Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	danger_n	flee_v	great_a	17	3	2.0871	3	false

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

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

man that of God mannes nature might be made one person The diuell can not ioyne him self so nighe to maÌ„ But God is made man and yet he remayneth a man And by this meanes he set him self more depely in mannes fleshe than the dyuell can which may enter into mannes body and vexe it but he can not be made man that the diuell and man might become one person Betwene these two natures is ther alway remayning a difference of persones not only in substance but also in person But in CHRIST that is borne these things be one For the soÌ„ne of God is made one flesh and one bloud borne of the virgyn Mary after the course of nature as all be excepte that he was not conceaued of maÌ„ but of the holy Ghost and hath escaped the fylthy mark of the dyuell and was borne with very pure flesh and bloud wheras oures is full of synne In all other things he is lyke vs which was subiecte to all naturall actions in all poyntes as other men As sayth Paule He was found in behauiour as a man so that all that sawe hym or heard hym dyd affirme that he muste nedes be a true and naturall man not any phantasme or appearing only for he had all the properties that belonge to this lyfe And this is the ioy as touching the which speaketh the Angel I speake only of the glorie not of the fruite For therof is it wont to be declared in the history of the passion and resurrection Now do we speake only of the glory that GOD is so nighe ioyned vnto vs that he is of my flesh bloud and soule very man as we be With this so great and meruailous glory hath he begon this matter and aduauÌ„ced mankind therby to high renoume And the Angell setteth this forth vnto men and sayth I shew you great ioy which shall be to the whole people The word sheweth that his mynde was rauished with some great ioy He telleth it boldly to the shepheards He wold that all men with hym shold know of this great honour wherby mannes nature is come to such dignitie that GOD whiche made all things is become oure flesh and bloud And if we wold ponder this well although we had no other profite therby yet wolde it make together amongest vs a great flame of charitie and loue I speake not yet as I said before of the profyt vse but only of the glory therof If we were moued earnestly therwith yt wold suffer no malice to remayne amongest vs. The reason is Who is there that wold hate this kinde or hurt it which is euen as oure God in body and sowle shall we not for this glories sake wher with God hath garnished vs loue all men do the best that we can for all men The Angels are more excellent creatures then we men are But this glory is not geuen them God was not made an Angell neither an Angell was made God Furthermore the Angels are innocent and holy which condicion was more agreable with Gods maiestye But it semeth otherwyse to him he choseth the viler creature which was subiect to syn which is hold captiue vnder the kyngdom of the diuell and the tyrannye of death Whom the dyuel vexeth and troubleth extremely He could not humble him self any lower But should not we be stirred hereby to loue and charitie to esteme one an other and not to neglecte but to proue mastries who can do other moste good Certayn of the fathers and amongest them as it now cometh to mynde Bernarde thought that the diuell whan he was in heauen did se before that the sonne of God should become man and for that cause enuied at man and began to hate God because he had not chosen rather to become an Angell than a man and that for this enuie and pride he was caste out of heauen Whether this were fayned or done in dede yet wold the holy fathers signifie hereby howe great is oure renoume in that that God became man and tooke the very same mannes nature which belongeth to vs all whiche haue ben in the dyuels daunger and captiue to synne and death In what wretched case then are they whiche are ignorante of this renoume But yet are they much more wretched which when the Angels or Apostles shew such things that God hath visited mans nature and tooke it on him and made it Lord ouer al creatures yet do not reioyce O how wretched are they that are not moued with this tidings If one amongest many bretherne should come to be a kiÌ„g how wold al the other reioyce how bolde would they waxe As Iosephs bretherne may be an example of this And this is a naturall zeale But how chaÌ„ceth it that we reioyce not in such a great matter that we are not moued neither do geue thanks to GOD that oure God hath taken oure flesh and bloud and now sitteth at the right hand of God Lord ouer all creatures He therfore that wold esteme this as it is in dede wold loue all flesh and bloud in the worlde for this flesh and blouds sake and wold hate no maÌ„ The only gloriouse sight and contemplation of the humanitie of Christ oure God wold so chere vs replenishe vs with ioy that we should neuer be angry with any man Yea and he that beholdeth this image continually that the sonne of God is made man wold not loke for any wrathful displeasure froÌ„ Christe but hope for all goodnes at his hand For no man is angry with him self or hurteth him self Now is Christ one of vs and a man How could he hate him self that is to say vs which are his flesh bloud And if this sight were well printed in vs it wold sone put away all exaÌ„ples of Gods wrathe out of oure myndes as is Noes floud the punishement of Sodom and Gomor All that wold vanishe away at such a contemplatioÌ„ if I wold muse of this only man which is God hath estemed mannes nature so greatly that he became man But be these things neuer so inestimable yet some meÌ„ are so mad that they care not they caste away this treasure and set their mynd on other things to heape vp riches to purchase get whereto mens myndes are wont wholy to be stirred And this is the cause that we fele no ioy rise in vs at the tydinges of the Angell Wherfore this thing may wel make vs ioyful and proude that we are preferred before all creatures in this renoume yea before Angels and may boaste and say My flesh my bloud sitteth on the right hand of God and hath the rule of all No Angell or creature hath suche renoume but my flesh and my bloud This fier ought to melt as it were in one all mens hartes and to inflame men with suche mutuall loue that we should embrace one an other with al oure hartes But this is the continuall working of the diuell to make vs forget

this vice is geuen by nature that we are glad to beleue lies for because our heart is proue therto By this meanes the Pope and his sectaries beleue constantly in the masse and in the seruice and intercession of sainctes in monasticall vowes ceremonies fastes c. But it is a false and fayned fayth and by your reuerence ful of whoredome baudrie The heart is full of fornication False faith causeth spiritual whoredom But on the contrari part we which thankes be vnto god haue the pure and chaste spowse for the word is doubtlesse sincere and true do not beleue constantly wher as neuerthelesse we sholde beleue coÌ„stantly But they can not beleue so constantly seing they haue not the worde All the cause therof is in oure olde man in the deuill for that that we thorow originall sinne depart from the worde and truth vnto lyes Out of this gospell we must first learne that we haue nede of the worde And then that we embrace it with a sure faith And that afterwarde doth therof ensue remission of sin and euerlastyng lyfe so that we are surely ridde from all difficulties and dangers both in this life and in the life euerlasting But when the worde is lackyng ther is a faith also as the Anabaptistes Arrians Turkes Iewes Papistes haue a fayth But it is a faith without the worde which is ingenerat in vs by nature through the fall of Adam This is a lying fayth which by nature we may kepe more surely then the worde of God After that Christe had preached this to the sicke of the Palsye and forgaue his sinnes The scribes thinke that Christ blasphemeth God in that he forgeueth sin This part is necessarie also and of greate wayght For this is euident by the example of all phantasticall persons that all are in this errour that they know not howe synnes be forgeuen Demaunde this of the Pope and of his doctours add they can not tell thee what absolution doth For all the Popedome holdeth fast by this doctrine and it is surely holden vp therby that grace is powred into them that he that would obtaine it hath nede of contrition confession satisfaction But when it is demanded what is the office of absolution and of the keies they answere that it is an exterial administration which is obserued in the church So saye the Anabaptistes also what shall baptisme preuayle to the obtayning of remission of sinnes sith it is but a litle water The spirit is requisite To be short no secte maker no monke no priest could see this that remission of sinne is a power geuen to man As it is here in the gospell Wherfore learne thou this and say I know that God doth onely forgeue the sinne that I confesse yet this is also to be knowen by what I may be certified that my synnes are forgeuen or what is the meane by the whiche my sinnes are forgeuen And there say If I desire remission of sin I must not go into some corner and say O god forgeue me my sins And theÌ„ loke for som Angel whom god shold send vnto thee to say that thy sinnes are forgeuen For god promiseth that he will come vnto vs that baptisme may be amonge vs and his word most holy that it might be said I baptise thee in the name of the father of the son and of the holy ghost He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued But thou sayste that baptisme is water onely It is true but this water is not alone but Gods worde is with it Therfore when I come to the minister whiche hath the peculier commandement of GOD or to any other Christian and desyre remission of my synnes There doth the minister pronounce I in the stede of GOD declare vnto thee through Iesus the remission of all thy synnes And here mayste thou surely truste that thy synnes are forgeuen For baptime and the worde will not deceaue thee This dyd they not teache in the Popedome neither doth any of their preachers vnderstand this Wherfore geue you thankes to God for this benefite light and learne diligently that God alone forgeueth sinne But how verely no otherwise then it is here in that he hath geuen men such power As Christ begynneth that in this place and afterwarde geueth commandement that froÌ„ henceforth it shold alwayes be obserued and kepte in the congregation vnto the ende of the worlde that repentaunce remission of sinnes sholde be preached in his name So is remission of sinnes amongest men to be required or in the worde and no wher els For ther only may it be founde This suffereth thee not to ascend into heauen therfore But wheÌ„ thou desirest remission of synne receaue baptisme if thou be not yet Christined or if thou be see that thou doest call to minde that promesse and be not harde of of belife Go also and be at one with thy neyghbour then aske absolution And as thou hearest that remission of sinne is pronounced vnto thee in the name of Iesu so beleue and thou shalt obtaine thy desire So that baptisme absolution the publike worde the sacrament maye not seme a lyght thing vnto thee but that remission of sin may be asked and required therby For to this intent God hath called and ordained thy Pastour and Curate thy father and mother thy Christian neyghbour hath put his word in their mouth that thou shouldest aske confort and remission of syn of them so that this maye so be counted the commandement and ordinance of god that we shold geue credence to the wordes of men when they according to Christes worde and commandement vse their ministration and office For these are not the wordes of men but of God Wherfore these wordes are to be beleued constantly and not to be despised When the minister baptiseth a childe accordyng to Christes commaÌ„dement There thou hearest the wordes pronouÌ„ced of a man But they are the wordes of God neither must thou take them any otherwise then if god had pronounced theym hymselfe So whenne thy synnes are forgeuen thee in absolution thou mayest no more doubte then yf God hadde spoken theym hymselfe For GOD hym selfe pronounceth this sentence that thy synnes maye be forgeuen thee Wherefore learne in this place the waye howe to aunswere these phantasticall persons when they crie on this wyse What is water but water We know thys also But they are ignorant hereof that the worde of God is ioyned with suche water Wherfore it is no longer pure water but diuine water whyche the mynister geueth not of hymselfe but God commaunded it so to be geuen to the intente that by it we myghte haue a new byrthe to enter into the kyngdome of God and Remyssion of all oure synnes And as GOD geuethe the worde whyche is hys and not oures so dothe hee geue also Faythe vnto the worde For bothe of them are the gyftes of God Faithe and the worde

that they be vexed as dyuels for as much as they doo not only refuse this holsome doctryne but persecute it also with all spite and despise it very prowdlie I perceaued not this before that I learned the Gospell but thought that the holy Ghoste had reigned in their doyng And this is the pith of this saying whereas Simeon saith that Christ shall open the thoughtes of mennes heartes But why doth he open them Truely for oure instruction coÌ„forte To instructe vs after this sorte that we be not offended and troubled when the folishenes of such men betrayeth it selfe For this matter can not be without admiratioÌ„ when these goodly and wise princes other good meÌ„ procede to such madnes that they can not suffer the word of God but do curse it moste wickedlye For this thing the Gospell geueth succoure and openeth this mysterie Before tyme the thoughtes of the hearts were secret but now coÌ„meth he forth that both is in dede also called the opener of the heartes He doth so open the secretes that it may appeare what mennes thoughtes be whiche neither they them selues neither any other knew before and yet were they to be opened for they were no better before than now but they were ouer couered with a colour that they could not be seen and the thoughtes of the heartes lay hyd But now after that the Gospell is set foorth it appeareth as playne as the sonne what was hyd before euen a very pit of al myschefe And there is no state of maÌ„ wherin it goeth not after this sorte ye as well amongest the hye Lords as the low loordaynes And look how much the better and holyer they be in both partes so much the more they hate the Gospell and are full of poyson and blaspheming of God And that Momus thought to be omitted in the perfecte making of man that is accomplished by the Gospell euen an open place to se into the heart and breast that the priuities of the heartes may be seen and that nothing according to the saying of Simeon may be hyd SecoÌ„darily this opening of the heartes is for oure confort seing the world can be brought by no meanes to allow Gods word and yet it sheweth outwardly a great pretence of holynes that we should not feare it but thinke this surely that whatsoeuer apperance of righteousnes ther be yet for as much as it is found giltie in this vyce euen that it can not abyde Gods word but persecute it that it is condemned with the dyuell and with all that thereto belongeth and that all his holines and workes are but counterfaited For if things be considered by their proper nature it is no euill thynge to be indued with wisdome rightousnes and sobernes But this is euill when excellent vertues be vsed for clokyng of most greuous synnes that is of cursing God and persecutynge his worde Uirginitie is muche craked of as it is in dede a rare and great gifte But what commendation woldest thou leaue for that Uirgin that woulde commit murder The commendation of this gyfte shoulde not seme so great seing it is ioyned wit suche a great crime that it myghte be thought worthie of lyfe Lykewyse also goeth the matter in this case it is accordinge to the sayinge of Simeon speakynge this vnto Marye Thy sonne shall conuicte the worlde of greate crimes of thefte of man slaughter of murderynge of fathers and that euen them that are nowe almost counted for gods He shall so open them and their heartes that they shall declare euidentlye themselues to be the extreme enemies of god This hypocrisie is now to be suffered wherin the outwarde apperaunce hydeth greate offences but this will not continewe longe Let CHRIST onely come abrode with his gospell and it shal be euident that all the worlde is full of leude persons of the enemies of God of theues and robbers They can not pacientlye suffer themselues this to be named yet before GOD they can not purge themselues of these crimes For althoughe the outwarde lyuynge be vpright yet is there this faulte that there is so greate vngodlines in them that they can not suffer gods worde whiche can make good that this name is most agreable to men For the tounge and handes are with a lytle thynge and by a smale occasion driuen to slaughter wheras the hearte before is ful of slaughter This vice is opened by the Gospell whiche otherwise no man could knowe and no man also beleue Wherfore Simeon addeth nowe furthermore in his spech to Mary A sworde saieth he shal perse thy soule For she was faine to behold and fele this outragiousnes of the world and not only she but all the vniuersall churche Nowe it is vnpossible for a man to see all this without sorowe and greate trouble of minde As Peter sayeth by Loth. That he dwelled amongest them being a righteous man both in seing and hearyng from day to day vexed his righteous soule with their vnrighteous workes This is then the sworde that perseth the hearte that is to saye the hearte is tormented for that the wickednes of the worlde is so greate and so full of dissimulation and worketh in the meane tyme all kynd of iniuries and infamies against God and his saintes And this is one of the crosses of Christian men euen the sorow of the hearte whiche passeth all other thynges that greue them and causeth them beinge so vexed to groue for payne Whiche when they haue doubtles the paynes of the wicked tarrieth not longe after And this is spoken as touchyng the Prophecie of Simeon With this prophecie of Simeon is ioyned the hystory of Anne the Prophetesse which testifieth preacheth also herselfe through the holy ghost of christ Of her this reporteth the Euangeliste How she serued God daye and nyght in prayer and fastynge This do our aduersaries the Papistes caste in our teth as thought it made for them Wheras yet we neuer denied that God must be serued with fastynge prayer For seing that fastynge that is temperance in eating and drâ—â—kynge and prayers also are commanded of God we also count them to be a portion of gods seruice For obedience is commanded But the Papistes are not content with this but they cast an addition therto requiringe that this obedience shoulde belonge to the obtayninge of remission of synnes and euerlastyng lyfe But we denie that precisely and answere with the angel that that is don only by the child Iesu which is called Iesus and a Sauiour that he maye saue his people from their synnes But here let vs make an end and cal to god for his grace that he will be mercifull vnto vs defende vs against al offences and geue vs so muche power that we maye rise in Christ and neuer stumble with offence at his doctrine the which thinge Christ our Lord vouchsalf to graunt vs. Amen The Circumcision of Christ and of the Iewes The fyrst

signe ought to be receaued and that we ought to beleue in him as in the true Messias For the Prophesies agree herevnto that Christ shall come with such signes into the worlde And that Christ had respecte vnto this he testifieth by his owne wordes saying Offer thy gifte as Moses commanded for a testimoniall vnto them As though he should say They muste nedes confesse that thou art cleane that thou art truely clensed of the leaprosy But in that that they will not know me for their Messias they bewray theyr vncurable stubburnes which shall be duely punished at their tyme. Yet in the meane season this testimonie against them shall profite other that they may receaue me and beleue in me The Pope of Rome wolde stablyshe confession by this commandement because synne may be compared with leprosie therfore that the Iudgement of the priest and purifyinge from synne is requisite But there is no sure establishement for this sentence For what haue we to do with that that God commaÌ„ded the Iewes as touching the busynes of leprosie We haue no suche Priests at this tyme. And if we hadde yet this is euident that the Priests clensed not the leapers but that they bare record of their clensinge when they were cleane But I pray you what maketh this for confession whiche was referred to the remission of synnes For the leapers should not offer their leprosie but a cleane body when they offer theyr gifte to the Priest But these thinges are not worthie to be aunswered to at all of a wyseman He that will nedes confesse let hym fulfill his phantasie But we knowledge only that confession to be necessarie when mannes mynd coÌ„fesseth freely his synnes before God This is the confession of the heart whiche deceaueth not as doth the confession of the eares of the mouth And yet such confessioÌ„ before God clenseth vs not froÌ„ synne nor iustifieth muche lesse the confession of the eares can do it But this doth only clense and iustifie euen the fayth in CHRIST Iesu. The worde is apprehended by fayth and in his name is remission of synnes receaued as the promisse offereth it vnto vs. And let this be sufficient as touchyng the fyrst example The second miracle as concerning the sick chyld is also a testimoniall of the doctryne of CHRIST That these thinges may be knowen to be vndeniable If God with signes and miracles be redye to helpe this man so gloriously then that this doctryne is syncere true and fautlesse and that this is very Messias or Christ. And besyde all this it is an example of a singuler and true faith in the Centurion As Christ hym selfe testifieth as touching his fayth that he found not the lyke in Israel This fayth is hereby tried that where as this Centurion was no Iew but a gentile yet it sendeth hym to CHRIST and beleueth steadfastly that Christes will is not contrarie to his and that as he is able so he will helpe hym For if he had not thought this with hym self he wold neuer according to the wrytinge of Luke had helpe of the elders of the Iewes to intreat Iesus for hym But in that they send vnto hym it is a sure token that he hoped to obtayne his matter And with this faith he ioyned great and incredible modestie and humilitie in that that he counteth him self vnworthy to come vnto Christ and to aske any thing of hym But fyrst he sendeth the elders of the Synagog and afterward when he heard the Lord to be comminge he sendeth his fryndes to mete hym that he should not take the paynes to come any further and that he is vnworthie to haue suche a great man to come vnto hym And that he nedeth not so muche to wearie him selfe syth the Lord caÌ„ bryng to effect with a word that that he desyreth although he be not present therat And he thynketh with hym self that this is so sure that he taketh his owne example for a confirmation thereof and sayth I verily am a man subiect to power hauing vnder me souldiers and I say vnto one go and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruaunt do this and he dothe it Wherfore if my word that am but a man can doo so muche how muche more shall it be done if thou do but speake the worde And in so doyng he doth not only beleue but therewith also put foorth a true doctryne of faith and of her nature Wherfore this also were to be wyshede that oure faith of CHRIST might be of lyke sort whiche might helpe vs with so great vertue of his word although we see not his person It is an example of exceding faith that this man can be so diligently attente vnto the word of Christ. Fyrst he doubteth nothing of the fauour of Christ towarde hym Then he desyreth no more but that Christ shoulde speake the worde This doth he looke for with as sure truste and persuasion as though he had obtayned all redy the perfecte recoueringe of his chyld Wherfore thou that now hast the worde studie to folow him in this point For there are now extant very large promises that God will be mercifull for Christes sake And that we for the faithes sake in Christ haue remission of oure synnes and lyfe euerlastinge But we for the moste part lacke this faith wher with this Centurion was endewed as we see which thinketh that if he obtayne a word of hym he nede not care for the reste It will forthwith ensue that the word doth promise We can not obtain so much of oure selues And herof it commeth that we regard not the word but in the meane season haue oure recourse to carnall succour wher as the word is almightie and as the Centurion doth testifie here it can not deceaue That that he promesse is sure to haue good successe But this fayth is so much the more worthye to be meruayled at bycause the Centurion is an Heathen to whome the promise was not lykewyse made as it was to the Iewes Wherfore he can not challenge that right which was only belonginge to the Iewes as to the people of God For this is the nature of faith that it maketh humble myndes that thinke not prowdly of them selues nor are high minded and therfore they sticke only to the mercie and grace of God And this ought to be consydered of vs in this example and that for a speciall cause that when anye thought of oure owne synnes and vnworthynes shall vexe oure myndes yet that we caste not of all hope but constantlie embrace the word of God and beleue in hope contrarie to hope This is acceptable to God and this he requireth of vs. For without this there coulde be no grace if that we wold not applye oure selues to the promise without merite or any worthynes at all As this Centurion can not alledge as the Iewes that God oweth any thing to hym And this maketh

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

Gospell beareth recorde Where as before all thynges were without trouble as soone as Christ entreth into his shyp eyther by preachynge or by doyng miracles thou mayst see that al thyngs ar turmoiled with fiery myndes and seditious There flocketh and routeth together the Phariseis the Scribes the hyghe Priestes and as the Poete saith they set on all vpon one man with spite with dartes with foote and haÌ„d Neither can their woodnes be satisfied withoute the death of Christ But that tempest is muche more greuous that is stirred vp by the deuyll Thereof dothe Christ prophecie long before in the tenth of Mathew Thynke not that I came to send peace into the earth I came not to sende peace but the swoorde for I came to sunder the sonne agaynste his father and the daughter agaynste the Mother and the daughter in lawe against her mother in law and that a man shoulde haue to hys ennemies theym of hys owne housholde All these thynges tende to this end that thou sholdest well consyder whether it be expedient for thee to be a christian For if thou purpose verily to become a christian loke more certainly for nothing than for this tempest and battayle Wherfore Syrach in the second chapter admonisheth and saieth Sonne when thou commest to serue the Lorde be vpright in Iustice and feare and prepare thy mynd to temptation subdue thy heart and be pacient As though he should say if thou coÌ„mest not to the seruice of GOD thou shalt haue no nede to be supported yâ— deuil wil not trouble thee But coÌ„trarily if thou regardest Gods seruice louest christianitie thou must not refuse to byde tempest great trouble Wherfore make thy selfe bold and strong and tremble not at the tempest but feare GOD rather that thou mayst not therfore fall frome his worde Thys thyng muste thou purpose with a strong and vnabashed hearte that nothynge here is taken in hande to wynne the fauour of the worlde neyther ought to be lette passe for feare of the worldes displeasure And thys is the very thynge that the Euangeliste entendeth to teache vs in that that hee sayeth That the tempest then fyrst beganne when Christ entred into the shyppe and was caried frome the earth into the mayne sea But in the meane season it maye profyte in thys poynte euen that we maye haue whereby to geue a checkemate to the raylers to the lewde whiche can do nothing but blaspheme the Gospell whyche speake on this wise Before that this doctrine came foorth all thynges were at quiete and we had great plentie but now there is so great miserie and combrance that no man can number the sectes battailes seditions ommotions famine Turkes and encreasement of myschiefe These may be put to sylence very well by this example euen that at Christes entryng into the shyppe the tempest rose But this befell not through the fault of Christ but of the dyuell whiche hateth Christ and can not suffer hym So dothe he hate the Gospell also and endeuoureth to make it so odious by manye tragedies and commotions that it may at lengthe be forsaken of all men But a man can not preuayle soo muche with these blynde persones as to make them consyder the thyng as it is in dede they haue respecte onely to the troubles and impute them to the Gospell But they haue no regard to those thynges whiche procede out of the Gospel as is the knowledge of god remission of synnes Iustification and sanctification Euen as the ouerthwart vnkynde and styffenecked people of the Iewes dyd in the wyldernesse when they were in Egypte and their taskes doubled they prayed to GOD very feruently for helpe they had a greate deuotion and godlynesse And it was not long after theyr departure and delyuerance but they forgat all that was done for them in the wyldernesse They had no remembrance of theyr miserie and anguishe in Egypt They called to mynd in the meane tyme their pottes of fleshe and their breade that they had so plentuously in Egypte Neither were they vnlyke our Papistes in this poynt They heaped togither very counnyngly the commodities of theyr olde state and kepe close the heynous discommodities of the whyche they were delyuered After that whenne God gaue them Manna plentuously foorthwith they were wearie of it they set muche more by the delicates of Egypt So froward is our nature through originall synne Gods great benefite can be nothyng estemed amongst them All thynges are vnacceptable and not worthye thankes whiche God geueth of his great good wyll And hereby is the long suffrance of God meruailously espied that he can suffer the moste vnkynde worlde so long If any man twentie yeares past had put vs in choyce whether we would abyde the hardnes of one yeares dearthe that we myght be delyuered from the wronges and pillages of monkes and priestes either suffer these common iniuries and to haue therewith plentie of victuall Who would not than rather haue had and wished for that dearth then the daily spoilynges of those deuourers and cormorants Thys might than coÌ„fort vs that other yeres shuld make that good which was by one yeres derth coÌ„sumed but that wicked neuer leaue spoilyng but ware dayely more and more greuous But where as thys choyce is proffred to vs so promptly that we may be delyuered from these cormorauntes by the lyght of the Gospell yet we do forgette all this to soone And in thys case doo we highly commende that quiete state neyther doo we consyder the end therof how that in that ydlenesse we could not repelle and put from vs that craftie conueyinge awaye not onely of oure goodes but also of bodye and soule where as all thynges were made noysome with false doctrine and idolatries And yet neuerthelesse in the myddest of these pestiferous euyls wee coulde not be free from other discommodities Scarsitie pestilence battayle troubled the commonaltie neuerthelesse Which thynges where as they chaunce at our tyme are thought to haue the Gospell as cause therof As though that if the Gospell were rydde oute of the waye all men shoulde lyue a golden lyfe and shoulde not bee oppressed with suche great calamities as be nowe But the long sufferance of God appeareth in the sufferynge of these vnkynde and froward persons But loke howe muche the longer God doothe suffer the more greuous shall the punyshement be that at length shall fall God loueth and estemeth nothynge more then his word and we haue no safegarde agaynst synne and death any where els but in the Gospell and yet through great vnkyndnes and wyckednes do we still inuent how to defame it Wherfore these sclaunderers at the laste when the tyme sha come shal be punyshed they shall be stryken of God with madnes and blyndnesse that they may lyue voyde of the great light of God and then may be hardened and cast away with the Iewes so that they can speake nothyng but blasphemously against

it shoulde serue for the encreasyng of the Apostles faith as all his works hath chiefe regarde therunto And this is it that Christe euen this tyme also sheweth such a countenance of himself vnto his churche as thoughe hee nothynge regarded it and as thoughe he hadde forgotten vs as he dothe here in the shyppe He sleapeth and regardeth not the tempest the disciples the shyppe But yet he is in the shyppe be he neuer so muche a slepe And these be the temptaions that vexe the Churche where as CHRIST sufferethe the fluddes to ryse agaynste the shyppe that is hee suffereth the deuyll and the worlde to bee so troublesome vnto his Christians so that hereof riseth feare that all thynges shall come to naught And we also at this tyme see the very same things come to passe The Pope with his rable hateth the worde he stirreth the high powers continually against vs. The Turkes ar set forward by the diuell We are in the shyppe There be tempestes and the wyndes among the which we can not looke for safegard And it is possible that the Lorde may wynke at these thynges and shewe no token of helpe for vs. And yet this sleape of hys is in the shyppe But here we must take a good heart and think that we must not vtterly dispair because the Lord is with vs in the shyppe And although he faineth that he regardeth vs not yet this ought we to declare that we do not let him go out of our syght but that we thynk constantly of hym that he may make the sea calme although it be now neuer so muche opprest with waues tempestes So must we doo also in oure priuate temptations when the deuyl layeth thy synnes to thy charge and feareth thee with the wrath of God yea threatneth euerlasting damnation also And herin must thou not thynke but that Christ is at hand and yet a slepe and that thou must not sette it lyght and be negligent to go vnto hym and wake hym by prayer when he is founde as the Disciples do in this place They thinke it better to saue them selues then to suffer Christe to slepe They thynke thys â–ª Now haue we nede to haue Christ waked or els we are vndoone Wherfore they cease not from callyng vntill they had hym wakynge Folowe thou this example also For bothe must nedes be done If thou enter with Christ into the shyp the tempest wyll not bee lackynge Christ layeth him down to slepe that we myght fele temptation in dede For yf he shoulde not slepe and afterward represse the tempest we should neuer well perceaue what is true christianitie yea and we myght soone be brought in belefe that we were saued by oure owne power But here is faith strengthned through temptatioÌ„ that this confession myght be made a thyng necessarie No power of man coulde here haue preuayled this deliuerance came onely by GOD and his worde Besyde this doctrine Christ is described and sette forth vnto vs as a very man and accordyng to mans nature whiche consisteth of body and soule and therfore had nede of the naturall actions of eatyng drinkyng sleapyng and such other thyngs that are without synne euen as we haue That we myght bee defenced agaynst the dotage of the Manichees whiche iudged Christ to haue but a counterfait body and not a very body And as he declareth him selfe to be verye man by this that he slepeth as an other naturall man dothe so dothe he declare his godhead and almyghtinesse in this that he maketh the sea calme agayne by the worde For thys is no worke or dede belongynge to mans power Herein is gods power requisite that the violence of suche a great creature of God may bee restrained by his word That for that cause we might the more esteme this miracle forasmuche as here it is open howe God and man is one person in Christ. For the which cause he both can and wyll helpe in all combrance and affliction all suche as call vpon hym And if this can not be doone without the felynge of feare and peryll as well he declared before we must be content therewith For not so muche as the wicked can bee withoute affliction And therefore they are neuer free frome an euyll conscience and fynally they goe to damnation with all that they haue The thirde part is as touchynge the fruite whiche ryseth of suche a Faythe that is that other consyderynge thys myracle fall to repentaunce and say with greate admiration What man is this that the wyndes and the seas are obediente vnto hym It is lyke that these hytherto tooke hym but for a carpenter neyther thoughte they that ayde agaynste the perylle of deathe oughte to bee asked and desyred of hym Nowe they atteyne to so farre knowledge of hym that he hathe greate and sure myghte to helpe where as in man there is no helpe And this is the continuall nature of these thynges by howe much the temptation is the more greuous so much the fruict is greater in the ende Nowe is the rage of the worlde very great against vs so that almost we can hope for none other thyng then very destruction and that the tempest and the sea shall haue the victorie to our destruction But so that we haue this grace to sticke sure to the woorde and Faith we shall see a more ioyful end then we could thynke in heart The hate of the Pope Turk is greater then a man wold beleue wherwith they persecute the congregation for the whiche cause we grone mourn as a woman in her trauaile whiche hate neuerthelesse shall bring with it some comfortable thing that we neuer hoped for So ought euery man to thynk surely in his own behalf also that when he is enuironned and belayd round about with temptations that in the ende the fruict shall be moste certain swete and pleasant Wherefore howe greate the doctrine of this Gospell is and howe muche necessarye ayde it hathe for to further true godlynes that may be knoweÌ„ by these thynges whiche are setforth and intreated of as touchyng the whole course of vertue and godlynes And if we be sure to be in the congregation amoÌ„g the godly let vs take shyppe with Christ and there let vs not refuse to abyde the tempeste and this moste greuous and troublous estate in the sea of this worlde And when this greuous trouble commeth foorthe lette vs kepe our selues diligently within our hold and defence of faith and of the word of God and lette vs thynke truely that the tempest and temptation shall not only haue an ende but that the conclusion shall folow with suche a prosperous successe of all thynges and with suche abundance of ioye that it shall soon recompence all myserie whiche we felt in suffering with the ioy of the victorie and with the approued power of faithe of the word so that we can not be sory for the labours and afflictions that

owne commoditie makyng them of angry woordes moste comfortable wordes She denieth not the wordes of Christ but graunteth them to be trewe Thou sayth she callest me dogge I grant I am a dogge neither doo I desire to be in better case then dogges are Let the children haue those thinges that are most fyne plesant and daintie Onely lette me haue the crummes that fall frome the table and are not regarded of the children This shall right well suffise me Here snareth she Christ in his owne woordes And by this meanes commeth it so to passe that she whyche dydde humble her selfe to be compared vnto dogges is nowe receaued of Christe amonge the children This is a most singular and notable example sette foorthe vnto vs to declare that we ought to be not waueryng but constant in Faythe and continually to call vpon yea as I may so speake euen make wearye Christ with oure prayers and not to leaue of tyll we haue obteined oure desire Lette vs be moued nothinge at all with the contumelious and reprochefull woordes of Dogges Ethnyckes Paynymes c. For dogges are not wythoute maysters neyther are they wythout theyr meate And the Heathen also haue a GOD. With thys harde holde and stronge fayth of the woman is the Lorde Christe taken and ouercome so that he aunswereth and saythe O woman haste thou so muche strengthe in thee to resyste suche so many and so great tentations Uerily great is thy faythe Be it vnto thee accordyng to thy desyre and faithe For it semed vnto hym a rare thynge and seldome founde in any other As touchyng the Iewes he knewe ryght welle that they were offended streyght wayes euen with one worde when he sayd that they must eate his fleshe or els they could not be saued But thys woman not withstandyng all these vnkynd wordes and ouerthwart answers of Christ continued styll in her promyse nothyng doubtyng but surely beleuyng that at the last she should obteyn her desyre But one thyng is not here to be passed ouer I meane the cause why Christ shewed him selfe so hard to this woman Ueryly not to the end that he would not healpe her nor graunt her her requeste but that by this meanes the womans fayth myght be proued and sette foorth vnto other for an example and that the Iewes whych were chyldern and heyres myght learne of thys Cananite whyche was no heyre howe they shoulde beleue in CHRISTE and repose all theyr affiaunce confydence and truste in hym For thys is the thynge that Christe requyrethe wherein also hee chiefly delyghteth Therefore hauynge triall of thys womans faythe he coulde no longer hyde and kepe secrete hys mercy and louyng kyndnes from her but sayde Go thy way Bee it vnto thee accordyng to thy desyre And by this meanes he makethe not only her daughter whole but he also of his owne free will promiseth moreouer to geue vnto her what so euer shee wille or desire yea and geuethe vnto her also the dignitie and right of the sede of Abraham And all these thynges are brought to passe thorough faith so that now she is become the daughter of AbrahaÌ„ an holy womaÌ„ And herof may we lern that though God somtyme when we pray vnto hym do make delay in grauntyng vs our desyres yet we should not be weary but continue still in prayer faythfully beleuing that he wyll at the laste graunt vs our requestes and abundantlye satisfie our desyres For although he seemeth sometyme by outwarde apparance to neglect not to respecte nor regard our prayers yet in his heart he beareth alwayes an heartie good wyll toward vs whiche in his tyme he wyll openly declare and bryng all thynges vnto good effecte so that we cease not to pray vnto him nor geue ouer our suite as we may se not onely by the example of this woman but also of many other Ioseph beyng in prison .xiii. yeres cryed vnto God for helpe But the more he cried the worse wente it with hym And soo goeth it nowe adayes with the Christians When they haue long cryed and called vpon God they feele no reliefe or ease of their paynes at all but the longer the worse euen as it came to passe with Ioseph If God had sooner delyuered Ioseph it had ben to the greate ioye and comforte of Iacob his father but then shoulde the dignitie of Ioseph neuer haue ben so greatly beautified and auanced His abode was longe in pryson but it was abundantly recoÌ„penced For after this his so long emprisonmeÌ„t he was made the myghtiest lord greatest gouernour in all the lande of Egypte nexte vnto the king Neyther do we rede in the holy scriptures that any of a subiect captiue came vnto higher dignitie vnder hys prince then Ioseph Euen so â—ouyngly and fauourably wyll God deale with vs although he heareth not streight waies our prayers nor granteth vs our requestes Let vs holde faste his promyse with a constant faithe Lette vs not waxe wearie of praying but stylle contynue in supplication and prayer vntyll he haue mercy on vs. For he wyll at the last vndoubtedly come and perfourme his promyse For thys hys worde must always abyde true Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will geue it you Our nature can abyde no delayes but woulde haue oure prayers hearde and graunted out of hande We must therfore enarme our selues with strong Faith against suche tentations Let it so be that God a long tyme semeth to denye our requestes and maketh delayes a great number of yeares yet must we diligently take heede that wee by no meanes suffer oure faythe and hope to be taken away from his promise For the end wyll be he wyll geue vs more then we haue asked as we may see in the storye of this woman If she hadde asked mo thynges without doubt CHRIST wold neuer haue denyed them vnto her By this example therfore we are taughte that it is not alwayes for our profite when we praye streight wayes to be hearde When we be in greatest danger and almoste paste all hope then God heareth vs out of hande As when we be in peryll of drownyng or in daunger of ennemies There is no taryance to be made where peryll with destruction is at hande But where the matter maye be deferred there lette vs knowe that GOD doothe it to exercyse and to trye oure Faythe yet so that hee wyll in his tyme come and healpe as the Prophete Abacucke saythe If the Lorde make any tariance see that thou paciently abyde his commynge For he wyll surely come and not tary In these oure dayes also he seemeth to make delayes He suffereth the Pope and the Turke to doo what they wyll agaynste vs. We crye and lament He heareth not and maketh as though he knew vs not In the meane season we are myserably handeled as though we had no God at all But the matter wyll one daye

worlde was cast into such necessitie feare that his father sent an Angel vnto him for to conforte him as Luke in the aforesaid place doth also testifye That stryffe of death is fearefull beyond all measure and taketh awaye all strength of nature as we see in condemned persons whiche are sodenlye taken to be put vnto death What a meruelous torment anger appeareth there in them til nature hath made her selfe captiue to death so that the payne and death it selfe may iustly seme to be nothyng in comparison of that great agonie trouble and feare How excedyng greate vnmeasurable it was in Christe his bloudy sweate that came from him doth manifestly declare whiche thing was neuer done nor hearde of any other This calamitie and fearefulnes was afterwarde wonderfully encreased when he hanging vpon the crosse was forsaken of all his disciples frendes again mocked scorne and spitefully rayled on of his enemyes in somuche that he being in suche an agonie cried out vnto his heauenly father sayinge O my god O my God why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me wherof we may rede more at large in the xxij Psalme of Dauid In the whiche psalme the Prophete hath exactly painted set forth the bytter complaintes and the afflicted conscience of Christe miserable and forsaken where also thou shalt fynde in what angore and affliction he was for our synnes And here let vs lerne as we sayde before the highe hatred greate displeasure and extreme wrathe that God beareth against synne in so muche that because of that he woulde not spare his only begotten and dearely beloued son nor yet forgeue him seinge he toke vpon him the cause of other mens sins as we may see in the Prophete Esaye And S. Paule sayeth He spared not his onely begotten sonne This signified Christ also when he spake to the women on this wise If they do this in a moyste tree what shall be done in a seare drie tree As though he should say Learne of me whiche beare other mens syns and in my selfe am innocent righteous and holy what punishmentes ye haue deserued and what shall chaunce vnto you which by nature are synners and wycked can do nothing that good is Therfore Christ warneth the women to wepe vpon theÌ„ selues which with their sinnes had deserued that payne and punishment that he nowe must suffer In consideration wherof s. Peter sayth If the righteous shall scaslye be saued where shall the sinner the vngodly appeare for God hath here plainly and euideÌ„tly set forth before our eyes in Christ his anger wrath displeasure against sinne seinge that he suffred the highe goodnes innocencie wisedome iustice euen his onely begotten sonne to to coÌ„me because thereof into extreme pouertie paine contempt ignominie as though he were the greatest enemie that god hath suche one as is not worthy to liue on the grouÌ„d yea god did so shew him self toward him as thoughe he had geuen him ouer for euer euer wold neuer after be reconciled vnto him as Christe miserablye complaineth in the xxij psalme And al this came to passe for other mens sinnes whiche Christe tooke vpon him O how horribly shal god auenge sins in them that naturally are prone and bent vnto sinne and cane none otherwise then sinne and do wickedly seing he declared this so seuerely in his sonne in whoÌ„ notwithstanding he had a singuler delight and great pleasure O howe greuously shall he punishe them whiche confesse not their sinnes yea whiche wil be counted holye and righteous and wyl by no meanes receaue Christe to be their sufficient Sauiour and perfecte redemer to purge and put away their sinnes but will rather cleaue to their owne righteousnes to their owne workes and to the merites an intercessioÌ„s of other Therfore let all true and faithfull Christians diligently coÌ„sider this matter and with all study and labour beware of sinne and of the wrath of god seing it coste the sonne of God the price of his lyfe seinge also that for the aduoydinge of the same he was enforced to suffer most greuous payne greate bytter sorowe and at the laste the moste ignominious and shamefull death of the crosse that by this meanes he mighte apeace the wrath of GOD kyndled againste man for synne delyuer man from synne reconcile man to his heauenly father and make him enheritour of euerlasting glorie Fourthly let vs consider the fruites and profites of the passion and death of Christ. For this is our ioye and comforte verely as they be greate so are they infinite and innumerable if they were diligently and at large wayghed pondered and considered for Christe is that true wheat corne wherof he himselfe speaketh in the Gospell of Iohn sayinge verely verely I saye vnto you except the wheate corne fall into the grouÌ„de die it abideth alone But if it dye it bring forth much fruite Of these many fruites we will declare some yea and those the cheife and principall For those being knowen and perfectly beleued no man shall lyghtly wauer in his conscience nor yet despaire thorowe pusillanimitie and wekenes of minde but he shal be conforted and lyfted vp with a sure hope of the merites of Christes passion and alwayes stand firme and constante in all assaultes of the enemie The first fruite of Christes passion is that Christe God man by his death hath redemed and deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe For seinge the hearte of man by nature is euil and there is no man that doth good but all sorte of vs before the iudgement of God are synners and lyars the curse of the lawe by this meanes coÌ„meth vpon vs and condempneth vs as despisers and transgressours of the lawe and saith Cursed be euery one that abideth not in all thynges that are written in the boke of the lawe that he maye do them From this curse and iudgement of the lawe hath Christe deliuered vs which hath taken vpon him our cause and satiified the lawe that so many as put their confidence faith and truste in him he shoulde make free from suche curse sentence and iudgement of the lawe and so by his death hath redemed and deliuered vs from the lawe so that it can no more condemne vs as sainct Paule testifieth in his Epistle to the Galathians sayinge Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe whyle he became accursed for our sake Nowe howe Christe became accursed Paule declareth more at large and sayth It is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree This sentence of the lawe was generall ouer all that were crucified and put to death on the crosse Among whom Christe also came and outwardly suffered the ignominie and curse of the lawe and was reputed taken and iudged as a malefactour and wycked person But Christe by suffrynge vnworthely the outwarde curse condeÌ„natioÌ„ of the law ouercame did

euerlastingly neither can synne condemne them Therefore all thinges are now turned cleane contrarie Before we were holden vnder the captiuitie of synne Before we perceaued that the deuill by the reason of oure sinne was a cruell tyrant againste vs. Before we coulde by no meanes escape the moste bytter payne of death Before we looked for yea and that worthely euerlasting damnation and the most cruell tormentes of hell fyre But fromhensforth it shall no more be so For Christe vnto this ende is ascended into heauen that he shoulde holde in bondes as slaues of no power synne death and deuill that they fromhensforth should not exercise their tyranny againste vs as tofore they haue done or if they do attempt any violence against vs it should chaunce for the best on our behalfe Synne ceaseth not to prouoke vs if by any meanes it may enforce vs to do any thing againste the will of God and so to make vs to haue gyltie consciences And our infirmitie is great We do not resiste sin as we ought to do Dauid was a great man an holy yet was he throwne into two most greuous haynous sinnes Nowe that he was deliuered again froÌ„ those sinnes that they were forgiuen him The cause was that he beleued on that blessed sede that was promised to come which shold destroye the power of synne and make it his bonde prisoner It therfore can not only not oppresse Dauid but it is the cause also that he prayeth the more feruently and is the more circumspecte in all his doinges for euer after If he had not thus fallen he had neuer made that moste godly and swete psalme Miserere And so likewise is the matter concerning death It can not refraine his violence from vs neither can we any otherwise then tremble for feare at the beholdinge therof But how coÌ„meth it to passe that death can do none of all those thinges that it entendeth Because death is taken prisoner bounde so that nowe it can not hurt nor kyl euerlastingly the faithful the styng therof being taken awaye by Christ and it selfe being vtterly subdued and ouercome as Christ him selfe saith by the Prophet O death I wil be thy death Therfore wheÌ„ death sheweth it selfe moste fearce and vttereth the greatest violence that it can yet it doth no more with the true Christians then that it should be the cause for them to flee vnto the worde of God that they maye exercise them selues in it the more diligently and confirme them selues with it which otherwise they wold not haue done if the terrours of death had not bene Euen the same may be spoken concerning the deuil which is a sutle deceiptfull craftie and cruell enemie He at all times lyeth in waight for the Christians if by any meanes he may make their hope frustrat vaine But Christ is Lord ouer him so that he shal not onely not do bring to passe that he entendeth but also the more that Christians are assalted of him the more ware circumspecte doth he make them and prouoke them the more diligently to geue their mindes to prayer to the meditation studie of gods worde to coÌ„mit them selfe wholly to the tuition defence of god euermore calling on him for helpe and succour And where as if they were without this sutle and craftie enemie they wold become careles and negligent because they should stand in no feare of suche an aduersarie nowe they watch now they are circumspecte and take hede that they fall not into his daunger Al these thinges therfore profit the Christians whiche are to other because of their corrupt pernitious nature a very plague pestilence confusion and destruction And this chaunceth to the Christians because Christ is ascended into heauen and hath by that meanes made them his prisoners so that now they can not do against the Christians what they wold but what it pleaseth Christ to suffer or appoint them Synne wold gladly condeÌ„ne vs death wold very faine kyl vs The deuil is altogether desirous to cast vs hedloÌ„g into euerlasting damnati oÌ„but they can not do what they wold forasmuch as they are although enemies yet the captiues bond slaues of Christ so that although they be cruel fearce against vs yet can they not hurt against vs. And this is the noble fruit singuler coÌ„moditie of Christes AscentioÌ„ that our greate enemies synne death deuill whose captiues and bonde slaues we were are nowe imprisoned of Christe and holden in bondage so that by this meanes we are free from their tyranny For for this purpose dyd he go vp into heauen and sytteth on the right hande of God that he might defende the churche against them It foloweth in the psalme Thou hast receaued gyfts for men that is to saye suche gyftes as thou wilt distribute vnto men and thorowe those gyftes helpe coÌ„fort them What maner of gyftes these are God by the Prophet Ioel declareth saying After this will I poure out my spirit vpon all fleshe and your sonnes your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal se visions yea in those dayes I wil poure out my spirit vpon seruantes maydens I wil shewe wonders in heauen aboue tokens in the earth beneth And in the gospel of Iohn Christ saith thus If I go away I wil send the confortour vnto you And when he shal come he will rebuke the worlde of sin of righteousnes of iudgemeÌ„t Peter also saith Sence now that Christ by the right hand of god is exalted and hath receaued now of the father the promes of the holy ghost he hath shed forth this gyfte whiche ye nowe see and heare Now there are two thinges principally whiche the holye ghost worketh Firste he leadeth vs thorowe the Gospel vnto the true knowledge of CHRIST that we maye beleue to haue remission of our synnes in his name Again that we maye bringe forth the worthy fruites of repentaunce resiste synne mortifye it earnestly begin to obeye god And this newnes of lyfe afterwarde taketh place in oure soule bodye heart and in al the partes of vs. For although because of our sinnefull body we can neuer be so free from sinne that we shall be vtterly without synne yet that sinne that remaineth in vs is not imputed to vs nor layde to our charge for Christes sake neyther doth it condemne vs. And this is the firste thynge that the holy ghost worketh in vs. Secondly the holy ghoste also maketh his instruments that thorowe the worde and the preachynge therof other maye be brought vnto the knowledge of this grace In consideration wherof Paule interpreteth this psalme to this ende that thorowe the Ascention of Christ these giftes chaunce vnto vs that he hath made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepheardes and teachers to

worlde commeth and hath naughte in me But that the world may know that I loue the father And as the father gaue me commaundement euen so do I. THE EXPOSITION THis gospell is a part of Christes Sermon whiche he made to his disciples before he suffred And for that cause ought it greatly to be estemed For Christ setteth forth in it a singuler doctrine and lesson whereby he teacheth that all reason is but superfluous to the attainement of the knowlege of God if it take not his first foundation of the loue of Christ. When this is not taught all thinges are vncertaine wauering of no strength that are eyther taught or imagined of god For they can not be comprehended or knowen by any meanes But he that loueth Christe is so farre brought that he loueth the father also But what is the cause of this worde why doth he make mention of loue and speaketh not after his olde customable maner saying he that beleueth in me Is loue the cause of our saluation and not faith wher as he saith if any man loueth me But they are both of like efficacie power streÌ„gth For thou canst not loue Christe except thou beleue in him and dost put thy trust in hym with a certain and sure faith And the worde of faith is somwhat more euident wheras it declareth that we muste withholde our eyes from all other thinges that be and fasten theÌ„ in Christ Iesu only For this is the nature of loue that it embraceth that thinge only that it loueth in that thinge doth it set al here felicitie therwith only it is satisfied and careth for nothing besides Suche maner of loue doth Christ require of vs that we shold embrace hym with all oure hearte whiche thynge can not be done but by fayth Wherfore this sentence maketh nothynge againste faith But is spoken to the entent that the nature and condition of fayth with his proper vertue and efficacie might be the better vnderstanded An other cause of this worde is that Christ dyd perceaue that he that receaueth the worde and purposeth to kepe it can not do it without greate endeuor and industrie For diuers temptations do chaunce to them whiche do rebuke and embrayde suche as hath entered into the profession of Godlines of folie and rashnes wher as they reason on this wise with them selfe Alas what haue I done whan I tookee vpon me the office of teachynge I might haue holde my peace and thought wyth my selfe that GOD woulde haue set foorth other Other might haue come that shoulde haue had better successe in this matter Nowe am I in doubt and do not onely litle profit but put my selfe also in perill of lyfe If we will ouercome suche kynde of temptation that the worde maye be surely maintained this onely succour must they especially vse as Christe here sheweth that they loue Christe and put their hole delight in him so that all the professours of the gospell al the good may thus conforte them selues whatsoeuer be cometh of me let it be at the pleasure of God for whose cause and glorie and not for mans sake was this begon of God Wherfore I must endure it And looke wher this loue is not ther can they not endure saith Christe For I geue not goods nor golde but euerlastinge life wherof the possession is not taken in this life but after this life Wherfore all the matter resteth herein that ye loue me If loue be in you ye wil kepe my saing and contineue constantlie although that ye should do it to the perill of your life But if ye loue me not ye wil not kepe my wordes For ye shall haue so many dangers calamities and afflictions that they shall make you faint and put you in desperation But he that knoweth Christe truly beleueth in hym and loueth him he is troubled by no aduersitie For he thinketh surely Christ dyed and was buried for vs and rose againe wherby all suche gather surely that Christ doth greatlye fauor them So that this loue procedeth of faith which afterward is able to withstand all perils and dangers neither doth it feare the greate threatnings wrath of the worlde For it setteh more by Christ and his worde then by all these threatnings and displeasures of men And that is it that he saith if any maÌ„ loue me he wil kepe my word my word of my death resurrectioÌ„ not the worde of Moyses or ten commaundements That worde is not to be caste awaye nother is any thing to be done contrarie therto For God commanded that worde to be fulfilled but with that worde is there ioyned no consolatioÌ„ as is with my worde the conscience is not therby made quiet but the more that we therby know our disobedience toward GOD so much the more we dread feare the wrath indignation of God For the worde of Iesu Christ is the fondation and pillar of all thinges He that hath this saith Christ neither suffereth hymselfe to be plucke froÌ„ thence ought not to doubt but my father doth loue him And this is the peculiar phrase of Iohn whiche hath a proper kynde of speache beside all other Euangelistes that first he ioyneth men to Christe and then thorough Christ bringeth them to the father For this is the order and proces in this matter As Christ here teacheth that first we must know Christ loue hym and take him for one that is most desirous of our saluation and profit When we haue suche trust loue toward Christ there foloweth also a sure confidence that the father also loueth vs. And although we had none other confort before our eyes but only this perceauinge and vnderstanding that we nede not feare any crueltie or any wrothe or yre of God yet were that sufficient to certifie vs that we nede not feare synne or the deuill because god loueth vs for that that we loue Christe This is a great confort in all tribulation to beleue constantly that GOD is not againste vs but he louinglye embraceth vs if so be that we loue Christe kepe his worde stedfastly But in the tyme of tribulation oure heartes can hardlye thus be persuaded But we thinke rather contrariwise that God hateth vs and hath no regard to vs but that he goeth about rather to prouide punishmeÌ„t for vs. But these thinges are false For Christe doth not lye whan he sayth yf we procede so farre that we loue hym and count it abhominable to hate hym that then we muste not doubt but the father doth loue vs and will so declare hys loue toward vs that he wyth his sonne and the holy ghost will haue their abyding with vs. It is a greate matter and a singuler confort that a righteous man by fayth doth not say in his heart who is ascended in to heauen c. For in whatsoeuer place he be whether he be at Ierusalem or at Rome or

are playn that God loueth vs. Wherfore for this loues sake ought we greately to esteme all thynges that he geue vs. And especially those gyftes whiche are ordeyned and geuen of hym to vs for our saluation and confirmation of oure faithe as Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord is c. For all be it that the worlde doth not regard these thyngs yet they ought to be estemed for oure chiefe felicitie that by them we myght put asyde all sorowe and be ioyful in heart forasmuche as these thinges are of a fatherly loue and beneuolence ordeyned for our saluation Wherfore Christ in this place sheweth not only that the father will geue vs any thinge but also he describeth the way how the father will geue vs that is of a fatherly and of a godlye loue And as hytherto wee haue spoken of the geuer and of his louyng mynde so is the gyfte it selfe no lesse to be estemed For God geueth not riches here nor kyngdoms nor any creature but geueth his onely begotten sonne which is no lesse than the father If wealth and prosperitie causeth ioy howe great ioy ought this gift to be to them that it is geuen vnto For as God the geuer is excedyng great and his loue also wherof the gyfte procedeth So is the gyft that he geueth which is his onely sonne For he geueth hym selfe wholly in this gyft as Paul saith to the Romains seyng God hath geuen for vs all his sonne how can it be that with him he should not geue vs all thynges also Sinne death hell heauen rightuousnes and life al are ours for that that the sonne as by gyft is ours also in whom are all thynges Wherfore if we beleue truly and receiue this moste excellent gift by faith it must nedes be that euery creature fautie or not fautie muste be ours and geuen to our coÌ„moditie as saint Paule saith in an other place Al things ar ours whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas either the world or life or deth And you ar Christs Christ is Gods For if we coÌ„sider this gift well we shal perceiue that it passeth all that is either in heauen or earth and in respecte wherof all the goodes of the world are but as it wer a graine But here doth incredulitie misbeliefe trouble vs as Christ himself dothe afterward complayn and also incredible darknes and ignoraÌ„ce as wheÌ„ we heare of this so great a gift yet we do not beleue it the words of such great matter goeth in at the one eare and ruÌ„neth out at the other neuer perceth to the heart When men conceiue any hope of purchasing possessions or of bying landes they can neuer haue their heart at rest for the feruent care and gredy desyre to obteyne the same But where as it is declared here that God hath geuen vnto vs his sonne of mere loue we are slouthfull and sluggyshe without all desire to receiue it What is the cause that we sette so lyghtly by suche an hygh gift and do not embrace it worthily as we ought to doo The deuyll truly whiche casteth a myste ouer our heartes that we care not for the worde and promise as touchyng this gifte but in the meane tyme we bestow all our cares in worldly thynges Wherfore in the beginnyng I sayde that these woordes oughte dayely to be rehersed and vsed when we rise in the morning when we go to bed at nyght that we might print them in our hearts geue God thankes for this so great benefite For all things are so great that they can be no greater the giuer the loue of the geuer and the gift it selfe that is geuen vs of mere loue not of merite and is so geuen that it remaineth with vs not as borowed nor lent nor recompensed For the whiche also is nothing geuen agayne neither is any thinge required therefore but that thou shouldest ioyfully embrace it and so declare thy mynd But alas what an vnworthy thynge is this that neither heartes neither handes there be to receaue this gyfte as it is proffered that this should be our Christ and shold remayne with vs for euer vnto euerlasting lyfe But herein chaunceth a very leude and greuous thing that they to whom this gift is offred although thei haue great nede therof yet they regarded it not but refuse to receiue it If a riche man shold proffer a gift to a nedy begger that he might therby liue in more welth more at ease and yet that riche maÌ„ wold require nothing for himself but that the poore wolde receiue this excellent gift gladly Now if the begger were suche an vnthriftie person that he wold not take the gift but wold set more by his owne miserable state than by this gifte might ye not count him worthily to deserue yet more greater wretchednes thaÌ„ he was in before but here to this beggerly world the is void of al life saluatioÌ„ is profered the son of God And god demaÌ„deth nothing els of vs but to receiue it to take it as our own but this is our madnes that although we be starke beggers yet we think scorn to be prouided for Iudge thou therfor here of what a greuous syn is vnbelefe It is not agreable to mans nature to be agaynst oure owne profite and gaines and not to receaue it when it is proffred Hereof it appereth how madde the worlde is that it hath no ioy and felicitie in this gift of God and putteth himself in such great blame that it wil not receue and take to his vse that that is proffered If it were neuer so little gold that were proffred we woulde be ready to receaue it with bothe handes yea and with al the other lymmes of the body also Wher as the sonne of God is proffred for a gift al men ar in doubt whether they may embrace hym or no and beare themselfe in hande that they haue no nede of hym Wherfore he hath his proper name geuen hym to whom the gyfte is proffred and is called the worlde which is worthy to be hated and specially if it bee compared with the gyfte For so littell dothe he deserue this loue and gift of God that nothyng can be more againste God nor nerer vnto the deuyll than the worlde is And yet this is the very testimonye and witnesse of Christ saying God so loued the worlde that he gaue his only begot-sonne Print this thyng well in thy mynd After that thou haste heard what God is and what is the gift that he geueth freely of mere loue learne this thynge also what is the worlde truely a great multitude of men that hath no faith that thinketh God vnfaithful of his promise yea and blasphemeth curseth and persecuteth his worde whiche are also disobedient to father and mother murtherers aduouterers traitours theues wicked persons c. as dayely examples shewe vs playnly that

there is nothyng doen of compulsion in all his seruice allowed After this sorte he dooeth compell he causeth the woorde to be preached vnto vs he that beleueth and is Baptized shall be saued he that beleueth not shall be condemned Wherby he setteth before vs bothe heauen and helle death and life wrathe and mercie For first of all he declareth vnto vs our synne and our greate corruption of nature that we maie feare when we heare that we are borne the children of wrathe in the kyngdome of the deuill And this is in deede compulsion and constrainyng when there is greate feare for the wrathe of GOD and thereby we are driuen to call for helpe And when that is so brought to passe by the preaching of the Gospel that the heartes dread then muste we proceade in doctrine that yet the synners fall not to desperation for their synne although thei haue neuer so iuste cause to despaire But let them rather folowe this councell of GOD that bicause thei are Baptised let them heare the Gospell that preacheth of Iesu Christ that he died for vs and made satisfaction for our synnes on the crosse by his death If thou beleue this thou nedest not feare the wrathe of GOD and death euerlastyng And so thou as a true geaste hast a roume in this magnificent and glorious supper and art therby fedde made fatte and in good likyng And so to compell is to make a manne afraied for synne and not to compell as the Pope dooeth with curssyng by booke bell and candell He doeth not cause any true feare in the conscience For he teacheth not truly what is synne But he magnifieth his owne trifles and cursseth hym that will not kepe his Ceremonies and mennes traditions But the Gospell openeth synne and the wrathe of GOD from heauen that all we none excepted doe liue in synne and are vngodlie This thyng doeth GOD commaunde to be shewed vnto vs by the Gospell wheÌ„ he saith to the Apostles Go and preache repentance But repentaunce can not be preached but by the openyng of the wrathe of GOD against all men because thei are full of vnbelief contempt of GOD and other synnes This wrathe ought to terrifie them and to make their coÌ„science quake for feare that thei maie compell theim selues and saie O Lorde what muste I dooe to auoyde this miserie Then shall it be saied to hym sit doune in the supper and eate For there are many tables full of meate and yet voyde of geastes Thou art christened therfore beleue in Iesu Christ that he hath satisfied for thee Thou hast none other remedie against this destruction then to be Baptized and to beleue For then shall wrathe be ended and greate plentie of grace mercie and remission of sinne sent doune from heauen vnto thee to thy greate ioye and singâ—ler comfort Wherefore to compell is nothyng els then to preache repentaunce and remission of synne To shewe the wrathe of GOD vpon synners and mercie vpon theim that beleue The wrathe and repentaunce causeth a great thrist and desire of grace And this is the true waie to this supper And now there is one churche made bothe of the Iewes and Gentiles and all are generally called poore nedie lame and weake For after the feare of the conscience thei gladly embrace the Gospell and desire mercie But thei that refuse to doe this be thei neuer so prudent and wise haue this sentence giuen against theim Thei shall not taste of my Supper â–ª that is the wrathe of GOD shall remaine vpon them and thei shall be damned for their vnbelief For GOD as I saied before hath no respect how riche how wise how holie thei be Wherefore bee thei neuer so carelesse be thei neuer so sure of them selues yet shall thei proue by experience that this sentence is not vainly spoken where Christe here concludeth Thei shall not taste of my supper But we that receiue it and feare for our synnes and doe not despise the grace of GOD whiche is offered vnto vs in the Gospell for Christes sake we shall obtaine for wrathe grace for synne eternall rightuousnes and for eternall death eternall life This sore Iudgement is now a daies as it appereth moste euident emong the Iewes and Turkes whiche haue no saueryng of the Gospell yea rather thei so muche abhorre it that thei can not finde in their heartes so muche as to see it or heare it It chaunceth also likewise with the Papisticall high priestes and bishops whiche are so little filled with this Supper that thei scarslie taste it or smell it But we whiche by the peculiar grace of GOD are set in the middle of the light of this Gospell are filled and well fedde and are become lustie and strong and are glad to be at this supper The Lorde graunte vs to continewe therein vnto the ende Amen Amen Christes intent therefore in this parable is to exhorte vs that we haue the Gospell in high estimacion and that we ioyne not our selues to theim whiche haue high stomackes by reason of their prudence wisedome power and holinesse For this sentence is giuen as touchyng their castyng awaie and damnacioÌ„ of theim that thei shall not tast this supper As thei were caste awaie in the people of the Iewes and onely the vnpure dragges wer reserued so shall it chaunce to vs also if we set more by Farmes Oxen and wiues that is by our spirituall and ciuill dignities and temporall possessions then we doe by the Gospell He speaketh a greuous and a verie terrible thyng with plaine and simple wordes Thei shall not taste of my Supper As though he should saie my supper is not to be despised for it is of an higher price then their farmes be despise thei it now neuer so muche although thei set more by their Farmes Oxen and wiues then thei doe by it There shall come a time when thei muste depart from all thynges from Farme from Oxe and froÌ„ wiues so that thei would faine then taste of my Supper But then shall it be saied vnto theim I knowe ye not Now I lacke no geastes Let your Farmes Oxen and wiues comforte you These shall giue you a better Supper for as muche as ye despised my supper and cared not for it There was greate prouision and coste made in this supper but althynges semed vile vnto you If there be more good fare and delicates in yours goe to it a Gods name spare not I will not lette you onely this I saie vnto you ye shall haue no part of my Supper These thynges shall bee dreadfull in that daie when GOD shall with plaine wordes call his supper life euerlastyng and their Farmes and Oxen eternall fire and shall not chaunge his sentence any thing but that thei shall neuer taste of this supper that is thei shal be voyde of all hope of saluation Wherefore these woordes are not lightly to be estemed whiche declare the euerlastyng

Psal. 143. Rom. 11. Galat. 3. Epicures We muste praye contynually Luc. 18. 1. Thess. 5. Eccle. 18. A christen maÌ„ is euer in danger therefore ought he euer to pray Every christen man is a priest Cause to pray Iohn 8. A short declaration of the lordes prayer The first peticion Math. 9. The second peâ—icion The thirde peticion The fourthe peticion The fyfte peticion The sixt peticion The seuenth peticion We oughte to be feruentlye geuen to prayer Math 6. Psal. 50. We muste praye in the name of christ Prayer not made in the name of christ is no prayer God hearethe only those prayers that are made in yâ— name of christ Note well Ioan. 14.16 In Psal. 108. Libro de Isaac etamina What it is to praye trulye Prayer onlye râ—dressethe all our mesiries Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 12. God dothe all thynges for the beste Math. 6. Math. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. A good lesson Math. 8. We maye no appoinc god in oure prayer how and wheÌ„ hee shall helpe vs. Iudith 7. Esa. 30. Thren â— Psal. 9. God wyl help all them in coÌ„ueniente tymâ— that pray vnto him Praier is our onlye staye in thys worlde Ioan. 16. Forget not this o EnglaÌ„d How the church of christ maye be safly preserued froÌ„ the deuil and Antichriâ—ste â–ª Euery christeÌ„ man is a souldiour Ephe. 6. With preaching praier the kingdome of Antichriste is ouercome 2. Corin. 10. An exhortarioÌ„ vnto prayer A wicked imagenacion Iohn â—5 Christes kingdom is spiritu all Math. 10. Luc. 22. Act. 1. The holye ghost teacheth to praye Zacha. â—2 Faythe is the gyft of God Rom. 10. Praier without Faithe is no prayer Two thinges speciallye taught in this sermon The historie of christes ascension Act. 1. Act. 1. The state of glorified bodies Rom. 4. Christ by his ascension declareth the his kyngdome is not of thys worlde Iohn 18. Actes 1. Why Christ came down from heauen Psal 68. Ephe. 4. Phil. 2. Ioan. 16. Ioan. 14. Gen. 5. 4. Reg. 2. Iohn 6. Iohn 10. Act. 2. The differenc of christes ascension and oures â—oan 3. Ioan. 18. The maners of thys world discribed Thoughe our bodyes be on the earth yet our myndes ought to be in heaueÌ„ Coloss. 3. Luc. 11. Synne hath made vs bond slaues to the deuyll and deathe Christes humilitie Christes glorious tryumph ouer synne deuill and hell Rom. 8. By christ are we made free from synne â–ª deuyll death damnation Why christ is ascendede into heauen Rom. â— Synne 2. Reg. 11. 2. Reg. 12. All thinges worke for the best vnto theÌ„ that loue god Psal. 51. Deathe 1. Cor. 5. Osee. 3. The deuyll 1. Pet. 5. Note well Synne death and deuyll are taken prisoners of christ The fruite of christes ascencion Christ hath receued gyftes for men Ioel. 2. Iohn 16. Act. 2. The workes of the holye ghost Rom. 4. Psal. 32. Psal. 68. Ephe. 4. Enemies of godes worde Psal. 2. Persâ—ecutyon maketh the worde of god to florishe Math. 16. Math. 21. God defeÌ„deth his churche Iohn 16. 1. Cor. 4. Iac. 1. Math. 16. Luke 24. Christe blessed his disciples what christes blessing was Math. 28. Marc. 16. Marc. 16. What it is to preach the gospell to euerye creature Esa. 55. Whersoeuer yâ— gospell is preached there the blessinge of Christe is What christe mente by blessing his disciples Rom. 1. Luc. 24. The holye ghoste is almighte and euerlasting god The miseries of the true christians in thys worlde both outwardly inwardly Why the holy ghost is called a conforter Note well Two kyndes of conforte The conforte of the worlde The conforte of the holye ghoste An obiection Ihon. 16. MathÂ· 14. Marâ— 6. Luc. 9. Antichristes disciples are in better case in this world then the disciples of christe Christes humilitie the answer worldly confort is vncerten The conforte of the holy ghost is most certen and sure 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 16. The holye ghost is god The rewarde of the godlye in this lyfe How the holy ghost coÌ„forteh the faithful inwardly Phil. â— The holye ghost teacheth no newe doctrine The wytnes bearinge of christe only coÌ„forteth the troubled and weak conscience Note Iohn 14. lib. de Isaac et anima Galat. 1. Epist. 2. Iohn The holye ghoste confortethe by the worde Rom. 10. What ChristiaÌ„s shal loke for this world vnconfortable thoughtes are of the deuyll Rom. 4. A swete conforte Math. 2â— Of the crosse and affliction Luc. 24. The true and false churche The pope and hys Secte is not the true churche Ciprians erroure Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Math. 6. The excommunicate and curse of the false churche is not to be feared How the false churche maye be knowen What it is to knowe god Iohn 1. What it is to knowe christ What it is to know the father The doctrine of the true churche The doctrine of the false churche whi we ought to do good workes Apoc. 2. The tokens of the true churche The true chureh taketh all troubles pacientlye and thankefuly Pentecoste â–ª what it signifyeth Exod. 20. 1. Cor. 10. Exod. 12. â— Cor. 5. Heb. 9.10 The PeÌ„tecost of the Iewes Rom. 7. Iohn 7. Exod. 34. 2. Cor. 3. The lawe accuseth 2. Cor. 3. Exod. 19. Deut. 8. The Whytsontide or PeÌ„thecost of the christians Actes 2. Luc. 24. Act. 1. Math. 3. What the fyrye tongues signifye Esa. 2. Math. 23. Marc. â—6 Why the Apostles speake with diuers languages Act. 5. Act. 20.21 Psal. 6â— Esa. 60. Hiere 3. Ioel. 2. Zachar. 3. The holye ghost hath alwayes ben of the churche Iohn 16. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 12. Christe the sonne of god Gen. 3. The reuelacion of the holye ghost on whitsondaye why the holye ghost was opened on whitsonday By christ receaue we the holy ghoste Psal. 68. Act. 2. The holye ghoste is god from euerlastyng Why the spirite of god is called the holye ghoste Iohn 6. Diuers propertis of the trinitie The proper office of the holye ghoste Act. 15. The seconde sanctifying of the holy ghost Ephe. 4. Zach. 2. Other offices of the holye ghoste Iohn 14. Iohn 15. How the holy ghoste may be obtayned Luc. 11. Prayer The holye ghost is to be obtaynede by prayer We muste pray in the name of christ Psal. 68. Act. 2. Math. 28. Marc. 16. Act. 3. The lyfe is godly to be ordered The office of the holye ghoste Math. 6. Psal. 51. The dignitie of this gospel To loue christ and to beleue in hym are all one thyng The nature of loue It is necessari that Christ beloued Loue doth all thinges Loue procedeth of fayth What is christes worâ— The lawe of god is to be obeyed How god is to be knowen Note well A great coÌ„fort Deut. 30. Rom. 10. What it is to be in heauen What it is to haue god dwellyng in vs. Esa. 66. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 3. â— 2. Cor. 6. Loue maketh all thynges lyghte Spollers of church goods That Christ keth god spea speakethe vexacion geueth vnderstaÌ„dynge Wyth out the in warde

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

great and high matters and not for vnholy thynges As the first precepte beareth recorde whiche is the chiefe in the second table Wherfore lette not the maried persons nor the seruantes thynke vilely and basely of their offices For these thynges please God and God hymselfe hath blessed matrimony and hath honored it for the nonce where as he now beyng a Preacher of the Gospelle came to the marriage at his byddyng If mariage hadde not ben holy inough hee myght haue alledged for his excuse the holynes of his office and so absented hym selfe But he beynge the chief prelate of all other is not lette by his moste holy office to come to the mariage whiche is the first foundation of all housholdynge But getteth vnto all such commendation estimation that who soeuer are in thys kind of lyfe doo highely esteme the iudgemente of God in that he hath so placed them in that roume that whether they be man and wyfe either chyldren eyther seruantes of the familie they may be sure that their office is after the will of GOD. For who woulde not bee moued with this notable exaÌ„ple of Christ in that that Christ beyng so great a teacher yea and God him self is not onely a renoume but also an healpe to mariage declaring there his good wyll most euidentely This doctrine is first necessary against heretikes And wee can not be at this time without it in the congregation for because of the sectes which diminishe the estimation of matrimonie and raileth on it as thoughe in it were an occasion of all discoÌ„modities with seruantes children neighbours wyfe houshold stuffe so that sufficient care of God and of his kyngdome may not bee had And therfore they seke an other deuise they take vpon them to lyue vnmaried they make them selues colledges and abbeys where they may lyue withoute suche paines Then after that by the authoritie of the dyuell they haue folowed these deuises euery man embraceth a rule and kynde of lyuynge that semeth beste vnto hym selfe Against this perill this doctrine is necessarie and the example of Christ most euident whiche at the mariage was not the cause of separation or diuorcement But that their copulation myght be more straighter narower more beneficiall with them selues he doth as a man would saye admonyshe them by his owne beneuolence and goodnes For yf he would haue disallowed the mariage there made he would not haue ben presente at an vnlaufull thynge If he hadde not fauoured with all his hearte the maried persones and sones and thereby hadde declared the fauour of God towarde the maried he woulde not haue blessed the mariage by the gyft of excellent wyne neyther would he haue geuen a token in this to the maried what succour and comfort they shold surely fele at Gods hand in such miseries yf they feare God And thys is one meanynge in Christes exaumple that hereby it myghte be gathered that Matrimonie ought to be honoured and counted among the moste godly sortes of lyuyng agaynst the phantasticall imaginations of the monkes whych so longe before were reproued by the Iudgement of the Apostles where as they are called seducynge spirites and the doctrine of deuyls forbyddynge to marry and to eate meates The other meanynge is to the comfort of the maryed persones that they may surely beleue that God is presente with them bee they neuer so muche vexed wyth pouertie nede and other myseries Onely lette thys bee thy care that thou neuer lacke this gueste at thy feast neyther bee thou any longer ruled with suche rules and Canons Thenne doubtlesse he shall alwayes for thy sake make wyne of water when he shall so prosper thy dooynges with hys blessyng that thou shalte neuer be lackynge of the greate glorye of GOD where as he also in thy tribulations whyche doo seeme paste all cure shall succoure thee at hys tyme appoynted The examples dayely chauncynge in mannes trauayle shewe thys to be trewe For when the maried persones are godly they feele the blessynge of God in preparynge theyr lyuyng the whiche is promysed by the Psalme Ecce dat dilectis suis dormientibus Beholde he geuethe to his electe euen when they sleape Lette vs take an experience hereof from the craftesmen I meane of the godlye and them that laboure dilygently in theyr vocation yf the whole summe of their gaines that they can gette by theyr yeares labor were put before them in a plaine summe and number they woulde vtterly despaire to fynde them and theirs thereby But the prime blessynge of God is amonge them where as necessaries are ministred vnto them when they perceaue it not and are geuen vnto them by Goddes secrete woorkynge so that they may perceaue Goddes priuye lyberalitie and bounteousnesse in theyr moste scarcitie To bee shorte the presence of Christe shall bee perceaued in all oure houses yf we se onely to thys that we caste not of the sekynge of the kyngedome of GOD thenne no doubte he wyl daylye tourne water into wyne for vs. He blesseth oure breade and loaues that a fewe maye suffise manye that symple meates maye seme to vs moste delicate that the garmentes maye not soone be worne so that yf wee coulde marke with attente eyes we myghte saye thys Lorde it is manyfeste that all the gouernaunce and ordrynge of mariage belongeth to thee and that the offices thereof pertayne vnto thy seruice For thy redynesse and good wylll appeare most euidentlye in the maryage at Cana and is yet seene where as thou doste so louyngly make prouysion for the godly maried persons Wherfore I wil count this thyng for no lighte and vnholye thinge but wyll decke and sette foorth for my poore mariage that I maye at least seme willyng to folowe the moste euident example of Christe thy sonne The Euangelist maketh speciall mention that Iesus mother was presente also peraduenture she was the bride mother in the mariage For shee thynketh that the matter belongeth to her when there chanced nede in the feast It appeareth that the mariage was suche in the whiche nothyng was lackynge but that that was necessarie And here Mary also by her exaÌ„ple testifieth that mariage is not to be despised as som superstitious people despise it For shee is not thereat only in the highest rome but she hath Iesus her sonne and his disciples whiche are moste honorable guestes ioyned vnto her in this office also O what glorie and boasting would the monkes make if this great company of sainctes that is to saye Christe with his mother his disciples had ben sene on this wyse in theyr matters The moste holy mother thynke it no scorne to shewe her labour and diligence in the moste vylest and base seruice at the mariage All these thynges lacke onely the voyce of God protestyng and pronouncynge that we may beholde this kynde of lyfe and consyder it accordyng to her propre nature and true dignitie The whiche God hath in so hygh estimation

that his pleasure is that his sonne and his mother shoulde be as a renoume and healpe at the mariage feast The examples are great yet they nothyng preuaile among the Papistes neither can housholders be moued therby sufficiently The dyuel is the cause thereof whiche suffereth not this lyght to appeare vnto them that they may perceiue that whatsoeuer belongeth to the seruice of housholds that that is taken of God as his owne For if men wolde thinke this for a suertye the seruantes wold counte their workes to be done as a most pleasant shewe in the sight of God they wold obey their masters most gladly and wolde beware of all offence with all diligence And when they were chidden they wold take it in good worth so that they knewe that this kinde of lyfe were for a suerty acceptable to God They wold euer beholde this shewe that Christ him self was present in the mariage that he declared his singuler good will towarde maried persons gouerners of housholdes least this should seme greuouse vnto them if they take any labour or paynes in the doing of the busines of the housholde But they that are so stubburne that they regarde not these thinges neither are they moued therby haue stonie hearts wher as they may haue this power eueÌ„ to serue God in their house yet they care not to do it or if they do it they are not moued therby they shew not theÌ„ selues to be ioyfull as in a prosperous case If the hand mayde wolde know her base works to be of such felicitie that they might be coÌ„pared with yâ— works of Marie done at the mariage should not this cause her to be ioyfull and of good trust in all her busynes Ueryly the works taskes that belonge to this state are very vile But the persons that iudge truely of things are excellent Bycause they know that whatsoeuer ther is of this sort it pleaseth God Whatsoeuer the iudgemeÌ„t of the worlde be as touching these matters be not thou ruled therby whiche folowest true godlynes For this is the reason to iudge that great and to be the very seruice of God whiche God hath commanded be it neuer so base and vyle Howe fortunat should this lower state be if it could acknowledge her felicitie that God alowed all their doynges as his true seruice where as contraryly all the Mounkes muste nedes be discouraged bycause they haue no commaundement of God makinge for theyr institution of lyfe There is none amongest all in this seruile kynd of lyfe But if he would consyder his sort of lyuinge after this maner would take great pleasure of this that he perceaueth that God and all the Angels beholde and alowe his worke Yea and hereby should they fynde their masters more gentle vnto them if they would with all diligence shew fidelitie in their office and they should at due tyme haue sufficient commoditie therby For faithfull and godlye seruantes are worthie of honour But although this be verye true of his nature yet can not men be brought in beleife that it is so All men set more by the inuentions of man as touchyng the worshippe of God after this or that sorte than that that God hath commanded as concerning the gouernance of a familie Wherfore it chaunceth worthelie to the vnkynde against the fyfte precepte that they faule to Mounkerie and besides that by doyng all that they can yet do they neuer obtayne their desyer but offende God most greuously by their great disobedience for he neuer gaue them any commandement as touching their trade of lyfe Wherfore this example is not lightly to be estemed but hereby ought true godlynes encrease that euery man for his parte may diligently furder matrimonie whiche God hath made gloriouse by his commandement For mariage preserueth Kynges and Prynces and that not onlye bycause Kynges and Princes springe of mariage but also bycause that if maried persons were not they should haue neither men people or yearlie reuenewes For by the gouernance of housholdes it is prepared wherby therafter all offices necessarie amonge men as well hyghe as low are mayntayned Wherfore God hath ordayned matrimonie to be as a wel springe of all other commodities in the earth This councell of God is to be knowen that we might doo all things with the more ioyfull heartes and that this kynde of lyfe might be commended and furthered of vs. But let the maried persons seeke especially herby necessarie succour and confort for them selues For if they be godly and feare God they haue this hystorie as a most certayne pledge that God will helpe the busines of the maried with a continuall blessing and correcte and mynish their incommodities As he testifieth in this place For it is not to be refused for this that the maried shall nedes suffer affliction in the flesh But when CHRIST is taken to the mariage and all the matter is referred to the worshippe of God then is it sure that Gods blessinge and helpe shall not be lacking This much therfore is to be learned as concerning this present matter and all ought to know this these things are put forth in preaching to the enteÌ„t that al might haue that excelleÌ„t will at length to magnifie matrimonie and to count it for a renoume if they be but maried or if they can but bestow som what to the furdering of mariage And fyrst let them see to them selues by this doctryne that they be not leade of the fantasticall spirites to superstition whiche count these thinges to be vnholy either to be maried either to gouerne a familie But he that would lyue with the fauour of GOD muste attayn thervnto by chastinge and kepinge vnder the body The whiche is the dreame of the Anabaptistes now a days They forsake their wyues their chyldern their familie And this they take for religion bycause of the perturbation of mynde that ther of doth ensue But this is very deceit and the dissemblinge of hypocrites For it is not paynefull in dede that one taketh on hym of his owne accorde That that is enioyned men against their will is much more paynefull Wherfore they are against it leaste they should be fayne to suffer diuers paynes and grefes For there are innumerable bandes that bynd the maried These bandes the Anabaptistes breake and take them selues to libertye least they should be fayne to stryne with these common myseries as other maried men do They take no great penance on them when they shake of this yoke For this yoke is of a moste hardest sort when one is bound to a yokefelow he is in daunger to his Prince and bound to his neighbours to helpe them where as al godly offices comme and springe on euery part by louinge and sufferinge For there are many thynges brought to sight to hearinge to other knowledge whiche are moste paynfull to fele and we wold wish to be ridde from them yet must we endure neither must

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