pleased god so to worke with her to set forth his owne glorie and power He sent to her therfore nowe in her old age this blessed child to take the reproche of barennes from her He prolonged for this intent her child bearing that the ioy herof might be the greater and she be made the more renowined and notoriouse For all her neighbours kynsfolke which before had knowne her ba rennes were nowe made witnesses of the heauenly grace wherw t God had endowed her For none that saw the child departed w t silence but blessed praysed god which vnloked for had seÌ„t this blessed child vnto her being of this age The eight day therfore they went to circumcise the child according to Moses lawe And bicause Zacharie his father was by gods prouision made duÌ„me and spechles they supposing that the father wold so haue bene best ctÌ„en â–ª ted named him Zacharie by his fathers name But Elizabeth his mother said he shuld not be so called but Ihon shulde be his name whiche name she had lerned not of her husbande whiche at this time was become spechles but by inspiratioÌ„ of the holy ghost signifieng that he that was born shuld be the bedel or messanger of the new law which shuld abrogate the old traditions turne the carnall worshyp into a spiritual grace For Zacharias betokeneth in Hebrue a remeÌ„brer of god Ihon is named the grace of God The iustice of the lawe stode in appoynted workes the iustice of the gospell standeth by faythe through grace fauour Howbeit the kinsfolk wold not be ruled by the mother to giue him this strauÌ„ge name bicause there was none in al their kindred so called but they wolde in any wyfe haue hym called Zacharie by his fathers name And yet at this day there be some better pleased w t the name of Zacharie then w t the name of Ihon these be they that can not yet suffre that the ceremonies of y â— old law shuld be abolished so that in effect they crye we wil none of this new name of Ihon but we wil haue stil the old Zacharie wherfore for asmoch as the childwife the cousins could not agree in the name it was necessarie that the authoritie of the father shuld come betwene to breake the strife But he had not as yet the vse of his tong where now neded speche Wyth signes therfore they signified vnto him what name wold pleace him that his child shulde haue He vnderstanding y â— mater required writing tables to declare that thinge by dombe letters whiche by liuely voice he could not bring forth The tables brought he wrote in this wise Ihon is his name Now cam the time that Moses law shuld speake which before had after a fashioÌ„ described w t figures the grace of the gospel The time now was com that the mouth which vnfeithfulnes had locked shuld now through feyth be opened He had not therfore so sone writen but y â— bond of his tong was loused Neyther did he beginne hys speach with any other thing than with the praysinge of God by whose goodnes so greate ioyes were heped vpon hym Let vs in like maner good people beleue as saynte Ambrose exhorteth vs to thintent our tonge which is bounde wyth the bandes of vnfeithfulnes may be loused And surely onles the Iuishe tonge be putte to silence whyche preacheth carnal obseruations the tong of the gospell can not speake whyche preacheth grace feythe and charitie Al these thingê of y â— olde childwife of the noueltie of the name of the son born by y â— promise of the angel of the father made first of a speaker dombe again of dombe a speaker were blown abrode not only in the neighbours cousins mouthê but also through out al the hylly countrey of Iewry so that they did not only wonder but also were astonyed agast at the strangnes of the thing sayeng w tin themselfes What maner of ê‘son shal this childe be None of al y â— prophetes was so woÌ„derfully born which thinges declare that this is done by gods power which is w t the child beiÌ„g ordeined for high purposes And they thought not thus w tout cause For in dede gods haÌ„d had vttred his heuenly vertue in the childe And to thintent al thinges might be ful of miracles reple nished w t ioy Zacharie also Ihons father being inspired w t the holy ghost brasted forth into this song Blessed be y â— lord god of Israell for he hath visitted redemed his people of Israell Doubtles god visited his people of Israel both wayes whether we vnderstande the material Israelites for he cam to the lost shepe of the house of Israel or the spiritual Israelites that is the feithful persons which were worthy of this visitation He visited theÌ„ which were now by long sicknes coÌ„sumed he redemed them being sold vnder sinne w t the bloud of his only begotten son He called them his people not bicause at his coÌ„ming he found them his but bicause by visitting he made them his Let vs then praise almighty god that he vouchsaued to make of vs whiche were not his people his people Let vs imbrace y â— iustice not of y â— Iuish law but of y â— gospel of Christ. Who be c. ¶ On saynt Peters and saynt Paules day The Gospell Mat. xxi IEsus came into the partes of Cesarea Philippi asked his disciples sayng WhoÌ„ saye men that I the sonne of maÌ„ am They sayd Some say thou art ThoÌ„ the baptist some Helias some Hieremye or one of the prophetes He sayth vnto them But whoÌ„ say you that I am Simon Peter answered and saide Thou arte Christe the son of the lyuinge God And Iesus answered sayd vnto him Happy arte thou Simon the son of Iona for fleshe and bloude haue not disclosed this vnto the but my father whiche is in heuen And I say vnto the that thou art Peter vppon thys rocke I wyll buylde my churche the gates of helle shall not preuayle agynste it And I will giue to the the keyes of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ and what soeuer thou byndest in erth shal be bound in heuen and what soeuer thou losest in erth shal be losed in heauen The sermon vpon this Gospell THis Gospell my frendes declareth how oure Sauiour Christ after he was com into y e parties of Cesarea Philippi wolde proue how moche his disciples had profeted by so many hys sermons and miracles whyche they had now herde and seen and whether they thought any higher thing of him then the comon people did He demaundeth therfore of them sayeng Whom say men that I am They answered Some saye thou arte Iohn the baptiste for so thoughte the Herodians other say thou arte the prophete Helias bicause he was rauished vp therfore they thought now that he appeared accordynge to the prophecie
Babylon Ieconias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliachun Eliachim begat Azor. Azor begatte Sadoc Sadoc begat Achin Achin begatte Eliud Eliud begatte Eleazar Eleazar begatte Matthan Matthan begat Iacob Iacob begatte Ioseph the husbande of Mary of whoÌ„ was borne Iesus which is called Christe The sermon vpon this Gospel IN this gospel good people many thinges are to be considered First how that our sauiour Christ the sonne of god wold for the greate loue he bare to mankinde be borne the soÌ„ne of Dauid that is wold take maÌ„s nature vpon hym to succour and help vs which were in flesh condeÌ„ned to pourge our spotted and synful byrth And verily this is the final intent of Christê incarnatioÌ„ as it is wel declared in the epistle to the Hebrues where it is writen that forasmoch as the sonne of god vouchsaued to call godly persones his brethren sayng by the prophet Dauid I will declare thy name to my brethren and otherwhiles also he calleth them the children as in Esay Lo here am I the children whom god hath giuen me and bicause these children and these his brethreÌ„ be men made of fleshe and bloude it pleased hym to be parttaker of the same wyth theÌ„ that by his death he might wipe out him whiche had lordshippe ouer death that is to say the deuyl and deliuer theÌ„ which through feare of death were al their life time subdued vnto bondage For he toke not vpon him angels but the sede of Abraham Wherfore in al thinges it becam hym to be made like to hys brethren that he might be merciful a feithful high prest in thinges towchinge God to thintent to pourge the synnes of the people Now wheras Christ is called here the soÌ„ne of Dauid ye must vnderstand it that he desceÌ„deth lineally from Dauid according to the flesh as saint Paul declareth in the beginning of his epistle to the Romaines lest we ruÌ„ne into y â— errours of certaine heretikê which say that Christe was nothynge elles but a maÌ„ not the son of God but merely the soÌ„ne of Dauid Which errour Christ himself discussed where he propowned this question to the pharisees What thynke ye of Christe whose sonne is he â–ª And when they answered the soÌ„ne of Dauid he asked them why thaÌ„ did Dauid in spirite cal him lord sayng the lord said to my lord syt on my right haÌ„de Meaning hereby that Christe was aboue Dauid not only a man but also god So that ye muste vnderstand him to be the soÌ„ne or issue of Dauid according to the flesh and not accordinge to his godhed And ye shal also marke that he is called the soÌ„ne of Dauid after the maner of speaking of the Hebrues bycause he cam of the ryght line of Dauyd For the Hebrues do calle al lineal nephues nieces be they neuer so long of sonnes and daughters Uerely the hole petigrue of Christe is here so drawen and conueyed from his auncestours that they only be put which were ê‘ttakers of y â— promise which was made of Christ. Ye must therfore marke two maner lines of men whiche beinge well marked doth discerne of whom Christ wold be borne and was borne For albeit the promise of Chryste was made to Adam yet from Cain his soÌ„ne the petigrue of Christ is not coÌ„ueyed So that one line there is whyche deriueth Christê petigree from the meÌ„bres of the true church that is to wite froÌ„ the holy fathers which were parttakers of y e ê“mise And an other line there is which coÌ„teyneth the childreÌ„ that grew out of kinde not folowing their fathers steppes therfor no ê‘ttakers of the ê“mise which two lines if ye diligently marke through out the old testament ye shal se that Christ proceded of the feithful stocke not of that whiche grew out of kinde as Cain Esau and their ofspring were And verily it becam Christ the hed of y e church to come of the membres of the true churche Seconde ye shall vnderstande that oure Sauiour Christ wolde be borne accordinge to the fleshe of the royal bloude of kinges to declare that he shuld be a kynge no worldly kynge but a spirituall kynge for the rulyng and guyding of mens consciencies And forasmuch as kinges were also annointed after the maner of prestes therfore Christ also wold be borne of kinges to shew himselfe an annoynted king that is to say both a king and a prest a king to rule and defende a prest to make intercession and prayer for vs accordyng as saynt Paule sayth of him Which also maketh intercessioÌ„ for vs. And the prophet â—ieremie sayth He shall do the office of a kinge and capitayne But for the eschuing of errours ye muste know that Dauid whose sonne Christ is according to the fleshe administred here hys kyngdome in the erth and therfore it is not to be thought that after that Christ is nowe ascended vp to heuen he exerciseth nomore hys kyngly officies but that he sytteth ydelly in heuen leauyng behind him hys deputie or vicare in erth the bishop of Rome Uerily Christes kingdom is perpetuall and so is his presthode according to the sayng of the prophet Tu es sacerdoâ— inaeternum secuÌ„dum ordinem Melchisedec Thou art an euerlastinge prest accordynge to the order of Melchisedec Thirdly ye shall vnderstande that albeit Christe and also our Ladye hys mother whose memory we solemnize this day Ioseph her husband cam of the right blessed line or stocke and not of the croked cursed lyne as I haue aforedeclared yet many of the persons aswel men as womâ— of this blessed stocke were synners and therfore here in their genealogie is mencion made also of synfull personnes For who were so wicked as kynge Manasses and his sonne Amon whiche be here rekened in Christes petigree Iudas also coÌ„mitted fornication with Thamar Salmon maryed Raab an harlot What shall I speake of Bethsabea wyth whom king Dauid coÌ„mitted greuouse aduowtrie And yet of this Bethsabea whiche was the wyfe of Urie dyd king Dauid begette SalomoÌ„ So that if a maÌ„ wol throughly consider the thinge he shall fynde almost more euell men then good amoÌ„ges the auncestours of Christ and all the women whiche be here named be none of the holy women as saynt Hierom sayth but suche as the scripture disproueth What other thinge meaneth thys but that the holy ghost wolde signifie that like as Christ cam of synners so he also cam into this world for sinners He wold be borne sayeth thys noble clerc saynt Hierom of synners y t he myght wipe awey the synnes of all Yea Christ hymselfe sayeth that he cam not to calle the rightuouse but synners to repentauÌ„ce If then he cam for synners why shuldest thou o maÌ„ despaire for cause of thy synnes Nay rather take harte vnto the and repent For then shal the grace and fauour of Christ be powred more
The princes of this worlde do practice Lordlines ouer such as be vnder theÌ„ they persuade not their subiectes to loue honestie but by feare of punyshemeÌ„t they fraye them froÌ„ wronges and they compell men to honour them though they haue neuer so euill deserued it Yea the nerer they approche to tyranny the more wol they be honored of the people with hygh tytles Uerily such is for moost parte the kyngdome of seculare and worldly rulers But amonges the clergie the disciples of Christ preachers of his gospell to whom he bequethed hys spirituall kyngdom ought to be an other fashion of liuyuge The greater one be among them the les violent power or glorye he oughte to chalenge to hym selfe Wherfore sayeth Basilius that auncient doctour of the churche lette not the dignitie extolle the prelate of the church lest he falle froÌ„ the blesse of humilitie But let him â–ª rather know thys that true humilitie is seruaunte of very many For lyke as he whiche ministreth to many wounded persons and wypeth awey the fylth of euery wounde taketh not this office vpoÌ„ him to extolle and vawnte hym selfe therupon so moch rather he to whom is committed the cure and charge of maladies and diseases of his goostly brethren and susters ought to caste and be carefull wyth himselfe as the minister of all whiche muste render accomptes for all Neyther is it to be feared saith he that the purpose of humilitie shulde be broken of the subiecte whyle hys better serueth hym Let prestes therfore the prelates of Christes churche not be ashamed to shewe that sobrenes and modestie to the worlde which Christ tawght hys Apostles to vse And the more Apostolicall that men wol be counted and vicares of Christes churche so much the more ought they to folow Christe and his Apostles in lowlynes sobrietie It is not ynoughe truely to be called by a vayne tytle of name the seruant of God or the seruant of seruauntes in dede to practise all Lordilnes skant vouchsauyng y â— men shulde kysse there feete If there be any of this sorte surely they be no vicares of Châ—ist but of Antichrist they be not apostolical but diabolical no good herdmen but false hyrelynges no feaders of Christes flocke but deuourers no buylders but destroyers no pyllers of his church but pollers If they wol nedes be couÌ„ted for meÌ„ apostolical let theÌ„ folow the exemple steppes of Peter Paule resemble theÌ„ in dede of whom they woll be counted the vicares Let theÌ„ be irreprehenlible sobre chast modest louers of hospitalitie ful of holsom doctrine no drunkerdes no warryours no louers of fylthy marchandise no bruers of gods word but pure prechers Let theÌ„ attende to y â— hole flocke as Peter coÌ„mauÌ„deth fede it as much as in theÌ„â—s takinge charge of it w eout desire of fylthy lucre vsinge theÌ„selfes as they may be estemed ministers of Christ and feithful stuardes of y â— heueÌ„ly mysteries of god as Peter Paule were You sayeth Christe to hys disciples be they whiche haue abode with me in my teÌ„tations as who shuld say He that begynneth to be pacient and anone leaueth of is not rewarded wyth the crowne of glorye but he that holdeth on to the ende For as Bede sayeth perseueraunce whiche is called a constancie or strongnes of mynde is full well cleped the pyller of all vertues The son of God therfore leadeth wyth him to his euerlastinge kyngdom such as stycke by him and be no starters awey froÌ„ hym at euery puffe of winde For if we by planted in him and be partakers wyth hym of hys death doubtles we shal also be pertakers and companions of his resurrection Christ saith here that he hath disposed or bequethed to his disciples the kingdoÌ„ which his heueÌ„ly father ordeined disposed to him The kingdom of Christ surely is not of this worlde Neyther is there any equalitie to the lorde but only an emulation of likenes For only Christ is the ful image of God wheras the iust maÌ„ is accordinge to the likenes or image of God yf accordynge to the same he despiceth thys world and for this cause also we do eate the blessed bodye of Christ that we may be pertakers of the heueÌ„ly life Such a sticker by Christ in al his temptations was thys holy Apostle saynte Bartilmew he was a true prelate of Christes Church neither was he a minister or seruaunt of other in name and tytle only but in dede he preached truely and syncerely not his owne coÌ„stitutions and decrees but Christes gospel hym let vs folow that we also may be made pertakers of that heuenly ioye by Christ our lorde â–ª To whom be rendred al thaÌ„kes and prayses Amen â–ª ¶ On Michelmas daye The Gospell Mathew xviij IN that time the disciples cam to Iesus sayng Who is the greater person in the kingdom of heuen And Iesus calling vnto hym a chylde dyd sette hym in the middes of them and sayd Uerily I say vnto you onles ye turne and become as children ye shal not entre into the kingdom of heauen Who soeuer therfore shal humble hymselfe as thys chylde he is the greater person in the kyngdom of heauen And he that receiueth suche a childe in my name receyueth me But he that greueth one of these lytle ones which beleue in me it were bettre for him that a mylstone were hanged about hys necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the see Wo be to the worlde bycause of offenses For it is necessarye offenses to come Yet neuertheles wo be to that maÌ„ by whom the offense commeth Uerily if thy hand or thy fote offende the cutte it of and cast it from the. Bettre it is for the to entre into life halt or maimed then thou shuldest hauyng two handes or two fete be cast into euerlasting fyer And if thyne eye offend the plucke it out and cast it from the. Bettre it were for the wyth one eye to entre into lyfe than hauing two eyen to be cast into hell fyre Se ye despice not one of these lytle ones For I saye vnto you that their angels in heuen do alweyes see the face of my father whyche is in heauen The sermon vpon this Gospell NOt without great cause and consideration good people the churche hath appoynted a certaine daye in the yeare for the solemnization of saint Michael the Archangel and by him of al the angels of heuen sith in them is put no small coÌ„fort in earth to al good and deuout persons First therfore by the help of god we intende sum what to intreate of their nature and office which done we wil brefely declare the gospel of this day Wherfore ye shal vnderstaÌ„d that there be two sortes of angels some be good and some badde The good angells do continually ministre vnto god and serue for our behouf and their delite is to do men good bicause they
serpentes Leuiathan wolues euill beastes theues and such like of their euil properties Also spirites of the ayer flyeng about bounde wyth the chaynes of darknes vntyl the day of iugement condemned to euerlastinge damnation They caste suche men as be wythout the feare and thought of god into al kindes of vices some into couetise some into pride lechery intemperance crafte deceipt infidelitie conteÌ„pt of god rechlesnes dispayre dissolute and loose liuing dronkennes glotony surfettinges aduowtries blasphemies they raise dissentions seditions warres debates and all vnhappynes Yea and vnder the visour of angels of lyght and vnder the clooke of religion and of godlines they induce idolatry mens dreames sectes heresies and al false doctrines they deuise and driue into mens heddes inchauntmentes euil affections nawghty opinions and wicked counsailes as they did to Dauid in his aduowtry in the slaughter of Urias in nombring of the people and as they dyd to Czechiell whan he disclosed the treasure to the Babylonians To be short they do labour al they can to bring vs to vttre shame and destruction And this we se by open testimonies signes and deades how myghtyly they reygne as Paule saith vpon the children of disobedience and vpon such as wol not beleue gods word nor feare the lorde They confirme therfore the vngodly in theire vngodlynes wyth signes and wonders whiche they shew by their lymmes and ympes the false prophetes as appeareth in the. xxiiij chapter of Mathew or by inchaunters and â—uglers for it is not impossible but the deuil may by art Magik and sorcery worke many wonders and maystres For surely if witchcraftes sorceries and inchauntementes were not made ne coulde not be done God wolde neuer haue forbydden them Thus these euil spirites lye contynually in awayt of mankind they re propertye is to speake deceypte and lyes for that is as Christe sayth theyr owne and they be fathers therof they falsifye and corrupte gods worde wyth wycked doctrine as appeareth by the parable of the sower of good sede and of the deuyll whyche soweth among it darnel they wreste and allege holy scripture wronge they transfigure themselfes into angells of lyght fynally they seke to syfte vs as men wolde fyfte wheate And veryly good people y â— the wycked spirites haue these effectes powers and operations it is playne manifest also by the witnes of holy doctours of the church First the excellent clerke saynt Augustine in hys sermons writeth in thys wise All the euilles of the worlde be wrought by the falshode of the deuill whiche hath sette warre in heauen and in paradise deceipt hatred amonges the first brethern and in al our workes hath sowne darnelles Lactantius also that noble writer is not behind with his recorde sayng There is a certayne wicked and deceiptful spirite which is enemye to man and foe of iustice thys spirite lyeth in awayte of al mankinde And such as knowe not God them doth he entangle and wrappe in errous he drowneth them in foly and shadoweth them in darknes Also saynt Gregorie writeth â–ª that the wille of Satan is alway wicked but his power is neuer vnrightuouse or vnleful for of himselfe he hath his wille but his power he hath of God Wher fore good christen people sith we stand in this state and condition that yf we be euill and voyde of vertue and of the true feare of God we be in dauÌ„ger of these so noysom and wicked spirites and agayne yf we loue and serue God we be protected and fensed w t the good angelles whose benefites I haue heretofore brefely remembred it shal be our partes euermore to serue God and to stande in awe of hym lest by any meanes we might offend and displease him and so through our fault it shulde come to pas that we myght be depriued of these good angelles the euill shulde haue power vpon vs. But now let vs procede to the declaration of our gospell First therfore ye shall vnderstande that an exemple of the naturall ignoraunce blindnes and infirmitie of mankind is here set forth in the disciples of Christ which as yet measured the kingdom of heuen after the fashon of the kyngdome of the worlde The disciples come therfore to Christ aske him who is the greater man in the kyngdoÌ„ of heuen Surely according to the mynde of auncient doctours thys was a certayne humane affection whiche crept into the Apostles mindes and as it were a pricke of enuie and of ambition They had herd of the kyngdom of heuen they had seen iij. Apostles led aparte with Christ in to the mountayne that is to wit Peter Iames and Ihon they had herde how the keys of the kingdom of heuen were giuen to Peter and howe it was said to him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona and I say to the thou art Peter and vpoÌ„ this rocke wol I buylde my churche they espyed Peter also to talke more familiarly more boldly wyth the lorde lately also they sawe hym preferred before the rest of the Apostles in paynge of the tribute and in maner matched with Christ. For these and suche other thynges whiche as yet they dyd no perfectly vnderstande they had a lytle preuye grudge and enuie at Peter syth to hym as they thought the principalitie of the kingdoÌ„ of heuen was appointed wher neuertheles they perceiued he was yonger in yeares then they They came therfore as I sayde to Iesus and asketh hym who shall haue the chief authoritie in the kyngdome of heauen For it coulde not be yet dreuen out of their heddes but that there shulde be such like dignities and powers in the heauenly and spiritual kyngdom as they sawe in princes courtes of this world Our sauiour Christ therfore to thintent he wold cleane banish this carnal affection and vtterly expel the same out of their myndes calleth a certayne chyld vnto him whoÌ„ he setteth in the myddes of his disciples the chyld being yet very tendre of age and â—ut a babe voyde of all affections ether of ambition or of enuie simple pure innocent and liuynge by the only guyde and conducte of nature Thys chylde beynge thus sette amonges them our Sauiour sayeth in this wise vnto them Uerily onles ye be coÌ„uerted and be made as childern it is not possible for you to come into the kingdom of heuen For declaration of thys texte ye shall vnderstande that Christ did not here coÌ„mauÌ„de the Apostles that they shulde haue the age of chyldreÌ„ but the innocencie and the thing that the childreÌ„ do possesse bicause of their chyldhod they shulde possesse by their industrie so that in malice they might be chyldreÌ„ but not in wisdom as who shulde saye lyke as this child of whom I giue you an exemple doth not continew in angre neyther thynketh he one thyng and speaketh an other so you also onles ye haue such innocencie and purenes of mynd ye caÌ„ not
of Malachie other some say y u art Hierimie bycause he bare the figure of Christ and bycause vpon him it was said Lo I haue coÌ„stituted the this day ouer peoples kynges that thou shuldest plucke vp disseuer build and plante which thingê in very dede were to be accoÌ„plished in Christ. Iesus hearing this to thintent he wold wrynge out yet a more certaine and hygher coÌ„fession of his disci ples who ought best to haue knowne him asked theÌ„ saynge But who saye you that I am Then saynte Peter made answere for him his felowes for of al them was the question asked and sayd Thou arte Christ the son of the lyuinge god Iesus answered Blessed art thou Simon the son of Iona for flesh bloud hath not opened this vnto the but my heueÌ„ly father And I saye agayne to the thou art Peter or Cephas in the Hebrue that is to say a rocke vpon this rocke shall I buyld my churche that is to saye vpon this rocke of thy confession I shall buylde my church For this coÌ„fession conteineth the suÌ„me of the christeÌ„ feith accordyng to the Apostle Paule sayng If thou confesse wyth thy mouth our lorde Iesus with thy hart beleue that god raysed hâ—â— froÌ„ death to life thou shalt be saued So the christeÌ„ church is buylt not vpoÌ„ the person of Peter but vpoÌ„ the feith as Chrysostome sayth And this is the confession of feith Thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuyng god Wherfore Peter as saint Augustine affirmeth doth here represeÌ„t the hole church to whoÌ„ the keyes were deliuered For yf we wold say the church were buylt vpoÌ„ the person of Peter we shuld put an other fouÌ„dation of the church then Christ whiche is agaynst Paul For he sayth none may put any other fundation but that which is put alredy Christe Iesu. For men wylling to be buylt vpon men sayde I hold of Paule I holde of Apollo another sayde I holde of Cephas which is Peter But other which wold not be built vpoÌ„ Peter but vpoÌ„ the rocke said I hold of Christ. Wherfore sayth Erasmus I do muche meruaile of some which do wrest this text to the byshop of Rome sith it is ment not vpon hym but vpon all Christen persons which thynge Origen the auncient Doctour doth excellently declare saing If therfore we in lyke wyse by the reuelynge of the father which is in heuen for in heuen is our conuersation woll coÌ„fesse that Iesus Christ is the sonne of the lyuyng god it shal be also said vnto vs. Thou art Pe ter c. For euery one that is a folower of Christ is a Peter that is to say a rocke But there be some men which can be contented with nothing onles it be vn measurable Christe therfore did cal him Peter that is to saye a sure stone or rocke whiche wauereth not hither thither wyth â—ondry opinions vpon thys rock of thy coÌ„fession saith Christ woll I buylde my church y t is to wit my house palace whiche I wyl so establishe vpoÌ„ a sure immouable fundatioÌ„ y e no force nor power of the Helly kingdoÌ„ shal be hable to coÌ„quere it The deuyl layth sege to vs w t many engyns he laboureth to brynge agaynste vs the hole rowte of wycked spirites but by Christes helpe his church shall stand let vs only take hede this coÌ„fession remayne wyth vs. The heuenly kingdom is the church the kingdom of the deuil is the world which noman nedeth to be aferde of so he be a Peter And for this thy confession saith Christ I wyl giue the the keyes of the kingdom of heueÌ„ Behold saith Origen how great power the rocke hath vpoÌ„ which Christes churche is buylt that also her iugementes shall remayne sure euen as God him selfe iugynge by the same Let him therfore be faultles which shal bynde or lose an other that he maye be founde worthy to bynde and to louse in heuen And that Christ gaue this authoritie aswel to other as to the person of Peter it is very playne by other places of scripture and namely in the. xx chapter of Ihon where the euening after his resurrection he sayd to all his disciples As my father hath sent me so I send you And after he had so said he breathed vpoÌ„ theÌ„ sayng Whose synnes so euer ye shall forgiue be forgiuen and whose synnes ye shal retayne be reteyned And in like maner before his death he sayde to them all What so euer ye shal bynd vpon erth shal be bound in heauen and what so euer ye shal louse vpon erth shal be loosed in heueÌ„ Let vs not thaÌ„ attribute that to one which was spokeÌ„ to many Let vs not buyld Christes church vpon the person of any mortall maÌ„ which is to buyld it vpoÌ„ the sande but let vs build it vpon the sure rocke that is to witte vpon the coÌ„fession of feith that these holy Apostles saynt Peter and Paule made preached whose memorie we solemnize this day Let vs confesse with our mouth beleue with our harte that God raised Christe from death to life y â— he is the true Messias Sauiour And no doubt we shall enioy the heueÌ„ly enheritauÌ„ce prepared for vs before the making of the worlde by Christ our lord to whoÌ„ be praise euerlastingly AmeÌ„ ¶ On Mary Magdalens day The Gospell Luc. vij ONe of the pharisees desired Iesus that he wold eate w t hym And being entred into y e pharisees house he sate downe And beholde a womaÌ„ in the citie which was a synner knowing that Iesus sate in y â— pharisees house brought an Alabaster box of ointment standing at his feete behinde weping began to water hys feete w t the teares wyth the heare of her hed she wiped kyssed his feete with the oyntmeÌ„t anoynted them The pharisee seyng this which had called him spake w tin himselfe saynge If thys were a prophete he shulde haue known who what maner person is thys woman which towcheth him for she is a synner Iesus answered said vnto him Simon I haue sumwhat to tel the. He said maister say on A certayne lender had two dettours the one ought fyue huÌ„dreth pens the other fyfty They not hauyng wherw t to make payment he forgaue them both Which of them now tel me wil loue him more Simon answered said I suppose y t he whoÌ„ he forgaue the more suÌ„me He sayd vnto hym Thou haste rightly iuged and turning himself to the womaÌ„ he said to Simon Seest y u thys womaÌ„ I entred into thy house water to my feete y u gaueste me none but this womaÌ„ hath watered my feete w t teares wyth the heares of her hed she hath wiped theÌ„ Kysse y u gauest me none but this womaÌ„ froÌ„ the tyme I entred hath not lefte kyssing of my feete Thou anoyntedst not my hed
made ready seing her suster vnoccupied sitting at Iesus fete she thought it lost labour to chide her suster whoÌ„ she knew could not be plucked awey but she suÌ„what blamed our sauiour whych held her wyth hys wordê from the necessarie busynes as she thought Lord sayth she hast no regard y e my sustre suffreth me to do al alone CoÌ„maund her therfore y e she rise help me Our lorde being moch delyted in the zeale affection of either of these women discoÌ„mendeth not the diligent sturring about the house of Martha neyther doth he chyde her for murmuring at her suster but he gently excuseth Mary saieng Martha Martha veryly thou arte troubled vexed about many thinges But there is one thyng most nedeful which is alweys to be done if it may be as who shuld say Do thou thy fuÌ„ction office what soeuer the purueiance be But Mary hath chosen a farre bettre parte whych forgettinge the thinges of the body is holly vusied in the thinges of the mind It is not mete that she shuld be called awey froÌ„ the bettre thinges whiche she hath chosen be thurst to lower vyler seruices Thy loue zeale is thaÌ„kfull vnto me in that thou preparest a repast for the time for me mine but I am more swetely repasted of theÌ„ whyche conuey my wordes into the bowels of theyr sowles that they may be saued For this is y â— meate whyche doth singularly fede me thys is the drynke which doth singularly refresh me He that regardeth the thinges of y e body is distracted into suÌ„dry cares and of these officies there shal be then an ende when immortalitie appearing y â— necessities of mortal persons shal cease wher w t the weaknes of humane nature is now accombred But he goeth the nerest wey to worke which casting awey al such cares is altogither rauished vnto heuenly thinges setling himself to one only thing but which one is bettre thaÌ„ al the other thinges the felicitie wherof shal not be taken awey but augmented when that thing shal be abolished which is imperfect that opened which is perfecte Neither ought we to murmure againste them as though they were ydle personnes which haue sequestred themselfes from corporal ministeries do for the same purpose attend and giue themselues to heuenly doctrine folowing and ensuing the steppes of Christ lerning the thing that they may teache others throughly transposing into the intrailes of the mynde the thinges that they may instructe their euen christen to thintent they may profette the moo to the winning of euerlasting saluation And yet in the meane season they shall not lacke their rewarde which with a godly zeale do releue according to the exemple of this Martha the bodily necessities of the preachers of gods word whyche feade the hungry clooth the naked viset the sicke and prisoners harbrough receiue the nedy for in that they do this to their euenchristâ— they do it to Christ himself And he that geueth but a drawght of colde water to a prophet y â— is to say to a precher in y â— name of a prophet shal haue the same reward that the prophete hath Wherfor as â—aint Austine saith our lord rebuketh not the worke corporal seruice of Martha but â—e distinctâ—th y â— office sayng Mary hath choseÌ„ the best ê‘te which shal not be taken from her as if he shuld say Thou Martha hast not chosen an euil ê‘te but she hath choseÌ„ a better why a bettre bicause it shal not be taken from her but from the shal be ones taken the burthen of necessitie For when thou coÌ„mest to the heueÌ„ly countrey thou shalt fynd there no gest ne straunger to receyue by hospitalitie but for thy â—pfette it shal be taken from the to thintent the thing that is better might be giuen vnto the labour shal be taken from the that rest might be giuen vnto the in the stede Thou sailest in y â— midde sees she resteth in the hauen or port For the swetnes of y â— trouth is euerlastig yet in this life it is augmeÌ„ted but in that life to com it shal be accoÌ„plished shal neuer be takeÌ„ awey Now surely there was neuerwomaÌ„ no noryet man that euer atteined here in this world to y â— high perfection heuenly kind of liuing as did the most blessed virgine Mary y â— mother of Christ who was replenished with al graces most plentuously as also testified Gabriel gods angel Mary which was this Marthas suster in dede was moch to be coÌ„mended but nothing to be coÌ„pared w t the perpetual virgine Mary Christes mother Wherfore as she was here in erth replenished with al vertues so is she now in heuen replenished with al ioyes Let vs then folow the diuine contemplatioÌ„ godly meditatioÌ„ of these Maries that we maye also enioye that blesse that shall neuer be taken from vs through Christe oure lord To whom be al praise and honoure Amen ¶ On saynt Bartilmews day The Gospel Luc. xxij THere was a contention amonges the disciples of Iesus whiche of them was thoughte to be greater But Iesus said vnto them The kynges of the Gentilles do reigne ouer them they that haue power vpon them be called graciouse Be not ye so but let the greater amoÌ„gê you be made as the yonger the chief as the seruitour For whiche is greater he that sytteth down at the bourd or he that serueth Is not he that sytteth downe Uerily I am in middes of you as he that serueth ye are they which haue abode with me in my temptations And I dispose vnto you as my father hathe disposed vnto me a kyngdome that ye may eate and drinke at my bourde in my kyngdon and sitte on seates iudging the. xij tribes of Israell The sermon vpon this Gospel FOrasmuch as our Sauiour Christ at his mauÌ„dy or supper before his passion had made mention of the kingdom of God his disciples which were at that tyme sumwhat weake not throughly spiritual but smellyng yet a lytle of the fleshe fel at contention and variaunce amonges themselfes which of them shuld after his departure haue the primacie or hed rule in the kyngdoÌ„ of god For in the hole busynes of the blessed sacrameÌ„t mystery of hys mauÌ„dy he semed to take them al as egal not preferryng one aboue an other sayng vnto theÌ„ Take deuide amonges you But Iesus albeit at diuerse other tymes he had chalenged them for thys affection yet at hys departure vpon thys occasion he specially reth to plucke it cleane from them coÌ„mauÌ„ding them that they shulde not ymagen any such thinge in the kyngdom of heauen as they sawe in worldly kyngdoms For this is a farre other maner thing it standeth in benefites and not in force it is obteyned and also mainteyned w e ghostly garrisons and not with violence and is enlarged by persuasion and not by compulsion
entre into the kingdom of heauen Wherfore my frendes by Christes owne wordes here we may be right wel assured that onles we cease froÌ„ all malice and rancour towardes our ChristeÌ„ brothern and susters and become Christen meÌ„ not in name only but also in dede worke beyng made as it were new men and newly regenerate not fleshly but spiritually vtterly casting awey as muche as maye be al carnal and worldly affections and be traÌ„sformed into the hauour and simplicitie of yong chyldern we shall neuer be receyued in to the kyngdom of heauen Let vs huÌ„ble and abase our selues make vs like to these litle babes whom we se cleane voide of malice and of ambitioÌ„ For he that thus woll humble and lowly hym selfe shal be doubtles auauÌ„ced shal be called great in the kingdome of heauen Who so euer verily is by modestie and buksomnes the lest the same person is through vertue the greatest Trouth it is that worldly Emperours kyngê and princes do for most partes loue such as be lyke to theÌ„selfes and amoÌ„ges them such be in most price and reputation which can shyft out other and set forth themselfes Christe in semblable wyse delyteth in such persons as resemble him who what tyme he was here conuersant amonges vs in earth humbled hymselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Whan he was reuiled he reuiled not agayn he suffred to be bouÌ„de to be bobbed to be spitted at to be strikeÌ„ to be scourged finally to be crucâ—fied being himselfe without spotte of sinne to thinteÌ„t to purge vs of our synnes Wherfore for his humilitie he hath receiued auaunment and most high exaltation for his obedience he hath receiued most highe honour to haue a name aboue al names for his pacience sufferinge he hath receyued power ouer all for hys infinite charitie he hath receiued praise glorie and thaÌ„kes of al. Let vs lerne therfore of Christ to be meke humble in hart Let vs remeÌ„bre what y â— prophete Dauid sayth The lorde is nere to theÌ„ y â— be of coÌ„trite hart he wol saue such as be huÌ„ble in spirite which fear his wordes Truly good people those that be lowly meke in spirite be most highly auauÌ„ced protected tendred of almighty god He throweth down the mighty froÌ„ their prowd seates exalteth the huÌ„ble he filleth the hungry w t good thinges letteth the rych departe emptye He resisteth the prowd giueth his graces to the lowly persons Let vs then be huÌ„bled vnder the mighty hand of the lord For as saynte Iames sayth hath not god chosen the pore Certaynly the pore in spirite lowly persons be they whom God hath in his special fauour grace For like as in the great mens courtes of this worlde y â— prince or great man taketh the vyllanye or displeasure as done to himselfe when one doth a displeasure to one of hys great lordes or special seruauÌ„tes againe taketh a good turne benefite as done to himself when it is bestowed vpon them euen so the great king of kinges lord of lordes god almyghty doth so tendre loue his huÌ„ble and meke seruauntes though in the face of the world they seme as persons despised and not regarded that who so euer receyueth one of theÌ„ in Christes name he couÌ„teth the thing done to himself as though the partie had receiued Christ himself And on the other side he that offendeth any one of these simple and base persons which truste vpon the lord which depend hole vpon him shal be more greuously punished then if a mylstone were hanged about his necke he cast into the depe see For what a more shameful wicked parte can be shewed than to greue and hurt them which wil noman no hurte which enuye noman which preferre themselfes before noman whiche loue al persones indifferently Wo be to the worlde therfore for greuynge of suche ones Howbeit the malice of men is so greate that these greues must nedes be Wherfore who soeuer coueteth to come to heauen let him beware howe he hurte them yea let hym take hede he hurte not hym selfe Let no affection be so deare to vs but let it be forthwyth karued and cut awey yf it shulde hindre vs in our iourney to heauenwarde Our hande our fote our eye be necessarye membres yet rather then they shulde hindre vs Christe byddeth vs cast them awey For were it not better sayth he to go to heuen maymed or lame or wyth one eye thaÌ„ with hole meÌ„bres to be cast into hel fyer But sayng this he ment not that any membre of the body shuld be cut awey but he wolde haue the affections cut of whiche calle vs awey from the studie of eternal saluation For a frende which a maÌ„ can skant want is as it were hys one hande Thy father whom thou dost truste on is thy fote Thy wyfe or sonne whom thou tenderly louest is thyne eye And as there is nothynge so preciouse that ought to plucke vs from heauen so nomaÌ„ be he neuer so lowe pore ought to be despised but rather holpen Let vs then offend none of those litle ones namely sith there angelles which haue charge ouer theÌ„ do coÌ„tinually beholde the face of almighty god in heuen so y t by this we may know in what reputatioÌ„ they be w t god seing he hath giuen theÌ„ such kepers coÌ„ductours Let vs thaÌ„ endeuour our selfâ— to be suche lowly huÌ„ble persons as our Sauiour Christ here speaketh of y t we may haue such auÌ„gels to coÌ„ducte leade defend kepe vs in al our weyes by Christ our lord who be praised glorified AmeÌ„ â–ª ¶ On saint Lukes day the Euangeliste The Gospell Luke .x. THe Lord appoynted also other seueÌ„tye and he sent them two two before hys face in to euerie citie and place whether he hymself wolde come and he sayd vnto them Uerely the haruest is moch but the laborers are fewe Pray therfor the lorde of the haruest that he wol thurst out laborers into his haruest Go your weyes Lo I send you as lambes amonges wolues Beare ye no wallet nor scrippe nor shoes and salute noman by the wey In what house ye enter fyrst say peace be to this house And verely if the son of peace be there youre peace shall reste vppon hym â–ª if not it shall returne to you But se ye abyde in the same house eating and drinkinge suche as they haue For worthy is the laborer of his rewarde The sermon vpon this Gospell SAint Luke god people whose memory y â— church doth this day solemnize though he was none of the .xii. Aposteles of Christ nor of the couÌ„trey of the Iues but a Grecian borne at Antioche and at the beginninge of Christes preaching in Iurye not beinge with Christ as he himself witnesseth in the preface of hys Gospell yet
saynt Austine Christe here meaneth that they woll hate hym in hys disciples and true folowers they woll persecute him in them and wol not folowe nor kepe their worde bicause it is his worde Wherfore sayth thys holy doctoure so moche the more wretched be they whiche do these thinges forbicause of this name as they be the more blessed whyche suffre these thinges for this names sake Howbeit the euil do these thinges to the euyl but both be wretched aswell the doers as the suffrers And why wol they do these thinges in spite of Christes name Ueryly saith Christ bicause they haue not knowne god the father of heuen whyche sente me For if they had knowne God thâ— father which sent Christ they shuld haue known Christ to haue preached by the coÌ„maundement and authoritie of hys father a farre other iustice then was preached or practysed of the world If Chryste had not comme and spoken to the worlde it shulde haue had no synne It is the preachinge of the gospell veryly that discloseth all vngodlynes and the vnrightuousnes of the worlde and whiche also setteth open the iustice of god Lette vs not then my freendes be ashamed of the gospell of Chryste For as the Apostle sayeth it is the power of God to the helth and saluatioÌ„ of al that beleueth For the rightuousnes of God is by it opened out of feyth into feyth Now therfore sith the gospel is preached vnto vs whyche discloseth synne we haue no excuse no clooke to hyde our synne wyth We know god and yet we do not glorifie ne worship him as god we be not thankfull vnto hym for the great inestimable benefites which from time to time we haue receiued at his handes We be called by the ministres of his holy word but we wol giue no eare We be tawght and we wil not attende Wherfore it is moche to be feared that like as we haue not regarded to knowe god so god wil giue vs vp into a disalowed minde If a maÌ„ wold hate him that he knew not he might peraduenture seme worthy of pardon and forgiuenes bycause he can not finde in his harte to fauour him whom he neuer sawe But we haue sene Christ and haue harde him thoughe not personally as the Iues sawe him and hard him yet by the preachyng of the gospell we knowe his power and ryghtuousnes and we espye our infirmitie and vnrightuousnes I say in his worde we se him and heare him as wel and as perfectly as the Iues did We haue seen his great benefites we haue hard of his wonderful dedes yet I feare lest there be many worldly persons amonges vs which do hate Christ hys word in very dede thoughe they pretende neuer so muche to loue hym and they hate hym and his worde euen for the same thinges for whiche they ought to loue him and the preachers of his word For in that they hate the preachers of his worde they hate his word and in that they hate his worde they hate hym And verily who so euer hateth Christ and hys preachers or his word doth hate also in very dede god the father by whose authoritie and speciall coÌ„maundemeÌ„t al is doon Wherfore thys very thynge doth heape damnation vpoÌ„ such worldly persons bycause they abuse so lewdly and so stubbernly the offred open goodnes of God If Christ by the preachyng of his mooste holy worde had not vttered amonges them suche miracles and wonders as none of all the prophetes euer vttered whether we woll consider the greatnes or the multitude of them they shulde not haue been in daunger of so heynouse a synne But nowe haue they both herde and seen the trouth and the more they haue herde seen the more they haue hated both it and the preachers therof So that the saynge of God by his prophete is in them fulfylled where it is written they haue hated me wythout cause It might be borne yf one did hate one beinge sturred and prouoked by displeasure and vnkyndnes shewed vnto him to hate him It myght be perdoned yf a maÌ„ wold hate one he knewe not but how can it be borne that one shulde hate hym whom he knoweth and which studyeth to do him all the good he can for hys sauegarde and soule health In thys sort did our sauiour Christ eoÌ„forte his Apostles and by them vs all to suffre tribulation and hatred for hys sake Let vs then folowe them and namely the blessed Apostles Simon and Iude whose memorye we do thys daye celebrate whiche had experience of these counfortes in their crosse whiche they bare for Christes sake neyther wolde they suffre themselfes to be plucked awey from the trouth of Gods worde for al the hatred malice and trouble that the worlde could practise against them If by their exemple we do the same we shal vndoubtedly with theÌ„ be crowned eternally by Iesus Christ our Lorde whiche togither with the father and holy ghost is world with out ende to be praysed Amen ¶ On all halowe daye The Gospell Mat. v. WHen Iesus saw the people he went vp into a montaigne and when he was sette hys disciples cam to him after he had opened his mouthe he taught them sayeng Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdom of heauen Blessed be they that mourne for they shal be couÌ„forted Blessed be the meke for they shall inherite the erthe Blessed be they that hungre and thyrst after ryghtuousnes for they shal be satisfyed Blessed be the pytifull for they shal be pytied Blessed be the pure in harte for they shall se God Blessed be the peace makers for they shal be called the chyldren of God Blessed be they that be persecuted for ryghtuousnes for theirs is the kyngdom of heauen Blessed be ye when they shal â—euile and persecute you and speake euery euil worde agaynst you makyng lyes bycause of me Be glad reioyse for much is your reward in heuen The sermon vpon this Gospell THis daye good people is called all halowe daye is instituted of the Church of Christ that there myght be some certayne tyme to celebrate the memorye of all holy persones or sayntes whiche in this life liued a godly and perfecte life and therfore do nowe enioye eternall blysse in heauen accordyng as in this Gospell is promised vnto them and vnto vs al which wol do the same by our sauiour Christ. Let vs then se what thys Gospel speaketh Ye shall therfore vnderstande that our Sauiour Christ Iesus when he was walkyng here in earthe amonges vs and espyed the people more and more to gather about him of al sortes of meÌ„ he withdrew hym selfe as it were froÌ„ a low place and goyng vp to an high hylle beganne there to sette abroche hys heauenly doctrine declarynge by the very heigth of the place that he wolde teache no low ne coÌ„mon thyng but al highe and heuenly thynges His disciples whom he had specially
propre power and vertue as appeareth by that she putteth to but now also I know that whatsoeuer thou askest of god he woll gyue it the. So that she toke Christ but for a prophete and a very vertuouse and holy man Christ therfore answereth her Thy brother shal rise agayne I wote ê™ Martha that he shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day Here we se that Martha was a good woman and beleued the general resurrection Wherfore our sauiour Christ to thintent he myght yet augment the womans feith opinion in him that he might declare that he coulde not only as an holy man prophet obteyne of god life to the dead but also that he himself is the fountaigne and giuer of life to al men and that no death is to be feared of them which put their trust and hope in him bicause that although death coÌ„meth yet it can not hurt him that beleueth on him which is fountaigne of al life he answered Martha in thys wyse I am the resurrection and the lyfe Ueryly my freendes this is the gospel â–ª this is the Euangel this is the glad ioyful tydinges most pleasaunt coÌ„fortable to al Christen men and women In this word Christ openeth himselfe vnto vs giueth vs resurrection life which be the greatest best gyftes that caÌ„ be giuen to maÌ„kynd But wherby is Christe made vnto vs our resurrectioÌ„ and our lyfe Uerily by feith And therfore he goeth further and sayth He that beleueth in me althoughe he be deade yet shall he lyue By feith doubtles the deade man liueth by feith the quicke maÌ„ neuer dyeth For ye may not thinke that Christ spake this only of Lazarus But who so euer he be that beleueth and hath the lyuely vnfeyned feith in Christ which in the begynnyng of this sermon â–ª I spake of he shall neuer dye albeit that the bodye for a tyme shall slepe This I say is the Gospell wherwith in the straightes of deth ours coÌ„sciencies must be fensed and made stronge agaynst al the gates of hell and of death For agaynst this sure feith thys rocke wherupon Christes church is buylt not al the gates of hell as Christ himselfe promiseth can preuaile And to thintent we shulde beleue this the better that Christe is oure resurrection he confirmed it with the raisyng of Lazarus froÌ„ death to life he coÌ„firmed it also with hys owne resurrection Why do we then mourne the deth of oure freendes Harken what Christ sayth I am the resurrection What do we fear thingê we wote not what in an other world Let vs beleue in Christ which saith I am the lyfe Truly he giueth himselfe hole vnto vs by this gospell only let vs take hede lest by our vnfeithfulnes we put froÌ„ vs so highe excellent a gyfte If Christ had neuer been made man we could haue hoped of no risyng agayne By our first father AdaÌ„ we were al made thral vnto death accordyng to gods worde in Genesis vnto AdaÌ„ What day so euer thou shalt eate of the tree of knowlege of good and euill thou shalt surely dye a death By Adam verily as witnesseth saynt Paule death entred first and agayne by Christe cam resurrection and lyfe Wherfore truly these wordes of our Sauiour Christe haue a ryght great comforte in them vnto all christen men forasmuch as they declare moost high vertue and power to be in Christe â–ª that is to witte that by hym chaunceth to maÌ„kind the vertue and power to rise againe into euerlastyng lyfe Both the good and bad shall ryse againe but not a like for the good shal rise vnto life â–ª and the badde shal rise vnto iugement and euerlasting death and therfore Christe to them is no resurrection For whiche they be that shal be made pertakers of euerlastynge lyfe he sheweth when he goeth on and sayeth in thys wyse He that beleueth in me shal lyue that is to say he shall not dye the second death We haue therfore good people two maners of risynge agayne for first we rise agayne here by grace out of the doungeon of synne when we â—e renewed into a new life and be regenerate by Christ as it is declared in the thyrde chapter of Ihon. And who soeuer after thys sorte doth ryse agayne out of synne here in thys lyfe â–ª shall neuer tast of the second death which is euerlastyng damnation but shal be pertaker of the seconde resurrection through Christ at the day of iugemeÌ„t which shal be lyfe euerlasting and endles ioye Thys in effecte were Christes wordes to Martha and after he had thus opened hymself vnto her he asked her whether she beleued this Wherunto she answered and said Yea Lorde I beleue that thou art Christe the sonne of God whiche hast come into the worlde Uerily thys confession of feith that this blessed woman Martha maketh here of Christe semeth to be lyke vnto that whiche saynt Peter and the rest of thapostles made when Christ asked them whom they said that he was and saynt Peter in al their names answered Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuyng god that is to say thou arte the Messias or Sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long before promised by the prophetes and loked for of the fathers And lyke as fleshe and bloud disclosed not thys feith to saynt Peter but the heuenly father so thys lyke confession that Martha made ê“ceded not of any carnal loue but of the holy ghost But what do these wordes betokeÌ„ thou art Christ Uerily to be Christ is to be the lorde and coÌ„querour ouer synne afflictions death and helle And for this cause was he promised euen to vanquish al the aduerse powers in heueÌ„ly thyngê I say he is that sede of the woman which shulde breake the serpeÌ„tes hed that is to wit the power of the deuill For the deuill ruleth in the worlde through Gods permission and sufferaunce by synne afflictions death and helle But all these thynges in the feithfull persons be ouercome and vanquished through Christ. Christ is our mediatour our peace He is the hed foundatioÌ„ of the church he is our prest our byshop to make sute to his father for vâ— and to saue vs hys people from our synnes Yea there is none other lucy to heuen but by him for he is the doore He is our lucy he is the trouth he is the lyfe for lyke as all were dead by Adam so by Christ must they he reuiuâ—â— This haue I spoken concerning the declaration of thys present Gospell Now deare freÌ„des accordyng to the instruction whiche we haue rehersed here out of holy scripture let vs not feare nor lameÌ„t this bodily death but rather the spiritual deth of the soule both in this worlde and in the next And on the contrary as often as we fall into synne let vs by due repentaunce rise againe here in thys lyfe let vs beleue stedfastly