saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys saynge Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse froÌ„ the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes but by the selfe lawe of fayth But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours All the prophetes as Peter here sayeth Christe hymselfe all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out all the aun cient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy expositours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes It foloweth in the texte Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed c. Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the. xv Chapter of Mathew I am not sent but to y e lost shepe of the house of Israel Howbeit the callynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym And therfore he began hys sermoÌ„ on thys wyse Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost and herde them speke wyth tonges magnifyed God Here ye shal also marke y t thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of y e holy goost y e Apostles and other were so indowed y t they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in y e mea ne season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease It foloweth in the texte Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost as well as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that y e Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were out wardly baptysed wyth the water for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde for baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„bâ—r of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth maÌ„ only gyueth the water but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye and the synnes of bloude purgeb The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth in thys wyse Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ be not baptised in Christe For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ. Yf a maÌ„ taketh only thys corporall washyng of water whiâ—h is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ. For albeit SimoÌ„ Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued y e washing of water yet bycause he had not the holy gooste he was not baptised in Christ. Wherfore as I declared vnto you on the AsceÌ„sioÌ„ day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstaÌ„d that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of infauntes or babes For they as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr infauncy to dye by the fayth of the catholyke church And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Ana baptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion For no doubte the promyse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or infauntes But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sacramentes And here vpon do all lerned men agre Now therfore good christen people syth your bap tisme woll not serue you wythout faythe no nor all the workes ye can do I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of yourâ— synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ. So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal enter into your hartes make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe to worke wel to the glorye of God and helth of your soules eternally Amen The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost The. iij. chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ The moost comfortable glad tydynges of Christ is here wonderfully well described IEsus spake vnto a ruler amonge the pharises God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only he gotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlastynge lyfe For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And thys is the condempnacion that light is come into the worlde and meÌ„ loued darkenes more thaÌ„ lyght bycause theyr dedes were euell For euery one that euell doeth hateth the lyght neyther commeth to the lyght lest hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth trouth commeth to the lyght that hys dedes may be knowen how that they are wrought in God THe Gospell of thys daye good people is in very dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges For in fewe wordes it declareth vn to vs the summe of the Christen mans religion Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus Thus he sayeth God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlasting lyfe Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte as also saynt Austine noteth And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage For true
hym in euerlastynge lyfe Yf ye refuse so great grace wherto ye be called what other thynge do ye then heape your damnation more and more and so prouoke God to caste hys displeasure vnto you and to reuenge thys mockage of hys holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Applye your selfe good frēdes to lyue in Christ that Christ may styl lyue in you whose fauour and assistēce yf ye haue thā haue ye euerlastynge lyfe alredy wythin you than can no thynge hurte you What soeuer is hytherto done and cōmytted Christe ye se hath offered you pardon and clerly receyued you to hys fauoure agayne in full suertye wherof ye haue hym nowe uihabytynge and dwellynge wythin you Only shewe you youre selfe thankeful in your lyues cōpounde wyth youre selfe to refuse and auoyde al such thynges in youre conuersations that shuld offende hys eyes of mercy Endeuoure your selfe that waye to ryse vp agayne whych waye ye fell into the well pyt of synne Yf by your tonge ye haue offended now therby ryse agayne and glorifye God therwyth Accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue therwyth dishonoured it and as ye haue hurte the name of your neghboure or otherwyse hyndered him now entende to restore hym agayne for wythout restituci on God accepteth not your shryft nor yet your repētaunce It is not ynough to forsake euell except ye set your corage to do good By what occasiō so euer ye haue offended tourne now the occasion to the honourynge of God profytynge of your neyghbour Truth it is that synne is stronge and affections vnruly harde to subdue resyst our nature so corrupte leuened w t the soure bitternes of the poyson which we receyued by the inheritan̄ce of our olde father Adam but yet take good corage sayeth our Sauiour Christ for I haue ouercommed the world al other enemyes for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace sayeth saynt Paule Though your power be weake yet Christ is rysen a gayne to strength you in your batel hys holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of hys confidence take you in hande to purge thys olde leuen of synne that corrupteth soureth the swetnes of your lyfe before God that ye maye be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all soure leuen of wyckednes so shall ye shew your self to be swete bred to god to haue his delyte in you I say kyl offer you vp the worldly erthly affectiōs of your bodyes for Christ our Ester lambe is offred vp for vs to flee the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in y t thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wher by we be deliuered from y e captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from y e bondage therof to tyse w t Christ. The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of vij dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner y t is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs y t leuen of corrupt doctrine y t wyl iufect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast y t hole terme of our lyfe w t eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare y t Christes gyftes graces haue theyr ef fect in vs. that we haue y t right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to y t vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shalbe suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the. v. Chapter Thargument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in erth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OUre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust noman amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by y t waye that
thou cammest therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst maÌ„ beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yet thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by y e worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth ourselues that Iesus is Christe that is to saye the annoynted kynge and Sauioure of the worlde For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomaÌ„ coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whoÌ„ Christ answereth Uerely verely I saye vnto the onles a maÌ„ be borne agayne from about he can not se the kyngdome of God whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue y t Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secoÌ„dly that he is a kynge anoynted w t the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath and so all hypocrites and betwene y t true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borâ—e agayne when through the holy goost we be casted by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll to thuâ— tent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue y t Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the fame that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heueÌ„ the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than maÌ„s that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer y e world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Unto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the. xx chapter of Ihon. Thargument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr coÌ„mission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whaÌ„ they sawe the Lorde Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And wha he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whosoeuers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Di dimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my han des and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Tho mas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my Cod Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence
thynge For as the eternall father knoweth al in lyke maner he knowith all As the father eternal knowyth al in gyuing him all in lyke maner he knowyth his shâ—pe in gyuinge them all For he gyueth them liefe wisdome myght Yea and such liefe wisdom and myght as is aboue the world For those that be according to the worlde be but shadowes of theÌ„ And by this wisdom whych surmountyth the world hys shepe doth knowe him This is the good herdman gyuing liefe to al know ing all which is alinyghty But the hyred shephard is none such He doth not dye for his shepe He doth not gyue them liefe And when the wolfe commyth he doth leaue them They be not his owne He hath nother made them nor yet bought them agayne He connyth awaie He letteth them be lost and suffereth them to be deuoured wyth the wolfe and fynally to go into eternall damnation He is vnmyghty He is ignorant cleane vnlyke vnto the good herdman The hyred shepherd hath but a lytle and a particuler flocke But y e good herdmaÌ„ hath a greate flocke he hath the flocke of y e nation of Israel of al other nations He hath the vniuersall flocke the whych from daye to daye he leadyth gatheryth together for to here hys swete voyce and hys holy doctryne whych is the doctryne of the gospell vnto the tyme that all the worlde shalbe but one flocke and that there shulde be but one herdman which is our Lord Iesu Christe as it is sayde here And there shalbe made one shepecote and one herdman Now by this parable good frendes we be taught and enformed of the true office of Christ and wherfore he came into thys worlde Hys office whervnto he was sent of hys father was to teach vs and also to saue vs. As touchynge hys doctrine and teachynge who euer in fedynge of hys flocke was more vigilant more busy more paynfull than he was Who euer ministred to hys shepe more diligently the fode of the euange licall veritie All that herde hym speake and preach were astonnyed vpon hys doctrine For he taught them not after the fashion of the scribes and pharisees whych neuertheles were the greate doctours learned men of the lawe but as one hauynge a won derfull grace and authoritie Yea euen his very ene myes were coÌ„pelled to testifie of hym that he taught the waye of God in trouth as appeareth in the .xxij. thapter of Matheu Neyther dyd Christ only teach hys shepe that is to saye those that folowed hym lyke shpe that were well nere lost but he also healed them bestowynge euen hys very lyfe for them For I praye you dyd he not dye for our synnes Was it not he only which with his bloude wasshed awaye the fylthynes of oure synnes Yea doubtles But who be these hyrelynges whyche whan they se the wolfe come to deuoure the shepe they ruÌ„ne theyr waye Surely these be those whych preach y e worde and that also purely and syncerely but they prech it for lucre for honoure for glorye or for the belyes sake These I saye be no true herdmen but hyrelynges for these dryue not awaye the rauenous wolues that is to saye the deuyll and hys lymmes I meane the Antichristes whych persecute deuourâ— Christes flocke but as soone as persecution trouble for the worde commeth anone they are gone Of these do the prophete Ieremy speake sayenge Wo be vnto the shepeherders that destroye and skatter my flocke I wyll therfore vysite the wyckednes of theyr ymaginations It is true that the Apostle wry teth Qui episcopatuÌ„ desiderat bonuÌ„ opus concupiscit that is to saye He that desyreth an ouersyght or a cure ouer a flocke whych after the greke worde is called a byshoprych coueteth a good worke Lo sayeth saynt Ierome wrytynge to Oceanus the Apostle calleth a byshopryke a worke and not a digni tie a laboure and not a deyntenes a worke wherby through humilitie he muste be lowly not to swelle in pryde For a byshop or curate must be fautles sobre full of good doctrine not gyuen to foule and fyl thy gaynes but meke diligent full of charitie accor dynge to thexemple of Christ the hygh and supreme shepeherde of all and the shepeherde of shepeherdes whych as thys Gospell sayeth gaue hys owne lyfâ— for the sauegarde and health of hys shepe that is to saye of all vs that folowe and beleue on hym Wheâ— fore my brethren and systers to conclude how happy be we for to haue suche a herdman for to know to loue to folowe to heare hys swete voyce that gyueth lyfe to heare hys doctrine to be refectioned fedde wyth the meate whyche gyueth euerlastynge lyfe to haue wysedome and myght that surmouÌ„teth the worlde by the sayd our herdmen lyghtenyng vs in hym by fayth drawynge vs to hym by hope inflamynge vs by charitie Unto hym therfore be glorye in all the nations wythin the compasse of y e erth for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .iij. sonday after Ester The fyrst epistle of saynt Peter the .ij. Chapter Thargument ☞ Peter exhorteth to laye asyde all vyce to absteyne from fleshly lustes and to obeye worldlye rulers DEarely beloued brethreÌ„ I besech you as strauÌ„ gerâ— and pylgrems abstayne froÌ„ fleshly lustes which fyght agaynste the soule and se that ye haue honest conuersacioÌ„ among the Gentils that where as they backbyte you as euyll doars they maye se your good workes and prayse God in the daye of visitation Submytte youre selues therfore vnto al maâ—er ordinauÌ„ce of man for the Lordes sake whe ther it be vnto the Kynge as vnto the chiefe heed other vnto rulars as vnto theÌ„ that are sent of hym for the punyshemeÌ„t of euyl doars but for the laud of them that do well For so is the wyll of God that wyth well doynge ye maye stoppe the mouthes of folysh and ignoraunte men as fre and not as hauyng the libertye for a cloke of maliciousnes but euen as the seruauÌ„tes of God Honoure al men Loue brotherly feloshyp Feare God honoure the Kynge Seruauntes obey your masters wyth feare not onely yf they be good and courteous but also thoughe they be frowarde For it cometh of grace in Christ Iesus our Lorde THys Epistle good christian brethern systers is very excellent and notable For in it is handeled the second part of Christianitie that is to wit how in thys liefs after we haue ones receyued and taken the euangell or glad tydynges of oure saluation whych thyng we call commonly in englyshe a gospell we ought to lyue In the processe that goeth before thys epistle saynt Peter taught and shewed y e other parte of Christianitie whych is of fayth and howe we ought to beleue the gospell and also how we be edified and buylded vpon Christ the corner stone wheras before that tyme we were the chyl dren of vengaunce and as abâ—ectes and
the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The. xvi chapter of Ihon. Thargument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ. IEsus sayd to â—is disciples After a whylâ— ye shal not se me and agayne after a whyle ye 〈…〉 me â—or I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and la ment but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shalbe turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is de lyuered of the chylde she remeÌ„breth nomore the anguysh for ioy that a maÌ„ is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christeÌ„ people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shalbe betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vn to you that I shulde be condemned scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn w t hym my spirituall raygne Lo my deare frendes w t such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how y e coÌ„myng is to y e same Assuredly y e kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be y e most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spi rite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege herof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowledge and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se hun agayhe after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the. v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of y e prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre w t themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall nâ—â— se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to y e wordes that he spake albert he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and caâ—â—tall power syth they se here so manyfestly y e the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moâ—h conuersaunt anionges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the suâ—â—ine and effecte of thys