hym to get saluaciō But in that y ◠al men haue not gotten or do not get the knoweledge of Christe and theyr saluacion it is not goddes faute but mennes For they as they do not receiue Christe offered vnto thē their saluaciō offered vnto thē so they wyll not receiue him yea thei do not once desire to haue a wil to receyue hym What should god do then Would ye haue him thrust out his benefits vnto theim that be not wyllynge againste theyr willes and resistynge hym asmuch as they can Caiphas heard the Gospell of Christ he sawe hym him selfe speake wyth Christ face to face I dout not but y ◠Nero which killed Paule heard speaking also of Christ. But what was done They not onelye woulde not learne y ◠trueth of Christe but were so wicked that they had not once a wyl to desire and if a man had wyshed a better mynd vnto them they would yea haue abhorred that Wherfore the faute of the vtter destruccion of wicked men is not to be ascribed vn to the maiestye of God but to theyr naughtines whyche whan they be drawen and taughte of God put awaye saluacion from theym not onelye wyth fote and hande but w t al their hert Furthermore what shal we saye of theym whych beyng weake in fayeth by consideringe of this matter make them selues more weake For they thynke wyth them selues If no mā come vnto christ but whō the father hath drawen what and if thou werte not in the nūber of those men whome the father is wonte to drawe For the father draweth whō he wyll and whome he hath chosen accordyng to hys mercy How than if thou wert not chosen For so althoughe thou seme to thy selfe to beleue in Christe yet at the laste thou shalte fall from C◅iste And further they compare theym selues wyth so manye myghtye men wyse men learned and honeste in thys worlde and thyncke what Shouldest thou alone wyth a fewe yea and those verye vyle and abiecte menne be the chosen churche of god and those be myghtye princes so verye wyse gouernoures of the common weales so excelent men in all kynde of vertue whych know ledge not the Gospell of Christe shoulde they be shut oute from heauenlye saluacion Shoulde God dispise theym and care for the and a fewe other Therfore in these like tentacions we muste diligentelye consider that we spake of before that is goddes eleccion to be shewed in the scripture not to weaken but to strengthen the fayth of good men in Christe Is it not a poynt of rashe madnes to abuse a sweard to destroye t◅y selfe whyche is deliuered the to defende thy lyfe This worde y ◠is sayde I wyl haue mercy vpon whome so euer I wyll haue mercy And it is not of y ◠wyllar nor of the runner is the swearde of the spirite whyche is geuen vs for this purpose fyrste that when we manifestly shoulde perceyue that our iustice is more impure the y t by the deserte thereof we maye be receiued to God and that oure strengthe is so weake that by it we can not ascēde into heauen we shoulde flye to thee fre mercy and eleccion of God But thou wylte saye it is vnknowen vn to vs whom god hath chosen God forbyded God hath opened verye playnelye in oure sauioure Iesus Christe hys wyll and eleccion And if thou wylte assaye to come vnto god wythout Christ thou canst not searche ▪ hys secreat counsayles But if thou come accompayned wyth Christe that eleccion shall be no more darcke vnknowen vnto the. For there is nothynge more certein then that god thorowe his mercye hath chosen hym whyche trusteth to hys onelye sonne Iesus Christe Thys sayeth he is the wyll of hym that hath sente me that all that se the sonne and beleue in hym maye haue euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp in the last daye And agayne all the Prophetes beare wytnes to thys that he shall haue pardone of hys synnes thorow hys name whosoeuer shal beleue in him And agayne As manye as hath receyued hym to them he hath geuen power that they shall be the sonnes of God namelye to those that haue beleued in hys name To be shorte Thys is the chiefe poynte of all the gospell of Christe that he so loued the worlde y t he gaue hys only son that all that beleue in hym shoulde not perish but haue life euerlastig Wherefore whosoeuer hath founde hym selfe in Christ thorowe fayeth he suarlye hathe also founde hym selfe in the fre and mercyfull eleccion of god For Iesus Christe is the boke of heauenlye lyfe into the whyche whosoeuer shall be wryten by fayeth there is no doute but that he is wryten in the herte of GOD and that he pertayneth to the congregacion of the celestial Citizens But thou wylte saye I feare leaste my fayth either be not pure or faile at the laste What Thynkest thou that God wyll breake a brused rede or quench lint y t is smokynge The mother wyl not yet cast away her litel babe eyther being yet but tender of age or weake by reasō of sicknes but wil so much the more take head of hym howe greuouser hys syckenesses be and shoulde GOD the father be more harde thanne a mannes mother agaynste hym be he neuer so weake in faith to whom he hath promised all mercye in hys sonne Iesu Christe Knowest thou not whither this saying calleth the Lord I beleue helpe myne incredulitye It is not to be feared therfore leste god wyll caste the awaye for thy weake faieth but rather thou muste laboure by continuall occupiynge of the worde of god by prayer and obedience that fayeth thorowe the holy goost may be often encreased more and more And what meaneth that that thou shouldes be thoughtful of thy continuaunce in fayth Do thou whyle thou arte heare thy duetye Let god alone wyth the reste Knowest thou not that god is fayethfull whyche wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are hable but maketh encrease euen wyth the tentacion whereby we may be hable to suffer My shepe sayeth Christe heare my voyce and I knoweledge theym and they folowe me and I gyue vn to theym lyfe euerlastynge nother shall they peryshe for euer nor no man shall take theym oute of my hande But nowe thou arte made a shepe of Christ bycause thou know ledgeste Christe thorowe fayeth What fearest thou than leste anye man should take the out of the hād of Christe Uerelye as touchynge the wyll of Christ whych is shewed thorow the whole gospel thou canst not dout peraduēture thou doutest of hys power But he addeth my father whyche hath geuen theym to me is greater then they all and no man can take theym out of my fathers hand What Thynkest thou that Christes prayer was vayne and of no strength I praye not say eth he onelye for them but for those whyche wyll beleue in me thorowe theyr preachynge
seme to knoweledge Christe thyncke them selues lost of Christe wyncke and they be greuyd wyth pouertye or dye And then in dede they woulde loue Chryste well if he woulde gyue theym yearthâ—…lye ryches and longe lyfe in thys worlde But Chryste teacheth playnelye that he gyueth heauenlye and gyftes euerlastynge I wyll not lose sayeth he And agayne he hathe lyfe euerlastynge And I wyll rayse hym vppe in the laste daye For althoughe he wyncke that they that beleue in hym shoulde be oppressed wyth pouertye sycke â–ª nes and death yet suffereth he not that they shoulde peryshe but throughe hys power and aboundante mercye he bryngeth to passe that they maye haue lyfe euerlastynge and he rayseth theym vppe agayne in the laste daye that they maye raygne wyth hym in euerlastinge blesse Thys is a greate comforte great is all their saluacion that beleue in Christe for what nede they nowe to feare They are troubled wyth pouertye â–ª but they haue Christe obediente to hys father whose wyll is that he lose none of all whyche hys father hath gyuen vnto hym They arefore diseased but Christe prouideth that they dye not in their sicknes they are condemned for synne but christ hath cleansed theyr sinne They dye and returne to duste but Christe saueth theym vnto euerlastynge lyfe and wyll rayse theym agayne in the later daye Wherefore althoughe all the myschefes of the worlde ranne and were ioyned in one yet muste you truste well and knowe that they shall be an healpe to our profite thorow Iesus Christ our sauiour whyche is wyth the father and the holy gost God blessed for euer Amen ☞ The seuenth Homilie NOwe wyll we talke of the Iewes murmurynge agaynste christ For although the Iewes whyche by thys murmuring declared their rudenes ignoraunce and naughtines be vnworthye to take anye care for their vayne wordes yet because that thorowe thys occasion Christ is stirred vp to declare hys Gospell the more playnelye howe so euer it be it is not negligently to be passed ouer Lette vs heare therfore what the Euangelist wryteth The Iewes murmured sayde he for that that he had saied I am that bread whych am come downe from heauen And they sayed Is not thys Iesus the sonne of Iosephe whose father and mother we knowe Howe than sayeth he I am come downe from heauen I dowbte not but yf Christe had preached eyther of theft or of murder or of adultrie or any other such parte of the lawe that not only they woulde haue vnderstande hys sermon but also if ther had bene ani amongeste theym that had loued honestye they woulde haue prayesed hym For mans reason althoughe it be viciate and corrupted wyth originall synne yet hath it kepte styl some intelligence of naturall lawe But nowe because Christe teacheth true religioÌ„ of Messias and of his eternall benefites not onelye they not vnderstande theym but they also grudge and speake against hym For althoughe the Iewes hadde hearde manye thynges oute of the sermons of the prophets of Messias yet because they were not lyghtened wyth the lyghte of the holye goost they dyd not vnderstande the true meanynge of Messias and of hys kyngedome The fleshely man sayeth Paule perceyueth not those thynges whyche be of the spirite of God For they are folyshnes vnto hym and he cannot know For they must be iudged spiritually Furthermore the Iewes dreamed that the kyngedome of Messias shoulde be a perpetuall worldelye kingdome And hauynge thys opinion they coulde not vnderstande those thynges that were spoken of the spiritual benefites of the kingdome of Messias Beside thys the commoÌ„ sorte of the Iewes thought that theyr Messias shoulde haue bene a greate Lorde in dede and borne of the house of Dauyd but yet that he shoulde be a man and not also the verye and naturall sonne of God as when thei were ax ed in Mathewe whose sonne Christ should be they answered Dauides that is man onelye of man Wherfore whan Iesus taught far other thynges of Messias they be so offended that they thoughte hys teachynge to be very vayne What saye they Althoughe thys were Messias of whome we perceyue he boasteth yet can we not maruayle inoughe what he meaneth y t â–ª he affyrmeth he came downe from heauen Wyll he take vpon hym to be God Uerely Messias shal be a maÌ„ We knowe also the kyndered of thys Iesus We knowe hys father and mother poore folkes and abiecte persons Howe dare he be so bolde therefore as to say he is god Here is a double erroure One that of Messias promised by the Prophetes they thincke no hier than of a man in dede verye excellente but yet but a man when for al that god calleth hym openlye after a syngular maner hys sonne saying Thou arte my sonne thys daye I haue be gotten the. And Dauyd by the inspiracion of the holye gooste doeth knoweledge him hys Lorde and set teth hym at the ryghte hande of his father An other erroure is that thei iudge hym after the outwarde sight of hys stocke or kindred yea y wys as thoughe Dauyd also beynge so greate a Lorde dyd not confesse the basenes of his kindred and had not bene wrytten of Messias whyche shoulde be borne of Dauydes sede that he shoulde ascende as a young graffe and as a rote out of a drys grownde neyther that he shoulde haue anye fayrenes or beutye but shoulde be the worste and moste dis pysed Lette vs consider therefore what canse Christ doth rehearse of y â— Iewes errour Iesus answered and sayed Murmure not emonge your selues No man maye come vnto me excepte the father that sente me hathe drawen hym and I wyll raise hym vp in the laste daye It is writenâ—… the Prophetes And they all shall be taughâ—… of God All men therefore that hath heard of my father and hath learned commeth to me not that any man hath seen the father saue he whych is of God he hath seen the father Thys is a memorable Sermon whyche althoughe it seme harde yet is it necessary to be knowen and if ye wyl vnderstaÌ„d it it is very pro fitable It nedeth not saâ—…th he that any man shoulde shewe me why ye murmur I know both that ye mur mour and why ye murmour Thys doeth offende you because I sayed I came downe from heauen And thys is neyther newe nor maruaylouse that you wyll not knowledge me that is verye Messias For no man can come to me no manne can knowledge true Messias and pertake hys benefites excepte the heaueÌ„ly father drawe hym The knowledge of Messias lieth not in mans wytte nor in carnall reason nor in mans merites but it is the worcke of goddes mercye and of the holye gooste But you Iewes you lacke the holy goost and the heauenly father draweth you not Wherfore it is no maruayle that you knoweledge not me that is the true Messias But howe is thys proued that Christe sayeth No man maye come to me excepte he drawe hym that hath sente me
of the lord should be giuen to infantes For it was chieflye instituted to acknoweledge the loue of Christe towarde vs and to strengthen our fayth in tentacions But infantes whyche be graffed into Christe thorowe Baptisme althoughe they haue fayth after their certayne maner so also after theyr fashion eate the fleshe of Christ and ◅ryncke his bloude that is euen after that manner whych Christe requireth in thys sermon yet neyther do they vnderstande fayeth nor the tentacions of fayeth Wherefore the vse of the supper of the Lord is not necessarye to theym But nowe to retourne agayne to our purpose the wordes of Christ whych in this place be spoken of eatynge of hys fleshe and drinckynge of his bloud must not be vnderstande of any out warde eatynge and drynckyng but of the verye fayeth in Christe whiche in thys sermon Metaphorically or by a translacion is called eatynge and drynckynge For whan Christe had take in hande thys sermon by occasion of that breade wherewyth he fedde more then fiue thousande menne in deserte and suche as they soughte for whyche came to hym into Capernaum he vseth also the name of breade for hys fleshe and the name of dryncke for hys bloude So by occasion of thys Metaphore or translacion he vseth the worde of eatynge and drynckynge for the worde of beleuynge as wh◅ he sayeth excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of manne and dryncke hys blud you haue not lyfe in you Thys is hys true meanyng except you beleue in me whyche wyll gyue my Ceshe for the lyfe of the worlde and wyl shede my bloude to put awaye the synnes thereof you shall not gette true health and in verye dede Christe by thys Metaphore doeth vnderstande playnelye the same thynge that before he sayed simplye All men that se the sonne and beleueth in him haue lyfe euerlastynge And after wardes Uerylye verylye I saye vnto you he that trusteth to me hathe lyfe euerlastynge For it is manyfeste that Chryste thinketh this eatynge and this drinkinge whiche he requireth in thys place to be necessarye to lyfe and saluation sayinge Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drynke hys bloude ye haue not lyfe in you But if we shulde saye as trueth is none other thynge is symplye necessarye to vs for oure health then fayeth in Christe Good worckes also after their manner be necessarye But we nowe speake of that thynge by the whyche we are iustified and be saued before God But we be iustified by Christ only and by faith onelye by the whyche we receyue Chryst yea rather we be receaued of hym and as I might say be our selfes in corporate vnto hym The iuste man saith the Prophet liueth by hys faith And Paule sayth we thynke that mā is iustified by faith withoute the worckes of the lawe And agayne We knowe that man is not iustyfyed by the worckes of y ◠lawe but by faith of Iesus christ Wherfore it is also manyfest that Chryste by the eatynge of hys flesh and drynckynge of hys bloude in this place vnderstandeth none other thyng than faith which is to be had of his fleshe his bloude y t is y t we beleue his fleshe to be giuē to death for vs that we may haue life hys bloud to be shed to y ◠remissiō of our synnes For so to eate the fleshe of Christ to drinke his bloud y t is to beleue in Christ is playnely necessa ry to our helth saluaciō And ther was neuer mā w tout this eatinge drinking which eyther hath gotten before or euer shal get saluaciō Adā him selfe the first man althoughe in y ◠time of his lyfe christ was not yet come yet eate he his fleshe dranke his bloude because he beleued that Christ shoulde come whiche by hys fleshe bloud y t is by his death put ged our synnes Noe also Abraham the other patriarckes prophets did eate the flesh of Christ drinke his bloud because they beleued that the◅ should get saluacion by Christ which shuld suffer in fleshe for their sines put away their iniquities by his bloud So also al good mē whiche after Christes cōming liue here in this world althoughe thei do not alwaies take y e supper of y e lord yet alwaies they eate the fleshe of christ drinke his bloud because they beleue y t Christe hath put away theire synnes by hys bloude death But let vs here now for what cause this eating drinckyng whych is fayth in Chryst doth bryng vnto vs or if you list so to saye receiueth lyfe and saluacion It foloweth For my fleshe is verely meate my bloud is verely drincke He that eateth my flesh and dryncketh my bloude he tarieth in me and I in hym Thys is the comparacion of meate and dryncke wyth the fleshe and bloude of Christe And the comparacion is made partelye by a dyssimilitude and partly by a lykelyhode The dyssimilitude is that althoughe corporal meate drinke noryshe the man and substayne hys lyfe yet are they not the meate and dryncke whych kepe man for euer but for a whyle in thys corporall and fadyng lyfe But the fleshe and bloude of Christe if they be receyued in fayth that is if ye beleue the fleshe of Christ to haue bene gyuen to death for oure synnes and hys bloude to haue bene shed for the remission of synnes are meate and dryncke in dede bycause they kepe man in lyfe perpetuall For he that beleueth in Christ he semeth in dede to dye as other men but hys death is no death but a slepe because that hys lyfe is hyd wyth Christe and kept of Christe vntyll he be raysed agayne in the last daye And the similitude is that as the iuyce of corporal meate and drinke is sent into all the partes of man and turneth the hauioure of hys bodye into hys nature as if a manne vse to moyste mea◅ ▪ the body also is made moyst if he vse could meate the body is also made coulde so also the fleshe bloude of Christe turne hym that taketh them that is the beleuer into their nature He that eateth sayeth he my fleshe and dryncketh my bloude abydeth in me and I in hym that is we be made one fleshe one bloude And the same nature that my fleshe and my bloud hathe the same also getteth he that eateth me And the fleshe of Christe is lyfe I wyl gyue my fleshe sayeth he for the life of the worlde The fleshe also of Christe coulde not peryshe in death but rose agayne from death And the bloude of Christe putteth awaye synnes because it is iust and innocent bloud Wherefore he that eateth thys meate and dryncke as he is counted iuste before God ▪ so al so is he made alyue that he dye not in death but ryse agayne and haue lyfe euerlastynge And what canne come to man eyther more profitable or more holsome thā this meate and dryncke which
because of circum cision The Sabbath the sacrifices and other worckes of the lawe had their vse and profit but for these no man came to euerlasting saluacion Onely the sonne of man Messias only is the bread of life For whom to al that beleue in hym there commeth forgyuenes of synnes iustice health and lyfe euerlastynge And that ryghte worthilye For it is he whom God the father hath sealed vp For fyrste God the father hathe sealed hym from the begynnynge w t his owne Image that he should be euen together wyth hym the true and eternall God of the same substaunce and maiesty He sayeth the Apostel is the ymage of y â— inuisible god And agayne He is the brightnes of hys glorye and expresse Image of hys substaunce Wherfore seynge he is marcked wyth the deuyne power it is no maruayle that he is hable to saue them that beleue in hym and to gyue vnto theym eternall lyfe Further after he was made the sonne of man god sealed hym by open wytnesses that he is the true Messias and sauiour of all them that beleue in hym For as the seales of common writynges do testifye of the thynges that be done whyche are rehearsed wythin the letters so God the father testified by many miracles as it were by heauenly seales of Iesus the sonne of Marie that he hadde sente hym and anoynted hym vnto the true Messias and gyuer of euerlastyng lyfe The Aungell Gabriell was sent to shewe hys concepcion and hys natiuitye He was borne of a woman that was a Uyrgin He was preached of by the Angels He was vysited and worshipped of the wise kynges and whan he was Baptised of Iohn in Iordane the voyce of GOD the father was heard wit nessynge openlye from heauen that thys was hys welbeloued sonne in the whych he was pleased The holye gooste also came in the lykenes of a Doue Afterwardes whan he preached hys owne Gospell he dyd shewe verye greate and excellente miracles All these are Heauenlye seales whereby GOD the father hathe testified that he hathe sente thys Iesus and confyrmed that he was the verye sauioure of mankynde Whyche seales afterwardes by â—…synge from the deade by hys ascendynge into heauen by sendynge of the holye goost into hys Disciples and by spreading abrode of y e Gospell were made so strong that nowe ther is no dowt at al but that he is the verye Messias for whose sake onely men obtayne euerlastyng saluacion Wherfore althoughe there be a dewe laboure and care for bodilye sustenaunce whych when it is occupied doth perishe yet aboue al thynges must we labour dili getly to get the meate that abydeth into euerlastyng lyfe which is Iesus Christe oure Lorde GOD euen wyth the father and the holy gost blessed for euer Amen ☞ The fourth Homelie ALthoughe it is sayd that the bealye hath no eares yet the Iewes giueÌ„ to the bealy semed not to haue herd Christes sermâ—… deaffly For whan Christe dyd rebuke theÌ„ because thei folowed more the bodily meate than the heauenly and exhorted theym to worke the meate that lasted into euerlastynge lyfe they did well perceiue that theâ—… were bydden to do true iustice and to do this Godly worship that they myghte obtayne euerlastynge and perpetual good thinges Therfore they sayd vnto him Howe should we do to worcke the worckes of God Whether they axed hym in earneste or in game verilye thys is theyr meanynge What preachest thou vnto vs of working the meate that lasteth into euerlastynge lyfe that is folowyng iustice and doing seruyce to god whereby we shoulde come to perpetuall blesse Be we not iuste inoughe by the workes of oure lawe maye we not come vnto euerlastynge ioye by the merites of those worshyppynges of God whiche oure lawe hath prescribed vnto vs. We be circuÌ„cised We kepe the sabboth daye we offer sacrifice we steale not we robbe not we giue the tenthes we gyue almes we faste at tymes appoynted and we do many other good worckes What requier you of vs more or what shoulde we do to be more iuste and please god better Lo this is the old blindnes and ignoraunce borne in the nature of man to thyncke that goddes lawe maye be fulfylled by oure worckes and that they are inste ynoughe before GOD if they folow a ciuil honestye of lyuynge And althoughe we muste alwayes to oure power obey the lawe of GOD and that euery good worcke which god requireth hath somewhat wherefore it serueth yet is there no man in the worlde whyche is able to fulfyll the lawe by hys owne worckes It is sayde in the eyght Chapter of Genesis The felynge and thought of mannes herte is euel euen frome hys youth But the lawe of God requireth a meanynge and thoughte of man that is good wherefore if it can not be that as longe as thys naturall malidye stycketh in man and it sticketh because of originall syn ne yea euen in man also that is good and borne agayne by the holye Gooste and it abyddeth euen vntyll he â—…ye he cannot perfectelye fulfyll the lawe of GOD. The Psalme doeth saye in thy syght is not iustified al liuing creatures But the law requireth to thâ—… fulfillyng of it iuste and holy men Sith therefore that no man of hys owne nature is iust and holy before god it is plaine that no man of him selfe is hable to satisfye the lawe The law sayth Paul is spiritual I am carnal and I knowe y t in my fleshe dwelleth no goodnes If ther be not in the fleshe yea though he be a good man goodnes howe should he fulfil a good lawe And agayne The affeccion of the fleshe is enmitie agaynst god For it is not vnder the lawe of God nor in dede it cannot And althoughe carnall affeccion beare not the rule in a good man yet doeth it abyde in hym styll as longe as he liueth in thys worlde Wherefore he neuer fulfilleth the lawe And agayne The fleshe coueteth agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe These thynges be one agaynst another so that thou caÌ„st not do those thynges that thou woldest Thou herest that the fight betwene y â— flesh the spirite is perpetuall not in wycked men yet which altogether folow y â— affeccioÌ„s of the fleshe and haue not the holye gost but in good men that be endued with the holy goost But the law of God wyll not suffer any rebellion agaynst the holygoost but it requireth a perfect obedience Where fore seynge in a man be he neuer so good there is a continual fightyng betwene the fleshe the spirite it is plaine y t he neuer fulfilleth perfetly the law of god by his workes And sith it is so ye se how farre mischeuosly thei er whether they be Iewes or ChristeÌ„ hypocrites which thinke wyth their holy thynges and good workes to satisfie the lawe of God to be iust before god What shuld we do theÌ„ to worcke the worckes of God that is to do true
iustice seruice that pleaseth god best to fulfil the law of god Of this thing we must heare Christ. For he answered sayde vnto them This is the worke of God to beleue in hym whom he sente If ye wil do the greatest and most excellent seruice to god if ye wel get true iustice before God be saued thys worcke thys holy seruice thys honour of god must be done that is to beleue in him whoÌ„ he set I say to beleue in Iesus y t is the godly seruice in the which god so delighteth that he will repute y â— beleuer as iust as if he had fulfilled all the whole lawe with his worckes Thou wilâ—… say than what is it to beleue in Iesus To declare this very plainely it is to beleue the gospel receiue 〈◊〉 in fayeth And Iesus preached thys gladdâ—… â—…dynges that he was sente of God y â— he is the very true Messias which was promised by y â— prophets Wher fore to beleue in Iesus is to geue him the honour and the maiestye of Messias y t is to knowledge hym a clenser of synnes an appeaser of the anger of god a sauiour in deth a gi uer of lyfe blessednes in dede to put in him al our whole trust of sal uacion For these thyngs do the pro phetes ascribe vnto Messias But here we must consider whi to beleue in Christ is the greatest worke and the most excellente worshyppynge of God And fyrste Fayeth in Iesus Christe is therefore called the excellente seruynge of GOD bycause it is an instrumente whereby we take holde on Christe and by the whyche he that doeth beleue is â—…raffed into Christe And there can â—…thynge come vnto vs eyther â—…ore excellente or more happilye than that Christe shoulde be oures and we Christes For if Christe be oures and we Christes what remai neth but that all the good thynges of Christe be oures and that al our euyls by the goodnes of Christ are put awaye Wherfore perfecte iustice is oures the holines and blessednes of Christe is ours in respect of whyche thynges oure synnes be not layed to oure chaurge and our death whyche in thys worlde is the laste kynde of all miserye is not the gate of hell but of raigne euerlastynge thorowe Christe Wherefore seynge Christe is taken and graffed into vs by fayeth it is manyfest that we cannot do a more excellente and a more holye seruyce than to be leue in Iesus Christe And so farforth also we be sayde to be iustified by fayth not that fayth in Christ of it selfe is a worke of so great dig nitye that for the worthynes thereof it doth instify vs before god but because it taketh Christ for whom onelye we are counted iuste before god chosen into y e sonnes heires of god Furthermore fayth is called the moste excellente worshyppynge of god because it gyueth vnto God the honour of the trueth of hys pro mises and knoweledgeth God to be verye true For God althoughe he hath promised many other thinges as well bodilye as spirituallye yet is thys the chiefest thynge amonge all hys promises that he well sende Messias into thys worlde And he hath openlye proued and declared by greate and manye testimonies that thys Iesus of Nazareth is the same Messias that was promised before Wherefore he that beleueth in hym doeth gyue glorye to God for hys trueth And so to gloryfye god it is to god a thyng that pleaseth hym farre aboue all other It pleaseth god in dede if thou walke accordinge to the lawe and do the worckes of the lawe but so if thou do them in faith y t is to saie if thou knowledge god to be verye true in hys promyse of hys Messyas For what honour shuld be acceptable to God if y â— shuldest iudge him in thy hart to be vaine a lyer A â—…aÌ„ will not care for y e bowing doune of thy head thy kneling thy giuing of the wai if he shuld perceiue y â— tokest him for a vaine maÌ„ a lyar woldest y â— y t god shuld regard them Seinge therfore that faithe geueth to god y â— honour of trueth it is worthely prefarred before al other holines seruice of god Finally seyng the fayth in Christe receyueth euen together with Christ the holy goste also whiche is the renuer of man the maker of obedience in man it is playne that fayth is the fundacion and begynnynge of all good vertues and good doynges Other that haue not fayeth in Christe are sometyme garnyshed wyth other vertues one is iust in ciuile bargaines another is pacience in aduersitye this man is chast he is gentell to speake vnto that man is mercifull to the afflicted and some man is true of hys worde and promise These be diuers vertues and he that hath one it maye happen that he lacketh all the other For you shal fynde that wher as they wyl kepe theyr promise wel yet are they very cruell to them that be in misery Ye shall fynd other whiche for all that they kepe a ciuile chastitye yet are they verye lyars But he that hath fayeth in Christe he also hath the holye Gooste whyche leadeth hym into all kyndes of vertues and good doynges For althoughe fayth so far forth iustifieth not a man before God as is the begynnynge of good workes in a man and that ther is alwayes left a weaknes in the fleshe as long as we lyue in thys world although the holy gooste gouerne a man yet is not that spirite of faieth idle and dull but worketh stoutely it mortifieth the desier of the flesh bryngeth forth diuers kyndes of vertues charitye ioye peace lenitye benygnitie goodnes truth mekenes temperaunce chastitye and who is able to reherse all the fruites of the spirite Wherefore fayeth in Christ for thys cause also is the most excellent worshyppyng of God because it is the begynnynge and commendacion of all good worckes and he that wyll do the holiest worcke to God he muste nedes worcke thys worcke also For thys is the hyest seruynge of God whych the Patriarkes and Prophetes and all good men haue done By this seruice thei haue gotten iustice and health as manye as were receyued to the fauoure of god They were not iustified by the desert of circumcision of theyr sabbothes of their sacrifices nether yet of theyr morall vertues but the were iustified by thys seruice that is by fayeth in Christe and yet that not for the desert of the worcke of fayeth whyche worcke yet itselfe is wonte euen in the beleuer to be fainte but for Christ onlye whych is grafted into man thorowe fayeth and applyed vnto maÌ„ But thou wylt say what If to beleue in Christ it be the hiest and the most excellente worshipping of god than is nothing more easye than to do thys seruyce to God inespecially to vs whyche euen from our youth haue bene instructed in the Apostles Crede wherein all the doctryne
last for euer What shall I speake of the Ethnikes They honored not only as men but as Goddes all those whyche dyd brynge vnto theym anye thynge profitable for the bodye They halowed Bacchus for a GOD because he hadde shewed vnto theym the makynge and vse of wyne They worshypped Ceres as a Goddesse because she did teach how to order corne and wherefore it serued wher before thei eat Okecorns Hercules was set amonge the Goddes because he saued the citisens that were ouercome of theyr enemies because he restored banished mē agayne to theyr Cityes because he made the lande saufe from theues and the sea from pirates These vertues althoughe they be greate and mete for a Prince yet because the heathen dyd consecrate Hercules into a God for these vertues they dyd playnelye declare that theyr mynde was onelye in yearthely commodities and profites I wyll shewe you that that scarselye maye be honestlye spoken openlye in the congregacion and yet it oughte to be spoken of that you maye se that menne haue no regarde saue onelye that they maye haue ioye in yearthely pleasures Flora when by harlotes craft she had gotten greate riches she made the people of Rome her heire and leaft a certayne money by whose yerely increase thereof the daye of her byrth myghte be kepte solemly and plaies be made whych they call Floralia what came to passe than Dyd the Romaynes knoweledge so fowle and fylthy thynges Not onelye dyd they gladlye receyue them but made Flora a goddes that should be goddes of f◅owers O stynckyng beastes O detestable men which gaue also to harlottes Godlye honoures because they had receyued of theym a bodily benefite when for all that ryght honest men eyther theyr oratoures or Philosophers that taughte vertue they greatelye dyspised theym yea and somtyme also kylled some of theym And in thys thynge not onely the heathen but the Christen men theim selues also haue done amysse For in the worshyppynge of saynctes whyche Hypocrites haue folowed very hertely and much vn godly they haue worshypped those saynctes specially by whose healpe they haue hoped to haue had eyther some corporall benefites or escaped hurtes To those they haue appoin ted holy dayes temples offeringes pylgrymages feloshyppes and as they call them brether heades To be shorte A great sorte of those that be called christians haue so burned wyth desier of yearthly temporall profites that they would haue worshipped Satā him selfe for a saint or for a God so that he would send theym money and gyue theym corporall benefites Whych thyng verely euen by thys is playne that althoughe nothynge is better knowen thā that deceites trifles lyes and periuries be mischeuous thynges worckes of the diuyl yet men to ge◅ ryches and bodilye profites wyth so greate redines of mynde they folowe theyr mischieffes that neyther by anye respecte of honestye neither by any warnynge of goddes word no nor by other crueltye of punyshmente they maye be wythdrawen frō that What is blindnes if thys be not blyndnes and vngodlines For mē be so blind that they thinke these corporall and temporall good thynges to be true felicitye Let vs heare therefore what Iesus answereth to y ◠Iewes disirynge only corporal meate and an yearthly deliueraunce So Iesus sayed vnto theym Amen amen I saye vnto you Not Moses hath gyuen vnto you breade from heauen that is to say the true bread but my father gyueth vnto you the true bread frō heauen For the bread of god is that which is descended from heauen doeth gyue life to the worlde Thys is the comparynge together of Moyses and hys benifites wyth Messias and hys benifites whyche Messyas gyueth to theym that beleue in hym You sayth he glorye verye muche of Moyses and for the benefites whyche be gyuen to you for hym and fyrste althoughe Moyses hath bene a greate Prophete and fayethfull minister of GOD yet was he not that person for the which menne do get trewe health But Mellias whome the Prophetes haue promised and ofwhom Moyses hym selfe hath preached and whome GOD nowe hath sente into the yearthe is that person for the whyche true health commyth to menne Furthermore the good thynges which God hath done by Moses in dede htey are greate and verye excellent and yet not euerlastyng neither sufficiente Moses ministred to you by goddes liberalitye Manna from heauen yet that Manna was not the verye meate whyche of it selfe hath saued the eatars into euerlastynge lyfe Al the Israelites haue eaten Manna in the deserte yet neuerthelesse all they also be deade and many of them God hath not alowed whyche also haue dyed for euer But Messias whyche is the naturall sonne of God whom hys father hath sente from heauen into the yearth whych now at thys tyme liueth amongeste men is the true meate which so conserueth al y ◠eate him that is beleue in him y t thei shall neuer dye but althoughe they seme to die yet may be saued into euerlastynge lyfe Moyses deliuered the Israleites from the Egipcians bondage and led them by y ◠deserte euen vnto the lande of Canaan Thys was in dede an excellente benefite and very acceptable to the Iewes that were afflicted but yet was it not a verie deliueraunce for although they were deliuered from the tirauntes of Egypte yet were they not deliuered from there spiritual tyrauntes that is from synne the diuyll death and hel But Messias bryngeth true deliueraunce For to theym that beleue in him he forgeueth synnes and causeth that they whyche receyue hym thorowe fayth are counted iust before God He ouercommeth the deuyll and so deliuereth the seruauntes of the diuyl that they be chosen into the sonnes if god He ouer commeth death and bryngeth to passe that they whych were in the daunger of death neuer dye but lyue for euer He ouercommeth hell that they whych were in daunger of hell shoulde go into heauen and enioye euerlastynge felicitye These in dede are the true benefits whych as they are in no wyse to be compared to those corporall profites so do they brynge euerlastynge health It commeth doune saith he from heauen It bryngeth therefore heauenlye and euerlastynge good thynges not earthly and those that shall vade awaye And it geueth lyfe it gyueth not money whych couetous menne seke for not corne whyche vsuras heape together not wyne whyche bybbers seke after not earthely Empyres wyth whose desiar men of thys worlde be on fier But it geueth lyfe that is blessed for euer And it gyueth it vnto the worlde it offereth it by hys gospell not to the Iewes onelye nor to the gentiles onelye but to all creatures that is aswel to the Iewes as to the gentiles aswell to honeste as vnhoneste to the poore aswell as to the ryche to the princes and to the subiectes to be shorte to al the worlde Wherfore althoughe these corporall and yearthely good thynges haue theyr vse and God if they happen is to be thancked for
them yet must you not set your herte vpon theym as the Psalme sayeth but set all youre herte vpon thys studye to get true and heauenly good nes in Messias Thys thynge doth Christe playnely declare where he sayeth my father gyueth you the true brèade from heauen For it is the breade of GOD that commeth downe from heauen and gyueth lyfe vnto the worlde But the Iewes yet dreame of bodilye good thynges Therefore they sayed vnto hym Gyue to vs thys breade alwayes That whyche before the woman of Samaria answered vnto Christe speakynge of the fountayne of water that sprange vp into euerlast ynge lyfe sayinge Lorde gyue vs thys water that I maye not be drie nor come hyther to drawe the same do nowe the Iewes answere vnto Christe speakyng of the bread whiche gyueth lyfe to the worlde and folyshelye axe of hym that he bring to passe that the same lyfegyuynge bread may raygne downe from hea uen plentuously for they wold take it wyth both their handes and hold vp theyr lappes Furthermore they playnely signifye that they so vnderstode the wordes of Christ that he taughte hym to be onelye but a minister of thys lyfegyuyng bread as Moses was of Manna and not the bread it selfe Giue vs say they thys breade alwayes We se thou art a man whych dyffereth nothing â—…roÌ„ vs in weakenes we se that thou haste all thynges as a man hath And if thou be some greate manne certes thou canst be nothynge more than the minister of God as were the Patriarkes â—…rophetes wherfore if thou haue receyued thys ministerie of god to giue vnto vs new Manna whereby we may be saued alwaies in this life go to on felowship giue vs that y u hast receyued y t thorow the we may enioy this hea ueÌ„ly benifite Here consider me how diuers the iudgemeÌ„tes of Christes larnyng be One vnderstaÌ„deth hys promisses fleshely an other iudgeth them triflinges or vayne and lyes thynckynge that they cannot be ful fylled an other that semeth to haue a good opinion of Christe thinketh that they differ nothynge from the sermons of the prophets because he thyncketh hym to be a docter or a promiser not to be a sauiour but onelye a minister of saluacion aâ—… were the prophetes But Christ accordinge to his goodnes correcteth these errours of the Iewes verye gentely And sayd vnto theym I am the bread of lyfe He that commeth to me shal not honger and he that beleueth in me shal neuer thyrst You do so axe of me thys breade of lyfe that you plainely declare that you iudge me to be but a minister of thys breade But I asmuche as lyeth in me wyll not suffer you to erre I am not as you trowe suche a minister of thys breade of lyfe as were youre Prophetes whyche dyd preache also euen theÌ„ selues of gettinge true saluacion But I am the bread of life it selfe I offer to him y t earth of this bread not such good thinges as happened to y e Israelits by Moses MaÌ„na in the desert but I bring vnto you heauenly euerlastynge good thynges yea I my selfe am that heauenly and eternall good thynge the whiche whosoeuer can get he shall lacke no ioye Loke vpon al other good thinges y t caÌ„ be spoken of in this worlde yet shal ye find none of theÌ„ y t is the bread whiche wil take away al honger that is drincke y t wyll quench al thyrste The deliueraunce oute of the bondage of Egipt was a great benifit but it was not y t breade whych fylled the Israelites hongar For they lacked yet many thinges both bodi lye and spiritual Manna that rained downe in the desert and the water that flowed oute of y e stone were maruelous giftes of god but of theÌ„ selfe they put not awaye the honger and thurst of the Israelites For be syde other corporall thynges whyche they had nede of howe many I praie you of them died in the desert not onelye wyth outwarde death but with eternal death Howe manye I praye you for theyâ—… wyckednes were cast into the perpe tuall prisons of hell And what shal I saye of the common profites here in the world that is of bodily helth of landes of monye of ciuile honor and office I wyll rather speake of the kyngdome it selfe and empyre of thys worlde whyche seyng it can not put awaye the hongar thyrst of man I praye you what is it that amonge these earthely good thynges is able to do it Alexaunder sur named the great whan he had herd say that the Philosopher Anaxagoras had disputed that there were innumerable worldes for this was the wycked opinion of-some Philosophers it is sayed that he wepte And when men axed hym what he mente by hys wepyng May I not worthely wepe sayeth he that syth the worldes be innumerable we be not yet made Lordes of one A won derfull mater The empyre almoste of the whole worlde whych Alexan der had nowe in possession was not able to fyll hys mynde And yet to saye the trueth it is nothynge to be maruaylled at at all For the Empyre of thys world is not that bread that wyll healpe a mannes houngar But Iesus Chrsti onely is the breade of lyfe whyche who so eateteth shall neuer hongar Thou wilt saye than howe eate we thys bread It foloweth he that commeth to me shall not hongar To come therfore vnto Christ is to eat of this bread And we muste not thyncke that we speake now of that coÌ„myng whiche is w t our bodily feet For although that at that tyme whyche Christe preched his Gospel in this worlde men muste nedes come to Christe wyth their bodilye fete to heare hys Sermons yet now he speaketh not of bodily commynge but of spirituall whyche is by fayeth For so Christe hym selfe expoundeth whan he sayeth He that beleueth in me shal neuer thrist Therfore to come to Christe is to beleue in hym that he is by God oure wysdom iustice sanctificacion and redempcion For he that so commeth vnto Christe I praye you howe shall he hongar howe shal he thyrst or what shal he lacke If pouerty be greuous vnto him Christ is rich which hath geueÌ„ him selfe wholy w t al hys ryches to hym that wyll beleue If synnes threaten vnto vs the anger of God and damnacion Christ hath clensed our sinnes hath pleased god and redemed vs from damnacion If death threaten eternall destruccion Christe hath ouercome death and to theym that wyll come to hym by fayeth hath he prepared heauenly and euerlastynge lyfe I saye can bodilye health can money bearing of offyce ciuyle honor king domes and empyres can they gyue vs so greate benifites What do these auayle wythoute Christe What do these contrarye thynges pouertye and death hurte wyth Christe Let vs come therefore vn to Christe let vs come to hym by fayeth that by thys breade and dryncke we maye so contente oure hongar and thrist that we may lyue euerlastyngly
that all maye be one as thou O father art in me and I in the. Paule also sayeth I thorowelye beleue that neyther death nor life neyther Aungeles nor rulers neyther powers neyther thynges that be nowe nor thynges that be to come neither heith nor deapth neither any other creatur shal be hable to seperate vs frō y ◠loue w t whyche god loueth vs thorow christ our Lord. Heare also thys saying of the Prophet Mountaines shalbe moued and hylles shal tremble but my mercy shal not depart from the and my leage of peace shall not be moued sayth the merciful Lord. Wherfore thou muste be verye suer that god whych hath gyuen the his sōne and whome thou haste receyued nowe by fayeth wyll prouyde also that thou kepe styll hys sonne yea in the myddes of death also or rather to speake more ryghtelye thou shouldeste be kepte of hym and saued Furthermore the holye gooste hathe opened in the Scripture the doctryne of free eleccion of GOD for thys purpose that good menne shoulde not be offended eyther with the smalle number or vylenes but shoulde truste and that the euyll menne shoulde not be prowde of theyr multitude power wysdome and maiestye whyche they haue in thys worlde but feare For if ye compare together the congregacion of the good and the badde in thys worlde ye shal alwayes fynde the badde hygher in degree more in number in more dignitye honour and greatenes and in all other thynges In the begynnynge of the worlde the congregacion of Cayne semed to be beste and that onelye shoulde possesse the worlde And the churche of good Patriarckes as it was smalle in number so was it counted verye litell worthe Abraham when he was called out of hys coūtrye had no great authoritye amōg the Gentiles and yet he wyth Melchisedech and fewe other was the verye true churche of GOD. Other nacions were bygger in nūber power and wysdome and yet were rected of God In Egypte the Israelites were the churche of god whyche althoughe they were encrea sed in nūber yet were thei oppressed w t bondage the Egipcians in the meane seasō which were the church of the wycked bare greate rule and were in very ▪ great maiestye of thys worlde What shall I say of the examples of those times that folowed after In the same people whyche were called by the name of god one was the verye churche of god an other fained Whan Ahab was king of Israell the churche of god semed to be the kyng the quene the courtiers the priestes and all Israell but a fewe other that is to wit Elias Abdias and some that were hyd in the caues by Abdias were thought to be abiected from god But they were the true church and that other the fayned What tyme Christe was borne the byshoppes the scribes the Pharises were iudged the churche of god and as many as fauoured the authoritie and doctrine but zacharias Elizabeth Marye Iosephe Simeon and a fewe other as in comparison of the mulitude and maiestye of the other they were counted nothynge so were they not taken nother for the true churche But the iudgemente of god is one and the iudgement of men another And afterwardes Iohn Baptiste Christe the Apostles and certayne other were the verye church of god when for all that Annas Caphas the byshopes the priestes the scribes y ◠Pharises al the other companye of the Iewes helde the hieste place and dygnitye in the churche in comparison of whome they were counted vyle and abiecte These thynges verilye are wonte much to offende good men They se they are but a fewe dyspised to haue no shewe of the churche of god that their aduersaries are manye great mightye wise and not onelye beare the title and name of the church but also haue the ▪ chiefe place in it God therefore shewed the doctrine of his fre elecciō cōforted the good mē and byddeth thē haue a good hope saying y t euerlastyng saluacion stādeth not by mans authoritie multi tude power or wysdom but only by y ◠fre elecciō of god And seyng god hath chosen thē out which thyng is manifest by thys y t the know Iesus Christ the sonne of God beleue in hym they ought not to be fered by y ◠hie dignitie of their enemies fal away frō true godlines but stād so much y ◠more strongly y ◠vilar they be taken in y e eies of mē I thāke the sayth Christ O father lord of heauen earth that y u hast hidden these thinges frō witty wise men shewed thē to y e litle ons Uerely father this was thy good wil. And againe feare not litle flocke for it hath ple sed your father to giue you a kingdom And Paule sayeth you se your vocacion that not many wise mē after the fleshe not manye men of power not many of noble bloude but those that were folishe after y e world god hath chosē to make y e wise ashamed Wherfore y e more suar that it is that God doeth chose his church not after the merits of man or flesh ly maiestie but after the purpose of hys owne mynd so muche the greater owghte they truste of good men to be y t whan they knowe Christ in whō god hath opened y t they be the elect members of the churche it is no doute but they shall be saued for euer yea althoughe the whole worlde woulde saye contrarye and threaten the contrarie But we haue nowe spoken inoughe of thys matter we wyll tourne agayne to oure purpose All that haue harde sayeth he and learned of my father commeth vnto me And it is sayde more not that any man hath seen the father but he that is of God he hath seen the father What shall we say then If none other hathe seen god the father but he whych is of God that is but Iesus Christe the onelye sonne of god whyche is in the bosome of hys father what remaynethe but that none other also hath harde god and learned any thynge of hym and can not obtayne saluacion What shall we thyncke than of Moses and other Prophetes of the whyche the scripture wytnesseth that they haue seen God and learned manye thynges of hym But greate dyfference is betwixte the seynges of the Prophetes and Christes seynges For y ◠Prophetes are sayed to haue seen God in dede but they haue not seen hys substaunce and beynge but onlye certayne sygnes of hys presence But Christe seeth the beynge of God yea and is one God in dede wyth hys father Moreouer the Prophetes haue heard the voyce of God not the naturall but that that was taken for a tyme by whych the wyll of God shoulde be declared But Christe is the verye naturall voyce of GOD and hys eternall worde Finallye the prophetes and other good men haue gotten saluacion in dede but not by theyr owne merite but by an others benefite but
Christe is saluacioÌ„ it selfe from the begynnynge bycause he is verye God It remayneth therefore that he that desireth to se and beare god and to learne of God must nedes se and heare Christe and learne hys Gospell and kepe it thorowe sayeth that he maye haue true saluacion No man sayeth he in an other place hath euer seen God The onely sonne that is in the bosome of the father he hath declared of hym And agayne no man knoweth the father but the son and he to whome the sonne wyll shewe hym And agayne Phylip he that seeth me seeth my father also Wherefore in y â— desier to se God to heare hys heauenlye doctryne and to get saluacion we haue no nede to saye as Mo ses sayed who of vs shall ascende into heauen to se and heare God But Christ must be sene and heard we muste beleue in Christe thorowe hys Gospell For thys is the face of God that is the expresse Image of the substaunce of God thys is the voyce and worde of God Thys also is the lyfe and health it selfe that whoso euer shall beleue in hym maye haue lyfe and healthe euerlastynge because he is euen wyth the father and the holy gooste god blessed for euer Amen ☞ The eyght Homilye CHriste after the confutacion of the Iewes muâ—… muringe coÌ„meth againe to his Sermon that he hadde begonne Let vs also come agayne to the declaracion of it that by the meditacion of gods word we maye do oure duetye and shewe our selfe to the holye goost readye to be taughte true godlines Verelye verelye sayeth he I saye vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlastynge lyfe That whych Christ rehearsed some tyme before the same nowe doth he repete wyth playne and open wordes And thys is the sum not onely of thys sermon whyche Christ hath in thys place but also of the whole Gospel of Christ. Moses called vs to heare the Sermons of Christe a thousande and fyue hundred yere before Christe was borne sayinge heare him And Christe was sent of God the father for thys offyce to shewe his Gospel and we men were called for thys poynte and be here in thys world to thys vse to knowe Christe oure sauioure by the Gospell Wherefore seynge thys sayinge of Christ that we haue shewed is the summe of all hys whole Gospell it muste be so muche made of that euerye worde owght to be considered And fyrste se wyth howe greate asseueracion Christe affirmeth hys worde Uerelye verely sayeth he I say vnto you Thys is the othe of Christe whereby he sygnifieth that nothynge is more fyrme nothynge more true nor nothynge more suer Howe much mischeife doth he than whyche wyll not beleue the sonne of god no not whan he sweareth And secondlye he maketh no dyfference of persons sayinge he that beleueth in me whether he be Iewe or greke whyther he be circumcised or vncircumcised whither he be man or woman ryche or poore master or seruaunte honest or vnhonest I saye if he beleue in me he hath lyfe euerlastynge I fynde it true in dede say eth Peter that ther is no respecte of persons wyth God But in euerye nacion he that feareth GOD and worcketh iustice but that no man can do well excepte he beleue in Christ the same man is accepted of hym And Paule sayeth who soeuer of you is Baptised hathe putte on Christe There is neither Iewe nor Greke there is neither seruaunt nor freman there is neyther man or woman For all you are one in Iesus Christ. Moreouer wheÌ„ Christ teacheth in thys place howe to get and haue lyfe euerlastynge he requireth not circumcision not the sabboth daye not sacrifices and such other leuiticall holy thynges whyche were in dede in theyr time the worshypping and seruyce of God and had a good vse but they were not the deseruynges of eternall lyfe Nor Christ sayeth not he that hathe honoured father and mother he that hathe not kylled he that hathe not stolen he that hath hadde pitye of the poore hathe lyfe euerlastynge For althoughe these be good workes commaunded of GOD to the whych preceptes we must nedes also obey and these worckes shoulde deserue lyfe euerlastynge if a man were iust and spiritual in dede and coulde do these worckes perfectlye as the lawe of god doeth perfectlye require them If thou wylte go into lyfe kepe my commaundementes yet bycause man is carnall sold vnder synne and doeth not these good worckes perfectlye it cannot be that they shoulde deserue eternal lyfe What sayeth Iesus than He that beleueth beleueth sayth he in me He requireth fayth which we muste shewe to hym And what is that fayeth What is to beleue in Iesus We wyll shewe you in very fewe wordes because in other places we haue spoke of it at large for to beleue in Iesus is to beleue y t the same Iesus the sonne of Marye is the true Messias or Christe the Sonne of GOD whyche was made an oblacion for oure synnes and an expiacion and whyche was made for vs as Paule sayeth the wysdome of God the iustice sanctificacion and redempcion Therfore to beleue in Iesus is to put al thy truste in Iesus as true Christe so also a true redemer and sauioure Thou wylte saye thys we wyll do easilye for what is more easye specially among Christen men than to beleue thys Iesus to be true Christ and redemer of our synnes Happye are we therefore that eternall lyfe is so easily gotten Thus the fleshe somtyme either doth swetely laugh at the doetryne of the Gospell touchynge the fayeth in Iesu Christ or vng odlye abuseth it to hys licence and lewde libertye But the thynge it selfe doeth teache that fayeth in Christ is a farre other worcke than the fleshe imagineth and many thin ges do testifie howe harde yea how impossible it is to the fleshe to beleue in Iesu christ For consider me wyth howe great authoritye Christ hym selfe the onelye sonne of God hath taughte hys owne Gospel and wyth what miracles he hath confirmed the trueth thereof and howe fewe were there that beleued him In the people of the Iewes were so many wyse men so many wittie meÌ„ whych verelye if fayeth in Christe myght haue bene conceyued by carnall reason and strengthe of mans wysdome they woulde wyth greate obedience haue taken Christe For fayth groweth not in the fâ—…eshe but the holy goost gyueth it by the gospell from heauen No man sayeth Christe can come to me excepte my father that hath sent me drawe him And it is sayed to Peter Flesh and bloude hath not shewed vnto the but my father whyche is in heauen Hytherto commeth that wyse men in this world not only not haue bele ued in Christe but also haue persecuted wyth all the crueltye they could thys fayeth and profession as wel among the Iewes as amoÌ„g the gentils And if it were so easye a thynge to beleue in Iesus Christ as the fleshe maketh it who would soner haue conceiued fayeth than these wise meÌ„
Set also before thine eyes how great a multitude of men is wont in persecucion to denye the fayth in Christ. For as sometyme the Iews and Ethnikes so now the Byshoppes Turkes persecute y â— doctrine of Christ and the fayth in Christ. But as in tyme past y e greatest multitude of people among the Iewes Ethnikes dyd in persecucion fal from Christ so also in these tymes vnder bishops and Turks sometyme whan no man doth vyolently compel them they fal awaye which certaynly is a manifest profe that sayeth in Christe is not of all men as Paule sayeth also reken me y e hypocrites amoÌ„g christen meÌ„ that put their hope in the merits of their worckes nuÌ„ber also wicked meÌ„ and that do not repent whych holde on still to leade a naughty and synfull life Thinkest thou y t both they and these would liue so wickedly if true fayth in Christ were as comon as y â— name of fayth is common amonge Christen men What shall we do then We muste not thyncke that fayth in Christ is borne in mannes fleshe and that it can be conceyued by mannes strength but to be geuâ—… by the gyfte of the holy goost from heauen thorowe the Gospell Wherefore lette oure cares and thoughtes awake to thys that we may learne the Gospell cal vpon the lord y t the holy gost may worke in vs and not onelye gyue vs true fayeth in Chryste but also kepe and encrease it that we maye walke obediently in the callynges of god But let vs heare nowe what they get what they haue that beleue in Iesus What sayeth he than Saieth he they shall get worldely Empyre ryches of thys worlde Or other earthelye gooddes In dede these be the giftes of god and serue for somewhat in the earth but they are not true felicitye Neyther dyd Christe come into thys worlde to gyue to theym that beleued in hym yearthelye and traunsitorye good thynges but rather heauenlye and euerlasting saying he that beleueth in me hath life What maner of life that fadeth awaye or y t shortly shall perish not so but euerlastyng Also in y â— name of eternall lyfe he vnderstand comprehended althynges y t pertaine to euerlasting life y t is for giuenes of synnes chosyng into the sonnes heires of God rightuousnes before God the holy goost leadynge to obedience of Goddes vocacion deliueraunce and preseruacion in death and finally heauen lye and euerlastynge kyngedome Wherefore he that beleueth in Iesu Christe hath forgyuenes of synnes is chosen vnto the sen of God is couÌ„ted iust before god is endewed wyth the holy gost that he may obey the callyng of God is saued in death and receiueth the inheritauÌ„ce of heauenly kyngdome the whyche he shall enioye for euer Than the whych good thynges nothyng can be spoken more greater nor more excellente But I praye the what thynge is that thorowe whose merite he that beleueth in Christe getteth lyfe euerlastynge and so great good thinges of it Is that thorow the merite and dygnitye of fayeth that is of the woreke that the man doeth Nothynge lesse verelye He that beleueth in Iesu Christe obtayneth in dede euerlastynge lyfe and the profites of it thorow fayth but not for the merite or dignitie of fayeth bycause that fayeth is alwayes weake whyle we lyue in the fleshe nor neuer so greate as the worde of God requyreth But it getteth those thynges for Iesus Christes sake which is receiued by fayth For so it is added I am the breade of life That is He y t beleueth in me therefore hath euerlastynge lyfe because that I whome he receyueth and possesseth by fayeth am the breade that gyueth lyfe I am lyfe it selfe and perpetuall saluacion Wherefore he that hath me thorowe fayth he also hath lyfe and health euerlastynge What lacketh he than that beleueth in Christe He hathe not a rych house in thys world but he hath Christ the Lord of heauen and yearth thorowe whome he is made the heyre of all the heauenlye good thynges He is not garnished wyth some noble kynde of lyfe in thys worlde but he is garnyâ—…hed wyth Christ and for thorow whom he is noble not onely before the angelles but also before the maiestye of GOD in heauen He hathe not stronge health of bodye and longe lyfe in thys worlde but he hathe Christe whyche is perpetuall lyfe and felicity There is no true goodes than y t he wanteth whiche beleueth in christ And coÌ„trary he y t beleueth not in christ hath none of these good things He hath earthli riches but because he lacketh christ ryches are rather hurtfull vnto hym than profite He hath in thys worlde noble kynred but because he lacketh Christ he is not onely obscure before GOD but also shall be coueted wyth perpetuall darcknes He hath prosperous helth leadeth a merye life in this worlde but because he laketh Christ it shal at last be sayed vnto hym that Abraham sayed to riche gloton sayinge sonne remember that thou haste receyued thy pleasures in thy lyfe therefore nowe art thou condemned Wherefore wyth all the thoughte of oure mynde we muste bende our selues to thys studye to knowledge Christe thorowe fayeth and when we knowe hym kepe hym But after that Christe maketh mencion againe of bred whaÌ„ he sayth I am y â— bred of life by by y â— Iewes thou ght vpoÌ„ MaÌ„na as they dyd before so that they thought w t them selues What doest thou boaste that thou arte the breade of lyfe whyche hath come downe from heauen What shall we saye than of Manna whyche oure fathers dyd eate in wylder nes Wylte thou gyue more excellente breade than Moyses gaâ—… 〈◊〉 ourâ—… fathers Of thys thynge also Christe preached before and yet â—…owe also he reherseth agayne the comparacion of Manna wyth hym selfe that hys maiestye shoulde be the more opened saying Your fathers haue eaten Manna in desert and are deade This is the breade descendyng downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ that a man maye eate of it dye not I am the liuyng bread that am come downe from heauen If any man eate of this â—…de he shall lyue for euer Thys is the meaninge of that that Christe sayeth There is greate difference betwixte Manna and 〈◊〉 breade that is my selfe For MaÌ„na hathe not browghte lyfe to theym that did eate it for they that did eat Manna they are all deade But my breade or I my selfe brynge lyfe to theim that eateth me For they that eate my breade that is my selfe neuer dye but lyue for euer And Chryst in dede semeth whan he saieth Thys is the breade descendyng from heauen that a man should â—…t of it and not dye and addeth I am the liuynge breade whiche am come from heauen If anye eate of thys breade he shall lyue for euer â–ª to rehearse agayne playnelye all one thynge but thys rehearsynge agayne neyther is in vayne nor for naught superfluous but y â— one saying is the interpretacion of y â— other
For to eate Christe or the breade 〈◊〉 Christe in thys place is to beleue in Christe as it foloweth afterwardes Therfore when he sayth This 〈◊〉 the breade descendynge from hea â—…n because that no man shoulde â—…rstande thys sayinge neyther of that breade wherewyth Iesus a lytell before had fedde fyue thouâ—…â—…en or of anye other earthely and corporall breade anone he sayeth further I am the liuynge bread whych am come downe 〈◊〉 heauen that we maye playnely vnderstande hym that he speaketh of hym selfe And when he sayeth after wardes y â— a man may eate of it and dye not straight waies he doeth expounde what to dye meaneth and sayeth if any maÌ„ eate of thys bread he shall lyue euerlastyngly For not to dye is to liue euerlastigly What shall we saye then to these thinges If in thys comparynge together of Manna wyth Christe the communicacioÌ„ is of a spiritual and heauen lye lyfe how shal thys that is sayd your fathers haue eaten Manna in deserte and be deade be true of Mo ses Aaron Phinees Iosue Calib and manye other good Israelites which theym selues also haue eaten MaÌ„na w t the rest yet be not dead spiritually but as AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob lyue before god so do those liue also And if this speaking be of corporall and earthely death Howe can thys sayinge if a man eate of thys breade he shall not dye but lyue for euer be true of Iohn Baptist and afterwardes of Peter and of the other Apostles and Dysciples of Christe Dyd not all these eate â–ª of Christe that is beleue in Christe and yet be deade not onely â–ª corporallye but also were cruellye kylled of theyr aduersaryes What â—…eth it than that is sayed the fathers that haue eaten Manna be deade but he that eateth this bread dyeth not but shall lyue for euer Fyrste here in the begynnynge we wyll speake of Moyses and other good men that eate Manna in deserte For these in dede were preserued in death and lyue before God but they were not saued nor lyue not for Manna whyche they eate but for Iesus Christ in whom they did beleue whan they eate Manna by the promises that were spoken of Christe For excepte they had eaten hym together wyth Manna vnder Manna truly they also them selues had died by death euen wyth the vngodly of whome Paule spea keth All dyd eate that spirituall meate and al did drincke that spiritual drynke for they dranke of that spiritual rocke that folowed them and the rocke was Christe But God dyd not allowe many of them For they were ouerthrowen in the wyldernes And nowe because Mo ses and other good men in eatynge of Manna beleued also in Christe that was promised therefore thorowe Christe they were saued in death and got euerlastynge lyfe That that we haue spokeÌ„ of Manna the same muste we thyncke oâ—… the Supper of the Lorde For the bread and wyne of the Lordes supper are heauenly meat and dryncke because they be halowed and sanctified by the lordes institucion thâ—… they maye be hys bodye and bloud And althoughe al eate of the Supper of the Lord yet are not al saued in death nor haue euerlasting ioye For some in dede eate the supper of the Lorde and yet beleue not verelye in Christe they truste not in the bodye and bloude of Christe which they receyue in the sacramente Wherefore as to the wycked the ea tynge of Manna nothynge profited so to the vnbeleuynge and vnâ—…epentaunt the eatyng of y â— supper of the Lorde nothyng profiteth Other not onelye eate of the Lordes supper but beleue verely y â— Christe hath gyuen his bodye for their sinnes and hath shed hys bloude that they myghte be made cleane from theyr sinnes before god These ther fore be saued in the houre of death and lyue for euer not in dede for y â— selfe eatynge of the supper but thorow Christ in whom they verely beleue in whose â—…ayeth they be streÌ„g thened by y â— sacrameÌ„t of the supper For Christ only by â—…ayeth thorowe the gospel taken eyther with the sacramentes or w tout the sacraments is he thorowe whom men get true euerlasting helth The sacramentes haue in dede theyr vse in confirmynge the faieth of him y â— receiueth theÌ„ and must diligently be taken obediently but our health is not set in y â— self taking of the sacramentes but in Iesus Christe only receiued thorowe â—…ayeth For thys is the lyuing bred coÌ„ming downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ y â— who so euer shal eate of him or beleue in him should not dye but liue euerlastinglye Furthermore wher it is saied of the death of Iohn bap tist and y â— Apostles of other good mâ—… that beleued in Christe we must thinke y â— althoughe they be killed 〈◊〉 to men to be dead yet are they dead before god for before hym thei lyue yet styll For theyr soule is not loste because Christe Keapeth it neither perisheth theyr bodye For althoughe it turne agayne to duste yet shall it be raysed agayne in the laste daye into lyfe euerlastynge Therefore when Christ sayeth that the fathers be dead althoughe they haue eaten Manna but those that beleue in hym not to dye he sygnifieth and teacheth that the carynge of Manna did not bryng of it selfe lyfe and healthe no not to Moses and other good men for if they had eaten Manna only they also theym selues euen wyth the other vngodlye shoulde haue bene deade for euer but that onely he hym selfe that is true Mâ—…ssias receyued in fayeth to be the author and gyuer of lyfe and health But because Christ calleth hym selfe the breade of lyfe he sheweth the manoure also howe he is made breade that is our lyfe and health and sayeth The breade whyche I wyll gyue you is my flesh whych I wyl gyue for the lyfe of the worlde Hytherto I haue made mencion of my breade and haue promised lyfe vnto him that eateth of this bread Wherefore because you should not care and looke for of me for suche breade as Moyses hath geuen vnto you in deserte or suche as you hadde a litell before when wyth that and two fyshes I fedde more than fyue thousande men Go to I wyll declare vnto you playnelye what I vnderstande by bread For the breade whych I speake of now is my fleshe whyche I wyl gyue to get lyfe vnto the worlde I came in to thys worlde I toke man vpon me and I toke also all the infyrmi ties of man not to synne as manne dyd but y â— thorowe my passion and death I woulde put awaye the synnes of men and reconcile men wyth God the father that they might get not onelye pardon of theyr synnes but also lyfe euerlastyng Therfore my passion whyche I shall take in fleshe or after my humanitye is the deliueraunce of the worlde and my death whyche I shall suffer is the lyfe of the worlde that as manye as beleue in me maye be saued and lyue
is Christe hym selfe receiued by fayth But I praie the whence hath the fleshe bloude of Christ so much strength that thei make the eater alyue kepe hym in perpetual life Of this thing christ hymselfe preacheth thus As the linynge father hath sent me and I fyue for my father so he that shall eate me he also shal lyue thorowe me A sayinge worthy to be marked by the whyche Christe not onelye sheweth the cause for the whyche hys fleshe and bloude doeth brynge to hym that doth eate that is doth beleue in him true lyfe and saluacion but also doeth shewe howe greate the maiestye is of them that beleue in hym My father sayeth he hath sente me into thys world therefore am I made the sonne of man and very man hauyng flesh and bloud And my father hath not onely sente me but I lyue also for my father y â— is not onely am I the sonne of man and man but I am also the sonne of God and verye God hauynge the nature of the diuinitye I am â—…ome in dede into thys world as man as a seruaunte as a Messenger yet neuerthelesse I lyue for my father I haue God my father of whome I am begoten verye GOD from euerlastyng After the same maner he that eateth me â–ª or beleueth in me he also lyueth for me For as I because I am borne from euerlastyng of GOD my father lyue for my father and am the verye Sonne of GOD and GOD hym selfe so they â–ª also that beleue in me bycause they be boorne agayne in me thorow sayth they lyâ—…e also for me and 〈◊〉 not men 〈◊〉 but they be made also the sonnes of god and goddes in dede theym â—…es What shall we saye then to these thynges Doth he that beleueth in Christe so lyue for Christe that he hym selfe also thorowe Christe is made a god Than shal there be as many goddes as there be beleuers We accuse the Ethnikes for y â— wyckednes because they haue fayned manye gods now we make many more But it is well we folow not y â— wickednes of y â— heathen but christiaÌ„ godlines For they that beleue in Christe be made suche goddes as is theyr state and condicion They are not made naturall goddes whyche haue bene from euerlastynge for so there be three persons and but one God but they be goddes by choyse and adopcion For as in the order of princes some be princes by natiuitye and byrth and some by thosynge whych a man maye call made goddes so amonge the sonnes of God there is but one natural sonne of God from euerlastynge and the other be made the sonnes of God by â—…synge and by adopcion whome also thou mayst call the made sonnes of God As many sayeth he as haue receyued hym he hath gyuen vnto theim that they maye be made the sonnes of God to theim whiche hadde beleued in hys name And he that is the sonne of God certes is God For as he that is the son of a man must nedes be man so must he nedes be God that is the sonne of God That y â— is borne of the flesh is flesh TheÌ„ that y â— is borne of god is God Was not man made-euen so from the begynnynge that he shuld be God not in dede â–ª vncreate but â—…reate For God sayed let vs make man to oure ymage and similitude This verely is to deliberate of makyng or creating of god And if maÌ„ had continued in obedience stil in goodnes in the which he was made you shulde haue seen him gone in y â— earth as a god But now this maie stie is lost thorowe sinne disobedience But it is recouered to meÌ„ thorow Christ y â— as many as beleue in him shuld receiue a diuine maiestie and be made the sonnes of god y â— is gods them selues I sayd sayth the Psalme ye be gods al y â— children of y â— hie one What shuld we do theÌ„ Are the beleuynge garnyshed wyth so greate maiestye and nobilitye that carnallye puffed wyth pryde they shoulde dysdayne al other men despightfully in comparison of theÌ„ selues â–ª Uerelye nothynge lesse But that they shoulde learne to vse that excellencye agaynste the dyuell and synne and kepe the health that is gyuen theym in Christe For fyrste we must vse the consideracion of thys maiestye to put awaye the assautes of the dyuel in al our most greuous tentacions For we acknoweledge in oure conscience that we haue done manye and greate synnes and we fele in verye dede that synne stycketh faste styll to our fleshe and therefore the iudgemente of GOD opened in vs we se oure damnacion we se the fyer of hell redye kyndelynge to deuoure vs and the dyuyl moueth vs to dyspaire of oure saluacion Whyther shall we tourne vs then in such straightnes Our maie stye muste be considered thorowe â—…ayeth that thorowe Christe we be chosen in to Goddes And goddes haue no synne And the fyer of hell hathe no power vpon Goddes The contrarye in dede appereth in â–ª vs. And therefore muste we iudge rather after the trueth of our adopcion than after our outward sensible syghte of thynges And the trueth is that the true and eternall God â–ª knoweledgeth vs for hys sonnes thorowe Christ that is goddes our selfe Wherefore althoughe the iudgemente of synnes be greuous vnto vs â–ª yet can it brynge no hurtâ—… vnto vs because of Christ. Ther be some whome pouertye greueth or sycknes or some other calamitye in thys worlde They are wonte to thynke that these calamities shalbe â–ª euer hurteful vnto theym and therfore are maruaylouslye troubled What shoulde they do than Let theym consider theyr maiestye that they be made gods thorow Christ And goddes cannot in anye wyse be hurte by these bodily calamities â–ª Wherfore let them be of good chere whatsoeuer shal happen it shall rather bâ—… an helpe thaÌ„ an hurt Some so quake at death that they thynckâ—… hy death they shoulde go into eternall darcknes and tormentes Whe ther shoulde they than runne for succoure The surest saÌ„ctuary is if they runne to the consideracion of theyr owne maiestye For thorowe Christ they are chosen into goddes And death hath no power vpoÌ„ god ds For they be immortal and leade a lyfe that is blessed for euer We must truste therefore that death in those men whych beleue in Christe is not the way to dystruccioÌ„ but rather the way to lyfe which w t Christ we must leade blessedlye for euer And further we muste vse the consideracion of thys maiestye to styrre vp and kepe in vs the obedience to warde God and to leade an honestâ—… lyfe For if we be made the sonnes of God thorowe Christe we oughte not to leade our lyfe as the soÌ„nes of Satan or as Satan hym selfe but â—…s it becommeth the sonnes of god or goddes For as it is a shame if the Prynce do those thynges that be vnmete for a Prynce so it is muche more
the ground and who can in fewe wordes rehearse vp the profite of al the sciences of men But if we shoulde speake of true spiritual heauenly and euerlasting health verelye none other doctrine doth profit saue spirituall and hea uenlye Al carnal doctrynes be they neuer so profitable are pernicious and deadely if they be iudged to be a perfit waie to get heauēly health Amonge carnall teachinge most of all be deadelye the ▪ teachynges of y ◠Pharasies and of sedicious men The Pharisies do teache that men maye satisfye the lawe of God by outwarde worckes and that they do deserue by their obediēce iustice and lyfe euerlastynge before God Thys is in dede a carnal doctryne whyche leadeth men into perpetual distruccion The sedicious men do teach that tributes must not be gyuen to the Emperour of Rome and that we muste make batell agaynst the Romaynes that the Iewes the Romaynes beynge cast out of their countrye maye bryuge them selues into libertye and also subdue vnto thē other kingdomes of the world Thys is verye carnal doctrin whiche leadeth men into the ieoperdye of al their ryches goodes Since ther is therfore two maner of teach ynges one spirituall that gyueth lyfe saueth an other carnall that bryngeth death and dystroyeth I praye you in what kynd is the doctrine of Christ comprehended My wordes sayeth he that I speake vnto you are spirit My doctrine is not flesh nor is not carnal but it is spirit it is spiritual It is manifest therfore y ◠it is also life I sayd s◅ply he y ◠beleueth in me hath lyfe euerla stinge Thys is spiritual doctryne heauenly and diuine Wherfore he that receiueth it receiueth also life I spake Metaphorically but in the same sence I am the liuynge bread whyche am come downe from heauen If any man eate of thys bread he shall lyue for euer And agayne Excepte ye eate the fleshe of the son of man and drynke his bloude ye haue not life in you Thys doctrine also is spiritual diuine It remaineth therfore that it is life and that it giueth life that it saueth mē that receyue it that they may get euerlastyng saluaciō But why do we not rehearse thoughe in fewe wordes the kindes of the doctrine of Christ that we maie knowe the true vse of it For fyrst Christe did sometimes expounde the lawe of GOD as in Mathe the. v. and the. vi and as it is writen in other places of the Euāgelists To this braunch or kind do pertayne the threteninges the re bukinges and the prophesies of the euyls that are to come Thys doctryne is not in dede the proper doctryne of Christe but of Moses yet is it sayde that it doeth gyue lyfe be cause that shewynge the greatenes and greuousnes of synne it styreth men vp to seke for iustice and life in Chryste oure onelye sauioure Also it hathe taughte that saluacyon doeth not depend vpon mannes merites but by goddes elec◅ion No man sayeth he can come vnto me except my father that hath sente me shall drawe hym And agayne you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Thys learnynge also gyueth lyfe if a manne can vnderstande it well for it doeth strengthen theyr fayeth whyche beleue in Christe that they may haue their saluacion certayne and thorowlye knowen For if oure saluacion should stand vpon mannes merites we coulde neuer be in a suer mynde because that the merites of man as they are vnperfite so are they vnsure And in the Psalme it is spoken playnelye In thy syghte shall not be iustified all liuynge creatures But nowe because it dependeth of the onely and free mercye of God whych in his lonne Christ not only is opened but also confyrmed hys saluacion cānot be vncertayne that beleueth in Christ. The mountains sayeth he shalbe moued the hilles shal tremble but my mercy shal not go from you the couenant of my peace shal not be moued sayde thy mercifull lorde Wherefore seynge this doctrine taketh out y ◠dou◅yng of hys saluaciō from the hert of the beleuer it is manifest that it quyke neth him with a spiritual recreaciō saueth hym that he dispaire not dye euerlastyngly Finally Christ taughte hys Gospell that he was come into thys worlde to reconcile men wyth God the father that all that beleue in hym shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlastinge This is the doctrine that properly belongeth vnto Christ. And this is the doctrin that giueth life in dede There be diuers kyndes of affliccions and death among men One is vexed almost dieth for hys great nede pouertie but if he haue taken thys doctrine of the gospel know ledgeth that God is merciful vnto him thorow Christ it cannot be but he must be so made aliue y t he maye manifestlye perceyue that he is in y ◠number of thē that Paule speaketh of as pore men yet enrichinge many as hauing nothing and yet possessyng althing An other is trobled with the knoweledge of synne and in maner dieth for the greatnes of the iudgement of it But if he gyue credit to the gospel of Christ knoweth hys synne to be forgyuen thorowe Christ he go◅th so from death to life y t he whyche before as one y t was deade durst not because of hys sinne lift vp his eies to heauē now dare boldly and cherefully come to the throne of goddes maiestye An other is striken wyth the feare of death and hel and thinketh he shal be damned for euer But if he wyll harcke to the Gospel of Christ and beleue in Christe that he is the victor of death and hel and the redemer of al that trust in hym not only is he saued in death but he shall be ◅aysed in the last daye that he maye receyue euen wyth Christ the hereditaunce of alheauenly ioye and felicitye Wherefore lette vs bestowe all oure cares and thoughtes vpon thys thyng to receyue wyth obediente fayeth the doctrine of the gospell of Christ ▪ Wherby in all kynd of tribulacion and death we maye be made quicke and alyue And althoughe Christe do playnely shewe that hys doctryne is not hurtefull ne deadely as thei iudged but to be spirituall and wholesome yet seeth he that it taketh no place among◅ y ◠greatest of hys hear◅ts therfore sayth further There be some of you that do not beleue For Iesus knewe frō y t begynuing who were y t vnbeleuers and who shold betr◅ye hym And sayed Therefore haue I ◅ould you that no man can come vnto me excerte it be gyuen hym of my father Christ doth prophecy of the falling away of his hearers of the treasō also of Iudas Ischariot Of y ◠whi che thyng because Iesus wil warne his dysciples agayne in the ende of this Chap. we wil let alone till that place what soeuer shal be thought mete to be spokē of this thing And here he repeteth agayne y ◠cause of vnbelife whiche he rrehersed before
Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Thys is an excellente confession of Iesus Christe of the whych the lyke is in Math. in the. xvi Chapt. And fyrste that Peter only answereth vnto Christe he signifieth not that he shuld be a chiefe ruler in thâ—… churche of Christ but he signifieth that he shall be the mouth of his other felowes and as they call it the proctor For that that he speaketh he speaketh not in his owne name onli but in the name of his felows Also he commendeth and setteth for warde by hys confession as well Christes person as hys doctrine Of his doctryne he saythe Thou haste y â— wordes of eternal life This is a great commendacioÌ„ of Christes gospel and worthy to be marked Whither shal we go saythe he Unto the Phariâ—…es But they beate in to oure heades nothynge els bâ—…t trifles of garmeÌ„tes sâ—…irtes of wash inge of handes of the tithing anise seede and cumyne and suche other thynges And theire doctâ—…ine althoughe they take in hande anye thynge to be taughte by the lawe doth nether make vs hote nor cold yea they so teache the workes of the lawe that if a man wolde folowe theire opinions he shulde be destroyed for euer Shall we go to Moses he in dede teacheth godlye and heauenlye thinges but we are so weke that we can not perfitlye obaye the doctryne of his lawe and therfore he appoynteth vs to death and euerlastynge dampnacion Wherfore we wyl not seke anye other teacher but we wyll remayne wyth the for thy doctrine bryngeth true and euerlastyng lyfe For the doctrine of other men either is profitable only for thys corporall lyfe or it leadeth the hearers to deathe But thy learning only leadeth to euerlasting lyfe With this coÌ„fessioÌ„ of the gospel of Christ agreeth this also that Christe in an other place saythe Preache the gospell to all creatures He y â— beleueth shall be baptised shal be saued And Paul The gospell sayth he is the power of God to health vnto al y â— beleue Let vs therfore tary in the doctrine of Chryste that being deliuered froÌ„ deathe we may get life and healthe Of the person of Iesus Peter spea â—…eth Thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God In these verie fewe wordes Peter gaue vnto the person of Iesu double maiesti that is to saye the hiest of all The one that Iesus is the verie Messias or Chryste of the which the prophetes prophecie This is a maiesty which passeth the glorye of al the Princes of thys world An other that Iesus is the sonne of the lyuing God that is that he is true and eternall God For there be two sonnes One natural an other by adoption or chosen But Chryste is not the chosen sonne of God but begotten of god I haue begotten the saythe he this tyme. Wherefore he is the naturall sonne of God If he be the naturall sonne it resteth that seinge of God nothynge is gotten but God as of man nothinge is gotten but man Christ is the true and eternal God This is the maiesty which passeth not only the glory of this worldlye kyngdome but the glory also of all creatures as well in heauen as in earthe What shoulde we do then Thys is the confession and the doc trine vpon the whych the church of Christe is founded and the whiche properlye is called the Apostolike churche Let vs therfore holde this confession with suche a suâ—…etie that we suffer it not to be striken oute of our hart and beliefe by no tirannie of persecutors by no deceites of heretikes by no vanitiâ—… of Iewes by no crudelitye of Mahumete and Turkes nor finallly by no lyes of the Deuyll But here marke we the maruey lous state of christianitie Amonge so manye thousande menne onlye twelue keepe the trewe doctrine of Christe And yet not these twelue are all sincere and pure But one of them as Christe hym selfe sayth is a Deuyll for so it foloweth Iesus aunswered them â—…aue I not chosen you twelue and one of yoâ—… is a Deuâ—… â–ª And he spake of Iudas Iscarioth for thâ—… was about to betray him being one of y t. xii Christ afore monyshed his disci ples of y â— falling away of the multi tude now he warneth them that amoÌ„gest a few al wold not be sincere and he prophecieth of the treason of Iudas And thinke not that Christ wythout greate aduisemente bothe dyd speake of thys before and now speaketh of it againe For fyrste Christe preacheth of these thinges partlye to declare that thynges to come be knowen vnto hym by the which miracle he wolde confirme al so the autoritie of his doctrine part ly that when he prophecieth of Iudas he wolde signifie that he was not compelled by mannes treason but that of his owne will and godlye purpose he wolde take hys passion and deathe Also he maketh mencion of hys â—…allinge away that they also which beleue shuld learn the feare of god and beware that they slepe not care les and be preuented by the Deuyl for not only amoÌ„gest manie many do fal froÌ„ their saluacioÌ„ but also among a fewe yea and those also cho sen. They arewonte to fall awaye which kepe not diligeÌ„tly the health they haue receiued Wherfore good men wyth all di ligence ought to applie them selues to thys studye that they walke in the feaâ—…e of the Lorde and sadlie obey the vocacion of God lest if they leade a careles life they lose thorow their sluggyshenes the health that they haue receyued Furthermore Christe monysheth good men that whether many amonge many or the chiefe amonge fewe do fall from the gospell they shulde not be offended but coâ—…inewe styll and stande in knowledging and confessynge the truthe of the gospell For although the greatest parte of the disciples was gone awaye yet for those dothe he not reiecte the twelue which taryed styl but he loued them so much the more bicause manye were gone awaye And althoughe amonge the twelue also one was a dyuell not by nature in dede but by wyckednes wherby he shuld become a traitor yet the other eleuen be so muche the more loued of Chryste howe muche the worsse the twelfth was Let vs not therefore be moued with the multytude of euill men but let vs thyncke if we folowe the gospell of Chryste that we be very wel taken and welbeloued of God whyther they be many that beleue or fewe Furthermore thys example also doeth teach â–ª a modestye For it is a solemyne thyng amonge vnskylful men that for one or two euyll personnes they wyll condemâ—…ne all menne whyche be eyther of the same howsholde 〈◊〉 crafte As in example if there were a merchaunt or two a tayler a baker or a Myller that were a craftye deceiuer they are wonte to saye that all other of the same crafte are deceyuers But I saie than if we shulde iudge generally after thys rule I praye the who myghte bee counted honeste â–ª Yea I muste
for euer Thys verelye is that that Christ sayth The breade whiche I wyll gyue is my fleshe whych I wyll gyue for y â— lyfe of the world They be very fewe wordes in dede but in theym is comprehended the suÌ„me of al the gospell and the greatest benefites of Christe are set before oure eyes For fyrste whan he sayth I wyl gyue my fleshe for life he signifieth that hys death shal be our lyfe And playnly diuydeth his deathe from the deathe of all other men whither they were patriarckes or Prophetes Apostles or Marâ—…rs For althoughe they were cruellye slayne of the wycked and dyd not deserue before menne eyther for their naughtines or for their myscheuous dedes to be so cruelly kyl led yet is not their death oure lyfe Iuste and holye Abell was kylled of hys brother Esaias is sayed to haue bene cut in two peces by king Manasses Hieremye was stoned to death of his people These mens death was precious in dede in the syghte of God and bryngeth much fruite to the churche of GOD. For it teacheth that good men be sore troubled in this world it teacheth y t the kingdom of christ is not of thys world it teacheth that there is another life after this life for els good men had bene happye in thys lyfe it exhorteth also by examples that we take pacientelye the affliccyons of thys worlde but it is not 〈◊〉 puttynge awaye of oure synnes it is not oure lyfe and redemcion yea the death of saynctes hathe not put awaye no not their owne synnes nor hath not broughte lyfe vnto theym so far forth in dede as apertayneth to the nature of that death but onely the death of Christ putteth awaye the synnes of men bryngeth lyfe vnto theÌ„ Wherfore when we be cast into peril of death as we oughte not to thyncke that we by oure death should satisfie for oure synnes so that death must not be loked vpon and considered after hys owne nature whych he hath by synne but accordynge to the deathe of Christe into the whyche we be Baptised and buried For so it shal â–ª come to passe that lykewyse as we be made graffed into the death of Christe so also we be made pertakers of hys resurreccion Furthermore Christe sayeth not simplye I wyll gyue my fleshe for the lyfe but he sayeth more of the worlde By the whyche word he signifieth that he shoulde suffer death not onelye for the Iewes but also for the Gen tils and for al men in thys worlde what tyme so euer in what place so euer and of what nacions so euer in all the worlde they haue bene He saieth in an other place y t he should die for the nacion y t is of the Iewes and not onelye for that nacion but that the chyldren of God whyche were dispersed shoulde be gathered together in one And agayne He is the propiciacion for oure synnes and not onelye for oures but of all the worlde What is the cause then that all the worlde is not saued but a verye greate forte of men whyche are sygnified by the name of the worlde is loste Thys death is not to be ascribed to the passion death of Criste but vnto the wyckednes of men For as touchyng y â— death of Christ it is a sufficient expiacioÌ„ for al y â— sinnes of al men set out by the gospel to be receiued of al meÌ„ but al ineÌ„ wil not acknowledge receiue it thorow fayth but had rather dye in their wickednes than be saued by y â— death of Christe And what is more folish what is more mad than whaÌ„ you haue helth before you to folow distruccion when lyfe is offered to chose death when heauen is opened to go into hell What is more furious also thaÌ„ if thou thorow thâ—… doutynge or vnbeliefe seperate thy selfe froÌ„ Christ y t is thy hiest felicitie seynge that he doth not seperat him selfe from the nor cast the awaye I wil giue sayeth he my fleshe for the life of y â— worlde Art not thou a part of the world Nay thou art y â— world it selfe For the olde men dyd verye wel cala man a litel worlde And if thou be parte of the worlde or the world it selfe verely Christ gaue his fleshe also for the and that thou shouldest haue life For not onelye Kynges not Prynces not wyse menne onelye be the worlde but the moste abiectes of all whyche in thys worlde also are so muche the more seen of God the hyar that he dwelleth The Lorde is hye sayeth the Psalme and loketh vpon lowe thynges And he raiseth from the ground the nedie and lifteth vp the poore from lowe estate Seynge therefore that Christe neuer fayteth vs wyth his benefites we must not â—…ure selues set naught by our helth but receyue thys presente lyfe obedientlyâ—… thorowe fayeth in Iesu Christe oure saueouâ—…e whicht wyth the father â–ª and the holye Gost is blessed for euer â–ª Amen ☞ The nynthe Homilye MAny are the eares of men many are theyr dedes and occupacions but there are none more noble and more profitable I saye also more necessarye than those that he taken to teache the worde of God Blessed is the manne sayeth the Psalme whose wyll is in the lawe of the Lorde and that doeth â—…dye in hys lawe daye and nyghte Seynge therefore we are nowe come together to learne those thynges whyche the holy gâ—…st hath taughte vs by Iohn the Euangelist goto good fryndes let vs now hearke those thynges whych folow after the serâ—…oÌ„ â–ª of Christ y â— we haue here before declared as oure lytell power serueth For Christe sayed The breade whyche I wyll gyue is my fleshe whych I wyl gyue for the lyfe of the world Howe dyd the Iewes than take thys sayinge The Iewes sayeth he stroue among theim selues sayinge Howe can thys man gyue vs hys fleshe to eate Ryght wyl sayde Salomon if thou beate a foole wyth a pestel as weate in a morter yet wyll not hys folishnes depart from him Iesus in this sermon whyche he made in the citye of Capernaum so often warned the Iewes of the fayth in him playnly declared vnto theym that vnder the name of eatynge of breade he spake of fayth whych oughte to be had in hym as a true gyuer of lyfe yet for al that be they neuer the wiser but continue stil and hold on in their folishnes in the whyche they dreame a carnal tearing of Christes fleshe What say they Seyng we thought that this was Messias we promised our selues that we should get libertye by him that we shoulde haue aboundaunce of al thinges in this world worldly kingdoms and all the pleasure of this world Now in all this gapynge for he offereth vs hys fleshe to be eaten What an absurditye is thys If we shuld nedes eate fleshe we had rather haue calues fleshe than mans fleshe I pray you what is ignoraunce what is folyshenes if thys be not folyshnes The