into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For ♣ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When
sondaye after triuitye sondaye Luc. 14. Mat 22 Apo. 16 A Certayne man ordayned a greate supper and bad manye and sente hys seruaunte at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for all thynges are nowe readye And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst said vnto hym I haue bought afarme and I must go and see it I pray the haue me excused And an other sayd I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And an other sayd I haue maried a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruante retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the goodman of the house displeased and sayd to his seruante Go out quickely into the stretes and quarters of the city and bringe in hyther the poore and the feeble and the halt and the blinde And the seruaunt sayde Lord it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is roome And the lorde sayd to the seruauÌ„t Go out vnto the hye ways and hedges and Gen. 19 compell them to come in that my house may be filled For I saye vnto you that none of those menne whyche were bydden shall taste of my supper THE EXPOSITION IN this similitude The grace of God fyrste of all is praysed the great godnes grace mercy of god whiche he hath so mightely shewed vs by his sonne Iesus Christe without any deseruing of our workes in that that he compareth it here to a supper For all suppers are moste chiefely prepared and ordained for myrth and not for heuines that a man shulde eate drinke and be merye Lykewise as a supper here vpon earth is ordayned and prepared to make men merye and lighte harted euen so this greate supper of the grace of god and the gospell hath god prepared for our greate consolacion and comfort wherin we shuld reioyse be mery glad For what other thing is the gospell by the which the great goodnes and mercye of god is shewed vs so gentely and sweetly through Christ then a good and mery tidinges The gospell It could be no lye that the aungell shewed vnto the shephardes when Christ was borne saying Beholde Luce. 2. I bringe you tidinges of greate ioye whiche shall happen vnto all people Neither doth the prophete Dauid monish vs with out cause to reioyse in these dayes of grace saying This is the day which the lord hath made Ps 117 let vs reioyse and be gladde in it Nowe seing that god our mercifull father hath so louingely prepared for vs this supper Supper through Christ without any deseruing of our part Without dout it is a tokeÌ„ of his great loue toward vs specially if we considre that not allonly the Iewes but also al the heitheÌ„ publicans siners ar called hervnto And therfore Christ might wel say Ioh. 3. The loue of god That god so loued the world that he gaue his only son Here thou hearest that alloÌ„ly loue moued god by Christe to prepare this supper of the grace of the gospel Then if loue moued him to prepare this supper so it is a greater token of loue that he hath called vs therunto For what shulde it auayle me that this greate supper is highely praysed coÌ„mended yf I were fayne to sit without the dore were not called nor letten in And that we shuld peâ—ceaue that Christ hath not allonly prepared this supper but hath bidde al men thervnto the euaÌ„geliste saieth here that the lord of the supper sent his seruauÌ„t to them that were bidden to tell them that it was supper tyme and to byd them come for all was readye This seruante signifieth thapostels whiche Christe firste of all sent to preach to the Iewes and after when they hadde despised the preaching of the gospel and made them vnworthy thereof they were sent to the Gentyls Thappostels calleth vs to this supper And what did they preach They said Al things are redy now come Christ hath shewed vs the will of the father Christe hath suffered death for our sinnes is risen for our rightousnes asceÌ„ded vp into heaueÌ„ hath gotteÌ„ vs the holy ghost wherfore al thingê pertaining to our saluacion are ready This did the holy apostels so diligeÌ„tly prech so that Esaias did not speake in vain of them when he said Esai 52 O how bewtiful are the feet of thembassadour that briÌ„geth good tidings precheth helth What caÌ„ we desire any more Helth is obtained vs of meer grace Bi grace we be called vnto saluacioÌ„ This alloÌ„ly is now required of vs that we come Therfore let vs not dispise this supper but rather let vs hast vs to Christe that we may get righteousnes saluacion Secondarily Firste the gospell was preched vnto the Iewes Mat. 15 we se in this similitude the calling of the Iewes to the grace of the gospell and in what wyse they be reiected for ther incredulite For they were the first that shulde be called as Christe hymselfe witnesseth saiyng I am not sent but vnto the loste sheepe of the house of Israell And Paule withe Barnabas in the actes of thapostles sayde Act. 13. It behoued first the word of god to be spoken vnto you c. But how did the Iewes heare the callyng They begon all to excuse theÌ„ contrary to the counsel of the prophet Dauid saiyng Ps 49. To day yf you wil heare his voyce harden not you hartes They wyll not folowe this faithfull counsaile but they excuse themselues wil not come The first saithe The Iewes in obedience and incredulitye I haue bought a farme and muste nedes go forth to looke vpon it I praye the holde me excused The other said I haue boughte a yoke of oxen and muste go forthe to proue them I praye the holde me excused The third sayd I haue maried a wyfe and I caÌ„not come as though he could not be a maried maÌ„ and a christian but this it is From the beginning hath the Iews euer beÌ„ stubborn disobedieÌ„t wretches How ofteÌ„ times I pray you did thei murmur agaiÌ„st god iÌ„ the wildernes How ofteÌ„ did thei prouoke god vnto angre Act. 7. doth not s SteueÌ„ bear witnes that the Iews wer both the betrayers and murtherers of Christ sayiÌ„g Yee stiffe necked ye haue alwayes resisted the holye ghost Now yf he that bought the farme set more by the farme than he didde by the supper for bying of the farme he shulde haue bene damned For he that hath much riches is not damned but he whose hart is set vppon riches â— Co. 6. For as Paule saith we shulde be as hauing nothing yet possessing all thyngs AbrahaÌ„ bought a pece of land of the childreÌ„ of Heth for hys sepulchre and other vses Ge. 24 was he damned for so doinge No For to bye lande and oxen or other cattel pertayneth not to the kiÌ„gdom of Christ but
whole worlde And they whiche afore tyme wolde not heare Christe and his Apostels in the name of god afterward were constrained to heare the Romaines in the dyuels name I praye god the father The ingratitud and vnthākfulnes of thē that haue the worde of god that wee be not ones constrained to learne what a thynge it is so manyfestly to dispise forbidde and driue awaye by forse goddes worde and in no wise to giue place to the truthe The word of god shineth so clere amongst vs the yt cā not be denied but be confessed to be the very trew worde And on the other syde our ingratitude and maliciousnes is so great that it is not vnknowen Wherfore I thynke that suche punishment as pleaseth God shall folowe yet I knowe not what God purposeth to do but I knowe what I am bound to feare and to be afrayde of Neuerthelesse lette vs aske for grace and he of his goodnes shall turne his wrath from vs. Amen The Gospel on sainct Ihon his day the and Apostle Euangelist Ihon. 21. IESVS sayd vnto Peter Folowe me Peter turned him aboute and sawe the disciple Iohn 13 19. 20. whom Iesus loued folowyng whiche also leaned on his brest at supper and sayd Lorde which is he that betrayeth thee When Peter therfore sawe him he sayth to Iesus Lorde what shall he here do Iesus sayeth vnto him If I wyll haue him to tarye tyll I come what is that to thee folowe thou me Then went this saiyng abrode among the brethren that the disciple should not dye yet Iesus sayd not to him he shall not dye but if I wyll that he tary tyll I come what is that to thee The same disciple is he whiche testifyed of these thynges and wrote these thynges And we knowe that his testimony true THE EXPOSITION IN the last chapiter of the Gospel of sainct Ihon Christ demaūdeth thre tymes of Peter if that he loued him At the whiche demaunde Peter answered thre tymes and sayd that he loued him And because that Peter should not lacke an occasion to declare his loue to proue it in dede Christ goeth to and declareth vnto him wherwith he might gratifie and serue him namely if he loued him he shuld feade his shepe To feade is to teache Psal 22. To feade is as muche to say as to teache and preache And so taketh it Dauid when he sayth The Lorde is my shepeherd I can want nothyng He feadeth me in a grene pasture ledeth me to a freshe water He calleth the shepe Shepe Iho. 10 his electe christians as he sayeth in the .x. chapiter of Ihon My shepe heareth my voyce And in the Gospell of Mathew Christe sayeth Mat. 10 Beholde I send you as shepe in the myddes of Wolfes As though Christ would say vnto Peter My Peter I haue bought my shepe that is my christians dearly with an vnestimable price wherfore I would not see any of them neither neglected nor yet lost Therfore if thou louest me as thou hast spoken thou shalt vnderstād that there can be nothing more acceptable vnto me then that my sheepe haue good feadyng That is that they be diligently taught instructed in the worde of God Howe Peter should folowe Christ And if thou wilt know whō thou shouldest folowe in this office of preachyng herken to this saiyng Folow me For thou knowest and hast sene in what wyse I haue behaued my selfe herein c. Nowe that in this place Peter is commaunded to folowe Christ I thynke that the same commaundement and precept partayneth not onely vnto Peter but generally vnto all christian menne For synce we be named christians take our name of Christ whō should we folowe but Christ who sayth here Folowe me But there hath been in the world and is yet vnto this hour diuers sondry ways prescribed vs to folow For this foloweth S. Francys the other S. Benedict the third S. Dominick the fowerth foloweth S. Bruno as a moste suer rule of his lyuing And as touching this thing there hath been amongst christen men so variable sondry opinions ways to folow that who so euer wil note thē wel it can not be but he must needs be sore greued in his hart at them in so muche that they be all fained made repugnaunt to the manifest word of Christ For who of the fathers can be found that dare avow say of thē selues He that foloweth me in my rule walketh not in darknes Though in need yt is not euel if we folow our fathers In what wise wee shulde to lowe the Fathers 1 Cor. 4 but it is needefull thē that we do it in such form as S. Paul describeth it sayīg Be ye my folowers wher he doth adde as I folow Christ Wherfore yt is needful that this cōmaūdemēt of Christ shuld moue stere vs not to thīk that it was geuē only to Peter but also vnto al christen mē nameli vnto those that glorify thēselues of Christ therfore shuld thei lykewise folow hī of whō thei bear the name For it is Christ ōly that dare auowe and sai Iohn 8 He that foloweth me walketh not in darknes Secōdarily forasmuch as we haue heard learned that ther is no suerer thīg in this life thē to folow Christ therfore it is necessary that we learne how in what maner of wise it is needful that we folow him that is that euery mā must folow Christ in his callīg For this presēt gospell teacheth vs that in Peter that whē he heard Christ say Folow me he tourned him selfe aboute and sawe the disciple whome Christe loued and sayd vnto Iesus Lorde but what shall he do Peter had a commaundement of Christ to folowe him and that in his callyng whiche was before declared vnto him Euery manne folowe Christ in his callyng namely in feadyng Christ his shepe And forbecause he had so sone forgotte it lookyng to another he is here reproued of Christe with these woordes what is that to the And agayne he heareth Folowe thou me But this was not only done for Peter but for vs also that wee should not charge our selues with other cares busynes but with good aduisement counsail beyng diligent in our owne busynesses should endeuor our selfe to do faithfully with a christiā mynde that thing whervnto wee are called For truely if euery man in his degre would diligently endeuor them selfes to do that thyng whervnto they are ordained called of God and not to set so litle by it as they do wtout doubt or should fynd him selfe so charged that he should sone forget to remembre what other men had to do And take an example The office of prechīg If I am called to the office of preachyng to be a minister of the worde of God so is it very necessarye that I do the same with all diligence in preachyng readyng rebukyng comfortyng and prouidyng for the poore
come by these and many mo sectes Furthermore this slaunder is against loue as when I wyll not obey the Magistrate I will not do and paye as other men doo and paye neither beare the common charges as other beare but I wyll be cleane without lawe and haue a singuler prerogatiue afore al other Of this slaunder Christe hym selfe saithe to Peter Mat. â—7 Leaste we shoulde bee a slaunder vnto them go to the sea and cast thy hooke and that fyshe which firste commeth take him vppe open his mouthe and thou shalte fynde a grote take it oute and giue it them for the and me Nowe withoute doubt these slanders shall continue in the worlde vnto the end And especiall the slaunderers of doctrine shall bee both greuous and vehemente But what remedye againste this slaunder Spiritually are the handes and feete cut of I muste cut of that whiche woulde offende me be it either foot hande or eyes that is I must continue in the worde nothing consyderyng what shall chaunce euen thoughe father or mother brother or syster wyfe or children kinne or affinytye monye or ryches woulde plucke me frome it yet muste I sette more by the woorde then by all these For better yt is that I forsake all thynges be they neuer so deere and precious in thys worlde and to bee saued afore god then to haue all menne my friendes and be separated from god And seeynge that god wyll so extremelye punyshe theym that rayse suche slaunders what thynke yee shall come to suche as for those slaunders leaue and forsake the trueth Doubtlesse hee shall punishe theym both alyke Fourthly here is a general admonicion vnto al men that they dispyse none of these lytleones that are dead to the worlde poore in spirit and knyt together one in Christ Yea there is also assygned a cause why they shuld beware of hurtyng them The lytle ones wherfore they are not to be offended Psal 19 For their Angels sayth Christ in heauen alway see the face of my father whiche is in heauen Surely without doubt if God be so mercyful to his seruauntes that he hath appointed Angels vnto this ministery to kepe and defende them doubtles then this wyll please him but a lytle if they be dispised persecuted troubled troden vnder foote For surely the Lord is as careful for them as if these thinges were done vnto himselfe And furthermore he must nedes be discoÌ„tented to se them euil entreated for whose sake he came into this worlde and shedde his precious bloud I pray you who can thynke otherwyse in this behalfe Shall it not prouoke his anger that wee dispyse those whoÌ„ he hath redemed with his death and precious bloud shed For if that lost shepe be so deare to him and he so entyrely loued it that he left nyntye and nyne in the wyldernes and ceassed not seekyng tyll he had founde it why should wee then either persecute or trouble that sheepe Surely he may suffre it but without doubt he wyl not leaue it vnpunished Furthermore he sayth It is not his fathers wyll that one of these lytleones should peryshe Are not these strong reasons that might well refrayne vs from persecutyng of our christian brethren Theyr angels sayth Christe whiche must serue them euer see the face of my father Trueth it is that I wyll be their sauior and my fathers wyll is that they should not perishe Nowe if these wordes wyll not moue vs surely I knowe not what should moue vs to learne to loue christian men and not to despyse theim But commonly it so chaunseth that these poore lytle ones of Christ haue euermore persecucion then fauour in this worlde Wherfore I beseche God graunt vs grace to perseuer in his fayth and paciently for his names sake to suffre persecucion vnto th ende through Christ our Lord. Amen The gospel on sainct Lukes day the EuaÌ„gelist ye shall fynde after Alhalowen day The gospel on sainct Symon and Iudes day Ihon. 15. Greater loue hath no maÌ„ then this that a man bestow his life for his frendes Ye are my frendes if ye do whatsoeuer I coÌ„maunde you Hencefurth call I you not seruauntes for the seruaunt knoweth not what his lorde doth But you haue I called frendes For all thynges that I haue heard of my father haue I opened to you Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to go and bryng furth fruite and that your fruite should remayne that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he may geue it you THE EXPOSITION CHrist gaue his disciples this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of brotherly loue after that last supper when he now knewe the tyme of his passion at hand that immediatly he shuld be taken away froÌ„ them Surely this is an vndoubted truth that there is besydes fayth no woorke in the worlde nor none can be that shal be acceptable vnto God saue onely charitee and loue of my neighbour of the whiche Christ speaketh in this Gospel Or els why should Christ with so great seueritee and earnest admonicion in that his last sermon that euer he made Christes coÌ„maundement of charitee haue geuen and inculcate this precepte of charitee And here note two thynges Fyrst that Christ gaue this precept and not Moses For if it were Moses precept it shuld be a precept as the other preceptes were in the lawe whiche in dede taught coÌ„maunded what should be done and what should bee lefte vndone but thei gaue not the spirit wherby it might be done with free heart and courage But Christ doth not here so but as he sheweth what is necessary to be done euen so he also geueth the spirit that we may be able to do those thinges that he hath coÌ„maunded And this is the onely cause why he him selfe sayth of his preceptes My yoke is swete my burthen light And sainct Ihon in his Epistle Canonical saith His coÌ„maundementes are not heauy Wherefore these woorkes of loue are not hypocrites workes like as the workes of the lawe were whiche the Iewes did without spirit but whatsoeuer a Christian doth in this behalfe he doth it with an whole heart 1 Co. 14 euen as sainct Paule sayth Charitee seketh not the thyng that is her owne For why A christian knoweth that Christe requireth not onely true fayth that worshippeth the father in spirit and truth but also he requireth an vnfayned loue Further note that this loue spryngeth not of her selfe but it spryngeth furth of fayth so that whersoeuer there is no fayth there can neuer bee any true loue Fayth Loue. Fayth heareth the woorde of God taketh holde vpon those thynges that the same worde promyseth in the merytes of Christe and so obtayneth without any merites of workes only of mere grace and mercy remission of synnes righteousnes eternal life Nowe if any maÌ„ wyl in this cause of iustifycacion admyxt the myre of his owne workes he goth cleane out of the way
abide in the word Thē by by with great violence we run into the snares gynnes of the deuell And if we stedfastly beleue in the worde of god Then neither false prophet nother the deuell himselfe shal deceiue vs. And thē wtout dout he is greater that is in vs then he that is in the world 1. Io. 4 Secondarylye Christe speaketh of the seede that fell vpon the stone which although it sprange vp yet bicause it lacked moysture it withered awaye And so he declareth that the seed that fel on the stone be thei that when they hear the word of God they receiue it with ioy To fall from the worde in tyme of persecution but thei haue no rotes bicause thei beleue but for a while in tyme of temptacion and tribulacion they fall cleane away Wherin Christe sheweth that his gospell shall neuer bee preached withoute aduersaries that shall striue againste it And lykewise that the perfect and trew faith cannot be knowen but by tribulacion and temptacious so proued and tried as gold and siluer is by fier Yf thou wylt then search know what faith I haue and whether it be a trew or a fayned faith mark wel behold my lyfe when I chaunce to fal into temptacion tribulacion And yf then it be a pure and righte fayth and by the worde of god in my harte made liuelye and effectuall then muste I needes saye with sainct Paule Rom. 8. I am sure that nother death nor lyfe nor aungell nor rule or power nother things present or thinges to come nother high nor low nor any māner of creature shal seperate me from the loue of god that is in Iesu Christ Yea and I will frely confesse commend preach the word of god though I shuld dye an hundreth tymes Mat. 10 or forsake all that euer I haue had in this world For it must needes be in such case that other I forsake all and bere the crosse of Christ or else cease to be his disciple any lenger And in contrary wise when my fayth is not pure but fayned trewly thē wyl I not so hate my selfe that for the gospels sake I shuld ronne into daunger of my bodye and lyfe But then wyll I sette moste by and loue my body be it neuer so rotten and full of wormes Wherfore I am constrayned to heare Christ in an other place Mat. 16 saying He that findeth his lyfe shall lose it Cares riches voluptuousnesse be lette hīderāce vnto fayth Thyrdely Christ speaketh of other seed that fel amongest thornes and so sprong vp was choked amongest the thornes And that he expoundeth on this wise The seed that fell amongest the thornes be they that haue herd the worde of god and then thorowgh the cares ryches and voluptuosnes of this worlde be so ouer growne and choked that they can not bryng fourth frute Thow herist here repeted that suche heare the word of god yf then thei heare the word and yet be reiected of Christ I praye the what is the cause or what lettyth whye they be not saued verely euen that be cause they receyued not the worde of god ernestly and in they re hartes and for that they be founde neglegente in fayth loue and honest conuersations and fal from god the creatour vnto creatures Marke here how finely Chryst hath paynted and set oute the mindes and harts of riche men First of all he geueth vnto them cares for we commonly se that the more they haue the more the couet as it is said in the 5. cha Ecclesiastes The couetous man is neuer satisfied of money c. And he geueth also vnto thē the loue and affection of riches and desyre of this worldly lyfe As though he shulde saye To haue greate riches doth not damne a man for there hath beene sins the beginning of the world many deuout and holy men that hath had greate riches and yet neuerthelesse haue obtayned euerlasting lyfe But to sette harte and minde in riches and through them to seeke the pleasures of this lyfe not to knowe that we be but seruauntes and stewardes of suche riches to th entent that the poore and nedye maye be holpen thereby that is the very thing that condemneth a man Wherfore seing it is so with riche men for the more parte that they with all theire diligence seeke and folow the pleasures of this lyfe and do not mortefye the fleshe by the spirite but passe ouer their lyfe in all securitie and wealthe of this world Mat. 19 Christ sayeth also in an other place Soner may a camell runne thorow the eye of a nedle then a riche man entre into heauē And to be briefe Such rich men What condemneth the rich mē and men that abuse their riches in this world haue but smal prayse in scripture and in many places we hear of their condemnacion not bicause they haue much riches or that they be men of great power and might but for that they do abuse their such giftes and take their lusts and pleasure in it and do not make frends to them of their wicked mammon Fourthly Christ speaketh of the seede that fell in the good grounde and sprang vp and brought forth fruict an hundreth fold And that he declared on this wise That that fell in the good ground be thei which with good hert mind Good grounde do hear the worde of god and kepe the same and bring forth fruict in pacience And there be two thinges to be noted in that Fewe christian men First that there be merueilous few christian mē in this earth But of them that in body soule go to the deuel ther is a great nomber how highly soeuer they pretend the name of christians or boaste of the gospell as Christ doth witnes in the 7 chapt of Mathew saiyng The gate is larg and the way is broad that leadeth to perdition and many there be that entreth into the same But the way that leadeth to lyfe is straite the gate very narrow and fewe haue found the same And the other thinge that Christ sheweth vs is this that although the more parte of menne be euell and so abyde yet the word of god shal not be preached in vaine In some corner there shal be found good ground The worde of God is not preached in vayne Esa 55. wherin the good seede of the word of god is sowen shal spring vp and bring forth frute plenteously whereof god speaketh by his prophete Esaias in this wise Lyke as the shoures of rayne and snow descendeth frō heauen and retourneth not thither againe but sinketh into the earth and norisheth the same and maketh it bring forth seede vnto the sower bread to the eater so shal the word that cometh out of my mouth it shal not retourne vnto me empti but shal do all that I wil shall prosper whersoeuer I shal send it And although it seme
against the coÌ„maundemente and precepte of god Gen. 4. Nowe for as muche as god in his preceptes doth not allonly forbid the outeward vngracious workes but also the inward mischiefe and affection of the harte howe is it then possible that the outewarde righteousnes can saue and iustifye Surely hereto pertayneth the saying of S. Ioh. He that hateth hys brother 1 Ioh. 5 is a murtherer that is It is not sufficient that thou haste not killed thy brother with thy hande but thou muste haue a louinge and gentle harte towarde all men not to dooe and wishe well allonlye to thy friendes but also to thine enemyes Finallye If I desire to be saued so it is needefull that I be iuste righteous both inwardely and outwardely or else outewarde righteousnesse profyteth the nothynge at all Thyrdely Christ exhorteth allureth vs here in this gospel to the loue of oure neighbour forasmuch as he hath referred this precepte Thou shalt not kyll to the loue of oure brother and that two manner of wayes Firste for as muche as hee teacheth that no worke how good or precious so euer it be canne please God excepte that thou do firste desire thy brother whome thou haste offended to pardon and forgiue the. Therefore he maketh mention of all oblation commaunded of God in the olde lawe which is nowe abrogated and was then a hyghe excellente worke This is the meaning of the wordes of Christe If you dooe obserue with neuer so greate diligence all goddes seruice whiche heretofore hath beene commaunded you through Moises which nowe after my death shall cease and take no more effecte yet in that shall ye not please god excepte you be reconciled to your brother whome you haue offended For it is not seruinge of god when thou offendest thy neighboure but that is called seruyng of god when thou offendest not thy neighboure For that that thou doest with hinderaunce of thy brother cannot please god Therefore God through the prophete Oseas speaketh Osee 6. sayinge I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Truly oblacion was commaunded in the lawe by god yet did he not set by yt yf thou diddest offende thy neighbour excepte he that had offended his brother did fyrste reconcyle himselfe And as Christe speaketh of oblacion vnto the Iewes as vnto those whiche as yet were vnder the lawe so likewise goddes seruyce in the newe testament is to no purpose except thou be recoÌ„ciled to thy brother whom thou hast offeÌ„ded Secondarily Christe warneth vs here to agree with our aduersary quickly while we are in the way with him c. That is if any man offend the and he that hath offended the desireth the to pardon him forgiue him gladly as Christ did saiyng Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they do And if you be not desired therunto yet be alwaies readye to forgiue or else thy conscience in the day of iugemente shall accuse the and so thou shalt be caste into prison Luc. 24 Verely I say vnto you saith Christ thou shalt not come out thence tyll thou haue payed the vttermost farthing that is Thou shalt neuer come out For this word vntil so signifieth in this place Therfore let euery christiaÌ„ maÌ„ well considre take heede that he be founde in brotherly loue so that his workes whiche he serueth god withall may be acceptable and pleasaunte before god throughe Christ our sauiour Amen The seuenth sonday after trinitye sonday Mark 8. IN Mat. 15 those dayes when ther was a very great company had nothing to eate Iesus called his disciples to him and sayd vnto them I haue compassioÌ„ on the people bicause they haue nowe beene withe me three dayes and haue nothing to eate and yf I send them awaye fastynge to their owne houses they shall faynte by the way Esai 14 Tob. 13. For diuers of them came from farre And his disciples answered him Wher shuld a maÌ„ haue bread here in the wildernesse to satisfie these And he asked them howe many loaues haue ye They sayd seuen And he commaunded the people to syt downe on the grounde And he tooke the seuen loaues and when he had gyuen thankes he brake and gaue to his disciples to set before them And they did set them before the people And they had a few small fysshes And whan he had blessed he commaunded theim also to be sette before them And they didde eate and were sufficed And they toke vp of the broken meate that was lefte seuen basketes fulle And they that didde eate were about foure thousand And he sente them awaye We haue treated of this gospel vpon the fourth sonday in lente oute of the syxte chapter of Iohn whiche shall agree well herevnto also that allonly excepted that there is fiue loues and two fishes fiue thousande menne And here seuen loues and a fewe fishes and four thousande men which Christ did feed This thing also is to be noted that there Christe spake allonly vnto Philip and here vnto all the apostels Looke vppon the exposition The gospell on the eight sonday after trinitye son daye Math. 7. Deut. 13 1 Ioh. 4 BEware of false prophetes which come to you in sheepes clothyng but inwardly they are rauenyng wolues ye shall knowe them by there frutes Luce. 6. Do men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystles Euen so euerye good tree bringeth forth good frutes But a corrupt tre bringeth forth euell frutes Mat. 12 A good tree cannot brynge forth bad frutes neyther can a bad tree brynge sorthe good frutes Mat. 13 Luc. 3. c Euery tre that bringeth not forth good frute is heueÌ„ doune and caste into the fyer Wherefore by theyr frutes yee shall knowe them Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Mat. 25 Luce. 6. and. 14. Lorde lorde shall entre into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the wyll of my father whiche is in heauen he shall entre into the kyngdome of heauen THE EXPOSITION WE haue here in this gospel a good admonition that we shuld beware of false prophets For yt is coÌ„moÌ„ly seen that those be alwais mixt with the good and faithful preachers And in this admonityon Christe hym selfe dothe lyke a good shephearde The office of a good shephard For a wise and a diligente shepharde dothe not onlye leade his sheepe into an holsome pasture but also dilligentlye taketh heede that they be not taken and deuoured of the wolues In lyke manner muste a dilligente preacher do He muste instructe and bringe vp the churche committed vnto his charge withe the holsome doctrine of Christe and take heede that hee instructeth not the people with none other doctrine but onlye with the puer word of god For Christ said vnto Peter Ioh 21. Feed my sheepe and not satisfied with the once rehersall thereof he repeted the same coÌ„maundemeÌ„t wherby it might be ê‘ceaued how feruentely he desyred the wealth of his shepe This done the
doth bothe scorne deride and blaspheme the doctrine workes and myracles of Christe ye his harte in his bodye laughed at it But what get they thereby Herken The people is put forth that they shuld not be present at the raysing of this dead vnto lyfe Lo so it goeth with them that scorne and dispise the gospel of Christ Rom. 1. that god giueth theym vp vnto shameful lustes and blyndeth their foolishe hartes so that they shal neither se nor vnderstand the great misterye of the death and resurrection of CHRIST but shal be euerlastingly dampned Herevnto is to bee referred the saying of Dauid the prophete saying Psal 1. Blessed is the man that goeth not in the councell of the vngodly that abideth not in the way of synners and setteth not in the seate of the scornefull But delyteth in the lawe of the lorde and exerciseth himselfe in his lawe bothe daye and nyghte Scorners calleth Dauid here all those that thynketh all to be both foolyshnes and trifles that god hath spoken and doone Scorners And hee counteth theym blessed that medle not and haue nothinge to doo with suche scorners Out alas howe full is the worlde nowe a dayes of suche scorners They bee counted glorious and goodly felowes in this world whiche scorne dispise persecute and blaspheme the woorde of CHRIST They bee loued and muche made of yee with goodes and ryches accumulated so that they shall lacke nothyng neither cease to skorne Christ and his membres But good menne shall here thynke and haue in remembraunce howe this is not onely chaunsed vnto theim but afore tyme hath suche like blasphemye happened to our sauiour Iesu Christe For if they haue called the good man of the house Mat. 10 Belzebub howe muche more shall they call them of his householde so Besydes this wee haue also a cause of greate consolacion and comforte insomuche as our quarel is iust godly conformable and consonant with Goddes holy woorde For wee can not glorifye God more highely then to adscribe vnto his onely begotten sonne whom he hath for great loue and mercy that he bare vs sent into the worlde to bee crucifyed to bee our righteousnes holynes and redempcion so that we may remayne and assuredly stande nowe in him as oure onely saluacion For if we should adscribe vnto our workes righteousnes or saluacion we could neuer be sure Wherfore lette all the worde skorne blaspheme and persecute this our doctryne Hereof wee are sure that God Christ the woorde of God and all the Angels in heauen bee all on oure syde From the beginnyng the preachyng of the gospel was foolishenes vnto the Gentyles and occasion of fallyng vnto the Iewes 1. Cor. 1 as sainct Paule beareth wytnes and so shall remayne vnto the ende God almightie so merciful geue vs grace through the vertue of the holy ghost that we may dayly more and more increase in holsome doctryne true fayth and godly conuersacion vnto th ende that at the last through Christ we may obtaine and get euerlastyng saluacion Amen The sonday next before Aduent ye shall fynde in the fourth sonday in Lent and is written Iohn 6. Here endeth the sermons vpon the sondayes through the whole yere IESVS Suffre the children and forbid theim not to come vnto me for of suche is the kyngdome of heauen Math. 19. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I wyll ease you Take my yoke vpon you and learne of me for I am meke and lowely in heart and ye shall fynde rest in your soules For my yocke is easye and my burden is light Math. xi THE SECONDE PARTE of this boke contayneth the sermons vpon the gospels whiche commonly are read on the feastiuall dayes through the whole yeare The Gospell on sainct Androwes day Math. 4. AS Iesus walked by the sea of Galilee he sawe two brethren Symon whiche was called Peter Andrewe his brother castyng a nette into the sea for they wer fishers he sayth vnto them folowe me and I wyll make you to become Ier. 46 Eze. 46 fyshers of menne And they straight way left the nettes and folowed him And when he was gone furthe from thēce he sawe other two brethren Iames the sonne of Zebede Ihon his brother in the shyp with Zebede their father mendyng their nettes and he called them And they immediatly Luc. 5. left the shyp and their father and folowed him THE EXPOSITION ORDINATELY and very fruitful hath sainct Mathewe the Euangelist discribed howe and by whom it were mete and necessary that the kyngdome of Christ wer ministred For inasmuche as the same is brought to passe through the worde of God by ministers therefore he declareth fyrst in what maner of wyse Christ begāne his preachyng and afterward howe vnto the same gift of preachinge he called certaine of his disciples and sayeth From that time forth beganne Iesus to preache and saye c. Here he nameth the man that fyrste preached the gospell yea which by his word offered vnto all men the grace of God vnto saluacion and nameth hym Iesus and that for the same intent and purpose that we might clearly perceaue and vnderstand by the name what manner of preacher he is For he doth not onlye preache and offre vnto all men saluacion freely and willynglye but also hee wyll geue it vnto all those that hope and truste in him onlye by his propre merites and desert without any respecte of our works yee of mere grace and mercy Iohn 1. according to the saying of Saint Iohn which saith The lawe is geuen by Moyses but grace and truthe by Iesus Christe The sum of the preaching of Christe Now peraduenture thou wilte demaund of me what the preachinge of Christe was and the some thereof In shorte woordes he spake as foloweth Amend your selues for the kinkedome of heauen is at hande To amende our selues to walke in a newe lyfe and to forsake our olde vitious lyuynge requireth the preaching of the law of penaunce And forasmuch as the preaching of the gospel of the grace of god bringeth little vtilitie or profite to mā except he first be brought to the knowledg of his offences sinnes Rom. 3. haue a contryte harte therefore it is very requisite necessary that the lawe whereby we be brought to the same knowledge be euer fyrste preached and taught The kīgdome of heauen Whych done the other foloweth namelye this The kyngedome of heauen is at hande The kyngedome of heauen in this place is taken for the godly grace of the gospel As though Christ would say If I may this only thyng obtayn of you that your synnes may earnestly displease you aske for grace with all your whole heart it shal be brought to passe that grace shall not bee denyed you For nowe truely that acceptable tyme and daies of saluacion be at hand in the which remission of synnes is not onely offered vnto you but through my