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
of death not restored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne frō death sayth he to be the fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is rysē again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see psa lxxi nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iugement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe lu xxiiij He began sayeth Luke at Moses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to sondry persons at sondry tymes Math. xxviij Fyrst he sente hys angels to the sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne women that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the empty graue sauynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed that he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opēlye Ioh. xx After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus i. cor xv lu xxiiij He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut Ioh. xxi At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge i. cor xv He was sene of more thā fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you Actu i. After thys he appeared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takē vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to cōfirme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye lu xxiiij and to haue preached openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligēt for oure cōforte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe no more dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule for our synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectiō Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes victorye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any mā doubt of thys victorye i. cor xv let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be cōquered than must it folowe that sinne wherfore death was appoynted as the wages must be also destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the ruler of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiaūt resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule i. cor xv where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testament as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon Iu. xiiij out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered the lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes Col. ij He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtuousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyuered from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy i. Pet. i. bycause he hath begottē vs sayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by
iustifienge spirite of God whych worketh by pure and lyuely fayth Wherfore good brethren systers let vs not thinke trustynge to our owne merytes and workes that we loued God fyrst and so deserued kyndnes at hys hādes For yf ye thynke so saynt Ihon reproueth you sayenge We loue God bycause he fyrst loued vs. Now yf a man sayeth he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that loueth not hys brother whome he seeth how can he loue God whom he hath not sene And thys cōmaundemēt sayeth saint Ihō we haue of God that he that loueth God must also loue hys brother But I praye you howe do we loue our brother and se so many lye in euery corner wythout comforte Yea we se Christ an hōgred Math. xxvi and we gyue hym no meate We se hym thyrstye and we gyue hym no drynke We se hym harbroughles and we take hym not in naked we cloth hym not syck and we vysite him not in prison and we come not to hym For in asmuch as we do it not to one of these our poore brethren Christ count it vndone to hym Wherfore yf we vnfaynedlye loue God let vs declare our loue wyth worthy frutes let vs loue oure brethren as we be here wylled to do Then shall we wyth confidence and full hope loke for the daye of iudgement wythout feare at whych tyme the heuenly kynge shall saye vnto vs. Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde To thys heauenly kynge the sonne of man oure Lorde and Sauiour be gyuen al glorye for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Trinitie The .xvi. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Of the ryche man and of poore Lazarus IEsus put forth a parable vnto hys disciples sayenge There was a certayne rych man whyche was clothed in purple and fyne whyte and fared deliciously euery daye And there was a certayne begger named Lazarus which laye at his gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes which fell from the rych mans borde and no man gaue vnto hym The dogges came also and lycked hys sores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also dyed and was buried And beyng in hel in tormētes he lyft vp hys eyes and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in hys bosome and he cryed and sayd father Abraham haue mercy on me and sende Lazarus that he may dyppe the typpe of hys fynger in water and coole my tonge for I am tormented in thys flame But Abraham sayd Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuest thy pleasure and cōtrary wyse Lazarus receyued payne But nowe is he cōforted and thou arte punyshed Beyonde all this betwene vs and you there is a greate space set so that they whych wolde go from hence to you can not neyther maye come from thence to vs. Then he sayd I praye the therfore father sende hym to my fathers house For I haue fyue brethrē for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormēt Abraham sayd vnto hym they haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them And he sayd naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them from the deade they wyll repente He sayd vnto hym Yf they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther wyll they beleue thoughe one rose frome death agayne GOod people thys Gospel as it is ryght comfortable to the poore godly persons so it is ryght fearfull to the vngodly rych persons The sely pore godly person is muche vexed wyth troubles and diseases in thys lyfe he lyeth otherwhyles beggynge at ryche mens gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes whych fal frō theyr tables The vngodly person lyueth all at pleasure and florysheth But se the ende of these two in theyr death The poore Lazarus is forthwyth caryed by angels into Abrahams bosome The rych man is buryed in hell What is thys to be borne vp of angels and to be layd in Abrahās bosome Surely it is nothynge els but to dye in the fayth of Abraham whose soules must nedes be in the handes of God What is it to be buryed and to lye in hell in tormentes To dye wyth an euell conscience These thynges do chaūce in death ☞ what tyme we passe out of thys worlde Albeit ye shall yet vnderstande that it was not pouertie that saued Lazarus nor the ryches that damned the rych man but it is the fayth that saueth which worketh pacience and hope and agayne it is the lacke of fayth and despisynge of the neyghboure that dāneth As longe as the rych man lyued he was so choked wyth worldlye pleasures that he coulde not se what was what but whan he was in hell and in tormentes than he lyfted vp hys eyes then he sawe Abraham afarre of and Lazarus in hys bosome Surely my frendes in death fyrst we espye our vngodlynes and damnacion Thā we se the felicitie ioye of the godly persons esa lxvj Math. xxv Thys is that worme that dyeth not whych the prophete Esaye speaketh of Thā fyrst the vnwyse virgines se that the wyse haue oyle Then it commeth to our mynde to whome we haue done good and to whome we haue done euel Then doth the lawe shewe it selfe where as the gospell is taken awaye then fyrst but to late and in vayne we seke fauoure Prou. i. Then thou rych mā thou canst speake fayre and saye Father Abraham haue mercy on me But herken o thou vngodly rych man what father Abraham shall answere the agayne Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst thy pleasure and contrary wyse thys poore Lazarus receyued payne Lo the sentence of the sharpe iudgement of God For as saynt Iames sayeth Iaco. ii Iudgemente wythout mercy shal be to them whych haue shewed no mercy Also the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes He that stoppeth hys eare at the cryenge of the poore shall also crye and not be herde Furthermore the prophete sayeth Ps xxxij For thys shall euery godly person make hys prayer vnto the in due season but in the greate water floudes they shall not come nyghe hym So good people ye se by thys parable that after thys lyfe we shall come shorte to make intercession eyther for our selues or for others For the soule of thys rych gluttō here espyenge he could nothing preuayle for hymselfe began to intreate for hys fyue brethren and desyred that Lazarus might be sent to hys fathers house for to warne them leste they also come into that place of tourmēt But what was answered vnto hym agayne They haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them as who shulde saye they haue gods worde amonges them whyche teacheth them how to eschue euerlastynge punyshmentes and how to be saued yf they wol not regard it there is no recouery
to hym and not to expresse our loue towardes him vpon our brethrē accordynge to hys commaūdement For that whych is done to them he counteth it done to hym selfe Who so euer then hath thys worldes good and seeth hys brother haue nede and shutteth vp his cōpassion from hym how dwelleth the loue of god in hym As who shulde saye yf we be not beneficiall and good to our nedy and poore neyghbour it is a sure token that we loue not God and consequently that he neyther loueth vs. And in contrary wyse yf we be beneficiall and good to oure neyghboure for gods sake it is a ryght sure sygne and declaracion of our fayth towardes God and that god loueth vs Wherfore deare brethren let vs be mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the heauenly father as Christ monysheth vs Luc. vi And let vs not as Ihon sayeth here loue in worde i. tim i neyther yet in tonge but in dede and in trouth and as saynt Paule sayeth of a pure harte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfayned Whych thynge he calleth the ende of the cōmaundement These be the worthy frutes of fayth These frutes yf we brynge forth we declare our selues to be good trees plāted by the ryuer syde whych bryngeth forth frute in due season psal i we declare oure selues to be of the nombre of them whych S. Ihon here speaketh of that be translated from death to lyfe euerlastynge Where we shall lyue eternally wyth the father sonne and holy gost To whome be all glorye AMEN The gospell on .ij. sondaye after Trinitie The .xiiij. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Christe in thys parable declareth that he is not apte to the kyngdome of heauen whych wyl ones laye hys hande to the plough loke backe to hys affections IEsus put forth a similitude to hys disciples sayenge A certayne man ordeyned a great supper and bad many and sente hys seruaunt at supper tyme to saye to them that were bydden come for al thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The fyrst sayd vnto hym I haue bought a farme and I must nedes go se it I pray the haue me excused And another sayd I haue bought fyue yooke of oxen I go to proue them I praye the haue me excused And another sayde I haue maryed a wyfe and therfore I can not come And the seruaunt retourned and brought hys mayster worde agayne therof Then was the good man of the house displeased and sayd to hys seruaunt Go out quyckely into the stretes and quarters of the cytie and brynge in hyther the poore and the feble and the halt and the blynde And the seruaunt sayd Lorde it is done as thou hast commaunded and yet there is rowme And the Lorde sayd to the seruaunt Go out vnto the hye wayes and hedges and compell them to come in that my house may be fylled For I saye vnto you that none of those men whych were bydden shall tast of my supper OVr Sauiour Christ good christen people consyderynge the vanitie of mens myndes in the worlde whych for the moost parte are wonte rather to talke of God of hys word and of the blessed state of the lyfe to come thā ernestly to appoint theyr mindes to remoue out of theyr lyfes such impedimētes as myght hynder them from God and hys worde shutte them out in cōclusion from the kyngdome of heauen declareth in thys gospell as in a proper parable the great foly of suche as so content themselfe wyth wordes only and vayne prayses and consyder no further to temper theyr lyues in suche wyse that an other daye they maye enioye in dede the euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heauen wherin they confesse so muche blysse felicitie to be as one ther was whych was syttynge at the table wyth Christe hearynge hym talke of the resurrection of the iuste sayd vnto hym Blyssed is he whych eateth bread in the kyngdome of God Christ takynge occasion of hys wordes taught both hym and all other in hym that many ther were whych could cōfesse wyth theyr mouth such to be happy that shulde be receyued there but yet in the course of theyr lyues semed not much desyrous to be partakers of that blysse howe greate so euer it be how frely so euer it be offred or howe kyndly so euer they be called ther to whose vnkyndnes and forgetfulnes of theyr owne welth and commoditie he resembled and lykened to such gestes as were gently louyngly called to a rych feaste wel aboundauntly prepared in all thynges and yet refused to come hauynge very vayne excuses for them selues whose vnkynde behauiour was reported to the feastmaker moued hym to displeasure to renounce them for theyr vnworthynes to take other to syt at hys feast Whyche although they were but of poore estimation yet bycause they were ready with great thankes to receyue the lyberalitie of the feaste maker so gently offred wythout theyr deseruynge they were admytted to sytte at hys owne table wyth hymselfe had the fruition of those delicates which the other that were fyrst called refused despysed Here is mater my frendes for vs that be Gentyles to consyder wyth great thankes to almyghty God ☜ that where as the people of the Iues were fyrst called by the seruauntes and messangers of hys word to the great supper of the ioye of heauen and they refused to come that then it pleased the father of al mercy to sende hys seruauntes to call vs to his said feast whych of al people were moost vnworthy and furdest from hym in somuch as we were wyde of all truth and lyght syttynge in moost blynde darkenes of errour and ydolatrye wanderynge in the bye pathes and croked wayes of our owne lustes and ymaginations so poore and voyde of all grace that in stede of the true God we honoured mortal men and brute beastes as our God Thus prouoked we hym fyrst these were our merytes and deseruynges vnto hym And yet pleased it hym to sende hys seruauntes to preach vs hys gospell and by the violence of so great gentylnes offered vs and earnest callynge on vs by hys Apostles we were brought into his holy house church of hys electe and there plenteously were set before vs to receyue frely the innumerable graces benefytes conteined and promysed in the worde of the gospell so that now Christ wyth al his ryghtuousnes wyth all hys iustice and holynes is frely gyuen vs to our welth and commoditie yf we wyll applye our selues by fayth and charitie to oure callynge Yf we se the want of ryghtuousnes in our selfe be anhongred therfore let vs sue vnto Christ and he shall replenysh vs therwyth Yf we be stūge wyth synne and wolde be delyuered from the daunger therof in Christe shall we fynde clere remyssion and shal be quyte discharged Yf we wante strength to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes the worlde the fleshe and
the louyng kyndnes and mercy of Christ towardes vs wretched synners and lost shepe vnto whome only thys gospell is propouned for a synguler comforte For the pharisees scribes whych be blynded with theyr owne proper iustice be not only no partakers of thys moost comfortable Gospell but more ouer they vtterly vnderstād it not Yea whan they se that Christe bestoweth hys Gospell vpon synners they grudge therat inuye that they shulde haue such fauour and grace at hys handes The publicanes then that is to saye customers Publicanes tribute gatherers or baylyfes whych amonges the Iues and namely amōges the religiouse pharisees were counted vnholy persons and the other notorious and open synners resorted to Christe to heare hym They had herde much of hym and what wonders and myracles he had shewed amonges the people and namely they had herde of hys comfortable doctrine Wherfore they come now knowyng them selues synners and therfore not quyet in theyr cōscience to seke rest to theyr soules and to heare Christ whome forthwyth he louyngly receyueth and lyke a tender and a good phisician goeth about to laye his medecine and salue to theyr diseases All hys pacient hearers and humble suters he healeth not onely in body but also in soule But the moost holy and religious pharisees and famouse doctours of the law and scribes are nothynge content herew t they murmoure they grudge they snouffe at hym and what saye they Lo thys felowe whyche is reported to be the sonne of God and whych maketh himselfe so perfyte and holy a persone receyueth synful persons in to hys company and eateth drynketh wyth them But he put forth this parable vnto them c. Good people ye shal vnderstande that our mayster Christ bycause he wolde not gyue a iust cause of offense to the pharisees scribes studyeth to heale them wyth two feate parables by whych he teacheth that not without cause he receiueth synners and eateth with them Yea he declareth that hys office requyreth to preache glad tydynges to the poore not to breake a broused rede nor to quenche the smokynge flaxe as Esay had prophecyed of hym Esa xl Moreouer that hys offyce and feate was to feede hys flocke lyke a shepeherde to gather together the lambes with hys arme to releue them in hys bosome Ezechi xxxiiii also such as be lost to seke vp such as go astraye to brynge agayne suche as be wounded to bynde vp suche as be weake to make stronge and so forth Al these offyces of Christ be euery where recorded in scripture and he doth expresse them here in the parables insuynge to thintēt he wolde shewe that he doth not amysse in that he receyueth synners and taketh meate wyth them In dede Christ myght haue made answere to the pharisees and scribes wythout parables euen wyth open textes out of the prophetes concernynge hys offices But thys he doth not that hearynge they shuld not heare and seynge they shuld not se but at last shuld peryshe by the iust iudgement of God And in these parables lyeth hyd the ryght dradfull iudgement of God agaynst these proude religious and holy pharisees that woll euermore iustifye themselues which shal be reiected and shaken of wyth theyr iusticies where as the penitent and lowly synners shal be receyued What man of you sayth Christe whyche yf he haue an hundred shepe and fortune to lose one of them wyll not forthwyth leaue the fourescore nyntene in wyldernesse and go after that whych is lost vntyll he fynde it And whan he hath founde it for ioye he layeth it on hys shulders and he cōmeth not so sone home but he calleth together hys frendes hys neyghbours and desyreth them to reioyse wyth hym for the fyndynge agayne of hys lost shepe So sayeth Christ ioye shal be in heauen ouer one synner that repenteth more then ouer foure score and .xix. persons whych nede no repentaunce My frendes what meaneth thys parable The declaraciō of the parable who is thys sheperd or shepemayster Surely it is our mayster Christ he fedeth hys shepe he teacheth all men in the wylsome deserte worlde of these shepe one strayth abrode and is lost the other in theyr owne conceytes and iudgement erre not but be styll in the ryght waye and therfore they nede not to be sought and to be redemed And truly good people the nomber is very smal of them that shal be saued for the rest of the people thinke themselues iust and ryghtuous persons by the merytes of theyr owne workes The shepe that goeth a straye sygnifyeth them whych know themselues synners these doth Christ seke vp yea he came for these mens sakes that he myght redeme them Here then ye se the fynall cause and vse of Christ Esa xlij The sonne of man came to seke and saue that was lost he came in to thys worlde to saue synners So then there be .ij. sortes of iust or ryghtuous persons in the worlde He that knowlegeth his synnes vnworthines and beleueth on hym that iustifyeth the wycked is iuste by fayth and he is the true iust and good person The other is he that woll be iustifyed made good by the workes of the lawe Iustice pharisaicall thys iustice is called the pharisaicall iustice Of thys iustice Christ speaketh thus Onles your ryghtuousnes passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharisees ye shall not entre into the kyngdome of God Math. v And in the .xvi. chapter of Luke he sayeth Ye be they which iustify your selues before men but God knoweth your hartes The seconde parable of the woman whych had lost a grote and after much sekynge founde it agayne meaneth the same thynge that the other parable doth In dede the woman is a weake vessell ☞ So Christe applyeth hymselfe to the weake and vnperfyte persons The woman lyghteth a candell swepeth her house seketh diligently her coigne that she hath lost she neuer ceaseth tyl she hath foūde it agayne Euen so carefull and desyrous is our Sauiour Christe to call synners to repentaunce ☞ Now yf ye woll knowe the cause of our repentaunce ye shall vnderstande that it is not our owne worke nor our owne meryte and deseruynge but bycause Christ our shepeherde seketh vs yea we shulde vtterly perysh strayenge in the wyldernes yf Christ our herdmā sought vs not vp But how doth he seke vs Truly by hys worde whyche beynge preached vnto vs reproueth vs of our wandrynge and strayenge abrode whyche knowen we be brought agayne by Christe our pastoure and shepeherde to the flocke that is to wyte we be made the true members of the true church And after we be ones reduced and broughte home agayne to the flocke we be not set in a felde alone by our selues where we alone shall fede but togyther wyth that rest of the flocke and vnder our shepeherde we seke all one and the same fode and do the same that the rest of the shepe do
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
men vpon theyr syngular gyftes at thys daye haue springeth principally herby that they consyder not what they were before the openynge and reuelacion of the gospel Hetherto pertayneth the sayenge of Paule in the .viij. chapter of the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians Scientia inflat Sciētia inflat Knowlege maketh a man swell in pryde as who shulde saye When men knowe that they be no longer vnder the condemnation of the lawe but in the state of grace thys knowlege namely yf it be not ryghtly vnderstanded maketh many men proude arrogant puffed vp negligent slacke in the office of charitie and ouermuche spirituall whych oftentymes wyth great contempte of other do glorie of theyr giftes and take a pryde in them But agaynst thys inflacion and pryde as I haue sayd there is no remedye more present for vs then often to cal agayne to our remēbraūce our pristine and former state of lyfe which thinge the apostle Paule before the rest of the Apostles doth moost diligently in all hys epistles namely in thys epistle To thys agreeth that whych he sayeth in the fourth chapter of thys epistle i. cor iiij What haste thou that thou hast not receyued the same before And yf thou hast receyued it why doest thou bragge Secondly we be here taught and informed of the authour and cause of these gyftes that is to saye the holy ghost of hys principall office and in especiall of the greatest gyft of all whych is to endowe vs with the knowlege of Christe out of whych gyfte the other speciall gyftes do flowe none otherwyse then out of a quycke sprynge ☞ For Christe beynge knowen and apprehended by a lyuely fayth whyche is euer in a redynesse whan occasion serueth to worke by charytye and to fructifie is the cause that we receyue the holy ghoste and all hys gyftes accordyng to the sayng of the prophete Psalm lxxvi When he ascended vp to heuen he led captiuitie a prysoner and gaue giftes to mē Thys ascension is yet daylye accomplyshed in vs when by the ayde of the holyghoste we knowe Christe and take holde of hym by lyuely fayth who beynge knowne apprehēded sendeth vnto vs more abundantly the holy ghoste and endoweth vs with gyftes To saye then that Christe is the Lorde is the verye gyfte of the holy gooste wherupon all the reste of the gyftes be founded and layde as appeareth by the verse of the psalme aboue remēbred Ascendit in altū captiuā duxit captiuitatē dedit dona hominibus And surely who soeuer hath thys gyfte of the holy ghoste that he can saye Christ to be the Lorde maye sone be made also partaker of the other gyftes But he that defieth Christ he that calleth Christ Anathema he can be partaker of no gyftes of the holye ghoste They call Christe Anathema whyche denye hym to be Lorde whyche thynge is as moch to saye as to denye hym to be the Sauiour of the worlde whych hath ouercome death and whych nowe wyth great power raygneth ouer synne death and the deuell It is also to denye Christ to be our iustice sanctification and redēption who furthermore lyke a moste valiaūt Lorde protecteth defendeth and saueth vs from all euels Anathema what it is Anathema is a Greke worde signifyeth a layenge asyde or separacion of gyftes which were offred vp to goddes and whyche was lawfull for no man to remoue out of theyr place Euen so do hypocrites set aparte Christ and vse not hym ☜ but the workes of theyr owne inuention to such hypocrites Christ is Anathema that is to saye a cast awaye a thynge accursed abhorred and detested as in lykewyse the Iues by Anathema do sygnifye an execracion or cursynge as saynt Hierome also wytnesseth Hierom Thyrdly the apostle doth here teach vs the final vse and ende of all gyftes whych is vnitie and concorde so that we must knowe that the holy goost as he is one so he gyueth hys gyftes to men to the vnitie and edificacion of the churche and not that men shulde after a contenciouse and vncharitable sorte be proude and glorie of theyr gyftes and talentes that God hath indowed them wyth These men preache rather for vayne glorie and to wynne them prayse of men than to edifye the christen flocke Wherfore they haue theyr mede and rewarde Let vs then my welbeloued brethren cease of all such contenciouse vncharitable boastyng despysynge of others that haue not the knowlege whych we haue Yf they offende let vs rather gently and charitably monyshe them betwene them and vs and not rayle triumphe detracte and defame them with vnsemynge names Let vs call to mynde what we were oure selues and what we be of oure selues Let vs remember that what so euer we haue the same we haue receyued of gods grace and not of owne proper powers Thus doynge we shal edifye our brethren and systerne we shall declare that we be in dede the persons that we be named that is to saye christen men and women folowers of Christe and fynally inheritours of euerlastynge blesse prepared for vs by the father of heauen To whome be all glorye and prayse worlde wythout ende AMEN The gospell on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie The .xix. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The punyshment of such as despice goddes worde and how Christ casteth out byers and sellers in the temple WHan he was come neare he behelde the cytie and wepte on it sayenge Yf thou haddest knowen those thynges whyche belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede But nowe are they hydde from thyne eyes For the dayes shall come vpon the that thyne enemyes also shall caste a banke aboute the and compasse the rounde and kepe the in on euery syde and make the euen wyth the grounde and thy chyldren whych are in the. And they shal not leaue in the one stone vpon an other bycause thou knowest not the tyme of thy visitacion And he wente into the temple and began to caste out them that solde therin and them that bought sayenge vnto them It is writtē my house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues And he taught dayly in the temple MY welbeloued frendes in Christ ye shal vnderstand that God is right good and much mercyful towarde vs. Father of mercy and God of all consolation is he as saynt Paule sayeth And yet for all that we muste take good hede that we do not abuse the hygh benefyte and commoditie of hys mercyfulnes goodnes as they of Ierusalē hath done lyke as in thys storye we rede We se how Iesus Christe was come for to brynge them grace for to teach and to saue them and they haue refused him It was for that cause only that he wepte whan he dyd beholde the cytie as is now made mēcion in the gospel And in that that he hath wept he hath wel shewed that he wold not couete the death
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
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