Saynt Ambrose agreyng hervnto sayth that the redemption of Christes bloude were very vyle yf iustification whych is done by grace shuld be due to the merites goynge before so that it shuld be not the gyfte of the gyuer but the reward of the worker Also Ierome wrytynge vpon the epistle to the Galathians sayeth Ierome None is saued by the lawe but we be all saued by fayth Austine Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys saynge Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse froÌ„ the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes but by the selfe lawe of fayth But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours All the prophetes as Peter here sayeth Christe hymselfe all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out all the auncient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy expositours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes It foloweth in the texte Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed c. Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the .xv. Chapter of Mathew I am not sent but to the lost shepe of the house of Israel Howbeit the callynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym Actu x. And therfore he began hys sermoÌ„ on thys wyse Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost and herde them speke wyth tonges magnifyed God Here ye shal also marke ☜ that thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of the holy goost the Apostles and other were so indowed that they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions is now ceased but in the meane season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease It foloweth in the texte Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost aswell as we Here ye se manyfestly good people that the Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were replenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were outwardly baptysed wyth the water for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde For baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes What is baptisme but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the noÌ„ber of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Ierome suê‘ Esa Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth maÌ„ only gyueth the water but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye and the synnes of bloude purged The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians sayeth in thys wyse Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ be not baptised in Christe For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ Yf a maÌ„ taketh only thys corporall washyng of water which is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ For albeit SimoÌ„ Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued the washing of water yet bycause he had not the holy gooste he was not baptised in Christ Wherfore as I declared vnto you on the AsceÌ„sioÌ„ day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstaÌ„d that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of infauntes or babes For they as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr infauncy to dye by the fayth of the catholyke church And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Anabaptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion For no doubte the promyse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or infauntes But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sacramentes And here vpon do all lerned men agre Now therfore good christen people syth your baptisme woll not serue you wythout faythe no nor all the workes ye can do I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of youre synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal enter into your hartes make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe to worke wel to the glorye of God and helth of your soules eternally Amen The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost The .iij. chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ The moost comfortable glad tydynges of Christ is here wonderfully well described IEsus spake vnto a ruler amonge the pharises God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perysh but haue euerlastynge lyfe For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And thys is the condempnacion that light is come into the worlde and meÌ„ loued darkenes more thaÌ„ lyght bycause theyr dedes were euell For euery one that euell doeth hateth the lyght neyther commeth to the lyght lest hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth trouth commeth to the lyght that hys dedes may be knowen how that they are wrought in God THe Gospell of thys daye good people is in very dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges For in fewe wordes it declareth vnto vs the summe of the Christen mans religion Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus Thus he sayeth God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer beleueth in hym shulde
this maner thou muste offer thy gyfte to the aultare wyth a good mynde and glad harte and not grudgyngly For els all is nought that thou doest For where the spirite of god is there is lybertie So that we muste do all thynges that God commaundeth vs to do frely wyth a good mynde and a louynge harte Christ sayeth yf thou offerest thy gyft Here therfore thou muste consyder fyrste and knowe whether it be thyne or no for yf it be not thyne brynge none Surely as longe as thou gettest thy goodes wyth true laboure and wyth no deceyte nor breakyng goddes cōmaundementes yf the poore man hath no nede of thy goodes so longe it is thyne owne and thou mayest offer it But yf thou kepest it awaye from the poore man whā he nedeth it or gettest it by any false meanes deceyuynge the people than it is not thine but thou arte a thefe and doest steale it Therfore then offer none but restore it agayne for yf thou offerest it it is in vayne and God abhorreth both the and thyne offerynge But as touchynge thy tythes and such offerynges as the lawe compelleth the to paye vnto thy curate Tythes ought to be payde truly surely thou arte bounde faythfully and truly to pay them Thou mayest not take from the prestes duetye and gyue it to the poore for then thou art a thefe and thou robbest Peter to paye Paule Gyue therfore to euery one that whyche is hys Gyue to thy kynge hys duetye to thy poore nedye brother that whych charitie wylleth the to gyue and paye thy curate hys duetye yea though he be neuer so naughty of lyuynge thoughe he be viciouse proude ambiciouse and though he lyue neuer so gloriously and voluptuously Peraduenture thou wylt saye Why shall I paye my tythes and offerynges to such a curate to maynteyne hys vngracious lyuynge Yea forsoth Why For the church hath so decreed and the lawes hathe ordeyned and commaunded Therfore paye him his duetye wyth a good wyl and no doute thou art discharged towardes God But he for receyuynge and spendynge it on that maner is a stronge thefe and shal be hanged in hell for it yf he make not amēdes In dede yf thou gyuest to suche a curate more then hys dutye ☞ then thou mayest be a maynteyner of his euyll lyuinge and naughtynes But yf he be a good curate doynge hys duetye preachyng to hys paryshners the worde of God gyuing them exēple of good lyuynge and teachyng them Christes rule that they may knowe it and folow it forsoth to such one thou canst not gyue to much Why For thou shalte be sure to haue it agayne whan so euer thou shalt haue nede of it For such a charitable man woll surely not se the poore man wante Thus my frendes I haue declared vnto you the true ryghtuousnes that Christ requyreth of vs. Ye be here taught to mortifye the affections of the harte Yf ye do thys ye shall shewe youre selues to be in dede ryght and perfyte christen people the chyldren of saluacion and the enheritours of the kyngdome of God To whome be honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to good workes BRethren I wyll speake grosly because of the infirmitie of youre fleshe As ye haue gyuen your members seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie frō one iniquitie to an other euen so nowe gyue ouer youre members seruauntes vnto ryghteousnes that ye maye be sanctified For when ye were the seruauntes of synne ye were not vnder ryghteousnes What frute hadde ye than in those thinges wherof ye are nowe ashamed For th ende of those thynges is deathe But nowe are ye delyuered from synne and made the seruaūtes of god and haue your frute to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng lyfe For the rewarde of synne is deathe but eternall lyfe is the gyfte of god thorough Iesus Christe our Lorde IN thys lesson good christen people thapostle S. Paule exhorteth the Romaynes and in them vs al that now syth by the benefyte of Christes redemption we be made fre frō the condempnation of synne and be iustifyed and reconciled to God the father of heauen by the mediacion of Christes bloude which was shed on the aultare of the crosse for our transgressions and offenses we woll gyue our selues to good and vertuouse lyuynge For albeit sayeth S. Paule ye be enfraunchysed and made fre frō synne and as who shulde saye manumissed as bondmen be wonte yet ye be not so vtterly fre but ye be styl in bondage and seruitude to ryghtuousnes that is to saye to good lyuynge and honest conuersacion So ye be free and not free free from synne but bonde to ryghteousnes and good lyuynge I speake grossely and after an humane fashion sayeth Paule to call you the bondmen and seruauntes of ryghtuousnes But to thys impropre and homelye maner of speakynge I am dryuē bycause of the weaknes of your fleshe humanū I am I saye fayne to applye frame my wordes accordynge to your capacitie vnderstandynge I knowe ryght wel the infirmitie and the weaknes of your fleshe whych as yet is not come to the perfection no nor can not come to the ful perfection so lōge as ye be in thys mortall and frayle lyfe Yea our sauiour Christ hymselfe a lytle before hys departure out of thys worlde complayned of the infirmitie of the fleshe Wherfore my frendes lyke as before ye receyued the Gospell of Christ ye haue frely and volūtarely giuen and exhibited your membres as slaues and bonde to serue all naughtynes all vnclennes wyckednes and that from one wyckednes to an ather euery one worse then other So now where as ye be vnder grace and become christen persons and haue receyued Christes Gospell I exhorte you that ye woll an other whyle serue ryghtuousnes that is to saye that wyth all your myght and force ye woll studye and applye your selues to vertue honest conuersation and good lyuyng Yf ye do thys vndoubtedly ye shal be sanctifyed and made holy in goddes syght whyle through the worke and operation of the holy goost new motions be created in you whyche after a certayne maner shall answere to the lawe satisfye the same though in great infirmitie weakenes makynge you wyth your harte to loue God euen of a good conscience and fayth vnfeyned For so longe as ye were in your former state and knewe not Christe but lyued in ydolatrye and blyndnes of harte seruynge synne ye were as fremen to ryghtuousnes that is to saye ye serued her not ye hadde no iustice no ryghtuousnes in you ye were not vnder her power and dominion I praye you then my frendes what profyte frute and commoditie toke ye at that tyme of your louse and fre lyuynge I meane of your synne whych ye cōmonly then haūted wherof now that ye be in the state of grace and haue receyued the tytle
of thys Gospel let vs fyrst seke for our soule helth and foode as we se the people dyd here and doubt we no thynge but God wyll prouyde well ynough for our bodely foode Let vs not do as the Romane citizens dyd whych fyrst sought for money and then for vertue but let vs fyrst seke for vertue and for the kingdome of God and then wythout muche sekynge the rest shal be aboundauntly gyuē vs. Let vs not trust to much to our owne carnall reason as the Apostles dyd here but let vs thynke nothynge impossible to God yea let vs be ful assured that he wol helpe whā he seeth best hys tyme beynge throughly persuaded that all thynges come by the large blessynge of god To whome be all glorye Amen The Epistle on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the mortification of the fleshe BRethren we are detters not to the fleshe to lyue after the fleshe For yf ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye thorowe the spirite do mortifie the dedes of the body ye shall lyue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare eny moare but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of god Yf we be sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres ānexed wyth Christ yf so be that we suffer wyth hym that we maye be also glorified together wyth hym FYrst in thys Epistle we be taught good christen people We ought to mortifie our lustes that after we be ones grafted by the sacrament of baptysme into the holy communion of christen persons and thervpon through the intercession and merytes of Christes most holy bloude shed for vs be iustyfyed and reconcyled to the father of Heauen we ought nowe not to lyue accordynge to the lust of the flesshe but vtterly to mortyfye the dedes of the same and to do the workes of the spirite that is to say not fleshly workes but spirituall workes honest vertuous and charitable workes the stypende and reward wherof is euerlastyng lyfe wheras the rewarde of them that do otherwyse and that lyue after the fleshe is death without ende And here the Apostle Paule setteth before our eyes aswell the promyses as the thretnynges terrours wherwith he frayth vs away from carnall workes and exhorteth vs to the mortyfycacion of the flesshe and vnto ghostly workes whiche be semynge for christen men to vse To the carnal workes he yeldeth for rewarde death and consequently eternal damnacyon To spirituall and good worckes in place of rewarde he ascrybeth lyfe wherein the godly parsons do here in this worlde lyue holyly and after this worlde shall enioye eternall lyfe Secondly we be here taught by S. Paule that yf we be right Christiās I meane yf we lyue not after the fleshe but after the spirite and christianly we be sure to be the sons and chyldren of God And on the contrary syde yf we lyue otherwyse we be vndoubtedly the chyldren of Satā Two spirites And forasmuch as there be two sortes of spirites the spirite of feare or bondage and the spirite of adoptyon wherof the fyrste pertayneth to wycked persons and the other pertayneth to the good and godly persons therfore ye shal vnderstande that they whiche haue the spirite of bōdage do all that they do coactly and not of a fre hert these be the chyldren of the law or letter and be mere hypocrytes But they whiche do good workes euen of a fre hert and not as cōpelled by feare of the lawe but euen of loue these be the ryght chyldren of god these be the true christians these haue the harte and the grace in all their necessities to crye to God theyr father and to call hym Abba father and to aske of him with certayne and sure fayth all that they want whiche is necessarye for them to haue These haue peace of conscyence wherby they beynge iustyfyed and led of the spirite of god be throughly persuaded in their conscience that by the merites of Christ they haue God their mercyfull Lorde and father whiche wyll bothe helpe them and here them in theyr nede Of this peace speaketh S. Paule in the .v. Chapter of the Romaynes saying Nowe then that we be iustyfyed by fayth we haue peace towardes God by our Lord Iesu Christ But of the seruyle feare wherwith all hypocrites no true christians by indowed saynt Iohn wryteth in this wise i. Io. iiij feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth forthe feare because feare hath torment The office of the holy goost Thyrdly we be here taught what is the moste propre offyce of the holy ghost that is to say to certyfye vs of our enheritaunce whiche we receyue in Chryst Iesu With this confyrmacyon of the holy Ghoste were all sayntes and holy men sealed euen as many as constantly stode and persisted in the confession of Christe and whiche at this daye do persyst And for this cause dothe the Apostle oftentymes wyshe and desyre to suche as he wrote the strengthnyng of the holy ghost Eph. iij as to the Ephesians where he sayth For thys thynge do I bowe my knees that ye maye be strengthened by hys holy spirite And of thys office or propertie whych the holy goost hath Ephe. iij. cor i. he is oftentymes called the ernest the pledge the gage the seale or certificate Fynally we be here instructed the way of glorifyenge vs. that albeit we surelye knowe we be the heyres of God and felowe heyres with Christ yet neuertheles it behoueth vs to be glorifyed by tamynge and mortifyenge of oure lustes by pacient suffrynge of tribulation and displeasures as the apostle sayeth here Heyres wyth Christe yf so be we suffre wyth hym that we may also be glorifyed wyth hym Wherfore my frendes yf we couet to be of the saued nombre let vs accordynge to S. Paules exhortacion kyll the lustes of oure fleshe to thyntent we maye lyue and walke spiritually Then in all oure nedes we shall as louynge chyldren be bolde to call to our moost tender and kynde father for succoure Then shall we be certifyed by the holy goost that we be the sonnes and heyres of God and ioynt neyres wyth Christ wyth whome yf we suffre wyth hym we shall also be glorifyed To whome be honoure and glorye per infinita secula Amen The Gospell on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vij. chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Signes wherby to discerne false teachers IEsus sayd vnto hys dysciples Beware of false prophetes whyche come to you in shepes clothynge but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Ye shall knowe them by theyr frutes Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euery good tre bringeth forth good
veritie All that herde hym speake and preach were astonnyed vpon hys doctrine For he taught them not after the fashion of the scribes and pharisees whych neuertheles were the greate doctours learned men of the lawe but as one hauynge a wonderfull grace and authoritie Yea euen his very enemyes were cōpelled to testifie of hym that he taught the waye of God in trouth as appeareth in the .xxij. chapter of Matheu Neyther dyd Christ only teach hys shepe that is to saye those that folowed hym lyke shepe that were well nere lost but he also healed them bestowynge euen hys very lyfe for them For I praye you dyd he not dye for our synnes Was it not he only which with his bloude wasshed awaye the fylthynes of oure synnes Yea doubtles But who be these hyrelynges whyche whan they se the wolfe come to deuoure the shepe they rūne theyr waye Surely these be those whych preach the worde and that also purely and syncerely but they prech it for lucre for honoure for glorye or for the belyes sake These I saye be no true herdmen but hyrelynges for these dryue not awaye the rauenous wolues that is to saye the deuyll and hys lymmes I meane the Antichristes whych persecute deuoure Christes flocke but as soone as persecution trouble for the worde commeth Ier. xxiij anone they are gone Of these do the prophete Ieremy speake sayenge Wo be vnto the shepeherders that destroye and skatter my flocke I wyll therfore vysite the wyckednes of theyr ymaginations It is true that the Apostle wryteth Episcopatus quid sit Qui episcopatū desiderat bonū opus concupiscit that is to saye He that desyreth an ouersyght or a cure ouer a flocke whych after the greke worde is called a byshoprych coueteth a good worke Lo sayeth saynt Ierome wrytynge to Oceanus the Apostle calleth a byshopryke a worke and not a dignitie Saynt Hierom a laboure and not a deyntenes a worke wherby through humilitie he muste be lowly not to swelle in pryde For a byshop or curate must be fautles sobre full of good doctrine not gyuen to foule and fylthy gaynes but meke diligent full of charitie accordynge to thexemple of Christ the hygh and supreme shepeherde of all and the shepeherde of shepeherdes whych as thys Gospell sayeth gaue hys owne lyfe for the sauegarde and health of hys shepe that is to saye of all vs that folowe and beleue on hym Wherfore my brethren and systers to conclude how happy be we for to haue suche a herdman for to know to loue to folowe to heare hys swete voyce that gyueth lyfe to heare hys doctrine to be refectioned fedde wyth the meate whyche gyueth euerlastynge lyfe to haue wysedome and myght that surmoūteth the worlde by the sayd our herdmen lyghtenyng vs in hym by fayth drawynge vs to hym by hope inflamynge vs by charitie Vnto hym therfore be glorye in all the nations wythin the compasse of the erth for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .iij. sonday after Ester The fyrst epistle of saynt Peter the .ij. Chapter Th argument ☞ Peter exhorteth to laye asyde all vyce to absteyne from fleshly lustes and to obeye worldlye rulers DEarely beloued brethrē I besech you as straūgers and pylgrems abstayne frō fleshly lustes Gala. v. which fyght agaynste the soule Ro. xiij and se that ye haue honest conuersaciō among the Gentils that where as they backbyte you as euyll doars they maye se your good workes Mat. v. and prayse God in the daye of visitation Submytte youre selues therfore vnto al maner ordinaūce of man for the Lordes sake Ro. xiij Tit. iij. whether it be vnto the Kynge as vnto the chiefe heed other vnto rulars as vnto thē that are sent of hym for the punyshemēt of euyl doars but for the laud of them that do well For so is the wyll of God that wyth well doynge ye maye stoppe the mouthes of folysh and ignoraunte men as fre and not as hauyng the libertye for a cloke of maliciousnes but euen as the seruaūtes of God Honoure al men Ro. xij Loue brotherly feloshyp Feare God honoure the Kynge Seruauntes obey your masters wyth feare not onely yf they be good and courteous but also thoughe they be frowarde For it cometh of grace in Christ Iesus our Lorde THys Epistle good christian brethern systers is very excellent and notable For in it is handeled the second part of Christianitie that is to wit how in thys liefe after we haue ones receyued and taken the euangell or glad tydynges of oure saluation whych thyng we call commonly in englyshe a gospell we ought to lyue In the processe that goeth before thys epistle saynt Peter taught and shewed the other parte of Christianitie whych is of fayth and howe we ought to beleue the gospell and also how we be edified and buylded vpon Christ the corner stone wheras before that tyme we were the chyldren of vengaunce and as abiectes and castawayes in gods syght but nowe we be made the chyldren of God by Christ Whyche treasure truly saynt Peter doth extolle and lyfte vp wyth prayses aboue measure so that it were well with vs if after the knowlege of so greate ryches we myght be lycenced forth with to departe out of thys miserable lyfe But forasmoch as we dye not by and by after the receyuing of so greate commodities felicities therfore nowe doth saynt Peter teache vs how and by what meanes we shuld lyue here in erth that we dye not eternally For Satan our mortal ennemy neuer slepeth but euer watcheth that he maye eyther quite and cleane plucke vs frome gods worde or at lest waye that he myght wery vs and make vs slauthful and negligent in doyng of good workes For assuredly it commethe so commenly to passe that forthwyth when we heare by the preachyng of the gospell that we be set at peax wyth God iustified in hys syght by only faith in him then noman wil do any longer any goodnes at al whych thynge no doubte chaunced euen in saynt Peters tyme. The occasion of thys epistle By reason wherof he toke occasion to wryte these thynges concernyng the institution of the christian liefe As though this holy Apostle Peter wold say Good brethern syth ye haue now receyued the gospell and syth ye be iustified by fayth in Christ now it shal be very good and necessarie for you to goo about to redresse your maner of lyuing and to absteyne from carnal and flesshely desires and lustes But it is an horrible thyng to be spoken that fleshly disires and lustes do not cease no not in the iustified persons Yea we se by daily experience that then more and more carnall desires do breake forth not bicause this faulte commeth by the gospel ☜ as many ennemyes of the Gospell and papystes blasphemously do allege but bycause Satan is the ennemy of the gospel and of the iustice
saye He ascended vp on hygh he led captiuitie captiue he gaue gyftes to men Fynally ye shall marke that our Sauiour Christe at hys departure from hys disciples whan he moūted vp to heauen comforted them by hys angels surely promysynge them that euen suche one as they sawe hym ascendyng now vp to heuē they shulde in the last daye se agayne at whych tyme vndoubtedly he shall rendre to euery man hys rewarde according to hys dedes They which haue done wyckedly and wolde not beleue shal be condemned into hell fyre where shal be wepynge and gnashynge of teth But they that haue beleued on Christ Iesu wyth worthy dedes haue expressed and declared theyr fayth to the worlde they shal inherite the kyngdom of heuen and shall entre into the ioye whych the father of heauen hath prepared for them To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be glorye and laude in infinita secula Amen The Gospell on Ascension daye The xvi chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ Of the commission that Christe gaue to hys Apostles to preach hys gospell through out the hole worlde And howe Christe ascended vp to heauen AFter thys Iesus appeared agayne vnto the eleleuē as they sat at meat and cast in theyr teeth theyr vnbelefe and hardnes of harte because they beleued not them whych had sene that he was rysen agayne frō the deade And he sayd vnto them Go ye into all the worlde and preach the Gospell to al creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued He that beleueth not shal be damned And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shal cast out deuels they shal speake wyth new tonges they shall dryue awaye serpētes And yf they drynke any deadly thynge it shal not hurte them They shall laye theyr handes on the sycke and they shall recouer So then whan the Lorde had spoken vnto them he was receaued into heauē and is on the ryght hande of God And they wente forth and preached euery where the Lorde workynge wyth them and confirmynge the worde wyth myracles folowynge THe Christian mans lyfe in thys present Gospel good people is set before our eyes For fayth and charitie are here propouned vnto vs as in all the rest of the gospels Wherfore syth the Gospell bryngeth euer these two wyth it we ought also continually to preache and entreate of them For he sayeth who so beleueth and be baptised shal be saued which thynges we shall now in order peruse and consyder Fyrst of all Christ vpbraydeth in thys Gospell hys Apostles of theyr faynte beleue and hardenes of harte and consequently blameth them declaryng what they wanted and yet he reiecteth them not neyther is moued rygorously and hastely agaynst them but he gently blameth them none other wise than yf one of vs wolde saye to an other Incredulitie Arte thou not ashamed to do the thynge thou goest about speakynge after thys sorte to brynge hym to knowe hymselfe to make hym ashamed that he may leaue of his euel enterpryse or worke and yet we reiecte hym not nor hate hym nor yet plucke our loue from hym Neyther was it a lyghte matter why the Lorde rebuked hys disciples ☜ for surely infidelitie or lacke of beleue is of all synnes that can be named the greatest And he expresseth vnto them the maner of theyr mysbeleue whan he sayeth that theyr hartes were hardened and yet notwythstandynge he handleth them gently and myldely All these thynges were done to our comforte and consolation that we shulde not be discoraged though we be any thynge fautye in oure fayth as yf we doute stomble or fall but rather that we shuld quyckly ryse agayne establysh oure fayth and runne to God takynge trust affiaunce at hym and constantly also retainynge it namely syth he deleth wyth vs not accordynge to rygoure but can wynke at our falles infirmities And he that reputeth hym to be such shall also fynde hym such one I saye yf he can take hym for a mercyfull God he wyll suffer hymselfe to be founde such one he woll so declare hymselfe towardes hym Contrary wyse an euell conscience and an vnfaythfull harte doth not so he beareth no such affiaunce towardes God but flyeth from hym reputynge hym a sore rygorouse iudge and therfore also fynde hym such one The same we must also do wyth our neyghbours Yf we se any swarue frō the fayth he is not to be beloued in hys malyce but we ought to reproue and laye hys faute and shrynkynge before hys eyes but yet not after such sorte that we shulde hate hym or be agaynst hym or turne our frendshyp and loue from him Gal. vi For thus sayeth saynt Paule Brethren although a man be founde in any faute ☞ you that be spiritual redresse such a person wyth the spirite of mekenes But the moost holy father or god rather the bishop of Rome whych wol be called Pope hys byshops hys prestes hys monkes hys chanons hys freers and hys nonnes can not abyde whan that they be founde in any notable cryme to be reproued For what so euer euel do chaunce they pretende and allege for them that it come not through theyr faute but through the faute of theyr subiectes Euell ought to be punyshed Theyr subiectes and suche as be vnder theyr obedience shal be cruelly and roughlye handled Summa summarum any iniury and wyckednes ought to be punyshed but loue and veritie must be kept towardes euery man Neyther oughte we to suffer our mouth to be stopped For none of vs all shall so lyue as longe as we be in thys fleshe that we can be founde on euery parte blameles But I am fauty in thys thynge and an other in that Namelye sythe it is ryghte manifest to all men that euen thapostles themselues lacked that whych was chyfe and the hyghest poynt of al where as notwithstandynge they were the corner stones and the rockes of foundacion Yea and the best and the most excellent part of christendome No man yet thynketh that thapostles were vtterly and all together infideles For they beleued the thynges that were wrytten in the law and in the prophetes albeit they had not yet the full perfection of fayth Fayth was in them and it was not in them Fayth therfore is a thynge whych alwayes groweth bygger and bygger accordynge to the parable of the mustarde sede So the Apostles were not vtterly voyde and destitute of fayth for they had a parte of it For it is wyth fayth as it is wyth a man that is sycke and begynneth by lytle and lytle to crepe vp waxe stronge The lord than expresseth and declareth to hys apostles where in they beleued not and what they wanted whyche doubtles was that they perfytly beleued not his resurrection For albeit they beleued all the rest yet in thys behalfe they remayned infideles For happely they beleued also thys that God wolde be mercyfull vnto them but yet
in Christ So doynge no doubte the holy goost shal come and dwell wythin you and declare and open vnto you all trouthe necessary to your soules helth to the extirpacion of all wycked doctrine and auauncement of gods glorye Vnto whome be all honoure and prayse worlde wythout ende Amen The gospell on Wytsondaye The xiiij chapter of Ihon. Th argument ☞ Of the worde of Christe and of the holy goost IEsus sayd vnto hys disciples Yf a man loue me he wyl kepe my saynges and my father wyl loue him and we wyl come vnto him ād dwel with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayenges And the word which ye heare is not myne but the fathers whych sent me These thynges haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present wyth you But the comforter which is the holy goost whome my father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thynges and brynge all thynges to your remembraūce what so euer I haue sayd vnto you Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue you Not as the worlde gyueth gyue I vnto you Let not your hertes be greued neyther feare Ye haue herde howe I sayd vnto you I go and come agayne vnto you Yf ye loued me ye wolde verely reioyse bycause I sayd I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I. And now haue I shewed it you before it come that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the prince of thys worlde commeth and hath nought in me But that the worlde maye know that I loue the father And as the father gaue me cōmaūdement euen so do I. BEfore we touch the gospell my brethrē we shal speake somwhat of this dayes feast The original begynning of Pētecost This feast whych they call Pentecost began in thys wyse Whan God shulde leade the Israelites out of Egypte the nyght before he ordeyned Passeouer which we call Ester to be solemnised and cōmaunded that euery yeare about that tyme that daye shulde be kepte holydaye for a memory of theyr departure out of Egypte And from that daye afterwarde for the space of fyfty dayes they walked in the wyldernes tyll at last they came to the moūt Sinay where by Moses the lawe was gyuen them of God For thys cause they kept that solempne holydaye whyche we call in Greke Pentecost that is to saye the fyftye daye and in Englysh Wytsonday Now therfore fyfty dayes from Ester beynge accomplyshed and the memory of the lawe whych god had promulgate to the people in the mounte Sinay fulfylled the holy goost came and gaue an other lawe Nowe therfore thys day is celebrate of vs not because of the olde facte but because of the newe I meane of the sēndyng of the holy ghost So we declare a certayne difference betwene oure Pentecoste and the Iues Pentecost Fyrste the Iues kept this daye bycause the lawe wrytten was then gyuen vnto them But we oughte to celebrate oure Pencecoste bycause the lawe of God was then spiritually delyuered vnto vs. For the better vnderstandynge hereof ij co iij and iiij Saynte Paule is to be broughte forth whiche also putteth the same difference wher he speaketh of two maner prechynges And as there be two maner preachynges so be there two sortes of people First was the lawe wryten which God commaunded and comprised in lettres and therfore it is called the lawe of the lettre bycause it remayneth in lettres and entreth not in the brest neyther do any workes folowe it saue hypocritical and constreyned workes and therfore the people also remayne styll but lyterall and fleshly And bycause it was comprysed onlye in lettres and was all togyther in deade wrytynge it kylled and made a dead people for the hart was dead bycause it dyd not of the owne accorde the commaundement of god For yf euery man shuld be lefte to his owne wyll to do what hym lusteth wythout all feare of punyshement there shulde be founde none but wolde rather be fre and louse from the law then bounde therto For thus he naturally thinketh Lo God wyll surely punyshe me yea and dryue me into hel onles I kepe his commaundementes Thā nature feleth it selfe vnwyllynge and to do them with no maner loue or delectation wherfore man is forth wyth made enemye to god by reason of the penaltye when he fealeth hymselfe a synner and that he walketh not ryghtly before God so that he wold rather that there were no God Thys bytternes is infixed in the harte agaynst God thoughe nature goeth about neuer so much to garnysh her selfe wyth fayre workes It appeareth therfore how that the lawe cōprysed in scripture and letters doth iustifye noman nor yet can entre into the harte The law spritual The other lawe is spirituall whyche is wrytten not with penne or ynke nor is declared wyth the mouth after the fashiō as Moses wrought the mater in tables of stone but lyke as we se in thys story The holy goost commeth downe from heauen and fylleth them all together makynge them to haue clouen fyry tonges and to preache frankely and frely farre otherwyse then it was done before so that al the people was astonnyed thereat and wondered The holy gooste I saye commeth and replenisheth the harte he chaungeth the man whych loueth God and doth gladly all that euer is acceptable vnto hym Wherfore al thynges be there lyuely quycke is the vnderstandynge the eye the mynde and the harte whyche brenneth and is rapte wyth the desyre of all goodnes And thys is the true difference betwene the lawe comprysed in letters and the spirituall lawe here is it sene whych be the workes of God Wherfore here is al the crafte set to discerne and preach ryghtly of the holy goost Heretofore men haue preached of hym that he bryngeth to passe and prompteth all thynges what so euer eyther the counsayles decerne or the B. of Rome in hys canonical law cōmaūdeth where as neuertheles al those thynges be only externe and outwarde whych he ordeneth or gouerneth Wherfore thys order of thynges is clene ouertwharte and preposterous in that they make of the workes of the holy goost a lettered and a dead lawe where it ought to be spiritual and lyuely so there is made of it a Mosaicall and humane tradition The cause is that they know not what the holy goost is wherūto he was gyuē or what hys feate office is Let vs learne then and consyder wel what he is to thintent hys offyce maye be discerned The office of the holy goost In the epistle of thys daye it is shewed howe the holy goost is sent downe from aboue and fylleth the disciples whych before sat in heuynes feare he cleueth theyr tonges he kyndleth he enflameth them that they myght take strength of harte and frely preache the Gospell without feare of any man Here thou seest it is not the offyce of the
holy ghoost to make bokes to enacte lawes but that he is suche a God that only wryteth the thynge in the harte that kyndleth it that createth a new mynde makynge man to reioyse before god and to be rauished with a new loue toward hym consequently with glad mynde to do hys dutye and seruice to all men franckly After thys sort the partes of the holy ghost be ryghtly preached he that paynteth them otherwise beleue him not For where he commeth thus thou seest he taketh awaye the letter and maketh men fre from synne and from the compulsion of the lawe so that he raynynge in theyr brest maketh thē in whome he is resident to do wythout compulsion all that the lawe cōmaundeth But thou wylt aske wherby he bryngeth to passe what thynge he vseth thus to chaūge and renue the hart Surely by that he sheweth and preacheth of Iesus Christ as Christ hymselfe in the .xv. chap. of Ihon sayeth whan the comforter cōmeth whome I shall sende you from my father I meane the spirite of trouth whych procedeth from the father he shal beare wytnes of me Nowe oftentymes ye haue herde that the gospel or Euangel is the thynge whych god suffreth to be preached in the worlde and to be tolde to euery man that is to wyt that none can be iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe but rather that a worse thinge come therby and therfore he sente downe hys moost deare sonne to dye and to shede hys bloud for vs bycause we of our owne powers coulde not rubbe out the spotte of synne nor be delyuered from it But to the preachynge hereof another thynge yet is requyred euen the holy goost whome God must sende He printeth in the harte thys sermon and preachyng to make it fixed and roted in it for it is moost sure and certayne that Christe hath done all thys geare he hath taken awaye oure synne and ouercōmen all that by hym we myght raigne ouer al and euen here in one heape is all the treasure hurded Thys treasure we can not get onles the holy goost be gyuen vs whych maye put in oure hartes and myndes to beleue and saye ☜ And I also am of the nombre of them to whō so greate treasure doth belonge When we haue ones felte thys that God hath thus holpen vs and bestowed vpon vs so great treasure then the mater goeth well forwarde neyther can it otherwise be but mans mynde must be rauyshed wyth a pleasure towardes God and lyfte vp hymselfe saye Oh good father if thys thy wyll be that thou haste shewed so great loue and suche excedynge kyndnes towardes me I must nedes agayne loue the wyth my hole hart and reioise and gladly do what so euer thy pleasure is Then the harte is nomore waywarde nor croked in the meditacion of God it thynketh not to be dryuen downe to hell of hym as before the cōmynge of the holy goost it thought when it felte no goodnes no loue no fydelitie but styll a pace the wrathe and indignacion of God Now therfore whyle the holy goost prynteth into the christen mās harte howe he hath God hys mercyfull and graciouse Lorde it is a pleasure for hym for Gods sake boldly to execute and suffre any maner of thynge After thys wyse thou shalt learne to knowe the holy goost and hys office whych is to distribute the great treasure Christ and al that in hym is whych is gyuen and declared vnto vs by the Gospell to thintent thou mayest put hym into thy harte to make hym thyne owne good Hytherto I haue declared vnto you the hystorie of the holy goost Now what we shall do in it we shall knowe further in the gospell Thus sayeth Christ Yf a man loue me he woll kepe my saynge and my father shall loue hym Lo good people here ye maye se as I haue often tymes preached vnto you that the frute of fayth is charitie Charite is the frute of fayth whych thynge can not be denyed For charitie or loue perfourmeth and doeth euen of the owne accorde all that euer scripture cōmaūdeth And thys doth saynt Paule declare Gal. v. He that loueth his neyghboure hath fulfylled the lawe Wherfore they that haue not fayth and charitie do not fulfyll the lawe albeit they seme in outwarde appearaunce to perfourme all the workes of the lawe The worde whych Christ preacheth he sayeth is not hys worde but hys fathers worde declarynge herby that nothyng ought to be added nor taken awaye from it And these thynges sayeth Christe concernynge aswell your loue towardes me as the kepynge of my word haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present dwellynge amonges you But that same comforter of whome I haue made so muche mencion vnto you I meane the holy goost whose feate and offyce shal be to sanctifye lyghten you vnto all trouth which holy goost my father shall sende in my name that is to saye for my cause he shall teach you altogether shall put you in remembraunce of all that euer ye haue herde of me A question Thou wolt saye vnto me Why knewe not the disciples all before whyche were so longe tyme wyth Christ I answere that the disciples ought nedes to haue bene taught by the holy goost for wythout hym they were yet imperfecte and carnall for they vnderstode neyther Christes glorificacion by the crosse nor yet hys raygne or kyngdome Wherfore they neded the holy goostes teachynge that is to saye ☜ hys sanctifyenge and makynge the thynges lyuely in them whych they had lerned of Christ For the disciples were as yet but litera they perceyued not the thynges that were of the spirite of God and therfore they neded the holy goost to quycken them accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule The letter sleeth but the spirite quickeneth Ye may not then vnderstande by thys worde teach that the holy goost shal set abroch a new doctrine that Christ had not taught before docebit but ye must vnderstande by it that the holy goost shall interprete the doctrine already taught by Christ and declare it to the spirituall vnderstandynge And therfore Christ expouneth hymselfe and sayeth he shall put you in remēbraūce of al the thynges that I haue shewed you So that ye can not gather herby that the holy goost shall adde any thynge to Christes doctrine as the wycked papistes do wyckedly gather It foloweth Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue vnto you not as the world gyueth gyue I vnto you c. My frendes what is Christes peace The peace of Christ Surely to be short it is nothynge els but the quyet and tranquilitie of conscience Thys peace the worlde can not gyue mans traditions can not gyue mās owne voluntary workes can not gyue no mōkery no pylgrimage no popysh pardons no pardon beades no relyques brefly no fleshly thynge can gyue thys peace of conscience It is only Christe that can gyue vs thys peace
them tell it vnto the congregacion Yf he heare not the congregacion let hym be vnto the as an hethen mā as a publicane Lo good frendes here ye be taught by Christe to be tender harted or mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the father in heauen not to iudge not to cōdemne but to remytte all to God and to gods minister the temporall ruler we be taughte to be perfyte and not to be captiouse but gently to wynke at the small offenses of our brethrē These be the preceptes of our Sauiour Christ wherby a christian mā shal be knowen Wherfore let vs earnestly imbrase them execute them in our lyuynge So doynge we shall declare our selues that we be in dede the chyldren of the father in heauen whose properties we folowe To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be all glorye in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle of S. Peter the .iij. chapter Th argument BRethren be ye all of one mynde of one harte loue as brethrē be pytiful be courteous meke not rendrynge euell for euel or rebuke for rebuke but cōtrary wyse blesse knowing that ye are there vnto called euē that ye shuld be heyres of the blessynge For he that doth lōge after lyfe and loueth to se good dayes let hym refrayne hys tonge from euell and hys lyppes that they speke not gyle Let hym eschue euell and do good let him seke peace and ensue it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghtuous and hys eares are open vnto theyr prayers Agayne the face of the Lorde is ouer them that do euell Moreouer who is it that wyll harme you yf ye folowe that whych is good Yea happy are ye yf any trouble happen vnto you for ryghtuousnes sake Be not ye afraied for any terroure of thē nether be ye troubled but sanctifye the Lorde God in your hartes IN thys Epistle good people thapostle Peter instructeth vs in a generaltye what it becommeth all good christen folke to do Brefly therfore to conclude sayeth saynt Peter se ye be all of one mynde as who shulde saye be not contentiouse stryuynge one agaynst another neyther in lernynge nor yet in your other worldly matters but be ye compaciente Compacient that is to saye suffer together and beare one wyth an other be ye indowed with brotherly loue and charitie be ye tender of harte pytifull easy to forgyue all offences easy to departe youre goodes and money as ye may spare it to the reliefe and succoure of your pore neighbour se ye be also meke courteouse affable gentle to speake vnto Moreouer se ye rēder not euel for euell but beare ye iniurye and wronge paciently accordynge to the example of Christ resignynge and commyttynge the punyshment and vengeaūce to gods hande or to the correction of the ruler whych is gods minister and which beareth not a swearde for nought Yea rather contrary wyse Ro. xiij se ye do good and blesse you them that wronge you and whych worke you displeasures knowyng thys that ye were called by the franke election of God of his special grace and mere goodnes euen before the foūdacions of the worlde were layde Ephe. i. that ye shulde receyue not the blessynge of the world but the blessing of the heritage of God that is to wyt euerlastynge lyfe whych heritage pertayneth vnto vs not as vnto naturall chyldren but as chyldren of adoption election For assuredly my frendes he that woll be happy and be counted iust eyther in thys lyfe before men or in the lyfe to come wyth God and wyth hys holy angels what shall he do sayeth saynt Peter Let hym refrayne and temper his tonge from euel so that he breake not charitie and let hym holde in represse hys lyppes that they vtter no gyle no deceypt no fraude no dissimulation no hypocrisie no vntrouth Let hym I saye eschue from euel and do the thynge that is good and honest both before God man Let hym seke not after discorde variaūce and debate but after peace after vnitie after concorde let hym folowe and insue it For be ye ryght well assured that the eyen of the Lorde God are ouer the ryghtuouse and hys eares are opē to theyr prayers And agayne the terrible visage and face of the Lorde is ouer all them that do euell as who shulde saye God loueth and fauoreth al such as do wel which lyue after a godly and honest sorte beynge in perfyte loue and charitye wyth theyr neyghbours and euen christen he heareth theyr prayers he accepteth theyr oblacions and sacrificies as oure Sauioure Christ hath taught vs in the .v. chapter of S. Mattheu But on the contrary syde God hateth and abhorreth all such as be euel doers yea and also he punysheth them whan he seeth hys tyme. Fynally the Apostle Peter doth here propoūde and set forth vnto vs two great commodities and profytes whych folow them that worke well the one is a temporall pleasure and commoditie to be taken here in thys worlde whyche is that no man shall harme them yf they lyue after a ciuile and honeste fashion amonges men in the worlde the other is an euerlastynge and heauenly commoditie to be taken in the worlde to come whych is euerlastynge blesse But peraduenture ye woll saye ☜ What yf we do well and yet we be wrongfully vexed troubled in the worlde Saynt Peter answereth and sayeth Happy are ye yf ye suffer for ryghtuousnesse sake and therfore he wylleth vs not to be affrayed for any terrour of thē neyther yet to be troubled but thankfully to prayse and glorifye God in our hartes Hythervnto my frendes I haue brefly declared the mynde of S. Peter vnto you whych exhorteth you in thys epistle to good workes But ye muste consyder that in the former parte of hys epistle he taught and spake of fayth to be reposed and set in our Sauiour Christ For as saynt Austine affirmeth Austine it is the intencion that maketh the good worke and it is the fayth that must directe the intencion Let vs thā do good workes accordynge to saynt Peters exhortacion here of pure loue and faythe vnfayned So doynge we shal be sure to be crowned wyth immortalitie by god the father of heauen To whome be glorye and prayse for euer Amen The gospell on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ declareth the power of hys worde WHan the people preassed vnto Iesus to heare the word of God he stode by the lake of Genezareth and sawe two shippes stande by the lake syde but the fysshermen were gone out of them and were wasshynge theyr nettes And he entred in to one of the shyppes whych perteyned to Simō and prayed him that he wolde thrust out a lytle frō the lande And he sat downe and taught the people out of the shyp Whan he had lefte speakynge he sayd vnto Symon Launche out
And therfore whan oure sauiour Christe came amonges them he went aboute to restore all agayne to the ryght sence and purenes and to seuer and wede out the fansyes dreames and leuen of the pharisees wherwyth they had ensoured and corrupted the swete breade of lyfe and he openly tolde the people that onles theyr perfection theyr goodnes and rightuousnes passed the ryghtuousnes and good lyuynge of the scribes and pharisees they shulde neuer come to the kyngdome of heauen Whervpon he went on and taught the commaundementes of God and the pure and ryght vnderstandynge of them as in hys moost excellente and swete sermon whyche he made to hys disciples on the mountayne whych the holy Euangelist saint Matthew setteth forth vnto vs in the v.vi and .vij. chapters more at large doth appeare Mat. vij A good tree sayth Christ bringeth forth good frute For not euery one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lord shal entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen Thou readest in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy harte wyth al thy soule wyth al thy power minde Do thys sayeth Christ and thou shalte lyue eternally in heauen Thou mayest not speake of God wyth thy mouth or praye vnto hym wyth thy lyppes and thy harte be farre from God Naye thou must loue hym wyth thy hole harte mynde and power and not fayntly And thou must loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe Who soeuer doth thys shall lyue And who soeuer hath not done thys let hym repent and become a newe mā Let hym aske grace of God that he may be able through hys ayde and helpe to do it He that seketh shall fynde he that asketh shall obtayne to hym that knocketh it shal be opened There is nothynge impossible to God So longe as we be carnall and vnrenewed by the spirite it is not possible for vs to loue God wyth harte We maye wel drede hym as a Lorde punysher of synne but loue hym as a father we can not We maye well lyke seruauntes feare hym but reuerently loue hym lyke sonnes and doughters we cānot It is not possible I say for a carnall man to fulfyll the lawe whych is spirituall Rom. vij The lawe as ye haue herde requyreth the hart We must loue God wyth harte and not drede hym for feare of punyshment as bondmen and bondwomen do theyr lorde Yf we woll consyder what God hath done for vs fyrst he made vs of nought he prouydeth for vs all thynges necessarie to oure soules helth he hath made our soules not as be the soules of beastes wythout reason and whych peryshe dye wyth the body but reasonable but immortall he sente also hys owne sonne from heauen to redeme mankinde from the tyranny and thraldome of the deuel and to teach them how to lyue a godly and an innocent lyfe Yf I saye we woll consyder all thys howe can we but loue god euen wyth harte do his swete wyll and pleasure onles we be harder then the Adamant stones onles we be made of suche a churlyshe nature that nothynge can moue vs. But the pharisees for moost parte were carnal and fleshly persons They obserued the letter of the lawe they kepte the outwarde wordes they dyd no lechery outwardlye they cōmytted no thefte no murther no periury nor suche other vyces outwardlye they dyd sacrifice to God they offered vnto him they sensed they pyped they played they prayed after theyr fashiō but none of all thys was done wyth the harte For inwardly they were full of all abhominacion as Christe hymselfe wytnessed vnto them For they dyd it onely for feare of punyshmēt and not for any harty loue that they had to God They fulfylled the letter of the lawe outwardly But theyr minde theyr spirite theyr hart was vpō other thynges that is to wyt vpō worldly vanities and pleasures So they coulde not fulfyll the lawe so longe as they were in that case For as Paule full well declareth the lawe is spirituall Rom. vij and ought to be done and executed wyth the harte wyth the spirite and mynde and not only outwardly Yet neuertheles all the Iewes were not in thys case for there were holy and iuste persons in all ages as appeareth full wel in the bokes of holy scripture And there were also many whych had good intentes but they were so drowned wyth the blyndnes supersticion gloses tradicions interpretacions and dreames of the pharisees and elders that they espyed not the true honoure and worshyp of God of whyche sorte was Nicodemus Ioh. iij. whych came by nyght to Christ to learne of hym and to dispute wyth hym But Christ perceyuynge that he was yet carnall and that he obserued but the letter of the lawe and not the spirite and mynde of the lawe sayd by and by vnto hym Verely verely I say vnto the onles thou be as who shulde saye new borne not of thy mother but of water and spirite thou canst not enter into the kyngdome of god That that is borne of flesh is flesh but that whych is borne of spirite is spirite A fleshly mā a naturall man a man vnbaptized vnrenewed with the spirite can not smel nor haue any sauour of thinges spirituall he can not worke the wyll and pleasure of God He maye well for feare satisfye the outward wordes but he shall neuer do the wyll of God wyllyngly hartely and with spirite as it is requyred of God that he shulde do For as I haue sayd the law is spirituall and requyreth the harte And surely it appeareth well that thys lawyer toke but the letter of the lawe not the spirite by the question folowyng where he asketh Christ who is hys neyghboure For yf he had loued God hertely he shulde haue counted euery man hys neyghboure as Christes similitude byddeth and not only hys owne nation as cōmonly the Iues dyd Wherfore my frendes yf we wol haue euerlastynge lyfe let vs do as Christe here byddeth vs. Let vs not be speakers nor hearers of the law but doers and not outwarde and lyterall doers but hartye but spirituall doers not for feare as bondmen but for loue as fremē and sonnes and heyres Thys let vs do and we shall lyue euerlastyngly in heauen wyth God To whome be all honoure and imperie for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .v. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ The batell betwene the spirite and the fleshe and the frutes of them both BRethren walke in the spirite and fulfil not the lust of the flesh For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrary to the fleshe These are contrary one to another so that ye can not do what soeuer ye wolde But and yf ye be led of the spirite than are ye not vnder the lawe The dedes of the fleshe are manyfest whyche are these aduoutrye fornication vnclenes
hym a question temptynge hym and sayeng Mayster whych is the great commaūdement in the lawe Iesus sayd vnto hym Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thy harte and wyth al thy mynde Thys is the fyrst and great cōmaundement And the seconde is lyke vnto it Thou shalte loue thyne neyghbour as thy selfe In these two cōmaūdementes hange all the lawe and the prophetes Whyle the pharisees were gathered together Iesus asked them sayenge what thynke ye of Christ Whose sonne is he They sayd vnto hym the sōne of Dauid He sayde vnto them howe then doth Dauid in spirite cal hym Lorde sayeng The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde syt thou on my ryght hande tyll I make thyne enemyes a footestoole Yf Dauid than call hym Lorde howe is he then hys sonne And no man was able to answere hym any thynge neyther durst any man from that day forth aske hym any mo questions THe Gospell red in the churche thys daye good christen audiēce doth reherse vnto vs how the pharisees Hierom hearynge that Iesus Christ had confounded the Saducees whych as saynt Hierome noteth were of contrarye opinions wythin themselues and as it were enemyes one to another yet they come ioyne together agaynst Christe to thintent as Ihon Chrysostome sayeth they myghte ouercome hym by multitude Chrysostome whome they coulde not cōuince wyth reasons And so sayeth he they confessed themselues to be naked of the trouth whych armed thēselues with multitude They come than all together And one amonge them a doctour of the lawe speakynge for all the reste to thintent yf that one ouercame they myght al seme to haue the vpperhande in tēptynge our Lorde Iesu Christ dyd put thys question vnto hym sayenge Mayster whyche is the greatest commaundement of the lawe Here you maye se what fashions these false foxes and ypocrites had Fyrste they called Iesu Christe mayster whose disciple for all that they had no desyre to be And they dyd demaunde hym of the greatest commaundement as Chrysostome sayeth which neuer had accomplished the least Chrysostome but rather by theyr cursed and auaricious constitucions had transgressed all the lawe of God And they thought that it was ynough for to dispute the one agaynst the other by pryde and vanitie for they dyd not desyre but all only to be sene and praysed of men yet for all thys the swete Sauiour desyrynge theyr saluation doth gyue them here true and sounde doctrine and healthfull correction answerynge them mekely that they ought to loue God with all theyr thought the whych they dyd not and theyr neyghbour as themselues but they dyd cleane contrarye For he whych was theyr God theyr neyghbour in as much as he was man they wold put him to death In whych he shewed them to be synners ypocrites that is to saye counterfayted holy transgressours of all the lawe and of the prophetes And accordynge vnto saynt Marke in the .xij. chapter they wyst not what to answere but theyr owne doctoure gaue sentence agaynst them sayenge Mayster in truth thou hast sayd well For there is one only god and ther is none other but he And to loue hym wyth all the harte wyth all the vnderstandyng wyth all the soule and with all the strength and the neyghbour as hymselfe is a greater thynge then al the brentofferynges and sacrifices made vnto God Here maye you se howe he hymselfe gyueth iudgement agaynst the couetousnes of the scribes pharisees whych loued so well the sacrifices for the profyte that came therof vnto them And on the contrary syde he approueth the answere of Iesu Christ the whych they thought to haue interrupted and checked Thus it appeareth that the craftye be taken in theyr craftynes and that ther is no coūsell against god And then fynally our Lorde demaunded of the pharisees beynge all there together whose sonne Christ was And forbycause they were carnall they knewe nothynge in Christ in Messias but flesh and they answered hym that he was the sonne of Dauid And then oure Lorde wolde shewe them and teache theyr saluatiō For it was not ynough for to beleue that he was a man cōmen of royall bloude but also it must be beleued that he was God vnied vnto humayne nature for to make the redemption of men And therfore he sheweth them by the wytnesse of Dauid selfe that he is God Psal xix where Dauid sayeth in spirite The Lorde god hath sayd vnto my Lorde Syt on my ryght hande vnto the tyme that I put thyne enemyes a foote stoole to thy feete Dauid calleth Christ hys Lorde syttynge on the ryghte hande of God whych is to vnderstande as the auncient doctour S. Remigius other doth expoune it not that God is corporall that he shulde haue a ryght or left syde but to syt on the ryghte hande of God Remigius is to remayne in the same honoure and dignitie egall wyth the father so that herby he cōfesseth that he is God And this the pharisees vnderstode not to be sayd of Christe but they were those whych the spirite of god calleth the enemyes of Christe for to be put vnder hys feete Than my brethren let vs not tempt Iesu Christ Let vs beleue that the greatest and the fyrst commaundement is to loue God wyth all our hart wyth all our thought and wyth all our soule that he is true God and that he is true mā And we shall be of the nombre of the chosen for to laude the heauenly father and our Lorde Iesu Christ syttyng on hys ryght hande Vnto the whyche wyth the holy goost be glorie wythout ende The Epistle on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ How we ought to put of our olde Adam and put on the newe BRethren be ye renewed in the spirite of youre mynde and to put on that newe man whych after God is shapen in ryghtuousnes and true holynes Wherfore put away lienge speake euery mā trouth vnto hys neyghbour for as much as we are members one of another Be angry and synne not let not the Sonne go downe vpon your wrath neyther gyue place vnto the backbyter Let hym that stole steale no more but let hym rather labour with hys handes the thynge which is good that he may gyue vnto hym that nedeth MY welbeloued frendes in our sauiour Christ ye shall vnderstande that in the texte immediatly goynge before thys epistle of thys present daye the Apostle doth admonysh vs for to leaue the olde mā that is to say our fyrst natiuitie or byrth by the which we be borne chyldren of the yre and wrath of God we be fulfylled wyth synnes wyth euel desyres and wyth concupiscences the whych woll turne vs vnto corrupcion and eternall death After in our epistle he exhorteth vs that we shuld be renewed not accordynge vnto the body but in the spirite of our soule For it is the spirite of God that wyl inhabyte there and