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A73502 The Epistles and Gospelles with a brief postil vpon the same from after Easter tyll Aduent, which is the somer parte set forth for the singuler cōmoditie of all good Christen men and namely of prestes and curates. 1542 (1542) STC 2968.3; ESTC S124410 239,766 422

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same goodes wyth Christ Furthermore Christ gaue them power agaynst wycked spirites to cast them out to heale al maner of syckenesses as it is redde in the tenth of Matheu Also in the .xix. psalme ye rede Thou shalt walke vpon Lions and Dragons Wherfore where a christen man is the power to worke these sygnes myracles is not taken awaye as by many exemples it hath ben proued But no man ought to do them onles it be necessarie and the case requyre it For the Apostles thēselues wrought not these myracles but only to the testification of gods worde that so by myracles the Gospell myght be confirmed as the texte sayeth They went and preached euery where the Lorde workynge wyth them and confirmynge the worde wyth myracles folowynge But nowe after that the Gospell is spred abrode and opened to the hole world myracles be not necessary as they were in the Apostles tyme. It foloweth whan the Lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen That is to saye he went vp to begyn hys spirituall and heauenly kyngdome and drewe wyth hym oure hopes into heuen that thyther whether we sawe him ascende we shulde also folowe And he sytteth on the ryght hande of God Thys is a maner or fygure of speakynge and it sygnifyeth he is God egall and of lyke power wyth the father And as the prophete sayeth he ascended vp on hygh hath led captiuitie a prisoner So that nowe we be no longer in thraldome for Christ hath caryed it awaye wyth hym and made vs the chyldren of hys father to lyue eternally wyth hym in heauen To whome be glorye for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the sonday after the Ascension daye The .i. Epistle of Peter the .iiij. chap. Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to do good workes according to thexemple of Christ MOost deare beloued brethren Be ye therfore sober and watch vnto prayer But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge your selues For loue shall couer the multitude of synnes Be ye herberous one to another wythout grudgynge As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so minister the same one to another as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God Yf any man minister let hym do it as of the abilitie whych god ministreth vnto hym that god in all thynges maye be glorifyed thorow Iesus Christ GOod brethrē and systers in our sauiour Christ the lection of the epistle of thys daye redde in the church is taken forth of the .iiij. chapter of the fyrste epistle of the Apostle messanger of Christ S. Peter Ye shall therfore vnderstande that forasmuch as thys holy mā S. Peter had now in the chapters goynge before thys place sufficiently taught the Iues and others whome he wrote thys epistle vnto The occasion of thys epistle of the fayth and iustification whych cōmeth by Christe he doth now in the chapters folowynge monysh them of good workes ☜ accordynge to the maner of syncere and pure preachers whych before they gyue any preceptes of good maners woll fyrst intreate of the causes of new lyfe Wherfore thys present lesson is nothynge but an exhortation to good workes after the exemple of Christe Thus than he sayeth Be ye therfore sobre and watch vnto prayer Thys texte contayneth a generall exhortacion to all such thynges as become christen men to do in this lyfe Sobrenes and modestie For modesty and sobrenes be not so greatly good workes as they be the selfe rules wherby al good woorkes be tempered Ye shall therfore vnderstand here by modestie and sobrenesse fyrst those ciuile vertues whych haue contrary vyces arrogancye and pryde In lyke wyse doth also Paule vnderstande them in the .xij. to the Romaynes where he wryteth I saye vnto you by the grace whych is gyuen me to euery one of you that none thynke proudly of hymself aboue that it becōmeth hym to thynke but lette hym so thynke that he be demure and sobre euen as God hath bestowed to euerye one the measure of fayth Seconde ye shal vnderstande by modestye and sobrenes here also the soūdnes of mynde so that ye thynke modestly soberly of gods worde lest through your owne ymaginations and good intencions ye go awaye from the true vnderstandyng of gods worde or suffer your selues to be plucked away wyth any maner wynde of new doctrine Now whā we be modest and sober aswell in lyfe as in doctrine it foloweth consequently that we muste nedes watch and gyue our selues to prayer It foloweth But afore all haue feruent loue amonges youre selues for loue shal couer the multitude of synnes As though saynt Peter shuld saye It may happen peraduenture that a man may fayne wyth hymselfe that he is sober Charite modest and busye in prayer Therfore before al thynges se ye haue charitie without whych youre demurenes youre sobernes your prayer maye be but fayned and cloked workes with out whych charitie also they be nothynge worth nor yet thankfull to God accordynge to the sayenge of Christ Math. v Whan thou shalte offer thy offerynge at the aulter and remembrest that thy brother haue ought agaynst the leaue there thy offeryng and go and be at one wyth thy brother first and then come and offre thy oblation Doubtles my brethren charitie is to be preferred before all other workes for wythout it none of all oure other workes can please God as Christ hymselfe wytnesseth Math. v. And also the prophete Esay in the fyrst chapter Thou shalt nomore offer to me sacrifice and so forth but learne to do ryghte helpe the nedye c. Vehemēt charitie And saint Peter wyl that our charitie be vehement or feruent not colde and negligent such as theyrs is whych wyth theyr mouth make as though they loue a man but wyth theyr harte they hate hym as euel as a tode And he addeth the cause ☜ for loue or charitie couereth the multitude of synnes Thys sentence is taken forth of the x. chapter of the prouerbes For the moost proper office of charitie is to hyde the infirmities of the neghboure Furthermore hospitalitie and harbourynge wythout murmurynge or grudgynge is also one of the effectes of charitie It foloweth in the texte As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so minister the same one to another as good dispensours or stewardes of the manyfold grace of god Here good people the Apostle Peter exhorteth euery man particularlye to do hys office in hys callynge He that is a preacher of gods worde oughte to be content wyth hys gyfte and to execute his dutie in hys vocatiō that is to wyt he ought to preach not hys owne dreames but the sermōs and wordes of God and so of all other offices in Christes cōgregation whych yf they were done accordynge to S. Peters aduyse here we shuld both haue gods word more purely set forth and also the churche in better vnitie and concorde Then accordyng to euery mās gyfte and as Paule sayeth euen as God hath
them tell it vnto the congregacion Yf he heare not the congregacion let hym be vnto the as an hethen mā as a publicane Lo good frendes here ye be taught by Christe to be tender harted or mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the father in heauen not to iudge not to cōdemne but to remytte all to God and to gods minister the temporall ruler we be taughte to be perfyte and not to be captiouse but gently to wynke at the small offenses of our brethrē These be the preceptes of our Sauiour Christ wherby a christian mā shal be knowen Wherfore let vs earnestly imbrase them execute them in our lyuynge So doynge we shall declare our selues that we be in dede the chyldren of the father in heauen whose properties we folowe To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be all glorye in infinita secula Amen The Epistle on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie The .i. epistle of S. Peter the .iij. chapter Th argument BRethren be ye all of one mynde of one harte loue as brethrē be pytiful be courteous meke not rendrynge euell for euel or rebuke for rebuke but cōtrary wyse blesse knowing that ye are there vnto called euē that ye shuld be heyres of the blessynge For he that doth lōge after lyfe and loueth to se good dayes let hym refrayne hys tonge from euell and hys lyppes that they speke not gyle Let hym eschue euell and do good let him seke peace and ensue it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghtuous and hys eares are open vnto theyr prayers Agayne the face of the Lorde is ouer them that do euell Moreouer who is it that wyll harme you yf ye folowe that whych is good Yea happy are ye yf any trouble happen vnto you for ryghtuousnes sake Be not ye afraied for any terroure of thē nether be ye troubled but sanctifye the Lorde God in your hartes IN thys Epistle good people thapostle Peter instructeth vs in a generaltye what it becommeth all good christen folke to do Brefly therfore to conclude sayeth saynt Peter se ye be all of one mynde as who shulde saye be not contentiouse stryuynge one agaynst another neyther in lernynge nor yet in your other worldly matters but be ye compaciente Compacient that is to saye suffer together and beare one wyth an other be ye indowed with brotherly loue and charitie be ye tender of harte pytifull easy to forgyue all offences easy to departe youre goodes and money as ye may spare it to the reliefe and succoure of your pore neighbour se ye be also meke courteouse affable gentle to speake vnto Moreouer se ye rēder not euel for euell but beare ye iniurye and wronge paciently accordynge to the example of Christ resignynge and commyttynge the punyshment and vengeaūce to gods hande or to the correction of the ruler whych is gods minister and which beareth not a swearde for nought Yea rather contrary wyse Ro. xiij se ye do good and blesse you them that wronge you and whych worke you displeasures knowyng thys that ye were called by the franke election of God of his special grace and mere goodnes euen before the foūdacions of the worlde were layde Ephe. i. that ye shulde receyue not the blessynge of the world but the blessing of the heritage of God that is to wyt euerlastynge lyfe whych heritage pertayneth vnto vs not as vnto naturall chyldren but as chyldren of adoption election For assuredly my frendes he that woll be happy and be counted iust eyther in thys lyfe before men or in the lyfe to come wyth God and wyth hys holy angels what shall he do sayeth saynt Peter Let hym refrayne and temper his tonge from euel so that he breake not charitie and let hym holde in represse hys lyppes that they vtter no gyle no deceypt no fraude no dissimulation no hypocrisie no vntrouth Let hym I saye eschue from euel and do the thynge that is good and honest both before God man Let hym seke not after discorde variaūce and debate but after peace after vnitie after concorde let hym folowe and insue it For be ye ryght well assured that the eyen of the Lorde God are ouer the ryghtuouse and hys eares are opē to theyr prayers And agayne the terrible visage and face of the Lorde is ouer all them that do euell as who shulde saye God loueth and fauoreth al such as do wel which lyue after a godly and honest sorte beynge in perfyte loue and charitye wyth theyr neyghbours and euen christen he heareth theyr prayers he accepteth theyr oblacions and sacrificies as oure Sauioure Christ hath taught vs in the .v. chapter of S. Mattheu But on the contrary syde God hateth and abhorreth all such as be euel doers yea and also he punysheth them whan he seeth hys tyme. Fynally the Apostle Peter doth here propoūde and set forth vnto vs two great commodities and profytes whych folow them that worke well the one is a temporall pleasure and commoditie to be taken here in thys worlde whyche is that no man shall harme them yf they lyue after a ciuile and honeste fashion amonges men in the worlde the other is an euerlastynge and heauenly commoditie to be taken in the worlde to come whych is euerlastynge blesse But peraduenture ye woll saye ☜ What yf we do well and yet we be wrongfully vexed troubled in the worlde Saynt Peter answereth and sayeth Happy are ye yf ye suffer for ryghtuousnesse sake and therfore he wylleth vs not to be affrayed for any terrour of thē neyther yet to be troubled but thankfully to prayse and glorifye God in our hartes Hythervnto my frendes I haue brefly declared the mynde of S. Peter vnto you whych exhorteth you in thys epistle to good workes But ye muste consyder that in the former parte of hys epistle he taught and spake of fayth to be reposed and set in our Sauiour Christ For as saynt Austine affirmeth Austine it is the intencion that maketh the good worke and it is the fayth that must directe the intencion Let vs thā do good workes accordynge to saynt Peters exhortacion here of pure loue and faythe vnfayned So doynge we shal be sure to be crowned wyth immortalitie by god the father of heauen To whome be glorye and prayse for euer Amen The gospell on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ declareth the power of hys worde WHan the people preassed vnto Iesus to heare the word of God he stode by the lake of Genezareth and sawe two shippes stande by the lake syde but the fysshermen were gone out of them and were wasshynge theyr nettes And he entred in to one of the shyppes whych perteyned to Simō and prayed him that he wolde thrust out a lytle frō the lande And he sat downe and taught the people out of the shyp Whan he had lefte speakynge he sayd vnto Symon Launche out
holy ghoost to make bokes to enacte lawes but that he is suche a God that only wryteth the thynge in the harte that kyndleth it that createth a new mynde makynge man to reioyse before god and to be rauished with a new loue toward hym consequently with glad mynde to do hys dutye and seruice to all men franckly After thys sort the partes of the holy ghost be ryghtly preached he that paynteth them otherwise beleue him not For where he commeth thus thou seest he taketh awaye the letter and maketh men fre from synne and from the compulsion of the lawe so that he raynynge in theyr brest maketh thē in whome he is resident to do wythout compulsion all that the lawe cōmaundeth But thou wylt aske wherby he bryngeth to passe what thynge he vseth thus to chaūge and renue the hart Surely by that he sheweth and preacheth of Iesus Christ as Christ hymselfe in the .xv. chap. of Ihon sayeth whan the comforter cōmeth whome I shall sende you from my father I meane the spirite of trouth whych procedeth from the father he shal beare wytnes of me Nowe oftentymes ye haue herde that the gospel or Euangel is the thynge whych god suffreth to be preached in the worlde and to be tolde to euery man that is to wyt that none can be iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe but rather that a worse thinge come therby and therfore he sente downe hys moost deare sonne to dye and to shede hys bloud for vs bycause we of our owne powers coulde not rubbe out the spotte of synne nor be delyuered from it But to the preachynge hereof another thynge yet is requyred euen the holy goost whome God must sende He printeth in the harte thys sermon and preachyng to make it fixed and roted in it for it is moost sure and certayne that Christe hath done all thys geare he hath taken awaye oure synne and ouercōmen all that by hym we myght raigne ouer al and euen here in one heape is all the treasure hurded Thys treasure we can not get onles the holy goost be gyuen vs whych maye put in oure hartes and myndes to beleue and saye ☜ And I also am of the nombre of them to whō so greate treasure doth belonge When we haue ones felte thys that God hath thus holpen vs and bestowed vpon vs so great treasure then the mater goeth well forwarde neyther can it otherwise be but mans mynde must be rauyshed wyth a pleasure towardes God and lyfte vp hymselfe saye Oh good father if thys thy wyll be that thou haste shewed so great loue and suche excedynge kyndnes towardes me I must nedes agayne loue the wyth my hole hart and reioise and gladly do what so euer thy pleasure is Then the harte is nomore waywarde nor croked in the meditacion of God it thynketh not to be dryuen downe to hell of hym as before the cōmynge of the holy goost it thought when it felte no goodnes no loue no fydelitie but styll a pace the wrathe and indignacion of God Now therfore whyle the holy goost prynteth into the christen mās harte howe he hath God hys mercyfull and graciouse Lorde it is a pleasure for hym for Gods sake boldly to execute and suffre any maner of thynge After thys wyse thou shalt learne to knowe the holy goost and hys office whych is to distribute the great treasure Christ and al that in hym is whych is gyuen and declared vnto vs by the Gospell to thintent thou mayest put hym into thy harte to make hym thyne owne good Hytherto I haue declared vnto you the hystorie of the holy goost Now what we shall do in it we shall knowe further in the gospell Thus sayeth Christ Yf a man loue me he woll kepe my saynge and my father shall loue hym Lo good people here ye maye se as I haue often tymes preached vnto you that the frute of fayth is charitie Charite is the frute of fayth whych thynge can not be denyed For charitie or loue perfourmeth and doeth euen of the owne accorde all that euer scripture cōmaūdeth And thys doth saynt Paule declare Gal. v. He that loueth his neyghboure hath fulfylled the lawe Wherfore they that haue not fayth and charitie do not fulfyll the lawe albeit they seme in outwarde appearaunce to perfourme all the workes of the lawe The worde whych Christ preacheth he sayeth is not hys worde but hys fathers worde declarynge herby that nothyng ought to be added nor taken awaye from it And these thynges sayeth Christe concernynge aswell your loue towardes me as the kepynge of my word haue I spoken vnto you beynge yet present dwellynge amonges you But that same comforter of whome I haue made so muche mencion vnto you I meane the holy goost whose feate and offyce shal be to sanctifye lyghten you vnto all trouth which holy goost my father shall sende in my name that is to saye for my cause he shall teach you altogether shall put you in remembraunce of all that euer ye haue herde of me A question Thou wolt saye vnto me Why knewe not the disciples all before whyche were so longe tyme wyth Christ I answere that the disciples ought nedes to haue bene taught by the holy goost for wythout hym they were yet imperfecte and carnall for they vnderstode neyther Christes glorificacion by the crosse nor yet hys raygne or kyngdome Wherfore they neded the holy goostes teachynge that is to saye ☜ hys sanctifyenge and makynge the thynges lyuely in them whych they had lerned of Christ For the disciples were as yet but litera they perceyued not the thynges that were of the spirite of God and therfore they neded the holy goost to quycken them accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule The letter sleeth but the spirite quickeneth Ye may not then vnderstande by thys worde teach that the holy goost shal set abroch a new doctrine that Christ had not taught before docebit but ye must vnderstande by it that the holy goost shall interprete the doctrine already taught by Christ and declare it to the spirituall vnderstandynge And therfore Christ expouneth hymselfe and sayeth he shall put you in remēbraūce of al the thynges that I haue shewed you So that ye can not gather herby that the holy goost shall adde any thynge to Christes doctrine as the wycked papistes do wyckedly gather It foloweth Peace I leaue wyth you my peace I gyue vnto you not as the world gyueth gyue I vnto you c. My frendes what is Christes peace The peace of Christ Surely to be short it is nothynge els but the quyet and tranquilitie of conscience Thys peace the worlde can not gyue mans traditions can not gyue mās owne voluntary workes can not gyue no mōkery no pylgrimage no popysh pardons no pardon beades no relyques brefly no fleshly thynge can gyue thys peace of conscience It is only Christe that can gyue vs thys peace
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
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
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
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 frō 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 sermō 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 nōber of the chyldren of God Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre there be two maner of baptismes Ierome suꝑ Esa Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth mā 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 mā 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 Simō 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 Ascēsiō day baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it But ye shall alwayes vnderstād 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 mē loued darkenes more thā 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
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
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
brother Brother let me pull out the moote that is in thyne eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Thou ypocrite cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and rhen shalt thou se perfytly to pul out the moat that is in thy brothers eye GOod people our Sauiour Christ in thys gospell setteth forth vnto vs certayne christian lawes that is to saye certayne officies or duties of charitie and frutes of fayth Fyrst he byddeth vs be mercyfull and tender of hart But after what sorte As paynyms or publicanes be No but euen accordyng to thexemple of our heauenly father Why how mercyfull is oure heauenly father vnto vs Surely he whan we were hys enemyes and had deserued no kyndnes at hys handes yet of an excedyng mercy whych he bare to mākynd vouchesaued to sende downe hys only begottē sōne to redeme vs wyth hys moost precious bloude He also from tyme to tyme as often as by frayltie we offende hys maiestye yf we humbly aske mercy forgyueth vs. Math. v Yea he sendeth hys rayne he causeth the Sonne the moone the starres and hys heuenly planetes to shyne aswel vpon hys enemyes as frendes and louers But yet sayth Christ blessed and happy be the mercyfull for they shall agayne receyue mercy He that hath the substaunce and goodes of thys worlde and seeth hys brother in nede and shutteth vp the intrayles of hys harte from hym howe can the loue and charitie of God remayne in such a person i. Io. iij sayeth the Euangelist Ihon Certes he that hath compassion and pytie of the poore is a great gayner and who so fedeth shal be fedde agayne Seconde Christ byddeth vs here not to iudge and we shall not be iudged For he shall haue iudgemēte wythout mercy sayth saynt Iames whych sheweth no mercy Iaco. ii Let me alone therfore wyth vengeaunce sayeth the Lorde and I shall requyte But marke my frendes that thys is only spoken of priuate iudgement and priuate condemnation that is to saye I maye not be myne owne iudge I maye not reuenge myne owne quarell but I muste cōmytte the cause to God and he shall iudge my quarel and punysh accordyngly It is not ment of publyke iudgement For suche as be rulers and publyke officers represent not theyr owne persons but they represent the person of almyghty God and they be hys deputies and ministers Ro. xiij And for thys cause saynt Paule woll that euery soule shulde submytte hymselfe to the authoritie of the hygh powers For there is sayeth he no power but of God Yea the iudges and Magistrates in scripture be called Goddes Also saynt Peter thapostle sayeth i. Pet. ij Submytte your selues vnto euery humane creature for our Lordes sake whether it be vnto a kynge as vnto the chefe heade or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of hym for the punyshment of euell doers and prayse of wel doers By thys texte of S. Peter ye se playnly that it is lawfull for rulers to punysh But punysh they can not onles they iudge and condemne the gyltye So thā it is lawfull for rulers to iudge and to cōdemne bycause they do it not in theyr own name but as gods ministers and vycares To thys do all the auncient expositours and doctours agre as saynte Austine ☜ Hierome Ambrose Chrysostome and the rest Wherfore the wycked Anabaptistes are to be banyshed whych condemne temporall or ciuile iudgementes It foloweth in the texte Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Here my frendes ye se that onles we forgyue other mē theyr offences whych they haue trespassed agaynst vs our heauenly father woll not surely forgyue vs. And therfore we saye in our pater noster called the Lordes prayer Dimitte nobis debita nostra Math. v sicut nos dimittimꝰ debitoribus nostris That is to saye Forgyue vs our dettes or synnes euen as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. So yf thou cannest not fynde in thy harte to forgyue thy neyghboure hys faultes thou mayest be ryght sure that god wyl not forgiue the thy faultes He byddeth vs also gyue and it shal be gyuen vnto vs. Math xviij Ro. xiiij For frely haue we taken and therfore frely we ought to gyue What hast thou sayeth Paule but thou hast receyued the same before of almyghty God ij cor ix Surely he that soweth skantly nygardly shall repe skantly Yf we be faythfull stewardes in lytle God wyll surely rewarde vs in muche But he that is vnfaythfull in lytle how can he be faythfull in muche sayeth Christ Wherfore loke with what measure that we mete wythall to others wyth the same shal other men mete to vs agayne I pray you sayeth our Sauiour Christ can the blynde leade the blynde Here he teacheth vs to be contente wyth hys doctrine for els we shal wander lyke blynde betels He is blynde whych hath not the pure ryghte vnderstandynge of gods worde yf thys man teacheth he teacheth not well he can be no good leader or guyde Why seest thou a moate in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame in thyne owne eye O how vncomly how wycked how ypocrite lyke how vncharitable a thynge is it to iudge oure neyghbours of lyghte maters where as we be an hundred tymes worse our selues Why do we not rather gētly bear dissemble and interprete well the small erroure and faulte of our brethren Why do we not rather go downe to the intrayles of our owne harte Esopes wallet and se our owne stuffe Esope the fable wryter doth very well paynt vs he fayneth that euery man hath two pookes or wallettes the one hangynge before him the other hangynge behynde hym In that whyche hangeth before vs be put other mens faultes Into thys pooke we be alwayes perynge and lokyng but in the other pooke of the wallet whyche hangeth at our backe wherin our own faultes be put we neuer loke Wherfore he wolde haue vs turne the wallet an other whyle the cōtrary way Assuredly he ought to be voyde of all faultes that shulde be ready to speake agaynst other mē Also it is dyrectly agaynst the eyght commaundemente of God to speake any false testimony or worde agaynst thy brother Yet thys notwythstandynge it is lawful for the charitably to monyshe thy neyghboure of hys faulte accordynge to saynt Paules lesson Yf a man be founde in any faulte ye that be goostly reproue suche a person after a gentle sorte Also he sayeth Reproue i. tim v. Esa lviij besech blame tymely vntymely in all pacience Crye cease not as a trompe lyfte vp thy voyce Yf thy brother sayeth Christ trespasse agaynst the Math. xviij go and tell hym hys faulte betwene the and hym alone Yf he heare the thou hast wōne thy brother but yf he hear the not than take yet with the one or two that in the mouth of two or thre wytnesses euery matter maye be establyshed Yf he heare not
this maner thou muste offer thy gyfte to the aultare wyth a good mynde and glad harte and not grudgyngly For els all is nought that thou doest For where the spirite of god is there is lybertie So that we muste do all thynges that God commaundeth vs to do frely wyth a good mynde and a louynge harte Christ sayeth yf thou offerest thy gyft Here therfore thou muste consyder fyrste and knowe whether it be thyne or no for yf it be not thyne brynge none Surely as longe as thou gettest thy goodes wyth true laboure and wyth no deceyte nor breakyng goddes cōmaundementes yf the poore man hath no nede of thy goodes so longe it is thyne owne and thou mayest offer it But yf thou kepest it awaye from the poore man whā he nedeth it or gettest it by any false meanes deceyuynge the people than it is not thine but thou arte a thefe and doest steale it Therfore then offer none but restore it agayne for yf thou offerest it it is in vayne and God abhorreth both the and thyne offerynge But as touchynge thy tythes and such offerynges as the lawe compelleth the to paye vnto thy curate Tythes ought to be payde truly surely thou arte bounde faythfully and truly to pay them Thou mayest not take from the prestes duetye and gyue it to the poore for then thou art a thefe and thou robbest Peter to paye Paule Gyue therfore to euery one that whyche is hys Gyue to thy kynge hys duetye to thy poore nedye brother that whych charitie wylleth the to gyue and paye thy curate hys duetye yea though he be neuer so naughty of lyuynge thoughe he be viciouse proude ambiciouse and though he lyue neuer so gloriously and voluptuously Peraduenture thou wylt saye Why shall I paye my tythes and offerynges to such a curate to maynteyne hys vngracious lyuynge Yea forsoth Why For the church hath so decreed and the lawes hathe ordeyned and commaunded Therfore paye him his duetye wyth a good wyl and no doute thou art discharged towardes God But he for receyuynge and spendynge it on that maner is a stronge thefe and shal be hanged in hell for it yf he make not amēdes In dede yf thou gyuest to suche a curate more then hys dutye ☞ then thou mayest be a maynteyner of his euyll lyuinge and naughtynes But yf he be a good curate doynge hys duetye preachyng to hys paryshners the worde of God gyuing them exēple of good lyuynge and teachyng them Christes rule that they may knowe it and folow it forsoth to such one thou canst not gyue to much Why For thou shalte be sure to haue it agayne whan so euer thou shalt haue nede of it For such a charitable man woll surely not se the poore man wante Thus my frendes I haue declared vnto you the true ryghtuousnes that Christ requyreth of vs. Ye be here taught to mortifye the affections of the harte Yf ye do thys ye shall shewe youre selues to be in dede ryght and perfyte christen people the chyldren of saluacion and the enheritours of the kyngdome of God To whome be honoure and glorye Amen The Epistle on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to good workes BRethren I wyll speake grosly because of the infirmitie of youre fleshe As ye haue gyuen your members seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitie frō one iniquitie to an other euen so nowe gyue ouer youre members seruauntes vnto ryghteousnes that ye maye be sanctified For when ye were the seruauntes of synne ye were not vnder ryghteousnes What frute hadde ye than in those thinges wherof ye are nowe ashamed For th ende of those thynges is deathe But nowe are ye delyuered from synne and made the seruaūtes of god and haue your frute to be sanctified and the ende euerlastyng lyfe For the rewarde of synne is deathe but eternall lyfe is the gyfte of god thorough Iesus Christe our Lorde IN thys lesson good christen people thapostle S. Paule exhorteth the Romaynes and in them vs al that now syth by the benefyte of Christes redemption we be made fre frō the condempnation of synne and be iustifyed and reconciled to God the father of heauen by the mediacion of Christes bloude which was shed on the aultare of the crosse for our transgressions and offenses we woll gyue our selues to good and vertuouse lyuynge For albeit sayeth S. Paule ye be enfraunchysed and made fre frō synne and as who shulde saye manumissed as bondmen be wonte yet ye be not so vtterly fre but ye be styl in bondage and seruitude to ryghtuousnes that is to saye to good lyuynge and honest conuersacion So ye be free and not free free from synne but bonde to ryghteousnes and good lyuynge I speake grossely and after an humane fashion sayeth Paule to call you the bondmen and seruauntes of ryghtuousnes But to thys impropre and homelye maner of speakynge I am dryuē bycause of the weaknes of your fleshe humanū I am I saye fayne to applye frame my wordes accordynge to your capacitie vnderstandynge I knowe ryght wel the infirmitie and the weaknes of your fleshe whych as yet is not come to the perfection no nor can not come to the ful perfection so lōge as ye be in thys mortall and frayle lyfe Yea our sauiour Christ hymselfe a lytle before hys departure out of thys worlde complayned of the infirmitie of the fleshe Wherfore my frendes lyke as before ye receyued the Gospell of Christ ye haue frely and volūtarely giuen and exhibited your membres as slaues and bonde to serue all naughtynes all vnclennes wyckednes and that from one wyckednes to an ather euery one worse then other So now where as ye be vnder grace and become christen persons and haue receyued Christes Gospell I exhorte you that ye woll an other whyle serue ryghtuousnes that is to saye that wyth all your myght and force ye woll studye and applye your selues to vertue honest conuersation and good lyuyng Yf ye do thys vndoubtedly ye shal be sanctifyed and made holy in goddes syght whyle through the worke and operation of the holy goost new motions be created in you whyche after a certayne maner shall answere to the lawe satisfye the same though in great infirmitie weakenes makynge you wyth your harte to loue God euen of a good conscience and fayth vnfeyned For so longe as ye were in your former state and knewe not Christe but lyued in ydolatrye and blyndnes of harte seruynge synne ye were as fremen to ryghtuousnes that is to saye ye serued her not ye hadde no iustice no ryghtuousnes in you ye were not vnder her power and dominion I praye you then my frendes what profyte frute and commoditie toke ye at that tyme of your louse and fre lyuynge I meane of your synne whych ye cōmonly then haūted wherof now that ye be in the state of grace and haue receyued the tytle
of thys Gospel let vs fyrst seke for our soule helth and foode as we se the people dyd here and doubt we no thynge but God wyll prouyde well ynough for our bodely foode Let vs not do as the Romane citizens dyd whych fyrst sought for money and then for vertue but let vs fyrst seke for vertue and for the kingdome of God and then wythout muche sekynge the rest shal be aboundauntly gyuē vs. Let vs not trust to much to our owne carnall reason as the Apostles dyd here but let vs thynke nothynge impossible to God yea let vs be ful assured that he wol helpe whā he seeth best hys tyme beynge throughly persuaded that all thynges come by the large blessynge of god To whome be all glorye Amen The Epistle on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes Th argument ☞ Of the mortification of the fleshe BRethren we are detters not to the fleshe to lyue after the fleshe For yf ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But yf ye thorowe the spirite do mortifie the dedes of the body ye shall lyue For as many as are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare eny moare but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of god Yf we be sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres ānexed wyth Christ yf so be that we suffer wyth hym that we maye be also glorified together wyth hym FYrst in thys Epistle we be taught good christen people We ought to mortifie our lustes that after we be ones grafted by the sacrament of baptysme into the holy communion of christen persons and thervpon through the intercession and merytes of Christes most holy bloude shed for vs be iustyfyed and reconcyled to the father of Heauen we ought nowe not to lyue accordynge to the lust of the flesshe but vtterly to mortyfye the dedes of the same and to do the workes of the spirite that is to say not fleshly workes but spirituall workes honest vertuous and charitable workes the stypende and reward wherof is euerlastyng lyfe wheras the rewarde of them that do otherwyse and that lyue after the fleshe is death without ende And here the Apostle Paule setteth before our eyes aswell the promyses as the thretnynges terrours wherwith he frayth vs away from carnall workes and exhorteth vs to the mortyfycacion of the flesshe and vnto ghostly workes whiche be semynge for christen men to vse To the carnal workes he yeldeth for rewarde death and consequently eternal damnacyon To spirituall and good worckes in place of rewarde he ascrybeth lyfe wherein the godly parsons do here in this worlde lyue holyly and after this worlde shall enioye eternall lyfe Secondly we be here taught by S. Paule that yf we be right Christiās I meane yf we lyue not after the fleshe but after the spirite and christianly we be sure to be the sons and chyldren of God And on the contrary syde yf we lyue otherwyse we be vndoubtedly the chyldren of Satā Two spirites And forasmuch as there be two sortes of spirites the spirite of feare or bondage and the spirite of adoptyon wherof the fyrste pertayneth to wycked persons and the other pertayneth to the good and godly persons therfore ye shal vnderstande that they whiche haue the spirite of bōdage do all that they do coactly and not of a fre hert these be the chyldren of the law or letter and be mere hypocrytes But they whiche do good workes euen of a fre hert and not as cōpelled by feare of the lawe but euen of loue these be the ryght chyldren of god these be the true christians these haue the harte and the grace in all their necessities to crye to God theyr father and to call hym Abba father and to aske of him with certayne and sure fayth all that they want whiche is necessarye for them to haue These haue peace of conscyence wherby they beynge iustyfyed and led of the spirite of god be throughly persuaded in their conscience that by the merites of Christ they haue God their mercyfull Lorde and father whiche wyll bothe helpe them and here them in theyr nede Of this peace speaketh S. Paule in the .v. Chapter of the Romaynes saying Nowe then that we be iustyfyed by fayth we haue peace towardes God by our Lord Iesu Christ But of the seruyle feare wherwith all hypocrites no true christians by indowed saynt Iohn wryteth in this wise i. Io. iiij feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth forthe feare because feare hath torment The office of the holy goost Thyrdly we be here taught what is the moste propre offyce of the holy ghost that is to say to certyfye vs of our enheritaunce whiche we receyue in Chryst Iesu With this confyrmacyon of the holy Ghoste were all sayntes and holy men sealed euen as many as constantly stode and persisted in the confession of Christe and whiche at this daye do persyst And for this cause dothe the Apostle oftentymes wyshe and desyre to suche as he wrote the strengthnyng of the holy ghost Eph. iij as to the Ephesians where he sayth For thys thynge do I bowe my knees that ye maye be strengthened by hys holy spirite And of thys office or propertie whych the holy goost hath Ephe. iij. cor i. he is oftentymes called the ernest the pledge the gage the seale or certificate Fynally we be here instructed the way of glorifyenge vs. that albeit we surelye knowe we be the heyres of God and felowe heyres with Christ yet neuertheles it behoueth vs to be glorifyed by tamynge and mortifyenge of oure lustes by pacient suffrynge of tribulation and displeasures as the apostle sayeth here Heyres wyth Christe yf so be we suffre wyth hym that we may also be glorifyed wyth hym Wherfore my frendes yf we couet to be of the saued nombre let vs accordynge to S. Paules exhortacion kyll the lustes of oure fleshe to thyntent we maye lyue and walke spiritually Then in all oure nedes we shall as louynge chyldren be bolde to call to our moost tender and kynde father for succoure Then shall we be certifyed by the holy goost that we be the sonnes and heyres of God and ioynt neyres wyth Christ wyth whome yf we suffre wyth hym we shall also be glorifyed To whome be honoure and glorye per infinita secula Amen The Gospell on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vij. chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ Signes wherby to discerne false teachers IEsus sayd vnto hys dysciples Beware of false prophetes whyche come to you in shepes clothynge but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Ye shall knowe them by theyr frutes Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euery good tre bringeth forth good
And therfore whan oure sauiour Christe came amonges them he went aboute to restore all agayne to the ryght sence and purenes and to seuer and wede out the fansyes dreames and leuen of the pharisees wherwyth they had ensoured and corrupted the swete breade of lyfe and he openly tolde the people that onles theyr perfection theyr goodnes and rightuousnes passed the ryghtuousnes and good lyuynge of the scribes and pharisees they shulde neuer come to the kyngdome of heauen Whervpon he went on and taught the commaundementes of God and the pure and ryght vnderstandynge of them as in hys moost excellente and swete sermon whyche he made to hys disciples on the mountayne whych the holy Euangelist saint Matthew setteth forth vnto vs in the v.vi and .vij. chapters more at large doth appeare Mat. vij A good tree sayth Christ bringeth forth good frute For not euery one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lord shal entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen Thou readest in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy harte wyth al thy soule wyth al thy power minde Do thys sayeth Christ and thou shalte lyue eternally in heauen Thou mayest not speake of God wyth thy mouth or praye vnto hym wyth thy lyppes and thy harte be farre from God Naye thou must loue hym wyth thy hole harte mynde and power and not fayntly And thou must loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe Who soeuer doth thys shall lyue And who soeuer hath not done thys let hym repent and become a newe mā Let hym aske grace of God that he may be able through hys ayde and helpe to do it He that seketh shall fynde he that asketh shall obtayne to hym that knocketh it shal be opened There is nothynge impossible to God So longe as we be carnall and vnrenewed by the spirite it is not possible for vs to loue God wyth harte We maye wel drede hym as a Lorde punysher of synne but loue hym as a father we can not We maye well lyke seruauntes feare hym but reuerently loue hym lyke sonnes and doughters we cānot It is not possible I say for a carnall man to fulfyll the lawe whych is spirituall Rom. vij The lawe as ye haue herde requyreth the hart We must loue God wyth harte and not drede hym for feare of punyshment as bondmen and bondwomen do theyr lorde Yf we woll consyder what God hath done for vs fyrst he made vs of nought he prouydeth for vs all thynges necessarie to oure soules helth he hath made our soules not as be the soules of beastes wythout reason and whych peryshe dye wyth the body but reasonable but immortall he sente also hys owne sonne from heauen to redeme mankinde from the tyranny and thraldome of the deuel and to teach them how to lyue a godly and an innocent lyfe Yf I saye we woll consyder all thys howe can we but loue god euen wyth harte do his swete wyll and pleasure onles we be harder then the Adamant stones onles we be made of suche a churlyshe nature that nothynge can moue vs. But the pharisees for moost parte were carnal and fleshly persons They obserued the letter of the lawe they kepte the outwarde wordes they dyd no lechery outwardlye they cōmytted no thefte no murther no periury nor suche other vyces outwardlye they dyd sacrifice to God they offered vnto him they sensed they pyped they played they prayed after theyr fashiō but none of all thys was done wyth the harte For inwardly they were full of all abhominacion as Christe hymselfe wytnessed vnto them For they dyd it onely for feare of punyshmēt and not for any harty loue that they had to God They fulfylled the letter of the lawe outwardly But theyr minde theyr spirite theyr hart was vpō other thynges that is to wyt vpō worldly vanities and pleasures So they coulde not fulfyll the lawe so longe as they were in that case For as Paule full well declareth the lawe is spirituall Rom. vij and ought to be done and executed wyth the harte wyth the spirite and mynde and not only outwardly Yet neuertheles all the Iewes were not in thys case for there were holy and iuste persons in all ages as appeareth full wel in the bokes of holy scripture And there were also many whych had good intentes but they were so drowned wyth the blyndnes supersticion gloses tradicions interpretacions and dreames of the pharisees and elders that they espyed not the true honoure and worshyp of God of whyche sorte was Nicodemus Ioh. iij. whych came by nyght to Christ to learne of hym and to dispute wyth hym But Christ perceyuynge that he was yet carnall and that he obserued but the letter of the lawe and not the spirite and mynde of the lawe sayd by and by vnto hym Verely verely I say vnto the onles thou be as who shulde saye new borne not of thy mother but of water and spirite thou canst not enter into the kyngdome of god That that is borne of flesh is flesh but that whych is borne of spirite is spirite A fleshly mā a naturall man a man vnbaptized vnrenewed with the spirite can not smel nor haue any sauour of thinges spirituall he can not worke the wyll and pleasure of God He maye well for feare satisfye the outward wordes but he shall neuer do the wyll of God wyllyngly hartely and with spirite as it is requyred of God that he shulde do For as I haue sayd the law is spirituall and requyreth the harte And surely it appeareth well that thys lawyer toke but the letter of the lawe not the spirite by the question folowyng where he asketh Christ who is hys neyghboure For yf he had loued God hertely he shulde haue counted euery man hys neyghboure as Christes similitude byddeth and not only hys owne nation as cōmonly the Iues dyd Wherfore my frendes yf we wol haue euerlastynge lyfe let vs do as Christe here byddeth vs. Let vs not be speakers nor hearers of the law but doers and not outwarde and lyterall doers but hartye but spirituall doers not for feare as bondmen but for loue as fremē and sonnes and heyres Thys let vs do and we shall lyue euerlastyngly in heauen wyth God To whome be all honoure and imperie for euer and euer Amen The Epistle on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .v. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ The batell betwene the spirite and the fleshe and the frutes of them both BRethren walke in the spirite and fulfil not the lust of the flesh For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrary to the fleshe These are contrary one to another so that ye can not do what soeuer ye wolde But and yf ye be led of the spirite than are ye not vnder the lawe The dedes of the fleshe are manyfest whyche are these aduoutrye fornication vnclenes
chapter of the aforesayd epistle sayeth Cast al your thought in him which hath care of you And for this cause saynt Hierome expounynge thys place sayeth in thys wyse Hierom. We be here commaunded by Christe not to be careful what we shulde eate for in the swet of our face we prepare vnto vs breade Laboure ought therfore to be exercised Chrysostomus suꝑ Mattheum but care taken away Here wyth agreeth Chrysostome sayenge Not with spirituall cares but wyth bodely labours we muste seke our fode whyche fode abundeth to suche as laboure for it by gods gyfte for a rewarde of theyr diligence and on the other syde it is wythdrawē from such as despyce laboure ☞ by gods doynge for a punyshment But thys that Christ speaketh here sayeth saynt Hierome is to be vnderstande of the bodely meate and rayment For of the goostly fode rayment we ought alwayes to be carefull Our Lorde for to rebuke vs the more of our lytle fayth byddeth vs beholde the byrdes and the lylies of the feldes vnto whō God prouideth And be we no more worth then the byrdes or then the floures of lylies of the feldes He doth then defende vs to take thought for earthly thynges to th ende that our spirite maye the better be lyfte vp vnto the heauenly thynges for a man to take thought and care for the one and the other it is vnpossible Who so euer hath tasted of the true goodnesse of God he doth vntaste and myslyke the flatterynge and vayne goodnes of the earth For none can serue two maysters at ones He can not serue both God and also Mammon Mammon in the Syriake spech sayeth S. Hierom is called ryches Hierom. Let the couetouse person thā heare thys that he can not both serue Christe and ryches and yet he sayeth not he that hath ryches but he that serueth ryches For he that is the seruaunt of ryches kepeth ryches as a seruaunt or bondman but he that hath shaken of the yoke of bondage or seruitude Austine he gyueth them as a lorde And saynt Austine sayth He that serueth Mammon that is to say ryches serueth hym which by the meryte of hys peruersitie is called of our lord the prince of thys worlde that is to saye the deuell Wherfore here be reproued all couetous folkes whych do set and fixe so much theyr hartes vnto the worlde and so lytle vnto god Let vs then beleue at the lest Iesu Christ whych doth not lye and care we not for to gather goodes but let vs rather care for the kyngdome of God only and for hys iustice and to obtayne hys grace and for the rest ther shal be gyuen vs asmuche as we shall lacke for to passe soberly thys lyfe wyth pacience Chrysostome Seke ye than fyrst sayeth Christ the kyngdome of god and the iustice therof The kyngdome of God Kyngdō of God as holy Chrysostome expouneth is the retribucion or rewarde of good workes and the iustice therof is the waye of godlynes wherby sayeth he we go to the kyngdome of God Yf thā thou wylt consyder how great the glorye of the saintes shal be it must nedes folow that eyther for feare of paynes thou must go frō euell or for desyre of glorie thou must hasten the to do good And yf sayeth thys holy doctour thou wylte consyder what is the iustice of God I meane what God hateth and what he loueth the selfe iustice shall shewe vnto the her wayes which foloweth such as loue her For we shal not be called to a rekenynge whether we be ryche or poore but whether we haue done well or euel which thynge sayeth he is in our fre wyll Wherfore good people se ye do not care for your bodely sustenaūce for our Lorde doth promyse you that it shal be gyuē vnto you you nede not to doubt of it yf ye cast from you thys fleshly worldly thought full of mystrust of the prouision of God Do ye rather the contrary haue no trust in your selues but al in God and you shal be truly faythfull and the chyldren of almyghty God and you shall lacke nothynge in thys presente tyme nor in the other to come by oure Lorde Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorie and thankes worlde wythout ende Amen The Epistle on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie The .iij. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ Of the power heygth bredth and depth of Christ that is to say that he is euery where and potent in all thynges SAynt Paule wrote vnto the Ephesians sayeng I desyre that ye faynt not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whyche is youre prayse For thys cause I bowe my knees to the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he wolde graunt you accordinge to the ryches of hys glory that ye may be strēgthed with might by hys spirite in the ynner man that Christe maye dwell in your hartes by fayth that ye beyng roted and groūded in loue myght be able to cōprehēde wyth all sayntes what is that bredth and length depth and heyght and to knowe the excellent loue of the knowlege of Christ that ye myght be fulfylled wyth all fulnes which commeth of God Vnto hym that is able to do excedynge aboundauntly aboue all that we aske or thynke accordynge to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion by Iesus Christ thorowout all generacions from tyme to tyme. Amen THe charge my frendes of a byshop or of a curate is to teache continually and to praye for the people whych is commytted vnto hym to thintent that it wolde please God to redresse cōforte and assure them agaynst the temptacions of this world as saynt Paule doth teach vs by all hys epistles in the epistle of thys daye he sayeth I praye you my brethrē that you do not discomforte your selues for my tribulacions whych I suffre for you That is to say yf you se that I do suffre much harme iniuries and persecutions forbycause that I do preach vnto you the gospell do not discourage your selues but perseuer in the fayth of the same Yf the mayster hath ben euell entreated by good ryght the seruaūt must be in lyke maner Our Lorde Iesu Christe sayeth in the .x. chapter of S. Mathew It suffiseth vnto the disciple for to be lyke vnto hys Mayster For thys cause to th ende that you shuld not discourage your selues I pray and requyre humbly the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ the great father of housholde of the heauen and of the earth whych is the sprynge fountayne of all goodnes For I knowe well that wythout hym you nor I can do nothynge I praye hym that by the rychesses of hys glorie and grace it woll please hym to gyue vnto you by hys spirite strēgth not bodely but spiritually and inwardly for to endure and to suffer And that it wol
in fayth or at leste way neither hot nor colde forasmoche as he thought our Sauiour Christ could not help hys sōne except he wente home wyth hym where as in verye dede Christ was able by the only word and commaundement of hys mouth to heal hym namely sith with hys wil he created and made al thynges of nought wherfore by thys he rebuked all them that do demaunde outward signes For he wil not giue vs any signes but only the token of his death and resurrection as only sufficient for oure temporall consolation and eternal saluation knowinge as saith saynte Paule that our olde man that is our sinnes and concupiscences is crucified and deade wyth hym to the ende that we serue no more to sinne but that we shuld walke in newnes of lyffe as risen agayne wyth hym Thys is the token that is giuen vnto vs for our saluation And albeit that he of whom we speake had not such fayth vnto Iesu Christ as he ought to haue had for he demaunded hys bodyly presence as neadefull for to helpe hys sōne yet for all that by hys inestimable goodnes he shewed hymselfe vnto hym suche as he was that is to saye God whyche is not absent from any place hauyng might by hys only word to heale all maladyes and infirmities as well spirituall as corporal and sayd vnto hym Go thy waye thy sōne lyueth and he beleued hys word And in goyng dyd mete wyth hys seruaūtes the whych gaue hym witnesse of the lyfe and health of hys sonne And whan he had demaunded of them the houre of the health of hys sonne and that he knewe that at the selfe houre that Iesu Christ had spoken the worde he was healed he beleued the more and hys fayth was augmēted and he dydde not only beleue but also all hys housholde Degreis in fayth after S. Bede Wherfore my frēdes the excellent clerke Bede noteth here in thys place that in fayth ther be degrees lyke as in other vertues whych haue initiū incrementum et perfectionem that is to saye a begynnynge an increase and a perfection The faythe then of thys man had begynnynge when he asked hys sōnes health increase when he beleued Christes wordes saynge thy sonne lyueth perfection when hys seruauntes brought hym tydynges that hys sōne was hole in dede aboute what tyme he recouered O howe the worde of god is myghty and of greate power the whych destroyeth thus al syknesses principally infidelite whych is the greuoust syknes that maye be for yt is cause of death not only bodely but eternall Let vs then haue fayth and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesu Christ whych seeth all and knoweth all and whyche is in all places And wyth one onlye worde shall he gyue vs lyfe both bodely and gostly vnto the glory of the celestiall father whych healeth all and wyll heale all that be sycke by him Qui uiuit et regnat c. Amen Thepistle on the .xxij. Sondaye after Trinitie sonday The first chap. to the Philippyans Th argument ☞ Paule wishethe that the grace of god charitie myght increase in vs. BRethren we trust in our Lord Iesu Christ that he whych hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntyll the daye of Iesus Christ as it becōmethe me so to iudge of you all because I haue you in my harte forasmoche as ye al are companyons of grace with me euen in my bondes and in the defendinge and stablyshynge of the gospell For god is my record how gretly I long after you all from the very hert rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue maye increace yet more and more in knowledge and in all vnderstandinge that ye maye accepte the thyngs that are most excellēt that ye maye be pure and suche as hurte no mans concsiens vntyll the daye of Christe beyng fylled with the frute of ryghtousnes which frute cometh by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of god THe apostle saynt Paule good people doth here teach vs that we must abyde and wayte for frō God the perfection and accomplyshyng of all good workes begonne sayeng that it apperteyneth vnto hym to make an ende of the woorke that he hath begonne the whych is wtout doute the worke of fayth whych worketh by charytie For Iesu Christe sayeth in the .vj. chapter of saynt Ihon Ioh. xj Yt is the worke of God sayeth oure Lorde that ye beleue in hym that he hath sente And also Iesu Christe is called auctor of fayth Also it apperteyneth vnto God for to gyue vs perseuerance and contynuaūce in the same fayth vnto the daye of Iesu Christe as it is written in the .xxxvi. psalme The afflictions of man shal be redressed in welth by god wherby we maye lightly vnderstand that man as of hymselfe cannot do any good and that all they whych vaunte them of theyr power do erre and blaspheme agaynste God when they attribute vnto thēselfes that whych apperteyneth vnto God whose power it is when we do any good The daye of Iesu Christe is the daye of the death of euery body The day of Iesus Christe and to speke generally it is domes daye at the whych daye he shall yelde vnto euery one accordyng vnto hys fayth or infidelitie that they shal haue folowed vnto the faythfull lyfe eternall and vnto the vnfaythfull the deathe eternall And the apostle might iustly thynke of the Philippians that god wold do vnto them this grace for to make them to perseuer vnto th ende for the charite that he had vnto them the which beleue lightly al thinges that is to the honour forbycause also that themselues did reioyce when they had vnderstande that in prysonmente at Rome he defended hym after suche a sorte that it was vnto the confirmation of the gospell and the greate ioye of the same And therfore he prayed them that thys charytie towarde god and loue vnto hys worde might aboūde and increase alwayes more more in the knowlege of god and in all spirituall sense for to discerne and approue the meruelouse thynges and for to be pure and clene and without offending and rebuke at the day of our lorde Iesu Christ both particuler vniuersal al replenished with the frute of iustice which is the iustice of faith by our lord Iesu christ vnto the glory of the eternal father In this saint Paule giueth vs to vnderstand how that al begynning the endes of good workes ought to be attributed vnto God And the charytie whych one ought to haue to another when one heareth or vnderstādeth that the worde of God doth growe it augmenteth and confirmeth whych is the doctrine of the Gospell for in the same is the true science and knowlege of god and the wit of the holy ghost wherby one maye proue and assaye the better thinges whych be the welthes spirituall and heuenly The whyche graunt vs the heuenly father by our lorde Iesu Christ Amen The gospel on
the .xxii. Sonday the xviij chapter of Mathewe Th argument ☞ The parable of the kinge that forgaue hys seruaunte whiche was founde in arerages vnto hym vpon his accomptes IEsus put forth a similitude vnto hys discyples sayeng the kyngdome of heuen ys lykened vnto a certeyn man that was a kynge whych wolde take accomptes of hys seruauntes And when he had begonne to reken one was brought vnto hym whych ought him ten thousand talentes but forasmoche as he was not able to paye hys lorde commaunded hym to be solde and his wyfe and hys chyldren and all that he had and paymente to be made The seruaunt fell downe and besought him sayeng Syr haue pacience with me and I wyll paye the all Thē had the lorde pytie on that seruaunte and lowsede him and forgaue him the det So the same seruaunt went oute and founde one of hys felowes whyche ought him an hundreth pence and he layde handes on hym and toke him by the throte sayeng paye that thou owest And hys felow fell downe and besought him sayenge haue pacience wyth me and I wyl paye the al. And he wold not but went and cast hī into presō tyl he shuld paye the det So when his felowes saw what was done they were very sory and came and tolde vnto their Lorde all that had happened Then his Lord called hym and sayd vnto him O thou vngracious seruaunt I forgaue the al that dette whan thou desyredst me shuldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy felow euen as I had pytie on the And his lord was wrothe and delyuered him to the ●aylers tyll he shuld paye al that was due vnto him And his Lord was wrooth and delyuered him to the iaylers tyl he shuld paye all that was due vnto hym So lykewyse shall my heauenly father do also vnto you if ye from youre hartes forgyue not euerye one hys brother theyr trespasses In the parable declared in the gospell of this daye good people is shewed vnto vs howe god shall make hys iudgement of synners that shall not haue asked him mercy Agayn al those whych shal knowledge themselues synners before hym and shall demaunde mercy and grace of hym he shall pardone them of al their synnes if so be they do remytte and pardone also wyth good harte and in charyte for the loue of hym the synnes offences that theyr neyghbours haue commytted agaynste them For it is the rule to obteyne pardone of god for to forgyue As it is wrytten in the prayer that oure lorde Iesu Christe hath gyuen vs for to pray vnto his father and ours when we saye Mat. vj. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris that is to say Forgyue vs our trespssaes as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And after our lord sayth if you pardon men theyr synnes your father also that is in heuen shall pardone you your faultes And if we do not pardon nor forgyue othr men nomore woll your father pardon nor remytte you of your synnes Alas my frēdes howe many be there nowe a dayes whych thynke lytle on these wordes as if they were vayne and of none effect And yet for al that they be so true that it is a iudgement gyuen from the mouth of god which is al trouth Ther be many which oftentymes do saye thys most holy prayer without hauinge any will to forgyue the offences cōmytted against them the whych suerly were better not to praye so agaynst themselues This is well shewed vnto vs by the parable of the kingdome of heuen in thys present gospell of the seruaunt whych ought ten thousande talentes vnto his kinge And when he had not wherewyth he myght paye it the kinge commaunded that he and hys wife and hys chyldren and al his goodes shulde be solde to thentente that he myght be payed of that that was due vnto him The seruaunt seyng thys kneled down and prayed the king that he wold take patience and tary and he wolde paye him all The lorde that was pitiful and mercifull had mercy on hym and sente him awaye and forgaue hym the dette But the seruaunte departinge from hys lorde was not pitifull nor merciful as was hys lord For in meting an other that was seruaunt with him which ought him only an hundreth pens he toke him and strayned him by the throte and misintreatinge him sayd paye me that that thou owest me And the pore seruant knelyd before the first seruant prayed him to haue pacience to tarye and he wolde paye hym all But he wolde not heare hym but forthwith sente him to prison vnto the tyme that he had payed him but what did the lorde when he herde these newes He keste in his teth the mercy whiche he had vsed towardes him when he prayed hym and on the other syde the cruelty whiche he had vsed agaynst his felowe seruaūt And therupon he dyd gyue him to the kepars of the prison vntyl he had payed al his dutye And this parable our lorde declareth himselfe This kynge is god the father almyghty This fyrste dettour is a great synner to god This seconde dettour is a lytle synner to man And what may the offence be vnto man but only a lytle offence to the regarde of that whiche is to god And that that is to god what may it be but a ryght greate offence For as the auncient douctour of the churche Iohn̄ Chrysostom sayeth Chrysostome there is as greate difference betwene the synnes whiche be done to men and the synnes whiche be cōmitted agaynste god as there is difference betwene ten thousāde talentes of golde an hundreth pense But God is so meke and so mercyfull that if alonly one do praye hym he forgiueth all synne and offence howe greate so euer it be yf that in folowyng of hys meakenesse and mercyfulnesse we pardone one lytle offence agaynste vs vnto our brother But yf any of vs do not pardon God shal aske of hym the greate debte quousque pro infinito and he shal be in paynes vntyll he shall haue payed it out whyche worde vntyll is taken of holy doctours pro infinito And thys is the meanynge sense of thys texte sayeth Remigius the auncient doctour semper soluet sed nunquam persoluet Remigius et semper poenam luet that is to saye he shall euer paye but neuer paye it out and he shall euermore suffre payne Then my brethren and frendes though that it be so that all the offences agaynst vs in the world be nothynge in regarde of one only offence agaynst God let vs then pardone them lightly not alonlye by mouth and outwardly but wyth good wyll and in our hartes inwardly And yf we thus do assuredly God shall pardone vs them that be so greate for who is it that hath not offended hym many tymes and we shal be fynally made the chyldren of God and followers of hys swetenesse
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