come after hym Wherfore marke the difference of Christ and of the false Apostles Ioh. i. Christe is the preacher of grace the pseudapostles preach maÌ„s merytes Ioh. viij Christ is carefull for the fode of hys shepe the false Apostles seke theyr owne lucre and gaynes Christ seketh the glorye of the father the false Apostles steale from God hys glorye Ioh. xi Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe coÌ„meth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepeherde Now it shal be your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the .iiij. daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The .ij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of Iurye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde meÌ„ shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I wyll shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokeÌ„s in the earth beneth bloude and fyre and the vapor of smoke The Sonne shal be torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that who soeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of the holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vnreuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the .xi. apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes Erasmê° in paraphrasi He only spake the wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the lyuynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audieÌ„ce of people or before a great ruler chauÌ„ge colours be astoÌ„nyed vtterly dismayed Truly thys was that heauenly droÌ„kennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth Calix meus inebrians qÌ„ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned with hym in coÌ„mission the eleuen Apostles not to ayde hym but to accompany hym he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al he spake vnto them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do Neyther speaketh he for himselfe but beynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloqueÌ„ce but with the ayde of holy scripture Now the hose multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs also attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he beganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation The oration of Peter whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitauÌ„tes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is Ye haue cause perchauÌ„ce to wonder but ye haue no cause to sklauÌ„der Wherfore so many of you as be here gyue atteÌ„tiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me and knowe the matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but the thyrd houre froÌ„ the sonne rysynge at whych tyme nomaÌ„ is wont to be dronke But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe Harken to the prophecye and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not Sklaunder not bycause ye se a thynge vnwont but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you Iohel ij For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the tyme shulde come that God whych at sondry tymes before had imparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your coÌ„forte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two as hertofore but vpon all nations of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys coÌ„maundement we brynge now vnto you thus vttered the heuenly prophecye Erit in nouissimis die bus It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your soÌ„nes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions and your olde persons shall dreame dreames And truly vpon my seruauÌ„tes my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie And I shal gyue woÌ„ders in heauen aboue and tokens in
earth beneth bloude and fyre the vapoure of smoke The sonne shal be conuerted into darkenes and the moone into bloude before that great and renowmed daye of the Lorde come And whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thys my frendes hath the prophete Iohel so longe ago prophecied vnto vs. And hetherto goeth the lesson of thys presente daye whych conteyneth the fyrst parte of S. Peters sermon Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of the holy goost after such a plentyful sorte the scripture teacheth vs that it was fulfylled aboute thys tyme of Pentecost as in our sermons before we haue fully at large declared vnto you And as for the rest of the prophecie concernynge the great calamitie and terrible tokens that shall come agaynste domes daye there is no doubte but it shall come to passe as oure sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs. Math. xxvij lu xxiij But my frendes let vs be nothynge dismayed nor troubled wyth the remembraunce of thys dradfull tyme whych no doubt yet approcheth nere and shall steale vpon vs or euer we be ware we knowe not how sone Onely let vs do as the prophete teacheth vs here we shal not nede to feare Let vs cal on the name of the Lorde and we shal be saued Let vs thā in al our aduersitie woo and trouble yea and also in our welth prosperitie and felicitie remember God loue God prayse God call on God with fayth But let it be such faith as shall worke by charitie Let it be a lyuely fayth no deade fayth that maye brynge forth good workes Yf we thus do we shall not nede to feare these terrible tokens but we shal be sure to be translated from thys myserye vnto immortall ioye wyth God To whome c. The Gospell on the .iiij. daye of Pentecost The .vi. chapter of S. Ihon. Th argument ☞ Christ teacheth vs here that onles we be renewed by the holy goost we can not come vnto him IEsus sayd to hys disciples and to the company of the Iewes No man can come to me excepte the father whych hath sent me drawe hym And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye It is wrytten in the prophetes and they shal be all taught of god Euery man therfore that hath herde and hath learned of the father cōmeth vnto me Not that any man hath sene the father saue he whych is of god the same hath sene the father Verely verely I saye vnto you he that putteth hys trust in me hath euerlastynge lyfe I am that bread of lyfe Your fathers dyd eate Māna in the wyldernes and are dead This is that breade whych cōmeth downe frō heauen that a man maye eate therof and not dye I am that lyuynge breade whych came downe from heauen Yf any mā eate of thys bread he shal lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my flesh which I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde IN thys Gospell good people our sauiour Christ makynge answer to the murmourynge of the people agaynst hym bycause he sayd he was the breade of lyfe and declarynge that theyr thoughtes coulde not be hyd from hym expouneth and also fortifyeth the worde that he spake sayenge vnto them that they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge that he spake For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysbeleue Seynge Nemo potest venire ad me they saw not and hearyng they herde not beynge present they were absent Whosoeuer commeth to Christ shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe But there is no waye to come vnto hym but by fayth Thys fayth is not lyghtly had but cōmeth by the inspiracion of the father who lyke as by the sōne he draweth mens myndes vnto hym so with secrete inspiracions of fayth he draweth them to the sonne He bestoweth not so great a gyfte but to suche as be wyllynge gredy ☜ Whosoeuer then shall meryte by hys prompte wyl deuoute mynde to be drawen of the father the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse the deade to lyfe agayne in the last daye A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ but without the helpe of the heuēly father he can not do it Yet neuertheles they are not excused bycause they be not drawen For the father as much as in hym is coueteth to drawe all He that is not drawē is in fault himselfe bycause he with draweth hymselfe frō hym that wolde drawe hym Humane thynges be lerned with humane studye but this heauenly lernynge is not perceyued onles the secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte teachable harte And this is it that longe sythens was prophecied of the prophetes to come to passe Esa liiij And they all shal be taught of God But the desyre of thys worlde do make many vnapt I say it is the gyft of god but the indeuoure must be ours A mā heareth with hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne onles he heare wtin fyrst the secrete voyce of the father whych breatheth the mynde with an insensible grace of fayth For god is a spirite is neyther herde nor sene but of spiritual persons Many haue sene herd Christ to theyr damnation And albeit the Iues boasted that god was both sene herde of Moses of the prophetes yet no mortall mā euer sawe or herde god as he is For thys is only graūted to the sonne of mā oure sauiour Christ Let vs then shake of the care of this lyfe and not so moch seke for the bread whereby our bodyes be fedde as thys breade whych giueth euerlastynge lyfe We counte the olde fathers happye whych dyd eate Manna yet thys Manna preserued them not from death Austine and why Not bycause Manna was euyll sayeth saynte Austine but because of theyr euyll eatyng Christe is the breade whych descendeth from heauen whyche is signified by Manna He that eateth of thys breade shal lyue for euer But ye wol aske who thys is Saynt Austine answereth in thys wyse Augu. de ciuitate dei li. xxi cap. xxv He that is in the vnitie of Christes bodye that is to wytte in the felowshipe of the christen mēbres the sacramēte of whych body all faythfull persones be wonte to receyue when they cōmunicate at the altare come to gods borde doth truly eate the bodye of Christe and drynke the bloude of Christe Nowe therfore let vs by all indeuours we cā make ourselues mete and apte to receyue the holye spirite of god wherby we maye be drawen to Christ Let vs also take parte of hys passions and folowe the cōuersation whych he had in hys fleshe Austine Bernard Whyche thynge as S. Austine others expoune thys place is to eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye
spirituall pestilence we go styll on and procede wythout care or thought and euen for thys purpose as it semeth we desyre of God large sustentacion and aboundaunce of al thynges and to be delyuered from the corporal pestilence and infections that we maye the more frely and aboundaūtly endure after a delicate sorte in the spirituall infection But assuredly my frendes almyghty god the sercher of hartes whyle he seyth vs slepynge in such careles wyse and that we nothynge regarde thys so pestilent a pestilēce he also winketh at our destruction accordynge to our owne vowes requestes he graunteth vs copye and aboundaunce of all thynges and so blyndeth vs wyth the prosperous successe of all thynges and drowneth vs in the synke and puddell of synnes tyll at last oure synnes by longe vse runne into a custome and that the name of synne be forgotten Wherfore moost dearely beloued brethren and systers albeit euery day we ought to exhibite supplications and prayers to the Lorde wyth a rough chastisement of our body to dryue awaye frō vs so horrible floudes of all myschefe namely in thys region moost addict and gyuen to cōmessacions to bankettynges to reuelynges to surfettynges to ydelnes to the vyces that ensue of them to thintent that god ones at laste maye lyghten vs wyth hys grace that we maye vse his gyftes to the helth of our soule and to the holsomnes of our body in suche sorte as these goodes of the contrey I meane our corne and cattel myght be auaylable aswell to the tuicion and defēce of our body as to our soules health But as I haue sayd and saye agayne God hath made vs so blynde and so vnsauery The abuse of goddes gyftes that we are waxen playne Epicures vtterly voyde of all feare or care of God mooste shamefully abusynge hys gyftes to the ryot of the body and destruction of the soule And for asmuche as thys our detestable wickednes and abuse of this godly institucion is not amended but waxeth yerly worse and worse therfore God hath gyuen vs vp in to a disalowed mynde so that we make these letanyes and rogation dayes by our sinnes vtterly vnprofytable and vnfrutfull vnto vs. Rom. i. Beholde how angrye and how sore displeased God is wyth vs neyther is there any to aswage and appeace hys fury syth our letanyes our supplications processions prayers wherewyth we rather mocke god thā worshyp hym spendynge our tyme and abusynge hys benefites in thys wyse be rather kyndlynges and nouryshmentes of goddes indignation and vengeaunce thā mitigacions and swagynges therof God graunt therfore and be presently at hāde assystent to vs good people that ones at last we may come home againe to our selues and to returne to the hart and that we may beynge instincted and kyndled wyth ernest and sure fayth put from vs hys wrath and displeasure to whome be prayses and glory in secula seculorum Amen The epistle on the Ascension daye The fyrst chapter of the actes of the Apostles Th argument ☞ Christes Ascension into heauen is here described IN the former treatyse Deare Theophylus we haue spoken of all that Iesus beganne to do and teach vntyll the daye in whych he was taken vp after that he thorow the holy goost had gyuen commaundemente vnto the Apostles whome he hadde chosen Ioh. xx to whom also he shewed hymselfe alyue after hys passion and that by many tokens appearynge vnto them fourtye dayes and speakynge of the kyngdome of God lu xxiiij and gathered them together and commaunded them that they shulde not departe frō Ierusalē Ioh. iiij but to wayte for the promise of the father wherof sayth he ye haue herd of me For Ihon truly baptysed with water Ioh. i. but ye shal be baptised wyth the holy gost after these few dayes Whan they therfore were come together math iij they asked of hym saynge Lorde wylt thou at this tyme restore agayne the kyngdom to Israel And he said vnto them Math. xxiij lu xxiiij It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons whych the father hath put in hys owne power but ye shall receaue power after that the holy goost is come vpon you Ioh. xv And ye shal be wytnesses vnto me not only in Ierusalem but also in all Iewry and in Samary and euen vnto the worldes ende And whā he had spokē these thynges whyle they behelde he was taken vp an hye Mar. xvi and a cloude receaued hym vp out of theyr syght And whyle they loked stedfastly vp toward heauē as he went beholde two men stode by them in whyte apparell whych also sayd Math. xxiiij mar xiij Apoc. i. ye men of Galilee why stande ye gasynge vp into heauen Thys same Iesus whyche is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue sene hym go vp into heauen WElbeloued brethren and systers in our Sauiour Christe thys daye is called the Ascension daye because that as thys daye Christe our Sauiour and redemer mounted or styed vp to heauen after hys resurrection leauynge hys Apostles and disciples vpon the earth whych thynge is one of the articles of our Crede or beleue And albeit saynt Luke the holy Euāgelist doth ascertayne vs of this thing in the ende of hys Gospell whych he wrote of the actes and lyfe of Christ yet for asmuche as he touched the thynge but brefly and lyghtly there therfore he doeth here in the lesson of thys daye whych is the begynnynge of an other boke that he wrote for our instruction of the dedes and actes of the Apostles intreate the mater more at large Fyrst therfore ye shall marke and obserue good people that the Euangelical histories do paynt out Christ vnto vs as yet couered wyth the burthen of the fleshe ☞ as yet not glorifyed how be it in the meane season he declared hymselfe aswell by hys heauenly doctrine as by many hys myracles which he shewed that he was very God But in the actes of the Apostles he is described and set forth vnto vs as one that nowe raygneth is glorifyed Thus therfore saynt Luke begynneth hys description In the former treatyse or boke whych I wrote dearly beloued frēd Theophilus whych by interpretation sygnifyeth a louer of God we haue spoken of all that Iesus beganne to do and teache Theophilus He sayeth not of all that Iesus began to teache do For our Sauiour Christe fyrst dyd practyse and worke such thynges as he afterwarde taught He wente to Ihons baptisme Mat. iij. He wythdrewe hymselfe for a season out of the company of the worlde afore he wolde take vpon hym to preache and to teach other Mat. iiij The spirite led hym into wyldernesse where he fasted fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes He suffred there moost sharpe honger to arme hymselfe wyth abstinence and pacience He there endured the mooste bytter assaultes and temtacions of our goostly enemye the
please Iesu Christ the glorie of the father the glorie of the angels and of men to abyde in you by feruent faith in your hartes founded and rooted in charitie to thyntente that you maye knowe and vnderstande the incomprehensible graces whych by him be gyuen vnto vs the largenesse and length of the same for the earth is full of the mercy of the Loroe God sayeth the prophete Dauid and the hyghnesse and depthnesse Psalm xxxij for they do perse the heauens and the hylles He whych is descended is he which hath ascended aboue al the heauens sayeth saint Paul Eph. liij To thintent also that ye shall know the great charitie of Iesu Christ toward vs the whych knowlege is more to be estemed than all the science of the worlde and that you shulde be replenyshed in all aboundaunce wyth the graces of God In thys epistle saynt Paule declareth in short conclusions the perfection of the christen lyfe vnto the whych we ought to breath and to sygh He doth not praye that god shulde gyue them much temporall goodes for to lyue at theyr ease but he desyreth and prayeth that they maye haue strength for to endure and to beare with him the crosse of Iesu Christ For all the lyfe of a christen mā is to endure In the conclusion of the epistle wyth profounde harte and wyth great spirite he yeldeth graces louynge thankes vnto God sayenge Vnto him whych is able for to gyue vs more than we can demaunde or thynke accordynge vnto the myght the whych puissantly strongly worketh and laboureth in vs vnto hym be yelden all glorie by all the church by the meanes of hys sonne Iesu Christ For euen as by him al grace is gyuē vs from the father so it must nedes be that by hym whych is the begynnynge and the ende all glorie be vnto hym rendered Then my brethren let vs not discourage our selues of the worde of God of the doctrine of the gospell for any tribulation or worldly vexacion that may happē vnto any of them by which it shal haue pleased God that they shuld bear it yf it be hys pleasure to make them to beare hys crosse vnto them whych shall beare it but so much the more let vs be founded stedfast and ferme rooted in fayth hope and charitie and we shall knowe the incōprehensible graces of God And he that surmounteth all myght shall delyuer vs from al euell and shall leade vs vnto hys glorye vnto hys heauēly kyngdome where in eternall ioye we shall yelde perpetuall graces and prayses vnto the father of heuen by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome c. The Gospel on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ rayseth a deade man to lyfe agayne IEsus wente into a cytie whyche is called Naim and many of hys disciples went wyth hym and much people Whan he came nye to the gate of the cytie beholde there was a deade man caryed out whych was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a wedowe and much people of the cytie was wyth her And whan the Lorde sawe her he had cōpassion on her and said vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stode styll And be said Yonge man I say vnto the aryse And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake And he delyuered hym to hys mother And there came a feare on them all And they gaue the glorie vnto God sayenge A greate prophete is rysen vp amonge vs and god hath vysited his people THe thynge good people whych is moost agreable vnto god and that whyche he demaundeth requyreth of vs principally is to beleue hys word as saynt Paule saythin the .xi. chapter of hys epistle to the Hebrues It is impossible to please God with out fayth For thys cause all the myracles whyche were at any tyme done aswel by Iesu Christ in erth as by hym in hys members it hath not ben for to attribute the honoure vnto hys members or that hys members hath done myracles but for to approue the worde of God and for to manyfest hys glorie and myght to thintent that he shulde be honoured and reuerenced of euery body and in euery place as the prophete sayeth Lorde god all the earth doth worship the. For thys cause oure Lorde hath raysed vp from death to lyfe the wedowes sonne of the whych is made mention in the gospel of thys day He hath here raised one from bodely death for to make vs to beleue that he hath the power also for to rayse vs agayne from spirituall death And also he shall rayse vs vp agayne bodely at the day of dome As he said vnto Martha I am the resurrection and lyfe who so beleueth in me he shall not dye eternally Ioh. xi All they therfore whych do not lyue accordynge vnto the spirite whych folowe the olde lyfe of Adam whyche accomplish the desyres concupiscences and workes of the flesh of the whych was spoken in the epistle of the last sondaye they be deade spiritually For who that hath not the holy goost he hath no lyfe he doth not belonge vnto Iesu Christ whych is the lyfe Yf any hath not the spirite of Christ he is not Christes Ro. viij He is borne and conducted of euell spirites to the pytte of hell Yf Iesu Christ do not come quyckely for to touche hym wyth hys hande the whyche sygnifyeth hys great puissaunce and myght conioyned wyth hys worde Yf he do not speake and touch lyuely the harte it is impossible that the sayd creatures shulde haue power to ryse agayne or that they shulde euer chaunge from the death of the soule vnto newnes of lyfe and state of grace For surely so longe as we be in deadly synne and vnder the thraldome and subiection of the fende so longe we be as deade persons S. Ambrose And therfore sayeth saynt Ambrose We lye deade in secrete whan eyther the fyre of vnreasonable lust brenneth vs or the colde humoure drowneth and as it were wyth a certayne slouthfulnesse of the bodye the sharpenesse of the mynde is accombred and ouerwhelmed in which case we can not ryse out of our drousye slomber but by Christe And yf sayeth thys holy doctour saynt Ambrose An allegorie it be an heuye greuouse synne whych thou thy selfe arte not able to wash awaye wyth the teares of thy penaunce and repentaunce let thy mother the holy church wepe for the. Let the people also be assistente vnto her And fortwyth thou shalt ryse agayne oute of the coffyn or beere and shalte begynne to speake wyth an other lyfe and all that heare it shall feare shal be corrected by thexemple of one They shal also prayse God Bede whych hath gyuē vs so great remedies to eschue death And here sayeth Bede is the errour of the heretiques called Nouatians confounded whych whyle they go about to destroye the
chapter of the aforesayd epistle sayeth Cast al your thought in him which hath care of you And for this cause saynt Hierome expounynge thys place sayeth in thys wyse Hierom. We be here commaunded by Christe not to be careful what we shulde eate for in the swet of our face we prepare vnto vs breade Laboure ought therfore to be exercised Chrysostomus suê‘ Mattheum but care taken away Here wyth agreeth Chrysostome sayenge Not with spirituall cares but wyth bodely labours we muste seke our fode whyche fode abundeth to suche as laboure for it by gods gyfte for a rewarde of theyr diligence and on the other syde it is wythdraweÌ„ from such as despyce laboure ☞ by gods doynge for a punyshment But thys that Christ speaketh here sayeth saynt Hierome is to be vnderstande of the bodely meate and rayment For of the goostly fode rayment we ought alwayes to be carefull Our Lorde for to rebuke vs the more of our lytle fayth byddeth vs beholde the byrdes and the lylies of the feldes vnto whoÌ„ God prouideth And be we no more worth then the byrdes or then the floures of lylies of the feldes He doth then defende vs to take thought for earthly thynges to th ende that our spirite maye the better be lyfte vp vnto the heauenly thynges for a man to take thought and care for the one and the other it is vnpossible Who so euer hath tasted of the true goodnesse of God he doth vntaste and myslyke the flatterynge and vayne goodnes of the earth For none can serue two maysters at ones He can not serue both God and also Mammon Mammon in the Syriake spech sayeth S. Hierom is called ryches Hierom. Let the couetouse person thaÌ„ heare thys that he can not both serue Christe and ryches and yet he sayeth not he that hath ryches but he that serueth ryches For he that is the seruaunt of ryches kepeth ryches as a seruaunt or bondman but he that hath shaken of the yoke of bondage or seruitude Austine he gyueth them as a lorde And saynt Austine sayth He that serueth Mammon that is to say ryches serueth hym which by the meryte of hys peruersitie is called of our lord the prince of thys worlde that is to saye the deuell Wherfore here be reproued all couetous folkes whych do set and fixe so much theyr hartes vnto the worlde and so lytle vnto god Let vs then beleue at the lest Iesu Christ whych doth not lye and care we not for to gather goodes but let vs rather care for the kyngdome of God only and for hys iustice and to obtayne hys grace and for the rest ther shal be gyuen vs asmuche as we shall lacke for to passe soberly thys lyfe wyth pacience Chrysostome Seke ye than fyrst sayeth Christ the kyngdome of god and the iustice therof The kyngdome of God KyngdoÌ„ of God as holy Chrysostome expouneth is the retribucion or rewarde of good workes and the iustice therof is the waye of godlynes wherby sayeth he we go to the kyngdome of God Yf thaÌ„ thou wylt consyder how great the glorye of the saintes shal be it must nedes folow that eyther for feare of paynes thou must go froÌ„ euell or for desyre of glorie thou must hasten the to do good And yf sayeth thys holy doctour thou wylte consyder what is the iustice of God I meane what God hateth and what he loueth the selfe iustice shall shewe vnto the her wayes which foloweth such as loue her For we shal not be called to a rekenynge whether we be ryche or poore but whether we haue done well or euel which thynge sayeth he is in our fre wyll Wherfore good people se ye do not care for your bodely sustenauÌ„ce for our Lorde doth promyse you that it shal be gyueÌ„ vnto you you nede not to doubt of it yf ye cast from you thys fleshly worldly thought full of mystrust of the prouision of God Do ye rather the contrary haue no trust in your selues but al in God and you shal be truly faythfull and the chyldren of almyghty God and you shall lacke nothynge in thys presente tyme nor in the other to come by oure Lorde Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorie and thankes worlde wythout ende Amen The Epistle on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .iij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Of the power heygth bredth and depth of Christ that is to say that he is euery where and potent in all thynges SAynt Paule wrote vnto the Ephesians sayeng I desyre that ye faynt not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whyche is youre prayse For thys cause I bowe my knees to the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he wolde graunt you accordinge to the ryches of hys glory that ye may be streÌ„gthed with might by hys spirite in the ynner man that Christe maye dwell in your hartes by fayth that ye beyng roted and grouÌ„ded in loue myght be able to coÌ„preheÌ„de wyth all sayntes what is that bredth and length depth and heyght and to knowe the excellent loue of the knowlege of Christ that ye myght be fulfylled wyth all fulnes which commeth of God Vnto hym that is able to do excedynge aboundauntly aboue all that we aske or thynke accordynge to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion by Iesus Christ thorowout all generacions from tyme to tyme. Amen THe charge my frendes of a byshop or of a curate is to teache continually and to praye for the people whych is commytted vnto hym to thintent that it wolde please God to redresse coÌ„forte and assure them agaynst the temptacions of this world as saynt Paule doth teach vs by all hys epistles in the epistle of thys daye he sayeth I praye you my brethreÌ„ that you do not discomforte your selues for my tribulacions whych I suffre for you That is to say yf you se that I do suffre much harme iniuries and persecutions forbycause that I do preach vnto you the gospell do not discourage your selues but perseuer in the fayth of the same Yf the mayster hath ben euell entreated by good ryght the seruauÌ„t must be in lyke maner Our Lorde Iesu Christe sayeth in the .x. chapter of S. Mathew It suffiseth vnto the disciple for to be lyke vnto hys Mayster For thys cause to th ende that you shuld not discourage your selues I pray and requyre humbly the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ the great father of housholde of the heauen and of the earth whych is the sprynge fountayne of all goodnes For I knowe well that wythout hym you nor I can do nothynge I praye hym that by the rychesses of hys glorie and grace it woll please hym to gyue vnto you by hys spirite streÌ„gth not bodely but spiritually and inwardly for to endure and to suffer And that it wol
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
wyth an issue of blod twelue yeres cam behind him and touched the hem of hys vesture For she sayd wythin her selfe if I maye touche but euen his vesture only I shal be safe But Iesus turned hym aboute and when he sawe her he sayde Doughter be of good comforte thy faythe hath made the safe And the woman was made hole euen that same tyme. THys Gospell good christen audience doth put before our eyes how moche that our fayth and hope in god our sauiour doth please hym and is to hym gratefull and acceptable and whych thing our lorde doth shewe vs here by the faythe of a prince of the Sinagoge which as sayeth saynte Marke was named Iayrus And albeit that hys fayth and confidence in god was vnperfite yet neuerthelesse oure lorde did applye and graunte to his prayer yea and wente also with him for to rayse his doughter which was nere deade and in dede she dyed In whyche thing the holy doctour Remigius sayth that the humilite and mildnes of our lorde is moche to be wondered at and also to be folowed of vs by exemple Remigius For forthwith as sone as he was desired he beganne to folowe him that desired him Wherin he instructeth sayth thys doctour both subiectes and also prelates To subiectes he hath left an exemple of obedience To prelates he did demōstrate and shewe howe they ought to be instaunte and paynfull in the office of teachynge that as often as they here tell of any parson to be deade in soule they shulde study forthwyth to be at hand and presente with hym to reuiele and rayse him vp agayn euen as our sauiour Christ of hys most tendre pitie and mercy was ready forthwith at the humble sute of this ruler to go with him to rayse vp his doughter And if that he had had as perfecte fayth as he which saied lord I am not worthy that thou shuldest entre in to my howse but only saye the worde and my chylde shal be hole he myght haue healed her wyth a worde and saye be it done to the according vnto thy faith and it shuld haue bene so but he did to him accordinge vnto hys fayth and so he doth to vs. He had thus moche fayth that if he touched her she shulde lyue and so was it therfore done to hym according vnto his fayth He shewed it vs also by the woman whych had the blody flyxe by the space of .xij. yeres the whyche had thys fayth in him that if she touched alonly hys garmēt she shuld be healed She did touche it and she had accordinge vnto her fayth not that she had her fayth in the garmente or that the garmente shulde heale her but her fayth and her hope was in Iesu Christ For assuredly the vertue of her healinge did not come from the garment but from our lord Iesu Christ as he saied I haue knowne that power is issued oute from me For certes she touched oure lorde inuisibly by fayth and the garment visibly by signe of fayth And therfore oure Lorde sayde vnto her Daughter haue full hope and be of good chere thy fayth hath made that to be saued for he did vnto her accordīg vnto her fayth Then the gospel dothe shew vs here that if we haue right perfyte fayth ther shal be done vnto vs accordinge to our fayth ☞ O that mortall men and women wold haue this perfecte fayth working by charytie confidēce and thys trust in our lorde Iesus Chryst Our lord did neuer denye any whych hath had stedfast fayth hope in hym If we be in neuer so great sickenes of synne yea if we be deade by synne yet yf we praye vnto hym and desyre him of pardon hauīg full hope and faythe in him that in asking it of hym we shal be healyd and iustified that is for to saie that our sinnes shal be pardomd and that we shal be reuiued frō the death of synne assuredlye it shal be so done vnto vs and we shal heare thys swete answere Thy fayth hath saued the. And the gospel is ful of the same that he wyl do to vs according to oure fayth Wherfore let vs haue stedfast fayth in all the promysses of the wordes of God and then shal be accomplished in all hys promysses Faythe without charitie is nothinge worth But thys fayth is a liuely fayth which worketh by charitie The sōne which shyneth gyueth no heate dothe not gyue lyfe to any thyng no more doth faiyh without charitie If thou haue thys fayth that Iesu Christ is dead for the and for to put awaye thy synnes it is soo and thy synnes be put awaye and hys death is thine and the merite of hys death thyne If thou beleue also not faynedly but truly that he is risen agayne for thy iustificatiō it is soo and his resurrection is thyne thy iustification and thou art truly iustified if thou so perseuer cōtinue in godly lyuing as becommeth a christen man And thus of all the other wordes of God and of the holy scripture the whych is clene hydde frō vs and made darke and vnprofitable without thys working faith and agayne all open and shyninge by thys fayth It is it that is alwayes sene of God and is neuer denyed in all signes and meruels in al holy reuiuinges of God For to be healed of all syckenesses and death we nede principally thys lyuely and workyng fayth whych is the most beloued grace of God The womā hadde none other thynge to be healed of her bloudy flixe The prince of the synagoge hadde none other thynge for to haue hys doughter reysed from death to lyffe For to be inheritour vnto the kyngdome of heauen is required this fayth that I now speake of as first chife foūdatiō of all together What wolde you that I shulde saye vnto you There is nothyng impossible vnto fayth Wherfore then lette vs praye vnto oure Lorde Iesu Christe whyche is auctour of fayth that he maye giue vs this fayeth to thintent that we maye praye laude and glorifie him so as he wold be prayed that he wol not denye or hyde any thing vnto them whych so do praye hym in fayeth but that he woll enflambe them from daye to daye for to luoe feare honoure and serue hym more and more and to praye hym the more feruentlye vnto the glorie of the celestiall father whyche giueth vs all in hym and by hym in thys world and in the other by glorie eternally Amen The epistle on the .xxv. sonday after Trinitie sonday which is the nexte sondaie before Aduent sonday Ieremias .xxxiij. Th argument ☞ The prophecye of Hieremye concerninge the raygne of Christe BRetherne beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde that I wyll rayse vp the ryghteous braunche of Dauid whych shall beare rule and discusse maters with wisdome and shal set vp equitie and righteousnes agayne in the erthe In hys tyme shall Iuda be saued and Israel shal dwell wythoute feare And
thys is the name that they shall call hym euen the lorde our rightousnesse And therfore beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde that it shall nomore be sayde the Lorde lyuethe whyche brought the chyldrene of Israell oute of the lande of Egypte But the lorde lyueth whyche broughte forth and led the sede of the house of Israel out of the northlande and frome all countreyes where I had scatered them and they shal dwel in theyr own lande agayne THis prophecy of Hieremie good people which we rede for our epistle in the churche thys daye doth shew vs that the dayes of the comming of messias our Sauiour Iesu Christ be at hande accōplyshed This is the trew braunche which God shal rcyse vp vnto Dauid And when shal this braunche be takē Of a vyrgyn descendyd from Dauid He shal be trewly iust for he shal be the iustice of all iust and he alonly ought of his owne purenes to be conceiued borne among men without syn But who shall reyse him vp vnto Dauid God alone and no tany man And therfore he shal be God and sonne of God And wherfore vnto Dauid Forbicause that god shall reyse him vp and make him to be borne of a virgyn descēdyd of Dauid He shall reygne kynge For he shal be kyng of kynges It is he which sayeth in the person of kyng Dauid in the seconde psalme Psal ij But I am constituted kyng by him ouer Sion his holy moūtayne preachyng his cōmaundement And he shal be wyse not without cause for he is the wysdome of god He shall do iustice and iudgement in earth for he shall condemne synne and the prynce of synne and shall iustifie by him selfe which is the sacrifice the redēpcion and iustice of pore synners And by this father he shall iustifie the synners In those dayes Iuda that is to saye those that shall confesse in faith shal be saued and Israell that is for to saye those that shall knowledge there strengthe to come from God shall liue in greate suertie and trust Iudas signifieth cōfessyng laudinge and thankyng and Israel strong in God And the name of messias shall be thys The Lorde God which is the greate name of God Wherby Hieremie in spirite giueth to vnderstande that he shall be the greate God hys name also shal be oure iuste Oures forbycause that he shall be made man for vs and in such wyse iust that he shall iustifie vs al that shal beleue in him as in God and man therfore he shal be ours and his iustice ours and for this he shuld come For as Esaie sayeth the lytle is borne vnto vs and the sonne is gyuē vnto vs and for this cause in the tyme of Messias one shall not affyrme any more in saieng The lord liueth which hath with drawen the chyldren of Israel out from the lande of Egypte But it shal be affyrmed in one hole witnes The lorde god lyueth that hath drawen out the sede of the chyldren of Israel from the lande of the North and from all other places where they were cast The lorde god is the Messias of whome Heremie sayde the dayes of his cōmyng is at hāde The which whē he shulde be comen shulde renewe al thinges al shadowes and all figures shulde cease and then shulde truthe reygne none shulde affyrme more accordyng to the olde lawe in fygure but according to the newe in truthe The chyldrē of Israel were deliuered from the lande of Egypte and Pharon in fygure But in the tyme of Messias the sede and chyldrē of true Israel which shal be sede and chyldren of faythe shal be delyuered in all places where they were caste before by god as enemies of the lande from the region and puissaunce of the greate Aquilon from whence dependeth all euyll which is the croked serpent the diuell of hell the prynce of darkenesse And they that shal inhabite in their lande of lyuinge people by the Messias which is our lorde Iesu Christ Striue we then my brethren with all our strength to be of the sede of fayth of the trewe Israel whiche is the onely stronge in our lorde Iesu Christ that hath vainquished the greate Aquilon which hath drawen vs out from the puissance and tyrānye of the same from all places from all nations And then he shall leade vs with hym into the lande of the lyuyng men eternally And we muste be all wel assured of this for this sayeth the lorde god almyghty Vnto whom be glory honour and myght eternally AMEN The Gospell on the .xxv. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye which is the nexte sonday before Aduent sonday the .vi. cha of Ihon. The argument ☞ Our lorde feadeth fyue thousande men with v. barley loues and two fyshes WHen Iesus then lyfte vp hys eyes and sawe a great company come vnto him he sayth vnto Philip whence shal we bye bread that these may eate Thys he sayde to proue him for he hym selfe knew what he wolde do Philip answered him two hundred peny worth of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man maye take a lytle One of hys disciples Andrew Symon Peters brother saith vnto hym There is a lad here whiche hath fyue barlye loues and two fyshes but what are they among so many And Iesus sayd Make the people syt downe There was moch grasse in the place So the men sat downe in nombre about fyue thousand And Iesus toke the bread And when he had geuen thankes he gaue to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down And likewyse of the fyshes as much as they wold When they had eatē ynough he sayth vnto his disciples gather vp the brokē meate which remayneth that nothynge be lost And they gathered it together and fylled twelue baskettes wyth the brokē meate of the fyue barly loues which broken meate remayned to them that had eaten Then those men when they had sene the myracle that Iesus dyd said thys is of a trueth the same Prophete that shulde come into the worlde THe royal prophete Dauid welbeloued audiēce knowing that the fedyng and meate as well of the body as of the soule is gyuen and distributed vnto men by the only goodnesse and grace of god howbeit more diligently neuerthelesse that of the soule then that of the body he maketh this request vnto god Lorde I haue had my refuge to the teach me to do thy wyll And in another place he fayth The lord god doth noryshe me and I shall lacke nothyng he hath set me in the place of the fedyng whiche is the place of the fedyng of god my frendes Trewly it is the holy scripture in whiche is declared vnto ss the wyll of this greate lorde and with the whiche euery christen soule is spiritually and ghostely fed reueled and nouryshed And this is it whiche at this daye is represented vnto vs by saynt Iohn in his .vj. chap. where as he sayeth that whē Iesus had lyfte vp his eyes and sawe that so greate a multitude was come vnto him he sayde vnto his disciple saynt Philippe wherwith shall we bye breade that these folkes here may eate He spake not this that he knewe not perfetly what he wolde do but he proued his fayth for it is he as sayeth Dauid that gyueth meate to beastes and vnto smale rauens that call to him and for to confyrme it and to giue knowledge vnto him and vnto the other that he was god Take we then doctryne of this place my frendys that our Lorde Iesu Christ is only gouernour of al thinges what so euer they be not only as towchinge the bodye but principally as towching the sowl And let vs not be as Philip and Andrew which not hauing yet stedfast fayth beleued not that he which by his only worde had made and created all the worlde myghte lykewyse by hys worde create and gyue noryshynge by fyue loues two fyshes vnto so great a multitude But what signifieth vnto vs the fyue loues and the two fyshes Suerly my frendes the fyue loues the whiche as S. Iohn sayeth were of barly represent vnto vs as S. Austine and other holy expositours thynke the fyue bokes of Moyses Austine For as barley outwarde hathe a huske very prickyng euen so haue the bokes of Moyses for as touchyng the lawe whiche they conteyne they be merueilous rough and rygorous but if they be spiritually vnderstandyd which can not be without faythe they gyue norishyng vnto the soule For as sayeth the prophete Abacuc Abac. ij The rightwyse man shall lyue by fayth And the two fyshes may sygnify the olde and newe testamēt The newe testament as touchyng the euangelicall apostolicall wrytinges wherin the christen mans faythe is lyuely described The olde as touchyng the other bokes and prophecies ☜ For euē as the fyshes can not lyue without water so lykewyse without faythe none hathe bene is nor shal be saued These fyue loues therfore and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded haue bene distributed vnto al christen people And if ye aske by whom Surely it is to be answered by the apostles they which be sent from god For this cause my frendes take ye the refection and fode of the soule in the fyue loues and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded that is to say in the holy scriptures and in fayth And vnderstande that the worldly doctrines can nat nourishe your soules but rather slee thē for our lorde sayeth that for nought we honour him in kepyng the doctrine of men namely if it be not grounded of gods worde but rather made to ouerwhelme subuerte and darken the same Let vs then desyre with instant and feruent peticions this heauenly fode of almyghty God and he wyll without doute gyue it vs aboundantly To whom be all honour glory prayse thankes for euer and euer Amen Finis ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and solde in Fletestrete at the synge of the whyte Harte by Anthony Clerke Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum