a man is borne into the worlde And euen so you nowe haue sorowe but I wyll see you agayne and your heart shall ioye and no man shall take awaye your ioy from you These and suche lyke woordes doth the christian man set hand vpō in persecucion so that he may stand stedfast in them and syng with the Prophete Ps 129. My soule stayeth her in his woorde my soule hath trusted in the Lorde And therefore sayth Christe here to his disciples Mat. 10 Remembre my worde that I haue spoken to you But what worde is it The seruaunt is not greater then his Lorde Nowe if they haue persecuted the Lorde in this worlde let the seruaunt holde him cōtented though all thynges procede not accordyng to his purpose and thoughe some tyme he speade as his mayster speade afore him For doubtles it can be none other wyse If they sayth Christe haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you If they haue kept my worde they wyll also kepe yours In these wordes Christ sheweth very plainely that there should bee perpetual dissencion betwene his disciples and the worlde for his disciples wyll cleaue to his woorde the whiche in deede the worlde can not abyde And therfore Christ geueth his disciples this counsaile that they shall looke to the worde and steadfastly stand in that yea though the worlde neuer so madly and furiously rage raue against it Whiche God graunt that all wee may apprehende and persyst in it to his honour and oure soules health throughe Christ our Lord. Amen The Gospel on all Sainctes day Math. 5. Blessed are the pure in hearte for they shall se God Blessed are the peace makers for they shal be called the chyldren of god Blessed are they which suffre persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen 1 Pet. 2.3 c 4. c Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and shal falsely say all maner of euel sayinges agaynst you for my sake ♣ Actu 5. Reioyce and be glad for greate is your rewarde in heauen THE EXPOSITION WE muste verye diligently deere christians obserue and note in this gospell The office of Christe is to teache to saue that when Christe saw the people and his disciples were come vp to him he maketh vnto them a godly and fruteful sermon whiche comprehendeth in a maner all thinges that are necessary for a christian man to do spiritually before god For by this sermon we may see how diligent Christ was in administrynge his office and feeding his shepe Furthermore we muste needes confesse that as al that Christ taughte and preached was bothe good and helthsome so no sermon that euer he made is more diligenlye and perfectlye written then this in the mounte and that which he made after his last supper Surely by this his example Christ would not only teache the ministers of his worde with all diligence faithfull to attende their office but also that all that they teache they shuld teache it faithfullye driue it into the peoples eares as we se that Christ dyd here in this gospell Let vs then see what was the beginning of Christes doctrin in this his most excellent and noble sermon Fyrst Ghostly pouerte Christ promiseth the kingdome of heauen and saluacion to the poore in spirite But what signifieth it to be poore in spirite The poore in spirit are those that cleaue to no transitory thing of thys worlde that set their confidence in no creature that are deade vnto the worlde and leaue and whollye put their faith in Christ and his worde Vpon such poore shall the spiryte of the lorde reste as the prophete Esaias saith These poore receiue the gospel Esa 66 Mat. 11 as our Sauiour said to the disciples of Iohn And furthermore suche pore men are so deerely beloued of god that he promiseth peculier gyftes and synguler graces to such as do them ony benefite as ye maye reade in the 40 Psal And suche pore are not proud in the ymaginaciō of their own hartes Thei contemn no man thei dispise no man but are lowly and meeke euen frome the hearte Wherefore they shal haue as Christ promiseth here the kyngdome of heuen wher as all hypocrites that swell by their outward righteousnes for the same preferre them selues before al other shal haue perpetual fire and euerlasting damnacion Secondly Christ promiseth to those that morne comforte heere by the spirite and in the worlde to come eternal life and the kingdome of heauen But what signifieth here this word To mourn Doubtles the same that Christ speaketh on in another place Ioh. 16 saying You shal morne wepe but the worlde shal be gladde Nowe is this as cleare as mydde daye neyther can any manne denaye yt that suche as confesse Christe and beleue his woorde The crosse persecution the crosse hangeth euer vppon them and they are diuers and many wayes tempted sometyme on the one syde sometyme on the other that euer they fynde Chrystes worde trewe Ioh. 16 whiche sayd Ye shall haue tribulacion in the worlde Wherefore excepte in these so greate troubles and vexacions as christian man had some comforte and these great and excellent promises howe could he abyde all these thinges Howe coulde he contynew stedfast For suerlye the crosse is not so sweet and pleasaunte to the fleshe that it will freerely and with a glad mynde come vnder it and suffre it The holy ghost Ioh. 4. Needes must the spirite come whiche therefore is called of Christ the Comforter bicause that in tribulacion he comforteth the sorowful And also though we haue the spirite yet must the word be applied and diligently put in our myndes least we waxe slothfull sluggardes and liuers in a careles securitee And to this purpose serueth this sentence of Christe which promiseth eternall consolacion to those that mourne Here in this lyfe they shal be comforted by his worde and in the worlde to come by his blesse and eternall lyfe Nowe thys promise so ful of comforte maketh a man glad minded so that he is more ready to suffre and abide euē with a glad heart the crosse that god shal please to laye vpon him Meekenes Thirdly Christ promiseth to those that ar meke the possession of the lande and blessednes Nowe to be meke is not only when a man is not angrye but also when hee canne represse and refrayne hys wrathe hadde he neuer so iust a cause to bee discontented and angrye Of suche angre the prophete Dauid saithe Psal 4 Be yee angrye but synne not For to be neuer angry at all it is impossible for suche as lyue heere in this bodye For why wrathe is euen borne in vs as are also all other vices so that wee canne not vtterly laye it from vs. Ephe. ◠Suerlye it were our duety and very right that we shulde contynue euer in meekenes and gentlenes and neuer be angrye I speake of
that surfete and ouer greate couetousnes of riches with greate violence shall invade The car of the belli In the whiche place againe Christ taketh care for vs and saieth Beware c. Thirdly the Gospell shal be preached euery where as we do nowe euidently se so that wee muste needes confesse and knowledge that these manye yeares hitherto the Gospell hathe not beene so purelye preached as we se in these latter daies Item the son moone and the sterres shal be destitute of their naturall lighte The course of the law And hereto shall folowe the sorowfulnes of the people for the feare and lookinge for those thinges whiche shall chaunce to all the worlde The rombling and noise of the sea and floudes the mouinge of the celestiall powers and diuerse other signes whereof Christe maketh mention Now thou perceiuest what shall signes necessarily happen and moreouer thou hast harde that to those that abide in Christe Rom. 5. thâ—y shall bringe no feare at all Forthermore see in this case that thou take hold of Christe by faithe as suche a Lorde and mayster 1 Pet. 5. that hath taken charge ouer the yea and shall abide with the to the end of the worlde Mat. 28 so shall there bee nothing that shall hurte or feare the. The second aduente of Christe Also Christ in this gospell sheweth the maiestye of his laste comminge for none other cause but to comforte his people and to the wicked he bringeth an horrible fear when he saieth And then thei shal se the sonne of man come in a cloud with a great power and clerenesse as thoughe he shuld say Thou my dispised company hast suffered griefe and paine in this worlde thou haste beene made the ofscouringe of al for my worde in the desence therof thou hast suffered many ieopardies of goodes honoure lyfe 1 Cor. 4 and so forthe Therefore now beholde him in whome thou hast laied or sette all thy trust or hope What thinkest thou nowe by my power where bee they that haue persecuted the Ps 72 whreunto is their power come where is nowe seene the pompe and magnificeÌ„ce of thi enemies Al thei by coÌ„fusioÌ„ shame ar destroyed Rom. 8. being damned both body soule for euer And lyke as thy misery shal now haue an end so shall their perpetuall infelicitye and condemnacion nowe begyn and last for euermore Feare thou not this my power whiche thou nowe seeste it shall make more for the then against the Likewise lette not my maiestye be it neuer so greate trouble the The greater it is the more socoure shalt thou haue at my hande And nowe suffre a while and let vs se what the enemyes of the word of God can do Lo Psa 43 thus it is manifest that the maiestie of Godds iudgement to vs that beleue his worde and for the same alwaies be counted and taken as shepe apoynted to the slaunghter bringeth not feare but rather a comforte To vs I say that beleue in him for wee shall hear that ioyfull voice Mat. 15 Come hither the blessed children of my father And nowe may we plainlye se what it is that saynt Paule saith 2 Tim. 1 I knowe in whome I haue beleuid and am sure that he is able to kepe that I haue committed to his kepyng vnto that day In contrary wise Ioh. 19 the enemies of the word of God shal se whom they haue persecuted and whether Christ shall winke at all those ylles that hathe chaunsed to the electe people of God There shal be wepinge and gnashing of teath there shal be hell euerlasting death Thirdly we haue in this gospell a perfecte admonicion that we shal abiecte and cast away al fleshly truste and securitie Carefulnes hurteth and to geue dilygence to haue perfect knowledge of our selues and to be alwayes readye against the glorious adneÌ„t or comming of our lord Iesu Christ For bycause he hath moued and kindeled our hartê with these wordes Looke vp and lyfte up your heades hath putte awaye all feare He wil also that we be warned to prepare our selues againste these times and this he doth by a rude and homely similitude saying Ye se the figge tree and all other trees when they bring forth their fruicte and theÌ„ you say somer draweth nigh So when ye shal see al these thinges done know you for certain that the kingdome of heauen is at hande And note wel nowe that he wolde vs to vnderstand perceiue that when al these thinges shal be brought to passe that then Christ shall make an end of the world But the wicked shal boldly dispise and saye God seeth not vs Ezec. 9. he hath forsaken the earth c. yet shall christian men geue hede loke for these times Luc. 11. as a faithful seruauÌ„t doth loke his mayster when he shall retourne from the mariages And that thou mayest knowe that hee greatlye desireth that we shuld be mindefull of this day he maketh an ende of his sermon with this worde Watche ye How must we watch Verely it is nedeful that we haue a liuely feruente faith Mat 25 which by loue shulde bee effectuall like vnto the fyue wyse virgines For trewly to watch is to be diligente in faithe To watche To slepe and the workes of God as in the contrary wise to slepe is nothing els but to dispise the worde of God to abide in infidelitie and playnly to doo no good at all Now how many is there emongest vs al that doth loke for that helthful and glorious comming or aduent or watcheth therefore Verelye all the worlde slepeth and routeth 1 Tes 5. Night and darkenes hath ouer compassed all that euer ys Wherfore thou that art the minister of the word of God folowe Christ sette it forth with all instancye and feruentnes Call to repentaunce Correcte the euell Comforte the good and beware leste God require the bloode of the synner at thy hand Ezec. 5. For trewly it is not all in vayne that God hath so purposed and decreede in his minde He hath spoken it and therefore it muste needes bee Heauen and earthe shall passe awaye but his worde shall euer abide If thou do thy dewtye and ceasest not with all thy minde to admonishe and warne althoughe it were so that the more parte wolde not beleue or obey but lyke the Sodomytes encrese synne vpon synne yet wold there be found some good grounde that wold receiue the seede of Godes worde bring forth frute Thy diligence and labour can not lack his reward Mat. 25 as scripture witnesseth saieÌ„g Wel good seruaunt and faithfull bycause thou haste beene faithfull ouer a little I shall set the ouer muche Enter into the kingdome of thy Lorde The thirde sondaye in Aduent Mat. 11. WHen Iohn beyng in prison herd the workes of Christ he sente two of his disciples Esa 35. and sayde vnto him Art thou he that
hilles and reade sea wher was so great trembling fear that they thought it impossible any of them to escape the wrath of Pharao But god by by layde a block in Pharaos way Al thes things knew Mary wel inoghe Yea and although Christ sayde Woman what haue I to do with the yet was she not astonyed by and by although Christe sharpely did answere but sayde to the seruauntes and ministers What soeuer he sayth to you do the same And therfore she obtayned the thynge that she desired of Christ Which raigned with the father and the holye ghoste worlde withoute ende Amen The thyrde sonday after Epiphany Mathew 8. WHEN hee was come downe from the mountayne muche people folowed hym And beholde Luc. 5. Mar. â— there came a leper and worshiped hym saying Maister yf thou wylâ—e thoâ— canst make me clean And Iesus put forth his hand and touched hym saiyng I wyll be thou cleane and immediatly hys leprosyâ— was clensed And Iesus sayth vnto hym se thou tell no man Leu. 14. but go and shewe thy selfe to the priest and offre the gyfte that Moyses commaunded to be offered for a witnesse vnto them THE EXPOSITION The goodnes oâ— Christ IN this gospell we se fyrste of all how greate goodnes mercye and loue God had not allonly towarde the leprouse man but also towarde the capitayn beyng a gentyle yea and how ready he is to yelde hymselfe wholy for vs al yf we knowyng our owne disease and sycknes wil seeke him the faithfull physicion for the sowle and long for his help and grace They be al lyuely examples that be here layde before vs. Fyrst the benefyt of loue and beneuolence of Christ is conferred to the leper For at his instaunce and desyre Iesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou cleane O what great clemencye here is As sone as the lepper had spoken one word and asked helth Christ by and by was redy and holpe hym Further marke that this word I wyll I wyll is nother vayne nor ydell but full of comfort For suche promise as he made to the leper by the same worde he wolde generally to be a promise to vs all whereby he certefieth strengneth our hartes also that wee should not dought but that he is ready in all necessities without any denay to geue vs his continual helpe And hereto may be applied that is sayde by S. Marke Cap. 1. that Iesus had compassion vpon this man For in this compassion wee maye see that Christ hath pity vpon our misery The pitefulnes of Christ Heb. 4. and that we haue suche a bishoppe which in his harte is moued and stered with our miserye Now as the goodnes and loue of Christ doth appeare and sheweth himselfe towarde the lepoure so likewise the moste gentell harte of Christ is shewed and commended towarde vs in that he did so soone promise at the fyrste desyre of the Centurion to come and helpe his seruaunte And althoughe Christe came not but to redeeme the lost sheepe of the house of Israell Mat. 15 yet in this doinge he wolde shewe vnto vs that after his resurrection The callinge of heithen he shuld cal the Iewes and gentils to the felowshippe and communion of one faythe as he saith here That many shall come from the easte and the west and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Seynge nowe that God the father of heauen hath so plenteouslye on euery partye shewed and geuen vnto vs throughe Christ his grace and mercy yt is meere that we knowe this grace and attaine vnto it by faith wherthrough we may be by hym kepte and reserued both in body and sowle for euer Secondarely Exaumples of fayth we haue in this place two goodly examples of faith One of the lepour and thother of the Centurion or capitayne And it appeareth manifestly by the lepoure that he had a righte and trewe faith in that that he draweth neare Christe asking his helpe and knowledging that he cannot helpe himselfe And although by Moyses lawe he was set aparte from the communion of men and muste therefore escâ—ewe their company yet he ronneth to Christ faithfully beleuing in his mind that he is lord ouer the law and the leprye Wherin he expressed the nature property of fayth whych hasteth not but only to Christ of hiÌ„ in euery necessitie she loketh for his comfort and help norwyl suffre her to be stayed nor letted by no meanes from the fruicioÌ„ of this Christ As it is written in S. Mat. of the blynde men Mat. 20 which the more the people dyd for byd them to cry the lowder they cried But how came this lepoure by such faith He had herd that Christ was a man of greate humanitie and gentelnes and that he was very diligent ready to help and geue health to the sicke and so by such heariÌ„g he conceaued such a trust of Christ that he wolde as verely help him as he had holpen many other diuers times Faythe And this is the trew fath when I beleue that god the father through Christ wil make me whole righteous and blessed by his grace and mercy withoute any merite of mine owne workes And such a faith was in the Centurion For by hearing the gospel he learned and knew that Christe was lord ouer syn and al sickenes and diseases He did not onlye beleue that Christe coulde helpe if he were present but also yf he were absent and spake but a word And therfore wolde not the Christ shulde enter into his house as he offered to do but in speaking of a word beleued that his seruaunt shulde be healed I sayth he haue seruaunts vnder me to whome if I saye come hither they come And if I byd them go theyr waye they do by and by departe Howe much more must those thinges needs be done which thou commaundest that arte not such a capitayn â—as I am but lord of heauen and earth This faith did Christ coÌ„mend and said that he had not found so great faith no not in Israell Now if thou wilt be made cleane from the leprosye of false doctrine and stedfastly abide in the gospel euen to the ende go to then Christe wil be prayed vnto and call vpon Christ that he maye geue you his spirite and grace and he shall saye vnto the I wyll I wyll geue the my spirite Forthermore yf thou wylt thyselfe and all thine to be saued bodye and soule seeke oute Christe and dispaire of thy selfe then shal he saye vnto the Be yt vnto the as thou beleuest Thirdely we learne of this lepour that whatsoeuer we aske in our prayer To commytte al thinges vnto God we shulde remitte all to the goodnes and wyll of God consyderinge that wee bee so ignoraunte of oure owne saluacion that wee knowe not what wee shulde pray as wee oughte to dooe The leapoure asketh of Christe
allonly ouercome the worlde and that that is in it but also ye shal ouercome death the diuell and hel And in lyke wise when I haue comprehēded Christ as a gift Ioh. 11. I must learne thereby to serue my neighboure bothe with body and goodes euen as Christe here both wyth his weeping passion and deathe hathe serued vs. As sainte Peter saith 1 Pet. 2. Christe hath suffered for vs leauinge vs an ensample to folow his footesteppes And these be the very true workes whiche scripture dothe alowe the which also we muste do to manifest and declare our faithe withall Secondarily in this gospel Christ doth morne weepe for the Iewes bicause they knewe not what was for their peace wherwith he declared shewed vnto vs the blindenes and wickednes of the flesh Wherof I beseche you can a man glorify seing so many excellent sermones so many and great myracles done by Christ at Ierusalem and those in a maner all done in vaine Where is here free wil with his power whiche the prudente and wise men of this worlde hathe attributed vnto yt Wherefore wolde not they beleue his worde and knowe him to be the sonne of god and the trewe Messias Surely it was hidden frome their eies though notwithstandinge they did both hear his wordes and sawe his miracles Wherout it foloweth that our fleshe while it is not lightened with the holy ghost and a newe harte giuen vnto it Eze. 36. is very blind indurate and wicked whiche canne in no wise know god in Christ The blīdnes of the fleshe Psal 51 This blindnes beleue verely is not in our outward vesture but is graft in vs in our mothers wombe Wherfore if we will entre into the kingedome of heauen wee muste be newe borne agayne thorowe water and the holye ghoste Iohn 3. Suche lyke maliciousnes and blyndenes we see in theym that solde and boughte in the temple whiche Iesus droue oute Whoe amongest theym knewe theym selues or amended theyr lyues thoughe they were neuer so muche admonyshed and taughte that the house of God was a house of prayer They were fleshelye and therefore as yet they coulde not vnderstande nor iudge ryghte the wordes and actes of Christe Thyrdely here is declared vnto the Iewes the rewarde and punishemente of their blindenes and infidelitie The punishmēt of incredulitye For thy enemies saieth he shall caste vp a banke about the and thy children and shal not leaue in the one stone vpon an other bicause thou haste not knowen the tyme wherein thou hast been visited O meruailous greuous ponyshment First the Iewes are ponished for bicause they wolde not knowe Christe and this is a spirituall punishment For they haue eyes and see not eares and hear not Esay 6. so that Christe myght well saye Ioh. 9. I am come to iudgment into this world that they which se not might see and that they whiche see might be made blinde But who ys able to serch the depth of his incomprehensible iudgement No man but allonly god Rom. 12 for we maye not nor can not Nowe after this spirituall punishemente foloweth bodylye punishemente in that he saithe howe the Iewes shal be beseeged on euerye side that there shall not be lefte one stone vpon an other And euen as it was tolde theym of Christe so was it brought to passe Surelye it was such an horrible cruell punishment that it is lamētable to heare Which if thou wilt know reade Iosephus de bello Iud. Now ye haue hard of the punishmēt wher with the Iewes haue bin punished with all Mat. 7. for the dispising of the gospel What thīkest thou shall chaunce and happen vnto vs which so longe a tyme haue harde the gospell and yet haue not amended oure vngracyous liuinge and conuersacion but rather haue troden vnder our feete neglected and dispysed that precious perle Wherefore yf we tourne not he hath whet his swerde saith the prophet Dauid he hath bente his bowe made yt ready Psal 7. He hath prepared him the weapōs of death and ordained his arrowes to destroye Here thou doest hear that not allonly the Iewes but all those that will not tourne to amendement of lyfe shal he punished Sometyme doth God prolonge the punishemente but the lenger he suffreth the greuouser at the laste dothe hee punishe Therefore lette euerye manne tourne frome his wicked waye and beleue the gospell leste wee perishe both body and soule Fourthlye Christe commendeth in this gospell his office in that that the next day folowyng he wēt into the temple droue out the byers sellers saying Esa 56. It is written My house is a house of prayer and ye haue made it a denne of murtherers And also in that he declareth his office The office of Chryste that hee daylye taughte in the temple It became Christe to do all these thinges for hee was sente into the worlde to teache the will of his father by preaching Bicause for as muche as goddes worde and the oute warde worshipping of god in ceremonyes which shortly after shulde be abrogated and taken away was very muche letted and hindred in the temple at Ierusalem throughe the couetousnes of the scribes and phariseis therefore wolde Christe not only teache Abuses to be takē away but also roote out all the abuses whiche did hyndre the trewe worshipping of God And what so euer Christe doth here by scripture he approueth it that hee maye do it by righte For why may not Christ in so much as he ys lord both of the bodely temple spirituall also driue out suche villains Now that Christe did here with the handes and with the doctrine that maye we not do but all only with the doctrine and worde of god For we maye do nothinge but to teache the gospell but yf that shulde be hindred and those doctoures which seeking nothing but their owne profite through teaching the tradicions of men shuld defyle the temple of god which is the harte of faithfull menne then muste wee holde our hands I graunte but not oure mouth and make suche dreamers ashamed to the intente that the gospell maye haue his righte course and florishe amongest vs. Hereto pertaineth the saiyng of saynte Paule to Titus Tit. 1. A byshoppe muste bee suche a one that cleaueth to the trewe worde of doctrine that hee maye be able to exhorte with holesome learnynge and to improue theim that saye against yt The eleuenth sonday after trinitye Luc. 18. ANd he tolde this parable vnto certayne which trusted in them selues that they were perfecte and despised other Two men went vp into the temple to pray the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The Pharise stode and praied thus with hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniuste aduouterers or as thys publicane I faste twyse in the weke Deu. 26 Eccle. 7 I geue tythe of all that I possesse And
an ethnicke and infidele Seing thā that Christ requireth of vs our whole hart it is meet that we go about to learn how we might truely please serue him To serue Christ To serue Christe is none other thing then to be leue that we be saued bi him For this faith maketh vs acceptable before god irreprehensible blameles before the world so that afterward we shal dilygently go about to performe that thing that becometh vs to do euer remain and abide in that feare dread of god Of this worshipping speketh Dauid in the person of Christ saying Psal 17 A people whome I haue not knowen shall serue me as soone as they hear of me they shal obey me But the straung children dissemble with me Wherout yt foloweth that if I serue god in suche wise as is aforesaid so am I become a christen mā And here is to be noted that this word to serue is euer to be referred to faith the true worshippinge of god as Moises saithe in Deut. Thou shalt fear god thy lorde Deut. 6. and him only thou shalt serue It is needful that I serue my neighbour with worldly things also with spiritual but I shal set no creature in the steed of god to put my hope trust in them How many of vs is ther I besech the that serueth god on this wise Wee boaste vs of faith but ther is so few of vs that trust not in creatures specially in the same which Christ here brīgeth in that is in wicked Mammon Māmon hath many seruauntes in so much that we run through fier water to get it ye to obtain it we put both bodi life in ieoperdy And whi do we thus Forbicause infidelity blyndnes leadeth vs that we can not beleue that Christe whiche through his bloud hath gotten vs euerlasting ryches can also wil giue vs temporal worldly riches But Paule iudged right in saying 1 Tim. 6 Thei that wyll be ryche fall into the temptacion and snare of the dyuell For I suppose that neuer creature deceiued manne so muche as this wicked Mammon For where this Mammon is ther is great sorowe and care to kepe him and also to increace him And hereof springeth lady couetousnes Ephe. 5. which S. Paul calleth ydolatrye whiche causeth a manne to hate Christ and to loue this wicked Mammon And suerly this ydoll will not suffre vs to folowe the councell of Dauid saying If ryches chaunce vnto the Psal 62 set not thy harte vpon theim For it wyl take away thy hart from Christ and cause the to hang vpon it In temporal and worldly matters seing thou canst not serue two maisters and thinkest thou to doo it in spirituall thinges Thou shalte neuer bringe yt to passe Yf thou set thy harte vppon Christe and not in the gatherynge of treasure thou arte a Christian manne But if thou sette thy harte vppon Mammon thou arte an infidele Vngodli carefulnes is forbiddē Secondarily Christe forbiddeth in this gospell the vngodly care and thought of worldly things for the sustentation of our lyfe and allureth vs vnto faith through two excellent examples And this prohibitiō foloweth the sentence of seruing of god and Mammon verye properlye For a man might haue brought in and said If I shal not care to get ryches how shall I fynd my wyfe and children To the same doubt Christ answereth Be not you carefull for youre lyfe what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for youre bodye what yee shall putte on As thoughe hee woulde saye Yee be carefull Carefulnes is forbiddē as thoughe he whiche hath gyuen you bothe bodye and lyfe is not able to gyue you meat and clothing Here is forbiddē the carefulnes of temporal things but so that gods cōmaundemēt of labour which was giuen to Adam in Paradise namely Gen. 3. To labour is not forbidden In the sweate of thy face thou shalte eate thy breade is not taken awaye I muste laboure and in anye wise take heede that I runne not from one place to an other lyke the Anabaptistes and Lybertines do Anabaptists Libertines as though euerye man were bounde to geue me This done must I cast all my carefulnes vpō god with such an hope trust that god our faithful father shal not suffre me his childe here vpō earthe to suffre hunger Herevnto are to be referred two examples one of the byrdes of the ayer and the other of the lilyes of the fielde The foules of the ayer saith he doth neither sowe nor reape nor yet carry into the barnes and yet your heauenly father feedeth them Item Considre the lilyes of the fielde they laboure not neither spinne And yet for all that I saye vnto you that euen Salomon in all hys roialtye was not arayed lyke vnto one of these Woulde God denye vs that whiche he gyueth both vnto the vnreasonable foules and also vnto lilyes that haue no sensible lyfe Infidelitie blyndeth vs. But wee bee of little faithe as Christe saithe here and in frayle and transitory thinges so blinded indurat that neither intreaty neither threatnyng neyther promise nor miracles nor yet no teaching can moue vs. Wee wyll not forsake the care of the bellye whiche causeth vs against the doctrine of Christe to heape vppe riches here vppon earthe and serue that ydoll oure bellye whereby wee forgette the true and righte seruynge of God and doo neither hope nor yet beeleue in God but all oure care is to haue oure barnes full And here it appeareth to be true that Christe spoke in an other place Mat. 5. Wher that thy treasure is there is also thy heart And like wise as he saith here After all suche thinges dothe the Hethen enquire Doest thou not heare that to haue vnfaithfull carefulnes for temporall thinges is a heithen worke Howe can oure couetous christē men be better painted in their own colours which at this tyme in a greate numbre doo raigne Thirdely we haue here an excellent promise full of consolation and comforte whereby the faithfull may strengthen his faith and hope in god through Christe that he will neuer suffre his to be comfortles in this worlde He saith Your heauenly father knoweth that you haue neede of all these thinges If our father in heauen knoweth what thinge wee haue need of and is so mercifull and full of pitye that he giueth his children their daily breade why do we vexe our selues with so sorowfull care Why be we so inwardly moued with sorow with doubtfulnes Let vs seeke the kingdome of heauen the righteousnes therof and suerly he shal minister vnto vs those things that pertaine to the sustentaciō of our life Rom. 5. Ioh. 14 or els he muste be a lyar which in no wise can not be that god which is the truthe shuld lye But here let vs serche out againe what Christ meaneth when he
world hath euer bene ful of mischiefe gylty of sinne neither is no man in it but nedeth the merites of Christe yet doo not all men vnderstande this nor acknowledge thys And especyallye the indurate and hard hearted Pharaos Pharao and after them the hipocrites acknoweledge it not For the indurate synners leade furth their lyues euen lyke beastes not greatly forsyng whether there bee any other lyfe after this or no or whether there bee any Christ to bryng them to that life or no. But the hypocrites Hypocrittes that leane to their own righteousnes in dede they can talke of the wrath to come yet notwithstandyng they leaue Christ take thus muche vpon theim selues that they trust in their owne good workes to obtaine that lyfe and saluacion I praye you what good can Christe do to suche Yea what shuld he do with suche This fyrst sort of people are stubburne necked hard hearted and thynketh they haue no neede of Christe The other sorte of iusticiaryers forsaketh the meryte of Christ True synners lyke as they would deserue heauen by theyr owne workes Christ seyng and consideryng this leaueth these two sortes ioyneth himselfe to suche as acknowlege them selues sinners and desire and seke for tomforte and helpe And they also with all their heart with true loue and gladnes receiue him and beleue his preachyng Mich 7 they doubte not his promise but they say with the Prophet Mycheas He shal be turned and he wyll haue mercy vpō vs and he wyll caste all oure synnes into the deapth of the seas Euen so must we do Let vs adioyne our selues to Christ as synners shewe to him our synnes and with teares require his mercye If wee do this with a faythfull heart surely in this gospel he hath declared in dede that he is ready to help suche sinners And furthermore with this his deede agreeth also his woordes that here he speaketh vnto the Phariseys saiyng The whole nedeth not the Physician but the sicke Agayne I am not comme to call the righteous but synners to repentaunce Fourthly the Euangelist discrybeth howe the Phariseys murmured against Christ wherein they open and shewe plainly that notable pryde of theyr heartes But wherefore murmure they Because Christ eateth and drynketh with synners O great holynes of these Phariseys Tell me I praye ye O holy hypocrites where is it wrytten that suche as knowlege themselues synners do repent it ought to bee fledde and their company to be eschewed Is not this thinke you a good vertuous dede to seke out agayne the lost stray shepe and to bryng him agayne into the right waye But I see you do the cleane contrary for ye iudge it both wicked and vngodly Surely Christ sayd well of you in the gospel of Mathew Blynd guydes coulyng out the gnat and swolowe the Camel Ma. 27 Ye obserue mennes tradicions would men should esteme you vertuous and godly yet can ye very well awaye with it that your neighbour should continue in synne and be cōdempned Nowe if ye were vertuous in deede ye would surely neuer do so For true righteousnes because it cōmeth of fayth and therfore also loueth his neighbor with all the heart it wisheth that all men might be vertuous righteous blessed Wherfore wyl ye knowe what ye want Ye haue no fayth and therfore can ye not loue your neighbour for in very deede that is the fruite of fayth Nowe because ye lacke fayth and loue ye haue not only no cōpassion vpō them that be loden with synne and would with al their heartes be deliuered from their synnes but also euen as the nature of hypocrites and iusticiariers is ye dispise them and caste them frome you But this your dispising can do you no good in this behalf Ye must neds take an other trade of liuing yf ye wyll be taken for righteous Wyll ye knowe how so Learn what this meaneth that the prophet Oseas said Osee 6. I will mercye and not sacrifice For all these outewarde woorkes all these outewarde sacrifices profyte nothynge at all excepte there bee presente in the hearte a true faythe in God and true loue to your neyghboure Behold thus haue wee here paynted vnto vs the arrogancy and pride of hypocrisy and furthermore howe Christe stoppeth vppe the Phariseys mouthes and confuteth theym by the holye scriptures God graunte that the aduersaryes of the truthe in thys oure presente tyme maye acknowledge hys holye woorde and beecome wyth the chylderen of god partakers of hys heauenly kyngdome through CHRIST our Lorde Amen The gospell vpon S. Mychael the Archangell daye Math. 18. AT the same tyme came the disciples vnto Iesus sayinge Mar 9. Luc. 9. Who is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Iesus called a chylde to hym set hym in the middest of them and said Verely I say vnto you Mar. 10 Except ye turn and become as Luc. 18. Actu 2. children ye shall not enter into the kyngdome of heauen Whosoeuer therfore humbleth himself as this chyld the same is the greatest in the kīgdome of heauen And who so receaueth suche a chyld in my name receiueth me But who so doth offende one of these lytleones Actu 9 Luc. 17 whiche beleue in me it were better for him that a mylstone were hāged about his necke that he were doruned in the depth of the sea Wo vnto the worlde because of offences 1. Co. 11 Necessarye it is that offences come But wo vnto the man by whom the offence commeth Wherfore Mat. 5 if thy hand or thy foote hynder the cutte him of cast it from thee It is better for thee to entre into life halte or maymed rather then thou shouldest hauyng two handes or two feete be cast into euerlastyng fyre And it thyne eye offende thee plucke it out and cast it from thee It is better for thee to entre into life with one eye rather then hauyng two eyes to be cast in to hel fyre Take hede that ye despise not one of these lytleones For I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels do alwayes be holde the face of my father whiche is in heauen THE EXPOSITION of this present gospel WE haue againe here in this gospel an example of the Apostles infirmitee ignorance wherin we see howe paciētly Christ beareth their infirmitee And as the goodnes of Christe appeareth in this Gospell euen so the affection of the Apostles sheweth it selfe to bee exceadyng grosse and rude and full of ignoraunce For consider what they do They came to Christ sayd Who is greattest in the kyngdome of heauē What meane they by these woordes Thynke they that Christe shoulde haue a corporall knogdome in this worlde promote his disciples vnto greate lordships as it is done in worldly princes courtes Heard they euer Christ so teachīg Did not he shew them afore Mat. 5. Ye ar blessed whan men shall rayle vpō you
to bee made whole but vnder that condicion that it be not contrarye to the wyll of God and the saluacion of hys sowle Wherin is meete that yf the bodelye helthe bee occasion to dooe those thinges that bee repugnant to the wyll of God that then hee hadde leuer styll to continew in hys sycke and diseased body and to haue the fauoure and grace of God then to be whole lusty of body and fal into the wrath of God Mat. 16 Iere. 33. But euery man can not know these thīgs The flesh always trembleth and feareth the crosse and goeth aboute to repell and putte from hym all manner of vexacions and tourmentes nor cannot attayn to the knowledg to think that God manye tymes doth send tribulacions to his electe wherethroughe the wanton and rebellious fleshe maye be suppressed and throwen downe and bee subdued to the spirite Wherefore these and suche other examples bee to be obserued that we maye learne thereby howe we shulde vse our selfe in praier Mat. 28 The mother of Zebedeus children desired of Christ that one of them might sit on his right hād thother on his left in the kingdom of Christ But they had a check therfore bicause their peticiō was contrary to the will of God For the kingedome of Christ must not be bodely Luc. 22. but ghostly And moreouer Christe in the garden desired his father to take awaye that bitter passion from hym but so that he remytted all to his fathers will saying Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wylte And this it is that he taught vs to saye in oure prayer Nowe how wee shuld prepare our selfe to the wil of God we haue a godly exaumple of Dauid in the 15. cha of the second boke of Kynges An other mannes fayth Fourthly this gospel teacheth vs wherunto an other mannes faith profiteth Verely that he pray for other that be yet oute of belefe and to bringe them to the knowledge of faith as the Centurion prayde for his seruaunte But that by my faithe any other man shulde obtayne righteousnes saluacion Abac. 2. it can not be bycause scripture sayth The iuste man liueth by his faithe Marke here that he saithe by his fayth For by this meanes he requireth of euerye manne his owne faythe And in the epistle to the Romaynes he saieth Cap. 1. The Gospelle is the power of God to saluacion but he addeth for euery man that beleueth Saint Paule requireth therfore in euerye man his owne faith Out of this foloweth also that the infantes that be baptised be not baptised in the faith of the church but muste haue their proper and peculyar faythe The churche maye praye for the infantes that God maye stirre vppe and make throughe the holye ghoste in theym a peculier and propre faith Ioh. 3. Mar 16 For it is necessarye that euery infante haue for himselfe his owne fayth For these sentences be euer sure and permanent he that beleueth in hym shall not be damned And againe Ephe. 2 He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued c. But thou wylt say againe How can an infant beleue when as yet he hath no reason I answere Faithe is the gifte of God as S. Paule witnesseth in the seconde chap. to the Ephesians Now if god do worke faythe in olde men and reason leadeth nothynge thereto doutelesse he canne also make faith in the infantes Were not S. Iohn baptist and Ieremye the prophete sanctefied in theire mothers wombe Surly there hath beene fayth in them Heb. 11 for without faythe no man can please god or be hollye If then there was faith in S. Iohn and in Ieremy before thei were borne and that by the operacion of the holye ghost then muste it needes folow that god canne stirre vp faith in euery infant And to make shorte An other mans faithe maye praye and make intercession for me but mine owne faith maketh me iust blessed the son of god through Christ To whom with the father and holy ghost be all honor Amen The fowerth sonday after Epiphanye Math. 8. ANd when he entred into a ship hys disciples folowed hym And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea in so muche that the shippe was couered with waues Mat. 4. Luc. 7. but he was a slepe And hys disciples came vnto hym and awoke hym saying Maister saue vs we perish And he saith vnto them Why are ye fearefull o ye of lyttle fayth Thē he arose Iob. 26 Ps 107. and rebuked the wyndes and the sea and ther folowed a great calme But the men meruailed saiyng What māner of man is thys that both wyndes and sea obey hym THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell the persō of Christ is to be cōsidered loked vpō which is so diligētly hādled touched her the no man can deny but the he was more thē a mā Christe very God For in that he sat in the ship was caried vpon the water did slepe be but mans workes cōmon things but to cōmaund the windes the sea to obei to his word to make thē quiet calm it passeth mans power yea the nature of mā also cānot be in no mās power but only in gods And seing that Christ in this place is described for suche a one the doth thinges impossible beyond nature it must needs folow that he is very God And these workes shuld be loked vpō with the eies of faith to cōsidre by thē what a man Christ was what becōmeth vs to loke for of him in all our necessities This persō wtout dought is a mā of great power that with one word did cease so horrible and cruell a tempest But afterward is cōfessed that al power was geuē to this person in heauē in earth Mat 28 yf thē Christ be very god man yt is mete for vs faithfully to beleue in him to cōmyt all our carke care to hym and to call vpon his helpe and socoure in all our necessities and tribulacions Chryste cā wil help vs. For he is he that canne helpe as he in this miracle and many modone since the beginning of the world hath migtely declared And moreouer he not only canne but wyll also helpe as in this place he wold vs to considre and mark wel And although he do not with expresse wordes as he did in the last gospell saye I wyll yet he declared in the thing it selfe that he wyl helpe when he did so soone at the requeste of the Apostels cease the tempest Out of this is place to be noted that Christ doth call and alure vs many wayes to hym Sometyme by expresse words speaking as in the 11. cha of Math. Come to me all you that labour and bee laden and I shall refreshe you Howe Chryste doth alure vs to hym and sometymes by preuy steringes and prouocacions through his miracles and workes as
seruauntes of the houshoulder came and sayde vnto hym Syr didest not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde from whence then hath it tares He sayde vnto them the enuious manne hath done this The seruauntes sayd vnto hym wylte thou then that wee go and weede them vp But he said nay leste while ye gather the tares ye plucke vp also the wheate with them lette both growe togyther vntyll the haruest and in tyme of haruest I wyll saye to the reapers gather ye fyrste the tares and bynde them together in shynes to be brente but gather the wheat into my barne THE EXPOSITION The kiÌ„gdome of heauen THis similitude Christ himselfe at the request of hys disciples hath expounded and in his expositioÌ„ hath sufficiently declared what in the church or christianite which after the manner of scripture he calleth the kingdome of heauen shuld happen and namely that that alwayes the euell shal be admyxte amongest the good vntil Christ in the laste iudgement shal send forth his aungels together and deuide the shepe froÌ„ the goates Wee wil now shew somewhat what is to be chiefely noted here in this gospell concernyng the dortrine of Christ For it must needs be all good holy and helthfull that cometh from the mouth of Christ We cum through Christ only to the father Fyrste in the exposition of this gospell Christe saith that the sonne of man soweth this good sede and the fielde is the world Also the good seede be the children of the kingdome Wherin he teacheth nothinge els but that is in the 14. chap of S. Iohn spoken more plainly in this wyse No man cometh to my father but by me And also in an other place I am the way Ioh. 14 the treuth and life And bicause thorow Christ allonly we be made inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen as the gospell witnesseth yt is therefore very necessary that we geue vnto him that honoure and knowledge hym for such a man that hath made vs christians And trewly to knowledg that Christ by his word and spirite doth make vs christians 1. Cor. 1 And like wise that he is our righteousnesse satisfaccion and redemption is nothing els but freelye to confesse that wee naturallye be synners vnrighteous the children of the deuell in the daunger of eternall damnacion Ephe. 2 and that we can obteine saluacion by none other meanes or wayes but by christ allonly Where is nowe here the glory wisedome merite and fre wyll of man Here must we needs say with Daniel the prophet Dan. 9. To the good lord righteousnesse and to vs open coÌ„fusion And this is the very christian confession yf we confesse our selues siÌ„ners vnrighteous proue to eternall damnacion and Christ to be our goodnes righteousnes and saluacion for as S. Mat. in the firste chapter witnesseth 1. Tim. 2 Iohn 3 Yt is he alone that delyuereth vs from synne And reconcileth vs to his father in heauen And by his spirite doth regenerate vs into a newe creature And verely if he he I saye had not renewed my corrupte nature if I hadde not receiued of his goodnes Iohn 1. I had byn vtterly damned and cursed for euer Howe coulde I withstande if God wolde enter into iudgemente with me and I shulde not pretende and aledge the merites of Chryst There doughteles shall not my merites prevaile no nother once be seene or apear Wherfore it is necessary that of this similitude I learne to knowe what the trewth of the worde of God is namely to repute Christ allonly to bee the very same that maketh me the son and inheritoure of the kingdome of heauen For thus sayth the euangeliste Ioh. 14 No man knoweth the father but the sonne and no man knoweth the sonne but the father and to whome the father will shew it And althoughe workes must needes be done yet is it so that by them we shall not obteine righteousnes before God For yf oure righteousnes were founded and buylded vpon workes it coulde not be but vncertaine and sone ouertourned with a little blaste of wynde In so much that no man loueth so much as he oughte to do nor anye man doth as manye workes and dedes as are required of hym The deuel is enemy to Christe to all that beleue in him Mat. 7 Secondarely this similitude Christ in the expositioÌ„ of the same teacheth vs that sathan the deuel is a perpetual enemy not only of Christ the sower but also of al them that beleue in Christ Christ maketh men good sheweth a narrow way a strait that leadeth to lyfe The deuel maketh meÌ„ naught and euell and sheweth a broade and large waye to damnacion and yet he coueteth allwayes to be there where the children of God be not for anye loue he heareth to them but goethe aboute by all the meanes he can to pul them froÌ„ Christ and hys word and to bring vs to mens traditions And bicause he is ful of subtiltie he knoweth very well that he must work wililye and craftely to deceaue men And therfore in the night and when meÌ„ be in slepe he soweth his tares and cocle That is he tourneth him selfe into an aungel of light as S. Paul saith cometh not 1 Cor. 11 but with great hypocrisy holines He taketh vpon him the name of Christ boasteth glorifieth hymselfe of his workê In so much that he shal bring the elect into errour if it be possible But as Christ saith Mat 24 He is an vtter enemy to his doctrin and name And there is nothing hid vnder that holynes but vtter destruction which the prophete Dauid perceiued very wel when he prayed God that he wold kepe him from the pestilence that walked in darknes from the sicknes that destroyeth in the none day Loke through oute the same 91. Psal And in the 10. chapter of Iohn Christe saith that this thefe how honestly so euer he go he cometh for nothing else but to steale slaye and destroye And hereto it maye be referred also Mat. 7 that in an other place he is called a raueniÌ„g wolfe that is hid in false prophetes Wherfore seing it is so euery one of vs with great diligence shuld beware lest he suffre him selfe to be drawen from God and his worde or els the deuell wyll so longe laye wayte for the vntyll he hathe transformed the into the child of darkenes Nether is he weried with any labour taking no reste day nor night alwaies ready at hande quick diligeÌ„t to oure destruction and condemnacion 1. Pet. 5 as S. Peter witnesseth Thirdely Chryst teacheth vs in this place Alwaies the euell is admixt with the good that the wheat alwaies groweth nigh the tares that is the euel shal be alwaies mingled amongest the good vnto the end of the world I call them euel that be occupied in false doctrine vnbeliefe as all hypocrites heretikes be which wil for the
more parte cloak their erroures with scriptures falsly alleged lest their deceite shuld be espied oute And of these speaketh S. Paule to the Corinth saying 1 Cor. 11 There must also rise sectes among you whereby they that be approued shal be made manifest Nowe yf there shal be amongest the trew christian men How he râ—tickes shuld be handled false chrystians Howe shall I behaue my selfe towardes them Shal they be clean cast out of our coasts or put to death No not so but thou mayest yf thou knowest such tares common with them in scripture instruct them admonish the oute twise or thrise vntill thou se that they be fallen into a false and reprouable opinion and that they wyll not amende and leue theyr opinion and theÌ„ thou mayst eschew them Mat 18 Tit. 3. and repute them as Christe and S. Paule hath taught the as hethens publicans open sinners and other commaundement thou haste none And when harueste commeth that is the ende of the worlde then shall they haue theyr iudge the worde of God that shall iudge them But and yf of thyne owne pryuate person Ioh. 12. or as a christian man thou wylte dooe somethynge else that shulde profyte in this behalfe go to then and praye to God earnestlye in thy mynde that he wyll voutchsafe to brynge them to the trewe knowledge of fayth and of his great goodnes wyll kepe and conserue vs from all erroure and false doctryne The payns of hypocrisie Fourthely in this similitude also is shewed the punishment of hypocrisye and the rewarde of trew doctrine and fayth The son of man sayth he shal send forth his auÌ„gels which shal gether out of his kiÌ„gdom al occasion of slauÌ„der offendicles the workers of iniquitie shal cast theÌ„ into the burniÌ„g fornace there shal be waylyng and gnashing of teeth Here thou seest the reward of hypocrisy The rewarde of faith Now harken to the reward of fayth Then the goodmeÌ„ shal shine as the sonne in the kyngdome of their father This text is cleare of it selfe God graunt all only that we may be numbered amongest the good and faithful and not amongest the hyâ—ocrites And as for the rewarde I remit it to Christ The sonday called Septuagesima Mat. 20. FOr the kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that is an hosholder which went out earlye in the mornyng to hyer labourers into his vinyeard and when the agrement was made with the labourers for a penye a day he sent them into hys vineyard And he wente out aboute the thyrd houre and he saw other standyng ydle in the market place and sayd vnto them Go ye also into the vineyard and what soeuer is ryghte I wyll geue you And they wente theire waye Agayne he went oure aboute the sixte and nynthe houre and dydde lykewyse And aboute the eleuenth houre he wente oute and founde other standinge idel and sayde vnto them Why stand ye here all the daye idell They sayde vnto hym bycause no man hath hyred vs. He sayeth vnto them Go ye also into the vineyarde and whatsoeuer is ryghte that shall ye receaue So when euen was come the lord of the vyneyarde sayth vnto his steward Cal the labourers and geue them theyr hire begynning at the laste vntyll the fyrste And when they didde come that came about the eleuenth houre they receaued euery man a penny But when the frste came also they supposed that they shulde haue receaued more and they lykewyse receaued euery man a penny And when they had reseaued yt they murmured agaynst the goodmaÌ„ of the house saying These last haue wrought but one houre and thow haste made them equall vnto vs which haue borne the burthen and heate of the day But he answered vnto one of them and sayed Frende I do the no wrong diddest thou not agree with me for a penny Take that is thine and go thy way I wyll geue vnto thys laste euen as vnto the. Is it not lawfull me to do as me lysteth wyth myne owne goodes Is thine eye euell bicause I am good Mat. 19 Mat 10 Luc. 13. So the laste shal be the fyrst and the fyrste shal be last For many be called but few be chosen The sonday called Septuagesima Math 20. The grace mercy of God THis gospel doth chiefli coÌ„mend and extol the grace mercy of God by the which he calleth a sinner and maketh hym iuste and good in that that the housholder gaue lyke rewarde to them that came laste into his vineyarde as to theÌ„ that came first wherthrough is taken away al presumption of theÌ„ that putteth trust in their workes seing that reward is not distributed accordiÌ„g to the merite but according to that wil pleasure of the housholder Who dare now bost of his workes All is in the good wil of this housholder He geueth so much Ephe. 4 to whom it please him Therfore euery maÌ„ shuld submit himselfe and knowledg the vncleanlines of his workes and to put his whole trust in the grace and mercy of God Presumption is euen grafte in vs and therefore we truste that by the merites of oure workes we shal be iustified which yet by no meanes be sufficient But god is as S. Paule so calleth the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. as for this opinion must we cast out of our mindes and only haue respecte to the meeke and gentell will of the housholder He hath mercy vpon whom he list and whoÌ„ it please him Rom. 9 he doth harden And to be short when by his word he calleth me into his vineyard he maketh me righteouse blessed Then muste I geue thanks to him allonli seing that bi his grace and no merite of myne it was so doone Likewise when god geueth this grace to me through Christ that in this diuine vocacion or godly callynge I can perseuer and paciently suffre the crosse and other afflictions I shulde not adscribe the same to mine owne strength but geue thankes to god the father by Christ for his such greate goodnes and clemency with the which he hath loked vpon me a miserable sinner For lyke as he by his word called me to faith and commaunded me to go into his vineyard of christianite it is necessary Rom. 11 Phil. 2. that he giue also to me his grace wherthrough I may abide perseuer euen to the end Yf therefore I be ioyned to euerlasting felicity without any my merite but by the grace of god not of mine owne strengthe am so susteined in the same what is it I pray you that this housholder oweth to me Nothinge at all excepte of his very liberality he will giue me somewhat Then yf he owe oughte to no man and yet so plenteouslye doth distribute the treasure of hys grace trewli ther is no cause whi I shuld discorag in my mind or dispaire although I were the greatest sinner vnder the son for therfore
vp his eyes in to heauen to saye Luc. 15. God haue mercy vpon me a sinner Luke the 18. chap. Likewise the elder brother disdained his yonger brother that was loste when he retorned came to himselfe againe Mar 14 And in like manner Iudas dispised that simple wretched woman which in the house of Simeon the leper powred out vpoÌ„ Iesus head a box of costly oyntment And also the Iewes dispised Christe when he didde eate and drinke amongeste the publicans and sinners But what sayed Christe to that Verely I saye vnto you that sinners and whores shall enter into the kingdom of heauen before Mat. 21 you What doth not the houshoulder here think so to when he saieth Shall I not do with mine owne what pleaseth me And in this we miserable sinners haue one speciall thing and prerogatiue before those great high holy men that when we do good workes we haue no respect thereto nor do them for that cause that therefore we may aske heauen of God as dewe dette to vs but wee beleue in hym that maketh the sinner righteous and oure fayth is imputed to vs to iustificacion Rom. 4 And forbicause the iustifiers do aske their rewarde as dette and couenaunt and not of grace therefore yt happeneth to them that they be made of the firste the laste Nor yet shal they leaue or forsake their pride so grafte in them which alwaies foloweth them but alwaies they shall iudge and condemne and often tymes haue in theire mouthes and call here tyckes heretickes vntil they them selues be condemned The sonday called Seragesima Luc. 8. WHen much people wer gathered together and were come to him out of all cityes he spake by a similitude ♣ The sower wente oute to sowe his seade and as he sowed some fell by the way syde and yt was troden downe and the foules of the ayre deuoured yt vp And some fell on stone and as soone as it was spronge vp it wythered awaye bycase it lacked moystenes And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprange vp with it and choked it And some fell vpon good ground and bare frute and hundreth folde And as he sayd these thynges he cryed He that hath eares to hear let him heare And his diciples asked hym saiyng what manner of similitude is this And he sayde Vnto you it is geuen to knowe the secrets of the kyngdome of God but to other by parables that wheÌ„ they see they shoulde not se Mat. 12 Mar. 4 and when they heare they shoulde not vnderstande The parable is thys Esa 6. c Mat. 13 Mar. 4. Ioh. 12. Act. 28. f Rom. 11 Mat. 13 Mar. 4. The feede is the worde of God Those that are beside the waye are they that heare then cometh the deuell and taketh away the word out of theyr hartes lest they shuld beleue and bee saued They on the stones are they which when they heare receiue the worde with ioye and these haue no rootes which for a while beleue and in tyme of temptacion go awaye And that which fell amonge thornes are they which when they haue herde go forthe and are choked wyth cares and ryches and voluptuous lyuing and bring forth no frute That which fell in the good ground are they which with apure and good herte hear the worde and kepe it and bring forth frute through pacience THE EXPOSITION THe similitude of the gospel of this day Christ himselfe hath sufficiently expounded I wold wishe that all we might receiue the grace of God not only to vnderstand the same but to haue it written in our hartes that we might oftentymes thinke theron For seing that Christ himselfe with a loude voyce saied He that hath eares to hear let hiÌ„ harkin we may well perceiue that it is not geuen to euery man to heare the worde of God and kepe the same For as S. Paule witnesseth in the third cha of his first epist to the Cor Plant we may The outwarde worde water may as wel as we can but the encrease cometh of no maÌ„ but of God And that we may learn how god bi the outward preaching of his word doth also inwardly through the holye ghoste worke in oure hartes there ar fower kiÌ„des of herers laied here before vs. Fyrste of all Christe speaketh of the seede that fel by the waies syde and was trodden vnder foot and the foules of the aier eate it vp And he calleth the seed the worde of God and the byrdes he calleth the deuel which by innumerable means pluck and rote vp the word of God out of meÌ„nes hartes And he speaketh as though he shulde saye on this wise False christiaÌ„s Many there be that hear the gospel wyll in any wise be called christian men moreouer they vse the sacraments liberty of a christian maÌ„ but trewly they shal obtain of me nothing els but the vayne name that they so greatly glory in And out wardly they shew a certaine grauiti and face of holynes but inwardely they be filled with al malice And why so Bicause they haue receyued the word of God vnder a pretext as it were vnder a shadow or visarde it neuer descended into they re hartes neither were they kindeled any thinge therewith whereby a man myghte perceiue it to haue been any thing liuely or effectual in them There haue entred in false doctours and secte maisters which thorow their deceitful exposition of scripture haue suppressed and troden vnder foot the good seede of the word of God Iere. 5. 27 Of whom the prophet Ieremy saith That they shall speak their lyes in the name of the lorde 1. TiÌ„ 1. And S. Paule called the doctrine of those men idle speach They haue adioyned themselues to suche doctoures forsaking the fountayne of the water of lyfe and folowe with all desire and couet to drinke the troubled and muddye water infected with mans tradicions and hereticall lerning And afterward cometh in the deuell which is signified by the byrdes And bicause his ministers the false techers haue with their false preachiÌ„g prepared to hiÌ„ his waies he goeth forth entreth priuily iÌ„to their hartê so that thei beiÌ„g brought froÌ„ the trew doctrine of Christ shall both body soule run into the snares of the deuel And those deceits snares The deuell of noone dayes be the very deuel of that none tyde that the 90 psal speaketh of And now forasmuch as we haue perfect knowledg that the deuel layeth netê snares for vs as wel by his false prophets which by the peruerse expositioÌ„ of scripture go about to deceiue vs As also by his owne gyles and inspiracioÌ„s yt shal be very necessary that we so establish our lyues that by no meanes we be brought froÌ„ the trew simple doctrine of Christ For as sone as we begin to despise and set litle by that word of god that is shewed vnto vs by Christ We must
EXPOSITION THe miracle of Christ mencioned in the gospel of this day is a liuely doctrine sermon All thiÌ„g is subiect to the dyuel with oute the knowledge of Christe For we do not only learn therby the Christ is indued with singuler humanitye and pity and that he is ready to gyue his diligence labour to al meÌ„ but also that al thinges be subdued to the dyuell where Christ is not knowen And to this knowledg can no man come through any workes or mannes wisedom except the father of heauen draw hiÌ„ therto as sâ—ripture witnesseth sayinge on this wise Ioh. 10 No man knoweth the son of God but only the father and he to whome God wyll open yt Yet hathe God lefte vnto vs in this worlde certayne meanes wherby he leadeth vs to that knowledg that is by his worde and gospell that he gaue to his son The gospell to teache and shewe vnto vs whiche he will also to be preched in this world for euer And moreouer also by that he giueth vs the holy ghoste Act. 10 as we se in the actes of the Apost that euery maÌ„ that heareth it receiueth it in faith shal not perish but shal haue euerlasting lyfe And in lyke maner must the gospel or miracle of this day be taken Ioh. 5. in the whiche Christe ys so set forth vnto vs that it is very he the of his mere grace and mercye hath deliuered from the diuell this man miserable poore and destitute of all helpe mannes comforte Wee maye well saye that this man was miserable wretched For besides that he was blynd as saint Mat. saith he was also dumb deafe possessed of a diuel Mat 14 What can we els learne hereby but that all things be subdued to the diuel wher Christ cometh not And in contrary wise that the diuel as sone as Christ by his word is come vnto vs is compelled to avoyd and departe And there is it manifestly declared The dyuel must obeye to Chryste Ioh. 12. the Christe speaketh of Ioh. 12. Now is the iudgement of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde be caste forthe Therefore yf wee wil be partakers of the goodnes of Christe which this gospell sheweth vnto vs then muste we needes knowledge before that we be blinde deafe and dombe And moreouer yt is meete that wee beleue the preachyng of Christ to be trewe To bee possessed of a dyuell namelye that only he doth heale vs from al diseases both bodely and ghostly Which of vs al yf in our hartes we ponder trewly looke vpon our birth natiuity wyl not knowledg confesse that he is possessed of a diuel Psal 50 Wer we not conceiued borne in sinne And doth not sin pertaine to the kingdom of the deuell And to be in the kingdome of the diuel whâ—t is it els but to be possessed of a diuell And in lyke manner it is to be sayde of our blindnes deafnes and dumnes To be blynde We be blinde and se nothing that is we beleue not how Abraham saw Christ and his Apostels Io 4. To be dumbe And we be also dumb to coÌ„fesse Christ of the which confession the apostle speaketh of saying If a man beleue from the hert he shal be made righteous Rom. 10 And if he knowledg god with his mouth he shal be saued And Christ in the gospel saith He the knowledgeth me before men I wyll knowledge hym before my father that is in heauen To be deafe And we be also deafe and heare the trewthe of the gospell vnwyllyngly against our minds And yet muste we nedes heare it if we desire to be brought frome the kingedome of the deuell to the kingedome of Christ Who can take from vs so many defautes The onlye mediatoure betwene god and man our Lord Iesu Christ through whom yf we beleue we shal be saued both body and sowle Secondarilye we learne by this gospell The worlde dothe mock all Christes words deedes howe Christes wordes and deedes be taken and interpretyd of the peruerse and misbeleuing worlde Al was euel that good Christ did how good so euer it were And yf he had not done that miracle before the faces in the sight of the vnbeleuing Iewes doughtles they wolde boldely haue denied anye suche to haue beene done And bycause they can not deny it they say that Christ dyd that miracle through Belzebub the prynce of dyuels And is not this wonderfull blasphemy againste god that so godly precious and so noble an acte and miracle shuld be adscribed to the power of the diuell Mat. 7 An euel tre bringeth not forth good frute Gen. 4. But Caim wyll always hate his brother although there be no cause whye Yea there was nothing done by Christ were it neuer so good godly but cursed incredulity dyd euer detract mock and reproue it Is it not a greate token of godly loue yf a man shulde eate and drynke with publicanes and sinners Mar. 2. whereby they might be conuerted from sinne and repente Yet for that deede was Christe hated and slaundred as though he had coÌ„mitted some great mischefe Yea and was it not to be highelye praised that Christe with so great diligence dyd preach the word of his heauenly father And yet for that founde he no fauoure with the obstinate Iewes but was compelled to heare He is a disturber of the people And suche other lyke Ioh. 7. What happened to the Apostelles after the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ what happened to Paule when he saide I haue wished my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren Rom. 9 He did with so feruent desyre wishe the saluacion of his kinsfolkes after the flesh that by some meanes they might be brought to the faith but he profited not For the Iewes called hym a sedicious persone Act. 26. and Festus sayde he was madde And in lyke manner was yt wyth Christ at this tyme he dyd a noble acte that might haue allured the Iewes to beleue but they not onlye do not beleue but despiseth and slaundreth hys worke Some aske signes and be not content with that is doone And some saye agayne that by the vertue and power of Belzebub the prince of diuels he casteth out the diuel But to be short whatsoeuer Christ doth worketh or teacheth it is verye contrary and repugnant to the worlde and can not be void from blame slauÌ„dre 1 Pet. 2. So that Christ shall alwayes be a stone and rocke to be stombled at Christe defeÌ„deth his doctrine Thirdely we se in this gospell how Christe with greate diligence and feruent zeale of loue dyd defende hys doctrine and godlye workes And althoughe in the ende he answered them that asked signes from heauen and remitted theÌ„ to the signe of Ionas the prophete yet did he moste chiefelye stoppe theyr proude mouthes that did adscribe his doctrine and workes
to the deuell and not to the power of God He coulde in no wise suffre that that the Iewes againste they re owne conscience shulde lye and saye that he caste forth dyuels thorowe belzebub the prince of dyuels seyng it is manifest in the fourth chapter of Marke that he dyd yt with the finger of God that is The finger of God with the power and vertu of God and the holy ghost And this properly is the sinne in the holy ghoste when agaynst thine owne conscience thou doest blame and persecute the plaine manifest and open knowen veritie The syn in the holy ghost Of the whiche sinne Christe saith that it shall not be forgeuen in this world nor in the world to come And as Christe doth here in this place so dothe he in the eight chapter of S. Iohn when the Iewes said he had a diuel He letteth passe that they called hym a Samaritane and pourgeth that that they sayde he had a dyuel But here wee wyl note certayne argumentes as briefelye as wee canne with the which in this matter Christe dyd confute the obstinate Iewes Fyrste Christ proueth by two similitudes that it was impossible that one diuel shuld expel an other For yf yt were so then shuld the diuels varye and dissente betweene themselues and so shulde theyr kingedome be desolated Euery kingdome deuided in it selfe must nedes fall and cannot endure And likewyse a house wherin the dwellers doth discord and varye can not stande Secondarily Christ proueth with a playne example that the Iews did greuously blaspheme and slauÌ„dre him saying If I do cast forth the diuel by the power of Belzebub bi whom theÌ„ do your childreÌ„ driue theÌ„ out Therfore shal they be youre iudges The Iewes shal be iudged of ther own children They wil not say that one diuel driueth out an other but that yt is done by the power of god And yf it bee doone by the power and vertue of God howe can your blasphemy stand But ye shuld perceyue and knuwe thereby that the kyngedome of God is come to you whereunto the dyuell muste needes gyue place And then shuld ye not lade your selues with so greate and horrible blasphemye agaynste God Thirdelye he maketh an argumente of a familiar similitude and saith When a stronge harnessed man keepeth his house all that he pocesseth is in peace But when a stronger commeth vppon hym and ouercommeth hym he taketh frome hym all his weapons wherein he trusted c. And so he concludeth on this wise God ouercommeth the diuell we in hym The dyuell is inuincible excepte he be ouercome by the power and vertue of god And I as ye se haue here ouercome the deuyll and haue compelled hym to gyue place to me And thys haue I not doone by Belzebub as yee do saye and slaundre me but by the power of God And seyng yt is so ye be very wretches and naught so to slaunder my worke Fourthly he doth with a goodly sentence stop restrayne the fowle mouthes of the Iewes and saith He that is not with me is agaynste me And he that doth not gather with me scattereth abrode Nowe it is cleare that the deuell is againste me seyng he doth good to no man and I do profyte euery man And moreouer he gathereth not to lyfe as I do but laboureth in as much as he canne to destroye all men Wherefore he shall not departe from the man at my desyre eycept he be expulsed by the power and vertu of God Fyftely he answereth to the Iewes with an horrible thretnynge as thoughe he shuld saye Looke well aboute you and considre what shall become of you Now is the diuell caste forthe and the kyngedome of God is preached vnto you in euery place through my gospell But and if ye reiecte my gospel and make your selues vnworthy of euerlasting lyfe and wyll agayne lette the deuell haue place in you ye shall well perceyue and vnderstande that the end shal be worse then the beginning The end shal be worse theÌ„ was the begiÌ„niÌ„g wheÌ„ wee despise the word of God And wheras before one dyuell onlye in incredulitye and hypocrisie dyd deceyue you nowe shall come 7. other worse dyuels that shall besege rounde about your hartes and shall so kepe you in bondage that yee shall neuer be able to come to eternall lyfe And I wyll that ye haue admonisshing before that when so euer it shall so happen yee do remembre that I haue told you thereof before Lo in this wise dothe Christe stoppe their mouthes that dyd blaspheme the open knowen trewth And that he doth with invincible argumentes teachinge vs in the meane tyme that euery christian man be ready to defende the trewth as often as it shal be depressed and laden with slaunder and lies And specially it shal beseme them that be ministers of the gospel which of their profession ought to defend and fauoure the truthe and for that intent be called to the same office that they teache other The fowerth sonday in Lent Ioh. 6. After these thynges Mat 14 Marc. 6 Iesus wente hys way ouer the sea of Galile which is the sea of Tiberias Mat. 4 â—uâ— 6 and a greate multitude folowed hym bicause they sawe hys miracles which he dyd on them that were diseased And Iesus went vp into a mountayn and there he sat with his disciples And Easter a feaste of the Iewes was nye THE EXPOSITION IT is greatly to be wished desired that as the text of this gospel is plaine easye so it might be imprinted in mens hartes that not only they shuld speake highly therof but also learne proue by experience how great a thing it is if we be wel instructed with the promises and miracles of God against the detestable carefulnes of the belly Christe wyll norishe the beleuers Fyrste of all in this place is layed before al christian men a noble example that God the father thorow his welbeloued son Iesu Christ wyll norishe defend them both in body soule yf they wyll put theyr whole confidence and truste in hym Wherby we maye marke and note that god from the beginnynge with promisses and exaumples hath defeÌ„ded vs against the abhominable carke of the bellye whiche raigneth almost ouer all the worlde And chyefly for this cause that he myght laye before our eyes our incredulity vnbeliefe wel knowen of hym and deepelye grafted in vs. It is an excellent thyng and not a little to be commended yf a man can mortyfie hym selfe concernynge the carefulnes of worldly riches no lenger to be vexed or troubled with the care of meat drinke cloth but put al his hope truste in the promises of God and stedfastelye beleue that God will mercifully looke and prouyde for our necessaryes although it appeare farre otherwyse in the syghte of men And therefore the we shuld leaue that pernicious in Christe defedeth vs agaiÌ„st the care of the
the grace and mercy of the gospell that the church gathered of the gentyles and of the Iewes shal be made one flocke and haue one shepeharde But here marke and take hede in what manner this callyng shal be Christe alone must bringe it to passe and performe yt as he saithe I haue yet other shepe that be not of this folde and those same must I bring also c. Christe muste bringe the gentils whereout it foloweth necessarily that the gentiles of them selues without they be brought by Christe can not come And yf they can not come of them selues it is manifest and playne that we throughe grace and mercye be iustified and saued as saith S. Paule By grace are you saued throughe faythe Ephe. 2. and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of god not of workes least any man shulde boaste him selfe Now yf we are called to righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe by grace why do we then boast vs of oure workes Whervnto is now free wil become why do not you leaue Christe his honoure Wylte thou become a thefe and priuily steale awaye christes honour Is it not sufficient that the pharisies those glorifiers in workes are called theues If ye are wyse take counsayle with the scripture and beleue the same if ye will be saued which saith No man knoweth the father Ioh. 14 but the sonne and to whome the sonne wil reuele it .. Marke diligently that he saith To whō the sonne wyl reuele it And in this gospell he saith also I I I my selfe muste bringe them When Christe doth bringe vs through his word and spirite then do we heare his voyce then do we willingly obey him and mortefie the old Adame in vs. To make shorte we lyue according to goddes will and pleasure Some there be that suppose that by this sentence Ther shalhe one flocke and one shepard is promised through out all the worlde Vnity concord in the doctrine of Christs faythe is not to be loked for vnitie and concorde in the doctrine and faithe of Christe but they be deceyued For this saiyng is fulfilled when both the Iews and gentyles are called by the word of god into the communion of one churche And in th ende of the worlde finally it shal be fulfilled when the faithfull as well of the Iewes as of the gentiles shal be disseuered diuided from the kiddes that is frome the vnfaithfull and taken into the kingdome of Christe Whiche God the father graunt vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The thirde sonday after Easter Ioh. 16 AFter a whyle ye shal not se me Ioh. 7. agayne after a whyle ye shal se me for I go to the father Thē sayde some of hys dysciples betwene them selues What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a while ye shal se me and that I go to the father◠They sayde therfore what is this that he saith after a whyle we can not tell what he saith Iesus peceaued that they wolde aske hym and sayde vnto them Ye enquyre of this betwene your selues bicause I sayde After a whyle ye shal not se me and agayne After a whyle ye shall se me Verely verely I say vnto you ye shall weepe and lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyce Ye shall sorowe but Ioh. 2◠your sorowe shal be turned to ioye A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe bycause he thow◠is come but as sone as she is delyuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne into the world And ye now therefore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and your hartes shall reioyse and your ioye shall no man take frome you THE EXPOSITION Chryste sheweth his passion resurrectiō to his disciples IN this gospell diligently we shall note foure thinges First how Christ shewed before vnto his disciples his passion and resurrection Furthermore in what wise through his resurrection he shuld raign in his kingdome and go to the father This sermon and teaching muste needes be verye necessary whē Christ so oftentimes and with so many wordes repeteth it and sheweth yt his disciples Yea truly it is very needful considering the infirmitie of our flesh and the hard vnderstandynge of these articles Wherefore Christe after the manner of a faithfull maister and instructours ceasseth not contynuallye to inculcate and driue into the apostles hartes suche artycles that in all poyntes he mighte trulye and iustelye execute hys office And this is the exposition and meanynge thereof After a little while I shal be delyuered vnto the Iewes and they shal condemne me scourg me and at the last crucify me And lykewise as Ionas was three dayes and three nyghtes in the belly of the whale Mat. 21 so shall I be three dayes and so manny nyghtes also in the hart of the earth And that is the same that I say vnto you After a little while yee shall not see me and yet after a litle that is the thirde daye whan I am risen frome deathe yee shall see me But that shal be no great whyle for I muste go to the father and receaue my kingdome whiche is spirituall With the whiche hee instructethe and teacheth his dysciples what maner of kyngedome hee shall haue and in what wyse he shall entre into it The kīgdom of Christ Eph. 14 The kyngedome of Chryste lyeth herein That Christe hath ouercomme sinne deathe hell and the dyuell and hathe all the auctorytye and power of the father in heauen and in earthe that hereafter he beinge ordeined the moste mighty kinge vppon the hollye hyll of Sion Psal 2. shuld strength and rule his faithfull and electe through the holy ghoste And into this kīgdom he hath entred through his passion death and sheding of his blode as the prophete Dauyd sheweth before Psa 109 He shall drynke of the brooke in the waye therefore shall he lyfte vp his heade The Apostles knewe yet but little of the spirituall kingedome and thought it shulde haue been temporall vntill suche time that they receiued the holy ghost which opened their eyes and instructed them what manner of kingedome it shulde be how we shulde come vnto it and abide in it And if we desyre to enter into this kingedome and wyl ouercome synne death the diuell and hell it is moste conuenient necessarye that we know Christe oure Lorde and sauioure oure kinge and bysshoppe and that by his bloode wee are reconcyled to the euerlastinge father And we must do also as Paule monissheth vs in the epistle to Timothe sayinge 2 Tim. 2 If wee be dead with him we shall lyue with him also If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall denye vs. Secondarily here is layde before vs in the apostles an exaumple of our ignoraunce An exaūple of our ignoraunce For as the
4. and. 7. Tit. 3. a Rom. 8. That whiche is borne of the fleshe is flesh and thâ—â— whyche is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruayle not thou that I sayd to the ye muste be borne frome aboue The wynde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof Eccl. 11. but canst not tell whence it cometh and whether it goeth So is euerye one that is borne of the spirite Nycodemus aunswered and sayd vnto him How can these thiâ—ges be Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Arte thou a mayster 〈◊〉 Israel knowest not these thiÌ„gs Verely verely I say vnto the 〈◊〉 speake that we do know and testifye that we haue seene and ye receyue not our witnes Yf I haue tolde you earthly thinges and yet beleue not how shall you beleue if I tell you of heauenly thynges Ephe. 4 And no man ascâ—nded vp into heauen but he that came doâ—â—â— from heauen euen the sonne of man whyche is in heauen And as Moyses lyft vs the serpente in wildernes Nu. 21. euen so must the â—onne of man be lyfte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in him perishe â—oâ— but haue eternall lyfe THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell we haue and excellent disputacion of the righteousnes of the fleshe and also of the righteousnes of the spirite Christ teacheth vs the one and Nicodemus defendeth the other But so that in the meane while he is content to be taughte and enformed of Christe Fyrste of all lette vs considre the persone of Nicodemus as it is here described of the euangeliste The description of Nicodemus howe vnwisely and vndiscretelye he speaketh of regeneracion Whereout we maye note what reason and mannes strength can do in vnderstandyng of diuine and heauenly thinges The euangelist sayeth on this wise There was a man of the phariseis named Nicodemus a ruler amoÌ„g the Iews Herein he declareth that Nicodemus as conceriÌ„ng his outward conuersacion led an honest and a worshipful lyfe which coulde not bee reprehended or rebuked so that he was taken and counted one of the chiefe rulers amongest the Iewes Here also thou haste the discription of the person whiche after worldely fashion and maner is taken and counted both wise and righteous Yet this nowistanding The fleshe is fearfull there is not so greate strengthe or boldenes in Nicodemus that he durste speake vnto Christe openlye though he knewe him to be a teacher sente from god whose wondres and miracles he coulde not deny Whye doth not reason here steppe forth boldely and openlye professe the doctrine of Christe For so Christe wolde haue it according to that he spake Whosoeuer knowledgeth me before men Mat. 10 him will I knowledge before my father which is in heauen and the angelles But reason canne not do this for it passeth and excelleth farre his capacitye and conning He will not be charged with the hatred of the world for the truthes sake For the which cause Christe wyll haue vs mortifie this olde Adame in vs and become a newe creature But what knoweth or vnderstandeth the fleshe and oure nature here of Trulye nothing at all as it is playne and euidente here declared by this Nicodemus For Christe speaketh of a new and a spirituall natiuity but Nicodemus contrary wise vnderstandeth a carnal and a fleshly natiuity How can a man saith he be borne when he is olde can he enter into his mothers womb and be borne againe Wee are all Nicodemes ignorauÌ„t of godly thinges Here you heare in what wise this wordly righteous man answereth to godly things Yea Christ himselfe must open declare vnto hym in what wise a man must become a new creature be borne agayne yet he vnderstandeth it not but demaundeth again saiyng How may these things be What other thing can a maÌ„ se perceiue in this Nicodemus then ignoraunce incredulity Wherfore if his outward coÌ„uersacioÌ„ had ben a great deale more glorious theÌ„ it was yet could it not haue pleased god why Bicause that god doth not regard the outward fashions of men but iudgeth according to the hart faith of a man as the prophete Ieremye declareth saiyng Thou o lorde lookest only vpon faith Iere. 5. Ro. 14. And S. Paul to the Romaines saith What soeuer is not of faith that same is sinne Mat. 5. For first we muste get the inward righteousnes if the outward shall please god For if wee wante righteousnes inwardly Christ may straight way say vnto vs as he said to the Iues Except your righteousnes excede the righteousnes of the scribes phariseis ye caÌ„not enter into the kingdom of heauen Therfore likewise as Nicodemus had here but a rude blinde vnderstanding in those thingê that pertaine to the grace of god our saluacion euen so be wee euery one rude ignorauÌ„t and the very olde Adam yea nothing but flesh carnal according to the saiyng of Christ That saith he which is borne of flesh is flesh What the scripture calleth fleshe If it be not renewed and lightned with the spirite I vnderstaÌ„d by flesh the whole vniuersal nature of maÌ„ both body soule reason vnderstanding freewyl wtoute the holy ghost For such a man yea suche a body of sin caÌ„ do nothing but sin how excellently so euer he shineth outwardly though outwardly he garnisheth himselfe with neuer so manye workes Which thiÌ„g S. Paul expresseth with manifest words Rom. 8. to the Romaines And here also it is playne and euidente by this Nicodemus which in the sight of the worlde was holy and righteous Secondarelye The new birthe is necessarye Christe teacheth vs in this gospell a newe natiuity which Nicodemus could not comprehende or vnderstande and so speaketh of it that it maye apeare to bee a thinge necessarye to saluacion Hee sayeth on this wise Excepte a man bee borne a newe hee canne not see the kyngedome of God To se the kyngedome of God is to be iustified Now mark considre what Christ speaketh of this iustifiyng and contrarywise what Nicodemus thinketh thereof To see what the kiÌ„gdom of god is Christe concludeth that no worke no reason no outward conuersacion canne iustifye and saue vs excepte allonlye that the man be borne a newe Contrary wise thus thinketh Nycodemus that yf oure outward conuersacion lyfe and working be allonly confirmable vnto the law that for those workes god is constrained and bouÌ„d to iustifye and saue vs. But herein he erreth greatly Not Nicodemus but Christe hat here the victorye forasmuche as all men are lyars and all onlye god is trewe Psall 115 Rom. 3. Wherefore lette vs sharpely marke and considre in what wise this newe natiuity and regeneracioÌ„ is so brought to passe He saith on this wise Excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not come into the kingdome of god Here thou hearest Baptisme that this regeneracion and new natiuity beginneth in Baptisme For baptisme is a signe of mortefiynge
our flesh as S. Paule saith We be buried with him by baptisme into death Rom. 6. c. and this is one part of this new natiuity Furthermore in baptysme the hollye ghoste ys geuen vs whych we beyng so mortefied dothe reuyue and regenerate vs agayne ruleth draweth pulleth and chaungeth vs and so worketh in vs that we sauoure and vnderstande now no more carnall but spirytual thynges Wee desire not wordly things but heauenly thinges lyue to righteousnes And this is the other part of thys new natyuitie Wher oute yt appeareth What it ys to bee borne agayne that to be borne agayne ys no other thing then to dye as concernyng syn and to lyne to ryghteousnes through the spiryt and fayth And wher so euer this is there is the kingdome of god sene and the entring thervnto openeth But I besech you what glory hath here the righteousnes of Nicodemus Truelye before god it is but durte dung Phil. 3. eueÌ„ as S. Paule did reckene and count all his righteousnes that came of the lawe he beynge a Iew and circumcised for dunge For not that whiche cometh of oure reason but that the spirite worketh in vs pleaseth god For that that is borne of the spirite is spirituall and of greate reputacion before god Therfore S. Paule to the Ephesians saith on this wise Ephe. 4 So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tymes paste laye frome you that olde man which marreth himselfe through deceiuable lustes and be you renewed in the spirit of your mynd How can reason do or comprehend these thinges when in earthly and bodely thinges he is so rude and ignoraunt that he cannot tell namely from whence the winde cometh or whether it will Briefelye to bringe to passe this newe natiuitie we muste needes haue the holye ghoste thoughe the papistes extoll neuer so highelye the righteousnes of the fleshe Thirdely this gospell teacheth vs Thoroughe Chryste we haue obtained the holy ghoste who hath obteyned and geuen vs this spirite by the which wee are newe regenerate and borne againe trulye Iesus Christe the sonne of man which allonly descended from heauen and ascended vp into heaueÌ„ But wherewith hathe he obtained and deserued this Euen therwith bicause that he was exalted on the crosse like as the serpent was in the wildernes But what serpente was that In times past the children of Israell murmered against the lorde in wildernes then was the lorde angry and sent fierye serpentes among the people whiche bote the people so that there dyed muche people in Israell And Moyses praiynge then for the people the lorde saide vnto him Num. 21 Make the a brasen serpent and set it vp for a token Whosoeuer is bitten and looketh on it shal lyue The serpent is the figure of Christe This figure applieth Christe vnto hymselfe as thoughe he wolde say I shall be crucified and put to deathe and with my deathe the wrathe of my heauenly father shall be pacefied for the sinnes of the worlde that whosoeuer is bitten with sinne and loketh vpon me whiche am crucified that is whosoeuer beleueth in me shall not perishe To beleue in Christe but haue euerlasting lyfe Beholde on this manner Christe is sette forthe vnto vs as hee that only forgiueth vs our sinne and giueth vs the holy ghoste maketh vs newe creatures the sonnes and heires of god so that we beleue and sette oure confidence and truste in him God graunte vnto vs that we may haue a trewe and perfect faith Amen The gospell on the firste sondaye after Trinitye sondaye Luc. 16 THe was a certaine riche man which was clothed in purple and fine white and fared deliciously euery day And there was a certayne beggar named Lazarus which lay at hys g ateful of sores desiryng to be refreshed with the cromes that fel from the rich mans bord and no man gaue vnto hiÌ„ The dogges came also and licked his sores And it fortuned that the beggar died and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich maÌ„ also died was buried And beiÌ„g in hell in tormentes he lyft vp his eyes and saw Abraham a far of Lazarus in his bosome and he cried said Father AbrahaÌ„ haue mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the typ of hi finger in water coole my tung for I am tormeÌ„ted in this flame But Abraham sayd Son Gal. 6â— remeÌ„bre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedst thy plesure contrary wyse Lazarus receaued paine But now he is comforted and thou art punished Beyond al this betwene vs and you ther is a great space set so that they which wold go from hence to you cannot neither may come froÌ„ thense to vs. Then he said I pray the therfore father seÌ„d him to my fathers house for I haue fyue brethreÌ„ for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormeÌ„t AbrahaÌ„ sayd vnto him They haue Moyses and the prophets let theÌ„ heare them And he sayde naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them frome the dead they wyll repent He sayd vnto him If If they heare not Moyses and the prophetes neither wyll they beleue though one to se from death agayne THE EXPOSITION FYrste of all A description of the rych man 1. Ti. 6. Mat. 19 What it is to be ryche this gospell treateth of a riche man in whome was neither faithe nor charitye This worde riche is here taken as Paule tooke it when he said to Timothy Charge them that are rich in this world c. And in the gospell of Mathew Yt is easier for a camel to go thorow the eye of a nedle then for a riche man to entre into the kingdome of heauen In this place a riche man signifieth him whose hart is set vppon riches which thinketh on nothing then vpon riches reioiseth in nothing then in riches Finally whose harte deliteth in nothing then in that diuelish mammon And s Paul chiefly for this cause calleth these rich meÌ„ the riche men of this worlde for that that they be geuen to transitory and worldely thinges more then to celestiall thinges Otherwise if riches of themselfe had bene euell Abraham Salomon Naaman Sirus had beene damned which were very riche but they did not abuse their riches Therefore this rich man is dâ—scribed not as a good but as an euell tre Now yf ye will heare the frutes of an euel tree Loe He clothed himselfe with purple and costly linnen c. Doubtlesse he shuld not haue ben damned for his clothing yf he had not had so great pleasure in theim and sought wordly honour and glorye therin vtterly forgetting the poore Lazarus We reade of Ioseph when he was in Egipte Gen. 41 how excellently he was clothed in riche apparell and a chaine of golde aboute his necke and yet pleased god for bicause his hart was not set vppon pompe and riches And that this riche man had his
sondaye after triuitye sondaye Luc. 14. Mat 22 Apo. 16 A Certayne man ordayned a greate supper and bad manye and sente hys seruaunte at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for all thynges are nowe readye And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst said vnto hym I haue bought afarme and I must go and see it I pray the haue me excused And an other sayd I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And an other sayd I haue maried a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruante retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the goodman of the house displeased and sayd to his seruante Go out quickely into the stretes and quarters of the city and bringe in hyther the poore and the feeble and the halt and the blinde And the seruaunt sayde Lord it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is roome And the lorde sayd to the seruauÌ„t Go out vnto the hye ways and hedges and Gen. 19 compell them to come in that my house may be filled For I saye vnto you that none of those menne whyche were bydden shall taste of my supper THE EXPOSITION IN this similitude The grace of God fyrste of all is praysed the great godnes grace mercy of god whiche he hath so mightely shewed vs by his sonne Iesus Christe without any deseruing of our workes in that that he compareth it here to a supper For all suppers are moste chiefely prepared and ordained for myrth and not for heuines that a man shulde eate drinke and be merye Lykewise as a supper here vpon earth is ordayned and prepared to make men merye and lighte harted euen so this greate supper of the grace of god and the gospell hath god prepared for our greate consolacion and comfort wherin we shuld reioyse be mery glad For what other thing is the gospell by the which the great goodnes and mercye of god is shewed vs so gentely and sweetly through Christ then a good and mery tidinges The gospell It could be no lye that the aungell shewed vnto the shephardes when Christ was borne saying Beholde Luce. 2. I bringe you tidinges of greate ioye whiche shall happen vnto all people Neither doth the prophete Dauid monish vs with out cause to reioyse in these dayes of grace saying This is the day which the lord hath made Ps 117 let vs reioyse and be gladde in it Nowe seing that god our mercifull father hath so louingely prepared for vs this supper Supper through Christ without any deseruing of our part Without dout it is a tokeÌ„ of his great loue toward vs specially if we considre that not allonly the Iewes but also al the heitheÌ„ publicans siners ar called hervnto And therfore Christ might wel say Ioh. 3. The loue of god That god so loued the world that he gaue his only son Here thou hearest that alloÌ„ly loue moued god by Christe to prepare this supper of the grace of the gospel Then if loue moued him to prepare this supper so it is a greater token of loue that he hath called vs therunto For what shulde it auayle me that this greate supper is highely praysed coÌ„mended yf I were fayne to sit without the dore were not called nor letten in And that we shuld peâ—ceaue that Christ hath not allonly prepared this supper but hath bidde al men thervnto the euaÌ„geliste saieth here that the lord of the supper sent his seruauÌ„t to them that were bidden to tell them that it was supper tyme and to byd them come for all was readye This seruante signifieth thapostels whiche Christe firste of all sent to preach to the Iewes and after when they hadde despised the preaching of the gospel and made them vnworthy thereof they were sent to the Gentyls Thappostels calleth vs to this supper And what did they preach They said Al things are redy now come Christ hath shewed vs the will of the father Christe hath suffered death for our sinnes is risen for our rightousnes asceÌ„ded vp into heaueÌ„ hath gotteÌ„ vs the holy ghost wherfore al thingê pertaining to our saluacion are ready This did the holy apostels so diligeÌ„tly prech so that Esaias did not speake in vain of them when he said Esai 52 O how bewtiful are the feet of thembassadour that briÌ„geth good tidings precheth helth What caÌ„ we desire any more Helth is obtained vs of meer grace Bi grace we be called vnto saluacioÌ„ This alloÌ„ly is now required of vs that we come Therfore let vs not dispise this supper but rather let vs hast vs to Christe that we may get righteousnes saluacion Secondarily Firste the gospell was preched vnto the Iewes Mat. 15 we se in this similitude the calling of the Iewes to the grace of the gospell and in what wyse they be reiected for ther incredulite For they were the first that shulde be called as Christe hymselfe witnesseth saiyng I am not sent but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell And Paule withe Barnabas in the actes of thapostles sayde Act. 13. It behoued first the word of god to be spoken vnto you c. But how did the Iewes heare the callyng They begon all to excuse theÌ„ contrary to the counsel of the prophet Dauid saiyng Ps 49. To day yf you wil heare his voyce harden not you hartes They wyll not folowe this faithfull counsaile but they excuse themselues wil not come The first saithe The Iewes in obedience and incredulitye I haue bought a farme and muste nedes go forth to looke vpon it I praye the holde me excused The other said I haue boughte a yoke of oxen and muste go forthe to proue them I praye the holde me excused The third sayd I haue maried a wyfe and I caÌ„not come as though he could not be a maried maÌ„ and a christian but this it is From the beginning hath the Iews euer beÌ„ stubborn disobedieÌ„t wretches How ofteÌ„ times I pray you did thei murmur agaiÌ„st god iÌ„ the wildernes How ofteÌ„ did thei prouoke god vnto angre Act. 7. doth not s SteueÌ„ bear witnes that the Iews wer both the betrayers and murtherers of Christ sayiÌ„g Yee stiffe necked ye haue alwayes resisted the holye ghost Now yf he that bought the farme set more by the farme than he didde by the supper for bying of the farme he shulde haue bene damned For he that hath much riches is not damned but he whose hart is set vppon riches â— Co. 6. For as Paule saith we shulde be as hauing nothing yet possessing all thyngs AbrahaÌ„ bought a pece of land of the childreÌ„ of Heth for hys sepulchre and other vses Ge. 24 was he damned for so doinge No For to bye lande and oxen or other cattel pertayneth not to the kiÌ„gdom of Christ but
his dede his doctrine of christian pacience in those thynges that pertayned to his person Loue is the maister of al the lawes Wherfore Christ after his accustomed maner though the Phariseis neuer so muche wayted him healed this dropsy man vpon the sabboth daye shewyng with the same miracle that aswell Gods lawes as mannes lawes ought to serue and geue place vnto charitee And though the sabbot was cōmaunded vnto the Iewes most straightly to be kept yet that commaundement did not extende to the hynderaunce of charite wherof Christ in another place sheweth the reason why saiyng The sabbot was made for mans sake Mar. 2. and not man for the sabbothes sake 1. Ti. 1. And S. Paule sayth The chiefe somme of the commaundement is loue from a pure heart and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned Wherfore when I see my neighbour in necessitee I am bounde to shewe him charitee and loue if it were xx tymes holy day because loue is the rule and maistres of all lawes Nowe consider well with thy selfe whether Christe did not right in healyng of this manne that had the dropsye howe frowardly soeuer the Phariseis toke it If an Oxe or an asse had fallen into a hole on the sabboth day thynkest thou that they would haue taryed tyll the sabboth day had been past No surely Why then should not Christe shewe vnto a manne that they shewed vnto a beast Christiā libertie Ro. 14. And so let vs likewise vse the libertie that we haue in Christ Iesu our Lorde Let vs receiue those that be weake into the faith beware to trouble not their conscience And as for these obdurate and stubburne iustifiers of theim selfe whiche haue heard oure doctrine of christian libertie and yet dispiseth it against theim let vs vse the same libertie For whatsoeuer we do or leaue for their pleasure and weakenesse sake it wyll healpe nothyng at all but styll they wyll obstinately remayne in their blyndnes For so are the Phariseis against Christ and Christ against the Phariseis yet is there so great power strēgth in the trueth that the Phariseis are constrayned to holde their peace Secondarily Christ gentely handled this sick man we see in this gospel howe familiarly and gentely Christ handeleth this man sicke of the dropsy he handeled healeth him letteth him go Fyrst he was in hand with these Pharisies whō he would haue gladly instructed howe all lawes in tyme of neede are bounde to geue place vnto loue and charitee but they would neither heare not yet receyue his doctrine their heartes were stricken with so great blyndes Yea they would not onely refuse to heare Christe but sought alwayes meanes to distroy him whiche thyng happened chiefly vpon the Sabboth daye Deu 18. Mar. 3. when in the synagoge he made whole the mans hand that was drye and wythered Neuerthelesse Christ is frendly to this man that had the dropsy he healeth him byddeth him go his waies Howbeit it is to be thought that this man that had the dropsye had a good hope trust in Christ insomuch that he folowed Christ into the Phariseis house And without doubt he had not been healed if he had not had suche an hope in Christe And as the blyndnes of these Phariseis ought to abashe and feare vs because that thei had eyen and sawe not eares and heard not an heart beleued not so the goodnes benignite of Christe shewed vnto this man that had the dropsy ought to moue vs to lift vp our heartes and to put al our trust and confidence in Christ Therfore this miracle and suche like Rom. 25 are written vnto vs that therout we may learne what maner a man Christ is why the father hath sent him into this worlde and what from him is to be hoped for of a christen mā He did good vnto this man that had the dropsye because he hoped well in him Wherfore then should he deny vs any good thyng if we beleue in him Is his hand shortened Esai 59 that it can not helpe No truely His mercy endureth for euer The faute is in vs not in his helpyng hand that forbecause we wyll neither acknowlege our infirmite nor yet beleue But if we wyl acknowlege our imbecilite weakenes specially in those thinges that partayne to our soule and aske grace of Christ in a true fayth it is not possible but it shall be graunted vs. Furthermore it is requisite that we once obtaynyng this his grace and mercy endeuour our selues to shewe lyke loue and charity to our neighbour as Christe shewed here vnto this man that had the dropsye Thirdely The Pharises styl remaining in their blyndnes and so that they could neither throughe Christes wordes nor yet through his myracles be moued to beeleue Christe payed them home and forasmuch as he perceaued in them a desirous appety of vaine glory and euer chosing themselues the vppermost seates at feastes and sayd Christ reprehended the ambitiousnes of the pharises When thou art bidde to dinner to a mariage thou shalt not set thy selfe in the highgest place lest peraduenture one that is more honourable then thou be also bidden And then he that bad bothe the and him come and saye vnto the Giue this man place But when thou art called set the doune in the lowest place that he may say Friend syt vp higher With these wordes Christ would haue corrected the ambitiō of the phariseis For they sought the glory of thys world and were in their hartes al giuen to pomp and pride Mat. 23 As he saith in an other place That all the workes they did were done for the intent that thei might be seen of men Mat. 6. And in the syxt chap. of Math. wher Christ taught vs truly to pray to fast giue almes Ther likewise hee warned vs to take heede of suche phariseis and not to do good works in that intent like as thei did ther he addeth sayīg Thei haue receaued their reward He hath teached vs here mystically that if any man be called to the mariage of the godly grace he must not bee pufte vp nor yet thinke of him selfe more then becometh him but rather he ought to take heed that he beareth hīselfe vpright and be euer in feare lest he leese the goodnes and gifts that he hath receiued For thus it stondeth in the kingdome of Christe that he that exalteth him selfe shall come low he that meketh him selfe shall he exalted And in an other place He that will bee greatest amongest you Mar. 20 let him becom your seruant The same thing aloweth Christ Mat. 19 whē he toke a child and set him in the middest of his disciples and said Except ye tourn and become as childrē ye shall not entre into the kingedome of god Luc. 28. Likewise What happened vnto the pharisey in preferring himselfe before the publican Very this The
doth bothe scorne deride and blaspheme the doctrine workes and myracles of Christe ye his harte in his bodye laughed at it But what get they thereby Herken The people is put forth that they shuld not be present at the raysing of this dead vnto lyfe Lo so it goeth with them that scorne and dispise the gospel of Christ Rom. 1. that god giueth theym vp vnto shameful lustes and blyndeth their foolishe hartes so that they shal neither se nor vnderstand the great misterye of the death and resurrection of CHRIST but shal be euerlastingly dampned Herevnto is to bee referred the saying of Dauid the prophete saying Psal 1. Blessed is the man that goeth not in the councell of the vngodly that abideth not in the way of synners and setteth not in the seate of the scornefull But delyteth in the lawe of the lorde and exerciseth himselfe in his lawe bothe daye and nyghte Scorners calleth Dauid here all those that thynketh all to be both foolyshnes and trifles that god hath spoken and doone Scorners And hee counteth theym blessed that medle not and haue nothinge to doo with suche scorners Out alas howe full is the worlde nowe a dayes of suche scorners They bee counted glorious and goodly felowes in this world whiche scorne dispise persecute and blaspheme the woorde of CHRIST They bee loued and muche made of yee with goodes and ryches accumulated so that they shall lacke nothyng neither cease to skorne Christ and his membres But good menne shall here thynke and haue in remembraunce howe this is not onely chaunsed vnto theim but afore tyme hath suche like blasphemye happened to our sauiour Iesu Christe For if they haue called the good man of the house Mat. 10 Belzebub howe muche more shall they call them of his householde so Besydes this wee haue also a cause of greate consolacion and comforte insomuche as our quarel is iust godly conformable and consonant with Goddes holy woorde For wee can not glorifye God more highely then to adscribe vnto his onely begotten sonne whom he hath for great loue and mercy that he bare vs sent into the worlde to bee crucifyed to bee our righteousnes holynes and redempcion so that we may remayne and assuredly stande nowe in him as oure onely saluacion For if we should adscribe vnto our workes righteousnes or saluacion we could neuer be sure Wherfore lette all the worde skorne blaspheme and persecute this our doctryne Hereof wee are sure that God Christ the woorde of God and all the Angels in heauen bee all on oure syde From the beginnyng the preachyng of the gospel was foolishenes vnto the Gentyles and occasion of fallyng vnto the Iewes 1. Cor. 1 as sainct Paule beareth wytnes and so shall remayne vnto the ende God almightie so merciful geue vs grace through the vertue of the holy ghost that we may dayly more and more increase in holsome doctryne true fayth and godly conuersacion vnto th ende that at the last through Christ we may obtaine and get euerlastyng saluacion Amen The sonday next before Aduent ye shall fynde in the fourth sonday in Lent and is written Iohn 6. Here endeth the sermons vpon the sondayes through the whole yere IESVS Suffre the children and forbid theim not to come vnto me for of suche is the kyngdome of heauen Math. 19. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I wyll ease you Take my yoke vpon you and learne of me for I am meke and lowely in heart and ye shall fynde rest in your soules For my yocke is easye and my burden is light Math. xi THE SECONDE PARTE of this boke contayneth the sermons vpon the gospels whiche commonly are read on the feastiuall dayes through the whole yeare The Gospell on sainct Androwes day Math. 4. AS Iesus walked by the sea of Galilee he sawe two brethren Symon whiche was called Peter Andrewe his brother castyng a nette into the sea for they wer fishers he sayth vnto them folowe me and I wyll make you to become Ier. 46 Eze. 46 fyshers of menne And they straight way left the nettes and folowed him And when he was gone furthe from thēce he sawe other two brethren Iames the sonne of Zebede Ihon his brother in the shyp with Zebede their father mendyng their nettes and he called them And they immediatly Luc. 5. left the shyp and their father and folowed him THE EXPOSITION ORDINATELY and very fruitful hath sainct Mathewe the Euangelist discribed howe and by whom it were mete and necessary that the kyngdome of Christ wer ministred For inasmuche as the same is brought to passe through the worde of God by ministers therefore he declareth fyrst in what maner of wyse Christ begāne his preachyng and afterward howe vnto the same gift of preachinge he called certaine of his disciples and sayeth From that time forth beganne Iesus to preache and saye c. Here he nameth the man that fyrste preached the gospell yea which by his word offered vnto all men the grace of God vnto saluacion and nameth hym Iesus and that for the same intent and purpose that we might clearly perceaue and vnderstand by the name what manner of preacher he is For he doth not onlye preache and offre vnto all men saluacion freely and willynglye but also hee wyll geue it vnto all those that hope and truste in him onlye by his propre merites and desert without any respecte of our works yee of mere grace and mercy Iohn 1. according to the saying of Saint Iohn which saith The lawe is geuen by Moyses but grace and truthe by Iesus Christe The sum of the preaching of Christe Now peraduenture thou wilte demaund of me what the preachinge of Christe was and the some thereof In shorte woordes he spake as foloweth Amend your selues for the kinkedome of heauen is at hande To amende our selues to walke in a newe lyfe and to forsake our olde vitious lyuynge requireth the preaching of the law of penaunce And forasmuch as the preaching of the gospel of the grace of god bringeth little vtilitie or profite to mā except he first be brought to the knowledg of his offences sinnes Rom. 3. haue a contryte harte therefore it is very requisite necessary that the lawe whereby we be brought to the same knowledge be euer fyrste preached and taught The kīgdome of heauen Whych done the other foloweth namelye this The kyngedome of heauen is at hande The kyngedome of heauen in this place is taken for the godly grace of the gospel As though Christ would say If I may this only thyng obtayn of you that your synnes may earnestly displease you aske for grace with all your whole heart it shal be brought to passe that grace shall not bee denyed you For nowe truely that acceptable tyme and daies of saluacion be at hand in the which remission of synnes is not onely offered vnto you but through my
c. Furthermore it is necessarye that I behaue my selfe in all thynges appertainyng to that office that men may perceiue that I seke none other thyng but the honour of God and vtilitee of the congregacion Then if I wyll diligently studiously fulfyll this office as here is a cōmaundement geuen to Peter and as sainct Paule in his Epistles gloryeth that he hath done 2. Co. 12 doubtles I shall haue so muche to do in myne owne office that I shall not nede to medle with other mens offices duties nor take theim vpon me but euer be studious with all my strength to do according to mine owne callyng In like maner Magistrare if I were chosen to the office of the magistrate and had receiued of god the power of the sweard to defend the good and vertuous and to punish the euell and transgressours and in that office did aply my selfe with all diligence to doo as it becommeth me before god to doo in that office surely I shulde not haue leasure in mine office to beholde what other men doo but it shuld be necessarye for me with diligence to endeuour my selfe to be found faithful in mine owne callynge The lyke manner it is in the office of a good and dylygente father of the housholde or mother of an housholde seruaunte or handemayde that euerye one doo well remembre their owne duetye and faithfullye serue and dooe in their vocation neuer takynge one the others offyce vppon hym seeynge that it ys an vniuste and a sinnefull thynge to see the matter come to this poynte that the seruaunte shoulde take vppon hym the maisters parte or the maister the seruauntes And therefore Saynt Paule saithe 1 Cor. 7 Lette euerye manne continue in that same callynge that hee is called vnto And heere note that wee speake of that vocation that God calleth vs vnto Neither are the fayned religious menne of oure tyme to be heard if at this texte they seeke a defence for their erroure and saye Thou are called vnto a Monasticall lyfe therefore needes muste thou contynue in the Monestarye and lyue a religious lyfe And the cause why they are not to be heard is this God called theym not to that lyuing but men that is they were brought vnto it by the tradycion of dyuels Thirdely The autority of the Apostels in this gospell is cōmended and highly praysed the auctoritee and office of the Apostels especially against those that saye If mannes doctrine is not to bee receiued no more is the Apostels doctrine for they were menne also But who euer taught the or of whom euer haste thou heard that it is not couenient to heare those men that teache the truthe and word of god In this point it is necessary that men vnderstand well For when we say that the doctrines tradicions of men are nothing worth in the mattiers of iustificacion and faith we speake nothing of the worde of god whiche is preached by men but suche doctrine as men haue ymagined against the worde of god And suerly if oure aduersaries wold in this matter shew and behaue theim selues as the Apostles did wee wolde righte gladly receiue them nothing considering that they are but mē And if ye will knowe what the Apostels did herken what is written in this gospell of Iohn the Euangelist for we wil not now speake of the other Apostels For Iohn saith in this place This is that same disciple that beareth witnes of these thinges hath writtē these things c. Hear ye not now wherof Iohn glorifieth Of the truthe doubtles that he wrote no lye Now seing he hath written the truth why shuld I not beleue him Truly I canne not denay but I ought to receiue a prophete in the name of a prophete and on the other parte I am bounde to forsake him that cometh not in the name of a prophet that is he that speaketh not the word of god and the truthe Wherefore if we will that men shall receiue and heare vs go to then let vs speak and preache the truth of the worde of god bring not drosse for syluer Esai 1. but set it forth puerly lead not the people into a cōfidence of their owne workes but bring them vnto Christ Let vs folowe the Apostles in the office of preachinge especially S. Iohn in this gospell which iustly maye glory that he preached the treuth and so shal the people on the other part remembre their duety toward vs againe For we knowe that this sentence of Christ was spoken for that same cause Luc. 10. where he sayth Whoso heareth you heareth me And who so despiseth you dispiseth me The gospell vpon the Innocents day Math. 2. BEholde an angell of the Lorde appeared in sleepe to Ioseph in Egipt saying Arise and take the childe and his mother and go into the lande of Israell Exo. 4. For they are deade whiche soughte the chyldes lyfe And he arose and tooke the chylde and hys mother and came into the land of Israell But when he heard that Archelaus dyd raigne in Iewry in the roume of his father Herode he was afraide to go thy ther. Notwithstandyng after he was warned of God in sleepe he tourned aside into the partyes of Galile and went and dwelt in a citye whiche is called Nazareth that it might be fulfylled whiche was spoken by the Prophetes Iud 13. He shall bee called a Nazarite THE EXPOSITION THis gospel deare christians is replenished and ful of many godly doctrines and helthsom lessons Therfore wee ought to wyshe desire with heartie prayer that God of his great mercye would vouchesafe to lighten our myndes that we may receiue gather and print in oure heartes suche thynges as in it are profitable and necessary for our instruction And first the Euangelist describeth in this place howe Mary Ioseph the childe fled into Egypte Christe fleeth into Egypt Which doubtles was a great sorowe to Mary and Ioseph yea suche a crosse as day and night turmented them Thynke you this did not right sore vexe theim seyng that they had heard before that this childe should as a most mightye kyng reigne in the house of Iacob eternally and nowe they are constrained to flee with him into Egipt and as banished persones there to liue in all miserye But in this God would declare that the kyngdome of his beloued sonne is not of this worlde and that he must entre into his glorye and kyngdome through many persecutions and muche trouble Yea Iohn 18 Luc. 22. furthermore it declareth that all suche as depende vpon him and repose their whole hope in him shall haue none other fortune in this worlde then Christ him selfe had And here note the profound iudgementes of God Christ beyng the beloued sonne of the father with Iosephe and his louyng mother Mary must needes flee and geue place to Herode a most wretched caytife and cruel tyrant Where as yet God might yea
also the saying of the Apostle Phil 2. He was made obedient to the father vnto the death euen vnto the death of the crosse Christe is our gyft and our ensample Now though we loke vpō Christe but euen as vpon a gifte giuen vnto vs surelye it shall not a litle stablishe and strengthen our faithe that he wold so gladly offer himselfe vnto the death for our profite and for our redemption But if we cōsidre Christ giuen vnto vs as an exāple we must remembre 1 Pet. 2. what S. Pet. wryteth in his epistle Christ suffered for vs leuīg vs an exāple that we shuld folow his foot steps For so shall we take the crosse as willīgly vpon vs if need require it as we se that he suffered death vpon the crosse And I praye you why shulde we not heer willyngly offre our selues seing that we haue so mighty and mercifull a lorde that wil be present assist vs in al our tribulaciōs And that he is able we maye perceiue it in that he threw doune al the Iewes vnto the earth by the power of his worde That he is mercifull he sheweth in this that in the myddest of his aduersitie hee casteth not of the care for his disciples but is so carefull for thē that in their behalfe he said vnto his aduersaries the most gredely sought to drinke his bloud If that ye seek me let these go so that the worde might be fulfilled Ioh. 17 whiche he had saide Of those whom thou gauest me I haue not loste one Fiftelye when Peter had cut of the eare of Malchus the bishops seruant Christ commaunded Peter to put vp his swearde Wherein doubteles hee taught vs that his kingedome which only is administred by the word standeth in spirit faith this kyngdome I say may be defended with no power of the fleshe but is only to be conserued defended of god God defendeth the gospel And seing ther is no doubt but god wil defend his owne kingdome I praye you why feare we so much the enemies of the gospel Why do we not rather in this behalf suffre god to prouide for these thīgs Why say we not with sainct Paule Rom. 8. If God be with vs who may be agaynst vs Surely it cānot be denyed but theyr power is great that beare euil wyl and would the Gospel were vtterly destroyed But what is all their power if it bee conferred vnto the power of god At the least let vs study this Let vs by all meanes haste vnto this that we may stande strongly by the woorde and suffre not our selues to be seperate from it and suffer not our selues to bee seperated from it and doubtles God himselfe shall fynde a waye howe to conserue it and to defende it against all his aduersaryes For it is not in vayne that the prophet sayth Esa 55. My worde shal not returne to me voyde but it shall do all my wyll and it shall prospere in those thynges whervnto I haue sent it Then if the worde must nedes fulfyl the thyng it is sent vnto I pray you who can resist it Is it possible thynke you that a creature should compell his creatour I thynke nay And I beleue that God is able without any payne to fulfyll his counsail and wyll althoughe the enemyes of the gospell would burst for sorowe It is then cōuenient that the ministers of the gospell by no meanes fight with the temporall sworde but onely with the sworde of the worde whiche S. Paule calleth the worde of God Ephe. 6 But he that is not so cōtent but affirmeth that his quarel must bee defended with fystes and blowes violence and power doubtles it shall chaunce to him as Christ sayeth here Euery man that stryketh with the sworde shal perishe vpon the sworde The thyrde sermon vppon the passion of our Lorde Iohn 28. THen the company and the Capitain and ministers of the Iewes tooke Iesus and bounde hym and led him away to Anna fyrst for he was father in lawe vnto Cayphas whiche was the highe prieste that same year Cayphas was he which gaue councel to the Iewes Ioh. 17. that it was expedient that one mā shuld dye for the people Mar. 20 Mar. 14 Luce. 22 And Symon Peter folowed Iesus so did an other disciple that disciple was knowen vnto the high priest and went in with Iesus into the palace of the high priest But Peter stode at the dore without Then went out that other disciple which was knowen vnto the high prieste and spake to the damsell that kepte the dore and brought in Peter Thē said the damsell that kepte the dore vnto Peter Art not thou one of this mannes disciples Hee sayde I am not The seruauntes and the ministers stode there whiche had made a fier of coles for it was cold and they warmed theym selues Peter also stode among them and warmed hym Mar. 14 Luce. 21 The high prieste then asked Iesus of hys disciples and of hys doctrine Iesus answered him I spake openly in the world I euer taught in the synnagog and in the Temple whither al the Iews resort and in secrete haue I sayde nothinge why askest thou me aske theym whych heard me what I haue sayde vnto theim Behold they can tell what I sayd When he had thus spoken one of the mynisters whyche stode by smote Iesus on the face saying Answerest thou the high priest so Actu 23. Iesus answered hym If I haue euell spoken beare witnesse of euell But yf I haue well spoken why smytest thou me And Annas sent hym bounde to Cayphas the highe priest Simon Peter stode and warmed him selfe Thē sayde they vnto hym Art not thou also one of his disciples Hee denied it and sayde I am not One of the seruantes of the high priestes his cosyn whose eare Peter smote of sayde vnto hym Did not I se the in the garden with him Ioh. 13. Peter therfore denied againe and immediately the cocke crewe THE EXPOSITION IN this part of the gospel we may consider whyther Iesus was caryed after that Iudas had betrayd him namely vnto the houses fyrst of Annas then vnto Cayphas For Annas was Cayphas father in law What do I hear The hipocrisye of the Iewishe byshops Thynketh any mā that this is credyble that these men so vertuous holy and well learned would couet to destroy a prophet of so great fame a mā of suche innocent liuyng yea one in whose mouth was found no guile and would they thynke you laye assaultes to destroye him I praye you howe agree these two to gether that they be bothe so vertuous fathers suche bloudthursty butchers Surely these two thynges agree not very well yet here wee see they agree in one And though the Prophete Dauid often accuseth theim as men mooste greadye to suppe innocent bloud yet perchance they can cloke this theyr malicious mynde and so hyde it and excuse it that
glorious name SecoÌ„darily note that the Iewes wyll haue Cesar for their Lord An horrible thyng to refuse Christ but they wyl not acknowlege Christ to be their kyng For thei cry away with him away with him Nowe is not this most ingratitude afore God that when he hath sent to them his only begotteÌ„ sonne a sauior whoÌ„ they so many yeres had loked trusted for nowe with suche crueltie to cast him froÌ„ them Thei might doubtles haue receiued Christ been deliuered froÌ„ sinne death deuil hell but thei will rather refuse Christ serue a forein lorde perishe bothe body soule And for this purpose they more wylliÌ„gly desired to let go a notable murtherer BarrabaÌ„ to pardon him because of their feastful daies custome then Christ To this ê‘taineth also that thei sayd to Pylate Wryte not kyng of the Iewes but that he sayd I am king of the Iewes What is this but to refuse Christ to cast him from theim But what is wont to folowe suche coÌ„tempt Truly this Note what foloweth coÌ„tempt of the word of God Mat. 8. Rom. 11 That the childreÌ„ of the kyngdome be throwen out and the poore Gentyles bee receyued into their place as S. Paule also sayth By their fal health chaunsed vnto the GeÌ„tyles that he might prouoke them to be zelous after them For if the fall of them be the riches of the worlde the minishyng of them the riches of the heathen howe muche more should it bee so if they all beleued yet it is done for theim that shall be receyued that theyr nombre may bee fulfylled For in the Actes of the Apostles sainct Paule sayeth that the Gospell and woorde of God must fyrst bee preached vnto the Iewes Act. 13 but because they thurst it from theim and iudged them selues vnworthy eternal life wee must turne vnto the heathen And this punishment is a plage of the soule And this blyndnes haue the Iewes dearely bought because they persecuted with suche hatred suche stubburnes their Messias kyng promised vnto them so mocked skorned him and nayled him vnto a crosse Besides this thei escaped not also corporall punishement Corporal punishement For they lost their bodyes honours all their goodes wife children and were banished from their owne countrey insomuch that vnto this daye there lyueth no people vnder the Sunne more wretched forsaken and dispised and that for this cause as I haue sayd that they would not receiue this Christ for their king What thinke you shal chaunse vnto vs if we nowe in oure tyme hauyng the worde of God so rychely among vs we reade and heare it dayly yet so yrke and be werye of it that neither would wee heare it or reade it Surely we be like the Gergesines For as they desired Christ to depart vnto some other countrey out of their coastes so we had muche rather that Christ should departe into some other straunge countrey then we wold for his woordes sake lose any of oure gaynes honor or riches Surely God will punishe suche vnthankefulnes in vs except we be turned do penance other wise dispose our selues towarde the woorde of God For euen so sayth sainct Paule to the Romaynes If God spared not the natural braunches take heede leste it come to passe that he spare not thee Thyrdly considre here reuolue in mynde with what wrath wodnes and furour the Iewes drewe Christ out of the citie hanged him vpon the crosse that not at aduenture but of set purpose betwene two theues and murtherers as the worste and one that had most greuously offeÌ„ded in like cryme with them When thou coÌ„siderest thy selfe and reuoluest this in thy mynde knowe thou that thou must not so muche consider the malice of the Iewes as thine owne most greuous synnes God is extreme enemy to synne And this lesson must thou learne in this most dispised and villaynous death that God is an extreme enemye vnto synne For is he not moste highly displeased with it is an vtter enemye vnto it when he would receiue none other satisfaction for it but the death of his only begotteÌ„ sonne Thoughe nothyng els were yet verely this should ouerthrowe our consciences that we might learne to knowe our sinnes and viciate nature and to seke with heartie intercessioÌ„ yea with teares the clemency and mercy of Christ Our sinnes crucified Christ For certainely those do farre sorer torment Christ that wil be called christians yet consider not why Christe would dye for theyr synnes then did the blynde Iewes that crucifyed him For if the Iewes had knowen him sayth S. Paule they would in no wise haue crucified the Lord of glorye 1. Cor. 2 But when do wee acknowlege oure synnes When do we apprehend the meryte of Christ by fayth Where is oure thankefulnes for those so many and so great vnspeakeable benefytes Yea wee dare plucke this Christes glory froÌ„m him whiche he hath so dearely bought that it can not be expressed and we seke newe waies whiche we also prescribe vnto righteousnes eternal helth Iusticiaries as al iusticiariers do whiche are persuaded in coÌ„science that they may by their owne righteousnes and vertues worthily deserue no lesse then heaueÌ„ it self eternal saluacion But certifie if we by our owne workes and our owne powers might obtayn helth and eternal life then it must nedes folowe that Christ suffered suche vexacion greuous paynes yea offered himselfe vnto so horrible a death passion but vainly for his pleasure and phantasy euen as S. Paule saith If rightwisenes came by the law Gala. 2. then is Christ dead in vain Wherfore if thou wylt bee thankeful vnto Christ for his passion death consider it well and knowlege that thy synnes haue geuen hym those woundes in his body and that for them he suffered that most painful passioÌ„ Then pray vnto him that it will please him to geue thee the merite of his passioÌ„ vnto thy profite For if thou do this with true fayth then wyll he forgeue the thy synnes washe away all thyne iniquities in his owne bloud Of this there is no doubt for he him selfe sayth in the gospel of sainct Ihon Ihon. 3 As Moses exalted the serpent in wildernes so must the sonne of man be exalted that euery maÌ„ that beleueth in him shal not perishe but shal haue life eternal And this is confirmed by all places throughout all the scripture that spake of the passion of Christ as is this senteÌ„ce of S. Paule to the Rommaynes Rom. 4 Christe dyed for our synnes hath risen again for our iustificacion And without doubt Note wel this senteÌ„ce whosoeuer suffereth this article of the death and passion of Christ of his blessed bloud sheding to be taken from him needes must that man at the houre of death when his conscience shall haue that great conflict with synne dispayre yea thoughe he had
continually therfore is it nedeful that we may haue contynually remission of synnes in the Churche of Christ and the christian ought to knowe that these wordes Thy synnes are forgeuen thee are wordes for all tymes that neuer shal be disanulled but contynue for euer Thyrdly Hypocrites alwayes murmur against God this gospel cōtaineth the grudgynges of the Phariseys against Christ whiche ryse vpon this occasion that Christ receyued the synful womā and forgaue her all her synnes The cheife of theim was Symon whiche sayd wtin himselfe If he were a Prophete surely he should knowe who and what woman it is that toucheth him for she is a synner Of these cogitacions a man may perceyue what is the nature of hypocrisy Nowe this is the nature of hypocrisy Nowe this is the nature of hypocrites to esteme them selues highly to boast crake theyr owne merytes to set vp their owne righteousnes to contempne all other as we may see in many examples of the holy gospell And doubtles this hypocrisy is a thyng borne within all menne yea so soore rooted that it can not bee plucked out tyll the holy ghost come newe create that olde Adam makyng him a newe creature ◠9. as Esaias sayth For all they are wicked and hypocrites and all their mouthes haue spokē foly But Christ in this place could not ouerpasse it but he telleth Symon his hypocrisye Thou sayeth he gauest me not water for my feete as the custome is of this countrey when I came into thy house thou gauest me no kysse thou enbalmedst not my head with oyle But this synner hath done al this yea that with suche diligence that I can not cast her from me for it is done of fayth and loue Thou lothest her as a synner but I for the faythe 's sake that she hath in me do receyue her as a doughter and inheritour of God And thoughe before tymes her sinnes were great Fayth makes vs children of God yet nowe is the loue greater that she hath to me By like maner Christ stopped the mouthes of the other Phariseys that sat at meate with him so that they sayd within theim selfes What is this he that also forgeueth sinnes For Christ by by addeth to this Thy fayth hath made the safe go thy way in peace As who sayth You wonder are offended that I am not offended toward this poore woman but knowe you that I not onely wyll receyue her but also wyll make her more righteous then you are For why she beleueth in me and setteth her whole fayth vpō me Therfore wyll I forgeue her all her synnes obtayne her peace in conscience afore God that she shall nomore be accused for her synnes How thynke you sounded these wordes in the Iewes eares Yet were they made neuer the better by these wordes They were hypocrites hypocrytes they continued euen as we all shuld do if the holy spirit of God bryng vs not frō our hypocrisy vnto his truth God through Christ graunt that we may attaine vnto it Amen The gospel on sainct Iames day the Apostle Mathew 20. THen came to him the mother of zebedes children with her sōnes Mar. 10 worshippyng him desiryng a certaine thyng of him And he sayth vnto her What wylt thou She sayd vnto him Graunt that these my two sonnes may sytte the one on thy right hand and the other on the lefte in thy kyndome But Iesus answered sayd Ye wote not what ye aske Are ye able to drynke of the cuppe that I shal drinke of and to be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with They say vnto him we are He sayd vnto them Ye shal drinke in dede of my cuppe and be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with But to syt on my right hand and on my left is not myne to geue But it shall chaunce vnto them that it is Mat. 25 prepared for of my father THE EXPOSITION FYrst we see here in this gospel the ignorance of the Apostles Iames Ihon whiche had often heard of Christ although thei did not receiue it nor printed it in their memory that Christes kingdome shuld be a spiritual kyngdom euen within them Yea they were yet so ignoraunt that they thought they should without any crosse at all been wholly promoted and made great Lordes and so reigne with Christe accordyng to the pompe and glorye of this worlde But these so fond imaginacions dare they them selues not vtter vnto Christe althoughe they set not a litle by these but moued their mother to go to Christ to proue whether she might obtayn that they desired But what was their request Forsoth that in the kyngdome of Christe whiche they thought a worldely kyngdome one might haue his seate vpō the right hand another vpon the lefte hand and so to enioy the honor of this worlde Here it had been the mothers duetye to bryng her sonnes from this purpose mynde to haue enstructed them muche better But in these matters that appertayne to the kyndome of Christ the mother is as blynde ignorant as her sonnes She would gladly haue had her sonnes promoted and made great men euen as customably many mothers boast the pompe ryches with their children But the kyngdome of Christ is not so ordered to haue in it muche pōpe boasting but as it is a spirituall kyngdome euen so it hath onely a spiritual scepter namely the worde and the holy gospel And nowe this worde is suche a worde that it bringeth with it not a pleasant lyfe but contradiction persecucion 1. Cor. 1 insomuche that S. Paule calleth it the worde of the crosse saiyng The worde of the crosse is to them that perishe folye but to vs that obtayne health it is the power of God If then it be the worde of the crosse how can we haue in the kyngdome of Christe other pleasure pompe or honours of this worlde It is not to be loked for but nedes must wee here suffre by many tribulacions we must entre into the kyngdome of God as sainct Luke testifyeth of Christ also Luc. 24 Esa 53. that he must needes suffre and ryse agayne from the dead so to entre into his glorye But as yet Iames and Ihon vnderstoode not this therefore they iudged it should bee in the kyngdome of Christe as it was in other ciuyl kyngdomes And surely as these Apostles were then ignoraunt of the kyngdome of Christ so doubtles are wee excepte wee bee lightened by the holy ghost Secondarily The presūpcion of man wee haue here also an example of the presumpcion of manne For besydes theyr peticion whiche was against God they dare also saye that they were able to drynke the cuppe whiche the Lorde should drynke and to bee baptised with the baptisme whiche the Lorde should be baptised in What iudge you of this presumpcion Euen so sayd Peter to Christe that he would go with him into
persecute you for my names sake Now how agre these two to be persecuted to bear temporal dominion power Truthe it is that the Apostels shuld raign with Christ But wher In this world Nay verely The kīgdome of Christ is spirituall For the kingdome of Christ is a far other thing thē a temporal worldly kingdome as the apostles wel proued learned after that they had receued the holi ghost But here as yet thei vnderstād not this and therfore they desire to know who is greatest in the kingdome of heauen But what dothe or saith Christ Suerly as he is wonte to do and saye For as he often bare their infirmity cast them not of for their rude and gosse affectiōs euen so doth he now at this time He taketh a child and setteth him in the middest of them and saith Except ye be tourned and become as chyldren ye shall not entre into the kingdome of heauen Here in this place Christe teacheth his disciple both by word and exāple For he setteth a child in the middest of them and by and by sheweth a cause why he so dothe that is that it was necessary for them to become as children How then do childrē They lyue as nature teacheth thē with out ani craft or malice thei know no pomp no pride or any other vices of the world only flye thei to the milke that they sucke out of their mothers brestes Euen so must a christian mā be minded After what manner we shuld become children For it is necessary that he be whole dead as concernyng to the pompe malyce guyle pride both spirituall and carnal and that he only depende vpon Christe and his worde and neither attempt nor presume none other thyng then the worde commaundement of Christ prescrybeth to him For whersoeuer they do thus there is no pryde no confidence in merytes of workes no guyle no malice but mere pouertie of spirit and innocency Nowe where as is pouertie of spirit and innocency there is fulfylled the saiyng of Christ Whoso meaketh himselfe as this chylde he is the greatest in the kyngdome of heauens And of this chyldehod speaketh S. Paule seiyng 1 Co. 14 Brethren be not chyldrē in wyttes but in malyce be chyldrē 1 Pe. 2. And S. Peter sayth Desyre you that reasonable mylke wtout guyle as chyldren newe borne that in it ye may growe vp for you haue tasted how swete the Lord is Secondarily Christ sheweth with what seueritie and constancy he wyll defend suche as come to this pouertee of spirit that is he wyll take the cure of them whatsoeuer chaunce to them be it good or euil If any good thyng be done to theim he wyll accepte it as done to himselfe as he wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 25 Whatsoeuer you dyd to one of these lytleones that beleueth in me you did it to me Zacha. 2 And in the Prophet Zachary is written Whoso toucheth you toucheth the ball of myne eye Also if any euil be done to them he wyl accompt it as done to himself For he sayth thus He that receyueth suche a childe in my name he receyueth me And he that offēdeth one of these lytleones that beleue in me it were expedient for him that an asse mylle stone were hanged at his necke and he drouned in the depth of the sea Doth not God now defend the beleuers is not he careful for that litle despised flocke that cleaueth vnto Christ I pray you who shal cōtempne the doctrin of suche a Lord that thus careth defēdeth his seruantes Whō would not this so great care moue to beleue in Christ And to vs that are already receiued vnto faith what can be more cōfort or what can we more desire Nowe loke howe comfortable this text is to the beleuers when Christ saith He that receiueth you receiuech me Euen so feareful terrible is it to those that vexe persecute this poore despised people of Christe whiche doth beleue in the worde And forasmuche as Christ shal impute the pesecucion as done to himselfe wtout doubt it shal come to passe when the tyme appointed of God is fulfylled that Christ wyl brydle the furor voluptuous mynde of the vngodly But yet notwtstādyng the vngodly wyll not nowe beleue this tyl as the cōmon prouerbe sayth they haue both their handes ful and the sentence of perpetual dampnacion be declared against them euen as you perceiue it chaunsed vnto Pharao Thyrdly Christ sheweth his disciples before that there shuld come slāder which shuld cōtinue vnto the ende of the worlde also instructeth them how to behaue themselues among suche slanders Wo to the worlde saith he for slanders Nedes must slanders come but yet wo to that man by whō slanders come Christ sheweth plainly that slanders shuld cōtinue in the world vnto the end of this world euen as Paul saith There must bee sectes among you 1. Co. 11 Why so Paule That they whiche are perfect among you might be knowē But wherof shal this offēce or slander arise or wherin cōsisteth it Two maner of slander Fyrst it shal come of false doctrine whiche did arise by by after the resurrection of Christ while the Apostels were yet aliue was by conterfaict apostels and false brethrē taught vnto the people yea and that diligently To omyt the other did it not euē so chance to S. Paul amongst and with the Galathiās He had preached the gospell of Christ to them and had fully and sufficiently instructed them in the matters of faith yea and they had receaued him with suche harty loue and so feruent a desire with such reuerēce Gal. 1. that he confesseth that thei wold haue plucked out their eies gyuen them to him if it had bene possible Yet for all this after his departure ther came false brethren which set forth and taught to the Galathiās other maner of doctrine thē Paul had taught them What slanders thinke ye arose of this Euen in lyke manner chanced it in our daies God hath giuen to vs very plenteously richely his worde and gospel that suerly we ought with whole heartes to thank him laud him for that so great noble a treasure But what chanced now When the word now did florishe and thorow the wonderful goodnes gracious fauour of god it brought forth right bewtiful frutes amōg many one euen did ther burst forth with their slanders the Byshop of Rome with all his Papisticall rablement of Monkes Friers which with the residue of their sectes and doctors dyd with all their power inuade resist so muche as laye in them the plain and true word of god to the great hinderance of the gospel By by vpon this folowed that pestiferous sect doctrin of the Anabaptists which made mē excedīg wood for a time which also hath don no lyttle hurte to the furtheraunce of Christes holye worde What slaunders thynke yee haue
horriblenes of hell that I might deliuer you from hell yea and I haue purchased for you of God my father that he shall take you for his children soÌ„nes and heyres of the heauenly kyngdome And this is the worde by the whiche man is verely purifyed made cleane if it be receyued by fayth Fyrst who soeuer doth receiue this woorde of the Gospell by fayth he is accoÌ„pted before God for very iust pure and holy and that not for the workes of righteousnes whiche wee doo but onely for Iesus Christ the sonne of God receyued by fayth S. Paule sayth they be made righteous frely by his grace by the redempcion whiche is in Christ Iesu whiche God hath put as attonement maker by fâ—yth his bloud beyng a meane Therfore whosoeuer doth beleue the worde of the gospel of Christ although that synne doth styll remayne in his fleshe yet sinne is not imputed vnto him so that he nowe may be iust before God not with his owne righteousnes but with an others righteousnes that is the righteousnes of Iesu Christe whiche is geuen vnto him by fayth For blessed is that man to whom God doth not impute synne Furthermore whosoeuer receiueth the woorde of the Gospell by faythe whiche is geuen by the holy ghost whiche shal mortifie the remnaÌ„tes of the fleshe The houke is the holy ghost shal so rule synne that it shal not reigne in our mortal bodyes Therfore the holy ghost is the very true houke with the whiche the braunches be purged and that by the woordes of the Gospell Fyrst that by fayth wee may bee accompted before God iust for Christes sake Secondly that the deedes of the fleshe may be mortified the lustes of synne be quenched And although it can not be done in this life that synne wholly might be pulled vp out of the fleshe yet it may bee done through the holy ghost that synne shal be paired away and the fruit of it destroyed so that we shall not walke after the fleshe but after the spirite In conclusion whosoeuer doth receiue the worde of the gospel by fayth he shal be troubled with many afflictions and persecusions in this worlde Christ sayth If they haue persecuted me they shall persecute you And in an other place We must by many tribulacions sayth he entre into the kyngdome of God TribulacioÌ„ and trouble is the houke also Wherfore afflictions are to be accoÌ„pted among those houkes with the whiche the heauenlye father dothe purge his braunches The keper of the vyneyard cutteth away the braunches with an houke not for to hurte theim and so to perishe but that they might bryng plenteously furth fruite Tribulacion is sent and wherfore So God the father sendeth to the godly the crosse and afflictions not that they should perish but that they should be preseuerued To this man is sent a crosse that he should bee admonished of the synne yet remainyng in his fleshe to that man because he should walke in his vocacion least synne should reigne in his fleshe to another that he should be an example for the amendement of other men and so to other for other causes not for this cause that they should vtterly perishe but that they should bee deliuered from perishyng and to attayne eternall health When we bee punished with the crosse and misery wee must go to the vyneyarde wee must call to remembraunce the cuttyng knyfe or houke of the keper of the vineyarde and wee must knowe to what ende they cutte in the vyneyarde and that ende is th ende of affliction which is accustomed to chance to the godly that is to say that they should not bee cast into the fyer and so to peryshe in the flame but that they should bee purged and that as well they might bryng furthe more plentyfully fruite as to bryng furth and increase And that it is euen so that they whiche remayne in the true vynetree whiche is Christe might bee purged or made cleane and bryng furth muche fruite Christe addeth vnto it and sayth Tarrye in me and I in you As the braunche can not beare fruite of him selfe except he tarry in the vynetree c. This is as it were an handsonme conclusion of the fyrst exhortacion I haue sayd that I am the verye true vyne tree I haue sayd that the braunche that taryeth in me shall bryng furth fruite plentifully Therfore I besech you that you would tary in me forasmuche as I do tarye in you and ye shal bryng furth muche fruite But tell me howe shall wee tarye in Christe Do wee tary in him when wee do tary in tradicions and commaundementes of men No truly Christ sayth They worship me in vayne with the commaundementes of men But we tarye in Christ when we tarry in the woorde of Christ by fayth Whosoeuer beleueth in me sayth he kepeth my worde and my father shall loue him we shall come vnto him and make our dwellyng place with him What benefite dothe chaunce to him that taryeth in Christ Fyrst Christ taryeth in him for he sayth Tarye in me I in you What thyng better or more greatter doest thou seke Whosoeuer hath Christ hath all the treasure of heauenly goodnesse Sainct Paule sayth Iesus Christe is made vnto vs from God wisedome righteousnes holynes redemption Therfore whosoeuer hath Christ is made before God iust holy and righteous and is deliuered from all trouble Thyrdly let vs coÌ„sider what fruite the Apostles brought whiche taryed in Christ Although the Apostles a lytle whyle after did forsake Christ by fliyng away from him and deniyng of him yet for all that by and by they dyd repent and they were so ioyneth in couple with Christ that they did alway continue in him Wherfore they brought furth at the fyrst beginnyng muche fruite by preachyng of the gospell of Christ After that they had receyued the gyftes of the holy ghost on Whytsonday they did sprede abrode the Gospell throughout all the worlde gathered together the churche of Christ not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Sainct Paule sayth that the gospel was preached among all creatures which were vnder heaueÌ„ And againe The gospel hath increased euen through the whole worlde Furthermore besydes many other godlines and good workes they brough furth plentyful fruite in doyng of great miracles which they did in the name of Christ whereby Christ did florishe and the authoritee truth of Gods worde was highly commended They shewed themselues towardes the Magistrates as they ought to doo They loued their neighbours accordyng to the order of charitee Thei gaue not them selues to gluttony and riotous bankettynges or to vncleanes wantonnes Fynally they did aswell priuately as openly leade a godly life and suffereth very muche trouble persecucion for the woorde of God They were tryed by many mockes and stripes They wer cast into prisons and chaynes They suffered much hunger penury at the last they suffered all kynd of persecution