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
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
in them Vndoubtedly thys answere teacheth vs two thynges Fyrst ☜ that the wyll of God ought not to be learned of the dead as Moses also forbyddeth in Deuteronomye sayenge Deut. xviij Let noman serch the trouth of the deade for God abhorreth it And surely not wythout cause for he that ensercheth the trouth of deade men sheweth hymselfe not contented wyth gods worde whych is a synne agaynst the seconde commaundement Also to serche the trouth of deade men is to put other meanes thā preachers by whome God wol haue hys word knowen and spred abrode Thys thynge doth the exemple of Saule teach vs i. Reg. xxviij whych after he was caste vp of the Lorde and vtterly wycked in his harte by the helpe of a wytche raysed vp the prophete Samuell from death that is to wyt a certayne person resemblynge Samuel in voyce and vysage Secondly thys answere of Abraham teacheth vs that besyde the worde wrytten none other is to be loked for or to be herde though an angell shulde come from heauen or a goost ryse frō death to lyfe Wherfore good christen brethren and systers I exhorte in the Lordes name you that be rych to make your selues frendes of your wicked Mammon Luc. xvi that is to saye of your worldly goodes that when ye dye they may receyue you into euerlastyng tabernacles lest ye be serued as thys ryche mā was And agayne I exhorte you that be poore to haue sure faith in the Lorde and pacience in your aduersitie and pouertie And doubt ye not but at your departure out of this transitory worlde accordynge to the example of this poore Lazarus ye shal be caryed by angels into the bosome of Abraham abrahās bosome that is to say into euerlastyng lyfe in whych after the exemple of the father Abraham who is the father of al beleuynge chyldren the godly be receyued as into the bosome of the heuēly father To whom wyth the sonne and holy goost be all honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .ij. sondaye after trinitie The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iij. chapter Th argument ☞ Of the syngular loue of God towardes vs and howe we ought agayne to loue one another MAruayle not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated frō death vnto lyfe bycause we loue the brethren He that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death Who so euer hateth hys brother is a mansleer And ye knowe that no mansleer hath eternall lyfe abydynge in hym Hereby perceyue we loue bycause he gaue hys lyfe for vs and we ought to gyue our lyues for the brethren But who so hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede shutteth vp hys compassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of God in hym My babes let vs not loue in worde neyther in tonge but in dede and in veritie FOr asmuch as deare brethren and systers euen from the begynnynge of the worlde it hath bene sene as the exemple of Abel wytnesseth that the godly haue suffred persecution trouble ☜ and vexation of the vngodly and wycked persons therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Ihon doth here exhorte vs to pacience in persecution and in aduersitie and that we shulde not be false harted and discouraged bycause we se we be euell and vnworthely handeled intreated of the wycked worlde And it is not without cause that saynt Ihon moueth vs to pacience for of truth it is a ryght harde thynge a mā to stāde fast in trouble and not to despayre or at leste waye not to doubte of the trouth of gods word for al that he seeth so many euell and vnhappy chaunces vnto hym on euery syde And besydes that he exhorteth vs in thys place vnto pacience he also therwythall comforteth al that be vexed troubled for trouthes sake wyth the greate benefyte and profyte whyche they haue taken through gods worde that is to wyt that they be translated frō death to lyfe and be now made the beloued sonnes of God to whych commodities and profytes al the persecutions in the world be not able to be compared Maruayle not sayeth S. Ihon though the worlde hate you We knowe that we are translated frome death vnto lyfe bycause we loue our brethren O what an vnspeakable solace and comforte is this my frendes vnto vs to know that we now lyue vnto God warde albeit before the worlde we be daylye mortifyed and euen kylled none otherwise thā shepe that go to the slaughter And agayne on the contrary parte what a fearful horrible thynge is it that the wycked persons whych pursue the godly be dead to god warde We be than translated frō death to lyfe Wherfore Bycause sayeth Ihon we loue oure brethren Surely my frendes the louynge of our brethren is an open declaracion token to the worlde that we be the chyldren of God For he that sayeth he hath faythe and loue towardes God and yet loueth not hys neyghbour maketh a starke lye For a good tree must nedes brynge forth good frute He then that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death that is to saye Rom. vi he is not yet rysen from death to lyfe wyth Christ vnto a new lyfe Yea saynt Ihon goeth forther and sayeth Who so euer hateth hys brother is a manslayer The law is spirituall Surely my frendes the lawe is spirituall and requyreth also the inwarde affections as Ihon doth here testifye For not only he that kylleth by layeng on of handes and violence vpon hys brother is in daunger to the law of murther but also he that pursueth hys neyghbour wyth hatred So though that he be not a murtherer and māsleer in outward dede yet in harte he is But no mansleer hath eternal lyfe abydynge in hym For loke wyth what measure we meate to other Mat. vij wyth the same shall it be measured agayne to vs. Now in the doctrine and teachynge of charitie ye shal vnderstande that it is the maner of thapostles euer to brynge vs to the exemple of Christ whereby to frame our lyfe lest we shuld inuent and deuise of our owne heades newe formes fashions of louing our brethren S. Ihon therfore doth here preuente vs and setteth forth Christ for an exemple to be folowed of vs The loue of god toward vs whych loued vs hys brethren not after a lyght and base sorte but euen wyth the peryll of his owne lyfe He wol haue vs than in lyke wyse to loue our brethren not lyghtly but so vehemently that when nede requyreth we shulde not stycke to venture our goodes yea our lyfe also for theyr sauetie welth By thys we knowe charitie that is to saye the loue of Christ towardes vs and what our loue and charitie ought to be in asmuche as he gaue his soule or lyfe for vs O what excedynge and vehemente loue was thys of Christ And shall we then shewe our selues churlysh and vnkynde agayne
the deuell in Christes power and assystence shall we no fayle haue the victory and ouer come them all Yf we desyre to be delyuered of thys transytory world and to be present wyth God to syt at hys table let vs a whyle tary in hope vntyll the Lorde call vs and we shall not doubt but be caryed thyther wyth his holy angels wyth hym to dwel for euer He hath not prepared thys supper of euerlastynge lyfe of hys fre mercy onely but hath also as frely prepared all necessarye helpes and meanes for vs to vse to the better attaynynge of thys supper Onely let vs be ware by the exemples of the Iues that we be not vnkynde to so mercyfull a callynge leste we be refused as they were We be not more in gods fauour than they were They were gods elect people we were not so They were the chyldren of the house we were foryners and straungers and none of the householde They were the natural braūches we are but grafted in theyr stockes and receyued in theyr rowmes We ought to feare the more that we shall not be spared yf we shewe vnkyndnes as they dyd Ye haue herd what were the lettes wherby the Iewes were drawen abacke from theyr saluation One had bought a farme and was so holly bente to improue and enlarge that to beare rule and raygne in the worlde that he hadde no leasure nor space to gyue eare to the feastmakers callynge and to come to hys supper An other was so busely set about hys oxen and other possession couetously gatherynge lucre and gaynes to enrych hymselfe that he chose rather to lose the commoditie of that delicate supper then to lose hys gaynes An other excused hymselfe that he had maryed a wyfe and therfore answered he that he coulde not come He desyred not to be excused as the other two dyd but sayde flatlye that he coulde not come so harde it is for hym to come to Christ whych hath hys harte set vpō the flateryng vanities and pleasures of the worlde Let vs take hede my frendes that we be not so ouercome of these euel affections before rehersed that we folowe not them and refuse to come to the supper of euerlastyng lyfe wherevnto we be called Lu. xiiij Let vs call to mynde what our sauiour Christe sayeth excepte we renounce all that we possesse we cā not be hys disciples It is not euell to haue rule and dominion in the worlde but so to set our hartes vpon our dignities and preeminence that we shal for the sauegard of them forsake the truth and peruerte iustice that is abhominable before God So to ensue honoure and worshyp that we shall labour by falshode and sedition by secrete conspiracye to gette it that is abominable before God and wylbe surely reuenged i. pet v for God euer hateth the proude in harte he setteth hymselfe a parte agaynst them Psalm xxxvi euer to depose such Though sayeth Dauid the vngodlye shryne hymselfe neuer so hye yet I sawe hym whan he was exalted aboue the Cedre trees brought downe agayne to the grounde I sought hys rowme and place but he was wasted and vanyshed awaye lyke the smoke Kepe therfore byddeth Dauid innocency and beholde equitie for the godly man hath euer permanent issue It is not euell to haue ryches and possessiōs to vse the course of lawfull occupyenge but so to ensue our gaynes that we shall not spare by ryght or wronge to gette them that is wyckednes before God So to possesse ryches that vnmercyfully we shall kepe them and not reliefe the poore with our superfluities as Christ cōmaundeth vs to be stewardes of hys goodes cōmytted in our trust Math. xxv that is the thynge which prouoketh hym to displeasure to pronoūce that it is very harde for a rych man to entre in the kyngdome of heauen mat xix more easy for a camell to go thorowe a nedles eye Of all myschyfe is couetyse the roote and foūtayne sayeth S. Paule i. tim vi sayeth that they whych desyre to be rych fall into temptacion and snare of the deuell and to dyuerse lustes hurtfull and foolyshe whyche drowne men in death and destruction It is that affection sayeth saynte Paule whyche make the suers therof to erre frō theyr fayth They can neuer haue leasure to wayte vpon Christ and his worde that folowe thys affection saye and cal Christ what ye wyl they haue no lust nor desyre to come vnto hym And the reason of thys thynge he openeth in an other place where he sayeth ii co iiij that the Gospell is not receyued of these worldlye men bycause the God of thys worlde hath blynded theyr vnderstandynge leste the lyght of the gospel shuld shyne appeare vnto thē As these .ij. euell affections I meane the desyre of dominion and authoritie and the insaciable desyre of ryches be greate impedimentes and lettes that hynder many a man from saluation so is the affection to pleasures of thys worlde as great a let in whome it raygneth to cause them set lytel by the callynge of God to thys great feast of the glorye to come This affection is so subtle that where the other two can not alter and occupye the mynde of many men yet of thys they be ouercome A beastly affection to be led wyth the volupties of thys worlde and therfore Christ compareth them to swyne walowynge in the myer of beastly and carnal lyfe and wolde haue no perles cast before them for they can none otherwyse do but trede them vnder foote despyse them Let vs therfore good people take good aduisement let vs consyder of what gentlenes and mercy we be called Let vs consyder whereto we be called not to payne and mysery but to feastynge and bankettyng in the kyngdome of heauen We prouoked not God to call vs by our merytes which were nothynge but blyndnes and Idolatry but he of hys mercy preuented vs only to haue the prayse of our saluacion which wyl come at hys calling Let vs cōsider how great a zele God beareth to our helth whych semeth to be angrye whan we refuse to come at hys callynge not only calleth vs and leaueth vs there but hath prouided all thynges to helpe vs to come thyther whervnto we be called hys worde we haue hys sacramētes and hys holy spirite workynge in our hartes we haue to be present wyth vs to strength vs to come Yf we come we be saued and shal be blessed for euer if we com not but make our excuses we deceiue our selues and for the loue of vayne and transytory delytes and pleasures lose the lyfe euerlastynge And what shall it auayle to wynne all the worlde lose our soules Yf we refuse to come to thys feast let vs not loke to be bydden to any other for it is the last feast and none other to be loked for after No better messanger could he sende to vs to moue vs to come to thys feast
whych the gospell teacheth He doubtles neuer slepeth though we slepe neuer so soūdly carelessy but lyke a roryng lyon he runnyth and leapeth about seakyng whome to deuoure as thapostle S. Peter doth testifie in the ende of this firste epistle i. pet v. But forasmoche as the power of desires and lustes is so greate yea that after iustification receyued saynt Peter vseth certein warlyk wordes wherwith he expresseth the strength and power of these carnal worldly desires which he sayth do warre againste vs and as the greke worde purporteth do dayly exercise with vs a pyched felde militant whych thing the scripture otherwhyles calleth the conflycte of the fleshe and of the spirite agaynst whych no outwarde workes can do any good As the holy fathers also haue confessed and complayned of themselues Note thys exemple of saynt Hierom For saint Hierom hymselfe when he sought euery where a present remedy agaynst the desyres of the fleshe at last after longe delyberation departed into the woode trustynge that by thys meane he shulde eschue and shake of from hym hys carnal and fleshely desyres but it wolde not be for euen in his very mysery and vexation of hys body whych he toke vpon hymselfe for that purpose he yet thought he satte at Rome amōges the Romane ladies and fayre wenches and that he daunced wyth them Wherfore syth here in thys lyfe it is not in our powers vtterly to do awey carnall desyres the holy fathers and prophetes desyred wyth hygh lamentation that they myghte be lycenced to departe out of thys vale of teares to the heauenly and perfyte ioyes For here they thought themselues onely straungers and as pylgrimes or wayfarynge men Whych thynge thapostle Paule in hys seconde epistle to the Corinthians doth wonderfully well declare wrytynge on thys wyse We knowe ij cor v. sayeth he that yf our erthy mansion of thys dwellynge were destroyed we haue a buyldynge of God an habitation not made wyth handes but eternall in heauen And therfore sygh we desyrynge to be clothed wyth our mansion whych is from heuen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked and so forth Now suche straungers S. Peter here wylleth vs to be whyche ought continually to loke vp to contende and laboure thyther settynge asyde all earthly thynges all cares and worldly desyres and euer to stande redy in hope to be delyuered out of thys our earthly tabernacle or hostrye and to enioye the euerlastynge inheritaunce Howbeit yet in the meane season good people we teache not as do these Anabaptistes that he that hath ryches shulde cast them awaye but that he cleaue not in harte vnto them lyke as other places of holy scripture do teach vs and namely thys present epistle of S. Peter whych by a similitude of straungers or pylgrimes doth declare vnto vs that in the hostrye of thys present worlde we shulde be in loue with nothynge we shulde vaynly ambiciously require nothynge that is in our hoostes house whych is the worlde euen none otherwyse than a straunger a pawmer or wayfarynge body doth whych knoweth that nothinge in hys ynne or lodgynge doth pertayne vnto hym ☜ but only maketh hast homewarde into hys owne cōtrey Now they whych be in loue admiration with any thynge in thys worlde they can not be called forenners straungers or pylgrimes but cytizens and inhabitauntes of thys worlde Wherfore it is great folly now amonges christen men to be in loue wyth the thynges of the worlde to seke pleasure in carnall desyres What be carnall desyres syth suche thynges belonge no more to christians But I praye you what vyces doth saynt Peter cal here desyres Surely not only those grosse faultes but also the inwarde croked affections which doubtles be the very causes of those outwarde and grosse vyces Saynt Peter therfore wrytyng especyally to the Iewes whych were disperpled abrode in dyuers countreyes and by them vnto vs Englyshe men and to all others ryght tēderly exhorteth them callynge them hys moost derely beloued brethren to absteyne as forenners and pylgrymes from all fleshly lustes that is to wit all vices whyche of nature do stycke to the fleshe whych vices do kepe continuall warre and batell agaynst the soule and spirite of mā that euer more tendeth and laboureth to do the wyll of God And he wylleth them that they haue honest conuersacion amonges the Gentyls or paynems whych worshipped false Goddes amonge whome at that tyme when saynte Peter wrote thys epistle the christen men lyued Saint Peter therfore wyll not that christen men shulde departe from the panyms but that they shulde lyue honestly amōges them to thintent that where as they backbyte them as euyll doers they myght se theyr good workes myghte prayse and glorifye God in the daye of visitation In the daye of visitatiō that is to saye that the paynyms beynge more ryghtly instructed and taught by the honeste lyfe of the christians myghte by gods visitation be called also to the Gospell and so to haue a better opinion and iudgement of gods worde whych thynge in dede came to passe in the primatiue church by the godly exemple of the good Apostolicall fathers and christen people in Rome and els where Where as now the paynims and infidels as be turkes Iues be rather plucked frome the Gospell then allured vnto it by thexemple of those that woll neuertheles be called the successours of Peter and Paule and the vicares of Christ Wherfore it is to be feared leste God wyll visite them not by heapynge vpon them hys benefytes and graces whych they refuse neglecte but by pourynge vpon them hys iuste yre and vengeaunce accordynge to theyr desertes Be you subiecte therfore good christen people to the worde of God Obeye hys commaundementes prescribed in the same Let your lyght shyne before mē and namely before the proude Pharisees infidels whych thynke there is no God that they may se your good workes and honest conuersacion and glorifye your father in heauen Submytte your selues Mat. v. according to Peters counsayle here vnto euery humane creature that is to saye vnto all maner ordinaunce or power whych humane creatures do administer and that euen for the Lordes sake For it pleaseth the Lorde ye shulde so do lest your conscience shulde be polluted and defyled wyth synne through disobedience And euen here maye ye lerne good people that when ye obeye the publyke ruler and magistrate ye do please God by thys obedience Be obedient therfore sayth S. Peter whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chefe head or vnto rulers as to thē that are sent of hym for the punyshmēt of euel doers Ro. xiij And surely as wytnesseth S. Paule whoseoeuer resysteth power resysteth the ordinaūce of God For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euell Wherfore ye must obeye sayth Paule not only for feare of vengaunce but also bycause of
iugemente Thre lettes Here ye se good people thre lettes or obstacles whych by thoffice of tholy ghost muste be moued awey to thintente thys spirituall kyngdome mighte be vnderstande that is to saye synne whych is not to beleue in god this thinge noman doth vnderstande by his propre nature and yet onles it be vnderstande noman can haue accesse to the kingdome of Christ The seconde is the ignoraunce of the true iustice whych pleaseth god and this also can no man take nor perform of himselfe The third is iudgement wheras we vnderstand not naturally that the deuell is iuged by the disclosing of the gospell These thre lettes and impedimentes be roted naturally in euery mans mynde whych no man can vnderstande of himselfe or take them awaye by hys owne power Wherfore to the doinge hereof is the holy gost promysed in this gospell Now for asmoch as the kingdome of Christe is heare conuersaunt amonge men which be synners and whyche of nature can do nought but synne but loue their own rightuousenes and iudge after their owne faschion of the gospell therfore the holy ghost in executinge his office doth not moue the to departe out of this worlde that thou mayste haue no occasion to synne neyther woll he that ciuile iustice or humane iudgemente shulde not be executed in thys worlde but he teacheth the truly to knowe what thynge synne is For euery man of hys owne brayne by hys owne power wytte feyneth thys or that to be synne as it hath been sufficiently proued vnder the kyngdome of the Byshoppe of Rome But when the holy gooste cometh and repryueth vs by gods worde our owne imaginacions fantasyes destroyed then we know that to be synne whyche no man iudged before to be synne So we knowe nowe that it is synne yf a mā beleue not in only Christe concernynge iustice whyche thynge before the receyuynge of the holy gooste none of vs all knewe In semblable wyse it is to be spoken of ryghtousnes and iudgement whych two thynges we vtterly cōsydered not before the openyng of the gospell wherby the holy gooste reproueth the worlde But leste ye shuld suspecte thys interpretacion to be not grounded of scripture harken howe Christe hymselfe expouneth thys thynge Of sinne The holy gooste he sayeth shall rebuke the worlde of synne Why because they beleue not sayth Christ on me Loo howe Christ expouneth hymselfe what he meaneth by synne that is to witte incredulitie or mysbeleue towardes hym whyche only thynge doth condemne men lyke as on the contrary parte the onlye belefe in Christe saueth ☞ The papistes haue wrested thys texte as they do al other to the mysbeleue of the Turkes Sarasynes and such people as be farre from vs but they oughte to remembre that in thys behalfe they do synne worse then the Turkes forasmoch as they wold be counted Christianes and yet in the meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste Of thys abhominable synne the worlde knoweth nothynge at all Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke the worlde Why because sayeth Christe I go to my father and ye shall se me no more That is to saye bicause I shall begynne my newe reigne wherin an other maner of iustice then ye ymagine must be required and shal be of valour before god Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde why bycause sayeth Christe the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy Iugemēt And he calleth iugemēt the blyndnes of mā wherby the worlde alloweth naturallye the reygne and the workes of Satan for the worlde hath a corrupt iudgement by Adams fall so that it seeth not what thinges god aloweth and what not Adhuc multa habeo But sayth Christ I haue yet many thynges to speake vnto you meanyng of his crosse and of hys glory but by reason of your weakenes and infirmytie ye are not able to beare them nowe As who shuld saye ye be yet carnall and therfore ye perceiue not the thinges that be of the spirite But whē the spirite of trouth that is the holy ghost shall come he shall leade you into all trouth The spirite shall teache you thinges spirituall He shall transforme you and of carnall persones shall make you goostly For surely because ye be yet carnall ye cānot perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection whych is to be fulfilled for your redēptions sake Here ye se playnly good people that thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditiōs but rather agaynst them For I praye you what is thys trouth that the holy ghost shall teache you Mannes traditions no not so In them is no certayntie It is Christ and hys worde that is the only trouth Wherfore he shal teache only Christ and the worde of god for this is all trouthe Chrysostom For as Chrysostome sayth the gospel conteyneth al together And the office sayeth he of a good preacher is truely to prosecute all that is in hys commission not to chaunge ☜ put to or take away any thyng But this the Bishoppes of Rome in tymes paste haue done and yet at this day do presume to do Wherfore they are no interpretours but deprauers of scripture no vicars of Christe but of the deuell They speake of their owne heddes their own inuentions and dreames wheras the holy ghost whyche here is promysed by Christe vnto vs shall speake nothyng of hymselfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake that is to saye he shall speake none other worde or gospel only he shal open and declare the worde that is alredy spoken by Christ This do not the papistes for they expoūde not Christes worde but they bring another word besides Christes word Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come that is to wit of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel throughout the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hethē persons aswell as to the Iewes whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persōs and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and chosen This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe that is he shall expoune him he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth darkeneth Christe and his doctryne This holy ghost sayeth Christ shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you And al that the father of heuē hath are myn This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed according to Christes communication wyth Nicodemus shall breath or inspire nothing into the mindes of christian folke but that whych Christes gospell and worde wylleth Ioh. iij. He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede let vs put of oure
not perysh but haue euerlasting lyfe ☜ Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte as also saynt Austine noteth And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage For true loue standeth not in fayre wordes and amiable countenaūce or gesture but in the dede selfe Nowe the more mysery we were in before Christes commynge the greater is his benefyte and the more bounde be we vnto hym God as wryteth saynt Paule setteth forth hys loue towardes vs Rom. v. seyng that whyle we were yet synners Christ dyed for vs. Now Christ hymselfe assureth vs that who so euer beleueth in hym thus sente of the father downe vnto vs shall not quayle shall not be confounded shall not peryshe but shal be sure to attayne euerlastynge lyfe Seynge Christ hymselfe doth assure vs of euerlastynge lyfe for oure belefe or faythes sake why shulde we doubt Why shulde we go aboute to seke heauen by other wayes than Christ appointeth vs The sentēce is vniuersall all that beleue in him shall not perysh Wherfore let noman thynke hymselfe exempted as vnworthy Here is no respect eyther to thy worthynes or to thy vnworthynes Yf thou hast faith thou shalt be sure to be of the chosen company Only take hede thou mockest not God dissemblest not before the face of the worlde sayeng thou hast fayth and haue it not in dede Yf thou hast fayth in dede thou must nedes brynge forth the frutes of fayth thou canst not but declare thy faith wyth workes of charitie both to God man whom for God thou canst not but loue as thy natural brother Yf thou beyst a good tree thou muste nedes brynge forth good frute But a bad tre bryngeth forth bad frute Math. v. Christe goeth further and sayeth For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but to saue the worlde Here ye se the fynall cause of Christes commynge whyche was to saue that was lost Howbeit thys texte is to be vnderstande of Christes fyrst commynge and of the tyme of grace ye maye not vnderstande it of his seconde aduent or commynge whyche shal be at the last daye for thā he shal wythout fayle come to iuge accordynge to an other place where he sayeth Ioh. v. The father hath gyuen all iudgement to the sonne Neuerthelesse in the meane season whosoeuer beleueth not is already iudged and condempned wheras on the contrarye parte they that beleue can in no wyse be condempned But why is the infidele alreadye condempned Bycause sayeth Christe he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god Lo here ye se agayne how fayth saueth lacke of fayth condempneth And thys is the condempnacion that lyght is come into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause theyr dedes were euyl Who is thys lyght Christ Who is the darkenes Ioh. i. The worlde The lyght then shyned in the darkenes and the darknes dyd not comprehende it Do not men loue styll darkenes more then lyghte Had they not rather walke in theyr owne fanseys wylworkes then in Christes doctrine Alacke for pytie Yea though the lyght neuer so much shyne though the Gospell be neuer so much in the hande yf Christ by hys holy spirite do not teache the thou arte styll but darkenes and why so for thou louest styll darkenes better than the lyght for thy dedes are euell and therfore thou muste nedes conuince and damne thy selfe of infidelitie It foloweth For euery one that doth euell hateth the lyght neyther woll he come to the lyght that is to saye to Christ and hys worde lest the bryghtnes of the lyght shuld reproue his dedes Thys is the cause good people why these papistes are so loth that the scripture of God shulde be redde of you laye people lest ye myght happen to espye theyr hypocrisie and crafty iugelynge agaynste Christ and hys trouth For scripture is the rule or touchstone wherby ye maye easely trye and discerne the chaffe from the corne the chalke from chese that is to saye hypocrisye from true religion They haue good people longe holden you in ignoraunce and in blyndenes to auaunce them selues and to raygne lyke kynges ouer you contrary both to gods lawe and mans lawe Wherfore I blame them the lesse though they hate scripture whych discloseth theyr hypocrisie and vsurped authoritie lest as Christe here sayeth theyr dedes shulde be rebuked and reproued But he sayeth Christe that doeth trouth cōmeth to the lyghte that hys dedes may be knowen bycause they are wrought in God as who shuld saye He that is iustifyed declared a good person by hys fayth whych he hath in me for declaracion therof doth the truth that my worde moueth hym to do and worketh not after hys owne fāsey thys man commeth to the lyght that is to wyt he gladly suffreth hys workes and procedynges to be tryed and examined by the rule of my worde bycause they be done in God and be godly workes Where as cōtrary wyse the hypocrite doth so much abhorre from the iudgement of my worde that he fleeth by all meanes he can from it woll suffre none other to loke vpon it Math. xxiii He woll neyther enter into the kyngdome of heauen hymselfe nor yet suffer others that wolde enter Such persons vnder pretence of holynes haue longe shut vp the kyngdome of heauē from many men But now thanked be God the lyght hath somwhat shone agayne Wherfore good people let vs not hate thys lyght and loue darknes styl as we haue done in tymes past whan we were deceyued by the iuglynges of these papistes Let vs beleue in thys Christe sente downe from the father of heauen to redeme vs. And yf gods worde be true we shall surely be saued and raygne wyth hym in heauen worlde wythout ende c. The Epistle on the thyrde daye of Pentecost The .viij. chapter of the Actes Th argument ☞ Peter Ihon be sent into Samaria where after baptisme the Samaritanes receyued the holy goost WHen the Apostles whyche were at Ierusalem hearde say that Samaria hadde receyued the word of god they sent vnto them Peter and Ihon Whyche when they were come downe prayed for them that they myght receaue the holy goost For as yet he was come on none of them but they were baptysed onely in the name of Christe Iesu Then layed they theyr handes on them and they receaued the holy gooste THys lesson good people is taken forth of the eyght chapter of the Actes of thapostles for a more perfyte vnderstandynge wherof ye shal know that in the selfe chapter a lytle before it is shewed how S. Philip thapostle entered into a cytie of Samaria and preached there to the Samaritanes the glad tydinges of our Sauiour Christ Iesu how he beynge the sonne of God came downe
beleueth on me shal not than perysh but shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe Lo such one is Christ vnto vs he forgyueth vs our synnes and bestoweth on vs hys spirite he trāsformeth vs to new creatures ☜ he ordeyneth vs the sonnes and heyres of God so that we cleaue vnto hym and beleue on him wythout doubtynge Wherfore good people that God of hys endles goodnes woll vouchsaue to create in vs a syncere and a ryghte fayth let vs al praye To whom be all glorye and honour for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the fyrst sonday after trinitie The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iiij. chapter Th argument ☞ How God loued vs fyrst and how we ought by hys exemple to loue our neyghbour MOost dearely beloued brethren God is loue In thys appeared the loue of God to vs ward bycause that God sent hys only begotten sonne in to the worlde that we myght lyue thorow hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agrement for our synnes Dearely beloued yf God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another No man hath sene god at any tyme. Yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs and hys loue is perfyte in vs. Hereby knowe we that we dwell in hym and he in vs bycause he hath gyuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and do testifye that the father sent the sonne to be the Sauiour of the world Whosoeuer cōfesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in hym dwelleth God and he in God And we haue knowen beleued the loue that God hath to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in hym Herin is the loue perfite in vs that we shulde haue trust in the daye of iudgement For as he is euen so are we in thys worlde There is no feare in loue but perfyte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynfulnes He that feareth is not perfyte in loue We loue hym for he loued vs fyrst Yf a man saye I loue god and yet hate hys brother he is a lyer For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath sene loue God whom he hath not sene And thys commaundement haue we of hym that he whyche loueth God shulde loue hys brother also MY frendes thys hole lection is a commendacion of gods loue towardes vs by whose exemple we also be commaunded to loue one another He that loueth not sayeth saint Ihon which wrote this epistle knoweth not God though he neuer so much bosteth hymselfe to be a christen mā for god is loue Yea herin appeared the greate loue and charitie of God towardes vs men that he sent hys only begotten sonne into the worlde to thintent that by his meryte we myght lyue through hym whyche els shulde haue dyed wyth perpetuall death But happely ye wolle here saye that we prouoked God wyth oure loue and merytes fyrst to loue vs. No not so sayeth saynt Ihon that is a false opinion and a starke lye For in thys is the loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs fyrst and sent hys sonne to be a sacrifice and a purgynge for our synnes Aug. cōtra Pela cap. xx But herken what S. Austine sayeth of thys mater What good merytes coulde we than haue whan we loued not God For that we myght take loue to loue wyth we were loued whan as yet we had it not There be no merites before grace This sayeth he doth Ihon thapostle moost openly affirme Not that we loued God but that he loued fyrst vs. Truly sayeth saynt Austine thys is moost ryghtly and well spoken For we could not haue to loue hym onles we had taken thys of hym in that he loued vs fyrst How can we do good yf we loue not or howe do we not good yf we loue ☜ For albeit gods cōmaūdemente semeth somtyme to be done of not louers but of fearers yet there is no loue no good worke is imputed neyther ryghtly is it called a good worke for all that is not of fayth is synne And fayth worketh by loue Hytherto speaketh Austine Wherfore my dearly beloued sayeth Ihon yf God hath so loued vs we ought also to loue one another Questiō Ye wol saye How can God dwell in vs syth we se him not Solutiō Ihon answereth Albeit we se hym not wyth the eyes of fleshe yet he dwelleth in vs for God there wol dwell where charitie is exercised Questiō But againe ye wol aske howe is it that Ihon sayeth here Exod. xxxiii noman euer sawe God seynge it is red in scripture that many of the fathers haue sene hym face to face as Iacob Moses and other Solutiō I answere noman euer saw God as god and visibly For the lawe was gyuen by angels act vii and it is playne that Iacob sawe but an angell For euen in the selfe same .xxxiij. chapter of Exodus God sayeth Man shall not se me and lyue So thā God dwelleth in vs inuisibly It foloweth therfore yf we loue one another god dwelleth in vs hys loue is made perfyte in vs. Surely the knowlege confession of Christe maketh vs all one wyth God so that we shal be perpetually in hym The spirite of God and he in vs. But here ye muste marke that thys knowlege can not chaunce but to such as be indowed with the holy goost For he sayeth Herby we knowe that we dwell in hym he in vs bycause he hath gyuen vs of hys spirite And we haue sene and do testifye sayeth S. Ihon that the father hath sent his sonne to be the Sauiour of the worlde O glad and ioyfull tydynges What an excedynge charitie and loue was thys Then syth God is so louynge vnto vs yea syth he is the selfe loue yf we woll dwell in hym we muste loue not only hī but also for hym our neighboure For that we do to our neyghbour he coūteth it done to hymselfe Now it is a moost certayne token of our loue towardes God yf we boldly wyth confidence loke for the daye of iudgement For yf we feare we declare that we be no perfyte louers For feare is not in loue but perfyte loue casteth out feare My frendes herken agayne what saynt Austine sayeth herin He that feareth hell feareth not to synne Aug. ad Anastasiū epi. cxliiij but to brenne But he feareth to synne which hateth syn as hell Thys is the chast feare that remayneth for euer and euer For that feare of punyshment hath torment and paynefulnes in it and it is not in charitie but perfyte charitie casteth it out And surely a mā so much hateth synne as he loueth iustice which he can not do the lawe fearynge hym by the letter but the spirite healynge hym by grace Thys wryteth the moost excellent doctour of the church saynt Austine to the confusion of the vayne sophistes which blasphemously write and speake agaynst the
to hym and not to expresse our loue towardes him vpon our brethrē accordynge to hys commaūdement For that whych is done to them he counteth it done to hym selfe Who so euer then hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede and shutteth vp his cōpassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of god in hym As who shulde saye yf we be not beneficiall and good to our nedy and poore neyghbour it is a sure token that we loue not God and consequently that he neyther loueth vs. And in contrary wyse yf we be beneficiall and good to oure neyghboure for gods sake it is a ryght sure sygne and declaracion of our fayth towardes God and that god loueth vs Wherfore deare brethren let vs be mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the heauenly father as Christ monysheth vs Luc. vi And let vs not as Ihon sayeth here loue in worde i. tim i neyther yet in tonge but in dede and in trouth and as saynt Paule sayeth of a pure harte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned Whych thynge he calleth the ende of the cōmaundement These be the worthy frutes of fayth These frutes yf we brynge forth we declare our selues to be good trees plāted by the ryuer syde whych bryngeth forth frute in due season psal i we declare oure selues to be of the nombre of them whych S. Ihon here speaketh of that be translated from death to lyfe euerlastynge Where we shall lyue eternally wyth the father sonne and holy gost To whome be all glorye AMEN The gospell on .ij. sondaye after Trinitie The .xiiij. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christe in thys parable declareth that he is not apte to the kyngdome of heauen whych wyl ones laye hys hande to the plough loke backe to hys affections IEsus put forth a similitude to hys disciples sayenge A certayne man ordeyned a great supper and bad many and sente hys seruaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for al thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst sayd vnto hym I haue bought a farme and I must nedes go se it I pray the haue me excused And another sayd I haue bought fyue yooke of oxen I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And another sayde I haue maryed a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruaunt retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the good man of the house displeased and sayd to hys seruaunt Go out quyckely into the stretes and quarters of the cytie and brynge in hyther the poore and the feble and the halt and the blynde And the seruaunt sayd Lorde it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is rowme And the Lorde sayd to the seruaunt Go out vnto the hye wayes and hedges and compell them to come in that my house may be fylled For I saye vnto you that none of those men whych were bydden shall tast of my supper OVr Sauiour Christ good christen people consyderynge the vanitie of mens myndes in the worlde whych for the moost parte are wonte rather to talke of God of hys word and of the blessed state of the lyfe to come thā ernestly to appoint theyr mindes to remoue out of theyr lyfes such impedimētes as myght hynder them from God and hys worde shutte them out in cōclusion from the kyngdome of heauen declareth in thys gospell as in a proper parable the great foly of suche as so content themselfe wyth wordes only and vayne prayses and consyder no further to temper theyr lyues in suche wyse that an other daye they maye enioye in dede the euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heauen wherin they confesse so muche blysse felicitie to be as one ther was whych was syttynge at the table wyth Christe hearynge hym talke of the resurrection of the iuste sayd vnto hym Blyssed is he whych eateth bread in the kyngdome of God Christ takynge occasion of hys wordes taught both hym and all other in hym that many ther were whych could cōfesse wyth theyr mouth such to be happy that shulde be receyued there but yet in the course of theyr lyues semed not much desyrous to be partakers of that blysse howe greate so euer it be how frely so euer it be offred or howe kyndly so euer they be called ther to whose vnkyndnes and forgetfulnes of theyr owne welth and commoditie he resembled and lykened to such gestes as were gently louyngly called to a rych feaste wel aboundauntly prepared in all thynges and yet refused to come hauynge very vayne excuses for them selues whose vnkynde behauiour was reported to the feastmaker moued hym to displeasure to renounce them for theyr vnworthynes to take other to syt at hys feast Whyche although they were but of poore estimation yet bycause they were ready with great thankes to receyue the lyberalitie of the feaste maker so gently offred wythout theyr deseruynge they were admytted to sytte at hys owne table wyth hymselfe had the fruition of those delicates which the other that were fyrst called refused despysed Here is mater my frendes for vs that be Gentyles to consyder wyth great thankes to almyghty God ☜ that where as the people of the Iues were fyrst called by the seruauntes and messangers of hys word to the great supper of the ioye of heauen and they refused to come that then it pleased the father of al mercy to sende hys seruauntes to call vs to his said feast whych of al people were moost vnworthy and furdest from hym in somuch as we were wyde of all truth and lyght syttynge in moost blynde darkenes of errour and ydolatrye wanderynge in the bye pathes and croked wayes of our owne lustes and ymaginations so poore and voyde of all grace that in stede of the true God we honoured mortal men and brute beastes as our God Thus prouoked we hym fyrst these were our merytes and deseruynges vnto hym And yet pleased it hym to sende hys seruauntes to preach vs hys gospell and by the violence of so great gentylnes offered vs and earnest callynge on vs by hys Apostles we were brought into his holy house church of hys electe and there plenteously were set before vs to receyue frely the innumerable graces benefytes conteined and promysed in the worde of the gospell so that now Christ wyth al his ryghtuousnes wyth all hys iustice and holynes is frely gyuen vs to our welth and commoditie yf we wyll applye our selues by fayth and charitie to oure callynge Yf we se the want of ryghtuousnes in our selfe be anhongred therfore let vs sue vnto Christ and he shall replenysh vs therwyth Yf we be stūge wyth synne and wolde be delyuered from the daunger therof in Christe shall we fynde clere remyssion and shal be quyte discharged Yf we wante strength to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes the worlde the fleshe and
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
thys is the name that they shall call hym euen the lorde our rightousnesse And therfore beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde that it shall nomore be sayde the Lorde lyuethe whyche brought the chyldrene of Israell oute of the lande of Egypte But the lorde lyueth whyche broughte forth and led the sede of the house of Israel out of the northlande and frome all countreyes where I had scatered them and they shal dwel in theyr own lande agayne THis prophecy of Hieremie good people which we rede for our epistle in the churche thys daye doth shew vs that the dayes of the comming of messias our Sauiour Iesu Christ be at hande accōplyshed This is the trew braunche which God shal rcyse vp vnto Dauid And when shal this braunche be takē Of a vyrgyn descendyd from Dauid He shal be trewly iust for he shal be the iustice of all iust and he alonly ought of his owne purenes to be conceiued borne among men without syn But who shall reyse him vp vnto Dauid God alone and no tany man And therfore he shal be God and sonne of God And wherfore vnto Dauid Forbicause that god shall reyse him vp and make him to be borne of a virgyn descēdyd of Dauid He shall reygne kynge For he shal be kyng of kynges It is he which sayeth in the person of kyng Dauid in the seconde psalme Psal ij But I am constituted kyng by him ouer Sion his holy moūtayne preachyng his cōmaundement And he shal be wyse not without cause for he is the wysdome of god He shall do iustice and iudgement in earth for he shall condemne synne and the prynce of synne and shall iustifie by him selfe which is the sacrifice the redēpcion and iustice of pore synners And by this father he shall iustifie the synners In those dayes Iuda that is to saye those that shall confesse in faith shal be saued and Israell that is for to saye those that shall knowledge there strengthe to come from God shall liue in greate suertie and trust Iudas signifieth cōfessyng laudinge and thankyng and Israel strong in God And the name of messias shall be thys The Lorde God which is the greate name of God Wherby Hieremie in spirite giueth to vnderstande that he shall be the greate God hys name also shal be oure iuste Oures forbycause that he shall be made man for vs and in such wyse iust that he shall iustifie vs al that shal beleue in him as in God and man therfore he shal be ours and his iustice ours and for this he shuld come For as Esaie sayeth the lytle is borne vnto vs and the sonne is gyuē vnto vs and for this cause in the tyme of Messias one shall not affyrme any more in saieng The lord liueth which hath with drawen the chyldren of Israel out from the lande of Egypte But it shal be affyrmed in one hole witnes The lorde god lyueth that hath drawen out the sede of the chyldren of Israel from the lande of the North and from all other places where they were cast The lorde god is the Messias of whome Heremie sayde the dayes of his cōmyng is at hāde The which whē he shulde be comen shulde renewe al thinges al shadowes and all figures shulde cease and then shulde truthe reygne none shulde affyrme more accordyng to the olde lawe in fygure but according to the newe in truthe The chyldrē of Israel were deliuered from the lande of Egypte and Pharon in fygure But in the tyme of Messias the sede and chyldrē of true Israel which shal be sede and chyldren of faythe shal be delyuered in all places where they were caste before by god as enemies of the lande from the region and puissaunce of the greate Aquilon from whence dependeth all euyll which is the croked serpent the diuell of hell the prynce of darkenesse And they that shal inhabite in their lande of lyuinge people by the Messias which is our lorde Iesu Christ Striue we then my brethren with all our strength to be of the sede of fayth of the trewe Israel whiche is the onely stronge in our lorde Iesu Christ that hath vainquished the greate Aquilon which hath drawen vs out from the puissance and tyrānye of the same from all places from all nations And then he shall leade vs with hym into the lande of the lyuyng men eternally And we muste be all wel assured of this for this sayeth the lorde god almyghty Vnto whom be glory honour and myght eternally AMEN The Gospell on the .xxv. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye which is the nexte sonday before Aduent sonday the .vi. cha of Ihon. The argument ☞ Our lorde feadeth fyue thousande men with v. barley loues and two fyshes WHen Iesus then lyfte vp hys eyes and sawe a great company come vnto him he sayth vnto Philip whence shal we bye bread that these may eate Thys he sayde to proue him for he hym selfe knew what he wolde do Philip answered him two hundred peny worth of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man maye take a lytle One of hys disciples Andrew Symon Peters brother saith vnto hym There is a lad here whiche hath fyue barlye loues and two fyshes but what are they among so many And Iesus sayd Make the people syt downe There was moch grasse in the place So the men sat downe in nombre about fyue thousand And Iesus toke the bread And when he had geuen thankes he gaue to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down And likewyse of the fyshes as much as they wold When they had eatē ynough he sayth vnto his disciples gather vp the brokē meate which remayneth that nothynge be lost And they gathered it together and fylled twelue baskettes wyth the brokē meate of the fyue barly loues which broken meate remayned to them that had eaten Then those men when they had sene the myracle that Iesus dyd said thys is of a trueth the same Prophete that shulde come into the worlde THe royal prophete Dauid welbeloued audiēce knowing that the fedyng and meate as well of the body as of the soule is gyuen and distributed vnto men by the only goodnesse and grace of god howbeit more diligently neuerthelesse that of the soule then that of the body he maketh this request vnto god Lorde I haue had my refuge to the teach me to do thy wyll And in another place he fayth The lord god doth noryshe me and I shall lacke nothyng he hath set me in the place of the fedyng whiche is the place of the fedyng of god my frendes Trewly it is the holy scripture in whiche is declared vnto ss the wyll of this greate lorde and with the whiche euery christen soule is spiritually and ghostely fed reueled and nouryshed And this is it whiche at this daye is represented vnto vs by saynt Iohn in his .vj. chap. where as he sayeth that whē Iesus had lyfte vp his eyes and sawe that so greate a multitude was come vnto him he sayde vnto his disciple saynt Philippe wherwith shall we bye breade that these folkes here may eate He spake not this that he knewe not perfetly what he wolde do but he proued his fayth for it is he as sayeth Dauid that gyueth meate to beastes and vnto smale rauens that call to him and for to confyrme it and to giue knowledge vnto him and vnto the other that he was god Take we then doctryne of this place my frendys that our Lorde Iesu Christ is only gouernour of al thinges what so euer they be not only as towchinge the bodye but principally as towching the sowl And let vs not be as Philip and Andrew which not hauing yet stedfast fayth beleued not that he which by his only worde had made and created all the worlde myghte lykewyse by hys worde create and gyue noryshynge by fyue loues two fyshes vnto so great a multitude But what signifieth vnto vs the fyue loues and the two fyshes Suerly my frendes the fyue loues the whiche as S. Iohn sayeth were of barly represent vnto vs as S. Austine and other holy expositours thynke the fyue bokes of Moyses Austine For as barley outwarde hathe a huske very prickyng euen so haue the bokes of Moyses for as touchyng the lawe whiche they conteyne they be merueilous rough and rygorous but if they be spiritually vnderstandyd which can not be without faythe they gyue norishyng vnto the soule For as sayeth the prophete Abacuc Abac. ij The rightwyse man shall lyue by fayth And the two fyshes may sygnify the olde and newe testamēt The newe testament as touchyng the euangelicall apostolicall wrytinges wherin the christen mans faythe is lyuely described The olde as touchyng the other bokes and prophecies ☜ For euē as the fyshes can not lyue without water so lykewyse without faythe none hathe bene is nor shal be saued These fyue loues therfore and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded haue bene distributed vnto al christen people And if ye aske by whom Surely it is to be answered by the apostles they which be sent from god For this cause my frendes take ye the refection and fode of the soule in the fyue loues and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded that is to say in the holy scriptures and in fayth And vnderstande that the worldly doctrines can nat nourishe your soules but rather slee thē for our lorde sayeth that for nought we honour him in kepyng the doctrine of men namely if it be not grounded of gods worde but rather made to ouerwhelme subuerte and darken the same Let vs then desyre with instant and feruent peticions this heauenly fode of almyghty God and he wyll without doute gyue it vs aboundantly To whom be all honour glory prayse thankes for euer and euer Amen Finis ¶ Imprinted at London by Richarde Bankes and solde in Fletestrete at the synge of the whyte Harte by Anthony Clerke Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum