hilles and reade sea wher was so great trembling fear that they thought it impossible any of them to escape the wrath of Pharao But god by by layde a block in Pharaos way Al thes things knew Mary wel inoghe Yea and although Christ sayde Woman what haue I to do with the yet was she not astonyed by and by although Christe sharpely did answere but sayde to the seruauntes and ministers What soeuer he sayth to you do the same And therfore she obtayned the thynge that she desired of Christ Which raigned with the father and the holye ghoste worlde withoute ende Amen The thyrde sonday after Epiphany Mathew 8. WHEN hee was come downe from the mountayne muche people folowed hym And beholde Luc. 5. Mar. â— there came a leper and worshiped hym saying Maister yf thou wylâ—e thoâ— canst make me clean And Iesus put forth his hand and touched hym saiyng I wyll be thou cleane and immediatly hys leprosyâ— was clensed And Iesus sayth vnto hym se thou tell no man Leu. 14. but go and shewe thy selfe to the priest and offre the gyfte that Moyses commaunded to be offered for a witnesse vnto them THE EXPOSITION The goodnes oâ— Christ IN this gospell we se fyrste of all how greate goodnes mercye and loue God had not allonly towarde the leprouse man but also towarde the capitayn beyng a gentyle yea and how ready he is to yelde hymselfe wholy for vs al yf we knowyng our owne disease and sycknes wil seeke him the faithfull physicion for the sowle and long for his help and grace They be al lyuely examples that be here layde before vs. Fyrst the benefyt of loue and beneuolence of Christ is conferred to the leper For at his instaunce and desyre Iesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou cleane O what great clemencye here is As sone as the lepper had spoken one word and asked helth Christ by and by was redy and holpe hym Further marke that this word I wyll I wyll is nother vayne nor ydell but full of comfort For suche promise as he made to the leper by the same worde he wolde generally to be a promise to vs all whereby he certefieth strengneth our hartes also that wee should not dought but that he is ready in all necessities without any denay to geue vs his continual helpe And hereto may be applied that is sayde by S. Marke Cap. 1. that Iesus had compassion vpon this man For in this compassion wee maye see that Christ hath pity vpon our misery The pitefulnes of Christ Heb. 4. and that we haue suche a bishoppe which in his harte is moued and stered with our miserye Now as the goodnes and loue of Christ doth appeare and sheweth himselfe towarde the lepoure so likewise the moste gentell harte of Christ is shewed and commended towarde vs in that he did so soone promise at the fyrste desyre of the Centurion to come and helpe his seruaunte And althoughe Christe came not but to redeeme the lost sheepe of the house of Israell Mat. 15 yet in this doinge he wolde shewe vnto vs that after his resurrection The callinge of heithen he shuld cal the Iewes and gentils to the felowshippe and communion of one faythe as he saith here That many shall come from the easte and the west and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Seynge nowe that God the father of heauen hath so plenteouslye on euery partye shewed and geuen vnto vs throughe Christ his grace and mercy yt is meere that we knowe this grace and attaine vnto it by faith wherthrough we may be by hym kepte and reserued both in body and sowle for euer Secondarely Exaumples of fayth we haue in this place two goodly examples of faith One of the lepour and thother of the Centurion or capitayne And it appeareth manifestly by the lepoure that he had a righte and trewe faith in that that he draweth neare Christe asking his helpe and knowledging that he cannot helpe himselfe And although by Moyses lawe he was set aparte from the communion of men and muste therefore escâ—ewe their company yet he ronneth to Christ faithfully beleuing in his mind that he is lord ouer the law and the leprye Wherin he expressed the nature property of fayth whych hasteth not but only to Christ of hiÌ„ in euery necessitie she loketh for his comfort and help norwyl suffre her to be stayed nor letted by no meanes from the fruicioÌ„ of this Christ As it is written in S. Mat. of the blynde men Mat. 20 which the more the people dyd for byd them to cry the lowder they cried But how came this lepoure by such faith He had herd that Christ was a man of greate humanitie and gentelnes and that he was very diligent ready to help and geue health to the sicke and so by such heariÌ„g he conceaued such a trust of Christ that he wolde as verely help him as he had holpen many other diuers times Faythe And this is the trew fath when I beleue that god the father through Christ wil make me whole righteous and blessed by his grace and mercy withoute any merite of mine owne workes And such a faith was in the Centurion For by hearing the gospel he learned and knew that Christe was lord ouer syn and al sickenes and diseases He did not onlye beleue that Christe coulde helpe if he were present but also yf he were absent and spake but a word And therfore wolde not the Christ shulde enter into his house as he offered to do but in speaking of a word beleued that his seruaunt shulde be healed I sayth he haue seruaunts vnder me to whome if I saye come hither they come And if I byd them go theyr waye they do by and by departe Howe much more must those thinges needs be done which thou commaundest that arte not such a capitayn â—as I am but lord of heauen and earth This faith did Christ coÌ„mend and said that he had not found so great faith no not in Israell Now if thou wilt be made cleane from the leprosye of false doctrine and stedfastly abide in the gospel euen to the ende go to then Christe wil be prayed vnto and call vpon Christ that he maye geue you his spirite and grace and he shall saye vnto the I wyll I wyll geue the my spirite Forthermore yf thou wylt thyselfe and all thine to be saued bodye and soule seeke oute Christe and dispaire of thy selfe then shal he saye vnto the Be yt vnto the as thou beleuest Thirdely we learne of this lepour that whatsoeuer we aske in our prayer To commytte al thinges vnto God we shulde remitte all to the goodnes and wyll of God consyderinge that wee bee so ignoraunte of oure owne saluacion that wee knowe not what wee shulde pray as wee oughte to dooe The leapoure asketh of Christe
sondaye after triuitye sondaye Luc. 14. Mat 22 Apo. 16 A Certayne man ordayned a greate supper and bad manye and sente hys seruaunte at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for all thynges are nowe readye And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst said vnto hym I haue bought afarme and I must go and see it I pray the haue me excused And an other sayd I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And an other sayd I haue maried a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruante retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the goodman of the house displeased and sayd to his seruante Go out quickely into the stretes and quarters of the city and bringe in hyther the poore and the feeble and the halt and the blinde And the seruaunt sayde Lord it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is roome And the lorde sayd to the seruauÌ„t Go out vnto the hye ways and hedges and Gen. 19 compell them to come in that my house may be filled For I saye vnto you that none of those menne whyche were bydden shall taste of my supper THE EXPOSITION IN this similitude The grace of God fyrste of all is praysed the great godnes grace mercy of god whiche he hath so mightely shewed vs by his sonne Iesus Christe without any deseruing of our workes in that that he compareth it here to a supper For all suppers are moste chiefely prepared and ordained for myrth and not for heuines that a man shulde eate drinke and be merye Lykewise as a supper here vpon earth is ordayned and prepared to make men merye and lighte harted euen so this greate supper of the grace of god and the gospell hath god prepared for our greate consolacion and comfort wherin we shuld reioyse be mery glad For what other thing is the gospell by the which the great goodnes and mercye of god is shewed vs so gentely and sweetly through Christ then a good and mery tidinges The gospell It could be no lye that the aungell shewed vnto the shephardes when Christ was borne saying Beholde Luce. 2. I bringe you tidinges of greate ioye whiche shall happen vnto all people Neither doth the prophete Dauid monish vs with out cause to reioyse in these dayes of grace saying This is the day which the lord hath made Ps 117 let vs reioyse and be gladde in it Nowe seing that god our mercifull father hath so louingely prepared for vs this supper Supper through Christ without any deseruing of our part Without dout it is a tokeÌ„ of his great loue toward vs specially if we considre that not allonly the Iewes but also al the heitheÌ„ publicans siners ar called hervnto And therfore Christ might wel say Ioh. 3. The loue of god That god so loued the world that he gaue his only son Here thou hearest that alloÌ„ly loue moued god by Christe to prepare this supper of the grace of the gospel Then if loue moued him to prepare this supper so it is a greater token of loue that he hath called vs therunto For what shulde it auayle me that this greate supper is highely praysed coÌ„mended yf I were fayne to sit without the dore were not called nor letten in And that we shuld peâ—ceaue that Christ hath not allonly prepared this supper but hath bidde al men thervnto the euaÌ„geliste saieth here that the lord of the supper sent his seruauÌ„t to them that were bidden to tell them that it was supper tyme and to byd them come for all was readye This seruante signifieth thapostels whiche Christe firste of all sent to preach to the Iewes and after when they hadde despised the preaching of the gospel and made them vnworthy thereof they were sent to the Gentyls Thappostels calleth vs to this supper And what did they preach They said Al things are redy now come Christ hath shewed vs the will of the father Christe hath suffered death for our sinnes is risen for our rightousnes asceÌ„ded vp into heaueÌ„ hath gotteÌ„ vs the holy ghost wherfore al thingê pertaining to our saluacion are ready This did the holy apostels so diligeÌ„tly prech so that Esaias did not speake in vain of them when he said Esai 52 O how bewtiful are the feet of thembassadour that briÌ„geth good tidings precheth helth What caÌ„ we desire any more Helth is obtained vs of meer grace Bi grace we be called vnto saluacioÌ„ This alloÌ„ly is now required of vs that we come Therfore let vs not dispise this supper but rather let vs hast vs to Christe that we may get righteousnes saluacion Secondarily Firste the gospell was preched vnto the Iewes Mat. 15 we se in this similitude the calling of the Iewes to the grace of the gospell and in what wyse they be reiected for ther incredulite For they were the first that shulde be called as Christe hymselfe witnesseth saiyng I am not sent but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell And Paule withe Barnabas in the actes of thapostles sayde Act. 13. It behoued first the word of god to be spoken vnto you c. But how did the Iewes heare the callyng They begon all to excuse theÌ„ contrary to the counsel of the prophet Dauid saiyng Ps 49. To day yf you wil heare his voyce harden not you hartes They wyll not folowe this faithfull counsaile but they excuse themselues wil not come The first saithe The Iewes in obedience and incredulitye I haue bought a farme and muste nedes go forth to looke vpon it I praye the holde me excused The other said I haue boughte a yoke of oxen and muste go forthe to proue them I praye the holde me excused The third sayd I haue maried a wyfe and I caÌ„not come as though he could not be a maried maÌ„ and a christian but this it is From the beginning hath the Iews euer beÌ„ stubborn disobedieÌ„t wretches How ofteÌ„ times I pray you did thei murmur agaiÌ„st god iÌ„ the wildernes How ofteÌ„ did thei prouoke god vnto angre Act. 7. doth not s SteueÌ„ bear witnes that the Iews wer both the betrayers and murtherers of Christ sayiÌ„g Yee stiffe necked ye haue alwayes resisted the holye ghost Now yf he that bought the farme set more by the farme than he didde by the supper for bying of the farme he shulde haue bene damned For he that hath much riches is not damned but he whose hart is set vppon riches â— Co. 6. For as Paule saith we shulde be as hauing nothing yet possessing all thyngs AbrahaÌ„ bought a pece of land of the childreÌ„ of Heth for hys sepulchre and other vses Ge. 24 was he damned for so doinge No For to bye lande and oxen or other cattel pertayneth not to the kiÌ„gdom of Christ but
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
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
bely withe promises and miracles credulitye and conceyue trewe faith in god is gyuen vnto vs of God so many promises confirmed with many noble miracles that needes must he be blinded and geuen into a wrong opinioÌ„ that is not by them sterid to faith can set a parte the carke of the belly And moreouer he suffereth that such promises be shewed to the people in sermones whereby through the remembraunce of them wee maye bee allured to the faithe that is in Iesu Christe Who is so hard or dul harted that caÌ„ not be moued to faithe yf he wyll remembre what greate care Christ toke for this multitude And how he pitied them when there was no mencion made of meat nor drynke Wherein he sheweth that he knoweth what we haue need of before we aske any thing of him And in that he lift vp his eyes as the Euangelist saith and beheld the multitude is signifyed that Christ hath in hys mind compassioÌ„ on vs and that his help shal always be ready at hand for vs. And so must we vnderstaÌ„d wheÌ„ scripture saith that god doth loke vpon vs with his eies that he mercifully wil defeÌ„d vs against al peryls of body soul Psal 10 His eyes loketh vppon the poore And in an othee place Looke vppon me Lorde and haue mercy on me Wherfore seeyng that Christ sheweth in this miracle his such great goodnes clemencye and carefulnesse for vs that mercifully he wyll prouyde for vs both in body and soule It were very vnmete that we our selues shuld take lyke carke not wholy to trust to hym that is able to perform that he hath promysed Nor is this to be vnderstand as thoughe we shuld not care for our helth but rather that before all thinges we considre howe to please God thorow Christ that wee maye be made pertakers of euerlastyng health which Christ in the gospel requireth of vs Mat. 6 and sayth Fyrst seeke the kingdom of god and his righteousnes and al these thinges shal be geuen vnto you As he myghte say It is necessary that ye beleue for and yf ye do not beleue yt is necessary that ye alwayes lack although al the world with al his riches were yours Psa 33 as Dauid saith Rich men haue lacked and haue huÌ„gred Here a man myght withstand and say If the matter be so and that God wyll fede and norish me then wyl I be ydle and wyl no lenger laboure Not so my deare frende ye shall not so do for labour is not forbidde vnto the but the care and carckefulnes therevppon is forbidden Thou shalte eate thy breade in the sweate of thy face but yet shalt thou not put thy trust in thy labour but in God allonly If thou do this thou shalte not neede to care for thy lyuyng Labour diligently and by thy faythe accordinge to thy callynge leaue the care to God and he wyll norishe the throughe Christ Secondaryly we haue here a godlye exaumple of the loue of god in Christe toward vs. Fyrste in that he dyd not only feede the good and iust The example of the loue of God but also the euel men which were not the lesse part amongst this fiue M. And in that also that he so mekely suffered the weaknesse of Philip and thother Apostels hee dothe teache vs that euerye Christiane man shuld shew forth his faith by workes of loue and thereby to prouoke other to doo the same And suche loue muste alwayes bee perfecte Imperfecte loue doth neuer good but to his frendes Gal. 5. whiche the Publicanes and sinners do also for they loue theÌ„ of whoÌ„ they be loued agayn as Christ saith in the 6. chapt of S. Luke our loue muste be perfecte Perfect loue doth not only good to his frends but to his enemys also Wherin we may se the example of Christ and of the heuenly father Mac. 5. which suffereth his sunne to shyne vpon the good and bad and sendeth raine to the iust and vniust Of this perfection of loue Christe speaketh in an other place saiyng Ye shal be perfect as your father in heauen is perfecte In that place Christe commeÌ„deth the loue of his father towardes vs as a moste perfecte loue Wherfore Bycause he hath receyued vs into his fauour and grace Rom. 5. which were yet his enemys and sayth that we also must be perfect in brotherly loue which cometh froÌ„ faith Therfore yf thou be a christian man and wilt with good works manifest thy selfe to haue a Christian mans harte go to then and instructe them that be weak and leaue them not vntil thow haue brought them to the knowledge of the fayth And moreouer dooe good to all men withoute any respecte aswell to thyne enemyes as to thy frendes to the bad as to the good And then thou hast testified with works of loue that thou art a good tree in that thou bringest forth good frute Thirdely this gospell sheweth Geuing oâ— thaÌ„kê to the beneâ—… 〈◊〉 Chriâ—… how Christ dyd not distribute and geue this breade and fisshes to the multitude before that he had giuen thankes in his hart to his heauenly father of whose liberality and plenteousnes all creatures be susteined and norished vp Wherin he teacheth vs that we lykewise shuld gyue hartely thankes for the great henefites both bodely and ghostly that we dailye receaue of God the father through his welbeloued sonne Iesu Christ And yf thow wylt knowe the very trewe thankes geuing What is thaÌ„kê giuinge This it is To knowledg that al that euer we haue cometh of God through Christ of his mere grace and goodnes and not of our selues This is the trew wayes to gyue thanks And for the more parte continuall praise and commendacion foloweth such knowledg By what means can I geue prayse honoure and thankes to God except I knowledge his benefites Nowe yf I haue this faith and knowledge that God throughe Christe hathe destroyed the kyngdome of the diuel made me inheritoure of his heauenly kyngdome doughteles I do also gyue thankes with all Goddes electe for so greate a benefyte as the nature of suche that beleue is sette forthe at large in the 25. chapiter of Esaias the Prophete and in Daniel the seconde chapiter Neither shall I do it once but al dayes of my lyfe withoute ende I shall saye withe Dauyd Psa 145 My sowle prayse the Lorde I shall prayse the Lorde in my lyfe tyme and shall synge vnto the Lorde as long as I shall lyue Psal 33 And I wyll geue prayse to the Lorde at all tymes his praise shall alwayes be in my mouth Lykewise when I knowledge that God in outeward and worldely thinges wyll of his mercyfulnes norish me but so that I must needes labore to then muste I well remembre that it is not to be adscâ—ibed to my laboure but muste gyue harty thankes to God throughe Christe Howe often tymes doth that iuste man Dauyd confesse that
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
folke shall entre into the kingedome of heauen Those saith Christ that fulfil the will of my father that is in heauen But what is the wil of the father in heauen That we shulde beleue in him Ioh. 17 whome he hathe sente Here thou doest heare that the kingdome of god is promised not to fained workes but to those that haue fayth in Christ We do not speak here of an historical faith as the call it but of that fayth that commeth by hearynge of the gospell the whiche also the holye ghoste worketh in vs. This fayth lyke as it obtayneth the grace and mercye of god in Christe and setteth all his truste in him and finallye seeketh his rigteousnesse allonly in the merites of Christe so likewise it worketh doth good workes throughe loue and causeth vs to mortefye the olde Adame in vs and dye vnto all creatures he prayeth prayseth and comendeth god withe giuinge thankes in what so euer state and degree he is in Finallye he lyueth accordinge to the wyll of god and throughe Christe shall hee obtayne euerlastinge lyfe Whiche god graunte vs all Amen The gospell on the nynthe sondaye after trinitye sondaye Luc. 16. ANd he sayd also vnto hys disciples Ther was a certayne ryche man which hadde a stewarde and the same was accused vnto hym that hee hadde wasted hys goodes And he called him and sayde vnto hym Howe is it that I heare thus of the Gyue accompte of thy stewardeshyppe for thou mayest be no lenger stewarde The stewarde sayde within hym selfe What shall I do For my mayster taketh awaye frome me the stewarshyppe I can not digge and to begge I am ashamed I wote what to dooe that when I am putte pute of the stewarde shyppe they maye receaue me into theyr houses So when he hadde called all hys maysters detters togither hee sayd vnto the fyrste Howe much owest thou vnto my maister And he sayde an hundreth tunnes of oyle And he sayd vnto hym Take thy bylle and sytte downe quickely and wryte fyftye Then sayd he to an other Howe muche owest thou And he sayde an hundreth quarters of wheate He sayde vnto hym Take thy byll and write â—oure score And the lorde commended the vniuste stewarde bicause he hadde done wysely For the chyldren of this world are in their nation wiser then the chyldren of the lyghte And I saye vnto you Make you friendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when ye shall haue â—eede they maye â—â—ceaue you into euerlastinge habitacions THE EXPOSITION THere be three thinges in this gospell to bee noted Fyrste Worldlye wisdome we rynde in the similitude of this gospel how the wicked steward is praised not for his iniquitie and deceitfulnes but as a wordely childe which handlethe himselfe wiselye For the children of thys world in al that they go about seeke their owne profite and ease and not the vtilyty and profyte of their neighbour They geue great diligence that they theÌ„ selues may be ful and haue sufficient care not how they get it other by right or by wrong so that they haue it and maye be suer that they do not lacke not coÌ„sidering the need pouerty of his neighboure This word MaÌ„mon signifieth here goodes riches and ar called wicked not the of theÌ„ selues they be euel but forbicause the thorow great abuses they be both kept spent and not distributed to the profit vse of the poore needy And therfore Christ fetteth before our eyes the wisedome craftines of this world not that he praiseth or commeÌ„deth the disceitfulnes where through the goodes of this world be gathered togyther gotteÌ„ but that we therby ar admonyshed the which lyke study dilligeÌ„ce we do indeuor our selues to obtain get celestyal heueÌ„ly ryches wheÌ„ we ê‘ceaue marke that the chyldreÌ„ of this worlde seke with so greate studye that which is transitory and earthlye And if they dispise and scorne oure eternall and celestiall goodes that wee seeke here wel let them seeke their treasure here on earth and lette vs gather our treasure in heauen And then hereafter it shal be tried which haue kept the better treasure Moreouer this admonicion that we with all diligence shulde seeke eternall ryches is uery necessary for we be very flowe and negligent and shulde very lightely forsake the faith and feare of god yf we were not with suche godlye exhortacions well instructed and armed Slothefulnes is pernicious For what greater ieoperdy can be vnto a christian man then to be negligent and slacke in the worde of god We muste euer wake and stande in awe and feare with continuall prayer that oure faith may be increased and daylye waxe more and more And in any wise lette vs beware and take hede that we be not carelesse Ma. 24 and to saye with the wicked Pax securitas there is no ieoperdy Let them that dispise goddes worde do so whiche saye in their hartes that there is no god And do thou accordinge to the doctrine of the prophete Dauid 1 Tes 5 Psal 2. saiynge Serue the lorde with feare and reioyce before him with reuerence which if thou doest thou shalt not leese the greate benefite that thou hast gotten through the gospel Surely thou shalte go and abide in the right way and thou shalte auoyde all daunger to fall into the broade waye Mat. 7 that leadeth to damnacion according to the saying of the wise man Who so feareth god walketh in the right pathe Pro. 14 and he that regardeth not hym goeth out of his wayes Then yf those go the ryghte waye that feare god then take earnestlye to harte this exhortacion of Christe and all security or rechelenes layd a parte with all diligence do that that is commaunded the of Christe leaste the children of this world be found in their kynde more dilligent then the children of lyght Secondarely we see in this gospell that our study and diligence to get euerlastinge treasure lieth herein that we do make vs frendes of the wicked Mammon To make friendes of the wicked maÌ„mon But how doth this agree with our doctrine For we haue taughte hitherto that allonly throughe faythe we be iustified and saued shall the workes do it nowe No not so The wordes sounde as thoughe it shulde seeme so but well expounded and vnderstande they pull nothing frome faythe Christe speaketh here of good frutes and wyll not that the tree that beareth those good frutes shulde be reproued and caste awaye For how wolde you haue good frutes yf there were not fyrste a good tree And howe wolde you haue frute yf the tree didde not beare it and bring it forth Therfore it is necessarye that the tree be good before it bringeth forth good frute What good workes do pleese God And so likewise we speake of good workes No worke how precious or excelleÌ„t so euer yt bee can be acceptable or pleasauÌ„t before god except the person which doth
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
his dede his doctrine of christian pacience in those thynges that pertayned to his person Loue is the maister of al the lawes Wherfore Christ after his accustomed maner though the Phariseis neuer so muche wayted him healed this dropsy man vpon the sabboth daye shewyng with the same miracle that aswell Gods lawes as mannes lawes ought to serue and geue place vnto charitee And though the sabbot was cōmaunded vnto the Iewes most straightly to be kept yet that commaundement did not extende to the hynderaunce of charite wherof Christ in another place sheweth the reason why saiyng The sabbot was made for mans sake Mar. 2. and not man for the sabbothes sake 1. Ti. 1. And S. Paule sayth The chiefe somme of the commaundement is loue from a pure heart and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned Wherfore when I see my neighbour in necessitee I am bounde to shewe him charitee and loue if it were xx tymes holy day because loue is the rule and maistres of all lawes Nowe consider well with thy selfe whether Christe did not right in healyng of this manne that had the dropsye howe frowardly soeuer the Phariseis toke it If an Oxe or an asse had fallen into a hole on the sabboth day thynkest thou that they would haue taryed tyll the sabboth day had been past No surely Why then should not Christe shewe vnto a manne that they shewed vnto a beast Christiā libertie Ro. 14. And so let vs likewise vse the libertie that we haue in Christ Iesu our Lorde Let vs receiue those that be weake into the faith beware to trouble not their conscience And as for these obdurate and stubburne iustifiers of theim selfe whiche haue heard oure doctrine of christian libertie and yet dispiseth it against theim let vs vse the same libertie For whatsoeuer we do or leaue for their pleasure and weakenesse sake it wyll healpe nothyng at all but styll they wyll obstinately remayne in their blyndnes For so are the Phariseis against Christ and Christ against the Phariseis yet is there so great power strēgth in the trueth that the Phariseis are constrayned to holde their peace Secondarily Christ gentely handled this sick man we see in this gospel howe familiarly and gentely Christ handeleth this man sicke of the dropsy he handeled healeth him letteth him go Fyrst he was in hand with these Pharisies whō he would haue gladly instructed howe all lawes in tyme of neede are bounde to geue place vnto loue and charitee but they would neither heare not yet receyue his doctrine their heartes were stricken with so great blyndes Yea they would not onely refuse to heare Christe but sought alwayes meanes to distroy him whiche thyng happened chiefly vpon the Sabboth daye Deu 18. Mar. 3. when in the synagoge he made whole the mans hand that was drye and wythered Neuerthelesse Christ is frendly to this man that had the dropsy he healeth him byddeth him go his waies Howbeit it is to be thought that this man that had the dropsye had a good hope trust in Christ insomuch that he folowed Christ into the Phariseis house And without doubt he had not been healed if he had not had suche an hope in Christe And as the blyndnes of these Phariseis ought to abashe and feare vs because that thei had eyen and sawe not eares and heard not an heart beleued not so the goodnes benignite of Christe shewed vnto this man that had the dropsy ought to moue vs to lift vp our heartes and to put al our trust and confidence in Christ Therfore this miracle and suche like Rom. 25 are written vnto vs that therout we may learne what maner a man Christ is why the father hath sent him into this worlde and what from him is to be hoped for of a christen mā He did good vnto this man that had the dropsye because he hoped well in him Wherfore then should he deny vs any good thyng if we beleue in him Is his hand shortened Esai 59 that it can not helpe No truely His mercy endureth for euer The faute is in vs not in his helpyng hand that forbecause we wyll neither acknowlege our infirmite nor yet beleue But if we wyl acknowlege our imbecilite weakenes specially in those thinges that partayne to our soule and aske grace of Christ in a true fayth it is not possible but it shall be graunted vs. Furthermore it is requisite that we once obtaynyng this his grace and mercy endeuour our selues to shewe lyke loue and charity to our neighbour as Christe shewed here vnto this man that had the dropsye Thirdely The Pharises styl remaining in their blyndnes and so that they could neither throughe Christes wordes nor yet through his myracles be moued to beeleue Christe payed them home and forasmuch as he perceaued in them a desirous appety of vaine glory and euer chosing themselues the vppermost seates at feastes and sayd Christ reprehended the ambitiousnes of the pharises When thou art bidde to dinner to a mariage thou shalt not set thy selfe in the highgest place lest peraduenture one that is more honourable then thou be also bidden And then he that bad bothe the and him come and saye vnto the Giue this man place But when thou art called set the doune in the lowest place that he may say Friend syt vp higher With these wordes Christ would haue corrected the ambitiō of the phariseis For they sought the glory of thys world and were in their hartes al giuen to pomp and pride Mat. 23 As he saith in an other place That all the workes they did were done for the intent that thei might be seen of men Mat. 6. And in the syxt chap. of Math. wher Christ taught vs truly to pray to fast giue almes Ther likewise hee warned vs to take heede of suche phariseis and not to do good works in that intent like as thei did ther he addeth sayīg Thei haue receaued their reward He hath teached vs here mystically that if any man be called to the mariage of the godly grace he must not bee pufte vp nor yet thinke of him selfe more then becometh him but rather he ought to take heed that he beareth hīselfe vpright and be euer in feare lest he leese the goodnes and gifts that he hath receiued For thus it stondeth in the kingdome of Christe that he that exalteth him selfe shall come low he that meketh him selfe shall he exalted And in an other place He that will bee greatest amongest you Mar. 20 let him becom your seruant The same thing aloweth Christ Mat. 19 whē he toke a child and set him in the middest of his disciples and said Except ye tourn and become as childrē ye shall not entre into the kingedome of god Luc. 28. Likewise What happened vnto the pharisey in preferring himselfe before the publican Very this The
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
we dispaire of all our workes merites and vertues and esteme them as thinges that can not helpe vs and therefore the Prophete Esai sayeth Esai 63 that all oure iustyce or righteousnes are as a defyled clothe And thus dispairyng of our selues to seke our righteousnes in the merytes passion and death of oure Lord Iesu Christ onely of whom Ihon the Baptist gaue this true testimonye that he is the Lambe of God Ihon. 1. that taketh away the synnes of the worlde This fayth I say dothe apprehende by Christe remission of synnes iustyce and eternal life Neither may we in this matter admyt any worke of man except we would plucke away steale take frō Christ his glory Esai 42 whiche he wyl not geue to any other and so stealyng Christes honor burthen our soules vnto the perpetual death damnacion of our selues Surely it is an vndoubted trueth that a christian man must do good workes and haue an honest conuersacion and with good workes confyrme allow his fayth For who would deny this But to sette a fayth and confidence in those workes and to admit our merytes in the cause of our iustifycacion is in no wyse to bee permytted For by that meanes grace were no grace and that whiche before was atributed by verye right vnto the onely loue of God that should we then ascrybe vnto our workes merites Therfore Christ sayth in this gospell He that beleueth in the sonne of man shal not be iudged But he that beleueth not is already iudged because he beleueth not in the name of the only begotten sōne of God Fayth onely abideth in battayle of cōsciēce See ye that in the conflicte and battayle of the conscience fayth standeth sure and is not condempned nor iudged Contrarily that vnbeliefe is already cōdempned the sentēce of eternal damnacion is pronoūced against it For Christ wyl in this gospel as he doth in many other places of the scripture ascribe quietnesse of conscience and saluacion vnto faithe and the disquietnes of conscience perpetuall damnacion to vnbeliefe Thirdely Condemnacion bicause Christe spake of iudgemente and condemnaciō he now procedeth and declareth what is condemnaciō and saith And this is the condemnacion that the light is come into the world men haue loued rather darkenes then lighte And why For bycause their workes were euell Christe him self with his doctrine gospel is this light The lyghte Ioh. 8. as in another place he calleth himselfe saying I am the light of the world Whosoeuer foloweth me he walketh not in darknes The darknes Darkenes is our flesh nature mannes reason and vnbeliefe yea all the wisdome prudencie of man which doth not spring out of faith but spring frō our reasō without faith And now I beseche you to marke with me well at what point our reason our wisdome and prudence is wont to stumble at if it folow not the very word of god as his capitaine and leader Surely when Christ came into this world he was more redyer to saue help then to condemn nowithstanding that the father had giuen into his hand all iudgmente And truely the Iewes had wel eschaped this iudgement or eternall damnacion had by faith obtayned health saluation if they wold haue receiued Christ which is the light of the world and beleued his worde But what doo they They sette more by darknes then by lyght Iohn 1. And as Iohn saithe in the fyrst chap. of his gospel The light shined in darkenes the darknes comprehended it not Ther was no faulte in the lyght but a greate defaulte in the darkenes that receiued it not But what foloweth nowe out of this darkenes Forsoth this Those that neither knowlege nor learne their darkenes nor wyll not geue Christ his due honor they iudge and condempne themselues euen as Christe sayth Whoso beleueth not he is already condempned And truely it chaūseth so by most rihgteous iudgement to him that is vnfaythfull Incredulitee is iudged by his own self that is through vnbeleif For inasmuche as he doth euil and yet can not abide the light or to be reprehended it is right that his owne vnbeleife should iudge or condempne him But so is it not with the faythful man for he can abyde that his workes that are done in the truth shuld come to the light be tryed wayed by the worde of God and iudged by the rule squire of the woorde of God For how should he feare the light seyng that all his workes are done in God Cōsider it well For thus in euery place of the scripture life is ascribed vnto fayth and iudgement and condempnacion to incredulitee and vnbeleife God geue vs grace to receiue retayne with vs his light to the comfort of our soules Amen The gospel on the tewysday in the Whytson weke Ihon. 10. VErely verely I saye vnto you He that entreth not in by the doore into the shepe fold but clymeth vppe some other waye the same is a thefe and a murtherer But he that entreth in by the dore is that shepeherde of the shepe to him the porter openeth and the shepe heare hys voyce and Pro. 10. hee calleth hys owne sheepe by name leadeth them out And when he hath sent forth hys owne sheep he goeth before them the sheepe folowe hym for they knowe his voyce A straunger wyll they not folowe but wyll flee from hym for they knowe not the voyce of straungers This prouerbe spake Iesus vnto them but they vnderstode not what thinges they were whiche he spake vnto them Then sayde Iesus vnto them agayne Verely verely I say vnto you Iho. 14 I am the dore of the sheepe All euen as many as came before me are theues murtherers but the sheep did not heare them I am the dore by me yf any man enter in he shall be safe and shall go in and out and fynde pasture A thefe commeth not but for to steale kyll and destroye I am come that they myght haue lyfe and that they might haue it more aboundantlye THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche as Christ our Lord sheweth in this gospell or similitude by conferryng theim together both what the euil shepeherd teacher is also howe he may bee knowen and on the other parte what the good shepeherde and teacher is and by what sygnes also menne may knowe him I thynke it mete fyrst to treate of the good shepeherde especiall for this cause that it is a thinge very profitable and necessary and also a matter of great waight importance For Christ describeth here the good shepheard so A preachers callynge doctrine shal be vpright and law full that he must nedes entre in at the dore into the shepefold that is it is necessary that the preacher be called by some lawefull and godly meanes it is necessary also that his doctrine bee trewe and godly And howe can they teache the trewth that are
suche angre as hathe adioyned enuy with it But I praye you where are thei that so can moderate themselues Ephe 4 Therefore S. Paule saith Let not the sonne go down vpon your wrath A father is angry with his sonne but yet commonly the fatherly loue continueth in his harte A master is angrye with his seruaunte and scholer but it commeth of a good affection Euen so maye one christian man be angry wyth an other and rebuke correct and shewe him his faulte but with this angre muste charity be admyxed Bryefely CHRIST requyreth this meekenes of his disciples sayinge Learne of me for I am meeke and lowely in heart Mat. 11 And here he promyseth to the meeke saluacion and possession of the lande Who wyll not nowe with all dilygence laboure for faythe whereoute springeth this vertue The possession of the land what it is Manye interprete spirituallye the possession of the lande as when the Prophete Dauyd saythe I beeleue to see the Lorde in the lande of the lyuynge Other vnderstande it corporallye sygnyfiynge that the gentle and meeke menne keepeth better his goodes and possessiones then hee that wyll lawe for euerye trifle and wyll not loose so muche as the parynge of hys nayle Truthe it is that Moyses beynge a moste lowelye and gentle person Nu. 22. accomplished excellent affaires yea thoughe hee were the meekest man that dwelleth vpon earth And also either of these vnderstandinges is good and profitable Spiritual hūger thirst Fourthly Christ pronounceth them blessed that hungre and thirste for righteousnes addyng thys promise That they shall be satisfied Nowe standeth thys hungre and thyrst in thys pointe that I dyspayre of my selfe and all my strengthes shall knoweledge my corrupte nature myne inabilitee syckenes synne and infirmitie and allonly desyre that righteousnes that is of valewe before god Surely this acknowledgyng of our selues dothe highly please god yea for to bringe vs vnto this knowledg hath he giuen the lawe and willeth that the preaching of penance shuld procede go before the preaching of forgiuenes of sinnes as it is plain in the gospel of S. Luc. that we might so much the soner attaine vnto this hunger thirste of righteousnes Luc. 24 And doubtles needes must we be thus hungry and thyrsty for righteousnes or els we shall euer want it that is we shall neuer be made righteousnes But to be briefe When thorow preachinge of penaunce we are vtterly ouerthrowen so that al togither wee dyspayre of oure selues and begynne to seeke our righteousnes in CHRIST thys promise standeth stedfast that wee shall bee satysfyed Contraryly yf we haue not thys hungre thyrst knowlege desire behold the vyrgin Mary saith thus He hath sent away the ryche emptye To be merciful Fiftely Christe also in the gospell pronounceth that the mercifull men are blessed To bee merciful is asmuch as to be ready to forgiue remit as often as our neighbour doth vs iniurye or angreth vs or prouoketh vs vnto displeasure And thys mercifulnes is so necessary for a christen man that he cā not obtain forgiuenes of his sins except he also first forgiue his neighbour such trespasses as he hath cōmitted against him yet not by this mercy merite of the same do we obtaine get or deserue forgiuenes of of our sins for that haue we by only fayth but God wolde that I shulde by this forgiuenes testify my faith Now whē I declare my faith by so forgiuīg my neighbour what wil Christ do toward me I shall also haue mercy as Christ saith in this gospel And as he saith in another place Luc. 5. Forgiue it shal be forgiuen you But now whē I wil not for giue no more shal I obtain mercy therfore vtterly fall out of all the fauour of god the father Sixtly the clean pure in heart are blessed Cleannes and pure of hearte Psal 13 Mar. 10 But who is cleane in hert seyng that the scripture saith There is none that doth good no there is none at al Also none is good that is clean but alone god Doutles it is truth that by nature we are sinners neither can we do any thyng that is good ye and also after that we haue receaued the holy ghost yet remained in vs concupiscens or vnlawful lust Rom. 7 with whō wee muste euer wrestle and fighte against it Yet thys comforte haue we when wee ones come to the knowledge of Christe and haue by faith set hande vppon hys promyse by partakinge with hym wee be very christians and also pure in hearte Actu 15 For as Sainct Peter saithe By faith are purified our hearts Furthermore although the hart by faith be purified yet there remaineth in vs the remnant of synne and concupiscens which daylye sore trouble vs but for faith they are not imputed vnto vs. As S. Paule testifieth Rom. 8. saying Then now there is no condemnacion to suche as are in Christ Iesu Therfore we are fully assured if we haue faith that wee shall se god in this worlde by faith in his word and in the world to come face vnto face Seuenthly Christe calleth those blessed that ar the makers of peace Rom. 5. Those are makers of peace that euer counsayl peace that reconcyle men that be fallen out and set them againe at one and studiouslye take heede to kepe and conserue peace Suche are called peacemakers And suche men do especially please god chiefly bycause this vertu cometh of faithe and hathe his roote and springinge out of faith and therfore bycause that in this thing they folowe the example of his beloued sonne oure lorde Iesu Christe What did he When wee were yet enemyes saith S. Paul he reconcyled vs vnto his father opened to vs the heauens and by the effusion of his bloude of mere and free grace hee washed away all our sinnes that we apprehending this by faithe myght obtaine righteousnes and so euer more folowe the same example in our deedes Nowe when do we this When with al harty study we endeuour our selues to conserue peace and that amonge all men brotherly loue may be continued But what shall be the rewarde of this vertu what gyfte shall bee gyuen for it Wee shall be called the sonnes of god and wee shall possesse eternall lyfe Eightly Christ also calleth those blessed that suffre persecution and are despised for his sake which in deede oughte to giue greate comfort to christian men putte vnder the crosse and tribulation Thorow muche trouble we entre into the kīgdom of God Whye are we so vexed and full of sorowe in temporall afflyctions seynge that Christe wyll by theim bring vs into heauen where wee shal perpetually raigne with hym Trulye this temporall crosse canne in no meanes bee compared vnto the euerlastinge ioye Marke wel that he saith For my names sake Also When men speake all euell against you belyinge you For he that is an euell dooer