the .xxii. Sonday the xviij chapter of Mathewe Th argument ☞ The parable of the kinge that forgaue hys seruaunte whiche was founde in arerages vnto hym vpon his accomptes IEsus put forth a similitude vnto hys discyples sayeng the kyngdome of heuen ys lykened vnto a certeyn man that was a kynge whych wolde take accomptes of hys seruauntes And when he had begonne to reken one was brought vnto hym whych ought him ten thousand talentes but forasmoche as he was not able to paye hys lorde commaunded hym to be solde and his wyfe and hys chyldren and all that he had and paymente to be made The seruaunt fell downe and besought him sayeng Syr haue pacience with me and I wyll paye the all TheÌ„ had the lorde pytie on that seruaunte and lowsede him and forgaue him the det So the same seruaunt went oute and founde one of hys felowes whyche ought him an hundreth pence and he layde handes on hym and toke him by the throte sayeng paye that thou owest And hys felow fell downe and besought him sayenge haue pacience wyth me and I wyl paye the al. And he wold not but went and cast hiÌ„ into presoÌ„ tyl he shuld paye the det So when his felowes saw what was done they were very sory and came and tolde vnto their Lorde all that had happened Then his Lord called hym and sayd vnto him O thou vngracious seruaunt I forgaue the al that dette whan thou desyredst me shuldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy felow euen as I had pytie on the And his lord was wrothe and delyuered him to the â—aylers tyll he shuld paye al that was due vnto him And his Lord was wrooth and delyuered him to the iaylers tyl he shuld paye all that was due vnto hym So lykewyse shall my heauenly father do also vnto you if ye from youre hartes forgyue not euerye one hys brother theyr trespasses In the parable declared in the gospell of this daye good people is shewed vnto vs howe god shall make hys iudgement of synners that shall not haue asked him mercy Agayn al those whych shal knowledge themselues synners before hym and shall demaunde mercy and grace of hym he shall pardone them of al their synnes if so be they do remytte and pardone also wyth good harte and in charyte for the loue of hym the synnes offences that theyr neyghbours haue commytted agaynste them For it is the rule to obteyne pardone of god for to forgyue As it is wrytten in the prayer that oure lorde Iesu Christe hath gyuen vs for to pray vnto his father and ours when we saye Mat. vj. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris that is to say Forgyue vs our trespssaes as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And after our lord sayth if you pardon men theyr synnes your father also that is in heuen shall pardone you your faultes And if we do not pardon nor forgyue othr men nomore woll your father pardon nor remytte you of your synnes Alas my freÌ„des howe many be there nowe a dayes whych thynke lytle on these wordes as if they were vayne and of none effect And yet for al that they be so true that it is a iudgement gyuen from the mouth of god which is al trouth Ther be many which oftentymes do saye thys most holy prayer without hauinge any will to forgyue the offences coÌ„mytted against them the whych suerly were better not to praye so agaynst themselues This is well shewed vnto vs by the parable of the kingdome of heuen in thys present gospell of the seruaunt whych ought ten thousande talentes vnto his kinge And when he had not wherewyth he myght paye it the kinge commaunded that he and hys wife and hys chyldren and al his goodes shulde be solde to thentente that he myght be payed of that that was due vnto him The seruaunt seyng thys kneled down and prayed the king that he wold take patience and tary and he wolde paye him all The lorde that was pitiful and mercifull had mercy on hym and sente him awaye and forgaue hym the dette But the seruaunte departinge from hys lorde was not pitifull nor merciful as was hys lord For in meting an other that was seruaunt with him which ought him only an hundreth pens he toke him and strayned him by the throte and misintreatinge him sayd paye me that that thou owest me And the pore seruant knelyd before the first seruant prayed him to haue pacience to tarye and he wolde paye hym all But he wolde not heare hym but forthwith sente him to prison vnto the tyme that he had payed him but what did the lorde when he herde these newes He keste in his teth the mercy whiche he had vsed towardes him when he prayed hym and on the other syde the cruelty whiche he had vsed agaynst his felowe seruauÌ„t And therupon he dyd gyue him to the kepars of the prison vntyl he had payed al his dutye And this parable our lorde declareth himselfe This kynge is god the father almyghty This fyrste dettour is a great synner to god This seconde dettour is a lytle synner to man And what may the offence be vnto man but only a lytle offence to the regarde of that whiche is to god And that that is to god what may it be but a ryght greate offence For as the auncient douctour of the churche IohnÌ„ Chrysostom sayeth Chrysostome there is as greate difference betwene the synnes whiche be done to men and the synnes whiche be coÌ„mitted agaynste god as there is difference betwene ten thousaÌ„de talentes of golde an hundreth pense But God is so meke and so mercyfull that if alonly one do praye hym he forgiueth all synne and offence howe greate so euer it be yf that in folowyng of hys meakenesse and mercyfulnesse we pardone one lytle offence agaynste vs vnto our brother But yf any of vs do not pardon God shal aske of hym the greate debte quousque pro infinito and he shal be in paynes vntyll he shall haue payed it out whyche worde vntyll is taken of holy doctours pro infinito And thys is the meanynge sense of thys texte sayeth Remigius the auncient doctour semper soluet sed nunquam persoluet Remigius et semper poenam luet that is to saye he shall euer paye but neuer paye it out and he shall euermore suffre payne Then my brethren and frendes though that it be so that all the offences agaynst vs in the world be nothynge in regarde of one only offence agaynst God let vs then pardone them lightly not alonlye by mouth and outwardly but wyth good wyll and in our hartes inwardly And yf we thus do assuredly God shall pardone vs them that be so greate for who is it that hath not offended hym many tymes and we shal be fynally made the chyldren of God and followers of hys swetenesse
the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in the thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wherby we be deliuered from the captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from the bondage therof to ryse with Christ Exo. xij The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of .vij. dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner that is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs the leuen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast the hole terme of our lyfe with eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare that Christes gyftes graces haue theyr effect in vs that we haue the right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to the vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shal be suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. On the fyrst sondaye after Ester The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the .v. Chapter Th argument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde i. cor x. but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in earth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OVre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust no man amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes ☞ in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise The wordes of S. Austine Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Pertran sijt Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by that waye that thou cammest ☞ therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst mā beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yer thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by the worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth our selues that Iesus is Christe Ioh. iij. that is to saye the annoynted Kynge and Sauioure of the worlde Before we be newe borne agayn by spirite we be al Nicodemes For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomā coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whō Christ answereth Verely verely I saye vnto the onles a mā be borne agayne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Ioh. iij. whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge i. Ioh. v. he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue that Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secōdly What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ that he is a kynge anoynted with the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath A difference of faythes and so all hypocrites and betwene the true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borne agayne whan through the
brother Brother let me pull out the moote that is in thyne eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Thou ypocrite cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and rhen shalt thou se perfytly to pul out the moat that is in thy brothers eye GOod people our Sauiour Christ in thys gospell setteth forth vnto vs certayne christian lawes that is to saye certayne officies or duties of charitie and frutes of fayth Fyrst he byddeth vs be mercyfull and tender of hart But after what sorte As paynyms or publicanes be No but euen accordyng to thexemple of our heauenly father Why how mercyfull is oure heauenly father vnto vs Surely he whan we were hys enemyes and had deserued no kyndnes at hys handes yet of an excedyng mercy whych he bare to maÌ„kynd vouchesaued to sende downe hys only begotteÌ„ soÌ„ne to redeme vs wyth hys moost precious bloude He also from tyme to tyme as often as by frayltie we offende hys maiestye yf we humbly aske mercy forgyueth vs. Math. v Yea he sendeth hys rayne he causeth the Sonne the moone the starres and hys heuenly planetes to shyne aswel vpon hys enemyes as frendes and louers But yet sayth Christ blessed and happy be the mercyfull for they shall agayne receyue mercy He that hath the substaunce and goodes of thys worlde and seeth hys brother in nede and shutteth vp the intrayles of hys harte from hym howe can the loue and charitie of God remayne in such a person i. Io. iij sayeth the Euangelist Ihon Certes he that hath compassion and pytie of the poore is a great gayner and who so fedeth shal be fedde agayne Seconde Christ byddeth vs here not to iudge and we shall not be iudged For he shall haue iudgemeÌ„te wythout mercy sayth saynt Iames whych sheweth no mercy Iaco. ii Let me alone therfore wyth vengeaunce sayeth the Lorde and I shall requyte But marke my frendes that thys is only spoken of priuate iudgement and priuate condemnation that is to saye I maye not be myne owne iudge I maye not reuenge myne owne quarell but I muste coÌ„mytte the cause to God and he shall iudge my quarel and punysh accordyngly It is not ment of publyke iudgement For suche as be rulers and publyke officers represent not theyr owne persons but they represent the person of almyghty God and they be hys deputies and ministers Ro. xiij And for thys cause saynt Paule woll that euery soule shulde submytte hymselfe to the authoritie of the hygh powers For there is sayeth he no power but of God Yea the iudges and Magistrates in scripture be called Goddes Also saynt Peter thapostle sayeth i. Pet. ij Submytte your selues vnto euery humane creature for our Lordes sake whether it be vnto a kynge as vnto the chefe heade or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of hym for the punyshment of euell doers and prayse of wel doers By thys texte of S. Peter ye se playnly that it is lawfull for rulers to punysh But punysh they can not onles they iudge and condemne the gyltye So thaÌ„ it is lawfull for rulers to iudge and to coÌ„demne bycause they do it not in theyr own name but as gods ministers and vycares To thys do all the auncient expositours and doctours agre as saynte Austine ☜ Hierome Ambrose Chrysostome and the rest Wherfore the wycked Anabaptistes are to be banyshed whych condemne temporall or ciuile iudgementes It foloweth in the texte Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Here my frendes ye se that onles we forgyue other meÌ„ theyr offences whych they haue trespassed agaynst vs our heauenly father woll not surely forgyue vs. And therfore we saye in our pater noster called the Lordes prayer Dimitte nobis debita nostra Math. v sicut nos dimittimê° debitoribus nostris That is to saye Forgyue vs our dettes or synnes euen as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. So yf thou cannest not fynde in thy harte to forgyue thy neyghboure hys faultes thou mayest be ryght sure that god wyl not forgiue the thy faultes He byddeth vs also gyue and it shal be gyuen vnto vs. Math xviij Ro. xiiij For frely haue we taken and therfore frely we ought to gyue What hast thou sayeth Paule but thou hast receyued the same before of almyghty God ij cor ix Surely he that soweth skantly nygardly shall repe skantly Yf we be faythfull stewardes in lytle God wyll surely rewarde vs in muche But he that is vnfaythfull in lytle how can he be faythfull in muche sayeth Christ Wherfore loke with what measure that we mete wythall to others wyth the same shal other men mete to vs agayne I pray you sayeth our Sauiour Christ can the blynde leade the blynde Here he teacheth vs to be contente wyth hys doctrine for els we shal wander lyke blynde betels He is blynde whych hath not the pure ryghte vnderstandynge of gods worde yf thys man teacheth he teacheth not well he can be no good leader or guyde Why seest thou a moate in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame in thyne owne eye O how vncomly how wycked how ypocrite lyke how vncharitable a thynge is it to iudge oure neyghbours of lyghte maters where as we be an hundred tymes worse our selues Why do we not rather geÌ„tly bear dissemble and interprete well the small erroure and faulte of our brethren Why do we not rather go downe to the intrayles of our owne harte Esopes wallet and se our owne stuffe Esope the fable wryter doth very well paynt vs he fayneth that euery man hath two pookes or wallettes the one hangynge before him the other hangynge behynde hym In that whyche hangeth before vs be put other mens faultes Into thys pooke we be alwayes perynge and lokyng but in the other pooke of the wallet whyche hangeth at our backe wherin our own faultes be put we neuer loke Wherfore he wolde haue vs turne the wallet an other whyle the coÌ„trary way Assuredly he ought to be voyde of all faultes that shulde be ready to speake agaynst other meÌ„ Also it is dyrectly agaynst the eyght commaundemente of God to speake any false testimony or worde agaynst thy brother Yet thys notwythstandynge it is lawful for the charitably to monyshe thy neyghboure of hys faulte accordynge to saynt Paules lesson Yf a man be founde in any faulte ye that be goostly reproue suche a person after a gentle sorte Also he sayeth Reproue i. tim v. Esa lviij besech blame tymely vntymely in all pacience Crye cease not as a trompe lyfte vp thy voyce Yf thy brother sayeth Christ trespasse agaynst the Math. xviij go and tell hym hys faulte betwene the and hym alone Yf he heare the thou hast woÌ„ne thy brother but yf he hear the not than take yet with the one or two that in the mouth of two or thre wytnesses euery matter maye be establyshed Yf he heare not
out of our soules the hole body and lompe of synne viciouse nature wherin we be borne In dede so to mortifye synne that we shulde fele no motions therof so loÌ„ge as we be in the body it can not be but yet by goddes holy spirite yf we take good hede we maye so lyue that we shall not serue synne and be led wylfully vnder the dominion therof Wherfore they whyche so loue theyr euell affections that they stryue not agaynst them to subdue them to God wante goddes spirite the gage of theyr saluation and so serue synne as theyr lorde and mayster and therfore be vnder the daunger of synne and deserue the stypende therof whych is euerlastyng deth Rom. vi but he that with good hart and wyll studyeth to resyst and fyght against synne and the motions therof and laboureth to kyll it dayly more and more is now iustifyed from synne that is to saye delyuered from the daunger and penaltye therof Rom. ix For saynt Paule sayeth playnly to the Romaynes Yf ye mortifye the dedes of the fleshe and lustes of the corruptible body ye shal lyue in this epistle he sayeth the same that yf we be folowers of Christ in his death that is in dyeng to synne we beleue certaynly that we shall lyue wyth hym Christe ones was rysen froÌ„ death and dyeth nomore death shall nomore haue power of hym for in that he dyed sayeth oure epistle he dyed ones for all and by hys ones dyenge he destroyed synne for euer He dyed ones to synne and after he was ones deade he was neuer assauted of synne after but quyte discharged of it and nowe lyueth to God and euermore shall he enioye the lyfe whych he is now attayned vnto and shall neuer dye agayne Euen so suppose you youre selues deade to synne that is to saye thynke youre selues so to be discharged from synne that Christe hath destroyed the power therof for you as ye conforme your selfe to the lyfe of vertue In baptysme ye dye to synne and promyse to lyue to ryghtuousnes and therfore yf ye kepe youre promyse you be deade to synne and synne is vtterly deade in you so that ye folowe not the lustes therof Euen so the lyfe whych you now lyue is to God and to hys pleasure Ye lyue now by your fayth in ryghtuousnes which commeth by Iesus Christ our Lorde not of any workes of ryghtuousnes whyche we haue done sayeth S. Paule lest we shulde glorye in our selfe for thys lyfe of grace wherin we lyue before God TituÌ„ iij But of his mercy hath he saued vs thorow the fouÌ„tayne of baptysme wherin we be new borne agayne and renewed by the holy goost to lyue thys newe lyfe acceptable before god And as by the mercy of our Lorde we be set in thys lyfe of grace and strenghthed by hys gracyouse spirite to contynue vs therin no more to retorne and fall to synne and to the lustes therof euen so is the lyfe of glory which we now tary for in hope the gyfte of almyghty God thorow the merites and purchasynge of Christe Iesu Rom. vi i. cor i that all myghte be of God and no fleshe shulde glorye in his syght but he that wyll glory let hym glorye in the Lorde Nowe my frendes these thynges afore rehersed wel consydered let vs diligently laboure wyth oure selues to mortifye and subdue the euell desyres of our fleshe Yf we wyll haue any parte of Christes death and resurrection let vs kepe batayl wyth the flesh and beware we be not subdued therof We do boast of Christ in vayne yf we serue the desyre of synne For it is not ynough to say that we be christen men and that we pertayne to Christe i. Io. ij for he that sayeth he abyde in Christ as wryteth saynt Ihon must in such wyse walke in hys lyfe as Christ walked in hys for it is not he sayeth our Sauiour whyche sayeth to me Lorde Mat. xij Lorde that shal enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen How much then are they deceyued whych in such wyse do fansye of Christ and hys death that they care not into what synne they fall continue in only trustyng vaynly vpon the merytes of the same where here saynt Paule affirmeth that we shall neuer lyue wyth Christ excepte we mortifye our euyll affections and desyres and lyue in ryghtuousnes Heb. xi For though God requyreth fayth as the fyrste entre to come to Christe yet he requyreth also that out of thys fayth shulde springe good and vertuouse lyuyng Fyrst he sayeth in the gospel of saynt Marke Marc. i. Repent and beleue the Gospell It is no fayth that hath not repentaunce It is a vayne repentaunce wherin be espyed no workes of repentaunce Nowe the workes of true repentaunce be feare and drede of God hatred of synne purpose of amendemente diligence to watch agaynst the euell motions of syn Surely ther is no fayth where the spirite of God is not And there is not the spirite of God but the spirite of the deuell where such frutes be raygnyng as be adultery fornication wantonnes hatred stryfe enuye wrath coÌ„tention sedition partestakyng Gal. v. murther dronkennes and excesse The doers of these yf they repent not shall neuer be inheritours with Christ how much so euer they boast of Christ And agaynst these must we dayly fight to subdue them yf we wil be of Christes flocke For as saynt Hierom wryteth Ne semel putemus ardorem fidei posse sufficere Hiero. suê‘ mathe x. semper crux portanda est vt semper Christum amare doceamur Ita apostolus portabat iugiter carnis mortificationem in corpore suo quod qui facit omni tempore semper orat semper poenitet c. Let vs not thinke that the feruentnesse of fayth can ones suffyse euermore must the crosse be borne that so we maye be taught euer to loue Christ Thus dyd the apostle beare coÌ„tinually the mortification of the fleshe in hys body August ad Iuli. lib. iiij cap. iij whych thynge he that doth dothe praye alwaye and repent alwaye Also saint Austine sayeth Whosoeuer is wythout the fayth which worketh by charitie though he seme to repent doynge it but faynedly is an euel tree and of such a tree what sayeth saynt Ihon baptyst Mat. iij. Euery tree whych bryngeth not forth good frute shal be cut vp and cast into the fyer Let vs my frendes all vayne presumptions and false trustes cast awaye labour to performe our promyse whych we made at the fount stone let vs I saye renounce the deuell and hys suggestions and serue Christ our Lorde and mayster by the true workes of ryghtuousnes Let vs watch daylye agaynst oure euell dispositions that we maye lyke obedient chyldren of God glorifye God in oure lyfe i. Ioh. iij In so doynge we shall persuade oure owne hartes that we pertayne to hym
leseth all spirituall consolation and comforte Then after he commeth to speake in a great humilitie of the grace whych Iesus Christ hath gyuen him And after all he sayeth he hath bene sene by me he hath appeared vnto me whyche am as an abortiue creature For I am the least of the Apostles whyche am not worthy to be called an Apostle for I haue persecuted the church of God but I am that I am apostle amonge the Gentyls in fayth and in trouth I am that that I am not by my workes not by my merytes but by the grace of God And hys grace sayeth he hath not ben ydle in me As yf he wolde saye I haue not hyd the talent of gold whyche my mayster lorde Iesu Christ toke me to bestowe but I haue made it to gayne more then any other I haue laboured more abundauntly then they all But not I yet but the grace of God whych is in me Saint Paule in speakynge of hys owne person and of hys grace whyche he receyued of God speaketh vnto vs teachyng vs by hys exemple that we ought to presume nothynge of our selues but to yelde all vnto God vnderstande that all cometh from hym The ecclesiastes sayeth speakynge of the See The waters returne vnto the place from whence they come forth to th ende that they may runne agayne In lyke maner we must sende agayne and knowlege God to be all grace to th ende that he maye alwayes augment it vnto vs vnto the tyme that we maye come wyth hym into hys glorye for to prayse hym exalte hym perpetually to glorifye hym Amen The Gospell on the .xi. sonday after Trinitie The .xviij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The parable of the Pharise and Publicane IEsus put forth thys parable vnto certayn which trusted in themselues that they were perfite and despised other Two men wente vp into the temple to praye the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The pharise stode and prayed thus wyth hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorsioners vniust aduoutrers or as thys publicane I fast twyse in the weke I gyue tyth of all that I possesse And the publicane standynge afarre of wolde not lyfte vp his eyes to heuen but smote vpon hys brest sayenge God be mercyfull to me a synner I tell you thys man departed home to hys house iustifyed more thā the other For euery one that exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted MY frendes and brethrē in our Sauiour Christ Iesu I do you well to vnderstande that there was somtyme amonges the Iues and is yet at thys daye amonges christen folke a certayne pharisaicall kynde of iuste or ryghtuous persons whyche haue theyr cōfidence and trust in theyr owne workes and whych presumptuouslye seke to themselues laude prayse of iustice therby Psalm xiiij where as afore God as wytnesseth the prophete there is no ryghtuous persone Neyther dyd they only stāde foolyshly in theyr owne conceytes and pleased well themselues but also in comparison of themselues they dispraysed and also despysed others as synfulle and worldlye persones where as in very dede the humblenes and modestie of suche as be synners and the condēnation of themselues wyth request of mercy is muche more regarded and is more acceptable to God than is the proude and arrogant workynge of such pharisaical persōs Wherfore against such pharisaical rightuous folke and for the cōforte of such sinners as displease themselues and be hartely sory for theyr mysordred lyfe our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ dyd propoune thys parable or similitude vnto the Iues by them to all the worlde It befell so sayeth Christ that two certayne persons wente vp to the temple or churche for to praye the one was a Pharise that is to saye one that diuideth hymselfe as better from the multitude cōmon sorte of men Origine accordynge to Origenes interpretacion the other was a publicane that is to saye a customer a gatherer of toll or tribute or such other common officer deputed for such purposes The pharise standynge nye to the hygh aultare as one that thought hymselfe worthy to talke presently wyth God thus began to praye wyth himselfe God I thanke the that I am not lyke to the rest of folke whych lyue by rauyne pyllage and extorcion which do increase theyr substaunce by fraude and crafte which defyle other mens beddes wyth aduoutrye or finally whych bearynge any sklaunderouse rowme or office do pyll and poll the people of God or holy church as is thys publicane thys tribute gatherer thys collectour I am not riottouse and sumptuous in my fare and apparell as is the common sorte of people I fast twyse a weke and in somuch defraude I noman that also I distribute the tenth parte of my goodes vpon the poore people Thys was the prayer of the swellynge and proude pharise whyche albeit he reapported of hymselfe the trouth and thāked God yet he displeased the eyes of God euen bycause he pleased hymselfe flatterynge hymselfe and beynge cōtumeliouse agaynst hys neyghboure On the contrarye the publicane altogether displeasyng hymselfe for the knowlege of hys synnes stode a great waye of from the aultare beynge so ashamed of hymselfe and penitent that he durst not ones lyft vp hys eyen to heauen but strake hys brest sayeng Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori That is to say God be thou mercyfull vnto me a synner The pharise thought it ynough to gyue God thankes supposynge that he lacked nothynge that shulde be requisyte vnto perfyte holynes and therfore he confessed no offenses wheras in very dede euen in hys selfe prayers he synned moost greuouslye in that he boasted of hymselfe and despysed the penitent persone beynge an arrogant prayser of hymselfe and a rashe accuser of hys neyghbour Contrarye the publicane made no rehersall at all of hys good dedes Only acknowlegynge and confessynge hys naughtynes he knocketh hys brest condemnyng hymselfe and humbly beggynge grace and pardon of hys offenses My frendes woll ye knowe the conclusion and ende of thys sondrye and dyuerse prayer That same publicane whych came a synner into the church by Christes owne sentence and determination went home in the syght of God more iust and ryghtuouse than that pharise whyche thought hymselfe moost ryghtuouse For assuredly whosoeuer auaunceth hymselfe wyth hymself shal be deiected cast downe in the eyen of God And whosoeuer deiecteth and casteth hymselfe downe wyth hymselfe shal be hygh in the eyen of god By thys parable then good people let vs lerne to humble and lowly our selues Let vs lerne whan we be out of gods fauoure for the haynousnes of our sinnes by due penaunce to reconcile our selues agayne and to purchase remission of the same Austine I call penaūce accordynge to saynt Austines definicion a dayly payne and greue of the good and lowly christians wherin we knocke our brestes sayenge
saye the newe testament differrynge from the olde in asmuch as in the one the old man is hedged in wyth the straytes of feare but in the other the new man walketh at large in the wydenes of charitie For the prohibicion of sinne bycause it is a lawe vndoubtedly increaseth the desyre of sinnynge whych is not quenched but by the cōtrary desyre of doynge well where fayth worketh by loue Hythervnto I haue reported the wordes of S. Austine whych doth full well expounde and declare vnto vs the sentence meanynge of the Apostle Paule in thys epistle whose only mynde and purpose is to prouoke vs to loue esteme and folowe the holy and syncere gospell by the whych the holy goost is gyuē vnto vs and by the whych we be newly borne agayne and lyuynge in spirite or goost and no more after a fleshly sorte God gyue vs the grace that it maye be shedde ouer all the worlde as the foure floddes of paradyse as a see flowynge as floddes rysynge in lyfe eternal that euery body may drinke plentefully of eternall lyfe to thys ende purpose that we may altogether prayse and glorifye God euerlastyngly by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome be al honour Amen The Gospel on the .xij. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ The healynge of the deafe and dombe man IEsus departed agayne from the coastes of Tyre and Sidon and came vnto the see of Galile thorowe the myddes of the coastes of the ten cyties And they brought vnto hym one that was deaffe and hadde an impedimente in hys speche and they prayed hym to put hys hande vpon hym And whā he had taken him asyde from the people he put his fyngers into hys eares and dyd spyt and touched his tonge and loked vp to heauen and syghed and sayd vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayght waye hys eares were opened and the strynge of hys tonge was loused and spake plaine And he commaunded them that they shulde tell no man But the more he forbad them so muche the more a great deale they published sayeng he hath done all thynges wel he hath made both the deafe to heare and the dombe to speake THe Gospell redde in the church thys day good christen people teacheth vs that after that our sauiour Christ had priuely stolen away out of Iewry and had amonges the Tyrians Sidonians and Cananites secretlye sowen there the sede of his holy worde he reflected hys iourney and came agayne to the lake of Galilee takynge in hys waye the region of Decapoly where before that tyme he had healed a man possessed of a deuell Whan he was come hyther they brought vnto hym a ryght myserable spectacle that is to saye a man both deafe and dombe For he muste nedes be dombe whyche is of nature deafe ☞ But he is more myserably deafe whych hath no mete eares to heare gods word he is worse dōbe whych hath no tonge to confesse hys fylthynes and gods mercy By hearynge of the fayth is the begynnynge of health and saluation and by confession of the mouth is the perfection of helth The Iues albeit they dayly herde Iesus speakyng yet hearynge they herde not for asmuch as accordynge to thexemple of the serpent called the Aspik whyche stoppeth her eares agaynst the voyce of the wyse inchaunter The propertie of the Aspike they wolde not beleue such thynges as they herde And therfore they had a tonge to backbyte and detracte but they had no tōge to the holsome professiō of faith But what shal this sely poore mā do which hath no tonge wherewyth he maye craue hys soule helth of the Lorde whych hath no eares wherby he maye perceyue the voyce of Iesus whych is wonte to rayse euen the deade to lyfe They that had tonges and eares do helpe the sely mā they brynge him to Iesus They besech hym of hys tēder mercy that he woll vouchsaue to laye hys hande vpon hym Thus it pleaseth the moost mercyfull Lorde that euen other mens fayth shuld helpe synners Other mens fayth otherwhyles helpeth In lykewyse the hethen person whych is about to leaue his hethen lyfe to become christianed in which state he is called of the aūcient fathers of the church catechumenus is brought to Iesus he hath stynted to do euel he hath stinted to speake euel but he hath not yet lerned to do wel he hath not yet lerned to cōfesse the goodnes of the gospel For how cā he do thys yf Iesus lay not hys hāde vpō hym Mē labour in vayne onles the secrete power and vertue of Christ be put therto It was an easy thynge for the Lorde euen wyth the bare worde of hys mouth to gyue helth to the deafe and dombe man but thys forme of thynges is purposed and set forth vnto vs. For lyke as for the moost parte it is a parable that Christ speaketh so oftentymes it is a parable that he doth He toke the man by the hāde led hym asyde frō the multitude of people He is saufe whom Iesus taketh vp whō he leadeth away frō the hurley burly of thys worlde He put hys fyngers into hys eares and wyth hys spyttell touched hys tonge Assuredly my frendes ☜ helth and saluacion is then at hande whan our sauioure Christe Iesus by the vertue of hys spirite The allegorie whych is the fynger of God vouchsaueth to touch the eares of oure mynde and as often as wyth the spyttell of the heauenly wysedome whych is hymselfe commynge out from the mouth of the father aboue he vouchsaueth to touche the tonge of oure mynde to thintent that those thynges myght sauour vnto vs which belōge to God and be godly For wythout thys humour is made no taste mans spyttell yf it be infected hath a peruerse iudgement Thys spettell not onely louseth the tonge but also openeth the eyen of him that is borne blynde as often as beynge myxed with earth it be layde vpon the eyes wheras on the contraryesyde ☞ the spettel of philosophers and of pharisees do rather put out the eyes The same thynge in maner do also the teachers of the gospell They take men and leade them awaye from the multitude whā out of the broade way wherin the moost parte of people do walke into theyr owne damnacion they cal them backe and brynge them agayne to the felowship of the lytle flocke They put theyr fyngers into theyr eares whan by callynge them awaye from the vanities of thys worlde they sturre them to receyue the heauenly doctrine They laye spettell vpon theyr tōges whan they exhorte them to professe the euangelicall fayth they laye theyr handes vpon them whā they gyue the holy goost to such as be baptised by whome theyr synnes be wyped awaye and innocencie is conferred But all these thynges the curate or byshop doth outwardlye in vayne yf Christe worke not wythin and sende out hys godly vertue frō heauen
do hys workes Then we must for to be renued in our hartes haue nede that the gyftes and graces of God maye abyde there in stede of the concupiscences whyche the deuell hath put there by the synne of Adam As agaynst couetousnesse mercy and lyberalitie Agaynst lechery continence chastite Against pryde and rygoure frendshyp mekenes and all humilitie Agaynst hathered and rancor loue and charitie Agaynst iniquitie and synne iustice al grace And thus we shal be newly arrayed wyth the newe man Iesu Christ whych by hys holy spirite shal make vs also new men holy men and vertuouse mē lyuynge no more in foule and stynkynge synne as we were wont to do but walkyng in newnes of lyfe by the grace of God by whom we shal be iustifyed and truly sanctifyed And for bycause he is all trouth yf we wolde abyde in hym we muste cast out and put from vs al lyes and false tales the whych from our byrth is conioyned and euen knytte fast vnto oure fleshe Omnia homo mendax For as the prophete sayeth All men be lyers they haue spoken vanities and false thynges from theyr byrth And god alone is veritable euē trouth it selfe the whych wylleth that we speake trouth one to an other for we be all mēbers of hys body which is hys church and spouse whych spouse ought to be gouerned ledde conducted by the spirite of trouth And thys spirite of trouth yf it dwell in vs shall doubtles gyue vs all holy zele and a certayne godly angre agaynst synne whych shal be wythout synne As in seynge the blyndnes and the vnhappynes of the poore synners we shal be sorowfull and heuy As it is wrytten in the .iij. chapter of saynt Marke that our sauiour Iesu Christ whan he dyd se the wyckednes of the scribes and pharisees he was sore troubled and heuy wyth anger for the blyndnes of theyr hartes But here my frendes we must be well ware that thys anger be not agaynst our christen brother but agaynst the wycked enemye and the synne And also that it do not abyd ouerlonge in our hartes for feare that it shulde happen that the sonne of iustice whych is Iesu Christe shulde byde and go downe from vs for our anger and yre for in leauynge god we shulde gyue place to the deuell Fynally the Apostle doth admonysh vs that they whych haue ben theues and robbers that they shuld do nomore theftes robberies but rather that they shulde laboure wyth theyr handes in good workes not by auaryce or couetousnes for to waxe ryche but for to ayde charitably and reliefe theyr christen brethrē which haue nede and pouertie And in doynge thys God shal be in lykewyse mercyfull vnto vs and shall haue pitie of vs. For he loueth mercy more than sacrifice as our sauiour Christ hymselfe recordeth After thys wyse yf we fynyshe the course of oure lyfe we maye truste that the crowne of iustice is layde vp for vs whych our Lorde shall render vnto vs who is a iust iudge as S. Paule sayeth ij ti iiij For he shall render vnto euery man accordynge to hys workes We shal sayeth Paule be set before the trone of Christ to beare a waye accordynge as we haue done in our bodye ij cor v. eyther good or euell Let oure fayth then brynge forth worthy frutes of christianite that by gods grace we maye be crowned accordyngly To whome be al glorie and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie The .ix. chapter of Mathew Th argument ☞ Iesus forgyueth the sycke man of the palsey hys synnes and healeth hym IEsus entred into a shyppe and passed ouer and came into hys owne cytie and beholde they brought to hym a man sycke of the palsye lyenge in a bed And whan Iesus saw the fayth of them he sayd vnto the sycke of the palsye sōne be of good chere thy synnes be forgyuen the. And behold certayne of the scribes sayd wythin themselues thys man blasphemeth And whan Iesus sawe theyr thoughtes he said wherfore thinke ye euel in your hartes Whether is easyer to saye thy synnes be forgyuen the or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgyue synnes in earth Then sayeth he vnto the sycke of the palsye aryse take vp thy bed and go vnto thy house And he arose and departed to hys house But the people that sawe it maruayled and glorifyed God whych had gyuen such power vnto men MY welbeloued brethrē and frendes the cytie of Iesu Christ as noteth Chrysostomus the holy doctour of the church is Capharnaum Chrysostome the whyche is called hys cytie forbycause that in leuynge Nazareth he wente and dwelled there and also for the noble sermons and great myracles whych he dyd oftē there as also now he doth one whych we ought wel to marke and note for therin is comprysed for vs noble and helthfull instruction Fyrste of all then we ought to consyder that our Sauiour Iesu Christe hath perceyued and beholden the fayth of them that dyd beare the man hauynge the palsey but here is no mention at al made of the great payne that they toke For saynt Marke in the seconde chapter and saynt Luke in the .v. chapter do reherce thys selfe myracle and say that they vncouered the house and so dyd let downe the bedde wherin the sycke man of the palsey laye before oure Lorde for bycause that ther was so great multitude of people that dyd folowe hym that they coulde not come nere vnto hym Notwythstandynge all thys ther is made no mencion here but of theyr fayth and trust instructynge vs that God doth not so greatlye esteme oure outwarde workes though that they be fayre and in apparaūce good yf we haue not fayth by charitie workynge in vs the whych only and her workes he estemeth For certes what soeuer procedeth not of fayth whych is the roote and foundacion of al good workes is synne as thapostle S. Paule doth wytnesse Ro. xiij And therfore the prophete Hieromie sayeth Iere. v. Lorde God thy eyes do beholde the fayth Therfore sayd our lord vnto the paralitique Sōne haue hope be of good chere thy synnes be forgyuē the shewyng vnto vs that our sinnes is the sycknes that god wyl principally heale of the whych aboue al thinges we ought to desyre the healyng which is the remission whych we shal haue not by outward workes done wtout fayth but by the fayth cōfidēce that we shal haue in Iesu Christ in returning agayn vnto him for al our businesses aswel spirituall as corporall as vnto our creatour redemer whych is only myghty ynough for to help vs prīcipally for to pardō our synnes which is the moost daungerous syckenesse that can be to mākynde for by the same we dye of euerlastynge death And forbycause that the scribes and doctours of the lawe dyd not beleue that Christe was
meakenes and mercye The whyche it shall please thys greate kynge to graunte vs vnto whom we be all so greate detters the father of mercy by our Lorde Iesus Christe by whom he hathe done and doth mercy vnto all To whom be gyuen al honour glory and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Pystle on the .xxiij. Sonday after Trinyte sonday The thyrde chapiter to the Philippians Th argument ☞ Paule exhorteth vs to folowe him and such other holy men in lyuinge BRethrē be folowers together of me and loke on them whiche walke euen so as ye haue vs for an ensample For many walke of whom I haue tolde you often and now tell you wepynge that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is dānacion whose bely is their god and glory to theyr shame whych are worldly mynded But our cōuersacion is in heauen from whence we loke for the sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ which shall chaunge our vyle bodye that he may make it lyke vnto his glorious body according to the workyng wherby he is hable also to subdue all thinges vnto him selfe SAynt Paul my welbeloued frendes doth exhort vs in this epistle that we shuld be his folowers that is to saye that we shulde lyue lyke vnto him folowynge the worde of fayth and of grace whyche is the truthe of the gospell and that we shulde so folowe the fourme and rule which is giuen vnto vs and that we shuld take exemple of them which lyue according to the same For there be some other whyche be enemyes vnto the gospel and vnto the crosse that is to say of the tribulatiōs suffred by Iesu Christ louyng the glory of the worlde which is confusion makyng god of theyr bely and they be not to be followed but occcasion to vepe For our glory our lyfe and conuersacion is not in earthly thynges but in heauēly thynges from whence also we do abyde our Lorde Iesu Christe at his seconde commyng which shal forme our body of newe beyng now vyle abiect corruptible mortall into a body noble profytable incorruptible immortall And he shall fygure and chaunge it vnto the similytude of the clearnesse and glorye of hys body by the power that he hath for to make all thynges to obey at hys wyll ☜ Wherfore the apostle prayeth vs and it is good reason that we shuld so do that we do kepe ourselues stedfaste in the rule and cōuersation of the Gospell Paules glorye And thys he reputeth and taketh to be hys crowne and hys glorye yf that by hys exhortation and motion we do thus Yt is charitie that thus constreyneth the hartes of faythfull men for to desyre the saluation of euery bodye And thys charytie dyd not alonly extende vnto men but also vnto women of the which here he prayeth sōme of them that is to wit Euodia and Synticha that they shulde vnderstande none other thinge but only this forme and rule of the gospell And yet furthermore he prayeth an other whyche he calleth his dere beloued felowe that she wolde helpe all them whych had laboured wyth him and wyth Clement vnto the furtheraunce promotion of the gospell of whome sayth he the names be wrytten in the boke of liefe And what helpe doth he desyre that she shuld do vnto them but only to comforte and strengthe them in this purpose for to drawe alweyes the other aswell the virgins as the olde women vnto the fayth and vnto the doctrine of the gospel the whych is the only rule of lief that of eternal life Then my frēdes as wel men as womē let vs hold this only rule Let vs teache them that be not so perfite as we oure selues be Let vs take exemple of them whych be iuste stedfaste in fayth and ernest louers of the Gospell Let vs haue in abhomination the lyfe of the enemyes of the Gospell and of them that do not set by the paynes trauayles afflictions death passyon that our Lord hath suffred for to redeme vs and them and for to gyue vs the celestiall treasures And let vs wepe in our hartes for theyr myscheuous and abhominable lyfe prayeng vnto God that he wyll gyue them light and that they maye not trouble any by theyr euyll lyfe and wicked exemple Let our hartes be where oure treasure is whych is in heauen and not in the earth Let vs be stedfast and vnchaungeable in this fayth and purpose of the Gospel Let vs laboure as well men as women that all maye come vnto thys light vnto the only worde of God lyuynge Let vs cōforte them in thys that we all haue but one doctrine one God and one helper Let all our hope be there as was the hope of saynt Paule and of Clement of Euodia of Syntycha and of all the other faythfull and true christen people of the fyrste and primatyue churche And be we then well assured that oure names shal be wrytten with them in heuen euen in the boke of liefe vnto the glory of the father of heuē and our lorde Iesu Christe Amen The Gospel on the .xxiij. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ Christe is demaunded whether it be lawfull to paye tribute to Cesar or not THe pharisees went and toke councel how they myght tangle hym in his wordes And they sente oute vnto hym their disciples with Herodes seruaūtes saiēg Master we know that thou art true and teachest the waye of god truly neyther careste thou for eny man for thou regardest not the outwarde apparaunce of men Tell vs therfore howe thinkest thou Is it lawful that tribute be gyuen vnto Cesar or not But Iesus perceyuing their wickednes sayde Why tempte ye me ye ypocrites shewe me the tribute money And they toke him a peny And he sayde vnto them whose is this ymage and superscription They sayde vnto him Cesars Then sayed he vnto them Geue therfore vnto Cesar the thinges which are Cesars and vnto god those thinges that are godes THe Gospell of this present sondaye good people putteth before vs the malice of the pharasies which did send their disciples wyth the Herodians S. Hierome which herodians after the mynd of saynte Hierom were the souldiours of Herod for the pharasies durst not go themselues for feare of the people wherfore they sent theyr disciples wyth these souldiours for to attrappe our Lorde and to fynde out some occasion for to delyuer hym to death And they came subtylly accordyng to the malyce of the worlde and of the fleshe flattering and sayeng maister This is the first simulation of hypocrites saythe Chrysostomus to praise them whome we go aboute to destroy and vndo Chrysostomus super Mat. And therfore they breake out into prayse sayeng Maister we knowe that thou arte rightfull a teller of trouth They call him maister to thintēt that beynge nowe honoured and praysed of them he myght open simplely the secretes of hys harte vnto them as desyrouse to
wyth an issue of blod twelue yeres cam behind him and touched the hem of hys vesture For she sayd wythin her selfe if I maye touche but euen his vesture only I shal be safe But Iesus turned hym aboute and when he sawe her he sayde Doughter be of good comforte thy faythe hath made the safe And the woman was made hole euen that same tyme. THys Gospell good christen audience doth put before our eyes how moche that our fayth and hope in god our sauiour doth please hym and is to hym gratefull and acceptable and whych thing our lorde doth shewe vs here by the faythe of a prince of the Sinagoge which as sayeth saynte Marke was named Iayrus And albeit that hys fayth and confidence in god was vnperfite yet neuerthelesse oure lorde did applye and graunte to his prayer yea and wente also with him for to rayse his doughter which was nere deade and in dede she dyed In whyche thing the holy doctour Remigius sayth that the humilite and mildnes of our lorde is moche to be wondered at and also to be folowed of vs by exemple Remigius For forthwith as sone as he was desired he beganne to folowe him that desired him Wherin he instructeth sayth thys doctour both subiectes and also prelates To subiectes he hath left an exemple of obedience To prelates he did demōstrate and shewe howe they ought to be instaunte and paynfull in the office of teachynge that as often as they here tell of any parson to be deade in soule they shulde study forthwyth to be at hand and presente with hym to reuiele and rayse him vp agayn euen as our sauiour Christ of hys most tendre pitie and mercy was ready forthwith at the humble sute of this ruler to go with him to rayse vp his doughter And if that he had had as perfecte fayth as he which saied lord I am not worthy that thou shuldest entre in to my howse but only saye the worde and my chylde shal be hole he myght haue healed her wyth a worde and saye be it done to the according vnto thy faith and it shuld haue bene so but he did to him accordinge vnto hys fayth and so he doth to vs. He had thus moche fayth that if he touched her she shulde lyue and so was it therfore done to hym according vnto his fayth He shewed it vs also by the woman whych had the blody flyxe by the space of .xij. yeres the whyche had thys fayth in him that if she touched alonly hys garmēt she shuld be healed She did touche it and she had accordinge vnto her fayth not that she had her fayth in the garmente or that the garmente shulde heale her but her fayth and her hope was in Iesu Christ For assuredly the vertue of her healinge did not come from the garment but from our lord Iesu Christ as he saied I haue knowne that power is issued oute from me For certes she touched oure lorde inuisibly by fayth and the garment visibly by signe of fayth And therfore oure Lorde sayde vnto her Daughter haue full hope and be of good chere thy fayth hath made that to be saued for he did vnto her accordīg vnto her fayth Then the gospel dothe shew vs here that if we haue right perfyte fayth ther shal be done vnto vs accordinge to our fayth ☞ O that mortall men and women wold haue this perfecte fayth working by charytie confidēce and thys trust in our lorde Iesus Chryst Our lord did neuer denye any whych hath had stedfast fayth hope in hym If we be in neuer so great sickenes of synne yea if we be deade by synne yet yf we praye vnto hym and desyre him of pardon hauīg full hope and faythe in him that in asking it of hym we shal be healyd and iustified that is for to saie that our sinnes shal be pardomd and that we shal be reuiued frō the death of synne assuredlye it shal be so done vnto vs and we shal heare thys swete answere Thy fayth hath saued the. And the gospel is ful of the same that he wyl do to vs according to oure fayth Wherfore let vs haue stedfast fayth in all the promysses of the wordes of God and then shal be accomplished in all hys promysses Faythe without charitie is nothinge worth But thys fayth is a liuely fayth which worketh by charitie The sōne which shyneth gyueth no heate dothe not gyue lyfe to any thyng no more doth faiyh without charitie If thou haue thys fayth that Iesu Christ is dead for the and for to put awaye thy synnes it is soo and thy synnes be put awaye and hys death is thine and the merite of hys death thyne If thou beleue also not faynedly but truly that he is risen agayne for thy iustificatiō it is soo and his resurrection is thyne thy iustification and thou art truly iustified if thou so perseuer cōtinue in godly lyuing as becommeth a christen man And thus of all the other wordes of God and of the holy scripture the whych is clene hydde frō vs and made darke and vnprofitable without thys working faith and agayne all open and shyninge by thys fayth It is it that is alwayes sene of God and is neuer denyed in all signes and meruels in al holy reuiuinges of God For to be healed of all syckenesses and death we nede principally thys lyuely and workyng fayth whych is the most beloued grace of God The womā hadde none other thynge to be healed of her bloudy flixe The prince of the synagoge hadde none other thynge for to haue hys doughter reysed from death to lyffe For to be inheritour vnto the kyngdome of heauen is required this fayth that I now speake of as first chife foūdatiō of all together What wolde you that I shulde saye vnto you There is nothyng impossible vnto fayth Wherfore then lette vs praye vnto oure Lorde Iesu Christe whyche is auctour of fayth that he maye giue vs this fayeth to thintent that we maye praye laude and glorifie him so as he wold be prayed that he wol not denye or hyde any thing vnto them whych so do praye hym in fayeth but that he woll enflambe them from daye to daye for to luoe feare honoure and serue hym more and more and to praye hym the more feruentlye vnto the glorie of the celestiall father whyche giueth vs all in hym and by hym in thys world and in the other by glorie eternally Amen The epistle on the .xxv. sonday after Trinitie sonday which is the nexte sondaie before Aduent sonday Ieremias .xxxiij. Th argument ☞ The prophecye of Hieremye concerninge the raygne of Christe BRetherne beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the lorde that I wyll rayse vp the ryghteous braunche of Dauid whych shall beare rule and discusse maters with wisdome and shal set vp equitie and righteousnes agayne in the erthe In hys tyme shall Iuda be saued and Israel shal dwell wythoute feare And
wantōnes worshyppynge of ymages wytchcraft hatred variaunce zele wrath stryfe sediciō sectes enuyeng murther dronkennes glottony and suche lyke of the whych I tell you before as I haue tolde you in tymes past that they whych commytte such thynges shall not be inheritours of the kyngdome of God Contrarely they frute of the spirite is loue ioye peace longe sufferynge gentlenes goodnes faythfulnes mekenes temperancy Agaynst suche there is no lawe They that are Christes haue crucifyed the flesh wyth the affections and lustes MY welbeloued brethren and systers in Christe ye muste well consyder and vnderstande that the lyfe of a christen man and womā in thys present worlde is as who shulde saye a continuall warfare a dayly batell and fyghtynge accordynge to the sayeng of Iob. Iob. vij Mans lyfe is on erth a warfare And ye shall furthermore vnderstande that the greatest aduersarie the greatest enemye the mā hath is him selfe Neyther hath mā any thinge so harde and so strōge an enemye to ouercome as hys owne flesh his owne stubborne and rebellous mynde and lust forasmuch as of our owne corrupt natures we be inclined to al naughtynes and euels as it is wrytten in the boke of Genesis Ge. viij The vnderstandinge and ymaginacion of mans harte is euell euen from hys youth The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite to the flesh Ioh. iij Wherfore yf we be not regenerate yf we be not borne agayne yf we be not purged clensed renewed by the spirite of God and so gouerned and directed in al our procedinges and doynges of the same surely we shall neuer enter into the kyngdome of heuen and thys is it that saint Paule doth here tel vs of He byddeth vs walke in the spirite that is to say cast awaye our olde corrupt nature and put on vs a new nature that is to saye a spirituall nature a new man so shall we not fulfyll the lustes and desyres of the flesh As who shulde say Albeit your flesh wrastleth and fyghteth agaynst your spirite whyche ye haue obtayned by Christ and againe your spirite agaynst your fleshe bycause it is not yet throughlye mortifyed nor crucifyed in such wyse that somtyme ye do not the thynge that ye wold fayne do through the infirmitie and weakenes of the fleshe whyche ye haue not yet fully conquered yet thys notwythstandynge se ye go styll on and walke accordynge to the spirite Folowe I saye the thynges of the spirite as holy meditacions readynges of scripture deuoute prayers abstinence of the body and all godly exercises Thus doynge ye shall growe stronge in the spirite ye shal be hable by gods grace and assistence to wythstande the lustes and desyres of the flesh and of the corrupte nature yea ye shal be new mē spirituall men conducted led and gouerned by the holy spirit of god ye shall then embrase the wyll of God frelye without compulsion and not as bondmen to the law Ye shall then be enfraunchised from the thraldome of the deuell Then shall charitie worke more in you than any outwarde lawe can do i. tim i. For a lawe is not made for iust and parfyte persons but to brydel and represse the lustes of synfull persons of carnall and beastly folke for as a certayne Philosopher sayeth Plato Of the euell maners of men dyd good lawes take begynnynge For yf all men wold do as they ought to do we shulde nede no lawes Good men therfore be not vnder the lawe For to be vnder the lawe is to be in seruile feare and not to do the lawe frely And bycause ye shulde knowe the better whan ye walke fleshly and whan spiritually the Apostle S. Paule setteth forth vnto vs the frutes of the fleshe and the frutes of the spirite Workes of the fleshe The workes of the fleshe sayeth he be easely knowen whych are these aduoutrye letchery vnclennes ydolatrye wytchcraft poysonynge hatred stryfe hartbrennynge fume chafynge discorde heresies sectes enuye dronkennes ryotte surfettynge and such lyke Of these foule vyces and frutes of the corrupte nature I tell you before sayeth saynt Paule that who so euer do them onles he ryse agayne by dew penaunce shall neuer inherite the kyngdome of God On the contrarye syde the frute of the spirite is loue charitie ioye peace wyth all men pacience sufferaunce myldnes lyberalitie faythfulnes meknes temperaūce And against such persons sayeth S. Paule as shew these frutes surely there is no lawe i. tim i. For as sayde is the lawe is made for the other sorte of men whych be iniust and disobedient it is not ordeyned for the chyldren of the spirite whych be infraunchysed and whyche be wyllyngly wythout compulsion obedient ynough For the chyldren of the spirite I meane all suche whych belonge vnto Iesu Christ haue mortifyed and crucifyed and do cōtinually mortifye and crucifye theyr fleshe theyr vyces and concupiscences by the power of the spirite that raygneth in them as S. Paul dyd sayenge i. cor ix I tame my bodye and brynge it into subiection Assuredly my frendes the chyldren of the spirite be now nomore subiecte to the fleshe but the fleshe rather is subiecte vnto them or at lest wayes vnto the spirite whych is in them Our Lorde graūt that hys spirite maye so worke in vs by hys lyuely word that we maye eschue the workes of the fleshe and folowe the frutes and workes of the same spirite by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome wyth the father and holy goost thre persons and one God be rēdred all honoure glorie prayse and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie The .xvij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christ healeth the .x. lepers AS Iesus wente to Hierusalem he passed thorowe Samaria and Galile And as he entred in to a certayne towne there met hym ten men that were lepers Whych stode afarre of and put forth theyr voyces and sayd Iesu mayster haue mercye on vs. When he sawe them he sayd vnto them Go shewe your selues vnto the prestes And it came to passe that as they wente they were clensed And one of them when he sawe that he was clensed turned backe agayne and with a loude voyce praysed God and fell downe on hys face at hys fete gaue hym thankes And the same was a Samaritane And Iesus answered and sayd are there not ten clēsed But where are those nyne There are not foūd that returned againe to gyue God prayse saue only thys straunger And he sayd vnto hym aryse go thy waye thy fayth hath made the hole GOod christē people not only the wordes of our Lorde be full of great mysteries and significacions but also hys myracles and hys workes be as it were parables and ful of mystery and by them we ought to nourysh increase oure weake fayth more and more and to make it stronge as one may se and consyder in the gospell of thys daye whych maketh mencion of .x.
lazers or lepers whome at that tyme our Lorde clensed of theyr leprye and of hys large mercye made them hole But what sygnifye these .x. lazers or lepers vnto vs Truly in the lawe of Moses God had forbydden that none shulde kepe company with them whych were infected and sycke with bodely leprye but commaunded that they shulde be put forth from amonges them and from the company of the rest lest they shulde infecte and pollute other as it is redde in the boke of Numeri where it is wryttē in this wyse Num. v The Lord god spake to Moses sayenge Commaunde the chyldren of Israell that they put out from theyr tentes all lazars or lepers But certaynly we ought a great deale more to take hede that we do not communicate nor kepe company wyth such as be lazars spiritually The spiritual lepry is infidelitie heresie and ignoraunce of God For lyke as the bodely leprye doth corrupt al the body euen so doth infidelitie corrupt all the soule and by the stynkynge breath therof that is to say by the wordes and conuersacion of suche as be corrupted therwith be other corrupted the company wyth them accordynge to that sayenge Corrumpūt bonos more 's colloquia praua that is to saye euell communicacions do corrupt good maners Wherfore al such ought to be eschued and fled from as lepers and lazars they must be excōmunicate and put out of the assemble and congregacion of christen people Yet thys notwythstandynge there is no sycknes no maladie no lepry so greuous but that the moost excellent phisician and surgeon our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus both can heale and wyll heale yf he be faithfully sought and called vpon as by exemple is well shewed in thys gospell But I say it is our partes to seke and call vpon hym it is our offyce to go and mete Iesu Christ yf we woll be cured We must crye afarre of after hym we muste wyth depe lowlynes and humilitie of harte pray vnto hym and say Iesus Sauioure and mayster haue mercy on vs take pytie and compassion ouer vs. By this meanes after that we haue ones offred and presented our selues vnto the prestes whych haue authoritie and power of God for to discerne and iudge ☜ accordyng vnto the scripture betwene the lepry and not lepry that is to saye betwene heresye and veritie betwene vice and vertue and accordynge vnto the scripture to assoyle as saynt Paule dyd assoyle a synner of whych is made mencion in the seconde epistle vnto the Corinthians ij cor ij we shal be receyued agayne into the nomber of the faythful euen into the flocke of Iesu Christ But after that we shal be assoyled of God in trouth and of men in sygnes we muste yet beware that we be not ingrate churlysh nor vnthankfull to God as the .ix. lazars were whyche dyd not retourne for to yeld thankes and prayses to Christ and for to gyue glorye vnto god for the great benefite and goodnes that they had receyued of hym Let vs be lyke the lazar Samaritane which fygured the christen gētyls and let vs saye that whych the spirite of God sayeth by the prophete Dauid in the .cij. psalme My soule blesse thou the Lorde God and do not forget all hys rewardes whych maketh hole all thyne iniquities all thy syckenesses Thys let vs do to thintent oure Lorde maye semblably saye vnto euery one of vs. Ryse vp and go thy waye thy true ernest and catholyke fayth hath preserued and made the hole Hense forth se thou synne nomore walke nomore after the flesh but after the spirite Yf we thus do my frēdes doubt we not but we shall haue the rewarde of euer lastynge blesse whych is endles ioye in the heauenly Hierusalem wyth the father sonne and holy goost To whome be all glorie and imperie in infinita sesecula Amen The Epistle on the .xv. sondaye after Trinitie The .v. and .vi. chapter to the Galathians Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to good workes BRethren yf we lyue in the spirite let vs walke in the spirite Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye prouokynge one another enuyenge one an other Brethren yf a man also be taken in any faute ye whyche are spirituall helpe to amende hymin the spirite of mekenes consyderynge thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfyll the lawe of Christ For yf any man seme to hymselfe that he is somwhat whan in dede he is nothynge the same deceyueth hys owne mynde Let euery man proue hys owne worke and then shall he haue reioysynge onely in hys owne selfe and not in another For euery man shall beare hys owne burthen Let hym that is taught in the worde minister vnto hym that teacheth hym in al good thynges Be not deceyued God is not mocked For what so euer a man soweth that shall he al so reape For he that soweth in hys fleshe shall of the fleshe reape corrupcion But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape lyfe euerlastyng Let vs not be wery of well doynge For whan the tyme is come we shall reape wythout werynes While we haue therfore tyme let vs do good vnto all men and specially vnto them whych are of the housholde of fayth WElbeloued frendes in our Lorde Iesu Christ ye shal vnderstande that our Sauiour in the Gospell of saynt Mattheu sayeth mat viij that euery tree is knowen by hys frute for a good tree beareth good frute but an euell tree bryngeth forth euell frute Therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Paul doth in thys epistle admonyshe vs christen folke that yf we be good trees we ought to bringe forth good frutes and yf we lyue in the spirite as christē mē ought to lyue that we must walke also in spirite For surely it is not ynough for vs to be called christen folke onles we do also the dedes and workes of christen folke It is not ynough for the to saye I haue receyued the holy goost or I haue fayth ☜ yf thou shewest not worthy workes and frutes of the spirite Nowe one of the fyrst and principall frutes of the spirite is loue and brotherly supportacion or bearynge of one another whych thynge saynt Paule doth admonysh vs here of that we shulde kepe where he sayeth Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye c. Certes it is not possible for a man or woman that is vayne gloriouse and that loueth to be auaunced and praysed of the worlde eyther to supporte or to forbeare much an other man for he wyll alwayes couet to be herde afore all other and to be obeyed in all places wheresoeuer he goeth or rydeth Certaynly my frendes vayneglorie is an appetyte or luste of all lustes the moost daūgerouse and the moost subtyle and secretest that may be ymagined in so much that those persones whych be estemed for moost spiritual most holy moost godly be oftentymes infected therwyth Let vs sayeth Paule not