synne And the reward of synne is death Therfore if we wyll be deliuered frō synne escape euerlastyng death Christ with his worde must come do it For Christ sayth He that kepeth my worde Ihon. 8. shal not dye euerlastyngly And his worde must bee comprehended vnderstanded by a true fayth For where the knowlege of this worde lacketh Ihon. 1. there Christ which is the word is not knowen And againe where Christ is not knowen there cannot God be praised nor glorified with the woordes of this people saiyng A great prophet is risen amongst vs and God hath visited his people The knowlege of God brīgeth thankesgeuyng And contrary wise where this worde is comprehended in heart conceyued there is Christ knowen when he is knowen then is God praised and glorifyed because that he hath visited vs not in his wrath but with his infinite mercy and hath geuē vs his only welbeloued sōne so that through his passion death he hath redemed vs frō synne death deuil and hell For the whiche great benefite we are bounde to thanke him euerlastyngly Fynally the benignitee of Christ allureth vs vnto fayth and fayth acknowlegeth the power of Gods worde and this knowlege prayseth and glorifyeth God euerlastyngly To whom with the sonne and holy ghost be all honour and praise Amen The gospel on the .xvii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Luc. 14. ANd it chaunsed that he went into the house of one of the chiefe Pharises to eat bread on a Sabboth day and they watched him And behold there was a certain man before him whiche had the dropsye And Iesus answered and spake vnto the lawyers and Pharisies saiyng Mat. 12 Mar. 3. Luc. 6. is it lawful to heale on the sabboth day And they helde their peace And he toke him and healed him and let him go answered theim saiyng Whiche of you haue an Asse or an oxe fallen into a pyt Exo. 23 Deu. 22 Mat. 12 and wyl not straight waye pull him out on the Sabboth daye And they could not answere him again to these thynges He put furth also a similitude to the gestes when he marked howe they preased to the hyest roumes sayd vnto them when thou art bydden of any man to a weddyng sitte not doune in the hyest roume lest a more honorable man than thou be bydden of him and he that bad him and the come say to the Geue this man roume and thou then begyn with shame to take the lowest roume But rather when thou art bydden go and sytte in the lowest roume that when he that bad the commeth he may say vnto thee Frende sytte vp hyer Pro. 25 Then shalt thou haue worship in the presence of them that sytte at meate with thee Mat. 23 Luc. 81 For who soeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell Christ had to do handleth with two maner of persones Fyrst with the Pharisies whiche wayted him to fynde occasion to reprehende him also with this man that had the dropsye Let vs therfore see fyrst howe he handleth him selfe towarde these Phariseis and howe the Phariseis handle themselfes towardes Christ The condicion nature of the Phariseis The Phariseis euer went aboute to blaspheme Christes doyng accordyng to their nature and custome As for his doctryne semed vnto theim nothyng at all by reason it was cōtrary to hypocrisy Wherfore there was neuer nothyng that pleased them whatsoeuer Christe taught And though they sawe neuer so muche his great miracles whiche they could not denye yet would they not geue God the glory but sayd that it was all done through Belzebub prince of the deuils Muche suche blaspemye deceite and enuy shalt thou finde in the histories of the gospel Mat. 12. For euen as the Pharisies persecuted Christ Mat. 12 condempned his doctrine and blasphemed his workes and miracles so Christ set himselfe against them withstode them as moste great enemies to his holy doctrine If you loke in the histories of the gospel you shall fynde cōtinual warre betwene Christ and the Phariseis And it could bee no other wyse For he was the stombling stone 1. Pe. 2. Luc. 2. a rocke to be offended at and a token whiche shal be spoken against of the worlde Wherfore it had not been well done if he should haue graunted them any thyng pertainyng and touchyng the glory of his father It was sufficient that he did declare with
commaundeth Thou wylte saye vnto me Why then is the lawe geuen and what is her office I aunswere with S. Paule Rom. 3. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of syn c. and for this pourpose shee serueth and is necessarye Shee bringeth me to the knowledge of imbecillitie and weakenes peruerse and frowarde nature synnes which canne throughe no worke be expelled dryuen away so than that I by that meanes am made the apter redyer to hear embrace the doctrine of Christ of the diuine grace goodnes Thirdely like as we haue had in this gospell a question partaininge to the lawe so wee haue here nowe an other question partaininge to the gospell After that an answere was giuen vnto the Pharisees according to their questioÌ„ which was the fyrst and greatest commaundement in the lawe Christe asked them again sayiÌ„g What think ye of Christ whose son is he They answere The son of Dauid Then Christ said vnto them How then did Dauid in spirite Ps â—09 call him lorde saying The lord sayd vnto my lorde Syt thou on my right hande c. Here were the pharisees taken at a baye how crafty or subtyle so euer they were And while they were ignoraunt therin knew not how Christ was the son and the lorde of Dauid they shewed them selfe to haue little vnderstanding in the mistery of the gospell And although the Pharisees had no vnderstaÌ„ding therin yet al they that will be counted christen men muste both know it and beleue it For what other thinge is the gospell then a swete and comfortable preaching of Christe the sonne of Dauid that hee for vs became man and came into the worlde to redeme saue vs through his death passion And the he is called as coÌ„cerning the flesh the son of Dauid Whose sonne Christ is is for the greate excellent promise that was made of Christ vnto Dauid So likewise we knowledgiÌ„g him to be the lord of Dauid we coÌ„fesse him to be very god man sent from the father into the worlde that by him we shulde be saued This so excellent a mistery is hidden from the Pharisees all that iustifie them selues but vnto vs that know worship the father in Christ Christ in the father it is plainly opened well knowen This preaching of Christ that he is the sonne and lord of Dauid agreeth wel with the question of the law The lawe openeth sin but it forgiueth not sinne for that high power is only giuen vnto Christ our lord the son of Dauid Also the lawe teacheth what we ought to do and forbere but she giueth not the spirite which canne do that the lawe commaundeth Wherfore ther belongeth besides the preaching of the lawe which doth humiliat vs the preaching of the sonne and lord of Dauid that is the goâ—pell which may pacifye our troubled consciences may giue vs the holy ghost to teach vs willyngly and for loue to do that thing that god requiret of vs. Which knowledg god the father graunt vs through Christ our lord Amen The ninetenth sonday after trinity sonday Mat. 9. HE entred also into a ship and passed ouer came into his owne citie And behold Mat. 2. Luc. 5. b they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying in a bed And when Iesus sawe the faith of theÌ„ he sayd vnto the sick of the palsy Son be of good chere thy sinnes be forgyuen the. And behold certain of the scribes said within them selues this maÌ„ blasphameth And when Iesus sawe their thoughts he said Wherfore think ye euell in your harts Whether is easyer to say Thy synnes be forgiueÌ„ the or to say arise walk But that ye may know that the son of maÌ„ hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then saith he vnto the sick of the palsy Actu 3. and. 9. f Mar. 2. Luc. 5. c Ioh. 5. b Arise take vp thy bed and go vnto thine house And he arose and departed to his house But the people that saw it meruailed and gloryfied God which had giuen suche power vnto men THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel is haÌ„dled one of the most principal articles of our faith that is remission of sinnes Wolde god that we might learn vnderstand this article For it is a necessary thing for vs to know how our sinnes be forgiuen vs. Sin is a terrible word briÌ„ging with him euerlastiÌ„g damnacioÌ„ if we abide perseuer therin Furthermore sinne so highly displeaseth god that he wold not be pleased with no other satisfaccioÌ„ thaÌ„ with the passion death of his onli son Iesus Christe our lorde Moreouer ther is scarce ani other word that hath more coÌ„solation comfort in it theÌ„ remissioÌ„ of syns hath in especial if we knowe froÌ„ whence it coÌ„meth and how we may apprehende it The whiche thyng we may perceiue in this gospel They offered vnto Christ a maÌ„ sicke of the Palsey that he should heale him But what did Christ He knewe full well The disease of the soule that the disease of the soule was muche more dauÌ„gerous then the disease of the body And though he intended to heale take awaye the bodily disease of this man that had the palsey yet he did and brought to passe fyrst that whiche was more nedefull necessary afterward healed the body And that is the cause why he is called a physicion in the gospel because he doth chiefly take away the diseases of the soule as he sayth of him selfe The whole nede not the Physicion Mat. 9. but they that are sicke Christ of his mere grace for geueth synne Wherfore he sayd to the maÌ„ that had the Palsey My soÌ„ne be of a good chere thy synnes bee forgeuen thee Here thou hearest the name of synne and hearest also that ioyfull name of forgeuyng And if diligently thou wylte considre who it is that speaketh these thynges thou mayst lightly perceiue and fynde what he is that wyl forgeue vs our synnes so that we knowlege and confesse theim and desire grace we may perceiue I say that it is Iesus Christe oure Lorde to whom is graunted of God the father this power to forgeue synne as the Angell wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 1. He shall saue his people from their synne And as wee necessarily may note and marke here that remission of synnes is and commeth of mere grace by Christe without any deseruyng of woorkes so lykewyse it is to bee noted howe gentely and mercyfully Christ here in this place doth shewe him selfe This man that had the palsey prayeth and desireth onely for his bodily health and Christ healeth him both in body and soule yea and maketh him the sonne and heyre of God and sayth Sonne be of a good chere O vnspeakeable charitee whiche can not bee expressed O mercyfull and louyng Lorde can there be shewed greatter grace to this maÌ„ that had the Palsey The sinnes are two maner of wayes forgeueÌ„ Esa 34 But
euidently sette forth and declared by this mariage thē there through the parable of the souper For it is true that euen as a souper here vpon earth is prepared and ordained for mirth and ioyfulnes so likewise there is perpetual peace ioy in the kingdom of Christ But in a mariage ther is not onli ioy but the bridegrome the bride ar made one flesh Gen. 2. as the scripture testifieth For the cause shal a man forsake father mother stycke to his wife they shal be two in one flesh Ose 2. And euen likewise as the bride the bridegrome ar one flesh so shal we be in Christ one body so that wee haue a true faithe And as a man and his wife haue al their goodes in common betwene them so haue we likewise al that was Christes so that we are not founde vnfaithful To this pertaineth that S. Paule writeth to the Ephesians Ephe. 5. You men loue your wiues as Christ loued the congregacion hathe giuen himselfe for it to sanctifie it and clense it in the fountaine of water by the word to make it vnto him self a glorious cōgregacion hauing no spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing but that it shulde be holy and without blame Secondarely The outwarde worde ther is commended in this gospel the outward word wherthrough we are called and bidden to this mariage For euen as gorgeously as he prepared this mariage with all thinges belonging thervnto so diligently by his seruauntes he sendeth and calleth his gestes Fyrst of al through the word of the gospell the Iewes were called vnto this mariage to whome also Christ was promised as we finde in the eightene chap. of Deutronomy Deut. 18 And were called also againe the seconde time and would not yet come For thei were so combred with worldly thinges that they cared not for the welthe of their soule and therefore were forsaken and condemned in whose place the poore Fentiles succede And that it is here spoken that they gathered togither al that they found both good euel that is not spokē that we shuld think Mar. 23 that the ill men for their maliciousnes shall receiue a special reward in heauen Mat. 25 but that we must suffre to grow here vpō earth the tares with the good wheat vnto such tyme that god by Christ shall deuide the sheep from the kyddes and receiue the sheepe into his kingedome Thyrdely in that the Iewes didde contempne and dispise the woorde of god and the gospell and distroyed the ministers therof wherwith the kinge being angry sent forth his warriers and destroyed those murtherers and sette fier vppon their citye These wordes declareth how hardly and withoute any mercy god shal punish them both body soule The punishmēt of the Iewes al other worldly cōmodities which dispise persecute his word Were not the Iewes punished with lyke ponishement Hyther may bee referred that Christ speaketh in the tenth chapiter of sainct Mathewe If no manne wyll receiue you Mat. 10 nor heare your preachyng departe out of that house or citie and shake the dust of your fete Truely I say vnto you it shal be easyer for the lande of Sodoma and Gomorra in the day of iudgement then for that citie Fourthly we haue in this parable him whiche entred in wtout a weddyng garment whō the kyng cōmaunded to be bound cast into vtter darkenes because he could not excuse him selfe That that is spoken here of the wedding garment is to be vnderstand of those that iustifye them selfes For those though outwardly thei appeare to be good holy yet forbecause they bee hypocrites The punishemēt of hypocrites they shall not entre with Christ into the kyngdome of heauen There is onely but one worke where through wee are iustifyed and saued whiche is the merites of Christ And whosoeuer receiueth this worke with a right and vnfayned fayth he weareth that weddyng garment and in that great day shall he entre with Christ into his kyngdome Heb. 11. But without this vesture of fayth it is vnpossible to please God But they therfore that haue not this vesture whiche The weddyng garment though many bee called yet is there but a fewe that hath it they shall not haue part with Christe but with Sathan Whiche I praye God saue vs from through Christ our Lorde Amen The Gospel on the xxi sonday after Trinitee sonday Ihon. 4. ANd there was a certaine ruler Mat. 8. Luce. 7. whose sonne was sycke at Capernaum As soone as the same heard that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought him that he would come doune and heal his son For he was euen at the poynt of death Then sayde Iesus vnto hym Except ye see signes and wonders ye wyll not beleue The ruler sayth vnto hym Syr come doune or euer that my sonne dy Iesus sayth vnto hym Go thy way thy sonde lyueth The man beleued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto hym and he went hys way And as he was now going downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying Thy sonne lyueth Then inquired he of them the houre when he began to amend And they sayde vnto hym Yesterday at the seuenth houre the feuer lefte hym So the father knew that it was the same hour in that whych Iesus sayd vnto hym Thy sonne lyueth Act. 18. And he beeleued and al hys houshold THE EXPOSITION FIrst An example of unperfect faythe in this gospell we haue an exaumple of vnperfecte faith which is a greate comfort for vs that ar not as yet strong in the true faith when we se this ruler hauing little faith and yet not reiected of Christ but rebuked familiarly and afterwarde by the vertue of the worde made stronge in the faithe Whereout we learne howe Christe suffereth the weakenes of our faith and that wee shall not bee reiected of him so that we with like pacience wil suffre his correctiō where withall he rebuketh our misbeliefe as we se here the that this ruler did perseuere euer in prayer with the Apostels saying Luce. 15 Lorde augment and increase our faith And that this ruler had litle and no perfecte faithe it is euident in so much that he prayeth desired Christ to go doune with him to his house and heale his sonne For a true faith and a perfecte wolde haue spoken lyke the euangelical Centuriō saying Mat. 8. Lorde speake but a word and my child shal be hole Whiche Centurio beleued that so greate myghte and power was in goddes woorde that by the same Christe not being present the chyld shuld haue beene healed Wherefore he regardeth and loketh only to the worde for as much as he knoweth very well that the childe shulde be made hole In what maner of wise shal we now be made hole whether we be diseased in body or in soule if we do not regarde
suche subtyl obiections Here out it cōmeth that whiche Dauid the Prophet complayneth of these wicked persons Psal 20 saiyng Lo they haue bent their bowes made ready their arrowes in the quiuer that they may priuily shote at thē which are true in heart So likewyse do these Phariseys here they go to counsel howe they might take Iesus in his saiynges euen the same that they cōcluded they cōmaund their disciples instructyng thē how what they should say vnto him namely this Mayster we know that thou art true teachest the way of God truly carest for no man For thou regardest not the outwarde apparance of men c. Howe goodly are these wolues drest with shepes garmēt They cal Christ a maister al for to constrain him with suche flatteryng wordes to make answer vnto them yet be not they of suche disposicion to become his disciples although ther had been taught neuer so much goodnes vnto thē Furthermore thei adde that he is true teacheth the worde of God truely This is not euil spoken of Christe Iho. 14 For he teacheth not only Gods worde truly but also he is the truth himselfe And this is required of al preachers that they so endeuor them selfes that these wordes may be truly spoken of thē For it is our office to be true to teache Gods word truly Furthermore that thei say Thou carest for no mā nor regardest the outward apparance of men partaineth vnto vs also For the truth is not to be hidden for no mans pleasure but faythfully to bee preached teached yea although his distructiō shuld folow should be put to death as S. Ihon Baptist was And although Christ is excellently described vnto vs by these wordes yet they that were sent did speake it with a false fainyng dissemblyng heart Wherout we may learne the disposiciō of those hypocrites which persecute the word of god Thei omit the head the principal of the thing and bryng in vnprofitable questions They speake nothing with the heart But whatsoeuer thei speake is for that purpose that they may take and tryp the innocētes and good men in their communicacion Secondarily after that the Phariseys had put furth their subtill deuised question Christ knowyng that thei did it to tempt him so he did answer them that it was not spoken in vayne of the wyse man Pro. 21. saiyng There is no wysedome there is no vnderstādyng there is no counsail against the Lord. Therfore he calleth them hypocrites And that thei might wel vnderstand that he knewe their malicious thoughtes he added Why do ye tempte me Whiche wordes by right should haue reuoked the Phariseys and the ministers from their maliciousnes and deceit and caused them to haue amended their liues But they were blynde remayned styll blynd Yet notwtstādyng Christ bad them to shewe him their tribute money and sayd Whose is this ymage superscripcion They sayd vnto him The Emperours Then sayd he vnto them Geue therfore vnto the Emperour that whiche is the Emperours and geue vnto God that whiche is Gods As though he would saye Forasmuche as you are come therto that for your synne you are brought vnder the yoke of the Emperour of Rome you must nedes geue as vnto your head highest lorde here vpon yearth vnder God that whiche belōgeth vnto him Here is to be noted the difference that Christ maketh betwene the kyngdome of God and this worlde For he doth not onely approue and allowe this high power and polliticke life The kīgdome of Christ but also confermeth it For the kyngdome of God or of Christ is spiritual whiche consisteth in the spirite fayth and truth wherfore it commeth not with outwarde doynges but it must be inwardly in vs. Now because that it is a spiritual kyngdome God requireth and wyll be worshypped in spirite Luc. 17 Ihon. 4 and in the trueth as Christ sayth in the fourth chapiter of sainct Ihon. The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in truthe But to worship God in spirite and truth is to loue him with all thy heart Deut. 6. with all thy power and to truste in him For suche fayth and loue geueth God his honor and kepeth his cōmaundementes as Christ sayeth in an other place He that loueth me shall keepe my woorde Ioh. 14 Wherefore when I put my whole truste in god the father through Christe and loue him aboue all creatures then doo I gyue god that pertaineth to god and pull from him none of his honour And herevnto pertaineth the fruteful admonicion of the prophete Dauid saying Psal 28. Adscribe vnto the Lorde O yee mighty ascribe vnto the Lord worshyp strength And contrary wise Cesars kingedō the kyngdome of the Emperour is worldly it is visible in the which the Emperour him selfe gouerneth and beareth rule mightely with hys lordes and prynces as the scripture witnesseth in an other place sayinge Luc. 22. The Kynges of the worlde haue dominion ouer the people and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious lordes Neuertheles that kingdome is of god Rom. 13 and stablished by goddes ordinaunce in suche wise that he that resisteth this ordinaunce resisteth god him selfe Thinkest thou that princes and greate lordes in the scripture are called goddes in vaine and withoute a cause For if they bee goddes Psa 8◠and are made by god partakers of his magnificence then muste they needes be in goddes steed whose roome they beare Therfore seyng they rule in gods steed it is both meete and conuenient to giue theim that wee are bounde to giue theim But what are those thinges S. Paule setteth them furthe and sayth Geue vnto euery man his dutie Ro 13. Tribute to whom tribute belōgeth Custome to whō custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom honour pertayneth Here thou hearest what thou art bound to geue vnto highe powers But paraduenture thou wilt say Shall I geue obedience vnto a tyrant an vngracious prince or Lord Yea truly thou art bound both to geue obey him For what hast thou to do with his tyranny If the magistrate doth naught contrary to equitie he hath a iudge whom he must answere in that appointed day Iudgement is not here graunted vnto thee except he constrayneth thee to do any thyng against God Then thou mayst say with the Apostles Act. 5. We ought more to obay God then men But if he cōstrayneth the do nothyng against God then hast thou here the sentence of Christe Geue to Cesar that belongeth vnto him and to God that is Gods Whiche answere is so good and godly that they that were sent of the Phariseys meruailed at it And for because they could say nothyng against it They wēt their wayes God graunt vs his grace The gospel on the .xxiiii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Math. 9. WHyles he thus spake vnto them Mat. 5. Luc. 8.
merites and of mere grace shal be forgeuen you At the lest be warned of this that you may knowe this tyme of visitacon and that you do not dispise my worde Here thou hast out of the gospell of sainct Mathew the true preacher of grace and the whole somme of his preachyng with the whiche Christe wyll haue his kyngdome begonne and ministred But wyll he alone bee occupyed and charged with the administracion of the same No truely For as before this tyme he hath had ministers and seruantes so likewyse he wyll haue theim nowe Ministers of the worde of God The Prophetes and in especiall sainct Ihon Baptyst were needefull and very necessarye to prepare the waye to this preachyng of grace And so likewyse as in his tyme and also after his departyng he would haue suche healpers suche I say as sainct Paule nameth theim 1. Ti. 5. whiche faythfully and earnestly should teache the woorde of God and doo that laye in theim to holde it in estimacion and his dignitee But where shall he picke out those or gette suche Shall he gette them in the highe schole at Athenes or out of the noumbre of the doctoures in Egypte Or els shall they bee found at Ierusalem where so great a company of honest Scribes Phariseis are found No verely He wyl picke and chose theim out of the nombre of laboryng menne Why and wherfore wyl he do so Therfore forbecause his doctrine was so vyle couÌ„ted and had of so litle estimacion before the worlde whiche doctrine whersoeuer it is brought to light for the moste parte there foloweth persecucion and mortall hatred In somuche that sainct Paule nameth the same woorde The worde of the Crosse Also note and marke euen as the worde is dispised and abiected before the worlde so shall likewise his ministers bee Ioh. 13. For the seruaunt is not greater then his maister 1. Cor. 1 And sainct Paule sayth There is not many wyse menne after the fleshe not many mightie not many of high degree called but that folishe is before the worlde hath God chosen that he might confounde the wise But howe dyd Christe vse this callyng Iesus walked sayth the Euangelist by the sea of Galile he sawe Simon Peter and Adrewe his brother castyng a nette into the sea and sayd vnto them Folowe me The same sone after dothe he to Iames and Iohn Two maner of callyng whiche also were fyshers Where is to be noted that there is two maner of callyng The one is discribed in the fyrst booke of Moses where it is wrytten that in the sweate of thy face thou shalte eate thy bread Whiche partayneth vnto all men And thother is when any man is called of God or by some other lawefull meanes to bee a Kynge a prince a ruler of the common wealth or chosen to be a preacher of goddes word And thys pertayneth not vnto all men but to a certaine In the first callyng were the Apostels wherein doubtles as good and vertuous men they wold haue remained and abiden in case they had not bene called to none other After whose insample are we bounde to abide in our calling And if it fortune any man to be called to any office or dignitie concernyng the coÌ„moÌ„ wealth he shal not onli take it vpoÌ„ him willingly but also he is bouÌ„d to beware that he behaue hiÌ„self therin righteously iustly 1 Cor. 4. And if any maÌ„ seem meete to teach the congregacion of Christ let hym folowe the counsaile of good men and be instructed with the warnyng 1 Cor. 4 that as S. Paule saith he bee founde faitstfull therein And where there is no callyng there let euery man abide in the fyrste calling And no manne taketh the honoure vnto hym selfe Hebre. 5 but hee that is called of God as was Aaron Secondaryly The office of the Apostles after that Christe had segregated and called to him these fower Apostels frome their fyrste callyng hee declared what hee woulde doo with theim and sayeth I wyll make you fyshers of men Fysshinge in this place is as much to say Fyshing as preachinge the woorde of god or the gospell As wee haue also in the xiii chapiter of Mathewe Mat. 13 Where hee lykeneth the kingedome of heauen to a nette caste into the sea wherewith are taken all manner of fysshes For as a net is cast into the sea for none other intent or purpose then ther to catch fish so is it conuenient and meet that thei which by lawfull callynge come to the office of preachynge ofte declare the worde of god and that for none other intent then to allure and bring men therby in the true faythe of Christe to the laude and prayse of god and for the saluacion of their sowles As wee reade of Christe oure lorde howe hee glorified by good righte bycause he soughte only the glorye of his father Iohn 8. Luc. 19. And in an other place hee sayeth The sonne of manne came to seeke and to saue that whyche was loste And when Christ spake these woordes of fysshynge Iere. 16 hee hadde a respecte vnto the prophecye of Ieremye whan hee saide Beholde I wyll sende oute manye fisshers to take theim Out of all these sayinges a man may lightely gather what Christe desiered of the Apostels and what they were bounde to doo whiche was nothinge else but to preache and teache and not to deuoure and slaye For CHRIST neuerment that to fisshe was as muche to saye as to kyll and slaye or to oppresse anye manne by violence but contrarye wyse to handle the worde of God with all faithfulnes and gentlenes as wee haue in the laste chapiter of Saynte Marke Go your wayes sayeth Christe into all the world and preache the Gospell to all creatures And Saynte Paule when he describeth and informeth a Bysshoppe 1 Tim. 3. hee requireth not of him that hee shoulde be experte howe to handle a weapon but that hee shoulde bee apte and meete to preache and teache 1 Cor. 4. For in the fyrste Epistle to the Corinthians hee declareth what a preacher is and also setteth forthe his office saying Lette euery man this wyse esteme vs euen for the ministers of Christe and stewardes of the secretes of God Nowe is there no more required of the Stewarde then that he bee founde faythfull c. The saiyng of the Prophete Esay agreeth well with this sentence saiyng Esai â—4 Crye as loude as thou canst and leaue not of Lyfte vp thy voyce lyke a Trompette and shewe my people their offences Lyfte vppe thy voyce and bee not afrayde We must needes confesse that all this is spoken of the office of preachyng and teachyng What neede we many wordes The office of a preacher is to teache to rebuke to comforte to exhorte and to be founde faythfull in his office Therefore he that wyll bee taken for a true preacher shall not come to that madnesse for to
is not possible that I can haue any peace in my conscience towarde God for my synnes sake whiche alwayes accuseth me in my conscience nor wyll not suffre me to come nor attaine to this spiritual peace Fourthly The cōfession of Thomas wee fynde here an excellent confession in Thomas in whiche he knowlegeth Christ to bee his God and his Lorde And this confession is so nedefull and necessary without the whiche no man can haue the true righteousnes that preuaileth before God nor entre into the kyngdome of heauen But note also howe afore that Christe had shewed his handes and his feete vnto Thomas he could not haue this cōfession Handes and fete what it is in scripture Handes and feete in scripture betokeneth often tymes workes and conuersacion Therfore when Christ sheweth vs his handes and feete that is When he hath brought vs to that point throught his spirite and worde that we acknowlege his merites passion death and finally all his workes onely to be the cause of our righteousnes and saluacion then may we saye with the Apostle My Lorde my God and put all our trust in him accordīg to the saiyng of Dauid Ps 54. Set your trust in the Lorde and he shall care for you When Christ doth not in suche wyse shewe vs his handes and fete so is it for vs vnpossible to make any such confession For sainct Paule sayeth not without a cause to the Corinthians saiyng 1. Co. 12 No man can say that IESVS is the Lorde then through the holy ghost Wherefore it is Christe that must bryng vs to this confession Further note that Thomas beyng enflamed with the holy ghost calleth Christ his god This such lyke sentences by the whiche it is proued that Christ is the true naturall God ought diligently to bee noted and surely layde vp in our mindes and especially nowe in this last and perilous tyme. Wherfore it is very necessary when suche errors abuses crepe in whiche God forbid that wee bee well instructed with this confession of Thomas lest wee bee vtterly drawen from the true fayth of Christe With this confession of Thomas sainct Ihon in his canonical Epistle agreeth very aptely 1. Iho. 5 where he calleth Christ very God and euerlastyng light whiche is freely confessed Christ to be the true God He that wyll these admonicions notwithstandyng be deceiued on his perill be it For we truely through the helpe of God wyll stand liue and dye in this article in suche hope and trust that the almightie God of his great mercy goodnes will maintayn vs here euerlastyngly through his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen The Gospell on sainct Stephin his day the Martyr Math. 23. WHerfore beholde Mat. 10 Luc. 11. Ioh. 16 Act. 6. and. 7. I sende vnto you prophetes and wyse men ◠Scribes and some of theim ye shall kyll and crucifie and some of theim shall ye scourge in your synagoges and perse cure theim frō citie to citie that vpō you may come all the righteous bloud whiche hath been shedde vpon the yearth frō the bloud of righteous Gen. 3. Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharye the sonne o◠Barachias 2. Pa. 24 whom ye flewe betwene the temple and the altar Verely I say vnto you all these thynges shall come vpon this generacion Luc. 13. O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that kyilest the prophetes and stonest theim whiche are sent vnto thee howe often would 4. Es ◠I haue gathered thy children together euen as the Henne gathereth her chickyns vnder her wynges and ye would not Behold Psal 9. your house is lefte vnto you desolate For I say vnto you ye shall not see me hencefurth tyll that ye say * Ps 118 Luc. 9. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell Christ handeleth the Iewes somewhat roughly like as one that almost had made an ende of his course runnyng and nere to his death ready to be offered vppe Yea he reproueth them in suche wyse of their blyndnes maliciousnes and their indurate heart and that with so great vehemency and so ernestly that he could not hardlyer assault them And that their ingratitude shuld be the better knowen vnto them and be brought to light he reciteth vnto theim the great benefites that God from the beginnyng of the worlde had visited theim with all yea and that whiche was yet commyng before that their great cicie of Ierusalem should bee destroyed And sayd howe he sent theim Prophetes Wysemen and Scribes and euer had sought all meanes and occasions to bryng them through their preachyng to saluacion yet al would not helpe Prophetes He calleth Prophetes those whiche throughe the inspiracion of the holy ghost and by the commaundement of God prophecie and teache the people the will of God And which haue been taught of no mā except of God onely as Moses was Wyse men And he calleth wyse men those that haue learned and heard all their wysdome of other good men and are ready to vtter it againe to all men as was Aaron in the olde Testament and sainct Stephin in the newe Testament Scrybes Scribes he calleth those whiche not onely throughe preachyng the woorde of God but also through their diligent labour in writyng teache other menne and profiteth theim highely as were many after the Apostles tyme and likewyse in our tyme there be many that haue done muche good in the church of Christ and dayly yet dothe Of the whiche in another place Christ sayth Mat. 13 Euery Scribe taught vnto the kyngdome of heauen is like an housholder which bringeth furth of his treasure thynges newe and olde Out of whiche woordes lightly may bee gathered the greate benefites that God had shewed vpon the Iewes And how I pray you can be so wyse or wel learned that can comprehend with words al the benefites that god had shewed vnto the Iewes from that tyme that he had brought them out of Egypt and deliuered them frō bondage A great benefite to haue the word of God And yet amongst all other this was the greatest highest benefite that he had geuen them his worde without doubt a most precious and excellent gyfte Whiche gyfte was so great Rom. 4 that as sainct Paule sayth they farre excelled vs Heathen people forasmuche as God hadde committed his woorde vnto theim And the prophete Dauid boasteth Psal 16 that god had doone no suche thinge to all nations lyke as he had done vnto the Iewes But they shewed them selues againe so vnthankefull that it constrained god to take awaye that same worde from them as wee see in the eight chapiter of the prophet Amos saying Beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde god Amos. 8 that I shall sende an hunger into the earthe not the hunger of breade neither the thruste of water but an hunger to heare the worde of the lorde And the truthe of
The ioy of Simeon Thirdelye here note in howe greate myrthe in what great ioy this old man triumphed as it were when the eyes of his hearte were opened to knowe his Messias Nowe saide he O lord thou lettest thy seruaunt depart in peace accordyng to thy promise Oh howe noble a thinge is a heart that beleueth well For I praye you what thinge careth Simeon for nowe when he knoweth his king and fauiour Doutles nothing nowe can make him pensiue or sorowfull Neither careth he much whether he liue or dye As though he shulde saye Oh lorde God I haue with great and feruent desire longed to see thy sonne the sauiour of the worlde and now by thy goodnes and mercye I haue that I euer desired And therfore now I feale my felfe in so great ioye that it is all one to me whether I liue or dye Phi. 1. Now if I must liue longer I knowe that my sauiour yea the sauiour of al the whole worlde is come and therfore there is nothyng can make me sorowfull But if I must dye then am I sure that death is to me auantage Yea verely oh Lord I heartely desire to be dissolued be with thee For I am sure that neither synne nor death nor deuil nor hell can hurt me for asmuche as I haue seen thy sonne my lorde and I haue knowen him as my Messias and sauiour Beholde howe after this maner Symeon maketh his song and declareth what fayth he hath in this childe And what dothe he more Sufficeth it that he only beleueth Christ is sauiour before all people and that this ioye tickleth his heart onely Nay not so But he would make this ioy knowen vnto all men and he sayth That God hath prepared this sauiour before the face of all people Wherevnto A light to lighten among the Heathen and the glory of thy people of Israel Surely that is it that I would so gladly haue hard spoken of And I beseche you what thyng might wee poore heathen require more Wee were bonde vnto this tyme in darkenes great incredulite vtterly ignorant what we shuld do to attaine euerlasting saluacion But God hath set furth this light and nowe hath he ended this miserye Who hath done this This childe of whom Symeon speaketh suche excellent thynges And by what thyng hath he brought this to passe By his helthsom doctrine and gospell For as he only is the glory of his people when they acknowledge him by faith so also is he a light vnto vs when he wolde that his most holy worde shuld come vnto vs. For then in deede began it to be fulfilled that the prophet longe before sawe in spirite and saide The people that dwelt in darknes sawe a great lyght c. Wherfore deerely beloued let vs with harty affection indeuour oure selues that in as much as we are made the childrē of god by the worde of god that we acknowledge the same with Simeon and be thankefull And neuer admitte to seeke remission of sinnes iustice and eternal health at any other then this childe whom Simeon acknowledgeth and nameth the sauioure of the whole worlde Who with the father and the holy ghoste preserue and keepe vs all Amen The gospell on saynte Mathias the apostels daye Math. 11. AT that time Iesus answered and sayd I thank the O father lorde of heauen and earth bicause thou haste hid those things from the wife and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes verely father euē so was it thy good pleasure Mat. 12 Luc. 10. Ioh. 3. Al things are giuen ouer vnto me of my father ♣ Ioh. 7 8. b 10. b And no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father saue the sonne and he to whom so euer the sonne wyll open hym Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyl case you Eccle. 6 Take my yoke vpon you learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart ye shal find rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easye 1. Ioh. 5 and my burthen is lyghte THE EXPOSITION TO the right vnderstandyng of this presente Gospell Two natures in Christe it is necessary that we consider wel two natures in Christ And verely if these two natures bee well and christianly cōsidered it shal open and make plaine many places of the godly scriptures which at the fyrst sight might seme to be contrary so that in very dede there shall appeare in them no repugnauncye at all As for an example I and my father are one And again in another place My father is greater then I. Nowe if you referre this sentēce vnto Christes deuine nature the other vnto his humaine nature I pray you shall not these saiynges well agree And in like maner must thou nedes do in this gospel For that he geueth thankes to his father it belongeth to his manhod and that he sayth All thynges are geuen me of my father it must be referred vnto his godhead But wherfore geueth Christ thankes vnto his father Forsoth because the worde whiche is contemned of Corazin and Bethsaida is hyd frō the wyse and prudēt and is reueled or opened vnto yong children Wise prudent men In this place he calleth theim wyse and prudet that trust to their ownes wysdome and by their owne wyttes and vnderstandynges will searche out all thynges Of whom also the prophet sayth Wo to you that are wise in your owne eyes Esai 5. prudent in your owne conceites Suche wysedome and suche prudence that is suche as will not be subdued and submit it selfe captiue vnder the worde of God and to the folishe preachyng of the crosse shal neuer bee able to perceiue any thyng at all of the matter of his iustificacion nor in any thyng that appertayneth to the glorye of God And why God can by no meanes nor will suffre suche pride as cōmonly cōmeth of carnal wysedome as it is written God resisteth the proud 1. Pe. 5. and geueth grace vnto the lowly Furthermore wee see that suche as are carnally wyse and ciuily prudent menne very seldome they come vnto the knowlege of God But who then are they that are admitted vnto the knowlege of God and vnto fayth Forsothe litle children And in this place Christe calleth theim children Childrē or babes that dispayre of theim selues of all their carnall wysedome and prudence that only considereth and depely fyxeth in their heart those thynges whiche Christ taught preached wrought Knowyng also that in matter appertainyng vnto the honour of God to righteousnes our saluacion or our own carnall wytte is of no waytte nor value but onely the worde of God Wysmē And knowyng also that no man can kmowe or apprehende that iustice without the reuelacion of God And nowe vnto the fyrst nōbre that is of carnall wyse men and prudent pertayne the hye priestes Phariseys and Scribes and all iusticiaries that from
5 That almightie lord geue vs grace that we neuer suffre our selues to be withdrawen frō that yoke Amen The gospell on the annunciation of the blessed Vyrgyne Mary Luc. 1. When she sawe him she was abashed at hys saying and cast in her mynd what manner of salutacion that shold bee And the aungell sayde vnto hyr Feare not Marye for thou haste founde grace wyth God Beholde Esai 6. thou shalte conceaue in thy womb and beare a sonne and ♣ Mat. 2 Luc. 2. shalte call his name Iesus He shal be greate and shall be called the sonne of the hyghest And the lord God shall gyue vnto hym the seat of his father Dauyd and he * Esa 9 shall raign ouer the house of Iacob for euer and ♣ Dan 7 Mich. 4 of hys kingedome there shall be none ende Then sayde Mary vnto the angell How shall this be seyng I know not a man And the angel answered and sayd vnto her The holy ghost shal come vpon the and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe the. Therefore also that holy thing whych shal be borne shal be called the sonne of god And beholde thy cosyn Elyza beth she hathe also conceaued a sonne in her age and this is her syxt moneth whych was called barren for Zach 8. Mat. 19 Mar. 10 Luc. 18. with god shall nothing be vnpossible And Mary sayde Behold the hand mayde of the Lorde be it vnto me accordyng to thy worde THE EXPOSITION HEere in the Gospell of this daye is described the Annūciatiō of the natyuyty of our lord Iesus Christ which was before promised vnto the holy fathers that ther so longe so desirously wayted for And the euangelyst Luke with very great diligēce meruailous plainly describeth that glad tidinges For he right diligently discusseth al the circumstances of it and in as goodly ordre as maye bee recyted them Fyrst he sheweth the tyme The tyme. that is the syxte moneth after that Elizabeth wyfe to Zachary the priest had conceiued Iohn the baptist And then furthermore Gabiel hee nameth also the aungell by that name that was knowen and excellente in the scriptures as in Daniell the 8. and 9. chapiter And this aungell also was before sent vnto Zachary Thirdely he sheweth who sent that angell Who sent him that is god which longe before had ordained Marye vnto this glory that she shuld be the mother vnto his son Fourthelye also you se whether and to whome the Aungell was sente that is into a toune of Galile named Nazareth The city The husbande The virgyne vnto a virgine despoused vnto a manne called Ioseph of the house of Dauid And the virgines name was Mary Now if a man will declare these circumstances and accordinge to their dignitie discusse them it can not be opened what dignity and ornament these shal adde vnto the annuncion And nowe considre after what manner this annunciation came to passe and how we shuld vnderstand it The aungell cometh vnto Mary and very gentely saluteth her as a virgine replenished with grace with whome the Lorde is and whiche shuld in tyme comming be blessed aboue al women bicause of those excellent giftes which god woulde giue vnto her And in as much as she was abashed or troubled bycause of his woordes therefore the Angel continueth his wordes and sayth Mary be not afrayde doubtlesse thou hast found grace with God Behold thou shalt cōceiue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Here it is necessary that wee consider well two thynges Fyrst that Mary founde so great grace with God Two thynges noted For that which is founde surely it is founde without any merites of any woorkes that went before and so it commeth vnloked for To confirme grace is not to merite or deserue Then if Mary found suche grace afore God I beseche you where are they that say she deserued it And therevpon doo make an Idoll of her settyng it aboue God I can well beare and truely so is it worthy that Mary be praised and exalted as a goodly virgyn and full of grace afore God yea and also to be set furth vnto all christians as a liuely ensample of fayth yet that notwithstādyng suffre her to continue a creature that attayned vnto that dignitee by grace without merites and that neuer desired to be extolled aboue her sonne as ye may wel perceiue by her owne woordes where she sayth in the gospell Whatsoeuer my sonne shall say vnto you that do Iohn 2 Doth not this mooste blessed virgyn Mary in this place sende men from her selfe vnto Christ and vnto his woorde Surely wee confesse that Mary obtayned of God greatter fauour or grace then all other women in that she was full of the holy ghost and the Lorde was with her But nowe it foloweth not of this that I shuld make an Idol of her that we shuld esteme her to be our life swetenes al our hope as doth that cāticle Salue regina but rather it were more right to speake these thinges of Christ whiche sayth I I I am the way the truth life The other thyng that we here thynke worthy to be noted is this We must diligētly way what the Angel sayd vnto Mari. Behold sayd he thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and beare a sōne For these woordes pertayne vnto the humanitee of Christ whiche in oure tyme is impugned without shame The anabaptists errour of the Anabaptistes For they confesse that he receiued of Mary in her wombe figure forme nutrimentes But this they beleue not that he toke any thyng of fleshe and bloud of Mary But this text teacheth plainly that doubtles Christ fyrst was cōceiued of the holy ghost then by the operacion of the same holy ghost he receiued as euery other childe doth forme figure nourishementes fleshe and bloud of his mother the virgyn Mary and so was borne of her as the article of oure fayth declareth And we by the assistance of Goddes grace shal euer continue in this fayth and confesse it neuer depart frō it though the Anabaptistes waxe neuer so wodde and bable neuer so muche vayne wordes in waste Secondarily in this Gospel is excellētly described the kyngdome of Christe The kingedome of Christe For the Angel sayth And the Lord God shall geue vnto him the seate of Dauid his father and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob eternally and there shal be no ende of his kyngdome In these woordes Christ is called the sonne of Dauid I thynke because he was so long before promised to Dauid and that he toke fleshe bloud of Mary Dauids seate whiche was of the seade of Dauid And this seate or maiestie of Dauid whiche should be geuen vnto him is no corporal seate but a spiritual seate For if it were a corporal seat it could not endure for euer but it must needes haue an ende And therfore
the Angel added And his kyngdome shall haue none ende Suche a kyngdome of Christ is also excellently described by the Prophete Esaie in the ix chapiter where among other thynges he sayth thus Esai 9. His imperie shal be dilated or multiplied and peace shal be without end vpoÌ„ the throne of Dauid vpon his kyngdome that he may confirme strengthen it in iustice and iudgement froÌ„ thencefurth and for euermore Marke that suche a peace shal be in the kyngdome of Christe whiche shal not endure for a tyme but for euermore And how could this peace be referred vnto Dauid whiche neither had this peace nor yet could geue it vnto other Furthermore in this kyngdome iustice shal be made strong in iudgement Iudgemente Nowe howe shall this be Where as is no knowlege of synnes there can not folowe the iustice of fayth Therfore that I may come vnto the knowlege of synne and after that by fayth attayn vnto the righteousnes of fayth Christ fyrst causeth me so to be throweÌ„ doune at the preachyng of repentaunce that I shall feale my selfe worthy for my synnes to haue hell and eternal dampnacion But then through the preachyng of free remission of synnes for Christes sake I shal be againe comforted and raysed vp so that in tyme commyng I shall feare nothyng for my synnes but I shal stand stedfast in fayth and wayte for eternal health After this maner is iustice stablished by iudgement in the kyngdome of Christ Vpon this againe it foloweth that this seate of Dauid which here is promised vnto Christ is nothyng els but a spiritual kyngdome of Christ whiche is gouerned and ruled by the scripture of the EuaÌ„gely or gospell Neither can it staÌ„d in any maner other thyng then in spirite and trueth For it can not bee a corporall kyngdome For why these thynges that wee haue nowe spoken of and the corporal kyngdome that Dauid sometyme gouerned differre as farre as heauen and yerth And to speake briefly Christ him selfe in the gospel of Luke concludeth this saiyng The kyngdome of God is within you Luc. 17 Thyrdly wee haue here a noble ensample of true fayth in Mary For although at the fyrst she was abashed at the Angels worde and afterwarde also wondered right sore ExaÌ„ples of fayth in Mari howe she should be the mother of the Lord seyng that she knewe no man Yet now when she heareth that the holy ghost should worke all this in her she gladly committeth her selfe vnto the wylle of God with great mekenes lowlynes and beleueth the Angel whiche God had sent vnto her Wherfore also Elizabeth highly praised this fayth Luc. 1. saiyng Blessed art thou which hast beleued for those thynges shal be accoÌ„plished in thee which were tolde thee from the Lord. Nature of fayth For this is the true nature of fayth which appeareth here in Mary to beleueue the worde to leane vnto the worde and to cleaue vnto the worde yea though that thyng whiche the worde speaketh of can in no wise be compreheÌ„ded by mans reason For why shuld it bee called fayth but that it beleueth thynges inuisible not apparaÌ„t yea incoÌ„preheÌ„sible to maÌ„ Thus did AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ coÌ„trary vnto hope he beleued iÌ„to hope For as S. Paul saith He was not weake in faith neither coÌ„sidered his own body dead in maÌ„ner for he was now almost an hundreth yeare old nor the baraine wombe of Sarah He staggered not thorow vnbeliefe at the promise of god but he was stronge in faith and gaue to god the honoure ful certefyed that whatsoeuer god promised he was able to performe it Inlike manner must we do Whensoeuer god speaketh any thing whiche I can not obtaine nor perceiue by my reason or wisedome it becometh me not to dispute by what meanes it maye come to passe but thus muste I saye Behold I am ready the lordes bonde seruaunt and gladly do I meekely submitte my selfe captiue vnto thy woorde althouge I perceiue it not nor can not comprehende it Thus did Mary when the aungell had saide The holy ghost shall come ouer the and the power of the moste highest shall ouershadowe the. c. Marye sayd Beholde the Lordes hande mayden be it done to me accordynge to thy woorde Nowe if yee will doo vnto Marye suche seruice as shall please her beeleue the promise of god as shee beleued it Feare god as Mary feared god liue as shee liued and thou shalt possesse eternall lyfe as Marye doth As Christe promised Who so euer doth the wil of my father that is in heauen he is my brother sister and mother God graunte vs all that wee maye doo well Amen THE PASSION OF OVR Lorde Iesu Christ parted into syxe Sermons The fyrste sermon Mat. 26. Mar. 14 Luce. 22 WHen the eueÌ„ was come he sate doune with the twelue And as they did eate he sayd Verely I saye vnto you that Ioh. 13. one of you shall betraye me And they were exceedinge sorowfull and began euery one of them to saye vnto him Lorde is it I Hee answered and sayde He that dippeth hys hand with me in the dishe the same shall betray me Psal 61 The sonne of man truly goeth as it is written of hym but wo vnto that man by whom the son of man shal be betrayed It had been good for that man yf hee hadde not beene borne Then Iudas which betrayed hym aunswered and sayde Maister is it I He saide vnto hym Thou haste saide Whan they were caryng Iesus tooke breake and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayde 1 Cor. 9. Luce. 22 Mar 18. Take eate this is my body And he tooke the cuppe and thanked and gaue it them saying Drynke ye all of thys for this is my bloude which is of the new testament that is shedde for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I wyll not drynke hensforth of thys frute of the vinetree vntyll that daye when I shall drynke it newe with you in my fathers kyngedome Mat. 14 And when they hadde sayde grace they wente oute vnto mount Oliuer THE EXPOSITION WE haue deeâ—ly beloued not with out cause recited vnto you oute of the gospel of Math. the text of the Lords supper that we purpose at this tyme to treat vpon vnto your louing charity For so it see we think it profitable to councel and helpe the weak which about this time ar wont for the more part of a custome to come vnto the coÌ„munion of the lordes supper participat of it and therefore they shall loue and more gladlye desire some briefe instruction in this matter The beginninge of this gospell declareth with how greate humanitie and gentlenes Christ prouoked Iudas vnto repentaunce adding also vnto yt Christs pacience calleeth Iudas to repentaunce that except he did repent that daÌ„nacion in soul and bodye was prophecied to chaunce vnto hym But who tolde
Christ that Iudas shuld betray him and deliuer him into the handes of the Iewes Surely no man But he beinge very god that searcheth the hertes raines of al men knew it neither nedeth he any man to shewe him suche things Now that hys clemency goodnes long suffering in all thinges might appeare therfore he handleth him that shuld betray him with such mercy friendly or familiare dealing calleth him vnto penance after that fashion that he vtereth him not by name but onlye with his worde toucheth his conscience Called not hee him sufficiently vnto repentaunce when hee sayde vnto him Woo to that manne by whome the sonne of man is betrayed It had been better for that man that he had neuer been borne Doubtles whom so great mercy of Christ as in this place is shewed vnto the traytour also offered vnto him prouoketh not vnto repentance fayth surely I say that man must nedes haue an indurate blinded hert as had Iudas For Christ could hādle him no better nor with more mercyful kyndnes Rom. 2. This great paciēce of god and Christ cōsidered S. Paule saiyng Dyspisest thou the ryches of his goodnes paciēce lōg sufferyng Knowest thou not that the louyng kyndnes of God leadeth the to repentance Of this now it foloweth that not Christ but we our selues are the cause of our own destruction Osee 13 as the prophet Oseas wytnesseth saiyng O Israel thy distruccion cōmeth of thy self But Christ offereth vnto vs grace and his spirite yea that very liberally in many places of the gospel Therfore whosoeuer now wyl not do penance that mā must nedes fal into like daunger with the Iewes which would not knowe the tyme of theyr visitacion Iudas heard what he ought to haue done what doubtles should folow vpō that his betraiyng and what rewarde he might surely trust vnto except he forsoke that euil mischeuous enterpryse that he had taken in hand But dyd he repent or dyd this any thyng moue him Naye forsoth But as the serpent stoppeth his eares that he heare not the voyce of the enchanter Iudas an ensāple to the impenitent euen so Iudas stoppeth his eares shut out al the admonicions of Christ Wherfore it came to passe that by his own sinne he is dāpned perpetually And also he is set furth as a synguler ensāple to all that are impenitēt But the God of mercy and father of our Lorde Iesus Christ vouchesafe of his great and tender mercyful goodnes to kepe and preserue vs al from suche impenitent heartes and desperate myndes Secondarily after that Christ with suche frendly wordes although in vaine had called Iudas to repentance and with his welbeloued Apostles had eaten that Easter lambe he ordained and instituted the remembraunce and commemoracion of our redempcion whiche here in this place of the newe testamēt is aswel expressed and declared by figures figuratiue speaches as it was in the olde testamēt For as the pure Paschal lambe without spotte The paschal lābe signified Christ The effusion of the lambes bloud signified the effusion of Christes bloud And the saluacion of the children of Israel frō temporal death by the Lambes bloud signifyed oure saluacion from eternal death by Christes bloud And as almightie God passyng through Egypt kylled all the Egiptians heyres in euery house and left not one aliue neuerthelesse he passed by the children of Israels houses where he sawe the Lambes bloud vpon the doores and hurted none of them but saued them al by the meanes of the Lambes bloud so likewyse at the last iudgement of the whole worlde none shall be passed ouer and saued but that shall be founde marked with the bloud of that moste pure and immaculate lambe Iesus Christ And for asmuch as the sheddyng of that lambes bloud was a token and figure of the sheddyng of Christes bloud then to come The lordes supper and forasmuche also as all the sacramentes and figures of the olde testament ceassed and had an ende in Christe lest by our great vnkyndnes we shuld peraduēture be forgetfull of the great benefite of Christ therfore at his last supper when he toke his leaue of his Apostles to depart out of the world he did make a newe wylle testament wherin he bequeathed vnto vs cleane remission of all our synnes and the euerlastyng inheritaunce of heauen And the same he confirmed the next day with his owne bloud and death And lest we should forget the same he ordayned not a yerely memorye as the Paschal Lambe was eatē but ones euery yere out a dayly remembrance he ordained therof in bread wyne sanctified dedicated to that purpose Mat. 26 saiyng This is my body This cuppe is my bloud whiche is shed for the remission of synnes Do this in the remembraunce of me Admonishyng vs by these woordes spoken at the makyng of his last wyll and testament at his departyng out of the worlde because thei should be the better remembred that whensoeuer wee do eate the bread in his holy supper drinke of that cuppe wee should remembre how muche Christ hath done for vs and howe he dyed for oure sakes Therfore sayth sainct Paule 1 Cor. 11 As oftē as you shal eate of this bread and drynke the cuppe you shall shewe furth the Lordes death vntyll he come And forasmuche as this holy bread broken and the wyne deuided do represent vnto vs the death of Christe nowe passed as the killyng of the Paschal Lambe did represent the same yet to come therfore our sauiour Christ vsed thesame maner of speche of the bread wyne as God before vsed of the Paschal lambe For as in the olde testament God sayd Exo. 12. This is the Lordes Passeby or Passeouer euen so sayth Christ in the newe testament This is my body Ma. 26 This is my bloud But in the old mistery and sacrament the Lambe was not the Lordes very Passeouer or passyng by but it was a figure whiche represented his passyng by So likewise in the newe testament the bread and wyne bee not Christes very body and bloud but they be figures whiche by Christes institucion bee vnto the godly receiuers therof sacramentes tokens significacions and represētacions of his very fleshe bloud instructyng their fayth that as the bread and wyne feede theim corporally and continue this temporal life so the very fleshe bloud of Christ feedeth theim spiritually geueth them euerlastyng life For vnto the faythful Christ is at his owne holy table present with his mightie spirite and grace and is of them more fruitfully receyued than if corporally they should receiue him bodily presēt And therfore they that shal worthely come to this Goddes borde muste after due trial of themselues consider fyrst who ordained this table also what meate and drynke they shall haue that come thereto and howe they ought to behaue them selues thereat He that prepared the table is Christ himselfe The
meate and drynke wherewith he feedeth theim that come thereto as they ought do is his owne very fleshe and bloud They that come thereto muste occupye their myndes in consideryng howe his bodye was broken for them and his bloud shed for their redempcion and so ought they to approche to this heauenly table with all humblenes of heart and godlynes of mynde as to the table wherein Christ himselfe is geuen And they that come otherwyse to this holy table they come vnworthely and do not eat drynke Christes fleshe and bloud but eate drynke their owne damnacion because they do not duely consider Christes very fleshe bloud whiche be offered there spiritually to bee eaten dronken but dispisyng Christes most holy supper do come therto as it were to other meates drynkes without regarde of the Lordes body whiche is the spiritual meate of that table Therfore let a maÌ„ as sainct Paule sayth examine himselfe and so eate of the bread and drynke of the cuppe for he that eateth and drynketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion not desernyng the Lordes body Euil persons do not eaâ—e the body of Christ Thyrdly we can not deny but that both the good and bad do eate and drynke the sacramental bread and wine but besides the sacramentes the good eateth euerlastyng life the euil and wicked membres of the deuil euerlastyng death For they do not eate and drynke the body blud of Christ but as sainct Paule sayth they are gyltie of the body bloud of the Lord and eate drynke their owne damnacion Fourthly it is necessary that we knowe wherevnto this sacrament profiteth and what vtilitee coÌ„meth to vs by it and what is the power of it And this can no maÌ„ learne better any where then of the very wordes wherewith this sacrament was instituted whiche say This is my body geuen for you vnto the remission of synnes Christe ordayned this sacrament of his body and bloud in bread and wine to preache vnto vs that as our bodies be fed norished and preserued with meate drynke so are our hungry soules fed norished and preserued by the body bloud of Christ This same spiritual eatyng and drinkyng of the sayd body and bloud of Christ is not receiued in the mouthe digested in the stomacke but it is receyued with a pure heart a syncere fayth beleuyng that Christe gaue his body to death shed his bloud vpon the crosse for vs that he doth so ioyne and incorporate himself to vs that he is our heade and we his membres hauyng him dwellyng in vs wee in him What thyng can bee more comfortable to vs than to eat this meate and drynke this drynke For he sayth himselfe Iohn 6 He that eateth me shal liue by me Wherfore in this sacrameÌ„t receiued with a true fayth we are assured that our synnes be forgeuen whiche thing when we fele in our heates at the receiuyng of the Lordes supper what thyng can be more ioyfull more pleasaunt or more comfortable vnto vs Remission of sinnes is the highest treasure that can be in the worlde Who is it that would not apply his whole study cast in his mynde day night yea go though it were neuer so long a iourney so that he might attaine this treasure Suppose you there bee any ryches in this worlde lyke vnto this Naye verely Why so For the goodes of this worlde be they neuer so excellent neuer so precious great in value neuer so pleasant beautifull yet they ebbe flowe they fall as leaues and thei passe away although in this life onely they comfort man much yea and rather vexe trouble him But this treasure of forgeuenes of synnes when by fayth it is obtained found and set hande vpon it bringeth with it no incertaine deceiuable nor transitory life but a continuall euerlasting and perpetual lyfe also it causeth peace ioye in the holy ghost which shall last for euer Wherefore yt is very necessarye that we with al diligence and studiouse mind serch for this treasure There ar some that are so minded that they thinke that when they haue the worde it is not verye necessary nor maketh no great matter whether they come vnto the sacrament or no and that it is in their liberty whether they wyll take part of the lords table or no. All men ar bouÌ„d to receiue the Sacrament But I deny that liberty lai that al meÌ„ are so sore bound to remembre this benefite receiued of God through Christ as the apostels wer and often to reuolue it in heart and to giue thanks for it For though I neither can nor will bynd meÌ„ vnto a certaine prescript or peculier time to receiue this sacrament yet it is necessarye that wee consider the commaundement of Christe and that oftentymes we accomplishe and in deede fulfyll it Furthermore it is a trewth and can not bee denied but that by the woorde there is offered vnto vs the remission of sinnes And in the same worde is this sacrament commaunded and comprehended so that the one can not bee in onye wise deuided frome the other Fiftely considre nowe who these be that vse this sacrament accordyngly The vse of the lordes supper Douteles that are such as beleue Ther is a promise in the lordes supper that Christ wold giue his owne body vnto death for vs that he wold shed his blud to wash away our sinnes And in this promise there is no douting But what profiteth this promise vnto me excepte I receiue take hold vpon it by faith But yet if I wil be partaker of these thinges it is necessary that I come in faith For euery promise of God is receiued by faith So likewise teacheth the senteÌ„ces in the gospell of Iohn Ioh. 6. He that eateth this bread shal liue eternally Item The breade which I wil giue it ys my flesh for the lyfe of the world Item He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud continueth in me and I in him c. Al these sentences ar spoken of faith Now who so cometh vnto the communion of the lordes supper not hauing this faithe then not only hee eateth it not vnto his health and eternall life but muche rather he taketh part of this sacrameÌ„t vnto eternal coÌ„demnacioÌ„ as S. Paul in the epistle to the Cor. sufficiently sheweth and teacheth 1 Co. 11. Therfore if thou feele thy sinnes knowest them woldest right gladly be delyuered from them desirest to growe increase and waxe strong in faith well make hast come to this supê‘ For in it thou shalt find not only forgiuenes of sinnes that bi the word but also thou shalt feed thy soul with the body blud of Iesu Christ a great coÌ„forting to thi faith Furthermore this sacrament shuld moue stir vs to friendship to liue quietly in peace vnitie concord to put away all hatred variance
discord to testifie a brotherly vnfained loue betwene vs. For whē we be made al partakers of this one table what ought we to thinke but that we be al mēbres of one spiritual body that we be ioyned togither in one Christe as a greate numbre of graines of corne bee ioyned togither in one lofe Wherefore they that can not bee persuaded to bee good to their christian brethren for whome Christ suffered death when in this sacrament they be put in remembraunce that the sonne of god bestowed his lyfe for his enemyes We see dayly that eating and drinking togither maketh friendes and continueth friendship Muche more then oughte the table of Christ to moue vs so to do whereby we confesse vs to be all membres of one body and acknowledge Christ to be giuen vs of God his father To whome with the sonne and holye ghoste be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer Amen The gospell on the second sermon vppon the passion of our lorde Iohn 18. WHen Iesus had spoken these woordes Mat. 19 Mar 14 Luce. 22 he went forth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron wher was a garden into whyche he entred and hys disciples Iudas also whiche betrayed him knew the place for Iesus ofte tymes resorted thyther with his disciples Iudas then after he had receiued a bonde of men ministers of the highe priestes and pharisees came thither with lanternes and fier brandes and weapons And Iesus knowyng all things that shulde come on him went forth and sayde vnto them Whom seeke ye They answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayth vnto them I am he Iudas also which betrayed hym stode with them As sone then as he had sayde vnto them I am he they went backeward and fell to the grounde Then asked he them againe Whom seek ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go theyr way that the sayinges might be fulfilled whiche he spake Ioh. 17 Of them which thou gauest me haue I not loste one Then Simon Peter hauynge a sworde drewe it and smote the high priestes seruaunt and cutte of his right eare The seruantes name was Maichus Therfore sayth Iesus vnto Peter Mat. 2◠Gene. 9 putte vp thy sworde into the sheath Shall I not drynke of the cuppe whiche my father hath geuen me THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche dearely beloued as wee haue vndertake to declare vnto you and to set out the deare death and most bytter passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ I haue thought it conuenient and nede also requireth the same that wee should first shew briefly what is the vse of the same passion and what vtilitee and fruit may come by it vnto vs. For there is no greatter folye nor more worthye laughter than to make only suche preachynges as should moue mennes myndes to fret at the Iewes because they dyd suche an horrible cryme against Christ by such wordes take an occasion to curse rebuke the traitour Iudas and to condempne him For surely here are to bee considered thynges farre greatter and higher then those And what thynges are they that we ought here to consider Fyrst wee ought to ponder what were the principal causes of that so great passion whiche the most innocent lābe of God suffered For if this be depely wayed and cōsidered in the heart it shall worke as muche in oure heartes as dothe the preachyng of the lawe whose office is commonly to set before oure eyes the huge greatnes of our synnes to feare vs and to driue vs vnto dispayre But nowe who were they that were the cause of that so paynful death and passion vnto Christ The cause of the doth of Christ Esai 53 that cōmytted that horrible cryme to sley the sōne of God No mā can shewe this more truely nor better then the prophet whiche sayth Because of the transgression of my people I haue slayn him Kepe this sentence diligently in thy mynde And if thou wylt so doo thou shalt haue as great cause to fret at thy selfe as euer thou couldest fynde to bee displeased with the Iewes and that wretched poore felowe Iudas And if that the Lord our God gaue his dearely beloued sōne vnto this passion for the trāsgression and synnes of his people surely we also do put to our workyng helpyng hādes vnto this passion ar also aswel as other authors of his death Haue not we synned also with other Or are we except out of this sentēce Al men haue synned are destitute of the glory of God Rom. 3 Doubtles no mā can here excuse himselfe neither is any mā free frō sinne so that he may lay al the blame vpō the Iewes for Christes death 1 Iho. 2 For as S. Ihō sayth He is the propiciacion obtayner of grace for our synnes not for our synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde Therfore when thou hearest that this innocent Christ was bound scourged spyt vpō and skorned and besydes that beaten vpō the face crouned with thorne crucifyed thou shuldest then call to mynd and remembre Our sinnes crucifyed Christ that thou thy selfe hast done this that thy synnes were the moost iust cause and very occasion of all these thynges Neither must thou remembre thynges lightly but so meditate them in thy mynde that thou mayst knowe thy selfe a most greuous synner and confesse thy selfe suche a one as by thy synnes prouoked so great wrathe and indignacion of God Nor thynke not that thy synnes were light for the whiche it was necessary that the sonne of God shuld come doune frō heauen and suffre the most vyllayn death of the crosse Cōsider also in thy mynd that this passion What profite we haue by the death passion of Christ shedyng of that precious blud was done for thy welth profite that thy synnes and all thy trāsgressions should by effusion of this blud be washed away so thou deliuered frō al thy synnes mightest be made the sonne heyre of God Nowe if thou by fayth takest hold vpō this with all the whole fayth of thy heart trustest wholly vpō it it shal make the fre frō al sinnes recōcile the vnto the heauenly father and bryng perpetual ioy eternal felicitie vnto the. Euen as S. Paule sayth Christ Rom 5. when we were yet weake accordyng vnto the tyme died for the vngodly And scarce wyl any mā dye for the righteous Yet peraduenture some mā dare dye for a good man But in this hath God set out his loue towarde vs that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Muche more now that we be iustifyed in his bloud we shal be saued frō the wrath by him c. After this maner the woundes of Christ may be vnto the a preachyng of the lawe when thou callest to mynde that he suffered them for thy synnes And agayne when thou remēbrest
also the saying of the Apostle Phil 2. He was made obedient to the father vnto the death euen vnto the death of the crosse Christe is our gyft and our ensample Now though we loke vpō Christe but euen as vpon a gifte giuen vnto vs surelye it shall not a litle stablishe and strengthen our faithe that he wold so gladly offer himselfe vnto the death for our profite and for our redemption But if we cōsidre Christ giuen vnto vs as an exāple we must remembre 1 Pet. 2. what S. Pet. wryteth in his epistle Christ suffered for vs leuīg vs an exāple that we shuld folow his foot steps For so shall we take the crosse as willīgly vpon vs if need require it as we se that he suffered death vpon the crosse And I praye you why shulde we not heer willyngly offre our selues seing that we haue so mighty and mercifull a lorde that wil be present assist vs in al our tribulaciōs And that he is able we maye perceiue it in that he threw doune al the Iewes vnto the earth by the power of his worde That he is mercifull he sheweth in this that in the myddest of his aduersitie hee casteth not of the care for his disciples but is so carefull for thē that in their behalfe he said vnto his aduersaries the most gredely sought to drinke his bloud If that ye seek me let these go so that the worde might be fulfilled Ioh. 17 whiche he had saide Of those whom thou gauest me I haue not loste one Fiftelye when Peter had cut of the eare of Malchus the bishops seruant Christ commaunded Peter to put vp his swearde Wherein doubteles hee taught vs that his kingedome which only is administred by the word standeth in spirit faith this kyngdome I say may be defended with no power of the fleshe but is only to be conserued defended of god God defendeth the gospel And seing ther is no doubt but god wil defend his owne kingdome I praye you why feare we so much the enemies of the gospel Why do we not rather in this behalf suffre god to prouide for these thīgs Why say we not with sainct Paule Rom. 8. If God be with vs who may be agaynst vs Surely it cānot be denyed but theyr power is great that beare euil wyl and would the Gospel were vtterly destroyed But what is all their power if it bee conferred vnto the power of god At the least let vs study this Let vs by all meanes haste vnto this that we may stande strongly by the woorde and suffre not our selues to be seperate from it and suffer not our selues to bee seperated from it and doubtles God himselfe shall fynde a waye howe to conserue it and to defende it against all his aduersaryes For it is not in vayne that the prophet sayth Esa 55. My worde shal not returne to me voyde but it shall do all my wyll and it shall prospere in those thynges whervnto I haue sent it Then if the worde must nedes fulfyl the thyng it is sent vnto I pray you who can resist it Is it possible thynke you that a creature should compell his creatour I thynke nay And I beleue that God is able without any payne to fulfyll his counsail and wyll althoughe the enemyes of the gospell would burst for sorowe It is then cōuenient that the ministers of the gospell by no meanes fight with the temporall sworde but onely with the sworde of the worde whiche S. Paule calleth the worde of God Ephe. 6 But he that is not so cōtent but affirmeth that his quarel must bee defended with fystes and blowes violence and power doubtles it shall chaunce to him as Christ sayeth here Euery man that stryketh with the sworde shal perishe vpon the sworde The thyrde sermon vppon the passion of our Lorde Iohn 28. THen the company and the Capitain and ministers of the Iewes tooke Iesus and bounde hym and led him away to Anna fyrst for he was father in lawe vnto Cayphas whiche was the highe prieste that same year Cayphas was he which gaue councel to the Iewes Ioh. 17. that it was expedient that one mā shuld dye for the people Mar. 20 Mar. 14 Luce. 22 And Symon Peter folowed Iesus so did an other disciple that disciple was knowen vnto the high priest and went in with Iesus into the palace of the high priest But Peter stode at the dore without Then went out that other disciple which was knowen vnto the high prieste and spake to the damsell that kepte the dore and brought in Peter Thē said the damsell that kepte the dore vnto Peter Art not thou one of this mannes disciples Hee sayde I am not The seruauntes and the ministers stode there whiche had made a fier of coles for it was cold and they warmed theym selues Peter also stode among them and warmed hym Mar. 14 Luce. 21 The high prieste then asked Iesus of hys disciples and of hys doctrine Iesus answered him I spake openly in the world I euer taught in the synnagog and in the Temple whither al the Iews resort and in secrete haue I sayde nothinge why askest thou me aske theym whych heard me what I haue sayde vnto theim Behold they can tell what I sayd When he had thus spoken one of the mynisters whyche stode by smote Iesus on the face saying Answerest thou the high priest so Actu 23. Iesus answered hym If I haue euell spoken beare witnesse of euell But yf I haue well spoken why smytest thou me And Annas sent hym bounde to Cayphas the highe priest Simon Peter stode and warmed him selfe Thē sayde they vnto hym Art not thou also one of his disciples Hee denied it and sayde I am not One of the seruantes of the high priestes his cosyn whose eare Peter smote of sayde vnto hym Did not I se the in the garden with him Ioh. 13. Peter therfore denied againe and immediately the cocke crewe THE EXPOSITION IN this part of the gospel we may consider whyther Iesus was caryed after that Iudas had betrayd him namely vnto the houses fyrst of Annas then vnto Cayphas For Annas was Cayphas father in law What do I hear The hipocrisye of the Iewishe byshops Thynketh any mā that this is credyble that these men so vertuous holy and well learned would couet to destroy a prophet of so great fame a mā of suche innocent liuyng yea one in whose mouth was found no guile and would they thynke you laye assaultes to destroye him I praye you howe agree these two to gether that they be bothe so vertuous fathers suche bloudthursty butchers Surely these two thynges agree not very well yet here wee see they agree in one And though the Prophete Dauid often accuseth theim as men mooste greadye to suppe innocent bloud yet perchance they can cloke this theyr malicious mynde and so hyde it and excuse it that
you Yet notwithstādīg it is so couered with the crosse that it can be seen or knowē of no mā but of him to whom it is geuen of God to se it Thyrdly The blindnes of Iudges that order matters for frēdship or fauour here is set furth the example of a wicked Iudge in Pylate For he although he well considered the innocency of Christ was well ascertained that he had not deserued the death as he himself also confessed yet for the frendship fauor of the Iewes only he deliuered Iesus to the ministers to be scourged to be crouned with thornes to bee spyt vpon stryken Besydes all this was it not a great blyndnes hee was scourged and most vyllainously entreated Furthermore he brought him furth sayd Behold I bring him furth to you that you may know that I haue founde in him no cause worthy death If thou fynde no cause in him worthy of death I pray the Pylate why dyddest thou delyuer him to the Iewes to be scourged and sufferest the souldiers seruantes to vse so great tyrannye and euyl agaynst hym Or wherefore sayest thou afterwarde Take him you and crucify him accordyng to your lawe as for me I fynd no cause in hym Is this the offce of a Iudge to deliuer an innocent cōuict by no wytnesse into the hādes of his enemyes Euen thus surely it cōmeth to passe when men wyll be Iudges and retayne the fauour of menne as it chaunsed here vnto Pylate But what sayth God in this matter Forsoth thus In waye of iudgement bee not thou an acceptor of persones Deu. 1. that is In iudgement thou shalt do to a straunger and vnknowen as to thy frende and acquayntaunce Deale with the poore as with the ryche And briefly be to one man as to another so that no man maye haue iust occasion to complayne either of violence tyranny affection or fauour parcialitee or iniustice But this dothe not Pylate here regarde but lest he should lese Cesars fauour he willyngly doth that thyng for the Iewes pleasure that he was very well ascertayned to be vniust and vntrue For why with his owne mouthe he pronounceth that he founde no cause in Christ worthy death and yet presumeth he to doo this horrible facte to condempne Christe and to adiudge him to deathe Nowe lette vs not thynke but that euen in oure tyme lyke iniquitee maye bee founde Pylate somtyme iudgethe in oure tymes yea dayly lyke ensamples are doone before our eyes if menne wyll at the least open theyr eyes and looke vpon theim For where Christ oure Lorde is and reigneth by his woorde spirite and Gospell there muste it needes bee also that the poore Christians suffre all tyranny of the enemyes of the Gospel yea though theyr behauour be suche that they offende and hurte no man Furthermore it is impossible but suche as bee aduersaryes of the trueth shall together conspire against it yea though they before were most vtter enemies as in this place we se Pylate Herode do Euen so in our tyme wee see them that before were mortal enemies at dissencion with in them selues nowe they become hye louers frendes and agree in one to persecute the gospel and to murther innocentes But be thou of a good cōfort thou I say that hast receiued the trueth louest it We haue this Christ whiche rose frō death the thyrd day ouercame all his enemies and aduersaries furthermore hath receyued al power in heauen and yearth This Christ if we continue stedfast in faith vnto the ende wyll take our part stād on our side saue vs so that we shal neuer be seperate from him Fourthly The truth is euerie-s sted out of coūtenaunce Pylate again skornfully asketh Christ saiyng What is truth takyng occasiō to aske that question because he heard Christ say I came into the worlde for this intent that I might beare wytnesse vnto the truth And as in this place we lerne that the truth gospel shal euer by this worlde be mocked dispised iested out of countenance and that mans reason nor any wyt of man can by it selfe take or apprehēd it so also must we know what Christ in this place calleth the truth Truthe Neither may wee take this diffinicion of the truth out of our owne brayne but of the gospel of S. Ihon where Christ himself teacheth defineth it Thy sermon or worde O father sayth he is the truth But what sermon is it or what maner woorde is it Truely none other sermon or worde but the same woorde of his heauenly father that is to say the most holy gospel For this is suche a worde of so great power that it is able to comfort the brused feareful cōsciences and geueth the holye ghoste whiche leadeth vs from all hipocrisy whiche most of al thinges is enemy vnto the truth And of this worde also speaketh the apostle Paul sayinge Rom. 1. The gospell is the power of god vnto health or saluacion to euery manne that beleueth It was necessary for Christ to bear witnes to those thinges as he sayth vnto Pilate that is he muste needs in his preachinge set forth this truth which truth is none other but the worde of god and the gospell whereby ys sette forthe vnto all men the good will of god toward all those that receiue and professe his gospell But nowe if I wyll know this truthe and by the knowledge of it attaine vnto eternall health I maye not go aboute it scornefully as Pylate dothe in this place But I must doo as the Tessalonians dyd in the actes of the apostels Act. 17. Those that receiued the worde were very studious and dayly searched the scriptures whether it were so as the Apostels preached For if I do so without doubt the vnderstanding and sence of the scripture shal not be denayed me but aboundantly giuen vnto me Psa 18. as the scripture testifieth The witnesse of the lord is faithfull giuing wisdome vnto babes And to this pertaineth it that Christe saithe in Iohn Search the scripture for thei beare witnes of me The fowerth sermon on the passion Ioh. 19. THen Pylate took Iesus therfore scourged him Ma. 27 Mar. 15 And the souldiers wounde a croune of thornes and put on his heade And thei did on him a purple garmente and came vnto him and sayd Hayl kyng of the Iewes and they smote him on the face Pylate went forth againe and said vnto them Behold I bringe him forthe to you that ye may know that I fynd nofaute in him Then came Iesus forthe wearinge a croune of thorne and a robe of purple And he saieth vnto them Beholde the man Mat 27 Mar. 15 Luc. 23. When the high Priestes therfore and ministers sawe him they cryed saying Crucifye him Crucifye him Pilate saithe vnto them Take ye hym and crucifi hym for I fynd no cause in him The Iewes answered hym We haue
the Iewes whiche thynke all sure nowe that they haue slayne Christ whose preachyng so muche moueth the people But yet euen then brust furth that fyre whereof Christ sayd Luc. 12. I am come to send fyre into the yearth This fyre was kyndled brent when after the resurrection and ascencion of Christ he sent his Apostles into all the whole worlde coÌ„maunded them to preache penance in his name and remission of synnes to all creatures Money maketh men say Christ is not risen And though the Iewes gaue the souldiers money to say that Christ was not rysen againe but his disciples had taken him away out of the graue yet that notwithstandyng Christ rose agayne and appeared vnto his Apostles declaryng by many myracles that he had verely rysen that vnto him as vnto the kyng most hyest Lord was deliuered al power in heauen and in yearth Neither Herode Pylate all the Iewes could then lette this Christ wyll be kyng the deuil sware nay nor yet afterwarde were the Romayne Emperours able to queÌ„che it no nor at this perylous tyme can the enemyes of the truth preuayle but Christ wyll contynue eternall Lorde and kyng yea maugre theyr berdes that go about to suppresse the trueth They thynke that if they may murther the chiefe authors capitaynes and make away with them then shall theyr power and magnificence floryshe and haue no hynderance nor hurte Luc. 1. But Christe that exalteth the lowly and throweth doune the mightie from theyr seate knoweth whan and howe to ouerthrowe those Nembrothes theyr ymaginacions that wyll they nyll they they shal be fayne to heare the truth And euen in our tyme god hath so set furth the strength of his power that by his grace we haue the syncere truth and pure gospell spite of all the vngodly aduersaries though they would burst for payne I beseche God graunt that wee may acknowlege the same his truth and apprehend take hold vpoÌ„ the same and vnto the ende cleaue faste vnto this contempned Christe crucifyed so that after this life we may come vnto his glory and eternal lyfe by the merytes of thesame our only sauior mediator and aduocate Iesus Christe to whoÌ„ with the father and the holy gost be al honor laude and glory for euer and euer Amen The gospel on Easter Munday Luc. xxiiii ANd beholde two of them went that same day to a toune called Emaus which was from Ierusalem about thre score forlonges and they talked together of all these thynges that had happened And it chaunsed the whyle they communed together reasoned Iesus himselfe drewe neare went with them But their eyes were holden that thei should not knowe him And he sayd vnto them What maner of communicacions are those that ye haue one to another as ye walke and are sadde And the one of them whose name was Cleophas answered and sayd to him Art thou only a straunger in IerusaleÌ„ and hast not knowen the thynges which haue chaunsed there in these dayes He sayd vnto them What thynges And they sayd vnto him Of Iesus of Nazareth which was a prophet mighty in dede and worde before God and all the people and howe the hye priestes and our rulers deliuered him to bee condempned to death and haue crucified him But wee trusted that it had been he whiche should haue redemed Israel And as touchyng all these thynges to day is euen the thyrd day that this were done Luc. 24 Ioh. 20. Yea and certain women also of our company made vs astonied whiche came carely vnto the sepulchre and found not his body came saiyng that they had seen a vision of Angels whiche sayd that he was aliue And certain of them which were with vs weÌ„t to the sepulchre and found it euen as the women had sayd but him they sawe not And he sayd vnto them O fooles and slowe of heart to beleue all that the Prophetes haue spoken Esai 53 Mat 25 Ought not Christ to haue suffered these thynges and to entre into his glory And he began at Moses and all the Prophetes and interpreted vnto them all scriptures whiche were writâ—en of him they drewe nye vnto the roune whiche they went vnto And he made as thought he would haue gone further And they Gen. 19 Luc. 14 constrayned him saiyng Abide with vs for it draweth towardes night the day is farre passed And he went in to tary with them ♣ Ma. 15 And it came to passe as he farre at meate with theim he toke bread and blyssed it and brake gaue to them And their eyes were opened and they knewe him and he vanished out of theyr sight And they sayd betwene theimselues Dyd not our heartes burne within vs whyle he talked with vs by the waye opened to vs the scriptures And they arose in thesame houre and returned againe to Ierusalem found the eleuen gathered together and them that werwith them saiyng The Lord is risen in dede hath appeared to Symon And they tolde what thynges were done in the waye howe they knewe him in breakyng of bread THE EXPOSITION FYrst of all dearely beloued let vs coÌ„sidre the vnbeleiefe infirmitee of these two disciples that went from IerusaleÌ„ to Emaus For as it chaunsed to these euen so chaunsed it to diuers other as wee may read in this history of the resurrection of Christ Neither was it possible that this article of Christes resurrection shuld be perceiued or beleued without great difficultee yea that they might apprehend it Christ serueth our infirmitee Christe was in a maner coÌ„pelled to serue them in wordes dedes miracles the angels Furthermore in shewyng his woundes and yet for all this verye hardely could they be persuaded in this article of the resurrection So peruerse is the fleshe and so ful of euil if it be not by the spirit of God illuminate and brought to the knowlege of God NotwithstaÌ„dyng there remayned yet in these two certaine smal sparkes of loue towarde Christ so that they must nedes talke of Christ and the one open his grief vnto the other And when they thus do Christ gladly commeth vnto them and as a straunger iournyeth with them saluteth them and asketh the cause of their comunicacion and reasonyng and why they were so sorowful Wherein we haue a lesson that Christe hath a meruaylous delite in deuout godly christian communyng or talkyng ChristiaÌ„ talking Mat. 18 ye be his owne doctrin he alloweth it and sheweth it saiyng whersoeuer it are come together in my name there wyll I bee the thyrde thus callyng vs from vayne and filthy vncomly woordes and talkyng It is to be wyshed that this lesson were diligeÌ„tly inculcate in mennes memorye For truely menne are to nothyng so muche enclyned as vnto euil talkyng detraction and filthye communicacion so that a manne maye fynde more honesty and nurture in the talkyng of the heathen vnchristened
then among those that bost them selues of Christes name nothyng cōsideryng nor regardyng Mat. 12 that of euery idle woorde wee must geue accompt in the day of iudgement Ephe. 4 nor yet ponderyng that S. Paule so earnestly forbad christians that in any wyse no fylthy worde shuld be herd out of their mouth Wherefore if thou wylte haue Christ present at thy communication and talkyng do as these two disciples did Talke of those thynges that pertayne to the honour of God and thyne owne saluacion Let thy wyll and studye be euer in the law of God and so shal Christ not be farre from thee But if in thy talkyng thou forget God then looke not for God but for the deuil to bee presente with thee Secondarily we haue here also what Christ did when he was come into the companye of these two disciples And fyrst he maketh himself so as though he knewe nothyng nor had heard what was doone in Ierusalem in those dayes And this dothe he to drawe furth their incredulitee and to rebuke theim for it and to haue occasion to instructe them as he dyd after warde And they by and by plainly declared theyr myndes so talkyng of Christe that a man may easely perceyue that as concernyng him his worde and promises though they had not vtterly yet for the most part they wer fallen into dispayre Besydes this though they acknowleged him to be a Prophete mightie in woordes and deedes before God yet nowe they thought theyr hope frustrate Christ wyll not cast vs away for our vnperfectnes Rom. 7 that he should redeme Israel But what dothe Christe Christe our Lorde knoweth very well and perfectly what is oure infirmitee and incredulitee neither is he ignorant that no good thing is in our fleshe Wherfore although wee bee vnperfecte in fayth yet wyll not he cast vs away but rebuke and teache vs as he dothe here the disciples teachyng vs by his owne ensample to do likewyse And fyrst he correcteth vs and sayeth O fooles and harde hearted to beleue in all thynges that the Prophetes haue spoken Must not Christ suffre these thynges and so entre into his glorye It is neither vnright nor crueltie that he here calleth his disciples foles whiche yet he forbad Mathew .v. Mat. 5. For that he here doth he doth it of a godly zeale and fatherly loue and so also may any manne do likewyse especially when theyr heart nor mynde be none otherwyse affecte then was Christ towarde his disciples Then beganne he at Moses and all the prophetes and interpreted to theim in all their writynges suche places as were written of him It is not comly to rebuke onely and not to comfort againe Furthermore he that shall rebuke another man ought not onely to recite to his rebuke what he had done vnrightfully but he must also shewe what he hath done honestly vertuously and also profitably Euē so doth Christ here Fyrst he rebuketh their incredulitee or vnfaythfulnes Then forasmuche as fayth cōmeth of hearing of the worde he proueth alloweth their saiyng out of the deuine scriptures that Christ must suffre And walkyng with them he earnestly cōtinueth his sermō with suche maiestie power that the disciples after wer cōpelled to knowlege it say Dyd not oure heart burne in vs when he talked with vs in the way and opened to vs the scriptures O blessed is that man whō Christ thus draweth by his woorde and whiche is by Christes spirit instruct into the true knowlege of God Thyrdly the Euangelist describeth after what maner Christ opēly shewed himselfe to these his disciples opened theyr eyes saiyng And they drewenye vnto the toune whether thei went and he made as though he would go further And they cōpelled him sayd Tary with vs for it draweth towardes night and the day it far passed And he taryed with them And it came to passe when he sat at the table with them he toke bread gaue thākes brake it and gaue it them Then were theyr eyes opened they knewe him And he vanished out of their sight They knewe that it was Christes accustomed maner to breake the bread and especially to geue thākes Yet should they not haue knowen him by these signes if he hadde not opened theyr eyes whiche in dede was done when Christe gaue thankes and brake the bread Here muste we first learne We must bee thankful to God 1 Cor. 4 to giue thankes euer to god for all his benefites giuen to vs both corporall and spirituall For I praye you what haste thou but thou receyuedst it of god Nowe yf god hathe giuen it to the of mere grace withoute anye merite of thyne I beseche the why wylte thou not euer giue him thanks for it Verily Saynct Paul in the fyrst epistle to Timothe in the fourth chap. where hee teacheth of the libertye of meates and drinkes willeth that christians shulde receiue all thinges with thankes gyuynge 1 Tim. 4 and euen so exhorteth he vs to do in the epistle to the Thessalonians Secondly also note 1 Tes 5 Christe openeth the eies that Christe opened hys disciples eyes and brouhht theym into the knoweledge of hymselfe For euen as these disciples could not come to suche knowledge of theym selues tyll theyr eyes were opened no more can wee beleue as wee ought to beleue tell Christe lyghten our eyes and bringe vs vnto the trewe faithe by his worde and holy spirite Fourthly this gospel sheweth Faithe muste be openlye cōfessed that whē through Christes word spirit our eyes ar opened to know God then that our faith shal not be vaine in vs that we kepe not this ioye only to our selues but that we shal cōmunicat it vnto many freely confesse our ioye euen as S. Paul saith Rom. 10 With the hearte wee beleue vnto righteousnes with the mouth we confesse the same beleue vnto health And Dauid saith I beleued and therfore I spake Psa 115 The preachynge of the passion and resurrection of Christ is no such treasure that when a man hath founde it he shuld hyde it and kepe it secrete from other let no manne thynke so but it would bee distributed and imparted to many other Mat. 10 like as Christ sayd That I haue spoken to you in your eare secretely declare it openly euen in the houses toppe And so dothe the disciples here For assone as they had seen and knowen Christ they by and by aryse and returned vnto Ierusalem where they founde the xi gatheeed these that were with them to whom they declared what was done in the way howe they knewe the Lorde by breakyng the bread And so ought euery christian man to do when he knoweth Christe and by his worde and spirite is come vnto the fayth he should geue all men parte of that treasure and to endeuor himselfe that all men maye come to that knowlege and righteousnes of fayth that is in Iesu Christe our Lord
To whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honor and glorye for euer euer Amen The gospel on Easter Tuesday Luke .24 AS they thus spake Iesus himselfe stode in Ioh. 20 the myddes of theim and sayeth vnto theim Peace bee vnto you it is I feare not But they were abashed and afrayde and supposed that they had seen a spirite And he sayd vnto them Why are ye troubled and why do thoughtes aryse in your heartes Behold my handes and my fete that it is euen I my selfe Handle me and see for a spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see me haue And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his haÌ„des his feete And whyle they yet beleued not for ioy and wondered he sayd vnto them Ioh. 21. Haue ye here anye meate And they offered hym a peece of a broyled fyshe and of an hony combe And he tooke it and dydde eate before them And hee sayde vnto theim Mat. 16 These are the woordes I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all muste needes be fulfylled whyche were wrytten of me in the lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Actu 17 Then opened hee theyr wyttes that they myghte vnderstand the scriptures and sayd vnto them Thus is it written and thus it behoued Christ to suffre and to ryse againe from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in hys name amonge all nacions THE EXPOSITION OVr sauiour Christ to the intent that this article of his resurrection might be perfectly inculcate and beaten into the hertes of his disciples sheweth himselfe opeÌ„ly vnto them And this manifestacion and appearinge was not doone as the other were before onlye to twayne or three disciples but it was shewed before theim all Thomas excepted which at this tyme was absent and it was doone immediatelye as they were come from Emaus declaring what they had sene to the other Apostels which answered theim saying that Christe is risen in deede and hath appeared to SymoÌ„ And as they were thus talking Iesus himself as this gospell witnesseth stode amongest them saide Peace be with you Thre thinges did Christ at this apearinge Fyrste he gaue and offered vnto theym Peace of God as vnto his intierly beloued disciples his diuine peace and not a corporall or wordely peace for hee sayde before Ioh. 15. The worlde shall hate you but this was a peace of conscience whiche the holye scripture calleth commonlye the peace of god As when sainct Paule wished this peace to the Philippians Phil. 4 hee vseth these woordes The peace of god whyche exceedeth all vnderstanding mought keepe your heartes and myndes in Christe Iesu Suche a peace is it that Christ calleth his peace as a peace that the worlde canne not giue Ioh. 14 when hee saide I leaue you peace my peace I giue to you Hear you not now that Christe maketh a very plaine distinction or difference from the worldly peace callynge this peace his his I saye his peace For doubtelesse this peace canne not stande where as fayth is not Rom. 5. For as Saynte Paule teacheth thys peace springeth and floweth oute of fayth And therefore yf wee wyll attayne vnto thys peace wee muste with greate and contynuall diligence applye the woorde preache teache heare and receiue it For of the woorde commeth faithe by faythe wee beynge iustified we are at peace wyth God Rom. v. Furthermore this peace is neuer to any other theÌ„ to christians which haue apprehended the gospell by faythe and haue by the same conceiued a consydence and suer hope that in tyme commynge no synne canne accuse or condemne them The world doubteles is verye ignoraunte of this peace For the worlde knoweth none other peace but that whiche liueth in ydelnes and bringeth the vayne voluptuous plasures and ioyes of thys lyfe neyther hath it any persecution or tribulation intermedled with it Peace of conscience stoÌ„deth sure agaynste all persecutions Ioh. 16. as this peace which we cal the peace of god hathe But yet is this peace of god a peace that standeth sure and indeed the true peace yea though all the worlde be enemye vnto it Lyke as Christe testifieth saying Yee shall haue persecutions in the worlde but in me you shall haue peace Secondarilye Christe confirmeth fayth in the Apostels when heere hee sheweth theym his handes and feete and also eateth with theym as anye other man did Surely Incredulitye is an horrible thiÌ„g incredulity muste needes bee an horrible thinge seinge that Christe taketh suche greate paynes to deliuer the Apostels from it A lytle before they confessed that Christe had truely rysed and appeared vnto Simon they hadde hearde also that hee hadde talked wyth the twoo dysciples in Emans and gyuynge thankes hee hadde broken the breade vnto theym yet this notwithstandynge when hee came vnto theym salutynge theym so peaceablye yet they were astonished doubtynge whether they myghte thinke it Christe or a ghoste suche as men saye walkeâ—â— after men bee deade But what dydde Christe to this Casteth hee theym of Christe beareth our infirmitye bycause of this their infirmytie Naye truely But becommeth a seruante vnto theym seruynge theym bothe wyth woordes and deedes yea and also with hys holye ghost to bring them vnto faith and saue them For it is euident by the gospell of S. Iohn that euen then he gaue to theim his holye ghost whom also after in the Witsonday he stablished in them Now how indurate and blinded yea obsessed with al the feendes of hell are those heartes that wyll not beleue this our so friendly gentle and mercifull lord god What greater thing or what more could hee do for his disciples Fyrste he rebuketh their incredulitie with wordes saying Why are ye troubled and wherefore doo cogitacions ascende into your heartes But for as much as they yet beleued not hee shewed to them his handes and feete sayinge I am euen hee Touche me on euerye parte and looke vppon me for spirites haue not fleshe and bone as you see me haue They yet not beeleuynge and wonderynge for ioye he asketh them sayinge Haue yee anye thynge to eate And hee dydde eate beefore theym parte of a fyshe and an honye combe that at the laste they myghte by this see hee was no deade ghoste nor spiryte but he hadde truely rysen from the deathe Surely this it is to beare the weakenes of theym that be weake The goodnes of Christ Now that man whom this so great goodnes of Christe moueth not to faith wheresoeuer it be preached doubteles there is nothinge that euer shall moue him Christe teacheth the scripture Thyrdely Christe teacheth his disciples oute of the holy scriptures sayinge These are the wordes that I haue spoken vnto you when I was yet with you that all thinges muste needes bee fulfylled that are written in the lawe of Moyses in the prophetes and
Psalmes of me Furthermore he opened theyr mynde that they should vnderstand the scriptures c. O howe gloriouslye goeth this preachynge of Christe forthe Christe instructeth these plaine men and vnlearned with the holy scripture taken out of the law the prophetes and the psalmes But as the epistle to the Hebrues sayeth Heb. 4. Preachinge is but vaine if it bee not adioyned to faithe therefore Christe also openeth the eyes and vnderstandynge of theyr mynde so that not onlye they maye heare hys woorde but also they maye vnderstande it Oh good preacher O gentle lorde Christe that thus faithfully teacheth his disciple and bringeth them to the knowledge of hys truth The moste best and greatest lorde our god graunt vs this grace The outwarde prechīg and the hollye ghoste must bee togither Apoc. 3. that the same manner maye be among vs in the offire of preching that is that we may with much seueritie and great diligence inculcate thy worde and that Christ may also as dililigentely teache the same worde inwardely by his holy spirite For suerly it is he that hath the key of Dauid wherwith he shutteth and no man openeth hee openeth and no man shutteth And verelye all preaching is vain except Christ do inwardly teach by his holy spirite Nowithstanding I wold no mā should esteeme as a light thinge the dignity of the vocall worde or the word pronounced and spoken takinge occasion of these my woordes so to doo for thys is myne opinion that bothe the woorde and spirite of god muste be ioyned togyther And who shall dare tontemne the woorde that Christe heere ordayneth and commaundeth and also committeth the same to his beeloued Apostels For thus he sayeth furthormore Thus it is written and thus muste Christe suffre and ryse again from the deade the third day to preach in his name penance forgiuenes of synnes among al naciōs c. In the gospell of sainct Ihon this cōmaundement and office of preachyng is more euidētly described For in the same place the Euangelist sayth thus Iho. 20 And Iesus sayd to them As my father hath sēt me euen so I send you likewyse after that he brethed vpon them saiyng Receiue ye the holy ghost Whose synnes soeuer ye shal forgeue they are forgeuen whosesoeuer synnes ye shal retayne they are retayned The administracion of the worde of God Of these wordes it is euident that Christ commytted to them the office or administracion to teache his worde ouer all the vniuersal worlde Nowe if wee adioyne this place of S. Ihon with these wordes of Christ recyted in this gospel euery mā of vnderstandyng may easely perceyue howe this forgeuyng of synnes is done The lawe That is thus Fyrst must penance be preached that is men must be brought by the knowlege of the lawe of God to cōfesse hate and abhorre their synne True penāce For this is it that the deuine scriptures call doyng of penance as wee may see in the Prophete Esaie Esa 55 Let the vngodly sayth he forsake his euil way and the vnrightwise man his ymaginacions and let him returne vnto the Lord and he wyll haue mercy vpō him Returne I say to our God for he is very ready to forgeue And sainct Paule also Ephe 4 describeth it saiyng He that did steale let him steale no more c. Nowe after that men are brought vnto the knowlege of their synnes also to hate them then must be preached vnto them and set before their eyes the merytes of Iesu Christ For to preache remission of synnes in his name The gospel is to ascribe the remission of synnes vnto his passion death and merites And when this is apprehēded and beleued there is forgeuenes of synnes not by him or for his sake that preacheth declareth this but by him and his merytes that hath geuen that commaundement and cōmission to preache remyssion of synnes in his name To whom bee honor and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on sainct Markes day the Euāgelist you shall fynde after Alhallowen day The gospell on Philyp and Iacob the Apostles day Ihon. 14. Thomas sayth vnto him Lord we knowe not whether thou goest And howe is it possible for vs to knowe the waye Iesus sayth vnto him Ihon. 1 6.8 and .11 I am the way and the trueth and the life No man commeth vnto the father but by me If ye had knowen me ye had knowen my father also And nowe ye knowe him haue seen him Phylyp sayth vnto him Lord shewe vs the father it suffiseth vs Iesus sayth vnto him Haue I been so long tyme with you yet hast thou not knowē me Phylyp he that hath seen me hath seen the father And howe sayest thou then shewe vs the father Beleuest thou not that Iho. 10. I am in the father and the father in me The woordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me is he that doth the workes Beleue me that I am in the father and Iho. 16. the father in me Or t is beleue me for the workes sake Verely verely I saye vnto you he that beleueth on me the workes that I do the same shall he do also and greater workes then these shal he do because I go to my father Ma. 17 and 21. Mar. 11 Luc. 9. Iho. 15 and .16 Iaco. 1. 1. Iho. 3 and .5 And whatsouer ye aske in my name that wyll I do that the father may be glorifyed by the sonne if ye shall aske any thyng in my name I wyll do it THE EXPOSITION Christ armeth his disciples against the slaūder of the crosse OUr Lorde Iesus Christe in that most excellent sermon made vnto his disciples at his last supper among all other his moste godly exhortacions this he principally endeuored himselfe vnto to conserue his disciples frō the slaunder of the crosse and to prepare comfort them against the aduersaries of it that were commyng For he knewe right well the imbecilitee and weakenes not only of his disciples but also of all men in whom his holy gost and spirit is not yet confirmed And now the tyme was present at hand when Christ by his death should glorify the father and returne into his glorye Nowe forasmuche as the Apostles so sore abhorred the crosse rather would that Christe should after the maner of Kynges and prynces of this worlde begynne his kyngdome in Iewry wherein they might as great Lordes and Dukes rule with him therefore Christe would lead them away from suche imaginacions thoughtes vnto the meditacion of eternal glorye wherevnto there is no entraunce but by the crosse Act. 14. And thus he sayth Let not your heart be troubled nor be abashed needes must I suffre the scripture must needes bee fulfylled whiche testifyeth of my death and passion that by it I shal delyuer all men from eternall death I praye you then
why should your heartes be troubled You beleue in God well beleue also in me for though it shal so come to passe that I shal be betrayed to the Iewes I shal suffre be crucifyed and dye yea and furthermore it shal be nedeful that my deuine nature my strength and power be for a tyme hyd secrete vnder the crosse yet neuerthelesse I am in deede God of on and the sam substance with the father wherfore let neuer suche perturbacion in any wyse bee heard of among you for why my crosse shall not come but to the great aduantage and welfare both of you and also of all the worlde For doubtles this is a truth Many maÌ„sions in the fathers kyngdome that in my fathers house there are many mansions wher into he wyl receiue his seruauntes kepe theim also be glorifyed in them Furthermore both you and all the lecte are already predestinate vnto those mansions that is vnto eternall life NotwithstaÌ„diÌ„g as yet those mansioÌ„s are not perfect nor prepared as they must bee But if you wyll knowe howe they must bee prepared and made ready Marke my saiyng It is necessary that by my passion and my death I should fyrst abolishe and take away the kyngdome of death and synne Then that I should go vnto my father and receyue that my kyngdome whiche shall contynue for euer euen for this cause that I may the more better gouerne mayntayne and defend in that my kyngdome all that are my disciples Neither thinke you that I shal take this kyngdom to myne owne commodite onely for truely I wyll returne vnto you by my woorde and holy spirit and I wyl take you vnto my selfe that where I am you also may bee Ma. 10 I wyll not leaue you Orphalynges I loue you more dearlyer then to leaue you among so many Wolfes persecutyng you for my woorde sake onely bee you of a good comfort be nothyng afrayde Neither let this my passion that shal chance seme so great a meruayle vnto you Yea if ye wyl be my disciples knowe you assuredly that you must abyde lyke chance and fortune with me as I abyde Now what nedeth many wordes To go to the father to receyue the kyngdome You haue alredy hearde whether I must go that is vnto my father to receyue there my kyngdome You also know the way vnto my father so that in this matter there nedeth not many woordes Beholde after this maner Christ comforteth his Apostles against the slaunder of the crosse that shuld come and stablysheth them tellyng that his death and passion shuld be the perfect preparyng of those dwellyng places wherinto they should be receiued yea and also that all their saluacion ought to be fyxed in the same his mooste blessed death and passion Weakenesse and ignorance of man Secondarily here are set out two examples that is of the ignorance and weakenes of the Apostles For when Christe had sayd Whether I go you knowe and you knowe the way Sainct Thomas by and by sayd Lorde we knowe not whether thou goest and howe may we knowe the way But if one of these muste bee a lyer truely Thomas shal be the lyer and not Christ For had they not heard Christ often tymes say Mat 20 The sonne of man shal be betrayed to the princes of the priestes and Scribes and they shal coÌ„dempne him to death and deliuer him to the Heathen to be scorned scourged and crucified the thyrd day he shall ryse againe Furthermore were they vtterly ignoraunt of these thynges without knowlege when they sayd Lorde Ihon. 6 vnto whoÌ„ shal we go thou hast the woordes of eternal life and wee do beleue and we haue knowen that thou art the same Christ the sonne of the liuyng God Doubtles wee fynde here in theim a fayth but yet it hath this vnperfectnes that this faith as yet was not coÌ„firmed by the holy ghost nor yet tryed by any persecucion Euen so doth Philip also when Christ sayd If you knewe me doubtles you should knowe my father also c. Philip sayd Lord shewe vs the father and it suffiseth to vs. What meaneth this Would Philyp also then see the father with his corporall eyes or would he none otherwyse holde himselfe contented Suffiseth it not that Christ had sayd before vnto him If you had knowen me surely you should haue knowe my father also Verely in this matter appertainyng to the knowledge of God al men haue one affection neither can they do any other wyse Verely wee are blynde in this cause touchyng God We are blynd in maâ—ters of fayth Ioh. 3. and his honor except we be lightned by the holy gost and coÌ„forted in fayth approued by the crosse For that whiche is borne of the fleshe it is fleshe and it hath annexed and knyt to it selfe incredulitee and ignoraunce as examples through the scripture do euidently proue and as in this gospel also we may see it playnely set furth in thse Apostles Thyrdly wee shal nowe come to the answere geuen vnto the Apostle sainct Thomas whiche also we wyll wey diligeÌ„tly consider for in it is propouÌ„ded vnto vs the excedyng great goodnes mercy of Christ For though as yet thei wer rude ignorant in the matter of fayth yet Christ forsoke them not but in this his godly and most excellent answere so intreateth them that it may very well be perceiued that he desyred nothing so much as to procure their helth to bryng them vnto the knowlege of fayth Nowe what answere gaue he to them Christ is the way I am the way the truth and the life O worthy and excellent sentence worthy to be written eueÌ„ with golden letters in the heartes of all men But it is to be lamented that it hath so long tyme lyen despysed neglected and that so fewe haue in heartes apprehended and vnderstande it Mens wayes I pray you howe many wayes before tymes hath theyr been whereby we haue interprysed to obtayne eternal lyfe Surely I thynke in numerable For loke howe many heades so many wayes were inuented of our awne braynes to come vnto iustice eternal lyfe But these wayes in dede if they were conferred and iudged by the woorde of God were nothyng els but wrong pathes and false wayes out of the true waye whiche led vs not vnto eternal lyfe but to perpetuall condempnacion of death not vnto heauen but vnto hell in dede And these are the wayes that the Wyse man spake of saiyng Pro. 12. The waye of a foole is straight in his owne eyes But what sayth Christ to this Forsoth he sayth that he onely is the waye as he is in very deede and without doubt For by him we haue remission of sinnes righteousnes and eternal health and a free entraunce in vnto the father Neither is any man admytted vnto the fathers presence by any other mediatour or meane but by this Christe onely And he that wyll not
beleue this lette him knowe it assuredly that he shall neuer comme vnto the father neither be partaker of eternal life Lyfe And I beseche you how shal he comme vnto the father that seketh other meanes to comme to him then by Christe Besydes that he rather geueth credence vnto false liyng then to the truth euen that trueth whereof Christe here testifyeth of affirmyng him selfe to be the trueth For I pray you Treuth what are all menne all mennes doctrynes all the studyes and counsels of menne if they bee conferred to Christe and his woordes Truely all lyers and mere lyes are all those thynges that are spoken without the woorde of God as the scripture testifyeth psa 115. Psalme Cxv. Euery manne is a lyar But of the woorde of God the scripture sayth Thy woorde is trueth Nowe if the woorde of God onely bee trueth Ioh 17. psa 118. then it necessarily muste folowe that whatsoeuer menne haue inuented without the worde of God it is lyes mere deceyuable iuglyng Howe can it be but truth seyng the to those that beleue in it Rom. 1. it is the power of God vnto saluacion and eternal health For to beleue the word of God is euen thesame as to beleue Christ For Christ is the same woorde and the woorde was made fleshe Ihon. 1. And to beleue Christe is so excellente and noble a thyng that it taketh away synnes and eternal death and for them geueth righteousnes and eternal life And thus it abydeth true that Christ sayd in this place I am the waye the truth and the life Fourthly consider also what Christe-sayd vnto Philip neither would Christ refuse him because of his imbecilitee or weakenes but rather instructeth him thus Philip he that seeth me seeth my father Philip would see the father Christ is very God but Christ would graue it not only in Philippes heart but also in all other his disciples heartes that he is one thyng and substaunce with the father one God equal with the father in maiestie and glory of a like strength wysedome with him This onely excepte that Christ for our infirmitees sakes to redeme vs was made mā and therefore asmuche as pertayneth to that he is made lesse then the father as it is wrytten in the viii Psalme Psal 8. Thou hast made him a lytle lesse vnder the dignitee of angels c. Philip sayth Christe he that seeth me seeth my father And furthermore I dwel in the father and the father in me Beholde howe earnestly Christ recyteth and bet eth into his disciples his deuine nature and essence with the father also requireth that thei shuld no lesse beleue on him Verely sayth he al that I do or speak I do it not or speake it of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me he dothe those workes Therfore for the workes sake at the lest beleue me that I am in the father and the father is in me Furthermore Christ highly prayseth this fayth as he most earnestly requyreth it sayth Verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me the woorkes that I do he also shall do them greatter thynges then these shall he do He shall do greatter thynges then these especially seyng that Christ goeth to the father to receyue his kyngdome and to sende the holy ghost Fayth askyng in the name of Christ obtayneth all thinges I beseche you nowe who date bee so impudent a beast or so styffe necked that he shall dare any thyng at all derogate or minishe the dignitee of fayth seyng that to the beleuer there are made such excellent promises Yea and furthermore here is made a comfortable and excellent promise vnto fayth that is to say that whatsoeuer she wyl aske in the name of Christ shal be geuē her Wherfore shal it be geuē Doubtles that the father may be glorifyed through the sōne And to speake briefely We must thus beleue of Christ that he is of the same essēce of the same power wysedome with the father so that he that beleueth not in Christ that man I say shal neuer come at the father nor at his knowlege For Christ is the way the truth and the life And also noman cōmeth to the father but by Christ as our sauiour Iesus Christe hath testified in many places of his gospel Wherfore that we may come to the knowlege of the father dearly beloued of the Lord let vs diligently apply oure selues to heare the worde of God whereby the true knowlege of Christ is geuē vnto vs. Who knowen and apprehended by faith we may be made parteners and obtayne eternal life Amen The gospel on the Ascencion of our Lord Iesu Christ day Marke 16. AFterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they fat at meate and cast in their teth their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not theim whiche had seen that he was rysen agayne from the dead And he sayd vnto them Mat. 28 Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be dampned And those tokens shal folow them that beleue Actu 4.11.20 In my name they shall cast out deuils they ♣ Act. 2 and 19. shall speake with newe tongues they shal Luc. 10 and 18. dryue awaye serpentes And if they drynke any deadly thyng it shal not hurt them They shall lay theyr handes on the sycke and they shal recouer So then when the Lorde had spoken vnto them ♣ Lu. 24 Actu 1. he was receiued into heauen and is on the right hande of God And they went furth and preached euery where the Lord workyng with them * Heb. 2 and confirmyng the worde with myracles folowyng THE EXPOSITION SEyng that al thynges in the deuine scriptures ought well to be considered wayed this may not be ouerpassed but must diligently be noted and considered that the Euangelist S. Marke in this place where he descrybeth the ascēcion of our Lord Iesu Christ wherein also lyke at in his passion and resurrection consysteth our whole iustificacion maketh mencion of that synne for the which our Lord Iesus Christe so often before he ascended into heauen rebuked his disciples namely of theyr incredulitee and vnbelief Surely it must needes be that this is an heauye and great synne yea it is to bee estemed and thought a verye spryng welle fountayn of all mischiefe seyng that our sauiour Christ euen nowe when he would departe go to his heauenly father rebuketh it so earnestly in his Apostles For thus sayth the Euangelist At the last as the eleuen sat at the table he shewed himselfe vnto theim and rebuked their vnbeleife and hardnes of heart because they beleued not them whiche had seen him rysen Here you heare what synne this was namely Incredulitee And I pray you Vnbeleife is the spryng of all sin who is so shamelesse to
all his doctrin life after suche maner that by his grauitee diligēce blamelesse irreprehensible liuyng the worde of the gospel may be set forward magnified as sainct Paule also saith 1. Co. 3. This is required of stewardes of the mysteries of God that they be found faythful And on the other part the hearer cōsidering that this ministery is instituted of God he ought not only to heare receiue worde with al humilitee reuerence but also well to esteme honorably to entertayn the minister for his names sake that instituted the administracion lest it chaunce vnto vs as it did to the Iewes to whō Christ sayd I do glorify my father you do dishonor me And sainct Paule saith Those that rule well and faithfully with the word they are worthye double honour And the same testimonies also gyueth hee to the Galathians that they receyued him as an aungell of god yea and yf it had beene possible they wolde haue digged oute theyr eyes to haue giuen to him To baptise is a work of god And in like maner ought that ministery of baptism to be estemed as a precyous godly gyfte for why we se here it is not the inuencion or imagynacion of mā but it is the instytution and cōmaundement of the lord god himself Furthermore this is wel to be noted that the mystery of the worde and baptisme ought to bee communicate vnto all men And I pray you who may here with good cōscience exclude the infantes Baptisme is permitted vnto infants whō Christ excluded not Wee must preach to al men al men must be baptyzed neither ought the infantes by any meanes to be restrained from baptisme For although as yet they are not apte to heare the outwarde worde yet is god able to teach them inwardly by hys spyrite tyll they maye growe and ware able to hear and receyue the vocall and externe outwarde woorde preached to theim The office of the woorde Thyrdely when Christe hath committed to his apostels preachers the ministery of the word hee also sheweth what māner of word it is that they muste preach teach to the people that is that most cōfortable tidīgs of holy gospel Go forth saith he preach the gospel to al creatures Gospel But what is the gospel It is a glad tidīgs wherin ys offered giuē to vs for Christes merites without any deseruing vpon our behalfe but of mere grace remission of sinnes righteousnes and eternall lyfe And this preachyng must he that is come to the knowlege of his sins by the preachyng of the law receiue with faith nether mai he doubt of this promise if it shal do him any profite In like maner saith S. Paule The gospel is the power of God vnto saluacion to euery mā that beleueth it Here you hear that the gospel is the power of God not wtstanding it must be receiued by fayth In the woorde is the power of God of this you may not doubte but beleue if any fayth be in thyne heart Christes promyse shall here in no wyse deceiue vs if our fayth be perfect like as Christ also here requireth fayth saiyng The worde of God must be preched Whoso beleueth and is baptized shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be cōdempned We must here note two thynges Fyrst that Christ gaue commaundement to his Apostles to preache onely his worde gospel Where this is well considered pondered in the mynde there shortly vanisheth away and are abolished tradicions dreames doctrynes of men I praye you howe agreeth this that in the causes pertainyng to our iustificacion any other doctryne should be admitted but the only worde of God In ceremōies excercises because of youth ther might be obserued tradicions and cōstitucions of menne but in this matter of iustifycacion the woorde of God onely is to be admitted The second note is The sacramentes haue their power of the worde that Christe ioyneth together the ministerye of the worde and baptisme For this wyll he teache in it that baptisme and the sacramētes haue their power of the woorde and can by no meanes bee disseuered from the worde For as concernyng baptisme what authoritee could it haue if the worde were not ioyned with it Doubtles the water shuld be nothyng but styll remayne water But ioyne the worde to it and consider well the commaundement annexed to it then shall not the water be simple water but as S. Paule calleth it it is a washyng of regentracion of newe byrthe and renewyng of the holy gost And therfore is it that Christ sayth in this gospel Who so beleueth and is baptized he shal be saued Signes and miracles do confirme the worde Fourthly Christ sheweth here what tokens shal folowe vpon them that beleue In my name sayth Christe they shall cast out deuils they shall speake with newe tongues take away serpentes c. As he would say My worde is before the world a dispised worde neither haue you whiche must preache it as yet obtayned any authoritee afore men so that they may receiue your preachyng and doctryne without myracles signes wherfore this wyll I do I wyll geue you power to dryue out deuils to speake with newe tonges to heale the sycke c. And whosoeuer that after your worde and doctrine shal be by those tokens and sygnes confyrmed wyll beleue you and be baptized certaynly he shall obtayne remission of synnes and life eternal But whoso beleueth not all excuses set a part shal be damned Vpon this it necessarily foloweth that myracles sygnes were excedyng necessary at the fyrst beginnyng to preache the gospel For if any authoritee and power should be geuen to this dottryne it was necessarye to establishe it and confirme it with so excellent and noble myracles lyke as the lawe also was before confyrmed by sygnes and myracles Notwithstandyng those sygnes wherby the lawe was confirmed were farre more horrible then were the sygnes in the beginnyng of the Gospell For the sygnes that were wrought in the beginnyng of the gospel were very pleasant if you compare them to those sygnes that were shewed in the beginnyng of the lawe And the preachyng of the gospel also is farre more gladder tidynges more comfortable to the heart then is Moses with al his preceptes lawes Nowe in our tyme to requyre lyke myracles and sygnes it is vnsittyng vnreasonable and vnlawfull But if wee wyl so do Christ answereth and sayth Mat. 8. This aduouterous generacion seeketh a sygne and other shall not be geuen to it but the sygne of the prophet Ionas c. For we haue the gospel of Christ confirmed with miracles and sygnes of the Apostles and that sufficiently established surely he that wyll not beleue it can with no miracles nor sygnes be brought vnto the fayth Fyftly The ascencion of Christ we haue in this gospell an article of oure fayth of the ascencion of Christ
into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For ♣ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When
is none other consolacion but in the onely merytes of Christ And that those only be partakers of it that take hold of it by fayth and so turne it vnto their owne profite And forasmuche as when the good shepeherde commeth he leadeth them no waye but vnto Christe They knowe also that they are bound to receyue him as a minister of the worde as Christ testifyeth in another place saiyng Mat. 10 He that receyueth you receyueth me And in another place when the thefe and murtherer commeth with his false doctryne preachyng another straunge doctryne that floweth not out of the fayth of Christ then can they by the worde of God know iudge and reproue that doctryne wyll in no wyse receiue nor admit nor heare that false prophet in the steade of a true Prophete of God For they knowe perfectly that Christe sayeth that he that heareth kepeth the worde of God I say the woorde of God he shal be saued Luc. 11. And what nedeth many woordes Doth not the scriptures euery where admonish vs to beware of such theues and murtherers Beware sayth Christ of false prophetes that comme to you in shepes clothing but inwardly thei are rauening Wolfes And sainct Paule forbyddeth the Galathians that they admit none other gospel then that they heard of him insomuch that if an Angel shuld come doune from heauen preache another gospel they ought not to receiue him The shepe of Christ knowe all this wherfore they wyl heare none other but their owne hyghest byshop shepeherd Christ whiche here sayth I am come that they maye haue life yea and haue it more aboundantly Furthermore they heare all the ministers of Christ that come in his name bryng his worde The other worke-doctors they do forsake cōsideryng they are theues and murtherers suche as treate the worde of God both falsely and vngodly Wherfore Christ sayth They shal not folowe the forreyner or strange shepeherd but they wyll flee frō him for they knowe not the voyce of straungers Whiche God graunt that we may also acknowlege Christ our sheherde and folowe his worde Amen The sermon on sainct Barnabas the Apostles day is the same that is red on Symon and Iudes day The gospell on sainct Iohn the Baptystes daye Luc. 1. And it fortuned that in the eyght day they came to circumcise the chylde and called his name Zacharias after the name of his father And his mother answered and sayde Not so but he shal be called Iohn And they sayde vnto her There is none in thy kyndred that is named with thys name And they made signes to hys father howe he would haue him called And he asked for writing tables and wrote saying His name is Iohn And they meruayled all And his mouthe was opened immediatly and his tongue also and he spake and praysed God And fear came on al them the dwelt nye vnto them And all these sayinges were noysed abroade thorowe out all the hyll countrey of Iurye and all they that hearde them layed theym vp in their heartes saying What manner of chyld shal this be And the hande of the Lorde was with him And hys father zacharias was fylled wyth the holy ghoste prophecyed saying Praysed be the lorde god of Israel for he hathe visited and redemed his people THE EXPOSITION SEyng deere christians that the Euangeliste S. Luke hathe doone suche diligence in describing the natiuiti of Iohn the Baptist as it is plainly manifest in the gospell that this daye is recyted it shall be necessary that we diligently consider and well loke vpon the person of Iohn For surely this childe in whose byrthe those so great and glorious tokens chaunsed hath some syngular grace gyft aboue other children The natiuitie of sainct Ihon. Is not this a new and a syngular great thyng that he is borne of parētes very olde yea in maner at the pyttes brynke with age is sanctifyed in his mothers wombe and ordayned to be the foreleaper that is a gentlemā vssher vnto our Lord God Iesu Christ He shal be sayd the Angel when he declared his byrth vnto Zacharye his father what tyme he dyd his priestly offyce afore God great before the Lorde Wyne and strong drynke shal he not drinke euen from his mothers wombe shal he be fylled with the holy ghost many of the children of Israel shal he turne agayne wholly vnto the Lord theyr God c. By these wordes you heare that great excellent and wonderful thynges shal be brought to passe and accomplyshed by this chylde Furthermore Zacharye thus reioyseth in his canticle saiyng And thou O babe shalt be called a prophet of the most highest For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies c. What thynke you was this holy childe afterward Ihon is ane usāple of a good precher He was made a true godly and excellent preacher whiche besydes that moost holy life that he altogether spent in godly and honest conuersacion he so administered and fulfylled his office that he may well be sette furth to all preachers and ministers of Gods worde as a worthy ensample president contynually to be present and sette before them For he not only preached penaunce and by preachyng the law prepared a way vnto Christ but also he shewed vnto the people Christ whiche is moost truely that Lambe of God that taketh away the synnes of the whole worlde As also the holy ghoste sayeth againe by Zacharye To geue knowlege vnto his people But what knowlege Knowlege of saluacion or health For thereto serueth the preachyng of Iohn whiche firste through the lawe feareth the consciences and afterward comforteth them rayseth them vp by preachyng vnto them the lambe of god Wherein then resteth this knowlege In the forgeuenes of synnes Howe then obtayne we that remission of synnes By the bowels of mercy of our Lord god wherein the day starre Christ hath visited vs from heauen And to whō hath he appeared by that so great mercy To those that sytte in darkenes and in the shadowe of death aswell the Iewes as Gentyles Ihon 10 For Christ would as our archcbishop and true shepeherd make one flocke one shepefold of the Iewes and Heathen that the feare of al men if at the least they would receyue the daye starre or day spryng of the gospel and beleife in Christe that theyr feet I say might be set straight into the way of peace whiche procedeth of true fayth Beholde all these thynges appertayne to the office of Ihon whiche was not only a preacher and a prophet but also he was more then a prophete Ihon is more thē a Prophet For he preached not only Christ to come as other prophetes did but also he shewed Christ present And forasmuche as Ihon should thus shewe Christ whiche by his preachyng passion death and resurrection should take away all our sorowes sickenesses it was nedefull that great ioy should
well saide S. Paule The fyrste man of earthe is earthly For what speake wee what vnderstande wee what doo wee without the spirite of god but earthely thinges Some attribute muche to our reason our wyttes our free wyll but if we will confer and examine al our strengthes according to the scripture lo S. Paule standeth forthe and saithe Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitye to god for it is not subiect to the lawe of god nor in very deede it can not be You heare nowe in this place that it is not in our power to obey to the law of god Why then defend we so earnestly and so highly commend the strengthes of man and free will I beseche the knowledg it euen in the example of the Apostles what and how greate the infirmitie and powers of man is thē without doubt shalt thou the better vnderstand what thou must looke for of Christe For truelye thou shalte neuer haue the knoweledge of Christe except thou fyrste knowe thy selfe Christe dothe bear our weaknes instructed vs. Secondarily we se here with howe great pacyence Christe beareth this infirmity of the Apostels and many times familiarly talketh with them and teacheth them The kinges saithe Christe of the heythen beare rule ouer theym and those that vse power ouer theym are called gracious lordes In which wordes Christ confirmeth the ciuyl empiers and dominions of this world but he approueth it not in the Apostles For other men are called vnto those degrees and offices Who ar they Kinges of the Heithen princes other great men For douteles vnto them is the sweard giuen and committed as Paule saith to punish the euel Rom. 13 and defend the good and vertuous And forasmuche as they haue this sweard comitted to them of god not of theim selues therfore we the residue of the people must obey and be subiect to this ordinaunce of god for cōscience sake Pet. 2. And S. Peter saith Bee subiect vnto euery humane ordinaunce for the lordes sake And when the souldiers came to S. Iohn asked hym Luce. 3. saying What shall we do to be saued He cōmaunded not them to lay away their sweardes but that they shuld oppresse no man nor do no man wrong And euen so Christe in this place acknowledgeth the kinges and prynces other magistrates must haue the dominion that their dominions and regimentes are gods owne ordinaunce notwithstanding he wil bi no meanes admit his apostels and ministers of his worde vnto suche cyuyle impery As for you saith Christ you shal not be so How then He that is the greater among you shal be as the yongest the chiefest shal be as a seruaunt You se here howe goodly Christ turneth all otherwise The disciples would be rulers and Christ deposeth them from al cyuile goueruenaile The disciples wold be lordes Christ maketh thē seruantes Doth he this think ye lawfully and did he him self abstaine from such imperye and power Yea doubteles Phil. 2. For thus wryteth S. Paul Let the same mynde be among you that was in Christ Iesu which whē he was in form of god he thought it not robbery to be equal with god but he humbleth him self taking the forme of a seruant made in the similitude of men and in habite found as man he meketh himselfe was made obedient vnto the death yea the death of the crosse And euen so Christ in this gospel allegeth his own example saying Who is greater he that sitteth or he that serueth Is not he that sitteth And I am among you as he that serueth Christe becomet out seruaunte Heare you not howe Christ although he was lorde yet he meketh hym selfe and is made a seruaunt to vs Euen so muste the apostels and all minysters of the woorde doo They maye beare rule but yet so as CHRIST bare rule in this world and as S. Paule said 1 Co. 7. Let men so esteeme vs as the ministers of Christe and dispensers of the mysteries of God Surely this gospel is a fearefull gospel to our Byshoppes and priestes For it is to be feared except they vse them selues otherwyse in expoundyng the worde of God then they haue done before tyme this gospell wyll eternally condempne them Thyrdly there is in this gospel a notable and excellent promise that Christ wyl ordain and appoint to his Apostles all his electes a kyngdome euen as his heauenly father hath appointed him that they may eat drynke vpō his table in that kyngdom furthermore syt vpon seates iudgyng the xii tribes of Israel Who would not nowe gladly with all his heart lay himselfe vnder this crosse to suffre with Christ in this worlde seyng that by his passion wee shal entre into that great glory Doubtles thei are fooles without wyt that more set by esteme this temporal and smal ioye and voluptuous pleasures of this worlde then that glorious kyngdome that Christ wyll geue to his after this life Truth it is the Apostles fell in this thyng desired this temporall glory But what do ye thynke by this did not they after that their had receiued the holy ghost cōtemne and set not a strawe by this worldely glory I long sayd Paule to be dissolued Phi. 1. and to be with Christ Item Christ is life to me death is aduantage He sayd not that he desired to be a Lord beare rule or to desire the worldly glory or that the glorye of the worlde shuld be to him aduantage but this wisheth he with most heartie desire to be with Christ in his kyngdome Christes kyngdō is spiritual And here note the Christes kyngdome is spiritual and though it standeth in this world is begon by the word spirit yet shal it not be made perfecte and ende in this worlde but in the worlde to come Nowe as this kyngdome is spiritual To eat drynke in the kyngdome of Christ so to eate and drynke in it is also spiritual And this is the meanyng of Christ In this worlde truely you shall haue smal ioye for you are not of this worlde therfore the worlde shall persecute shall hate you but be of a good comforte for this persecucion shal ones haue an ende I wyll then receiue you into my kyngdome In the whiche kyngdome ye shal enioy perpetual peace ioye aboundance of all spiritual riches And God shal wype al teares frō your eyes and death shal be no more nor lamentacion nor criyng nor sorowe shal be any more for they are gone before If ye haue sowed in teares ye shall reape in gladnes And in like maner must we speake of the thrones and iudgement For all these thynges are spiritual Those that beleue may iudge all thynges by the woorde and they can bee iudged of no man Furthermore at that daye they shal be wytnesses to those that beleued their woordes that they may bee saued and against those that beleued
and death and yet they forsoke not their vocation but the more they were persecuted the more stronger did they confesse Christ Wherfore they did the rather optayne with Christ his heauenly kyngdom And this is the fruites which the Apostles brought furth when they did tarye in Christ Euery man hath his owne fruites tariyng in Christ For he that tarryeth in Christ he euen at the fyrst beginnyng bryngeth furth fruite by the callyng and confessyng the name of Christ both by his honest behauiour and with al kindes of godlynes and vertue by obediēce chastitee temperance sobrietie by true biyng and sellyng by other such kyndes of vertues And these be the miracles whiche bee nowe required of the godly And vndoubtedly whosoeuer doth folow these vertues in this world bryngeth furth great miracles There is so great a multitude of vnshamefast menne of gluttons and deceyuers in this corruptible worlde that it is no lesse a miracle to liue among theim iustly chastly shamefastly and soberly then it was in tymes past to make a blynd man to see or els to raise vp a dead man To conclude whosoeuer remayneth in Christ bryngeth furth fruite by sufferaunce and pacience in the crosse in aduersitee and afflictions Let him not forsake his vocacion although he be persecuted but let him rather be encouraged by affliction to maintayne his vocacion that he may openly declare that he knoweth Iesus Christ to be his righteousnes and health What should bee the let but he that remayneth in Christ shal bryng furth much fruite He that doth not tarrye in Christe doth not bryng furth fruite Fourthly let vs well vnderstand that he sayth Without me ye can do nothyng that is ye can not bryng furth any profitable or healthful fruite nor ye can do no good worke that is acceptable to God except ye beleue in me tary by fayth in me What is it to be and to tarrye in Christe Surely it is to beleue Iesus Christ to be borne of the virgin Mary to be very Christ this Christ to be the only propiciatorye and sacrifice for our sinnes whiche hathe made reconciliacion for thee to the father and for whose sake thou art made his son by adoption and heire of the heauenly and celestiall kingedome By this faith thou art accepted for Christs sake of god by this faith thou art accompted afore god as iust by this faith what workes so euer they be that thou doest whether they be of publicke or priuate vocations here we do not speake of sinne which canne not be doone by faithe they be accepted of god not as the honest doynges of Ethnikes but as the true godly workes vnto euerlasting lyfe And here wee muste not thynke that god dothe giue eternall lyfe to the godlye for their merytes sakes but that the godly taketh the righte of etrrnall lyfe by faith for Christes sake Therfore those workes that be done by this faith bee called the fruites of eternall lyfe partely bicause they be done to declare our thankfulnes for that that we haue receiued the right of the kyngdome of heauen and eternall lyfe and partely that they be rewarded with rewardes in the lyfe euerlastynge Who so euer shall bide in Christe that is shall beleue that hee is accepted of God and to be his sonne adoptiue for CHRISTES sake hee what so euer he dothe althoughe it seeme neuer so excellent and pleasaunt pure and holy it profiteth nothinge before god To be short they that do not remaine in Christe are those which know the name of Christ leadeth a wicked lyfe walketh after the fleshe and obeyeth to sinne If Christe doth not tary in him how shall he tary in Christ S. Iohn sayth Hee that saieth I knowe him and doth not keepe his commaundementes is a lyer and there is no truthe in hym And againe Whosoeuer shal say I loue god and shal hate his brother is a lyer And S. Paul saith If there be any man that shall not prouide for his and especiall for his housholde he is worse then an Infidele It is very plaine that those whych leade a wycked lyfe althoughe they boaste themselues of the name of a christian yet for all that they tarye not in Christe What shal be come of those that remain not in Christ Euen verely that thing that belongeth to the vnfrutefull braunches which are in the vine tree Ezec. 16 These beynge cut away frome the vine tree are profitable to no buyldinge as other woode and tymbre is but beynge cast out a dores they wyther and thē be gathered togither and cast into the fier and there be burned And thei are profitable for nothynge els but for to feede the fyer The selfe same thing is to be said of those whyche do not tarry in Christe These serue for none other purpose but euen for to be meate not for temporall fier that consumeth the braunches Mar. 9. 1. Tes ◠Esa 66 but they shal be punished with perpetuall and inextinquible fire and as Esay saith where their worme doth not dye and the fyer goeth neuer out c. Therefore good christian people let vs tarry in Christe and let hys worde abide in vs acknowledging him oure onlye satisfier for our sinnes sauiour and the pacifier of goddes wrathe Fiftly let vs consider and learne out of this gospel that if this his worde dothe tarrye in vs if wee haue a sure and a stronge faith vnto it declaringe our selfe thankfull towarde so worthy a benefactor with our obedience to kepe his commaundementes thus I say if we tary in him his word tary in vs then this promise Ye shall aske what ye will and it shal be done vnto you shal be perfourmed vnto vs Here is nothing excepted either corporal spiritual or heauenly goodes What can a christen mā lacke hauinge this firme and sure promise for he sayeth What so euer ye shal aske Is ther any kind of people vpon earth that hathe so rich and so excellent a promise as a true christian hathe No trewly But let vs not swarue the wordes of Christ are dligently to be consydered and rightly to be vnderstand Christe dothe not simpely saye What so euer yee wyll aske it shall bee doone vnto you But thys sayinge hath hee putte before these woordes If yee abyde in me and my woordes abyde in you wyth the whyche woordes is to bee vnderstande that then shall bee vnto vs what so euer wee wyll and shall aske Therefore hee that wyll and aske those thynges whyche bee contrary vnto Christes wordes and the whych be prohybited by the words of the Lorde he tarieth not in Christ nor the words of Christ abide not in him wherefore this promise pertaineth not to him Iohn in an other place saith This is the truste the whiche we haue in him that if we aske anye thinge after his wyl he heareth vs. God hathe made manifest hys wyll by hys promises and Gospell Therefore those that shall call vppon God and shall
suche a prophecy dothe god sometyme fulfyl as in fewe yeares after it did chaunce when the Iewes were brought into Assiria c. And yet neuertheles yt is to bee thoughte a greate grace and benefite that they were not depryued of the word of god For they had Moyses Aaron and so manye prophetes besydes as Saynte Iohn baptiste Christe himselfe and the Apostels that Christe myghte well reherse vnto theym I sende vnto you Prophetes wyse men and scribes c. Secondarilye he reproueth theim of theyr crueltye whiche they vsed agaynste the Prophetes and other that were sente vnto theim receiuinge theym with no reuerence but moste abhominably dyd handle theim And where they hadde beene woorthye of greate rewardes they contrary wise kylled theym The ingratitude of the Iews Some of them sayth he shal you kyll and crucifye and some of them shal you scourg in your sinagoges and persecute theim frome citye to citye c. This was a greate blyndenes that the Iewes slewe all the Prophetes and would not suffre none to liue that spoke against their false worshippyng of God whiche they contrary to the worde of God had inuēted of their owne braynes And in this blyndnes and maliciousnes they abode and remayned styll in Christes tyme and long after and would in no wyse suffre any thyng that should learne theim to amende their blyndnes But so it is wont to go with theim that wyll not harken vnto the worde of God but abuse the same Wherfore worthily happeneth vnto them the saiyng of Esaias Esai 6. Blynde the heart of this people c. Surely they can not blame Christ seyng that the waye of trueth was so diligently taught vnto them before his commyng Fyrst through the Prophetes other ministers of his worde and in his tyme by Christ himselfe and after Christes ascencion by the Apostles and other mo so that they can laye no blame to no man nor can in no wyse excuse them selues Dyd not Christe geue theim sufficient warnyng in this present Gospell where he sayeth Ierusalem Ierusalem Thou that slayest the Prophetes and stonest theim that are sent vnto thee Howe ofte would I haue gathered thy children together euen as the Henne gathereth her chickyns vnder her wynges and ye would not c. He that had leasure or time to declare the worthines of this similitude and in what wyse the Henne is affeccioned toward her chickyns and in what wyse she retayneth theim and getteth theim their foode and with what desire and feruentnesse she fighteth for their safegarde and in howe many thynges she dissembleth and suffereth theim paciently fynally in what wise she kepeth and defendeth them vnder her winges whiche all aptely may be apropriated vnto Christe whiche for our sakes dyd and suffered so many thinges withoute doubte yt shoulde bee euident vnto all men the the Iews them selues were the very cause occasion of their blindnes damnacion As the prophet Oseas witnesseth saying Ose 13. O Israell thy iniquitie hathe destroyed the But in me only is thy healpe To whom of the prophets haue they obeyed Or whiche of theim haue they not persecuted What trouble and busynes suffered Moyses amonge theim Yea how shamefully thei behaued theim selues against Christe and how did they handle him Which of the Apostels were euer safe and suer amongest theim Did they not stone to deathe that blessed Saint Steuen the holy martyre of god Out of their dooinges it is manifest The nature of the fleshe that there was nothinge more pleasaunter to the Iewes than to stone crucifye to obtruncat scourg and persecute with most greuous ponishments the blessed saintes of Christ But to hear the holy word of god to knowledg that most ioyfull tyme of their Messias there were very few of them so to do Yea and thoughe we were ignoraunt with howe greate crueltye they intreated all those that were sente to them from god yet might a man sufficiently learn it in the only story of Steuen which is writen in the seuenth chapiter of the actes of the Apostles Act. 7. Thirdely Of the punishemēt of the soules of the Iews Christe declareth the ponishement that shuld happen vnto the Iews for their ingratitude which shuld not only be a corporal ponishment but also a spirituall ponishmente Fyrste shall come vppon theim all the righteous bloud that was shedde vpon the earth from the bloud of righteous Abell vnto the bloude of Zacharye the sonne of Barachias 2 Pa. 24 whome they slewe betwene the temple and the altare O what an horrible and a greuous punishment shuld this be For god will no more suffre vnpunished this effusion of bloud then he will suffre vnpunished the effusion of the Precious bloud of his only sonne as the scripture witnesseth saying Zach. 2 He that toucheth you shall touche the apple of his owne eye And againe in an other place Verely I saye vnto you Mat. 25 whatsoeuer you do to one of the leaste that beleue in me that same do you to me O you tyrantes why doth not these sayings touche you and moue you Why doth not the greate ponishment of the sowle withdrawn you frome your greate curelnes that you myght be afraid to committe any more suche vnworthye actes against the wordes of god Do you not heare that the bloude of those whiche you do kyll for the worde of god shal not allonly come vpon you but also all the bloude that hathe beene shedde vppon the earth from the bloud of righteous Abell vnto this day Yee wyll not beeleue these thinges but daylye go aboute to mayntaine your wantō and abhominable minde But synce it is so that you wyll doo none other take your pleasure For wee truely shall abide pacientlye by the grace of God that tyme in the whiche wee shall resiste you and all the aduersaries of the worde of god openly with greate truste and constancye For doubte you not but that daye of vengeaunce shall come Sapient 5. Besides thys you shall be punished with corporall ponishment for your ingratitude and vnthankfulnes For thus saith the lorde Behold your habitacion shall bee lefte vnto you desolate And in an other place he saithe Mat 24 There shall not bee lefte one stone vpon an other These bee those thinges that Christe gaue the Iewes warnyng of which shuld happen vpon them and partely he tolde it by similitudes and partlye without anye similitude But what preuailed it to them Dyd they either repent them or amend theim No snerly And Christe also after his ascention lefte theim his blessed apostels giuing theim fourtye yeares space to repent theim and yet all wold not help nor cause them to forsake their mischeuous incredulitie pertinacy but as S. Paule sayeth Rom. 2. They heaped them selfe a treasure of wrath against the day of wrath c. Wherefore it is come to passe that the iudgemente of god his wrath indignacion is come vpon them which is euidente to the