sorts visibly and inuisibly Hée came visibly intoo the Apostles vppon Whitson-Sunday as wée shall hear when the time commeth He commeth inuisibly intoo mennes harts when the Gospel is preached and he sealeth vp the truthe of the Gospell in the hartes of the hearers Chryste speaketh of both the commings of the holy Ghoste For that whiche went before in the Apostles visibly the same followeth inuisibly wheresoeuer the Gospel is taught purely But too what end tendeth the doctrine of the holy Ghoste He shall not speake of him selfe but vvhatsoeuer he heereth that shall he speake That is the holy Ghoste shall teache you the same doctrine that I haue taughte you shall tel you whatsoeuer shall come too passe That is hée shall reuele vntoo you what maner of kingdome my kingdome shalbée bothe in this life and after the generall resurrection And he shall glorify mee bicause he shall take of mine and shevv vntoo you That is the holy Ghoste shall by his recorde and effectuall woorking stablishe the glory whiche the Father hath giuen mée so as the gates of Hel shall not bée able too preuail a whitte ageinste my kingdome for they can neuer darken my glory ¶ Of the third NOw remayneth too speake of this saying I haue yet many things too say vntoo you but you cannot beare them avvay as novv This place doo the Papists abuse as thoughe the Apostles had not deliuered a ful doctrine too the churche And this they vpholde too the end they may stablish their Masses prayings too Saincts Rosaries Pardons holy water and other deceits of Antichrist But Chryste speaketh according too the capacitie of his Disciples and of the weaknesse that was in them before his death of the gift that they should receiue after his resurrection vppon Whitson Sunday As if hée had sayd I would speak many things too vntoo you coÌ„cerning my kingdome and other misteries but as yet yée are not fully throughly taught by the holy Ghost whom I wil giue you in his time who shall lead you intoo all trueth that is too say intoo full knoweledge of my kingdome This full trueth did the Apostles obteine vpon the very day of Pentecoste or Whitson Sunday whiche afterward they did put in wryting We must séek the same trueth and holde our selues contiÌ„ted therwith if wée minde too be the Scholers of the holy Ghoste too whom with GOD the father and the euerlasting Sonne bée praise and glory for euer and euer Amen The .v. Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xvj VErely verely I say vntoo you vvhat so euer yee aske the Father in my name he vvil giue it you Hithertoo haue yee asked nothing in my name Aske and yee shall receyue that your ioye may bee full These things haue I spoken vntoo you by Prouerbes The time vvill come vvhen I shall no more speake vntoo you by Prouerbes but I shall shevv you plainely from my Father At that day shal yee aske in my namâ— And I say not vntoo you that I vvill speake vntoo my Father for you For the Father him selfe loueth you bycause yee haue loued mee and haue beleeued that I came out from GOD. I vvent out from the Father and came intoo the vvorlde Againe I leaue the vvorlde and go vntoo the Father His Disciples sayde vntoo him Loe novv thou talkest plainly and speakest no Prouerbe Novv are vve sure that thou knovvest all things and needest not that any man should aske thee any question Therfore beleeue vve that thou cammest from GOD. Iesus ansvvered them novv yee doe beleeue Beholde the houre dravveth me and is already come that yee shall bee scattered euery man too his ovvne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the Father is vvith mee These vvoords haue I spoken vntoo you that in mee yee might haue peace for in the vvorlde shall yee haue tribulation but bee of good cheere I haue ouercome the vvorld The exposition of the text FOr a good consideration is this Gospel read in the church as vpon this day For it conteyneth the chéefest woork of Christians and the woork that is peculier to them For onely Christen folks can performe this seruice of Inuocation vntoo God For after that vpon last Sunday was declared what is true Faith what is righteousnesse what is iudgement and too bée bréef what is the kingdom of Christ and in whom it consisteth In very good time order is mention made this day of the chéefe seruice that the Citizens of Chrystes kingdome can performe which is the true calling vpoÌ„ god And bicause no exercise of the godly is more néedful than prayer and that no woork is more hard than too pray aright I wil in this sermon entreat of praier only And too the intent wée may the eassier vnderstand this doctrine I wil say two things concerning prayer which are these 1 What Christian prayer is and how many sorts there bée of it 2 What are the conditions that must goe with euery prayer For when I haue discussed these two places I hope there shal bée no man so he yéeld himself easie to bée taught which shal not clerely and plainely vnderstande what thing Christian prayer is and how néedefully the seruice of prayer is required at our hands ¶ Of the firste WHat thing is Christian prayer It is a lowly lifting vp of the minde vntoo God in desiring ought at Gods hand or yéelding thanks for benefites receiued Now y t there bée two sorts of lifting vp the mind vntoo God first it is confirmed by y e record of Dauid who going about too pray saith in the .25 Psalme Unto thée O Lord haue I lift vp my soule and secondly by the forme of praying appointed too vs by the Lord Our father which art in heauen Moreouer by the gesture of them that pray whoo as they are praying are woont too lift vp their eyes vnto heauen This therfore it behooueth vs to know that prayer is not a pratling of the spéech only but that it is an humble lifting vp of the hart vntoo God with which humble lifting vp of the hart woords also procéede out of the mouth But of how many sorts is Chrysten prayer It is of foure sortes Deprecation Adoration Intreatance and thanks geuing These foure kinds of prayer will I declare bréefly Deprecation is an humble lifting vp of a mannes minde vntoo God wherby is desired deliueraunce from such things as trouble or veâ—e him As when wée desire too bée deliuered from Tirannie violence diseases famine and other things that séeme sharpe vntoo vs. Adoration is a lowly lifting vp of mans soule vntoo God wherby wée desire some benefite at his hande as when wée desire encreasements of faith loue patience chastitie and when wée craue those things that wée haue néede of toward the maintenance of this life Intretance is an humble lifting vp of a mannes mind vntoo God wherby one maketh sute for an other as when wée pray for
ascension And thirdly the frute of Chrystes ascension In the comming downe of Chryste from heauen intoo the earth there are twoo things too bée considered the gifte and the Example The gift for that Chryst descended from Heauen and took mannes nature vpon him that by offering him selfe in sacrifice hée might ridde vs of oure sinnes For by the sacrifice of Chryst the father is pacified and for Chryste our mediatours sake so abased all beléeuers are receiued and are the children and heires of God For therefore did the Lorde come downe from heauen therefore did he humble and abase him selfe that wée might ascende from the earth too Heauen and that wée might bée exalted too euerlasting life and glory And the example That wée also should come downe and be humbled 1. Peter 2. Chryst suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wée should folow his steps Of what maner Chrystes ascension intoo heauen was the scripture sheweth He ascended visibly with a bodily and naturall mouing and a cloude tooke him vp intoo heauen Whervpon is saide he ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4. Neuerthelesse he did not by ascending chaunge his humayne nature intoo his godhead or so shed it out that it shuld bée euerywher with his godhead although the vnion of them bée inseparable The frute of Chrysts ascension is manifolde according as it is easy too gather by diuers places of scripture The first frute therfore is that Chryst is a triumpher ouer his enimies which are sinne death the deuill and hell For these enimies hath he vanquished and triumphed ouer them by his glorious ascension Hée wyped out sinne when he was made a sacrifice for sinne Assoone as sinne was wyped away death was disarmed for sinne is the sting of death When death was once destroyed the deuil lost his force and weapons Lastly for as much as hell deuoureth onely them that are vnder sinne death and the deuill it foloweth that Chryst beyng the conqueror of sinne death and the deuill did also ouercome hell Secondly he ascended too bée our head which ascended into heauen first that he may shew the way vntoo vs whervppon Iohn 14. I go my way to prepare you a place and I will take you vp vntoo mée Thirdly he ascended that hée might from heauen spred the beames of his power ouer all the world Eph. 4. Hée ascended aboue all the heauens that hée might fill all things Then is hée not ascended too bée vtterly away from vs but that with his present power hée may rule heauen and earth and bée present with his Church vnto the ende of the world Fourthly he ascended that he might giue giftes too men Eph. 4. And he hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes and some teachers That is too say hée ascended that he might bée effectuall in the ministerie confirming it by wonderfull miracles and sealing it in the hartes of men Fifthly he ascended that wée might haue an aduocate in heauen 1. Iohn 1. If any man sinne wée haue an aduocate with God the father Iesus Chryst the rightuous and hée is the propitiation for our sinnes Sixthly he ascended that he might draw our harts vntoo himself Math. 6. Where as is thy treasure there is also thy hart Coll. 3. If yée bée risen agein with Christ séeke the thinges that are aboue where Chryst sitteth at the right hand of the father Our conuersation then must bée in heauen where our Sauiour sitteth in glorie too whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste bée honour prayse and glorie world◠without ende Amen The .vj. Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xv WHen the comforter is come vvhom I vvill send vntoo you from the father euen the spirite of truth vvhich proceedeth from the father hee shall testifie of mee And yee are vvitnesses also bicause yee haue bin vvith mee from the beginning These things haue I saide vntoo you bicause yee should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that vvho soeuer killeth you shall thinke he doth God high seruice And such thinges vvill they doo vntoo you bicause they haue not knovvne the father neither yet mee But these things haue I tolde you that vvhen that houre is come yee might remember then that I tolde you These things saide I not vntoo you at the beginning bicause I vvas vvith you The exposition of the text THis Gospel also is a part of that sermon that Chryste made too his Disciples the night before he suffred the summe wherof wée haue herd a whyle ago This text conteyneth the promis of the Aduocate the holy Ghost whoo shall bée present in the Churche when it suffereth persecution by the wicked worlde For Chryst telleth vs it will come to passe that wicked men and specially the Iewes shall bée caryed with so great woodnesse ageynst the Church that vnder the pretence of Religion they shal rūne with might and mayn vpon the godly yea and persuade the world that it is a certeyne seruice of God too kill the godly and too cast them out of their congregations And he sayeth that the cause of this outrage is ignoraunce and blindnesse that is too wit that they neither acknowledge the wrath of God ageinst sinne nor vnderstande the benefites of Chryst. The places are thrée 1 The office of the holy ghost and of the ministers of the woord in the Church 2 A warning least the godly being offended at the stumbling block shuld renounce that profession faith 3 Of the crosse of y e godly of their glorious deliuerance ¶ Of the firste ANd vvhen the comforter shall bee come vvhom I vvill send you from my father he shal beare vvitnesse of mee yea and you also shall beare vvitnesse These woords contein the first doctrine of this Gospell namely that the holy Ghost and Apostles and their successours must beare witnesse of Chryst. Concerning the holy ghost these things are gathered out of the text First that he is one God with the father and the sonne Secondly that he is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Thirdly that he procéedeth from the father the son And fourthly y t he is giuen too the church by Chryst. And why he is giuen to the church it is héer declared namely that he may bée a comforter that he may bée a teacher of the truth and that he may beare witnes of Christ. Of which offices I will therefore speake the more bréefly bicause the same things are too bée repeted vpon Whitson Sunday Why is he called a comforter or Aduocate Lyke as by this terming of him is giuen an inkling of the persecution and accusing or condemning of the churche by the heathenish world so is it also expresly ment therby that it shall not bée forsaken of Chryst in the time of persecution but that Christ sendeth it an aduocate namely the holy Ghost The properties of this aduocate are foure First that hée bée at hande too his Clyant that is
héere promyseth so great things and sith that the heauenly Trinitie dwelleth in them that beléeue Let vs endeuer too bée cleane and pure as it be commeth Gods temples too bée Let vs bée spiritual things that wée may reigne ouer sinne and not serue it any more in the lustes thereof Let vs bée prests that may offer quicke sacrifices vntoo God and call vpon him by fayth in Chryst. Let vs bée saincts and segregated from the heathenish routes of the world that wée fall not intoo our former filthinesse agein ¶ Of the thirde ANd the comforter the holy Ghost vvhom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things This is Chrysts promisse whereby he promiseth his Disciples the holy ghost Wée haue herd before what is the woorthinesse of the Chrystians Now let vs héer what is ioyned with this woorthinesse And bicause I am not able to vtter these things according too their woorthinesse I will after the manner of babes prattle of eche thing that is spoken in this royall promisse These few woords therfore doo conteine seuen poynts concerning the holy ghost the which I will reherse bréefly and apply them too our vse For these points contein the causes why the holy ghost is sent and giuen First he is called an Aduocate Although I haue spoken somewhat an eight dayes hence concerning this name Yet peraduenture it shal not bée amisse too repete it agein too day Therfore he is called an Aduocate that is too say a spokesman bicause hée is at hande too the afflicted and dooth teache them comfort them take their case vpon him as his owne and in conclusion compelleth vs too crye out and too say with all our hart Abba father haue mercy vpon vs for thy sonnes sake whom thou hast giuen too bée our Sauiour And this is the first cause why the holy ghost is giuen The second is that he may quicken vs and thervpon he is called a spirit Now there is a double life The one naturall wherethrough all liuing creatures liue and this endureth for a short time for it is swalowed vp by death and the other life is of God from which Paule sayeth that all those are estraungers which haue not knowne Chryste The author of this life is that spirit of Chryst which he promised too his disciples This is not of short continuance but euerlasting as which is proper too the euerlasting God And this life liue al they that beléeue in the sonne of God Gala. 2. The thirde cause of sending and géeuing the holy ghost is that he may make vs holy of which operation he is called holy and he maketh vs holy at what time he worketh faith in vs when he regenerateth vs when he reformeth our vnderstanding affections and will and too bée bréefe when he bringeth too passe that wée become newe creatures and liue according too the will of God The fourth cause of sending giuing the holy ghost vntoo vs is that he may stablish a certeyne louingnesse among vs and therfore he is said too bée sent from the father too his children For as the father embraceth his children with an inward kindnesse loue so he desireth nothing more than that the childrē folowing the nature of their father should mainteine brotherly loue among them selues Thus too doo it béecommeth them that acknowledge God too bée their common father As for those that refuse too doo so either they neuer were his children or else they are shamefully growen out of kind from the nature of their father The fifth cause of sending the holy ghost is that wée may lerne of him in what sort our heauenly father is mynded towards vs. Therfore the Lord sayth and he shal teach you al things What Shall he teach any other thing than y t which the Prophets and Moyses haue taught Or any other thing than is deliuered vs in the scripture No forsoth For he shal teach the self same things Doth not y e scripture suffise Yes it suffiseth as in respect of doctrine but not as in respect of our capacitie For although wée héere the woord a thousande times yet is it vneffectuall vnlesse he teache within For anoynting as sayth the Apostle teacheth all things The sixth cause of sending and giuing the holy ghost is shewed in this saying in my name By which saying is signified the vttermost ende or the final cause why the holy ghost is giuen which is that they which beléeue in Chryst may bée saued For in as much as Chryst is our saluation that the holy ghost is sent in his name there is no dout but he is sent for our saluation sake The seuenth cause is that he may confirme Christs woord in vs. He sayth Chryst shall teach you all things he shall put you in mynde of all thyngs that I haue spoken vntoo you These things ar signifyed bréefly concerning the holy ghost in our Gospel that is red this day in our Church mo things are noted yet more bréefly in our Créede which are that the holy ghost is very God that he is the thirde person in Trinitie that he quickeneth and sanctifyeth that wée must leane vntoo him by liuely fayth as vntoo the father and the sonne But as concerning these things wée shall héer more another time and haue herd more a while ago ¶ Of the fourth MY peace I leaue vntoo you my peace I giue vntoo you not as the vvorld giueth doo I giue you This promisse of Chryst is right great also and much greater than the world vnderstādeth Dooth not Christ say as we haue herd of late in the world ye shall haue trouble and they shal cast you out of their sinagoges It is so Therfore Chryst maketh a difference betwéene the two sortes of peace betwéene the peace of the world and his peace What maner of peace the peace of the world is there is no man but he vnderstandeth But what maner of peace Chrysts peace is onely the children of God vnderstande For it is that peace whereof the Gospell speaketh and of which I haue entreated abundantly the first Sunday after Easter Neuerthelesse too the intent I may bréefly repete the same things The peace of Christ is our reconcilemēt vntoo God the remission of our sinnes the giuing of the holy ghost and euerlasting life according too this prayer of the Church O God which by the lightning of the holy Ghost hast taught the hartes of the faythfull giue vntoo vs that peace which the world cannot giue and that our hartes may bée quiet This peace the sonne of God graunt vntoo vs too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euermore Amen Vpon Whitson Monday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. SO GOD loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvho so euer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne intoo the vvorld too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde
other Gods before mée Deu. 6. Herken O Israell the Lorde our God is one God Esay 43. Before mée there is no God made neyther shall there bée any after mée I am I am God and there is no Sauioure besides mée 44. I am the first and the last and besides mée there is no God Psalm 18. Who is God but the Lorde of hostes and who is strong but our God Paule 1. Cor. 8. Wée knowe that there is none o-other GOD but one 1. Tim. 2. There is one God These recordes and many other ▪ doo euidently conuince that there is but one God whiche thing the Catholicke Churche also confesseth when it sayth I beléeue in one God The seconde of the persons That there bée thrée persons in one godly nature not multiplyed but abyding one in nūber Reason is not able too conceiue Wherefore this is a misterie rather too bée reuerenced than too be serched Héervpon sayth Bernard Too serch this is a poynt of rashnesse but too know it is eternall life And Salomon Hée that is a sercher of his maiestie shall bée ouerwhelmed of his glorie Wherefore lette vs in this behalfe kéepe our reason prisoner vnder Gods warde and let vs beléeue the testimonies of the scriptures concerning so greate a misterie The reason why the Church beléeueth that there bée thrée persones in one nature of Godhead is this There is but one God whiche thing is already proued by many testimonies The father is God the sonne is God the holy Ghoste is God Ergo the Father the Son the holy Ghoste is one God That the Father is God and likewise the Sonne and the holy Ghost it is too bée proued foure wayes First by the cléere woords of the Scripture Secondly by their woorks Thirdly by the woorship which is due too the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost And fourthly by the continuall consent of the Church The woordes of the Scripture are cléer Math. 3. The Father speaketh from heauen the Sonne standeth in the riuer the holy Ghost commeth down in likenesse of a Dooue vpon Chryst. 1. Iohn 5. There are thrée that beare witnesse in Heauen the Father the woorde and the holy Ghoste and these thrée are one Ageine their woorks shewe the same thing The Father createth the Sonne createth the holy Ghoste createth The Father iustifieth the Sonne iustifieth and the holy Ghoste iustifieth The Father gouerneth all things the Sonne gouerneth all things and the holy Ghost gouerneth all things These woorks of creating iustifying and gouerning are proper vntoo God Wherefore in as much as they are attributed too the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost alike we must of necessitie confesse the Godhead of them The same thing is also confirmed by the worship of them The Father is prayed vntoo the Sonne is prayed vntoo the holy Ghost is prayed vntoo But none is too bée prayed vntoo saue only God neyther is any too be beléeued on sauing God only Wherfore the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste are one God Héeruntoo also perteyneth the consent of the church This is the Catholick fayth that wée woorship one God in Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie neyther confounding the persones nor deuiding the substance For the persone of the Father is one the person of the sonne is another and the person of the holy Ghost is another The thirde is of those things that are too bée considered in the persons In the persones there bée fiue things too bée considered 1. The substance 2. the persone 3. the distinction of the persons 4. the woork 5. and the wil. The substaunce or nature of the father the sonne and the holy ghost is all one For the father is not one thing the sōne another thing and the holy ghoste a thirde thing for the substance of the godhed is one and the nature simple And therfore the father is sayd too bée in the sonne and the holy ghost the sonne in the father and the holy ghost and the holy ghost in the father and the sonne The second thing that is too be considered in the Trinitie is the persone that is too wit that there is one persone of the father another of the sonne and another of the holy ghost In this Trinitie of persones nothing is before or after other nothing greater or lesser than other neyther in time bicause all the persons are coeternal nor in nature bicause al are of one selfe same substance nor in dignitie bicause they are coequal nor in vnderstanding bycause they are comprehended in vnderstanding all toogither The thirde thing that is too bée considered in the Trinitie of the persones is personall distinction And héere is firste too bée marked how God is discerned from creatures And nexte how the persones of the Godhead are discerned one from an other The distinctions by which God is discerned from creatures are these First that in one vndeuided nature not multiplyed there be thrée persons Secōdly that God is an euerlasting mind Thirdly that God is the creator Fourthly that God is in the world aboue the world And fiftly that God is in al places yet conteyned within no place These fiue properties are incident too God only and too no creature The persones are distinguished one from another by double properties inward and outward The inward are too beget too be borne and too procéede The father alone begetteth the sonne the sonne only is borne of the father ▪ the holy ghost onely procéedeth from them bothe The outward properties are too send and too hée sent Only the father sēdeth the sonne and the holy ghoste are sent but after a diuers manner The sonne béeing sent took vpon him mannes nature wherin hée was made a sacrifise The holy Ghoste is sent intoo mennes harts too kindle a new light in their mindes The fourth thing that is too bée considered in the persons is the woork of the Trinitie Héerein is the rule of Austin too bée obserued The woorks of y e Trinitie as in outward vew are vndeuided howbéeit sauing the propertie of eche person The father createth the sonne createth and the holy Ghoste createth The father regenerateth the sonne regenerateth the holy ghost regenerateth But the Father createth by the sonne and the holy ghost preserueth the things created The father regenerateth in the sonne by the holy ghost The fifth thing whiche I sayd was too be considered in the persons is the wil which what one it is these things folowing doo declare 1. First their woorkes past and present 2. The commaundementes 3. The threatnings and promises of the law 4. The promises of the Gospell 5. Examples and. 6. his vnparcialitie and that hée is no accepter of persons Al these things toogither teach that God is angry with sinners wil punishe them and that he wil forgiue the sin of all those that flée too the Mediator and giue them euerlasting life without hauing respect of any nation or people Now remayneth the vse which is
miserie shuld be rewarded with euerlasting lyfe which is called héer the great supper and in Mathew the mariage of the kyng vntoo whiche great Supper men are called of Gods méere mercie too the intent they may bée filled at it with spiritual daynties euerlastingly Howbéeit too the intent the delicates of this Supper may bée the plesanter vntoo vs I will set out seuerally one by one the circumstaunces that are noted in the text and shew what instruction and admonishment is too bée learned by eche of them The first circumstance therfore too bée considered in this supper is concerning him that biddeth vs vntoo it For thervpon hangeth the estimation of it Who is it then that prepareth this Supper Is it some worldly kyng No. Yet wer that King woorthy too bée muche made of for his liberalitie too bée praysed for his mercie that would prepare a princely feast royally furnished for miserable and poore soules Who is it then It is God our heauenly father the Lord of Lords and king of kings who only is riche and well stored with delicates This circumstaunce is a most euident testimonie of Gods goodnesse and mercy The second circumstance is that God héere the master of the house biddeth guestes too Supper c And what is ment by the name of supper The very Gospel and all those things that are ioyned with the Gospell as is saluation and eternall lyfe Sée how great mercy shyneth foorth héere What is the reason of the terming of it so Why are these so great good thinges called a supper Surely it is not doone without great causes of which number there bée thrée chéef The first is bycause the Gospell promiseth euerlasting ioye and endlesse good things For as the Supper is set before men in the latter end of the day so the good things which the Gospell offereth shall of the méere mercy of God bée giuen in rewarde too the beléeuers after that they in dystresse haue outworne the manyfolde labours of this lyfe The second cause is for that lyke as the euening whiche is the tyme that men are woonte too prepare for supper is the ende of the daye so the age in which all men by the ministerie of preaching are bidden too repaste of the heauenly Supper is of the laste age The third cause is for that the Gospell is the last voyce of GOD in the worlde after whiche there is none other too bée looked for in lykewyse as the Supper is the last meate that is set béefore men in the day For ther shall neuer sound any other voyce of God from heauen but thys selfe same voyce of the Gospell shall sounde vntoo the laste daye of iudgement The third circūstance is in this woord Great by whiche is commended vntoo vs the richnesse of Gods mercy For God biddeth not a kyng or twoo or a wiseman or twoo vntoo this supper but he biddeth the whole world He ouerskippeth not the poore he neglecteth not the riche men he shutteth not out the gentlemen he kéepeth not the country folke nor the townesmen from his feast he holdeth no skorne of the little ones disdeyneth not y e great ones al men without exception that are dispersed through the whole worlde biddeth he too that great supper For the text witnesseth both that it is a greate supper and that many are bidden The fourth circumstance is of the manner of his bidding The manner is expressed in these wordes And he sente his seruaunt at the houre of Supper too saye too them that vvere bidden Héer by the name of seruant is ment the Prophetes Apostles and all godly teachers whom God hath sent from the beginning of the worlde too bid guestes too the Supper Too this supper dyd God himselfe bidde the patriarke Noe. He being bidden bad the rest of the world in Gods sted Afterward when the world throughe it owne vnthankfulnesse was perished in the flud Abrahā was by Gods owne mouth bidden too this supper After which time when the malice of the world was encreased vpon the earth God chose one peculiar people among whome he often times raysed vp Prophets that bad guests too this supper And the master of the house continued in so dooing vntill he sent his owne Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst whome those that were bidden hanged vpon the Crosse. And he being raised ageyn from death sent out his Apostels intoo the whole world too byd all nations too this most delicate supper The fifth circumstance is of the hour of the supper What is this houre It is the time of grace and the time of glory The time of grace is the time wherin is preached vnto men the liberality mercyfulnesse of y e master of the house which tyme is deuided intoo thrée parts Intoo promise performāce and the tyme that hath folowed the performance The time of promis was from Adam vntoo the birth of Chryst almost foure thousand yéere Then was the tyme of performance during all the while that Chryst was conuersant héere vpon earth in the flesh and preached and offered himselfe the price of redemption for them that wer bidden too this supper The tyme that followed the performance is thencefoorth from the sending of the Apostles intoo the whole worlde vntill the daye of Iudgement in whiche tyme wée also bée and are bidden too this Supper by the voyce of the Ministers of Gods woorde The tyme of glory in eternitie When wée shall sit downe in the heauenly glorie not onely wyth Abraham and Isaac but also with God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy ghoste and shal enioy euerlasting mirth and gladnesse in Chryst Iesu our Lord. The sixth circumstance is the manner of the biddyng Come sayth he for all things are ready That is too saye as wée sée in the bidding of Iohn Baptist and Chryst Repent and beléeue the Gospell for the kyngdome of heauen is at hand This bidding requireth repentance that is too wit an alteration of the former life that wée shuld depart from euil and doo good and it requireth fayth that is too wit that wée should beléeue that this Supper is set on the Table for vs not in respect of our deseruyng but of méere mercy for the Sons sake whom God hath giuen vntoo vs too bée our wysedome ryghtuousnesse sanctification and redemption For with these gyftes and as it were garments of the Sonne of God muste wée enter intoo the Supper of euerlasting lyfe For Chryst by his wysedome reformeth our myndes wyth his ryghtuousnesse he decketh vs when wée beléeue on him with his sanctification or halowyng hée clenseth vs and at length he receyueth vs intoo his parlor where shall bée perpetuall redemption glorie and happinesse And thus muche concerning the firste place wherin is set oute vnto vs the mercyfulnesse of GOD which is from generation too generation vppon all that feare hym as the virgin our Lordes moother singeth ¶ Of the second BVt all began vvith one consent to excuse them selues
in the wedding garment ¶ Of the third MAny are called and fevv chosen This saying of Chryste conteyneth twoo things that is too witte a setting foorth of the mercy and goodnesse of GOD who calleth all men too his sonnes mariage Neither is it too bée thought that hée calleth any whoÌ„ hée would not haue too bée at his sonnes wedding and a complaint ageinste the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of tâ—â— world Many sayth hée are called For the Bridegroom commaunded his Apostles too go foorth intoo all the whole world and too call men too this mariage as hée sayd afore Cal too the mariage whosoeuer yée finde But fevv are chosen That is few haue the wedding garmeÌ„t For such are chosen as are sorted out from others and are excellente aboue others Therfore Peter saith that Christians are chosen too sanctification of spirit that is too wit that they should bée holy in spirit Uerely GOD will haue all men saued as Paule teacheth and this parable sheweth yea and Chrystes owne woords witnesse Math. xj Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you Let vs set this saying ageinst all the enimies of Gods grace Therefore if thou looke too Godwarde Gods will is that all men shoulde bée saued and come too the knoweledge of the truthe and hée calleth all men without exception too the mariage of hys Sonne But if thou looke vntoo menwarde fewe are chosen that is too saye fewe when they heare the Gospell doo receiue it by fayth and become holy in spirite Wherefore the cause of damnation is not in GOD but it is too bée sought for in our selues How often sayth Chryste would I haue gathered thy Children toogither and thou wouldest not Beholde thou hast héere twoo things Chryste would and Ierusalem would not Therfore by this saying wée are warned that it is not inough too hear the Gospel but wée must also obey the Gospell For as Peter sayeth it is therefore preached that wée should bée mortified as towarde the fleshe and too liue after the spirite Thus muche concerning this dayes Gospel wherby wée may lerne that God hathe not created vs too damnation but too blisfulnesse and that hée hathe fréely prepared all things that perteine vntoo true blissednesse And ageine that those which are damned are damned through their owne fault as which would not obey the Gospel Wherfore if we haue regarde of our soulehelth let vs put on the wedding garment and let vs minde true holinesse through Iesus Chryste oure Lord Too whom with the Father and the holie Ghoste bée honour for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Iohn iiij THere vvas a certein ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capernaum Assoone as the same hearde that Iesus vvas come out of Ievvrie intoo Galilee hee vvent vntoo him and besought him that hee vvoulde come dovvne and heale his Sonne For hee vvas euen at the point of death Then sayde Iesus vntoo him except yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleeue The ruler sayde vntoo him Sir come dovvne or euer that my Sonne die Iesus sayeth vntoo him Go thy vvay thy Sonne lyueth The man beleeued the vvoorde that Iesus hadde spoken vntoo him And hee vvente his vvaye And as hee vvas goyng dovvne the seruauntes mette him and tolde him saying Thy Sonne liueth Then enquyred hee of them the houre vvhen hee beganne too amende And they sayde vntoo him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the Feuer lefte him So the Father knevve that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vntoo him Thy Sonne liueth and hee beleeued all his housholde This is ageine the second miracle that Iesus did vvhen he vvas come out of Ievvry intoo Galilee The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell teacheth vs whither wée ought too flée for succour in all the troubles of this lyfe that is too wit too the fountayne of all welfare and felicitie Iesus Chryst. Which thing Esay also putteth vs in minde of when he sayâ—h Yée shall drawe water out of the welles of the Sauioure Too this well wée must come not with féete but with minde not with reason but with Fayth Furthermore this Gospell sheweth howe forwarde Chryste is too helpe who sendeth away none that commeth too him without comforte For he is not otherwise affectioned towards any man than towarde this noble man this Courtyer of Herodes court whom hée not only comforted by worde but also helped by miracle The summe of this Gospell therefore is included in this saying of Ioel Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued The places are thrée 2 Of mens miseries and of the cause and remedie of the same 2 Of the rebuke wherewith Chryst rebuketh this seruant of the kings 3 The true nature and inclination of Faith ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine Ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke This sad father and his sicke sonne doo set before our eyes the miseries of this worlde which as they are the punishments of sinne so are they also as it were certein sermons of Gods iudgement whereby wée are allured too repentance like as this Courtier béeing sad for the sicknesse of his sonne féeleth his owne sinne bewayleth it Héervntoo maketh also that saying of Esay Their distresse shall bée a lerning vntoo thée Howbéeit too the intent wée may the better consider Gods goodnesse towards vs I will declare by what meanes God is woont too call vs chéefly too repentance These wayes are chéefly sixe The first He setteth foorth the doctrine of the law wherin he paynteth out our sins as in a table sheweth the blindnesse of our minde be wrayeth our douting of Gods prouidence promises and threats vttereth the vnclennesse of our affections and sheweth the stinche of the stomacke the turning away our will from God and the horrible atteinting of all our powers Agein in the second table of the law he paynteth our vnfaythfulnesse towards men and the vncleanenesse of our thoughtes so that yf there appéere any vprightnesse in our whole life before wée bée conuerted vntoo Chryste the same is no better than a cloth stayned with matter and most vnpure blud which thing Esay complayneth of in these woordes All our rightuous dooing are as a moste filthie cloute The cause why the lawe setteth this our filthinesse before vs is that wée béeing warned of their stinche should repent and departe from our moste wicked wayes The second The excesse of inward miseries which no maÌ„ is able too describe and bewayle sufficiently was neuer yet so great neither was any mannes calamitie yet so extreme but that any of vs might fall intoo the same as Ambrose godlyly admonisheth vs saying Wee eyther are now presently or heeretofore haue bin or may be in the selfe same ease that this same man was in In how great miserie was Adam who not only sawe the one of his sonnes murther his brother but also behilde the moste sorowfull fallings of
our senses by outward signs which are the seales of his woord So in these dayes he had disclosed his wil vntoo vs by his Gospel the which he sealeth vp with the outward signes of Baptim and the Lordes supper Howbéeit in this coÌ„munication of the Angel with the virgin this spéech is too be noted wher he saith â—or vvith God no vvord shal be impossible This woord this saying of the Angel conteineth two things First it sealeth vp the truth and certentie of Gods promises And secondly it admonisheth vs to set gods power ageinst al sense iudgement of the flesh to assure our selues y t God is true although the whole frame of things shuld go about to persuade vs otherwise and to say with the virgin do according to thy woord thou reuelest thy wil by thy woord fulfil thy wil by thy power that thou alone may be glorified Thou art a sinner bewailest thy misery But herken what Gods woord saith of his wil. I wil not the death of a sinner Also all that cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Include thou within this woord both Gods wil his power ageinst which nothing is able too staÌ„d When y u art sorowful bicause thou art at deaths doore flée vnto Christ héer his woord Blissed are they that die in the Lord. In this word ioyne togither Gods wil his power then assure thy self y t death shal be vntoo thée the way to blisfulnesse through Chryst Iesus our Lord too whom with the father the holy Ghost be honor praise glory world without end Amen Vpon the Natiuitie of Iohn Baptist. The Gospel Luke j. ELizabeths time came that she should be deliuered and she brought forth a son And hir neibors and hir cousins herde hovv the lord had shevved gret mercy vpon hir reioiced And it fortuned that in the eight day they came too Circumcise the childe and called his name Zacharie after the name of his father And his mother ansvvered and said not so but his name shal be called Iohn And they said vnto hir There is none in thy kinred that is named vvith this name And they made signes to his father hovv he vvould haue him called And he asked for vvriting tables and vvrote saying his name is Iohn And they marueiled al. And his mouth vvas opened immediatly and his toung also and he spake and praysed God And feare came on all them that dvvelt nie vntoo him And all these sayings vver noised abrode throughout al the hie countrie of Ievvrie and they that herd them laid them vp in their harts saying â–ª vvhat maner of childe shal this bee And the hand of the Lorde vvas vvith him And his father Zacharias vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and prophecied saying Praysed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vntoo vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets vvhich vvere since the vvorld began That vve should bee saued from our enimies and from the hand of all that hate vs. That he vvould deale mercifully vvith our fathers and remember his holy couenaunt And he vvould performe the othe vvhich he svvare too our father Abraham for too forgiue vs. That vvee being deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of our life in such holynesse and rightuousnesse as are acceptable for him And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his vvays Too giue knovvledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God vvherby the day spring from an hye hath visited vs. To giue light too them that sate in darknesse and in the shadovv of death and to guide our feete into the vvay of peace And the child grevv vvexed strong in spirit and vvay in vvildernesse til the day came vvhen he should shevv himselfe vntoo the Israelites The exposition of the Text. ALthough it bée a heathenish Idolatrie too call vppon Sainctes which thing is doone by the Papistes in the feastes of Sainctes yet it is very behoofefull and that for many causes too kéepe still the feasts of some Saincts The first cause is for that it is very profitable that the storie of the Church should bée known For from thence wée may fetche instruction confirmation and comfort The second is for that it is a swéete thing too thinke vppon Gods benefites towards his Church whereby commeth singuler frute too the godly hartes The third is that thanks may bée giuen to God for his benefites towards the members of his Churche The fourth is that by weying throughly the variable chaunces of the Sainctes wée may arme and strengthen our minds ageinst chaunces present and too come which we must needes taste of The fifth is that the Sainctes maye bée as it were samplers vntoo vs of repentance conuersatioÌ„ woorshipping confession constancie patience and other vertues according to which wée may frame our liues The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the felowship of the Saincts These and other weightie causes there bée why wée reteine feastes of Sainctes in the Church Would God that many men abused not the feasts of Saincts and other things too their owne pleasures and madde deuises like as many in the papacie abused chéefly this feast when they halowed it with dauÌ„cing and reueling with méetings of louers with bibbing and tippling al night long and with other more shamfull things which I will not speake of wherin they pleased not God nor the Angels and Saincts but they serued Sathan too the reproch of God and of the Angels and Saincts Thus much bréefly concerning the feasts of Saincts and the right vse of them In this feast I wil entreat of one point only that is too wit the story of Iohn out of which I will build certeine admonishments ¶ Of the Storie of Iohn Baptist. IN the Storie of Iohn Baptist let these circumstances bée weyed His parents his conception his birth his bringing vp his calling his office Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn his death and the things that hapned about his death and after his death Iohn Baptists parents wer Zacharie a préest a holy maÌ„ and of blamelesse life and his moother was Elizabeth a woman far striken in yéeres and of singuler godlinesse Of both these Luke the Euangelist beareth this witnesse in his first chapter They were both perfect before God and walked in al the lawes and ordinances of the Lord that no man could find fault with theÌ„ And they had no child bicause Elizabeth was barren both were well striken in age This description sheweth of what yéeres the parents of Iohn were with what innocentnesse they liued that being now growne in yéeres they were destitute of
rightuousnesse If they reuile you sayth he wrongfully If they persecute you for hatred of the Gospell If they reporte all euill of you falsly for if they say truth you shall not bée blissed If yée suffer persecution for your sinnes yée shal not therevppon bée happie For as one sayth it is the cause and not the blud that maketh a martyr Reioyce and bee glad for great is your revvarde in heauen Reward is a recompence of obedience yéelded too GOD in persecution The Lorde méeneth not by this saying that wée merit heauen by persecution for heauen is the inheritance of his children But rather he spurreth vs forward to the sufferance of persecution by setting before vs his Fathers clemencie who promiseth a recompence for the troubles that wée endure in this life whiche recompence is founded vppon the crosse of our Lorde Iesus Chryste too whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bée honoure power and glorie for euer world without end AMEN All glorie honour thanks and prayse bee giuen too God alone The Father Sonne and holy Ghost three seuerally in one FINIS ¶ A Table too finde the Gospels conteyned in this vvoorke 1 THe firste Sunday in Aduent fol. 1. a 2 The second Sunday in Aduent 5. a 3 The third Sunday in Aduent 8. b 4 The fourthe Sundaye in Aduent 12. a 5 Christmasse day 16. a 6 Saint Stephens day 21. b 7 Sainte Iohn Euangelistes day 26. a 8 Sundaye in Christmasse weeke 29. a 9 New yeeres day 32. b 10 The Twelfth day 36. b 11 The firste Sundaye after the Epiphanie 41. a 13 The second Sunday after Epiphanie 45. b 14 The thirde Sundaye after Epiphanie 51. b 15 The fourth Sunday after Epiphanie 56. b 16 The fifthe Sundaye after Epiphanie 61. a 17 The Sunday called Septuagesima 65. a 18 The Sunday called Sexagesima 70. a 19 The Sunday called Quin quagesima or Shroue-sunday 75. a 20 The firste Sundaye in Lent 79. b 21 The seconde Sundaye in Lent 84. b 22 The thirde Sundaye in Lent 88. b 23 The fourthe Sundaye in Lent 93. b 24 The fifth Sunday in Lent commonly called passion Sunday 98. b 25 Palme Sunday 103. b 26 Maundy Thursday 106. a 27 Good Fryday 111. a 28 Easter day 124. a 29 The seconde holy daye in Easter weeke 130. a 30 The thirde holy daye in Easter weeke 135. b 31 The firste Sundaye after Easter 140. a 33 The second Sundaye after Easter 144. b 34 The thirde Sundaye after Easter 149. b 35 The fourth Sundaye after Easter 154. b 36 The fifthe Sundaye after Easter 159. b 37 The Ascention day 164. a 38 The sixth Sundaye after Easter 168. b 39 VVhitsunday or Pentecost 173. a 40 VVhitson Monday 178. a 41 VVhitson Tuesday 182. b 42 Trinitie Sunday 186. a 43 The firste Sundaye after Trinitie 191 b 44 The second Sunday after Trinitie 196. a 45 The thirde Sundaye after Trinitie 201. a 46 The fourth Sunday after Trinitie 206. a 47 The fifthe Sundaye after Trinitie 210. b 48 The sixthe Sundaye after Trinitie 215. b 49 The seuenth Sunday after Trinitie 221. b 50 The eyght Sundaye after Trinitie 226. b 51 The ninth Sundaye after Trinitie 231. a 52 The tenthe Sundaye after Trinitie 236. a 53 The eleuenth Sunday after Trinitie 241. a 54 The twelfth Sunday after Trinitie 246. b 55 The thirtenth Sunday after Trinitie 251. b 56 The fourteenth Sundaye after Trinitie 257. a 57 The fifteenth Sunday after Trinitie 262. b 58 The sixteenth Sunday after Trinitie 267. b 59 The seuenteenth Sunday after Trinitie 272. b 60 The eyghteenth Sundaye after Trinitie 278. a 61 The ninteenthe Sundaye after Trinitie 283. a 62 The twentith Sunday after Trinitie 288. a 63 The .xxj. Sundaye after Trinitie 293. b 64 The .xxij. Sundaye after Trinitie 299. a 65 The .xxiij. Sundaye after Trinitie 304. a 66 The xxiiij Sundaye after Trinitie 309. a 67 The .xxv. Sundaye after Trinitie 314. a 68 The Purification of oure Lady 318. b 69 The Annūciation of oure Lady 323. b 70 The Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist. 328. a 71 The Visitation of our Lady 332. b 72 Sainct Michaell the Archangel 337. a 73 The feaste of all Sainctes 341. b To the Reader FOrasmuche as this present woorke shall come too the hands of all men as well of the rudest vnskilfullest and vnlearnedst sorte that are vtterly ignorant of the Latin tong and of the right vnderstanding of such wordes as are taken out of the Latin intoo English for the more beautifying of our spéeche better expressing of our myndes as too the handes of the skilfull and learned sort I haue added a bréefe declaration or exposition of certein of those woordes vsed in this my Translation Wherein as I séeke and wish the furtherance of the one sort for too read and not vnderstand would doo them small pleasure so I desire the fauorable acceptation of the other sort whose helpe and ayde I gladly craue too the amendement and gentle interpreting of such faults as haue escaped either me in translating or the Stacioner in printing A ABandon too giue ouer too yéelde vp too leaue or cast vp too forsake too put intoo the hand or power of an other man too submit too an other mans will or vse Absurditie a thing clean contrary or at least wise irksom too reason suche a thing as it gréeueth a man too héere it irksomnesse fondnesse Accessorie that which commeth from elsewhere an appurtenance that is not properly or peculiarly belonging too a thing that which naturally is no parte or member of a thing and yet goeth with it in such wise as it may at all times bée separated from it without impayring the former condition estate and nature of it An accident or extraordinarie Administration the manner of disposing and ordering of things as well in small matters as in gouernement and great affaires Admiration woonderment or maruelling at a thing high commendation and prayse giuen too any thing reioycement or delight in a thing Admonition admonishment warning inkling foretelling of any thing Aduocate a spokesman a counseller such a one as by his aduise and trauell aydeth and comforteth a man in his néede Affected mynded disposed inclined affectioned Aggrauate too make heynous too set out too the vttermoste too burthen a man with a thing too lay sore too ones charge Allegorie is a Sentence or Oration importing in it a méening diuers or straunge from the common sense of the woords and it is as it were a continuall Metaphor Loke Metaphor Aliaunce kinred that commeth in by mariage and by a Metaphor it is the linking knitting or ioyning of folkes willes and consents toogither in any thing Apprehended too lay holde vppon a thing too take holde of a thing too catch a thing too attein too a thing Ardent feruent burning glowing hotte earnest vnfeyned Authenticall that which is of authoritie that whiche caryeth a weight estimation or maiestie substanciall effectuall aucthorized allowed B BArbarous
in a shadowe signifie that oure passage intoo heauen should bée made by baptisme so the clensing of Naaman the Syrian did prefigurate the spirituall clensing from sinnes too bée made by baptisme For look what baptism figureth outwardly y t doth y e lord work inwardly by his own power Therfore whē we here mēciō made of Iordā let vs cal too mind what it signifieth spiritually cōcerning our baptim The third But Iohn forbade him saying I haue neede too bee baptized of thee and commest thou too mee And Iesus ansvvering sayd vntoo him Let bee novv for so it becommeth vs too the intent vvee may fulfill all rightuousnesse Then hee let him alone In this communication are many pointes too bée considered First concerning Iohns forbidding wherein he put Chryst of both by intreatance and with his hand Uerely Iohn weyed twoo things héedfully in this case but the third he neglected Hée weyed him selfe too bée vnworthie too loose the latchet of Chrystes shooes and therfore muche more too washe his naked body And secondly he weyed that Christ is frée from sinne and therefore he thinketh him too haue no néed of baptisme that hée should bee washed therewith in token of repentance The third thing as I sayd he neglected namely what belonged bothe too his owne office too Chrystes office For hée ought too haue looked vpon his office and not vppon the worthynesse of his person Hée ought too haue bin resolued that Chryste could not attempt any thing that perteyned not too the office of a mediatour And therefore hée heard Chryst say Let be novv for so it becommeth vs to fulfil all rightuousnesse Thou arte sent too baptize and I come too giue saluation too those that are baptized therfore let eche of vs doo that which becommeth him These thrée things therfore we may lerne of Iohn First too acknowledge our selues vnworthie too haue any ministerie committed vntoo vs in the church Secondly too acknowledge that Chryst is hée who alone is able too washe vs from the spottes of sinne And thirdly too obey Christes commaūdement in our vocation notwithstanding our own vnworthinesse but hauing an eye too the Lordes commaundement whiche vrgeth vs too doo our dutie The fourth is And Iesus beeing baptized Héere the eternall sonne of God holy without spot cléere from sinne and higher than the heauēs is baptized But why is hée baptized there may bée mo causes than one alledged For first it was his wil too enter intoo the ministerie of God by baptim as it were by this couenant too shewe that hée is the minister of God Secondly that outward Baptim shoulde bée a figure of his death burial resurrection in whiche respect hée termed his passion by the name of baptim when he answered y e children of Zebedie Mark 10. saying Can yée bée baptized with the Baptim that I am baptized withall Thirdly too leaue the waters halowed for all them that were too bée baptized afterward For the sacraments of the church are not halowed by the office of the préest as it were by magicall inchauntment but the halowing of the Sacramentes is made by the foundaton déed and promises of Chryste and by oure obedience towardes him Fourthly it was his pleasure too be baptized as wée are as a most assured witnesse and pledge of the vnion societie whiche hée vouchsaued too haue w t vs. Whervpon Paule prooueth vs too bée the sonnes of God who haue put on Chryste As many of you sayth hée as are baptized haue put on Christ. Fifthly it was his wil too doo that which he cōmaunded all others too doo according as Augustin sayth He is best too teach commaund which is an example of his own doctrine y e first y t doth the things that he cōmaundeth Fifthly the sequele is too be considered For the things that happened as Christ was baptized and praying are the greatest miracles of al that euer happened at any time First the heauen opened wherby is signified both that the onely way intoo heauen is Chryst whom wée put on in Baptim that heauen abideth shut vp vntoo all men that acknowledge not Chryst the only way vntoo heauen Secondly he saw the spirit of God comming downe in the likenesse of a Dooue sitting vpon him This is a moste swéete image of Christes benefites All wée were ouerwhelmed in the flood of sinne but Christ came as an Ark too vs took vs in too him self saued vs from the flood in witnesse whereof came the Dooue and rested vpon him A figure héerof was the Ark of Noe and the Dooue that he sent foorth which returning brought an Olife braunche in hir mouth in token that the flood was dried vp Euen so the holy ghost appéering héer in the shape of a doue is a witnesse that the flood of sinnes is swalowed vp But sauegard is only in the Ark that is too say Chrystes church wher the holy ghost dwelleth Thirdly a voice was herd frō heauē this is my beloued sonne by whom I am pacified Lo héer wée héere the father of heauen a preacher of the Gospel I pray you what can bée more wonderful What is more too bée amazed at O lamentable blindnesse of men O detestable deafnesse The heauenly Father soundeth his Gospell from heauen and wée blinde wretches sée not heauen wée deafe wretches héere not the voyce of the teacher But what teacheth hée I beséeche you This sayeth he is my beloued sonne Beholde the fathers testimonie of his sonne giue credit too it if thou regarde thy saluation He is his sonne by nature and wée by adoption and grace Therfore calleth he him beloued not for that wée are not beloued but for that wée are beloued in his beloued in whom only he maketh account of vs. He loueth him for his owne sake and vs for his sake For by nature wée are the children of wrath Ephes. 2. but by Chryst wée are adopted his children Whereon it foloweth in the Sermon of God In vvhom I am vvell pleased that is too say by whom I am pacified towarde mankinde and made at one with him agayne Héere are thrée things too bée déepely weyed in mind First that without Chryste God is angry with vs and that is for the sinne wherwith wée offend God Secondly that Chryst is the only reconciliatiō of vs. For he is the propitiation for sinne For y e blood of christ purgeth vs frō al iniquity Thirdly that his fatherly good will attonement is to bée receiued by faith and to be sealed vp by baptim Upon this faith must folow a new obedience and thankfulnesse towards god Behold thou hast héer the summe of al the gospel whervnto we must haue an eye all our lifetime and in the houre of death For there cannot from elsewhere bée taken any substantiall comfort of conscience And thus muche bréefly concerning the declaration of the Gospell ¶ Of the seconde ALthough the vse may easly bée gathered by those things that are
saide before yet will I repete certeine poyntes héere First therfore let vs knowe that our Baptim is héere halowed and that the water of Baptim is made holy by Christ who vouchsaued too bée baptized with water Agein the whole sight of the thing that was don peinteth out Christes church before our eyes as it were in a table Héere is to bée séene Iohn a teacher in the Churche For whereas is not the word of God and wheras the voyce of the teacher is not herde there the Church cannot be shewed Moreouer Christ is baptized For the Church that is well ordered cannot be without the vse of Sacramentes Thirdly Christ being baptized prayeth whose example his members folowe and exhibite true worship vnto God through faith Fourthly the sonne standes in the middes the fathers voice soundeth from heauen and the holy ghost resteth vpon him that was baptized The same thing is doone in very déede at this day in our churche For the father the sonne and the holy ghost is present with his churche and by the voyce of the preachers witnesseth his good will towards Christes churche By the presence of his sonne he testifieth that he hath adopted vs too bée his children and by the holy ghost he witnesseth that he gouerneth his church Whervpon we may conceiue this assured confidence that hel gates shall not preuaile ageinst it ¶ Of the thirde THe more part of those thinges that perteine to our Baptim are declared in the places aboue mentioned Wherfore I will bréefly touche certeine things whiche it is excéeding néedefull to knowe The things that I wil tel are two What maner of signe baptim is and whiche is the true consideration of the same What maner a signe then is Baptisme First it is a testimonie of grace as wel exhibited as also applyed too the party that is baptized Namely that God is pacified towards him through Chryste which testimonie verely requireth too bée apprehended by faith Agein this Sacrament is a signe that teacheth by a certein comparison For it is a sign of Christes spirituall vertue namely that Chryst by his owne death buriall and resurrection is the deliuerance of vs from death buriall and the giuer of euerlasting life Moreouer it is a representation of our newe life before God as Paule teacheth Rom. 6. by these woords As many of vs as are baptized in Iesus Chryst are baptized intoo his death We are therfore buryed together with him vntoo death that like as Chryst is raised frō the dead so we also shuld walk in newnesse of life Furthermore before men it is a certein badge of our profession wherby wée testifie our selues too bée Christes members and the Diuels enimies The godly consideration of baptisme consisteth in these things First wée must bée fully resolued that our baptisme is a certeine moste sure ensealement and Sacrament of our attonement with God Secondly baptism must bée a certein continuall warning vntoo vs that this attonement is made by the bloud deathe buriall and resurrection of Chryst. Thirdly it must put vs in minde of the mortifying of the flesh of the quickning of the spirit and so consequently of a continuall repentance in this worlde and of the glorifying that shall bée héerafter by Chryst. Fourthly it must put vs in minde that the benefite of regeneration is the gifte and woorke of the whole Trinitie in whose name wée are baptized too the intent we should stick thereuntoo and woorship it all our life long too whom be honor and glory for euermore So bée it The first Sunday in Lent ¶ The Gospel Math. iiij THen vvas Iesus led avvay of the spirit into vvildernesse too be tempted of the Deuill And vvhē he had fasted fortie dayes fortie nights he vvas at the last an hungred And vvhen the tempter came too him he sayde if thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones bee made bread But he ansvvered and said it is vvritten man shall not liue by bread only but by euery vvoord that procedeth out of the mouth of God Then the Deuil taketh him vp intoo the holy Citie and setteth him on a pinacle of the temple and saith vntoo him if thou be the sonne of GOD cast thy selfe dovvne hedlong For it is vvritten he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and vvith their hands they shall holde thee vp least at any time thou dashe thy foote against a stone And Iesus said vntoo him it is vvritten again Thou shalt not tēpt the Lord thy God Ageine the Deuil taketh him vp intoo an exceding high moūtain shevved him all the kingdomes of the vvorld the glory of them and sayth vntoo him all these vvil I giue thee if thou vvilt fal dovvn and vvorship me Then saith Iesus vntoo him Auoyd Sathan for it is vvrittē Thou shalt vvorship the Lord thy GOD and him only shalt thou serue Then the Deuil leaueth him and beholde the Angels came and ministred vntoo him The exposition of the text LIke as the last Sunday we héerd the story of Chrystes baptim wherein very great things are cōteyned So this Gospel also conteyneth parte of Christes dooings that is too wit his fasting and temrtation by which things God of his singular wisdome wold his sonne should be humbled and also would shew how true it was that he had forespokē long ago namely that like as the serpent should lie in waite for the héele of the womans séede that is too say that Sathan should practize mischéefe ageinst the person and kingdome of Chryst which thing this story sheweth too bée most true so also would the same séede crush the head of the serpent with his héele wherof wée sée a certeine proof in this story Al these things are to be applied in suche wise that wée may bothe lerne Christes obedience vnder the crosse and knowe what shéeld it béehoueth vs to set before vs ageinst the temptatiōs and dartes of the diuel The places are two 1 Of Fasting 2 Of Temptation ¶ Of the firste IN this place are two things to bée considered First what is the maner of fasting in generall and secondly what is too bée thought of Christes fast in speciall Fasting is an vtter forbearing of meate and drinke for a time wherby the body is kept low and as it were mortified And it is of three sortes Indifferent Godly and vngodly Indifferent fast is whē a man absteineth from meate and drinke either for pouertie or for healthes sake or for some great sorowe of minde This of it selfe neither pleaseth nor displeaseth God but is too bée thought to please or displease according as fayth and pacience go with it The fast that is godly Christian and acceptable too God is an abstinence not only from meate and drinke whereby the body is pinched and mortified but also from all other things that may in any wise delight the flesh tending too this purpose that the spirite may haue full souereintie through true pacience godly prayer and
kéepeth Chrystes sayings shall not sée death for euer Howebéeit too the intent wée may the better vnderstand these thinges I will shew forth in order what they conteyn For the first thing too be obserued héere is Chrysts othe The second what maner a ones wee bée without Christ. The third what wée obteyn by him The fourth how we may be able too béecome partakers of Chrystes benefits His othe is to this end too assure vs of Gods truth ageinst all the doctrines of men and deuils against the reason of the flesh yea against the whole kingdome of the Deuil which consisteth of Sophistrie Hipocrisie and Tyrannie For it is not possible that the sonne of God should deceyue whoo hath warranted his doctrine by so great an othe What maner a folke bée wée without Christ By Christ it cōmeth too passe that wée sée not euerlasting death Wherfore without Chryst wée are giltie of euerlasting Death Now as there are foure kindes of Lyfe so are there foure kindes of death also The first is the lyfe of nature wherby wée naturally liue in this world This life simply in respect of it self is good bycause it is the gift of God which hée promiseth in the fourth commaundemente but it varieth according too the state of men Untoo Abraham it was good bicause hée vsed it too Gods glorie But vntoo Nero it was euil bicause hée abused it both too the reproch of God that gaue it also to his owne damnation Ageinst this natural life is set naturall death which of it self is euil bicause it is the punishment of sinne Notw tstanding it varieth according to the states of men For lyke as vntoo Abraham this death was a passage vntoo a better life and therefore was good vntoo him so vntoo Nero it was the gate of Hel and therfore too him it was euil The second life is of sinne namely wherby sinne liueth in man and reigneth through his lusts as it dooth in all the vngodly This is alwayes euil bicause it tendeth too dānation Ageinst this is set the death of sinne wherby sinne is mortified in vs which thing cōmeth then too passe whē wée liue in true repentance the feare of God This death of sinne is euermore good bicause it is the passage too eternal life The thirde life is of grace whereby Christe lyueth in vs through grace This is euermore good bicause it is Gods gift and the way too glorie Ageinst this is set the death of grace that is too say the priuation of grace whiche thing commeth too passe when wée slide backe ageyne intoo sinne and cast away fayth This is alwayes euill bicause it is the way intoo hell The fourth life is the euerlasting lyfe by which the godly shall liue with God and his Angels in endlesse blisse This life is most excellent good Ageinst this is set euerlasting death which is endlesse damnation Unto this endlesse death are all men subiect without Christ. For vnlesse wée bée deliuered from this death by the benefite of Chryste it shall bée our perpetual reward for sinne as Paule sayth too the Romanes the .6 chapter Such are wée without Chryst that is wretched damned and giltie of eternall death But what doo wée become through Chryst That doothe Chryst assure vs of by his othe namely that being deliuered from euerlasting death wée are rewarded with eternal life in which shal be ioy without end Howe are wée made partakers of Chrystes benefites This Gospell aunswereth Verely verely I say vntoo if any man kepe my saying he shal not see death for euer Then is this great treasure in Chrystes woordes which who so kéepeth hath Chryst whoo only is the way too life What is too kéepe the woord of Chryste It is too héer it too lerne it and to beléeue it according to this saying He that beléeueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting Why so bicause hée that beléeueth is iustified by his owne faithe that is to say is set frée from sinne endued with the rightuousnesse of Chryste and accepted too eternall life for Chrystes sake He therfore that coueteth eternall life let him marke well the things aforesayd let him liue in continual repentance let him héer Christes word let him beléeue it and let him cōtinue in the faith euen vnto death So shal it fall out that this naturall death shall be vnto him a passage vntoo eternall life But what say the Iewes too this healthfull Doctrine of Christes Chryst saith He that kepeth my vvord shall not se death The Iewes answere now wée know wel thou hast a Deuil Abraham and the Prophets are dead and thou sayest if a man kéepe my woord he shall not tast of death for euer Art thou greater than our father Abraham who is dead c. Whom makest thou thy self As if they had said If thy woord bée of such power that they which héer thée shall not taste of euerlasting death surely thou art greater than the prophets and our patriark Abraham which are dead but this is false for thou art not greater than Abraham Ergo it is false that thou sayest he that kéepeth my saying shall not tast of death for euer Therfore thou art a blasphemer of God and hast a Deuil Christ answereth and sayeth If I glorifie my selfe my glory is nothing that is too vvit by your iudgement It is the father that glorifyeth mee The méening of these words is this The only begotten sonne of God is greater than the seruāts of God or than the adopted sonne of God I am the only begotten sonne of God according as the father himself witnesseth by his own voyce and woorks But the Prophets and Abraham are Gods seruants and Gods children by adoption wherfore I am greater than Abraham and the Prophets Ergo it is no maruel though my woord bée of greater power than theirs Then vsed they a poynt of Sophistrie For that which Chryst spake of the euerlasting death they construed of the naturall death howbeit maliciously Wherfore Chryste procéedeth too reproue them saying If I say I knovve him not I shall be a lyar as you are For you say you know him whom you know not But what is it to knowe god First it is to know whoo he is that is to wit the father the sonne the holy Ghost Secondly to beléeue in him And thirdly too order a mans life according to his wil. Howbeit bicause the Iewes gloried of their father Abraham Chryst procéedeth too shew how vaine this boasting is and sayth Your father Abraham vvas glad to see my day and reioyced In these woords Chryst teacheth thrée things The one that he was before he tooke mās nature vpon him that is to say from euerlasting God euerlasting The other that Abrahā beléeued in him For too beléeue in Chryst is spiritually too sée him And Chryst is séene thrée ways in body only as the Iewes saw him that talked héer with him in spirite only as Abrahā wée y t beléeue in him
Chrystes shéepfold For what minister of the woord so euer for any cause forbeareth to set himself against Sophistrie tirannie wickednesse and hipocrisie the same is a hireling and not a true shepherd For the good shepherd first setteth himselfe against Sophistrie by defending the true doctrine and by rebuking and confuting the false But the hireling at this inuasion of the wolf is afraid dares not defend y e true doctrine least he shuld lose some of his earthly coÌ„modities Therfore either he winketh at y e false doctrin or at least wise he reproueth it not as he ought to doo and in so doing he is said to flée not in bodie but in mind bycause he forsloweth his duetie secondly the good shepherd will set himself ageinst tiranny Howbéeit bycause there be two kinds of shepherds the one Ciuil the other Ecclesiasticall as the Ciuil shepherd must set himself ageinst Tirannie of woolues by the sword so the Eclesiasticall shepherd must set himselfe ageinst it by prayer He that doth not this is a hireling not a shepherd Thirdly y e good shepherd shal set himself ageinst wickednesse by rebuking excommunication them that giue offence too the church with their misbehauior like as Iohn rebuked Herod Christ the pharisies all the Prophets did set theÌ„selues ageinst the vices of their times The deuil hath egged a faithful persoÌ„ too aduoutry too incest too couetousnesse too vnlawful lusts or to bibbing In this case the good shepherd stands not in feare of meÌ„ but â—f God and rebuketh mens vices according to his duetie CoÌ„trariwise the hireling being careful of his own ease dareth not open his mouth If he rebuke hée doth it in general termes but he dareth not charge y e offeÌ„ders to their face as did y e Prophets other true shepherds But some such hireling might obiect behold I am heer I fled not Augustin answereth him bicause y u hast hild thy peace thou hast fâ—ed and thou hildest thy peace bicause thou art afraid Fourthly the good shepherd setteth himself ageinst hipocrisy when he plucketh of the visor of outward hypocrites and bewrayeth how foule the face of sinne is But the hireling runneth away from this wolfe and dareth not displease any man least men should hate him Now remaineth a question too bée discussed whither bodily fléeing bée lawful at all times or no Wherevnto I answere Any shepherd that gaddeth from place to place either too encrease his liuing or for werynesse or for the vnkynde dealing of men is surely an hireling and no shepherd Notwithstanding if tyrants persecute a man or lay wayte for his life it is lawfull for a godly shepherde too flée the handes of the Tyrant that afterwarde if it may bée returning agein he may do more good by his life than he could haue doon by his death How bée it in this case Godlynesse muste bée their rule ¶ Of the third THe third place is of Chrystes shéepe and of their mark and that there is but one shéepfold and one shepherd The shéepe of Chryst are all they that héer Chryst and like shéepe doo folowe him in true simplicitie innocencie méekenesse and obedience Neither are there any other marks too know Chrystes shéepe by than deuotion toward God charitie towards our neighbour purenesse of conuersation and a certeyne holy carefulnesse and forwardnesse in our vocation And where as he sayeth he hath other shéepe that muste bée brought in too the same fold he méeneth that there is one holy catholike Churche of the Iewes and Gentyles toogyther And therwithal he expresseth the maner how the shéepe shal bée brought togither when he sayeth And they shall heere my voyce The preaching of the gospell therfore and the beléeuing of the Gospel when it is preached causeth vs too bée gathered into Chrystes shéepfold They that vpon this place doo gather that before Doomesday there shall bée so greate agréement in true Religion that there shall bée no héeresies nor schismes are farre wyde For all the foresayings of the prophets teach the contrary And Chryste when he sayde Thinke yée that when the sonne of man commeth hée shall fynde Faith vppon the earth ment it shoulde come to passe through persecution that the most part should fall from the fayth And the néerer that the day of the Lord approcheth so much the féercer is the diuell too trouble the litle flocke of Chryst with his sophistrie tyrannie wickednesse and hypocrisie Wherefore let vs praye too Chryste the Shepherd of our soules that he will defende vs in so great perils too the glorie of his name Too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée honour praise and glorie for euer Amen The third Sunday after Easter The Gospell Iohn xâ—j IESVS sayde vntoo his Disciples After a vvhile ye shal not see me and agayn after a vvhyle ye shall see mee for I goe too the father Then sayd some of his disciples betvvene themselues vvhat is this that hee sayeth vntoo vs after a vvhyle yee shall not see mee and agayne after a vvhyle ye shall see me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore vvhat is this that he sayth after a vvhile vvee cannot tell vvhat he sayth Iesus perceiued that they vvould aske him and sayd vnto them ye enquire of this betvveene your selues bycause I sayd after a vvhyle ye shall not see mee and ageyne after a vvhyle ye shall see mee Verely verely I say vntoo you ye shall vveepe and lament but contraryvvise the vvorld shall reioyce Yee shall sorovv but your sorovv shall bee turned too ioy A vvoman vvhen she trauaileth hath sorovve bycause hir houre is come But assone as shee is deliuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguishe for Ioye that a man is borne intoo the vvorld And yee novv therfore haue sorovve but I vvill see you ageyne and youre heartes shall reioyce and your ioy shal no man take from you The exposition of the text A His gospel is part of that sermon that Christ made too his disciples at his Supper the day before he suffred in which sermon he taught them many things For he made mention of his owne office death torments resurrection and glorification Moreouer he reasoned concerning the Church what it is and what should bée the state of it in this world as that it shoulde haue aduersaries which should assault it and that it should at length by Faith ouercome all hir troubles and vntoo this parte perteineth also this present Gospell For hée comforteth his Disciples whome he perceyueth too bée sadde for his foretelling them of his Crosse. Hée sheweth them before that hée would visit them ageinâ— assoone as he were risen from death And he addeth a very goodly similitude of a woman trauelling of chyld with whom the church shall tast the like fortune For like as the sorowful great belyed woman taketh excéedyng great comfort of the birth of hir chyld Euen so the Church hauing wrestled out of the miseries of
so much as too draw our breth vnlesse he susteined vs The third circumstance is whoo hée is that is too bée called vpon It were no néed too speak of this circumstance if there were not some too bee found stil that call vppon I cannot tell what Saincts Wherfore I wil speak bréefly of this circumstance whiche is so excéeding necessary And I say with good aduise and not at aduenture that God onely is too bée called vpon And the same alone is God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The sonne is too bée called vpon as one selfe same God with the Father and the holy Ghost Agein hée is too bée called vpon as a mediator betwéen vs and God That God alone is too bée called vpon it is confirmed by foure reasons whereof the first is commaundement For wée haue cōmaundement too call vpon God only Now wheras nothing pleaseth God without fayth and fayth cannot be without the woord it foloweth that none is too bée called vpon but he concerning whom wée haue commaundement The second is promisse No Inuocation hath promisse but that which is made vntoo God therfore wée doo amisse too call vpon any other than God The thirde is example Wée haue no example of holy men that called vppon Saincts Wherefore let vs treade in their steps and let vs yéelde this deuine seruice vntoo none but too whom it is due that is alonely vntoo God The fourth is a manifeste forbidding Thou shalt woorship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Wherfore it is too bée hild for a most certeintie that the Deuil brought in the calling vppon creatures that is too say vpon Saincts for thrée intents First that he might spoyle Chryst of his honor Next that he might woorke reproche too the Saincts departed And agein that the Idolaters that call vpon Saincts might perish I warne you therfore that are still in your error too amende betimes least yée fall into the hands of the liuing God when you looke least for it Neither bootes it them that some say they do it of a good intent For al intent of man in matters of saluation is euill vnlesse it bée guided by Gods woord and the holy ghost For thus sayth God himselfe The thoughts of men are wicked from the beginning And Paule sayth The fleshly man that is he that hath not the spirit of God perceiueth not the things that are of God The fourth circumstance is by whō wée ought too call vpō God For it is written that God héereth not sinners Therfore there is giuē vnto vs a mediator Iesus Christ in whose name wée shall cal vppon God according as Chryst teacheth vs in the Gospell of this day saying VVhat soeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he shall giue it you Uppon trust of him therfore and not vppon confidence of our owne woorthinesse shal wée make our prayer being sure that God will héere vs by him Howbéeit for as muche as this sentence of Chrysts is notable and full of comfort I wil expoūd it more distinctly for it conteineth many profitable admonishments This saying in my name that is for my sake in acknowledging and confidence of me comprehendeth many things For it teacheth warneth and comforteth I pray you what teacheth it First that our owne woorthinesse is too bée excluded For wée may not call vppon God in confidence of our owne woorthinesse but in trust of Chrysts defence Secondly that Hipocrisie is to be separated frō true prayer The Pharisie in his prayer bosteth much of his own holinesse I am not sayth he as other men I offer the tenths of all that I possesse I fast twise a wéeke This man prayed not in Chrysts name but vpon trust of his owne holinesse he rather poured out wast woords than prayed Thirdly that heathenish bragging is too bée layde away For the Heathen thought they were herd when they had first deserued it at Gods hand Like as Agamemnon thought he should bée herd for his sacrifysing of an hundred beasts at once Fourthly it teacheth the difference betwéene the praier of Christen folk and the prayer of all other men For only Fayth maketh the difference betwéene the prayers of Christians and of others The Turkes Iewes Paynims and such like think they cal vpon God but in déede they doo not bicause they are voide of trust in the mediator and acknowledge not him too bée God who is the father the sonne and the holy ghost Of what thing dooth this saying in my name warne vs it warneth vs of our blindnesse For when Chryste biddeth vs aske in his name no dout but they be great things which we ought too aske Being warned therfore by this saying let vs open our eyes and looke about vs what common and what priuate what inward and what outward what ghostly and what bodily things wée ought too demaund and on y e contrary part what euils wée ought too pray too bée rid off How dooth this saying in my name comfort vs It comforteth vs ageinst twoo very great impediments of Prayer which are vnworthinesse and distrust For when he sayeth aske in my name he wil haue vs set his woorthinesse ageinst our vnwoorthinesse his promisse ageinst our distrust But many receiue not that which they aske bicause they aske amisse neglecting their faith in Christ and rather beating the aire with vain babbling than percing the heauē with ardent affection of faith These cannot iustly complayne that they pray often and obteine nothing Wherefore that wée bée not found in the number of them let vs pray with fayth The fifth circumstance is of the things that wée ought too demaūd or too desire deliuerance from Things too bée requested are of thrée sorts For either they concerne gods glory or our owne saluation or else the good things that perteine too the commoditie of this life Before all things wée must pray for the aduauncement of Gods glory according too this Halowed bée thy name Notwithstanding wée must not in this behalfe appoynt God a meane for hée knoweth best by what meane his glory may be aduaunced But we must through assured confidence aske and persuade our selues that he wil héer vs. Also wée aske our saluation but without all condition bicause wée haue an vniuersall promisse of saluation For euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued As for the good things that make too the sustenance of this life we must aske them vpon twoo conditions namely so as the obteyning of the thing that we demaund doo neyther hinder Gods glory nor hinder our owne saluation After the same maner must we pray for deliuerance from those euils that fight ageinst these kindes of good things The euils of the first second sorte are too bée wished away without condicion But those euils that are troublesome too vs in this life are too be wished away vpon condition that it bée no hinderance too Gods glory oure owne saluation For Gods
persons nations or kindes For God is a louer of men and willeth the saluation of all men according too this saying his will is that all men should bée saued and come too the knowledge of his truth But what must the Apostles proclayme The gospell that is too wit glad tidings of the ouercomming of the enimies of mankinde whiche are sinne death the deuil and hell of peace made betwixte God and men and of euerlasting saluation which they that beleeue in Chryst shall obtein by inheritance This is the summe of the Gospel Howbéeit too the intent this summe may bée the better vnderstood I will giue a more plentifull definition the whiche I will also bréefly declare by testimonies of the scripture The Gospel is a doctrine reueled from heauen wherin is shewed deliuerance from sinne curse and Gods wrath and wherin is proclaimed forgiuenesse of sinnes saluation and euerlasting lyfe too them that beléeue on the sonne of God for the sacrifice of the same son of God that the goodnes and mercy of God may bée published that they which are deliuered by the son may by faith in the same sonne bring foorth frutes worthy the Gospel This definition conteineth many things which wée will reherse and confirme in order First I saide that the Gospell is a doctrine reueled from heauen which thing is confirmed by that which is written in the .xvj. to the Romanes where Paule calleth the Gospell a mysterie hidden from the beginning By which woordes he signifieth most manyfestly that the Gospel dependeth not vppon mannes reason For yf reason coulde by any meanes through it own sharpnesse haue perceiued this doctrine it might in no wise haue bin called a mysterie hidden from before all worlds Ageine it is saide in the definition that in the Gospell is shewed deliueraunce from sinne from the curse of the lawe and from Gods wrath For the prophet Danieil sayth that Chryst shall take away sinne And Paul sayth that the curse of the Lawe is abolyshed by the comming of Chryste Also the heauenly father telleth vs from heauen that hée is pacified for his sonnes sake And this thing too bée most true all the godly doo féele hauing witnesse of the holy Ghoste by whom they crie Abba father Which thing vndoutedly they shoulde not doo vnlesse they persuaded themselues for a certeintie that sinne is taken away the curse of the lawe abolished and Gods wrath pacified In the thirde place is added that in the Gospel is proclaimed forgiuenesse of sinnes saluation and euerlasting life For thus sayth the Lord himselfe in the .xxiiij. of Luke So is it written and so it behooued Chryst too suffer and repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée preached too all nations in his name And in this dayes Gospell hée sayth Hée that beléeueth shall bée saued And the Lorde him selfe sayth Hée that beléeueth on the Sonne shall haue life euerlasting What néedes many woords All the whole scripture promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes saluation and euerlasting lyfe too all that embrace the Gospell But forbicause these benefits befal not too al mē for Cain Iudas Saule and many others perished and at this day alas the most part of y e world rūneth intoo destructiō therfore is added in the fourth place of the definition that these benefites happen too the beléeuers For the Lord sayth playnly he that beléeueth in mée shall not perish but shal haue life euerlasting And least any man should think that this dependeth vpon the state of woorks Paule writeth that a man is iustified without woorks the same Paul pronounceth y e euerlasting life is the gift of God through Iesus Chryst that is y t it befalleth too them that beléeue in Chryst not for their owne desert but by the benefite of Chryst. In the fifth place is added for the sacrifice of the Sonne of God For thus sayeth Paule through the redemption that is in Chryste Iesu. For the Gréeke woord Apolytrosis whiche Paule vseth signifieth suche a raunsome as is made by paymente of a fine for the pardon of a mannes life Suche a fine payd Chryst for vs when he was made sinne for vs that we might be made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. Sixthly is added that the goodnesse and mercy of GOD might bée published Which thing is confirmed by the example of the troope of Angels singing this Himne at our Lords birth Glorie vntoo God on high and on earth peace and vntoo men good wil. Wée must think that this was doon too this end that all that acknowledge this Chryste may by the example of the most pure Angels lern too set out the goodnesse and mercy of God specially séeing that nature calleth vppon vs too render thanks too suche as haue deserued wel Last of all in the definition of the Gospell is added That those which are deliuered by the Gospel should bring foorthe frutes woorthie the Gospel For Paule in the .2 Ephe. sayth Wée are created in Iesu Chryst vntoo good woorks in which wée must walke And the same Paule sayth that wée oughte too walke in the lighte bycause wée are the Children of light For how I pray you stādeth this with reson that wee should bée exempted out of the bondage of sinne and yet serue sinne and bée oppressed with the yoke thereof The grace of God sayth Paule appéered too the welfare of all men too the intent that renouncing all vngodlinesse and fleshly desires we might liue soberly godlyly and rightuously in this world Forasmuche then as wée haue by strong reasons shewed that sinne curse and Gods wrath are taken away by the Gospell and that in their roome doo succéede rightuousnesse saluation and euerlasting life for Chrystes sake as long as wée beléeue in him and that for this benefite God will haue vs set foorth his goodnesse and shew thankfulnesse in all oure whole life It foloweth that the Gospell as I sayd is a doctrine reuealed from heauen wherin is preached deliuerance from sinne from curse of the law and from Gods wrath and wherein is proclaymed rightuousnesse saluation and euerlasting life too all that beléeue in Chryste for the sacrifice of him that the goodnesse and mercy of God may bée set foorth that those whiche are deliuered by the Gospell may bring forth frutes woorthy the Gospel Thus much concerning the Gospel And as for that which is added concerning Baptim wherby the benefite is applyed too the Gospel and sealed vp it is spoken already in the first Sunday in Lent and often elswhere ¶ Of the third NOw foloweth the place whiche is peculiar too this feast For the Euangelist declareth that our Lord ascended in too heauen Wherefore I wil say a little and that as plainly as I can concerning Chrystes ascension intoo heauen which is an Article of our Créede In this article of our Lords ascension there bée thrée thinges too bée specially considered of vs. First his coming down for before hée went vp hée came downe Secondly his
faith alone Yes it is true But there is a difference too bée put betwixt the causes of saluation and the obedience that God requireth of those that bée his Wée are iustified by faith only but when wée are iustified wée are made new men that is too wit the sonnes of God and hence foorth wée must after the example of our father lead a new and blissed life But héere is too bée considered also that as there is a double marke of the children of God so ther is a double marke of the children of Sathan The marke of the children of God is one while inward and another while outward The inward is repentance faith godlinesse good conscience The outward is héering of Gods woord and honest conuersation among men For as Chryste sheweth héere that the loue of his woord and the héering of it is a marke of his Disciples so Peter requireth honest conuersation among men whereby God may bée glorified his church edified But the inward marke of Sathans children is too bée without faith without godlynesse too haue an euil conscience and euil affections too haue the maistrie The outward mark is outward contempt of the woord and a leude life Mark wel these marks and let euery man examine him self whither he bée too bée accounted among the children of God or among the children of the Diuel If hée perceiue him self too bée among the children of Sathan let him pul back his foot out of hand least he be thrown headlong intoo damnation sooner than he looked for If he perceiue him self too bée among the children of God let him giue God thanks and desire encrease of faith loue and other vertues let him desire too bée strengthened by the holy Ghoste least he bée withdrawen from his godly and holy race by the sleights of Sathan ¶ Of the second ANd my father vvill loue him and vvee vvill come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Heere are rehersed the moste swéete frutes of kéeping the woord of God The firste frute is that the Father loueth suche as kéepe Chrystes woord For hée holdeth them right déere in his beloued Ephe. 1. How great a good thing this is it may bée vnderstood héerby that those which beléeue not in Chryst abide vnder Gods wrath according too this saying Hée that beléeueth not in the sonne the wrath of God abideth vpon him Wher as the wrath of God is there is sinne death damnation hel the tirannie of the Deuill and too bée shorte all mischéefe Contrarywise wheras is the loue of God there are the enimies ouercome there is saluation there is ioy there is life euerlasting Therefore let vs think vpon this first frute of keping Gods woord that by thinking theron wée may be kindled the more too loue the woord The seconde frute is and vve sayth hée vvill come vntoo him Than the whiche comming there can bée no greater honor If God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost come too him that kéepeth Chrystes woords vndoubtedly it foloweth that they came not too him before But that hée was in the diuels power and in the kingdome of darkenesse where death and damnation reigne It is a great frendship if a King come too his subiect it is a great honor too be visited of a mans better but vntoo this honor none other is comparable that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost come vntoo a man that loueth Chryst and kéepeth his sayings The third frute is that the Trinitie not only cōmeth too a man that kéepeth Christs sayings but also maketh his dwelling with him abydeth in him Christ méeneth by this most swéete promisse that those whiche héere Chrystes woord and kéepe it are the temples of the Trinitie in whome dwelleth the father the sonne the holy Ghost And although that all the whole church is called one church of God yet is euery seuerall Christian a seuerall temple of the holy Ghost Behold how princely a promisse this is If any body should promisse a miserable man a great treasure of gold he should haue good cause too be mery and reioyce that of a poor and wretched creature he should become a riche and happie man But héere is promised a moste incomparable treasure namely the dwelling of the Trinitie in vs whiche farre surmounteth all the treasures of the world But what dooth the Father when hée dwelleth in a man what dooth the sonne what dooth the holy ghoste The father with his might shéeldeth and defendeth the men in whom he dwelleth ageinst the rage of sathan wheras sathā executeth ful power vppon all beléeuers The sonne with his wisdome and light teacheth and lighteneth them ageinst all mistes of all maner of darknes The holy ghost with his holinesse sāctifieth consecrateth anoynteth them too bée the Prophets Kings Préests and saincts of the Lord. Too be Prophets bicause we sée those things with the eyes of our faith which no bodily eare is able too conceiue Of this Propheticall office speaketh Ioel according as Luke also maketh mēcion Act. 2. Too be Kings partly bicause we are made the childrē of God by the victorie of Christ and also bicause that by the power of Christ we reigne ouer death and hel Lu. 22. I appoynt vntoo you a kingdome like as my father hath appoynted vntoo me Too bée préestes bicause when wée beléeue in Chryst wée haue aucthoritie too offer vntoo GOD the sacrifice of prayse wée haue libertie too cal vpon God through Iesus Christ our only mediator and high préest wée haue aucthoritie too teach Gods woord Howbéeit euery man according too the maner of his calling And too bée saincts bicause that through Faith in Christ wée are accoūted as pure as if wée had fulfilled y e law to the vttermost Behold what a nūber of frutes the keping louing of Chrysts woord bringeth with it There can bée no greater dignitie there can bée no greater glory there can bée no honor or worship more excellent But what shal wée lern by it To liue worthy so great honor that wée by our owne vnclennesse driue not God out of our harts but rather that wée exalt him with continual prayses in true godlinesse and sanctificatiō That so great worship ought to put vs in mind héerof Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. where he sayth thus you are a chosen generation a kingly préesthood a holy nation a people whom God claymeth proper too himselfe that yée should set foorth his woorks whoo hath called you out of darknesse intoo his woonderfull light You that in times past were no people are now the people of God you which in times past obteyned no mercy haue now obteyned mercy Héerevppon the Apostle inferreth Absteyne therfore from fleshly lustes which fight ageynst the soule and make your conuersation honest among the Heathen As many benefites of God then as wée héere of towardes vs so many spurres shall there bée to pricke vs forward too godly and holy lyfe Wherfore sith Chryste
I sayde vntoo thee yee muste bee borne from aboue The vvinde blovveth vvhere it lusteth thou hearest the sound thereof but thou canst not tell vvhence it commeth nor vvhyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nichodemus ansvvered and sayd vntoo him hovv can these thinges bee Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vntoo him Arte thou a mayster in Israell and knovvest not these things Verely verely I saye vntoo thee VVee speake that vvee knovve and testifie that vve haue seene and yee receyue not oure vvitnesse If I haue tolde you earthly things and yee beleeue not hovv shall yee beleeue if I tell you of heauenly things And no man ascendeth vp intoo Heauen but hee that came dovvne from Heauen euen the Sonne of man vvhiche is in Heauen And as Moyses lifte vp the Serpente in the vvildernesse euen so must the Sonne of man bee lifte vp that vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him perishe not but haue euerlasting life The exposition of the Text. THis feaste may woorthely bée called the feast of our Créed or of our Faith For it is ordeyned too the intent folke should in the Church bée taught concerning God whoo is one and true in substāce and thrée in persons and of benefites towardes the Churche For after that Chryste and his benefites the louingnesse of the Father in sending his sonne intoo the worlde and the sending of the holy Ghost too comfort the Gospell had bin intreated of the former Sundayes the Churche thought it conuenient too knit al these things togither and too teach them as this day too the intent the things that were declared at large might bréefly bée brought too remembraunce agein And the church setteth foorth this text of the gospell which you haue herd for a very good purpose For in it are set foorth Gods benefites towards his Churche For as the Father sente his Sonne y t he might become a sacrifice for sinne so is the holy Ghost giuen too beget the beléeuers ageyn vntoo euerlasting lyfe The summe of this present Gospell therefore is that those whiche are begotten ageyn in the fayth of Chryst are heyres of eternall lyfe by the benefite and meryte of Chryste whom the father hath sent Now to the intent wée may kéepe a certein order I will in this sermon entreate 1 Of the knowledge of God 2 Of the spirituall regeneration or new birth 3 Of that most comfortable saying of Chryste as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man also bée lifted vp c. ¶ Of the firste FOr as much as too know God is lyfe euerlasting it standeth men in hand too looke for the true knowledge of God The knowledge of God is of two sortes The one is heathenish naturall and philosophicall and this is vnperfect For the wyse men of the worlde whiche were not instructed by Gods woord erred in foure poynts First in the substance of the Godhead Secondly in the persons Thirdly in his prouidence And fourthly in his will The Epicures are hissed out of all men who denied that there is any god at all The wise men which confessed that ther was but one God misdéemed of his substance For they thought not him too bée God who is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste Neyther déemed they aright concerning the persons As for Gods prouidence some of them toke it quite away Other some denyed it too bée vniuersal For they were of opinion that god cared for the gretest things but not for these earthly things As for Gods will concerning frée mercy they were vtterly ignorant of it but that he will one day punishe the stubborne they were warned by the recorde of their owne conscience But from whēce had the heathen this slender knowledge such as it is Dauid and Paule witnesse that they had this knowledge of God by his creatures For Paule in the first too the Romanes sayth That whiche is too bée knowne concerning God was manyfest vntoo them For God dyd shew it vntoo them So that his inuisible things that is too say his eternall power and godhed are vnderstood and séene by the woorks from the creation of the world too this intent that they might bée without excuse Dauid also sayth The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handy woorks That is too say the heauen that wée sée sheweth God the woorkmaister therof The effect of all philosophicall knowledge concerning God commeth too this point First man by beholding the things that are created is brought too this point that he confesseth ther is some body by whom all these things were made and by whose power all things are gouerned and héerby he must of necessitie bée drawne too this eternall power and godhead for it must nedes bée that he that made all things must bée of auncienter continuance than all the things that are made and so consequently without beginning And it foloweth of necessitie that this incomparable power whiche suffizeth too rule so huge a woork must néedes bée more excellent than any other power bée it neuer so excéeding Now this is the selfe same thing that wée cal God who ageyn vnlesse he bée only one surely is not he that made all things nor that ruleth al thinges and therefore neyther euerlasting nor almightie no nor GOD. This is the summe of that whiche the wyse men of the worlde doo knowe concerning God Of whiche knowledge the vse is of thrée sortes The first is that men may acknowledge God by his creatures secondly that whē they knowe him they should woorship him and thirdly that when they knowe God and woorship him not they shoulde bée inexcusable The firste and seconde are the propre ende of knowing God The thirde is accessarie through mans owne faulte Another knowing God commeth of the Scripture or of Gods woord which knowledge is bréefly conteyned in the Apostles Créede whiche is that wée beléeue there is but one God that wée beléeue there is thrée persons in one Godhed that wée should know Gods will and his benefites towards his church that wée should knowe the mean by whom wée may bée made partakers of the benefites of the holy trinitie Howbéeit too the intent wée haue the fuller perceiuerance of this knowing of God I will set and expound foure points concerning this helthful knowledge of God wherof the first shal be a cōfirmation y t there is but one God The second a declaration that ther be thrée persons in that one godhead The thirde what is too bée considered in euery of the persons seuerally the fourth what is the helthful vse of knowing God First the confirmation is too bée fetched out of recordes And as for records y t confirme the vnitie of God I wil take them out of Moyses the prophets the Psalmes and the wrytings of the Apostles Moyses Exod. 20. Deut. 5. I am the Lorde thy God that brought thée out of the lande of Egipte thou shalte haue none
deale in suche wise as sin may bée wiped out and we made holy vntoo GOD. Thirdly they sinne in thefte bycause they robbe GOD of hys honor Fourthly In murther bicause they kil first themselues through false persuasion and then their neighbor by euill example Fifthly they vnhalow the temple of the holy Ghost Who are saued They that doo the will of the heauenly Father But héere manye stumble and ouershoote themselues First those that say the heathen are saued which liue honestly in this worlde whose opinion this saying confuteth Hée that beléeueth not the wrathe of GOD abideth vppon hym Secondly those that mainteine their own rule too be the wil of God Ageinst whom Chryst sayth They woorship mée in vaine teaching the commaundemēts of men Thirdly those that say the lawe is Gods wil which thing is true in déede But if saluation depended vpon the dooing of this wil then should no man be saued What is the wil then the fulfillers whereof are saued Chryste answereth in Iohn the .vj. This is the wil of the Father that they should beléeue in him whō hée hath sent For thus sayeth the Lorde Hée that beléeueth on the sonne hath life euerlasting This fayth caryeth with it godlynesse and charitie his naturall frutes which the godly bring foorth throughe Iesus Chryste too whome bée glorie world without end Amen Vpon the .ix. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xvj IEsus sayde too his Disciples There vvas a certein riche man vvhyche hadde a Stevvarde and the same vvas accused vntoo him that hee had vvasted hys goods And hee called hym and sayde vntoo him hovve is it that I heate this of thee Gyue accoumpts of thy stevvardshippe for thou mayest bee no longer Stevvarde The Stevvarde sayde vvithin himselfe VVhat shall I doo For my mayster taketh avvay from mee the stevvardship I cannot digge and too begge I am ashamed I vvote vvhat too do that vvhē I am put out of the stevvardship they may receiue mee intoo their houses So vvhen hee hadde called all his maysters debters toogither hee sayde vntoo the firste hovv muche ovvest thou vntoo my mayster And hee sayd an hundred runnes of Oyle And hee sayde vntoo him take thy bill and sitte dovvne quickly and vvryte fiftie Then sayde hee too another hovv muche ovvest thou And hee sayde one hundred quarters of VVheat Hee sayde vntoo him take thy bil and vvrite foure skore And the Lorde commended the vniust Stevvarde bicause hee had doone vvisely For the children of this vvorlde are in their nation vviser than the children of lyght And I saye vntoo you Make you freends of the vnrightuous Mammon that vvhē yee shall haue neede they may receiue you intoo euerlasting habitations The exposition of the Text. CHrist in this Gospel exhorteth his Disciples too doo good too their neighbours and hée dooth it by example of a parable the effect of which is this The stewarde of a certeine very riche man is carefull what shall béecome of hymselfe when hée is put from his office Muche more therefore must Chrysten folke whiche are Gods stewards in sundry giftes bée carefull what shall befall them when they haue made their account that is too witte when they shall bée departed oute of this life But as the stewarde purchaseth hym selfe fréendes with the Mammon of vnrightuousnesse that may receiue him when he is remoued from his office So let Chrysten folke with their goods and with their giftes make the poore beholding too them that they by their recorde maye receiue them intoo euerlasting habitations This is the sūme of this present Gospel Howbéeit too the intent it may turne to our more plentifull instruction I will intreate of foure poyntes Which are these 1 A reproofe of the abuse of Gods giftes 2 Causes of dooing good too the poore 3 A complaynt that the children of this woorld are wiser than the children of light 4 The vse of riches and the desert of good déedes ¶ Of the third WHen as this text setteth before vs a steward that had wasted his maisters goodes in generall the abuse of Gods giftes is blamed For who is he that for the most part abuseth not the giftes that God hath bestowed vppon him After what sort this is I will declare by a fewe examples Wisdome is giuen too some man too help the vnskilful with his counsell and too rule the rude with his discretion but now it is made an instrument of craftinesse to beguile men Riches are giuen too cherish the members of the church with all but now they are spent about vnprofitable shewes and charges The toong is giuen too man that he should vse it in teaching things godly and honest and too beare witnesse too the truthe but what is doone nowe a dayes It serues too slaunder rayle forsweare backbyte blaspheme Strength and power are giuen for the defence of Iustice and of good matters But now they are a maintenāce of y e tyrants who vse them too ouerthrow the truth and too subuert common weales After the same maner other gifts of God are greatly abused which abuses surely issue from these springs folowing and not from else where First the sinne that dwelleth in vs bringeth foorth suche buddes and the lesse it is at commaundement of the spirit so much y e mo euils dooth it bring foorth For it is a moste déepe sink of al euils which can not bée wholly purged in this life Agein our aduersarie the deuill thirsting our damnation lyeth in wayt for men and practiseth a thousande fetches too destroy vs too the intent that either vtterly abolishing Christes kingdome or pestering it vp intoo a streight roome hée may stablish his owne kingdome Besides that the worlde yéeldeth moste lewde examples wherby wée are allured too do the lyke For as one sayeth euill custome is the foode of naughtynesse And Paule sayth A little leuen sowreth a whole lumpe of dough Moreouer this euill is increased by the negligence of gouerners which compel not mē by streighter awe to do their duetie aright Howbéeit wée that glorie too bée called Christians ought too bée kept in our dueties by the remēbrance of these things ensuing First the commaundement of God sticking continually in our mindes ought too put vs in remembraunce of our dutie Secondly honestie it selfe and the renoume of vertue ought too spurre vs forward that wée abuse not shamefully the gifts of GOD. Thirdly the woorthinesse of the thing oughte too bée a spurre vntoo vs. For what is more séemely for the children of God than too make them selues conformable too y e example of their most louing father and fourthly our owne calling For wée bée called too holynesse that wée also might bée holy and that the vse of those things that God hath graunted vntoo vs might bée holy These things must wée thinke vpon earnestly ¶ Of the second FOr as much as all this whole gospell is set foorth too stirre vs vp too do good too our neighboure I will speake these
bothe eternal and present punishment Héer had hée bin forâ—â—â— for sorowe if hée had not herd the comforte of the Prophete in Gods roume Thou shalt not die the Lorde hath taken away thy sinne At the hearing of this comforte fayth kindled in him wherby taking holde vpon the releasement began too beholde the mercie of God and rested vpon the mediatour Wée haue hearde a late a moste goodlye example in the Publicane whoo in suche wise acknowledged the greatnesse of his det that hée durst not so muche as lift vp his eyes And yet hauing bearde of the greatnesse of Gods mercie hée rayseth himselfe by faith and prayeth O God bée mercifull too mée a sinner And so hée obteyned a frée discharge of y e whole dette Let vs set before vs these exaÌ„ples which playnly shew vs the doctrine of repentance and fogiuenesse of sinnes That forgiuenesse of sinnes is the frée releasement of the dette which happeneth too him that repenteth and fléeth too Gods mercie for Chrysts sake And although this release bée vtterly frée as in respect of our selues yeâ— if wée looke vppon Chryst who for our sinnes suffered dreadfull punishment there is made satisfaction too God for our det Let vs therfore marke wel this woord releasement which of itselfe alone conteyneth in it right manyfolde Doctrine First it ouerthroweth the Moonkish doctrine of satisfaction For if saluation befall men through releasement of the dette according too the Gospell what a madnesse is it too say that saluation happeneth for satisfaction of the det for releasemeÌ„t and payment doo so fight one ageynst an other that they can innâ— wise stand both in one respecte Secondly it ouerthroweth all merites of men For howe 〈◊〉 that bée of merite which is of frée gift Paul sayth openly Unto him that woorketh rewards is giuen not of fauour but of duetie but vntoo him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is imputed too him for rightuousnesse â–ª According wherewitâ— Dauid also sayth Blissed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Thirdly the woord of releasment ouerthroweth satisfaction which the Papists teach â–ª whiche satisfaction muste bée made as they beare men in hand by pilgrimages fastings almes déedes Also it quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For if the det bée released why is the detter punished Lastly this woord releasement openeth vntoo wretched sinners the gate of grace in the conflict of death it is the hauen of saluation and it is the welspring of al comfort And thus much concerning the first place ¶ Of the second BIcause this text coÌ„cerning the parable of the creditor sheweth how gret gods loue mercy are toward mankind â–ª I will speake somewhat therof The mercy of God is of twoo sortes The one is vniuersall wherthrough he suffereth the sunne too rise vppon the good and bad and the other is particuler wherewith as a most déere father he embraceth the Churche of his sonne Of which Christ speaketh in the third of Iohn So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Our heauenly father could not by any greater recorde haue declared his mercy towards vs than in giuing his sonne who might by his death redéeme â—â— from deserued damnation and giue vs euerlasting life Therefore as ofte as wée héere Gods mercy named let vs thinke thâ—â—â— things First let vs thinke how great the miserie of mankinde is before he bée receyued intoo fauoure Mankinde lieth vnder foote and wounded by the Diuell with whose venime being moreouer poysâ—â—ed he breatheth nothing but sin for which he is subiect too eternall paines 2. The causes of this miserie are too bée thought vppon which are partly the sinnes of our first parents and also our owne filthinesse For although that by the fall of them wée hée bound vntoo the sentence of damnation yet notwithstanding by our owne 〈…〉 from day too day we are bouÌ„d too sorer punishments 3 The louingnesse of God and his gentlenesse toowards mankinde is too bée thought vpon For the louing kindnesse sayth Paule and the gentlenesse of God our Sauiour appéered vntoo all men What greater louing kindnesse could there 〈◊〉 than that he hath not cast vs away for so great shamefulnesse and filth 4. Is too bée thought vppon the raunsome that is too wit the Sacrifice of the sonne whereby mannes misery is reléeued and sinne abolished Him that knewe no sinne he made 〈◊〉 that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 5 Is too bée thought vpon the way by which wée may come too the possession of Gods mercy That way is shewed in the first place and is none other than true repentance 6 Is too bée thought how far foorth Gods mercy stretcheth that it is not belonging too a fewe or too the men of one age but indifferently too all that feare him For the holie virgin béeing taught by the spirit of Chryst whom shée had conceyued by the holy Ghost singeth in this wise Gods mercie is from generation too generation too them that feare him that is too all that repent 7 Is too bée thought vppon continuall thankfulnesse in all the whole life that wée may glorifie GOD for his so greate mercie with hart mouth profession and behauiour 8 Wée must thinke howe wée may bée héedfull in framing our whole life that wée lose not so greate a benefite through our owne fault as this detter did ¶ Of the thirde THe third thing that I purposed vpon is of mutuall forgiuing eche others skapes that are woonte too happen For this goeth iointly with beléefe of forgiuenesse of sins Nowe there are twoo things y t go ioyntlye with beléefe of remission of sinnes Namely Grace Gifte Grace is the very Iustification it selfe whereby Chrystes rightuousnesse is imputed too them that beléeue and their sinnes cléerely are forgyuen Of this wée haue spoken in the firste place Gifte is the very bestowing of the holy Ghost wherthrough a man that is iustified by faith only is toogither therwithal regenerated and sanctified that is too say is mortified in the fleshe and quickened in the spirit The flesh is mortified when the custome of sinning is abolished and the spirite is quickened when wée begin to performe new obedience vnto God A certeine parcell of this quickening is mutuall forgiuing wherby eche of vs forgiue other their misdéedes and displeasures Howe necessarie this forgiuenesse is this dayes Gospel sheweth most euidently as I sayd at the entrance intoo it Chryst hath commaunded vs too pray forgiue vs our dets as wée forgiue our detters For Christ wil haue vs too folow his fathers exaÌ„ple How bée it there are twoo kindes of men that offende vs. Some as soone as they perceiue themselues too haue offended doo by and by in humble wise desire forgiuenesse But as touching those that procéed too offend
say Graunt mée now that I may die in peace and happily Héereof may wée gather bothe instruction and comfort Instruction that the spirituall beholding of Chryst whiche is by Faith maketh a man too depart ioyfullye oute of this life bicause hée that before his death séeth Chryst in this wise hath a light too guyde â—â—m vntoo lyfe He that foloweth me sayth the Lorde walketh not in darknesse Contrarywise he that séeth not Chryste passeth from the death of this present lyfe vntoo euerlasting darknesse And wée may gather comforte bycause they that sée Chryst at the instant of death haue wherewith too comforte themselues They know they are at the point too bée dismissed in peace They know they shall not goo too darknesse but too euerlasting ioy Bicause the théefe vppon the Crosse not only saw Chryst with his bodily eyes piteously tormented but also saw him conqueror of death with eyes of his faith he herd the Lord say This day shalt thou bée with me in Paradyse So Steuen at his death saw Chryst and with excéeding pleasure and ioyfulnesse of mynde sayde vntoo him Intoo thy hands O Lorde I commit my spirit After this maner thou also when sickenesse brings thée too the pittes brinke looke too Chryst thy Sauiour by Faith and desire of him that he will let thée departe in peace that is too say that he will giue thée leaue too depart out of this lyfe and too enter intoo the rest that is promised too al the faithfull This thought will make vs manfully despise this world and the miseries of this present lyfe and comfort our minde with hope of saluation the whiche he that can not lye hath promised vs. Now ensueth the other part of this song VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all people to bee a light to lighten the Gentyles and to bee the glory of thy people Israel Héere are bréefly shewed two things The one what are Chrysts benefites the other to whoÌ„ these benefits are appoynted The benefits are saluation light and glorie Without Chryst then the world sticketh stil in damnation darkenesse and shame and that is for sin For Christ taketh away damnation and restoreth saluation he driueth away darknesse sheadeth foorth light he remoueth shame and giueth glorie How great things are these I pray you Surely no man is able too value them sufficiently But 〈◊〉 whom are these benefites appoynted Too all people Iewes and Gentiles howbéeit they must bée receyued by faith For they are offered vniuersally too all suche is the vnserchable goodnesse of God Howbéeit with condition he that beléeueth shal bée saued and he that beléeueth not shall bée damned Wherfore if wée couet these good things let vs with Simeon receiue this our Lord and Sauior Iesus intoo the armes of our hart leane vntoo him with stedy faith To this our sauior be honor glory for euer euer So be it Vpon the Annuntiation of our Lady Sainct Mary the Virgin The Gospel Luke j. AND in the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriell vvas sent from God intoo a citie of Galilee named Nazareth too a virgin spoused too a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name vvas Mary And the Angell vvent in vntoo hir and sayde Hayle full of grace the Lorde is vvith thee Blissed art thou among vvomen VVhen she savv him she vvas abashed at his saying and cast in hir minde vvhat manner of Salutation that shoulde bee And the Angell saide vntoo hir feare not Mary for thou hast founde grace vvith God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy vvombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall bee greate and shall bee called the sonne of the hyghest And the Lord God shal giue vntoo him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none ende Then sayde Mary too the Angell hovv shall this bee seeing I knovv not a man And the Angell aunsvvered and saide vntoo hir the holy Ghost shal come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovv thee Therfore also that holy thing vvhiche shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God And beholde thy cousin Elizabeth shee hathe also conceyued a Sonne in hir age and this is the sixth Moneth vvhiche vvas called barrein for vvith God nothing shall bee vnpossible And Mary sayde Beholde the handmayde of the Lord be it vntoo mee according too thy vvoord And the Angel departed from hir The exposition of the text THis feaste conteyneth the story of the conception of Iesu Chryst which is told vntoo the virgin by the Angel of God For long agoe the thrée thousande nine hundred sixtith yéere before his conception God promised the séede of the woman that shoulde tread downe the Serpents head that is too say which shuld destroy the Deuils woorks sin and death God béeing mindful of this promise sends his Angel too the most chast virgin too whome hée bringeth tidings that shée shoulde conceiue by the holy Ghoste without the séede of man and bring foorth a Sonne that should bée the sauiour of the worlde This is the summe of the story whereof there be fiue principall points and these are they 1 A description of the message 2 The Salutation of the Angel 3 The comforting of the troubled Uirgin 4 An exposition of the Message 5 The maner of the conception ¶ Of the firste IN the description of this Message many circumstances are too bée obserued of whiche wée wil consider euery one seuerally by it selfe too the intente wée may drawe out of it some doctrine too confirme our selues The first is time In the sixth moneth sayeth hée that is too wit after the conception of Iohn Baptist who according too the sayings of the Prophets should bée the forerunner of the Lorde that men myghte prepare the waye ageinste the comming of their King And it was the twentith yéere since the Scepter was taken from Iuda For thus was it Prophecied before by the Patriarke Iacob The scepter shall not bée taken from Iuda â–ª vntill Silo come that is till the séede of the woman come whiche was promised too our firste Parentes Therfore this circumstance of time conuinceth that this son of the virgin is the true Messias For hée was borne the selfe same time that y e holy Ghost had spoken of before by the prophets And as concerning y e day this is woorthy too bée remeÌ„bred that the killing of the paschal Lambe the conception of Chryst the passion of him fel all vpoÌ„ one day of the yéer on which day the holy Fathers supposed that AdaÌ„ was created These things set oute vntoo vs the truthe of Gods promises God delayed too sende his Sonne a great while after the promise was made but yet hée continued true in his promises The Sonne hath promised that hée wil come too iudgement but he maketh delay yet wil hée come when he
conscience and cursse Of the second BEhold thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus This is the declaration of the message the sense whereof is this I by Gods commaundement doo bring thée woord that shortly thou shalt be a moother beare a sonne whom thou shalt name Iesus Undoutedly héere the most chast virgin thought vppon the promised séede She héere 's it told hir on Gods behalfe that she shal bear a sonne whom she is willed too name Iesus this name Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour she tooke too bée set ageinst the cursse and death intoo which our first parents were falne for their transgression This name is woont too bée expounded more at large vpon the day of the Circumcision wherfore as now I passe on too the rest He shall bee great sayth the Angel Great in déede as who is the son of the highest Great in déede as who should ouercome Sathan Great in déede as who should giue the greatest things Great in déede as whose kingdome is euerlasting The Lord God saith he shall giue him the seat of Dauid his father and he shal reigne in Iacobs house for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee none end If wée marke this description wée shall finde foure things too bée spoken héere concerning Chryst. For first he sheweth his true manhoode when he sayth that he shall bée borne of the virgin Ageine he suppresseth not his Godhead for he saith he shall bée called the sonne of the highest The sonne of the highest is of al one nature with the highest Thirdly whē he addeth he shall bee great he signifieth the vnion in person For although he bée God and man yet is he one person and not two In the fourth place is noted his office that he is a Sauioure and a king that shal reign for euer How could it be said of Christ that he should haue the seat of Dauid his father when as he himselfe sayth My kingdome is not of this world according also as the sequele hath declared and that Dauids kingdome was a ciuill gouernement in Iewrie Dauid hild but the shadowe of the kingdome but this his sonne possesseth the very kingdome it selfe Dauids kingdome was a figure and shadowe of Chrystes kingdome and therefore both are called one kingdome bicause Dauid was the shadowe and Chrystes was the very kingdome it selfe Besides this it is the manner of the Scripture too peint out heauenly things by outward images too the intent the comparison may help our weaknesse ¶ Of the fifth ANd Mary sayd too the Angel hovv shal this come to passe seeing I knovve no man As if shée should say how can I bée made with childe bodily as thou sayst séeing I haue not as yet companyed with man The most chaste virgin knew it was an order established by God that men should bée conceyued of the séed of man and woman Neither had shée séene or herd of any example too the contrary since the creation of our first parents And therfore folowing the iudgement and experience of hir reasō in the order that God had stablished shée demaunded How may this bée séeing I know no man shall this conception come by some straunge maner And the Angell ansvvering sayde vntoo hir The holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the povver of the highest shall ouershadovve thee And therfore that vvhich shall bee borne of thee shall be called holie the sonne of God Héere the Angell sheweth the manner of the Conception and remoueth the cause of the Conception from nature vntoo GOD the maker of nature As if hée had sayd Thou shalt not conceiue of mannes séed but of thy séede alone shalt thou beare a Sonne and that by the operation not of nature but of grace For the holy ghost by his heauenly power shall cause a very manchilde too bée conceyued of thy séed alone Héerupon sayth Austin By the grace of God or the power of God and the woorking of the holy Ghost was that thing which is vnited too the woord taken of the virgins flesh and that for this cause that if it had bin conceyued of the seede of man it had bin vncleane as all the rest are that come of Adam And that which is of y e fleshe is flesh vntruthe and vanitie Iohn 2. Nowe it behoued that by Chryst should bée brought in grace and truthe Therfore hée could not bée begotten by man but it behoued that thing too be done by some secrete power of God too the intent that béeing cléere from all sinne and holy he might also make vs pure and holie by becomming an holie vnspotted sacrifise too his Father Ageine hée was conceyued of the holy Ghost too the intente wée might knowe that whatsoeuer the sonne speaketh is the moste assured wil of the father For the holy Ghost is the substātial loue of the father and the sonne Furthermore bicause the holy Ghoste is the spirit of sanctification and purging For he of that blud which he had made pure framed the body of Chryste that it might bée cleane and frée from all sinne as is sayd afore also These were and are the causes why it was not séemely for Chryst too bée begotten of the séed of man but by the operation of the holy Ghost alone And thereof dooth the Angel giue an incling when he sayth and therfore that holy thing that is borne of thée shalbée called the sonne of God Now although y e blissed virgin gaue credit too these words of the Angel yet notw tstanding too the intent hir faith might bée the better confirmed hée addeth a signe wherby shée is assured And beholde sayth hée thy cousin Elisabeth also hathe conceyued a Sonne in hir olde age and this is the sixth moneth too hir that is called barein As if he had said thou reasonest w t thy selfe that it is ageinst the law of nature the order established by God that thou shouldest cōceiue and bée stil a virgin bear a child and continue stil a virgin But I wil shew thée another thing which is also ageinst the order of nature Thy cousin Elizabeth is barrein both by nature by reason of yéeres By nature surely bicause shée hath liued so many yéeres with a husband and neuer had child in so muche that too hir reproche shée is called barreine By reason of yéeres for that shée is now past the yéeres of childbearing although shée had bin neuer so frutefull in times paste notwithstanding this is the sixth month since shée cōceyued such is Gods ordinance and will Wherefore confirme thy selfe with this signe and assure thy selfe it shall come too passe in déede that thou shalt beare a Childe also Sée héere the custome of God who neuer dealeth with mā by his bare woord but alwayes addeth some outward signe too the intent he may apply him selfe the more too our weaknesse while he offereth his will too our mind by his woord as it were visibly too
of Simeon Anne concerning Christe 3 The proofe of Christes manhood ¶ Of the first THe maruelling of Christes parents sheweth that reason perceiueth nothing of heauenly matters We must therfore beléeue the voice of God and maruell at it rather than deny it or renounce it They woonder that God now according too his eternall and secret purpose hath sent the Messias whom so many Prophets Patriarkes and kings looked for They wonder at the testimonie of the angel They wonder at old Simeons saying whereby they are also confirmed the more substancially in the fayth This woonderment is a certein holy bethinking of themselues wherethrough they reuerently consider and embrace the prophecie of the holy Ghost whereby they profite more and more in the knowledge of Chryst. This also is too bée set before our eyes for an example For we wil by and by shake of those things that reason comprehēdeth not But wée must with holy woonderment embrace the heauenly Oracles and too the intent our Faythe may take new encreasement wée must gather toogither all the helpes that may bée out of the prophecies out of miracles out of examples and finally out of all things too our greater admiration For he is like too profit best in Chrystes schoole which with the encreasement of his faith woondereth daily more and more Furthermore Ioseph is héere called the father of Chryst bicause Marie was maryed vntoo him and bicause Ioseph by Gods commaundement had the charge of the childe and his moother and bicause he was commōly thought too bée the father of Chryst. Paule sayeth too the Hebrues that Chryst is fatherlesse and motherlesse Fatherlesse in respect of his fleshly birth and motherlesse in respect of that woonderfull and eternall birth of his wherby he is borne the sonne of God begotten of the father without moother from euerlasting Of which birth the beginning of S. Iohns Gospel preacheth as wée haue heard of late ¶ Of the second IN the testimonie of Simeon foure things are too bée considered First he blisseth them By which dooing Simeon declareth his affection towardes Christe and his kingdome namely that hée wisheth well too the newe kingdome of this new king and this did Simeon according to the custome of the holy Patriarkes which being olde were wont too wishe well too the yonger For too blisse is in the Hebrew maner of spéeche nothing else but too wish one happy successe and to desire good things for him Héerby euery one of vs may lern first too confesse Chryst then too wish wel too his kingdom which thing perteineth too the second commaundement and too the second petition One thing that is too bée considered in Simeons testimonie is his prophesie which comprehendeth two things First that Christ shall bée vntoo many an occasion of falling that many dashing against him may stomble and not perish not through his fault but through their owne for that they will not embrace this Chryst. But some man wil demaund how Chryst is put too bée a fall too the vnbeléeuers which are already cast away The vngodly perish twice First they are lost through their owne vnbeléefe and secondly for that they wilfully depriue themselues of the saluation that is offered them For they deale in like wise as if a man being once already condemned too death for theft should afterward spit at the kings sonne that sueth for his pardon and despise the deliuerance offered by him Such a one may woorthily bée called twice cast away partly for his owne theft but more bycause hée holdeth skorne of his deliuerer too his greater punishment Therefore although that all the vngodly which haue not heard of Christes name are assured of perdition for their vnbeléefe yet notwithstanding those that wittingly willingly refuse Christ shal féele the second fall and receiue gréeuouser punishment For the seruaunt that knowes his masters will and doeth it not shall bée beaten with many stripes Therfore the Turks and heathen men shalbée more gently delt withal in the last day than they vnlesse they repent An other thing is that the same Christ shall bée the rising ageine of many in Israel that is too say their deliuerāce from sinne their rewarde of righteousnesse their resurrection from death and their heritage of all good things The third thing that is too bée considered in Simeons testimonie is the turning of his talke vntoo the virgin Christes moother too whō he prophecieth crosse persecution saying And through thy soule shall the svvoord passe Although these woords pertaine properly to Mary yet they are too bée referred too the whole churche wherof Mary bare a figure Mary néeded this admonishment in twoo respects First that being warned by this Oracle of the holy ghost shée should settle hir selfe too beare the sorowfull aduentures that were too come when she should sée hir sōne euil entreated of his owne coūtrie folk at the length hanged vpon the crosse And secōdly that béeing so fensed against the assaults that were too come shée should neuerthelesse reioyce through assured confidence for y t in the end hir sonne should become conqueror of his enemies Therfore being stablished with this confidence shée stood by his crosse looking for his triumphe with a stout courage Also these woords perteine too the whole Churche For by this Prophecie is shewed that the churche it selfe in this world shalbée vnder the crosse whiche after the example of y e virgin must raise vp it selfe with hope of the glory too come The fourth thing that is too be considered in this testimonie of Simeons is that Simeon sayeth that the thoughtes shalbée disclosed out of y e harts of many By which spéeche he signifieth there shall bée many that shall shewe them selues openly too bée Christes enemies and many ageine that shall confesse Christ yea and that euen with vtter perill and sheding of their bloud The one serueth too comforte vs against the offence or stumbling block of the crosse the other to nourishe our trust or faith In the testimonie of Anne twoo things are too bée considered First the description of the persone of Anne whome hée cōmendeth for the spirite of Prophecie that is too say for hir knowledge of spirituall things or of the kingdom of Christ for hir parents for hir age for hir chastitie and for hir earnestnesse in praying These things tend too the end too purchace greater credite too that moste holy matrone too the intent wée should more beléeue one holy matrone than all the pack of the Pharisies and priests which acknowledge not this Christe Let vs therfore rather folow the example of a few godly thā an innumerable multitude of the vngodly which persecute the Gospel Also wée may here beholde the Image of Christes Churche whiche is a small flocke and sheweth no countenaunce of glistering too the worlde but the Cresset of Gods heauenly woorde The other is Annes confession whiche conteyneth thrée things One is that with Simeon shée confessed Christ and ioyntly
toogither with him did set foorthe Christe with some kinde of melody wherby the godly may lerne too encourage one another too set forth and too vtter the praise of God Another is that shée teacheth the people For when as the Scribes Pharisies ceased a holy woman commeth forth speaketh of him vnto all y e looked for redemptiō in Ierusalē The third is that shée openly acknowledgeth Christe too bée the Sauiour and redéemer For shée vnderstoode that this babe was the promised séed that should tread down the serpents head and so deliuer man that was lost out of the Deuils tiranny ¶ Of the third ANd the Childe did grovve and vvas strengthned in spirite and vvas filled vvith vvisdome and the grace of God vvas vvith him This is as much too say as according as the childe Iesus grew in age so the diuine nature vttered it selfe in him and he profited from day too day more and more in wisdome and toogither with his age encreased also the giftes of mind in him How bée it in as much as the Godhead can by no meanes bée increased it is manifest that these things perteine too his manhode For as he grew vp by little and little in his body so in respect of his soule the giftes of the mind encreased daily more and more Neither is this a straunge thing in Chryst whoo for our sakes tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant wherein he was also abased For like as he was abased for our sake so also grew he ageine by little and little vntill that by his resurrection he entered ageine intoo his glorye Neither was this doone without a lesson and warning vntoo vs. For wée are taught that the cause why he grew was for that we should out of his fulnesse receiue grace for grace Wée also are admonished by the example of the sonne of God too endeuer our selues continually too encrease that wée may daily more and more abound in the true knowledge of God and all vnderstanding and that wée should with an vpright iudgement and affection try what things are godly holy and honest and daily bring foorth the true fruites of faith and that in such wise that the day folowing may surmount the day that went before For he that goeth not still forward in the knowledge of GOD and vnderstanding of godlinesse goeth backeward For by little and little fayth is quenched in him and Chryst is buried ageine in his heart whereby it commeth too passe that he falleth againe intoo sinne against his conscience Héereof wée haue example in Dauid For he had profited in Ghostly wisdome aboue al the men of his time and the grace of God was w t him But what came too passe By sitting still in his Princely throne he became somewhat faint That glowing zeale of Gods glory which was in him when he fought ageinst Golias ouercame him which was in him when he was in perill through the daily persecution of Saule was by little and little alayed And what ensued theruppon There came in hys sight a faire and beautifull woman and his lustes were stirred vp without any let For the heate of the spirit was then become starke cold Wil giueth place too affection and by by he falleth into sinne ageinst conscience by committing aduoutrie wheruntoo within a while after he addeth the murder of one of his best subiects which wickednesses he afterward recouered with hipocrisie by y e space of a whole yéere although in the meane while he pretended godlinesse which notwithstanding was banished from him as long as Gods spirit was not with him There are many other suche examples which admonishe vs too folow herein the example of the childe Iesus that wée fall not from the state of grace Therfore like as he grew in wisdome and the grace of God was vpon him so let vs also grow in wholsome wisdome and let vs pray too Iesus the fountaine of wisdome that he will giue vnto vs abundantly of his fulnesse Which thing if wée doo it will come too passe that the grace of God which wée obteine by Chryst and for Chrystes sake shal abide vppon vs. For as the only grace of God is the cause of our daily procéeding and furtherance in spirituall giftes so grace is reteined and abideth when wée are not drowsie but worke lustely so as wée may not séeme too haue receiued grace in vaine Too this purpose maketh y e saying of y e Apostle Yée are made partakers of Christ if wée hold stedfast vntoo the end the faith that is begon in vs. Too this purpose also maketh this sentence of Paule Quenche not the spirit Gods gifts therfore must bée chéered vp with continuall exercise that wée may profit daily more and more too the glory of God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Too which onely God bée honor and glory for euermore Amen The day of the Circumcision of the Lord commonly called Newyeeres day ¶ The Gospell Luke ij ANd after that eight dayes vvere finished that the childe should bee circumcised his name vvas called Iesus according as he vvas named by the Angel before he vvas conceiued in his moothets vvombe The exposition of the Text. THis feast of the Circumcision of the Lord is solemnized in the Churche for thrée causes Of which the first is that the storie may bée knowen The second is that the benefite of God toward mankinde which the storie setteth out may bée vnderstoode The third is y t we may vse the benefit of God aright both too the glory of god also too our owne saluation and the edifying of others The storie is that our Lord Chryste the eyghte day after his carnall birth was circumcised according too the Law of Moses that the name was giuen him which was foretolde by the Angell and he was called Iesus The benefit which the storie setteth out is that that was done for our sake according as Paule teacheth He was made subiect too the Lawe too the intent he might redéeme them that were vnder the Lawe Lastly the vse consisteth in these things that knowing the benefite wée may bée thanckfull too God confirming our fayth by this déede and after the example of God the father and his Sonne Iesus Chryst endeuer too deserue well towards al men And too the intent these things may serue the more effectually too informe vs of this benefite I will handle twoo places which are 1 Of the Circumcision 2 Of the most swéete name Iesus ¶ Of the first TOo the intent wée may the more distinctly vnderstande this doctrine of the circumcision these are the things that séeme méete too bée expounded in order Howe God is woont too instruct man of his will what maner a thing that Circūcision of the flesh was and what things are too bée marked in it whereupon shall bée grounded the order of the Sacramentes both of the old Testament and of the newe Why Christ was circumcised and which is
land of Ievvry art not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come too mee the Captaine that shall gouerne my people Israel Then Herod vvhen he had priuily called the vvise men enquired of them diligently vvhat time the Starre appeered he bad them go to Bethleem and sayd Go your vvay thither search diligently for the child And vvhen yee haue found him bring me vvoord ageyn that I may come vvorship him also VVhē they had heard the King they departed and loe the Starre vvhiche they savv in the East vvent before them til it came and stoode ouer the place vvherein the Childe vvas VVhen they savv the Starre they vvere exceeding glad and vvent intoo the house found the Childe vvith Mary his moother and fel dovvne flat and vvoorshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vntoo him giftes Golde Frankincense and Mirre And after they vvere vvarned of God in sleep that they should not go ageyn too Herode they returned intoo their ovvne countrie another vvay The exposition of the text THis feast is called in the Churche the Epiphanie of the Lorde that is too saye the appéering of the Lorde For after that the feastes of the comming and birth of the Lorde were celebrated by the Churche it séemed good vntoo the holy Fathers too put too this feast also that they might instruct the Churche of the sundry sortes of the Lords appéering in the fleshe And they alledge foure reasons why they call this feast Epiphanie Whereof the first is that as this day Christ appéered too the wise men that sought him by the leading of a Starre The seconde is for that as vppon this day nine and twentie yéeres after his birth his glorie appéered in Baptisme by the witnesse of the father speaking frō heauen in this wise This is my beloued sonne and by the visible appéering of the holy Ghoste vpon him The thirde is for that the same day twelue moneth after his baptisme his glorie appéered at the mariage by turning water intoo wine The fourth is for that in the .xxxj. yéere of his age his glorie appéered ageyne in féeding fiue thousande men with seuen loues of bread All these appéerings make too this end both too prooue Christ too be the true Messias and sauior of them that beléeue in him too stablish assured faith in vs that wée should certainly assure oure selues too obtaine saluation through him And thus muche concerning the cause of the feast Now let vs go in hande with the Gospel it selfe whiche conteyneth the storie of the firste kinde of Christes appéerings namely howe hée appeered too the wise men that is too say too the Heathen too the intente we may know that Christe with his benefits belongeth also too the Heathen The summe of the exposition of this Gospell is that the wise men came too Hierusalem too séeke the new borne King and that when they found him not there they kept on their way folowing the guidance of the Starre which went before them til they came in Bethleem where they finding the Childe honored him and offered him gifts After the dooing whereof at the warning of God they returned intoo their cuntrie by another way In this Gospell wée wil intreat of two places whiche are 1 The storie with his circumstances and lessons whiche are many 2 The vse of the storie and the spirituall signification of the wise mens offerings ¶ Of the first MAny are the circumstances of this presēt story of which euery one conteyneth peculiar doctrines and instructions When Christe was borne in Bethleem in the time of Herode the wise men came from the Easte too woorship the new borne king Héer come thrée things too bée weyed The time the state of the wise men and the ende for whiche they came The time is expressed when it is sayde in the time of Herode For the Scepter had ceased from Iud◠and accordyng too the Prophesies Chryste was too bée borne Thys conferring of the prophesies concernyng the birth of Chryst and the tyme wherein hée was borne as it confuteth the Iewes which looke for him still too come so it confirmeth the Faythe of the godly that they may assure them selues that this same whome the wise men séeke is the verie Messias The second is the state of the wise men that they were not of the Iewes but of the Gentiles Wherby wée learne that this new king borne in Bethleem perteineth also too the Gentiles who by the example of the wise men are admonished too séeke and too woorship Chryst. Moreouer these wise men were called Magi by which terme is signified the excellencie of their dignitie and office For Magus is an Hebrue woord and taketh his name of considering and teaching Which twoo things perteined chéefly too Kings and Préestes whereupon the Persians called their Kyngs and Préestes Magi. What are wée taught héereby Chryst lyeth in the maunger despised of his owne people and the Magies béeing Heathen men borne come too worship him Whereby is signified that although Chrystes kingdome bée not of the world yet is it a mightie and glorious kingdome or rather a heauenly kingdome which many shall acknowledge and not bée offended at the base countenance thereof too the outward shew in the world The second circumstaunce is that the wyse men come too Hierusalem and there séeke for Chryst that was newly borne The Iewes which had the bookes of the Prophets in their handes and vntoo whome the woorde of God was committed stoode still carelesse and neuer sought for Chryst. And in y e mean while ▪ those sought him who by their iudgement perteined not too the Church But where sought they him In the princely citie Hierusalem Whither when they came heard nothing of this king their faith was not a litle shaken but yet neuerthelesse they raysed vp them selues by the signe For they sayd Wée haue séene hys starre Doutlesse they had learned out of the Relickes of Daniels schoole that when Chryst should bée borne then should such a starre shew the time that hée was borne The thirde circumstance is too bée considered with héede for it sheweth what maner a Kyng Christe is For as the maunger in which he lay argueth that his kingdome is not of this world so the starre appearyng from heauen declareth him too bée a heauenly King And like as the Maunger sheweth him too bée base in the sight of the worlde euen so the Starre setteth out the maiestie of his kyngdome for vs too beholde to the furtherance of our faith least he should become despisable vnto vs through the leud and malicious disdaine of his owne countrey folke which continuing still in their ignorance doo persecute Chryst vntoo this day Some men demaunde héere what maner a Starre that was And diuers men déeme diuersly But thys is manyfest that it differeth in thrée propreties from other continuing starres that is to say in place in mouyng in brightnesse In place
of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs his grace that being confirmed by this miracle wée may in the true feare of God and in faith yéeld true glory too God the father Christ and the holy Ghoste too whom being only the immortall and liuing God bée honour glory and dominion for euer world without end Amen The third Sunday after Epiphany ¶ The Gospell Math. viij WHen hee vvas come dovvne from the Mountaine much people follovved him And behold there came a Lepre and vvorshipped him saying Maister if thou vvilte thou canst make mee cleane And Iesus put foorth his hande and touched him saying I vvil be thou cleane and immediatly his Leprosie vvas clensed And Iesus sayde vntoo him tell no man but goe and shevy thy self too the preest and offer the gyfte that Moses commaunded too bee offered for a vvitnesse vntoo them And vvhen Iesus vvas entred intoo Capernaum there came vntoo him a Centurion and besought him saying Maister my seruant lieth at home sick of the Palsey and is greeuously peyned And Iesus sayde vvhen I come vntoo him I vvill heale him The Centurion aunsvvered and sayde Sir I am not vvorthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe but speake the vvoorde onely and my seruant shall bee healed For I also am a man subiecte too the authoritie of an other and haue souldiers vnder mee and I say too this man goe and hee goeth and too another man come and hee commeth and too my seruant doo this and hee dooth it VVhen Iesus hearde these vvordes hee maruelled and sayde too them that follovved him Verely I say vntoo you I haue not founde so great faith in Israell I say vntoo you that many shall come from the East and VVeast and shall rest vvith Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen but the children of the kingdom shal bee cast out intoo vtter darknesse there shal bee vveeping and gnashing of teeth And Iesus sayd vnto the Centurion Goe thy vvay as thou beleeuest so bee it vntoo thee And his seruant vvas healed in the selfe same houre The exposition of the text THis gospel setteth before our eyes the affectiō of Christ towards mankinde especially towards them that flée too him in heauinesse affliction for looke what he promised in woords saying Come vntoo mée all yée that labor are heauy loden and I wil refresh you and yée shal find rest vntoo your soules the same thing dooth hée shew héer by his déede For after that hée had taught his fathers woord on the mountaine hée came down and fulfilled the thing in woork which he had taught in woord confirming his doctrine with miracles For hée woorketh héere twoo miracles With his woord he healeth the Lepre and by his commaundement hée healeth the sonne of the Centurion absent The vse of these miracles is both too prooue Christe too be the true Messias too witnesse that the self same Christe wil helpe the afflicted that call vppon him as wel as hée helped the Lepre and the Centurion that called vpon him Howbéeit too the intent the present miracles may serue too our better instruction I wil intreat of .iiij. places whiche are these 1 A generall doctrine of all Christes miracles 2 Of the Lepre and of his healing and of the circumstances thereof 3 Of the heathen Centurion of his faith and of his care for his seruaunt 4 The praise of this heathen mans faith ¶ Of the first BIcause the Euangelical storie conteyneth many of Christes miracles wherwith hée manifesteth his glory cōfirmeth his doctrine and encreaseth faith in the hearers I wil bréefly set foorth a general doctrine the vse wherof shal serue in all particuler miracles of Christe Why the Lord addeth miracles too his woord it is tolde in the last Sunday euen héer a litle before I haue repeated it in the beginning How be it too the intent wée may haue the ful doctrine of miracles mo things are too be serched out whiche too enclose within number certein I wil put all vnder these .v. questiōs What the persons bée what the ends bée what is the maner what is the vse and why miracles are not wrought at this day The persones are of thrée sortes first suche as are oppressed with diseases and with the Deuils tirannie Then the beholders of the miracles And lastly Christe that woorketh the miracles The ends are many One is that Christ might shew foorth his owne glory Another that he might seale vp his doctrine the thirde that the faith of them that behelde the miracles might bée confirmed the fourth that God might bée glorified by the sight of his woonderfull woorkes the fifth that by little and little the Diuels kingdome might bée destroyed What miracles so euer are doone for any other ende than these are condemned as sleights of the Deuil Math. 24. The manner is diuers for sometime hée woorketh a miracle by his woorde alone as in this place Another time too the intent too shew the preciousnesse of his body he layeth to his hand One while he turneth him selfe to GOD with giuing of thankes before hande and another while hée woorketh by his onely power without his woord as when he turned the water intoo wine Too the manner also perteyneth the faithe of him that is healed by the miracle as is read in this Gospell Miracles serue too thrée vses That hée that is healed by miracle should sinne no more that the beholders should put their trust in the healer and that wée whiche read of the miracles of the Lorde shoulde bée confirmed in the glorye and doctrine of Christe and therewithall conceiue faith in him that he is none otherwise affected towards vs than he was towards them But why are no miracles wroughte now a dayes Hée is starke blinde that séeth no miracles at these dayes The churche of Christe is a little flocke whiche the Deuill the King of darknesse and Antichriste the Pope doe persecute and bend all their force too this end that they may extinguish the true religion of Christe and yet they can not All the whole worlde persecuted that one poore man Luther and yet they touched not one hear of his hed And why God miraculously defended bothe him and also his little flocke This presence of God in his churche is miraculous inough so that wée néede not too séeke other miracles Moreouer miracles and the power of healing mens bodies and the visible giuings of the holy ghost were bestowed onely vpon the primitiue churche too the intent they might confirme Christes glorie his doctrine our faith for euermore in all that should come after The vse of which too vs ward is that wée may know they were certein seales of ful authoritie wherwith God would haue his doctrine confirmed and sealed for euer ¶ Of the second IN the Lepre that is healed ▪ let six things be considered his infirmitie the state of his person his faith his inuocation his pacience and his confession The infirmitie of the
contented too possesse many hartes but hée muste also returne ageine too those from whiche he was expulsed before Whereupon hée sayth I vvill returne intoo my house from vvhence I came By these woords is giuen vs too vnderstand y t he ceasseth not too tempt those that are purged by Fayth but laboureth too enter intoo the hartes of them ageyne too the intent too carrie them away from the kingdome of Christe and if hee bring that too passe the end of that manne béecommeth woorse than the beginning bicause he becometh a new the enimie of Chryste and expulseth the holy Ghoste And hée shal suffer sorer punishement if hée cast not out the Deuil agein by true repentaunce Let vs marke then how perillous a thing it is for them that haue once professed them selues Chrystians too put their necks ageine vnder the Deuils yoke For as suche men doo moste gréeuously sinne against the holy Ghoste so must they also stand in feare of moste gréeuous punishment Therefore they that are touched with any care of their Saluation let them spéedely amende and fight stoutely against Sathan that he cast them not againe hedlong intoo the gulfe of sinne ¶ Of the fourth IT came too passe that as he spake these things a certaine vvoman in the coÌ„pany lifting vp hir voice sayd vntoo him Blissed is the vvombe that c. But he sayde yea rather blissed are they that heare the vvoord of God and keepe it Héer first wée may marke the diuersitie of mennes iudgementes concernyng Gods woord Some wonder at the woorde and loue it as this woman did Some speak euil of it as they did ageinst whom Chryst dealeth héere For there haue bin alwayes suche héerers of the woord froÌ„ the beginning of the world Caine despised the woorde and Abel loued it Noe loued it and all the whole worlde beside despised it In the time of Ieremy fewe or none receyued the woorde of the Prophets with frute but the most part chose rather too return too their olde Idolatrie Héerupon they say too Hieremie When wée made sacrifice too the Quéene of Heauen that is too say too the Sunne all things went wel with vs. Wée had abundance of Corne. c. After the same manner say the men of our time When wée hearde Masse and gaue too Moonkes all things were better cheape the feare of GOD was greater and there was more loue betwéene man and man This is the thanke that the world yeeldeth too God for his wel dooing Hée giueth vs the woord of saluation and wée had leauer haue mens dreames Hée offreth it too vs fréely and wée wil earne it with the geugawes of the Moonkes But let vs leaue these things harken vntoo Chryste Blissed are they sayth hée that héere the woord of God and kéepe it These woordes are few and haue a great promise annexed too them What maner of woord is that woord of GOD It can bée none other than that which the prophets haue deliuered vs Chryste hathe confirmed with his owne bloud and the Apostles haue taught What maner of woorde is that The suÌ„me therof is conteyned in the instructioÌ„ of our childreÌ„ called the Cathechisme and these are they The ten commaundemeÌ„ts the Articles of our beléefe the doctrine of the Sacraments the doctrine which yée héer euery Sunday out of the Gospel that is too wit in one woord the same doctrine that the Prophets Chryste and the Apostles taught This woord will hée haue herd Ergo he wil also that there be ministers pastors that are able too teache this woord For séeing that hée giueth his woord and offreth soule helth whiche is receyued by faith through hearing it is néedfull that there bée persons that can teache this woord How be it for as much as it is not inough that the woord bée taught and herd vnlesse it be also kept the Lord addeth and keepeth it What is too kéepe the woord It is too lerne the word that is herd too hold it too beléeue it and too performe true obedience vntoo God through faith So did our father Abraham He herd the word he held it he beleued it yea and yéelded such obedience too it by faith that he would at Gods appointment rather â—â—ea his onely begotten Sonne than breake Gods commaundementes But who is hée amongst vs that yéeldeth this obedience vntoo God wée will bée called Abrahams children but wée wil not treade in our fathers footsteps What promiseth hée too them that heare it and obey it Blissed are they sayth hee c. They are blissed that is too say set frée from al wretchednesse from sinne and from damnation Blissed that is too say infeoffed in euerlasting life and glorie through Iesus Chryste oure Lorde who with the father and the holy Ghoste liueth one God worlde without end Amen The fourth Sunday in Lent coÌ„monly called Midlent Sunday ¶ The Gospell Iohn vj. AFter these things Iesus vvent his vvaye ouer the Sea of Galilee vvhiche is the Sea of Tyberias and muche people follovved hym bycause they savve his miracles vvhiche hee did on them that vvere diseased And Iesus vvent vp into a mountayne and there hee sat vvith his Disciples And Easter a feaste of the Ievves vvas nie VVhen Iesus then lift vp his eyes and savv a greate companie come vntoo him hee sayde vntoo Phillip vvhence shall vvee buy bread that these may eate This he sayde too proue him for he him selfe knevve vvhat he vvould doo Philip aunsvvered him Tvvoo hundred penyvvorth of breade are not sufficient for them that euery man may take a little One of his disciples Andrevve Simon Peters brother sayeth vntoo him There is a lad vvhich hath fiue barley loues and tvvo fishes but vvhat are they among so many And Iesus said Make the people sit dovvne There vvas muche grasse in the place So the men sate dovvne in number about fiue thousande And Iesus tooke the breade and vvhen he had giuen thankes he gaue too the Disciples and the Disciples to them that vvere set dovvne and likevvise of the fishes as muche as they vvould VVhen they had eaten ynough he sayd vntoo his disciples Gather vp the broken meate vvhich remayneth that nothing bee lost And they gathered it togither and filled .xij. baskets vvith the broken meat of the fiue barley loaues vvhich broken meat remayned vntoo them that had eaten Then those men vvhen they had seene the miracle that Iesus did sayd This is of a truth the same prophete that should come intoo the vvorlde Therefore vvhen Iesus perceyued that they vvould come and take him too make him king he departed agein intoo a mountaine him selfe alone The exposition of the text THe summe of this Gospell is that Chryst dooth héere by his dede and example confirme the doctrine which he taught in the .vj. of Mathewe First séeke ye the kingdome of God the rightuousnesse of him that is to say of God and all things else shall bée cast vntoo you to y e intent
this case the minister of the woorde must instructe hym that so confesseth hym selfe And if he knowe him hée muste lay before him the sinnes that hée hath perceyued by hym He muste shewe him the greatenesse of Gods wrath towarde vnrepentant persons And on the other side if in confessing himselfe he bée sorie for his sinne and promise amendement he must comfort him with the promises of the Gospell And if he say hée beléeueth the promises the minister must in Chrystes name assure him that GOD is at one with him and denounce vntoo him the forgiuenesse of hys sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost warnyng hym earnestly too shun sin héerafter that the end of him become not worse than the begynnyng And thus much concerning the seconde kinde of confession and the absolution that answereth the same As concerning the publike confession and absolutiō I must entreat therof at another time also of the Confession y t is made to the brethren whom we haue offended ¶ Of the thirde NOw remaineth that we tell whiche is the right vse and lawfull meditation of this holy Supper Then sith this holy Supper of Chryst is the Sacrament of our redemption by the sacrifice of Chryst these things are orderly too bée consydered and earnestly weyed in the receyuing of this holy Supper Fyrst the Communicants must call too minde the cause of Christes death namely the synne of mankynd Rom. 4. He died for our sinnes Esay 43. He smote him for oure iniquities The seconde thing that is too be thought vpon is the ende of Chrystes sacrifice whiche is the redéemyng of vs from the bondage of sin and death 2. Corinth 5. For he hath made him too be sinne which knew no sinne that we by his meanes should bée that rightuousnesse whiche is allowed before God 1. Iohn 1. The blud of Iesus Chryste clenzeth vs from all iniquitie Iohn the first Chryst is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Thirdly by the excellencie of this sacrifice we must consider how greate the wrath of GOD must néedes haue bin ageynst Synne which could not bée appeased by any other sacrifices than the one sacrifice of the only begotten sonne of God Fourthly the excéeding greate mercie of GOD is too bée thought vpon who would receiue vs wretched sinners intoo fauour for the satisfaction of his sonne Fifthly the great loue of the sonne of GOD is too bée thought vpon who taking mans nature vpon hym was cōtent to become a sacrifice for vs and too remoue gods wrath vntoo himselfe and satisfie Gods iustice with the punishmēt of the crosse All these things will the sonne of God haue vs too thinke vpon when he biddeth this supper too bée made in remembrance of hym When wée thus muse vpon these things beholdying Gods wrath there riseth vp a sorowfulnesse and by thinking vpvon Gods mercie and the propiciatorie sacrifice there springeth vp faith out of both which there issueth thankfulnesse confession pacience and other vertues of which this supper putteth vs in minde Too bée short as the Sonne of God maketh a couenaunt with vs too receiue vs mercifully so let vs on the other side make a couenaunt with him too beléeue him and to receiue his benefits thankfully Whiche thing that wée may vnfaynedly doo Iesus Chryst the maker of this supper graunt vntoo vs. And vntoo him with the father and the holy ghost bée honour and glorie for euer Amen The Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ according too the order of the storie compiled by laying the foure Euangelists toogither ANd vvhen they had sung an hymn Iesus going out vvēt as he vvas vvōt ouer the broke Cedron intoo mount Oliuet and his Disciples folovved him Then sayde hee vntoo them All you shall suffer offence by mee this night For it is vvritten I vvil strike the shepperd and the sheepe of the flock shall bee scattered But vvhen I am risen ageyn I vvil go before you Intoo Galilee And Peter ansvvering sayd vntoo him Though al be offended by thee yet vvill I neuer bee offended Iesus sayd vntoo him verely I say vntoo thee that this night before the Cocke crovve tvvice thou shalt denye mee thryce But he sayd more earnestly No though I should dye vvith thee yet vvill I not denie thee In likevvise also sayde all his other Disciples Then came Iesus vvith them intoo a tovvne that is called Gethsemany vvhere vvas a garden intoo vvhich he entred and his disciples with him And Iudas the traytor knew the place bycause Iesus had oftentimes resorted thyther with his Disciples Then Iesus sayde vnto them Syt yee here while I goe and pray yonder And taking with him Peter Iames and Iohn the two sonnes of Zebedee hee began too be abashed and too bee heauy and too bee greeuously vexed And hee sayde too them my soule is heauie euen vntoo deathe Tarry yee heere and watche with me and pray that yee fall not into temptation And he went from them as it were a stones cast and kneeling downe fell flat too the ground vppon his face and prayed that if it were possible that houre might passe from him saying Abba father All things are possible too thee Let this cup passe from mee Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And he came to his Disciples and findyng them a sleepe sayd vnto Peter Simon art thou a slepe Couldest thou not do so much as watch one houre with mee Awake yee and praye that yee enter not intoo temptation Verely the spirit is ready but the fleshe is weake Ageine hee went away the second time and prayed saying Father if this cup can not passe from mee but that I must needes drinke of it thy will bee doone And returning hee found them ageine asleepe For their eyes were heauie and they wist not what to answere Then leauing them hee went his way ageine and prayed the thirde tyme the same woords saying If thou wilt thou canst remoue this cup from me Neuerthelesse thy will bee doone and not myne And there appeered to him an Angell from heauen that comforted hym And being striken wyth sorowe hee prayed very long and his swet was as droppes of blud tricklyng downe vppon the grounde And when hee was risen vp from his prayers and was come ageyne too his Disciples he found them a sleepe for very pensiuenesse And hee said vntoo the Sleepe yee from henceforth and take your rest VVhy sleepe yee it is ynough Beholde the houre is at hande and the Sonne of man is deliuered intoo the handes of sinners Vp let vs go he is at hand that betrayeth mee But pray yee least yee enter intoo temptation And by and by while he was yet speaking Beholde Iudas one of the twelue hauyng taken a band of men and officers of the high Preests and the Phariseys and the elders and the Scribes with a greate company folowing him came thither with lanternes and torches
is performed Phi. 2. He humbled himself and became obedieÌ„t euen vntoo the death of y e crosse The seconde is that the Deuil is ouercome For this purpose sayth Iohn appéered Chryst that he might destroy the works of the Deuil according too the first promise The womans séede shall tread down the Serpents head The thirde is that man is saued from sinne and iustified Behold sayth Iohn the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Also Rom. 4. He dyed for our sins 2. Cor. 5. Him that knew no sin he made sin that wée might bée made the rightuousnesse of GOD in him that is too say he made Chryste a sacrifice for sinne that through his rightuousnesse we might be made rightuous before God The fourth is that the Iewes and Gentiles are made equall according too that saying Ephes. 2. For hée is our peace whiche made bothe one and hath broken down the wall that was a stop betwéene vs and hath also put away through his flesh the cause of hatred that is too say the law of commaundementes conteyned in the law written too make of twaine one new man in himselfe so making peace that he might reconcile both vntoo God in one body through his crosse The fifth is that death is abolished Osée 13. O Death I wil be thy death Too be bréefe Chrystes sacrifice is oure redemption For it is the price payd for vs wherewith God is pacified man redéemed the Deuil ouercome yea all thinges in heauen earth put vnder one head which is Chryste Ephes. 1. ¶ Of the third THe godly helthfull minding of our Lordes passion may bée brought intoo sixe partes whiche Christen folk ought too think vpon not only at this time but all the time of their whole life For the godly minding weying of these partes dooth not onely confute those whiche in the Papacie thinke them selues too haue discharged their dutie if they say ouer so many Pater nosters and Aue maries knéeling before Idols set vp for a supersticious seruice of God but also woonderfully strengthneth and comforteth the godly I wil therefore set out the sixe partes of this minding The first is that therby wil come too our mind how great the wrath of GOD must néedes haue bin for the sinnes of men which could not bée appeased by the woork of any creature but that of necessitie the onely begotten Sonne of God must die too pacifie Gods wrath by making this rightful satisfaction for sinne The second is that therby wil come too our remembrance how vnmeasurable and vnsercheable hath bin the mercie of God the Father who rather would that his onely begotten Sonne should suffer moste bitter death than that mankinde whome hée had created shoulde perishe Peraduenture thou 〈◊〉 â—urmise that God coulde haue deliuered mankinde by some other meanes What art thou that wilt teache God what he might haue done Think thou vpon Gods Iustice and mercy togither For as his mercy moued him too saue so his iustice moued him too looke for rightfull amends of the wrong Man sinned and for so doing he must either perish or make amends Nowe man béeing no more but man could not satisfie Gods Iustice and other than man none ought too doo it Gods wisdome therfore found through mercie a remedie in this case which was that the eternal sonne of God should become man by meanes wherof he both was able too satisfie Gods iustice bicause he was God and ought too doo it bicause he had taken mans nature vpon him Thus in Chrysts Passion appéereth mercie too bée mixte with iustice and wisedome hath tempered them both The thirde is that thereby will come too mynde the moste excellent and vnspeakable loue of the Sonne of God towards mankinde who vouchsaued too turne the wrathe of his Father too him selfe and too abyde so slaunderous a Death and that for his enimies as Paule beareth witnesse Rom. 5. The fourth is that thereby will come too minde the true meane whereby the frute of our Lordes Passion may bée applyed too thee so as it may bée for thy soule health This applying of it is brought too passe thrée wayes by the woord by fayth and by the Sacrament By the woorde as it were by the hande of GOD is the benefite of the Lordes passion offered vntoo thée where and as often as the Gospell of Iesus Chryst is preached and the ministers of the woorde do in Gods stéede shewe the frute of our Lordes Passion too all that héere the Gospell Ageyne when the benefite of the Lordes Passion is thus offered as it were by the hande of God it must bée receyued by Faith as it were a certeyn hande of man the which Fayth the holy Ghost woorketh in men that héere the Gospell and obey it Furthermore it is sealed vp with either Sacramente of Baptim and of the Lordes supper and the strength and vse therof is painted out as it were in tables like as wée heard yesterday Therfore when thou rehersest the Article of thy beléefe concerning the Passion of the Lorde persuade thy selfe firmely and beléeue most assuredly that the sonne of GOD suffered death for thée Which thing if thou doo thou art partaker of the Lords death in so muche that all the whole obedience of Chryst is thy acquitall from sinne and thy righteousnesse But there is a double obedience too bée marked in Christ his obedience of the Crosse and his obedience of the lawe which was his perfect fulfilling of the same Like as his obedience too the crosse is our clensing from sinne so his obedience of the law is imputed to vs for our righteousnesse Rom. 5. The fifth is that when wée bée thus made partakers of the Lords passion through faith it wil come too our remembrance what is the lotte of the godly in this lyfe For like as Christ hath suffered so will he haue the rest of the godly too suffer that they may bée comformable too the image of the sonne of God Whervpon Paule in the sixt too the Romans sayth For therefore doo wée suffer with him that wée may bée glorified togither with him The sixt is that we shal call too minde what thing Chryste who hath redéemed vs with his own blud requireth at our hands For now sith we are redéemed by him wée must obey him What willeth he First that wee should renounce his enimie the diuil SecoÌ„dly y t we should flée sin that we offend not God ageine wittingly and willingly with our sinnes Thirdly that we giue our selues too holinesse and godlinesse and that wée serue him in true feare all the dayes of our life Which thing if wée doo wée shall obteyne the ende of our fayth that is the euerlasting saluation of our soules Whiche God the Father graunt vntoo vs through Iesus Chryst our Lorde Amen Easter day The Storie of the Resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Chryst compiled by laying toogither with the foure Eaangelists AS soone as the Sabboth daye
good his owne promises For he promised his Disciples that after hée had bin deliuered too the Gentiles and mocked of them he should be put too death and rise ageine the third day And he preuented not the third day bicause all men might certeinly know that hée was dead in déed Therfore by lying fortie houres in his graue he shewed himselfe too haue bin dead in very déede And why he delayed not his resurrection til the last day there are right weightie causes ready too be shewed The first is bicause it was written Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one too sée corruption For Chrystes body might not rot in the graue First for that it was made of the bloud of the moste chaste virgin by the woorking of the holy ghost Secondly for that as long as hée liued in this world he kept it pure and vndefiled Therfore had it bin vnméet that suche a body should haue become woormes meat The seconde cause why hée delayed not his resurrection is our hope For thus sayeth Peter Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryste for begetting vs ageine too a liuely hope throughe the resurrection of Chryste from the dead The third cause is that hée should be the first of them that rise ageine For like as Adam was the firste that appéered in mortall body by reason of sinne so ought Chryste too bée the first that should appéer in immortall body iustifying vs and healing our bodies from eternall death And although wée shal all rise ageine and that others besides Chryst haue risen ageine Yet is there excéeding great difference betwéene the resurrection of Chryste and of other men For first Chryst rose ageine by his owne power whiche thing no man coulde euer doo saue onely hée Secondly the other that were raysed as the widowes sonne the ruler of the Sinagogs daughter and Lazarus and others rose too die ageine But Chryste rose too liue for euermore Besides this Chrysts Resurrection differeth from the Resurrection of other men in frute and efficacie For Chryste by his owne power rayseth vp others which thing was shewed in the Garden where he was buried and rose ageine at the rising of the Sunne Lastly Chrysts rising ageine differeth from oures in time also For as it is already shewed and as we knowledge in our Créede Chryst rose ageyne the third day but our Resurrection shall bée delayed till the last day For then shall appéere the euerlasting life and endlesse righteousnesse which he shall giue too all his that is too say too all them that beléeue in him Thus much concerning the second place why Christ rose ageine the third day and how his resurrection differeth from oures that by the Resurrection of Chryst wée may conceiue liuely hope of the euerlasting and incorruptible heritage in heauen ¶ Of the thirde NOw remayneth the thirde place concerning the frute of Chrysts Resurrection which is more plentifull and abundaunt than that it may bée expressed by mannes tung Paule saythe that by Chryste all things are restored in heauen and in earth For first Chryste by comming out of his graue sheweth himselfe conquerour and triumpher ouer Death Hell and Sathan and so maketh good the promisse vttered concerning him in times past The séede of the woman shall treade downe the Serpents head whiche Prophecie Iohn expounding sayth Chryst appéered too destroy the woorkes of the Deuill How bée it as too vs warde that are men for whose saluation he came downe from heauen was made manne dyed and rose ageyne there are foure sundrye kindes of frutes of Chrystes Resurrection too bée considered For Chrysts Resurrection is first our Iustification Secondly the power whereby sinne is subdued in vs thirdly an example of newnesse of lyfe the cause therof and fourthly the cause of our resurrection and a most assured warrant of the same Of these foure maner of frutes I will speake in order Therfore the first frute of our Lordes resurrection is the iustification of vs of which frute Paule speaketh in y e fourth too the Romanes Hée died for our sinnes and rose ageine for our iustification And Daniell in his .ix. Chapter Iniquitie shal bée taken away and euerlasting righteousnesse shal bée brought in To the intent this frute may bée the swéeter wée must consider of how great value it is Wée are borne in sin and subiect too Gods wrath Ephes. 1. Wée are all by nature the children of wrath The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. frō this death are wée deliuered by the resurrection of Christ. For by Christ wée are quit from the gilt of sinne and so consequently from eternall death Héervpon commeth that saying in the Apocalips Blissed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for vpon them hath the second death no power but they shal bée préests of God of Chryst and they shall reigne with him For as the first death is by Adam so the first Resurrection is by Chryst. Héervntoo also perteineth this saying Blissed are they that wash their garmentes in the Lambes blud that they may haue power in the trée of life and may enter in at the gates of the Citie The second frute of our Lords Resurrection is that it is the power whiche is shed intoo the beléeuers which maketh them able too ryse from vices vntoo vertue This power is bestowed vppon vs in Baptim and confirmed in the Lordes Supper so that wée bée not behinde hande with our partes And yet this power is felt in those only that are borne agein of immortall séede 1. Peter 1. The thirde frute is the example For as Paule sayeth Chryste rose ageine too the intent wée might walke in newnesse of lyfe Those therefore that folowe their owne vices liuing wickedly vnclenly doo testifie by their own doing y t they despise Chryste whose Resurrection is set before vs as a glasse to sée how we ought too leade our life For they think that Chryst was scourged crowned with thornes and shed his blud vppon the altar of the crosse too the intent that they may giue ouer themselues too all outragiousnesse tyranny pryde and lusts and after this maner as much as in them lieth they crucifie the sonne God of new agein We therfore who couet not only to be called but also to be the same that we are called that is to say Christians must think vppon the mater as it is in déede namely that Chryst dyed for the clensing of suche mennes sinnes as receiue Faith with him and liue in true repentance by mortifying the old man and quickening the new man There bée foure euils wherewith men are burthened ignorance giltinesse of sinne vices and feare of endlesse damnation Ageinst ignorance Chryste is vntoo vs wisdome whyle he by his Gospel instructeth vs of his will towards vs. For if we were not instructed concerning his will by the woord of god our mind should be wrapped in continual darknesse which darknesse is put away by the
betwéene man and man but betwéene God man Howbeit too y e intent wée may vnderstand how great a good thing this peace is whiche Chryste offreth to those that bée his I will expounde more at large the things that come too hand in consideration of this peace wherby wée may gather a full description of this peace Bicause peace is stablished betwéene such as were at ods first we must consider who are the parties that are at ods These are two God and man God is happie blissed without man Man is miserable and damned without God Thē had God no néede to séeke peace with man but man without peace with God is in extréeme miserie therfore hath néed◠of nothing somuch as of peace with God Secondely when parties are at variance it must néedes be that there went some offence before This offence taketh his beginning not of God but of man What is this offence Sinne. This sinne was a certaine falling awaye from God to the diuell vnto whome Man made himselfe subiect Now how sore an offence this was it is easie to déeme by y e greatnesse by the manyfoldnesse by the shamefulnesse and by the penaltie therof The greatnesse of it is that the Creature offended and despised his Creator who was the soueraigne goodnesse of man The manyfoldnesse therof is too bée séene by the frutes The shāfulnesse appéereth by the horrible defilement of all mankynd which followed his offence The penaltie was curse and damnation besides innumerable calamities and miseries wherewith mankind lyeth ouerwhelmed in this life The offence being known which hath made vs gods enimies in the third place is too bée considered the mediatour who verily ought to be suche a one as bothe coulde appease Gods displeasure and also make full amends for the wrong that was done Too pacifie the displeasure of GOD no creature was able and too make amends for the wrong God ought not Therfore such a mediator was too bée sought as both coulde by reason of his power and oughte by reason of nature ▪ When such a one was not to be had the second person in trinitie came intoo the world and tooke mans nature vpon him became man Iesus Chryst. This Iesus Chryst is ioyned too God the father in Godhead and too man by his manhoode Wherefore he both coulde as God and ought as man bicause he tooke our case vppon him The mediator hath made amends for the wrong For he hath taken vppon him our gyltinesse for which he hath suffered punishment vpon the alter of the crosse and hath satisfied Gods Iustice. Howbeit forasmuch as wée abide yet still defyled with sinne Chryst during all his whole lyfe in this worlde did continually obey Gods law fully and perfectly whiche Ryghteousnesse of his he imputeth too all beléeuers that they may bée righteous in Gods sighte And so with his oblation he pacifieth Gods wrath and clotheth vs with obedience that wée may appéere righteous in Gods sight Amendes béeing made attonement is begonne betwéene God and man For the father is appeased through the obedience of his sonne Howbeit forasmuche as in all attonements there must néedes passe some couenant betwéene those that are reconciled the same thing is séene also in this place stablished betwéene vs and God For as on the behalfe of GOD there is a franke and fatherly promise of mercy according too this text I will bée thy God and the God of thy séede after thée Also This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased and agein As truely as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he should turne and liue so on mans behalfe there is faith wherby the fatherly promise is taken wherby wée are adopted too bée the children of God through his only begotten sonne Iesus Chryst. And forasmuche as in couenaunts seales are wont too bée set too these also are not omitted in this most high couenant For there bée thrée seales The first is Chrysts othe Uerely verely I say vnto you hée that beléeueth in mée hath life euerlasting The second sealing is by the Sacramēts of Baptim and the Lordes supper which are the most assured seales of the couenaunt betwéene God and man and shal neuer bée cancelled vnlesse man through his owne default doo cast away Fayth The third◠seale is the earnestpeny of the holy ghost who beareth witnesse too our spirite that wée are the sonnes of God Héerevnto also perteyneth that saying 2. Cor. 1. He hath sealed vs vp and hath giuen vs the earnest of the spirite in our hartes These are the signes and seales wherewith the peace that is agréed vpon betwéene God and man is sealed and confirmed that it may stand stedfast Furthermore least any man may surmise that this peace perteyneth but too a certeyne fewe the publishing thereof is too bée marked which is vniuersall For Chryste at his going vp intoo heauen gaue commaundement too his Disciples that they should proclayme this peace ouer al the woorld For thus sayth he Goo intoo the whole worlde and preache the Gospell too all creatures This peace therefore belongeth too all that receiue the voyce of the Gospel and beléeue in Chryst continuing so too the ende For thus sayeth the Lord Blissed is he that continueth too the ende For it is not ynough for a man too haue begoon wel vnlesse he procéed forward from day too day If yée enquire after the frutes of this most amiable peace yée shall finde them too bée many both in this life and after the resurrection In this lyfe by the benefite of this peace thou hast accesse too God as too a most méeke father through Iesus Christ. For thus sayth Paule Wée being iustified by fayth haue peace with God through Iesus Chryst by whom also wée haue accesse too this grace in which wée stande The second frute of this peace is a good conscience For before the conscience of sinne vexeth vs but after wée féele this peace our conscience is made good and chereful as was the théeues vpon the crosse when he herd This day shalt thou bée with mée in Paradise After the same maner when wée héere in the Gospell that remission of sinnes is denounced too them that beléeue the conscience of the beléeuers becōmeth quiet With this good conscience is ioyned the ioye of the Spirite whereby it cometh too passe that wée glorie euen in the mids of afflictions as Paul saith Howbeit this glorying and this ioy of Spirite is increased by thinking vppon the woorde by prayer by vse of the Sacramentes and by other godly exercises After this frute followeth also a fourthe namely brotherly loue For when wée perceiue and féele by fayth that God our common father is reconciled too vs by our common mediator wée begin too loue one another as coparteners of this common treasure With this fourth frute there goeth also a fifth whiche is a glad departure oute of this life according as Simeon when he had
them that beléeue in the Sonne This is proued by many textes of Scripture Hée that beléeueth sayeth Chryst hath lyfe euerlasting Like as before this â—ayeth goeth forgiuenesse of sinnes so goeth there with it soule health And Peter sayeth that the ende of oure Fayth is the health of oure soules The same thing is mente héere when it is sayd There must repentance bée preached wherthroughe wée sorowe for oure sinnes and flée vntoo Chryste who sayth I came not too call the rightuous but sinners too repentaunce After these things it followeth by whose benefite wée atteyne so greate good things namely for the sacrifice of Chryste that is too wit for Chrystes death and resurrection Wherevppon Paule in the fourth too the Romanes Hée dyed for our sinnes and was raysed ageine for oure iustification And lest any man should think the Gospell too bée a newe learning I added in the definition according vntoo the promise made by the fathers in olde time For both vntoo Adam after his fall was the promise made in the third of Genesis and it was often times after repeated beaten intoo the Fathers heads by the space of foure thousand yéeres til Chryste came in the fleshe In the conclusion are added the endes for which Chryst came first too deliuer vs from the iudgement of the law secondly that they whiche are deliuered shoulde bring foorth frutes woorthie of the Gospel thirdly that they shoulde blaze abrode this so greate a benefite and fourthly that at the last they should obtein ful redemption in eternall life through our Lord Iesus Chryst too whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bée praise honor and glory for euer and euer Amen The first Sunday after Easter ¶ The Gospell Iohn xx THE SAME daye at nyghte vvhyche vvas the fyrste daye of the Sabbothes vvhen the doores vvere shutte vvhere the Dysciples vvere gathered toogyther for feare of the Ievves came Iesus and stoode in the middest and sayde vntoo them Peace bee vntoo you And vvhen hee hadde so sayde hee shevved vntoo them his handes and his side Then vvere the Disciples glad vvhen they savve the Lorde Then sayd Iesus vntoo them ageine Peace bee vntoo you As my Fathet sent me euen so send I you also And vvhen hee had sayde these vvords he breathed on them and sayd vntoo them receiue yee the holy Ghoste VVhosoeuers sinnes yee remitte they are remitted vntoo them And vvhosoeuers sinnes yee reteine they are reteyned The exposition of the text THis Gospel conteyneth parte of the storie that Iohn the Euangelist wrate concerning the resurrection of the Lord in whiche part the Lord testifieth by his visible and fleshely presence by woord déed and miracles that hée is risen from the dead And béetaking vntoo his Disciples the ministerie of his woord hée auoucheth them too bée blissed that shall beléeue in him In the ende of the texte is added the finall cause of all the holye Scripture For thus sayeth hée These things are written that yée may beléeue and that by beléeuing yée may haue life in his name Howbéeit for asmuche as inoughe is spoken already the last wéeke concerning the Lordes resurrection I will not make any more processe about it at this time but wil intreate of thrée other places whiche are conteyned in this Gospel The places 1 Of the ministerie of the woorde and of the power of the Churche 2 Of the confession of Thomas 3 Of the end of holy Scripture ¶ Of the first THe woordes of the texte concerning the ministerie of the woord and the power of the Churche are these Peace be vntoo you as my Father sent mee so send I you VVhen he had sayde this hee breathed vppon them and sayde vntoo them Take ye the holy Ghost vvhose sinnes so euer you release they are released vntoo them and vvhose so euer you vvith holde they are vvith holden Héere haue wée few woordes but they be pithie and conteine a plentiful doctrine whiche all christians ought too knowe Wherefore I exhorte you too giue good ear that you may vnderstand this doctrine And too the intent that may bée doon the more commodiously I wil deuide these woords wherby the ministerie is ordeyned into foure parts The first part peace be vntoo you The second part as my father sent mée so send I you also The third part hée breathed vpon them and said take yée the holy ghost The fourth part whose sinnes so euer you release they are released vntoo theÌ„ and whose so euer you with holde they are withholden Of these foure partes wil I speak in order The first part namely the gréeting Peace bée vntoo you dooth not only comfort the Disciples that were then present but also giueth courage too all that bée and shall be ministers of the woord in the Church He that taketh vpon him the ministerie of the woorde hathe by and by the Deuil his enimie who continually lyeth in wait for his doctrine and life If hée cannot corrupt his doctrine he endeuoreth too staine his life that a man might deny the thing in his works which he teacheth in his words If the Deuil cannot defile his life he layeth a snare for the doctrine that men might be deceyued with erronious doctrine and so bée damned In many hée defileth both life and doctrine Besides that the minister of the woord hath also the world ageinst him which assaileth him eft with Tirannie eft with Hipocrisie and eft with Sophistrie that he might not execute his dutie aright What should the minister of the woorde doo in so great disstresse He shall comfort him self with this saying of Chryst peace bée vntoo you and therwithall he shall pray vntoo God that hée will kéepe him in this peace so as hée hinder not the course of the Gospel eyther by his doctrine or by his conuersation Hée shall set more by the peace of Chryste than by all the delights and freÌ„dships of the world Let this then bée the comfort of the ministers of the Gospel whiche must fighte aageinst the crafts of the Deuil the tirannie of the world hipocrisie and sophistrie The second part is As my father sent mée so send I you How did the father send the sonne The father sent the sonne to destroy the kingdom of the deuil according too that saying The womans séed shall tread down the serpents hed Also Christ appéered too destroy the deuils woords What dooth it not belong only too Chryst too tread down the serpents head Dooth it not belong only too Chryst too destroy the woorks of the deuil Yes surely only vntoo Christ. But in this so greate a woorke there néed twoo engines Sacrifice and Doctrine Christ was sent that he alone by sacrifice should appease his fathers wrath and vanquishe the Deuil Afterward bicause this benefite is offred too men by Doctrine hée destroyed the woork of the Deuil by doctrine also Therefore was Chryste sent for twoo purposes too pacifie God by sacrifice too teach For the first purpose
Chryst only was méet too bée sent for the latter purpose that is too wit too teach were sent in olde time all the Prophets and afterwarde the Apostles and all men that are lawfully called to the office of preaching Therfore as in respect of teaching Chryst sendeth his disciples as hée was sent by the Father Héereby wée may gather twoo things First the difference betwéene the kingdomes of the world and the administration of the churche or betwéen the gouerners of the world and the gouerners of churches For the ministers of the woorde are not sent too bée Lordes on the earth For Chryst tooke no Lordship vpon him neyther are they sent too the pomps of this world which Christ despised but too teach the Gospel too set vp the kingdome of God and too preach saluation vntoo men Secondly héerby is too bée gathered what authoritie y e woord is of whiche they preach that are called to the ministerie As my father hath sent me sayth he so send I you that you may speak not in your own name but in mine Héere vnto perteyneth that saying of the Lorde vntoo his disciples Math. 10. He that héereth you héereth mée and he that despiseth you despiseth mée Héere haue they that teache the woord a comfort and they that héere it a weightie admonition For when those that teache the woord godlily in lawful vocation do suffer any thing at the thanklesse world they haue a comforte in this that they beare the roome of Chryste and that Chryste suffereth wrong with them who wil in time reuenge himselfe And they that héere the woord are admonished first of the aucthoritie of the woorde for they are bounde too héere the woorde none otherwise than if they herd Chryste himselfe speaking Next they are warned too make accompt of the godly ministers of Gods woorde as of Chrysts ambassadours Besides that they are put in minde of the penaltie which they incurre by the iust iudgement of God as many as despise either the word preached or the ministers themselues Also the ministers of the woord must coÌ„sider too what degrée of worship they ar exalted that they doo not either infect the purenesse of the doctrine or estraunge their héerers from them by their euill conuersation The thirde part And vvhen he had said he breathed vpon them and said vntoo them Take yee the holy Ghost These woords coÌ„tein a singuler doctrine For Christ by these woords sheweth from whence the woorde whiche is preached by the voyce of the ministers hath his power and woorking which vndoutedly is not inclosed in the voice of y e minister nor haÌ„geth vpon the holinesse and woorthinesse of man but all the power and woorking of the woord procéedeth of the vertue of Christs spirit For when as Chryst héere breatheth vpon the disicples and biddeth them take the holy ghost he giueth too vnderstaÌ„d y t the holy ghost shal always be present at y e ministery of the word as if he had said behold ye shal be the ministers of the new testameÌ„t which shall build me a church in y e woorld by preaching the gospel and I know how weake you are too go through with so great a woork specially séeing the deuill the world and all mannes reason shal set themselues ageynst you Wherfore I wil that the holy ghost shal be present in this your ministerie by whoÌ„ your labor shall become effectuall For he by his power shall bring too passe that my woord which you shal preach shal not return to you in vaine Héere wée may gather a profitable doctrine and admonition The doctrine is that the holy ghost is tyed too the woord and wil be effectual by it The admonishment or comfort is that therby as wel the techers as the héerers may rayse vp themselues at the presence of the holy ghost ageynst the enemies of their saluation The fourth parte VVhose sinnes so euer yee shall release they are released vntoo them and vvhose so euer yee shal vvithholde they are vvithholden In these woords he ordeineth and establisheth that spiritual power of the church which we cal the power of the keys aud the key is shewed wherwith the kingdome of heauen is opened and shut Notwithstanding too the entent this most profitable doctrine may bée euidently vnderstood of al men I will diuide it intoo certeine points which are these From whence is the power of the church what it is in whom it resteth wherein it consisteth These poynts being well vnderstood there is no man but he shal handsomly perceiue what and what maner of thing the Ecclesiasticall power is From whence then is this power From God by Iesus Christ. For if ye haue an eye no further than on maÌ„ it is but a single ministerie But if ye haue an eye too Chryst it is an high power than the which there is none vpon earth either greater or profitabler or of more woorship For Chryste sitting at the right hand of the father in the throne of his maiestie ordereth and directeth this power He therefore that dispiseth this power both is bereft of the frute therof and also dishonoureth the sonne of God What is the power of the Churche It is the power of releasing withholding sinnes that is too say of preaching the Gospel whiche who so beléeueth too him is the kingdome of heauen opened and he that beléeueth not too him it is shewed that the kingdome of heauen is shut vp In whom resteth this power In the Church For when our Lord gaue the keyes too Peter and the other Apostles he bestowed these keyes vpon the very Churche at the whiche the ministers fetche the keyes as the handmayde hathe the keyes of hir mistresse In what thing consisteth the power of the keyes In the effectuall woorking of the holy Ghoste who in the woorde and by the woord is mightie of operation woorketh faith in the héerers of y e woord So the woord is as it were one key which the minister of the woord occupyeth and faith is another key which the holy ghost putteth too and wheÌ„ these keyes are put too both toogither then is the kingdome of heauen opened Now that wée haue in this wise expounded these things let vs wey the woords of this text somewhat déeplyer Firste therefore when hée sayeth whose so euer stay thy selfe and consider of this woord whose so euer First that the promise of grace is vniuersall Set thou this vniuersall promising ageinst the temptation of particularitie and include thy selfe within the generall promise Nexte set this woord whose so euer ageinst the multitud of sinnes And when thou art teÌ„pted too despaire for the multitude of thy sinnes let this promise of the Lorde come too thy minde whose so euer c. Hée sayeth not if a man commit a few sinnes or many neyther sayth hée if hée be a Iew a Gréek a gentleman a commoner a rich man or a poore man but he saith whose so euer Moreouer this place doâ—th vs too
vvith sorovv that is too say bicause yée haue herd me make mention of my death crucifying yée are striken with sorow For yée vnderstand not what good my death and Resurrection shall bring you But I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I go as if he had saide Yée shal not thinke of my death as of the death of an other man but know yée this that my death my resurrection and my gooing too the father shall bring singuler profite vnto you The profite in effect is this Like as Chryste was borne circumcised offered in sacrifice and a teacher vntoo vs so also was he put too death and raised agein from death for our saluation conditionally that wée leane vpon him by stedfast faith Whervpon is that saying the .x. too the Romans If thou beléeue in thy hart that God hath raysed vp Iesus Chryste from death thou shalt bée safe This profite of Chrysts gooing away his disciples vnderstoode not but onely dreamed of a worldly kingdome wherein Chryst as the highest Monarche shoulde holde the souerayntie For if I go not avvay that comforter shall not come vntoo you as if he had saide I shall suffer for your sakes I shall rise agein for your sakes I shall go too the father for your sakes that from thence I may sende you a sanctifier a comforter and an aduocate In these woords he giueth vs too vnderstande two things the one is that the Church shall haue enemies in this world and that it shal be exercised with the crosse The other is that in the crosse and in persecution it shall haue the holy Ghost a comforter and aduocate whom he shall giue vntoo it For thus he sayth And vvhē I am gone I vvil send him vntoo you All these things tend too this purpose that when the Disciples shoulde sée Chryste betrayed by Iudas caught too be punished and condemned to most shameful death they should by some meanes take hart too them vpon trust of these promises of Chryste From hence also let vs séek comforte as often as we bée afflicted in the kingdome of the worlde and let vs thinke vppon the difference betwéene Chrystes kingdome and the kingdome of the world In that is the holy Ghost an aduocate and comforter whome the Father shall giue too them that aske according too Chrystes promise and hée shall giue the holy Ghoste too them that aske but in this there is affliction and miserie ¶ Of the second IN the seconde parte the texte telleth what the holy Ghoste shall doo in the world VVhen he commeth sayth hée he shal reprooue the vvorlde of sinne of rightuousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bycause they haue not beleeued in me of rightuousnesse bycause I go too my Father and novv yee shall not see mee and of iudgement bycause the Prince of this vvorld is iudged already These woordes of Chryste are too bée referred vntoo twoo times namely vntoo that time that followed immediately after the Lordes Ascension and too the reste of the whole time vntoo the end of the worlde First therefore wil I shew how these woords are too bée vnderstoode in respecte of the time that followed immediatly after the Ascension of the Lorde when the holy Ghoste was giuen visibly too the Apostles vpon Whitson Sunday First he sayth the holy Ghoste shall reproue the vvorld of sinne that is too say The holy ghost shall manifestly conuince that too bée sinne whiche the world thinketh too bée no sinne For the worlde that is too say mine enimies of whome I am reiected despised and nayled too the crosse béeing conuicted by the manifeste witnesse of the holy Ghoste and their owne conscience shall confesse it selfe too haue doone amisse and also too haue synned very gréeuously in that it hath not beléeued on mée whiche thing héertofore it took too bée no sinne at all How true this is they beare witnesse whome Peter reproueth of murther in the seconde of the Actes For they béeing conuicted of their sinne say Men and brethren what shal we doo Thus are these men compelled too confesse their murther and too acknowledge them selues too haue sinned gréeuously in killing him on whome they ought rather too haue beléeued Secondly hée shall reproue the worlde of rightuousnesse that is too saye the Holye Ghoste shall cléerely conuince that that is rightuousnesse whiche the worlde thinketh too bée no rightuousnesse For the holy Ghoste shall proue openly béefore the worlde that Chryste was rightuous in déede whiche thing the proude Pharisies and the worlde thoughte not but Chryste confirmed his rightuousnesse by his deede That it is so it appéereth by the reason added For sayeth hée I go vntoo my Father and you shall see mee no more that is too say When the worlde shall sée openly in the Church that I haue sheaded the holye Ghoste intoo you it shall bée compelled too confesse that I was rightuous in very déede and not an vngodly blasphemous person in that I sayd I was the sonne of GOD for the holy Ghoste shall beare witnesse of mine innocencie Furthermore the holy Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of iudgemente that is too say the holy Ghoste shall cléerely conuince that that iudgement is already giuen whiche the worlde thinketh not for hée shall beare witnesie that the Prince of this worlde is iudged What is that The worlde whiche called me Chryste in mockage and did bid me come downe from the Crosse shal bée conuinced by the holy Ghoste whome I shall poure out vppon you on Whitsonday that it hath iudged amisse For the holy Ghost shal bring too passe that they shall in very déed vnderstand and knowe how that I hauing vanquished the Deuil by my resurrection doo beare the whole swaye in the worlde when no man shall bée able too withstande you This is the meaning of these woordes if wée referre them vntoo the woorking of the holy Ghoste vpon Whitson Sunday whiche thing wée must néedes doo And yet they belong not so precisely too that time but that they bothe may and must also bée referred too the whole time folowing euen vntoo the ende of the worlde according as I will shew by and by First therefore the holy Ghoste shall reproue the worlde of sinne that is too say shall shewe it too bée giltie of sinne Of what sinne For that sayth hée they beléeued not in mée And are there none other sinnes that the holy Ghost shal reproue than vnbeléefe or not too beléeue on Chryst Yes surely there are infinite and horrible sinnes ageinst the firste and seconde table Why then did hée put this alone Bicause as long as this remayneth the rest also are reteyned with it and when this goeth away the reste are released Therefore like as all other sinnes are where vnbeléefe is so where as is fayth in Chryste all sinnes are forgiuen For euerlasting life is promised too him that beleeueth which should not be done vnlesse the sinnes were forgiuen Héere then wée sée how
néedeful a thing it is too beléeue in Chryste But what is too beléeue in Chryst It is too persuade a mannes selfe that Chryste is the highe Préeste and King who by his death hathe made satisfaction for sinne and by his glorious resurrection hathe broughte rightuousnesse or that by his bloud he who is bothe GOD and man hathe purchased a Churche vntoo him selfe Actes 20. This fayth is not the woorke of man but of God It springeth not of reason but of Gods woord Moreouer the woord of GOD is of twoo sortes Law and Gospel The law pulleth away trust in our selues and the Gospel woorketh trust in Chryst. For the law setteth before vs the rightful wil of GOD namely that wee should keep the Law or otherwise too bée damned by the wil of God The gospel setteth before vs the gracious wil of God which is that God forgiuing our sinnes wil receiue vs intoo his fauour for Chrysts sake Therfore like as by the law we come too the knowledge of our owne weaknesse and by this too the knowledge of Gods rightful wil and iudgement and so consequently too despaire so by the vnderstanding of the Gospel wée come vntoo the knoweledge of Gods mercy for Chrystes sake who was giuen too bée made a Sacrifice that hée mighte take away the sinnes of al that beléeue in him By this knowledge through the woorking of the holy Ghoste is conceyued faith whereby all sinnes are abolished and Chrystes rightuousnesse offered vntoo vs that wée bée no more condemned as sinners but appéere in Gods sight rightuous as his sonnes too whom eternall life is promised for an inheritaunce according too this Scripture hée that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life but hée that beléeueth not on the Sonne shall not sée life but the wrath of GOD abideth vppon him Why so Bicause he abideth in his sinne for the whiche he is bound vntoo euerlasting paine according too that saying hée that beléeueth not in the sonne the wrath of God abideth vpon him By the name of wrath is signified curse paine ioyned with damnation Héerby it appéereth how néedful faith is what it bringeth too passe Then foloweth And he shall reproue the vvorlde of rightuousnesse bycause I go too the Father and you shall see mee no more That is the holy Ghost shal reproue the world for not folowing true rightuousnesse wherthrough wée might stand before GOD. And this true rightuousnesse is the rightuousnesse of Chryste namely that hée going too the father is there an high Préest and intercessour for the beléeuers for Christs suffering and intercession too the Father is the rightuousnesse of the beléeuers But bycause the faithlesse worlde beléeueth not this it is reprooued of the holy Ghoste For he effectually conuinceth that righteousnesse cannot happen too men by any meanes else than by the imputation of Chrystes rightuousnesse which falleth too their lot that beléeue on him These are strange and woonderful things too them that vnderstande not the righteousnesse of Faith but dreame themselues too bée righteous eyther for the outwarde obedience of the law or for mennes traditions as the Pharisies in olde time and our Papistes doo in these dayes These perceyue not that all the woorks of the worlde are farre more imperfect than that they can ouercome the power of the Deuill and Death But how is it proued that Chrysts obedience is our righteousnesse It is proued by most grounded testimonies of the scripture Paule Rom. 5. Like as by the disobedience of one man namely of Adam many became sinners So by the obedience of one namely of Chryst many shall bée made rightuous Wée haue this rightuousnesse of Chryste imputed vntoo vs when wée beléeue on him according too that text too the Romanes With the hart wee beléeue vntoo rightuousnesse Also Abraham beléeued God and it was imputed too him for rightuousnesse Paule Rom. 3. Wée suppose that a man is made rightuous by Faith without the déedes of the law The selfe same thing méeneth Christ in this place whē he sayth The holy Ghost shall reproue the vvorld of rightuousnesse bicause I go too the father That is the holy Ghost shall not only proue me too haue bin rightuous but also shall manifestly shew that I am the rightuousnesse of them that beléeue in mée It foloweth further And the holy ghost shall reproue the vvorld of iudgement bicause the prince of this vvorlde is iudged That is the holy ghost shall mauger the worlde proue me too bée that séede that was promised too tread downe the Serpentes head that is too say that should iudge the Prince of this woorld with whom also are all his members iudged and condemned For if the head bée condemned what can the members doo Wherefore let the Deuill rage ageynst the godly as muche as he listeth yet is he able too doo nothing He shall lye in wayte truely but he shall not ouerthrowe vs as long as wée kéepe our Faythe strong and stable For thus sayth Iohn This is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith By the world is ment Sathan himself with al his band of Tyrants Sophisters Hipocrits and meritmongers For Christ by his spirit confoundeth the iudgement of Sathan whoo by his gard condemneth the gospel For he shal not stoppe the course of the Gospel although he oftentimes attempt it with riuers of blud from the beginning of the world vntoo this day and specially after Chrysts Resurrection Wée haue in what sort the holy Ghost shall reproue the world Now let vs shortly see what hée dooth in the Churche First he is present effectually in the woord the sacraments For wheresoeuer the woorde of God is preached purely and the Sacraments ministred according to Chrysts institution there is he present and will worke effectually in the héerers of the woord and in the partakers of the Sacramentes But as for them that either héer the woord slightly or vse the Sacraments without reuerence they set themselues ageinst the holy Ghost and despise the ministration of the word and Sacraments too their owne harme and damnation Ageine as this Texte teacheth the holy Ghoste is present in the Churche as a comforter aduocate and teacher of the truth For we in the world are pressed with many inconueniences ageinst which we haue néede of a comforter least being discouraged with aduersities we should renounce our profession Our aduersarie the Diuel accuseth vs dayly as he accused Iob. Héer could we not stand without our aduocate who warranteth vs that God is at one with vs and wil not cast vs away for our sinnes so we fal too repētance Besides this wée are infected with muche and déepe ignorance so as we are not able to vnderstand gods matters Wherfore wée haue néede of the holy ghost too teach vs who wil lead vs intoo all trueth according to Chrysts promise And when the spirite of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth The holy ghost commeth after two
suche as lye extréemely sicke or for others that haue néede of our prayers Thankes giuing is an humble lifting vp a mans minde vntoo God wherby wée yéelde thanks vntoo God eyther for beneats bestowed vppon our selues or others or for ridding our selues or others from some inconueniences Now wée perceiue what Chrystian prayer is and how many kindes there bée of it Héerafter remayneth that wée speake of the continuall circumstances of godly prayer ¶ Of the second IN euery godly praier ther must néedes bée alwais these .v. properties circumstances Forst the earnestnesse of hart in him that prayeth secondly coÌ„sideration of the causes that moue vs too pray thirdly who it is that wée cal vpon fourthly by whom wée are herd and fifthly what wée ought to aske of God For these things shal make vs a difference betwéene the vaine babling of the heathen and the effectuall prayer of the godly Wherfore I beséeche you déere brethren that you will diligently lerne and thorowly wey these continuall circumstances of prayer The first circumstance of a godly prayer is the affection of the hart that the hart bée wel bent and settled in praying For if honestie require that our body bée well ordered when wée haue communication with men of more honor than our selues it is much more méete that our minde bée very well disposed when wée shal speake before God in the sight of his Angelles What maner of affection then ought his too bée that will call vppon God with frute First of al let him put off all imagination of his owne glory woorthinesse and desert Next let him thinke vpon his owne néedinesse and pâ—rswade himselfe that he is vtterly destitute of al ayde vnlesse the Lord reach him out his helping hande Then let him cast downe himselfe by true repentance And lastly let him bée kindled too prayer by confidence of gods promisses For who so euer swelleth either with opinion of his owne vertue or féeleth not his own needinesse or casteth not himself downe before God through true repentance or wanteth fayth he prayeth with the Pharisie and not with the Publicane that is too wit he prayeth not aright and effectually The second circumstance is of the causes whereby wée must bée moued too pray And there bée many causes wherof I wil reherse some too the intent that greater desire of praying may be stirred vp in vs. The first cause is Gods commaundement wherevnto it becommeth all creatures too bée obedient Call vppon mée sayth hée in the day of thy trouble And Chrysts Apostles doo oftentimes prouoke vs too pray by the commaundement of God Wée must diligently muse vppon this cause which may stirre vp in vs a desire too pray The second cause is the promise For God hath promised that he will héere our prayers according as it is saide in this Gospel VVhatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he shall giue it you Also in the Psalmes Call vppon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil héere thée Too héere is nothing else but too graunt our requests The third cause is the crosse pressing vs that is too say the féeling both of our owne and other mennes néedynesse Héere wée must looke about vs what pincheth vs at home and what abrode wée must thorowly wey the publike and priuate harmes wée must thinke vppon the distresse of the Church encountring in this world ageinst the deuil and his members and too bée short wée must think vpon all the necessities that nip vs in this life wherby wée may bée stirred vp too call vppon God The fourth cause is victorie in temptations Whervpon in the first of Sainct Iames wée are commaunded too pray as often as wée are troubled with temptations And Chryst sayeth Pray that yée enter not intoo temptation For hée that prayeth earnestly and continually shall not easly be ouercome eyther by the slightes of the deuill or the wickednesse of the worlde or the prouocation of his sinnefull flesh Héervpon Salomon sayth The name of the Lord is a most strong towre that is too say The calling vppon God is a most assured defence ageinst all euils The fifth cause is the sundry suttleties of Sathan who layeth snares for vs in our doctrine and conuersation Paule Eph. 6. biddeth vs take that sword of the spirit which is the woorde of God ageynst Sathan by all maner of intreataunce and prayer The sixth cause is the most plentiful frute of often prayer For the custome of praying kéepeth vs in the feare of God and in godlynesse For that man is not easie too take a fall whoo fencing him self with continual prayers dooth earnestly set his minde vppon godlynesse Contrarywise they that neglect the exercise of prayer ar subiect too diuers casualties Many that are led too execution knowe not so muche as the forme of prayer prescrybed by Chryste and thoughe some knowe it if a man aske the question they confesse they prayed seldome or neuer The seuenth cause is the examples of holy men whose chéefe care in this life was too call vpon God earnestly The Iewes prayed thrice a day in the morning at noone and at night So also did Daniell and many others whoos 's godlynesse is commended But among manye yée shall finde some that in stéede of prayer doo not only in the morning at noone and at night but also whole nights whole dayes togyther giue them selues too wickednesse too make a soft pillowe for the Deuil that hée may rest the more quietly in their hartes These moste weightie causes it behooueth vs too think vppon earnestly too the intent we may driue away our drouzinesse and bée stirred vp too call vpon God in good earnest But some passing ouer these moste weightie causes say God knoweth wherof wée haue néed and hée beareth vs good wil. For he is our Father therfore wée néed not wéerie oure selues with praying I answere True it is that GOD knoweth what things wée haue néede of and hée is our father in déede conditionally that wée bée his sonnes by faith Neither doo wée therfore aske of God bicause we wold teach him that which he knoweth not But it is too be knowen y t he wil not haue y e order broken which he hath apointed For as he hath ordeyned that he wil haue vs fed with meat drink whiche thing he could notwithstanding doo without these meanes so his wil is y t wée should obteine the good things that perteine as wel too our saluation as to the sustentation of this life by prayer whiche procéedeth of fayth Yée receiue not sayeth S. Iames. 4. bicause yée ask amisse And Christ sayth The lord shall giue the holy Ghost too them that aske but he sayth not too loyterers or them that liue carelesse Wée must therefore aske if we set by our own welfare Wée must acknowledge bothe as wel the goodnesse of GOD whoo is redy too giue too those that ask as the néedinesse of our selues whoo should not be able
too him that suffreth violence or wrong or is accused by the wicked world Secondly that he take vppon him the case of eche man yea and of the whole Churche as his owne case Thirdly that he teach and admonishe him that erreth and instruct him that hée bée not ouerthrowne in his case Fourthly that he comfort him in his trouble Therfore when the holy ghost is called an aduocate it is ment therby that he is the defender of the Church that he taketh the case therof vpon himselfe and that he teacheth and comforteth the church Agein the text saith that the holy Ghost shal bée the teacher of truth By which name is shewed first that men can not obteyn healthful truth of their owne disposition and nature Secondly y t the doctrine of truth is not of the lawe but of the Gospell For reason of his owne inclination dooth after a sort vnderstande the doctrine of the law And thirdly y t the holy ghost woorketh mightily both in the teachers and in the learners For he maketh the teachers too vnderstande the truth and the learners too receiue it And therefore wée are admonished too call vppon the teacher of truth that hée may giue vs the key of knowledge and too beware that wée driue not away from vs that same most pure spirite through our vnclennesse For in asmuch as he is holy that is cleane chast and a maker of others holy hée dwelleth not in an vnpure harte that is too wit in suche a hart as tumbleth it selfe in his owne filthines and defileth it selfe as a swine by wallowing in the myre Besides this hée sayth This holy Ghoste shall beare witnesse of mée Of whiche office the ministers of Gods woorde also shalbée partakers But what dooth the holy Ghoste witnesse of Chryste and what shall the ministers of the woord witnesse of him First the holy Ghost and the ministers of Gods woorde beare witnesse of Chryst that he is very God according too the Scripture one in Godhead with the father and the holy Ghoste as wée professe in our Créed Secondly the holy Ghoste witnesseth that Chryst is very man according too oure Créede who was conceyued by the holye Ghoste and borne of the virgin Mary Thirdly y e holy Ghost witnesseth that Christe though hée be bothe God and man yet is but one Lord one Chryste one person according as our Créed beareth record Chryst also of himself when he sayth No man goeth vp intoo heauē but he that came downe from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen Fourthly the holy Ghoste beareth witnesse of Chrystes office that he is a bishop and a king A bishop verely whiche with his owne sacrifice pacifieth the wrath of the father and by his intercession bringeth vs vntoo GOD. And a King in that he hath vanquished our enimies death sinne the Deuil and hel and shall come too iudge the quicke and the dead These foure things dooth the spirit witnesse of Chryst. These foure things are deliuered vs cōcerning Christ in our Créede These foure things shall all godly ministers of Gods woord witnesse of Chryst til hée come too iudgement Of the second THese things haue I spoken to you that yee shold not be offēded Christ dooth thē to vnderstād to what end he spake so much of the church of the holy ghost of his death resurrectiō y t is to wit y t being cōfirmed by these things they shold not bée offended with the rest of the world This admonishment is necessarie at all times for the world is full of stumbling blocks Woe sayth Chryst bée vntoo the world for offence méening that they are like too buy it déer that fal from the Gospel bycause of offences Now too the intent euery one of vs may iudge a right concerning an offence I wil set forth a ful doctrine concerning offences An offence in general is whatsoeuer kéepeth a man backe from the righte course of the Gospell that is too saye eyther woorde déede or outwarde appéerance if I may so terme it whiche is too any man a cause or occasion of stumbling or of béeing offended so as eyther he bée hindred or else step aside from the right course of saluation Of this stumbling blocke there are moe kindes than one For there is one offence or stumbling block whiche is called giuen and another that is called taken Which what maner of ones they bée I wil declare by definitions and examples An offence giuen is that which riseth eyther of som woord or déede that is euill in it selfe or else of some woorde or déed that is indifferent that is too wit neyther good nor euill but cast foorth out of season Both of these is streightly forbidden by Gods woord and Chryste him self auoucheth it too bée better for a man too bée drowned in the middes of the Sea than too giue occasion of offence too any bodye The examples are these Arrius denyed Chryst too bée God whereby he caused manye too stumble and was a cause of endlesse damnation bothe too him selfe and too many others Dauid by his aduoutrie was a stumbling blocke too all the inhabiters of his Realme and had pearished for euer if hée had not repented Ageinst this stūbling block prayeth Salomon when he sayth Kéep me frō the snare that they haue layd for me from the stūbling block of thē that work wickednesse The most part of the world stūbling at this block stick in damnation dayly many fall headlong intoo destruction by dasshing ageynste this stūbling block bothe priuately publikly Priuatly are offended children seruants and maryed couples Children sée their parents absteyne from Gods seruice and they absteine likewise They héere their parentes sweare and they sweare as well as they They héere them talke of ribaudry and by and by they folow their example For wicked things sticke fastest in minde They sée them bibbing deceyuing and dealing vniustly with their neibours and they like good scholers lerne the same trades But wo bée too them by whō such stumbling blockes are made For they with the whirle winde and tempest of their stumbling blockes doo throwe downe and beate out the crop of Chrysts church This houshold stumbling block is the séede of all euils in the world For such things as childrē lerne of their fathers moothers they kéepe stil when they bée old and also teach the same too their children Wherfore the parents that fear god must take excéeding great héede that they bée not stumbling blocks too their owne children Therfore let them talk godlily let them doo all things rightly Let them serue God and stirre vp their children too do the like and let them bring thē vp in correction and nurture of the Lord according as Paul admonisheth and let them always bear in mind this saying of Chryst which is written in the ninth of Mark whoosoeuer offendeth one of these little ones that beléeueth in mée it were better for him that he had a milstone hanged
Dauid the periurie of Peter the harde yoke that Ioseph layde vpon the Egiptians and the gréedie gathering of Zachey too the intent they may sel themselues too al naughtinesse Yea rather they séek by mennes vices how they may hardeÌ„ them selues too the contempt of God Wherefore not without cause this kinde of stumbling is called deuilish as the whiche is shored vp with slaunders too the contempt of God ¶ Of the third THe third place is of the persecutioÌ„ or crosse of the churche for whiche place looke before in the thirde Sunday after Easter ¶ Vpon the feast of Pentecost which we call Whitsonday ¶ The Gospel Iohn xiiij IF yee loue mee keepe my commaundementes and I vvil pray the Father and hee shall giue you another comâ—orter that hee may abide vvith you for euer euen the spirite of truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receyue bycause the vvorld seeth him not neyther knovveth him But yee knovve him for he dvvelleth vvith you and shal bee in you I vvill not leaue you comfortlesse but vvill come too you Yet a little vvhile and the vvorld seeth mee no more but yee see mee For I liue and yee shall liue That day shall yee knovve that I am in my Father and you in mee and I in you Flee that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them the same is hee that loueth mee And hee that loueth mee shall bee loued of my Father and I vvill loue him and vvill shevve my ovvne selfe vntoo him Iudas sayth vntoo him not Iudas Iscarioth â–ª Lord vvhat is doone that thou vvilte shevve thy selfe vntoo vs and not vntoo the vvorld Iesus ansvvered and sayd vntoo them â–ª if a man loue mee hee vvill keepe my sayings and my Father vvill loue him and vve vvil come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Hee that Ioueth mee not keepeth not my sayings And the vvoord vvhiche yee heere is not mine but the Fathers vvhiche sent mee These things haue I spoken vntoo you beeyng yet present vvith you But the comforter vvhich is the holy Ghost vvhome my Father vvil sende in my name hee shall teache you all things and bring all things too your remembraunce vvhat so euer I haue sayd vntoo you Peace I leaue vvith you my peace I gyue vntoo you Not as the vvorld giueth giue I vntoo you Let not your hartes bee greeued neyther fear Yee haue herd hovv I sayd vntoo you I go and come ageine vntoo you If yee loued mee yee vvoulde verely reioyce bycause I sayd I go vntoo the Father For the Father is greater than I. And novv haue I shevved before it come that vvhen it is come too passe yee might beleeue Heereafter vvil I not talke many vvoords vntoo you For the Prince of this vvorld commeth and hathe naught in mee But that the vvorlde may knovve that I loue the Father And as the Father gaue mee commaundement euen so doo I. The exposition of the text THis feast which wée call Pentecost that is the fiftith daye was ordeyned in remembraunce of the confirmation of the Gospell the fiftith daye after Chrystes resurrection For that day our Lord sent the holy Ghost from heauen who sate vppon the Apostles visibly in likenesse of flambes of fire and hée according too Chrystes promisse not onely leadeth the Apostles intoo all truthe but also certifieth the whole world that Iesus Chryst is in heauen who from thence confirmeth his doctrine by this woonderfull déede For like as the fiftith day after the Iewish passeouer which they ate first in Egipt the law was giuen and the doctrine thereof confirmed with great miracles according as it is written Exod. 19. Euen so after the true Passeouer that is too wit after the killing of the Lamb of GOD which is Chryst Gods wil was too confirme the Gospel of his Sonne with this woonderful déede that is by the visible giuing of the holy Ghoste according as wée shall héere more largely in the lesson at Euensong Now let vs enter vppon the most swéete Gospell which also is a péece of that long Sermon that the Lord made to his Disciples the day before he suffered The summe of the text that you haue herd is that Chryste giueth a true marke of faith and loue of God and of the frute of the same fayth and loue namely that the disciples should haue quiet consciences through the holy ghost whom he promiseth that the father shall send in his name Also Christ giueth them to vnderstaÌ„d of his victorie ageinst Sathan that euen by this victorie the world may know how well the father loueth it And al these things tend too y e strengthening of his disciples least through offence of the crosse they might go backe from their profession The places are foure 1 The true marke of fayth and of the loue of God 2 The frute and vse of kéeping the woord of God 3 Chrysts promising the holy ghost the comforter 4 Of the peace that Christ promiseth too those that bée his ¶ Of the firste IF a man loue mee he vvill keepe my sayings Let vs marke these woords aduisedly For they shew a true mark of faith of the loue of God He that loueth Christ héereth him willingly He willingly kéepeth that which he héereth And he willingly dooth that which he kéepeth For these things are by nature ioyned togither Wée sée it is a custome among men that they doo not without wéerinesse héer those persons towardes whom they are not very well minded And that contrarywise they couet nothing more than with all attentiuenesse of mind to héer those whom they loue entirely specially when they know they speake many things sagely and wisely too their welfare and profit But what is the saying of Chryst First too repent For so did his messenger Iohn Baptist and he himself also begin his preaching Héerby is vttered his affection towardes vs For without repentaunce it is vnpossible too bée saued Wherevpon he sayth except yée repent yée shall all perishe Secondly too beléeue the Gospel that is too beléeue assuredly that Chryst is suche a one towards him as he is declared too vs in his Gospell too bée that is too wit a Sauiour a Iustifier and a Redéemer The end of this faith is the health of our soules 1. Peter 1. and in Iohn Hée that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life Thirdly too bring foorth frute by this faith First deuotion too godward or seruice of God â–ª Secondly inâ—â—cencie of life and kéeping holy both of minde and body Thirdly loue of our neighbor flowing out of a true faith a pure hart a good conscience And fourthly too doo the woork of our vocation in feare too the glory of God and profit of our neighbour All these vertues ar beutified with true patience which is a certeyn obedience towards God vnder the crosse He that wil bée my Disciple sayth the Lord let him take vp his crosse and folow mée What Wherfore requirest thou so many things Are we not iustified saued by
clensing héerof hath he giuen his sonne willeth that those which wil be partakers of his mercy should mortifie it in thēselues by continual repentāce But how doth God loue the world So as he hath giuen his sonne for it that is to wit that he should take vpon him the sinne of the world die for it vpon the crosse Surely it is a great loue than which there can be none greter But reason is héer offēded which vnderstandeth not Gods purpose and obiecteth in this wise Is not God almighty Yes surely Can he not doo what hée listeth Yes vndoubtedly can he Had it not bin better then if he had shewed his loue towards men by some other meane Austin answereth If hée had doone otherwise neyther would y t haue liked thée It pleased him saith Paul too saue the vnbeléeuers by the foolishe preaching of the Gospel Wherefore setting aside the iudgemente of reason let vs saye with Dauid Thy woorde is a lanterne too my feete Also this is too bée knowne that God is not only almighty but also most iust most merciful and most wise Mankinde was falne intoo sinne What did Iustice require in this case Surely that mankind should bée punished according too the greatnesse of his sinne Nowe as his sinne was infinite for the infinite goodnesse was defaced therby so Gods iustice required that eyther mankinde should suffer endlesse punishmēt or else that rightfull amēds should bée made in stead of the punishemente This amends could none make but God But forasmuch as God ought not too bée punished the sonne of God tooke mannes nature vpon him and in it made satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde And so God shewed himself not only almighty but also most iust most merciful and most wise For he alone foūd out the way which reason could not find He gaue his sonne whoo by his heauenly power ouercame sinne death the Deuil Hel who of his mercy hath receyued vs who with his rightuousnesse hathe satisfied the iustice of God who through his wisdome hath found out the way of saluation ¶ Of the second THat all that beleeue in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Héere is the instrument set foorth whereby the benefites of our Mediatour Chryst are applyed vntoo vs. Howbéeit for asmuch as these are the woordes of the sonne of God and the chéef floure or pith of the whole scripture I wil sift them one by one and shew what doctrine is too bée gathered of euery word First hée sayth All. This woord all remedieth two moste gréeuous temptations whereof the one is of particularitie and the other of vnwoorthinesse for the multitude of sinnes There are diuers that confesse God too bée merciful too many for Christes sake but they dout whither so great a good turne perteine too them selues or no. This is a sore temptation the whiche the sonne of God remedyeth with this one woord all For if Chrystes benefite extended not it self too all he would in no wise haue sayd all but many or some Let vs then giue the praise of truth vntoo Chryste and let euery man throughly persuade him self that Christes benefits belong to him also Ageine another temptation riseth of the thinking vppon the greatnesse of sinnes whiche temptation the miseries of this present life encrease This dooth Chryste remedy also by this woord all For hée sayth not euery iust man or that committeth the lesser sinnes but all that is to wit euery one that is found within this wide worlde This also confirmeth the price of our redemptiō The blud of Christ saith Iohn clenseth vs from all iniquitie that is too say from all that whiche wée doo amisse contrary too the law of God Therefore let no man despaire by reason of the greatnesse of his disease Oure Phisicion Chryste is wise and hath an effectuall remedye ageinst all diseases namely his owne death and obedience Then foloweth the second woord that beleeueth by whiche woord mākind is disseuered intoo twoo sorts of men of whom the one beléeue the other beléeue not They beléeue whiche persuade them selues that Christ is fauorable to them according too his promisse and they beléeue not whiche despise the gospel and wil not credit Christ these perish through their owne default Uerely the benefit extendeth it self too al men is offred too all according too Christs commaundement but it is receiued of the beléeuers only according too Chrysts cōmaundement and promisse Go yee intoo the vvhole vvorld preach the gospel to al creatures He that beleueth shal be saued Behold the benefit is offred vntoo all but only the beléeuers take hold of it the rest perish through their own default For althoughe that God of his mercy is willing too haue all men saued yet wil hée of his iust iudgement that the vnbeléeuers perish whom hée would haue saued if they had not refused to embrace their saluation by faith The third woord is on him For hée is saued that beléeueth on him that is on the sonne of God very man the sauyoure of the world Iesus Chryst. What is it too beléeue on him It is too despaire of thy self and too hope for all good at his hand The fourth woord is should not perish In this saying are shewed twoo things Firste that all whiche beléeue not on Christ are subiect too the sentence of damnation And secondly that men bée acquit from this sentence of dānation by the merites of only Chryst through fayth only This therfore is the greatest benefite of the Gospel too bée set frée from deserued destruction and endlesse damnation The fifthe saying is but haue life euerlasting This is the chéefest benefit of the Gospel Endlesse death is due to vs by oure owne desert eternall life is due too vs by the deserte of Christ so that wée leane vntoo him by stedfast fayth vntoo the end By these things now is too be gathered a firme differēce betwixt the law and the Gospel and betwéene woorkes and fayth The law promiseth eternall life but it is too them that doo the lawe But bicause no man is able too fulfil the lawe it foloweth that no man can atteine life by the law The Gospel promiseth eternal life fréely too all that beléeue in Christ bicause Chryste hath for all suche satisfied the rightuousnesse of the lawe Fayth therefore receyueth that benefite fréely whiche the lawe offereth without condicion of fulfilling the law Notwithstanding when wée haue obteyned this benefite by faith we must doo works not too the intent too deserue Heauen and euerlasting life by them but as Gods Children too performe true obedience too our Father and to shew oure fayth by our frutes in all godlynesse and honestie ¶ Of the third FOr God hathe not sent his sonne intoo the vvorlde too comdemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde mighte bee saued by him Hee that beleeueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is iudged already bycause hee beleeueth not on
manifold First therefore these things will frame our iudgement aright concerning GOD. For wée must acknowledge God too bée such a one as he hath shewed himself too bée by his woord record according too the verse Beleeue thou God that thing too bee whiche he hath shewed he is too thee Secondly these things teache vs too haue a right opinion concerning the creation which is the woorke of the whole Trinitie Thirdly too haue a right opinion concerning the reparatioÌ„ of mankind which is also the woorke of the whole Trinitie as is sayde afore Fifthly these things instruct vs how to cal vpon god aright For inuocation is too bée directed too this God alone which is the father the sonne and the holy ghost Sixthly these things admonish vs too liue warely and holily as in the sight of god And thus much concerning God and the Trinitie all which things are bréefly set foorth in our Créede ¶ Of the second VNlesse a man be borne agein of vvater and the holy ghost he cannot enter intoo the kingdome of God This is the second doctrine that I purposed vpon For the better vnderstanding wherof two things are too be marked The first is with whom Chryst talketh the other what was the occasion of this saying â–ª What maner a one he was with whom Chryst talked the text sheweth He was an honorable and a noble man he was a Prince of the Iewes he was a Pharisie suche a one as liued blamelesse according too the lawe of Moyses And the occasion was this Nicodemus came too Chryst by night and lyke a right Pharisie thought himselfe righteous by the déedes of the lawe by sacrifyses and by kéeping of the Saâ—othes Wherefore he wondred y t Iohn set out a nowe doctrine concerning righteousnesse and Baptim â–ª which he himself being a doctor of the law was ignoraÌ„t of â–ª Christ therfore preueÌ„teth his iudgemeÌ„t with this saying Unlesse a man bée borne ageyne he cannot enter intoo the kingdome of God At these woords Nicodemus is astonyed and sayth How can a man when he is old be borne ageine Too whom Chryst answereth Verely I say vntoo thee except a man bee borne agein of vvater and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Héere Chryst sheweth that he ment not of the fleshly birthe according as Nicodemus vnderstood him but of the spiritual birth which he proueth too be néedful by this that our former birth is vncleane That sayth he vvhich is borne of the flesh is flesh That is too say whatsoeuer is borne in this corruption of nature is vnclene and giltie and therfore not méete too receiue the kingdome of God Héerevntoo he addeth the maner of regeneration The vvinde blovveth vvhere it listeth and thou heerest the noyse of it but thou knovvest not from vvhence it commeth nor vvhyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirit That is too say Like as the wind is then â—irst felt when it bloweth albéeit that no man know from whence it commeth or whither it goeth so this spirituall regeneration is made after a certein secret maner by the power of the holy ghost whiche when it is doone is perceyued by the newe motions of the newe man Howbéeit too the intent 〈◊〉 may vnderstande these things wée must marke the conueyances and instruments of this spiritual birth â–ª First the séede of this birth is the woord of the Gospel which is preached by the voyce of the ministers Secondly the holy Ghost who in the preaching of the gospell is effectual worketh faith by which wée both giue credit too the woord of God and also persuade our selues that god is at one with vs for his sonnes sake and therwithall altreth our nature too a new obedience Thirdly when these benefits are receyued by â—ayth â–ª as it were intoo the soyle of the hâ—â—t then man being borne a new féeleth by and by within himself the motions of the holy ghost and water is applyed outwardly as a seale of the inward regeneration and a testimoniall of the grace of Chryst bestowed vppon him The effects of this new birth are séen in the minde in the affections in the will and in the outward woorks For the minde is lightened with the brightnesse of God the affections are purged the wil is made forward and a new obedience of all the powers is begon Bréefly he that beléeueth is borne a new ¶ Of the third AS Moyses lifted vppe the Serpent in the Desert so must the Sonne of man bee exalted too the entente that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perrish but haue life euerlasting The Storie of the setting vp of the Serpent in the wildernesse is in the fourth booke of Moyses and the xij Chapter Which figure Chryste in this place applyeth too his owne person saying Like as Moyses lifted vp the Serpente in the vvildernesse This saying of Chryst conteyneth many things For first it openly witnesseth that the lawe taketh not away sinne For if the law coulde take away sinne then Chryste had not néeded too haue bin sacrifized too purge sinne Ageine it sheweth why Chryst was giuen too bée the Messias and why the sonne of GOD tooke mannes nature vpon him For he was giuen too bée lifted vp vpon the Crosse and that saluation might by that meanes happen too the whole worlde Besides that this saying sheweth that Chrystes kingdome is spirituall and euerlasting Moreouer it teacheth what maner of rightuousnesse it is wherby we stand before God or how we bée made partakers of Chrystes benefites that is too wit when we beléeue on Chryste that was lifted vp that is too saye that dyed vpon the altar of the Crosse. Last of al héer is set forth a most swéet comforte that this grace whereby wee haue entraunce intoo heauen is offred vntoo all men whiche thing this woord of vniuersalitie all that beleeue dooth shewe Let vs therefore conceiue good hope of saluation whiche is offered too all men by Iesus Christ too whom with the father the holy Ghoste bée honor for euer and euer Amen ¶ Vpon the first Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Iohn x. THere vvas a certeine riche man vvhich vvas clothed in purple and fine vvhite and faâ—ed deliciously euery day And there vvas a certayne begger named Lazarus vvhiche lay at his gate full of sores desiring too bee refresshed vvith the crummes vvhiche fell from the riche mannes boorde and no man gaue vntoo him The Dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and vvas caryed by the Angelles intoo Abrahams bosome The rich man also dyed and vvas buryed And beeing in Hell in tormenres hee lifted vp his eyes and savve Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome and hee cryed and sayde Father Abraham haue mercy on mee and sende Lazarus that hee may dippe the tippe of his finger in vvater and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flambe But Abraham sayde Sonne remember
amendmente and our owne soule helth is in hand whiche Chryste offreth vntoo all sinners that repent Too him therfore bée honoure for euermore Amen Vpon the .iiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vj. BE yee mercyful as your father also is mercyfull Iudge not and yee shall not bee iudged condemne not and yee shall not bee condemned Forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen Giue and it shall bee giuen vntoo you good measure and pressed dovvne and shaken togither and running ouer shall men giue vntoo your bosomes For vvith the same measure that yee mete vvithall shall other men mete too you ageyn And he put forth a similitude vnto them Can the blind lead the blind Doe they not both fall intoo the ditche The disciple is not aboue his master Euery man shall bee perfect euen as his maister is VVhy seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thine ovvne eye Fither hovv canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye vvhen thou seest not the beame that is in thine ovvne eye first thou hypocrite cast out the beame out of thine ovvne eye then shalt thou see perfectly too pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye The exposition of the Text. THis Sermon of Chrysts perteyneth too the third part of Repentance For yée know that there bée thrée partes of Repentance Sorynesse faith and new obedience or amendmeÌ„t of lyfe Sorynesse acknowledgeth the sinne and hateth and shunneth it Faith fléeth vntoo Chryst who deliuereth from sinne and iustifieth them that beléeue New obedience consisteth in four things which are Reuerence towardes God holinesse of lyfe in euery man too himself loue of our neyghbour and diligence in that vocation too which euery man is called Now for as much as these bée the partes amendment of lyfe Chryst in this Gospel frameth an exhortatioÌ„ to charitie or loue towards our neighbour the which he implyeth héere vnder his partes And bycause that mercy towardes our neighbour is as it were the first imp of it he exhorteth vntoo mercy by which he méeneth al maner of duties which we owe one to another in this life For what soeuer one oweth too another when he hath payde it he is no longer a detter sauing only of loue which we can not so fully pay but that we must always remayne detters Whervpon Paule Rom. 13. Owe nothing too any man but that yée loue one another Now too the intent wée may the more cléerly vnderstand this Gospell I will speake of two things 1 What bée the woorks of loue or of mercy which is commended vntoo vs in this place 2 What bée the reasons wherewith Chryst exhorteth vs héer too shew mercy that is too say too the woorkes of charitie towards our neighbour ¶ Of the firste BE yee mercifull c When the sonne of God exhorteth his Disciples vntoo mercy he giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d both of what mind wée ought too bée one towards another and also that in this life by reason of many infirmities eche hath néede of others helpe Which lesson if they which wil be called Christians would in these dayes beare well away there should bée lesse debate and lesse mischéefe Wée will all of vs bée called Chrysts disciples but no man wil do that he commaundeth The seruant obeyeth the commaundement of his master the handmayde hath hir eye wayting vpon his mistresse yea there is no man but he giueth more eare too his superiors in this world than many that wil bée called Christians doo giue too Chryst their God and Sauiour who hanged vppon the Crosse for them and earned heauen for them And what is the cause Forsooth for that they are Christians in worde only and not in hart For he that is a Christian in very déed mindeth nothing so muche as too obey his master Chryst of whom hée hath both his name saluation Wherfore I admonishe you too lay aside that fleshly carefulnesse too obey Chryst and diligently too marke out of this Gospel what duties towardes our neighbours hée requireth at oure handes In generall truely hée requireth louingnesse according as he saith too his Disciples Loue yee one another as I haue loued you In this they shall know you too be my Disciples if yée shal loue one another And nothing else requireth he héer when hee sayth bee merciful For they that loue are merciful they that bée merciful doo loue So the fountaine sheweth the water and the water the fountaine How bée it Christ in this place did therfore vse the woord Mercy bicause hée sheweth the nature of true loue This mercy whiche procéedeth out of loue is commended by Chryste too his Disciples in this Gospel consisteth of foure parts Of whiche the first is in the very harte and is a certaine curtesie and wel liking wherethrough wée coâ—â—ter all things of our neighbour too the bell and always hope for better of him This curtesie dooth Chryste note by râ—â—â—ouing the contrary when he sayth â–ª Iudge not Héeruppon the Apostle â–ª Cor. 13. Loue thinketh no euill And this is the mening of the 〈…〉 There is no cause then that any maÌ„ shoulde thinke that by this saying iudge not iudgemente is taken away eyther concerning the difference of vertues and vices in men concerning the duetie of housholders schoolemâ—ysters ciuill Magistrates and ministers of Gods woord or câ—nserning brotherly reproofe when it is due wherby one ought tâ—◠〈◊〉 backe another in too the way when hee goe thamisse according too Chrystes commaundemente Bâ—t onely that scope of the minde wherby wée take vpon vs the libertie too misdéeme other folke contrary too the rule of charitie For in respecte of iudgemente concerning the difference of things honest and dishonest the law of GOD is a grounded and vnmoueable rule vntoo vs. For whatsoeuer thing Gods law calleth dishonest or honest we also must déem the same to be so in likewise For what a blockishnesse were it not to discerne these things Wée muste therefore iudge and put a difference betwéene the tirannie of Nero and the gentlenesse of Fabritius and so of the rest Maysters of housholdes haue commaundemeÌ„t too bring vp their children in nurture and chastisement of the Lorde Also Salomon wil haue Fathers and Moothers too chasten their children And Hely the high Preest was punished bicause when hée saw his sonnes Ophne and Phinees behaue theÌ„ selues amisse in the seruice of God for they stâ—le away the better partes of the Sacrifises and also in their life for they defiled them selues with fornication he did not correct them with fatherly iudgemeÌ„t Héerby it is manifest that the saying of Chryst taketh not awaye the duties of Housholders whiche surely they cannot execute without iudgement and discerning betwéene things wel doone things doone amisse Agâ—in what should schoolesmaisters do without iudgement For some scholers are too bée compelled too their duetie by beating and a
wicked Achab who obiected these woordes ageinste the moste holye Prophet Helias Art not thou hée that troubleth all Israell What shall I say concerning the new manner of assaulting the Churche whiche those haue found out that wil bothe bée and are termed Gospellers Like vngodly persons church-robbers thâ—y conuerte too secular vses the goods that belong too the maintenance of the ministerie of Gods woorde Earnestly dooth Sathan with all his members bend him self too this one point that is too ouerthrowe the floting Churche of Chryst. But Christ is stronger than that hel gates may preuaile against it I haue spoken of the floting of Chrystes church whereby also may easly bée perceyued how great the perilles of Gods ministers bée For as Chryste sitteth in the ship so they also susteine a right great brunte of daungers and many are haled too moste gréeuous torments But the people standeth on the shore that is the moste parte of the héerers are out of peril For when anye tempeste ariseth eyther they hide them selues or else they shrink quite away And thus much bréefly concerning the shaking of the church ¶ Of the third ANd the Lorde sayde too Simon Launche intoo the deepe and caste out a net too fishe Then Simon ansvvering sayde vntoo him Sir vvee haue laboured all this nighte and caughte nothing notvvithstanding seeing you bidde mee I vvyll caste forth a net And vvhen they had doone so they enclosed a great number of Fishes c. This is the description of the miracle Peter béeing paste hope of catching any fishe casteth foorth a net at Chrystes commaundement and caught a great multitude so as twoo ships were not able too holde them Albéeit that this miracle were wrought as wel too confirme the doctrine of Chryste as also too strengthen the faith of the beholders yet notwithstanding it perteyneth after a certeyne manner vntoo vs also For what so euer hathe bin written héeretoofore it was written for oure instruction that by pacyence and comforte of the Scriptures wée myghte haue hope I will therefore shewe how this presente miracle serueth for vs. First this miracle will assure vs of the truthe of the Gospel For it is as an authorised seale wherewith God the Father sealeth the Gospel of his sonne For whatsoeuer miracles Chryst the Prophets or Apostles euer wrought they serue all too confirme the doctrine So wée réed in Mark and in the Epistle too the Hebrues Marke in his .xvj. Chapter sayth thus The Lorde wrought with the Apostles and confirmed their doctrine with signs that ensued And too the Hebrues .ij. The doctrine of saluation was confirmed GOD auouching it by signes and woonders and sundry miracles giftes of the holy Ghost Secondlye this present miracle proueth that Chryste is Lorde not onely of men and of the Lande but also of the Sea Whereby our fayth conceyueth this assurednesse that it persuadeth it selfe that nothyng eyther on the Lande or on the Sea is able too withstande this puissaunt Lorde but that hée can puissauntly deliuer his seruants from all perill like as hée deliuered the Prophet Ionas out of the Whales belly by his heauenly power There is no cause then why wée should feare the crueltie eyther offéendes or of men or of the sea so wée leaue vntoo Chryst by lyuely fayth Whervpon Iohn sayth This is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen your fayth Héerwithall this present miracle teacheth from whence â—ommeth the blissing of our labour and the increase of our substance Peter had laboured all night and too no purpose Why so bicause he had sought for blissing by his owne trauell and not out of the fountayn of blissing which is Chryst. But after he had cast foorth his net at the commaundement of Chryst he tooke a great number of fishes Whereby wée are taught that all blissing dependeth of Chrystes woorde Ageinst this doo foure kindes of men offend First faythlesse folkes which thinke that all blissing dependeth of their owne trauaile ageinst whose folly Dauid soong the Psalme Unlesse the Lorde builde the house in vaine dooth he watch that kéepeth it Nexte vngodly folkes which imagine that the increase of their substance goods procéedeth of vsurie and euill trades y t is too say â–ª of y e blissing of Sathan and in déede many séeme too growe riche by suche meanes But Salomon sayeth the contrary The blissing of the Lord maketh men rich For as man can not of ryght bée counted streyghtway riche when he possesseth many things Breade is one thing and the strength of bread is another Many haue breade and other goodes of whom some can not vse them some abuse them too ryot and pryde some cram themselues with them from day too day and other some make them instruments too put their lustes and tyranny in vre I pray you what maner of blissing is this Contrarywyse the Godly that hath but meane substance vseth his goodes too the glorie of God and the reliefe of others and setteth out the giuer of them with â— good conscience The third kind of men that offend in this behalfe ar those sort which when they haue herde that the increase of things coÌ„meth of y e lords blissing becom more slouthful slask and neglect the labour of their vocation where as Dauid in his psalme speaketh ageynst it Blissed is the man that feareth the Lord and delyghteth altogither in his wayes thou shalt eate the labour of thy handes Blissed art thou and well at ease shalt thou bée 〈…〉 and thou shalt bée well at ease If many now a dayes would folow this rule they should féele the Lords blissing The fourth sort of offenders in this case is of them that neither call vpon God when they vse his blissing nor call vpon him for helpe â–ª nor yéeld him thanks for his blissing Let vs learne héere therfore by this present miracle both that men ought too labour and that the successe and blissing of the labour commeth onely of God in what state so euer a man bée If a man bée set ouer of hers as a magistrate a leuetenant and a master of a house let him thinke thus I will labor lustely in the feare of God I will serue God I will call vpon him that he may prosper my labours When the husbandmaÌ„ tilleth his ground when he soweth it when he carieth his haruest into the barne let him haue God before his eyes let him know that all blissing is of the Lorde let him call vpon him that he will vouchsafe too prosper his labour and too bestowe his blissing vppon him So also let the preacher doo let him teache admonishe and exhort but yet at the commaundement of Chryste and in the feare of God But perchaunce thou wilt obiecte I doo my duetie I till the grounde I preache the gospell I instructe my householde but too no purpose my paynefulnesse hath no good successe Lerne héere of Peter what thou wantest Peter laboured in vayne vntill he had taken
bicause yée must folow him into the wildernesse wheras is y e crosse famin woolues a thousand deadly daungers but rather that wée lift vp our minds intoo heauen where Chryst sitteth at the right hand of the father in heauenly glory For we that are his meÌ„bers shal by none other way come intoo heauen than by the same that he weâ—â— whoo is our head He in this life endured hunger cold and other distresses let vs also beare the lyke paciently Which thing if wée do wée shall one day bée glorified with him ¶ Of the second ANd the Lord said to his disciples I haue pity of this people bicause they haue folovved me novv these three dayes and haue nothing to eate And if I shal send theÌ„ avvay to their ovvn houses they vvil faint by the vvay In these woords is described the affection of Chryst toward the people y t folowed him He is sory for the hunger of their bodies much more it is to be thought y t he was sory for the hunger of their soules For as the soule is much nobler than the body so y e hunger of y e soul is much more hurtful What theÌ„ dooth the merciful Lord He féedeth the body w t bodily food the soul with ghostly food He féedes the body with earthly bread the soul with heauenly bread y t is with gods woord Héer our reasoÌ„ which wil séeme to haue skil in gods matters though it be but foolish demauÌ„deth What is not Chryst God why then did he not woorke a miracle féede them out of hand or why did he not sustein them without bread He wold not alter y e order or nature w tout a great cause And the order appoynted by God is y t like as the body is fedde with bread so the soul should bée nourished and susteyned by Gods woord And this is it that is spoken in Moyses Man liueth not only by bread but by euery woord that procéedeth out of the mouth of God Therefore it is not his wil y t we should loke for any thing coÌ„trary to this order appoynted by God but that we should leane vnto his heaueÌ„ly mercy looking for help at his haÌ„d in time conuenieÌ„t This order established by God madbraind heads do inuent It is written of two Hermites that fell among théeues and had not aught too eate that when they had endured hunger a great whyle and that one of the Théeues at lengthe taking pitie vpon them gaue them bread too eate The one of them sayd I will eate none vnlesse it bée giuen mée from heauen But the other tooke it with thanksgiuing ate it and anone â—â—ter he that looked for bread from heauen dyed for hunger whereas the other escaped that looked for no miracle but tooke the bread that the théeues gaue him as it had bin at the hand of God The Anabaptists also inuert this order at this day Chryst hath commaunded the Gospell too bée preached that the soule may bée nourished with it as spirituall foode But the Anabaptists despysing the woord looke for new reuelations without the woord Whereby it commeth too passe that they fall into the Diuels snares who turneth himselfe intoo an Angell of light too the intent he may throwe them headlong intoo damnation Therefore bicause Chryst would not inuert the order established by God he delayed the miracle But yet at length the affection that he beareth too those that bée his which is greater than the affection of the father towards his children did ouercome him For what maner of affection Chryst beareth towards those that are his not only the Euangelist sheweth in this Gospel when he sayth I take pitie of this people But also the Prophet Esay 49. setteth it out in a most goodly figure Can the moother sayth he forget hir owne chyld y t she should not pitie the sonne of hir owne wombe Although she should forget yet will not I forget thée Beholde I haue written thée vppon my handes Also the Parable of the prodigal childe peynteth out this affection of Chrysts towards those that bée his What shall I say of similitudes parables Chrysts crosse sheweth what maner affection he had towards his owne For he so loued vs when we were yet his foes that he suffred most reprochfull death too redéeme vs. But too what purpose are all these things First too this purpose that wée should put on a childly affection toward God the father our Lord Iesus Christ. Secondly that by falling intoo consideration of his loue towardes vs we shuld in this life hold nothing déerer nothing swéeter nothing preciouser than too submit our selues wholly too his will and too obey his voyce wherein consisteth the perfection of a Christen man in this life Wee read that our father Abraham did so who after he had herd the Lorde say vntoo him Walke before me and bée perfect receiued a commaundement too offer in sacrifice his only begotten sonne Isaac whom Sara had borne vntoo him in his olde age But what dooth he he obeyed Gods wil without delay making ready a bundel of stickes went about too slea his sonne But the Angell of the Lord withhild his hand This being doone God sayd vntoo Abraham Now I know that thou fearest me We sée héer in our father Abraham how earnest he was too obey God sith he wold not spare his only sonne but wold haue killed him at the commaundement of the Lord. But alas for sorow there are many too bée found that will not kill so much as one of their affections at the commaundement of their most mercifull father God so farre of are they from desire of folowing the example of our father Abraham Furthermore Chrystes fatherly example towards vs must put vs in mind of like good will and loue towards our brethren I haue giuen you an ensample sayth he loue ye one another like as I haue loued you ¶ Of the third THis present miracle wherein God with seuen loues and a few small fishes féedeth foure thousand men serueth too this purpose too confirme the truthe of Chrysts Gospel and too encrease the faith of the people that were present wherof I wil say no more at this time But I wil speake somewhat concerning the right vsage of Gods giftes wherby we may bée stirred vp too thankfulnesse towards God and vse Gods blissing aright First therefore this is too bée obserued that the bread encreaseth in the hands of Chryst as he prayeth and giueth thanks too the heauenly father Wherby we are taught that all blissing is of the Lord according as Paule 1. Timoth. 4. teacheth when he sayth All the creatures of God are good Stay héer a litle consider how the things which thou hast as bread and drink are Gods creature and not thy creature Wherfore thou playest the théefe if thou take any thing froÌ„ him ageinst his wil. Which thing thou dost as often as thou vsest Gods creatures without thanksgiuing and
intoo the Temple and began too caste out them that sold therin and them that bought saying vntoo them It is vvritten My house is the house of prayer but yee haue made it a denne of theeues And he taught dayly in the temple But the high preests and the Scribes and the cheefe of the people vvente aboute too destroy him but coulde not fynde vvhat too doo For all the people stacke by him and gaue him audience The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell consisteth of twoo partes wherof the one teacheth what Chryst did without the Citie Hierusalem and the other techeth what he did in the temple after he was come intoo the Citie While he was without the citie hée beewayled the miserie that was too come vppon the Citie and therwithall prophesied of the destruction of the whole citie and the people In whiche thyng he bothe shewed his affection toward all mankynde and also declared playnly how great Gods wrath is toward sinners that repent not Then entring intoo the temple he fyndeth faulte with the abuse of the Temple he driueth the byers and sellers out of the temple hée testifieth that the temple is a house of praier that it is too say a house dedicated to God and his seruice and that it is not méete too defyle this house with worldly busynesses Nowe there are as I sayde twoo partes of this Gospell one of Chrystes wéeping and of his prophecie concerning the sacking of the citie and the destruction of the whole nation And an other of Chrystes déede in the Temple But these twoo partes conteyne in them many poyntes and lessons and therefore I will speake of them seuerally one by one ¶ Of the firste parte Of this first parte there bée twoo places which are 1 Christes Prophecie ageynst the Citie Hierusalem with the circumstances therof 2 The vse of this part in our churche ¶ Of the firste IN the fyrst place doo méete many circumstances which are first Christes affection towardes mankynd 2. The prophecie it self 3. The time of the visitation 4. Wherby they might haue known the time of their visitation 5. Why they knew not the time of their visitation 6. Their punishment for neglecting their visitation 7. The delay of their visitation The first Christ beholding the Citie vvept vpon it This wéeping of Chrystes is a notable witnesse of Gods mercye towardes mankynd For our Lord béewaileth their destruction no lesse than a most pitiful father bewaileth the destruction of his own children whom he loueth as himselfe which destruction hath surely none other cause than their vnthankfulnesse towards the gospell For how could it otherwyse bée but that the sonne of God who was borne very man too this intent that he should by the offering vp of himself in sacrifyce set mankind frée from euerlasting damnation should bée gréeued at so great vnthankfulnesse of men whom he hath created to saluation from the beginning and afterward called too repentance by sending his Prophets and Apostles vntoo them The second For the dayes shall come vnto thee that thyne enimyes shal cast a banke about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and make thee euen vvith the ground and thy children vvhich are in thee Héere Chryst prophesyeth of the miserie that should come vppon Hierusalem which miserie happened vntoo them in very déede the fortith yéere after I will deuide the storie of this miserie intoo thrée partes wherof the first is an assignement of those things that happened before the destruction of the citie Hierusalem The second is a reckening vp of the euyls which the Citizens suffered in the séege And the third is a noting of y e miserie that folowed the sacking of the Citie What happened before the spoyle of the Citie Surely many things wherby God would haue called his people too repentance as Prophesies signes woonders foretokens Prophesies as this Prophesie of Chrysts wherof wee haue herd and wherof mention is made in these woords Zach. 1. And it will come too passe in that day that I shall make Hierusalem an heauy stone for al people Al that lift it vp shalbée torne and rent and all kingdomes of the earth shall bée gathered toogither ageinst it Also ther went woonders béefore A whole yéere toogither there appéered a Blasing starre ouer the Citie Hierusalem in the likenesse of a firie swoorde And warlike Chariots and horses were séene encountring toogither in the aire Signes The doore of the temple opened of it selfe in the nyght and a voyce was herd in the Temple saying Let vs remoue from hence let vs remoue from hence Foretokens A man of the common sort named Iesus cryed in the stréetes A voyce from the West a voyce from the East And the more he was chastised by the officer the more hée cryed out By these Prophesies woonders signes and foretokens did the Lord allure the Iewish people to repentance but al was to no purpose and therfore ensued most gréeuous punishment Let vs then speake of the punishment The firste daye of swéete bread began the séege and continued vntoo the eight day of September By and by after arose inward sedition in the Citie wherethrough fréendes and kinsfolke slue one an other without mercye By reason of the stinche of the carcasses of them that were dead there grew a most sore plage in so much as it was not possible too bury the dead Héerevntoo came hunger whiche was so great that the mothers did eate their owne children besides a number of other most shamefull matters which I let passe In the ciuill sedition wherein were slayne twoo thousand men the Temple was set on fire and vtterly consumed Afterwarde the foreparte of the Citie was taken of the enimie and within a while an other parte and at length all the whole Citie came intoo the hande of the enimies After the siege the vanquished people was had in so great contempt that seuen thousand of the nobilitie and chéefe personages were appoynted too the common woorkes lykâ— slaues and many wer reserued too open shewes The number of them that were slayne besides those that perished of hunger in the Citie was fourescore and seuentéene thousand As many as were vnder â—xvj yéeres olde were sold by the souldiers The honest women and maydens were rauished by the men of warre Afterward ageyne vnder Domitian there arose a newe persecution For Domitian made a serch for all that were of any kinred or allyance too Dauid or Chryste Thus muche concerning the bodily punishment that ensued the contempt of the sonne of God wherewithall was ioyned a spiritual punishment in conscience and at the end folowed eternall torment in hell The third If thou haddest knovvne yea if thou haddest euen in this day c. The time of visitatioÌ„ is that wherin God visiteth sometyme too punishe sinners and other whiles too doo good too the godly and that manye wayes Howbéeit the chéefe tyme of the visitation of Gods mercy was the tyme of
office in shewing him selfe ready and chéereful too helpe this man For by this déede hée dooth vs too vnderstande that hée was sente too helpe the afflicted and those that are in miserie Wée haue what Chryst meaneth by his miracles Nowe let vs sée the summe of this present Gospel Chryste healeth the deafe and dumbe man that is brought vntoo him By whiche déede is signified that Chryst came intoo the worlde too helpe suche as come vntoo him according too this texte Euery one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord shall bée saued The places are thrée 1 The example of them that bring this deafe and dumbe man vntoo Chryst. 2 The déede and miracle of Chryst. 3 The frute of this miracle too the beholders ¶ Of the firste DEparting ageine out of the coast of Tyre c. Before wée enter intoo the first doctrine the occasion of this presente miracle is too bée obserued Which was Chrystes iourney and the place from whence hée tooke his iourney His iourneying it selfe declares how busy the Lorde was in his office and howe earnestly hée thirsted oure saluation The place sheweth howe hée mente that the Gentiles also should bée made partakers of his benefites For hée came too séeke that whiche was lost Now let vs sée the first doctrine They brought vntoo him a man that vvas both deafe dumb and besought him that he vvould lay his handes vppon him Héere are twoo things too bée marked first what these bearers of this deafe man doo and secondly what they request what doo they They bring vntoo Chryst a man that is deaf and dumb In these few woords is a christen mans life described Which description it standeth vs in hand too vnderstand aright too the intent we may handsomely folowe the example of them For first they acknoweledge Chryste too bée the true Messias and secondly they beléeue in him bothe whiche things they declare by this déed For no man commeth vntoo Chryste as too a sauiour ne calleth vppon him but hée that beléeueth in him For like as no man beléeueth but hée that heareth so no man calleth vppon him but hée that beléeueth Rom. 10. By this reason fayth béeing conceyued of the woord of life is the soule helth and rightuousnesse of Chrystians Is this fayth idle No. Héere are shewed thrée frutes of it The first is confession for héere by their déede and woord they confesse Chryst. For euen as men beléeue with the hart vntoo rightuousnesse euen so is confession made with the mouthe vntoo saluation The seconde is the calling vppon Chryst For Faith and inuocation are so knit toogither that yée may sooner separate heate from fyre than plucke them asunder one from an other The thirde frute of Faith is brotherly loue which these bearers vtter in hart in woork and in woord by bringing this afflicted and miserable creature vntoo Chryst. Séest thou now what maner of men these bearers were Séest thou the whole lyfe of a Christian peynted out in their déede as in a table But wherfore was this doone and written That both I and thou might haue an example of reuerence towards God and of charitie towards our neibor This is a patern of a true christiaÌ„ life Wee must therfore beléeue in Chryst as these men did Wée must confesse Chryst as these men did and Faith requireth that wée should call vpon him as they did Besides this according too the example of these men it becoÌ„meth vs too loue and helpe our neybor with hart woord and déed I pray you what greater woork of loue can there bée than too bring vntoo Chryst a man in thraldom vnder the power of the diuel wretched a miserable despised and vtterly disdeyned among men and too take so great care for an other mans welfare Héerby let rich and poore noble and vnnoble citizens and cuntriefolk lerne what becommeth them if so be they mind not too beare a face of Christianitie in vayne Let euery man according too the state of his calling endeuer to bring as many as he can too Chryst and too call vpon him and too haue a godly carefulnesse for the welfare of other men Héere ryseth a dout This deafe man had no faith for he could not heare the woord wherby faith is conceiued and yet was he healed by Chryst for the fayth of other men It séemeth therfore y t a man may bée saued by an other maÌ„s faith I answer Chryst loosed the tung of the dumb man then béeing called vpon by the diseased person he gaue him faith vpon the attaynment wherof the diseased person was saued by his owne faith and not by another mans fayth Ageyne there is a difference too bée put betwixt corporall benefites and euerlasting Saluation As for corporall benefites the godly may obtein them euen for the â—â—godly at Gods hand But as for saluation they can not obteyne it for them vnlesse they themselues also haue first conceyued fayth by the woorde of GOD. For except the godly might obteyne corporall benefites for the â—â—godly the world could not stande in this so huge a flud of wickednesse and stumblingblocks Thus much concerning the déeds of these bearers and the profitable example therof Now let vs sée what they desired of Chryst. They besought him sayth the text that he would lay his hand vppon him For they had marked how Chryst by laying on of his haÌ„ds had giuen helth vntoo many afore How béeit too the inteÌ„t we may vnderstand this ceremonie foure things are too bée obserued concerning laying on of hands First how auncient this custome of laying on of hands is Secondly too whoÌ„ it belongeth too lay hands vpon others Thirdly too what purpose and end the laying on of handes serueth Fourthly what is the misticall méening of hands As concerning the antiquitie of the custme of laying on of handes the Scripture teacheth that this custome is taken of the fathers For in the .48 of Genesis wée réede that the Patriarke Iacob layde his hands vpon the heads of Manasses and Ephraim the sonnes of Ioseph Which custome afterwarde was confirmed too the Iewes by lawe and this ceremonie continued vntoo the time of Chryst who also vsed the same and deliuered the vse therof ouer too his Apostles And that too laying on of hands was ioyned prayer it is manyfest by the .xix. Chapter of Mathew where it is written that children were brought vntoo Chryst that he myght lay his hands vpon them and pray Thus haue wée how auncient the custome of laying on of hands is Now let vs sée to whom it belongeth too lay on hands whiche thing is too bée gathered by the laying on of hands of Iacob and others For it was the guyse that the elders should lay their hands vppon the yongers the fathers vpon their children and the Préests vpon the people For it was a solemne ceremonie in the power of those that were in authoritie or degrée aboue others But too what end was this ceremonie ordeined
accusing vs let vs set Chryst acquiting vs from sinne If the sonne set you frée sayth he you are frée in déede Ageinst the miseries of this present life let vs set Chryst and the purpose of God whose wil it is y t we should become like vntoo y e image of his sonne To be bréef let vs in true repentance faith flée to the throne of grace our Lord Iesus Christ. In him only shal we find help at time conuenient For he sayth too all that beléeue in him Bée not afraid my little flocke for it hath pleased my father too giue you a kingdome And so let vs not suffer any thing in heauen in earth or hel too persuade vs that Christ is otherwise affectioned towards vs thaÌ„ he was towards this widow Therfore let vs lern héerby y t god iudgeth far otherwise than dooth y e world Our God mediator Iesus Chryst dooth not after the maner of the world reiect them that be in misery and distresse but he receiueth al that come vnto him according too his promise Come vntoo me all yée that labor are loden I wil refresh you ye shal find rest vnto your soules Furthermore godly widowes may lern héerby what a patronâ— aduocate comforter they haue Let gouerners of churches lerne heereby not to shun such as be in misery distresse And let the magistrate lerne by the exaÌ„ple of Chryst not too despise not too shake of not too condemne men bicause they bée in miserie and distresse but rather too cherish comfort them Ageine let vs all lerne too embrace one another with mutuall affection of charitie too comfort one another after a godly maner And thus much coÌ„cerning the first part of this Gospell Now foloweth the second ¶ Of the second IN the declaration of this present miracle there bée many circumstances Of which eche one hath his seuerall lesson and therfore I wil reherse them in order with their lessons and admonishmentes The first VVhen the corse vvas caryed foorth the vvidovv his mother folovved after and a great coÌ„pany of the citie vvith hir Héer wée sée two things of which the first is the solemne bearing out of the Corse which the sorowfull moother foloweth and the other is the honour solemnitie of the buriall They cary the dead Corse after an honest sort too the place of buriall so also did the holy Fathers Abraham buryed his wife honourably Ioseph conueyed the Corse of the Patriarke Iacob too buriall with a great trayne of people Iacob and Esau buried their father Isaac honourably Too bée short among all the Godly there was great solemnitie vsed in burials And that was doone in hope of the resurrection of their bodies and of the immortalitie that is too come The Church at this day foloweth the example of the holy fathers though many bée too bée found which cast out their dead Corses as if they were the carkasses of swine In our burials is vsed suche a solemnitie as this is The godly béeing present folowe the Béere and there is singing ringing and sometime preaching They that folowe the Béere doo first vtter their good will towards him that is departed 2. By this déede they shewe an example of their fayth concerning the rising agein of the dead 3. They are warned that they themselues in their time when the Lord shall thinks good must folow and by death take their leaue of these miseries of the world Then is there singing and that is too the intent the liuing may comforte themselues wyth godlye Psalmes and gyue GOD thankes for him that is dead if hée departe in the true profession The ringing is not onely too call the people toogither too bring the Corse too church but also that the liuing may therby bée put in minde of Gods trumpet by whiche all the dead shall bée waked vp in the last day Lastly there is preaching too the intent that those whiche wayt vppon the Corse too Churche may cary home some instruction comfort with them ageinst death And thus much bréefly concerning the firste circumstance and the solemnitie of buriall whiche is obserued among vs. The second Our Lord sayth too the vvidovve vveepe not Héer some demaund whither it bée lawful too moorne for the dead The examples of holye men and the scriptures admitte mourning for the deade In Deuter. the last Chapter all the peoplâ— mourned in the desert for Moyses when he was dead Abraham bewayled his wife Sara Ioseph a holy maÌ„ mourned many dayes for his Father Iacob Dauid mourned for Ammon his sonne Israell for Samuell Martha for Lazarus and den Lord himselfe also wept for Lazarus Iesus the sonne of Syrach in his â–ª â—8 chapter sayth My sonne shed thy teares ouer the dead and begin too sorowe as if thou haddeâ—â— suffered harme But Ieremie in his â–ª 22. Chapter sayeth Bewaile not the dead And Chryst sayeth héere too the woman wéep not These countersayings Paule reconcileth Th. 4. where hée sayth â–ª Brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning them that are falne a sléep that yée sorow not as others doo which haue no hope Then is it heathenish sorowing that is forbidden whiche hathe no hope of comfort by the resurrection of the dead But measurable mourning is grauÌ„ted such as they vse which haue coÌ„fort set present before theÌ„ But in as muche as wée fall intoo mention of comfort let vs bréefly say from whence Christians may fetch comfort in the death of their fréends First let them thinke vppon Gods wil which they are bound too obey 2. Let them thinke vppon the vniuersal case of al men For we must all die once 3. Let them thinke vppon Gods ryghtuousnesse For what is more rightful than that hée whiche hath giuen life shoulde take it too himself ageine and kéepe it when he sées it good so too doo 4. Let him thinke vpon Gods wisdome who only knoweth whither it is more for our behoof too liue or die For he taketh many away eyther bicause they should not bée made woorse or else that they should not endure any moe troubles in this mortall life 5. Let them thynke wyth themselues that the deade are set frée from all miseries of thys lyfe 6. Let them thinke it is vaine too take long sorowe for them fith sorowe cannot call them ageine For so did Dauid comfort himselfe in the. 12. Chapter of the seconde booke of Kings Hée moorned as long as his Child lay sick but when he was dead he arose washed and ate meat 7. Let them think that hée whiche soroweth ouermuche dooth hurte his owne body in so dooing sinneth ageinst God 8. Let them thinke that the blisse of immortalitie is not too bée enuyed too the partie deceased For blissed are they sayth the Scripture that die in the Lorde 9. Let them think vpon the resurrection of Chryst and of oure selues also which shalbée at the latter day For this thought must bée a common remedie
sted shall put too his hand too the healing of vs. The third is too reproue the Pharisies by this saying who iudged not aright either of his person or of his office For alwayes there be some y t séeke too picke quarels too the woorks of God Which thing warneth vs that wée should not bée the lesse diligent in dooing our duetie The fourth is that taking hold of this occasion he might instruct vs more fully concerning his owne person his loue towardes men and his office for which he was sent intoo the world by his father Now let vs wey our Lords woords for he sayth too y e Palsieman Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee These bée the woords of the sonne of God wherfore they are to be weyed aduisedly This woord sonne is to be set ageinst despair which this present disease wold haue persuaded him vntoo This saying bee of good cheere is to be set ageinst the cursse which euil conscience weÌ„t about to persuade y e wretch in Thy sinnes sayth he Héer grace surmounteth farre aboue sinne This saying are forgiuen is to be set ageinst y e dreame of satisfaction of merites of rightuousnesse that coÌ„meth by the â—awe Thy sinnes sayth he are forgiuen thée In so saying he applieth the benefite of his grace too the poore wretch Thus haue wée héere the Doctrine of saluation remission of sinnes iustification and adoption For these benefites sticke linked togither so fast continually that they cannot bée plucked asunder He requireth faith to him that beleueth he forgiueth his sâ—nnes whom he hath absolued froÌ„ his sinne him he adopteth too his sonne accepteth him as rightuous and whoÌ„ he hath iustified him also will he glorifie by bestowing euerlasting blisse vpon him neither is ther any other way of obteyning saluation than y â— which is set out vntoo vs in this exaÌ„ple The palsiemaÌ„ dooth .iij. things He acknowledgeth his sin he acknowlegeth himself to be iustly punished for his sin he putteth his trust in the sonne of God Agein Chryst doth iij. things He releaseth sin he adopteth him to be his sonne accepteth him too eternal life Folow y u this exaÌ„ple Acknowledge thy sin in good ernest acknowlege gods iust iudgemeÌ„t and beléeue in the sonne and thou shalt féele sensibly that Chryst will bestow his benefites vppon thée Let this suffise to bée spoken concerning the first doctrine of this Gospel and now foloweth the second ¶ Of the second ANd beholde some of the Scribes saide vvithin them selues This man blasphemeth And vvhen he savv the thoughtes of them he saide vvhy thinke you euill in your hartes Héere the grudging of the Scribes and Chrysts answere doâ— shew in what sort the kingdome of Chryst and the kingdome of Sathan méete one ageinst another Wée haue héere two things of which the one is the accusation of the Scribes accusing Chryst and the other is Chrystes most rightfull defence The accusation of the Scribes was this This man is a blasphemer Wherfore bicause he taketh vppon him too forgiue sinnes which perteyneth onely vntoo God For according too the phrase of the scripture Blasphemie is too attribute that thing vnto a creature which is proper or peculiare vntoo God Now too forgiue sinne is propre vntoo God â–ª which thing is assured by the testimonie of Esay where the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet sayth I am I am he that wipeth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and I will no more remember thy sinnes Héervppon they thinke they may conclude as by an infallible consequent y t Chryst is a blasphemer after this manner Whosoeuer taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vntoo God is a blasphemer This Iesus taketh vppon him that which is peculiare vnto God Ergo this Iesus is a blasphemer And vndoubtedly it had bin a true argument if Christ had bin like the Scribes that is too wit if he had bin mere man and not God also Sée I pray you how much our Papistes and Monkes are worse than the Scribes The Scribes were taught by the wordâ— of God to defend this proposition No man caÌ„ forgiue sinnes but onely God But the Papistes attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes too the merites of saincts too Masses and too pardons which things they deale not fréely but fel them very déerely Surely a wonderful kinde of chapmen They sel that which they haue not they sell men the smoke of woords take ready Golde for it They promisse their chapmen Heauen and deliuer them Hell But what shall wée saye of the ministers of Gods woord Doo they forgiue sinne They forgiue not of themselues but they pronounce forgiuenesse of sinnes too all that they finde like this man that was sicke of the Palsie They giue not ought of their owne But they offer another mannes by the commaundemente of Chryste For they offer forgiuenesse of sinnes by the voyce of the Gospell As many as receyue this voyce by fayth doo out of all doubte receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes For Chryst sayeth hée that héereth you héereth mée But what sayth Chryst too this accusation VVhen he savv their thoughtes hee sayde vvhy thinke yee euyl in your harts vvhyther is it easier too say thy sinnes are forgiuen thee or too say arise and vvalke Héere Chryst dooth thrée things First hée sawe the thoughtes of them whiche is the propertie of God onely Whereupon the Scribes ought too haue thought that Chryste was more than mere man For no man is able too sée the thoughts of another man For onely the spirit of God searcheth the depth of mennes hartes Secondly hée blameth them vvhy doo yee thinke euill in your hartes As if hée had sayde yée sinne in thinking amisse of mée By this wée may note â–ª that euil thoughtes are sinnes â–ª Thirdly by visible signe he confirmeth his hidden Godhead As if he had sayd you say that hée that taketh vppon him that whiche is peculiar vntoo GOD alone is a blasphemer for hée hurteth Gods name and fame Uerely I confesse this too bée true But in that yée beléeue not mée too bée GOD you doo amisse Wherfore you are blasphemers and not I. And nowe that I may shew and proue my self too be very God I heale this Palsie man with a becke onely whiche surely is peculiar too the power of the Godhead If I can doo this by my diuine power why shoulde I not also forgiue sinne Who can vtterly take awaye a disease but hée that taketh away the cause of the disease Nowe you sée with your owne eyes that I take awaye the disease and why beléeue you not that I am able too take awaye the cause of the disease also which is sinne Thus Chryst appealeth too his owne dooings whiche beare recorde of him For thus sayeth hee in Iohn If yée beléeue not mée beléeue my woorks which bear witnesse of mée Of this seconde doctrine therefore wée maye learne thrée things Firste that there is continuall battaile betwéene the kingdome of
Chryste the kingdome of Sathan For Sathan is euer grudging and deuising of sundry wiles how hée maye enter vppon Chrystes kingdome according too this and thou shalt lie in wayte for his héele Secondly that Chryst by his wisdome and power ouercommeth the power and deuises of Sathan according too this there is no wisdome there is no counsel ageinst the Lord. And thirdly that wée should submit oure selues vnder him acknowledging him too bée very GOD and confessing him with all suche as flée vntoo him in true repentance ¶ Of the third ANd the people seeing it vvere afrayde and glorifyed God Héere wée haue the effect and frute of this miracle in the beholders which frute the EuaÌ„gelist setteth ouer in this storie vnto vs. I haue oftentimes spoken of Chrystes miracles héeretoofore and therefore I will say little héere Chryste by this miracle confirmed the power of his Godhead his owne fatherly will towards men his office which is too saue for whiche purpose he was sent and sealed vp the truthe of his Doctrine as it were with some authenticall and Princely seale Ageine in the héerers was conceyued faith out of faith fâ—owed the fear of God and by fayth they glorified God with hart voyce confession and maners Héereby then let vs also gather these foure things concerning Chryste and toogither with these lookers on let vs conceiue faith feare God glorifie him who is too bée praysed world without end Amen Vpon the .xx. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Math. xxij IEsus sayd too his Disciples the kingdome of heauen is like vntoo a man that vvas a kinge vvhich made a mariage for his sonne and sent forth his seruaunts too call them that vvere bidden too the vvedding and they vvold not come â–ª Ageine he sent foorth other seruaunts saying Tell them vvhich are bidden behold I haue prepared my dinner mine Oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready come vntoo the Mariage But they made light of it and vvent their vvayes One too his Farme place another too his marchaundise and the remnaunt tooke his seruaunts and intreated them shamefully and slue them But vvhen the king heard thereof he vvas vvroth and sent forth his men of vvarre and destroyed those murtherers and brent vp their citie Then sayd he too his seruaunts the Mariage in dede is prepared but they vvhich vver bidden vver not vvorthy Go yee therfore out intoo the hye vvayes and as many as yee find bid them to the Mariage And the seruaunts vvent foorth intoo the hye vvayes and gathered toogither all as many as they could finde bothe good and badde and the vvedding vvas furnished vvith guestes Then the king came in too see the guestes and vvhen he spied there a man vvhich had not on a vvedding garmeÌ„t he said vnto him Frend hovv camest thou in hither not hauing a vvedding garment And he vvas euen speachles Then saide the king too the ministers take and bind him hand and foote and cast him intoo vtter darknesse there shall bee vveping and gnashing of teeth For many bee called but fevv are chosen The exposition of the Text. LOoke what Chryst dooth continually y â— dooth he also in this dayes Gospell For as the good father exhorteth his children too honest lyfe and that sundry wayes So Chryst the Lord and father of the world too come is not conteÌ„ted with one way but assayeth many wayes too kéepe his children in their duetie For sometime he dooth it with fayre woordes as when he sayth in Mathew 11. Come vntoo me all yée that labour and are loden and I will refresh you and sometime with fatherly promisses as wheÌ„ he sayth he that commeth vntoo me I will giue him of the water of life Sometime with rewardes when he bestoweth the present benefites vpon them And sometime with threatnings as when he sayth in the .18 of Marke He shall come and destroy those husbandmen let out his vineyard vntoo others After the same manner in this Gospel he dealeth partly by threatnings putting foorth a Parable for he threatneth destruction too those that shall refuse too come too his mariage clad in wedding rayment and partly by promisses that he wil honorably welcome and wel enterteine those that come are apparelled in wedding rayment Therefore the summe of this Gospell is that Chryst requireth of his a life woorthy â—o holy a calling and threatneth horrible punishment vntoo those that liue in the Church without repentance and sanctification which is that wedding garment y t this bridegroome requireth The Places are thrée 1 The opening of the Parable 2 The blaming of him that sate at the wedding without a wedding garment 3 Chrysts complaynt many are called and fewe chosen ¶ Of the firste THe kingdome of heauen is likened too a man that vvas a king c. Now too the intent this present gospell may become the swéeter too vs Let vs looke vpon the partes of this similitude which are many The first In this place the kingdome of heauen signifieth the Churche gathered toogither by the voyce of the Gospell which of Peter is called a holy nation a kingly préesthoode and a chosen generation The second The man that was a king signifieth God the father of heauen whom Paule calleth the king of kings and Lord of Lordes The third The kings sonne is our Lord Iesus Christ of whom he sayth This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased This sonne of God is called of Dauid the Brydegroome decked with holy decking The fourth Untoo this sonne did the father then make a mariage when he willed him too bée borne of the blissed virgin Marie and he as Dauid saith coÌ„meth as a bridegroome out of his chamber This sonne tooke the Church vnto him as his spouse and betrouthed her vntoo himself according too this saying of the Prophet Oseas I will marry thée too my selfe for euer and I wil marrie thée too me in rightuousnesse and iudgement in mercy and compassion and I will marrie thée too me in fayth and thou shalt knowe the Lorde This Bridale as in respect of all mankind was begon by handfasting assoone as the first man and woman were created For when God made man too the intent he should knowe him and loue him when he garnished our first parents with Originall rightuousnesse when he imprinted the Image of his Godhead in them then did he make this ensurance Notwithstanding this ensurance was brokeÌ„ by and by through the craftinesse of SathaÌ„ who entised man too wicked breach of wedlocke so as he forsooke his true spouse and tooke him too that moste filthie whoremaister the Diuell Which iniurie the despised Bridegroome reuenged when he made the harlot naked by taking away the kings image and spoyling hir of his wedding Iewels Howbéeit O woonderfull goodnesse of the Bridegroome He determined too redeme his spouse that had bin caryed away and most filthily defiled And so the father of this Bridegroome putteth hir foorthwith
in hope of this redemption by making hir a promisse of the blissed séede At length when the fulnesse of time was come the father sent out his sonne borne of the virgin Mary bouÌ„d vnder the law too redéeme his spouse y t was vnder the cursse of the law which thing came then too passe when he made himself the raunsome wherwith she was redéemed and recouered out of the hands of the adulterer Sathan And as in respect of eche man seuerally the Churche is handfasted and betrouthed too Chryst hir Bridegroome by faith and Baptim according as the Bridegroome himselfe saythâ— I wil betrouth thée too my selfe for euer I will marry thée too me in rightuousnesse and iudgement in mercy and compassion and I will marry thée too me in fayth and thou shalt know the Lord. In this betrouthing there are two things in generall too bée considered The one is the contract and promisse of the Bridegroome and the other is the couenanting of the Bride wherby she is bound vntoo hir husbande In the couenaunt of the Bridegroome there are thrée things First the good will and frâ—e loue of the Bridegroome whereby he fauoureth the Bride without any desert of hirs Secondly the méening of the continuance of the wedlocke betwéene the bridegroome Chryst and the Churche his spouse I will betrouthe thée too me sayth he for euer Therfore he continueth the Churches husband for euer Thirdly the reckening vp of the Iewels which Chryst the Bridegroome bestoweth vppon his wyfe and they are numbered héere too bée foure Rightuousnesse iudgement pitie and mercy With his owne rightuousnesse decketh he his wyfe when forgiuing hir sinnes he ascribeth his owne obedience vntoo hir where through she appéereth a comelie and beautifull Bride in the sight of the Bridegroomes father With his iudgement he reuengeth hir of them that did hir wrong mainteyning hir and pulling hir back intoo the way when shée steppeth awry Hée embraceth hir with pitie that is too saye with husbandly affection For this pitie is a kindly louingnesse issuing from the innermost closets of the minde And hée embraceth hir with mercie in that he pardoneth hir dayly misdéeds and rueth hir miseries These foure things are in the couenant of the Bridegroome And in the couenaunte on the behalfe of the Bride there bée twoo things The acknoweledging of the benefite with the praysing of GOD and fayth wherby the spouse leaneth vpon hir husbands breaste and without any distrust looketh for all the good things that hée hathe promised By this mutuall contract let vs conceiue Doctrine comfort and fayth that no discouragement of any aduersitie cause vs too fléete from this Bridegroome who neuer forsaketh his spouse vnlesse shée like a forsworne woman doo first break the fayth and trouth that shée hathe plighted Ageine wée learne héereby also that whosoeuer hath not the faith of Chryst is none of Chrystes but is defiled with shameful aduoutrie Héereby it appéereth how truely Iohn hathe sayed in his Apocalips Blissed are they that are called too the Lambes supper The fifth It is too bée obserued what they be that bid the guests too this royall mariage First the eternall GOD the Bridegroomes Father by his voyce biddeth guestes too this wedding Nexte many holy Fathers before the flud Then after the flud Noe and Melchisedech Ioseph and Moyses in Egipt The holie Prophets and Kings in the land of Canaan Daniel in Iury. After these commeth the Bridegrooms own maister of houshold Iohn Baptist poynted out the Bridegroome with his finger whoo also himself with his Apostles made Proclamation and bad guests too the wedding saying Come all things are ready The sixth The prouision for the Maryage feaste is too bée considered For euen lyke as at the Mariages of men are killed Bulles Shéepe Oxen and wilde beasts so also ageinst this mariage there is made moste excellent prouision and large alowance of al things First there is set before vs not corruptible bread but liuely bread from heauen wherof whoosoeuer eateth shall neuer after hunger Nexte is set before vs water of life For thus sayeth the Bridegroome himselfe If a man drinke of the water that I shall giue him hée shall not die Thirdly the Bridegroome refresheth our werye soules with his owne body and blud Fourthly he furnisheth vs with his owne apparell whilest wée put him on by Baptim For thus saith the holy Ghost by the mouth of Paul As many as are Baptised haue put on Chryst. And fifthly oure iunkets are the frutes of the trée of life whereby the Bryde shall haue hir strength that shée may neuer die The seuenth But they sayth the texte refused too come Did they so What a churlishnesse is that Were they bidden and woulde not come What letted them Firste their housholde guest sinne that â—â—â—elleth in theÌ„ This guest holds them backe with his pretie conceites that they cannot come too the wedding when they are bidden Secondlye the Bridegroomes enimie that is too wit the Deuill besetteth and forlayeth all the wayes and by diuers meanes stoppeth vp the passage too the wedding Thirdly sundry affaires kéepe them away For one hathe a Farme another hath Oxen another hathe a wife and another some other thing to busie himselfe aboute And the reste caughte his seruauntes and slue them The Storie of the worlde sheweth this too bée moste true Untoo this wedding did hée bid Abell But the Deuill sente out his champion Caine and killed him Untoo this wedding did Noe bidde guestes by the space of a hundred and twentie yéeres but those that were hidden mockte him and laughed him too skorne for his laboure Untoo this did Ioseph also bid guests in Egipt but a filthy strumpet accused him and made him too bée cast intoo prison Too this did Moyses bid guestes but hée suffered many things at their handes whom hée bad Too this wedding did the most holy Kings and Patriarkes bid guests but their talk was hild skorne of At length came the Bridegroomes owne maister of housholde Iohn but he was murthered by Herod To this wedding doth the Bridegroome himselfe the very sonne of God bid guestes but he is hanged vppon the galowes of the crosse Too this wedding do the Apostles bid guestes and after them all godly ministers of God worde Whom the Diuill assayling partly with his Sophistrie partly with his Tirannie and partly with his Hipocrisie striueth too kill So the greatest part of the world being vnkinde refuseth too come too this wedding of the sonne of God The eyght What sayth the king too this First he is angry which surely is no maruell For he sawe both himselfe and his mariage despised of those which will they nill they are compelled too confesse that what so euer good thing they haue they may thanke him for it Secondly he punisheth them bodily whereof the thanklesse world which the Lord destroyed in the flud had experience This dooth the burning of Sodom beare witnesse of This dooth the destruction of
came behind him Lastly let the minde be kindled too pray by assured fayth For except a man bring stedfast faith with him he wasteth his woordes rather than praieth And it is manifest by the promises that this woman brought such a kind of faith with hir vntoo the Lord. The second The causes that may moue vs too pray are many This woman without doubt thought vppon Gods commaundement in whiche he earnestly requireth this seruice at our hands Ageine she was not ignorant of the promises Otherwise she had not come foorth too praying with so great confidence Whatsoeuer you shal aske in my name sayth Chryst my Father will giue it you Besides this she had felte the Diuels tyrannie and hir owne néedinesse whereby shée was moued too séeke helpe of him who onlye is able too helpe Also shée considered the examples Shée sawe howe Iairus had made sute vntoo the Lord for his daughters health and many other examples did she thinke vppon By these and many other causes she was stirred vp too praye Therfore let vs also bée stirred too yéeld vntoo God this seruice of Inuocation First by the commaundement of God Secondly by the promises Thirdly thinking vppon the Diuels tyrannie Fourthly by féeling our owne miserie and néedynesse and fiftly by the examples of the saincts The third Who is too bée called vppon Only God who is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste For neither Angels nor men are too bée called vpon For this is the euerlasting commaundement of God Call vppon me in the day of trouble Also Thou shalt woorship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue For too call vppon any creature it is rank Idolatrie for which the world is horribly punished bicause such Idol seruice is high blasphemie ageinst God The fourth There is good cause too demaund vpon what foundation wée may ground our selues too preace intoo Gods sight For if wée looke vppon our selues our owne confusion and shame will fray vs away from praying Ageyne the scripture sayth God héereth not the sinners Certeine it is that no man trusting vppon his owne woorthynesse is able too pray Wherfore that onely Mediator betwéene God and man Chryst Iesus is too bée sought vntoo who offereth him selfe too bée our spokesman when he sayeth Whatsoeuer you shall aske of the father in my name he shall giue it you Through the woorthinesse of him therfore haue wée accesse too God the father The fifte What is too bée prayed for Thrée kinde of things are too bée sought for by prayer and thrée kinde of things are too bée wished awaye by prayer First wée must pray that Gods glorie may bée reuerenced amongs men Secondly wée muste pray for soule health and thirdly for things necessarie too the maintenaunce of this present life And contrarywise we must wish away firste whatsoeuer hindreth Gods glory secondly whatsoeuer is ageinst our saluation and thirdly whatsoeuer is troublesome too vs in this life Let vs assure our selues wée shall obteine these things and specially those which are set in the first and second place The good things or bad things of the third kind must be praied for or wished away with condition that Gods glorie bée not diminished nor our owne saluation hindred The fourth thing that I purposed vppon concerning this woman is the healing of hir Wherin is too bée tolde what Christ sayd and did and what had happened vntoo hir What sayd Chryst Daughter bée of good comfort thy fayth hath made thée whole And in so saying he healed the woman by his diuine power What happened too the woman And the woman was made whole from that houre Héere wée haue many things First that those which beléeue are adopted Gods children according too this text Too as many as beléeued on his name he gaue power too become the sonnes of God Secondly in what sort Chryst is minded towards the afflicted Thirdly that faith obteyneth any thing of God And fourthly that Chryst sheweth héere the power of his owne Godhead vttereth his wil manifesteth his office and confirmeth the truthe of his Gospel Of these things I will speake no more bicause of the shortnesse of the time ¶ Of the second ALso in this Ruler Iairus wée haue an example of fayth Inuocation Confession and Hope Beholde there came a certeine Ruler Héer hast thou his faith and vvorshipped him Héer hast thou the fruit of faith Inuocation These two conteine confession Lorde sayth he my daughter is euen novve deceased but come and lay thy hande vppon hir and she shall liue Behold with how great hope he praieth Wée then may lerne héereby too repaire vntoo Chryst in our necessities too call vppon him by faith too confesse him and too assure our selues that wée shall obteine of him whatsoeuer is for our welfare But what dooth Chryst He foloweth him And when Iesus came intoo the house of the Ruler and sawe the minstrels and the people making a noyse he sayde Get yee hence And when the people were put foorth he sayd too the Damsel Damsel arise And the Damsel arose and the fame héereof was bruted ouer all that countrey Bicause the circumstances of this example doo almost in all poyntes agrée with the example of the woman Let the things that I haue spoken alredy concerning the woman suffise at this time ¶ Of the third WHen Chryste sayde the mayd is not dead but sleepeth they skorned him Héere let vs looke vpon thrée things First that the world not only is vnthankful towards Christ his benefactor but also laughed him too skorne And why so bicause the world is blind and therefore cannot iudge aright of Chrysts doctrine and dooing The fleshly man perceyueth not the things that are of Gods spirit Flesh hath no tast but of flesh The wisedome of the fleshe is at enmitie with God Therefore vnlesse wée will go astray and become skorners with the world let vs herken too the Gospell that our mind may bée more rightly instructed concerning Gods woorkes The second thing which wée ought héere not only too looke vppon but also too wonder at is that Chryst neuerthelesse procéedeth in his holy purpose Hée is not driuen away with neuer so great vnthankfulnesse of the world that he should forsake his Churche He beareth rule euen in the middes of his enimies The thirde thing that he teacheth to bée obserued héere is Chrysts example Therefore if wée bée skorned for our profession let vs looke vppon the sonne of God and let vs set light by these skornes which are the Diuels dizardes The malice of the world must not trouble vs but the example of gods sonne must encourage vs for he is with vs according too his promisse I will be with you vntoo the end of the world Untoo this our onely mediatour toogither with the Father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .xxv. Sunday after Trinitie The Gospell Math. xxiiij WHen yee therefore shall see the abhomination
certeine reported vntoo Christ how Pilate had mingled the bloud of the Iewes with their sacrifices and that the Toure of Silo falling down had killed eyghtéen men he sayd except yée repent yée shall all perishe likewise For he auoucheth that this was done not onely for those that perished there but also for others that they taking warning at their mischaunce mighte amende Muche more ought the miserie of the Iewish people too put vs in mind of repentance specially séeing the cause is not vnlike For they were plaged cheefly for contempt of religion And I beséeche you what thing is there héere vnlike Wherfore let vs take warning by the Iewes too amend betimes that wée run not intoo the hands of the liuing God sooner than wée looke for The fifth vse is that by the persecution of the Church whiche at that time was very sore wée must lerne that the Citizens of Chrystes kingdome in this world must not floorishe and enioye the outwarde dominion of the world For as the Church of Chryst is not bound too any certeine place so the glory renown therof consisteth partly in the conscience of the godly partly in loking for y e appéerāce of Iesus Chryst. The sixt vse is that wée shoulde ioyne our selues too the citizens of Chrysts kingdome and not bée frayed away with the hugenesse of persecutions For although al that will liue godlily in Christ must suffer persecution yet notwithstanding Chryst pronounceth them blissed bicause that after the present affliction shall folow glory whervntoo there is no way but by the crosse The second is that by the harmes of the Iewes and by their hurts wée shoulde become the warer Therfore too the intent wée go not astray with the Iewes let vs folow the Lampe of Gods woord for this alone can make vs safe from misgoing Thy woord sayth Dauid is a lantern too my féete and a light vntoo my steps And Paule will haue vs too cary before vs the woord of God as a burning cresset The eyght is that wée are admonished too set the name of God which is a most strong toure ageinst al y e misfortunes that hang ouer vs. For thus sayth Salomon The name of the Lorde is a most strong toure too whiche the iust man shal flée and bée saued Some put their trust in chariots saith Dauid and some in horses but wée will call vpon the name of the Lorde By the name of the Lorde is ment an humble prayer which procéedeth of true faith in Chryst this fayth is it that ouercōmeth the world For thus sayth the Apostle This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen your faith Why so Bicause they call vpon Chryst the vanquisher of y e world and haue Chryst present ageinst whom hell gates are able too do nothing Let vs pray therfore that neyther our minde may bée dazeled with brainesicke opinions nor our fayth quayle in so great hurlyburlyes The ninth is that wée should fortifie our selues ageinst stumblingblocks wherof there shal bée very many but whē they come wée must remembre Chrysts saying Beholde I haue tolde you before Neither shal these stūbling blocks bée al of one kind For some stumbling blocks shal bée of persecution some of y e fewnesse of thē that professe Christ some of them that fall from Chryste For many in these miseries that are too come shall vtterly renounce Chrysts name his Gospell and submit themselues agein vnto Sathā Many in this smal cōpany shal bée bringers vp of diuers sects and yet they shal professs Christ. Ageinst this géere will Christ haue vs fensed And bicause that harms foreséene doo hurt the lesse Christ would haue his church warned of them before hand The tenth vse is that we liuing in the fear of God should wayt for the comming of our Lord Lesus Chryst who shall bring vs full redemption which redemption is the full and finall ende of all Chrysts benefites vntoo which al other benefites are appoynted For the order of Chrystes benefites is this that is described in .1 Corin. 1. in these woordes God hath made Chryst our wisedome our rightuousnesse our holynesse our redemption too the intent that he which glorieth should glorie in the Lord. He is our wisdom when he reueleth his fathers will vntoo vs in his Gospell He is our rightuousnesse when we by beléeuing his Gospell haue his rightuousnesse imputed vntoo vs. He becōmeth our holinesse when wée béeing iustified are moued with the holye Ghost through whose operation wée henceforth purpose a new lyfe And at length he shall bée our redemption when full saluation shall happen vntoo vs through him too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honoure prayse and glorie world without end So bée it Vpon the Purification of Sainct Mary the Virgine The Gospel Luke ij AND vvhen the time of their Purification after the lavv of Moyses vvas come they brought him too Hierusalem too present him too the Lord as it is vvritten in the lavv of the Lorde euery man childe that firste openeth the matrix shall bee called holie too the Lorde and too offer as it is sayde in the lavve of the Lord a payre of turtle Doues or tvvo young Pigeons And beholde there vvas a man in Hierusalem vvhose name vvas Symeon And the same man vvas iust godly and longed for the consolation of Israell and the holy Ghost vvas in him And an ansvver vvas giuen him of the holy Ghost that hee should not see death before hee had seene the Lordes Chryste And hee came by inspiration intoo the Temple And vvhen the Father and Mother brought in the Childe Iesus too doo for him after the custome of the Lavve then tooke he him vp in his armes and sayde Lorde novv lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according too thy vvoord For mine eyes haue seene thy Saluation VVhiche thou haste prepared before the face of all people A light too lighten the Gentiles the glorie of thy people Israell The exposition of the text IN this feast is handled a part of Chrystes storie namely how he was offred vp in the temple according too the Law and how Simeon a ryghtuous man acknoweledged Iesus the Son of Mary too bée the very Messias yea and that by instinct of the holy Ghoste by whom hée had receyued an answere that hée shoulde not die before his eyes had séene Chryst the Lord. Whō when hée had séene hée tooke him intoo his armes and blissed him Whiche doone hée vttered his thankfulnesse too Godwarde in a song Héere wée muste call too remembraunce what wée haue hithertoo heard concerning Chryst too the intent wée may knowe the continuall storie of him Wée haue therefore herd first of his glorious birth that hée was borne in Bethléem Secondlye of his Circumcision that he was circumcized the eyght daye Thirdly howe hée was acknoweledged and honoured by the wysemen Nowe followeth the offering vp of hym in the Temple whiche offering vp
afterward whither he would haue bin circumcised and suffred death or no. But he y t was frée becam the seruaÌ„t of al to the intent he might make al free or as Austin sayth God became man to y e intent to make men gods Paule saith he was bound vnder the law too the intent he might redéeme those that were vnder the lawe And therefore he béeing the first borne would also bée offered vp in the Temple But how was he the first borne There was neuer any such borne First he was first borne in his Godhead for he was the eternall Sonne of God This day sayth he haue I begotten thée Secondly he was the first born son of Mary in his manhood For she neuer bare any before him nor yet after him Thirdly he was first borne in grace For he was the first man that euer was borne which being offered vp vntoo God was accepted of himselfe Fourthly in power For he was the firste borne of the deade And fifthly that wée might bée borne new men through him Furthermore it is too bée marked that mary offred a paire of yong pigeons wherby is shewed that she was poore For the richer sort did offer a Lamb. Héereby wée may lerne not too bée abashed of our pouertie It was Chrysts will too bée borne poore that he might make vs riche so that wée wyll accept his riches with a thankfull minde ¶ Of the second AND beholde there vvas a man in Hierusalem vvhose name vvas Simeon Héere we haue first a description of Simeon and afterward his blissing First he is commended for his rightuousnesse For he liued so among his people that he was counted of all men for a good and iust man The Euangelist méeneth not by this that he was so rightuous that he had no néede of any other rightuousnesse for in his owne song he confesseth Christ too bée his sauior but that he liued vnblamable among men and honestly so as he did no man harme but good too all men according too his power Suche a one is called of Cicero or rather of al men a iust or rightuous man Secondly he is commended for his godlinesse For he feared God Under the name of fear is comprehended the whole seruice of God For he that feareth God as he eschueth al things wherewith he knowes he shall offend him so also dooth he whatsoeuer he perceiueth too bée acceptable too him This feare hath his beginning of faith There is an other feare of God without faith which is no seruice of God and such a one there is in all the vngodly For they alwayes dread Gods iudgement agaynst them and wold rather that there were no God than too bée punished for their wickednesse The feare that is commended in Symeon was none such For it foloweth that he wayted for the comforte of Israel By which saying is shewed that he longed very ernestly for the comming of Chryst. For he knew that the prophesies of Iacob and Daniel pointed too this time of his Wherfore hée longed for it the more earnestly and wished that his life might bée prolonged vntil hée might sée Chryste present And it is no maruaile that hée wayted so earnestly for Chrystes comming For hée was sayth the Euangelist ful of the holy Ghost Suche was this holy man But what was the reward of this godlinesse Hée receyueth an answer of the holy ghost that he should not sée death before hée had séene the Lordes Chryst and by the motion of the same holy Ghoste hée came intoo the Temple And what did hée there When the Parentes Ioseph and Mary hadde brought in the Childe hée took him intoo his armes and praysed God Nowe hath this holy olde man that whiche hée desired so earnestlye and hée giueth witnesse too Chryste openly protesting this childe too bée the same anoynted Sauiour that was promised too the fathers Wée haue the godlinesse of Simeon what it was now let vs set him before vs. Let old men first and afterward al men learne of him too feare God Let them learne too liue holilye and vprightly among men Let them learne too take Chryste intoo their armes that is too say intoo their hartes Let them set him out praise him and professe him Which thing if thei doo they shall one day with Simeon receiue a plentuous reward in Heauen ¶ Of the third NOw foloweth Simeons song Lord novv lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy vvord This song hath customably bin soong in the church many huÌ„dred yéeres wée are wont to sing the same when corpses are layde intoo their graues For it coÌ„teyneth a doctrine concerning Chryste it techeth froÌ„ whence chéefe coÌ„fort is too bée sought specially at what time we must depart out of this life Now too the inteÌ„t we may vnderstaÌ„d this song the better I will deuide it intoo two parts In y e first wherof the old man Simeon reioyceth in his own behalf and in the latter part comprehendeth very bréefly the benefits of Chryst towards y e whole world The first part is Lorde novv lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace according too thy vvoorde For myne eyes haue seene thy saluation Héere the olde man Simeon reioyseth in his owne behalfe that hée had séene Chryste with his bodily eyes according too the answere that hée had receyued of the holy Ghost For albéeit hée had séene him before with the eye of his faith like as our Lorde saith of AbrahaÌ„ Abraham saw my day was glad yet notwithstaÌ„ding bicause he had receiued a promise of y e holy ghost y t hée should sée Chryst present w t his bodily eyes before he dyed he was gretly delited with his sight with great strength of faith desired streight too be deliuered froÌ„ his body y t he might be gathered to his fathers in peace But sée he receiued a promise that he should sée the Lords anoynted Héer is brought him a poore babe there appéereth héere none other outwarde countenance than of contempte Is hée offended at this outwarde countenaunce No. Whom hée saw too bée leaâ—â— with his bodily eyes him sawe hée too bée greatest with the sight of his faith Whom hée behild base in the shape of a seruant with his bodily eyes him knew he too be King of Kings Lord of Lords And he was not ignoraunt what Zacharie had prophesied of him who sayth Behold thy King cometh poore He knew he came not too take intoo his haÌ„d the kingdoms of the world but too giue the kingdom of God too beléeuers Héerby also wée may lern too beléeue the scriptures and too looke vpon Chryste and his church not only with our bodily eyes but much rather with the eyes of oure fayth And séeing hée desireth too bée let go by and by and to change this miserable life for death hée declareth sufficiently that Chrysts kingdom is not of this world but an euerlasting kingdome whiche consisteth in peace of conscience As if he should
too be like in conditions too the Saincts liuing after an honest godly and vpright fashion and renouncing all vngodlinesse and worldly lustes as Paule teacheth in his Epistle too Titus For this purpose let vs thinke that this feaste also was instituted not that wée shoulde call vppon the holy Uirgin which is wicked Idolatrie but too the intent wée may haue wherwith both too edifie our minde and too directe our life too godlinesse and vertue after the example of this moste chaste Uirgin Nowe the summe of this storie is that the Uirgin Mary after shée knewe that bothe hir selfe was with Childe by the holy Ghost â–ª that Elizabeth hir cousin now in hir olde age was great with Childe also went too hir cousin Elizabeth too see howe shée did and that vppon their méeting they talked toogither of that which was hapned and comforted one another And too the intent that Mary might show a token of hir thankfulnesse shee made a Psalme and song it too the praise of God The places are twoo 1 The storie of hir visitation 2 The song of the Uirgin ¶ Of the firste IN the story of the virgin foure circumstances are chéefly too bée considered whiche are Firste the mutuall curtesie betwéene the Uirgin and Elizabeth 2. The Salutation of the Uirgin 3. Elizabeths record of the Uirgins faith 4. The miracle of the Babe springing in his moothers wombe The first circumstance Mary arose in those dayes vvente intoo the Mountaynes vvith haste intoo a Citie of Ievvry and entred intoo the house of Zachary The blissed Uirgin vttereth a moste faire frute of hir Fayth that is too wit loue towardes hir neighbour For shée béeing a yong woman bylde no scorne of Elizabeth béeing an olde woman but wente too hir in halfe too help hir and comfort hir thinking thus Beholde my kinswoman is forespent with yéeres and besides that shée is by miracle become childe bearing whiche thing was denyed by nature Therfore shée hath néede of my helpe Wherefore I will go too hir that wée may take comforte toogither one of anothers talke too doo hir some seruice Héerby may yoong maryed wiues learne howe it becometh them too bée minded toward y e aged women Although Mary were endewed with greater giftes than euer any woman in the world was Yet was shée not proude of it shée thinks not Shall I that am garnished with so great gifts doo seruice too this olde trot But rather shée thinketh that the greater shée is and the more excelling in principall giftes so muche the more is shée bounde too doo other folke seruice Albéeit that Ioseph dreamed that the Sunne and Moone and eleuen starres did woorship him by whiche dreame was signifyed that his Paâ—entes and brethren shoulde one day woorship him as their Lorde yet was hée not proude of it but serued his olde Father and was obediente too him according too the rule of Iesus the Sonne of Syrach The greater that thou arte so muche the more humble thou thy self in all things and thou shalt finde fauour before GOD. Bée gentle too speake vntoo in the company of the poore and humble thy soule vntoo thine elder He that frameth his life after the rule and the exaÌ„ple of Mary shall reape most plentifull frute For first he shall finde fauour in Gods sight For as God resisteth the proude so he giueth grace too the lowly Secondly he shall finde fauour among men For like as all men hate proude folkes so they loue those that bée lowly and gentle too speake vntoo Besides this he deserueth that yong men shoulde honoure him when he is olde For as it is Gods iust iudgement that he which in his youth despised old men should bée despised himselfe when he is old so is it Gods iustice that he which in his youth did reuerence old men and had them in estimation should bée honoured and loued of yong folke when he is olde Also let our maydens learne héereby not too run gadding about too other folkes houses nor too giue themselues too idlenesse but too doo their businesse spéedyly after a godly and womanly fashion except perchaunce they had rather folow the example of Dina who brought home shame with hir thaÌ„ the example of the blissed virgin who brought home honor and an euerlasting report of honestie with hir In old time no treasure was more set by of maidens than shamefastnesse But now a days many shew al maner of shamlesse lightnesse both in apparell and behauior of whom a great number doo iustly abye their vnshamefastnesse The second circumstance is of the Gréeting For the virgin entring intoo Elizabeths house gréeteth hir by and by A fréendly gréeting is a token of curtesie lowlynesse and good will The vsuall maner of gréeting among the Iewes was peace bée too thée and peace bée too this house which maner of gréeting putteth vs in minde of many thinges For first this order of gréeting is a confession whereby wée acknowledge all peace all good fortune yea and all prosperitie too bée of God Secondly it is a prayer For he that with a true méening hart sayth Peace bée too thée it is as muche as if he should say I beséeche thée O heauenly Father too graunt thy peace too this man and too defende him with thy protection ageinst Sathan the vnappeasable foe of thy churche Thirdly this gréeting is an exhortation wherby wée exhort him that wée salute too call vppon God too preserue the man himselfe his house his children and whatsoeuer is his Fourthly his gréeting and wishing of peace is a certeine warning that wée haue enimies that lye in wayte for vs continualle Whereby wée are put in minde not too sléepe but too wake that they fall not vpon vs vnwares Fifthly this godly salutation is a thanksgiuing For when wée wish peace of God too other men wée openly acknowledge that God is the author of peace whom wée prayse in this confession Therfore let vs learne of this virgin too receyue one an other with mutuall gréetings The third circumstance is Elizabeths testimonie concerning the virgins faith And Elizabeth vvas filled vvith the holy ghost and cryed out vvith a loude voyce and sayd Blissed art thou among vvomen and blissed is the frute of thy vvomb c. Blissed art thou that hast beleeued for all things shall bee performed that the Lord hath spoken vntoo thee Elizabeth is filled with the holy ghost by whom she is certified of the virgins conception For in asmuch as it is ageinst nature for a maid too bée with child it behoued the author of nature too bée the teacher of grace and giuer of the gift whiche happened contrary too nature Agein according as shée was taught by the holy ghost she commendeth the virgins fayth when she saith Blissed art thou that hast beléeued Which short sentence teacheth many things For first it couertly giueth an inkling that al be wretched which are faithlesse Secondly it teacheth that vntoo the beléeuers befalleth the
true blissednesse whiche he is in Chryste Iesu the moste plentyfull welspring of all blissednesse Thirdly it sheweth what is the frute of faith when she sayth For those things shal bée perfourmed whiche the Lorde hath spoken too thée As if she should say Although the experience of all men crye ageinst it although Nature say nay too it although reason determine flat ageinst it Yet shall the thing bée performed that the Lord hath spoken too thée namely that thou being a maid shalt beare a Sonne according too Gods woord Héereby may wée also lerne what is the true inclination of Fayth and after the example of the virgin too giue credite too Gods woord though all the whole nature of things should séeme too warrant the contrary The fourth circumstance At the virgins gréeting the childe sprang in his moothers wombe and by a certeine gesture gaue knoweledge that the Messias was at hād in the virgins wombe Surely this was a greate miracle that a Babe as yet vnborne intoo the worlde acknowledged the repayrer of nature By whiche miracle bothe the fayth of Elizabeth and Mary was confirmed and the goodnesse of God towardes infantes declared who promised Abraham long agoe that hée would bée the GOD of him and of his séede for euermore In assurance of which promise hée established a law that euery male childe of eyght dayes olde should bée circumcised In as much therfore as this promise perteyneth vntoo vs the Anabaptists doo wickedly and shamelesly who will not haue the infants of Christians baptized that is too wit wil not haue them enioy their ensealement whiche are heires of the heauenly grace according too the promise The Anabaptists saye thus Hée that heareth and beléeueth is too bée baptized but an Infant heareth not nor can beléeue and therefore hée is not in any wise too bée baptized But the wretches are deceiued They ought too reason thus rather The Infāts of Christen folkes haue the promise Therefore this promise is too bée sealed vp vntoo them by Baptime as it was sealed vp too the Children of the Iewes by Circumcision The woorde of promise offreth grace and the Sacramente of the promisse sealeth vp the grace and teacheth by outwarde token according as is sayd vppon the day of our Lords supper Therfore let vs set Iohn before vs whoo in his moothers womb béeing full of the holy Ghoste is heire of the grace common too all Infants that haue the promise But they say this was a miracle I confesse it was a miracle and surely a great miracle like as all Gods woorkes in his Churche are miracles Notwithstanding I put too thus muche that this selfe same miracle teacheth vs that Babes are able too receiue the holye Ghoste If they bée able too receiue the holy Ghoste if they bée the Children of Abraham if they bée heires according too the promise If Chryste commaunde them too bée receyued why are they not too bée baptized specially séeing that Baptime is a certeine sealing vp of these things ¶ Of the second WHen Mary had herd Elizabeth talk of the benefit doon too hir by God namely that shée should bée the moother of the Messias shée vttereth the thankfulnesse of hir harte towards God whome shée prayseth in this Psalme partly for that excéeding great benefite whiche happened vntoo hir and also for the mercye might and truthe whiche hée extendeth towardes men while through his mercy hée receyueth them that fear him intoo his fauour iustly punisheth the stubborn and now at length performeth that hée had promised so long ago too the fathers The vse of this Psalme is that knowing Gods mercifulnesse wée shoulde beléeue that knowing his myght wée shoulde feare and that knowing his truthe wée should hope and with pacience wait for the things that God of his grace hath promised setting his mercy ageinst sinne his might ageinst the Deuils tirannie and his truth ageinst all the temptations that the fleshe or the Deuill ministreth And for these causes the auncient Churche hathe ordeyned that euery daye in the congregation of the godly this song of the Uirgins should bée soong Nowe let vs bréefly expound euery verse 1 My soule dooth magnifie the Lord. 2 And my spirite reioyseth in God my Sauyour 3 For he hath regarded the lovvlynesse of his handmayd For beholde from henceforth all generations shal cal mee blissed This is too say I prayse God highly and am altogither set vppon gladnesse and that for God my sauiours sake For he is my ioy bicause he hath bestowed so great fauour vppon me He hath regarded and with frée fauor embraced me his lowly and base handmayde who haue liued hithertoo despysed in base estate and euen after the manner of vyle bondslaues yea and so regarded me that all ages shal frō henceforth accompt me not base and despised as before but blissed to whom so great grace is extended that I shall bée the moother of the Messias who is the sauiour of me of all that beléeue in him By Maryes exāple we may lerne first too acknowledge our own vilenesse to cast our selues down before God in true repentance Secōdly to acknowledge Gods benefits towards vs. Thirdly to praise god for his benefits fourthly too prouoke other too thankfulnesse by our exāple 4 For he that is mightie hath magnified me and holy is his name The chaste virgin maketh héere no boast of merites She attributeth nothing too hir owne power but imputeth all things vntoo God who only is mightie whose only name is holy and therfore deserueth most highly too bée reuerēced For as oft as God is named he ought too bée praysed for his holinesse which shineth foorth in all his woorks with excéeding mercy iust iudgement myghtinesse and truth according as the virgin declareth particularly in hir psalme 5 And his mercy is on them that feare him through all generations This verse teacheth thrée things First that God is mercifull Secondly how largely Gods mercy spredeth it selfe And thirdly too what persons that mercy befalleth Concerning Gods mercy there bée many notable sayinges and exāples I sayth he will bée thy God and the God of thy séede for euer Also I am the God that sheweth mercy And in Esay I am with thée bicause I am thy mercifull Lorde God And the son of Syrach Gentle merciful is God will release sinnes in the day of trouble Héerevpon Paule calleth God the father of mercies saying Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryst the father of mercies which comforteth vs in all our troubles The exāples of this mercy that hath bin shewed are many Of which the chéefest is that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that the worlde might bée saued by him Héervntoo maketh this saying So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that all that beléeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Images of this mercy are the prodigal child the Samaritane and the
the midst of theÌ„ saying Verely I say vnto you Except ye turne become as children yee shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen Héere hée teacheth by example and doctrine what maner a ones he would haue the ministers of his kingdome too be He wil haue no oddes betwixt them as touching the affection of their minds Hée wil not haue one looke loftely at another but y t they should be louingly minded one too another shewing dutifulnesse one to another He wil not haue theÌ„ in his ghostly kingdom too reign proudly one ouer other after the manner of the heathen For in ciuill gouernements there is an other consideration too bée had Ageine hée maketh héer a difference betwéen his own gouernment and the worldly kingdomes Hée that is chéef in worldly kingdomes wil bée honored and serued of al men Contrarywise hée that wil bée chéef héere must be seruant too all not in woords as the Pope is but in very déede as were Paule Peter the Apostles and other sincere preachers of the Gospel So is he greatest in Chrystes Churche that is most seruant and hée is least that is most lordly Now too the intent Chryst may reuoke his disciples froÌ„ this pride he addeth a most sore threat saying Except yee become children yee shall not enter intoo the kingdome of Heauen But what meaneth the Lorde that he would haue his Disciples like little Children Dooth not Paul séem too teache otherwise when he wryteth too the Corinthians in this wise Let vs not bée children in vnderstanding Chryst wil haue vs like too Children Paule wil haue vs vnlike too Children Bothe are true Wée must be like too Children and ageine wée must bée vnlike too Children Wée must bée like too Children firste in true lowlinesse and denying of our selues as the Lorde sayeth whosoeuer humbleth himself as this Childe Therefore hée that will bée Chrystes Disciple must lay down all pride Héeruntoo perteyneth this saying of Chryst hée that wil folowe mée let him denie him self That is too say he that wil bée my Disciple let him haue a lowly opinion of himselfe and let him take nothing proudly vpon him Ageine wée must bée like vntoo children in respect of merits For like as childreÌ„ cannot boast of their own deseruings ageinst their parents euen so may not Chrystes disciples boast of any merites before God but confesse them selues too bée babes as who are able too do nothing without his fatherly prouidence Thirdly we must be like childreÌ„ in affection For as children coÌ„mit them selues wholly too the regard of their parents so must Chrysts disciples put them selues wholly intoo Chrysts tuition looking for all welfare at his hande Fourthly wée must bée like children in purpose of obeying Good children stande not reasoning what maner a thing it is that their father coÌ„mandeth but they take héede what he coÌ„maundeth folow his wil as their rule too woork by as AbrahaÌ„ did who at Gods coÌ„maundement was redy too slea his only begotten sonne for sacrifice Abraham stood not thinking what shal this déede profite God The death of my sonne is most troublesome vntoo mée and can do no good too God But rather he thought thus Thou my God hast commaunded me this therfore will I folow thy wil as my rule too woorke by and I will obey thée Lastly wée must bée like children in malice that is too wit like as children giue not themselues too naughtie practises nor gather not couetously nor folowe filthy lustfulnesse So must Chrysts disciples absteyne from euill And wée must bée vnlike too children first that wée bée not found like babes séeking after vntoward things as children doo before their senses are setled Secondly that wée bée not weake in faith as childreÌ„ which are not able to conceiue spirituall things for want of yéeres of discretion Thirdly that wée giue not our selues too playing with fleshly affections Fourthly that wée wauer not vncerteynly and vnstayedly like childreÌ„ in the doctrin of godlinesse that as Paul saith wée bée not caried about with euery blast of doctrin but that wée yéelde a holy chyldhoode whervntoo Peter exhorteth vs when he sayth As new borne babes 1 Peter 2. Héervnto he addeth also y e reward of true lowlinesse wheÌ„ he sayth VVhosoeuer receiueth such a child in my name receiueth me Let this be weyed aduisedly First by this saying Christ wil haue vs embrace his childreÌ„ louingly and that for his sake Secondly it witnesseth y t what soeuer is bestowed vpon the godly in his name he estemeth as if it were bestowed vpoÌ„ himself Whom wold not this promise stirre vp too doo y e déeds of curtesy too his brethren specially too the members of Chrysts church On the other side it warns vs of the punishment which they shall suffer that despise any of those that beléeue in Chryst. He that offendeth one of these vvhich beleeue in mee sayth he it vvere better for him that a mylstone vvere hanged about his necke and he drovvned in the botom of the sea This onely threat ought too holde vs within our duetie that wée should not bée so ready too offende others But of this poynt there folow more ¶ Of the seconde WO bee to the vvorlde for offences Needes must offences come Notvvithstanding vvo bee too that man by vvhom the offence coÌ„meth This saying of Chrysts conteineth thrée things The first is a forewarning that the world is full of offences The second is a somwhat darke inkling of the causes of offences The third is a threatning of the punishment that shall light vpon the author of the offence The first teacheth vs warneth vs and confirmeth vs. It teacheth vs what shall come too passe namely that the woord shall bée full of offences Secondly that these offences shall bring wâ— vpon men that is to say punishment vnder which men shall cry wo too themselues by reason of their anguishe This woord wo as Basil sayth is a lameÌ„table mâ—ne wherwithal they that grone vnder the crosse doo vtter their gréefe Thirdly that the Church shall not bée at rest in this life but y t when it shall séeme most quiet then shall stormes arise sodeynly wherwith it shal be wonderously shaken The church shal in this world bée like the bird Halcyon which layeth hir eggs hatcheth them and bringeth vp hir yâ—â—ng ones vppon the sea This bird can neuer warrant hir self one calme day but frameth hir selfe too all hazards When the sea is calme shée and hir yoong birds are glad if any tempest arise shée beares it out with a stoute courage féeding hir minde with hope of a calme So the church is in the world as on the sea where shée bringeth foorth children She can neuer bée in any suretie of the stormes of this world such as are all false prophets the deuil a mans owne fleshe and the lewd maners examples of men When these storms are comming ageinst the Churche then must shée bée in a redinesse ageinst all