abide in the word Thē by by with great violence we run into the snares gynnes of the deuell And if we stedfastly beleue in the worde of god Then neither false prophet nother the deuell himselfe shal deceiue vs. And thē wtout dout he is greater that is in vs then he that is in the world 1. Io. 4 Secondarylye Christe speaketh of the seede that fell vpon the stone which although it sprange vp yet bicause it lacked moysture it withered awaye And so he declareth that the seed that fel on the stone be thei that when they hear the word of God they receiue it with ioy To fall from the worde in tyme of persecution but thei haue no rotes bicause thei beleue but for a while in tyme of temptacion and tribulacion they fall cleane away Wherin Christe sheweth that his gospell shall neuer bee preached withoute aduersaries that shall striue againste it And lykewise that the perfect and trew faith cannot be knowen but by tribulacion and temptacious so proued and tried as gold and siluer is by fier Yf thou wylt then search know what faith I haue and whether it be a trew or a fayned faith mark wel behold my lyfe when I chaunce to fal into temptacion tribulacion And yf then it be a pure and righte fayth and by the worde of god in my harte made liuelye and effectuall then muste I needes saye with sainct Paule Rom. 8. I am sure that nother death nor lyfe nor aungell nor rule or power nother things present or thinges to come nother high nor low nor any māner of creature shal seperate me from the loue of god that is in Iesu Christ Yea and I will frely confesse commend preach the word of god though I shuld dye an hundreth tymes Mat. 10 or forsake all that euer I haue had in this world For it must needes be in such case that other I forsake all and bere the crosse of Christ or else cease to be his disciple any lenger And in contrary wise when my fayth is not pure but fayned trewly thē wyl I not so hate my selfe that for the gospels sake I shuld ronne into daunger of my bodye and lyfe But then wyll I sette moste by and loue my body be it neuer so rotten and full of wormes Wherfore I am constrayned to heare Christ in an other place Mat. 16 saying He that findeth his lyfe shall lose it Cares riches voluptuousnesse be lette hīderāce vnto fayth Thyrdely Christ speaketh of other seed that fel amongest thornes and so sprong vp was choked amongest the thornes And that he expoundeth on this wise The seed that fell amongest the thornes be they that haue herd the worde of god and then thorowgh the cares ryches and voluptuosnes of this worlde be so ouer growne and choked that they can not bryng fourth frute Thow herist here repeted that suche heare the word of god yf then thei heare the word and yet be reiected of Christ I praye the what is the cause or what lettyth whye they be not saued verely euen that be cause they receyued not the worde of god ernestly and in they re hartes and for that they be founde neglegente in fayth loue and honest conuersations and fal from god the creatour vnto creatures Marke here how finely Chryst hath paynted and set oute the mindes and harts of riche men First of all he geueth vnto them cares for we commonly se that the more they haue the more the couet as it is said in the 5. cha Ecclesiastes The couetous man is neuer satisfied of money c. And he geueth also vnto thē the loue and affection of riches and desyre of this worldly lyfe As though he shulde saye To haue greate riches doth not damne a man for there hath beene sins the beginning of the world many deuout and holy men that hath had greate riches and yet neuerthelesse haue obtayned euerlasting lyfe But to sette harte and minde in riches and through them to seeke the pleasures of this lyfe not to knowe that we be but seruauntes and stewardes of suche riches to th entent that the poore and nedye maye be holpen thereby that is the very thing that condemneth a man Wherfore seing it is so with riche men for the more parte that they with all theire diligence seeke and folow the pleasures of this lyfe and do not mortefye the fleshe by the spirite but passe ouer their lyfe in all securitie and wealthe of this world Mat. 19 Christ sayeth also in an other place Soner may a camell runne thorow the eye of a nedle then a riche man entre into heauē And to be briefe Such rich men What condemneth the rich mē and men that abuse their riches in this world haue but smal prayse in scripture and in many places we hear of their condemnacion not bicause they haue much riches or that they be men of great power and might but for that they do abuse their such giftes and take their lusts and pleasure in it and do not make frends to them of their wicked mammon Fourthly Christ speaketh of the seede that fell in the good grounde and sprang vp and brought forth fruict an hundreth fold And that he declared on this wise That that fell in the good ground be thei which with good hert mind Good grounde do hear the worde of god and kepe the same and bring forth fruict in pacience And there be two thinges to be noted in that Fewe christian men First that there be merueilous few christian mē in this earth But of them that in body soule go to the deuel ther is a great nomber how highly soeuer they pretend the name of christians or boaste of the gospell as Christ doth witnes in the 7 chapt of Mathew saiyng The gate is larg and the way is broad that leadeth to perdition and many there be that entreth into the same But the way that leadeth to lyfe is straite the gate very narrow and fewe haue found the same And the other thinge that Christ sheweth vs is this that although the more parte of menne be euell and so abyde yet the word of god shal not be preached in vaine In some corner there shal be found good ground The worde of God is not preached in vayne Esa 55. wherin the good seede of the word of god is sowen shal spring vp and bring forth frute plenteously whereof god speaketh by his prophete Esaias in this wise Lyke as the shoures of rayne and snow descendeth frō heauen and retourneth not thither againe but sinketh into the earth and norisheth the same and maketh it bring forth seede vnto the sower bread to the eater so shal the word that cometh out of my mouth it shal not retourne vnto me empti but shal do all that I wil shall prosper whersoeuer I shal send it And although it seme
bely withe promises and miracles credulitye and conceyue trewe faith in god is gyuen vnto vs of God so many promises confirmed with many noble miracles that needes must he be blinded and geuen into a wrong opinioÌ„ that is not by them sterid to faith can set a parte the carke of the belly And moreouer he suffereth that such promises be shewed to the people in sermones whereby through the remembraunce of them wee maye bee allured to the faithe that is in Iesu Christe Who is so hard or dul harted that caÌ„ not be moued to faithe yf he wyll remembre what greate care Christ toke for this multitude And how he pitied them when there was no mencion made of meat nor drynke Wherein he sheweth that he knoweth what we haue need of before we aske any thing of him And in that he lift vp his eyes as the Euangelist saith and beheld the multitude is signifyed that Christ hath in hys mind compassioÌ„ on vs and that his help shal always be ready at hand for vs. And so must we vnderstaÌ„d wheÌ„ scripture saith that god doth loke vpon vs with his eies that he mercifully wil defeÌ„d vs against al peryls of body soul Psal 10 His eyes loketh vppon the poore And in an othee place Looke vppon me Lorde and haue mercy on me Wherfore seeyng that Christ sheweth in this miracle his such great goodnes clemencye and carefulnesse for vs that mercifully he wyll prouyde for vs both in body and soule It were very vnmete that we our selues shuld take lyke carke not wholy to trust to hym that is able to perform that he hath promysed Nor is this to be vnderstand as thoughe we shuld not care for our helth but rather that before all thinges we considre howe to please God thorow Christ that wee maye be made pertakers of euerlastyng health which Christ in the gospel requireth of vs Mat. 6 and sayth Fyrst seeke the kingdom of god and his righteousnes and al these thinges shal be geuen vnto you As he myghte say It is necessary that ye beleue for and yf ye do not beleue yt is necessary that ye alwayes lack although al the world with al his riches were yours Psa 33 as Dauid saith Rich men haue lacked and haue huÌ„gred Here a man myght withstand and say If the matter be so and that God wyll fede and norish me then wyl I be ydle and wyl no lenger laboure Not so my deare frende ye shall not so do for labour is not forbidde vnto the but the care and carckefulnes therevppon is forbidden Thou shalte eate thy breade in the sweate of thy face but yet shalt thou not put thy trust in thy labour but in God allonly If thou do this thou shalte not neede to care for thy lyuyng Labour diligently and by thy faythe accordinge to thy callynge leaue the care to God and he wyll norishe the throughe Christ Secondaryly we haue here a godlye exaumple of the loue of god in Christe toward vs. Fyrste in that he dyd not only feede the good and iust The example of the loue of God but also the euel men which were not the lesse part amongst this fiue M. And in that also that he so mekely suffered the weaknesse of Philip and thother Apostels hee dothe teache vs that euerye Christiane man shuld shew forth his faith by workes of loue and thereby to prouoke other to doo the same And suche loue muste alwayes bee perfecte Imperfecte loue doth neuer good but to his frendes Gal. 5. whiche the Publicanes and sinners do also for they loue theÌ„ of whoÌ„ they be loued agayn as Christ saith in the 6. chapt of S. Luke our loue muste be perfecte Perfect loue doth not only good to his frends but to his enemys also Wherin we may se the example of Christ and of the heuenly father Mac. 5. which suffereth his sunne to shyne vpon the good and bad and sendeth raine to the iust and vniust Of this perfection of loue Christe speaketh in an other place saiyng Ye shal be perfect as your father in heauen is perfecte In that place Christe commeÌ„deth the loue of his father towardes vs as a moste perfecte loue Wherfore Bycause he hath receyued vs into his fauour and grace Rom. 5. which were yet his enemys and sayth that we also must be perfect in brotherly loue which cometh froÌ„ faith Therfore yf thou be a christian man and wilt with good works manifest thy selfe to haue a Christian mans harte go to then and instructe them that be weak and leaue them not vntil thow haue brought them to the knowledge of the fayth And moreouer dooe good to all men withoute any respecte aswell to thyne enemyes as to thy frendes to the bad as to the good And then thou hast testified with works of loue that thou art a good tree in that thou bringest forth good frute Thirdely this gospell sheweth Geuing oâ— thaÌ„kê to the beneâ—… 〈◊〉 Chriâ—… how Christ dyd not distribute and geue this breade and fisshes to the multitude before that he had giuen thankes in his hart to his heauenly father of whose liberality and plenteousnes all creatures be susteined and norished vp Wherin he teacheth vs that we lykewise shuld gyue hartely thankes for the great henefites both bodely and ghostly that we dailye receaue of God the father through his welbeloued sonne Iesu Christ And yf thow wylt knowe the very trewe thankes geuing What is thaÌ„kê giuinge This it is To knowledg that al that euer we haue cometh of God through Christ of his mere grace and goodnes and not of our selues This is the trew wayes to gyue thanks And for the more parte continuall praise and commendacion foloweth such knowledg By what means can I geue prayse honoure and thankes to God except I knowledge his benefites Nowe yf I haue this faith and knowledge that God throughe Christe hathe destroyed the kyngdome of the diuel made me inheritoure of his heauenly kyngdome doughteles I do also gyue thankes with all Goddes electe for so greate a benefyte as the nature of suche that beleue is sette forthe at large in the 25. chapiter of Esaias the Prophete and in Daniel the seconde chapiter Neither shall I do it once but al dayes of my lyfe withoute ende I shall saye withe Dauyd Psa 145 My sowle prayse the Lorde I shall prayse the Lorde in my lyfe tyme and shall synge vnto the Lorde as long as I shall lyue Psal 33 And I wyll geue prayse to the Lorde at all tymes his praise shall alwayes be in my mouth Lykewise when I knowledge that God in outeward and worldely thinges wyll of his mercyfulnes norish me but so that I must needes labore to then muste I well remembre that it is not to be adscâ—ibed to my laboure but muste gyue harty thankes to God throughe Christe Howe often tymes doth that iuste man Dauyd confesse that
in this gospel that when his worde is bothe harde and receaued and so therewith the sowle feede that he likewise will giue the necessaryes for the body But marke this that Christe feedeth and norisheth vs here by a meane For he saith vnto Peter Lanche out into the deepe and lette slyppe your nettes and make a draught as thoughe he wolde saye I will feed you and geue you that you lacke but euerye manne shall do the thinge that he is called vnto that is they shall laboure Gene. 3. For if you laboure Labour and put youre confidence in me I wyll see that your laborure shall not be loste And this considereth Peter saiynge Maister wee haue laboured all the night and gatte nothinge but at thy word I will lose forthe the nette Whoe dothe not perceiue in these wordes of Peter that all oure counsailes thoughtes and all oure merites what so euer wee intende for to dooe or leaue are all in vaine and to none effecte excepte that they be taken in hande and begonne in the name of god For before they had laboured all the night and toke nothing And that happened vpon theim which ys written in the psalme where the prophete saith Psa 126 It is but lost laboure that ye rise vp earlye and take no reste but eate the breaded of care fulnes For loke to whome it pleaseth the lorde he geueth yt in sleepe But when Christe saide Lette slyppe your nettes and the disciples regarded not their owne labour but hauing respecte to the worde of Christe then tooke they a greate multitude in so muche that they were fayne to call to their felows which were in an other ship for helpe and filled bothe the shippes full Deut. 4. Whoe wolde not nowe beleue Christe whiche not all only wyll but can helpe vs Therfore beleue nowe and he will see that thou shalte lacke nothinge nother for body nor sowle As touchinge thy soule he wyll keepe it by his worde and thy body with corporall meates and norishinges which thinge thou mayst euidently perceaue by this miracle To this pertayneth that Paule saieth to Timothe 1 Tim. 6 Godlynes is profitable vnto all thinges as a thinge whiche hathe promises of the life that is nowe and of the lyfe that is to come And Christe sayeth in the gospell of Mathewe Mat. 6. Seeke yee fyrste the kyngedome of heauen and the righteousnesse therof so shall all these thynges bee mynystred vnto you The callynge of the apostels Thyrdelye Peter was not allonly here comforted whiche for simplenes ignoraunce or feare bad Christe departe from him bicause he was a sinner but also the other likewise whiche were called to the apostolicall office For Christe sayed Feare not as thoughe he wold saye When a man feeleth and knoweledgeth hys synne there shulde he not flye frome me but runne to me forasmuche as I am come into the worlde for sinners For they that be hole Mat. 9. neede no physicion but the sycke Wherefore my Peter take heede that thou biddest me not go frome the but to tarye with the. For I am no tyraunte whiche for cruelnesse kyll and destroye men but with mercye and goodnes I wyll alure mē vnto me and truly I will not allonly forgiue you and pardon you your offēces for bicause you knowledg them but also I wyl make you fishers of menne that hereafter ye shal become myne apostels disciples And likewise as hitherto ye haue taken fyshe with bodely nettes so ye shal hereafter get take mē with spirituall nettes out of the stormie sea of this worlde and bringe them into my kingedome And Christ hath here respect to the prophecie of Ieremy where he saith Ier. 16. Behold I wil send out many fishers to take them Mat. 13 And in the gospel of S. Mathew we haue that the gospel is compared to a nette caste into the sea wherewith are taken al manner of fishes And likewise as Christ comforteth here Peter with the other bicause they wer abashed and afrayed and were comforted so we shall learne hereoute howe a sinner can get no consolacion and comforte by nothinge but all only by Christ Also by the calling of Peter Iames Iohn we learn that no mā oughte to thrust himselfe into the office of a precher except he be called For those thre apostles were before in the common callyng which euery man is called vnto That is Gen. 3. that in the sweate of theyr face they shulde eate theyr breade And therein lyke good and symple menne they wolde haue remayned yf they hadde not beene otherwise called Fourthly we haue in this gospel The power and strength of the gospell The obedience of the apostels what strength and vertue the worde of Christe hathe and also the obedyence of the aforesayde Apostels For as soone as Christe hadde sayde Frome hence forthe ye shal be fysshers of men incontinent when they hadde brought theyr shyppes to lande they forsoke al and folowed him Here wee muste needes graunte that Christe dydde not speake yt allonlye in theyr eares but also in theyr hartes for else howe shulde they haue so soone folowed hym For it is not so lyghte a matter nor so easy to forsake father and mother lande house and money that a manne canne dooe it of his owne selfe It is the worke of the hollye ghoste Ioh. 6. and cometh not of the fleshe Wherefore seeinge that the wordes of Christe are spiryte and lyfe yee maye well perceaue this callynge not to haue sounde alonly in the eares of the apostels but also in their hartes or else they wolde not haue forsaken their parentes wyues and children so lightly and haue takē Christ for their sauioure and Lorde To forsake all But what is that to forsake all thinges It is none other thinge but so to be affectioned that gladly whensoeuer god wil a man be ready to forsake wife and children father and mother and all that in the worlde is and to folowe Christe Remembre also that the folowing of Christe consisteth not alwaies in the outewarde worke but moste chieflye in the harte For wee see many christian menne that do abide and lyue styll with their wiues and children whiche are not called to folowe Christe as the Apostels were and yet natwithstandinge are so mynded that at all tymes they bee readye and willynge when it shall please God to forsake al nother suffre them by no meanes to bee called frome the acknowledging and confessynge of the gospell and the righteousnes thereof whiche is in Christe Iesu whiche also folow Christ as well as those apostels did But they that be not called there vnto to forsake wyfe and children go run ouer all the wide world to be a charg a burthen to other men as do the Anabaptistes 2. Cor. ◠may be counted rather to be folowers of the diuell then of Christe oure sauioure To whom with the father and the holly
greate parte of loue Vnto Philem. And afterwarde he excuseth Onesimus of his fleyng and ronnyng away as verye necessarye to this purpose that after his suche lapse and falle he might be not onlye a minister or seruaunt but as a brother vnto Philemon Forthermore the same good saint Paule took on hym selfe the harme whiche the same fugitiue seruaunt had done his mayster and wolde all the losse whatsoeuer it were to be layde on his necke Be not these good workes But by it that other workes do appeare greate and good yet may thei not well be called good workes whan they which haue neede of them be not releuyd by them Good workes must alway serue thy neyghboure hym that hath need Christ in the middest of his oy lameÌ„ted wepte And that Christ teacheth vs in this story when in the middest of the peoples ioy which reioysed and wished all thinges prosperous vnto him as to the son of Dauyd to their power gaue hym the moste honoure they could he wepte very sore and bitterly What shuld stir or moue him so to wepe thinke you Verely as he him selfe witnesseth the misery and wretchednes of the people entred into his hert for seing that by al the time that he was so conuersaunte amongest them they wolde not vnderstand nor receiue knowledge it was necessarye that thei in body soule honour and all their goods shuld perishe All this knewe Christ and therefore wepte so sore And besides this he faithfully gaue monicion vnto them before whereby they mighte learne to auoyd such inconuenience but all was in vayne Now lyke as Christ doth not disemble but by all meanes goeth aboute to preuente the losse of his people so shulde we when we are come to the knowledg of God take vpon vs the care and necessitie of our neighbour whether it be bodely or gostlye great or small to procure not only that there ryse or growe no hurt vnto them or theires but also that they feele our help at need As sainct Paule to the Galat. in the 9. chap. Galat. 9 saith Alter alterius one ra portate sic perficietis legem Christi That is One of you ease and help an other and so ye shall fulfill the lawe of Christ Let it be by vs at all time fulfilled that God the father by oure workes withoute seasing end may bee glorifyed Amen The seconde sonday in Aduent Luc. 21. AND there shal be signes in the sonne and in the moone and in the starres and in the yearth Mat. 24 Mat. 13 Ioel. 2. Ezec. 38 the people shal be at theire wittes ende thorowe dispaire The sea and the water shall roare and mens hartes shal faile them for fear and for lokyng after those thynges whiche shall come on the yeerth For the powers of heaueÌ„ shal moue And then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloud with power and greate glory When these thinges begin to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heades tor youre redemption draweth nye Mat. 24 Mar. 13 And he shewed them a similitude Be hold the figge tree and al the trees when theye shoote forth their buddes ye se and knowe of youre owne selues that sommer is then nye at hande So likewise ye also when ye se these thinges come to passe be sure that the kingdome of God is nye Verely I saye to you this generacion shal not passe in all be fulfilled Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shal not passe THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell first of all is declared vnto vs Christe careth for vs. the greate carke and care that Christ taketh for vs. And although he speake here of many and horrible signes and tokens that shal be before his coÌ„ming yet he wolde not that his electe shuld be destitute of comfort But very gentely taught them how they shulde behaue them selues when the tribulacion of this time shall come vpon them Neither wolde he kepe close from them what shulde folowe after this tribulacions verely the ende of the cursed and wicked world Mat 24 And althoughe these signes at the firste shal be terrible and bring muche sorowe and tremblinge with them yet shall they not all hurte the elect bycause thei shal haue knowledg of these thinges long before The ioy oâ— the electe And thei shal looke about and lift vp their heads as they which know by those signes the day of their redemtion from al euel to be at haÌ„d And that Christ then shall take from the tirannes 1 Cor. 15 Princes Lordes Kinges and Emperoures theyr power and yelde it vp to his heuenly father Further seing that thei know according to saint Pauls saiyng that all thinges worke for the best to gods elect Rom. 8. They do verelye also perceyue that all these signes muste be referred therevnto Likewise it is no small comforte that we haue of Christes saying in an other place Mat. 10 All the heares of your heade bee numbered In contrary wise the dispisers of gods word shall with a greate boldenesse set at naughte these signes and shall often haue in theire mothes Peace and quietnes 1 Tes 5. Also this prouerbe What heauen fall But at the laste they shall runne into greate fear for bycause they be drouned in that volupteousnes of this world Thei haue no hope in Christ and therfore thei caÌ„ not lift vp their heds vnto this sauiour redemer Wherfore it shall not here need so long explicacioÌ„ of the signes to keÌ„s as shall need diligeÌ„t admonitioÌ„ to faith through which we abide in Christ Christ in vs. For wher this thinge is so brought to passe ther is nother signes treÌ„blingê nor feares No nother sin the deuell hell nother death caÌ„ hurt vs. Wilt thou briefly know who abydeth in Christ Ioh. 15 in whom Christ abideth S. Iohn speketh that plainli saieng He that kepeth his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tê abideth in Christ Christ in hiÌ„ What is that commaundement 1. Ioh. 3 That we shuld beleue in the name of his son Iesu Christ one to loue an other Neuertheles brieflye to speak of those signes that S. Luke maketh mencioÌ„ of wherby al meÌ„ may vnderstaÌ„d how much thei are now done already how much they shal be done herafter Firste of all he saieth that there shall come mani fals prophets False prophets which shal deceue many Oh what an horrible thing is that that they shal come in the name of Christe But here considre the care that Christ taketh for the and execute his commauÌ„dementes then shal there be no ieoperdie at al. Beleue them not saieth Christ nor geue no faith to them Antichrist here may wel be noted Antechrist wâ—th his false doctrine and his outwarde worshipping of God of the which S. Paule speaketh in the seconde chapter of the seconde epistle to the Thessalonians Secondarely the words of the Euangelist doth shewe
that surfete and ouer greate couetousnes of riches with greate violence shall invade The car of the belli In the whiche place againe Christ taketh care for vs and saieth Beware c. Thirdly the Gospell shal be preached euery where as we do nowe euidently se so that wee muste needes confesse and knowledge that these manye yeares hitherto the Gospell hathe not beene so purelye preached as we se in these latter daies Item the son moone and the sterres shal be destitute of their naturall lighte The course of the law And hereto shall folowe the sorowfulnes of the people for the feare and lookinge for those thinges whiche shall chaunce to all the worlde The rombling and noise of the sea and floudes the mouinge of the celestiall powers and diuerse other signes whereof Christe maketh mention Now thou perceiuest what shall signes necessarily happen and moreouer thou hast harde that to those that abide in Christe Rom. 5. thâ—y shall bringe no feare at all Forthermore see in this case that thou take hold of Christe by faithe as suche a Lorde and mayster 1 Pet. 5. that hath taken charge ouer the yea and shall abide with the to the end of the worlde Mat. 28 so shall there bee nothing that shall hurte or feare the. The second aduente of Christe Also Christ in this gospell sheweth the maiestye of his laste comminge for none other cause but to comforte his people and to the wicked he bringeth an horrible fear when he saieth And then thei shal se the sonne of man come in a cloud with a great power and clerenesse as thoughe he shuld say Thou my dispised company hast suffered griefe and paine in this worlde thou haste beene made the ofscouringe of al for my worde in the desence therof thou hast suffered many ieopardies of goodes honoure lyfe 1 Cor. 4 and so forthe Therefore now beholde him in whome thou hast laied or sette all thy trust or hope What thinkest thou nowe by my power where bee they that haue persecuted the Ps 72 whreunto is their power come where is nowe seene the pompe and magnificeÌ„ce of thi enemies Al thei by coÌ„fusioÌ„ shame ar destroyed Rom. 8. being damned both body soule for euer And lyke as thy misery shal now haue an end so shall their perpetuall infelicitye and condemnacion nowe begyn and last for euermore Feare thou not this my power whiche thou nowe seeste it shall make more for the then against the Likewise lette not my maiestye be it neuer so greate trouble the The greater it is the more socoure shalt thou haue at my hande And nowe suffre a while and let vs se what the enemyes of the word of God can do Lo Psa 43 thus it is manifest that the maiestie of Godds iudgement to vs that beleue his worde and for the same alwaies be counted and taken as shepe apoynted to the slaunghter bringeth not feare but rather a comforte To vs I say that beleue in him for wee shall hear that ioyfull voice Mat. 15 Come hither the blessed children of my father And nowe may we plainlye se what it is that saynt Paule saith 2 Tim. 1 I knowe in whome I haue beleuid and am sure that he is able to kepe that I haue committed to his kepyng vnto that day In contrary wise Ioh. 19 the enemies of the word of God shal se whom they haue persecuted and whether Christ shall winke at all those ylles that hathe chaunsed to the electe people of God There shal be wepinge and gnashing of teath there shal be hell euerlasting death Thirdly we haue in this gospell a perfecte admonicion that we shal abiecte and cast away al fleshly truste and securitie Carefulnes hurteth and to geue dilygence to haue perfect knowledge of our selues and to be alwayes readye against the glorious adneÌ„t or comming of our lord Iesu Christ For bycause he hath moued and kindeled our hartê with these wordes Looke vp and lyfte up your heades hath putte awaye all feare He wil also that we be warned to prepare our selues againste these times and this he doth by a rude and homely similitude saying Ye se the figge tree and all other trees when they bring forth their fruicte and theÌ„ you say somer draweth nigh So when ye shal see al these thinges done know you for certain that the kingdome of heauen is at hande And note wel nowe that he wolde vs to vnderstand perceiue that when al these thinges shal be brought to passe that then Christ shall make an end of the world But the wicked shal boldly dispise and saye God seeth not vs Ezec. 9. he hath forsaken the earth c. yet shall christian men geue hede loke for these times Luc. 11. as a faithful seruauÌ„t doth loke his mayster when he shall retourne from the mariages And that thou mayest knowe that hee greatlye desireth that we shuld be mindefull of this day he maketh an ende of his sermon with this worde Watche ye How must we watch Verely it is nedeful that we haue a liuely feruente faith Mat 25 which by loue shulde bee effectuall like vnto the fyue wyse virgines For trewly to watch is to be diligente in faithe To watche To slepe and the workes of God as in the contrary wise to slepe is nothing els but to dispise the worde of God to abide in infidelitie and playnly to doo no good at all Now how many is there emongest vs al that doth loke for that helthful and glorious comming or aduent or watcheth therefore Verelye all the worlde slepeth and routeth 1 Tes 5. Night and darkenes hath ouer compassed all that euer ys Wherfore thou that art the minister of the word of God folowe Christ sette it forth with all instancye and feruentnes Call to repentaunce Correcte the euell Comforte the good and beware leste God require the bloode of the synner at thy hand Ezec. 5. For trewly it is not all in vayne that God hath so purposed and decreede in his minde He hath spoken it and therefore it muste needes bee Heauen and earthe shall passe awaye but his worde shall euer abide If thou do thy dewtye and ceasest not with all thy minde to admonishe and warne althoughe it were so that the more parte wolde not beleue or obey but lyke the Sodomytes encrese synne vpon synne yet wold there be found some good grounde that wold receiue the seede of Godes worde bring forth frute Thy diligence and labour can not lack his reward Mat. 25 as scripture witnesseth saieÌ„g Wel good seruaunt and faithfull bycause thou haste beene faithfull ouer a little I shall set the ouer muche Enter into the kingdome of thy Lorde The thirde sondaye in Aduent Mat. 11. WHen Iohn beyng in prison herd the workes of Christ he sente two of his disciples Esa 35. and sayde vnto him Art thou he that
mammon Mammon And in like manner these worke maisters as thei be called haue their priuate god that is the trust in their own works and merites Of the which false god Esaias sayth Esa 2 They haue worshipped the workê of they re owne handes And I pray you what shuld the birth of Christ haue profited those men if it had been shewed vnto them Mat. 7. Holy thinges maye not be caste to dogs nor perles to swyne He that putteth his trust in any other creature then in Christ to him Christ is vnprofitable Lykewyse he that by any other meanes seketh his iustificacion but by Christ to him also is Christ vnprofitable as S. Paule in manye places wytnesseth his eristle to the Galathians saiyng Gal. 2 Yf Iustificacion come by the lawe then died Christ in vayne And bycause Christe here requireth suche a herte that shuld not put hope or trust in any wordely goodes or in his owne power and righteousnes but should holy stycke to his passion Mat. 5. death and merite Therfore he chose none but poore folkes and not such as wer pore in this world after the flesh but poore in spirite that is they that knowe all they re owne sinnes frailnes misbeleue and corrupt natur and abid only in his word And to them also saithe he in an other place Mat. 11 Come to me al ye that be laden and I shall refreshe you Also If any man thirst let him come to me Iohn 7 and I shal geue him drinke These and such like wordes the riche men and they that wil be iustified by their owne workes do not receue nor regarde of the whiche the blessed virgin Mary in her songe singeth Quod dimittantur inanes They are seÌ„t awai empty Luc 2 Therfore this birth of Christ ioiful messaÌ„ger is shewed onli to the pore shepards Thirdely we may learne of this gospell that when this helthfull birth of Christe is layde forthe vnto vs by the ministers of the gospell which for the more part in scripture be signified by aungels and we therby assertained Mal. 2. that our saluacion consisteth in the same wee maye in no wise so dooe that wee shuld be forgetful of so great a benefit or be founde vnkind therin Thanks geuing but rather shuld with continual thaÌ„kes geuing praise and extol the same and alwaies sing with the angels Glory be in heauen vnto God c. Here God is praised of the Aungels heauenly company chiefly for this cause that he of his onlye grace mercy hath geuen his onlye begotten son a sauioure to the world that through him the way shuld be to euerlasting lyfe for al men and that by his goodnes syn deth the deuel and hel shuldde taken away Ys not this benefite worthy of praise coÌ„mendacioÌ„ Yes trewly no man can geue worthy thankes therefore Neueuertheles yet we must persist to say with the prophet Dauid Ps 146 My soule praise the Lord I wil praise the Lord in my lyfe I wil sing to my God as longe as I lyue And considre here that this honour and thankes geuing can not bee yelded to God where this oure Christe is not or not throughly knowen And that no peace or good will can abide with vs without Christ Ioel. 17 And in contrary wise wher Christ abideth and by his word is wel knowen ther also the heuenly father is knoweÌ„ praised extolled as such a father that hath geueÌ„ vs his only son Christ for a sauiour into al the world And there also is found the trew peace when we beleue that God the father wil not vs to bee damned but of his ineffable grace wil receiue and geue vs euerlastinge lyfe by Christe Who I praye you wolde not be of good chere when he hereth the aungels bring this peace quietnes of harte to vs And besides all this God reioyseth in vs through his sonne And againe they that beleue doth reioyce in all his workes singing without ende Glory be in heauen to god peace in earth good wil to men The gospel on the first sonday after Christemas Luc. 2. AND his father mother meruailed at those thinges whiche were spoken of him And Simeon blessed them and sayde vnto Mary his mother Beholde this chylde is sent to be the fall and vprysinge againe of many in Israel and for a signe whiche is spoken againste And moreouer the sweard shal perse thy soule that the thoughtes of many hertes may be opened And there was a prophetisse one Anaa the doughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser which was of greate age and had lyued with her husbande seuen yeares from her vyrginitie And she had bene a widowe aboue foure score foure yere which departed not from the temple but serueth God with fastinges and prayers nyght and day And she came forth that same hour and praysed the Lorde and spake of hym to al them that loked for the redemptioÌ„ in Ierusalem And when they had performed al thinges according to the law of the Lord they returned into Galile to theyr owne city Nazareth And the chylde grewe and waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedome â— Reg. 2. and the grace of God was vpon hym THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell we haue sufficieÌ„t testimony of Christ that he is the trew Messias the blessed sede of AbrahaÌ„ in that which all people shuld be saued SimeoÌ„s testimoni of Christ First we haue the great testimonye of Simeon which of long time had loked for the consolation coÌ„fort of Israel was enformed by the holy ghost that he shuld not se deth before he saw Christ And when Ioseph Mary had in the day of purificatioÌ„ takeÌ„ the childe Iesus set hiÌ„ before the lord in Ierusalem according to the custom made their host oblacion Lo Simeon also through the holy ghost came in to the temple toke the child in his aâ—mes called him the sauiour sent froÌ„ God the lighte of the gentiles and glorye of the people of Israel What it is to blesse And afterward wished al thinges prosperous ioyfull to the child and his parentes and that is signified by that that he did blesse them as it appeareth in the 24. cha of gen And theÌ„ said he to Mari Lo this child is set to the fal and vprisinge of many in Israel And for a signe which shal be spokeÌ„ against Of these words of Simeon it is manifest that Christ is the trew Messias sauiour of the world promised in holi scripture or els why wold he cal him the lyght sauiour glory of Israel yf he could not help saue iustiâ—i Iohn 1. Yea if he wel not the very sauiour by whom we take our saluacion verely he mighte seme but a dispised sauiour And besides this he shuld not haue byn called the light of the GeÌ„tilê if he shuld not haue lightned al meÌ„
had fulfilled the dayes as they returned home the chyld Iesus abode styl in Ierusalem and his father and mother knew not of it but thei supposing him to haue bene in the company came a daies iorney and sought hym amongest their kynsfolkes and acquayntaunce And when they found hym not they went backe agayne to Ierusalem and sought hym And it fortuned that after thre dayes they found hym in the temple sittyng in the myddest of the doctours heryng them and posing them Mat. 7. and 13. Mar. 1. Luc. 7. And all that herd hym were astonied at his vnderstandyng and answeres And when they sawe hym they meruailed And his mother said vnto hym Sonne why hast thou thus delt wyth vs. Beholde thy father and I haue sought the sorowyng And he saied vnto them Howe is it that ye sought me Wyst ye not that I must go about my fathers busynes And Luc. 9. and 18. f they vnderstode not the saying which he spake vnto them And hâ— went downe with them and came to Nazareth and was obediente vnto them But his mother kepte all these sayinges together in her harte And Iesus prospered in wisedome and age and in fauoure with God and men THE EXPOSTION ALthough S. Luke hath passed ouer many thiÌ„gê as the flediÌ„g of Christ into Egypt yet with great diligeÌ„ce hath he discribed the childhod of Christ And bycause yt is a great thing a matter of high wisdoÌ„ estimacioÌ„ that Christ beiÌ„g but 12. yers of age so boldli disputed with the chieffest lerned meÌ„ of IerusaleÌ„ S. Luke therfore hath set forth these thiÌ„ges so goodly that for our eruditioÌ„ and coÌ„fort to teach vs first the Christ came iÌ„to this world to teach And although the at such time as he begaÌ„ first to dispute he had not yet takeÌ„ the office of preachiÌ„g which before he was 30. yers of age happened not yet he wold in his so doing signify vnto vs what his office ministery shuld be The office of Christe Ioh. 5. vntil the tyme of hys passioÌ„ that is that he wold be coÌ„uersauÌ„t in scripture set forth the same teach holsom doctrine And moreouer that he wolde not wrap himselfe in ciuile and worldly busines but be occupied in those thinges that concerned the glory of his father The Iewes trewly in their minds thought in the which opinion thei yet stick in that Christe in great pomp and power shuld excercise his kingdom in this worlde But he is not fouÌ„d in Kings courts but in the teÌ„ple wher he sercheth the law of God wold that afterward of hym shuld be herd Ioh. 18. that his kiÌ„gdom was not of this world As though he shuld say Ioh. 18. It must needes be trewe Psal 2 that I am constitute king ouer the mounte of Sion And this my kingdome is spiritual and not carnall The scepter of my kingedome is the holy gospel wherwith I rule them that my father hath geuen to me as it is saide in the seconde psal of me Preaching his preceptes Here thou herest that I am sent to teache Iohn 6 Bycause Christe now is a doctor in his doctrin is coÌ„teined euerlasting life yt is mete therefore that we shulde receiue allonly his doctrine and beleue the same and not be pulled from it by any mannes tradicions and dreames We be warned in many places of scripture that we shuld geue eare and harken vnto Christ seing that he is the very truth Esaias in the 55. chap. sayeth Incline your eares and come to me herken your soules shal be saued Yf I shuld nowe then forsake Christ the fountaine of lyfe and geue my selfe to them that teach the contrary from him then must I nedes runne into error and perpetuall damnacion Therfore if I hear him with the eares of myne harte and receiue his doctrine then without dout he wyll teache me outwardely by his worde and inwardly by the holy ghost Esa 45. so through his merites I shal be pertaker of the heauenly ioy Secondarely BringiÌ„g vp of children thys gospel teacheth how fathers shuld bring vp their children in honest conuersacion and the feare of God And that we may be learned by that that Ioseph and Mary toke the childe Iesus with them to Ierusalem to the Easter feast that he might with all thother Iews Deu. 15 worship God according to Moyses precept in offering sacrifice doing and eating in the seuenth day shuld heare the lawe of God This although it was not necessary for Christes person to do yet wold he lyue vnder the lawe as thother dyd vntil he had fulfilled the whole law and abrogated the same And in that he taughte vs that lyke as he toke the nature of man vppon him and was made man and that for oure sakes so in age wisedome and grace he daily increased more and more and after the maÌ„ner of other children was brought vp vnder his parentes after mans custome was so diligently instructed And seing that this childe did so obey his parents to the worshiping of god it is conuenient that our children be likewise brought vp in the fear of God and honest and good conuersacioÌ„ before the world Thou wilt not beleue how nedful necessary thing it is to instruct children and bring them well vp in they re youth yea and if the thinge had ben of small estimacion thinkest thou that God wold so ernestly haue coÌ„maunded the Iewes to bring vp their children in the feare of God No man knew better then he Pro. 22. that a yong man ye a when he draweth to age wyll not leaue of his olde manner and toyes And therefore he saith in the 6. chapter of Deutronomy The wordes that I haue this day coÌ„maunded they shal be in thine herte and thou shalt shew them to thy children and thou shalte be occupied in them syttynge in thy house walkinge in the waye and slepinge and wakinge c. And yf these thinges be not exercised in thy youth trewly when thei come to age they will hardelye obeye But thow wylte saye againe I am no preacher Thereto I answere with saince Augustin saiyng That that the preacher is in the pulpit ys euery housholder in his howse And lyke as a preacher shall geue accompte at the laste daye of all his flocke so shalte thou geue accompte for thy wife children and houshould to the highe iudge Wherefore loke well about that thou be not found negligent in this behalfe Thirdely The crosse of Ioseph Marye in this gospell is layde before our eies the crosse of Ioseph and of Marye in taking care for their child so loste For she knowledged that she had soughte hym with muche heuinesse And thys was not the first sorowe for she had proued before what sorowe was when she was faine bycause of Herodes crueltye to flee into Egypte But this leasing of her chylde was more greuouser then the fletinge into Egypte Math.
hilles and reade sea wher was so great trembling fear that they thought it impossible any of them to escape the wrath of Pharao But god by by layde a block in Pharaos way Al thes things knew Mary wel inoghe Yea and although Christ sayde Woman what haue I to do with the yet was she not astonyed by and by although Christe sharpely did answere but sayde to the seruauntes and ministers What soeuer he sayth to you do the same And therfore she obtayned the thynge that she desired of Christ Which raigned with the father and the holye ghoste worlde withoute ende Amen The thyrde sonday after Epiphany Mathew 8. WHEN hee was come downe from the mountayne muche people folowed hym And beholde Luc. 5. Mar. â— there came a leper and worshiped hym saying Maister yf thou wylâ—e thoâ— canst make me clean And Iesus put forth his hand and touched hym saiyng I wyll be thou cleane and immediatly hys leprosyâ— was clensed And Iesus sayth vnto hym se thou tell no man Leu. 14. but go and shewe thy selfe to the priest and offre the gyfte that Moyses commaunded to be offered for a witnesse vnto them THE EXPOSITION The goodnes oâ— Christ IN this gospell we se fyrste of all how greate goodnes mercye and loue God had not allonly towarde the leprouse man but also towarde the capitayn beyng a gentyle yea and how ready he is to yelde hymselfe wholy for vs al yf we knowyng our owne disease and sycknes wil seeke him the faithfull physicion for the sowle and long for his help and grace They be al lyuely examples that be here layde before vs. Fyrst the benefyt of loue and beneuolence of Christ is conferred to the leper For at his instaunce and desyre Iesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou cleane O what great clemencye here is As sone as the lepper had spoken one word and asked helth Christ by and by was redy and holpe hym Further marke that this word I wyll I wyll is nother vayne nor ydell but full of comfort For suche promise as he made to the leper by the same worde he wolde generally to be a promise to vs all whereby he certefieth strengneth our hartes also that wee should not dought but that he is ready in all necessities without any denay to geue vs his continual helpe And hereto may be applied that is sayde by S. Marke Cap. 1. that Iesus had compassion vpon this man For in this compassion wee maye see that Christ hath pity vpon our misery The pitefulnes of Christ Heb. 4. and that we haue suche a bishoppe which in his harte is moued and stered with our miserye Now as the goodnes and loue of Christ doth appeare and sheweth himselfe towarde the lepoure so likewise the moste gentell harte of Christ is shewed and commended towarde vs in that he did so soone promise at the fyrste desyre of the Centurion to come and helpe his seruaunte And althoughe Christe came not but to redeeme the lost sheepe of the house of Israell Mat. 15 yet in this doinge he wolde shewe vnto vs that after his resurrection The callinge of heithen he shuld cal the Iewes and gentils to the felowshippe and communion of one faythe as he saith here That many shall come from the easte and the west and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Seynge nowe that God the father of heauen hath so plenteouslye on euery partye shewed and geuen vnto vs throughe Christ his grace and mercy yt is meere that we knowe this grace and attaine vnto it by faith wherthrough we may be by hym kepte and reserued both in body and sowle for euer Secondarely Exaumples of fayth we haue in this place two goodly examples of faith One of the lepour and thother of the Centurion or capitayne And it appeareth manifestly by the lepoure that he had a righte and trewe faith in that that he draweth neare Christe asking his helpe and knowledging that he cannot helpe himselfe And although by Moyses lawe he was set aparte from the communion of men and muste therefore escâ—ewe their company yet he ronneth to Christ faithfully beleuing in his mind that he is lord ouer the law and the leprye Wherin he expressed the nature property of fayth whych hasteth not but only to Christ of hiÌ„ in euery necessitie she loketh for his comfort and help norwyl suffre her to be stayed nor letted by no meanes from the fruicioÌ„ of this Christ As it is written in S. Mat. of the blynde men Mat. 20 which the more the people dyd for byd them to cry the lowder they cried But how came this lepoure by such faith He had herd that Christ was a man of greate humanitie and gentelnes and that he was very diligent ready to help and geue health to the sicke and so by such heariÌ„g he conceaued such a trust of Christ that he wolde as verely help him as he had holpen many other diuers times Faythe And this is the trew fath when I beleue that god the father through Christ wil make me whole righteous and blessed by his grace and mercy withoute any merite of mine owne workes And such a faith was in the Centurion For by hearing the gospel he learned and knew that Christe was lord ouer syn and al sickenes and diseases He did not onlye beleue that Christe coulde helpe if he were present but also yf he were absent and spake but a word And therfore wolde not the Christ shulde enter into his house as he offered to do but in speaking of a word beleued that his seruaunt shulde be healed I sayth he haue seruaunts vnder me to whome if I saye come hither they come And if I byd them go theyr waye they do by and by departe Howe much more must those thinges needs be done which thou commaundest that arte not such a capitayn â—as I am but lord of heauen and earth This faith did Christ coÌ„mend and said that he had not found so great faith no not in Israell Now if thou wilt be made cleane from the leprosye of false doctrine and stedfastly abide in the gospel euen to the ende go to then Christe wil be prayed vnto and call vpon Christ that he maye geue you his spirite and grace and he shall saye vnto the I wyll I wyll geue the my spirite Forthermore yf thou wylt thyselfe and all thine to be saued bodye and soule seeke oute Christe and dispaire of thy selfe then shal he saye vnto the Be yt vnto the as thou beleuest Thirdely we learne of this lepour that whatsoeuer we aske in our prayer To commytte al thinges vnto God we shulde remitte all to the goodnes and wyll of God consyderinge that wee bee so ignoraunte of oure owne saluacion that wee knowe not what wee shulde pray as wee oughte to dooe The leapoure asketh of Christe
in the gospell of this daye Lette it be what wayes soeuer he thinketh best verely this maye wee well learne of yt that Christe wyll helpe and comforte vs in all manner of perill and ieoperdy both of body and sowle so that we wyll tarry with him in the shyp that is Whal is to be in the shyppe yf we be ioyned wholye to hym by faith And if sometyme he seeme to tarry lenger then thou art able to abide or that to thy reason hee seeme heauy in sleepe and to haue vterly forgotten the yet let not thy mynde fall or dispaire but crye to hym wythe the Aposteles or else with Dauyd and saye Arise good lorde why doest thow sleepe Psa 45 And then thow shalte also knowe that yt was not sayde in vayne of Dauid yn an other place Ps 120 Beholde he that kepeth Israel shal neyther slomber nor slepe Secondarly this gospell teacheth vs howe to knowe the trewe faith from fained faith namelye by the crosse and persecution Doutelesse the Apostels were in that opinion when they entred the ship with Christe that they had very perfect faith and could by no manner temptacion or persecution be brought from the same But what did they whē necessitie and lykelehod of death drewe neare vnto them By the crosse faithe is proued What constancye was there nowe in them None at all There was nothing but greate feare tremblinge and disperacion They remembred not that they had with them in the shippe the lorde of wyndes and of the sea but as we may see in saynte Marke the Euangelist they verely thought that God cared nothing at al for them Mar. 4. and that he had cleane forsaken them that he also being a slepe regarded not what became of them Wherefore they saye Maister doest thou not care that we perish Lo here thou hearest of nothinge but vnbeliefe Here it is to be noted Whye god proueth his electe that al the temptaciōs of the electe be so ordeined of God that they shal worke to them all for the best wherwith he doth chasten and bridle the fersenes and securitye of the flesh doth teach them that they be not proude or high mynded but to know that all that they can do must be referred to god For we know how bolde and rebellious the fleshe is if it be not made lowe and with such scourges and stripes brought to pacience and humility Mat 26 Dyd not also S. Peter boldly say of him selfe that he was readye euen to dye with Christe And did not the children of Zebedeus stifly affirme that they coulde drinke of the same cup that Christ shoulde drinke of Trewly there was presumptiō Mat. 20 but a proued faith there was not And in lyke māner be all we affectianate withoute that through the inspiration of the holy ghost our infirmitie bee strengthned We do speake very highely and with great expectacion of the gospel of the crosse of pacience such other like but when we se the crosse euen at hande when we shuld then striue and wag battayle with sinne death the deuel and hel then be we very could and cowardes and vnprofitable and then dooe we with the deede perceaue that we neuer had trew faith nor euer were sincerely in our myndes affectionat towards the gospell Now they that in the crosse in persecution in tribulaciō and in peril will so soone flee from Christ and deny him and will not suffre so small ieoperdye or perill for his sake if neede were and so continew alwaies in the same they neuer had one crome of sincere trewe faith but rather a shadow or vysard of faith Therefore they shal say in the latter day when God shall saye Iohn 2. Mat. 26 Get ye hence from me ye wicked and cursed into the euerlasting fyer But they that in their owne conscience knowledge that they do nothinge of their own strength before god and confesse their infirmitie nor do seeke or looke for constancye and perseuerance in the crosse and persecutiō any other wayes then of god through Christ they shall neuer be separated from Christe And although their fayth hath beene many tymes feeble in the tyme of the crosse and persecution yet haue they not alltogether fallen into despiracion but hath asked pacience and peseueraunce of god And so therby thorough the helpe of Christ and the vertu of the holy ghost they haue ouercome all their temptaciōs So likewise did the Appostels when they were with Christ in the ship for when their faith was so weak that they weare not able to striue with temptacion in the very point of death they then wakened Christ and called vpon him for his helpe of whom also in their suche necessitie they had no small comforte Wherfore I haue tolde you that it is as necessary for faith to be proued by the crosse persecution and all kindes of trowble as syluer to be tried pourged with fier For yf she continewe abide stedfast in persecutiō then is she a right faith and not fayned Mat. 5. and shal inherite the kingdom of heauen Blessed be they sayth Christ that suffre persecution for righteousnesse for they shall haue the kingdome of heauen But yf faith be slipper and inconstante and deny Christ for the fauoure of the world then shall she haue perpetuall damnacion Chryste suffered the infirmitie of hys disciples Fourthly this gospell comforteth vs in that that christ dyd so meekly suffre the infirmity of his disciples and dyd not by and by reiecte them from him althoughe theire faith were not yet perfecte He reprehendeth theire incredulitie but doth not cast them vtterly from him Now yf Christ then so pacientlye suffered his disciples when they were weake and did not repel them for theyr infirmity vntyl they were made more stedfast and stronger suerly he wyll also suffre our imbecilitie and febelnes and will tourne it into the strength of faith yf we wyll knowledge our synnes and corrupte nature and will continuallye in our prayer call for his helpe saing Good lorde encrease our faythe Luc. 17. This exaumple of christe is layed before vs that wee shulde folowe it and receaue them that bee weake in the faithe and not despise and reiecte them but patiently to suffre thē vntyll they come to the knowledge of faythe as saincte Paule in many places teacheth and especially in the epistle to the Rom. Ro. 14. Luc. 12. Neither is it spoken in vayne that christe sayde to Peter When thou shalte hereafter be conuerted confirme and strēgthen thy brethren The fyfte sonday after Epiphany Mathew 13. AN other similitude put he forth vnto them sayinge Mar. 4. The kyngdome of heauen is lykened vnto a man which sowed good seede in hys fielde But whyle men slepte his enemy came and sowed cares among the wheate and went hys waye But when the blade was spronge vp and had brought forth fruicte then appeared the tates also So the
vp his eyes in to heauen to saye Luc. 15. God haue mercy vpon me a sinner Luke the 18. chap. Likewise the elder brother disdained his yonger brother that was loste when he retorned came to himselfe againe Mar 14 And in like manner Iudas dispised that simple wretched woman which in the house of Simeon the leper powred out vpoÌ„ Iesus head a box of costly oyntment And also the Iewes dispised Christe when he didde eate and drinke amongeste the publicans and sinners But what sayed Christe to that Verely I saye vnto you that sinners and whores shall enter into the kingdom of heauen before Mat. 21 you What doth not the houshoulder here think so to when he saieth Shall I not do with mine owne what pleaseth me And in this we miserable sinners haue one speciall thing and prerogatiue before those great high holy men that when we do good workes we haue no respect thereto nor do them for that cause that therefore we may aske heauen of God as dewe dette to vs but wee beleue in hym that maketh the sinner righteous and oure fayth is imputed to vs to iustificacion Rom. 4 And forbicause the iustifiers do aske their rewarde as dette and couenaunt and not of grace therefore yt happeneth to them that they be made of the firste the laste Nor yet shal they leaue or forsake their pride so grafte in them which alwaies foloweth them but alwaies they shall iudge and condemne and often tymes haue in theire mouthes and call here tyckes heretickes vntil they them selues be condemned The sonday called Seragesima Luc. 8. WHen much people wer gathered together and were come to him out of all cityes he spake by a similitude ♣ The sower wente oute to sowe his seade and as he sowed some fell by the way syde and yt was troden downe and the foules of the ayre deuoured yt vp And some fell on stone and as soone as it was spronge vp it wythered awaye bycase it lacked moystenes And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprange vp with it and choked it And some fell vpon good ground and bare frute and hundreth folde And as he sayd these thynges he cryed He that hath eares to hear let him heare And his diciples asked hym saiyng what manner of similitude is this And he sayde Vnto you it is geuen to knowe the secrets of the kyngdome of God but to other by parables that wheÌ„ they see they shoulde not se Mat. 12 Mar. 4 and when they heare they shoulde not vnderstande The parable is thys Esa 6. c Mat. 13 Mar. 4. Ioh. 12. Act. 28. f Rom. 11 Mat. 13 Mar. 4. The feede is the worde of God Those that are beside the waye are they that heare then cometh the deuell and taketh away the word out of theyr hartes lest they shuld beleue and bee saued They on the stones are they which when they heare receiue the worde with ioye and these haue no rootes which for a while beleue and in tyme of temptacion go awaye And that which fell amonge thornes are they which when they haue herde go forthe and are choked wyth cares and ryches and voluptuous lyuing and bring forth no frute That which fell in the good ground are they which with apure and good herte hear the worde and kepe it and bring forth frute through pacience THE EXPOSITION THe similitude of the gospel of this day Christ himselfe hath sufficiently expounded I wold wishe that all we might receiue the grace of God not only to vnderstand the same but to haue it written in our hartes that we might oftentymes thinke theron For seing that Christ himselfe with a loude voyce saied He that hath eares to hear let hiÌ„ harkin we may well perceiue that it is not geuen to euery man to heare the worde of God and kepe the same For as S. Paule witnesseth in the third cha of his first epist to the Cor Plant we may The outwarde worde water may as wel as we can but the encrease cometh of no maÌ„ but of God And that we may learn how god bi the outward preaching of his word doth also inwardly through the holye ghoste worke in oure hartes there ar fower kiÌ„des of herers laied here before vs. Fyrste of all Christe speaketh of the seede that fel by the waies syde and was trodden vnder foot and the foules of the aier eate it vp And he calleth the seed the worde of God and the byrdes he calleth the deuel which by innumerable means pluck and rote vp the word of God out of meÌ„nes hartes And he speaketh as though he shulde saye on this wise False christiaÌ„s Many there be that hear the gospel wyll in any wise be called christian men moreouer they vse the sacraments liberty of a christian maÌ„ but trewly they shal obtain of me nothing els but the vayne name that they so greatly glory in And out wardly they shew a certaine grauiti and face of holynes but inwardely they be filled with al malice And why so Bicause they haue receyued the word of God vnder a pretext as it were vnder a shadow or visarde it neuer descended into they re hartes neither were they kindeled any thinge therewith whereby a man myghte perceiue it to haue been any thing liuely or effectual in them There haue entred in false doctours and secte maisters which thorow their deceitful exposition of scripture haue suppressed and troden vnder foot the good seede of the word of God Iere. 5. 27 Of whom the prophet Ieremy saith That they shall speak their lyes in the name of the lorde 1. TiÌ„ 1. And S. Paule called the doctrine of those men idle speach They haue adioyned themselues to suche doctoures forsaking the fountayne of the water of lyfe and folowe with all desire and couet to drinke the troubled and muddye water infected with mans tradicions and hereticall lerning And afterward cometh in the deuell which is signified by the byrdes And bicause his ministers the false techers haue with their false preachiÌ„g prepared to hiÌ„ his waies he goeth forth entreth priuily iÌ„to their hartê so that thei beiÌ„g brought froÌ„ the trew doctrine of Christ shall both body soule run into the snares of the deuel And those deceits snares The deuell of noone dayes be the very deuel of that none tyde that the 90 psal speaketh of And now forasmuch as we haue perfect knowledg that the deuel layeth netê snares for vs as wel by his false prophets which by the peruerse expositioÌ„ of scripture go about to deceiue vs As also by his owne gyles and inspiracioÌ„s yt shal be very necessary that we so establish our lyues that by no meanes we be brought froÌ„ the trew simple doctrine of Christ For as sone as we begin to despise and set litle by that word of god that is shewed vnto vs by Christ We must
EXPOSITION THe miracle of Christ mencioned in the gospel of this day is a liuely doctrine sermon All thiÌ„g is subiect to the dyuel with oute the knowledge of Christe For we do not only learn therby the Christ is indued with singuler humanitye and pity and that he is ready to gyue his diligence labour to al meÌ„ but also that al thinges be subdued to the dyuell where Christ is not knowen And to this knowledg can no man come through any workes or mannes wisedom except the father of heauen draw hiÌ„ therto as sâ—ripture witnesseth sayinge on this wise Ioh. 10 No man knoweth the son of God but only the father and he to whome God wyll open yt Yet hathe God lefte vnto vs in this worlde certayne meanes wherby he leadeth vs to that knowledg that is by his worde and gospell that he gaue to his son The gospell to teache and shewe vnto vs whiche he will also to be preched in this world for euer And moreouer also by that he giueth vs the holy ghoste Act. 10 as we se in the actes of the Apost that euery maÌ„ that heareth it receiueth it in faith shal not perish but shal haue euerlasting lyfe And in lyke maner must the gospel or miracle of this day be taken Ioh. 5. in the whiche Christe ys so set forth vnto vs that it is very he the of his mere grace and mercye hath deliuered from the diuell this man miserable poore and destitute of all helpe mannes comforte Wee maye well saye that this man was miserable wretched For besides that he was blynd as saint Mat. saith he was also dumb deafe possessed of a diuel Mat 14 What can we els learne hereby but that all things be subdued to the diuel wher Christ cometh not And in contrary wise that the diuel as sone as Christ by his word is come vnto vs is compelled to avoyd and departe And there is it manifestly declared The dyuel must obeye to Chryste Ioh. 12. the Christe speaketh of Ioh. 12. Now is the iudgement of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde be caste forthe Therefore yf wee wil be partakers of the goodnes of Christe which this gospell sheweth vnto vs then muste we needes knowledge before that we be blinde deafe and dombe And moreouer yt is meete that wee beleue the preachyng of Christ to be trewe To bee possessed of a dyuell namelye that only he doth heale vs from al diseases both bodely and ghostly Which of vs al yf in our hartes we ponder trewly looke vpon our birth natiuity wyl not knowledg confesse that he is possessed of a diuel Psal 50 Wer we not conceiued borne in sinne And doth not sin pertaine to the kingdom of the deuell And to be in the kingdome of the diuel whâ—t is it els but to be possessed of a diuell And in lyke manner it is to be sayde of our blindnes deafnes and dumnes To be blynde We be blinde and se nothing that is we beleue not how Abraham saw Christ and his Apostels Io 4. To be dumbe And we be also dumb to coÌ„fesse Christ of the which confession the apostle speaketh of saying If a man beleue from the hert he shal be made righteous Rom. 10 And if he knowledg god with his mouth he shal be saued And Christ in the gospel saith He the knowledgeth me before men I wyll knowledge hym before my father that is in heauen To be deafe And we be also deafe and heare the trewthe of the gospell vnwyllyngly against our minds And yet muste we nedes heare it if we desire to be brought frome the kingedome of the deuell to the kingedome of Christ Who can take from vs so many defautes The onlye mediatoure betwene god and man our Lord Iesu Christ through whom yf we beleue we shal be saued both body and sowle Secondarilye we learne by this gospell The worlde dothe mock all Christes words deedes howe Christes wordes and deedes be taken and interpretyd of the peruerse and misbeleuing worlde Al was euel that good Christ did how good so euer it were And yf he had not done that miracle before the faces in the sight of the vnbeleuing Iewes doughtles they wolde boldely haue denied anye suche to haue beene done And bycause they can not deny it they say that Christ dyd that miracle through Belzebub the prynce of dyuels And is not this wonderfull blasphemy againste god that so godly precious and so noble an acte and miracle shuld be adscribed to the power of the diuell Mat. 7 An euel tre bringeth not forth good frute Gen. 4. But Caim wyll always hate his brother although there be no cause whye Yea there was nothing done by Christ were it neuer so good godly but cursed incredulity dyd euer detract mock and reproue it Is it not a greate token of godly loue yf a man shulde eate and drynke with publicanes and sinners Mar. 2. whereby they might be conuerted from sinne and repente Yet for that deede was Christe hated and slaundred as though he had coÌ„mitted some great mischefe Yea and was it not to be highelye praised that Christe with so great diligence dyd preach the word of his heauenly father And yet for that founde he no fauoure with the obstinate Iewes but was compelled to heare He is a disturber of the people And suche other lyke Ioh. 7. What happened to the Apostelles after the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ what happened to Paule when he saide I haue wished my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren Rom. 9 He did with so feruent desyre wishe the saluacion of his kinsfolkes after the flesh that by some meanes they might be brought to the faith but he profited not For the Iewes called hym a sedicious persone Act. 26. and Festus sayde he was madde And in lyke manner was yt wyth Christ at this tyme he dyd a noble acte that might haue allured the Iewes to beleue but they not onlye do not beleue but despiseth and slaundreth hys worke Some aske signes and be not content with that is doone And some saye agayne that by the vertue and power of Belzebub the prince of diuels he casteth out the diuel But to be short whatsoeuer Christ doth worketh or teacheth it is verye contrary and repugnant to the worlde and can not be void from blame slauÌ„dre 1 Pet. 2. So that Christ shall alwayes be a stone and rocke to be stombled at Christe defeÌ„deth his doctrine Thirdely we se in this gospell how Christe with greate diligence and feruent zeale of loue dyd defende hys doctrine and godlye workes And althoughe in the ende he answered them that asked signes from heauen and remitted theÌ„ to the signe of Ionas the prophete yet did he moste chiefelye stoppe theyr proude mouthes that did adscribe his doctrine and workes
to the deuell and not to the power of God He coulde in no wise suffre that that the Iewes againste they re owne conscience shulde lye and saye that he caste forth dyuels thorowe belzebub the prince of dyuels seyng it is manifest in the fourth chapter of Marke that he dyd yt with the finger of God that is The finger of God with the power and vertu of God and the holy ghost And this properly is the sinne in the holy ghoste when agaynst thine owne conscience thou doest blame and persecute the plaine manifest and open knowen veritie The syn in the holy ghost Of the whiche sinne Christe saith that it shall not be forgeuen in this world nor in the world to come And as Christe doth here in this place so dothe he in the eight chapter of S. Iohn when the Iewes said he had a diuel He letteth passe that they called hym a Samaritane and pourgeth that that they sayde he had a dyuel But here wee wyl note certayne argumentes as briefelye as wee canne with the which in this matter Christe dyd confute the obstinate Iewes Fyrste Christ proueth by two similitudes that it was impossible that one diuel shuld expel an other For yf yt were so then shuld the diuels varye and dissente betweene themselues and so shulde theyr kingedome be desolated Euery kingdome deuided in it selfe must nedes fall and cannot endure And likewyse a house wherin the dwellers doth discord and varye can not stande Secondarily Christ proueth with a playne example that the Iews did greuously blaspheme and slauÌ„dre him saying If I do cast forth the diuel by the power of Belzebub bi whom theÌ„ do your childreÌ„ driue theÌ„ out Therfore shal they be youre iudges The Iewes shal be iudged of ther own children They wil not say that one diuel driueth out an other but that yt is done by the power of god And yf it bee doone by the power and vertue of God howe can your blasphemy stand But ye shuld perceyue and knuwe thereby that the kyngedome of God is come to you whereunto the dyuell muste needes gyue place And then shuld ye not lade your selues with so greate and horrible blasphemye agaynste God Thirdelye he maketh an argumente of a familiar similitude and saith When a stronge harnessed man keepeth his house all that he pocesseth is in peace But when a stronger commeth vppon hym and ouercommeth hym he taketh frome hym all his weapons wherein he trusted c. And so he concludeth on this wise God ouercommeth the diuell we in hym The dyuell is inuincible excepte he be ouercome by the power and vertue of god And I as ye se haue here ouercome the deuyll and haue compelled hym to gyue place to me And thys haue I not doone by Belzebub as yee do saye and slaundre me but by the power of God And seyng yt is so ye be very wretches and naught so to slaunder my worke Fourthly he doth with a goodly sentence stop restrayne the fowle mouthes of the Iewes and saith He that is not with me is agaynste me And he that doth not gather with me scattereth abrode Nowe it is cleare that the deuell is againste me seyng he doth good to no man and I do profyte euery man And moreouer he gathereth not to lyfe as I do but laboureth in as much as he canne to destroye all men Wherefore he shall not departe from the man at my desyre eycept he be expulsed by the power and vertu of God Fyftely he answereth to the Iewes with an horrible thretnynge as thoughe he shuld saye Looke well aboute you and considre what shall become of you Now is the diuell caste forthe and the kyngedome of God is preached vnto you in euery place through my gospell But and if ye reiecte my gospel and make your selues vnworthy of euerlasting lyfe and wyll agayne lette the deuell haue place in you ye shall well perceyue and vnderstande that the end shal be worse then the beginning The end shal be worse theÌ„ was the begiÌ„niÌ„g wheÌ„ wee despise the word of God And wheras before one dyuell onlye in incredulitye and hypocrisie dyd deceyue you nowe shall come 7. other worse dyuels that shall besege rounde about your hartes and shall so kepe you in bondage that yee shall neuer be able to come to eternall lyfe And I wyll that ye haue admonisshing before that when so euer it shall so happen yee do remembre that I haue told you thereof before Lo in this wise dothe Christe stoppe their mouthes that dyd blaspheme the open knowen trewth And that he doth with invincible argumentes teachinge vs in the meane tyme that euery christian man be ready to defende the trewth as often as it shal be depressed and laden with slaunder and lies And specially it shal beseme them that be ministers of the gospel which of their profession ought to defend and fauoure the truthe and for that intent be called to the same office that they teache other The fowerth sonday in Lent Ioh. 6. After these thynges Mat 14 Marc. 6 Iesus wente hys way ouer the sea of Galile which is the sea of Tiberias Mat. 4 â—uâ— 6 and a greate multitude folowed hym bicause they sawe hys miracles which he dyd on them that were diseased And Iesus went vp into a mountayn and there he sat with his disciples And Easter a feaste of the Iewes was nye THE EXPOSITION IT is greatly to be wished desired that as the text of this gospel is plaine easye so it might be imprinted in mens hartes that not only they shuld speake highly therof but also learne proue by experience how great a thing it is if we be wel instructed with the promises and miracles of God against the detestable carefulnes of the belly Christe wyll norishe the beleuers Fyrste of all in this place is layed before al christian men a noble example that God the father thorow his welbeloued son Iesu Christ wyll norishe defend them both in body soule yf they wyll put theyr whole confidence and truste in hym Wherby we maye marke and note that god from the beginnynge with promisses and exaumples hath defeÌ„ded vs against the abhominable carke of the bellye whiche raigneth almost ouer all the worlde And chyefly for this cause that he myght laye before our eyes our incredulity vnbeliefe wel knowen of hym and deepelye grafted in vs. It is an excellent thyng and not a little to be commended yf a man can mortyfie hym selfe concernynge the carefulnes of worldly riches no lenger to be vexed or troubled with the care of meat drinke cloth but put al his hope truste in the promises of God and stedfastelye beleue that God will mercifully looke and prouyde for our necessaryes although it appeare farre otherwyse in the syghte of men And therefore the we shuld leaue that pernicious in Christe defedeth vs agaiÌ„st the care of the
not knowen For the apostels which were in so great heuines feare of death for their synne coulde by none other means receiue comfort tranquilitie of conscience then by hearing the tidinges of the resurrection of Christ And who can deny that they yf thei had ben demaūded as he was had not al don as Peter did Did thei not forsake Christ Fled not thei frō him If they fled then dyd they sinne Ma◠26 after the sayinge of Christe This nyghte shall yee all bee offended in me For he that is offended in Christe must nedes syn Mat. 11 for it is written Blessed is he that is not offended in me Then go to If ther was syn so was there likewise feare and panges of deathe So that it is necessarye that these troubled consciences muste needes receyue comforte throughe the preachinge of the passion and resurrection of Iesus Christe As if the aungell shulde speake to the women Get you hence shortely to the troubled apostels and saye vnto them Christe is a conquerer ouer sinne hell and the diuell Moreouer byd them be of a good chear for Christ is risen frō death the prophecy of Oseas is fulfilled saying Death is swallowed vp in victory Ose 31. Deathe where is this stinge Hel wher is thy victory Tel them also that Christ himselfe wil go before them into Galilee wher they shall see him and haue these things declared of him and that they plucke vp their hartes and doubte not of his resurrection On this wise doth the aungell teache the women to preach instructing them what they shulde saye to the apostels Marke howe that at priestly officeis here inioyned to the women But who did consecrate them Priestes the byshoppe of Rome No. Who then God throughe his sonne Christ oure Bysshop For who so euer beleueth in Christe All Christian mē bee preestes 1. Pet. 2 and throughe hys worde hath receiued the holy ghoste pertayneth to those people and flocke of the which S. Peter speketh without any difference of kindes be they men or women saieng Ye are that chosen generacion that kingely preesthod that holy nacion that peculier people that ye shulde shew the vertues of him whiche hath called you oute of darkenes into hys meruailous lyght Luc. 2. Dyd not Anna the prophetisse exercise this priestely office Dydde not the foure doughters of Phylip prophecy Act. 12. And as touchinge that 2 Co. 14 S. Paule doth not permit a womā to speake in the congregacion thereout it doth not folowe that it is not laufull for women to confesse Christ but that euery thinge shulde be doone in good ordre For it is meete and conueniente for women to holde their peace when men be present that exerciseth the office of teachinge But if suche menne shulde faile who wolde forbidde women to teache For suerly the aungell that commaunded the resurrection to be declared to the apostels by the womē was no foole Finally we altogether whether we be men or women must confesse that we be regenerate into a liuinge hope through the resurrection of Christ Iesu from death For in this confession and knowledge as S. Peter saith consisteth and standeth our iustifieng and saluacion 1 Pet. 1. The fyrste sondaye after Easter Iohn 20. THe same day at nyghte Luc. 24 whyche was the fyrste day of the Sabathes when the dotes were shut wher the disciples were assēbled togyther for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stode in the middest and sayth vnto them Peace be vnto you And when he had so sayde he sheweth vnto them hys handes and hys syde Then were the disciples glad when they saw the lord Thē said Iesus to them againe Peace be vnto you As the father Esa 61 Mat. 11 Luc. 4. Io. 17. sent me euen so send I you also And when he had sayd those words he breathed on them and sayd vnto thē Because the holy ghost Whose so euer synnes ye remitte they are remitted vnto thē And whose soeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned THE EXPOSITION The weakenes of the disciples FYrste of all here we maye marke and se an exaumple of incredulitie in the apostles and howe meekely Christ suffereth their imbecility and weakenes and dothe not straight wayes caste them of The women shewed them that Christ was risen from death and that it was shewed and tolde them by the aungel Luc. 24 but as S. Luke witnesseth they toke their wordes for a iest and dyd not beleue them Yet this notwithstanding at the hearyng of it they were gathered togither But howe Very priuely and with the dores shutte Why so For fear of the Iewes The fear of the disciples Lo behold and marke here ye haue excellently set forth the power and myghte of the fleshe For the Apostles thoughe the women hadde shewed theym yet dyd not they beleue that Christ was risen from death Moreouer they were stryken with so great feare that they gathered togither priuely and ther abode with the dores shut to theim Whoe dare nowe be so bolde as to saye that the fleshe can do any thinge in thinges pertayning to our iustifiyng They that be after the flesh are fleshly minded Rom. 8. as Paule witnesseth Nowe if a fleshly man be fleshly minded he can not lyghtly beleue in Christ which rose from death was the first of the dead that rose as the same S. Paule likewise declareth in the actes of the Apostles Act. 26. And in this poynt must the holy ghost worke For when he thorough the word is giuen vs hath made vs newe creatures then shall we no more feare men as the apostles here do but we shall feare god not as a seruaūt feareth his maister but as the welbeloued son whiche diligently will take heede and beware that he doth not that thing that shal prouoke his father that is in heauen to angre Such feare doth Christ teache vs saiyng Mat. 10 Feare not theim that kylle the body but rathet feare him that hath power to kyll both body and sowle for euer Boldnes of theim that hee lightned with the holy ghost Actu 5. Surely all they that be lightened with the holy spirite ar bold do wtout any feare persist and perseuere in the knowledging of the trewth and the gospell Yea very then when they suffre and are rebuked for the truth of the gospelles sake as the Apostels did as the actes of the Apostels witnesseth They departed from the presence of the counsaile reioysing that they were worthye to suffre rebuke for his names sake Nowe bycause that the apostles had not so greate strengthe and faith Christe cometh and appeareth commending and announcynge his peace vnto them And also giueth them his holy ghoste which afterwarde vppon Witsondaye shulde be confirmed in theyr hartes that nothinge shulde be lefte behinde wher throughe theyr faythe myghte bee increased The increduliti of Thō Here wee muste needes bringe in saincte
4. and. 7. Tit. 3. a Rom. 8. That whiche is borne of the fleshe is flesh and thâ—â— whyche is borne of the spirite is spirite Maruayle not thou that I sayd to the ye muste be borne frome aboue The wynde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof Eccl. 11. but canst not tell whence it cometh and whether it goeth So is euerye one that is borne of the spirite Nycodemus aunswered and sayd vnto him How can these thiâ—ges be Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto hym Arte thou a mayster 〈◊〉 Israel knowest not these thiÌ„gs Verely verely I say vnto the 〈◊〉 speake that we do know and testifye that we haue seene and ye receyue not our witnes Yf I haue tolde you earthly thinges and yet beleue not how shall you beleue if I tell you of heauenly thynges Ephe. 4 And no man ascâ—nded vp into heauen but he that came doâ—â—â— from heauen euen the sonne of man whyche is in heauen And as Moyses lyft vs the serpente in wildernes Nu. 21. euen so must the â—onne of man be lyfte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in him perishe â—oâ— but haue eternall lyfe THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell we haue and excellent disputacion of the righteousnes of the fleshe and also of the righteousnes of the spirite Christ teacheth vs the one and Nicodemus defendeth the other But so that in the meane while he is content to be taughte and enformed of Christe Fyrste of all lette vs considre the persone of Nicodemus as it is here described of the euangeliste The description of Nicodemus howe vnwisely and vndiscretelye he speaketh of regeneracion Whereout we maye note what reason and mannes strength can do in vnderstandyng of diuine and heauenly thinges The euangelist sayeth on this wise There was a man of the phariseis named Nicodemus a ruler amoÌ„g the Iews Herein he declareth that Nicodemus as conceriÌ„ng his outward conuersacion led an honest and a worshipful lyfe which coulde not bee reprehended or rebuked so that he was taken and counted one of the chiefe rulers amongest the Iewes Here also thou haste the discription of the person whiche after worldely fashion and maner is taken and counted both wise and righteous Yet this nowistanding The fleshe is fearfull there is not so greate strengthe or boldenes in Nicodemus that he durste speake vnto Christe openlye though he knewe him to be a teacher sente from god whose wondres and miracles he coulde not deny Whye doth not reason here steppe forth boldely and openlye professe the doctrine of Christe For so Christe wolde haue it according to that he spake Whosoeuer knowledgeth me before men Mat. 10 him will I knowledge before my father which is in heauen and the angelles But reason canne not do this for it passeth and excelleth farre his capacitye and conning He will not be charged with the hatred of the world for the truthes sake For the which cause Christe wyll haue vs mortifie this olde Adame in vs and become a newe creature But what knoweth or vnderstandeth the fleshe and oure nature here of Trulye nothing at all as it is playne and euidente here declared by this Nicodemus For Christe speaketh of a new and a spirituall natiuity but Nicodemus contrary wise vnderstandeth a carnal and a fleshly natiuity How can a man saith he be borne when he is olde can he enter into his mothers womb and be borne againe Wee are all Nicodemes ignorauÌ„t of godly thinges Here you heare in what wise this wordly righteous man answereth to godly things Yea Christ himselfe must open declare vnto hym in what wise a man must become a new creature be borne agayne yet he vnderstandeth it not but demaundeth again saiyng How may these things be What other thing can a maÌ„ se perceiue in this Nicodemus then ignoraunce incredulity Wherfore if his outward coÌ„uersacioÌ„ had ben a great deale more glorious theÌ„ it was yet could it not haue pleased god why Bicause that god doth not regard the outward fashions of men but iudgeth according to the hart faith of a man as the prophete Ieremye declareth saiyng Thou o lorde lookest only vpon faith Iere. 5. Ro. 14. And S. Paul to the Romaines saith What soeuer is not of faith that same is sinne Mat. 5. For first we muste get the inward righteousnes if the outward shall please god For if wee wante righteousnes inwardly Christ may straight way say vnto vs as he said to the Iues Except your righteousnes excede the righteousnes of the scribes phariseis ye caÌ„not enter into the kingdom of heauen Therfore likewise as Nicodemus had here but a rude blinde vnderstanding in those thingê that pertaine to the grace of god our saluacion euen so be wee euery one rude ignorauÌ„t and the very olde Adam yea nothing but flesh carnal according to the saiyng of Christ That saith he which is borne of flesh is flesh What the scripture calleth fleshe If it be not renewed and lightned with the spirite I vnderstaÌ„d by flesh the whole vniuersal nature of maÌ„ both body soule reason vnderstanding freewyl wtoute the holy ghost For such a man yea suche a body of sin caÌ„ do nothing but sin how excellently so euer he shineth outwardly though outwardly he garnisheth himselfe with neuer so manye workes Which thiÌ„g S. Paul expresseth with manifest words Rom. 8. to the Romaines And here also it is playne and euidente by this Nicodemus which in the sight of the worlde was holy and righteous Secondarelye The new birthe is necessarye Christe teacheth vs in this gospell a newe natiuity which Nicodemus could not comprehende or vnderstande and so speaketh of it that it maye apeare to bee a thinge necessarye to saluacion Hee sayeth on this wise Excepte a man bee borne a newe hee canne not see the kyngedome of God To se the kyngedome of God is to be iustified Now mark considre what Christ speaketh of this iustifiyng and contrarywise what Nicodemus thinketh thereof To see what the kiÌ„gdom of god is Christe concludeth that no worke no reason no outward conuersacion canne iustifye and saue vs excepte allonlye that the man be borne a newe Contrary wise thus thinketh Nycodemus that yf oure outward conuersacion lyfe and working be allonly confirmable vnto the law that for those workes god is constrained and bouÌ„d to iustifye and saue vs. But herein he erreth greatly Not Nicodemus but Christe hat here the victorye forasmuche as all men are lyars and all onlye god is trewe Psall 115 Rom. 3. Wherefore lette vs sharpely marke and considre in what wise this newe natiuity and regeneracioÌ„ is so brought to passe He saith on this wise Excepte a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not come into the kingdome of god Here thou hearest Baptisme that this regeneracion and new natiuity beginneth in Baptisme For baptisme is a signe of mortefiynge
allonly ouercome the worlde and that that is in it but also ye shal ouercome death the diuell and hel And in lyke wise when I haue comprehēded Christ as a gift Ioh. 11. I must learne thereby to serue my neighboure bothe with body and goodes euen as Christe here both wyth his weeping passion and deathe hathe serued vs. As sainte Peter saith 1 Pet. 2. Christe hath suffered for vs leauinge vs an ensample to folow his footesteppes And these be the very true workes whiche scripture dothe alowe the which also we muste do to manifest and declare our faithe withall Secondarily in this gospel Christ doth morne weepe for the Iewes bicause they knewe not what was for their peace wherwith he declared shewed vnto vs the blindenes and wickednes of the flesh Wherof I beseche you can a man glorify seing so many excellent sermones so many and great myracles done by Christ at Ierusalem and those in a maner all done in vaine Where is here free wil with his power whiche the prudente and wise men of this worlde hathe attributed vnto yt Wherefore wolde not they beleue his worde and knowe him to be the sonne of god and the trewe Messias Surely it was hidden frome their eies though notwithstandinge they did both hear his wordes and sawe his miracles Wherout it foloweth that our fleshe while it is not lightened with the holy ghost and a newe harte giuen vnto it Eze. 36. is very blind indurate and wicked whiche canne in no wise know god in Christ The blīdnes of the fleshe Psal 51 This blindnes beleue verely is not in our outward vesture but is graft in vs in our mothers wombe Wherfore if we will entre into the kingedome of heauen wee muste be newe borne agayne thorowe water and the holye ghoste Iohn 3. Suche lyke maliciousnes and blyndenes we see in theym that solde and boughte in the temple whiche Iesus droue oute Whoe amongest theym knewe theym selues or amended theyr lyues thoughe they were neuer so muche admonyshed and taughte that the house of God was a house of prayer They were fleshelye and therefore as yet they coulde not vnderstande nor iudge ryghte the wordes and actes of Christe Thyrdely here is declared vnto the Iewes the rewarde and punishemente of their blindenes and infidelitie The punishmēt of incredulitye For thy enemies saieth he shall caste vp a banke about the and thy children and shal not leaue in the one stone vpon an other bicause thou haste not knowen the tyme wherein thou hast been visited O meruailous greuous ponyshment First the Iewes are ponished for bicause they wolde not knowe Christe and this is a spirituall punishment For they haue eyes and see not eares and hear not Esay 6. so that Christe myght well saye Ioh. 9. I am come to iudgment into this world that they which se not might see and that they whiche see might be made blinde But who ys able to serch the depth of his incomprehensible iudgement No man but allonly god Rom. 12 for we maye not nor can not Nowe after this spirituall punishemente foloweth bodylye punishemente in that he saithe howe the Iewes shal be beseeged on euerye side that there shall not be lefte one stone vpon an other And euen as it was tolde theym of Christe so was it brought to passe Surelye it was such an horrible cruell punishment that it is lamētable to heare Which if thou wilt know reade Iosephus de bello Iud. Now ye haue hard of the punishmēt wher with the Iewes haue bin punished with all Mat. 7. for the dispising of the gospel What thīkest thou shall chaunce and happen vnto vs which so longe a tyme haue harde the gospell and yet haue not amended oure vngracyous liuinge and conuersacion but rather haue troden vnder our feete neglected and dispysed that precious perle Wherefore yf we tourne not he hath whet his swerde saith the prophet Dauid he hath bente his bowe made yt ready Psal 7. He hath prepared him the weapōs of death and ordained his arrowes to destroye Here thou doest hear that not allonly the Iewes but all those that will not tourne to amendement of lyfe shal he punished Sometyme doth God prolonge the punishemente but the lenger he suffreth the greuouser at the laste dothe hee punishe Therefore lette euerye manne tourne frome his wicked waye and beleue the gospell leste wee perishe both body and soule Fourthlye Christe commendeth in this gospell his office in that that the next day folowyng he wēt into the temple droue out the byers sellers saying Esa 56. It is written My house is a house of prayer and ye haue made it a denne of murtherers And also in that he declareth his office The office of Chryste that hee daylye taughte in the temple It became Christe to do all these thinges for hee was sente into the worlde to teache the will of his father by preaching Bicause for as muche as goddes worde and the oute warde worshipping of god in ceremonyes which shortly after shulde be abrogated and taken away was very muche letted and hindred in the temple at Ierusalem throughe the couetousnes of the scribes and phariseis therefore wolde Christe not only teache Abuses to be takē away but also roote out all the abuses whiche did hyndre the trewe worshipping of God And what so euer Christe doth here by scripture he approueth it that hee maye do it by righte For why may not Christ in so much as he ys lord both of the bodely temple spirituall also driue out suche villains Now that Christe did here with the handes and with the doctrine that maye we not do but all only with the doctrine and worde of god For we maye do nothinge but to teache the gospell but yf that shulde be hindred and those doctoures which seeking nothing but their owne profite through teaching the tradicions of men shuld defyle the temple of god which is the harte of faithfull menne then muste wee holde our hands I graunte but not oure mouth and make suche dreamers ashamed to the intente that the gospell maye haue his righte course and florishe amongest vs. Hereto pertaineth the saiyng of saynte Paule to Titus Tit. 1. A byshoppe muste bee suche a one that cleaueth to the trewe worde of doctrine that hee maye be able to exhorte with holesome learnynge and to improue theim that saye against yt The eleuenth sonday after trinitye Luc. 18. ANd he tolde this parable vnto certayne which trusted in them selues that they were perfecte and despised other Two men went vp into the temple to pray the one a Pharise and the other a Publicane The Pharise stode and praied thus with hymselfe God I thanke the that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniuste aduouterers or as thys publicane I faste twyse in the weke Deu. 26 Eccle. 7 I geue tythe of all that I possesse And
mercifull to me a sinner For none other worke can helpe hym Here you haue now the discription of the publicane which knowledged his offences and asked mercye Thirdely lette vs see and heare what sentence iudgement Christe did giue ouer them both Of the publicane he sayth He wente downe into his house iustified more then the other For wosoeuer exalteth him selfe shall be broughte lowe And hee that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted But how commeth that to passe that so righteous a man is here condemned and contrary wise so great a sinner receyued saued So yt is This publican knowledging his offences perceaueth and feleth his vicious and sinful nature and out of this knowledge he fyndeth himselfe so vnprofitable and miserable that he cannot in anye wise ayde and socoure hym selfe Wherefore he is not pufte vp he trusteth in no workes he dispaireth of hymselfe he mekeneth himselfe yet notwithstanding vpon that hope and confidēce that god will be vnto him a merciful god and forgiue him his trespasses he asketh mercy and grace And this hope and confidence meruailously pleaseth god Wherfore this publican is pronoūced iuste that by this exaumple the righteousnes of faythe myghte be knowen And contrary wise Righteousnes of faith Bicause the pharisey not knowledging himselfe to be a synner but proude and pufte vp for his workes sake whiche notwithstanding were doone without faythe and dispisinge other menne and exaltinge hymselfe of verye righte hee is broughte lowe And forbycause that he before the worlde toke the highest place Luc. 14 nowe with shame he must giue place vnto the publicane and sytte beneth For god wyll not regard his fained ypocriticall works Notwithstandinge wee dooe not reiecte good workes so that they come freelye oute of faythe and are frutes of a good tree but if they procede not of faith wee improue theym sayinge wyth saynte Paule What so euer is not of faythe that same is sinne Ro. 14. though the outward apparance shyne neuer so excellentelye For we knowe that hypocrisye pleaseth not god as scripture testifyeth saying The ioy of hypocryte continueth but the twinklynge of an eye Iob. 20. and the prayse of the vngodly is shorte thoughe hys pryde ascendeth vppe to the heauen and his hedde reacheth vnto the cloudes yet hee shall perisshe at the laste like donge in so muche that they whiche haue seene him shal saye Where is hee Lette this be sufficiente for this gospell The gospell on the twefte sondaye after Trinitye sondaye Mar. 7. ANd he departed againe frome the coastes of Tire and Sydon and came vnto the sea of Galyle Mat. 15 thorowe the myddest of the coastes of the ten cityes Mat. 9. And they broughte vnto hym one that was deafe and hadde an impediment in hys speache and they prayed hym to putte hys hande vppon hym And when he had taken hym a syde from the people he put hys fyngers into his eares and spitte and touched his tunge and loked vppe to heauen and sighed and sayde vnto hym Ephata that is to saye be opened And strayght way hys eares were opened and the stringe of hys tunge was losed and he spake playne Mar. 1. And hee commaunded theym that they should tell no man But the more he forbad them so much the more a greate deale they published saying Hee hathe doone all thynges well he hathe made bothe the deafe to heare and the du◠to speake THE EXPOSITION An other mānes faith FYrste in this gospell is praysed and commēded an other mannes faythe whiche afther she herselfe had knowen Christe to be a sauiour putteth al her trust in him willingly she breketh forth throughe charitye takynge thought for other men prayeth for thē seketh Christ for thē that thei also might come into the knowledg of faith to embrace Christ to be their allōly sauiour This we see in those men that brought vnto Christ one that was deafe and dumme prayed Christ that he wold vauchsafe to lay his handes vppon him Laying on of hādes The layinge of handes vppon was a custome vsed in the olde Testament and remained likewise by Christ and his apostelles in so muche that often tymes when they healed the diseased or wolde giue the holy ghoste Luc. 4. the layed their handes vpon them as we reade in the fourth chapiter of Luc. that Christe laied his handes vppon those that were sycke Act. 14. and .8 and healed theim And also in the actes of the apostels is written They laide their handes vppon them and thei receaued the holy ghost So these men bicause they hadde ofte seene Christe laye his handes vpon those that he healed they prayed him likewise that he woulde vouchesafe to laye his hande vpon this deafe man Here note that these men had true faith and confidence in Christe For if they had not had faythe why woulde they haue brought that poore man vnto Christe or why would they haue prayed him to heale this manne For to brynge the sicke impotent menne vnto Christe and not beleue that he could heale theim were not called seekinge of Christe but rather a mockinge of Christe Vndoubtedly they had a very true faith and did knowledge Christe to be the sauiour bothe of bodye and soule And that thou mayst easyly perceiue in that they praying vnto Christe obtained their peticion and throughe their prayer and meanes the deafe was restored vnto health Further thou shalt note that this deafe is come to faithe and health thorough an other mannes faithe but not thereby iustified and saued For to iustificacion and saluacion euery manne muste haue his owne faithe An other mannes faithe maye praye for me that God through Christe wyll make me faithfull but to get remission of sinnes I my selfe muste beleue and haue a perfecte faithe For it is written He that beleueth in me he saithe not he Iohn 6. that trusteth in an other mans faith hath euerlasting lyfe Secondarely for as muche as we haue harde Howe Christe behaued hym towardes vs. howe euerye man is bounde to beleue and hope in Christe therfore let vs likewise heare on the other partye howe and in what manner Christe behaueth himselfe toward those that beleue And here he is described how familiar friendely and mercifull he is which when this sicke man was brought vnto him their desier and praier ended straight wayes he tooke him a side frome the people and maketh answere with the deede that their prayer was harde And so in likewise how the prayer of all those that pray vnto the father in his name shal be hearde But what did he whan he toke hym asyde from the people He did spitte saithe he and touched his tung but why did he not make hym hole allonly with a word of whose power vertu Centurio spake Ioh. 14 Mat. 8. saying Speak but allonly a word my child shall be hole Truly he did knowe that in the latter daies ther shuld come
before his eyes plainlye that hee might vnderstand yt and saith on this wyse A certaine man went downe from Ierusalem vnto Ierycho c. In th end of this similitude this scribe knowledgeth himselfe that he was neighbour vnto hym that fell amongest the murtherers which holy hym that was wounded and had compassion vpon him wher Christ teacheth vs not only who is my neighbour namely he that needeth of my helpe whether he be frend or fo but also mihtely coÌ„cludeth that this scribe had not kept this second coÌ„maundement in louing his neighbour wherout it must needs folow was euideÌ„t that he had not obserued the first coÌ„maundemeÌ„t wherin he is coÌ„maunded to loue god For why else wold Christ haue sayd Go thy way then and do thou likewise If he had done it there had bene no nede of a commaundemeÌ„t to haue done yt againe Wherefore in conclusion Though this scribe outwardely appeared neuer so vertuous iuste yet is he here ouercome that he neither kept the fyrste nor the second commaundement Wherfore let vs take here an example not of the scribe but of the Samaritan whom the loue of god so allured to do this benefyte vpon him that was wounded But note this also how priuily he toucheth this scribe in speakiÌ„g of the Priest and of the Leuite that passed by thys wounded man without shewing of any mercy vnto him For therwith all Christe accuseth al the priestê at Ierusalem that they had neither the loue of god nor of their neighbour without there chauÌ„ced therby some profite Euen like as they be painted and sette forth by the prophet saiyng Soph. 3â— Here iudges ar as wolues in the euening which leaue nothinge behinde theim till the morowe The gospell on the fourtenth sonday after Trinity sonday Luc. 17. ANd it chaunced as he went to Ierusalem that he passed thorow Samaria and Galilee And as he entred into a towne there mette him ten men that were lepers whych stode a farre of and putte forthe their voices and sayde Iesu maister haue mercy on vs. When he saw them he sayde vnto them Luc. 14. Mat. 8. Go shewe your selues vnto the priestes And yt came to passe that as they wente they were clensed And one of them when he saw that he was clensed turned backe againe and with a loud voyce praysed god and fel downe on hys face at hys feete and gaue hym thankes And the same was a Samaritane And Iesus answered and sayd Are there not ten cleÌ„sed But where are those nyne There are not founde that retourned againe to gyue god prayse saue only this stranger And he sayd vnto hym Aryse gooe thy waye thy faythe hathe made the hol THE EXPOSITION FYrste this gospell declareth vnto vs meruailous excellent examples of fayth in these leepers whiche togither with one voice cryed and called vpon Christe for helpe And these examples are meruailouslye well ioyned to that doctrine that Christe taughte before teaching vs as S. Luc. testifieth to saye and confesse Luc. 17 We be vnprofitable seruauntes yea though we do all that is commaunded vs to do Out of which wordes wee maye gather that seying there is no worke sufficieÌ„t before god without fayth that there is no worke at all wherby we can get or obtaine any thing of god in especyall yf it pertayne vnto saluacion For that that he gyueth he gyueth of hys mere mercy wherfore if we will obtayne any thinge of hym we must gape after mercy For yf we regard our workes and haue confidence in theym yt ys vnpossyble but wee shall doubte whether he wyll helpe vs or not for as muche as no mortall manne doeth so muche as hee ys bounde to dooe Is yt not blasphemye to god contrarye and repugnaunte to the fayth in Chryst to doubte whether wee be hearde or not Wherefore wee maye see in these tenne lepoures that they beleued and doubted not but that freely wythout anye deseruynge Chryst wold restore them to helth Whych yf they had doubted surely they wolde not baue hasted vnto Chryst with so great desier neyther wolde haue cryed oute so loude before they came at hym But thys ys the matter They had herd how meeke and mercifull Christ was and that he mercifully helpt euery manne that desired helpe of him Through suche fame and speakyng of Christ they conceiued a certain hope trust to be restored vnto helth And so was it brought to passe When Christ is found through fayth the menne staÌ„d styll and seke none other And whan as he entred into a certaine toune there mette him ten Leperous men whiche stode styll for ioy accordyng to the nature and disposicion of fayth They stoode as though they would saye Here is he that can helpe vs and wyll helpe vs what wyll wee go any further Let vs open oure infirmitie to this mercyfull Lord and suerly he wyll not suffre vs to go away without comfort Rom. 8. And after foloweth their peticion whiche was not done priuely but with a loud voyce wherout we may note howe they hoped for great coÌ„fort of Christ But what say they Iesu maister haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs. Howe could they haue made suche an excellent prayer if they had not been instructed by the holy ghost For to acknowledge Christ to be their gouernour and maister is to professe that he was sent from God and his doctrin to be suche as is worthy to be receyued of all menne And to desire of him to shewe his mercy vpon vs is nothyng els but to confesse that wee of oure owne righteousnesse goodnes and woorkes can obtaine nothyng but must receiue al thyng through grace Wee geue vnto God his owne honour when wee knowlege him true in his saiyng where he sayth Without me ye can do nothyng Iho. 15. Nowe forasmuch as these Lepres haue so great hope and trust in the goodnes of Christ and doubt nothyng but that he wyll helpe them We must nedes confesse that thei had a true fayth Wherfore let vs here coÌ„sider that we learne likewyse to seke and call vpon Christe in our trouble and necessitie Secondarily we see in this Gospel that if we seke Christ with a true fayth he wyll shewe him selfe as good and mercyfull towarde vs as he hath done towarde these Lepres Fyrst he beholdeth them Blessed are we if Christ with his mercyfull eyen loketh vpon vs Christ shewed himselfe vnto vs fyndeth fayth in our heartes For where that chaunseth we be sure to haue saluacion both of body and soule And that the beholdyng of Christ signified no wrathe but grace the woordes that folowe declare it for he sayth Go your wayes and shewe your selues vnto the priestes For vnto those were geuen power by the law Leui. 13 to discerne and loke vpon Leepres Nowe when Christe perceiued the fayth of these Lepres he sayth not that he wyll helpe them but as though they were alredy holpeÌ„ he biddeth them to go and shewe them selues to
commaundeth Thou wylte saye vnto me Why then is the lawe geuen and what is her office I aunswere with S. Paule Rom. 3. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of syn c. and for this pourpose shee serueth and is necessarye Shee bringeth me to the knowledge of imbecillitie and weakenes peruerse and frowarde nature synnes which canne throughe no worke be expelled dryuen away so than that I by that meanes am made the apter redyer to hear embrace the doctrine of Christ of the diuine grace goodnes Thirdely like as we haue had in this gospell a question partaininge to the lawe so wee haue here nowe an other question partaininge to the gospell After that an answere was giuen vnto the Pharisees according to their questioÌ„ which was the fyrst and greatest commaundement in the lawe Christe asked them again sayiÌ„g What think ye of Christ whose son is he They answere The son of Dauid Then Christ said vnto them How then did Dauid in spirite Ps â—09 call him lorde saying The lord sayd vnto my lorde Syt thou on my right hande c. Here were the pharisees taken at a baye how crafty or subtyle so euer they were And while they were ignoraunt therin knew not how Christ was the son and the lorde of Dauid they shewed them selfe to haue little vnderstanding in the mistery of the gospell And although the Pharisees had no vnderstaÌ„ding therin yet al they that will be counted christen men muste both know it and beleue it For what other thinge is the gospell then a swete and comfortable preaching of Christe the sonne of Dauid that hee for vs became man and came into the worlde to redeme saue vs through his death passion And the he is called as coÌ„cerning the flesh the son of Dauid Whose sonne Christ is is for the greate excellent promise that was made of Christ vnto Dauid So likewise we knowledgiÌ„g him to be the lord of Dauid we coÌ„fesse him to be very god man sent from the father into the worlde that by him we shulde be saued This so excellent a mistery is hidden from the Pharisees all that iustifie them selues but vnto vs that know worship the father in Christ Christ in the father it is plainly opened well knowen This preaching of Christ that he is the sonne and lord of Dauid agreeth wel with the question of the law The lawe openeth sin but it forgiueth not sinne for that high power is only giuen vnto Christ our lord the son of Dauid Also the lawe teacheth what we ought to do and forbere but she giueth not the spirite which canne do that the lawe commaundeth Wherfore ther belongeth besides the preaching of the lawe which doth humiliat vs the preaching of the sonne and lord of Dauid that is the goâ—pell which may pacifye our troubled consciences may giue vs the holy ghost to teach vs willyngly and for loue to do that thing that god requiret of vs. Which knowledg god the father graunt vs through Christ our lord Amen The ninetenth sonday after trinity sonday Mat. 9. HE entred also into a ship and passed ouer came into his owne citie And behold Mat. 2. Luc. 5. b they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying in a bed And when Iesus sawe the faith of theÌ„ he sayd vnto the sick of the palsy Son be of good chere thy sinnes be forgyuen the. And behold certain of the scribes said within them selues this maÌ„ blasphameth And when Iesus sawe their thoughts he said Wherfore think ye euell in your harts Whether is easyer to say Thy synnes be forgiueÌ„ the or to say arise walk But that ye may know that the son of maÌ„ hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then saith he vnto the sick of the palsy Actu 3. and. 9. f Mar. 2. Luc. 5. c Ioh. 5. b Arise take vp thy bed and go vnto thine house And he arose and departed to his house But the people that saw it meruailed and gloryfied God which had giuen suche power vnto men THE EXPOSITION IN this gospel is haÌ„dled one of the most principal articles of our faith that is remission of sinnes Wolde god that we might learn vnderstand this article For it is a necessary thing for vs to know how our sinnes be forgiuen vs. Sin is a terrible word briÌ„ging with him euerlastiÌ„g damnacioÌ„ if we abide perseuer therin Furthermore sinne so highly displeaseth god that he wold not be pleased with no other satisfaccioÌ„ thaÌ„ with the passion death of his onli son Iesus Christe our lorde Moreouer ther is scarce ani other word that hath more coÌ„solation comfort in it theÌ„ remissioÌ„ of syns hath in especial if we knowe froÌ„ whence it coÌ„meth and how we may apprehende it The whiche thyng we may perceiue in this gospel They offered vnto Christ a maÌ„ sicke of the Palsey that he should heale him But what did Christ He knewe full well The disease of the soule that the disease of the soule was muche more dauÌ„gerous then the disease of the body And though he intended to heale take awaye the bodily disease of this man that had the palsey yet he did and brought to passe fyrst that whiche was more nedefull necessary afterward healed the body And that is the cause why he is called a physicion in the gospel because he doth chiefly take away the diseases of the soule as he sayth of him selfe The whole nede not the Physicion Mat. 9. but they that are sicke Christ of his mere grace for geueth synne Wherfore he sayd to the maÌ„ that had the Palsey My soÌ„ne be of a good chere thy synnes bee forgeuen thee Here thou hearest the name of synne and hearest also that ioyfull name of forgeuyng And if diligently thou wylte considre who it is that speaketh these thynges thou mayst lightly perceiue and fynde what he is that wyl forgeue vs our synnes so that we knowlege and confesse theim and desire grace we may perceiue I say that it is Iesus Christe oure Lorde to whom is graunted of God the father this power to forgeue synne as the Angell wytnesseth saiyng Mat. 1. He shall saue his people from their synne And as wee necessarily may note and marke here that remission of synnes is and commeth of mere grace by Christe without any deseruyng of woorkes so lykewyse it is to bee noted howe gentely and mercyfully Christ here in this place doth shewe him selfe This man that had the palsey prayeth and desireth onely for his bodily health and Christ healeth him both in body and soule yea and maketh him the sonne and heyre of God and sayth Sonne be of a good chere O vnspeakeable charitee whiche can not bee expressed O mercyfull and louyng Lorde can there be shewed greatter grace to this maÌ„ that had the Palsey The sinnes are two maner of wayes forgeueÌ„ Esa 34 But
euidently sette forth and declared by this mariage thē there through the parable of the souper For it is true that euen as a souper here vpon earth is prepared and ordained for mirth and ioyfulnes so likewise there is perpetual peace ioy in the kingdom of Christ But in a mariage ther is not onli ioy but the bridegrome the bride ar made one flesh Gen. 2. as the scripture testifieth For the cause shal a man forsake father mother stycke to his wife they shal be two in one flesh Ose 2. And euen likewise as the bride the bridegrome ar one flesh so shal we be in Christ one body so that wee haue a true faithe And as a man and his wife haue al their goodes in common betwene them so haue we likewise al that was Christes so that we are not founde vnfaithful To this pertaineth that S. Paule writeth to the Ephesians Ephe. 5. You men loue your wiues as Christ loued the congregacion hathe giuen himselfe for it to sanctifie it and clense it in the fountaine of water by the word to make it vnto him self a glorious cōgregacion hauing no spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing but that it shulde be holy and without blame Secondarely The outwarde worde ther is commended in this gospel the outward word wherthrough we are called and bidden to this mariage For euen as gorgeously as he prepared this mariage with all thinges belonging thervnto so diligently by his seruauntes he sendeth and calleth his gestes Fyrst of al through the word of the gospell the Iewes were called vnto this mariage to whome also Christ was promised as we finde in the eightene chap. of Deutronomy Deut. 18 And were called also againe the seconde time and would not yet come For thei were so combred with worldly thinges that they cared not for the welthe of their soule and therefore were forsaken and condemned in whose place the poore Fentiles succede And that it is here spoken that they gathered togither al that they found both good euel that is not spokē that we shuld think Mar. 23 that the ill men for their maliciousnes shall receiue a special reward in heauen Mat. 25 but that we must suffre to grow here vpō earth the tares with the good wheat vnto such tyme that god by Christ shall deuide the sheep from the kyddes and receiue the sheepe into his kingedome Thyrdely in that the Iewes didde contempne and dispise the woorde of god and the gospell and distroyed the ministers therof wherwith the kinge being angry sent forth his warriers and destroyed those murtherers and sette fier vppon their citye These wordes declareth how hardly and withoute any mercy god shal punish them both body soule The punishmēt of the Iewes al other worldly cōmodities which dispise persecute his word Were not the Iewes punished with lyke ponishement Hyther may bee referred that Christ speaketh in the tenth chapiter of sainct Mathewe If no manne wyll receiue you Mat. 10 nor heare your preachyng departe out of that house or citie and shake the dust of your fete Truely I say vnto you it shal be easyer for the lande of Sodoma and Gomorra in the day of iudgement then for that citie Fourthly we haue in this parable him whiche entred in wtout a weddyng garment whō the kyng cōmaunded to be bound cast into vtter darkenes because he could not excuse him selfe That that is spoken here of the wedding garment is to be vnderstand of those that iustifye them selfes For those though outwardly thei appeare to be good holy yet forbecause they bee hypocrites The punishemēt of hypocrites they shall not entre with Christ into the kyngdome of heauen There is onely but one worke where through wee are iustifyed and saued whiche is the merites of Christ And whosoeuer receiueth this worke with a right and vnfayned fayth he weareth that weddyng garment and in that great day shall he entre with Christ into his kyngdome Heb. 11. But without this vesture of fayth it is vnpossible to please God But they therfore that haue not this vesture whiche The weddyng garment though many bee called yet is there but a fewe that hath it they shall not haue part with Christe but with Sathan Whiche I praye God saue vs from through Christ our Lorde Amen The Gospel on the xxi sonday after Trinitee sonday Ihon. 4. ANd there was a certaine ruler Mat. 8. Luce. 7. whose sonne was sycke at Capernaum As soone as the same heard that Iesus was come out of Iewry into Galile he went vnto hym and besought him that he would come doune and heal his son For he was euen at the poynt of death Then sayde Iesus vnto hym Except ye see signes and wonders ye wyll not beleue The ruler sayth vnto hym Syr come doune or euer that my sonne dy Iesus sayth vnto hym Go thy way thy sonde lyueth The man beleued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto hym and he went hys way And as he was now going downe the seruauntes met hym and tolde hym saying Thy sonne lyueth Then inquired he of them the houre when he began to amend And they sayde vnto hym Yesterday at the seuenth houre the feuer lefte hym So the father knew that it was the same hour in that whych Iesus sayd vnto hym Thy sonne lyueth Act. 18. And he beeleued and al hys houshold THE EXPOSITION FIrst An example of unperfect faythe in this gospell we haue an exaumple of vnperfecte faith which is a greate comfort for vs that ar not as yet strong in the true faith when we se this ruler hauing little faith and yet not reiected of Christ but rebuked familiarly and afterwarde by the vertue of the worde made stronge in the faithe Whereout we learne howe Christe suffereth the weakenes of our faith and that wee shall not bee reiected of him so that we with like pacience wil suffre his correctiō where withall he rebuketh our misbeliefe as we se here the that this ruler did perseuere euer in prayer with the Apostels saying Luce. 15 Lorde augment and increase our faith And that this ruler had litle and no perfecte faithe it is euident in so much that he prayeth desired Christ to go doune with him to his house and heale his sonne For a true faith and a perfecte wolde haue spoken lyke the euangelical Centuriō saying Mat. 8. Lorde speake but a word and my child shal be hole Whiche Centurio beleued that so greate myghte and power was in goddes woorde that by the same Christe not being present the chyld shuld haue beene healed Wherefore he regardeth and loketh only to the worde for as much as he knoweth very well that the childe shulde be made hole In what maner of wise shal we now be made hole whether we be diseased in body or in soule if we do not regarde
meate and drynke wherewith he feedeth theim that come thereto as they ought do is his owne very fleshe and bloud They that come thereto muste occupye their myndes in consideryng howe his bodye was broken for them and his bloud shed for their redempcion and so ought they to approche to this heauenly table with all humblenes of heart and godlynes of mynde as to the table wherein Christ himselfe is geuen And they that come otherwyse to this holy table they come vnworthely and do not eat drynke Christes fleshe and bloud but eate drynke their owne damnacion because they do not duely consider Christes very fleshe bloud whiche be offered there spiritually to bee eaten dronken but dispisyng Christes most holy supper do come therto as it were to other meates drynkes without regarde of the Lordes body whiche is the spiritual meate of that table Therfore let a maÌ„ as sainct Paule sayth examine himselfe and so eate of the bread and drynke of the cuppe for he that eateth and drynketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion not desernyng the Lordes body Euil persons do not eaâ—e the body of Christ Thyrdly we can not deny but that both the good and bad do eate and drynke the sacramental bread and wine but besides the sacramentes the good eateth euerlastyng life the euil and wicked membres of the deuil euerlastyng death For they do not eate and drynke the body blud of Christ but as sainct Paule sayth they are gyltie of the body bloud of the Lord and eate drynke their owne damnacion Fourthly it is necessary that we knowe wherevnto this sacrament profiteth and what vtilitee coÌ„meth to vs by it and what is the power of it And this can no maÌ„ learne better any where then of the very wordes wherewith this sacrament was instituted whiche say This is my body geuen for you vnto the remission of synnes Christe ordayned this sacrament of his body and bloud in bread and wine to preache vnto vs that as our bodies be fed norished and preserued with meate drynke so are our hungry soules fed norished and preserued by the body bloud of Christ This same spiritual eatyng and drinkyng of the sayd body and bloud of Christ is not receiued in the mouthe digested in the stomacke but it is receyued with a pure heart a syncere fayth beleuyng that Christe gaue his body to death shed his bloud vpon the crosse for vs that he doth so ioyne and incorporate himself to vs that he is our heade and we his membres hauyng him dwellyng in vs wee in him What thyng can bee more comfortable to vs than to eat this meate and drynke this drynke For he sayth himselfe Iohn 6 He that eateth me shal liue by me Wherfore in this sacrameÌ„t receiued with a true fayth we are assured that our synnes be forgeuen whiche thing when we fele in our heates at the receiuyng of the Lordes supper what thyng can be more ioyfull more pleasaunt or more comfortable vnto vs Remission of sinnes is the highest treasure that can be in the worlde Who is it that would not apply his whole study cast in his mynde day night yea go though it were neuer so long a iourney so that he might attaine this treasure Suppose you there bee any ryches in this worlde lyke vnto this Naye verely Why so For the goodes of this worlde be they neuer so excellent neuer so precious great in value neuer so pleasant beautifull yet they ebbe flowe they fall as leaues and thei passe away although in this life onely they comfort man much yea and rather vexe trouble him But this treasure of forgeuenes of synnes when by fayth it is obtained found and set hande vpon it bringeth with it no incertaine deceiuable nor transitory life but a continuall euerlasting and perpetual lyfe also it causeth peace ioye in the holy ghost which shall last for euer Wherefore yt is very necessarye that we with al diligence and studiouse mind serch for this treasure There ar some that are so minded that they thinke that when they haue the worde it is not verye necessary nor maketh no great matter whether they come vnto the sacrament or no and that it is in their liberty whether they wyll take part of the lords table or no. All men ar bouÌ„d to receiue the Sacrament But I deny that liberty lai that al meÌ„ are so sore bound to remembre this benefite receiued of God through Christ as the apostels wer and often to reuolue it in heart and to giue thanks for it For though I neither can nor will bynd meÌ„ vnto a certaine prescript or peculier time to receiue this sacrament yet it is necessarye that wee consider the commaundement of Christe and that oftentymes we accomplishe and in deede fulfyll it Furthermore it is a trewth and can not bee denied but that by the woorde there is offered vnto vs the remission of sinnes And in the same worde is this sacrament commaunded and comprehended so that the one can not bee in onye wise deuided frome the other Fiftely considre nowe who these be that vse this sacrament accordyngly The vse of the lordes supper Douteles that are such as beleue Ther is a promise in the lordes supper that Christ wold giue his owne body vnto death for vs that he wold shed his blud to wash away our sinnes And in this promise there is no douting But what profiteth this promise vnto me excepte I receiue take hold vpon it by faith But yet if I wil be partaker of these thinges it is necessary that I come in faith For euery promise of God is receiued by faith So likewise teacheth the senteÌ„ces in the gospell of Iohn Ioh. 6. He that eateth this bread shal liue eternally Item The breade which I wil giue it ys my flesh for the lyfe of the world Item He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud continueth in me and I in him c. Al these sentences ar spoken of faith Now who so cometh vnto the communion of the lordes supper not hauing this faithe then not only hee eateth it not vnto his health and eternall life but muche rather he taketh part of this sacrameÌ„t vnto eternal coÌ„demnacioÌ„ as S. Paul in the epistle to the Cor. sufficiently sheweth and teacheth 1 Co. 11. Therfore if thou feele thy sinnes knowest them woldest right gladly be delyuered from them desirest to growe increase and waxe strong in faith well make hast come to this supê‘ For in it thou shalt find not only forgiuenes of sinnes that bi the word but also thou shalt feed thy soul with the body blud of Iesu Christ a great coÌ„forting to thi faith Furthermore this sacrament shuld moue stir vs to friendship to liue quietly in peace vnitie concord to put away all hatred variance
glorious name SecoÌ„darily note that the Iewes wyll haue Cesar for their Lord An horrible thyng to refuse Christ but they wyl not acknowlege Christ to be their kyng For thei cry away with him away with him Nowe is not this most ingratitude afore God that when he hath sent to them his only begotteÌ„ sonne a sauior whoÌ„ they so many yeres had loked trusted for nowe with suche crueltie to cast him froÌ„ them Thei might doubtles haue receiued Christ been deliuered froÌ„ sinne death deuil hell but thei will rather refuse Christ serue a forein lorde perishe bothe body soule And for this purpose they more wylliÌ„gly desired to let go a notable murtherer BarrabaÌ„ to pardon him because of their feastful daies custome then Christ To this ê‘taineth also that thei sayd to Pylate Wryte not kyng of the Iewes but that he sayd I am king of the Iewes What is this but to refuse Christ to cast him from theim But what is wont to folowe suche coÌ„tempt Truly this Note what foloweth coÌ„tempt of the word of God Mat. 8. Rom. 11 That the childreÌ„ of the kyngdome be throwen out and the poore Gentyles bee receyued into their place as S. Paule also sayth By their fal health chaunsed vnto the GeÌ„tyles that he might prouoke them to be zelous after them For if the fall of them be the riches of the worlde the minishyng of them the riches of the heathen howe muche more should it bee so if they all beleued yet it is done for theim that shall be receyued that theyr nombre may bee fulfylled For in the Actes of the Apostles sainct Paule sayeth that the Gospell and woorde of God must fyrst bee preached vnto the Iewes Act. 13 but because they thurst it from theim and iudged them selues vnworthy eternal life wee must turne vnto the heathen And this punishment is a plage of the soule And this blyndnes haue the Iewes dearely bought because they persecuted with suche hatred suche stubburnes their Messias kyng promised vnto them so mocked skorned him and nayled him vnto a crosse Besides this thei escaped not also corporall punishement Corporal punishement For they lost their bodyes honours all their goodes wife children and were banished from their owne countrey insomuch that vnto this daye there lyueth no people vnder the Sunne more wretched forsaken and dispised and that for this cause as I haue sayd that they would not receiue this Christ for their king What thinke you shal chaunse vnto vs if we nowe in oure tyme hauyng the worde of God so rychely among vs we reade and heare it dayly yet so yrke and be werye of it that neither would wee heare it or reade it Surely we be like the Gergesines For as they desired Christ to depart vnto some other countrey out of their coastes so we had muche rather that Christ should departe into some other straunge countrey then we wold for his woordes sake lose any of oure gaynes honor or riches Surely God will punishe suche vnthankefulnes in vs except we be turned do penance other wise dispose our selues towarde the woorde of God For euen so sayth sainct Paule to the Romaynes If God spared not the natural braunches take heede leste it come to passe that he spare not thee Thyrdly considre here reuolue in mynde with what wrath wodnes and furour the Iewes drewe Christ out of the citie hanged him vpon the crosse that not at aduenture but of set purpose betwene two theues and murtherers as the worste and one that had most greuously offeÌ„ded in like cryme with them When thou coÌ„siderest thy selfe and reuoluest this in thy mynde knowe thou that thou must not so muche consider the malice of the Iewes as thine owne most greuous synnes God is extreme enemy to synne And this lesson must thou learne in this most dispised and villaynous death that God is an extreme enemye vnto synne For is he not moste highly displeased with it is an vtter enemye vnto it when he would receiue none other satisfaction for it but the death of his only begotteÌ„ sonne Thoughe nothyng els were yet verely this should ouerthrowe our consciences that we might learne to knowe our sinnes and viciate nature and to seke with heartie intercessioÌ„ yea with teares the clemency and mercy of Christ Our sinnes crucified Christ For certainely those do farre sorer torment Christ that wil be called christians yet consider not why Christe would dye for theyr synnes then did the blynde Iewes that crucifyed him For if the Iewes had knowen him sayth S. Paule they would in no wise haue crucified the Lord of glorye 1. Cor. 2 But when do wee acknowlege oure synnes When do we apprehend the meryte of Christ by fayth Where is oure thankefulnes for those so many and so great vnspeakeable benefytes Yea wee dare plucke this Christes glory froÌ„m him whiche he hath so dearely bought that it can not be expressed and we seke newe waies whiche we also prescribe vnto righteousnes eternal helth Iusticiaries as al iusticiariers do whiche are persuaded in coÌ„science that they may by their owne righteousnes and vertues worthily deserue no lesse then heaueÌ„ it self eternal saluacion But certifie if we by our owne workes and our owne powers might obtayn helth and eternal life then it must nedes folowe that Christ suffered suche vexacion greuous paynes yea offered himselfe vnto so horrible a death passion but vainly for his pleasure and phantasy euen as S. Paule saith If rightwisenes came by the law Gala. 2. then is Christ dead in vain Wherfore if thou wylt bee thankeful vnto Christ for his passion death consider it well and knowlege that thy synnes haue geuen hym those woundes in his body and that for them he suffered that most painful passioÌ„ Then pray vnto him that it will please him to geue thee the merite of his passioÌ„ vnto thy profite For if thou do this with true fayth then wyll he forgeue the thy synnes washe away all thyne iniquities in his owne bloud Of this there is no doubt for he him selfe sayth in the gospel of sainct Ihon Ihon. 3 As Moses exalted the serpent in wildernes so must the sonne of man be exalted that euery maÌ„ that beleueth in him shal not perishe but shal haue life eternal And this is confirmed by all places throughout all the scripture that spake of the passion of Christ as is this senteÌ„ce of S. Paule to the Rommaynes Rom. 4 Christe dyed for our synnes hath risen again for our iustificacion And without doubt Note wel this senteÌ„ce whosoeuer suffereth this article of the death and passion of Christ of his blessed bloud sheding to be taken from him needes must that man at the houre of death when his conscience shall haue that great conflict with synne dispayre yea thoughe he had
in one heape gathered together the merites of all sainctes that euer were since the beginnyng of the worlde For in this matter that pertayneth to remission of synne iustificacion and eternal health it is not required to worke The Euagelist allege the scripture but to beleue Obserue also and note diligently that the Euangelistes describyng the passion of Christ howe the Iewes entreated him thei many tymes haue respect vnto the scripture which shewed before the selfe same thinges the which scripture thei also alege as in this place where thei shewe howe he was crucified betwene ii theues Also howee the souldiers cast lotte for his garmentes c. Neither do they this for any other purpose but to admonishe vs to direct our eyes vnto the scriptures and euer more in matter appertainyng vnto saluacion to waygh them direct oure iudgement accordyng to the same Fourthly Christ hangyng vpon the crosse doth excedyngly set furth that his moste heartie loue toward vs in this Christ is careful for his elect that he cōmendeth his most derely beloued mother to the Apostle Ihon againe Ihō vnto his mother that he might be to her as a defender and comfortable patrone in that her extreme necessite and trouble For as he nowe is careful for his mother prouideth for her euen so is he careful and prouideth for al that loue his name receiue his gospel and through faith repose it in their heartes and so furthermore shewe it furth of theyr heartes doyng the workes of it through loue And that we might ascertainly chalenge to our selues suche clemency and goodnes in Christ therefore he sayth in another place Who is my mother Luc. 8. or who are my brethren Truely whosoeuer dothe the wylle of my father that is in heauē he is my brother and syster and mother Christes mother By these woordes thou mayest well perceyue that Christ wyll take thee for his brother syster yea and for his mother also wyl euen so acknowlege thee if thou beleue in him and not onely will he defende and surely kepe thee in this life but also he wyll conserue the into eternal life Only let this be thy heartie study to do the will of his father that is in heauen But what calleth he the wyll of his father This is the will of him that hath sēt me Ihon. 6 euen the fathers that euery man that seeth the sōne and beleueth in him should haue life eternal and I wyl againe rayse him in the last day In this place he playnly euidently sayth We must be armed with the scripture against temptacion that he that beleueth in him doth the wyll of his father And truely it is very necessary for vs earnestly to considre those examples that sheweth what mynde Christe beareth vnto vs. For the tyme wyll come yea it is all ready at hand that these places of scripture shall do vs excedyng muche good and singularly comforte vs in all oure necessitee and troubles But if persecucion fynde me here vnarmed sure it is that I shal not cōtinue constant but sodenly forgette God and seeke helpe and cōforte at creatures And what shal then chaunce to me Truly this that for mine vnthākefulnes God wyll forsake me and because I am not armed with his worde therfore wyll he withdrawe his hand from me and forsake me so that I shal fal into destruction and for euer perishe bothe in body and soule Fyftly we see that Christe when he nowe knewe that al thynges were finished and he had tasted the vyneger and had sayd It is ended He bowed his head gaue vp the spirit That he cryed I thrust and by and by vyneger is geuen him to drynke Psa 69 it was done for this cause that we should beleue seyng that all thynges done in this passion agree so wel with the scriture that this mā without doubt is the same Christe whom the holy fathers haue so long tyme before wayted for And that before he dyed he cryed It is ended This is so excellent a worde and so precious All our saluaciō in Christ onely that not onely it is be grauē in oure heartes by fayth but also bee in all places written euen with letters of golde before our eyes Wyll you knowe why Herken We were by nature the children of wrath condempnacion so burthened in synne vnfaythfulnes that wee should perpetually haue perished if wee had not been succoured and helped Therfore onely this Iesus Christe our Lorde assisted vs with his helpe and comforte And bicause afore the heauēly father we could find no fauour or grace without oblation and sacrifice therfore Christ offered him selfe vpon the crosse for vs reconciled his father with his owne blud and obtained of him for vs fauour forgiuenes righteousnes and eternall life Heb. 11. as the epistle to the Hebrues saith With one offering hath he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified I besech you what could we more desier or what greater benefites may be done vnto vs Sin is conquered death is conquered the diuel hel are conquered so that we may now freely sai 1 Co. 15. Death is swalowed into victory Death wher is thy sting Hel wher is thy victory But thankes to god that hath gyuen vs the victory by our lord Iesus Christ Christs glorye must be giuen hym ōly This now is our dueti that we remembre to giue to Christ only this his glory honor to knowledg him for our high Byshop which offered him self for vs and so by his passion and death finished and brought to perfecte ende all our saluacion For if we nowe giue to hym this his honor as our duty is and stedfastly beleue that al this that was done was done altogither for vs and for our saluacion douteles we shall so haue it that this his merite shall not be taken as vaine or frustrate but of most greatest strength efficacy for vs. On the other party if we wyl not giue vnto him this his glorye but rather wyll ascribe to our owne deseruinge merites and workes that thing which cost him that so great and inestimable price that is the effusion and sheding of his moste precious and holy bloud then truly we make our selues vnworthy to haue this passiō and inerite of Christ gyuen vnto vs neither are we lyke except we repent to haue ony other fauoure at Christes iudgement then the Iewes that crucified him The whiche thing the almighty god kepe farre from vs for his greate mercy and goodnes thorow the merites of Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen The syxte sermon on the Passion Ioh. xix THe Iewes therefore bycause it was the preparyng day of the Sabboth that the bodyes shoulde not remaine on the crosse on the Sabboth daye for the Sabboth day was an hyghe day besought Pylate that their legges might ve broken that they myght be taken doune Then came the souldiers and brake the legges
into heauen with the approue confirmacion of the same For thus sayth the texte And the Lorde after that he had spoken vnto them he was taken vppe into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God c. Hetherto Christ had preached and taught after that he was crucifyed and rysen agayn the thyrd daye from the dead and truely after his resurrection he had muche a do with the incredulitee of his Apostles to whom also at the last he shewed what he would theim to do And after he had all this doone Mar 16 he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hand of God that is he taketh to himselfe a newe kyngdome that he perpetually with his father beyng Lord on heauen and yearth may and shal reigne in equal power with God his father What it is to syt on the right hand of God for to conserue gouerne maintayn and defend all that are his from all euils For this to do is to syt on the right hand of God Furthermore lest his assencion into heauen should be without an euident vtilitee and profyte he would sende from heauen his holy ghost which might confirme his in the fayth make them strong in all their troubles and persecucions and defende comfort them against their threttes that hated the word euen as the Prophet did testifi Ps 67. saiyng Hee ascended into the highth and hath ledde captiuitee capteiue and hath geuen gyftes to men Oh deare brethren is not this a mightie Lord that hath coÌ„quered and deliuered vs from the captiuitee of Sathan hath geuen frely to vs his worde and spirit and lastly by this meanes hath made vs the sonnes of God Surely he that wyll not beleue and put his confidence in this god and suche a Lorde doubtlesse his vnbelif shal turne briÌ„g him vnto perpetual dampnacion and losse bothe of body and soule The whiche God vouchesafe to turne froÌ„ vs for his great infinite grace through Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The gospel on the Monday after Witsondaye Ioh. 3. FOr God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Luce. 19 For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemn the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued Hee that beleueth on hym is not condemned But hee that beleueth not is condemned already bycause he hath not beleued in the name of the onlye begotten son of god And thys is the coÌ„demnacioÌ„ Iohn 1 and. 12. the lyght is come into the world and men loued darkenes more then lyght bycause their deedes were euel For ♣ Eph. 5 euery one that euell dooeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the lyght least hys dedes shuld be reproued But he that doth truthe commeth to the lyghte that hys deedes maye bee knowen howe they are wrought in God After these thynges came Iesus and hys disciples into the land of Iewrye and there he taryed with them Ioh. 4. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luc. 3. Mar. 4 and baptized And Iohn also baptized in EnnoÌ„ besyds Salim bicause ther was muche water there and they came and were baptized For Ihon was not yet put in pryson THE EXPOSITION IN this gospell CHRIST setteth out highly The loue of God toward vs that excedinge loue and charitye of oure heauenly father that he euer hath borne vnto man kâ—nde And this loue doth Christe so highly extoll and magnifye that he affirmeth that loue to haue beene the chiefe principall and onlye cause wherfore hee wolde giue his onlye begotten sonne into this worlde Lette vs therefore with most herty attentioÌ„ coÌ„sider this praise wherwith Christ setteth out the loue of his heaueÌ„ly father For in it we shal plainely perceiue what moued god to redeme vs and by whome he would worke our redemtion And what moued the heauenly father to doo thys Dyd men obtaine it with their good works Or deserued they it by theyr honest conuersacion Truly if that time that Christ came into to the worlde he wold haue iudged men accordinge to their merites and workes it was to be feared least as it happein the tyme of Noe he shulde haue drowned all the worlde with water for doubteles at that tyme ther were not very many good in al the world For euen the Iewes which receiued the law prophets and therfore ought to haue been more holier and better then the other nacions these I say were a fewe except more wretched and abhominable then anye other Then needes must ther be a far other cause of our redemtioÌ„ Out of loue and grace ar we saued then the merites of man What is it then Christe answereth God so loued the worlde Do not you heare now that our redemtion dependeth and consisteth vpon mere loue grace compassion and mercy And this loue ought well to styrre vs vp and to bringe vs to faithe For if we wel consider and weye this loue in our hearts it wil sufficiently teach vs how high ye vnspeakable it is For suerly we had deserued by vnbeliefe and our sinnes perpetual damnacioÌ„ god mought most rightfully haue shed vpon vs his terrible wrath furor and indignacion and haue condemnd vs vnto ê‘petual daÌ„nacion but what dyd he So mighty nowe was not his wrathe but his loue that not only he saued vs froÌ„ destruction but also made vs free safe froÌ„ synne death dyuel and hell But howe did he this or by what meane or mediator Wold he do this by his angels or by any other mediator or mean Nay verily But to do this he sent gaue freely his only begotten son Here againe that excedyng loue is glorified which was the cause the god would redeme vs. For truely all that euer god giueth that giueth he of grace no merites goyng before With this agreeth the saying of S Paul If when we wer enemies we were recoÌ„ciled to god by the death of his son much more now that we be reconcyled we shal be saued by his life Here also in this saying the apostell coÌ„fesseth that god receiued vs of grace ye when we were yet his enemies Finally God hath deliuered vs from our sins from hel hath giuen to vs eternall life by free grace loue that hath he done by his beloued and only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christe Secondarily althogh our saluacion be gotten made perfect by Christ only yet this must we learn to knowe how men maye obtaine it And thys also doth Christe manifestly shew in this gospell That euery man saith he the beleueth in him shuld not perishe but shoulde haue lyfe eaternall You heare in these wordes whether saluacion gotten by Christe may be receiued by works or apprehended by faith Without doubte our workes do nothinge in this matter But here muste needes be a true faith and an assured confidence and beliefe in god But wheÌ„ is that beliefe and faithe trewe Fayth When