publican was iustified the pharisey counted vniust not righteous Therefore whosoeuer with this sinner choseth him the lowest place knowledgeth his sinne and asketh grace Christ shal set him in the highest place geue hym euerlastinge life Whiche god throughe Christ our sauiour graunt to vs all Amen The gospell of the eightene sonday after trinity sondaye Math. 22. BVt when the Pharisees had hearde that he had put the Saduces to silence they came togither and one of them which was a doctour of lawe asked him a question temptinge him and saying Maister which is the greatest commaundement in the law Iesus sayde vnto him Thou shalte Deut. 6. loue thy god with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy mynd This is the first and greatest commaundement And the second is lyke vnto it Leui. 19 Rom. 13 Galat. 5 Iacob 2 Thou shalte loue thy neighboure as thy selfe In these two commaundements hang al the law the prophetes While the Pharisees were gathered togither Iesus asked theim saying What thynk ye of Christ Whose sonne is he They say vnto hym the sonne of Dauyd He said vnto them Mat. 1◠Psa 11 howe then doth Dauid in spirite call him lorde sayinge The lord sayd vnto my lord Mat. 1◠Psa 11 syt thou on my ryght hand tyl I make thine enemyes thy footstoole If Dauyd then call hym lord how is he then his sonne And no man was able to answere hym any thinge nether durste anye man frome that daye forth aske hym any mo questions THE EXPOSITION FIrst we haue in this gospell of this daye a question of the lawe wherin is to be considered what they be that moue this question and what their intent was The Phariseis were the chieffest and counted the holyest amongest the Iewes people whiche euer boasted of workes and disputed of the same A certaine doctoure of the lawe whome the pharisees had appointed moued this question here bycause they feared lest yt shuld chaunce vnto theim as it did vnto the Saduces Neither was it meruaile thoughe those iustifiers of them selues reasoned of the greatest and chiefest commaundement of the lawe for all their boasting was in woorkes all theyr laboure and dylygence was to bee iustified and blessed and all throughe works Which false opiniō was so growē imprinted in their hartes that the prophetes Christ also the Apostelles endeuoured theym selues greatly to reforme it but it was for the moste parte all in vayne Wherefore the pharisees do here according to the comon saying which also was vsed of Christe in an other place saying Mat. 12 Out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh They vnderstode the vertue of faith Wherfore they must needes fal into hypocrisie which euer is repugnāt vnto faith And hereout it chaunced that thei so stifly with stoode Christe was the true doctoure of faith and truthe They reason with Christe but not of a good zeale as wee maye lightly perceiue in this gospell The text is thus One of them a scribe tempted him c. There is a difference when a mā of ignorance doth question of a thing out of a good intent and for his erudition whan he goth about to tempte a man For he that of a good zeale To tēpt asketh any question he doth it to learne bicause he is ignorant therin And he that tempteth a man he doth it for that intent purpose to trippe him in his saying Wherefore in that the phariseis questioned not with Christ of no good intent Malyce wickednes of our nature but for to tempt him wee maye learne therout the maliciousnes of our nature For that is so rooted and grafte in vs that by no meanes wee can knowledge the truthe or beleue Christe excepte we be transformed into a new creature through the worde the holy ghoste Iohn 3. For yf we wil not perpetually remaine indurate and blind we must be pulled therfrom and learned by the holy ghoste Secondarily considre now this question well also the answer of Christ And although those phariseis did not put forth this question of a good intent yet for all that the doctour of the law was not so styffe necked nor yet so stubborne Surely Chrystes answere and solution did like him so well in so muche that Christe himselfe saide that he was not farre wide from the kingedome of God as sayncte Marke therein testifieth Mar. 12 The question was this Mayster which is the chiefest commaundement in the law Whervnto Christ answered Thou shalte loue the lord thy god with al thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynd And addeth This is the fyrst and greatest commaundement And the second is lyke vnto it Deut. 6. Thou shalte loue thy neighboure as thy selfe In these two commaundements hang all the law the prophetes O what an excellent answer if the Pharises could haue vnderstand it For Christ reherseth not here only two commandementes but also teacheth that in them hange the whole lawe and the prophetes Which muste be vnderstande in this wise The lawe as witnesseth S. Paule is spirituall that is Rom. 7 The law is fulfilled with the spirite the lawe cannot be fulfilled with outward works but requireth the affection of the hart Thē if the affectiō of the hart ought to be wholy directed to the loue of god so that wee shuld neither cleaue to workes nor yet to any creature then muste I needes haue faithe This faithe the holy ghost worketh in me throughe the worde And when I haue this true faithe then doo I all thynge wyllyngelye that the lawe asketh of me and not constrained out of loue and not for feare Faythe And I do not onlie that the first table of Moyses requireth of me but also I do that the second commaundeth me For I doo beleue and trust that the lorde my god is he that will saue me throughe Christ of his great mercy and grace without any deseruyng of my partye Furthermore I loue my neighboure as my selfe for I count his pouertye tribulation and misery to be mine and all that he suffreth as thoughe I suffered my selfe Hereout cometh that whā I do what so euer is acceptable vnto mi neighboure and leue the thinge that is preiudyciall and hurtefull vnto him then the fulfillyng of the lawe is adscribed vnto loue And that mayest thou perceaue finde in the epistle to the Romaines where S. Paule writeth Rom. 13 that hee that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe For thou shalt not be an aduouterer thou shalt not kyll thou shalte not steale thou shalt beare no false witnes thou shalte not desier and yf there be anye other commaundement it is comprehended in this saying Loue thy neighboure as thy selfe And thoughe the lawe bothe requireth faythe and loue yet styll it remaineth a worde of wrath and angre whyle she geueth me not the spirite to doo that shee
he sayd to the woman Mat. 5. Thy fayth hath saued thee Go in peace THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell deare Christians is fyrst descrybed a poore synner whiche not onely was come to the knowledge of her synnes but also by fayth obtained remissioÌ„ of theÌ„ Wherfore it is a verye necessarye thyng that this worde A synfull woman A sinner be well coÌ„sidered and wayed in our heartes that by it we may put a true difference betwene an indurate blynde synner as was the Pharisey a synner that acknowlegeth his myserye synnes For there are synners whiche are doubtlesse blynded and deliuered into a reprouable sence as was Pharao of whom the scripture sayth that his heart was hardened Exo. 14 There are also some that are synners only afore God and not afore the worlde as the hypocrites of whoÌ„ the scrip sayth sayth Luc. 16. You are those that iustifye your selues afore men Notwithstandyng God knoweth your heartes Also there are synners both before God and the world And forasmuche as their synnes displease them and thei acknowlege their synnes therfore especially is the gospell occupyed aboute these afore any other And suche a synner also was this woman that is spoken of in this gospel For she felt her synnes acknowleged that she had broken the lawe and further that she had nede of helpe counsel And therfore maketh she so great hast and deferreth it not when she had heard that Iesus was in the Phariseys house sekyng grace of him that had power and authoritee to remyt sinne Furthermore with weapyng teares annoyntyng washyng and wypyng his feet she testifyeth what strong fayth and loue she bare vnto Christ Faith is an excelleÌ„t thing And nowe ponder it well howe excellent a thyng fayth is that fyrste acknowlegeth her sinnes and after that fleeth vnto Christ This woman beyng a publike open synner knewe right well that she should haue but a syngle welcome into the Phariseys house neither should she escape the rebukes and tauntes of theim yet so great is her loue and fayth toward Christ that neglectyng and contemnynge al their rebukes checkes other contumelyes without feare she hasteth vnto Christe of whom she might obtayne remission of her synnes Wherfore nowe note diligeÌ„tly and coÌ„sider the processe also the successe of this womaÌ„ for doubtles she shal teach both the me how they must be disposed that wyll obtain remission of their syns of god the father through Christ Thus sayth the Euangelist She began to weete his feete with teares Teares are a mooste certayne sygne of a penitent mynde that the synnes displease from the heart But what were suche repentaunce without fayth But this woman hath fayth also RepentaÌ„ce and â—ayth muste be ioyned together Truely it is a great token of fayth in this woman that settyng light the threttes and checkes of the Phariseys she hasteth vnto Christe and that Christe him selfe testifyed saiyng Thy fayth hath made the safe Nowe doubtles this fayth was not idle in this woman but is shed furth it selfe through loue Are not these manyfest sygnes of loue that accordyng to the custome of the region she enbalmeth Christes head with moste precious oyntment weeteth his feete with teares kysseth them and wypeth theim with the heares of her heade Euen so it is expedient that wee bee lyke this woman if at the least wee wyll obtayne eternall health True penaunce Needes muste wee haue a perpetuall penaunce that is to say the knowlege of synne the forsakyng of synne and the hatyng of synne Furthermore wee muste haue fayth whereby wee may take holde vpon the promyse of the Gospell Last of all it is necessarye that wee declare oure fayth with woorkes of loue euen as we here se ensaÌ„ple set surth in this woman Secondarily in this Gospel is Christ descrybed as a good gentle and mercyfull Lorde The goodnes of Christ For he receyueth this woman with so great humanitee and gentlenes nothyng consideryng the murmuryng of the Phariseys so that this receyuyng should well moue and styrre vppe all synners to true fayth Lette vs marke all thynges orderly as they stand and we shal fynde Christ in all thynges merciful gentle and ful of compassion lyke as hee is set forth vnto vs in the scriptures Fyrst Christ suffereth the sinful woman to annoynt him he suffereth her to washe his feete and to wype them he suffereth her to kysse him whiche no Pharisey would haue suffered to bee done especially of suche a woman Furthermore when the Pharisey murmured that he receiued so great a sinner Christ defeÌ„deth this his facte by a similitude of a creditor that had two debters the one ought fiue hundreth pence the other fyfty Now seyng neither of both wer able to pay he forgaue them both And then he asked SymoÌ„ Tel me whether of these twayne shal loue him most Wherfore Christ came in to the worlde Surely with this similitude Christ sheweth wherfore he came into this worlde namely for synners For without doubt we all are his debters And who is it that is not a debter or that wyll deny this debte If we wyll say sayth sainct Ihon that we haue not synne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs. Rom. 3. And S. Paule sayeth All haue synned and want the glorye of God What shall I say of the similitude whiche is written in the gospel of sainct Luke To make short wee all are debters of this Lord which way soeuer we turne our selues Luc. 12. And would to God he would geue vs this grace to knowlege our debt to beleue in Christ whiche for geueth it also furthermore that we might find grace as this woman did Doubtles she knowleged her synnes sought grace and found it And inasmuche as fiue hundred pence were forgeueÌ„ her all her iniquite remitted pardoned therfore also she shewed her selfe thankefull and heartely loued him of whoÌ„ she was thus receiued into grace Loue folowed fayth Wherfore if thou also wylte haue remission of thy synnes set thy selfe among these debters that owe fyue hundred pence know thy selfe to be the greatest synner liuyng vpoÌ„ the yearth say with the Publicane I am not worthy to looke vp into the heauen and then aske grace at Christ beleue the woordes of his Gospel If thou thus do doubtles thou shalt obtayne thy request For that swete worde spoken vnto the woman pertayneth also aswell vnto that as vnto her The worde is this Thy synnes are forgeuen thee And this worde ought euer to sounde in a christians eare as oft as our sinnes oppresse vs and we would gladly be deliuered from them as wee say in the confession of our fayth I beleue that in this life there is perpetually forgeuenes of synnes The Churche hath euer synners as the scripture testifyeth The righteous falleth vii tymes in the day ryseth agayne Therfore seyng that we are so weake that we synne
biddeth vs Seeke fyrste the kingedome of god To seeke the kingdome of god is no other thinge then to pray that hee wyll brynge vs vnto faithe and throughe his holye ghoste comforte and holde vs in the same faithe vnto our end as the Prophete Dauid did of whome wee reade in the 50. psal and in the 118. Whiche if we diligently doo our faith for the which we pray shall not bee allonly encresed and augmented according to Christes promise Mat. 7. saying Aske you shal haue but also it shal happen that likewise temporal things being promised vs shal be giuen ministred vnto vs. This word Ioh. 16 It shal be ministred vnto you declareth our labour prouision to be nothing yf god should not giue the increase Therfore let vs wel considre and comprehend this promise in our harte that we may learn both in our spirituall and worldly matters to hope trust and put our confidence only in god through Christ that we may not through such ethnicall carefulnes for bodely thinges be separated frome Christe and the true seruing of god To whom with the son holy ghost be al honour Amē The gospell on the syxtenth sonday after trinitye sondaye Luce. 7. ANd it fortuned after this that he betwente into a citie whiche is called Naim and manye of hys disciples went with hym and muche people When he came nighe to the gate of the citye beholde there was a deade man caried out which was the only sonne of hys mother and she was a widow and much people of the citye was with her And when the lorde sawe her he hadde compassion on her and said vnto her Weep not And he came nighe and touched the coffyn and they that bare hym stoode styll And he said Yong man I say vnto the arise And he that was deade sat vp and began to speake 4 Re. 17 4 Re. 4. Accu 9. and 20. Ioh. 4. and. 6. And hee deliuered him to his mother And there came a feare on them all and they gaue the glory vnto god saying 4 Re. 17 4 Re. 4. Accu 9. and 20. Ioh. 4. and. 6. A greate prophete is risen vp among vs and god hath visited his people THE EXPOSION FOrasmuche as in this gospell we find what great benefite and charity was shewed vnto this widow therfore let vs search out afore al things with what sorowe misfortune shee was oppressed with al. This wel diligently considered and taken to hart shal the better cōmend vnto vs declare set forth this benefite done by Christ First the euangelyst describeth the state of this woman and saith that shee was a wydowe A woman euen of her nature is a weake vessell as witnesseth S. Peter 1 Pet. 3. Yf now that incommoditie also chaunce vnto her to leese her husband than vttterly shee hathe no comfort in this world Herof it cometh that ther is no man welnigh that more moueth a good hart and allureth him to pitye and compassion then the name of a wydowe and a fatherlesse childe yea god him selfe bycause that this kind of people liue without comfort and consolation vtterly are dispised of the world helpeth them and careth for them ye with this example he cōmēdeth them vnto vs that we herein shuld folow him For it is written in the fift boke of Moises Deu. 18. The lord your god is god of al goddes and lord ouer all lordes a great mighty terrible god which regardeth no parsō taketh no gift He doth right vnto the fatherlesse widow He loueth the stranger giueth him food and raymēt Therfore loue you also the strangers c. Two thinges are here to be noted The one is That God wil not forsake the widowes and fatherles children but that he wil kepe and mercifully saue them Another is that we shal loue and helpe poore miserable and forsaken people To the first the prophetes and in espetiall Dauyd hath much respecte and regard cōmending and praisinge god to be the father of wydowes of orphanes Psa 67 saying Oh synge vnto god sing praises vnto his name Magnifie him that rydeth aboue the heauēs whose name is the lord Reioyse before him He is a father of the fatherles he is a defēder of widows Psal 9. And in an other place he saith The lord is a defēce for the poore Of the last writeth S. Iames saiyng Pure deuocion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the frendles wydowes in their aduersitee and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde Nowe forasmuche as this womā had lost her husband and was become a wydowe vndoubtedly she was in a miserable state Neuerthelesse she had some comforte solace left in her only sonne in whom was her delite But he in like maner died also so that nowe all her ioy comforte in this worlde was spent and gone He that knoweth with what great affections the mother loueth and embraceth her children after the death of the father may lightly perceiue and vnderstand in what trouble and misery this womā was in But what should I make many wordes vndoubtedly I thinke there could skant chaunce more trouble vnto this woman then to lese both her husband her childe and to be so vtterly comfortles Wherfore let a man first consider her misery as it is written of the Euangelist Secondarily we see perceiue in this gospel the goodnes and loue of Christ with the whiche he pityeth this woman And this is to be noted that though the loue of Christ is highly commēded and praised in al the histories of the gospel yet chifly we may perceiue it here in this place more plainer and excellent for here was no fayth that should expresse the sorowe of this woman and seke for grace All that is done here of Christ is done of mercy loue and of great pitie and compassion of the heart that was had towarde this woman And it is here fulfylled that was spoken of Esaias saiyng Esa 65 Before they cry vnto me I shall heare them Seyng that all is done here of mere grace who would presumptuously glory in woorkes though he had wrought neuer so muche And againe who would dispayre for synne and would not rather hast him to Christ This benefite done to this wydowe is and may be to vs a lyuely doctrine that we shall hope for all goodnes of Christ if that vngratious infidelite did not hynder vs and leade vs awaye from the confidence in Christ The holy scripture doth teache cōmendeth fayth Suche examples of the great loue and charite of Christ do leade instruct vs to true fayth so that we may perceiue that we be not onely restored vnto health by grace but also thereby are iustified and saued This fayth requireth of vs the whole scripture with al thapostolical Epistles But reason and maisters subtiltie wyll not vnderstande it but thynketh to obtayne all
nor the thinge that is holy Mat. 7 may not be cast before him but only must it be communicate to those that despair of their owne workes and strengthes that knowledg that they need the help and comfort of Christ We beleue rem ssion of sins Therfore also we confesse in our Crede that ther is forgiuenes of sins which we must needs beleue Now if we obtain remission of sinnes by the sheding of the blud of Christ as the blud flowing from hys syde testifyeth where is then the bragging of our workes wher ar our merites They are shut out excluded by the deathe passion of Christ Note how workes are cōcluded not that good works ought not to be doone but that they may not be ioyned with iustification which onli cometh by faith We muste in this behalfe giue Christe his own honor wholy perfectly apprehend his merite by faith so shall it come to passe that neyther synne nor death nor dyuel nor hel shal hurte the. And those good workes the fayth doth as in deed it ought to do good woorkes take them as frutes of fayth wherby the faith and sure trust of our hearts toward god is declared In like maner the water The water that flowed frō Christs syde declareth that Christe after his resurreccion would send his holy spirit that water of life wher with it is nedeful that the heartes of all the elect be purifyed And of this water dyd all the Prophetes prophecye especially Esaias when he sayd Esa 44 I wyll power water vpō the thyrsty streames vpō the dry ground I will power my spirit vpō thy seede my blessyng vpon thy braunche and they shall spryng burgenyng among the herbes as the salowes that grewe by the syde of the ryuer Accordyng to this Christ also crieth in the gospel of S. Ihon Who so thursteth let him come to me drynke Ioh. 7. He that beleueth on me as the scripture sayth stremes of water of life shall flowe out frō his belly And the Euāgelist himself expoūdeth this shewyng that it is ment of the holy gost for he sayth This spake Iesus of the spirit which those that beleue in him should receiue Christ loueth vs. He then that hath by theffusion of his most precious bloud obtayned for vs remission of all our synnes deliuered vs frō eternal death reconciled vs into the fauor of god his father that wtout any of our merites or deseruinges also hath promised to sēd his holy ghost whiche maye leede our heartes into the knowledge fayth of God thynke you he dothe not very heartely loue vs would our welfare Nowe seyng that he thus heartely wylleth oure welfare why should we not beleue in him why should we not acknowledge this so great loue Yet are there mē foūd the more pitie it is that ascribe more to their own merites then to Christ and therfore they cannot be thākeful whō doubtles at that day Christ shal therfore punishe according to their owne deseruynges Thirdly we haue here described who they were that buried Christ with what reuerence his dead body was brought vnto the earth Some man perchance would meruaile that Ioseph Nicodemus nowe dare aske of Pylate the deade bodye of Iesu whiche yet when Iesus lyued they durst not come at him The death of Christe begynning to conquer scant by night But nowe the frutes and vtility of Christes passion somwhat openeth it self she winge what shulde ensue the passion and deathe of Christ when a litle and a litle it comech to mennes knowledg both what manner a man Christ is and also how innocently and vndeseruedly he was persecuted by the Iewes condemned vnto the crosse And these two doubtles came after the true knowledge of god and his sonne Iesu Christ which now so manifestly do this humanitie vnto Christ contemned and crucified hauinge no respect that hee was so hated of the Iewes For that they here do it cometh of an imperfecte faith for they were yet far from the perfection that Paul speaketh of Rom. 1 saying I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of god vnto saluacion to euery man that beleueth But that they exhibited to Christ such reuerence honor that thei take him doune from the crosse and enbalmed hym with Myrre and Aloe with such spice they winde vp his body laye it gloriously in the sepulture it is an humane and gentle affection done according to the custome of the Iewes The estimation of the worlde of Christes deth sepulchre Deu. 21 And here note howe the deathe and sepulture of Christe is esteemed afore the worlde bothe his death and buriall are ignominious and shamefull For it is written in the lawe He is accursed that hāgeth vpon a tree Besydes this the blynde Iewes had none other opinion of Christ neither by his life nor in his death as it is euident vnto this day But before God this death buryall is honest and precious as also it is estemed amōg al that beleue whiche know assuredly that by that dispised death the beleuers are delyuered from synne death deuil and hel Doth not S. Paule say often tyme 1. Cor. 2 I haue knowen no man but Christ and euen the same that was crucifyed And this is an vndoubted trueth Note this earnestly gentle reader take awaye this contemptible death and buryal of Christ and you shal perceyue that all men must be compelled to dispayre and to fall into the daunger of the deuil On the other part set before your eyes the passion death and buryal of Christ apprehendyng them by true fayth as most precious iewels deuine treasures done for thee and thou shalt fynd thy cōscience able to resyst against all the assaultes of Sathan and also of synne And as Ioseph and Nycodemus by fayth shewed this humanitee vnto Christ so endeuor thy selfe by fayth that vnto sinne thou may bee dead buryed with Christ Rom. 6. and after agayne ryse through fayth with him For surely this pleaseth Christ and is necessary and very profytable vnto thy saluacion Fourthly we see howe contemtuously Pylate delyuereth Christ to be buryed forsyng not for him nothyng regardyng that he should ryse agayne the thyrd day The sentence of Infidels In this mynde are al the enemyes of the gospel and truth of God When they haue slayne the ministers of the worde then they thynke all thyng very well safe and all whyst as they would haue it Exo. 1.2.3 Euen so did Pharao with intollerable burthens oppresse the chyldren of Israel thynkyng by that meanes to stoppe the ordynaunce of God that the Israelites should not so much growe and increase but the more they were oppressed so muche more they grewe and multiplyed and at the laste by his owne crueltee he was his owne destruccion Euen so chaunsed it to Pylate and
come by these and many mo sectes Furthermore this slaunder is against loue as when I wyll not obey the Magistrate I will not do and paye as other men doo and paye neither beare the common charges as other beare but I wyll be cleane without lawe and haue a singuler prerogatiue afore al other Of this slaunder Christe hym selfe saithe to Peter Mat. â—7 Leaste we shoulde bee a slaunder vnto them go to the sea and cast thy hooke and that fyshe which firste commeth take him vppe open his mouthe and thou shalte fynde a grote take it oute and giue it them for the and me Nowe withoute doubt these slanders shall continue in the worlde vnto the end And especiall the slaunderers of doctrine shall bee both greuous and vehemente But what remedye againste this slaunder Spiritually are the handes and feete cut of I muste cut of that whiche woulde offende me be it either foot hande or eyes that is I must continue in the worde nothing consyderyng what shall chaunce euen thoughe father or mother brother or syster wyfe or children kinne or affinytye monye or ryches woulde plucke me frome it yet muste I sette more by the woorde then by all these For better yt is that I forsake all thynges be they neuer so deere and precious in thys worlde and to bee saued afore god then to haue all menne my friendes and be separated from god And seeynge that god wyll so extremelye punyshe theym that rayse suche slaunders what thynke yee shall come to suche as for those slaunders leaue and forsake the trueth Doubtlesse hee shall punishe theym both alyke Fourthly here is a general admonicion vnto al men that they dispyse none of these lytleones that are dead to the worlde poore in spirit and knyt together one in Christ Yea there is also assygned a cause why they shuld beware of hurtyng them The lytle ones wherfore they are not to be offended Psal 19 For their Angels sayth Christ in heauen alway see the face of my father whiche is in heauen Surely without doubt if God be so mercyful to his seruauntes that he hath appointed Angels vnto this ministery to kepe and defende them doubtles then this wyll please him but a lytle if they be dispised persecuted troubled troden vnder foote For surely the Lord is as careful for them as if these thinges were done vnto himselfe And furthermore he must nedes be discoÌ„tented to se them euil entreated for whose sake he came into this worlde and shedde his precious bloud I pray you who can thynke otherwyse in this behalfe Shall it not prouoke his anger that wee dispyse those whoÌ„ he hath redemed with his death and precious bloud shed For if that lost shepe be so deare to him and he so entyrely loued it that he left nyntye and nyne in the wyldernes and ceassed not seekyng tyll he had founde it why should wee then either persecute or trouble that sheepe Surely he may suffre it but without doubt he wyl not leaue it vnpunished Furthermore he sayth It is not his fathers wyll that one of these lytleones should peryshe Are not these strong reasons that might well refrayne vs from persecutyng of our christian brethren Theyr angels sayth Christe whiche must serue them euer see the face of my father Trueth it is that I wyll be their sauior and my fathers wyll is that they should not perishe Nowe if these wordes wyll not moue vs surely I knowe not what should moue vs to learne to loue christian men and not to despyse theim But commonly it so chaunseth that these poore lytle ones of Christ haue euermore persecucion then fauour in this worlde Wherfore I beseche God graunt vs grace to perseuer in his fayth and paciently for his names sake to suffre persecucion vnto th ende through Christ our Lord. Amen The gospel on sainct Lukes day the EuaÌ„gelist ye shall fynde after Alhalowen day The gospel on sainct Symon and Iudes day Ihon. 15. Greater loue hath no maÌ„ then this that a man bestow his life for his frendes Ye are my frendes if ye do whatsoeuer I coÌ„maunde you Hencefurth call I you not seruauntes for the seruaunt knoweth not what his lorde doth But you haue I called frendes For all thynges that I haue heard of my father haue I opened to you Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to go and bryng furth fruite and that your fruite should remayne that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he may geue it you THE EXPOSITION CHrist gaue his disciples this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of brotherly loue after that last supper when he now knewe the tyme of his passion at hand that immediatly he shuld be taken away froÌ„ them Surely this is an vndoubted truth that there is besydes fayth no woorke in the worlde nor none can be that shal be acceptable vnto God saue onely charitee and loue of my neighbour of the whiche Christ speaketh in this Gospel Or els why should Christ with so great seueritee and earnest admonicion in that his last sermon that euer he made Christes coÌ„maundement of charitee haue geuen and inculcate this precepte of charitee And here note two thynges Fyrst that Christ gaue this precept and not Moses For if it were Moses precept it shuld be a precept as the other preceptes were in the lawe whiche in dede taught coÌ„maunded what should be done and what should bee lefte vndone but thei gaue not the spirit wherby it might be done with free heart and courage But Christ doth not here so but as he sheweth what is necessary to be done euen so he also geueth the spirit that we may be able to do those thinges that he hath coÌ„maunded And this is the onely cause why he him selfe sayth of his preceptes My yoke is swete my burthen light And sainct Ihon in his Epistle Canonical saith His coÌ„maundementes are not heauy Wherefore these woorkes of loue are not hypocrites workes like as the workes of the lawe were whiche the Iewes did without spirit but whatsoeuer a Christian doth in this behalfe he doth it with an whole heart 1 Co. 14 euen as sainct Paule sayth Charitee seketh not the thyng that is her owne For why A christian knoweth that Christe requireth not onely true fayth that worshippeth the father in spirit and truth but also he requireth an vnfayned loue Further note that this loue spryngeth not of her selfe but it spryngeth furth of fayth so that whersoeuer there is no fayth there can neuer bee any true loue Fayth Loue. Fayth heareth the woorde of God taketh holde vpon those thynges that the same worde promyseth in the merytes of Christe and so obtayneth without any merites of workes only of mere grace and mercy remission of synnes righteousnes eternal life Nowe if any maÌ„ wyl in this cause of iustifycacion admyxt the myre of his owne workes he goth cleane out of the way
seruauntes of the houshoulder came and sayde vnto hym Syr didest not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde from whence then hath it tares He sayde vnto them the enuious manne hath done this The seruauntes sayd vnto hym wylte thou then that wee go and weede them vp But he said nay leste while ye gather the tares ye plucke vp also the wheate with them lette both growe togyther vntyll the haruest and in tyme of haruest I wyll saye to the reapers gather ye fyrste the tares and bynde them together in shynes to be brente but gather the wheat into my barne THE EXPOSITION The kiÌ„gdome of heauen THis similitude Christ himselfe at the request of hys disciples hath expounded and in his expositioÌ„ hath sufficiently declared what in the church or christianite which after the manner of scripture he calleth the kingdome of heauen shuld happen and namely that that alwayes the euell shal be admyxte amongest the good vntil Christ in the laste iudgement shal send forth his aungels together and deuide the shepe froÌ„ the goates Wee wil now shew somewhat what is to be chiefely noted here in this gospell concernyng the dortrine of Christ For it must needs be all good holy and helthfull that cometh from the mouth of Christ We cum through Christ only to the father Fyrste in the exposition of this gospell Christe saith that the sonne of man soweth this good sede and the fielde is the world Also the good seede be the children of the kingdome Wherin he teacheth nothinge els but that is in the 14. chap of S. Iohn spoken more plainly in this wyse No man cometh to my father but by me And also in an other place I am the way Ioh. 14 the treuth and life And bicause thorow Christ allonly we be made inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen as the gospell witnesseth yt is therefore very necessary that we geue vnto him that honoure and knowledge hym for such a man that hath made vs christians And trewly to knowledg that Christ by his word and spirite doth make vs christians 1. Cor. 1 And like wise that he is our righteousnesse satisfaccion and redemption is nothing els but freelye to confesse that wee naturallye be synners vnrighteous the children of the deuell in the daunger of eternall damnacion Ephe. 2 and that we can obteine saluacion by none other meanes or wayes but by christ allonly Where is nowe here the glory wisedome merite and fre wyll of man Here must we needs say with Daniel the prophet Dan. 9. To the good lord righteousnesse and to vs open coÌ„fusion And this is the very christian confession yf we confesse our selues siÌ„ners vnrighteous proue to eternall damnacion and Christ to be our goodnes righteousnes and saluacion for as S. Mat. in the firste chapter witnesseth 1. Tim. 2 Iohn 3 Yt is he alone that delyuereth vs from synne And reconcileth vs to his father in heauen And by his spirite doth regenerate vs into a newe creature And verely if he he I saye had not renewed my corrupte nature if I hadde not receiued of his goodnes Iohn 1. I had byn vtterly damned and cursed for euer Howe coulde I withstande if God wolde enter into iudgemente with me and I shulde not pretende and aledge the merites of Chryst There doughteles shall not my merites prevaile no nother once be seene or apear Wherfore it is necessary that of this similitude I learne to knowe what the trewth of the worde of God is namely to repute Christ allonly to bee the very same that maketh me the son and inheritoure of the kingdome of heauen For thus sayth the euangeliste Ioh. 14 No man knoweth the father but the sonne and no man knoweth the sonne but the father and to whome the father will shew it And althoughe workes must needes be done yet is it so that by them we shall not obteine righteousnes before God For yf oure righteousnes were founded and buylded vpon workes it coulde not be but vncertaine and sone ouertourned with a little blaste of wynde In so much that no man loueth so much as he oughte to do nor anye man doth as manye workes and dedes as are required of hym The deuel is enemy to Christe to all that beleue in him Mat. 7 Secondarely this similitude Christ in the expositioÌ„ of the same teacheth vs that sathan the deuel is a perpetual enemy not only of Christ the sower but also of al them that beleue in Christ Christ maketh men good sheweth a narrow way a strait that leadeth to lyfe The deuel maketh meÌ„ naught and euell and sheweth a broade and large waye to damnacion and yet he coueteth allwayes to be there where the children of God be not for anye loue he heareth to them but goethe aboute by all the meanes he can to pul them froÌ„ Christ and hys word and to bring vs to mens traditions And bicause he is ful of subtiltie he knoweth very well that he must work wililye and craftely to deceaue men And therfore in the night and when meÌ„ be in slepe he soweth his tares and cocle That is he tourneth him selfe into an aungel of light as S. Paul saith cometh not 1 Cor. 11 but with great hypocrisy holines He taketh vpon him the name of Christ boasteth glorifieth hymselfe of his workê In so much that he shal bring the elect into errour if it be possible But as Christ saith Mat 24 He is an vtter enemy to his doctrin and name And there is nothing hid vnder that holynes but vtter destruction which the prophete Dauid perceiued very wel when he prayed God that he wold kepe him from the pestilence that walked in darknes from the sicknes that destroyeth in the none day Loke through oute the same 91. Psal And in the 10. chapter of Iohn Christe saith that this thefe how honestly so euer he go he cometh for nothing else but to steale slaye and destroye And hereto it maye be referred also Mat. 7 that in an other place he is called a raueniÌ„g wolfe that is hid in false prophetes Wherfore seing it is so euery one of vs with great diligence shuld beware lest he suffre him selfe to be drawen from God and his worde or els the deuell wyll so longe laye wayte for the vntyll he hathe transformed the into the child of darkenes Nether is he weried with any labour taking no reste day nor night alwaies ready at hande quick diligeÌ„t to oure destruction and condemnacion 1. Pet. 5 as S. Peter witnesseth Thirdely Chryst teacheth vs in this place Alwaies the euell is admixt with the good that the wheat alwaies groweth nigh the tares that is the euel shal be alwaies mingled amongest the good vnto the end of the world I call them euel that be occupied in false doctrine vnbeliefe as all hypocrites heretikes be which wil for the
Christe so is it verye necessary that I with a pure faith confidence do vnderstande and beleue it For very little profyt cometh of an historicall beliefe For the dyuell knoweth and beleueth it and yet it profiteth hym nothynge at all Ye howe mannye be there amongest vs that bee named Christian men which doo confesse and knowledge that Christe rose frome deathe and yet shal be damned Wee do confesse and knowledge the resurrection but the merites thereof we doo cleane take awaye and condemne Howe so Throughe trustinge in workes to the whyche wee ascribe ryghteousnes The and me hath God serued with his resurreccion And therefore yf thou wylte goe the highe waye and pull nothinge frome the merites of Christ thou must beleue not alonly that Christ dyed and rose agayne but that hee dyed and rose for the for the I saye and all synners dyd hee pleasure and seruice therewith For through hys deathe he tooke away thy sinnes and by his resurrection he hath iustified the. Yea throughe his resurrection hee entringe in his kyngedome myghtelye hathe declared that all power in heauen and in earthe is geuen vnto hym and also that he hath ouercome synne death hell and the diuell And finally that there is nothinge which is not subiect vnto him and that he as a Lord of heauen and earth mercifully keepeth and saueth his and maketh they in partakers of his kyngdom Only requiryng of vs that we beleue in hym and dye as concernynge our synnes and walke in a newe lyfe Vnto this pertaineth the syxte chapiter to the Romaines Rom. 6 in the which Paule toucheth this article of the resurrection very highely amongst other thinges sayeng Yf we be dead with Chryst we beleue that we shall lyue also with hym and are sure that Christ raysed from death dieth no more death shal haue no more power ouer him For as touchīg that he died he dyed concerning sinne once But as touching that he lyueth he lyueth vnto god Likewyse ye also count your selues to be euen deade as concernyng sinne and to lyue vnto God throughe Iesu Christe our lorde God serueth vs by hys aungels Secondaryly we se here in this gospell that for bicause this article of the resurrection is so harde of the flesh to be receiued how mercifully and meekly God through his aungell handeleth and intreateth the wemen that brought spices and anoyntementes to the sepulchre of the lorde playnlye and manifestly shewing by wordes and signes that his only son Christ was risen Who wold now I pray you dispair of suche a gentle and mercyful father which so patiently suffering our inftrmitie and so louingely exhortinge and instructing vs Whom wolde not this greate and inestimable charity prouoke to beleue The wemen that bought this anoyntment and came to anoynt Christ surely had an honest intente And their going and hasting to the sepulchre doth plainly shewe the hartye loue that they bare vnto Christe yet not withstanding they did it after a fleshely manner and vtterly withoute any righte faith For yf they had had faithe they wold haue remēbred the words that Christ spake howe that he shulde rise the thirde day and go before theym into Galile But these wordes they forgatte and prepared them selues to anoynte Christ Mat 2◠which was not commaunded vnto them to do But so mannes reason is ofte wonte to do The curiositye of men For it doth often that which it shulde not do and that whiche it shulde do it ouerpasseth and leaueth vndone In so muche that our lorde god to oppresse this curious rashnes and curiousnes Deut. 1◠commaundeth in the lawe that we shulde not do that that seemed to vs good Yet notwithstandyng so good is our god that he doth not for this curiosity and vnfaithfulnes reiect these wemen but through the aungel entyseth and leadeth them frō this carnall and fleshly seruing of god vnto his worde Which thinge is here doone after this manner When these good women went toward the sepulchre said one to an other Who shall roule vs the stone from the graue Lookyng backe they sawe that the stone was rouled awaye And they going into the sepulchre they saw a yong man sittyng on the ryght hand whych had a longe white garment vppon him and they were abasshed But he said vnto them Be not ye afrayd Ye seke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified he is risen he is not here Beholde the place where they layde hym c. Here mayst thou hear and se that god sent not his angell alonly to roule of the stone from the graue but moste chiefly to enforme and instructe the women and to manifest and shewe vnto them the glorious brightnes of his resurrection What the shininge vesture signifieth whych the angelicall shynyng vesture dyd signifye Here marke how diligently it is written here how and in what manner a man muste be iustified and saued First there is written howe the women were sore abashed Suche troblinge and abashing the preaching of the lawe bringeth forthe Rom. 3. when my sinnes thereby be made euident and playne Yea trewelye whome shuld it not make afraid so many commaundementes in the law enioyned to vs and are impossible of vs to be brought to passe or doone and yet neuertheles that sentence remaineth immutable Cursed is he that continueth not in all the wordes of the lawe Deu. 27 to doo them Nexte nowe foloweth the aungels who represent and signifye the preachers of the gospell with their comfort and consolacion Angeles are preachers saiyng Be not afraid O ioyfull and glad tidings that we shall not discomfort vs for our sinnes But frome whence commeth these ioyfull and mery tydinges From Christ our lorde which was delyuered for our sinnes rose for our iustificaciō With such preachinge of the resurrection the Aungell comforteth these wemen bringeth them in remembraunce of the wordes that they had afortyme hard of the resurrection Moreouer he doth confirme his words with a signe A signe whē he sheweth them the place where Christ was layd Do ye think that this was not a gentle way to instruct these women patiently to bear their infirmity by that meanes to make theym to beleue the resurrection Lyke as Christe thorow his aungels and miracles did instruct these women and the apostels so wil he likewise do dayly vnto vs through his word so we as obedient children obey and beleue his worde and seeke our saluacion none other where then alonly in the merits of Christe Thirdelye it foloweth nowe that the women were enioyned by the aungell to go and declare the rysynge of Christe not to the disciples allonlye but also in especiall to Petre Women becam apostelles which for the deniynge of the Lorde was in greate feare and heauines Here oute wee maye learne howe necessarye the preachinge of the resurrection is And contrarye wyse what a miserable calamitye it is where the glory of the resurrection is
and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him If a man loue me he wyll keepe my saiynges and my father wyll loue hym and we wyll come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not myne but the fathers which sente me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beeynge yet present wythe you But the comforter whyche is the hollye ghoste Ioh. 15. and .16 Act. 2. whome my father wyll sende in my name hee shall teache you all thynges and bringe all things to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayde vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you Not as the world geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hartes be greued neyther feare Ye haue hearde howe I sayde vnto you I go and come againe vnto you Yf ye loued me ye wolde verely reioyse bicause I sayde I go vnto the father For the father is greater then I Ioh. 13 and 16. And nowe haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleue Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes vnto you For the prince of this worlde cometh and Ioh. 12. and .16 hath nought in me But that the worlde maye knowe that I loue the father And as the father gaue me commaundemente euen so do I. THE EXPOSITION THe apostels were euer of that mynd The ignorauÌ„ce of the flesh before the holy ghost was confirmed in them that the kingedome of Christe shulde haue ben temporall and wordly wherin he shuld haue mightely raigned as in times paste did Dauid and Salomon Truly when Iudas not the Iscariot according to this saiyng did aske Christ in his laste supper Lorde what is the cause then that thou wilt shew thy selfe vnto vs not vnto the world Christ did lead him with the other disciples away from this hope and trusting of a temporall kingedome to those thinges that were more necessary which was the fulfillyng of his word And therfore he doth teache in this gospell Fyrste of all hee teachethe heere what the frute of oure loue towarde god is whiche muste needes flowe oute of the harte and cannot stande without faith For how can I loue him Loue towards God of whome I hope and loke for no goodnes For in that I loke for goodnes of Christe that I hope and truste in him and set al my consolacion and comforte in him that faith I say oÌ„ly bringeth to passe which receiueth the worde and thereby knoweth that the father wyll be knowen and glorified in this Christe alone Ioh. 1. And that is the meaninge of this sentence Who so euer beleueth not that he receiueth of his fulnes that by Christe he hathe a mercifull father in heauen and remission of sinnes righteousnes and saluacioÌ„ moreouer that it is God through Christ that keepeth vs and defendeth vs frome the ieopardyes and periles of this worlde hee loueth not Christe but rather his owne propre workes righteousnes and wisedome Moreouer where Christ is neither loued nor knowen there of a suertye is his worde neither obserued nor kepte And contrarye wise Where the same mercifull father with all his benefites done vnto vs is knowen and all oure hope caste in hym by Christ yt is not possible but that there shal be trewe loue towardes Christ Trewe loue wylleth that god willeth lyueth accordinge to his godlye wyll hath greate delyte and pleasure to heare what god desireth of vs and when he heareth it he fulfilleth it in worke And suche faith and loue dyd Moyses require of the people of Israell Deut. 6. saying Heare o Israell the lord our God is one lord onely and thou shalt loue the lord thy god with al thy hart with al thy soule c. Faythe Chieffely here note that Moyses as a lawe gyuer requireth faith and hope of the harte towarde the onlye god that he is the same that kepeth and preserueth the people and wil be to vs a mercifull father And after that he requireth loue towardes god though he cannot giue it by the lawe that we shuld loue god with all our hart with all our soule with all our might And on this wise Moyses draweth vs from all creature and directeth vs to god only Moreouer he desireth such maner of loue Loue towardes God that not constrained but frely and volutarily shal serue god and keepe his commaundementes and fulfyll his wil as the nature of loue is Which more plainly we find in the gospel Mat. 13 that the seed that fell in a good grouÌ„d gaue frute c. Here thou hearest that the word of god taken with the hart through preaching bringeth forth frute By the worde we receiue faith from faith cometh loue toward god our neighboure of loue cometh the fulfilling of godê coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts Finally Faith loue bring a godly a christian coÌ„uersacion lyfe Wherefore Christ in the gospell of this day constraineth no maÌ„ by the law but exhorteth them to faith and loue as they that willyngly wolde kepe his word and fulfyll his comaundment accordinge to sainte Paules saiyng 1. Tim. 1 howe that the lawe is noâ— gâ—uen vnto the righteous but vnto the vngodly disobedient and sinners Secondaryly this gospell teacheth The kiÌ„gdome of god ioin the harts of the faithfull wher Christ will haue his kingedome and dominioÌ„ namely in the harts of the faithfull Likewise he promiseth vs here not onli that if we shew this loue outwardly with the word that the father shal loue vs but also more greater and more excellent thinges that is to saue â–ª that he with the father and the vertue of the holy ghost wyll come vnto vs. O comforte O grace It was out dewty to 〈◊〉 vnto him seing that our nature is so corrupte and wanteth so muche ameÌ„demente But behold God wil come vnto vs. so mercifull is our god that he preuenteth vs and promiseth to come vnto vs by Christ And what will he do with vs He wyll make hym a dwellinge place with vs. If wee considre the disposition of oure nature and firste natiuity we shall fynde that our harte is the dwellyng place of the diuell Which alas is to trewe in so much that S. Paul saith Ephe. 2. that naturally we were the childreÌ„ of wrath euen as well as other And for this originall sinne that is grafte in vs god by right might condempne vs wretched creatures But yet considre how mercifully goodly he handleth vs which not all only forgiueth vs our originall and actuall sinne as they call it so mercifully through Christ but also he geueth vnto vs Christ himselfe And so he giueth him vnto vs that he with him voutchsafeth to dwell in vs whereby Satan is expulsed and driuen away 1 Cor. 6. and our hartes made the dwelling place and temple of the holy ghoste He now that here in this worlde
discord to testifie a brotherly vnfained loue betwene vs. For whē we be made al partakers of this one table what ought we to thinke but that we be al mēbres of one spiritual body that we be ioyned togither in one Christe as a greate numbre of graines of corne bee ioyned togither in one lofe Wherefore they that can not bee persuaded to bee good to their christian brethren for whome Christ suffered death when in this sacrament they be put in remembraunce that the sonne of god bestowed his lyfe for his enemyes We see dayly that eating and drinking togither maketh friendes and continueth friendship Muche more then oughte the table of Christ to moue vs so to do whereby we confesse vs to be all membres of one body and acknowledge Christ to be giuen vs of God his father To whome with the sonne and holye ghoste be all honoure and glorye for euer and euer Amen The gospell on the second sermon vppon the passion of our lorde Iohn 18. WHen Iesus had spoken these woordes Mat. 19 Mar 14 Luce. 22 he went forth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron wher was a garden into whyche he entred and hys disciples Iudas also whiche betrayed him knew the place for Iesus ofte tymes resorted thyther with his disciples Iudas then after he had receiued a bonde of men ministers of the highe priestes and pharisees came thither with lanternes and fier brandes and weapons And Iesus knowyng all things that shulde come on him went forth and sayde vnto them Whom seeke ye They answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayth vnto them I am he Iudas also which betrayed hym stode with them As sone then as he had sayde vnto them I am he they went backeward and fell to the grounde Then asked he them againe Whom seek ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go theyr way that the sayinges might be fulfilled whiche he spake Ioh. 17 Of them which thou gauest me haue I not loste one Then Simon Peter hauynge a sworde drewe it and smote the high priestes seruaunt and cutte of his right eare The seruantes name was Maichus Therfore sayth Iesus vnto Peter Mat. 2◠Gene. 9 putte vp thy sworde into the sheath Shall I not drynke of the cuppe whiche my father hath geuen me THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche dearely beloued as wee haue vndertake to declare vnto you and to set out the deare death and most bytter passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ I haue thought it conuenient and nede also requireth the same that wee should first shew briefly what is the vse of the same passion and what vtilitee and fruit may come by it vnto vs. For there is no greatter folye nor more worthye laughter than to make only suche preachynges as should moue mennes myndes to fret at the Iewes because they dyd suche an horrible cryme against Christ by such wordes take an occasion to curse rebuke the traitour Iudas and to condempne him For surely here are to bee considered thynges farre greatter and higher then those And what thynges are they that we ought here to consider Fyrst wee ought to ponder what were the principal causes of that so great passion whiche the most innocent lābe of God suffered For if this be depely wayed and cōsidered in the heart it shall worke as muche in oure heartes as dothe the preachyng of the lawe whose office is commonly to set before oure eyes the huge greatnes of our synnes to feare vs and to driue vs vnto dispayre But nowe who were they that were the cause of that so paynful death and passion vnto Christ The cause of the doth of Christ Esai 53 that cōmytted that horrible cryme to sley the sōne of God No mā can shewe this more truely nor better then the prophet whiche sayth Because of the transgression of my people I haue slayn him Kepe this sentence diligently in thy mynde And if thou wylt so doo thou shalt haue as great cause to fret at thy selfe as euer thou couldest fynde to bee displeased with the Iewes and that wretched poore felowe Iudas And if that the Lord our God gaue his dearely beloued sōne vnto this passion for the trāsgression and synnes of his people surely we also do put to our workyng helpyng hādes vnto this passion ar also aswel as other authors of his death Haue not we synned also with other Or are we except out of this sentēce Al men haue synned are destitute of the glory of God Rom. 3 Doubtles no mā can here excuse himselfe neither is any mā free frō sinne so that he may lay al the blame vpō the Iewes for Christes death 1 Iho. 2 For as S. Ihō sayth He is the propiciacion obtayner of grace for our synnes not for our synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde Therfore when thou hearest that this innocent Christ was bound scourged spyt vpō and skorned and besydes that beaten vpō the face crouned with thorne crucifyed thou shuldest then call to mynd and remembre Our sinnes crucifyed Christ that thou thy selfe hast done this that thy synnes were the moost iust cause and very occasion of all these thynges Neither must thou remembre thynges lightly but so meditate them in thy mynde that thou mayst knowe thy selfe a most greuous synner and confesse thy selfe suche a one as by thy synnes prouoked so great wrathe and indignacion of God Nor thynke not that thy synnes were light for the whiche it was necessary that the sonne of God shuld come doune frō heauen and suffre the most vyllayn death of the crosse Cōsider also in thy mynd that this passion What profite we haue by the death passion of Christ shedyng of that precious blud was done for thy welth profite that thy synnes and all thy trāsgressions should by effusion of this blud be washed away so thou deliuered frō al thy synnes mightest be made the sonne heyre of God Nowe if thou by fayth takest hold vpō this with all the whole fayth of thy heart trustest wholly vpō it it shal make the fre frō al sinnes recōcile the vnto the heauenly father and bryng perpetual ioy eternal felicitie vnto the. Euen as S. Paule sayth Christ Rom 5. when we were yet weake accordyng vnto the tyme died for the vngodly And scarce wyl any mā dye for the righteous Yet peraduenture some mā dare dye for a good man But in this hath God set out his loue towarde vs that when we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Muche more now that we be iustifyed in his bloud we shal be saued frō the wrath by him c. After this maner the woundes of Christ may be vnto the a preachyng of the lawe when thou callest to mynde that he suffered them for thy synnes And agayne when thou remēbrest
beleuest that all this was done for thy wealth then receyuest thou that glad tidynges which preacheth vnto the that thou shalt not perishe but art deliuered from all thy synnes and shalt liue with Christ eternally Is not this a wonderous great profyte that thou hast by the passion of Christ where are I pray you nowe Note this ye sectaries that sell your merites to other those iusticiaries whiche ascribe their saluacion not vnto the passion and death of oure Lorde Iesu Christ but vnto the merites of their owne workes Surely they erre exceadyng sore that so beleue For doubtlesse our owne woorkes were neuer able to performe so great a thing but Christ Christ I say Christ only is he that by his death passion and by the effusion of his precious bloudde geueth freely and maketh vs to possesse eternal helth For he is made vnto vs wisedome from God 1. Cor. 1 and righteousnes and sanctificacion and redempcion Secondarily wee heare nowe of the Euangelist Ihon that when Christ had ended that his last supper had finished that excellent sermon made then vnto his disciples he went furth with his disciples ouer the broke called CedroÌ„ into a certain garden to pray Prayer requireth a secrete place 1. Ti. 2. Some men wyll say what meaneth this that Christ taryeth not within the house Shuld prayer be bound vnto certaine prescrybed places Nay truly For sainct Paule wylleth that in euery place we holde vp our handes vnto God Yet that notwithstanding suche is the nature of feruent and earnest prayer that it may bee farre better and deuoutlyer done Mat. 6 in some secrete place or as Christ sayth in thy chambre then in suche places where is great resort of people Ma. 14 as we also see in the gospel of Mathewe howe Iesus weÌ„t alone into the mountaine to pray But then specially is it agreable that he that prayeth be alone and farre from other when his necessitee panges of his mynd are great that he may so much the more frely shed furth his whole heart before the Lorde his God and in his lappe laye furth all his aduersitee whatsoeuer it be And now what thynke you moued Christ to departe asyde into the garden to pray Necessitee compelleth men to pray Surely that exceadyng great anguishe of his heart For nowe he knewe that the tyme was come of his passion whiche he so sore feared that he sayd My soule is sorowfull vnto the death And againe O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe froÌ„ me You heare in this place howe great feare how great anguishe how great tribulacion and pensiuenes was in the fleshe of Christ And doubtlesse the same feare inuaded him when he haÌ„gyng vpoÌ„ the crosse cryed out with the saiyng of the Psalmist Oh God Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me Psa 21. But nowe ponder what Christ doth in suche necessitee froÌ„ whence he asketh comfort helpe Christ asketh at his heaueÌ„ly father Doubtles he hath no maner of helpe comfort or hope but in his heaueÌ„ly father at whose hand also he loketh for all coÌ„solacion seyng that it was impossible for any creature to helpe in suche necessitee and trouble And although he muste needes drynke of the cuppe of his passion yet was he comforted strengthned by his heauenly father whiche sent an Angel from heauen to comfort him Luc. 22. which altogether was done for vs. For this infirmitee of Christe that wee here see was made our strength For surely we could neuer haue been able to ouercome any temptacioÌ„ but only by Christ Whensoeuer therfore in our necessitee wee aske any thyng of oure heauenly father for Christes sake we shal doubtles for Christ obtayne helpe comfort and all oure heartes desire and bee assured of most sure consolacion Thirdely when Christe hadde ended his prayer Iudas came with the seruantes of the Bishoppes and Phariseis to betraye his Maister and Lorde to delyuer him into the handes of the Bishops and Priestes Is not this an horrible thing to speake especially that an Apostle betrayed Christe Before he had preached the gospell before hee hadde done myracles yea and so behaued him selfe that he seemed nothing vnlyke the other Apostles Besydes this it was not longe before that he sate at one table with Christ and his Apostles and was partener of his Supper and hadde hearde with howe greate pacience and meekemes although in close wordes the lorde had called him vnto repentance Yet notwithstandinge he was so sore indurate and blynded that for a little vyle money he selleth hys Lord Ther is no truste in man and betrayeth him vnto the Iewes Who canne nowe haue any truste in manne seeyng this traytour dare be so bold as one that hathe none euell in his mynde or thynketh no harme to kysse Christe Who also shall boast himselfe of the gyfte that God hath gyuen him before hee come vnto a blessed and christian end Doutles it was not said for noughte Mat 24 Hee that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued There are manye that haue a good begynnyng when they firste beginne to beleue as we haue experience of suche in our times For ther haue been some whiche in the beginning when the gospell beganne to florysh were so feruent and excedinge herty that in manner they dyd durste oute all togither with feruent loue and seemed as they wold at ones deuour the whole gospell But a verye small numbre is there of theim that haue continued the same hartye good mind vnto a good fortunable and perfecte ende Wherefore this is euer true that our sauiour Christ saith Mat. 1â— The last shal be fyrst and the fyrst laste What nedeth mo wordes When suche men ones fall frome the gospell they runne into suche enuye and hatred against it that without doubt they would do as Iudas here doth to his lorde and maister if god woâ—d permitte vnto them occasion to do it Howe often I praye you complaineth S. Paul of such false brethren Note this O chrisâ—ian reader do it Therfore all christian men haue a greate cause without ceassyng to offre prayers vnto god by Christe that not only he wold bring vs vnto the trew and right faith but also that of his great mercy and vnspeakable goodnes he voutchsafe to conserue vs in the same vnto the ende Fourthely we see in this place Christe wyllinglye gaue him vnto the crosse howe willyngly Christe gaue himselfe vnto the crosse for so saithe the texte Then Iesus knowinge all thinges that shulde come vnto him hee wente to meete theym and sayde Whome seeke ye They answered hym Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus sayd vnto them I am he Is it not fulfilled in this place that the prophete sayd Esa 53. Hee shall bee ledde as a sheepe vnto the slaughter and as a lambe before the sherer so shal he hold his peace and he shall not open his mouth And
into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For ♣ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When
learne to distrust of our selues and our owne strengthes and to seke righteousnes and health otherwhere then at our selues or in our owne workes But where shuld it be sought Forsoth at him that opened vnto the Apostles that excellent cōfession of Christ that is to say at the heauenly father of whom Christ also sayth in another place Noman knoweth the father but onely the sonne and noman knoweth the sōne but the father only and he to whom the father will open him Thyrdly A promise geuen vnto the churche wee haue in this Gospell a promyse of Christ geuen to the churche that is this That the gates of hell that is Sathan and all power wysedome of the worlde shal not preuayle against it Nowe note vpō what foundacion this church must be buylded to whom this excellent promise pertayneth Christ sayth Thou art Peter that is stonye that is thou standest stedfast in thy confession as doth the stony rocke For thou cōfessest and beleuest that I am Christ the sonne of the liuyng God that is thou beleuest that I am the sauiour and redemer of the whole worlde Wherfore nowe suche fayth shal be in my church that hath respect to me my worde and only dependeth vpon me and stand sure firme in the same confession as thou hast done nowe And vpon suche a fayth as only putteth confidence vpō my word I wyll buyld my church so strongly that not the gates of hel that is what so euer be against me other in hel or in earth shal preuaile against it Doubtles persecution shal arise and Sathan him selfe shall not cease by thousand meanes to tempte The gates of hel if it may any way be possible to take away the word frō my church But he shal not obtain his purpose but spend his labour in vaine And why For I my selfe will be protector and defender of it A like saying hath Christ in Mat. Whosoeuer heareth of me these wordes doth them Mat. 7 I wil liken him to a wise man that hath buylt his house vpon a rocky stone and the rayne came downe and the fluddes arose and the windes blew they fel with violence vpon that house it was not ouerthrowē for it was builded vpon a stony rock Now seing that Christ hath with this his so rich excellent a promise prouided for his church With out the trwe churche is no saluaciō Ephe. 5 I pray you who wil be so mad to seperate him selfe from christes church I say again frō Christs church for the which as S. Paul saith he hath giuē him self to death to sanctify it clense it in the fountaine of water by the word to make it vnto him self a glorious congregacion hauing no spot nor wrinkell nor any suche thinge but that it shuld be holy and without blame Fourthly we se to whom Christ hath cōmitted the power of the keies how far the same power extendeth it self It was said afore that Peter answered in the name of al the Apostels that Christs words were to Peter to al the other Apostels Seing it is so nedes must we confesse that power autorite to lose binde was not giuen to Peter alone but generally to al the Apostels Now if any wyll be contencious hold opiniō that the power was giuē to Peter only yet is his mouthe stopped with these places of Math. Iohn where Christ saide to his Apostles Mat 18 Ioh. 20 Whose sins so euer ye forgiue they be forgiuē and whose sins so euer ye retaine they are retained Although it be without questiō that those that dispute stryue by the swords as they saye for the power of Peter thei take vpon them those disputacions not for Peters sake but ōli to flatter therwith their Roman Antichrist But truth it is that the gates of hell haue so sore preuailed against him that euery child may perceiue easily that this promise ought not to be wrested falsly applied to the Roman seat Besides that what with his false doctrine his diuelishe pride he hath so sore ouerthrowen him self that his estimacion hath but smal place in the hertes of those that beleue But nowe what is the power of the keyes Truly nothing els but the administracion of the word sacraments For Christ hath giuen this his word and sacraments vnto his churche And the churche committeth the same power vnto the ministers of the word which execute this office in the name of the whol church Therfore whersoeuer the worde is preched receiued beleued there also without doubt is remission of sinnes and that is it that here is vnderstād by losyng To lose and bynde And whersoeuer the word of god is preached men beleue it not surely ther remaineth perpetual cōdemnaciō ther is no remissiō of sins that same is here vnderstād by binding For doutles the promise stādeth here stedfastly assuredly that what so euer the ministers of the worde lose vpō earth in the name of the whole congregacion the same is losed also in earthe And what so euer thei bind vppon earth the same is bounde also in heauen And doubteles this power is not to bee contemned for that the minister or priest dothe in this matter hee doothe it not of himselfe but god himselfe doothe it whyche for the same intente hathe gyuen vnto vs hys woorde and Sacramentes To whome with the sonne and the holy ghost be all honor and prayse worlde without ende Amen The gospell on sainct Mary Magdalenes daye Luc. 7. When the Pharesey which had bydden hym sawe hee spake within him selfe saying If thys man were a prophete he wold suerly knowe who and what maner of woman this is that toucheth hym for shee is a sinner And Iesus answered and sayde vnto hym Symon I haue somewhat to saye vnto the. And he sayde Maister saye on There was a certaine lender which had two detters the one oughte fyue hundreth pence and the other fyfty When they hadde nothynge to pay he forgaue them both Tell me therfore whyche of theim wyll loue him most Symon answered and sayd I suppose that he to whom he forgaue most And he saide vnto him Thou hast truely iudged And he turned to the woman sayd vnto Symō Seest thou this woman I entred into thy house thou gauest me no water for my feete but she hath washed my feete with teares wyped them with the heere 's of her head Thou gauest me no kysse but she sence the tyme I came in hath not ceassed to kysse my feete Myne head with oyle thou dyddest not annoynt but she hath annoynted my feete with oyntment Wherfore I say vnto thee many synnes are forgeuen her for she loued muche To whom lesse is forgeuen thesame doth lesse loue And he sayd vnto her thy synnes are forgeuen thee And they that satte at meate with him began to say within thē selues who is this which forgeueh synnes also And