the .xxii. Sonday the xviij chapter of Mathewe Th argument ☞ The parable of the kinge that forgaue hys seruaunte whiche was founde in arerages vnto hym vpon his accomptes IEsus put forth a similitude vnto hys discyples sayeng the kyngdome of heuen ys lykened vnto a certeyn man that was a kynge whych wolde take accomptes of hys seruauntes And when he had begonne to reken one was brought vnto hym whych ought him ten thousand talentes but forasmoche as he was not able to paye hys lorde commaunded hym to be solde and his wyfe and hys chyldren and all that he had and paymente to be made The seruaunt fell downe and besought him sayeng Syr haue pacience with me and I wyll paye the all TheÌ„ had the lorde pytie on that seruaunte and lowsede him and forgaue him the det So the same seruaunt went oute and founde one of hys felowes whyche ought him an hundreth pence and he layde handes on hym and toke him by the throte sayeng paye that thou owest And hys felow fell downe and besought him sayenge haue pacience wyth me and I wyl paye the al. And he wold not but went and cast hiÌ„ into presoÌ„ tyl he shuld paye the det So when his felowes saw what was done they were very sory and came and tolde vnto their Lorde all that had happened Then his Lord called hym and sayd vnto him O thou vngracious seruaunt I forgaue the al that dette whan thou desyredst me shuldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy felow euen as I had pytie on the And his lord was wrothe and delyuered him to the â—aylers tyll he shuld paye al that was due vnto him And his Lord was wrooth and delyuered him to the iaylers tyl he shuld paye all that was due vnto hym So lykewyse shall my heauenly father do also vnto you if ye from youre hartes forgyue not euerye one hys brother theyr trespasses In the parable declared in the gospell of this daye good people is shewed vnto vs howe god shall make hys iudgement of synners that shall not haue asked him mercy Agayn al those whych shal knowledge themselues synners before hym and shall demaunde mercy and grace of hym he shall pardone them of al their synnes if so be they do remytte and pardone also wyth good harte and in charyte for the loue of hym the synnes offences that theyr neyghbours haue commytted agaynste them For it is the rule to obteyne pardone of god for to forgyue As it is wrytten in the prayer that oure lorde Iesu Christe hath gyuen vs for to pray vnto his father and ours when we saye Mat. vj. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris that is to say Forgyue vs our trespssaes as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And after our lord sayth if you pardon men theyr synnes your father also that is in heuen shall pardone you your faultes And if we do not pardon nor forgyue othr men nomore woll your father pardon nor remytte you of your synnes Alas my freÌ„des howe many be there nowe a dayes whych thynke lytle on these wordes as if they were vayne and of none effect And yet for al that they be so true that it is a iudgement gyuen from the mouth of god which is al trouth Ther be many which oftentymes do saye thys most holy prayer without hauinge any will to forgyue the offences coÌ„mytted against them the whych suerly were better not to praye so agaynst themselues This is well shewed vnto vs by the parable of the kingdome of heuen in thys present gospell of the seruaunt whych ought ten thousande talentes vnto his kinge And when he had not wherewyth he myght paye it the kinge commaunded that he and hys wife and hys chyldren and al his goodes shulde be solde to thentente that he myght be payed of that that was due vnto him The seruaunt seyng thys kneled down and prayed the king that he wold take patience and tary and he wolde paye him all The lorde that was pitiful and mercifull had mercy on hym and sente him awaye and forgaue hym the dette But the seruaunte departinge from hys lorde was not pitifull nor merciful as was hys lord For in meting an other that was seruaunt with him which ought him only an hundreth pens he toke him and strayned him by the throte and misintreatinge him sayd paye me that that thou owest me And the pore seruant knelyd before the first seruant prayed him to haue pacience to tarye and he wolde paye hym all But he wolde not heare hym but forthwith sente him to prison vnto the tyme that he had payed him but what did the lorde when he herde these newes He keste in his teth the mercy whiche he had vsed towardes him when he prayed hym and on the other syde the cruelty whiche he had vsed agaynst his felowe seruauÌ„t And therupon he dyd gyue him to the kepars of the prison vntyl he had payed al his dutye And this parable our lorde declareth himselfe This kynge is god the father almyghty This fyrste dettour is a great synner to god This seconde dettour is a lytle synner to man And what may the offence be vnto man but only a lytle offence to the regarde of that whiche is to god And that that is to god what may it be but a ryght greate offence For as the auncient douctour of the churche IohnÌ„ Chrysostom sayeth Chrysostome there is as greate difference betwene the synnes whiche be done to men and the synnes whiche be coÌ„mitted agaynste god as there is difference betwene ten thousaÌ„de talentes of golde an hundreth pense But God is so meke and so mercyfull that if alonly one do praye hym he forgiueth all synne and offence howe greate so euer it be yf that in folowyng of hys meakenesse and mercyfulnesse we pardone one lytle offence agaynste vs vnto our brother But yf any of vs do not pardon God shal aske of hym the greate debte quousque pro infinito and he shal be in paynes vntyll he shall haue payed it out whyche worde vntyll is taken of holy doctours pro infinito And thys is the meanynge sense of thys texte sayeth Remigius the auncient doctour semper soluet sed nunquam persoluet Remigius et semper poenam luet that is to saye he shall euer paye but neuer paye it out and he shall euermore suffre payne Then my brethren and frendes though that it be so that all the offences agaynst vs in the world be nothynge in regarde of one only offence agaynst God let vs then pardone them lightly not alonlye by mouth and outwardly but wyth good wyll and in our hartes inwardly And yf we thus do assuredly God shall pardone vs them that be so greate for who is it that hath not offended hym many tymes and we shal be fynally made the chyldren of God and followers of hys swetenesse
the resurrection of Iesus Christe from death to enioye an inheritaunce immortal that shal neuer perysh whych is reserued in heauen for them that be kepte by the power of God thorowe fayth Thus hath hys resurrection wrought for vs lyfe ryghtuousnes He passed thorowe death and hell to put vs in good hope that by hys strength we shall do the same He payde the raunsome of synne that it shulde not be layde to our charge He destroyed the deuell and all hys tyranny and openlye triumphed ouer hym and toke awaye from hym all hys captiues hath raysed set them wych hymselfe amonges the heauenly cytesins aboue Ephe. ij He dyed to destroy the rule of the deuell in vs and rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our hartê to endow vs wyth perfyte ryghtuousnes Thus is it true that Dauid songe Veritas de terra orta est iustitia de coelo ê“spexit Psalm lxxxiiij The truth of goddes promyse is in erth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlastynge veritie goddes sonne rysen to lyfe Eph. iiij CaptiuaÌ„ duxit captiuitatem the true ryghtuousnes of the holy goost lokynge out of heauen is in moost lyberall larges dealt vpon all the worlde Thus is glorye and prayse reboundinge vpwarde to god aboue for hys mercy and truth thus is peace come downe froÌ„ heueÌ„ to meÌ„ of good faithfull hartes Luce. ii Thus is mercye and veritie as Dauid wryteth met together Psalm lxxxiiij Misericordia et veritas obui auerunt sibi c. thus is peace and ryghtuousnes embrasynge and kyssynge themselfe together Yf thou doutest of so great felicitie that is wrought for the O man cal to thy mynde that therfore haste thou receyued into thyne owne possession the euerlastynge veritie our Sauiour Iesus Christe in forme of breade to confirme to thy conscience the truthe of all thys matter Thou hast receyued hym yf in true fayth and repentaunce of harte thou haste receyued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receyued hym for an euerlastinge gage and pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receyued hys body which was ones broken and hys bloud shed for the remission of thy synne thou hast receyued hys body to haue with in the the father the sonne the holy goost to dwell wyth the to endowe the wyth grace to strength the agaynst thy enemyes and to comforte the with theyr presence Thou hast receyued hys bodye to endowe the wyth euerlastyng ryghtuousnes to assure the of euerlastynge blysse and lyfe of thy soule For wyth Christe by true fayth arte thou quyckened agayne sayeth saynt Paule from death of synne to lyfe of grace Eph. iiij and in hope translated froÌ„ corporall and euer lastynge death to the euerlastynge lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation shulde be and thy harte and desyre set Doubte not of the truth of thys matter how great excellent so euer these thynges be It becommeth god to do no lytle dedes how impossible so euer they seme to the praye to god that thou mayest haue fayth to perceyue thys greate power of Christes resurrection that by fayth thou mayest certaynly beleue nothing to be impossible with god Only bringe thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Lu. xviij let thy repentauÌ„ce shewe thy faith let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy harte to gods lawe herafter declare thy true beleue Endeuoure thy selfe to saye wyth saynte Paule from henseforth Phil. iij. our conuersation is in heuen froÌ„ whence we loke for a sauioure euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall chauÌ„ge our vyle bodyes that they may be fashioned lyke to hys glorious bodye whyche he shal do by the same power wherby he rose froÌ„ death and wherby he shal be able to subdue al thynges vnto hymselfe Thus good christen people forasmuche as ye haue herde these so great and excellent benefytes of Christes myghtye and glorious resurrection howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuyll death and hell and hath victoriously obteyned the better hande of them all to make vs fre and saufe from them and knowynge that we be by thys benefyte of hys resurrection rysen wyth hym by our fayth to lyfe euerlastynge beynge in full suretie of oure hope that we shall haue oure bodyes lykewyse reysed agayn from death to haue them glorifyed in immortalitie and ioyned to hys gloryouse body hauynge in the meane whyle hys holye spirite wythin our hartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlasting inheritaunce by whose assistence we be replenyshed wyth all ryghteousnes by whose power we shall be able to subdue al our euel affections that ryse againste the pleasure of God These thynges I saye well coÌ„sydered let vs nowe in the reste of oure lyfe declare our fayth the we haue to thys moost frutefull article by conformyng vs therunto in rysynge dayly from synne to ryghtousnes and holynes of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayeth S. Peter to be escaped and delyuered from the fylthynes of the worlde thorough the knolege of the Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christe yf we be entangled agayne therwyth be ouercome agayne ij pet ij it had bene better sayeth he neuer to haue knowen the waye of ryghteousnes than after it is knowen and receyued to torne backewarde agayne from the holy coÌ„maundemente of God gyuen vnto vs. For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs wher it is sayd ☜ the dogge is retorned to hys vomyte agayn and the sowe that was washed to her wallowynge in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beynge thus so clerely and frelye washed from oure synne to retorne to the fylthynes therof agayne What a foly were it thus endowed wyth ryghtousnes to lose it agayne What madnes were it to lose the enherytaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transytory pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndnes shulde it be where our Sauiour Christ of hys mercy is come to vs to dwell wythin vs as our geste to dryue hym from vs and to expell hym violentlye out of our soules in stede of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receyue the vngracyouse spirite of the deuyl the autor of al naughtynes and myschefe How can we fynde in our hartes to shewe such extreme vnkyndnes to Christ which hath now so gently called vs to mercy offered hymselfe vnto vs and he now entered wythin vs. Yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy goost nowe receyued in thys holy sacrament for where one is there is God al hole in maiestie together with al his power wysdoÌ„ goodnes feare not I saye the dauÌ„ger peryl of so traytorous a defiance Good christeÌ„ brethreÌ„ systers aduyse your selfe coÌ„syder the dignitie that ye be now set in Let not foly lose the thynge that grace hath so preciously offered
and purchased Let not wylfulnes and blyndnes put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Ephe. vi Only take good hartes vnto you and put vpon you all the armoure of God that ye may stāde agaynst your enemyes whych wolde agayne subdue you and brynge you into theyr thraldome Remēber ye be bought from your vayne conuersation your fredome purchased neyther wyth golde nor syluer but wyth the price of the precious bloud of that moost innocent lambe Iesus Christ i. pet i. whych was ordeyned to thys same purpose before the worlde was made but was so declared in the later tyme of grace for your sakes whych by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death hath gyuen hym glorye that you shulde haue your fayth and hope toward god Therfore as ye haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased god to the daūger of your soules now lyke obediēt chyldren thus purifyed by faythe gyue youre selues to walke that waye whych god moueth you to that ye maye receyue the ende of your faith the saluation of your soules i. pet i. And as ye haue gyuen your bodyes to vnryghtuousnes to synne after synne nowe gyue youre selfe to ryghtuousnes Rom. vi to be sanctifyed therin Yf ye delyte in thys artycle of youre faythe that Christ is rysen agayne from death to lyfe So folow you the exemple of hys resurrection as S. Paul exhorteth vs sayng Rom. vi As we be buryed with Christ by our baptisme into death so let vs dayly dye to sinne mortifynge and kyllynge the euell desyres and motions therof And as Christ was raised vp frō death by the glory of the father so let vs ryse to a new lyfe walke cōtinually therin that we may lykewyse as natural chyldren lyue a cōuersacion to moue men to glorifie our father whych is in heuen Math. v Yf we then be rysen with Christe by oure fayth to the hope of euerlastynge lyfe so let vs ryse also wyth Christ after hys exemple to a new lyfe leue our olde We shal then be truly rysen Col. iij yf we seke for thynges that be heuenly yf we haue our affection vpō thynges that be aboue and not on thynges that be on erth Yf ye desyre to know what these erthly thynges be whych ye shuld put of and what be the heuenly thynges aboue that ye shulde seke and ensue S. Paule in the epistle to the Collossians declareth whan he exhorteth vs thus Mortifie your erthly mēbers and olde affections of synne as fornication vnclennes vnnaturall lust euell concupiscence and couetousnes whyche is worshippynge of ydols for whych thynges the wrath of God is wont to fal on the chyldren of vnbeleue In whyche thynges ones ye walked whan ye lyued in them but nowe put ye also awaye from you wrathe fearsenes maliciousnes cursed speakynge fylthye speakynge out of your mouthes Lye not one to an other that the olde man wyth hys workes be put of and the newe put on These be the earthly thynges whych saynt Paule moueth you to caste from you to plucke your hartes from For in folowynge these ye declare your selues earthly and worldly These be the frutes of the earthly Adam These shulde ye dayly kyll by good diligence in wythstandynge the desyres of them that ye myghte ryse to ryghtuousnes Let your affection from henceforth be set on heuenly thynges Sue and serch for mercy kyndnes mekenes paciens forbearynge one another and for gyuynge one another Yf any man haue quarell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Yf these and such other heuenly vertues ye ensue in the residue of your lyfe ye shall shewe playnly that ye be rysen wyth Christ and that ye be the heauenly chyldren of youre father in heauen Iaco. i. frō whom as frō the gyuer commeth these graces gyftes Ye shall proue by thys maner that your cōuersacion is in heuen where your hope is phil iij and not on earth folowing the beastly appetites of the flesh Ye must consyder that ye be therfore clensed renewed that ye shulde from henceforth serue God in holynes ryghtuousnes all the dayes of your lyues Luc. i. that ye may raygne wyth hym in euerlastynge lyfe Yf ye refuse so great grace wherto ye be called what other thynge do ye then heape your damnation more and more and so prouoke God to caste hys displeasure vnto you and to reuenge thys mockage of hys holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Applye your selfe good frēdes to lyue in Christ that Christ may styl lyue in you Ioh. v whose fauour and assistēce yf ye haue thā haue ye euerlastynge lyfe alredy wythin you than can no thynge hurte you What soeuer is hytherto done and cōmytted Christe ye se hath offered you pardon and clerly receyued you to hys fauoure agayne in full suertye wherof ye haue hym nowe inhabytynge and dwellynge wythin you Only shewe you youre selfe thankeful in your lyues Col iij. cōpounde wyth youre selfe to refuse and auoyde al such thynges in youre conuersations that shuld offende hys eyes of mercy Endeuoure your selfe that waye to ryse vp agayne whych waye ye fell into the well pyt of synne Yf by your tonge ye haue offended now therby ryse agayne and glorifye God therwyth Accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue therwyth dishonoured it and as ye haue hurte the name of your neghboure or otherwyse hyndered him now entende to restore hym agayne for wythout restitucion God accepteth not your shryft nor yet your repētaunce Psalm xxxvi It is not ynough to forsake euell except ye set your corage to do good By what occasiō so euer ye haue offended tourne now the occasion to the honourynge of God profytynge of your neyghbour Truth it is that synne is stronge and affections vnruly harde to subdue resyst our nature so corrupte leuened with the soure bitternes of the poyson which we receyued by the inheritan̄ce of our olde father Adam Mar. vi but yet take good corage sayeth our Sauiour Christ for I haue ouercommed the world al other enemyes for you Rom. v. Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace sayeth saynt Paule Though your power be weake yet Christ is rysen agayne to strength you in your batel hys holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of hys confidence take you in hande to purge thys olde leuen of synne that corrupteth soureth the swetnes of your lyfe before God Ro. viij that ye maye be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all soure leuen of wyckednes i. cor v so shall ye shew your self to be swete bred to god to haue his delyte in you I say kyl offer you vp the worldly erthly affectiōs of your bodyes for Christ our Ester lambe is offred vp for vs to slee
breade whiche is descended downe from heuen euen the moste preciouse body of our sauiour Christ whiche was betrayed and put to death to redeme the lyfe of the hole worlde Let vs beleue it let vs take it we shall lyue The mystery of this thing is right straunge and wonderfull to the world But suerly onles thou beest by faith ingrafted and incorporated into this mysticall body stycke faste in the same euen as a braunche doth in the vine tree thou shalt haue no lyfe in the. Let vs not my frendes murmoure wythin our selues as the Iues did and say how can he gyue vs his fleshe to eate The Iues saythe saynte Augustine bycause they vnderstode not the breade of concorde Austin therfore they discorded and fel at variaunce wythin themselues But suerly they that eate this bread do not stryue nor contende wythin themselues for by thys most blessed and heuenly breade god maketh them to dwel in hys house in full vnitie and concorde togyther Christ assureth vs that onles we eate hys fleshe and drynke hys blode we shall not haue lyfe in vs. Ioh. vj. But how shal we eate his fleshe and drynke his bloude Truly as all holy doctours expounde thys texte we eate Christes fleshe and drynke his bloude August lib. iij. de doct Christ S. Ambrose when we communicate and take parte of his passion and swetly and profitably lay vp in our memory that hys fleshe was crucifyed and wounded that his most precyouse blode was shed for vs. He that beleueth not thus in hym sayth saynt Augustine eateth not Christ and therefore he hath not the Christen fayth without whyche he can haue no pardon of hys synnes Wherfore my freÌ„des let vs dayly eate this heaueÌ„ly breade this Christ our louyng sauiour in spirite and by fayth Let vs I saye take holde of him let vs apprehende him by fayth let vs take the benefite and vse of his passion and resurrection ☜ let vs make him all ours Let vs suffre hym to entre into vs. Spiritually we ought dayly to receyue him But both spiritually and also sacramentally and corporally we must receiue him with most hyghe reuereÌ„ce in forme of breade at suche tyme as the churche appoynteth and namely at the feaste of Easter I saye when we come to the aultare of god and to his holy borde let vs take hede that we worthely receyue in forme of breade his moste preciouse body i. cor xj lest we take hym to our daÌ„nacion not discerning the lordes body Which thyng we can not do without penauÌ„ce stedfast fayth and ful purpose of ameÌ„ding our former lyfe Let vs fyrst or euer we approch to this blessid sacrameÌ„t examine our selues by knowledging our sinnes against god Contricion of herte wherunto we shal be brought by heryng considering gods wyl declared in his lawes perceiuing in our coÌ„science the god is displeased with vs for the same and therupon coÌ„ceiuing not only greate sorowe but also great feare of gods wrath towardes vs coÌ„sidering we haue no worthy meritê to lay before god as sufficient satisfaction for our synnes which done we must coÌ„ceiue sure hope fayth that god yet wyl forgiue vs our synnes not for our owne worthines but for the only merites of his bloude passion which fayth we shal coÌ„firme by the applieng of Christes promise coÌ„teined in his gospell namely in the institucyon of thys most blessed sacrameÌ„t where it is sayde giuen for the remissioÌ„ of our synnes Faythe hope of forgiuenes Math. xxvj But to the atteining of this fayth the seconde parte of penaunce that is to say confession to the prest is necessary Confession to a preste inasmuch as the absolucion giueÌ„ by him is ordeined of Christ to applie the promises of gods grace to vs according to these textes Ioh. xx Luce. x. Whose synnes soeuer you forgiue shal be forgiuen whose synnes ye reteine shal be reteined Also He that heareth you heareth me Finally being thus truly penitent coÌ„trite coÌ„fessed we must also bryng forth the frutes of penauÌ„ce The frutes of penaunce as prayer fasting almes dede We must also make restitucion or satisfaccion in wyl dede to our neyghbours in that we haue done them wrong We must also do al other good workes of mercy charitie expresse our obedient wyl in fulfylling of gods coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t outwardly when tyme and occasion shal be gyuen vs. Thus we shall examine our selues so receyue this moste holy sacrament worthely Otherwyse we shal receiue our owne damnacion Wherfore my freÌ„des do as I haue here declared vnto you and ye shal receiue forgiuenes of your sinnes at laste the croune of euerlasting lyfe Vnto whiche c. THE EPISTLE ON TRINITIE SONDAYE THE IIII. Chapter of the Apocalyps Th argument ☞ God 's Maiestie is here described I Loked vp and sawe a dore open in heauen and the fyrst voyce whych I herde was as it were of a trompet talkynge wyth me whych sayd come vp hyther and I wyll shewe the thynges whych must be fulfylled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauen and one sat on the seate And he that sat was to loke vpoÌ„ lyke a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone And there was a rayne bowe aboute the seate in syght lyke to an Emeralde And aboute the seate were .xxiiij. seates And vpon the seates .xxiiij. Elders sytting clothed in whyt rayment and had on their heades crownes of golde And out of the seate proceded lyghtenynges and thundrynges and voyces and there were seuen lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whych are the seuen spirites of God And before the seate there was a see of glasse like vnto Crystal and in the myddes of the seate and rounde aboute the seate were foure beastes ful of eyes before and behynde And the fyrst beast was lyke a Lyon and the seconde beast lyke a Calfe and the thyrde beast had a face as a Man and the fourth beast was lyke a flyenge Egle. And the foure beastes had eche one of them .vi. wynges about hym and they were full of eyes wythin And they had no rest daye neyther nyght sayenge Holy holy holy Lorde God almyghty whych was and is and is to come And whan those beastes gaue glorye and honoure and thankes to hym that sat on the seate whych lyueth for euer and euer the .xxiiij. Elders fell downe before hym that satte on the trone and worshypped hym that lyueth for euer and cast their crownes before the trone sayenge thou arte worthy o Lorde oure God to receyue glorye and honoure and power for thou hast created all thynges and for thy wylles sake they are and were created GOod people we be sure by scripture that there is but one God For it sayth Herken o Israel thy god is one Deu. v. But forasmuch as the scripture doth attribute godheade and diuine essencie to
iustifienge spirite of God whych worketh by pure and lyuely fayth Wherfore good brethren systers let vs not thinke trustynge to our owne merytes and workes that we loued God fyrst and so deserued kyndnes at hys hādes For yf ye thynke so saynt Ihon reproueth you sayenge We loue God bycause he fyrst loued vs. Now yf a man sayeth he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that loueth not hys brother whome he seeth how can he loue God whom he hath not sene And thys cōmaundemēt sayeth saint Ihō we haue of God that he that loueth God must also loue hys brother But I praye you howe do we loue our brother and se so many lye in euery corner wythout comforte Yea we se Christ an hōgred Math. xxvi and we gyue hym no meate We se hym thyrstye and we gyue hym no drynke We se hym harbroughles and we take hym not in naked we cloth hym not syck and we vysite him not in prison and we come not to hym For in asmuch as we do it not to one of these our poore brethren Christ count it vndone to hym Wherfore yf we vnfaynedlye loue God let vs declare our loue wyth worthy frutes let vs loue oure brethren as we be here wylled to do Then shall we wyth confidence and full hope loke for the daye of iudgement wythout feare at whych tyme the heuenly kynge shall saye vnto vs. Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde To thys heauenly kynge the sonne of man oure Lorde and Sauiour be gyuen al glorye for euer and euer Amen The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Trinitie The .xvi. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ Of the ryche man and of poore Lazarus IEsus put forth a parable vnto hys disciples sayenge There was a certayne rych man whyche was clothed in purple and fyne whyte and fared deliciously euery daye And there was a certayne begger named Lazarus which laye at his gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes which fell from the rych mans borde and no man gaue vnto hym The dogges came also and lycked hys sores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and was caried by the angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also dyed and was buried And beyng in hel in tormētes he lyft vp hys eyes and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in hys bosome and he cryed and sayd father Abraham haue mercy on me and sende Lazarus that he may dyppe the typpe of hys fynger in water and coole my tonge for I am tormented in thys flame But Abraham sayd Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuest thy pleasure and cōtrary wyse Lazarus receyued payne But nowe is he cōforted and thou arte punyshed Beyonde all this betwene vs and you there is a greate space set so that they whych wolde go from hence to you can not neyther maye come from thence to vs. Then he sayd I praye the therfore father sende hym to my fathers house For I haue fyue brethrē for to warne them lest they also come into this place of tormēt Abraham sayd vnto hym they haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them And he sayd naye father Abraham but yf one come vnto them from the deade they wyll repente He sayd vnto hym Yf they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther wyll they beleue thoughe one rose frome death agayne GOod people thys Gospel as it is ryght comfortable to the poore godly persons so it is ryght fearfull to the vngodly rych persons The sely pore godly person is muche vexed wyth troubles and diseases in thys lyfe he lyeth otherwhyles beggynge at ryche mens gates ful of sores desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes whych fal frō theyr tables The vngodly person lyueth all at pleasure and florysheth But se the ende of these two in theyr death The poore Lazarus is forthwyth caryed by angels into Abrahams bosome The rych man is buryed in hell What is thys to be borne vp of angels and to be layd in Abrahās bosome Surely it is nothynge els but to dye in the fayth of Abraham whose soules must nedes be in the handes of God What is it to be buryed and to lye in hell in tormentes To dye wyth an euell conscience These thynges do chaūce in death ☞ what tyme we passe out of thys worlde Albeit ye shall yet vnderstande that it was not pouertie that saued Lazarus nor the ryches that damned the rych man but it is the fayth that saueth which worketh pacience and hope and agayne it is the lacke of fayth and despisynge of the neyghboure that dāneth As longe as the rych man lyued he was so choked wyth worldlye pleasures that he coulde not se what was what but whan he was in hell and in tormentes than he lyfted vp hys eyes then he sawe Abraham afarre of and Lazarus in hys bosome Surely my frendes in death fyrst we espye our vngodlynes and damnacion Thā we se the felicitie ioye of the godly persons esa lxvj Math. xxv Thys is that worme that dyeth not whych the prophete Esaye speaketh of Thā fyrst the vnwyse virgines se that the wyse haue oyle Then it commeth to our mynde to whome we haue done good and to whome we haue done euel Then doth the lawe shewe it selfe where as the gospell is taken awaye then fyrst but to late and in vayne we seke fauoure Prou. i. Then thou rych mā thou canst speake fayre and saye Father Abraham haue mercy on me But herken o thou vngodly rych man what father Abraham shall answere the agayne Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst thy pleasure and contrary wyse thys poore Lazarus receyued payne Lo the sentence of the sharpe iudgement of God For as saynt Iames sayeth Iaco. ii Iudgemente wythout mercy shal be to them whych haue shewed no mercy Also the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes He that stoppeth hys eare at the cryenge of the poore shall also crye and not be herde Furthermore the prophete sayeth Ps xxxij For thys shall euery godly person make hys prayer vnto the in due season but in the greate water floudes they shall not come nyghe hym So good people ye se by thys parable that after thys lyfe we shall come shorte to make intercession eyther for our selues or for others For the soule of thys rych gluttō here espyenge he could nothing preuayle for hymselfe began to intreate for hys fyue brethren and desyred that Lazarus might be sent to hys fathers house for to warne them leste they also come into that place of tourmēt But what was answered vnto hym agayne They haue Moses and the prophetes let them heare them as who shulde saye they haue gods worde amonges them whyche teacheth them how to eschue euerlastynge punyshmentes and how to be saued yf they wol not regard it there is no recouery
the deuell in Christes power and assystence shall we no fayle haue the victory and ouer come them all Yf we desyre to be delyuered of thys transytory world and to be present wyth God to syt at hys table let vs a whyle tary in hope vntyll the Lorde call vs and we shall not doubt but be caryed thyther wyth his holy angels wyth hym to dwel for euer He hath not prepared thys supper of euerlastynge lyfe of hys fre mercy onely but hath also as frely prepared all necessarye helpes and meanes for vs to vse to the better attaynynge of thys supper Onely let vs be ware by the exemples of the Iues that we be not vnkynde to so mercyfull a callynge leste we be refused as they were We be not more in gods fauour than they were They were gods elect people we were not so They were the chyldren of the house we were foryners and straungers and none of the householde They were the natural braūches we are but grafted in theyr stockes and receyued in theyr rowmes We ought to feare the more that we shall not be spared yf we shewe vnkyndnes as they dyd Ye haue herd what were the lettes wherby the Iewes were drawen abacke from theyr saluation One had bought a farme and was so holly bente to improue and enlarge that to beare rule and raygne in the worlde that he hadde no leasure nor space to gyue eare to the feastmakers callynge and to come to hys supper An other was so busely set about hys oxen and other possession couetously gatherynge lucre and gaynes to enrych hymselfe that he chose rather to lose the commoditie of that delicate supper then to lose hys gaynes An other excused hymselfe that he had maryed a wyfe and therfore answered he that he coulde not come He desyred not to be excused as the other two dyd but sayde flatlye that he coulde not come so harde it is for hym to come to Christ whych hath hys harte set vpō the flateryng vanities and pleasures of the worlde Let vs take hede my frendes that we be not so ouercome of these euel affections before rehersed that we folowe not them and refuse to come to the supper of euerlastyng lyfe wherevnto we be called Lu. xiiij Let vs call to mynde what our sauiour Christe sayeth excepte we renounce all that we possesse we cā not be hys disciples It is not euell to haue rule and dominion in the worlde but so to set our hartes vpon our dignities and preeminence that we shal for the sauegard of them forsake the truth and peruerte iustice that is abhominable before God So to ensue honoure and worshyp that we shall labour by falshode and sedition by secrete conspiracye to gette it that is abominable before God and wylbe surely reuenged i. pet v for God euer hateth the proude in harte he setteth hymselfe a parte agaynst them Psalm xxxvi euer to depose such Though sayeth Dauid the vngodlye shryne hymselfe neuer so hye yet I sawe hym whan he was exalted aboue the Cedre trees brought downe agayne to the grounde I sought hys rowme and place but he was wasted and vanyshed awaye lyke the smoke Kepe therfore byddeth Dauid innocency and beholde equitie for the godly man hath euer permanent issue It is not euell to haue ryches and possessiōs to vse the course of lawfull occupyenge but so to ensue our gaynes that we shall not spare by ryght or wronge to gette them that is wyckednes before God So to possesse ryches that vnmercyfully we shall kepe them and not reliefe the poore with our superfluities as Christ cōmaundeth vs to be stewardes of hys goodes cōmytted in our trust Math. xxv that is the thynge which prouoketh hym to displeasure to pronoūce that it is very harde for a rych man to entre in the kyngdome of heauen mat xix more easy for a camell to go thorowe a nedles eye Of all myschyfe is couetyse the roote and foūtayne sayeth S. Paule i. tim vi sayeth that they whych desyre to be rych fall into temptacion and snare of the deuell and to dyuerse lustes hurtfull and foolyshe whyche drowne men in death and destruction It is that affection sayeth saynte Paule whyche make the suers therof to erre frō theyr fayth They can neuer haue leasure to wayte vpon Christ and his worde that folowe thys affection saye and cal Christ what ye wyl they haue no lust nor desyre to come vnto hym And the reason of thys thynge he openeth in an other place where he sayeth ii co iiij that the Gospell is not receyued of these worldlye men bycause the God of thys worlde hath blynded theyr vnderstandynge leste the lyght of the gospel shuld shyne appeare vnto thē As these .ij. euell affections I meane the desyre of dominion and authoritie and the insaciable desyre of ryches be greate impedimentes and lettes that hynder many a man from saluation so is the affection to pleasures of thys worlde as great a let in whome it raygneth to cause them set lytel by the callynge of God to thys great feast of the glorye to come This affection is so subtle that where the other two can not alter and occupye the mynde of many men yet of thys they be ouercome A beastly affection to be led wyth the volupties of thys worlde and therfore Christ compareth them to swyne walowynge in the myer of beastly and carnal lyfe and wolde haue no perles cast before them for they can none otherwyse do but trede them vnder foote despyse them Let vs therfore good people take good aduisement let vs consyder of what gentlenes and mercy we be called Let vs consyder whereto we be called not to payne and mysery but to feastynge and bankettyng in the kyngdome of heauen We prouoked not God to call vs by our merytes which were nothynge but blyndnes and Idolatry but he of hys mercy preuented vs only to haue the prayse of our saluacion which wyl come at hys calling Let vs cōsider how great a zele God beareth to our helth whych semeth to be angrye whan we refuse to come at hys callynge not only calleth vs and leaueth vs there but hath prouided all thynges to helpe vs to come thyther whervnto we be called hys worde we haue hys sacramētes and hys holy spirite workynge in our hartes we haue to be present wyth vs to strength vs to come Yf we come we be saued and shal be blessed for euer if we com not but make our excuses we deceiue our selues and for the loue of vayne and transytory delytes and pleasures lose the lyfe euerlastynge And what shall it auayle to wynne all the worlde lose our soules Yf we refuse to come to thys feast let vs not loke to be bydden to any other for it is the last feast and none other to be loked for after No better messanger could he sende to vs to moue vs to come to thys feast
the louyng kyndnes and mercy of Christ towardes vs wretched synners and lost shepe vnto whome only thys gospell is propouned for a synguler comforte For the pharisees scribes whych be blynded with theyr owne proper iustice be not only no partakers of thys moost comfortable Gospell but more ouer they vtterly vnderstād it not Yea whan they se that Christe bestoweth hys Gospell vpon synners they grudge therat inuye that they shulde haue such fauour and grace at hys handes The publicanes then that is to saye customers Publicanes tribute gatherers or baylyfes whych amonges the Iues and namely amōges the religiouse pharisees were counted vnholy persons and the other notorious and open synners resorted to Christe to heare hym They had herde much of hym and what wonders and myracles he had shewed amonges the people and namely they had herde of hys comfortable doctrine Wherfore they come now knowyng them selues synners and therfore not quyet in theyr cōscience to seke rest to theyr soules and to heare Christ whome forthwyth he louyngly receyueth and lyke a tender and a good phisician goeth about to laye his medecine and salue to theyr diseases All hys pacient hearers and humble suters he healeth not onely in body but also in soule But the moost holy and religious pharisees and famouse doctours of the law and scribes are nothynge content herew t they murmoure they grudge they snouffe at hym and what saye they Lo thys felowe whyche is reported to be the sonne of God and whych maketh himselfe so perfyte and holy a persone receyueth synful persons in to hys company and eateth drynketh wyth them But he put forth this parable vnto them c. Good people ye shal vnderstande that our mayster Christ bycause he wolde not gyue a iust cause of offense to the pharisees scribes studyeth to heale them wyth two feate parables by whych he teacheth that not without cause he receiueth synners and eateth with them Yea he declareth that hys office requyreth to preache glad tydynges to the poore not to breake a broused rede nor to quenche the smokynge flaxe as Esay had prophecyed of hym Esa xl Moreouer that hys offyce and feate was to feede hys flocke lyke a shepeherde to gather together the lambes with hys arme to releue them in hys bosome Ezechi xxxiiii also such as be lost to seke vp such as go astraye to brynge agayne suche as be wounded to bynde vp suche as be weake to make stronge and so forth Al these offyces of Christ be euery where recorded in scripture and he doth expresse them here in the parables insuynge to thintēt he wolde shewe that he doth not amysse in that he receyueth synners and taketh meate wyth them In dede Christ myght haue made answere to the pharisees and scribes wythout parables euen wyth open textes out of the prophetes concernynge hys offices But thys he doth not that hearynge they shuld not heare and seynge they shuld not se but at last shuld peryshe by the iust iudgement of God And in these parables lyeth hyd the ryght dradfull iudgement of God agaynst these proude religious and holy pharisees that woll euermore iustifye themselues which shal be reiected and shaken of wyth theyr iusticies where as the penitent and lowly synners shal be receyued What man of you sayth Christe whyche yf he haue an hundred shepe and fortune to lose one of them wyll not forthwyth leaue the fourescore nyntene in wyldernesse and go after that whych is lost vntyll he fynde it And whan he hath founde it for ioye he layeth it on hys shulders and he cōmeth not so sone home but he calleth together hys frendes hys neyghbours and desyreth them to reioyse wyth hym for the fyndynge agayne of hys lost shepe So sayeth Christ ioye shal be in heauen ouer one synner that repenteth more then ouer foure score and .xix. persons whych nede no repentaunce My frendes what meaneth thys parable The declaraciō of the parable who is thys sheperd or shepemayster Surely it is our mayster Christ he fedeth hys shepe he teacheth all men in the wylsome deserte worlde of these shepe one strayth abrode and is lost the other in theyr owne conceytes and iudgement erre not but be styll in the ryght waye and therfore they nede not to be sought and to be redemed And truly good people the nomber is very smal of them that shal be saued for the rest of the people thinke themselues iust and ryghtuous persons by the merytes of theyr owne workes The shepe that goeth a straye sygnifyeth them whych know themselues synners these doth Christ seke vp yea he came for these mens sakes that he myght redeme them Here then ye se the fynall cause and vse of Christ Esa xlij The sonne of man came to seke and saue that was lost he came in to thys worlde to saue synners So then there be .ij. sortes of iust or ryghtuous persons in the worlde He that knowlegeth his synnes vnworthines and beleueth on hym that iustifyeth the wycked is iuste by fayth and he is the true iust and good person The other is he that woll be iustifyed made good by the workes of the lawe Iustice pharisaicall thys iustice is called the pharisaicall iustice Of thys iustice Christ speaketh thus Onles your ryghtuousnes passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharisees ye shall not entre into the kyngdome of God Math. v And in the .xvi. chapter of Luke he sayeth Ye be they which iustify your selues before men but God knoweth your hartes The seconde parable of the woman whych had lost a grote and after much sekynge founde it agayne meaneth the same thynge that the other parable doth In dede the woman is a weake vessell ☞ So Christe applyeth hymselfe to the weake and vnperfyte persons The woman lyghteth a candell swepeth her house seketh diligently her coigne that she hath lost she neuer ceaseth tyl she hath foūde it agayne Euen so carefull and desyrous is our Sauiour Christe to call synners to repentaunce ☞ Now yf ye woll knowe the cause of our repentaunce ye shall vnderstande that it is not our owne worke nor our owne meryte and deseruynge but bycause Christ our shepeherde seketh vs yea we shulde vtterly perysh strayenge in the wyldernes yf Christ our herdmā sought vs not vp But how doth he seke vs Truly by hys worde whyche beynge preached vnto vs reproueth vs of our wandrynge and strayenge abrode whyche knowen we be brought agayne by Christe our pastoure and shepeherde to the flocke that is to wyte we be made the true members of the true church And after we be ones reduced and broughte home agayne to the flocke we be not set in a felde alone by our selues where we alone shall fede but togyther wyth that rest of the flocke and vnder our shepeherde we seke all one and the same fode and do the same that the rest of the shepe do
men vpon theyr syngular gyftes at thys daye haue springeth principally herby that they consyder not what they were before the openynge and reuelacion of the gospel Hetherto pertayneth the sayenge of Paule in the .viij. chapter of the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians Scientia inflat Sciētia inflat Knowlege maketh a man swell in pryde as who shulde saye When men knowe that they be no longer vnder the condemnation of the lawe but in the state of grace thys knowlege namely yf it be not ryghtly vnderstanded maketh many men proude arrogant puffed vp negligent slacke in the office of charitie and ouermuche spirituall whych oftentymes wyth great contempte of other do glorie of theyr giftes and take a pryde in them But agaynst thys inflacion and pryde as I haue sayd there is no remedye more present for vs then often to cal agayne to our remēbraūce our pristine and former state of lyfe which thinge the apostle Paule before the rest of the Apostles doth moost diligently in all hys epistles namely in thys epistle To thys agreeth that whych he sayeth in the fourth chapter of thys epistle i. cor iiij What haste thou that thou hast not receyued the same before And yf thou hast receyued it why doest thou bragge Secondly we be here taught and informed of the authour and cause of these gyftes that is to saye the holy ghost of hys principall office and in especiall of the greatest gyft of all whych is to endowe vs with the knowlege of Christe out of whych gyfte the other speciall gyftes do flowe none otherwyse then out of a quycke sprynge ☞ For Christe beynge knowen and apprehended by a lyuely fayth whyche is euer in a redynesse whan occasion serueth to worke by charytye and to fructifie is the cause that we receyue the holy ghoste and all hys gyftes accordyng to the sayng of the prophete Psalm lxxvi When he ascended vp to heuen he led captiuitie a prysoner and gaue giftes to mē Thys ascension is yet daylye accomplyshed in vs when by the ayde of the holyghoste we knowe Christe and take holde of hym by lyuely fayth who beynge knowne apprehēded sendeth vnto vs more abundantly the holy ghoste and endoweth vs with gyftes To saye then that Christe is the Lorde is the verye gyfte of the holy gooste wherupon all the reste of the gyftes be founded and layde as appeareth by the verse of the psalme aboue remēbred Ascendit in altū captiuā duxit captiuitatē dedit dona hominibus And surely who soeuer hath thys gyfte of the holy ghoste that he can saye Christ to be the Lorde maye sone be made also partaker of the other gyftes But he that defieth Christ he that calleth Christ Anathema he can be partaker of no gyftes of the holye ghoste They call Christe Anathema whyche denye hym to be Lorde whyche thynge is as moch to saye as to denye hym to be the Sauiour of the worlde whych hath ouercome death and whych nowe wyth great power raygneth ouer synne death and the deuell It is also to denye Christ to be our iustice sanctification and redēption who furthermore lyke a moste valiaūt Lorde protecteth defendeth and saueth vs from all euels Anathema what it is Anathema is a Greke worde signifyeth a layenge asyde or separacion of gyftes which were offred vp to goddes and whyche was lawfull for no man to remoue out of theyr place Euen so do hypocrites set aparte Christ and vse not hym ☜ but the workes of theyr owne inuention to such hypocrites Christ is Anathema that is to saye a cast awaye a thynge accursed abhorred and detested as in lykewyse the Iues by Anathema do sygnifye an execracion or cursynge as saynt Hierome also wytnesseth Hierom Thyrdly the apostle doth here teach vs the final vse and ende of all gyftes whych is vnitie and concorde so that we must knowe that the holy goost as he is one so he gyueth hys gyftes to men to the vnitie and edificacion of the churche and not that men shulde after a contenciouse and vncharitable sorte be proude and glorie of theyr gyftes and talentes that God hath indowed them wyth These men preache rather for vayne glorie and to wynne them prayse of men than to edifye the christen flocke Wherfore they haue theyr mede and rewarde Let vs then my welbeloued brethren cease of all such contenciouse vncharitable boastyng despysynge of others that haue not the knowlege whych we haue Yf they offende let vs rather gently and charitably monyshe them betwene them and vs and not rayle triumphe detracte and defame them with vnsemynge names Let vs call to mynde what we were oure selues and what we be of oure selues Let vs remember that what so euer we haue the same we haue receyued of gods grace and not of owne proper powers Thus doynge we shal edifye our brethren and systerne we shall declare that we be in dede the persons that we be named that is to saye christen men and women folowers of Christe and fynally inheritours of euerlastynge blesse prepared for vs by the father of heauen To whome be all glorye and prayse worlde wythout ende AMEN The gospell on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie The .xix. chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The punyshment of such as despice goddes worde and how Christ casteth out byers and sellers in the temple WHan he was come neare he behelde the cytie and wepte on it sayenge Yf thou haddest knowen those thynges whyche belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye thou woldest take hede But nowe are they hydde from thyne eyes For the dayes shall come vpon the that thyne enemyes also shall caste a banke aboute the and compasse the rounde and kepe the in on euery syde and make the euen wyth the grounde and thy chyldren whych are in the. And they shal not leaue in the one stone vpon an other bycause thou knowest not the tyme of thy visitacion And he wente into the temple and began to caste out them that solde therin and them that bought sayenge vnto them It is writtē my house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues And he taught dayly in the temple MY welbeloued frendes in Christ ye shal vnderstand that God is right good and much mercyful towarde vs. Father of mercy and God of all consolation is he as saynt Paule sayeth And yet for all that we muste take good hede that we do not abuse the hygh benefyte and commoditie of hys mercyfulnes goodnes as they of Ierusalē hath done lyke as in thys storye we rede We se how Iesus Christe was come for to brynge them grace for to teach and to saue them and they haue refused him It was for that cause only that he wepte whan he dyd beholde the cytie as is now made mēcion in the gospel And in that that he hath wept he hath wel shewed that he wold not couete the death
leseth all spirituall consolation and comforte Then after he commeth to speake in a great humilitie of the grace whych Iesus Christ hath gyuen him And after all he sayeth he hath bene sene by me he hath appeared vnto me whyche am as an abortiue creature For I am the least of the Apostles whyche am not worthy to be called an Apostle for I haue persecuted the church of God but I am that I am apostle amonge the Gentyls in fayth and in trouth I am that that I am not by my workes not by my merytes but by the grace of God And hys grace sayeth he hath not ben ydle in me As yf he wolde saye I haue not hyd the talent of gold whyche my mayster lorde Iesu Christ toke me to bestowe but I haue made it to gayne more then any other I haue laboured more abundauntly then they all But not I yet but the grace of God whych is in me Saint Paule in speakynge of hys owne person and of hys grace whyche he receyued of God speaketh vnto vs teachyng vs by hys exemple that we ought to presume nothynge of our selues but to yelde all vnto God vnderstande that all cometh from hym The ecclesiastes sayeth speakynge of the See The waters returne vnto the place from whence they come forth to th ende that they may runne agayne In lyke maner we must sende agayne and knowlege God to be all grace to th ende that he maye alwayes augment it vnto vs vnto the tyme that we maye come wyth hym into hys glorye for to prayse hym exalte hym perpetually to glorifye hym Amen The Gospell on the .xi. sonday after Trinitie The .xviij. Chapter of Luke Th argument ☞ The parable of the Pharise and Publicane IEsus put forth thys parable vnto certayn which trusted in themselues that they were perfite and despised other Two men wente vp into the temple to praye the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The pharise stode and prayed thus wyth hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorsioners vniust aduoutrers or as thys publicane I fast twyse in the weke I gyue tyth of all that I possesse And the publicane standynge afarre of wolde not lyfte vp his eyes to heuen but smote vpon hys brest sayenge God be mercyfull to me a synner I tell you thys man departed home to hys house iustifyed more thā the other For euery one that exalteth hymselfe shal be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted MY frendes and brethrē in our Sauiour Christ Iesu I do you well to vnderstande that there was somtyme amonges the Iues and is yet at thys daye amonges christen folke a certayne pharisaicall kynde of iuste or ryghtuous persons whyche haue theyr cōfidence and trust in theyr owne workes and whych presumptuouslye seke to themselues laude prayse of iustice therby Psalm xiiij where as afore God as wytnesseth the prophete there is no ryghtuous persone Neyther dyd they only stāde foolyshly in theyr owne conceytes and pleased well themselues but also in comparison of themselues they dispraysed and also despysed others as synfulle and worldlye persones where as in very dede the humblenes and modestie of suche as be synners and the condēnation of themselues wyth request of mercy is muche more regarded and is more acceptable to God than is the proude and arrogant workynge of such pharisaical persōs Wherfore against such pharisaical rightuous folke and for the cōforte of such sinners as displease themselues and be hartely sory for theyr mysordred lyfe our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ dyd propoune thys parable or similitude vnto the Iues by them to all the worlde It befell so sayeth Christ that two certayne persons wente vp to the temple or churche for to praye the one was a Pharise that is to saye one that diuideth hymselfe as better from the multitude cōmon sorte of men Origine accordynge to Origenes interpretacion the other was a publicane that is to saye a customer a gatherer of toll or tribute or such other common officer deputed for such purposes The pharise standynge nye to the hygh aultare as one that thought hymselfe worthy to talke presently wyth God thus began to praye wyth himselfe God I thanke the that I am not lyke to the rest of folke whych lyue by rauyne pyllage and extorcion which do increase theyr substaunce by fraude and crafte which defyle other mens beddes wyth aduoutrye or finally whych bearynge any sklaunderouse rowme or office do pyll and poll the people of God or holy church as is thys publicane thys tribute gatherer thys collectour I am not riottouse and sumptuous in my fare and apparell as is the common sorte of people I fast twyse a weke and in somuch defraude I noman that also I distribute the tenth parte of my goodes vpon the poore people Thys was the prayer of the swellynge and proude pharise whyche albeit he reapported of hymselfe the trouth and thāked God yet he displeased the eyes of God euen bycause he pleased hymselfe flatterynge hymselfe and beynge cōtumeliouse agaynst hys neyghboure On the contrarye the publicane altogether displeasyng hymselfe for the knowlege of hys synnes stode a great waye of from the aultare beynge so ashamed of hymselfe and penitent that he durst not ones lyft vp hys eyen to heauen but strake hys brest sayeng Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori That is to say God be thou mercyfull vnto me a synner The pharise thought it ynough to gyue God thankes supposynge that he lacked nothynge that shulde be requisyte vnto perfyte holynes and therfore he confessed no offenses wheras in very dede euen in hys selfe prayers he synned moost greuouslye in that he boasted of hymselfe and despysed the penitent persone beynge an arrogant prayser of hymselfe and a rashe accuser of hys neyghbour Contrarye the publicane made no rehersall at all of hys good dedes Only acknowlegynge and confessynge hys naughtynes he knocketh hys brest condemnyng hymselfe and humbly beggynge grace and pardon of hys offenses My frendes woll ye knowe the conclusion and ende of thys sondrye and dyuerse prayer That same publicane whych came a synner into the church by Christes owne sentence and determination went home in the syght of God more iust and ryghtuouse than that pharise whyche thought hymselfe moost ryghtuouse For assuredly whosoeuer auaunceth hymselfe wyth hymself shal be deiected cast downe in the eyen of God And whosoeuer deiecteth and casteth hymselfe downe wyth hymselfe shal be hygh in the eyen of god By thys parable then good people let vs lerne to humble and lowly our selues Let vs lerne whan we be out of gods fauoure for the haynousnes of our sinnes by due penaunce to reconcile our selues agayne and to purchase remission of the same Austine I call penaūce accordynge to saynt Austines definicion a dayly payne and greue of the good and lowly christians wherin we knocke our brestes sayenge
saye the newe testament differrynge from the olde in asmuch as in the one the old man is hedged in wyth the straytes of feare but in the other the new man walketh at large in the wydenes of charitie For the prohibicion of sinne bycause it is a lawe vndoubtedly increaseth the desyre of sinnynge whych is not quenched but by the cōtrary desyre of doynge well where fayth worketh by loue Hythervnto I haue reported the wordes of S. Austine whych doth full well expounde and declare vnto vs the sentence meanynge of the Apostle Paule in thys epistle whose only mynde and purpose is to prouoke vs to loue esteme and folowe the holy and syncere gospell by the whych the holy goost is gyuē vnto vs and by the whych we be newly borne agayne and lyuynge in spirite or goost and no more after a fleshly sorte God gyue vs the grace that it maye be shedde ouer all the worlde as the foure floddes of paradyse as a see flowynge as floddes rysynge in lyfe eternal that euery body may drinke plentefully of eternall lyfe to thys ende purpose that we may altogether prayse and glorifye God euerlastyngly by our Lorde Iesu Christ To whome be al honour Amen The Gospel on the .xij. sonday after Trinitie The .vij. Chapter of Marke Th argument ☞ The healynge of the deafe and dombe man IEsus departed agayne from the coastes of Tyre and Sidon and came vnto the see of Galile thorowe the myddes of the coastes of the ten cyties And they brought vnto hym one that was deaffe and hadde an impedimente in hys speche and they prayed hym to put hys hande vpon hym And whā he had taken him asyde from the people he put his fyngers into hys eares and dyd spyt and touched his tonge and loked vp to heauen and syghed and sayd vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayght waye hys eares were opened and the strynge of hys tonge was loused and spake plaine And he commaunded them that they shulde tell no man But the more he forbad them so muche the more a great deale they published sayeng he hath done all thynges wel he hath made both the deafe to heare and the dombe to speake THe Gospell redde in the church thys day good christen people teacheth vs that after that our sauiour Christ had priuely stolen away out of Iewry and had amonges the Tyrians Sidonians and Cananites secretlye sowen there the sede of his holy worde he reflected hys iourney and came agayne to the lake of Galilee takynge in hys waye the region of Decapoly where before that tyme he had healed a man possessed of a deuell Whan he was come hyther they brought vnto hym a ryght myserable spectacle that is to saye a man both deafe and dombe For he muste nedes be dombe whyche is of nature deafe ☞ But he is more myserably deafe whych hath no mete eares to heare gods word he is worse dōbe whych hath no tonge to confesse hys fylthynes and gods mercy By hearynge of the fayth is the begynnynge of health and saluation and by confession of the mouth is the perfection of helth The Iues albeit they dayly herde Iesus speakyng yet hearynge they herde not for asmuch as accordynge to thexemple of the serpent called the Aspik whyche stoppeth her eares agaynst the voyce of the wyse inchaunter The propertie of the Aspike they wolde not beleue such thynges as they herde And therfore they had a tonge to backbyte and detracte but they had no tōge to the holsome professiō of faith But what shal this sely poore mā do which hath no tonge wherewyth he maye craue hys soule helth of the Lorde whych hath no eares wherby he maye perceyue the voyce of Iesus whych is wonte to rayse euen the deade to lyfe They that had tonges and eares do helpe the sely mā they brynge him to Iesus They besech hym of hys tēder mercy that he woll vouchsaue to laye hys hande vpon hym Thus it pleaseth the moost mercyfull Lorde that euen other mens fayth shuld helpe synners Other mens fayth otherwhyles helpeth In lykewyse the hethen person whych is about to leaue his hethen lyfe to become christianed in which state he is called of the aūcient fathers of the church catechumenus is brought to Iesus he hath stynted to do euel he hath stinted to speake euel but he hath not yet lerned to do wel he hath not yet lerned to cōfesse the goodnes of the gospel For how cā he do thys yf Iesus lay not hys hāde vpō hym Mē labour in vayne onles the secrete power and vertue of Christ be put therto It was an easy thynge for the Lorde euen wyth the bare worde of hys mouth to gyue helth to the deafe and dombe man but thys forme of thynges is purposed and set forth vnto vs. For lyke as for the moost parte it is a parable that Christ speaketh so oftentymes it is a parable that he doth He toke the man by the hāde led hym asyde frō the multitude of people He is saufe whom Iesus taketh vp whō he leadeth away frō the hurley burly of thys worlde He put hys fyngers into hys eares and wyth hys spyttell touched hys tonge Assuredly my frendes ☜ helth and saluacion is then at hande whan our sauioure Christe Iesus by the vertue of hys spirite The allegorie whych is the fynger of God vouchsaueth to touch the eares of oure mynde and as often as wyth the spyttell of the heauenly wysedome whych is hymselfe commynge out from the mouth of the father aboue he vouchsaueth to touche the tonge of oure mynde to thintent that those thynges myght sauour vnto vs which belōge to God and be godly For wythout thys humour is made no taste mans spyttell yf it be infected hath a peruerse iudgement Thys spettell not onely louseth the tonge but also openeth the eyen of him that is borne blynde as often as beynge myxed with earth it be layde vpon the eyes wheras on the contraryesyde ☞ the spettel of philosophers and of pharisees do rather put out the eyes The same thynge in maner do also the teachers of the gospell They take men and leade them awaye from the multitude whā out of the broade way wherin the moost parte of people do walke into theyr owne damnacion they cal them backe and brynge them agayne to the felowship of the lytle flocke They put theyr fyngers into theyr eares whan by callynge them awaye from the vanities of thys worlde they sturre them to receyue the heauenly doctrine They laye spettell vpon theyr tōges whan they exhorte them to professe the euangelicall fayth they laye theyr handes vpon them whā they gyue the holy goost to such as be baptised by whome theyr synnes be wyped awaye and innocencie is conferred But all these thynges the curate or byshop doth outwardlye in vayne yf Christe worke not wythin and sende out hys godly vertue frō heauen
spirituall dropsye whych was spiritually ful of the dropsye and ful of waters of concupiscence wherby it peryshed and drewe vnto eternall death Moreouer in thys gospell Christ doth aduertise vs of these couetouse and proude scribes and pharisees whych by theyr ambition at the feastes and banckettes dyd take the fyrst and moost honourable places For the whych cause Iesu Christ doth correcte them and instructeth them and vs also wyllynge vs whan we shal be called vnto mariages and feastes that we do not syt in the hyghest places but in the lowest The whych maye be vnto vs very well a moral doctrine as to the exterior worke as the holy doctours of the church do full well declare it in especiall the great clerke Basilius declareth it on thys wyse To take the lowest place at feastes accordynge to the Lordes commaundement is conuenient but agayne contenciously to runne into it is a thynge reprouable as a disturbaunce of ordre and occasion of hurly burly And surely sayeth thys clerke yf contencion be moued who shuld syt lowest amonges you ye shall diffre nothynge from those that stryue to syt hyghest for al is one mater Wherfore lyke as our lorde sayeth here it is expedient for hym that maketh a feast to appoynt the order of syttynge So shal one of vs in pacience susteyne eche other honestly and doynge al thynges in order and not after the fansye of some we shall neyther seme to conterfayte humilitie by ouermuche gaynsaynge but rather by humilitie we shall obtayne pacience For surely it is a greater token of pryde by ouermuch repugnauncie refusing not to syt in such place as the feastmaker thynketh mete for vs and contenciously to occupie the lowest rowme than it is to syt in the hyghest place whā we be commaunded so to do Thys sayenge therfore of Christ morally is thus to be taken Yet for all that spiritually it maye be well vnderstanded as Bede other expositours also do godly applie it of the mariage of the sonne of God wyth humayne nature whych is the vnion and the mariage of hym and all faythfull soules Math. xxij Of the which it is wrytten in an other place That many be called but fewe elected The whych sentence of God ought to astonny vs we ought diligently to consider what they be which be chosen in desyrynge to be of theyr company Truly Iesu Christe hymselfe doth shewe vs sayenge That whosoeuer doth hūble hymselfe in makynge hymselfe seruaunt vnto all and doynge the workes of charitie to hys brethrē for the honoure of hym he shal be elected or chosen and exalted And on the contrary who soeuer shall exalte hymselfe in wyllynge by pryde to haue maystershyp and lordshyp ouer al and vncharitably neglectynge and despysynge hys euen christen and poore brethren he shal be humbled put downe and cast backe frō the mariage for God resysteth proude men and gyueth grace vnto the hūble Wherfore my frēdes let vs at al tymes do good workes and mercy vnto all Let vs not be ambitious of worldly honoure Let vs humble our selues vnder the myghty hande of God after thys lyfe we shal be by hym exalted whan it shal be hys pleasure and godly wyll into eternal glorye wyth the cōpany of all those that be happy for to prayse hym blesse hym wythout ende The Epistle on the .xviij. sonday after Trinitie The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .i. Chap. Th argument ☞ A gratulacion or thankesgyuynge for the true knowlege of godlynes BRethren I thāke my God alwayes on your behalfe for the grace of god which is gyuē you by Iesus Christ that in al thynges ye are made rych by hym in al vtteraunce and in al knowlege by the whych thynges the testimony of Iesus Christ was cōfermed in you so that ye are behynde in no gyft waytynge for the appearynge of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych shall also strength you vnto the ende that ye maye be blamelesse in the daye of the commynge of our Lorde Iesus Christ SAynt Paul good christen people in the epistle of thys present sondaye doth teache vs that he whych hath the grace of God in hys harte whan he seeth the poore synners leaue theyr euell lyfe and that they conuerte them vnto God in grace is excedyngly ioyfull and continually yeldeth graces and thankes vnto God For it is wrytten in the .xiij. chapter of hys fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthiās Charitie doth not reioyce at iniquitie that is to saye of the estate of sinners but is in heuynesse pytie and compassion But it reioyceth of truth whych is whan they leaue theyr synnes and the vanitie of thys worlde that they conuerte them vnto God whych is all veritie And also ioye is made in heauen amonges the angels of God as it is wryttē in the .xv. chapter of S. Luke It is ioye before the angels of God for a synner that doth penaunce Also saynt Paule here yeldeth graces and thankes vnto God for the Corinthians knowynge that it was not by any workes that they had done that they were conuerted but by the only mercy of God not deserued on theyr behalfe And thus it is of vs. In oure conuertynge by true fayth vnto Iesu Christ we be made ryche in hym in all thynges in all wordes and in al sciences that is to saye in the doctrine of the gospell by the whyche is confermed vnto vs the wytnes of our saluacion knowyng certaynly that the myght of god is in the Gospell for to saue all them whych shal beleue in it But before that we be worthy to haue suche and so great rychesses we muste renounce and vtterly forsake the vayne confidence and trust in the rychesses and delytes of thys worlde For Iesu Christ hymselfe sayeth vnto vs math vi that we can not serue God and also the rychesses of thys worlde Moreouer in an other place he sayeth that yf we do not renounce in our mynde and affection all the goodes that we do possesse we can not be hys disciples Let vs thā hold vs by fayth in oure conuersion to God the whyche fayth foloweth so many gyftes and graces of God that there lacketh nothynge for saluation And we shall abyde in all suertie and in peace of conscience the commynge of Iesu Christ whych shal be particulerly at the daye of our death and departynge frō thys worlde and generally at the daye of dome at the whyche tyme he shall come and gyue vnto vs hys great inestimable rychesses the which we do nowe tarye for by fayth and hope that is the eternal glorye of hys heauen Into the whych that we maye all come by the graces and merytes of our Lorde Iesu Christ c. The gospell on the .xviij. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matheu Th argument ☞ The pharisees question to Christ and again Christes question to the pharisees THe pharisees wēt vnto Iesus and one of them whyche was a doctour of the lawe of Moses asked
do hys workes Then we must for to be renued in our hartes haue nede that the gyftes and graces of God maye abyde there in stede of the concupiscences whyche the deuell hath put there by the synne of Adam As agaynst couetousnesse mercy and lyberalitie Agaynst lechery continence chastite Against pryde and rygoure frendshyp mekenes and all humilitie Agaynst hathered and rancor loue and charitie Agaynst iniquitie and synne iustice al grace And thus we shal be newly arrayed wyth the newe man Iesu Christ whych by hys holy spirite shal make vs also new men holy men and vertuouse mē lyuynge no more in foule and stynkynge synne as we were wont to do but walkyng in newnes of lyfe by the grace of God by whom we shal be iustifyed and truly sanctifyed And for bycause he is all trouth yf we wolde abyde in hym we muste cast out and put from vs al lyes and false tales the whych from our byrth is conioyned and euen knytte fast vnto oure fleshe Omnia homo mendax For as the prophete sayeth All men be lyers they haue spoken vanities and false thynges from theyr byrth And god alone is veritable euē trouth it selfe the whych wylleth that we speake trouth one to an other for we be all mēbers of hys body which is hys church and spouse whych spouse ought to be gouerned ledde conducted by the spirite of trouth And thys spirite of trouth yf it dwell in vs shall doubtles gyue vs all holy zele and a certayne godly angre agaynst synne whych shal be wythout synne As in seynge the blyndnes and the vnhappynes of the poore synners we shal be sorowfull and heuy As it is wrytten in the .iij. chapter of saynt Marke that our sauiour Iesu Christ whan he dyd se the wyckednes of the scribes and pharisees he was sore troubled and heuy wyth anger for the blyndnes of theyr hartes But here my frendes we must be well ware that thys anger be not agaynst our christen brother but agaynst the wycked enemye and the synne And also that it do not abyd ouerlonge in our hartes for feare that it shulde happen that the sonne of iustice whych is Iesu Christe shulde byde and go downe from vs for our anger and yre for in leauynge god we shulde gyue place to the deuell Fynally the Apostle doth admonysh vs that they whych haue ben theues and robbers that they shuld do nomore theftes robberies but rather that they shulde laboure wyth theyr handes in good workes not by auaryce or couetousnes for to waxe ryche but for to ayde charitably and reliefe theyr christen brethrē which haue nede and pouertie And in doynge thys God shal be in lykewyse mercyfull vnto vs and shall haue pitie of vs. For he loueth mercy more than sacrifice as our sauiour Christ hymselfe recordeth After thys wyse yf we fynyshe the course of oure lyfe we maye truste that the crowne of iustice is layde vp for vs whych our Lorde shall render vnto vs who is a iust iudge as S. Paule sayeth ij ti iiij For he shall render vnto euery man accordynge to hys workes We shal sayeth Paule be set before the trone of Christ to beare a waye accordynge as we haue done in our bodye ij cor v. eyther good or euell Let oure fayth then brynge forth worthy frutes of christianite that by gods grace we maye be crowned accordyngly To whome be al glorie and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie The .ix. chapter of Mathew Th argument ☞ Iesus forgyueth the sycke man of the palsey hys synnes and healeth hym IEsus entred into a shyppe and passed ouer and came into hys owne cytie and beholde they brought to hym a man sycke of the palsye lyenge in a bed And whan Iesus saw the fayth of them he sayd vnto the sycke of the palsye sōne be of good chere thy synnes be forgyuen the. And behold certayne of the scribes sayd wythin themselues thys man blasphemeth And whan Iesus sawe theyr thoughtes he said wherfore thinke ye euel in your hartes Whether is easyer to saye thy synnes be forgyuen the or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgyue synnes in earth Then sayeth he vnto the sycke of the palsye aryse take vp thy bed and go vnto thy house And he arose and departed to hys house But the people that sawe it maruayled and glorifyed God whych had gyuen such power vnto men MY welbeloued brethrē and frendes the cytie of Iesu Christ as noteth Chrysostomus the holy doctour of the church is Capharnaum Chrysostome the whyche is called hys cytie forbycause that in leuynge Nazareth he wente and dwelled there and also for the noble sermons and great myracles whych he dyd oftē there as also now he doth one whych we ought wel to marke and note for therin is comprysed for vs noble and helthfull instruction Fyrste of all then we ought to consyder that our Sauiour Iesu Christe hath perceyued and beholden the fayth of them that dyd beare the man hauynge the palsey but here is no mention at al made of the great payne that they toke For saynt Marke in the seconde chapter and saynt Luke in the .v. chapter do reherce thys selfe myracle and say that they vncouered the house and so dyd let downe the bedde wherin the sycke man of the palsey laye before oure Lorde for bycause that ther was so great multitude of people that dyd folowe hym that they coulde not come nere vnto hym Notwythstandynge all thys ther is made no mencion here but of theyr fayth and trust instructynge vs that God doth not so greatlye esteme oure outwarde workes though that they be fayre and in apparaūce good yf we haue not fayth by charitie workynge in vs the whych only and her workes he estemeth For certes what soeuer procedeth not of fayth whych is the roote and foundacion of al good workes is synne as thapostle S. Paule doth wytnesse Ro. xiij And therfore the prophete Hieromie sayeth Iere. v. Lorde God thy eyes do beholde the fayth Therfore sayd our lord vnto the paralitique Sōne haue hope be of good chere thy synnes be forgyuē the shewyng vnto vs that our sinnes is the sycknes that god wyl principally heale of the whych aboue al thinges we ought to desyre the healyng which is the remission whych we shal haue not by outward workes done wtout fayth but by the fayth cōfidēce that we shal haue in Iesu Christ in returning agayn vnto him for al our businesses aswel spirituall as corporall as vnto our creatour redemer whych is only myghty ynough for to help vs prīcipally for to pardō our synnes which is the moost daungerous syckenesse that can be to mākynde for by the same we dye of euerlastynge death And forbycause that the scribes and doctours of the lawe dyd not beleue that Christe was
God they sayde in theyr hartes that he blasphemed in forgyuinge and pardonynge the synnes vnto the palsye man And it maye be that they had red that whych god had sayd in the .xliij. chapter of Esay It is I it is I my selfe that pardone the synnes bycause of me Then God dyd shewe hymselfe true God in rebukinge them of theyr euell thoughtes and seynge theyr hertes the whych apperteyneth vnto God onely of whome is sayd It is thou Lorde God whych sercheth the hartes and the raynes And yet more outwardly he shewed hymselfe For visibly and by hys only worde he healed the sycke mā dyd gyue him sodenly bodely strength and wythout beynge in any maner weake of hys syckenesse he commaunded hym to beare awaye hys bedde and to go vnto hys house shewyng that it was he of whom it is sayd He hath sayd and they were done Thys poore paralitique is the fygure of all synners the whych be vnable as of themselues to do any good they be borne in theyr beddes that is to saye in the fleshe of theyr concupiscences But whan they haue fayth vnto the worde of God whych apprehēdeth gods promyse wyth an ernest repentaunce of theyr former lyfe and a study of a newe lyfe they receyue full helth and where as before they were subiectes vnto theyr fleshe and fleshly desyres they be now maysters and holde them subiectes and fynally they go by the grace of God and the vertue of hys worde beynge conducted and fortifyed by the same in newnes of lyfe walkinge in the preceptes and ordinaūces of god they go I say vnto theyr house whych is the moost blessed and ioyful kyngdome of heauen And the people whā they saw thys myracle had feare and greate reuerence vnto God and espyenge hys great benefytes to mākinde gaue to hym glorie knowynge that the men coulde not do such workes whych be aboue nature yf God do it not by them and in thys doynge they glorified Iesu Christe whych is true God and true man and whych vndoubtedly is the iustice the glorie and perfection of all men whych not trustynge in themselues as dyd the proude pharisee whome the Gospell maketh mencion of but wyth sorowfull harte due penaunce accordynge to thexemple of the publicane lamentynge theyr synnes haue stedfast fayth and cōfidence in hym beynge in full mynde and a redynes not only to be hearers of the lawe and Gospell but also to be doers and workers of the same as Christe hath appoynted vs to do God graūt vs that grace To whome be all glorie imperie and peace in infinita seculorum secula Amen The Epistle on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The. v. chapter to the Ephesians Th argument ☞ An exhortacion to vertuouse lyuynge BRethren take hede therfore howe ye walke circumspectly not as vnwyse but as wyse men auoydynge occasion bycause the dayes are euell Wherfore be ye not vnwyse but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lorde is and be not dronke wyth wyth wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled wyth the spirite speakynge vnto your selues in psalmes and in hymnes and spiritual songes syngynge and makynge melodie to the Lorde in your hartes gyuynge thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our lord Iesus Christ submyttynge your selues one to another in the feare of God MY good brethren and systers the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes that ther is a waye the whych semeth vnto mē to be strayght and good but it leadeth vnto eternall death Certes thys is the way of the worldly people whych lyue accordynge to the desyres of the fleshe not remēbrynge how they shall descēde in a minute of an houre vnto hell Therfore in our epistle whych thys day is redde in the church The apostle doth exhorte vs that we wol walke prudently and wysely as becommeth christē men in the meane tyme whyle we shal be in thys worlde vale of mysery not as the foolysh folke that shall perysh but as the wyse folke replenyshed with the true and heauenly sapience we be here exhorted to good workes followyng the steppes so nere as God shall gyue vs grace of oure Sauioure Iesu Christe sekynge by all meanes we possible can occasiō and oportunitie to do well as workes of fayth workes of mercy and pytie towardes our euen christen ☞ And in thus doynge vndoubtedly we shall redeme or bye agayne the tyme whych we haue yll bestowed And certainly we shuld be moued vnto this namely forbycause that the dayes be euel not in thēselues but for the synnes that be cōmytted in them For the deuell doth all he can to turne vs from the good waye whych be the cōmaundementes of God and the obseruation executyng of hys holy worde vnto the whych we must dyrecte our hole lyfe yf we wyll be saued and not perysh eternally Let vs not thā good people be as brute and vnreasonable beastes imprudent recheles vncircumspecte without vnderstandynge but let vs vnderstande what the good wyll of our Lorde Iesu Christe is the whyche wylleth that we shulde be saued all And for that cause he hath suffred death vnto the whyche we muste be confourmable in dyenge to our synnes lustes concupiscences to th ende that we be sober and chaste replynyshed wyth the holy goost the whyche shall cause vs to saye in our selues praysynges and spirituall songes vnto God and that wyth a pure and a clene harte and not alonly with outwarde voyces open deuotions the whych be often full of hypocrisye and pryde and for that cause displeasaunt vnto God And our Lorde sayeth in the Gospell of saynt Mathew Mat. xv where he speaketh of the pharisees which dyd all that they dyd ether by hypocrisie or by couetousnes Thys people sayeth he doth honoure me wyth theyr mouth but theyr herte is farre from me shewynge herby vnto vs that aboue all thynges he wold haue and requyre of vs the good desyre of the herte whych is true prayse and prayer And thus we shall yelde graces and louynge thankes alwayes vnto God for all thynges in our Lorde Iesu Christ aswell for aduesitie and tribulation as for prosperitie welth For we shall sauour of god in al goodnesse in such wyse that al thynges that it shal please hym to sende vs we shall beleue it to be ryght good ordeyned vnto hys glorie and honour and vnto the saluation of our soules And yet we ought to do all thys in the name of Iesu Christ that is for to saye that all the goodnes that we shall do we do knowlege that it is he whych doth it in vs and we ought to gyue hym the honoure and the glorie For it is in hym only that the father hath taken pleasure And also we shall suffre all thynges ioyously for the loue of hym whych hath suffred so much for vs. And in hys feare and charitie we must be subiectes the one to the other for he hymselfe that was mayster
and Lord by charitie was made minister seruaunt vnto all God gyue vs then grace good people to accōplyshe in al thynges his wyl To whom be gyuen al prayse glory and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Gospel on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ The kyngdome of heuen is resembled to the wedding of a kinges sonne c. IEsus saide vnto his disciples The kyngdome of heuen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng which made a mariage for his sōne and sent forth his seruauntes to cal them that were byd to the weddyng and they wolde not come Agayne he sente forthe other seruauntes sayeng Tell them which are bydden beholde I haue prepared my dyner myne oxē and my fatlynges are kylled althynges are ready come vnto the mariage But they made lyght of it and went theyr wayes one to his ferme place another to his marchandise and the remnaunt toke his seruauntes and intreted them shamefully and slew them But when the king hard therof he was wroth and sent forth his mē of warre and destroied those murtherers and brēt vp their citie Then sayd he to his seruauntes the mariage in dede is prepared But they which were bydden were not worthy Go ye therfore out into the hye wayes and as many as ye find byd them to the mariage And the seruauntes went out into the hye waies and gathered together all as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad and the weddyng was furnyshed with gestes Then the kynge came in to se the gestes and whan he spied there a man which had not on a wedding garmente he sayde vnto him frend howe cameste thou in hyther not hauynge a wedding garmente And he was euen spechlesse Then sayd the kynge to the ministers take bind him hād fote cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be wepynge and gnashing of teth For many be called but fewe are chosen THe mooste soueraygne goodnesse of god good christen people hathe bene so greate and large towardes vs sely poore synners that when we all worshiped ydoles seruing the deuell of hell and for our rewarde and stipende descendinge with him vnto eternall deathe and perdition it yet hathe pleased him of his clemencye for to haue pitie and mercy on vs. And thervpon he vouchesaued to sende none other but euen his own sonne into this worlde for to take our fleshe vpon him and to be made man for to be the spouse as saynte Gregorie saythe of our nature then beyng so vyle and vnhappye S. Gregorye This hathe bene for to take vpon him all our synnes and myseryes and for to gyue and distribute vnto vs all hys graces and richesses And this as holy doctours expounde is the weddinges wherof oure gospel speaketh whyche be truly weddinges of the whyche the bodely and worldly weddinges is but a figure ☞ For as we saye who weddethe the woman weddethe the debtes and is boūde for to paye them in like maner our most mercyfull Sauiour Iesu Christe in weddinge oure soules is becommyn debtour and payer of al our synnes and debtes And also al the goodes of the husbonde be commyn vnto the wyfe therfore he hathe made vs possessours heritours with hym of all hys goodes and his realme in whyche shal be truly solemnised the weddinges ther shal be made the greate euerlastinge banket whych he shall make vnto al them that shal haue bene in thys world perseuerantly conioyned and vnied vnto hym by faith Vnto the whych weddinges the Iues were called inuited whyche haue dispised them and wolde not comme thyther but haue vilanously slayne the prophetes and also Iesu Christe himselfe and some of hys apostles and dysciples that did call them vnto the euerlastinge feaste And therfore god hath sente hys men of warre that is to saye as sainct Hierom and other expositours do expounde thys place the romaines Vaspasian and Titus the whyche haue put the Iewes to death that were such murderers homicides and haue put their citie in ruyne and destruction And when the Iewes shewed them selues thus vnworthy of the grace of god whych was thus frely offred and presented vnto them the apostles disciples by the commaundemente of god wente to preache vnto the Gentilles whych as then were idolaters and out of the wayes of god and did assemble a church the whych is called catholike a church of fayth and of christendome And by the visitation that thys kynge maketh for to se them that be sette is figurid vnto vs the examinatiō whych God shall make of all them that be in his churche which shall do rigorous iustice vpon al them that shall be foūd wythoute the weddynge garmente that is to wytte wythout fayth workinge by charitie or as S Gregorie expouneth wythout charitie What the doctours call the weddīg garmēte Gregorye Hierom Chrysostome He therfore sayeth this holy doctour entreth to the mariages or weddynges wythout the weddynge garmente which in the church hath faith but hath not charitie Or after the mynde of saynt Hierome the weddyng garment be our Lordes commaundementes and the workes whych a man is bound to do by the lawe and gospel and whych make the garment of a newe man which garmente at the daye of iudgemente he that shal be founde vnder a christen mans name not to haue is forthwyth taken awey And the kynge sayeth vnto him Frend how comest thou hither or what makeste thou here not hauing the weddyng wede He calleth him frend forasmoch as he was bydde to the mariages as he had bene a frende by fayth But he reproueth hym of foly bycause wyth his fylthy garmente he hath defiled the clēnes of the mariage For those that oure Lorde God almyghty the father of heuen doth call vnto this most noble and blessed wedding he woll haue them come not wyth fete sayeth Chrisostome but wyth fayth maners This weddynge garmēt then they the lacke I meane they that haue not the liuely faith which by charitie worketh the wyl plesure and cōmaūdemētes of oure Lord albeit in outward apparaunce they haue done many goodly workes also myracles yet for all that they shal be gyuen vnto the mynisters and hangmen of hell for to be sent vnto the tormentes eternall hauinge their fete and handes bounde that is to saye that they shall neuer desire nor do any thynge that shal be pleasaūt vnto God And for the ende and conclusion of our gospel bycause as saynt Hierom sayth not the begynnyng but the ende is to be sought S. Hierō therfore oure sauyoure Iesu Christ saith that many be called For assuredly all they that haue herde the apostles and disciples whose wordes haue bene herde ouer all the earthe be called but yet fewe be chosen and elected The whyche sentence oughte to be a wonderfull cause of humilite before god and specially a cause for vs to despise all the thynges that be in thys
meakenes and mercye The whyche it shall please thys greate kynge to graunte vs vnto whom we be all so greate detters the father of mercy by our Lorde Iesus Christe by whom he hathe done and doth mercy vnto all To whom be gyuen al honour glory and prayse for euer and euer Amen The Pystle on the .xxiij. Sonday after Trinyte sonday The thyrde chapiter to the Philippians Th argument ☞ Paule exhorteth vs to folowe him and such other holy men in lyuinge BRethrē be folowers together of me and loke on them whiche walke euen so as ye haue vs for an ensample For many walke of whom I haue tolde you often and now tell you wepynge that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is dānacion whose bely is their god and glory to theyr shame whych are worldly mynded But our cōuersacion is in heauen from whence we loke for the sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ which shall chaunge our vyle bodye that he may make it lyke vnto his glorious body according to the workyng wherby he is hable also to subdue all thinges vnto him selfe SAynt Paul my welbeloued frendes doth exhort vs in this epistle that we shuld be his folowers that is to saye that we shulde lyue lyke vnto him folowynge the worde of fayth and of grace whyche is the truthe of the gospell and that we shulde so folowe the fourme and rule which is giuen vnto vs and that we shuld take exemple of them which lyue according to the same For there be some other whyche be enemyes vnto the gospel and vnto the crosse that is to say of the tribulatiōs suffred by Iesu Christ louyng the glory of the worlde which is confusion makyng god of theyr bely and they be not to be followed but occcasion to vepe For our glory our lyfe and conuersacion is not in earthly thynges but in heauēly thynges from whence also we do abyde our Lorde Iesu Christe at his seconde commyng which shal forme our body of newe beyng now vyle abiect corruptible mortall into a body noble profytable incorruptible immortall And he shall fygure and chaunge it vnto the similytude of the clearnesse and glorye of hys body by the power that he hath for to make all thynges to obey at hys wyll ☜ Wherfore the apostle prayeth vs and it is good reason that we shuld so do that we do kepe ourselues stedfaste in the rule and cōuersation of the Gospell Paules glorye And thys he reputeth and taketh to be hys crowne and hys glorye yf that by hys exhortation and motion we do thus Yt is charitie that thus constreyneth the hartes of faythfull men for to desyre the saluation of euery bodye And thys charytie dyd not alonly extende vnto men but also vnto women of the which here he prayeth sōme of them that is to wit Euodia and Synticha that they shulde vnderstande none other thinge but only this forme and rule of the gospell And yet furthermore he prayeth an other whyche he calleth his dere beloued felowe that she wolde helpe all them whych had laboured wyth him and wyth Clement vnto the furtheraunce promotion of the gospell of whome sayth he the names be wrytten in the boke of liefe And what helpe doth he desyre that she shuld do vnto them but only to comforte and strengthe them in this purpose for to drawe alweyes the other aswell the virgins as the olde women vnto the fayth and vnto the doctrine of the gospel the whych is the only rule of lief that of eternal life Then my frēdes as wel men as womē let vs hold this only rule Let vs teache them that be not so perfite as we oure selues be Let vs take exemple of them whych be iuste stedfaste in fayth and ernest louers of the Gospell Let vs haue in abhomination the lyfe of the enemyes of the Gospell and of them that do not set by the paynes trauayles afflictions death passyon that our Lord hath suffred for to redeme vs and them and for to gyue vs the celestiall treasures And let vs wepe in our hartes for theyr myscheuous and abhominable lyfe prayeng vnto God that he wyll gyue them light and that they maye not trouble any by theyr euyll lyfe and wicked exemple Let our hartes be where oure treasure is whych is in heauen and not in the earth Let vs be stedfast and vnchaungeable in this fayth and purpose of the Gospel Let vs laboure as well men as women that all maye come vnto thys light vnto the only worde of God lyuynge Let vs cōforte them in thys that we all haue but one doctrine one God and one helper Let all our hope be there as was the hope of saynt Paule and of Clement of Euodia of Syntycha and of all the other faythfull and true christen people of the fyrste and primatyue churche And be we then well assured that oure names shal be wrytten with them in heuen euen in the boke of liefe vnto the glory of the father of heuē and our lorde Iesu Christe Amen The Gospel on the .xxiij. sonday after Trinitie The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe Th argument ☞ Christe is demaunded whether it be lawfull to paye tribute to Cesar or not THe pharisees went and toke councel how they myght tangle hym in his wordes And they sente oute vnto hym their disciples with Herodes seruaūtes saiēg Master we know that thou art true and teachest the waye of god truly neyther careste thou for eny man for thou regardest not the outwarde apparaunce of men Tell vs therfore howe thinkest thou Is it lawful that tribute be gyuen vnto Cesar or not But Iesus perceyuing their wickednes sayde Why tempte ye me ye ypocrites shewe me the tribute money And they toke him a peny And he sayde vnto them whose is this ymage and superscription They sayde vnto him Cesars Then sayed he vnto them Geue therfore vnto Cesar the thinges which are Cesars and vnto god those thinges that are godes THe Gospell of this present sondaye good people putteth before vs the malice of the pharasies which did send their disciples wyth the Herodians S. Hierome which herodians after the mynd of saynte Hierom were the souldiours of Herod for the pharasies durst not go themselues for feare of the people wherfore they sent theyr disciples wyth these souldiours for to attrappe our Lorde and to fynde out some occasion for to delyuer hym to death And they came subtylly accordyng to the malyce of the worlde and of the fleshe flattering and sayeng maister This is the first simulation of hypocrites saythe Chrysostomus to praise them whome we go aboute to destroy and vndo Chrysostomus super Mat. And therfore they breake out into prayse sayeng Maister we knowe that thou arte rightfull a teller of trouth They call him maister to thintēt that beynge nowe honoured and praysed of them he myght open simplely the secretes of hys harte vnto them as desyrouse to