In that case men can dyscerne no more than a blynde man in the darke But yet for all that oure fayth is not a whyt ouerthrowen it leaueth not to make vs certayne of Goddes goodnesse towarde vs seyng it proceadeth not from the fynenesse of mans wyt But from the only lyghtenyng of the holy ghost For thys cause in the second Chapiter of the fyrst to the Corrinthians Saint Paule hauing shewed that as the mysteryes of God doe farre surmount the conceite of oure vnderstandyng by and by after he ioyneth thereunto that the faythfull vnderstande and knowe the meaning of the sonne of God bycause they haue not receaued a spirite that is of thys worlde but the spirite that they haue was geuē them of God by which they are taught y ◠mercye and goodnesse of hym which otherwise is comprehensible Al faythful seruauntes know by y e teachyng of the holy ghost y t which is farre aboue y e fleshly sense so that they speake boldly and freely as out of the mouth of y ◠Lord. Wherfore euē as by their own abilitye they cannot cōme vnto y ◠knowledge of y ◠hygh mysteries of God so by the grace of y ◠holy ghost they haue a certayn and cleere knowledge of the same Now the holy ghost must go before we muste folowe we must staye where he leaueth vs ther we must set fast our foote But if any man desyre to know more than y ◠same spirit hath opened he shalbe euerprest w t the infinite brightnesse of his light 24 The same is Helye Mathe. 11. I am not Helias Ioan. 1. ACcordyng to the true interpretation of the Prophet Malachy Iesus Christ affyrmeth iustlye that Iohn the Baptist is Helias if you wil receaue hym sayth he the same is Helia that should cōme He shewes howe Iohn began to Preache the good tydynges of the kingdome of God that is to say in asmuch as he was y ◠same Helias that shoulde be sent before the face of God Then Iesus Christes wil is to haue thys fearefull commyng of God that was celebrated by Malachy acknowledged of y ◠Iewes seyng that the same Helie that was there promised dyd then as it were the dutye of a porter But Iohn the Baptist also speaketh the truth in saying that he is not Helia The Iewes knewe by the Prophecy of Malachye y ◠Helie should be as it were as a daystarre to shewe the commyng of the Messias In the meane time they held this ouerthwart opinion that the soule partyng forth of one body should enter into the body of another man Bycause Malachye sayd that Helia shoulde bee sent they thought that the same Helie that was in y ◠tyme of kyng Achab should cōme agayne Wherfore Iohn the Baptist aunswered ryghtly and trulye that he was not Helia for he spake and aunswered accordyng to theyr opinion 25 Those that he hath called he hath also sanctified Roman 8. Many are called but fevve are chosen Mathe. 20. IT will be an easye matter to agree these two places so we vnderstand that ther are two sortes of callings one of the whiche is spoken of in the eyght of the Romaynes the other in y ◠xx of Mathew Fyrst then there is one callyng which is effectuall that is the dyscoueryng of the eternall election whē God by y ◠mynistery of his word the grace of his holy spirit declareth vnto vs maketh vs to know perfectly y ◠he is our father Here we haue not to do only with y ◠outward preaching which shoulde but beate our eares except y ◠the second wer ioyned to it y ◠is to saye the holy ghost whiche causeth this calling to haue his effect And thei y ◠in this sort be called be also sanctifyed they possesse y e free ryghteousnesse which is in Iesus Christ They bee sanctified they haue also a continuing of Gods goodnesse frō y ◠callyng vntyl y e death ▪ Ther is another sort of calling w t which god calleth al 〈◊〉 by his gospel Many infected vncleane persōs preace in by force which though for a whyle they occupye a place among others yet at y ◠last they ar driuen out drawē to punyshment Not al they by a great many y ◠be called or bydden or y ◠haue some entry into y ◠Church are made pertakers of euerlastyng lyfe but only they whō y ◠sonne of God shal fynd prepared clad in such a garmēt as is worthye of the heauenly palace 26 He is not the lyght Ioan. 1. He vvas the burnyng and shyning lampe 〈◊〉 IN both these places Iohn y ◠Baptist is spoken of First when it is sayd y ◠Iohn was not y e light that is to be vnderstode of y ◠lighte whiche doth geue light to euery man cōmyng into the world Iesus Christ only is that light who maketh euery one of vs to feele some force of his clerenesse And true it is y ◠as he is the eternal lighte so he hath a bryghtnesse y ◠is natural to him is not takē frō any wher els But rather we ar sent backe to y ◠experience y ◠we al haue of it Seing our lord Iesus maketh vs al partakers of his brightnesse we must also cōfesse this honor to belong to him alone generally al mē ar here cōtayned For we know y ◠mē haue thys singular to thē aboue al liuing things y ◠they haue reason vnderstanding they carrye grauen in their hartes the difference of good and euil There is no man therefore but hath some syghte of thys great euerlastyng light Thys cannot be sayd of Iohn the Baptiste nor of any other whosoeuer he bee of whom it is sayd ryghtly y ◠he is not the light to the end hys bryghtnesse bee it neuer so greate dymme not the clerenesse of the glory of God For some did so sticke to Iohn y ◠Baptist that they made no accompt of our Lord Iesus As if a man should be astonned with the sight of the dawnyng day or of some little starre and the whilest voutchsafe not to turne his eyes toward the sunne Nowe as touchyng the other sentence it is also true that Iohn y ◠Baptiste was a burnyng and shynyng lampe Thys may be sayd of al faythfull that they be lyghtes to the Lorde as Saint Paule calleth them Ephe. 5. and the reason is bicause they ar lightened by hys spirite And they haue their eyes open not only for them self but also to direct and guyde other into the way of saluation The Apostles also haue caried the torche of the Gospel to dryue darkenesse out of y ◠world Although therfore the faythfull be decked wyth this honorable title that they are called lyghtes and that inasmuch as they haue the word of lyfe and saluation they must shyne in the world as lyghtes torches Yet Iesus Christ doth attribute thys particularly to his Apostles
and the ministers of his Gospell bycause they carry a lanterne before other to lead to guyde theÌ„ For seing we be al blynd in the myddest of darkenesse God lyghteth vs by the lyght of hys worde which is spoken to vs by his ministers Yet he garnisheth Iohn the Baptiste particularly with thys title of honour bycause that by his ministery God gaue a much more excellent lyght to hys Church 27 There is but one good and that is God Mark 10. A good man bryngeth forth good out of the treasure of hys hart Luke 6. IT is true that men be they neuer so excellent cannot deserue so honorable a title as to be called good no not y â— Angels For they haue not one only droppe of goodnesse of themselfe But they haue from God whatsoeuer they haue y â— is good Besyde be it in men or be it in the Angels goodnesse is but begonne in theÌ„ it is not perfect Yet we must vnderstand what y â— meaning of our Lord Iesus Christ is when he sayth to the yong man whye doest thou call me good There is none good but God he will not affirme there y â— he is God but he bryngeth thys yong man in to beleue hys doctryne He had already a certayne affection to obey but Iesus Christ wil haue hym mount hygher to heare this holy doctryne as froÌ„ the mouth of the liuyng God and not of a mortal man For as men are wont to make of diuels Angels so without discretion men cal them good teachers which haue no true or good felyng of God And so ar the gyftes of God prophaned It is no maruel then y â— Christ sendes thys yong man to God to the end he may geue authority to his doctryne Yet there is no inconuenience in callyng a man good wheÌ„ God hath chaunged hys hart whiche by nature was ill and when he hath prynted in hym some of hys goodnesse So the goodnesse shalbe alwayes Gods and the man also shalbe good Yet it shal not be of hym selfe But in that God hath made him such So it is sayd that a good man bryngeth forth goodnesse from the good treasure of hys harte Thys sentence admonysheth y â— faythful which made profession to be Gods seruauntes to examyne and aduise theÌ„ diligently what they set forth Nothing wil coÌ„me oute of the sacke but what is in it as the prouerbe sayeth The naughtye hart cannot but beare witnesse of it self by prophane words and by wicked wordes So a hart fearyng God sends forth fruites worthy a ChristiaÌ„ man But we must returne to thys poynt that the hart cannot bee good but by the onely goodnesse and grace of God and out of this self roote the good fruytes also shall sprynge 28 Mark. â— Touching the day and houre none knovveth it no not the Angels that are in heauen nor the sonne him self none but the father All povver is geuen me in heauen and in earth Math. â— IF all power bee geuen to our Lord Iesus as wel in heauen as in earth it semeth there is nothyng no not in heauen hyd or vnknowen vnto hym But by the way we must note to what purpose he spake thys Christ willyng to appoynt hys Apostles to Preache the Gospell fyrst spake to them of hys power A meane or common authoritye had not in thys case sufficed But it was mete that he which sent to haue eternal and happy life to be promysed in hys name should haue an Empyre souerayne and in very dede diuine to thend y â— al the world might be brought in awe of hym and that hys doctryne which shoulde be published should bee able to â—ame al loftynes and to bryng downe al mankynde the Apostles had neuer bene persuaded to take on theÌ„ so hard a charge except they had bene very certaine that their warrante was placed in heaueÌ„ being of soueraine power He calles himself Lord and kyng as wel of heauen as of earthe bycause that in that he bringeth men so true obedience by the preaching of his gospel he hath established and appoynted the throne of his Kingdome on earthe And in that he regenerateth his faithful into a new lyfe and calleth them to the hope of saluation he openneth the heauens to the end to lyft vp to happy immortalitye with the Angels those which before not only crepe in y â— world but also were plunged in the dark bottomlesse depth of death True it is that Christ euerlastingly hath had with his father al power and autority and that of his own right but yet it is sayd that it was geuen him to weâ—e in our flesh Then he is apointed gouernor iudge soueraigne Prince ouer al the whole Church but it was not clearly knoweÌ„ tyl after hys resurrection For then at the laste he was adorned with the markes of a soueraigne King and receauing a name aboue al names hee had also the endes of al things in his handâ— to dispose them at his good pleasure But whilest he is yet in our mortal flesh it is sayd that the sonne him selfe knoweth not when the day shal be of hys fearful comming In asmuchas he is God nothing is vnknoweÌ„ vnto him He hath bene euer God neyther hath his Manhode taken any thing froÌ„ hys diuine maiesty The two natures were vnseparably ioyned together in hym but it was in such sorte that neither of both lost their property Chiefly the Diuinitie rested and shewed not it self as often as it was expedient that the nature of man did that which belonged to it to accomplish the charge and office of a Mediatour Wherfore ther is no absurdity or inconuenience in thys that the sonne of God who knew al yet according to the conceyte and vnderstanding of hys manhoode there was some thing which he knew not for otherwise he coulde not haue bene subiecte eyther to griefe or to carefulnes or haue bene like vnto vs. A man may reply y t this caÌ„not be spoken of the soÌ„ne of God that he was ignoraunt bicause ignorance is the punnishment of sinn and he sinned neuer It is also spoken here of the heauenly Angels that this day is hidden from them wil any say that this ignorauÌ„ce procedeth of sinne Though they haue in no wise offeÌ„ded yet are they in somwise ignoraunt As touching the sonne of God he hath so put on mans fleshe that he hath taken on hym the paynes due for sinne And where he knew not of y e later day according to his humain nature that doth no more take away any thing from his â—â—nne nature thaÌ„ his being mortal dyd 29 You haue the poore vvyth you alvvays but me you shall not haue alvvayes Math. 26. I am alvvayes vvyth you vntil the ende of the vvorld Math. 28. THe Lord Iesus speaketh of hiÌ„self in both places touching y e first alowiÌ„g y â— which Mary had don he shewes how this seruice plesed hiÌ„ y t is not y â— he toke pleasure in the 〈◊〉 which had bene
poured out vpon him for the good â—auours sake but in 〈◊〉 respecte of hys burial bycause that by such a 〈◊〉 he woulde geue them to vnderstand that his graue shuld be filled with good sauour as be did spred sauour of life and saluatioÌ„ through al the world But sith that the truth of this figure hath bene perfectly accomplished and the sonne of God when he came out of the graue performed with the good sauoure and quickening smel of hys death not only one house but the whole world It wer a folly to begin again to do that which should be without cause or profite And therfore he sendeth vs back to the pore to the end we shuld not excuse our selfe as though we could no more occupye ourselues in his seruice for once he requyred such seruice as that which Mary did to hym But nowe seeing he is mounted into y e heauenly glory ther is neyther golde nor siluer nor precious oyntments nor sumptuousnesse whatsoeuer they be which we may offre vnto hym to do hym acceptable seruice Now wher he sayth you shal not haue me alwais with you that is to take froÌ„ vs al excuse as though he said that froÌ„ thence forward he would nomore take pleasure in that which once he woulde haue done to him He maketh a distinctioÌ„ betwene y â— ordinary seruice which must be euer vsed among the faythful and that extraordinary seruice whyche had an end when he went vp into heauen Wil we bestow our money wel in true Sacrifice and in holy offering Let vs bestow it to relieue the necessity of the poore and neady For our Lord Iesus sayth that he is no longer wyth vs in this world to be serued with pompes and outward preparations And we know yea and we feele by the experience of faythe that Christ is presente with vs by his strength gostly grace But he dwelleth not visibly among vs 〈◊〉 of vs earthly honor He saith 〈◊〉 you vnto the end of the world He had â—â—yd that he was appoynted Kyng of heauen and of earth Afterwarde vs promiseth to assist his Apostels whom he had enioined a hard office charge warning them not to loke vpon that which they could do of themself but to leane vpon his strengthe and inumerble power The maner of this presence which the Lord promiseth to his faithful must be vnderstode spiritually for it is not nedeful that he should not coÌ„e downe from heauen to succour vs seeing he can help vs by the grace of hys holy spirite stretching forth his hande to vs from the highest of the heauens As touching hys humayne nature it is certaine that there is an infinite distaunce betweene hym and vs. But he not onely spreads the efficacy of his spirite through al the worlde but also he dwelleth truely in vs. Moreouer thys promisse is not made only to the Apostels for it reacheth euen to the end of the world Very true it is that he promyseth hys ayde chyefly to hys ministers whyche for that they are weake and needy in euery condition coulde not execute the lest part of their office Seing then their charge is as troublesome and harde as it is healthful assuredly they haue more neede than all other of the assistance of oure Lorde Iesus to the end they may haue the victorye of al the assaultes and battayles of thys world as in these dayes it is shewed vs by playne experience that christ worketh wonderfully by a secret manner so that y â— gospel hath his course though Sathan lay many lettes in the way But generally al the faythfull ar partakers of thys promisse to the ende no man shuld be discoraged as though he were forsaken Let vs then make thys conclusion that although Christ be departed into heauen yet he is not so departed butte that hee euer is and wil bee to the ende with vs. He hath taken away the presence of hys body from our sight but he leaueth not the whylest to assist hys faythfull which muste yet liue in thys worlde but hee gouerneth the worlde wyth a more presente strength Thys promysse of hys continuall assistaunce was accomplyshed by hys asceÌ„tion in which as y â— body of y â— soÌ„n of god was lifted vp aboue al y â— heaueÌ„s so his power and efficacy is spred beyond al the bouÌ„des of heauen and of earthe So then these two things may wel be said that the sonne of God is no more amoÌ„g vs and yet he is among vs and shal be euer vntil the ende of the worlde He is here no more according to the presence of hys humaine nature but he is here acording to the presence of his Maiesty For a few dayes the Church had hym present in his flesh now not seing him with bodily eyes shee possesseth hym by fayth 30 Thy vvyll be done on earth as it is done in heauen Math. 6. Appeasing by the bloud of hys crosse the thinges vvhiche be as vvell in heauen as in earthe Colloss 1. WE desire by this petition contained in the Lordes prayer that al creatures may truely and perfitly obey God on earth as his â–ª Angels in heauen do and execute his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts al his holy ordinauÌ„ces without any gayn saying and not seeke to dysplease hym in any sorte Lyke as they know that ther is nothing better than that which God wylles so they do readily obey hym And this is the cause why they abide stil and are not subiect to chaunge and corruption and why they haue quietnes and continual happinesse To weete bicause they are in al and altogether agreeing to the wyl of God Seeing then there is nothyng in them that w tstandeth the holye and good wyl of God nothing that turnes them awaye from his holye decrees nothing that can be desired or wyshed biside his good pleasure it can not be but they enioy soueraine rest and true blessefulnesse Syth it is so that the Angelles of heauen synce their creation haue euer in al things and altogether yelded vnto God true obedience by that meanes there hath neuer bene strife or hatred betwene him and them how commeth it to passe that they had neede to be reconciled For in the fyrst Chapiter of the Collossians mentioÌ„ is made not onely of men which are meant by the things which be on earth but also of Angelles which are meant by thynges that are in heauen If hereupon a man woulde say that the Angels haue bene sette at one with men and so the heauenly creatures are at one againe with earthly things This is not that which Saint Paul meaneth here for he sayth expressely that God hath recoÌ„ciled theÌ„ to himself The maner of maÌ„s reconciling to God is this that before while they were estraunged from hym by sinne they should haue felte him to be a Iudge to their ruine and condemnation if the grace of the Mediatoure had not coÌ„me betweene to appease hys angre So the attonemente made betwene God and men is that
him to sinne That is to say it behoueth that babling tonges should be repressed y ◠y ◠elders falsly accused should not be wrongfully blamed defamed Yet if ther be among thē an il lyuer he ought rygrously to be punished corrected And why y ◠whē other see y ◠thei which ar of degre dignity are not for borne they being warned by suche example should be the more in feare For why should a mā geue more libertye to those whose synnes may most hurt thā to those whose faultes shal not be of so great offence By the way thys muste be vnderstode of those synnes faultes whiche geue open occasion of offence For if any of the auncientes or ministers committe any lyght fault and no notable crime he should rather bee rebuked a parte than blamed openly Now thys is so farre from contrarying the sentence of our Sauior Christ that it rather serueth it for an exposition For when by the fyrst sentence we know howe a man should behaue himself in rebuking open synnes we may also vnderstand by the seconde howe a man shoulde vse hymself in reprouing the faultes which as yet are secret and hydde Christ hauyng shewed how we muste beare the weakenesse of other sheweth afterward howe and to what end howe long it behoueth vs to suffer them He geueth vs a meane which is not to offende to muche or to geue occasion of euil to the weake and yet it is fytt their syckenesse shuld be healed He geueth thys cōmaundement to his faythfull so to spare one another that notwithstanding thei endeuour to correctvice And this is worthy diligently to be noted for when we spare or beare with mē it can hardly be but y ◠we shal forbeare to reproue them boldly We do al welnyghe declyne to one syde or to the other eyther we are content to disceaue one another by daungerous deadly flattery eyther ells wee are to sharpe in pursuing faultes and synnes when we should redresse thē He there setteth forth three degrees of brotherly correctiō but hereit shal suffice to shew that as a mā ought to reproue openly those synnes which ar open or knowen of al. So as touchyng y e sinnes y ◠as yet are secret we must proue this remedy beefore wee passe any further namely whether by warnyng geuen a parte to the offender a mā may withturne him from hys offence But if he cannot bee wōne by such a meane other remedies are spoken of also The difference then betwene open faultes and particular synnes taketh away al difficultye 78 I saye not that I praye to my father for you Ioan. 16. He intreateth for you Rom. 1. SAINT Iohn in the seconde Chapter of hys fyrst canonical sayeth if wee haue synned we haue an aduocate namely Iesus Christ y ◠iuste We are yet very farre of from the perfection of righteousnesse besyde we do ordinarilye make our self faultye But herein are we comforted that we haue a ready and souerayne remedye to appeace god by hauing recourse vnto Iesus Christ hys Sonne And thys is a thyng whereon oure consciences may reste thys is that wherein standeth the righteousnesse of men and wherein is grounded the hope of their saluation otherwise our tonges mouthes ar defiled our prayers synne But y e sonne of God is oure mouth oute of whiche we speake things pleasyng vnto God he is our altare wherupō we offer our prayers in a sacrifyce of swere sauour he is our eye with whiche wee beholde God a mercifull God vnto vs. So he speaketh intreateth for vs not that we muste accompt or measure thys increacyng accordyng to our fleshly vnderstandyng For we must not thinke that he is on his knees to make any request or supplicatiō or that he hath his handes ioyned together and lyfted vp to pray but bycause he presenteth himself continually with hys death and resurrection which are in steade of a perpetual intercession and haue the continuall efficacye and strength of a liuely prayer to get vs grace at hys fathers hand and to make hym graunt our requests But he is so our aduocate that we must aske nothing but in his name when we shall aske or make request in hys name then the treasures of heauen must be opened and liberally dealt out For God wil denye nothyng that shalbe asked in y e name of Iesus Christ hys Sonne How sayth he then that it shal be no more nedeful that he should entreate for hys Dysciples And what nede is there to praye in hys name yf he take on him the charge to be our aduocate or intercessour And Saint Paule sayth in thys eyght of y e Epistle to the Romaines that he entreateth for vs. Saint John calleth hym our aduocate For answere It behoueth to vnderstande that Christ sayeth not here symply y t he wil not bee our aduocate he meaneth that hys father shal bee so bent to doe good to hys Disciples that he wil geue them of hys owne accorde without muche a do al that they shal requyre of hym for the great loue that he beareth them He wil preuent the aduocate or intercessour which if thys wer not should speake for them And to conclude he addeth the father hymselfe loueth you bicause you haue louer me and haue beleued y ◠I came forth from God Yet the father can heare graūt no prayer neyther can he receaue any as pleasyng vnto him but through his Sonne So we are taught that when God hath once be gonne to loue vs his loue is so great that he euen preuenteth al that which is necessarye to bring vs vnto hym 79 My God my God vvhye haste thou forsaken me Psalme 22. I am not alone for my father is vvith me Math. 27. THys was the chiefe fyght and the hardest of al y e to 〈◊〉 that our Lord Iesus suffer 〈◊〉 for he was so farre of from ayde or fauour at hys fathers hand to ease hym in hys last dystresse that he rather felt hym somthing remoued and gone from hym For not only thys good Lord offred hys bodye for the ransome of our attonement w t God but also he suffred in hys soule the paynes whiche wee had deserued by thys meane he was truly made the mā of sorrowes as Esay saith Chap. 53. And therfore we must not staye only at the vtter torment for it behoued Christ to present hymselfe bee fore the Iudgement seate of his father bearing vpon hym our condemmatiō to the end he myght make amendes for vs. Now there is nothyng more horrible than to fynde God a Iudge whose wrath surmonnteth al the deathes that a mā can deuyfe Seyng then thys kynde of trial was offred to 〈◊〉 Lorde Iesus y ◠God was agaynst hym that by y ◠meane he was as it wer appoynted to distructiō Feare and honour toke him yea suche as had an hundred tymes six alowed in al the men in the world
the Lorde hymselfe hath humbled the faythfull foorthwith he appeaseth their fearfulnesse leaste beeing ouercharged they shoulde fal vnder the burden and not that onely but also he healeth by the mildenesse of hys grace the wound and hurt which he himselfe caused But as touching the reprobate and proud they are sodenly flyghted and wyther by little and little in their tourmentes as men out of theyr wittes are agaste for a litle whyle yet are they not touched to the quicke for by and by they forget that they wer in feare not that the remembraunce of the feare is altogether oute of them but bycause thys lyuely apprehension of Gods power is fallen from them Nowe as touching the fyrst Feare whiche proceadeth of Fayth it maketh vs to walke in all reuerence and obedience vnto Goddes Iustyce And therefore it maketh vs happy bycause God wyl neuer forsake those that obey him in feare and lowlynesse Thys is contrary to the common opinion of al men that they that seate the Lord are happy and principally in thys life For how many Epicures are there whiche vomite oute blasphemies saying that God fauoureth the wicked when they prosper in their wickednesse Moreouer the prosperity of the wicked troubleth and maketh the weake to wauer besyde they faint in trouble and vnquietnesse And althoughe the dispisers of God ar not very wel at their ease and that the state of the good is in some sorte good and tollerable yet so it is that the more parte haue their eyes blinde or shutte vppe when they consider Goddes prouidence But howsoeuer it be this is very certayne that happye are they that feare the Lorde Nowe if it be so that true charyty whiche can not be withoute Fayth and is not but of the holy Ghoste causeth vs to know that we abyde in God and hee in vs howe is it sayed that feaâ—e is not in loue but that loue driueth out al feare We muste remembre the seconde kinde of feare which bringeth nothing but trembling and horroure There is in deede a seruyle feare which is altogether contrary to willing reuereÌ„ce When we loue not God francklye as our father but ar chiefely constrayned by feare of punnishment but Saynte Iohn meaneth another thynge hys mind is to shew that when we knowe by Faith what the loue of god to vs is wee haue peace in our conscience whyche is contrary to this feare And though we cannot yet altogether driue feare awaye bycause we canne haue but a little taste of the loue of God towardes vs yet whennesoeuer we haue recourse to God as to an assured porte free from all feare and daunger of wracke and of all stormes and tempestes feare is truly driuen awaye bycause it geueth place to fayth Feare then is not in loue not that it moueth not our hearts but bicause it troubleth vs not nor letteth not our reste whiche wee obtayne by fayth So a man maye saye of those two sayinges that there is in them diuersitye but no contrarietie 90 Touche me not for I am not yet gon vp to my father The vvemen handled hys feete and bent themself dovvne before hym Ioan. 20. A Man may easely agree these two places if we loke vpon the affectioÌ„ of Marye Magdalene and on the manner of the other wemens doyngs Christ suffereth these to touche hym to the end hys resurrection myghte bee certaynlye knowen And therefore Saint Mathew addeth that the wemen bowed downe before hym which was an argumente or a sygne of an vndoubted knowledge Also he suffered hys Dysciples to touche hym and specially Thomas to put hys fyngers within the hollownesse of his wounds And that he dyd bycause it was nedeful to put them out of al doubt of hys resurrection But when he sawe that Marye stayed at hys bodily presence and loked for no other happier maner of enioying hym than that he shoulde bee conuersante in earth with them a man oughte not to maruell if he were willyng to moderate and correct thys vnaduised zeale Wherefore let vs take thys for a certayntye that Christ forbad not Marye to touch him tyll he sawe that shee Importunely desyred to keepe hym styll in the worlde The reason is added therunto whiche sufficiently sheweth that whiche is very worthy to be noted to wete that he is not yet gon vp to hys father Nowe he wil make Marye to vnderstand that shee oughte to suspende her affection til time he were receaued into the heauenly glorye Besyde thys he sheweth what the end of hys resurrection is not suche as Marye deuysed it to bee according to her fantasye to wete that after hys resurrection he shoulde tryumphe here belowe in y â— world but rather that by going vp into heauenly glorye he myght take possession of the kyngdome that was promysed hym being set on the ryght hand and in the glorye of hys father he myghte mayntayne hys Church by the power of hys holy spirite Mary then dyd ill forasmuche as contentyng her selfe with the halfe of the resurrection of Iesus Christ she desyred to haue hym present in the worlde And as for vs if wee will not fayle to fynde Iesus Christ wee muste lifte vp our spirites a lofte Moreouer as many as endeuour to goe to him haue nede to vnwrap theÌ„selfe of all earthlye affections of the fleshe 91 Bevvare you doe not your ryghteousnesse before men to the end to be sene of them Math. 6. Let your lyghte so shyne beefore men that they maye see your good vvorkes may glorifye your father vvhich is in heauen 〈◊〉 CHrist warneth hys faythfull to doe good works simply before god not hauyng care for their apparauÌ„ce before men which is a warnyng very necessary for it is alwaies to be doubted leaste ambition thruste in it selfe among the vertues and it commeth to passe often tymes that ther is not so coÌ„mendable woorke but by ambition is corrupted Christ speaketh nowe of almose now of prayers both are good testimonyes of the honestye of a man but when a maÌ„ dealeth almose or prayeth onely to thys purpose to bee sene of men what beelongeth to suche an almose man or to suche a prayer but onely that he bee esteemed of men We see then that here he goeth aboute to cure the syckenesse of ambition by whiche men seke for glorye at mennes handes for their wel doing But the whylest the Christian vertues can not be in a man except they shyne vnto other Thys cannot otherwise be Euen as a man fylled ful of vyces cannot be so close but that he shal be an ill example to other so the vertues can not so abyde in a vertuous maÌ„ but that other shal perceaue them Yet a Christian man beyng as it were hyd in hymselfs ought to desyre that men should so see hys vertues that al the glory should be geuen to God So not onely these two sentences dysagree not in themself but also the seconde serueth to expound the fyrst For thys seconde