the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wych hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue Ephe. ij He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartê to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê“spexit Psalm lxxxiiij The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlastynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe Eph. iiij CaptiuaÌ„ duxit captiuitatem the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vpwarde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes Luce. ii Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together Psalm lxxxiiij Misericordia et veritas obui auerunt sibi c. thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerlastynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was ones broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace Eph. iiij and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thynges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection that by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Lu. xviij let thy repentauÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth Phil. iij. our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chauÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vnto hymselfe Thus good christen people forasmuche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefytes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys resurrection rysen wyth hym by our fayth to lyfe euerlastynge beynge in full suretie of oure hope that we shall haue oure bodyes lykewyse reysed agayn from death to haue them glorifyed in immortalitie and ioyned to hys gloryouse body hauynge in the meane whyle hys holye spirite wythin our hartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlasting inheritaunce by whose assistence we be replenyshed wyth all ryghteousnes by whose power we shall be able to subdue al our euel affections that ryse againste the pleasure of God These thynges I saye well coÌ„sydered let vs nowe in the reste of oure lyfe declare our fayth the we haue to thys moost frutefull article by conformyng vs therunto in rysynge dayly from synne to ryghtousnes and holynes of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayeth S. Peter to be escaped and delyuered from the fylthynes of the worlde thorough the knolege of the Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christe yf we be entangled agayne therwyth be ouercome agayne ij pet ij it had bene better sayeth he neuer to haue knowen the waye of ryghteousnes than after it is knowen and receyued to torne backewarde agayne from the holy coÌ„maundemente of God gyuen vnto vs. For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs wher it is sayd ☜ the dogge is retorned to hys vomyte agayn and the sowe that was washed to her wallowynge in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beynge thus so clerely and frelye washed from oure synne to retorne to the fylthynes therof agayne What a foly were it thus endowed wyth ryghtousnes to lose it agayne What madnes were it to lose the enherytaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transytory pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndnes shulde it be where our Sauiour Christ of hys mercy is come to vs to dwell wythin vs as our geste to dryue hym from vs and to expell hym violentlye out of our soules in stede of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receyue the vngracyouse spirite of the deuyl the autor of al naughtynes and myschefe How can we fynde in our hartes to shewe such extreme vnkyndnes to Christ which hath now so gently called vs to mercy offered hymselfe vnto vs and he now entered wythin vs. Yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy goost nowe receyued in thys holy sacrament for where one is there is God al hole in maiestie together with al his power wysdoÌ„ goodnes feare not I saye the dauÌ„ger peryl of so traytorous a defiance Good christeÌ„ brethreÌ„ systers aduyse your selfe coÌ„syder the dignitie that ye be now set in Let not foly lose the thynge that grace hath so preciously offered
holy goost we be called by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll ☞ to thintent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe I meane that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace helth defense and sauegarde agaynste synne death Satan the worlde and so forth This he that beleueth Borne of God is sayd to be borne of god as though saint Ihon shulde say To beleue that Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power strength but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures And what is this faith whiche is so myghty It is as I haue sayde the same that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed which thinge is to be comen by water that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men which is to be comen by bloude That Iesus Christ is verite for the holy ghost doth witnesse it that is to say both trew god and trewe man And that he is trewe god thre thinges doth witnesse it in heuē the father the sonne which is him selfe and the holy ghost and these thre be one selfe witnesse And that he is trewe man thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his father at his death the water with which he was baptised and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse And if we receyue the witnesse of menne why shuld we not take the witnesse of god which is infinitely greater than mās that he is the sonne of god This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme Mat. iij. And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine he hath testified it by the lawe by the prophetes Who so euer then beleueth that he is the sone of god he hath the witnesse of god in him he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith he is farre stronger ouer the world and victorious of the worlde Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouercome all thynges that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupiscences Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges surely the yuel spirite can haue nothynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Vnto god then be all thankes honour and glory accordingly Amen On the fyrste sondaye after Ester The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye the .xx. chapter of Ihon. Th argument of thys Gospell ☞ How Christ appeareth to hys disciples which were assembled togyther and of theyr cōmission that was gyuen them to preache THe same daye at nyght whyche was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes whan the dores were shut where the disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the mydde and sayeth vnto them Peace be vnto you And whan he had so sayd he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad whā they sawe the Lorde Esa lxi Mat. xi Ioh. xvii Than sayd Iesus to them agayn Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also And whā he had sayd those wordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Receyue the holy goost Whoseouers synnes ye remytte they are remytted vnto them And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue whych is called Didimus was not wyth them whan Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym we haue sene the Lorde But he sayde vnto them excepte I se in hys handes the prynte of the nayles and put my fnnger into the prynt of the nayles and thurst my hande into hys syde I wil not beleue And after eyghte dayes agayne hys disciples were wyth in and Thomas wyth them Then came Iesus when the dores were shut and stode in the myddes and sayde peace be vnto youe After that sayde he to Thomas brynge thy fynger hyther and se my handes and reache hyther thy hande and thurste into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas answered and sayd vnto hym my Lorde and my God Iesus sayth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other sygnes truly dyd Iesus in the presence of hys disciples Ioh. xxi whyche are not wrytten in thys boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleuynge ye myght haue lyfe thorowe hys name An exhortacion vpon thys Gospel THe Gospell of thys daye good people doth declare vnto vs the appearyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto hys disciples after hys resurrection that is to wyt how he came and shewed hymselfe vnto them the dores beynge shut for feare of the Iues. And here truly he dyd shew the diuersitie of bodyes and what difference there shal be betwene the sensuall bodyes and betwene the spirituall betwene the materiall and corruptible bodyes in thys worlde betwene the spirituall bodyes and incorruptible after the resurrection Trouth it is also that we ought not to suffer any infideles as were the Iues to enter in amonges vs from whome the Apostles dyd shut theyr dores Nowe Iesus beynge in the myddes of them dydde salute them in gyuynge vnto them hys peace wyth whych gretynge or salutation he conforted and confirmed hys disciples myndes that they shulde nothynge doubt of hys resurrectiō whych as the Euangelist Luke wytnesseth they counted but for a dreame Luke xxiiij Wherfore he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde perced And by thys shewynge of hys handes and feete Christe openeth two thynges Fyrst by these sygnes he wolde be knowen For in affliction is Christ truly knowen Seconde by them he wolde assure hys disciples of hys glorious resurrection And verely thys shal be the signe of saluation vnto the faithful at the greate daye of iugement and the signe of lamentation and of sorowe vnto the infidels which thā shal se whome they haue percyd The faithfull shal be gretly cōforted in seing him as his disciples were at this tyme. To these disciples I saye he did ones gyue his peace and made them his apostles that is to saye his legates or ambassadours not onely of Iurye but of al the worlde in lyke maner as god the father had sent him and made hym apostle in the worlde And he gaue them the holy gost for to remytte synnes and to pardō in his name and whose synnes so euer they pardoned shuld be forgyuen in heauen The pardone of the apostles assuredly was but a signe of the trewe pardone
good people here ye haue a true definicion of religion It is not to be locked vp in stone walles and to departe from the company of the worlde as those disguysed and false religiouse persones lately in thys realme dyd but it is to be conuersaunt amonges men wythout spotte or reproufe it is to vysite orphanes and fatherlesse chyldren to go and succour the poore wydowes to go aboute and to wynne the people to Christ to fysh mens soules and to brynge them into the kyngdome of Christ out of the tyranny and raygne of Antichriste I call Antichrist whosoeuer teacheth other deuotions and holynesses then Christ dyd ordeyne For he that is not wyth Christ is agaynst Christ Wherfore good brethren and systers let vs be accordynge to saynt Iames monition here not onely hearers but also doers of the worde but of what worde of the bishop of Romes worde of Antichristes word which is contrary to Christes vnspotted syncere worde no but of gods worde to thintent we maye loke into the perfyte lawe whych breaketh out of fre spirite fayth into workes of charitie Let vs imbrace the true religioÌ„ that is here prescribed and set forth vnto vs Let vs vysite the orphanes the desolate wydowes our poore neyghbours that be destitute of comforte and relyfe Thys let vs do of a fre and franke harte not as constraynedly but wyllyngly and gladly Thys doynge we shall declare by our dedes that we haue the lyuely fayth that shall iustifie vs in gods sight In these our dedes but not by these our dedes nor through these our dedes we shall as saynt Iames assureth vs be happy and so happy that nomaÌ„ shal be able to take our ioye and blysse from vs. For we shall not onely lyue here in thys worlde in peace of conscience and in the kyngdome of Christ but we shall also in an other worlde inherite the vnspeakable ioye and felicitie of heauen where lyueth raygneth the father the soÌ„ne and holy goost perpetually Amen The Gospel on the .v. Sondaye after Ester daye which is the next sonday before the crosse dayes the .xvi. Chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Prayers are hard through Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples after a whyle ye shall not se me and againe after a while ye shal se me for I go to the father ThaÌ„ sayd some of his disciples betwene them selues what is this that he saith vnto vs after a while ye shal not se me and againe after a whyle ye shal se me and that I go to the father They said therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he sayth Iesus perceyued that they wolde aske him and said vnto them Ye inquyre of this betwene youre selues because I sayd after a while ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wise the world shall reioyse Ye shal sorowe but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman wheÌ„ she traueyleth hath sorowe because her hour is come But as sone as she is deliuered of the child she remeÌ„breth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde And ye nowe therfore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and youre hartes shall reioyse and youre ioye shall no man take from you IN the first parte of the Gospel of this daie good people is a commauÌ„demeÌ„t and promise set forth vnto vs wherby we be allured and sturred to praye ⧠The vertu of prayers And surely sith a christian person can no wher haue better coumforte in such thynges as he is troubled in and in tyme of necessitie and aduersitie then instantly to pray and to open his affliction and grefe with ardent peticion and humble sute to God who onely wyll and can helpe him in his distres gyue him comforte vndoutedly it is ryght necessary that we throughly perceiue knowe the institucion and intent of this present gospel to the intent we might be the more inclined and disposed vnto prayer For who wolde reiecte and despice prayer as a thyng lytle necessary seyng it is so muche auaunced and coÌ„maunded by Christe vnto vs Yea this coÌ„maundement dothe as straytly bynde vs as the fyrste commaundemeÌ„t of the Decalogie doth This to be true we may se in another place where Christe byddeth vs alwayes to pray and that without ceasing or intermission lu xviij Marke that it is necessary then and conuenient that we shulde pray Wherfore as we be by speciall word and coÌ„maundement of Christe draweÌ„ and inforced to pray So also this gospell allureth vs to the same with a speciall promise For it is here promised vs by Christe that our prayers that is to wete the prayers of christen ê‘sons shal not be vaine ne frustrate but that we shal be surely herde shall obteyne our sutes For why elles wolde Christ haue bounde this his worde and promise with an othe sayeng verely verely What so euer ye aske the father in my name he shall gyue it you Also aske and it shal be gyuen you Do ye not heare how our prayers shal not be vayne nor frustrate Who then wold nowe be slouthfull to pray seyng Christe by his speciall coÌ„maundement hath wylled vs to the same Forthermore ye shal here vnderstande that bycause we shuld not thynke that the labour of our prayers shuld be in vayne therfore doth Christe here in this place allure vs with a notable and special promyse as is before remembred But herin are two thinges to be considered pondered of vs. The one is that we shuld pray in none other name theÌ„ in only Christes name we must pray only in the name of Christe Now we pray in the name of Christ when we approche to god in the faythe of Christ and do comforte our selues with the trust and affiaunce in him that is to wete that he only is our mediatour or aduocate by whom all be forgyuen vs and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indignacion and wrath For I pray you what saynte what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and intercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren coÌ„municating vnto vs the roume or office of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte i Pet. ij Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shal be an intercessour or suter for you to my father For the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng
mē that they maye se your good workes But why is thys see of glasse lykened to Crystall Surely bycause Crystall is a water whych by continuaunce of tyme is tourned into the hardenes of a stone suche ones ought they that be baptised to be brought vnto that is to saye stronge and harde in faythe By the .iiii. beastes full of eyes before and behynde some do vnderstande the .iiii. Euangelistes other whose iugemente better agreeth to the scripture as it semeth do vnderstande those heauenly and ministratoriouse spirites or angels whych be appoynted to stande at the foure quarters of heauen by whych the kyngdome of Christ that is Heb. ij the church is spred to execute the thynges that be determined by the vnserchable and eternall counsayle of God to be done in mens thynges These be full of eyes before and behynde that is to say they be replenyshed wyth the science and knowlege of thinges passed and thinges to come And the fyrst beast was lyke a Lyon the seconde lyke a Calfe the thyrd had a face like a Man and the fourth was lyke a flyenge Egle. Brethren ye shall vnderstande that in a lyon is courage and strength in a calfe laboure and diligence in the face of a man prudence and ryght iudgement in an egle swyftnes and also facilitie in doynge theyr ministeries al whych vertues they haue nede of ☜ whych wol administre well and prosperously any kyngdome And for thys cause in the psalmes the Lorde is said to syt and ryde vpon Cherubim bycause that by them he executeth hys iudgementes couragiously diligētly prudently and wyth great swyftnes To thys interpretaciō doth the scripture agre For the prophete Ezechiel in the .x. chapter doth vnderstande by the .iiii. beastes the Cherubim and he maketh also the foure beastes one hauynge yet foure faces or formes for the forsayde vertues wherwyth those ministrynge spirites whose seruice Christ vseth in the administracion of hys kyngdome were indowed In that they haue syxe wynges a pece is betokened theyr swyftnes of obedience to execute the thynges that they be appoynted vnto Esa vi In lyke maner doth Esay describe Seraphim These āgels or yf ye lyst these foure Euangelistes whych also be angels that is to say messangers by whome Christ the greate conquerour of the aduerse powers is caryed throughe out the hole worlde as it were in a triumphall charette haue no rest neyther day nor nyght but crye without ceasing Holy ☞ holy holy that is to saye holy father holy sonne and holy spirite comforter one Lorde God almyghty Math. xxviij in whose name all we that beleue be baptised And whan those beastes gaue glorye honoure and thankes to hym that sate on the seate whych lyueth for euer and euer the .xxiiii. elders of whom mēcion is made before fel also downe before him which sate on the trone and worshypped hym that lyueth for euer Now therfore good christen people syth those holy spirites or angels and the hole quere and church triumphant in heauen do wythout ceasynge laude prayse and magnifye the hygh maiestye of the Godheade let not vs whych be the churche or congregacion militant here in erth be behynde wyth our prayses cōmendacions and thankesgyuynge The holy angels do crye before let vs answere in the same note saye Holy father holy sonne holy goost cōforter Let vs I saye accordynge to the exemple of the .xxiiii. elders cast oure crownes before the trone that is to saye confesse the crownes and rewardes whyche we that be iustifyed persōs haue come of Christes mere goodnes and no parte of our owne deseruynge and saye Thou arte worthy o Lorde our God to receiue glorye and honoure and power For thou hast created all thynges and for thy wyll they be c. The gospell on Trinitie sondaye The .iij. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ A conflicte betwene the iustice of the flesh and the iustice of the spirite THere was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes The same came to Iesus by nyght and sayd vnto hym Rabbi we knowe that thou arte a teacher come from God for no man coulde do such myracles as thou doest excepte God were wyth hym Iesus answered and sayd vnto hym Verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a mā be borne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym how can a man be borne whan he is olde can he enter into hys mothers wombe and be borne againe Iesus answered verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God That whych is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruayle not thou that I sayd to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it lysteth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nicodemus answered and sayd vnto him how can these thynges be Iesus answered and sayd vnto hym arte thou a mayster in Israel and knowest not these thynges Verelye verelye I saye vnto the we speake that we do knowe and testifye that we haue sene and ye receyue not our wytnes Yf I haue tolde you earthly thinges and ye beleue not how shall ye beleue yf I tell you of heauenly thynges And no man ascendeth vp to heauen but he that came downe from heuen euen the sonne of man whych is in heauen And as Moses lyfte vp the serpent in the wyldernes euen so muste the sonne of man be lyfte vp that who so euer beleueth in hym perysh not but haue eternall lyfe IN thys Gospell good people is conteyned a sore disputacion vpon the iustyce of the spirtye and the iustice of the fleshe Christ teacheth and defēdeth the spirituall iustice Nicodemus thother but so yet that he suffreth himselfe to be taught and instructed of Christ Fyrst therfore we shall consyder the person of Nicodemus as the Gospell describeth hym and howe folyshly he speaketh of the new byrth The description of Nicodemus For hereby we shall espye what we also can do of oure owne power in godly and spirituall maters Now the Euangelyst certifyeth vs that Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Iues meanynge herby that for the outwarde conuersacion he was fautles in lyuynge and floryshed in such apparaunce of honesty and holynes that he was nombred of the Iues euen amongest the chefest fyrst Lo here thou hast the descripcion of Nicodemus person which before the worlde is both prudent and ryghtuouse And yet neuertheles this worldly wyse and holy man is not so hardy nor so stronge that he dare openlye come to Christe or speake vnto hym albeit he iudgeth Christ a teacher sente from God and can not denye hys sygnes and myracles I praye you why doth not reason here come forth openly to
conscience For as it foloweth here in the text so is the wyll of God that with well doing ye may stoppe the mouthes of folyshe and ignorant persons whych oftentymes iuge such thinges as they vnderstand not and whych esteme the gospell and the worde of god by the maners of the gospellers whych of humayne frayltie mnay tymes do fal into fowle vices and do not esteme it by the owne proper nature Rom. i. Wheras in very dede it is the power vertue of God to the helth and saluation of al them that beleue Let vs then good christen brethern so be free and vse the libertie of the gospell that we haue it not for a cloke of maliciousnes workyng vnder the pretence of it all naughtynes accordyng to our foule lustes and desires as many gospellers and euangelicall brethren do which be in dede no gospellers but bablers no trewe brethern but false brethern no christians but antichristes and sklaūders to gods holy worde Let vs then be no feyned christians but ryght christians and seruauntes of God Let vs honoure and haue in reuerence all men Fraternitie Let vs loue fraternitie not fraternitie of monkes fryers nunnes and such other cloystered disguysed people whych vnder the cloke of fraternitie deuoured pore wydowes houses the lyuinges of other in their fratryes of whom the christen people were fowly mocked and seduced while they perswaded them that they could not do better then be of their brotherhode or fraternitie whych in dede was nothyng elles but a swarme of ydle dranes that lyued not by the swette of their face as gods commaundement wylled them but by other mens labours vnder the pretence of longe prayer but let vs loue such brotherhode and fraternitie as gods worde alloweth whych is that we shulde loue one an nother after a gentle and christian maner al lordlines and proude lokes layde downe and when we make a dyner or feast not to call the ryche whych may quyte vs agayne but our poore christen brethern and systers whych cannot acquite vs but our father in heuen shal acquite it vs. This is the fraternitie or brotherhode that Christ alloweth and that saynt Peter doth here speake of Let vs then feare God whych doth prospere our obedience and helpeth vs that we maye truly honour all men that we may loue brotherhode and gyue due honour to our kynge whych is our supreme hedde next vnder Christe none excepted neyther bishop of Rome nor other For if there were ☜ saynt Peter wold not haue passed it ouer with silence Neyther is it to be thought that Peter which was one of Christes Apostles and that of the chefest knewe not the bisshop of Romes power or his own power He agnized no such supremacie as the bishoppe of Rome doth chalenge vnto him as S. Peters successour Saint Peter byddeth vs here feare god and honour the king If the bisshop of Rome were to be honoured next God and before kynges why doth saynt Peter set the kynge nexte God Yea why doth he speake nothynge at all of the byshop of Romes authoritie So ye se good christen people that saynte Peter maketh nothynge wyth the byshoppe of Rome and yet he sayeth he is hys successour But what shulde I speake more of thys mater I doubt not but lōge ago there is none of you but regardeth the byshop of Rome none otherwyse then an other byshop in hys byshopryche ought to be regarded Let him medle with his owne flocke with vs he hath no thing a do any otherwise then one christen man hath to do with an other Let vs therfore charitably pray for him that he may execute his office in his owne diocese and not entre into other mens officies Let vs thā honour our kinge next vnto God as our supreme hedde according to S. Peters counsayle in this epistle and according to the aduise of saynt Paule in the place before alleged Let also seruauntes obey theyr maisters not only if they be good courteouse but also thoughe they be froward not doynge seruice to the eye as Paule sayth wryting to the Ephesians and as they do that go aboute to please men phe vi but as the seruaūtes of Christ doing the wyll of God from the harte with good will seruinge the Lord and not men For it is then thanke worthy sayth saynt Peter Hitherto haue I brefly declared vnto you the meanyng of this Epistle Now therfore good people if ye wol be true christians if ye woll be true feithfull persons boost not of your feyth in wordes only but declare in youre dedes and workes that ye haue the feith of Christ Shewe your beleue in such workes as thys Apostle saynt Peter doth here exhort you vnto and then shal we beleue that you haue the right belefe fayth in Iesu Christ which in whom so euer it is in can not but fructifie and brynge forth fruct euen as sede doth that is sowne in the good grounde mat xiij some an hundreth folde some syxty fold some thyrty folde And this feyth shall iustifie you and make you the chyldren of god and inheritours of his heuēly kyngdome which was prepared for you before the beginnyng of the world by the father of heuen Math. xxv .. to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester The .xvi. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the spiritual raigne kyngdom of Christ IEsus sayd to his disciples After a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. vij and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me for I go to the father Then sayd some of hys disciples betwene themselues what is thys that he sayeth vnto vs after whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayd vnto them Ye enquyre of thys betwene youre selues because I sayd after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe Ioh. xx but your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman whan she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come But as sone as she is delyuered of the chylde she remēbreth no more the anguysh for ioy that a mā is borne into the world And ye now therfore haue sorow but I wyl se you agayne and your hertes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you IN the Gospell of thys present daye good christē people it is fyrst to be consydered marked how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde and also of hys moost glorious vprysynge agayne from death
silence the thing that he himself complayneth of wher be sayeth by his prophet Dauid Psa cxx I am a worme and not a man a laughing stocke or an obprobrie of men and the refuse of the people As many as behold me mocke me they shake their hedes at me What is thys but to cast Christ into trouble and heuynesse not only hym but also hys apostles and louyng frēdes whyche kept hym company And albeit Christe dothe specially in this place speake of the tyme of his owne crosse whych shulde be the occasion of weping and mournyng to his apostles yet hys mynde was hereby to shewe what state and fortune is to be loked for in thys world vnto all true christiās True christians no doubt can not but suffer in this world moch displeasures and persecution wheras the wicked persons and such as care neither for God nor deuell make good chere and lyue according to their hartes ease Prou. iij Hereunto agreeth Salomon in his prouerbes sayeng Cast not awaye the chastisement of the lord Lo ye se how Christ instructeth his apostles and armeth them with pacience to abyde and suffer thobprobriouse wordes scornes and persecutions of the wicked persons and Antichristes And that he willeth the apostles to do the same he commaūdeth and speaketh euen vnto vs so many as wolbe hys disciples and folowers Sorowe turned to heuynes Fourthly forasmoche as Christe hath tolde hys apostles of the sorowe and heuines of the persecutions that shuld happen vnto them for hys sake he nowe agayne doth comforte them declaringe vnto them what shall happen after such stormes of affliction Your heuines sayth he shal be chaunged into ioye as who shulde saye the worlde as sone as they shal haue kylled me woll thynke they haue won the spurres that they haue put me downe but it shall not be so for the thyrde daye after shall I ryse agayne from death maugre theyr heades I shall comforte you and in your heuynes pacifie you make you gladde And albeit after that tyme also ye must styll suffre moch wronge and reproche for my name and for the gospel sake yet your affliction crosse shall not laste longe but eternall ioye shall anone ensue folowe An exemple of thys thynge I wol ye take in a woman that traueleth with chylde The parable of the trauelynge woman A woman whā she traueleth ye know is in heuynes payn for her houre is at hande But assone as she hath brought forth into the worlde a chylde is delyuered she remembreth no more her payne and greife for the ioye she hath of the chylde that is borne into the worlde In semblable wise ye be nowe sadde and heuy for my departure but I shal come see you agayne and thā your hartes shal leape for ioye no man shal be hable with all the displeasure he can do you to take awaye this your ioye from you Assuredly my frendes thys similitude whych is here brought forth of Christ is excedingly comfortable For fyrst of all yt sheweth that persecution trouble and crosse must as surely folowe the confession of the gospell as it is sure that a trauelyng woman cannot brynge forth her chyld without sorow and grefe but in the meane season the Christen man thorough the word of God muste nedes afterwarde haue greate comforte and ioye Furthermore this trouble crosse affliction and persecution of the true christians shall not be continuall and euerlastinge but it shall endure but for a season And on the contrary parte the worlde shall ioye for a season But their ioye shal not longe laste as Christe himself in an other place witnesseth wher he sayth Luc. vi Wo be to you which laugh here for ye shal wepe and lamente Albeit in very dede the christian man shall not be cleane voyde of ioye in this worlde but what ioye is thys I woll sayeth Christ see you agayne and your hartes shal ioye and no man shal take your ioye from you Vndoubtedly the ioye that Christe here speaketh of is the gladnes and peace of conscience that the true christians shall haue in asmoche as they knowe that God shal be merciful vnto them throughe Christ and shal kepe and preserue them into euerlasting liefe whych was prepared for them before the worlde was made as Christ hymself witnesseth by the father of heuen To whome wyth the sonne and holye ghost be thankes .c. The Epistle on the .iiij. sonday after Ester daye The .i. chapter of Iames. Th argument ☞ Saynt Iames sheweth that Gods worde is an heuenly gyfte and howe it ought to be receyued MOst derely beloued brethren euery good gyft and euery perfect gyft is from aboue and cōmethe downe frome the father of lyghtes wythe whome is no variablenes neyther is he chaunged vnto darkenes Of his owne will begate he vs wyth the word of trouth that we shulde be the first frutes of his creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery man be swyfte to heare slow to speake slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that whych is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye a parte all fylthynes and superfluitie of malyciousnes and receaue with mekenes the word that is grafted in you whych is hable to saue your soules The holy Apostle saynt Iames good christian brethren and systres in the epistle of this daye doth fyrste open and declare vnto vs the causes of gods worde frome whence it commeth and then he commendeth and setteth oute the authoritie of the same as a meane or instrument whereby throughe new birth or regeneration we be the chyldren of god and as saynt Iames here speaketh the firste frutes of gods creatures As towching the causes of gods worde ye shall vnderstande that the gospell or word of God is no humaine thinge it is the word neither of Emperour Kinge Prince Duke nor other temporall ruler neither is it any meritorious word whych cā chaūce vnto vs for our own deseruinges or merites neyther yet is it an vnpythy weake or vnperfect word whych eyther of it selfe is not stronge ynough or nedeth any other worde to the perfection and accomplyshement therof but it is a diuine or heuenly worde a good gyft of God and perfecte that is to saye whyche hath almyghty god for authour of yt whych god gyueth of his mere grace and fauour whych is stronge and full of efficacie and power according to saynt Paule whych sayth it is the power of god to the helth and sauetye of all such as beleue the same Rom i. It is perfecte forasmoche as it neither nedeth any other word neyther yet can it suffre any other to be matched with it Nowe al thys tendeth to this purpose and intent that saynt Iames woll cōmende and set forth vnto vs the authoritie of gods worde lest by errynge and strayeng out of the waye we myght happen to deceiue our selues thynkyng it ynough sufficient to heare the worde of god wyth out
saye He ascended vp on hygh he led captiuitie captiue he gaue gyftes to men Fynally ye shall marke that our Sauiour Christe at hys departure from hys disciples whan he moūted vp to heauen comforted them by hys angels surely promysynge them that euen suche one as they sawe hym ascendyng now vp to heuē they shulde in the last daye se agayne at whych tyme vndoubtedly he shall rendre to euery man hys rewarde according to hys dedes They which haue done wyckedly and wolde not beleue shal be condemned into hell fyre where shal be wepynge and gnashynge of teth But they that haue beleued on Christ Iesu wyth worthy dedes haue expressed and declared theyr fayth to the worlde they shal inherite the kyngdom of heuen and shall entre into the ioye whych the father of heauen hath prepared for them To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be glorye and laude in infinita secula Amen The Gospell on Ascension daye The xvi chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ Of the commission that Christe gaue to hys Apostles to preach hys gospell through out the hole worlde And howe Christe ascended vp to heauen AFter thys Iesus appeared agayne vnto the eleleuē as they sat at meat and cast in theyr teeth theyr vnbelefe and hardnes of harte because they beleued not them whych had sene that he was rysen agayne frō the deade And he sayd vnto them Go ye into all the worlde and preach the Gospell to al creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued He that beleueth not shal be damned And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shal cast out deuels they shal speake wyth new tonges they shall dryue awaye serpētes And yf they drynke any deadly thynge it shal not hurte them They shall laye theyr handes on the sycke and they shall recouer So then whan the Lorde had spoken vnto them he was receaued into heauē and is on the ryght hande of God And they wente forth and preached euery where the Lorde workynge wyth them and confirmynge the worde wyth myracles folowynge THe Christian mans lyfe in thys present Gospel good people is set before our eyes For fayth and charitie are here propouned vnto vs as in all the rest of the gospels Wherfore syth the Gospell bryngeth euer these two wyth it we ought also continually to preache and entreate of them For he sayeth who so beleueth and be baptised shal be saued which thynges we shall now in order peruse and consyder Fyrst of all Christ vpbraydeth in thys Gospell hys Apostles of theyr faynte beleue and hardenes of harte and consequently blameth them declaryng what they wanted and yet he reiecteth them not neyther is moued rygorously and hastely agaynst them but he gently blameth them none other wise than yf one of vs wolde saye to an other Incredulitie Arte thou not ashamed to do the thynge thou goest about speakynge after thys sorte to brynge hym to knowe hymselfe to make hym ashamed that he may leaue of his euel enterpryse or worke and yet we reiecte hym not nor hate hym nor yet plucke our loue from hym Neyther was it a lyghte matter why the Lorde rebuked hys disciples ☜ for surely infidelitie or lacke of beleue is of all synnes that can be named the greatest And he expresseth vnto them the maner of theyr mysbeleue whan he sayeth that theyr hartes were hardened and yet notwythstandynge he handleth them gently and myldely All these thynges were done to our comforte and consolation that we shulde not be discoraged though we be any thynge fautye in oure fayth as yf we doute stomble or fall but rather that we shuld quyckly ryse agayne establysh oure fayth and runne to God takynge trust affiaunce at hym and constantly also retainynge it namely syth he deleth wyth vs not accordynge to rygoure but can wynke at our falles infirmities And he that reputeth hym to be such shall also fynde hym such one I saye yf he can take hym for a mercyfull God he wyll suffer hymselfe to be founde such one he woll so declare hymselfe towardes hym Contrary wyse an euell conscience and an vnfaythfull harte doth not so he beareth no such affiaunce towardes God but flyeth from hym reputynge hym a sore rygorouse iudge and therfore also fynde hym such one The same we must also do wyth our neyghbours Yf we se any swarue frō the fayth he is not to be beloued in hys malyce but we ought to reproue and laye hys faute and shrynkynge before hys eyes but yet not after such sorte that we shulde hate hym or be agaynst hym or turne our frendshyp and loue from him Gal. vi For thus sayeth saynt Paule Brethren although a man be founde in any faute ☞ you that be spiritual redresse such a person wyth the spirite of mekenes But the moost holy father or god rather the bishop of Rome whych wol be called Pope hys byshops hys prestes hys monkes hys chanons hys freers and hys nonnes can not abyde whan that they be founde in any notable cryme to be reproued For what so euer euel do chaunce they pretende and allege for them that it come not through theyr faute but through the faute of theyr subiectes Euell ought to be punyshed Theyr subiectes and suche as be vnder theyr obedience shal be cruelly and roughlye handled Summa summarum any iniury and wyckednes ought to be punyshed but loue and veritie must be kept towardes euery man Neyther oughte we to suffer our mouth to be stopped For none of vs all shall so lyue as longe as we be in thys fleshe that we can be founde on euery parte blameles But I am fauty in thys thynge and an other in that Namelye sythe it is ryghte manifest to all men that euen thapostles themselues lacked that whych was chyfe and the hyghest poynt of al where as notwithstandynge they were the corner stones and the rockes of foundacion Yea and the best and the most excellent part of christendome No man yet thynketh that thapostles were vtterly and all together infideles For they beleued the thynges that were wrytten in the law and in the prophetes albeit they had not yet the full perfection of fayth Fayth was in them and it was not in them Fayth therfore is a thynge whych alwayes groweth bygger and bygger accordynge to the parable of the mustarde sede So the Apostles were not vtterly voyde and destitute of fayth for they had a parte of it For it is wyth fayth as it is wyth a man that is sycke and begynneth by lytle and lytle to crepe vp waxe stronge The lord than expresseth and declareth to hys apostles where in they beleued not and what they wanted whyche doubtles was that they perfytly beleued not his resurrection For albeit they beleued all the rest yet in thys behalfe they remayned infideles For happely they beleued also thys that God wolde be mercyfull vnto them but yet
to these vayne tryflers Christe sayeth that the holy goost shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make mē mete and apte to receceyue his gospel and shall teach none other thynge than that whyche he hymselfe hath taught But these tryflers bable that the holy goost ought to teach some thynge of more excellencye than that whych is comprysed in the holy gospell Surely I wolde thynke it moost conuenient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge math iij Thys is my welbeloued sōne in whom I am right wel pleased heare ye hym But they that can not be satisfied wyth Christes doctrine to whome not only thapostles but also the holy goost hath borne wytnesse let them at theyr parell chose them other doctrines Certes I wyll not counsayle you lyke owles to wāder in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the lyght Last of all ye shall consyder and note good christen brethren and systers in thys gospell that the word and institution of Christ of whych the spirite the apostles do testifye can in no wyse b gratefull and acceptable to the worlde For those that wol admyt thys worde the worlde wolle caste them out of al honest mens company as they call honeste men they woll as heretykes dryue them out of theyr churches and assembles they woll excommunicate them they woll curse them wyth boke bell and candell Yea yf they may wyth all kynde of punyshment and death persecute the true Apostles and messēgers of Christ they wyll thynke to do a hygh seruice to God that theyr zeale hath hyghly serued gods wyl But what sayeth Christ in the meane season Therfore I wyll be wyth you They shal so handle themselues towardes you bycause they knowe nother me nor my father Here ye se wyth what successe and fortune in thys wycked world the moost precious worde of the gospell wyth the imbrasers therof be commonly receyued For thou mayst not loke to lyue a swete an ydle and a delicate lyfe yf thou wolte confesse Christ For he that woll lyue after a godlye sorte as sayeth saynt Paule must nedes suffer persecution ij tim ij And in an other place he sayeth Gala. ij Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for cōfessynge of Christ it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutiō hangeth ouer our heades by the proper wyl of God to thyntent our fayth myght thus by such persecution be clarifyed tryed and purged For yf we be ful certifyed hereof we can not easely be offended wyth temptation but wyth a pacient mynde we shall suffer all the wronge that the world for Christes cause woll put vs to And surely thys shal be a comforte vnto vs that oure persecuters for all theyr proude bragges and vauntes neyther know Christ nor his father Fynally we be ryght well assured that the trouble and affliction of thys tyme as Paule sayth can in no wyse be cōpared wyth the glorye to come that shal be disclosed vnto vs. Ro. viij Wyth thys our knowlege comfortynge our selues we shall remayne quyet in our conscience styll awaytynge wyth stedfaste hope for the immortall crowne of the sayd glorye whyche the father of heauen hath prepared for vs. To whom wyth the sōne holy goost be al glorye and prayse for euer and euer AMEN The Epistle on wytsondaye The .ij. chapter of the actes of the Apostles ☞ The holy goost is here gyuen accordynge to Christes promyse before WHan the fyftye dayes were come to an ende they were all wyth one accorde together in one place And sodenly ther came a sounde frō heauen as it had bene the cōmynge of a myghty wind and it fylled al the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouē tonges lyke as they had ben of fyre and it sat vpon ech one of them and they were all fylled wyth the holy goost and begā to speake wyth other tonges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iues deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When thys was noysed aboute the multitude came together and were astonnyed bycuase that euery man herde thē speake wyth hys owne langage They wondered al and marueled saynge amonge themselues behold are not al these whych speake of Galile And how heare we euery man hys owne tonge wherein we were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamytes and the inhabyters of Mesopotamia and of Iury and of Capadocia of Ponthus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia of Egypte and of the parties of Lybia whych is besyde Syren and straungers of Rome Iues and Proselytes Grekes and Arabians we haue herde them speake in oure owne tonges the great workes of God CHrist had oftentymes good people promysed vnto hys disciples the holy goost to confirme them in the true doctrine For wythout the holy goost noman can ryghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God neyther can stycke by it cōstantly wythout staggerynge or shrynkyng from it It is the holy goost doubtles that teacheth al thynges and that putteth men in mynde of gods wyll Io. xiiij And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew It is not you that be the speakers but it is the spirite of your father whych speaketh in you Wherfore thys often promyse of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfourmeth But bycause it helpeth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the holy goost onles we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte auauntage therfore it were good to know the causes why the holy goost was sent Ye shall therfore vnderstande good people that the holy gost was not sent to thapostles nor at this daye is sent as some men do dreame to teache a dyuerse or straunge doctrine frome Christes doctrine whych Christ either taught not before or had forgotten to teache The causes why the holy goost is sent But he was sente and is sente for thre causes The fyrst is that he shulde teache and put in mynde expoūde all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the .xiiij. and .xv. chapters of Ihon very copiously and at length speketh The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente is to confirme strengthen and as it were to seale vs to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie of gods worde Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencion whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpō euery of them and fylled them whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els but that the holy goost confirmed and certifyed the myndes of the Apostles vpon the veritie of gods word Ephe. i. i. cor i. and therfore he is called of Paule
whan we spiritually eate hym drynke hym that is to saye when we know wherfore Christ serueth vs and so suffre hym by true fayth and charitie to entre into oure soules and to dwell wythin vs whych thynge he promyseth vs here in this gospell that he woll do in case we declare the frute of our fayth and kepe hys worde ☞ Furthermore ye shall obserue good people in thys gospell that Christe here shewed hys disciples that he must go awaye from them but yet he sayeth he woll come agayne But I praye you when commeth Christ agayne vnto vs Surely he cōmeth agayne when he sendeth hys worde and hys spirite vnto vs. For loke where the worde is and there is Christ moost presently So in an other place he sayeth Math. xxviij Lo I am wyth you euen to the ende of the world Fynally where Christ sayeth that the father is greter then he ye shall vnderstande that Christe otherwhyles speaketh as a man otherwhyles as God whyche thynge oughte diligently to be obserued of such as woll studye holy scripture For that he here sayeth My father is greater than I ye must referre it to hys humanitie But of hys diuinitie in an other place he speaketh in thys wyse Ioh. x. I and my father be one And now sayeth Christ callynge backe hys disciples to hys worde whereby they myght comforte themselues after hys departure I haue tolde you of it before hande to thintent that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue that I wolle surely come vnto you agayne Herafter woll I not speake much vnto you Prīceps mundi that is to wyt presently in person wyth mans voyce For the prince of this worlde commeth that is to saye my mortall enemy and yours Satā the deuel whych treadeth vpon my hele is at hande Gen. iij. And he calleth hym the prince of the worlde of hys effecte bycause he cōmaundeth and ruleth the worlde after hys wyll and pleasure and draweth it whether he woll as he lust hymselfe But thys prince of the worlde thys Satan sayeth Christe hath nought in me As who shulde saye albeit the prince of the world is commyng agaynst me to vtter and worke al that euer he can deuise to put me downe yet sure I am that I shall ouercome hym So he maketh hys disciples afrayed in that he telleth them that the prince of thys worlde is marchyng forwarde agaynst him but agayne he comforteth them when he sayeth he hath nought in hym And in these few wordes is expressed the pyth of the hole gospell Wherfore to cōclude of thys victory of Christ all we good christen people shal be partakers in case we beleue accordynge as in thys Gospell we be taught And consequently the holy goost who is the true and only comforter in al troubles and affliccion shal make hys mansion and abode wythin vs and put vs in mynde of all Christes wyll and pleasure to the glorye of God the father of heauen and hys only begotten sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde Qui viuit regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .x. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ How the Heythen receyued the holy goost were baptised PEter opened hys mouth and sayd Iesus commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifye that it is he whych was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quycke and deade To him gyue all the prophetes wytnes that thorowe hys name who so euer beleueth in hym shall receaue remission of synnes Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whyche herde the preachynge And they of the circumcision whyche beleued were astonnyed as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost For they herde them speake wyth tonges and magnifye God Then answered Peter can any mā forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whyche haue receyued the holy goost as well as we And he commaunded them to be baptised in the name of the Lorde The sūme of S. Peters prechīg GOod people the summe of saynt Peters sermō here is that Iesus Christ whych for hys benefytes and wonderfull vertues that he shewed amonges the Iues was crucifyed that is to wyt nayled moost vilanously to the crosse whych was the moost paynfull and cruell death that the Iues coulde ymagyne dyd notwythstandynge ryse agayne from death to lyfe and that who soeuer wol beleue in him shal be saued And he sayeth furthermore that God annoynted thys Iesus of Nazareth wyth the holy goost and wyth power Wherby he declareth hym to be the true Messias whych was promysed to the fathers and of whome the prophete Dauid spake I haue anoynted my kinge ouer Zion my holy hyl He declareth also that Christes office is to do good to all Now thys resurrection of Christ he cōfirmeth both wyth hys owne wytnesse and wyth the wytnes of all that sawe the thynge wyth theyr eyes And lest a man shulde reiecte them as parciall wytnesses bycause they were hys seruauntes and disciples he fetcheth out a moost sure recorde of scripture sayenge that all the prophetes do testifye of thys Christ Fynally lest a man woll fynde cauillacion and say they cam forth of their owne mynd vncalled to beare wytnes of thys thynge he addeth that they were commaunded and sent by God to preache to the people to testifye that it is thys same Iesus Christ which was ordeyned of God to be the iuge of the quycke deade Whych thynge is also an vndoubted artycle of our fayth To thys Christ sayeth Peter gyue all the prophetes wytnes that through hys name who so euer beleue in hym shal be saued And amonges other the prophete Esaye who wryteth of Christe in thys wyse Esa liij He only hath taken on hym our infirmitie and borne our paynes The payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and wyth hys strypes are we healed Surely we haue gone all astray lyke shepe euery one hath turned hys owne waye But through hym the Lorde hath pardoned all our synnes Lo here ye maye se playnly aswell by the wordes of saynt Peter in thys place as by thys prophet Esay how we get remission of synnes by beleuynge in Christ Thys doth also saynt Paule in many places declare namely through out hys hole epistle to the Romaynes Origene in epist ad Ro. li. iij. ca. iij. Whereupon the auncient doctoure Origene wrytynge sayth Man therfore is iustified by fayth whome the workes of the lawe do nothyng helpe to ryghtuousnes For where fayth is not which iustifyeth the beleuer althoughe a man haue workes of the lawe yet bycause they be not buylded vpon the foundacion of fayth albeit they seme to be good they can not iustifye the worker yf fayth be awaye whyche is the seale of all that be iustifyed of God Ambrose of the callynge of the gentyls
them tell it vnto the congregacion Yf he heare not the congregacion let hym be vnto the as an hethen mā as a publicane Lo good frendes here ye be taught by Christe to be tender harted or mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the father in heauen not to iudge not to cōdemne but to remytte all to God and to gods minister the temporall ruler we be taughte to be perfyte and not to be captiouse but gently to wynke at the small offenses of our brethrē These be the preceptes of our Sauiour Christ wherby a christian mā shal be knowen Wherfore let vs earnestly imbrase them execute them in our lyuynge So doynge we shall declare our selues that we be in dede the chyldren of the father in heauen whose properties we folowe To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be all glorye in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle of S. Peter the .iij. chapter Th argument BRethren be ye all of one mynde of one harte loue as brethrē be pytiful be courteous meke not rendrynge euell for euel or rebuke for rebuke but cōtrary wyse blesse knowing that ye are there vnto called euē that ye shuld be heyres of the blessynge For he that doth lōge after lyfe and loueth to se good dayes let hym refrayne hys tonge from euell and hys lyppes that they speke not gyle Let hym eschue euell and do good let him seke peace and ensue it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghtuous and hys eares are open vnto theyr prayers Agayne the face of the Lorde is ouer them that do euell Moreouer who is it that wyll harme you yf ye folowe that whych is good Yea happy are ye yf any trouble happen vnto you for ryghtuousnes sake Be not ye afraied for any terroure of thē nether be ye troubled but sanctifye the Lorde God in your hartes IN thys Epistle good people thapostle Peter instructeth vs in a generaltye what it becommeth all good christen folke to do Brefly therfore to conclude sayeth saynt Peter se ye be all of one mynde as who shulde saye be not contentiouse stryuynge one agaynst another neyther in lernynge nor yet in your other worldly matters but be ye compaciente Compacient that is to saye suffer together and beare one wyth an other be ye indowed with brotherly loue and charitie be ye tender of harte pytifull easy to forgyue all offences easy to departe youre goodes and money as ye may spare it to the reliefe and succoure of your pore neighbour se ye be also meke courteouse affable gentle to speake vnto Moreouer se ye rēder not euel for euell but beare ye iniurye and wronge paciently accordynge to the example of Christ resignynge and commyttynge the punyshment and vengeaūce to gods hande or to the correction of the ruler whych is gods minister and which beareth not a swearde for nought Yea rather contrary wyse Ro. xiij se ye do good and blesse you them that wronge you and whych worke you displeasures knowyng thys that ye were called by the franke election of God of his special grace and mere goodnes euen before the foūdacions of the worlde were layde Ephe. i. that ye shulde receyue not the blessynge of the world but the blessing of the heritage of God that is to wyt euerlastynge lyfe whych heritage pertayneth vnto vs not as vnto naturall chyldren but as chyldren of adoption election For assuredly my frendes he that woll be happy and be counted iust eyther in thys lyfe before men or in the lyfe to come wyth God and wyth hys holy angels what shall he do sayeth saynt Peter Let hym refrayne and temper his tonge from euel so that he breake not charitie and let hym holde in represse hys lyppes that they vtter no gyle no deceypt no fraude no dissimulation no hypocrisie no vntrouth Let hym I saye eschue from euel and do the thynge that is good and honest both before God man Let hym seke not after discorde variaūce and debate but after peace after vnitie after concorde let hym folowe and insue it For be ye ryght well assured that the eyen of the Lorde God are ouer the ryghtuouse and hys eares are opē to theyr prayers And agayne the terrible visage and face of the Lorde is ouer all them that do euell as who shulde saye God loueth and fauoreth al such as do wel which lyue after a godly and honest sorte beynge in perfyte loue and charitye wyth theyr neyghbours and euen christen he heareth theyr prayers he accepteth theyr oblacions and sacrificies as oure Sauioure Christ hath taught vs in the .v. chapter of S. Mattheu But on the contrary syde God hateth and abhorreth all such as be euel doers yea and also he punysheth them whan he seeth hys tyme. Fynally the Apostle Peter doth here propoūde and set forth vnto vs two great commodities and profytes whych folow them that worke well the one is a temporall pleasure and commoditie to be taken here in thys worlde whyche is that no man shall harme them yf they lyue after a ciuile and honeste fashion amonges men in the worlde the other is an euerlastynge and heauenly commoditie to be taken in the worlde to come whych is euerlastynge blesse But peraduenture ye woll saye ☜ What yf we do well and yet we be wrongfully vexed troubled in the worlde Saynt Peter answereth and sayeth Happy are ye yf ye suffer for ryghtuousnesse sake and therfore he wylleth vs not to be affrayed for any terrour of thē neyther yet to be troubled but thankfully to prayse and glorifye God in our hartes Hythervnto my frendes I haue brefly declared the mynde of S. Peter vnto you whych exhorteth you in thys epistle to good workes But ye muste consyder that in the former parte of hys epistle he taught and spake of fayth to be reposed and set in our Sauiour Christ For as saynt Austine affirmeth Austine it is the intencion that maketh the good worke and it is the fayth that must directe the intencion Let vs thā do good workes accordynge to saynt Peters exhortacion here of pure loue and faythe vnfayned So doynge we shal be sure to be crowned wyth immortalitie by god the father of heauen To whome be glorye and prayse for euer Amen The gospell on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ declareth the power of hys worde WHan the people preassed vnto Iesus to heare the word of God he stode by the lake of Genezareth and sawe two shippes stande by the lake syde but the fysshermen were gone out of them and were wasshynge theyr nettes And he entred in to one of the shyppes whych perteyned to Simō and prayed him that he wolde thrust out a lytle frō the lande And he sat downe and taught the people out of the shyp Whan he had lefte speakynge he sayd vnto Symon Launche out
the Gospell perteyneth to the conscience and therfore it teacheth not the chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth Let vs then my frendes folowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter and hys penitent harte confessynge our vnworthynes And then doubt we not but we shal be called to the greate feaste where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauenly palace of God the father To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye AMEN The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the spirituall signification of oure baptisme BRethren knowe ye not that all we whych are baptised into Iesu Christ are baptysed to dye wyth hym We are buryed then wyth him by baptysme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new lyfe For yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym euen so shall we be partakers of the resurrection knowynge thys that our olde man is crucifyed wyth hym also that the bodye of synne myghte vtterly be destroyed that henseforth we shulde not be seruaūtes vnto synne For he that is dead is iustifyed from synne Wherfore yf we be deade wyth Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue wyth hym knowynge that Christe beynge raysed from death dyeth nomore Death hath nomore power ouer hym For as touchynge that he dyed he dyed concernynge synne once And as touchynge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Lykewise consyder ye also that ye are dead as touchynge synne but are alyue vnto God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule good christē people had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth that is to saye christes death and his resurrection shewing them that Christ by hys moost precious death purchased the euerlastynge remission of our synne and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs and apeased the wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym that by this his dede we be iustified ☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen now in thys epistle he teacheth vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection and setteth it before vs as an exēple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection Do ye not knowe sayeth saynt Paule what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death or to what ende ye be baptysed Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by baptisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym Such a signification and fygure hath Christes death vnto vs that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne dayly to mortifye and to slee the euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs. The significacion of baptisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water and be lyfte vp agayne it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth whych our synne deserued to euerlasting lyfe It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe the lyfe of ryghtuousnes And thys is the vertue fygure of baptysme whych yf we take not after thys purpose we do but deceyue oure selues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy sacrament let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and penaunce of your synne wherof it is a sygne Ye be ones baptysed and nede nomore to receyue the sacrament but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll that is to dye to synne to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him that is to saye synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe walke continually there in And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God euen so by the power of the same spirite shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe In whych our doynge we shall in some maner worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God For he is none of Christes that hath not hys spirite and by thys token is it knowen who is grafte in Christe and is in the state of saluation For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe but he whych walketh after the spirite Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death we shal be partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte agaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to euerlastynge lyfe it shall also rayse vs from the corporall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam that is to saye all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell
frutes But a corrupte tre bryngeth forth euell frutes A good tre can not brynge forth bad frute neyther can a bad tre brynge forth good frutes Euery tre that bryngeth not forth good frute is hewen downe and cast into the fyre Wherfore by theyr frutes ye shall knowe them Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauē he shal entre into the kyngdom of heauen FOrasmuche as good christen people it is harde to know false teachers and theyr doctrine therfore our Sauiour Christ thought it not ynough to bydde vs beware of them but he addeth also certain tokens and sygnes wherby we maye easely discerne and knowe them They come sayeth Christe vnto you in shepes clothynge but inwardlye they are rauenynge wolues They come vncalled vnappoynted vnsent of God naye sent rather of the deuell to blase and sowe abrode the wycked learnynge doctrine eyther of the byshop of Rome or of the cursed Anabaptistes or of the sacramentaries or brefly to conclude of some other vngodly and detestable here tykes The Lorde of heauen kepe vs and preserue vs all from theyr infections They come I saye vnsent for accordynge to the sayenge of the prophete Hieremye Ier. xxiij Currebant ego non misi eos They ranne and I sente them not sayeth the Lorde In outwarde appearaunce they seme moost holy men and of great simplicitie But surely accordinge to the cōmon prouerbe they be foxes or rather wolues cladde in lambes skynnes They be lyke paynted and gaye sepulchres whyche be fayre wythout full of all stynche and caren wythin They come in shepes clothynge What beast is more simple more harmeles yea more profytable also to the common welth then the shepe But what be these false teachers inwardly Inwardly sayeth Christ they be rauenouse wolues The wolues propertie is to rauen Ioh. x. to rente to spoyle to deuoure the shepe But nowe how shall we kepe vs and beware of these woluyshe preachers By theyr frutes sayeth Christe ye shall knowe them as who shulde saye Yf they be good men in dede and ryght teachers and no hyprocrites I meane no counterfeyte nor deceiuable preachers they must nedes brynge forth good and godly workes euen such workes as God cōmaundeth them to do and not workes of theyr owne deuysynge fantasyenge but such as God alloweth and whych procede of a fayth vnfayned And not only they woll do them but also teache the same to other euē as Christ and hys Apostles wold haue them taught as they themselues taught them not that by them we shuld iustifye our selues as the proude and gloriouse pharisee dyd that Christ speaketh of in the .xviij. chapter of Luke lu xviij but that we shulde accordynge to thexemple of the lowly publicane cōfesse our selues synners and desyre gods mercy The good and ryghte preacher woll teach the people vnfaynedly to truste repose themselues in Christ to stycke to the merytes of hys passion vtterly to reuounce theyr owne ryghtuousnes and merytes in gods syght He woll teache them neuertheles to mortifye theyr carnal afections and to do good workes euen of a fre harte or els that accordyng to Paules rule they declare them selues not to be the chyldren of God Ro. viii For yf sayeth Paule ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye mortifye the dedes of the body through the spirite ye shall lyue But agayne he wol teache them not to clayme heauen as of duetye for theyr workes sake Rom. vi but rather for the promyse sake For thoughe death be the wages of synne yet eternall lyfe is no wages but as Paule calleth it the gyfte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Yea he woll teache them whan they haue done altogether yet to confesse and saye that they be vnprofytable seruauntes These I saye be the frutes of good teachers these be the grapes these be the figges that come of the good trees They that teache or lyue otherwyse be naughtye corrupte trees theyr frutes that they brynge forth be thornes and thystyls And I passe not though dyuerse false teachers haue dyed moost cōstantly and paciently in theyr erronious opinions as many papistes and also Anabaptistes sacramētaries haue done in our tyme and as it is redde that certayne heretiques named Donatistes dydde in olde tyme. Whose erroure S. Augustine confutynge wryteth Austine that in a christian man the sufferyng of death is not to be consydered but the cause of sufferynge that is to wyt whether hys doctrine be suche that he ought to suffer death for by the cōmaundement of God Seconde we be here taught that wycked euel doctrine can not endure but as an euell tree whyche beareth no good frute is hewen downe and caste in to the fyre euen so it is wyth euel doctrine and wyth the teachers therof Let men buylde vpon the foundacion of Christ what they woll surely yf theyr buyldynge be stubble or haye that is to saye yf it be no sounde sure doctrine i. cor iij the fyre at length woll brēne it vp But yf the buyldynge be golde syluer or preciouse stones it shall stande agaynst all tempestes As we se at thys daye how the papistical doctrine at the touch stone of gods worde appeareth in the lykenes what it is and how it begynneth to vanyshe awaye euerywhere where the gospell is preached But the pure worde of God abydeth for euer Fynally Christ doth teach vs here that these gloriouse and holy hypocrites whych in outwarde apparaunce and in name appeare christiās speakynge alwayes of god but doynge nothing that god byddeth them do shal not entre into the kingdome of heuen But they shal come thyther whych haue Christ and the gospell not in theyr mouthes onely but in theyr hartes also whych do the wyl of Christ and lyue as the gospell teacheth them These shall enheryte the kyngdome of heauen where they shall lyue eternally in all ioye wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ix. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .x. Chap. Th argument ☞ God 's vengeaunce vpon euell lyuers and ydolaters is here set forth in exemples vnto vs. BRethren we shulde not lust after euel thynges as they lusted And that ye shulde not be worshyppers of ymages as were some of them accordynge as it is written The people sat downe to eat and drynke and rose vp to playe Neyther let vs be defyled wyth fornication as some of them were defyled wyth fornicatiō and fel in one daye .xxiij. thousande Neyther let vs tempte Christe as some of them tempted and were destroyed of serpentes Neyther murmure ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer All these thinges happened vnto them for exemples but are written to put vs in remembraunce whome the
skant at any tyme gotten wythout fraude wythout deceyt and crafte neyther is there any other waye of kepynge augmentynge them than of gettynge them It is no doubt an onerouse and a chargeable possession and in the meane season neyther sure nor longe lastynge For truely they folowe not theyr mayster whan he departeth hense But wyth these yet maye he bye the thynge that is euerlastynge and that maye do hym good in the lyfe to come So shall it come to passe that that thynge whych yf it be layde vp maketh a man wycked and subiecte to many cares the same yf it be wel bestowed is become an instrument of the euangelicall ryghtuousnes whyle both he is relyued of hys necessities whych serueth the gospel and a rewarde retourneth wyth much gaynes to the gyuer Wherfore my frendes to conclude yf we wyll not be lyke these chyldren of the worlde whome I haue spoken of let vs hartely loue the lyghte let vs walke in the lyght and let vs so be the chyldrē of lyght whyle we are in thys worlde that we may shyne in the worlde that is to come bryght as the Sōne Let vs accordyng to our sauioure Christes aduertisement counsaile here playe the partes of the wyse stewarde Let vs make vs frendes of our money and worldly goodes in bestowynge them not vpon pardons as the byshop of Rome teacheth vs but vpon our poore and nedy neyghbours to thintent that they maye receyue vs agayne whither into theyr owne houses to gyue vs dyner for dyner cote for cote money for money No but into euerlastinge habitaciōs and tabernacles in heauen there to haue fruition of all celestiall ioye wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all honoure all glorye al imperie for euer euer Amen The Epistle on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .xij. Chap. Th argument ☞ The diuersitie of the gyftes of the holy goost BRethren ye knowe that ye were gentyles and wente your wayes vnto domme ymages euen as ye were led Wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speakyng by the spirite of God defieth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghoste There are diuersities of gyftes yet but one spirite And there are differēces of administracions and yet but one Lord. And there are dyuerse maners of operacions and yet but one God whyche worketh all in all The gyfte of the spirite is gyuen to euery mā to edifie wythall For to one is gyuen thorowe the spirite the vttraunce of wysdome To an other is gyuen the vttraūce of knolege by the same spirite To an other is gyuen fayth by the same spirite To an other the gyftes of healyng by the same spirite To an other power to do miracles To an other prophecie To an other iudgemente to discerne spirites To an other diuerse tōges To an other the interpretacion of tonges But these al worketh euen the selfe same spirite diuidyng to euery man a seuerall gyfte euen as he wyll THe auncient fathers good people which ordeyned thys epistle to be redde thys daye in the church thought it no doubt ryght necessarye that there shuld be some certayne tyme appoynted in the churche to intreate of the gyftes of the holy goost wherwyth he hath adourned and furnyshed one mēber of the same before another to thyntent that they whych haue the mo gyftes shulde the more laboure and the rather helpe other And therfore Christ sayd to hys disciples He that is the greater man of you be he the seruaunt of thother The occasion of thys epistle The occasion that moued saynt Paule to wryte these thynges of gyftes semeth to be thys The worde of God whan it is purely and syncerely preached can not be abydē ne suffred of the deuell who is the moost sworne enemy of the pure worde He commeth therfore by and by and attempteth al the meanes possible eyther vtterly to destroye it or at least waye to blotte it wyth false doctrine as we se the thynge to haue come to passe in our tyme not wythout great confusion The Apostle to remedye these inconueniencies wryteth these thynges concernynge gyftes bycause that of pryde and vayneglorye whych is conceyued by great gyftes of God sundrye sectes and cōtencions be wont to ryse Yea the deuell hath no redyer waye to take awaye gods worde than to make vs puffed vp wyth pryde in our lernynge and knowlege and so to set vs together by the eares whych meane also the deuell vsed in the church of the Corinthians in whych one pursued an other very vnchristianly for theyr gyftes Some there were whyche despysed the gyftes of the holy goost as at this daye there be some whych despice the expositions and interpretacions of all holy doctours fathers of the church leanynge onely to theyr owne wytte exposition some whych despice the lyberall sciencies and good artes some whych saye that the knowlege of the tonges do no good in the church But thys is the strayght waye to take away gods worde For whā preachers yea or laye mē shal stryue amonges themselues of vayne glorie there must the pure worde of God nedes be adulterated corrupted wyth infinite sectes Fyrste therfore saynte Paule in thys epistle putteth the Corinthians in remembraunce of the state of theyr former lyfe that they lyued in before they came to the knowlege of gods worde For there is surely no argument eyther greater or strōger to stey men frō takynge pryde of theyr gyftes than is this to put them in mynde of theyr former state and conuersation that they were in whyle they were oute of grace walked in blyndnes ydolatrie For what other thynge were we before the knowlege of gods worde than wycked panyms and ydolaters From whych inconueniencies and euels whan we are delyuered by grace I praye you what occasion doeth now remayne for vs to be proude In that we be turned of wycked panyms into christians it is not our meryte Furthermore where as of ydolaters we be made the true worshippers of God neyther can we ascribe thys to our owne powers That we haue gyftes now beynge vnder the Gospell by whose benefyte commeth it Surely not by our owne merite By whose than By the bountifulnes and benefyte of the holy goost What gloriacion than remayneth vnto vs Forsoth thys that we may saye we were wycked panyms worshippers of ydols enemyes of God but now through the grace fauour of god we be delyuered from so great euels Afore the worlde it wolde seme a great foly and madnes a mā to glorie and boast in other mens benefytes But what a greater foly and madnes is it as the Corinthians dyd to glorye in the gyftes of god whych do chaūce vnto men of mere grace and that but only for a tyme of thys lyfe The cause of arrogancye in gospellers Assuredly my frendes the chiefe arrogancie inflacion or puffynge vp with pryde which some
Of thys thynge Christe Iesus wyllynge to declare vnto vs as it were a certayne ymage or token after he had taken the man vnto hym after he had put hys fyngers into hys eares and had spetted on hys tonge he lyfted vp hys eyen to heuen syghed Thys syghynge was no mystrustynge Why Christ syghed but a bewaylynge of mans mysery calamitie For what thinge can be more myserable than they whych haue the eares of theyr mynde so encombred and occupied with earthly lustes that they can not heare the worde of God and whych haue theyr tonge so entangled and infected wyth vicious affectioÌ„s that they sauer not of heauenly thynges that they be dombe to confesse theyr naughtynes dombe to auaunce gods mercye Wherfore the syghynge of Iesus admonysheth vs what we were ☜ and hys lokynge vp to heauen plucketh awaye desperation declarynge from whence helpe commeth vnto vs also whome we be bouÌ„de to thanke that wheras before we had our eares opeÌ„ to detraction backbytynge to rybaudrye and foule wordes to foolysh fables to pharisaicall doctrine to vayne philosophie to the suggestioÌ„s of the deuel we haue them now open to receyue the heuenly doctrine of the gospell and wheras before we had oure toÌ„ge so infected wyth the spettel of flesh that the delicate foode of the gospel was loothed of vs so bouÌ„de wyth the bondes of Sathan that we could neyther confesse our owne sinnes nor yet auaunce the glorie of god we now confesse that of oure owne merytes we deserue nothynge but hell and that it commeth holly of gods goodnes that we be chosen to the name and inheritaunce of the chyldren of god Wherfore in lyke wyse doth euery good curate and preste bewayle rather then rage vpon mens synnes he is rather sory than angrye neyther doth he arrogantly calenge to hymselfe the power of assoylynge but he loketh vp to heauen confessyng and testifyenge that all that euer is done through the rytes of holy sacramentes is done by gods vertue and not mans power It foloweth in the texte that Iesus sayd vnto hym Ephata that is to say be opened And forthwyth the vertue folowed the worde For strayght hys eares were opened and the strynge of his tonge loused and he spake distinctly They had open cares whych when the Lorde sayd vnto them Come after me Actu ij left all and folowed hym They had an vntangled and louse tonge which after they had receyued the holy goost spake wyth sondrye tonges the wonders of God and whych answered the ruler that charged them no more to preach the name of Iesu in thys wyse Act. iiij Whyther it be ryght in the syght of God to obeye you rather then God iudge you Nowe these thynges that Christe dyd were done asyde from the multitude For he thought it not best to make the rude multitude a wytnes of the euangelicall begynnynges lest they shulde mocke the thynge that as yet they knew not Iesus therfore coÌ„maunded them that they shuld tell nomaÌ„ herof not bycause he wold not that the thynge were knoweÌ„ that was done but bycause the thynge selfe speaketh better the heaueÌ„ly vertue than doth the brute and reapporte of men They knewe all well ynough the deafe and dombe man Now he herde and spake plainly so he not disclosynge the thynge yet bruted the benefyte of Christ Furthermore Iesus bare here the ymage of man ☞ to thintent he wolde instructe men what they ought to do An exeÌ„ple for vs to folowe What soeuer excellent thynge a maÌ„ doth let him couet to haue hys dede vnknowen that the glorie of man myght be huyshed and the glorie of God preached Man is ieopardously praysed but the power goodnes of God is worthely auaunced Albeit neyther is mans glorye huyshed yf yet he hath any glorie but ofteÌ„tymes the more it is eschued the more it foloweth Yet neuerthelesse a christeÌ„ teacher ought to be thus affected that as much as in hym lyeth he couette to be knowen dâ—ly of God And herin he is the worthyer to be praysed amonges all men For who soeuer seketh for glorie amonges men is euen for that cause vnworthy therof Wherfore that Iesus forbad them whych brought the doâ—be man that they shulde tell no bodye what was done the selfe same thynge prouoked them the more to blâ—se it abrode and so much the more also they magnifyed auaunced Christ which wheras he had so great vertue and power dyd them therwyth such pleasure not onely requyred no rewarde of them for the same but also wolde not ones inioye the glorie of so noble a farre But as it is the parte of a weldoer not to requyre prayse for hys benefyte so agayne it is the office of a kynde man so much the more to gyue thankes in that that he whych dyd the benefyte loke for no thaÌ„ke Wherfore they neuer ceased to blase abrod the name of Iesus in euery place where so euer they came sayenge He hath done all thynges well He hath restored aswell hearynge to the deaffe as tonge to the dombe Assuredly my frendes thys prayse agreeth only vpon God There is no earthly no mortal person that doth all thynges well All Christes myracles no doubt were oure benefytes which myracles yf ye waye and expende them after the outward face of corporall thynges in dede there were many myracles whych he dyd that were of much more excelleÌ„cy and worthynes than thys that of a deafe man he made an hearer of a dombe a speaker ☜ But accordynge to the spirituall sense the summe of all a christian maÌ„s felicitie standeth in thys poynt that wyth hys eares he mought heare the worde of the gospell speake that he hath lerned and beleued This thynge good christen people yf we do we shall surely at length in heryte the kyngdome of heauen prepared for vs. Where God the father the sonne holy goost thre persons in deytie raygne eternally To whome be al glorie Amen The Epistle on the .xiij. sondaye after Trinitie The .iij. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ The lawe saueth vs not but Christ BRethren to Abraham and hys sede were the promyses made He sayeth not in the sedes as many but in thy sede as of one whych is Christ Thys I saye that the lawe whych began afterward beyond foure hundreth and thyrtye yeares doeth not disanull the testament that was confermed afore of God vnto Christward to make the promes of none effect For yf the inheritaunce come of the lawe it coÌ„meth not now of promes But God gaue it vnto Abraham by promes Wherfore than serueth the lawe The lawe was added because of traÌ„sgression tyll the sede came to whome the promes was made and it was ordeyned by Angels in the hande of a mediator A mediator is a mediator of one But God is one Is the lawe than agaynst the promes of God God forbyd For yf ther had ben a lawe gyuen whych coulde haue gyuen
worlde for to wynne Iesu christe Therfore the apostle in the .iij. chapter of his epistle vnto the Colossiās doth exhort vs sayenge Arraye you as chosen of God holy and beloued from the entrayles of mercy benignite humilite mekenesse and patience Supporte the one the other and pardone and forgyue one an other amonge your selues if any hath quarell to other So as god hathe pardonyd so pardone you And aboue all thynges haue charite whych is the bonde of perfection If we do thus we shall at laste comme vnto his bankete of the weddinges of the sonne of God and his spouse and we shall haue the weddinge garment where shal be nothinge reproched vnto vs but we shal be in the nombre of the chosen people shall haue the pleasures of the kingdome of heuen Vnto the glory of the father and of the sonne of the holy ghost whych conueyth all them that doth good vnto thys glorious weddinge wherunto he bryng vs al. Qui viuit et regnat in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .xxj. sondaye after Trinitie The .vj. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Sayncte Paule doth here describe vnto vs the armour of the christian souldioure MY brethren be stronge thorow the Lorde and thorowe the power of hys myghte Put on al the armour of God that ye maye stande agaynst the assautes of the deuil For we wrestle not against bloude and flesh but agaynst rule agaynst power agaynst worldly rulers euen gouerners of the darkenes of thys worlde againste spiritual craftynesse in heauenly thynges Wherfore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resiste in the euell daye and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and youre loynes gyrde wyth the trouth hauyng on the breste plate of ryghteousnes and hauynge shoes on your fete that ye maye be prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shild of fayth wherwith ye may quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wycked And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite whych is the worde of God MY brethren and frendes ye shal marke consydre that our enemye the deuel doth warre contynually agaynst vs and sercheth by all wyles and meanes possible to bryng vs to cōfusyon and death and that we maye be vnable to resiste hys assaultes and powers The apostle doth therefore teache vs what thyng we haue to do in such and so greate peryls that is that we shuld comfort and lyfte vp our selues in God and in hys moste comfortable myght and power Ps xxiij For as it is sayed in the .xxiij. psalme The Lorde God is strong and mightye The Lorde god is mighty in battel Certes my frēdes it is our Lord Iesus Christe that the prophete here speaketh of which by hys moste triumphante and gloriouse death and passion hath bene mighty in surmountyng our enemye I meane oure mortall enemye the Deuyll Then in thys bytter conflycte and battell that we haue agaynste both hym the worlde and the fleshe let vs take good corage and harte vnto vs not in trustyng so moch vnto our own power and strēgth but in the strenght and puysaunce of Iesus Christe whyche shall fight for vs and whych shall not leaue vs that be his membres but in hym and by hym we shal be made myghty to resiste valiauntly to withstande all temptacions yea and all the maliciouse powers of any princes myghty men that gouerne the darkenes of this worlde whych wolde inforce vs to vngodlynes or for vngodlynes wolde persecute and afflycte vs. Let vs then take the armour herneys of god wherwith we maye make resistence and stande stedfast agaynst the strenghtes assaultes and embushementes of the deuyl For if we be knyghtes of Iesu Christ certeynly we must entre in to battayl wyth hym for there shal be none crowned ☜ but they that shall haue fought worthylye The armour of a christē souldiour And what is the armoure of god Certes it is thys Firste we muste haue agaynst all corrupt lustes and concupiscences our loynes or raynes gyrthed with trueth Agaynst synne the brene plate of iustice and innocencye For shoes we must haue pure affection whych is the preparacion for to walke in the gospell of peace And in all thinges we muste take faythe for oure shelde by whych we maye put out the vehement temptacions of the deuell wherewyth he doth assayle vs as wyth dartes inflamed the whyche shal by no meanes annoye vs if we haue stedfast faith in Iesu Christ and in his holy worde For helmet we must haue hope of saluation And thus armed yet muste we haue the sworde of the spirite that is the worde of god by the whyche sworde all the puissances and force of the euyl spirite shal be cut And furthermore we muste neuer leue these armours as longe as we be in thys worlde for we shall alweyes haue batayle But by these armours we shall vanquyshe in Iesu Christe and by Iesu Christ and not by oure owne strength vnto hym then be perpetuall glorye togyther wyth the father and holy ghost in infinita seculorum secula Amen The gospel on the .xxi. sonday after Trinitie sonday The .iiij. chap. of Iohn̄ Th argument ☞ Iesus healeth the rulers sonne THere was a certen ruler whose sōne was sicke at Capernaum As sone as the same herd that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought hym that he wolde come downe and heale his sonne For he was euen at the poynt of death Thē sayde Iesus vnto hym except ye se sygnes and wōdres ye wyl not beleue The ruler sayeth vnto hym Syr come downe or euer that my sōne dye Iesus saieth vnto hym Go thy waye thy sonne lyueth The man beleued the worde that Iesus had spoken vnto him And he wēt hys waye And as he was nowe goinge downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying thy sonne lyueth Then enquired he of them the hour whē he begāne to amend And they sayde vnto him Yester daye at the seuenth houre the feuer left hym So the father knewe that it was the same hour in the which Iesus sayde vnto him Thy sonne lyueth And he beleued and al hys housholde IN this gospell good christen audience our Lord Iesus Christ doth rebuke hym whych desired the health of his sonne forbicause that he did not beleue sufficiently that is to saye that he had not hope in him as he ought to haue And did reproche him that if they se not tokens they wolde not beleue But ye wol say Why he that desired Christ to heale his son dyd not beleue Sainte Austine To thys doubte thus aunswereth S. Austine Aske not me but aske Christe what he thoughte of this mā For it foloweth in the text that Iesus sayd vnto hym Onles ye se sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleue So saith S. Austine he reproueth him bicause he was colde
which was made on hygh alredye And vnto them to whome they wolde not remytte here in erthe they shulde not be remytted nor pardoned in heuen And this that they did not pardon them was signe that they were not pardonyd on hygh S. Cyprian Surely it is not man of him selfe that forgiueth but God For as saynt Cypriane sayth Non potest seruus remittere quod in dominuÌ„ commissum est that is to say the seruant can not pardone the thinge that is trespassed againste the maister S. Ambrose And therfore saint Ambrose sayth in his boke of Cain Abell that synnes be forgiuen by the worde of god wherof the prest is as an interpretour and certain executour But who were they whome they dyd not forgyue Truly all those which dyd not giue feith and credence to their wordes Nowe in thys apperinge Thomas called Didimus was not present Wherfore when the disciples dyd shewe hym that they had sene our Lorde rysyn agayne to life whyche had shewed vnto them bothe his handes and hys syde percyd he answered that he wolde not beleue them onles he myghte se him and put his finger in to the holes of the nailes and hys hande into hys syde So eighte dayes after oure Lorde the dores beynge shutte dyd againe apere in the myddes of them as he had done before and gaue them for gretynge hys peace accordynge to the vsage of the Iues Pax vobis by whyche is vnderstande quietnes of conscience and all goodnes And nowe Thomas was there also vnto whome he sayde answering hym vnto the wordes whyche he had sayde by hys vnfeithfulnes beholde my handes and put thy finger into the holes hold forthe thy hande and put it into my syde Be no more feithles but faythfull hereby declaringe vnto hym that he seeth all that he heareth all that he is in all places and that he maye do all Whiche done Thomas did confesse hym to be his Lorde and his God And truly not so much Thomas as the spirite of fayth whiche wyth the fayth entred into hym At that tyme oure Lorde gaue witnesse of fayth vnto Thomas whiche hathe beleued in seynge of hym but he dothe gyue farre greater prayse and coÌ„mendacion vnto them whiche haue beleued and yet haue not sene hym in person corporally but only spiritually with the eye of feyth or mystically in forme of breade in the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter and also vnto them whiche shall beleue him Then let vs beleue him by seynge him spiritually and so doyng we shal be more happy then Thomas in thys that he hath sene hym corporally Now sayth the Euangelist al these thinges be wryten vnto vs to th ende that we shulde beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God The vse of miracles and in beleuyng this that we shulde haue euerlastynge lyfe by his name For asmuch as the ende and vse of all the sygnes and miracles of Christe is that by them we shulde be broughte and allured to the true fayth in Christ which thyng shal make vs to enioye euerlastyng blysse through his name that is to wit by his word Rom. i. For verely Gods word is the vertue power of God vnto the helth saluation of al that beleue on Christ Iesus our Lorde redemer To whoÌ„ with the father holy goost be glory praise for euer AmeÌ„ The Epistle on the seconde sondaye after Ester The .i. Epistle of Peter the .ij. Chapter Th argument ☞ The Apostle saynt Peter doth exhort vs here to folow Christ in al thynges euen as shepe folowe theyr shepherde MOst derely beloued brethren Christe also suffered for vs leauing to vs an exemple that ye shuld folow his steppes which dyd no synne neyther was there gyle founde in his mouthe whiche whan he was reuyled reuyled not agayne whan he suffered he threatened not but coÌ„mytted the vengeaunce to hym that iudgeth ryghtuously whiche his owne selfe bare oure synnes in his body on the tree that we beynge delyuered from synne shulde lyue vnto ryghtuousnes By whose strypes ye were healed For ye were as shepe goynge astraye but are now turned vnto the shepherde and byshop of your soules THe Epistle of thys daye good christen people whiche be the wordes of saynt Peter doth put before our eyes the liefe of our Lord Iesu Christ to this intent purpose that we shuld folow hym as a perfecte president and exemplar For it is he whiche dyed for vs which hath done no synne according to the sayeng of the prophete Esaye in whose mouth hath bene founde no gyle nor deceipte Esa lij And whiche when any sayde harme by hym he sayde no harme agayne When he suffered he dyd not threaten but commytted the vengeaunce vnto hym that iudgeth iustly that is to wit vnto God the father No doubt God iugeth ryghtly neyther regardyng mens persons as doth the worlde neither only after the outwarde workes but after the hart outwarde workê to And therfore is gods iugement according to the trouthe as Paule sayeth Rom. ij Furthermore it is Christe whiche hath borne our synnes on the tree of the crosse that our synnes myghte be so by hym taken awaye and we beynge deade vnto synne shulde lyue vnto iustice But what iustice Truly vnto the iustice or ryghtuousnes that procedeth of fayth which is froÌ„ aboue For we be healed of our synne by hys woundes by his passion by his sacrifisyng for vs. Wherfor this is the final vse of our deliueraunce or iustificacion by Christ that we shulde no loÌ„ger lyue vnto synne but vnto iustice vertue As though saint Peter wolde saye Ye wol be christians whoÌ„ Christe hath redemed ☞ than go to it shall not become you any longer by disobedience towardes youre rulers superiours to lyue vnto sinne but vnto ryghteousnes to thintent ye maye be obedient vnto them and suffre persecution vexacioÌ„ yea and dethe of them yf occacion be gyuen euen as Christ dyd And thys is euen the right vse of Christes passioÌ„ to lyue a newe lyfe to become iust rightuous in al our lyuyng For as the Apostle saynt Paule witnesseth writyng to the Ephesians Ephe. ij we be the workmanshyp of God created made to do good workes But to returne to the texte S. Peter allegeth here vnto you good people the workes of the prophete Esaye where he sayeth Esa liij that by the strypes woundes of Christe ye were healed O moost comfortable wordes Bytter verely were these strypes to our Sauiour Christe but they were swete to vs so swete that wythout them we shulde haue ben in moost paynfull misery anguyshe Let vs than neuer put out of our myndes thys moost comfortable tydynges thys swete mery Gospell that Christ bare our synnes in hys body on the tree Thys treasure I meane the knowlege of this thyng who so wanteth is moost nedy pore yea he hath nothynge at all For this is no doubte
that I am come froÌ„ the father Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduocate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our selues be admitted by Christe to the function offyce of prestes I pray you why shulde we so muche depeÌ„de vpoÌ„ confideÌ„ce of others to be meanes suters for vs This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse Chrisostome Thou shall nede no patrones or aduocates with god neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour but prayest to god by thy selfe alone yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute demaunde For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes Lo what thys holy doctour saythe He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the. Theophilactus in Iohan ca. xv Whyche thynge Theophilactê° affirmeth also where he saith Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye Fiat voluntas tua Math. v. thy wil be done Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe hauing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys coÌ„maundement and promise and not alledging our owne worthynes whyche is nothyng at all but only the merite of Christe then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted hard Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure ij cor i. as Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians wryteth Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be Ro. viij praye sayth he that your ioye may be ful What ioye I pray you is this vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith Phi. iiij Reioise in the lord And againe I saye reioise From whence then procedeth this ioye Surely of faythe But howe is this Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synne I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good But beleue it I cannot onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me That if the worde the spirite workethe in me fayth I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me From whence the peace of coÌ„science springeth but also that he hath recoÌ„ciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe and from hens afterward spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful ij pe iij. Wherfore that it may growe and wyth perpetual encrease waxe greater and greater vndoubtedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe if so be we instantly call vpon hym with coÌ„tynuall prayers Syth therfore good christen people Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consuÌ„mate fully perfecte we must here obey him that we may truly saye with the blessed virgine Marye Luce. ij Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo That is to saye My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Finally my brethren Christe doth here agayne setoute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles before theyr eyes and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles but that he shulde speake of hys father vnto them openly and frely that is that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost Psa xiij Ioh. iij. but it is also naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke any thinge that good is onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatute We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge lo nowe thou speakeste frely openly neyther speakest thou any parable now I know that thou knowest al thinges c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rashnes and arrogauncie euen as that was that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogauÌ„tly presume to take any thynge vpon vs rashely and temerariously but that we shuld rather walke in an humble mynd and spirite confessinge and knowledginge continually that we be bothe miserable and ignoraunte persons in such thynges as concerne Christes glorye forasmoche as without the spirite of god we canne neuer vnderstande the mystery of the gospel For assuredly the wysdome of the fleshe is foly before god and the more knowlege it boasteth pretendith in spiritual and diuine thynges so moch the more is the foly of it declared and vttered Let vs then my good brethren and sisters in all oure necessities and troubles pray accordynge to the wordes of this gospel but to whom To the father of heuen In whose name In Christes ☞ And what shall we praye for that our ioye may be perfyte
the gage and the ernest The thyrde cause that the holy goost is sente is that in temptation he myght comforte vs and preserue vs from desperacion and therfore he is called paracletus that is to say a comforter Now therfore yf ye couete to knowe who what the holy goost is whych is called the thyrde persone in trinitie consyder wel the forsayd offices of hym and ye shal ryghtly answere A description of the holy goost The holy goost is God equall wyth the father and sonne whych was to thys intent sent of them both that he shulde more clearly expoune the diuine wyll of the father whych was openly publisshed to the worlde by Christ and that he shulde put men in remembraunce of the same and confirme it in theyr hartes to thintent they myght boldlye confesse it But let vs now approche to the texte of thys present lesson Whan the daye of Pentecoste Pentecost That is to saye the fyftye daye from Ester was a fulfyllyng whych was one of thre solemne feastes in whych all the Iues were wont to be assembled accordynge to the lawe of Moses in Deuteromye in the .xvi. chapter whych feast we christen men do obserue wyth an other lybertie for an other respecte then it was kept of the Iues. For we do solemnize kepe thys daye onely in memorie of the speciall and wonderfull sendynge of the holy gooste as on thys daye Whan thys feast I saye of the Iewes called Pentecost otherwyse named the feast of wekes was in the complyshynge and doynge the Apostles were all wyth one accorde together in one place as Christ had commaunded them before to do Actu ij that they shuld not departe from Ierusalem but that they shuld awayte for the promyse of the father And sodenly there came a soūde from heauē as it had been the comynge of a myghtie wynde and it fylled all the house where they sate My frendes thys soden commynge of the holy goost doth admonyshe vs of the maner or forme of hys commynge whych is not humane nor chaūceth after mans fashion but as the similitude declareth in the thyrd chapter of Ihon. The spirite or wynde bloweth where it woll and thou hearest hys voyce but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth Now for as much as Christ applyeth thys similitude and sayth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite therfore ye must also vnderstand here that the holy goost in dede commeth vnto vs but how or after what sorte it passeth mans wyt and capacitie whyche neyther can comprehende the maner of hys commynge neyther yet the qualitie of hys accion albeit of the accion presence of the holy goost we be made certayne euen as we may be certayne of the blowynge of the wynde Finally it is here to be consydered in what wyse the holy goost is to be receyued of vs. ☞ Surely he is not to be receyued simpliciter as a doue that muste be miraculously sent from heauen as certayne heretykes at thys daye do thynke neyther is he to be taken as a vertue of God procedynge from the father and from the sonne as Campanus thynketh neyther yet in a prescribed and diuised forme as the papistes haue prefixed hym before all theyr counsaylles were they neuer so contrary to gods worde but he is to be receyued as very god of the selfe same essencie and godhed wyth the father and sonne It foloweth in the texte And there appeared vnto them clouen tonges lyke as they had bene of fyre and sat vpon ech one of them Here good people ye maye learne the effectes or frutes of the holy goostes comminge for he cōmeth not in vayne but maketh dispertite or clouen tōges and fyry he maketh men to speake wyth other tonges that is to saye he regendreth them he createth in them new motions he assureth them of the word that they heare he openeth theyr mouthes and maketh them boldly and wythout feare to confesse the trouth And al they that is to wyt the Apostles that were assēbled together for thys purpose were forthwyth and sodenly al at ones replete and fylled with the holy goost in such straunge sorte that by and by they beganne to speake wyth sondry and newe tonges Dyuerse tonges not wyth olde tonges and such as the tonge of Moses the lawspeaker is discribed to be that is to wyt harde and vnpleasaunt as it is wrytten in the fourth chapter of Exodus And here maye ye note the dyuersitie and difference of the lawe and gospel Moses tonge was sengle and but one ☞ for one certayne people But the tonges of the gospell be soundry whereby is sygnifyed the lybertie of the gospel They spake therfore wyth sundry tōges euen as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce The holy goost gaue not all to all Ro. xij i. cor xi but as Paule sayth accordynge to the measure of fayth as it semeth good vnto hym It foloweth in the texte There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iewes deuoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder the heauen and so forth Here be contayned the cōmune and vulgare effectes whych be wont to folowe the workes of the holy goost These effectes be stoynynge wonderyng and they declare vnto vs the power of the holy gooste in them whych were moued wyth the workes of the holy goost For the reste of people were rather more and more offended with the workes of the holy gooste than kyndled to imbrace them They sayd then how happeneth thys that we heare euerye one in hys owne tonge whych be of sundry nations speake the great wonders and hygh workes of God Magnalia Dei that is to saye the thynges that God hath wrought in hys Christe For to thys intent surely was the holy goost come euen to expoūde and declare Christ to the disciples and no doubt he exhorted them frely and boldlye to preache hym vnto the hole worlde whych thynge afterwarde they manfully executed as the sermon of Peter immediatly after made doth declare shewe Surely the holy goost sent from heauen make men frely to confesse the Euangelicall trouth before kynges and prynces whych thynge the fleshe otherwyse is not able to do For it is to muche afrayed that it can wyllyngly and gladly suffer the hatred of thys worlde whych is knyt and ioyned wyth thys confession Fynally ye shall vnderstande that the holy goost was gyuen to the Apostles in a vysible forme But it is now gyuen to the chosen and electe persons inuisiblye only by the worde Wherfore good christen people I hartely exhorte you that ye woll earnestly imbrace and loue gods worde and not mocke deryde it as certayne of the Iues here sayd that the apostles were dronken and full of new wyne Neyther do I exhorte you onely to reade and prayse the worde but also to worke after it to declare by youre dedes and procedynges that ye haue an vnfayned and ryght fayth
come after hym Wherfore marke the difference of Christ and of the false Apostles Ioh. i. Christe is the preacher of grace the pseudapostles preach maÌ„s merytes Ioh. viij Christ is carefull for the fode of hys shepe the false Apostles seke theyr owne lucre and gaynes Christ seketh the glorye of the father the false Apostles steale from God hys glorye Ioh. xi Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine For the thefe coÌ„meth not but to steale to kyll and to destroye Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepeherde Now it shal be your partes good people so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accordinge to our Sauioure Christes wordes here So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete pleasaunt groundes of the lyuinge and shall syt wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wyth the aungels in heauen where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende AMEN The Epistle on the .iiij. daye of Pentecoste that is to saye on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke The .ij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ The sermon of saynt Peter conteynynge the prophecye of Iohel PEter stepped forth wyth the eleuen and lyft vp hys voyce and sayd vnto them Ye men of Iurye and al ye that dwell at Ierusalem be thys knowen vnto you and wyth your eares heare my wordes For these are not droncken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thyrde houre of the daye But thys is that whych was spoken by the prophete Iohel And it shall be in the last dayes sayeth God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecye and your yonge men shal se visions and your olde meÌ„ shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I wyll shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokeÌ„s in the earth beneth bloude and fyre and the vapor of smoke The Sonne shal be torned into darckenes and the Mone into bloude before that greate and notable daye of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that who soeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued IN the lesson of thys present daye good Christen people is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of the holy Apostle saynt Peter wherin he soberly coldly and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vnreuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disciples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god were partly abashed and wondered therat and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp not alone yet but the .xi. apostles standyng vp wyth him leste as Erasmus doth full well note he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes Erasmê° in paraphrasi He only spake the wordes but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his felowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the lyuynge God Who wolde haue thought that so simple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before to speke in a great audieÌ„ce of people or before a great ruler chauÌ„ge colours be astoÌ„nyed vtterly dismayed Truly thys was that heauenly droÌ„kennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth Calix meus inebrians qÌ„ praeclarus est Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude he ioyned with hym in coÌ„mission the eleuen Apostles not to ayde hym but to accompany hym he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al he spake vnto them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do Neyther speaketh he for himselfe but beynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloqueÌ„ce but with the ayde of holy scripture Now the hose multitude awayteth to heare what he woll saye Let vs also attende for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people he beganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetoricall flattery at all O ye men sayeth he of the Iuysh nation The oration of Peter whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitauÌ„tes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is Ye haue cause perchauÌ„ce to wonder but ye haue no cause to sklauÌ„der Wherfore so many of you as be here gyue atteÌ„tiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me and knowe the matter as it lyeth For it stande you all vpon so to do For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne as some of you thinke syth it is now mornynge but the thyrd houre froÌ„ the sonne rysynge at whych tyme nomaÌ„ is wont to be dronke But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe Harken to the prophecye and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not Sklaunder not bycause ye se a thynge vnwont but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you Iohel ij For Iohel beynge inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge that the tyme shulde come that God whych at sondry tymes before had imparted hys spirite to Moses and to many prophetes for your coÌ„forte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two as hertofore but vpon all nations of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys coÌ„maundement we brynge now vnto you thus vttered the heuenly prophecye Erit in nouissimis die bus It shal come to passe in the last dayes sayeth the Lorde I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh and sodenly your soÌ„nes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions and your olde persons shall dreame dreames And truly vpon my seruauÌ„tes my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie And I shal gyue woÌ„ders in heauen aboue and tokens in
AMEN ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and are to be solde in Fletestrete at the sygne of the whyte Harte Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ⧠THE EPIstles and Gospelles with a brief Postyll vpon the same from Trinitie sonday tyll Aduent drawen forth by dyuerse learned men for the singuler cōmoditie of al good christians and namely of prestes and Curates Christus Mat. iiij Poenitentiam agite appropinquauit enim regnum coelorum Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ANNO. M.D.XL THE COPY OF THE KINGES GRACIOVS PRIVILEGE HEnry the eyght by the grace of God kynge of England and of Fraūce defensour of the faith lord of Irelande and in earth supreme hed immediatly vnder Christ of the church of Englande To al Printers of bokes wythin thys our Realme and to all other our officers ministers and subiectes these oure letters hearyng or seynge greatyng We let you wete that we of our grace especiall haue gyuen priuilege vnto oure welbiloued subiecte Richarde Bankes that no maner parson wythin thys oure Realme shal prynte any maner of bokes what so euer our sayde subiecte shall prynte first wythin the space of seuen yeares nexte ensuyng the prynting of euery suche boke so by hym printed vpon payne of forfeture the same Wherfore we wol and commaunde you that ye nor none of you do presume to prynte any of the sayde bokes duryng the tyme afore sayde as ye tendre oure pleasure and woll auoyde the contrary The Epistle on Corpus Christi day The fyrste epistle to the Corinthyans the .xi. chapter Th argument ☞ The institution of the most blessed sacrament of the Aulter is here by S. Paule described vnto vs. BRethren that which I deliuered vnto you I receyued of the lorde For the Lorde Iesus the same nyght in whych he was betrayed toke breade and when he had gyuen thākes he brake it and said Take ye and eate this is my body whych is broken for you Thys do ye in the remembraunce of me After the same maner also he toke the cup whē supper was done sayenge Thys cup is the newe Testament in my bloude This do as oft as ye drynke it in remembraunce of me For as oft as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shal shewe the lordes death tyl he come Wherfore whosoeuer shall eate of thys breade and drynke of this cup vnworthyly shal be gylty of the body and bloude of the lorde But let a man examyne him selfe and so let him eate of the breade and dryncke of the cup. For he that eateth and drynketh vnworthely eateth and drynketh hys owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the lordes body ☞ The exhortacion vpon this epistle ye shall fynd immediatly before the Epistle on Easter daye The Gospell on Corpus Christi daye The .vi chapiter of Iohn̄ Th argument ☞ Christ is the true breade of lyfe IEsus sayde vnto his disciples and vnto the company of the Iues. My fleshe is meate in dede and my bloud is drinke in dede He that eateth my flesh and drynketh my blod dwelleth in me I in hym As the lyuing father hath sent me and I lyue for the father Euen so he that eateth me shall lyue by the meanes of me Thys is that breade whiche came downe from heauen not as your fathers dyd eate Manna and are deade He that eateth of this bread shall lyue euer IN this present Gospel good people our sauiour Christ which is the true shepherd and feder of our soules goeth about to shake of frō oure myndes the fylthy cares of thys corporall life willyng vs rather to apply our selfes and to labour wyth the gredy desire of the heuenly and gostly ryches to obteyne euerlasting life He biddeth vs caste out of our myndes the worldy breade wherwith our bodyes be fedde and couet that heuenly brede which giueth and conferreth vnto vs euerlastinge and immortall lyfe of the soule Thys breade is taken by faythe and fayth is to be obteyned and gotten of almyghty god For it is vndoubtedly hys gyfte Whosoeuer therfore beleueth in Christe he alredy hathe euerlastyng lyfe inasmuche as he hath the foūtayne of immortalitie I am sayeth Christe the breade of lyfe As who shulde say I am that same fode whiche gyueth lyfe not only corporall but rather the lyfe of the soule and eternall The Iues amonges whom Christ was conuersaūt and vnto whom he had this cōmunicacion bosted muche in the Manna that was sente downe from heauen vnto theyr auncestours But what sayeth Christe vnto them Your fathers dyd eate Manna in the wyldernes and dyed Austin Your fathers sayeth S. Austine bicause you be lyke them murmuryng fathers of murmuryng chyldren For assuredly this people in nothyng offended god more then in grutchyng and murmuryng agaynste God Now they therfore dyed bicause they beleued sayeth S. Austin the thynge that they sawe ☜ but the thyng they sawe not they beleued not nor yet vnderstode O sacramentum pietatis o signum vnitatis The wordes of saynte Austine o vinculum charitatis Qui vult viuere habet vnde viuat accedat credat incorporetur vt viuificet O wonderfull sacrament of godlynes o wonderfull token of vnitie o wonderfull bond of charitie He that wyl lyue he hath wherof he may lyue let him drawe nigh let him beleue let him be incorporated that he may be quickened Let him not departe for the frame of the membres let him not be a rotten mēbre worthy to be cut of nor yet croked whereof he may be ashamed Let him be a fayre mēbre open sounde cleauing to the body Let him lyue to god Let him nowe labour in earthe that he maye afterwarde lyue in heauen The sacramēt of this thing saith this holy doctour that is to saye of the vnitie of the body and bloude of Christe is taken at gods bourde of some men to their saluatiō and of some to their damnation ☜ The thynge it selfe is ordeined to the saluation of al men and to the destruction of none For my fleshe sayeth Christe is very meate and my blode very dryncke Thys breade cam downe from heuen and hath an heuenly power of workynge gyuen it of god that who so euer worthely do eate it shall lyue eternally and neuer dye Wherfore good christen people we haue no nede to demaunde from heuen any Manna sythe we haue the very heuenly breade in dede that is to say the body of our sauiour Christe ready vnto vs to gyue vs euerlasting lyfe if so be we wol take it worthely with fayth For vndoubtedly Christ is that heuenly breade whiche gyueth immortalitie to our soules whych for oure sakes was betrayed and crucifyed He is the worde of god in whom who so euer stedfastly woll beleue shall haue euerlasting lyfe Who so euer shall conuey thys heuenly breade into the bowels of his soule shal be nourished and growe vp to euerlastinge lyfe For assuredly thys is the lyuely
thre therfore the fathers haue founde out the worde person for the auoydynge of many errours Why the feaste of Trinitie was institute And hereof for discernynge the sayd persons is the name of Trinitie come into the church wherby we sygnifye not .iij. vnegall persons but thre persons coequal of one in diuisible substaunce and essencie And as touchinge the vse of thys feast oure predecessours thought it good to haue some certayne tyme appoynted in the church wherin they myght intreate of the offices of those thre persons egall in godheade And bycause the fourth chapter of the Apocalyps semeth to sette forth wonderfully well the maiestie of God and not obscurely to touche the mysterye of the Trinitie the church of Englande condescended to haue the same red in the church thys daye whych brefely God wyllynge we shal declare vnto you Thus it beginneth After thys I loked and beholde a dore open in heauen and the fyrst voyce I herde was as of a trōpe speakynge wyth me sayenge Come vp hither and I shall shewe the what shal be done herafter Thys dore whych saynt Ihon sawe open no doubte is the intraunce and commynge to the new and heauenly lyfe whych Christe oure Sauioure hath made vs as the Epistle to the Hebrues the .x. phil iij. chapter wytnesseth For our cōuersacion ought now to be in heauē And saynt Ihon doth here describe the Iudicial power of Christe gyuen hym of the heauenlye father wherewyth he defendeth hys churche from the power of the aduersaries And he sayeth There was a seate set and vpon it a sytter wherby he sygnifyeth the stabilitie of Christes raygne For hys seate or trone is as Dauid sayeth worlde wythout ende And he that satte vpon thys glorious and princelye trone or seate was to loke vpon lyke a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone Psalm lxxxiiij By thys is vnderstanded nothynge els but a certayne heauenly royall bewty shewynge aswell the maiestye as the power most excellent of the iudge Christ For the cloth of estate royall seates of kynges be wont to be moost rychely decked and furnyshed for the settynge out of theyr Maiestye and authoritie Nowe the Iaspar stone they saye beareth the semblaunce of water and the Sardyn stone of fyer wherby is vnderstanded that the Lorde is wont to make hys iudgementes in water and in fyer as appeareth Gen. vij and .xix. Exo. xiiij and in the seconde Epistle of Peter the last chapiter and in many other places of scripture The raynebow And a raynebowe was about the seat in syght lyke to an Emerald The raynebowe is a token that god the father is made at one wyth vs by Christ and reconciled to mankynde emerald as appeareth Gen. ix Nowe the Emeralde they say is of such grenenes vertue that it maketh all thynges aboute it to floryshe and growe Lactantius Euen so by Christ the world is renewed and it reflorysheth as Lactantius doth very elegauntly and well declare in a certayne Hymne And aboute the seate were .xxiiij. seates And vpon the seates .xxiiij. elders syttynge clothed in whyte raiment and had on their heades crownes of gold Saint Ihon doth here allude to the maner of a realme well ordered where kynges and princes whyche are to gyue sentence in maters of weyghte woll not do it wythout the assistence of certayne auncient personages that haue good experience of thynges and knowlege of the best lawes lest they myght seme to condempne any man of theyr owne priuate lust and pleasure Wherfore by this allusiō he declareth that God is a moost iust iudge whose sentence all iuste persons shal approue and prayse as moost ryghtful and true By the .xxiiij. elders ye shall vnderstande aswell the patriarches and prophetes of the olde synagoge as the Apostles Euangelistes doctours of the new Testament Exod. xxiiii Nu. xi Act. xx and also the godly kynges iuges of both peoples For they in scripture be called Elders Now by the syttynge of these Elders is vnderstande the felowship of the iudiciall power with Christ accordynge to Christes owne sayenge Mat. xix Ye shall also syt vpon the .xij. seates iudgynge the xij trybes i. cor vi Also saynt Paule wytnesseth that saintes shall iudge of thys worlde By theyr whyte garmentes or robes wherewyth they were clothed is sygnifyed purenes of mynde innocencye and indifferent iudgement wythout affection Exod. xviiij By theyr crownes of golde vpon theyr heades I vnderstande the mooste pure sense of faith wherby they shal iuge of al accordynge to the arbitrement of God so that what so euer they shall iuge vpon earth shal be ratifyed also in heauen accordynge to that sayng of Christ Mathew xviii What soeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde in heuen and what soeuer ye louse on erth the same shal be loused in heauen Furthermore they sygnifye the felowshyp of the victories and raygne of Christ Cap. xi accordynge to that in the Epistle to the Hebrues The sayntes haue vaynquyshed realmes by fayth It foloweth in the texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtenynges and thonderynges and voyces And there were seuen lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whyche are the seuen spirites of God The preachynge of the Apostles and of men apostolical is compared to lyghtenynge and thondrynge bycause by it is proclamed the fearfulnes of gods iudgementes the whych hange ouer the heades of infideles and such as beleue not By the .vii. lampes of fyre brennyng before the trone I vnderstande the septiforme spirite of God that is to wyt the fulnes and perfection of the heauenly graces wherwyth the kyngdome of Christ is furnyshed Esa xi i. cor xij It foloweth And before the seate there was a see of glasse lyke vnto Crystall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde about the seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde c. My frendes the calamities of thys worlde wherwyth the stynch of the fleshe is repourged and the naughtye affectes of the same vtterly mortifyed muste nedes be passed ouer of vs euen as it behoued the people of God to passe the red see before they coulde entre into the lande of promission Wherfore those heauenly and spiritual waters be here sygnifyed wherwythal the pourgynge of the soules and the spiritual regeneratiō is made Ioh. iij. i. Pe. iiij For onles a man be borne agayne of water and spirite he can not se God And he calleth it a see after the Hebrues fashion whych be wont to call al gatherynges of waters sees as in the thyrd boke of kynges it is called the brasen see wherin the prestes in theyr ministracion washed and in certaine other places Now glasse is a bryght thyng wherby is meant that the water of baptisme purifyeth and maketh bryght not so much the bodye as the hartes yea euē in the outwarde conuersation of maners according to that of Christe Let your lyght so shyne before
please Iesu Christ the glorie of the father the glorie of the angels and of men to abyde in you by feruent faith in your hartes founded and rooted in charitie to thyntente that you maye knowe and vnderstande the incomprehensible graces whych by him be gyuen vnto vs the largenesse and length of the same for the earth is full of the mercy of the Loroe God sayeth the prophete Dauid and the hyghnesse and depthnesse Psalm xxxij for they do perse the heauens and the hylles He whych is descended is he which hath ascended aboue al the heauens sayeth saint Paul Eph. liij To thintent also that ye shall know the great charitie of Iesu Christ toward vs the whych knowlege is more to be estemed than all the science of the worlde and that you shulde be replenyshed in all aboundaunce wyth the graces of God In thys epistle saynt Paule declareth in short conclusions the perfection of the christen lyfe vnto the whych we ought to breath and to sygh He doth not praye that god shulde gyue them much temporall goodes for to lyue at theyr ease but he desyreth and prayeth that they maye haue strength for to endure and to beare with him the crosse of Iesu Christ For all the lyfe of a christen mā is to endure In the conclusion of the epistle wyth profounde harte and wyth great spirite he yeldeth graces louynge thankes vnto God sayenge Vnto him whych is able for to gyue vs more than we can demaunde or thynke accordynge vnto the myght the whych puissantly strongly worketh and laboureth in vs vnto hym be yelden all glorie by all the church by the meanes of hys sonne Iesu Christ For euen as by him al grace is gyuē vs from the father so it must nedes be that by hym whych is the begynnynge and the ende all glorie be vnto hym rendered Then my brethren let vs not discourage our selues of the worde of God of the doctrine of the gospell for any tribulation or worldly vexacion that may happē vnto any of them by which it shal haue pleased God that they shuld bear it yf it be hys pleasure to make them to beare hys crosse vnto them whych shall beare it but so much the more let vs be founded stedfast and ferme rooted in fayth hope and charitie and we shall knowe the incōprehensible graces of God And he that surmounteth all myght shall delyuer vs from al euell and shall leade vs vnto hys glorye vnto hys heauēly kyngdome where in eternall ioye we shall yelde perpetuall graces and prayses vnto the father of heuen by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome c. The Gospel on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ rayseth a deade man to lyfe agayne IEsus wente into a cytie whyche is called Naim and many of hys disciples went wyth hym and much people Whan he came nye to the gate of the cytie beholde there was a deade man caryed out whych was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a wedowe and much people of the cytie was wyth her And whan the Lorde sawe her he had cōpassion on her and said vnto her wepe not And he came nye and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stode styll And be said Yonge man I say vnto the aryse And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake And he delyuered hym to hys mother And there came a feare on them all And they gaue the glorie vnto God sayenge A greate prophete is rysen vp amonge vs and god hath vysited his people THe thynge good people whych is moost agreable vnto god and that whyche he demaundeth requyreth of vs principally is to beleue hys word as saynt Paule saythin the .xi. chapter of hys epistle to the Hebrues It is impossible to please God with out fayth For thys cause all the myracles whyche were at any tyme done aswel by Iesu Christ in erth as by hym in hys members it hath not ben for to attribute the honoure vnto hys members or that hys members hath done myracles but for to approue the worde of God and for to manyfest hys glorie and myght to thintent that he shulde be honoured and reuerenced of euery body and in euery place as the prophete sayeth Lorde god all the earth doth worship the. For thys cause oure Lorde hath raysed vp from death to lyfe the wedowes sonne of the whych is made mention in the gospel of thys day He hath here raised one from bodely death for to make vs to beleue that he hath the power also for to rayse vs agayne from spirituall death And also he shall rayse vs vp agayne bodely at the day of dome As he said vnto Martha I am the resurrection and lyfe who so beleueth in me he shall not dye eternally Ioh. xi All they therfore whych do not lyue accordynge vnto the spirite whych folowe the olde lyfe of Adam whyche accomplish the desyres concupiscences and workes of the flesh of the whych was spoken in the epistle of the last sondaye they be deade spiritually For who that hath not the holy goost he hath no lyfe he doth not belonge vnto Iesu Christ whych is the lyfe Yf any hath not the spirite of Christ he is not Christes Ro. viij He is borne and conducted of euell spirites to the pytte of hell Yf Iesu Christ do not come quyckely for to touche hym wyth hys hande the whyche sygnifyeth hys great puissaunce and myght conioyned wyth hys worde Yf he do not speake and touch lyuely the harte it is impossible that the sayd creatures shulde haue power to ryse agayne or that they shulde euer chaunge from the death of the soule vnto newnes of lyfe and state of grace For surely so longe as we be in deadly synne and vnder the thraldome and subiection of the fende so longe we be as deade persons S. Ambrose And therfore sayeth saynt Ambrose We lye deade in secrete whan eyther the fyre of vnreasonable lust brenneth vs or the colde humoure drowneth and as it were wyth a certayne slouthfulnesse of the bodye the sharpenesse of the mynde is accombred and ouerwhelmed in which case we can not ryse out of our drousye slomber but by Christe And yf sayeth thys holy doctour saynt Ambrose An allegorie it be an heuye greuouse synne whych thou thy selfe arte not able to wash awaye wyth the teares of thy penaunce and repentaunce let thy mother the holy church wepe for the. Let the people also be assistente vnto her And fortwyth thou shalt ryse agayne oute of the coffyn or beere and shalte begynne to speake wyth an other lyfe and all that heare it shall feare shal be corrected by thexemple of one They shal also prayse God Bede whych hath gyuē vs so great remedies to eschue death And here sayeth Bede is the errour of the heretiques called Nouatians confounded whych whyle they go about to destroye the
and Lord by charitie was made minister seruaunt vnto all God gyue vs then grace good people to accōplyshe in al thynges his wyl To whom be gyuen al prayse glory and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ The kyngdome of heuen is resembled to the wedding of a kinges sonne c. IEsus saide vnto his disciples The kyngdome of heuen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng which made a mariage for his sōne and sent forth his seruauntes to cal them that were byd to the weddyng and they wolde not come Agayne he sente forthe other seruauntes sayeng Tell them which are bydden beholde I haue prepared my dyner myne oxē and my fatlynges are kylled althynges are ready come vnto the mariage But they made lyght of it and went theyr wayes one to his ferme place another to his marchandise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreted them shamefully and slew them But when the king hard therof he was wroth and sent forth his mē of warre and destroied those murtherers and brēt vp their citie Then sayd he to his seruauntes the mariage in dede is prepared But they which were bydden were not worthy Go ye therfore out into the hye wayes and as many as ye find byd them to the mariage And the seruauntes went out into the hye waies and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad and the weddyng was furnyshed with gestes Then the kynge came in to se the gestes and whan he spied there a man which had not on a wedding garmente he sayde vnto him frend howe cameste thou in hyther not hauynge a wedding garmente And he was euen spechlesse Then sayd the kynge to the ministers take bind him hād fote cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be wepynge and gnashing of teth For many be called but fewe are chosen THe mooste soueraygne goodnesse of god good christen people hathe bene so greate and large towardes vs sely poore synners that when we all worshiped ydoles seruing the deuell of hell and for our rewarde and stipende descendinge with him vnto eternall deathe and perdition it yet hathe pleased him of his clemencye for to haue pitie and mercy on vs. And thervpon he vouchesaued to sende none other but euen his own sonne into this worlde for to take our fleshe vpon him and to be made man for to be the spouse as saynte Gregorie saythe of our nature then beyng so vyle and vnhappye S. Gregorye This hathe bene for to take vpon him all our synnes and myseryes and for to gyue and distribute vnto vs all hys graces and richesses And this as holy doctours expounde is the weddinges wherof oure gospel speaketh whyche be truly weddinges of the whyche the bodely and worldly weddinges is but a figure ☞ For as we saye who weddethe the woman weddethe the debtes and is boūde for to paye them in like maner our most mercyfull Sauiour Iesu Christe in weddinge oure soules is becommyn debtour and payer of al our synnes and debtes And also al the goodes of the husbonde be commyn vnto the wyfe therfore he hathe made vs possessours heritours with hym of all hys goodes and his realme in whyche shal be truly solemnised the weddinges ther shal be made the greate euerlastinge banket whych he shall make vnto al them that shal haue bene in thys world perseuerantly conioyned and vnied vnto hym by faith Vnto the whych weddinges the Iues were called inuited whyche haue dispised them and wolde not comme thyther but haue vilanously slayne the prophetes and also Iesu Christe himselfe and some of hys apostles and dysciples that did call them vnto the euerlastinge feaste And therfore god hath sente hys men of warre that is to saye as sainct Hierom and other expositours do expounde thys place the romaines Vaspasian and Titus the whyche haue put the Iewes to death that were such murderers homicides and haue put their citie in ruyne and destruction And when the Iewes shewed them selues thus vnworthy of the grace of god whych was thus frely offred and presented vnto them the apostles disciples by the commaundemente of god wente to preache vnto the Gentilles whych as then were idolaters and out of the wayes of god and did assemble a church the whych is called catholike a church of fayth and of christendome And by the visitation that thys kynge maketh for to se them that be sette is figurid vnto vs the examinatiō whych God shall make of all them that be in his churche which shall do rigorous iustice vpon al them that shall be foūd wythoute the weddynge garmente that is to wytte wythout fayth workinge by charitie or as S Gregorie expouneth wythout charitie What the doctours call the weddīg garmēte Gregorye Hierom Chrysostome He therfore sayeth this holy doctour entreth to the mariages or weddynges wythout the weddynge garmente which in the church hath faith but hath not charitie Or after the mynde of saynt Hierome the weddyng garment be our Lordes commaundementes and the workes whych a man is bound to do by the lawe and gospel and whych make the garment of a newe man which garmente at the daye of iudgemente he that shal be founde vnder a christen mans name not to haue is forthwyth taken awey And the kynge sayeth vnto him Frend how comest thou hither or what makeste thou here not hauing the weddyng wede He calleth him frend forasmoch as he was bydde to the mariages as he had bene a frende by fayth But he reproueth hym of foly bycause wyth his fylthy garmente he hath defiled the clēnes of the mariage For those that oure Lorde God almyghty the father of heuen doth call vnto this most noble and blessed wedding he woll haue them come not wyth fete sayeth Chrisostome but wyth fayth maners This weddynge garmēt then they the lacke I meane they that haue not the liuely faith which by charitie worketh the wyl plesure and cōmaūdemētes of oure Lord albeit in outward apparaunce they haue done many goodly workes also myracles yet for all that they shal be gyuen vnto the mynisters and hangmen of hell for to be sent vnto the tormentes eternall hauinge their fete and handes bounde that is to saye that they shall neuer desire nor do any thynge that shal be pleasaūt vnto God And for the ende and conclusion of our gospel bycause as saynt Hierom sayth not the begynnyng but the ende is to be sought S. Hierō therfore oure sauyoure Iesu Christ saith that many be called For assuredly all they that haue herde the apostles and disciples whose wordes haue bene herde ouer all the earthe be called but yet fewe be chosen and elected The whyche sentence oughte to be a wonderfull cause of humilite before god and specially a cause for vs to despise all the thynges that be in thys
earth beneth bloude and fyre the vapoure of smoke The sonne shal be conuerted into darkenes and the moone into bloude before that great and renowmed daye of the Lorde come And whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Thys my frendes hath the prophete Iohel so longe ago prophecied vnto vs. And hetherto goeth the lesson of thys presente daye whych conteyneth the fyrst parte of S. Peters sermon Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of the holy goost after such a plentyful sorte the scripture teacheth vs that it was fulfylled aboute thys tyme of Pentecost as in our sermons before we haue fully at large declared vnto you And as for the rest of the prophecie concernynge the great calamitie and terrible tokens that shall come agaynste domes daye there is no doubte but it shall come to passe as oure sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs. Math. xxvij lu xxiij But my frendes let vs be nothynge dismayed nor troubled wyth the remembraunce of thys dradfull tyme whych no doubt yet approcheth nere and shall steale vpon vs or euer we be ware we knowe not how sone Onely let vs do as the prophete teacheth vs here we shal not nede to feare Let vs cal on the name of the Lorde and we shal be saued Let vs thā in al our aduersitie woo and trouble yea and also in our welth prosperitie and felicitie remember God loue God prayse God call on God with fayth But let it be such faith as shall worke by charitie Let it be a lyuely fayth no deade fayth that maye brynge forth good workes Yf we thus do we shall not nede to feare these terrible tokens but we shal be sure to be translated from thys myserye vnto immortall ioye wyth God To whome c. The Gospell on the .iiij. daye of Pentecost The .vi. chapter of S. Ihon. Th argument ☞ Christ teacheth vs here that onles we be renewed by the holy goost we can not come vnto him IEsus sayd to hys disciples and to the company of the Iewes No man can come to me excepte the father whych hath sent me drawe hym And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye It is wrytten in the prophetes and they shal be all taught of god Euery man therfore that hath herde and hath learned of the father cōmeth vnto me Not that any man hath sene the father saue he whych is of god the same hath sene the father Verely verely I saye vnto you he that putteth hys trust in me hath euerlastynge lyfe I am that bread of lyfe Your fathers dyd eate Māna in the wyldernes and are dead This is that breade whych cōmeth downe frō heauen that a man maye eate therof and not dye I am that lyuynge breade whych came downe from heauen Yf any mā eate of thys bread he shal lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my flesh which I wyll gyue for the lyfe of the worlde IN thys Gospell good people our sauiour Christ makynge answer to the murmourynge of the people agaynst hym bycause he sayd he was the breade of lyfe and declarynge that theyr thoughtes coulde not be hyd from hym expouneth and also fortifyeth the worde that he spake sayenge vnto them that they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge that he spake For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysbeleue Seynge Nemo potest venire ad me they saw not and hearyng they herde not beynge present they were absent Whosoeuer commeth to Christ shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe But there is no waye to come vnto hym but by fayth Thys fayth is not lyghtly had but cōmeth by the inspiracion of the father who lyke as by the sōne he draweth mens myndes vnto hym so with secrete inspiracions of fayth he draweth them to the sonne He bestoweth not so great a gyfte but to suche as be wyllynge gredy ☜ Whosoeuer then shall meryte by hys prompte wyl deuoute mynde to be drawen of the father the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse the deade to lyfe agayne in the last daye A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ but without the helpe of the heuēly father he can not do it Yet neuertheles they are not excused bycause they be not drawen For the father as much as in hym is coueteth to drawe all He that is not drawē is in fault himselfe bycause he with draweth hymselfe frō hym that wolde drawe hym Humane thynges be lerned with humane studye but this heauenly lernynge is not perceyued onles the secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte teachable harte And this is it that longe sythens was prophecied of the prophetes to come to passe Esa liiij And they all shal be taught of God But the desyre of thys worlde do make many vnapt I say it is the gyft of god but the indeuoure must be ours A mā heareth with hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne onles he heare wtin fyrst the secrete voyce of the father whych breatheth the mynde with an insensible grace of fayth For god is a spirite is neyther herde nor sene but of spiritual persons Many haue sene herd Christ to theyr damnation And albeit the Iues boasted that god was both sene herde of Moses of the prophetes yet no mortall mā euer sawe or herde god as he is For thys is only graūted to the sonne of mā oure sauiour Christ Let vs then shake of the care of this lyfe and not so moch seke for the bread whereby our bodyes be fedde as thys breade whych giueth euerlastynge lyfe We counte the olde fathers happye whych dyd eate Manna yet thys Manna preserued them not from death Austine and why Not bycause Manna was euyll sayeth saynte Austine but because of theyr euyll eatyng Christe is the breade whych descendeth from heauen whyche is signified by Manna He that eateth of thys breade shal lyue for euer But ye wol aske who thys is Saynt Austine answereth in thys wyse Augu. de ciuitate dei li. xxi cap. xxv He that is in the vnitie of Christes bodye that is to wytte in the felowshipe of the christen mēbres the sacramēte of whych body all faythfull persones be wonte to receyue when they cōmunicate at the altare come to gods borde doth truly eate the bodye of Christe and drynke the bloude of Christe Nowe therfore let vs by all indeuours we cā make ourselues mete and apte to receyue the holye spirite of god wherby we maye be drawen to Christ Let vs also take parte of hys passions and folowe the cōuersation whych he had in hys fleshe Austine Bernard Whyche thynge as S. Austine others expoune thys place is to eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye