the shepherd Christ. For it is more wisedom too enter intoo the Arke with Noe and a fewe other and too bée saued from the daunger of the floud than with the greatest and most florishing part of the world to perish It is better too reioice with Lazarus full of biles in Abrahams bosome than with the riche glutton too bée punished with the torments of hell ¶ Of the fourth AS they departed Iesus began too speake to the people concerning Iohn VVhat vvent yee out intoo the vvildernesse too see c. This commendation of Iohn serueth too this end y t the people should highly estéeme the ministery of Iohn beléeue his voice as that which was heauenly And Christ in this coÌ„mendation ioyneth toogither al the things that béecome a right Apostle and he praiseth him for foure vertues first for constancie for he compareth him too an immoueable rock which is not shaken of the windes as a réede VVent ye out too see a reede shaken vvith the vvind as if hée shold haue sayd Iohn is no such maÌ„ but rather like a firm rocke which yéeldeth too no tempestes nor waues The true preacher of the Gospell therfore must neither for feare of men nor for fauour swarue from the truthe Which thing alas for sorow too many doo now adayes Secondly he commendeth Iohn for his kinde of life that is too wit for that hée liued not a nice life as the flattering courtiers nor sought estimation as they that hunt for the fauor of men but led a life méete for his office and calling suche as neither hindred the seruice of God nor made him slouthful in executing his duetie This generally perteineth also too all the ministers of Gods woorde Namely that they should liue in suche wise as neither nicenesse may be séene in their behauiour nor they them selues bée by other vaine things hindred too doo their dutie Thirdly hée commendeth Iohn for the excellentnesse of his Prophecie for hée preferreth him before all other Prophets Fourthly hée commendeth him for the message that hée commeth of For this is hée of whom it is said Beholde I sende my messenger before thy face whiche shall prepare thy way béefore thée Therfore is Iohn the ambassador of Messias the foreruÌ„ner that maketh way for the king coÌ„ming after by preaching of repentance This mans example must the ministers of the Gospell after a certaine maner of theirs followe They must prepare the way vntoo Christe they muste bring men vntoo Christe They muste shew the only way vnto saluation Christ Iesus Too whom bée honour and glorie for euer So bée it The fourth Sunday in Aduent ¶ The Gospell Iohn j. THis is the recorde of Iohn vvhen the Ievves sent Preestes and Leuites from Ierusalem too aske him vvhat art thou And he confessed and denied not sayde plainly I am not Christe And they asked him vvhat then arte thou Helias and he saythe I am not art thou the Prophet and he ansvvered no. Then sayd they vntoo him VVhat art thou that vvee may giue an ansvvere vntoo them that sente vs vvhat sayest thou of thy self he said I am the voice of a cryer in the vvildernesse make streight the vvaye of the Lorde as sayde the Prophet Esay And they vvhiche vvere sent vvere of the Phariseys and they asked him and sayd vntoo him vvhy baptisest thou then if thou bee not Christe nor Helias neyther that Prophete Iohn aunsvvered them saying I doo Baptise vvith vvater but ther standeth one among you vvhom you knovve not he it is vvhiche though he came after me vvas before mee vvhoose shoo laâ—â—het I am not vvorthy too vnloose These things vvere doone at Bethabara beyond Iordan vvhere Iohn did baptise The exposition of the text THe occasion of this Gospell was this The Phariseys had heard how that Iohn set vppe a new manner of doctrine and broughte in new ceremonies and that without authoritie from the Bishops As how hée â—ad men prepare the way of the Lorde how he receyued all Iewrie vntoo baptisme how he cryed y t the promised king and Messias was at hand The Phariseis being moued at the reporte of these things sent messengers too him intoo the wildernesse too demaunde of him by what authoritie hée did those things This they did not for that they were desirous to giue eare too his doctrine but rather that they might destroye bothe Christe and him that they might kéepe styll their owne gainful ceremonies and that without any regarde had too the welfare of the people committed too their charge they might mainteine their owne authoritie The example of whom our Papists doo lay before them selues folow it stoutly inough The summe therof is this that they enquire of Iohn whether hée bée Christe and that Iohn as a true seruaunt of Christ beareth record vntoo Christ and biddeth them make streight the way of the Lord couertly confirming his own vocation too bée heauenly For instruction sake let this Gospel bée deuided intoo thrée places 1 Iohns recorde concerning Christe 2 The description of Iohn and in him of all godly ministers of Gods woord 3 What it is too prepare the way of the Lord. ¶ Of the first IN the record of Iohn six things are too be considered First whoo are sent and why they are sent Those that are sent are Pharisies and they are sent from Pharisies moste holy men too outward appéerance from moste holy men whiche séemed too them selues the pillers of Gods church which had prerogatiue of succession whiche chalenged too them selues alone the title of the churche But beholde they that séemed too bée the heads of the church are enemies of Christ. Wherby we may lerne that credit is too bée giuen neither to titles nor too successions but only vntoo Gods woord Also we may mark the craft of Sathan which these Pharisies had lerned of their master Sathan For they enquire héere not bicause they fauoured eyther Christ or Iohn as they would séem to haue doone but too the intent too haue destroyed them both as did the Serpent in Paradice 2 Too whome is recorde borne vntoo Christe Whoo beareth record Iohn By this lerne twoo things First that the ministerie of the woorde must shoote at the marke that is too beare recorde vntoo Christ. Secondly that it is the arte of a Christian too stay him self vpoÌ„ the pure confession of Christ ageinst the crafts of Sathan 3 Before whom is recorde borne Before the world and Christes enemies Wherby it is too bée lerned that the godly maÌ„ must confesse Christ before all the whole world with the perill of his estimation his goodes and his life whereuntoo partly the promise and partly the threatning will prouoke vs. The promise is this whoosoeuer shall confesse mée before men him also will I confesse before my heauenly father The threatning is this whoosoeuer shall bée ashamed of mée before men of him also will I bée ashamed before my heauenly father 4 The summe of Iohns record coÌ„cerning
Lepre is a punishement of sin and therefore it putteth him in minde of Gods wrath and of his iust iudgement For all crosses all calamities and what so euer aduersitie befalleth vs in this life are as it were a sermon from heauen wherin God accuseth of sinne and sheweth his wrath whiche most iust wrath of GOD when a man thinketh earnestly vppon without the knoweledge of Christ he falleth intoo dispaire Wherby it often falleth out that a man eyther killeth him selfe or else pyneth awaye by péecemeale for sorowe For the conscience of sinne suffereth him neuer too rest no not one minute of an houre Let vs declare this thing by one example Oedipus king of Thebes bicause there fell a great plague in his Realme thoughte that some heynous wickednesse was committed by him selfe or some of his Héervpon hée called the Préest Tyresias and bad him shew by his art of Birdspell whoo was the author of so great wickednesse for which all the common weale was atteinted with so gréeuous a plague In the end Oedipus found it too bée him selfe and none other that had committed this heynous offence For he had begotten children of his owne moother whom hée had vnwittingly taken too his wife For béeing but a Babe hée was cast away by his parents that hée might haue bin killed But the shepheard too whom the commaundement was giuen spared him bicause hée was a trim boy Afterward growing too mans estate he fought certaine battels for the Thebanes luckely and for his wel dooing they bothe gaue him the kingdome and the Queene Iocasta too bée his wife By meanes wherof not knowing whoo shée was hée maryed his owne moother Now as soone as Oedipus had knowledge of this his sinne by the préest and saw the whole realme too bée atteinted with a most gréeuous plague for his offence hée fell intoo consideration of Gods wrath And by thinking therevpon hée was driuen too dispaire In this dispaire 〈◊〉 hée pulled out his owne eyes least hée might béeholde the sunne Secondly béeing martired with the conscience of his wickednesse with a greate outcrye hée bad those that stood about him get them away least hée should hurt the good euen with his shadowe Afterwards fléeing his Realm hée liued blinde and a beggâ—r vntil hée perrished béeing swalowed vppe in despaire His moother Iocasta béeing vnable too abide the gréefe of minde for remorse of hir sinne as soone as shée knew of hir fault hung hir self So horrible and foule a thing is sinne when a manne beholdeth it rightly with the eyes of his heart The state of the Leprous person was very harde for it béehooued him too liue seuerally alone from the company of Gods people For great sorowe whereof no dout but many pyned away For not onely were they excluded from the felowship of men but also they were left destitute of the comforte whiche they might haue had by the preaching of Gods woorde Moreouer they were distinguished from other men by fiue marks which thing encresed their sorow not a little The first marke was a loose garment cut in twoo the second a head vncouered the third a face muffled the .iiij. a dwelling set from the companie of men the fifth a publike Proclamation whereby hée was proclaimed vncleane as a person vnwoorthy too bée conuersant among the Israelites with the people of God And this was the case or state of this Lepre If he had not had faith in Christ in these euils he must haue bin vtterly forlorne for sorowe But hée came vntoo Chryste and conceiued faith And although hée felt himselfe too haue deserued damnation yet lifteth hée himself vp at the liberall promise of Chryst. Doutlesse hée had herde this saying of Chrystes Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are heauie loden Doutlesse hée herd Iohn say of Chryst Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world This Lepre therefore knowing his Physitian conceyueth hope of health leaning vpon Chryst with assured confidence Through this faith hée calleth vpon Chryst. For inuocation is the naturall fruite of fayth as the which can not bée made without fayth according too this sentence How shall they call vpon him on whome they haue not beléeued Howbeit in this inuocation is propounded a singular example of pacience For the Lepre sayth vntoo Chryst Lord if thou vvilt thou canst make mee clene Like as Dauid wheÌ„ hée was put from his kingdom desired with condition to be restored ageine if it so séemed good vntoo God So héere this Lepre leaueth this corporal benefit in the hand of the Lord whoo knoweth better than our selues what is expedient and méete for vs. Besides that this prayer hath a singular example of hys confessing of Chryst. The Scribes and Phariseyes did persecute those that confessed Chryst. But this poore man this despised person this Lepre let the Princes and préests fret as much as they would at it confesseth Christ and acknowlegeth him to be almightie yea and the very Messias whose constant confession it becommeth vs too followe Nowe is the healing of this Lepre too bée looked vpon wherin are many circumstances too bée examined of which euery one conteines a peculiar lesson With his hand Christ toucheth the Lepre he graunteth chéerefully that which the lepre desireth he biddeth him bée cleane by woord the effect that is too say clensing froÌ„ the leprosie foloweth out of hand When he hath clensed him he giues him thrée commaundements that he should tell no man that he should shew him selfe too the préest and that he should offer his gift according too the lawe The stretching out of Christes hande and his touchyng of the Lepres bodye was a token of his vnmesurable grace and goodnesse by which déede he woonderfully encreased the lepres faith For when he sawe the sonne of God not onely not lothe too talke with him after the maner of other men but also too haue touched his vncleannesse with his hand hée was replenished with singular ioyfulnesse of spirite Wyth this touching is ioyned the graunt I vvil The lepre sayth if thou vvilt Christ answereth I vvill Héerevpon the Lepre concludeth with himself that hée should bée made whole by and by Upon the graunt he addeth Bee thou cleane By which saying he declareth his heauenly power confirmeth his doctrine and encreaseth faith both in the beholders and in the readers of the story For too will in Christ is as much as too doo He hath doone whatsoeuer was his will both in heauen and in earth This power of Chrystes comforteth againste the power of the deuill And by and by his leprosie was clenzed This déede is both a miracle in it selfe and a benefite too the people by which benefite as it were by a warrant he giueth vs too vnderstaÌ„d that he is readie too clense all men from their spiritual leprosie which come vntoo him by Faith Now folowe the commaundements First that the lepre tell no bodie of it Untoo this commaundement the
and woonderment too them that beheld it The places that wée will entreat of are these thrée 1 The varietie of the temptations of the godly in this world 2 The exposition of the present storie with the circumstances therof 3 A moste goodly Image of Chrystes Church in this world ¶ Of the first BIcause this Gospel maketh mention of the temptation in the shyp I will bréefly set forth the kindes of temptations wherwith men are troubled and that to the intent that knowing the daungers which inuiron vs round about wée may become the more watchefull least béeing vanquished with temptations wée abandon our confession and fal from grace For lyke as Chrystes disciples were tempted among the waues of the sea with losse of their life so all christians ought almost euery houre too bée afrayde of the shipwrecke of their fayth Of temptations there bée many kindes For either God is the author of the temptation in which respecte it is proprely a triall or proofe and not a temptation or else it procéedeth from the deuil or else it coÌ„meth of men or else the cause of it is in the partie himselfe that is tempted or else they bée things circumstant that trouble him God proueth vs to the inteÌ„t we may bée made more tried too our selues For hée trieth not too the intent too know for nothing is hidden from him but to make vs knowe howe much wée haue profited in Godlynesse And God trieth men in their manners in doctrine and in the signes of his wrath In manners he tried Abraham when he commaunded hym too sley his only begotten sonne Isaac and too offer hym vp too him for a sacrifice And Abraham by obeying God in so hard and difficult a thyng became more tried too him selfewarde and sawe the true frute of his owne fayth whyche is too preferre obedience towards God before all things in the worlde So at this daye the godly are tried by GOD when by settyng béefore theyr eyes the commaundements of God whiche are the moste certeine rules of all vertue and good manners they are made more tried too them selues through willing obedience But on the contrary part those that wyttingly and wyllyngly runne headlong intoo sinne and yéelde vntoo temptation become giltie of Gods wrath vntill they repent and amende Besides this God trieth vs in doctrine when hée suffreth false Prophets too come and too teach diuers erronious opinions Of which kinde of triall Moises speaketh in the .xiij. of Deuteron If there rise vp among you a Prophet or one that sayth hée hath séene a dreame and telleth you a signe or woonder béeforehande and the thing that hée hathe spoken commeth too passe and hée say vnto thée Let vs go and followe strange Gods and let vs serue them that is too say if hée set vp a new maner of woorshipping God thou shalt not herken too the woordes of that Prophet and dreamer bicause the Lord your GOD trieth you and that it may bée openly knowne whither you loue him with all your heart and al your soule or â—o This temptation is ascribed vntoo God in consideration that it is a triall and not a seducing After the same maner hée giueth vs his woorde at this day but hée permitteth many heresies 〈◊〉 spring vppe to the intent hée may by that 〈…〉 whither wée loue him in déede by true and sincere faith Sometime the Lord trieth vs in signes when his setteth foorth the dreadfull tokens of his wrath in heauen in earth and in the sea which signes doo woonderfully shake the minds of the godly Of this kinde of triall speaketh Moises Exod. xx Bée not afrayde for the Lord is come too trie you and that the feare of him might bée in you that yée might not sinne The Deuil tempteth by falling from the doctrine by presumption in office by Idolatrous woorshippings many otherwayes of which I must speake theâ— Sunday in Lent Men as well our enimies as fréends doo tempt vs diuers ways as by doctrine hypocrisie example counsel promis and threatning Also man â—â—ndeth in himselfe whereby too bée tempted as originall sinne and secondly many affections springing out of the same which egge vnto attempt somwhat ageinst god Sometime a man is tempted of the giftes of the minde or of the bodie suche as beautie strength witte woorkmanship and suche other like are Hée that wil not be ouercome by this kind of temptation let him think that all things are bestowed vpon him froÌ„ heauen for the aduauncement of Gods glorie and the commoditie of other men Things circumstant doo also oftentimes tempt and trouble the mindes of the godly of which some things are before vs as the things that hang ouer vs some are after or behind as the things that are past some are at our right handes as the things that are plesant and some at our left handes as the things that are sorowful Before vs death threatneth the dreadful iudgement of God vexeth and hel gapeth with opeÌ„ mouth vpon vs. After vs or behinde vs at our backs are our sinnes past whiche disquiet the conscience of man At our right hands are riches honor and power which things haue throwne many men headlong intoo endlesse destruction At our left hands are pouertie reproche contempt slaunder perils on sea on land at home and abroade These kindes of temptations are moste gréeuous whiche are ouercome by faith inuocation often lifting vp of the heart vntoo God for helpe giltlesnesse of maners and too bée bréefe by continual and earnest repentance Thus much I thought good too speak of temptation in this place that wée might bée stirred vp too watchfulnesse and praying lest wée enter intoo temptation ¶ Of the second IN the storie of this miracle these circumstances folowing are too bée considered 1 The trial of faith The disciples haue y e Lord with them in the ship by reason therof they saile with the more carelessenesse How bee it this carelessenesse was not of very long continuaunce For by meanes of a storme that arose the ship was ouerwhelmed with waues Whereby it came too passe that they which a little béefore were too carelesse are now abandoned too the waues of the sea in a maner redie too despair Wherfore let no man trust too much too prosperitie but in prosperitie let him bée afrayde 2 In this moste gréeuous peril Christe slept partly with stéep too recreate and refreshe his powers that were weried with labours and partly to trie his Disciples faith not bicause that he béeing the searcher of heartes was ignorant of any thing but too the intent the Disciples might bée better knowen too them selues Moreouer it is too bée beléeued that the Lorde sléeped for this purpose also that greater Fayth might bée stirred vp in his Disciples and that his Disciples béeing striken with the greater feare shoulde call vpon him the more earnestly and set the more by his present ayde in the extremity of peril For if Christ had bin
set forth the gospel concerning the chéef shepherd Iesus Chryst his care toward his shéepe and that to this intent that the faithfull ministers of the woord might in their doctrine life and charge folow the example of this shepherd Hithertoo concerning the occasion why this present Gospell is red as this day The summe of the Gospell is that lyke as Chryst professeth himselfe too be the true shepherd and to haue a care of his shéepe So on the contrary parte he testifieth that there bée woolues that lie in wait for his flock whom the hirelings séeing doo flée away leaue the shéepe too be torne in péeces by the wolues against the falsenesse of whom the Lord promiseth that he himselfe will looke to his shéepe he declareth that he hath yet other shéepe which he will bring togither that there may be made one fold and one shepherd The places are thrée 1 Of Christ the shepherd and other true shepherds 2 Of the Woolfe the hireling the fléeing of the hireling 3 Of Chrystes shéepe of their marke and of the vnitie of the shéepfold ¶ Of the firste IN the first place concerning the shepherd Chryst we haue two things The one is what is his towardnesse the other what are his benefits towards his church Now as touching Chryst the shepherd wée must alwais beare in mynd the coÌ„fession of Thomas which we herd an eight dayes ago For wheras he saith my Lord and my God first he coÌ„fesseth him whom he speaketh too too bée the same man that had bin crucified and dead whom he now acknowledgeth too bée risen agein from the dead in déede Secondly he confesseth also the same maÌ„ to be very God for he sayth my God Thirdly he confesseth this man God to be one person For he sayth not my Lords but my Lord. Fourthly he coÌ„fesseth this God and man one person which is both God man too bée his sauior For he is my Lord hath charge of mée and he is my God that hath taken mée intoo his tutâ—on and fauor Therfore he confesseth Chryst to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the world and consequently that true shepherd that was promised of old time of whom Zach 10. I wil raise vp a shepherde vppon the earth Him doth Peter call the shepherd Bishop of our soules This haue I spoken bréefly of Thomas confession concerning Chryst the shepherd too the entent we may vnderstande what is the towardnesse or inclination of this our shepherd Now let vs héer our Lords woords I sayth he am the good shepherd but what dooth the good shepherd The good shepherd giueth his life for his sheepe That is to say he is a good shepherd which loueth his shéepe so well that he wil rather suffer death than leaue his shéepe to be a pray too théeues and to bée torne of the wolues This promis he confirmed also by his déede for he suffred a most shamefull death for his shéepe Wée haue herd how great Chrystes loue is towards his shéepe Now that we may behold his benefits which he bestoweth of his méere goodnesse we will apply the similitude of a shepherd of shéepe to Chryst our shepherd What then dooth a good shepherd First he gathereth his shéepe togither secondly he goeth before them thirdly he leadeth them forth intoo pastures fourthly he féedeth them fifthly he watcheth them sixthly he ruleth them seuenthly he defendeth them eightly he healeth them that bée hurt ninthly he fetcheth in theÌ„ that stray with his shepherds hooke and tenthly he bringeth them home when he hath fed them All these benefites dooth Chryst perfourme spiritually too his church First therfore Chryst our shepherd gathereth his shéep togither But how by the preaching of the Gospel This begaÌ„ he too doo by and by after the fal of our first pareÌ„ts For in spirit he was present with the Prophets and gathered many shéepe vnto him Afterward he came himself to séeke the lost shéepe And at this day he giueth preachers too gather shéepe in his name Secondly he goeth before his shéepe How In persecution and in glorie In persecution wheÌ„ he suffred diuers miseries in this life which the saincts also must néedes tast of And in glory when by rising ageine from death he entered intoo the glory of heauen whom in their time all shall folow as many as bée his true shéepe Thirdly he leadeth them foorth too féede into most plesant and fine medowes as Dauid saith in the .23 Psalm he made me sit downe in well growen pastures to the waters of refreshment shall he leade mée Fourthly when he hath led them intoo the medowes he féedeth them with his woorde with his spirit With his spirit when he comforteth them and strengthneth them within and with his woord when his gospel is preached wherby faith is conceiued too beléeue vpon this shepheard Fifthly he watcheth them sitteth as it were in a watch-toure too foresée that no body fal vpon his shéepe vnbewares And this dooth he by his Angels by the faithful ministers of his woorde by the godly Magistrate and too bée short by good gouernors in families â–ª common weales and housholdes â–ª Sixthly he ruleth them namely with his spirit his word and his discipline Whervpon Dauid saith The Lorde ruleth mée and nothing shall be wanting to mée In a place of pasture hath he setled mée Seuenthly he defendeth them Wherupon Paule saith if God bée on our side who can be against vs And Dauid Although I walk in the valey of the shadow of death I wil not feare any harme bicause thou art with me Thy rod and thy staffe they haue comforted me Eightly he healeth them that bée hurt for as shéepe are oftentimes atteinted with thornes venims which are healed by the skilful shepherd so Chryst our shepherd doth cure and heale his shéep that are hurt with the thornes of euil conditions and the venim of poysoned doctrine Wherupon the .146 Psalm saith which healeth the wouÌ„ded in hart bindeth vp their sores Ezech. 34. I wil féede my shéepe I wil make theÌ„ sit down I wil séeke that which was lost I will bring ageine that which was cast away I wil binde toogither that which was broken I wil strengthen y t which was weake Ninthly he fetcheth in them that stray with his shéephook while he lodeth them with the crosse and as it were casteth a snaâ—â—le vpon their heads If that good shepherd should not doo so many shéepe would through the delights prosperities of this world bée led away from Christes flocke and cast them selues intoo the mouthes of the woolues Wherupon Dauid saith of himself It is good for mée o Lord that thou hast brought mée low that I might lerne thy Iustifications Lastly when he hath fedde them he leadeth them home Chryst gathereth féedeth defendeth and cureth his shéepe in this world as in a wildernesse of a forein realme But at the last day he shall conuey
amendmente and our owne soule helth is in hand whiche Chryste offreth vntoo all sinners that repent Too him therfore bée honoure for euermore Amen Vpon the .iiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vj. BE yee mercyful as your father also is mercyfull Iudge not and yee shall not bee iudged condemne not and yee shall not bee condemned Forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen Giue and it shall bee giuen vntoo you good measure and pressed dovvne and shaken togither and running ouer shall men giue vntoo your bosomes For vvith the same measure that yee mete vvithall shall other men mete too you ageyn And he put forth a similitude vnto them Can the blind lead the blind Doe they not both fall intoo the ditche The disciple is not aboue his master Euery man shall bee perfect euen as his maister is VVhy seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thine ovvne eye Fither hovv canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye vvhen thou seest not the beame that is in thine ovvne eye first thou hypocrite cast out the beame out of thine ovvne eye then shalt thou see perfectly too pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye The exposition of the Text. THis Sermon of Chrysts perteyneth too the third part of Repentance For yée know that there bée thrée partes of Repentance Sorynesse faith and new obedience or amendmeÌ„t of lyfe Sorynesse acknowledgeth the sinne and hateth and shunneth it Faith fléeth vntoo Chryst who deliuereth from sinne and iustifieth them that beléeue New obedience consisteth in four things which are Reuerence towardes God holinesse of lyfe in euery man too himself loue of our neyghbour and diligence in that vocation too which euery man is called Now for as much as these bée the partes amendment of lyfe Chryst in this Gospel frameth an exhortatioÌ„ to charitie or loue towards our neighbour the which he implyeth héere vnder his partes And bycause that mercy towardes our neighbour is as it were the first imp of it he exhorteth vntoo mercy by which he méeneth al maner of duties which we owe one to another in this life For what soeuer one oweth too another when he hath payde it he is no longer a detter sauing only of loue which we can not so fully pay but that we must always remayne detters Whervpon Paule Rom. 13. Owe nothing too any man but that yée loue one another Now too the intent wée may the more cléerly vnderstand this Gospell I will speake of two things 1 What bée the woorks of loue or of mercy which is commended vntoo vs in this place 2 What bée the reasons wherewith Chryst exhorteth vs héer too shew mercy that is too say too the woorkes of charitie towards our neighbour ¶ Of the firste BE yee mercifull c When the sonne of God exhorteth his Disciples vntoo mercy he giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d both of what mind wée ought too bée one towards another and also that in this life by reason of many infirmities eche hath néede of others helpe Which lesson if they which wil be called Christians would in these dayes beare well away there should bée lesse debate and lesse mischéefe Wée will all of vs bée called Chrysts disciples but no man wil do that he commaundeth The seruant obeyeth the commaundement of his master the handmayde hath hir eye wayting vpon his mistresse yea there is no man but he giueth more eare too his superiors in this world than many that wil bée called Christians doo giue too Chryst their God and Sauiour who hanged vppon the Crosse for them and earned heauen for them And what is the cause Forsooth for that they are Christians in worde only and not in hart For he that is a Christian in very déed mindeth nothing so muche as too obey his master Chryst of whom hée hath both his name saluation Wherfore I admonishe you too lay aside that fleshly carefulnesse too obey Chryst and diligently too marke out of this Gospel what duties towardes our neighbours hée requireth at oure handes In generall truely hée requireth louingnesse according as he saith too his Disciples Loue yee one another as I haue loued you In this they shall know you too be my Disciples if yée shal loue one another And nothing else requireth he héer when hee sayth bee merciful For they that loue are merciful they that bée merciful doo loue So the fountaine sheweth the water and the water the fountaine How bée it Christ in this place did therfore vse the woord Mercy bicause hée sheweth the nature of true loue This mercy whiche procéedeth out of loue is commended by Chryste too his Disciples in this Gospel consisteth of foure parts Of whiche the first is in the very harte and is a certaine curtesie and wel liking wherethrough wée coâ—â—ter all things of our neighbour too the bell and always hope for better of him This curtesie dooth Chryste note by râ—â—â—ouing the contrary when he sayth â–ª Iudge not Héeruppon the Apostle â–ª Cor. 13. Loue thinketh no euill And this is the mening of the 〈…〉 There is no cause then that any maÌ„ shoulde thinke that by this saying iudge not iudgemente is taken away eyther concerning the difference of vertues and vices in men concerning the duetie of housholders schoolemâ—ysters ciuill Magistrates and ministers of Gods woord or câ—nserning brotherly reproofe when it is due wherby one ought tâ—◠〈◊〉 backe another in too the way when hee goe thamisse according too Chrystes commaundemente Bâ—t onely that scope of the minde wherby wée take vpon vs the libertie too misdéeme other folke contrary too the rule of charitie For in respecte of iudgemente concerning the difference of things honest and dishonest the law of GOD is a grounded and vnmoueable rule vntoo vs. For whatsoeuer thing Gods law calleth dishonest or honest we also must déem the same to be so in likewise For what a blockishnesse were it not to discerne these things Wée muste therefore iudge and put a difference betwéene the tirannie of Nero and the gentlenesse of Fabritius and so of the rest Maysters of housholdes haue commaundemeÌ„t too bring vp their children in nurture and chastisement of the Lorde Also Salomon wil haue Fathers and Moothers too chasten their children And Hely the high Preest was punished bicause when hée saw his sonnes Ophne and Phinees behaue theÌ„ selues amisse in the seruice of God for they stâ—le away the better partes of the Sacrifises and also in their life for they defiled them selues with fornication he did not correct them with fatherly iudgemeÌ„t Héerby it is manifest that the saying of Chryst taketh not awaye the duties of Housholders whiche surely they cannot execute without iudgement and discerning betwéene things wel doone things doone amisse Agâ—in what should schoolesmaisters do without iudgement For some scholers are too bée compelled too their duetie by beating and a
not only ageinst the sorow that wée conceiue for the deade but also ageinst all afflictions as well of minde as bodie But some man obiecteth I haue forgon the comfort of my life TheÌ„ thou bewaylest not him that is dead but thou bewaylest thine owne self and thy losse that thou hast by forgoing him It is a naturall thing too wéepe Thou sayest truthe but let grace ouercome nature Thâ—s muche is added bréeflye in the seconde circumstance concerning comfort at the death of our déere fréends The third Our Lord toucheth the coffin wherin the deadâ— men lay By which touching he declareth that his body was the instrument too get vs life and saluation The fourth He speaketh too the yoong man and sayeth I say to thee yong man arise So also raysed he the yong maâ—d as is in Marke So raysed he Lazarus that had bin buried foure dayes as is in Iohn Héere wée are taught bothe that Chryst is stronger than death and that his word is the word of life and saluation The fifth The dead man ryseth at Chrysts call and this is the miracle he riseth y t was dead he began streight wayes too speake and our Lord deliuered him too his moother The sixth Feare fel vpon them al â–ª and they glorified God saying A great prophet is risen vp among vs and God hath visited his people and this saying vvas spred abrode of him through all Ievvrie Héere is described a double frute of this miracle The one befalleth too the present héerers and the other extendeth vntoo others too whom the report of this miracle came The present beholders conceyued faith héereby and so feared God glorifying him with true woorship and acknowledged the Messias too bée come whom also they confessed Besides that the report héereof came vntoo others that were in Iewrie and the countrey bordering thervpon who in likewyse conceyued Fayth in the Messias And in these dayes the report héereof commeth vntoo vs wherby we may acknowledge Christ too bée the very Messias and too bée stroÌ„ger than death â–ª and may conceiue faith in him magnifying God with hart voyce confession and manners and so it will come too passe that one day wée shall haue by him a ioyfull resurrection too euerlasting life ¶ Of the second SAinct Ambrose sayeth that the image of the Churche is set foorthe héere and bicause it representeth our estates it is woorth the opening The widow saith he signifieth y e church the dead yong man euery sinner y t liueth without repentaÌ„ce and the 〈…〉 the body of sinne The widow bewaileth hir dead 〈◊〉 â–ª That is to say the church lâ—â—â—nenteth for the vnrepentantnesse of the wicked entreateth Chryst too moue them and draw them too him with his woord his spirit Chryst therefore biddeth them that caried the corse too stand still Foâ— the sinner is borne to hell byfoure porters which are theâ—e First 〈◊〉 of longer life Secondly looking vppon other mennes faultes Thirdly presumption vppon Gods mercy And fourthly â—â—atterie of lend company Now if thâ—u wilt ryse from the death of sinne thou must néedes héere Chryst who biddeth the porters stay First therefore then must exclude hope of long lyfe bicause life is â—ncerteyn according as the experience of many teacheth and perill is at hand as it is too bée séene in the riche glutton Ageine thou muste not set another mannes euill lâ—â—e before thée as a paterne too follow â–ª but thou must submit thy selfe too God as Abraham did thou must trust in him and thou must â—mend thy coÌ„ditions knowing thâ—t the 〈…〉 in iudgement â–ª It 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 that thou gauest mee hath giuen mée of the Apple Thirdly lâ—y away presumption of Gods mercy for this presumption is a great contempt of God Rom. 2. Fourthly put away flatterers that entice thee too euill And when thou hast done so leane vppon Chryst with liuely faith the will quicken thée too eternall lyfe the which Chryst graunt vnto vs 〈◊〉 whom bée 〈◊〉 for euermore Amen Vpon the .xvij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xiiij IT chaunced that Iesus vvent intoo the house of one of the cheefe Pharisies to eate bread on the Saboth day and they vvatched him And behold there vvas a certeine man before him vvhich had the dropsie And Iesus ansvvered and spake vntoo the Lavvyers and Pharisies saying Is it lavvfull too heale on the Sabboth day And they hild their peace And he tooke him and healed him and let him go and ansvvered them saying vvhich of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen intoo a pitte and vvyll not straight vvay pull him out on the Sabboth day And they coulde not ansvvere him ageine too these things He put foorth also a similitude too the guestes vvhen he marked hovve they preaced too bee in the highest roumes and sayde vntoo them VVhen thou art bidden too a vvedding of any man sit not dovvne in the hyest roume lest a more honourable man than thou bee bidden of him and he that bad him and thee come and saye too thee giue this man roume and thou beginne vvith shame too take the lovvest roume But rather vvhen thou art bidden goe and sit in the lovvest roume that vvhen he that bad thee commeth he may say vntoo thee frende sit vp hyer Then shalt thou haue vvoorship in the presence of them that fit at meate vvith thee For vvhosoeuer exalteth him selfe shall bee brought lovve and he that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this Gospell was this Chryst beyng bidden too dinner of a certeyne Pharisie was watched by those that sate at meate with him that either in his woordes or in his déedes they might haue found somwhat too charge him withall For the world is so wicked that like as men cloke vices vnder the visors of vertue So they are not ashamed too rayse slaunder vppon honest déedes and true vertue So great is the malice of men Notwithstanding Chryst is not feared away with their leudnesse but kéepeth his old woont and executeth his office euen in the thickest of his enimies leauing vs an example that wée should not cease too procéede in well dooing though wée should sée all the whole world hent ageinst vs. Chryst therefore healeth this wretche declaring therein the might of his Godhead his most forward will too helpe them that bée in miserie and his Office for which he came intoo the worlde Moreouer he sheweth the right maner of halowing the Saboth day and by his déede dooth as it were define the true kéeping of the Saboth By which thing like as he reproueth the pryde of the Pharisies and their ignorance in the scriptures So he exhorteth them vntoo true humilitie And thus much concerning the summe of this present Gospell The places are thrée 1 Of the Saboth and the true woorks therof 2 Of the miracle by which the true vse of the Saboth is confirmed 3 Of true Humilitie ¶ Of the firste WHen the
our senses by outward signs which are the seales of his woord So in these dayes he had disclosed his wil vntoo vs by his Gospel the which he sealeth vp with the outward signes of Baptim and the Lordes supper Howbéeit in this coÌ„munication of the Angel with the virgin this spéech is too be noted wher he saith â—or vvith God no vvord shal be impossible This woord this saying of the Angel conteineth two things First it sealeth vp the truth and certentie of Gods promises And secondly it admonisheth vs to set gods power ageinst al sense iudgement of the flesh to assure our selues y t God is true although the whole frame of things shuld go about to persuade vs otherwise and to say with the virgin do according to thy woord thou reuelest thy wil by thy woord fulfil thy wil by thy power that thou alone may be glorified Thou art a sinner bewailest thy misery But herken what Gods woord saith of his wil. I wil not the death of a sinner Also all that cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Include thou within this woord both Gods wil his power ageinst which nothing is able too staÌ„d When y u art sorowful bicause thou art at deaths doore flée vnto Christ héer his woord Blissed are they that die in the Lord. In this word ioyne togither Gods wil his power then assure thy self y t death shal be vntoo thée the way to blisfulnesse through Chryst Iesus our Lord too whom with the father the holy Ghost be honor praise glory world without end Amen Vpon the Natiuitie of Iohn Baptist. The Gospel Luke j. ELizabeths time came that she should be deliuered and she brought forth a son And hir neibors and hir cousins herde hovv the lord had shevved gret mercy vpon hir reioiced And it fortuned that in the eight day they came too Circumcise the childe and called his name Zacharie after the name of his father And his mother ansvvered and said not so but his name shal be called Iohn And they said vnto hir There is none in thy kinred that is named vvith this name And they made signes to his father hovv he vvould haue him called And he asked for vvriting tables and vvrote saying his name is Iohn And they marueiled al. And his mouth vvas opened immediatly and his toung also and he spake and praysed God And feare came on all them that dvvelt nie vntoo him And all these sayings vver noised abrode throughout al the hie countrie of Ievvrie and they that herd them laid them vp in their harts saying â–ª vvhat maner of childe shal this bee And the hand of the Lorde vvas vvith him And his father Zacharias vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and prophecied saying Praysed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vntoo vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets vvhich vvere since the vvorld began That vve should bee saued from our enimies and from the hand of all that hate vs. That he vvould deale mercifully vvith our fathers and remember his holy couenaunt And he vvould performe the othe vvhich he svvare too our father Abraham for too forgiue vs. That vvee being deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of our life in such holynesse and rightuousnesse as are acceptable for him And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his vvays Too giue knovvledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God vvherby the day spring from an hye hath visited vs. To giue light too them that sate in darknesse and in the shadovv of death and to guide our feete into the vvay of peace And the child grevv vvexed strong in spirit and vvay in vvildernesse til the day came vvhen he should shevv himselfe vntoo the Israelites The exposition of the Text. ALthough it bée a heathenish Idolatrie too call vppon Sainctes which thing is doone by the Papistes in the feastes of Sainctes yet it is very behoofefull and that for many causes too kéepe still the feasts of some Saincts The first cause is for that it is very profitable that the storie of the Church should bée known For from thence wée may fetche instruction confirmation and comfort The second is for that it is a swéete thing too thinke vppon Gods benefites towards his Church whereby commeth singuler frute too the godly hartes The third is that thanks may bée giuen to God for his benefites towards the members of his Churche The fourth is that by weying throughly the variable chaunces of the Sainctes wée may arme and strengthen our minds ageinst chaunces present and too come which we must needes taste of The fifth is that the Sainctes maye bée as it were samplers vntoo vs of repentance conuersatioÌ„ woorshipping confession constancie patience and other vertues according to which wée may frame our liues The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the felowship of the Saincts These and other weightie causes there bée why wée reteine feastes of Sainctes in the Church Would God that many men abused not the feasts of Saincts and other things too their owne pleasures and madde deuises like as many in the papacie abused chéefly this feast when they halowed it with dauÌ„cing and reueling with méetings of louers with bibbing and tippling al night long and with other more shamfull things which I will not speake of wherin they pleased not God nor the Angels and Saincts but they serued Sathan too the reproch of God and of the Angels and Saincts Thus much bréefly concerning the feasts of Saincts and the right vse of them In this feast I wil entreat of one point only that is too wit the story of Iohn out of which I will build certeine admonishments ¶ Of the Storie of Iohn Baptist. IN the Storie of Iohn Baptist let these circumstances bée weyed His parents his conception his birth his bringing vp his calling his office Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn his death and the things that hapned about his death and after his death Iohn Baptists parents wer Zacharie a préest a holy maÌ„ and of blamelesse life and his moother was Elizabeth a woman far striken in yéeres and of singuler godlinesse Of both these Luke the Euangelist beareth this witnesse in his first chapter They were both perfect before God and walked in al the lawes and ordinances of the Lord that no man could find fault with theÌ„ And they had no child bicause Elizabeth was barren both were well striken in age This description sheweth of what yéeres the parents of Iohn were with what innocentnesse they liued that being now growne in yéeres they were destitute of
of our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs his grace that being confirmed by this miracle wée may in the true feare of God and in faith yéeld true glory too God the father Christ and the holy Ghoste too whom being only the immortall and liuing God bée honour glory and dominion for euer world without end Amen The third Sunday after Epiphany ¶ The Gospell Math. viij WHen hee vvas come dovvne from the Mountaine much people follovved him And behold there came a Lepre and vvorshipped him saying Maister if thou vvilte thou canst make mee cleane And Iesus put foorth his hande and touched him saying I vvil be thou cleane and immediatly his Leprosie vvas clensed And Iesus sayde vntoo him tell no man but goe and shevy thy self too the preest and offer the gyfte that Moses commaunded too bee offered for a vvitnesse vntoo them And vvhen Iesus vvas entred intoo Capernaum there came vntoo him a Centurion and besought him saying Maister my seruant lieth at home sick of the Palsey and is greeuously peyned And Iesus sayde vvhen I come vntoo him I vvill heale him The Centurion aunsvvered and sayde Sir I am not vvorthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe but speake the vvoorde onely and my seruant shall bee healed For I also am a man subiecte too the authoritie of an other and haue souldiers vnder mee and I say too this man goe and hee goeth and too another man come and hee commeth and too my seruant doo this and hee dooth it VVhen Iesus hearde these vvordes hee maruelled and sayde too them that follovved him Verely I say vntoo you I haue not founde so great faith in Israell I say vntoo you that many shall come from the East and VVeast and shall rest vvith Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen but the children of the kingdom shal bee cast out intoo vtter darknesse there shal bee vveeping and gnashing of teeth And Iesus sayd vnto the Centurion Goe thy vvay as thou beleeuest so bee it vntoo thee And his seruant vvas healed in the selfe same houre The exposition of the text THis gospel setteth before our eyes the affectiō of Christ towards mankinde especially towards them that flée too him in heauinesse affliction for looke what he promised in woords saying Come vntoo mée all yée that labor are heauy loden and I wil refresh you and yée shal find rest vntoo your soules the same thing dooth hée shew héer by his déede For after that hée had taught his fathers woord on the mountaine hée came down and fulfilled the thing in woork which he had taught in woord confirming his doctrine with miracles For hée woorketh héere twoo miracles With his woord he healeth the Lepre and by his commaundement hée healeth the sonne of the Centurion absent The vse of these miracles is both too prooue Christe too be the true Messias too witnesse that the self same Christe wil helpe the afflicted that call vppon him as wel as hée helped the Lepre and the Centurion that called vpon him Howbéeit too the intent the present miracles may serue too our better instruction I wil intreat of .iiij. places whiche are these 1 A generall doctrine of all Christes miracles 2 Of the Lepre and of his healing and of the circumstances thereof 3 Of the heathen Centurion of his faith and of his care for his seruaunt 4 The praise of this heathen mans faith ¶ Of the first BIcause the Euangelical storie conteyneth many of Christes miracles wherwith hée manifesteth his glory cōfirmeth his doctrine and encreaseth faith in the hearers I wil bréefly set foorth a general doctrine the vse wherof shal serue in all particuler miracles of Christe Why the Lord addeth miracles too his woord it is tolde in the last Sunday euen héer a litle before I haue repeated it in the beginning How be it too the intent wée may haue the ful doctrine of miracles mo things are too be serched out whiche too enclose within number certein I wil put all vnder these .v. questiōs What the persons bée what the ends bée what is the maner what is the vse and why miracles are not wrought at this day The persones are of thrée sortes first suche as are oppressed with diseases and with the Deuils tirannie Then the beholders of the miracles And lastly Christe that woorketh the miracles The ends are many One is that Christ might shew foorth his owne glory Another that he might seale vp his doctrine the thirde that the faith of them that behelde the miracles might bée confirmed the fourth that God might bée glorified by the sight of his woonderfull woorkes the fifth that by little and little the Diuels kingdome might bée destroyed What miracles so euer are doone for any other ende than these are condemned as sleights of the Deuil Math. 24. The manner is diuers for sometime hée woorketh a miracle by his woorde alone as in this place Another time too the intent too shew the preciousnesse of his body he layeth to his hand One while he turneth him selfe to GOD with giuing of thankes before hande and another while hée woorketh by his onely power without his woord as when he turned the water intoo wine Too the manner also perteyneth the faithe of him that is healed by the miracle as is read in this Gospell Miracles serue too thrée vses That hée that is healed by miracle should sinne no more that the beholders should put their trust in the healer and that wée whiche read of the miracles of the Lorde shoulde bée confirmed in the glorye and doctrine of Christe and therewithall conceiue faith in him that he is none otherwise affected towards vs than he was towards them But why are no miracles wroughte now a dayes Hée is starke blinde that séeth no miracles at these dayes The churche of Christe is a little flocke whiche the Deuill the King of darknesse and Antichriste the Pope doe persecute and bend all their force too this end that they may extinguish the true religion of Christe and yet they can not All the whole worlde persecuted that one poore man Luther and yet they touched not one hear of his hed And why God miraculously defended bothe him and also his little flocke This presence of God in his churche is miraculous inough so that wée néede not too séeke other miracles Moreouer miracles and the power of healing mens bodies and the visible giuings of the holy ghost were bestowed onely vpon the primitiue churche too the intent they might confirme Christes glorie his doctrine our faith for euermore in all that should come after The vse of which too vs ward is that wée may know they were certein seales of ful authoritie wherwith God would haue his doctrine confirmed and sealed for euer ¶ Of the second IN the Lepre that is healed ▪ let six things be considered his infirmitie the state of his person his faith his inuocation his pacience and his confession The infirmitie of the