miserie shuld be rewarded with euerlasting lyfe which is called héer the great supper and in Mathew the mariage of the kyng vntoo whiche great Supper men are called of Gods méere mercie too the intent they may bée filled at it with spiritual daynties euerlastingly Howbéeit too the intent the delicates of this Supper may bée the plesanter vntoo vs I will set out seuerally one by one the circumstaunces that are noted in the text and shew what instruction and admonishment is too bée learned by eche of them The first circumstance therfore too bée considered in this supper is concerning him that biddeth vs vntoo it For thervpon hangeth the estimation of it Who is it then that prepareth this Supper Is it some worldly kyng No. Yet wer that King woorthy too bée muche made of for his liberalitie too bée praysed for his mercie that would prepare a princely feast royally furnished for miserable and poore soules Who is it then It is God our heauenly father the Lord of Lords and king of kings who only is riche and well stored with delicates This circumstaunce is a most euident testimonie of Gods goodnesse and mercy The second circumstance is that God héere the master of the house biddeth guestes too Supper c And what is ment by the name of supper The very Gospel and all those things that are ioyned with the Gospell as is saluation and eternall lyfe Sée how great mercy shyneth foorth héere What is the reason of the terming of it so Why are these so great good thinges called a supper Surely it is not doone without great causes of which number there bée thrée chéef The first is bycause the Gospell promiseth euerlasting ioye and endlesse good things For as the Supper is set before men in the latter end of the day so the good things which the Gospell offereth shall of the méere mercy of God bée giuen in rewarde too the beléeuers after that they in dystresse haue outworne the manyfolde labours of this lyfe The second cause is for that lyke as the euening whiche is the tyme that men are woonte too prepare for supper is the ende of the daye so the age in which all men by the ministerie of preaching are bidden too repaste of the heauenly Supper is of the laste age The third cause is for that the Gospell is the last voyce of GOD in the worlde after whiche there is none other too bée looked for in lykewyse as the Supper is the last meate that is set béefore men in the day For ther shall neuer sound any other voyce of God from heauen but thys selfe same voyce of the Gospell shall sounde vntoo the laste daye of iudgement The third circūstance is in this woord Great by whiche is commended vntoo vs the richnesse of Gods mercy For God biddeth not a kyng or twoo or a wiseman or twoo vntoo this supper but he biddeth the whole world He ouerskippeth not the poore he neglecteth not the riche men he shutteth not out the gentlemen he kéepeth not the country folke nor the townesmen from his feast he holdeth no skorne of the little ones disdeyneth not y e great ones al men without exception that are dispersed through the whole worlde biddeth he too that great supper For the text witnesseth both that it is a greate supper and that many are bidden The fourth circumstance is of the manner of his bidding The manner is expressed in these wordes And he sente his seruaunt at the houre of Supper too saye too them that vvere bidden Héer by the name of seruant is ment the Prophetes Apostles and all godly teachers whom God hath sent from the beginning of the worlde too bid guestes too the Supper Too this supper dyd God himselfe bidde the patriarke Noe. He being bidden bad the rest of the world in Gods sted Afterward when the world throughe it owne vnthankfulnesse was perished in the flud Abrahā was by Gods owne mouth bidden too this supper After which time when the malice of the world was encreased vpon the earth God chose one peculiar people among whome he often times raysed vp Prophets that bad guests too this supper And the master of the house continued in so dooing vntill he sent his owne Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst whome those that were bidden hanged vpon the Crosse. And he being raised ageyn from death sent out his Apostels intoo the whole world too byd all nations too this most delicate supper The fifth circumstance is of the hour of the supper What is this houre It is the time of grace and the time of glory The time of grace is the time wherin is preached vnto men the liberality mercyfulnesse of y e master of the house which tyme is deuided intoo thrée parts Intoo promise performāce and the tyme that hath folowed the performance The time of promis was from Adam vntoo the birth of Chryst almost foure thousand yéere Then was the tyme of performance during all the while that Chryst was conuersant héere vpon earth in the flesh and preached and offered himselfe the price of redemption for them that wer bidden too this supper The tyme that followed the performance is thencefoorth from the sending of the Apostles intoo the whole worlde vntill the daye of Iudgement in whiche tyme wée also bée and are bidden too this Supper by the voyce of the Ministers of Gods woorde The tyme of glory in eternitie When wée shall sit downe in the heauenly glorie not onely wyth Abraham and Isaac but also with God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy ghoste and shal enioy euerlasting mirth and gladnesse in Chryst Iesu our Lord. The sixth circumstance is the manner of the biddyng Come sayth he for all things are ready That is too saye as wée sée in the bidding of Iohn Baptist and Chryst Repent and beléeue the Gospell for the kyngdome of heauen is at hand This bidding requireth repentance that is too wit an alteration of the former life that wée shuld depart from euil and doo good and it requireth fayth that is too wit that wée should beléeue that this Supper is set on the Table for vs not in respect of our deseruyng but of méere mercy for the Sons sake whom God hath giuen vntoo vs too bée our wysedome ryghtuousnesse sanctification and redemption For with these gyftes and as it were garments of the Sonne of God muste wée enter intoo the Supper of euerlasting lyfe For Chryst by his wysedome reformeth our myndes wyth his ryghtuousnesse he decketh vs when wée beléeue on him with his sanctification or halowyng hée clenseth vs and at length he receyueth vs intoo his parlor where shall bée perpetuall redemption glorie and happinesse And thus muche concerning the firste place wherin is set oute vnto vs the mercyfulnesse of GOD which is from generation too generation vppon all that feare hym as the virgin our Lordes moother singeth ¶ Of the second BVt all began vvith one consent to excuse them selues
or of God by meanes that is too wit by men that haue aucthoritie too call too any seruice in the common weale or in the Church Ageinst this example of modestie doo curious folkes offend who without calling climb vp into offices by the windowes or the roofe of the house rather than by the dore Such are they which by fréends or by large giftes hunt for spirituall promotions and that not too serue God and edifie his Church but too féede their bellies which thing commeth commonly too an ill end The sixth circumstance is of his office wherof Luke speaketh in this manner And he came intoo all the coasts about Iordan preaching the Baptim of repentance for the remission of sinnes as it is written in the booke of Esay The voice of a cryer in wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord make streight his pathes c. Wée haue Iohns office namely that he baptizeth and preacheth repentance that he may prepare the way of the Lord and poynt out Christ our Lord. And bicause he was the first minister of God that baptized by Gods commaundement he was called Baptist. And bicause he preached repentance he was called a Prophet And bicause he poynted out Chryst he was called Elias that he might come in the spirit of Elias and prepare the way of the Lord. In this mannes office doo shine many vertues as constancy stoutnesse confession tribulation defence of the truthe earnestnesse and endeuoure too enlarge Chrysts kingdome He feared not Herode he regarded not the Pharisies But he mainteined his office stoutly euen too the death The seuenth circumstance is of Chrystes record concerning Iohn Of this circumstance wryteth Mathewe in his eleuenth chapter where Iohn being cast into prison sendes two of his Disciples too Iesus too know of him whither he were the same that was too come or whither some other were too bée looked for And after Chrysts answere is immediatly put Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn What went yée out sayth he intoo the wildernesse too sée A réede How bée it for as much as this commendation of Chrysts giuen vntoo Iohn is declared in the thirde Sunday in Aduent I will say no more of it héere The eight circumstāce is of Iohns death of those things that happened about his death after his death In his death are these things the occasion of it the cause of it the kind of the death Iohns example The occasion was this Herod tooke away his brothers wife and vsed hir as his owne Bicause Iohn saw this thing too bée ageinst the law of God and the honestie of nature he sayd too Herod It is not lawful for thée too haue thy brothers wife Wherwith Herod taking displeasure did cast Iohn in prison Before Iohn had doon so Herod loued him hée estéemed him as a Prophet and now and then vsed him as a counseller But assoon as Iohn began too reproue him for his incest and vncleane life Herod of his fréend became his enimie cast Iohn intoo prison as an euill dooer This example of Herodes is folowed of many nowe a dayes They make muche of Gods seruants as long as they displease them not and as long as they blame not their vyces But assoone as they bewray their disease by and by like mad men they lay hands vpon their Phisicians The cause of his death was Herods othe For when Herod at a feaste had behild the daughter of Herodias daunsing shée lyked him so well with hir daunsing that hée sware hée would giue hir whatsoeuer shée would aske euen too the one halfe of his kingdome As soone as the Damsel her◠this shée runnes too hir moother and asketh counsell of hir what shée shoulde requeste Hir moother who hated Iohn for finding fault with hir whoredom bad hir aske Iohn Baptists head whiche thing shée obteyned For out of hand a hangman was sente for too cut of Iohns head and so it was deliuered too the Damsell Thus haue wée the cause of Iohns death and the kinde of his death Behold héere at the request of a yong wenche was put too death that noble personage than the which there was not a greater among them that are borne of women according vntoo Chrystes testimonie This verely is the lot of the churche Héere wée see that Chrystes churche is gotten with blud and kept with blud This example of Iohns is too be folowed of all sincere ministers of Chryst Namely rather too choose death than too winke at mennes sinnes assuring them selues y t he which accepted Iohns blud as a moste acceptable sacrifise will also haue regard of them in the mids of the fire Too him therefore bée honor praise thanksgiuing and glory for euer and euer So bée it The Visitation of Mary ¶ The Gospel Luke j. ANd Mary arose in those dayes and vvent intoo the Mountaynes vvith haste into a Citie of Ievvrie and entred intoo the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth And it fortuned as Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary the babe sprong in hir belly And Elizabeth vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and cryed vvith a loud voyce and sayd Blissed art thou among vvomen and blissed is the frute of thy vvombe And vvhence happeneth this vntoo mee that the Mother of my Lorde shoulde come too mee For loe assoone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the babe sprang in my belly for ioy And blissed arte thou that beleeuest for those things shall bee perfourmed vvhiche vvere tolde thee from the Lorde And Mary sayde My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirite reioyseth in God my sauioure For hee hath looked on the poore degree of his handmayden For beholde from hencefoorth shall all generations call mee blissed Bicause he that is mightie hath done too mee great things and holye is his name And his mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations Hee shevveth strength vvith his arme hee scattereth them that are proud in the imagination of their harts He putteth dovvne the mightie from their seats and exalteth them of lovve degree Hee filleth the hungry vvith good things and sendeth avvay the riche emptie Hee remembreth mercie and helpeth his seruaunt Israell Euen as hee promised vntoo our Fathers Abraham and his séede for euer And Mary abode vvith hir aboute three Moneths and returned ageine too hir ovvne house The exposition of the Text. WHerfore feasts of Sainctes were appoynted in the Church is already shewed bothe at other tymes and also vppon the very daye of Iohn Baptist. The effect of the matter commeth vntoo this ende that wée may haue examples of repentaunce and of Gods mercy or too speake more at large firste that when wée are falne with them wee shoulde not dispaire of forgiuenesse but looke vp for grace repenting vs earnestly of oure sinnes after the example of the Sainctes Secondly that wée shoulde folowe their fayth according as Paule warneth commending Abrahams fayth vntoo vs. Rom. 4. And thirdly that we should endeuer
faith alone Yes it is true But there is a difference too bée put betwixt the causes of saluation and the obedience that God requireth of those that bée his Wée are iustified by faith only but when wée are iustified wée are made new men that is too wit the sonnes of God and hence foorth wée must after the example of our father lead a new and blissed life But héere is too bée considered also that as there is a double marke of the children of God so ther is a double marke of the children of Sathan The marke of the children of God is one while inward and another while outward The inward is repentance faith godlinesse good conscience The outward is héering of Gods woord and honest conuersation among men For as Chryste sheweth héere that the loue of his woord and the héering of it is a marke of his Disciples so Peter requireth honest conuersation among men whereby God may bée glorified his church edified But the inward marke of Sathans children is too bée without faith without godlynesse too haue an euil conscience and euil affections too haue the maistrie The outward mark is outward contempt of the woord and a leude life Mark wel these marks and let euery man examine him self whither he bée too bée accounted among the children of God or among the children of the Diuel If hée perceiue him self too bée among the children of Sathan let him pul back his foot out of hand least he be thrown headlong intoo damnation sooner than he looked for If he perceiue him self too bée among the children of God let him giue God thanks and desire encrease of faith loue and other vertues let him desire too bée strengthened by the holy Ghoste least he bée withdrawen from his godly and holy race by the sleights of Sathan ¶ Of the second ANd my father vvill loue him and vvee vvill come vntoo him and dvvell vvith him Heere are rehersed the moste swéete frutes of kéeping the woord of God The firste frute is that the Father loueth suche as kéepe Chrystes woord For hée holdeth them right déere in his beloued Ephe. 1. How great a good thing this is it may bée vnderstood héerby that those which beléeue not in Chryst abide vnder Gods wrath according too this saying Hée that beléeueth not in the sonne the wrath of God abideth vpon him Wher as the wrath of God is there is sinne death damnation hel the tirannie of the Deuill and too bée shorte all mischéefe Contrarywise wheras is the loue of God there are the enimies ouercome there is saluation there is ioy there is life euerlasting Therefore let vs think vpon this first frute of keping Gods woord that by thinking theron wée may be kindled the more too loue the woord The seconde frute is and vve sayth hée vvill come vntoo him Than the whiche comming there can bée no greater honor If God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost come too him that kéepeth Chrystes woords vndoubtedly it foloweth that they came not too him before But that hée was in the diuels power and in the kingdome of darkenesse where death and damnation reigne It is a great frendship if a King come too his subiect it is a great honor too be visited of a mans better but vntoo this honor none other is comparable that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost come vntoo a man that loueth Chryst and kéepeth his sayings The third frute is that the Trinitie not only cōmeth too a man that kéepeth Christs sayings but also maketh his dwelling with him abydeth in him Christ méeneth by this most swéete promisse that those whiche héere Chrystes woord and kéepe it are the temples of the Trinitie in whome dwelleth the father the sonne the holy Ghost And although that all the whole church is called one church of God yet is euery seuerall Christian a seuerall temple of the holy Ghost Behold how princely a promisse this is If any body should promisse a miserable man a great treasure of gold he should haue good cause too be mery and reioyce that of a poor and wretched creature he should become a riche and happie man But héere is promised a moste incomparable treasure namely the dwelling of the Trinitie in vs whiche farre surmounteth all the treasures of the world But what dooth the Father when hée dwelleth in a man what dooth the sonne what dooth the holy ghoste The father with his might shéeldeth and defendeth the men in whom he dwelleth ageinst the rage of sathan wheras sathā executeth ful power vppon all beléeuers The sonne with his wisdome and light teacheth and lighteneth them ageinst all mistes of all maner of darknes The holy ghost with his holinesse sāctifieth consecrateth anoynteth them too bée the Prophets Kings Préests and saincts of the Lord. Too be Prophets bicause we sée those things with the eyes of our faith which no bodily eare is able too conceiue Of this Propheticall office speaketh Ioel according as Luke also maketh mēcion Act. 2. Too be Kings partly bicause we are made the childrē of God by the victorie of Christ and also bicause that by the power of Christ we reigne ouer death and hel Lu. 22. I appoynt vntoo you a kingdome like as my father hath appoynted vntoo me Too bée préestes bicause when wée beléeue in Chryst wée haue aucthoritie too offer vntoo GOD the sacrifice of prayse wée haue libertie too cal vpon God through Iesus Christ our only mediator and high préest wée haue aucthoritie too teach Gods woord Howbéeit euery man according too the maner of his calling And too bée saincts bicause that through Faith in Christ wée are accoūted as pure as if wée had fulfilled y e law to the vttermost Behold what a nūber of frutes the keping louing of Chrysts woord bringeth with it There can bée no greater dignitie there can bée no greater glory there can bée no honor or worship more excellent But what shal wée lern by it To liue worthy so great honor that wée by our owne vnclennesse driue not God out of our harts but rather that wée exalt him with continual prayses in true godlinesse and sanctificatiō That so great worship ought to put vs in mind héerof Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. where he sayth thus you are a chosen generation a kingly préesthood a holy nation a people whom God claymeth proper too himselfe that yée should set foorth his woorks whoo hath called you out of darknesse intoo his woonderfull light You that in times past were no people are now the people of God you which in times past obteyned no mercy haue now obteyned mercy Héerevppon the Apostle inferreth Absteyne therfore from fleshly lustes which fight ageynst the soule and make your conuersation honest among the Heathen As many benefites of God then as wée héere of towardes vs so many spurres shall there bée to pricke vs forward too godly and holy lyfe Wherfore sith Chryste
our senses by outward signs which are the seales of his woord So in these dayes he had disclosed his wil vntoo vs by his Gospel the which he sealeth vp with the outward signes of Baptim and the Lordes supper Howbéeit in this coÌ„munication of the Angel with the virgin this spéech is too be noted wher he saith â—or vvith God no vvord shal be impossible This woord this saying of the Angel conteineth two things First it sealeth vp the truth and certentie of Gods promises And secondly it admonisheth vs to set gods power ageinst al sense iudgement of the flesh to assure our selues y t God is true although the whole frame of things shuld go about to persuade vs otherwise and to say with the virgin do according to thy woord thou reuelest thy wil by thy woord fulfil thy wil by thy power that thou alone may be glorified Thou art a sinner bewailest thy misery But herken what Gods woord saith of his wil. I wil not the death of a sinner Also all that cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Include thou within this woord both Gods wil his power ageinst which nothing is able too staÌ„d When y u art sorowful bicause thou art at deaths doore flée vnto Christ héer his woord Blissed are they that die in the Lord. In this word ioyne togither Gods wil his power then assure thy self y t death shal be vntoo thée the way to blisfulnesse through Chryst Iesus our Lord too whom with the father the holy Ghost be honor praise glory world without end Amen Vpon the Natiuitie of Iohn Baptist. The Gospel Luke j. ELizabeths time came that she should be deliuered and she brought forth a son And hir neibors and hir cousins herde hovv the lord had shevved gret mercy vpon hir reioiced And it fortuned that in the eight day they came too Circumcise the childe and called his name Zacharie after the name of his father And his mother ansvvered and said not so but his name shal be called Iohn And they said vnto hir There is none in thy kinred that is named vvith this name And they made signes to his father hovv he vvould haue him called And he asked for vvriting tables and vvrote saying his name is Iohn And they marueiled al. And his mouth vvas opened immediatly and his toung also and he spake and praysed God And feare came on all them that dvvelt nie vntoo him And all these sayings vver noised abrode throughout al the hie countrie of Ievvrie and they that herd them laid them vp in their harts saying â–ª vvhat maner of childe shal this bee And the hand of the Lorde vvas vvith him And his father Zacharias vvas filled vvith the holy Ghost and prophecied saying Praysed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vntoo vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets vvhich vvere since the vvorld began That vve should bee saued from our enimies and from the hand of all that hate vs. That he vvould deale mercifully vvith our fathers and remember his holy couenaunt And he vvould performe the othe vvhich he svvare too our father Abraham for too forgiue vs. That vvee being deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of our life in such holynesse and rightuousnesse as are acceptable for him And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his vvays Too giue knovvledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God vvherby the day spring from an hye hath visited vs. To giue light too them that sate in darknesse and in the shadovv of death and to guide our feete into the vvay of peace And the child grevv vvexed strong in spirit and vvay in vvildernesse til the day came vvhen he should shevv himselfe vntoo the Israelites The exposition of the Text. ALthough it bée a heathenish Idolatrie too call vppon Sainctes which thing is doone by the Papistes in the feastes of Sainctes yet it is very behoofefull and that for many causes too kéepe still the feasts of some Saincts The first cause is for that it is very profitable that the storie of the Church should bée known For from thence wée may fetche instruction confirmation and comfort The second is for that it is a swéete thing too thinke vppon Gods benefites towards his Church whereby commeth singuler frute too the godly hartes The third is that thanks may bée giuen to God for his benefites towards the members of his Churche The fourth is that by weying throughly the variable chaunces of the Sainctes wée may arme and strengthen our minds ageinst chaunces present and too come which we must needes taste of The fifth is that the Sainctes maye bée as it were samplers vntoo vs of repentance conuersatioÌ„ woorshipping confession constancie patience and other vertues according to which wée may frame our liues The sixth is that wée with godly gronings should desire too come too the felowship of the Saincts These and other weightie causes there bée why wée reteine feastes of Sainctes in the Church Would God that many men abused not the feasts of Saincts and other things too their owne pleasures and madde deuises like as many in the papacie abused chéefly this feast when they halowed it with dauÌ„cing and reueling with méetings of louers with bibbing and tippling al night long and with other more shamfull things which I will not speake of wherin they pleased not God nor the Angels and Saincts but they serued Sathan too the reproch of God and of the Angels and Saincts Thus much bréefly concerning the feasts of Saincts and the right vse of them In this feast I wil entreat of one point only that is too wit the story of Iohn out of which I will build certeine admonishments ¶ Of the Storie of Iohn Baptist. IN the Storie of Iohn Baptist let these circumstances bée weyed His parents his conception his birth his bringing vp his calling his office Chrysts recorde concerning Iohn his death and the things that hapned about his death and after his death Iohn Baptists parents wer Zacharie a préest a holy maÌ„ and of blamelesse life and his moother was Elizabeth a woman far striken in yéeres and of singuler godlinesse Of both these Luke the Euangelist beareth this witnesse in his first chapter They were both perfect before God and walked in al the lawes and ordinances of the Lord that no man could find fault with theÌ„ And they had no child bicause Elizabeth was barren both were well striken in age This description sheweth of what yéeres the parents of Iohn were with what innocentnesse they liued that being now growne in yéeres they were destitute of
true blissednesse whiche he is in Chryste Iesu the moste plentyfull welspring of all blissednesse Thirdly it sheweth what is the frute of faith when she sayth For those things shal bée perfourmed whiche the Lorde hath spoken too thée As if she should say Although the experience of all men crye ageinst it although Nature say nay too it although reason determine flat ageinst it Yet shall the thing bée performed that the Lord hath spoken too thée namely that thou being a maid shalt beare a Sonne according too Gods woord Héereby may wée also lerne what is the true inclination of Fayth and after the example of the virgin too giue credite too Gods woord though all the whole nature of things should séeme too warrant the contrary The fourth circumstance At the virgins gréeting the childe sprang in his moothers wombe and by a certeine gesture gaue knoweledge that the Messias was at hād in the virgins wombe Surely this was a greate miracle that a Babe as yet vnborne intoo the worlde acknowledged the repayrer of nature By whiche miracle bothe the fayth of Elizabeth and Mary was confirmed and the goodnesse of God towardes infantes declared who promised Abraham long agoe that hée would bée the GOD of him and of his séede for euermore In assurance of which promise hée established a law that euery male childe of eyght dayes olde should bée circumcised In as much therfore as this promise perteyneth vntoo vs the Anabaptists doo wickedly and shamelesly who will not haue the infants of Christians baptized that is too wit wil not haue them enioy their ensealement whiche are heires of the heauenly grace according too the promise The Anabaptists saye thus Hée that heareth and beléeueth is too bée baptized but an Infant heareth not nor can beléeue and therefore hée is not in any wise too bée baptized But the wretches are deceiued They ought too reason thus rather The Infāts of Christen folkes haue the promise Therefore this promise is too bée sealed vp vntoo them by Baptime as it was sealed vp too the Children of the Iewes by Circumcision The woorde of promise offreth grace and the Sacramente of the promisse sealeth vp the grace and teacheth by outwarde token according as is sayd vppon the day of our Lords supper Therfore let vs set Iohn before vs whoo in his moothers womb béeing full of the holy Ghoste is heire of the grace common too all Infants that haue the promise But they say this was a miracle I confesse it was a miracle and surely a great miracle like as all Gods woorkes in his Churche are miracles Notwithstanding I put too thus muche that this selfe same miracle teacheth vs that Babes are able too receiue the holye Ghoste If they bée able too receiue the holy Ghoste if they bée the Children of Abraham if they bée heires according too the promise If Chryste commaunde them too bée receyued why are they not too bée baptized specially séeing that Baptime is a certeine sealing vp of these things ¶ Of the second WHen Mary had herd Elizabeth talk of the benefit doon too hir by God namely that shée should bée the moother of the Messias shée vttereth the thankfulnesse of hir harte towards God whome shée prayseth in this Psalme partly for that excéeding great benefite whiche happened vntoo hir and also for the mercye might and truthe whiche hée extendeth towardes men while through his mercy hée receyueth them that fear him intoo his fauour iustly punisheth the stubborn and now at length performeth that hée had promised so long ago too the fathers The vse of this Psalme is that knowing Gods mercifulnesse wée shoulde beléeue that knowing his myght wée shoulde feare and that knowing his truthe wée should hope and with pacience wait for the things that God of his grace hath promised setting his mercy ageinst sinne his might ageinst the Deuils tirannie and his truth ageinst all the temptations that the fleshe or the Deuill ministreth And for these causes the auncient Churche hathe ordeyned that euery daye in the congregation of the godly this song of the Uirgins should bée soong Nowe let vs bréefly expound euery verse 1 My soule dooth magnifie the Lord. 2 And my spirite reioyseth in God my Sauyour 3 For he hath regarded the lovvlynesse of his handmayd For beholde from henceforth all generations shal cal mee blissed This is too say I prayse God highly and am altogither set vppon gladnesse and that for God my sauiours sake For he is my ioy bicause he hath bestowed so great fauour vppon me He hath regarded and with frée fauor embraced me his lowly and base handmayde who haue liued hithertoo despysed in base estate and euen after the manner of vyle bondslaues yea and so regarded me that all ages shal frō henceforth accompt me not base and despised as before but blissed to whom so great grace is extended that I shall bée the moother of the Messias who is the sauiour of me of all that beléeue in him By Maryes exāple we may lerne first too acknowledge our own vilenesse to cast our selues down before God in true repentance Secōdly to acknowledge Gods benefits towards vs. Thirdly to praise god for his benefits fourthly too prouoke other too thankfulnesse by our exāple 4 For he that is mightie hath magnified me and holy is his name The chaste virgin maketh héere no boast of merites She attributeth nothing too hir owne power but imputeth all things vntoo God who only is mightie whose only name is holy and therfore deserueth most highly too bée reuerēced For as oft as God is named he ought too bée praysed for his holinesse which shineth foorth in all his woorks with excéeding mercy iust iudgement myghtinesse and truth according as the virgin declareth particularly in hir psalme 5 And his mercy is on them that feare him through all generations This verse teacheth thrée things First that God is mercifull Secondly how largely Gods mercy spredeth it selfe And thirdly too what persons that mercy befalleth Concerning Gods mercy there bée many notable sayinges and exāples I sayth he will bée thy God and the God of thy séede for euer Also I am the God that sheweth mercy And in Esay I am with thée bicause I am thy mercifull Lorde God And the son of Syrach Gentle merciful is God will release sinnes in the day of trouble Héerevpon Paule calleth God the father of mercies saying Blissed bée God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Chryst the father of mercies which comforteth vs in all our troubles The exāples of this mercy that hath bin shewed are many Of which the chéefest is that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that the worlde might bée saued by him Héervntoo maketh this saying So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the intent that all that beléeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Images of this mercy are the prodigal child the Samaritane and the
men damned by the iust iudgement of God They be last with them selues which in good earnest acknowledge their owne vilenesse and infirmitie as whiche féele them selues too haue no desert and these shall bée first with God that is too say accepted with God so that they leane vntoo Chryst the Mediator by stedfast fayth The meaning of this sentence Many are called and fevve chosen teacheth twoo things the one is howe great is the goodnesse mercy of God that calleth all men too the knowledge of his sonne by his gospell The other is how great is the vnthankfulnesse of men of whome so few are found that are chosen that is too say godly sincere and practising earnest repentaunce For there are fewe that renounce theyr owne woorkes yea themselues altoogither and that trust onely too God and glorifie him in minde talke confession and conuersation This sentence therefore admonisheth vs first too acknowledge the benefite of God that calleth vs by the Gospell secondely too detest the vnthankfulnesse of the world which accepteth not the benefits offred thirdly too ioine our selues too those fewe in repentance fayth and true inuocation which receiue the Gospel sincerely too the glory of God too whome bée honor for euer Amen The Sunday called Sexagesima ▪ ¶ The Gospell Luke viij WHen much people vvere gathered togyther vvere come too him out of all Cities he spake by a similitude The sovver vvent out too sovv his seede and as hee sovved some fell by the vvay side and it vvas troden dovvne and the foules of the aire deuoured it vppe And some fel on stones and assone as it vvas sprong vp it vvithered avvay bicause it lacked moystnesse And some fell among thorns and the thornes sprang vp vvith it and choaked it And some fel on good groūd and sprāg vp and bare frute an hundreth fold And as he sayd these things he cried he that hath eares to heer let him heere And his disciples asked him saying VVhat maner of similitude is this And hee sayd Vntoo you it is gyuen too knovve the secretes of the kingdom of God but too other by Parables that vvhen they see they shoulde not see and vvhen they heer they shold not vnderstand The Parable is this The seede is the vvoord of God those that are beside the vvay are they that heere then commeth the diuel and taketh avvay the vvoord out of their hartes leaste they shoulde beleeue and bee saued They on the stones are they vvhiche vvhen they heere receyue the vvoord vvith ioy and these haue no rootes vvhich for a vvhile beleeue and in time of temptation goe avvay And that vvhich fel among thorns are they vvhich vvhen they haue herd go foorth and are choaked vvith cares and riches and voluptuous liuing and bring foorth no frute That vvhich fell in the good ground are they vvhich vvith a pure and good herte heere the vvoord and keepe it and bring foorth frute through pacience The exposition of the text THys Gospel conteineth a goodlie image of the church militant in this world and springing of the incorruptible séede of Gods woorde in the visible companie wherof how many and how sundry sorts of héerers ther bée hée peinteth out by the similitude of the naturall séed For hée beareth witnesse that it happeneth alike too the heauenlie séede as is woont too happen too the naturall séede cast intoo the grounde For like as all bringeth not foorth frute that the husbandman casteth intoo the grounde no nor scarce the fourth parte of it Euen so the word of God hath sundry héerers in very fewe of whome it bringeth foorth wholsome frute Héerof are thrée places 1 The exposition of the Parable 2 The diuers sortes of the héerers of Gods woorde 3 As concerning the Lordes saying Hée that hath eares too héere let him héere ¶ Of the first THe causes why the Lord spake vntoo the people in parables are many The first may be the foretelling of the Prophets For the Prophets had foretold that when Christ came he should teache the people in parables And it was a very auncient maner of teaching too teache in parables and similitudes Secondly for that this kinde of teaching dooth wonderfully enter intoo the eyes and minds of men Thirdly bicause the things that are taught by suche kindes of images and tokens doo helpe the memorie that the doctrine by them as it were by tokens of remembrance may bée sent out too all that shall come after Fourthly also Parables doo assuage the ouer harde rebukes and as it were hide thē with a certein veyle that they may the lesse offend And yet afterward being conceyued vnderstood in the minde they teach and doo as muche as plaine doctrine and yet they touche no man openly Finally the partes of this parable are the sower the séede the frute and the ground The sower is God who although he cast his séed into the grounde by men yet notwithstanding hée is presente with them him selfe and worketh with them By reason whereof the ministers of the woord are termed Gods helpfelowes by which name both things are ment that is too wit that bothe GOD dooth woorke after his owne maner and that men as workfellowes doo bestowe their labour in Gods behalfe Here wée may learne twoo things First that the séed is precious and noble For we sée in the worlde that the excellenter the séede is so muche more cunning and skilfull persons are set too lay it intoo the grounde If the kings of the worlde toogither with the wise men of the worlde were sayde too bée the layers of this séed into the ground al men wold wonder at it all men would be very desirous too knowe this séede But now is God become the sower héere and the stewards of Gods mysteries are héere present And therefore it muste néeds bée that this sowing is both an earnest and a noble sowing aboue all others The other thing that we may learne héerby is that it is a great fault and worthy too bée punished with most gréeuous punishment eyther to receiue the séed of the sower God intoo a ground that is too say a heart not tilled before with the plough of the lawe or when it is receyued not to cherishe it with all the attendance carefulnesse diligence that may bée so as it may growe and bring forthe moste acceptable frute too the sower The séed is the very word of God and not of man whiche séed the only begotten sonne of God hath brought out of the bosome of his father This séed is liuely wherfore if it séeme at any time not too bring forth frute it is not the fault of the séed but of the ground They that eyther corrupt this séed as hereticks doo or choke it as hipocrites do or kéep it down by force as tirants doo or thrust in other in stéed of it as the papists doo shall one day féele the iust wrath of God who as he hath giuen
who haste promised repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes too them that haue sinned against thée Fifthly foloweth entreatance of forgiuenesse Wherefore I pray and beséeche thée forgiue mée Lorde forgiue mée and destroye mée not toogither with my sinnes neyther bée thou angry with mée for euer for my euil dooings For thou arte GOD I say the God of the repentant shewe all thy goodnesse vpon mée Sixthly hauing prayed in this wise he firmely beléeueth him selfe too bée heard and iustified Wherefore hée addeth For thou shalt saue mée vnworthy person according too thy great mercy Héere Manasses béeing iustified by fayth becōmeth a new creature Seuenthly after this frée iustification ensueth amendmēt in his whole life Whervpon it foloweth in his prayer And I will euermore praise thée all the dayes of my life bicause all the powers of heauen praise thée and vntoo thée bée glory for euer and euer Amen This maner of repenting haue al the saints euer folowed ▪ Dauid acknowledgeth God he acknowledgeth gods iudgement he acknowledgeth his mercy he examineth his owne dooing he is afrayd for sinne he lifteth vp him selfe with confidence of mercie he prayeth forgiuenesse he is iustified by faith and béeing iustified he prayseth God These things are too be séene in the .51 Psalme We haue herd what repentance is how it is doon Now is too be lerned which are the chéef parts of it They are coūted thrée which are sorinesse faith and newnesse of life Untoo sorinesse are required the first thrée things whiche are the knowledging of God the examining of the déede and the terrour of conscience for sinne Untoo faith are required the thrée nexte that is thinking vpon mercy desiring of forgiuenesse and iustification Untoo newnesse of life is required the last thing whiche consisteth in framing the hart the tung and the life according too the law of God ¶ Of the second IT is written in this gospel that Christ put back this woman Why did he so Why sayde hée that hée was not sent but too the lost shéep of the house of Israel Is not he the same Lord that saith Come vnto me all yée that labour are heauy loden c. I answer The Lord did not this without great causes First hée did it that the womans faith might by this delay bée exercised and increased Secondly that shée mighte bée an example of godlinesse againste the stiffnecked Iewes which despised Christe Thirdly that the Lord might shewe how hée would bée ouercome of vs by the importunatenesse of our prayers Fourthly that by this example hée might teach the present beholders a true experiment of godlinesse But the Lord assigneth an other cause why he put back this woman For he sayth I am not sent but too the lost sheepe of the house of Israel I aunswere Chryst sayth not this as though he denyed the Gentiles accesse vntoo his grace For that same woman was an Ethnicke But there are other causes First hée méeneth héere too note the obstinate malice and vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes who acknowledged not Chryst that was sent peculiarly too them The seconde is for that the selfe same Chryst should preache Gods woord to the Iewes before his death who after his death should giue commaundement to preach it too the Gentils For the Lorde had forbidden his Gospell too bée preached too the Gentils before his death But afterward when he was risen from death hée gaue this commaundement too the apostles Go yée intoo the whole world and preache the gospell to all creatures This commaundement dooth manifestlye declare that Chrysts benefites béelong both to the Iewes and Gentiles ▪ that is too say that all as well of the Iewes as of the Gentiles that receyue Chryst and truly repent are partakers of Chrysts benefites so that by his blood all their sinnes are washed away and finally at the last day all shal rise ageine too blissed immortalitie and euerlasting life But they that refuse too receiue christ liuing without repentance they without mercie shall bée punished in euerlasting paines with the diuell For as the Lord hath bin is and wil bée mercifull too al that repent without any respect of persons So hath he bin is and will bée an vntreatable iudge too them that repent not not passing whither wée bée Kings noble men Citizens or countrey folke ¶ Of the thirde A Moste goodly image of Chrysts Churche and of euery member of the same is described in this woman of Cananie For first as this woman of Cananie is ouerwhelmed with misery so also is the Churche and euery member therof Héerevpon Paule sayeth All that will liue godlyly in Chryst must suffer this persecution This doothe Chryste teache when he biddeth vs take his yoke vpon vs. For God will haue vs nowe become lyke vntoo his sonne in afflictions and miseries as well as we shall become like vnto him in time to come in glorie Rom. 8. Secondly the churche in these calamities prayeth for helpe For the church hath none other refuge than prayer vntoo God wherby helpe is obteined Thirdly chryst séemeth too turne away his eare when we doo not out of hand obteine that we would haue Fourthly the church after the example of this woman ceasseth not too pray but continueth in prayer vntil it haue obteined that which it desireth Moreouer euery seuerall member of the churche hath héere too learne by First let euery one of vs acknowledge himselfe too bée a Cananite that is to say vngodly and vnwoorthy of Gods grace Secondly let him crie out with this woman Haue mercy vppon mée haue mercie vppon mée Thirdly if thou bée tried yet continue thou after the example of this woman If he héere thée not to day or to morow yet shall not thy prayers be in vayne but they shall bée herd in déede for chrysts sake if thou pray with fayth as this woman did Fourthly acknowledge thy selfe with this woman too bée a Dog but yet such a dog as is fed with the crummes that fall from his maisters table and therefore continue in prayer Fifthly it will befall too thée as it did too this woman whiche erewhile was called Dog and anone was acknowledged for a daughter So great is the mercie of God to whom bée honour and glory world without ende Amen The thirde Sunday in Lent ¶ The Gospell Luke xj ANd he vvas casting out a diuil and the same vvas dūme And vvhen he had cast out the diuil the dumme spake and the people vvondered But some of them sayd he casteth out diuels through Beelzebub the cheefe of the diuels And other tempted him and required of him a signe from heauen But he knovving their thoughtes sayde vnto them Euery kingdome diuided against it selfe is desolate and one house doth fall vpon another If Sathan also bee diuided against him selfe hovve shall his kingdome endure Because yee say I cast out diuels through Beelzebub If I by the helpe of Beelzebub cast out diuels by vvhose helpe doo your children cast them
héere promyseth so great things and sith that the heauenly Trinitie dwelleth in them that beléeue Let vs endeuer too bée cleane and pure as it be commeth Gods temples too bée Let vs bée spiritual things that wée may reigne ouer sinne and not serue it any more in the lustes thereof Let vs bée prests that may offer quicke sacrifices vntoo God and call vpon him by fayth in Chryst. Let vs bée saincts and segregated from the heathenish routes of the world that wée fall not intoo our former filthinesse agein ¶ Of the thirde ANd the comforter the holy Ghost vvhom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things This is Chrysts promisse whereby he promiseth his Disciples the holy ghost Wée haue herd before what is the woorthinesse of the Chrystians Now let vs héer what is ioyned with this woorthinesse And bicause I am not able to vtter these things according too their woorthinesse I will after the manner of babes prattle of eche thing that is spoken in this royall promisse These few woords therfore doo conteine seuen poynts concerning the holy ghost the which I will reherse bréefly and apply them too our vse For these points contein the causes why the holy ghost is sent and giuen First he is called an Aduocate Although I haue spoken somewhat an eight dayes hence concerning this name Yet peraduenture it shal not bée amisse too repete it agein too day Therfore he is called an Aduocate that is too say a spokesman bicause hée is at hande too the afflicted and dooth teache them comfort them take their case vpon him as his owne and in conclusion compelleth vs too crye out and too say with all our hart Abba father haue mercy vpon vs for thy sonnes sake whom thou hast giuen too bée our Sauiour And this is the first cause why the holy ghost is giuen The second is that he may quicken vs and thervpon he is called a spirit Now there is a double life The one naturall wherethrough all liuing creatures liue and this endureth for a short time for it is swalowed vp by death and the other life is of God from which Paule sayeth that all those are estraungers which haue not knowne Chryste The author of this life is that spirit of Chryst which he promised too his disciples This is not of short continuance but euerlasting as which is proper too the euerlasting God And this life liue al they that beléeue in the sonne of God Gala. 2. The thirde cause of sending and géeuing the holy ghost is that he may make vs holy of which operation he is called holy and he maketh vs holy at what time he worketh faith in vs when he regenerateth vs when he reformeth our vnderstanding affections and will and too bée bréefe when he bringeth too passe that wée become newe creatures and liue according too the will of God The fourth cause of sending giuing the holy ghost vntoo vs is that he may stablish a certeyne louingnesse among vs and therfore he is said too bée sent from the father too his children For as the father embraceth his children with an inward kindnesse loue so he desireth nothing more than that the childrē folowing the nature of their father should mainteine brotherly loue among them selues Thus too doo it béecommeth them that acknowledge God too bée their common father As for those that refuse too doo so either they neuer were his children or else they are shamefully growen out of kind from the nature of their father The fifth cause of sending the holy ghost is that wée may lerne of him in what sort our heauenly father is mynded towards vs. Therfore the Lord sayth and he shal teach you al things What Shall he teach any other thing than y t which the Prophets and Moyses haue taught Or any other thing than is deliuered vs in the scripture No forsoth For he shal teach the self same things Doth not y e scripture suffise Yes it suffiseth as in respect of doctrine but not as in respect of our capacitie For although wée héere the woord a thousande times yet is it vneffectuall vnlesse he teache within For anoynting as sayth the Apostle teacheth all things The sixth cause of sending and giuing the holy ghost is shewed in this saying in my name By which saying is signified the vttermost ende or the final cause why the holy ghost is giuen which is that they which beléeue in Chryst may bée saued For in as much as Chryst is our saluation that the holy ghost is sent in his name there is no dout but he is sent for our saluation sake The seuenth cause is that he may confirme Christs woord in vs. He sayth Chryst shall teach you all things he shall put you in mynde of all thyngs that I haue spoken vntoo you These things ar signifyed bréefly concerning the holy ghost in our Gospel that is red this day in our Church mo things are noted yet more bréefly in our Créede which are that the holy ghost is very God that he is the thirde person in Trinitie that he quickeneth and sanctifyeth that wée must leane vntoo him by liuely fayth as vntoo the father and the sonne But as concerning these things wée shall héer more another time and haue herd more a while ago ¶ Of the fourth MY peace I leaue vntoo you my peace I giue vntoo you not as the vvorld giueth doo I giue you This promisse of Chryst is right great also and much greater than the world vnderstādeth Dooth not Christ say as we haue herd of late in the world ye shall haue trouble and they shal cast you out of their sinagoges It is so Therfore Chryst maketh a difference betwéene the two sortes of peace betwéene the peace of the world and his peace What maner of peace the peace of the world is there is no man but he vnderstandeth But what maner of peace Chrysts peace is onely the children of God vnderstande For it is that peace whereof the Gospell speaketh and of which I haue entreated abundantly the first Sunday after Easter Neuerthelesse too the intent I may bréefly repete the same things The peace of Christ is our reconcilemēt vntoo God the remission of our sinnes the giuing of the holy ghost and euerlasting life according too this prayer of the Church O God which by the lightning of the holy Ghost hast taught the hartes of the faythfull giue vntoo vs that peace which the world cannot giue and that our hartes may bée quiet This peace the sonne of God graunt vntoo vs too whom with the father and the holy Ghost bée honour and glory for euermore Amen Vpon Whitson Monday ¶ The Gospel Iohn iij. SO GOD loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that vvho so euer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne intoo the vvorld too condemne the vvorlde but that the vvorlde
the godly mennes soules after this lyfe Lazarus is caryed intoo Abrahams bosom What is Abrahams bosom Like as Abraham was therfore called the father of the faithful bycause that with him was layd vp the couenant of eternall lyfe the which he kéeping in faythful custodie deliuered as it were from hand too hand first vntoo his owne children and afterward too all nations that they are called his children as many as are heires of the same promisse So after death they are sayd too bée gathered intoo his bosom bycause thy receyue the frute of the same fayth with him For like as a mannes sonnes whē they come home toogither at nyght from their dayly labor are cherished as it were in their Fathers bosom So the godly after their trauels taken in this life are after death gathered togither intoo blisful rest where they are wel at ease and in happy case vntil the rysing agein of the dead This bosom of Abraham is called also Paradyse as in that saying of Christ to the théefe this day shalt thou be with mée in Paradyse where according too the Psalme is abundance of ioy by beholding of God and euerlasting pleasures in his right hand Too be bréef Blissed are they that die in the Lord bycause they shal bée euermore with God shal enioy endlesse ioy And as concerning the communication of Abraham the Glutton it is to bée known that these things happened spiritually For so thought the Glutton wyth himselfe in his torments and such answer receyued he in his owne conscience Seuenthly behold in Lazarus the image of the Church in this lyfe For it is afflicted and it is despysed of the mighty rich men of this world ¶ Of the third THey haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heere them ▪ This is a very weighty admonishment and excéeding behoofeful for by this saying many are damned First euery one is damned that receiueth not Moyses and the Prophets For these are giuen of God too lead vntoo God and to shew the way of saluation He therfore that receiueth them not abydeth in his damnation Secondly they are damned that receyue them but yet set more by mennes traditions and rather frame their life after mennes commaundements than after Gods commaundements notwithstanding Gods charge giuen openly too the contrary For thus sayth he in Ieremy Cap. 20. Walk yée in my statutes and not in the cōmaundements of your fathers Thirdly are dāned héer Pope Gregorie the Anabaptists and other Euthusiasts which looke for new Reuelations frō heauen and giue more credit too the fumes of a frantike and melancholicke brayne than too the heauenly voyce or rather forsake and vtterly cast away the woord of God Fourthly wée learne héerby too make much of the doctrine of Moyses the Prophets and Apostles which wil be a lanterne for vs too eternall saluation so wée folow the lyght therof For the world hath not a more precious treasure than Gods woord Dauid did make more account of this than of y e finest golde Through this Lazarus who was poore in the world was rich before God By this did Iob rayse vp himself in the middes of his miseries Wherfore ryght déere brethren let vs also loue Gods woord Let vs assure our selues that that is the instrument wherby is offered vntoo vs the preciousest of all treasures Iesus Chryst and by him euerlasting lyfe which our heauenly father graunt vntoo vs by the same Iesus Chryste too whom bée honor and glory for euer and euer Amen Vpon the .ij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke xiiij A Certain man ordeined a great supper and bad many and sent his seruant at supper tyme too say too them that vvere bidden come for all things are novv ready And they al at once began too make excuse The first sayd vnto him I haue bought a farme and I must nedes goe and see it I pray thee haue me excused And an other sayd I haue bought fyue yoke of Oxen and I go too proue them I pray thee haue mee excused And another sayd I haue maryed a vvyfe and therfore I cannot come And the seruaunt returned and brought his master vvord againe therof Then vvas the good man of the house displeased and sayd too his seruaunt go out quickely intoo the streetes and quarters of the citie bring in hither the poore feble the halt blind And the seruaunt sayd Lord it is done as thou hast cōmaunded yet ther is roum And the Lord sayd vnto the seruant go out into the hie vvayes hedges cōpell them too come in that my house may bee filled For I say vntoo you that none of these men vvhich vvere bidden shall taste of my supper The exposition of the Text. LIke as the last Sunday it was shewed in the Glutton y t the contempt of a mannes neighboure is hinderance too saluation so in thys Gospel we are taught another let which is too bée shunned that is too wit that wée set not more by our owne possessions and affaires by the care of worldly matters thā by the Gospel of Chryst or that we suffer not our selues to be letted and busied w t the commodities and pleasures of this world that wée come not too the supper vnto which wée are bidden by the preaching of the Gospel Now the occasion of this Parable was a certein Pharisies talke at a feast too which Chryst was bidden For when Chryste had declared that suche as are liberall too the poore shal bee rewarded in the resurrection of the rightuous the Pharisie intending too sooth Chryst in his woordes sayd Blissed is he that eateth bread in the kingdome of God Notwithstanding for as much as Christ saw the ouerthwart cōditions and froward inclination of this Pharisie and of the rest of the Iewish nation he put foorth this Parable wherin he peinteth out bothe the iust reiecting of the Iewes and the frée receyuing of the Gentiles The dryft end of which Parable is that wée should not suffer the transitorie things of this life too bée a hinderance vntoo vs for cōming too the heauenly supper whervntoo wée are bidden by the gospell The places are foure 1 The greatnesse of Gods mercy is poynted out in thys Supper 2 The vnthankfulnesse of the world is noted in those that refuse too come when they are called 3 Of his compulsion how he compelleth and by whom 4 A thretning of punishmente too them that receyue not the Gospell ¶ Of the firste HOw great Gods mercy is towards mankinde it is euident by many proues For not only Gods woord but also Gods excéeding great benefites towards the whole world and specially towardes Chrystes churche beare witnesse of Gods inspeakable mercie The earth sayth Dauid is full of the Lordes mercye The greatest proofe of this mercy is the giuing of his Sonne too redéeme the worlde drowned in vtter miserie and that by his death and passion too the intēt that men béeing deliuered from this
amendmente and our owne soule helth is in hand whiche Chryste offreth vntoo all sinners that repent Too him therfore bée honoure for euermore Amen Vpon the .iiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Luke vj. BE yee mercyful as your father also is mercyfull Iudge not and yee shall not bee iudged condemne not and yee shall not bee condemned Forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen Giue and it shall bee giuen vntoo you good measure and pressed dovvne and shaken togither and running ouer shall men giue vntoo your bosomes For vvith the same measure that yee mete vvithall shall other men mete too you ageyn And he put forth a similitude vnto them Can the blind lead the blind Doe they not both fall intoo the ditche The disciple is not aboue his master Euery man shall bee perfect euen as his maister is VVhy seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thine ovvne eye Fither hovv canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye vvhen thou seest not the beame that is in thine ovvne eye first thou hypocrite cast out the beame out of thine ovvne eye then shalt thou see perfectly too pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye The exposition of the Text. THis Sermon of Chrysts perteyneth too the third part of Repentance For yée know that there bée thrée partes of Repentance Sorynesse faith and new obedience or amendmeÌ„t of lyfe Sorynesse acknowledgeth the sinne and hateth and shunneth it Faith fléeth vntoo Chryst who deliuereth from sinne and iustifieth them that beléeue New obedience consisteth in four things which are Reuerence towardes God holinesse of lyfe in euery man too himself loue of our neyghbour and diligence in that vocation too which euery man is called Now for as much as these bée the partes amendment of lyfe Chryst in this Gospel frameth an exhortatioÌ„ to charitie or loue towards our neighbour the which he implyeth héere vnder his partes And bycause that mercy towardes our neighbour is as it were the first imp of it he exhorteth vntoo mercy by which he méeneth al maner of duties which we owe one to another in this life For what soeuer one oweth too another when he hath payde it he is no longer a detter sauing only of loue which we can not so fully pay but that we must always remayne detters Whervpon Paule Rom. 13. Owe nothing too any man but that yée loue one another Now too the intent wée may the more cléerly vnderstand this Gospell I will speake of two things 1 What bée the woorks of loue or of mercy which is commended vntoo vs in this place 2 What bée the reasons wherewith Chryst exhorteth vs héer too shew mercy that is too say too the woorkes of charitie towards our neighbour ¶ Of the firste BE yee mercifull c When the sonne of God exhorteth his Disciples vntoo mercy he giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d both of what mind wée ought too bée one towards another and also that in this life by reason of many infirmities eche hath néede of others helpe Which lesson if they which wil be called Christians would in these dayes beare well away there should bée lesse debate and lesse mischéefe Wée will all of vs bée called Chrysts disciples but no man wil do that he commaundeth The seruant obeyeth the commaundement of his master the handmayde hath hir eye wayting vpon his mistresse yea there is no man but he giueth more eare too his superiors in this world than many that wil bée called Christians doo giue too Chryst their God and Sauiour who hanged vppon the Crosse for them and earned heauen for them And what is the cause Forsooth for that they are Christians in worde only and not in hart For he that is a Christian in very déed mindeth nothing so muche as too obey his master Chryst of whom hée hath both his name saluation Wherfore I admonishe you too lay aside that fleshly carefulnesse too obey Chryst and diligently too marke out of this Gospel what duties towardes our neighbours hée requireth at oure handes In generall truely hée requireth louingnesse according as he saith too his Disciples Loue yee one another as I haue loued you In this they shall know you too be my Disciples if yée shal loue one another And nothing else requireth he héer when hee sayth bee merciful For they that loue are merciful they that bée merciful doo loue So the fountaine sheweth the water and the water the fountaine How bée it Christ in this place did therfore vse the woord Mercy bicause hée sheweth the nature of true loue This mercy whiche procéedeth out of loue is commended by Chryste too his Disciples in this Gospel consisteth of foure parts Of whiche the first is in the very harte and is a certaine curtesie and wel liking wherethrough wée coâ—â—ter all things of our neighbour too the bell and always hope for better of him This curtesie dooth Chryste note by râ—â—â—ouing the contrary when he sayth â–ª Iudge not Héeruppon the Apostle â–ª Cor. 13. Loue thinketh no euill And this is the mening of the 〈…〉 There is no cause then that any maÌ„ shoulde thinke that by this saying iudge not iudgemente is taken away eyther concerning the difference of vertues and vices in men concerning the duetie of housholders schoolemâ—ysters ciuill Magistrates and ministers of Gods woord or câ—nserning brotherly reproofe when it is due wherby one ought tâ—◠〈◊〉 backe another in too the way when hee goe thamisse according too Chrystes commaundemente Bâ—t onely that scope of the minde wherby wée take vpon vs the libertie too misdéeme other folke contrary too the rule of charitie For in respecte of iudgemente concerning the difference of things honest and dishonest the law of GOD is a grounded and vnmoueable rule vntoo vs. For whatsoeuer thing Gods law calleth dishonest or honest we also must déem the same to be so in likewise For what a blockishnesse were it not to discerne these things Wée muste therefore iudge and put a difference betwéene the tirannie of Nero and the gentlenesse of Fabritius and so of the rest Maysters of housholdes haue commaundemeÌ„t too bring vp their children in nurture and chastisement of the Lorde Also Salomon wil haue Fathers and Moothers too chasten their children And Hely the high Preest was punished bicause when hée saw his sonnes Ophne and Phinees behaue theÌ„ selues amisse in the seruice of God for they stâ—le away the better partes of the Sacrifises and also in their life for they defiled them selues with fornication he did not correct them with fatherly iudgemeÌ„t Héerby it is manifest that the saying of Chryst taketh not awaye the duties of Housholders whiche surely they cannot execute without iudgement and discerning betwéene things wel doone things doone amisse Agâ—in what should schoolesmaisters do without iudgement For some scholers are too bée compelled too their duetie by beating and a
warning is inough for other some The slouthfulnesse of the one is too be chastised and the for wardnesse of the others is too bée praysed I pray you must not a godly Schoolemaister bée endued with iudgement in this case In likewise is too bee iudged of the Magistrate He must punishe the euil and mainteine the good which thing verely cannot be â—oon without iudgement And in as muche as God alloweth the Magistrate it is â—anifest that hée alloweth his iudgement also considering that without iudgemente â–ª the Magistrate is nothing but a vayne title The ministers of Gods word must receiuâ— some intoo the church and put other some out And is not the power too iudge graunted them â–ª They muste comforte 〈◊〉 and some they must reproue which thing doubtlesse requireth a great iudgement As touching brotherly rebuking the commaundement of Christ is manifest Math. 18. If thy brother-sinne thou know it go and rebuke him betwéene him thée alone Is not the office of rebuking enioyned héer too euery Christian Yes surely Wherfore when Chryst sayth iudge not he taketh not away the néedful offices of superiors in this lyfe neither weakeneth he the discipline of the Church but only brydleth the malapertnesse of men which either of a corrupt iudgement thinke amisse of their neighbors or else without saith charitie chalenge prerogatiue too themselues too finde faults in other men which viâ—e many cry out vpoÌ„ in others and yet take leaue to do it themselues without controlment Scarsly is ther any man that can rightly excuse himself of it The secoÌ„d part of mercy which Chryst requireth towards ones neighbor is noted in these woords Condemne not By which saying he requireth that we should speake frendly and louingly â—four neighbor refrayning y e most foul vice which maketh vs hasty to speak euil of others to condemne them without desert Too bée bréef Chrysts will is that we should in our spéeche and talk further the honest name good report of our neighbor This saying perteineth also to priuate condemning wherby one condeÌ„neth another of malice and not to the offices of magistrates ministers of gods woord who oftentimes pronounce ageinst euill persons y e sentence that God hath enioyed them to pronounce by vertue of their office So Peter condemned Ananias Zaphira as is writteÌ„ in the Arts of the Apostles So Paule condemned Alexander and Hymeneus So Christ pronounced the sentence of damnations ageynst the hypocrites when he said wo be vnto you Striâ—es Pharises hypocrites So wheÌ„ we condemne Antichrist wée pronounce Gods iust iudgement ageinst hint But héer let euery man take héede that without Gods word he 〈◊〉 not of wantoÌ„nesse rather than of true iudgemeÌ„t The third part of mercy is too forgiue a man that hath offended vs by dooing 〈◊〉 This is exacted by this word forgiue yee For there passe many offendings betweene man and man which if we should not forgiue one vnto another there could bee no quietnesse yea rather the bande of mans felowship should bee broken 〈…〉 this dutie is it is easie for the godly 〈◊〉 by the form of that prayer which Chrust â—â—th 〈…〉 For there we are commaunded too pray forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse ageinst vs. That this â—â—â—tion as we forgiue them that trespasse ageinst vs is very necessarie wee are taught by the parable of the detter that owed ten thousand Talentes Math. 18. the kingdome of heauâ—â— sayth he is like a 〈…〉 freely the whole dette too his seruant that humbled himselfe vntoo him So God our father of his 〈◊〉 liberalitie forgiueth freely al detteâ— that is alâ— sinnes vnto them that 〈◊〉 too Chryst in true repentance How bee it like as that king calleth backe 〈◊〉 punishâ—ent 〈…〉 seruaunt that was 〈◊〉 toward his felowes and exacted of him for his wilfulnesse and hardnesse towards his felow seruaunts that which he had forgiuen him before for his humblenesse and intreatâ—â—â— So God the father after he hath vppon our submissioÌ„ receyued vs into 〈…〉 example in 〈◊〉 towards our neighbour and too forgiue him that 〈◊〉 agaynst vs. Heere ryseth a darke question If wee 〈◊〉 forgiue them that haue offended vs it seemeth too folow that it is not 〈…〉 Unto this question I answere thus There is a distinction too bee made betweene the very 〈…〉 his people too iudge matters betwéene brother and brother which thing surely had bin néedlesse too bée doone vnlesse it had bin lawfull too accuse It is certaine therefore that it is not forbidden Christen folke too accuse as in respect of it self so a man be hurt or wronged But as in respect of that which men adde too the accusation for there bée many corrupt affections and headinesse desire of reuenge enmitie wilfulnesse and such like it is too bée knowne that these affections are vtterly too bée banished if thou wilt bée a Chrystian Ageine there is a difference too bée put betwéene him that hath hurt thée or withhilde thy goodes from thée and desireth forgiuenesse of his fault making restitution of that which he hild wrongfully and him that hath either hurt thée or withhild thy goodes and procéedeth too hurte thée and too take thy goodes from thée still Too forgiue him that séekes thy fauor Christs commaundement and charitie councelleth thée And too accuse the other in demaunding not so muche reuengement as the defence of the magistrate Chryst giues thée libertie and many holy men confirme it by their owne examples Also there is a difference too bée put betwéene him that hath offended thée alone and him that hath offeÌ„ded God and troubleth the church Chrystes commaundement extendeth too the first but not too the last For the loue of God of our neighbour requireth that too the vttermost of thy power thou shouldest take away such things as are a hinderance too Gods seruice and a stumbling blocke too his church Bréefly true faith and charitie will teach thée sufficiently when it is a fault too accuse and when it is well doone The fourth part of mercy is poynted out in these woords giue and it shall bee giuen vntoo you By this commaundement is required that wée helpe our neighbour at his néede with our counsell déede With our counsel as often as wée sée him stray from the right and with our déede one while by giuing almes largely another while by lending chéerfully although wée looke not for the like good turn at his haÌ„d For too lend where a man lookes for as good a turne agein is a common kind of curtesie euen among Heathen men sinners which are not yet called intoo Chrysts houshold by the Gospell Hithertoo concerning the mercy which wée owe too our neighbor for loues sake and for the commaundement of Chryst and concerning the partes thereof which are foure That is too wit too haue a good opinion of our neighbour too speake wel of him too forgiue him his fault when he dooth amisse and
is effectuall and bringeth foorth frutes most acceptable too God through Iesus Chryst. And where this frute is not séene there is skarce any fayth too bée founde For when wée beléeue therewithall wée are borne new men that wée should yéelde new obedience vntoo God Now let vs sée this selfe same doctrine of Chrysten ryghtuousnesse in the example of the Publicane First as the text sayeth hée stoode a farre of For béeing put in feare with his own vnwoorthinesse hée durst not come foorth with the Pharisie intoo the sighte of Gods maiestie In likewise Peter falling downe at Chrystes féete sayde Away from mée for I am a sinful man Likewise the Centurion Lorde I am not woorthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe This fearfulnesse in the conscience of man ryseth of the knoweledge of the Law by the squyre whereof when a man examineth his owne déedes hée is enforced too crye oute I am a sinfull man Secondly he dareth not lift vp his eyes Héere is noted howe the Publicane was ashamed of the filthynesse of hys sinne 3. Hee knocketh himselfe vppon the breast whereby is signified his striuing ageinst wanhope and despaire 4. when hee sayeth Lorde be merciful vntoo mée a sinner hée giueth vs too vnderstand how we ought too flée vntoo God onely for the putting away of oure sinnes Hithertoo hée hath wrestled with sinne with the sentence of the Lawe and with wanhope By whiche wrestling is declared that he was sorye in déede Nowe foloweth how he wounde him selfe oute of this Hell as it were For when he sayeth GOD be mercifull too me a sinner he reyseth himself vp by fayth ageinst dispaire For héere hée called too remembraunce the promises concerning Chryste that GOD will bée mercifull vntoo sinners which falling too repentance doo flée vntoo Chryste with true fayth For hée is the propitiation for our sinnes In reysing him selfe vp in this wise hée imputeth sinne too himselfe and mercie vntoo GOD hée acknoweledgeth himselfe the sicke man and GOD too bée his Phisition hée setteth mercie ageinst sinne and so beléeuing God too bée fauourable vntoo him he is iustified by Faith alone After the same manner dyd Daniell Untoo thée Lorde bée rightuousnesse and vntoo vs confusion and shame And so wée may learne of this Publicane first the maner of true repentance and Christen rightuousnesse for euen as true repentance is true sorynesse for sinne euen so Chrysten rightuousnesse is to bée loosed and acquit from sinne whē wée come vntoo God by true fayth as I haue sayde before 2. We may lerne of him of what sort true Prayer ought too bée For it must procéede from the bottom of the hart in the feare of God and leane vntoo the propitiation which is in Iesus Chryst. 3. Wée must learne of the Publicane too behaue our selues after a lowly maner both before God and before men Must wée then liue after the maner of Publicans Yea surely must we so farre foorth as they repent and amend according as this Publicane did For as this Pharisie is not mislyked for the outwarde honest woorkes that he did but bycause hée trusted in the woorkes So this Publicane is not too bée commended for the synnes that he had committed but for his repentaunce whiche ensued Yea wée haue lessons in bothe of them that wée may fare the better by With bothe of them wée must go too Churche with bothe of them wée must giue thankes vntoo God with both of them wée must pray Wée must learne of the Pharisie too doo honest outwarde woorks and of the Publican too bring with vs godlynesse of minde and true faith ¶ Of the third I Say vntoo you this man vvent home too his house iustified and not the other Héere wée haue Chrystes iudgement of the Pharisie and the Publicane The Publicane sayth he departing out of the Temple came home too his owne house iustified by Fayth And the Pharisie returned not iustified but rather condemned This confirmeth he with a generall sentence For euery one that exalteth him selfe shall bée brought low and he that humbleth himselfe shal bée exalted The Pharisie exalted himselfe thinking himselfe rightuous by his deeds of the law which were none at al and therfore he was brought lowe by the sentence of damnation The Publicane humbled himself by acknowledging his sinne by lowly prayer and by trust in Gods mercie through Chryst and therefore he was exalted by the grace of acquitall and glorie of blissednesse That wée may be humbled after this mans example Christ graunt too whom with the father and the holy ghost bée glorie for euermore Amen Vpon the .xij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Marke vij IESVS departed from the coastes of Tyre and Sydon and came vntoo the Sea of Galilee through the middes of the coastes of the ten cities And they brought vntoo him one that vvas deafe and hadde an impediment in his speech and they prayed him too put his hande vpon him And vvhen he had taken him aside from the people he put his fingers intoo his eares and did spit and touched his tongue and looked vp too heauen and syghed and sayde vntoo him Epham that is to say be opened And streight vvay his eares vvere opened and the string of his tongue vvas losed and he spake plaine And he commaunded them that they should tell no man But the more he forbad them somuch the more a great deale they published saying He hath doone all things vvell hee hath made both the deafe too heare and the dumbe too speake The exposition of the text THis Gospell conteyneth one of the Lordes miracles whereby hée shewed his power his will and his office His power appéereth in this that all things created are at his commaundemente as the Sea the Windes the Féendes and diseases as in this place Hys will is séene by his readinesse too helpe for hée is moste readie too help all that cal vpon him His office appéereth in that he is a sauiour according to his name which is Iesus Those thrée things are too bée séene well néere in euery of Chrystes miracles which wée must lerne too vse aright For wée must vse the power of Chryste our Lorde ageinste the tirannie of the worlde Sophistrie and Hipocrisie yea and ageynste all the whole kingdome of Sathan Let vs set the knowledge of his will ageynst the ouerthwarte will and iudgemente of our fleshe Let vs arme oure selues with the minding of his office ageinst all Antichristes that will robbe Chryste of his office These thrée things wée may behold in this present gospell as in a Glasse Héere the deafe and dumb man is hild in bondage by the Deuil But what dooth Chryste in thys case Hée vttering his power openeth his eares and looseth hys toong maugre the Deuilles resistance Ageine in that hée helpeth this miserable and wretched creature hée sheweth him selfe too haue a remorse of his miserie and by so dooing vttereth his good wil towards him Lastly hée declareth his own
the neighbour 3. The causes of obedience that is too say of louing God and oure neighboure 4. The maner of louing 1 The affection that the Lawe requireth is louingnesse which can not please vnlesse it bée pure voyd of hypocrisie For nothing can please God which is painted bicause hée is voyd of all paynting and is holy pure and vncorrupted 2 The obiectes that is too wit the things whereabout the affection of louing must bée occupied are God and oure neighbour 3 The causes of louing God and our neighboure are set downe in the commaundement For God is too bée loued bicause hée is our God and Lord and our neyghbour is too bée loued bicause hée is our neighboure 4 The maner of louing is expressed also For God is too bée loued with all the whole heart with all the whole soule and with all the whole thought and a mannnes neighbour is too be loued as a man loueth himself Howbeit the things that wée haue touched bréefly must bée expounded more at large Loue or charitie in general is an entier affection embracing a thing with fréendly and harty good will in suche wyse as the mynd burneth in desire of it wisheth most wel vntoo it This charitie is of twoo sortes the one of God towardes the creature and the other of the creature towards God and other things Ageine the loue of God towards his creatures is of twoo sortes One vniuersall wherewith he embraceth all his creatures susteyning and vpholding them that they may continue in their state This louingnesse is called also his vniuersall mercy Another is peculiar wherby God with the inward affection of his heart loueth his Churche ryght déerely in his sonne This moued him too giue his sonne according too this saying so God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne This moueth him too giue the holy Ghost This moueth him too preserue the Churche Too bée short this louingnesse maketh him too giue himselfe whole too his Churche The thinking vpon this loue of God wyll comfort vs ageinst the sentence of the Lawe ageinst the bitternesse of the crosse and ageinst temptations at the instant of death Also this louingnesse of God causeth God too chastise his children and ageyne too heale them when hée hathe striken them I haue spoken of Gods loue towards his creatures Now foloweth concerning the loue of the creature toward God men and other things This charitie or loue is the entier affection wherwith man must loue God next God his neighbour as him self This loue of the creature therfore is of two sortes also One wherwith it fauoreth God another wherwith it fauoreth the neighbour Now that loue wherewith it becommeth vs too embrace creatures hath many degrées Of whiche the firste is that whereby wée loue our brethren that are knit vntoo vs by aliance of Chrystes spirite The second is that whereby we fauour those that are bounde vntoo vs by any aliance of the fleshe The third is that wherby wée loue others that are vnknowen vntoo vs. The fourth is that wherby wée endeuour too doo good too our enimies The fifth is that wherby wée fauour eche other creature according too the degrée of their woorthinesse Whiche are the causes of louing God or wherfore doo wée loue GOD. Although it may be sufficiently knowne by the commaundement yet notwithstanding I will repeate the causes more déepely and set eche of them seuerally by it selfe Therefore the loue of man towards God first is kindled by the remembrance of Gods benefites towards vs by thinking vpon the vnmeasurable loue that hée beareth vntoo vs ward Secondly it must bée encreased by the liuely féeling of Gods fauour towards vs whereof wée haue experience euery minute And thirdly it must bée excéedingly enflamed by hope and trust of the good things promised These causes are conteyned in these woordes Loue the Lorde thy God Hée is Lorde that is too say Defendor God that is too say Gouerner and Sauiour and Thine that thou shouldest looke for all good things at his hand Wée haue after a sorte what manner a thing the loue of God is wherwith man ought too loue God and therwithall wée haue séene the causes But what is the maner of louing In what manner and after what sorte must wée loue him That is expressed in the text by these woordes VVith all thy vvhole hart vvith all thy vvhole soule vvith all thy vvhole povver vvith all thy vvhole thought This woord vvhole signifieth thrée things which must go ioyntly with mans loue towards God First that the loue of men towardes God must be perfect secondly that it be pure and thirdly that it be continuall Then are they sayd too loue God with all their whole harte which perfectly purely cōtinually bear an earnest loue towards God so as they fear him onely trust in him only and repose their hope in him only Mē are said too loue God with all their whole soule when their wil is answerable in all things perfectly purely continually too his heauenly will Which thing we pray may take place when we say Thy wil be doone Hée is loued with al a mans whole power whē all the members inward and outward doo perfectly purely continually bend thē selues togither too obey and serue God He is loued with all a mans whole thought when there is no space too be found wherein God is not loued purely perfectly and holily This is the manner of louing God substancially which neuer was in any mā since Adams fal saue only in Christ albeit there be certeine slender beginnings of it in the regenerate Of whiche thing there be foure tokens First too prefer the obedience of God before all things in the world according too this He that loueth me wil kéep my commaundements and my father wil loue him Secondly too vse the holy Misteries reuerently in the fear of God Thirdly too allure others by our example too loue God Fourthly too loue our neighbour for Gods sake Where these foure things méet thou hast euident tokens of loue begone towards God whiche must from day too day take newe encreasement in the regenerate I haue spoken of the first poynt of the lawe that is of the loue toward GOD Now wil I speake of the second point that is too wit of louing our neighbours concerning whiche let these thrée things be obserued The causes of the loue the maner and the order The causes are twaine the one is cōmaundement and the other is nature bicause man is neighbour vntoo man The commaundement of God is that wée shuld one loue another Chryst also giueth this charge Loue yée one onother Too dysobey this commandement is a most heinous offence The other cause is nature soothly for that man is neighbour too man and that many wayes as in respect of creation in respect of resemblance in respect of regeneration in respect of the common life and in respect of the glorie too come
in the wedding garment ¶ Of the third MAny are called and fevv chosen This saying of Chryste conteyneth twoo things that is too witte a setting foorth of the mercy and goodnesse of GOD who calleth all men too his sonnes mariage Neither is it too bée thought that hée calleth any whoÌ„ hée would not haue too bée at his sonnes wedding and a complaint ageinste the vnthankfulnesse of the greatest part of tâ—â— world Many sayth hée are called For the Bridegroom commaunded his Apostles too go foorth intoo all the whole world and too call men too this mariage as hée sayd afore Cal too the mariage whosoeuer yée finde But fevv are chosen That is few haue the wedding garmeÌ„t For such are chosen as are sorted out from others and are excellente aboue others Therfore Peter saith that Christians are chosen too sanctification of spirit that is too wit that they should bée holy in spirit Uerely GOD will haue all men saued as Paule teacheth and this parable sheweth yea and Chrystes owne woords witnesse Math. xj Come vntoo mée all yée that labour and are loden and I wil refreshe you Let vs set this saying ageinst all the enimies of Gods grace Therefore if thou looke too Godwarde Gods will is that all men shoulde bée saued and come too the knoweledge of the truthe and hée calleth all men without exception too the mariage of hys Sonne But if thou looke vntoo menwarde fewe are chosen that is too saye fewe when they heare the Gospell doo receiue it by fayth and become holy in spirite Wherefore the cause of damnation is not in GOD but it is too bée sought for in our selues How often sayth Chryste would I haue gathered thy Children toogither and thou wouldest not Beholde thou hast héere twoo things Chryste would and Ierusalem would not Therfore by this saying wée are warned that it is not inough too hear the Gospel but wée must also obey the Gospell For as Peter sayeth it is therefore preached that wée should bée mortified as towarde the fleshe and too liue after the spirite Thus muche concerning this dayes Gospel wherby wée may lerne that God hathe not created vs too damnation but too blisfulnesse and that hée hathe fréely prepared all things that perteine vntoo true blissednesse And ageine that those which are damned are damned through their owne fault as which would not obey the Gospel Wherfore if we haue regarde of our soulehelth let vs put on the wedding garment and let vs minde true holinesse through Iesus Chryste oure Lord Too whom with the Father and the holie Ghoste bée honour for euermore Amen Vpon the .xxj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospell Iohn iiij THere vvas a certein ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke at Capernaum Assoone as the same hearde that Iesus vvas come out of Ievvrie intoo Galilee hee vvent vntoo him and besought him that hee vvoulde come dovvne and heale his Sonne For hee vvas euen at the point of death Then sayde Iesus vntoo him except yee see signes and vvonders yee vvill not beleeue The ruler sayde vntoo him Sir come dovvne or euer that my Sonne die Iesus sayeth vntoo him Go thy vvay thy Sonne lyueth The man beleeued the vvoorde that Iesus hadde spoken vntoo him And hee vvente his vvaye And as hee vvas goyng dovvne the seruauntes mette him and tolde him saying Thy Sonne liueth Then enquyred hee of them the houre vvhen hee beganne too amende And they sayde vntoo him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the Feuer lefte him So the Father knevve that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vntoo him Thy Sonne liueth and hee beleeued all his housholde This is ageine the second miracle that Iesus did vvhen he vvas come out of Ievvry intoo Galilee The exposition of the Text. THis Gospell teacheth vs whither wée ought too flée for succour in all the troubles of this lyfe that is too wit too the fountayne of all welfare and felicitie Iesus Chryst. Which thing Esay also putteth vs in minde of when he sayâ—h Yée shall drawe water out of the welles of the Sauioure Too this well wée must come not with féete but with minde not with reason but with Fayth Furthermore this Gospell sheweth howe forwarde Chryste is too helpe who sendeth away none that commeth too him without comforte For he is not otherwise affectioned towards any man than towarde this noble man this Courtyer of Herodes court whom hée not only comforted by worde but also helped by miracle The summe of this Gospell therefore is included in this saying of Ioel Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shalbée saued The places are thrée 2 Of mens miseries and of the cause and remedie of the same 2 Of the rebuke wherewith Chryst rebuketh this seruant of the kings 3 The true nature and inclination of Faith ¶ Of the firste THere vvas a certeine Ruler vvhose sonne vvas sicke This sad father and his sicke sonne doo set before our eyes the miseries of this worlde which as they are the punishments of sinne so are they also as it were certein sermons of Gods iudgement whereby wée are allured too repentance like as this Courtier béeing sad for the sicknesse of his sonne féeleth his owne sinne bewayleth it Héervntoo maketh also that saying of Esay Their distresse shall bée a lerning vntoo thée Howbéeit too the intent wée may the better consider Gods goodnesse towards vs I will declare by what meanes God is woont too call vs chéefly too repentance These wayes are chéefly sixe The first He setteth foorth the doctrine of the law wherin he paynteth out our sins as in a table sheweth the blindnesse of our minde be wrayeth our douting of Gods prouidence promises and threats vttereth the vnclennesse of our affections and sheweth the stinche of the stomacke the turning away our will from God and the horrible atteinting of all our powers Agein in the second table of the law he paynteth our vnfaythfulnesse towards men and the vncleanenesse of our thoughtes so that yf there appéere any vprightnesse in our whole life before wée bée conuerted vntoo Chryste the same is no better than a cloth stayned with matter and most vnpure blud which thing Esay complayneth of in these woordes All our rightuous dooing are as a moste filthie cloute The cause why the lawe setteth this our filthinesse before vs is that wée béeing warned of their stinche should repent and departe from our moste wicked wayes The second The excesse of inward miseries which no maÌ„ is able too describe and bewayle sufficiently was neuer yet so great neither was any mannes calamitie yet so extreme but that any of vs might fall intoo the same as Ambrose godlyly admonisheth vs saying Wee eyther are now presently or heeretofore haue bin or may be in the selfe same ease that this same man was in In how great miserie was Adam who not only sawe the one of his sonnes murther his brother but also behilde the moste sorowfull fallings of
haste the woorde of life How bée it this fayth of Peters got greater strength and came as it were vntoo full growth on Whitsunday when hauing receyued Chrystes spirite visibly hée came abrode and at one sermon wan thrée thousand people vntoo Chryste So also muste fayth encrease in all others whiche if a man haue respect too the substance of it is perfect by and by as soone as it is conceyued by the woord but if yée haue an eye too the quantitie of it it groweth greater by dayly encrease And as concerning the dooings of Fayth they are moste trimly set oute in this Courtyer For firste fayth compelleth this Courtyer too flée vntoo Chryste for refuge in his aduersities as vntoo a moste true and skilfull Phisitian for all diseases and gréefes Secondlye it enforceth him too call vppon Chryste and too craue his ayde Besides this it maketh him not too giue ouer Chryst forthwith when he could not at the first intreataunce winne his purpose but too hang vpon him with earnest sute and not suffer himself too bée shaken of for a rough answere from him whom hée acknowledged too bée the only Sauyour And by so dooing hée obteyneth of Chryst what hée would Wherthrough his faith encreseth the more hée becometh the more chéerful earnest in suing and yéeldeth the frutes of confession and glorifying as is sayde héere And he beleeued all his vvhole housholde Héerby then wée may gather y e faith hath six frutes going with it continually The first is that fayth wil driue vs too Chryste in our aduersities too séeke help at his hand It knowes no sainctes too call vpon but onely Chryst whom it acknowledgeth too bée the onely mediatour betwéene God and man The seconde is that when it is come vntoo Chryste it calleth vpon him not for it owne woorthinesse but vppon trust of his gentlenesse and mercie The third is that though it obteine not out of hande yet it ceaseth not like a sluggarde nor fainteth like a cowarde but procéedeth stil in praying The fourth is that it obteyneth what it will it willeth that which may turne too the glory of God The fifth is that after it hathe obteyned what it wyll it groweth more and more and commeth too a fulsome quantitie The sixth is that after it yéeldeth the frute of confession praise of GOD. And this sentence is too bée marked héedfully Hee beleeued and all his house The like thing reporteth Luke of Cornelius Héerby therefore wée may learne too inure our housholde vntoo godlinesse Let vs bée a patron and example of doctrine vntoo it Let vs instruct the ignoraunt chastise the offenders quicken vp the dullerds and too bée short let vs too the vttermost of our power endeuer y t there may bée as many churches as there be housholds But as for them that haue no care of their housholde too sée them traded in godlinesse they may brag of faith as much as they list for they haue but the smoke of faith not faith it selfe whiche is alwayes bearing frute through Iesus Chryst our Lorde too whom bée prayse and glorie world without end Amen Vpon the .xxij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Gospel Math. xviij THerefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vntoo a certeine man that vvas a king vvhiche vvould haue accompts of his seruauntes And vvhen he had begonne too recken one vvas brought vntoo him vvhich ought him ten thousand talents but for as muche as he vvas not able too paye his Lorde commaunded him too bee solde and his vvyfe and children and all that he had and payment too bee made The seruant fell dovvne and besought him saying syr haue pacience vvith me and I vvill pay thee all Then had the Lorde pitie on that seruaunt and loosed him and forgaue him the dot So the same seruaunt vvent out and founde one of his fellovves vvhiche ought him an hundred pence and he layde handes on him and tooke him by the throte saying Pay that that thou ovvest And his fellovve fell dovvne and besoughte him saying haue pacience vvith me and I vvill pay thee all And he vvoulde not but vvente and caste him intoo prison till he shoulde pay the det So vvhen his felovves savve vvhat vvas doone they vvere very sory and came and tolde vntoo their Lorde all that hadde happened Then his Lorde called him and sayde vntoo him O thou vngratious seruaunt I forgaue thee all that dette vvhen thou desiredst mee shouldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellovve euen as I had pitie on thee and his Lorde vvas vvrothe and delyuered him too the gaylers tyll he shoulde pay all that vvas due vntoo him So likevvyse shall my heauenly father doo also vntoo you if yee from your harts forgiue â–ª not euery one his brother his trespasâ—e The exposition of the Text. THe occasion of this Gospel was the question that Peter asked of Chryste howe often hée shoulde forgiue his brother that offended him whither vntoo seuen times Too him Chryst aunswereth I say not too thée seuen times but vntoo seuentie times seuen times that is too wit of sinnings Seuentie times seuen are foure hundred fourescore and ten Whereby is signified that wée must forgiue the fault of our brother that repenteth as often as he offendeth ageinst vs. For he put a number certeine for an infinite Howbéeit in as muche as this séemed hard to Peter our Lord put foorth a parable the sum wherof is this God our heauenly Father pardoneth vs oftentymes offending ageinst him Wherfore wée also must forgiue our brethren that haue delt amisse with vs as often as they bée sory for it This Gospell therfore perteineth too the third part of Repentance namely too the leading of a new lyfe by fayth of which new lyfe one part is a forgiuing one an other of the mysdéedes that scape vs. Now too the intent this parable may bée the more cléerly vnderstood I wil make a comparison of things in this wise Like as a very rich creditour is in respect of a very poore detter but yet such a detter as humbleth himselfe and casteth himselfe downe flat at his creditours féete beséeching him of release Euen so dooth God behaue himselfe towards sinners humbling them selues before him in true repentance and casting them selues downe and crauing forgiuenesse for Chrysts sake But the rich creditour releaseth the dette too the detter that humbleth him selfe Ergo God of his mercy forgiueth the repentant person all his sinnes Now like as God behaueth him selfe towards sinners oftentimes offending ageinst him so must a Christen man behaue himself towards his brothers or fellow seruaunts that trespasse ageynst him Therefore like as GOD forgiueth vs our misdéeds fréely so must wée also forgiue the displeasures wherewith wée are impeached by our brethren Ageine on the contrary part Look in what wise the Creditor dealeth with his detter too whom hée earst released his dette and afterwarde founde him cruell ageinst his brother
so dooth God deale with those whom hée earste receyued intoo fauoure and afterward findeth them cruel towardes their neighboure But the Creditour calleth suche a thanklesse person too a backrekning Ergo God calleth back too streight iudgement suche as are hard too their neigbours Therefore wée muste forgiue our neighboure as often as hée trespasseth ageinst vs. The places are thrée 1 The true manner how too repent 2 A commendation of Gods mercie towards sinners 3 The mutuall duetie of Chrystians too forgiue and too bée forgiuen ¶ Of the firste THe parable of the creditor and detter setteth foorth a very trim maner of repentance and amendment than whiche there is not a more excellent in al y e new TestameÌ„t Wherfore let vs throughly wey all the circumstances therof who is the Creditor when hée requireth a reckning why wée are his detters how much we owe him what is too be doon when our account is called vpon how Gods iustice may bée satisfied which exacteth payment of that which is due Who is the Creditor God the heauenly king Hée hathe lent vs many good things He hath created vs after his owne image Hée hath giuen light intoo our minde rightnesse intoo our hart and bothe inwarde and outwarde powers wherewith wée mighte perfourme obedience vntoo him But are not these things blotted out through the sinne of our first parents That is very true Howbéeit y e gifts that he bestowed vppon Adam belonged too all his posteritie Then at suche time as our first Father lost his gifts hée cast bothe himselfe and vs with him intoo death Therfore God dooth right too require of vs that which wée lost in our first parent Yea verely we haue diuers waies encreased the det and it is growen too so great a sum that no man is able too pay it thoughe hée should sel himselfe and all that hée hath When dooth the Creditor demaund the det Althoughe hée doo continually put vs in minde of this dette yet hee is too bée thought then chéefly too call for a reckening of it firste as often as our owne conscience chargeth vs with sinne and as it were citeth vs too the iudgement seat of GOD. Secondly when the holy Ghost commeth in the ministerie of the law and reproueth sinne and citeth vs vntoo punishment if payment bée not made Ageine when the signes of Gods wrath are séene eyther in heauen or on earth And moreouer when wée are vexed with crosse or sicknesse whiche are as it were Gods ministers that cal vpon vs for the payment of the det But why are sinnes called dettes Bicause that as ordinarie dets doo binde men too payment so doo sinnes binde men too satisfaction of the penaltie vnlesse there bée made a discharge Wherefore doo wée owe This is tolde already For wée owe so much as he put intoo the hands of our forefather AdaÌ„ all the whiche wée haue loste and moreouer haue burthened our selues with newe dets prouoking Gods wrath ageinste vs by our dayly transgressing of his moste holy law How great is the summe of the det The Creditour aunswereth that thou owest ten thousand talents and that thou hast not one halfpeny toowards it so farre art thou off from euer béeing able too discharge so greate a dette The ten commaundements conteine the parcels of the dette There is demaunded of thée the feare of God loue fayth and pacience in the first commaundement Inasmuche as thou haste not performed this obedience and discharged thy selfe of it thou art runne in arrerages After this manner is the det too bée examined in euery seueral commaundement of the first and second table and therupon the greatnesse of the det is too bée gathered But what is too bée doone in this case Wée must folowe the example of this Detter whiche falleth downe before his Creditor humbling himselfe and desiring releasment which hée also obteyneth That is too witte wée must acknowledge the greatnesse of our sinne wée must bée sorie from our hart that wée haue not payed that wée ought and vppon trust of Chryst wée must flée vntoo our heauenly father desiring forgiuenesse and releasment of the det Which thing if wée doo wée haue a promisse that hée wil forgiue vs the whole dette and receiue vs intoo his fauour This thing is plainly shewed in this present miracle wherof I wil now set foorth certeine examples too stirre vs vp withall The sinful woman in the .vij. of Luke acknowledging hir det sought vntoo Chryst for fauour and leaned vntoo him by liuely faith and by and by the Lord tolde hir shée had obteyned releasement of the det For thus hée sayth Many sinnes are forgiuen hir But there it is added bicause shée hathe loued much Notwithstanding Chryst sayth not shée hathe satisfied hir det with hir louingnesse but after shée had obteyned releasment of the det then she loued which thing Christ sheweth plainly by this Parable propounded héer For wheÌ„ the Pharisie was offended bicause Chryste did not shake of this woman as a sinner and mislike of hir seruice as vnpure hée corrected his ouertwhart iudgemente in this wise A certeine Creditor sayth he had twoo detters of whiche the one ought him fiue hundred pence and the other ought him fiftie Now when neyther of them was able too pay he forgaue theÌ„ bothe Tell mée therefore whither of these loueth him most The Pharisie answering sayd I suppose hée too whom most was forgiuen And Iesus sayd vntoo him thou hast iudged aright turning too the woman hée sayde vntoo Simon Séest thou this woman â–ª I am come intoo thy house and thou haste giuen mée no water for my féete but shée hathe washed my fée with hir teares wiped them with the haire of hir 〈◊〉 â–ª Thou haste giuen mée no kisse But shée hath not ceased too kisse my féete Thou hast not anoynted my head with Oyle but shée hath anointed my féete Wherefore I saâ— vntoo thée that many sinnes are forgiuen hir for shée hath loâ—â—ed muche For too whom little is forgiuen hée loueth little And he sayd vntoo hir Thy sinnes are forgiuen thée Héere wée sée plainelye that when shée had obteyned releasement of hir det then shée loued For after forgiuenesse of sinnes must folow new obedience whiche is termed héere by the name of loue Also let vs looke vppon the example of Dauid in whome are to bée séene these twoo motions whiche wée sawe in the sinfull woman great fearfulnesse and comforte For when hée was reproued by the Prophete Nathan for rauishing an other mannes wife and for fléeing hir husband there rose vp in Dauid horrible â—eâ—â—fulnesse for the greatnesse of his det of which sort of feares he himself describeth many There is no rest in my bones for the sight of my sinnes Hée acknowledgeth Gods wrath ageinst sinne Hée is sorte that he hath displeased God He is afrayd least God should shake him of as hée had séen Saule dreadfully cast away before and finally he feared
the examples and thinke that God is no accepter of persons but that he will haue mercie on all men in Chryst Iesu. With this confidence fall vppon Chryst and persuade thy selfe that he will héere thée and graunt thée thy requeste if thou aske not poyson that is too say if thou aske not that which will do thée no good or which may hinder Gods glorie And apply vntoo thy selfe this saying Come vntoo me al. c. which thing when thou hast doone thou shalt féele comfort But this woman had Chryst present and sawe him with hir eyes but he is farre from me This a temptation of the fleshe ageynst which set thou first Chrysts promisse I am with you too the ende of the world And secondly that which the Lord said too Thomas Blissed are they that beléeue and sée not And moreouer that Chryste is no accepter of persones and howe by certeine examples when he was héere in the fleshe he shewed howe he would deale with the rest that should call vpon him But I am a great sinner I beléeue thée But Chryst came intoo the world too saue sinners So sayth he first him selfe I came not too call the rightuous but the sinners too repentance Paule repeting this sayeth It is a sure saying and woorthy too bée embraced of all men that Chryst Iesus came intoo this world too saue sinners Also healthfull grace appéered vntoo all men Then let vs behold the examples of Gods mercie Adam had cast him selfe and all the whole worlde into damnation Neuerthelesse he repenteth and is receiued Paule persecuted Chrystes Churche Peter denyed Chryst and Manasses hadde defyled him selfe with horrible Idolatries and with plentiful bloudshed of the saincts and yet all these vppon their repentance were receyued into fauor Wherby is shewed how true this saying is in the Prophet As truely as I liue sayeth the Lorde I will not the death of the sinner but that hée should turne and liue Héereuntoo make also these earneste assurances of Chryste Uerely verely I say vnto you hée that beléeueth in mée shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting Set thou these sentences and these examples ageinst the thoughte of the greatnesse of thy sinnes and knowe thou that Gods mercye excéedeth the hugenesse of sinne and that grace aboundeth aboue misdéede But I know not whither I am predestinate This is the sorest temptation and commeth euen from Sathan himself Who is falne Adam his posteritie For wée were in him as in y e generall lump of all mankind Who receyued y e promisse was it not Adam Then euen as thou arte falne in Adam so art thou partaker with him of the promisse so that thou wilt giue credite too the woord of promisse Ageine it is a cléer saying of Paule God would that all men should bée saued and come too the knoweledge of his truthe Héereuntoo also maketh it that Chryste giueth a generall commaundement too his Disciples Go yée intoo the whole worlde and preache the Gospel hée that beléeueth and is baptized shalbée saued and hée that beléeueth not shalbée damned But fayth is the gift of God whiche hée giueth too whome hée will Sée howe manye things the fleshe deuiseth too shut himselfe out of the way of Saluation Fayth is Gods gifte but it is bestowed in this wise Hee setteth his woorde foorthe vntoo thée and biddeth thée beléeue it and in thy thought will â—â—e woorke effectuallye But take than héede that wyth the Iewes thou resist not the holy Ghost which thing Stephen chargeth his owne Nation wythall When Chryste looked vppon the Citie of Hierusalem and thought vppon the desolation therof hée wept and sayde How often would I haue gathered thée toogither as the Hen gathereth hir Chickens and thou wouldest not Beholde Chryst wil and hée willeth none other thing than the Father willeth What would hée Gather the children of Hierusalem too his shéepeholde But Hierusalem béeing deceyued by hir owne seducers and false Prophetes woulde not Hierusalem béeing caught with the bayte of riches power pleasures and cares of this worlde would not obey Chryst hir shéepeherd Wherfore as shée perished by y e iust iudgement of god so perished shée by hir own default Wherfore trusting too Gods promises specially being vniuersall and confirming our selues with examples Let vs with this woman flée vntoo Chryste in oure sorowes and afflictions so wil it come too passe that we shal find help in time conuenient Wée haue séene the faith of this womaÌ„ â–ª Now let vs look vpon that which I sayd was too bée considered in the third place concerning this woman namely what maner of prayer or supplication this woman made Shée holdes hir peace shée speakes too hir selfe shée dooth no more but touche the hem of Iesus garmente Héere is no prayer too bée herd of vs. True it is in déed héere are recited no woordes of praying howbéeit héere bée signes of one that prayeth and the effectes of prayer The tokens or signes are that shée commeth too him toucheth the hem of his garment and within hir selfe thinketh of his gentlenesse and from the bottome of hir hart wisheth too obteine mercie Chryst heard this wishe no lesse than if it had bin a moste earnest prayer The effects that ensued it were comforte and healing Wée reade also of Moyses that though hée moued not his lippes yet the Lord sayd vntoo him wherfore cryest thou vntoo mée Wherby we are taught that the prayer whiche perceth the clouds is not a wagging of the lips nor a babling of woords much talke but rather an humble lifting vp of the minde too God in which any thing is desired of God through fayth in Chryste This thing is confirmed by the witnesse of Dauid who saith Too thée O Lord haue I lift vp my soule Moreouer for as muche as there is no greater seruice of God than too call vppon him aright and that it behoueth the godly too bée occupied continually therin I will bréefly say somewhat concerning right inuocation I told a little before what true prayer is nowe will I shewe what conditions praying ought too haue continually There be fiue continual conditions as it were properties of a godly prayer which are these First after what sort our mind must be framed too pray Secondly what shoulde moue vs and prouoke vs too pray Thirdly whom wée ought too cal vpon Fourthly vpon what foundation wée should ground our selues when wée preace intoo Gods sight too pray And fifthly what is too bée sought and when with condition wheÌ„ without condition The first Our mind must bée framed in this wise First wée must put of all thought of glorying in our selues like as this woman acknowledged nothing but filthinesse in hir selfe Secondly wée must féele our néedinesse whiche this afflicted woman felt very great in hir selfe Then lette a man with true repentance cast him selfe down before God that rather in minde than in bodye That this woman did so it appered in that she
the comfort of their old age bicause Elizabeth was barren not only by nature when she was yet young but also by reason of age for y t she was now become an old woman Notwithstanding contrary too the course of nature the discommoditie of barrēnesse at length they obteine that which they had sought at gods hands with great earnestnesse Therfore this circumstance of Iohns parents techeth many things First y t the prayers of the godly shalbée herd at length Secondly that wée must not cease frō praying bicause our requests séeme too bée delaied somewhat long For wée must knocke stil til y t doore of grace be opened vnto vs. Thirdly that the afflicted continuing in faith kéeping themselues blamelesse shal at length atteine comfort Fourthly that those whiche are coupled in mariage must liue in the feare of God bée vnrebukeable And fifthly that the ministers of Gods woord their wiues ought too shine before others in al kind of vertues For like as Zacharie the husbād beautified the dignitie of his office with the holinesse of his life So his wife Elizabeth led a holy and blamelesse life For they knewe themselues too bée promoted too a place of suche woorship that their life was more lookt vppon than others were Wold God there were not many that are Zacharies in talke but no Zacharies in life But they shal one day finde their iudgement The second circumstance is of Iohns conception wherin many things are too bée considered For firste his conception was fortold by an Angel to Zacharias his father as he was dooing his dutie in the temple which thing when the forspēt old mā beléeued not hée was striken dumb in punishment of his vnbeléefe Héer first offreth it self the duetifulnesse of the holy angels which are gods messengers ministers to gods church to defend it serue it according to gods wil. But concerning Angels more is too bée spokē vpon S. Michaels day Secondly it is to be obserued héer y t God is wōt to héer those which executing their office accordingly doo cal vpon him w t faith For he y t executeth not aright as much as in him lieth the office y t is committed vntoo him is voyd of faith and cannot pray Wherfore folowing the exāple of Zacharie let vs both execute our charge as we ought to do also cal earnestly vpon God y t he may reléeue our necessities for he is mind full of his promises Furthermore wée are taught héere that Gods dooing determinatiō is not hindred by y e impedimēts of nature For although Zacharie were forspent that Elizabeth were barren both by nature yéeres yet Gods purpose goeth forwarde and Elizabeth cōceyueth according too Gods determination Héeruppon wée maye build a generall rule namely that nothing can disappoint Gods determination purpose He hath decréed too raise agein the dead but vntoo nature this séemeth vnpossible Which is most too bée beléeued in this case Nature or Gods woord Let the praise of truthe bée giuen too God let vs beléeue it for a certeintie y e he which is y e almighty truth the most true almightinesse both wil and can performe whatsoeuer he hath determined Therfore a barren woman conceiueth a forspent old man becommeth a Father ageinst natures will how bée it at the commaundement of him that is the author of nature whom the Child acknowledged in his moothers womb when at the cōming of Mary after hir conceyuing at the voyce of the Angel hée sprang in his moothers wombe in witnesse that God receiueth infants wil be woorshipped of them according to the Psalme out of the mouthes of infantes sucking babes hast y e made perfecte thy praise But more is too bée spoken of this matter on the day of the visitation of the blissed Uirgin The third circumstance is of his birth wherof Luke speaketh in this wise Thou shalt sayth the Angel cal his name Iohn and thou shalt haue ioy gladnesse and many shall reioyce at his birth And when Iohn was borne the neighbors héering what had hapned too Elizabeth did set out the mercy of God and reioysed with Elizabeth This circumstance puts vs in minde of thankfulnesse towards God for his benefites receyued it putteth vs in mind too reioice with thē to whom God dooth good it puts vs in mind of the duetie of godly parents namely that we shuld betake our children vntoo God it puts vs in mind of the gladnesse which we receiue of the blissing of God that wée should refer it too Gods glory The fourth circumstance is of Iohns bringing vp wherof the Euangelist speaketh thus The Childe grew and wexed strong in spirit and was in wildernesse vntil the day that he should shew himself too the Israelites And while hée was in wildernesse as Mathew telleth hée had a garment of Camels hair a Lether girdle about his loynes And his meate was Locusts and wild Honie This is a description of méetly hard bringing vp For in as muche as it was a highe office that hée should take vpon him hée was not too bée brought vp in pleasures but rather hée was too bée enured too paines taking from the Cradle For as one sayth it is a great matter too bée enured from a Childe But what shall wée learne héereby Munckerie In no wise What then Wée must learne thrée things héereby Sobernesse obedience towards God and enurance too hardnesse For sobernesse and restraint of life ar by this example of Iohns commended not onely too those that shal bée ministers of Gods woord but also too al Christians Secondly obedience too Godward in our vocation is commended vntoo vs. For it is not too bée thought that Iohn chose this woorke and this kind of liuing as though it were a holyer thing too liue in wildernesse than in the open assembly of men but he thought it behoued him to follow his calling Moreouer enurance is commended vntoo vs by this example too the intent that béeing acquaynted with hardnesse wée may not bée discouraged with the burthen of troubles if at any time wée bée put too the bearing of hardnesse Those that bée brought vp deintely become womanish so as they bée méete for the dooing of no notable thing according as experience teacheth in many The Lether girdle that was about his loynes was a token of the contention which he should haue in his office ageinst the Scribes Pharisies Herod other the enemies of Chrysts kingdome The fifth circumstance of Iohns calling Of this circumstance Luke writeth thus The woord of the Lord came vntoo Iohn the sonne of Zacharie This was the woord of calling whereby he was called of God too the ministerie Héere is modestie commended vntoo vs that wée should after the example of Iohn wayt for the voyce of the caller whither it bée of God without meanes which hapned oft in olde time after which sort the Prophets Apostles and others now then were called