â—s that the storye of the celebration of the Lordes Supper should as this day bée handled in the church too the intent the true vse of this holy Supper may bée vnderstoode For when Chryst the day before he should suffer instituted this supper he gaue commaundement to his disciples that they should keep this supper in remembrance of him Wherfore it must nedes bée that there are great ◠〈◊〉 causes why it should be nedfull to make great account of the institutioÌ„ of this supper For vnlesse we thorowly and with good héed wey â—he causes of the institutioÌ„ of this supper we cannot sufficiently extol the goodnesse of our sauiour who although he were in most gréeuous sorow for his death which was at haÌ„d would notw tstaÌ„ding institute this supper leaue it too his church for a most assured pledge of our saluation purchased by him wherin the memoriall of the couenant established betwéene God man by the blud of Christ might be preserued for euer Howbeit to y e inteÌ„t wée may be the more distinctly instructed coÌ„cerning this supper I will propounde thrée places which by Gods grace I wyll expounde at this time The three places 1 The circumstaunces of the institution of this Supper and the signification therof wheruppon shal bee gathered the full description of the same 2 The true and lawfull triall of suche persons as méene too vse this Supper to their profit 3 The right vse and lawfull meditation of this Supper ¶ Of the firste THere be many circumstances in the storie of the Institution of this Supper which I wil set forth in order according too the texte The first is of the time For thus lie the words of the text Our Lord Iesus Chryst in the same night that hee vvas betrayed For he instituted this Supper vppon the Thursday late before the next friday folowing that he should bée crucified Wheruppon wée may gather twoo things First how great it must needes bée that Chrystes loue was towards vs whoo although he knew he shold die the next day would notwithstanding institute this perpetuall remembraunce of his benefits Another is that the celebration of this Supper must bée kept by vs in true repentance according as shall be said ageine afterward The second circumstaunce is of the guestes that were at this Supper The maister of the feast was Chryst they that were at it were his disciples good and bad The good surely were very weake and the bad was but only Iudas the traitor Héereby wée are taught that Chryste will alwayes bée present at this Supper and that this Supper perteyneth too Chrystes disciples And although the wicked doo also mingle themselues in among the reast yet notwithstanding thys Supper turneth to their iudgement and damnation as shall bée said ageine héereafter The third circumstance is of blissiing For he tooke bread and gaue thanks If the sonne of God gaue thanks before he vsed things what becommeth it vs too doo The fourth circumstance is of the elements For he vsed bread and wyne in the institution of this supper For as the outward man is nourished with bread and wine so the inward maÌ„ is spiritually fed with the body and blud of Christ. The fift circumstaunce is of the things that are present inuisible at this supper as are the very bodye and the very blud of our lord Iesus Chryst. The sixt circumstance is the coÌ„mandement for he commandeth his Church to kéepe continually the same maner of celebrating his supper Doo this saith he The seuenth circumstance is of the new couenant This Cuppe sayth he is the nevv testament in my blud Why this Supper is called the new Testament it shall bée tolde you afterwarde The eight circumstance is the end for which the Supper was instituted whiche end is expressed in these woords Doo yee this sayth hée in remembrance of mee That is too say As often as ye vse this supper renue yée the remembraunce of my benefits that is to wit of my death and resurrection and shewe yée forth my death till I come The ninth circumstance foloweth vpon the eyght namely that the celebration of this supper belongeth only too them that be of yéeres of discretion that may bée instructed of the Lordes death and that are able too giue thankes openly too the Lord for his benefits These are the circumstances of this supper that are too be weyed diligently Now will I shewe what things are ment by this Supper For as the Pascall Lamb had many significations in the old Testament So also hath this holy Supper of Chrysts which is succéeded in the place of the paschall Lambe Therfore as the Paschall Lambe firste did put the people in mind of the benefite doone in olde time that is too wit of their deliuerance from the bondage of Egipt And secondly confirmed the faith of them that vsed it and thirdly shadowed the sacrificing of Chryst that was to come and fourthly was a figure of the euerlasting couenant betwéene God man So also hath this supper sundrie significations and that partly in respect of the time past partly of the tyme present and partely of the time too come and partly of the euerlastingnesse Whiche significations I will declare as playnly as I can God further both mée in teaching and you in héering that it may turn too Gods glorie too the healthfull instruction of our selues What is the signification of the supper in respect of the tyme past If we looke back too the time past this holy supper is a certeine calling too mynd of the Storie of our Lords passion according too Chrystes commaundement Doo yee this in remembrance of mee As often then as wée come too the Supper or other wise bée present at the celebration of the supper wée must bée mindfull of the death buryall and resurection of our Lord. What is the méening of the supper in respect of the time present First it signifyeth that we are vnited and incorporated intoo Chryste and that spiritually For so teacheth Paule when he sayth The Cup of Blissing vvhich vvee blisse is it not the communion of Chrystes blud The bread than vve breake is it not the communion of Chrystes bodye That is too say the partaking of the body and blud of Chryst maketh vs to haue a certaine coÌ„munion with Chryst. Agein it signifieth that we also are vnited among our selues by y e spirit of Chryst as many of vs as are partakers too gither of this supper Of which communion the one lofe is a token as Paule testifyeth when he sayeth bycause as there is one lofe so wée béeing many are one body For as the lofe is made of many cornes so as many as communicate toogyther doo grow togyther intoo one body spiritually the head wherof is Chryst and this is the cause that Paule calleth the Supper a communion Hereupon one of the holy fathers sayth The supper is called a Communion first for that by it wée communicate wyth Chryst
suche as lye extréemely sicke or for others that haue néede of our prayers Thankes giuing is an humble lifting vp a mans minde vntoo God wherby wée yéelde thanks vntoo God eyther for beneats bestowed vppon our selues or others or for ridding our selues or others from some inconueniences Now wée perceiue what Chrystian prayer is and how many kindes there bée of it Héerafter remayneth that wée speake of the continuall circumstances of godly prayer ¶ Of the second IN euery godly praier ther must néedes bée alwais these .v. properties circumstances Forst the earnestnesse of hart in him that prayeth secondly coÌ„sideration of the causes that moue vs too pray thirdly who it is that wée cal vpon fourthly by whom wée are herd and fifthly what wée ought to aske of God For these things shal make vs a difference betwéene the vaine babling of the heathen and the effectuall prayer of the godly Wherfore I beséeche you déere brethren that you will diligently lerne and thorowly wey these continuall circumstances of prayer The first circumstance of a godly prayer is the affection of the hart that the hart bée wel bent and settled in praying For if honestie require that our body bée well ordered when wée haue communication with men of more honor than our selues it is much more méete that our minde bée very well disposed when wée shal speake before God in the sight of his Angelles What maner of affection then ought his too bée that will call vppon God with frute First of al let him put off all imagination of his owne glory woorthinesse and desert Next let him thinke vpon his owne néedinesse and pâ—rswade himselfe that he is vtterly destitute of al ayde vnlesse the Lord reach him out his helping hande Then let him cast downe himselfe by true repentance And lastly let him bée kindled too prayer by confidence of gods promisses For who so euer swelleth either with opinion of his owne vertue or féeleth not his own needinesse or casteth not himself downe before God through true repentance or wanteth fayth he prayeth with the Pharisie and not with the Publicane that is too wit he prayeth not aright and effectually The second circumstance is of the causes whereby wée must bée moued too pray And there bée many causes wherof I wil reherse some too the intent that greater desire of praying may be stirred vp in vs. The first cause is Gods commaundement wherevnto it becommeth all creatures too bée obedient Call vppon mée sayth hée in the day of thy trouble And Chrysts Apostles doo oftentimes prouoke vs too pray by the commaundement of God Wée must diligently muse vppon this cause which may stirre vp in vs a desire too pray The second cause is the promise For God hath promised that he will héere our prayers according as it is saide in this Gospel VVhatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he shall giue it you Also in the Psalmes Call vppon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil héere thée Too héere is nothing else but too graunt our requests The third cause is the crosse pressing vs that is too say the féeling both of our owne and other mennes néedynesse Héere wée must looke about vs what pincheth vs at home and what abrode wée must thorowly wey the publike and priuate harmes wée must thinke vppon the distresse of the Church encountring in this world ageinst the deuil and his members and too bée short wée must think vpon all the necessities that nip vs in this life wherby wée may bée stirred vp too call vppon God The fourth cause is victorie in temptations Whervpon in the first of Sainct Iames wée are commaunded too pray as often as wée are troubled with temptations And Chryst sayeth Pray that yée enter not intoo temptation For hée that prayeth earnestly and continually shall not easly be ouercome eyther by the slightes of the deuill or the wickednesse of the worlde or the prouocation of his sinnefull flesh Héervpon Salomon sayth The name of the Lord is a most strong towre that is too say The calling vppon God is a most assured defence ageinst all euils The fifth cause is the sundry suttleties of Sathan who layeth snares for vs in our doctrine and conuersation Paule Eph. 6. biddeth vs take that sword of the spirit which is the woorde of God ageynst Sathan by all maner of intreataunce and prayer The sixth cause is the most plentiful frute of often prayer For the custome of praying kéepeth vs in the feare of God and in godlynesse For that man is not easie too take a fall whoo fencing him self with continual prayers dooth earnestly set his minde vppon godlynesse Contrarywise they that neglect the exercise of prayer ar subiect too diuers casualties Many that are led too execution knowe not so muche as the forme of prayer prescrybed by Chryste and thoughe some knowe it if a man aske the question they confesse they prayed seldome or neuer The seuenth cause is the examples of holy men whose chéefe care in this life was too call vpon God earnestly The Iewes prayed thrice a day in the morning at noone and at night So also did Daniell and many others whoos 's godlynesse is commended But among manye yée shall finde some that in stéede of prayer doo not only in the morning at noone and at night but also whole nights whole dayes togyther giue them selues too wickednesse too make a soft pillowe for the Deuil that hée may rest the more quietly in their hartes These moste weightie causes it behooueth vs too think vppon earnestly too the intent we may driue away our drouzinesse and bée stirred vp too call vpon God in good earnest But some passing ouer these moste weightie causes say God knoweth wherof wée haue néed and hée beareth vs good wil. For he is our Father therfore wée néed not wéerie oure selues with praying I answere True it is that GOD knoweth what things wée haue néede of and hée is our father in déede conditionally that wée bée his sonnes by faith Neither doo wée therfore aske of God bicause we wold teach him that which he knoweth not But it is too be knowen y t he wil not haue y e order broken which he hath apointed For as he hath ordeyned that he wil haue vs fed with meat drink whiche thing he could notwithstanding doo without these meanes so his wil is y t wée should obteine the good things that perteine as wel too our saluation as to the sustentation of this life by prayer whiche procéedeth of fayth Yée receiue not sayeth S. Iames. 4. bicause yée ask amisse And Christ sayth The lord shall giue the holy Ghost too them that aske but he sayth not too loyterers or them that liue carelesse Wée must therefore aske if we set by our own welfare Wée must acknowledge bothe as wel the goodnesse of GOD whoo is redy too giue too those that ask as the néedinesse of our selues whoo should not be able
the maintenance of our own state Now the summe of this Gospell is that besides that Chryst by this miracle proueth himselfe too â—ée the true Messias endued with the power of the Godhead he sheweth him selfe also too haue care of those that folow him according too his promisse First séeke the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse therof and all things else shall bée cast vntoo you The places bée thrée 1 The lot of them in this life that folow Chryst. 2 The affection of Chryste towardes those that folowe him 3 The right manner of vsing Gods gift ¶ Of the firste WHen there vvas a very great companye and had not aught too eate In this company as in a Table is shewed vntoo vs what is the lotte of them that folowe Chryst in this world For wée must come too the possession of the heauenly kingdome by many tribulations This companye came intoo the wildernesse whereas is no breade but hunger daunger and death The same fortune shall all those féele that will folowe Chryst. Therefore it is not for naught that Chryst biddeth him that will bée his Disciple too deny him selfe and take vp his crosse and folowe him And Paule All that wil liue godlyly in Chryst must suffer persecution Notwithstanding God bée thanked for it our case for all that is better than theirs that séeme happy in the world For the end and knitting vp wil bée ioyful and therfore Chryst sayth Blissed are they that moorne bicause they shall receiue comfort But what is the cause why Chrystes Disciples shall bée afflicted in this world This is no woonder That which weÌ„t before in the head shall folowe in the members as long as this world standeth And that is bicause that in the wildernesse that is in the world there are among the members of Sathan that cannot away with Christ and his members Which thing was foretolde long time ago The séede of the Serpent shall byte the héele of the womans séede That is too say Sathan and his impes shall persecute Chryst and his members For when Sathan sées Chrystes kingdome encrease and his owne decay he fretteth and fumeth and like a wounded Lion steppes vp ageinst Chrystes shéepe too deuoure them And this is it that Peter sayth The Diuell goeth about like a roring Lyon séeking whom he may deuour For the Lyon hauing lost his whelpes and besides that being hungrye falleth vppon whatsoeuer things come in his way too wast deuoure and destroy them The like minde hath Sathan When he sées that he loseth his whelpes that is too say that those which erst wer vnder his power ar turned vnto Christ he armeth his champioÌ„s ageinst the church that some of them may assayle it with hypocrisie some with Sophistry some with Tyranny and other some with stumblingblocks and Scismes as he hath done at all times héertoofore and ceasseth not too do at this day And if he can do nothing else he endeuereth too sterue theÌ„ for hunger in the wildernesse But on the contrary part Chryst valiantly defendeth the kingdome which he hath gotten with the sheading of his owne blud He giueth the holy Ghost he giueth bread he rayseth vp godly teachers too féede it with heauenly foâ—de and he is at hand him selfe too succoure it in the middes of daungers according as hée declareth by this present déede So little shal furious Sathan and the madde enimies of the Churche preuaile ageinst it For hée himselfe kéepeth watch about his Church and defendeth it stoutly Neyther is there cause why any man shoulde surmise that Chryste is otherwise minded towards his Churche at this day than hée was at that time towardes that multitude For although hée doo not at all times defend his Church with visible miracles yet notwithstanding hée woorketh no lesse miracles at this daye spiritually and inuisibly in gouerning his Church For with him there is no respect of persons but of fayth and of the goodnesse of the case Is it not a great woonder that God so defended that one blissed man Luther that Sathan al the world béeing in armes ageinste him were not able too stirre one hair of his head Is it not a great miracle at this day that the bishop of Rome with the most flourishing part of the world is not able too roote out the Churche The Pope doutlesse endeuoreth too stoppe the race of the Gospell with a floud of the bloud of Martirs But the mo hée murthereth the mo spring stil out of their blud as it is too be séene at this day in Spaine and Fraunce Therfore let vs fence our selues ageinst the woodnesse of Sathan and specially ageinst the stumblingblocke of the deformitie and poorenesse of the Churche and let vs not fléete froÌ„ Chryst for any â—â—arâ—ugs of Sathan neyther let vs leaue oure profession although there were no shifte but wée muste néeds suffer famine in this wildernesse ne let vs suffer our selues too be moued by the example of those that for persecution and â—amine depart from Chryst as did the Iewes when they were pinched with famine persecution by theiâ— enimies that dwelt about theÌ„ For in this maner did they resist the Prophete Ieremie according as wée read Ierem. 44. As for the woordâ— whiche thou hast spoken vntoo vs in the name of the Lord wée wil in no wise héere them But whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth that will wée doo Wée wil 〈◊〉 sacrifice and offer oblations to the Quéen of Heauen that is too say the Sunne like as wée our forefathers oure Kings and our heads haue done in the cities of Iuda in the stréets of Hierusalem For then had wée plentie of bread then were wée in prosperitie no misfortune came vpon vs. But since wée left too offer too doo sacrifise too the Quéene of Heauen wée haue had skarcenesse of all things and perished with the swoord hunger But what dooth that holy Prophet Ieremie answer them It is not so sayth hée but for your abhominacions and for the multitude of your wicked déeds dooth God punishe you and bicause yée would not walke after the commaundements of the Lord. After the same maner a maÌ„ shall find many at this day which for hunger dearth of corne and other discommodities wil fall from Chryst his gospel For they saye when wée had Masses when wée founde Monkes when wée called vpon Saincts we had abundance of al good things But after that this new doctrine came vp â–ª many mis 〈◊〉 came vp with it Ther is not say they so much fear of God there is lesse charitie among men there are greater more often fallings oute betwéene men there is more tiranny and all things are déerer Thus doo folke excuse them selues that they should not folowe Chryst. But if thou wilte knowe the causes of these misfortunes I will tell thée The seruant sayth Chryst that knoweth the wil 〈…〉 with the blasphemous spéeche of euill men so as yée should fall from Chryst
toogither with him did set foorthe Christe with some kinde of melody wherby the godly may lerne too encourage one another too set forth and too vtter the praise of God Another is that shée teacheth the people For when as the Scribes Pharisies ceased a holy woman commeth forth speaketh of him vnto all y e looked for redemptiō in Ierusalē The third is that shée openly acknowledgeth Christe too bée the Sauiour and redéemer For shée vnderstoode that this babe was the promised séed that should tread down the serpents head and so deliuer man that was lost out of the Deuils tiranny ¶ Of the third ANd the Childe did grovve and vvas strengthned in spirite and vvas filled vvith vvisdome and the grace of God vvas vvith him This is as much too say as according as the childe Iesus grew in age so the diuine nature vttered it selfe in him and he profited from day too day more and more in wisdome and toogither with his age encreased also the giftes of mind in him How bée it in as much as the Godhead can by no meanes bée increased it is manifest that these things perteine too his manhode For as he grew vp by little and little in his body so in respect of his soule the giftes of the mind encreased daily more and more Neither is this a straunge thing in Chryst whoo for our sakes tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant wherein he was also abased For like as he was abased for our sake so also grew he ageine by little and little vntill that by his resurrection he entered ageine intoo his glorye Neither was this doone without a lesson and warning vntoo vs. For wée are taught that the cause why he grew was for that we should out of his fulnesse receiue grace for grace Wée also are admonished by the example of the sonne of God too endeuer our selues continually too encrease that wée may daily more and more abound in the true knowledge of God and all vnderstanding and that wée should with an vpright iudgement and affection try what things are godly holy and honest and daily bring foorth the true fruites of faith and that in such wise that the day folowing may surmount the day that went before For he that goeth not still forward in the knowledge of GOD and vnderstanding of godlinesse goeth backeward For by little and little fayth is quenched in him and Chryst is buried ageine in his heart whereby it commeth too passe that he falleth againe intoo sinne against his conscience Héereof wée haue example in Dauid For he had profited in Ghostly wisdome aboue al the men of his time and the grace of God was w t him But what came too passe By sitting still in his Princely throne he became somewhat faint That glowing zeale of Gods glory which was in him when he fought ageinst Golias ouercame him which was in him when he was in perill through the daily persecution of Saule was by little and little alayed And what ensued theruppon There came in hys sight a faire and beautifull woman and his lustes were stirred vp without any let For the heate of the spirit was then become starke cold Wil giueth place too affection and by by he falleth into sinne ageinst conscience by committing aduoutrie wheruntoo within a while after he addeth the murder of one of his best subiects which wickednesses he afterward recouered with hipocrisie by y e space of a whole yéere although in the meane while he pretended godlinesse which notwithstanding was banished from him as long as Gods spirit was not with him There are many other suche examples which admonishe vs too folow herein the example of the childe Iesus that wée fall not from the state of grace Therfore like as he grew in wisdome and the grace of God was vpon him so let vs also grow in wholsome wisdome and let vs pray too Iesus the fountaine of wisdome that he will giue vnto vs abundantly of his fulnesse Which thing if wée doo it will come too passe that the grace of God which wée obteine by Chryst and for Chrystes sake shal abide vppon vs. For as the only grace of God is the cause of our daily procéeding and furtherance in spirituall giftes so grace is reteined and abideth when wée are not drowsie but worke lustely so as wée may not séeme too haue receiued grace in vaine Too this purpose maketh y e saying of y e Apostle Yée are made partakers of Christ if wée hold stedfast vntoo the end the faith that is begon in vs. Too this purpose also maketh this sentence of Paule Quenche not the spirit Gods gifts therfore must bée chéered vp with continuall exercise that wée may profit daily more and more too the glory of God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Too which onely God bée honor and glory for euermore Amen The day of the Circumcision of the Lord commonly called Newyeeres day ¶ The Gospell Luke ij ANd after that eight dayes vvere finished that the childe should bee circumcised his name vvas called Iesus according as he vvas named by the Angel before he vvas conceiued in his moothets vvombe The exposition of the Text. THis feast of the Circumcision of the Lord is solemnized in the Churche for thrée causes Of which the first is that the storie may bée knowen The second is that the benefite of God toward mankinde which the storie setteth out may bée vnderstoode The third is y t we may vse the benefit of God aright both too the glory of god also too our owne saluation and the edifying of others The storie is that our Lord Chryste the eyghte day after his carnall birth was circumcised according too the Law of Moses that the name was giuen him which was foretolde by the Angell and he was called Iesus The benefit which the storie setteth out is that that was done for our sake according as Paule teacheth He was made subiect too the Lawe too the intent he might redéeme them that were vnder the Lawe Lastly the vse consisteth in these things that knowing the benefite wée may bée thanckfull too God confirming our fayth by this déede and after the example of God the father and his Sonne Iesus Chryst endeuer too deserue well towards al men And too the intent these things may serue the more effectually too informe vs of this benefite I will handle twoo places which are 1 Of the Circumcision 2 Of the most swéete name Iesus ¶ Of the first TOo the intent wée may the more distinctly vnderstande this doctrine of the circumcision these are the things that séeme méete too bée expounded in order Howe God is woont too instruct man of his will what maner a thing that Circūcision of the flesh was and what things are too bée marked in it whereupon shall bée grounded the order of the Sacramentes both of the old Testament and of the newe Why Christ was circumcised and which is
offereth himself redily too al men yet doth he open the eares of none but such as resist not the Lord through their own stubbornnesse Wherfore it is our duetie to crie vntoo the Lorde with continuall gronings that he may open our eares prepare our hartes and clense our affections so as wée may héere his woorde to our owne saluation the glory of God to whom bée honour and glorie for euer Amen The Sunday called Quinquagesima or Shroue Sunday ¶ The Gospell Gath. iij. THen came Iesus from Galilee too Iordan vntoo Iohn too bee baptized of him But Iohn forbad him saying I haue neede too bee baptized of thee and commest thou too bee baptized of me And Iesus aunsvvering sayd vntoo him Let bee novve for so it becommeth vs that vvee may fulfill all rightuousnesse Then hee let him alone And Iesus beeing baptised came by and by out of the vvater and beholde the heauens vvere opened vntoo him and hee savve the spirit of God comming dovvne like a doue and lighting vpon him And behold a voice from heauen saying This is my vvell beeloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased The exposition of the text THis feast is solemnized in our Churches for the storie of Christs baptim which storie conteineth the chéefest déede that euer hapned in the worlde neither shall any greater euer happen vntill wée sée Chryste comming in the cloudes with his angels and with great power If then wée bée delighted in stories of great mightie princes wée haue héere the storie of the greatest Prince whiche not only with the pleasantnesse thereof delighteth the mindes of the readers but also it selfe alone bringeth more commodities than all the stories of the world can bring But before wée go too the exposition of this storie wée must discusse two questions Of whiche the first is for what cause this feast is instituted in the Ecclesiasticall ordinance of our Churches and the other is why it is appoynted at this time of the yéere rather than at any other Too the former question I aunswer The storie of Chryst is framed for our saluation and therefore wée Danes in our Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces would not omit this chéefest part of the storie but set it foorth at a time certeyne in the yéere Untoo the later question I say that this time was most conuenient for this storie too bée intreated off and that for twoo causes First for the order and continuance of the story For hythertoo wée haue herd in order first of the birth of the Lord. Secondly of his circumcisiō Thirdly of his appéering Fourthly of the offering vp of him in the temple Fifthly of his disputing in the temple when hée was a twelue yeres of age What hée did from the said twelfth yéere vntoo his nine and twentith yéere there is nothing written but that hée was at the commaundement of his parents Sixthly of his baptim which is very well recited in this time of the yéere Seuenthly foloweth of his fasting Eyghtly of his temptation Nynthly of his doctrine and miracles Tenthly of his passion Eleuenthly of his resurrection Twelfthly of his ascention intoo heauē Thirtéenthly of the sending of the holy Ghost wherby Chrysts doctrine was cōfirmed Fourtéenthly folow in the rest of the yéere sundry sermons wherin the benefits of Chryst are commended to his Church examples of godlinesse are set forthe and men are exhorted too godly holy life And fiftéenthly is intreated of the last iudgement of the rewards of the godly and the punishement of the vngodly These are the chéefe members of the storie of Christe which in very good order according as the things were doon are euery yéere handled in our Churches There is besides these another cause why our Churches intreateth of Chrystes Baptim this time of the yéer namely that men may bée taught what maner of garment becommeth Chrystians too were against that deuilish and heathenish furie and manner of belly chéere that hithertoo hath bin practised in many places of Christendome not without greate offence towardes God And let these things suffise too bée spoken concerning this present feast The places therof are thrée 1 The storie of Christes baptim with the circumstances thereof 2 The vse of this storie in the Churche 3 The maner and vse of our Baptim ¶ Of the first IN the Baptim of our Lord many circumstances are too bée weyed specially these fiue First what persons are the dooers in this case 2. The place 3. The talke betwéen Chryst and Iohn 4. The baptising of Christ. 5. The sequele that is too wit the thing that hapned too Chryste when he was baptised Of these fiue circumstances I wil speak in order The firste Then came Iesus from Galilee vntoo Iohn Héere wée haue twoo persons Iohn who was sent in the spirit of Elias too prepare the way of the Lord In respect wherof his father Zacharie by the spirit of prophecie sayd of him béeing yet but a babe And thou child shalt be called the prophet of the highest for thou shalt go before y e face of the Lord too prepare his wayes And for the same cause Chryste himselfe auoucheth Iohn too bée more than a Prophete as than whiche there was not a greater borne of a woman Ageine wée haue héere an other person namely Chryste him selfe God and man Héere therefore are twoo persons than the whiche the whole world hath not any thing more excellent Iohn was the most high Prophet of God Christe was the euerlasting sonne of the euerlasting God Of bothe whome in as much as the dignitie and authoritie is moste excellent wée haue thereby an inkling giuen vntoo vs how greate the woorthinesse and authoritie of Baptim is whiche procéeding from God is solemnized by them that are the most excellent of all the world The second He came too Iordan Héer is shewed wher the baptim was celebrated It is not for nothing that the Euangelist maketh mention of Iordan For his meaning is that wée shuld haue an eye too the former miracles that were doon long ago in Iordan that thereby wée may gather how great force and effect spirituall baptim is of The first miracle therfore that commeth too minde is that which hapned when the people vnder the conduct of Iosua entred intoo the land of promise For the riuer of Iordan cōtrary too the nature of water stood at one side like a wal and gaue way too Gods people too passe through so as they passed drie shod folowing the Ark of the Lord whiche the Préestes of GOD caryed before the people By this tipe is signified that wée are conueyed out of the kingdome of Sathan intoo the kingdome of God by baptisme Christe going before vs who is the true Arke of propiciation Helias deuided Iordan with his cloke and passing the riuer was lifted vp intoo heauen Naaman the lepre of Syria washing him selfe in Iordan at the commaundement of the Prophet was made whole and sounde Nowe as the déede of Helias dyd
about his neck and were cast intoo the sea Moreouer this offence is coÌ„mitted also as wel by the magistrate as by the subiects As wheÌ„ Hieroboam set vp a calfe in Samaria too bée woorshipped when the same man playing the tyraunt did persecute the holy prophets of God But this offence is most gréeuous in ministers of churches when they eyther by leud doctrine or corrupt life giue occasion too many too speak euil of the Gospel and minister special occasion of fasâ—ing too them that bée weakâ— as are couetous persons whoremongers dronkards murtherers such others as offende the Church with their behauiour Which sort the zelous Bishoppes ought too dispose least they by their falling should draw many mo with them too decay Neyther are subiects too bée excused in this behalfe for wée sée what the worlde is all are corrupt Who offendeth not in dronkennesse who giueth not occasion of stumbling by accustoming himselfe rashly too swearing where is there one among a number that layeth not some snare or other too stumble at Howbéeit bicause offences giuen are not all of one sort for some are giuen by a woord or déede that is euill in it self and other some are giuen by a woord or déed not euil of it self but doone or spoken out of season It is too bée knowne that the first kind without exception is too bée shunned of al men that haue regarde of euerlasting saluation But as for that offence that is giuen by a thing indifferent is not alwayes too bée eschewed but wée must deale according too this difference of men Some men are strong as they that already know the Chrystian libertie Some are weake and haue the beginning of Religion but are not sufficiently settled in the christen libertie Other some are obstinate vnable too bée taught and wilfull The first sort is not offended at the vse of things indifferent but rather reioyseth in the christian libertie The thirde sort are offended but thou shalt not care for them for they are the enemies of Chryst. Neither shalt thou absteine from the vse of things indifferent for their sakes and much lesse shalt thou absteine from true vertues as are the true woorshipping of God true inuocation and true confession of the son of God Neither shalt thou abstein from true doctrine but after the example of Chryste teache thou and professe thou the true Gospell euen in sight of hell gates For so did chryst so did y e prophets so did the apostles yea and al the godly of all ages It is woont too bée commonly sayd that he y e iudgeth aright teacheth aright dooth aright ought not for any offence too forbeare any thing y t is aright This surely is most true and is confirmed by the examples of Chryst his apostles But as coÌ„cerning the middle sort of men that is to wit the weak the rule of Paule is too bée noted Rather thaÌ„ I wil offend my weake brother I wil eat no fleshe while I liue After the same rule it is too bée déemed of other things indiffereÌ„t For in all our dooings there is a consideration too bée had of mutuall charitie and edifying Neuerthelesse this offence giuen wherof we haue already spoken hath yet another differeÌ„ce takeÌ„ of y e difference of the persons For some persons are set in some roome of authoritie other some are inferiors leading a priuate life The offence y t is giuen by a persone set in any authoritie is muche more gréeuous than y t which is giueÌ„ by a priuate person y t is placed in no office therfore it deserueth greter punishmeÌ„t both in respect of y e person him selfe who defileth the place to which he is promoted by God also for other mens sakes too whoÌ„ he by his leud example hath giuen a more forcible cause of falling For euen as the greater a stone is that falleth froÌ„ a high rocke the moe péeces it maketh in the fall Euen so the greater state that a person is of the higher y t he is placed in degrée of dignitie so many y e mo draweth he down with him when hée falleth Likewise also a minister of Gods woorde sinning in dronkennesse whoredome manslaughter or any other crime is a greater stumbling blocke than a souldiour a courtier a mariner or a ploughman and therfore is too be restreyned and punished with greater punishement For hée draweth moe with him vntoo decay After the same manner is too bée déemed of others Dauid in the Realme of Iewrie was not an aduouterer and a murtherer alone yet notwithstanding his sinne by reason of the offence that grewe thereof was more horrible than the faultes of other men in Gods sight wherefore it was punished also with gréeuouser punishements specially of the body Muche more gréeuously sinneth a dronken mayster of a house than a seruaunte For hée is an example vntoo his whole housholde but this other as a despised person â–ª is not taken for anye example excepte it bée of as leude as him selfe And thus farre as touching an offence giuen An offence taken is that whiche any man taketh too himselfe at other mennes wel dooings or otherwise and it is of twoo sortes Humain deuilish Humain is partly of vngodly folk partly of godly folk Of vngodly folke when y e vngodly are offeÌ„ded eyther at the dooings of the godly or at the frée vsage of things indifferent or else at the outwarde countenance of the Churche For when the vngodly sée the godly distressed vnder the crosse too bée as it were outcasts in the world the vngodly take thereby an occasion of a sorer fal As the Iewes which were offended at the lowlynesse of Chryst and the misery of his Church after which sorte many at this day also are offended at the woundes of the Church Contrariwise the godly take offence when they sée the wicked flourishe when the Churche is oppressed by tirants when many giltlesse persons are punished and when they sée the Church turmoiled with heresies But they ouercome this stumbling block ageine partly by the strengthning of the holy Ghoste partly by the examples of Chrysts church and partly by earnest prayer neyther is there any better remedy ageynst the stumbling blockes of this kinde than too set ageinst them the continuall custome of God who suffreth his Churche too bée ouerwhelmed with sundry miseryes in this worlde â–ª too the intent it may in time too come bée glorified with his beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst. The Deuilish offence taken is when men preposterously catche occasions whiche they stretche too a further libertie of sinning Doutlesse the cause why C ham scoffed so malapertly at his Father was that hée might purchase too him selfe libertie too sin without coâ—trolement We sée very many such now a dayes which euer narowly picke out the faults of the holy fathers as y e incest of Loth y e droÌ„kennesse of Noe y e coÌ„cubineship of AbrahaÌ„ the aduoutrie murther of
Lord was bidden too dinner by a certein Pharisie vppon the Sabboth day and that a certeine man diseased of the Dropsie was brought before him he demaunded of those that séemed too themselues too bée wyser than other men whither it were lawfull too heale vppon the Sabboth day And the cause why he put foorth this question was for that as the Pharisies had with their gloses corrupted the other scriptures So also had they defaced the kéeping of the Sabboth Howbéeit forasmuche as the question is concerning the Saboth wée wil set foorth the whole doctrine coÌ„cerning the Saboth and speake of foure things in order First wherfore God ordeined the Sabboth day Secondly what is the right vse of the Iewes Sabboth Thirdly what maner of holy dayes ours ought too bée And fourthly of the true Ceremonies of the Church and of the ends of them Why then did God ordeine the Sabboth day There bée rekâ—ened chéefly fiue causes Of which the first is that it should bée a perpetuall Sacrament or remembraunce of Gods rest after the creation of the world which he made in sixe dayes with all the furniture and contentes therof This cause is alledged in the seconde of Genesis where Moyses sayth that the Lord coÌ„maunded the Saboth day too bée kept holy bicause he rested that day froÌ„ creation The same thing also is declared in the .xx. of Exodus in these woords The seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord. For in sixe dayes the Lord God made heauen and earth The second cause of the ordeyning of the Sabboth is that it should bée a type and counterfigure of Chrystes Sabboth kéeping For it represented the Sabboth whiche Chryst the true Passeouer and creator of the new Heauen new earth should rest in his graue vpon the Sabboth day and kéep the very Sabboth arighte And therefore hée commaundes the Iewes streightly too kéepe the Sabboth day And by the vnserchable deuise of his wisdome hée ordeyned that Chryste the true Paschall Lamb should bée slaine and put too deathe vppon the very day of the Passeouer and that hée rested the Saboth day folowing in his graue The third cause also why the Saboth was ordeyned was that it should be a pledge of the promisse For God promised his people a Saboth that is too say a rest Esay â–ª the .xiiij. And in that daye when GOD shall giue thée reste from thy laboure and from thy confusion and from thy harde bondage wherein thou didst serue c. The people of GOD looke for thrée kindes of rest The first is from the laboure of the presente troubles in this life The second is from the temptations wherewith oure owne Conscience and the Deuill assaulteth vs. The thirde is from the thraldome of the Deuil so as hée may neuer more bring vs vnder his bondage and hard yoke The fourth cause of the institution of the Sabboth is too the intente there shoulde bée a time certeine for teaching and hearing the woord of GOD or that there shoulde bée a time wherein there might bée an open and common professing of the religion in which the godly might take comfort the ignoraunt bée instructed in godlinesse Esay 58. If thou call a delicate Saboth Then shalt thou delight in the Lord Iob. 22. Then shalt thou delight in the almightie and lift vp thy face vntoo GOD. For the Saboth was not ordeyned too play and drinke in but too pray and praise God in Wherevppon Austin sayeth it is lesse euill too go too plough than too play vpon one of those dayes The fifth cause is for ciuil policie which is commended too Gods people Deut. 5. in these woords Kéep the Saboth day that thy man seruant thy mayd seruant and thy selfe maye rest And afterwarde Thou shalt doo no manner of woorke therein thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy mayde seruant thine Oxe and thine Asse and the Straunger that is within thy gate And thus haue wée the true causes and the right vse of the Iewishe Sabboth Now although the Iewish Saboth toogither with other ceremonies of Moyses bée abolished and disanulled so farre foorth as perteyneth too the kéeping of the seuenth day of the wéeke Yet notwithstanding as touching the vse of it it is continuall as a thing ratifyed by the lawe of God and nature For like as God wil be serued and that his woord shal bée preached So nature telleth vs it is vtterlye necessary that there should bée some certeine time appoynted for holy matters Therfore there must néedes bée certaine dayes appoynted for folke too assemble and méet in openly at certein houres that the woord of God may bée taught and learned too the intente all things may bée doone orderlye and after a comely fashion in the Churche according as Paule teacheth the Corinthians Moreouer in oure holydayes twoo things are too bée obserued One is what is to be eschued Another is what is to bée doone Thrée things are too bée eschued The firste is outward labour And that too the intent the minde maye wholly intend too Gods seruice that is too say that it may wholly intend too heare Gods woord too learne it and too consider vppon it And therefore it is the Magistrates duetie too prouide that the seruice of God be not hindered at such times by bodily laboures Howbeit héere it is too bée knowne that there bée foure exceptions which excuse those that laboure at suche a time The first is necessarie For our Lord himselfe excuseth his Disciples for plucking the eares of corne vppon the seuenth day as sayth Mathew in the twelfth Chapter The seconde is the profite of the Church like as the préests did all things vpon the Saboth day which séemed néedfull in the Churche without trouble of conscience for the Saboth The third is the profit and sauegard of our neighbor wherfore our Lord also healed the man that had the dropsie vpon the Saboth day The fourth is the aucthoritie of the superiors too whom wée must bée obedient But let the superiors take héede that they offend not him which is their superior while they hold their inferiors too streight The second thing that is too bée eschued is voluptuous lyfe toogither with all the woorkes of darknesse which fight full ageinst kéeping holy the Saboth day Thirdly thou must eschue the contempt of godly ceremonies soothly least eyther by absenting thy selfe or by despising the holy Ceremonies thou giue others example too become woorse Thus haue we what things are too bée eschued in our holydayes Now let vs sée what is too bée doone in them First therefore in as much as the Iewes were occupied in killing sacrifices and in offering Let vs also slea the sacrifices of our owne bodies and offer the Calues of our lippes Let vs earnestly repent let vs glorifie God with hart mouth confession and behauiour let vs offer the incence of our hart that is too wit faith and hope let vs offer the sacrifice of well doing
things then it is too bée vnderstād that Christ came for twoo causes The first is to destroy the works of the diuel and the other too bring the blissyng vpon the children of Abraham y t is too say vpon all that shall receiue Christ by fayth as Abraham did For when Adam had by his fall yéelded him selfe and all his ofspring bondslaues vnder the Tirannie of Sathan and cast them intoo deserued curse the rightuousnesse of God required that either wée should suffer due deserued punishmēt or else that some of mankinde should satisfie Gods iustice Now forasmuch as no meane power was able too vanquish the diuell and pacifie Gods wrath the sonne of God cōmeth foorth of his secret dwelling place he cōmeth intoo y e world he becomes man he taketh our case vpon him he ouerthroweth the kingdome of the deuill and pacifieth his Fathers wrath being made vntoo vs both our sacrifice and our préest This selfe same thing doo many types figurate as the sacrifices of the Fathers the pascall Lambe the sprinklyng of the red cowes blood vpon the people and moreouer the Arke of couenant and all the Aaronical sacrifice with all the rites and ceremonies thereof Innumerable sayings of the Prophetes doo declare these selfe same causes of the Lordes commyng with agréeable consent as Esay 53. He suffered our diseases and bare our sorowes in déede he was wounded for our transgressiōs and was torne for our iniquities The Lord did take vpon him the iniquities of vs al. Many such testimonies as these are in the Prophets which for bréefnesse sake I omit The woordes and woorkes of Chryst at his comming doo proue the same thing Come vntoo mée sayth he all yée that labour and are heauie loden and I will refresh you Also he that beléeueth in mée shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting Also For these do I sanctifie my self that is to say I offer my selfe a sacrifice too God the father for the purgyng of their sinnes Which thing not onely the great numbre of miracles that he did and by which he destroyed the woorkes of the diuell doo assuredly proue but also his very death and his glorious victorie ensuing the same The testimonies of the Apostles who is able to numbre Paule sayth He dyed for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification The same man wryteth thus Him that knewe no sinne hée made sinne too the intent that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of god in him Iohn Baptist cryeth out Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Iohn the Apostle Iesus Chryst clenseth vs from al our iniquitie The same apostle making a bréefe summe of Christes benefites writeth Christ appéered too destroy the diuels woorkes Finally the whole Churche of Christ ioyfully through Christes spirit confesseth these selfe same causes of Christes cōming singing thus Thou taking vpon thée to deliuer mā didst not abhorre the virgins wombe Thou when thou haddest ouercome the sharpnes of death didst set open the kingdome of heauen to all beléeuers Now if yée demaund the time of his cōming the Apostle Paul answereth After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent out his sonne borne of woman boūd vnder y e law too the intent he should redéeme them that were giltie of the law that wée might receiue the adoption of childrē He came therfore neither later nor slowlyer than hée ought too come Concerning this time of the Lords comming the Prophets Iacob and Daniell spake before Of which thing more shalbée spoken in the day of the Lordes birth One thing more is yet behind namely the way by which hée commeth This also is too bée sought out diligently that wée may méet him rightly Therfore like as too our saluatiō he came once in the flesh visible so too saue eche mans soule wheresoeuer his woord is thought vpon red or preached hée commeth daily in spirit and inuisible yea rather hée is there alwayes present according too his promise I will bée with you vntoo the end of the world And then againe shal hée appéere visible too iudge the quick the dead too the intent that they which héertofore held scorne too take him for their phisitian and sauyour shall then féele him a most iust iudge and punisher of their wickednesse Of which comming wée shall héere more the next Sunday And thus much bréefly concerning the comming of the Lord. ¶ Of the seconde THe second place which the text of the Gospel conteineth importeth the description of Christ our king and of his kingdom Which description is confirmed by the testimonie of Zacharie which the Euangelist alledgeth that wée may vnderstand how this pomp was not instituted rashly but foreshewed long before according too the wil of God and the secrete counsell of the Trinitie For this pomp teacheth vs many things of the state of Christ our king and of his kingdome First this pomp of Chrystes riding intoo Hierusalem maketh a difference betwéen Christ our king and the kings of the world and sheweth the diuersitie of their kingdomes For this base pompe dooth sufficiently argue that neyther Chryst is a worldly king nor the administration of his kingdom worldly For worldly kings to the intēt they may bée counted honorable of their people are gorgeously apparelled In likewyse the administration of worldly kingdomes requireth gorgeousnesse and sumptuous furniture Secondly this storie teacheth y t vnder this base pompe lieth hid a certeine almightinesse godhead For when hée sayeth loose yée and bring vnto mée and ageine the Lord hath néed of them and also he shall by and by let them go Christ our king giueth vs too vnderstand that by his heauenly power hée is able too bring too passe what hée listeth yea and that hée hath the hartes and willes of men in his hand Therefore although the kingdome of Christ séem dispisable in this world yet notwithstanding if a man look vpon y e power diuinitie of y e king nothing is more stately nothing is more mightie nothing finally is more glorious than it Moreouer the prophecy of the Prophete conteyneth thrée things First an exhortation too the churche at that time cast downe and vtterly vnder foot Be glad saith he and leap for ioy thou daughter of Sion Héereby wée are taught that the Gospel perteyneth too them that are cast down vnder foot and altoogither broken in spirit Secondly this prophecie coteyneth a cōmaundement from God that wée should doo homage too this king like as y e second Psalme exhorteth wher it sayeth kisse the sonne Thirdly this prophecy conteineth a description of the person of Christ namely that he is y e king that was promised too the church Beholde saith it thy king cōmeth As if he should haue said héer is at length that king that was promised thée of whom are written so many testimonies which shall restore the kingdome of God that the diuel hath inuaded destroyed through sinne He saieth that this king is
vp the bréers wheÌ„ he sayth bring yée forth fruts worthy of repentance A like example haue wée in the Prophet Nathan First he did cast downe the mountaine that is to say the hipocrisie in Dauid who hauing coÌ„mmmitted aduoutry and murder liued carelesse as though he had done very well And this did he by propounding a parable of twoo men of whome the one was poore and the other rich The rich man had many Oxen and shéepe the poore man had nothing but only one shéepe which he had bought and nourished and which had growen vp in his house among his owne children eating with hym of his bread and drinking of his cuppe and sléeping in his bosome and was to him as his daughter But when a straÌ„ger came to the rich mans the riche man tooke this poore mannes shéepe and set it on the table for his guest sparing his owne When Dauid heard this he was sore displeased saying he is the child of death that hath done this déede Nathan aunswered thou art the same man Thou hast slaine Urias the Hethite with the sword and hast taken his wife too bée thy wife Behold sayth the Lord I wil raise vp mischief ageinst thée Sée how Nathan chargeth Dauid with his sin taketh away the matter of boasting least he should think he ought not too bée punished bycause he was a king and he threatneth punishmeÌ„t vntoo him Héere is that great mountaine and hipocrisie beaten downe But when Nathan saw Dauid cast downe vnder foote in so much that he sayd with a great outcry I haue sinned ageinst the Lord hée raiseth vp this vallie saying the Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Afterward also he cutteth vp the Bréers when by prophecying the death of his sonne for a punishment hée kéepeth him in his dutie After the same sort Peter in the Actes of the Apostles first by preaching the law cutteth the combes of the Iewes and maketh low their mountaines He chargeth them with their sinnes he telleth them it bootes them nothing at all too bée of the posteritie of Abraham and he layeth before them the threatnings of punishments vnlesse they amend By and by after when he héereth how they are stricken too the hart and cast downe with consideration of their sinne he rayseth them vp by offering Chryst vntoo them He biddeth them repent and bée baptised in the name of Chryst. And finally he taketh héede that no Bréers grow vp by promising them the holy Ghoste These examples are notable and agree to the conuersion of the first maÌ„ Adam by folowing his new schoolemaster the Deuil wexed proud Him dooth God first cast downe too the ground by rebuking him in setting before his eyes the greatnesse of his sinne Anon after he raiseth him vp ageine by giuing him a promis of the séede that should tread downe the Serpents head Likewise the Lorde abaseth the proude Pharisies and raiseth vp the troubled Mary Magdalene whom he encourageth too godly and holy lyfe saying Thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace But as for those ministers of the woord which after this sort do neither beate downe the mountaines nor raise vp the vallies nor cut vp the brambles they deâ—e not like the seruants of God but like the bondslaues of the Deuil and of their owne bellye Many make outcries in generall termes ageinst whordome incest vsurie and other vices but there are few that wil chardge a man with his faults too his face as Iohn did Herod the Pharisies and hypocrites as Chryst did to his héerers as Ambrose did to Theodosius And why doo they not so Partly bicause they wey not earnestly whose roome they supply and partly bycause they feare hazarde of their life and goodes But let them ageinst this blindnesse and fearfulnesse set the commaundement of their calling the promis whereby Chryst hath assured his seruaunts that he wil be present with them and that he imputeth doone vntoo himselfe whatsoeuer is doone vnto his ministers Furthermore they must coÌ„firme themselues by the stedfastnesse and example of Iohn of other holy ministers they must from tyme to time pray vnto god to giue them corage that they may bée bolde too doo those things which may make too the furtherance of his glorie too whom bée honor world without end Amen The feast of Christes birth ¶ The Gospell Luke ij THere vvent out a commaundement from Augustus the Emperour that all the vvorlde should be taxed And this first taxing vvas made vvhen Cyrenius vvas liuetenannt in Syria And euery â–ª man vvent vntoo his ovvne Citie too bee taxed And Ioseph also ascended from Galylie out of a Citie called Nazareth intoo Ievvrye vntoo the Citie of Dauid vvhich is called Bethleem bycause he vvas of the house and linage of Dauid too bee taxed vvith Mary his spoused vvife vvhich vvas vvith child And it fortuned vvhyle they vvere there hir tyme vvas come that she should bee deliuered and shee brought foorth hir first begotten sonne and vvrapped him in svvadling clothes and layd him in a maunger bycause there vvas no roome for them vvithin the Inne And there vvere in the same region shepherds abyding in the feeld and vvatching their flocke by night And loe the Angel of the Lorde stoode hard by them and the brightnesse of the Lord shone round about them they vvere sore afrayd But the Angel sayd vntoo them Bee not afrayd For behold I bring you tydings of great ioy that shall come too all people For vntoo you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a sauior vvich is Chryst the Lorde And take this for a signe ye shall find the child svvadled and layd in a maunger And streight vvay there vvas vvith the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers lauding God and saying Glorie too God on high and peace on the earth and vntoo men good vvil The exposition of the text THYS Storie is a confirmation of the Article of oure beléefe Whiche was borne of the Uirgin Marie Which Article setteth forth vntoo vs hys newe byrth whiche sanctifieth the olde Adamish and corrupte byrth in all them that take holde vppon this CHRISTE by Fayth And albeit that this Article of Chrystes birth oughte too bée throughly knowne euen vntoo the children of the Chrystians yet notwithstandyng the Church for great causes hath appointed a certeine Feast thereuntoo verely that the Storie thereof with his circumstaunces may bée set foorth and learned not onely that wée might bée delighted with the declaration of this most goodlie storie but rather much more that the vse and profite of this most high Article may bée séen in strengthening and raising vp of mens consciences For the holy stories are not too bée red as the stories of men but too the intent wée should continually thinke vppon them and exercise our selues in them for our teaching instruction and comfort and too the intent that by reading the scriptures wée may haue hope Hereof wée wil make
things I thought good too touche bréeflye concerning the Godhead of Chryst. The fifth is of the Cradle of Chryst whiche signifieth nothing else than contempt of the worlde and vtter pouertie whiche pouertie it was Christes will too taste of too the intent hée might make vs riche Let proude folkes looke intoo this Cradle and lay downe their loftinesse Let poore men looke into it and cease to despaire as though they were despised for their pouertie Héere is too bée noted the abuse of all things created by God Bethléem serueth for lucre the Inne for guests Christe the King and Lorde of all things is thrust out intoo a stable So also at this day the Church is despised while the vngodly flowe in riches honor and power The sixth is of the appéering of the angels whoo first testifie that the Lord is come and secondly shewe by their very brightnesse what maner of king the new born Christ shuld bée and thirdly they declare by their himne what maner of benefits he shall bestow and what maner of glory is yéelded therby vntoo God The seuenth is of the preaching of the Angels vntoo the shepeherds Feare not for beholde I bring you glad tidings of greate ioye that shal bee among all people bycause there is borne vntoo you this day a Sauiour vvhich is Christ the Lord in the Citie of Dauid And this shal bee a signe vntoo you you shall finde the childe vvrapped in svvadling clothes and layd in a maunger This Sermon is the excellentest of all Sermons that euer were made in the worlde before wherof there are many partes First the Angels forbid the shepherds too bée afraid wherby they shew that Christ came too take away the curse of the law and sinne for which the curse came vpon men The second is the preaching of glad tidings I bring you tidings of great gladnesse When hée saith greate hée putteth a difference betwéen it and the ioy of the world which laâ—teth but a shorte time and is grounded vppon a weake foundation But this ioy whiche the Angels bring tidings of is called greate for foure causes First for the matter or substaunce of it whiche is great namely the reconciling of vs vntoo GOD. Secondly for the continuance and stedfastnesse of it for it endureth for euer and it abideth constant Thirdly for that it dooth not perteine too a few only but vntoo all men that by faith receiue this tidings of the gladnesse Fourthly for that it is spirituall perteyning too the saluation of the whole man The third point is the cause and ground of this gladnesse Bicause saith hée this day is borne vntoo you a Sauioure whiche is Christe the Lord. The fourth he sheweth the place In the Citie of Dauid saith hée that is too wéete Bethléem The fifth a signe is added too the woord For hée sayeth this shall bée a signe vntoo you Yée shall finde the childe lapped vp in clothes and layed in a maunger This signe dooth twoo things First it leadeth them the right way vntoo the Childe least in séeking him they should mistake him For albéeit that all moothers doo wrappe their children in swadling cloutes yet they lay them not in maungers Secondly it putteth a difference betwéene the kingdome of this childe and the kingdoms of this world For the worldly kingdoms haue outward gloriousnesse And these are the partes of the Angels sermon The eyght is of Christes birth First hée is reuealed vntoo the Shepeheardes Whereby twoo things are too bée learned One that Christes kingdome is not worldely Another that Christes kingdome belongeth too the poore according too this saying the poore receiue the glad tidinges of the Gospell The ninthe is of the song of the Angelles whiche is Glorye vntoo God on high in earth peace and too men good vvill This song dooth in a meruelous bréefnesse comprehend the frute of the Lords birth which consisteth in thrée things For first glorie is attributed vntoo God Secondly peace is made vntoo men And thirdly is shewed the good will of God towardes men First therefore when the Angelles say Glorye vntoo God on high Their meaning is that no man can yéelde true glorie vntoo GOD without the true knoweledge of Chryste Uerely man was created vntoo this ende that hée should glorifie his creator But through the fall of our first parentes it came too passe that neyther hee knew GOD aryght nor glorified him aright If thou demaund what it is too giue glorie vntoo God too giue glorie vntoo any bodye is nothing else but too attribute true vertue vntoo him As when some king dealeth iustly wisely valiantly and mercifully his subiectes yéelde him glorie that is too say his subiectes like well of his doings and wyth singular good will doo blaze them abrode And in like wise is glorie giuen vntoo God when his vertues are rightly acknowledged and felt as his wisdome his rightuousnesse his puissance his mercifulnesse his truth and suche others The wisdome of God is séene in this that he repaireth ageine man whom he had created too his glory so as he might by his sonne borne of a virgin recouer ageine the Image of God which he had lost through sinne and so giue glorie too the wisdome of God His rightuousenesse is séene by this that hée would not receiue intoo fauour man that had sinned without amendes made for the wrong that hée had done For whereas it was of necessitie that eyther man muste haue perished euerlastingly for his sinne or else that some one of mankynd must haue made satisfaction vntoo God by abyding punishment for all mankind God gaue his owne sonne whoo taking manhood vppon him hath in the same satisfied the rightuousenesse of God and therefore is the praise of rightuousnesse worthily too bée attributed too God for the birthe of Chryst our Lord. His puissance is commended in that hée hathe through Chryst ouercome the Serpent and his séede yea and rooted out his kingdome so farre foorthe as pertayneth vntoo all them that take holde by fayth vppon thys Iesus that is borne His mercyfulnesse shineth in this that by his sonne and for his Sonnes sake hée taketh ageyne intoo fauoure Mankinde forlorne and oppressed by the tyrannie of the Deuyll and ouerwhelmed wyth excéedyng great myseries calamities death hell and damnation Thys mercyfulnesse of God excéedeth all the woorkes of God whych both the good Angels and the elect men shall set out euerlastingly yea and the verye Deuyls shall acknowledge though against theyr willes His truth is made manifest in this that bearing in minde his promises of olde time hée performeth that which hée had promised long agoe For at such time as our first parents fell intoo sinne hée promysed them the séede of the woman which should treade downe the head of the Serpent and this promise hée fulfilleth now in giuing vs his sonne For these vertues therfore glorie is too bée giuen too God and that specially by those that féele his benefites This
glorie is then rightly yéelded vntoo him first as soone as wée acknowledge this woonderful benefit of God Secondly when we imbrace his sonne by fayth Thirdly whē we praise God with minde with voyce with confession and with behauiour And fourthly when wée allure as many as wée can too the knowledging of him Afterwarde when the Angels say Peace on earth there is noted the chéefe benefite of Chryst for which hée came intoo the worlde namely that peace might bée made betwéene GOD and man Thys peace is the mutuall consent of God and men Of GOD receyuing men intoo his fauoure for hys sonnes sake And of men receyuing through fayth the benefite offered wyth rendryng of thankes and continuall thankfulnesse of minde Most swéete are the frutes of this peace that is to say accesse vnto God ioyfulnesse of spirite a good conscience and gladsome passage out of this lyfe The things that breake this peace are sinnes doone against conscience carelessenesse and neglecting of the woorde And therfore they are too bée shunned no lesse than plagues In the last place they adde And too men good vvill That is too wéet As soone as God is reconciled vntoo men through Christ hée fauoreth and embraceth them with a true and fatherly affection as moste déerely beloued children whom hée holdeth right déere as adopted in Christe Of this good will speaketh Dauid also in his fifth Psalme Bicause thou shalt blisse the righteous O Lorde thou defendest him with thy good wil as with a shéelde When as Dauid in this place compareth Gods good will too a shéeld he sheweth the true vse and frute thereof For hée meaneth that Gods fauoure is too vs in stéede of a buckler wherewith wée are defended against the weapons of them that assault vs. The deuil brandisheth his fiery dartes at vs but this shéeld kéepeth vs safe And so of all others ¶ Of the seconde THe vse of it is double Generall which is deriued of the whole historie and Speciall which is deriued of the seuerall parts The generall vse therefore is that wée should learne to receiue and embrace our true Sauiour God man borne of the virgin by setting him against all our miseries sinne death curse Gods wrath and hell assuring our selues that this sonne of God and Mary is according vnto the prophecie of Esay borne too vs and giuen too vs yea and that too the intent hée shoulde bée righteousnesse and saluation too all that beléeue in him The speciall vse of it is manifolde First that wée should learne of Christs parents too bée obedient too magistrates Secondly that wée should lerne of the shepherds to giue credite to y e testimonies cōcerning Christ too séek Christ and too return too the woorks of our vocation Thirdly that we should learn of the Angels first too preache Christe too them that are vnknowen wherby all the godly ministers of Gods woord may comforte them selues in their ministerie for that they teache the same thing that was deliuered béefore by so princely spirites Moreouer wée may learn of the Angels and shepherds togither too confesse this Christ. Finally wée may learne too glorifie God and too sing with the angels Glory be to God on high too whom bée honour and praise world without end Amen The second holyday in Christmas called S. Stephens day ¶ The Gospell Math. xxiij BEholde I sende vntoo you Prophets and vvise men and Scribes and some of them yee shal kil and crucifie and some of them shal ye scourge in your Synagoges and persecute them from citie too citie that vpon you may come all the rightuous blood vvhich hath been shed vppon the earth from the blood of righteous Abell vntoo the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias vvhome yee slevv betvveene the Temple and the aultare Verely I say vntoo you all these things shall come vppon this generation O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest them vvhich are sent vntoo thee hovve often vvoulde I haue gathered thy children toogither euen as the henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir vvings and ye vvould not Behold your house is left vnto you desolate For I say vntoo you Yee shall not see mee hencefoorth til that yee say Blissed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. The exposition of the Text. BEFORE wée goe in hande with the Exposition of the Text bicause this day is dedicated to Saint Steuen I will declare why the feastes of saincts are woont too bée halowed in the church of God and what wée ought too marke in the example of Saint Stephen Dayes are kept holy in the Churche of GOD not after the maner of the heathen as is woont too bee among the Papists that wée should cal vpon the saints as patrons intercessors which thing cannot be doon w tout horrible sacriledge cōtempt of y e son of god but there are many right weighty causes why it is profitable that the feasts of certeine saints should bée reteyned in our Churches they bée chéefly sixe The first cause is y t the continual historie of y e church may bée alwayes before our eyes which must bée vnto vs both a rule to liue by a mean to put vs in mind of gods prouidēce For if it bée a pleasure too reade the histories of heathē men in whō apéered a visor of some vertue vndoutedly it wil bée much more pleasure to read y e histories of those in whō shoon bright y e liuely images of true vertues as in Paule Péeter Mary Stephen Magdalen the théefe and many others The second is that the testimonies of the doctrine of the ministerie of teaching and of the Church might bée considered For there were miracles doone there were woonderfull callings too the ministerie of the Churche and the doctrine was set open throughe the whole Churche In these testimonies it is a moste beautifull sight too behold the continuall consent of the true Churche in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the groundes or chéefe articles of the faith and too discerne the true doctrine of the Churche from the corruptions lies and deceits of all ages The third is that GOD should bée glorified and thanks yéelded vntoo him for opening him selfe vntoo vs for delyuering vs his doctrine for shewing his presence in the churche for making vs frée Denizens of that company whiche is witnessed too bée his true Churche and true woorshippers of him The fourth is that the examples may strengthē our faith when wée reade that their prayers were hearde and that they were helped from heauen as it is sayde in the .xxxiij. psalme This poore man cried vntoo the Lord and the Lorde heard him we conceiue assured hope that hée will likewise helpe vs when wée call vpon him Let euery one of vs therfore determine and reason with him selfe in this wise God receiued Magdalene the Théefe and Paule intoo fauor vppon repentance notwithstanding their excéeding great sinnes wherwith they had
sayde vntoo him they haue no vvyne Iesus saide vntoo hir vvoman vvhat haue I too doo vvith thee Myne houre is not yet come His Moother sayd vntoo the ministers vvhatsoeuer he sayeth vntoo you doo it And there vvere standing there .vj. vvaterpoâ—s of stone after the maner of purifying of the Ievves coÌ„teyning ij or .iij. firkins a peece Iesus sayd vnto them fil the vvaterpots vvith vvater And they filled them vp too the brim And hee sayd vntoo them dravv out novv and beare vntoo the gouernour of the feast and they bare it VVhen the ruler of the feast had tasted the vvater turned into vvine and knevv not vvhence it vvas but the ministers vvhich drevv the vvater knevv he called the Bridegrome and sayd vnto him Euery man at the beginning doth set forth good vvine and vvhen men be droonk then that vvhich is vvorsse but thou hast kept the good vvine vntill novve This beginning of myracles dyd Iesus in Cana of Galilee and shevved his glorie and his disciples beleeued on him The exposition of the text THis Gospell is a parte of the storie of Christ wherin hée manifesteth his glorie at a Mariage For by the miracle of wine hée bothe vttereth his owne diuine nature and gyueth an incling of his office signeth vp the truth of his doctrine as it were with some heuenlie Seale His own deuine nature hée declareth in this that hée changeth the natures of things by his woord for at his commaundement the water béecoÌ„meth wine His office hée sheweth in that hée helpeth the néedie when hée is sought vntoo The certeintie of his doctrine hée dooth as it were seale with this miracle For least any man should doubt of the certeintie of his doctrine which is heauenly hée woorketh a heauen-woork which beareth witnesse with his doctrin wherby his Disciples are confirmed in his faith Now the places that wée wil intreate of in this Sermon are these foure 1 Of the solemnitie of the Mariage 2 Of the Mariage it selfe then finished and confirmed 3 Of the present miracle with the circumstances therof 4 Of the examples of life that may be deriued fro y e same ¶ Of the firste SIth I entreat of mariage I wil speake of these things in order First betwéene what persons nature godlynesse alloweth mariage Secondly what way those that will bée man wife must atteÌ„pt mariage Thirdly what manner of consent of whom it ought too bée Fourthly why it is méete that the assurance should bée made in the open assembly of the Church And fifthly what maner of feast ought too bée at a mariage In the persons of folks that contract mariage four things are too be looked vntoo namely kinred aliance religion and naturall strength which are requisite in mariage As touching kynred and alyaÌ„ce they are to be kept from matching in wedlock which are within the degrées of kinred and alyance that is prohibited in Leuiticus Moreouer it is in no wise lawfull too stayne the degrées prohibited by the ciuill magistrate And with what reuereÌ„ce mariages ought too bée made the déed of Abraham and of other holy men the prohibition of Paule and the perils or rather the dreadful falles of many doo declare At such time as Abraham was about too choose a wife for his sonne Isaac he gaue commandement too Eléezer the Steward of his house that he should not take vntoo his sonne a wife of the daughters of the Cananites but that he should go too his own kinred and froÌ„ thence take a wife too his sonne Isaac For Abraham knew how greate mischief diuersitie of religion bréedeth in a housholde For herevpon spring strife blasphemies and hinderance of woorshipping and calling vpon God The prohibition of Paule is that wée draw not the yoke with the vnbeléeuing Which thing is too be vnderstood not only of doctrine but of all trade of life He that toucheth pitch sayeth Salomon shall bée defiled therewith For it can not bée but that he which kéepeth coÌ„pany with the vngodly must néedes himself gather some infection therby Perilles and many horrible falles ensue vppon vnméete matches witnesse therof is Salomon who by kéeping company with Heathen women became an Idolater Witnesse Achab whoo through the counsell of wicked Iezabell becam so mad that he feared not too slea Gods Prophets at length fell headlong intoo eternal destruction so muche is a wicked woman able too doo Adde herevntoo the bringing vp of children which cannot bée as it ought to bée when the parents are of sundry religions For then shal the children becom either altogither heathenishe and despisers of all religion or else hypocrits wheÌ„ they shall not dare bée acknown what they thinke for feare either of the father or mother Fourthly it is required in persons that shall contract mariage that the one beguile not the other as when eyther by sicknesse or by coldnesse the strength of any of the parties is forespent or else that there bée a default in nature so as a man bée not méete or sufficient to yelde the beneuolence of mariage As for the way that such as méene too bée couples ought too take in making their mariage Examples godlinesse honestie doo teache For these thrée things toogither teach that matches are not too be made vppon lightnesse as oftentims they bée nor among cups nor for lustfull liking Abraham séeketh a wife for his sonne the parents of Rebecca consent Afterward the consent of the maide is sought and so Isaac marieth hir to his wife Iacob serueth Laban a long time he breaketh with the fréends of the mayde for mariage and when he had gotten their good wil he wan the chast consent of the mayd Godlinesse counselleth the same thing also For as the fourth precept commandeth the parents too bée honored so méeneth it also that this honor should bée yéelded vntoo parents that they make the mariages of their children that the children should in this behalf attempt nothing with contempt of their parents This also doth nature tel al men too the intent the match may bée honest which cannot be ended or broken but by death Now after that all things are in this wise lawfullye attempted then it behoueth too go néerer too the matter mutual consent of theÌ„ that contract is too be heard whiche must in no wise be constreyned but must be frée that neither part may iustly say he was compelled For although it be according too right too begin with the parents yet it is not lawful for the parents too compel them whither they wil or no. For besides that constreyned mariage is no mariage this mischéefe ensueth thereupon that in suche matches the matter seldome taketh good successe Why it is conuenient that the assurance should bée made openly in the assembly of the churche there bée foure causes First that those which are knit in wedlock may know theÌ„selues too haue place in the Churche Secondly that they whiche shal be man and wife may
further sight For he foresaw what superstitions should in time too come rise vppon Inuocation of the virgin Marye He saw that hypocrites should wickedly yéeld vntoo hir the things that were proper too God and too the mediator And therefore in this somewhat harde answer he deliuereth too all ages a perpetuall and graue Doctrine leaste the vnmeasurable reuerencing of Sainctes should deface the honoure of his office and in this respect he abased his owne moother too the vulgar degrée of women Then was it no light cause that he spake too his moother in this wise what haue I too doo with thée but too make a difference betwéene his owne office and his moother and so consequently of all Sainctes He will not part his office which is peculiarly his owne and giue parte of it too his mother But he chalengeth too himselfe alone the office of a Sauiour Wickedly therefore doo the superstitious call the virgin Quéene of heauen aduocate life swéetenesse moother of grace and consequently the saluation of the world For no parte of our redemption is too bée ascribed vntoo Marye And whereas he addeth Myne houre is not yet come he implyeth twoo things Namely that he ceased not for any maner of héedlessenesse or â—louth and also that he would haue a care of the matter assoone as opportunitie should offer it selfe What did the moother of Iesus in this case Whatsoeuer he biddeth you doo sayeth shée too the wayters that doo yée This perteineth too the preparature of the miracle The moother dooth only conceiue good hope that hir sonne wil succoure the present néed And where as she sayeth too the wayters whatsoeuer hée biddeth you doo doo it shée ministreth vntoo vs a generall doctrine in the Churche wherof the blissed virgin is bothe a tipe and a member What then learneth the Churche héereby Forsooth it lerneth with the blissed virgin too commaunde all ministers yea and all Christians too obey Christe in dooing whatsoeuer hée biddeth them how little so euer it séeme agréeable too reason Anone the Lorde when oportunitie serued willed the wayters too fill the sixe water pottes that were set there too serue for the superstitious purging of the Iewes of which pottes euery one did holde a twoo or thrée Firkins a péece so that altoogither did holde about an Amer of Wine These water pottes I say did the Lord bid them fil vp too the brimmes whiche béeing doone hée badde giue thereof too the maister of the feast For by the secreat power of Christe it was nowe become wine whiche was euen now water Which when the maister of the feast had tasted hée sayed too the bridegrome All men are vvont too set good VVine vppon the table first and vvhen the guests are vvel laden vvith VVine then too giue them that vvhiche is vvoorser But thou haste kept the best VVine too the last This is added for the confirmation of the miracle For the maister of the feast witnesseth that this wine was muche more excellent than that whiche they had drunk before Now ensueth the vse and frute of the miracle and he manifested his glorie saith the Euangelist and his disciples beleeued vpon him This miracle therfore was appointed for twoo things Namely too manifest Christes glorye and too strengthen the fayth of the Disciples For looke how manye miracles Christe shewed in the worlde so many witnesses were there of the glory of his Godhead so many sealings were there of his doctrine and of faith in the hearers This then is the right vse of Christes miracles that his glory béeing blazed abrode his doctrine béeing confirmed by them as it were by authenticall seales wée should leane vnto him by liuely faith â–ª But as for suche miracles as either darken the glory of Christ or quench faith they are sleights of the Diuel of whiche the Lord giueth vs warning too béeware in the .24 of Mathew There shall sayeth he arise false Christes and false Prophets and shall shevv great signes and vvoonders in so muche that the very elect if it vvere possible should bee deceyued beholde I haue tolde you of it before hand Therfore let no man giue credit too any miracles saue such as set foorth Christes glory and norish and confirme the true faith too him ward ¶ Of the fourth FOr as much as in this Gospell there is mention made of many persons I wil now shew bréefly what doctrine and instruction is too bée taken at eche of them First therefore let vs at all these guests lerne an example of thriftie making chéere from whiche bée banished riot and vnaduisednesse of whiche things more is spoken in the first place At the Bridegrome Bride let vs lerne too receiue Christ too our feasts which thing truely is then doone when in the feare of God and with thankesgiuing wée vse Gods gifts to honest mirth and leaue them at home that are not bidden By the miracle let the bridegrome and bride learn that if they bid Christe too their feast he wil chaunge the water intoo wine that is too say hée will turne all bitter things intoo swéet and blisse the parties with his blissing so as they shall want nothing At Christe let vs learne according vntoo our abilitie too helpe the Brydegrome and the Brydâ— that is too saye too beautifie the Churche by what meanes so euer wée can bée able At Christe let vs learne too transferre againe vntoo a good and godly vse the things that were abused and put too superstition so as they may serue too Gods glorie and too the building of the Church The waterpots héere serued too Iewishe superstition but Christe vseth them too the setting foorthe of his owne glorie and too the edifying of his Churche So the Church goods which héertofore haue bene abused ought now too bée conuerted too a better vse At Mary wée may learne too bée touched with pitie for the néede of other folks and too pray too God too further the poor with his blessing At the maister of the feast wée may learne too like wel of Christes dooings with clensed mindes At the wayters wée may learne to employ our labour at Christes commaundement and not so muche too looke what he biddeth as too doo that he biddeth Of Christ Mary the Disciples toogither we may lerne too kéep felowship with men and too take their slendernesse in good woorth Also wée may learne to honor the honest mariages of poore folkes with our presence and too helpe them with our purse when cause requireth These things haue I spoken the largelier of this Gospel bicause this matter wherof it entreateth is not woont too bée intreated of but once in the yéere I haue spoken of the maner of mariage and of matrimonie Also I haue shewed how great a sinne it is too breake the sixth commaundement I haue expounded the miracle with his circumstances what doctrine and instruction the examples of the persones in this Gospell yéeld vntoo vs. Now God the father
awake he had of his owne accorde helped them at the pinche as in so great a daunger though his disciples had not prayed him And albeit that of his goodnesse and fatherly affection towards vs hée be ready too giue vs all things that be necessary to our welfare yet is hâ—e not 〈…〉 giue them but at our entretaÌ„ce For prayer is the ordinary instrument too atteyn all things that are needful for vs of God whiche thing is done for this cause that we should reuerence him the true God creatour fountaine of all goodnesse and acknowledge oure selues weake creatures as what without GOD neyther haue ought nor ought are able too do 3 The woorking of faith is héere séene For faith is not an idle assent or thought but it is a stout Giant which ouercommeth the world as Iohn saith This is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith verely faith ouercommeth but yet through the conquerour Christ whom it possesseth Thus faith hath 〈◊〉 his enimie the worlde that is too wéete sinne Death the Diuel daungers and the fleshe On sinnes side standeth the Lawe conscience and dispaire On faiths side standeth the Gospel Christes sacrifice and 〈…〉 Therefore when the Law assayleth thée wyth his lightening smoake fyre vapoures and thunder Let fayth take the Gospell vntoo him and set that betwéene him and the Lawe And when the Lawe sayth Cursed is euerie one that dooth not al the things that are written in the booke of the Law set the Gospel ageinst it saying Euerie one that beléeueth on the Sonne hath life euerlasting When Death threatneth death set thou ageinst him the ouercommer of Death Iesus Chryst who casting Death in the téeth sayth Death where is thy sting Hel wher is thy victorie The same in the Gospell of Iohn sayeth Hée that beléeueth in mée shall not taste of Death for euermore but shall passe from Death vntoo Lyfe Then is Death profitable too the godly person for it is only a passage vnto the better life so little cause is there that the godly should be afrayd of it The Deuill in déede accuseth and packs vp a great beadroll of sinnes toogither But sette thou ageynst him the sentence of Chryst which sayeth The Prince of this worlde is iudged already and this saying of Paule It is God that iustifieth who then can condemne If hée lay our owne vnrighteousnesse too our charge Let vs answere with Paule Him who knew no sinne made hée a sacrifice for sinne that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him In likewise the daungers of sinne reprooue vs for they are as it were a sermon of God concerning sinne But aunswer thou that iudgement beginneth at Gods house that the Lorde chastiseth euerie childe whom hée receyueth vntoo him yea and that too the childes behoofe The fleshe moueth too despaire But make thou the fleshe subiect too the spirite and say that fleshelie iudgemente hath no place in this behalfe And so doo a thousande things méete vs that will hinder our saluation Could Nero then haue gainsayde sinne the Law Death and the flesh in maner aforesayd No verely For the onely children of God haue that priuiledge The rest are hilde in bondage vnder sinne bicause they are the seruants of sinne as which commit sinne by mainteining it agaynst the spirit or rather vtterly quench the spirit with it Whosoeuer therfore will geinsay sin the law death the deuill the flesh c. let him looke whither hée féele true repentance let him looke whither hée haue fayth and a good conscience and finally let him looke whither hée bée so framed that hée can preferre the obedience of God before all the commodities of this life vtterly casting away all purpose of sinning 4 Chryst findeth faulte with twoo things in his Disciples First with their fainthartednesse bycause they ought not too haue bin afrayd as long as hée was with them for in asmuch as they had séene so many miracles of his they might easily haue learned that it is not possible for him too perishe with whoom Chryst is present And secondely with the smalnesse of their fayth bicause they beleued not that hée coulde doo as much sleeping as waking or as much vpon the sea as vpon the lande being the maker both of sea and lande 5 And as in sléeping hée shewed himselfe too bée man So héere in commaunding the windes hée prooueth himselfe too bée GOD both which things doo serue the slendernesse of our Faith For his manhood sheweth his good wil towardes vs and his godhed sheweth his ablenesse which twoo things are requisite in euerie frée acte 6 Too bée short Chryste by this storie sheweth that hée willed in déede the saluation of men and especially of them that call vpon him For as it is his will that we should call vpon him in our perils so also is it his will too vtter his fatherlie affection towards vs in deliuering vs from danger ¶ Of the thirde THis is a most plesant Allegorie For here is painted out the state and image of the Church The sea is the world the ship is the Church the winde is the Deuil the Disciples are the godlie companie of the beléeuers Chryst is the truth and the Gospel is faith First mark héere that before Christe with his Disciples entred intoo the ship the Sea was calme that is too say the world slept soundly in his own sinnes But as soon as Christ entred into the ship ther arose a mighty tempest in so much as the ship séemed too bée ouerwhelmed But what ensued Christe the Lord was there present who could commaunde the sea and the windes Héereby therefore wée may learne that out of this little ship that is too say the Churche there is no safegard Howbéeit we must looke wel about vs héere that we take not our enimies ship for the true ship The enimies ship is bothe better decked outwardely and of greater receit within But the true ship hath hir decking inwardly and it hath a muche more stately maister namely the holye Ghost All the mariners that it hath are godly It hathe the woord of God and the sacraments in right vse and obedience too the ministerie And with these treasures this ship holdeth it selfe contented in so great waues 2 It is too bée obserued that this shippe sayleth not in the calme sea but is tossed in the waues whiche driueth it hither and thither whiche thing too bée moste true the storie of the world sheweth When GOD had made the world hée put this ship in the middes of it And by and by the deuil the enimie of Gods sonne tossed it with stormes and from thence foorthe it was miserably turmoyled vntoo the time of Noe and after Noe too Abrahams time from Abraham too Moyses time and from thence vntil Christs time who too the intent too saue this ship came intoo the world Yet ceassed not the waues thereof as then But what is the cause that the world cannot abide
out Therefore shall they bee your iudges But if I vvith the finger of God cast out diuels no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you VVhen a strong man armed vvatcheth his house the things that he possesseth are in peace But vvhen a stronger than he commeth vpon him and ouercommeth him he taketh from him all his harnesse vvherin he trusted and diuideth his goods Hee that is not vvith mee is agaynst mee and he that gathereth not vvith me scattereth abroade VVhen the vncleane spirite is gone out of a man he vvalketh through drie places seeking rest And vvhen he findeth none he saith I vvill returne ageine intoo my house vvhence I came out And vvhen he cometh he findeth it svvept and garnished Then goth he and taketh too him selfe seuen other spirites vvorse than him selfe and they enter in and dvvell there And the ende of that man is vvorse than the beginning And it fortuned that as he spake these things a certein vvoman of the company lift vp her voyce and sayd vntoo him happy is the vvomb that bare thee and the paps vvhich gaue thee suck But he sayd yea happy are they that heere the vvoord of God and keepe it The exposition of the text THis Gospell déere beloued sheweth plainly the cause why Chryst came into the worlde and tooke mans nature vpon him that is too wit both too begyn a new kingdome and also too abolish the kingdome of the diuel And this is it that God speaketh of in the third of Genesis The séede of the woman shall treade downe the serpents head Which woordes Iohn interpreteth when hée sayth Chryst appéered to destroy the woorkes of the diuell that is too say the diuels kingdome whiche beginneth with sinne is buylded vpon sinne and finished with endlesse damnation Of this kingdome of Sathan Chryst in his Gospell sheweth himselfe too bée the destroyer by deliuering a man that was possessed of a diuell For in as much as he driueth out the diuell First he giueth vs too vnderstande that hée is stronger than the diuell and secondly that he is his enimie Also by this miracle he sheweth him selfe too bée the sauiour of mankind Moreouer héere is shewed the vnthankfulnesse of the world toward their sauiour when the wicked Iewes ascribe Gods woorks vnto Sathan Lastly in the end of this Gospell the woman by hir outcrie ministreth occasion vntoo Chryst too shew the true blessednesse For where as the woman cryeth out Blissed is the wombe that bare thée he answereth Nay rather Blissed are they that héere the woord of God and kéepe it The pointes héereof are foure 1 The difference betwéene the kingdome of Sathan and the kingdome of Chryst. 2 The strife betwéene the Iewes and Chryst wherin the Iewes finde fault with Chrysts dooing and he defendeth the same 3 What shall become of those whiche hauing receyued Chryst shake him off ageyne and serue Sathan 4 What is true blissednesse and felicitie ¶ Of the firste CHryst vvas casting out a diuell These woordes doo openly testifie that the kingdome of Chryst and the kingdom of Sathan are two sundrie kingdomes and that there is betwéene these two sundrie kingdoms the greatest difference that may bée in so muche as it is not possible for them too agrée together Thou séeyng that Chryst and the diuell are twoo most puissant kings of twoo moste diuers kingdomes we wil speak of both that men may vnderstand how muche euil is in the kingdome of Sathan and how muche goodnesse and felicitie is in the helthful kingdome of Christe As concerning the Deuil these foure points are too be cōsidered First who he is 2. What he dooth 3. Why hée dooth 4. Why God suffereth him too doo it Who is hée then As in respect of his nature hée is the creature of God as are the Angels of God As in respecte of his inclination and of his frowardnesse whiche hée hath of him selfe hée is a lyer a murtherer and a théefe delighting euermore in manslaughter and lying and coueting nothing so muche as the euerlasting destruction of mankinde That the Deuill is suche a one wée are taught by his craftinesse with whiche he deceyued Adam and Eue. What dooth the Deuil Wée sée in this Gospell that hée maketh this wretched man blinde and dumbe Consider héer I pray you the cruel tirannie of the Deuil against this miserable soule First hée stoppeth vp his eares Why least hée should hear the woord of God And why desireth hée that bycause hée knoweth that the first step too Heauen is too heare Gods woord For neuer man yet béeing of yéeres of discretion atteyned too saluatiō without héering the woord of God For the Gospel saith Paule is the power of God too saluation too euery one that beléeueth Secondly hée besiegeth his hart that the woord may haue no place in it And why dooth hée so Bicause he knoweth that without faith whiche commeth by héering the woord no man is iustified For as Christ fayth He that beléeueth not the wrath of God abideth vpon him Thirdly he maketh him dumb Wherfore that he shuld not confesse Chryst his sauior For he knoweth that no man is saued without confession of the mouthe For thus sayeth Paule in the tenth vntoo the Romaines With the hart wée beléeue vntoo righteousnesse and with the mouth wée make confession too saluation Fourthly hée maketh this miserable creature blinde that hée should not sée And why so Bicause he should not sée Gods woorks whiche shew foorth Gods glorie as Dauid witnesseth when hée sayeth The Heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy woorks Beholde Sathan closeth vp all the wayes of saluation from this wretched man Wherfore dooth this spiteful creature so First bycause hée him selfe is damned and hathe no hope of saluation Secondly hée beareth suche a hatred too Christe that hée cannot away with his kingdome Thirdly hée is inflamed with vnappeasable hatred towards mankinde in so muche as hée coueteth too haue them al damned euerlastingly as wel as him selfe And therefore is it that Peter sayth Pet. 5. The Deuil goeth aboute like a roring Lion séeking whome hée may deuoure But why dooth GOD giue Sathan this leaue too trouble menne in suche wife First wée haue merited this punishement for our owne sinne For what euill so euer happeneth vntoo vs wée muste ascribe it vntoo oure selues and séeke the cause of it in oureselues Secondly God suffreth it too the intent wée may learne how greate Chrystes benefites are towards his church For no man better vnderstandeth the cōmodities of libertie and helth than hée that hathe sometimes felte the hardnesse of imprisonment and the paynes of sickenesse Thirdly that against the Deuil wée should call vppon Chryste who onely is able too ouercome him Fourthly that wée shoulde feare oure selues against him with fayth according too this saying Whom withstand you strong in fayth For Fayth is the ouercommer of the worlde as Iohn saith This is your victorie that ouercometh the
bicause the tumb was nere at hand rolling a great stone to the mouth of the graue they went their wayes And there were presente Mary Magdalene and Mary Ioses sitting against the tumbe and other women which also were come with Iesus from Galilee beholding where and how his body was bestowed And when they came home they prepared spices and oyntments and rested the Saboth day according to the cōmaundement But the next day that foloweth the preparation of the passe ouer the high Preests and Phariseys came togither vnto Pylate saying Sir wee remember that this deceyuer while hee was aliue sayd After three dayes I will ryse agayne Therefore commaund the Tumbe to be garded vntil the third day leaste peraduenture his Disciples doe come and steale him awaye and say vnto the people Hee is risen from the deade and the last errour shall be woorse than the first Pylate sayde vntoo them Yee haue a watche go and make it as sure as yee can Then they went their wayes and garded the Tumbe sealing the stone and setting watchmen about it too keep it The exposition of the text FOrasmuche as no woorke is more woonderful than the work of our redemption which is the passion and death of our Lorde Iesus Chryste according too that saying of Peter in the firste chapter of his first Epistle Yée are not redéemed with transitorie things as Golde siluer but w t the precious blud of the vnspotted vndefiled Lamb namely of Iesus Christ It becometh vs right déer beloued brethren sistern to endeuer by al means possible to knowe the storie of this woonderful woork specially séeing it is betaken vntoo vs in the Articles of our fayth where we professe our selues too beléeue in the sonne of GOD our Lord Iesus Chryst that suffred vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buryed c. And that too the end that by the knowledge of this storie fayth might bée stirred vp in vs hy the holy ghost wherby it may come too passe that the frute of this woonderful woork may extend vntoo vs. How bée it too the intente I maye the more distinctly and plainly speake of this wonderfull woorke I will deuide the whole doctrine of the Lords passion intoo thrée places or articles whiche are these 1 How many sundry wayes our Lord suffred 2 The estimation and frute of our Lords passion 3 The godly and helthful meditation of our Lords passiō ¶ Of the first BIcause wée haue sinned bothe in bodye and soule and that satisfaction must néeds haue bin made for bothe our Lord Iesus Chryste suffered bothe in soule and bodie Therefore I wil speak of his suffring in bothe namely of the soule and body of our Lord. That he suffred in soule hée himselfe witnesseth bothe in spéeche and in outward apparance In spéeche when hée saith My soule is heauie euen vntoo death and vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Héerunto also dooth pertein the prophecie of Dauid concerning Chryste The sorowes of Hell haue compassed mée aboute that is too say I was striken with excéeding greate sorowes Hée testifieth his sorowe in outwarde appéerance at the graue of Lazarus Iohn the xj and in the garden At the graue when hée thought vpon the Deuilles tirannie ouer mankinde and the miserie of mankinde For all the sorowes of minde that Christe endured by the space of thrée and thirtie yéeres vntoo his death are part of the passion which the sonne of God suffered In the garden hée sheweth that the heauinesse of his minde was excéeding greate when for the bitternesse of sorrowe he sweat droppes of bloud It is a naturall thing for a man too wéep and sometime too sweat in excesse of sorowe at the hearing of some sodaine euill but neuer was any man found yet that sweat bloud for sorowe for no man is able too susteine so great sorowe If yée demaund the causes of this excéeding great sorow yée shall vnderstand that it is not one cause but many whereof the chéefe are these First the thinking vpon the tirannie ouer mankinde and the excéeding great miserie wherwith all men were oppressed for falling from God Secondly the thinking vppon Gods wrath whiche it behooued him too sustaine for our sinnes whiche hée tooke vppon him selfe For all bée it that he were cléere from all sinne yet tooke hée vppon hym the gylte of the synnes of all the whole world Wherevppon Iohn sayeth The Lamb of GOD taketh awaye that is too say beareth in his bodie the sinnes of the world The sonne of God therfore did in very déed féel the wrath of his father Which féeling stirred vp so great sorow in his most holy soule that he swet blud Thirdly y e thinking vpon the punshment which he forsaw he should shortly the next day folowing suffer in his most holy body and the reprochfulnesse that he should bée put vntoo Fourthly the thinking vpon y e vnthankfulnesse of y t most part of the world For he forsaw it should come to passe that many wise men many mē of power diuers others shoulde take scorn of this his punishment which he should sustein too redéeme them yea that they should persecute him his Hée foresaw also y t the gretest part of thē y t beare y e name of christians should through their own wickednesse vngraciously depriue thēselues of this his benefit Which four causes procured most bitter sorow in y e hart of christ Upō this our lordes sorow must wée also thinke y t wée may bée stirred vp too fayth godlinesse least wée perish with y e thanklesse world Let this suffice bréefly too bée spoken concerning the vexation of Chrysts soule Now wil I speake of the punishmēt of his body For although that the vexation of his body began in the Ox stall whē ther was no roome for our lords mother in the Inne and afterward whē at the eight day of his birth he was let blud in circumcising and so foorth vnto the time that he was made a sacrifice for vs vpon the alter of y e crosse yet notwithstanding I will at this time intreate but of that punishment which he endured last of all And although that by the storie which I haue alredy recited a man may easily vnderstande how sundry wayes our Lorde was afflicted in his most holy body neuerthelesse I will gather intoo a short sūme that which is dispersed at large in the story diuide it according too the state of the places in whiche he was punished The places are these The gardin the house of Caiphas the consistorie of the préests the house of Herod the common hall and Galgata that is too say the place without the Citie where offenders were wont too bée put too execution What suffered he in the Gardin He was betraied with a a kisse the souldiers layde hands vpon him hée was apprehended and piniond he was led away like a théefe a murtherer and there also all
the world is signified the triumph of the Iewes kylling Chryst. For when they had put him too death they thought theÌ„selues and their common weale too bée out of all hazard And when he addeth Your sorovv shall be turned intoo ioy Hée signifieth that he will rise ageyne from death wherby his disciples shall conceiue ioy This selfe same thing declareth he by the similitude of the woman trauaylyng with chylde whoo as long as she is in hir labor féeleth gréeuous throwes but as soone as shée séeeth the child borne she taketh so great ioye that she vtterly forgetteth the paine that shée felt a little before After the same maner the disciples of the Lord felt gret sorow of mynde when the Lord was dead and buried but anon after when the Lord was raised ageyne from death for ioy they forgate the sorow past And this is it that he sayth And I will sée you agein and your hart shal reioyce bicause you shal sée mée raised from death and no man shal take your ioye from you that is to saye I shall die no more that yée should be cast into heauinesse for my death but I shall liue for euer so instruct you by my spirit concerning the knowledge of God that you shall haue no more néed too aske mée any moe questions Thus haue wée playnly séene the méenyng of the Text. And nowe are all these things too bée applyed too the church of all times whiche in this world shall bée vnder the crosse whyle the vngodly reioyce Howebéeit at length when Chryst appéereth it shall obteyne full perfect ioy wherof shal be none end For these thréedays wherin our Lord suffered and rose ageyn are an image of y e crosse of the church and of the ioy of the world that is to say of the vngodly persecuting Chryste and killing him in his membres of the glorious deliueraÌ„ce of the church which shal at y t time be full wheÌ„ our Lord shalle â—ome in the cloudâ— with glorie and great power and shall take vp those that bée his intoo euerlasting ioy and deliuer the vngodly too the diuell too bée tormented with eternall paines For as muche then as this place admonisheth vs of the Crosse of the Churche and of the glorious deliuerance of the same I will first shew what the Crosse is and how diuers next what are the causes of the Crosse Then the difference betwéene the crosse of the Godly and the punishments of the vngodly Also with what minde the Godly may beare the crosse and lastly from whence comfort is too bée sought vnder the Crosse. What is the Crosse It is any affliction whereunto the meÌ„bers of Chrysts Church are subiect in this world wherof there seme to be foure differences For the crosse of a godly person is first either a gréefe of mynd and affliction of body and that for sundry causes as for the receiuing of some losse for the sorowfull mischaunce of some fréend for thirst nakednesse imprisonment or torture as holy Iacob had exceding gréefe of mynde for the losse of his sonne Ioseph Ioseph suffred affliction of body in y e prisoÌ„ Lazarus felt hunger and the peyne of his byles at the richmans gate and many are exercised at this day with sundry troubles and gréefes both of mind and body 2 Or iâ— is a most sharpe fight betwene the fleshe and spirite in the Godly For the fleshe lusteth alwayes ageynst the spirit and now and then getteth the vpper hand séeming to giue the spirit an vtter ouerthrowe as wée sée in Dauid who being ouercome with the concupiscences of the fleshe felt intoo the most heynous offences of murther and aduoutrie and had perished for euer had he not bin called back too repentance and the flesh subdued agein vnder obedience of the spirit Heervpon Paule cryeth out whoo shal deliuer mée from the body of this death The grace of God through Iesus Chryst. 3 Or it is a hardnesse and distresse of vocation in household state ciuil state or ecclesiasticall state that is too say of priuate publik ecclesiastical state How great a crosse euen the godly husbands wiues féele in bringing vp their children and in séeking néedefull things whereby too liue they know that haue had the triall of it Such as beare office as kings noble men counsellors and presidents are not frée from the crosse at least wise if they bée godly So also godly bishops parish préests and the other ministers of the Churches doo oftentimes féele a crosse by reason of the difficultie of their office 4 Or else the crosse is a punishment for some certayne fault Like as there bée many causes of the troubles of the Church of which causes I will now intreate What then are the causes of the crosse of the church Certein causes of the crosse are within vs and certein without vs. Within vs are thrée causes of the crosse whereof the first is sinne inhabiting in vs that is too say originall sinne If this sinne were not brydled it woulde bring foorth damnable frutes The seconde is Concupiscence shooting out of the same as a flame out of fire which flame vnlesse it were quenched with the water of the Crosse woulde kindle the fire of hell The thirde cause is that there bée in vs daylye backslydings which originall sinne procureth by his concupiscences Seuen times in a day sayth Salomon dooth the righteous man fall and riseth ageine These dayly fallings dooth the crosse stay that is layd vpoÌ„ vs by God too the intent wée should not bée damned with the world in our sinnes Besides these there are also causes of the crosse without vs but of an other nature For God of his fatherly goodnesse visiteth vs with his rod. For whomsoeuer hée receyueth him hée chastiseth with none other affection than the good father Agein the diuil lies in wait for the church as wée sée in Iob but God appointeth him bounds beyond which he is not able too raunge Moreouer the limmes of the diuell that is too say tyrants and euill men in this world which trouble the Church in this life Also there bée other causes of the crosse which I will let passe and speake of the difference betwéene the crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly What is the difference then betwéene the Crosse of the godly and the punishment of the vngodly sith wée sée as wel the godly as vngodly striken with gréeuous miseries in this world surely there bée many differences The first difference is taken of the efficient causes For as the affection of the godly procéedeth of the fatherly loue of the heuenly father towards his children so the punishments of the wicked procéede of the wrath and sore displeasure of the iust iudge god who punisheth the wicked as his enemies and aduersaries The second difference is taken of the finall causes for the godly are exercised with the crosse too their good but the vngodly are striken with punishementes too
their vndooing vnlesse they amende The thirde difference is taken of the effects For the godly doo blisse God and call vpon him in their crosse as Iob dyd But the vngodly freat at God and are angry with him The godly are nurtured the vngodly are confounded The godly are tried the vngodly are distroubled The godly vnder the crosse doo hope the vngodly do despaire The fourth difference is taken of the time The godly are afflicted for a shorte time that afterwarde they may bée glorified with Christ their head but the vngodly are wrapped in mischéefe for euer Whose present affliction is as it were a handfull of their endlesse paines in hell The fifth difference is taken of the place The godly are chastized in this world only but the fire of the vngodly shal neuer bée quenched For héere they are tormented with an euill conscience and in the woorld too come they shal bée ouerwhelmed with Gods euerlasting wrath and suffer punishement that neuer shall haue ende So haue wée the differences of the crosses of the godly and the punishments of the vngodly Now wil I adde a few things concerning the comforte wherewith the godly muste raise vp them selues vnder the Crosse. From whence then is comforte too bée sought First the godly that is pressed vnder the crosse shall consider two thinges in his affliction namely iudgement and mercie Iudgemente that hée is punished for his sinnes Therefore sayeth Chryste Sinne not leaste some woorser thing happen vntoo thée And mercie that hée is punished too the intent hée shoulde turne and repent according too this text 1. Cor. 11. When wée are iudged of the Lorde wée are chastized that wée bée not damned with this worlde Therfore when the faythful is exercised with the crosse let him séeke comforte at the fatherly mercy of God Secondly the godly in his crosse shall take comforte by examples whereof many are recited in the .xj. too the Hebrues And Paule dooth oftentimes lay before vs the example of Chryst too which it behoueth vs too become conformable vnder the Crosse that wée may be gloryfied with him in time too come For the godly suffereth with Chryste as it were a meÌ„ber of his For like as Chryst suffered first that hée might obey the Father and secondly that hée mighte vanquishe and condemne our sinne so must wée also obey GOD vnder the crosse bothe too vanquishe and too condemn our owne sinne not by making satisfaction for it as hée didde but by mortifying it Thirdly the godly shall fetche comfort at the endes of the Crosse. For the godly is not chastized with the Crosse too the end hée should perrish but too the end hée may bée holden in and as it were reyned with a certeine brydle from falling away from God Fourthly the godly shal coÌ„fort him self with the presence of God for thus saith God I am with thée in tribulation For if God defeÌ„ded vs not with his presence in our crosse our harts would vtterly faile and wée should renounce our profession Fiftly the godly shall take comforte at the promise of deliuerance asuagement of paines and at Gods helpe Our fathers cryed vntoo thée sayeth the Psalme and thou heardest them Sixtly the godly shall séeke comfort by comparing the present affliction with the glory too come The one lasteth but a moment the other is eternall Let this suffise concerning the crosse of the godly GOD graunt vs grace too glorifie him with true patience vnder the Crosse through our Lord Iesus Chryste too whom bée honour and glorie world without end Amen The iiij Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xvj IEsus â—ayed vntoo his Disciples Novv I go my vvaye vntoo him that sent mee and none of you asketh mee vvhyther I go But bycause I haue sayed suche things vntoo you your harts are ful of sorovv Neuerthelesse I tel you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go avvay For if I go not avvay that comforter vvill not come vntoo you But if I depart I vvil send him vntoo you And vvhen he is come he vvill rebuke the vvorld of sinne and of ryghtuousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bycause they beleeue not on mee Of rightuousnesse bicause I go too my Father and yee shall see me no more Of iudgement bicause the Prince of this vvorld is iudged alreadie I haue yet manye things too say vntoo you but yee cannot beare them avvay novv hovv be it vvhen he is come vvhiche is the spirite of truthe he vvil lead you intoo all trueth Hee shall not speake of him selfe but vvhatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speak and he vvil shevv you things too come He shall glorifie mee for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shevv vntoo you All things that the Father hathe are mine therefore sayde I vntoo you that he shall take of mine and shevv vntoo you The exposition of the text THis gospel is a péece of that sermon that Christ made after Supper the night before he suffred wherin as I tolde you this day seuennight he warned his Disciples aforehande of his Passion Death and Resurrection and disputed of the persecution and comfort of the Churche and the state of his kingdome of what sorte it shoulde bée vntoo the ende of the world and that too this end that his Disciples should be confirmed in the faith and not renounce their profession for the crosse and stumbling blockes thervpon risen among many This also was the cause of this Sermon that I haue rehearsed the effect wherof is that Chryst promiseth to his church an aduocate teacher and gouerner the holy Ghost Wherby is shewed the difference betwéene the administration of the ciuill gouernement and the kingdome of Chryst. For that hath néede of outwarde sinues as lawes decrées of magistrates open punishmentes c. But this is gouerned by the woord by the spirite by fatherly discipline and by sacraments The places are thrée 1 The profite and néedefulnesse of Chrysts departure too the Father wherein the kingdome of Chryste is described 2 What the holy Ghost dooth in the world 3 Of the saying I haue many things too say vntoo you but you are not able too beare them away at this time ¶ Of the first I Go too him that sente mee and none of you asketh mee vvhither goest thou that is too say Nowe is my death at hande and my victorie ouer death which when I haue obteyned I will ascende too my father That the Lorde speaketh so darklye hée dooth it too this purpose too stirre vp his Disciples too make more diligent enquirie of his Death and resurrection But they for all that thought nothing lesse than that he whom they had acknowledged too bée the Messias should bée deliuered too so reprochful a death so blinde is reason in matters perteyning to God It créepeth héer vpon ground it can not déeme aright of heauenly things and of Chrysts kingdome Bicause sayth he I haue tolde you these things your hartes are filled
ascension And thirdly the frute of Chrystes ascension In the comming downe of Chryste from heauen intoo the earth there are twoo things too bée considered the gifte and the Example The gift for that Chryst descended from Heauen and took mannes nature vpon him that by offering him selfe in sacrifice hée might ridde vs of oure sinnes For by the sacrifice of Chryst the father is pacified and for Chryste our mediatours sake so abased all beléeuers are receiued and are the children and heires of God For therefore did the Lorde come downe from heauen therefore did he humble and abase him selfe that wée might ascende from the earth too Heauen and that wée might bée exalted too euerlasting life and glory And the example That wée also should come downe and be humbled 1. Peter 2. Chryst suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wée should folow his steps Of what maner Chrystes ascension intoo heauen was the scripture sheweth He ascended visibly with a bodily and naturall mouing and a cloude tooke him vp intoo heauen Whervpon is saide he ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4. Neuerthelesse he did not by ascending chaunge his humayne nature intoo his godhead or so shed it out that it shuld bée euerywher with his godhead although the vnion of them bée inseparable The frute of Chrysts ascension is manifolde according as it is easy too gather by diuers places of scripture The first frute therfore is that Chryst is a triumpher ouer his enimies which are sinne death the deuill and hell For these enimies hath he vanquished and triumphed ouer them by his glorious ascension Hée wyped out sinne when he was made a sacrifice for sinne Assoone as sinne was wyped away death was disarmed for sinne is the sting of death When death was once destroyed the deuil lost his force and weapons Lastly for as much as hell deuoureth onely them that are vnder sinne death and the deuill it foloweth that Chryst beyng the conqueror of sinne death and the deuill did also ouercome hell Secondly he ascended too bée our head which ascended into heauen first that he may shew the way vntoo vs whervppon Iohn 14. I go my way to prepare you a place and I will take you vp vntoo mée Thirdly he ascended that hée might from heauen spred the beames of his power ouer all the world Eph. 4. Hée ascended aboue all the heauens that hée might fill all things Then is hée not ascended too bée vtterly away from vs but that with his present power hée may rule heauen and earth and bée present with his Church vnto the ende of the world Fourthly he ascended that he might giue giftes too men Eph. 4. And he hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes and some teachers That is too say hée ascended that he might bée effectuall in the ministerie confirming it by wonderfull miracles and sealing it in the hartes of men Fifthly he ascended that wée might haue an aduocate in heauen 1. Iohn 1. If any man sinne wée haue an aduocate with God the father Iesus Chryst the rightuous and hée is the propitiation for our sinnes Sixthly he ascended that he might draw our harts vntoo himself Math. 6. Where as is thy treasure there is also thy hart Coll. 3. If yée bée risen agein with Christ séeke the thinges that are aboue where Chryst sitteth at the right hand of the father Our conuersation then must bée in heauen where our Sauiour sitteth in glorie too whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste bée honour prayse and glorie world◠without ende Amen The .vj. Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xv WHen the comforter is come vvhom I vvill send vntoo you from the father euen the spirite of truth vvhich proceedeth from the father hee shall testifie of mee And yee are vvitnesses also bicause yee haue bin vvith mee from the beginning These things haue I saide vntoo you bicause yee should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that vvho soeuer killeth you shall thinke he doth God high seruice And such thinges vvill they doo vntoo you bicause they haue not knovvne the father neither yet mee But these things haue I tolde you that vvhen that houre is come yee might remember then that I tolde you These things saide I not vntoo you at the beginning bicause I vvas vvith you The exposition of the text THis Gospel also is a part of that sermon that Chryste made too his Disciples the night before he suffred the summe wherof wée haue herd a whyle ago This text conteyneth the promis of the Aduocate the holy Ghost whoo shall bée present in the Churche when it suffereth persecution by the wicked worlde For Chryst telleth vs it will come to passe that wicked men and specially the Iewes shall bée caryed with so great woodnesse ageynst the Church that vnder the pretence of Religion they shal rūne with might and mayn vpon the godly yea and persuade the world that it is a certeyne seruice of God too kill the godly and too cast them out of their congregations And he sayeth that the cause of this outrage is ignoraunce and blindnesse that is too wit that they neither acknowledge the wrath of God ageinst sinne nor vnderstande the benefites of Chryst. The places are thrée 1 The office of the holy ghost and of the ministers of the woord in the Church 2 A warning least the godly being offended at the stumbling block shuld renounce that profession faith 3 Of the crosse of y e godly of their glorious deliuerance ¶ Of the firste ANd vvhen the comforter shall bee come vvhom I vvill send you from my father he shal beare vvitnesse of mee yea and you also shall beare vvitnesse These woords contein the first doctrine of this Gospell namely that the holy Ghost and Apostles and their successours must beare witnesse of Chryst. Concerning the holy ghost these things are gathered out of the text First that he is one God with the father and the sonne Secondly that he is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Thirdly that he procéedeth from the father the son And fourthly y t he is giuen too the church by Chryst. And why he is giuen to the church it is héer declared namely that he may bée a comforter that he may bée a teacher of the truth and that he may beare witnes of Christ. Of which offices I will therefore speake the more bréefly bicause the same things are too bée repeted vpon Whitson Sunday Why is he called a comforter or Aduocate Lyke as by this terming of him is giuen an inkling of the persecution and accusing or condemning of the churche by the heathenish world so is it also expresly ment therby that it shall not bée forsaken of Chryst in the time of persecution but that Christ sendeth it an aduocate namely the holy Ghost The properties of this aduocate are foure First that hée bée at hande too his Clyant that is
faith alone Yes it is true But there is a difference too bée put betwixt the causes of saluation and the obedience that God requireth of those that bée his Wée are iustified by faith only but when wée are iustified wée are made new men that is too wit the sonnes of God and hence foorth wée must after the example of our father lead a new and blissed life But héere is too bée considered also that as there is a double marke of the children of God so ther is a double marke of the children of Sathan The marke of the children of God is one while inward and another while outward The inward is repentance faith godlinesse good conscience The outward is héering of Gods woord and honest conuersation among men For as Chryste sheweth héere that the loue of his woord and the héering of it is a marke of his Disciples so Peter requireth honest conuersation among men whereby God may bée glorified his church edified But the inward marke of Sathans children is too bée without faith without godlynesse too haue an euil conscience and euil affections too haue the maistrie The outward mark is outward contempt of the woord and a leude life Mark wel these marks and let euery man examine him self whither he bée too bée accounted among the children of God or among the children of the Diuel If hée perceiue him self too bée among the children of Sathan let him pul back his foot out of hand least he be thrown headlong intoo damnation sooner than he looked for If he perceiue him self too bée among the children of God let him giue God thanks and desire encrease of faith loue and other vertues let him desire too bée strengthened by the holy Ghoste least he bée withdrawen from his godly and holy race by the sleights of Sathan ¶ Of the second ANd my father vvill loue him and vvee vvill come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Heere are rehersed the moste swéete frutes of kéeping the woord of God The firste frute is that the Father loueth suche as kéepe Chrystes woord For hée holdeth them right déere in his beloued Ephe. 1. How great a good thing this is it may bée vnderstood héerby that those which beléeue not in Chryst abide vnder Gods wrath according too this saying Hée that beléeueth not in the sonne the wrath of God abideth vpon him Wher as the wrath of God is there is sinne death damnation hel the tirannie of the Deuill and too bée shorte all mischéefe Contrarywise wheras is the loue of God there are the enimies ouercome there is saluation there is ioy there is life euerlasting Therefore let vs think vpon this first frute of keping Gods woord that by thinking theron wée may be kindled the more too loue the woord The seconde frute is and vve sayth hée vvill come vntoo him Than the whiche comming there can bée no greater honor If God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost come too him that kéepeth Chrystes woords vndoubtedly it foloweth that they came not too him before But that hée was in the diuels power and in the kingdome of darkenesse where death and damnation reigne It is a great frendship if a King come too his subiect it is a great honor too be visited of a mans better but vntoo this honor none other is comparable that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost come vntoo a man that loueth Chryst and kéepeth his sayings The third frute is that the Trinitie not only cōmeth too a man that kéepeth Christs sayings but also maketh his dwelling with him abydeth in him Christ méeneth by this most swéete promisse that those whiche héere Chrystes woord and kéepe it are the temples of the Trinitie in whome dwelleth the father the sonne the holy Ghost And although that all the whole church is called one church of God yet is euery seuerall Christian a seuerall temple of the holy Ghost Behold how princely a promisse this is If any body should promisse a miserable man a great treasure of gold he should haue good cause too be mery and reioyce that of a poor and wretched creature he should become a riche and happie man But héere is promised a moste incomparable treasure namely the dwelling of the Trinitie in vs whiche farre surmounteth all the treasures of the world But what dooth the Father when hée dwelleth in a man what dooth the sonne what dooth the holy ghoste The father with his might shéeldeth and defendeth the men in whom he dwelleth ageinst the rage of sathan wheras sathā executeth ful power vppon all beléeuers The sonne with his wisdome and light teacheth and lighteneth them ageinst all mistes of all maner of darknes The holy ghost with his holinesse sāctifieth consecrateth anoynteth them too bée the Prophets Kings Préests and saincts of the Lord. Too be Prophets bicause we sée those things with the eyes of our faith which no bodily eare is able too conceiue Of this Propheticall office speaketh Ioel according as Luke also maketh mēcion Act. 2. Too be Kings partly bicause we are made the childrē of God by the victorie of Christ and also bicause that by the power of Christ we reigne ouer death and hel Lu. 22. I appoynt vntoo you a kingdome like as my father hath appoynted vntoo me Too bée préestes bicause when wée beléeue in Chryst wée haue aucthoritie too offer vntoo GOD the sacrifice of prayse wée haue libertie too cal vpon God through Iesus Christ our only mediator and high préest wée haue aucthoritie too teach Gods woord Howbéeit euery man according too the maner of his calling And too bée saincts bicause that through Faith in Christ wée are accoūted as pure as if wée had fulfilled y e law to the vttermost Behold what a nūber of frutes the keping louing of Chrysts woord bringeth with it There can bée no greater dignitie there can bée no greater glory there can bée no honor or worship more excellent But what shal wée lern by it To liue worthy so great honor that wée by our owne vnclennesse driue not God out of our harts but rather that wée exalt him with continual prayses in true godlinesse and sanctificatiō That so great worship ought to put vs in mind héerof Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. where he sayth thus you are a chosen generation a kingly préesthood a holy nation a people whom God claymeth proper too himselfe that yée should set foorth his woorks whoo hath called you out of darknesse intoo his woonderfull light You that in times past were no people are now the people of God you which in times past obteyned no mercy haue now obteyned mercy Héerevppon the Apostle inferreth Absteyne therfore from fleshly lustes which fight ageynst the soule and make your conuersation honest among the Heathen As many benefites of God then as wée héere of towardes vs so many spurres shall there bée to pricke vs forward too godly and holy lyfe Wherfore sith Chryste
that thou in thy life time receyuedst thy pleasure and contraryvvise Lazarus receyued paine But novve hee is comforted and thou arte punished Beyonde all this betvveene vs and you there is a greate space set so that they vvhich vvould go from hence too you cannot neyther may come from thence too vs. Then hee sayde I pray thee therefore Father sende him too my Fathers house for I haue fiue brethren for too vvarne them leaste they come also intoo this place of tormente Abraham sayde vntoo him they haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them And hee sayde Nay Father Abraham but if one come vnto thē from the dead they vvil repent Hee sayde vntoo him If they heare not Moyses and the Prophets neyther vvil they beleeue though one rose from death ageine The exposition of the Text. FRom the first sunday in Aduent hithertoo hath bin set foorth the doctrine concerning euery seuerall article of our Fayth Now in the Sundayes folowing vntoo the first Sunday in Aduent agein is intreated of Chrysts miracles and of the nature and true frutes of faith and that too this intent that the truthe of the Gospell might bée confirmed by the doctrin of miracles and that the doctrine of fayth and the frutes of the same might stirre vs vp too good woorkes Chryst teacheth of good woorkes fiue wayes For sometime he is contented with the doctrine alone as whē he sayth Bée yée merciful fal too repentance bring foorth frutes woorthy repentance And sometime he alledgeth himself for an example for his too folow as when he sayth learne of me bicause I am méeke and lowly of hart One whyle he propoundeth parables as of the good steward of the ten virgins of the séede cast intoo the groūd and such others wherof there is store in the stories of the Gospel And another while he vseth threatnings as when he sayth except your righteousnesse excéede the righteousnesse of the Scribes Pharisses yée shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Also wo bée too you Scribes Pharisies Hypocrites c. And now then he setteth foorth the rewardes and penalties with notable examples lyke as he dooth in this Gospell Too bée short the Lorde leaueth nothing vnattempted wherby he may make his disciples bent too liue honestly Now let vs come too this daies Gospel the summe wherof is that Chryst our Lord by putting foorth two examples discourageth vs from vnmercifulnesse and crueltie towards the poore and encourageth vs too pitie and too constantnesse in suffering the miseries of this life For as by the example of the rich glutton he teacheth what punishment remayneth for the vnmercifull So by the example of poore Lazarus he exhorteth too pitie and honest life in the feare of God The vse héerof therfore shal bée that the rich men which are mercylesse towards their neighbours may beholde as it were in a table what punishment they shall one day abyde if they amend not betimes And ageyne that the poore béeing godly and afflicted in this lyfe may by the example of this poore man Lazarus rayse vp themselues and patiently tarie for their deliueraunce and blissed rest yf they continue in faith vntoo their death The places bée thrée 1 The description of this Glutton with the lessons therof 2 The description of Lazarus with the comforts therof 3 The Lordes saying They haue Moyses and the Prophets ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine riche man vvhich vvas clothed in Purple and fine vvhite In this first place are foure things too bée marked which are 1. A generall rebuke of them that are cruell to the poore 2. The cause of this riche mannes damnation 3. The right vse of riches 4. The state of the wicked mennes soules after this life First therfore when this Glutton is damned in generall are all they reproued that are hard too the poore and whiche flowing in riches them selues are touched with no care of the poore of which sort there bée many in the world This rebuke perteyneth too those also that neither with their counsell nor with their substance doo helpe the ministerie of the world or the néedy members of the church Wherfore let euery man aduise himself wel and take warning by the damnation of this Glutton that he may lerne too bee wise The cause of this Gluttons damnation ar not his riches and the finenesse of his apparell and his deintie fare so they had bin measurably vsed as it appereth by the Gospel it self For poore Lazarus was taken vp intoo the riche Abrahams bosom For if riches had bin y e efficient cause of damnation Abraham also had bin damned Dauid had bin damned and so had many other kings and rich men bin damned But riches and honor and such other things may bée an occasion of damnation namely when men abuse them to the dishonor of God and the contempt of their neighbor too the maintenāce of pride superfluitie But what were the causes why this Glutton was damned Thrée horrible faults which are noted expresly in the text Of which the first was fleshly carelesnesse which had with it these euils that he repented not that he had no féeling of Gods iudgement and wrath that he was touched with no care nor regarde of his duetie For fleshly carefulnesse hath these things continually going with it An other fault for which this Glutton was damned was ryot and surfeting by which bothe mennes bodyes and myndes are ouercharged that they cannot think a whit of the matters of their saluation The third fault for which the Glutton was dāned was the disdeyning of Lazarus which thing sufficiently bewrayeth that he had no faith For wher as is true faith there can bée no crueltie towardes the poore and néedie For these thrée causes was the Glutton damned After whose example many runne daily too assured damnation which with their riches do meynteine carelessenesse surfetting and disdain of Chrysts members Wherfore if we like too be saued let vs amend betimes and let vs take héede that wée abuse not Gods gifts too our owne destruction In the third place it is to be gathered by this example on the contrary part what is the true vse of riches which true vse consisteth in these foure poynts The first is that we employ part of our substance too the mayntenaunce of the ministerie and this vse is confirmed first by the end of man For man was made too the end he should acknowledge and praise God Wherefore the goodes that he hath ought too bée imployed too this ende Secondly this vse is confirmed by the commaundement of God oftentymes repeted For God commaūdeth vs too help the church with our abilities Moreouer this vse is stablished by the examples of godly kings and other holy men who wished nothing so much as with their riches too beutifie and maintain the ministerie of the woord Ageinst this first and godly vse of riches doo many offend among whome bée First suche as conuert their
For they refused too come too this Heauenly Supper For as the swyne makes more account of the myre wherein he berayeth himselfe than of golde and precious stones euen so men that are weltered in theyr owne filthynesse shunne the goodlynesse of so great a supper In which thing thrée euylls are too bée lamented the myserie of mankynde their excéeding great vnthankfulnesse and their corrupte iudgement The miserie is that men being ouer pressed with sinfulnesse and curse do not only not goo about to wind thēselues out of so great mischéeues but also are euen delighted with the filthynesse So farre are they from séeking redresse And this is that Chryste speaketh of No man commeth too mée saue he whom my father draweth The vnthankfulnesse is that men being bidden too a frée supper that is too wit too frée deliuerance from sinne from Gods wrath from the curse of the law from hell and from the diuell too forgiuenesse of sinnes too Gods fauour too rightuousnesse too heauen too God hymselfe too liue blessedly with him for euermore doo notwithstanding refuse too come Who is able too bewaile this vnthankfulnesse sufficiently The corrupte iudgement is that men set more by transitorie goodes than by euerlasting goods by a few than by many by brittle than by durable by earthly than by heauenly by things that maynteyne this life for a small time than by things that maynteyne both soule and body in euerlasting life Is he not coūted foolish that preferreth clay before golde Yes surely most foolishe as one that can iudge nothing aright Muche more foolishe is he yea farre out of measure most foole of all that preferreth death before life sinne before rightuousnesse hell before heauen the diuell before GOD and to be bréefe innumerable euils before innumerable good things Let vs acknowledge this oure moste corrupt iudgement and let vs pray to haue our mindes reformed with newe lighte that wée may rightly vnderstand what things are good in déede and orderly desire the thyngs that wée iudge aryght of and perseuer to the ende in seekyng those things whiche wée orderly desire Now that we haue spoken thus much in general concernyng the great miserie of mankynd the excéeding vnthankfulnesse and most corrupt iudgement of men Let vs looke vppon the text which continueth the sundry maners of their excuses First it sayth And all began vvith one consent too excuse them selues That is to say the greatest parte of the world being thanklesse hild skorne of the benefite that was offered fréely The first therefore sayde I haue bought a farme and I must needes go see it I pray thee haue me excused Héer is described the first kind of men that excuse thēselues Under which kynd are all they conteyned which trusting too theyr owne power refuse too come to this royall supper Yet is not power the efficient cause of this excuse but onely an occasion in those which acknowledge not theyr power too come of God but leane vntoo theyr owne puissance that is too wit too a staffe of réede For when sinne death hell and the diuell assault mans power auayleth not for in this case the power of God only auayleth namely Chrystes Gospell which Paule defineth too bée the power of God too the saluation of euery one that beléeueth And that power and possession of landes is not the efficient cause of refusing too come too this deyntie Supper examples shew Dauid was of power and had greate lands Nero also was of power and had lands Of which twoo the first béeing bidden too the mariage came the other refused Why so bicause the one vsed his power too the glory of God the other abused it too his owne destruction For being deceiued by it he refused too come too this supper Héer therfore wée are admonished too vse our landes well that they bée not a hinderance vntoo vs for cōming too the heauenly Supper I omit examples And an other sayd I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen and I go too trie them I pray thee haue me excused Héere is described a seconde kynde of men that excuse them selues that they cannot come too this supper Under this kynde are conteyned the riche men of this worlde Why Are riches the efficient cause of this refusal No surely Abraham was rich and the glutton of whome wée herde of late was riche but Abraham was not letted by his riches For hée made more account of this Supper than of his earthly riches Contrarywyse the glutton was droonken and sotted in his riches and therfore refused too come For when riches are in euill mennes hands they are as a bayte wherby they being enticed are caught and killed Therfore Chryst sayeth they bée thornes hée auoucheth it too bée a hard matter for a rich man too bée able too enter intoo the kingdome of heauen The Philosopher Plato sayd right that riches were blind wythoute wisedome and that they are sharpe sighted when they folowe wisedome So may wée also say that riches are thornes without godlynesse and that they are roses when they folow godlynesse For the godly with their riches as it were with certaine Roses do beautifie the ministerie the cōmon weale and their owne houses Whosoeuer then hathe the riches of this worlde lette him endeuer that godlynesse and charitie maye bée the gouerners of them as wée sée it was in the holy Patriarkes and Kyngs and many other godly and holy men And the thirde sayde I haue maried a vvyfe and therefore I cannot come Héere is discribed the thirde kynde of men that refuse too come too this Supper Under which kynde are conteyned all those which béeing giuen too the pleasures of thys worlde passe not for the Gospell of Chryst. The marying of a wyfe is not of it selfe eyther euill or the cause of refusall but onely an occasion vntoo some men that mysvse the gyft of God Abraham had a wyfe and so had many godly men who notwithstandyng dyd not therfore refuse too obey the Gospell Wherfore let maried couples endeuer too haue Chryst with them and let them beware that they take not occasion of euill at that whiche is good Hythertoo wée haue herd of thrée kynds of men that excuse them selues for comming at thys Supper when they are bidden And by these wée maye vnderstande all thyngs that hynder men from harkenyng to the Gospell ¶ Of the third THe seruant returning home brought the master of the house woorde what answere they made and béeing sent foorth ageyn when he had gathered toogither a greate number of poore folke and cripples he is commaunded too compell men too come in that the house of his feast may bée filled In this compulsion is set forth vntoo vs a singular comfort For GOD not only promiseth not onely biddeth not onely commaundeth but hée also enforceth and compelleth folke to come in too his Supper But howe compelleth hée Surely many wayes Parents and housholders shall compell their houshold and by familiar nurture and awe accustome
things in order concerning well dooing First I will recite the causes whereby wée ought too bée stirred vp too do well Then will I entreat of the frutes therof and lastly of the manner of well dooing according too certeyn rules God in his law séemeth too set foorth a great reason when he sayth Loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe As if he had sayd This is one reason why wée ought too loue one an other for that maÌ„ is next neybour vntoo man Of whiche loue there is a moste goodly example set foorthe in the Samaritan whiche was so carefull and diligente ouer the man that had falne among théeues One man therfore ought too doo well by an other bycause man is neyghboure vntoo man and that in twoo respects First in respect of creation for one self same God created vs all now wée sée how greate kyndnesse ther is in manye liuing things whiche healpe and cherishe one an other wyth mutual dutyfulnesse as is too bée séene in the Storkes 2. Man is neyghbour too man in respect of likenesse For all men are made too the lykenesse of God and haue all one nature of manhood 3. Man is neyghbour too man by reason of conuersation of lyfe and humane felowship And these thrée respects of neyghbourhod are common too vs not only wyth all Chrystians but also wyth all men in the world as bothe Heathen and Iewes Howbéeit a Christian is neyghbour too a Chrystian first in respect of the mysticall body For all wée that beléeue in Chryst haue put on Chryst and wée are his members he is our head and wée liue al by one selfe same spirit of Chryste Surely this respect of neybourhod ought of dutie too stir vs vp too doo good one too another If wée thought earnestly vpoÌ„ this societie and mystical coniunction of vs al in one body then vndoutedly like as the hande playeth y e seruaunt too all the rest of our members and in likewise euery member vntoo other so wée also by reason of this mysticall coniunction in our body should séeke too doo good one to an other 2. A christian is neyghbor too a christian in respect of regeneration or new birth wherby wée are born a new y e children of God the father Therfore séeing that brothers of one womb doo serue one an others turne in this life much more becometh it vs so too doo who cal vppon God the father of vs all saying Our father which art in heauen 3. A christian is neybor too a christian in respect of oure calling For wée bée called too the vnitie of spirite in the bonde of peace Ephes. 4. 4. A Chrystian is neyghbour too a Chrystian in respect of the glorie too come For all of vs by fayth doo looke for one selfe same glorie of immortalitie where wée shalbée felowes toogither euerlastingly praysing God with one mynde Thus much concerning the causes of mutual well dooing among men But what are the ende thereof There bée foure chéefe First Gods glorie This endes should of duetie put the children of God in mynd too doo good 2. The reléefe of our néedy neyghbour whoo is our owne flesh 3. Example wherby others may hée edified and prouoked too like wel dooing 4. The reward For Chryst sayeth He that giueth a draught of water too one of my disciples in my name shall not lose his rewarde Howbéeit forasmuch as a question may bée asked concerning the maner of wel dooing I will adde somwhat also concerning the same SalomoÌ„ in the fift of the prouerbes sayth Drink the water of thyne owne wel and of the ryuers that run out of thyne owne spryng Let thy welles flowe out abrode that there may bée ryuers of waters in the stréetes but let them bée only thyne owne and not straungers wyth thée Héere he knitteth thrée things toogither Firstâ— that a man should enioy his owne goods secondely that hée shoulde bestowe part vpon others and thirdly that he should bée master of his owne goods and not lashe out all in one day Too bée shorte Gods woorde faith and charitie are the certeynest rules that can bée But of this matter more shal bée spoken when wée come too entreate of the vse of riches ¶ Of the thirde THe children of this vvorlde are vvyser in their kynde than the children of lyght This is a most gréeuous complaint that the children of this worlde are wyser in their kynde than the children of lyghte That is too wit worldely men are more carefull in getting temporall goods which perteyn onely too this presente lyfe and that continuyng but a very shorte tyme than Christians are carefull for the gettyng of heauenly goodes which shall endure for euer Surely thys blindnesse is lamentable The body is regarded and the soule is neglected Who séeth not how true this saying of Chrysts is Shew mée a husbandman that is not more carefull in gathering goodes and fynding his householde than some Christian is too get the treasures of heauen The marchaunt man sayleth the sea is in hazarde of many dangers oftentymes suffreth great losse and endureth colde and heat and that not for one houre one day or one yéere but all hys lyfe long only too scrape toogither earthly possessions But the Christen man can scarce fynde in his hart too tarrie out one houre too héere Gods woord or too bée present at the distribution of the Sacraments They spend many houres in toyes and tales but they can not fynde one houres leysure no nor scarce a minute of an houre too call vppon God and too talke with Iesus Chryst in prayer But what are the causes of this blindnesse They are chéefly twoo The one whiche is also a cause of other inconueniences is the corruption of mans nature whiche maketh a man more forewarde too euill than too good The other cause of this blyndenesse is for that earthly goodes are sensible and therefore doo moue the mynde more strongly for a good thyng mooueth not vnlesse it bée knowen Whervppon Austin wée maye loue thinges vnséene but things vnknowne wée can not loue Nowe sensible things are more known than spirituall things bycause sensible things are knowne by experience where as spirituall thynges are knowne onely by Fayth What is too bée doone then Wée muste endeuer too abound in knowledge of heauenly thinges too the intent wée maye also abound in the féeling of them And therfore Paule wisheth too the Phillippians that they maye abounde in all knowledge and vnderstanding too this ende that they maye bée pure and without offence vntoo the day of Chryste ¶ Of the fourth MAke yâ—e freends of the vvicked Mammon that vvhen yee shall haue neede they may receyue you intoo euerlasting habitations It is called the wicked Mammon or the Mammon of vnryghtuousnesse eyther for that riches are prouocations vntoo euill or bycause riches are false and deceytful For they cannot bée called the Mammon of iniquitie because they are wrongfully gotten For almesse done of goods wrongfully gotten pleaseth not God
intoo the Temple and began too caste out them that sold therin and them that bought saying vntoo them It is vvritten My house is the house of prayer but yee haue made it a denne of theeues And he taught dayly in the temple But the high preests and the Scribes and the cheefe of the people vvente aboute too destroy him but coulde not fynde vvhat too doo For all the people stacke by him and gaue him audience The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell consisteth of twoo partes wherof the one teacheth what Chryst did without the Citie Hierusalem and the other techeth what he did in the temple after he was come intoo the Citie While he was without the citie hée beewayled the miserie that was too come vppon the Citie and therwithall prophesied of the destruction of the whole citie and the people In whiche thyng he bothe shewed his affection toward all mankynde and also declared playnly how great Gods wrath is toward sinners that repent not Then entring intoo the temple he fyndeth faulte with the abuse of the Temple he driueth the byers and sellers out of the temple hée testifieth that the temple is a house of praier that it is too say a house dedicated to God and his seruice and that it is not méete too defyle this house with worldly busynesses Nowe there are as I sayde twoo partes of this Gospell one of Chrystes wéeping and of his prophecie concerning the sacking of the citie and the destruction of the whole nation And an other of Chrystes déede in the Temple But these twoo partes conteyne in them many poyntes and lessons and therefore I will speake of them seuerally one by one ¶ Of the firste parte Of this first parte there bée twoo places which are 1 Christes Prophecie ageynst the Citie Hierusalem with the circumstances therof 2 The vse of this part in our churche ¶ Of the firste IN the fyrst place doo méete many circumstances which are first Christes affection towardes mankynd 2. The prophecie it self 3. The time of the visitation 4. Wherby they might haue known the time of their visitation 5. Why they knew not the time of their visitation 6. Their punishment for neglecting their visitation 7. The delay of their visitation The first Christ beholding the Citie vvept vpon it This wéeping of Chrystes is a notable witnesse of Gods mercye towardes mankynd For our Lord béewaileth their destruction no lesse than a most pitiful father bewaileth the destruction of his own children whom he loueth as himselfe which destruction hath surely none other cause than their vnthankfulnesse towards the gospell For how could it otherwyse bée but that the sonne of God who was borne very man too this intent that he should by the offering vp of himself in sacrifyce set mankind frée from euerlasting damnation should bée gréeued at so great vnthankfulnesse of men whom he hath created to saluation from the beginning and afterward called too repentance by sending his Prophets and Apostles vntoo them The second For the dayes shall come vnto thee that thyne enimyes shal cast a banke about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and make thee euen vvith the ground and thy children vvhich are in thee Héere Chryst prophesyeth of the miserie that should come vppon Hierusalem which miserie happened vntoo them in very déede the fortith yéere after I will deuide the storie of this miserie intoo thrée partes wherof the first is an assignement of those things that happened before the destruction of the citie Hierusalem The second is a reckening vp of the euyls which the Citizens suffered in the séege And the third is a noting of y e miserie that folowed the sacking of the Citie What happened before the spoyle of the Citie Surely many things wherby God would haue called his people too repentance as Prophesies signes woonders foretokens Prophesies as this Prophesie of Chrysts wherof wee haue herd and wherof mention is made in these woords Zach. 1. And it will come too passe in that day that I shall make Hierusalem an heauy stone for al people Al that lift it vp shalbée torne and rent and all kingdomes of the earth shall bée gathered toogither ageinst it Also ther went woonders béefore A whole yéere toogither there appéered a Blasing starre ouer the Citie Hierusalem in the likenesse of a firie swoorde And warlike Chariots and horses were séene encountring toogither in the aire Signes The doore of the temple opened of it selfe in the nyght and a voyce was herd in the Temple saying Let vs remoue from hence let vs remoue from hence Foretokens A man of the common sort named Iesus cryed in the stréetes A voyce from the West a voyce from the East And the more he was chastised by the officer the more hée cryed out By these Prophesies woonders signes and foretokens did the Lord allure the Iewish people to repentance but al was to no purpose and therfore ensued most gréeuous punishment Let vs then speake of the punishment The firste daye of swéete bread began the séege and continued vntoo the eight day of September By and by after arose inward sedition in the Citie wherethrough fréendes and kinsfolke slue one an other without mercye By reason of the stinche of the carcasses of them that were dead there grew a most sore plage in so much as it was not possible too bury the dead Héerevntoo came hunger whiche was so great that the mothers did eate their owne children besides a number of other most shamefull matters which I let passe In the ciuill sedition wherein were slayne twoo thousand men the Temple was set on fire and vtterly consumed Afterwarde the foreparte of the Citie was taken of the enimie and within a while an other parte and at length all the whole Citie came intoo the hande of the enimies After the siege the vanquished people was had in so great contempt that seuen thousand of the nobilitie and chéefe personages were appoynted too the common woorkes lykâ— slaues and many wer reserued too open shewes The number of them that were slayne besides those that perished of hunger in the Citie was fourescore and seuentéene thousand As many as were vnder â—xvj yéeres olde were sold by the souldiers The honest women and maydens were rauished by the men of warre Afterward ageyne vnder Domitian there arose a newe persecution For Domitian made a serch for all that were of any kinred or allyance too Dauid or Chryste Thus muche concerning the bodily punishment that ensued the contempt of the sonne of God wherewithall was ioyned a spiritual punishment in conscience and at the end folowed eternall torment in hell The third If thou haddest knovvne yea if thou haddest euen in this day c. The time of visitatioÌ„ is that wherin God visiteth sometyme too punishe sinners and other whiles too doo good too the godly and that manye wayes Howbéeit the chéefe tyme of the visitation of Gods mercy was the tyme of
Apostles testifie These are the things in generall that are too bée considered in this Gospell Howbéeit too the intente wée may receiue the greater frute thereby I wil propound thrée places whiche I will intreate of in this Sermon 1 What maner of affection Chryste beareth towardes vs. 2 The declaration of this present miracle with the circumstances of the same 3 An Image of all Mankinde ¶ Of the first THe Euāgelist telleth a storie of a certeine yong man that was dead and caryed out too be buryed at the sight wherof our Lord was moued with compassion For when hée behilde the sorowfull moother hée conceyued a déeper thoughte There came too his remembrance the fall of mankinde the tirannie of the Deuil the greatnesse of the miseries wherwith mankind is distressed by reason of sinne He considered it was his office too ouerthrow these fortificatiōs of Sathan For he saw in this womā a paterne of mans wretchednesse whiche did put him in minde of mannes fall and of his owne office Wée may therefore gather twoo things of this place One what wée be and another what Chryst is toward vs. Wée in very déede are miserable in distresse and damned and we cannot of our owne power wrest our selues out of so greate mischéeues Chryste is God and man and came too saue that whiche was loste who in this case vttereth his affection towardes mankinde For hée is none otherwyse mynded towards vs than he was towards this widow Hée is gréeued for hir calamities and he is gréeued for ours He helpeth hir and he wil help vs also This is the very thing that the Apostle sayth writing to the Hebrues we haue a high préest that can bée sory with vs in our infirmities Yea surely hée hathe greater affection and loue towards vs than this widow hath toward hir only sonne whom shée foloweth héer wéeping too the place of his buryall For thus sayeth the Prophete Can a woman forget the Babe of hir owne wombe though shée doo forget yet wil not I forget thée But what are the causes of this vnspeakable louingnesse of Chrystes towards vs that are all too bée dawbed with the filthinesse of many wicked crimes Surely there is no desert of ours ne woorthinesse in vs. Howbéeit there bée foure causes whereby the sonne of God is moued too embrace vs with so great louingnesse The first is his fatherly kindnesse For hée created vs and therefore wée are his by righte of creation And although hée know vs too bée ful of filth and wickednesse yet notwithstāding he findeth somewhat in vs that is his namely that wée bée his creatures Thou hast mercy on all things sayeth the wise man and thou hatest none of the things that thou haste made The seconde is the woorthinesse of our creation Namely for that wée are created too the likenesse of God according too this Let vs make man after our own image and likenesse And bicause this image was for the chéefe part thereof defaced through sinne the Lord himself came too repair it ageine Which thing cometh then too passe when wée beholding him stedfastly by true faith are transformed intoo the likenesse or image of God The third is the ende too whiche wée are created For wée are created too be the temple of God glorifying God And albéeit that this Temple was then vnhalowed through sinne yet the stuffe of it was stil remayning wherof Chryst might buyld vp a new Temple The fourth is the destruction of Sathans kingdome too ouerthrow the which Chryst came intoo this world A certein hansel of this destruction was giuen in this miracle Chryste encountered oftentimes with Sathan and oftentimes didde put him too flight and at length ouercame him when hée rose ageine from death This victorie of Chrystes shall bée séene perfect in the last day whē the last of al enimies death shall bée abolished These foure causes moued oure Lorde too take flesh vpon him and to become man and in the flesh that is in the nature of mā too suffer both in soule body for mankind And although this affection of Chrystes bée oftentimes cōmended vntoo vs in the woorde of God and warranted with many miracles yea and with the obedience of the Sonne of God himself who was obediente too the father euen vnto th◠death of the crosse yet notwithstanding there be thrée things that laboure too persuade vs otherwise That is the law cōscience and the heap of miseries wherwith ▪ we be ouerwhelmed in this life For these things crye vntoo vs that wée are abiects from Chryst. The law sayeth Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the law And there is no man but hée séeth hée hathe innumerable wayes transgressed y e law Wée look vpon Eue who became subiect to the sentence of cursing for breaking of one cōmaundemēt and what shall become of vs that haue offēded God so often The sentence of this law is confirmed by the fearfulnesse of the conscience whiche is as good as a thousand witnesses as it is sayed in the Prouerbe The conscience is a thousand witnesses Héeruntoo perteyneth this saying of the Poet As eche mannes conscience findeth him so feeles he in his hart a ioyfull hope or dreadful feare according too desert And S. Bernarde sayth The euil conscience of our sinnes is our witnesse our iudge our tormentor and our prison for it accuseth vs it iudgeth vs and it condemneth vs. What can bée more gréeuous I pray you than day night too cary suche a witnesse about vs in our brest Many béeing conuicted by the recorde of this conscience haue abridged their owne liues while they could not endure too heare hir accusing them and bearing witnesse ageinst them Too the furtherance héerof cometh the huge heape of calamities which confirme y e sentēce of the law the conscience Ageinst these .iij. moste gréeuous temptations let vs in true repentance set Christ alone He came intoo the world to take away y e curse of the law too wipe out sin too turn intoo glory al the miseries of those that beléeue in him howbéeit in such wise as al things ar doon orderly This world is a wast wildernesse frō whence wée must passe intoo our countrey The people of Israel came not by by intoo the resting place that was promised them Ioseph came not too so great dignitie in Egipt without imprisonment before Christ entred not into his glory till he had bin first crucified dead buried Wherfore it behoueth vs also to enter into glory by the crosse For thus sayth Paule If we suffer with him we shall reigne w t him also He y t shunneth the encounter looketh for y e garland in vain No mā shal be crouned saith the Apostle but he that contendeth lawfully The same sayth we are made safe by hope Therfore ageinst the cursse of the law let vs set Christ who became accursed for vs. Ageinst our conscience
the causes according as I promised in the thirde place whiche surely are many The first is Gods commaundement For the first table requireth humilitie too Godward and all the seconde table requireth humblenesse to manward The second is the example of Chryst. Wherupon Paule in the second chapter too the Philippiās Let the same minde bée in you which was in Iesus Chryst who béeing God tooke the shape of a seruant vpon him The thirde is the consideration of thy selfe what thou warte before thy birth what thou arte from thy birth too thy deathe and what thou shalt bée after this life Thou warte séed and bloud in thy mothers wombe now thou art in a wildernesse of miseries during this life and in the ende thou shalte bée woormes meate The fourth is that thy goodes and good giftes if thou haue any are not thine own but Gods bestowed vpon thée too doo good with vntoo others Therfore if thou bée eyther proude of them or abuse them thou muste stande in feare of horrible punishement The fifth is too think that God is able too take away what giftes soeuer thou haste if thou abuse them and yéeld not the praise too him alone The sixt is that many which séeme too haue lesse gifts than thou doo oftentimes imploye their laboure more too the profite of the common weale and the Churche than thou doost For as God is the strength of bread so is he the power wherby any thing is made acceptable too himselfe And these are the sixe causes which béeing knit toogither make true humilitie the which is hindered by twoo mischéeues strife and vainglory Wherfore Paule in the second too the Philippians sayeth Doo nothing of strife or vaineglorie but through humilitie let euery man estéeme other better than himself For as for those whiche haue a delighte in striuing like as they bée destitute of charitie so are they also voyde of true humilitie and vaineglorie fighteth ful butte ageinste humilitie Thus haue wée what humilitie is of howe manye sortes it is and what causes it hath Now foloweth that whiche I promised too speake of in the fourth place of the rewarde and naturall fruites of the same Hée that is humble shall receiue thrée fruites the first before God the seconde before men the third in himselfe Firste before God the frute is that hée whiche is rightly humble hath God dwelling in him Whereuppon Esay 57. I dwell highe aboue and in the Sanctuarie with him also that is of a contrite humble spirite And in the .66 Whome shall I regarde Euen him that is poore and of a lowly troubled spirite and standeth in awe of my woords Luke the second GOD exalteth the lowly 1. Peter 5. God resisteth the proude and giueth grace too the lowly Before men the lowlye person receyueth this frute Euen as the proude body is disdeyned of al men euen so he that is lowly in déede is honored of all men and an honeste name and report foloweth him In himselfe the lowly person findeth these moste swéete frutes First humilitie or lowlinesse is the mother of chastitie pacience Secondly it is the way vntoo wisdome Prouerbs 11. Where as is lowlinesse there is wisdome Thirdly it is the kéeper of fayth and of the feare of God Fourthly it is the furtherance of inuocation and after a sorte procureth too bée hearde of the Lorde Psalme 101. The Lord looked down vpon the prayer of the lowly Fifthly glorie accompanieth lowlynesse Math. v. Blissed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Mat. 24. He that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Prouerbes 29. The lowly person shall come too woorship not for that lowlynesse deserueth these things but bycause these things fall vntoo the lowly through the lowlynesse of Christ. To whom bée glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .xviij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. xxij WHEN the Pharisies had heard that Iesus did put the Saducees too sylence they came toogither and one of them vvhich vvas a doctor of lavv asked him a question tempting him and saying Maister vvhiche is the greatest commaundement in the lavv Iesus said vntoo him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy hart and vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy minde This is the first and greatest commaundement And the seconde is like vntoo it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In these tvvo commaundementes hang all the lavv and the Prophets VVhyle the Pharisies vvere gathered toogyther Iesus asked them saying VVhat thinke yee of Chryst vvhose sonne is he They saide vntoo him The sonne of Dauid He said vnto them Hovv then dooth Dauid in spirite call him Lord saying The Lord sayde vntoo my Lord sit thou on my right hande tyll I make thine enimies thy footstoole If Dauid then call him Lord hovv is he then his sonne And no man vvas able too ansvvere him any thing neither durst any man from that day foorth aske him any mo questions The exposition of the text THis Gospel conteineth a summe of the christen doctrine that is too wit the doctrine of the lawe and of the Gospel A Pharisie propoundeth a question concerning the lawe and Chryst ageine an other concerning the Gospell but for a sundrie purpose For the Pharisie asketh a question concerning the lawe too the intent too tempt Chryst and too picke a quarell too him But Chryst demaunded of him concerning the Gospell too the intent too bring the miswéening Iewes and Pharisies vntoo the true knowledge of the law the gospel For they bicause they thought y t men wer iustified by the déedes of y e law despised the Gospell supposing there was no néede of any other doctrine too the attaynment too saluation than the doctrine of the law whose error Chryst confuteth Sée héer the goodnesse of Chryst. Although the Pharisies aske the question vppon malice yet notwithstanding Christ answereth them according too his owne office and teacheth an absolute doctrine concerning the lawe and the Gospell Therfore the summe of this Gospell is that Christe contriueth all the lawe and the Prophets intoo these two poyntes which are the loue of God and the loue of our neybour Afterward he enquireth of the Messias that is too wit of himselfe too the intent he might shew what one he was namely God and man who was too this end promised too the fathers that he should destroy the woorkes of the diuell and that all kinreds of the earth myght bée blissed in him who becomming our préest should pacifie Gods wrath by paying our raunsome for vs. The places are thrée 1 Of the Saducées whose mouthes our Lord stopped 2 The question concerning the summe of the Law and a rule how too serue God 3 The question concerning the Messias ¶ Of the firste THe Pharisies hearing that hee had put the Saducees too silence assembled toogither c. Albéeit that the Pharisies and Saducées were of a sundry religion one from another and defended contrary
in the wedding garment ¶ Of the third MAny are called and fevv chosen This saying of Chryste conteyneth twoo things that is too witte a setting foorth of the mercy and goodnesse of GOD who calleth all men too his sonnes mariage Neither is it too bée thought that hée calleth any whoÌ„ hée would not haue too bée at his sonnes wedding and a complaint ageinste the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of tâ—â— world Many sayth hée are called For the Bridegroom commaunded his Apostles too go foorth intoo all the whole world and too call men too this mariage as hée sayd afore Cal too the mariage whosoeuer yée finde But fevv are chosen That is few haue the wedding garmeÌ„t For such are chosen as are sorted out from others and are excellente aboue others Therfore Peter saith that Christians are chosen too sanctification of spirit that is too wit that they should bée holy in spirit Uerely GOD will haue all men saued as Paule teacheth and this parable sheweth yea and Chrystes owne woords witnesse Math. xj Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you Let vs set this saying ageinst all the enimies of Gods grace Therefore if thou looke too Godwarde Gods will is that all men shoulde bée saued and come too the knoweledge of the truthe and hée calleth all men without exception too the mariage of hys Sonne But if thou looke vntoo menwarde fewe are chosen that is too saye fewe when they heare the Gospell doo receiue it by fayth and become holy in spirite Wherefore the cause of damnation is not in GOD but it is too bée sought for in our selues How often sayth Chryste would I haue gathered thy Children toogither and thou wouldest not Beholde thou hast héere twoo things Chryste would and Ierusalem would not Therfore by this saying wée are warned that it is not inough too hear the Gospel but wée must also obey the Gospell For as Peter sayeth it is therefore preached that wée should bée mortified as towarde the fleshe and too liue after the spirite Thus muche concerning this dayes Gospel wherby wée may lerne that God hathe not created vs too damnation but too blisfulnesse and that hée hathe fréely prepared all things that perteine vntoo true blissednesse And ageine that those which are damned are damned through their owne fault as which would not obey the Gospel Wherfore if we haue regarde of our soulehelth let vs put on the wedding garment and let vs minde true holinesse through Iesus Chryste oure Lord Too whom with the Father and the holie Ghoste bée honour for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Iohn iiij THere vvas a certein ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capernaum Assoone as the same hearde that Iesus vvas come out of Ievvrie intoo Galilee hee vvent vntoo him and besought him that hee vvoulde come dovvne and heale his Sonne For hee vvas euen at the point of death Then sayde Iesus vntoo him except yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleeue The ruler sayde vntoo him Sir come dovvne or euer that my Sonne die Iesus sayeth vntoo him Go thy vvay thy Sonne lyueth The man beleeued the vvoorde that Iesus hadde spoken vntoo him And hee vvente his vvaye And as hee vvas goyng dovvne the seruauntes mette him and tolde him saying Thy Sonne liueth Then enquyred hee of them the houre vvhen hee beganne too amende And they sayde vntoo him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the Feuer lefte him So the Father knevve that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vntoo him Thy Sonne liueth and hee beleeued all his housholde This is ageine the second miracle that Iesus did vvhen he vvas come out of Ievvry intoo Galilee The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell teacheth vs whither wée ought too flée for succour in all the troubles of this lyfe that is too wit too the fountayne of all welfare and felicitie Iesus Chryst. Which thing Esay also putteth vs in minde of when he sayâ—h Yée shall drawe water out of the welles of the Sauioure Too this well wée must come not with féete but with minde not with reason but with Fayth Furthermore this Gospell sheweth howe forwarde Chryste is too helpe who sendeth away none that commeth too him without comforte For he is not otherwise affectioned towards any man than towarde this noble man this Courtyer of Herodes court whom hée not only comforted by worde but also helped by miracle The summe of this Gospell therefore is included in this saying of Ioel Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued The places are thrée 2 Of mens miseries and of the cause and remedie of the same 2 Of the rebuke wherewith Chryst rebuketh this seruant of the kings 3 The true nature and inclination of Faith ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine Ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke This sad father and his sicke sonne doo set before our eyes the miseries of this worlde which as they are the punishments of sinne so are they also as it were certein sermons of Gods iudgement whereby wée are allured too repentance like as this Courtier béeing sad for the sicknesse of his sonne féeleth his owne sinne bewayleth it Héervntoo maketh also that saying of Esay Their distresse shall bée a lerning vntoo thée Howbéeit too the intent wée may the better consider Gods goodnesse towards vs I will declare by what meanes God is woont too call vs chéefly too repentance These wayes are chéefly sixe The first He setteth foorth the doctrine of the law wherin he paynteth out our sins as in a table sheweth the blindnesse of our minde be wrayeth our douting of Gods prouidence promises and threats vttereth the vnclennesse of our affections and sheweth the stinche of the stomacke the turning away our will from God and the horrible atteinting of all our powers Agein in the second table of the law he paynteth our vnfaythfulnesse towards men and the vncleanenesse of our thoughtes so that yf there appéere any vprightnesse in our whole life before wée bée conuerted vntoo Chryste the same is no better than a cloth stayned with matter and most vnpure blud which thing Esay complayneth of in these woordes All our rightuous dooing are as a moste filthie cloute The cause why the lawe setteth this our filthinesse before vs is that wée béeing warned of their stinche should repent and departe from our moste wicked wayes The second The excesse of inward miseries which no maÌ„ is able too describe and bewayle sufficiently was neuer yet so great neither was any mannes calamitie yet so extreme but that any of vs might fall intoo the same as Ambrose godlyly admonisheth vs saying Wee eyther are now presently or heeretofore haue bin or may be in the selfe same ease that this same man was in In how great miserie was Adam who not only sawe the one of his sonnes murther his brother but also behilde the moste sorowfull fallings of
came behind him Lastly let the minde be kindled too pray by assured fayth For except a man bring stedfast faith with him he wasteth his woordes rather than praieth And it is manifest by the promises that this woman brought such a kind of faith with hir vntoo the Lord. The second The causes that may moue vs too pray are many This woman without doubt thought vppon Gods commaundement in whiche he earnestly requireth this seruice at our hands Ageine she was not ignorant of the promises Otherwise she had not come foorth too praying with so great confidence Whatsoeuer you shal aske in my name sayth Chryst my Father will giue it you Besides this she had felte the Diuels tyrannie and hir owne néedinesse whereby shée was moued too séeke helpe of him who onlye is able too helpe Also shée considered the examples Shée sawe howe Iairus had made sute vntoo the Lord for his daughters health and many other examples did she thinke vppon By these and many other causes she was stirred vp too praye Therfore let vs also bée stirred too yéeld vntoo God this seruice of Inuocation First by the commaundement of God Secondly by the promises Thirdly thinking vppon the Diuels tyrannie Fourthly by féeling our owne miserie and néedynesse and fiftly by the examples of the saincts The third Who is too bée called vppon Only God who is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste For neither Angels nor men are too bée called vpon For this is the euerlasting commaundement of God Call vppon me in the day of trouble Also Thou shalt woorship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue For too call vppon any creature it is rank Idolatrie for which the world is horribly punished bicause such Idol seruice is high blasphemie ageinst God The fourth There is good cause too demaund vpon what foundation wée may ground our selues too preace intoo Gods sight For if wée looke vppon our selues our owne confusion and shame will fray vs away from praying Ageyne the scripture sayth God héereth not the sinners Certeine it is that no man trusting vppon his owne woorthynesse is able too pray Wherfore that onely Mediator betwéene God and man Chryst Iesus is too bée sought vntoo who offereth him selfe too bée our spokesman when he sayeth Whatsoeuer you shall aske of the father in my name he shall giue it you Through the woorthinesse of him therfore haue wée accesse too God the father The fifte What is too bée prayed for Thrée kinde of things are too bée sought for by prayer and thrée kinde of things are too bée wished awaye by prayer First wée must pray that Gods glorie may bée reuerenced amongs men Secondly wée muste pray for soule health and thirdly for things necessarie too the maintenaunce of this present life And contrarywise we must wish away firste whatsoeuer hindreth Gods glory secondly whatsoeuer is ageinst our saluation and thirdly whatsoeuer is troublesome too vs in this life Let vs assure our selues wée shall obteine these things and specially those which are set in the first and second place The good things or bad things of the third kind must be praied for or wished away with condition that Gods glorie bée not diminished nor our owne saluation hindred The fourth thing that I purposed vppon concerning this woman is the healing of hir Wherin is too bée tolde what Christ sayd and did and what had happened vntoo hir What sayd Chryst Daughter bée of good comfort thy fayth hath made thée whole And in so saying he healed the woman by his diuine power What happened too the woman And the woman was made whole from that houre Héere wée haue many things First that those which beléeue are adopted Gods children according too this text Too as many as beléeued on his name he gaue power too become the sonnes of God Secondly in what sort Chryst is minded towards the afflicted Thirdly that faith obteyneth any thing of God And fourthly that Chryst sheweth héere the power of his owne Godhead vttereth his wil manifesteth his office and confirmeth the truthe of his Gospel Of these things I will speake no more bicause of the shortnesse of the time ¶ Of the second ALso in this Ruler Iairus wée haue an example of fayth Inuocation Confession and Hope Beholde there came a certeine Ruler Héer hast thou his faith and vvorshipped him Héer hast thou the fruit of faith Inuocation These two conteine confession Lorde sayth he my daughter is euen novve deceased but come and lay thy hande vppon hir and she shall liue Behold with how great hope he praieth Wée then may lerne héereby too repaire vntoo Chryst in our necessities too call vppon him by faith too confesse him and too assure our selues that wée shall obteine of him whatsoeuer is for our welfare But what dooth Chryst He foloweth him And when Iesus came intoo the house of the Ruler and sawe the minstrels and the people making a noyse he sayde Get yee hence And when the people were put foorth he sayd too the Damsel Damsel arise And the Damsel arose and the fame héereof was bruted ouer all that countrey Bicause the circumstances of this example doo almost in all poyntes agrée with the example of the woman Let the things that I haue spoken alredy concerning the woman suffise at this time ¶ Of the third WHen Chryste sayde the mayd is not dead but sleepeth they skorned him Héere let vs looke vpon thrée things First that the world not only is vnthankful towards Christ his benefactor but also laughed him too skorne And why so bicause the world is blind and therefore cannot iudge aright of Chrysts doctrine and dooing The fleshly man perceyueth not the things that are of Gods spirit Flesh hath no tast but of flesh The wisedome of the fleshe is at enmitie with God Therefore vnlesse wée will go astray and become skorners with the world let vs herken too the Gospell that our mind may bée more rightly instructed concerning Gods woorkes The second thing which wée ought héere not only too looke vppon but also too wonder at is that Chryst neuerthelesse procéedeth in his holy purpose Hée is not driuen away with neuer so great vnthankfulnesse of the world that he should forsake his Churche He beareth rule euen in the middes of his enimies The thirde thing that he teacheth to bée obserued héere is Chrysts example Therefore if wée bée skorned for our profession let vs looke vppon the sonne of God and let vs set light by these skornes which are the Diuels dizardes The malice of the world must not trouble vs but the example of gods sonne must encourage vs for he is with vs according too his promisse I will be with you vntoo the end of the world Untoo this our onely mediatour toogither with the Father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .xxv. Sunday after Trinitie The Gospell Math. xxiiij WHen yee therefore shall see the abhomination
or of God by meanes that is too wit by men that haue aucthoritie too call too any seruice in the common weale or in the Church Ageinst this example of modestie doo curious folkes offend who without calling climb vp into offices by the windowes or the roofe of the house rather than by the dore Such are they which by fréends or by large giftes hunt for spirituall promotions and that not too serue God and edifie his Church but too féede their bellies which thing commeth commonly too an ill end The sixth circumstance is of his office wherof Luke speaketh in this manner And he came intoo all the coasts about Iordan preaching the Baptim of repentance for the remission of sinnes as it is written in the booke of Esay The voice of a cryer in wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord make streight his pathes c. Wée haue Iohns office namely that he baptizeth and preacheth repentance that he may prepare the way of the Lord and poynt out Christ our Lord. And bicause he was the first minister of God that baptized by Gods commaundement he was called Baptist. And bicause he preached repentance he was called a Prophet And bicause he poynted out Chryst he was called Elias that he might come in the spirit of Elias and prepare the way of the Lord. In this mannes office doo shine many vertues as constancy stoutnesse confession tribulation defence of the truthe earnestnesse and endeuoure too enlarge Chrysts kingdome He feared not Herode he regarded not the Pharisies But he mainteined his office stoutly euen too the death The seuenth circumstance is of Chrystes record concerning Iohn Of this circumstance wryteth Mathewe in his eleuenth chapter where Iohn being cast into prison sendes two of his Disciples too Iesus too know of him whither he were the same that was too come or whither some other were too bée looked for And after Chrysts answere is immediatly put Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn What went yée out sayth he intoo the wildernesse too sée A réede How bée it for as much as this commendation of Chrysts giuen vntoo Iohn is declared in the thirde Sunday in Aduent I will say no more of it héere The eight circumstāce is of Iohns death of those things that happened about his death after his death In his death are these things the occasion of it the cause of it the kind of the death Iohns example The occasion was this Herod tooke away his brothers wife and vsed hir as his owne Bicause Iohn saw this thing too bée ageinst the law of God and the honestie of nature he sayd too Herod It is not lawful for thée too haue thy brothers wife Wherwith Herod taking displeasure did cast Iohn in prison Before Iohn had doon so Herod loued him hée estéemed him as a Prophet and now and then vsed him as a counseller But assoon as Iohn began too reproue him for his incest and vncleane life Herod of his fréend became his enimie cast Iohn intoo prison as an euill dooer This example of Herodes is folowed of many nowe a dayes They make muche of Gods seruants as long as they displease them not and as long as they blame not their vyces But assoone as they bewray their disease by and by like mad men they lay hands vpon their Phisicians The cause of his death was Herods othe For when Herod at a feaste had behild the daughter of Herodias daunsing shée lyked him so well with hir daunsing that hée sware hée would giue hir whatsoeuer shée would aske euen too the one halfe of his kingdome As soone as the Damsel her◠this shée runnes too hir moother and asketh counsell of hir what shée shoulde requeste Hir moother who hated Iohn for finding fault with hir whoredom bad hir aske Iohn Baptists head whiche thing shée obteyned For out of hand a hangman was sente for too cut of Iohns head and so it was deliuered too the Damsell Thus haue wée the cause of Iohns death and the kinde of his death Behold héere at the request of a yong wenche was put too death that noble personage than the which there was not a greater among them that are borne of women according vntoo Chrystes testimonie This verely is the lot of the churche Héere wée see that Chrystes churche is gotten with blud and kept with blud This example of Iohns is too be folowed of all sincere ministers of Chryst Namely rather too choose death than too winke at mennes sinnes assuring them selues y t he which accepted Iohns blud as a moste acceptable sacrifise will also haue regard of them in the mids of the fire Too him therefore bée honor praise thanksgiuing and glory for euer and euer So bée it The Visitation of Mary ¶ The Gospel Luke j. ANd Mary arose in those dayes and vvent intoo the Mountaynes vvith haste into a Citie of Ievvrie and entred intoo the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth And it fortuned as Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary the babe sprong in hir belly And Elizabeth vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and cryed vvith a loud voyce and sayd Blissed art thou among vvomen and blissed is the frute of thy vvombe And vvhence happeneth this vntoo mee that the Mother of my Lorde shoulde come too mee For loe assoone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the babe sprang in my belly for ioy And blissed arte thou that beleeuest for those things shall bee perfourmed vvhiche vvere tolde thee from the Lorde And Mary sayde My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirite reioyseth in God my sauioure For hee hath looked on the poore degree of his handmayden For beholde from hencefoorth shall all generations call mee blissed Bicause he that is mightie hath done too mee great things and holye is his name And his mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations Hee shevveth strength vvith his arme hee scattereth them that are proud in the imagination of their harts He putteth dovvne the mightie from their seats and exalteth them of lovve degree Hee filleth the hungry vvith good things and sendeth avvay the riche emptie Hee remembreth mercie and helpeth his seruaunt Israell Euen as hee promised vntoo our Fathers Abraham and his séede for euer And Mary abode vvith hir aboute three Moneths and returned ageine too hir ovvne house The exposition of the Text. WHerfore feasts of Sainctes were appoynted in the Church is already shewed bothe at other tymes and also vppon the very daye of Iohn Baptist. The effect of the matter commeth vntoo this ende that wée may haue examples of repentaunce and of Gods mercy or too speake more at large firste that when wée are falne with them wee shoulde not dispaire of forgiuenesse but looke vp for grace repenting vs earnestly of oure sinnes after the example of the Sainctes Secondly that wée shoulde folowe their fayth according as Paule warneth commending Abrahams fayth vntoo vs. Rom. 4. And thirdly that we should endeuer
of GOD. Blissed are they vvhyche suffer persecution for ryghtuousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Blissed are ye vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsly say all maner of euyll sayings ageynst you for my sake reioyce bee glad for great is your revvard in Heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhiche vvere before you The exposition of the Text. FEastes of Sainctes were appoynted in the Churche not without right weighty causes which I wil reherse in order that we may vse the feastes of Sainctes too our owne behoofe The first cause is that the Storie of the Church may bée knowen for that is excéeding profitable For thereby wée vnderstand both the state of the Church and also what defenders what enimies the church hath had The second is that Gods benefits towards the membres of his Church may bée thought vppon Paule of a persecuter became an Apostle Peter for all that he had denied his master was receyued intoo fauor ageyne Mary Magdalen the sinner was accepted for a daughter whyle she stayed vppon Chryst by fayth At the very poynt of death Chryst offered himself too be séene of Steuen And so in euery of the Saincts are seuerall benefits of God to bée séene The third is that hauing considered these benefits of God towards the Saincts wée should giue God thanks for that he was so merciful to wretched sinners turning themselues too the Lord by true repentance as to receiue them intoo fauor and too garnish them with so many benefits and to hold them vp with his spirit in this wildernesse The fourth is that the sundry casualties of the Sainctes should be weyed and compared with the perils of our times As the godly were oppressed by the vngodly in old time So are they at this day In times past the Sainctes reioyced vnder godly gouernours and now and then ageine were faine too féele the hard yoke of Tyrantes and so doo they in these dayes also In these variable chaunces wée must harten our selues with the examples of the Sainctes The fifth is that wée should folowe the Sainctes in pacience in lyfe in seruing God in profession in stedfastnesse and in other vertues The Sainctes therefore must bée as it were examples and rules too lead our life by Gods woord requireth repentance woorshipping of God confession and pacience And the Sainctes minister vntoo vs examples of the same The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the company of the Sainctes too the intent that being at length deliuered from these distresses wée may liue blissedly for euermore with Chryst. In consideration wherof Chryst auoucheth his disciples to be blissed although they bée afflicted with sundry miseryes in this lyfe And to this purpose perteyneth this dayes Gospell concerning sundry blissednesses according as wée shal héere anon Therfore let vs declare euery blissednesse seuerally by it selfe There is but one poynt ¶ Of the blissednesse of Christs Disciples BLissed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 〈…〉 of this place is that there is no cause why they should thinke them selues vnhappie that from the bottome of their harte féel themselues in very déed too be voyd of all rightuousnesse sith this selfe same féeling of a mannes own poorenesse is the first step wherby hée mounteth vp too the chéef riches that is too saye too the kingdome of Heauen not by it selfe and of it owne nature but bicause it compelleth vs too séeke him who is the onely way intoo Heauen What manner a thing spirituall or ghostly pouertie is it may bée the easlier vnderstood by a comparison For like as the poorenesse of beggerie is not onely extréeme néedinesse but also the open profession of the same so the poorenesse of spirite is not onely the vttermoste want of heauenly riches that is too wit of rightuousnesse holinesse and innocencie but also the profession of the same want before God of whō wée desire reléefe of oure néedinesse for Chrystes sake This poorenesse then consisteth in true repentance and in crauing the riches of Heauen The Moonkes abused this place For out of it they taught that by pouertie that is too say by beggerie men merited the kingdome of heauen whereas Paule in the sixth too the Romaines sayeth plainely Eternall life is Gods gift through Iesus Chryste our Lorde If it bée a frée gifte surely it is not purchased with pouertie whiche doutlesse deserueth nothing of it owne nature but is a punishement the cause whereof is partly wastefulnesse partly slouth partly the penaltie of some sinne and partly tryalles sake as was the beggerie of Lazarus Blissed are those that mourne for they shall receyue comfort This is a woonderful Sermon He auoucheth the mourners too bée blissed whereas nothing is more ageinst blissednesse than mourning But Chrystes saying is too bée vnderstoode of the successe of the mourning and not of the time of mourning For thus sayth he bicause they shall receiue comforte that is when their mourning is at ende in this world This mourning procéedeth partly of the poornesse of spirit partly of the miseries of this present life which doo as it wer with a certeine fire boile vs trie vs as it were w t spurres quicken vs vp too craue the endlesse ioy whiche shall wipe away all teares Then is not mourning of it selfe the cause of blisfulnesse but bicause it driueth vs vnto Christ who is the author of all comfort Héervntoo therfore maketh that saying of Paule wée reioyce in tribulations bicause they woork pacience pacience trial trial hope and hope is not confounded bicause god loueth vs. Héerby it may bée easly perceiued that Chryste speaketh not of euery kinde of mourning but of the mourning y t is according to God not according to y e world Blissed are the meke for they shall receyue the inheritance of the earth The méeke are peaceable milde gentle curteous such as bridle their affections such as are easie too be entreated to forgiue wrong when they are misused and such as had leuer lose a thing than to stand in contention for it This vertue of méeknesse springeth of the true feare of God of true lowlinesse the which Chryst commendeth to those y t are his saying lerne of mée bicause I am méeke lowly of hart It is a rule y t Chrysts Disciples must be méeke The exāple of the rule is Chryst. For hée wil that we looke vpon him when we mind this vertue The Lord sayth not lerne of mée too rayse the dead to chase away diuels to walk drishod vpon the sea to fast .xl. dayes .xl. nights without sustenance but he sayth lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart This lowlynesse hathe with it brotherly louingnesse whereof the Lorde sayth By this shall all men knowe yée too be my Disciples if yée loue one another But what is promised too the méeke Blissednesse and that is for the
rightuousnesse If they reuile you sayth he wrongfully If they persecute you for hatred of the Gospell If they reporte all euill of you falsly for if they say truth you shall not bée blissed If yée suffer persecution for your sinnes yée shal not therevppon bée happie For as one sayth it is the cause and not the blud that maketh a martyr Reioyce and bee glad for great is your revvarde in heauen Reward is a recompence of obedience yéelded too GOD in persecution The Lorde méeneth not by this saying that wée merit heauen by persecution for heauen is the inheritance of his children But rather he spurreth vs forward to the sufferance of persecution by setting before vs his Fathers clemencie who promiseth a recompence for the troubles that wée endure in this life whiche recompence is founded vppon the crosse of our Lorde Iesus Chryste too whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bée honoure power and glorie for euer world without end AMEN All glorie honour thanks and prayse bee giuen too God alone The Father Sonne and holy Ghost three seuerally in one FINIS ¶ A Table too finde the Gospels conteyned in this vvoorke 1 THe firste Sunday in Aduent fol. 1. a 2 The second Sunday in Aduent 5. a 3 The third Sunday in Aduent 8. b 4 The fourthe Sundaye in Aduent 12. a 5 Christmasse day 16. a 6 Saint Stephens day 21. b 7 Sainte Iohn Euangelistes day 26. a 8 Sundaye in Christmasse weeke 29. a 9 New yeeres day 32. b 10 The Twelfth day 36. b 11 The firste Sundaye after the Epiphanie 41. a 13 The second Sunday after Epiphanie 45. b 14 The thirde Sundaye after Epiphanie 51. b 15 The fourth Sunday after Epiphanie 56. b 16 The fifthe Sundaye after Epiphanie 61. a 17 The Sunday called Septuagesima 65. a 18 The Sunday called Sexagesima 70. a 19 The Sunday called Quin quagesima or Shroue-sunday 75. a 20 The firste Sundaye in Lent 79. b 21 The seconde Sundaye in Lent 84. b 22 The thirde Sundaye in Lent 88. b 23 The fourthe Sundaye in Lent 93. b 24 The fifth Sunday in Lent commonly called passion Sunday 98. b 25 Palme Sunday 103. b 26 Maundy Thursday 106. a 27 Good Fryday 111. a 28 Easter day 124. a 29 The seconde holy daye in Easter weeke 130. a 30 The thirde holy daye in Easter weeke 135. b 31 The firste Sundaye after Easter 140. a 33 The second Sundaye after Easter 144. b 34 The thirde Sundaye after Easter 149. b 35 The fourth Sundaye after Easter 154. b 36 The fifthe Sundaye after Easter 159. b 37 The Ascention day 164. a 38 The sixth Sundaye after Easter 168. b 39 VVhitsunday or Pentecost 173. a 40 VVhitson Monday 178. a 41 VVhitson Tuesday 182. b 42 Trinitie Sunday 186. a 43 The firste Sundaye after Trinitie 191 b 44 The second Sunday after Trinitie 196. a 45 The thirde Sundaye after Trinitie 201. a 46 The fourth Sunday after Trinitie 206. a 47 The fifthe Sundaye after Trinitie 210. b 48 The sixthe Sundaye after Trinitie 215. b 49 The seuenth Sunday after Trinitie 221. b 50 The eyght Sundaye after Trinitie 226. b 51 The ninth Sundaye after Trinitie 231. a 52 The tenthe Sundaye after Trinitie 236. a 53 The eleuenth Sunday after Trinitie 241. a 54 The twelfth Sunday after Trinitie 246. b 55 The thirtenth Sunday after Trinitie 251. b 56 The fourteenth Sundaye after Trinitie 257. a 57 The fifteenth Sunday after Trinitie 262. b 58 The sixteenth Sunday after Trinitie 267. b 59 The seuenteenth Sunday after Trinitie 272. b 60 The eyghteenth Sundaye after Trinitie 278. a 61 The ninteenthe Sundaye after Trinitie 283. a 62 The twentith Sunday after Trinitie 288. a 63 The .xxj. Sundaye after Trinitie 293. b 64 The .xxij. Sundaye after Trinitie 299. a 65 The .xxiij. Sundaye after Trinitie 304. a 66 The xxiiij Sundaye after Trinitie 309. a 67 The .xxv. Sundaye after Trinitie 314. a 68 The Purification of oure Lady 318. b 69 The Annūciation of oure Lady 323. b 70 The Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist. 328. a 71 The Visitation of our Lady 332. b 72 Sainct Michaell the Archangel 337. a 73 The feaste of all Sainctes 341. b To the Reader FOrasmuche as this present woorke shall come too the hands of all men as well of the rudest vnskilfullest and vnlearnedst sorte that are vtterly ignorant of the Latin tong and of the right vnderstanding of such wordes as are taken out of the Latin intoo English for the more beautifying of our spéeche better expressing of our myndes as too the handes of the skilfull and learned sort I haue added a bréefe declaration or exposition of certein of those woordes vsed in this my Translation Wherein as I séeke and wish the furtherance of the one sort for too read and not vnderstand would doo them small pleasure so I desire the fauorable acceptation of the other sort whose helpe and ayde I gladly craue too the amendement and gentle interpreting of such faults as haue escaped either me in translating or the Stacioner in printing A ABandon too giue ouer too yéelde vp too leaue or cast vp too forsake too put intoo the hand or power of an other man too submit too an other mans will or vse Absurditie a thing clean contrary or at least wise irksom too reason suche a thing as it gréeueth a man too héere it irksomnesse fondnesse Accessorie that which commeth from elsewhere an appurtenance that is not properly or peculiarly belonging too a thing that which naturally is no parte or member of a thing and yet goeth with it in such wise as it may at all times bée separated from it without impayring the former condition estate and nature of it An accident or extraordinarie Administration the manner of disposing and ordering of things as well in small matters as in gouernement and great affaires Admiration woonderment or maruelling at a thing high commendation and prayse giuen too any thing reioycement or delight in a thing Admonition admonishment warning inkling foretelling of any thing Aduocate a spokesman a counseller such a one as by his aduise and trauell aydeth and comforteth a man in his néede Affected mynded disposed inclined affectioned Aggrauate too make heynous too set out too the vttermoste too burthen a man with a thing too lay sore too ones charge Allegorie is a Sentence or Oration importing in it a méening diuers or straunge from the common sense of the woords and it is as it were a continuall Metaphor Loke Metaphor Aliaunce kinred that commeth in by mariage and by a Metaphor it is the linking knitting or ioyning of folkes willes and consents toogither in any thing Apprehended too lay holde vppon a thing too take holde of a thing too catch a thing too attein too a thing Ardent feruent burning glowing hotte earnest vnfeyned Authenticall that which is of authoritie that whiche caryeth a weight estimation or maiestie substanciall effectuall aucthorized allowed B BArbarous