Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	grace_n	work_n	6,662	5	5.6625	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06932	A new postil conteinyng most godly and learned sermons vpon all the Sonday Gospelles, that be redde in the church thorowout the yeare ...	Becon, Thomas, 1512-1567.	1566 (1566)	STC 1736; ESTC S101291	689,601	1,060

without the luste thereof And likewise in all other preceptes For the Lawe requireth not onely to dooe woorkes but that the heart also be pure and agreable in all poinctes to Gods worde and lawe But thou wilt saie where maie suche an hearte be founde Uerely neither I neither thou haue it in store For we se how sone we fall into wrothe and how sone also sensualitie riseth in our heartes yea otherwise then wee thought or willed Yea and where we purposed the contrary and hate our selues therefore What must be dooen then We haue not suche perfect rightuousnes and a cleane heart and yet we heare the sentence that the Phariseis rightuousnes hath no place in heauen Truely this must we doe We must not followe the Scribes and Phariseis to thinke our selues rightuous for our woorkes But for all our rightuousnes what soeuer we dooe we muste shewe suche submission and humblenesse before GOD that wee maie saie O Lorde I am a synner be thou mercifull vnto me and enter not into Iudgement with thy seruaunt as touchyng workes but deale with me accordyng to thy mercie and grace whiche thou haste promised and performed to vs in Christ. This doctrine tendeth to this ende specially that spirituall pride maie therby be restrained and wee by that meanes come vnto the knowledge of our filthy hearte and moste corrupt nature and so at the laste be brought to the hope of Gods grace fauour and mercie And this is the very rightuousnesse that obtaineth the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen whiche hath her foundation of our workes although thei ought to be good and Godly but of the remission of synne and of the grace of GOD. For although we preuaile som what by that we labour to offende no bodie by our leudnes and studie as muche as wee can to accomplishe Gods will yet the greatest fault remaineth still wheras the hearte is vnpure and full of sensualitie and wickednes But he that obtaineth remission of his sinnes is rightuous not by his owne power but by grace forasmuche as his synnes are forgiuen hym for his fathers sake in Christ. Wherefore Peter in the Actes of the Apostles saieth that our heartes are purified by faithe But this purifiyng is not on suche wise as though no euill thoughtes or vncleane concupiscence should after that be felt in our heartes for that should neuer come to passe before this bodie of synne bee laied in the grounde and a passage made vnto euerlastyng life then shall the hearte be cleane in deede and pure of his owne nature But so long as this life endureth all the purenesse is in faithe and in the woorde that GOD for Christes sake will not impute our sinnes to vs nor punishe vs for them but rather remit pardon and forgiue them And this neuerthelesse must followe therof that afterward by the help of the holy ghost we begin to leade a pure holy and Godly life and shewe GOD due obedience But as I saied before this is an vnperfect obedience Therefore the whole rightuousnes before GOD consisteth onely in the remission of synnes And this is the true meanyng of these wordes where Christ saieth Excepte your rightuousnesse excede the rightuousnes of the Scribes and of the Phariseis ye can not enter into the kyngdome of heauen These wordes are not to be vnderstand as though all that the Phariseis dooe is naught by nature For where as the Pharisie in the Gospell of Luke boasteth that he is not vnrightuous no robber no adulterer againe that he fasteth twise in a weeke and paieth tithes of all that he possesseth to do these thinges is not euill and we would wish that all men wer suche euen vnto their liues ende then should the Maiestrates Iudges and parentes with suche like haue lesse businesse But herein is the fault that for this outward rightuousnes sake the Pharisie boasteth himself to be rightuous before GOD neither thought he that he had neede of Gods mercie and remission of synne for the obtainment of true and perfect rightuousnes Christ resisteth this leude persuasion that wee should not trust in suche rightuousnes before GOD but make inquisition for better if we determine to haue any hope of the heauenly inheritaunce And he putteth forthe vnto vs the sixt commaundement for an example that by that wee maie learne what is the rightuousnes of the Phariseis and beware of it The sixt commaundement as ye knowe is this Thou shalt not kill Here the Phariseis persuaded them selues that if thei did but onely abstain from grosse murder thei neded not to care for any more and that thei had fulfilled this commaundemente againe that nothyng els was required of them in this behalfe But Christe requireth greater thynges For the woordes of this commaundement are not Thy handes shall not kill but Thou shalt not kille That is to saie Thy hearte thy mouthe thy tongue and all the powers in thy senses and what soeuer is in thy bodie besides whereby murder is committed thou shalt auoyde so that thou doe not onely eschewe grosse murder but all other thinges in hearte in minde in woorde in gesture in countenaunce c. whiche are as a manne would saie the waie and preparatioÌ„ vnto murder For this saiyng Thou shalt not kill Christ doeth not so nakedly expounde it that it should signifie slaughter onely whereby mennes bodies are slaine and depriued of their life but what soeuer is doen besides wherby murder ensueth As when thou hatest any man â–ª and wilte in no condition helpe hym but art so affected toward him as the riche glottoÌ„ was toward poore Lazarus Suche through thy faulte might perishe and so art thou by this precept giltie of murder as Ambrose saieth If thou hast not fedde thou haste slaine and committed murder And S. Ihon saieth he that hateth his brother is a murderer And ye knowe that a murderer hath euerlastyng life dwellyng in hym Therefore he that purposeth to kepe this commaundement must not onely refraine his handes but his harte also muste be voide of wrathe so that he neither shewe churlishe countenaunce nor giue cruell woorde against them that haue deserued an euill tourne at his hande yea and that by all mennes iudgement For Christ saieth plainly that this commaundement is transgressed and broken fiue maner of waies Firste with the hearte when it is moued with anger displeasure against thy neighbour Secondly when the hearte betraieth it self outwardly and sheweth by some externall gesture that it is angrie in deede as when we passe by any man and tourne awaie our faces from theim that salute vs and will not ones giue them an answere no not so muche as a louyng looke For this worde Racha pertaineth specially to a disdainfull and angrie mocion as when the anger is Iudged by the eyes by the countenauÌ„ce or by some croked worde Thirdly when wrathe procedeth out of the heart into the mouthe

vs to ouerthrowe this kingdom Let vs consider the example of the Mounkes and Bishop of Rome whiche whyle they went about to auoyde such offences and seducinges as chance in this common lyfe brought in more greuouse occasions to offende where as they chaunged true religion into ceremonies rites and obseruatioÌ„s They vtterly abolished the kingdom of mercie and grace And this is now also the very practice of the diuel for that he slaundereth the professers of the Gospell bycause there be many offences and euill examples amongest them For we can not denye but suche offensiue examples be in many hypocrites which boaste of Gods mercie and grace and yet by their licentiouse liuinge and maners by their aduoutrie extortioÌ„ vsurie sensual lustes and many other vices declare that they regard not the grace of God truely But what remedie we are forth with tempted to plucke vp the tares and to seke such a separation of the euil from the good that in the meane season we corrupte the heauenly doctrine as touching the grace of God and remission of synnes But if we be wise we wil not suffer oure selues to be withdrawen from doing oure duetie by their importunite and outragiouse behauioure For it is muche better to resiste and striue with the wicked examples of their lyfe and maners by doing the contrarie and so to preserue this doctrine of mercie and grace then to correcte and plucke it vp violently and so by that and examples of the Mounkes and Nouatians to flee from Scylla and to fall into Charybdis that is for auoiding of the lesse daunger to fall into the greater And especially syth the nature of this kingdom is such that it can not vterly auoyde all offences bycause such muste be for the maintenance of this necessarie doctrine of grace Wherfore where as the Papistes now lay to oure charge the frutes of oure Gospell what other thing meane they therby than that this kyngdom should be without all offences and euill examples But we may iustly lay this to their charge again that where as they go about by the Mounkerye and other traditions of theirs to make this kingdom without offences they are fallen into such errour and blyndnes therby that they haue cleane loste all the doctrine of iustification and godly righteousnes and all the workes of true godlines also If therfore it should be put to oure choyce whiche of these discommodities we had rather haue whether of them both should we rather take Uerily all wold graunt this that for as muche as this kingdom can not be without offences yet that it were better to chose that offence where with neuerthelesse the kingdom might be sumwhat vpholden than that wherby the kingdom should quite be destroyed without hope of recoueryng wherby the doctrine and true godlines should vtterlie decay perishe as it chanced amongest the papistes and monkes And the doctrine and meaning of this parable of Christ was put forth to th ende that aboue all thinges we might haue good respect to know the maner of gods kingdome and not be offended with suche inconueniences as chaunce alwayes in the wordle vnto it For wheras it offereth free remission of sinnes to sinners fyrste it cometh herby to passe that many hypocrites come to the felowshippe of this kingdome Then also som men laboringe to remedie this discoÌ„moditie finde out a meanes to make a ciuil separatioÌ„ that they may falsly boste of the grace of God and yet not be in the felowship with theÌ„ that vse it well But Christ sheweth what greate damage ensueth therby euen that by this separatioÌ„ they plucke vp the good corne also For the doctrine of grace is pluckt vp by mens traditions whiche were inuented to make this separation So that nowe the churche is brought to suche a miserable and vnscapable case that where as before the members were in perill now the hed is like to decay Wherfore we muste folowe Christes councel which byddeth vs to suffer the tares and not to be so precise in pluckyng them vp least we by oure vndiscrete diligence ouerthrowe the gouernaunce of this kyngdome as touchyng remission of sinnes Nowe must we vse this kyngdome that many by remission of sinne may be forgeuen If ther be any as ther be many that had rather be sene to be in this kingdome of grace then to be true members therof in dede what can we do therwith if they will nedes misuse the gyfte of God But if we shoulde be so extreme against them that for their sake we would vse violeÌ„ce and force in this kyngdome what shall we get therby than that as we see in the examples before while we go about to seperat the wycked for their abusynge of Goddes grace we vtterlye subuerte the kyngdome of Grace Wherfore let vs leue this to be done of the angels that they may sunder the euill from the good For after that shal the kyngdom of grace be no lenger amoÌ„g sinners Euery man then shall receaue accordynge to his workes Ther shal be no such peril than as is now wher as if the grace of the gospel and of the kyngdom of heauen shoulde be taken away by pluckynge vp of the tares before the appearinge of the sonne of God then the greatest yea and the onely refuge for sinners might seme to be disturbed and taken awaye And at this separation by the Angels it shall not nede to inquire whether there are any more lefte to be called to saluation But it shal be coÌ„sidered who hath vsed well this kyngdom of coÌ„fort hath ben true meÌ„bers therof in dede who hath ben subiectes ther vnto by name only yet in very dede had neuer any true felowship therwith And this haue we spoken as touchinge the true meanyng of this parable After this we will intreat not onlye what must be done with heretikes but vniuersally what they that hath offices to correcte offeÌ„ces ought to do with al kynd of offenders whether it is ment by this saying Let theÌ„ grow that no kynd of offence either in life or in doctrine shold be punished restrained we haue declared before what is Christs especial entent by this parable Euen that by the vndiscrete vsage of men the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ shold not be hindred Now such things as by Gods commandement are ordeyned for the furtherance of this kingdom ought not to be thought coÌ„trarie to the same And fyrst to begin at the principall matter the excommunication vsed in the Churche is not against this parable For it is so necessary for the preseruation therof that without it mercie remission of synne and the pure doctrine therof can not be retayned for as by absolution Gods grace must be applied to the penitent so by byndinge must Gods wrathe curse be applied to the vnpeniteÌ„t Paule hym self saith that power of binding was geuen to hym not to destroy but to edifie Wherfore they that are excommunicat are not

sayth he but they shall be iudged of their own mouth For this gyft was geueÌ„ to all the world and they by their vnbelefe and mistrust of Gods word will not receyue it Yet if a man consider well he shall perceaue that Baptisme and also the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ were ordeyned to the intent that euery man should take this gift free franke as his owne And thus muche haue we spoken generally for the vnderstandyng of this sentence whiche can neuer be sufficiently declared and perceaued For it is the principall doctrine by the faith whereof we dye and obteyne saluation in the whiche Christe doothe describe plainely to oure greate conforte that he hym selfe is wholly geuen vnto vs from the father of pure loue whiche loue he as a mercyfull God performeth to the wicked and vnkynde worlde And here it is playnly sette foorth to all menne what a greate tresure we Christians haue We learne here also what God and the worlde is and howe that we bee made partakers of this grace onlye thorough fayth as Christe sayth all that beleue in hym haue euerlasting lyfe For the doctrine of workes whiche after this fayth ought to ensue by the power of the holy Ghoste is to be placed in an other matter What a Christian ought to do as the obedient Sonne of God and as one shewing himselfe kinde and mindeful for so great a gyfte of eternall lyfe and loue of God as touchyng that I say Christe teacheth nothynge in this place Wherefore we will nowe entreate no farther of this matter that we are saued only by the mercie of god and that we obtaine this grace only by fayth with out vertu without merits and without our workes For all the whole matter that is requisite and necessarie to the gertinge of euerlastyng lyfe and remission of our sinnes is altogether and fullie comprehended in the loue and mercie of God thorough Christ. God graunt vs his grace that we maye beleue and trust hereunto surely and that we may abyde and suffer all thynges with a glad and a redie heart and that we may so die that we may be saued for euer Our God graunt vs this thoroughe his sonne and our Lorde Iesu Christe Amen The first Sermon on Trinitie Sonday Of the feaste MAny thinges shold be spoken as touching this feast For first of all the Gospel is very fruitfull and preacheth of great matters And it is necessary also to speake of the cheife article of our religion for as muche as we Christian men onlye and none beside vs do beleue in god the father and in god the sonne and in god the holy ghost This is the principall article in our congregation which was not inuented by man neither came euer to mans mynde But is only opened vnto vs of god by the worde Wherfore euen as God by other feastes thorough the eare is gloriously set forth by his workes which he hath don that by theÌ„ his good will and pleasure toward vs might be knowen as the feast of the Natiuitie of Christ is celebrate kept holy at that time whan Christ became man and the resurrection of Christ whan this man that was god raysed himself from the dead and Whitsontyde when the holy ghost came downe in a visible forme began his operation and so forth so that all feastes do declare with what god is as a man woulde say appareled So this present feaste was therfore ordained that it might be knowen as nigh as it is possible out of gods worde what God is in his nature and substance of hymselfe without any maner of visers or shewes And here are all creatures Angels and heauens to be ouerpassed with a highe contemplation and all inferiour thinges to the whiche we are commonly accustomed are also to be set asyde And these thinges only are to be heard whiche God pronounceth of hymself and his proper substance and nature And here doth appeare what is the wisedom of the worlde and the folyshnes of God For whan the worlde heareth that one eternall God is three distincte persons this it can in no case alowe but iudgeth all mad that either teache those thinges or beleue so as they teache Wherefore this article in the new testament in the whiche it is very euidently set forth hath ben sharplye withstanded resisted So that this was the occasioÌ„ as witnesseth the histories that Iohn the Euangelist wrot his gospell For by by there sprong vp the hereticke Cherinthus which had learned of Moyses that ther was but one God Whereby he gathered that Christ could be no God as God himselfe could not be man Wherfore he did vse this sylogisme and sophisme of reason and thought that euen as he hymselfe could vnderstande and gather by reason the thynge that it was so in dede in heaueÌ„ and could none otherwise be But away with this iudge false estemer of things I meane reason Blind reason where as it is not sufficieÌ„tly able to knowe it selfe yet wil it not stycke to be so bold as to iudge of god For yet is there none fouÌ„de that can know for a suretie what this is that men see with eyes speake laughe with mouth And yet we staÌ„de so highe in our owne conceite that we will speake dispute of God and of his substance yea and that of our owne proper reason without helpe This is a great folishenes I can not parfectly determine what is seing or laughyng and yet I will take vpon me to knowe and geue sentence of that wherof I knowe nothing at al wherof god only ought to pronounce Yet the worlde setteth muche by this folishnes the Turkes the Iewes mocke vs christiaÌ„s as half mad because we beleue that Christ is god But if this were wisdoÌ„ who might not pronounce thinke with the Turkes Ther is but one god Christ is not god But when scripture and the word of god is put forth this thinking and pronouncing is nothing worth But we muste speake or at least wise stammer of those things as the scripture doth point vs that is that Christ is very god that the holy ghost is very god yet that ther are not three gods neither three natures or substaÌ„ces as we nuÌ„ber three sons three men three angels or three windowes For so is not god distinct in his substance but there is one only substance of god Wherfore although there be three persons god the father god the sonne and god the holy Ghost yet in substance they can not be deuided or discerned For ther is only one god consistyng of one indiuisible substance For so sayth Paule of Christ whiche is the Image of the vnuisible god the first begotten of al creatures for by hym were all thynges made that are in heauen or in earth visible and inuisible whether they be thrones or dominations or principats or potestats

followe the example of the mercie of their father But whereas GOD garnisheth vs also with other persones when he maketh vs fathers Lordes magistrates Iudges Princes Emperors c. we must not thinke that this lawe of mercie belongeth not vnto vs. But this is to be performed with all diligence that we see to our office straightly And yet that this that must nedes be dooen with seueritie and straightnes hath his gouernaunce of mercie and that nothyng be doen to satisfie our owne lust To sight therefore is doen now and then a woorke of greate crueltie and sharpnes where as in deede it maie well bee coumpted an acte of mercie and clemencie As when Ioseph accuseth his brethren to his Father as his duetie was concernyng their leude doynges although he was euill spokeÌ„ of as a blab emong his brethreÌ„ yet hath he more regard to the truthe and his owne office whereas he vnderstandeth that al that wer of that houshold yea and his brethren also be bounde so to doe that thei hide not the enormities of the familie nor conceall the fautes of other So after that neighbors citezens c. Hath certaine offices of seueritie for the behoue of the common wealthe although thei seme to sightfull of vnmercifulnes yet in deede thei are the very woorkers of mercie The maister and fathers are mercifull when thei punishe the disobediente and stubburne The Magistrates are mercifull when the wicked are put to execution And Princes wheÌ„ thei resist wrongfull violeÌ„ce with power of armes and when thei maintain the innocent against tyrantes Mercie is the chiefest intent why al these thinges that are cruell to sight are doen least all thynges should lye open for the Deuill to make hauoke If al men caÌ„ not be holpen by sharpe correction yet must it bee seen that all mennes saufegarde and wealth be not brought into hasarde by leuitie and mercie â–ª Wherefore it was necessarie to sette forthe the other offices nexte the precepte of mercie leaste vnder the preteÌ„ce of vntrue mercie the deuill should destroye all to gether yea and that vnder the pretence of religion and godlines And this is a greate subtiltie of the Deuill that againste the moste necessarie offices of mercie he inuenteth the names of a blab a traitour a tyraunte a termegante a spoyler c. But no manne ought to be feared from his duetie and from true mercie for this but let hym dooe rather that that is profitable for the saftie of man in deede then that that semeth to sight Wherefore youth must be diligently instructed as touchyng those offices that thei maie learne to doe that is good in their first yeres that afterward when thei by ripenesse of age shall attaine to more and waightier offices that require seueritie Thei maie knowe how to vse alwaies true mercie emongest the citezens bothe in house kepyng and also in a common office Neither let them be withdrawen at any tyme by guile and desimulation from the true vnderstandyng of thinges For thei doe muche hurte in a commonaltie that either in congregations cities or families doe suffer good order to decaye by vntimely mercie Thou must therefore take diligent hede to what ende this precept of mercie is giuen that first of all thou regarde the commaundementes of GOD specially made vnto thee to shewe thee thy duetie and yet that all these ought to be mingled with mercy Then remember that thou take paciently al wroÌ„ges and be not withdrawen therby from thy well dooyng As thou haste an euidente example of the Sonne whiche is not greued that the very adulterers and vsurers are guided by his light But let them take hede whiche now doe so abuse the mercie of GOD in his giftes and the pacieÌ„ce of the christians For thei shall haue no good and ioyfull ende that heapeth vp from daie to daie wrathe vpon wrathe for theÌ„ selues For the more thei escape now vnpunished the greater shall their punishement be hereafter as the examples of stubburne childreÌ„ do declare which when thei refuse to be ruled by their parentes thei fall into the handes of hangmen For GOD suffreth not his pacience long to be mocked and dalied withall But as I maie retourne to my purpose it appereth by this precepte what is Christes councell â–ª euen that we should earnestly embrace godlinesse and doe suche workes emong our selues as be true and vnfained Wherfore he commaundeth vs to be mercifull not as the HeatheÌ„ be whiche shewe mercie vnto them from whom thei loke for helpe and so that one hande should washe an other But as the father in heauen whiche sheddeth out all thinges plentuously that are necessary for vs so that there is sufficient for all men to gather not onely for the good whom he could dispatche in one daie but also for the euill For GOD doeth not suffer his goodnes to wither awaie bicause there be many euill and vnkinde Yea rather in this poincte the euill are better prouided for This example saieth Christ put I forthe to you that professe my name not onely to doe good to your frendes for this vertue maie bee also in the Gentiles but also to your enemies as ye se that your heauenly father grudged no man the light of the Sonne no not asmuche as the theues robbers adulterers vsurers whiche are not worthie to looke on this moste beautifull creature and to take any benefite of hym But yet thei are not shutte out neither doeth this good father suffer his goodnes to be withdrawen from his housholde for the leudnes of the wicked Doe you saieth he likewise Suffer not pacience to be taken from you Bee not lesse beneficiall for other mennes faultes as the worlde is wonte when it craketh All thinges are full of ingratitude and churlishenes A manne can neuer doe to little But this is not true It is no greate thyng to helpe your frendes For the Gentiles will no longer dooe good then when thei looke for like wherof if there be no hope farewell good doyng Hereof it appereth that this benignitie commeth not out of the fountaine of Charitie but groweth in drie places and will sone wither awaie by a little blast of impatience But you Christians must dooe good with more perfectnes yea to your owne enemies loking for no like kindnes and requityng And thus must ye thinke in the meane season what if thei be vnkinde Yea GOD hath so greate power that he can punishe the vnkinde by diuers instrumentes by water fire and stones c. Wherefore seyng I am sure of this that all these thynges shall bee punished I am purposed to kepe my accustomable liberalitie mercie And this is a very Christian minde and loue whiche is not in the Gentiles whiche do good no lenger then when thei mete with kynde men and them that will doe the like When these be lackyng Charitie also continueth not Contrariewise the Charitie of Christian men doeth good without ceasyng and

is very true that we caÌ„ not be without teÌ„ptacion when it chaunceth to vs as it did to Peter To labour all the night and to take no profite thereby we take it vnpaciently and goe about to lay all aside and depart But we ought to ouercome this temptacion and sticke to our vocation stedfastly and to caste all our care on the Lorde For I haue knowen this often tymes by experience when the obedient children in a familie hath had misfortune and contrariwise the disobedient and stubburne good fortune But at laste the hard case of the good was more commended and the wicked had an euill ende Wherefore if it chaunce likewise to thee that all thinges goe not well be constaunt and strengthen thy self that thou be not ouercome of temptacion For better is misfortune with obedience then good fortune with wickednesse The reason is that GOD at the laste casteth awaie the disobediente with their prosperitie bee it neuer so greate and exalteth the huÌ„ble and meke to great renoume This example of Peter is studiously to bee followed in that he hath respecte onely to the worde and followeth that and is nothing moued with these thoughtes whiche surely would greatly haue troubled vs and doubtles thei were in his minde also For we are commaunded aswell as Peter to labour and to serue in our vocation He that taketh holde to his vocation and suffereth not him self to be withdrawen from his purpose although it doeth but slowly prosper and the blessyng is loÌ„g in comming yet must he not doubt of a prosperous ende For GOD can do no otherwise but at length haue respecte to obedience although he differreth it for a tyme and proueth vs whether we regarde his commaundement or not Wherefor no manne ought to be weary if he hath laboured all the night without profite For if Peter had gone about this draught in the night he would haue imputed it to his cunnyng and labour neither would he haue thought any thyng els requisite to suche a successe But whereas he fisheth all nighte and taketh nothyng and Christ first ministreth his woorde biddyng hym there with to assaie againe there hath Peter a sure triall that this good successe came not by fishyng and labour but of Gods worde and blessyng And lette this suffice you as concernyng the firste doctrine whiche is corporall and pertaineth to the bodily liuelode that Christe will be present with all his that laboure by his blessyng and not suffer them to perishe for hunger The second doctrine is spirituall For thus doth it followe in the historie that Peter is astonied by the draught of fishe and coÌ„meth to the knowledge of Christe that he is not onely man And whereas he acknowledgeth hymself a synner and falleth doune at Christes feete saiyng departe from me Lorde for I am a synner It is a spirituall matter and fewe vnderstande it For it semeth hereby that Peter did it of a certaine religion and that he desired for a reuerence to departe from Christe But the meanyng of it is not so The conscieÌ„ce is in this case When GOD commeth with his grace and promiseth remission of synne and life euerlastyng frely for Christes sake the grace is so large that all thinges seme to greate for vs neither dare we approch nigh thereto for the greatnesse thereof It is easie to beleue that GOD is good and mercifull but that he imbraceth vs with his greate mercie our heart can not be made to beleue that All men thinke if I wer so pure and rightuous as Marie the virgin sainct Peter sainct Paule I would couple my self also to his grace but I am a sinner I am not worthie of grace but rather of wrothe Then commeth the Deuill and he inlargeth sinne so muche in thy heart that thou maiest see nothing but thy vnworthinesse and thou canst not but wonder and be amased at the greatnes of that exceding grace This is a spirituall temptacion whereof the prophane and rude as wee bee almoste all haue no perceueraunce nor vnderstanding For this is learned by experience onely and no otherwise Wherefore the greatest sort liueth on such wise that thei thinke not muche either of their sinne or of the grace of GOD. But true Christian men doe alwaies tremble and feare that that is to muche that GOD doth on his owne behalf Who am I saie thei O Lorde GOD that thou bryngest me thus farre I am not worthie of so greate mercie of GOD. And herevnto beloÌ„geth that Christ comforteth Peter to be without feare for bicause he goeth not about now to iudge Peters synnes but to deliuer hym from sinne and to sette hym in suche an office that he maie bryng other also to the same grace So that all this comforte maie bee applied if wee should chaunce to haue suche thoughtes and be put in like feare to encourage vs to resiste theim and not to giue place vnto them For Christe came not to driue synners from hym but he came into the yearth for their sakes Wherfore he comforteth Peter against suche thoughtes and biddeth hym not to feare as he saieth also in an other place Feare not little flocke it is my fathers will to giue you the kyngdome In that place Christe talketh also with suche that thinke How canste thou come to heauen and to eternall life Canst thou obtaine to the fellowshippe of Angelles If thou were holier there were no cause why thou shouldest despaire But as thou art now all thy hope is in vaine But Christe answereth otherwise you feare saieth he but dooe not so For it hath pleased my father to giue you the kyngdome and that of his owne free will For whereas you are vnworthie beyng synners this is his mercifull will to giue it you of his grace and mercie wherefore feare not but receiue it ioyfully and with a gladde hearte For if GOD would not giue vs vntill wee were worthie wee should neither haue meate nor drinke But he will not haue respect to our worthinesse merites but to our nede and to his owne goodnes mercy And this is the cause that he giueth vs not onely thynges requisite to the bodie but also euerlasting life with suche temptacion is Peter also here encombred He perceiueth the greate goodnes of Christe and casteth in his mynde howe vnworthie he is thereof and therefore he beginneth to despaire what place saieth he is there for thee with vs Couple thy self with the rightuous I am a synner But Christ comforteth hym and sheweth hymself to be farre vnlike that that Peter thought of him commaundyng hym to bee of good chere and to take heart of grace and that the matter as concernyng the fishe is but little in comparison of that that he will make hym a fisher of men Now thou art a Fisher but I will giue thee an other office to enter into other waters and to take other Fishe that is men that heauen maie haue store of suche fishes

Turne O turne from your wicked waies and wherfore will ye dye O ye house of Israell For where as our hertes thynke that God is a cruell Iudge with whome synners haue no hope of forgeuenesse of theyr synnes it is a false imagination For thys ought not to take awaye our hope from the mercy of God because the lawe is so fierce and vnmercyfull agaynst synners For the Lawe dothe but her office declaryng what the Iudgement of God shall bee agaynst synners Neyther canne the cause of synners bee otherwyse if it be examined by the Lawe whyche accuseth curseth condempneth woundeth and kylleth so manye as it fyndeth gyltie withoute exception For synners muste needes abyde the sentence and Iudgemente of the Lawe because of the ryghtuousnesse which GOD lawfully requireth of all menne Yet for all that the Lawe is no lette vnto God but that he by hys grace maye restore theym and sette them withoute all daunger that were before condemned of the lawe Who so euer therefore appeale frome God thorowe the decrees of the lawe cruell and suche one as wil not be intreated vnto god mercifull and such one as wyll not the deathe of synners and falle downe before the Lorde with this seruaunt and desyre mercye they without doubte obteyne the inwarde mercy of Gods moste mercyfull bowels as the testimonie of Christe is here that the bowels of God yearne and are moued when synners are driuen by the lawe and synne to destruction and euerlasting bondage Wherfore when thou feelest thy debt haue thy recourse with this seruaunt to the mercye of God and thynke for a suertie that it is Goddes will that thou sholdest not dye but haue euerlastyng lyfe And what is the meane by the whiche God would haue mercy vpon vs the Gospel sheweth in other places euen that the sonne of God Iesus Christ is becom man for vs synners and toke our syns vpon him and satisfied for them by his death Loke where this faith is as touchyng Christ his deathe there is the wrath of God ouercome so that he suffreth himselfe to be reconciled to man and is no more angry with him For he hath declared in Iesu Christe that he hathe a verye prompt redy mynd to mercy whiche hath mercy on vs as the father on his chyldren For he forthwith as soone as the kyngdom of death and of synne was set vp by Adam and Eue set forth a hope of saluation agaynst thys kyngdome by the promyse as touchynge the seede of the woman And thys is oure doctrine which thanks be to god in our Churche is sette foorth syncerely and withoute fault that remission of sinnes cometh vnto vs only by the grace and mercy of God As it is described in thys place by the seruant which oweth such a great summe but yet obtaineth a quittance of it not by merite and desert but onely by mercy and grace and that only for this that he sticketh sure to grace and prayeth for the mercy of God Wherfore the doctrine of the Papistes is erronious false and blasphemous whenne they preache as concernynge remission of synnes For they caste menne with theyr vnpayable dettes vnto theyr owne workes But when we teache that remyssion of synne is onely to be asked of God by Christe they condemne it as heresie and false But iudge thou thys by the true meanyng of the Gospell which of vs both do preache more truly as touching remission of sinnes whether we that coÌ„mend the mercy of God in Christ or they that persuade meÌ„ to works and satisfactions To be brief al this sermon tendeth to this end that we shold learn that God hath mercy on vs freely and forgeueth all our debt for naught Christ admonisheth vs here as touching this grace that we also by this exaÌ„ple shold behaue our selues likewise shew no crueltie towarde our neighbour for that we haue receaued the remittyng of so great debtes from God For other wise can they not do that acknowledge truly the remission of sinnes before GOD. And this is the fyrst cause the whyche Christe hath set foorthe and in the meane tyme hee doothe teache what is the way vnto Saluation whereby we myght obteyne grace and Remission of synnes The seconde cause is when Christ requireth of vs to consyder well the wronge and damage doone vnto vs. For yf that wee trye all thynges by a iust balaunce we shall perceaue that oure debtes to God be alwayes tenne myllions of talentes in comparyson of the debte of the hundred pence that our neighbour dooth owe vnto vs. If thys bee welle consydered it wylle admonyshe vs where as GOD hathe forgeuen vs so greate a summe that we shold not to straightly require our minute but iudge al things according to equitie For what are a hundred pens in respecte of tenne millyons of talentes Wherfore these thynges wyll make vs ashamed and not without a iuste cause yf that wee whyche haue gotten Remission of so greate thynges wyll not pardon our neighbours in lytle thyngs They do not well esteme the mercy of God that are so strait to their neighbors The third cause is that Christe in this Parable calleth vs all seruauntes Thys seruant sayeth he went foorth and chaunced vppon one of his fellowe seruantes that owed vnto hym an hundred pence Thys also might worthily adhort vs vnto mercyfulnes and withdraw vs from reuengyng For we are but felow seruauntes and all we haue one Lorde whose propre office it is to reuenge all trespasses whose maiestie is not to be resisted nor hys power to be mynished neyther will he suffer thee if thou do so as he saith in an other place Leaue to me the reueÌ„ging I wil reward saieth the Lorde For without thy reuengyng it is Gods office to punyshe syn And to thys ministration he hath not onely the deuyll that vexeth the body and goodes when GOD permytteth hym so to doo but he hath also certayne powers in the earthe that euerye one for theyr parte shoulde punyshe and reuenge that is the parentes and officers All these are commaunded to be a terrour and feare to euyll woorkes To these reuengers must al flee vnto that suffer wroÌ„g eyther in Cities or in housholdes For they are all felow seruantes and ought not to reuenge their owne wronges If any haue an office to punyshe and yet punysheth not GOD wyll not leaue hym vnpunyshed For hee doothe not onely challenge thys for his owne office But hee hym selfe also whenne these reuengers appoynted of hym ceasse frome dooynge their dutie exerciseth reuenging for the oppressed and vexed Wherfore all men must beware that they reuenge not their owne wronge This is the meaninge of Christes saying wheras he sayth in the parable This seruant fell vpon one of his felow seruants The fowerth cause is He that will not also thinke vpon the greatnes of Gods mercie and the litle and small debt of his felowe seruant in whom he hath no power

in hymselfe to the contryte vexed and miserable consciences and make their herts that were full of tremblyng and ouercome by dreade and feare to be mery and ioyfull Moyses is an high prophete but this can he not doo For all his sermons doo sounde on this wise Thou must obserue the law orels perishe This was a very torment to the Iewes The Phariseys dyd fast payd tithes and endeuoured with all their study to represent the lawe and thought that they had no nede of any gospel of any Christ but that all other thynges were without peryll and that god coulde not but receaue them into heauen for their fastes prayers almes c. These be riche and perfect sprited men which haue no nede of god and his grace and this is very true that this doctrine of Moyses is necessarie and that men ought to be indued with this discipline and instruction euen as in an Empire or kyngdome there must nedes be had somners hangmen to execute corporall punyshement on theim that wyll not obey the lawe that steale that commytte aduoutrie and slaughter But when the agonie of death is at hand this doctrine of Moyses by all meÌ„s iudgement is to no purpose although thou hast obserued it neuer so muche Thou must nedes saye and confesse Although I haue not ben an aduoutrer a thefe a robber yet doo I onely flee to thy mercy If this be not all workes be they neuer so great preuaile not against desperation As there is an historie in the lyues of the fathers of a certayne man that stode styll three whole dayes in one place and continually lyfted vp his eyes into heauen with mournyng and waylyng And wheÌ„ his Disciples asked of hym why he was so greately troubled he answered I feare death Then euery man endeuored to comfort hym and thought it the best for that purpose to put him in remembraÌ„ce of his straight kynde of lyuyng and of his kepynge of Goddes preceptes But he testified playnly before them that this made nothing against the fear of death For although sayeth he I haue kept gods preceptes very straightly yet I can not be without the feare of death for I knowe that gods iudgement is not lyke vnto mans This Father proceded so farre that he vnderstoode that when these tourmentynges begynne and dryue vs to God and to his iudgement that Gods Iudgement is so greuous seuere and harde that our holines and good workes can not withstande and susteyn it Wherfore although the lawe is to be taught and the discipline of good woorkes is to bee put in execution the coÌ„mandements to be done yet when death commeth let vs dispaire as concernyng all oure workes and the rightuousnes therof This is one of the poore that is mencioned in this place But hee can not telle what he myght surely stycke vnto For this was lackyng to him wherof Christ speketh in this place The Gospell is preached to the poore But the Gospell is suche a doctrine as touchyng Christe that it comforteth a synner and dothe adhort hym not to feare For Christ commaunded it to be preached to the contrite that he geueth his owne rightuousnes for thee which is euerlastinge Thys Grace dooth hee procure to bee taught to thee by his worde Wherfore doubt not It shall chance vnto thee as thou hearest if thou beleue For the Gospell signifieth a faire and quiet doctrine ioyfull tidynges If a riche man woulde promise to a begger a thousand nobles that would be a gospell to the begger and ioyfull tydynges and pleasant to the eare But what ar all riches in comparison of this gospell and good tidynges that Christe hath respect vnto the poore and is suche a kynge whiche maketh the dead synners and captiues of the lawe parttakers of euerlasting life righteousnes Suche is my kingdom saith he muche vnlike the kingdom of the worlde wher only this regard is had to aduaunce the mighty For he that is moste of might there doth moste oppresse the poore Ther the potestate vseth extremitie which spareth no man can not suffer vice vnpunished Wher it hath his sergeaÌ„ts his rods the sword water fier that the euyll doers may be punished But in the kingdom of Christ it wil be otherwise Wherfore as it is a miracle to rayse the dead so is this the chiefe miracle that God hath sent vs such a kinge that is kinge of sinners and sheweth his gospell to them Moses and his law knoweth of no such kinge For there it is enacted that he that is a sinner is condemned to the diuell and to death This now appereth hereby that God is kinge of the holy and rightuous which hath farre perfecter holynes then that that the ciuill lawes requier And it is trew that that doctrine of the law is Gods word and that Moyses ministration by the lawe is Gods ministration As lykewise the ciuill empires are well called the empires of God for as much as he coÌ„maundeth such to be had vs also to obei therto But these are onli the empires of Gods lefte haÌ„d But the kingdome of his right hand is wher he reigneth him self neither doth he substitute any lieutenantes pareÌ„tes magistrates other officers but he ruleth him self so ordreth the matter that the gospel be preached to the poore In the which thou learnest that wheÌ„ thy rightuousnes caÌ„ not abide the iudgement of God to say thus I haue done lord that I cold I haue obeied my pareÌ„ts masters with al diligence I haue done no man any dishonestie I haue not ben a murmurer I haue sene diligeÌ„tli to my houshold them that were committed to my cure I haue done no wrong to my neighboure I haue not stollen I haue not coÌ„mitted aduoutery c. But what is this to the purpose wheÌ„ the matter is tried before thy IudgemeÌ„t This is nothing to thy kingdoÌ„ Wherfore wheÌ„ I know that thing in thy gospel that thy sonne our Lord Iesu Christ shewed diuers signes amoÌ„gest the which this is also that thi sonne preached to the poore that is that he was sent froÌ„ the to this purpose to coÌ„fort the afflicted coÌ„sciences to this enteÌ„t haue I now receaued the gospel For I can not be without it wheras I am vexed and poore and there is no wher els any confort either in my goodes either in all the worlde Thus saith also the prophet Esaias of Christ as Christ saith here also the lord hath geueÌ„ me a learned toung that is God hath put this word in my tongue that I may at due season speake with the weary that is confort the dreadfull coÌ„scieÌ„ces As the euaÌ„gelist doth expouÌ„d it in this place saith that the gospell is preached to the poore for the king Christ was sent to preache good tydings to coÌ„firme the trembling fearful coÌ„sciences And his kingdome is a kingdoÌ„ of coÌ„fort wherein the dreadful muste be

came for the same purpose that men should beleue in hym and obtayn saluation by hym But where as they will not there is no faulte in Christ. For it were mete that they should lyue after the maner of CHRIST whiche is their Lord and not Christ after theirs And the Gospell is for no other cause And we ought to haue respecte therto But he that is loth to do so can blame nothing but his owne stubburnnes and damnable wickednes and not the Gospell which is without faulte And this is the fyrste parte of this prophecye But where as Simeon turneth his speach to the mother with these words And the sworde shall perce through thy heart that the thoughtes of many hartes may be open That semeth litle to agree with the words of the Euangelist wher he said Simeon blessed her For what blessing or wishing of any good thing can there be wheras he prophecieth so to come to passe that her heart shall be perced with a sworde This is not only written for Christ or Maries sake but for our learning is it written that haue nede of it that we may fashion oure iudgement therby For what man is there not only I but of the chiefe Apostles that wold haue suspected that the malice of the world wold haue ben so great except the Gospell had geuen vs a reuelation herof before For there were many good men before this reuelation whiche lyued very soberly and godly There were many wyse for whose honestie a man might well pronounce with an othe And this is no litle renoume of the worlde without the Gospel to haue such science wisdom and honestie c. But it is also a greater thing in religion that the worlde hath inuented and ordayned these religiouse orders The Popedom is an example For what man when he beholdeth it wil not conceaue a great opinion of godlynes This is it in the worlde if the Gospell be not there shyneth wyse men honest sober and vpright men And all this is by the reason of ciuill vertues and partly by iugling ceremonies that excepte the goodnes of God helped all should be cast headlong into destruction with this pretence that they were iuste holy wyse and pure from synne But when the Gospell is opened and the child Iesus preached there is it almoste proued to the sences declared with pictures that these saynctes are moste synners and these wyse most foles and these sober men moste cruell tyrantes Neither hath the Gospell any enemies more spitefull than these men that are great wyse prudent vpright in lyuing good and holy And the more they excell with these vertues so much the more they behaue them selues enuiously against the Gospell as we proue by experience The more religion the Mounkes shewe in praying fasting and other chastisings the more furiously do they behaue them selues against the Gospell And this it is that Simeon speaketh of in this place What a great shew saith he maketh the worlde in both administrations as well ciuill as religiouse They lyue honestly and holyly with great sparing and defrauding them self of their pleasure and they may soone be taken for Angels and the sonnes of God for their great wisdom and holynes Who could beleue that there might lie hyd suche corruption vnder such a fayer shew And here is no art so full of knowledge out of the which this might be iudged and perceaued excepte this only texte wheras he saith that the Gospell shall vtter this poyson Wherfore when this is opened it moueth to wrath these so great so holy men so that they muste nedes betray them selfes and shew before all men that all that they do is but hypocrisie For there are other exaÌ„ples besyde this caste against this There are very wyse Princes that are earnestly moued with the care of sauing their subiectes they are not couetouse no dronkards no gluttons they be diligent in doing the busines of their realme to defend men from wronge they are chast husbandes to be short if a king should be prayed for and wished they wold be thought moste mete for theyr vertues prudeÌ„ce goodnes holynes c. But wilt thou know how the matter goeth For scarsly at the publyshing of the Gospell may a man perceaue this vncredible hypocrisie and this bloud thyrstye hearte which gapeth for the shedding of innocentes bloud whiche myngleth all things with great deceites and letteth passe no kynde of subtiltyes to oppresse the Gospell and to ryd it out of the way so that yet by this occasion that is made open whiche before no maÌ„ wold beleue that so great synnes should lye hyd vnder such an holy apperance It chanceth by the launcing or cutting of no thing that this pestilent poyson gusheth out but only by the Gospell My reason is this that if the Gospell should with mans coÌ„sent be taught that they should be the fyrst alowers therof that do of set purpose professe religion But who so euer thou art aunswer me this Is not the Pope the Bishops the Priests the Mounkes the vniuersities with their Doctours the most spitefull enemies of it that be Which thing Simeon meaneth here and saith to Mary This thy child shal be author of so great a tumult and shall bewray them that myght sone haue lyen hyd from al men ye that wold scarsly know them selues he shall open their heartes that they that were counted for moste holy may be knowen to be blasphemeâ—s full of gyle deceit periurie hate enuie and all malice Suche fylthynes shall be opened in them by hym whiche neuer the lesse for their dyuers vertues wisdome innocencie vprightnes and holynes might be counted worthye to rule all the worlde ye and heauen also This opening of the heart is administred by this chylde At the fyrst whan the Gospell came abrode I neuer thought that the worlde wold be so madde I Iudged all men after my self whereas I thought this that all men wold triumphe for ioy that they are deliuered earnestly From the tyranny of the Pope and by Christ made partakers of all that good thing the whiche before they studied with great coste and payn to purchase and yet all in vayne And I thought that these things wold specially please the scoles and Byshops if it wold please any But how are we handled For this doctrine are we intreated without all mercye And no man hate vs more than the religiouse men We muste accustome our selues to suffer this iniquitie and must not caste of the Gospell for this wickednes of the worlde But set forth the doctrine therof the more earnestly For it is such that bewrayeth the dyuell and his members how great an enemy of God is the world with all his giftes and vertues For I could neuer know by my self that so great wickednes and contempt was in mans heart But the Gospell teacheth vs to knowe well what is the Pope the Bishops the Princes the Nobles the Citizens the Rustykes euen

hym so humble that he dareth not come in CHRISTES sight He humbleth hym selfe with the loweste as the woman of Canaan dyd so that he sendeth other to entreat Christ for hym and yet he hath so certainly persuaded him self as touching the goodnes and humanitie of Christ that he thynketh with all his heart that he shal haue help of Christ. And this is verily a true fayth and true humblenes that oure vnworthynes cause vs somwhat to doubt but yet without desperation so that the bountie and mercie of God maketh vs chereful again For God requireth both Fyrst that we appeare not before hym with confidence in oure selues after the maner of hypocrytes Secondarily that after the maner of hypocrytes we despaire not vtterly in thynges impossible to reason But that accordyng to the Psalme we may fele that GOD is delighted with them that feare him and that trust vpon his mercy But the Iewes dyd not this For they persuaded them selues that God fauoured and dyd them good because he was bounde so to doo For they thoughte proudly and insolently with them selues that they executed the wyll of God and deserued the benefites of God and vnderstode nothyng of his mercie Wherfore Christe pronounceth so greuous a sentence agaynste them saying Many shall come from the east west whiche shall sytte downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdom of heauen But the children of the kyngdome shal be caste out into vtter darkenesse where as wailyng and gnashyng of teeth shal be The cause of all this is vnbelefe that they trust so much in them selues and in the meane season they set nothing by mercy Wherfore as it profiteth them nothynge in that they are the sede of Abraham so shall it nothynge hynder the Gentiles because they are not the children of Abraham if they do but imbrace Christ with a sure trust and aspire to the grace and mercye of God For this is Gods trade to fyl the hungry with good thinges and to send the riche empty away For before him neither the Gentile neither the Iew neither circumcision neither vncircumcision any thyng preuaileth but only the faith in CHRIST that men beynge destitute of their own helpe may flee vnto the mercy of god And so this Gospell teacheth very exactely bothe of Charitie and Faith what is the propertie and nature of Faith how it imbraceth the worde and looketh after the mercy of god with great humilitie Whosoeuer shall order his faith on this wise he shal obteyn his petition as the leapour Centurion did it shal be done vnto hym as he beleued that is as he hath the bounteousnes and mercy of God onely in his heart and coueteth it and putteth his trust therin so will God declare his mercy to hym receiue hym into his fauour and deliuer hym out of all his troubles Now I pray God to instruct vs with the holy ghoste and to stirre vp in oure myndes suche truste in his mercye and by this meanes to bryng vs to euerlastyng lyfe Amen The iiii Sonday after Twelfth day Upon the Gospell Math. viii AND when he entred into a shyppe his disciples folowed hym And behold there arose a greate tempest in the sea in somuch as the shyppe was couered with waues but he was a slepe And his disciples came to him and awoke him saying Master saue vs we perishe And he sayd vnto them Why are ye fearefull O ye of litle sayth Then he arose and rebuked the wyndes and the sea and there folowed a great calme But the men meruailed saying What maner of man is this that both windes and sea obey hym And when he was come to the other side into the countrey of the Gergesites there mette hym two possessed of deuylles whiche came out of the graues and were out of measure fierce so that no man myghte go by that way And beholde they cried oute sayinge O Iesu thou sonne of God what haue we to doo with thee Arte thou come hither to tourment vs before the tyme And there was a good way of from them a hearde of many swyne feedyng So the deuyls besought hym saying If thou cast vs out suffer vs to go into the hearde of swyne And he saide vnto them Go youre wayes Then went they out and departed into the hearde of swyne And beholde the whole hearde of swine was cried hedlong into the sea and perished in the waters Then they that kept them fledde and went theyr wayes into the Citie and tolde euery thyng and what had happe ned vnto the possessed of deuyls c THE EXPOSITION THE hystorie that is sette foorth vnto vs in this Gospelle is not suche as teacheth vs what is oure duetie in doyng good workes For it toucheth nothynge the tenne commaundementes it teacheth vs not what we ought to doo but that we ought to haue the ayde of Fayth in all peryls and in the most desperate temptations Wherefore the doctrine of it is of the hyghest sorte and belongeth to Faith as touchyng the whiche all men thynke this that they haue it and it hath place moste especially in aduersitie Wherfore that it may be the better perceiued what the matter is we will deuide it after this sorte Fyrste we wyl entreate as touching the crosse and affliction And then as concerning Christ and the faith in Christ for because that onely he beyng our sure ayde delyuereth frome euyll And laste of all we wyll entreate of the fruite and profite which ensueth after deliuerance out of temptation through faythe And all these partes shall shewe how weightie an hystorie the Euangelist setteth foorth in so fewe wordes which ought greatly to be estemed of vs. The fyrst is for that that Iesus with his disciples taketh shyp then ther is no teÌ„pest but al thing calme quiet yea the sea also is pacified without all tossing For the disciples could not be persuaded to take ship shyppe and especially to their perill But as soone as Christ taketh shyp with his Disciples and loose their cable ropes and tacklings they sayle with all hast into the mayne sea there ariseth sodeinly suche a tempeste that the flouds couer the shyppe and put them in ieopardie of drownynge This hystorie ought to be vsed so commonly of vs that it myghte bee vsed for a prouerbe that when we will signifie the troubles of the Churche we myght speake it in a prouerbe after this sort When Christ dooth into the shyppe enter Peace wyll not longe continue there But foorthwith foloweth storme and tempest thou must not loke for bodyly reste And this order of thynges is verye necessarye As Christ saith A strong armed man obteyneth his palaice in peace vntyll a stronger commeth on hym For then all thynges are filled with enmitie and trouble there is no where peace no where quiete All thinges by malicious enuying and horrible spoylyng falle into a flame To the whiche thynge the whole hystorie of the

power to worke with them as he shal see occasioÌ„ For that dyuel settethe forth his hipocrisie meruailously by theÌ„ wheras part beareth the name of the Church but yet is it voyde of Gods grace without the holy Ghost and therfore it sheweth foorth no work of godlynes by any vpright holy and sober lyfe An other part ther is which is coÌ„tente to haue certaine enormities errours corrected whiche seeme contrarie to reason and vnprofitable for the coÌ„mon welth But yet they so order the matter that they wreste Gods lawes to the maintenance of mannes inuentions where as they should rather examine all mennes lawes by the rule of Gods worde And herof sprang diuers heresies of the Arrians Macedonians Donatistes Nouatians Nestorians and such other For al these endeuored to make the heauenly doctrine to seme agreable to mans reason and iudgement And all this they dyd bycause they knew not God and his kingdom vntill at the laste the great aduersarie of his heauenly kingdome by the Byshoppe of Rome corrupted the pure sowen word of God by all kind of tares which fell to so great wickednes that he vsurped his false power ouer this kingdom labouring to haue it in his daunger by his wicked Canons Decrees and Decretalles And who can now expresse with any words the great corruption and hurt that it hath wrought in the Lordes felde But we go not about now to shew the great hurt and damage that is done by him But this is my studie to make the true face forme of the Churche to be knowen amonge so many seducinge sectes that the true Church may perceaue that as long as it is in this feld that is in the world it must of necessitie lyue amoÌ„ge so many deadly sectes and heresies For there be very many that will by no meanes suffer them selues to be counted out of this kingdome and yet there be very few that are true hearted subiectes of this kingdome And all the rest professe them selues so to be in words only But they declare partly by their dedes and kynde of lyuinge and partly by their doctrine and opinions that they know not what belongeth to this kingdome neither what are the true vertues and workes therof But the sayntes and godly can not abyde and suffer this so great goodnes of GOD to be abused But they ought here not so muche to care for the satisfyinge of there oune will minde in seing to the glorie of God after this maner but to marke rather to what ende this their ways shall come at the laste For assone as the church beginneth to seclude from Gods kingdom all abusers of gods grace as vnworthy synners and receaueth them for righteous in whome is no suche kynd of vice espied it abolished the kyngdome of gods grace and mercie And by this meanes the NouatiaÌ„s and the Anabaptistes at our time also fell into this errour that whilest they before time goe about to pluke vp the tares from the corne of Christianitie they make a monkrie and so take away the kyngdome of gods grace Neither were the first monkes that were most vncorrupt circumspecte and warie ynough in this behalf For when they went into solitarie places and into wildernes for the auoidyng of many offences and euilles that chaunce amongest the ecclesiasticall ministers in the congregations of the citie they began by a litle and a litle to be the maintainers of this lewed opinioÌ„ as though that they were the true children of God that all other that in ciuil corporations did gouerne either families or ruled the cities towns lyued in a prophane vnholie and ley kynde of liuing wheras neuer the lesse true godlines requireth no suche thing But the truth is this First it behoueth all men to know the kyngdome of the grace of God that he may knowe that he obtayneth mercie and remission of his synnes for Christes sake And so after this let euery man liue in the euil felowshippes of men let theÌ„ gouern housholdes or communalties or let them be seruaunts and laborers in families or subiectes and citisens in cities let euery man for his owne part doe his owne duetie The psalme admonisheth vs of this superstitioÌ„ biddynge vs to beware of it Trust in the Lord doe good dwell in the lande and he shall fede thee in the riches therof Here he forbiddeth vs to be careful for pluckyng vp the tares wheras he commauÌ„deth to inhabite the earth either as rulers of families or gouerners of cities For true godlines can be had by no other meanes than by this least out of the kyngdome of Gods mercie ther shold spring monkry and other new inuented seruice And yet the churche of God can not be but it must nedes know the difference of the corne and tares It knoweth for a suertie that he can not liue in the kingdome of God but throughe faith in Christ in the holie gost wher by man is newe borne and regenerate man is sanctified and renewed to be made obedient to God And yet least it should ouerthrowe this kingdome of grace it suffereth long after the example of God stablishinge his owne minde and conscience in the midle of so great temptations that it be not seduced Neither doth it loke for any helpe or succoure by flitting and by auoydyng of mennes company by going a side into wildernes and into a cloister of a monkrie or nonrie but it vseth circumspection and iugement that it fall not into like euilles In this parable therfore are both these lessons set forth to be learned of the churche First it must thinke it self to be in the kingdome of God the lawes condition wherof verie fewe do know and folowe at all times For albeit it be the kyngdome of grace wherunto all sinners ought most desirously to flee yet the diuel by the helpe of our fleshe whiche is alwaies fauorable to his part can doe so muche that he euen in the middest of Gods holy people coÌ„gregations thrusteth in a great heape of hypocrites Now wheÌ„ the church perceaueth that within it selfe in all her matters there is suche great offences it must not violentlie resiste it but defend and saue it self warelie against these offences For For although these offences be euident yet the state of this kingdome is suche that it can not by force and violence remedie these offences after a ciuil worldly maner The state and maner of this kingdome must be kept Whiche is this euen that the doctrine of the Gospell be purelie set forth as touching remission of synne and that men be wel instructed as concerning how they must be renued by the holy Ghost And that mercie and forgeuenes be pronounced to suche as diligently in their vocation do the works of Godly loue This doctrine ought at no tyme to be omitted be the carnall and wordly men neuer so much offended therby Yet the feare of offending them must not be an occasion to

that God shall open hym the way to a better In the mean season let hym comfort hym self for that he hath the same Christ as the high emperours prelates and monkes haue and that he is as muche furdered by him to saluation and euerlasting life Or if they will not graunt that the lowest should haue equall felicitie with them in this kyngdom then haue they themselues no place in it For it must nedes be so in this kyngdom All are accepted into Gods fauour for that that Christ Iesus suffered for them all and washed vs with his bloud and that not one more and an other lesse but all alike Euery man hath lyke right to this tresure neither wil they after that be so greatly greued with this inequalitie that they wyll be sory for their state and make any disturbaÌ„ce of the publike order therby But they are conteÌ„t with their present state how vnequal so euer it be so that they may be felowe partners haue like right with al saints in those things that ar hoped for are euer lasting If this were wel beaten into mens myndes how that al haue like right in Christs kingdoÌ„ they wold with a certain godly spiritual pride war ioyful harty yea in doing the vilest seruice drudgery that is that with godlines For al things must be done there with a ioyfull hart wheras that christeÌ„ maÌ„ perceiueth beleueth firmly that God is not displeased with any maÌ„ for his low degree ye for that gret renomes sake wherin al saints ar equal in Christ he caÌ„not but coÌ„ceiue incredible ioy in somuch that he wold not refuse to scoure sinks so that he may be as wel accepted with Christ as ar they that are chiefest Our aduersaries the monks Nonnes do not this They imagin that God hath writing tables or a couÌ„ting boke to note euery mans labours woorkes and taskes and to marke how much one doth labor more then an other that thereby he myght haue the higher roume in heauen and haue a better Christ than he is that is euery mans Christ. For this haue they taught that when a priest masseth he doth such a worke that profiteth as well the dead as the quicke and that for-because he is a more worthier person and of an higher degree in the kyngdome of Christ then the laye people are These persons can not abide this equalitie which is in Christes kyngdom but go about to make inequalitie after a wordly maner After lyke maner haue they taughte that a Nunne in her abbey is holyer and better then a houswyfe in her house and if a man teache the contrary they condemne hym as an heretike And herein they are lyke vnto them that murmured in this parable for they require more then other and shewe God a roll written of al the howers that they wrought in and suffred the heate of the day But marke what answere God geueth them As for this inequalitie in a ciuil gouernaÌ„ce he wil not reason with them For there to the hygher degree the higher honour is due But when ye come saith he to the kingdome of my sonne all are equall for that they haue but one baptism one Christ. Neither is a better Gospell taught to some to some a worse For where as the Monkes saye that the maried men haue but the worst gospell and the worst commandementes and that they them selues haue the beste because they are of a hygher degree in Gods kyngdome it is false and contrary to the Gospell For therby they go about to make inequalitie in the Gospell where as neuerthelesse Christ made all things equall and especially techeth this only thing in this parable that in his kingdom one is no better than an other To liue chast if a man haue the gyft is no euill thyng neither can it be forbidden by lawes or statutes But to affirm that a man or woman therby is in a higher degree before god and that he must haue a greater reward therfore is a fals doctrine and a great rock whereat the Pope stumbleth and therfore doth falsly accuse vs that forbyd good workes We only affirme this that there is equalitie in Christes kyngdom forasmuch as God accepteth vs not for our merit or deseruing but through his mercy and grace in Christ. And thus proceding in this matter after that a man hath obteined this equalitie and felowshyp Let euery man in the coÌ„mon lyfe applye his vocation and see to his charge either in gouernyng youth in the schole or teachyng the people in the churche or gouernynge his familie at home or doing any other lower seruice And here let euery man doo his duetie diligently Neither let him loke to be equall with other in a higher degree For in Christ no mans state is better than other but all in hym obteine the mercy of God And in this is the worlde and the Iewes greately offended when they heare that we that are Gentiles and vncircumcised be receaued to saluation whiche were neuer burdened with the Saboth neither with other burdens of the law where as they haue caried borne them with great peine and sweate as Christ in this parable describeth it very proprely The fyrst had thought that they should had receaued more and therfore they murmured whan euery man had but his penye euen as they had also that were but an hower in the vineyard But Christ suffreth not this inequalitie Frende saieth he I doo thee no wrong take that is thyne and be gon That is to say you haue now receiued your wages euen the land of Canaan But now I wyll ordeyn an other new kingdom wherin al thinges shal be equal For all the riches therin are myn and I may order them as I list It doth not become you to teache me what wages I shal geue to my laborers workmen Therfore the Iewes by their vndiscrete maner and enuye doo caste awaye the kyngdome of GOD and thynke it an vnmete thing that we Gentiles shold be made equall with them and therfore they accuse God as though he dyd them wronge and dryueth him to his answer so that he is faine to chyde with them and say What aylest thou are they not my goodes that I geue and not thyne Is it not laufull for me to doo with myne owne goodes as me lusteth A lyke importunitie and vndiscrete maner is there in the Pope also and all his They abhorre this kyngdome wherin al thyngs are equall They require the chiefest preeminence for them selfe as of duetie but for theyr pride they shal obteyn no more theÌ„ the Iewes obteined Wherfore we must not lightly regard this differeÌ„ce betwene the corporall and spirituall lyfe or if it must otherwise bee named betwene the kyngdome of the world Christes kingdome For in Christes kingdom all thynges must be equall for they are coÌ„mon goodes as is God Christ the holy ghost the gospel baptisme the supper of the Lord faith And

GOD that he hath geuen so greate vertue power and strengthe to so weake instrumentes For what are we poore men in respect of the deuill Therfore if his power were not repressed by Godes power by his worde c. We were not able somuche as one moment of an howre to stand againste hym But what doth God he kyndleth that poore litle strawe thorowe his worde that heauenlye fyre that it maketh suche a lyght and brightnes in the worlde that the deuill knoweth not wheare to abide so that he must this daye flee from this place to morowe from another place and so vtterly at the last be driuen out In consideration wherof sainct Paule calleth the Gospell the power of God whereby men obtayne euerlastynge saluation that is to saye suche a might and strength as is named the power of God and restoreth man from synne vnto righteousnes from death vnto life from hell vnto heauen from the deuils regiment vnto the kingdome of God These things must we Christians learne and thancke god for them highly esteme his holy worde blessed Sacraments as our moste precious reliques iewels As for the vnfaithful they are not worthye to behold the greate power and maiestie of gods word according to this saying Tollatur impius ne videat gloriam dei Let the vngodly be taken awaye that he see not the glory of god And as Esay saide of the Iewes ye shall heare and not vnderstand ye shall see and not perceyue We therfore are muche bounde vnto God that we haue both knowen and felte the greate maiestie and power of his worde And in this behalfe we ought greatly to reioice that although we be poore and beggerly synners yet we be endowed with suche power as the deuill is not able to abyde Thus see we that this worke amonge the Christians is perpetuall I meane to caste out deuilles to make the dumbe to speake and the deaffe to heare althoughe it be not done corporally For this is a matter of greater wayghte and of more excellencie to caste the deuill out of mens heartes and to driue hym out of their bodies For he sytteth faster in the heart theÌ„ in the body But Christ driueth him out corporally also that we with our eyes maye beholde his power and the soner beleue that he will driue him also out of that place where he muste stedfastly syt I meane the hearte yea and that by playne and homely thinges as by the worde by baptisme by the Sacrament of his body and bloude c. These singuler gyftes and noble graces hath God geuen vnto vs and therfore ought wee continually to thancke hym and to vse the same vnto oure comforte againste the deuill that wee by that meanes maye dryue hym out of oure heartes and not be dismayde thoughe he suffer vs to haue no rest in this worlde but continually heape vpon vs afflictions troubles persecutions hatredes of men tormentes of tyraunts and at the laste death For these thinges shall he be paide home at the last daye when without anye returne he shall for euer be caste out into hell fyre there worldes without ende to remayne This is the fyrste part of oure gospell for the whiche we are moste endebtedly bound to geue vnto GOD moste heartie thankes and to reioyce in the same Nowe followeth it in the gospell what the worlde iudgeth of so greate and waightie matters And here are set forth vnto vs in this Gospell three kyndes and sortes of menne whiche diuersly take this miracle of Christe The firste is the best sorte I meane them whiche maruell at this worke of Christ and without doubte geue thanckes vnto God for it These be but fewe in nomber and suche as be of no reputacion whose eyes are opened to see the glorie and power of Gods worde to knowe the same And this thinge semeth vnto them suche and so greate that they can not merueill ynough that the worde so quicklye and easely can turne so many men and by the power there of caste oute the deuill For this cause can not they heare of this matter ynoughe But besydes these there are two other sortes Their heartes are so hardened that they seing see nothyng at all neyther perceyue they that thorowe the mightie power of God the dumbe and deaffe do as wel nowe speake heare as any other man that he whiche before was wont to be madde and out of his wittes is now in his hole mynde and doth all thynges soberly quietly and in good order But let vs nowe consider these ij sortes of people seuerally or euery one by them selfes The firste of these ij sortes beholde this noble worke and maruelous miracle of Christe but they are so blynde madde and doltyshe that after the maner of spyders they gather poyson of this flowre whereof the other of whom we spake afore gathered good swete hony for these men do not onely not interpret this castinge out of deuils a certein arte or singuler gyfte of God but they also boldly pronounce that this worke is not of God but of the deuill and done by arte magike Shoulde this be a miracle saye they yea it is the worke of the deuill and done by Nicromancie so stockblinde are they and so hard hearted that they cannot see the wonderful worke of GOD but ascribe altogether to the deuill And this setteth forth their insolent arrogancie and excedynge greate pride in that they call the prince of the deuilles Beelzebub which soundeth in our English toÌ„ge an huÌ„ble bee or a great flye Howe can the deuil be more despised They haue so good an opinion of their owne holynes and spirite that they coÌ„pare the deuil flyes together Uerely I can not esteme the deuill so lyghtly neither could Paule which calleth him the prince and God of this worlde But these good holye folke thincke the more they can despise the deuil the more shal they make the art of Christ in casting out the deuils to be despised What great matter is this saye they that the greater flye casteth out the lesser Thus they blaspheme the worke of Christ although they haue nothinge to saye againste the truth But this they consider not that they them selues haue a legion of deuils in them For they are full of blasphemies of murders of lyes of deceauinges c. They fulfyll the deuils wyll vnto the vttermoste in that they thincke that the deuill hath nothing to do with them and that they are in no danger of him Euen thus goeth it nowe a dayes also the gospell God be thancked in this our time is taughte purely syncerely with all quietnes modestie And this is our comforte that some good men do truly receaue this doctrine are glad of it wonder at the great mercie and goodnes of god and most heartely thaÌ„cke him for it Contrariwise some there are that fele no swetnes at all in the preaching of the Gospel and

God vnto dumbe and beggerly ceremonies that they whiche are all redy snarled with the bondes of idolatrie and superstition might be holdeÌ„ the more strongly with the same and confirmed lest at any tyme they should begyn to leane and truste vnto the woorde of God and his mercy and so at the laste bee saued All suche miracles sygnes and wonders are wrought by the deuyl and ar lying false and vntrue as S. Paule termeth them yea they are nothyng els then playn sorcerie and iuglynge to deceaue them that are vnfaythfull because they would not embrace the truthe that they myght be saued Thynke thou those to be the true signes and miracles wherwith Christe the Apostles through the word did cast out the deuil so that he against his wil was coÌ„pelled to depart For ther was no such daliance neither declared he himself of his own frewil to go away In those miracles the deuill was enforced against his will to geue place to the word of God that vnto this end that the glorie of God might be set forth the christen religion confirmed stablished this dothe not the deuil gladly Therfore in such agony conflict strife against the deuill crosses halowed candels holy water such other trifles do no good at all Where it is for the deuils profit and for the enlargement confirmation of his kyngdom in all superstition idolatrie false religion wickednes c. that he should be put out that by this meanes the wycked worlde may receaue the punyshemente of their frowardnes because they wyll not call vppon Christe and so be the more depely drowned in superstition there it is possible that the deuyll will suffer himselfe to be expelled and caste out of suche wicked persones as Sorcerers Necromancers witches and such lyke are For thys is not done to the ende that the Gospell maye be aduanced and the truthe knowen but that errour may be confirmed that the more authoritie may be geuen to monkerye to the inuocation of Sainctes to Pylgremages to Uigiles to Masses and to suche lyke trumperie For the mayntenance of these thynges wherwith the glorie of God is obscured and the truthe of his holye word hindred the deuyl is wel content to geue place and to suffer himselfe to be caste oute But where the castyng out of the deuyll is done to this end that the fynger and power of GOD may be sene and that the kyngdome of God may be stablyshed there the deuill resysteth wrastleth and sheweth him selfe vnwilling to depart and maintaineth his abode there so long as he can as Christ teacheth in the Parable of the strong armed man Therfore let vs neuer forget this great exceding mercy singular goodnes of the Lord our God but most humbly and hertily thanke hym that he hath sente his sonne to be an helper vnto vs against the deuil to cast hym out and hath geuen vs his worde wherby euen nowe also that worke is done I meane the kyngdom of the deuill is destroied and the kyngdom of God is set vp and encreaced In this grace God for his mercy euer kepe vs for his dere sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lorde and alone Sauior to whom with God the faand the holy ghost be all glorie for euermore Amen The fourthe Sondaye in Lent Â¶ The Gospell Iohn vi IEsus departed ouer the sea of Galile whiche is the sea of Tiberias and a greate multitude folowed him because they saw his miracles whiche he dyd on them that were diseased And Iesus went vp into a mountayne and there he sat with his Disciples And Easter a feaste of the Iewes was nye When Iesus then lyfte vp his eyes and sawe a great company come vnto hym he sayde vnto Philip whence shall we bye bread that these may eate This he sayde to proue hym for he hym selfe knewe what he woulde do Philip aunswered him two hundred penyworth of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man may take a lyttle One of his Disciples Andrewe Simon Peters brother sayeth vnto hym There is a lad whiche hath fiue Barlye loaues and two fishes but what are they a monge so many And Iesus sayde make the people sit downe There was muche grasse in the place So the men sat downe in number about fiue thousande And Iesus toke the bread and when he had geuen thankes he gaue to the Disciples and the Disciples to them that were set downe and lykewyse of the fyshes as muche as they would When they hadde eaten ynough he sayde vnto his Disciples gather vp the broken meate whiche remayneth that nothyng be lost And they gathered it together and fylled .xii. baskettes with the broken meate of the fyue barley loaues which broken meate remayned vnto them that had eaten Then those men when they had sene the miracle that Iesus dyd sayde this is of a trueth the same Prophete that shoulde come into the worlde THE EXPOSITION IN this Gospell we learne that our Sauiour CHRIST hath a syngular and special care for them that folow him that seeke the kyngdom of God and the rightuousnes thereof and sette theyr chief delectation and pleasure in hearyng the worde of God and in practisyng the same so that all such shall want no good thyng necessary for theyr lyuynge but shall haue abundantlye what so euer is needfull so farre is it of that they neede to despayre of Goddes prouidence in this behalfe as though he were ledde wyth no care at all towarde theym and theyr necessities Thys doctrine the wicked worldlyngs and couetous carles are not woorthy to heare muche lesse to beleue seyng theyr myndes are otherwyse sette In dede they heare that Christe bounteously wroughte thys great miracle but they doo not beleue that Christe wylle doo the same for theym Therefore are they all together gyuen to the worlde scrape and rake together what so euer they can gette by hooke or by crooke by ryght or by wrong by laufull or vnlaufull meanes declaryng by all theyr doynges that they haue no good and faithful persuasion of Gods prouidence and that Christe neyther can nor wyll deale with them as he dyd with this people of whom oure Gospell maketh mencion Yea some of them after the maner of Epicures thynke God to bee a carelesse God and not to regarde hys people but to sytte ydell in heauen gasing about I can not tell vpon what And therefore they thynke it to bee their charge and duetie to carke and care to aforesee and prouide all thynges necessary for them selues that they suffer not hunger and colde c. But suche men yea rather monsters of men Christe regardeth not They that embrace his word Christe conforteth them in this place that he will fede theym not with wordes but with dedes euen with all thinges necessarie Let vs not doubt thynke or compasse in our mynde how we should be nouryshed but lette vs put our whole confidence in

he may boldly open his mouth and lippes and declare the matter both for hymselfe and for other and saye Lorde this haue I nede of that hath my neighbour nede of Geue vs this for Christes sake c. Our times be suche nowe that we can neuer want necessarie causes to pray Calamities and publique miseries are there plentie Perils and daungers coÌ„passe vs rounde about The cause of all these euils is the deuill which is a murtherer and a lyar with lying he goeth about to oppresse the worde of God and with commotions insurrections and murtheringe one of an other he troubleth the ciuile state publique peace The Pope the Turke and the other tyrauntes which all are enemies to the worde of god helpe the deuyll also forwarde in all his matters yea we also priuatly euery one of vs haue oure priuate incommodities and afflictions so that we haue causes sufficient to moue vs vnto prayer They that can not aptly expresse in prayer these most haynous and greuous euylles let them take vnto them the Lords prayer whiche containeth seuen petitions wherin are coÌ„prehended abundantly all thinges that we haue nede to praye for In the first petitioÌ„ Halowed be thy name we pray for the ministery for all true ministers againste heretikes vngodly personnes againste the Iewes Infidelles Turkes and againste the Pope all Papistes for all these blaspheme the name of God and dishonoure it that god will represse confound them send faithfull workemen into his haruest and conserue and kepe his worde sincere and pure againste heresies In the second petition Thy kingdome come we desire that the kyngdome of the deuil and death may decaye and come to naught which is a very ample and large petition For it comprehendeth al the deuils kingdome that god maye make an ende of it and vtterlye destroye it and set vp his owne kingdome in vs and in all menne thorowe his worde and the holy ghost In the third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen we praye that all other wyll whiche is coÌ„trary to the mercifull will of god may be restrained hindered so that it maye take no place This prayer can not the deuill his Impes abide yea this prayer preserueth and kepeth vs safe from many incommodities and combraunces which the deuil the worlde would dayly attempte and bring to passe againste vs-if they were not letted by this petition In the fourth petition Geue vs this daye our dayly breade we praye for the maiestrates for our parentes for our wyfe and children for the fruites of the earth for seasonable weather for peace and for all thynges necessarie for this present life euery man according to his vocation and calling that it wil please god to prosper all these thinges and to defend them against euil In the fyfte petition And forgeue vs oure trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs we desire that god wyll be merciful vnto vs turne awaye his wrath from vs that we haue iustly deserued not deale with vs accordinge to our sins but that he wil forgeue vs our trespasses geue vs grace that we may waxe daily better and better shewe beneuolence an good wil one toward an other and one of vs forgeue an other how great soeuer the offences be In the sixte petitioÌ„ And leade vs not into temptation we aske the god specially will helpe all afflicted consciences that they perishe not in tentation but that they may be deliuered from it by the worde by the holy ghost In the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from euill we pray for a blessed a prosperous end that we may be deliuered from al sinnes calamities of this lyfe be brought vnto a glorious an euerlasting lyfe there to remayne with god in his kyngdome for euermore Thus see we that in the Lords praier are contayned abondaÌ„tly al thinges necessarye to be prayed for whether we will be deliuered from those thinges that are euil or holpeÌ„ with those thinges that are good And all these thinges are necessarie to be daily prayed for For there is great plentie of necessities and perils first publiquely and afterwarde priuately in euerye mans owne busynesses Onely this one thynge is greatly to be lamented that we are very colde and slouthfull vnto the Godly exercise of prayer neyther do we resorte vnto it wyth suche earnest desyre and fayth as we ought to do There is a commandement set forth that byddeth vs to pray There is also a promes that we shal vndoubtedly be heard And because we shold lack nothing that might furder vs in this behalfe Christe in the aforesaide prayer hath prescribed and appointed vnto vs a certein forme or maner of praying But for asmuche as oure indignitie and vnworthynes by the reasone of our synnes doth alwayes trouble vs so that eyther we praye nothyng at all or els wheÌ„ we pray we doubt whether we shal be heard or not we must encourage and confirme our heartes with this that Christ commandeth vs with expresse wordes that we shoulde aske and praye in his name And he promiseth for a certeintie that whatsoeuer we aske in his name we shall surely receaue and haue it And by these wordes he vtterly remoueth this worshipping of God by prayer from all creatures either in heauen or in earth vnto this onely person Iesus Christ. Therfore all prayer that is not made in the name of Christ is no prayer nor worshippinge of god As when the monckes praye that god will haue mercy on them for Fraunces sake for Dominickes sake for Benet and Bernardes sake and that he wil graunt their petitioÌ„s for their owne workes sake or for the fastings almose dedes and prayers of other c. This is no prayer For it is not made in the name of Christe but in the name of Fraunces Dominicke Benet c. or in theyr owne name suche is the prayer of the Iewes of the Turkes of the Infidelles yea and of the Papistes For they wil not haue the name of Christ only in their prayer but they adde vnto it also the names of Mary of the Apostles and of other Sainctes But as concerning all such Idolatrous prayers the end of them is this God heareth them not they please not but rather displease god They are no honoring but rather a dishonoring of god And although such hipocrites do many tymes obteyne that which they aske yet were it muche better for them neuer to obteyn it then after this sorte wherby they be only confirmed and hardened in their impietie and vngodlynes But the godly praye not so They despaire of theyr owne name neyther wyll they at any tyme praye in that But forasmuche as they knowe that GOD is mercyfull for Christes sake and they haue a commandement that they shoulde praye in the name of Christ that encourageth

the world is full of periurie and blasphemye To this so odious a beast and monster and extreme enemie of God geueth god his sonne and that of pure loue The gift of God is specially commended hereby that God dothe not let or spare to doo good for our so great wickednes and frowardnesse But what soeuer is done and coÌ„mitted against him he regardeth it not No not in that that his name and worde is so blasphemously handled and such stubburnesse is vsed agaynst his commaundement For where as the gift is so excedyng and the geuer so great the geuer might of good reson be offended for the frowardnes of him that receaueth it But God ouercommeth hym selfe and putteth out of syght all the synnes that we work eyther against the fyrst or the seconde table of Moses But because of these synnes and this myserie wherwith we synners are encombred and so encombred that we could neuer escape without the help of God doth God put foorth this loue and bestoweth this gift freely vpon vs. Is not the mercyfull Lorde therfore worthy to bee loued again And ought we not to put our whole confidence in hym which forgeueth vs our synnes yea the synnes of all the world and doth not recken them although they are innumerable For seyng that the sinnes of one man are infinite who can numbre the syns of the whole worlde And yet is this sentence trewe and certayn that God forgeueth the worlde all their synnes For wheresoeuer is the loue of God there is also remission of synnes We shoulde haue here ready hertes to haue diligent meditation on this loue wher as God geueth to the world that is his enemye euen his owne selfe so that we shold loke for no other thing of hym but mere grace and mercy Whatsoeuer chaÌ„ce in this lyfe yet shold our hope be in this loue and our faith remain constant in the mercy of God for Christ. Suche thoughtes must nedes be full of great ioy as I and many other godly meÌ„ do protest that we haue liued in all kind of abhomination and idolatrie haue ben defyled with dyuers syns This vngodlynes hath not God punished in vs after our deseruyng but hath declared his loue and hath by the gospel opened again his sonne which he had geueÌ„ to the world before that now we may heare again the holsom doctrin vnderstande that God is not angry with the worlde but loueth it in that he gaue his sonne to it But alas howe execrable is our ingratitude what excedyng dulnes of vnderstaÌ„dyng is this that we can not consider this great goodnes of god For if we wold truly consider it ther shold rise in vs the affection of such ioy that we wold not onely shewe highe obedience vnto God but we would also gladly suffer all thynges for his sake But we may thank our vnbelefe for this which regardeth not this great ioye but in the meane while setteth his pleasure in worldly trifles and seketh for vain daliaÌ„ce Thus farre haue we shortely rehersed these fower thynges who is the geuer what is the gifte howe it is geuen and to whome Whyche thynges are all so great that no man can expresse them sufficientely by wordes now foloweth the entent wherfore god gaue this gift Truly not that we should eate cloth our selues get a liuyng therby and muche lesse that he shold be vnto vs a poyson or pestilence as we teache also of Baptisme and of the Lordes supper that al these thinges might be counted wholsome vnto vs But it appereth plainly that he was geuen to this entent that all that beleue in hym shold not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe Here is it declared with playne woordes that in this matter there is no respect had vnto riches or worldly desires but that we myght therby be delyuered from death and synne and that we mighte not perishe This is the onely busynes that the Father of mere loue hath enioyned his sonne to do euen to ouer come the deuyl and hell and to deliuer vs from eternal death into the whiche we fel headlong by sinne This is the cause and entent why this gift was geuen Wherin we haue iust cause to beleue and trust stedfastly For we heare by the mouth of Christ that he hymself is geuen vnto vs and that the power of the diuell is weakened and ouerthrowen and power to pacifie the troubled conscience is restored to vs for the attainment of euerlasting life and saluation Death shal be abolished al ioy shal rise for this sure faith wherwith we beleue that God is merciful vnto vs that he loueth vs of very loue gaue his son vnto vs that we shold not perish but haue euerlastiÌ„g life The words be such that they can not be sufficiently coÌ„prehended with thought Wherfore a christiaÌ„ must daily pray that god by his spirit wyl make these words swete pleasant to our hertes and kendle and inflame them in our myndes Suche kind of teaching and discipline might easily make true doctors of diuinitie to teach vs truly of Christ and to iudge al other doctrines and to abyde all things with out murmuring that it shal please God to lay on vs. But where as it is so that we heare this doctrine and yet care not for it whether it take roote in vs or no and whether it bring forth fruite or no alas so are we neuer the better And there is no doubte but that the damned in the latter Iudgement shall chiefely be confounded in theym selfe for thys faultt that they despised thys preachynge and dydde not regarde it But nowe lette vs go foorth and see what is the waye to come by this gifte For all thyngs are not of lyke force to obteyne this gyfte Christ himself dothe shewe that playnly by his worde when he saith that all that beleue in him shold not perishe but haue euerlasting life This is an euident profe that onely Fayth that is the trust in the grace and mercy of God is the very hand wherwith we must take vnto vs thys gyft For euen as God geueth by loue and mercy so we do take and receaue by Faith and can receue no otherwise As for thy merite for doyng this or that it hath no place For our workes are nothyng requisite to the obteinyng of this gyfte onely is it necessary to shew our selues ready through Faith and euen as it is geuen of God by loue so we ought to receaue it by Faith in Christ. As for an example We heare here that God is merciful and redy to forgeue and that he doth declare his loue and charitie by this towarde vs when he sendeth his only begotten sonne into the fleshe and layeth our sinnes on hym accordyng to this sayinge of Iohn Beholde the Lambe of GOD whych taketh away the synnes of the worlde that by this gyft and loue oure heartes may be confirmed against synne and the

to our frendes but to all men yea to theim that hate vs to them that offende vs and semeth vnworthie of our good will and benefite This great displeasure and anger of ours whiche wee declare by bitter and hatefull woordes is to ouer come as when we saie what shall I medle with suche a knaue I am sore hurte of hym His slaunderyng tongue is not vnknowen to me What Should I helpe him No truely And he were full of Magottes I could not finde in my heart to doe him good And this is the lessoÌ„ that our nature teacheth vs as touching lende mercie whiche onely hath respecte to our companions and riotfelowes but as for other it abhorreth vs vtterly to shewe any mercie But Christ seketh a remedie for this fault when he requireth vs to doe good to our enemies and to theim that hurte vs Suche mercie saieth he is mete for a christian as your father of heauen hath For without this ye can not be his sonnes nor my brethren whiche haue redemed you with my blood from synne and deathe Doubtlesse ye haue offended your heaueÌ„ly father manifolde waies you haue broken his commaundementes in all poinctes And God hath a iust cause by your sinne to saie should I giue my soÌ„ne for suche vnthriftes yea rather let theÌ„ die as thei haue deserued For thei for sweare them selues thei slaunder thei are giuen to coueteousnes and to adulterie thei leaue no kinde of wickednes vndoen let them goe for me and for their leudnesse leudely perishe as thei deserue This maie GOD saieth Christe laye against you but he doeth not yea rather for all the iniuries ye doe vnto hym he hath mercie vpon you and doeth you good giuing you not onely bodie and life foode and familie wife and children and for all them liuelode but also his owne sonne and life euerlastyng Suche mercie also must we vse For what if one haue hurt and offeÌ„ded thee what is that in respect that thou hast offended GOD so often and so greuously Wherefore if Gods mercie be so greate that he giueth his sonne for his enemies to deliuer theÌ„ from death and synne by hym and also giueth all thynges beside as life bodie soule substaunce yea and that when he hath rather an occasion to take vengeaunce to punishe and to plague Put this before thee for an exaÌ„ple that thou maiest saie thus Although this man hath hurte me greuously and maie seme worthie of a misfortune at my hande yet will I not reuenge For els my mercie should not be christian like but like the Gentiles If he hath doen me wroÌ„g perchaunce I haue otherwise deserued it Now when he hath nede of my helpe I will not requit euill for euill For I se that he hath nede of helpe and that it is in my power to helpe hym For thus dealeth my heauenly father with me c. It is euidently seen how full of wickednes and wrong the husbande menne and the people of the countrie be If thei could sell the vilest thyng thei haue for the moste highest price thei would not feare to doe it The tounes men and citezens also hath very corrupt maners thei scrape together substaÌ„ce by right or by wrong thei care not how Thei liue riotuously thei deceiue and defraude as many as euer thei can This might well moue other to stomacke their doyng and to deny theim helpe when thei are in aduersitie But a christian hath a precept coÌ„trary to it whiche is that he should not remember any displeasure doen vnto hym What is this to me saith he if thei be wicked leude shall I giue vp therefore my purpose of well doyng Yea I will doe rather after the maner of a good tree from the whiche if a man plucke beate or shake doune fruicte it bringeth out the more the next yere with out paine So will I doe If I haue doen good for thee and thou shewest thy self vnkinde and dooest me a shrewde turne for it yet will I not hereby be compelled to forsake well dooyng If thou art a thornie bushe and canst doe nothing but pricke yet I will not become like vnto thee in life but I will rather shewe my self a fruitfull vine to bring forth swete grapes For so doeth my heauenly father He geueth to wicked people and vnthriftes housholde stuffe liuelode clothyng goodes bodie and soule peace seasonable weather and all thynges necessarie He giueth vs the light of the Sonne whereas we rather haue deserued Brimstome and fire from heauen but yet we haue it not For he will not bee made a churle for our vnkindnes sake but he saith If you are disposed to bee naught yet will not I forsake my naturall goodnesse I will giue bothe Sonne and water from heauen to the good euil And this is the example that Christ appointeth vs to followe that we also likewise maie be mercifull and not prouoked to malice by other mennes malice after the maner of the worlde that reuengeth and pursueth his right This maie not christian menne doe Yea rather thei ought to praie for their foes that GOD will make of them profitable and fruictfull plantes whiche are now wilde thornie and baren bushes And this is be you mercifull as your father of heauen is mercifull whiche is also moste bountefull euen to his very enemies But we must put in a caueat in this place and beware that wee take not this doctrine of mercie so although all kynde of reuengyng were disanulled hereby For there are diuers persones in one christian man A christian and the disciple of Christ doeth not reuenge But after this there be diuers descriptions of offices as of fathers in a familie of Iudges in a shire of Magistrates in a citie of Erles in an Erledome of Kynges in a Kyngdome All these offices can not bee without reuengyng And thei that are in theim should offende if thei should not punishe suche thynges as are dooen against the common wealthe For by the commauÌ„dement of God in this must those thynges be performed whiche are ordained of GOD for the preseruation of the commonaltie that the offenders bee punished and breakers of order restrained For if any manne would exercise ouerth warte mercie it would euidently appere to what poincte it would come when foolishe mercie shewed to a fewe shall be tourned to the vtter vndoing of many First are thei betrayed to whom this vntrue mercie is shewed then ensueth the breakyng of discipline rule without the whiche the worlde can not consiste in safegard Wherefore GOD requireth this of all gouernours and ouerseers of order that accordyng to their office thei vse straight punishement and if thei cease to doe so let theim knowe thei shall giue accompt thereof to the high magistrate whiche is God hymself Wherefore this commaundement of Christ consisteth in a certaine respecte to an other order that is that the sonnes of GOD that is to saie ChristiaÌ„s

although many benefites be cast awaie vpon the vnkinde yet ceaseth not their will of well doyng Now doeth Christe procede and deuideth mercie into diuers partes Iudge ye not and ye shall not bee iudged Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgiue and it shall be forgiuen you Christe would haue vs godlie in deede that we should not crake of faithe and the Gospell in wordes as the moste parte doeth that boaste them selues to bee Gospellers and prate muche of Christe But if the matter be well tried thei are but dissemblars And a greate part deceiueth them selues and perishe hereby with their hypocrisie This hypocrisie would Christe gladly restraine Wherefore he putteth forthe to vs no straunge or vnknowen example of his father doen to our profite that as we fele his goodnes and humanitie so we should shew our selues beneficiall and not high mynded toward other For we are in daunger of Gods iudgement and damnation for our synnes What hath the heauenly father doen He would not iudge and condemne thee as he might but he forgaue thee thy synnes tooke from thee hell and damnation and receiued thee to his mercie This example is put for thee Applie thy self thereto Bee thou likewise vnto other then art thou a true christian whiche beleuest in Christ neither condemnest thou thy neighbour but forgiuest hym gladlie thy hurte But if thou wilte not dooe so but rather dooe like the leude seruaunt Math. xviii thou declarest that thou canst receiue no mercie before GOD nor shewe to other in this life that thou art a Christian man but rather that GOD will exclude thee from his mercie and appoinct thee to iudgemente and damnation and depriue thee of all his benefites wherewith he hath indued thee and require again all the debtes that he remitted forgaue Thou nedest not doubt of this For the commaundement is this Iudge ye not and ye shall not bee Iudged but if ye will not cease iudgyng GOD shall iudge you also The common practise sheweth how harde this inibitioÌ„ is Assone as we iudge our selues hurt forth with we vse this iudgement Why should I do good to the vnkinde I haue holpen hym often and he dooeth not onely like for like but dooeth a shrode turne for a good I should offende if I should helpe the vnkinde so often But this is an vnmercifull mercie and painfull helpyng When thei Iudge bicause thei obtain not the like And then appereth Gregorius saiyng true True Iustice hath doen compassion but vntrue is double iniquitie For when a man giueth me a croune he is thought to go about to make me his bondman thereby Wherfore assone as any thyng is doen or saied that pleaseth not or if I be not obsequius forth with he embraideth me haue not I doen this for thee and requitest me with suche kindnes This is truely nothyng els but to serue and Iudge as the Gentiles doe that there maie be a recompensation For this is no good waie If thou doe good to an other and he acknowledge it not or doeth euill for good thou maiest admonishe him not so to doe least he offende God greatly But yet hast thou no iust cause to hate hym to iudge and condemne hym Giue hym vp to his Iudge For thou knowest not what GOD will doe with hym whither he will amende hym If he be not amended GOD hath officers sufficieÌ„t to be reuenged of hym And so suche thinges chance daily that there rise sodain tempestes against the stubburne Onely beware that thou iudge him not but thinke thus GOD hath not so cruelly dealte with me For if he had I should haue been killed long a gone in my synne when I liued in filthy Idolatrie and Hypocrisie Likewise also beware that thou dooest not condemne for it is not thy duetie To chide to tell one of his faut to dehort to declare to them that iudge and condemne it is lawfull But thou haste no more to doe then to be mercifull thou maiest not Iudge thou maiest not condemne And if thy neighbour be so obstinatly set to do thee hurt that he will not cease yet thou oughtest to bee willyng to forgiue and not to hinder his profite or goe about to reuenge but rather to furder to helpe him These thynges are harde to doe but remember that thou art a Christian and that more perfection is required of thee if thou earnestly embrace this name euen as the example of our heauenly father plainly declareth before vs. For if thou dooe good to thy neighbour and he be vnkinde and doeth requit thee with euill doubte not but that GOD will laye it to his charge Resigne and giue ouer thou the vengeaunce vnto him and do thou thy duetie GOD doth reuenge all these thynges at his tyme. Wherefore commit thou all other thynges to hym and execute this commaundement that thou reuenge not but be mercifull It followeth in our Gospell Giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you good measure filled vp and shaken together yea runnyng ouer shall men giue into your bosome For with what measure ye meate vnto other with the same shall it be measured vnto you againe Christ hath comprised these preceptes very properly and laboureth specially to cause vs to fulfill the true workes of Charitie Wherefore as he hath commaunded that synners should be mercifullie and gentlely handeled as we are gently handled of hym that we Iudge and condemne theim not but committe that vnto GOD and praie for theim to GOD So he commaundeth to doe theÌ„ good by giuyng helpyng and counsaillyng c. and then not to doubt but GOD will requite our liberalitie bee it neuer so greate That so the minde maie abounde with Charitie alwaie and neuer bee ouergrowne with the thornes of vnkindenesse to cease thereby from well doyng as the Gentiles doe whiche can not abstaine from iudgyng and condemnyng For assone as thei thinke them selues hurt thei forgiue not before thei are humblie asked forgiuenesse So thei will not giue any thyng but where as thei loke for gaines and for benefite Wherefore thei can neuer escape the Iudgemente of GOD neither are thei Iudged worthy of Gods benefites and of his mercie and grace This faute must we eschewe and so doe for our neighbours as our heauenly father doeth for vs. He slacketh his straight Iudgement he pardoneth vs he will not be cruell and coÌ„demne vs although we be vnkinde He enioyneth vs to do likewise also or if wee will not he putteth before vs a dreadfull ende that we shall loke so to be serued of hym as we serue other For with the same measure saith he shall other measure to you as you haue measured with And we can not deny but GOD hath giuen vs good measure For if he would haue giuen vs after our desertes he might haue plagued vs with wrathe plague pestileÌ„ce and all euill and put vs to death assone as we were borne I will not rehearse how manifolde waies we haue offended hym

workes not in the grace and mercie of god Thus could Christ by no meanes abide neither ought we to suffer it but by the word of god to resiste it vnto the vttermost of our power For without this there is no waie vnto saluation Men must be brought froÌ„ their owne workes and merites vnto the sacrifice and merite of Christ vnto the mercie of god afterwarde they must be exhorted vnto a godly lyfe that they folowe not their owne imaginations but the worde of god and frame them selues in all pointes according vnto that He that doth this vseth the temple the ministerie aright he that doth otherwise abuseth them is a theif murderer of soules as Oseas the Prophet also calleth the priestes in the kyngdom of Israel As theaues armed saith he waite for him that passeth by the waye such is the councell of the priestes which with one agreed couÌ„cell murder cruelly such as kepe the waye yea they dare do all vnspeakeable mischeife By these his wordes the Prophet describeth the great slaughter that they made amonge the people with their false doctrine For wheras their duetie was to coÌ„mend set forth to the people the sacrifice of Christ they coÌ„meÌ„ded the sacrifices of beastes For that was for their aduaÌ„tage that made their kitchin to smoke For they had alwayes a portion of those sacrifices But by this meanes men were not only polled and pylled of their money but they were also in daunger of their soules saluation Christ by no meanes could abide this and therfore he made hauocke in the Temple He did cast out such as bought sold in the temple He threwe downe topled ouer the tables of the money chaungers c. He wold rather do any thing then suffer that suche thefte murder should be maintayned yea and that vnder the pretence of gods seruice But as Christ did this at the time by miracle so is the same exaÌ„ple exercised diligently by the iudgement of god against Schismatikes The vngodly Bishops priests monkes whiche for couetousnes of worldly things defende the wicked sacrifice of the Masse the other ydolatrie shall shortly feele this zele and whote indignation of god wheÌ„ they shal be worthely cast out of the temple be had in contempt of all men And this muche haue we spoken of our gospel God the father of mercies for Christes sake mought vouchesafe to raise vp his holye spirite in our heartes vnto his feare faith and loue and mercifully kepe vs in his worde and defend vs against all euil both bodely and ghostly to the glory of his blessed name Amen The xi Sonday after Trinitie sonday Â¶ The Gospell Luke xviii CHriste tolde this Parable vnto certayne whiche trusted in them selues that they were perfect and despised other Two men went vp into the Temple to praye the one a Phariseye and the other a Publican The Pharisey stode prayed thus with hym selfe God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican I fast twise in the weke I geue tithe of all that I possesse And the Publican standynge a farre of woulde not lyfte vp his eyes to heauen but smote on his breaste sayinge God be mercyfull to me a sinner I tell you this man departed home to his house iustified more then the other For euery man that exalteth hym selfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hym selfe shal be exalted THE EXPOSITION CHrist in this gospell teacheth vs to be humble and lowly as it becometh true Christians For by this vertue onely by none other is the grace and fauour of God obtayned as it is described set forth to vs in these two men that is to say in the Phariseye and in the Publicane The Phariseyes were amonge the Iewes euen as the Monckes and Nonnes were amonge vs in the tyme of Papistrie For they ware apparel contrary to the coÌ„mon fashion they had certein daies appointed for fastinge and prayinge and they pretended suche an holynes in their life and conuersation that al other men in comparison of them were counted very sinners And therof had they their name For a Phariseye in the Hebreue tong is asmuch to say in Englishe as a man that is exempted and deuided from the nomber of other people suche one as by no meanes can abyde to be counted lyke other The Publicanes were as the officers are with vs that gather tribute tolle custome c. of the people They hyred the offices for a certein summe of money and afterwarde by pollynge and pilling and suche other craftie and iniurious wayes they made the moste of them that they could deuise vnto the greate greuaunce of other And therfore they were reported of all men to be couetous persons synners and naughty packes for asmuche as suche as were in those offices polled and pylled all that they could get and wrongfully vexed the people by takyng of them more then was their dutie to haue Therfore it was not very lyke that there was any of them righteous as it was also iudged that amonge the Phariseyes ther was none euill But Christ iudgeth here farre otherwise pronouncing the Publican righteous and the Phariseye a synner yea and that a greuous sinner For Luke prosecuteth the description meruailous odiously doth so bytterly reporte the matter that a man would maruaile at it For thus beginneth he this parable There were certein men which trusted in them selues that they were righteous and despised other These are two moste fowle and filthie vices and Luke describeth the Phariseyes to be such in that they were not content with this one sinne that they trusted in them selues which is a sinne hainous ynough but also they despised other Now consider thou this with thy selfe what fastynge praying can profite such a moÌ„ster whome the deuil hath puffed vp â—â—th suche pride both spiritually corporally that he doth not only glorie in himselfe and in his owne workes merites but he also despyseth other As though he should saye If I shoulde not testifye of mine owne righteousnes I should in vaine looke for the equitie and sinceritie of god in my cause So great and often are my fastes my almose dedes my prayers c. That the residue of the Iewes are not able to compare with me I pay faithfully truly all my tithes As for other if they could defraude and deceaue the priestes of their duties they wold do it such is the vnrighteousnes of other but iÌ„ me ther is no such thiÌ„g In this holy man and god wil we finde as I said two moste haynous vices an incomparable pride or haultines of minde and the contempte or despysynge of other yea and that suche and so great that he counteth all other to be extorcioners vnrighteous persons adulterers c. But the poore Publican he specially and namelye pointeth setteth foorth saying As for

enioye lyfe euerlastynge thorowe hym whyche is the true lyfe euen Christ Iesus our Lord to whome with God the father and the holye ghost be all honour glorie and praise both now and euer Amen The xij Sonday after Trinitie sonday Â¶ The Gospell Marc. vii IEsus departed frome the coastes of Tyre and Sydon and came vnto the Sea of Galile througe the myddes of the coastes of the tenne Cities And they brought vnto hym one that was deafe and had an impedyment in his speach and they prayed him to put his hande vpon him And when he had taken him aside from the people he put his fingers into his eares and dyd spitte and touched his tongue and loked vp to heauen and syghed and saide vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayghtwaye his cares were opened and the stryng of his tongue was loused and he spake playne And he commaunded them that they should tell no man But the more he forbadde them so muche the more a greate deale they published saying He hathe done all thinges well he hath made bothe the deafe to heare and the dumbe to speake THE EXPOSITION THis Gospel is very easie and nothing hard forasmuche as it onely conteyneth the myracle whyche Christe wroughte in the dumme and deafe man For as concernyng this suche lyke miracles ye heare oftentymes in the yeare that Christ by this meanes hath declared that he is the Sauiour which helpeth and defendeth vs agaynst the violence of the deuyll Therfore we oughte to geue thankes vnto God whiche hath geuen vnto vs suche a sauiour as of his owne mere grace and tender mercy is alwais at hand and redy to assist vs againste all suche pernicious and hurtfull thynges as Sathan imagineth and deuiseth against vs. For as touchyng that this myser and wretched creature is in suche a miserable wretched state that he can not vse naturally neither his tonge nor his eares all these are the plages and strokes of Satan where as by the iudgement of men they are thoughte to be naturall vices For men know not the deuyl that he is the author of so many calamities and miseries He maketh men lunatike and madde He tormenteth not only their bodies but also their soules that beyng vtterly dismayed they may thynk that there is no confort to be loked for and so fall into desperation and so in fyne vnto damnation Uerily these are nothing els then the strokes and plagues of the deuil which is the author of all sorowes and miseries and hurteth as many and as oft as he can We are therfore moste indebtedly bounde to God and we ought at all tymes to geue hym humble and heartie thankes that he hauyng pitie on vs hath sent his sonne CHRIST Iesu oure Lorde into thys worlde to healpe not onely thys wretched creature but vs also and mercyfully to keepe and defende vs that we bee not afflicted with the lyke euyls and diseases thorough the violence and tyrannye of the deuyll For thys muste we all thynke that eyes eares handes feete c. beynge wholle and sounde are not so by chaunce and naturally as Reason iudgeth but these all are the gyftes of God Notwithstandynge when menne beleue not this and thynke them to be but vile and base thinges because they are coÌ„mon and geuen to all lyuyng creatures GOD euen of necessitie is compelled many tymes to geue the deuyll lybertie to take away frome certaine menne the vse of theyr eares eyes handes and feete c. yea and sometyme also to kylle theyr bodies that menne maye learne that that is done of the deuyll thorow the permission and sufferaunce of God and by that meanes they may bee the more earnestly moued to geue God thankes that he of his great mercy defendeth and preserueth vs agaynst the fyery dartes of that euyll euen the deuyll So is thys lykewyse the worke of the deuyl when hee blyndeth the heartes of men thorowe false doctrines that they can not see nor receaue the truthe Thys cometh not of GOD whyche is good the author of all goodnesse whyche wysheth no man to peryshe but all men to come vnto the knowledge of the truthe but it commeth of the deuyll whyche is euyll and the author of all euyll whiche wysheth also all men to perysh and neuer to come vnto the knowledge of the truthe Therfore where God geueth him libertie he dothe as muche myschiefe as he can deuise And this is euen as when a tree bryngeth forth good fruict and afterwarde wormes come and destroye it The fault herof is not in God whyche made the tree good Neyther is the faulte in the tree or fruicte but in the woormes whyche hurte the thynges that are good So is it wyth vs menne Therfore we must learne that what so euer aduersitie or myschaunce doothe happen vnto vs all that commethe of the plagues and stroakes of the deuyll namely when wee bee Christianes and seeke the glorye of the Lorde oure GOD. For the deuyll is a greatter ennemye vnto the Christians then he is tothe infidells It is vndoubtedlye horrible and maketh euerye part of a man to shake for to consider that this enemy the deuil hath so muche power to harme and to hurt But on the contrary part this Gospell conforteth vs. For here we see as S. Iohn saith that the Sonne of God hath appered to this ende that he should destroy the workes of the deuyll For seyng that the deuyl presumed to go into Paradyse to destroy the workes of God there and to make of righteous and holy persones I speake of Adam and Eue disobediente and wicked people It semed good agayne to God for to be reuenged of this his enemie He therfore recouereth and maketh whole agayn whatsoeuer was destroied of the deuyll He destroyeth agayne the deuyls workes that is to say synne death and hell and as we see in this our Gospell he deliuereth the tonge oute of the bondes wherwith the deuyll had bounde and tyed it and openeth the eares whiche the deuyll had stopped Christ came to doo this woorke and he dothe it styll continually among his Christians as we shall herafter heare And thus muche of the miracle worke of Christ wherby he hath declared here hymselfe that he is the healper of all suche as are in myserie and that he wyll heale all euyls and afflictions whiche the deuyll heapeth vpon vs yea and vtterly putte hym awaie frome vs. Moreouer Christ by this would also shew vnto vs that these two thynges most specially appertayn vnto a Christian that is to saye that the eares bee opened and the tongue be losened and that he exercyseth this worke diligentlye in his congregation or church agaynst the deuyll For as concernynge the corporall benefite as the eares and the tongue with the vse of them he geueth that also to the Heathen But the spirituall benefite is onely amonge the Christians when he

if thou wilt heare the worde of God heare thy father and thy mother thy preacher and pastor and finally thy Prince and magistrate c. what they saye when thou hearest them thou hearest God except that in executynge their office they commaunde any thynge that is contrary to the worde of God Then are they not to be heard For we must obey God more then men We must fyrst here the word of God in the congregation and afterwarde menne But this one case excepted what soeuer thy pastor or curate thy parentes or magistrates saye to thee that saieth God vnto thee that must thou remember to receaue and to obey For what is hee amonge vs all that woulde not take a long iorney to go vnto suche a churche wher he might heare God preache For all men would be glad to heare and to know that voyce But Christe saieth I wyll brynge that to passe nerer home so that thou shalte not nede to trauayle so farre Heare thy Pastor and thy parentes and so haste thou hearde me For these are my disciples when thou hearest them I wil sound in thy heart Ephata Be thou opened as I did to this deafe person that thy eares maye be opened thy tonge set at libertie and that thou from hensforthe may be no more deafe in thy heryng nor dombe in thy speaking as thou wer afore But how goeth the world The children and housholde although they heare theyr parentes and maysters yet woulde they not doo the least thynge that is commaunded theym except they were compelled suche stubburnesse and disobedience reigneth nowe a daies in the heartes of theym that oughte to be moste humble and moste obediente And as in families so lykewyse in common welthes men are very negligent and slow to obey the officers What soeuer they ordeyne in a realme or citie ye shall fynde very fewe amonge so greate multitudes that wyll trewely and syncerely execute the commaundement of the magistrates The subiectes shewe more disobedience towarde the hygh powers in this time of this theyr so great knowledge then they dydde in the tyme of darkenesse ignorancie and blyndnes suche is the wyckednes and ingratitude of this oure moste wycked and ingrate worlde And it is apparant also howe fewe there are whiche with true zeale and feruent desire heare the sermons whyche is euidentely knowen not onely by their fruictes but also by thys moste specially that the men of townes and villages yea and of cities also do moste vnworthyly handle theyr ministers and pastors not onely by railyng vnreuerently of them but also by takyng awaye vniustly from them suche tythes and dueties as by publyke order are apoynted vnto them Therfore a worthy payne foloweth euen this that when the worde of God pronounced by parents ministers of the churche and by magistrates is neglected nothinge set by the deuill by litle and litle shold stop their eares more and more and tye theyr tongues streyghter then it was afore and so set them in suche case that they can not abyde either to heare or to speake the worde of God But on the other parte it maketh their eares wide open to heare the dotyng dreames of the sectaries and their false and diuellyshe doctrine agayne to heare baudye balades fylthy fables triflyng talke whorish wordes and suche lyke as corrupte bothe bodye and soule It loseneth and setteth at libertie also their tong to blaspheme God to slaunder theyr neyghboure to lye to backbyte to rayle to scoffe to ieste c. that it maye be an offence to all good and godly men And this is a rewarde worthy suche ingratitude vnthankfulnesse vngentylnesse yea playne churlyshenesse and it worthely chaunceth vnto theym on such sorte because they wyshe it to bee none otherwyse But what shall bee the ende Uerily that all thynges shall go to hauocke the woorde of God shall be taken awaye from vs seynge wee haue noo delyghte therein As it is wrytten He would none of the blessing therefore shall it bee farre frome hym And as oure Sauiour Christe sayeth This is condemnation that lyghte is comme into the worlde and menne haue loued darkenesse more thenne lyght For their woorkes were euyll And in the place of the woorde shall the wycked decrees of Antichriste bee thruste into the churche Our countrey shall be oppressed with diuers kyndes of plagues as pestilence famyne tempestes c. Oure common wealthe shall be tourned into common wo. Myseries yea and those mooste greuous and intollerable shall ouerflowe this oure countreye Insurrections commotions Rebellions Conspiracies tumultes ciuile warre murderynge one of an other c. And after al these things except we repent tourne vnto God with all our hearts gladly heare the word with our tong magnify the same to the vttermost yea frame and fashion our lyfe and coÌ„uersation according to the doctrine therof shal this our realme be a spoile to foreyne nations This hath our ingratitude worthely deserued whiche beyng prouoked so often with so many benefites at the hand of God wyll notwithstandyng not onely not repent but also where as we ought to procede from faith to faith and from vertue to vertue we go from vice to vice from syn to synne and so we cease not daily more and more to heape the whote wrath and most horrible vengeance of God vpon vs to the destruction of our countrey vnto the damnation of our selues both body and soule And this is the cause why Christ loketh vp to heauen mourneth and as one greatly troubled saith Ephata Be opened For this greatly greueth our sauior Christe that where as the good pleasure and mercyfull wille of GOD is to delyuer vs frome the bandes of Sathan thorough the woorde wee as people without all reason refuse oure owne Saluation and thorowe our contumacie and stubbornesse haste vnto our selues euerlastynge damnation and prouoke the wrathe and vengeance of God to fall vpon vs. Therfore let vs consider well this miracle and folowe the example of these good men whiche glorifye commende prayse and magnifye CHRIST affyrmynge and openly confessyng that he hathe doone well in that hee of his greate mercye and infynyte goodnesse hathe made the deaffe for to heare and the dombe to speake And thys dooth our Sauioure Christe by his fynger and spetle euen at thys houre yea continually in the worlde that the eares of the deefe maye bee opened and the tongues of the dumbe losened by the outewarde woorde whyche we heare in the Churche of our Pastours and Mynisters and at home of oure parentes For by thys woorde the holye Ghoste woorketh myghtely in vs and by none other thynge Marke that welle and soo muche the more studiously and diligently embrace thou the word For thys is the next and most certaine waye that our eares may be opened oure tongues losened and we our selues at the laste obteyne euerlastyng saluation Whyche thynge oure Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesu

that put their truste in him he wil procure them peace and saluation for euer and euer After this lesson doctrine which is called the doctrine of faith must we learne also of Christ the doctrine of pitie merci compassion And this ye heare often times in the yeare as touchyng charitie that we shold remember that one of vs is bound to helpe an other But pitie is a thing somwhat greater as when we are greued with other mens miseries and calamities no lesse then with our owne as when I haue a neighbour that is nedie or sycke I ought not only to be redie to helpe but I must be sorie for his miserie and that at my very heart as though it were min owne euil As this is put forth to vs in Christ. He is in this place as a foreiner and stranger But when he seeth the miserie of this widdow he is asmuch greued as though it were his owne sonne he geueth confort and helpe This is the exaÌ„ple of charitie which ought to folow after faith it doth alwais folow faith if it be true faith So that we ought not to behaue our self after the exaÌ„ple of certein mercilesse people which hath stonie and yron heartes laugh at their neighbours miseries and are greued at their prosperitie The affectioÌ„s of Christian men ought to be otherwise which ought to be greued at other mens misfortune glad at their prosperitie as Paule saith that we may be greued with theÌ„ that are greued reioyce with them that are ioyfull This is the propertie of enuious persons to be glad of other mens hurt to be greued at euery maÌ„s wealth sauing their own But there are two sortes of pitie A spiritual a corporall In these corporal bodilie euils we muste succour helpe al that we can for their defeÌ„ce whaÌ„ we see this that the poore haue nede of helpe can not helpe theÌ„ selues It is a spiritual euil wheÌ„ the soule is in peril as whaÌ„ I see a yoÌ„g maÌ„ voyde of al holines caryng nothing for religioÌ„ holy doctrine but is ignoraÌ„t of the principles of religioÌ„ liueth wtout any discipline or order fearce stubborne obstinat Here it is the office of pitie not to speake faier gentle wordes vnto him but to chide him sharply rebuke him yea rather to beate him or stricke him For ther is greater peril wheÌ„ the soule is diseased with such euils thaÌ„ whaÌ„ the bodie is sicke of any disease Wherfore we must let nothiÌ„g passe as touchiÌ„g this pitie that these euilles may with wordes stripes wandes such other remedies be restrained But thou saiest that this is a cruel pitie to vexe the bodie with stripes Yea but necessitie causeth this to be the beste pitie that is in this case For the Physitions must nedes shewe crueltie vpon some part of the bodie that the hole bodie maye be saued and so is it also as concernynge this pitie For suche chastisements are done to see to thee that thou mayst be deliuered from the tyranny of the deuill from his kingdome He that is almost drowned in a floude taketh it for no wronge if he be plucked out by the heare although it be done to his great grief and payne Wherfore if thou doest not refuse in the bodilie euiles to suffer a litle payne for the auoydynge of greate perill why shouldeste thou in a more dangerous perill of soule and euerlastynge lyfe take greuously suche chastisement as is requisite and necessarie So is it truely the worke of pitie when stubburne children and obstinate seruantes are sharply by stripes put in remembrance of their deutie This is a spiritual medicin against the disease of the soule which is the rebellyng againste the parentes and maisters Wherfore this is the worke of mercie when mannes miserie is considered and helpe is geuen This pitie ought parents cheifly to regard in a familie and maiestrates in a communaltie and to beware diligentlie that neither that sufferers impaciens neither their own negligence make them geue vp this pitie as it commeth to passe oftentimes For he that would be pitifull and wil dissemble or winke at syn he should commit two kindes of crueltie towarde his neyghbour should fall into gods high displeasure Wherfore thou must not seeke after the prayse of gentlenes and pitifulnes by dissembling and winkyng at sin when euerlasting perill dependeth therof neither must thou loke for that time when he wil come to himself and amende by his owne accorde Thou must cut of the snares of the deuill by sharpe discipline but as touchinge this sorte of pitie I wil intreate more largely in an other place But now is the example of Christ put forth to vs how he pitied the miserie of this woman and therby taught vs true pitie That we shoulde remember that this precepte is set forth to vs to thinke surely that this is oure duetie to helpe yea with the lssoe of oure goodes when our neighbour is in bodily necessitie so truly to shewe the office of pitie Whiche thynge afterwarde hath so great renoum that it is coÌ„mended not as though it were done to our neyghbour only but also to God hymselfe whiche promiseth also to requit it by a reward Or if the contagion or disease be spiritual that is to say syn as if our children and familie be stubburne negligent wanton in doinge and saying here must be shewed pitie that is cruel in sight and yet for all that dothe all thynges for the best But that that is past tamyng amendement geue it vp as a thyng past cure into the hands of the ministers and officers For the matter can not scape vnpunyshed And it is to be counted a parte of pitie to punyshe in suche case with extremitie of death For they that are paste grace can bee restrayned by no other meanes They woulde be the destruction as well of other as theyr selues yf thys office of pitie were not exercised vppon them by the sworde Wherfore punyshementes are very workes of pitie seme they neuer so cruell and bytter to a mans syght For if it were not for this punyshment and sharp correction there could be no coÌ„minaltie nor ciuile felowshyp mainteyned Wherfore let euery man in his vocation shewe pitie not only with affection but also with discretion and let him not helpe in bodyly euyls onely but muche rather in spirituall euyls And these are the two doctrines out of this gospel wherof the one belongeth vnto faith that we shoulde be without feare in the myddest of all euyll and specially when the feares and terrors of deth come to sight And let vs thynke that the almightie healpe of all our saluation is sette in Christ. Wherefore we can not despaire of hym without our hurte The helpe of man and of vs is but vayn For they can not represse deth Death is valyant agaynst them But we muste haue

dissimulation fayned frendshippe contempte of true religion and such other most vile and wicked vices which are practised in this our time that the bellye may not lacke Forasmuch therfore as this belly care prouoketh men vnto all kynde of wickednes and suffreth them not to aspire vnto any point of godlines our Sauiour Christ in this our gospell laboureth to heale this disease and to cure this mischiefe by fedyng a great multitude of people in the wildernes by this meanes declaryng what a fatherly care he hath for all them that seke the kyngdom of God the righteousnes therof and that we therfore ought not to be carefull for corruptible thynges appertainynge vnto this mortall lyfe but rather study to walke worthely and faithfully in our vocation and callinge and as for all other thinges cast our care vpoÌ„ him Therfore taking an occasion thorowe this miracle we will exhorte all godly men to caste all care for their liuinge vpon Christ which is careful for the faithful as a most kynde and louing father for his children and liberally nourisheth and fedeth them I beseche you therfore geue good eare and harcken well to that whiche shal now be spoken in this behalfe For the often meditation of this miracle shal be a moste present remedy againste the vngodly carefulnes whiche many times disquieteth and vexeth our mindes It shall therfore be your parte diligeÌ„tly to coÌ„sider this miracle that ye may be the more able to ouercome the tentation of hunger and learne to truste in Christ and to looke for all good things at his hande Christ accordinge to his naturall disposition and singuler bountie was greatly moued with the necessitie of the people and miraculously fedde in the wildernes a mightie great company of people that we mighte haue a moste certein signe and sure argument of his carefulnes for vs and so commit all oure whole life vnto him with all that euer partayneth to the same We ought worthely and not without a cause to cast our care on Christ which can none otherwise do but be careful for the faithfull that put their truste in hym And that hath he here declared by this present miracle For when Christ was accoÌ„panied with great multitudes of people and they had nothinge to eate He was streightwayes moued with their necessitie willingly without any motion of other coÌ„sulted with his disciples concerning meate to be prepared for theÌ„ before they should fall into daunger for lacke of sustenaunce Whom woulde not this singuler goodnes of Christ moue to commit him selfe wholy vnto him If this example can do no good nor take any place with vs â–ª then are we no true Christians but falsly and vniustly chalenge vnto vs that name which ought only to be appropriated to the faithfull For he is no Christian that disdaineth to coÌ„mitt the care of his belly to Christ. In coÌ„sideratioÌ„ wherof Christ himselfe admonisheth vs of oure dutie sayinge Be not carefull sayinge What shal we eate or what shal we drincke or wherwith shall we be couered Do not the heathen enquire after all these things your heauenlye father knoweth that ye haue nede of all these things Seke ye rather first of all the kingdom of God the righteousnes therof and all these things shall be cast vnto you Christ doth here take away froÌ„ vs the care of temporall liuing â–ª attributeth that to the prophane Gentiles which are without faith It is therfore very vnsitting vnwourthy a Christen man after the maner of the heathen to be troubled with belly care whereby also he degenerateth groweth out of kynde is made of a ChristiaÌ„ an Ethnicke an heathen an Infidel Christ requireth this in a godly and faithfull man that he should auoyde the carefulnes of the belly and labour for the kyngdom of God that is to say the gospell wherin he shal finde heauenly treasures as Christ saith in an other place worcke for the meate not for that meate which perisheth but for the meate which abideth vnto euerlasting life We ought not only directly and plainly to caste awaye from vs all belly care but we are commanded of God in his holy worde So to do For what other thing meaneth this commandement Thou shalt haue no straÌ„ge gods in my sight but that we shold trust to the goodnes of god alon aske and loke for at his hande all good things both for body soule He that is infected with belly care depeÌ„deth not on god alone neither can he beleue that he shal receaue all good thinges of him yea he putteth all hys hope and confidence in worldly richesse for the prouision of his life This incredulitie and vnfaithfulnes doth merueillously fight with the law of god whosoeuer is infected therwith he worshippeth that foule dombe Idoll Mammon in stead of the most noble God and liuyng Lord which thing Christ himselfe also reproueth saying ye can not serue two maisters eyther he shall hate the one and loue the other or he shal cleaue to the one and neglect the other I meane ye can not serue god and Mammon Here is it euideÌ„t that belly care and the true worshippinge of God can not agree together Therfore that we may not fall awaye from true godlines it is necessarie that we cast awaye that filthie care for the belly Furthermore the holy scriptures with many promises do commend and set forth vnto vs the fatherly goodnes of God For thus saith that Princelike Prophete Dauid in his psalmes They that feare the Lord shall haue no scarsenes They whiche seke the Lorde shall want no good thing Beholde the eyes of the lorde are vpon them that feare hym and vpon them that trust in his mercy that he may deliuer their lyues froÌ„ death and nourrishe them in time of honger Laye thy care on the lorde and he shall nourrishe thee All creatures depend vpon thee O Lorde and thou geuest them meate in due time For thou geuing it them they take it and thou opening thy hand they are well satisfied The eyes of all thinges loke vpon thee O Lord and thou geuest them meate in due season Thou openest thy hand and fyllest euery liuing thing with thy blessing The Lord geueth meate to the hongrie Kynge Salomon also Dauids sonne saith The Lorde wyll not let the soule of the righteous suffer honger but he putteth the vngodly froÌ„ his desire The blessing of the lord maketh men rich there shall no griefe accoÌ„panie theÌ„ Iesus the sonne of Syrach sayth Trust in God and abyde in thy place For it is an easey thinge in the sight of god quickly to enriche a poore man Old Tobias said to his son Feare not my son we lede a poore life Notwithstanding we shal haue plentie of al good thinges if we feare the Lorde departe from syn and do well The blessed Apostle S. Paule saith The lord is at hand Be not carefull for any

Ihon. x. i. Peter ii A newe life is required oâ— euery true Christian. What mercie is Math. v. Roma xii Math. v. The exceadyng greate mercie of god toward synners This is proued true in our Corne-mongers A goodly similitude God the father is sette forthe to vs for an exaÌ„ple Math. v. Math. v. Roma xii All reuengemente is not forbidden The Magistrate beareth not the swerd in vaine Roma xiii Folishe pitie marreth the citee A good lesson for rulers Gene. 37. To punishe euill doers is a great work of mercie Youth ought to be brought vppe in the knowledge of Gods misteries Synne scapeth not vnpunished for euer Mercie is to bee shewed not onely to frendes but also to foes Christes exhortacion to the christians The loue of the christiaÌ„s differeth gretly from the loue of the Gentiles The heauenly father iudgeth vs not neither ought wee to iudge other Math. xviii Deut. 32. Romo xii How God measureth to vs before faithe Math. xviii Psalm iiii Ephe. iiii Confession of the faulte is necessary vnto the forgiuenes of synnes i. Reg. xiii The similitude of the moate The moate we euer beholde the beame we regarde not Why God coÌ„cealeth our synnes What fruite commeth of the woorde of God Whatsoeuer is dooen in faithe pleaseth God Rom. xiiii All our doynges in Gods woorde Psal. cxix A difference betwene the woorkes of the Christians and Infideles Ephe. vi Exod. xx Psal. cxix Christe helpeth vs after pouertie commeth We muste not cease froÌ„ hope and labour i. Peter v. God giueth all good thinges yet he giueth not the Bull by the hornes Peter obeyeth the word Reason doth alwaies correcte Gods woorde God requireth obedieÌ„ce to his worde We muste not despaire if it succede not The example of Peter Marke well Christe hath mercie on synners Math. ix Luke xii God giueth to the vnworthie of his mercie A Nette for spiritual fish True godlinesse The rightuousnes of the Phariseis What is greatest rightuousnesse The rightuousnes that is required Psal. xxxii Roma iiii Actes xv Wherein the christian purenesse consisteth Math. v. Luke xviii The errour of the Phariseis An exposition of the sixt coÌ„maundement What it is to kille Luke xvi i. Ihon. iii. Fower maner of waies the sixte commaundement is transgressed and brokeÌ„ 1. Hearte 2. Gesture Racha 3. Mouthe â–ª 4. Hande â–ª Math. v. Deut. 27. Gala. 3. What is to be doen concernyng the fulfillyng of the sixt commauÌ„demente The Pharisaicall rightuousnesse The christiaÌ„ righteousnes Confession of our synnes to God is necessarie Praier Faithe The Papistes interprete not this lawe a right Math. v. In dissention there are two parties What the partie ought to doe that hath doen hurte Gene. iiii Leuii xix Math. xxii Marke xii Luke xx Roma xiii Math. vi Eccle. 28. Follow this counsail Math. v. Note well What the partie ought to doe that is hurte â–ª The Iudge is God The Sergeaunte is the Angell The prison is helle Luke vi Superiours maie lawfully punishe ofâ—endours Roma xiii i. Peter ii Psalm iiii Ephe. iiii The kyngdoÌ„ of Christe and of the worlde Titus ii Why this gospell is redde in the church this tyme of the yere The incredulitie of the worlde The coueteousnes of the wicked worldlynges reproued What this miracle teacheth Christes blessyng pertaineth to them that regarde his worde Math. vi Psalm 34. Psalm 37. Math. vi The greate miserie is the lacke of gods worde which is the foode of the soule Priestes giuen to priuat lucre more then to consider their cure A shepe with out a Shepheard Pro. xxix Where the word of God is not taught the people are sone seduced Psalm 34. Eccle. xv Hebr. iiii Marke vi Christe firste regardeth the soule and afterwarde the bodie Math. ix Luke x. The louyng affection of Christe towarde the people The punishment of them that haue not brought their people vnto the true knowledge of christ Why princes are set in aucthoritie Esai xlix and .lx. The highest seruice that we can doe to GOD is to bryng men to the knowlege of his worde Note well â–ª Christ fedeth the body also Mat. ix xv Luke xix The bodie with to much labour is not to be destroid Petturie is not to be feared of a christian Proue x. Psalm 127. How christian meÌ„ ought to behaue theÌ„ selues in euery kynde of fortune Christes blessyng enricheth Couetuousnesse Math. vi Psalm 34 35.37.55.104Â·145 i. Timo. vi i. Peter v. Against delicate fare Sumptuous fare health of bodie seldome agree Epicures How greate euilles come of excesse in eatyng and drinkyng Eccle. 27. Luke xvi Esai lviii Exod. xvi Nume xi i. Cor. x. Gen. xxviii iii. Reg. xix iii. Re. xvii iii. Re. xvii Daniel i. Dani. xiiii i. Timo. vi Math. vi Luke xi Prou. xxx Luke xxi Roma xiii Math. vi Psalm 34. With the sede of gods word heresi alwaie growethÂ· Math. xiii Math. x. We ought diligently and aboue al thinges to holde fast the word of God Gala. ii Ioan. epi. ii Sectaries come of the Deuill Newe faugled Gospellers The Cathechisme necessarie to bee knowen of al degrees The woorde of God is a defeÌ„se against the Deuill and all his ministers Ephe. vi Math. iiii Sectaries Schismatikes and Heretikes ii Cor. xi Carnal securitie openeth a waie to the Deuill for to enter into the hartes of meÌ„ Negligence of Princes bryngeth destruction of the common wealthe Note well NegligeÌ„ce of housholders bryngeth destruction of housholdes Disobediente seruantes The disobedience of seruauntes vnto their masters comâ—th of the deuyll Ephe. 6. Coloss. 3. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. The deuyll can not abyde gods ordinances Scismatikes Sectaries HeretykesÂ· All mens doctrine must be tryede by the worde of god Gen. 3. Ephe. 2. Rom. 5. The word of god is a sufficient armour agenste the deuyll and antichriste Gen. 3. Rom. 5. The first rule The nature of wolffes Shepes clothynge is not to be regarded Shepes clothyng what it signifiethe Flattiringe wordes 2. Cor. â—1 Office vocâ—cion title c. Math. 23. Marcke well Holynes of lyfe Anabaptistes Act. 2.4 The errores and heresies of anabaptistes Great giftes The seconde rule The fruites are to be considered The fruite of a true preacher or prophet What the wyll of god is Iohn 6. The fruite of true prophets and teachers Godly lyfe of the teachers Not the lyfe but the doctrine of the preacher is chefelye to be consydered Howe the pope and hys churche are to be tryed The doctrine and lyfe of the pope and hys churche The reward of false prophetes Mammon what it signifieth Why it is called vnryghteous MammoÌ„ Esa. 61. Goods wroÌ„gfully gotten are to be restored Ezech. 6. Note well Christen men ought not to spende their goods vnprofitable Riches ought to be bestowed vpon the poore Coueâ—osnes rulethe generally Behold ye oppressors of the poore Math. 25. Iac. 2. Act. 20. Good works are wytnesses of our faythe Ephe. 5. Couetousnes Gen. 4. Howe the master praised the vnrighteous stâ—eward

A similitude The sluggishnes of christeans An example of acouetous man Note well Pro. 19. Preachers must do their duties in preachinge whâ—ther the people amende or not Marke well Wee oughte daylye to encrease in the waye of godlynes more and more Phil. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 8. We ought liberally to geue vnto the poore Papistes abuse the scriptures of god Note this reason Math. 25. Whyther by oure good workes wee deserue heauen Rom. 4. Iohn 11. Iohn 14. Iohn 3. Rom. 14. Faythe Rom. 8.12 Cor. 12. 2. Timoth. 2. Heb. 12. Rom. 4. Scriptures oughte to be conferred An aunswere to the quistioÌ„ of the iustification of good workes Galat. 16. An example of gods wrath agenst the despisers of his worde The dispysyng of gods worde is a most horrible synne Ierusalem Let vs repent betymes Rom. 11. At what tym Ierusalem was destroyed and with howe greate a multiâ—udâ— Why god differrethe hys plages Rom. 2. 2. Pet. 3. Note well It is a moste greuâ—us synn to dispise the worde of god Repente O England and amende Iere. 9. Ioan. 8. Psal. 109. PareÌ„tes and householders The plage is certen and yet hydde from the wycked The delaye of punyshement hurâ—eth greatly in common wealthes A sentence â—orâ—hy to be remembred 2. Pet. 3. Gods plages differrede are the more greuous Plinius lib. 5. cap. 14. Pro. 10. Osee. 5. Synne Securitie destroyeth the citie Remember this O Englande and beware betyms The seconde parte of the gospellr The priestes sought not the glorye of god but theyr owne gaynes Masse Note Osee. 6. The false doctrine of the Iewishe priestes Humilitie Phariseys Publicanes Christes iudgement of the phariseye and of the publicane two greuous synnes in the phariseye To despysed ther is a great synne Pride abhorred of god Iob. 4. Esa. 14. 2. Pet. 2. Gene. 3. vayne glorye or pride corruptethe all good workes 1. Pet. 5. Iac. 4. Luke 18. What the christen humilitie is Rom. 12. The publican an example of true humilitie 1. Cor. 4. Luke 12. All our glory ought to be in god alone Howe gods gyftes are to be vsed Christe alone is the sauiour The deuyl is the author of all euyll An whole and healthefull bodye is the gyfte of god Why god fulfrethe the deuyll to hurte vs. Ephe. 6. 2. Cor. 4. 1. timoth. 2. Note well God helpethe vs agaynste the deuyll by hys sonne 1. Iohn 3. Gen. 3. Christen men must haue theyr eares opened and theyr tonges losened Rom. 1.10 Iacob 1. Gladly to heare the worde of god is the gyfte of god The papistes are both deaff and dumme God openeth our eares by hys worde Rom. 10. We muste bothe beleue and confesse the worde Why Christ vsed so many circumstaÌ„ces in restoryng thys man to hys healthe Iohn 11. Math. 9. Note thys well Math. 17. Mat. 28. Marc. 16. Luc. 10Â· Act. 4.5 Disobediente children and seruauntes Disobediente subiectes The vnreuerent handling of the spirituall ministers in these our dayes The wycked worlde heareth gladlyer Robyn Hood then the word of god Psal. 109. Iohn 3. O Englande take hede be tymes and saye not but thou art warned Why christe lokethe vp to heauen and mournethe God is to be praysed for hys gyftes The word of god is christes fynger and spettle The fyrste parte of the gospell The worlde despyseth the gospell of christe Note well They are most miserable whiche haue not the knowlege of the gospell 1. Iohn 5. What maner of men the gospell makethe The opinion of holines puffethe men vp with pride and makethe the vnmercifull The laweyer What it is to loue god Exod. 20. To loue god is to kepe his commaundementes Iohn 14. Malach. 3. Matth. 10. Luc. â—0 To loue god is to loue thy neyghbour The vnkindenes of the worlde The samaritans loue towardes god God is euery where and in all places a lyke present Rom. Gal. Iobn Fayth obtayneth all thingges He that beleueth not obtayneth nothing Iac. 1. Heb. 1. An apte similitude The seconde doctrine of vnkindnes Unkindnes is the greatest synne The maner of the Monasteries Psal. 116. The world is most vnkynde to god The actes of certayne Gretians Pro. 25. Rom. 1â— Math. 5. We muste learne to be kynd of god The nature of Christen charitie The vnthankfull shall not escape vnpunished The whole worlde is set on couetousnes This sermon appertayneth to householders and to preachers â–ª What it is to serue What it is to serue god All gods seruice is coÌ„trary in the worde â–ª What the true seruice of god is Gen. â— Psal. 45. Pro. 1. Nowe couetousnes maye be auoyded Psal. 59. The fable of Midas Psal. 47. Gods blessing and not care maketh men ryche Not laboure but carefulnes is forbydden Laboure and fayth must go together He that despiseth the word of god despyseth god hym selfe Not idlenes but labour becomethe a christian Ryotus persons Prodigalitie and idlenes forbydden Note weâ—â— theâ—e â—yue poyntes A comfort agaynst deathe by Christe Christ is the lorde of death We must not feare death Iohn â—1 The deathe of Christen men is a swete and quiet sleape Iohn 5. Pytie or compassion Charitie issuethe out of faythe Rom. 12. Too sortes of compassion pitie Spirituall pitie reprouethe synne Apte and very proper similitudes Folyshe petie marrethe the citie A good lesson for maiestrates To punishe the wycked is greate ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ and mercie What is the sanctifyeng of the Saboth Heare and do 1. Iohn 3. What it is to sanctifye the Sabbothe Osee. 6. To a Christian euery daye is the sabboth The seconde part intreateth of humilitie 1. Pet. 5. 1 Pet. 5. Psal. 113. Saull Dauid God can not abyde pride What it is to be perfect The blyndnes of seruing god in the papecie What it is to serue God Math. 2â— Monkery is against charitie and the true seruice of god Math. 25. Math. 25. The benefite done to oure neyghboure on earthe is done to god in heauen Why god geuethe vs hys gyftes and to what ende Too knowe christe is most necessari vnto saluacion The knoweledge of the lawe sufficeth not vnto salâ—â—cion Psal. 110. 1. Cor. 15 â–ª The lawe Phil â–ª â— Iohn 1. Rom. 3. â— 7 Psal. 51. Deathe â–ª Christ Lorde ouer deathe Math. 11. No man can loue god except he knowethe Christe Iohn 3. Rom. 8. Man hath power to forgeue sinnnes The worde and faythe muste be ioyned together Gods mercie is to be found in Christe alone Note well With out the worde it is an easye thing to beleue lyes What things are to be learned of this gospell God alone forgeueth synne The Minister certifyethe the conscience ther of by the worde Math. 28. Marc. 16. Luke 4. Math. 5. MathÂ· 18. Iohn 20. Of the water of Baptisme Note Fayth an the worde are both the gifts of god In the true churche of Christe is remission of synnes and no where ells Math. 18. Numer 22. Contricion The propertie of the palseye Note well What the kyngdome of heauen signifyethe The longe

bothe from God and manne Wherfore although this was not always done with the heart yet the vse of these wordes were good So out of the .116 Psalm what shall I render to the lord saith Dauid for al that he geueth me I wil take the cup of saluation and cal vpon the name of the Lord that is I will praise hym glorifie him and geue hym thankes and confesse that he hath ben beneficial vnto me God answereth to this My sonne this is inough for me But the bountifull Father can obtein this of few A great part dothe persecute him and his word thinkyng nothyng how that we haue all thynges by hym and of his grace But this is but a small thynge They hang on the crosse his only begoten sonne whiche he hath sent for a gift to vs agaynst syn and euerlasting death This world wer well worthy with his great madnes to be cast cleane out of Gods sight yet God doothe not so but is presente euery where with his goodnes and helpe Wherfore we must not onely lerne the office and propretie of kyndnes but we must put in practise also this vertue with his propre office whych is not made werie of well doyng for vnkyndnes sake And this is the peculiar vertue of God and of all true christians For there are examples inough which testifie that the world through chorlishnes doth make men cease from wel doyng Amongest the Gretians were there noble men whiche had done muche good in their countreis and put all their goodes in hasarde for theyr countreies sake But as soone as they felt vnkyndnes so that they not only receued no fruit for their industrie and laboure but were also more in peryll then other they became vnpacient and as they defended before their countrey agaynst the enemies so they fled afterward to their enemies and assaulted theyr countrey with moste spitefull myndes Wherefore a christian must not be ignorant herof that vnkyndnes ensueth after the most excellent merites of good men lest they should therby be discoraged from wel doyng For this is christian vertu the true fruit of faith that when thou hast declared thy study and great loue toward other also haste proued what recompeÌ„ce the vnkynd world is wont to make yet that thou shouldest not be dehorted from well doyng therby For Christians behaue themselues after the exaÌ„ple of god which doth not only good himself to the vnkind but doth requite recoÌ„pence them that do good amoÌ„gest men which they regarded not It is a christanis dutie therfore to do good to the vnkind yea to them that do euil for good according to SalomoÌ„s saying to hepe coles of fire vpon his head Thou maiest not take the world for an exaÌ„ple in this matter For it doth clean coÌ„trary If it perceiue vnkindnes it think al lost cast away and that it will neuer after that bestow any benefits It is the father of heauen that can teache the truly this In the day he suffreth his son to rise not only vpon the good that geue thaÌ„ks but vpon the euil which geue no thaÌ„ks yea rather thei misuse gods gifts God him self also might wel say this These many yeres haue I geueÌ„ thee the light of the son haue found the vitall all kind of goodnes but ther coÌ„meth litle thanks of it I wil make an end of my good doing I wil deny liuing to the vnkind world But the merciful father doth not so he suffreth not his goodnes to be ouercome with the vnkindnes of the world If men will not be thankful now he wil punish them herafter for their vnkindnes So must we do also if we wyll be christian men For this is the nature of Christian charitie to suffer and abyde all thinges not to be made vnpacient therby But there bee very fewe that are endued with thys charitie wherfore there are also very fewe christians Neuerthelesse if we wyll be Christians we muste be ready to doo good neyther ought we after the example of the worlde to geue vp oure studious zeale in doynge good bycause of vnkyndnesse If thou haste ben beneficiall thys daye to any manne and hee the morowe after shewe hym selfe straunge through vnkyndnesse be not greued therewith For at his appoynted tyme he shall suffer due punyshment for his faulte Do thou onely continue and saye If this benefite be caste awaye vpon thys man I wyll studye to doo good for an other If thy benefitte be neyther well bestowed in hym despaire not of the thyrd and so foorthe That thou also myghteste saye soo as Christ saith here were not tenne made cleane where be the nine becomme Christe hath lyttell thanke for this benefite yet is hee content with that the tenthe retourneth and geueth thankes yea he woulde not haue made mention of the other if it hadde not ben for thys that wee myghte learne that they dyd wyckedly For he declareth by thys inquisition that the vnkynde shall not escape vnpunyshed for beecause they are not thankefull to GOD for hys benefites Than veryly shall they knowe howe greately they offended through theyr wycked vnkyndnes Wherfore after the example of Christ must we also care nothyng for mennes vnkyndnesse The matter is playne that for so many benefites of God that we receaue dayely frome hym he receaueth very colde and slender thankes Wherefore lette not thys thynge moue vs but lette vs thynke it sufficient yf there be one amongest tenne in whome a benefyte is welle bestowed Other shall feele and proue by experience at theyr tyme appoynted that that they woulde not beleue nowe by oure warnynge For they shall not escape so vnpunyshed from God that requireth faith The seconde of two moste beautyfull vertues that is of kyndnesse and of pacient sufferyng vnkyndnes at other mennes handes The Samaritane by hys exaumple teacheth vs to be kynde and to thanke bothe God and man for the benefyte that we receaue But the exaumple of Christe dothe admonyshe vs not to bee vnpaciente neyther to ceasse frome well doynge althoughe oure benefyttes prosper not well and although they that receyue theym be vnkynde For this is the maner of the worlde that thoroughe vnkynde persons they that are beneficiall are vnthankfullye entreated and discouraged frome their well doyng so that afterwarde for one chorles sake manye fare the worse But yf thou bee a Christian doo not so althoughe nyne deceaue the of thy hope be contente that the tenth is founde thankfull For Christ himselfe founde them not to geue thankes for suche a greate benefite What wylt thou looke to bee in better case then he was Wherefore take not greuously the losse of nyne Thou shalt haue no more losse thereby thenne Christe hadde But all this shall turne to their greate losse when these wycked persons shall be destitute of all good successe in theyr matters And these are the thynges that make trewe christians fyrst that they haue

a sure confidence and faith in Goddes mercy then if thanke be not rendred vnto them for theyr benefites that other receaued at theyr handes that they suffer not theyr pacience to be ouercome by theyr vnkyndnesse For if we are Christians we must looke to be in no better case than Christ was himselfe We muste doo the beste that euer we can for all men and yet loke for suche vnkyndnesse that scarsly one amongest tenne be founde thankfull And it is possible that he may be founde kynde and woorthye of a benefite of whome we thoughte leaste that he woulde be kynde as this Samaritan The Lorde our GOD haue mercy vpon vs and grant that we may beare away these lessons and vse them well Amen Amen The xv Sonday after Trinitie sonday Â¶ The Gospell Math. vi NO man can serue two masters for eyther he shall hate the one and loue the other or els leane to the one and despise the other Ye can not serue God and Mammon Therefore I say vnto you be not carefull for your lyfe what ye shall eate or drinke nor yet for your body what raymente you shall put on Is not the lyfe more worthe then meate and the body more of value then rayment Beholde the soules of the ayre for they sowe not neyther do they reape nor carry into the barnes and your heauenly father feedeth them Are ye not muche better then they Which of you by takyng carefull thought can adde one cubite vnto his stature And why care ye for rayment Consider the Lillies of the fields howâ— they growe They labour not neyther do they spinne and yet I saye vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not clothed lyke one of these Wherefore yf God so clothe the grasse of the fielde which though it stande to daye is to morowe caste into the fornace shall he not much more do the same for you O ye of litle fayth Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be clothed after all these thynges do the Gentiles seeke For your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue nede of all these thynges But rather seeke ye fyrste the kyngdome of God and the ryghteousnes thereof and all these thynges shall be ministred vnto you Care not then for the morowe for to morowe daye shall care for it selfe sufficient vnto the daye is the trauayle thereof THE EXPOSITION THe matter of this gospel is very large conteynyng a longe Sermon against auarice or couetousnesse the whiche God dothe hate aboue al other vices because ther is no other vice that doth hynder the Gospelle more then thys and that is more hurtefull to Christian men And yet we see that all the world is oppressed therwith For all theyr myndes are day and nyght vppon theyr lyuyng And Auarice dothe specially stirre men to thys that no man shoulde be content with that lyuelode that he hath geuen frome god All men couete more and desireth a higher degree For fayre houses they woulde haue towers and palaices and yet after all this theyr couetousnes gapeth for greater thyngs and if it were not for auarice pride we should all haue inough neither shoulde we nede of so great pensyuenesse scratchynge and catchynge Christ wold remedy this wickednes with this sermon and he setteth forth the matter very hardlye and straightly No man saith he can serue two maisters For eyther shall he hate the one and loue the other or cleaue vnto one and despise the other And hereby it appereth that the whole care of the Lorde is that his true seruice and worshyp be not hyndred And it is a kynde of temptation that causeth Christ to geue thys precept so that this Gospell is not for youthe For it hath not yet that care for lyuyng and houshold stuffe they neuer aske how the market goeth For thys they thynke for a suretie that they shall lacke no lyuynge This sermon appertaineth specially to housholders to them that are procurers Furthermore it belongeth to the preachers of the worde which haue scant of lyuyng in the worlde and are constreigned by pouertie and nede to seke some meanes to fynde them their familie This men dothe Christ here comfort most specially and studieth to ryd them of their care and commaundeth them to beholde the birdes of the ayre that syth God prouideth for theym so plentyfully the preachers shall not lacke theyr portion so that they shall not dye for hunger Wherfore this sermon belongeth to vs which perceaue our lyfe to bee in perill for lacke of lyuynge whiche are compelled to prouyde lyuynge bothe for our selfe and also for other least that whyle we go about the office of preachyng we fall to vnlaufull and vnhonest shyftes But forasmuche as Christe sayth precisely that no man can serue God and Mammon it is necessarye for vs to learne what it is to serue God For to serue is nothyng els after the coÌ„mon maner of speache then to doo that thou arte commaunded and it is as much to saye I serue a maister I do that that my maister commaunde me so that the seruice maye seeme to be referred not so muche to the person as to the worde commaundement For the maisters haue no nede in their housholdes to be fedde wyth meate and drynke of theyr seruants For they them selues haue store and plentie inough therof but this haue they nede of that their seruantes dooe execute theyr woorde and commaundement But when the seruant seeth to another matter and regardeth not his maisters commaundement but careth for that that an other command this is veryly the seruyng of two maisters After this maner also we must learne what it is to serue God that seruynge of God is no other thynge then to heare what he sayeth and to do it gladly and with all our heart But what dothe God commande vs before all thynges he byddeth vs to heare Christe and hyghly to esteeme his Gospell This is the onely trewe and acceptable seruice whiche we maye doo to God For here haue we his most assured commandement Then dothe he commaunde chyldren to honor their father and mother and the father and mother to nourishe bring vp and instruct their children and the wyfe to loue her husband to se to her familie the husband to prouide for sustenance and defence c. Wherfore when the chyldren honoure their parentes they serue God thereby For it is Goddes commaundement that they should do so Lykewise is it with the seruantes in a housholde when they doo that that is commaunded theym diligentlye they dooe this seruice not onely to their maister but also to God For it is his worde that commaunded this So is it also as concernyng other kyndes All should be Gods seruice yf we woulde onely discerne the cause why they shoulde bee so For as I sayde before to serue GOD consisteth not in the worke but in the worde and commaundement

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