for the purifieng of the childwife and also of the childe suÌ„what shuld be offered the most pure virgine Mary wold fulfylle the lawe also in this poynt though in her child byrth she knew was nothing after the maner of other womens byrthes contaminate or spotted but al was ful of heuenly puritie and holynes For what spotte of vnclennes could she haue which by the worke of the holy ghoste conceyued wythout mans knowlege only by imbracement of the heuenly power She goeth therfore with Ioseph who as yet was thought to haue bene father to Iesus vnto Hierusalem bearing the childe with them that they might present him in y â— temple in the sight of the lord to whom he was consecrate not but that al be the lordes but that we shuld be taught by this mystical figure that those mindes be most acceptable to God whiche with a manly strength of spirite haue conquered the lustes of y e fleshe so do auauÌ„ce to thinges heuenly and euerlasting Moses law intending this had commaunded the Iues that euery male so sone as by the openinge of the mothers wombe it was brought to lyght shulde be taken as holy to the lord whether it were of mankynde or of brute beastes that herby also the first frutes might go to the prestes so yet that the first begotten of the mankinde shuld be redemed out of the prestes handes onles the childe were of y â— Leuitical tribe Now surely the selfe law openly deliuereth our Lady froÌ„ the bonde of it where it sayth in the leuiticall boke The wife whiche receiuing sede shal bringe forth a maÌ„child For the blessed virgine our Lady was neither mulier that is to say such woman as haue lyen with man neither receiued she mans sede And as towching the opening of y e matrice surely this heauenly child did in no maner violate the chastitie of of y e virgins wombe but rather preserued halowed it from al spot of vnclennes during her life He then was presented in y â— temple as subiect to y â— law which was lord of al thingê both heuenly erthly He was redemed with a smal price which cam to redeme the hole world w t the price of his bloude For y e law had appointed y e Iues to redeme their first begotteÌ„ son with a lambe of one yeare olde which was giuen in sacrifice And thaÌ„ shuld be added a doue or a turtyll for y â— purifienge of al spot or vncleÌ„nes which might happeÌ„ to be coÌ„mitted in y â— begetting of y â— child or after to thintent y â— that whiche shuld be offered to the lord might be throughly pure Howbeit if they were not of abilitie to giue a lambe the law suffred them to giue in stede therof a turtil doue or a pigeoÌ„ for y â— redemptioÌ„ of y e child The other bird was offered for the purging of the sinne Our Lady therfore and Ioseph offered the pore mens oblatioÌ„ and it is not to be doubted but they wold haue made a richer gift if theire pouertie hadde not letted them Allbeit they re minde was rich in godlynes and to giue vs an exeÌ„ple y e professioÌ„ of pouertie was more profitable But lo there was at this self time in HierusaleÌ„ one SimeoÌ„ a iuste maÌ„ such one as stode in awe of god surelye he might wel be called a iust maÌ„ for he sought not his own but y e peoples weale he awaited for him y t shuld redeme out of boÌ„dage not him only but al maÌ„kind And bicause he was endowed w t this iustice godlines the holy ghost was in him had inspired him that he shulde not dye till he had sene with his fleshely eyen him that he longe before had espyed wyth the eyen of feyth As Mary therfore and Ioseph were bringinge the child into the temple this Simeon also cam by the guiding of the holy gost into the temple toke Iesus in his armes And here sayth Origene an auncient doctour of the church if thou Christen person wi lt in like wise hold Iesus and imbrace him in thy handê thou must with al labour attempt that thou maist haue the holy ghost to thy guide and so come to y â— temple of god as this holy SimeoÌ„ did Thou must be a iust person a fearer of god religiouse deuout godly as he was But what did Simeon ha uing this most blessed child in his armes He blessed and praysed god sayeng Now o lorde thou dost licence thy seruaÌ„t to depart in peace out of this world according to thy worde For myne eyen haue nowe seen him by whoÌ„ it hath plesed the to saue maÌ„kind whom I say thou hast prepared and ordeined in the face of al peoples to be vnto y â— hetheÌ„ persons Panyms which hitherunto for defalt of true knowlege haue worshiped false godê a light for to lighteÌ„ them to disclose thy trouth vnto them againe to thyn own people y â— Israelites a cause of most high glorie This in effect spake Symeon in his maner Let vs therfore good people for our ê‘te also blesse praise god that wheras we y â— inhabitantes of this Realme were before y â— coÌ„ming of Christ wicked Panims ydolaters we now by y â— disclosing of his gospel â—ee his people Let vs labour to be iust and holy persons pore in spirite rich in godlines Let vs desire to be led w t the holy spirite of God So shall we at last depart this world in true peace by Christ our lorde To whom be prayse for euer Amen ¶ Saynt Mathias day the Apostle The Gospell Math. xi IN that tyme Iesus sayd I confesse vnto the O father lorde of heauen and of earth bicause thou haste hyd these thinges from wise and prudent persons and hast disclosed them to yonglinges Uerily father for so semed it good before the. Al thinges be deliuered vp vnto me of my father noman knoweth the sonne but the father neyther knoweth any man the father but the sonne he to whom the son wyll disclose Come to me all ye that laboure and be burthened and I shall quiet you Take my yoke vpon you and lerne of me for I am meke and lowly in harte and ye shall fynde quiet to youre soules For my yoke is pleasant and my burthen is lyght The sermon vpon this Gospel Bycause our sauiour Christ good people what tyme he was conuersant here in earth amonge the Iues hadde vpbrayded them for theire misbeleue declaring vnto them that the Hethen persones were redyer to receyue hym then they at which wordes some were offended therfore he aunswereth to theire thoughtes in thys wyse I confesse that is I do thanke prayse the O father bycause thou hast kept close this heauenly doctrine from the wise and prudent men in their owne opinions such as be the scribes and pharisees and haste opened the same to fooles and
The princes of this worlde do practice Lordlines ouer such as be vnder theÌ„ they persuade not their subiectes to loue honestie but by feare of punyshemeÌ„t they fraye them froÌ„ wronges and they compell men to honour them though they haue neuer so euill deserued it Yea the nerer they approche to tyranny the more wol they be honored of the people with hygh tytles Uerily such is for moost parte the kyngdome of seculare and worldly rulers But amonges the clergie the disciples of Christ preachers of his gospell to whom he bequethed hys spirituall kyngdom ought to be an other fashion of liuyuge The greater one be among them the les violent power or glorye he oughte to chalenge to hym selfe Wherfore sayeth Basilius that auncient doctour of the churche lette not the dignitie extolle the prelate of the church lest he falle froÌ„ the blesse of humilitie But let him â–ª rather know thys that true humilitie is seruaunte of very many For lyke as he whiche ministreth to many wounded persons and wypeth awey the fylth of euery wounde taketh not this office vpoÌ„ him to extolle and vawnte hym selfe therupon so moch rather he to whom is committed the cure and charge of maladies and diseases of his goostly brethren and susters ought to caste and be carefull wyth himselfe as the minister of all whiche muste render accomptes for all Neyther is it to be feared saith he that the purpose of humilitie shulde be broken of the subiecte whyle hys better serueth hym Let prestes therfore the prelates of Christes churche not be ashamed to shewe that sobrenes and modestie to the worlde which Christ tawght hys Apostles to vse And the more Apostolicall that men wol be counted and vicares of Christes churche so much the more ought they to folow Christe and his Apostles in lowlynes sobrietie It is not ynoughe truely to be called by a vayne tytle of name the seruant of God or the seruant of seruauntes in dede to practise all Lordilnes skant vouchsauyng y â— men shulde kysse there feete If there be any of this sorte surely they be no vicares of Châ—ist but of Antichrist they be not apostolical but diabolical no good herdmen but false hyrelynges no feaders of Christes flocke but deuourers no buylders but destroyers no pyllers of his church but pollers If they wol nedes be couÌ„ted for meÌ„ apostolical let theÌ„ folow the exemple steppes of Peter Paule resemble theÌ„ in dede of whom they woll be counted the vicares Let theÌ„ be irreprehenlible sobre chast modest louers of hospitalitie ful of holsom doctrine no drunkerdes no warryours no louers of fylthy marchandise no bruers of gods word but pure prechers Let theÌ„ attende to y â— hole flocke as Peter coÌ„mauÌ„deth fede it as much as in theÌ„â—s takinge charge of it w eout desire of fylthy lucre vsinge theÌ„selfes as they may be estemed ministers of Christ and feithful stuardes of y â— heueÌ„ly mysteries of god as Peter Paule were You sayeth Christe to hys disciples be they whiche haue abode with me in my teÌ„tations as who shuld say He that begynneth to be pacient and anone leaueth of is not rewarded wyth the crowne of glorye but he that holdeth on to the ende For as Bede sayeth perseueraunce whiche is called a constancie or strongnes of mynde is full well cleped the pyller of all vertues The son of God therfore leadeth wyth him to his euerlastinge kyngdom such as stycke by him and be no starters awey froÌ„ hym at euery puffe of winde For if we by planted in him and be partakers wyth hym of hys death doubtles we shal also be pertakers and companions of his resurrection Christ saith here that he hath disposed or bequethed to his disciples the kingdoÌ„ which his heueÌ„ly father ordeined disposed to him The kingdom of Christ surely is not of this worlde Neyther is there any equalitie to the lorde but only an emulation of likenes For only Christ is the ful image of God wheras the iust maÌ„ is accordinge to the likenes or image of God yf accordynge to the same he despiceth thys world and for this cause also we do eate the blessed bodye of Christ that we may be pertakers of the heueÌ„ly life Such a sticker by Christ in al his temptations was thys holy Apostle saynte Bartilmew he was a true prelate of Christes Church neither was he a minister or seruaunt of other in name and tytle only but in dede he preached truely and syncerely not his owne coÌ„stitutions and decrees but Christes gospel hym let vs folow that we also may be made pertakers of that heuenly ioye by Christ our lorde â–ª To whom be rendred al thaÌ„kes and prayses Amen â–ª ¶ On Michelmas daye The Gospell Mathew xviij IN that time the disciples cam to Iesus sayng Who is the greater person in the kingdom of heuen And Iesus calling vnto hym a chylde dyd sette hym in the middes of them and sayd Uerily I say vnto you onles ye turne and become as children ye shal not entre into the kingdom of heauen Who soeuer therfore shal humble hymselfe as thys chylde he is the greater person in the kyngdom of heauen And he that receiueth suche a childe in my name receyueth me But he that greueth one of these lytle ones which beleue in me it were bettre for him that a mylstone were hanged about hys necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the see Wo be to the worlde bycause of offenses For it is necessarye offenses to come Yet neuertheles wo be to that maÌ„ by whom the offense commeth Uerily if thy hand or thy fote offende the cutte it of and cast it from the. Bettre it is for the to entre into life halt or maimed then thou shuldest hauyng two handes or two fete be cast into euerlasting fyer And if thyne eye offend the plucke it out and cast it from the. Bettre it were for the wyth one eye to entre into lyfe than hauing two eyen to be cast into hell fyre Se ye despice not one of these lytle ones For I saye vnto you that their angels in heuen do alweyes see the face of my father whyche is in heauen The sermon vpon this Gospell NOt without great cause and consideration good people the churche hath appoynted a certaine daye in the yeare for the solemnization of saint Michael the Archangel and by him of al the angels of heuen sith in them is put no small coÌ„fort in earth to al good and deuout persons First therfore by the help of god we intende sum what to intreate of their nature and office which done we wil brefely declare the gospel of this day Wherfore ye shal vnderstaÌ„d that there be two sortes of angels some be good and some badde The good angells do continually ministre vnto god and serue for our behouf and their delite is to do men good bicause they
THE GOSpels with brief sermoÌ„s vpon them for al the holy dayes in y e yere ¶ On saynt Andrewes day The Gospel Mat. iiij IEsus walkinge by the See syde of Galilee saw two brethren Simon named Peter and Andrewe his brother castinge a nette into the See for they were fyshers saith vnto them folow me and I shal make you fishers of men And they forthwyth left theire nettes and folowed him And when he was gone forth froÌ„ thens he saw other two brethren Iames the soÌ„ue of Zebedee and Ihon his brother in the shyppe wyth Zebedee their father mendinge their nettes he called them And they forthwith left the shyppe and their father and folowed him The sermon vpon this Gospel THe Gospell of this daye deare frendes declareth that our sauiour Christ whan he was here conuersant amoÌ„ges vs for our redemption sake before he wold do or speake any notable thing as the holy doctour Chrysostom sayth called chase vnto him his Apostles to thintent nothing might be hid from them of Chrystes wordes and dedes but that they might afterward boldely affirme say We can not but speake the thinges whych we haue sene hard As Christ therfor walked by the see side he saw two brethren germanes the name of the one was SimoÌ„ whiche also was called Peter the name of the other was Andrew whose memorie we do this day solemnize But what were these two whom our Sauiour Christe chase to be his apostles Were they greate worldly Clerkes were they philosophers were they pharisees or scribes were they great rich persones or men of high power and authoritie no verily they were none of al these they were but pore vnlerned fishermen And why did he chose these Uerily saith saynt Austine if Christ had chosen great lerned meÌ„ or men of estimatioÌ„ they might peraduenture haue sayd that they had deserued to be chosen bycause of their lerning or wisdom But our lord Iesus Christ going about to breake the neckê of the prowd â—hase men of no lerning ne reputation which he dyd also for this purpose that the glorie of the gospel might not be diminished nor shadowed with worldely succours and helpes So here Christe doth manifestly declare vnto vs in what kinde of people he most delyteth euen in the humble and contempte persones of the world and in such as be simple and as it were babes in worldly wisdom as in an other place he al so testifieth sayng I confesse and giue thankes vnto the o father lord of heuen of erth bicause thou hast hyd these thinges from the wise prudent persones and haste diseloâ—ed them vnto babes Aâ—d ye shal marke that Christ calleth babes here theÌ„ which laying a syde al worldly wisdom receiue gods word without al deliberatioÌ„ and which preferre not their owne iugemeÌ„t afore gods word but submitte themselues vnto it in all thinges He called therfore two simple fyshers and when did he calle them Uerely euen when they were in the myddes of theyr worke meaning herby as Chrysostom saith that we ought to preferre the folowyng of Christ afore al other occupations in the world For they were casting their nettes into the See and this fishing was a shadow of the newe fishynge whereby they shulde not take wyth material nettes fishes for the fode of the bely but wherby they shulde with the nette of godê word catche men whiche be browned wyth earthly cares vnto the desyre of the heuenly life Wherfore where as they were busyed and toyling about their bodyly lyuing which neuertheles was then their vocation or callinge according to gods commaundement whyche byddeth vs that in the sweate of oure face we shulde eate our bread from this general calling I saye he plucked them to a special calling whyche was to preach his holy gospel And verely his word of callynge had in it a wonderfull vertue for it so wrought in theire hartes that they forthwyth lefte altogither folowed him Aâ—d here we haue a nota ble exemple of obedieÌ„ce in these apostles for vs to fo lowe Chryste had not so sone called them but anou they folowed For he that loueth father or mother wife or children more then he loueth the Sauioure Iesu Christ is no mete maÌ„ for Christ that is to say he maye wel cal himselfe a Christen man but Christ wol surely refuse hym for one of his men and disciples when the terrible daye of Dome shall comme what tyme he shall descende in Maiestie to iudge both the lyuynge and the deade Christe thaÌ„ called these two brethern Peter and Andrew and also the other two IhoÌ„ Iames to what purpose to folow him only by the heles whether so euer he shulde goe ydelly No truly But to teache instructe theÌ„ in such wyse as they might in tyme coÌ„myng be made hys apostles hys legates hys Oratours hys preachers He chase them beyng yonge rude simple vnlerned nothing but playne fishermen and therfore they were the more apte and mete to receiue his heauenly swete and pure doctrine bycause they were not as yet infected with the sower le ueÌ„ of the pharisees But ere they departed froÌ„ hym he replenished them wyth such wonderfull wysdom and wyth such diuine doctrine that they were hable to coÌ„fouÌ„de the great and witty clerkes of the world Of fishe catchers and bodily fyshers he made them men fyshers and catchers of sowles So God long before promysed by hys prophete Hieremye saynge I wyll sende you fyshers and they shall fyshe you Such a worthy fysher of men sowles was thys noble Apostle saint Andrew He spared for no persecution of tyrantes to execute and fulfyll hys maysters commission whiche was to preache the Gospell and glad tydynges of mans redemption by Christe He preached it purely and syncerely euen accordinge to hys commission Yea for the feithfull executynge and witnessing herof he shranke not to suffre a very cruel death Let vs therfore folow him in feith that we maye also folowe hym to euerlastynge blesse by Christ oure Lorde who be praysed worlde wythout ende Amen ¶ On the conception day of our Lady The Gospel Mat. i. THe boke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Abraham begatte Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren Iudas begat Phares and Zaram of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon Salmon begat Boos of Rahab Boos begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse Iesse begatte Dauid the king Dauid the kinge begat Salomon of her that was the wife of Urie SalomoÌ„ begat Roboam Roboam begat Abia. Abia begat Asa. Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Osias Osias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achas Achas begat Ezechias Ezechias begatte Manasses Manasses begat Amon. Amon begat Iosias Iosias begat Ieconias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon And after the transmigration of
Babylon Ieconias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliachun Eliachim begat Azor. Azor begatte Sadoc Sadoc begat Achin Achin begatte Eliud Eliud begatte Eleazar Eleazar begatte Matthan Matthan begat Iacob Iacob begatte Ioseph the husbande of Mary of whoÌ„ was borne Iesus which is called Christe The sermon vpon this Gospel IN this gospel good people many thinges are to be considered First how that our sauiour Christ the sonne of god wold for the greate loue he bare to mankinde be borne the soÌ„ne of Dauid that is wold take maÌ„s nature vpon hym to succour and help vs which were in flesh condeÌ„ned to pourge our spotted and synful byrth And verily this is the final intent of Christê incarnatioÌ„ as it is wel declared in the epistle to the Hebrues where it is writen that forasmoch as the sonne of god vouchsaued to call godly persones his brethren sayng by the prophet Dauid I will declare thy name to my brethren and otherwhiles also he calleth them the children as in Esay Lo here am I the children whom god hath giuen me and bicause these children and these his brethreÌ„ be men made of fleshe and bloude it pleased hym to be parttaker of the same wyth theÌ„ that by his death he might wipe out him whiche had lordshippe ouer death that is to say the deuyl and deliuer theÌ„ which through feare of death were al their life time subdued vnto bondage For he toke not vpon him angels but the sede of Abraham Wherfore in al thinges it becam hym to be made like to hys brethren that he might be merciful a feithful high prest in thinges towchinge God to thintent to pourge the synnes of the people Now wheras Christ is called here the soÌ„ne of Dauid ye must vnderstand it that he desceÌ„deth lineally from Dauid according to the flesh as saint Paul declareth in the beginning of his epistle to the Romaines lest we ruÌ„ne into y â— errours of certaine heretikê which say that Christe was nothynge elles but a maÌ„ not the son of God but merely the soÌ„ne of Dauid Which errour Christ himself discussed where he propowned this question to the pharisees What thynke ye of Christe whose sonne is he â–ª And when they answered the soÌ„ne of Dauid he asked them why thaÌ„ did Dauid in spirite cal him lord sayng the lord said to my lord syt on my right haÌ„de Meaning hereby that Christe was aboue Dauid not only a man but also god So that ye muste vnderstand him to be the soÌ„ne or issue of Dauid according to the flesh and not accordinge to his godhed And ye shal also marke that he is called the soÌ„ne of Dauid after the maner of speaking of the Hebrues bycause he cam of the ryght line of Dauyd For the Hebrues do calle al lineal nephues nieces be they neuer so long of sonnes and daughters Uerely the hole petigrue of Christe is here so drawen and conueyed from his auncestours that they only be put which were ê‘ttakers of y â— promise which was made of Christ. Ye must therfore marke two maner lines of men whiche beinge well marked doth discerne of whom Christ wold be borne and was borne For albeit the promise of Chryste was made to Adam yet from Cain his soÌ„ne the petigrue of Christ is not coÌ„ueyed So that one line there is whyche deriueth Christê petigree from the meÌ„bres of the true church that is to wite froÌ„ the holy fathers which were parttakers of y e ê“mise And an other line there is which coÌ„teyneth the childreÌ„ that grew out of kinde not folowing their fathers steppes therfor no ê‘ttakers of the ê“mise which two lines if ye diligently marke through out the old testament ye shal se that Christ proceded of the feithful stocke not of that whiche grew out of kinde as Cain Esau and their ofspring were And verily it becam Christ the hed of y e church to come of the membres of the true churche Seconde ye shall vnderstande that oure Sauiour Christ wolde be borne accordinge to the fleshe of the royal bloude of kinges to declare that he shuld be a kynge no worldly kynge but a spirituall kynge for the rulyng and guyding of mens consciencies And forasmuch as kinges were also annointed after the maner of prestes therfore Christ also wold be borne of kinges to shew himselfe an annoynted king that is to say both a king and a prest a king to rule and defende a prest to make intercession and prayer for vs accordyng as saynt Paule sayth of him Which also maketh intercessioÌ„ for vs. And the prophet â—ieremie sayth He shall do the office of a kinge and capitayne But for the eschuing of errours ye muste know that Dauid whose sonne Christ is according to the fleshe administred here hys kyngdome in the erth and therfore it is not to be thought that after that Christ is nowe ascended vp to heuen he exerciseth nomore hys kyngly officies but that he sytteth ydelly in heuen leauyng behind him hys deputie or vicare in erth the bishop of Rome Uerily Christes kingdom is perpetuall and so is his presthode according to the sayng of the prophet Tu es sacerdoâ— inaeternum secuÌ„dum ordinem Melchisedec Thou art an euerlastinge prest accordynge to the order of Melchisedec Thirdly ye shall vnderstande that albeit Christe and also our Ladye hys mother whose memory we solemnize this day Ioseph her husband cam of the right blessed line or stocke and not of the croked cursed lyne as I haue aforedeclared yet many of the persons aswel men as womâ— of this blessed stocke were synners and therfore here in their genealogie is mencion made also of synfull personnes For who were so wicked as kynge Manasses and his sonne Amon whiche be here rekened in Christes petigree Iudas also coÌ„mitted fornication with Thamar Salmon maryed Raab an harlot What shall I speake of Bethsabea wyth whom king Dauid coÌ„mitted greuouse aduowtrie And yet of this Bethsabea whiche was the wyfe of Urie dyd king Dauid begette SalomoÌ„ So that if a maÌ„ wol throughly consider the thinge he shall fynde almost more euell men then good amoÌ„ges the auncestours of Christ and all the women whiche be here named be none of the holy women as saynt Hierom sayth but suche as the scripture disproueth What other thinge meaneth thys but that the holy ghost wolde signifie that like as Christ cam of synners so he also cam into this world for sinners He wold be borne sayeth thys noble clerc saynt Hierom of synners y t he myght wipe awey the synnes of all Yea Christ hymselfe sayeth that he cam not to calle the rightuouse but synners to repentauÌ„ce If then he cam for synners why shuldest thou o maÌ„ despaire for cause of thy synnes Nay rather take harte vnto the and repent For then shal the grace and fauour of Christ be powred more
pleased god so to worke with her to set forth his owne glorie and power He sent to her therfore nowe in her old age this blessed child to take the reproche of barennes from her He prolonged for this intent her child bearing that the ioy herof might be the greater and she be made the more renowined and notoriouse For all her neighbours kynsfolke which before had knowne her ba rennes were nowe made witnesses of the heauenly grace wherw t God had endowed her For none that saw the child departed w t silence but blessed praysed god which vnloked for had seÌ„t this blessed child vnto her being of this age The eight day therfore they went to circumcise the child according to Moses lawe And bicause Zacharie his father was by gods prouision made duÌ„me and spechles they supposing that the father wold so haue bene best ctÌ„en â–ª ted named him Zacharie by his fathers name But Elizabeth his mother said he shuld not be so called but Ihon shulde be his name whiche name she had lerned not of her husbande whiche at this time was become spechles but by inspiratioÌ„ of the holy ghost signifieng that he that was born shuld be the bedel or messanger of the new law which shuld abrogate the old traditions turne the carnall worshyp into a spiritual grace For Zacharias betokeneth in Hebrue a remeÌ„brer of god Ihon is named the grace of God The iustice of the lawe stode in appoynted workes the iustice of the gospell standeth by faythe through grace fauour Howbeit the kinsfolk wold not be ruled by the mother to giue him this strauÌ„ge name bicause there was none in al their kindred so called but they wolde in any wyfe haue hym called Zacharie by his fathers name And yet at this day there be some better pleased w t the name of Zacharie then w t the name of Ihon these be they that can not yet suffre that the ceremonies of y â— old law shuld be abolished so that in effect they crye we wil none of this new name of Ihon but we wil haue stil the old Zacharie wherfore for asmoch as the childwife the cousins could not agree in the name it was necessarie that the authoritie of the father shuld come betwene to breake the strife But he had not as yet the vse of his tong where now neded speche Wyth signes therfore they signified vnto him what name wold pleace him that his child shulde haue He vnderstanding y â— mater required writing tables to declare that thinge by dombe letters whiche by liuely voice he could not bring forth The tables brought he wrote in this wise Ihon is his name Now cam the time that Moses law shuld speake which before had after a fashioÌ„ described w t figures the grace of the gospel The time now was com that the mouth which vnfeithfulnes had locked shuld now through feyth be opened He had not therfore so sone writen but y â— bond of his tong was loused Neyther did he beginne hys speach with any other thing than with the praysinge of God by whose goodnes so greate ioyes were heped vpon hym Let vs in like maner good people beleue as saynte Ambrose exhorteth vs to thintent our tonge which is bounde wyth the bandes of vnfeithfulnes may be loused And surely onles the Iuishe tonge be putte to silence whyche preacheth carnal obseruations the tong of the gospell can not speake whyche preacheth grace feythe and charitie Al these thingê of y â— olde childwife of the noueltie of the name of the son born by y â— promise of the angel of the father made first of a speaker dombe again of dombe a speaker were blown abrode not only in the neighbours cousins mouthê but also through out al the hylly countrey of Iewry so that they did not only wonder but also were astonyed agast at the strangnes of the thing sayeng w tin themselfes What maner of ê‘son shal this childe be None of al y â— prophetes was so woÌ„derfully born which thinges declare that this is done by gods power which is w t the child beiÌ„g ordeined for high purposes And they thought not thus w tout cause For in dede gods haÌ„d had vttred his heuenly vertue in the childe And to thintent al thinges might be ful of miracles reple nished w t ioy Zacharie also Ihons father being inspired w t the holy ghost brasted forth into this song Blessed be y â— lord god of Israell for he hath visitted redemed his people of Israell Doubtles god visited his people of Israel both wayes whether we vnderstande the material Israelites for he cam to the lost shepe of the house of Israel or the spiritual Israelites that is the feithful persons which were worthy of this visitation He visited theÌ„ which were now by long sicknes coÌ„sumed he redemed them being sold vnder sinne w t the bloud of his only begotten son He called them his people not bicause at his coÌ„ming he found them his but bicause by visitting he made them his Let vs then praise almighty god that he vouchsaued to make of vs whiche were not his people his people Let vs imbrace y â— iustice not of y â— Iuish law but of y â— gospel of Christ. Who be c. ¶ On saynt Peters and saynt Paules day The Gospell Mat. xxi IEsus came into the partes of Cesarea Philippi asked his disciples sayng WhoÌ„ saye men that I the sonne of maÌ„ am They sayd Some say thou art ThoÌ„ the baptist some Helias some Hieremye or one of the prophetes He sayth vnto them But whoÌ„ say you that I am Simon Peter answered and saide Thou arte Christe the son of the lyuinge God And Iesus answered sayd vnto him Happy arte thou Simon the son of Iona for fleshe and bloude haue not disclosed this vnto the but my father whiche is in heuen And I say vnto the that thou art Peter vppon thys rocke I wyll buylde my churche the gates of helle shall not preuayle agynste it And I will giue to the the keyes of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ and what soeuer thou byndest in erth shal be bound in heuen and what soeuer thou losest in erth shal be losed in heauen The sermon vpon this Gospell THis Gospell my frendes declareth how oure Sauiour Christ after he was com into y e parties of Cesarea Philippi wolde proue how moche his disciples had profeted by so many hys sermons and miracles whyche they had now herde and seen and whether they thought any higher thing of him then the comon people did He demaundeth therfore of them sayeng Whom say men that I am They answered Some saye thou arte Iohn the baptiste for so thoughte the Herodians other say thou arte the prophete Helias bicause he was rauished vp therfore they thought now that he appeared accordynge to the prophecie
of Malachie other some say y u art Hierimie bycause he bare the figure of Christ and bycause vpon him it was said Lo I haue coÌ„stituted the this day ouer peoples kynges that thou shuldest plucke vp disseuer build and plante which thingê in very dede were to be accoÌ„plished in Christ. Iesus hearing this to thintent he wold wrynge out yet a more certaine and hygher coÌ„fession of his disci ples who ought best to haue knowne him asked theÌ„ saynge But who saye you that I am Then saynte Peter made answere for him his felowes for of al them was the question asked and sayd Thou arte Christ the son of the lyuinge god Iesus answered Blessed art thou Simon the son of Iona for flesh bloud hath not opened this vnto the but my heueÌ„ly father And I saye agayne to the thou art Peter or Cephas in the Hebrue that is to say a rocke vpon this rocke shall I buyld my churche that is to saye vpon this rocke of thy confession I shall buylde my church For this coÌ„fession conteineth the suÌ„me of the christeÌ„ feith accordyng to the Apostle Paule sayng If thou confesse wyth thy mouth our lorde Iesus with thy hart beleue that god raysed hâ—â— froÌ„ death to life thou shalt be saued So the christeÌ„ church is buylt not vpoÌ„ the person of Peter but vpoÌ„ the feith as Chrysostome sayth And this is the confession of feith Thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuyng god Wherfore Peter as saint Augustine affirmeth doth here represeÌ„t the hole church to whoÌ„ the keyes were deliuered For yf we wold say the church were buylt vpoÌ„ the person of Peter we shuld put an other fouÌ„dation of the church then Christ whiche is agaynst Paul For he sayth none may put any other fundation but that which is put alredy Christe Iesu. For men wylling to be buylt vpon men sayde I hold of Paule I holde of Apollo another sayde I holde of Cephas which is Peter But other which wold not be built vpoÌ„ Peter but vpoÌ„ the rocke said I hold of Christ. Wherfore sayth Erasmus I do muche meruaile of some which do wrest this text to the byshop of Rome sith it is ment not vpon hym but vpon all Christen persons which thynge Origen the auncient Doctour doth excellently declare saing If therfore we in lyke wyse by the reuelynge of the father which is in heuen for in heuen is our conuersation woll coÌ„fesse that Iesus Christ is the sonne of the lyuyng god it shal be also said vnto vs. Thou art Pe ter c. For euery one that is a folower of Christ is a Peter that is to say a rocke But there be some men which can be contented with nothing onles it be vn measurable Christe therfore did cal him Peter that is to saye a sure stone or rocke whiche wauereth not hither thither wyth â—ondry opinions vpon thys rock of thy coÌ„fession saith Christ woll I buylde my church y t is to wit my house palace whiche I wyl so establishe vpoÌ„ a sure immouable fundatioÌ„ y e no force nor power of the Helly kingdoÌ„ shal be hable to coÌ„quere it The deuyl layth sege to vs w t many engyns he laboureth to brynge agaynste vs the hole rowte of wycked spirites but by Christes helpe his church shall stand let vs only take hede this coÌ„fession remayne wyth vs. The heuenly kingdom is the church the kingdom of the deuil is the world which noman nedeth to be aferde of so he be a Peter And for this thy confession saith Christ I wyl giue the the keyes of the kingdom of heueÌ„ Behold saith Origen how great power the rocke hath vpoÌ„ which Christes churche is buylt that also her iugementes shall remayne sure euen as God him selfe iugynge by the same Let him therfore be faultles which shal bynde or lose an other that he maye be founde worthy to bynde and to louse in heuen And that Christ gaue this authoritie aswel to other as to the person of Peter it is very playne by other places of scripture and namely in the. xx chapter of Ihon where the euening after his resurrection he sayd to all his disciples As my father hath sent me so I send you And after he had so said he breathed vpoÌ„ theÌ„ sayng Whose synnes so euer ye shall forgiue be forgiuen and whose synnes ye shal retayne be reteyned And in like maner before his death he sayde to them all What so euer ye shal bynd vpon erth shal be bound in heauen and what so euer ye shal louse vpon erth shal be loosed in heueÌ„ Let vs not thaÌ„ attribute that to one which was spokeÌ„ to many Let vs not buyld Christes church vpon the person of any mortall maÌ„ which is to buyld it vpoÌ„ the sande but let vs build it vpon the sure rocke that is to witte vpon the coÌ„fession of feith that these holy Apostles saynt Peter and Paule made preached whose memorie we solemnize this day Let vs confesse with our mouth beleue with our harte that God raised Christe from death to life y â— he is the true Messias Sauiour And no doubt we shall enioy the heueÌ„ly enheritauÌ„ce prepared for vs before the making of the worlde by Christ our lord to whoÌ„ be praise euerlastingly AmeÌ„ ¶ On Mary Magdalens day The Gospell Luc. vij ONe of the pharisees desired Iesus that he wold eate w t hym And being entred into y e pharisees house he sate downe And beholde a womaÌ„ in the citie which was a synner knowing that Iesus sate in y â— pharisees house brought an Alabaster box of ointment standing at his feete behinde weping began to water hys feete w t the teares wyth the heare of her hed she wiped kyssed his feete with the oyntmeÌ„t anoynted them The pharisee seyng this which had called him spake w tin himselfe saynge If thys were a prophete he shulde haue known who what maner person is thys woman which towcheth him for she is a synner Iesus answered said vnto him Simon I haue sumwhat to tel the. He said maister say on A certayne lender had two dettours the one ought fyue huÌ„dreth pens the other fyfty They not hauyng wherw t to make payment he forgaue them both Which of them now tel me wil loue him more Simon answered said I suppose y t he whoÌ„ he forgaue the more suÌ„me He sayd vnto hym Thou haste rightly iuged and turning himself to the womaÌ„ he said to Simon Seest y u thys womaÌ„ I entred into thy house water to my feete y u gaueste me none but this womaÌ„ hath watered my feete w t teares wyth the heares of her hed she hath wiped theÌ„ Kysse y u gauest me none but this womaÌ„ froÌ„ the tyme I entred hath not lefte kyssing of my feete Thou anoyntedst not my hed
after he had ones tasted of Christes heuenly doctrine he forsoke al worldly vanities and gaue hym selfe holly to the preachinge setting forth of Christes Gospel in so much that diuerse of the auncient fathers be in opinion that he was one of the seuentie Apostes which oure Sauiour Christ sent forth into the couÌ„tres to preache By reason wherof he hath inerited to be called an EuaÌ„gelist of Christ in more excellent wise then the most parte of his felawes be consideryng that he hath so much holpeÌ„ the ChristeÌ„ feith not only wyth his prethingê but also wyth his large writinges The gospel therfore of thys daye is of the sendynge forth of these seuentie prechers of the coÌ„missioÌ„ and charge that Christ gaue them In the chapter before thys gospel it is writen that our Lorde sent forth .xij. Apostles into Galilee to preach the glad tydynges of the kyngdome of God and to coÌ„firme it with miracles But now wheÌ„ he cam out of Galilee into Iewry and perceyued the greate desyre of the people to heare the gospel beside the .xii. apostles he chase out of al the nuÌ„bre of his disciples threscore and .x. more whom he sendeth forth to preach Let vs heare therfore with what coÌ„missions and with what prerogatiues these threscore .x. were sent to the executynge of this busines After this saith saynt Luke did the Lorde appoynt also other seuentie Truely in the election of the numbre both of the Apostles and also of the seuentie preachers Christ obserued the soleÌ„pe vsage of his couÌ„trey people For amoÌ„ges the Iues not only the numbre of .xii. but also the nuÌ„bre of seuentie was as who shuld say halowed appropred consecrate to a publike authoritie which thyng had his coÌ„mencement and original beginnyng either of that that Iacob wyth seuentie sowles as the scripture speaketh went into Egypte or of that that seuentie elders of al the tribes were choseÌ„ which with Moises shuld gouerne the people of Israell Christ sendeth therfore seuentie not seuerally but two and two together for one maÌ„ alone were as noman and of no streÌ„gth nor authoritie in the law which coÌ„mauÌ„ deth y t in the mouth of two or thre all witnes shulde stande And he addeth a reason why he sent forth so many sayng The haruest is great but the laborers are fewe Praye therfore the Lorde of the haruest to send forth laborers into his haruest Certainly these be few wordes but many thinges in them com here to be marked Firste the multitude of them whiche desire the Gospel is here expressed with a very haÌ„dsom resemblauÌ„ce by the name of haruest For in husbandry be certaine due seasons goinges forwarde tyl at laste the corne waxe ripe and the haruest is at hand First of al the grounde is broken vp with the plough thaÌ„ it is sowed after that the sede springeth vp into grasse and shoteth vp into blades stalkes and at last the frute ripeth is cut downe brought into the barne In semblable wise the tyllage of the Lordes ground hath his certaine tymes hys procedinges and growinges At the begynnynge Moses brake vp the Lordes grounde wyth the ploughe of the lawe Then cam the prophetes and did sowe the sede After that in the tyme of Ihon Baptist appeared the blades And at last whaÌ„ Christ cam and sent forth his Apostles cam also the haruest the weate beganne to be conueyed into the barne of God Of this haruest Christ in an other place precheth to his Apostles sayng Lyft vp your eyen and be holde the couÌ„treis for they be white alredy vnto haruest And he that reapeth receiueth a rewarde and gathereth frute into euerlastinge lyfe so that both he that soweth may be glad also he that reapeth For herein is the worde true that there is one that soweth and an other that reapeth I haue sent you to reape that which ye haue not labored Other haue labored and ye haue entred into their labours For this purpose also maketh that which Ihon the baptist preacheth sayeng that a fanne is in Christes hand and he shal make cleane hys floore gather hys corne into the barne but the chaffe he shal burne w t fyre vnquenchable Wherfore syth the tyme that the gospell of Iesu Chryste is preached is the tyme of harueste it must be seen what the corne is that is brought into the barne of god The corne therfore is partely the men theÌ„selfes which by the preaching of the gospel be gathered into y â— barne of Christê churche partely it is the riches which men by feyth do gather of the gospel This ryches is no worldly goodes but spiritual goodes It is first of al rightuousnes before god and maÌ„ wherof the one is wrought by feith in Christ for the rightuouse man liueth through feith the other is gotten by obedience and the frutes of feyth Finally it is euerlasting life and heuenly ioy These be the goodes riches and corne which be gathered of the spirituall haruest But lyke as in the corporal haruest the corne is not gathered into the barnes w t out great sweat laboure so who soeuer wil gather the gostly corne must abide many aduersities And y â— more we labour suffre aduersitie the more corne shal we gather into our barnes Wherfor deare frendes while it is now the tyme of our haruest let vs not playe let vs not trifle but with glad myndes let vs take the labours of the harueste He that gathereth sayth SalomoÌ„ in the haruest is the childe of wisdom but he that slepeth in somer is the child of confusion Go sayth Christ lo I send you as lambes amonges wolues Uerily wolues be naturally disposed to hurt vex shepe shepe against y â— crueltie of wolues be altogither vnarmed Wherfore when Christ saith I send you as laÌ„bes amongê wolues it is asmoche to say as I sende you vtterly vnarmed amonges most cruell hurtfull enemies What peace what rest what helth can one loke for amongê such enemies But ye wil say this is not to coÌ„fort his disciples but rather to discourage them from imbrasing the gospel Trouth it is that this is a very hard word I send you as lambes in middes of wolues but yet it was a word necessary to be spo ken vnto the apostles disciples to monish them of the troubles persecutioÌ„s that they shuld suffre lest they shulde dreame that the kyngdom of Christe in erth shuld be a corporal thinge For if the kyngdom of Christ had bene of this worlde he wold not haue sent forth his disciples as shepe amoÌ„gê wolues but rather he wold haue brought to pas that they shuld haue bene receiued of al men with high reuerence honour wheras now he layth them out to exceding daungers and perilles They shal sayth he deliuer you vp vnto councelles and in their assembles they shal scourge you yea and ye shal be led vnto
saynt Austine Christe here meaneth that they woll hate hym in hys disciples and true folowers they woll persecute him in them and wol not folowe nor kepe their worde bicause it is his worde Wherfore sayth thys holy doctoure so moche the more wretched be they whiche do these thinges forbicause of this name as they be the more blessed whyche suffre these thinges for this names sake Howbeit the euil do these thinges to the euyl but both be wretched aswell the doers as the suffrers And why wol they do these thinges in spite of Christes name Ueryly saith Christ bicause they haue not knowne god the father of heuen whyche sente me For if they had knowne God thâ— father which sent Christ they shuld haue known Christ to haue preached by the coÌ„maundement and authoritie of hys father a farre other iustice then was preached or practysed of the world If Chryste had not comme and spoken to the worlde it shulde haue had no synne It is the preachinge of the gospell veryly that discloseth all vngodlynes and the vnrightuousnes of the worlde and whiche also setteth open the iustice of god Lette vs not then my freendes be ashamed of the gospell of Chryste For as the Apostle sayeth it is the power of God to the helth and saluatioÌ„ of al that beleueth For the rightuousnes of God is by it opened out of feyth into feyth Now therfore sith the gospel is preached vnto vs whyche discloseth synne we haue no excuse no clooke to hyde our synne wyth We know god and yet we do not glorifie ne worship him as god we be not thankfull vnto hym for the great inestimable benefites which from time to time we haue receiued at his handes We be called by the ministres of his holy word but we wol giue no eare We be tawght and we wil not attende Wherfore it is moche to be feared that like as we haue not regarded to knowe god so god wil giue vs vp into a disalowed minde If a maÌ„ wold hate him that he knew not he might peraduenture seme worthy of pardon and forgiuenes bycause he can not finde in his harte to fauour him whom he neuer sawe But we haue sene Christ and haue harde him thoughe not personally as the Iues sawe him and hard him yet by the preachyng of the gospell we knowe his power and ryghtuousnes and we espye our infirmitie and vnrightuousnes I say in his worde we se him and heare him as wel and as perfectly as the Iues did We haue seen his great benefites we haue hard of his wonderful dedes yet I feare lest there be many worldly persons amonges vs which do hate Christ hys word in very dede thoughe they pretende neuer so muche to loue hym and they hate hym and his worde euen for the same thinges for whiche they ought to loue him and the preachers of his word For in that they hate the preachers of his worde they hate his word and in that they hate his worde they hate hym And verily who so euer hateth Christ and hys preachers or his word doth hate also in very dede god the father by whose authoritie and speciall coÌ„maundemeÌ„t al is doon Wherfore thys very thynge doth heape damnation vpoÌ„ such worldly persons bycause they abuse so lewdly and so stubbernly the offred open goodnes of God If Christ by the preachyng of his mooste holy worde had not vttered amonges them suche miracles and wonders as none of all the prophetes euer vttered whether we woll consider the greatnes or the multitude of them they shulde not haue been in daunger of so heynouse a synne But nowe haue they both herde and seen the trouth and the more they haue herde seen the more they haue hated both it and the preachers therof So that the saynge of God by his prophete is in them fulfylled where it is written they haue hated me wythout cause It might be borne yf one did hate one beinge sturred and prouoked by displeasure and vnkyndnes shewed vnto him to hate him It myght be perdoned yf a maÌ„ wold hate one he knewe not but how can it be borne that one shulde hate hym whom he knoweth and which studyeth to do him all the good he can for hys sauegarde and soule health In thys sort did our sauiour Christ eoÌ„forte his Apostles and by them vs all to suffre tribulation and hatred for hys sake Let vs then folowe them and namely the blessed Apostles Simon and Iude whose memorye we do thys daye celebrate whiche had experience of these counfortes in their crosse whiche they bare for Christes sake neyther wolde they suffre themselfes to be plucked awey from the trouth of Gods worde for al the hatred malice and trouble that the worlde could practise against them If by their exemple we do the same we shal vndoubtedly with theÌ„ be crowned eternally by Iesus Christ our Lorde whiche togither with the father and holy ghost is world with out ende to be praysed Amen ¶ On all halowe daye The Gospell Mat. v. WHen Iesus saw the people he went vp into a montaigne and when he was sette hys disciples cam to him after he had opened his mouthe he taught them sayeng Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdom of heauen Blessed be they that mourne for they shal be couÌ„forted Blessed be the meke for they shall inherite the erthe Blessed be they that hungre and thyrst after ryghtuousnes for they shal be satisfyed Blessed be the pytifull for they shal be pytied Blessed be the pure in harte for they shall se God Blessed be the peace makers for they shal be called the chyldren of God Blessed be they that be persecuted for ryghtuousnes for theirs is the kyngdom of heauen Blessed be ye when they shal â—euile and persecute you and speake euery euil worde agaynst you makyng lyes bycause of me Be glad reioyse for much is your reward in heuen The sermon vpon this Gospell THis daye good people is called all halowe daye is instituted of the Church of Christ that there myght be some certayne tyme to celebrate the memorye of all holy persones or sayntes whiche in this life liued a godly and perfecte life and therfore do nowe enioye eternall blysse in heauen accordyng as in this Gospell is promised vnto them and vnto vs al which wol do the same by our sauiour Christ. Let vs then se what thys Gospel speaketh Ye shall therfore vnderstande that our Sauiour Christ Iesus when he was walkyng here in earthe amonges vs and espyed the people more and more to gather about him of al sortes of meÌ„ he withdrew hym selfe as it were froÌ„ a low place and goyng vp to an high hylle beganne there to sette abroche hys heauenly doctrine declarynge by the very heigth of the place that he wolde teache no low ne coÌ„mon thyng but al highe and heuenly thynges His disciples whom he had specially