parable saith The good sede be the chyldern and inheritours of the kyngedome so the kyngedome that Christe seeketh here in erthe is a spirituall and heauenly kyngedome And Christe sayde to Pylate in the .xviii. chapiter of Iohn̄ My kyngdome is not of this worlde And therfore those that go about to make of Christis spyrytuall kyngdome a worldly kyngdome do falle into errour of some heretykes that loke that Christe after the daye of iudgement shall reygne with all his sayntes here in erthe carnally in Hierusalem as the Iewes doo beleue that Messias is yet to come and whan he shall come he shall reigne worldly in Ierusalem ¶ So we doo see that Chryste lefte the worldely kyngedomes to prynces of the world as is before expressed But he commytted the preachynge of this heauenlye kyngedome to his apostels gyuynge to them lyke commission and equall auctoritie to preache teche the same through all the worlde sayeng in the last chapyter of Mathewe after the wordes before declared that all power was gyuen to hym in heuen and in erthe Go ye forthe and teache all nations baptysynge theym in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy goste teachynge them to kepe all those thynges whyche I haue commaunded you Christe also in the .xx. chapter of Iohn sayde the euenynge after his resurrection whan he appered to his disciples the dores beinge shutte As my father hath sente me I do sende you and after he had so sayde he brethed vppon them sayinge Whose synnes so euer ye shall forgyue be forgyuen and whose synnes ye shall reteyne be reteyned And lykewyse had saide to them all before his death in the .xviii. chapter of Mathewe what thynges so euer ye shall bynde vppon erthe shal be bounde in heauen and what thynges so euer ye shall lose vppon erthe shal be leused in heauen whiche power he gaue to them all equally and like as well to all the resydewe as to Peter whiche auctoritie Christe declareth in the x. chapter of Luke to be hyghe and to be regarded of all men and not to be contemned in any wyse sayinge He that herith you herith me and he that herith me hereth my father of heuen that hath sent me And he that despiseth you despyseth me and he that despyseth me despyseth my father of heuen that hath sent me At the day of iugemente Sodoma and Gomorra whiche harde not of Christ shal be in better case than such despysers shalbe ¶ But here the byshoppe of Rome steppeth in and saith Peter hadde auctorite gyuen to him aboue all the resydue of the apostels for Christe sayde to hym in the xvi chapiter of Matthewe Thou arte Peter and vpon this rocke I shall bylde my churche and I shall giue the the keis of the kyngedome of heuen and what so euer thou shalt bynde vpon erthe shalbe bound in the heuens This sayde Christ. And sayncte Peter is buryed at Rome whose successor I am ▪ and oughte to rule the churche as Peter dyd and to be porter at heauen gates as Peter was And Christe sayde also to Peter after his resurrection Fede my shepe whiche wordes he spake to hym onely so that therby he had auctoritie ouer all that be of Christis flocke and I as his successour haue the same and therfore who soo wyl not obey me kynge or prince I wyl curse him and depriue hym his kyngedome or seignorie for all power is gyuen to me that Christe had and I am his vicar general as Peter was here in erthe ouer all and none but I as Christe is in heuen This ambitious and pompouse obiection is made by him and his adherentes and hath of late yeres moch troubled the worlde and made discention debate and open warre in all partes of Chrystendome and nourysshed the same But yf the bysshoppe of Rome wolde take those places after the right sense of thē ▪ as both the apostels them selfes taughte vs and all the auncient beste lerned and mooste holy interpretours do expound them the worlde shulde be more at quietnesse than it is where nowe by wronge interpretation the scripture is peruerted and an other gospell in that poynt preached vnto vs than euer the apostels preached soo that thoughe an aungell came fro heuen and wolde tell vs suche newe expositions of those places as is now made to turne the wordes which were spoken for spirituall auctoritie of preachynge the worde of god and ministringe of the sacramentes to a worldly auctoritie we oughte to reiecte hym as saynt Paule saythe in the fyrst chapiter to the Galathiens ¶ But to open the true sense of the scripture in the places aforesayd it is to be obserued that Christe in the sayd .xvi. chapiter of Mathewe asked his dyscyples whom men dyd say y t he was whervnto after answere giuen by thē diuersly some sayinge that he was Iohn̄ Baptist some saying y t he was Ely some saying that he was Ieremie or oone of the prophetes Christe asked them whom do ye say that I am whervnto Peter answered for thē al for of al them the question was asked as he was always redy to make answer Thou arte Chryste the sonne of god that lyueth Iesus answered Blessed be thou Symon the sonne of Iona. for flesh and bloud hath not reueled this vnto the but my father whiche is in heuen And I say to the Thou arte Peter and vpon this rocke I shall bylde my churche and the gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynste it that is to saye vpon this rocke of thy confessyon of me to be the sonne of god I shall bylde my churche For this confession conteyneth the hole summarye of our faythe and saluation Which confessyon fyrste was spoken by the mouthe of Peter Who of all the .xii. apostelles that Christe chose to sende into the worlde to preache his word was the fyrst that with his mouthe vttered that confessyon and knowlegynge by which all Christen men must be saued and without whyche noo man can be saued as it is written in the x. chapter to the Romains by Paul The worde of faythe that we do preache is at hande in thy mouthe and in thyne harte for if thou confesse with thy mouthe oure lorde Iesus and with thy hart do beleue that god raysed hym frome death to lyfe thou shalt be saued Upon this fyrst confession of Peter and not vpon the person of Peter the church is bylded As Chrysostom expoūdeth that place in the .xxvi. sermon of the feast of Pentecost saying Not vpon the person of Peter but vpon the fayth Chryst hath bylded his churche And what is the faithe This. Thou art Christ the sonne of god that liueth what is to say Upon this rocke that is vpon this confession of Peter And with this sayenge of Chrisostome all auncient exposytours treatynge that place do agree For if we shulde expound that place that the Churche is bylded vppon the persone of Peter we shuld put an other foundation
intollerable to the fleshe of man than deth of the crosse And there is nowe nothyng more glorious sette forth in the forheade of a christen man than the sygne of the crosse Here we maye note what hye rewarde in heauen is reserued to a chrysten man whan Christe hath gyuen suche an honour to the forme of the crosse representynge to vs his passion for nowe the forme of the crosse is so honoured amongest christen men that if a man worthye to dye shoulde be crucified it shoulde be thought amongest christen men that he shulde thereby rather be honoured than punished The crosse is now euery where amongest Christen men erected and sette vp as an arche triumphal ageinst the deuyll declaryng vnto vs the vyctorie and triumphe that Christ vpon the crosse obteyned agaynst the deuyll in cancellyng the bonde of our synne wherin we were bounde to the dyuell and fastenynge it cancellyd to his crosse as sayncte Paule saythe in the seconde chapiter to the Colossians ¶ It foloweth in the text Therfore god hath exalted him and hath gyuen to him a name that is aboue all names Here it is to be noted that God gaue to Christe his exaltation as to man and not as to god For there was neuer no tyme before he was made man that he in the fourme of god was not exalted nor no tyme that all thinges dyd not bowe downe to hym that be in heuen erthe and hell And for that cause he saythe Therfore that is to say for his manhode forme of a seruant taken vpon hym and vnited to his godheed and for his obedience vnto deathe of the crosse For in the same fourme of man in whiche he was crucified in the same he was exalted And a name was gyuen to hym aboue all names That he beinge in the forme of a seruant rysynge from deathe of the flesshe to lyfe and ascendynge vp into heuen shulde be called the onely begotten sonne of god whiche name he as the worde and sonne of god eternally begotten of god and equall to god hadde before Wherof the aungell sent to the blessed vyrgine Marye before his byrthe prophecied sayeng in the first chapiter of Luke That holy byrthe that shall be borne of the shall be called the sonne of god This hyghe exaltation of Christe gyuen to hym for his manhoode and sufferaunce of deathe for mankynde is lyke to that that Chryste hym selfe spake in the laste chapiter of Mathewe sayinge All power is gyuen to me in heuen and in erthe whiche he spake of his manhode and not of his godheed for by his godheed he had it before he was maÌ„ ¶ It foloweth in the texte That in the name of Iesu euery knee shal bow down of all thynges that be in heauen or that be in erthe or that be in helle That is to say of aungels of men and of dyuelles For the aungelles of heuen at his ascention gloryfied in hym the nature of man and bowed downe to hym exalted aboue all angels And men in erth do glorifie in hym and do knéle down to hym and adore hym as their redemer and god and man The deuylles do stowpe downe to hym for feare and one of them whom he expelled from a bodye possessed by hym sayde to hym I do knowe that thou arte the holy man of god And all the deuyls shall knowe his power whan he shall sit in iugement rewardyng good men and punyshynge the euyll And the bowynge down of euery knee is ment the submyssyon of all creatures to theyr maker not that eyther aungels or deuylles haue bodily knees but bicause we men that haue bodies in our submyssion doo bowe oure knees And therefore submyssyon of all creatures to theyr maker is ment therby The deuyls alsoo feared his power and bowed downe to hym whanne his sowle with his godheade descended into helle there to delyuer the sowles of all ryghtuous men which were deed before Christ and descended thyther bycause heauen gates were not yet by hym opened His godheed ones knytte by his incarnation to his body and his sowle neuer departed after from either of theym bothe but styl abode with them that is to saye with his bodye in the sepulchre and with his soule descendyng into hell neuer departyng from neither of theym after his incarnation ¶ It foloweth in the texte And euerye tonge shall confesse and knowledge that Iesu Christe is our lorde to the glorie of god his father That is to say to the hye preferrement therof for the glorye of the father is to haue such a sonne lord of all maker of all and god of all To whome all be subiectes and do obey To whome all creatures do bowe downe and whom all tonges do exalte and glorifie ¶ The glorye of god the father is that the sonne euery where be gloryfyed lyke as where god the sonne is despised there god the father is despised and blasphemy spoken ageinst god the sonne is spoken also ageynste god the father Lyke as amongest men dishonour done to the sonne soundeth to the dyshonour of the father For betwyxte god the father and god the sonne there is no difference but that that ryseth and commeth by dyuersitie of theyr persones And therfore the honour or dyshonoure of god the sonne stretcheth to the honour or dyshonour of god the father Where the sonne is perfit in all thynges it is the honour of the father that so begat hym of whome he had it And where he needeth nothynge it is the honor of his father of whom he hath all plentie And where he by his godheed is not inferiour to his father it is the honoure of his father of whome he hathe the same substance and the same essence and where he is wyse it is the honour of the father whose wysedome he is and where he is good it is the honour of the father of whom he hath it And where he is almyghty It is the honour of the father whose arme he is In all these thynges it is the hyghe honour of god the father that he eternally begatte a sonne of so moche glorye ¶ And it is a great demonstration â–ª that Chrisâ— the sonne of god is god by nature bycause he humbled hym selfe takynge mans naâ—â—â—e vppon hym For he knewe that by his humilytie he coulde suffer no damage in the highnes of his godly nature For his godly nature coulde not be hydde nor â—â—pte vnder nor oppressed by any humilitie His humilitie therfore is an euident argument of his natural god heed And therfore if any man do desyre to be greate in vertue lette hym humble hym self for humilitie sheweth the greatnes of vertue Let hym folowe Christe in humilitie and he shall gayne great thynges therby He that is pore in vertue feareth to humble hym selfe leste he shoulde fall from hs feyned dissembled height And he that is ryche in vertue doth humble hym selfe knowynge that he hathe in hym vertue whereby he shall be exalted whyche vertue can
not be hyd As a candell bournynge can not be hyd in a darke house nor a swete smell hydde in any corner but it wyll by the good flauour therof disclose where it is and allure men to take vp the thynge that so smelleth ¶ So we do se in the epistle of this day That Christe for his humylite hath receyued exaltation as he hym self saith in the gospel in the .xxiii. chap. of Mat. And for his obedience he hath receiued highe honor to haue a name aboue al names And for his pacience and passion he hathe receiuid power ouer al that al creatures do bowe downe to hym And for his infinite charitie agaynst mankynde he dothe receyue of al faithful people laude praise and glorie And thus haue we hytherto declared the lytterall sense of the epistle of this day by whiche ye may se that the humilytie and obedience of Christ dothe surmount all examples of humilitie and obedience of the olde testamente as farre as the bryghte shynynge of the sonne is aboue the dymme lyghte of an olde lanterne For if we shulde compare the humilitie and obedience of Abraham who lefte his countrey of Chaldee by goddis commaundement and went forwardes not knowynge whither he shulde goo to the humilitie and obedyence of Christe who discended from heauen to be incarnate and suffer deathe for vs in forme of man there is almooste noo comparison for where all the worlde is full of myserie Abraham went but frome one wretched place therof to an other moche lyke But Christ beinge the sonne of god from the begynnynge euer in glory and in heuen with his father where no miserie neuer was nor none can be came downe from heuen to be incarnate and to lyue in this wretched worlde knowynge it before to be the valle of mysery ¶ Lykewise if we shulde compare Isaac who whan his father wente to sacrifyce hym bare the fagote that shulde make the fyre of his sacrifyce to Chryste bearynge his crosse whanne he wente to his death wherof Isaac was a fygure The obedience of Isaac is farre beneth Chrystis obedience For Isaac going with his father knewe nothynge what his father dyd meane whan he badde him beare the fagotte whiche appereth by that whan he asked his father where the sacryfyce was that shulde be brente But Christe the sonne of god before he was incarnate knewe all the counsell and secretes of the father of heauen and yet he was contente wyllynglâ— for our sâ—ke to be incarnate and to â—uffer deatâ—e vppon the crosse and shewed before to his â—â—sciples that he wolde and shulde so do so that in comparynge the greate and infinite humilitie and obedience of Christe with the humilytie and obedyence of other that were in the olde testament we shall fynd them to be as sayncte Paule saythe but fygures and shadowes as fygures of men paynted be farre vnder the liuynge bodies of men And as the lyuynge body of a man farre passeth in substaunce the shadowe of the same soo the vertues of Christe so farre do excede the vertues of good men that were in the old testament fygures of hym that his vertues be ferther aboue theirs than heauen is aboue the erthe HYTHERTO we haue declared the trewe sense of the epistle of this daye redde in the churche conteynynge soo great humilite and obedience of our sauiour Christe that nether by the tonge of maÌ„ it can be worthyly expressed nor yet in any wyse by mans thought coÌ„prised But nowe let vs somewhat speke of the vyce and synne of Disobedyence whiche shall more sette forthe the incomparable vertue of Christis humilitie and obedience and also open vnto vs howe farre they be from Christe and howe contrary to his doctâ—ine that do gyue theym selfes to disobedience Whiche disobedyence was the fyrste â—â—nne that man after his creation dyd commyt and is alwaye ioyned with all other synnes as a companyon neuer departynge frome theym For euerye synne that men doo fall in is done agaynst goddes lawe soo that the transgression and dysobeysaunce of goddis law is coupled with euery synne For if we obeyde goddis lawe as we oughte to do than we shuld not synne ¶ And that dysobedience was the fyrste synne done by man after his creation it playnely dothe appere in the thyrde chapiter of Genesis where after Adam was put in Paradyse by almyghtye god and commaunded to eate of all the fruites in the same excepte the tree of knowledge of good and euyll Whiche he was commaunded to forbeare and not to towche nor eate of the fruite of it the dyuelle in the serpent sayd to Eue. God that forbad you to eate of that tree knoweth that what daye so euer ye do eate of that tree your eyes shall be opened and ye shal be as goddes knowynge good and euylle By whyche fals perswasion the woman induced dydde eate of the tree forboden and gaue vnto her housbande who eate also of the same disobeyenge goddis coÌ„maundement who commaunded that in no wyse they shulde touche it vpon peyn of dethe to folowe for theyr disobedience for whyche disobedyence not onelye they were forthwith expelled out of Paradise but also they and all mankynde was by the sentence of almyghty god made subiecte to deathe and to mortalitie ¶ DisobedieÌ„ce hath also pride euermore annexed vnto it whyche makethe hym that disobeyeth to contemne to obey and to care nothyng at all to disobey as doth appere by the falle of the dyuell described vnto vs by the holy goste in the person of Nabugodonosor the verye chylde of the deuyl in the .xiiii. chapter of Esai where Lucifer an high and bright aungell full of beautie and all clerenesse as soone as he was create not gyuynge thankes to almyghtye god for his naturall gyftes giuen to him in his creation but by pride reputynge to haue them of hym selfe and not of god sayde in his harte I shall ascende into heuen I shall exalte my seate aboue the sterres of god I shall ascende aboue the height of the clowdes I shall be lyke to almyghtye god But his falle and ruyne is forthewith there described where the prophete addeth sayenge But yet for all this thou shalte be plucked downe to helle in to the bottome of the lake And Chryste also in the gospelle of Luke in the .x. chapiter testifieth his fall sayenge I sawe Satan fall from heuen as a lyghtnyng So we se that disobedience of the deuyll not kepynge the order of his creation but surmountynge farre aboue it and contempnynge the degree that his maker had put hym in was the cause of his falle ¶ Nowe what shall we saye of those whome god hathe create to be subiectes commandyng them by his â—orde to obey their princis and gouernours Who not onely do refuse to obey goddis commandement but contrary to his worde wylle be aboue theyr gouernours in refusynge to obey them and farthermore also woll haue their pryncis prostrate vppon the grounde to whome they owe
primates archebyshoppes byshoppes priestes and all of the clergie And all noble men of what degree so euer they be being within their gouernaunce with all the people also And therfore the byshop of Rome oweth lykewyse to his souerain and superiour like subiection by the word of god taught vnto vs by Peter and Paule as other bishoppes do owe to theyr princes vnder whom they be And therfore Agatho the byshop of Rome in whose tyme was the vi synode counsell general after his election sent to themperour then beinge at Constantinople to haue his election alowed before he wolde be consecrate after the olde custome at that tyme vsed And an other byshoppe of Rome called Uitalianus dyd the same as it is wrytten in the decrees in the .lxiii. distinction in the chapitre begynnynge Agatho and as saynte Gregory and saydte Ambrose had done before theym as it is written in the chapiter Cum longe in the same distinction the byshops of Rome at that tyme folowed the doctrine of sayncte Peter and saynte Paule lefte vnto them to be subiectes and to obey theyr princes ¶ The gospelle also teacheth vs in the xxii chapiter of Luce howe the apostels fell at contention amonge them selfes the nyghte before the passyon who amonge them shulde be superiour and aboue the other Whyche theyr contention Chryste discussed sayeng on this wyse The kynges of people and nations haue dominion ouer them and those that haue power ouer them be called benefactors of them But so it shall not be amongest you but who so euer amongest you is the greater shall be as the yonger and who soo euer amongest you shall be chiefe shall be as a seruant and a minister For who is superiour he that sytteth at the table or he that serueth at the table is not he superiour that sytteth But I am amongeste you as he that mynystreth and serueth And ye be those that haue bydden with me in my temptations and I ordeyn for you as my father hath ordeyned for me a kyngdome that ye shall eate and drynk at my bourde in my kyngdome and shal sytte vpon seates iudgyng the .xii. tribes of Israel Here we doo see that Chryste wolde haue the mekeste and moste humble to be chiefe in his flocke by humilitie and by seruyce done to other As Chryste by example had washed the fete of his apostelles the same nyghte a lyttell before And it appereth also that he wolde not leaue amongest his apostelles a worldly kyngdome wherby they shulde worldely reygne ouer other but that he ordeyned for them a heuenly kyngedome to reigne with hym in heauen and to sytte with hym in iudgement to iudge the .xii. tribes of Israell that is to say by thexample of their fayth who beleued in Christe to condemne the infidelite of the Iewes that wolde not beleue in hym but shamefully put him to deth So that herby it is proued playnly that Chryste lefte to his disciples no worldely kyngedome here in erthe to haue princis vnder them A lyke dyscussynge of this contention of superioritie whiche an other tyme rose also emonge the apostelles is conteyned in the tenth chapter of Mark and the .xx. chaptre of Mathewe and by lyke wordes absolued that mekenes and not superiorite shulde be regarded amonge them for the apostels before the commynge of the holy gost after the tyme of the resurrection euen at the tyme of Christis ascention asked hym whether he wolde restore again the worldely kyngedome of Israell for whiche kyngedome at that tyme they dyd loke as Cleophas sayd in the last chapitre of Luce vnto Christ apperyng to hym and his felowe goinge in to Emaus we trusted that he was the man that shulde haue redemed Israell And yet vnto this daye the iewes do loke for theyr Messias to come and to reigne amonge them by a worldely kyngedome in Hierusalem as Dauid dyd but Christe lefte to his disciples no suche worldelye kyngedome but sayde it shulde not be so emong them as it was emongest the princis of the world ¶ And where Christe in the laste chapyter of Mathewe sayde after his resurrection All power is gyuen to me in heuen and in erthe so that both in his godheed and in his manhode also inseparably vnite in one persone that is to saye in one Christe and two natures god and man he had all power gyuen to hym as man whiche from the begynnynge he euer had as the sonne of god with god his father Yet neuer the lesse he neuer chaunged the auctoritie of worldly kinges and princis but by his owne word commanded them stylle to be obeyed by theyr subiectes as they had ben before his incarnation sayinge in the .xxii. chapyter of Matthewe whan the Iewes axed hym whether they shulde paye tribute to Ceasar or noo he bad theym gyue to Cesar those thynges that be his and to god those thinges that be his sygnifyenge vnto theym that tribute was dewe to Cesar and that theyr sowles were due to god And in the .xvii. chapiter of Mathewe it appeareth that Christe bad Peter paye tribute for hym and his disciples whan it was demaunded of hym And Christe as man wolde not chaunge the order of obeysaunce to worldly princis by their subiectes Whiche he as god with his father had ordeyned before his Incarnation as sayncte Paule testifieth sayenge Worldely powers be ordeyned of god therfore who so euer resysteth them dothe resyste god ¶ And that Christe hym selfe wolde not reigne here in erth by a worldly and temporall kyngedome it appereth in the .vi. chapiter of Iohn Where after he hadde fedde fyue thousande Iewes besydes women and chylder with fyue barley loues and two fyshes and the Iewes wold haue taken hym and made hym theyr kynge he fledde from theym and wolde not consent vnto them For the kyngdom that he came to serche here in erthe was not a worldly and temporal kyngedome but a heuenly and spyrituall kyngedom that is to saye to reygne spirituallye by grace and faythe in the hartes of all christen and faithfull people of what degree or of what nation so euer they be and to tourne al people nations whiche at his cōming were carnall lyued after the lustes of the fleshe to be spiritual to lyue after the lustes of the spirite that Christe myght spiritually with his father of heuen reigne in the hartes of all men whiche heauenly kyngedome sayncte Iohn Baptist in the deserte preached ofte to the Iewes sayenge Repent you and amend your lyues for the kyngedome of heauen is at hande After whose death Christ intendynge to manyfeste hym selfe to the worlde beganne his prechyng lykewyse sayenge Do penaunce for the kyngdom of heuen is at hand And it is plainly expressed in the .xiii. chapter of Matth. in the parable lykening the kingdom of heuen to a man which dyd sowe good sede in his field and after whyles he slepped his enmy dyd sowe euyl sede in the same for Christ expoūdyng that
faith before he be iustified for elles yf he repent not he remayneth styl in synne and so he is not yet iustified and all the preachyng of Christe and his apostelles begynneth at repentance and penance so that faithe without that can not helpe Wherfore it is neuer true that faith alone iustifyeth for grace of god muste goo before faithe and on our behalfe repentance and charitie muste be ioyned with faythe And as faith is the gyfte of god so is penaunce and so is charitie so is hope but the grace of god who granteth all goth before all ¶ Truth it is that out good dedes done before faithe doo not iustifie for lacke of faith but ioyned vnto faythe they doo helpe or cōmyng after faith they helpe to make vs more iustified as it is writen in the .xxi. of the apocalipse Let hym that is ryghtwyse be yet more iustified ¶ And that almyghtye god requireth of vs good workes it appeareth in the .xxi. chapiter of Mathewe the .xi. of Marc. where Christe commynge to a figge tree full of leaues hauyng no fruite whyche he sought in it by his curse dyd make it sere so if we being the tre bring not forth fruite of good workes hauynge tyme therto neyther the roote of faythe nor the leaues of wordes can alone helpe vs. An other parable in the .xiii. of Luc proueth the same Where a man hauynge a vyneyarde and in the same a fygge tree that bare no fruite badde cutte it downe And at the request of his gardyner suffred it yet longer to se if donge layde to the roote wolde helpe it As oft almyghty god being the lorde of the vyneyarde suffreth vs beinge bareyne to haue space to repent and bringe forth fruite of good workes For it is written in the thirde of Matthewe that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shalbe cut downe and caste into the fyre ¶ After as our deedes be so shall oure iudgement be as Christe sayth in the .xvi. of Mathew the sonne of man shal come in the glorye of his father with his aungels and shall rewarde euery man after his workes Saynt Paul in the .ii. chaptre to the Romaynes sayth also lykewise that god wyll rewarde euerye man after his dedes good or euyll And in the .iiii. chaptre of the fyrste epystle to the Corinthians he sayth that euery man shall receyue his hyre after as his labour is soo that for good dedes done with faythe he shall receyue rewarde and for euel dedes done after fayth or out of fayth he shall receyue punishement ¶ Therfore those that say that god regardeth not our workes done with faythe do say agaynst Chryst and his doctrine gyuen to vs by hym and by his apostelles For sens our workes done with fayth be the measure of our rewarde to be greater or smaller as they shall be founde to be greatter or smaller who soo saythe that god regargeth not them saythe he regardeth not the measure of our rewarde and yet he sayth it shall be measured after our dedes done with faythe and soo he saythe agaynst Christe Saint Paule saythe also in the .ii. chapytre to the Ephesians that by fayth whiche is the gyfte of god we be of newe create in Chryste and in good workes that we may walke forwardes in theym and sens he hath create vs in good workes to walk in them he must nedes regarde theym or els he cared not what he create which is blasphemie and denyall of his highe prouidence ¶ Nowe this holye weke we be bydden and called to come to the great supper of our blessed lorde Chryste Iesus and to eate of the heuenly meate and of the bred of lyfe that came from heauen the blessed body of our sauyour Iesu Christe in the sacrament of the aulter Unto whiche we may not go in our fylthy and spotted cote leste we commynge thyther not hauynge the cleane garmente of our soule that we receyued at our baptisme be expelled out of the feaste And therfore we muste make cleane our garmente before we be bolde to goo thyther But I feare me sore lest many shall make such worldly excuses as be written in a parable in the .xiiii. chapiter of Luke some sayeng they be newe maryed and therfore they may not come Whyche do sygnifie men gyuen so to carnall pleasure of the body that they care not to come to heuen some sayinge they haue boughte fyue yoke of oxen whiche doo sygnyfye those that folowe the sensualitie of theyr fyue senses and worldly busynes some sayenge that they haue bought a vyllage Whiche sygnifie those that purchase landes here in erthe and care not by faithe and good liuynge to purchase heuen All whiche sort of men shall not taste of that supper as it is there written But god forbyd that any of vs shuld be of that sorte And therfore lette vs euery man prepare our selfe and make cleane our spotted and fylthye garment Lette vs purge and purifie the tabernacle of our sowle and make it a lodgynge worthy to receyue Christe into our house and not to dysdayn vs for the fylthynesse of our vncleane lyuynge ¶ But howe maye this be done and by what meanes surely surely by no meane but by penaunce and repentaunce and callynge for mercye to all myghtye god with a sorowfull harte that we hauynge receyued soo innumerable benefytes of god so lytel haue regarded our obedience to his cōmandementes proudly and vnkyndly despysyng hym and more regarding our own wretched cōcupiscence and pleasure in all worldly delytes then god Let vs folowe the exhortation of almightye god spoken to vs by the mouthe of Iohell in the .ii. chaptre sayinge Turne ye synners againe to me by fastynge by wepynge by myche lamentynge your myserable estate and teare sunder your hartes and not your clothes Almyghty god wyll rather regarde a sorowfull and contryte harte to dwell in it than all the temples that we can bylde for hym As it is written in the laste chapiter of Esai Let vs knowlege and confesse our owne fautes fyrst before we be accused of them at iudgement Lette vs wepe for our vngracious lyfe and sure it is god wyll regarde our teares Dauid sayth in the .lv. psalme Almyghtye god I haue shewed my lyfe to the and thou haste putte my teares in thy syghte We that haue vsed our eyes all the yere in regardyng worldly pleasures so that through vehemente ioye somtymes the teares haue braste out with myche lawghynge nowe latte vs wepe as Dauid techeth vs in the Cxviii psalme sayenge to almyghtye god The teares haue braste oute of my eyes bycause they haue not regarded and kepte thy lawe Let vs folowe the counselle of saynt Paule in the .vi. chapiter to the Romaynes sayenge to vs. As ye haue gyuen your members to serue to iniustyce to do wronge soo lykewyse gyue youre members to serue iustice to your sanctifienge Dauid sayth also in the .vi. psalme I haue trauayled in my waylyng I shal washe euerye nyghte