Moon and in the Starres in the earth the people shal be at their wittes ende through despaire The sea and the water shall roare and mens heartes shal fayle them for feare and for lokyng after those things which shall come on the earthe For the powers of heauen shall moue and than shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloude with power great glory WheÌ„ these things begyn to come to passe then loke vp and lyft vp youre heades for youre redemption draweth nye And he shewed them a similitude Beholde the fygge tree and al other trees when they shoote foorth their buddes ye see and knowe of youre owne selues that Sommer is nye at hand So lykewise ye also when ye see these thynges come to passe be sure that the kyngdome of God is nye Uerily I say vnto you this generation shall not passe tyll all be fulfylled Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe THE EXPOSITION THIS maner hath the Lord our GOD vsed alwayes from the beginnyng when he is about to do any vnwonted thynge he hath alwais sent before great and meruailous signes As when he wold punishe the Egyptians and deliuer his children and make him a peculiar people there were sette foorth before many great and wonderfull tokens of all kinde of plages For the frogges locustes botches and suche lyke dyd greatly hurt the Egyptians vntill at length all their first borne were slayne in one nyght and the remnant of the people drowned vp in the red sea But amonge the Iewes these thinges were good signes where as he led them dry foote through the red sea drowned their enemies and giueth Manna and suche lyke thinges This was a token that God would worke some new practise with this people that it shold be a kingdome and common wealthe This was it also when he woulde punishe the Iewes and ordeyne a congregation For when Christe honge vpon the Crosse the graues wer opened and the dead came out and went into Ierusalem a strange Eclipse of the Moone chanced the vayle of the temple was rent All this dydde signifie some straunge thynge to come and an abolishing of the old as experience proued after that wher as the seruice of the Iewes vanyshed away Christe sette vp a newe kyngdome This had the Iewes lerned often to their owne peryll Wherfore the Apostles here come to Christe with a question What sygnes should come before the destruction of Ierusalem and the ende of the worlde before the onely and eternall kyngdome of Christ commeth Christ answereth as concernynge the destruction of Ierusalem When ye shall see sayth he Ierusalem be sieged wyth an host then know ye that her desolation is not farre of And therefore he counsaileth them to flee vnto the mountains for gods wrathe can not then be pacified After lyke maner he teacheth also as concernynge the last day When ye shal se signes in the sonne and moon in the starres and in the sea in the fluddes in men and in heauen when these thynges saythe he begynne to come to passe for we must not deferre it vntyll men thynke that all is paste or make lyght of it as though suche thynges hath chaunced before then take good hede and thynk that there is no time to iest and laugh at these signes For these signes are certayn that the last day draweth nygh And here is a question what signes these shal be and whether they shall fall all together But this oughte not to bee demaunded For Christ sayth hym selfe When this begynneth to come to passe than must ye looke vp And therfore I beleue that certayn thyngs and perchance the most part shal then come to passe when that day beginneth to be opened Wherfore this is sufficient that Christe teacheth where these signes must be marked and looked for in heauen in the sonne moone and starres in men and in the sea When some of them shal be sene ye must not loke that all shall come to passe But we muste make vs redy in season that we maye be prepared to the receauyng of this day Two maner of signes are sette foorth and shewed in the Sonne and Moone Fyrste when they haue Eclipse And although this be of a naturall motion for by art may it wel be knowen before the signe chance yet it is a signe as it is playnely expressed in Mathew But likewise also may there be signes in the sonne that could not be knoweÌ„ before but chaunceth sodeynly before they were perceyued of the prognosticators or any thing thought vpon As the Eclipse at that time when Christ was on the crosse For the reason of the art is this that the Eclipse of the Son is at the coniunction or at the beginnyng of the Moone But when it is in the opposition as it was then or in an other day of the moneth now it is not naturall wherfore that eclipse was a great signe And although we haue sene no such yet it may chance sodenly before we loke for it We also these .xx. yeares haue sene many strange things which all ar counted strange seldom As that a bough did coÌ„passe about the sonne of a great bignesse that the sonne semed so to come downe that there were more sonnes then one yet it is very lyke that some such thing is signified hereby which we neuer proued nor saw before Wherfore we haue sygnes sufficient in the sonne that we nede not to be carelesse but to looke for the true and healthfull comming of our Lorde The other signes that Christ speaketh of are great rorynges and noises of the sea wheras these thinges neuer chance coÌ„monly but with great destructioÌ„ For euen as a maÌ„ when naturall death approcheth is first vexed with sycknes and beginneth to be diseased with the feuer pestiâ—ence or with some other disease All these thynges are tokens that he must leaue this lyfe so the world also shal as a man wold say waxe sick so that heauen the sonne the Moone the starres men waters and all thinges maye signify and geue warning by a notable infirmitie and sickenes and by miserable affliction before it vtterly perishe As touching the signes in men I thynke that they are fully declared in our tyme that the most detestable pope with his doctrine hath promoted and set forwarde these signes because the fearefull consciences haue bene much vexed for as muche as they taughte this that it was a greuous synne not to go to Confession not to pray fast and here Masse c. But in suche vexation no manne coulde learne howe to rydde hym selfe out therof For the trewe comforte that is the remyssion of synnes throughe Christe was abolyshed And there at laste was sette vp a very place of tourment nowe by thys Satisfaction now by that So that I may well beleue that was the chiefest myserye in the earthe As in deede I sawe manye the whyche coulde not byde this
God reueleth and therefore accuseth and condemneth If it be no synne in the lawe of God then is it a popishe synne vnknowen to God and therfore not to be regarded For that is onely synne that the lawe of God forbyddeth And thus may we see that very many lye weltring in great notorious synnes as couetousnes whoredome adultery theafte vsurie anger enuy glotony drunckenes bannynge cursyng blasphemy and suche lyke and styll remayne frowardly in the same without repentaunce without anye conscience of their wycked and vngodly behauiour as for their sinnes they care not onely this is their desire that they may so synne that it be not perceaued nor knowen of other Suche sinnes can not be forgeuen and vnto these belong byndinge or retayninge and the second power whereof Christe speaketh here that suche synnes are to be retayned Therefore here is a difference to be made and the true sinnes are so to be diuided that some are sinnes both before vs and God some only before God and not before vs. For we wil not knowledge them nor be sorie for them and desire of god remission and forgeuenes of them As Dauid saith against thee alone haue I synned and before thee haue I done euil Here both be ioyned together forasmuch as Dauid knowledgeth and confesseth that he hath done euill and knoweth that it doth displease God As thoughe he should saye verely I know and fele the synne not only because I remembre it but also because I fele what synne is able to do yea I feale the power and strength of synne that it is a cruel torment and an intollerable burden and that it accuseth me before god and goeth about to plucke me vnto death and vnto the deuill as Paule sayth to the Romains without the lawe synne was dead I lyued somtime without lawe As though he should saye Synne is alwayes in vs. But before the lawe commeth it is as though it were buried or a sleape For it disquieteth vs not it vexeth vs not it tormenteth vs not And hereof it commeth that we heape dayly more and more sinne vpon synne and make no conscience thereof otherwise woulde we repent and cease to synne But when that thonderbolte I meane the lawe of God stryketh the conscience pearceth it thorowe then begynneth synne as a man wolde saye to waxe alyue againe so that now we begynne to knowe how mightie a thing synne is whiche taketh god awaye from vs and casteth vs downe hedlong vnto the deuill and hell fyre Therfore sayth Paule when the lawe came synne waxed alyue again But I was dead the commandement which was vnto life was founde vnto me to be vnto death And this is the very sinne which is sin before God me as we may see in Dauid when he committed adultery with Bethseba the sin greued him nothing at all for sinne was dead But when Nathā the prophete ones came and did cast this thonderbolt at him Thou art this man then beganne syn to waxe aliue in Dauids hearte and threatned him death But Nathan conforteth him sayth Thou shalt not dye Thus sewe that the Apostlike regiment is an aucthoritie and power not ouer politique ciuile and temporall matters or ouer suche synnes alone as that world accuseth cōdemneth iudgeth and punisheth but ouer all those synnes whiche thou in thy consciēce and god in his righteousnes count to be sinnes so that by thys meanes the syns of the whole worlde are subiect to the Apostles to all the ministers of the church yea when time requireth to all Christians so that thou maist certenly persuade thy selfe when thou hearest of thy pastour or in his absence of any other Christian that thy sinnes are forgeuē thee in the name of Christ that that is so true iuste and certen and is also of no lesse power as though Christ himself had spoken it or an Angel from heauen had declared it vnto thee at the commandement of Christ. But this cōmission and power is not geuen to the Apostles ministers of the church that they shoulde thereby auaunce themselues setforth their owne honour waxe proude and exercise tyranny ouer the congregation of God For it is onely geuen them to this ende that therby they should serue thee and that thou mayest be defended agaynste thine enemye whiche is to stronge for thee Therfore this is a wonderfull and incredible power that wretched man whiche is a synner also should dryue the deuyll out with his power whom otherwise the hole worlde coulde not expell and driue out For so sayth Christ what soeuer ye losen in earth shal be losened in heauen Again whose synnes ye shall forgeue shal be forgeuen them And as it is rehersed in this our gospell as my father sent me so lykewise do I send you These wordes are so plaine and euident that no man ought to doubte of them but as he heareth the wordes of remission of sinnes pronounced vnto hym so lykewise shall he receaue and enioye it And this is the cause that we admonishe you so often seinge Christe hath geuen suche and so great power to his churche that ye shoulde vse the same and by no meanes despise it For vnto this ende hath Christ ordeined this ministerie that on this wise the synnes of the worlde shoulde be forgeuen and taken awaye so that they be sinnes in dede and with a repentaunt fayth and faithful repentaunce knowledged and confessed For as for counterfaite and forged synnes they pertayne nothynge vnto this matter They must be sinnes in dede which trouble vexe and disquiet the heart as Adam in the fyrste booke of Moyses preached and sayd to his son Cain If sayth he thou haddest done well and haddest ben good thyne oblation shoulde haue bene accepted But for asmuche as thou arte euill thy synne lyeth in the dores As though he shold say Thou standest nowe there and arte a synner but thou dost not yet fele it Thy synne lyeth but in a very troublesome and vnrestfull place Therfore se vnto it for it wyll one day awake and comme to light and then shall it otherwise go with thee For thy synne lieth lurketh not vnto this ende that it shoulde for euer rest and be kepte secrete but that it should comme to light that it may torment trouble vexe and byte thee so that thou shalt not know what to do nor whether to turne thee They therfore that are not moued with their sins haue notwithstandinge synnes in dede but yet suche as are not venial remissible or able to be forgeuen and therefore are their sinnes retained holden and boūde For they haue no luste nor desyre to be forgeuen for if they had they would repent and leaue to synne This was the doctrine of the Papistes that whosoeuer wold haue remissiō of their sinnes they should firste of all confesse all theyr synnes to the priest be contrite and sorie for them and receaue penaunce at the
to praye c. But the whole pythe and summe of the matter consisteth in this and so is delyuerance frome synne obteyned that thou knowest that Christ is gone vnto the Father although good workes may not be left vndone For thou arte commanded of God in the tenne commaundementes to doo them and diligentely to exercise thy selfe in all good dedes commaunded of God and prescribed in hys holye woorde But thow mayste not adde thys vnto theym That thou sekest to bee iustified and made ryghteous by theym For by thys is righteousnesse onely to bee goten that CHRIST is gone vnto the Father Thys is the alone waye and none other whereby wee are delyuered frome our synnes and iustifyed Christes iourneye or goyng vnto the Father is none other thynge thenne that hee hathe suffered dyed on the Crosse and by deathe is gone awaye oute of the worlde vnto the Father that is He is ascended into heauen and there sytteth on the ryghte hande of GOD the Father and gouerneth his Kyngedome Wee see not thys but we beleue it Thys is the whole matter whereby we are iustifyed so that ryghteousnesse is not to bee imputed to my strengthe or power but to Iesus Christe because hee goeth vnto the Father And yf wee wylle speake it wyth playne woordes it is thus muche to saye No man is iustified or saued or delyuered from synne but by this onely that Iesus Christ hath suffered dyed and risen agayne This goyng of Christ iustifieth thee and none other thyng But nowe marke howe that doothe agree wyth thys doctrine that the Papistes teache He that wyll be saued say they must bryng that to passe with his owne workes In dede this is godly and truely sayd that a Christen man must lyue in this worlde godlye iustly and holyly but that he shall bee made righteous by his holy and good workes that is most false For it is here playne that the goynge of Christe vnto the Father worketh that onely This is the assured certayn true and infallible righteousnes wherof the worlde knoweth nothynge The Holye Ghoste onely reueleth and openeth that mysterie But the Papistes obiecte thys saying of Christe agaynst vs If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes Thys hathe an other maner of meanynge And by this it appearethe euidentely that the Papystes knowe not what it is to keepe the commaundementes For yf they dydde they woulde otherwyse expounde that sentence of CHRIST Therefore this sayenge abydethe sure and certayne that there is none other Ryghteousenesse and Euerlastynge lyfe for vs thenne thys that the Lorde Christe Iesus is gone oute of thys worlde vnto the Father Holde faste thys Doctrine and lette not the deuyll by any meanes plucke it awaye frome thee The deuyll maye feare me and trouble my conscience for of oure owne strengthes wee are not able to preuayle agaynst hym but there is an other way which not I but Christe goeth thoroughe hyghe obedience towarde his heauenly Father Hym that is to saye CHRIST shall the deuyll neuer bee able to make vnryghteous or a synner althoughe thoroughe synne hee hathe the hygher hande of me Therefore lette thys bee oure assured truste and synguler great conforte and stedfastely beleue that by Christes goyng vnto the Father wee haue ryghteousnesse euen Remyssion of oure synnes and Euerlastynge lyfe For Faythe is necessarie to embrace thys woorke of oure Sauiour Christe The goynge and worke of Christ is certayne Christe hath fynyshed all the whole matter soo that nowe there remaynethe nothynge elles but that we embrace thys woorke of Christe wyth a sure and vndoubted Faythe and conforte our selues therewyth Doest thou beleue it So haste thou it Doest thou not beleue it Then haste thou nothyng Thys is doone that we shoulde vtterly caste awaye our owne ryghteousnesse whyche is altogether spotted and vnpure as the Prophete saythe All oure ryghteousnesses are as a polluted and defyled clothe and sette all oure Faythe hope truste and confydence onely vppon CHRIST alone and vppon his worke or goynge vnto hys Father that we may be at all tymes certayne and sure where to reste and of whome to seeke our saluation For yf oure Righteousnesse dydde consyste in our owne woorkes and satisfactions in oure owne confession and contrition as they preached and yet do in the Popes church so should our heartes neuer be quiet neither shold we at any tyme bee certayne and sure of our saluation For whenne shoulde we knowe and be sure that we haue bene sorye ynoughe confessed doone penaunce ynoughe and made satisfaction ynoughe Therefore hathe CHRIST taken all that matter frome vs and layde it vppon hym selfe that wee shoulde leaue to hym alone moste stedfastely beleeuynge that hys goyng vnto the Father hys deathe and satisfaction is oure Ryghteousnesse For in this behalfe there can bee no vncertayntie For the persone is suche euen CHRISTE Iesus the sonne of GOD as in whome no faulte canne be founde And he it is that dothe thys worke whyche was ordeyned of the Father that by hym we myght haue healpe agaynste synne deuyll and deathe In consideration wherof Iohn Baptist calleth him the lambe of God saying Beholde that lambe of God that taketh awaye the synne of the worlde Thys therefore is a moste perfect determination in thys oure Gospelle that ryghteousnesse consisteth not in that we eyther doo or leaue vndoone but in thys that Christe goeth vnto the Father Whyche ryghteousnesse whenne that thou haste ones gotten through Fayth then do thou also good workes and apply thy self to the vttermost of thy power to shew thyâ—e obedience whyche thou owest vnto GOD. For before thou haste embraced Christe wyth a certayne and sure Faythe thou canste doo noo good woorke The Christen ryghteousnesse therefore is a mooste synguler and excellente ryghteousnesse whiche no hearte can thynke no reason or wysedome can conceaue All the matter is to be knowen and learned of the Holye Ghoste Neyther though we heare it can neither though we heare it can it otherwise be perceaued then by faith alone as Christe sayth here I go vnto the father yea shall se me no more That is to say ye must beleue otherwise shal ye neuer coÌ„preheÌ„de this my worke of your iustification This is the Christian righteousnes whiche the holy ghoste alone teacheth Of the righteousnes of the world Philolosophers Lawyers and the expositours of the lawe do teache parentes also in their familie But a Christen mans knowledge is an other maner of science wherof the worlde knoweth nothing namely that without faith all things are sin that the true euerlasting righteousnes consisteth in this only that Christ goeth to the father we se him no more The third part is that the holy ghoste also rebuketh the worlde of iudgement What maner of iudgement this is Christ sheweth on this wise The prince of the world saieth he is iudged Therfore as the
As it chanceth in the wynd The sound therof is heard but we can neither declare the risynge nor the slackyng therof So is it in the newe byrthe The outwarde ceremonie commeth by the water vnto the eyes and the word is heard that the woorke is done in the name of Iesus vnto the absolution and remission of synnes He that regardeth not the worde and spirite and the vertue thereof and seketh it not after that sorte as Christe hath appoynted shall bee deceyued For nothyng els is requisite to the getting of the newe birth and spirite but that thou must be baptised with water and take diligent hede to the word This is the newe birth to the kyngdome of God and no other way is there What wil these sectaries say here which only crake of the spirite and in the meane tyme lay asyde baptisme the sacrament worde Wherfore Christ here doth not teache but he sheweth by a plain demonstration baptisme the word And doth admonyshe vs that if we will not be content to vse the water and word that we shall haue nothing of the holye ghost neither shall we euer atteyne to the new byrth Wherfore let vs haue diligent regard of our baptisme and of the word as of the chief part of our saluation Where we know for a suretie that if we kepe that we are new borne vnto the kingdome of God And this doctrine how we must be new borne that is how we must come to the kingdom of God is strāge and not heard of in the world and yet it is only true vnfallible where as of the contrary part all other doctrines deceaue seme they neuer so good by the iudgemēt of the world of reason The life of the phariseis the rules of monkes the deuotion of the single shauelings are very fantasticall And the works of vertue of the ten cōmandements do not a little cōmend them that haue them Yet there is none of al these things that doth regenerate It is only water and the spirite that doth worke these thinges which spirite will no otherwise be knowen of vs or felt but as the wind is knowen by the sound He that heareth the sounde that is beleueth is baptised he is new borne shal be saued But Nicodemus is so deepely drownde vp in his phantasticall imaginations of the law and good workes that he can not cōprehend this doctrine as it doth also chaunce in those Papistes that are moste wittie For it hindreth them alwayes when they think thus should all this be nothing should not this please God that we fast that we pray that we geue almes Wherfore Christ hādleth hym with the more austeritie for that he wil not beleue knowledge the true doctrine saith Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these thinges As though he should say How then doest thou thy dutie as a maister of Israel seinge thou knowest not the way of true saluation This doctrine of the newe byrth and regeneration is the doctrin of the prophets necessarie to saluatiō Now art thou so ignorāt that thou doest not knowe that vice in oure nature whiche hath neede to bee abolished by regeneration But for what purpose is this reprouing of a maister in Israell Uerily that all preachers of religion and of true saluation may know that all learninge which is without the doctrine of regeneration is naught and false Not because it is a faulte to teache good workes and to adhorte men therto For so doth the lawe of god and doth wel therby But herin are they to be blamed that beside this doctrine they teache men nothyng els as though nothing els were requisite to euerlastinge life For it is euident in this place that although the lawe and good workes be done yet they profitte nothynge to the attainement of the kyngdome of god but that there muste nedes be the new byrth of water of the holy ghost And it is the spirite which by the water worde doth make other new men The lawe and the workes do change neither the men neither the workes Wherfore he that thinketh with himselfe how he might bring men to saluation let him haue respect to the newe byrth as Christ hath here let him not beginne it by good workes but let hym laye the fundation by that thing that can make a new heart that is let hym lead men to baptisme and to the spirit ye and to the word by the whiche the holy Ghoste doth worke in mens heartes For as the winde nothing is knowen but the sounde so of the holy ghost nothyng is perceaued but the worde That must ye kepe surely and then looke for the operation of the holy ghost Nowe what maner of worde this is and how the holy Ghoste doth make a sounde Christe here teacheth No man goeth vp into heauen but he that came down frō heauen euen the sonne of man which is in heauen This begynninge of the sermon is of that wherof Christe sayth ye beleue not me if I speake earthlye thinges to you how wil ye beleue if I speake heauēly things vnto you For this sermon can not be inuēted by any man but the only begotten sonne which is in the bosom of the father hath declared it vnto vs. Of this sermon or saying ther are two partes The fyrste is somwhat harde For of this it is certainely decreed No man ascendeth into heauen but he that came downe from thence the meaning wherof is all one with the saying before Except a man be new borne he cā not see the kyngdome of God That is No man can be saued or obtaine remissiō of his sinnes rightousnes neither by the law neither by good workes reason or free wil. And he that hath no more then these things although they be neuer so good he is dāned can haue no hope of saluation It is a very euident plaine sentence whiche if the Iewes papistes wold beleue it wold make them to forsake al the trust that they haue in their owne workes and righteousnes For what man hath his birth from heauen None no not the first that were Adam and Eue. It is only the sonne of Mary as Christe here saith Therfore if none shal enter vp to heauen but he that came downe frō heauen it is plaine that all men as they be borne of their parēts can not ascend into heauē If they can not go vp into heauen what place is there for them For they can not cōtinew in earth for death If therbe no going vp to heauen than can no man escape damnation This is the iudgement of Christ as touching all the worlde no man excepted whether it be Adam Eue Abraham Moyses or Dauid all they can not enter in to heauen For he only ascēdeth into heauen that came down frō thence What do we then preuaile by good workes merits the law or free wil All these things are
euery man so consider his neyghbour when he doth hym good that god may take it as done vnto hymselfe Then is ther nothyng in the worlde so vile base with which God may not be serued The seruant in the stable The mayde in the dayrie or kitchyn the child in the schole yea all shoulde be the Lordes seruantes and worshippers if they woulde do that diligently that God commande So shoulde houses be made churches where as nothyng is kepte but gods seruice But no man caÌ„ be persuaded to care for this No man will serue his neyghbour All men endeuer to serue them selues to seke their owne commoditie Wherfore euen as by doing good to our neyghbour we may worke a thing acceptable to god So the world doth alway gratifie and please the deuill in that it regard not Charitie toward his neyghbour But the ende therof will be sorowfull For how can this please God wher as god hath ordayned his seruice to be done so nigh that with out in the felde within in the house whersoeuer thou doest the workes of thy vocation thou art occupied as it were in an holy temple wher moste acceptable seruice may be done to god And yet we regard it not but despise it and had rather serue the deuil than hym Wherfore learne this that he that geueth a benefite to his neyghbour doth it not only to his neyghbour but to his heauenly father also For there is a sayinge in this place that God will take this to be done vnto him euen as though it were done to hym in heauen For els woulde not Christ haue sayde The second is lyke the first He that can not be brought into this beleife that he maye do heauenly thynges in the earth and that he may fynde euery where a temple let hym get hym to the deuill For euen as thou mayest make thee here a Paradise and an heauen when thou doest good to thy neyghboure for therin thou doest good to God whiche is in heauen so when thou doest not good to thy neyghboure thou makest a hell and damnation for thy selfe For thou doest gratifie the deuill whiche is appointed to hell Neither doth it skyll if thou doest not yet see it and fele it For the tyme shall come when thou shall both fele it and see it when thou shalte accuse thy selfe for thy stubburnes and great folye Wherfore it were very necessarie for vs to learne to exercise oure selues to doe good vnto our neyghbours For all thynges are geuen to vs from god to this entent hole and perfect senses riches vnderstandynge and suche other that we myght therby obey this commaundement and do to hym this seruice And as this doctrine as concernynge loue of GOD and our neyghbour belongeth to this present lyfe So the second doctrine whiche teacheth whose sonne Christe is doth teache vs howe we maye obtaine an other euerlastynge lyfe after this lyfe For we shall not obtayne euerlastynge lyfe by this if we knowe howe GOD and oure neyghbour ought to beloued of vs althoughe we begyne to performe this in dede with all diligence as the Phariseyes dyd suppose whiche thought that if they had Moses they neded no more But Christ sheweth here that this preuayleth not vnto the obtayninge of euerlastyng lyfe We must clyme and ascend to a hyer steppe and learne perfectly what is Christ and whose sonne he is The Phariseâ—es knewe that he should be the son of Dauid But Christe requireth more in this place The reason is this For if Christe were no more but the sonne of Dauid he must nedes die as Dauid dyd and should he haue only a corporal kyngdome But Christ hath an eternall kyngdome And Dauid his father calleth hym father in spirite Howe doth this agree that Christ should be both Dauides sonne and Lorde This is a question to the whiche the Phariseyes can make no answer neither can any of the Iewes at this present time answere therto In this question is nothing beloÌ„ging to thy neighbour to charitie to good workes But this is intented euen to teache vs to know what Christ is He that learneth yâ— can not wander froÌ„ the kyngdom of heauen and euerlasting life For it is not sufficient to euerlasting lyfe to know the law what is to be don The reason is this Because that also is required that it should be done Which thing is wont to procede very slowly Wherfore this is of necessitie required euen to know perfectly what CHRIST is Wherfore Christ doth so put forth the question and byddeth them to make answere whose sonne Christe is which after the flesh was Dauids sonne But for as muche as Dauid calleth him not son but his Lord yea and such a Lord that sitteth at the right hande of god to whoÌ„ god wil make all his enemies his footstoole By this questioÌ„ Christ mindeth to stirre vp the Iewes and all vs to haue a more hygher iudgement of Christ to beholde him with other maner of eyes than with suche as see hym only to be the son of Dauid For he is Dauids Lorde also that is he is not only a man but also very God borne eternallie out of the father Or els would not Dauid haue called him Lorde if he had not ben more then a man and if he had only byn Dauids sonne For Dauid was an excellent holy man and a most learned Kyng and yet he calleth Christ which is his sonne lorde As though he should say and openly confesse-My son passeth me farre I am a Kyng and beare the name of his father but yet he is my lord and such a Lord that sitteth at the right hand of God and by gods commandement beareth rule ouer all his enemies For wher as he is a man it is easie to iudge what maner of enemies he hath euen the deuill death as Paule gathereth out of this very psalme If the deuill then death ought to be made a footestoole to this sonne of Dauid that he might be their Lord this must nedes folowe that a godly power is in this sonne of Dauid For without this vertue he coulde do nothyng against death and the deuill no more then other men can By this meanes than doth Christ bringe vs to the true meaning declaring the way to euerlasting lyfe The law is a most profitable necessary doctrine For it sheweth what we ought to do to please God to serue him to escape yâ— punishement of sinne But this doctrine belongeth only to this present lyfe But for as much as after this life we must come to an other lyfe which is euerlastynge the doctrine of the lawe preuayleth nothing ther vnto The reason is There can be no hope of lyfe excepte we be whollie ridde and deliuered froÌ„ sinne And although the law be geuen to this ende that sinne might be restrained yet synnes be not therby layde a syde Wherfore we haue nede of an other
Wherfore Remyssion of synnes is the woorke of GOD although God woorketh it by man Thus then must Remission of synnes be required in the worde which is put in mans mouthe and in the Sacramentes whiche are ministred by men and no where els For it can be found no where ells Who can not vnderstande this that my woorkes are farre otherwyse whyche I doo than the worde and woorkes of God What madnesse thenne moueth the Papists to attribute the Remission of their synnes to theyr workes Wherefore whenne they in the laste daye shall comme foorth with their workes CHRIST shall aske theym and saye Where is my worde then I ordeyned in my Congregation Baptisme the Sacramente of my body and bloode absolution the open preachyng of my word that men myght by them obteyne remission of their synnes and be partakers of my grace Why haue not ye vsed this way and trade Here might ye haue had a sure way of remission of synnes but in your workes there is no certayntie Wherfore you must marke this doctrine diligētly what is proprely the remission of sin how we may be assured therof wherof we muste aske it receyue it Uerily in this ye must haue respect only vnto the holy church wher the word sacraments are ther is it found not in heauen as the Phariseis thynk supposyng that Christ blasphemeth God because he remitteth syn But beware thou of that and say God hath bestowed remission of synne in Baptisme and in the worde yea he hath put it in euery Christian mannes mouthe when he conforteth thee and sheweth to the the grace of God that thou mayste receaue and beleue it no otherwyse then yf Christ hym selfe had pronounced it by hys owne mouthe as he pronouncethe to the man that was sycke of the palseye Wherefore these heretikes are greately deceaued where as they sunder the woorde frome Remission of synne Thys myght be doone yf it were the woorde of man but it is Gods worde and Gods water He that goeth about to take that frome man and to defraude hym of it takethe awaye frome manne also remission of synnes neyther is there any remedye agaynste it Wherefore the Anabaptistes and other heretikes do loose also the Remyssion of synnes Baptisme the Sacramente the holye Congregation and all christian woorkes because they caste awaye the worde that they heare of theyr mynister and care no more for it then yf it were the voyce of a beast God spake ones by an asse and yf he should yet speake by an oxe or by any other beast he ought to be hearde Why should it not preuayle than when men speake by the commandement of God For althoughe thou doest heare the voyce of a manne yet doste thou heare God and receauest for a suretie Remission of thy synnes frome GOD if thou embrace it onely with Faithe I thought it good to make mention of this matter in thys place that ye myght make stronge your selues agaynste sectes and that ye myghte bee prepared agaynst theyr assaultes For as I said in the Popedom they knewe nothyng lesse then this doctrine For this they thynk in the popedome that baptisme came to an ende nowe longe agone But if they haue nede of remission of synne then that contrition confession and satisfaction are requisite For thus dydde they describe penaunce But thys diuinitie is suche that the dyuell canne well awaye therewith For it hurteth not hys kyngedome This is trewe that contrition is requisite and that we must be sorie for our synnes but we obteyne not remission of synne thereby For Remission of synnes commeth onely hereby yf that I haue respecte to the worde and promyse of God and embrace that with a stronge faithe But they inuert this and turne it vp syde downe They omytte the worde they regarde not what the Minister pronounceth by the commandement of Iesu CHRIST they haue respecte onely to theyr contrition and penaunce But by this meanes they lese bothe Christe and all his benefyttes Neyther is it possyble that they shoulde conforte or solace as much as one troubled conscience For they lette passe the woorde in the whiche onelye remayneth all hope of saluation and bryngeth menne to contrition and rightuousnesse But lerne you this as concernyng Remission of synnes to conforte both youre selues and other also For as muche as God in Baptisme in absolution in the open preaching of his word in the sacrament doth talke with vs by his minister and by al other christians to this must credence be geuen and then for a suretie we obteyn remission of our synnes whiche remission in the Popedome was dead and buried For as touchynge it there is not a woorde mentioned in all the Popes bulles onely they make rehersall ▪ of contrition and referre the remission of synnes vnto it And thus haue we remit synne Now let vs briefly touche the hystorie The sycke of the palsey is an example of all synners For this is the propretie of this disease The members can not do their offices and when a man goeth aboute to drawe his fete or his handes to hym the farther they falle frome hym Wherefore Aristotle in his Ethikes compareth suche a man to wylde and fierce youthe whyche can by no meanes be tamed But he that wyll wel vnderstande this disease muste take it to be spoken of hypocrites that wyll be iustified by theyr woorkes For the more that these labour to drawe nyghe vnto God and to pacifie hym the farther they ar cast from him And when they thynke that they do hym moste pleasure they displease hym most For they haue no Faythe He therfore that coueteth to be ridde of this euyll let hym come to this man which deliuereth on this wise when he saith My sonne be of good comfort thy synnes ar forgeuen thee By such a worde is strengthe restored to the membres that they maye healpe one an other For where as is remission of synnes there shall ensue very true good workes for sinne is taken away This was Christes especial meaning with the sick of the palsey He laye downe sicke in his bed for his disease woulde suffer hym to do no otherwise he was as a killed hog and vnprofitable in all his mēbers But when Christ biddeth him to rise he riseth and is strong and lustie where as he was wont to be caried from home now he beareth home his owne couche This wold Christ that we herof shold take and behold an example and signe of that that he hath power in earth to forgeue synne He speaketh playnely in the earth that we shold not loke for it from heauen or as the Pope taught to hope for remission of syns in purgatorie by other mens workes and merites For so it is in this place that remission of synnes is a power which is geuen to men in earth at Baptisme at ministryng of the sacramente in absolution and in open preachyng Contrarywise whatsoeuer is bound that is
is excluded from Baptisme the sacrament and the worde is bounde also in heauen By this power that we men in earthe doo lose and bynd sinnes god is not spoiled of his glorie neyther ar we made Gods therby as the prophane and wicked mynded men doo oftentymes say of this matter For we haue no more than the ministerie and office Wherfore God hath coupled vs together by this ministerie that alwaies one of vs shoulde conforte and confirme an other And that the other shoulde thynke hym selfe bounde to beleue as farre as the worde is purely preached vnto hym that is to say remission of synnes in the name of Christ. And this is the very bryngyng vnto God and remission of syns He that dieth in thys beliefe dieth to his saluation But hee that dyeth as he is taught in the Popedome with a confidence and trust of the intercession of Sainctes dyeth euyll and to his destruction For hee lackethe those defenders whiche God ordeyned agaynst the violence of death that is the trewe pastor the pure worde and absolution So great miserie the deuyll brought in by the Pope yea and nowe begynneth to bee the author of an other infection by the sectaries For they can not abyde the worde This offendeth his eyes Wherefore the Pope toke it clean away and in his place brought in the monkes rules masses pilgremages pardons and suche other This can the dyuel well away with For it hyndreth his kyngdom nothyng The Anabaptistes furder the matter which speake very contemptuously of the water of Baptisme The Swenckfeldians also mooste vilely and wickedly contemne the outward preachynge of the worde All haue loste the worde wherfore they are to be auoyded and this is to be learned that remission is no where els but there as the woorde is That woorde is in Baptisme in the Supper of the Lorde in absolution in publike preachyng Wherfore remission of synne is there also and let hym be accursed that sayeth otherwise But wher as the word is there is faith requisite And then the membres begyn to be fastned which the syck of the palsey could before moue by no means But loke wher the worde is not the palsey is neuer taken away and it is vnpossible that any true mouyng should ioyn the membres together This wold I the more earnestly dryue into you because the Pope and sectes are the authors of suche great disorder in the Congregation The Pope bryngeth neyther to the worde nor sacramentes The sectaries can not but speake contemptuously of the worde and sacrament and nothynge preuayleth with them but the holy Ghoste And we knowe thys that the holye ghoste wyll not doo hys worke without the woorde and sacramentes Wherfore we can not despise the woorde and sacramentes but we wyll obserue them for the chiefe thynges that we haue God graunte his grace that we maye preserue this pure doctrine and continue in it to the end and be saued Amen The .xx Sonday after Trinitie Sondaye ¶ The Gospell Math. xxii IEsus sayde to his Disciples The kyngdom of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a kynge which made a maryage for his sonne and sent forthe his seruauntes to call them that were bydden to the weddyng and they woulde not come Agayne he sent forth other seruauntes saying Tell them which are bydden behold I haue prepared my dinner mine Oxen and my fatlynges are kylled and all thynges are redy come vnto the mariage But they made light of it and went their wayes one to his farme place another to his marchaundise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreated them shamefully and slewe them But when the kyng heard thereof he was wrothe and sent forthe his men of warre and destroyed those murtherers and brente vp theyr Citie Then sayde he to his seruauntes The maryage in dede is prepared but they whiche were bydden were not worthy Go ye therefore out into the hye wayes and as manye as ye fynde bydde theym to the maryage And the seruauntes wente foorthe into the hyghe wayes and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde bothe good and badde and the weddynge was furnyshed with geastes Then the kynge came in to see the geastes and when he spyed there a man whiche had not on a weddyng garment he saide vnto him Frende howe camest thou in hyther not hauyng a weddynge garmente And he was euen spechelesse Then sayde the kynge to the ministers Take and bynde hym hande and foote and caste him into vtter darknesse there shal be weepyng and gnashynge of teeth For many be called but fewe are chosen THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospel ye heare that the kingdom of God is lyke vnto a mariage vnto the whiche many are bydden that not onely come not and regarde not but that also reuile and kyll the seruants that call them Here must we first learn what this word Kyngdom of heauen signifieth euen that it is no worldly kyngdom but a kyngdome in heauen where as God onely is kyng That doo we call the holye churche whiche is nowe For Christ dothe therfore vse the parable of the mariage because that he beyng the kynges sonne taketh the churche to be his spouse Wherfore the kyngdome of heauen is to be taken on suche wise that it is in earth and yet it is no politicall or earthly kyngdome but spirituall and eternall For the state of the Christians that are in this lyfe is suche that they are halfe in the kyngdome of God that is in soule and spirite and after theyr fayth Wherfore when thou heareste of the kyngdome of heauen thou must not loke to heauen but thou must seke after it in the earth amongest men and that in all the world where soeuer the Gospel is beleued and the true vse of the sacraments ministred So that proprely the kyngdom of heauen is nothyng els then the kyngdom of Christ the kyngdome of the Gospell and of faith For whersoeuer the Gospell is there is Christ. And wher Christ is there is the holy ghost and his kyngdome whiche is the true kyngdom of heauen For the which cause all that haue the word and sacramentes and beleue continue in Christ by faith they are heauenly princes and sonnes of God And onely this remayneth that God moue away the half wall which is put betwene that is that we die then shall all thynges be heauen and saluation This therfore must be lerned first that the kingdome of heauen is the kyngdome of Christe where as the worde Faith is For in this kyngdome we haue lyfe in hope and are cleane from synnes free from death hell Sauyng that the body of synne is lefte whiche is not yet abolyshed and yet shal be abolished when al thinges shal be lyfe saluation and heauen To this mariage sayeth Christ God hathe called the Iewes his people dyuers tymes before his commynge by his holy Prophets For it was their office specially bycause they cōmanded the Iewes to waite for
fruite therof Or who fedeth a flocke and eateth not of the mylke of the flocke saye I these thinges after the maner of men Saith not the lawe the same also For it is written in the lawe of Moyses Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Doth not God take thought for oxen Saith he it not altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt is this written that he which eareth should eare in hope that he which thresseth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we sowe vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thinge if we reape your bodely thynges c. Do ye not know howe that they which minister about holy thinges lyue of the scripture They which wayte of the temple are pertakers of the temple Euen so also did the Lord ordaine that they whiche preache the gospell shoulde lyue of the gospell Againe he saith Let him that is taught in the word minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thinges Be not deceaued God is not mocked Also in an other place The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour most specially they which laboure in the word and teaching For the scripture sayth Thou shalte not mosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And the labourer is worthie of his rewarde But if the maiestrate be negligent will not loke to this matter as he ought as he is bouÌ„d by his office so that by this meanes the vngodly parishioners are encouraged to go forth in their wickednes to wthold froÌ„ the pastours that is their due is it to be thought that those vngracious people shal escape vnpunished Nay verely What shal be the end theÌ„ verely if the pastour be not able to folow his right god wtout doubt both is able also wil do it He wil seÌ„de to those caterpillers plagues pestileÌ„ces to destroy both maÌ„ beast He wil seÌ„de theues to robbe spoile those cormoraÌ„ts goods he wil seÌ„de also tempestes to destroy those things that are necessary for their liuing as their corne their wine their herbes â—heir fruites c. Yea he will sende those vnrighteous persons short fewe dayes vpon the earth geue their goods which they vniustly gotte to other which shall as wastefully spend theÌ„ as they warely niggardlye kept them Nowe what then haue these leude people gotteÌ„ by this their deceipt to their pastours in defrauding theÌ„ of their duties verely the anger of god a wicked coÌ„science a giltie minde losse of their goods corne cattel short life an vtter dissipation of all that they haue as I may speake nothing more greuously WheÌ„ men are thus iustly plagued for their sinnes thoughe they coÌ„plaine yet shal they receaue this answere Why ye haue no nede to coÌ„plaine There hath nothiÌ„g chauÌ„ced vnto you whiche ye haue not worthely deserued loke vpoÌ„ your couetousnes pride gluttony druÌ„ckeÌ„nes whoredoÌ„ adulterie enuye malice coÌ„tempt of the worde disobedience to the maiestrats dishonour to their Pastours carnall securitie carelesse life c. haue all these your euils deserued no plagues It is the great mercy of god that ye all yours are not coÌ„sumed with fire and brimstone froÌ„ heauen as Sodome Gomor was Your sinnes are the occasion that ye are thus afflicted So doth Christ in this place admonish the Iewes also that seing they haue lost their kingdoÌ„ be now brought into the power of the Romains they shold not so greatly coÌ„plaine of loosing their right but rather consyder their sinnes which are the occasion of all their plagues miseries punishments which they nowe worthely suffer again seing that they haue not performed that vnto god which they ought him that god is no more bouÌ„de to performe that he promised theÌ„ But this could the Iewes by no meanes be persuaded that they were dispossessed of their kyngdome for their synnes sake that therfore they ought to take it pacieÌ„tly quietly They obiected alwayes their right title that they had greatly wrong done vnto theÌ„ But all this profited nothing at all seing the God was otherwise determined for the punishemeÌ„t of their sins yea that worthely not without desert Therfore he sendeth the Emperour of Rome vnto them which coÌ„pelleth them to obey will they nil they For the kyngdom was not otherwise promised to the Iewes then vnder a coÌ„dition that is to say if they serued god according to his word lyued vprightly did no maÌ„ wroÌ„g c. If they did not this it was told them plainly that they shold loose their kingdom they become subiectes to a straÌ„ger And thus must we also thincke in all our miseries calamities and wofull chaunces Our sinnes are the occasion of them all The Turke is a more fearce and cruell enemie to the Christen religion then any Prince in the worlde although neuer so sauage and barbarous and daylye getteth victories of vs Christen men so that by this meanes his empire is maruelouslye enlarged and he become a most mightie and stronge Prince Nowe in the consideration of this matter where shall we beginne of the Turke or rather of our selues verely of our selues We thorow our sinnes haue geuen hym entraunce into the Christen borders we haue weakened our selues and fortified him We haue geuen him prosperous successe in his warres many noble notable victories against our selues Our sinnes against God and our wickednes one against an other hath brought this thing to passe so that whatsoeuer we suffer at the Turckes hande we suffer it worthely according to our desertes The Papistes also go forth to defende their Idolatries and supersticions and most cruelly persecute and put to death the true professours of gods trueth We wold gladly haue their Idolatrie and tyranny taken awaye that we might haue the gospell of our Sauiour Christ quietly and freely preached and taught among vs. But why then do not we that know the gospell and professe the same with our lyppes repent vs of our former wicked life and so lyue as it becometh them that professe Christ Howe can God otherwise do then suffer suche Idolatrous tyrantes tirannical Idolaters to lyue and raigne among vs to persecute and plague vs to beprickes and thornes in our eyes seing that with our mouth we professe that we know God but with our workes we vtterly deny hym as the Apostle saith Thus muche haue I spoken concerning the first part of our gospell In the seconde parte we learne that there is a difference betwene the kyngdome of the world and the kyngdome of Christe and that Christe in thys oure Gospell dothe not condemne the ciuile regimente but rather confirmeth the same with all the thinges that pertaine vnto it as landes possessions tribute families and whatsoeuer other thynge maketh vnto the confyrmation and ornamente of the politique state For where as Christe sayeth Geue those thynges
lyfe And to this comforte belongeth the goodly similitude of the trees In the spryng sayth he when wynter is at an ende and all the earthe is renewed when colde departeth and heate approcheth and the bare trees begynne to bee greene wyth newe bowghes no other thynge foloweth hereof but that the trees bryng foorthe buddes and after that spreade abroade theyr leaues Then it is the common saying Wynter is gone and goodlye Sommer draweth nyghe We gladly let wynter depart and imbrace pleasant Sommer at hys commyng Therfore in his similitude of the trees may we haue euident resons declaring after what maner we ought to loke for this last day For as after leaues commeth sommer so when the earth shal be moued and the heauens shall tremble and when the sonne and Moone shall appere mourneful let these thyngs seme no more dreadfull vnto vs then when the tender leaues crepe forth of the trees when sommer begynneth to come in For these sygnes are to vs euen as the leaues and iuyce of the trees that we may ioyfully looke for that euerlastyng sommer For this presente miserable lyfe is very well compared to bareyn and euil fauored winter In the whiche all thyng dye and wyther awaye But these thynges shall then come to their ende and euerlastynge sommer shall come in theyr stede that is the kyngedome of GOD whereby the kyngdome of the deuyll shall peryshe Why are there so manye myseries geuen as a punisshement in the earthe because ye lyue amongest the couetous and wycked that blaspheme and curse the Gospell and stirre vp all mischiefe in the worlde This muste we see and here and looke daiely for worse Frome all these thynges will I deliuer you by my commyng that ye may not be constrayned to behold any longer their wickednes Wherfore this terrible state of the world doth not com for you but for your enemies They haue a good cause to be afrayde and sorowfull But reioyce ye as godly Loth dyd whiche sayth Peter dwelt in Sodoma and was constreigned with his innocent eyes and eares to heare and se the detestable synnes vntill they grew to such fulnesse and ripenesse that God coulde no lenger refrayne There came two Angels whyche ledde godly Loth out of the citie Surely this thyng was not without a terrible sighte when the element was horrible wyth clowdes when thunder was hard and the clowde wente aparte with a great wydenesse and brymstone and fyre fell downe by rayne and the gaspyng of the ground ensued and swalowed in all thinges It is not otherwise to be thought but that Loth was greatly dismayd at these thyngs But this comfort was at hande that this horrible and dredful tempest dyd not strike hym but the Sodomites whyche beleued not the word of God but gaue themselues to all kynd of most abhominable lewdnesse yea and that without al mesure These must nedes be meruailously troubled at this fyry rayne But godly Loth behelde this tempest as a pleasant tree in the spryng tyme that putteth forth his buddes and beginneth to be grene For he feeleth and receyueth helpe and mercyfull deliuerance against the wicked So shall it chaunce to vs also in the latter daye if it befall in oure lyfe tyme. It shall seeme a terrible thyng when heauen and earthe shall burne and we shal be changed in a moment and dye But a christian man must not here take his eyes for iudges but marke howe Christe doeth expound it That these flowers and boughes are moste pleasant So that albeit that the greuous syght of the worlde shall terrifie and abashe reason yet let the heart truste to the worde of God that it may not feare that outeward syght but say Mystrust not there is no hurte or damage This dothe not signifie as Christe sayth any euyll but that my redemption and redemer is at hande Hayle my redemer Christe therfore and come on as thou art wyshed for as I haue desyred oftentymes and prayed for whyle I lyued that thy kyngdome myght com vnto me He that can receyue Christ at his commyng after this maner shall in a momente be chaunged into that glory that he may shyne with the sonne for euer After this sort dooth Christ teache vs to knowledge truly the last day that we may lerne how great succour we haue therin and why also we ought to loke for and feruently to desire his comyng The Pope preacheth of Christe that he is a seuere Iudge and that we must haue healpe before hym by our good woorkes and that the Intercession of saintes are to be hadde yf any manne wyll be sure from damnation For so hath he put it foorthe in picture howe Christe commeth to iudgement and howe he holdeth a swoorde and a rodde in his mouthe whiche bothe are signes of wroth And where as Mary and Iohn standeth on bothe sydes it shewethe that the prayers and intercessions of them and of other suche good Sainctes muste be soughte for and trusted in As the good father Bernard persuaded hymself that when the mother sheweth her pappes to the Sonne that he can not denye her any thyng Whiche was an euident proofe that Christe should come lyke a seuere Iudge But in this Gospell he teacheth vs otherwyse that is that he shall not come to iudge and condemne vs but to deliuer redeme vs and that he wil graunt in dede that that we praied for and bring vs to his kingdom And as for other that beleue not in him and vexe the Christians with railyng and reuilyng he will by his sharpe sentence punishe greuouslye Thys saieth he beleue ye onely and looke for my cōmynge ioyfully for it shal be to your welthe that ye may be saued by me for euer from synne deuyll deathe hell and the worlde This is a greate comforte But in thys place one thyng remayneth wherby the fearefull consciences are troubled For Christ saieth that that daye shall come vnloked for So that it shal chance likewise to men as it chanceth to byrdes which flee in the mornyng hungry out of the woddes to fynde meat somwhere suspectyng no euyll bycause they were not deceiued of their hope in that place before and sodeinly they are wrapped in the nettes taken and killed But thei that feare God wil take hede therof And because they proue by dayly exaumples howe soone they that stande fall they are weake hearted and soone ouerthrowen For they thynke it vncertayne what shall become of them to morowe Perchance the houre wil come when thou shalt be most vnready and dydst not see it before orels thou shalt be entangled with this or that sinne Then art thou vndone and this ioyfull day shal be chaunged into mourninge In this doubt Christ leaueth vs not comfortlesse but teacheth christen men howe they shall bee rydde from this pensifenes and sayth See that your heart be not ouerladen with surfet dronkennes and with the cares of this lyfe least this daye oppresse
shall baptise you with the holy ghost where as I do baptise but with water as a minister He standeth in the myddest of you and ye know hym not Wherfore this is my duetie to be the voyce of a crier in wyldernes that when ye heare the sound of my trumpet ye may vnderstande that he is come For I am that soundynge voyce and crier to whom ye ought to be attēt He therfore that foloweth next after me is he hym selfe as Esaie prophecieth in the .xl. Chapter The voice of a cryer is in the desert make redy the way for the Lord make streight the pathes of our Lord in wildernes He am I saith Iohn and this is my word Wherfore be attent he is nowe amongest you but ye know hym not And this is my office to bryng you into acquaintance with hym that ye may receyue hym For the next prophete that commeth after me is euen he hym selfe As for me I am but one sent before and this office doo I now execute and fulfyll my duetie prophesyed of before He as yet is priuate and vnknowen but by and by after me shal he come abrode with his prophetical office of teaching Wherefore take ye good heede least ye be deceaued in markyng of hym and haue him in hygh estimation among you Neither was there truely any other end of this matter then as Iohn prophecied before For incōtinently after Baptisme Christe began to work myracles in Galilee He sent twelue apostles and seuētie disciples to preache that the kyngedome of God was at hande that is that Christ was come Here he is sayth Iohn Ioyne your selfe to hym receyue hym and ye shall not be deceaued He came after me but he was before me For Iohn was elder than Christ six whole moneths and yet he saieth he was before me This amongest the Iewes had ben a blasphemous worde if they had at that tyme vnderstande it as it is playne in Iohns Gospell where as he saith Before Abrahā was I am And this is as much to say as this man before he was borne in the earthe he was in heauen But yet the Iewes dyd not vnderstand it neuer the lesse this saying of Iohn is trewe and dothe notifie to vs a person of the Godhed As he declareth plainely hereby when he saith I am not worthy to lose the lachet of his shoes Here should the Iewes haue diligently consydered what maner of man this was in comparison of whom Iohn denieth and abaseth hym self so muche and saith him self vnworthy to serue hym in the leaste thyng that is The testimonie of Iohn cometh frely from his hart that he is not worthy Although saith he I be neuer so much sett by of you yet in comparison of this man I am nothing He is wel content to lay asyde all his glorie saith plainly that he will take yt for a great renoume yf he might be thought necessarie to this man in the moste bassest office of wiping his shoes Wherfore leaste the Iewes should surmyse that he humbled him self to muche wheras Iohn the author of baptisme executed the ministerie of a prophet he doth expoūd the trew meaninge of his baptisme saying I haue a signe also as hathe the other prophetes Ieremie did weare a chaine of woode Esai walked naked and barefooted when he prophesied to the Aegiptiās Ethiopes that they shold be a pray to ther enemies be spoyled of all they had I am the auctor of a new word and of a new signe I preache that ye prepare the way for the lorde Ye had no nede of this worde yf the way were prepared now alredie After that I washe you for a signe that ye are vnpure and filthie and I am the beginner of this lauer But he that foloweth me wil prouide a better baptisme and baptise you with the holy spirit All this was spoken that they might not coūt Christe vnworthy of their sighte but should haue for a remēbrance the words of Iohn that because he had borne recorde of him which should come foorthe so magnificētly with teaching signes thei might not doubt in an euident matter But what do they thei hear Iohn but they thinke not his authoritie sufficient For as they beheaded Iohn so they crucified Christe as touching whome Iohns witnesse was so faithfull Suche regard of godlines had they that they only despised not the word of God but for that also killed the Prophetes and nayled on the crosse the Lord of all Prophetes And so goeth the matter now also For Christ is condemned to the crosse not only at his beyng here in earth but nowe also in his members We labour all that we can with Iohn to bringe men into this way for as muche as without Christe ther is no remission of synnes or lyfe euerlasting But the more we go about to withdrawe mens trust from their oune workes as vnprofitable to righteousnes in the sight of God and to leade them to Christe so much the more greuously are we condemned as heretykes of our aduersaries For that is not agreable with their doctrine as all do knowe They sette foorth the Mounkes rules and masses with ostentation they offer vp masses for the dead they ordeyne seruice they go a pilgrimage they bye pardons But what other thing is this then to caste away Christe and searche out new ways to heauen And we can alow this by no meanes and therfore can they not abstayne from rayling and slaundering of vs. The Bishops and highe Priests wold deale lykewyse with vs as they did with the Iewes yf they coulde Only this is lacking vnto them that they can not abuse vs at their pleasure But what is the cause they are so greuously offended with vs surely no other but that we teache with Iohn to geue the glory to God and to humble them selues before Christ and iudge them selues vnworthy with all their seruice and good workes to wipe such a great mannes shoes For they can not chose but graunt this that Iohn was more holy then all they can be and yet he saith I will caste away all this holynes yf I might but be receaued only into the felowshippe of his grace to haue the ouersight of his shoes I wold thynke my selfe an honorable man This do we therfore testifie and proteste before the worlde the Pope the Bishoppes Priests and Mounkes that be their righteousnes and holynes neuer so much yet in this poynte they are nothyng to be compared with Iohn Wherfore if ye do all that ye can by fastyng and saying your prayers only do this also see that these things be caste at Christes feete and lett them not looke to be iustified and saued therby But say this humbly I do not refuse to be to lowly and humble This do we teache that they suffer Christ to be holy only but they can not be persuaded so to doo They crie out vpon vs lyke madde men saying Not only
Nazareth of Galile vnto this toune Bethleem They went further then it is from Saxon to Franconie And herof a man may easely gather that they caried not much stuffe with them and that their swathelyng clothes and suche other things wer not very costely so that he put on her smocke on the child and laid it in the maunger For she could not alwayes hold yt in her lappe she must warme the clothes and dresse their couche and do such other things that wer requisite for an infāt And in the meane tyme must the babe reste in the oxe stalle Neither could Ioseph be lackyng to this necessary busynes And it is lyke that he went about to some of the maydens of the house to gett water and to do such other busines But this is not written that any mā came to proffer seruice vnto them in this trauaill They regarded it not whan it was tolde them that the mayde was deliuered of a chylde in the stable Wherfore this towne is worthy to be hated with his great barbarousnes For although Mary because of her pouerty was not thought so much worth and yf she had bene vnhoneste yet at this tyme had it ben the part of a man to shewe humanitie But no man is greued therewith The childe muste suffer paciently this great extreme pouertye and looke for no better In this beggerie sorowfull life this Lord is borne Wheras other deuoure riot awaie cōsume prodigallie al things by costly apparell gorgeous buildīg c. This is the historie Whiche is set forthe to vs to the entent that we should graue this picture of Christes byrthe faste in oure hart with how great miserie the Lord Iesus was borne in this wordle that we might learne to geue God thankes for this so great benefit For we misers and wretched men and also damned came this day to high renoume For on this day were we made one fleshe and bloud with the sonne of God and he that made heauen and earth of nothing is borne a man lyke vnto vs only this thing excepted that with this child all things are without synne Wherfore we may boste magnificently that God is become oure brother oure fleshe and bloude This renoum is not geuen to the angells or diuels but to vs men Wherfore although the angells are more excellēt creatures then we yet God geueth more renoume to vs then to all the angells For he was not made an angell but a mā Wherfore yf we men could thinke and beleue this as the greatnes therof requirethe our mynde wold be moste redie to sett moste by God to thanke him and to obey his will gladly When the Popes religion reigned there was suche an historie read vnto vs That vpon a time the diuell came into the Churche to masse And when these wordes and he was made man were songe and men made no obbeisance by bowinge of their knees he gaue one of them a great blow and rebukinge him said Thou monsterous beaste art not ashamed to be so litle moued why fallest thou not downe on thy face for ioy yf the sonne of God had ben made oure brother as he was youres surely we wold haue no measure in reioycing And although this matter be not true yet it semeth to be fayned of a good man which well dyd perceaue the great renoume geuen vnto vs when the sonne of God became man and that not after the maner of Adam and Eue which was made of the grounde but he was made more conioyned vnto vs. For he was borne of the fleshe and bloud of the virgin Mary as other men were excepte this that Mary the virgin was sole and alone and he was conceaued without synne by the holy Ghoste Excepte this that he is worthely named the naturall sonne of a woman Adam and Eue were not borne but made For God made man out of the earth and a woman of his ribbe But how much nigher is Christ to vs then Eue to Adam because he is oure bloud and flesh We ought to esteme this renoume highly and to haue great meditation thervpon in that the sonne of God is made oure fleshe and that there is no difference betwene his flesh and ours except only synne For he was conceaued of the holy Goste and God replenished bothe the body and sowle of the virgin with the holy Ghoste because she was without synne when she conceaued Christe and afterward wared great with child by hym And this is the only difference in all other things he is lyke other men in that he vsed meate and drynke felt hunger thyrst and colde as other dyd He was subiect to all suche naturall infirmities as Paule sayth in shape he was found lyke a man he eate he drounke he was sorowfull and gladde This is truely a profound humilitie and subiection For he myght haue vsed an other sorte when he became man after what sort he is nowe in heauen where as he hath flesh and bloud as we haue But yet he is not subiecte to naturall actions He might haue done this at the begynning but he wold not that he might declare his singular loue toward vs that we might haue therby sure confort and ioy when we knowe that we haue a brother nowe in heauen whose sure helpe we may stycke vnto are bound so to doo For cursed is euery man that doth not receaue him and conceaue stedfast hope for his sake And therfore is this history rehersed euery yere that the tender myndes might haue meditation theron and geue God thanks and say My matter is in good takynge I haue a brother and he is made lyke me But why he was made so I do not yet tell for this was the cause that he might helpe me agaynst syn and eternall death But nowe I speake of the renoume of all mankynde wherof we boaste and reioyce that the sonne of God is become man Of this renoume may euery man boaste But Christian men somwhat more then all other for because this renoume shall be to their endlesse profyte And this is firste to be learned of the history Secondarily marke also this great example Where as Christe the sonne of God dothe so humble him self and communicate all his glory with fleshe and wheras his hyghe maiestie before whome the Angells tremble dothe so demitte hym self and goeth after the lykenes of a man In heauen the Angels worship him in the earth he serueth vs and is subiect to our beggery Seing then the sonne of God doth this this matter is not lightly to be sett by Lett vs caste our selues away for his glory honours sake And yf aduersitie be to be suffered we muste not refuse it For Christe him self hathe suffered likewise frost hunger miseries and troubles not only these For whan he was borne into the wordle he was poore in all things he had neither place neither bed clothes neither stuffe for houshold A maunger and
oxe stable was his refuge What should I desier any better state seing my kinsman ye rather my brother kinge of heauen is founde so poore in all things before oure eyes Why should I refuse hardnes seing the kinge of glorie refuseth not to take on him all things for my sake Who am I a sinner not worthie to lie amonge sharpe cutting flagges and yet I lie softer than my prince which suffered to lye in hay and abhorred not the maunger And yet after this the case is so vnworthie that we stockes and blockes are so nice and delicate that we can suffer no payne and yet we se before oure eyes the example of Christe what paynes he toke for oure sake But it is not vnknowen what reward we shall haue for oure foolishnes And yet if we had any wit we wold beware Now therfore lett vs briefly reherse bothe these doctrines and lessons The firste is that we regarde our owne honoure in that that Christe is made mā This honour and renoume is so great that if a man were an angell in state he myght worthely and well wish him self a man that he might be counted amongest them which glorie and boste my fleshe and blud is placed aboue the angells so blessed is the creature of man The second is that this might be an example to vs of charitie and pacience which we might folowe and walke in the steppes of oure brother and kinsman Christe helping seruing other men gladly although it be to oure labour and payn The which thing God the Father with the holy Ghost thorough oure Lord Iesu CHRISTE graunt vs. Amen The second sermon vpon the saying of the Angel as concerning that Christ was borne WE haue rehersed vnto you the history of the feast in the which is made mentiō also of the saying of the Angel to the whiche ther were also assembled many thousand of Angels whiche did shewe and synge altogether to these two or three shepheardes This is the sermon of one Angell Feare ye not for behold I declare vnto you great ioy that shall be to all the people because ye haue a sauiour borne for you this day which is CHRIST the Lord in the Citie of Dauid ALthough this sermon of the Angell is repeted euery yeare yet may it now be conueniently renewed agayne in mynde For we shall neuer come to the perfecte knowledge of this thyng as long as we lyue here And this sermon of the Angell was very necessarie For if CHRIST hadde neuer so much bene borne yet should it haue profited vs nothing if it had bene vnknowen For to what purpose is that treasure that lyeth hyd if thou knowest not wher it is Thou shalt take no pleasure nor profite therby as the Prouerbe saith There is no pleasure in the vnknowen treasure A hyd treasure is no treasure For all men passeth ouer it as they do durt caring not for it So is it also with this moste ioyfull byrth if the Angels had not brought tydings therof and had not opened this treasure to men no man could haue taken the fruition therof The cause why is common A man setteth not his affection on that he knoweth not Neither doth this thyng delight or displease but it is as though it were not and neuer shal be Wherfore it is one of the especiallest things in this Gospell that the Angel by his sermō doth speake openly of this byrth and sheweth vs this treasure that we passe not ouer it and that we be not ignorant of the presence therof but come and take part of the confort therof Wherfore he saith I declare vnto you great ioy THESE words are weightie For the shepheards were greatly astonyed at this meruailous light and celestial shyninge as at an vnwonted thyng because there was sodeinly both in heauen and earth suche great light as though all the earth had bene on fyer To this hath the Angell respect and applieth his words therto saying Feare ye not as if he shold say ther is no cause to feare But your feare sheweth that ye knowe not what is in doing For if ye did ye wold put away feare and reioyce at your owne felicitie And I am come to bring you tydings of great ioy of a great work and miracle whiche thyng if ye wold well consyder ye wold much reioyce This is therfore the entent of this Angels tydings to make men to regard it earnestly and not to let it passe without effecte Wherfore he speaketh of no common ioye but of a great ioye and of a thing moste necessary For the diuell by synne hath brought vs to naught and disturbed all that belongeth vnto vs so that we do not only sustayne originall synne and therby eternall deth but also that al that we haue are in his danger that almoste we maye at euery moment looke for his dartes in body lyfe and goodes For all these things are in a thousande perils and casualtyes Yea the Gospell testifieth that the dyuell possesseth men and dryueth them to madnes so that it may be worthely said that such a man is the fylthy puddle and syncke of the dyuell Suche corruption is engendred in vs by synne that we haue no sure helpe in any thing in the worlde I will not speake of the greatest misery of all that they muste abyde the wrothe of GOD and eternall damnation What is if this be not the moste horrible and violent kyngdome of the diuell And when we consider well and compare both together this myserie in the kyngdome of the dyuell can not be compared with this glorie and reward with this great ioy wherof the Angell preacheth hēre that there is a sauiour borne for vs. Wherfore the Angell entendeth chiefely to remoue this myserie out of oure sight and to geue vs this chyld to behold and see ▪ And let him know that he hath done the office of a good preacher if he brynge vs to the true beholding of this sauiour and to the knowledge of oure owne flesh and bloud And doughtles if this were prynted in vs all the plague wherwith the dyuell vexeth vs should seme light be it neuer so paynfull and pernicious But now let vs come to the moste requisite and necessary knowledge of this diuine worke of God For the dyuell with all his poyson can be ouercome by no other meanes then by this godly power of the which the Angel speaketh to vs in this place when he saith A sauior is borne for you Whē mās minde attaineth to this knowledge thē is the synner oute of perill For than is the matter more depely consydered after this sorte I haue bene defiled of the dyuel and wholy opprest and ouerthrowen headlong into Gods wrathe and eternall damnation but my myschance is not so great but that I haue greater helpe geuen me from GOD agaynst it That is that God possesseth not mankynd after that sorte as the diuell doth but he him self is made
man that of God mannes nature might be made one person The diuell can not ioyne him self so nighe to mā But God is made man and yet he remayneth a man And by this meanes he set him self more depely in mannes fleshe than the dyuell can which may enter into mannes body and vexe it but he can not be made man that the diuell and man might become one person Betwene these two natures is ther alway remayning a difference of persones not only in substance but also in person But in CHRIST that is borne these things be one For the sōne of God is made one flesh and one bloud borne of the virgyn Mary after the course of nature as all be excepte that he was not conceaued of mā but of the holy Ghost and hath escaped the fylthy mark of the dyuell and was borne with very pure flesh and bloud wheras oures is full of synne In all other things he is lyke vs which was subiecte to all naturall actions in all poyntes as other men As sayth Paule He was found in behauiour as a man so that all that sawe hym or heard hym dyd affirme that he muste nedes be a true and naturall man not any phantasme or appearing only for he had all the properties that belonge to this lyfe And this is the ioy as touching the which speaketh the Angel I speake only of the glorie not of the fruite For therof is it wont to be declared in the history of the passion and resurrection Now do we speake only of the glory that GOD is so nighe ioyned vnto vs that he is of my flesh bloud and soule very man as we be With this so great and meruailous glory hath he begon this matter and aduaūced mankind therby to high renoume And the Angell setteth this forth vnto men and sayth I shew you great ioy which shall be to the whole people The word sheweth that his mynde was rauished with some great ioy He telleth it boldly to the shepheards He wold that all men with hym shold know of this great honour wherby mannes nature is come to such dignitie that GOD whiche made all things is become oure flesh and bloud And if we wold ponder this well although we had no other profite therby yet wolde it make together amongest vs a great flame of charitie and loue I speake not yet as I said before of the profyt vse but only of the glory therof If we were moued earnestly therwith yt wold suffer no malice to remayne amongest vs. The reason is Who is there that wold hate this kinde or hurt it which is euen as oure God in body and sowle shall we not for this glories sake wher with God hath garnished vs loue all men do the best that we can for all men The Angels are more excellent creatures then we men are But this glory is not geuen them God was not made an Angell neither an Angell was made God Furthermore the Angels are innocent and holy which condicion was more agreable with Gods maiestye But it semeth otherwyse to him he choseth the viler creature which was subiect to syn which is hold captiue vnder the kyngdom of the diuell and the tyrannye of death Whom the dyuel vexeth and troubleth extremely He could not humble him self any lower But should not we be stirred hereby to loue and charitie to esteme one an other and not to neglecte but to proue mastries who can do other moste good Certayn of the fathers and amongest them as it now cometh to mynde Bernarde thought that the diuell whan he was in heauen did se before that the sonne of God should become man and for that cause enuied at man and began to hate God because he had not chosen rather to become an Angell than a man and that for this enuie and pride he was caste out of heauen Whether this were fayned or done in dede yet wold the holy fathers signifie hereby howe great is oure renoume in that that God became man and tooke the very same mannes nature which belongeth to vs all whiche haue ben in the dyuels daunger and captiue to synne and death In what wretched case then are they whiche are ignorante of this renoume But yet are they much more wretched which when the Angels or Apostles shew such things that God hath visited mans nature and tooke it on him and made it Lord ouer al creatures yet do not reioyce O how wretched are they that are not moued with this tidings If one amongest many bretherne should come to be a kīg how wold al the other reioyce how bolde would they waxe As Iosephs bretherne may be an example of this And this is a naturall zeale But how chāceth it that we reioyce not in such a great matter that we are not moued neither do geue thanks to GOD that oure God hath taken oure flesh and bloud and now sitteth at the right hand of God Lord ouer all creatures He therfore that wold esteme this as it is in dede wold loue all flesh and bloud in the worlde for this flesh and blouds sake and wold hate no mā The only gloriouse sight and contemplation of the humanitie of Christ oure God wold so chere vs replenishe vs with ioy that we should neuer be angry with any man Yea and he that beholdeth this image continually that the sonne of God is made man wold not loke for any wrathful displeasure frō Christe but hope for all goodnes at his hand For no man is angry with him self or hurteth him self Now is Christ one of vs and a man How could he hate him self that is to say vs which are his flesh bloud And if this sight were well printed in vs it wold sone put away all exāples of Gods wrathe out of oure myndes as is Noes floud the punishement of Sodom and Gomor All that wold vanishe away at such a contemplatiō if I wold muse of this only man which is God hath estemed mannes nature so greatly that he became man But be these things neuer so inestimable yet some mē are so mad that they care not they caste away this treasure and set their mynd on other things to heape vp riches to purchase get whereto mens myndes are wont wholy to be stirred And this is the cause that we fele no ioy rise in vs at the tydinges of the Angell Wherfore this thing may wel make vs ioyful and proude that we are preferred before all creatures in this renoume yea before Angels and may boaste and say My flesh my bloud sitteth on the right hand of God and hath the rule of all No Angell or creature hath suche renoume but my flesh and my bloud This fier ought to melt as it were in one all mens hartes and to inflame men with suche mutuall loue that we should embrace one an other with al oure hartes But this is the continuall working of the diuell to make vs forget
may be geuen to the diuell and to the world I truely wyll not caste away my ioy for thy sake neither doo I regard muche thy displeasure Away from me I haue more pleasure and delite of Christe then thou canst worke me sorowe Suche a mynde dothe the angelles wyshe vs in this verse The dyuels songe is cleane contrarye wherein GOD is blasphemed and cursed where slaughter is commytted and all thynges so ordered that all thynges are defyled with care and sorowe and moste myserable calamytie And to the furtheraunce hereof doo the Secte maysters bestowe all theyr laboure and dylygence They are the dyuelles mouthe they banne God in heauen they sette Prynces at varyaunce and discorde they thynke nothynge of Amitie and Peace they feyne good wylle in syghte but priuilye they entende myschiefe by moste subtyll deuyses Thys pleaseth me wel saith the diuell And it is thys Glory be to the dyuell in hell and sedition in earth and amongest menne a desperate mynde and full of all care and whote blastynge myserye And manye are founde to be of suche a mynde which hath store of all goodes were it not for thys that theyr myndes are possessed with vexation and diuers torments and grypinges It helpeth them nothyng although they be in the myddle of all pleasure This doth the diuel wish to al his that gods gifts may be vnfruitful vnto them But the Angels songe is contrarie They wyshe a bold and couragious heart that is as vnmouable as the Marpese rocke and that glorieth agaynst all stormes of temptation most bitter tribulation This is the song of the angell that is found in no other bokes For it was not made amongst mē in earth but sēt down frō heauē Our God with his holy spirite help vs that we may holde it faste and fulfyll it in dede thorough Iesus Christ his sonne and our Lorde Amen The fourthe Sermon as concernyng the hystorie of Mary and the Shepheardes THus farr in the hystorie haue we proceded and taught how God sent his angels euē that great Princes to preach vnto two or thre shepheards The which were not only a few but also were rude people to sing vnto them the ioyfull verse as touchyng the chyld Iesus after the whiche nowe foloweth this hystorie And it came to passe that when the angels departed from them into heauen that they sayde one to an other c. BY this dothe it appere that the sermon and song of the angels was not vnfruitfull For the shepherds set not so much by theyr flocke but that they take their iorney to the child whom the Angel called their Lord. And this is one fruite that spronge of the Angels sermon An other is that the very shepheardes are made preachers and shewe to other men all that they heard of this chylde And the Euangelist saieth all that herd these thinges that were declared by the shepheards meruailed But this admiration continued not long with the greater sorte For this thing dothe testifie that such men are belongyng vnto the kyngdome of God that can not kepe long in mynde neither Gods mercye nor wrathe neyther his punyshemente nor benefites So wycked is mans mynde that it quickly forgetteth the examples of God shewed vnto vs and therby prouoketh God always to shew new examples by signes and plagues that he may not vtterly falle out of oure remembrance And so is it to be taken wheras the Euangelist saith All that heard merueiled so that this communication and talke was of no longe cōtinuance but endured only a few monethes how that a childe was borne in Bethleem for whome the Angels triumphed in the ayre for whome wyse men came from the easte to grete and worshippe him But after one or two yeares al this was cleane out of memorie and after that no man cared for it and wheras after thyrtie yeares CHRIST began to come abrode by teaching and doing miracles no man called to remēbrance these fyrst things And we verily are not much better than they For a man may scarsly finde one amōgest a thousand that remembreth the miseries and in especiall that great calamity vnder the which the doctrine and worshipping of God lay oppressed in the Popedome In all places was there tormēting of cōscience no where confort The Iewes were in lyke case Ther was no measure nor ende of complayning and lamenting when they were vexed in Egypte They had scarsely bene foure dayes in the desert after their deliuerāce but they desired to retourne into Egypte being mindefull of their old state Suche is the vnstablenes and vnconstancie of mannes mynde It forgetteth almost in a moment greuouse punishements howe should it long remēber a benefyte And in this case can not the prouerbe seme vntrue Nothing is so sone out worne as the remembrance of a good turne Although GOD sheweth examples of his wrathe by sendinge sycknes and such other euyls yet there commeth no more profit therby than if he should wash a tyle on a howse When there is grefe and payne in the body we are somwhat moued but assone as that is at an ende all is quite forgotten And this it is in all thyngs This is the meaning of the Euāgelist wheras he saith Men dyd meruaile But this meruaile had no longe continuance Yet there were some diligēt disciples to obserue this matter Certayne of great grauitie were there which set not lyghtly by all these thyngs as the world doth For the Euangeliste saith moreouer Mary kepte all these sayings and pondered them in her heart And this is nowe an example how the worde of GOD is truely to be hearde She pondreth it in her hearte and hath diligent meditation theron As they do that kepe Gods word diligently serchyng and puttyng it in practise Suche are dayly encreased more and more in vnderstandinge and surely confirmed It chanceth not so with the negligent which receaue with the one eare and forget with the other Whatsoeuer is put in them it fyndeth no more place of abyding then water doth in a botomles barrell But Mary doth otherwyse she kepeth pōdereth it in her heart She perceaueth that it belongeth vnto her wherefore she prynteth it in her mynde she pondereth it and bestoweth great studie in so great a matter howe it could come to passe that she should be called the mother of this chylde whom the Angels called Lord and as concerning whom they preache so magnificētly And after this sort did these thoughts caste so depe rootes in her heart that if all the worlde had afterward spoken agaynst this matter yet she could not be persuaded to thinke otherwyse But she was very certainly assured herof that her sonne was the sonne of GOD and the sauiour of the worlde The word of God wold haue it selfe so familiar vnto vs that it might by custome be turned in to oure nature As it is in the Balad of Ballades .8 Put me as a token of remembrance
to hell This is the imperie of this chylde and for this condition and state doth the fruite redound vnto his people He wyll geue no bodyly saluation but as farre as the soules helth and his glorie requireth for he is poore and nedy Wherfore let no man come to the kyngdom of Christ to the entent that he may enlarge his goods and encrease his substance Ye may loke for this of the Pope and of men of that sorte He aduanceth his creatures to imperie he getteth them riches parteth amōg them all Prouinces as Daniell prophecied But the princely power of this childe is to be felte only in this that thy synnes may be forgyuen that he maye iustifye and saue thee that he may geue his holye spirite and transpose thee out of the kyngdome of the worlde and of death into the kyngdome of God And to this now is Faith requisite and as I sayd before that thou kepe sure the worde of God For he that letteth passe Gods woorde and foloweth his owne thoughtes shall lose Christ neither shall he knowe hym for a king but for a Iudge he shall be in hatred and feare as the dyuell is For they are wont to feare hym also when they feele them selues gyltie for their synne least he shoulde take them to be punyshed wheras Christ in the meane season confesseth hym selfe to be the lord and prince of his people to delyuer theim from synne and to transpose them into the kyngdom of grace For his people are no other but myserable synners which tremble at the felyng of theyr synne and are afrayde and would fayne be in Gods fauour So that herby may the playn description of the Prophet be perceyued Fyrst that he shal be no bodyly prince nor yet exercise spirituall punyshementes agaynst wyckednes but to geue saluation to all men that beleue in hym agaynst synne the deuyll death and hell For of suche a prince there is sure hope of Saluation And thus farre doo the Scribes recite the saying of the Prophete and no farther They feare peraduēture lest this be to muche For they perceaue well that this is Herodes entent to seeke some way howe to slea and to take this kyng of the Iewes out of the way Wherfore they reherse not the whole sentence before Herode and they do almost professe by worde that at this time they acknowledge no other kyng of the Iewes besyde Herode And yet is it in the Prophete that a Prince of the Iewes shoulde come and shoulde procede oute of Bethleem Therfore they leaue this vnperfect neither dare they to pronounce any farther But the Prophete although he was not lyuyng at that tyme yet dothe he procede and describe what maner of captayn or kynge this should be whiche belongeth also to his persone in these wordes Et egressus eius ab initio a diebus aeterni tatis And his out going hath ben from the beginning and from euerlastyng This dyd not the Scribes reherse to Herode no neither they them selues dyd vnderstand it For ther is more obscuritie therin than was in the words before And that his byrth should be in Bethleem and he him selfe be a captaine ouer all Israell it is not obscurelye spoken and there is a sure signe that he shal be a man But wheras the Prophet sayth furthermore His procedyng is from the begynnyng and from the dayes of eternitie It signifieth that he is the eternal and euerlastyng God whiche had not his beginnyng in Bethleem Of a trouth he was born in Bethleem and this is one maner of procedyng But there is an other also beside this Which is sayd to be from the beginnnyng and from the days of eternitie The wordes of the prophete are not to be changed Fyrst he sayth Out of the shall procede Here do the priestes and scribes testify that to procede to be borne signifieth all one Wherfore the same word afterward must nedes signifie the same thyng when he saith Whose procedyng is from the old dayes and from eternitie that is before that tyme that dais and houres were Wherefore if thou wilte know frō whēce this child is borne mark this prophecie He is born saith he frō Bethleē But what more hath he no other birthe then this the prophet saith furthermore yes he was rather borne before al creatures heauen earth the sonne and moone But that may be determined by no wordes and it is nothyng els then that he was borne without begynnyng eternally before there was any tyme or dais This did neither Herode neither the Iewes vnderstand neither wer they worthy to vnderstand it And this is the prince king which was born at Bethleem a very man which neuerthelesse hath this name also Procedyng from the old dayes which proceded and was born before the world that is which is a true and eternal god and also a true a naturall man And this is the cause of so great stir rynges motions in the worlde For it can not vnderstand this to be procedyngs and birthes without discention that this child also should haue his procedyng before there was sonne or moone The Iewes could not abyde this and afterward there sprang vp many heresies whiche spake agaynst it But this matter is left to be consydered of the which hast gods word put foorth vnto the. Out of whome then was he borne if he was borne before the world Uerily of no other but of God only This must reason nedes confesse if it beleue that God made heauen and earth For what other thyng could be before heauen and earth than God If this childe then proceded was borne before heauen and erth was made it must nedes folow that he was borne of God and is very God For besydes God and his creatures was there nothyng And this is surely a sentence which conteyneth the ground foundation of all things For if Christ were onely a pure man death wold haue confounded hym with all other mortall men For in that that he was born of a virgin it hath not so great strength against death But this is a greatter miracle where as God made Eue of a ribbe thā in that that a virgin brought forth a chyld For a virgin is of that sexe and kynd whiche is borne to bryng foorth children Wherfore that thing coulde not represse the dyuell nor deathe because he was borne of the Uirgin Marye But all the healpe consysteth herein that the virgin Mary is not onely great wyth chylde but also with suche a chyld which was borne before the worlde Wherefore the dyuell deathe and all the kyngdom of the dyuell is ouercom in that they proue maistrie with suche a manne whiche hadde hys procedynge or begynnynge beefore the worlde If it were not for this and if he had his procedynge out of Bethleem only he coulde haue the vpper hande ouer death no more than we all he should be in danger therof aswel as his
mother Mary and Iohn the Baptist and other excellent sainctes But his procedyng is named to be from the old days Wherfore death could not shewe suche strength in this chylde wherwith hytherto he kylled all men For wher as he was God he coulde not synne neither bee made gyltie by the lawe neither be killed of deth neither damned of the diuel And yet for all that forasmuche as he had his procedynge in tyme out of Bethleem and was borne into the worlde as other chyldren were he coulde not but dye Hereof it is that death and the dyuell layeth snares for theym selues which consyder no more then the procedyng out of Bethleem And after this procedyng the chyld is in daunger of death But when he was now in his Sepulchre he trieth his righte by these woordes I was borne before the world and so by the diuine and godly power he breaketh the bandes of death of synne and of the diuel that they can take no hold vpon him at all Suche a memoriall would this Prophete set foorth as touchyng this kynge that we shoulde not be ignorant of his two maner of procedynges or as we saye of two maner of byrths For he is such a person whiche is bothe a true GOD and also a very man but yet on suche wyse that he is not two persons but one So that he confesseth that CHRIST is the sonne of Mary whiche sucked at her brestes and encreased in the body as other men dyd But yet neuerthelesse he was borne before the worlde without beginnynge so that nowe these two seuerall substances of manhoode and godhead be withoute separation vnited togyther in one persone and ioyned togyther This dyd not the hygh priestes tell Herode neyther was he worthye to knowe so greate mysterie This byrthe is excedynge meruaylous whiche if we desyre to knowe we muste take our begynnyng of our discipline and meditation out of his procedyng in Bethleem As this also is the order of the Prophete as soon as he reherseth the carnall byrthe Yea and hee maketh more large mention as touchyng this than as concernyng that byrthe that is eternalle For hee that wylle meddle wyth matters belongyng to God without peryll muste begyn at the lowest and first of all learne what thynge he doothe in the earthe and howe hee reueleth and openeth hym self to men Then shal he go foorth with out stumblyng as the order of the Prophetes description appoynteth and shall know that this chyld was borne from euerlastyng Then shall it not bee terrible but pleasant cōfortable But the ouerthwart nature of men marreth confoundethe all thynges because that all begyn their discipline at predestination Sithe God knewe all thynges before why dyd hee not take hede that man should not haue fallen And if thou takest this waye to the knowledge of God thou shalte fall downe headlong For this was the fall of Lucifer whiche coueted so hygh renoume that he coulde not comprehende hym selfe for pride But if thou wilt go the right waye to the knowledge of God take thy begynnyng at Christes swathing bands As the prophet setteth foorth this order that a man should fyrst go to Bethleem and afterward clymbe vp into heauen and to eternitie As Christ hym selfe teacheth where as he sayth Philyp I am the waye he that seeth me seeth the father He that despiseth these principles and tendeth or goeth forthewith to the hyghest as to searche what is the gouernement of God how he punysheth This reward of his folishnes he taketh euen to stumble to his damnation As the wise man saith He that is a searcher of the maiestie shall be oppressed of his glorie Wherfore this is the true waye for hym that desyreth the true knowledge of this chyld fyrst to come to Bethleem Then when he hath sufficientely beholden and considered hym in the maunger this will succede of it selfe that he is not onely the sonne of Mary but also the sonne of God borne of God before there was any creature created of God And so the matter shall be without perill For when thou canst truly comprehende this man Christ thou shalt know God also If thou beleuest in hym thou beleuest in God If thou callest vpon hym thou callest vpon God ▪ If thou blasphemest hym thou blasphemest God And this is the Prophecie as touchynge the chylde Iesus in Bethleem But consyder also therwith the peruerse and vnresonable reason of Herode and of the Scribes Herode persecutethe this chylde the Scribes despyse hym This way of God is worthy to be had in mynd whiche putteth foorthe a moste euident scripture to men wherof they may talke syng and speake dayly in their communication and yet they vnderstand not a word thereof For is not thys a straunge and monstrous thynge that the Scribes recite thys Prophecie Herode after the iudgemente of the Prophecie sendeth to Bethleem and addeth therto hym selfe saying Make dyligente searche for the chylde and whenne ye haue founde hym brynge me woorde that I maye come and worshyppe hym And yet they vnderstande not one iote of the meanynge thereof They are alwayes kept busye with the shadowes they neuer attayne to the bodye of the matter Neither goeth the matter anye otherwyse at this tyme amonge the vnkynde yea and that not onely amonge the Papistes whyche haue the Bible as wel as we whiche reade it and knowe it as wee doo but also amonge men of our part They reason of the Gospell but they vnderstande nothynge therof at all For if they vnderstode it they woulde with all their hearte declare it in theyr lyuyng As the Scribes and Herode reherseth this Prophete by mouthe But yf they had vnderstande they woulde haue surely gone with the wise men to this chylde and woorshypped hym But in that they doo not so and in that they despyse these greate thynges as the brute beastes doo it is a token that they knowe not that thynge whyche they teache other Wherefore Christians haue this aboue all other that they doo not onely heare but also vnderstande the woordes and conceaue an exceadynge meruaylle and pleasure thereof Wherefore althoughe that the worlde the Pope and our proude Citisens and husbandmenne doo farre passe vs both in rychesse strengthe and dygnitie yet wee knowe that we passe theym agayne farre in thys and that thys is theyr incredyble punyshemente that notwithstandynge they doo heare Gods woorde talke of it and teache it vnto other yet doo they vnderstande nothynge at all thereof As theyr owne lyfe maye bee an euidente proofe of thys that they haue eares as the Iewes had and heare not they haue eies and yet see not Let vs pray to GOD that he wil through the starre of his moste holy worde lead vs to his son Iesus Christ and preserue vs for euer agaynst all offences of his goodnes Amen An other sermon of the Baptisme of Christ vpon Twelfth daye Math. iii. THen came Iesus from Galile to
Iordan vnto Iohn to be baptised of hym But Iohn forbad him saying I ought to be baptised of thee and comest thou to me Iesus answeryng sayd to hym Let it be so nowe For thus it becometh vs to fulfyll all righteousnes Then he suffred him And Iesus as soone as he was baptised came straight oute of the water And loe heauen was open vnto hym and Iohn sawe the spirite of God descendynge lyke a doue and lightyng vpon hym And loe there came a voyce from heauen saying This is my beloued son in whom I am welpleased THE EXPOSITION OF the feast of the Epiphanie haue we intreated how that it hath his name of this that Christ opened hymselfe not onely by the starre but also at Iordan where hee was baptised But forasmuche as this reuelation is the greatest and chiefest and most comfortable vnto vs it should not be against reason if it wer called the feast of Christ baptised and opened at Iordan when he was thirtie yeares old The Euangelist dothe shew the hystorie playnly That he moued from Galile and came to Iohn vnto Iordan to be baptised of hym as other synners were whiche knew their synne and desired remissiō of them Iohn is troubled with this strange case For he knew Christ from his childhode And he thinketh him self not worthye to baptise hym But Christ saith suffer me this must be done that all righteousnes may be fulfilled that is that he may bring it to passe that all miserable synners may come to righteousnes and be saued Wherfore herein is now set forth a confortable example vnto vs wheras the sonne of God offered him self to be baptised which neuerthelesse synned not and doth that that he was not bounde to doe wheras we do not that that we are boūde to do And it is farre vnlyke that we should do more than oure duetie when we through oure wickednes are very farre from that that we shoulde do Wherfore this ought especially to be marked in this place that Christ the sonne of God whiche is holyer then al baptisme is notwithstanding baptised gaue commandement that baptisme should be kepte in the congregation and that al that wold be saued should be baptised And by this is it now euident that al men are damnable and accursed and stryken with madnes and blindnes of God for a punishemēt which can not intreat and obtayne so much of their eyes and eares as to marke what is done in this matter but contēne and dispraise baptisme and speake vilanously therof For why doste thou and thy childern refuse baptisme seing the sonne of God receaued it what great madnes or what great furie is this in the that thou shouldest denye suche a great worke Doth not baptisme seme worthye of great renoume for this cause if it were profitable for nothing els that this so great a mā vsed it wher as this is euident that he is the sonne of God came to baptisme that thou sholdest come to baptisme for the renoume therof if thou hadst no other cōmoditie therby But this matter is not without oure profyte For what good it doth vnto vs it appeareth in this wher as God by this baptisme sheweth foorth hym selfe wholye For as the Euangelist beareth witnes Iohn sawe the heauens open Whiche is a signe that God is delighted with baptisme whiche Christ hym selfe the Sonne of God sanctifieth with his body Wherfore heauen is opened which was shut vp before and now aboue the baptisme of Christ is the gate and windowe of heauen made wyde open so that from henceforth there is no distance betwene vs and God bycause GOD is now fallen downe vnto Iordane What is a reuelation then if this be none Wherfore if the feast of Epiphanie that is of reueling and appearing be requisite why is not this constitute and appointed wheras so playne a manifestation and opening of the Father of the Sonne and of the holye Ghost is sette foorth For the holy Ghost procedeth here after a moste gentle sight as a symple doue whiche amongest all byrdes is moste tame and is affirmed to be voyde of all wrathe To the entent that we might conceaue hereby a sure token that the holy Ghost will declare no crueltye towarde vs but bestowe that on vs thorough Christ wherby we may be iustified and saued And for this cause is Christ also opened after suche a gentle sorte to be the Sonne of God and wher as he had no nede of baptisme for his owne behalf he is present therat and receaueth baptisme not only for an example but also for a sacramēt that his baptisme might profite vs also may cause vs to haue sure truste that God is mercifull vnto vs. Besyde this wheras the Father openeth hym self by a voyce This is my dearly beloued sonne in whom I am delighted This is an other maner of voyce then was shewed in the mount Sinay when the earth and hylles dyd shake the men that hearde it thought them self to be in danger of their lyfe He sheweth not now such a cruell voyce All things are full of swetnes humanitie And God doth almost pronounce with this saying on this wyse To you mortall men is this man put forth in baptisme If ye desyre to know him it is my dearely beloued sonne in whome is my chief and only pleasure Neither is there any cause why ye shoulde feare him He is set forth to you as naked without armour without all cruel sight And there is no cause why ye should feare me For I come not now with thunder lightninge with a horrible a dreadful trumpe as I came to the mount Sinay but all things are peaceable quiet calme For what spice of crueltye may here be The sonne of God which is innocent without synne standeth in Iordane receaueth baptisme The holy Ghost commeth with the meeke forme of a doue Besides this God sheweth forth a very humane and gentle voyce declaringe that he sendeth vnto vs no Apostle no Prophet no Angell but his Sonne in whome he may greatly delyght What greater recorde can ye haue at al to make vs to marke and obserue the sonne of God Sith it hath pleased God to geue this cōmendation that his sonne is with vs that all maye be sure of this moste certain tried will of God If they wil haue God merciful vnto them let them imbrace his sonne only from whom the Father can by no meanes turne his fauour for the sonnes sake all his must nede be accepted to the Father Wherfore let all men regard diligently this commandement that they heare him obey his precept For he had no nede of circumcision and baptisme bycause he was voyd of synne But the baptisme of Iohn was made of God for sinne that al that acknowlegde their synnes be sory for them desyer that they might be pardoned should go to baptisme thinke for a
we haue bestowed and suffered but rather we would condemne our owne nicenesse except we had suffered it Who then will tutne frome the crosse wher as deliuerance and great glorie are set foorth to all them that are in peryl for the gospels sake But great grefe springeth hereof to the fleshe and to the old man It wyll not be gladly combred with this crosse Wherfore we muste neuer let this example goe out of our eies We must diligently consider the word that we may be defenced in temptation Let vs haue recourse vnto Christ which sleapeth among vs sheweth as though he had no regarde of vs. But let vs with ardent and earnest praier aske help of him we shal surely fynd it most present The which thyng as it is setforth vnto vs with sure knowlege as touchīg gods will so god graūt it now come to passe in dede prosperously vnto the glory of god the saluaciō of our soules Amen The fyfte Sonday after twelfth daye Upon the Gospel Math. xiii THe kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man whiche sowed good seede in his field but whyle men slept his enemye came and sowed tares amonge the wheate and went his waye But when the blade was spronge vp had brought forth fruite then appeared the tares also So the seruauntes of the housholder came and sayde vnto him Sir didst not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde from whēce then hath it tares He said vnto them The enuious man hath done this The seruauntes sayde vnto him Wilt thou then that we go and wede them vp But he said Nay left whyle ye gather vp the tares ye plucke vp also the wheate with thē let both growe together vntil the haruest and in the tyme of haruest I will say to the reapers Gather ye first the tares and bynde them together in sheaues to be brent but gather the wheate into my barne THE EXPOSITION IT appeareth that this Gospell in tymes paste was very easye to vnderstād specially bycause Christ him self setteth forth the meaninge of that parable as concerning the field the sower the corrupter the good seed the tares c. But this difficultie hardnes afterward sprange in this Gospel that was so playn by the doctors not agreing together herein so that we must take the more diligēt hede leaste the true sentēce shold be takē from vs. Some say that tares signifie heresies therby gather that it belōgeth not to the ciuill powers to punishe heretikes Of the which opinion Augustin graunteth hym selfe to haue ben But he sayeth that he was constrained by sure reasons and by experience it selfe to yeld vp this opinion Some make no differēce betwene a ciuil officer and seruaunts of this housholder and expounde tares to signifie common offences and so conclude that a Christian officer ought not to be iudge in matters of life and death Ther be some of the whiche sorte is the Pope and his adherentes that while they regarde not that Christ forbiddeth to plucke vp the tares by their owne Iudgement pronounceth the doctrine of the gospel to be tares and therfore they neuer cease to moue persecution againste the gospell the professors therof by murderinge and kylling them Wherfore seing the meaninge is so diuers first muste we inquire and entreat of the true meaning and than of the common question what ought to be done with heretikes And as touching the true meaning this it is Christ putteth forth generallie the parable of the kyngdom of heauen in a maner declareth the fashion of the church shewing and geuing an example on the which al godly men and especiallie the rulers of the congregation ought to haue their eyes attent lest they sholde by their owne imaginations swarne and turne to a contrarie kyngdome and dreame of vndefiled felowshippes of sainctes in earth For this worde Kyngdome of Heauē semeth to receaue no kynde of mans filthines For it maketh with reason that nothing ought to be receaued into an holy place but holy thinges As God suffered not man defiled with syn to be in an holy place yea for this cause he forthwith repelled Lucifer with all his from hym Wherfore this is the nature of the kingdome of heauen As the sea can suffer no dead carcase in it so no vncleane thinge that is defyled with syn can be abidyng in the kyngdome of God This is one consideration of the kyngdome of God But this gospel entreateth not especially herof For the condition of this kyngdome is vnpossible for sinners An other kyngdome of GOD or of heauen in earth is reuealed by the sonne of God That GOD wolde haue to be suche that in it might be set vp the horne of saluation and rightuousnes for synners In this hath synners an interest and right and are receaued into it for their synnes There riseth in this kyngdome holines and iustice whiche is remission of synnes through Christe whiche is the wisedome rightousnes and satisfyinge And these thinges are not belonginge to determinat tymes or prescriptions concerninge this or that person For God will haue at no time that the waye to repent should be taken stopped from synners there are no other thynges which are more necessarie for the executynge of this matter than the synner comminge to the remission of sinnes It is not demaunded when and of what kynde his sinnes were done or be If he can but prouide for one thing euen that he surely beleue that his sinnes are forgeuen for Christes sake that he neuer counted gods mercy to be lesse then that it can be sufficiente to pardon his sinnes This strange kyngdome doth God set vp in the gospell of his sonne and appointeth a certaine tyme to the administration therof whiche is from the first vttering and reuelie of hym vntil Christ come to iudge both the quicke and the dead and now Christ wheras he compareth the kyngdome of gods saluatiō mercy which is only necessary for synners with the capacitie of the worlde in the which the dyuel that cā neuer be fauorable to the kingdō of God seketh diuers occasions to fulfill his will He forseeth in his mynde great offences to come which by wickednes shall ryse in this kingdō of Gods mercie For the word of God taketh roote in very fewe and this few esteminge the grace of God truely embrace it with a true faith are renewed with the holy ghoste which alway moueth thē to haue faith thorough Christ in Gods mercie and to performe such obediēce as is mete for them that are new borne to praye waight alway for certaine ayde for Christes sake Al the other multitude although they wil be lothe to be named forsakers of their Christian professiō to be counted out of Gods kingdom goeth to that professiō in word but for as much as they be void of righteousnes wtout the holy Ghoste therfore they are subiect to the diuels
destroyd Fyrst of all we ought to haue singular respecte to the maintenance of the ecclesiasticall body or Church For then is that most in hasard if these things that are ordeyned of God to bring men to repentance and saluation be not openly suffred to be vsed against them that are vnpenitent Wherfore if the Church shold either for superstitiō or for a vayne ostentatiō of mercifulnes omit this authoritie of byndinge and excommunicatinge the vnpenitent and not punishe very sharplie suche offenders and so saue it self holy and vndefiled and not suffer a litle leauen to corrupte the whole dowe it were greatly to be blamed Consider also that this is not donne to destroy them that are excommunicat and excluded from the cōmunion and felowship of saintes For herby are they put to shame to the entent they should amend and obtaine saluation with the Church in Gods kingdō Or if they wold not amēd at all it may appeare that the Churche is not in the faulte whiche dyd the same for feare lest it also should be defyled and destroyd by sufferinge the wicked to intermedell with holye thinges Wherfore the Church doth as it is commanded for a good cause excommunicat the stubbourne synners Neither do they violat and breake CHRISTES commandement which forbad the tares to be pluckt vp For Christ hym self commanded saying Let hym be as an Ethnicke and Publicane And yet is he not against his owne cōmandement where as he forbad the tares to be pluckt vp As it is euidēt by the former description For excommunication hyndreth not the principall entent of Christ it is not against the doctrine of his grace but rather for the maintenance therof where as it casteth out them that behaue them selues disorderedly in the kyngdom of heauen to the entent they may the beter come to them selues and retourne again obediently or if they wil not to be vtterly caste out of this kingdom with the lesse daunger where as otherwyse they should heape together more greuous offences by defilinge and prophaninge the holy company of saintes and the Church also for her negligent regardīge her vndefiled holines should prouoke Gods hyghe displeasure and wrathe Now al other restrayninge of offences is amōgest the magistrates and officers they are bound diligētly to see therevnto lykewyse fathers and mothers are gouerners of families all informers of other in manners and learninge These are not forbydden by this commandement of CHRIST to execute their office but they are rather strayghtly commaunded and charged to do them And as touching their iurisdiction power and gouernance they exercise it not in the kingdom of heauen They exacte not certaine offices and rites to be donne whiche thing belongeth to the kyngdom of grace But they haue the regimēt of that kyngdom that belongeth to the body and bodilie thinges to ciuill maners office order humanitie honestie they firste procure that the bodie and bodelie thinges may be in safegard that therby the soules and spiritual thynges maye be the better gouerned And the magistrate maintaineth not onlie the second table as touchynge the duetie towardes men but also the firste as concernynge our duetie towardes God He punisheth Idolatrie blasphemie wytchcraftes periurie He punisheth restraineth heretikes that are blasphemous against God such as teache false doctrine He taketh to his correction them that are stiffe in defendinge of heresie and errors and punisheth them for malefactors bycause they seduce many from the truth And when he doth this he is not thought to plucke vp the tares for bycause he and his office is not belongynge to that kyngdom whiche is forbid to plucke vp the tares It were a superfluous thing to commande or teach that lesson to gouerners of housholdes or to ciuil officers or such other For they haue all their charges geuen vnto them which they must nedes execute in their offices with all diligence and yet they plucke not vp the tares for that they hynder not the kyngdome of grace but cause rather by their order discipline the kyngdom of grace to be in better case to be troubled with fewe offences All officers shold se diligently to quiet and tranquillitie to be had both in house and citie that the church the kyngdome of heauen might liue a quiet and a peaceable life with all godlines and grauitie in prayers supplications with thankes geuing and intercessions For to th end that this kyngdome of prayer true inuocation which is called of Christ the kyngdom of heauen might be reserued amōg men it is very necessarie that parents maiestrates see straightly to their offices Wherfore magistrates and officers of this corporall lyfe do not plucke vp the tares againste the commandement of Christe when they by sharp straight correction and execution do withstand these offences that disordre the common welth But they do the best that they can to see and prouide that the good corne in the congregation be not ouercome with tares so the kyngdome of heauē shold vtterly be abolished in earth And this haue I sayd as touchynge the true meaning of this parable least it shold by euil vnderstāding therof cause men through superstitiō to abstaine from doinge certaine offices necessarie in the cōmon welth Now to declare at large what an haynouse thing it is that Christe here describeth howe the ennemie in the night sowed his most pestilent tares and howe the byshoppes and superattendēts by their sleping sluggyshnes gaue hym occasion and leaue so to do it were a long matter and not fyt to be handled in so shorte a tyme but at this time I thinke sufficient for me to haue enstructed you as touching the true meanyng of this parable And to th end that ye may earnestlye regarde it euen as Christe would we shold when he put forth this parable of the tares let vs pray vnto our heuenly father as for a thyng most necessary to whome be praise and glory for euer Amen The Sonday called Septuagesima The Gospell Math. xx THe kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that is an housholder which went out early in the mornyng to hyre labourers into his vineyarde And when the agrement was made with the labourers for a peny a daye he sent them into his vineyarde And he went out about the third houre sawe other standing ydle in the market place and sayde vnto them Go ye also into the vineyarde and whatsoeuer is ryght I will geue you And they went theyr waye Againe he went out about the vi and ix houre and dyd lykewyse And about the xi houre he went out and foūd other standing ydle and said vnto them Why stāde ye here all the day ydle They sayd vnto hym because no man hath hyred vs. He saith vnto thē Go ye also into the vyneyarde and whatsoeuer is ryght that shall ye receiue So when euē was come the lorde of the vineyarde sayd vnto his steward Call the
therfore they blaspheme it and persecute it euen vnto the vttermost Our aduersaries thē selfes graunt this to be the worde of god that the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ shoulde be ministred in both kyndes Again that Christ did forbid neither mariage nor meats Yet they condēne these thinges as heresie It is wonder that the Sonne waxe not darcke that the earth doth not open swalow vp the teachers of such blasphemies Yet they go stoutly on are wtout al feare so that where the true Christiās feare the deuill they feare him nothing at all For the Christiās haue learned by experiēce that the deuil is able to corrupt euē the righteous and to destroye the worke of God if he be permitted Therfore they call him not Beelzebub but with Paule they cal him the prince God of this worlde For we haue experience of his power in this wyse When he hath made any man his captiue bonde slaue hath caste him into errour or heresie he holdeth him so faste in his clawes that he very hardly can with infinite sermons be called frō his errours vnto the true persuasiō of Christen religiō Again those whom he hold captiue hath them lincked with the bōdes of fornicatiō or adultrye of wrath of couetousnes of enuye of hatred of such like vices he holdeth thē so fast that there is almost no hope at any time to escape And if he perceaue that fewe bondes suffise not he putteth moe vnto thē Therfore the Christiās do not set the deuil at naught nether do they make light of hī nether cal they hī a fly but a mighty lord a prīce god of this world whiche filleth the whole world with murders warres errors heresies scismes dissēciōs desperatiō troubles miseries c. But the pope his secte beleue not this althoughe they both see it haue daily experiēce of the same Wherefore this is meruelous a thing not to be forgotten that the Phariseyes blaspheme Christe and his worke For hereof doth it appere that although their bodies were not possessed with the deuill as this poore mans was yet in their spirit the deuil had much more power ouer them seing after the maner of our papistes they do not only not vnderstand the worde but they also moste slaunderously blaspheme it and most cruelly persecute it And notwithstandyng it troubleth them nothyng at all but they persuade thē selues that they haue done well as Christe sayeth the time shall come that whosoeuer kylleth you shall thincke that he doth noble seruice vnto God And this thinge is seth forth vnto vs to teache vs that if we do determine to caste out deuilles and to teache the worde of God we should loke for no better thinges then chaūced vnto Christ in this place Some shall maruell some shall iudge our doctrine as vngodly deceauing the people by leadinge them into diuers errours some again shal condemne it as heresie and doctrine of deuils Nowe ought we to be well fortressed and fensed againste these sclaunders offendicles or stomblyng blockes It is a greate greiffe vnto our heartes that the Papistes do so blaspheme our doctrine and yet they are so careles that they care no more for the deuill then they do for a flye For suche was the fortune of Christ also in the highest miracle that he dyd when thorow the fynger power of God he dyd caste out deuilles Then fell they vnto suche blasphemies that they sayd it was the battel of flyes and that the deuill wrought it for Christ. After these come the thirde sorte not moche better then the laste but that their wyckednes is not so opē fayning that they would beleue if Christe wold worke suche a miracle as pleased them but they lacke no miracle to beholde for they see one plainely before their eyes but they iudge that an earthly or base no true signe They would if he looked to haue any authoritie with them that he shoulde shewe some heauenlye signe that is that he shoulde make a newe Moone newe starres or suche like these are meruelous wise that will take vpon them to prescribe appointe god what signes wonders and miracles he ought to do They woulde haue him like a Iuglar to satisfye their fansye and to do suche miracles as please them As though God had nothinge to do but to serue theyr lustes folishe desires Such shal a mā find also ī these oure dayes specially among the kynges princes and other rulers of this world For what other talke haue the wise of this worlde amonge them then this what shal I receaue this doctrine whiche a sorte of poore beggarly felowes professe They that first taught the Gospell were in dede vnlearned fyshers but nowe what are they but a sorte of fugitiue and runnagate monckes and a swarme of periured priestes I coulde right well allowe this doctrine if the Pope the Emperour the kinges the princes and other noble men did teache it and embrace it These men also appointe God howe he should behaue himselfe set forth suche doctrine as may please them yea that both by suche and after suche sorte as they thyncke good So that God must do what it pleaseth them to appoint yea such are to be founde euen among them that professe the Gospell For in these oure dayes many which will seme to be Gospellers maye be founde both in the courtes of Princes and also in Cities whiche shame not to appoint the preachers what they must preache and teache yea and that to this ende that as the Prophet sayeth they may speake pleasaunt thinges such as maye delight and not offende For when the preacher accordinge to his office reproueth sinnes and vices whereof certaine persones are gyltie then they streight waies crye out These things as matters tending vnto sedition are by no meanes to be suffered of the maiestrat The Gospell maye be preached without such spitfull raylinges vpon menne so that when a preacher speaketh the truth and rebuketh synne he muste be counted straightwayes to rayle vpon the maiestrat to moue sedition These men are puffed vp wyth as muche pride as they were whiche sawe this miracle and yet regarded it nothynge at all excepte Christ would worke suche miracle as they them selues appointe They are growne vp vnto suche madnes and so swell with pride that they thincke it not sufficient to haue their Realmes in subiection except they also haue iurisdiction rule and power ouer the worde of God other his holy misteries But this is not the meaning whē the scripture saieth the the higher powers ought to be had in honour not to be spoken euil of nor rayled vpō As though because of that the tēporal maiestrate were aboue god his worde But the rulers are no lesse bounde to be obedient to God to his worde thā their subiectes are If they do it
he may boldly open his mouth and lippes and declare the matter both for hymselfe and for other and saye Lorde this haue I nede of that hath my neighbour nede of Geue vs this for Christes sake c. Our times be suche nowe that we can neuer want necessarie causes to pray Calamities and publique miseries are there plentie Perils and daungers cōpasse vs rounde about The cause of all these euils is the deuill which is a murtherer and a lyar with lying he goeth about to oppresse the worde of God and with commotions insurrections and murtheringe one of an other he troubleth the ciuile state publique peace The Pope the Turke and the other tyrauntes which all are enemies to the worde of god helpe the deuyll also forwarde in all his matters yea we also priuatly euery one of vs haue oure priuate incommodities and afflictions so that we haue causes sufficient to moue vs vnto prayer They that can not aptly expresse in prayer these most haynous and greuous euylles let them take vnto them the Lords prayer whiche containeth seuen petitions wherin are cōprehended abundantly all thinges that we haue nede to praye for In the first petitiō Halowed be thy name we pray for the ministery for all true ministers againste heretikes vngodly personnes againste the Iewes Infidelles Turkes and againste the Pope all Papistes for all these blaspheme the name of God and dishonoure it that god will represse confound them send faithfull workemen into his haruest and conserue and kepe his worde sincere and pure againste heresies In the second petition Thy kingdome come we desire that the kyngdome of the deuil and death may decaye and come to naught which is a very ample and large petition For it comprehendeth al the deuils kingdome that god maye make an ende of it and vtterlye destroye it and set vp his owne kingdome in vs and in all menne thorowe his worde and the holy ghost In the third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen we praye that all other wyll whiche is cōtrary to the mercifull will of god may be restrained hindered so that it maye take no place This prayer can not the deuill his Impes abide yea this prayer preserueth and kepeth vs safe from many incommodities and combraunces which the deuil the worlde would dayly attempte and bring to passe againste vs-if they were not letted by this petition In the fourth petition Geue vs this daye our dayly breade we praye for the maiestrates for our parentes for our wyfe and children for the fruites of the earth for seasonable weather for peace and for all thynges necessarie for this present life euery man according to his vocation and calling that it wil please god to prosper all these thinges and to defend them against euil In the fyfte petition And forgeue vs oure trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs we desire that god wyll be merciful vnto vs turne awaye his wrath from vs that we haue iustly deserued not deale with vs accordinge to our sins but that he wil forgeue vs our trespasses geue vs grace that we may waxe daily better and better shewe beneuolence an good wil one toward an other and one of vs forgeue an other how great soeuer the offences be In the sixte petitiō And leade vs not into temptation we aske the god specially will helpe all afflicted consciences that they perishe not in tentation but that they may be deliuered from it by the worde by the holy ghost In the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from euill we pray for a blessed a prosperous end that we may be deliuered from al sinnes calamities of this lyfe be brought vnto a glorious an euerlasting lyfe there to remayne with god in his kyngdome for euermore Thus see we that in the Lords praier are contayned abondātly al thinges necessarye to be prayed for whether we will be deliuered from those thinges that are euil or holpē with those thinges that are good And all these thinges are necessarie to be daily prayed for For there is great plentie of necessities and perils first publiquely and afterwarde priuately in euerye mans owne busynesses Onely this one thynge is greatly to be lamented that we are very colde and slouthfull vnto the Godly exercise of prayer neyther do we resorte vnto it wyth suche earnest desyre and fayth as we ought to do There is a commandement set forth that byddeth vs to pray There is also a promes that we shal vndoubtedly be heard And because we shold lack nothing that might furder vs in this behalfe Christe in the aforesaide prayer hath prescribed and appointed vnto vs a certein forme or maner of praying But for asmuche as oure indignitie and vnworthynes by the reasone of our synnes doth alwayes trouble vs so that eyther we praye nothyng at all or els whē we pray we doubt whether we shal be heard or not we must encourage and confirme our heartes with this that Christ commandeth vs with expresse wordes that we shoulde aske and praye in his name And he promiseth for a certeintie that whatsoeuer we aske in his name we shall surely receaue and haue it And by these wordes he vtterly remoueth this worshipping of God by prayer from all creatures either in heauen or in earth vnto this onely person Iesus Christ. Therfore all prayer that is not made in the name of Christ is no prayer nor worshippinge of god As when the monckes praye that god will haue mercy on them for Fraunces sake for Dominickes sake for Benet and Bernardes sake and that he wil graunt their petitiōs for their owne workes sake or for the fastings almose dedes and prayers of other c. This is no prayer For it is not made in the name of Christe but in the name of Fraunces Dominicke Benet c. or in theyr owne name suche is the prayer of the Iewes of the Turkes of the Infidelles yea and of the Papistes For they wil not haue the name of Christ only in their prayer but they adde vnto it also the names of Mary of the Apostles and of other Sainctes But as concerning all such Idolatrous prayers the end of them is this God heareth them not they please not but rather displease god They are no honoring but rather a dishonoring of god And although such hipocrites do many tymes obteyne that which they aske yet were it muche better for them neuer to obteyn it then after this sorte wherby they be only confirmed and hardened in their impietie and vngodlynes But the godly praye not so They despaire of theyr owne name neyther wyll they at any tyme praye in that But forasmuche as they knowe that GOD is mercyfull for Christes sake and they haue a commandement that they shoulde praye in the name of Christ that encourageth
holy ghoste after these fewe dayes When they therefore were come together they asked of hym sayinge Lorde wylt thou at this tyme restore agayne the kyngdome of Israell And he sayd vnto them It is not for you to know the tymes or the seasons whiche the father hathe put in his owne power But ye shal receyue power after the holy ghost is come vpon you And ye shal be witnesses vnto me not on lye in Ierusalem but also in all Iewrye and in Samaria and euen vnto the worldes ende And when he had spoken these thinges whyle they behelde he was taken vp on hye and a cloude receyued hym vp out of their syght And whyle they loked stedfastly vp towarde heauen as he went behold two men stode by them in whyte aparell which also sayde Ye men of Galile why stande ye gasynge vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene hym goe into heauen THE EXPOSITION THis daye is celebrated and kepte holy the feast of the Ascention of Christe that we maye the better be instructed concernynge thys Article of the Christen Fayth He ascended into heauen and sytteth on the ryght hand of God the Father almyghty frome thense he shall come to iudge the quycke and the deade For the trewe vnderstandyng of this article two thynges are necessarye to be knowen One concernynge the hystorie of the Ascention of Christ. The other as touchyng the mysterie of Christes Ascention what he hath done why he dyd ascende and what profyte he hath brought to his Churche and faithefull congregation by that hys meruailous and glorious Ascension As concernynge the hystorie blessed Luke in hys Chronicle of the Apostles actes dothe very diligently describe it and set it foorthe when he maketh mention of the daye of the place and of the persones that were present after this maner That the Lord after that by the space of fortie days he had shewed hymself aliue to his Disciples after his resurrection spokē vnto thē of the kingdom of God gathered them together and brought them vnto mount Oliuete not farre frome Hierusalem and gaue them commaundemente that they shoulde not departe frome Hierusalem but to wayte there for the promise of the Father euen the Holy Ghost and that afterwarde they shoulde publyshe the Gospelle thorough out the worlde And when he hadde spoken these thynges whyle they behelde hee was taken vp on hye and a clowde receaued hym vp oute of theyr syghte And whyle they looked stedfastly vp towarde heauen as he went Beholde sayth Luke two men stoode by theym in whyte apparell whyche sayd vnto them Ye menne of Galilee why stande ye gasing vp into heauen Thys same IESVS whyche is taken vp frome you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene hym go into heauen This is the historie of the Ascention of Christ as it is described and sette forth by blessed Luke In this hystorye fyrst of all is this miracle woorthye to be obserued that the Lorde Christ before hys Disciples is caryed vp into Heauen and by a cloude taken oute of theyr syght whiche is a manyfeste declaration vnto vs what the state of glorified bodies after the generall Resurrection shall bee For it is not the naturall propretie of mens bodies to be caried vp Notwithstandyng that shal be the condition of glorified bodies that in a moment they maye go to all places without impediment of any thyng as the example of Christe teacheth whome when he rose agayne from death vnto lyfe the stone of the graue could not hynder hym nor afterwarde the doores shutte coulde kepe hym out He pearceth thorow all thyngs He maketh hym selfe vysible when he wyll agayn inuisible when his pleasure is That same felicitie and blessed state shall our bodies also haue after the resurrection when the bodies shall be immortall and no more subiecte to infirmities as they are nowe in thys lyfe wherein we are combred with many diseases and necessities But of these thynges we shall speake more at an other tyme whenne wee shall treate of the Article of the Resurrection of the deade Lette vs nowe come vnto the principall poynte of the whole matter wherunto also the Angels had speciall respecte when they called agayne into the waye the Disciples that gased here and there that they should rather consider why Christe is ascended into heauen then how he beyng a littell afore seene is nowe seene nomore The doctrine of the Apostles in all thynges moueth specially to this poynt that we should consider vnto what ende all the actes of Christe were doone as for an example They referre Christes deathe vnto our sinnes and his resurrection vnto oure Iustification and so likewise of the other After this sorte muste we nowe also see why Christe ascended into heauen and what commoditie and profyt we haue by that his ascension And fyrst of all lette vs behold the nature and state of his kyngdome For in that that he is gone vp into heauen he declareth that his kyngdom is not of this worlde and that his administration shall not be after the maner of worldly kyngdomes When the Disciples demaunded of Christe at what tyme he woulde restore the kyngdome to Israell they were of this opinyon that Christes kyngedome shoulde be a corporall and worldly kyngedome But by his ascension they are taught otherwyse to thynke of his kyngdom that is to saye that it is no worldely kyngdome oute of the which great richesse dignities and promotions are to be looked for but rather a spirituall and euerlastynge kyngedome in the whyche hee shoulde geue Spirituall gyftes vnto menne Therefore lette no manne become one of Christes flocke to the ende that he wyll gette temporall goodes and worldely possessions or to come vnto great honour for these thynges are not to be found in this kyngdome Baptisme the ministerie of the worde and the Lordes supper were not instituted for tēporall thinges neither shold Christ euer haue ben reueled in the world if it had not bene for a more graue and weighty cause then this For our euerlastyng saluation and rightousnes came he down from heauen There was therfore an higher greater matter why the sonne of God did either descende or ascend verily that he might prouide for vs euerlasting goodes as are the fauor of God remission of sinnes the gift of the holy Ghost righteousnes euerlastyng lyfe Such gyfts must we loke for at Christes hand which continued not in this life but wēt into an euer stinge life euen into heauen and there hath begun a spirituall inuisible and euerlasting kingdome Whych thing was longe before prophecied by Dauid in a certaine Psalm which S. Paule reciteth in his Epistle to the Ephesians and interpreteth it of the Ascention of Christ and of his spirituall kyngdome The words are these Thou art gone vp on hie thou hast led captiuitie captiue and
receiued giftes for men yea euen for thyn enemies that the Lord God might dwel among them The sentence is short but it comprehendeth many thynges and euery one of them oughte dilygently to be weyghed pondered and consydered The first worde Paule hymself handleth lyke an Apostle when he saith That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended fyrste into the lowest partes of the earth He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfyll all thynges S. Paule in these hys wordes dothe very exquisitely handle bothe the descension and ascension of Christe that by thys meanes we maye knowe from whense so many and so greate gyftes came that we haue receaued by the ascension of Christ. Let no man thinke that he with his owne woorkes rightousnesse holynes of lyfe or wyth any other thynge hathe deserued that he should receaue the noble gyftes of Christes ascension but Christ himselfe hath deserued it which geueth the gyftes in that he came downe and humbled hymselfe and for our sake became manne and for vs dyed on the crosse These gyftes dothe Paule signify by these his wordes when he as it were interpreteth the mynd of the Prophete and putteth Christes descension before his Ascension For as muche then as the Holy Ghoste by the Prophete speaketh thus of Christe Thou wentest vp on hye It foloweth herof that he came down before and was made lowe Whych altogether was doone for our sake Therfore Paules interpretation agreeth wel with the woordes of Christ whiche ye lately hearde It is expedient for you that I go For except I go my way the comfortour shall not come But when I go my waye I will sende hym vnto you If I go my way I wyl prepare you a place This sayeng Thou art gone vp on hye maketh a differēce betwene Christ and them that ascended into heauen Enoch was taken vp vnto GOD. Helias wente vp in a fyerye charette but CHRIST went not so vp into heauen but he ascended by his owne power as hee also by hys owne power rose agayne frome deathe vnto lyfe without the healpe of any thyng This is a great diuersitie for we shall not rayse vp oure selues at the laste day but Christe shall rayse vs vp Christe hymselfe rose frome deathe vnto lyfe by his owne power as he sayeth in the Gospell of S. Iohn My Father loueth me because I geue ouer my lyfe that I maye take it again No man taketh it away from me but I geue it ouer of my owne selfe I haue power to geue it ouer and I haue power to take it agayne And Peter in the Chronicle of the Apostles actes sayth It was impossible for hym to bee holden of deathe So in lyke maner is there a difference betweene his Ascension and ours We ascend vp into heauen because Christe draweth vs vnto hym But CHRIST hym self went vp into heauen by his owne power as he sayth in the Gospell of Iohn No manne goeth vp into heauen but he that came downe from heauen that is to say by his owne power This diuersitie betwene Christes Ascention and oures dyd the Holy Ghost shew long before that by thys he myghte teache vs that Christ is the almyghty and euerlastyng GOD whome we oughte as they saye wyth embracynge armes to receaue Where as the Psalme sayth moreouer Thou wentest vp on hye It is none other thing then as we sayd before Christ pronounced before Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde Therefore althoughe we are in the worlde occupied about matters of houshold and Policie yet seynge wee are Christians and the kyngdome of CHRIST is not of this worlde we oughte to lyfte vp our myndes vnto heauen that we maye aboue all thynges embrace this spirituall kingdome and looke vnto that But the most part of vs dothe the contrary For a greate number of vs bothe in body and mynd and in all that we are able to do ar altogether drowned and swallowed vp with the present things of this world and only seketh for the goodes possessions therof as though we shold liue here for euer neuer depart We regarde litle or nothynge that Christe is gone vp on hye The Holy ghost wold haue this lewdnesse amended in vs and therefore he diligently putteth vs in mynde that Christ is gone vp on hye and hath left and forsaken these earthy thyngs so that although we be vpon the earthe with oure bodie yet with our hearte and mynde we sholde alway haue a desyre vpward and not trouble our herts with the cares of this world For a christen man should on this wise behaue hymself Let his body be occupied about necessarie thyngs for this present life but let hys mynd haue all her delight and pleasure all her meditation and study all her trauaile and exercise about heauenly supernall and euerlastinge thynges as Paule saith Seke after those thinges that are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God and not after those thynges that are on the earth But why did Christ go vp into heauen or what busines hath he there Of this matter dothe the Psalme make mencion saying Thou art gone vp on hie thou hast led captiuitie captiue This is a description of the great and glorious triumph of Christ and in a maner it appeareth that Christe hadde respect to this psalme when he putte foorthe the Parable of the stronge armed manne whyche kept his palaice and had al thinges in quiet tyll one that was stronger then he came vpon him bounde hym and toke awaye his weapon wherein he trusted and made a spoyle of it For wee wretched caytiues because of synne are vnder the tyrannye of the deuyll and death whych dothe hold vs captiue and we can not escape thys tyranny but the deuill to the vttermoste hath dominion ouer vs and deathe kylleth vs at her pleasure We of our selues are able to do nothyng agaynst them But Christ whiche farre excelleth them in strength cometh and firste thorow his greate humilitie is betrayde and crucified and so by his death he satisfieth for the sinnes of the whole worlde as an innocent lambe And all these thinges are ioyned with great humilitie and in them appeareth nothinge but moste highe infirmitie and weakenes And therfore he is hanged on the crosse that he may dye But after that synne was put awaye by his death and weake Christ is buried in his graue and there is nowe no more hop of him he cōmeth forth again with meruelous great power and glorie alyue and quick as we heard in the daye of Christes resurrection and as the holy Ghoste sayth here He ledde captiuitie captiue that is to say he hathe destroyed the kingdome of the deuil of death He hath spoiled them of all their power so that the deuill fromhensforth hath no more power ouer the Christians death can no more kill them
Amen An other Sermon on Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell Iohn iii. THere was a man of the Pharyseis named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes The same came to Iesus by nyght and sayde vnto hym Rabbi we knowe that thou arte a teacher come from God for no man coulde do suche miracles as thou doest excepte God were with hym Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Ueryly veryly I saye vnto thee except a man be borne from aboue he can not se the kingdome of God Nichodemus sayde vnto hym Howe can a man bee borne when he is olde Canne he enter into his mothers wombe and be borne agayne Iesus aunswered Ueryly veryly I saye vnto thee excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdom of god That which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Marueyle not thou that I sayde to thee ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but thou canst not tell whence it commeth nor whyther he goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Nicodemus answered and sayd vnto hym Howe can these thinges be Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Art thou a maister in Israell and knowest not these thynges Ueryly veryly I say vnto thee we speake that we know and testifie that we haue sene and ye receiue not our witnesse If I haue tolde you earthly thinges and ye beleue not howe shall ye beleue yf I tell you of heauenly thynges And no man ascendethe vp to heauen but he that came downe from heauen euen the sonne of man whiche is in heauen And as Moises lyfte vp the serpente in the wyldernes euen so muste the sonne of man be lyfte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in hym peryshe not but haue euerlastyng lyfe An other Sermon on Trinitie Sonday ¶ The Gospell Iohn iii. THis is a speciall good gospell in the which is declared what is the true and only way to euerlasting life It appereth that it was apointed to the feast of the Trinitie because it maketh so plaine a distinction difference betwene the persons in setting forth the high work of God that god worketh amōg vs men whē he iustifieth saueth vs. For it is certainly pronoūced as touching the father that he loued the world gaue vnto it his only begotten sonne These ar two distinct persons the father the son ech of them hath his propre worke The father loueth the worlde and geueth his sonne The sonne is become a gift and as Christe saith here the sonne geueth hymself to be lift vpon the Crosse as the serpent was exalted of Moses in the desert that all that beleue in him should not perishe but haue euerlastynge lyfe And to this worke also commeth the thirde person the holye Ghoste which by the water of baptisme doth enkendle faithe in our heart and so regenerate vs vnto the kyngdome of heauen Which doctrine is full of swete confort ought to fyll vs with a great truste in God when we see that all the thre persons al the godhead tendeth to this end to preserue vs against deathe and the deuill and that Iustice euerlasting lyfe and the kyngedome of God myght be prepared and made redy for vs. What cause shold we haue therfore to feare in the presence of God for our syn How can we doubt of his good will toward vs For if he had ben willyng to condemne vs for our synnes as we always feare the father would neuer haue geuen vs his onely begotten sonne the father the sonne would neuer haue called vs to baptisme the lauer of regeneration vnder the gouernaunce of the holy ghost And this only thinge do I notifie here as concerning the testimonies of the Trinitie For as touching this article and the doctrine that thervnto belongeth we haue spoken in our former sermon more plentuously Now therfore wil we entreae in order of this gospel and all the partes therof Christ entreth into a long disputation with Nicodemus the chiefe of the Phariseis among the Iewes and that of a matter that Nicodemus coulde not vnderstande the doctrine therof because it semed strange vnto him for lacke of custome therto and because he was accustomed to an other kynd of doctrine Nicodemus beyng no euyll man declareth bothe by word and dede how highly he estemeth Christ where as he setteth so much by him whom his own companions hate so extremely and commeth vnto hym albeit by night to testifie this openly before Christ that he acknowledgeth the power of God to be in him and doth not condemne him against his conscience as dyd the other Phariseis and Scribes Neither is it to be counted blame worthy in this man that he doth acknowlege Christ for the man of God and thinketh him worthy to be receiued of all men for that that he is sent from god What is the cause then that Christ doth seme to receaue this man after an vngentyll sort which gaue suche an excellent praise as concernynge Christe Uerilye there was a verye deadly error in this man whiche ought not to be ouer passed of Christ least that he should seme to consent to Nicodeme in such a great matter wherof yet he was most blamelesse For as touching the knowlege of god he shewed himself here to be very perfect and certain in this that he pronounceth that he knoweth that Christ was sent from God to be a teacher in that he toke the miracles which Christ dyd for the very workes of God But Christ doth declare by his answere wherein he reproueth Nicodemus opinion as touchyng the kyngdome of God what this knowledge preuayleth Nicodemus therefore thynketh this that he knoweth what is the kyngdome of God bycause he knowethe God and vnderstandeth how al things are wrought and gouerned by hym It were true that if he knewe GOD well he muste nedes knowe hys kyngdome But bycause the firste is false CHRIST rebuketh him in the laste that is that he knoweth not what is the kyngdom of God as he thynketh that he doth Wherfore all the disputation standeth in this poynte what is the kyngdome of God and who dothe see it and know it Nicodemus neuer had other opinion before this tyme but that the kyngdom of God had his description in the lawe that out of it might be vnderstande the holynes and sanctitie of God the whiche ought to be performed and fulfylled of all mē yf they wold liue with God most holy in his kyngdom He neuer thought how the synne can not be takē away by the lawe and that the lawe should be but a testimony to declare to vs our synne that it myght be a begynning of a hygher knowledge as concernynge God and hys kyngdome in vs. For he that is ignorant of the kyngdome of grace is ignorant bothe of God and also of his kyngdome Wherfore we muste
of no strenght they can not bring vs to heauē But thou wilt say Are al condēned are al wtout saluatiō This sentēce is against al mē neither can it be otherwise for asmuch as it belōgeth to al mē of whatsoeuer cōditiō or state they be There is but one way to heauē which we do not opē make but the son of god doth it And of this speaketh christ now immediatly saying As Moses lyfted vp the serpent in the desert so much the sonne of man be lifte vp that all that beleue in him may not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe This is the secōd part of this celestial heauēly sermō of the very soūd of the holy ghost now he mitigateth the sharpnes of his first sermō by these words For it is an horrible fereful sayīg that no mā shal go vp īto heauē get saluatiō But it is spokē to the intēt that we shold learne that our first birth is al sinful ther can nothing be foūde in vs that may seme worthy of euerlasting life that not only to put down our prid carelesse liuing but that we shold tourne hūble our selues before god aske grace And this is the beginning of the true gospell that according to my former sayīg euē as no mā ascēdeth īto heauē so that here thou maist know that al that beleue in Christ shal not perish but haue euerlasting life This is a swete voice soūd by that which the holy ghost may be felt perceaued And both these doctrines are necessary in the cōgregatiō The first of sin of our corrupt nature that we might despaire of our workes of al things that we shal neuer go vp into heauē for their sake And whē our heartes are terrified abashed by such wordes then must that cōfortable worde be put forth that Iesus Christ the son of god descēded frō heauē came into the world tooke our flesh blood died for our sins that we might be free frō syn get the inheritāce of euerlasting life He that beleueth this sayinge purposeth surely to sticke therto is now saued shal not be forsakē of Christ nether in life neither in death but shal be takē vp vnto hī into heauē This sermon is a heauenly thynge which can not sufficiently be set forth commended vnto men especially to Nicodemes that is to them that thynke that the law must be obserued vnto iustification and that it is sufficient vnto saluatiō For these are they which knowe not the firste doctrine of sinne that although the lawe be iust holy and good yet we are so corrupt and euill that for our naturall vice we can not obey the lawe although to syght we do good workes Furthermore they muche lesse know that we must ascend into heauen by this man the sonne of Mary which only came frō heauen And so it cōmeth of such ignorance that they do not only thynke that they shal be saued by their owne righteousnes before god but also they persecute the righteousnes which cōmeth of faith in Iesu Christ as we see by the examples of the papistes which can suffer nothyng lesse in our doctrine striue againste nothyng so much as that we teache that we are iustified only by faith and saued therby not by good workes But compare our doctrine with the doctrine of Christ and ye shal fynd no diuersitie In the fourth booke of Moyses ther is such an hystorie The people of Israell when they were werye of suche thynges as they had in the wildernes They murmured against god Moses despised Manna as a light meat This sinne trespas dyd god punishe after this sorte He sent amōgest them ferye serpētes by and by at their styngyng followed a swellynge an inflammation in their bodies so that they fel down on heapes died Then came they to Moyses said we haue trespaced in that we haue spoken againste God and they pray hym that he wil take away from vs these serpētes And the lord spake vnto him Make a brasen serpent and put hym vp for a signe he that is stong and loketh vpon it shal liue Christ here maketh mention of this historie applieth it to himselfe that he must be lifte vp also as the serpent was And he that looketh vpon him that is he that beleueth in hym shal not perish but haue euerlasting lyfe First let vs learne the cause of this dreadfull iudgement whiche Christ hath pronounced twise before againste all men that is that no man can go vp to heauen but the sonne of man that came downe from heauen And again except a man be borne again he can not se the kyngdom of god Wherof came this great misery to man that he is thrust out of heauen should for his owne desert perish for euer It came of no other thing than that the old serpent the deuil dyd so byte hurte the first man and so corrupted him infected hym by syn That he is now in danger of euerlasting death can not by himself get any remedie against it as the type figure in the Iewes doth shew also whosoeuer were stonge they died al. So is it with vs also the reward of sinne is death And looke wher synne is ther must death nedes folow For as much then as al men as soone as they are borne be sinners this iudgement is geuen on thē that they must dye as god by name doth threaten Adam Eue whatsoeuer daye ye eate of this tree ye shall dye the death But here doth God shew his mercie in that he casteth not awaye men that are in this miserie and so infected damned to death but euen as in the figure and tipe of the brasen serpent he put forth a cōmandement which serpent was in all points lyke other serpents sauing that he had no poyson was a remedie against poyson so doth he procure that his son shold be lyfte vp on the crosse that all that looke on him sholde not perishe but escape the danger of death get euerlasting lyfe Yea he himselfe on the crosse had y◠forme of a poysonful serpent but yet hath no poyson but the lykelines therof For although Christe had our fleshe bloud yet that fleshe and bloud was without sinne yea and is of such strength that it deliuereth vs from poyson and sinne This is the very voyce and sound of the holy ghost by the whiche he beginneth the newe byrth in oure heartes that faith may conceaue and that this serpent by true faith may be in our syght and geue saluation But this sight of Christ is not regarded because of folishe reason As it is very lyke that so it chaunced thē also with the Iewes which wold not be brought in beliefe that ther was so great vertue in sight of such a dead
through all our life with sinnes This might worthely be giuen to vs as measure euē death and hell But what doth GOD He putteth awaie that that we haue deserued that is to saie wrathe indignation iudgement death hell c. and bryngeth to vs heauen grace libertie and a quiete mynde from the condemnation of the lawe and of an euill conscience He riddeth vs from al penurie blame and giueth vs all that is good This is truely a large and plentifull measure but whereas thou deniest other the same measure after that thinke not but like measure shal be giuē to thee from GOD as thou giuest other Thou wer fortunate before bicause he helped thee with the measure of grace Now shalt thou haue suche measure as thy vnkinde and craftie behauior deserueth This teachyng is marueilous whereby it appereth that GOD requireth more earnestly thy duetie towardes thy neighbour then towardes hymself For as touchyng hymself he pardoneth synne and will not reken what soeuer we offende against hym Contrarie when we be vnmercifull to our neighbour GOD will neither bee pleased with vs neither forgiue vs any thyng Wherefore all this rate of measuring is to be appointed doen after faithe and not before For before thou haste faithe GOD dealeth not with thee after thy desert but was mercifull vnto thee he opened thee the waie to his worde He promised thee remission of sinnes This is the first measure giuen to vs whē we began to beleue after that this measure was receiued he giueth commaundemente to measure to other likewise And he that doeth so lette hym looke to be doen vnto as he doeth vnto other If he be cruell let hym looke for no mercie of GOD if he iudge he shal be iudged and damned Wherfore this measuryng hath her beginning after faithe when GOD requireth so greatly thy duetie towardes thy neighbour threatnyng that he will reuoke all his grace if we will not be mercifull to our neighbour Wherefore he that thinketh earnestly how to serue GOD let hym doe good to his neighbour let him doe as GOD doeth that is let him not iudge let hym not condemne but forgiue and giue gladly let hym shewe hymself beneficiall and liberall when he maie Els shall it chaunce no otherwise then it chaunced to the seruaunte Math. xviii He had mere mercie shewed vnto hym when the lorde let hym goe scotfree and forgaue all his debt But when he would not forgiue his neighbour an hundred pence neither tary the tyme vntill he were able to paie the whole his free quitaūce that he had in the tenne thousande talentes that wer forgiuen stoode hym in none effect and he is deliuered to the Iailers vntill he paieth the whole And surely it is not possible that we should alwaies folowe this rule We forget mercie oftentymes and whereas mercie was requisite we are wrothfull where we should speake gently we cursse Although it chaunceth thus vnto vs by infirmitie that in this place we dooe contrary to Christes commaundemente Yet let vs beware at least of the sinne of the Phariseis that we continue not therein without remorse of conscience as thei doe but that we might quickly amende let vs put before vs this example to doe to other as the father of heauen hath doen to vs to shewe our selues forgetfull of wronges and not to slacke or cease in well dooyng by the iniquitie of the worlde or vnkindnes of men And to the forgiuenes of synnes it is necessarie that he confesseth his fault that must be forgiuen For it is vnpossible that I should forgiue the Pope and other enemies of Gods woorde their synnes The reason is Thei knowe not theim selues for synners in that thei persecute our doctrine If thei would confesse their folie and professe repentaunce I would not deny theim remission of synnes For there must nedes be synnes if thei should be forgiuen But he that denieth his synne and defendeth it with his rightuousnes as Saul did before Samuell this mannes synnes can not be forgiuen This doctrine is of a Christian mannes life whiche Christ putteth forthe by the example of the father of heauen This doctrine doeth Christ earnestly setforthe by the similitude of a moate and a beame As though he should saie I se that this is hard for you to doe For your owne dammage greueth you the grief thereof is not sone taken awaie Assone as ye se your aduersarie and remēber your wronge anger waxeth rawe againe and all thynges come to stomacke as freshe as though thei wer now dooen wherewith he hath hurted vs with a greate desire also to reuenge Yelde not ouer your selues saieth Christe to wrothe and indignation For although he hath diuersly hindered thy profite and defaced thy good name yet all this is but a Sonne moate in thy eye in comparison of that thou haste dooen to GOD. For that is as a beame in respect of those thynges whiche thy neighbour hath doen against vs. Wherefore many thynges are requisite to hym that will Iudge and condemne In other matter thus it is the teacher muste be better learned then the learner or els shall he be able to teache hym nothyng What kinde of maister canst thou be which professest that thou wilt teach other and art as ignoraunte and as faultie as thy scholars be whom thou takest on thee to teache This ought not to be doen and suffered emong men and how muche lesse can it be suffered in my kyngdome before GOD where as all are to be blamed Wherfore get thee the practise of this parable whē thou hearest seest or sufferest any thyng that is greuous vnto thee that thou maiest alwaies saie Patience This synne is little in comparison of myne GOD hath many more to obiect against me then I haue against other Wherefore I will gladly winke at thēm so that GOD will winke at mine not rubbe me on the old sores But the worlde can neuer bee perswaded but that it will rebuke the moate in his brothers eye and not consider the beame in his owne For where as thou hast one quarell with thy neighbour there hath GOD infinite causes against thee seyng thou neuer keptest his preceptes but haste transgressed them manifolde waies This thou forgettest and therfore in the meane season thou fallest in hatred against thy neighbour for a little woorde If thou canst haue suche a quicke sight in thy brothers little faulte why dooest thou not ponder thy owne beame also Wherfore a christiā man must vse an other waie when he seeth a moate in his brothers eye let him first retourne vnto himself before he begin to iudge and there shall he finde suche a hugeous Beame that he will haue but little luste to iudge his neighboure so that he maie haue GOD mercifull to his synnes Wherefore first he goeth about to take awaie this his owne beame and when he is in doyng that he findeth so muche busines that he sone forgetteth his brothers
moate when he remēbreth his owne disobedience toward GOD and man and other synnes from the whiche he can not be ridde by dooyng daiely all that he can First therefore he condēneth his owne ouerthwart reckenyng wheras he letteth scape his owne Elephante and is eager against his neighbours Gnat. Wherefore Christes intent is to put vs in minde of the example of the father in heauen whiche suffereth our greate beames to lye hidde that wee should paciently abide a moate in our brothers eye and not Iudge hym therefore What man therefore would not bee moued to bee mercifull by this promisse whereas GOD laiyng a side all iudgemente and damnation would gladlie forgiue vs if wee would forgiue one an other and not Iudge that after this we maie obtaine his grace and goodnes profered vnto vs and so escape death and hell Contrariwise he that will not hereby be put in feare to cease from iudgyng and condemnyng where as he findeth a moate in his brothers eye GOD will raise vp a beame in his owne I can not tell what should bee able to moue hym to any of bothe these partes that is either to hope well or to feare ill Is not this a great stubburnes to reproue so greatly a little thyng in our neighbour that we should thereby hinder our owne waie in escapyng damnacion by the vnspeakeable promesse of GOD and to stirre vp the euerlastyng iudgement of GOD by the foolishe saucines of our owne iudgement He therefore that had rather folowe the example of the worlde and of the fleshe then of the heauenly father where aboute goeth he els but to get Gods wrothe in steede of his mercie and to haue GOD greuous and sore againste hym whereas he might haue hym mercifull This great perill ought to bee thought vppon that wee might order our life Godly that all menne bothe frendes and foes might perceiue in vs sure tokens that we are christian men and that we haue suche a minde out of the whiche as out of a fountaine floweth suche charitie as will neuer faile and decaie The whiche thyng our father whiche is in heauen graunte vs through the holy Ghost for our Lorde Iesu Christes sake Amen ¶ The .v. Sondaie after Trinitie Sondaie The Gospell Luke v. IT came to passe that when the people preassed vpon hym to heare the worde of God he stoode by the lake of Genazereth and sawe twoo Shippes stande by the lake side but the Fishermen were gone out of theim and were washyng their Nettes And he entered into one of their Shippes whiche perteined to Simon and praied him that he would thrust out a little from the lande And he satte doune and taught the people out of the Shippe When he had lefte speakyng he saied vnto Simon launche out into the déepe and lette slippe your Nettes to make a draught And Simon answered and saied vnto hym Maister wee haue laboured all night and haue taken nothyng Neuerthelesse at thy commaundement I will loose foorthe the Nette And when he had so dooen thei inclosed a greate multitude of Fishes but their Nettes brake and thei beckened to their felowes whiche wer in the other Shippe that thei should come and helpe theim And thei came and filled bothe Shippes that thei sonke againe When Simon Peter sawe this he fell doune at Iesus knées saiyng Lorde goe from me for I am a synfull man For he was astonied and all that were with hym at the draught of Fishes whiche thei had taken and so was also Iames and Ihon the sonnes of Zebede whiche were parteners with Simon And Iesus saied vnto Simon feare not from henceforthe thou shalte catche men And thei brought the shippes to lande and forsoke all and folowed hym THE EXPOSITION LUke signifieth by this historie how Peter and the reste came to their Apostleshippe And the miracle of the Fishe and the holy ministerie of the Gospell is well applied to the Appostleshippe For by the takyng of so many fishes Christ declareth the power of the Gospell in the worlde wheras it shall drawe vp a great multitude of synners out of the kyngdome of the deuill into Gods kingdome And at last Christ expoundeth it so himself wheras he pronounceth that Peter Iames Andrewe and Ihon should become fishers of men But before that the Euangelist beginneth the historie he rehearseth that many followed Christ to heare hym preache And that to the intent that we hauing an eye to this example may come to the worde of GOD desirously For he that heareth this woorde diligently obtaineth twoo thynges thereby whiche otherwise he could not come by The first is that we knowe hereby what is Gods will toward vs bothe in this life and after this life whiche without the woorde of GOD wee could not knowe at all But wee rather conceiue the contrary in our mynde of the wrathe of GOD toward vs and of his punishement But the worde teacheth vs this as we shall heare hereafter that GOD although we be synners is not angrie with vs but is mercifull that we might be deliuered from synne and get euerlastyng life This is one thyng that we get by the worde The second is that out of the woorde we learne to order the trade of this externall and ciuill life for that that it is allowed and sanctified by the worde of God to be a true worshippyng of GOD so that he hath no nede to become a Monke or Frier that will serue GOD but he maie waite on his owne vocation and doe his owne office diligently whether it bee in a Maiestrates office or in other kinde of life This is a true and pleasyng seruice to GOD and shall neuer be destitute and voide of the blessyng of GOD. This doctrine is necessarie to the true information of the conscience that all men maie knowe for a suretie that their vocation is set forthe by Gods woorde so that all thynges whiche thei doe or doe not maie be confirmed by Gods commaundementes certainly Suche a conscience maie withstande the Deuill in temptacion and thinke surely that he hath doen suche thynges and yet doeth as concerning the whiche GOD hath giuen a sure precept For all thynges otherwise are dooen with synne and displease GOD. As Paule saieth whatsoeuer is not of faithe is synne Now hath GOD giuen vs his woorde plentuously whereby we maie trie all our deedes and saiynges and gather certaine testimonies for them all out of Gods worde For he that beleueth that is he that embraceth Gods grace with a true faith whiche he hath bestowed on vs through Christe what soeuer he dooeth either appartainyng to the commonaltie or to his housholde or to the nature of manne it pleaseth GOD wholly For the persone from whom these thynges procede pleaseth GOD for his faithe in Christ. And this should be sufficient before God for euery manne to comfort hymself with this worde that GOD hath put forthe and sticke vnto that faithe and serue God with all ioy and
the maister of the housholde did prayse the vnrighteous Steward This is not so to be taken as thoughe he alowed vnrighteousnes but he only prayseth the prouidence and wisedome of the Stewarde commandeth vs to folowe it in a good cause that we should vse lyke care and diligence in that as this Steward vsed in an euil cause to his owne coÌ„moditie although to the damage and losse of his maister Euen as if I should prayse an harlotte for setting foorth of her selfe euen to the vttermost for her owne gayne lucre and aduauntage In that behalfe there is no fault in the golde nor in other thynges because the woman doth abuse them yet this example tendeth to this ende that I may admonishe thee that seinge this woman for a litle aduauntage taketh so greate payne in deckinge and trymminge vp of her selfe to please her louers thou muche more oughtest to sett a worke all the lymmes of thy bodye for the attaynment of euerlastynge lyfe and that thou mayst please Christe thy louer This is not so vnderstanded as though filthynes and dishonestie semed worthy to be folowed but this care and diligence is set forth for an example to induce thee vnto a better thyng But how goeth the worlde Christ pronounceth an horrible sentence saith The children of this worlde are more prudent more forecastyng more circumspect more wise in their generation then the children of lyght The matter is plaine For when there is any hope of game and aduantage howe doth the children this worlde carcke and care swyncke and sweate moyle and turmoyle They spare no labour no diligence no payne no trauaile with howe great combraunces perilles and dangers are robbers theaues afflicted and vexed Their care and pensiuenes ceasseth neither night nor daye Pursepickers stealers whoremongers adulterers c. Haue their paines labours and sweate not a litle to gratifie pleasure the deuill and to satisfye their wicked lustes But contrariwise Christen men lye as it were oppressed with a dead slepe secure carelesse wtout any thought when they shold do the workes of charitie and serue god They thincke al things to much when they either do or suffer any thyng for Gods cause or for the commoditie of their neighbour And whereas the worlde bestoweth so greate payne in purchasing hell and in pleasing the deuil there muste the Christians be vrged and drawen as it were a beare to a stake to do their dutie although god knoweth they do it both slenderly and slowly It is therfore a most goodly and trymme example that Christ setteth forth here vnto vs. If we haue any consideration of our dutie we nede not fetche examples a farre of or borowe them out of these bookes and those monumentes only let euery man consider his owne famely or housholde and diligently marcke howe diligent and paineful his children or seruauntes are to do a mischeife and to worke that which is acceptable and pleasant to the deuill All these may be an example vnto vs that we shoulde with like diligence and care embrace the worde of God and the thinges that beloÌ„g vnto euerlasting life For seing they be careful in euil wicked things ought we not much more to be careful painefull about good and godly thinges Let vs not thincke this by any meanes to be suffred that the wicked lymmes of the deuill shold make such haste to hel and we that wil be counted Christians to stande still lyke dastardes to go about nothing that may further vs vnto the kingdome of heauen and vnto euerlasting life But the worlde doth here helpe vs notably well with an holsome example concernynge the busines wherof Christ speaketh in this place For set before thee som man that is geuen to couetousnes Thou shalt see that he can take no reste neither night nor daye The desire and care of money doth so tosse hym as it were the sea when it is most vnquiet He inuenteth suche subtile wayes to get goods as those that be witty men can none otherwise then greatly marueille at his doinges To be shorte he will not let scape so much as a farthing if there be any hope to come by it For his drie iawes are as gredy as wide gaping for the litle as for the greate Al is fysh that cometh to the net This couetous miser this miserable Mammonisie this wycked worldlyng ought to moue vs all by hys example that as he hath an vnsaciable desire vnto the getting of money so we likewise shold haue as gredy a mynde as feruent a desyre as wel willing an hearte to obtaine and get euerlasting lyfe But where are these Christians that study thus to do their dutie That are as muche delighted to helpe their neighbours nede wyth a lytle money euery man accordyng to his habilitie as this couetous man is delighted to see his stocke of money encreased eyther by vsurie or by any other vnlawful meane When notwithstandynge all that the couetous man getteth as I may speake nothing of the shame dishonestie is but transitorie and soon passeth away and cometh to naught But looke what things we get be Christen liberalitie by doing good to the poore members of Christe they bringe with them euerlastinge fruites and coÌ„modities For thus sayth Salomon He that pitieth the poore lendeth to the Lord and looke what he layeth out it shall be paid hym again Here a man nedeth not to feare the losse of his stocke or gaynes thereby for he is promised that he shall loose nothing but whatsoeuer he bestoweth vpon the poore it shal be abundantly recompenced hym But this wil take no place among vs neither do we beleue it For by the deuil are the sences and iudgements of the vnfaithful hindered and letted that they can not perceaue this nor haue any mynde to this gayne and aduantage whiche farre surmounteth and passeth all worldly lucre and profite Wherfore we are worthely punished for oure madnes seinge that we set more by thynges present although frayle tranâ—itorie then by the things that are heauenlye and euerlastynge so that we do not only synne by couetousnes but we also make our Mammon the author of our destruction and damnation both of bodye and soule Therefore Christe concludeth very truly when he sayth that the children of this worlde are wyser in their generation then the Sonnes of God For the deuill receaueth an hundred times more of his children then God doth of his Yet must we not ceasse from teachyng and admonishyng men be they neuer so sluggyshe and mad but we must be alwayes spurryng and prickyng them forewarde vnto the study of good workes if that by oure importune labour they may be brought vnto some goodnes euen as other by the subtle suggestions of the deuill the wicked councelles of naughtie packes are moued and brought vnto all kynde of lewdnes for although oure matters procede but slowlye in this enterpryce yet this
may be most magnificent And this is sufficient for the firste part that we may know surely what is gods seruice and that the bonde seruice of Mammon may not hynder vs in greater seruice that wee are bounde to doo Nowe lette vs see a conforte and consolation as touchyng this howe we may cast auarice and couetousnes from vs. Firste saieth Christe that no man can serue two maisters and he geueth them bothe theyr names One is God that is the true lord and master whome we are wholly bounde to serue and honoure The other is Mammon this is not the true maister where Christe forbyddeth vs to doo hym any seruice that is to say to be carefull for the lyfe howe it maye get his lyuyng and for the body howe it may be apparailed And he applieth all his sermon to this end that we shold caste away suche care and that because it is not only vnprofitable wherof we haue no nede and wherby we nothyng preuayle but for that it hyndereth gods true homage seruice Wherfore we muste beware of it and see diligently that wee serue God and persuade our selues certaynly that he doth nowe knowe what we haue nede of and that he wyll fynd it vs gladly if we do but onely require it at his handes And it healpeth muche to the attainynge of thys faith to call to mynde those thinges which God hathe now geuen vs without our helpe For he made vs not we our selues he gaue vs body and lyfe Now let the world iudge this yf all the sustenance that is wer cast together in a heape would it not esteme the lyfe more So lykewise is the body more to be regarded then all the apparell in the worlde Is not this then a great madnes and foly worthy of Goddes wrothe we can not but confesse that we haue receaued all these thynges that are chiefe of all from God and yet doubt we whether he wil geue vs these base and vile thynges This might well be iudged a contumelie or reproche if one that hathe felte any ryche mans liberalitie in a great thinge would not truste for the same in a littell thing Lykewise is God handled of vs when we mystrust whether God will fynde vs foode or no. But how this pleaseth GOD Christ declareth when he straightly cōmaundeth that we doo not this least we commyt idolatrie And as we may know by the condition of our body lyfe and of all our membres that God is bounteous and liberall and hath geuen vs very many thynges So hath Christ also set before vs the examples of other creatures whereby we may learne to truste in God and to caste all our care on hym For the byrdes of the ayre be before our eyes in the element to oure greate reproche that where as we be excellenter creatures then they yet we geue not so great honour to God as the byrdes do which by nyght take theyr rest in theyr nestes without care In the mornyng they flye foorthe cherefully they sytte vppon the boughes of the trees They make goodly sweete noyses they prayse and geue thankes vnto GOD and then seke for their lyuynge and fynde it But we can not abstayne frome thys cursed and execrable care The byrdes haue no landes no barnes no storehowse or spence yet they doo synge they doo prayse GOD They reioyce and bee ioyefull For they bee sure of thys that there is one whyche prouydeth for theim His name is heauenly Father Why thenne doo not we lykewyse whyche neuerthelesse are better in this poynte that wee can woorke gather in the harueste laye it vppe in barnes and reekes and preserue it for other necessarie vses yet can we not abstaine frome care Wherefore we oughte neuer to forgette the exaumples of these byrdes They are merye and cherefull without care And why shold they take thought and care seyng they haue God to theyr nourysher whose store is so greate that it can not bee conteyned in the worlde Wherfore he hathe prouender and foode at hande euerye where Suche a one saieth CHRIST woulde the Father of heauen be toward vs if ye wolde geue place to his liberalitie thorough Faithe But here doo we see by experience that the world is a fylthy synke of moste filthy and couetous men whyche truste not in God serue not God but serue Mammon and onely endeuoure to increase theyr substaunce If they are not deceyued of theyr hope they are gladde But yf theyr substaunce bee not to theyr mynde they are sorowfull they vexe them selues they are consumed nyghte and daye wyth cares But thou dooest not thynke thys that yf all ryuers flowed with golde and yet wee lacked lyuelode as meate and drynke that the lyfe could not be preserued with golde For we lyue not by golde Is not thys a shamefull worshipping of golde whyche the Ethenykes mocked also by the fable of Midas He hadde so great desyre of golde that he wyshed that all that he touched myghte be made golde But when he obteyned his petition the meates and all other thynges whyche hee touched for an other purpose were tourned into golde and so he was punished for his couetousnes when he shoulde nedes die for hunger because all thynges were changed into golde Wherfore let euery man flee auarice and abhorre it asmuch as he can For neither golde nor syluer nor perle nor any suche thynge hath power to nourishe And yet the madnes of the worlde is so greate that beside liuelowd they require also golde and siluer as thoughe it had no nede of gods gyftes but haue nede rather of this that is not geuen of him He therfore that is a Christian Let hym se diligently vnto hymselfe that he be not oppreste with auarice but let hym learne to put his trust in GOD whiche hath declared so muche both in vs and also in other creatures that he wyll prouide for vs and wil leaue vs destitute of no good thynge As the psalme also maketh notable mention as concerning the yong crowes to the whiche he geueth meate For this is the ordinance of God that wheras he geueth life he suffereth not that thinge as sustaineth lyfe to be lackyng And if he doth that in Catle and beastes howe muche rather will he do it in vs Christians to whome he hath not onely geuen lyfe and bodie but also his onely begotten sonne that they maye lyue not onely here but also in the kyngdome of GOD this woulde CHRIST that we shoulde learne and that we shoulde forsake that execrable incredulitie and distrust which auarice stirreth vp It were a very foolishe thynge if a man woulde in a solitarie place make hymselfe bare and leaue that he might adde somewhat to his stature This man should be a mockynge stock to all other So doth the world sayth Christ when it is vexed with pensiuenes in gettinge of riches No man shall waxe riche by care All that consisteth herin that God maye blesse and not in our
sake And thou art in the state of perfection when thou doest thys But they say that this is the duetie of euery common Christian but they will doo some peculiar thyng that euery man doothe not whiche rise not in the nyght whiche eate fleshe and are apparailed after the common sort where as they bestowe the nyghte in holye seruice and eate fyshe and vse a kynd of apparaile by them selues And so at laste the matter commeth to that poynt that mans traditions kepe them so occupied that they can haue no respect to Gods commandementes Wherfore it is no small doctrine where as Christ saieth that it is the chiefest precept to loue god and that the second is lyke to the fyrst to loue the neighbour as hym selfe For of these two depende all thynges that maye be taught as touchyng good workes Out of this fountaine ought all thinges to procede and to this ought they to be referred agayne· For this is decreed if thou thynkest how thou mayst serue God that can be done by no other meanes then that thou loue God and thy neighbour This doctrine will cause a straight iudgement to be had in the last day For what was done in the Papacie euery manne knoweth He that would serue GOD became a cloysterer he went to Rome or to Saincte Iames. He prayed to thys saincte or that he dydde serue hym eyther by feastyng or fastynge And at that tyme was this called Gods seruice But telle me is not thys trewe that thou seruest God when thou doest that that thou art commaunded Wherfore to serue God can be no other thyng than to doo that which God hathe commaunded and not that whiche ye thynke beste youre selfe But what hath God commaunded truely as Christ reherseth here If thou thinkest to doo Gods seruice thou must not go farre for that cause or bestowe any great coste or charge Loue God and thy neighbour Howe can gods seruice be more nere vnto thee or bee done better cheape then by this meanes that when thou louest thy neyghbour and doest all kynde of benefite for hym God will accept it as thoughe it were doone to hymselfe This is verily a meruailous doctrine that this seruice is Gods and done to God whē thou doest good to thy neighbour And this as I said before shal be the cause of a harde and greuous iudgement in the laste daye For thus saith Christ that the wycked shall saye When dyd we see thee hungry or thirstie But Christ shall answere That ye haue not doone to any of the leaste of myne that haue ye not doone to mee Soo that thow mayest bee sure hereof that whenne thou healpest a poore Christian wyth rayemente and meate it seemeth to bee doone vnto CHRIST And it is euen all one But is not thys a greuous thyng that wee lette passe suche an easye and ready occasion to serue God We think that yf we coulde tell where Christe myght be found that there we would gladdely doo and bestowe all that wee coulde But it is no nede to thynke so Wee do heare here that the seconde precepte is lyke to the fyrste There canne bee noo other meanynge thereof thenne that GOD wyll take it as done vnto hym selfe what soeuer is doone to the neyghboure But thow wylte saye that God is in heauen This maketh no matter he is also here in earth Wherfore whenne thou seeste a Christian in perylle thynke this that it is Christe that suffreth it and that he hath nede of thy healpe as he saieth hymselfe that in the laste daye he will make suche complayntes that we haue not cared for his hunger and thyrst It was a common facion in the popedom that the olde souldiours which had ben horsmen and fotemen in warre and also lawyers and such like which were thought to haue liued in a prophan an vnholy kynde of life wold say that they had serued the world hitherto that now euer after they wold serue god so thei wēt to som monasterie wher they wer made monkes and heremites ▪ but this is a fals and peruers way For he that wil serue god must not seke solitarie places corners but must be conuersant amongest men and help them all that he can For by so doing is seruice doone vnto god which cōmanded it By monkerie is not gods seruice fulfilled For it is not only a thing vncōmanded of god but also al the trade therof is against charitie the true seruice of god wherof Christ in this place speketh nothynge This was vsed also amongest the Iewes They hurted their neighbors diuersly thoughte that if they offered muche burnt offerynge that all thyngs pleased god highly But what saieth God also psal 50. I wyll not argue with thee for thy Sacrifyces Thy burnte offerynges are alwayes in my syghte I wyll not take calues out of thy house neyther kiddes out of thy heardes For myne are all the wylde beastes of the woddes and thousand beastes in thousandes vppon the mountaynes In an other place he sayeth also that hee hathe noo nede of theyr golde and Temple But yf thou studyest to do me true seruice go thy waye vnto thy neyghbour Thou haste a wyfe chyldren a famyly neyghbours rulers lordes maisters and many other states These shall fynde the busines inough Therin do me seruice If ther be any stubburne in thy familie or children wynke not at it but see it duely punished If thy neyghbour be nedie sorowfull or sycke helpe hym se vnto hym conforte him Obey thy gouernour and thinke that all this is done vnto me But it is greatly to be lamented that these thinges can by no meanes moue vs. For whatsoeuer we haue trespassed against god all that doth god forgeue vs of his owne free will so that we wil only be beneficiall vnto our neighbour which thing god wil so take as though it were done vnto himselfe He therfore that were ignorant what the worlde were and howe it handleth God might learne hereby For what other thing do al men of all degrees then through wantonnes folie daylye buffet god treade him vnder fete For this is all mens desyre how they may waxe riche them selues how they may heape vp their owne caring nothing how it goeth with their neyghbour He that could thinke this with himselfe surely that what soeuer he doth to his neighbour is done to god might worthelie abhorre trēble at the fashion and maners of the worlde But ther is no man that thinketh this to be true As Christ saith also That the wicked shall say in the last day Lord when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie But this shal nothing preuayle them For as Christ sayth here The second is like to the first So shal he say then That that ye haue not done to one of y◠least of mine haue ye not done vnto me This is the first doctrine out of this Gospell God graunt that we maye be moued therewith and let
this vice is geuen by nature that we are glad to beleue lies for because our heart is proue therto By this meanes the Pope and his sectaries beleue constantly in the masse and in the seruice and intercession of sainctes in monasticall vowes ceremonies fastes c. But it is a false and fayned fayth and by your reuerence ful of whoredome baudrie The heart is full of fornication False faith causeth spiritual whoredom But on the contrari part we which thankes be vnto god haue the pure and chaste spowse for the word is doubtlesse sincere and true do not beleue constantly wher as neuerthelesse we sholde beleue cōstantly But they can not beleue so constantly seing they haue not the worde All the cause therof is in oure olde man in the deuill for that that we thorow originall sinne depart from the worde and truth vnto lyes Out of this gospell we must first learne that we haue nede of the worde And then that we embrace it with a sure faith And that afterwarde doth therof ensue remission of sin and euerlastyng lyfe so that we are surely ridde from all difficulties and dangers both in this life and in the life euerlasting But when the worde is lackyng ther is a faith also as the Anabaptistes Arrians Turkes Iewes Papistes haue a fayth But it is a faith without the worde which is ingenerat in vs by nature through the fall of Adam This is a lying fayth which by nature we may kepe more surely then the worde of God After that Christe had preached this to the sicke of the Palsye and forgaue his sinnes The scribes thinke that Christ blasphemeth God in that he forgeueth sin This part is necessarie also and of greate wayght For this is euident by the example of all phantasticall persons that all are in this errour that they know not howe synnes be forgeuen Demaunde this of the Pope and of his doctours add they can not tell thee what absolution doth For all the Popedome holdeth fast by this doctrine and it is surely holden vp therby that grace is powred into them that he that would obtaine it hath nede of contrition confession satisfaction But when it is demanded what is the office of absolution and of the keies they answere that it is an exterial administration which is obserued in the church So saye the Anabaptistes also what shall baptisme preuayle to the obtayning of remission of sinnes sith it is but a litle water The spirit is requisite To be short no secte maker no monke no priest could see this that remission of sinne is a power geuen to man As it is here in the gospell Wherfore learne thou this and say I know that God doth onely forgeue the sinne that I confesse yet this is also to be knowen by what I may be certified that my synnes are forgeuen or what is the meane by the whiche my sinnes are forgeuen And there say If I desire remission of sin I must not go into some corner and say O god forgeue me my sins And thē loke for som Angel whom god shold send vnto thee to say that thy sinnes are forgeuen For god promiseth that he will come vnto vs that baptisme may be amonge vs and his word most holy that it might be said I baptise thee in the name of the father of the son and of the holy ghost He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued But thou sayste that baptisme is water onely It is true but this water is not alone but Gods worde is with it Therfore when I come to the minister whiche hath the peculier commandement of GOD or to any other Christian and desyre remission of my synnes There doth the minister pronounce I in the stede of GOD declare vnto thee through Iesus the remission of all thy synnes And here mayste thou surely truste that thy synnes are forgeuen For baptime and the worde will not deceaue thee This dyd they not teache in the Popedome neither doth any of their preachers vnderstand this Wherfore geue you thankes to God for this benefite light and learne diligently that God alone forgeueth sinne But how verely no otherwise then it is here in that he hath geuen men such power As Christ begynneth that in this place and afterwarde geueth commandement that frō henceforth it shold alwayes be obserued and kepte in the congregation vnto the ende of the worlde that repentaunce remission of sinnes sholde be preached in his name So is remission of sinnes amongest men to be required or in the worde and no wher els For ther only may it be founde This suffereth thee not to ascend into heauen therfore But whē thou desirest remission of synne receaue baptisme if thou be not yet Christined or if thou be see that thou doest call to minde that promesse and be not harde of of belife Go also and be at one with thy neyghbour then aske absolution And as thou hearest that remission of sinne is pronounced vnto thee in the name of Iesu so beleue and thou shalt obtaine thy desire So that baptisme absolution the publike worde the sacrament maye not seme a lyght thing vnto thee but that remission of sin may be asked and required therby For to this intent God hath called and ordained thy Pastour and Curate thy father and mother thy Christian neyghbour hath put his word in their mouth that thou shouldest aske confort and remission of syn of them so that this maye so be counted the commandement and ordinance of god that we shold geue credence to the wordes of men when they according to Christes worde and commandement vse their ministration and office For these are not the wordes of men but of God Wherfore these wordes are to be beleued constantly and not to be despised When the minister baptiseth a childe accordyng to Christes commādement There thou hearest the wordes pronoūced of a man But they are the wordes of God neither must thou take them any otherwise then if god had pronounced theym hymselfe So whenne thy synnes are forgeuen thee in absolution thou mayest no more doubte then yf God hadde spoken theym hymselfe For GOD hym selfe pronounceth this sentence that thy synnes maye be forgeuen thee Wherefore learne in this place the waye howe to aunswere these phantasticall persons when they crie on this wyse What is water but water We know thys also But they are ignorant hereof that the worde of God is ioyned with suche water Wherfore it is no longer pure water but diuine water whyche the mynister geueth not of hymselfe but God commaunded it so to be geuen to the intente that by it we myghte haue a new byrthe to enter into the kyngdome of God and Remyssion of all oure synnes And as GOD geuethe the worde whyche is hys and not oures so dothe hee geue also Faythe vnto the worde For bothe of them are the gyftes of God Faithe and the worde
Psal. 143. Rom. 11. Galat. 3. Epicures We muste praye contynually Luc. 18. 1. Thess. 5. Eccle. 18. A christen maÌ„ is euer in danger therefore ought he euer to pray Every christen man is a priest Cause to pray Iohn 8. A short declaration of the lordes prayer The first peticion Math. 9. The second peâ—icion The thirde peticion The fourthe peticion The fyfte peticion The sixt peticion The seuenth peticion We oughte to be feruentlye geuen to prayer Math 6. Psal. 50. We muste praye in the name of christ Prayer not made in the name of christ is no prayer God hearethe only those prayers that are made in yâ— name of christ Note well Ioan. 14.16 In Psal. 108. Libro de Isaac etamina What it is to praye trulye Prayer onlye râ—dressethe all our mesiries Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 12. God dothe all thynges for the beste Math. 6. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. A good lesson Math. 8. We maye no appoinc god in oure prayer how and wheÌ„ hee shall helpe vs. Iudith 7. Esa. 30. Thren â— Psal. 9. God wyl help all them in coÌ„ueniente tymâ— that pray vnto him Praier is our onlye staye in thys worlde Ioan. 16. Forget not this o EnglaÌ„d How the church of christ maye be safly preserued froÌ„ the deuil and Antichriâ—ste â–ª Euery christeÌ„ man is a souldiour Ephe. 6. With preaching praier the kingdome of Antichriste is ouercome 2. Corin. 10. An exhortarioÌ„ vnto prayer A wicked imagenacion Iohn â—5 Christes kingdom is spiritu all Math. 10. Luc. 22. Act. 1. The holye ghost teacheth to praye Zacha. â—2 Faythe is the gyft of God Rom. 10. Praier without Faithe is no prayer Two thinges speciallye taught in this sermon The historie of christes ascension Act. 1. Act. 1. The state of glorified bodies Rom. 4. Christ by his ascension declareth the his kyngdome is not of thys worlde Iohn 18. Actes 1. Why Christ came down from heauen Psal 68. Ephe. 4. Phil. 2. Ioan. 16. Ioan. 14. Gen. 5. 4. Reg. 2. Iohn 6. Iohn 10. Act. 2. The differenc of christes ascension and oures â—oan 3. Ioan. 18. The maners of thys world discribed Thoughe our bodyes be on the earth yet our myndes ought to be in heaueÌ„ Coloss. 3. Luc. 11. Synne hath made vs bond slaues to the deuyll and deathe Christes humilitie Christes glorious tryumph ouer synne deuill and hell Rom. 8. By christ are we made free from synne â–ª deuyll death damnation Why christ is ascendede into heauen Rom. â— Synne 2. Reg. 11. 2. Reg. 12. All thinges worke for the best vnto theÌ„ that loue god Psal. 51. Deathe 1. Cor. 5. Osee. 3. The deuyll 1. Pet. 5. Note well Synne death and deuyll are taken prisoners of christ The fruite of christes ascencion Christ hath receued gyftes for men Ioel. 2. Iohn 16. Act. 2. The workes of the holye ghost Rom. 4. Psal. 32. Psal. 68. Ephe. 4. Enemies of godes worde Psal. 2. Persâ—ecutyon maketh the worde of god to florishe Math. 16. Math. 21. God defeÌ„deth his churche Iohn 16. 1. Cor. 4. Iac. 1. Math. 16. Luke 24. Christe blessed his disciples what christes blessing was Math. 28. Marc. 16. Marc. 16. What it is to preach the gospell to euerye creature Esa. 55. Whersoeuer yâ— gospell is preached there the blessinge of Christe is What christe mente by blessing his disciples Rom. 1. Luc. 24. The holye ghoste is almighte and euerlasting god The miseries of the true christians in thys worlde both outwardly inwardly Why the holy ghost is called a conforter Note well Two kyndes of conforte The conforte of the worlde The conforte of the holye ghoste An obiection Ihon. 16. Math· 14. Marâ— 6. Luc. 9. Antichristes disciples are in better case in this world then the disciples of christe Christes humilitie the answer worldly confort is vncerten The conforte of the holy ghost is most certen and sure 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 16. The holye ghost is god The rewarde of the godlye in this lyfe How the holy ghost coÌ„forteh the faithful inwardly Phil. â— The holye ghost teacheth no newe doctrine The wytnes bearinge of christe only coÌ„forteth the troubled and weak conscience Note Iohn 14. lib. de Isaac et anima Galat. 1. Epist. 2. Iohn The holye ghoste confortethe by the worde Rom. 10. What ChristiaÌ„s shal loke for this world vnconfortable thoughtes are of the deuyll Rom. 4. A swete conforte Math. 2â— Of the crosse and affliction Luc. 24. The true and false churche The pope and hys Secte is not the true churche Ciprians erroure Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Math. 6. The excommunicate and curse of the false churche is not to be feared How the false churche maye be knowen What it is to knowe god Iohn 1. What it is to knowe christ What it is to know the father The doctrine of the true churche The doctrine of the false churche whi we ought to do good workes Apoc. 2. The tokens of the true churche The true chureh taketh all troubles pacientlye and thankefuly Pentecoste â–ª what it signifyeth Exod. 20. 1. Cor. 10. Exod. 12. â— Cor. 5. Heb. 9.10 The PeÌ„tecost of the Iewes Rom. 7. Iohn 7. Exod. 34. 2. Cor. 3. The lawe accuseth 2. Cor. 3. Exod. 19. Deut. 8. The Whytsontide or PeÌ„thecost of the christians Actes 2. Luc. 24. Act. 1. Math. 3. What the fyrye tongues signifye Esa. 2. Math. 23. Marc. â—6 Why the Apostles speake with diuers languages Act. 5. Act. 20.21 Psal. 6â— Esa. 60. Hiere 3. Ioel. 2. Zachar. 3. The holye ghost hath alwayes ben of the churche Iohn 16. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 12. Christe the sonne of god Gen. 3. The reuelacion of the holye ghost on whitsondaye why the holye ghost was opened on whitsonday By christ receaue we the holy ghoste Psal. 68. Act. 2. The holye ghoste is god from euerlastyng Why the spirite of god is called the holye ghoste Iohn 6. Diuers propertis of the trinitie The proper office of the holye ghoste Act. 15. The seconde sanctifying of the holy ghost Ephe. 4. Zach. 2. Other offices of the holye ghoste Iohn 14. Iohn 15. How the holy ghoste may be obtayned Luc. 11. Prayer The holye ghost is to be obtaynede by prayer We muste pray in the name of christ Psal. 68. Act. 2. Math. 28. Marc. 16. Act. 3. The lyfe is godly to be ordered The office of the holye ghoste Math. 6. Psal. 51. The dignitie of this gospel To loue christ and to beleue in hym are all one thyng The nature of loue It is necessari that Christ beloued Loue doth all thinges Loue procedeth of fayth What is christes worâ— The lawe of god is to be obeyed How god is to be knowen Note well A great coÌ„fort Deut. 30. Rom. 10. What it is to be in heauen What it is to haue god dwellyng in vs. Esa. 66. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 3. â— 2. Cor. 6. Loue maketh all thynges lyghte Spollers of church goods That Christ keth god spea speakethe vexacion geueth vnderstaÌ„dynge Wyth out the in warde
A similitude The sluggishnes of christeans An example of acouetous man Note well Pro. 19. Preachers must do their duties in preachinge whâ—ther the people amende or not Marke well Wee oughte daylye to encrease in the waye of godlynes more and more Phil. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 8. We ought liberally to geue vnto the poore Papistes abuse the scriptures of god Note this reason Math. 25. Whyther by oure good workes wee deserue heauen Rom. 4. Iohn 11. Iohn 14. Iohn 3. Rom. 14. Faythe Rom. 8.12 Cor. 12. 2. Timoth. 2. Heb. 12. Rom. 4. Scriptures oughte to be conferred An aunswere to the quistioÌ„ of the iustification of good workes Galat. 16. An example of gods wrath agenst the despisers of his worde The dispysyng of gods worde is a most horrible synne Ierusalem Let vs repent betymes Rom. 11. At what tym Ierusalem was destroyed and with howe greate a multiâ—udâ— Why god differrethe hys plages Rom. 2. 2. Pet. 3. Note well It is a moste greuâ—us synn to dispise the worde of god Repente O England and amende Iere. 9. Ioan. 8. Psal. 109. PareÌ„tes and householders The plage is certen and yet hydde from the wycked The delaye of punyshement hurâ—eth greatly in common wealthes A sentence â—orâ—hy to be remembred 2. Pet. 3. Gods plages differrede are the more greuous Plinius lib. 5. cap. 14. Pro. 10. Osee. 5. Synne Securitie destroyeth the citie Remember this O Englande and beware betyms The seconde parte of the gospellr The priestes sought not the glorye of god but theyr owne gaynes Masse Note Osee. 6. The false doctrine of the Iewishe priestes Humilitie Phariseys Publicanes Christes iudgement of the phariseye and of the publicane two greuous synnes in the phariseye To despysed ther is a great synne Pride abhorred of god Iob. 4. Esa. 14. 2. Pet. 2. Gene. 3. vayne glorye or pride corruptethe all good workes 1. Pet. 5. Iac. 4. Luke 18. What the christen humilitie is Rom. 12. The publican an example of true humilitie 1. Cor. 4. Luke 12. All our glory ought to be in god alone Howe gods gyftes are to be vsed Christe alone is the sauiour The deuyl is the author of all euyll An whole and healthefull bodye is the gyfte of god Why god fulfrethe the deuyll to hurte vs. Ephe. 6. 2. Cor. 4. 1. timoth. 2. Note well God helpethe vs agaynste the deuyll by hys sonne 1. Iohn 3. Gen. 3. Christen men must haue theyr eares opened and theyr tonges losened Rom. 1.10 Iacob 1. Gladly to heare the worde of god is the gyfte of god The papistes are both deaff and dumme God openeth our eares by hys worde Rom. 10. We muste bothe beleue and confesse the worde Why Christ vsed so many circumstaÌ„ces in restoryng thys man to hys healthe Iohn 11. Math. 9. Note thys well Math. 17. Mat. 28. Marc. 16. Luc. 10· Act. 4.5 Disobediente children and seruauntes Disobediente subiectes The vnreuerent handling of the spirituall ministers in these our dayes The wycked worlde heareth gladlyer Robyn Hood then the word of god Psal. 109. Iohn 3. O Englande take hede be tymes and saye not but thou art warned Why christe lokethe vp to heauen and mournethe God is to be praysed for hys gyftes The word of god is christes fynger and spettle The fyrste parte of the gospell The worlde despyseth the gospell of christe Note well They are most miserable whiche haue not the knowlege of the gospell 1. Iohn 5. What maner of men the gospell makethe The opinion of holines puffethe men vp with pride and makethe the vnmercifull The laweyer What it is to loue god Exod. 20. To loue god is to kepe his commaundementes Iohn 14. Malach. 3. Matth. 10. Luc. â—0 To loue god is to loue thy neyghbour The vnkindenes of the worlde The samaritans loue towardes god God is euery where and in all places a lyke present Rom. Gal. Iobn Fayth obtayneth all thingges He that beleueth not obtayneth nothing Iac. 1. Heb. 1. An apte similitude The seconde doctrine of vnkindnes Unkindnes is the greatest synne The maner of the Monasteries Psal. 116. The world is most vnkynde to god The actes of certayne Gretians Pro. 25. Rom. 1â— Math. 5. We muste learne to be kynd of god The nature of Christen charitie The vnthankfull shall not escape vnpunished The whole worlde is set on couetousnes This sermon appertayneth to householders and to preachers â–ª What it is to serue What it is to serue god All gods seruice is coÌ„trary in the worde â–ª What the true seruice of god is Gen. â— Psal. 45. Pro. 1. Nowe couetousnes maye be auoyded Psal. 59. The fable of Midas Psal. 47. Gods blessing and not care maketh men ryche Not laboure but carefulnes is forbydden Laboure and fayth must go together He that despiseth the word of god despyseth god hym selfe Not idlenes but labour becomethe a christian Ryotus persons Prodigalitie and idlenes forbydden Note weâ—â— theâ—e â—yue poyntes A comfort agaynst deathe by Christe Christ is the lorde of death We must not feare death Iohn â—1 The deathe of Christen men is a swete and quiet sleape Iohn 5. Pytie or compassion Charitie issuethe out of faythe Rom. 12. Too sortes of compassion pitie Spirituall pitie reprouethe synne Apte and very proper similitudes Folyshe petie marrethe the citie A good lesson for maiestrates To punishe the wycked is greate 〈◊〉 and mercie What is the sanctifyeng of the Saboth Heare and do 1. Iohn 3. What it is to sanctifye the Sabbothe Osee. 6. To a Christian euery daye is the sabboth The seconde part intreateth of humilitie 1. Pet. 5. 1 Pet. 5. Psal. 113. Saull Dauid God can not abyde pride What it is to be perfect The blyndnes of seruing god in the papecie What it is to serue God Math. 2â— Monkery is against charitie and the true seruice of god Math. 25. Math. 25. The benefite done to oure neyghboure on earthe is done to god in heauen Why god geuethe vs hys gyftes and to what ende Too knowe christe is most necessari vnto saluacion The knoweledge of the lawe sufficeth not vnto salâ—â—cion Psal. 110. 1. Cor. 15 â–ª The lawe Phil â–ª â— Iohn 1. Rom. 3. â— 7 Psal. 51. Deathe â–ª Christ Lorde ouer deathe Math. 11. No man can loue god except he knowethe Christe Iohn 3. Rom. 8. Man hath power to forgeue sinnnes The worde and faythe muste be ioyned together Gods mercie is to be found in Christe alone Note well With out the worde it is an easye thing to beleue lyes What things are to be learned of this gospell God alone forgeueth synne The Minister certifyethe the conscience ther of by the worde Math. 28. Marc. 16. Luke 4. Math. 5. Math· 18. Iohn 20. Of the water of Baptisme Note Fayth an the worde are both the gifts of god In the true churche of Christe is remission of synnes and no where ells Math. 18. Numer 22. Contricion The propertie of the palseye Note well What the kyngdome of heauen signifyethe The longe