out of our soules the hole body and lompe of synne viciouse nature wherin we be borne In dede so to mortifye synne that we shulde fele no motions therof so loÌ„ge as we be in the body it can not be but yet by goddes holy spirite yf we take good hede we maye so lyue that we shall not serue synne and be led wylfully vnder the dominion therof Wherfore they whyche so loue theyr euell affections that they stryue not agaynst them to subdue them to God wante goddes spirite the gage of theyr saluation and so serue synne as theyr lorde and mayster and therfore be vnder the daunger of synne and deserue the stypende therof whych is euerlastyng deth Rom. vi but he that with good hart and wyll studyeth to resyst and fyght against synne and the motions therof and laboureth to kyll it dayly more and more is now iustifyed from synne that is to saye delyuered from the daunger and penaltye therof Rom. ix For saynt Paule sayeth playnly to the Romaynes Yf ye mortifye the dedes of the fleshe and lustes of the corruptible body ye shal lyue in this epistle he sayeth the same that yf we be folowers of Christ in his death that is in dyeng to synne we beleue certaynly that we shall lyue wyth hym Christe ones was rysen froÌ„ death and dyeth nomore death shall nomore haue power of hym for in that he dyed sayeth oure epistle he dyed ones for all and by hys ones dyenge he destroyed synne for euer He dyed ones to synne and after he was ones deade he was neuer assauted of synne after but quyte discharged of it and nowe lyueth to God and euermore shall he enioye the lyfe whych he is now attayned vnto and shall neuer dye agayne Euen so suppose you youre selues deade to synne that is to saye thynke youre selues so to be discharged from synne that Christe hath destroyed the power therof for you as ye conforme your selfe to the lyfe of vertue In baptysme ye dye to synne and promyse to lyue to ryghtuousnes and therfore yf ye kepe youre promyse you be deade to synne and synne is vtterly deade in you so that ye folowe not the lustes therof Euen so the lyfe whych you now lyue is to God and to hys pleasure Ye lyue now by your fayth in ryghtuousnes which commeth by Iesus Christ our Lorde not of any workes of ryghtuousnes whyche we haue done sayeth S. Paule lest we shulde glorye in our selfe for thys lyfe of grace wherin we lyue before God TituÌ„ iij But of his mercy hath he saued vs thorow the fouÌ„tayne of baptysme wherin we be new borne agayne and renewed by the holy goost to lyue thys newe lyfe acceptable before god And as by the mercy of our Lorde we be set in thys lyfe of grace and strenghthed by hys gracyouse spirite to contynue vs therin no more to retorne and fall to synne and to the lustes therof euen so is the lyfe of glory which we now tary for in hope the gyfte of almyghty God thorow the merites and purchasynge of Christe Iesu Rom. vi i. cor i that all myghte be of God and no fleshe shulde glorye in his syght but he that wyll glory let hym glorye in the Lorde Nowe my frendes these thynges afore rehersed wel consydered let vs diligently laboure wyth oure selues to mortifye and subdue the euell desyres of our fleshe Yf we wyll haue any parte of Christes death and resurrection let vs kepe batayl wyth the flesh and beware we be not subdued therof We do boast of Christ in vayne yf we serue the desyre of synne For it is not ynough to say that we be christen men and that we pertayne to Christe i. Io. ij for he that sayeth he abyde in Christ as wryteth saynt Ihon must in such wyse walke in hys lyfe as Christ walked in hys for it is not he sayeth our Sauiour whyche sayeth to me Lorde Mat. xij Lorde that shal enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen How much then are they deceyued whych in such wyse do fansye of Christ and hys death that they care not into what synne they fall continue in only trustyng vaynly vpon the merytes of the same where here saynt Paule affirmeth that we shall neuer lyue wyth Christ excepte we mortifye our euyll affections and desyres and lyue in ryghtuousnes Heb. xi For though God requyreth fayth as the fyrste entre to come to Christe yet he requyreth also that out of thys fayth shulde springe good and vertuouse lyuyng Fyrst he sayeth in the gospel of saynt Marke Marc. i. Repent and beleue the Gospell It is no fayth that hath not repentaunce It is a vayne repentaunce wherin be espyed no workes of repentaunce Nowe the workes of true repentaunce be feare and drede of God hatred of synne purpose of amendemente diligence to watch agaynst the euell motions of syn Surely ther is no fayth where the spirite of God is not And there is not the spirite of God but the spirite of the deuell where such frutes be raygnyng as be adultery fornication wantonnes hatred stryfe enuye wrath coÌ„tention sedition partestakyng Gal. v. murther dronkennes and excesse The doers of these yf they repent not shall neuer be inheritours with Christ how much so euer they boast of Christ And agaynst these must we dayly fight to subdue them yf we wil be of Christes flocke For as saynt Hierom wryteth Ne semel putemus ardorem fidei posse sufficere Hiero. suê‘ mathe x. semper crux portanda est vt semper Christum amare doceamur Ita apostolus portabat iugiter carnis mortificationem in corpore suo quod qui facit omni tempore semper orat semper poenitet c. Let vs not thinke that the feruentnesse of fayth can ones suffyse euermore must the crosse be borne that so we maye be taught euer to loue Christ Thus dyd the apostle beare coÌ„tinually the mortification of the fleshe in hys body August ad Iuli. lib. iiij cap. iij whych thynge he that doth dothe praye alwaye and repent alwaye Also saint Austine sayeth Whosoeuer is wythout the fayth which worketh by charitie though he seme to repent doynge it but faynedly is an euel tree and of such a tree what sayeth saynt Ihon baptyst Mat. iij. Euery tree whych bryngeth not forth good frute shal be cut vp and cast into the fyer Let vs my frendes all vayne presumptions and false trustes cast awaye labour to performe our promyse whych we made at the fount stone let vs I saye renounce the deuell and hys suggestions and serue Christ our Lorde and mayster by the true workes of ryghtuousnes Let vs watch daylye agaynst oure euell dispositions that we maye lyke obedient chyldren of God glorifye God in oure lyfe i. Ioh. iij In so doynge we shall persuade oure owne hartes that we pertayne to hym
of death not restored to blesse agayne But now is he rysen agayne frō death sayth he to be the fyrst frutes of them that be aslepe to rayse them to euerlastynge lyfe agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is rysē again than were it neyther true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe the holy goost nor that he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father hauynge the rule of heauen and earth reygnynge as the prophete sayeth from see to see psa lxxi nor that he shulde after thys worlde be a iudge of lyuynge deade to gyue rewarde to the good and iugement to the euell That these lynkes therfore of oure fayth shulde all hange together in stedfaste confirmation it pleased our sauiour not strayght way to wythdraw hymself from the corporall syght of hys disciples but chose out fourty daies wherin he wold declare vnto them by manyfolde and moost stronge argumentes and tokens that he had conquered death and was truly rysen agayne to lyfe lu xxiiij He began sayeth Luke at Moses and all the prophetes and dyd expoune them the prophecies that were wrytten in al the scriptures of hym to confirme the truth of his resurrection longe before spoken of whych he verefyed in dede as it is declared manyfestly by hys ofte appearaunce to sondry persons at sondry tymes Math. xxviij Fyrst he sente hys angels to the sepulchre whych dyd shewe to certayne women that the stone of the graue was remoued from the dore therof and shewed them the empty graue sauynge that the buriall lynnen remayned therin and of these sygnes were these women fully instructed that he was rysen agayne and so dyd they testifye it opēlye Ioh. xx After thys Iesus hymselfe appeared to Mary Magdalene and after that to other certayne women strayght afterwarde he appeared to Peter than to the two disciples whych were goynge to Emaus i. cor xv lu xxiiij He appered to the disciples also as they were gathered together for feare of the Iues the dores shut Ioh. xxi At an other tyme he was sene at the see of Tyberias of Peter and Thomas and other disciples whan they were fyshynge i. cor xv He was sene of more thā fyue hundred brethren in the mount of galile where Iesus appoynted them by hys angel whan he said beholde he shal go before you into Galile there shal ye se hym as he hath said vnto you Actu i. After thys he appeared vnto Iames and last of all he was vysiblye sene of al the Apostles at such tyme as he was takē vp into heauen Thus at sondrye tymes he shewed hymselfe after he was rysen agayne to cōfirme this artycle and in these reuelations somtyme he shewed them hys handes hys feete and hys syde and bad them touch hym that they shulde not take hym for a goost or a spirite Somtyme he also dyd eate wyth them but euer he was talkynge wyth them of the kyngdome of God to confirme the truth of hys resurrection For then he opened theyr vnderstandyng to perceyue the scriptures sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Christ to suffer to ryse from death the thyrde daye lu xxiiij and to haue preached openly in hys name penaunce and remission of synnes to all the nations of the worlde Ye see good christen people howe necessarie thys artycle of oure fayth is seynge it was proued of Christ hymselfe by such euident reasons and tokens by so longe tyme space Now therfore as our sauiour was diligēt for oure cōforte and instruction to testifie it so let vs be as ready in oure beleue to receyue it to our comforte and instruction As he dyed not for himselfe no more dyd he ryse agayne for hymselfe He was dead sayth saint Paule for our synnes and rose agayne for our iustification O moost comfortable worde euermore to be borne in remembraunce He dyed sayeth he to put away synne he rose agayne to endewe vs wyth ryghtuousnes Hys death toke awaye synne malediction hys death was the raunsome of them both Hys death destroyed death and ouercame the deuyll whych had the power of death in his subiectiō Hys death destroyed hell wyth all the damnation therof Thus is death swalowed vp by Christes victorye thus is hel spoyled for euer Yf any mā doubt of thys victorye i. cor xv let Christes glorious resurrection declare hym the thynge Yf death coulde not kepe Christ vnder his dominion but that he arose again it is manyfest that hys power was ouercome Yf death be cōquered than must it folowe that sinne wherfore death was appoynted as the wages must be also destroyed Yf death and synne be vanished away then is the deuels tyrannye resysted whyche had the power of death and was the author of sinne and the ruler of hell Yf Christe had the victory of them all by the power of hys death and openly proued it by hys valiaūt resurrection as it was not possible for hys great myght to be subdued of them than thys true that Christe dyed for oure synnes and rose agayne for our iustification why may not we that be hys members by true fayth reioyce and boldly saye wyth the prophete Osee the Apostle Paule i. cor xv where is thy darte O death where is thy victory O hell Thankes be vnto God saye they whyche hath gyuen vs the victory by our Lord Christ Iesus Thys myghtye conquest of hys resurrection was not only sygnifyed afore by dyuerse fygures of the olde testament as by Sampson whan he slewe the Lyon Iu. xiiij out of whose mouth came out swetnes and hony and as Dauid bare his fygure whan he delyuered the lambe out of the Lyons mouth and whan he ouercame i. Reg. xvij Ion. ij slewe the great gyant Goliath and as whan Ionas was swalowed vp of the whales mouth and cast vp agayne on londe to lyue but was also moost clerely prophecied by the prophetes of the olde testament in the newe also confirmed by the Apostles He hath spoyled sayeth saynt Paule rule and power and all the dominion of our spirituall enemyes Col. ij He hath made a shewe of them openlye and hath triumphed ouer them in hys owne person Thys is the myghty power of the Lorde whome we beleue on By hys death hath he wrought thys victorye for vs and by hys resurrection hathe he purchased euerlastynge lyfe ryghtuousnes for vs. It had not ben ynough to be delyuered by hys death from synne excepte by hys resurrection we had ben endowed wyth ryghtuousnes And it shulde not auayle vs to be delyuered from death except he had rysen agayne to open for vs the gates of heuen to enter into lyfe euerlastinge And therfore saynte Peter thanketh God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ for hys abundaunt mercy i. Pet. i. bycause he hath begottē vs sayeth he vnto a lyuely hope by
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
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
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
the power of synne to delyuer vs from the daunger therof and to gyue vs exemple to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Iues dyd eate theyr Ester lābe kept theyr fest in remembraūce of theyr deliueraūce out of Egypt Euē so let vs kepe our Ester feast in the thankfull remēbraunce of Christes benefytes whych he hath purchased for vs by hys resurrectiō passyng to hys father wherby we be deliuered from the captiuitie thraldome of al our enemyes Let vs in like maner passe ouer the affections of our olde conuersacion to be delyuered from the bondage therof to ryse with Christ Exo. xij The Iues kept theyr feast in absteynynge from leuened breade by the space of .vij. dayes let vs christen folke kepe our holy day in a spiritual maner that is in absteining not from material leuened bread but from the olde leuen of synne the leuen of maliciousnes wyckednes Let vs cast frō vs the leuen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs kepe oure feast the hole terme of our lyfe with eatynge the bred of purenes of godly lyfe truth of Christes doctrine Thus shall we declare that Christes gyftes graces haue theyr effect in vs that we haue the right beleue knowlege of his holy resurrection whervnto yf we applye our fayth to the vertue therof in our lyfe cōforme vs to the exemple signification ment therby we shal be suer to ryse hereafter to euerlastynge glorye by the goodnes and mercy of our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome wyth the father and the holy goost c. On the fyrst sondaye after Ester The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye called lowe sondaye The fyrst Epistle of Iohn and the .v. Chapter Th argument of thys Epistle ☞ Of the excellency of fayth and how it ouercōmeth the worlde MOst dere beloued brethren al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde i. cor x. but he whyche beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Thys Iesus Christe is he that came by water and bloud not by water onely but by water bloud And it is the spirite that beareth wytnesse because the spirite is trueth for there are thre whiche beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and holy goste And these thre are one And there are thre whyche beare record in earth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one Yf we receaue the wytnes of men the wytnes of God is greater For thys is the wytnes of God that is greater whyche he testifyed of hys sonne He that beleueth on the sonne of god hath the wytnes in hymselfe An exhortation vpon thys Epistel OVre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catholyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith this ouercommyth the worlde that is to saie the concupiscences of syn̄es which be pryde couetous and lecherye Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust no man amonges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes ☞ in vnrightuousnes in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise The wordes of S. Austine Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as witnesseth thapostle But marke sayth saynte Austine this worde passed through Pertran sijt Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation he hath not yet done syn but he hath caught synne For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgressour begat synners subiecte to death Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale saue them he came to the but not the waye that thou cāmest For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female he came not of that bonde of concupiscence Bycause therfore he came to the not by that waye that thou cammest ☞ therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the He founde the solde vnder synne lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst mā beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yer thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you the wordes of saynt Austyne Wherfore to retourne to my purpose forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce blyndnes and infidelitie therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the holy goost and by the worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence determine wyth our selues that Iesus is Christe Ioh. iij. that is to saye the annoynted Kynge and Sauioure of the worlde Before we be newe borne agayn by spirite we be al Nicodemes For no doubte before we be thus borne agayne we be all but Nicodemes that is to saye we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate mayster from God and that nomā coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd But thys is but an historial fayth and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus to whō Christ answereth Verely verely I saye vnto the onles a mā be borne agayne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God Ioh. iij. whych selfe thynge the holy apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge i. Ioh. v. he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe For he that beleueth not thys can not se the kyngdome of god To beleue that Iesus is Christe is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour and secōdly What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ that he is a kynge anoynted with the oyle of gladnes perpetually to rule to preserue to defend the so saued by hym And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the historiall faythe concernynge Christe whyche the deuyll also hath A difference of faythes and so all hypocrites and betwene the true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge regard of our saluation To thys fayth we be borne agayne whan through the
the shepe to hym the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne shepe by name and he leadeth them out And whan he hath sent forth hys owne shepe he goeth before thē and the shepe folowe hym for they knowe hys voyce A straunger wyll they not folowe but wyll flee from hym for they knowe not the voyce of straungers Thys prouerbe spake Iesus vnto them but they vnderstode not what thynges they were whych he spake vnto them Than sayd Iesus vnto them againe Verely verely I saye vnto you I am the dore of the shepe Al euen as many as came before me are theues and murtherers but the shepe dyd not heare them I am the dore by me yf any man enter in he shal be safe and shall go in and out and fynde pasture A thefe commeth not but for to steale kyll and to destroye I am come that they myght haue lyfe and that they might haue it more aboūdaūtly IN the Gospell of thys daye deare frendes our sauiour Christ declareth hys owne propertie or office and he setteth out vnto vs the excedynge loue and kyndnes whyche he beareth to mankynde by a very proper and feate parable or similitude whereby he resembleth hymselfe to a good shepeherde and the false preachers or prelates to theues and murtherers Certaynly all false doctours all false prophetes all proude pharisees that woll iustifye them selues by theyr owne workes and all hypocrites be here wonderfully touched And why Bycause they entre not into the shepefolde by the dore but clyme vp an other waye What call ye clymmynge vp an other waye Surely it is to seke forgyuenes of thy synnes ryghtuousmakynge and euerlastynge lyfe by other meanes then Christ whych is the waye Io. xiiij the trouth and the lyfe hath taught Wherfore yf thou enterest not in by the dore that is to saye by Christe but an other way I meane yf thou wylt iustifie thy selfe and promyse thy selfe soule helth bearynge thy self bold of thyn own proper workes not cleauing to the mercy of God accordynge to thexemple of the publicane nor dependynge vpon the merytes of Christes passion art thou not trowest thou by Christes owne iudgement and sentence here a thefe and a murtherer But what a greate thefe art thou yf thou also teachest other folke to thynke the same that thou doest By me sayeth Christ he that entereth in shal be saued But what is thys shepefolde that he speaketh here of surely the shepefolde is the church it is the congregacion and assemble of Christen people He that wol entre into thys congregacion into this church into the holy communion and felowship of christen persons any other wayes than by Christ he is a thefe and no christian person He that also woll teache any other doctrine in Christes churche than such as Christ hath taught is no pastoure no bysshop no true shepeherde but a thefe rather a murtherer a wolfe And it is much to be feared lest there be at thys daye many mo wolues and theues than be true herdmen feders I saye I am sore afrayed lest the prophecye of saynt Paule be yet styll veryfyed in force in christendome For whan S. Paule shulde departe from Ephesus Act. xx and knewe by the spirite of God that his death approched he called together the prestes or elders of the congregacion and amonges other wordes he sayth thus Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke wherin the holy goost hath made you byshops that is to saye ouerseers to fede or guyde after the maner of good shepeherdes the church of God whych he hath purchased wyth hys owne bloude For I am sure of thys that after my departynge shal greuouse wolues enter in amonges you not sparynge the flocke But who is the porter of thys shepefolde whych openeth the dore to the good faythful shepeherde of Christes flock Surely it is the holy goost ☞ for he openeth vnto hym the scriptures of God he leadeth hym into al trouth And hys shepe that is to say his paryshners heare hys voyce Prouer. xxvij and he calleth hys owne shepe by name accordynge also to the coūsayle of Salomon in his prouerbes where he sayeth Se that thou know the nombre yf thy catell thy selfe and loke well to thy flockes Moreouer thys good shepeherde this good curate thys byshop thys ouerseer goeth before hys shepe and hys shepe folowe hym What is thys to saye Truly he that is a good byshop a good pastoure and curate woll make himselfe comformable to hys doctrine he wol leade them the waye that by hys steppes and good exemple of lyuinge they may walke in Christes groundes and pastures He woll not playe the crabbe fysh whych wolde haue taught her doughter to go streyght but wold not leade her the waye her selfe and teach her by her exemple how to go as it is in Esopes fables I am afrayed we haue many crabbes Saynt Paule wold haue a byshop that is to saye an ouerseer or curate to gyue good exemple of lyuynge hymselfe and to haue a good honest reporte of straungers i. tim iij Tit. ij leste hys lyuynge be a slaunder to his doctrine So doynge hys shepe shal folowe hym and shal knowe hys voyce For assuredly they that be godly persones woll knowlege none for theyr shepeherde but such as teache gods worde True teachers of Christes Gospell be easely discerned of good christen men And agayne the good christen mē be easely discerned and knowen of true preachers Thys prouerbe or parable nakedly and vnapplyed spake Iesus to hys disciples But they vnderstode not what thynges they were whyche he spake vnto them and no maruayle For as saynt Paule sayeth the flesh perceyueth not the thynges that be goostly The disciples were as yet but carnall And therfore our Sauiour Christ lyke a good mayster declareth vnto them the meanynge of hys parable sayeth that he hymselfe is the dore of the shepe by hym who soeuer entreth in shal be saued and shal go in out and fynde pasture as who shulde saye whether so euer he turneth hym whyther so euer he casteth hys eyes he shall fynde that shal be for the behoufe and edificacion of hys flocke brefley to speake God shal be wyth hym the holy goost shall prompt hym and put hym in mynde of such thinges as he ought to teach hys paryshners and flocke that is commytted to hys charge But sayeth Christe as many as came before me are theues and murtherers and the shepe dyd not heare them Here doth our Sauioure Christ shewe vs the difference betwene the doctrine of the true preachers and the doctrine of heretikes ☜ of false prelates hypocrites Nowe they go before Christ whych beare not Christ with them and which woll seme wyser than Christ as Peter dyd when he rebuked Christ bycause he sayd that he shulde suffer death And therfore Christe called hym Satan Mat. xvi and bad hym
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
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
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