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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	bear_v	fruit_n	good_a	1,697	5	3.9177	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02923	A Postill, or, Exposition of the Gospels that are usually red in the churches of God, vpon the Sundayes and feast dayes of Saincts written by Nicholas Hemminge a Dane, a Preacher of the Gospell, in the Vniuersitie of Hafnie ; and translated into English by Arthur Golding. ; before which Postill is sette a warning of the same Nicholas Heminge too the Ministers of Gods vvorde, concerning the co[n]tinuall agreement of Chrystes Church in the doctrine and true worshipping of God ...	Hemmingsen, Niels, 1513-1600.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.	1569 (1569)	STC 13062; ESTC S5140	503,499	736

men damned by the iust iudgement of God They be last with them selues which in good earnest acknowledge their owne vilenesse and infirmitie as whiche féele them selues too haue no desert and these shall bée first with God that is too say accepted with God so that they leane vntoo Chryst the Mediator by stedfast fayth The meaning of this sentence Many are called and fevve chosen teacheth twoo things the one is howe great is the goodnesse mercy of God that calleth all men too the knowledge of his sonne by his gospell The other is how great is the vnthankfulnesse of men of whome so few are found that are chosen that is too say godly sincere and practising earnest repentaunce For there are fewe that renounce theyr owne woorkes yea themselues altoogither and that trust onely too God and glorifie him in minde talke confession and conuersation This sentence therefore admonisheth vs first too acknowledge the benefite of God that calleth vs by the Gospell secondely too detest the vnthankfulnesse of the world which accepteth not the benefits offred thirdly too ioine our selues too those fewe in repentance fayth and true inuocation which receiue the Gospel sincerely too the glory of God too whome bée honor for euer Amen The Sunday called Sexagesima ▪ ¶ The Gospell Luke viij WHen much people vvere gathered togyther vvere come too him out of all Cities he spake by a similitude The sovver vvent out too sovv his seede and as hee sovved some fell by the vvay side and it vvas troden dovvne and the foules of the aire deuoured it vppe And some fel on stones and assone as it vvas sprong vp it vvithered avvay bicause it lacked moystnesse And some fell among thorns and the thornes sprang vp vvith it and choaked it And some fel on good groūd and sprāg vp and bare frute an hundreth fold And as he sayd these things he cried he that hath eares to heer let him heere And his disciples asked him saying VVhat maner of similitude is this And hee sayd Vntoo you it is gyuen too knovve the secretes of the kingdom of God but too other by Parables that vvhen they see they shoulde not see and vvhen they heer they shold not vnderstand The Parable is this The seede is the vvoord of God those that are beside the vvay are they that heere then commeth the diuel and taketh avvay the vvoord out of their hartes leaste they shoulde beleeue and bee saued They on the stones are they vvhiche vvhen they heere receyue the vvoord vvith ioy and these haue no rootes vvhich for a vvhile beleeue and in time of temptation goe avvay And that vvhich fel among thorns are they vvhich vvhen they haue herd go foorth and are choaked vvith cares and riches and voluptuous liuing and bring foorth no frute That vvhich fell in the good ground are they vvhich vvith a pure and good herte heere the vvoord and keepe it and bring foorth frute through pacience The exposition of the text THys Gospel conteineth a goodlie image of the church militant in this world and springing of the incorruptible séede of Gods woorde in the visible companie wherof how many and how sundry sorts of héerers ther bée hée peinteth out by the similitude of the naturall séed For hée beareth witnesse that it happeneth alike too the heauenlie séede as is woont too happen too the naturall séede cast intoo the grounde For like as all bringeth not foorth frute that the husbandman casteth intoo the grounde no nor scarce the fourth parte of it Euen so the word of God hath sundry héerers in very fewe of whome it bringeth foorth wholsome frute Héerof are thrée places 1 The exposition of the Parable 2 The diuers sortes of the héerers of Gods woorde 3 As concerning the Lordes saying Hée that hath eares too héere let him héere ¶ Of the first THe causes why the Lord spake vntoo the people in parables are many The first may be the foretelling of the Prophets For the Prophets had foretold that when Christ came he should teache the people in parables And it was a very auncient maner of teaching too teache in parables and similitudes Secondly for that this kinde of teaching dooth wonderfully enter intoo the eyes and minds of men Thirdly bicause the things that are taught by suche kindes of images and tokens doo helpe the memorie that the doctrine by them as it were by tokens of remembrance may bée sent out too all that shall come after Fourthly also Parables doo assuage the ouer harde rebukes and as it were hide thē with a certein veyle that they may the lesse offend And yet afterward being conceyued vnderstood in the minde they teach and doo as muche as plaine doctrine and yet they touche no man openly Finally the partes of this parable are the sower the séede the frute and the ground The sower is God who although he cast his séed into the grounde by men yet notwithstanding hée is presente with them him selfe and worketh with them By reason whereof the ministers of the woord are termed Gods helpfelowes by which name both things are ment that is too wit that bothe GOD dooth woorke after his owne maner and that men as workfellowes doo bestowe their labour in Gods behalfe Here wée may learne twoo things First that the séed is precious and noble For we sée in the worlde that the excellenter the séede is so muche more cunning and skilfull persons are set too lay it intoo the grounde If the kings of the worlde toogither with the wise men of the worlde were sayde too bée the layers of this séed into the ground al men wold wonder at it all men would be very desirous too knowe this séede But now is God become the sower héere and the stewards of Gods mysteries are héere present And therefore it muste néeds bée that this sowing is both an earnest and a noble sowing aboue all others The other thing that we may learne héerby is that it is a great fault and worthy too bée punished with most gréeuous punishment eyther to receiue the séed of the sower God intoo a ground that is too say a heart not tilled before with the plough of the lawe or when it is receyued not to cherishe it with all the attendance carefulnesse diligence that may bée so as it may growe and bring forthe moste acceptable frute too the sower The séed is the very word of God and not of man whiche séed the only begotten sonne of God hath brought out of the bosome of his father This séed is liuely wherfore if it séeme at any time not too bring forth frute it is not the fault of the séed but of the ground They that eyther corrupt this séed as hereticks doo or choke it as hipocrites do or kéep it down by force as tirants doo or thrust in other in stéed of it as the papists doo shall one day féele the iust wrath of God who as he hath giuen

pure séed so also wil he haue the same kept pure and in no wise corrupted And this séed hath he left with his Churche too kéepe layd vp in the treasures of the Prophetes and Apostles The frute that this séede bringeth forth foloweth the nature of the séede when it is growen vp For first after it is layed intoo the ground there springeth of it repentance that is too say an amendment of the former wicked life For like as some excellent séed béeing conceyued in the bowels of the earth dooth by his owne power kil the wéeds that ouergrew the grounde before so this séede doothe by true remorse kil the shreud wéedes that is too say sinnes whiche the Deuill hath sowed in mannes harte so as they may not hear deadly frute vntoo damnation as they did before Ageine this séede toogither with helthful repentaunce bringeth forth faith the frute whereof is moste acceptable too GOD. Out of this faith as out of the eare of the corne come forthe séedes that is too say children of GOD according too this saying To as many as beléeued hée gaue them power too become the children of God These as sayth sainct Peter are borne ageine not of corruptible séede but of incorruptible séede by the woorde of the liuing God that continueth for euer The children of God being so borne of Gods incorruptible séede doo bring forth their fruite that is too wit good woorkes and pacience wherwith the Lords fruteful féeld flourisheth euen vntill haruest ¶ Of the seconde BY the manner of the séede layde intoo the grounde a man may gather foure kindes of hearers of Gods woord For the séede that is layde intoo the ground either is not conceyued in the bowels of the earth or else is conceyued wyth frute howbéeit such frute as out of hande withereth and perisheth or else with frute that endureth too the haruest And this varietie happeneth by reason of the nature of the soyle For if the séede light intoo the way it taketh no roote but is either troden downe with féete or deuoured by the byrdes If it light vppon stonie grounde bicause it taketh no déepe roote it perisheth as soone as it cōmeth vp If it light among thornes the thornes choke it and it dieth without profit If it light vpon good grounde it beareth frute and that plentuously Héervpon our Lord concludeth manifestly that there bée foure sortes of héerers of which I must nowe speake in order The first kinde of héerers is set foorth in this wise in the Parable Some fell in the highe vvay and vvas troden vvyth feete The Parable is thus expounded by the Lorde Those that are by the high vvay are those that heere the vvoorde and anone commeth the Diuel and taketh the vvoord out of their heartes least they shoulde beleeue and bee saued In this exposition many things doo méete toogither woorthie too bée considered First what is the cause that it beareth not frute namely bicause the grounde is harde and drie that is too say the heartes of the héerers are stonie and harde so as they giue no place too the worde Mennes hartes wex harde by accustoming themselues too sinne by hope of scaping without punishment by Epicurishe thoughtes by innumerable examples of such as sinne and by the craftes of the Diuell And whereas the Lorde sayth that the ●éede was sowed in their hearts it is as muche as if he had sayde that the vice leudnesse of men is the cause why it is taken out of their hartes Therefore they doo God wrong that ascribe their damnation vntoo him For hée being mercyfull vntoo al men casteth his séed intoo the ground that is too say sendeth preachers too teach his gospel but through mens default it cōmeth too passe that it is troden vnder foote without frute Secondly it is too bée marked aduisedly that the diuel is sayde too come and take away the worde out of their hartes Whereby wée gather that this enimie of our saluation according as hungrie birdes are woonte too doo in séed tyme as soone as the doctrine commeth abroade is at hande ▪ and steppes in to catche it vppe before it can conceiue moysture and shoote forth That this is the continuall endeuer of Sathan the storie of all tymes teacheth vs and Peter testifieth when hée sayth that the Diuell goeth about like a roaring Lion séeking whom hée may deuour For in like wyse as hée set himselfe ageinst our first parentes and that by taking Gods word out of their hartes so employeth hée himselfe wholly with like endeuer at this day that the worde whiche is preached may abide frutelesse with the héerers Thirdly it is to be obserued that the Gospel is the preching of saluation For when hée sayth that the Diuell taketh the woord out of the hartes of the héerers least any should bée saued hée declareth sufficiently that the woorde of God is appointed too our saluation Fourthly héere is too bée obserued the great prayse of fayth in asmuche as Chryste in expresse wordes calleth it the cause of our saluation leaste throughe beléeuing sayeth hée they might bée saued For as saluation is offered vntoo men by the ministration of the Gospell so by faith only is the offered saluation receyued and reteined wherevpon the Apostle sayeth the Gospell is the power of God vntoo saluation too euery one that beléeueth Fifthly as our great vnthankfulnesse is noted wherethrough wée despise the saluation that is offred vs by the woorde so is their errour too bée detested which go about too depriue the woord spoken of his power whoo doubtlesse are the diuels instrumentes too hinder the saluation of men The second sort of héerers are noted in this parable Other some fell vpon stones and assoone as it came vp it vvithered bicause it had no moysture The Parable is expounded by the Lord in these woords For that vvhich fell vpon the stones are those vvhich vvhen they haue heard the vvoorde doo receiue it vvith ioye but yet they haue no roote but beleeue for a time but go backe in the time of triall As long as the Crosse and persecution troubleth them not they holde not the meanest place in the Churche but assoone as persecution ryseth for the Gospell they giue ouer and fayth dieth vtterly in them without frute and of this sorte of héerers alas for sorowe there are too many Assone as the doctrine of the Gospell was purged in this Realme very many séemed too embrace the Gospell earnestely But when they sawe their fréendes displeased with them for it whē they perceiued that no smal péece of their estimation among the Papistes was abated by it and that the crosse touched them somewhat néerly then they forgat the swéetnesse of the Gospell whiche they had héeretofore receyued with ioyfulnesse and shamefully lyke wretches slipt from it too their vtter reproche the horrible destruction of their soules for whom it had ben much better neuer too haue tasted the goodnesse of the Gospell than wyth

so much shame too fal away agein from grace and saluation The third sorte of héerers is painted out in this Parable thus And other some fell among thornes and the thornes grovving vp vvith it choaked it The Lord interpreting this parable sayth That vvhiche fell among thornes are those vvhich haue herd the vvord and going their vvays are choked vvith the cares and the ryches and pleasures of this lyfe so that they bring foorth no frute In this exposition of the Lords many things are too bée considered Firste that this sorte of men is méete to cherishe the séede within that is too say that they turne vnto the Lorde with true repentance that they beléeue and loue the word of god Secondly that the corruption of the séede that is too say of Gods woorde sowen in the hart of man commeth from elsewhere namely of the thornes For as good séede béeing conceyued in good grounde and growne vp is often so marred with the thornes that winde about it that it perisheth before the haruest Euen so many béeing at the first well disposed and woorshippers of God are before the ende of their life choked with thornes I say with the thornes of carefulnesse of riches and of pleasures Thirdly it is too bée obserued in this place that the Lord putteth héere .iij. kinds of thorns which doo choke the heuenly séede after that it is growne vp spindled as are thoughtfulnesse or cares of this world and ryches according as Mathew hath or as Mathew and Marke haue the deceitfulnesse of ryches and the pleasures of this life Séeing then that these bée the thornes wherewith Gods woord is choked and that there is none of all which is not ouergrowen with great store and as it were with a thicke queach of thorns wée must do our indeuer that if we cannot vtterly plucke vp all the thornes themselues we may at least wise breake off their prickes that they perce not thorough Gods crop and destroy it As concerning the first kind of thorns this is the way too blunt them if we wholly renounce this worlde with his lustes and vse this worlde as though wée vsed it not according as Paul admonisheth vs too doo The second kind shal doo no harme if we folow Salomōs counsel who sayth If riches abounde set not thy hart vpon them And also Paules counsel which saith warn the riche men in this world that they bée not proude nor trust too the vncertaintie of their riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs all things plētifully too our vse but that they doo wel and endeuour too bée riche in good woorks and bée liberal towards others The .iij. kind of thorns are the pleasures of this life which consist in delights pompe worldly honor dainty meats fine apparel and chamberwoork which all toogither and seuerally doo choke the séede of God so as it cannot bring forthe the frute of eternall life Let them therfore that haue regarde of euerlasting saluation take good héed of these thornes The fourth sort of héerers is noted in this part of the parable And some séede fel vpon good grounde and sprang vp and bare frute and brought foorthe some thirtie folde some sixtie folde and some a hundred folde This parable is expounded of the Lord in these wordes And that vviche fel vpon good ground are those that vvith a pure and good harte doo hear the vvoord and keepe it and bring forthe frute through pacience In this exposition fiue things are too bée obserued whiche doo define y e good groūd wherinto y e lords séed was cast The first is too receiue the séede and heare the word with a pure good hart The second is too kéep the séed that is too say not too forget y e word that is herd but too think vpon it cōtinually The thirde is too bring forthe frute in true godlinesse holinesse charitie and the duetie of a mannes vocation The fourth is that this frute must be brought forth in patience verely that wée suffer not our selues too bée pulled by any meanes from fayth and from bringing foorth frute The fifth is that all bring not forth alike much frute For the Lord sayth Some thirtie fold another sixtie folde and another a hundred folde that is too say they which beleue the gospel bring forth frute according too the measure of their faith some more and some lesse This oddes in bringing foorth frute dooth bothe teache vs and comfort vs. It teacheth vs that the séede of God must not bée frutelesse if at leastwise wée couet too haue it too our welfare and it comforteth them that bée of a gentle and good hart desirous too bring foorth much frute into Gods barne who notwithstanding doo féele them selues destitute of power and that they cannot yéeld encrease of thrée score folde or of a hundred fold These néed not too discourage them selues for the goodman of the house vouchsafeth euen the baser sort their honour and the commendation of goodnesse Therefore who soeuer is a louer of his owne saluation let him endeuer too bring forthe frute according too the estate of his calling And when he perceyueth him self too bring foorth but a little let him craue helpe of the goodman of the house and trust too his goodnesse which reiecteth not euen him that bringeth neuer so little frute ¶ Of the third AS hée had spoken these things sayth the Euangelist hée cryed out with a loud voice and sayd Hee that hath eares too heere let him heere Now in that the Lorde cryeth out therby is shewed both his affection towards men that hée is desirous too haue them saued and also the deafnesse of men too heare the things that perteine too their saluation Ageine when he sayth He that hath eares too heere let him heere hée giueth vs plainly too vnderstand y t he hath twoo kind of hearers of whom some be deaf not for that they are not able too heare with their outwarde eares but for that they bestowe not the things they haue héerd in the intrails of their hartes How great store of this kinde of héerers there is it is well séene by the lewd behauiour of many whiche haue the faith in their mouth without any frute at all in their life and maners And other some are well eared who bestow in the closets of their hartes that whiche they conceiue by their outward héering and bring forthe frute of the séede according too the measure of their Fayth But this is too bee knowne that no manne by hys owne cunnyng canne make hym himselfe to héere Gods worde frutefully but that his eares must be opened by the Lorde For when the word soundeth outwardly in his eares the holy Ghost is present woorking in the woord who openeth the eares of the hart to héere and receyue the worde so that we through our owne malice striue not against the spirite when he openeth For although that God alonly can open mens eares and that he

aske importunately that he should doo as hee had alwayes doone vnto them Therefore as they were clustered togither Pylate answered vnto them Yee haue a custome that I should let one loose vnto you at Easter therefore whither wil you that I let go vnto you Barrabas or Iesus that king of the Iewes whiche is called Christe For he knewe that the cheefe Preestes had deliuered him for enuie Now as he was sitting in the place of iudgement his wife sent vnto him saying Haue thou nothing too doo with that rightuous man for I haue suffered many things for him this night in my sleep But the cheefe of the preests the elders stirred the people persuading them too desire too haue Barrabas let loose to them too haue Iesus put too death The president answering sayd vntoo them which of the two wil yee that I let loose vntoo you And all the whole multitude cried out toogither saying Away with this man and let looce too vs Barrabas And Pilate spake too them agein and being desirous too haue let go Iesus sayd What wil yee then that I doo vntoo Iesus whome you call King of the Iewes And they all cryed ageine crucifie him crucifie him Thē sayd he too them the third time VVhat euil hath he doone I finde no fault in him woorthy death I will therefore chastise him and let him go But they cried out the more saying Let him bee crucified And they cryed importunately vpon him requiring that he might bee crucified And the noyse of them and of the high Preests preuayled Then Pilate tooke Iesus and whipped him And the presidentes men of warre caryed him away intoo the Palace whiche is the Counsel house and called vntoo him all their band and vnclothing him put vpon him a purple garment and platting a crowne of thorne set it vppon his head and gaue him a reede in his right hande and bowing their knees before him began to salute him in mockage saying Hayle king of the lewes And they buffetted him And when they had beespitted him they tooke the Reede and smote him on the head and kneeling downe woorshipped him Pilate therfore went foorth ageine and sayd vntoo them Beholde I bring him out vntoo you that you may knowe I finde no cause in him Iesus therefore went foorth wearing a crowne of thorne and a robe of purple And Pylate sayde too thē Beholde the man VVhen the high preests and officers saw him they cried out saying crucifie him crucifie him Pilate sayd vntoo them Take you him and crucifie him For I finde no cause in him The Iewes answered him we haue a law and according too our lawe he ought too die bicause he hath made him self the sonne of God VVhen Pilate had heard this saying he was more afrayd And he entred againe intoo the common Hall and sayd vnto Iesus From whence art thou But Iesus made him none ansvvere Then sayde Pilate too him speakest thou not too mee Knovvest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and that I haue power too let thee go Iesus ansvvered Thou shouldst not haue any povver against mee vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered mee vntoo thee hath the greater sinne From that time foorth sought Pilate to acquit him But the Iewes cryed out saying If thou quit him thou art not Caesars freend For vvhoo so euer maketh him selfe a King is ageinst Caesar. VVhen Pilate herd that vvoord he brought Iesus foorth and sate dovvn too giue iudgement in a place whiche is called Lithostrotos and in Hebrew Gabbata And it was about the sixt hour of the day of the preparation of the passeouer And he sayd to the Iewes Behold your king And they cried away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate sayd vntoo them Shall I crucifie your King The high Preestes answered we haue no King but Caesar. Then Pilate seeing hee auayled nothing but that the noyse encreased more willing too satisfie the people adiudged him too bee dealt with according too their demaunde And taking water hee washed his hands before the people saying I am giltlesse of the blud of this righteous person Looke you too it And all the people answering sayd his bloud be vppon vs and vppon our children And he let loose Barrabas vntoo them whoo for insurrection murder had bin cast in prison according to their demaund And hauing whipped and mocked Iesus he deliuered him intoo their hands too be crucified The souldyers taking Iesus put of his purple garment and put vpon him his owne garments and led him away bearing his owne crosse to be crucified And as they were going out they found one passing by a man of Cyrene named Simon cōming from his ground the father of Rufus Alexander Him they layde holde vpon and compelled him to take vp his crosse And they layd the crosse vpon him that hee might carye it after Iesus And there followed him a greate multitude of people and women that wept and bewayled him Iesus turning him to the women sayd vnto them Yee daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for mee but weepe for youre selues and for your children For behold the dayes shal come in which they shall say blessed be the barreyn and the wombes that haue borne no children and the brests that haue not giuen suck Then shal they begin too say too the mountayns fall vpon vs and to the hilles couer vs. For if they doo these things in a greene tree what shall bee doone in the withered And there were two other also led with him that were offenders to be put to death And they led him to a place whiche in Hebrewe is called Golgatha whiche is by interpretation a place of dead mens skulles And there they gaue him eyzle or mirrhe wine mixt with gall too drinke And when he had tasted of it hee would not drinke And they crucified him in Golgatha and with him twoo theeues one on his right hand and another on his left and Iesus in the midst And the scripture was fulfilled whiche saith and he was acounted among the wicked And it was the third houre when they crucified him And Iesus sayd Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doo Moreouer Pylate wrate a title cōteyning the cause of his death and they set it vpon the crosse ouer the head of Iesus the wryting was this Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Iewes This title did many of the Iewes read bicause the place where Iesus was crucified was neere vnto the Citie And it was written in Hebrue Greek and Latin letters Then sayd the highe Preests of the Iewes vnto Pylate write not king of the Iewes but that hee sayde I am king of the Iewes Pylate answered That whiche I haue written I haue written Then when the souldiers had crucified Iesus they took his garments and made foure peeces vnto euery souldier a pece and his cote also But this cote of his was without seam wouē from the top

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 th●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 ●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 ▪ 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 ● 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 cōmeth 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 ▪ 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 husbandmā 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