in them Vndoubtedly thys answere teacheth vs two thynges Fyrst ☜ that the wyll of God ought not to be learned of the dead as Moses also forbyddeth in Deuteronomye sayenge Deut. xviij Let noman serch the trouth of the deade for God abhorreth it And surely not wythout cause for he that ensercheth the trouth of deade men sheweth hymselfe not contented wyth gods worde whych is a synne agaynst the seconde commaundement Also to serche the trouth of deade men is to put other meanes thā preachers by whome God wol haue hys word knowen and spred abrode Thys thynge doth the exemple of Saule teach vs i. Reg. xxviij whych after he was caste vp of the Lorde and vtterly wycked in his harte by the helpe of a wytche raysed vp the prophete Samuell from death that is to wyt a certayne person resemblynge Samuel in voyce and vysage Secondly thys answere of Abraham teacheth vs that besyde the worde wrytten none other is to be loked for or to be herde though an angell shulde come from heauen or a goost ryse frō death to lyfe Wherfore good christen brethren and systers I exhorte in the Lordes name you that be rych to make your selues frendes of your wicked Mammon Luc. xvi that is to saye of your worldly goodes that when ye dye they may receyue you into euerlastyng tabernacles lest ye be serued as thys ryche mā was And agayne I exhorte you that be poore to haue sure faith in the Lorde and pacience in your aduersitie and pouertie And doubt ye not but at your departure out of this transitory worlde accordynge to the example of this poore Lazarus ye shal be caryed by angels into the bosome of Abraham abrahās bosome that is to say into euerlastyng lyfe in whych after the exemple of the father Abraham who is the father of al beleuynge chyldren the godly be receyued as into the bosome of the heuēly father To whom wyth the sonne and holy goost be all honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ij. sondaye after trinitie The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iij. chapter Th argument ☞ Of the syngular loue of God towardes vs and howe we ought agayne to loue one another MAruayle not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated frō death vnto lyfe bycause we loue the brethren He that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death Who so euer hateth hys brother is a mansleer And ye knowe that no mansleer hath eternall lyfe abydynge in hym Hereby perceyue we loue bycause he gaue hys lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue our lyues for the brethren But who so hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede shutteth vp hys compassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of God in hym My babes let vs not loue in worde neyther in tonge but in dede and in veritie FOr asmuch as deare brethren and systers euen from the begynnynge of the worlde it hath bene sene as the exemple of Abel wytnesseth that the godly haue suffred persecution trouble ☜ and vexation of the vngodly and wycked persons therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Ihon doth here exhorte vs to pacience in persecution and in aduersitie and that we shulde not be false harted and discouraged bycause we se we be euell and vnworthely handeled intreated of the wycked worlde And it is not without cause that saynt Ihon moueth vs to pacience for of truth it is a ryght harde thynge a mā to stāde fast in trouble and not to despayre or at leste waye not to doubte of the trouth of gods word for al that he seeth so many euell and vnhappy chaunces vnto hym on euery syde And besydes that he exhorteth vs in thys place vnto pacience he also therwythall comforteth al that be vexed troubled for trouthes sake wyth the greate benefyte and profyte whyche they haue taken through gods worde that is to wyt that they be translated frō death to lyfe and be now made the beloued sonnes of God to whych commodities and profytes al the persecutions in the world be not able to be compared Maruayle not sayeth S. Ihon though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated frome death vnto lyfe bycause we loue our brethren O what an vnspeakable solace and comforte is this my frendes vnto vs to know that we now lyue vnto God warde albeit before the worlde we be daylye mortifyed and euen kylled none otherwise thā shepe that go to the slaughter And agayne on the contrary parte what a fearful horrible thynge is it that the wycked persons whych pursue the godly be dead to god warde We be than translated frō death to lyfe Wherfore Bycause sayeth Ihon we loue oure brethren Surely my frendes the louynge of our brethren is an open declaracion token to the worlde that we be the chyldren of God For he that sayeth he hath faythe and loue towardes God and yet loueth not hys neyghbour maketh a starke lye For a good tree must nedes brynge forth good frute He then that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death that is to saye Rom. vi he is not yet rysen from death to lyfe wyth Christ vnto a new lyfe Yea saynt Ihon goeth forther and sayeth Who so euer hateth hys brother is a manslayer The law is spirituall Surely my frendes the lawe is spirituall and requyreth also the inwarde affections as Ihon doth here testifye For not only he that kylleth by layeng on of handes and violence vpon hys brother is in daunger to the law of murther but also he that pursueth hys neyghbour wyth hatred So though that he be not a murtherer and māsleer in outward dede yet in harte he is But no mansleer hath eternal lyfe abydynge in hym For loke wyth what measure we meate to other Mat. vij wyth the same shall it be measured agayne to vs. Now in the doctrine and teachynge of charitie ye shal vnderstande that it is the maner of thapostles euer to brynge vs to the exemple of Christ whereby to frame our lyfe lest we shuld inuent and deuise of our owne heades newe formes fashions of louing our brethren S. Ihon therfore doth here preuente vs and setteth forth Christ for an exemple to be folowed of vs The loue of god toward vs whych loued vs hys brethren not after a lyght and base sorte but euen wyth the peryll of his owne lyfe He wol haue vs than in lyke wyse to loue our brethren not lyghtly but so vehemently that when nede requyreth we shulde not stycke to venture our goodes yea our lyfe also for theyr sauetie welth By thys we knowe charitie that is to saye the loue of Christ towardes vs and what our loue and charitie ought to be in asmuche as he gaue his soule or lyfe for vs O what excedynge and vehemente loue was thys of Christ And shall we then shewe our selues churlysh and vnkynde agayne
the Gospell perteyneth to the conscience and therfore it teacheth not the chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth Let vs then my frendes folowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter and hys penitent harte confessynge our vnworthynes And then doubt we not but we shal be called to the greate feaste where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauenly palace of God the father To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye AMEN The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the spirituall signification of oure baptisme BRethren knowe ye not that all we whych are baptised into Iesu Christ are baptysed to dye wyth hym We are buryed then wyth him by baptysme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new lyfe For yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym euen so shall we be partakers of the resurrection knowynge thys that our olde man is crucifyed wyth hym also that the bodye of synne myghte vtterly be destroyed that henseforth we shulde not be seruaūtes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustifyed from synne Wherfore yf we be deade wyth Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue wyth hym knowynge that Christe beynge raysed from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer hym For as touchynge that he dyed he dyed concernynge synne once And as touchynge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Lykewise consyder ye also that ye are dead as touchynge synne but are alyue vnto God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule good christē people had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth that is to saye christes death and his resurrection shewing them that Christ by hys moost precious death purchased the euerlastynge remission of our synne and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs and apeased the wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym that by this his dede we be iustified ☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen now in thys epistle he teacheth vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection and setteth it before vs as an exēple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection Do ye not knowe sayeth saynt Paule what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death or to what ende ye be baptysed Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by baptisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym Such a signification and fygure hath Christes death vnto vs that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne dayly to mortifye and to slee the euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs. The significacion of baptisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water and be lyfte vp agayne it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth whych our synne deserued to euerlasting lyfe It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe the lyfe of ryghtuousnes And thys is the vertue fygure of baptysme whych yf we take not after thys purpose we do but deceyue oure selues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy sacrament let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and penaunce of your synne wherof it is a sygne Ye be ones baptysed and nede nomore to receyue the sacrament but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll that is to dye to synne to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him that is to saye synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe walke continually there in And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God euen so by the power of the same spirite shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe In whych our doynge we shall in some maner worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God For he is none of Christes that hath not hys spirite and by thys token is it knowen who is grafte in Christe and is in the state of saluation For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe but he whych walketh after the spirite Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death we shal be partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte agaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to euerlastynge lyfe it shall also rayse vs from the corporall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam that is to saye all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell
in fayth or at leste way neither hot nor colde forasmoche as he thought our Sauiour Christ could not help hys sōne except he wente home wyth hym where as in verye dede Christ was able by the only word and commaundement of hys mouth to heal hym namely sith with hys wil he created and made al thynges of nought wherfore by thys he rebuked all them that do demaunde outward signes For he wil not giue vs any signes but only the token of his death and resurrection as only sufficient for oure temporall consolation and eternal saluation knowinge as saith saynte Paule that our olde man that is our sinnes and concupiscences is crucified and deade wyth hym to the ende that we serue no more to sinne but that we shuld walke in newnes of lyffe as risen agayne wyth hym Thys is the token that is giuen vnto vs for our saluation And albeit that he of whom we speake had not such fayth vnto Iesu Christ as he ought to haue had for he demaunded hys bodyly presence as neadefull for to helpe hys sōne yet for all that by hys inestimable goodnes he shewed hymselfe vnto hym suche as he was that is to saye God whyche is not absent from any place hauyng might by hys only word to heale all maladyes and infirmities as well spirituall as corporal and sayd vnto hym Go thy waye thy sōne lyueth and he beleued hys word And in goyng dyd mete wyth hys seruaūtes the whych gaue hym witnesse of the lyfe and health of hys sonne And whan he had demaunded of them the houre of the health of hys sonne and that he knewe that at the selfe houre that Iesu Christ had spoken the worde he was healed he beleued the more and hys fayth was augmēted and he dydde not only beleue but also all hys housholde Degreis in fayth after S. Bede Wherfore my frēdes the excellent clerke Bede noteth here in thys place that in fayth ther be degrees lyke as in other vertues whych haue initiū incrementum et perfectionem that is to saye a begynnynge an increase and a perfection The faythe then of thys man had begynnynge when he asked hys sōnes health increase when he beleued Christes wordes saynge thy sonne lyueth perfection when hys seruauntes brought hym tydynges that hys sōne was hole in dede aboute what tyme he recouered O howe the worde of god is myghty and of greate power the whych destroyeth thus al syknesses principally infidelite whych is the greuoust syknes that maye be for yt is cause of death not only bodely but eternall Let vs then haue fayth and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesu Christ whych seeth all and knoweth all and whyche is in all places And wyth one onlye worde shall he gyue vs lyfe both bodely and gostly vnto the glory of the celestiall father whych healeth all and wyll heale all that be sycke by him Qui uiuit et regnat c. Amen Thepistle on the .xxij. Sondaye after Trinitie sonday The first chap. to the Philippyans Th argument ☞ Paule wishethe that the grace of god charitie myght increase in vs. BRethren we trust in our Lord Iesu Christ that he whych hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntyll the daye of Iesus Christ as it becōmethe me so to iudge of you all because I haue you in my harte forasmoche as ye al are companyons of grace with me euen in my bondes and in the defendinge and stablyshynge of the gospell For god is my record how gretly I long after you all from the very hert rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue maye increace yet more and more in knowledge and in all vnderstandinge that ye maye accepte the thyngs that are most excellēt that ye maye be pure and suche as hurte no mans concsiens vntyll the daye of Christe beyng fylled with the frute of ryghtousnes which frute cometh by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of god THe apostle saynt Paule good people doth here teach vs that we must abyde and wayte for frō God the perfection and accomplyshyng of all good workes begonne sayeng that it apperteyneth vnto hym to make an ende of the woorke that he hath begonne the whych is wtout doute the worke of fayth whych worketh by charytie For Iesu Christe sayeth in the .vj. chapter of saynt Ihon Ioh. xj Yt is the worke of God sayeth oure Lorde that ye beleue in hym that he hath sente And also Iesu Christe is called auctor of fayth Also it apperteyneth vnto God for to gyue vs perseuerance and contynuaūce in the same fayth vnto the daye of Iesu Christe as it is written in the .xxxvi. psalme The afflictions of man shal be redressed in welth by god wherby we maye lightly vnderstand that man as of hymselfe cannot do any good and that all they whych vaunte them of theyr power do erre and blaspheme agaynste God when they attribute vnto thēselfes that whych apperteyneth vnto God whose power it is when we do any good The daye of Iesu Christe is the daye of the death of euery body The day of Iesus Christe and to speke generally it is domes daye at the whych daye he shall yelde vnto euery one accordyng vnto hys fayth or infidelitie that they shal haue folowed vnto the faythfull lyfe eternall and vnto the vnfaythfull the deathe eternall And the apostle might iustly thynke of the Philippians that god wold do vnto them this grace for to make them to perseuer vnto th ende for the charite that he had vnto them the which beleue lightly al thinges that is to the honour forbycause also that themselues did reioyce when they had vnderstande that in prysonmente at Rome he defended hym after suche a sorte that it was vnto the confirmation of the gospell and the greate ioye of the same And therfore he prayed them that thys charytie towarde god and loue vnto hys worde might aboūde and increase alwayes more more in the knowlege of god and in all spirituall sense for to discerne and approue the meruelouse thynges and for to be pure and clene and without offending and rebuke at the day of our lorde Iesu Christ both particuler vniuersal al replenished with the frute of iustice which is the iustice of faith by our lord Iesu christ vnto the glory of the eternal father In this saint Paule giueth vs to vnderstand how that al begynning the endes of good workes ought to be attributed vnto God And the charytie whych one ought to haue to another when one heareth or vnderstādeth that the worde of God doth growe it augmenteth and confirmeth whych is the doctrine of the Gospell for in the same is the true science and knowlege of god and the wit of the holy ghost wherby one maye proue and assaye the better thinges whych be the welthes spirituall and heuenly The whyche graunt vs the heuenly father by our lorde Iesu Christ Amen The gospel on
to lyfe And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection he shulde coÌ„mence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apostles of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades For the flesh as Christe sayeth hymselfe is weake and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful mayster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the suÌ„me coÌ„tent of our fayth to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shal be betrayed vnto the Iues as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vnto you that I shulde be condemned Mat. xij scourged bobbed and at last nayled to the crosse And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be buryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes Christes raigne Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me But agayne after a lytle whyle that is to wyt the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse agayne ye shall verely se me how be it that shall not be longe for I must awaye to my father and begyn with hym my spirituall raygne Ephe. i. and .iiij. Lo my deare frendes with such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdoÌ„ shuld be how the coÌ„myng is to the same Assuredly the kingdoÌ„ or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thaÌ„ that Christ hath coÌ„quered the world syn death sataÌ„ hell furthermore hath taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be the most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion Psal iiij leading and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spirite of comforte Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him sayeng he shall drynke of the floude in the waye Psa cix and therefore he shall lyft vp his heade Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyngdome whych thinge they styl loked for vntyl the spirite was gyuen them whych taught them the knowlege hereof and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it and how to perseuer and continue in the same If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome and by Christ to vanquysh synne death Satan and hel we must nedes acknowlege and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour for our kinge and hyghe bishop fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth i. tim ii If we shall suffer togither with him we shall also reigne with him Seconde An exeÌ„ple of our ignorauÌ„ce we haue here good people an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in thapostles For loke how lytle they attayned the mystery of the gospell wythout the holy goost so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or soule health But harkeÌ„ your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se him agayne after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome What it is to go to the father Ps lxvij For assuredly to go to his father is nothinge elles but to fulfyll all thynges as it is declared in the .v. chapi to the Ephesians and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie saue mankynde or to speake the wordes of the prophete dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men But I praye you how do thapostles vnderstande thys They talke and conferre with themselues what meaneth that he sayeth after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayn after a whyle ye shal se me we knowe not saye they what he speketh Lo my frendes the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to the wordes that he spake albeit he had spokeÌ„ often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne naturall and carnall power syth they se here so manyfestly that the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moch conuersaunt amonges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce Thys therfore is the summe and effecte of thys place that the flesh in suche thynges as perteine to iustification can do no good onles the holy gost beyng communitate by the word be receiued and had For as the prophete Ieremy recordeth Ier. xiij they shal be taught of God and not of themselues Thyrdly Christe doth preuent his apostles when he espyed them not to atteine his wordes and that they wold aske him the meanyng of the same sayeng vnto them in thys wise Of thys ye do question amonges your selues that I sayd a litle and ye shall not see me and agayne a lytle and ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lamente but the worlde shal reioyce Ye shal sorow but your sorowe shal be turned into ioye Lo how Christ tendereth his apostles he shaketh them not of for their rudenes and ignoraunce but moste gentlye instructeth them shewinge them howe his format wordes ought to be vnderstand sayenge vnto them in thys wise Ye shall wepe and be sory but why bycause ye shall see youre Lorde and mayster apprehended and takeÌ„ nayled vpon the crosse and put to death Crosse ê‘secutioÌ„ Then shall calamitie and sorow begynne and principally this shall trouble you that the world shal reioyce at your aduersitie and your maysters aduersitie And euen as Christ had spoken so it came to passe concernyng both hys owne crosse affliction and heuines also his apostles For do ye thynke yt a lytle crosse vnto hym when that he was reuiled and vpbrayded of the Iues sayeng vnto hym let God delyuer hym if he woll haue hym I omytte and passe ouer with
and also the religion of christen persones ye be ashamed of And why be ye ashamed Truly bycause ye perceyue that the ende of suche loose and vnruly lyuyng is death and what death death euerlastynge eternal dampnacion in the fyre of hel where is continuall wepynge and gnasshynge of teeth But now good people seynge ye be infraūchysed and delyuered from the bondage and consequētly from the condemnation of synne and are become the seruauntes of God ye haue your frute into sanctification that is to saye thys frute thys cōmoditie thys auauntage ye haue therby that ye be now sanctifyed and made holy and iuste persons in goddes syght and your ende shal be euerlastynge lyfe For truely so longe as ye were seruauntes to synne ye coulde loke for none other rewarde for none other stypende or wages then death Death I saye is the vndoubted stypende of synne and of beastly lyuyng But contrary wyse Deth is the wages of synne yf ye woll be folowers of ryghtuousnes and force your selues to serue God vtterly renouncynge the stynkynge seruyce of synne ye shall surely haue a farre contrarye rewarde that is to wyt euerlastynge lyfe Aug. in Enchiri capi cvi which as wryteth saint Austine is a certayne rewarde of good workes albeit the Apostle calleth it not so here but he calleth it the grace or gyfte of God Therfore herken what saynt Austine sayeth further The wordes of S Austine A stypende or wages due for the worke of a souldioure is payde and not gyuen therfore the apostle sayeth the stypende of synne is death to shewe that death is not vndeseruedlye put but due to synne But grace yf it be not frely is no grace Ye muste therfore vnderstande that euen the selfe good merytes of man be the rewardes of God vnto whych whan eternall lyfe is yelded what is rēdred but grace for grace These be saynt Austines wordes Wherfore good people let vs not thynke that we be fre from good workes by the bloud of Christ but rather cleane contrary that we be nowe bounde to good workes accordyng to saynt Pauls doctrine here whych affirmeth that yf we serue synne we shal be sure to haue the wages of synne euen euerlasting death But yf we lyue vertuously and iustly serue God we shal be sure to haue euerlastyng lyfe not as a rewarde of dutye but as a gyfte and grace of god through Iesus Christ our Lorde To whome be all glorye Amen The gospell on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ The myracle of the .vij. loues Whan there was a verye greate companye and had nothynge to eate Iesus called hys disciples to hym and sayde vnto them I haue cōpassion on the people because they haue nowe bene wyth me thre dayes and haue nothynge to eat and yf I sende them awaye fastyng to theyr owne houses they shall faynt by the waye For dyuerse of them came from farre And hys disciples answered hym where shulde a man haue breade here in the wyldernesse to satisfye these And he asked them how many looues haue ye They sayd seuen And he commaunded the people to syt downe on the grounde And he toke the seuen looues and whan he had gyuen thankes he brake and gaue to his disciples to set before them And they dyd set them before the people And they had a few smal fyshes And whan he had blessed he cōmaūded them also to be set before them And they dyd eate and were suffysed And they toke vp of the brokē meate that was lefte seuen baskettes full And they that dyd eate were aboute foure thousande And he sente them awaye IN thys gospel good christen people ye shal note that they whyche fyrst and formest do seke for the kyngdome of god and the ryghtuousnes of the same can in no wyse peryshe and dye for honger but that the grace of God doth preuente them in al thynges as we se in thys hystorye howe tenderly and buselye our Sauiour Christ prouideth for the peoples bodely sustenaūce euen before they aske it sayng I haue compassion ouer the people forasmuch as they haue bene now wyth me thre dayes and haue nothyng to eate Thys then is Christes order of fedynge fyrste to repast the soule wyth hys worde and then to releue the bodye Horatius in epist But the worldly care is contrarye accordynge to a Poetes sayenge O ciues ciues quaerēda pecunia primum est virtus post nummos That is to saye O citizens citizens fyrst seke for money and after money for vertue But Christ sayth Fyrst seke for the kyngdome of God and al these thynges shal be cast vnto you An exēple of infidelitie Secondly here is described vnto vs an exemple of infidelitie in thapostles and vnder them in all suche as woll do as they dyd here whyche leauynge gods worde forgettynge all the myracles whych Christ had done before by whyche they ought well to haue gathered that Christ myght haue fedde thys multytude wythout any vytayll at all be deceyued by the iudgement of reason whyche onely loketh vpon the thynge present and thynketh thynges only to folow of sure occasiōs only Surely whyle reason iudgeth thus it iudgeth wel before the worlde in ciuile thynges But before Christ and in his presence to cal reason into iudgement thervpon to despayre of Christes power is certaynly a point of infidelitie namely syth before God there is nothyng impossible Mat. xix And here furthermore we haue an exemple in Christe of great gentlenes and pacience The tyme of gods helpe whych reiecteth not the vnfaythfull disciples Thyrdly here is prescribed vnto vs the tyme whan Christ is wont moost of all to helpe whyche is euen then when no occasion is present but whan reason vtterly despayreth of her argumentes or coniectures So Christe in thys historye suffreth hys Apostles a lytle whyle to delude themselues wyth the argumētes of theyr owne reason that he might bringe them to the vttter denyall of themselues also that they myght learne to flee to the almyghtynes of god wherby he is able to helpe euen there where no occasion of helpynge is offered ☜ We be neuertheles here taught and admonished not to despise suche occasions of temporal lyuynge as be offered vnto vs. For Christ of hys omnipotency myght haue made bread of stones or myght haue caused foode to haue rayned downe frō heauen or yf he had wolde he myght haue fedde the people onely wyth the vertue of hys worde But Christ doth none of all these but taketh the breade and the fewe fyshes whyche by occasion was ministred vnto hym and by hys blessynge of breade maketh breade and of fyshe fyshe Fynally we be here instructed and taught that bodely foode and sustenaunce wyth all other necessaries of our lyfe commeth vnto vs by the only prouidence and blessynge of God yea euen then whan we thynke lest of it Wherfore good people accordynge to the lesson
of death not restored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne frō death sayth he to be the fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is rysē again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see psa lxxi nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iugement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe lu xxiiij He began sayeth Luke at Moses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to sondry persons at sondry tymes Math. xxviij Fyrst he sente hys angels to the sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne women that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the empty graue sauynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed that he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opēlye Ioh. xx After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus i. cor xv lu xxiiij He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut Ioh. xxi At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge i. cor xv He was sene of more thā fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you Actu i. After thys he appeared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takē vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to cōfirme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye lu xxiiij and to haue preached openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligēt for oure cōforte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe no more dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule for our synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectiō Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes victorye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any mā doubt of thys victorye i. cor xv let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be cōquered than must it folowe that sinne wherfore death was appoynted as the wages must be also destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the ruler of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiaūt resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule i. cor xv where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testament as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon Iu. xiiij out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered the lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes Col. ij He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtuousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyuered from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy i. Pet. i. bycause he hath begottē vs sayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by
the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wych hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue Ephe. ij He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartê to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê“spexit Psalm lxxxiiij The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlastynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe Eph. iiij CaptiuaÌ„ duxit captiuitatem the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vpwarde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes Luce. ii Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together Psalm lxxxiiij Misericordia et veritas obui auerunt sibi c. thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerlastynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was ones broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace Eph. iiij and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thynges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection that by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Lu. xviij let thy repentauÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth Phil. iij. our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chauÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vnto hymselfe Thus good christen people forasmuche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefytes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys resurrection rysen wyth hym by our fayth to lyfe euerlastynge beynge in full suretie of oure hope that we shall haue oure bodyes lykewyse reysed agayn from death to haue them glorifyed in immortalitie and ioyned to hys gloryouse body hauynge in the meane whyle hys holye spirite wythin our hartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlasting inheritaunce by whose assistence we be replenyshed wyth all ryghteousnes by whose power we shall be able to subdue al our euel affections that ryse againste the pleasure of God These thynges I saye well coÌ„sydered let vs nowe in the reste of oure lyfe declare our fayth the we haue to thys moost frutefull article by conformyng vs therunto in rysynge dayly from synne to ryghtousnes and holynes of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayeth S. Peter to be escaped and delyuered from the fylthynes of the worlde thorough the knolege of the Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christe yf we be entangled agayne therwyth be ouercome agayne ij pet ij it had bene better sayeth he neuer to haue knowen the waye of ryghteousnes than after it is knowen and receyued to torne backewarde agayne from the holy coÌ„maundemente of God gyuen vnto vs. For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs wher it is sayd ☜ the dogge is retorned to hys vomyte agayn and the sowe that was washed to her wallowynge in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beynge thus so clerely and frelye washed from oure synne to retorne to the fylthynes therof agayne What a foly were it thus endowed wyth ryghtousnes to lose it agayne What madnes were it to lose the enherytaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transytory pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndnes shulde it be where our Sauiour Christ of hys mercy is come to vs to dwell wythin vs as our geste to dryue hym from vs and to expell hym violentlye out of our soules in stede of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receyue the vngracyouse spirite of the deuyl the autor of al naughtynes and myschefe How can we fynde in our hartes to shewe such extreme vnkyndnes to Christ which hath now so gently called vs to mercy offered hymselfe vnto vs and he now entered wythin vs. Yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy goost nowe receyued in thys holy sacrament for where one is there is God al hole in maiestie together with al his power wysdoÌ„ goodnes feare not I saye the dauÌ„ger peryl of so traytorous a defiance Good christeÌ„ brethreÌ„ systers aduyse your selfe coÌ„syder the dignitie that ye be now set in Let not foly lose the thynge that grace hath so preciously offered
that preciouse perle that Christe speaketh of in the Gospell of Matheu where he sayth mat xiij that the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a marchaunt man sekynge goodly perles which whaÌ„ he founde one precious perle went and solde al that he had bought it Nowe thoughe thys thynge be playne ynoughe and apparaunt yet wyth your pacience I wyll declare vnto you what the moost excellente doctoure of the churche saynte Hierome wryteth vpon thys place The wordes of saint Hierom Surely sayeth saynte Hierome there is one perle moost precious of all that is to wit the knowlege of oure Sauioure and the mystery of his passion and resurrection whiche whan a marchaunte man hath founde as saynt Paule the Apostle dyd he despyseth all the mysteries of the lawe prophetes his olde obseruauncies wherin he lyued without reproche yea and he regardeth them no better thaÌ„ the parynges of hys nayles or chyppes to thintent to wynne Christe vnto hym Thys Christe as Ihon baptist witnesseth is the lambe of God which taketh awaye the synne of the worlde Ioh. i. Where as before his commynge we were as shepe wandering wythout a sheperde but nowe by fayth we be conuerted vnto oure sheperde which is the onely good shepherde and vnto the byshop of our soules which is eternall alwayes mediatoure and intercessoure for vs alwayes presentyng and offerynge hymselfe for vs. Let vs than good people follow his coÌ„uersation Let vs beare paciently al thingê for the loue of hym which hath suffred so many tribulations and extreme paynes for vs. Let vs not synne wyllingly Let vs not speake any vntrouthe fraude dissimulation and lyes Let vs not curse if any say euyl of vs. Let vs not threaten if any do greue vs. Let vs giue vp all vengeaunce vnto God Let vs remembre the good whiche he hath done vs by his glorious passion that we maye be deade with him as to him and mortified by his spirite as to vs. Let vs liue no more in beastly wise to our selues but in most clenly sorte to him which is our iustice for we be the shepe which he hath conuerted from wandering forthe of the right path from errour infidelitie vnto fayth He is our shepherd let vs worthely folow him vnto the pasture of life He is our bishop our mediatour our intercessour our oblacion And how do we feare that we shulde not be exalted to his glorye Let vs haue this faith that none is refused which foloweth hym mekely and paciently Who so euer hath thys fayth can not peryshe yea there was neuer so great a sinner but that this mediatour raunsomer hath satisfied from him if being truly conuerted and penitent for his synnes he be garnished and cladde with this frutefull fayth and brenning charitie and hope in him which is our only sauiour redemer To whom with the euerlasting father of heauen holy goost be glory without ende in secula seculorum Amen The Gospel on the second sonday after Ester day The .x. chapter of Ihon. Targument ☞ Christe is the true shepherde IEsus said to his disciples I am the good shepeherde A good shepherde giueth his life for hys shepe An hyred seruaunt and he whyche is not the shepherd neyther the shepe are his owne seeth the wolf come and leueth the shepe and fleeth and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe The hired seruauÌ„t fleeth because he is an hyred seruaunt and careth not for the shepe I am the good shepeherd and knowe my shepe and I am knowen of myne As my father knoweth me euen so know I also my father And I geue my lyfe for the shepe and other shepe I haue whych are not of thys fold Them also muste I brynge and they shall heare my voyse and there shall be one folde and one shepeherde IN this Gospel good people our Lord doth shew vs that he is the true and right shepherd And it is good reason for he only hath giuen himselfe vnto the death and hath quyckened all hys shepe He alonly doth nourish with his doctrine all his shepe with the fode of euerlastinge life Yf the wolfe doth come that is the greate deuell of hell or any of hys members he neuer forsaketh his shepe but doth defende and delyuer them from the force and myghte of the enemye for he is stronge aboue all is more myghty then all And also the shepe be hys and he hath bought them with a greate pryce which is aboue all prices He doth loue them according to the price that is to say more than any thought can thinke or tonge expresse And he hath not alonly boughte them agayne but he hathe made them and created them so that they be his owne workes and his owne shepe He surely is the shepherde by whoÌ„ al thinges bene made Wherfore naturally he caÌ„ not hate them He is no forgetfull shepherde but he is a shepherde knowing all he can forget nothinge For as the eternal father knowith al so in like maner he knoweth al. As the father eternal knowith al in giuing him al in like maner he knowith his shepe in giuing theÌ„ all For he giueth them life wisedome might Yea and suche life wisdome and might as is aboue the capacitie of the worlde For those that be accordinge to the worlde be but shadowes of them And by this wisdom which surmouÌ„teth the world his shepe know him This is the good herdinaÌ„ giuing life to al knowing al which is almighty But the hired shepherd is none such He woll not dye for his shepe He doth not giue them life Yea when the wolfe commeth he doth leue them forasmoch as they be not his owne He hath neither made them nor yet bought them againe He therfore rennyth awaye and letteth them be loste and deuoured wyth the wolfe and fynally go into euerlasting damnatioÌ„ He is vnmighty He is ignorant cleane vnlike vnto the good herdmaÌ„ Furthermore this hired shepherd hath but a lytle a particuler flocke But the good herdmaÌ„ hath a grete flocke he hath the slocke of the natioÌ„ of Israel of al other nations He hath the vniuersal flocke whyche from daye to daye he leadethe and gatheryth to gether that they may heare his swete voice hys holy doctrine whyche is the doctrine of the gospell tyll tyme that all the worlde shall be but one flocke and that there be but one herdman whyche is our Lord Iesu Christe as it is sayde here And there shal be made one shepecote and one herdman Now by this parable good frendes we be taught and enformed of the true office of Christ and wherfore he came into thys worlde Hys office whervnto he was sent of hys father was to teach vs and also to saue vs. As touchynge hys doctrine and teachynge who euer in fedynge of hys flocke was more vigilant more busy more paynfull than he was Who euer ministred to hys shepe more diligently the fode of the euangelicall
conscience For as it foloweth here in the text so is the wyll of God that with well doing ye may stoppe the mouthes of folyshe and ignorant persons whych oftentymes iuge such thinges as they vnderstand not and whych esteme the gospell and the worde of god by the maners of the gospellers whych of humayne frayltie mnay tymes do fal into fowle vices and do not esteme it by the owne proper nature Rom. i. Wheras in very dede it is the power vertue of God to the helth and saluation of al them that beleue Let vs then good christen brethern so be free and vse the libertie of the gospell that we haue it not for a cloke of maliciousnes workyng vnder the pretence of it all naughtynes accordyng to our foule lustes and desires as many gospellers and euangelicall brethren do which be in dede no gospellers but bablers no trewe brethern but false brethern no christians but antichristes and sklaūders to gods holy worde Let vs then be no feyned christians but ryght christians and seruauntes of God Let vs honoure and haue in reuerence all men Fraternitie Let vs loue fraternitie not fraternitie of monkes fryers nunnes and such other cloystered disguysed people whych vnder the cloke of fraternitie deuoured pore wydowes houses the lyuinges of other in their fratryes of whom the christen people were fowly mocked and seduced while they perswaded them that they could not do better then be of their brotherhode or fraternitie whych in dede was nothyng elles but a swarme of ydle dranes that lyued not by the swette of their face as gods commaundement wylled them but by other mens labours vnder the pretence of longe prayer but let vs loue such brotherhode and fraternitie as gods worde alloweth whych is that we shulde loue one an nother after a gentle and christian maner al lordlines and proude lokes layde downe and when we make a dyner or feast not to call the ryche whych may quyte vs agayne but our poore christen brethern and systers whych cannot acquite vs but our father in heuen shal acquite it vs. This is the fraternitie or brotherhode that Christ alloweth and that saynt Peter doth here speake of Let vs then feare God whych doth prospere our obedience and helpeth vs that we maye truly honour all men that we may loue brotherhode and gyue due honour to our kynge whych is our supreme hedde next vnder Christe none excepted neyther bishop of Rome nor other For if there were ☜ saynt Peter wold not haue passed it ouer with silence Neyther is it to be thought that Peter which was one of Christes Apostles and that of the chefest knewe not the bisshop of Romes power or his own power He agnized no such supremacie as the bishoppe of Rome doth chalenge vnto him as S. Peters successour Saint Peter byddeth vs here feare god and honour the king If the bisshop of Rome were to be honoured next God and before kynges why doth saynt Peter set the kynge nexte God Yea why doth he speake nothynge at all of the byshop of Romes authoritie So ye se good christen people that saynte Peter maketh nothynge wyth the byshoppe of Rome and yet he sayeth he is hys successour But what shulde I speake more of thys mater I doubt not but lōge ago there is none of you but regardeth the byshop of Rome none otherwyse then an other byshop in hys byshopryche ought to be regarded Let him medle with his owne flocke with vs he hath no thing a do any otherwise then one christen man hath to do with an other Let vs therfore charitably pray for him that he may execute his office in his owne diocese and not entre into other mens officies Let vs thā honour our kinge next vnto God as our supreme hedde according to S. Peters counsayle in this epistle and according to the aduise of saynt Paule in the place before alleged Let also seruauntes obey theyr maisters not only if they be good courteouse but also thoughe they be froward not doynge seruice to the eye as Paule sayth wryting to the Ephesians and as they do that go aboute to please men phe vi but as the seruaūtes of Christ doing the wyll of God from the harte with good will seruinge the Lord and not men For it is then thanke worthy sayth saynt Peter Hitherto haue I brefly declared vnto you the meanyng of this Epistle Now therfore good people if ye wol be true christians if ye woll be true feithfull persons boost not of your feyth in wordes only but declare in youre dedes and workes that ye haue the feith of Christ Shewe your beleue in such workes as thys Apostle saynt Peter doth here exhort you vnto and then shal we beleue that you haue the right belefe fayth in Iesu Christ which in whom so euer it is in can not but fructifie and brynge forth fruct euen as sede doth that is sowne in the good grounde mat xiij some an hundreth folde some syxty fold some thyrty folde And this feyth shall iustifie you and make you the chyldren of god and inheritours of his heuēly kyngdome which was prepared for you before the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen Math. xxv .. to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The .xvi. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples After a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. vij and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me for I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe Ioh. xx but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is delyuered of the chylde she remēbreth no more the anguysh for ioy that a mā is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christē people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death
trouth it is expedieÌ„t for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that coÌ„forter wyl not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyl rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgemente Of synne because they beleue not on me Of ryghtousnes because I go to my father and ye shall se me no more Of iudgemente because the prynce of thys world is iudged alredy I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto youe but ye cannot beare them away nowe Howbeit when he is com whych is the spirite of trouth he wyl leade you into al trouth He shal not speake of himselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of myne and shall shewe vnto you Why tholy goost was promysed THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good brethren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purposis sente of Christe that he myghte reuelate and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this kingdome For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde no more then is his iustice and beatitude forasmoch as the worlde bicause it is ledde with reason requireth an other kingdome an other iustice and consequently an other blesse euen such as be most agreable to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely handes Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them they flatter the worlde and they be lettes and impedimentes that the true spirituall raigne or kyngdome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene ☜ Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and heuynesse As though they shulde saye vnto hym We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some carnall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome But when the holy ghoost come he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power TheÌ„ also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost and our iugement shall appere wherby accordinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe Finally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towardes Chryst the only Sauiour when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our workes and suche lyke And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the knowlege of gods worde But now I go c. Now therfore sayth Christe I go my wey to him that sent me to thinteÌ„t I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you ye aske me not whether I go As who shulde saye yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thynges ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go syth I tolde you I must departe Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you your hartes be full of sorowe not so much bycause of my departure as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome Expediâ— vobis Howbeit I tel you the trouth it is expedient for you that I go my waye as who shulde saye your opinioÌ„ concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste departe partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what maner kyngdome my kingdome is and partly what ye ought to loke for in it I saye it is expedient and profitable for you that I departe Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde that is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death He addeth For yf I go not awaye that comforter shall not come vnto you The profyte of Christes death Lo good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father For therfore departed he out of this world bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome which neuertheles could not helpe yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome and we yet carnall we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ê‘ceiueit No more then euen at thys daye we vnderstaÌ„d it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to be befor god more vnrightuousnes finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell all whyche thinges noman shuld haue vnderstanded had not Christ sente his holy ghost Actu i. whom in this place he surely promiseth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen froÌ„ tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure Paracletus quid fit to comforte mens consciences in this world When this comforter commeth saith Christ he shal rebuke the worlde of synne of rightuousnes and of
iugemente Thre lettes Here ye se good people thre lettes or obstacles whych by thoffice of tholy ghost muste be moued awey to thintente thys spirituall kyngdome mighte be vnderstande that is to saye synne whych is not to beleue in god this thinge noman doth vnderstande by his propre nature and yet onles it be vnderstande noman can haue accesse to the kingdome of Christ The seconde is the ignoraunce of the true iustice whych pleaseth god and this also can no man take nor perform of himselfe The third is iudgement wheras we vnderstand not naturally that the deuell is iuged by the disclosing of the gospell These thre lettes and impedimentes be roted naturally in euery mans mynde whych no man can vnderstande of himselfe or take them awaye by hys owne power Wherfore to the doinge hereof is the holy gost promysed in this gospell Now for asmoch as the kingdome of Christe is heare conuersaunt amonge men which be synners and whyche of nature can do nought but synne but loue their own rightuousenes and iudge after their owne faschion of the gospell therfore the holy ghost in executinge his office doth not moue the to departe out of this worlde that thou mayste haue no occasion to synne neyther woll he that ciuile iustice or humane iudgemente shulde not be executed in thys worlde but he teacheth the truly to knowe what thynge synne is For euery man of hys owne brayne by hys owne power wytte feyneth thys or that to be synne as it hath been sufficiently proued vnder the kyngdome of the Byshoppe of Rome But when the holy gooste cometh and repryueth vs by gods worde our owne imaginacions fantasyes destroyed then we know that to be synne whyche no man iudged before to be synne So we knowe nowe that it is synne yf a mā beleue not in only Christe concernynge iustice whyche thynge before the receyuynge of the holy gooste none of vs all knewe In semblable wyse it is to be spoken of ryghtousnes and iudgement whych two thynges we vtterly cōsydered not before the openyng of the gospell wherby the holy gooste reproueth the worlde But leste ye shuld suspecte thys interpretacion to be not grounded of scripture harken howe Christe hymselfe expouneth thys thynge Of sinne The holy gooste he sayeth shall rebuke the worlde of synne Why because they beleue not sayth Christ on me Loo howe Christ expouneth hymselfe what he meaneth by synne that is to witte incredulitie or mysbeleue towardes hym whyche only thynge doth condemne men lyke as on the contrary parte the onlye belefe in Christe saueth ☞ The papistes haue wrested thys texte as they do al other to the mysbeleue of the Turkes Sarasynes and such people as be farre from vs but they oughte to remembre that in thys behalfe they do synne worse then the Turkes forasmoch as they wold be counted Christianes and yet in the meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste Of thys abhominable synne the worlde knoweth nothynge at all Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke the worlde Why because sayeth Christe I go to my father and ye shall se me no more That is to saye bicause I shall begynne my newe reigne wherin an other maner of iustice then ye ymagine must be required and shal be of valour before god Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde why bycause sayeth Christe the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy Iugemēt And he calleth iugemēt the blyndnes of mā wherby the worlde alloweth naturallye the reygne and the workes of Satan for the worlde hath a corrupt iudgement by Adams fall so that it seeth not what thinges god aloweth and what not Adhuc multa habeo But sayth Christ I haue yet many thynges to speake vnto you meanyng of his crosse and of hys glory but by reason of your weakenes and infirmytie ye are not able to beare them nowe As who shuld saye ye be yet carnall and therfore ye perceiue not the thinges that be of the spirite But whē the spirite of trouth that is the holy ghost shall come he shall leade you into all trouth The spirite shall teache you thinges spirituall He shall transforme you and of carnall persones shall make you goostly For surely because ye be yet carnall ye cānot perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection whych is to be fulfilled for your redēptions sake Here ye se playnly good people that thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditiōs but rather agaynst them For I praye you what is thys trouth that the holy ghost shall teache you Mannes traditions no not so In them is no certayntie It is Christ and hys worde that is the only trouth Wherfore he shal teache only Christ and the worde of god for this is all trouthe Chrysostom For as Chrysostome sayth the gospel conteyneth al together And the office sayeth he of a good preacher is truely to prosecute all that is in hys commission not to chaunge ☜ put to or take away any thyng But this the Bishoppes of Rome in tymes paste haue done and yet at this day do presume to do Wherfore they are no interpretours but deprauers of scripture no vicars of Christe but of the deuell They speake of their owne heddes their own inuentions and dreames wheras the holy ghost whyche here is promysed by Christe vnto vs shall speake nothyng of hymselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake that is to saye he shall speake none other worde or gospel only he shal open and declare the worde that is alredy spoken by Christ This do not the papistes for they expoūde not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hethē persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persōs and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you And al that the father of heuē hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth Ioh. iij. He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure
this was not ynough Christ vpbraydeth his apostles of theyr infidefitie For it was necessary also that they shulde beleue Christes resurrection Wherfore he vpbraydeth them of theyr infidelitie sayenge that albeit they had sene altogether yet they beleued it not and that they yet wāted thys article of resurrection What it is to beleue the resurrection of Christ What is it than to beleue the resurrection of Christ whych beareth so great a stroke and is of such importaunce that the disciples were called infideles and mysbeleuynge persones for the defaute of it Certes to beleue the resurrection of Christ is nothynge els than to beleue we haue a reconciler before God whych is Christ whych maketh vs at one wyth God the father and iustifyeth vs in hys syght For what so euer is in man of hys owne nature and byrth wythout regeneratiō is but synne and death whereby he heapeth vpon hymselfe gods vengeaunce Agayne God is the eternal iustice and clerenes whych of hys nature hateth synne Hereof it commeth that betwene God and man is perpetuall enmitie neyther can they be frendes or agre together Christe therfore beynge incarnate dyd bothe translate our synnes vpon hymselfe and drowned the wrath of the father in himselfe to reconcile vs to his father Wythout thys fayth we be the chyldren of vēgeaunce we can do no good worke that maye be acceptable to God neyther wyll God heare our prayers For thus in the .xviij. psalme it is wryttē They cryed and ther was no helper to the Lorde and he answered them not Yea the moost excellente worke wherby we thought to obtayne grace helpe comforte of God was imputed vnto vs for synne as the prophete in the .cix. psalme sayth Oratio eius in peccatum fiat Be hys prayer counted for synne for surely we can not wyth al our powers of our owne nature pacifie god We neded therfore Christe to be mediatour for vs to the father and to make vs at one wyth hym and finally to obtayne what so euer is necessary for vs. By the same Christ it behoueth vs to aske of God what so euer thynge we nede Ioh. xvi as Christ hymselfe enstructeth vs sayenge What so euer ye aske the father in my name it shal be done vnto you What soeuer we demaunde of God surely by thys Christ which hath satisfied for our synnes we must obteyne and get it For Christ is he whych layeth a garison about vs ☜ he is the defēce and bukler vnder whome we be hydden euen as the chekens be nouryshed and hydde vnder the wynges of the henne By him only our prayer is allowed before God By hym onely we be herde and get the fauoure grace of the father Thys is now to beleue vpon Christes resurrection yf as it is recited we beleue that Christ hath borne vpon hym aswell our synnes as the synnes of the hole worlde hath drowned in hymselfe the one and the other and also they re of the father wherby we be reconciled to God and made ryghtuouse before hym Now ye se your selues howe fewe christian men and wemen there be whych haue thys fayth wherby all men be delyuered from theyr synnes and be made ryghtuouse All outwarde christen men beleue not in the resurrection For they beleue not in the resurrection of Christe that theyr synnes be taken awaye also by Christe but go about to be iustifyed by theyr owne workes Thys man entreth into the cloyster is made a monke or freer she a nonne some one thynge some another that they may be delyuered from theyr synnes and yet they saye they beleue in the resurrection of Christe where theyr workes do shew cleane contrary Wherfore thys article haue the holy fathers preached and inculked specially before other For thus saynt Paule in the .xv. chapter of hys fyrste epistle to the Corinthi sayeth Yf Christ hath not rysen frō death to lyfe thā vayne is our preachynge vayne also is your fayth And a lytle after Yf Christ haue not rysen vayne is youre fayth ye be yet in your sines What maner cōsequēs is thys how do thys folowe Thus truly yf Christe rose not from death to lyfe it foloweth that synne death dyd swalowe hym vp and kylled hym After that we could not ryd our selues out of our synnes Iesus Christ toke them vpon hym to treade vnder hys fete death and hell and to be made Lorde ouer them Now yf he rose not agayne than surely he ouercame not synne but was ouercome of synne And yf he rose not agayne he redemed vs not and so we be yet in our synnes Furthermore in the tēth to the Romaynes he sayeth thus Yf thou confessest wyth thy mouth Iesus to be the Lorde and beleuest in thy harte that God hath raysed hym from death ☞ thou shalt be saued Herevnto agreeth all scripture both olde and newe But it is not yet sufficient to beleue the resurrection of Christ For al wicked persones beleue thys yea Satan doubteth not but that God suffered rose agayne ☞ But we must also beleue the summe of the resurrection and also what frute and profyte we haue taken therby that is to saye pardon of our gylt and as it were a gayle delyuerey of all our synnes that Christe passed thorough death and by it ouercame synne death yea and what so euer coulde hurt vs he trode vnder his fote and is constitute and made at the ryght hande of the father in heauen the myghty Lorde ouer syn Satan death hell and what soeuer hurteth vs and that all these thynges be done for our sake whyche thynge the wycked persons beleue not Ye se than my frēdes how much is layde in thys artycle of resurrection so that we may better wante all the reste than thys one article For what were it to beleue all the artycles as that God was borne of the virgine Mary that he dyed and was buryed yf thou doest not also beleue that he rose agayne Abac. i. And thys God meaneth in Abacuc where he sayeth I shall worke a worke in you whych no man shall beleue whan it shal be tolde And thys is the cause why Paule in al hys epistles handleth no worke or myracle of Christ so diligently as he doth the resurrection of Christ Yea he letteth passe all the workes and myracles of Christ and chefly teacheth vs the frute of it so that none of thapostles hath so paynted Christ vnto vs as Paule Actu ix Wherfore not wythout cause Christ sayd to Ananias Thys is my vessell of election to beare my name before the Hethen people and kinges and the chyldren of Israell It foloweth in the texte Go ye into the hole worlde and preach the Gospell to euery creature What shall they preach none other thynge but that Christe is rysen from death and that he hathe vaynquished and takē awaye synne and all mysery What is gospel he that beleueth thys is saued For
whan we spiritually eate hym drynke hym that is to saye when we know wherfore Christ serueth vs and so suffre hym by true fayth and charitie to entre into oure soules and to dwell wythin vs whych thynge he promyseth vs here in this gospell that he woll do in case we declare the frute of our fayth and kepe hys worde ☞ Furthermore ye shall obserue good people in thys gospell that Christe here shewed hys disciples that he must go awaye from them but yet he sayeth he woll come agayne But I praye you when commeth Christ agayne vnto vs Surely he cōmeth agayne when he sendeth hys worde and hys spirite vnto vs. For loke where the worde is and there is Christ moost presently So in an other place he sayeth Math. xxviij Lo I am wyth you euen to the ende of the world Fynally where Christ sayeth that the father is greter then he ye shall vnderstande that Christe otherwhyles speaketh as a man otherwhyles as God whyche thynge oughte diligently to be obserued of such as woll studye holy scripture For that he here sayeth My father is greater than I ye must referre it to hys humanitie But of hys diuinitie in an other place he speaketh in thys wyse Ioh. x. I and my father be one And now sayeth Christ callynge backe hys disciples to hys worde whereby they myght comforte themselues after hys departure I haue tolde you of it before hande to thintent that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue that I wolle surely come vnto you agayne Herafter woll I not speake much vnto you Prīceps mundi that is to wyt presently in person wyth mans voyce For the prince of this worlde commeth that is to saye my mortall enemy and yours Satā the deuel whych treadeth vpon my hele is at hande Gen. iij. And he calleth hym the prince of the worlde of hys effecte bycause he cōmaundeth and ruleth the worlde after hys wyll and pleasure and draweth it whether he woll as he lust hymselfe But thys prince of the worlde thys Satan sayeth Christe hath nought in me As who shulde saye albeit the prince of the world is commyng agaynst me to vtter and worke al that euer he can deuise to put me downe yet sure I am that I shall ouercome hym So he maketh hys disciples afrayed in that he telleth them that the prince of thys worlde is marchyng forwarde agaynst him but agayne he comforteth them when he sayeth he hath nought in hym And in these few wordes is expressed the pyth of the hole gospell Wherfore to cōclude of thys victory of Christ all we good christen people shal be partakers in case we beleue accordynge as in thys Gospell we be taught And consequently the holy goost who is the true and only comforter in al troubles and affliccion shal make hys mansion and abode wythin vs and put vs in mynde of all Christes wyll and pleasure to the glorye of God the father of heauen and hys only begotten sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde Qui viuit regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .x. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ How the Heythen receyued the holy goost were baptised PEter opened hys mouth and sayd Iesus commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifye that it is he whych was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quycke and deade To him gyue all the prophetes wytnes that thorowe hys name who so euer beleueth in hym shall receaue remission of synnes Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whyche herde the preachynge And they of the circumcision whyche beleued were astonnyed as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost For they herde them speake wyth tonges and magnifye God Then answered Peter can any mā forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whyche haue receyued the holy goost as well as we And he commaunded them to be baptised in the name of the Lorde The sūme of S. Peters prechīg GOod people the summe of saynt Peters sermō here is that Iesus Christ whych for hys benefytes and wonderfull vertues that he shewed amonges the Iues was crucifyed that is to wyt nayled moost vilanously to the crosse whych was the moost paynfull and cruell death that the Iues coulde ymagyne dyd notwythstandynge ryse agayne from death to lyfe and that who soeuer wol beleue in him shal be saued And he sayeth furthermore that God annoynted thys Iesus of Nazareth wyth the holy goost and wyth power Wherby he declareth hym to be the true Messias whych was promysed to the fathers and of whome the prophete Dauid spake I haue anoynted my kinge ouer Zion my holy hyl He declareth also that Christes office is to do good to all Now thys resurrection of Christ he cōfirmeth both wyth hys owne wytnesse and wyth the wytnes of all that sawe the thynge wyth theyr eyes And lest a man shulde reiecte them as parciall wytnesses bycause they were hys seruauntes and disciples he fetcheth out a moost sure recorde of scripture sayenge that all the prophetes do testifye of thys Christ Fynally lest a man woll fynde cauillacion and say they cam forth of their owne mynd vncalled to beare wytnes of thys thynge he addeth that they were commaunded and sent by God to preache to the people to testifye that it is thys same Iesus Christ which was ordeyned of God to be the iuge of the quycke deade Whych thynge is also an vndoubted artycle of our fayth To thys Christ sayeth Peter gyue all the prophetes wytnes that through hys name who so euer beleue in hym shal be saued And amonges other the prophete Esaye who wryteth of Christe in thys wyse Esa liij He only hath taken on hym our infirmitie and borne our paynes The payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and wyth hys strypes are we healed Surely we haue gone all astray lyke shepe euery one hath turned hys owne waye But through hym the Lorde hath pardoned all our synnes Lo here ye maye se playnly aswell by the wordes of saynt Peter in thys place as by thys prophet Esay how we get remission of synnes by beleuynge in Christ Thys doth also saynt Paule in many places declare namely through out hys hole epistle to the Romaynes Origene in epist ad Ro. li. iij. ca. iij. Whereupon the auncient doctoure Origene wrytynge sayth Man therfore is iustified by fayth whome the workes of the lawe do nothyng helpe to ryghtuousnes For where fayth is not which iustifyeth the beleuer althoughe a man haue workes of the lawe yet bycause they be not buylded vpon the foundacion of fayth albeit they seme to be good they can not iustifye the worker yf fayth be awaye whyche is the seale of all that be iustifyed of God Ambrose of the callynge of the gentyls
iustifienge spirite of God whych worketh by pure and lyuely fayth Wherfore good brethren systers let vs not thinke trustynge to our owne merytes and workes that we loued God fyrst and so deserued kyndnes at hys hādes For yf ye thynke so saynt Ihon reproueth you sayenge We loue God bycause he fyrst loued vs. Now yf a man sayeth he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that loueth not hys brother whome he seeth how can he loue God whom he hath not sene And thys cōmaundemēt sayeth saint Ihō we haue of God that he that loueth God must also loue hys brother But I praye you howe do we loue our brother and se so many lye in euery corner wythout comforte Yea we se Christ an hōgred Math. xxvi and we gyue hym no meate We se hym thyrstye and we gyue hym no drynke We se hym harbroughles and we take hym not in naked we cloth hym not syck and we vysite him not in prison and we come not to hym For in asmuch as we do it not to one of these our poore brethren Christ count it vndone to hym Wherfore yf we vnfaynedlye loue God let vs declare our loue wyth worthy frutes let vs loue oure brethren as we be here wylled to do Then shall we wyth confidence and full hope loke for the daye of iudgement wythout feare at whych tyme the heuenly kynge shall saye vnto vs. Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde To thys heauenly kynge the sonne of man oure Lorde and Sauiour be gyuen al glorye for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Trinitie The .xvi. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Of the ryche man and of poore Lazarus IEsus put forth a parable vnto hys disciples sayenge There was a certayne rych man whyche was clothed in purple and fyne whyte and fared deliciously euery daye And there was a certayne begger named Lazarus which laye at his gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes which fell from the rych mans borde and no man gaue vnto hym The dogges came also and lycked hys sores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also dyed and was buried And beyng in hel in tormētes he lyft vp hys eyes and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in hys bosome and he cryed and sayd father Abraham haue mercy on me and sende Lazarus that he may dyppe the typpe of hys fynger in water and coole my tonge for I am tormented in thys flame But Abraham sayd Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuest thy pleasure and cōtrary wyse Lazarus receyued payne But nowe is he cōforted and thou arte punyshed Beyonde all this betwene vs and you there is a greate space set so that they whych wolde go from hence to you can not neyther maye come from thence to vs. Then he sayd I praye the therfore father sende hym to my fathers house For I haue fyue brethrē for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormēt Abraham sayd vnto hym they haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them And he sayd naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them from the deade they wyll repente He sayd vnto hym Yf they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther wyll they beleue thoughe one rose frome death agayne GOod people thys Gospel as it is ryght comfortable to the poore godly persons so it is ryght fearfull to the vngodly rych persons The sely pore godly person is muche vexed wyth troubles and diseases in thys lyfe he lyeth otherwhyles beggynge at ryche mens gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes whych fal frō theyr tables The vngodly person lyueth all at pleasure and florysheth But se the ende of these two in theyr death The poore Lazarus is forthwyth caryed by angels into Abrahams bosome The rych man is buryed in hell What is thys to be borne vp of angels and to be layd in Abrahās bosome Surely it is nothynge els but to dye in the fayth of Abraham whose soules must nedes be in the handes of God What is it to be buryed and to lye in hell in tormentes To dye wyth an euell conscience These thynges do chaūce in death ☞ what tyme we passe out of thys worlde Albeit ye shall yet vnderstande that it was not pouertie that saued Lazarus nor the ryches that damned the rych man but it is the fayth that saueth which worketh pacience and hope and agayne it is the lacke of fayth and despisynge of the neyghboure that dāneth As longe as the rych man lyued he was so choked wyth worldlye pleasures that he coulde not se what was what but whan he was in hell and in tormentes than he lyfted vp hys eyes then he sawe Abraham afarre of and Lazarus in hys bosome Surely my frendes in death fyrst we espye our vngodlynes and damnacion Thā we se the felicitie ioye of the godly persons esa lxvj Math. xxv Thys is that worme that dyeth not whych the prophete Esaye speaketh of Thā fyrst the vnwyse virgines se that the wyse haue oyle Then it commeth to our mynde to whome we haue done good and to whome we haue done euel Then doth the lawe shewe it selfe where as the gospell is taken awaye then fyrst but to late and in vayne we seke fauoure Prou. i. Then thou rych mā thou canst speake fayre and saye Father Abraham haue mercy on me But herken o thou vngodly rych man what father Abraham shall answere the agayne Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst thy pleasure and contrary wyse thys poore Lazarus receyued payne Lo the sentence of the sharpe iudgement of God For as saynt Iames sayeth Iaco. ii Iudgemente wythout mercy shal be to them whych haue shewed no mercy Also the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes He that stoppeth hys eare at the cryenge of the poore shall also crye and not be herde Furthermore the prophete sayeth Ps xxxij For thys shall euery godly person make hys prayer vnto the in due season but in the greate water floudes they shall not come nyghe hym So good people ye se by thys parable that after thys lyfe we shall come shorte to make intercession eyther for our selues or for others For the soule of thys rych gluttō here espyenge he could nothing preuayle for hymselfe began to intreate for hys fyue brethren and desyred that Lazarus might be sent to hys fathers house for to warne them leste they also come into that place of tourmēt But what was answered vnto hym agayne They haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them as who shulde saye they haue gods worde amonges them whyche teacheth them how to eschue euerlastynge punyshmentes and how to be saued yf they wol not regard it there is no recouery
to hym and not to expresse our loue towardes him vpon our brethrē accordynge to hys commaūdement For that whych is done to them he counteth it done to hym selfe Who so euer then hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede and shutteth vp his cōpassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of god in hym As who shulde saye yf we be not beneficiall and good to our nedy and poore neyghbour it is a sure token that we loue not God and consequently that he neyther loueth vs. And in contrary wyse yf we be beneficiall and good to oure neyghboure for gods sake it is a ryght sure sygne and declaracion of our fayth towardes God and that god loueth vs Wherfore deare brethren let vs be mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the heauenly father as Christ monysheth vs Luc. vi And let vs not as Ihon sayeth here loue in worde i. tim i neyther yet in tonge but in dede and in trouth and as saynt Paule sayeth of a pure harte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned Whych thynge he calleth the ende of the cōmaundement These be the worthy frutes of fayth These frutes yf we brynge forth we declare our selues to be good trees plāted by the ryuer syde whych bryngeth forth frute in due season psal i we declare oure selues to be of the nombre of them whych S. Ihon here speaketh of that be translated from death to lyfe euerlastynge Where we shall lyue eternally wyth the father sonne and holy gost To whome be all glorye AMEN The gospell on .ij. sondaye after Trinitie The .xiiij. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christe in thys parable declareth that he is not apte to the kyngdome of heauen whych wyl ones laye hys hande to the plough loke backe to hys affections IEsus put forth a similitude to hys disciples sayenge A certayne man ordeyned a great supper and bad many and sente hys seruaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for al thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst sayd vnto hym I haue bought a farme and I must nedes go se it I pray the haue me excused And another sayd I haue bought fyue yooke of oxen I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And another sayde I haue maryed a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruaunt retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the good man of the house displeased and sayd to hys seruaunt Go out quyckely into the stretes and quarters of the cytie and brynge in hyther the poore and the feble and the halt and the blynde And the seruaunt sayd Lorde it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is rowme And the Lorde sayd to the seruaunt Go out vnto the hye wayes and hedges and compell them to come in that my house may be fylled For I saye vnto you that none of those men whych were bydden shall tast of my supper OVr Sauiour Christ good christen people consyderynge the vanitie of mens myndes in the worlde whych for the moost parte are wonte rather to talke of God of hys word and of the blessed state of the lyfe to come thā ernestly to appoint theyr mindes to remoue out of theyr lyfes such impedimētes as myght hynder them from God and hys worde shutte them out in cōclusion from the kyngdome of heauen declareth in thys gospell as in a proper parable the great foly of suche as so content themselfe wyth wordes only and vayne prayses and consyder no further to temper theyr lyues in suche wyse that an other daye they maye enioye in dede the euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heauen wherin they confesse so muche blysse felicitie to be as one ther was whych was syttynge at the table wyth Christe hearynge hym talke of the resurrection of the iuste sayd vnto hym Blyssed is he whych eateth bread in the kyngdome of God Christ takynge occasion of hys wordes taught both hym and all other in hym that many ther were whych could cōfesse wyth theyr mouth such to be happy that shulde be receyued there but yet in the course of theyr lyues semed not much desyrous to be partakers of that blysse howe greate so euer it be how frely so euer it be offred or howe kyndly so euer they be called ther to whose vnkyndnes and forgetfulnes of theyr owne welth and commoditie he resembled and lykened to such gestes as were gently louyngly called to a rych feaste wel aboundauntly prepared in all thynges and yet refused to come hauynge very vayne excuses for them selues whose vnkynde behauiour was reported to the feastmaker moued hym to displeasure to renounce them for theyr vnworthynes to take other to syt at hys feast Whyche although they were but of poore estimation yet bycause they were ready with great thankes to receyue the lyberalitie of the feaste maker so gently offred wythout theyr deseruynge they were admytted to sytte at hys owne table wyth hymselfe had the fruition of those delicates which the other that were fyrst called refused despysed Here is mater my frendes for vs that be Gentyles to consyder wyth great thankes to almyghty God ☜ that where as the people of the Iues were fyrst called by the seruauntes and messangers of hys word to the great supper of the ioye of heauen and they refused to come that then it pleased the father of al mercy to sende hys seruauntes to call vs to his said feast whych of al people were moost vnworthy and furdest from hym in somuch as we were wyde of all truth and lyght syttynge in moost blynde darkenes of errour and ydolatrye wanderynge in the bye pathes and croked wayes of our owne lustes and ymaginations so poore and voyde of all grace that in stede of the true God we honoured mortal men and brute beastes as our God Thus prouoked we hym fyrst these were our merytes and deseruynges vnto hym And yet pleased it hym to sende hys seruauntes to preach vs hys gospell and by the violence of so great gentylnes offered vs and earnest callynge on vs by hys Apostles we were brought into his holy house church of hys electe and there plenteously were set before vs to receyue frely the innumerable graces benefytes conteined and promysed in the worde of the gospell so that now Christ wyth al his ryghtuousnes wyth all hys iustice and holynes is frely gyuen vs to our welth and commoditie yf we wyll applye our selues by fayth and charitie to oure callynge Yf we se the want of ryghtuousnes in our selfe be anhongred therfore let vs sue vnto Christ and he shall replenysh vs therwyth Yf we be stūge wyth synne and wolde be delyuered from the daunger therof in Christe shall we fynde clere remyssion and shal be quyte discharged Yf we wante strength to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes the worlde the fleshe and
father of the sonne and the holy goost offer oure selues to beare what so euer he thynketh mete for our soule Let vs praye that we may haue fayth to stande and not be ouercomed of the temtacion of aduersitie It is no small cōforte to vs that we suffer not alone Such an vnitie consente is there betwene the members of Christes mysticall body that what one member suffreth i. co xij Heb. iiij all the resydue fele the grefe of the same beare theyr parte of the burthen And yf thys semeth not ynough all the creatures of God seme to fele our aduersitie and to suffre wyth vs and desyre and tarye for in hope theyr delyueraunce They seme to vnderstande as they be abused in the worlde that so also be the electe They se themselues created of God to the vse and necessitie of mā whom they serue with ryght good wil they se thēselfes otherwhyles sore abused in excesse riot therfore they be greued therwyth And yet though it be against theyr wylles they are styl subiecte for his sake that ordeyned them and are cōtent for his pleasure to be subiecte to mutabilitie and beare paciently the vanitie of mē in theyr abuse in hope yet ones of delyueraunce They desyre not to be aboue the dignitie of goddes deare and chosen seruauntes whom they se vnworthely dealte wythal in the worlde but beare theyr bondage and captiuitie well in worth takynge such parte as goddes moost worthye creatures do for they knowe that they shall ones be delyuered not only from theyr payne and trauayle in chaūgynge and renewynge themselues frō tyme to tyme for mans vse and commoditie in perpetuall generation and corruption but shal also be delyuered from the abuse whych the vngodly holde occupye them vniustly in A lybertie and delyueraunce they loke for in hope whych they knowe certaynly shall than chaūce to them whan they shal se the chyldren of god deliuered from theyr labours and trauayles and set in theyr glorye of ioyfull rest Thys is the delyueraunce whych all creatures sorowe and wayle dayly for and are in as feruente desyre to se thys delyueraunce as the woman whyche is in trauayle of hyr chylde longeth for the delyueraunce therof In a parable good frendes thus saynt Paule speaketh vnto you to comforte you that for some solace of your payne and aduersitie ye haue all the creatures of god suffer with you Count it not for any vayn inuentiō fayned of saynt Paule for he sayd that he knewe it to be thus in dede that al creatures do suffer parte wyth goddes electe in theyr troubles Which thinge myght we lerne and know also yf we woll consyder wyth better aduysement the thynge whych he speaketh For consyder me what doth it sygnifye to vs whan we se the wery oxe wayle and pante vnder his yooke the horse grone vnder hys burthen and the poore lambe blete whan he is drawen and dryuen to hys slaughter whā all beastes trauayle wyth payne and doloure to increase in theyr kynde whan al creatures are subiecte to such continuall alteration formed and reformed frō one fasshion to another what sygnifyeth it vnto vs but that they be partakers of such paynes as goddes seruauntes be put to They suffer and resyst not for so they se such porcion to fall to the electe of God And therfore in hope of delyueraūce they abyde what so euer the vse and necessitie of man requyreth of them or yet what soeuer abuse and tyranny mans malyce put them to And thus in theyr paynfull trauayle they continue tyll the daye come whan goddes chyldren shal be delyuered of all theyr mysery which they lōge for both for the electes sake and theyr owne also Thys desyre and carefulnes is not in vnreasonable creatures only neyther do they alone suffer such vexacion and abuse in the world to be wrongfully dealt with but we our selues sayeth saynt Paule whych haue the fyrst frutes of goddes spirite endowed wyth singuler prerogatyues aboue other of goddes householde beynge the heades and teachers of the people and made of God the vessels to receaue and kepe the moost worthy and excellent treasure of hys gospell ij co iiij we our selfe are in daunger subiecte to manyfolde aduersities in the worlde in somuch that we are as men dayly in daunger and iudged to death and are reputed as shepe euermore ready to the slaughter We se so many vnworthy thynges done in the world Ro. viii that we desyre to be out of the worlde and to be with Christ Such combraunce and greuaūce we fele in thys corruptible body that we sygh and dayly lōge to be delyuered We desyre much to haue thys tabernacle of our bodyes to be chaunged and altered that we maye be endowed wyth our heuenly house from aboue ij cor v. Now my frendes these thynges well consydered Eph. vi let vs take vpō vs the armure of God to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes Let vs paciently abyde all griefes and displeasures of thys lyfe that we maye raygne wyth Christ another daye It is no smale ioye that we be called to It is farre passynge all the passions that we can suffer here And let vs as I sayd call to mynde that we suffer not alone Christ our heade suffereth wyth vs by whose assystence we shal be able to stande And suche cōmunion and felowship is there betwene the mēbers of Christes body that what the one suffereth all other suffer wyth it Yea al the creatures of god are partakers wyth vs and in hope to be delyuered they suffer paciently No creature shulde desyre to be exempte frō trouble in thys worlde seynge Christ goddes naturall sonne was not exempt seynge goddes holy prophetes and apostles were not exempt Let vs thā cōmytte our selues into the handes of God and arme our selues wyth pacience so that we maye glorifye goddes holy name by our well doynge that an other daye we maye be taken for hys well beloued chyldren To whome be all glorye for euer and euer AMEN The Gospell on the .iiij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christian lawes be here described IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Be ye mercyful as your father also is mercyfull Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged Condempne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Gyue and it shal be gyuē vnto you good measure and pressed downe and shaken together and runnynge ouer shall men gyue into your bosomes For wyth the same measure that ye mete wythall shal other mē mete to you again And he put forth a similitude vnto them Can the blynde leade the blynde Do they not both fall into the dycke The disciple is not aboue hys mayster Euery man shall be perfyte euen as hys mayster is Why seyst thou a moate in thy brothers eye but cōsyderest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Eyther how cannest thou saye to thy
hym take thy byl and sytte downe quycklye and wryte fyftye Than sayde he to an other howe moche oweste thou And he sayde an hundrede quarters of wheate He said vnto him Take thy byl and wryte foure score And the Lorde commended the vniuste stewarde because he had done wyselye For the chyldren of thys world are in their nacion wyser then the children of lyght And I saye vnto you make you frendes of the vnryghteouse mammon that when ye shall haue neade they may receyue you into euerlastynge habitacions GOod people bycause these wordes before rehersed are so spoken in parable and are so wrapped in wrinkels that yet they seme to haue a face of a thynge done in dede and lyke an historie I thinke it much profytable to tarye somwhat in them And though we maye fynde in our hartes to beleue all that is here spoken to be true yet I doubte whether we maye abyde that these wordes of Christe shulde perteyne to vs and admonysh vs of our duetye whych lyue after suche sorte as thoughe Christe whan he spake any thynge regarded not the tyme that came after hym neyther prouided for vs or any matters of ours as some of the philosophers thought which sayd that God walketh vp and downe in heauen thynketh neuer a deale of our doynges But erre not you so stycke not you to such imaginations For yf ye inwardly behold these wordes yf ye diligently rolle them in youre myndes after vnwynde them ye shal se our tyme much touched in these mysteries Ye shall perceyue that god The parables of christ perteine to vs. by thys exemple shaketh vs by the noses and pulleth vs by the eares Ye shall perceyue very playne that God setteth before oure eyes in thys similitude what we ought moost to flee and what we ought soonest to folowe For Luke sayeth the Lorde spake these wordes to hys disciples Wherfore let it be out of doubte that he spake them to vs whyche euen as we woll be counted Christes disciples so we be yf we be good stewardes and do our dutie He said these thynges partly to vs and he spake them partly of hymselfe For he is that ryche man whych not only had but hath and shall haue euermore I say not one but many sūdry stewardes euen to th ende of the worlde He is man seinge he is God and man He is ryche not only in mercy but in all kynde of rychesse For it is he that gyueth vs all thynges abundantly It is he of whose hande we receyued both our lyues and other thinges necessarye for the conseruacion therof What man hath any thynge I praye you but he hath receyued it of hys plentyfulnes To be shorte it is he that not only gyueth vnto vs in most ample wyse hys benediccion but also openeth hys hande and fylleth al beastes wyth hys blessynge Neyther can hys treasure be spente howe muche so euer he lashe out howe muche so euer we take of hym hys treasure taryeth styll euer taken neuer spente He is also the good man of the house The church and congregacion is hys housholde whych ought wyth al diligence to be fedde not only with bodily meates but also with his worde and hys sacramentes These be hys goodes moost precious the bestowynge and mynistracion herof he wolde byshops and curates shulde haue Whych thynge saynt Paule affirmeth sayeng Let mē esteme vs as the mynisters of Christ and stewardes of goddes mysteries ii co iiij But I praye you what is to be loked for in a stewarde Thys surely that he be founde faythfull and that he truely laye out the goodes of the lorde that he gyue meate in tyme gyue it I say and not sel it meate I say and not poyson Fynally let hym not slacke and differre the doynge of hys office but let hym do his dutie when tyme is and whē nede requyreth it Thys is also to be loked for that he be one whome God hath called and put in office and not one that commeth vncalled vnsent for not one that of hymselfe presumeth to take honoure vpō hym he must I say be a steward of office not a steward at lybertie What is to be loked for Surely yf all thys that I saye be requyred in a good minister it is much lyghter to wysh them all in euery one than to fynde one any where that hath them al. Who is a true faythfull steward He is true A faythfull stewarde he is faythfull that coyneth no new money but taketh it redy coyned of the good man of the house and neither chaungeth it nor clyppeth it after it is taken to hym to spende but spendeth euen the selfe same that he had of hys lorde and spendeth it as hys lordes commaundement is neyther to hys owne auaūtage vtterynge it nor as the leude seruaunt dyd mat xxv hydyng it in the grounde Now yf a faythful steward ought to do as I haue sayd I praye you ponder thys wel whether in christendome there haue bene hytherto faythfull stewardes or no I praye you was there not some that despisynge the money of the lorde as copre not curraunt eyther coyned new themselues or els vttered abrode newlye coyned of other some tyme eyther adulteratynge the worde of God or els mynglyng it as tauerners do ☜ which brewe and vtter the euell and good both in a potte sometyme in the stede of goddes worde blowynge out the dreames of men whyle they preached to the people the redemption that cōmeth by Christes death to serue only them that dyed before hys commyng that were in the tyme of the olde testament and that nowe redempcion and forgyuenes of synnes purchased by money and deuysed of men is of efficacy and not redēption purchased by Christ Be these the faythfull stewardes of goddes mysteries and not rather fals dissipatours of them whom god neuer put in office but rather the deuel sette them ouer a myserable familie ouer an house miserably ordered entreated Happy were Christēdome yf such preached seldome And yet it is a wonder to se these in theyr generacion to be moch more prudent and politike than the faythfull ministers are in theyr generacion whyle they go aboute more prudently to stablyshe mennes dreames than they do to holde vp gods cōmaundementes Thus it cometh to passe that workes lucratyue wylworkes mennes fansyes reygne christiane workes necessary workes frutefull woorkes be troden vnder foote Thus the euell is moch better set out by euel menne than is the good by good mē because the euell be more wyse than be the good in theyr generacion These be the false stewardes whō all good and faythfull men euery daye accuse vnto the rych mayster of the household not wythout great heuynesse that they wast hys goodes whom he also one daye woll call to hym and saye vnto them as he dyd to hys steward whan he sayd what is thys that I heare of the Here God partly wondereth at
Math. vi Forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynst vs. And by these wordes sayeth saynt Austine humblynge oure soules we cease not after a maner to do dayly penaunce But it is to be feared lest many of vs playe rather the pharisees parte thynkynge our selues hyghly in gods fauour and in the meane season despysynge our neghbours whych by theyr humble submission and penitent hertes shall get vp before vs. Heauen is gyuen not to such as iustifie themselues by their owne dedes but to such as mekely and penitently call for mercy pardon and grace wherby they maye afterward worke that maye be pleasaunt in gods syght Who wol surely in heauen crowne them wyth glorye immortall To whome be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xij. sondaye after Trinitie The .ij. Epistle to the Corin. the .iij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The ministration of the gospel is here praysed BRethren such trust haue we thorow Christ to godwarde not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke any thynge as of oure selues but yf we be able vnto any thynge the same commeth of God whych hath made vs able to minister the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter kylleth but the spirite gyueth lyfe Yf the ministracion of death thorow the letters fygured in stones was glorious so that the chyldren of Israel coulde not behold the face of Moses for the glorye of hys countenaunce whych glorye is done awaye why shall not the ministracion of the spirite be much more glorious For yf the ministrynge of condemnation be glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghtuousnes excede in glorye FOr bycause that saint Paule welbeloued brethrē in our sauiour Christe had a lytle before the begynnynge of the epistle of thys daye praysed the Corinthians sayenge vnto them that they were hys epistle in Iesu Christe in asmuch as they had receyued hys gospell and had wrytten and imprinted his fayth in theyr hartes by hys administration preachynge Ministred by vs sayeth he not wryttē with ynke but by the spirite of the lyuyng God Not written in tables of stone as those that Moses had but in tables of flesh in the harte therfore to thyntent to gyue them none occasion that they shulde waxe therwyth proude and to hope and glorie in themselues and not in God and also for to holde them in humilitie vnder the sauegarde of God saynt Paule sayeth We haue truely such hope in God by Christ not that we are sufficient of our selues c. As yf he had sayd Thys that I saye I do not speake it arrogantly presumynge of myne owne wyttes but I haue such hope in God by Iesu Christ that thys that I say is true and shall abyde true I do not saye it of my selfe as of my selfe for we be not sufficient to thinke any thynge of our selues as of our selues but oure sufficientnes and all that whyche we maye thynke speake and do touchynge goodnes cōmeth and dependeth from God whych is begynnynge myddes and ende of all goodnes The whych hath made vs and gyuen vs power to be ministers and preachers of the new testament of the new and good promises whych are by Iesu Christ He hath gyuen vs authoritie and commission to be a preacher not of the letter but of the spirite for the letter sayeth saint Paul sleeth the soule and the spirite doth quycken it We ought here to note well the difference that there is to preache the letter and the spirite For vnto the tyme that the lyuely worde of God be by feruēt fayth rooted in our hartes vnto the tyme I say that we serue God nomore wyth euell wyll but ioyfully and frely what studye or lections soeuer we take yea yf we knewe the olde and new testament by rote of harte yet folowe we the letter But the spirite of God the spirite of scripture the spirite of the which S. Paul speaketh of here is out of feare it serueth in lybertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is there is lybertie fredome Saynt Paule now after that he bare the lyght of God I meane the worde of Iesu Christ beynge desyrous and wyllynge not to hyde it vnder a bushell but exaltynge it and settynge it vp to be bruted and praysed of angels and of men commeth to compare the eternall gospell vnto the transitorye lawe of Moses He calleth the lawe of Moses the executynge or administracion of death damnation Not but that the law is good and holy yf it be vsed lawfully but forbycause the Iues haue abused it to theyr damnation And for the same cause by occasion it is called administration of death He sayeth than yf the administration of death that is to saye yf the auncient lawe was delyuered and gyuen in lyght in puissaunce and in glorye what shall the lawe of the gospell be whych is the administration of the spirite of lyfe and of iustice But forasmuche as dyuerse heretikes and vnlearned persones haue mysvnderstanded thys wrytynge of saint Paule in thys place therfore I thynke it not amysse brefly to make a faythfull reapport vnto you of S. Austines wordes concernynge the interpretacion of thys place Thus he wryteth in hys seconde boke agaynst the aduersary of the lawe and prophetes The lawe albeit it be holy iust and good The wordes S. Austine yet it bryngeth death to the transgressours and breakers therof whome the grace of God helpeth not to fulfyl the iustice of the lawe For it behoued that in the olde testament a lawe shuld be layde vpon the proude and stubborne Iues and on such as trusted vpon the power of theyr owne wyll whych lawe shuld not gyue them ryghtuousnes but shulde commaunde vnto them ryghtuousnes and so beynge wrapped and in tangled wyth the death for transgression that they myght fle to grace which grace not only cōmaūdeth but also helpeth thys grace in the new testament is reuelate and opened vnto vs. And of thys occasion do these blasphemours of gods worde thynke that the lawe was nought whych was gyuen by Moses bycause it is called the ministration of death fygured in stony letters They consyder not that it was so called bycause of them whyche thoughte by theyr owne fre wyll to satisfye the lawe not holpen with the spirite of grace were holden gyltye of transgression vnder the letter of the same lawe For assuredly the transgression or breakinge of the lawe shuld not be euell onles the law it selfe were good What maruayle is it than yf it be called the ministracion of death where the letter kylleth in prohibitynge euell whych is done and in commaundynge good whych is not done and on the contrary syde that the other is called the ministracion of the spirite whych quyckeneth that we mought ryse from the death of preuarication and rede not gyltie in tables ryghtuousnes ☞ but beynge fre might haue it in our hartes and maners that is to
what is wrytten in the lawe How redest thou And he answered and sayde Loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy hart and wyth all thy soule and wyth all thy strength and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghbour as thy selfe And he sayde vnto hym Thou hast answered ryght This do and thou shalt lyue But he wyllynge to iustifye hymselfe sayd vnto Iesus And who is my neyghboure Iesus answered and sayd A certayne man descended from Ierusalem to Hierico and fell amonge theues which robbed hym of hys rayment and wounded hym and departed leauynge hym halfe deade And it chaunced that there came downe a certayne prest that same waye and whan he sawe hym he passed by And lykewyse a Leuite whan he wente nye to the place came and loked on hym and passed by But a certayne Samaritane as he iorneyed came vnto hym and whā he sawe hym he had compassion on hym and went to and bounde vp hys woundes poured in oyle and wyne set him on his owne beast and brought hym to a cōmon ynne made prouision for hym And on the morowe whan he departed he toke out two pence and gaue them to the hoost and sayd vnto hym Take cure of hym and what so euer thou spendest more whā I come agayne I wyll recōpence the. Whych now of these thre thynkest thou was neyghbour vnto hym that fel amonge the theues And he said he that shewed mercy on hym Than sayde Iesus vnto hym Go and do thou lykewyse BLessed be the eyen whych se that you haue sene c. Welbeloued audience these be the wordes of our Sauiour Christ spoken to hys disciples in the x. chapter of Luke whych be red in the churche thys daye For the better vnderstandynge wherof ye shal marke that Christe a lytle before the speakynge of these wordes reioysyng in spirite gaue prayses and thankes to hys father of heuen bycause he had hyd the mysterye of the gospell from the proude Pharisees whych were counted the wyse and wyttye persones of the worlde and had disclosed and opened it to symple and vnlerned persons as to fyshermē publicanes and so forth such as were hys disciples And speakynge these wordes he turned hymselfe to hys disciples apart and sayde the wordes before rehersed Blessed be the eyen that se whych you do se For I tell you that many prophetes kynges wold haue sene that you se and sawe not and wolde haue herde that you heare herde not I praye you what herde what sawe these disciples that the prophetes and kynges whych were before them herde not nor sawe not Truly they sawe not they herd not Christ as dyd thappostles They busely wayted and loked for hym they knewe such one shulde come to redeme and saue them from euerlastynge dānation death wherof they were gyltie by the synne of Adam theyr fyrst father But they coulde not se hym personally For the tyme was not yet come that the father of heuen had set and determined to sende hym And amōges other holy fathers whych loked for thys redēption Luce. ij we reade in holy scripture of one Symeon a ryghtuouse and deuoute man whyche had receyued an answere of the holy goost that he shulde not se death tyll he had sene wyth hys eyen the Christe of the Lorde that is to saye the Messias that shulde saue and redeme the worlde whyche thynge came to passe For whan Christ our sauiour was brought to the temple on the eyght daye to be circumcised accordynge to the custome of the Iues thys Symeon in spyred with the holy goost came into the temple and takynge the chylde in hys armes praysed God and sayd Now thou lycencest me thy seruaunt to depart o Lorde accordyng to thy word in peace For myne eyen haue sene thy sauynge stocke whych thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. We reade also of a certayne wydowe prophetisse named Anne doughter of Phanuell Luce. ij which was also in the temple the same tyme and praysed the Lorde in lyke wyse spake of thys Christ vnto all those that wayted for the redemption of Israell These I saye and suche other whyche were in Christes tyme reioysed to se that they sawe and to heare that they herde But thys coulde not the holy prophetes and kynges whyche were before Christes commynge into thys world se bycause the tyme was not yet come So Christ myght very well call the disciples blessed bycause they saw thynges and also herde doctrine taught them which were not sene nor herde before Now whan Christe had spoken these wordes and was come agayne to the people to teache and instructe them hys doctrine beholde a certayne scribe which was a lawyer sterte vp to take Christ in a trippe and to tempte hym sayenge Mayster what shall I do to inherite euerlastynge lyfe Christ perceyuynge wherabout he went answered and sayd to the lawyer What is wrytten in the lawe Deut. vi How doest thou rede there He sayd In the lawe thus is it wrytten Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with thy hole harte and thy hole soule and wyth thy hole myght and wyth all thy mynde and thy neyghboure as thy selfe Than sayd Christ vnto hym Thou hast well answered Thys do and thou shalt lyue As who shulde saye Thou art a doctour a teacher and mayster in Israel Do the thynge that thou teachest other to do be a worker of the thynge that thou readest For not the hearers of the lawe be iust before God Rom. ij but the doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed Thynke not for al my new and straūge doctrine to your eares Math. v. that I am come to destroye the law and the prophetes as many do thinke of me No no I am not come to destroye but to fulfyll Ye scribes and pharisees cōmonly set lytle by gods hestes and commaundementes all your busye studye labour is to auaunce set vp your owne lawes your owne rytes and traditions But I tel you and take it for a warnynge that who so euer breaketh one of these lytle prety cōmaundementes of God for so ye coūte them in comparison of yours and teacheth men to do as he doth as cōmonly ye scribes and pharisees do Math. v beleue me he shall haue lest to do in heauen But that person whych fyrst doth hymselfe afterwarde teacheth other men these cōmaundementes of God of whych thou hast rekened vp the chefest of all and that whych conteyneth all the rest doubtles thys felowe shal be called a great man in heuen Now good people ye shall vnderstande that the scribes pharisees amonges the Iues in dede taught whā they sate in Moses chaire the lawe of God and hys commaundementes but they added many gloses interpretacions and additions of theyr owne heades They corrupted gods worde wyth theyr owne traditions as tauerners be wont to brewe and corrupt the pure wyne wyth other vnholsome thynges for theyr owne gaynes and auauntage
clensyng of penitent persons do denye that our mother the church wepynge for the spiritual death of her chyldren ought to be comforted by hope of restoryng agayne to lyfe Whyche damnable opinion the wycked Anabaptistes at thys daye haue renewed in dyuers places of christendome whych denye that they that fall into deadly synne after baptisme can by due penaunce or any other meanes come agayne to the state of grace whome we praye God to brynge out of theyr foule heresye Let vs than good people instauntly humbly praye to almyghty God the father of heuen that it wolde please hym so ofte as we fall into synne to touch and speake to vs so vertuous and pythy wordes that maye quicken vs and rayse vs from death to lyfe in yeldynge and restorynge vs lyuyng truly in spirite vnto our mother whych is the churche of faythfull men and that we may speake continually the worde of prayse and of grace vnto God in suche wyse that by occasion of vs our neyghbours maye be edifyed and exhorted for to prayse glorifye god wyth vs knowynge that God hath vysited his people by Iesu Christe Vnto whome apperteyneth glorie and honoure eternally Amen The Epistle on the .xvij. sonday after Trinitie The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Of the vnitie of fayth that there be no dissension amonges christen people BRethren I whych am a presoner of the lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherwyth ye are called wyth all lowlynes and mekenesse wyth humblenesse of mynde forbearinge one another thorow loue and be diligent to kepe the vnitie of the spirite thorowe the bonde of peace beynge one bodye and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge Let there be but one Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whych is aboue all and thorow all and in you all MY brethren and systers in Iesu Christe let vs consyder the benignitie louynge kyndnes and swetnesse of the holy goost the whych doth not commaūde vs wyth rygoure and sharpnesse as men do often but doth desyre vs louyngly by his great messanger the apostle saynt Paule that we shuld walke worthely in the vocacion or callynge vnto which we be callyd Of thys vocacion is spoken in the fyrste chapter of the fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthias where he sayeth God is true and faythfull by whome you are called into the company of hys sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ Thys companyenge with Iesu Christ is the christen and catholyke churche the whyche is called a bodye wherof he is the heade and we be his members in case we be conducted and leade by the holy goost For he is the sturrer the lyfe and the conductour of all the catholyke churche for to make it to walke worthely wyth the heade in all humilitie mekenesse and swetnesse He doth teache vs also by true loue and charitie in all pacience to supporte beare the faultes and infirmities of our neyghbours And saynt Paule induceth vs to do thys in the .vi. chapter of the epistle vnto the Galathians Beare the burthens one of another and so ye shall accomplysh the lawe of Christ The whych doth admonysh vs aboue al thynges that we shulde endeuoure our selues to kepe the vnitie of the spirite of fayth in a bonde of peace and cōcorde that is to wyte in sauourynge in fayth one selfe thynge And what is that that we shulde all sauour That we be one body one spirite and all called into one hope of saluation by Iesu Christ That ther is one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whych is aboue al and ouer all thynges and in vs al whych is he that is blessed in the worlde of worldes Thys is the fayth in the whych we ought to be vnied and knytte with the holy goost and to haue stedfast peace concorde The whych thynges yf we haue we shal be conducted by thys holy goost in all graces and vertues for to blesse laude and glorifye thys ryght hygh and souerayne father by our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto glorie of al the Trinitie wythout ende Amen The gospell on the .xvij. sonday after Trinitie The xiiij chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ healeth on the sabboth daye and commended humilitie vnto vs. WHan Iesus went into the house of one of the chefe pharisees to eate breade on a Sabboth daye and they watched hym And behold ther was a certayne man before hym whych had the dropsy And Iesus answered and spake vnto the lawyers and pharisees sayenge Is it lawfull to heale vpon the sabboth daye And they helde theyr peace And he toke hym and healed hym and let hym go and answered them sayenge whych of you shall haue an asse or an oxe fallen into a pytte and wyll not strayght waye pull hym out on the sabboth daye And they coulde not answere hym agayne to these thynges He put forth also a similitude to the gestes whan he marked how they preased to the hyghest roumes and sayd vnto them Whan thou art bydden of any man to a weddinge syt not downe in the hyest roume lest a more honorable man thā thou be bydden of hym and he that bad hym and the come and saye to the gyue thys man roume and thou than begynne wyth shame to take the lowest rowme But rather whan thou art bydden go and syt in the lowest rowme that whan he that bad the commeth he may saye vnto the frende syt vp hyer Thā shalt thou haue worshyp in the presence of them that syt at meate with the For whosoeuer exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted AT the begynnynge of our gospell good christē people Iesu Christ doth cōmende vnto vs syngularly loue and charitie towarde al men whan we se that so familiarly he haūted and frequented wyth them that were hys enemyes and hys euell wyllers that also he dyd eate and drynke wyth them for to haue occasion to teache them and to conuerte them vnto God hys father as the auncient doctour Cyrillus noteth Cyrillus And here be rebuked and checked those whych haue hatred malyce rancor agaynst theyr christen brethren and do not vouchsaufe to company wyth them nor also to speake vnto them whan that by the diuine commaundement of almyghtye God they be bounde for to to remytte and to pardon al iniuries math vi and ought by all meanes they can for to recōcile them or els God shall neuer be reconciled wyth them Consequently Iesu Christe doth instructe vs that we ought at al tymes to accomplysh and do the workes of mercy towardes our brethren and neyghbours And specially that the sondaye be not in any wyse violated by the sayd workes of charitie The whych he shewed well whan that vpon the sabboth day he dyd heale the poore mā of the dropsie Which as holy doctours do expoune is truely the fygure of all humane nature The
God they sayde in theyr hartes that he blasphemed in forgyuinge and pardonynge the synnes vnto the palsye man And it maye be that they had red that whych god had sayd in the .xliij. chapter of Esay It is I it is I my selfe that pardone the synnes bycause of me Then God dyd shewe hymselfe true God in rebukinge them of theyr euell thoughtes and seynge theyr hertes the whych apperteyneth vnto God onely of whome is sayd It is thou Lorde God whych sercheth the hartes and the raynes And yet more outwardly he shewed hymselfe For visibly and by hys only worde he healed the sycke mā dyd gyue him sodenly bodely strength and wythout beynge in any maner weake of hys syckenesse he commaunded hym to beare awaye hys bedde and to go vnto hys house shewyng that it was he of whom it is sayd He hath sayd and they were done Thys poore paralitique is the fygure of all synners the whych be vnable as of themselues to do any good they be borne in theyr beddes that is to saye in the fleshe of theyr concupiscences But whan they haue fayth vnto the worde of God whych apprehēdeth gods promyse wyth an ernest repentaunce of theyr former lyfe and a study of a newe lyfe they receyue full helth and where as before they were subiectes vnto theyr fleshe and fleshly desyres they be now maysters and holde them subiectes and fynally they go by the grace of God and the vertue of hys worde beynge conducted and fortifyed by the same in newnes of lyfe walkinge in the preceptes and ordinaūces of god they go I say vnto theyr house whych is the moost blessed and ioyful kyngdome of heauen And the people whā they saw thys myracle had feare and greate reuerence vnto God and espyenge hys great benefytes to mākinde gaue to hym glorie knowynge that the men coulde not do such workes whych be aboue nature yf God do it not by them and in thys doynge they glorified Iesu Christe whych is true God and true man and whych vndoubtedly is the iustice the glorie and perfection of all men whych not trustynge in themselues as dyd the proude pharisee whome the Gospell maketh mencion of but wyth sorowfull harte due penaunce accordynge to thexemple of the publicane lamentynge theyr synnes haue stedfast fayth and cōfidence in hym beynge in full mynde and a redynes not only to be hearers of the lawe and Gospell but also to be doers and workers of the same as Christe hath appoynted vs to do God graūt vs that grace To whome be all glorie imperie and peace in infinita seculorum secula Amen The Epistle on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The. v. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to vertuouse lyuynge BRethren take hede therfore howe ye walke circumspectly not as vnwyse but as wyse men auoydynge occasion bycause the dayes are euell Wherfore be ye not vnwyse but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lorde is and be not dronke wyth wyth wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled wyth the spirite speakynge vnto your selues in psalmes and in hymnes and spiritual songes syngynge and makynge melodie to the Lorde in your hartes gyuynge thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our lord Iesus Christ submyttynge your selues one to another in the feare of God MY good brethren and systers the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes that ther is a waye the whych semeth vnto mē to be strayght and good but it leadeth vnto eternall death Certes thys is the way of the worldly people whych lyue accordynge to the desyres of the fleshe not remēbrynge how they shall descēde in a minute of an houre vnto hell Therfore in our epistle whych thys day is redde in the church The apostle doth exhorte vs that we wol walke prudently and wysely as becommeth christē men in the meane tyme whyle we shal be in thys worlde vale of mysery not as the foolysh folke that shall perysh but as the wyse folke replenyshed with the true and heauenly sapience we be here exhorted to good workes followyng the steppes so nere as God shall gyue vs grace of oure Sauioure Iesu Christe sekynge by all meanes we possible can occasiō and oportunitie to do well as workes of fayth workes of mercy and pytie towardes our euen christen ☞ And in thus doynge vndoubtedly we shall redeme or bye agayne the tyme whych we haue yll bestowed And certainly we shuld be moued vnto this namely forbycause that the dayes be euel not in thēselues but for the synnes that be cōmytted in them For the deuell doth all he can to turne vs from the good waye whych be the cōmaundementes of God and the obseruation executyng of hys holy worde vnto the whych we must dyrecte our hole lyfe yf we wyll be saued and not perysh eternally Let vs not thā good people be as brute and vnreasonable beastes imprudent recheles vncircumspecte without vnderstandynge but let vs vnderstande what the good wyll of our Lorde Iesu Christe is the whyche wylleth that we shulde be saued all And for that cause he hath suffred death vnto the whyche we muste be confourmable in dyenge to our synnes lustes concupiscences to th ende that we be sober and chaste replynyshed wyth the holy goost the whyche shall cause vs to saye in our selues praysynges and spirituall songes vnto God and that wyth a pure and a clene harte and not alonly with outwarde voyces open deuotions the whych be often full of hypocrisye and pryde and for that cause displeasaunt vnto God And our Lorde sayeth in the Gospell of saynt Mathew Mat. xv where he speaketh of the pharisees which dyd all that they dyd ether by hypocrisie or by couetousnes Thys people sayeth he doth honoure me wyth theyr mouth but theyr herte is farre from me shewynge herby vnto vs that aboue all thynges he wold haue and requyre of vs the good desyre of the herte whych is true prayse and prayer And thus we shall yelde graces and louynge thankes alwayes vnto God for all thynges in our Lorde Iesu Christ aswell for aduesitie and tribulation as for prosperitie welth For we shall sauour of god in al goodnesse in such wyse that al thynges that it shal please hym to sende vs we shall beleue it to be ryght good ordeyned vnto hys glorie and honour and vnto the saluation of our soules And yet we ought to do all thys in the name of Iesu Christ that is for to saye that all the goodnes that we shall do we do knowlege that it is he whych doth it in vs and we ought to gyue hym the honoure and the glorie For it is in hym only that the father hath taken pleasure And also we shall suffre all thynges ioyously for the loue of hym whych hath suffred so much for vs. And in hys feare and charitie we must be subiectes the one to the other for he hymselfe that was mayster
and Lord by charitie was made minister seruaunt vnto all God gyue vs then grace good people to accōplyshe in al thynges his wyl To whom be gyuen al prayse glory and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ The kyngdome of heuen is resembled to the wedding of a kinges sonne c. IEsus saide vnto his disciples The kyngdome of heuen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng which made a mariage for his sōne and sent forth his seruauntes to cal them that were byd to the weddyng and they wolde not come Agayne he sente forthe other seruauntes sayeng Tell them which are bydden beholde I haue prepared my dyner myne oxē and my fatlynges are kylled althynges are ready come vnto the mariage But they made lyght of it and went theyr wayes one to his ferme place another to his marchandise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreted them shamefully and slew them But when the king hard therof he was wroth and sent forth his mē of warre and destroied those murtherers and brēt vp their citie Then sayd he to his seruauntes the mariage in dede is prepared But they which were bydden were not worthy Go ye therfore out into the hye wayes and as many as ye find byd them to the mariage And the seruauntes went out into the hye waies and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad and the weddyng was furnyshed with gestes Then the kynge came in to se the gestes and whan he spied there a man which had not on a wedding garmente he sayde vnto him frend howe cameste thou in hyther not hauynge a wedding garmente And he was euen spechlesse Then sayd the kynge to the ministers take bind him hād fote cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be wepynge and gnashing of teth For many be called but fewe are chosen THe mooste soueraygne goodnesse of god good christen people hathe bene so greate and large towardes vs sely poore synners that when we all worshiped ydoles seruing the deuell of hell and for our rewarde and stipende descendinge with him vnto eternall deathe and perdition it yet hathe pleased him of his clemencye for to haue pitie and mercy on vs. And thervpon he vouchesaued to sende none other but euen his own sonne into this worlde for to take our fleshe vpon him and to be made man for to be the spouse as saynte Gregorie saythe of our nature then beyng so vyle and vnhappye S. Gregorye This hathe bene for to take vpon him all our synnes and myseryes and for to gyue and distribute vnto vs all hys graces and richesses And this as holy doctours expounde is the weddinges wherof oure gospel speaketh whyche be truly weddinges of the whyche the bodely and worldly weddinges is but a figure ☞ For as we saye who weddethe the woman weddethe the debtes and is boūde for to paye them in like maner our most mercyfull Sauiour Iesu Christe in weddinge oure soules is becommyn debtour and payer of al our synnes and debtes And also al the goodes of the husbonde be commyn vnto the wyfe therfore he hathe made vs possessours heritours with hym of all hys goodes and his realme in whyche shal be truly solemnised the weddinges ther shal be made the greate euerlastinge banket whych he shall make vnto al them that shal haue bene in thys world perseuerantly conioyned and vnied vnto hym by faith Vnto the whych weddinges the Iues were called inuited whyche haue dispised them and wolde not comme thyther but haue vilanously slayne the prophetes and also Iesu Christe himselfe and some of hys apostles and dysciples that did call them vnto the euerlastinge feaste And therfore god hath sente hys men of warre that is to saye as sainct Hierom and other expositours do expounde thys place the romaines Vaspasian and Titus the whyche haue put the Iewes to death that were such murderers homicides and haue put their citie in ruyne and destruction And when the Iewes shewed them selues thus vnworthy of the grace of god whych was thus frely offred and presented vnto them the apostles disciples by the commaundemente of god wente to preache vnto the Gentilles whych as then were idolaters and out of the wayes of god and did assemble a church the whych is called catholike a church of fayth and of christendome And by the visitation that thys kynge maketh for to se them that be sette is figurid vnto vs the examinatiō whych God shall make of all them that be in his churche which shall do rigorous iustice vpon al them that shall be foūd wythoute the weddynge garmente that is to wytte wythout fayth workinge by charitie or as S Gregorie expouneth wythout charitie What the doctours call the weddīg garmēte Gregorye Hierom Chrysostome He therfore sayeth this holy doctour entreth to the mariages or weddynges wythout the weddynge garmente which in the church hath faith but hath not charitie Or after the mynde of saynt Hierome the weddyng garment be our Lordes commaundementes and the workes whych a man is bound to do by the lawe and gospel and whych make the garment of a newe man which garmente at the daye of iudgemente he that shal be founde vnder a christen mans name not to haue is forthwyth taken awey And the kynge sayeth vnto him Frend how comest thou hither or what makeste thou here not hauing the weddyng wede He calleth him frend forasmoch as he was bydde to the mariages as he had bene a frende by fayth But he reproueth hym of foly bycause wyth his fylthy garmente he hath defiled the clēnes of the mariage For those that oure Lorde God almyghty the father of heuen doth call vnto this most noble and blessed wedding he woll haue them come not wyth fete sayeth Chrisostome but wyth fayth maners This weddynge garmēt then they the lacke I meane they that haue not the liuely faith which by charitie worketh the wyl plesure and cōmaūdemētes of oure Lord albeit in outward apparaunce they haue done many goodly workes also myracles yet for all that they shal be gyuen vnto the mynisters and hangmen of hell for to be sent vnto the tormentes eternall hauinge their fete and handes bounde that is to saye that they shall neuer desire nor do any thynge that shal be pleasaūt vnto God And for the ende and conclusion of our gospel bycause as saynt Hierom sayth not the begynnyng but the ende is to be sought S. Hierō therfore oure sauyoure Iesu Christ saith that many be called For assuredly all they that haue herde the apostles and disciples whose wordes haue bene herde ouer all the earthe be called but yet fewe be chosen and elected The whyche sentence oughte to be a wonderfull cause of humilite before god and specially a cause for vs to despise all the thynges that be in thys
worlde for to wynne Iesu christe Therfore the apostle in the .iij. chapter of his epistle vnto the Colossiās doth exhort vs sayenge Arraye you as chosen of God holy and beloued from the entrayles of mercy benignite humilite mekenesse and patience Supporte the one the other and pardone and forgyue one an other amonge your selues if any hath quarell to other So as god hathe pardonyd so pardone you And aboue all thynges haue charite whych is the bonde of perfection If we do thus we shall at laste comme vnto his bankete of the weddinges of the sonne of God and his spouse and we shall haue the weddinge garment where shal be nothinge reproched vnto vs but we shal be in the nombre of the chosen people shall haue the pleasures of the kingdome of heuen Vnto the glory of the father and of the sonne of the holy ghost whych conueyth all them that doth good vnto thys glorious weddinge wherunto he bryng vs al. Qui viuit et regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xxj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vj. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Sayncte Paule doth here describe vnto vs the armour of the christian souldioure MY brethren be stronge thorow the Lorde and thorowe the power of hys myghte Put on al the armour of God that ye maye stande agaynst the assautes of the deuil For we wrestle not against bloude and flesh but agaynst rule agaynst power agaynst worldly rulers euen gouerners of the darkenes of thys worlde againste spiritual craftynesse in heauenly thynges Wherfore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resiste in the euell daye and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and youre loynes gyrde wyth the trouth hauyng on the breste plate of ryghteousnes and hauynge shoes on your fete that ye maye be prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shild of fayth wherwith ye may quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wycked And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite whych is the worde of God MY brethren and frendes ye shal marke consydre that our enemye the deuel doth warre contynually agaynst vs and sercheth by all wyles and meanes possible to bryng vs to cōfusyon and death and that we maye be vnable to resiste hys assaultes and powers The apostle doth therefore teache vs what thyng we haue to do in such and so greate peryls that is that we shuld comfort and lyfte vp our selues in God and in hys moste comfortable myght and power Ps xxiij For as it is sayed in the .xxiij. psalme The Lorde God is strong and mightye The Lorde god is mighty in battel Certes my frēdes it is our Lord Iesus Christe that the prophete here speaketh of which by hys moste triumphante and gloriouse death and passion hath bene mighty in surmountyng our enemye I meane oure mortall enemye the Deuyll Then in thys bytter conflycte and battell that we haue agaynste both hym the worlde and the fleshe let vs take good corage and harte vnto vs not in trustyng so moch vnto our own power and strēgth but in the strenght and puysaunce of Iesus Christe whyche shall fight for vs and whych shall not leaue vs that be his membres but in hym and by hym we shal be made myghty to resiste valiauntly to withstande all temptacions yea and all the maliciouse powers of any princes myghty men that gouerne the darkenes of this worlde whych wolde inforce vs to vngodlynes or for vngodlynes wolde persecute and afflycte vs. Let vs then take the armour herneys of god wherwith we maye make resistence and stande stedfast agaynst the strenghtes assaultes and embushementes of the deuyl For if we be knyghtes of Iesu Christ certeynly we must entre in to battayl wyth hym for there shal be none crowned ☜ but they that shall haue fought worthylye The armour of a christē souldiour And what is the armoure of god Certes it is thys Firste we muste haue agaynst all corrupt lustes and concupiscences our loynes or raynes gyrthed with trueth Agaynst synne the brene plate of iustice and innocencye For shoes we must haue pure affection whych is the preparacion for to walke in the gospell of peace And in all thinges we muste take faythe for oure shelde by whych we maye put out the vehement temptacions of the deuell wherewyth he doth assayle vs as wyth dartes inflamed the whyche shal by no meanes annoye vs if we haue stedfast faith in Iesu Christ and in his holy worde For helmet we must haue hope of saluation And thus armed yet muste we haue the sworde of the spirite that is the worde of god by the whyche sworde all the puissances and force of the euyl spirite shal be cut And furthermore we muste neuer leue these armours as longe as we be in thys worlde for we shall alweyes haue batayle But by these armours we shall vanquyshe in Iesu Christe and by Iesu Christ and not by oure owne strength vnto hym then be perpetuall glorye togyther wyth the father and holy ghost in infinita seculorum secula Amen The gospel on the .xxi. sonday after Trinitie sonday The .iiij. chap. of Iohn̄ Th argument ☞ Iesus healeth the rulers sonne THere was a certen ruler whose sōne was sicke at Capernaum As sone as the same herd that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought hym that he wolde come downe and heale his sonne For he was euen at the poynt of death Thē sayde Iesus vnto hym except ye se sygnes and wōdres ye wyl not beleue The ruler sayeth vnto hym Syr come downe or euer that my sōne dye Iesus saieth vnto hym Go thy waye thy sonne lyueth The man beleued the worde that Iesus had spoken vnto him And he wēt hys waye And as he was nowe goinge downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying thy sonne lyueth Then enquired he of them the hour whē he begāne to amend And they sayde vnto him Yester daye at the seuenth houre the feuer left hym So the father knewe that it was the same hour in the which Iesus sayde vnto him Thy sonne lyueth And he beleued and al hys housholde IN this gospell good christen audience our Lord Iesus Christ doth rebuke hym whych desired the health of his sonne forbicause that he did not beleue sufficiently that is to saye that he had not hope in him as he ought to haue And did reproche him that if they se not tokens they wolde not beleue But ye wol say Why he that desired Christ to heale his son dyd not beleue Sainte Austine To thys doubte thus aunswereth S. Austine Aske not me but aske Christe what he thoughte of this mā For it foloweth in the text that Iesus sayd vnto hym Onles ye se sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleue So saith S. Austine he reproueth him bicause he was colde