Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	outward_a	utility_n	48	3	15.9400	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69147	A postill or collection of moste godly doctrine vpon every gospell through the yeare aswell for holye dayes as Sondayes, dygested in suche order, as they bee appoynted and set forthe in the booke of Common Prayer. Uery profitable for all curates, parentes, maysters of housholdes, and other gouerners of youth.; Postilla Anthonii Corvini	Corvinus, Antonius, 1501-1553.	1550 (1550)	STC 5806; ESTC S109261	359,302	596

worde of God And therefore the grace of God cannot be in them To conclude As Christ is very God so by this gospel it appeareth he was very man and sent from his father into this world that we by him might enioye euerlasting life The Gospell on Newe yeares day Luc. 2. AND when the eihht day was come that the childe shulde be circumcised his name was called Iesus Gen 17 Mat. 1. Luc. 1. whiche was named of the Aungell before he was conceaued in the wombe THE EXPOSITION FYrste bycause saint Luke the Euangelyste hath so dilligently sette forthe the natiuitie of Christe Nowe he goeth about to declare what profite and commoditie it hathe brought vnto vs. That is to say that through Christ the burden and yoke of the lawe is taken away and a free harte and willing spirite is geuen vnto vs Gal. 4. Esa 44 which not constrained with the feare of paine shuld kepe the commaundementes af God and do that is iust For it is very euident and can by no meanes be denyed that seyng the law is spirituall it doth not only require outwarde workes but muche soner the inward affections of the hart No man by his own power can fulfil the lawe as S. Peter witnesseth in the Actes cap. 15. saying Whye tempte ye God laying the yoke vpon the disciples neckes which our forefathers Gala. 3. nor we were able to beare Now therefore it is necessarye other the lawe to be fulfilled or else vs to be damned as scripture saith Cursed bee euery man that abideth not in all thinges written in the booke of lawe Go to then here of this place I perceyue that the law requireth a perfectioÌ„ And again In my selfe I fele nothing whereby I may fulfil it Rom. 10 what shal I now here do Thou must by faith obteine Christe which hath for the satisfied the lawe and deliuered the from the curse thereof He is the ende of the lawe Gala. 4 as S. Paule saith In whome euery man that beleueth shal be saued And in an other place When the time was fully come God sent doune his sonne borne of a woman subdued to the lawe Abrogacion of the lawe that he shulde redeme suche as wer in daunger of the law and so we shuld be made the children of God And hereto it pertaineth that Christ suffered himselfe to be circuÌ„cised This thiÌ„g betokeneth that Christe came to fulfil the lawe for vs and to make vs free from the curse of the law that by the doctryne of the gospell he might communicate vnto vs the holy ghost that we so by him renewed myght hereafter not constrayned but frely and louingely do those thinges that God requireth of vs. And secondarely it is to be vnderstand and knowen that circumcision was a token and signe of the promise that God made vnto Abraham Signes cofirme faith yea and to his seede also as apeareth in the 17. chap. of Genesis Nother was this signe geuen that men thereby myght bee iustified but that they which shulde heare of the promise of God shulde be confirmed in faith and that the Iewes might be knowen froÌ„ thother Heythen and infideles For trewly euerye signe hath his promise whereunto it is meete that all men sticke and beleue As in the 6. chap. of Gen. it is promised to Noe that he shall not perishe by the floude And in token of that promise he had a ship which he was commaunded of God to builde And in the 9. chap. of the same also it is promised that the worlde after that shulde neuer be drowned or destroyed by floude And in token thereof God gaue vnto hym the rayn bow And in lyke case it is here God promised himselfe to be the God of Abraham and of his sede And therefore gaue vnto hym the token of circumcision wherewith he dothe confirme and certefie his faith that he shuld in no wise doubt but suerely beleue that God wolde kepe his promise But thou must so vnderstand these things that we shal receiue these promises The worde not through the outwarde signe but by the worde in the which the signe is conteined Faithe and oure faithe hath gotten it Alwaies the spiritual thing must be ioyned to the corporal internal thiÌ„gs must be added to the exteriors The outward circumcision Circumcision is nothing without the circumcision of the hart which is made by the spirite is signified by the outward circuÌ„cision And Deut. in the 10. chap. it is saide Circumcide the foreskin of your hartê Yf then the exterior circuÌ„cision did profyt the Iews it must nedê be that they theÌ„ shuld holy stick and abide in faith the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts promises of God seing that the same exterior sign doth but confyrme strength them as thou maist see in Gedeon in the 6. chap. Iud. And in lyke manner we say of the signes of the new testament as yf when I am baptised I haue no respecte but to the water That outward dippiÌ„g in water profiteth nothiÌ„g at al The sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t Baptime But if I regard haue respect to the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts promises of god wyth the which this water is sanctified and beleue the same so by this means am baptised wtin through the holy ghost theÌ„ trewly this baptism is very profitable vnto me Yt hath the word promise of God and is not wtout a cause called of S. Paule the fountayn of the new byrth Lykewyse when in the supper of our Lord I regard not the commaundement and promise of Christ nor come by faith to receaue yt The supper of the Lorde then the eating drinking of the sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ not only profiteth me not but rather maketh to my damnacioÌ„ as S Paul speketh of such as vnworthely receiue the same And wheÌ„ I behold the coÌ„maundement word and promise of God 1 Cor 11 then doth the eatinge drinking of the sacrameÌ„t of the body blood of Christ profit me much bycause in the word I fiÌ„d remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes in the sacrament or outward signe I find the confirmacioÌ„ of my faith And it is to be noted that christian meÌ„ in the steed of circumcision haue baptisme begonne of S. Iohn confirmed by Christ as yt apeareth in the last chap. of Mark. The baptisme of children And like as circumcision was communycate to the children so must baptism be conferred to our childreÌ„ although the phantasticall anabaptistes teach otherwise Thirdly we learn by the name that was geuen vnto Christ shewed before of the angel that in matters of faith and in such as coÌ„cern our iustyficatioÌ„ our workes merytes be of no strength before God but alonly grace mercy which God in Christ hath shewed to all the world For the name of Iesus yf thou wylt interpret yt signyfyeth a sauyoure Iesus oÌ„ly iustifieth Nor thynke thowe yt to bee a poore and

ghost be all praise and honoure Amen The gospell on the sixte sondaye after trinitye sonday Math. 5. FOr I saye vnto you Except your rightousnes excede the rightousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kyngedome of heauen Ye haue hard that it was sayd vnto theÌ„ of olde tyme Exo. 20 Leu. 18. Deut. 5. Thou shalt not kill whosoeuer kylleth shal be in daunger of iudgmeÌ„t But I saye vnto you that whosoeuer ys angry with hys brother vnaduisedly shal be in daunger of iudgmeÌ„t And whosoeuer sayth vnto hys brother Racha shal be in dauÌ„ger of a counsayle But whosoeuer sayth Thou foole shal be in daunger of hell fyer Therefore yf thou offerest thy gifte at the aultare and ther remeÌ„brest that thy brother hath ought against the leaue there thyne offerynge before the aultare Iob. 42 and go thy waye fyrste and be reconcyled to thy brother and than come and offre thy gyfte THE EXPOSITION FOrasmuche as oure lorde Iesus Christe deuideth his righteousnes froÌ„ the righteousnes of the scribes and phariseis Two rightousnesses The rightousnes of workes it is to be noted that ther is two righteousnesses that is to say the righteousnes of workes and the righteousnes of fayth The righteousnes of works is when I intende and go aboute to do workes withoute fayth in Christ thinking that by suche outward workes the law is fulfilled And suche righteousnes did the Iewes vse for the moste party and in especiall the scribes and phariseis For the flesh wherin is graft hipocrisye is so affectioned and of suche nature that nothinge can please yt so excellentlye as the outward shine of workes and it canne haue none other iudgemente herein then that suche workes are acceptable before god and that the same are rewarded with euerlasting life Hereof commeth this damnable and detestable truste in workes with the whiche the holye prophetes haue so warred and foughten Esai 1. and. 19 and especiall Esaias complaininge on the Iewes bicause that they did worshippe the works of their owne handes And in an other place he saith This people draweth nigh me with their mouth and praiseth me highely with their lyppes where as their harte neuertheles is farre frome me But how doth Christ lyke this righteousnes Truly he thrusteth it into the deep pit of hell in so much that hee denieth his disciples the entringe into the kingedome of heauen excepte theyr righteousnes excede the rightousnes of the scribes and pharises How could this rightousnes of the Iewes be more contemptuously depressed If our spiritual men in tyme paste and so likewise nowe a dayes were and had beene so iudged and condemned vnto hell for their hypocrisy good lord I thinke for very pure angre they wolde spewe out tier But the spirite of Christe which is sent to rebuke the world of this in credulity setteth little by their threatnynges and angre Righteousnes of fayth The righteousnes of faith is when I hope and truste in Christ and not in workes but in such wise that I open and declare my selfe in the meane-while to haue this truste and confidence throughe fulfilling of his coÌ„maundementes good workes And suche righteousnes is the worke of the spirite and can not be compreheÌ„ded nor vnderstand of the flesh And forbicause she geueth god his honour looketh and trusteth allonly in his grace and mercy whiche is giuen vs in and by Christe therefore she pleaseth and is so acceptable before god that she is suer to haue euerlastinge life Good workes Marke that this inwarde righteousnes canne in no wise consiste or be without charity and good workes and withoute an honeste lyfe or conuersacion For it is the same good seede that fel in the good ground brought forth muche frute Againe contrary wise the outewarde righteousnes as a worke of the fleshe may be done without the righteousnes of faythe as we see in the phariseis Mat. 24 whiche be likened vnto painted sepulchres that apeare beutyfull outward with in are full of deade mens bones and filthines But thou wilte say vnto me Doth not Christe himselfe here call the righteousnes of the phariseis a righteousnes Yes Act. 10. but bicause god hathe not respecte of persones that is he careth not so much for the outwarde shininge of thinges as he dothe require the harte faith and spirite therfore he attributeth and giueth euerlastinge lyfe vnto the inwarde righteousnes forasmuche as the same neuer seeketh nothing so muche as the glorye of Christe And to the hipocrisye of the phariseis he hathe assured euerlasting damnacion Secondarily Christ proueth by a declaracion of a coÌ„maundemeÌ„t takeÌ„ out of the law that the exterior outward rightousnes is not acceptable nor of valu before god wtout we haue ioyned theruÌ„to the inward rightousnes which procedeth from the harte Yee haue harde saith he how it was saide to theim of olde tyme Thou shalte not kill for whosoeuer killeth shal be in daunger of iudgement But I saye vnto you Whosoeuer is angry with his brother is in daunger of iudgement c. Likewise also Saint Paule saith Rom. 7 The law is spirituall that is the lawe cannot be fulfilled excepte the spirite faith and the harte be ioyned with the outwarde workes seynge that the lawe requireth not allonly the outward fashion but also the affection of the harte Therfore Christe in this commaunde mente that pertayneth to man slaughter maketh foure degrees wherein hee counteth giltye not allonly those that kyll and slaye with the swearde but also all them that with thought and worde sinne against their neighboure Anger The firste degree is the anger of the harte which Christe doth lyken vnto the outwarde worke of man slaughter And forasmuche as this angre is grafte in euery one of vs no man canne kepe this coÌ„maundement and precept except he be new borne againe through the spirit The second degre is Racha Racha by which worde is signified tokens of wrathe and hatred that is when I beholde my brother wyth a lowrynge and a grimme countinaunce or passynge by do disdaine to speake familiarlye vnto him And those outwarde misfashioned manners dooe condemne euen as muche as the deede it selfe The thirde degree is if I call my brother Foole Foole. By whiche worde is signified and vnderstande all manner of opprobrious and ignominious wordes and those wordes yf they come oute of rancoure and malyce they condempne me as well as man slaughter But it is possible also that such iniurious wordes ofte times procede of a faithful hart as we see that the pharise is were called fooles often tymes of Christe Mat 14 Manne slaughter and that is nother hurtefull nor damnable The fourth degre is man slaughter euen committed with the deede that is when I not being contente with mine iniurious and opprobrious words and straunge vncorteous countenauÌ„ce but go farther to handstrokes with my hande as did Cain I kil my neighbour

suche subtyl obiections Here out it coÌ„meth that whiche Dauid the Prophet complayneth of these wicked persons Psal 20 saiyng Lo they haue bent their bowes made ready their arrowes in the quiuer that they may priuily shote at theÌ„ which are true in heart So likewyse do these Phariseys here they go to counsel howe they might take Iesus in his saiynges euen the same that they coÌ„cluded they coÌ„maund their disciples instructyng theÌ„ how what they should say vnto him namely this Mayster we know that thou art true teachest the way of God truly carest for no man For thou regardest not the outwarde apparance of men c. Howe goodly are these wolues drest with shepes garmeÌ„t They cal Christ a maister al for to constrain him with suche flatteryng wordes to make answer vnto them yet be not they of suche disposicion to become his disciples although ther had been taught neuer so much goodnes vnto theÌ„ Furthermore thei adde that he is true teacheth the worde of God truely This is not euil spoken of Christe Iho. 14 For he teacheth not only Gods worde truly but also he is the truth himselfe And this is required of al preachers that they so endeuor them selfes that these wordes may be truly spoken of theÌ„ For it is our office to be true to teache Gods word truly Furthermore that thei say Thou carest for no maÌ„ nor regardest the outward apparance of men partaineth vnto vs also For the truth is not to be hidden for no mans pleasure but faythfully to bee preached teached yea although his distructioÌ„ shuld folow should be put to death as S. Ihon Baptist was And although Christ is excellently described vnto vs by these wordes yet they that were sent did speake it with a false fainyng dissemblyng heart Wherout we may learne the disposicioÌ„ of those hypocrites which persecute the word of god Thei omit the head the principal of the thing and bryng in vnprofitable questions They speake nothing with the heart But whatsoeuer thei speake is for that purpose that they may take and tryp the innoceÌ„tes and good men in their communicacion Secondarily after that the Phariseys had put furth their subtill deuised question Christ knowyng that thei did it to tempt him so he did answer them that it was not spoken in vayne of the wyse man Pro. 21. saiyng There is no wysedome there is no vnderstaÌ„dyng there is no counsail against the Lord. Therfore he calleth them hypocrites And that thei might wel vnderstand that he knewe their malicious thoughtes he added Why do ye tempte me Whiche wordes by right should haue reuoked the Phariseys and the ministers from their maliciousnes and deceit and caused them to haue amended their liues But they were blynde remayned styll blynd Yet notwtstaÌ„dyng Christ bad them to shewe him their tribute money and sayd Whose is this ymage superscripcion They sayd vnto him The Emperours Then sayd he vnto them Geue therfore vnto the Emperour that whiche is the Emperours and geue vnto God that whiche is Gods As though he would saye Forasmuche as you are come therto that for your synne you are brought vnder the yoke of the Emperour of Rome you must nedes geue as vnto your head highest lorde here vpon yearth vnder God that whiche beloÌ„geth vnto him Here is to be noted the difference that Christ maketh betwene the kyngdome of God and this worlde For he doth not onely approue and allowe this high power and polliticke life The kiÌ„gdome of Christ but also confermeth it For the kyngdome of God or of Christ is spiritual whiche consisteth in the spirite fayth and truth wherfore it commeth not with outwarde doynges but it must be inwardly in vs. Now because that it is a spiritual kyngdome God requireth and wyll be worshypped in spirite Luc. 17 Ihon. 4 and in the trueth as Christ sayth in the fourth chapiter of sainct Ihon. The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in truthe But to worship God in spirite and truth is to loue him with all thy heart Deut. 6. with all thy power and to truste in him For suche fayth and loue geueth God his honor and kepeth his coÌ„maundementes as Christ sayeth in an other place He that loueth me shall keepe my woorde Ioh. 14 Wherefore when I put my whole truste in god the father through Christe and loue him aboue all creatures then doo I gyue god that pertaineth to god and pull from him none of his honour And herevnto pertaineth the fruteful admonicion of the prophete Dauid saying Psal 28. Adscribe vnto the Lorde O yee mighty ascribe vnto the Lord worshyp strength And contrary wise Cesars kingedoÌ„ the kyngdome of the Emperour is worldly it is visible in the which the Emperour him selfe gouerneth and beareth rule mightely with hys lordes and prynces as the scripture witnesseth in an other place sayinge Luc. 22. The Kynges of the worlde haue dominion ouer the people and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious lordes Neuertheles that kingdome is of god Rom. 13 and stablished by goddes ordinaunce in suche wise that he that resisteth this ordinaunce resisteth god him selfe Thinkest thou that princes and greate lordes in the scripture are called goddes in vaine and withoute a cause For if they bee goddes Psa 8â— and are made by god partakers of his magnificence then muste they needes be in goddes steed whose roome they beare Therfore seyng they rule in gods steed it is both meete and conuenient to giue theim that wee are bounde to giue theim But what are those thinges S. Paule setteth them furthe and sayth Geue vnto euery man his dutie Ro 13. Tribute to whom tribute beloÌ„geth Custome to whoÌ„ custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom honour pertayneth Here thou hearest what thou art bound to geue vnto highe powers But paraduenture thou wilt say Shall I geue obedience vnto a tyrant an vngracious prince or Lord Yea truly thou art bound both to geue obey him For what hast thou to do with his tyranny If the magistrate doth naught contrary to equitie he hath a iudge whom he must answere in that appointed day Iudgement is not here graunted vnto thee except he constrayneth thee to do any thyng against God Then thou mayst say with the Apostles Act. 5. We ought more to obay God then men But if he coÌ„strayneth the do nothyng against God then hast thou here the sentence of Christe Geue to Cesar that belongeth vnto him and to God that is Gods Whiche answere is so good and godly that they that were sent of the Phariseys meruailed at it And for because they could say nothyng against it They weÌ„t their wayes God graunt vs his grace The gospel on the .xxiiii. sonday after Trinitee sonday Math. 9. WHyles he thus spake vnto them Mat. 5. Luc. 8.

of the fyrste and of the other whiche was crucyfyed with hym But when they came to Iesus and sawe that he was deade already they brake not his legges but one of the sowldiers wyth a speare thruste hym into the syde forth with came therout bloude and water And he that sawe it bare record and his record is true And he knoweth that he sayth true that ye myght beleue also For these thynges were done that the scripture myghte be fulfilled Exod. 12 Ye shall not break one bone of hym And agayn another scripture sayeth â™£ Zac. 12 They shall looke on hym whome they pearsed Mat. 26 Mar. 15 Luce. 23 After this Ioseph of Aramathia whych was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for fear of the Iewes besought Pylat that he myght take doune the body of Iesus And Pylate gaue him licence He came therfore and toke the body of Iesus and ther came also Nicodemus whiche at the beginninge came to Iesus by nyght and brought of Myrre and Aloes myngeled togither about an hundreth pound wayght Then toke they the body of Iesus and wounde it with linnen clothes with the odoures as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a newe sepulchre wherein was neuer manne layde There layde they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hand THE EXPOSITION WE haue treated dearely beloued in these former sermons very plainly vpon the prisonment or bindyg scourgyng spittyng vpon derision or scornyng lastly the very death of oure Lord Iesus Christ and accordyng to these articles we haue diligently put in your memory that the very chiefe and principal cause why Christ should suffre this was our synnes Furthermore we haue declared vnto you what vtilitee and profite commeth by this passion vnto those that by fayth apprehend it acknowledgyng theyr sinnes and beyng for the same confounded for feare in their consciences that is to say they obtayne forgeuens of synnes accordyng as blessed S. Peter testifyeth saiyng 1. Pet. 3 Christ ones suffered for oure synnes the righteous for the vnrighteous and to bryng vs to God he was mortified in the fleshe but quickened in the spitite And nowe foloweth what was done after his death before he was buryed The Euangelist writeth thus Then the Iewes because it was the preparyng day besought Pylate that the legges of those that wer crucifyed might be broken and that they might be taken doune and Pylate agreed to their peticion and permitted it But was it so done in dede They broke the theues legged but not Christes And this was done that the scripture shuld be fulfylled as the Euangelist allegeth whiche sayeth You shall not breake a bone of him And again an other scripture said Zac. 12 The aduersaris caÌ„ do no more then is permitted theÌ„ Psa 21. They shall see him whom they haue pearsed But what lessons haue we in this History First we must here marke and learn that the aduersaries of Christ could procede no further in their malice and furor against him theÌ„ was permited them of God And although Christ before was come into that angwyshe and necessitye that he cryed My god My god wherfore hast thou forsaken me yet euen then the heaueÌ„ly father toke the care and custodi of him so that nothiÌ„g might chauÌ„ce vnto him but that which before was coÌ„prehended in the scriptures testified of him And as in this place he tooke the care for his son and so defeÌ„ded him that his bones wer not broken euen so wil he mercifully conserue and keep al that beleue that receiue the word of his son Iesu Christ and continue in it vnto the ende so that nothynge may be able to chaunce vnto them but only that which is the good wil of god as we haue an example in Dauid Dauid whome god suffered for a time to be persecuted yea and banished of Saul yet at the laste he made hym king and brought him to honor Also take insample of Iob Iob. in whome god apointed Sathan bothe the tyme and measure how farre he shuld tempt goddes seruant Truth it is the world may take away our liues if god wil so permit them but the eternall lyfe whiche onlye is obtayned by Christ that can no man take from vs. We also learn in this place of this history that seyng the wordes spoken of the paschall lambe in the seconde booke of Moyses ar here by the euangelist applied and referred vnto Christ In this I saye we learne Christe is the true paschall lambe that Christe is therfore the true paschal lambe signified by that lambe in the old testament and now offered vppon the crosse for our sinnes by cause all that beleue in him shall not perishe nor be ashamed but shal haue lyfe euerlasting Doubtles this knewe S. Iohn when he saide Ioh. 1. Beholde the lambe of god which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And Paule also called Christe the paschall lambe sayinge after this manner 1 Cor. 5. Our Paschall Christe is offered vp for vs. Therfore let vs kepe our feaste not in olde leuen nor in leuen of malice wickednes but in vnleuened bread that is purenes and truthe True holynes of the heart Now to cleaue to this true paschal lamb whose bones according to the scripture wer not broken and by fayth to be planted in him bringeth a farre other holynes then any the Iews had which sought it in extreme outwarde thinges that is it bringeth holynes of the hearte whiche consysteth in spirite faith and truth Secondarily the Euangelist saithe that one of the souldiers opened with a spere Christes syde by and by ther ran forth bloud and water And furthermore though he saith he himself saw it yet bringeth he againe the scripture that ther might bee a more sure testimony out of the prophete Zacharye Zach. 12 Apoc. 1. whiche saith They shall see into whom they thrust their spear Now is this a sure testimony ful of coÌ„fort especially vnto vs taketh away al doubtes from our hartes as if infidelity shuld think Christ is not our redemer hee is not verye god c. These blasphemers I saye are put away for why we see that all thinge that is doone here in the passion of Christ is consonant agreable with the scripture And what signifieth it the there stremeth out bloud water The bloud of Christe signifieth the remissioÌ„ of sins froÌ„ the side of Christ By the blud Christ wold shew vnto vs that remission and forgiuenes of sinnes shuld euermore continue in his Church as wtout doubt it was obtained thorow the same his most precious blud But for whoÌ„ was it obtained Suerly for those that come to it bi knowledgiÌ„g of their sins and by faith But to the vnbeleuer this most precious treasure may not be propounded

our workes he will make vs righteous godly and blessed so that we beyng delyuered from the handes of our enemies may serue him all the dayes of oure lyfe not in outwarde ceremonyes and seruices as in tymes past but in holynes and righteousnes that is accepted before him He requyreth the heart he asketh faith he wil be worshipped in spirite and truth and will not be fylled with outwarde woorkes that lacke faith as men haue done in times past Thus you see that Zacharias by the holy ghost acknowledgeth the grace of the gospell that shoulde come therfore he praiseth and glorifieth god as one ascertayned that by this grace we al shal be saued The lorde our god gyue vs grace bothe that wee maye know it and also that for it we may giue thanks to god our father and glorifie him for euer Amen The gospell on sainct Peter and Paules daye Math. 16. WHeÌ„ Iesus came into the coasts of the cytye whych is called Cesarea Philippi he asked hys disciples saying Mar. 8. Luc. 9. Who do men say that I the sonne of man am They say Some saye thou art Iohn Baptist some Helias some Hieremias or one of the numbre of the prophetes He sayeth vnto theym But whom saye yee that I am Simon Peter answered and sayde Luce. 9. Iohn 6 Thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuyng god And Iesus answered sayde vnto him Happy art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not opened that vnto the Iohn 6 but my father which is in heauen And I saye also vnto the that thou art Peter and vpon thys rocke 1 Co. 10. Esa 28. I wyll buyld my congregacion And the gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynst it And wyll giue vnto the the keyes of the kyngedome of heauen and * mat 18 what so euer thou byndest in earthe shall bee bounde in heauen and what so euer thou losest in earth shall be loed in heauen THE EXPOSITION The coÌ„fession of the Apostles WE haue fyrst set forth in this gospel that excellent confession of S. Peter and the other Apostels wherein they confesse that hee is Christe the sonne of the lyuynge god This confession is so excellente and noble yea and so christian that wee dare boldlye saye that where this confession is not doubteles there is no saluacion at all as the Apostell Saynte Paule witnesseth Rom. saying The hearte beleueth vnto righteousnes and the mouthe confesseth vnto saluacion Fyrste CHRIST asketh what opinyon the people had of hym and whome they sayde he was The Apostels aunswered him Some saye thou arte Iohn the Baptist some saye Helias some Hieremias or one of the prophetes Christe was not ignoraunte what was spoken of him and also he knewe it better then the apostels could tell him that where the gospell is preached there muste nedes arise manye lyes whiche are imagined not only against the truth but also against them the preach the truthe whereout it chaunceth often times that the worlde rageth and waxeth woode with them Therfore nedes must it be that Christ aposing his disciples sought some other thinge at his apostels that is to sai their coÌ„fession of faith as ye shal hear For thus he saith But whome say you that I am TheÌ„ answered Petre in the name of them al The fayth of the Apostels Thou art the same Christ the son of the liuyng god Considre inwardly this confession thou shalt see that the faith of al the Apostels was a true and a righte faith excepte that as yet it was not confirmed with the crosse and that yet the holy ghost was not come vpon them Fyrst of all they confesse that he is the same Christ that is to saye the same anointed and capitaine whom god had longe before promised Esai 55 to theyr fathers and whome they hadde so long time looked for that doubtles he shuld come and fulfyll all suche thinges as the holy scriptures hadde prophecied of Furthermore also they confesse that he is Christe sonne of the lyuing god sente into this worlde that by hys meryte passion and deathe all menne myghte bee made good righteous and blessed And thus as it is in dead conueniente to do they confesse the same one Christ to be both god and man For as concernyng his humane nature hee is the sonne of Dauyd annoynted of the father kinge and Prieste and that after the order of Melchisedech and God hathe gyuen vnto him the seate of Dauid that is the spirituall kyngedome whyche is admynistred by the spyryte that hee maye sytte vppon it eternallye But as concernynge his godheade he is the sonne of the liuing god one in substance essence or being and maiestye with the father so that neither mai the father bee separate from the son nor the sonne from the father as sainct Paule sayth Collo 2 In Christ dwelleth all fulnesse of the godhead corporally Nowe whosoeuer with suche fayth after this maner as the Apostles here dyd confesseth Christe without doubt he shall also with the Apostles be made partaker of eternal saluacion as Christ here sayth vnto Peter like as to al his disciples Blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Iona c. Secondarily we see in this gospel that this confession commeth not of oure strengthes but by the reuelacion of God For assone as Peter had in the name of them all declared what opinion thei had of him Fleshe bloud in scripture by and by Christe sayd Fleshe and bloud hath not opened it to thee but my father which is heaueÌ„ Shal then our fleshe that is reason wyt prudence freewyll and the strengthes of man bee of no value in matter of our iustificacion confessyng of God Surely nothing For without doubt here nothyng is of value but mere grace and mercy Nowe if it be grace than I beleue that I may do good woorkes that I can confesse Christ as the Apostles do in this place nedes must I let flesh contynue as fleshe and bloud as bloud so the inasmuche as partayneth vnto our saluacion the flesh not only can do nothing but also it can do nothyng but synne as S. Ihon the Euangelist sayth Ihon. 1 As many as receiue him he gaue them power to be made the soÌ„nes of God to those that beleue in his name which are not borne of bloudes nor of the will of the fleshe nor of the will of maÌ„ but they are borne of God Doth not the EuaÌ„gelist here cleane refuse reiect in matter of iustificacioÌ„ al together that is borne of bloudes or of the wyl of fleshe or of the wylle of man Euen so it is necessary that we consider here in this place the coÌ„fession of Peter and the other Apostles that it came not of their reason wysedome or frewyll For surely Christ would in this worde dryue backe make blunt ouerthrow our presumpcion and meke that pride that is borne in vs that we shuld

Yea likewise if Israel shulde haue had no cause to glori or reioise of this child he shuld not haue biÌ„ called the glori of the people of Israel Moreouer marke here nowe whether that al men shal knowe this same sauiour lyght Lo saith SimeoÌ„ he is set to the fal how to the fal Esai 8. Bicause that many shal be offended in him wheÌ„ thei shal se him go in maÌ„ner of a bondmaÌ„ or seruauÌ„t not after the fashioÌ„ of kingê princes And especiallye suche as doth not beleue but put their confidence in their own workes wil attaine to the righteousnes before God by their own workê merites not through his only grace Of the which also S. Paul speaketh in the 10. Rom. 10 cha to the Rom Thei that know not the righteousnes of God sekiÌ„g their own be not subdued to Goddes iustice And thei be such that wheÌ„ they hear the righteousnes of God coÌ„mended yet will they not beleue nor in a maÌ„ner can beleue bicause those thiÌ„gs that they do of their own wil be to be reiected cast awai Wherfore they do persecute this doctrine be offeÌ„ded in Christ do stil remaine in their misbilfee leste they shuld at any time be saued Ther be neuertheles amongst those also very many to whom Christ is set to their vprising but that is to those all only which of them selfe do dispaire knowledge that there is no name vnder the sun Ioel. 2. Act. 4. geueÌ„ to meÌ„ wher through thei shal be saued but only in the name of Christ And such be by Christ reserued to euerlastiÌ„g ioy as the prophet Esai saith Esai 28. Lo I wil set in SioÌ„ in the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ a corner stone euery maÌ„ that beleueth in him shal not be lost Now if thou desire that Christ may not be set to the to stumble at but to thine vprising go to and cast away al the hope of thine own merits embrace Christ as the sauiour of this world Mat. 16 And theÌ„ shal not hel gates preuaile against the. And if thou se the more part of meÌ„ not willing to receiue this doctrine but defeÌ„ding the righteousnes of their works The swerde shulde perse Maryes herte reiectiÌ„g the iustice that cometh by faith theÌ„ remeÌ„bre those wordê that SimeoÌ„ saith that Christ shal be set for asign or token which shal be spokeÌ„ against of meny And think you that it was spoken in vayne that a swearde shulde perse throughe Maryes herte Simeon knew wel inough that our Lord Iesu Christ shuld suffre muche paynes for his doctryne And therefore said vnto Mary that with her welbeloued son she shulde suffre also great sorowes that the secrete thoughtes of many shulde bee opened whiche although they were taken for the moste holyest of al yet shuld they be of all the most wicked Thou hast nowe here the testimony of that iust man Simeon that Christ is the sonne of God the very trew Messias and sauyoure of all the worlde SecoÌ„darely we haue here the testimony of Anne the prophetise concerning Christ Ann propheceeth of Christ And besides that that the euangelist doth describe and set forthe her conuersacion he saith further also that she wheÌ„ the verye houre came knowledged the Lorde and spake of him to euery man that longed for the redemtioÌ„ of Israel Obserue and mark now the order of this testimony Fyrst she prayseth and commendeth God for none other cause but that she knewe in this child not only the greate kyndenes of God but also that all prophecies were fulfilled and that the same acceptable time was come Ephe. 5. wherein Christ shulde be borne and to the whiche also God willed her to be reserued and kepte And trewlye all christen people oughte to geue thankes vnto God the father for his suche greate benefite that throughe this childe he willed vs to bee saued from all euell And certainlye this Anne knoweth and knowledgeth that of oure selues we canne nothing do And therfore praiseth God that he hath voutchsaued to send vs our sauioure from heauen And that al other shulde knowe the same she speaketh of him to all that longed for the redemption of Israell But what speaketh she of him Doughteles nothinge els but euen as Simeon did before Simeon told that the same childe was the lighte and sauioure of the Gentils Anne confirmeth the same and saith He is now presente before oure eyes and euen at hande The saiyng of Anna. whom they loked so longe for She frely confesseth her praiers fasting widowhed and honest conuersation to be of no respecte except by this childe through grace she be made righteous and holy and delyuered froÌ„ euerlasting death Of this place it becometh all women widowes maydens to take example folow the steppes of Anne in the knowledging of Christ in good and honests life and in the trew worshipping of God She perceued very wel that it was necessary for her throgh the truste that she had in this child to be saued that is to be iustified by trewe faith in Christ And here may it wel be vnderstand that faith must be liuely effectual And this certificat or knowledg of faith must we al haue or els trewlye the same faithe that maketh vs iust righteous Righte faith is not in vs but rather a false persuasion and opinion of Christ Christe was very man Thirdely this gospell confirmeth the article of oure faith wherin we knowledge that Christ was borne of the virgin Mary For as I must beleue that this is trew so must I also faythfully beleue that Christ naturaly as al other meÌ„ doth iÌ„cresed in age wit strength wisedome spirit not that the holye ghost was not at the first in him but that the more he was in age the bigger he was the bigger he was the wiser he was And the wiser he was so much the stronger he was in spirite before God in himselfe and before al men And to be short In that that the Euangeliste saith The childe encreased and was strengthed in spirite ful of wisedome and the grace of God was in hiÌ„ he sheweth that the same child euerye day more and more did growe in goodnes and wisedome And we shulde highly wish that our children might be like broght vp The briÌ„ging vp of chyldren that thei might more and more increase and do that is iust good This childe Iesus increased and was strengthned in spirite And we suffre oure chyldren to fall run into their own carnal lust desyre Nor we do any thing care or prouide that by the word of God they may be brought to faith and honest liuing Christ incresed in wisdome And our children increase in folishnes And wilt thou know the cause thereof Their parents be in the faut that wil not instruct bring vp theyr children in goodnes vertu nother teach them the

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

for to send me and all his elect his holy ghost to open vs the filthines of our workes and to instructe vs in the knowledge of god Beholde thus the holy ghost shal learn vs the rightousnes of faith Furthermore Iudgement the holy ghost shal rebuke the worlde of iudgement for as much as they iudge not right in thinges pertaininge to righteousnes and saluacion Which thou shalte vnderstande on this wise The diuell sinne deathe hell are constrained to giue place vnto Christe and his worde for by hym they be ouercome But how doth the world knowe this Truly the world euer regardeth workes and euer suffereth the diuell to blinde them so that thei know not nor yet can deuide nor separate the righteousnes of faith from the worldes righteousnes And so remaineth Christ the stone that menne shall stumble at Luc. 2. 1 Pet. 2. and a signe which shal be spokeÌ„ against For the thing which we shuld adscribe vnto Christ that is to saye whereas we shulde confesse that the prince of this world is iudged through Christ and his worde we adscribe yt vnto our righteousnes For the whych cause yt is needefull that the holye ghost do rebuke vs wherby we may learne to iudg right And here hast thou nowe the righte cause why the holy ghoste shall rebuke the worlde Thirdly here is to be noted that Christ sheweth vs here the infirmitie of the apostles saying The weakenes of the apostles I haue yet muche to saye vnto you but yee can not nowe beare it awaye That is as muche to saye Yf I shuld make many words with you of incredulity of righteousnes and of iudgement and of my spirituall kingdome that after my resurrection I shall entre into you colde not vnderstande it nor comprehend it for bicause you are yet carnall and fleshly and my spirite is not as yet confirmed in you For they that shall vnderstand and geue fayth and credence vnto my doctrine the spirite must worke inwardly in theÌ„ with the outward word that shall be expressed with the mouth Mat. 3. or els that sede shall not fal vpon a fruictefull grounde or so that yt shal be other troden of men or else deuoured and eaten of the birdes of the ayer Wherfore it is needefull that the holy ghoste come and when he cometh he shall leade you into all trewthe The gospel is the truthe The gospell is a doctrine of Christe whole and sounde which doth not alloÌ„ly teache the outward honesty but sheweth also the righteousnes of the harte inwardly wherefore it is called in the scripture the trewth The doctrine of men bee lyes And contrary wise the doctrine of men teacheth hypocrisy fynallye neither vnderstandeth nor teacheth any thing of the righteousnes of the hart Wherfore this doctrine and also the doctoures and teachers thereof are called false and lyars as yt is written in the Psalme Ther is no truth in the their mouth Psal 5. that is ther is no suer and certaine thing amongst theim And againe thou shalt lose and destroye all those that speake lies Now seing that the holy ghost shall leade vs into all truth and not into lyes Let euery christian man gesse in his mynd whether the fathers and the counsels haue had the holy ghost whose ordinaunuces and lawes The couÌ„seiles did erre haue beene commauÌ„ded vnto the church in stede of the gospel For if they had had the holy ghoste they wold haue concluded nothing against the worde of god The holy ghost leadeth vs not into lyes but into all truth Howe goodlye haue they vsed this texte in the defence of mans traditions Seinge the holy ghoste teacheth none other thing then that christ taught Further he teacheth onlye the Apostles and the elect of god to perceaue and receaue the doctrine of Christ which of our selues we cannot vnderstand If they hadde eies they mighte perceaue that the plaine texte reciteth the same He saith He shal not speake of him selfe but that he hath heard he shall speake Item He shall glorifie me for he shall receaue of mine and shew it you Briefely Christ speaketh here of the infirmitie and weaknes of his disciples which shuld be strengthed comforted by the holy ghost is to be vnderstand of vs euery one Mat. 7. and 21. c Luc. 11. Iacob 1. Ioh. 14 and 15. b 1 Ioh. 3 and 5. c The fyfte sonday after Easter Ioh. 16. VErely verely I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he wil geue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothyng in my name Aske ye shall receiue that your ioye may be full These thinges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes The tyme wyl come when I shall no more speake to you by prouerbs but I shall shewe you plainly from my father At that day shall yee aske in my name And I saye vnto you Mat. 13 that I wyl speak vnto my father for you For the father himselfe loued you bicause ye loued me haue beleued that I came out froÌ„ god I weÌ„t out froÌ„ the father and came into the world Againe I leaue the worlde go to the father Ioh. 20 Hys disciples said vnto him Lo nowtalkest thou plainlye and speakest no prouerbe Nowe are we suer thou knowest all thinges Ioh. 21 and nedest not that any man shuld aske the any question Therfore â—eleue we that thou camest from God THE EXPOSITION IN the first part of this gospel With promyse and commaundement we ar called vnto prayer we haue a commaundement and a promise wherby we ar allured and entised to praier And truly forasmuch as in all trouble and misery wherwith a christian man is oppressed ther is no greater comfort here preseÌ„t in this world theÌ„ with continual daily praier to open shew our necessity vnto god Wherfore it is very necessary that we do note print in our harts this gospel wherby we may be the more inflamed stirred to praier Who wold reiect and despise praier as a thing not necessary seinge that it is here in this gospell so diligently and highly commended and commaunded to vs of Christe Aske saith he and you shall receaue This commaundemente of Christ bindeth vs aswell as the firste commaundement in the fyrst table of Moyses And this to be trewe wee maye more euidente and playne see in an other place where Christe sayeth Luc. 18. that wee oughte alwayes to praye and not to bee wery Here diligentely note that he saith we ought alwayes to praye Therefore as we throughe a syngular and speciall commaundement of god are egged and entysed to praye so lykewise this presente gospell allurethe vs therevnto throughe a greate and excellente promise Here is promised to vs which be Christian men that oure prayer shall not be in vayne but shal be suer to be heard Wherfore else wolde he confirme and binde this promise with an other Verely verely I saye vnto

you sayeth he If you axe the father oughte in my name hee shall gyue it you also Aske and ye shall receaue Here thou hearest that we shall not praye in vaine Who wold now be slothfull and loth to prayer Christe constraineth vs thorow his commaundement And furthermore that wee shall not thinke to praye in vaine he as I sayde before entiseth vs here with a greate and high promise Wherfore two thinges are heere to bee considered and noted The firste is that we shall pray in none other name theÌ„ all only in Christs name Then we pray in Christs name Christe is oure mediator only wheÌ„ we come vnto god in the faith of Christ in such mind and confidence that he all only is our mediatour by whom all thinges be giuen vnto vs and that without him we can deserue nothing theÌ„ wrath and indignacion Can there bee I beseche you any sainte in heauen or in earth that prayeth for vs vnto god the father as Christ doth For by his merites and aduocacion we do not all only obtaine righteousnes and remission of sinnes but also wee be made his brethren and pertakers of hys preestly office so that we our selues maye go vnto Christ and call vpon him and seke his helpe in all our necessity and nede And that is it that he saieth here And I saye not vnto you that I will pray the father for you for the father him selfe loueth you for bicause you haue loued me and beleue that I am come out from god Al Christian meÌ„ are prestes Seinge therefore that wee haue suche a mediatour yea seing that we our selues are admitted vnto this prestly office by Christ why do we not with true faithe and confidence call vpon him in oure necessitie An other thinge to be noted is this We must considre that in no wyse we do praye that What we ought to desire that shal be against the glorie wyll of god or contrary to our saluacion For it is apparaunt that he wyll not hear such prayer in so much as in the Pater noster he teacheth vs daily to praye that his will be fulfilled Finally when so euer we praye vnto god in our vrgent necessities we shall looke vpon the merites of Christ not vppon oure worthines which commaundeth vs to praye and promised vs to heare vs when so euer we cal vpon him For all the promises of god in Christ are suer and need not to be doubted at For S. Paule saith that all the promises of god ar ye in him and ameÌ„ 2 Cor. 11 Secondaryly it is to be noted that forasmuch as we are fleshly and know not ofte times what we haue neede of as S. Paule saith to the Romanes Christe voutchsaueth here to learne vs Rom. 8. what oure prayer shuld be And as he himselfe faith we ought to praye that our ioye maye be perfect But what manner of ioye is this Truly it shall neuer be temporal nor wordly but spirituall Of the which Phil. 4. S. Paule writeth saying Reioyse in the lorde alwaies and againe I say reioyse But whence cometh this reioysinge Of faith And how is that broughte to passe That is brought to passe when I heare the gospel preached in the which remission of sinnes is geuen to all mortall creatures by Christ Whiche preaching yf I wyll haue it profitable and fruitful vnto me I must needs beleue it which thing I cannot do except it be geuen me through the word by the holy ghoste which muste worke this faithe in me And when this worde and the holye ghoste worke this fayth in me I shall not dout but beleue the Christ hath all only forgeuen me all my sinnes so that they can neither accuse nor condemne me And further that he hath pourchased me a mercifull father in heauen that will acknowledge me for hys son and bring me into euerlasting lyfe And hereoute commeth tranquilitie of conscience and that spirituall ioye TraÌ„quilitie of coÌ„scieÌ„ce 2 Pet. 3. of the whiche this gospell to day speakethe of and it is verye needefull and necessarye that this ioye growe and increase euen as oure faythe oughte to growe and increase yf yt shal be perfecte which thinge doubteles God shal bringe to passe yf we daylye praye vnto hym for it He will that we shall praye alwayes and not with oute a cause For we haue nothinge to geue him But he as a mercifull god creatoure and father forgiueth vs al things And for as much as he commaundeth vs to praye that oure ioye myghte be perfecte lette vs obeye him that wee maye saye withe the virgine Marye Luce. 2. My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure Thirdelye Chryste shâ—weth vs here the ignoraunce of his disciples and witnesseth that hitherto his learnyng hath beene vnto theim as a prouerbe and that if they shuld vnderstande that doctrine it is needefull that he speake no more through prouerbs but playnly to shew theÌ„ of his father that Is. it is needefull that he sende them the holy ghoste to make them apte to vnderstand his wordes Such ignoraunce and blindnâ—s hath not beene all only in the apostles before the hoâ—y ghost was confirmed in them but also hath ben grafte in all mortall men so that there is not one that vnderstandeth no not one that dothe good Psal 13 Ioh. 3. without they be transformed into a newe creature through the holy ghost We thinke oure selues subâ—ile and wise as thapostels saye here in this gospel Beholde nowe thou speakest playne and shewest vs no prouerbe now we knowe that thou knowest all thinges But this is suche an other folyshe presumption as was in Saint Peter Mat. 26 which promysed that he wold go to prison and to death with Christ and yet that nighte before the cocke crew he denied him thrise which presumption brought him to confusion Wherefore all this is written for vs that we shulde not rashely presume but rather to meke oure selues and to confesse that we as concerning godlye thinges are rude and ignoraunte and that we can not perceyue the mistery of the gospell with oute the holy ghost For the wisedome of the fleshe is foolishnes before god And as much the more we go aboute to boaste oure selues of our subtilty and wisedome concernyng godlynes so much the more we declare and shewe forthe our folysshnes The sixte sonday after Easter Ioh. 15. BVt when the comforter is come Ioh. 14 and. 17. Act. 3. d whome I wyll send you from the father euen the spirit of trewthe whiche procedeth of the father he shall testifye of me And ye shall beare witnes also bicause ye haue beene with me from the beginninge THE EXPOSITION After that our lord Iesus Christ in the laste supper had promised his disciples with dyuers promises to send theÌ„ the holy ghost now he nameth the same spirit by his propre name and declareth vnto vs what vtilitie and profit he shall bringe into the world and saith

on this wise When the comforter whom I shall sende you from the father even the spirite of truthe c. Firste wee se here how Chryst nameth the holy ghoste by hys propre name The coÌ„fortet and calleth him a comforter Whoe hath made oure conscience so suer that we beleue that by Christe we be made the sonnes of God and crye Abba deere father but allonly this same comforter Rom. 7 Gal. 4. Who maketh vs withoute anye feare or abashement at the confessioÌ„ of this faith Who comforteth vs and aideth vs in all our calamities and miseries which we must suffre here in this worlde for his names sake None other but this spirite of truthe whiche procedeth frome the father and is the same good spirite for the which the prophet Dauid so earnestly prayeth to obtaine in the 50. psalm For this we se in the examples of the apostles that wheÌ„ the holy ghost was not yet confirmed in them they lefte their maister and fled from him they also denied him lockte them selues vp now here now there in corners But after that the holy ghost was confirmed in theyr hartes they confessed Chryste boldelye and bare witnes that he was risen In so muche that in persetution and tribulacyon they reioysed and tooke greate pleasure as we reade in the actes of the apostels Act. 5. The holy ghoste maketh vs faithfull Now forasmuche as this holy ghost by reason of his office maketh tru men and faithfull and boldeth and comforteth vs in coÌ„fessing and shewing of the trewth so lykewise by his office he shall testifie of Christ Then yf he shal testifie of Christ he shal teache no other thing then the same that Christe taughte and preached before that is he shall instruct the apostles and make theÌ„ meete to receiue the doctrine of Christe and wryte the gospell in their hartes for as muche as of their owne power they canne not perceiue the learnynge of Christe The wisedome of the fleshe can not bringe it to passe but the holye ghoste muste needes do it as the lorde promised by hys prophet Ieremye saiynge Ier. 31. I wyll plante my lawe in the inwarde partes of â—heym and wryte it in their hartes and wyll be their God and they shal be my people And frome henseforth shall no man teache his neighboure or his brother and saye Knowe the lorde But shall all knowe me frome the lowest vnto the highest sayth the lorde Hereof it is euident and playne that without the holy ghoste wee can neither saye the truthe nor yet beleue the truthe Secondarily we be taught and learned The office of the apostels what thoffice of the apostles is which is no more but to testifye and beare witnes of Christe To beare witnes signifieth in scriptures Testifiing to speake and teache not that we thinke good but that God comaunded And therefore is Christe in the psalm called a faythfull witnes in heauen Psal 88. And lykewyse Esaias sayeth Beholde I shall gyue him for a witnes amonge the folke for a prince and capitaine vnto the people Nowe forasmuche as the holye ghoste and the apostles muste testifie of the selfe same thinge it is to bee thoughte that theyr witnes muste bee both one And that the holy ghoste bare witnes in the apostles it is apparaunte accordynge to Christes sayinge You be not they that speake but the spyrite of your father The papistes saiynge that is in you speakethe Where bee they nowe that hitherto haue taught and preached that Christe hathe reueled to the apostles and to the fathers a higher thing then is contained in the gospell Whome shall I beleue Christ or else theyr chatteringe and vnprofitable ianglinges Christe saithe the holy ghoste shall beare witnesse of him and make the folke mete to receaue and vnderstand the gospell And plainlye that we shall be taughte none other thinge of him then that he hymselfe taughte And these ianglers chatter that we must teache higher thinges then is contayned in the gospell After my iudgemente it is beste that wee obeye and beleue hym that hath this testimony and witnes of the father Mat. 7. This is my dere sonne in whome I delite heare him And he that is not contente with the doctrine of Christ of the which not allonlye the Apostels but also the hollye ghoste beareth witnesse lette him chose himselfe an other kinde of learninge and byde the aduenture of yt I had leuer bee suer then doubtefull herein The worlde persecuted the gospell Thyrdelye wee bee taughte in this gospell that the doctrine of Christe of which aswell the holye ghoste as the apostels shall beare witnesse shall not please this worlde For the worlde shall curse and abhorre all those as heretiques that shall confesse this doctrine And when they haue tourmented and persecuted withe all kyndes of tourmentes the apostles and faithfull menne they shall thynke they haue doone a highe seruice vnto God But what sayeth Christe All these thynges shall they dooe vnto you bycause they neyther knowe the father nor me Beholde the fortune that this holy and precious worde of the gospell and the faythfull shall haue in this world If thou wylte confesse Christe looke for no merye nor quiete dayes For Paule saieth 2. Ti. 2. All they that wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu muste suffre persecution And in an other place hee sayeth If I shulde please menne Gala. 1. I were not the seruaunt of Christe Seeynge than that for the confessing of Christe I muste suffre persecution it is needfull that I bee well instructed and armed with the worde of God and that wee knowe it to be the wyll of God that with suche temptacion our faythe shulde bee proued And when wee knowe this wee shall not lightelye bee offended but what so euer the worlde for Christes name putteth vnto vs wee shall patientely suffre it For this is oure comforte that they that persecute vs neyther knowe Christe nor the father thoughe they thinke and boaste them selfe neuer so high Moreouer lette vs not be ignoraunte Rom. 8. that the persecutioÌ„s tribulacioÌ„s of this world be not to be compared to the ioye and blysse that is prepared for vs. And therewith lette vs comforte our selues that we maye lyue with a quiete mynde in this present worlde through Christe oure lorde Amen The gospell on Whytsonday Ioh. 14. Yet a litle while and the worlde seeth me no more but ye se me for I lyue and you shall lyue That day shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Ioh. 15. 1 Ioh. 5. 2. Ioh. 1 He that hath my commaundementes and kepeth them the same is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I wyll loue hym and wyll shewe myne owne selfe to hym Act. 15 Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth Lord what is done that thou wylt shew thy selfe vnto vs

pastour ought diligentlye to looke aboute hym that the flocke of Christe be not seduced and deceyued by false prophetes which teache peruerse doctrine contrarye to the holsome doctrine of Christe But that pointe belongeth not allonlye to the pastor and preacher but also it behoueth euerye christian manne to bee so instructed in things pertainyng to faith that he by the word of god may iudge whether he be right taught or no. For thiÌ„kest thou that this power to iudg euery preachers doctrine was giuen the of Christe in vaine 1. Tes 5. Or thinkest thou that Paule commaunded the Thessalonians in vaine to proue all thinges and keepe that whiche was good Ioh. 4. And also S. Iohn writeth that we shulde proue the spirites whether they bee of God Wherefore seynge that many false prophets are gone into the world beleue verelye that this libertye to iudge is giuen the for somewhat For the diuell is subtyle and is an extreme enemy of holsome doctrine and such a one that hathe in his kyngedome nothynge then lyes Ioh. 16 1 Cor. 11 Ma. 24 and murdre whiche hee bringeth in vnder a coloure of holynes For hee canne chaunge hymselfe into the fashion of an aungell of lyghte so that yf it were possible he shulde deceaue and seduce the verye electe of God And no manne knoweth this better then Christe whiche teacheth vs so earnestlye to beware of theim whiche also painteth the minysters of Satan in theire owne coloures Wherefore lette vs take to harte this his faithfull monition But howe and with what coloures dothe he describe theym Prophetes To prophecye He calleth theym prophetes whereby he declareth that they shal vse the office of preachinge For to prophecye signifieth other whyle to teache and to interprete holy scripture as we fynde in the 14. chapiter of Saint Paule in the firste epist to the Corinthians More ouer hee sayeth Sheeps clothiÌ„g They shall come in sheepes clothinge That is they shall come in greate and angelicall meekenes and withoute all pride hauinge outwardly the shine of holines but inwardly they are rauening wolues euen the destroyers of the lordes flocke Now forasmuch as we shall haue such in the ministery of the worde of god whose outwarde conuersacion shall apeare as most simple and holy therefore it is necessarye that wee note and printe in our mindes this doctryne of Christe wherby we maye auoyde theym and daily pray vnto god that he wil vouchsafe to retaine vs in holsome doctrine and preserue vs from the vaine ianglynge of these false prophetes Secondarily it is to be noted that Christe doth not all onlye instructe vs to beware of false prophetes but also telleth vs howe wee shall knowe theym Yee shall knowe theym sayeth hee by theyr frutes Whiche thinge that he myght driue into vs the better hee putteth forthe a similitude and sayeth on this wise Do menne gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thystelles As thoughe he wolde saye Howe possible it is to gather grapes of thornes or figges of thystles so possible it is that a false prophete in whome the knowledge of god is not shulde teache anye good thynge thoughe hee neuer so muche gloryfye hym selfe in the knowledge of the worde of god A false prophete maye boaste and gloryfye him selfe of the gospell but the trewe doctrine of the faith he shal neuer attayne nor folow All that they haue taught with theyr vaine ianglinge are but leaues and remayne leaues hauinge only an outeward shining And for to knowe these false prophetes and theyr spirite It is needefull to haue the holye spirit and perfecte knoweledge of God Wherefore wee christian menne whyche in this daungerous tyme are assaulted with thys pestiferous and straunge learnyng must so indeuoure our selues Faythe charity that fayth and charity wherin consisteth the hole summe and foundacion of oure doctrine maye euer bee oure rule whereby we maye discerne and iudge all manner of doctrine that shall bee layde before vs. For faythe cleaueth allonlye to the worde of god and sayeth wyth Saincte Paule I knowe nothinge but Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1 and hym crucified that is I seeke remission of sinnes righteousnes and saluacion allonlye in the passion and merytes of Christe And charitie with the deede and worke witnesseth suche fayth to be in the harte And what so euer is contrarye to this doctrine of faythe and charitie commeth of the diuell thoughe they that teache so in their so teachinge leade neuer so relygious a lyfe For the tree is euell and so likewise is the frute euell Shall we iudge nowe some trees by theyr frutes The papistes haue a longe season had the handlyng and administracion of the worde of god and the sacramentes The papistes with so great shyne of holines outwardli the thei haue nigh subiected vnto them the whole world But now that the gospell is broken out come to lyght through the greatinercy of god it hath geuen vs power to know the tree by the fruicte thereof throughe goddes worde Now we haue the word of god which we set against their doctrine concerning works and we find their learning to striue be repugnaÌ„t with the manifest worde of god and to bringe nothinge to passe but hipocrisy Therfore according to their frutes we reproue and abiect the whole papasie with all that belongeth vnto it yea if the diuel rage neuer so much We reproue detest also those spriteful meÌ„ whiche with their Masses suê‘sticion haue abused the supper instituted by Christ contrary to the manifest words of Christe Yea we reproue theim for the fruicte of their doctrine For besides the false expoundinge laiyng out of Christes wordes they haue brought the sacramentes into greate abusion What shall I saye of the anabaptistes I wolde to god the vngracious frute of their doctrine were not so manyfest To make short we haue the clear and manifest gospell by the greate grace of god in our hartes receaued wherein by his mercye we shall abide wheÌ„ all the false prophetes shall go to the diuel Thirdelye Christe expoundeth these wordes by theyr frutes ye shall knowe theim euen as he wold haue theim vnderstanded making a difference betwene hipocrites and those that fulfill his fathers will and declareth both their rewardes The iustifiers and glorifiers in workes crye euer Lord Lord and that more is they glorifie in the gospell and in the holy ghoste yea and are so bold that they dare saye Lorde haue wee not prophecied in thy name haue we not caste out diuels in thy name c. But it is but hypocrisye remaineth hypocrisye for the whiche they haue no rewarde For Christe sayeth Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I knowe you not And fayth in this present gospell Euerye tree that bringeth not forth good frute shal be hewen downe and caste in to the fier Beholde with what rewarde the frute of false doctrine shal be rewarded with all And againe considre what maner of

publican was iustified the pharisey counted vniust not righteous Therefore whosoeuer with this sinner choseth him the lowest place knowledgeth his sinne and asketh grace Christ shal set him in the highest place geue hym euerlastinge life Whiche god throughe Christ our sauiour graunt to vs all Amen The gospell of the eightene sonday after trinity sondaye Math. 22. BVt when the Pharisees had hearde that he had put the Saduces to silence they came togither and one of them which was a doctour of lawe asked him a question temptinge him and saying Maister which is the greatest commaundement in the law Iesus sayde vnto him Thou shalte Deut. 6. loue thy god with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy mynd This is the first and greatest commaundement And the second is lyke vnto it Leui. 19 Rom. 13 Galat. 5 Iacob 2 Thou shalte loue thy neighboure as thy selfe In these two commaundements hang al the law the prophetes While the Pharisees were gathered togither Iesus asked theim saying What thynk ye of Christ Whose sonne is he They say vnto hym the sonne of Dauyd He said vnto them Mat. 1â— Psa 11 howe then doth Dauid in spirite call him lorde sayinge The lord sayd vnto my lord Mat. 1â— Psa 11 syt thou on my ryght hand tyl I make thine enemyes thy footstoole If Dauyd then call hym lord how is he then his sonne And no man was able to answere hym any thinge nether durste anye man frome that daye forth aske hym any mo questions THE EXPOSITION FIrst we haue in this gospell of this daye a question of the lawe wherin is to be considered what they be that moue this question and what their intent was The Phariseis were the chieffest and counted the holyest amongest the Iewes people whiche euer boasted of workes and disputed of the same A certaine doctoure of the lawe whome the pharisees had appointed moued this question here bycause they feared lest yt shuld chaunce vnto theim as it did vnto the Saduces Neither was it meruaile thoughe those iustifiers of them selues reasoned of the greatest and chiefest commaundement of the lawe for all their boasting was in woorkes all theyr laboure and dylygence was to bee iustified and blessed and all throughe works Which false opinioÌ„ was so groweÌ„ imprinted in their hartes that the prophetes Christ also the Apostelles endeuoured theym selues greatly to reforme it but it was for the moste parte all in vayne Wherefore the pharisees do here according to the comon saying which also was vsed of Christe in an other place saying Mat. 12 Out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh They vnderstode the vertue of faith Wherfore they must needes fal into hypocrisie which euer is repugnaÌ„t vnto faith And hereout it chaunced that thei so stifly with stoode Christe was the true doctoure of faith and truthe They reason with Christe but not of a good zeale as wee maye lightly perceiue in this gospell The text is thus One of them a scribe tempted him c. There is a difference when a maÌ„ of ignorance doth question of a thing out of a good intent and for his erudition whan he goth about to tempte a man For he that of a good zeale To teÌ„pt asketh any question he doth it to learne bicause he is ignorant therin And he that tempteth a man he doth it for that intent purpose to trippe him in his saying Wherefore in that the phariseis questioned not with Christ of no good intent Malyce wickednes of our nature but for to tempt him wee maye learne therout the maliciousnes of our nature For that is so rooted and grafte in vs that by no meanes wee can knowledge the truthe or beleue Christe excepte we be transformed into a new creature through the worde the holy ghoste Iohn 3. For yf we wil not perpetually remaine indurate and blind we must be pulled therfrom and learned by the holy ghoste Secondarily considre now this question well also the answer of Christ And although those phariseis did not put forth this question of a good intent yet for all that the doctour of the law was not so styffe necked nor yet so stubborne Surely Chrystes answere and solution did like him so well in so muche that Christe himselfe saide that he was not farre wide from the kingedome of God as sayncte Marke therein testifieth Mar. 12 The question was this Mayster which is the chiefest commaundement in the law Whervnto Christ answered Thou shalte loue the lord thy god with al thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynd And addeth This is the fyrst and greatest commaundement And the second is lyke vnto it Deut. 6. Thou shalte loue thy neighboure as thy selfe In these two commaundements hang all the law the prophetes O what an excellent answer if the Pharises could haue vnderstand it For Christ reherseth not here only two commandementes but also teacheth that in them hange the whole lawe and the prophetes Which muste be vnderstande in this wise The lawe as witnesseth S. Paule is spirituall that is Rom. 7 The law is fulfilled with the spirite the lawe cannot be fulfilled with outward works but requireth the affection of the hart TheÌ„ if the affectioÌ„ of the hart ought to be wholy directed to the loue of god so that wee shuld neither cleaue to workes nor yet to any creature then muste I needes haue faithe This faithe the holy ghost worketh in me throughe the worde And when I haue this true faithe then doo I all thynge wyllyngelye that the lawe asketh of me and not constrained out of loue and not for feare Faythe And I do not onlie that the first table of Moyses requireth of me but also I do that the second commaundeth me For I doo beleue and trust that the lorde my god is he that will saue me throughe Christ of his great mercy and grace without any deseruyng of my partye Furthermore I loue my neighboure as my selfe for I count his pouertye tribulation and misery to be mine and all that he suffreth as thoughe I suffered my selfe Hereout cometh that whaÌ„ I do what so euer is acceptable vnto mi neighboure and leue the thinge that is preiudyciall and hurtefull vnto him then the fulfillyng of the lawe is adscribed vnto loue And that mayest thou perceaue finde in the epistle to the Romaines where S. Paule writeth Rom. 13 that hee that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe For thou shalt not be an aduouterer thou shalt not kyll thou shalte not steale thou shalt beare no false witnes thou shalte not desier and yf there be anye other commaundement it is comprehended in this saying Loue thy neighboure as thy selfe And thoughe the lawe bothe requireth faythe and loue yet styll it remaineth a worde of wrath and angre whyle she geueth me not the spirite to doo that shee

haue respect to this worde Dauid saith He hath sent forth his word Ps 106. and hath healed them But in these thinges is this ruler as yet ignoraunt also did not perceiue that which Christ spake Ioh. 11. He that beleueth in me shall liue though he were dead already Wherfore he desyereth Christ once and againe that he would vouchsafe to come home into his house And as Christ doth not reiecte this man weake in the faith beyng not as yet perfecte so like wyse wee shall not dispaire thoughe wee feele lyke weaknes in vs but suerly hope in Christ that is so mercifull and wyl beare and suffre our weaknes vnto such tyme that through his word and holy ghost we shall be brought vnto more perfection Fayth muste increase Secondaryly we see here how faith muste euer augment and increase No doubte this ruler hathe faith thoughe it be not hole and perfecte Hee truesteth in the goodnes of Christ and beleueth that he is redy to helpe euery bodye and that he is a moste gentle a meeke lorde Or els why shuld this ruler hearing Christes comyng out of Iury into Galile come vnto Christ to aske grace It must needes be that he here had a good hope in Christ But in this he failed bicause he thought that Christes person must needes haue been ther if his sonne shuld haue been healed For as yet he did not vnderstand what power the word of god had Wherfore his faith must needs be encreased and augmeÌ„ted For it is not sufficient that I beleue only that Christ wil be my merciful lord ready to help me without I beleue also that he can do it yea that he can doo it only with a word though he were not personalli preseÌ„t And further also I muste beleue that in what so euer trouble I am in my helpe must come from god though al things semed to be agaiÌ„st me But this is a high conninge which euery body knoweth not Yet did that good Abraham learne it of whome S. Paule sayth that he beleued vppon hope Rom. 4 where nothinge was to hope that he shuld be a father of many people This knowledge in so muche that it was vnknoweÌ„ vnto this ruler Christ instructed him frienly and with a soft a gentle fashion bringeth him vnto the true perfect faith And he doth repreheÌ„d him bicause he wold not be coÌ„tent with a word but was one of those 1. Cor. 1 that seeketh signes myracles as though he wold say For to seek signes myracles not to be coÌ„tent trust to the word is a token of infidelitie Therfore take thou heed Mat. 12 that thou apprehend the worde for there shall none other token be geuen to this aduouterous generacioÌ„ theÌ„ the tokeÌ„ of Ionas the prophete Lo after this sort was this ruler rebuked Thus whaÌ„ he was yet lacking true faith and did not cease praying Christ that he wold vouchsafe to go with him before hys sonne dyed Christe did not only speake in his eare but also in his hart saying Go thy wayes thy sonne is a liue But what doth the Euangelist adde vnto it He beleued those wordes c. Here thou hearest that hee that afore was vnperfecte and weake in faith now hath a stedfast faith beliefe By whom by Christ which through hys word spirit yf we do increase in the knowledg of god dayely dothe and wil help vs. Hyther maye bee referred the saying of Sainct Paule in all his Episteles where hee prayeth and wysheth that the faithfull myghte growe and increase in faythe and in the knowledge of god Howe much we at heard in our prayer Thirdely we see in this gospell that we are not hearde further then in those thinges that pertaine to the health of our soules For Christe although he was desired of the ruler to go home with him yet for al that he went not but denyed him the same wtout doubt for that intent that when he shuld ê‘ceiue his son to be made hole by the word he shuld hereafter so muche the more cleaue to the same word learne therw t to be content And though Christ heareth vs no further then in those thinges that pertaine to the glory of god and our saluacion yet neuertheles we ought stil to be diligent in prayer without ceassing for bicause that the holy spirit it selfe although we know not how what to pray maketh intercession myghtely for vs with vnspeakable syghynge Rom. 8. Vnto vs therefore is made a promise that what so euer wee desier in CHRISTES name shall bee geuen vs. Wherfore if our prayer pertaine to the saluacion of our soule we ar suer through promise to obtaine it as Sainct Paule saith 2 Cor. 1. All the promises of god are yea in him and are Amen in hym to the praise of god by vs. And if wee desier anye thinge that is both contrarye to the glory of god and against our saluacion and if we be not heard it is for our wealth and it is so meete that we be not heard For it is better not to be heard in our prayer and receiue therwith saluacion then to obtain our petition and owne wyll in thinges beinge to our damnacion Of this mynd was also S. Augustine And this is the cause that we are taught to praye in the lordes prayer Fiat voluntas tua Mat. 8. Let thy wyll be fulfilled Doth not the lepre praye on this wise Lord and thou wilt thou maist make me hole He prayeth for health but in suche wise that the thing whiche hee desyereth bee neither againste God nor the saluacion of hys soule And so lykewise oughte wee to praye that what so euer we desyer shulde bee referred vnto the wyll of God Fourthelye wee see in this gospell Miracles are testimonials of the word that signes and myracles are testimonials wherwith was confirmed that the word came from god and to be his woorde And also throughe myracles menne are alured vnto faythe But wee do not speake here of those sygnes and myracles whiche happen after a doctrine once taken receiued and confyrmed but of those myracles whiche approue euery new doctrine to be of god Exo. 17. As we see in the second book of Moyses that the lawe was stablished by and through many signes and myracles And if a false prophete had come and taughte contrary to that lawe as often times god suffereth vs to be tempted and had approued it with miracles yet ought we to geue no faith to such prophetes Deu. 13. 2. Tes 2. As wee see lykewyse in the gospell whiche was preached by Christ in the world after the abrogacion of the law and approued throughe so manye myracles that no doctrine yf it bee contrarye to that oughte to be receiued thoughe the false prophetes shewe neuer so greate myracles For in the beginnynge by Christe and after throughe the Apostels hathe the gospell beene

The ioy of Simeon Thirdelye here note in howe greate myrthe in what great ioy this old man triumphed as it were when the eyes of his hearte were opened to knowe his Messias Nowe saide he O lord thou lettest thy seruaunt depart in peace accordyng to thy promise Oh howe noble a thinge is a heart that beleueth well For I praye you what thinge careth Simeon for nowe when he knoweth his king and fauiour Doutles nothing nowe can make him pensiue or sorowfull Neither careth he much whether he liue or dye As though he shulde saye Oh lorde God I haue with great and feruent desire longed to see thy sonne the sauiour of the worlde and now by thy goodnes and mercye I haue that I euer desired And therfore now I feale my felfe in so great ioye that it is all one to me whether I liue or dye Phi. 1. Now if I must liue longer I knowe that my sauiour yea the sauiour of al the whole worlde is come and therfore there is nothyng can make me sorowfull But if I must dye then am I sure that death is to me auantage Yea verely oh Lord I heartely desire to be dissolued be with thee For I am sure that neither synne nor death nor deuil nor hell can hurt me for asmuche as I haue seen thy sonne my lorde and I haue knowen him as my Messias and sauiour Beholde howe after this maner Symeon maketh his song and declareth what fayth he hath in this childe And what dothe he more Sufficeth it that he only beleueth Christ is sauiour before all people and that this ioye tickleth his heart onely Nay not so But he would make this ioy knowen vnto all men and he sayth That God hath prepared this sauiour before the face of all people Wherevnto A light to lighten among the Heathen and the glory of thy people of Israel Surely that is it that I would so gladly haue hard spoken of And I beseche you what thyng might wee poore heathen require more Wee were bonde vnto this tyme in darkenes great incredulite vtterly ignorant what we shuld do to attaine euerlasting saluacion But God hath set furth this light and nowe hath he ended this miserye Who hath done this This childe of whom Symeon speaketh suche excellent thynges And by what thyng hath he brought this to passe By his helthsom doctrine and gospell For as he only is the glory of his people when they acknowledge him by faith so also is he a light vnto vs when he wolde that his most holy worde shuld come vnto vs. For then in deede began it to be fulfilled that the prophet longe before sawe in spirite and saide The people that dwelt in darknes sawe a great lyght c. Wherfore deerely beloued let vs with harty affection indeuour oure selues that in as much as we are made the childreÌ„ of god by the worde of god that we acknowledge the same with Simeon and be thankefull And neuer admitte to seeke remission of sinnes iustice and eternal health at any other then this childe whom Simeon acknowledgeth and nameth the sauioure of the whole worlde Who with the father and the holy ghoste preserue and keepe vs all Amen The gospell on saynte Mathias the apostels daye Math. 11. AT that time Iesus answered and sayd I thank the O father lorde of heauen and earth bicause thou haste hid those things from the wife and prudent hast shewed them vnto babes verely father eueÌ„ so was it thy good pleasure Mat. 12 Luc. 10. Ioh. 3. Al things are giuen ouer vnto me of my father â™£ Ioh. 7 8. b 10. b And no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father saue the sonne and he to whom so euer the sonne wyll open hym Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyl case you Eccle. 6 Take my yoke vpon you learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart ye shal find rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easye 1. Ioh. 5 and my burthen is lyghte THE EXPOSITION TO the right vnderstandyng of this presente Gospell Two natures in Christe it is necessary that we consider wel two natures in Christ And verely if these two natures bee well and christianly coÌ„sidered it shal open and make plaine many places of the godly scriptures which at the fyrst sight might seme to be contrary so that in very dede there shall appeare in them no repugnauncye at all As for an example I and my father are one And again in another place My father is greater then I. Nowe if you referre this senteÌ„ce vnto Christes deuine nature the other vnto his humaine nature I pray you shall not these saiynges well agree And in like maner must thou nedes do in this gospel For that he geueth thankes to his father it belongeth to his manhod and that he sayth All thynges are geuen me of my father it must be referred vnto his godhead But wherfore geueth Christ thankes vnto his father Forsoth because the worde whiche is contemned of Corazin and Bethsaida is hyd froÌ„ the wyse and prudeÌ„t and is reueled or opened vnto yong children Wise prudent men In this place he calleth theim wyse and prudet that trust to their ownes wysdome and by their owne wyttes and vnderstandynges will searche out all thynges Of whom also the prophet sayth Wo to you that are wise in your owne eyes Esai 5. prudent in your owne conceites Suche wysedome and suche prudence that is suche as will not be subdued and submit it selfe captiue vnder the worde of God and to the folishe preachyng of the crosse shal neuer bee able to perceiue any thyng at all of the matter of his iustificacion nor in any thyng that appertayneth to the glorye of God And why God can by no meanes nor will suffre suche pride as coÌ„monly coÌ„meth of carnal wysedome as it is written God resisteth the proud 1. Pe. 5. and geueth grace vnto the lowly Furthermore wee see that suche as are carnally wyse and ciuily prudent menne very seldome they come vnto the knowlege of God But who then are they that are admitted vnto the knowlege of God and vnto fayth Forsothe litle children And in this place Christe calleth theim children ChildreÌ„ or babes that dispayre of theim selues of all their carnall wysedome and prudence that only considereth and depely fyxeth in their heart those thynges whiche Christ taught preached wrought Knowyng also that in matter appertainyng vnto the honour of God to righteousnes our saluacion or our own carnall wytte is of no waytte nor value but onely the worde of God WysmeÌ„ And knowyng also that no man can kmowe or apprehende that iustice without the reuelacion of God And nowe vnto the fyrst noÌ„bre that is of carnall wyse men and prudent pertayne the hye priestes Phariseys and Scribes and all iusticiaries that from

Christ that Iudas shuld betray him and deliuer him into the handes of the Iewes Surely no man But he beinge very god that searcheth the hertes raines of al men knew it neither nedeth he any man to shewe him suche things Now that hys clemency goodnes long suffering in all thinges might appeare therfore he handleth him that shuld betray him with such mercy friendly or familiare dealing calleth him vnto penance after that fashion that he vtereth him not by name but onlye with his worde toucheth his conscience Called not hee him sufficiently vnto repentaunce when hee sayde vnto him Woo to that manne by whome the sonne of man is betrayed It had been better for that man that he had neuer been borne Doubtles whom so great mercy of Christ as in this place is shewed vnto the traytour also offered vnto him prouoketh not vnto repentance fayth surely I say that man must nedes haue an indurate blinded hert as had Iudas For Christ could haÌ„dle him no better nor with more mercyful kyndnes Rom. 2. This great pacieÌ„ce of god and Christ coÌ„sidered S. Paule saiyng Dyspisest thou the ryches of his goodnes pacieÌ„ce loÌ„g sufferyng Knowest thou not that the louyng kyndnes of God leadeth the to repentance Of this now it foloweth that not Christ but we our selues are the cause of our own destruction Osee 13 as the prophet Oseas wytnesseth saiyng O Israel thy distruccion coÌ„meth of thy self But Christ offereth vnto vs grace and his spirite yea that very liberally in many places of the gospel Therfore whosoeuer now wyl not do penance that maÌ„ must nedes fal into like daunger with the Iewes which would not knowe the tyme of theyr visitacion Iudas heard what he ought to haue done what doubtles should folow vpoÌ„ that his betraiyng and what rewarde he might surely trust vnto except he forsoke that euil mischeuous enterpryse that he had taken in hand But dyd he repent or dyd this any thyng moue him Naye forsoth But as the serpent stoppeth his eares that he heare not the voyce of the enchanter Iudas an ensaÌ„ple to the impenitent euen so Iudas stoppeth his eares shut out al the admonicions of Christ Wherfore it came to passe that by his own sinne he is daÌ„pned perpetually And also he is set furth as a synguler ensaÌ„ple to all that are impeniteÌ„t But the God of mercy and father of our Lorde Iesus Christ vouchesafe of his great and tender mercyful goodnes to kepe and preserue vs al from suche impenitent heartes and desperate myndes Secondarily after that Christ with suche frendly wordes although in vaine had called Iudas to repentance and with his welbeloued Apostles had eaten that Easter lambe he ordained and instituted the remembraunce and commemoracion of our redempcion whiche here in this place of the newe testameÌ„t is aswel expressed and declared by figures figuratiue speaches as it was in the olde testameÌ„t For as the pure Paschal lambe without spotte The paschal laÌ„be signified Christ The effusion of the lambes bloud signified the effusion of Christes bloud And the saluacion of the children of Israel froÌ„ temporal death by the Lambes bloud signifyed oure saluacion from eternal death by Christes bloud And as almightie God passyng through Egypt kylled all the Egiptians heyres in euery house and left not one aliue neuerthelesse he passed by the children of Israels houses where he sawe the Lambes bloud vpon the doores and hurted none of them but saued them al by the meanes of the Lambes bloud so likewyse at the last iudgement of the whole worlde none shall be passed ouer and saued but that shall be founde marked with the bloud of that moste pure and immaculate lambe Iesus Christ And for asmuch as the sheddyng of that lambes bloud was a token and figure of the sheddyng of Christes bloud then to come The lordes supper and forasmuche also as all the sacramentes and figures of the olde testament ceassed and had an ende in Christe lest by our great vnkyndnes we shuld peradueÌ„ture be forgetfull of the great benefite of Christ therfore at his last supper when he toke his leaue of his Apostles to depart out of the world he did make a newe wylle testament wherin he bequeathed vnto vs cleane remission of all our synnes and the euerlastyng inheritaunce of heauen And the same he confirmed the next day with his owne bloud and death And lest we should forget the same he ordayned not a yerely memorye as the Paschal Lambe was eateÌ„ but ones euery yere out a dayly remembrance he ordained therof in bread wyne sanctified dedicated to that purpose Mat. 26 saiyng This is my body This cuppe is my bloud whiche is shed for the remission of synnes Do this in the remembraunce of me Admonishyng vs by these woordes spoken at the makyng of his last wyll and testament at his departyng out of the worlde because thei should be the better remembred that whensoeuer wee do eate the bread in his holy supper drinke of that cuppe wee should remembre how muche Christ hath done for vs and howe he dyed for oure sakes Therfore sayth sainct Paule 1 Cor. 11 As ofteÌ„ as you shal eate of this bread and drynke the cuppe you shall shewe furth the Lordes death vntyll he come And forasmuche as this holy bread broken and the wyne deuided do represent vnto vs the death of Christe nowe passed as the killyng of the Paschal Lambe did represent the same yet to come therfore our sauiour Christ vsed thesame maner of speche of the bread wyne as God before vsed of the Paschal lambe For as in the olde testament God sayd Exo. 12. This is the Lordes Passeby or Passeouer euen so sayth Christ in the newe testament This is my body Ma. 26 This is my bloud But in the old mistery and sacrament the Lambe was not the Lordes very Passeouer or passyng by but it was a figure whiche represented his passyng by So likewise in the newe testament the bread and wyne bee not Christes very body and bloud but they be figures whiche by Christes institucion bee vnto the godly receiuers therof sacramentes tokens significacions and represeÌ„tacions of his very fleshe bloud instructyng their fayth that as the bread and wyne feede theim corporally and continue this temporal life so the very fleshe bloud of Christ feedeth theim spiritually geueth them euerlastyng life For vnto the faythful Christ is at his owne holy table present with his mightie spirite and grace and is of them more fruitfully receyued than if corporally they should receiue him bodily preseÌ„t And therfore they that shal worthely come to this Goddes borde muste after due trial of themselues consider fyrst who ordained this table also what meate and drynke they shall haue that come thereto and howe they ought to behaue them selues thereat He that prepared the table is Christ himselfe The

nor the thinge that is holy Mat. 7 may not be cast before him but only must it be communicate to those that despair of their owne workes and strengthes that knowledg that they need the help and comfort of Christ We beleue rem ssion of sins Therfore also we confesse in our Crede that ther is forgiuenes of sins which we must needs beleue Now if we obtain remission of sinnes by the sheding of the blud of Christ as the blud flowing from hys syde testifyeth where is then the bragging of our workes wher ar our merites They are shut out excluded by the deathe passion of Christ Note how workes are coÌ„cluded not that good works ought not to be doone but that they may not be ioyned with iustification which onli cometh by faith We muste in this behalfe giue Christe his own honor wholy perfectly apprehend his merite by faith so shall it come to passe that neyther synne nor death nor dyuel nor hel shal hurte the. And those good workes the fayth doth as in deed it ought to do good woorkes take them as frutes of fayth wherby the faith and sure trust of our hearts toward god is declared In like maner the water The water that flowed froÌ„ Christs syde declareth that Christe after his resurreccion would send his holy spirit that water of life wher with it is nedeful that the heartes of all the elect be purifyed And of this water dyd all the Prophetes prophecye especially Esaias when he sayd Esa 44 I wyll power water vpoÌ„ the thyrsty streames vpoÌ„ the dry ground I will power my spirit vpoÌ„ thy seede my blessyng vpon thy braunche and they shall spryng burgenyng among the herbes as the salowes that grewe by the syde of the ryuer Accordyng to this Christ also crieth in the gospel of S. Ihon Who so thursteth let him come to me drynke Ioh. 7. He that beleueth on me as the scripture sayth stremes of water of life shall flowe out froÌ„ his belly And the EuaÌ„gelist himself expouÌ„deth this shewyng that it is ment of the holy gost for he sayth This spake Iesus of the spirit which those that beleue in him should receiue Christ loueth vs. He then that hath by theffusion of his most precious bloud obtayned for vs remission of all our synnes deliuered vs froÌ„ eternal death reconciled vs into the fauor of god his father that wtout any of our merites or deseruinges also hath promised to seÌ„d his holy ghost whiche maye leede our heartes into the knowledge fayth of God thynke you he dothe not very heartely loue vs would our welfare Nowe seyng that he thus heartely wylleth oure welfare why should we not beleue in him why should we not acknowledge this so great loue Yet are there meÌ„ fouÌ„d the more pitie it is that ascribe more to their own merites then to Christ and therfore they cannot be thaÌ„keful whoÌ„ doubtles at that day Christ shal therfore punishe according to their owne deseruynges Thirdly we haue here described who they were that buried Christ with what reuerence his dead body was brought vnto the earth Some man perchance would meruaile that Ioseph Nicodemus nowe dare aske of Pylate the deade bodye of Iesu whiche yet when Iesus lyued they durst not come at him The death of Christe begynning to conquer scant by night But nowe the frutes and vtility of Christes passion somwhat openeth it self she winge what shulde ensue the passion and deathe of Christ when a litle and a litle it comech to mennes knowledg both what manner a man Christ is and also how innocently and vndeseruedly he was persecuted by the Iewes condemned vnto the crosse And these two doubtles came after the true knowledge of god and his sonne Iesu Christ which now so manifestly do this humanitie vnto Christ contemned and crucified hauinge no respect that hee was so hated of the Iewes For that they here do it cometh of an imperfecte faith for they were yet far from the perfection that Paul speaketh of Rom. 1 saying I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of god vnto saluacion to euery man that beleueth But that they exhibited to Christ such reuerence honor that thei take him doune from the crosse and enbalmed hym with Myrre and Aloe with such spice they winde vp his body laye it gloriously in the sepulture it is an humane and gentle affection done according to the custome of the Iewes The estimation of the worlde of Christes deth sepulchre Deu. 21 And here note howe the deathe and sepulture of Christe is esteemed afore the worlde bothe his death and buriall are ignominious and shamefull For it is written in the lawe He is accursed that haÌ„geth vpon a tree Besydes this the blynde Iewes had none other opinion of Christ neither by his life nor in his death as it is euident vnto this day But before God this death buryall is honest and precious as also it is estemed amoÌ„g al that beleue whiche know assuredly that by that dispised death the beleuers are delyuered from synne death deuil and hel Doth not S. Paule say often tyme 1. Cor. 2 I haue knowen no man but Christ and euen the same that was crucifyed And this is an vndoubted trueth Note this earnestly gentle reader take awaye this contemptible death and buryal of Christ and you shal perceyue that all men must be compelled to dispayre and to fall into the daunger of the deuil On the other part set before your eyes the passion death and buryal of Christ apprehendyng them by true fayth as most precious iewels deuine treasures done for thee and thou shalt fynd thy coÌ„science able to resyst against all the assaultes of Sathan and also of synne And as Ioseph and Nycodemus by fayth shewed this humanitee vnto Christ so endeuor thy selfe by fayth that vnto sinne thou may bee dead buryed with Christ Rom. 6. and after agayne ryse through fayth with him For surely this pleaseth Christ and is necessary and very profytable vnto thy saluacion Fourthly we see howe contemtuously Pylate delyuereth Christ to be buryed forsyng not for him nothyng regardyng that he should ryse agayne the thyrd day The sentence of Infidels In this mynde are al the enemyes of the gospel and truth of God When they haue slayne the ministers of the worde then they thynke all thyng very well safe and all whyst as they would haue it Exo. 1.2.3 Euen so did Pharao with intollerable burthens oppresse the chyldren of Israel thynkyng by that meanes to stoppe the ordynaunce of God that the Israelites should not so much growe and increase but the more they were oppressed so muche more they grewe and multiplyed and at the laste by his owne crueltee he was his owne destruccion Euen so chaunsed it to Pylate and

then among those that bost them selues of Christes name nothyng coÌ„sideryng nor regardyng Mat. 12 that of euery idle woorde wee must geue accompt in the day of iudgement Ephe. 4 nor yet ponderyng that S. Paule so earnestly forbad christians that in any wyse no fylthy worde shuld be herd out of their mouth Wherefore if thou wylte haue Christ present at thy communication and talkyng do as these two disciples did Talke of those thynges that pertayne to the honour of God and thyne owne saluacion Let thy wyll and studye be euer in the law of God and so shal Christ not be farre from thee But if in thy talkyng thou forget God then looke not for God but for the deuil to bee presente with thee Secondarily we haue here also what Christ did when he was come into the companye of these two disciples And fyrst he maketh himself so as though he knewe nothyng nor had heard what was doone in Ierusalem in those dayes And this dothe he to drawe furth their incredulitee and to rebuke theim for it and to haue occasion to instructe them as he dyd after warde And they by and by plainly declared theyr myndes so talkyng of Christe that a man may easely perceyue that as concernyng him his worde and promises though they had not vtterly yet for the most part they wer fallen into dispayre Besydes this though they acknowleged him to be a Prophete mightie in woordes and deedes before God yet nowe they thought theyr hope frustrate Christ wyll not cast vs away for our vnperfectnes Rom. 7 that he should redeme Israel But what dothe Christe Christe our Lorde knoweth very well and perfectly what is oure infirmitee and incredulitee neither is he ignorant that no good thing is in our fleshe Wherfore although wee bee vnperfecte in fayth yet wyll not he cast vs away but rebuke and teache vs as he dothe here the disciples teachyng vs by his owne ensample to do likewyse And fyrst he correcteth vs and sayeth O fooles and harde hearted to beleue in all thynges that the Prophetes haue spoken Must not Christ suffre these thynges and so entre into his glorye It is neither vnright nor crueltie that he here calleth his disciples foles whiche yet he forbad Mathew .v. Mat. 5. For that he here doth he doth it of a godly zeale and fatherly loue and so also may any manne do likewyse especially when theyr heart nor mynde be none otherwyse affecte then was Christ towarde his disciples Then beganne he at Moses and all the prophetes and interpreted to theim in all their writynges suche places as were written of him It is not comly to rebuke onely and not to comfort againe Furthermore he that shall rebuke another man ought not onely to recite to his rebuke what he had done vnrightfully but he must also shewe what he hath done honestly vertuously and also profitably EueÌ„ so doth Christ here Fyrst he rebuketh their incredulitee or vnfaythfulnes Then forasmuche as fayth coÌ„meth of hearing of the worde he proueth alloweth their saiyng out of the deuine scriptures that Christ must suffre And walkyng with them he earnestly coÌ„tinueth his sermoÌ„ with suche maiestie power that the disciples after wer coÌ„pelled to knowlege it say Dyd not oure heart burne in vs when he talked with vs in the way and opened to vs the scriptures O blessed is that man whoÌ„ Christ thus draweth by his woorde and whiche is by Christes spirit instruct into the true knowlege of God Thyrdly the Euangelist describeth after what maner Christ opeÌ„ly shewed himselfe to these his disciples opened theyr eyes saiyng And they drewenye vnto the toune whether thei went and he made as though he would go further And they coÌ„pelled him sayd Tary with vs for it draweth towardes night and the day it far passed And he taryed with them And it came to passe when he sat at the table with them he toke bread gaue thaÌ„kes brake it and gaue it them Then were theyr eyes opened they knewe him And he vanished out of their sight They knewe that it was Christes accustomed maner to breake the bread and especially to geue thaÌ„kes Yet should they not haue knowen him by these signes if he hadde not opened theyr eyes whiche in dede was done when Christe gaue thankes and brake the bread Here muste we first learne We must bee thankful to God 1 Cor. 4 to giue thankes euer to god for all his benefites giuen to vs both corporall and spirituall For I praye you what haste thou but thou receyuedst it of god Nowe yf god hathe giuen it to the of mere grace withoute anye merite of thyne I beseche the why wylte thou not euer giue him thanks for it Verily Saynct Paul in the fyrst epistle to Timothe in the fourth chap. where hee teacheth of the libertye of meates and drinkes willeth that christians shulde receiue all thinges with thankes gyuynge 1 Tim. 4 and euen so exhorteth he vs to do in the epistle to the Thessalonians Secondly also note 1 Tes 5 Christe openeth the eies that Christe opened hys disciples eyes and brouhht theym into the knoweledge of hymselfe For euen as these disciples could not come to suche knowledge of theym selues tyll theyr eyes were opened no more can wee beleue as wee ought to beleue tell Christe lyghten our eyes and bringe vs vnto the trewe faithe by his worde and holy spirite Fourthly this gospel sheweth Faithe muste be openlye coÌ„fessed that wheÌ„ through Christes word spirit our eyes ar opened to know God then that our faith shal not be vaine in vs that we kepe not this ioye only to our selues but that we shal coÌ„municat it vnto many freely confesse our ioye euen as S. Paul saith Rom. 10 With the hearte wee beleue vnto righteousnes with the mouth we confesse the same beleue vnto health And Dauid saith I beleued and therfore I spake Psa 115 The preachynge of the passion and resurrection of Christ is no such treasure that when a man hath founde it he shuld hyde it and kepe it secrete from other let no manne thynke so but it would bee distributed and imparted to many other Mat. 10 like as Christ sayd That I haue spoken to you in your eare secretely declare it openly euen in the houses toppe And so dothe the disciples here For assone as they had seen and knowen Christ they by and by aryse and returned vnto Ierusalem where they founde the xi gatheeed these that were with them to whom they declared what was done in the way howe they knewe the Lorde by breakyng the bread And so ought euery christian man to do when he knoweth Christe and by his worde and spirite is come vnto the fayth he should geue all men parte of that treasure and to endeuor himselfe that all men maye come to that knowlege and righteousnes of fayth that is in Iesu Christe our Lord

come by these and many mo sectes Furthermore this slaunder is against loue as when I wyll not obey the Magistrate I will not do and paye as other men doo and paye neither beare the common charges as other beare but I wyll be cleane without lawe and haue a singuler prerogatiue afore al other Of this slaunder Christe hym selfe saithe to Peter Mat. â—7 Leaste we shoulde bee a slaunder vnto them go to the sea and cast thy hooke and that fyshe which firste commeth take him vppe open his mouthe and thou shalte fynde a grote take it oute and giue it them for the and me Nowe withoute doubt these slanders shall continue in the worlde vnto the end And especiall the slaunderers of doctrine shall bee both greuous and vehemente But what remedye againste this slaunder Spiritually are the handes and feete cut of I muste cut of that whiche woulde offende me be it either foot hande or eyes that is I must continue in the worde nothing consyderyng what shall chaunce euen thoughe father or mother brother or syster wyfe or children kinne or affinytye monye or ryches woulde plucke me frome it yet muste I sette more by the woorde then by all these For better yt is that I forsake all thynges be they neuer so deere and precious in thys worlde and to bee saued afore god then to haue all menne my friendes and be separated from god And seeynge that god wyll so extremelye punyshe theym that rayse suche slaunders what thynke yee shall come to suche as for those slaunders leaue and forsake the trueth Doubtlesse hee shall punishe theym both alyke Fourthly here is a general admonicion vnto al men that they dispyse none of these lytleones that are dead to the worlde poore in spirit and knyt together one in Christ Yea there is also assygned a cause why they shuld beware of hurtyng them The lytle ones wherfore they are not to be offended Psal 19 For their Angels sayth Christ in heauen alway see the face of my father whiche is in heauen Surely without doubt if God be so mercyful to his seruauntes that he hath appointed Angels vnto this ministery to kepe and defende them doubtles then this wyll please him but a lytle if they be dispised persecuted troubled troden vnder foote For surely the Lord is as careful for them as if these thinges were done vnto himselfe And furthermore he must nedes be discoÌ„tented to se them euil entreated for whose sake he came into this worlde and shedde his precious bloud I pray you who can thynke otherwyse in this behalfe Shall it not prouoke his anger that wee dispyse those whoÌ„ he hath redemed with his death and precious bloud shed For if that lost shepe be so deare to him and he so entyrely loued it that he left nyntye and nyne in the wyldernes and ceassed not seekyng tyll he had founde it why should wee then either persecute or trouble that sheepe Surely he may suffre it but without doubt he wyl not leaue it vnpunished Furthermore he sayth It is not his fathers wyll that one of these lytleones should peryshe Are not these strong reasons that might well refrayne vs from persecutyng of our christian brethren Theyr angels sayth Christe whiche must serue them euer see the face of my father Trueth it is that I wyll be their sauior and my fathers wyll is that they should not perishe Nowe if these wordes wyll not moue vs surely I knowe not what should moue vs to learne to loue christian men and not to despyse theim But commonly it so chaunseth that these poore lytle ones of Christ haue euermore persecucion then fauour in this worlde Wherfore I beseche God graunt vs grace to perseuer in his fayth and paciently for his names sake to suffre persecucion vnto th ende through Christ our Lord. Amen The gospel on sainct Lukes day the EuaÌ„gelist ye shall fynde after Alhalowen day The gospel on sainct Symon and Iudes day Ihon. 15. Greater loue hath no maÌ„ then this that a man bestow his life for his frendes Ye are my frendes if ye do whatsoeuer I coÌ„maunde you Hencefurth call I you not seruauntes for the seruaunt knoweth not what his lorde doth But you haue I called frendes For all thynges that I haue heard of my father haue I opened to you Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to go and bryng furth fruite and that your fruite should remayne that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he may geue it you THE EXPOSITION CHrist gaue his disciples this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of brotherly loue after that last supper when he now knewe the tyme of his passion at hand that immediatly he shuld be taken away froÌ„ them Surely this is an vndoubted truth that there is besydes fayth no woorke in the worlde nor none can be that shal be acceptable vnto God saue onely charitee and loue of my neighbour of the whiche Christ speaketh in this Gospel Or els why should Christ with so great seueritee and earnest admonicion in that his last sermon that euer he made Christes coÌ„maundement of charitee haue geuen and inculcate this precepte of charitee And here note two thynges Fyrst that Christ gaue this precept and not Moses For if it were Moses precept it shuld be a precept as the other preceptes were in the lawe whiche in dede taught coÌ„maunded what should be done and what should bee lefte vndone but thei gaue not the spirit wherby it might be done with free heart and courage But Christ doth not here so but as he sheweth what is necessary to be done euen so he also geueth the spirit that we may be able to do those thinges that he hath coÌ„maunded And this is the onely cause why he him selfe sayth of his preceptes My yoke is swete my burthen light And sainct Ihon in his Epistle Canonical saith His coÌ„maundementes are not heauy Wherefore these woorkes of loue are not hypocrites workes like as the workes of the lawe were whiche the Iewes did without spirit but whatsoeuer a Christian doth in this behalfe he doth it with an whole heart 1 Co. 14 euen as sainct Paule sayth Charitee seketh not the thyng that is her owne For why A christian knoweth that Christe requireth not onely true fayth that worshippeth the father in spirit and truth but also he requireth an vnfayned loue Further note that this loue spryngeth not of her selfe but it spryngeth furth of fayth so that whersoeuer there is no fayth there can neuer bee any true loue Fayth Loue. Fayth heareth the woorde of God taketh holde vpon those thynges that the same worde promyseth in the merytes of Christe and so obtayneth without any merites of workes only of mere grace and mercy remission of synnes righteousnes eternal life Nowe if any maÌ„ wyl in this cause of iustifycacion admyxt the myre of his owne workes he goth cleane out of the way

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