a kynge of it selfe be exceptable to God yet shuld good◅ē thorow humilitye flie mannes glory and maiestie and cast theym selues into some vyle kynd of lyfe as Christe speaketh at an other tyme learne of me for I am meke lowlye in herte Naye the goynge awaye teacheth not thys nother For althoughe Christe do bydde vs folowe the example of hys humilitye yet is it no humilitye rashelye to caste awaye hys lawefull vocacion and to take vpon hym a more abiecte kynde of liuynge wythoute the commaundemente of God but it is verye humilitye to serue obedientelye to Goddes wyl and hys ordinaunce in euery vocacion be it no ble or vyle Thus lowlye was Iob that is obedyent to the wyll of God aswell in ryches as in pouertye whan he sayed GOD hath gyuen God hath taken awaye the name of God be blessed Thus was Dauyd lowlye that is obediente to the wyl of god whether he were in his kingdome or banyshement For he sayd If I fynde grace in the eyes of the Lorde he wyll brynge me agayne But if he saye thou pleasiste me not I am tedye lette hym do that he thyncketh good wyth hym selfe so Christe hym selfe the verye Dauyd was lowely For whan he was called by GOD to beare hys crosse he bare it obediently Afterwarde be ynge called to recey◅e the heauenly maiestie in the kyngdome of his father he toke that also obedientlye This is verye humilitie whereby you cast not awaye your lawfull vo cacion but that in euery lawful vocacion thou obeist thy Lord thy god Wherfore Christ would not by this goynge away teache good men that either they ought not to take vpon theim the doynge of a kinges office if they be lawfully called vnto it or that thei shuld rashly and w tout the callynge of God cast it away if they haue taken it vpōthē before what is the matter than that he fled awaye and woulde not be made a Kynge And verelye if you consider his doctrine he toke vpō him much greater and nobler thynges than if he had a uaūced him selfe an outwarde kyng of Israell He preached that he was the lyghte of the worlde that he was the lyfe and resurreccion He saied he was the sonne of god yea and equal to God hym selfe These thynges in dede be muche greater more excellent than if he had taken vpon hym the maiestye of a Kynge amongeste men Why is it thā that he refuseth thys and taketh vpon hym that other The callynge of GOD is the cause and his office For Christ was not sente from heauen into yearthe for thys entente to do the office of a kyn̄ge in thys worlde and to beare rule vpon the yearth after the maner of a kinge but he was sent to be a prophet and a preacher of y ◠Gospel in Israell and as Paule calleth hym a minister of circumsicion for the truth of god to confirme the pro mises of the fathers For the Lorde sayeth by Moses of Christe I wyll rayse vp a prophet in the myddes of his brethren lyke to the and I wyll put my wordes in hys mouthe and he shall speake vnto thē al thynges whych I shall commaunde hym I wyll sayeth he rayse vp a prophete y t is to say a preacher not a worldly kynge or chiefe gouernoure And I wyl sayth he put my wordes in his mouth not a corporal sweard in his hande And he shal speake vnto thē he sayeth not he shal correcte theym by outward and corporal violence And in Esaye The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me because that he hath annoynted me and sente me to preache the gospel to the lowely he sayeth not He hath sente me to rule amonge men after the fashion of a Kynge but to preache the Gospel to theym that be in sorowe and misery For althoughe the Prophetes do sometyme so describe the kyngdome of Christe as thoughe it were a corporal kyngdom yet is y t discripcion so defenced wyth circumstaunces ine speciallye whan they saye that hys kyngdome shal be euerlastyng that nedes you muste vnderstande that his kyngedome is not corporal but spirituall neyther yearthlye but heauenly and that he will gyue not externall but eternal gooddes name ly forgyuenes of synnes eternall iustice euerlastynge lyfe and filicitye Wherefore that Christe foloweth not the peoples mynde and taketh not vpon hym the princely maiestie of thys worlde and yet for all that teacheth that he hym selfe is y ◠verye sonne of God yea and god hymselfe whyche is greater than al the maiestye of man boeth thynges he doeth accordynge to hys offyce and the vo cacion of God And by hys example he teacheth vs that no manne should folowe the common peoples delier to synne agaynst god neyther that we should take vpon vs an other vocacion wythout the cōmaundement of god For it cannot be that he that foloweth another mans plea sure wythout goddes callynge in ta kyng vpon hym to exercise common matters should haue any happye or prosperous successe of hys purpose For what cold be happy w t out god Thei haue raigned saith he but not by me they haue bene princes but I haue not knowen thē And he sayeth straight way Now wyl he remēber their iniquites viset their sinnes And a litle after I wil send fier into ther citis it shal deuor their houses Wherfore eueri mā ought diligētly to studie for this that what so euer he taketh in hand he may take it by goddes callynge that he maye call vpon God in faith and in that that he hath taken vpon him to be occupied with a good cōsciēce We haue heard what he did vpon the land let vs hear now what was done vpō y ◠sea When it was euening sayth y ◠euangelist his disciples wente downe to the sea toke ship passed ouer the sea and came to Capernaum For after that Christ had perceyued the commē peoples purpose tomake him a kinge he wolde not suffre his disciples to tarie anie lenger with the cōmen people but forthwyth cōpelled thē as Mathew Marke sai to take ship go before him vnto y ◠other side of the bancke vntill he hadde sente awaye the multitude For peraduenture he sawe y t if his disciples shuld tary amōg y ◠people stil in his absence thei wold haue be come helpars of this sedition in cho sing him a king because y t they also thought y t Christes kingdom shuld haue bene worldely Wherefore althoughe they thought it more wysdome either to tarye among the peo ple or wyth Christe yet are they con trarye to their mynde and whether they woulde or no compelled to go a waye and that for a verye good pur pose of Christe partly y t they should not wax sedicious wyth the people and partly that by risyng of the tem pestes in the sea they myght the better knowe the power and maiestie of Christe by whyche exampel we are warned to take pacientely if to the
heauenlye blesse The maiestye and authoritye in dede to teache and shewe Christe that is of saluacion to be giuē thorow Christ is onely in the power of God the father and hys holye gooste But the ministery and the instrument where by the spirite teacheth and openeth Christe is the outwarde and vocall predicacion of the gospel For that God vseth thys organe and is effectuall in man by it the matter it selfe proueth and manye places of the scripture witnesseth I haue appoynted you sayeth Christ to his A postles to go and bryng fruite and that your fruit should abide And it is manifest y ◠Christ hath sent his A postles to preach his gospel Therfore he speaketh of this ministery y ◠it bringeth fruit which also tarieth And Paul The gospel sayth he is y ◠power of god to all y t beleue And againe faieth is by hearing hearyng is by the word of god And agayne We thancke god ceas not that when you receyued the word of vs whereby you learned God you receyued not the wordes of men but as it was in dede the words of god which also worketh in you that beleue Paul speaketh of two things touching y ◠preaching of the gospel The one y t it is not y ◠wordes of mē but y ◠wordes of god That other y t it is effectual in those y t receyue it in saieth What could be spoken more excellente of thys ministerye Let vs heare also Peter beynge borne agayne sayeth he not by mortall sede but by immortal by the words of the liuyng god and that remayneth for euer And sayeth further And these be the wordes whyche was broughte vnto you by the gospell You se that Peter gyuethe to the instrumente of outwarde preachyng of the Gospell a newe byrth wythout the whych no man can get saluacion Nor all be not borne agayne that heare the Gospel and in fauntes whyche for theyr age cannot heare the Gospell are borne agayne thorowe goddes mercye by Baptisme For they although they be not liable to receyue the outwarde worde yet be they hable to re ceyue the holye goost whyche thing the example of Iohn Baptiste doth proue But we nowe speake of the ordinarye waye to receyue saluacion For in that some althoughe they heare the Gospel are not borne agayne other althoughe they here not y ◠outwarde voyce of the Gospell by the singular power of God are borne a gayne it taketh nothynge awaye from the dignitye and profit of the ministerye whyche is ordeyned by Christ wyth great authoritye Manye sowe sede whyche bryngeth no fruit and yet the corne is good and the sede also I sayeth Paule haue planted Apollo hathe watred but God gyueth the encrease And althoughe it folowe Neyther he that planteth is anye thynge neyther he that watereth yet anone after it is sayed We be healpers together wyth god that is the planter and the waterar is nothynge in dede if you consider y ◠autoritie of encrease but it is muche if you consider the instrumente the ministery the plantynge and waterynge by whyche god is wonte to gyue encrease And on that other part the rod of Aaron floryshed wythout plantynge and wateryng What shall we say then Shall we therefore take awaye all plantynge and waterynge because God somtyme bryngeth thynges to effecte wythoute theym Nothynge so at all But rather is the power of God to be maruayled at in hys miracles but we muste vse the instrumentes that he sheweth vs to serue oure vocacion and offer oure selfes to god the father and the holy gost to be facioned thorowe Christ. And touchynge the vse of outward preachynge the Gospell thus far be it spoken But nowe let vs searche to whom the faut of ignoraunce vnbeliefe is to be layed For saye they If no man come vnto Chryste excepte the father hathe drawen hym who shall be the maker of incredulitye but god hym selfe because he draweth not al men and yet may do it Lord what a blasphemie is this For god is not y ◠author of euyl but of good not of vices but of vertus For as touchynge God he in dede draweth teacheth al mē but most part of men drawe backe theim selues and wythstande the doctrine of Christe Howe often sayeth he woulde I haue gathered together thy sonnes as the byrde her young vnder her wynges and you would not And Stephan sayth you hard necked vncircumcised in hert and eares you alwaies haue resisted the holy goost as your fathers haue done so do you also Thou wylt say then what is the cause that God chaungeth not theyr wyll and maketh theym of not wyllynge wyllynge of styffe necked redye to be tourned For who is hable to resiste his omnipotent power This in dede is to bring god vnder make hym subiecte to mans wisdome There is no doubte but god coulde aswell haue chaunged the wil of Caiphas as he chaūged the wil of Paule but these secretes shall than be opened whan we shall se him in the world to come as he is in dede and when we shall knowe him as he knoweth vs. But nowe as touchinge these misteries we muste crye out wyth Paule O deapthe of the riches and wisdome knowledge of god how vnsercha ble be his iudgementes his waies hard to found out For it is plaine y t thorowe one mans faute as Paule sayeth euil was engendred vpon al men to their condēnaciō Wherfore god by no right may be rebuked accused of iniustice althoughe he chaunge no mans wyll but leaue all menne in perpetual damnacion whyche thorowe theyr euyll they haue deserued But in that he deliuereth and saueth some it is hys gentilnes and mercye whych we be bownde to knowledge and prayse and not to rebuke For so greate is the beneuolence of God toward mē that althoughe he owe theym nothynge yet wyll he shewe that very and true health oughte to be taken of all men and woulde as much as he hath shewed vs in Scriptur by the holy gooste make al men saued Dyd he not euen from the begynnynge of the worlde after man had synned and deserued perpetual disstruccion shewe out vnto vs hys sonne Christ to be receyued in faith that men thorowe hym myghte get the saluacion whiche they had lost Whyche Sermon of Christe was fyrste shewed a brode amonge the Patriarckes whyche were not onely y ◠fathers of the Iewes but of the Gentiles also Afterwardes were the Iewes amonge whome were put the promises of Christ spreade abrode by diuers occasions among the Gentiles that by theym the gen tiles myghte learne what was promised of Christe from heauen And the last of al when Christ was come and had fynished his iorney in this worlde the sounde of the Apostles wente thorowe all the yearth and theyr wordes wente into the endes of the worlde Wherefore as touchynge oure Lorde god man neuer lacked any thyng wherby he might knowe Christe and by
meanynge and wyll of oure mynde whyche semeth good vnto vs a stop be made by goddes prouision and worckynge For it is God the whyche as he ruleth al so also prouideth for all And berynge a fatherly loue to al those y t beleue in Christ he doth w t so great care kepe thē that he maketh prouision lōg before y ◠nothing come vnto them y t may be cōtrary to their helth Wherfore if in some thin ges he let thē not haue their wyll he doth it not to do them hurt but to do thē good to bring to thē greater cō modities than they at that tyme are hable to perceyue Do ye not se how ernestlye the Carnall fathers wrythe oute of their yonge Chyldrens hādes kniues litle swerdes which thei by chaūce haue gottē And they in dede wepe striue against thē asmuch as they can yet do the parentes stil breke thē of their mynds not because they hate their litel children but because they loue them feare lest w t these kniues thei should hurt them selfe vnwares or parauenture kyl them selues so also god y ◠father letteth the desiars of his childrē not to destroye thē but to saue thē Ther is no more therfore whē that god is agaynst oure purpose be it neuer so good but that we shoulde knoweledge hys fatherly affeccion and suffer hys hande pacientelye Further Iesus whan he had sente away his Disciples to shyppe and the people were gone hym selfe alone went vnto the mountayne to praye And his Disciples nyght beynge at hande began to passe ouer the sea towarde the towne Capernaū Let vs heare nowe what happened to hys Dysciples in the sea whan Christe was awaye It was nowe darcke sayeth he and Iesus was not yet come vnto them And there blewe a greate wynde and the sea began to ryse So when they sailed almost ▪ xxv or xxx furlōges they sawe Iesus walking vpon the sea draw yng ◅ie to the ship were afeard And he said vnto theym It is I feare ye not So they woulde haue take hym into the shyppe and forthwith the shyp was at the shore whyther they wente We haue rehearsed that which Iohn hath towched in a fewe wordes but we woll ioyne those thinges also whyche the other Eu◅gelistes wright more largely of this historye that we maye ◅e more diligently consider the multitude of the miracles that were here and the maiestye of Christe So the Dysciples cōpelled by theyr master sayled ouer the sea But behold whan they were nowe come into the deapth and that it was verye darcke a greate winde arose the sea waxed so big that the Disciples were in extreme ◅eopardy What trowe you the Dysciples thought now what coūcel toke thei Truely it is lykely y t they thoughte thus in their minde Behoulde oure master by hys straite commaundement hath cast vs into these so great ieopardies He hath thruste vs from hym to be drowned in these floudes Wherefore of al men we be the most folish that both before thys we haue folowed his doctrine and now haue obeyed hys commaundemente For whither be we brought but into vtter destrucciō But Christ although he was far of and that it was verye darcke yet sawe he in what ieopardy his Dysciples were and they had de serued in dede to be lefte in this ieoperdye and to haue be drowned because that boeth forgettynge Christes teachynge and hys miracles they dyd dispayre But Christe hath a greater regarde of hys owne mercy and goodnes than of their desert Wherefore whan that nowe they were gone wyth greate laboure and studye aboute xxx furlonges Iesus came vnto them walkynge vpon the sea as if he had gone vpon the hard grounde By whiche miracle he dyd not signifye that he had not a verye and naturall bodye of a man but he signified that as he was the Lorde of heauen and yearth so was he also the Lorde of the sea Well what do the Disciples than At the fyrst they knowe not it is Iesus Christe but they thinke it is a spirite they thinke it a diuell wythoute a bodye whyche came to take from theym their lyfe And therefore theyr feare was dowbled and they horriblye cryed out Here is no fayeth no callynge for healpe but as the hert was blynded so was it in despaire For they dyd not vnderstande as Marke sayeth of the loues that is they had not cōceyued by the miracle whyche the same day was shewed wyth fyue loues and two fishes so greate knowledge of Christe that they trusted theym selues to be salfe by hys forecare power and healpe aswel in the perils of the sea as also in the middell route of diuylles But whome Christ by his commaundement had cast into perlis those same also dyd he saue He opened hym selfe therefore wyth hys voyce criynge oute agayne It is I be not afearde to which voyce al his Dysciples beynge conforted and in especially◅ Peter Lorde quoth he if it be thou commaunde me to come to the vpon the waters And it was wel and wyselye done of Peter that he wōulde not putte hym selfe into the waters of the sea but beynge commaunded and called of Christe For we ought to put oure selfe in no peril rashelye and not called of GOD. So Iesus called Peter and he walked vpon the waters but as there came vp on hym a greate wynde he was so afraide that hys fayeth fel from hym and beganne to syncke But whan he had called for the helpe of Christ in dede he was rebuked because he douted was of a weake faieth but Christe toke hym by the hande and saued hym And so boeth wente into the shyppe to the reste and than the tempeste dyd not onelye ceasse but the shyp was also in the hauen and was come to y t part of the shore from the whych it was farre of whā Christ came Thou hast here a great heape of miracles Iesus was far of from hys Dysciples the darckenes of the nyghte was verye greate and yet he sawe in what ieoperdye they were on the sea This agreeth w t the miracle whā Iesus saw Nathanael vnder the fig tre and sawe Lazarus whan he was deade beynge yet far of frome Iurye where Lazarus dyed And afterwardes he walked vpon the waters as vpon the drye groūde which verely was a wonder full miracle And not onelye dyd he that hym selfe wyth hys owne body but also he bad Peter to do the same and Peter obeyng hys wordes walked lykewyse vpon the water and was preserued that he was not drouned By the whyche miracle the power of Christe is manifestly proued Moreouer by hys presence he alayed the tempest of the sea whych selfe thyng also is a profe of the maiestie of Christe to whome yea the sea and the windes do obei Finally the ship was sodaynely in that hauen to the whyche they coulde not come before wyth greate labour These miracles be so great that the Dysciples whyche be in
that all maye be one as thou O father art in me and I in the. Paule also sayeth I thorowelye beleue that neyther death nor life neyther Aungeles nor rulers neyther powers neyther thynges that be nowe nor thynges that be to come neither heith nor deapth neither any other creatur shal be hable to seperate vs frō y ◠loue w t whyche god loueth vs thorow christ our Lord. Heare also thys saying of the Prophet Mountaines shalbe moued and hylles shal tremble but my mercy shal not depart from the and my leage of peace shall not be moued sayth the merciful Lord. Wherfore thou muste be verye suer that god whych hath gyuen the his sōne and whome thou haste receyued nowe by fayeth wyll prouyde also that thou kepe styll hys sonne yea in the myddes of death also or rather to speake more ryghtelye thou shouldeste be kepte of hym and saued Furthermore the holye gooste hathe opened in the Scripture the doctryne of free eleccion of GOD for thys purpose that good menne shoulde not be offended eyther with the smalle number or vylenes but shoulde truste and that the euyll menne shoulde not be prowde of theyr multitude power wysdome and maiestye whyche they haue in thys worlde but feare For if ye compare together the congregacion of the good and the badde in thys worlde ye shal alwayes fynde the badde hygher in degree more in number in more dignitye honour and greatenes and in all other thynges In the begynnynge of the worlde the congregacion of Cayne semed to be beste and that onelye shoulde possesse the worlde And the churche of good Patriarckes as it was smalle in number so was it counted verye litell worthe Abraham when he was called out of hys coūtrye had no great authoritye amōg the Gentiles and yet he wyth Melchisedech and fewe other was the verye true churche of GOD. Other nacions were bygger in nūber power and wysdome and yet were rected of God In Egypte the Israelites were the churche of god whyche althoughe they were encrea sed in nūber yet were thei oppressed w t bondage the Egipcians in the meane seasō which were the church of the wycked bare greate rule and were in very ▪ great maiestye of thys worlde What shall I say of the examples of those times that folowed after In the same people whyche were called by the name of god one was the verye churche of god an other fained Whan Ahab was king of Israell the churche of god semed to be the kyng the quene the courtiers the priestes and all Israell but a fewe other that is to wit Elias Abdias and some that were hyd in the caues by Abdias were thought to be abiected from god But they were the true church and that other the fayned What tyme Christe was borne the byshoppes the scribes the Pharises were iudged the churche of god and as many as fauoured the authoritie and doctrine but zacharias Elizabeth Marye Iosephe Simeon and a fewe other as in comparison of the mulitude and maiestye of the other they were counted nothynge so were they not taken nother for the true churche But the iudgemente of god is one and the iudgement of men another And afterwardes Iohn Baptiste Christe the Apostles and certayne other were the verye church of god when for all that Annas Caphas the byshopes the priestes the scribes y ◠Pharises al the other companye of the Iewes helde the hieste place and dygnitye in the churche in comparison of whome they were counted vyle and abiecte These thynges verilye are wonte much to offende good men They se they are but a fewe dyspised to haue no shewe of the churche of god that their aduersaries are manye great mightye wise and not onelye beare the title and name of the church but also haue the ▪ chiefe place in it God therefore shewed the doctrine of his fre elecciō cōforted the good mē and byddeth thē haue a good hope saying y t euerlastyng saluacion stādeth not by mans authoritie multi tude power or wysdom but only by y ◠fre elecciō of god And seyng god hath chosen thē out which thyng is manifest by thys y t the know Iesus Christ the sonne of God beleue in hym they ought not to be fered by y ◠hie dignitie of their enemies fal away frō true godlines but stād so much y ◠more strongly y ◠vilar they be taken in y e eies of mē I thāke the sayth Christ O father lord of heauen earth that y u hast hidden these thinges frō witty wise men shewed thē to y e litle ons Uerely father this was thy good wil. And againe feare not litle flocke for it hath ple sed your father to giue you a kingdom And Paule sayeth you se your vocacion that not many wise mē after the fleshe not manye men of power not many of noble bloude but those that were folishe after y e world god hath chosē to make y e wise ashamed Wherfore y e more suar that it is that God doeth chose his church not after the merits of man or flesh ly maiestie but after the purpose of hys owne mynd so muche the greater owghte they truste of good men to be y t whan they knowe Christ in whō god hath opened y t they be the elect members of the churche it is no doute but they shall be saued for euer yea althoughe the whole worlde woulde saye contrarye and threaten the contrarie But we haue nowe spoken inoughe of thys matter we wyll tourne agayne to oure purpose All that haue harde sayeth he and learned of my father commeth vnto me And it is sayde more not that any man hath seen the father but he that is of God he hath seen the father What shall we say then If none other hathe seen god the father but he whych is of God that is but Iesus Christe the onelye sonne of god whyche is in the bosome of hys father what remaynethe but that none other also hath harde god and learned any thynge of hym and can not obtayne saluacion What shall we thyncke than of Moses and other Prophetes of the whyche the scripture wytnesseth that they haue seen God and learned manye thynges of hym But greate dyfference is betwixte the seynges of the Prophetes and Christes seynges For y ◠Prophetes are sayed to haue seen God in dede but they haue not seen hys substaunce and beynge but onlye certayne sygnes of hys presence But Christe seeth the beynge of God yea and is one God in dede wyth hys father Moreouer the Prophetes haue heard the voyce of God not the naturall but that that was taken for a tyme by whych the wyll of God shoulde be declared But Christe is the verye naturall voyce of GOD and hys eternall worde Finallye the prophetes and other good men haue gotten saluacion in dede but not by theyr owne merite but by an others benefite but
Set also before thine eyes how great a multitude of men is wont in persecucion to denye the fayth in Christ. For as sometyme the Iews and Ethnikes so now the Byshoppes Turkes persecute y â— doctrine of Christ and the fayth in Christ. But as in tyme past y e greatest multitude of people among the Iewes Ethnikes dyd in persecucion fal from Christ so also in these tymes vnder bishops and Turks sometyme whan no man doth vyolently compel them they fal awaye which certaynly is a manifest profe that sayeth in Christe is not of all men as Paule sayeth also reken me y e hypocrites amoÌ„g christen meÌ„ that put their hope in the merits of their worckes nuÌ„ber also wicked meÌ„ and that do not repent whych holde on still to leade a naughty and synfull life Thinkest thou y t both they and these would liue so wickedly if true fayth in Christ were as comon as y â— name of fayth is common amonge Christen men What shall we do then We muste not thyncke that fayth in Christ is borne in mannes fleshe and that it can be conceyued by mannes strength but to be geuâ—… by the gyfte of the holy goost from heauen thorowe the Gospell Wherefore lette oure cares and thoughtes awake to thys that we may learne the Gospell cal vpon the lord y t the holy gost may worke in vs and not onelye gyue vs true fayeth in Chryste but also kepe and encrease it that we maye walke obediently in the callynges of god But let vs heare nowe what they get what they haue that beleue in Iesus What sayeth he than Saieth he they shall get worldely Empyre ryches of thys worlde Or other earthelye gooddes In dede these be the giftes of god and serue for somewhat in the earth but they are not true felicitye Neyther dyd Christe come into thys worlde to gyue to theym that beleued in hym yearthelye and traunsitorye good thynges but rather heauenlye and euerlasting saying he that beleueth in me hath life What maner of life that fadeth awaye or y t shortly shall perish not so but euerlastyng Also in y â— name of eternall lyfe he vnderstand comprehended althynges y t pertaine to euerlasting life y t is for giuenes of synnes chosyng into the sonnes heires of God rightuousnes before God the holy goost leadynge to obedience of Goddes vocacion deliueraunce and preseruacion in death and finally heauen lye and euerlastynge kyngedome Wherefore he that beleueth in Iesu Christe hath forgyuenes of synnes is chosen vnto the sen of God is couÌ„ted iust before god is endewed wyth the holy gost that he may obey the callyng of God is saued in death and receiueth the inheritauÌ„ce of heauenly kyngdome the whyche he shall enioye for euer Than the whych good thynges nothyng can be spoken more greater nor more excellente But I praye the what thynge is that thorowe whose merite he that beleueth in Christe getteth lyfe euerlastynge and so great good thinges of it Is that thorow the merite and dygnitye of fayeth that is of the woreke that the man doeth Nothynge lesse verelye He that beleueth in Iesu Christe obtayneth in dede euerlastynge lyfe and the profites of it thorow fayth but not for the merite or dignitie of fayeth bycause that fayeth is alwayes weake whyle we lyue in the fleshe nor neuer so greate as the worde of God requyreth But it getteth those thynges for Iesus Christes sake which is receiued by fayth For so it is added I am the breade of life That is He y t beleueth in me therefore hath euerlastynge lyfe because that I whome he receyueth and possesseth by fayeth am the breade that gyueth lyfe I am lyfe it selfe and perpetuall saluacion Wherefore he that hath me thorowe fayth he also hath lyfe and health euerlastynge What lacketh he than that beleueth in Christe He hathe not a rych house in thys world but he hath Christ the Lord of heauen and yearth thorowe whome he is made the heyre of all the heauenlye good thynges He is not garnished wyth some noble kynde of lyfe in thys worlde but he is garnyâ—…hed wyth Christ and for thorow whom he is noble not onely before the angelles but also before the maiestye of GOD in heauen He hathe not stronge health of bodye and longe lyfe in thys worlde but he hathe Christe whyche is perpetuall lyfe and felicity There is no true goodes than y t he wanteth whiche beleueth in christ And coÌ„trary he y t beleueth not in christ hath none of these good things He hath earthli riches but because he lacketh christ ryches are rather hurtfull vnto hym than profite He hath in thys worlde noble kynred but because he lacketh Christ he is not onely obscure before GOD but also shall be coueted wyth perpetuall darcknes He hath prosperous helth leadeth a merye life in this worlde but because he laketh Christ it shal at last be sayed vnto hym that Abraham sayed to riche gloton sayinge sonne remember that thou haste receyued thy pleasures in thy lyfe therefore nowe art thou condemned Wherefore wyth all the thoughte of oure mynde we muste bende our selues to thys studye to knowledge Christe thorowe fayeth and when we knowe hym kepe hym But after that Christe maketh mencion againe of bred whaÌ„ he sayth I am y â— bred of life by by y â— Iewes thou ght vpoÌ„ MaÌ„na as they dyd before so that they thought w t them selues What doest thou boaste that thou arte the breade of lyfe whyche hath come downe from heauen What shall we saye than of Manna whyche oure fathers dyd eate in wylder nes Wylte thou gyue more excellente breade than Moyses gaâ—… 〈◊〉 ourâ—… fathers Of thys thynge also Christe preached before and yet â—…owe also he reherseth agayne the comparacion of Manna wyth hym selfe that hys maiestye shoulde be the more opened saying Your fathers haue eaten Manna in desert and are deade This is the breade descendyng downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ that a man maye eate of it dye not I am the liuyng bread that am come downe from heauen If any man eate of this â—…de he shall lyue for euer Thys is the meaninge of that that Christe sayeth There is greate difference betwixte Manna and 〈◊〉 breade that is my selfe For MaÌ„na hathe not browghte lyfe to theym that did eate it for they that did eat Manna they are all deade But my breade or I my selfe brynge lyfe to theim that eateth me For they that eate my breade that is my selfe neuer dye but lyue for euer And Chryst in dede semeth whan he saieth Thys is the breade descendyng from heauen that a man should â—…t of it and not dye and addeth I am the liuynge breade whiche am come from heauen If anye eate of thys breade he shall lyue for euer â–ª to rehearse agayne playnelye all one thynge but thys rehearsynge agayne neyther is in vayne nor for naught superfluous but y â— one saying is the interpretacion of y â— other
in the myddes amongest theym that wyll make the leage whych fyrst doeth cut wyth a sharpe stone the palme of the hande that is nexte the thombe than takyng a shred of either of theyr garmentes he anoyntethe wythe the bloude stones that be set in the middes before theym By the which custome you maye se that couenauntes and bondes wer not made suar wythout the bloude of those y ◠were confederate or ioyned together In some other countreis it was a common maner in makynge couenauntes not onely to shede bloud but also to dryncke it For they that came into y t felowship together be wonte to bynde theyr ryghte handes and their thombs together wyth a knot and thā to let out wyth a litle stroke and to licke the bloud that was ga thered at the later ende of the rybbes That bonde was counted a secreate and very sure bonde because it was consecrated and halowed wyth eche others bloude The Romayne hystorye doeth testifye in the sedicion of Cateline howe y t it was vsed that Cateline the begynner of the sedicion bare aboute in greate boles the bloud of mās body ming led with wine dyd to dryncke of it al that knewe of y ◠conspiracye that by thys dryncke the othe made amongeste theym shoulde be confyrmed and to be more fayethfull amonge them selues You haue now that the drynckynge of mans bloud was vsed in makyng bondes or couenauntes and in doynge treason Wherefore when the Capernaites hearde Iesus preache of the drynckynge of hys bloude I doute not but they thoughte vpon suche a custome and thoughte that Iesus required of theim such a bond whereby they shoulde so bynde theim selues wyth hym that onely thei shuld healpe him to get a worldely dominion thorowe out al the worlde not onely by venturyng all their goods but theyr liues also And althoughe the Iewes were verye desirous and soughte principallye for thys thynge in theyr Messias that they shoulde beare rule in thys worlde yet because they thoughte that Iesus dyd thys thynge not that they liuynge in rest and wythout the arrowe shot he woulde get worldlye felicitye they abhorred hys sermon and toke councell to go awaye What Say they we thought that seyng he prophesied hym selfe to be Messias he woulde haue made vs happye in thys worlde wyth out all oure losse or hurte But nowe bycause we perceyue that he goeth aboute a conspiracye to make vs sworne to hym by drynckynge hys bloude and that he wyll cause vnto vs most extreme ieoperdi who cā be hys scholar or folowe hym For he sayeth He that eateth my flesh and dryncketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in hym What other thynge is thys than if he sayde that we oughte so to bynde oure selfe wyth hym that we shoulde sticke vnto hym and neuer go awaye but folowe hym whyther soeuer be it thorowe sworde or fyarre he shall leade vs whither it be to the besigeynge of the citye of Hierusalem or the citye of Rome Let vs fly therefore and let vs leaue hym and hys bloud to least euen wyth hym as it hath chaūsed to other sedicious persons we lese also oure owne bloude and oure lyfe You se here a greate prudēce in dede of the Capernaites but a naughtie and carnal wit For prudence is not to be partaker of an other mans wyckednes and not to make anye bonde wyth sedicious personnes but it is wyckednes that whom they did knowe to haue the wytnes of Iohn Baptiste a verye holy man and whome they sawe to haue the authoritye of hys doctryne confyrmed wyth so manye miracles they dyd not giue so great credence vnto hym to beleue that hys Sermon was true althoughe they vnderstode it not and woulde not vouchesafe to gyue hym so muche honoure to axe reuerentelye of the meanynge of thys Sermon Wherefore they are worthye not onelye of a verye greate rebuke but also of a sore punyshemente And yet Christe accordynge to hys Gentilnes handleth theym Gentilye For Iesus knowynge wyth hym selfe that hys Dysciples murmured for thys thynge ◅e sayde vnto theym Doeth thys offend you If then you se the sonne of manne ascendyng vp thither where he was before we must vnderstand you shal perceyue in dede y ◠I haue sayd trueth In this pla◅e fyrst is signified that the secretes of menne be knowen to Christe oure Lorde For althoughe hys hea◅ers dyd not obiecte vnto hym manifestlye the absurditye of hys sermon but priuilye murmured wythin theym selues yet he seeth and hereth their thoughtes and theyr murmurynges We are warned therefore that before the maiestye of Chryst wherwith nowe heauen and earth is filled not onely we do nothynge but not once thyncke anye thynge fylthilye and synfullye Also Christe sygnifieth that he wyl proue in dede hys sermon to be true He sayde that he was come downe from heauen Why sayeth he doeth that offend you so greatelye that you wyll fal from me But be contente That that I haue spoken in wordes I wyl proue in dede For there is no man that ascendeth into heauen but he that dyscended from heauen as it is sayed before But I wyll ascende into heauen Wherefore if you shall se me ascendynge into heauen than you shall proue in dede that I dyscended from heauen But that we may ryghtelye vnderstande that that is sayed of commynge downe from heauen and goynge vp to heauen we muste marcke that in thys sermon to come downe from heauen is t◅◅aue of hys owne nature an hea◅enlye and diuyne begynnynge that is to be verye God For except thys were the meanynge of the com mynge downe from heauen howe shoulde the Iewes haue bene offended They woulde not haue bene offended if they hadde vnderstande that Iesus hadde so come downe from heauen that he hadde an heauenly vocacion as was the vocacion of Moyses or Elias or of the other Prophetes And whan by thys speach they were so greatelye offended yea they fel awaye from Iesu there is no doubte but that they vn derstode Iesus by these wordes to attribute vnto him selfe a diuinitie whyche thynge whan they iudged to be vngodly blasphemous they thoughte nothynge to be more for theyr saftye than to forsake Christe euen wyth his doctrine And to ascend into heauen in thys place is not to be vnderstande of suche a go yng vp as Elias went into heauen nor of that ascencion only of Christ whyche was made in the mount O liuete the. xl daye after his resurreccion but thys assencion of the whyche we speake now comprehendeth al thinges wherewyth Christe dyd proue hys diuynitye that is that he rose the thirde daye from the deade that he ascended the xl daye after hys resureccion into heauen that he sente the holye spirite that he shewed in hys name manye and greate miracles by hys Apostles y ◠he hath spread by the ministrye of hys Apostles hys Gospell into the whole worlde and hath defended it in the myddes of the pe◅sequutors aswell
No mā sayth he can come vnto me y t is beleue in me except it be gyuen him of my father Thou wylte saye then If the matter be so the faut of vnbelife in mē is rather of god y t fa ther y t wil not giue it nor y t wil not drawe vnto Christ than of men God forbid The father which wyll haue all men saued offreth fayeth vnto all men and draweth al men as touchynge hym selfe to Christe but all menne receyue not fayeth neyther do they obaye vnto the wyl and drawing of the father I know that no man can resist the omnipotent power of God but the mooste parte of men wythstand the wyll of God which he him selfe openeth by his worde Howe often sayeth he woulde I gather together thy children and thou wouldest not And a gayne you haue alwayes wythstand the holy gost as your fathers haue done so do you also Were not in the parable of the kynge whyche made a mariage for hys sonne and of y ◠man that had prepared a great supper many bydden to come And the rest that were not byddē yet are called yea and some of theym were compelled But beholde the sluggyshnes and leudnes of mā Som dispised and go aboute theyr busines some did vilainie and killed his seruauntes that bad thē to the mariage Other althoughe they come yet brynge thei not with them theyr mariyng garmente Wherefore the faute of vnbeliefe must not be ascribed to god but to the wicked wyl of man which furiously reiecteth that good thynge that god mercifullye offereth For where Christe sayeth no man can come vnto me excepte it be geuen hym of my father he sig nifieth not that god is the authour of vngodlines in men but he sygni fieth that in dede he wyll obaye the wil of his father neither that he wil take vpon him any outwarde regimente whereby he maye compel mē violently to receyue hym and that god the father is no regarder of per sonnes but that he bryngeth to hys sonne and gyueth vnto hys sonne those whyche receyue the gospell of hys son thorowe fayeth yea what so euer they ◅eme to be in their per◅ōs For God loketh not vpon the multitude not the power not the wysdome not the outward holines and honestye of lyfe but he loketh onely vpon hys owne mercye wherewyth he choseth theym whyche wyll receyue theyr eleccion and obeye their vocacion whether they be fewe or abiectes or dyspised of all other men I thanke the father sayth he O lorde of heauen and earth that thou hast hyd these things frō wise men and prudent men for they wyl not receyue these thynges and hast shewed them to litle ones Uerely fa ther so hath it pleased the. No man therfore oughte to be moued either w t the multitude or w t the power ei ther with the wisdom or holines of vnbeleuers and naughtye men to cast away the gospel of Christ folow euē together w t the vnbeleuers an other doctryne but must knowledge y ◠gospell of Christe thorowe fayth stil continue in that with cō stant faith If he do this there is no dout but god the father wil so giue him to his sonne Christ y t he shal ne uer lese hys saluacion for euer But for asmuche as we haue expounded this saying of Christ before also let vs now go forth run ouer the rest From that tyme forth many of his Disciples forsoke hym and wente awaye nor walked any longer wyth hym That y t Christ sawe should come did prophecie of y t thing came now to passe in dede The greatest parte of the hearers Disciples fell from Christ The twelue only abode stil. Here therfore consider me partely y ◠wickednes of man partly theyr ingratitude It was wickednes that they beleued him not whych had so many witnesses of hys authoritye But thys was a cōmon fortune to Christ his gospell y ◠men fel from him when they sawe y ◠by him there came no cōforte of worldly felicitie And it is ingratitude that for one word a litle as they iudged to hard they dyd dispise and forsake theyr benefactor For a litle be◅ore they had receyued of Christ a great bene fite in the deserte And I doubt not but there were manye in this companye whiche obtayned health by hym For or euer Christ shewed the miracle of the fyue loues and two fyshes in deserte and made this ser mon he had healed all those that were sycke whyche were come vnto him and that were dyseased with diuers syckenesses and ◅ore paynes and suche as were possessed of dyuyls lunaticke y ◠had the paulsy Yet lo all these were so vnkynde frowarde that they could not beare in theyr benefactoure not so muche as one harde a◅d sharpe worde And put case I saie let vs put case for in dede no suche thynge can be spoken no nor thoughte nether of Chryste that Chryst in hys wordes had a litel swarued from the truth or that he hadde bene somewhat to vehemente or harde other then i◅ had bene mete oughte they not to haue pardoned so litel a faulte for so greate and so many benefites But the vnkindnes of man is very greate Excepte you alwayes conti◅ue to heape benefites vpon benefites and stil to encrease them they wyll not knoweledge and confesse thē no nor they wyl not knowledge thē although you do so in dede And the prouerbe that is vsed in oure cōtrei is veritrue y t the ingratitude of men is so greate that if you wold carrie a man to Rome vpon your ◅hulders and laie hym downe sumwhat vngoodlye or hardelye you shulde lese al youre benefite W ha shu◅d we do then Shuld the ingra titude of man be so much regarded of vs y ◠we shuld therfore do good to no man God forbyd Let vs doe our duty y ◠God hath commaunded vs. For althoughe man be vnkind yet God is very kinde with whom a great reward is laid vp for al mē that do good dedes And now let vs se what Christ taketh vpon hym to do against these that fal from him Peraduenture he wyll strike them with lightening or wyll kyll them with his sword Uerely nothing so For where the Lorde saith in Moses He that wil not heare y ◠wordes whiche he shall speake in my name I wyl be the reu◅nger Christe geueth the reuengement to his father And tourneth him self to his twelue Apostels which only of al the num ber of his disciples ◅aried s◅yll and saide vnto them Wyll you also go yo◅ waye And he axed thē not that he was ignoraunte of the purpose of their minde but that by this occasiō they shulde shewe vnto hym their fayth and they shuld be strengthned in it ◅imon Peter therfore aunswered hym Lorde to whom shall we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall ▪ lyfe And we do beleue and haue knowen that tho◅ arte
sayth the Euangelist the only sonne that is in y e bosome of his father he hath shewed hym And agayne No man knoweth y â— father but the soÌ„ne Wherfore in y â— sonne of God which is Iesus Christe the wyll of God muste bee knowen and his counsell seene And we see in thys place the sonne of God to tarye longe in fedynge the hongrye and yet in conueniente time he feedeth them after a meruelouse fashion And euen so playnely be the maners of oure hea uenlie father for he is wont to seme almoste deafe at the praiers of good men and to take no care to saue theÌ„ For what purpose dothe he that For that that he heareth the prayers of good men and wyll not saue vs God forbidde What thinges so euer sayth he you shall axe in your prayers and beleue ye shall haue them And againe I wyll heare them beefore they crye and heare them whyle they be yet speakynge And agayne Call vpon me in the daye of tribulacion and I wyll deliuer thee and thou shalte ho noure me God therefore called vpon in fayeth slacketh in gyueynge healpe not because he wyl not saue you but he tarieth first that by this delay he wold stire vp in the trobled a greter desier to cal vpon hym that is to do trewe godly honoure For the more ferueÌ„tly ye cal vpoÌ„ God the more ye serue God And we are made for this purpose to worshippe oure Lorde God Sertainely he tarieth to geue to the afflicted greater benefites whereby both the afflicted may get greater fe licitie and the glorye of the name of God maye be more shewed out For as a graine that is caste in the grounde is not loste thoughe it be couered wyth yearth and to dye but rather is encreased whyche in the haruest tyme apereth manifestlye so the praiers put in the bosome of god thorowe fayeth are not in vayne although they seme not to be hard but in their conuenient tyme they bryng fruite plentifully and God so much the more aboundantlye is wonte to gyue hys benefyte howe muche the more soâ—…dli he was thought to haue bene a slepe This entente of god in differring his helpe must diligeÌ„tly be learned For as it helpeth a seruâ—…e â—…uche to do his master good 〈◊〉 if he know his wyl and purpose So it helpeth vs to serue our lorde god wel if by prolonging the helpe of god which we call for in our trouble we knowe what is the wyll of god and his entente that is that god doth not defer his helpe be cause he wil not saue vs but that he wyll saue vs more gloriously profitably then any man can thinke Thou wylte saye what helpeth vs then this knowledge Firste it kepeth in vs sufferauÌ„ce which vertue as it is great so is it a plesaunt seruice to god For he that thorowe the holye goste is perswaded that God differreth his helpe not to take it a waye but to geue it more abundane lye to him that axeth it can not bee but he muste suffer paciently whatsoeuer aduersitie happeneth More ouer this knowledge kepeth him y t doth praye in doing his duetye and perseueraunce of prayer This also is a greate vertue seruice very ac ceptable to god For he that wyth a suer hope trusteth that the benefits of God shall be made more howe shuld not he continue stil in praier how shulde not he get forwardes coÌ„ staÌ„tly last of al it kepeth him y â— doth praye in obedience of those offices which by godds vocation he oweth to God and to hys neygheboure for he that thorowe the holy goste seeth that he shall receaue so much y e grea ter benefites of God how much the longer the helpe of God is differred he can not be holden but moste diligentlye wyl folowe the callynge of god lest the benefactor being pro uoked to anger thorow disobedience he receiue an euell turne for a good And what worke pleaseth god better then obedience Better is obedience sayth god then sacrifice Wher fore when aduersitie encreaseth and ryseth against vs let vs not thinke that god hath forgotten vs or that he careth not for vs but let vs acknowledge and well consider gods entent that strengthened in fayth we may go forwardes in the office of our callinge But that the miracle which Christ wyl do may y e more plainly be knoweÌ„ the lacke of bread ought to be knowen not only to the Apostles but vnto the people also So Iesus sayde Make these men sit downe For there was muche grasse in the place so ther sat doune a M. almost v. C. meÌ„ in nuÌ„bâ—…e Other Euangelistes rehearse also the order of their sittinge that is that they sat in the grene fieldes in sonder by hundredes and fyfties and shewe that besyde almoste fiue thousand men in numbre there weâ—… women and children also And what then meaneth Christ that he wolde not distribute the bread except they fyrst sate doune yea and that euerie man in his order Could not the meÌ„ haue eate excepte they fyrste had sitten yes they coulde But as we said before the lacke of bread ought to be knowen also to the people that the miracle myght be the more euident For now wheÌ„ the men wet set doune and were set in order they were thorowe this sighte stirred vp to feele searche out betwixt theÌ„ selues what the matter meante who shulde geue them meate where they shulde haue bread for none of theÌ„ had broughte bread with theÌ„ So here their lacke was opened and they were quickened to looke that Christ shulde geue them meate Yea the order of theyr sitting made the miracle more to be marked So when these thinges were thus prepared Iesus beganne to worke the miracle For he tooke breade and after he had geuen thankes he distributed them to his disciples and the disciples to theÌ„ that were set downe Lykewyse of the fishe asmuche as he wolde We maruayle what Christ ment by bidding them sit doune and now we more marueile what this ceremo nie of thankes geuing meaneth for he dealt not the bread before he had fyrst lifte vp his eyes to heauen and gaue open thankes in the sight of al men What nede had Christ to these ceremonies Is not he the worde of god and god him self He spake and thinges were made he coÌ„maunded and they were created Whye nowe therfore saye but euen a worde that the loaues myghte be multiplied Christ myght not only if he had spo keÌ„ but one worde but euen also by a thought only haue multiplied these loaues but it plesed him to vse these ceremonies first to shew in the sight of the people that he taughte them none other God but hym the true God maker of heauen and earth that he did not his miracles by iugglyng but by heauenlie and power of God Moreouer he wolde teache vs what gyuinge of thanckes was and how muche it was hable to do For wher Iohn sayth
last for euer What shall I speake of the Ethnikes They honored not only as men but as Goddes all those whyche dyd brynge vnto theym anye thynge profitable for the bodye They halowed Bacchus for a GOD because he hadde shewed vnto theym the makynge and vse of wyne They worshypped Ceres as a Goddesse because she did teach how to order corne and wherefore it serued wher before thei eat Okecorns Hercules was set amonge the Goddes because he saued the citisens that were ouercome of theyr enemies because he restored banished mē agayne to theyr Cityes because he made the lande saufe from theues and the sea from pirates These vertues althoughe they be greate and mete for a Prince yet because the heathen dyd consecrate Hercules into a God for these vertues they dyd playnelye declare that theyr mynde was onelye in yearthely commodities and profites I wyll shewe you that that scarselye maye be honestlye spoken openlye in the congregacion and yet it oughte to be spoken of that you maye se that menne haue no regarde saue onelye that they maye haue ioye in yearthely pleasures Flora when by harlotes craft she had gotten greate riches she made the people of Rome her heire and leaft a certayne money by whose yerely increase thereof the daye of her byrth myghte be kepte solemly and plaies be made whych they call Floralia what came to passe than Dyd the Romaynes knoweledge so fowle and fylthy thynges Not onelye dyd they gladlye receyue them but made Flora a goddes that should be goddes of f◅owers O stynckyng beastes O detestable men which gaue also to harlottes Godlye honoures because they had receyued of theym a bodily benefite when for all that ryght honest men eyther theyr oratoures or Philosophers that taughte vertue they greatelye dyspised theym yea and somtyme also kylled some of theym And in thys thynge not onely the heathen but the Christen men theim selues also haue done amysse For in the worshyppynge of saynctes whyche Hypocrites haue folowed very hertely and much vn godly they haue worshypped those saynctes specially by whose healpe they haue hoped to haue had eyther some corporall benefites or escaped hurtes To those they haue appoin ted holy dayes temples offeringes pylgrymages feloshyppes and as they call them brether heades To be shorte A great sorte of those that be called christians haue so burned wyth desier of yearthly temporall profites that they would haue worshipped Satā him selfe for a saint or for a God so that he would send theym money and gyue theym corporall benefites Whych thyng verely euen by thys is playne that althoughe nothynge is better knowen thā that deceites trifles lyes and periuries be mischeuous thynges worckes of the diuyl yet men to ge◅ ryches and bodilye profites wyth so greate redines of mynde they folowe theyr mischieffes that neyther by anye respecte of honestye neither by any warnynge of goddes word no nor by other crueltye of punyshmente they maye be wythdrawen frō that What is blindnes if thys be not blyndnes and vngodlines For mē be so blind that they thinke these corporall and temporall good thynges to be true felicitye Let vs heare therefore what Iesus answereth to y ◠Iewes disirynge only corporal meate and an yearthly deliueraunce So Iesus sayed vnto theym Amen amen I saye vnto you Not Moses hath gyuen vnto you breade from heauen that is to say the true bread but my father gyueth vnto you the true bread frō heauen For the bread of god is that which is descended from heauen doeth gyue life to the worlde Thys is the comparynge together of Moyses and hys benifites wyth Messias and hys benifites whyche Messyas gyueth to theym that beleue in hym You sayth he glorye verye muche of Moyses and for the benefites whyche be gyuen to you for hym and fyrste althoughe Moyses hath bene a greate Prophete and fayethfull minister of GOD yet was he not that person for the which menne do get trewe health But Mellias whome the Prophetes haue promised and ofwhom Moyses hym selfe hath preached and whome GOD nowe hath sente into the yearthe is that person for the whyche true health commyth to menne Furthermore the good thynges which God hath done by Moses in dede htey are greate and verye excellent and yet not euerlastyng neither sufficiente Moses ministred to you by goddes liberalitye Manna from heauen yet that Manna was not the verye meate whyche of it selfe hath saued the eatars into euerlastynge lyfe Al the Israelites haue eaten Manna in the deserte yet neuerthelesse all they also be deade and many of them God hath not alowed whyche also haue dyed for euer But Messias whyche is the naturall sonne of God whom hys father hath sente from heauen into the yearth whych now at thys tyme liueth amongeste men is the true meate which so conserueth al y ◠eate him that is beleue in him y t thei shall neuer dye but althoughe they seme to die yet may be saued into euerlastynge lyfe Moyses deliuered the Israleites from the Egipcians bondage and led them by y ◠deserte euen vnto the lande of Canaan Thys was in dede an excellente benefite and very acceptable to the Iewes that were afflicted but yet was it not a verie deliueraunce for although they were deliuered from the tirauntes of Egypte yet were they not deliuered from there spiritual tyrauntes that is from synne the diuyll death and hel But Messias bryngeth true deliueraunce For to theym that beleue in him he forgeueth synnes and causeth that they whyche receyue hym thorowe fayth are counted iust before God He ouercommeth the deuyll and so deliuereth the seruauntes of the diuyl that they be chosen into the sonnes if god He ouer commeth death and bryngeth to passe that they whych were in the daunger of death neuer dye but lyue for euer He ouercommeth hell that they whych were in daunger of hell shoulde go into heauen and enioye euerlastynge felicitye These in dede are the true benefits whych as they are in no wyse to be compared to those corporall profites so do they brynge euerlastynge health It commeth doune saith he from heauen It bryngeth therefore heauenlye and euerlastynge good thynges not earthly and those that shall vade awaye And it geueth lyfe it gyueth not money whych couetous menne seke for not corne whyche vsuras heape together not wyne whyche bybbers seke after not earthely Empyres wyth whose desiar men of thys worlde be on fier But it geueth lyfe that is blessed for euer And it gyueth it vnto the worlde it offereth it by hys gospell not to the Iewes onelye nor to the gentiles onelye but to all creatures that is aswel to the Iewes as to the gentiles aswell to honeste as vnhoneste to the poore aswell as to the ryche to the princes and to the subiectes to be shorte to al the worlde Wherfore althoughe these corporall and yearthely good thynges haue theyr vse and God if they happen is to be thancked for
shame if beynge the sonne of God he do these thynges that be vnmete for the sonne of god to do But what nede manye wordes Se what God hath forbyd by hys worde To vse dyspighte towarde God to iudge God a lyer to hate thy â–ª neyghboure to enuye thy neyghbour to studye to begyle to be aglotten and many other such thynges Those thynges in dede be vnmete for the Sonnes of god and he that folowethe these thynges leadeth not hys lyfe as the Sonne of GOD or GOD but as the sonne of the dyuyll or the dyuyll hym selfe For these be the workes of the diuel whiche he that doeth he must nedes â—…e of the dyuel his father Whâ—…â—…ore the worckes of the dyuell must be eschewed and the workes of god muste be folowed that the maiestye wyche we haue gotten in Chryste thorowe fayeth the same also we maye kepe stil finallye y t Christe ad deth This is the bread which descended froÌ„ heauen not as pour fathers haue eaten Man na and be dead He that shall eate this breade shall spue for euer is the conclusyon of thys sermon In the whichâ—… conclusyon Christe repeteth the principal state of his sermon almost eueÌ„ with the same wordes wyth the whyche he set it out before For seing Christ is the verye meate and drynke and is not onelye the sonne of manne but also of God whyche lyueth for hys father and is lyfe it selfe it is manyfest that thys breade is farre more excellente then Manna in deserte the whyche althoughe thâ—… fathers dyd eate yet died they but thys Iesus Christe is suche bread that he that eateth of it or in hym beleueth neuer shoulde dye but lyue for euer These thynges seynge they be largelye ynoughe declared before it is but in vayne to speake lenger of them wherefore let vs regarde nothynge more then in thys moost myserable honger of goodnes of oure lyfe we receyue thorowe fayth this bread whyche is Iesus oure lyfe gyuer GOD euen wyth the father and the holy goost blessed for euer Amen ☞ ☞ The tenthe Homilye THe Sermon that christ hath made of the eatynge of his flesh drincking of his blod as muche as per tayneth to oure purpose I thyncke we haue made playne by oure interpretacion For the principal state or poynte of this sermon is that not Moses but Iesus Christe is oure true sauioure and that he that beleueth in Iesus Christe for that is to eate his fleshe and dryncke hys bloude doeth get true and euerlastyng lyfe Thys is the summe of all Christes Gospell which seing it is ofteÌ„ times vereli much repeted in other places of this Euangelist whoÌ„ we haue takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ vs to expound we wyl not tary any lenger in thys part but we wyl run ouer those thynges whyche Iohn discribed after the Sermon saying These thynges Iesus sâ—…yde in the 〈◊〉 â–ª teachyng in â—…apernaum The Euangelist not only described the sermon of Christe but he addeth also the place in the which this sermon was made that is in Capernaum the chiefeste citye of Galilea and in the sinagoge that is in the most frequeÌ„ted place of the city By whych dyscripcion the Euangeliste not onely signifieth thys sermon to be spokeÌ„ in dede but setteth forth al so the veritie of Christes doctryne For those thynges y â— Christ taught he did not wyth a fewe onelye in secrete places whyche heretikes and sedicious persons are wonte to do which when they perceyue them selues that their teachyng is false they hate the lyghte but he taught those thynges openlie in the scholes and in the temple Let vs se then howe the hearers of Christe toke this sermon And in thys place is set forthe a great dyfference of hearers they are deuided into two partes For some and they very fewe that is to â—…ete twelue onely take the sermon wyth a contented mynde and tarye stil in hearynge his doctryne as it foloweth a litle after But other and those the greatest parte of hys chiefe hearers abhorre his sermon and fall from Christe Manye sayeth the Euangelist of his dysciples when they hadde hearde these thynges sayde Thys is an harde sayinge who is able to heare hym The thinges that they were offended wythall that were rehearsed before by them selfe nowe are rehersed together For there be two thynges wherewyth the hearers were offended in this sermon The one is that Iesus had sayed that he was come downe from heauen wherby he sygnified that he was the sonne of god and verye god hym selfe In other is that he had sayde hys â—…eshe shoulde be eaten and hys bloud dronken Those thinges ther fore at whyche seuerallye the hearers hadde murmured before wyth theym selfes nowe they repete togither and saye These be hard words he bosteth him self to become doune froÌ„ heaueÌ„ that is that he is god but we se knowe him to be a maÌ„ of meÌ„ what shulde then become of vs if we shulde folowe him teachynge so blasphemous thynges Uerelye we shulde brynge our selues into parel and ieopardye not only of oure corporall lyfe but also of euerlastinge healthe For there is a lawe If ther ryse amonge you a prophet and do shewe before of a signe or woÌ„derous token and it come to passe that he hath spoken and he say vnto the let vs go and folow straunge goddes whyche thou knowest not and let vs serue them thou shalt not heare the wordes of that Prophet but let the Prophet be kylled Seyng ther fore that thys Iesus hath shewed in dede manye and great miracles and thrusteth forth hym selfe to vs for a God whyche knowledge not but one god the maker of heauen earth go to nowe frindes let vs â—…tie farre from thys teacher that not on lye we heare not so blasphemous thynges but also that we be not kil led of our nacioÌ„ euen together with hym Thys also is harde that he re quyreth of vs the eatynge of hys fleshe and drynckyng of his bloud What Goeth he aboute our lawes beynge abrogated to ordayne the maners of the Scithians or of the Indians in oure common wealth They say there be people not farre from Schithia whyche of eatynge mans flesh be called Anthropophagi that is deuourers of men And in Inde they saye there is a nacion in the whych it is a coÌ„mon vsed thing that the children shoulde kyll theyr fathers and slâ—…a them as it were for sacrifice and after wardes eate their fleshe which is counted among the not crueltye but godlines Seynge therefore that Iesus doeth byd vs eate his fleshe wyll he make vs of the Iewes Indians and Scitâ—…iaÌ„s of the Israelites And that he reher seth of the drynckyng of his bloude is nolesse to be abhorred than very perillous For say they as far as we can iudge he signifieth by this drin kyng y â— he requireth of vs a couenauÌ„t of coÌ„iuracion for in diuers na cions ther be diuers facions of makynge a couenaunte Among the Arabians one is set
Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Thys is an excellente confession of Iesus Christe of the whych the lyke is in Math. in the. xvi Chapt. And fyrste that Peter only answereth vnto Christe he signifieth not that he shuld be a chiefe ruler in thâ—… churche of Christ but he signifieth that he shall be the mouth of his other felowes and as they call it the proctor For that that he speaketh he speaketh not in his owne name onli but in the name of his felows Also he commendeth and setteth for warde by hys confession as well Christes person as hys doctrine Of his doctryne he saythe Thou haste y â— wordes of eternal life This is a great commendacioÌ„ of Christes gospel and worthy to be marked Whither shal we go saythe he Unto the Phariâ—…es But they beate in to oure heades nothynge els bâ—…t trifles of garmeÌ„tes sâ—…irtes of wash inge of handes of the tithing anise seede and cumyne and suche other thynges And theire doctâ—…ine althoughe they take in hande anye thynge to be taughte by the lawe doth nether make vs hote nor cold yea they so teache the workes of the lawe that if a man wolde folowe theire opinions he shulde be destroyed for euer Shall we go to Moses he in dede teacheth godlye and heauenlye thinges but we are so weke that we can not perfitlye obaye the doctryne of his lawe and therfore he appoynteth vs to death and euerlastynge dampnacion Wherfore we wyl not seke anye other teacher but we wyll remayne wyth the for thy doctrine bryngeth true and euerlastyng lyfe For the doctrine of other men either is profitable only for thys corporall lyfe or it leadeth the hearers to deathe But thy learning only leadeth to euerlasting lyfe With this coÌ„fessioÌ„ of the gospel of Christ agreeth this also that Christe in an other place saythe Preache the gospell to all creatures He y â— beleueth shall be baptised shal be saued And Paul The gospell sayth he is the power of God to health vnto al y â— beleue Let vs therfore tary in the doctrine of Chryste that being deliuered froÌ„ deathe we may get life and healthe Of the person of Iesus Peter spea â—…eth Thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God In these verie fewe wordes Peter gaue vnto the person of Iesu double maiesti that is to saye the hiest of all The one that Iesus is the verie Messias or Chryste of the which the prophetes prophecie This is a maiesty which passeth the glorye of al the Princes of thys world An other that Iesus is the sonne of the lyuing God that is that he is true and eternall God For there be two sonnes One natural an other by adoption or chosen But Chryste is not the chosen sonne of God but begotten of god I haue begotten the saythe he this tyme. Wherefore he is the naturall sonne of God If he be the naturall sonne it resteth that seinge of God nothynge is gotten but God as of man nothinge is gotten but man Christ is the true and eternal God This is the maiesty which passeth not only the glory of this worldlye kyngdome but the glory also of all creatures as well in heauen as in earthe What shoulde we do then Thys is the confession and the doc trine vpon the whych the church of Christe is founded and the whiche properlye is called the Apostolike churche Let vs therfore holde this confession with suche a suâ—…etie that we suffer it not to be striken oute of our hart and beliefe by no tirannie of persecutors by no deceites of heretikes by no vanitiâ—… of Iewes by no crudelitye of Mahumete and Turkes nor finallly by no lyes of the Deuyll But here marke we the maruey lous state of christianitie Amonge so manye thousande menne onlye twelue keepe the trewe doctrine of Christe And yet not these twelue are all sincere and pure But one of them as Christe hym selfe sayth is a Deuyll for so it foloweth Iesus aunswered them â—…aue I not chosen you twelue and one of yoâ—… is a Deuâ—… â–ª And he spake of Iudas Iscarioth for thâ—… was about to betray him being one of y t. xii Christ afore monyshed his disci ples of y â— falling away of the multi tude now he warneth them that amoÌ„gest a few al wold not be sincere and he prophecieth of the treason of Iudas And thinke not that Christ wythout greate aduisemente bothe dyd speake of thys before and now speaketh of it againe For fyrste Christe preacheth of these thinges partlye to declare that thynges to come be knowen vnto hym by the which miracle he wolde confirme al so the autoritie of his doctrine part ly that when he prophecieth of Iudas he wolde signifie that he was not compelled by mannes treason but that of his owne will and godlye purpose he wolde take hys passion and deathe Also he maketh mencion of hys â—…allinge away that they also which beleue shuld learn the feare of god and beware that they slepe not care les and be preuented by the Deuyl for not only amoÌ„gest manie many do fal froÌ„ their saluacioÌ„ but also among a fewe yea and those also cho sen. They arewonte to fall awaye which kepe not diligeÌ„tly the health they haue receiued Wherfore good men wyth all di ligence ought to applie them selues to thys studye that they walke in the feaâ—…e of the Lorde and sadlie obey the vocacion of God lest if they leade a careles life they lose thorow their sluggyshenes the health that they haue receyued Furthermore Christe monysheth good men that whether many amonge many or the chiefe amonge fewe do fall from the gospell they shulde not be offended but coâ—…inewe styll and stande in knowledging and confessynge the truthe of the gospell For although the greatest parte of the disciples was gone awaye yet for those dothe he not reiecte the twelue which taryed styl but he loued them so much the more bicause manye were gone awaye And althoughe amonge the twelue also one was a dyuell not by nature in dede but by wyckednes wherby he shuld become a traitor yet the other eleuen be so muche the more loued of Chryste howe muche the worsse the twelfth was Let vs not therefore be moued with the multytude of euill men but let vs thyncke if we folowe the gospell of Chryste that we be very wel taken and welbeloued of God whyther they be many that beleue or fewe Furthermore thys example also doeth teach â–ª a modestye For it is a solemyne thyng amonge vnskylful men that for one or two euyll personnes they wyll condemâ—…ne all menne whyche be eyther of the same howsholde 〈◊〉 crafte As in example if there were a merchaunt or two a tayler a baker or a Myller that were a craftye deceiuer they are wonte to saye that all other of the same crafte are deceyuers But I saie than if we shulde iudge generally after thys rule I praye the who myghte bee counted honeste â–ª Yea I muste