On the fyrst sondaye after Ester. The Epistle on the fyrste sondaye after Ester daye, called lowe sondaye. The fyrst Epistle of Iohn, and the .v. Chapter.
An exhortation vpon thys Epistel.

OVre Epistle taken out of the first epistle catho­lyke of saint Iohn good christen brethern doth shewe vnto vs that we haue a generation from god which is that which procedeth of faith, & this ouer­commyth [Page] the worlde that is to saie the concupiscen­ces of syn̄es, which be pryde, couetous, and lecherye. Assuredly my frendes ther is I trust no man amon­ges vs but knoweth that of nature we be al born in synnes,☞ in vnrightuousnes, in vtter ignorance of al ghostly and spiritual thinges. And therfore Sainct Austine wryteth on this wise.The wordes of S. Austine. Beholde my brethern beholde the generacion of mankynde from the firste death of that first man. For synne from the first man hath entred into this world and by syn̄e hath death entred and so hath passed thorough all men as wit­nesseth thapostle. But marke (sayth saynte Austine) this worde passed through.Pertran sijt. Synne is rūne through vpon all the ofsprynge of Adam, and for this cause is the new borne chylde gylty of eternal damnation, he hath not yet done syn, but he hath caught synne. For surely that fyrst synne of oure foreparentes dyd not styll remayne in the headsprynge, but it passed through into the ofsprynge not into hym and hym but into al men. The fyrst synner the fyrst trāsgres­sour begat synners subiecte to death. Than came the Sauiour of a virgine to heale & saue them, he came to the, but not the waye that thou cāmest. For he proceded not of the concupiscēce of the male and female, he came not of that bonde of concupiscence. Bycause therfore he came to the not by y^t waye that thou cammest:☞ therfore he delyuered the. But where dyd he fynde the? He founde the solde vnder synne, lyenge in the death of the fyrste man drawynge vp the synne of the fyrst mā beynge gylty and hauynge condemnation yer thou couldest discerne good and euell asunder. Hetherto I haue rehersed vnto you [Page ij] the wordes of saynt Austyne. Wherfore to retourne to my purpose: forasmuch as we be borne in synne whych bryngeth wyth it ignoraunce, blyndnes, and infidelitie, therfore we can not chalenge thys to our owne power and vertue that we beleue Iesus to be Christ, but for the beleuynge herof we haue nede to be borne agayne and to be renewed through the ho­ly goost and by y^e worde of God to thintent we may purely vnderstande the thynges that be of God and that we maye by faythe take holde of the promyses of Christ and so finally wyth sure confidence deter­mine wyth our selues that Iesus is Christe,Ioh. iij. that is to saye, the annoynted Kynge and Sauioure of the worlde.Before we be newe borne agayn by spirite we be al Nicodemes. For no doubte before we be thus borne a­gayne, we be all but Nicodemes, that is to saye, we maye well beleue that Christ came as a greate may­ster from God and that nomā coulde do the sygnes and myracles that he dyd. But thys is but an histo­rial fayth, and they that haue it do as yet walke out of the kyngdom of heuen wyth Nicodemus, to whō Christ answereth. Verely, verely, I saye vnto the, onles a mā be borne agayne from aboue he can not se the kyngdome of God,Ioh. iij. whych selfe thynge the ho­ly apostle saynte Ihon doth in thys place declare in other termes saynge:i. Ioh. v. he can not beleue Iesus to be Christe. For he that beleueth not thys, can not se the kyngdome of god. To beleue y^t Iesus is Christe, is surely to determine and conclude wyth thy self that Iesus is fyrste to the a Sauiour: and secōdly,What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ. that he is a kynge anoynted w^t the oyle of gladnes, per­petually to rule, to preserue, & to defend the so saued by hym, And here saynt Ihons entent and purpose [Page] is to declare vnto vs a difference betwene the histo­riall faythe concernynge Christe (whyche the deuyll also hath,A diffe­rence of faythes. and so all hypocrites) and betwene y^e true and sauynge fayth whych beleueth that Christ doth both saue vs and also taketh a continuall charge & regard of our saluation. To thys fayth we be borne agayne whan through the holy goost we be called by the worde to the knowlege of Gods wyll,☞ to thintent we maye vnderstande that Iesus is Christe, I meane, that he is such one in whome is reposed all grace, helth, defense, and sauegarde agaynste synne, death, Satan, the worlde and so forth. This he that beleueth,Borne of God. is sayd to be borne of god, as though saint Ihon shulde say: To beleue y^t Iesus is Christ is not a worke of humane power & strength, but it is suche a worke whervnto is requyred the power of God & an heauenly renewyng or regeneration wherby the holy goost transformeth vs into newe creatures. And what is this faith whiche is so myghty? It is (as I haue sayde) the same that maketh vs beleue that Iesus is the sonne of god that was baptysed (which thinge is to be comen by water) that suffered death and passion for the redemption of men (which is to be comen by bloude) That Iesus Christ is ve­rite (for the holy ghost doth witnesse it) that is to say both trew god and trewe man. And that he is trewe god, thre thinges doth witnesse it in heuē, the father the sonne (which is him selfe) and the holy ghost, and these thre be one selfe witnesse. And that he is trewe man, thre thinges doth witnesse it in erth, the spirite which he hath bequethed into the handes of his fa­ther at his death, the water with which he was bap­tised, [Page iij] and the bloude which he hath shed with water when his syde was percyd after that he was deade. And these thre thinges be one selfe witnesse. And if we receyue the witnesse of menne, why shuld we not take the witnesse of god (which is infinitely greater than mās) that he is the sonne of god? This witnesse was made by god the father in his baptisme.Mat. iij. And also he hath testified yt in the mountaine, he hath testified it by the lawe & by the prophetes. Who so e­uer then beleueth that he is the sone of god, he hath the witnesse of god in him, he receyueth the recorde and testimonye of god, he is borne of god and in the spirite of his faith, he is farre stronger ouer y^e world and victorious of the worlde. Folowe we then good brethren and systers this generation of God, of fayth and of baptisme and lo we haue ouer­come all thynges, that is to wytte the worlde the fleshe and the concupis­cences. Nowe yf we be rydde and not combred wyth these thynges su­rely the yuel spirite can haue no­thynge in vs but than the spirite of god only may all and doth all in vs. Vnto god then be all thankes honour and glory according­ly. Amen.

On the fyrste sondaye after Ester. The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Ester daye, called lowe sondaye, the .xx. chapter of Ihon.
An exhortacion vpon thys Gospel.

THe Gospell of thys daye good people doth de­clare vnto vs the appearyng of our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto hys disciples after hys resurrection, that is to wyt how he came and shewed hymselfe vnto them, the dores beynge shut for feare of y^e Iues. And here truly he dyd shew the diuersitie of bodyes, and what difference there shalbe betwene the sensu­all bodyes, and betwene the spirituall, betwene the materiall and corruptible bodyes in thys worlde, & betwene the spirituall bodyes and incorruptible af­ter the resurrection. Trouth it is also that we ought not to suffer any infideles as were the Iues to enter [Page] in amonges vs from whome the Apostles dyd shut theyr dores. Nowe Iesus beynge in the myddes of them dydde salute them in gyuynge vnto them hys peace wyth whych gretynge or salutation he conforted and confirmed hys disciples myndes that they shulde nothynge doubt of hys resurrectiō whych as the Euangelist Luke wytnesseth they counted but for a dreame.Luke. xxiiij. Wherfore he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde perced. And by thys shewynge of hys handes and feete, Christe openeth two thyn­ges. Fyrst by these sygnes he wolde be knowen. For in affliction is Christ truly knowen. Seconde by them he wolde assure hys disciples of hys glorious resurrection. And verely thys shalbe the signe of saluation vnto the faithful at the greate daye of iuge­ment, and the signe of lamentation and of sorowe vnto the infidels which thā shal se whome they haue percyd. The faithfull shalbe gretly cōforted in seing him as his disciples were at this tyme. To these dis­ciples I saye he did ones gyue his peace and made them his apostles that is to saye his legates or am­bassadours not onely of Iurye, but of al the worlde, in lyke maner as god the father had sent him and made hym apostle in the worlde. And he gaue them the holy gost for to remytte synnes, and to pardō in his name, and whose synnes so euer they pardoned shuld be forgyuen in heauen. The pardone of the a­postles assuredly was but a signe of the trewe par­done, which was made on hygh alredye. And vnto them to whome they wolde not remytte here in erthe they shulde not be remytted nor pardoned in heuen. And this that they did not pardon them, was signe [Page v] that they were not pardonyd on hygh.S. Cyprian. Surely it is not man of him selfe that forgiueth, but God. For as saynt Cypriane sayth. Non potest seruus remit­tere quod in dominū commissum est, that is to say the seruant can not pardone the thinge that is tres­passed againste the maister.S. Am­brose. And therfore saint Am­brose sayth in his boke of Cain & Abell, that synnes be forgiuen by the worde of god wherof the prest is as an interpretour and certain executour. But who were they whome they dyd not forgyue? Truly all those which dyd not giue feith and credence to their wordes. Nowe in thys apperinge Thomas called Didimus was not present. Wherfore when the dis­ciples dyd shewe hym that they had sene our Lorde rysyn agayne to life, whyche had shewed vnto them bothe his handes and hys syde percyd, he answered that he wolde not beleue them, onles he myghte se him and put his finger in to the holes of the nailes and hys hande into hys syde. So eighte dayes af­ter oure Lorde the dores beynge shutte, dyd againe apere in the myddes of them as he had done before and gaue them for gretynge hys peace accordynge to the vsage of the Iues,Pax vo­bis. by whyche is vnderstande quietnes of conscience and all goodnes. And nowe Thomas was there also vnto whome he sayde (an­swering hym vnto the wordes whyche he had sayde by hys vnfeithfulnes) beholde my handes and put thy finger into the holes, hold forthe thy hande and put it into my syde. Be no more feithles, but fayth­full, hereby declaringe vnto hym that he seeth all, that he heareth all, that he is in all places, and that he maye do all. Whiche done, Thomas did confesse [Page] hym to be his Lorde and his God. And truly not so much Thomas as the spirite of fayth whiche wyth the fayth entred into hym. At that tyme oure Lorde gaue witnesse of fayth vnto Thomas whiche hathe beleued in seynge of hym, but he dothe gyue farre greater prayse and cōmendacion vnto them whiche haue beleued, and yet haue not sene hym in person corporally, but only spiritually with the eye of feyth or mystically in forme of breade in the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter, and also vnto them whiche shall beleue him. Then let vs beleue him, by seynge him spiritually, and so doyng we shal be more hap­py then Thomas, in thys that he hath sene hym cor­porally. Now, sayth the Euangelist, al these thinges be wryten vnto vs, to thende that we shulde beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God:The vse of mira­cles. and in bele­uyng this, that we shulde haue euerlastynge lyfe by his name. For asmuch as the ende and vse of all the sygnes and miracles of Christe is that by them we shulde be broughte and allured to the true fayth in Christ, which thyng shal make vs to enioye euerla­styng blysse through his name that is to wit, by his word.Rom. i. For verely Gods word is the vertue & power of God vnto the helth & saluation of al that beleue on Christ Iesus our Lorde & redemer. To whō with y^e father & holy goost be glory & praise for euer. Amē

The Epistle on the seconde sondaye after Ester. The .i. Epistle of Peter the .ij. Chapter.

THe Epistle of thys daye (good christen people) whiche be the wordes of saynt Peter doth put before our eyes the liefe of our Lord Iesu Christ to this intent & purpose that we shuld folow hym as a perfecte president and exemplar. For it is he whiche dyed for vs, which hath done no synne, according to the sayeng of the prophete Esaye, & in whose mouth hath bene founde no gyle nor deceipte.Esa. lij. And whiche when any sayde harme by hym, he sayde no harme agayne. When he suffered, he dyd not threaten, but commytted the vengeaunce vnto hym that iudgeth iustly, that is to wit vnto God the father. No doubt God iugeth ryghtly, neyther regardyng mens per­sons (as doth the worlde) neither only after the out­warde workes but after the hart & outwarde workꝭ to. And therfore is gods iugement according to the trouthe as Paule sayeth.Rom. ij. Furthermore it is Christe [Page] whiche hath borne our synnes on the tree of y^e crosse that our synnes myghte be so by hym taken awaye and we beynge deade vnto synne shulde lyue vnto iustice. But what iustice? Truly vnto the iustice or ryghtuousnes that procedeth of fayth which is frō aboue. For we be healed of our synne by hys woun­des, by his passion, by his sacrifisyng for vs. Wher­for this is the final vse of our deliueraunce or iusti­ficacion by Christ that we shulde no lōger lyue vn­to synne, but vnto iustice & vertue. As though saint Peter wolde saye. Ye wol be christians whō Christe hath redemed,☞ than go to, it shall not become you a­ny longer by disobedience towardes youre rulers & superiours to lyue vnto sinne but vnto ryghteous­nes, to thintent ye maye be obedient vnto them and suffre persecution, vexaciō, yea and dethe of them yf occacion be gyuen, euen as Christ dyd. And thys is euen the right vse of Christes passiō, to lyue a newe lyfe & to become iust & rightuous in al our lyuyng. For as the Apostle saynt Paule witnesseth writyng to the Ephesians,Ephe. ij we be the workmanshyp of God created & made to do good workes. But to returne to the texte, S. Peter allegeth here vnto you (good people) the workes of the prophete Esaye, where he sayeth,Esa. liij. that by the strypes & woundes of Christe ye were healed. O moost comfortable wordes. Bytter verely were these strypes to our Sauiour Christe, but they were swete to vs, so swete y^t wythout them we shulde haue ben in moost paynfull misery & an­guyshe. Let vs than neuer put out of our myndes thys moost comfortable tydynges, thys swete & me­ry Gospell that Christ bare our synnes in hys body [Page vij] on the tree. Thys treasure I meane the knowlege of this thyng who so wanteth is moost nedy & pore yea he hath nothynge at all. For this is (no doubte) that preciouse perle that Christe speaketh of in the Gospell of Matheu, where he sayth,mat. xiij that the kyng­dome of heauen is lyke vnto a marchaunt man, se­kynge goodly perles which whā he founde one pre­cious perle, went and solde al that he had & bought it. Nowe thoughe thys thynge be playne ynoughe and apparaunt: yet wyth your pacience I wyll de­clare vnto you what the moost excellente doctoure of the churche saynte Hierome wryteth vpon thys place.The wordes of. saint Hierom Surely (sayeth saynte Hierome) there is one perle moost precious of all, that is to wit, the know­lege of oure Sauioure and the mystery of his pas­sion and resurrection, whiche whan a marchaunte man hath founde (as saynt Paule the Apostle dyd) he despyseth all the mysteries of the lawe & prophe­tes & his olde obseruauncies wherin he lyued with­out reproche, yea and he regardeth them no better thā the parynges of hys nayles or chyppes to thin­tent to wynne Christe vnto hym. Thys Christe (as Ihon baptist witnesseth) is the lambe of God which taketh awaye the synne of the worlde.Ioh. i. Where as before his commynge we were as shepe wandering wythout a sheperde but nowe by fayth we be con­uerted vnto oure sheperde which is the onely good shepherde, and vnto the byshop of our soules which is eternall, alwayes mediatoure and intercessoure for vs, alwayes presentyng and offerynge hymselfe for vs. Let vs than good people follow his cōuersation. Let vs beare paciently al thingꝭ for the loue of [Page] hym, which hath suffred so many tribulations and extreme paynes for vs. Let vs not synne wyllingly Let vs not speake any vntrouthe, fraude, dissimu­lation, and lyes. Let vs not curse, if any say euyl of vs. Let vs not threaten if any do greue vs. Let vs giue vp all vengeaunce vnto God. Let vs remem­bre y^e good whiche he hath done vs by his glorious passion, that we maye be deade with him as to him, and mortified by his spirite as to vs. Let vs liue no more in beastly wise to our selues but in most clenly sorte to him, which is our iustice, for we be the shepe which he hath conuerted from wandering forthe of the right path, from errour & infidelitie, vnto fayth. He is our shepherd, let vs worthely folow him vn­to y^e pasture of life. He is our bishop, our mediatour our intercessour, our oblacion. And how do we feare that we shulde not be exalted to his glorye? Let vs haue this faith that none is refused which foloweth hym mekely and paciently. Who so euer hath thys fayth can not peryshe, yea there was neuer so great a sinner but that this mediatour & raunsomer hath satisfied from him, if being truly conuerted and peni­tent for his synnes he be garnished and cladde with this frutefull fayth and brenning cha­ritie and hope in him which is our only sauiour & redemer. To whom with the euerlasting father of heauen & holy goost be glory without ende, in secula seculorum. Amen.

The Gospel on the second sonday after Ester day The .x. chapter of Ihon.

IN this Gospel good people our Lord doth shew vs, that he is the true and right shepherd. And it is good reason, for he only hath giuen himselfe vn­to the death, and hath quyckened all hys shepe. He alonly doth nourish with his doctrine all his shepe with the fode of euerlastinge life. Yf the wolfe doth come, that is the greate deuell of hell or any of hys members, he neuer forsaketh his shepe but doth de­fende and delyuer them from the force and myghte of the enemye, for he is stronge aboue all, & is more myghty then all. And also the shepe be hys, and he hath bought them with a greate pryce, which is aboue all prices. He doth loue them according to the price, y^t is to say, more than any thought can thinke or tonge expresse. And he hath not alonly boughte them agayne, but he hathe made them and created [Page] them so that they be his owne workes and his owne shepe. He surely is the shepherde by whō al thinges bene made. Wherfore naturally he cā not hate them. He is no forgetfull shepherde, but he is a shepherde knowing all, he can forget nothinge. For as the e­ternal father knowith al: so in like maner he know­eth al. As y^e father eternal knowith al in giuing him al, in like maner he knowith his shepe in giuing thē all. For he giueth them life, wisedome & might. Yea and suche life, wisdome, and might, as is aboue the capacitie of the worlde. For those that be accordinge to the worlde be but shadowes of them. And by this wisdom which surmoūteth y^e world, his shepe know him. This is y^e good herdinā giuing life to al, knowing al & which is almighty. But the hired shepherd is none such. He woll not dye for his shepe. He doth not giue them life. Yea when the wolfe commeth he doth leue them forasmoch as they be not his owne. He hath neither made them nor yet bought them a­gaine. He therfore rennyth awaye, and letteth them be loste, and deuoured wyth the wolfe, and fynally go into euerlasting damnatiō. He is vnmighty. He is ignorant & cleane vnlike vnto the good herdmā. Furthermore this hired shepherd hath but a lytle & a particuler flocke. But y^e good herdmā hath a grete flocke, he hath the slocke of y^e natiō of Israel & of al other nations. He hath the vniuersal flocke, whyche from daye to daye he leadethe and gatheryth to ge­ther, that they may heare his swete voice & hys holy doctrine (whyche is the doctrine of the gospell) tyll tyme that all the worlde shall be but one flocke, and that there be but one herdman, whyche is our Lord [Page ix] Iesu Christe, as it is sayde here. And there shalbe made one shepecote and one herdman. Now by this parable good frendes we be taught and enformed of the true office of Christ, and wherfore he came in­to thys worlde. Hys office whervnto he was sent of hys father was to teach vs and also to saue vs. As touchynge hys doctrine and teachynge, who euer in fedynge of hys flocke was more vigilant, more bu­sy, more paynfull than he was? Who euer ministred to hys shepe more diligently the fode of the euangelicall veritie? All that herde hym speake and preach were astonnyed vpon hys doctrine. For he taught them not after the fashion of the scribes and phari­sees whych neuertheles were the greate doctours & learned men of the lawe but as one hauynge a wonderfull grace and authoritie. Yea euen his very enemyes were cōpelled to testifie of hym that he taught the waye of God in trouth, as appeareth in the .xxij. chapter of Matheu. Neyther dyd Christ only teach hys shepe, that is to saye, those that folowed hym lyke shepe that were well nere lost, but he also hea­led them bestowynge euen hys very lyfe for them. For I praye you dyd he not dye for our synnes? Was it not he only which with his bloude wasshed awaye the fylthynes of oure synnes? Yea doubtles. But who be these hyrelynges whyche whan they se the wolfe come to deuoure the shepe they rūne theyr waye? Surely these be those whych preach y^e worde and that also purely and syncerely, but they prech it for lucre, for honoure, for glorye, or for the belyes sake. These I saye be no true herdmen but hyrelyn­ges, for these dryue not awaye the rauenous wol­ues [Page] that is to saye the deuyll and hys lymmes I meane the Antichristes whych persecute & deuoure Christes flocke, but as soone as persecution & trou­ble for the worde commeth,Ier. xxiij anone they are gone. Of these do the prophete Ieremy speake, sayenge: Wo be vnto the shepeherders that destroye and skatter my flocke. I wyll therfore vysite the wyckednes of theyr ymaginations. It is true that the Apostle wryteth.Episco­patus quid sit. Qui episcopatū desiderat bonū opus concu­piscit, that is to saye: He that desyreth an ouersyght or a cure ouer a flocke (whych after the greke worde is called a byshoprych) coueteth a good worke. Lo sayeth saynt Ierome wrytynge to Oceanus) the A­postle calleth a byshopryke a worke and not a dignitie,Saynt Hierom a laboure and not a deyntenes, a worke wherby through humilitie he muste be lowly & not to swelle in pryde. For a byshop or curate must be fautles, so­bre, full of good doctrine, not gyuen to foule and fylthy gaynes, but meke, diligent, full of charitie accordynge to thexemple of Christ the hygh and supreme shepeherde of all and the shepeherde of shepeherdes whych as thys Gospell sayeth gaue hys owne lyfe for the sauegarde and health of hys shepe that is to saye of all vs that folowe and beleue on hym. Wherfore my brethren and systers to conclude how hap­py be we for to haue suche a herdman & for to know to loue, to folowe, to heare hys swete voyce that gy­ueth lyfe, to heare hys doctrine, to be refectioned & fedde wyth the meate whyche gyueth euerlastynge lyfe, to haue wysedome and myght that surmoūteth the worlde by the sayd our herdmen, lyghtenyng vs in hym by fayth, drawynge vs to hym by hope, & in­flamynge [Page x] vs by charitie. Vnto hym therfore be glo­rye in all the nations wythin the compasse of y^e erth for euer and euer. Amen.

The Epistle on the .iij. sonday after Ester. The fyrst epistle of saynt Peter the .ij. Chapter.

THys Epistle, good christian brethern & systers is very excellent and notable. For in it is han­deled the second part of Christianitie that is to wit, how in thys liefe after we haue ones receyued and taken the euangell or glad tydynges of oure sal­uation (whych thyng we call commonly in englyshe a gospell) we ought to lyue. In the processe that go­eth before thys epistle, saynt Peter taught and she­wed y^e other parte of Christianitie, whych is of fayth and howe we ought to beleue the gospell and also how we be edified and buylded vpon Christ the cor­ner stone, wheras before that tyme we were the chyldren of vengaunce and as abiectes and castawayes in gods syght but nowe we be made the chyldren of God by Christ. Whyche treasure truly saynt Peter doth extolle and lyfte vp wyth prayses aboue mea­sure, so that it were well with vs, if after the know­lege of so greate ryches we myght be lycenced forth with to departe out of thys miserable lyfe. But forasmoch as we dye not by and by after the receyuing of so greate commodities & felicities, therfore nowe doth saynt Peter teache vs how and by what mea­nes we shuld lyue here in erth that we dye not eter­nally. For Satan our mortal ennemy neuer slepeth but euer watcheth that he maye eyther quite and cleane plucke vs frome gods worde, or at lest waye that he myght wery vs and make vs slauthful and negligent in doyng of good workes. For assuredly it commethe so commenly to passe, that forthwyth when we heare by the preachyng of the gospell, that we be set at peax wyth God & iustified in hys syght by only faith in him, then noman wil do any longer [Page xi] any goodnes at al, whych thynge no doubte chaun­ced euen in saynt Peters tyme.The oc­casion of thys epistle. By reason wherof he toke occasion to wryte these thynges concernyng the institution of the christian liefe. As though this holy Apostle Peter wold say. Good brethern syth ye haue now receyued the gospell, and syth ye be iusti­fied by fayth in Christ, now it shalbe very good and necessarie for you to goo about to redresse your ma­ner of lyuing, and to absteyne from carnal and fles­shely desires and lustes. But it is an horrible thyng to be spoken, that fleshly disires and lustes do not cease no not in the iustified persons. Yea we se by daily experience that then more and more carnall desires do breake forth, not bicause this faulte com­meth by the gospel,☜ as many ennemyes of the Gos­pell and papystes blasphemously do allege, but by­cause Satan is the ennemy of the gospel and of the iustice whych the gospell teacheth. He doubtles ne­uer slepeth though we slepe neuer so soūdly & care­lessy, but lyke a roryng lyon he runnyth and leapeth about, seakyng whome to deuoure as thapostle S. Peter doth testifie in the ende of this firste epistle.i. pet. v. But forasmoche as the power of desires and lustes is so greate yea & that after iustification receyued, saynt Peter vseth certein warlyk wordes wherwith he expresseth the strength and power of these carnal & worldly desires, which he sayth do warre againste vs and (as the greke worde purporteth) do dayly ex­ercise with vs a pyched felde,militant whych thing the scrip­ture otherwhyles calleth the conflycte of the fleshe and of the spirite, agaynst whych no outwarde wor­kes can do any good. As the holy fathers also haue [Page] confessed and complayned of themselues.Note thys ex­emple of saynt Hierom For saint Hierom hymselfe when he sought euery where a present remedy agaynst the desyres of the fleshe, at last after longe delyberation departed into the woode, trustynge that by thys meane he shulde eschue and shake of from hym hys carnal and fleshely desyres, but it wolde not be, for euen in his very mysery and vexation of hys body whych he toke vpon hymselfe for that purpose, he yet thought he satte at Rome a­mōges the Romane ladies and fayre wenches, and that he daunced wyth them. Wherfore syth here in thys lyfe it is not in our powers vtterly to do awey carnall desyres: the holy fathers and prophetes de­syred wyth hygh lamentation that they myghte be lycenced to departe out of thys vale of teares to the heauenly and perfyte ioyes. For here they thought themselues onely straungers and as pylgrimes or wayfarynge men. Whych thynge thapostle Paule in hys seconde epistle to the Corinthians doth won­derfully well declare, wrytynge on thys wyse. We knowe,ij. cor. v. sayeth he, that yf our erthy mansion of thys dwellynge were destroyed, we haue a buyldynge of God, an habitation not made wyth handes, but eternall in heauen. And therfore sygh we desyrynge to be clothed wyth our mansion whych is from heuen, so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked, and so forth. Now, suche straungers S. Peter here wylleth vs to be, whyche ought continually to loke vp, to contende, and laboure thyther, settynge asyde all earthly thynges, all cares and worldly desyres, and euer to stande redy in hope to be delyuered out of thys our earthly tabernacle or hostrye, and to enioye [Page xij] the euerlastynge inheritaunce. Howbeit yet in the meane season, good people, we teache not (as do these Anabaptistes) that he that hath ryches, shulde cast them awaye, but that he cleaue not in harte vn­to them, lyke as other places of holy scripture do teach vs and namely thys present epistle of S. Pe­ter, whych by a similitude of straungers or pylgri­mes, doth declare vnto vs, that in y^e hostrye of thys present worlde, we shulde be in loue with nothynge, we shulde vaynly & ambiciously require nothynge, that is in our hoostes house whych is the worlde, e­uen none otherwyse, than a straunger, a pawmer, or wayfarynge body doth, whych knoweth y^t nothinge in hys ynne or lodgynge doth pertayne vnto hym,☜ but only maketh hast homewarde into hys owne cō trey. Now they whych be in loue & admiration with any thynge in thys worlde, they can not be called forenners, straungers, or pylgrimes, but cytizens and inhabitauntes of thys worlde. Wherfore it is great folly now amonges christen men to be in loue wyth the thynges of the worlde, & to seke pleasure in car­nall desyres,What be carnall desyres. syth suche thynges belonge no more to christians. But I praye you what vyces doth saynt Peter cal here desyres? Surely not only those grosse faultes, but also y^e inwarde croked affections, which doubtles be the very causes of those outwarde and grosse vyces. Saynt Peter therfore wrytyng especyally to the Iewes whych were disperpled abrode in dyuers countreyes and by them vnto vs Englyshe men and to all others ryght tēderly exhorteth them (callynge them hys moost derely beloued brethren) to absteyne as forenners and pylgrymes, from all [Page] fleshly lustes, that is to wit, all vices, whyche of na­ture do stycke to the fleshe, whych vices do kepe continuall warre and batell agaynst the soule and spi­rite of mā that euer more tendeth and laboureth to do the wyll of God. And he wylleth them that they haue honest conuersacion amonges the Gentyls or paynems whych worshipped false Goddes amonge whome at that tyme when saynte Peter wrote thys epistle the christen men lyued. Saint Peter therfore wyll not that christen men shulde departe from the panyms, but that they shulde lyue honestly amōges them, to thintent that where as they backbyte them as euyll doers, they myght se theyr good workes & myghte prayse and glorifye God in the daye of vi­sitation,In the daye of visitatiō that is to saye, that the paynyms beynge more ryghtly instructed and taught by the honeste lyfe of the christians, myghte by gods visitation be called also to the Gospell and so to haue a better opinion and iudgement of gods worde, whych thynge in dede came to passe in the primatiue church by the godly exemple of the good Apostolicall fathers and christen people in Rome and els where. Where as now the paynims and infidels as be turkes & Iues be rather plucked frome the Gospell then allured vnto it by thexemple of those that woll neuertheles be called the successours of Peter and Paule and y^e vicares of Christ. Wherfore it is to be feared, leste God wyll visite them, not by heapynge vpon them hys benefytes and graces whych they refuse & neg­lecte, but by pourynge vpon them hys iuste yre and vengeaunce accordynge to theyr desertes. Be you subiecte therfore good christen people to the worde [Page xiij] of God. Obeye hys commaundementes prescribed in the same. Let your lyght shyne before mē and na­mely before the proude Pharisees & infidels (whych thynke there is no God) that they may se your good workes and honest conuersacion and glorifye your father in heauen. Submytte your selues,Mat. v. according to Peters counsayle here, vnto euery humane crea­ture, that is to saye, vnto all maner ordinaunce or power whych humane creatures do administer, and that euen for the Lordes sake. For it pleaseth the Lorde ye shulde so do, lest your conscience shulde be polluted and defyled wyth synne through disobedi­ence. And euen here maye ye lerne good people that when ye obeye the publyke ruler and magistrate ye do please God by thys obedience. Be obedient ther­fore sayth S. Peter whether it be vnto y^e kynge as vnto y^e chefe head, or vnto rulers as to thē y^t are sent of hym for the punyshmēt of euel doers.Ro. xiij. And surely as wytnesseth S. Paule, whoseoeuer resysteth power, re­systeth the ordinaūce of God. For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euell. Wherfore ye must obeye (sayth Paule) not only for feare of vengaunce, but also bycause of conscience.

For as it foloweth here in the text so is the wyll of God, that with well doing ye may stoppe the mou­thes of folyshe and ignorant persons, whych often­tymes iuge such thinges as they vnderstand not, and whych esteme the gospell and the worde of god by the maners of the gospellers (whych of humayne frayltie mnay tymes do fal into fowle vices) and do not esteme it by the owne proper nature.Rom. i. Wheras in very dede it is the power & vertue of God to the [Page] helth and saluation of al them that beleue. Let vs then good christen brethern so be free and vse the li­bertie of the gospell, that we haue it not for a cloke of maliciousnes, workyng (vnder the pretence of it) all naughtynes accordyng to our foule lustes and desires, as many gospellers and euangelicall bre­thren do, which be in dede no gospellers but bablers no trewe brethern but false brethern, no christians but antichristes and sklaūders to gods holy worde. Let vs then be no feyned christians, but ryght chri­stians and seruauntes of God. Let vs honoure and haue in reuerence all men.Frater­nitie. Let vs loue fraternitie not fraternitie of monkes, fryers, nunnes, and such other cloystered & disguysed people whych vnder y^e cloke of fraternitie deuoured pore wydowes houses & the lyuinges of other in their fratryes, & of whom the christen people were fowly mocked and seduced while they perswaded them that they could not do better then be of their brotherhode or fraternitie, whych in dede was nothyng elles but a swarme of ydle dranes that lyued not by the swette of their fa­ce (as gods commaundement wylled them) but by other mens labours vnder the pretence of longe prayer, but let vs loue such brotherhode and frater­nitie as gods worde alloweth, whych is y^t we shulde loue one an nother after a gentle and christian ma­ner, al lordlines and proude lokes layde downe, and when we make a dyner or feast, not to call the ryche whych may quyte vs agayne but our poore christen brethern and systers whych cannot acquite vs, but our father in heuen shal acquite it vs. This is the fraternitie or brotherhode that Christ alloweth and [Page xiiij] that saynt Peter doth here speake of. Let vs then feare God whych doth prospere our obedience and helpeth vs that we maye truly honour all men, that we may loue brotherhode and gyue due honour to our kynge whych is our supreme hedde next vnder Christe none excepted, neyther bishop of Rome nor other. For if there were,☜ saynt Peter wold not haue passed it ouer w^t silence. Neyther is it to be thought that Peter which was one of Christes Apostles and that of the chefest knewe not the bisshop of Romes power or his own power. He agnized no such supre­macie as the bishoppe of Rome doth chalenge vnto him as S. Peters successour. Saint Peter byddeth vs here feare god and honour the king. If the bis­shop of Rome were to be honoured next God and before kynges, why doth saynt Peter set the kynge nexte God? Yea why doth he speake nothynge at all of the byshop of Romes authoritie? So ye se good christen people that saynte Peter maketh nothynge wyth the byshoppe of Rome, and yet he sayeth he is hys successour. But what shulde I speake more of thys mater? I doubt not but lōge ago there is none of you but regardeth the byshop of Rome none o­therwyse then an other byshop in hys byshopryche ought to be regarded. Let him medle with his owne flocke, with vs he hath no thing a do, any otherwise then one christen man hath to do with an other. Let vs therfore charitably pray for him that he may ex­ecute his office in his owne diocese and not entre in­to other mens officies. Let vs thā honour our kinge next vnto God as our supreme hedde according to S. Peters counsayle in this epistle, and according [Page] to the aduise of saynt Paule in the place before alle­ged. Let also seruauntes obey theyr maisters not only if they be good & courteouse, but also thoughe they be froward, not doynge seruice to the eye (as Paule sayth wryting to the Ephesians (and as they do that go aboute to please men,phe. vi but as the seruaū ­tes of Christ, doing the wyll of God from the harte with good will, seruinge the Lord and not men. For it is then thanke worthy, sayth saynt Peter. Hither­to haue I brefly declared vnto you the meanyng of this Epistle. Now therfore good people if ye wol be true christians, if ye woll be true feithfull persons, boost not of your feyth in wordes only, but declare in youre dedes and workes that ye haue the feith of Christ. Shewe your beleue in such workes as thys Apostle saynt Peter doth here exhort you vnto, and then shal we beleue that you haue the right belefe & fayth in Iesu Christ, which in whom so euer it is in, can not but fructifie and brynge forth fruct euen as sede doth that is sowne in the good grounde,mat. xiij some an hundreth folde some syxty fold some thyrty folde. And this feyth shall iustifie you and make you the chyldren of god and inheritours of his heuēly kyngdome which was prepared for you before the begin­nyng of the world by the father of heuen,Math. xxv.. to whome with the sonne and holy goost be glorye and prayse eternally.

The Gospell on the thyrde sondaye after Ester. The .xvi. chapter of Ihon.

IN the Gospell of thys present daye (good christē people) it is fyrst to be consydered & marked, how Christ sheweth hys louynge disciples of hys crosse and passion that he shulde suffre for the redemption of the worlde, and also of hys moost glorious vpry­synge agayne from death to lyfe. And furthermore how and in what wyse by hys vprysyng or resurrection [Page] he shulde cōmence hys raigne and haue accesse to hys father. And assuredly the preachyng and fore shewynge hereof was ryght necessary to the Apost­les of Christ to be often made and dryuen into theyr heades. For the flesh (as Christe sayeth hymselfe) is weake, and agayne the articles of oure religion be suche that they surmount the sklender capacitie of mans wyt neyther can they easely be perceyued. Thys is the cause why Christ lyke a faythful may­ster neuer ceaseth to dryue into hys disciples heades the sūme & cōtent of our fayth, to thintent he myght fully execute thoffice that he came for. Now thys is hys sentence and mynde whych he declareth to hys disciples, Wythin a lytle whyle O you my louynge scholers and disciples I shalbe betrayed vnto the Iues, as I haue often tymes heretofore shewed vnto you that I shulde be condemned,Mat. xij scourged, bob­bed and at last nayled to the crosse. And for asmuch as euen lyke as Ionas was in the whales bely thre dayes and thre nyghtes I must in lykewyse be bu­ryed in the grounde for the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes:Christes raigne. Therfore for a lytle whyle in dede ye shall not se me. But agayne after a lytle whyle, that is to wyt, the thyrde daye after whan I shall ryse a­gayne ye shall verely se me, how be it that shall not be longe, for I must awaye to my father and begyn w^t hym my spirituall raygne.Ephe. i. and .iiij. Lo my deare frendes w^t such wordes Christe teacheth hys apostles what maner thyng his kyngdō shuld be & how y^e cōmyng is to y^e same. Assuredly y^e kingdō or raigne of Christ is none other thynge thā that Christ hath cōquered the world, syn, death, satā, & hell, & furthermore hath [Page xvi] taken of his father all power both in heuen and in erth in such sort as hensforth he is to be y^e most puissaunt and mighty kinge ouer the mount Sion,Psal. iiij lea­ding and gouernyng his subiectes with the holy spirite of comforte. Into this his kingdom it behoued hym to entre by the crosse, by sheding of his mooste precious bloude and by death, euen as the prophete Dauid longe before had prophecied of him, sayeng, he shall drynke of the floude in the waye,Psa. cix. and there­fore he shall lyft vp his heade. Now this spirituall kingdome was not moche knowne to his apostles. For they thought rather that the kingdom of Christ shulde haue ben a worldly and an outwarde kyng­dome whych thinge they styl loked for, vntyl the spi­rite was gyuen them whych taught them the know­lege hereof, and how they ought to come vnto it and to gette it, and how to perseuer and continue in the same. If we therfore good brethren and systers be lykewise mynded to entre into thys kingdome, and by Christ to vanquysh synne, death, Satan, and hel: we must nedes acknowlege and take Christ for oure Lorde and sauiour, for our kinge and hyghe bishop, fastelye beleuing that we be reconciled and made at one agayne with the father of heuen by his bloude and in suffering and doinge the thinges that Paule speaketh where he sayth.i. tim. ii. If we shall suffer togither with him: we shall also reigne with him.

Seconde,An exē ­ple of our ig­noraūce we haue here (good people) an exemple of oure ignoraunce and blyndnesse and that in tha­postles. For loke how lytle they attayned the myste­ry of the gospell wythout the holy goost: so lytle can we also attayne by oure owne powers to iustice or [Page] soule health. But harkē your selues out of the very texte the rudenes or ignoraunce of the appostles. Christ had shewed them that after a litle whyle they shulde not se him, & agayne after a lytle whyle they shulde se him agayne for he muste go to hys father. This must nedes be vnderstande of his death and resurrection and of his spiritual kyngdome.What it is to go to the father. Ps. lxvij. For as­suredly to go to his father is nothinge elles, but to fulfyll all thynges (as it is declared in the .v. chapi. to the Ephesians) and by hys holye gooste to exalte gloryfie & saue mankynde, or (to speake the wordes of y^e prophete) dona dare hominibus to gyue gyftes to men. But I praye you, how do thapostles vnder­stande thys? They talke and conferre w^t themselues what meaneth that he sayeth, after a whyle ye shall not se me: and agayn, after a whyle ye shal se me, we knowe not (saye they) what he speketh. Lo my fren­des the apostles do here confesse theyr ignoraunce and that they atteyne not to y^e wordes that he spake albeit he had spokē often tymes before of hys crosse deathe and resurrection vnto them. Wherfore I do not a lytle wonder, what these men meane whyche fyghte so strongly for the defence of theyr owne na­turall and carnall power syth they se here so many­festly y^t the apostles themselues whyche had Christe so moch conuersaunt amonges them coulde not by theyr owne mere power before the holy gooste came vnto them, vnderstande the spirituall kyngdome of Christe. So that it manifestly appeareth that while they woll be doctours and teachers of other, they be them selues full of all blyndenes and ignoraunce.

Thys therfore is the summe and effecte of thys [Page xvij] place, that the flesh in suche thynges as perteine to iustification can do no good, onles the holy gost be­yng communitate by the word be receiued and had. For as the prophete Ieremy recordeth,Ier. xiij. they shalbe taught of God and not of themselues.

Thyrdly Christe doth preuent his apostles when he espyed them not to atteine his wordes and that they wold aske him the meanyng of the same, sayeng vn­to them in thys wise. Of thys ye do question amon­ges your selues that I sayd a litle and ye shall not see me and agayne a lytle and ye shall se me. Verely verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lamente, but the worlde shal reioyce. Ye shal sorow but your sorowe shalbe turned into ioye. Lo how Christ ten­dereth his apostles, he shaketh them not of for their rudenes and ignoraunce but moste gentlye instruc­teth them, shewinge them howe his format wordes ought to be vnderstand, sayenge vnto them in thys wise. Ye shall wepe and be sory but why? bycause ye shall see youre Lorde and mayster apprehended and takē nayled vpon the crosse and put to death.Crosse & ꝑsecutiō Then shall calamitie and sorow begynne, and principally this shall trouble you, that the world shal reioyce at your aduersitie and your maysters aduersitie. And euen as Christ had spoken, so it came to passe concernyng both hys owne crosse affliction and heuines & also his apostles. For do ye thynke yt a lytle crosse vnto hym when y^t he was reuiled and vpbrayded of the Iues sayeng vnto hym, let God delyuer hym if he woll haue hym? I omytte and passe ouer with si­lence the thing that he himself complayneth of wher be sayeth by his prophet Dauid,Psa. cxx I am a worme and [Page] not a man a laughing stocke or an obprobrie of men and the refuse of the people. As many as behold me mocke me, they shake their hedes at me. What is thys but to cast Christ into trouble and heuynesse & not only hym but also hys apostles and louyng frē ­des, whyche kept hym company? And albeit Christe dothe specially in this place speake of the tyme of his owne crosse whych shulde be the occasion of we­ping and mournyng to his apostles, yet hys mynde was hereby to shewe what state and fortune is to be loked for in thys world vnto all true christiās. True christians no doubt can not but suffer in this world moch displeasures and persecution, wheras the wicked persons and such as care neither for God nor deuell make good chere and lyue according to their hartes ease.Prou. iij Hereunto agreeth Salomon in his prouerbes sayeng. Cast not awaye the chastisement of the lord. Lo ye se how Christ instructeth his apostles and armeth them with pacience to abyde and suffer thobprobriouse wordes scornes and persecutions of the wicked persons and Antichristes. And that he willeth the apostles to do, the same he commaūdeth and speaketh euen vnto vs so many as wolbe hys disciples and folowers.Sorowe turned to heuynes.

Fourthly forasmoche as Christe hath tolde hys apostles of the sorowe and heuines & of the persecu­tions that shuld happen vnto them for hys sake: he nowe agayne doth comforte them declaringe vnto them what shall happen after such stormes of afflic­tion. Your heuines sayth he shalbe chaunged into ioye, as who shulde saye the worlde as sone as they shal haue kylled me woll thynke they haue won the [Page xviij] spurres & that they haue put me downe, but it shall not be so: for y^e thyrde daye after shall I ryse agayne from death maugre theyr heades. I shall comforte you, and in your heuynes pacifie you, & make you gladde. And albeit, after that tyme also ye must styll suffre moch wronge and reproche for my name and for the gospel sake: yet your affliction & crosse shall not laste longe, but eternall ioye shall anone ensue & folowe. An exemple of thys thynge I wol ye take in a woman that traueleth with chylde:The pa­rable of the tra­uelynge woman. A woman whā she traueleth ye know is in heuynes & payn, for her houre is at hande. But assone as she hath brought forth into the worlde a chylde & is delyuered, she re­membreth no more her payne and greife for the ioye she hath of the chylde that is borne into the worlde.

In semblable wise ye be nowe sadde and heuy for my departure, but I shal come see you agayne, and thā your hartes shal leape for ioye & no man shalbe hable with all the displeasure he can do you, to take awaye this your ioye from you. Assuredly (my fren­des) thys similitude whych is here brought forth of Christ, is excedingly comfortable. For fyrst of all yt sheweth that persecution trouble and crosse must as surely folowe the confession of the gospell, as it is sure that a trauelyng woman cannot brynge forth her chyld without sorow and grefe, but in the meane season the Christen man thorough the word of God muste nedes afterwarde haue greate comforte and ioye. Furthermore this trouble crosse affliction and persecution of the true christians shall not be conti­nuall and euerlastinge, but it shall endure but for a season. And on the contrary parte the worlde shall [Page] ioye for a season. But their ioye shal not longe laste as Christe himself in an other place witnesseth wher he sayth:Luc. vi. Wo be to you which laugh here, for ye shal wepe and lamente. Albeit in very dede the christian man shall not be cleane voyde of ioye in this worlde but what ioye is thys? I woll (sayeth Christ) see you agayne, and your hartes shal ioye and no man shal take your ioye from you. Vndoubtedly the ioye that Christe here speaketh of is the gladnes and peace of conscience that the true christians shall haue in as­moche as they knowe that God shalbe merciful vn­to them throughe Christ and shal kepe and preserue them into euerlasting liefe whych was prepared for them before the worlde was made as Christ hymself witnesseth by the father of heuen. To whome wyth the sonne and holye ghost be thankes &.c.

The Epistle on the .iiij. sonday after Ester daye. The .i. chapter of Iames.

The holy Apostle saynt Iames (good christian brethren and systres) in the epistle of this daye doth fyrste open and declare vnto vs the causes of gods worde frome whence it commeth, and then he commendeth and setteth oute the authoritie of the same as a meane or instrument, whereby throughe new birth or regeneration we be the chyldren of god and as saynt Iames here speaketh the firste frutes of gods creatures. As towching the causes of gods worde, ye shall vnderstande that the gospell or word of God is no humaine thinge, it is the word neither of Emperour, Kinge, Prince, Duke nor other temporall ruler, neither is it any meritorious word whych cā chaūce vnto vs for our own deseruinges or meri­tes, neyther yet is it an vnpythy weake or vnperfect word whych eyther of it selfe is not stronge ynough, or nedeth any other worde to the perfection and ac­complyshement therof, but it is a diuine or heuenly worde a good gyft of God and perfecte, that is to saye whyche hath almyghty god for authour of yt, whych god gyueth of his mere grace and fauour & whych is stronge and full of efficacie and power ac­cording to saynt Paule whych sayth it is the power of god to the helth and sauetye of all such as beleue the same.Rom i. It is perfecte forasmoche as it neither ne­deth any other word neyther yet can it suffre any o­ther [Page] to be matched with it. Nowe al thys tendeth to this purpose and intent, that saynt Iames woll cō ­mende and set forth vnto vs the authoritie of gods worde, lest by errynge and strayeng out of the waye we myght happen to deceiue our selues thynkyng it ynough & sufficient to heare the worde of god wyth out any maner of regeneracion and newe lyefe. For the worde is a farre greater thyng, it is euen an he­uenly diuine good and perfecte gyfte whych cōmeth from aboue euen from the father of lyghtnes, wyth whome is no transmutation of lyght and of darke­nes, neither can he suffer that we shuld mengle our dreames and darknes with his lyghtsome worde, I meane our owne inuētiōs, our blindnes, our careles maners, our carnal lybertie, our euel liefe & so forth. We be also here admonished and taught of the final vse of gods worde & wherfore it serueth. Yt serueth doubtles, that by it we shulde be regenerate and be made the fyrste frutes of the creature of god, whych cometh not of oure owne deseruynges, but it is the worke of god the father, whych doth renewe and re­gendre vs wythe y^e worde of trouth that we maye be the first frutes of hys creature. Saynt Iames ther­fore in thys place wylleth vs to sette asyde and laye downe all securitie and slauthfulnes towardes the worde of god, and that we shulde praye god that he woll vouchesaue to open & disclose vnto vs the vn­derstandynge of hys worde, and that he wolle gyue vs also encrease in the same, that we maye heare the worde wyth frute, vnderstandynge it, and beynge regenerate therby,Nolite errare. might be made the fyrst frutes of y^e creature of god. Do not then erre my dere brethrē [Page xx] as thoughe it were inoughe only to heare the wor­de of god and not to vnderstande it wyth the harte, not to catche holde of it by faythe, not to worke well outwardlye. Euery good and perfyte gyfte is from aboue, that is to saye, the worde of god is perfyte, it nedeth none other worde to stey it, & to make it per­fyte. Yea thou cānest neither take it nor vnderstāde it perfytly, onles it be gyuen the of god. Yt is of it selfe moste perfyte, and it is it also whych onlye can make vs perfyte. Yt procedeth frome the father of lyghtes, that is to wytte from god whych is y^e only cause of all lyght in such sorte that y^e thynge whych we se in vnderstandynge the worde, is of god. Yt is also the gyfte of god that hys worde dothe lyghten, for the father is of hymselfe lyght. Wyth whom is no variablenes nor chaunge into darkenes, that is to saye, he can not abyde nor suffer that the lyght & darknes shuld be confounded or myngled togither. For he is the father of lyght only, and not of darke­nes, Neither can he suffer that we shulde glorye and bragge of his worde as of a gyfte and in the meane season do the workes of darkenes. And by this the apostle saynt Iames doth moue vs from euyl wor­kes by thexemple of god whyche is intransmutable and inconuertible that is to say he is not now light now darkenes. And therfore ought not we to folow both lyght and darknes togither. For wyllyngly be gatte he vs wyth the worde of his trouth, that we shulde be the first frutes of his creature. As though saynt Iames wold saye. Bicause god hath regene­rate vs by the word of trouth that we might be now [Page] his first frutes, then seing we be his first frutes, it becommeth vs not to folow the darkenes, it becōmeth vs no more to leade oure lyefe in vyce and naughti­nes, but it behoueth vs to be doers & not only hea­rers of the word. In that he sayth, voluntarily, or of his owne will,Volun­tarie. he excludeth marite. It is called the word of trouth aswel because of it selfe & of the own nature it is true as bicause it maketh other true. Secondly. Ye shal diligently note and marke (good people) that thappostle Iames in the latter parte of this epistle doth sturre vs to newe liefe and to such workes as the worde of god and regeneration wold aske. For it is euen due and annexed to newe byrth that a man shulde do good workes, as also Paule testifieth sayenge.Rom. vi What shall we then saye, shall we abyde in synne y^t grace myght aboūd? God forbyd. We that be deade to synne, howe shall we hereafter lyue in the same?Eph [...]. ij. Also to the Ephesians he sayeth. We be gods hādworke created in Christ to do good workes whyche god hathe prepared that we shulde walke in them.Col. iij. And to the Colossians. Wherfore if ye haue risen wythe Christe, seke ye the thynges a­boue, regard heuenly thinges & not erthly thinges. wherfore deare brethren (sayeth saynt Iames) let e­uery man be swyfte to heare, slowe to speake. By whych wordes he forbyddeth chefely moch talkyng and pratlynge wherby in saynte Iames tyme many dyd bragge (as they do at this daye) of the gospell without chaunging of their former liefe and wyth­out lyuinge after the gospell.Slow to speake. Such persons sainte Iames wolde haue swyft to heare & slow to speake tyl tyme they rightly vnderstande the worde and do [Page xxi] dedes worthy for the same. He willeth vs also to be slowe to wrath, but he wol we shuld be meke and pa­ciēt. For the wrath of mā worketh not that whych is rightouse before god, that is to saye. Ire or wrath & the effectes therof can not do the thynges whych be iust before god, or whyche god requireth of vs. And saynt Iames calleth here the iustice of god, not that where by we be iustifyed before God, but that whych god requireth of vs beyng alredy iustified to the declaration of that iustice whyche iustifieth and whych is gotten by fayth. Wherfore casting awaye all vnclenlynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes se ye receyue with mekenes the worde that is grafte & implanted in you of god the father of heuē.In man­suetudi­ne. Receyue it (he sayth) with mekenes that is to say with al mo­destie and reuerence, not after a ryottouse and sedi­ciouse sorte as thoughe ye wolde fyght for it, nor a­gayne with an euel and struglyng mynde (as many Papistes do) but gladly thankfully and gently. For it is the thinge whych is hable to saue youre soules. whych thing also saynt Paule proueth wrytinge to the Romaynes where he teacheth that we be iustifi­ed by fayth by the ministery of gods worde.Rom. x.

Nowe therfore good people let vs accordinge to the meanyng of this epistle whych I haue brefly decla­red vnto youe imbrase this worde of trouthe that saynt Iames doth here speake of, and so imbrace it that we may be coūted doers and not hearers only. Thus doynge we shall declare our selues to be the chosen people of God and we shall inioy at last the kyngdom prepared for vs of almyghty God. Who be lauded &.c.

The Gospell on the .iiij. sondaye after Ester. the .xvj. chapter of Ihon.

THe cheife parte of this daye gospell good bre­thren and sistres consistethe in the declaration of the office of the holy ghost which for that purpos­is [Page xxij] sente of Christe that he myghte reuelate and open the spirituall kingdome of Christ and myght detect the blyndnes of the worlde concernynge this king­dome. For the spirituall kingdome of Christ bicause it consysteth in feyth is not perceyued of the worlde, no more then is his iustice and beatitude, forasmoch as the worlde, bicause it is ledde with reason, requi­reth an other kingdome, an other iustice, and conse­quently an other blesse, euen such as be most agrea­ble to the iugement of reason and may be seen wyth the carnall eyen and groped withe the fleshely han­des. Suche thinges bicause reason alloweth them, they flatter the worlde, and they be lettes and im­pedimentes, that the true spirituall raigne or kyng­dome of Christe can neuer be rightly vnderstanded of the worlde. And assuredly the disciples dyd here gayly represente the worlde, for they also dyd as yet after a carnall sorte trust and hope vpon the carnall presence of Christe as thoughe he had come into the worlde to set vp some carnal raigne or Empire that all the worlde shulde haue loked vpon and sene.☜ Wherfore when they harde Christ saye he wolde go agayne to hys father from whom he was sent, their hartes were cold and replenished wyth care and he­uynesse. As though they shulde saye vnto hym: We trusted that thou woldeste haue commenced and set vp here a galant and triumphante kyngdome, and now thou sayst that thou wolt departe hence to thy father. Assuredly my brethren all we be euen thus naturally affected and disposed before the sendinge of the holy ghost that we styl dreame vpon some carnall thynge concernynge Christes kyngdome. But [Page] when the holy ghoost come, he shall teache vs that the kingdom of Christ consisteth in feyth and spirite and not in an outward dominion or worldly power. Thē also shall our iustice shrynke and quake which we feyne we haue before the lightenyng of the holy ghost, and our iugement shall appere wherby accor­dinge to reason we iuge of the reigne of Christe. Fi­nally also our synnes shal be disclosed concernynge our incredulitie or misbelefe whyche we had towar­des Chryst the only Sauiour, when we se that those be synnes whych before we iuged for rightuousnes as for exemple the affiaunce and truste in our wor­kes and suche lyke. And leste a man shulde feyne to himselfe some peculiar vision and illumination I wot not what, ye shal vnderstand that the holy gost commeth when the worde is preached whych worde no doubte is the worke of the holy ghost. This holy ghost doth lyghten vs and leadeth vs to the know­lege of gods worde.But now I go &c. Now therfore (sayth Christe) I go my wey to him that sent me, to thintēt I mought come agayne and begynne a newe and spirituall raigne in reuerting by death. And notwithstanding that I saye vnto you that I muste departe and go my wayes from you, ye aske me not whether I go. As who shulde saye, yf ye were not blynded with the care of the flesshe and soughte not for worldly thyn­ges, ye wolde vndoubtedly haue asked me whether I go, syth I tolde you I must departe. Neuertheles bycause I haue sayd such thynges vnto you, your hartes be full of sorowe, not so much bycause of my departure, as bycause ye se that ye shall lacke those outwarde and worldly pleasures and promocions [Page xxiij] whych ye hoped to haue receyued in my kyngdome.Expedi [...] vobis. Howbeit I tel you the trouth, it is expedient for you that I go my waye, as who shulde saye, your opiniō concernynge my raigne is false and cleane wronge. But I wole shewe you the treuth why I muste de­parte, partly bycause ye maye vnderstand what ma­ner kyngdome my kingdome is, and partly what ye ought to loke for in it. I saye it is expedient and profitable for you that I departe. Brethren here ye see that all thinges whych Christ doth, he doth the same for our vtilite and profyte, insomoche that euen his departure out of thys worlde y^t is to saye his deathe was so profytable to vs that without it we shulde neuer haue bene delyuered oute of oure damnable state of euerlastynge death. He addeth. For yf I go not awaye, that comforter shall not come vnto you.The profyte of Christes death. Lo good people in this place is conteyned the great vtilitie and profyte of the death and departure of Christ vnto hys father. For therfore departed he out of this world, bicause he wolde begynne a spirituall kyngdome, which neuertheles could not helpe, yf he hadde not also sente the holy ghost. For where there shulde be a spirituall kyngdome, and we yet car­nall, we coulde in no wise vnderstande nor ꝑceiueit. No more then euen at thys daye we vnderstād it but by the helpe and ayde of the holy gooste. Wherefore let vs remembre that Christ hath for our cause sent the holy goost whych myght leade vs into all truth that is to wite, whych might disclose and open vnto vs oure synnes that do naturally stycke in vs and yet neuertheles we take them for no synnes, whyche holy ghost also myght bewrey our ryghtuousnes to [Page] be befor god more vnrightuousnes, & finally whych myght shewe the deuell to be iuged by the ouerture and openyng of the gospell, all whyche thinges no­man shuld haue vnderstanded, had not Christ sente his holy ghost,Actu. i. whom in this place he surely promi­seth shulde come and he came in dede accordinge to hys promise vpon the daye of Pentecoste as it is redde in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apost­les. Now the holy ghost is called a comforter whych in the Greake is called Paracletus of hys effecte or office forasmuche as his office and feate is euen frō tyme to tyme so longe as this spirituall kyngdome shall endure,Paracle­tus quid fit. to comforte mens consciences in this world. When this comforter commeth, saith Christ, he shal rebuke the worlde of synne, of rightuousnes, and of iugemente.Thre lettes. Here ye se good people, thre lettes or obstacles, whych by thoffice of tholy ghost muste be moued awey to thintente thys spirituall kyng­dome mighte be vnderstande, that is to saye, synne whych is, not to beleue in god, & this thinge noman doth vnderstande by his propre nature, and yet on­les it be vnderstande noman can haue accesse to the kingdome of Christ. The seconde is the ignoraunce of the true iustice whych pleaseth god, and this also can no man take nor perform of himselfe. The third is iudgement, wheras we vnderstand not naturally that the deuell is iuged by the disclosing of the gos­pell. These thre lettes and impedimentes be roted naturally in euery mans mynde whych no man can vnderstande of himselfe or take them awaye by hys owne power. Wherfore to the doinge hereof is the holy gost promysed in this gospell. Now for asmoch [Page xxiiij] as the kingdome of Christe is heare conuersaunt a­monge men which be synners and whyche of nature can do nought but synne but loue their own rightu­ousenes and iudge after their owne faschion of the gospell: therfore the holy ghost in executinge his of­fice doth not moue the to departe out of this worlde that thou mayste haue no occasion to synne, neyther woll he that ciuile iustice or humane iudgemente shulde not be executed in thys worlde, but he tea­cheth the, truly to knowe, what thynge synne is.

For euery man of hys owne brayne, & by hys owne power & wytte feyneth thys or that to be synne, as it hath been sufficiently proued vnder y^e kyngdome of the Byshoppe of Rome. But when the holy gooste cometh and repryueth vs by gods worde, our owne imaginacions & fantasyes destroyed, then we know that to be synne whyche no man iudged before to be synne. So we knowe nowe that it is synne, yf a mā beleue not in only Christe concernynge iustice, why­che thynge before the receyuynge of the holy gooste none of vs all knewe. In semblable wyse it is to be spoken of ryghtousnes and iudgement, whych two thynges, we vtterly cōsydered not before y^e openyng of the gospell, wherby the holy gooste reproueth the worlde. But leste ye shuld suspecte thys interpreta­cion to be not grounded of scripture, harken howe Christe hymselfe expouneth thys thynge:Of sinne The holy gooste (he sayeth) shall rebuke the worlde of synne. Why? because they beleue not (sayth Christ) on me. Loo howe Christ expouneth hymselfe what he mea­neth by synne, that is to witte incredulitie or mysbe­leue towardes hym, whyche only thynge doth con­demne [Page] men, lyke as on the contrary parte the onlye belefe in Christe saueth.☞ The papistes haue wrested thys texte (as they do al other) to the mysbeleue of y^e Turkes & Sarasynes, and such people as be farre from vs, but they oughte to remembre that in thys behalfe they do synne worse then the Turkes, foras­moch as they wold be counted Christianes, and yet in y^e meane season they labour to be made rightouse and iuste before god by theyr owne workes without fayth in Chryste. Of thys abhominable synne, the worlde knoweth nothynge at all. Of ryghtuosnesse shall the holy goost rebuke y^e worlde. Why? because sayeth Christe, I go to my father, and ye shall se me no more: That is to saye, bicause I shall begynne my newe reigne, wherin an other maner of iustice then ye ymagine, must be required and shalbe of valour before god. Of iudgement the holy ghost shall rebuke the worlde, why? bycause (sayeth Christe) the Prince of this worlde is iudged alredy.Iugemēt And he cal­leth iugemēt the blyndnes of mā wherby the worlde alloweth naturallye the reygne and the workes of Satan, for the worlde hath a corrupt iudgement by Adams fall, so that it seeth not what thinges god a­loweth and what not.Adhuc multa habeo. But (sayth Christ) I haue yet many thynges to speake vnto you meanyng of his crosse and of hys glory but by reason of your wea­kenes and infirmytie ye are not able to beare them nowe. As who shuld saye ye be yet carnall and ther­fore ye perceiue not the thinges that be of the spirite But whē the spirite of trouth that is the holy ghost shall come he shall leade you into all trouth. The spirite shall teache you thinges spirituall. He shall [Page xxv] transforme you and of carnall persones shall make you goostly. For surely because ye be yet carnall, ye cānot perfytly perceyue the scriptures concernynge my death and gloriouse resurrection, whych is to be fulfilled for your redēptions sake. Here ye se playn­ly good people, y^t thys place maketh nothynge at al for the confirmation of the papisticall traditiōs but rather agaynst them. For I praye you what is thys trouth that the holy ghost shall teache you? Man­nes traditions? no not so. In them is no certayntie. It is Christ and hys worde that is the only trouth. Wherfore he shal teache only Christ and the worde of god, for this is all trouthe.Chrysostom. For (as Chrysostome sayth) the gospel conteyneth al together. And the of­fice (sayeth he) of a good preacher is truely to prose­cute all that is in hys commission & not to chaunge,☜ put to, or take away any thyng. But this y^e Bishop­pes of Rome in tymes paste haue done, and yet at this day do presume to do. Wherfore they are no in­terpretours but deprauers of scripture, no vicars of Christe, but of the deuell. They speake of their owne heddes their own inuentions and dreames, wheras the holy ghost whyche here is promysed by Christe vnto vs shall speake nothyng of hymselfe, but what so euer he shall heare, that shall he speake, that is to saye, he shall speake none other worde or gospel, on­ly he shal open and declare the worde that is alredy spoken by Christ. This do not the papistes, for they expoūde not Christes worde, but they bring another word besides Christes word. Thys spirite of trouth shall also shewe of thynges to come, that is to wit, of the spreading abrode of Christes gospel through­out [Page] the hole world euen vnto the Gentilles or hethē persons aswell as to the Iewes, whom yet the Iues despysed and toke for refuse and abiecte persōs and counted them selues onely for Gods electe and cho­sen. This holy ghoste shall glorifie Christe, that is, he shall expoune him, he shall make him clearer and shall auaunce and set him forthe. But the byshop of Rome doth cleane contrary for he obscureth & darkeneth Christe and his doctryne. This holy ghost (say­eth Christ) shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you. And al that the father of heuē hath are myn. This is to saye good people that the holy spirite of god wherwyth euery christen man must be renewed (according to Christes communication wyth Nico­demus) shall breath or inspire nothing into the min­des of christian folke but that whych Christes gos­pell and worde wylleth.Ioh. iij. He teacheth no newe thing Wherfore my frendes, if we woll be true christians not only in name but also in dede, let vs put of oure carnall and olde man, and let vs be ledde wyth the spirite of god which is here called y^e spirite of trouth Whych spirite by the instrument of godes word as here is declared shall open and disclose vnto vs all trouth necessarye to oure saluation and soule helth. Which thyng also the aūcient doctour Ihon Chry­sostome witnesseth,Chryso­stome in cap. mat xxij. ho­mi. xli. sayeng. What so euer is sought to the soule helth the same is al togither conteyned and accomplished in holy scripture. He that is igno­raunt shal fynde there ynoughe to lerne. He that is stubborne and a synner shall fynde there the skour­gies of the iudgemente to come that he maye feare. He that laboureth shall fynde there the gloryes and [Page xxvi] promises of lief euerlasting, by chawyng wherof, he may be more & more kyndled to do good workes as becommeth a christian man to do. Let vs praye then to god with pure hartes that he woll vouche saue to send vs this holy ghost this cōforter vnto our myn­des which may open vnto vs al trouth. To whome be glory and prayse immortally &.c.

The Epistle on the .v. sondaye after Ester. The fyrste chapter of saynt Iames.

THe holy Apostle of God saynte Iames good christen people in the epistle of this day doth discerne the true hearers of gods worde from the false hearers. And ye shal vnderstande that the true [Page] hearers of gods worde be they whiche take it with fayth,who be the true hearers of gods worde mat. xiij whiche vnderstande it in theyr harte & whiche do garnishe it outwardely with suche workes as be prescribed and appoynted them to do, and (as the parable of Christe declareth) whiche do heare the word of god and vnderstande it, whiche also bryng forthe frute some an hundred folde, some sixty folde, some thyrty folde.Psal. i. And it is he (according to the wordes of the prophete Dauid) whiche is lyke a tre planted by the ryuer syde, bearyng his frute in due tyme. But the false hearers of the worde be they,the false hearers. whiche heare it, but they receiue it nat with fayth, they vn­derstande it nat in theyr harte, neyther do they fur­nyshe and declare it to the worlde with good workes and as the parable of y^e sower sayeth, they suffre the deuyll to take the worde out of theyr harte. These be only temporall hearers and but for a season, they be but starters, they stycke nat by it. They be also suche as when they haue perceyued & taken the true word of god, they choke it with the care of this world and with the disceitfulnes of ryches & so make the worde vnfruteful, for they receiue it nat with ful mynd but by snatches and myndyng other thynges, euen as he whiche beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse, and forthwith goeth hys waye and forgetteth by and by what maner thyng it was.Estote factores verbi. Be ye then doers of the worde, that is to wete, declare w^t good workes that ye truly vnderstande it, and be nat hearers onely, as who shulde say. Ye that heare the worde of god with your eares and do boste and glory in the knowledge therof, and neuertheles be occupyed and intangled in other maters ye do nothyng els but deceiue your [Page xxvij] selues whych thyng he declareth with a wonderful goodly and apte similitude.☜ For lyke as it nothinge helpeth a man to stāde before a glasse and to se hym selfe faire, whan he goeth away forthwyth, and for­getteth strayte hys beawtie, So it helpeth a man nothynge at all to heare gods worde, onles he receyue it in hys harte, and take holde of it by fayth, depely printyng in hys mynde the beautie therof, and be delyted therin, and fynally declare wyth good workes that he doth truly vnderstande it. Furthermore he that standeth before a glasse maye well glorie and bragge of hys beautye for a tyme: So he that hea­reth the worde may well reioyse and glorie of it. But whan the glasse is taken away anone the beautie is out of the mynde. So in tyme of necessitie and tribulation, yf the true glasse of gods wyll that is to wyt the worde of God be taken awaye and not cō sydered, anone the promyses and gospell that is to saye the glad tydynges concernynge our redempti­on is out of mynde, the beautie of gods goodnes is forgotten, and finally the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde is neglected. But on the contrary parte who so loketh in the perfyte lawe of lybertie and continueth therin, yf he be not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the worke, the same shalbe happy in hys dede. As who shulde saye: He that rightly heareth and vnder standeth the worde and doeth expresse the same with worthy workes in such wyse as he sheweth hymselfe to haue a firme & sure vnderstandynge of the same whereby he may vaynquish and chase away death, Satan, and synne: he shalbe happye in hys dede or worke, he shalbe declared by hys dedes to be a iusti­fied [Page] person and saued. For dedes & workes in christē men be testimonies and wytnesses of our iustifyeng fayth and that we do vnderstande ryghtly and tru­ly gods worde.Augus. For (as saynt Augustine affirmeth) fayth ought to go before workes. Yea he declareth playnly y^e workes wythout fayth can not be good, and he allegeth for hys purpose that texte of saynte Paule:Ro. iiij. Omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est. That is to saye, what so euer is not of faythe, the fame is synne.Chryso­stome de fide et Lege. Herevnto also agreeth Chrysostome where he sayeth: Fayth ought to shyne before wor­kes, and workes muste be the handmaydes or way­tynge seruauntes and folowers of fayth.

True re­ligion.Secōde, in thys epistle saynt Iames doth teach vs (good people) what the ryght and perfyte religi­on of a christian man or woman is. Yf any man (sayeth saynt Iames) woll seme to be religiouse amon­ges you, not refraynynge hys tonge, but seducynge and deceyuynge hys owne harte, thys mans religi­on is vayne.☞ Pure and vndefyled religion before God the father is thys: to vysite the fatherlesse and wedowes in theyr aduersitie, & to kepe thy selfe vn­spotted in the worlde. Lo good people here ye haue a true definicion of religion. It is not to be locked vp in stone walles and to departe from the compa­ny of the worlde, as those disguysed and false religiouse persones lately in thys realme dyd, but it is to be conuersaunt amonges men wythout spotte or reproufe, it is to vysite orphanes and fatherlesse chyl­dren, to go and succour the poore wydowes, to go a­boute and to wynne y^e people to Christ, to fysh mens soules and to brynge them into the kyngdome of [Page xxviij] Christ out of the tyranny and raygne of Antichriste. I call Antichrist whosoeuer teacheth other deuoti­ons and holynesses then Christ dyd ordeyne. For he that is not wyth Christ is agaynst Christ. Wherfore good brethren and systers, let vs be accordynge to saynt Iames monition here, not onely hearers but also doers of the worde, but of what worde? of the bishop of Romes worde, of Antichristes word which is contrary to Christes vnspotted & syncere worde? no but of gods worde, to thintent we maye loke into the perfyte lawe whych breaketh out of fre spirite & fayth into workes of charitie. Let vs imbrace y^e true religiō that is here prescribed and set forth vnto vs Let vs vysite the orphanes, the desolate wydowes & our poore neyghbours that be destitute of comforte and relyfe. Thys let vs do of a fre and franke harte not as constraynedly but wyllyngly and gladly. Thys doynge we shall declare by our dedes that we haue the lyuely fayth that shall iustifie vs in gods sight. In these our dedes, but not by these our dedes nor through these our dedes, we shall as saynt Ia­mes assureth vs be happy, and so happy that nomā shalbe able to take our ioye and blysse from vs. For we shall not onely lyue here in thys worlde in peace of conscience and in the kyngdome of Christ, but we shall also in an other worlde inherite the vnspeaka­ble ioye and felicitie of heauen, where lyueth & raygneth the father the sōne and holy goost perpetually Amen.

The Gospel on the .v. Sondaye after Ester daye which is the next sonday before the crosse dayes, the .xvi. Chapter of Ihon.

IN the first parte of the Gospel of this daie (good people) is a commaūdemēt and promise set forth vnto vs wherby we be allured and sturred to praye.❧ The vertu of prayers And surely sith a christian person can no wher haue better coumforte in such thynges as he is troubled [Page xxix] in, and in tyme of necessitie and aduersitie, then in­stantly to pray and to open his affliction and grefe with ardent peticion and humble sute to God, who onely wyll and can helpe him in his distres & gyue him comforte, vndoutedly it is ryght necessary that we throughly perceiue & knowe the institucion and intent of this present gospel, to the intent we might be the more inclined and disposed vnto prayer. For who wolde reiecte and despice prayer as a thyng ly­tle necessary, seyng it is so muche auaunced and cō ­maunded by Christe vnto vs? Yea this cōmaunde­ment dothe as straytly bynde vs, as the fyrste com­maundemēt of the Decalogie doth. This to be true we may se in another place where Christe byddeth vs alwayes to pray and that without ceasing or in­termission.lu. xviij. Marke that it is necessary then and conuenient that we shulde pray. Wherfore as we be by speciall word and cōmaundement of Christe drawē and inforced to pray: So also this gospell allureth vs to the same with a speciall promise. For it is here promised vs by Christe that our prayers that is to wete the prayers of christen ꝑsons shal not be vaine ne frustrate, but that we shalbe surely herde & shall obteyne our sutes. For why elles wolde Christ haue bounde this his worde and promise with an othe, sayeng, verely verely, What so euer ye aske the fa­ther in my name he shall gyue it you. Also aske and it shalbe gyuen you. Do ye not heare how our pray­ers shal not be vayne nor frustrate? Who then wold nowe be slouthfull to pray seyng Christe by his spe­ciall cōmaundement hath wylled vs to the same? Forthermore, ye shal here vnderstande that bycause [Page] we shuld not thynke that the labour of our prayers shuld be in vayne: therfore doth Christe here in this place allure vs with a notable and special promyse as is before remembred. But herin are two thinges to be considered & pondered of vs. The one is y^t we shuld pray in none other name thē in only Christes name.we must pray only in the name of Christe. Now we pray in the name of Christ when we approche to god in the faythe of Christ and do com­forte our selues with the trust and affiaunce in him, that is to wete, that he only is our mediatour or ad­uocate, by whom all be forgyuen vs, and without whom we can deserue nothyng but gods indigna­cion and wrath. For I pray you what saynte, what holy man is there either in heauen or earthe whiche sueth maketh intercession and is mediatour to the father of heauen for vs in suche wyse as Christe is? Assuredly it is Christe only by whose merite and in­tercession not only we obteine pardon of our synnes & ryghteousnes but also he taketh vs in the place of his brethren cōmunicating vnto vs the roume or office of presthoode as testifyeth also S. Peter in his fyrst epistle so that we also by authoritie and vertue herof may lykewyse haue accesse to the father & seke of him in our afflictions grace helpe and comforte.i, Pet. ij. Thys thyng confirmeth also Christ himselfe where he sayeth I saye not vnto you that I shalbe an in­tercessour or suter for you to my father. For the fa­ther himself loueth you because ye haue loued me in beleuyng that I am come frō the father. Wherfore good christen brethren syth we haue suche an aduo­cate and mediatour for vs yea sithe we also our sel­ues be admitted by Christe to the function & offyce [Page xxx] of prestes: I pray you why shulde we so muche de­pēde vpō confidēce of others to be meanes & suters for vs? This thyng also doth the auncient and holy father S. Chrysostom ful wel declare in his homely De profectu euangelij Where he writeth in this wyse.Chriso­stome. Thou shall nede no patrones or aduocates w^t god, neyther shalt thou nede to runne hyther and thyther to flatter other that they maye intreate for the, but albeit thou be alone and hast no patrone or intercessour, but prayest to god by thy selfe alone, yet shalt thou throughly obteyne thy sute & demaunde. For god doth not so easely graunte when other men praye for vs as when we praye our selues although we be full of many vices and synnes. Lo what thys holy doctour saythe. He certifieth the that thou arte soner herd when thou praiest for thy selfe then when thou makest other to praye for the.Theo­philac­tus in Iohan. ca. xv. Whyche thynge Theophilactꝰ affirmeth also, where he saith. Marke that albeit sayntes or holy men praye for vs, as the Apostles dyd for the woman of Cananee, yet we be rather herd when we praye for our selues.

Furthermore we muste take hede good people that we be suters vnto god in our prayers for nothinge that is repugnaunt to the glory of god to our owne saluation and to gods will. For in thys behalfe that god almyghty wyll neither admytte nor heare oure prayers it is manifestlye shewed by that he teacheth vs in our pater noster to saye. Fiat voluntas tua, Math. v. thy wil be done. Wherfore we shall then be hard when in our necessities we desire and require gods helpe ha­uing respect euer and casting our eyes to his wyl to hys cōmaundement and promise and not alledging [Page] our owne worthynes (whyche is nothyng at all) but only the merite of Christe, then I saye oure petition and sute shal surely be admitted & hard. Forasmoch as all the promises in Christ be est and amen that is to saye moost certeine and sure,ij. cor. i. as Paule in his se­cond epistle to the Corinthians wryteth. Moreouer bicause oftentymes we be so vntoward and folyshe, that we cannot espye oure owne necessitie and nede: Therfore Christ wil likewise teache vs what maner thyng our petition ought to be,Ro. viij. (praye sayth he) that your ioye may be ful. What ioye I pray you is this? vndoutedly it is no worldely or corporall leapynge or daunsing and reioising, but it is a spirituall ioye wherof saint Paule maketh mention wher he saith.Phi. iiij. Reioise in the lord. And againe I saye reioise. From whence then procedeth this ioye? Surely of faythe. But howe is this? Truly if at any tyme I heare the gospell taughte wherin is offeryd by Christe to all men remission of synne: I muste beleue it if I woll that that sermon or preachyng of Christe shulde do me good. But beleue it I cannot, onles by the word the holy ghost be gyuen me whych maye worke such feith in me. That if the worde & the spirite workethe in me fayth, I nede not to doubte any thynge at all herein, but that Christe hathe not only perdoned me my synnes in suche wise that they canne no more be called into iudgement and condemne me,From whence the pea­ce of cō science sprin­geth. but also that he hath recōciled the father in heauen vnto me and made him my speciall good lorde and father in such sorte as he now knowledgeth and reputeth me for his sonne and that he wol preserue and conserue me vnto euerlasting liefe, and from hens afterward [Page xxxi] spryngeth oute peace of conscience vnto me and the spirituall ioye wherof in thys gospell oure sauioure Christe speaketh, but suche ioye oughte alweyes to growe and to be increased if it wolbe made perfecte and ful.ij. pe. iij. Wherfore that it may growe and wyth per­petual encrease waxe greater and greater, vndoub­tedly god of his most bountifull mercy will brynge to passe, if so be we instantly call vpon hym with cō ­tynuall prayers. Syth therfore (good christen peo­ple) Christ hath gyuen vs in commaundement that for such ioye of harte we shulde praye to thentente it myght be made consūmate & fully perfecte, we must here obey him that we may truly saye with y^e blessed virgine Marye.Luce. ij. Et exultauit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo. That is to saye. My spirite reioyseth in god my sauioure.

Finally (my brethren) Christe doth here agayne set­oute the rudenes and ignorance of his apostles be­fore theyr eyes, and confesseth that hys lessons and teachinges haue bene hithervnto but as ridles and parables vnto them, and that to the vnderstanding of such thynges as he taught them it was necessarie that he shulde not speake vnto them in parables and ryddelles, but that he shulde speake of hys fa­ther vnto them openly and frely, that is, that it was necessary that he shulde sende them the holy ghoste who myght make them able to attayne hys wordes.

And suerly good people this kinde of ignoraunce and blyndnes was not only in the apostles before they were confirmed with the holy ghost,Psa. xiij Ioh. iij. but it is al­so naturally planted in all men in so moch that ther is not one whych canne either vnderstand or worke [Page] any thinge that good is, onles he be transformed by the spirite of god vnto a newe creatute. We thinke our selues neuertheles very prudent and wyse euen as the apostles dyd in this gospell sayenge, lo nowe thou speakeste frely & openly, neyther speakest thou any parable, now I know that thou knowest al thinges. &c. But no doubt thys was a very folyshe rash­nes and arrogauncie euen as that was, that Peter dyd when he wolde go with Christ both into pryson and into death by whyche rashe promise he shamed hymselfe when before the cocke crewe he denied his Maister Christ thryse.

Wherfore all thys hole thynge is wrytten for oure cause that we shuld not arrogaūtly presume to take any thynge vpon vs rashely and temerariously, but that we shuld rather walke in an humble mynd and spirite, confessinge and knowledginge continually that we be bothe miserable and ignoraunte persons in such thynges as concerne Christes glorye, foras­moche as without the spirite of god we canne neuer vnderstande the mystery of the gospel. For assuredly the wysdome of the fleshe is foly before god, and the more knowlege it boasteth & pretendith in spiritual and diuine thynges, so moch the more is the foly of it declared and vttered. Let vs then my good bre­thren and sisters in all oure necessities and troubles pray accordynge to the wordes of this gospel, but to whom? To the father of heuen. In whose name? In Christes.☞ And what shall we praye for? that our ioye may be perfyte & full. What is thys to saye? that by Christ our sinne beynge taken away, our conscience maye be quyet and sure of euerlastinge lyfe, whyche [Page xxxij] is a ryght perfecte ioye. Let vs praye that we maye be taught openly and playnly wythout prouerbes or parables, that is, y^t we maye receyue the holy spi­rite of cōforte into our soules whych in gods worde maye instructe vs of all trouth. Whych graunt vs God the father of heuen. Qui viuit et regnat in secula seculorum. Amen.

The epistle on the Ascension daye. The fyrst chap­ter of the actes of the Apostles.

WElbeloued brethren and systers in our Saui­our Christe, thys daye is called the Ascension daye, because that as thys daye, Christe our Saui­our and redemer mounted or styed vp to heauen af­ter hys resurrection leauynge hys Apostles and dis­ciples vpon the earth whych thynge is one of the articles of our Crede or beleue. And albeit saynt Luke the holy Euāgelist doth ascertayne vs of this thing in the ende of hys Gospell whych he wrote of the ac­tes and lyfe of Christ, yet for asmuche as he touched the thynge but brefly and lyghtly there, therfore he doeth here in the lesson of thys daye whych is the begynnynge of an other boke that he wrote for our in­struction of the dedes and actes of the Apostles, in­treate the mater more at large.

Fyrst therfore ye shall marke and obserue (good people) that the Euangelical histories do paynt out Christ vnto vs as yet couered wyth the burthen of y^e fleshe,☞ & as yet not glorifyed, how be it in the meane season he declared hymselfe aswell by hys heauenly doctrine as by many hys myracles which he shewed that he was very God. But in the actes of the Apostles he is described and set forth vnto vs as one that nowe raygneth & is glorifyed. Thus therfore saynt [Page xxxvij] Luke begynneth hys description. In the former treatyse or boke whych I wrote dearly beloued frēd Theophilus (whych by interpretation sygnifyeth a louer of God) we haue spoken of all that Iesus be­ganne to do and teache.Theo­philus. He sayeth not of all that Iesus began to teache & do. For our Sauiour Christe fyrst dyd practyse and worke such thynges as he af­terwarde taught. He wente to Ihons baptisme.Mat. iij. He wythdrewe hymselfe for a season out of the compa­ny of the worlde afore he wolde take vpon hym to preache, and to teach other.Mat. iiij The spirite led hym into wyldernesse, where he fasted fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes. He suffred there moost sharpe honger to arme hymselfe wyth abstinence and pacience. He there endured the mooste bytter assaultes and tem­tacions of our goostly enemye the deuell, as appea­reth manyfestly in the fourth chapter of Mathewe. Al thys he dyd to shewe vs an exēple how we ought to do. We haue many teachers but fewe doers. Thou (sayeth Paule) whyche teachest another,Rom. i. tea­chest not thy selfe. Thou preachest a man shulde not steale, and thou stealest thy selfe. Thou that sayest a man shulde not commytte adultrye, cōmyttest hore­dome thy selfe. Thou abhorrest ymages, & yet thou doest robbe God of hys due honour. Christ byddeth hys Apostles and preachers that theyr lyght shulde shyne before men.Math. v He wolde haue them to be the salt of the earth. But yf the salt (sayeth he) be vnsauery, wherewith shal it be sauered? it is good for nothyng but to be cast out of the dores and trodē vnder fete. And in conclusion he sayeth in thys wyse. Whosoe­uer doth and teacheth, the same shalbe called greate [Page] in the kyngdome of heauen. Yea he furthermore as­sureth vs,Math. v that onles our ryghtuousnes do passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes, and pharisees: we shall not entre into the kyngdome of heauen. But wol ye knowe good people what be scribes and pharisees? Herken what Christe sayeth in the .xxiij. chapter of Mathew. The scribes and pharisees syt in Moses chaire. All therfore that they byd you obserue, that obserue and do, but do not ye after theyr workes, for they saye and do not. Yea they bynde together heuy burthēs and greuous to be borne, and laye them on mens backes, but they themselues wyll not heue at them wyth one of theyr fyngers.

But let vs now se, whether there be any suche scribes and pharisees amōges Christē men,Origene as were in olde tyme amonges the Iues. Origene that aun­cient doctour,Who be scribes. wrytynge vpon thys place of Ma­thew, sayeth, that those be scribes, whych depart not from the letter of the law. These be such persons as teach nothynge but the outwarde obseruynge and as who shulde saye the barke of the lawe, where as accordynge to saynt Paule the lawe kylleth and the spirite quyckeneth.Ro. vij. For as saynt Austine doth very well declare,Austine. the letter of the lawe wythout the spi­rite is not ynough. It is the spirite that quycke­neth,Ioh. iij. of whome, onles a mā be borne agayne, he can not entre into the kyngdome of God. Thys spirite is wont to lede men into al trouth, he discloseth and openeth vnto vs the pyth of the lawe, that is to say, the lyuely and ernest fayth in Messias that was promysed so longe before by the prophetes, euen our sauiour Christ Iesus, for whose loue we ought frelye [Page xxxvij] to fulfyll and worke the lawe and not constrainedly lyke slaues and bondmen, forasmuch as the spirite of God hath infranchised vs and made vs Christes freemen. They than whych teach not thys fredome and enfranchisement of christian men, that is to wit whych teach not the pyth or karnell of the lawe but the barke or houske, be no better than scribes.The pa­pistes be scribes. Now I pray you, what other be al papistes but euen such & worse, for they can skant abyde to teache so muche as the letter of gods law, whych neuertheles beyng taught nakedly and alone doth but kyll, it quycke­neth not. Yea they wol teach welnere nothynge but theyr owne traditions, customes and beggerly ele­mētes. I haue brefly shewed you (my frendes) which be scribes, accordynge to the definition of the auncient doctour Origene. Let vs now se,What origene calleth phari­see. what he calleth a Pharisee. Such as professynge (sayeth he) some greater thyng do diuide themselues as better from the multitude and cōmon sorte of men, be called pharisees, which by interpretacion be as much to say as diuisi or segregati, that is to wyt, diuided or seuered persons. For Phares in Ebrue is called a diuision. Now accordynge to thys definicion whether there be any pharisees in Christendome I reporte me to your selues. Lorde God what diuisions, what sectes what sūdry sutes of holy holy persons haue we had in Englāde now of late whych thought themselues better and holyer than the rest of people, yea whiche wolde suffer none to be called religiouse but them­selues, where as after the diffinitiō of saint Iames, they were as farre wyde and differed as much from religiouse persons, as an ape differre from an owle.

But let vs retourne to our lection. These scri­bes and pharisees dyd teach but they dyd not y^e thinges whych they taught. Christ (as saynt Luke doth here wytnesse) fyrste dyd the thynges, and after he taught them. And of all these thynges (sayth Luke) whych Iesus began to do and teache vntyll y^e tyme of hys ascension haue we spoken in the former trea­tyse. Thys treatyse we call cōmonly the Gospell of saynt Luke. Now than whan the Apostles were as on thys daye assembled and come together they as­ked Christ, sayenge: Lorde wylte thou at thys tyme restore agayne the kyngdome of Israel? Lo (good people) here ye haue a ryght notable exemple of the Apostles infirmitie and weakenes.The wekenes of the apostles. For albeit they had herde oftentymes that Christes kyngdome or raygne shulde be spirituall yet they continued styll to dreame of a certaine corporal Monarchy or rule. But nowe what doth Christe vnto them? Albeit they thought & spake foolyshly, yet he reiected them not, but ryght gently he plucketh them awaye from those carnall thoughtes, saynge: It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in hys owne power, as who shulde saye, medle ye wyth your office wherevnto ye be appoyn­ted. Your office is to testifye of me & of my doctrine. Ye shalbe wytnesses (sayeth Christ) vnto me, not only in Ierusalem, but also in all Iury and in Samary,The of­fice of apostles or prea­chers. and euen vnto the worldes ende. And here is to be noted that Christ woll not haue hys preachers curiouse vpon ydle questions or vayne philosophie. For theyr only office and feate is to preache Christe and hys doctrine, that is to wyt, to set forth and propowne [Page xxxviij] only such thynges as Christe hath taught & done to be beleued of the ignoraūt people for which cause also the holy goost was gyuen vnto them, euē to thintent to make the Apostles mete to teache and vs to receyue theyr teachynge.☜ Now whan Christe had spokē these thynges, whyle hys Apostles beheld hym, lo sodenly he was taken vp on hygh, & a cloud receyued hym vp out of theyr syght.The frute of the ascēsion Here (my bre­thren) ye shall marke the frute and profyte of our sauiour Christes Ascension. For by hys styenge or as­cendynge vp into heauen he wrought two thynges for vs. The one was, he had a most goodly and gloriouse triumphe vpon oure mortall enemye the de­uell. The other was, he anone sent downe the holy goost to hys Apostles, as also the prophete Dauid wytnesseth, sayenge: Ascendit in altum, captiuam duxit captiuitatem, dedit dona hominibus. That is to saye. He ascended vp on hygh, he led captiuitie captiue, he gaue gyftes to men.

Fynally, ye shall marke y^t our Sauiour Christe at hys departure from hys disciples whan he moū ­ted vp to heauen, comforted them by hys angels, surely promysynge them, that euen suche one as they sawe hym ascendyng now vp to heuē, they shulde in the last daye se agayne, at whych tyme vndoubtedly he shall rendre to euery man hys rewarde according to hys dedes. They which haue done wyckedly, and wolde not beleue, shalbe condemned into hell fyre, where shalbe wepynge and gnashynge of teth. But they that haue beleued on Christ Iesu & wyth wor­thy dedes haue expressed and declared theyr fayth to the worlde, they shal inherite the kyngdom of heuen [Page] and shall entre into the ioye whych the father of heauen hath prepared for them. To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be glorye and laude in infini­ta secula. Amen.

The Gospell on Ascension daye. The xvi. chapter of Marke.

THe Christian mans lyfe in thys present Gospel (good people) is set before our eyes. For fayth and charitie are here propouned vnto vs as in all y^e rest of the gospels. Wherfore syth the Gospell bryn­geth euer these two wyth it, we ought also continu­ally to preache and entreate of them. For he sayeth who so beleueth and be baptised shalbe saued, which thynges we shall now in order peruse and consyder.

Fyrst of all Christ vpbraydeth in thys Gospell hys Apostles of theyr faynte beleue and hardenes of harte and consequently blameth them declaryng what they wanted and yet he reiecteth them not ney­ther is moued rygorously and hastely agaynst them but he gently blameth them none other wise than yf one of vs wolde saye to an other.Incredulitie. Arte thou not ashamed to do the thynge thou goest about? speakynge after thys sorte to brynge hym to knowe hymselfe & to make hym ashamed that he may leaue of his euel enterpryse or worke, and yet we reiecte hym not nor hate hym nor yet plucke our loue from hym. Ney­ther was it a lyghte matter why the Lorde rebuked hys disciples,☜ for surely infidelitie or lacke of beleue is of all synnes that can be named the greatest. And he expresseth vnto them the maner of theyr mysbe­leue whan he sayeth, that theyr hartes were harde­ned, and yet notwythstandynge he handleth them gently and myldely. All these thynges were done to our comforte and consolation that we shulde not be discoraged though we be any thynge fautye in oure fayth as yf we doute, stomble, or fall, but rather that we shuld quyckly ryse agayne, establysh oure fayth [Page] and runne to God takynge trust & affiaunce at hym and constantly also retainynge it, namely syth he deleth wyth vs not accordynge to rygoure, but can wynke at our falles & infirmities. And he that reputeth hym to be such shall also fynde hym such one: I saye yf he can take hym for a mercyfull God he wyll suffer hymselfe to be founde such one, he woll so de­clare hymselfe towardes hym. Contrary wyse an euell conscience and an vnfaythfull harte doth not so, he beareth no such affiaunce towardes God, but flyeth from hym, reputynge hym a sore & rygorouse iudge, and therfore also fynde hym such one. The same we must also do wyth our neyghbours. Yf we se any swarue frō the fayth he is not to be beloued in hys malyce but we ought to reproue and laye hys faute and shrynkynge before hys eyes but yet not after such sorte that we shulde hate hym or be agaynst hym or turne our frendshyp and loue from him.Gal. vi. For thus sayeth saynt Paule. Brethren although a man be founde in any faute,☞ you that be spiritual redresse such a person wyth the spirite of mekenes. But the moost holy father or god rather, the bishop of Rome whych wol be called Pope, hys byshops, hys prestes hys monkes, hys chanons, hys freers, and hys non­nes can not abyde whan that they be founde in any notable cryme, to be reproued. For what so euer euel do chaunce they pretende and allege for them that it come not through theyr faute but through the faute of theyr subiectes.Euell ought to be punyshed. Theyr subiectes and suche as be vnder theyr obedience shalbe cruelly and roughlye handled. Summa summarum any iniury and wyc­kednes ought to be punyshed, but loue and veritie [Page xl] must be kept towardes euery man. Neyther oughte we to suffer our mouth to be stopped. For none of vs all shall so lyue as longe as we be in thys fleshe that we can be founde on euery parte blameles. But I am fauty in thys thynge, and an other in that. Namelye sythe it is ryghte manifest to all men that euen thapostles themselues lacked that whych was chyfe and the hyghest poynt of al, where as notwithstandynge, they were the corner stones and the roc­kes of foundacion. Yea and the best and the most excellent part of christendome. No man yet thynketh that thapostles were vtterly and all together infideles. For they beleued the thynges that were wrytten in the law and in the prophetes, albeit they had not yet the full perfection of fayth. Fayth was in them and it was not in them. Fayth therfore is a thynge whych alwayes groweth bygger and bygger accor­dynge to the parable of the mustarde sede. So the Apostles were not vtterly voyde and destitute of fayth for they had a parte of it. For it is wyth fayth as it is wyth a man that is sycke and begynneth by lytle and lytle to crepe & vp waxe stronge. The lord than expresseth and declareth to hys apostles where in they beleued not and what they wanted, whyche doubtles was that they perfytly beleued not his re­surrection. For albeit they beleued all the rest, yet in thys behalfe they remayned infideles. For happely they beleued also thys that God wolde be mercyfull vnto them, but yet this was not ynough.Christ vpbray­deth his apostles of theyr infidefi­tie. For it was necessary also that they shulde beleue Christes resurrection. Wherfore he vpbraydeth them of theyr infi­delitie sayenge that albeit they had sene altogether [Page] yet they beleued it not, and that they yet wāted thys article of resurrection.What it is to be­leue the resurrection of Christ. What is it than to beleue the resurrection of Christ whych beareth so great a stroke and is of such importaunce that y^e disciples were called infideles and mysbeleuynge persones for the defaute of it? Certes, to beleue the resurrection of Christ is nothynge els than to beleue we haue a re­conciler before God whych is Christ whych maketh vs at one wyth God the father and iustifyeth vs in hys syght. For what so euer is in man of hys owne nature and byrth wythout regeneratiō is but synne and death whereby he heapeth vpon hymselfe gods vengeaunce. Agayne, God is the eternal iustice and clerenes, whych of hys nature hateth synne. Hereof it commeth that betwene God and man is perpetu­all enmitie neyther can they be frendes or agre to­gether. Christe therfore beynge incarnate dyd bothe translate our synnes vpon hymselfe and drowned y^e wrath of the father in himselfe to reconcile vs to his father. Wythout thys fayth we be y^e chyldren of vē ­geaunce, we can do no good worke that maye be ac­ceptable to God, neyther wyll God heare our pray­ers. For thus in the .xviij. psalme it is wryttē. They cryed and ther was no helper, to the Lorde, and he answered them not. Yea the moost excellente worke wherby we thought to obtayne grace, helpe, & com­forte of God was imputed vnto vs for synne, as the prophete in the .cix. psalme sayth: Oratio eius in peccatum fiat. Be hys prayer counted for synne, for su­rely we can not wyth al our powers of our owne nature pacifie god. We neded therfore Christe to be mediatour for vs to the father, and to make vs at one [Page xli] wyth hym, and finally to obtayne what so euer is necessary for vs. By the same Christ it behoueth vs to aske of God what so euer thynge we nede,Ioh. xvi as Christ hymselfe enstructeth vs sayenge: What so euer ye aske the father in my name it shalbe done vnto you. What soeuer we demaunde of God, surely by thys Christ (which hath satisfied for our synnes) we must obteyne and get it. For Christ is he whych layeth a garison about vs,☜ he is the defēce and bukler vnder whome we be hydden, euen as the chekens be nou­ryshed and hydde vnder the wynges of the henne. By him only our prayer is allowed before God. By hym onely we be herde and get the fauoure & grace of the father. Thys is now to beleue vpon Christes resurrection yf as it is recited we beleue that Christ hath borne vpon hym aswell our synnes as the synnes of the hole worlde & hath drowned in hymselfe the one and the other and also theyre of the father wherby we be reconciled to God and made ryghtu­ouse before hym. Now ye se your selues howe fewe christian men and wemen there be whych haue thys fayth wherby all men be delyuered from theyr syn­nes and be made ryghtuouse.All outwarde christen men be­leue not in the resurrec­tion. For they beleue not in the resurrection of Christe, that theyr synnes be ta­ken awaye also by Christe, but go about to be iusti­fyed by theyr owne workes. Thys man entreth into the cloyster & is made a monke or freer, she a nonne some one thynge, some another, that they may be delyuered from theyr synnes, and yet they saye they beleue in the resurrection of Christe, where theyr wor­kes do shew cleane contrary. Wherfore thys article haue the holy fathers preached and inculked speci­ally before other. For thus saynt Paule in the .xv. [Page] chapter of hys fyrste epistle to the Corinthi. sayeth. Yf Christ hath not rysen frō death to lyfe thā vayne is our preachynge, vayne also is your fayth, And a lytle after. Yf Christ haue not rysen vayne is youre fayth, ye be yet in your sines. What maner cōsequēs is thys? how do thys folowe? Thus truly, yf Christe rose not from death to lyfe, it foloweth, that synne & death dyd swalowe hym vp and kylled hym. After that we could not ryd our selues out of our synnes, Iesus Christ toke them vpon hym to treade vnder hys fete death and hell, and to be made Lorde ouer them. Now yf he rose not agayne, than surely he o­uercame not synne, but was ouercome of synne. And yf he rose not agayne, he redemed vs not, and so we be yet in our synnes. Furthermore in the tēth to the Romaynes he sayeth thus. Yf thou confes­sest wyth thy mouth Iesus to be the Lorde, and be­leuest in thy harte, that God hath raysed hym from death,☞ thou shalt be saued. Herevnto agreeth all scripture both olde and newe. But it is not yet sufficient to beleue the resurrection of Christ. For al wicked persones beleue thys, yea Satan doubteth not but that God suffered & rose agayne.☞ But we must also beleue the summe of the resurrection and also what frute and profyte we haue taken therby, that is to saye, pardon of our gylt and as it were a gayle delyuerey of all our synnes that Christe passed tho­rough death and by it ouercame synne & death, yea and what so euer coulde hurt vs he trode vnder his fote and is constitute and made at the ryght hande of the father in heauen the myghty Lorde ouer syn, Satan, death, hell, and what soeuer hurteth vs and that all these thynges be done for our sake whyche [Page xlij] thynge the wycked persons beleue not. Ye se than (my frēdes) how much is layde in thys artycle of re­surrection so that we may better wante all the reste than thys one article. For what were it to beleue all the artycles, as that God was borne of the virgine Mary, that he dyed and was buryed: yf thou doest not also beleue that he rose agayne?Abac. i. And thys God meaneth in Abacuc where he sayeth: I shall worke a worke in you whych no man shall beleue whan it shalbe tolde. And thys is the cause why Paule in al hys epistles handleth no worke or myracle of Christ so diligently, as he doth the resurrection of Christ. Yea he letteth passe all the workes and myracles of Christ, and chefly teacheth vs the frute of it, so that none of thapostles hath so paynted Christ vnto vs as Paule.Actu. ix Wherfore not wythout cause Christ sayd to Ananias: Thys is my vessell of election to beare my name before the Hethen people, and kinges and the chyldren of Israell. It foloweth in the texte: Go ye into the hole worlde, and preach the Gos­pell to euery creature.

What shall they preach? none other thynge, but that Christe is rysen from death, and that he hathe vaynquished and takē awaye synne and all mysery,What is gospel. he that beleueth thys, is saued. For y^e gospel (which in the Greke soundeth a glad tydynges) is nothyng els, but a preachynge or shewynge of Christes resurrectiō, he that gyueth fayth vnto it is saufe, he that doth not, is lost.Fayth constrayneth no man. And here consyder me the nature of fayth. Fayth constrayneth none to the gospell, but leaueth euery man to hys owne lybertie and choise He that beleueth, maye frely beleue, he that cōmeth [Page] let hym come, he that wyl not, chose hym. And here agayne ye shall marke that the Romysh byshop er­reth and doth nought, in that he goeth about by vi­olence to drawe men to the christen fayth. For besy­des the preachynge of the Gospel, Christe gaue no­thynge in commission vnto hys disciples. So they preached it accordyngly to theyr commission & lefte it in mens free lybertie to come to it or not. They sayd not,☞ eyther beleue it or I wyl kyll the. So ye se y^e infidels as turkes, sarasēs, & Iues ought not violently to be drawē to our fayth, but louyngly rather inuited and allured. But here is a doubte, how thys texte ought to be vnderstande (go into al the world) syth the Apostles neuer passed through out all the worlde. For none of the apostles came so farre as to vs. Furthermore there be many Ilandes foūde out now in our tyme whych be inhabited with people to whome gods worde was neuer preached, where as yet the scripture confirmeth,Ps. viij sayenge: In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum, that is, theyr soūde wēt forth into all the worlde. I saye theyr preachynge wente out into al lādes although it be not yet come into the hole worlde. And thys commynge out is begonne, albeit it be not yet fynished and ended, but it spredeth continually more and more and shal do tyl the last daye. And it is wyth thys commyssion or ambassadie of preachynge as it is wyth a stone, whan it is cast into the water, for it maketh waues about it, & one waue dryueth forth another, tyll they come to the shoore, & albeit there be in the myddes a great caulme, yet the waues cease not, but go continually forth. Euen so it is wyth the preachynge of the gos­pell, [Page xliij] it began by thapostles, and it styll goeth forth, and by preachers it spreadeth further and further, it suffreth in the worlde persecution and chasynge a­waye, yet it is alwayes opened more & more to suche as herde not of it before, though in the mydde iour­ney it be dryuen downe and be made starke herisie. Or it may be lykened to an ambassage that one sendeth out, as yf oure soueraygne lorde the kynge of Englande shulde sende hys ambassadours into Fraunce, or Spayne, we saye that an ambassadie is gone forth from our kynge thyther, all be it the ambassadours be not in dede as yet come thyther. It foloweth in the text. He that beleueth and is bapti­sed shalbe saued. Sygnes ioyned to the worde. Here ye shal note that god doth hange an outward sygne to hys worde whych signe maketh hys worde to be the strōger vnto vs, so that it confirmeth our hartes & maketh vs not to doubt therof. Thus God dyd set y^e rayne bowe for a signe to Noye to assure hym he wolde nomore destroy the worlde wyth floudes. So that thys rayne bow is as it were a seale or suretye both to Noye and to al vs none otherwyse than a seale is put to wrytynges to make them sure. And lyke as princes and noble mē be knowen by theyr colours, badges, and armes: e­uen so dealeth god wyth vs and hath stablished his wordes as wyth a seale y^t we shuld nothynge doubt He gaue to Abrahā circumcision for a signe of Christes cōmynge that shulde blesse the worlde.Ge. xvij Lyke­wyse hath he done here by puttynge to this promise of saluation an outwarde sygne, I meane baptisme For baptisme is as it were a watchword to put god in remembraunce of hys promyse, which yf it can be [Page] had,Austine. ought in any wyse to be takē (as saynt Austine sayeth) and not to be despysed. But yf it can not be had, or yf it be denyed a man, yet he shall not be damned so that he beleueth the Gospell. For where the Gospel is, there is baptisme and al that pertayneth to christianitie. And therfore the Lorde sayeth. He that beleueth not shalbe damned. He sayeth not, he that is not baptised. For baptisme wythout fayth is nothynge worth, but it is lyke to a paper that hathe a seale hangynge to it and hath no wrytynge in it. Wherfore they that haue sygnes (whych we call sa­cramētes) wythout fayth, they haue seales without wrytynges. Furthermore ye se here (good people) what is thoffice of such as wolbe called Christes a­postles, that is to wyte, to go into the world & preach Christes Gospel. And so here ye may iudge whether the byshop of Rome with his galant prelates which ryde lyke princes vpō theyr moyles & neuer preach one worde but rather stoppe the mouthes of true preachers, ought to be called Apostolyke persons or no. It foloweth in the texte.

And these tokēs shall folowe them that beleue. In my name they shal cast out deuels, they shal speke wyth newe tonges, they shal dryue awaye serpen­tes. And yf they drynke any deadly thynge, it shall not hurte them. They shall laye theyr handes on the sycke, and they shall recouer.

My frendes how shal we verefy thys texte, that he that beleueth shal haue power to worke all these sygnes? for the Lorde sayth that these tokens shal folowe the beleuers. Moreouer it is certaynly kno­wen [Page xliiij] vnto vs that not all y^e Apostles wrought them. For it is recorded of none to haue dronken poyson but of Ihon the Euangelist. Furthermore yf thys sayenge of Christ must nedes stande, few shalbe sa­ued for very fewe of the sayntes haue done al these. Some therfore to auoyde thys inconuenience do expounde these sygnes mystically,A mysti­cal interpretaci­on. sayenge that they do speake wyth new tonges whych where as before they taught deuelysh doctrines, nowe they confesse Christ and so they be new men. By takynge awaye of serpentes they vnderstande the destroyenge of pestiferouse doctrines, heresies and sectes. By dryn­kynge of poyson wythout hurte, they vnderstande that the readyng or hearyng of false doctrines shal not hurte them. By healynge and curynge of sycke persons they vnderstande the healynge of the soule. Albeit thys interpretation is honest and a mater of trouth that such as beleue shall worke these feates, yet it is not the ryght sense and meanynge of thys text. This than is the meanynge. Where a christian man hath fayth, he shall haue power to worke these sygnes and they shal folow hym, as Christ hymselfe sayeth in an other place:Io. xiiij. Verely verely I saye vnto you, he that beleueth in me the workes that I do he shal do, yea and he shal do greater then they be. For the christen man hath the same power wyth Christe, Christ is a cōmunitie, he is sette in the same goodes wyth Christ. Furthermore Christ gaue them power agaynst wycked spirites to cast them out & to heale al maner of syckenesses as it is redde in the tenth of Matheu. Also in the .xix. psalme ye rede: Thou shalt walke vpon Lions and Dragons. Wherfore where [Page] a christen man is, the power to worke these sygnes & myracles is not taken awaye, as by many exemples it hath ben proued. But no man ought to do them, onles it be necessarie and the case requyre it. For the Apostles thēselues wrought not these myracles but only to the testification of gods worde that so by myracles the Gospell myght be confirmed, as the texte sayeth. They went and preached euery where, the Lorde workynge wyth them and confirmynge the worde wyth myracles folowynge. But nowe after y^t the Gospell is spred abrode and opened to the hole world, myracles be not necessary as they were in the Apostles tyme. It foloweth: whan the Lorde had spoken vnto them, he was receyued into heauen. That is to saye, he went vp to begyn hys spirituall and heauenly kyngdome, and drewe wyth hym oure hopes into heuen that thyther, whether we sawe him ascende we shulde also folowe. And he sytteth on the ryght hande of God. Thys is a maner or fy­gure of speakynge and it sygnifyeth, he is God, egall and of lyke power wyth the father. And as the prophete sayeth, he ascended vp on hygh & hath led captiuitie a prisoner. So that nowe, we be no longer in thraldome, for Christ hath ca­ryed it awaye wyth hym and made vs the chyldren of hys father to lyue eternally wyth hym in heauen. To whome be glorye for euer and euer. Amen.

The Epistle on the sonday after the As­cension daye. The .i. Epistle of Peter the .iiij. chap.

GOod brethrē and systers in our sauiour Christ the lection of the epistle of thys daye redde in y^e church is taken forth of the .iiij. chapter of the fyrste epistle of y^e Apostle & messanger of Christ S. Peter.

Ye shall therfore vnderstande that forasmuch as thys holy mā S. Peter had now in the chapters goynge before thys place sufficiently taught the Iues and others whome he wrote thys epistle vnto,The oc­casion of thys epistle. of the fayth and iustification whych cōmeth by Christe, he doth now in the chapters folowynge monysh them of good workes,☜ accordynge to the maner of syncere and pure preachers, whych before they gyue any preceptes of good maners, woll fyrst intreate of y^e cau­ses of new lyfe. Wherfore thys present lesson is no­thynge but an exhortation to good workes after the [Page] exemple of Christe. Thus than he sayeth:

Be ye therfore sobre and watch vnto prayer.

Thys texte contayneth a generall exhortacion to all such thynges as become christen men to do in this lyfe.Sobre­nes and mode­stie. For modesty and sobrenes be not so great­ly good workes, as they be the selfe rules wherby al good woorkes be tempered. Ye shall therfore vn­derstand here by modestie and sobrenesse fyrst those ciuile vertues whych haue contrary vyces, arrogancye and pryde. In lyke wyse doth also Paule vnderstande them in the .xij. to the Romaynes where he wryteth. I saye vnto you by the grace whych is gy­uen me to euery one of you, that none thynke proudly of hymself aboue that it becōmeth hym to thynke but lette hym so thynke that he be demure and sobre euen as God hath bestowed to euerye one the mea­sure of fayth. Seconde, ye shal vnderstande by mo­destye and sobrenes here, also the soūdnes of mynde so that ye thynke modestly & soberly of gods worde, lest through your owne ymaginations and good intencions ye go awaye from the true vnderstandyng of gods worde, or suffer your selues to be plucked a­way wyth any maner wynde of new doctrine. Now whā we be modest and sober aswell in lyfe as in doctrine it foloweth consequently that we muste nedes watch and gyue our selues to prayer. It foloweth.

But afore all haue feruent loue amonges youre selues, for loue shal couer the multitude of synnes.

As though saynt Peter shuld saye. It may happen peraduenture that a man may fayne wyth hymselfe that he is sober,Charite modest, and busye in prayer. Therfore before al thynges se ye haue charitie without [Page xlvi] whych, youre demurenes, youre sobernes, your prayer maye be but fayned and cloked workes, with out whych charitie also they be nothynge worth nor yet thankfull to God accordynge to the sayenge of Christ.Math. v Whan thou shalte offer thy offerynge at the aulter and remembrest, that thy brother haue ought agaynst the, leaue there thy offeryng, and go and be at one wyth thy brother first, and then come and offre thy oblation. Doubtles (my brethren) charitie is to be preferred before all other workes for wythout it none of all oure other workes can please God as Christ hymselfe wytnesseth Math. v. And also the prophete Esay in the fyrst chapter. Thou shalt no­more offer to me sacrifice and so forth, but learne to do ryghte, helpe the nedye. &c.Vehe­mēt charitie. And saint Peter wyl that our charitie be vehement or feruent, not colde and negligent such as theyrs is, whych wyth theyr mouth make as though they loue a man, but wyth theyr harte they hate hym as euel as a tode. And he addeth the cause,☜ for loue or charitie couereth y^e multitude of synnes. Thys sentence is taken forth of y^e x. chapter of the prouerbes. For the moost proper of­fice of charitie is to hyde the infirmities of the neghboure. Furthermore hospitalitie and harbourynge wythout murmurynge or grudgynge is also one of the effectes of charitie. It foloweth in the texte.

As euery man hath receyued the gyfte, euen so minister the same one to another as good dispen­sours or stewardes of the manyfold grace of god.

Here good people, the Apostle Peter exhorteth e­uery man particularlye to do hys office in hys cal­lynge. [Page] He that is a preacher of gods worde, oughte to be content wyth hys gyfte and to execute his du­tie in hys vocatiō, that is to wyt, he ought to preach not hys owne dreames, but the sermōs and wordes of God, and so of all other offices in Christes cōgregation, whych yf they were done accordynge to S. Peters aduyse here, we shuld both haue gods word more purely set forth, and also the churche in better vnitie and concorde. Then accordyng to euery mās gyfte, and (as Paule sayeth) euen as God hath allotted euerye man accordynge to the measure of hys fayth,Ro. xij. so let hym serue in hys callynge. As good stewardes or dispensours let them behaue themselues in executynge theyr office.Good stewar­des. I praye you is not he a foolysh stewarde whych of other mēs goodes wold glorie and take a pryde,☞ where he is but onely y^e ste­warde and not the owner of them? Nowe they be good stewardes whyche be faythfull and prudente, whych knowe what, how, to whome and what tyme they oughte to preache and laye out the treasure of gods worde, the treasure I saye of the manyfolde grace of God accordynge to the sundry and many­fold gyftes. He that speaketh let hym speake the sermons and wordes of almyghtye God, let hym not preach hys owne gloses, hys owne inuencions hys owne dreames and fansies. And to what so euer mi­nistracion he be called and appointed in the church,Ex vir­tute. let hym do it (sayeth saint Peter) as of the vertue, power, and abilitie whyche God ministreth vnto hym, and not as though he were able by hys owne wyt & prudence to execute hys ministerie. It foloweth.

That God in all thynges maye be glorifyed thorow [Page xlvij] Iesus Christ.

Here saynt Peter declareth the principall ende of all our gyftes offices and good workes, whych is that by them shulde ryse contentions, stryfes, deba­tes, and discordes.Howe god is glorifi­ed by our gyf­tes and workes Nowe God is glorifyed by oure gyftes, offices, duties, and workes, when we so vse them that the congregacion may take profyte & edi­ficacion therby, and may take occasion by the good distribution of the same to glorifye God by Iesus Christe. For oure Sauiour Christe Iesus ascen­dynge vp to heuen distributed and gaue gyf­tes vnto men as the prophete sayeth.Ps. lxvij To whome be all glorie, al prayse, all im­perie and dominion aswel to saue as to rule and gouerne hys faythful ones, together wyth the father and the holy goost for e­uer and euer AMEN.

The Gospell on the sondaye after the Ascension daye. The .xv. chapter of Ihon.

FOr asmuch as our Lorde Christ in his maundie (good people) wyth many promyses had beque­thed and deputed the holy goost to his Apostles,Paracletus. he doth now at last name hym more playnly wyth hys proper name of office, declarynge therby what pro­fyte and commoditie he shall brynge to the worlde. He sayeth: whan the comforter is come. Thys pro­pre and true name he gyueth the holy goost callyng hym paracletum, that is saye a comforter. For who els certifyeth our conscience,Ro. viij. that we shulde beleue y^t by Christ we be the chyldren of God and crye Abba father, but thys only comforter? I praye you, who maketh vs both desyrefull and also hardy to cōfesse thys fayth? Who comforteth vs in all such mysfor­tune and afflictions as we suffre in thys worlde for thys confessions sake? Surely the same selfe good spirite, whych procedeth from y^e father doth al thys, thys is hys feate and offyce. For thobteynynge of whych spirite, the prophet Dauid so busely prayeth [Page xlviij] in the .l. psalme. But ye maye more lyuely beholde the nature and workynge of thys holy goost or spi­ryte in the apostles, whyche before the commynge of the holy goost, in tribulation fledde from the Lorde and vtterly denyed hym. For they hyd themselues in corners, some here some there. But whā thys spi­rite, thys comfortour was ones confirmed in them: then they confessed Christ frely and hys resurrectiō in so much that they also toke pleasure and delyte in the crosse or affliction that was layde vpon them as appeareth playnly in the Actes.Act. v.

Now thys comforter,The spirite of truth. bycause by the vertue of hys offyce he maketh men trouthe tellers, yea and com­forteth and strengtheneth the faythfull in the con­fession of the trouth, by the vertue also of hys office he shall testifie of Christ. So ye must here marke that y^e holy goost ought to beare wytnesse of Christ. But what shall he testifye, what shall he teache of Christ?☜ Vndoubtedly none other thyng but y^t which Christ preached and taught before, that is to say, he shall make them whyche before coulde not perceyue Christes doctrine, now to vnderstāde it, by wrytyng the gospel in theyr hartes. A mans owne wysedome can here do nothynge, it muste be thys holy spirite & comforter whych must do the dede,The prophecie of Iere­mye. euen as Ieremy the prophete in the .xxxi. chapter sayeth: I shal plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and wryte it in theyr hartes, and wylbe theyr God and they shall be my people. And from thence forth shall noman teach hys neyghbour or his brother and saye: know the Lorde. But they shall all knowe me from the lo­west to the hyghest, sayeth the Lorde. Of all these [Page] thynges it is gathered manyfestly that wythout the holy goost we neyther can know the truth nor beare wytnes vnto Christ Iesus.

Seconde, ye may espye here (good people) verye playnly thoffice of Apostles or Christes messangers That is to wyt, that they ought to beare wytnesse of Christ.☞ For to testifye or beare wytnes in scripture sygnifyeth to teach and speake not the thynge that pleaseth vs but the thinge that almyghty god hath cōmaunded. After thys sorte is Christ named in the psalme a faythfull wytnes in heauen.Psalm. lxxxviij. Esa. lv. Also Esay the prophete speaketh of Christ in the persone of the fa­ther. I haue set hym for a wytnes to the people for the prince and mayster of the gentyls. Wherfore syth the recorde and wytnes of Christ and of hys a­postles ought to be egall and agreable togethers: surely they muste haue one tenure of theyr testimo­nies, and furthermore it must nedes folowe that the holy goost executed his testimonie and recorde by y^e apostles as in the .x. of Mathew it appeareth. It is not you (sayth Christ) whyche speake, but the spirite of my father whych shall speake in you. Where be nowe these felowes whyche here tofore haue cryed that the holy goost haue reuelated and disclosed to thapostles and fathers certaine secreter and hygher thynges whych be not comprised in the gospell? To whome wyll ye gyue more credence? To Christe or to these vayne tryflers? Christe sayeth that the holy goost shall testifye of hym to the worlde and shall make mē mete and apte to receceyue his gospel and shall teach none other thynge than that whyche he hymselfe hath taught. But these tryflers bable that [Page xlix] the holy goost ought to teach some thynge of more excellencye than that whych is comprysed in y^e ho­ly gospell. Surely I wolde thynke it moost conue­nient that we shulde obey and beleue hym to whom the father of heauen bare wytnes sayenge:math. iij Thys is my welbeloued sōne in whom I am right wel plea­sed heare ye hym. But they that can not be satisfied wyth Christes doctrine to whome not only thapost­les but also the holy goost hath borne wytnesse, let them at theyr parell chose them other doctrines.

Certes I wyll not counsayle you lyke owles to wā ­der in darkenes but rather to fyxe stedfastlye youre fete in the lyght.

Last of all ye shall consyder and note (good christen brethren and systers) in thys gospell, y^t the word and institution of Christ, of whych the spirite & the apostles do testifye, can in no wyse b gratefull and acceptable to the worlde. For those that wol admyt thys worde, the worlde wolle caste them out of al honest mens company (as they call honeste men) they woll as heretykes dryue them out of theyr churches and assembles, they woll excommunicate them, they woll curse them wyth boke bell and candell. Yea yf they may wyth all kynde of punyshment and death persecute the true Apostles and messēgers of Christ they wyll thynke to do a hygh seruice to God, & that theyr zeale hath hyghly serued gods wyl. But what sayeth Christ in the meane season? Therfore I wyll be wyth you. They shal so handle themselues towardes you, bycause they knowe nother me nor my fa­ther. Here ye se wyth what successe and fortune in thys wycked world the moost precious worde of the [Page] gospell wyth the imbrasers therof be commonly re­ceyued. For thou mayst not loke to lyue a swete an ydle and a delicate lyfe yf thou wolte confesse Christ For he that woll lyue after a godlye sorte (as sayeth saynt Paule) must nedes suffer persecution.ij. tim. ij And in an other place he sayeth:Gala. ij. Yf I wolde please men I shulde not be the seruaunt of Christ.

Wherfore yf persecution shall inuade vs for cō ­fessynge of Christ: it is good that we be armed wyth goddes worde that we maye knowe how persecutiō hangeth ouer our heades by the proper wyl of God to thyntent our fayth myght thus by such persecu­tion be clarifyed, tryed, and purged. For yf we be ful certifyed hereof, we can not easely be offended wyth temptation but wyth a pacient mynde we shall suf­fer all the wronge that the world for Christes cause woll put vs to. And surely thys shalbe a comforte vnto vs, that oure persecuters for all theyr proude bragges and vauntes neyther know Christ nor his father. Fynally we be ryght well assured that y^e trouble and affliction of thys tyme (as Paule sayth) can in no wyse be cōpared wyth the glorye to come that shalbe disclosed vnto vs.Ro. viij. Wyth thys our knowlege comfortynge our selues we shall remayne quyet in our conscience, styll awaytynge wyth stedfaste hope for the immortall crowne of the sayd glorye whyche the father of heauen hath prepared for vs. To whom wyth the sōne & holy goost be al glo­rye and prayse for euer and euer. AMEN.

The Epistle on wytsondaye. The .ij. chapter of the actes of the Apostles.

CHrist had oftentymes (good people) promysed vnto hys disciples the holy goost to confirme them in the true doctrine. For wythout y^e holy goost noman can ryghtly eyther vnderstande or certainly beleue the worde of God, neyther can stycke by it cō ­stantly wythout staggerynge or shrynkyng from it. It is the holy goost doubtles that teacheth al thyn­ges and that putteth men in mynde of gods wyll.Io. xiiij And therfore Christ sayeth in the .x. Chapter of Mathew. It is not you that be the speakers, but it is y^e spirite of your father whych speaketh in you. Wherfore thys often promyse of sendynge the holy goost which was made to the disciples, Christ now in this daye of Pentecost perfourmeth. But bycause it hel­peth lytle to know that the disciples receyued the holy goost, onles we draw thys receyuyng also to our profyte & auauntage, therfore it were good to know the causes why the holy goost was sent.

Ye shall therfore vnderstande (good people) that the holy gost was not sent to thapostles nor at this daye is sent as some men do dreame, to teache a dy­uerse or straunge doctrine frome Christes doctrine whych Christ either taught not before or had forgotten to teache:The causes why the holy goost is sent. But he was sente and is sente for thre causes. The fyrst is that he shulde teache and put in mynde & expoūde all such thynges as Christ taught And of thys fynal cause and offyce of the holy goost our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the .xiiij. and .xv. chapters of Ihon very copiously and at length speketh.

The seconde cause that the holy goost is sente, is to confirme, strengthen, and as it were to seale vs & to make vs full assured and certayne of the veritie [Page li] of gods worde. Of thys office the epistle of thys day maketh mencion, whyle it declareth that the holy goost sat vpō euery of them and fylled them, whych thynge betokeneth nothynge els, but that the holy goost confirmed and certifyed the myndes of the A­postles vpon the veritie of gods word,Ephe. i. i. cor. i. and therfore he is called of Paule the gage and the ernest.

The thyrde cause that the holy goost is sente, is that in temptation he myght comforte vs and pre­serue vs from desperacion, and therfore he is called paracletus that is to say a comforter. Now therfore yf ye couete to knowe, who & what the holy goost is whych is called the thyrde persone in trinitie, consy­der wel the forsayd offices of hym, and ye shal ryghtly answere:A description of the holy goost. The holy goost is God equall wyth the father and sonne, whych was to thys intent sent of them both, that he shulde more clearly expoune the diuine wyll of the father whych was openly publis­shed to the worlde by Christ, and that he shulde put men in remembraunce of the same and confirme it in theyr hartes to thintent they myght boldlye con­fesse it. But let vs now approche to the texte of thys present lesson.

Whan the daye of Pentecoste. Pente­cost.

That is to saye the fyftye daye from Ester was a fulfyllyng whych was one of thre solemne feastes in whych all the Iues were wont to be assembled accordynge to the lawe of Moses in Deuteromye in the .xvi. chapter, whych feast we christen men do ob­serue wyth an other lybertie & for an other respecte then it was kept of the Iues. For we do solemnize & kepe thys daye onely in memorie of the speciall and [Page] wonderfull sendynge of the holy gooste as on thys daye. Whan thys feast (I saye) of the Iewes called Pentecost otherwyse named the feast of wekes was in the complyshynge and doynge, the Apostles were all wyth one accorde together in one place, as Christ had commaunded them before to do,Actu. ij. that they shuld not departe from Ierusalem but that they shuld a­wayte for the promyse of the father.

And sodenly there came a soūde from heauē, as it had been the comynge of a myghtie wynde, and it fylled all the house where they sate.

My frendes thys soden commynge of the holy goost doth admonyshe vs of the maner or forme of hys commynge whych is not humane nor chaūceth after mans fashion, but as the similitude declareth in the thyrd chapter of Ihon. The spirite or wynde bloweth where it woll, and thou hearest hys voyce, but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth. Now for as much as Christ applyeth thys similitude and sayth: So is euery one that is borne of the spirite, therfore ye must also vnderstand here, that the holy goost in dede commeth vnto vs, but how or after what sorte it passeth mans wyt and ca­pacitie whyche neyther can comprehende the maner of hys commynge neyther yet the qualitie of hys accion, albeit of the accion & presence of the holy goost we be made certayne euen as we may be certayne of the blowynge of the wynde.

Finally it is here to be consydered in what wyse the holy goost is to be receyued of vs.☞ Surely he is not to be receyued simpliciter as a doue that muste [Page lij] be miraculously sent from heauen, (as certayne heretykes at thys daye do thynke) neyther is he to be ta­ken as a vertue of God procedynge from the father and from the sonne (as Campanus thynketh) ney­ther yet in a prescribed and diuised forme as the pa­pistes haue prefixed hym before all theyr counsayl­les were they neuer so contrary to gods worde, but he is to be receyued as very god of the selfe same es­sencie and godhed wyth the father and sonne. It foloweth in the texte:

And there appeared vnto them clouen tonges lyke as they had bene of fyre and sat vpon ech one of them.

Here (good people) ye maye learne the effectes or frutes of the holy goostes comminge, for he cōmeth not in vayne but maketh dispertite or clouen tōges and fyry, he maketh men to speake wyth other ton­ges, that is to saye, he regendreth them, he createth in them new motions, he assureth them of the word that they heare, he openeth theyr mouthes and ma­keth them boldly and wythout feare to confesse the trouth. And al they that is to wyt the Apostles that were assēbled together for thys purpose were forth­wyth and sodenly al at ones replete and fylled with the holy goost in such straunge sorte that by and by they beganne to speake wyth sondry and newe ton­ges,Dyuerse tonges. not wyth olde tonges and such as the tonge of Moses the lawspeaker is discribed to be that is to wyt harde and vnpleasaunt, as it is wrytten in the fourth chapter of Exodus. And here maye ye note the dyuersitie and difference of the lawe and gospel. [Page] Moses tonge was sengle and but one,☞ for one cer­tayne people. But the tonges of the gospell be soundry, whereby is sygnifyed the lybertie of the gospel. They spake therfore wyth sundry tōges euen as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce. The holy goost gaue not all to all,Ro. xij. i. cor. xi. but (as Paule sayth) accordynge to the measure of fayth as it semeth good vnto hym. It foloweth in the texte.

There were dwellynge at Ierusalem Iewes de­uoute men out of euery nation of them that are vnder the heauen and so forth.

Here be contayned the cōmune and vulgare effectes whych be wont to folowe the workes of y^e ho­ly goost. These effectes be stoynynge & wonderyng, and they declare vnto vs y^e power of the holy gooste in them whych were moued wyth the workes of the holy goost. For the reste of people were rather more and more offended w^t the workes of the holy gooste than kyndled to imbrace them. They sayd then, how happeneth thys y^t we heare euerye one in hys owne tonge whych be of sundry nations, speake the great wonders and hygh workes of God,Magna­lia Dei. that is to saye, the thynges that God hath wrought in hys Christe. For to thys intent surely was the holy goost come euen to expoūde and declare Christ to the disciples, and no doubt he exhorted them frely and boldlye to preache hym vnto the hole worlde, whych thynge afterwarde they manfully executed, as the sermon of Peter immediatly after made, doth declare & shewe. Surely the holy goost sent from heauen make men frely to confesse the Euangelicall trouth before kynges [Page liij] and prynces, whych thynge the fleshe otherwyse is not able to do. For it is to muche afrayed, that it can wyllyngly and gladly suffer the hatred of thys worlde whych is knyt and ioyned wyth thys confession. Fynally ye shall vnderstande that y^e holy goost was gyuen to the Apostles in a vysible forme. But it is now gyuen to the chosen and electe persons in­uisiblye only by the worde. Wherfore good christen people I hartely exhorte you, that ye woll earnestly imbrace and loue gods worde, and not mocke & de­ryde it as certayne of the Iues here sayd that the a­postles were dronken and full of new wyne. Ney­ther do I exhorte you onely to reade and prayse the worde, but also to worke after it, to declare by youre dedes and procedynges that ye haue an vnfayned and ryght fayth in Christ. So doynge, no doubte the holy goost shal come and dwell wythin you and declare and open vnto you all trouthe necessary to your soules helth, to the extirpacion of all wycked doctrine and auauncement of gods glorye. Vnto whome be all honoure and prayse worlde wythout ende. Amen.

The gospell on Wytsondaye. The xiiij. chapter of Ihon.

BEfore we touch the gospell (my brethrē) we shal speake somwhat of this dayes feast.The original begynning of Pēte­cost. This feast whych they call Pentecost, began in thys wyse. Whan God shulde leade the Israelites out of E­gypte, y^e nyght before he ordeyned Passeouer which we call Ester to be solemnised, and cōmaunded that [Page liiij] euery yeare about that tyme y^t daye shulde be kepte holydaye for a memory of theyr departure out of E­gypte. And from that daye afterwarde for the space of fyfty dayes they walked in the wyldernes, tyll at last they came to the moūt Sinay, where by Moses the lawe was gyuen them of God. For thys cause they kept that solempne holydaye whyche we call in Greke Pentecost that is to saye the fyftye daye and in Englysh Wytsonday. Now therfore fyfty dayes from Ester beynge accomplyshed and the memory of the lawe whych god had promulgate to the peo­ple in the mounte Sinay fulfylled: the holy goost came and gaue an other lawe. Nowe therfore, thys day is celebrate of vs not because of y^e olde facte but because of the newe, I meane, of y^e sēndyng of y^e holy ghost. So we declare a certayne difference betwene oure Pentecoste, and the Iues Pentecost. Fyrste the Iues kept this daye, bycause the lawe wrytten was then gyuen vnto them. But we oughte to celebrate oure Pencecoste bycause the lawe of God was then spiritually delyuered vnto vs. For the better vnder­standynge hereof,ij. co. iij and iiij. Saynte Paule is to be broughte forth whiche also putteth the same difference, wher he speaketh of two maner prechynges. And as there be two maner preachynges, so be there two sortes of people. First was the lawe wryten, which God com­maunded and comprised in lettres and therfore it is called the lawe of the lettre, bycause it remayneth in lettres and entreth not in the brest, neyther do any workes folowe it saue hypocritical and constreyned workes, and therfore the people also remayne styll but lyterall and fleshly. And bycause it was compry­sed [Page] onlye in lettres and was all togyther in deade wry­tynge, it kylled and made a dead people, for the hart was dead bycause it dyd not of the owne accorde the commaundement of god. For yf euery man shuld be lefte to his owne wyll to do what hym lusteth wyth­out all feare of punyshement there shulde be founde none but wolde rather be fre and louse from the law then bounde therto. For thus he naturally thinketh. Lo God wyll surely punyshe me, yea and dryue me into hel, onles I kepe his commaundementes. Thā nature feleth it selfe vnwyllynge, and to do them w^t no maner loue or delectation, wherfore man is forth wyth made enemye to god by reason of the penaltye when he fealeth hymselfe a synner, and that he wal­keth not ryghtly before God, so that he wold rather that there were no God. Thys bytternes is infixed in the harte agaynst God, thoughe nature goeth a­bout neuer so much to garnysh her selfe wyth fayre workes. It appeareth therfore how that the lawe cō prysed in scripture and letters doth iustifye noman nor yet can entre into the harte.

The law spritual.The other lawe is spirituall whyche is wrytten not w^t penne or ynke, nor is declared wyth y^e mouth after the fashiō as Moses wrought the mater in ta­bles of stone, but lyke as we se in thys story. The holy goost commeth downe from heauen and fylleth them all together, makynge them to haue clouen & fyry tonges and to preache frankely and frely farre otherwyse then it was done before, so that al the people was astonnyed thereat and wondered. The ho­ly gooste I saye commeth and replenisheth y^e harte, he chaungeth the man whych loueth God and doth [Page lv] gladly all that euer is acceptable vnto hym. Wher­fore al thynges be there lyuely, quycke is the vnderstandynge, the eye, the mynde, and the harte, whyche brenneth and is rapte wyth the desyre of all good­nes. And thys is the true difference betwene y^e lawe comprysed in letters and the spirituall lawe, & here is it sene whych be the workes of God. Wherfore here is al the crafte set to discerne and preach ryghtly of the holy goost. Heretofore men haue preached of hym that he bryngeth to passe and prompteth all thynges what so euer eyther the counsayles decerne or the B. of Rome in hys canonical law cōmaūdeth where as neuertheles al those thynges be only externe and outwarde whych he ordeneth or gouerneth.

Wherfore thys order of thynges is clene ouer­twharte and preposterous, in that they make of the workes of the holy goost a lettered and a dead lawe where it ought to be spiritual and lyuely, & so there is made of it a Mosaicall and humane tradition. The cause is that they know not what y^e holy goost is, wherūto he was gyuē, or what hys feate & office is. Let vs learne then and consyder wel what he is, to thintent hys offyce maye be discerned.The of­fice of the holy goost. In the e­pistle of thys daye it is shewed howe the holy goost is sent downe from aboue, and fylleth the disciples whych before sat in heuynes & feare, he cleueth theyr tonges, he kyndleth, he enflameth them, that they myght take strength of harte and frely preache the Gospell without feare of any man. Here thou seest it is not the offyce of the holy ghoost to make bokes & to enacte lawes, but that he is suche a God that on­ly wryteth the thynge in y^e harte, y^t kyndleth it, that [Page] createth a new mynde, makynge man to reioyse be­fore god and to be rauished with a new loue toward hym, & consequently w^t glad mynde to do hys dutye and seruice to all men franckly. After thys sort the partes of the holy ghost be ryghtly preached, he that paynteth them otherwise, beleue him not. For where he commeth thus thou seest he taketh awaye the let­ter and maketh men fre from synne and from the compulsion of the lawe so that he raynynge in theyr brest maketh thē in whome he is resident to do wythout compulsion all that the lawe cōmaundeth. But thou wylt aske wherby he bryngeth to passe & what thynge he vseth thus to chaūge and renue the hart? Surely by that he sheweth and preacheth of Iesus Christ (as Christ hymselfe in the .xv. chap. of Ihon sayeth) whan the comforter cōmeth whome I shall sende you from my father I meane the spirite of trouth whych procedeth from y^e father he shal beare wytnes of me. Nowe oftentymes ye haue herde that the gospel or Euangel is the thynge whych god suf­freth to be preached in the worlde and to be tolde to euery man that is to wyt that none can be iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe but rather y^t a worse thinge come therby, and therfore he sente downe hys moost deare sonne to dye and to shede hys bloud for vs bycause we of our owne powers coulde not rubbe out the spotte of synne nor be delyuered from it. But to the preachynge hereof another thynge yet is requy­red, euen the holy goost whome God must sende. He printeth in the harte thys sermon and preachyng to make it fixed and roted in it, for it is moost sure and certayne y^t Christe hath done all thys geare, he hath [Page lvj] taken awaye oure synne and ouercōmen all, that by hym we myght raigne ouer al, and euen here in one heape is all the treasure hurded. Thys treasure we can not get onles the holy goost be gyuen vs whych maye put in oure hartes and myndes to beleue and saye:☜ And I also am of the nombre of them to whō so greate treasure doth belonge. When we haue ones felte thys, that God hath thus holpen vs and bestowed vpon vs so great treasure: then the mater goeth well forwarde, neyther can it otherwise be but mans mynde must be rauyshed wyth a pleasure to­wardes God and lyfte vp hymselfe & saye: Oh good father, if thys thy wyll be that thou haste shewed so great loue and suche excedynge kyndnes towardes me I must nedes agayne loue y^e wyth my hole hart and reioise, and gladly do what so euer thy pleasure is. Then the harte is nomore waywarde nor croked in the meditacion of God, it thynketh not to be dry­uen downe to hell of hym, as before the cōmynge of the holy goost it thought, when it felte no goodnes no loue no fydelitie, but styll a pace the wrathe and indignacion of God. Now therfore whyle the holy goost prynteth into the christen mās harte howe he hath God hys mercyfull and graciouse Lorde, it is a pleasure for hym for Gods sake boldly to execute and suffre any maner of thynge. After thys wyse thou shalt learne to knowe the holy goost and hys office whych is to distribute y^e great treasure Christ and al that in hym is whych is, gyuen and declared vnto vs by the Gospell to thintent thou mayest put hym into thy harte to make hym thyne owne good. Hytherto I haue declared vnto you, the hystorie of [Page] the holy goost. Now what we shall do in it, we shall knowe further in the gospell. Thus sayeth Christ

Yf a man loue me he woll kepe my saynge, and my father shall loue hym.

Lo good people here ye maye se (as I haue often tymes preached vnto you) that the frute of fayth is charitie,Charite is the frute of fayth. whych thynge can not be denyed. For charitie or loue perfourmeth and doeth euen of the owne accorde all that euer scripture cōmaūdeth. And thys doth saynt Paule declare Gal. v. He that loueth his neyghboure hath fulfylled the lawe. Wherfore they that haue not fayth and charitie, do not fulfyll the lawe, albeit they seme in outwarde appearaunce to perfourme all the workes of the lawe. The worde whych Christ preacheth he sayeth is not hys worde but hys fathers worde declarynge herby y^t nothyng ought to be added nor taken awaye from it. And these thynges (sayeth Christe) concernynge aswell your loue towardes me, as the kepynge of my word haue I spoken vnto you, beynge yet present & dwellynge amonges you. But that same comforter of whome I haue made so muche mencion vnto you, I meane the holy goost, whose feate and offyce shal be to sanctifye & lyghten you vnto all trouth, which holy goost my father shall sende in my name that is to saye for my cause, he shall teach you altogether & shall put you in remembraunce of all that euer ye haue herde of me.A que­stion. Thou wolt saye vnto me. Why? knewe not the disciples all before, whyche were so longe tyme wyth Christ? I answere, that y^e disciples ought nedes to haue bene taught by the holy goost, for wythout hym they were yet imperfecte and car­nall, [Page lvij] for they vnderstode neyther Christes glorifica­cion by the crosse nor yet hys raygne or kyngdome. Wherfore they neded the holy goostes teachynge, y^t is to saye,☜ hys sanctifyenge and makynge the thyn­ges lyuely in them whych they had lerned of Christ For y^e disciples were as yet but (litera) they percey­ued not the thynges that were of the spirite of God, and therfore they neded the holy goost to quycken them, accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule. The letter sleeth, but the spirite quickeneth. Ye may not then vnderstande by thys worde (teach) that the holy goost shal set abroch a new doctrine that Christ had not taught before,docebit but ye must vnderstande by it that the holy goost shall interprete the doctrine already taught by Christ and declare it to the spiritu­all vnderstandynge. And therfore Christ expouneth hymselfe and sayeth he shall put you in remēbraūce of al the thynges that I haue shewed you. So that ye can not gather herby that y^e holy goost shall adde any thynge to Christes doctrine, as the wycked pa­pistes do wyckedly gather. It foloweth.

Peace I leaue wyth you, my peace I gyue vnto you, not as the world gyueth, gyue I vnto you &c.

My frendes what is Christes peace?The pe­ace of Christ. Surely (to be short) it is nothynge els but the quyet and tran­quilitie of conscience. Thys peace the worlde can not gyue, mans traditions can not gyue, mās owne voluntary workes can not gyue, no mōkery, no pyl­grimage, no popysh pardons, no pardon beades, no relyques, brefly no fleshly thynge can gyue thys peace of conscience. It is only Christe that can gyue vs [Page] thys peace whan we spiritually eate hym & drynke hym, that is to saye, when we know wherfore Christ serueth vs and so suffre hym by true fayth and charitie to entre into oure soules and to dwell wythin vs whych thynge he promyseth vs here in this gos­pell that he woll do, in case we declare the frute of our fayth and kepe hys worde.

☞Furthermore ye shall obserue (good people) in thys gospell, that Christe here shewed hys disciples that he must go awaye from them, but yet he sayeth he woll come agayne. But I praye you when com­meth Christ agayne vnto vs? Surely he cōmeth a­gayne, when he sendeth hys worde and hys spirite vnto vs. For loke where the worde is and there is Christ moost presently. So in an other place he say­eth:Math. xxviij. Lo I am wyth you euen to the ende of y^e world. Fynally where Christ sayeth that the father is gre­ter then he, ye shall vnderstande, that Christe other­whyles speaketh as a man, otherwhyles as God, whyche thynge oughte diligently to be obserued of such as woll studye holy scripture. For that he here sayeth: My father is greater than I, ye must referre it to hys humanitie. But of hys diuinitie in an other place he speaketh in thys wyse.Ioh. x. I and my father be one. And now sayeth Christ callynge backe hys dis­ciples to hys worde whereby they myght comforte themselues after hys departure, I haue tolde you of it before hande, to thintent that whan it is come to passe ye myght beleue that I wolle surely come vnto you agayne. Herafter woll I not speake much vnto you,Prīceps mundi. that is to wyt, presently & in person wyth mans voyce. For the prince of this worlde commeth [Page lviij] that is to saye, my mortall enemy and yours Satā the deuel whych treadeth vpon my hele is at hande.Gen. iij. And he calleth hym the prince of the worlde of hys effecte, bycause he cōmaundeth and ruleth y^e worlde after hys wyll and pleasure, and draweth it whether he woll as he lust hymselfe. But thys prince of the worlde thys Satan (sayeth Christe) hath nought in me. As who shulde saye, albeit the prince of y^e world is commyng agaynst me to vtter and worke al that euer he can deuise to put me downe, yet sure I am that I shall ouercome hym. So he maketh hys dis­ciples afrayed in that he telleth them that the prince of thys worlde is marchyng forwarde agaynst him, but agayne he comforteth them when he sayeth, he hath nought in hym. And in these few wordes is expressed the pyth of the hole gospell. Wherfore to cō ­clude, of thys victory of Christ all we good christen people shalbe partakers, in case we beleue accor­dynge as in thys Gospell we be taught. And conse­quently the holy goost who is the true and only comforter in al troubles and affliccion shal make hys mansion and abode wythin vs, and put vs in mynde of all Christes wyll and plea­sure, to the glorye of God the father of heauen and hys only be­gotten sonne Christ Ie­sus our Lorde. Qui viuit & reg­nat in infinita secula. Amen.

The Epistle on the seconde daye of Pentecost. The .x. chapter of the Actes.

The sū ­me of S. Peters prechīgGOod people the summe of saynt Peters sermō here is, that Iesus Christ whych for hys bene­fytes and wonderfull vertues that he shewed amonges the Iues, was crucifyed, that is to wyt, nayled moost vilanously to the crosse (whych was the moost paynfull and cruell death that the Iues coulde y­magyne) dyd notwythstandynge ryse agayne from [Page lix] death to lyfe and that who soeuer wol beleue in him shalbe saued. And he sayeth furthermore that God annoynted thys Iesus of Nazareth wyth the holy goost and wyth power. Wherby he declareth hym to be the true Messias whych was promysed to the fathers and of whome the prophete Dauid spake: I haue anoynted my kinge ouer Zion my holy hyl He declareth also that Christes office is to do good to all. Now thys resurrection of Christ he cōfirmeth both wyth hys owne wytnesse and wyth the wytnes of all that sawe the thynge wyth theyr eyes. And lest a man shulde reiecte them as parciall wytnesses by­cause they were hys seruauntes and disciples, he fetcheth out a moost sure recorde of scripture sayenge: that all the prophetes do testifye of thys Christ. Fy­nally lest a man woll fynde cauillacion and say they cam forth of their owne mynd vncalled to beare wytnes of thys thynge, he addeth that they were com­maunded and sent by God to preache to the people, & to testifye that it is thys same Iesus Christ which was ordeyned of God to be the iuge of the quycke & deade. Whych thynge is also an vndoubted artycle of our fayth. To thys Christ (sayeth Peter) gyue all the prophetes wytnes that through hys name who so euer beleue in hym shalbe saued. And amonges other, the prophete Esaye who wryteth of Christe in thys wyse.Esa. liij. He only hath taken on hym our infirmi­tie and borne our paynes. The payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym, and wyth hys strypes are we healed. Surely we haue gone all astray lyke shepe, euery one hath turned hys owne waye. But through hym, the Lorde hath pardoned all our syn­nes. [Page] Lo here ye maye se playnly aswell by the wor­des of saynt Peter in thys place as by thys prophet Esay how we get remission of synnes by beleuynge in Christ. Thys doth also saynt Paule in many places declare & namely through out hys hole epistle to the Romaynes.Origene in epist. ad Ro. li. iij. ca. iij. Whereupon the auncient doctoure Origene wrytynge, sayth: Man therfore is iustified by fayth, whome the workes of the lawe do nothyng helpe to ryghtuousnes. For where fayth is not which iustifyeth the beleuer, althoughe a man haue workes of the lawe, yet bycause they be not buylded vpon the foundacion of fayth, albeit they seme to be good, they can not iustifye the worker, yf fayth be a­waye whyche is the seale of all that be iustifyed of God.Ambro­se of the callynge of the gentyls. Saynt Ambrose agreyng hervnto sayth, that the redemption of Christes bloude were very vyle, yf iustification whych is done by grace shuld be due to the merites goynge before, so that it shuld be not the gyfte of the gyuer but the reward of the worker. Also Ierome wrytynge vpon the epistle to the Galathians sayeth:Ierome. None is saued by the lawe, but we be all saued by fayth.Austine. Neyther doth saynt Augustine disagre from thys, saynge: Our fayth that is to say the catholyke faythe discerneth the ryghtuouse frō the vnryghtuouse not by the lawe of workes, but by the selfe lawe of fayth. But what go I aboute to allege a fewe doctours? All the prophetes (as Pe­ter here sayeth) Christe hymselfe, all the Apostles yea all the holy scripture throughe out, all the auncient and ecclesiasticall doctours and holy exposi­tours of scripture do gyue wytnesse to Christe that [Page lx] through hys name whosoeuer beleueth in hym shal receyue forgyuenesse and pardon of theyr synnes. It foloweth in the texte.

Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes, the holy goost fell on all them whych herde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whych beleued were astonnyed. &c.

Brethren ye shall note that Christ was peculiarly promysed to the Iues as he hymselfe also sayeth in the .xv. Chapter of Mathew. I am not sent but to y^e lost shepe of the house of Israel. Howbeit the cal­lynge of the Gentyls was longe before prophecyed of by the prophetes, and here also it was opened to saynt Peter by a vision of a shete sente downe from aboue vnto hym.Actu. x. And therfore he began hys sermō on thys wyse. Of a trouth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persons wyth God, but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghtuousnes is accepted wyth hym. Now so many as beleued of the circumcision that is to wyt, the Iues not knowyng hereof but beynge ignoraunt that the Gentyls also were to be admytted to the felowship of the Gospell wondered, whan they sawe that on the Gentyls also was shed out the gyfte of the holy goost, and herde them speke wyth tonges & magnifyed God. Here ye shal also marke,☜ y^t thys gyft of tonges wherwyth at the sendynge downe of y^e holy goost y^e Apostles and other were so indowed y^t they were vnderstanded of the people of al nacions, is now ceased, but in y^e meane season the prayse of gods name ceaseth not nor ought not to cease. It foloweth in the texte.

Then answered Peter, can any man forbyd wa­ter that these shulde not be baptised whych haue receyued the holy goost aswell as we?

Here ye se manyfestly (good people) that y^e Gentyls by Peters preachynge of gods worde were re­plenyshed wyth the holy goost before they were outwardly baptysed wyth the water, for wyth the spirit it is playne that they were baptised. Saynt Peter therfore to confirme them, and as it were to seale them wyth an outwarde sygne, commaundeth them to be baptised wyth water in the name of the Lorde For baptisme is not only a sygne of mortificacion and of remission of synnes,What is baptis­me. but it is also a badge or knowlege that we be receyued into the nōber of the chyldren of God. Wherfore as al holy doctous and expositours do agre, there be two maner of baptis­mes.Ierome suꝑ Esa. Now as also saynt Ierome affirmeth, mā only gyueth the water, but God gyueth the holy goost wherby the fylthe is washed awaye, and the synnes of bloude purged. The same Ierome also wrytyng vpon the Epistle to the Galathians, sayeth in thys wyse. Yf then they that be baptised in Christe haue done on Christ, it is manyfest that they whych haue not put on Christ, be not baptised in Christe. For it was sayd to them whych were counted faythfull & whych were supposed to haue had the baptisme of Christ: Put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ. Yf a mā taketh only thys corporall washyng of water which is sene wyth the eyes of the flesh, he is not clad with the Lorde Iesus Christ. For albeit Simō Magus in the actes of the Apostles had receyued y^e washing [Page lxi] of water, yet bycause he had not the holy gooste, he was not baptised in Christ. Wherfore (as I decla­red vnto you on the Ascēsiō day) baptisme wythout fayth is as who shulde saye, a paper sealed wythout any wrytynge in it. But ye shall alwayes vnderstād that I excepte and speake not of the baptisme of in­fauntes or babes. For they (as saint Austine and the other expositours of scripture do full well declare) be saued yf after baptisme they chaunce in theyr in­fauncy to dye, by the fayth of the catholyke church. And furthermore we saye agaynst the wycked Anabaptistes that the baptisme of children is not vayne but necessarye to saluacion. For no doubte the pro­myse of saluacion perteyneth also to chyldren or in­fauntes. But it pertayneth not to them that be oute of the church where is neyther the worde nor the sa­cramentes. And here vpon do all lerned men agre. Now therfore (good christen people) syth your baptisme woll not serue you wythout faythe, no nor all the workes ye can do, I ernestly exhorte you that accordynge to saynt Peters declaracion here for the obteynynge of remission of youre synnes ye woll fastlye beleue in Christ. So doyng no doubt the holy goost shal en­ter into your har­tes & make you euen of loue without compulsion of lawe, to worke wel to the glorye of God, and helth of your soules eternally. Amen.

The gospell on the seconde daye of Pentecost. The .iij. chapter of Ihon.

THe Gospell of thys daye, good people, is in ve­ry dede an Euangell or gospell that is to saye a glad tydinges. For in fewe wordes it declareth vnto vs the summe of the Christen mans religion.

Fyrst therfore it sheweth the cause that moued God to sende downe hys sonne to the earth. The wordes here spoken be Christes wordes vnto Nicodemus. [Page lxij] Thus he sayeth: God so loued the worlde that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that who soeuer bele­ueth in hym shulde not perysh, but haue euerlasting lyfe.☜ Here ye se that the cause whych moued God to sende Christe to redeme vs was loue and not mans meryte, as also saynt Austine noteth. And surely the dede selfe declared gods excedynge loue towardes vs in that he sent hys only sonne to delyuer vs out of bondage. For true loue standeth not in fayre wordes and amiable countenaūce or gesture, but in the dede selfe. Nowe the more mysery we were in before Christes commynge: the greater is his benefyte and the more bounde be we vnto hym. God (as wryteth saynt Paule) setteth forth hys loue towardes vs,Rom. v. se­yng that whyle we were yet synners, Christ dyed for vs. Now Christ hymselfe assureth vs that who so e­uer beleueth in hym thus sente of the father downe vnto vs, shall not quayle, shall not be confounded, shall not peryshe, but shalbe sure to attayne euerla­stynge lyfe. Seynge Christ hymselfe doth assure vs of euerlastynge lyfe for oure belefe or faythes sake, why shulde we doubt? Why shulde we go aboute to seke heauen by other wayes than Christ appointeth vs? The sentēce is vniuersall, all that beleue in him shall not perysh. Wherfore let noman thynke hymselfe exempted as vnworthy. Here is no respect ey­ther to thy worthynes, or to thy vnworthynes. Yf thou hast faith, thou shalt be sure to be of the chosen company. Only take hede thou mockest not God, & dissemblest not before the face of the worlde, sayeng thou hast fayth, and haue it not in dede. Yf thou hast fayth in dede, thou must nedes brynge forth the [Page] frutes of fayth, thou canst not but declare thy faith wyth workes of charitie both to God & man, whom for God thou canst not but loue as thy natural brother. Yf thou beyst a good tree, thou muste nedes brynge forth good frute. But a bad tre bryngeth forth bad frute.Math. v. Christe goeth further and sayeth: For God sente not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but to saue the worlde. Here ye se the fynall cause of Christes commynge whyche was to saue that was lost. Howbeit thys texte is to be vnderstande of Christes fyrst commynge and of the tyme of grace, ye maye not vnderstande it of his seconde aduent or commynge whyche shalbe at the last daye, for thā he shal wythout fayle come to iuge accordynge to an other place where he sayeth.Ioh. v. The father hath gyuen all iudgement to the sonne. Ne­uerthelesse in the meane season whosoeuer beleueth not is already iudged and condempned, wheras on the contrarye parte they that beleue can in no wyse be condempned. But why is the infidele alreadye condempned? Bycause (sayeth Christe) he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god. Lo here ye se agayne how fayth saueth, & lacke of fayth condempneth. And thys is the condempnacion that lyght is come into the worlde, and men loued darkenes more then lyght, bycause theyr dedes were euyl. Who is thys lyght? Christ. Who is y^e darkenes?Ioh. i. The worlde. The lyght then shyned in y^e darkenes, and the darknes dyd not comprehende it. Do not men loue styll darkenes more then lyghte? Had they not rather walke in theyr owne fanseys & wyl­workes [Page lxiij] then in Christes doctrine? Alacke for pytie. Yea though the lyght neuer so much shyne, though the Gospell be neuer so much in the hande, yf Christ by hys holy spirite do not teache the, thou arte styll but darkenes, and why so? for thou louest styll dar­kenes better than the lyght, for thy dedes are euell, and therfore thou muste nedes conuince and damne thy selfe of infidelitie. It foloweth. For euery one that doth euell hateth y^e lyght, neyther woll he come to the lyght that is to saye to Christ and hys worde lest the bryghtnes of the lyght shuld reproue his de­des. Thys is the cause (good people) why these pa­pistes are so loth that the scripture of God shulde be redde of you laye people, lest ye myght happen to es­pye theyr hypocrisie and crafty iugelynge agaynste Christ and hys trouth. For scripture is the rule or touchstone wherby ye maye easely trye and discerne the chaffe from the corne, the chalke from chese, that is to saye, hypocrisye from true religion. They haue (good people) longe holden you in igno­raunce and in blyndenes to auaunce them selues and to raygne lyke kynges ouer you, contrary both to gods lawe and mans lawe. Wherfore I blame them the lesse though they hate scripture, whych discloseth theyr hypocrisie and vsurped authoritie, lest (as Christe here sayeth) theyr dedes shulde be rebu­ked and reproued. But he (sayeth Christe) that doeth trouth, cōmeth to the lyghte, that hys dedes may be knowen, bycause they are wrought in God, as who shuld saye. He that is iustifyed & declared a good person by hys fayth whych he hath in me & for [Page] declaracion therof doth the truth that my worde moueth hym to do, and worketh not after hys owne fā ­sey, thys man commeth to the lyght, that is to wyt, he gladly suffreth hys workes and procedynges to be tryed and examined by the rule of my worde, by­cause they be done in God and be godly workes. Where as cōtrary wyse the hypocrite doth so much abhorre from the iudgement of my worde, that he fleeth by all meanes he can from it, & woll suffre none other to loke vpon it.Math. xxiii. He woll neyther enter into the kyngdome of heauen hymselfe nor yet suffer others that wolde enter. Such persons vnder pretence of holynes haue longe shut vp the kyngdome of heauē from many men. But now thanked be God y^e lyght hath somwhat shone agayne. Wherfore good peo­ple let vs not hate thys lyght and loue darknes styl as we haue done in tymes past, whan we were deceyued by the iuglynges of these papistes. Let vs be­leue in thys Christe sente downe from the father of heauen to redeme vs. And yf gods worde be true we shall surely be saued and raygne wyth hym in hea­uen, worlde wythout ende. &c.

The Epistle on the thyrde daye of Pentecost. The .viij. chapter of the Actes.

THys lesson (good people) is taken forth of the eyght chapter of the Actes of thapostles, for a more perfyte vnderstandynge wherof, ye shal know that in the selfe chapter a lytle before it is shewed, how S. Philip thapostle entered into a cytie of Samaria and preached there to the Samaritanes the glad tydinges of our Sauiour Christ Iesu, how he beynge the sonne of God came downe for the redēp­cion of mankynde. Thys his preachynge he dyd al­so confirme wyth myracles. For (as the texte also declareth) the vncleane spirites cryenge wyth loude voyce came out of many that were possessed of them And many takē wyth palfeis and many that halted were healed. Now the people gaue great hede to the thynges whych Philip spake. And assone as they gaue credence to Philips preachynge of the kyng­dome of God and of the name of Iesu Christe, they were baptised both mē and wemen. Here ye se (good people) how the Samaritanes whych were Hethen persons yea and such persons as the Iues whyche were the peculiar and proper people of god toke for very contempte and vyle persons, receyued the gos­pell of Christ forthwyth at the preachynge of saynt Philip and were by and by baptised. Thus farforth are the Samaritanes brought. Now the lection red in the church thys day goeth further and sayth, that [Page] when the Apostles whyche were gathered togyther at Ierusalem herde say that the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God, they sent vnto thē Pe­ter and Iohn, whiche when they were come downe from the hyghe cytie of Ierusalem thyther vnto thē they prayed for them, to thintent they myght receiue the holy ghoste. For as yet the holy ghoste was not come on none of thē, onlye they were baptized in the name of Christ Iesu. Thā layde these two Apostles theyr handes vpon y^e Samaritans, and anone they receyued the holy ghost. This is the history redde in the church as thys daye. But now my frendes what frute and profyte shal we beare away of this lesson? What is here to be gathered? Nothyng? Yes truly for there is nothynge wrytten,Ro. xv. sayeth S. Paule: but it is wryten for our learnynge, that by pacience and confort of scriptures we shuld haue hope.☞ Fyrst therfore ye shall note howe glad the Apostles were to heare, that these Samaritans were turned to the Gospell of Christe, and they were not only glad, but also carefull for them, lest they myght happen to go backe agayne to theyr olde baguage and blyndnes. And therfore in all hast they sent these two Apostles Peter and Iohn to confirme and strengthen theyr faith. Here we be taught what y^e office of true & good Apostles, yea of all good Christen men is. For we ought in lykewyse to be carefull for oure brethren y^t they maye be broughte to the perfeyte knowlege of gods worde. And namely suche as call them selfes Apostolicall persons and Apostles fellowes & suc­cessours (as the byshoppes of Rome do) oughte in this behalfe to folow thexēple of thapostles charite. [Page lxv] But they do cleane contrary, they rather plucke mē from the Gospell, then allure them vnto it.

Seconde, ye shall note, that before the resurrecti­on of Christe, when as yet the Iues and Gentyles were not ioyned togyther by all one fayth,Math. x the Apo­stels were forbydden to entre into the cyties of the Samaritanes. But after the resurrection, whē they were bydden for the spredynge abrode of the gospell to go into all partes of the worlde, then that former commaundemente whiche was but temporall and whyche dyd serue but for a tyme, was taken awaye and cessed.

Thyrdly, in this historye ye shall marke, that the Samaritanes receyued forthwyth the holy ghoste assone as they beleued and were baptized. For assu­redly true and perfecte baptisme can not be without the holy ghost. Furthermore it is not possible that fayth can be in that person where the holy spirite of God dothe not inhabite, as many places aswell of scripture, as of auncient fathers do wytnesse. Yea S. Austin affirmeth playnly in his boke, de presen­tia dei, Austine that the holy ghost dothe dwell and inhabite in infauntes or childrē y^t be baptized. Wherfore how muche more is he resident and abydynge in persons of age and discretion which haue fayth and be bap­tised? So it is no doute, but these Samaritanes at the preachyng of S. Philip receiued the holy ghost, excepte perchaunce ye woll saye, that S. Philippes preachynge had lesse vertue and efficaciem it, then the preachynges of thother Apostles had, whyche in no wyse is to be graunted. Questiō But peraduenture ye woll meruayle then, howe it is that it followeth in [Page] the historye red in the Churche this daye, that after the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of God, the holy Ghost as yet was not come on none of thē. And therfore the Apostles euē for that purpose sent Peter and Iohan, whiche prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy Ghoste. My frendes, what shal we say to this? Dyd the Samaritanes receyue goddes worde, dyd they beleue, were they baptised, and yet were they voyde of the holy ghost? Howe cā this be? Chryste hym selfe sayeth, he that beleueth & is baptysed shall be saued.mar. xvi But onles a man be re­nued with the holy ghost, he can not be saued, as the same Chryst also testifyeth in the thyrde Chapter of Iohn. Wherfore it must nedes folowe that the Sa­maritaynes had receyued the holy ghost, forasmuch as true baptisme can not be without the holy Ghost Howe than sayth S. Luke here that the holy ghost was not yet come on the Samarytanes. To this doubte I answere in fewe wordes,The so­lution. that this texte in this place that the holy Ghost was not yet come v­pon them, is to be vnderstande not of the substaūce of the spirite or holy Ghoste,☞ but of those manifest and notable gyftes of the holy Ghost. They had the holy Ghost to comforte them, and to lede them to al trueth necessary to their saluacion, but they had him not yet to do miracles and speake straunge tonges as in the primatyue Churche they had for the con­firmacion of Christes doctrine. Neyther is it at this day necessarye, the Gospell being nowe stablyshed, that men shuld haue suche wonderfull gyftes of the spirite.

Wherfore good chrysten people I exhorte you, [Page lxvi] and in the name of Christ I requyre you, that accor­dynge to the exemple of these Samaritanes here, ye wol laye downe your supersticion and blyndnes of harte, wherin ye haue wandered, and wyth glad mindes receyue the worde of God, accordynge to youre profession and promyse whych ye made at the fount stone, and put on Christ, renouncynge y^e worlde, the flesh, and the deuell wyth stedfast and earnest fayth. And no doubt ye shalbe endowed wyth y^e holy goost who in all your trouble and afflictions shall cōforte you and directe you in youre waye to heauenwarde where is our dwellynge place prepared wyth the fa­ther, sonne, and holy goost. To whome be all glorye wythout ende. Amen.

The gospell on the thyrde daye of Pentecost. The .x. chapter of Ihon.

IN the Gospell of thys daye (deare frendes) our sauiour Christ declareth hys owne propertie or of­fice and he setteth out vnto vs the excedynge loue and kyndnes whyche he beareth to mankynde by a very proper and feate parable or similitude, where­by he resembleth hymselfe to a good shepeherde, and the false preachers or prelates to theues and mur­therers. Certaynly all false doctours, all false pro­phetes, all proude pharisees that woll iustifye them selues by theyr owne workes and all hypocrites be here wonderfully touched. And why? Bycause they entre not into the shepefolde by the dore, but clyme vp an other waye. What call ye clymmynge vp an other waye? Surely it is to seke forgyuenes of thy synnes, ryghtuousmakynge, and euerlastynge lyfe by other meanes then Christ (whych is the waye,Io. xiiij. the trouth, and the lyfe) hath taught. Wherfore yf thou enterest not in by the dore, that is to saye by Christe, but an other way, I meane, yf thou wylt iustifie thy selfe and promyse thy selfe soule helth, bearynge thy [Page lxvij] self bold of thyn own proper workes, & not cleauing to the mercy of God (accordynge to thexemple of the publicane) nor dependynge vpon the merytes of Christes passion, art thou not, trowest thou, by Christes owne iudgement and sentence here, a thefe and a murtherer? But what a greate thefe art y^u yf thou also teachest other folke to thynke y^e same that thou doest? By me, sayeth Christ, he that entereth in, shal be saued. But what is thys shepefolde that he spea­keth here of? surely the shepefolde is the church, it is the congregacion and assemble of Christen people. He that wol entre into thys congregacion, into this church, into the holy communion and felowship of christen persons any other wayes than by Christ, he is a thefe and no christian person. He that also woll teache any other doctrine in Christes churche than such as Christ hath taught, is no pastoure, no bys­shop, no true shepeherde, but a thefe rather, a mur­therer, a wolfe. And it is much to be feared, lest there be at thys daye many mo wolues and theues, than be true herdmen & feders. I saye I am sore afrayed lest the prophecye of saynt Paule be yet styll very­fyed & in force in christendome. For whan S. Paule shulde departe from Ephesus,Act. xx. and knewe by the spirite of God, that his death approched, he called together the prestes or elders of the congregacion and a­monges other wordes he sayth thus. Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke wherin the holy goost hath made you byshops that is to saye ouerseers, to fede or guyde after the maner of good shepe­herdes the church of God, whych he hath purchased wyth hys owne bloude. For I am sure of thys, that [Page] after my departynge shal greuouse wolues enter in amonges you, not sparynge the flocke. But who is the porter of thys shepefolde whych openeth y^e dore to the good & faythful shepeherde of Christes flock? Surely it is y^e holy goost,☞ for he openeth vnto hym the scriptures of God, he leadeth hym into al trouth And hys shepe, that is to say, his paryshners, heare hys voyce,Prouer. xxvij. and he calleth hys owne shepe by name, accordynge also to the coūsayle of Salomon in his prouerbes, where he sayeth: Se that thou know the nombre yf thy catell thy selfe, and loke well to thy flockes. Moreouer thys good shepeherde, this good curate, thys byshop, thys ouerseer goeth before hys shepe and hys shepe folowe hym. What is thys to saye? Truly he that is a good byshop, a good pa­stoure, and curate woll make himselfe comformable to hys doctrine, he wol leade them the waye, that by hys steppes and good exemple of lyuinge, they may walke in Christes groundes and pastures. He woll not playe the crabbe fysh whych wolde haue taught her doughter to go streyght, but wold not leade her the waye her selfe and teach her by her exemple how to go, as it is in Esopes fables. I am afrayed we haue many crabbes. Saynt Paule wold haue a by­shop y^t is to saye an ouerseer or curate to gyue good exemple of lyuynge hymselfe and to haue a good & honest reporte of straungers,i. tim. iij Tit. ij. leste hys lyuynge be a slaunder to his doctrine. So doynge, hys shepe shal folowe hym, and shal knowe hys voyce. For assuredly, they that be godly persones woll knowlege none for theyr shepeherde, but such as teache gods worde True teachers of Christes Gospell be easely discer­ned [Page lxvij] of good christen men. And agayne the good christen mē be easely discerned and knowen of true preachers. Thys prouerbe or parable nakedly and vnapplyed spake Iesus to hys disciples. But they vnderstode not what thynges they were whyche he spake vnto them, and no maruayle. For (as saynt Paule sayeth) the flesh perceyueth not y^e thynges y^t be goostly. The disciples were as yet but carnall. And therfore our Sauiour Christ lyke a good mayster declareth vnto them the meanynge of hys parable, & say­eth, that he hymselfe is the dore of the shepe, by hym who soeuer entreth in, shalbe saued and shal go in & out and fynde pasture, as who shulde saye, whether so euer he turneth hym, whyther so euer he casteth hys eyes, he shall fynde that shalbe for the behoufe and edificacion of hys flocke, brefley to speake, God shalbe wyth hym, the holy goost shall prompt hym and put hym in mynde of such thinges as he ought to teach hys paryshners and flocke that is commytted to hys charge. But (sayeth Christe) as many as came before me are theues and murtherers, and the shepe dyd not heare them. Here doth our Sauioure Christ shewe vs the difference betwene the doctrine of the true preachers and the doctrine of heretikes,☜ of false prelates, & hypocrites. Nowe, they go before Christ whych beare not Christ with them, and which woll seme wyser than Christ, as Peter dyd when he rebuked Christ bycause he sayd that he shulde suffer death. And therfore Christe called hym Satan,Mat. xvi and bad hym come after hym. Wherfore marke the difference of Christ and of the false Apostles.Ioh. i. Christe is the preacher of grace, the pseudapostles preach mās [Page] merytes.Ioh. viij Christ is carefull for the fode of hys shepe, the false Apostles seke theyr owne lucre and gaynes Christ seketh the glorye of the father, the false Apostles steale from God hys glorye.Ioh. xi. Christe quyckeneth wyth hys worde, the false Apostles kyl mens soules wyth wycked doctrine. For the thefe cōmeth not but to steale, to kyll, and to destroye. Hytherto I haue brefly and playnly declared the parable of the shepeherde. Now it shalbe your partes (good people) so to acquaynte youre selues wyth gods worde, that ye maye knowe the voyce of the shepeherde from the voyce of the thefe and murtherer accor­dinge to our Sauioure Christes wor­des here. So doynge ye shall at laste be conducted to the moost swete & plea­saunt groun­des of the lyuinge, and shall syt wyth Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and wyth the aungels in heauen, where ye shall se God face to face and haue fruicion of all ioye wyth God. To whome be al honour and glorye worlde wythout ende. AMEN.

The Epistle on the .iiij. daye of Pentecoste, that is to saye, on the wednesdaye in wytsonweke. The .ij. chapter of the Actes.

IN the lesson of thys present daye (good Christen people) is conteyned the ryght godly sermon of y^e holy Apostle saynt Peter, wherin he soberly, coldly, [Page] and lernedly maketh answere and defense to the vnreuerent talkynge and hurly burly of the people of all nations whyche when they herde Christes disci­ples speake wyth new tonges the great workes and wonders of god, were partly abashed and wondered therat, and partly gested vpon them and sayde they were dronken and full of newe wyne.

Saynt Peter therfore which of a fysherman is now become a great byshop and pastor ryseth vp, not a­lone yet, but the .xi. apostles standyng vp wyth him, leste (as Erasmus doth full well note) he myght be thought to vsurpe any tyrannye or raygne ouer hys felowes.Erasmꝰ in para­phrasi. He only spake y^e wordes, but he spake them in the name of all hys felowes, euen as he alone dyd also before Christes passion in the name of al his fe­lowes confesse Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the lyuynge God. Who wolde haue thought that so sim­ple a creature and that a fysherman shuld haue had suche audacitie ones to haue loked vpon so great a multitude. Oftentymes great Oratours when they brynge theyr oration that they haue longe studyed for before, to speke in a great audiēce of people or before a great ruler, chaūge colours, be astōnyed & vt­terly dismayed. Truly thys was that heauenly drō ­kennes whych they had caught of that heuenly cup wherof the prophete sayeth. Calix meus inebrians q̄ praeclarus est. Thys fysher man I saye stode before so great a multitude, he ioyned w^t hym in cōmission the eleuen Apostles, not to ayde hym but to accom­pany hym, he fixed hys eyes vpon the people whych were vnknowen vnto hym, he lyfted vp hys voyce and wythout any premeditacion at al, he spake vn­to [Page lxviij] them accordynge as the Lorde had commaunded hym to do. Neyther speaketh he for himselfe, but be­ynge the shepherde he defendeth the flocke, whyche thynge he doth not wyth humane craft or eloquēce, but w^t the ayde of holy scripture. Now y^e hose multi­tude awayteth to heare what he woll saye. Let vs also attende, for asmoche as these thynges be spoken to all. Fyrst after he hadde ones wyth mouynge hys hande assuaged the murmuryng of the people, he beganne wyth such a proheme as myghte make them attente and desyrous to heare wythout any rhetori­call flattery at all.

O ye men (sayeth he) of the Iuysh nation,The oration of Peter. whome it behoueth not to be ygnoraunte of the lawe and of the prophetes and namely you whych be inhabitaū ­tes of the cytie of Ierusalem where the heade of our religion and knowlege of the lawe is: Ye haue cause perchaūce to wonder, but ye haue no cause to sklaū ­der. Wherfore so many of you as be here, gyue attē ­tiue eares a lytle whyle vnto me, and knowe y^e mat­ter as it lyeth. For it stande you all vpon so to do. For these men of Galilie whome ye se here wyth me be not dronken nor full of new wyne, as some of you thinke, syth it is now mornynge & but y^e thyrd houre frō the sonne rysynge, at whych tyme nomā is wont to be dronke. But in these men ye se now the thynge accomplyshed whyche God longe ago promysed by Iohel hys prophete shulde come to passe. Harken to the prophecye, and consyder whether the thynge be fulfylled or not. Sklaunder not, bycause ye se a thynge vnwont, but receyue rather the grace whych almyghty god offereth vnto you.Iohel. ij For Iohel beynge [Page] inspyred wyth the holy goost and seynge, that the tyme shulde come that God whych at sondry tymes before had imparted hys spirite to Moses and to ma­ny prophetes for your cōforte and instruction wolde ones at laste whan hys onely begotten sonne shulde come, poure out moost plentefully the same spirite not vpon one or two (as hertofore) but vpon all na­tions of the worlde euen as many as wyth syncere fayth shulde receyue thys glad tydynges whyche at hys cōmaundement we brynge now vnto you: thus vttered the heuenly prophecye.Erit in nouissi­mis die bus. It shal come to passe in the last dayes, sayeth the Lorde. I shal poure out plentefully of my spirite vpon all flesh, and sodenly your sōnes and your doughters shal prophecie and your yonge men shall se visions, and your olde per­sons shall dreame dreames. And truly vpon my ser­uaūtes & my handmaydens I shal poure out of my spirite and they shal prophecie. And I shal gyue wō ders in heauen aboue, and tokens in earth beneth, bloude and fyre, & the vapoure of smoke. The sonne shalbe conuerted into darkenes and the moone into bloude, before that great and renowmed daye of the Lorde come. And whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shalbe saued. Thys my frendes hath y^e prophete Iohel so longe ago prophecied vnto vs. And hetherto goeth the lesson of thys presente daye whych conteyneth the fyrst parte of S. Peters ser­mon. Now as touchynge the fyrste parte of Iohels prophecie concernynge the sendynge downe of y^e holy goost after such a plentyful sorte, the scripture teacheth vs that it was fulfylled aboute thys tyme of Pentecost, as in our sermons before we haue fully & [Page lxix] at large declared vnto you. And as for the rest of the prophecie concernynge the great calamitie and ter­rible tokens that shall come agaynste domes daye, there is no doubte but it shall come to passe, as oure sauiour Christ hath also certifyed vs.Math. xxvij. lu. xxiij. But my fren­des let vs be nothynge dismayed nor troubled wyth the remembraunce of thys dradfull tyme, whych no doubt yet approcheth nere and shall steale vpon vs or euer we be ware, we knowe not how sone. Onely let vs do as the prophete teacheth vs here, & we shal not nede to feare. Let vs cal on the name of y^e Lorde and we shalbe saued. Let vs thā in al our aduersitie woo, and trouble, yea and also in our welth, prospe­ritie and felicitie remember God, loue God, prayse God, call on God with fayth. But let it be such faith as shall worke by charitie. Let it be a lyuely fayth & no deade fayth, that maye brynge forth good wor­kes. Yf we thus do, we shall not nede to feare these terrible tokens, but we shalbe sure to be translated from thys myserye vnto immortall ioye wyth God. To whome. &c.

The Gospell on the .iiij. daye of Pentecost. The .vi. chapter of S. Ihon.

IN thys Gospell (good people) our sauiour Christ makynge answer to the murmourynge of y^e peo­ple agaynst hym, bycause he sayd he was the breade of lyfe, and declarynge that theyr thoughtes coulde not be hyd from hym, expouneth and also fortifyeth the worde y^t he spake, sayenge vnto them, y^t they had no cause to murmoure amonges themselues of the thynge y^t he spake. For therfore hys worde dyd not synke into theyr myndes bycause of theyr mysbeleue Seynge,Nemo potest venire ad me. they saw not: and hearyng, they herde not: & beynge present they were absent. Whosoeuer commeth to Christ shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe. But there is no waye to come vnto hym but by fayth.

Thys fayth is not lyghtly had, but cōmeth by the inspiracion of the father, who lyke as by y^e sōne he dra­weth mens myndes vnto hym: so w^t secrete inspira­cions of fayth he draweth them to the sonne. He be­stoweth [Page lxx] not so great a gyfte but to suche as be wyl­lynge & gredy.☜ Whosoeuer then shall meryte by hys prompte wyl & deuoute mynde to be drawen of y^e fa­ther, the same shall attayne by Christ to euerlasting lyfe. For our sauiour Christ shall also rayse y^e deade to lyfe agayne in y^e last daye. A great thynge taketh he that beleueth Christ, but without the helpe of the heuēly father, he can not do it. Yet neuertheles they are not excused bycause they be not drawen. For the father as much as in hym is coueteth to drawe all. He y^t is not drawē, is in fault himselfe, bycause he w^t draweth hymselfe frō hym y^t wolde drawe hym. Hu­mane thynges be lerned w^t humane studye, but this heauenly lernynge is not perceyued, onles y^e secrete inspiracion of the father maketh hym an apte & tea­chable harte. And this is it y^t longe sythens was prophecied of the prophetes to come to passe.Esa. liiij And they all shalbe taught of God. But the desyre of thys worlde do make many vnapt. I say it is the gyft of god, but the indeuoure must be ours. A mā heareth w^t hys bodely eyen Christes wordes in vayne, onles he heare w^tin fyrst y^e secrete voyce of y^e father, whych breatheth the mynde w^t an insensible grace of fayth. For god is a spirite & is neyther herde nor sene, but of spiritual persons. Many haue sene & herd Christ to theyr damnation. And albeit the Iues boasted y^t god was both sene & herde of Moses & of y^e prophe­tes: yet no mortall mā euer sawe or herde god as he is. For thys is only graūted to the sonne of mā oure sauiour Christ. Let vs then shake of the care of this lyfe and not so moch seke for the bread whereby our bodyes be fedde, as thys breade whych giueth euer­lastynge [Page] lyfe. We counte the olde fathers happye whych dyd eate Manna, yet thys Manna preserued them not from death,Austine. and why? Not bycause Man­na was euyll (sayeth saynte Austine) but because of theyr euyll eatyng. Christe is the breade whych des­cendeth from heauen, whyche is signified by Man­na. He that eateth of thys breade, shal lyue for euer. But ye wol aske who thys is? Saynt Austine answe­reth in thys wyse:Augu. de ciui­tate dei li. xxi. cap. xxv He that is in y^e vnitie of Christes bodye, that is to wytte, in the felowshipe of the chri­sten mēbres: the sacramēte of whych body all fayth­full persones be wonte to receyue, when they cōmu­nicate at the altare & come to gods borde, doth truly eate the bodye of Christe, and drynke the bloude of Christe. Nowe therfore let vs by all indeuours we cā, make ourselues mete and apte to receyue y^e holye spirite of god, wherby we maye be drawen to Christ. Let vs also take parte of hys passions, and folowe the cōuersation whych he had in hys fleshe.Austine. Bernard Whyche thynge (as S. Austine & others expoune thys place) is to eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude. To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye. AMEN.

The Epistle on Corpus Christi day. The fyrste epistle to the Corinthyans, the .xi. chapter.

☞The exhortacion vpon this epistle ye shall fynd imme­diatly before the Epistle on Easter daye. The Gospell on Corpus Christi daye.

The .vi chapiter of Iohn̄.

IN this present Gospel (good people) our saui­our Christ which is the true shepherd and fe­der of our soules goeth about to shake of frō oure myndes the fylthy cares of thys corporall life, willyng vs rather to apply our selfes and to labour wyth the gredy desire of the heuenly and gostly ry­ches, to obteyne euerlasting life. He biddeth vs caste out of our myndes the worldy breade wherwith our bodyes be fedde and couet that heuenly brede which giueth and conferreth vnto vs euerlastinge and im­mortall lyfe of the soule. Thys breade is taken by faythe, and fayth is to be obteyned and gotten of al­myghty god. For it is vndoubtedly hys gyfte. Who­soeuer therfore beleueth in Christe, he alredy hathe euerlastyng lyfe, inasmuche as he hath the foūtayne of immortalitie. I am (sayeth Christe) the breade of lyfe. As who shulde say. I am that same fode whiche gyueth lyfe not only corporall, but rather the lyfe of the soule and eternall. The Iues (amonges whom Christ was conuersaūt, and vnto whom he had this cōmunicacion) bosted muche in the Manna, y^t was sente downe from heauen vnto theyr auncestours. [Page lxviij] But what sayeth Christe vnto them? Your fathers dyd eate Manna in the wyldernes, and dyed.Austin. Your fathers (sayeth S. Austine) bicause you be lyke them murmuryng fathers of murmuryng chyldren. For assuredly this people in nothyng offended god more then in grutchyng and murmuryng agaynste God. Now they therfore dyed bicause they beleued (sayeth S. Austin) the thynge that they sawe,☜ but the thyng they sawe not, they beleued not nor yet vnderstode. O sacramentum pietatis, o signum vnitatis, The wordes of saynte Austine. o vin­culum charitatis. Qui vult viuere habet vnde viuat, accedat, credat, incorporetur, vt viuificet. O won­derfull sacrament of godlynes, o wonderfull token of vnitie, o wonderfull bond of charitie. He that wyl lyue he hath wherof he may lyue, let him drawe nigh let him beleue & let him be incorporated that he may be quickened. Let him not departe for the frame of the membres, let him not be a rotten mēbre worthy to be cut of, nor yet croked whereof he may be ashamed Let him be a fayre mēbre, open, sounde & cleauing to the body. Let him lyue to god. Let him nowe labour in earthe, that he maye afterwarde lyue in heauen. The sacramēt of this thing (saith this holy doctour) that is to saye, of the vnitie of the body and bloude of Christe, is taken at gods bourde of some men to their saluatiō, and of some to their damnation.☜ The thynge it selfe is ordeined to the saluation of al men and to the destruction of none. For my fleshe (sayeth Christe) is very meate, and my blode very dryncke. Thys breade cam downe from heuen and hath an heuenly power of workynge gyuen it of god, that who so euer worthely do eate it, shall lyue eternally [Page] and neuer dye. Wherfore good christen people, we haue no nede to demaunde from heuen any Manna sythe we haue the very heuenly breade in dede, that is to say, the body of our sauiour Christe ready vn­to vs, to gyue vs euerlasting lyfe, if so be we wol ta­ke it worthely & with fayth. For vndoubtedly Christ is that heuenly breade whiche gyueth immortalitie to our soules, & whych for oure sakes was betrayed and crucifyed. He is the worde of god in whom who so euer stedfastly woll beleue, shall haue euerlasting lyfe. Who so euer shall conuey thys heuenly breade into the bowels of his soule, shalbe nourished and growe vp to euerlastinge lyfe. For assuredly thys is the lyuely breade, whiche is descended downe from heuen, euen the moste preciouse body of our sauiour Christ whiche was betrayed and put to death to re­deme the lyfe of the hole worlde. Let vs beleue it, let vs take it & we shall lyue. The mystery of this thing is right straunge and wonderfull to the world. But suerly onles thou beest by faith ingrafted and incor­porated into this mysticall body & stycke faste in the same (euen as a braunche doth in the vine tree) thou shalt haue no lyfe in the. Let vs not (my frendes) murmoure wythin our selues as the Iues did, and say how can he gyue vs his fleshe to eate? The Iues (saythe saynte Augustine) bycause they vnderstode not the breade of concorde:Austin. therfore they discorded, and fel at variaunce wythin themselues. But suerly they that eate this bread, do not stryue nor contende wythin themselues, for by thys most blessed and he­uenly breade god maketh them to dwel in hys house in full vnitie and concorde togyther. Christ assureth vs, that onles we eate hys fleshe, and drynke hys [Page lxix] blode, we shall not haue lyfe in vs.Ioh. vj. But how shal we eate his fleshe and drynke his bloude? Truly (as all holy doctours expounde thys texte) we eate Christes fleshe and drynke his bloude,August. lib. iij. de doct. Christ. S. Am­brose. when we communicate and take parte of his passion, and swetly and profi­tably lay vp in our memory that hys fleshe was cru­cifyed and wounded & that his most precyouse blode was shed for vs. He that beleueth not thus in hym (sayth saynt Augustine) eateth not Christ, and there­fore he hath not the Christen fayth, without whyche he can haue no pardon of hys synnes.

Wherfore (my frēdes) let vs dayly eate this heauēly breade this Christ our louyng sauiour in spirite and by fayth. Let vs I saye take holde of him let vs ap­prehende him by fayth, let vs take the benefite and vse of his passion and resurrection,☜ let vs make him all ours. Let vs suffre hym to entre into vs. Spiri­tually we ought dayly to receyue him. But both spi­ritually and also sacramentally and corporally we must receiue him with most hyghe reuerēce in forme of breade at suche tyme as the churche appoynteth, and namely at the feaste of Easter. I saye, when we come to the aultare of god, and to his holy borde, let vs take hede, that we worthely receyue in forme of breade his moste preciouse body,i. cor. xj. lest we take hym to our dānacion, not discerning the lordes body. Which thyng we can not do without penaūce, stedfast fayth and ful purpose of amēding our former lyfe. Let vs fyrst or euer we approch to this blessid sacramēt exa­mine our selues by knowledging our sinnes against god,Contri­cion of herte. wherunto we shalbe brought by heryng & considering gods wyl declared in his lawes & perceiuing [Page] in our cōscience y^e god is displeased w^t vs for y^e same and therupon cōceiuing not only greate sorowe, but also great feare of gods wrath towardes vs, cōside­ring we haue no worthy meritꝭ to lay before god as sufficient satisfaction for our synnes, which done, we must cōceiue sure hope & fayth y^t god yet wyl forgiue vs our synnes not for our owne worthines but for y^e only merites of his bloude & passion which fayth we shal cōfirme by y^e applieng of Christes promise cōteined in his gospell & namely in y^e institucyon of thys most blessed sacramēt where it is sayde (giuen for the remissiō of our synnes.Faythe & hope of forgiuenes. Math. xxvj.) But to the atteining of this fayth, the seconde parte of penaunce, y^t is to say, con­fession to the prest is necessary,Confes­sion to a preste inasmuch as the ab­solucion giuē by him is ordeined of Christ to applie the promises of gods grace to vs, according to these textes.Ioh. xx. Luce. x. Whose synnes soeuer you forgiue shalbe for­giuen, whose synnes ye reteine, shalbe reteined. Also. He that heareth you heareth me. Finally being thus truly penitent cōtrite & cōfessed, we must also bryng forth y^e frutes of penaūce,The frutes of penaunce. as prayer, fasting & almes dede. We must also make restitucion or satisfaccion in wyl & dede to our neyghbours in y^t we haue done them wrong. We must also do al other good workes of mercy & charitie & expresse our obedient wyl in fulfylling of gods cōmaūdemēt outwardly when tyme and occasion shalbe gyuen vs. Thus we shall exa­mine our selues & so receyue this moste holy sacra­ment worthely. Otherwyse we shal receiue our owne damnacion. Wherfore my frēdes do as I haue here declared vnto you and ye shal receiue forgiuenes of your sinnes & at laste the croune of euerlasting lyfe. Vnto whiche. &c.

THE EPISTLE ON TRINITIE SONDAYE. THE IIII. Chapter of the Apocalyps.

GOod people we be sure by scripture, that there is but one God. For it sayth. Herken o Israel, thy god is one.Deu. v. But forasmuch as the scripture doth attribute godheade and diuine essencie to thre: ther­fore the fathers haue founde out the worde (person) for the auoydynge of many errours.Why the feaste of Trinitie was institute. And hereof for discernynge the sayd persons is the name of Trini­tie come into the church, wherby we sygnifye not .iij. vnegall persons, but thre persons coequal of one in diuisible substaunce and essencie. And as touchinge the vse of thys feast, oure predecessours thought it good, to haue some certayne tyme appoynted in the church, wherin they myght intreate of the offices of those thre persons egall in godheade. And bycause the fourth chapter of the Apocalyps semeth to sette forth wonderfully well the maiestie of God and not obscurely to touche the mysterye of the Trinitie, the church of Englande condescended to haue the same [Page] red in the church thys daye, whych brefely, God wyllynge, we shal declare vnto you. Thus it beginneth After thys I loked, and beholde a dore open in hea­uen, and the fyrst voyce I herde, was as of a trōpe speakynge wyth me, sayenge: Come vp hither, and I shall shewe the what shalbe done herafter. Thys dore whych saynt Ihon sawe open, no doubte is the intraunce and commynge to the new and heauenly lyfe, whych Christe oure Sauioure hath made vs, as the Epistle to the Hebrues the .x.phil. iij. chapter wytnes­seth. For our cōuersacion ought now to be in heauē. And saynt Ihon doth here describe the Iudicial po­wer of Christe gyuen hym of the heauenlye father wherewyth he defendeth hys churche from the po­wer of the aduersaries. And he sayeth: There was a seate set, and vpon it a sytter, wherby he sygnifyeth the stabilitie of Christes raygne. For hys seate or trone is (as Dauid sayeth) worlde wythout ende. And he that satte vpon thys glorious and princelye trone or seate was to loke vpon lyke a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone.Psalm. lxxxiiij. By thys is vnderstanded no­thynge els, but a certayne heauenly & royall bewty shewynge aswell the maiestye as the power most ex­cellent of the iudge Christ. For the cloth of estate & royall seates of kynges be wont to be moost rychely decked and furnyshed for the settynge out of theyr Maiestye and authoritie. Nowe, the Iaspar stone they saye beareth the semblaunce of water, and the Sardyn stone of fyer, wherby is vnderstanded that the Lorde is wont to make hys iudgementes in water and in fyer, as appeareth Gen. vij. and .xix. Exo. [Page] xiiij, and in the seconde Epistle of Peter the last cha­piter and in many other places of scripture.

The raynebow. And a raynebowe was about the seat in syght lyke to an Emerald. The raynebowe is a token, that god the father is made at one wyth vs by Christ and re­conciled to mankynde,emerald as appeareth Gen. ix. Nowe the Emeralde they say is of such grenenes & vertue that it maketh all thynges aboute it to floryshe and growe.Lactan­tius. Euen so by Christ the world is renewed and it reflorysheth, as Lactantius doth very elegauntly and well declare in a certayne Hymne.

And aboute the seate were .xxiiij. seates. And vpon the seates .xxiiij. elders syttynge, clothed in whyte raiment, and had on their heades crownes of gold Saint Ihon doth here allude to the maner of a realme well ordered, where kynges and princes whyche are to gyue sentence in maters of weyghte, woll not do it wythout the assistence of certayne auncient personages that haue good experience of thynges and knowlege of the best lawes, lest they myght seme to condempne any man of theyr owne priuate lust and pleasure. Wherfore by this allusiō he declareth that God is a moost iust iudge, whose sentence all iuste persons shal approue and prayse as moost ryghtful and true. By the .xxiiij. elders ye shall vnderstande aswell the patriarches and prophetes of the olde sy­nagoge, as the Apostles, Euangelistes, & doctours of the new Testament,Exod. xxiiii. Nu. xi. Act. xx. and also the godly kynges & iuges of both peoples. For they in scripture be cal­led Elders. Now by the syttynge of these Elders is vnderstande the felowship of the iudiciall power w^t [Page lxxii] Christ, accordynge to Christes owne sayenge. Mat. xix. Ye shall also syt vpon the .xij. seates, iudgynge y^e xij. trybes.i. cor. vi. Also saynt Paule wytnesseth that saintes shall iudge of thys worlde. By theyr whyte garmentes or robes, wherewyth they were clothed, is sygni­fyed purenes of mynde, innocencye, and indifferent iudgement wythout affection.Exod. xviiij By theyr crownes of golde vpon theyr heades I vnderstande the mooste pure sense of faith, wherby they shal iuge of al, accordynge to the arbitrement of God, so that what so e­uer they shall iuge vpon earth, shalbe ratifyed also in heauen, accordynge to that sayng of Christ, Ma­thew. xviii. What soeuer ye bynde on earth, shalbe bounde in heuen, and what soeuer ye louse on erth, the same shalbe loused in heauen. Furthermore they sygnifye the felowshyp of the victories and raygne of Christ,Cap. xi. accordynge to that in the Epistle to the Hebrues. The sayntes haue vaynquyshed realmes by fayth. It foloweth in the texte.

And out of the seate proceded lyghtenynges, and thonderynges, and voyces. And there were seuen lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whyche are the seuen spirites of God. The preachynge of the Apostles and of men apostolical is compared to lyghtenynge and thondrynge, bycause by it is pro­clamed the fearfulnes of gods iudgementes the whych hange ouer the heades of infideles and such as beleue not. By the .vii. lampes of fyre brennyng before the trone I vnderstande the septiforme spi­rite of God, that is to wyt, the fulnes and perfection of the heauenly graces wherwyth the kyngdome of [Page] Christ is furnyshed.Esa. xi. i. cor. xij It foloweth.

And before the seate there was a see of glasse lyke vnto Crystall, and in the myddes of the seate and rounde about the seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde. &c. My frendes the calamities of thys worlde, wherwyth y^e stynch of the fleshe is repourged and the naughtye affectes of the same vtterly mortifyed, muste nedes be passed ouer of vs, euen as it behoued the people of God to passe the red see, before they coulde entre into the lande of promission. Wherfore those heauenly and spiritual waters be here sygnifyed, wherwythal y^e pourgynge of the soules and the spiritual regeneratiō is made.Ioh. iij. i. Pe. iiij For onles a man be borne agayne of water and spi­rite he can not se God. And he calleth it a see after the Hebrues fashion, whych be wont to call al gatherynges of waters sees, as in the thyrd boke of kyn­ges it is called the brasen see wherin the prestes in theyr ministracion washed, and in certaine other places. Now glasse is a bryght thyng wherby is meant that the water of baptisme purifyeth and maketh bryght not so much the bodye as the hartes, yea euē in the outwarde conuersation of maners according to that of Christe. Let your lyght so shyne before mē that they maye se your good workes. But why is thys see of glasse lykened to Crystall? Surely by­cause Crystall is a water whych by continuaunce of tyme is tourned into the hardenes of a stone, suche ones ought they that be baptised to be brought vn­to, that is to saye, stronge and harde in faythe.

By the .iiii. beastes full of eyes before and behynde, [Page lxij] some do vnderstande the .iiii. Euangelistes, other, (whose iugemente better agreeth to the scripture as it semeth) do vnderstande those heauenly and mini­stratoriouse spirites or angels whych be appoynted to stande at the foure quarters of heauen (by whych the kyngdome of Christ, that is,Heb. ij. the church is spred) to execute the thynges that be determined by the vnserchable and eternall counsayle of God to be done in mens thynges. These be full of eyes before and behynde, that is to say, they be replenyshed wyth the science and knowlege of thinges passed and thinges to come. And the fyrst beast was lyke a Lyon, the se­conde lyke a Calfe, the thyrd had a face like a Man, and the fourth was lyke a flyenge Egle. Brethren, ye shall vnderstande, that in a lyon is courage and strength, in a calfe laboure and diligence, in the face of a man prudence and ryght iudgement, in an egle swyftnes and also facilitie in doynge theyr ministe­ries, al whych vertues they haue nede of,☜ whych wol administre well and prosperously any kyngdome. And for thys cause in the psalmes the Lorde is said to syt and ryde vpon Cherubim, bycause y^t by them he executeth hys iudgementes couragiously, diligētly, prudently, and wyth great swyftnes. To thys in­terpretaciō doth the scripture agre. For the prophete Ezechiel in the .x. chapter doth vnderstande by y^e .iiii. beastes y^e Cherubim, and he maketh also the foure beastes one, hauynge yet foure faces or formes for the forsayde vertues wherwyth those ministrynge spirites, whose seruice Christ vseth in y^e administra­cion of hys kyngdome, were indowed. In that they haue syxe wynges a pece, is betokened theyr swyft­nes [Page] of obedience to execute the thynges that they be appoynted vnto.Esa. vi. In lyke maner doth Esay describe Seraphim. These āgels, or yf ye lyst, these foure E­uangelistes whych also be angels that is to say messangers, by whome Christ the greate conquerour of the aduerse powers is caryed throughe out the hole worlde as it were in a triumphall charette, haue no rest neyther day nor nyght but crye without ceasing Holy, ☞ holy, holy, that is to saye, holy father, holy sonne, and holy spirite comforter, one Lorde & God almyghty,Math. xxviij. in whose name all we that beleue be bap­tised. And whan those beastes gaue glorye, honoure and thankes to hym that sate on the seate whych lyueth for euer and euer, the .xxiiii. elders of whom mē cion is made before fel also downe before him which sate on the trone, and worshypped hym that lyueth for euer.

Now therfore good christen people, syth those holy spirites or angels, and the hole quere and church triumphant in heauen do wythout ceasynge, laude, prayse and magnifye the hygh maiestye of the God­heade, let not vs whych be the churche or congrega­cion militant here in erth be behynde wyth our prayses, cōmendacions, and thankesgyuynge. The holy angels do crye before, let vs answere in y^e same note & saye. Holy father, holy sonne, & holy goost cōforter Let vs, I saye, accordynge to the exemple of y^e .xxiiii. elders cast oure crownes before the trone, that is to saye, confesse the crownes and rewardes whyche we that be iustifyed persōs haue, come of Christes mere goodnes and no parte of our owne deseruynge, and saye: Thou arte worthy o Lorde our God to receiue [Page lxxiij] glorye, and honoure, and power. For thou hast created all thynges and for thy wyll they be. &c.

The gospell on Trinitie sondaye. The .iij. chapter of Ihon.

IN thys Gospell (good people) is conteyned a sore disputacion vpon the iustyce of the spirtye, and the iustice of the fleshe. Christ teacheth and defēdeth the spirituall iustice, Nicodemus thother, but so yet that he suffreth himselfe to be taught and instructed of Christ.

Fyrst therfore we shall consyder the person of Nicodemus, as the Gospell describeth hym, and howe folyshly he speaketh of y^e new byrth.The description of Nicodemus. For hereby we shall espye what we also can do of oure owne power in godly and spirituall maters. Now the Euange­lyst certifyeth vs that Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and a ruler of y^e Iues, meanynge herby, that for the outwarde conuersacion he was fautles in lyuynge and floryshed in such apparaunce of honesty and holynes, that he was nombred of the Iues euen amongest y^e chefest & fyrst. Lo here thou hast the descripci­on of Nicodemus person which before the worlde is [Page lxxiiij] both prudent and ryghtuouse. And yet neuertheles this worldly wyse and holy man is not so hardy nor so stronge, that he dare openlye come to Christe or speake vnto hym, albeit he iudgeth Christ a teacher sente from God, and can not denye hys sygnes and myracles. I praye you, why doth not reason here come forth, openly to confesse Christes doctrine? For thys thynge doth Christ in any wyse requyre where he sayeth. He that confesseth me before men,The flesh is fearfull. I shall also confesse him before my father and the angels of heauen. Surely reason can not do thys, it farre passeth her powers to subiecte herselfe to the hatred of the worlde for Christes sake. And therfore Christ re­quyreth of vs to hate oure owne selues, to kyll oure olde Adam,Math. x that we may so be transformed into new creatures. But what knowlege hath our flesh & our nature of such transfourmynge or new byrth? Su­rely no knowlege, no felynge, no vnderstandynge at al, as thys sayntly Nicodemus this holy prelate trustynge to hys owne good workes ful wel declareth. Christ talketh of the spirituall and new byrth, & Ni­codemus loketh vpō the carnal byrth, sayeng thus. How can a man be borne agayne whan he is olde? Shall he crepe agayne into hys mothers wombe? Herken how foolyshly, how vnwysely for al his outwarde holynes thys noble prelate speaketh of god­ly thynges? Yea Christ is fayne to expounde vnto hym, how it commeth to passe that we be made newe creatures. Howbeit he yet vnderstandeth hym not & therfore he asketh agayne how it can be. I pray you what synguler poynt do ye se in thys Nicodemus, or what other thynge do ye fynde in hym but igno­raunce, [Page] blyndnes, and infidelitie? Wherfore though hys outwarde conuersacion shyneth neuer so muche before the worlde yet it can not please God. God be­holdeth not the outwarde face and vysoure, but the mynde and fayth,Iere v. Ro. xiiij as also Heremy sayeth. And what so euer is not of fayth is synne. The inwarde rygh­tuousnes and goodnes must go before, or els y^e out­warde can not please God. Yf thou hast not the in­warde iustice, forthwyth Christ sayeth: Onles your ryghtuousnes be better then y^e ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharises ye shall not come into y^e kyng­dome of heauen. Wherfore lyke as Nicodemus is here founde vnskylfull, rude, and foolysh in maters concernynge the honour of God and oure helth: euē so be all we, olde Adams, and all fleshly (accordynge to Christes sayenge, what so euer is gendred of flesh is fleshe) onles we be lyghtened of the Lordes spi­rite.What the scripture cal­leth fleshe Ro. viij. We cal flesh here the hole nature of mā, the bo­dy, mynde, reson, vnderstandyng, wyl, besyde the holy goost. Such a man and such a body of synne su­rely can do nought but synne, seme he neuer so gay to other men, and be he decked wyth neuer so many good workes, whych thynge saynt Paule declareth copiously to the Romaynes, and in thys place thys Nicodeme ful playnly sheweth by hys wyse talking

Newe byrthSecondly, Christ teacheth vs in thys Gospel the new byrth, whych thynge Nicodemus coulde not attayne vnto, & fyrst he so speaketh of thys new byrth or regeneration that he maketh it playnly necessary to our soules helth.What it is to se the kingdom of God For thus he sayeth: Onles a mā be borne agayne, he can not se the kyngdome of god Now to se the kyngdome of God is as muche as to [Page lxxv] be iustifyed. Wherfore consyder here wyth the eyen of thy mynde what Christe speaketh of thys maner iustificaciō, and agayne what Nicodemus thinketh agaynst it. Christ reasoneth and gathereth thus. No worke, no reason, no outwarde conuersacion iustify­eth, it is only the new byrth that must worke thys. Agaynst thys conclusion Nicodeme thus obiecteth. Yf so be my outwarde conuersacion, workes & lyfe, be cōformable to the lawe, thā for such workes sake God can not but iustifye me and make me eternally blessed. But surely thys sayenge of hym is excedingly both false and wycked,psa. cxv for asmuche as all men be lyers, and only God true. Wherfore let vs consyder the nature of thys regendrynge in what sorte it is. Onles (sayeth Christ) thou beyst borne againe of water and spirite thou canst not come into the kingdo­me of heauen.Baptis­me Marke y^t in baptisme thys new byrth begynneth. For it is a token of sleynge the fleshe, as Paule wytnesseth Rom. vi. And thys is one parte of the newe byrth. Now in baptisme the holy goost also is gyuen and where as we be thus kylled, he rayseth vs vp agayne, he dryueth, draweth, altereth, and so worketh in vs, that we be led nomore wyth fleshly affections but wyth goostly, and that we shuld breath and thynke no lōger vpon earthly thynges but vpō heauenly thinges, and shulde lyue hensforth only to ryghtuousnes. And thys is thother parte of thys new byrth. It foloweth herof,What it is to be newe borne that to be borne again is nought els but to dye to synne warde, and by spi­rite and fayth to lyue to iustice warde. Where thys chaūceth there is the kyngdome of god espyed, there is the realme of heauen entred into. What gloriaci­on [Page] than is lefte here to the ryghtuousnes of Nicode­mus? Surely it is not worth a rushe, nor to be sette an hawe by,Phil. iij. none otherwise than Paule estemed his ryghtuousnes that he gat in hys Iewysh lyfe no bet­ter than donge. For not the thynge that commeth of our owne reason, but that whych the spirite worketh in vs is acceptable to God. The thynge that is gen­dred of the spirite is spirite, and is only of valure before God.Eph, iiij And therfore saynt Paul sayeth to the E­phesians. Do of the olde man accordynge to youre former maners and conuersation, and put ye on the new man. How can reason do or compryse these thinges, syth it can not perceyue thynges corporall and outward, as from whence the wynde commeth and whyther it woll? To conclude, thys new byrth is a worke of the spirite, though the Papistes do neuer so muche preache the iustice of theyr fleshe.

Christ hath purcha­sed vs the spi­riteThyrdly, we be here taught, who hath gottē, gyuen, delyuered, and cōmunicated vnto vs thys spi­rite, euen the sonne of man Christe, who only came from heauen and retourned into heauen. By what thynge then hathe he gotten and deserued vnto vs this spirite? Truly herby, that he was likewise exalted as the serpent in wyldernes.Nu. xxi. But what maner serpent is thys? The people of Israell ones grud­ged agaynst god and blaspehmed hym so heynously that he sent vpon them fyery serpentes. And who so euer was bytten of any such serpent, dyed therof. Here God at last moued with the prayers and requestes of Moses, commaunded a brasen serpent to be erected for a signe that whosoeuer beynge strykē of any suche serpent shulde loke vp to that brasen ser­pent, [Page lxxvi] shulde be healed. Thys fygure Christ draweth to hymselfe, and this in sentence he sayeth: I shalbe delyuered to myne aduersaries to be crucifyed and at last slayne, for thys intente, that by my crosse and death God the moost louynge father myght be recō ciled to the worlde. Whosoeuer therfore beynge stryken wyth the poyson darte of synne, loketh vp to me that is to saye, beleueth on me, shal not than perysh, but shall attayne euerlastynge lyfe. Lo such one is Christ vnto vs, he forgyueth vs our synnes, and bestoweth on vs hys spirite, he trāsformeth vs to new creatures,☜ he ordeyneth vs the sonnes and heyres of God, so that we cleaue vnto hym and beleue on him wythout doubtynge. Wherfore good people that God of hys endles goodnes woll vouchsaue to create in vs a syncere and a ryghte fayth, let vs al praye. To whom be all glorye and honour for euer and euer. Amen.

The Epistle on the fyrst sonday after trinitie. The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iiij. chapter.

MY frendes thys hole lection is a commendaci­on of gods loue towardes vs, by whose exem­ple we also be commaunded to loue one another. He that loueth not (sayeth saint Ihon which wrote this epistle) knoweth not God though he neuer so much bosteth hymselfe to be a christen mā, for god is loue. [Page lxxvij] Yea herin appeared the greate loue and charitie of God towardes vs men, that he sent hys only begot­ten sonne into the worlde, to thintent, that by his meryte we myght lyue through hym whyche els shulde haue dyed wyth perpetuall death. But happely ye wolle here saye, that we prouoked God wyth oure loue and merytes fyrst to loue vs. No not so sayeth saynt Ihon, that is a false opinion and a starke lye. For in thys is the loue, not that we loued God, but that he loued vs fyrst, and sent hys sonne to be a sa­crifice and a purgynge for our synnes.Aug. cō tra Pela cap. xx But herken what S. Austine sayeth of thys mater. What good merytes coulde we than haue whan we loued not God. For that we myght take loue to loue wyth, we were loued, whan as yet we had it not.There be no merites before grace. This (sayeth he) doth Ihon thapostle moost openly affirme. Not that we loued God, but that he loued fyrst vs. Tru­ly (sayeth saynt Austine) thys is moost ryghtly and well spoken. For we could not haue to loue hym on­les we had taken thys of hym, in that he loued vs fyrst. How can we do good, yf we loue not? or howe do we not good, yf we loue?☜ For albeit gods cōmaū demente semeth somtyme to be done of not louers but of fearers: yet there is no loue, no good worke is imputed, neyther ryghtly is it called a good worke, for all y^t is not of fayth is synne. And fayth worketh by loue. Hytherto speaketh Austine. Wherfore my dearly beloued (sayeth Ihon) yf God hath so loued vs, we ought also to loue one another. Questiō Ye wol saye: How can God dwell in vs, syth we se him not? Solutiō Ihon answereth: Albeit we se hym not wyth the eyes of fleshe, yet he dwelleth in vs, for God there wol dwell [Page] where charitie is exercised. Questiō But againe ye wol aske, howe is it that Ihon sayeth here,Exod. xxxiii. noman euer sawe God, seynge it is red in scripture that many of y^e fa­thers haue sene hym face to face, as Iacob, Moses, and other. Solutiō I answere, noman euer saw God as god and visibly. For the lawe was gyuen by angels act. vii. and it is playne that Iacob sawe but an angell. For euen in the selfe same .xxxiij. chapter of Exodus God sayeth: Man shall not se me and lyue. So thā God dwelleth in vs inuisibly. It foloweth therfore, yf we loue one another, god dwelleth in vs, & hys loue is made perfyte in vs. Surely the knowlege & confession of Christe maketh vs all one wyth God, so that we shalbe perpetually in hym,The spirite of God and he in vs. But here ye muste marke that thys knowlege can not chaunce but to such as be indowed with the ho­ly goost. For he sayeth: Herby we knowe y^t we dwell in hym & he in vs, bycause he hath gyuen vs of hys spirite. And we haue sene and do testifye (sayeth S. Ihon) that y^e father hath sent his sonne to be y^e Sa­uiour of the worlde. O glad and ioyfull tydynges. What an excedynge charitie and loue was thys? Then syth God is so louynge vnto vs, yea syth he is the selfe loue, yf we woll dwell in hym, we muste loue, not only hī, but also for hym, our neighboure. For that we do to our neyghbour he coūteth it done to hymselfe. Now it is a moost certayne token of our loue towardes God yf we boldly & wyth confidence loke for the daye of iudgement. For yf we feare, we declare that we be no perfyte louers. For feare is not in loue, but perfyte loue casteth out feare. My frendes herken agayne what saynt Austine sayeth [Page lxxviij] herin. He that feareth hell, feareth not to synne,Aug. ad Anasta­siū epi. cxliiij. but to brenne. But he feareth to synne, which hateth syn as hell. Thys is the chast feare that remayneth for euer and euer. For that feare of punyshment hath torment and paynefulnes in it and it is not in charitie, but perfyte charitie casteth it out. And surely a mā so much hateth synne, as he loueth iustice, which he can not do, the lawe fearynge hym by the letter, but the spirite healynge hym by grace. Thys wry­teth the moost excellent doctour of the church saynt Austine to y^e confusion of the vayne sophistes which blasphemously write and speake agaynst the iustifi­enge spirite of God whych worketh by pure and ly­uely fayth.

Wherfore good brethren & systers let vs not thinke trustynge to our owne merytes and workes, that we loued God fyrst and so deserued kyndnes at hys hā des. For yf ye thynke so, saynt Ihon reproueth you, sayenge: We loue God, bycause he fyrst loued vs. Now yf a man sayeth, he loueth God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyer. For he that loueth not hys bro­ther whome he seeth, how can he loue God whom he hath not sene? And thys cōmaundemēt (sayeth saint Ihō) we haue of God, that he that loueth God, must also loue hys brother. But I praye you howe do we loue our brother and se so many lye in euery corner wythout comforte? Yea we se Christ an hōgred,Math. xxvi. and we gyue hym no meate. We se hym thyrstye, and we gyue hym no drynke. We se hym harbroughles, and we take hym not in, naked, & we cloth hym not, syck, and we vysite him not, in prison, and we come not to hym. For in asmuch as we do it not to one of these [Page] our poore brethren, Christ count it vndone to hym. Wherfore yf we vnfaynedlye loue God, let vs de­clare our loue wyth worthy frutes, let vs loue oure brethren, as we be here wylled to do. Then shall we wyth confidence and full hope loke for the daye of iudgement wythout feare, at whych tyme the heuenly kynge shall saye vnto vs. Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde. To thys heauenly kynge the sonne of man oure Lorde and Sauiour be gy­uen al glo­rye for euer and euer. Amen.

The Gospell on the fyrst sondaye after Trinitie. The .xvi. chapter of Luke.

GOod people thys Gospel as it is ryght comfortable to the poore godly persons: so it is ryght fearfull to the vngodly rych persons. The sely pore godly person is muche vexed wyth troubles and diseases in thys lyfe, he lyeth otherwhyles beggynge at ryche mens gates, ful of sores, desyrynge to be refreshed wyth the cromes whych fal frō theyr tables [Page] The vngodly person lyueth all at pleasure and florysheth. But se the ende of these two in theyr death. The poore Lazarus is forthwyth caryed by angels into Abrahams bosome. The rych man is buryed in hell. What is thys, to be borne vp of angels and to be layd in Abrahās bosome? Surely it is nothynge els, but to dye in the fayth of Abraham, whose sou­les must nedes be in the handes of God. What is it to be buryed and to lye in hell in tormentes? To dye wyth an euell conscience. These thynges do chaūce in death,☞ what tyme we passe out of thys worlde. Albeit ye shall yet vnderstande, that it was not pouer­tie that saued Lazarus, nor the ryches that damned the rych man, but it is the fayth that saueth & which worketh pacience and hope, and agayne it is y^e lacke of fayth and despisynge of the neyghboure that dā ­neth. As longe as the rych man lyued he was so choked wyth worldlye pleasures, that he coulde not se what was what, but whan he was in hell and in tormentes than he lyfted vp hys eyes, then he sawe A­braham afarre of, and Lazarus in hys bosome. Surely my frendes in death fyrst we espye our vngod­lynes and damnacion. Thā we se the felicitie & ioye of the godly persons.esa. lxvj Math. xxv. Thys is that worme that dy­eth not, whych the prophete Esaye speaketh of. Thā fyrst the vnwyse virgines se that the wyse haue oyle Then it commeth to our mynde, to whome we haue done good, and to whome we haue done euel. Then doth the lawe shewe it selfe, where as the gospell is taken awaye, then fyrst, but to late and in vayne, we seke fauoure.Prou. i. Then thou rych mā thou canst speake fayre and saye: Father Abraham, haue mercy on me [Page lxxx] But herken o thou vngodly rych man, what father Abraham shall answere the agayne. Sonne remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst thy plea­sure, and contrary wyse thys poore Lazarus recey­ued payne. Lo the sentence of the sharpe iudgement of God. For as saynt Iames sayeth:Iaco. ii. Iudgemente wythout mercy shalbe to them, whych haue shewed no mercy. Also the wyse man sayeth in hys prouer­bes. He that stoppeth hys eare at the cryenge of the poore, shall also crye, and not be herde. Furthermore the prophete sayeth:Ps. xxxij For thys shall euery godly per­son make hys prayer vnto the in due season, but in the greate water floudes they shall not come nyghe hym. So good people ye se by thys parable, that af­ter thys lyfe we shall come shorte to make intercessi­on eyther for our selues or for others. For the soule of thys rych gluttō here espyenge he could nothing preuayle for hymselfe began to intreate for hys fyue brethren, and desyred that Lazarus might be sent to hys fathers house for to warne them, leste they also come into that place of tourmēt. But what was an­swered vnto hym agayne? They haue Moses and the prophetes, let them heare them, as who shulde saye, they haue gods worde amonges them, whyche teacheth them how to eschue euerlastynge punysh­mentes, and how to be saued, yf they wol not regard it, there is no recouery in them. Vndoubtedly thys answere teacheth vs two thynges. Fyrst,☜ that y^e wyll of God ought not to be learned of the dead, as Moses also forbyddeth in Deuteronomye, sayenge:Deut. xviij Let noman serch the trouth of the deade, for God abhorreth it. And surely not wythout cause, for he that en­sercheth [Page] the trouth of deade men, sheweth hymselfe not contented wyth gods worde, whych is a synne agaynst the seconde commaundement. Also to serche the trouth of deade men, is to put other meanes thā preachers, by whome God wol haue hys word kno­wen and spred abrode. Thys thynge doth the exem­ple of Saule teach vs,i. Reg. xxviij whych after he was caste vp of the Lorde and vtterly wycked in his harte, by the helpe of a wytche raysed vp the prophete Samuell from death, that is to wyt, a certayne person resem­blynge Samuel in voyce and vysage.

Secondly, thys answere of Abraham teacheth vs, that besyde the worde wrytten, none other is to be loked for or to be herde, though an angell shulde come from heauen, or a goost ryse frō death to lyfe. Wherfore good christen brethren and systers, I ex­horte in the Lordes name you that be rych, to make your selues frendes of your wicked Mammon,Luc. xvi that is to saye, of your worldly goodes that when ye dye, they may receyue you into euerlastyng tabernacles, lest ye be serued as thys ryche mā was. And agayne I exhorte you that be poore to haue sure faith in the Lorde and pacience in your aduersitie and pouertie And doubt ye not, but at your departure out of this transitory worlde, accordynge to the example of this poore Lazarus, ye shalbe caryed by angels into the bosome of Abraham,abrahās bosome that is to say, into euerlastyng lyfe, in whych after the exemple of the father Abra­ham, who is the father of al beleuynge chyldren, the godly be receyued as into the bosome of the heuēly father. To whom wyth the sonne and holy goost be all honoure and glorye. Amen.

The Epistle on the .ij. sondaye after trinitie. The .i. epistle of Ihon the .iij. chapter.

FOr asmuch as (deare brethren and systers) euen from the begynnynge of the worlde it hath bene sene, as the exemple of Abel wytnesseth, that the godly haue suffred persecution, trouble,☜ and vexation of the vngodly and wycked persons: therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Ihon doth here exhorte vs to pacience in persecution and in aduersitie, and that we shulde not be false harted and discouraged by­cause we se we be euell and vnworthely handeled & intreated of the wycked worlde. And it is not without cause that saynt Ihon moueth vs to pacience, [Page] for of truth it is a ryght harde thynge a mā to stāde fast in trouble and not to despayre, or at leste waye not to doubte of the trouth of gods word for al that he seeth so many euell and vnhappy chaunces vnto hym on euery syde. And besydes that he exhorteth vs in thys place vnto pacience, he also therwythall comforteth al that be vexed & troubled for trouthes sake wyth the greate benefyte and profyte whyche they haue taken through gods worde, that is to wyt that they be translated frō death to lyfe, and be now made the beloued sonnes of God, to whych commo­dities and profytes al the persecutions in the world be not able to be compared.

Maruayle not (sayeth S. Ihon) though the worlde hate you. We knowe that we are translated frome death vnto lyfe, bycause we loue our brethren.

O what an vnspeakable solace and comforte is this (my frendes) vnto vs to know that we now lyue vnto God warde, albeit before the worlde we be daylye mortifyed and euen kylled none otherwise thā shepe that go to the slaughter. And agayne on the contra­ry parte what a fearful & horrible thynge is it y^t the wycked persons whych pursue the godly be dead to god warde? We be than translated frō death to lyfe Wherfore? Bycause sayeth Ihon we loue oure bre­thren. Surely my frendes, the louynge of our bre­thren is an open declaracion & token to the worlde, that we be the chyldren of God. For he that sayeth he hath faythe and loue towardes God, and yet lo­ueth not hys neyghbour maketh a starke lye. For a good tree, must nedes brynge forth good frute. He then that loueth not hys brother abydeth in death, [Page lxxxij] that is to saye,Rom. vi he is not yet rysen from death to lyfe wyth Christ vnto a new lyfe. Yea saynt Ihon goeth forther and sayeth:

Who so euer hateth hys brother is a manslayer. The law is spiri­tuall

Surely my frendes the lawe is spirituall, and re­quyreth also the inwarde affections as Ihon doth here testifye. For not only he that kylleth by layeng on of handes and violence vpon hys brother is in daunger to the law of murther, but also he that pursueth hys neyghbour wyth hatred. So though that he be not a murtherer and māsleer in outward dede, yet in harte he is. But no mansleer hath eternal lyfe abydynge in hym. For loke wyth what measure we meate to other,Mat. vij wyth the same shall it be measured agayne to vs.

Now in the doctrine and teachynge of charitie ye shal vnderstande, that it is the maner of thapostles euer to brynge vs to the exemple of Christ, whereby to frame our lyfe, lest we shuld inuent and deuise of our owne heades newe formes & fashions of louing our brethren. S. Ihon therfore doth here preuente vs and setteth forth Christ for an exemple to be folowed of vs,The lo­ue of god to­ward vs whych loued vs hys brethren not after a lyght and base sorte, but euen wyth the peryll of his owne lyfe. He wol haue vs than in lyke wyse to loue our brethren not lyghtly, but so vehemently y^t when nede requyreth, we shulde not stycke to venture our goodes yea & our lyfe also for theyr sauetie & welth. By thys we knowe charitie, that is to saye, the loue of Christ towardes vs and what our loue and cha­ritie ought to be, in asmuche as he gaue his soule or lyfe for vs, O what excedynge and vehemente loue [Page] was thys of Christ? And shall we then shewe our selues churlysh and vnkynde agayne to hym and not to expresse our loue towardes him vpon our brethrē accordynge to hys commaūdement? For that whych is done to them he counteth it done to hym selfe.

Who so euer then hath thys worldes good and se­eth hys brother haue nede, and shutteth vp his cō ­passion from hym, how dwelleth the loue of god in hym? As who shulde saye, yf we be not beneficiall and good to our nedy and poore neyghbour, it is a sure token that we loue not God and consequently that he neyther loueth vs. And in contrary wyse, yf we be beneficiall and good to oure neyghboure for gods sake it is a ryght sure sygne and declaracion of our fayth towardes God and that god loueth vs Wherfore (deare brethren) let vs be mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the heauenly father as Christ monysheth vs Luc. vi. And let vs not (as Ihon sayeth here) loue in worde,i. tim. i neyther yet in tonge, but in dede and in trouth, and as saynt Paule sayeth, of a pure harte and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfayned. Whych thynge he calleth the ende of the cō ­maundement. These be the worthy frutes of fayth. These frutes yf we brynge forth we declare our sel­ues to be good trees plāted by the ryuer syde whych bryngeth forth frute in due season,psal. i we declare oure selues to be of the nombre of them whych S. Ihon here speaketh of, that be translated from death to lyfe euerlastynge. Where we shall lyue eter­nally wyth the father, sonne, and holy gost. To whome be all glorye. AMEN.

The gospell on .ij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .xiiij. chapter of Luke.

OVr Sauiour Christ (good christen people) consyderynge the vanitie of mens myndes in the worlde: whych for the moost parte are wonte rather to talke of God, of hys word, and of the blessed state of the lyfe to come: thā ernestly to appoint theyr mindes to remoue out of theyr lyfes such impedimētes as myght hynder them from God and hys worde & shutte them out in cōclusion from the kyngdome of heauen, declareth in thys gospell as in a proper pa­rable the great foly of suche as so content themselfe wyth wordes only and vayne prayses, and consyder no further to temper theyr lyues in suche wyse that an other daye they maye enioye in dede the euerla­stynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heauen wherin they confesse so muche blysse & felicitie to be: as one ther was whych was syttynge at the table wyth Christe hearynge hym talke of the resurrection of the iuste, sayd vnto hym: Blyssed is he whych eateth bread in the kyngdome of God. Christ takynge occasion of hys wordes taught both hym and all other in hym, that many ther were whych could cōfesse wyth theyr mouth such to be happy y^t shulde be receyued there, but yet in the course of theyr lyues semed not much desyrous to be partakers of that blysse, howe greate so euer it be & how frely so euer it be offred: or howe kyndly so euer they be called ther to, whose vnkyndnes, and forgetfulnes of theyr owne welth and com­moditie he resembled and lykened to such gestes as were gently & louyngly called to a rych feaste wel & aboundauntly prepared in all thynges, and yet refused to come: hauynge very vayne excuses for them [Page lxxxiiij] selues, whose vnkynde behauiour was reported to the feastmaker & moued hym to displeasure & to re­nounce them for theyr vnworthynes & to take other to syt at hys feast. Whyche although they were but of poore estimation, yet bycause they were ready w^t great thankes to receyue the lyberalitie of the feaste maker so gently offred wythout theyr deseruynge, they were admytted to sytte at hys owne table wyth hymselfe & had the fruition of those delicates, which the other that were fyrst called refused & despysed. Here is mater (my frendes) for vs that be Gentyles to consyder wyth great thankes to almyghty God,☜ that where as the people of the Iues were fyrst cal­led by the seruauntes and messangers of hys word, to the great supper of the ioye of heauen, and they refused to come: that then it pleased the father of al mercy to sende hys seruauntes to call vs to his said feast, whych of al people were moost vnworthy, and furdest from hym, in somuch as we were wyde of all truth and lyght, syttynge in moost blynde darkenes of errour and ydolatrye, wanderynge in the bye pa­thes and croked wayes of our owne lustes and ymaginations, so poore and voyde of all grace that in stede of the true God we honoured mortal men and brute beastes as our God. Thus prouoked we hym fyrst, these were our merytes and deseruynges vnto hym: And yet pleased it hym to sende hys seruaun­tes to preach vs hys gospell and by the violence of so great gentylnes offered vs and earnest callynge on vs by hys Apostles, we were brought into his holy house & church of hys electe: and there plenteous­ly were set before vs to receyue frely y^e innumerable [Page] graces & benefytes conteined and promysed in the worde of the gospell: so that now Christ wyth al his ryghtuousnes, wyth all hys iustice and holynes is frely gyuen vs to our welth and commoditie yf we wyll applye our selues by fayth and charitie to oure callynge. Yf we se the want of ryghtuousnes in our selfe & be anhongred therfore, let vs sue vnto Christ and he shall replenysh vs therwyth. Yf we be stūge wyth synne, and wolde be delyuered from the daun­ger therof: in Christe shall we fynde clere remyssion and shalbe quyte discharged. Yf we wante strength to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes, the worlde, the fleshe, and the deuell, in Christes power and as­systence shall we no fayle haue the victory and ouer come them all. Yf we desyre to be delyuered of thys transytory world and to be present wyth God to syt at hys table, let vs a whyle tary in hope vntyll the Lorde call vs and we shall not doubt but be caryed thyther wyth his holy angels, wyth hym to dwel for euer. He hath not prepared thys supper of euerla­stynge lyfe of hys fre mercy onely but hath also as frely prepared all necessarye helpes and meanes for vs to vse to the better attaynynge of thys supper. Onely let vs be ware by the exemples of the Iues that we be not vnkynde to so mercyfull a callynge leste we be refused as they were. We be not more in gods fauour than they were. They were gods elect people, we were not so. They were y^e chyldren of the house, we were foryners and straungers and none of the householde. They were the natural braūches, we are but grafted in theyr stockes and receyued in theyr rowmes. We ought to feare the more, that we [Page lxxxv] shall not be spared, yf we shewe vnkyndnes as they dyd. Ye haue herd what were the lettes, wherby the Iewes were drawen abacke from theyr saluation: One had bought a farme and was so holly bente to improue and enlarge that, to beare rule and raygne in the worlde, that he hadde no leasure nor space to gyue eare to the feastmakers callynge, and to come to hys supper. An other was so busely set about hys oxen and other possession, couetously gatherynge lucre and gaynes, to enrych hymselfe, that he chose ra­ther to lose the commoditie of that delicate supper then to lose hys gaynes. An other excused hymselfe that he had maryed a wyfe, and therfore answered he that he coulde not come. He desyred not to be ex­cused, as the other two dyd, but sayde flatlye that he coulde not come, so harde it is for hym to come to Christ, whych hath hys harte set vpō y^e flateryng vanities and pleasures of the worlde. Let vs take hede my frendes that we be not so ouercome of these euel affections before rehersed, that we folowe not them and refuse to come to the supper of euerlastyng lyfe wherevnto we be called.Lu. xiiij Let vs call to mynde what our sauiour Christe sayeth, excepte we renounce all that we possesse, we cā not be hys disciples. It is not euell to haue rule and dominion in the worlde: but so to set our hartes vpon our dignities and preemi­nence, that we shal for the sauegard of them forsake the truth, and peruerte iustice: that is abhominable before God. So to ensue honoure and worshyp, that we shall labour by falshode and sedition, by secrete conspiracye to gette it, that is abominable before God, and wylbe surely reuenged:i. pet. v for God euer ha­teth [Page] the proude in harte, he setteth hymselfe a parte agaynst them,Psalm. xxxvi. euer to depose such. Though (sayeth Dauid) the vngodlye shryne hymselfe neuer so hye yet I sawe hym whan he was exalted aboue the Ce­dre trees, brought downe agayne to the grounde: I sought hys rowme and place, but he was wasted and vanyshed awaye lyke the smoke: Kepe therfore (byddeth Dauid) innocency and beholde equitie: for the godly man hath euer permanent issue. It is not euell to haue ryches and possessiōs: to vse the course of lawfull occupyenge, but so to ensue our gaynes that we shall not spare by ryght or wronge to gette them, y^t is wyckednes before God. So to possesse ryches that vnmercyfully we shall kepe them and not reliefe the poore with our superfluities, as Christ cō maundeth vs to be stewardes of hys goodes cōmytted in our trust,Math. xxv. that is the thynge which prouoketh hym to displeasure to pronoūce that it is very harde for a rych man to entre in the kyngdome of heauen:mat. xix more easy for a camell to go thorowe a nedles eye. Of all myschyfe is couetyse the roote and foūtayne sayeth S. Paule,i. tim. vi & sayeth that they whych desyre to be rych fall into temptacion and snare of the deuell and to dyuerse lustes hurtfull and foolyshe, whyche drowne men in death and destruction. It is that af­fection sayeth saynte Paule whyche make the suers therof to erre frō theyr fayth: They can neuer haue leasure to wayte vpon Christ and his worde that folowe thys affection: saye, and cal Christ what ye wyl they haue no lust nor desyre to come vnto hym. And the reason of thys thynge he openeth in an other place where he sayeth,ii co. iiij that the Gospell is not recey­ued [Page lxxxvi] of these worldlye men bycause the God of thys worlde hath blynded theyr vnderstandynge leste the lyght of the gospel shuld shyne & appeare vnto thē. As these .ij. euell affections I meane the desyre of dominion and authoritie, and the insaciable desyre of ryches be greate impedimentes and lettes that hynder many a man from saluation: so is the affection to pleasures of thys worlde as great a let, in whome it raygneth, to cause them set lytel by the callynge of God to thys great feast of the glorye to come.

This affection is so subtle, that where the other two can not alter and occupye the mynde of many men, yet of thys they be ouercome. A beastly affection to be led wyth the volupties of thys worlde, and ther­fore Christ compareth them to swyne walowynge in the myer of beastly and carnal lyfe, and wolde haue no perles cast before them, for they can none other­wyse do but trede them vnder foote & despyse them. Let vs therfore good people take good aduisement, let vs consyder of what gentlenes and mercy we be called. Let vs consyder whereto we be called, not to payne and mysery, but to feastynge and bankettyng in the kyngdome of heauen. We prouoked not God to call vs by our merytes which were nothynge but blyndnes and Idolatry, but he of hys mercy preuented vs, only to haue y^e prayse of our saluacion which wyl come at hys calling. Let vs cōsider how great a zele God beareth to our helth whych semeth to be angrye whan we refuse to come at hys callynge, & not only calleth vs and leaueth vs there, but hath pro­uided all thynges to helpe vs to come thyther whervnto we be called, hys worde we haue, hys sacramē ­tes, [Page] and hys holy spirite workynge in our hartes we haue, to be present wyth vs, to strength vs to come. Yf we come we be saued and shalbe blessed for e­uer, if we com not but make our excuses, we deceiue our selues, and for the loue of vayne and transytory delytes and pleasures lose the lyfe euerlastynge. And what shall it auayle to wynne all the worlde & lose our soules Yf we refuse to come to thys feast, let vs not loke to be bydden to any other: for it is y^e last feast and none other to be loked for after. No better messanger could he sende to vs to moue vs to come to thys feast than hys owne welbeloued sonne. God graunt vs all grace so to heare the callynge of al­myghtye God to thys hys mercyfull feaste, that we may be redy to come vnto hym in thys lyfe by grace and in the lyfe to come to be at the feaste wyth hym in hys heauenly kyngdome in glorye. To whome wyth the sonne, and the holy goost be euermore honoure and prayse worlde wythout ende. Amen.

The Epistle on the .iij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .i. epistle of Peter the .v. Chapter.

THys epistle (good people) is a ryght comforta­ble lesson, exhortynge vs to lowlynes and mo­destye by the hope of euerlastynge rewardes whych remayne vnto vs. Fyrst therfore saynt Peter byd­deth vs here to be humbled vnder the myghty hāde of god. But what calleth the scripture to be hūbled?What is to be hū bled. Surely to be humbled sygnifyeth in holy scripture to be throwen downe, to be depressed, and vtterly to be brought to nought, so that dispayryng of al mās helpe, we perceyue both that we be nothynge & that we can do nothyng, vpon whych humilitie also a certayne outwarde sobernes and mekenes foloweth towardes the worlde. They that in thys wyse beynge humbled, do cast the hole trust and affiaūce of theyr harte vpon God shall at length no doubt be promo­ted and auaunced vp on hygh. Let vs then my frendes be humbled, let vs submytte oure selues vnder the myghty hāde of God, that is to say let vs know, that whyle we submytte oure selues one to another,☜ we exhibite and do thys office of obediēce not to mē, but to God hymselfe. And assuredly thys oughte to be a ryght syngular comforte vnto vs, yf we knowe that we by our obedience do please not mē only, but [Page] also God hymselfe. But ye woll obiecte agaynst me. Who wolde not wysh to be obedient vnto God? Ye saye well, but we worship God wyth thoffice and seruice of obedience, whan we honoure our neyghbour wyth obedience, whom god commaundeth to be ho­noured. Let vs then my frendes be meke and hūble aswell in weale as in wo, and let vs euermore haue in remembraunce the myghty hande of God, wherewyth we knowe that we shall ones be delyuered, yea and also be exalted. But when? surely in due tyme, not whan it semeth good to vs, but whan God shall se it moost conuenient for vs. And let vs cast all our care vpon hym, let vs (I saye) commende and com­mytte our cause to God, whych shall fyght and care for vs.

Seconde, for asmuch as the deuel hateth nothynge worse then mutuall obedience and subiection in the congregacion:☞ Saynt Peter also in thys epistle monysheth vs that we shulde be sobre & watch, lest y^e deuell disturbe our concorde, and whyle we be aslepe come and sowe tares accordynge to the parable of Christ in the .xiij. chapter of Matheu. Let vs thā be sober aswel in our doctrine, as in our outwarde cō ­uersation and maners of lyfe. Let vs be vigilant & prudent in all our doynges and procedynges. And why? For our aduersary (I say not y^e worldes aduersary but y^e aduersary of thē which folow godlynes,) I meane the deuell busely wythout ceasynge wal­keth about lyke a roarynge Lyon on euery syde,Tanq̄ leo ru­giens. to what ende? to deuoure and vtterly to destroye vs. Surely (good people our mortall enemye the deuell is euer lyenge in wayte not agaynst the worlde but [Page lxxxviij] agaynst such as renounce the worlde & folow Christ I meane such as be ryght christian mē and women to thintent he myghte chase and dryue them awaye from the confession of the Gospel vnto foule and vncleane lustes, whome onles we resyst wyth fayth, so­brenes, watchyng, and warenes, he wol surely haue the vpper hande of vs, and cast vs downe hedlong. How then shall we chase awaye the deuel? wyth outwarde and carnall thynges? No truly, but with stedfast fayth, whych commeth from the harte cleauyng fast to Christ the Lorde and conquerour of Satan our enemye, knowynge this,☜ that the same afflicciōs be appoynted to y^e hole christen brotherhod through out the worlde. Wherfore we ought not to thynke that we only be tempted and troubled, but we suffer it in cōmune wyth so many as are earnest beleuers of Christes holy worde.

Fynally we be here cōforted agaynst the crosse and temptacions and be put in mynde by saynt Peter, y^t the God of all grace whych hath called vs to hys e­ternal glorye by Christ our Lorde, woll at last dely­uer vs, and not suffer vs to be tempted aboue oure powers, and where he suffreth vs to be tempted, yet he wyll make perfyte our temptacions and wyl confirme, strengthen, and stablysh vs in them, lest we perysh or take a fal and so be vtterly vainquyshed of our enemy and be con­founded. To hym be glorye, prayse, & dominion worlde wythout ende. Amen.

The Gospell on the .iij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .xv. chapter of Luke.

IN thys Gospell (deare brethren) is set before our eyen the notable exemple of the louyng kyndnes and mercy of Christ towardes vs wretched synners and lost shepe, vnto whome only thys gospell is propouned for a synguler comforte. For the pharisees & scribes whych be blynded with theyr owne proper iustice, be not only no partakers of thys moost comfortable Gospell, but more ouer they vtterly vnderstād it not. Yea whan they se that Christe bestoweth hys Gospell vpon synners, they grudge therat, & inuye that they shulde haue such fauour and grace at hys handes.

The publicanes then, that is to saye, customers,Publicanes. tribute gatherers, or baylyfes, whych amonges the Iues and namely amōges the religiouse pharisees were counted vnholy persons, and the other notori­ous and open synners resorted to Christe, to heare hym. They had herde much of hym, and what won­ders and myracles he had shewed amonges the people, and namely they had herde of hys comfortable doctrine. Wherfore they come now, knowyng them selues synners, and therfore not quyet in theyr cōscience, to seke rest to theyr soules, and to heare Christ, whome forthwyth he louyngly receyueth, and lyke a tender and a good phisician goeth about to laye his medecine and salue to theyr diseases. All hys paci­ent hearers and humble suters he healeth, not onely in body, but also in soule. But the moost holy and religious pharisees and famouse doctours of the law and scribes are nothynge content herew^t, they mur­moure, they grudge, they snouffe at hym, and what saye they? Lo thys felowe, whyche is reported to be [Page] the sonne of God and whych maketh himselfe so perfyte and holy a persone receyueth synful persons in to hys company, and eateth & drynketh wyth them. But he put forth this parable vnto them. &c. Good people ye shal vnderstande, that our mayster Christ bycause he wolde not gyue a iust cause of offense to the pharisees & scribes, studyeth to heale them wyth two feate parables, by whych he teacheth, that not without cause, he receiueth synners and eateth with them. Yea he declareth, that hys office requyreth to preache glad tydynges to the poore, not to breake a broused rede, nor to quenche the smokynge flaxe, as Esay had prophecyed of hym.Esa. xl. Moreouer that hys offyce and feate was to feede hys flocke lyke a shepeherde, to gather together the lambes with hys arme to releue them in hys bosome,Ezechi. xxxiiii. also such as be lost to seke vp, such as go astraye to brynge agayne, suche as be wounded to bynde vp, suche as be weake to make stronge, and so forth. Al these offyces of Christ be euery where recorded in scripture, and he doth ex­presse them here in the parables insuynge, to thintēt he wolde shewe that he doth not amysse in that he receyueth synners and taketh meate wyth them. In dede Christ myght haue made answere to the pharisees and scribes wythout parables euen wyth open textes out of the prophetes concernynge hys offices But thys he doth not, that hearynge they shuld not heare, and seynge they shuld not se, but at last shuld peryshe by the iust iudgement of God. And in these parables lyeth hyd the ryght dradfull iudgement of God agaynst these proude religious and holy pha­risees that woll euermore iustifye themselues which [Page xc] shalbe reiected and shaken of wyth theyr iusticies, where as the penitent and lowly synners shalbe re­ceyued. What man of you, (sayth Christe) whyche yf he haue an hundred shepe and fortune to lose one of them wyll not forthwyth leaue the fourescore & nyn­tene in wyldernesse, and go after that whych is lost vntyll he fynde it? And whan he hath founde it, for ioye he layeth it on hys shulders, and he cōmeth not so sone home, but he calleth together hys frendes & hys neyghbours and desyreth them to reioyse wyth hym for the fyndynge agayne of hys lost shepe. So sayeth Christ, ioye shalbe in heauen ouer one synner that repenteth more then ouer foure score and .xix. persons whych nede no repentaunce. My frendes what meaneth thys parable?The declaraciō of the parable who is thys sheperd or shepemayster? Surely it is our mayster Christ, he fedeth hys shepe, he teacheth all men in the wylsome & deserte worlde, of these shepe, one strayth abrode and is lost, the other in theyr owne conceytes and iudge­ment erre not but be styll in the ryght waye and therfore they nede not to be sought and to be redemed. And truly (good people) the nomber is very smal of them y^t shalbe saued, for the rest of the people thinke themselues iust and ryghtuous persons by the me­rytes of theyr owne workes. The shepe that goeth a straye sygnifyeth them whych know themselues synners, these doth Christ seke vp, yea he came for these mens sakes that he myght redeme them. Here then ye se the fynall cause and vse of Christ.Esa. xlij The sonne of man came to seke and saue that was lost, he came in to thys worlde to saue synners. So then there be .ij. sortes of iust or ryghtuous persons in the worlde. [Page] He that knowlegeth his synnes & vnworthines, and beleueth on hym that iustifyeth the wycked, is iuste by fayth, and he is the true iust and good person. The other is he that woll be iustifyed & made good by the workes of the lawe,Iustice pharisaicall. thys iustice is called the pharisaicall iustice. Of thys iustice Christ speaketh thus. Onles your ryghtuousnes passe the ryghtu­ousnes of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall not en­tre into the kyngdome of God.Math. v And in the .xvi. chapter of Luke he sayeth. Ye be they which iustify your selues before men, but God knoweth your hartes. The seconde parable of the woman whych had lost a grote, and after much sekynge, founde it agayne, meaneth the same thynge, that y^e other parable doth In dede the woman is a weake vessell.☞ So Christe applyeth hymselfe to the weake and vnperfyte per­sons. The woman lyghteth a candell, swepeth her house, seketh diligently her coigne that she hath lost she neuer ceaseth tyl she hath foūde it agayne. Euen so carefull and desyrous is our Sauiour Christe to call synners to repentaunce.☞ Now yf ye woll knowe the cause of our repentaunce, ye shall vnderstande, that it is not our owne worke nor our owne meryte and deseruynge, but bycause Christ our shepeherde seketh vs, yea we shulde vtterly perysh strayenge in the wyldernes, yf Christ our herdmā sought vs not vp. But how doth he seke vs? Truly by hys worde, whyche beynge preached vnto vs reproueth vs of our wandrynge and strayenge abrode, whyche kno­wen, we be brought agayne by Christe our pastoure and shepeherde to the flocke, that is to wyte, we be made the true members of the true church. And af­ter [Page xci] we be ones reduced and broughte home agayne to the flocke, we be not set in a felde alone by our sel­ues, where we alone shall fede, but togyther wyth y^t rest of the flocke and vnder our shepeherde we seke all one and the same fode and do the same that the rest of the shepe do. Finally forasmuch as Christ sayeth, that the angels in heauen do ioye vpon such as repent, we be here taught y^t repentaunce is a worke very acceptable and pleasynge to God.

Wherfore my frendes let vs not be lykened to these religiouse proude and presumptuouse Pharisees & scribes whych murmured and grudged at the tēder harte and kyndnes of our Sauiour Christ, & which iustifyed themselues; despysynge all other in comparison of them, bycause of theyr owne tradicions and obseruaunces & therfore thoughte they had no nede of Christ. But let vs humbly and thankfully at the preachynge of Christes holy worde, whyche it hathe pleased hym now in these last dayes to disclose and open agayne vnto vs, to repente vs of oure wan­drynge out of the ryght waye. And thā doubtles the angels in heauen shall haue more ioye ouer vs, thā ouer all those which were counted moost holy & perfyte persons in the syght of the worlde. Whych an­gels also at oure departure out of thys vale of mysery shal cary vp our soules into heuen, where we shall haue the moost ful fru­ition of all ioye wyth Christe our Lorde. To whome wyth the father and holy goost be all glorye. Amen.

The Epistle on the .iiij. sondaye after trinitie. The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes.

THe holy Apostle saynt Paule welbeloued bre­thren and systers consyderyng the state of true christen men whych lyue godly in thys worlde to be full of aduersities and troubles whych be offred vnto them both by the worlde,Psalm. xxxiij. the fleshe, and the deuel, and knowynge the weake power of frayle men to be farre vnable to stande stedfastly in them, onles they be armed & fensed with the armoure of gods worde, exhorteth vs therfore in thys epistle by dyuerse rea­sons [Page lxcij] to pacience and sufferaūce: and comforteth vs wyth the great ioye and glorye that shal be declared vnto vs in the worlde to come. He affirmeth vnto vs that what so euer we can suffer in thys worlde is but shorte and transytory: but the ioye that we shall receyue is durable and euerlastynge. Howe great so euer the payne be of oure aduersitie that we suffer here, I thynke it nothynge (sayeth saynt Paule) to y^e glorye that shall appeare vnto vs, which is so great and infinite that it can not be comprehended of any mans vnderstandynge.i. cor. ij Esa. lxiiij. It farre passeth the eye of man to se thorowe it, or the eare to heare y^e greatnes therof or the harte of man to vnderstande the glorye that God hath prepared for them y^t loue hym, which are content after the exemple of hys welbeloued son Christ to suffer and to beare theyr crosse wyth good harte and wyll. Let vs therfore behold not so much the grefe and despyte of persecution and despleasu­res of thys worlde, as the bryghtnes and excellency of the glorye that we shalbe in, whyche although we se it not wyth our corporall eye, yet wyth the eye of our fayth in the myrrour of goddes worde we se it much more clerly, and shall more surely enioye it thā we se & enioye those thynges, whyche be vnder oure corporall syght. Yf the greatnes of aduersitie fea­reth vs, let vs call to mynde that whan we suffer in­nocently, we suffer wyth Christ and Christ wyth vs. Yf we be of the body by true fayth, than maye we be sure that the heade beareth parte wyth vs and hel­peth vs in our aduersitie. In hys power & assistence we shall ouercome. Of our selfe we be to weake, but in hys power sayeth saynt Paule in whom is my cō fortephil. iiij [Page] I can do all thynges. Let noman thynke it impossible to beare paciently the losse of name, of goo­des, of wyfe and chyldren, to beare the great assaul­tes of the deuels temptacions: for to ouercome the stronge & vnruly affections of our corrupte nature, and thervpon in cowardnes to gyue ouer and suffer our selues to be led vnder theyr captiuitie, nay there is nothynge to harde to be performed of a christian man in whome the spirite of God is abydynge.

Ioh. xviTake good hart sayeth our Sauiour and captaine Christ I haue ouercome the worlde and al these for you. It is not impossible for you to resyst & to haue the victory: for fayth subdueth all thynges and hath the victory of al thynges that be agaynst you, for al thynges be possible to fayth.Mat. ix. Thys is the comforte that a christian man maye haue to consyder that it is not hys aduersitie alone whyche he suffreth, but Christ hys heade and captayne suffereth wyth hym. As he sayd to Saul whā he persecuted the christian men,Act. ix. Saul Saul, why doest thou persecute me? It ought to be no straunge thynge to vs to suffer.i. tess. iij Heb. xij For saynt Paul sayeth that we be ordeyned for thys vse and purpose. In chastisement doth god nurture his chyldren whome he loueth. Yf our lyfe be in chastisement and aduersitie and we lyue in paciēce: we may haue good hope that as we be made lyke to Christe in trouble and affliction, so shall we be lyke to hym in glorye. The waye to pleasure is by aduersitie, to welth by infirmitie, to glorye by rebuke and shame, to ryches euerlastyng, by transitory pouertie. After none other sorte walked our sauiour Christ in thys worlde.Math. [...] It were vnmete the disciple to be aboue the [Page xciij] mayster. It were not mete the souldioure to be more delicatly handled than hys captayne.Ro. viij. Who can re­quyre of God to be spared frō hys crosse, where god spared not hys owne deare and welbeloued sonne Christ? He suffred al reproffes and afflictions & suf­fered to the death of y^e crosse and yet deserued it not,Phil. ij. why than shuld not we that be synners content our selues to suffer, whether God ordeyneth aduersitie to fall vpon vs, for our synnes to thintent to purge vs of them, or whether he wolde haue vs suffer for the tryall of oure faytht, hat so by oure pacience, we myght glorifye hys name and edify our neyghbour by our exemple? Let vs blisse our selues in the name of the father, of the sonne, and the holy goost, & offer oure selues to beare what so euer he thynketh mete for our soule. Let vs praye that we may haue fayth to stande and not be ouercomed of the temtacion of aduersitie. It is no small cōforte to vs that we suf­fer not alone. Such an vnitie & consente is there betwene the members of Christes mysticall body, that what one member suffreth,i. co. xij Heb. iiij all the resydue fele the grefe of the same: & beare theyr parte of the burthen And yf thys semeth not ynough all the creatures of God, seme to fele our aduersitie and to suffre wyth vs: and desyre and tarye for (in hope) theyr delyue­raunce. They seme to vnderstande, as they be abu­sed in the worlde, that so also be the electe. They se themselues created of God to the vse and necessitie of mā, whom they serue w^t ryght good wil, & they se thēselfes otherwhyles sore abused in excesse & riot, & therfore they be greued therwyth. And yet though it be against theyr wylles, they are styl subiecte for his sake that ordeyned them, and are cōtent for his pleasure [Page] to be subiecte to mutabilitie and beare pacient­ly the vanitie of mē in theyr abuse in hope yet ones of delyueraunce. They desyre not to be aboue y^e dig­nitie of goddes deare and chosen seruauntes, whom they se vnworthely dealte wythal in the worlde, but beare theyr bondage and captiuitie well in worth, takynge such parte as goddes moost worthye creatu­res do, for they knowe that they shall ones be delyuered, not only from theyr payne and trauayle in chaū gynge and renewynge themselues frō tyme to tyme for mans vse and commoditie, in perpetuall generation and corruption: but shal also be delyuered from the abuse whych the vngodly holde & occupye them vniustly in. A lybertie and delyueraunce they loke for in hope, whych they knowe certaynly shall than chaūce to them, whan they shal se y^e chyldren of god deliuered from theyr labours and trauayles and set in theyr glorye of ioyfull rest. Thys is the delyue­raunce whych all creatures sorowe and wayle dayly for, and are in as feruente desyre to se thys delyue­raunce, as the woman whyche is in trauayle of hyr chylde longeth for the delyueraunce therof. In a parable (good frendes) thus saynt Paule speaketh vnto you, to comforte you, that for some solace of your payne and aduersitie, ye haue all y^e creatures of god suffer with you. Count it not for any vayn inuentiō fayned of saynt Paule, for he sayd that he knewe it to be thus in dede, that al creatures do suffer parte wyth goddes electe in theyr troubles. Which thinge myght we lerne and know also yf we woll consyder wyth better aduysement the thynge whych he spea­keth. For consyder me what doth it sygnifye to vs: [Page xciiij] whan we se the wery oxe wayle and pante vnder his yooke: the horse grone vnder hys burthen, and the poore lambe blete whan he is drawen and dryuen to hys slaughter: whā all beastes trauayle wyth payne and doloure to increase in theyr kynde, whan al creatures are subiecte to such continuall alteration, for­med and reformed frō one fasshion to another, what sygnifyeth it vnto vs but that they be partakers of such paynes as goddes seruauntes be put to?

They suffer and resyst not, for so they se such porci­on to fall to the electe of God. And therfore in hope of delyueraūce they abyde what so euer the vse and necessitie of man requyreth of them, or yet what soe­uer abuse and tyranny mans malyce put them to. And thus in theyr paynfull trauayle they continue tyll the daye come whan goddes chyldren shalbe de­lyuered of all theyr mysery, which they lōge for both for the electes sake and theyr owne also. Thys de­syre and carefulnes is not in vnreasonable creatu­res only, neyther do they alone suffer such vexacion and abuse in the world to be wrongfully dealt with: but we our selues (sayeth saynt Paule) whych haue the fyrst frutes of goddes spirite, endowed wyth singuler prerogatyues aboue other of goddes house­holde, beynge the heades and teachers of the people and made of God y^e vessels to receaue and kepe the moost worthy and excellent treasure of hys gospell,ij co. iiij we our selfe are in daunger & subiecte to manyfolde aduersities in the worlde, in somuch that we are as men dayly in daunger and iudged to death, and are reputed as shepe euermore ready to the slaughter. We se so many vnworthy thynges done in y^e world,Ro. viii. [Page] that we desyre to be out of the worlde and to be with Christ. Such combraunce and greuaūce we fele in thys corruptible body, that we sygh and dayly lōge to be delyuered. We desyre much to haue thys tabernacle of our bodyes to be chaunged and altered that we maye be endowed wyth our heuenly house from aboue.ij. cor. v. Now (my frendes) these thynges well consy­dered,Eph. vi let vs take vpō vs y^e armure of God, to fyght agaynst our inuisible enemyes. Let vs paciently a­byde all griefes and displeasures of thys lyfe, that we maye raygne wyth Christ another daye. It is no smale ioye that we be called to. It is farre passynge all the passions that we can suffer here. And let vs as I sayd call to mynde, that we suffer not alone. Christ our heade suffereth wyth vs, by whose assys­tence, we shalbe able to stande. And suche cōmunion and felowship is there betwene the mēbers of Chri­stes body, that what the one suffereth, all other suf­fer wyth it. Yea al y^e creatures of god are partakers wyth vs, and in hope to be delyuered they suffer pa­ciently. No creature shulde desyre to be exempte frō trouble in thys worlde: seynge Christ goddes natu­rall sonne, was not exempt, seynge goddes holy pro­phetes and apostles were not exempt. Let vs thā cō mytte our selues into the handes of God, and arme our selues wyth pacience, so that we maye glori­fye goddes holy name by our well doynge, that an other daye, we maye be taken for hys well beloued chyldren. To whome be all glorye for euer and euer. AMEN.

The Gospell on the .iiij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .vi. chapter of Luke.

GOod people our Sauiour Christ in thys gos­pell setteth forth vnto vs certayne christian la­wes that is to saye certayne officies or duties of charitie and frutes of fayth.

Fyrst he byddeth vs be mercyfull and tender of hart [Page] But after what sorte? As paynyms or publicanes be? No, but euen accordyng to thexemple of our hea­uenly father. Why, how mercyfull is oure heauenly father vnto vs? Surely he whan we were hys ene­myes and had deserued no kyndnes at hys handes, yet of an excedyng mercy whych he bare to mākynd, vouchesaued to sende downe hys only begottē sōne to redeme vs wyth hys moost precious bloude. He also from tyme to tyme as often as by frayltie we offende hys maiestye, yf we humbly aske mercy, forgyueth vs.Math. v Yea he sendeth hys rayne, he causeth the Sonne, the moone, the starres, and hys heuenly planetes to shyne, aswel vpon hys enemyes as frendes and louers. But yet (sayth Christ) blessed and happy be the mercyfull, for they shall agayne receyue mer­cy. He that hath the substaunce and goodes of thys worlde, and seeth hys brother in nede, and shutteth vp the intrayles of hys harte from hym, howe can the loue and charitie of God remayne in such a per­son,i. Io. iij sayeth y^e Euangelist Ihon? Certes, he that hath compassion and pytie of the poore, is a great gayner and who so fedeth, shalbe fedde agayne.

Seconde, Christ byddeth vs here not to iudge, and we shall not be iudged. For he shall haue iudgemēte wythout mercy (sayth saynt Iames) whych sheweth no mercy.Iaco. ii. Let me alone therfore wyth vengeaunce sayeth the Lorde, and I shall requyte. But marke my frendes that thys is only spoken of priuate iud­gement and priuate condemnation, that is to saye, I maye not be myne owne iudge, I maye not re­uenge myne owne quarell, but I muste cōmytte the cause to God and he shall iudge my quarel and pu­nysh [Page xcvi] accordyngly. It is not ment of publyke iudge­ment. For suche as be rulers and publyke officers represent not theyr owne persons, but they represent the person of almyghty God, and they be hys depu­ties and ministers.Ro. xiij And for thys cause saynt Paule woll that euery soule shulde submytte hymselfe to y^e authoritie of the hygh powers. For there is (sayeth he) no power but of God. Yea the iudges and Ma­gistrates in scripture be called Goddes. Also saynt Peter thapostle sayeth.i. Pet. ij Submytte your selues vn­to euery humane creature for our Lordes sake whether it be vnto a kynge as vnto y^e chefe heade, or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of hym, for the punyshment of euell doers, and prayse of wel doers By thys texte of S. Peter ye se playnly y^t it is law­full for rulers to punysh. But punysh they can not, onles they iudge and condemne the gyltye. So thā it is lawfull for rulers, to iudge and to cōdemne, bycause they do it not in theyr own name, but as gods ministers and vycares. To thys do all the auncient expositours and doctours agre, as saynte Austine,☜ Hierome, Ambrose, Chrysostome and the rest. Wherfore the wycked Anabaptistes are to be banyshed whych condemne temporall or ciuile iudgementes. It foloweth in the texte.

Forgyue and ye shalbe forgyuen. Here my frendes ye se, that onles we forgyue other mē theyr offences, whych they haue trespassed agaynst vs, our heauenly father woll not surely forgyue vs. And therfore we saye in our pater noster called y^e Lordes prayer. Dimitte nobis debita nostra, Math. v sicut & nos dimittimꝰ debitoribus nostris. That is to saye: Forgyue vs [Page] our dettes or synnes, euen as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. So, yf thou cannest not fynde in thy harte, to forgyue thy neyghboure hys faultes thou mayest be ryght sure, that god wyl not forgiue the thy faultes. He byddeth vs also gyue, and it shal be gyuen vnto vs.Math xviij Ro. xiiij For frely haue we taken and therfore frely we ought to gyue. What hast thou (sayeth Paule) but thou hast receyued the same before of al­myghty God?ij. cor. ix Surely, he that soweth skantly & ny­gardly, shall repe skantly. Yf we be faythfull stewardes in lytle, God wyll surely rewarde vs in muche. But he y^t is vnfaythfull in lytle, how can he be faythfull in muche sayeth Christ? Wherfore loke w^t what measure that we mete wythall to others, wyth the same shal other men mete to vs agayne. I pray you (sayeth our Sauiour Christ) can the blynde leade the blynde? Here he teacheth vs to be contente wyth hys doctrine, for els we shal wander lyke blynde be­tels. He is blynde whych hath not the pure & ryghte vnderstandynge of gods worde, yf thys man tea­cheth, he teacheth not well, he can be no good leader or guyde.

Why seest thou a moate in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beame in thyne owne eye? O how vncomly, how wycked, how ypocrite lyke, how vncharitable a thynge is it, to iudge oure neyghbours of lyghte maters, where as we be an hundred tymes worse our selues? Why do we not rather gētly bear, dissemble, and interprete well the small erroure and faulte of our brethren? Why do we not rather go downe to the intrayles of our owne harte,Esopes wallet and se our owne stuffe? Esope the fable wryter doth very [Page xcvij] well paynt vs, he fayneth that euery man hath two pookes or wallettes, the one hangynge before him, the other hangynge behynde hym. In that whyche hangeth before vs be put other mens faultes. Into thys pooke we be alwayes perynge and lokyng, but in the other pooke of the wallet whyche hangeth at our backe wherin our own faultes be put, we neuer loke. Wherfore he wolde haue vs turne the wallet an other whyle the cōtrary way. Assuredly he ought to be voyde of all faultes, that shulde be ready to speake agaynst other mē. Also it is dyrectly agaynst the eyght commaundemente of God, to speake any false testimony or worde agaynst thy brother. Yet thys notwythstandynge it is lawful for the charita­bly to monyshe thy neyghboure of hys faulte, accor­dynge to saynt Paules lesson. Yf a man be founde in any faulte, ye that be goostly, reproue suche a per­son after a gentle sorte. Also he sayeth: Reproue,i. tim. v. Esa. lviij be­sech, blame tymely vntymely in all pacience. Crye, cease not, as a trompe lyfte vp thy voyce. Yf thy brother (sayeth Christ) trespasse agaynst the,Math. xviij go and tell hym hys faulte betwene the and hym alone. Yf he heare the, thou hast wōne thy brother, but yf he hear the not, than take yet with the one or two, that in the mouth of two or thre wytnesses euery matter maye be establyshed. Yf he heare not them, tell it vnto the congregacion. Yf he heare not the congregacion, let hym be vnto the as an hethen mā & as a publicane. Lo good frendes here ye be taught by Christe, to be tender harted or mercyfull accordynge to thexemple of the father in heauen, not to iudge, not to cōdemne but to remytte all to God and to gods minister the [Page] temporall ruler, we be taughte to be perfyte and not to be captiouse but gently to wynke at the small of­fenses of our brethrē. These be the preceptes of our Sauiour Christ, wherby a christian mā shalbe kno­wen. Wherfore let vs earnestly imbrase them & exe­cute them in our lyuynge. So doynge we shall de­clare our selues, that we be in dede y^e chyldren of the father in heauen whose properties we folowe. To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be all glorye in infinita secula. Amen.

The Epistle on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie. The .i. epistle of S. Peter the .iij. chapter.

IN thys Epistle good people thapostle Peter in­structeth vs in a generaltye what it becommeth all good christen folke to do. Brefly therfore to con­clude (sayeth saynt Peter) se ye be all of one mynde, as who shulde saye, be not contentiouse & stryuynge one agaynst another, neyther in lernynge, nor yet in your other worldly matters, but be ye compaciente,Compacient that is to saye, suffer together and beare one wyth an other, be ye indowed with brotherly loue and charitie, be ye tender of harte & pytifull, easy to forgyue all offences, easy to departe youre goodes and mo­ney, as ye may spare it, to the reliefe and succoure of your pore neighbour, se ye be also meke, courteouse, affable, gentle to speake vnto. Moreouer se ye rēder not euel for euell, but beare ye iniurye and wronge paciently, accordynge to the example of Christ, resignynge and commyttynge the punyshment and ven­geaūce to gods hande, or to the correction of the ru­ler whych is gods minister and which beareth not a swearde for nought. Yea rather contrary wyse,Ro. xiij se ye do good, and blesse you them, that wronge you, and whych worke you displeasures, knowyng thys, that ye were called by the franke election of God & of his special grace and mere goodnes euen before the foū dacions of the worlde were layde,Ephe. i. that ye shulde re­ceyue not the blessynge of the world but the blessing of the heritage of God, that is to wyt, euerlastynge lyfe, whych heritage pertayneth vnto vs not as vn­to naturall chyldren but as chyldren of adoption & election. For assuredly, my frendes, he that woll be happy and be counted iust eyther in thys lyfe before men, or in the lyfe to come wyth God, and wyth hys [Page] holy angels, what shall he do sayeth saynt Peter. Let hym refrayne and temper his tonge from euel, so that he breake not charitie, and let hym holde in & represse hys lyppes, y^t they vtter no gyle, no deceypt, no fraude, no dissimulation, no hypocrisie, no vn­trouth. Let hym, I saye, eschue from euel, and do the thynge that is good and honest both before God & man. Let hym seke not after discorde, variaūce, and debate, but after peace, after vnitie, after concorde, & let hym folowe and insue it. For be ye ryght well as­sured, that the eyen of the Lorde God are ouer the ryghtuouse, and hys eares are opē to theyr prayers. And agayne, the terrible visage and face of y^e Lorde is ouer all them that do euell, as who shulde saye: God loueth and fauoreth al such, as do wel & which lyue after a godly and honest sorte, & beynge in per­fyte loue and charitye wyth theyr neyghbours and euen christen, he heareth theyr prayers, he accepteth theyr oblacions and sacrificies, as oure Sauioure Christ hath taught vs in the .v. chapter of S. Mat­theu. But on the contrary syde God hateth and ab­horreth all such as be euel doers, yea and also he punysheth them whan he seeth hys tyme.

Fynally, the Apostle Peter doth here propoūde and set forth vnto vs two great commodities and profytes, whych folow them that worke well, the one is a temporall pleasure and commoditie to be taken here in thys worlde, whyche is, that no man shall harme them, yf they lyue after a ciuile and honeste fashion amonges men in the worlde, the other is an euerla­stynge and heauenly commoditie to be taken in the worlde to come, whych is, euerlastynge blesse. But [Page xcix] peraduenture ye woll saye:☜ What yf we do well and yet we be wrongfully vexed & troubled in y^e worlde? Saynt Peter answereth, and sayeth. Happy are ye, yf ye suffer for ryghtuousnesse sake, and therfore he wylleth vs, not to be affrayed for any terrour of thē, neyther yet to be troubled, but thankfully to prayse and glorifye God in our hartes.

Hythervnto my frendes, I haue brefly declared the mynde of S. Peter vnto you, whych exhorteth you in thys epistle to good workes. But ye muste consy­der that in the former parte of hys epistle he taught and spake of fayth to be reposed and set in our Sa­uiour Christ. For as saynt Austine affirmeth,Austine it is the intencion that maketh the good worke, and it is the fayth that must directe the intencion. Let vs thā do good workes, accordynge to saynt Peters exhor­tacion here, of pure loue and faythe vnfayned. So doynge, we shalbe sure to be crowned wyth immortalitie by god the father of heauen. To whome be glorye and prayse for euer. Amen.

The gospell on the .v. sondaye after Trinitie. The .v. chapter of Luke.

IN thys Gospel (good people) Christ teacheth the vertue and power of hys worde, to thyntent to cō firme the fayth of hys disciples, that he is the true Messias, God an man. Furthermore he taketh care for theyr bodelye sustenaunce sygnifyenge, that no­thyng can wel prosper, onles he furthereth and put­teth [Page C] hys hande thervnto. Now thā after that Christ had preached in Galilie (as in the chapter before is mencioned) it came to passe, when the synfull people whych were troubled in conscience wyth theyr offenses, preassed vpon hym, to heare the worde of God, that theyr conscience myghte be healed by the medi­cine therof, he stode by the lake of Genezareth which is a water of Galilie, and he saw two shippes stande by the water syde, but the fyshermen were gone out of them and were washynge theyr nettes. For they had laboured al nyght in vayne and had caught no fyshe. Wherfore they now vtterly despayred to take any there, and therfore they were about to haue left worke. But our Sauioure Christe, knowynge all wythin hymselfe, & sekynge herby occasion, to shewe hys power (for thā is god wont moost of al to helpe, when man can do no good) entred into one of y^e shippes whych pertayned to Simon, whome afterward Christ named Peter. And Christ,Roga­uit eum. wheras he was the sonne of God and had all in hys hande, and myght haue commaunded, and taken awaye all, yet he dyd none of all thys, but mekely and gently prayed this Symon, that he wolde thurst out his shyppe a lytle from the lande, to thintent he myght the more quyetly syt hymselfe downe and teache. But ye wyll aske,Sedens doce­bat. why Christ sat whan he taught? Surely, syttinge is a sygne of a meke and peacible preacher, he was not a busye and braggynge stryuer or contender, as many preachers be, but he taught in moost quyet and sober wyse. And whan he had lefte speakyng, he bad Simon launche out into the depe & let slyppe theyr nettes to make a draught. Here ye shall marke,☜ that [Page] Christ fyrst feadeth the soule wyth hys preachynge, or euer he feade the bodye wyth meate, for els forth­wyth, whan he had sene y^e fyshermen washyng theyr nettes, he myght haue wrought the myracle folow­ynge. But Christ is euer wonte to preferre the fode of the soule, before the thynges pertaynynge to the sustentacion of the body,Mat. vi. and therfore he wylleth vs fyrst to seke the kyngdome of heauen and the iustice therof, and all shalbe cast vnto vs. Wherfore after he had fedde the people wyth preachynge, he confir­meth it wyth a myracle.The vse of myracles. For the vse of all myracles is that by the same the doctrine of Christe shulde be confirmed. Now thys myracle tendeth hervnto, that all our labour & trauayle for our bodely sustenaūce is in vayne, onles the blessynge and helpinge hande of God be put therto. Wherfore these fyshermen, bycause they fyrst sought the kyngdom of god, be now bydden to laūche out into the depe, and to let slyppe theyr nettes to make a draught. And albeit that Simon Peter dispayred that the lettynge downe of the nettes coulde do any good, seynge they had labou­red all the nyght before in vayne, yet anone he bele­ueth Christes worde and applyeth hymselfe by faith to the byddynge of Christ. So they dyd cast downe theyr nette and caught an excedynge great nombre of fyshes. Here we be exhorted to labour, and also to fayth, that we shulde beleue the worde of god, which yf we do, there shalbe no doubt at al for our lyuing, but it shall folow, not skasely, but plētyfully, so that it shalbe ynough for Peter,☞ & that Peter maye gyue parte to other. Now whan Simon Peter sawe the great myracle that Christ wrought here wyth hym, [Page ci] he fell downe at Iesus knees, sayenge: Lorde, go frō me, for I am a synfull man. Here good people we be taught, what we owe to the Lorde for hys benefites and large blessynge of foode. Fyrst to be thankefull vnto hym accordynge to thexemple of Peter. Se­condly, that we shulde acknowlege oure vnworthy­nes, how we be farre vnworthy that God shulde be­stowe so hygh benefytes vpon vs.Repentaunte harte. And thys vnworthynes ought to sprynge of the knowlege of our sinnes, as Peter here lyke a good penitent person said: Lorde departe from me, for I am a synfull man.

Thus a man to shewe hys kyndnes and to know­lege hymselfe a synfull person before God, the scrip­ture calleth it the sacrifice of prayse moost accepta­ble to the Lorde of heauen.☜ But what dyd our Sa­uiour Christ answere agayne vnto Symon Peter? Feare not from hence forth thou shalt catch men. Here we be warned by thexemple of Peter, Iames, & Ihon, to set all thynges behynde the studye of the Gospell, and yf by the state of oure lyfe we be called to the offyce of preachynge, to obey our callynge. But mans reason, as it woll rule all: so it is here al­so very busye, whych whan it heareth, Obiecti¦on y^t these fyshermen left altogether and folowed Christe, forthwyth gathereth. Then after the receyuynge of the gospell we must forsake, wyfe, chyldren, landes, and all that we haue. To thys I answere, that thys conclusion can not be applyed to the exemples of these fyshermen.Solutiō For they chaunged not the condicion and state of theyr lyfe. For the Euangelist doth not expresse that. But admytte they chaunged the state of theyr lyfe: Ye muste consyder that they were called to an [Page] other state for they were called to catche men, that is to saye, to preach gods worde. Howbeit here is not prescribed in these Apostles a commaundement for vs to folowe the same, albeit they left al y^t they had. The fayth of sayntes or holy persons is to be folo­wed of all men generally,☞ but it is not necessary that the workes shulde be egall in all. For els we shulde be compelled to become fyrste fyshermen, and after­warde to leaue fyshyngcraft as these disciples dyd. Ye must vnderstande then that the Gospell pertey­neth to the conscience, and therfore it teacheth not y^e chaunge of the temporall lyfe or state whyche ciuile ordinaunce alloweth. Let vs then (my frendes) fo­lowe the fayth of thys Apostle Peter, and hys peni­tent harte, confessynge our vnworthynes. And then doubt we not, but we shalbe called to the greate feaste, where we shall sytte at table wyth the hole company of heauen in the heauen­ly palace of God the father. To whome wyth the sonne and holy goost be prayse and glorye. AMEN.

The Epistle on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie. The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes.

AFter the holy Apostle saint Paule (good christē people) had declared to the Romaynes the profyte of these two great artycles of our fayth, that is to saye, christes death and his resurrection, shewing them, that Christ by hys moost precious death pur­chased the euerlastynge remission of our synne, and by hys resurrection ascended vp to heauen to open the gates therof for vs, and apeased y^e wrath of the father and made vs in fauoure agayne wyth hym & that by this his dede we be iustified,☜ made goddes louynge chyldren and the ryghte enheritours of the kyngdome of heuen: now in thys epistle he teacheth [Page] vs an other lesson to be cōsydered in Christes death and resurrection, and setteth it before vs as an exē ­ple to folow the maner therof in our owne selfe, meanynge it shulde not auayle vs to beleue that Christe dyed and rose agayne from death: excepte we woll conforme our lyfe to hys death and resurrection. Do ye not knowe (sayeth saynt Paule) what further thynge is sygnifyed vnto you in Christes death? or to what ende ye be baptysed? Verely so many as be christened in the name of Christ Iesus and by bap­tisme be grafte in the nomber of hys seruauntes, be therfore baptised that in a certayne similitude they shulde dye wyth hym. Such a signification and fy­gure hath Christes death vnto vs, that besyde that it is the pryce of our synnes, it monysheth vs daylye to dye to synne, dayly to mortifye and to slee y^e euell affections and motions of synne and concupiscence rysynge vp in our hartes agaynst the wyll of God. And verely such a sygnification hath the ceremonye of our baptysme also vnto vs.The sig­nifica­cion of bap­tisme For whan we be plonged vnder the water, and be lyfte vp agayne: it meaneth nothinge els but that our synne is washed and slayne by Christ, and we by hys grace lyft vp frome deth (whych our synne deserued) to euerlasting lyfe. It sygnifyeth furthermore that we there promyse to dye to synne & dayly to ryse vp agayne out of synne to a new lyfe, the lyfe of ryghtuousnes. And thys is the vertue & fygure of baptysme, whych yf we take not after thys purpose, we do but deceyue oure sel­ues wyth the outwarde token of the sacrament and lose the inwarde commoditie therof. Wherfore my frendes consyder the spirituall meanynge of this holy [Page ciij] sacrament, & let it put you in mynde that ye haue promysed there a perpetuall mortificacion and pe­naunce of your synne: wherof it is a sygne. Ye be ones baptysed, and nede nomore to receyue the sa­crament, but yet the sygnification therof muste ye dayly fulfyll, that is, to dye to synne, & to ryse more and more to perfytnes of lyfe. For we be not washed from our synne by the bloude of Christe shed for vs in hys death, that we shulde retourne agayne therto but therfore be we clensed, that from henseforth we shulde defoule our selfe nomore wyth synne. And as Christ dyed and was buryed for vs, so shuld we dye and be buryed wyth him, that is to saye, synne shuld dye in vs and be vtterly as buryed, neuer to be sene agayne in our lyfe. And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorious spirite of the father to lyfe agayne, so shulde we dayly ryse vp from the frutes of synne to a new lyfe & walke continually there in. And as the power of goddes holy spirite raysed Christ vp agayne from death to lyfe whyche worke redounded to the greate glorye and prayse of God: euen so by the power of the same spirite, shall we be able to ryse frō death of synne to the newnes of vertuouse lyfe. In whych our doynge we shall in some maner, worke to the glorye of god when men shal se our well doynge: and prayse the father of heauen for hys grace that he worketh in vs. Let then noman refuse to mortifye hys euell affections that he fealeth in hym. That yf it be paynfull for hym to abstayne from synne: let hym consyder that els he can not be the chylde of God. For he is none of Christes y^t hath not hys spirite, and by thys token is it knowen who [Page] is grafte in Christe, and is in the state of saluation. For it is not he whyche foloweth the lustes of hys fleshe, but he whych walketh after the spirite. Let vs consyder what saynt Paule sayeth here: Yf we be lyke Christ in the similitude of hys death: we shalbe partakers wyth hym in the generall resurrection, for yf the selfe same spirite ruleth in vs to fyghte a­gaynst synne whych raysed Christe from death to e­uerlastynge lyfe, it shall also rayse vs from the cor­porall death of our body to lyfe agayne and that to lyfe euerlastynge. And let vs knowe thys of suertye that as Christe hath not slayne synne and crucifyed it vpon the crosse, that we shulde lyue in it and serue the desyre therof but that we shulde be deliuered frō the daunger of it: euen so ought we to slee oure olde Adam, that is to saye, all euyll motions and lustes of synne whyche we inheryte by that we be Adams chyldren conceyued and borne in synne. I saye we ought to subdue hym all oure lyfe tyme & kepe hym vnder by the crosse of wylful penaunce and afflictiō, so by lytle and lytle to abolysh and expell out of our soules the hole body and lompe of synne & viciouse nature wherin we be borne. In dede so to mortifye synne, that we shulde fele no motions therof so lōge as we be in the body, it can not be: but yet by goddes holy spirite yf we take good hede, we maye so lyue that we shall not serue synne and be led wylfully vnder the dominion therof. Wherfore they whyche so loue theyr euell affections, y^t they stryue not agaynst them to subdue them to God: wante goddes spirite (the gage of theyr saluation) and so serue synne as theyr lorde and mayster: and therfore be vnder the [Page ciiij] daunger of synne and deserue the stypende therof whych is euerlastyng deth:Rom. vi but he that w^t good hart and wyll studyeth to resyst and fyght against synne and the motions therof and laboureth to kyll it dayly more and more, is now iustifyed from synne that is to saye delyuered from the daunger and penaltye therof.Rom. ix For saynt Paule sayeth playnly to the Ro­maynes. Yf ye mortifye the dedes of the fleshe and lustes of the corruptible body, ye shal lyue, & in this epistle he sayeth the same, that yf we be folowers of Christ in his death, that is in dyeng to synne, we be­leue certaynly that we shall lyue wyth hym. Christe ones was rysen frō death and dyeth nomore, death shall nomore haue power of hym, for in that he dyed (sayeth oure epistle) he dyed ones for all, and by hys ones dyenge he destroyed synne for euer. He dyed ones to synne and after he was ones deade he was neuer assauted of synne after, but quyte discharged of it and nowe lyueth to God and euermore shall he enioye the lyfe whych he is now attayned vnto, and shall neuer dye agayne. Euen so suppose you youre selues deade to synne, that is to saye, thynke youre selues so to be discharged from synne & that Christe hath destroyed the power therof for you, as ye con­forme your selfe to the lyfe of vertue. In baptysme ye dye to synne and promyse to lyue to ryghtuous­nes: and therfore yf ye kepe youre promyse you be deade to synne and synne is vtterly deade in you, so that ye folowe not the lustes therof. Euen so the lyfe whych you now lyue, is to God and to hys pleasure Ye lyue now by your fayth in ryghtuousnes, which commeth by Iesus Christ our Lorde not of any workes [Page] of ryghtuousnes whyche we haue done sayeth S. Paule, lest we shulde glorye in our selfe for thys lyfe of grace wherin we lyue before God.Titū. iij But of his mercy hath he saued vs thorow the foūtayne of baptysme wherin we be new borne agayne and renewed by the holy goost, to lyue thys newe lyfe acceptable before god. And as by the mercy of our Lorde we be set in thys lyfe of grace and strenghthed by hys gracyouse spirite to contynue vs therin, no more to re­torne and fall to synne and to the lustes therof: euen so is the lyfe of glory which we now tary for in hope the gyfte of almyghty God thorow the merites and purchasynge of Christe Iesu,Rom. vi i. cor. i that all myghte be of God: and no fleshe shulde glorye in his syght but he that wyll glory, let hym glorye in the Lorde. Nowe my frendes, these thynges afore rehersed wel consy­dered, let vs diligently laboure wyth oure selues to mortifye and subdue the euell desyres of our fleshe. Yf we wyll haue any parte of Christes death and resurrection, let vs kepe batayl wyth the flesh and be­ware we be not subdued therof. We do boast of Christ in vayne, yf we serue the desyre of synne. For it is not ynough to say that we be christen men and that we pertayne to Christe,i. Io. ij. for he that sayeth he a­byde in Christ (as wryteth saynt Ihon) must in such wyse walke in hys lyfe as Christ walked in hys, for it is not he (sayeth our Sauiour) whyche sayeth to me Lorde,Mat. xij Lorde, that shal enter into the kyngdome of heauen, but he that doeth the wyll of my father whych is in heauen. How much then are they decey­ued whych in such wyse do fansye of Christ and hys death, that they care not into what synne they fall & [Page cv] continue in only trustyng vaynly vpon the merytes of the same: where here saynt Paule affirmeth that we shall neuer lyue wyth Christ, excepte we mortifye our euyll affections and desyres, and lyue in ryghtuousnes.Heb. xi. For though God requyreth fayth as y^e fyrste entre to come to Christe, yet he requyreth also, y^t out of thys fayth shulde springe good and vertuouse lyuyng. Fyrst he sayeth in the gospel of saynt Marke.Marc. i. Repent and beleue the Gospell: It is no fayth that hath not repentaunce. It is a vayne repentaunce wherin be espyed no workes of repentaunce. Nowe the workes of true repentaunce be feare and drede of God, hatred of synne, purpose of amendemente, & diligence to watch agaynst the euell motions of syn Surely ther is no fayth, where the spirite of God is not: And there is not the spirite of God but the spi­rite of the deuell: where such frutes be raygnyng, as be adultery, fornication, wantonnes, hatred, stryfe, enuye, wrath, cōtention, sedition, partestakyng,Gal. v. murther, dronkennes, and excesse. The doers of these, yf they repent not: shall neuer be inheritours w^t Christ how much so euer they boast of Christ. And agaynst these must we dayly fight to subdue them, yf we wil be of Christes flocke. For as saynt Hierom wryteth: Ne semel putemus ardorem fidei posse sufficere: Hiero. suꝑ ma­the. x. semper crux portanda est, vt semper Christum amare doceamur. Ita apostolus portabat iugiter carnis mortificationem in corpore suo, quod qui facit omni tempore semper orat, semper poenitet. &c. Let vs not thinke that the feruentnesse of fayth can ones suffyse, euermore must the crosse be borne, that [Page] so we maye be taught euer to loue Christ. Thus dyd the apostle beare cōtinually the mortification of the fleshe in hys body:August. ad Iuli. lib. iiij. cap. iij whych thynge he that doth: dothe praye alwaye and repent alwaye. Also saint Austine sayeth: Whosoeuer is wythout the fayth which worketh by charitie (though he seme to repent doynge it but faynedly) is an euel tree, and of such a tree what sayeth saynt Ihon baptyst.Mat. iij. Euery tree whych bryn­geth not forth good frute, shalbe cut vp and cast in­to the fyer. Let vs my frendes (all vayne presump­tions and false trustes cast awaye) labour to perfor­me our promyse whych we made at the fount stone, let vs I saye renounce the deuell and hys suggesti­ons, and serue Christ our Lorde and mayster by the true workes of ryghtuousnes. Let vs watch daylye agaynst oure euell dispositions, that we maye lyke obedient chyldren of God glorifye God in oure lyfe.i. Ioh. iij In so doynge we shall persuade oure owne hartes that we pertayne to hym and that we haue the true fayth whych is of value before God. To whome wyth the sonne and the holy goost be prayse for euer and euer. Amen.

The Gospell on the .vj. sondaye after Trinitie. The .v. chapter of Matheu.

IN thys Gospell (good people) our sauiour Christ correcteth the corrupte doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees, and vtterly disproueth theyr ryghtuousnes, and teacheth vs whych is the true ryghtu­ousnes, sayenge: Onles youre ryghtuousnes passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes and pharisees, ye can not entre into the kyngdome of heauen. As who shulde saye, onles your cōuersacion, your good lyuynge in loue and charitie, your studye and zele to folowe gods commaundementes be aboue the pha­risees, thynke not to come to heauen. Fyrst ye muste marke the difference betwene gods cōmaundemen­tes [Page] and mans, whych is touched in thys selfe chap­ter a lytle before, where Christ sayd. Whosoeuer shal breake one of these lest commaundentes, shalbe cal­led the leste in the kyngdome of heauen, that is, he shalbe sure neuer to entre into heauen. Here ye may not gather, that these be lytle or small commaunde­mentes of God. For Christe speaketh here after the iudgement of the people. For the scribes and phari­sees had so taught and entysed the people to folowe the lawes and constitutions of men, that gods lawe was lytle or nothynge regarded. So that Christe there dyd speake after the maner and reputacion of them. But surely he that shal teache so, shalbe called the lest in heauen, that is, he shall not come there at all. For the pharisees had auaunced the lawes, com­maundementes, ceremonies, tradicions, and inuen­cions of men aboue the lawes and commaundementes of god.Howe Christ expou­neth the lawe. Christ therfore expouneth the lawe accordynge to the mynde and sentence of God, whych re­quyreth euē moost pure affections of the harte, wheras the pharisees thought it ynough to fulfyl y^e lawe in outwarde worke after theyr exposition. Ye haue herde (sayeth Christ) that it was sayd vnto them of the olde tyme.Non occides. Thou shalte not kyll. &c. My frēdes fyrst ye muste note, that it is the father of heauen y^t speaketh these wordes, and that he speaketh them to euery one of vs. Nowe what meaneth he by these wordes? Surely he meaneth playnly herby, that thou mayst not slee neyther wyth thy body nor wyth any member. But seynge these wordes were spoken to man, let vs consyder, wherof man is made. Eue­ry one of vs is made of body and soule. To the bo­dye [Page cvij] longeth the heade, feete, armes, and the other mē bers. In the soule or mynde of man do raygne affections, as rancour, malice, hatred, grudge, wrath, and enuie. To the bodye I saye perteyne all thy mēbers. Then thou mayst kyll noman wyth thy heade, that is, thou mayest gyue no token to any other man to kyll, nor yet gyue counsayll to any other to do it. Nor thou mayest kyll noman wyth thy handes. So in lyke wyse of the mynde, thou mayst not be wroth, nor out of charitie wyth thy brethren, nor desyre or wyll them any hurte by corrupte affections of thy mynde, yf thou doest, thou surely breakest thys cō ­maūdement. Now the Iues & pharisees dyd not vnderstande theyr lawe, but toke it carnally. For they thought yf they did not kyl outwardly wyth sword, all was saufe. But bycause they were so blynded wyth ignoraunce, therfore Christe expouneth them thys commaundement sayenge:

But I saye vnto you that whosoeuer is angry with hys brother wythout cause shalbe in daunger of iudgement, Racha is a signe or a gesture of an angry per­son and who soeuer sayeth to hys brother (racha) shalbe in daunger of counsayll But who so euer sayeth foole, shalbe in daunger of hell fyre. Surely my frendes to beare malyce and yre in hart secretly agaynst thy neyghbour is not so greate as to speke it also, as to cal thy brother Racha, as who shulde saye, ah, or well. For vndoubtedlye it is a token of a greater malyce whan it breaketh out and is spoken. But it is a more offence to speake it wyth a greater violence, as to saye foole to thy brother in despyte and malyce wyllynge hym hurte, and it is [Page] vndoubtedly ryght damnable, and so be they al thre but yet there be degrees. For loke how the grefe of the offense be spoken and done: so shall the payne be distributed. I saye they be all damnable, but the one is deper then the other. The greater the offence be, y^e more paine in hel. But now a dayes we go further then to saye foole. For we call in despyte hooremay­ster, thefe, horeson, vilayne, yea traytour, heretique, pharisee, infidele, and not alonly in speakynge, but also intendynge to auenge and execute our malici­ous mynde. Oh what a depe damnation hangeth o­uer these men. How hygh a presumption is thys, to compare wyth God, to auaunce oure selues in gods rowme and to auenge our selues, whych thynge on­ly perteyneth to hym. For he sayeth: Let me alone wyth vengeaunce and I shall paye it. It foloweth: Therfore yf thou offerest thy gyfte at the aultare, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst the, leaue there thyne offerynge before the aultare. &c. Good people I praye you marke well thys maner of speakynge that Christ vseth. He byd­deth vs leaue there our offeryng. He differreth no tyme, but sayeth, go by and by, and reconcile thy bro­ther, or els I hate the and thy offerynge. Therfore fyrst reconcile thy brother and then come and offer vp thy gyfte.Recon­cile. By recōcilyng of thy brother is meant to make hym at one, whan thou haste brought hym out of charitie, or hast seperated him out of Christes flocke and made hym the chylde of euerlastyng dāpnacion. And thys makynge at one, in to brynge hym agayne into Christes flocke & to make hym y^e chylde [Page cviij] of saluation. Furthermore yf thou perceyuest thy brother offended and angrye wyth the, though thou hast gyuen hym no cause: yet thou arte bydden here of Christ to go, and make him at one and then come and offer vp thy gyfte. After this maner thou muste offer thy gyfte to the aultare & wyth a good mynde and glad harte and not grudgyngly. For els, all is nought that thou doest. For where the spirite of god is, there is lybertie. So that we muste do all thyn­ges that God commaundeth vs to do, frely wyth a good mynde and a louynge harte.

Christ sayeth, yf thou offerest thy gyft. Here therfore thou muste consyder fyrste and knowe whether it be thyne or no, for yf it be not thyne, brynge none. Su­rely as longe as thou gettest thy goodes wyth true laboure and wyth no deceyte, nor breakyng goddes cōmaundementes, & yf the poore man hath no nede of thy goodes, so longe it is thyne owne and thou mayest offer it. But yf thou kepest it awaye from the poore man whā he nedeth it, or gettest it by any false meanes deceyuynge the people, than it is not thine, but thou arte a thefe and doest steale it. Therfore then offer none, but restore it agayne, for yf thou of­ferest it, it is in vayne, and God abhorreth both the and thyne offerynge.

But as touchynge thy tythes and such offerynges as the lawe compelleth the to paye vnto thy curate,Tythes ought to be payde truly. surely thou arte bounde faythfully and truly to pay them. Thou mayest not take from the prestes due­tye, and gyue it to the poore, for then thou art a thefe and thou robbest Peter to paye Paule. Gyue ther­fore to euery one that whyche is hys. Gyue to thy [Page] kynge hys duetye, to thy poore & nedye brother that whych charitie wylleth the to gyue, and paye thy curate hys duetye, yea though he be neuer so naughty of lyuynge, thoughe he be viciouse, proude, ambici­ouse, and though he lyue neuer so gloriously and voluptuously.

Peraduenture thou wylt saye. Why, shall I paye my tythes and offerynges to such a curate to mayn­teyne hys vngracious lyuynge? Yea forsoth. Why? For the church hath so decreed and the lawes hathe ordeyned and commaunded. Therfore paye him his duetye wyth a good wyl, and no doute thou art dis­charged towardes God. But he for receyuynge and spendynge it on that maner is a stronge thefe and shalbe hanged in hell for it, yf he make not amēdes. In dede yf thou gyuest to suche a curate more then hys dutye,☞ then thou mayest be a maynteyner of his euyll lyuinge and naughtynes. But yf he be a good curate doynge hys duetye, preachyng to hys paryshners the worde of God, gyuing them exēple of good lyuynge and teachyng them Christes rule, that they may knowe it and folow it: forsoth to such one thou canst not gyue to much. Why? For thou shalte be sure to haue it agayne whan so euer thou shalt haue nede of it. For such a charitable man woll surely not se the poore man wante.

Thus my frendes I haue declared vnto you the true ryghtuousnes that Christ requyreth of vs. Ye be here taught to mortifye the affections of y^e harte. Yf ye do thys, ye shall shewe youre selues to be in dede ryght and perfyte christen people, the chyldren of saluacion and the enheritours of the kyngdome of [Page cix] God. To whome be honoure and glorye. Amen.

The Epistle on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie The .vi. chapter to the Romaynes.

IN thys lesson (good christen people) thapostle S. Paule exhorteth the Romaynes and in them vs al, that now syth by the benefyte of Christes redemption we be made fre frō the condempnation of synne and be iustifyed and reconciled to God the father of heauen by the mediacion of Christes bloude which was shed on the aultare of the crosse for our trans­gressions and offenses: we woll gyue our selues to good and vertuouse lyuynge. For albeit sayeth S. Paule, ye be enfraunchysed and made fre frō synne [Page] and as who shulde saye manumissed as bondmen be wonte: yet ye be not so vtterly fre, but ye be styl in bondage and seruitude to ryghtuousnes, that is to saye, to good lyuynge and honest conuersacion. So ye be free and not free, free from synne, but bonde to ryghteousnes and good lyuynge. I speake grossely and after an humane fashion sayeth Paule to call you the bondmen and seruauntes of ryghtuousnes But to thys impropre and homelye maner of spea­kynge I am dryuē bycause of the weaknes of your fleshe.humanū I am, I saye, fayne to applye & frame my wordes accordynge to your capacitie & vnderstandynge I knowe ryght wel the infirmitie, and the weaknes of your fleshe, whych as yet is not come to y^e perfec­tion, no nor can not come to y^e ful perfection so lōge as ye be in thys mortall and frayle lyfe. Yea our sauiour Christ hymselfe a lytle before hys departure out of thys worlde, complayned of the infirmitie of the fleshe. Wherfore my frendes, lyke as before ye receyued the Gospell of Christ ye haue frely and volū tarely giuen and exhibited your membres as slaues and bonde to serue all naughtynes, all vnclennes & wyckednes, and that from one wyckednes to an a­ther euery one worse then other. So now, where as ye be vnder grace, and become christen persons and haue receyued Christes Gospell, I exhorte you that ye woll an other whyle serue ryghtuousnes, that is to saye, that wyth all your myght and force, ye woll studye and applye your selues to vertue, honest conuersation and good lyuyng. Yf ye do thys, vndoubtedly ye shalbe sanctifyed and made holy in goddes syght, whyle through y^e worke and operation of the [Page cx] holy goost new motions be created in you, whyche after a certayne maner shall answere to the lawe & satisfye the same though in great infirmitie & wea­kenes, makynge you wyth your harte to loue God euen of a good conscience and fayth vnfeyned. For so longe as ye were in your former state, and knewe not Christe, but lyued in ydolatrye and blyndnes of harte, seruynge synne: ye were as fremen to ryghtu­ousnes, that is to saye, ye serued her not, ye hadde no iustice, no ryghtuousnes in you, ye were not vn­der her power and dominion. I praye you then my frendes what profyte, frute, and commoditie toke ye at that tyme of your louse and fre lyuynge, I meane of your synne whych ye cōmonly then haūted, wherof now that ye be in the state of grace and haue re­ceyued the tytle and also the religion of christen per­sones, ye be ashamed of. And why be ye ashamed? Truly bycause ye perceyue y^t the ende of suche loose and vnruly lyuyng is death, and what death? death euerlastynge, eternal dampnacion in the fyre of hel, where is continuall wepynge and gnasshynge of teeth. But now good people seynge ye be infraūchy­sed and delyuered from the bondage and consequētly from the condemnation of synne: and are become the seruauntes of God: ye haue your frute into sanctification, that is to saye, thys frute, thys cōmoditie thys auauntage ye haue therby, that ye be now san­ctifyed and made holy and iuste persons in goddes syght, and your ende shalbe euerlastynge lyfe. For truely so longe as ye were seruauntes to synne, ye coulde loke for none other rewarde, for none other stypende or wages, then death. Death I saye is the [Page] vndoubted stypende of synne and of beastly lyuyng But contrary wyse,Deth is the wa­ges of synne. yf ye woll be folowers of rygh­tuousnes, and force your selues to serue God, vtter­ly renouncynge the stynkynge seruyce of synne: ye shall surely haue a farre contrarye rewarde, that is to wyt euerlastynge lyfe,Aug. in Enchiri. capi. cvi which (as wryteth saint Austine) is a certayne rewarde of good workes, albeit the Apostle calleth it not so here, but he calleth it the grace or gyfte of God. Therfore herken what saynt Austine sayeth further.The wordes of S Austine. A stypende or wages due for the worke of a souldioure is payde and not gyuen, & therfore the apostle sayeth, the stypende of synne is death, to shewe that death is not vndeseruedlye put but due to synne. But grace yf it be not frely is no grace. Ye muste therfore vnderstande that euen the selfe good merytes of man be the rewardes of God vnto whych whan eternall lyfe is yelded, what is rē dred but grace for grace? These be saynt Austines wordes. Wherfore good people let vs not thynke y^t we be fre from good workes, by the bloud of Christ but rather cleane contrary that we be nowe bounde to good workes accordyng to saynt Pauls doctrine here whych affirmeth that yf we serue synne, we shal be sure to haue the wages of synne euen euerlasting death. But yf we lyue vertuously and iustly & serue God, we shalbe sure to haue euerlastyng lyfe not as a rewarde of dutye but as a gyfte and grace of god, through Iesus Christ our Lorde. To whome be all glorye. Amen.

The gospell on the .vij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .viij. chapter of Marke.

IN thys gospel, good christen people, ye shal note, that they whyche fyrst and formest do seke for the kyngdome of god and the ryghtuousnes of y^e same, can in no wyse peryshe and dye for honger, but that the grace of God doth preuente them in al thynges, as we se in thys hystorye howe tenderly and buselye our Sauiour Christ prouideth for the peoples bodely [Page] sustenaūce, euen before they aske it, sayng: I haue compassion ouer the people forasmuch as they haue bene now wyth me thre dayes and haue nothyng to eate. Thys then is Christes order of fedynge, fyrste to repast y^e soule wyth hys worde, and then to releue the bodye.Horati­us in epist. But the worldly care is contrarye, accor­dynge to a Poetes sayenge: O ciues ciues, quaerēda pecunia primum est, virtus post nummos. That is to saye: O citizens citizens, fyrst seke for money, and after money for vertue. But Christ sayth: Fyrst seke for the kyngdome of God and al these thynges shal be cast vnto you.An exē ­ple of infidelitie

Secondly, here is described vnto vs an exemple of infidelitie in thapostles and vnder them in all suche as woll do as they dyd here, whyche leauynge gods worde & forgettynge all the myracles whych Christ had done before, by whyche they ought well to haue gathered that Christ myght haue fedde thys multy­tude wythout any vytayll at all, be deceyued by the iudgement of reason whyche onely loketh vpon the thynge present, and thynketh thynges only to folow of sure occasiōs only. Surely whyle reason iudgeth thus, it iudgeth wel before the worlde in ciuile thynges. But before Christ and in his presence to cal reason into iudgement, & thervpon to despayre of Christes power: is certaynly a point of infidelitie, name­ly syth before God there is nothyng impossible.Mat. xix And here furthermore we haue an exemple in Christe of great gentlenes and pacience,The ty­me of gods helpe. whych reiecteth not the vnfaythfull disciples.

Thyrdly, here is prescribed vnto vs the tyme whan Christ is wont moost of all to helpe, whyche is euen [Page cxij] then when no occasion is present, but whan reason vtterly despayreth of her argumentes or coniectu­res. So Christe in thys historye suffreth hys Apost­les a lytle whyle to delude themselues wyth the ar­gumētes of theyr owne reason, that he might bringe them to the vttter denyall of themselues & also that they myght learne to flee to the almyghtynes of god wherby he is able to helpe, euen there where no occasion of helpynge is offered.☜ We be neuertheles here taught and admonished, not to despise suche occasi­ons of temporal lyuynge as be offered vnto vs. For Christ of hys omnipotency myght haue made bread of stones, or myght haue caused foode to haue ray­ned downe frō heauen, or yf he had wolde, he myght haue fedde the people onely wyth the vertue of hys worde. But Christ doth none of all these, but taketh the breade and the fewe fyshes whyche by occasion was ministred vnto hym, and by hys blessynge of breade, maketh breade: and of fyshe, fyshe.

Fynally we be here instructed and taught, that bo­dely foode and sustenaunce wyth all other necessa­ries of our lyfe commeth vnto vs by the only proui­dence and blessynge of God, yea euen then whan we thynke lest of it.

Wherfore good people accordynge to the lesson of thys Gospel, let vs fyrst seke for our soule helth and foode, as we se the people dyd here, and doubt we no thynge, but God wyll prouyde well ynough for our bodely foode. Let vs not do as the Romane citizens dyd whych fyrst sought for money and then for ver­tue, but let vs fyrst seke for vertue and for the king­dome of God, and then wythout muche sekynge the [Page] rest shalbe aboundauntly gyuē vs. Let vs not trust to much to our owne carnall reason as the Apostles dyd here, but let vs thynke nothynge impossible to God, yea let vs be ful assured that he wol helpe whā he seeth best hys tyme, beynge throughly persuaded that all thynges come by the large blessynge of god To whome be all glorye. Amen.

The Epistle on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .viij. chapter to the Romaynes.

FYrst in thys Epistle we be taught, good christen people,We ought to mor­tifie our lustes. that after we be ones grafted by the sa­crament of baptysme into the holy communion of christen persons and thervpon through the interces­sion and merytes of Christes most holy bloude shed [Page cxiij] for vs be iustyfyed and reconcyled to the father of Heauen: we ought nowe not to lyue accordynge to the lust of the flesshe, but vtterly to mortyfye the de­des of the same, and to do the workes of the spirite, that is to say, not fleshly workes but spirituall wor­kes, honest, vertuous, and charitable workes, the stypende and reward wherof is euerlastyng lyfe, wher­as the rewarde of them that do otherwyse and that lyue after the fleshe is death without ende. And here the Apostle Paule setteth before our eyes aswell the promyses as the thretnynges & terrours, wherwith he frayth vs away from carnall workes, and exhor­teth vs to the mortyfycacion of the flesshe and vnto ghostly workes whiche be semynge for christen men to vse. To the carnal workes he yeldeth for rewarde death, and consequently eternal damnacyon. To spirituall and good worckes in place of rewarde he a­scrybeth lyfe, wherein the godly parsons do here in this worlde lyue holyly, and after this worlde shall enioye eternall lyfe.

Secondly, we be here taught by S. Paule that yf we be right Christiās, I meane, yf we lyue not after the fleshe, but after the spirite and christianly: we be sure to be the sons and chyldren of God. And on the contrary syde yf we lyue otherwyse, we be vndoub­tedly the chyldren of Satā.Two spirites. And forasmuch as there be two sortes of spirites, the spirite of feare or bon­dage, and the spirite of adoptyon, wherof the fyrste pertayneth to wycked persons, and the other pertayneth to the good and godly persons: therfore ye shal vnderstande that they whiche haue the spirite of bō dage do all that they do coactly and not of a fre hert [Page] these be the chyldren of the law or letter and be mere hypocrytes. But they whiche do good workes euen of a fre hert and not as cōpelled by feare of the lawe but euen of loue, these be the ryght chyldren of god, these be the true christians, these haue the harte and the grace in all their necessities to crye to God theyr father and to call hym Abba father and to aske of him with certayne and sure fayth all that they want whiche is necessarye for them to haue. These haue peace of conscyence, wherby they beynge iustyfyed and led of the spirite of god, be throughly persuaded in their conscience, that by the merites of Christ they haue God their mercyfull Lorde and father, whiche wyll bothe helpe them and here them in theyr nede. Of this peace speaketh S. Paule in the .v. Chapter of the Romaynes, saying. Nowe then that we be iu­styfyed by fayth, we haue peace towardes God by our Lord Iesu Christ. But of the seruyle feare wherwith all hypocrites & no true christians by indowed, saynt Iohn wryteth in this wise,i. Io. iiij. feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth forthe feare, because feare hath torment.The of­fice of the ho­ly goost

Thyrdly, we be here taught what is the moste pro­pre offyce of the holy ghost, that is to say, to certyfye vs of our enheritaunce whiche we receyue in Chryst Iesu. With this confyrmacyon of the holy Ghoste were all sayntes and holy men sealed euen as many as constantly stode and persisted in the confession of Christe and whiche at this daye do persyst. And for this cause dothe the Apostle oftentymes wyshe and desyre to suche as he wrote, the strengthnyng of the holy ghost,Eph. iij as to the Ephesians, where he sayth.

For thys thynge do I bowe my knees that ye maye be strengthened by hys holy spirite. And of thys of­fice or propertie whych the holy goost hath,Ephe. iij. cor. i. he is of­tentymes called the ernest, the pledge, the gage, the seale, or certificate.

Fynally we be here instructed,the way of glorifyenge vs. that albeit we surelye knowe we be the heyres of God and felowe heyres with Christ, yet neuertheles it behoueth vs to be glorifyed by tamynge and mortifyenge of oure lustes, by pacient suffrynge of tribulation and displeasu­res as the apostle sayeth here. Heyres wyth Christe yf so be we suffre wyth hym that we may also be glorifyed wyth hym. Wherfore my frendes yf we couet to be of the saued nombre: let vs accordynge to S. Paules exhortacion, kyll the lustes of oure fleshe, to thyntent we maye lyue and walke spiritually. Then in all oure nedes we shall as louynge chyldren be bolde to call to our moost tender and kynde father for succoure. Then shall we be certifyed by the holy goost, that we be the sonnes and heyres of God, and ioynt neyres wyth Christ wyth whome, yf we suffre wyth hym, we shall also be glorifyed. To whome be honoure and glorye per infinita secula. Amen.

The Gospell on the .viij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .vij. chapter of Matheu.

FOrasmuche as (good christen people) it is harde to know false teachers and theyr doctrine: ther­fore our Sauiour Christ thought it not ynough to bydde vs beware of them, but he addeth also certain tokens and sygnes wherby we maye easely discerne and knowe them. They come (sayeth Christe) vnto you in shepes clothynge, but inwardlye they are ra­uenynge wolues. They come vncalled, vnappoyn­ted, vnsent of God, naye sent rather of the deuell to blase and sowe abrode the wycked learnynge & doc­trine eyther of the byshop of Rome, or of the cursed Anabaptistes, or of the sacramentaries, or brefly to conclude of some other vngodly and detestable here tykes. The Lorde of heauen kepe vs and preserue vs all from theyr infections. They come I saye vn­sent for, accordynge to the sayenge of the prophete Hieremye.Ier. xxiij Currebant & ego non misi eos. They ranne and I sente them not, sayeth the Lorde.

In outwarde appearaunce they seme moost holy [Page cxv] men and of great simplicitie. But surely accordinge to the cōmon prouerbe they be foxes or rather wol­ues cladde in lambes skynnes. They be lyke payn­ted and gaye sepulchres, whyche be fayre wythout & full of all stynche and caren wythin. They come in shepes clothynge. What beast is more simple, more harmeles, yea more profytable also to the common welth then the shepe? But what be these false tea­chers inwardly? Inwardly sayeth Christ they be ra­uenouse wolues. The wolues propertie is to rauen,Ioh. x. to rente, to spoyle, to deuoure the shepe. But nowe how shall we kepe vs and beware of these woluyshe preachers? By theyr frutes, sayeth Christe, ye shall knowe them, as who shulde saye. Yf they be good men in dede and ryght teachers and no hyprocrites I meane no counterfeyte nor deceiuable preachers, they must nedes brynge forth good and godly wor­kes, euen such workes as God cōmaundeth them to do, and not workes of theyr owne deuysynge & fan­tasyenge, but such as God alloweth, and whych procede of a fayth vnfayned. And not only they woll do them but also teache the same to other, euē as Christ and hys Apostles wold haue them taught & as they themselues taught them, not that by them we shuld iustifye our selues as the proude and gloriouse pha­risee dyd that Christ speaketh of in the .xviij. chap­ter of Luke,lu. xviij. but that we shulde accordynge to thex­emple of the lowly publicane cōfesse our selues syn­ners, and desyre gods mercy. The good and ryghte preacher woll teach the people vnfaynedly to truste & repose themselues in Christ, to stycke to the merytes of hys passion, & vtterly to reuounce theyr owne [Page] ryghtuousnes and merytes in gods syght. He woll teache them neuertheles to mortifye theyr carnal afections and to do good workes euen of a fre harte or els y^t accordyng to Paules rule they declare them selues not to be the chyldren of God.Ro. viii. For yf sayeth Paule, ye lyue after the fleshe, ye shall dye. But yf ye mortifye the dedes of the body through the spirite, ye shall lyue. But agayne he wol teache them not to clayme heauen as of duetye for theyr workes sake,Rom. vi but rather for the promyse sake. For thoughe death be the wages of synne, yet eternall lyfe is no wages but (as Paule calleth it) the gyfte of God, throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde. Yea he woll teache them whan they haue done altogether, yet to confesse and saye that they be vnprofytable seruauntes. These I saye be the frutes of good teachers, these be the grapes, these be the figges that come of the good trees. They that teache or lyue otherwyse be naughtye & corrupte trees, & theyr frutes that they brynge forth be thornes and thystyls. And I passe not though dyuerse false teachers haue dyed moost cōstantly and paciently in theyr erronious opinions, as many pa­pistes, and also Anabaptistes & sacramētaries haue done in our tyme, and as it is redde that certayne heretiques named Donatistes dydde in olde tyme. Whose erroure S. Augustine confutynge wryteth,Austine. that in a christian man the sufferyng of death is not to be consydered, but the cause of sufferynge, that is to wyt, whether hys doctrine be suche that he ought to suffer death for, by the cōmaundement of God.

Seconde, we be here taught that wycked & euel doctrine can not endure but as an euell tree whyche [Page cxvi] beareth no good frute is hewen downe and caste in to the fyre: euen so it is wyth euel doctrine and wyth the teachers therof. Let men buylde vpon the foun­dacion of Christ what they woll, surely yf theyr buyldynge be stubble or haye that is to saye yf it be no sounde & sure doctrine,i. cor. iij the fyre at length woll brēne it vp. But yf the buyldynge be golde syluer, or preciouse stones, it shall stande agaynst all tempestes. As we se at thys daye how the papistical doctrine at the touch stone of gods worde appeareth in the lykenes what it is, and how it begynneth to vanyshe awaye euerywhere, where the gospell is preached. But the pure worde of God abydeth for euer.

Fynally Christ doth teach vs here, that these gloriouse and holy hypocrites whych in outwarde ap­paraunce and in name appeare christiās speakynge alwayes of god, but doynge nothing y^t god byddeth them do, shal not entre into the kingdome of heuen. But they shal come thyther, whych haue Christ, and the gospell not in theyr mouthes onely, but in theyr hartes also, whych do the wyl of Christ and lyue as the gospell teacheth them. These shall enheryte the kyngdome of heauen, where they shall lyue eternal­ly in all ioye wyth the father, sonne, and holy goost. To whome be glorye. Amen.

The Epistle on the .ix. sondaye after Trinitie. The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .x. Chap.

THys lesson my frendes of the holy apostle saint Paule conteyneth certayne notable exemples of gods vengeaunce and punyshmēt whych he toke vpon the vnfaythfull fathers of olde tyme, whyche where as God had moost plentyfully heaped vpon them hys innumerable benefytes & graces: yet they euer abode vnfaythfull and wolde not in any wyse chaunge nor amende theyr naughty and beastly ly­uynge. And therfore they suffered horrible punyshe­mentes [Page cxvij] aswell for theyre mysbeleue as for theyre euell and detestable lyuynge.☜ All whych thynges (as sayeth thapostle) chaunced vnto vs in fygure, that is to wyt, that we shulde therby lerne to feare God, to beleue in God, to amende our lyfe, to gyue our selues to good workes, & not (bearynge our selfe bolde vpon vayne and ydell fayth) to force not howe we lyue as many swete brethren and new gospellers or rather false brethren & false gospellers at thys daye do,False gospel­lers. whych thynke they offende not what so euer they do, but that they haue full remission of theyr synnes euen in the myddes of theyr abhominable lyuynge bycause they persuade themselues to be chosen and sanctifyed before the begynnynge of the worlde. O Lorde, what a deuelish and damnable persuasion is thys? What spirite of erroure, what deuel occupieth and vexeth these men thus to thynke? And yet they woll be counted great clerkes and allege nothynge but scripture for them, they be full of saynt Paule. But they belye saynt Paule and they falsefye scrip­ture. For saint Paule mysreported, is not S. Paule. Nor scripture that is wrested is not scripture. Let these persons then beware the soden vengeaunce of God whych hangeth ouer theyr heade. For yf God spared not the Israelites vpon whome he had hea­ped so many benefytes and whych were hys chosen and peculiare people, surely he wyl not spare vs, neither shall our baptisme, our hearyng of gods worde nor hys grace y^t we haue receyued any thynge helpe vs, onles we constantly continue and abyde in oure religion and chaunge our lyfe into better. So then we be here monyshed, that those alonly be saued and [Page] do entre into the lāde of promysse, whych stande fast to the ende, as Christ sayeth in an other place. He that continueth to the ende, shalbe saued. These ex­emples then of the fathers be warnynges and fygures vnto vs, that we shulde not lust after euell thynges as they lusted, as that we shulde not be ydola­ters that is to saye, that we shulde not gyue to crea­tures suche honoure as is due only to God the cre­ator & maker of all thynges, as the Israelites gaue to theyr golden calfe, and as the byshop of Rome do clayme at thys daye to haue, whych woll haue Em­perours, Kynges, and Prynces, to fall downe pro­strate on the grounde and to worship hym, euen as the deuell wold haue had Christ to do to hym.Mat. iiij Wherfore in so doynge he resembleth the deuell and is no better then an Antichrist, forasmuch as such honour is due only to God, As Christ there declareth alled­gynge scripture for hym. Furthermore y^t we shulde not commytte fornicacion,Nu. xxv as they dyd, as the histo­rye of Phinees telleth, for whych defylynge of them­selues there fell in one daye .xxiij. thousande. Also that we shulde not tempte Christe, that is, that we shulde do nothynge contrarye to faythe and despice such meanes and remedies as God hath appoynted for vs to vse in al thynges, as the Israelites dyd, & therfore were destroyed of serpentes, as it is red in the .xxi. chapter of Numeri. Finally that we shulde not grudge and murmoure agaynst God of an am­biciouse mynde, sekynge sediciously & contenciously an other callynge then God hath appoynted vs vnto, as Chore, Dathan, and Abyron dyd, and were destroyed of the destroyer. All these thynges I say be­fell, [Page cxviij] to be exemples, presidentes and fygures, to ad­monysh vs, how God taketh vengeaunce vpō such dissolute and careles lyuers, and to put vs in remē ­braunce whych be now in the later dayes of y^e world Wherfore my frēdes he that thynketh that he stāde that is to wyt,Stare. that he ryghtly perceyueth and vnderstandeth all thynges and walketh now surely in the knowlege of God, so that he despyseth al other in cō parison of hymselfe and iudgeth euery man at hys pleasure, let hym take hede lest by reason of hys su­renes and pryde he fall agayne from grace, from vnderstandynge and frō the knowlege of gods worde. Now albeit many temptacions haue assaulted vs, & that we haue therby also gone astreye, yet we ought to comforte and lyft vp our selues wyth thys ryght comfortable sentence of saynt Paule, that the temp­tacion which hath taken vs is humane, and such as commonly chaunceth to men. But God is faythfull and iust of the promyse whych he maketh to such as feare and stande in awe of hym. For surely he woll not suffer vs to be tempted ouer that we be able to beare,☜ accordynge to the peticion in our pater noster Let vs not be ledde into temptacion. For doubtles God tempteth no man to euel, but euery man is tēpted of his owne cōcupiscence and flesh whē god permytteth it so to be. But God shall in the myddes of the temptacion (yf wyth ernest prayer ye woll de­syre hym) make a waye that ye shalbe able to beare it. Let vs then (good people) yf we be true christen persons and do answere to our name, stande in awe euer of God, not tempte hym, not prouoke hym to anger and vengeaunce, but mekely and louynglye [Page] worke and walke as he hath cōmaūded vs to walke So shall we haue eternal blesse wyth God. To whō be all glorye, prayse, and imperie for euer and euer. Amen.

The gospell on the .ix. sondaye after Trinitie. The .xvi. chapter of Luke.

GOod people, bycause these wordes before rehersed are so spoken in parable, and are so wrap­ped in wrinkels that yet they seme to haue a face of a thynge done in dede and lyke an historie: I thinke it much profytable, to tarye somwhat in them. And though we maye fynde in our hartes to beleue all y^t is here spoken to be true: yet I doubte whether we maye abyde that these wordes of Christe shulde per­teyne to vs, and admonysh vs of our duetye, whych lyue after suche sorte, as thoughe Christe whan he spake any thynge regarded not the tyme that came after hym, neyther prouided for vs, or any matters of ours, as some of the philosophers thought, which sayd, that God walketh vp and downe in heauen, & thynketh neuer a deale of our doynges. But erre not you so, stycke not you to such imaginations. For yf ye inwardly behold these wordes, yf ye diligently rolle them in youre myndes, & after vnwynde them, ye shal se our tyme much touched in these mysteries Ye shall perceyue that god,The pa­rables of christ perteine to vs. by thys exemple shaketh vs by the noses, and pulleth vs by y^e eares. Ye shall perceyue very playne, that God setteth before oure eyes in thys similitude, what we ought moost to flee and what we ought soonest to folowe. For Luke sayeth, the Lorde spake these wordes to hys disciples. [Page] Wherfore let it be out of doubte, that he spake them to vs, whyche euen as we woll be counted Christes disciples, so we be, yf we be good stewardes and do our dutie. He said these thynges partly to vs, and he spake them partly of hymselfe. For he is that ryche man whych not only had but hath and shall haue e­uermore, I say not one but many & sūdry stewardes euen to thende of the worlde. He is man, seinge he is God and man. He is ryche, not only in mercy, but in all kynde of rychesse. For it is he, that gyueth vs all thynges abundantly. It is he, of whose hande we receyued both our lyues, and other thinges necessa­rye for the conseruacion therof. What man hath any thynge I praye you, but he hath receyued it of hys plentyfulnes? To be shorte, it is he, that not on­ly gyueth vnto vs in most ample wyse hys benedic­cion, but also openeth hys hande, and fylleth al bea­stes wyth hys blessynge. Neyther can hys treasure be spente, howe muche so euer he lashe out, howe muche so euer we take of hym, hys treasure taryeth styll, euer taken, neuer spente. He is also the good man of the house. The church and congregacion is hys housholde whych ought wyth al diligence to be fedde not only with bodily meates but also with his worde and hys sacramentes. These be hys goodes moost precious, the bestowynge and mynistracion herof, he wolde byshops and curates shulde haue. Whych thynge saynt Paule affirmeth, sayeng: Let mē esteme vs as the mynisters of Christ and stewardes of goddes mysteries.ii. co. iiij But I praye you what is to be loked for in a stewarde? Thys surely, that he be founde faythfull, and that he truely laye out the [Page cxx] goodes of y^e lorde, that he gyue meate in tyme, gyue it I say, and not sel it: meate I say, and not poyson. Fynally let hym not slacke and differre the doynge of hys office, but let hym do his dutie when tyme is, and whē nede requyreth it. Thys is also to be loked for, that he be one, whome God hath called and put in office, and not one that commeth vncalled, vnsent for, not one that of hymselfe presumeth to take ho­noure vpō hym, he must I say be a steward of office & not a steward at lybertie. What is to be loked for? Surely, yf all thys y^t I saye, be requyred in a good minister, it is much lyghter to wysh them all in eue­ry one, than to fynde one any where that hath them al. Who is a true & faythfull steward? He is true,A faythfull ste­warde. he is faythfull, that coyneth no new money, but taketh it redy coyned of the good man of the house, and neither chaungeth it, nor clyppeth it, after it is taken to hym to spende, but spendeth euen the selfe same that he had of hys lorde, and spendeth it as hys lordes commaundement is, neyther to hys owne auaūtage vtterynge it, nor as the leude seruaunt dyd,mat. xxv hydyng it in the grounde. Now yf a faythful steward ought to do, as I haue sayd, I praye you ponder thys wel, whether in christendome there haue bene hytherto faythfull stewardes or no? I praye you was there not some, that despisynge the money of the lorde, as copre & not curraunt, eyther coyned new themselues or els vttered abrode newlye coyned of other, some tyme eyther adulteratynge the worde of God, or els mynglyng it (as tauerners do,☜ which brewe and vt­ter the euell and good both in a potte) sometyme in the stede of goddes worde, blowynge out the drea­mes [Page] of men: whyle they preached to the people, the redemption that cōmeth by Christes death to serue only them that dyed before hys commyng that were in the tyme of the olde testament, and that nowe re­dempcion and forgyuenes of synnes purchased by money, and deuysed of men, is of efficacy, and not redēption purchased by Christ. Be these the faythfull stewardes of goddes mysteries, and not rather fals dissipatours of them? whom god neuer put in office but rather the deuel sette them ouer a myserable familie, ouer an house miserably ordered & entreated. Happy were Christēdome, yf such preached seldome. And yet it is a wonder to se these, in theyr generaci­on, to be moch more prudent and politike, than the faythfull ministers are in theyr generacion, whyle they go aboute more prudently to stablyshe mennes dreames, than they do to holde vp gods cōmaunde­mentes. Thus it cometh to passe that workes lucra­tyue, wylworkes, mennes fansyes reygne, & christi­ane workes, necessary workes, frutefull woorkes, be troden vnder foote. Thus the euell is moch better set out by euel menne, than is the good by good mē: because the euell be more wyse, than be the good in theyr generacion. These be the false stewardes, whō all good and faythfull men euery daye accuse vnto the rych mayster of y^e household, not wythout great heuynesse, that they wast hys goodes, whom he also one daye woll call to hym and saye vnto them, as he dyd to hys steward whan he sayd, what is thys that I heare of the? Here God partly wondereth at oure vnkyndnes and perfidie, partly chideth vs for them and beynge both full of wonder, and ready to chyde [Page cxxi] axeth vs: What is thys that I heare of you? As thoughe he shulde saye vnto vs, all good men in all places complayne of you, accuse your auaryce, your exactions, your tyrannye. They haue desyred in you a long season, and yet desyre diligēce and synceritie. I commaunded you, that wyth all industrie and la­boure ye shulde feade my lytle ons both bodyly with your temporall goodes and rentes whyche ye haue for that purpose delyuered vnto you, and also gost­lye wyth my worde. But what do you? ye ernestlye fede your selfes, from daye to daye, wallowynge in delytes and ydlenes. I bad you teach my commaū ­dementes and not your fansyes, and that ye shulde seke my glory & my vauntage: you teach your owne tradicyons, and seke your owne glorye and profyte. You preach very seldome, and whā ye preache, ye do nothyng but snappe them that preach truly, asmoch as lieth in you, so that it were moch better suche not to preach at all, than so to preach. Oh, what heare I of you? You that ought to be my stewardes, what other thynge do you, than applye all your studye to brynge my lytle ons to enuye, shame, contempte, yea more then thys, ye pulle them into peryls, into pry­sons, and as moch as in you lyeth, to cruel deathes. To be shorte, I wolde that my people shulde heare my doctrine, and at theyr cōmodytie reade it also as many as wold: your care is not, that all men maye heare it, but all your care is, that none shulde reade it, because ye be afrayed leste they by the readynge shulde vnderstand it: and vnderstandyng, learne to rebuke your nygardnes, infidelytie, & slouthfulnes. Thys is your generacion, thys is your bestowynge [Page] of my treasur: thys is your wysdome. In this gene­racion, in thys dispensacion, you be moste politike, moste wyttye. These be the thynges that I heare of your demeanour. I wyshed to heare better reaporte of you. Haue ye thus deceyued me? or haue ye rather deceyued yourselues? Where I had but one house, that is to saye, y^e churche, and thys so dearly beloued of me that for y^e loue of her I dyd put myselfe forth to be slayne & to shede my bloude: thys church at my departure, I cōmitted vnto youre charge to be fed, to be noryshed, and to be made moch of. My plesure was, ye shulde occupye my place: my desyre was, ye shulde haue borne lyke loue to thys church, lyke fa­therly affection, as I dyd. I made you my stewar­des, yea in matters of moste importaunce. For thus I taught openly:Luce. x. He that shulde heare you, shulde heare me: He that shulde despice you, shulde despice me.Mat. xvi I gaue you also keyes, not erthly keyes, but he­uenlye. I left my goodes y^t I haue euermore moost highly estemed, that is, my worde and sacramentes, to be dispensed & ministred of you. These benefites I gaue you: and do ye gyue me these thankes? Can ye fynde in your hartes thus to abuse my goodnes? Haue ye thus deceyued me? No no, ye haue not de­ceyued me, but your selues. My gyftes & benefytes towarde you, shalbe to your greater dānation. By­cause ye haue contēpned the lenitie & clemēcy of the mayster of the house, ye haue ryght wel deserued to abyde the rygoure and seueritie of the iudge. Come forth than, let vs se accompte of your stewardship. An horrible and fearfull sentence: ye maye haue no longer my goodes in your handes. A voyce to wepe [Page cxxij] at, and to make mē tremble. You se my frendes, you se, to what euel, y^e euel stewardes must come to, your laboure is payde for, yf ye can so take hede, that no such sentence be spokē to you. Naye we must al take hede, lest these threatenynges one daye take place in vs al, aswell vs of the clergye for myspendynge the spirituall treasure, as you of the laytie for myspen­dynge the temporal treasure, wherof god hath made vs stewardes. Wherfore good people at the lest way let vs take exemple & folow the policie of y^e worldly stewarde y^t our sauiour Christe here telleth hys tale of, to thintent we shulde do the same. This worldly stewarde whan he sawe he was accused to hys lorde that he had wasted hys goodes, thought thus wyth hymselfe. What shal I do? my lorde wol surely take from me my stewardshyp. Dygge I can not, and to begge, I am ashamed. Wel, I wol at lest way make me frendes of my lordes goodes, whych whan I am remoued out of myne office, shall take me into theyr houses for the kyndnes and benefyte that they shall haue receyued at my handes. So whan he had assē ­bled together all hys lordes detters, he sayde to the fyrst. What owest thou to my lorde? He answered, an hundred tonnes of oyle. Than the stewarde to hym sayd: Take thy wrytynge and syt downe quyckely, & wryte for an hundred, but fyftye. My lorde is very ryche, I woll that by my meanes thou shalte wynne the one halfe. Thys done, he sayd to an other. Howe much owest thou? He answered, an hundred quar­ters of wheat. The steward also bad hym: syt downe and wryt in hys byll but foure score. For (sayeth he) my lorde shal not espye twentye taken awaye, but to [Page] the, whych arte a poore man, it maye do pleasure. In semblable wyse he dyd wyth the reste of hys lordes detters. Now thys disceyt and polycie yf thys tem­poral rych man had espyed, he wolde surely haue punyshed hys stewarde. But yet the Lorde Iesus for an exemple of lyberalitie, commended and praysed vnto hys disciples the disceytfull but yet wyse poli­cie of thys stewarde, and to the imitacion and folowynge of hym he prouoketh all vs christen men and rebuketh our slouthfulnes, in asmuche as worldlye wyse men and suche as serue thys worlde are wyser and more busye in prouidynge for themselues the su­stenaunce of the bodye, then we be whych oughte to forsake the vanities of thys worlde and folowe the thynges y^t be eternall. The chyldren of thys worlde (sayeth he) are wyser than the chyldren of lyght in their natiō. My frēdes ye shal vnderstād y^t our sauiour Christe in thys saynge, touched y^e slouth & flug­gishnes of hys: he dyd not alowe the fraude and sudtyltie of other, neyther was he glad y^t it was in dede as he had sayed, but cōplayned rather that it shulde be so: as many men speake many thynges, not that they ought to be so, but that they are wont to be so. Naye, thys greued Christ, y^t y^e chyldrē of this world shulde be of more polycie than the chyldren of light, whych thyng yet was true in Christes tyme, & nowe in our tyme is moste true. Who is so blynde but he seeth thys clearly, excepte perchaunce there be any y^t cannot discerne the chyldren of the worlde frome the chyldren of lighte? The chyldren of the worlde con­ceyue & forth brynge more prudently, & thynges conceyued and brought forth, they nourysh and cōscrue [Page cxxiij] wyth moch more polycie, than do y^e children of light. Whych thynge is as sorowfull to be sayed, as it se­meth straunge to be hearde. Whan ye heare y^e chyl­dren of the worlde, you muste vnderstand the world, as a father.The worlde For y^e worlde is father of many children not by fyrste creacion and worke, but by imitacion & loue. He is not only a father, but also the sōne of another father. If ye knowe ones hys father, by & by ye shal knowe his children. For he y^t hath y^e deuyl to hys father, muste nedes haue dyuelyshe chyldren.The de­uell. Nowe y^e deuyll is not only taken for father, but also for prince of y^e worlde, that is, of worldy folke. It is all one thynge or not moch differēte to saye children of the worlde, and chyldren of the deuell,Io. viij. accordynge to that, that Christ sayd to the Iues. Ye are of your father the deuel: where vndoubtedly he spake to children of thys worlde. Now seynge the deuell is both author & ruler of darknes in whych y^e childrē of this worlde walke, or rather wander, they hate deadly both the lyght, and also the chyldren of lyght.☜ And herof it commeth, that the chyldren of lyght neuer or verye seldome do lacke persecution in thys worlde, whervnto the chyldren of the worlde, that is, of the deuell, bringeth them. No mā there is but seeth, that these vse much more policie in procurynge the hurte and damage of the good, than those in defendynge themselues. Therfore gather you the disposition of the chyldren, by the disposition of the fathers. You knowe thys is a prouerbe much vsed, An euel crow,Prouer­be. an euell egge. Than the chyldrē of thys worlde that are knowen to haue so euel a father the worlde, so e­uell a grandfather the deuell, can not chose but be [Page] euel. Surely the fyrste heade of theyr auncester was that deceytful serpent the deuel a monster mōstrous aboue all monsters.A description of the de­uell. I can not holly expresse hym, I wote not what to call hym, but a certayne thynge al together made of the hatred of God, of mystrust in God, of lyenges, deceytes, periuries, discordes, man­slaughters, and to saye at one worde, a thynge con­geled, heaped vp, and made of all kynde of myschefe But what go I aboute to discriue particularly the deuels nature, whan no reason, no power of mans mynde, can compryse it? This only I can say as in a grosse summe, of the whych all we (oure hurte is the more) haue experience, y^t the deuel is a stynkyng puddel of al vyces, a foule fylthye chanell of al mysche­ues: & that thys worlde, hys issue, euen a chylde mete to haue such a parēt, is not much vnlyke his father. Than thys deuell beynge such one,The ge­nealogy of the deuell. as can neuer be vnlyke hymselfe, Lo of enuye hys welbeloued lem­man begat the worlde, and after left it wyth discorde at nours. Whych world, after it rain to y^e ful growe, had of many concubynes, many sonnes. He was so plentyfull a father, and had gotten so many chyldrē of lady pryde, dame glotony, maystres auarice, lady lechery, and of dame subtyltie: that nowe harde and scante, ye maye fynde any corner, any kynde of lyfe, where many of hys chyldren be not. In court, in coū trey, in cytie, ī village, ī college, in tēporaltie, ī clergie yea where shal ye not fynd thē? Howe be it they that be secular and laye men are not by and by chyldren of the worlde: neyther yet be they forthwyth the chyldren of lyght, that are called spirituall and of y^e cler­gie. No no, as ye maye fynde amonge the laytie ma­ny [Page cxxiiij] chyldren of lyghte: so amonge the clergie (howe much so euer we chalenge these holy tytles vnto vs, and thynke them only due to vs:Math. v Vos estis lux mundi, peculium Christi. &c. Ye are y^e lyght of y^e worlde the chosen people of Christ, a kyngely presthode,i. pet. ij. an holy nation, and such other) Ye shall I saye amōge vs of the clergie yet fynde many chyldrē of y^e world, bycause in all places the worlde getteth many chyl­dren. Amonge the laye people the world ceasseth not to brynge to passe that as they be called worldly, so they are worldly in dede dryuē headlonge by world­ly desyres, in so muche that they maye ryghte well seme to haue taken as well the maners as the name of theyr father. In the clergye the worlde also hath lerned a ways, to make of men spirituall, worldlyn­ges, yea and there also to forme worldlye chyldren where wyth great pretense of holynes and crafty coloure of religion they vtterly desyre to hyde & cloke the name of y^e worlde, as though they were ashamed of theyr father, whych do execrate and detest y^e world (beynge neuerthelesse theyr father) in wordes & out­warde signes, but in harte and worke, they colle and kysse hym, and in all theyr lyues declare themselues to be hys babes: in so much that in all worldly poyntes, they farre passe and surmounte those, that they call seculars, laye men, men of the world. The chyld so diligently foloweth the steppes of hys father, ne­uer destitute of the ayde of hys grandfather. The chyldren of lyght haue policie,Chyldrē of lygh­tes policie. but it is lyke the policie of the serpent, and is ioyned wyth douuyshe sim­plicitie. They iugender nothynge but symply faythfully, and playnly, euen so doynge all that they do. [Page] And therfore they maye the easylyer be combred in theyr ingendrynge, and be y^e more redy, to take wrō ­ges. But the chyldren of thys worlde, haue worldly policie, foxely crafte, lyonnesh crueltie, power to do hurte, more than eyther aspis or basiliscus, ingen­drynge and doynge all thynges craftly, deceytfully, gylefully. Whych as Nembrothes and such sturdye and stoute hunters, beynge full of simulation & dissimulation, before the lorde, deceyue the chyldren of lyght, and combre them easely. Hunters go not forth in euery mans syght, but do theyr matters closely, & wyth vse of gyle and deceyte waxe euery daye more craftier than other. The chyldren of thys worlde be lyke crafty hunters, they be mysnamed chyldren of lyght, for asmuch as they so hate lyght, & so study to do the workes of darknes. Yf they were y^e chyldrē of lyght, they wolde not loue darkenes. It is no mar­uail, y^t they go about to kepe other in darknes seyng they be in darkenes, frō top to toe ouerwhelmed w^t darknes, darker thā is y^e darknes of hel. Wherfore it is well done in all orders of men, to put a difference betwene chyldren of lyght, and chyldren of y^e world, bycause great deceyte aryseth in takynge the one for the other. For is it a lytle deceyte, when they that the common people take for the lyght, go about to take the sonne and the lyght out of the worlde? But these be easely knowen, both by the diuersitie of myndes, and also theyr armours. For where as the chyldren of lyght are thus minded, that they seke theyr aduersaries helth, welth, and profite w^t losse of theyr owne commodities, and oftymes wyth ieopardye of theyr lyfe: The chyldren of the worlde contrary wyse haue [Page cxxv] suche stomakes that they woll soner se them deed, y^t doth them good, then susteyne any losse of temporal thynges. The armure of the chyldren of lyghte,Armure of the chyldrē of lyght are fyrst the worde of God, whych they euer sette forth, & wyth all diligence put it abrode, that as much as in them lyeth, it maye brynge forth fruite: after this, pacience and prayer, wyth the whych in all aduersities the Lorde comforteth them. Other thynges they cō ­mitte to God, vnto whom they leue al reuengemēte.Armure of worl­des chyldren The armure of the chyldren of the worlde, are som­tyme fraudes and deceytes, somtyme lyes & money: By the fyrst, they make theyr dreames, theyr traditions: by the seconde, they stablyshe and confyrme the same, be they neuer so fonde, neuer so agaynst scrip­ture, honestye, reason. And yf any man resiste them, euen wyth these weapons they procure to slee hym. Thus they bought Christes death, the verye lighte it selfe: and obscured him after hys deth. Thus they bye euery day the chyldren of lyght, & obscure them, and shall so do, vntyll the worlde be at an ende. So that it maye be euer true, that Christ sayd. The chil­dren of the worlde be wyser in their nacion then be y^e children of light. These wordlynges pull downe the lyuely fayth whych worketh by charitie and loue, & sette vp an other fayth, an other confidence of theyr owne makyng as in pardōs and such trompery: the chyldren of lyght contrary. These wordlynges sette lytel by such workes as God hath prepared for oure saluation, but they auaunce traditions and workes of theyr owne inuention: the chyldren of lyghte con­trary. The wordlinges, yf they espye profite, gaines, lucre in any thynge, be it neuer such a tryfle, be it ne­uer [Page] so dānable, they preach it to the people: and de­fende it wyth toth and nayle. They can scarse disa­lowe any abuses of thynges, albeit they be intollerable, lest in disalowynge the abuse, they lose parte of theyr profyte. The chyldren of the lyght, cōtrary put all thynges in theyr degre, best hyghest, next, next, y^e worst lowest. They extoll thynges necessary, christi­an, and cōmaunded of God. They pull downe wyll workes fayned by men, and put them in theyr place. The abuses of all thynge they ernestly rebuke. But yet these thynges be so done on both parties, and so they both do gendre, y^t chyldren of the worlde shewe themselues wyser than the chyldren of lyght. Ney­ther the chyldren of the worlde be onely wyser, than the chyldren of lyghte, but are also some of them, a­monge themself, much wyser then the other in theyr generation. For albeit, as touchyng the ende, the generation of them all, is one: yet in thys same generation, some of them haue more craftely ingēdred, thā the other of their felowes. For what a thinge was y^t, that ones euery. C. yere, was brought forth in Rome of y^e chyldrē of this worlde, & w^t how much policie it was made it is a wōder to heare. How som brought forth Canonizations, some Expectations, some plu­ralities and vnions, some totquottes, and dispensa­tions, some pardons, and these of wonderfull varie­tie, some stationaries, some Iubilaries, some pocu­laries for drynkers, some manuaries for handlers of relyques, some pedaries for pylgrimes, some oscularies for kyssers: some of them engēdred one, some other such fetures, and euery one in that he deuysed, was excellent, politike, wyse, yea so wyse, that wyth [Page cxxvi] theyr wysedome they had almoost made al y^e worlde fooles. But yet they that begotte and brought forth y^t theyr old aūciēt purgatorie picke pourse, I meane that which was swaged & cooled w^t a graye freers coule put vpon a deade mans backe, to the fourth parte of hys synnes, that that was vtterly to be spoiled, and of none other, but of the moost prudēt lorde the byshop of Rome, and of hym as ofte as hym ly­sted: they, I saye, that were the wyse fathers and brochers of thys purgatorie, were doubtles, the wyseste of all theyr generation: and so farre passe both the chyldren of lyght, and also the rest of theyr company that they both are but fooles, yf ye compare them w^t these. It was a pleasaunt fiction, and from the be­gynnynge so profytable to the feyners of it, that al­most, I dare boldly say, there hath ben no emperour that hath gottē more by taxes and tallages of them that were alyue, than these the very and ryghte be­gotten sonnes of the worlde gotte by deade mennes tributes and gyftes.

But what go I aboute particularly to recoūte vnto you the wonderfull craftes and policies of the chyl­dren of thys worlde? Certes no tonge, no oration is able to expresse them, they be so many and so sundry. Wherfore my welbeloued frēdes, were it not a right foule shame for vs English men, for vs, I saye, that pretende vtterly to detest and renounce the fraudes and policies of the byshope of Rome and of all hys limmes, and to ensue the true religion of Christ and whych counte oure selues the children of the lyghte, were it not I say a shame y^t these worldlinges shuld haue such a forsyght, prudence, and wisdom in theyr [Page] kinde for thynges transitorie, whych be of small va­lure and mere vanities, and that we shuld be stacke and negligent by doinge of oure officies and duties towardes our neighbours to gette vs the rewardes of euerlastinge life, namely sithe euery one of vs by­cause of the incertain terme of thys life oughte euer to be in a redynes and to awayte when the Lorde of heuen wol say vnto vs as was here said to the Stuard. Gyue accomptes of thy stuardshippe, for thou maiste be no lengar stuard. Thys tyme, bicause it is both vncertaine to euery man & also shorte, we must therfore hasten vs to bestowe our erthly substaunce vpon the pore wherby to gette vs a pasporte to eternall life. For so shall it come to passe, that the good dedes & benefites whyche other folke haue done, we shalbe made partakers of, whyl we helpe them with our goodes. For assuredly he that wyth hys wordlye substaunce helpeth the prophete I meane hym that setteth forth Christes worde, the same shall receyue the rewarde of the prophete, & shalbe reliued in sem­blable wyse in the kyngdome of heuen wyth y^e good deades of the prophete or preacher. And therfore the Lorde sayeth here in thys place:Make you frendes of the wic­ked Mā ­mon. Make you frendes of the Mammon of iniquitie. As who shulde saye: Se y^t ye prouyde for yourselues in tyme, accordinge to thexemple of thys prudent and politike steward. Get you good frendes of an euel thynge, that whan at the lordes commaundement ye shalbe compelled to departe from thys tente and pauilion of your bodye, they maye receyue you into euerlastynge habitacions. It is an happye chaunge, whan earthly thynges be permuted for heauenly. What thynge is vyler, [Page cxxvij] or goeth further from vertue, thā the goodes of thys worlde? They are skant at any tyme gotten wythout fraude, wythout deceyt, and crafte, neyther is there any other waye of kepynge & augmentynge them, than of gettynge them. It is (no doubt) an o­nerouse, and a chargeable possession, and in y^e meane season neyther sure nor longe lastynge. For truely they folowe not theyr mayster, whan he departeth hense. But wyth these yet maye he bye the thynge, that is euerlastynge, and that maye do hym good in the lyfe to come. So shall it come to passe, that that thynge, whych yf it be layde vp, maketh a man wyc­ked and subiecte to many cares, the same yf it be wel bestowed, is become an instrument of the euangeli­call ryghtuousnes, whyle both he is relyued of hys necessities whych serueth the gospel, and a rewarde retourneth wyth much gaynes to the gyuer. Wher­fore my frendes to conclude, yf we wyll not be lyke these chyldren of the worlde, whome I haue spoken of, let vs hartely loue the lyghte, let vs walke in the lyght and let vs so be the chyldrē of lyght whyle we are in thys worlde, that we may shyne in the worlde y^t is to come bryght as the Sōne. Let vs accordyng to our sauioure Christes aduertisement & counsaile here, playe the partes of the wyse stewarde. Let vs make vs frendes of our money and worldly goodes in bestowynge them not vpon pardons as y^e byshop of Rome teacheth vs, but vpon our poore and nedy neyghbours, to thintent that they maye receyue vs agayne, whither? into theyr owne houses to gyue vs dyner for dyner, cote for cote, money for money? No but into euerlastinge habitaciōs and tabernacles in [Page] heauen, there to haue fruition of all celestiall ioye wyth the father, sonne, and holy goost. To whome be all honoure, all glorye, al imperie for euer & euer. Amen.

The Epistle on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie. The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .xij. Chap.

THe auncient fathers (good people) which ordeyned thys epistle to be redde thys daye in the church, thought it (no doubt) ryght necessarye, that there shuld be some certayne tyme appoynted in the churche, to intreate of the gyftes of the holy goost, wherwyth he hath adourned and furnyshed one mē ber of the same before another to thyntent that they whych haue the mo gyftes, shulde the more laboure and the rather helpe other. And therfore Christ sayd to hys disciples. He that is the greater man of you, be he the seruaunt of thother.The oc­casion of thys epistle. The occasion that moued saynt Paule to wryte these thynges of gyftes semeth to be thys. The worde of God whan it is purely and syncerely preached, can not be abydē ne suffred of the deuell, who is the moost sworne enemy of the pure worde. He commeth therfore by and by, and attempteth al the meanes possible, eyther vtterly to destroye it, or at least waye to blotte it wyth false doctrine, as we se y^e thynge to haue come to passe in our tyme not wythout great confusion. The Apostle to remedye these inconueniencies, wryteth these thyn­ges concernynge gyftes, bycause that of pryde and vayneglorye whych is conceyued by great gyftes of God, sundrye sectes and cōtencions, be wont to ryse. Yea the deuell hath no redyer waye to take awaye gods worde, than to make vs puffed vp wyth pryde in our lernynge and knowlege, and so to set vs together by the eares, whych meane also the deuell vsed in the church of the Corinthians, in whych one pur­sued an other very vnchristianly for theyr gyftes. Some there were whyche despysed the gyftes of the holy goost, as at this daye there be some whych des­pice [Page] the expositions and interpretacions of all holy doctours & fathers of the church, leanynge onely to theyr owne wytte & exposition, some whych despice y^e lyberall sciencies, and good artes, some whych saye that the knowlege of the tonges do no good in the church. But thys is the strayght waye to take away gods worde. For whā preachers yea or laye mē shal stryue amonges themselues of vayne glorie: there must the pure worde of God nedes be adulterated & corrupted wyth infinite sectes.

Fyrste therfore saynte Paule in thys epistle put­teth the Corinthians in remembraunce of the state of theyr former lyfe that they lyued in before they came to the knowlege of gods worde. For there is surely no argument eyther greater or strōger to stey men frō takynge pryde of theyr gyftes, than is this, to put them in mynde of theyr former state and con­uersation that they were in, whyle they were oute of grace & walked in blyndnes & ydolatrie. For what other thynge were we, before the knowlege of gods worde, than wycked panyms and ydolaters? From whych inconueniencies and euels, whan we are de­lyuered by grace, I praye you what occasion doeth now remayne for vs to be proude? In that we be turned of wycked panyms into christians, it is not our meryte. Furthermore where as of ydolaters we be made the true worshippers of God, neyther can we ascribe thys to our owne powers. That we haue gyftes now beynge vnder the Gospell, by whose be­nefyte commeth it? Surely not by our owne merite. By whose than? By the bountifulnes and benefyte of the holy goost. What gloriacion than remayneth [Page cxxix] vnto vs? Forsoth thys, that we may saye we were wycked panyms, worshippers of ydols, & enemyes of God, but now through the grace & fauour of god we be delyuered from so great euels. Afore y^e worlde it wolde seme a great foly and madnes, a mā to glorie and boast in other mens benefytes. But what a greater foly and madnes is it, as the Corinthians dyd, to glorye in the gyftes of god, whych do chaūce vnto men of mere grace, and that but only for a ty­me of thys lyfe?The cause of ar­rogan­cye in gospel­lers. Assuredly my frendes the chiefe ar­rogancie inflacion or puffynge vp with pryde which some men vpon theyr syngular gyftes at thys daye haue, springeth principally herby, that they consyder not what they were before the openynge and reuelacion of the gospel. Hetherto pertayneth the sayenge of Paule in the .viij. chapter of the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians. Scientia inflat. Sciētia inflat. Knowlege maketh a man swell in pryde, as who shulde saye: When men knowe that they be no longer vnder the condemna­tion of the lawe but in the state of grace, thys knowlege namely yf it be not ryghtly vnderstanded ma­keth many men proude, arrogant, puffed vp, negli­gent, slacke in the office of charitie, and ouermuche spirituall, whych oftentymes wyth great contempte of other do glorie of theyr giftes and take a pryde in them. But agaynst thys inflacion and pryde (as I haue sayd) there is no remedye more present for vs, then often to cal agayne to our remēbraūce our pri­stine and former state of lyfe, which thinge y^e apostle Paule before the rest of the Apostles doth moost di­ligently in all hys epistles & namely in thys epistle. To thys agreeth that whych he sayeth in the fourth [Page] chapter of thys epistle.i. cor. iiij What haste thou that thou hast not receyued the same before? And yf thou hast receyued it, why doest thou bragge?

Secondly, we be here taught and informed of the authour and cause of these gyftes, that is to saye, y^e holy ghost & of hys principall office: and in especiall of the greatest gyft of all, whych is to endowe vs w^t the knowlege of Christe, out of whych gyfte y^e other speciall gyftes do flowe none otherwyse then out of a quycke sprynge.☞ For Christe beynge knowen and apprehended by a lyuely fayth, whyche is euer in a redynesse whan occasion serueth, to worke by chary­tye and to fructifie, is the cause that we receyue the holy ghoste and all hys gyftes, accordyng to the sa­yng of the prophete.Psalm. lxxvi. When he ascended vp to heuen, he led captiuitie a prysoner, and gaue giftes to mē. Thys ascension is yet daylye accomplyshed in vs, when by y^e ayde of the holyghoste we knowe Christe and take holde of hym by lyuely fayth, who beynge knowne & apprehēded, sendeth vnto vs more abun­dantly the holy ghoste, and endoweth vs w^t gyftes. To saye then that Christe is the Lorde, is the verye gyfte of y^e holy gooste wherupon all the reste of the gyftes be founded and layde, as appeareth by the verse of y^e psalme aboue remēbred: Ascendit in altū captiuā duxit captiuitatē, dedit dona hominibus. And surely, who soeuer hath thys gyfte of the holy ghoste, that he can saye Christ to be the Lorde, maye sone be made also partaker of the other gyftes. But he that defieth Christ, he y^t calleth Christ Anathema he can be partaker of no gyftes of the holye ghoste. They call Christe Anathema, whyche denye hym to [Page cxxx] be Lorde, whyche thynge is as moch to saye, as to denye hym to be the Sauiour of the worlde, whych hath ouercome death, and whych nowe wyth great power raygneth ouer synne, death, and the deuell. It is also to denye Christ to be our iustice, sanctifi­cation, and redēption, who furthermore lyke a moste valiaūt Lorde protecteth, defendeth, and saueth vs from all euels.Anathema what it is. Anathema is a Greke worde & signifyeth a layenge asyde or separacion of gyftes which were offred vp to goddes and whyche was lawfull for no man to remoue out of theyr place. Euen so do hypocrites set aparte Christ, and vse not hym,☜ but the workes of theyr owne inuention, to such hypocrites Christ is Anathema, that is to saye, a cast awaye a thynge accursed, abhorred, and detested as in lykewyse the Iues by Anathema do sygnifye an execra­cion or cursynge, as saynt Hierome also wytnesseth.Hierom

Thyrdly the apostle doth here teach vs the final vse and ende of all gyftes, whych is vnitie and con­corde, so that we must knowe, that the holy goost as he is one, so he gyueth hys gyftes to men to the vni­tie and edificacion of the churche and not that men shulde after a contenciouse and vncharitable sorte be proude and glorie of theyr gyftes and talentes y^t God hath indowed them wyth. These men preache rather for vayne glorie and to wynne them prayse of men, than to edifye the christen flocke. Wherfore they haue theyr mede and rewarde. Let vs then my welbeloued brethren, cease of all such contenciouse & vncharitable boastyng & despysynge of others that haue not the knowlege whych we haue. Yf they of­fende, let vs rather gently and charitably monyshe [Page] them betwene them and vs, and not rayle, triumphe detracte and defame them with vnsemynge names. Let vs call to mynde what we were oure selues and what we be of oure selues. Let vs remember that what so euer we haue, the same we haue receyued of gods grace and not of owne proper powers. Thus doynge, we shal edifye our brethren and systerne, we shall declare, that we be in dede the persons that we be named, that is to saye, christen men and women, folowers of Christe, and fynally inheritours of euerlastynge blesse prepared for vs by the father of heauen. To whome be all glorye and prayse worlde wythout ende. AMEN.

The gospell on the .x. sondaye after Trinitie. The .xix. chapter of Luke.

MY welbeloued frendes in Christ ye shal vnder­stand y^t God is right good and much mercyful towarde vs. Father of mercy and God of all conso­lation is he as saynt Paule sayeth. And yet for all that we muste take good hede, that we do not abuse the hygh benefyte and commoditie of hys mercyfulnes & goodnes as they of Ierusalē hath done, lyke as in thys storye we rede. We se how Iesus Christe was come for to brynge them grace for to teach and to saue them, and they haue refused him. It was for that cause only that he wepte whan he dyd beholde the cytie as is now made mēcion in the gospel. And in that y^t he hath wept he hath wel shewed y^t he wold not couete the death nor the damnation of the syn­ner. He dyd not wepe for the ruyne and fall that he knew shuld ensue of the fayre houses, of the towers, and great edifices and buyldynges, but he beway­led the losse, the ruyne, and damnation of the people He sayde O Ierusalem yf thou dyddest knowe the thynges that belonge vnto thy peace euen in thys thy daye, thou woldest take hede. As yf he had sayd, yf thou knewest thy mysery, & the confusion, & deso­lation whych is to come to the, and specially yf thou dyddest knowe it in these dayes whan I am descen­ded [Page] from heuen for to make thy peace wyth god my father and get the remyssion of thy synnes, yf thou (I saye) dyddest knowe it: thou shuldest haue good cause for to wepe wyth me. But now all thys is hydden from the, thou fearest nothynge forbycause that thou carest for nothynge. But y^e dayes shall come in the and thyne enemyes shall enuiron the wyth bul­warkes. &c. Now my frendes by desolation and con­fusion temporall of them of Ierusalem whych wold not beleue nor receyue Iesu Christ, is fygured y^e spirituall confusion whych shal come vnto them which yet wyll not receyue hym nor folowe hym and which make resystence agaynst hym & hys gospel of whom the nomber is great. For whome also Iesus Christe knowynge theyr distruction that was to come hath wept. Those whych thynke to be saued by any other meanes then by hym and whych haue theyr fayth & theyr hope in any other then in hym and by him, su­rely they haue not yet receyued hym, and euell shall come vnto them. For God alone is the obiecte of the fayth, hope, and charitie of christen men. Then folo­weth that after he was arryued there, he entred into the temple and droue out of it the byers and sellers. God (yf hys pleasure were) I hertely beseche hym to vysite agayne hys holy temple I meane the churche of christen men and women and the house of prayer where as he alonly ought to be serued and worshipped by hys subiectes in spirite:Ioh. iiij. and veritie. And that it wolde please hym to caste out those whych shalbe founde byers and sellers by simonye and couetous­nes and that woll resyst hys moost holy and sacred worde and that wyll let that the seruice of god in spirite [Page cxxxij] and veritie be not accomplyshed accordynge as he wolde by hys ryghte holy worde & ordenaunce to be serued and honoured. Vnto him be al glorye and honoure in infinita secula. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xi. sondaye after Trinitie. The .i. epistle to the Corin. the .xv. chapter.

THe thynge good people wherfore saynt Paule beynge in this worlde toke moost thought for, and the whych he had moost at hys harte nexte Ie­su Christ, was for to knowe how euery churche dyd gouerne and entertayne themselues in the Gospell of Iesu Christ, to thintēt that yf perdauenture any went out of the waye of trouth, he shulde be forth wyth redressed as specially he doth shewe in y^e epistle of thys daye. He admonysheth and reduceth in me­mory vnto the Corinthiās principally two thynges on the whych all the fayth and all the assuraūce and hope of christen men is founded. The fyrst is that Iesus Christ is deade for our synnes. It is a worde whych ought well to be imprinted in the hartes of christen people, or els one ought not nor is not wor­thy to be called christened. Iesus Christ is dead for our synnes (sayth saynt Paul.) Then we be nomore in dette for our synnes syth that Iesus Christ hath satisfyed and payde for vs. Nor also we ought no­more to serue vnto synne seynge that by hys death he hath wylled to cause synne to dye in vs yf so be we beleue stedfastlye in hym. The seconde thynge whych he reduceth in memory vnto the Corinthiās and to vs, is that Iesus Christ hath ben buried and is rysen to lyfe agayne. Thys is it where on y^e hope of the christen people ought to be founded. For yf the heade be rysen agayne to lyfe in triumphe & glorye, in lyke case shall the mēbers ryse agayne. They shal ryse agayne vnto grace and vnto spiritual lyfe in thys worlde and vnto glorye and lyfe eternall in the other.Apo. xx As saynt Ihon sayeth in hys Apocalyps. Happye shall they be & holy is he whych hath parte [Page cxxxiij] in y^e fyrst resurrectiō, the secōde death hath no power ouer them. Some false preachers wolde haue tour­ned the Corinthians from the sayd fayth & for thys cause doth saynt Paule warne them so busely, say­enge: My brethren I do you to vnderstande and I do reduce to your memory the good newes which I haue preached vnto you I meane the gospell which ye haue receyued by fayth to y^e whych ye haue stayed your selues and by the which ye shalbe saued yf you folow it. I let you to wyt for what reason & in what fashion I haue preached it vnto you yf ye haue re­membraunce therof, yea yf ye haue not beleued in vayne. Fyrst that whyche I haue receyued of God whyche hath bene to me reuelate. What? Christe is deade for our synnes accordynge as it is wrytten as it hath ben sayd before and wryttē by the prophetes. Then he sayeth he hath bene buryed and is rysen a­gayne to lyfe. And for to confirme the same y^e more, he sayeth more ouer, that Iesus Christ after hys re­surrection hath bene sene by Peter and after by the xij. apostles and sythin hath bene sene by .v. hūdreth brethren beynge together. As yf he had sayd: You ought to be well assured of thys for asmuch as these mysteries haue not ben shewed vnto me alone, but the holy wrytynges doth wytnesse y^e same. And also they vnto whome he hath appeared after hys resur­rection whych be of great nomber. Certes who soe­uer leseth the hope of resurrection the same also le­seth all spirituall consolation and comforte. Then after he commeth to speake (in a great humilitie) of the grace whych Iesus Christ hath gyuen him. And after all (he sayeth) he hath bene sene by me, he hath [Page] appeared vnto me whyche am as an abortiue crea­ture. For I am the least of the Apostles whyche am not worthy to be called an Apostle, for I haue persecuted y^e church of God, but I am that I am, apostle amonge the Gentyls in fayth and in trouth. I am that that I am not by my workes, not by my mery­tes, but by the grace of God. And hys grace (sayeth he) hath not ben ydle in me. As yf he wolde saye: I haue not hyd the talent of gold whyche my mayster & lorde Iesu Christ toke me to bestowe, but I haue made it to gayne more then any other. I haue laboured more abundauntly then they all. But not I yet but the grace of God whych is in me. Saint Paule in speakynge of hys owne person and of hys grace whyche he receyued of God speaketh vnto vs tea­chyng vs by hys exemple that we ought to presume nothynge of our selues but to yelde all vnto God & vnderstande that all cometh from hym. The ecclesi­astes sayeth speakynge of the See. The waters re­turne vnto the place from whence they come forth to thende that they may runne agayne. In lyke ma­ner we must sende agayne and knowlege God to be all grace to thende that he maye alwayes augment it vnto vs vnto the tyme that we maye come wyth hym into hys glorye for to prayse hym, exalte hym, & perpetually to glorifye hym. Amen.

The Gospell on the .xi. sonday after Trinitie. The .xviij. Chapter of Luke.

MY frendes and brethrē in our Sauiour Christ Iesu, I do you well to vnderstande, that there was somtyme amonges the Iues and is yet at thys daye amonges christen folke a certayne pharisaicall kynde of iuste or ryghtuous persons, whyche haue theyr cōfidence and trust in theyr owne workes, and whych presumptuouslye seke to themselues laude & prayse of iustice therby,Psalm. xiiij. where as afore God as wyt­nesseth the prophete there is no ryghtuous persone. Neyther dyd they only stāde foolyshly in theyr owne conceytes and pleased well themselues, but also in comparison of themselues they dispraysed and also despysed others as synfulle and worldlye persones, where as in very dede the humblenes and modestie of suche as be synners and the condēnation of themselues wyth request of mercy is muche more regar­ded and is more acceptable to God, than is y^e proude and arrogant workynge of such pharisaical persōs. [Page] Wherfore against such pharisaical rightuous folke and for the cōforte of such sinners as displease themselues and be hartely sory for theyr mysordred lyfe, our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ dyd propoune thys parable or similitude vnto the Iues & by them to all the worlde. It befell so (sayeth Christ) that two certayne persons wente vp to the temple or churche for to praye, the one was a Pharise (that is to saye one that diuideth hymselfe as better from the multitude & cōmon sorte of men,Origine accordynge to Origenes interpretacion) the other was a publicane, that is to saye, a customer, a gatherer of toll or tribute, or such other common officer deputed for such purposes. The pharise standynge nye to the hygh aultare, as one that thought hymselfe worthy to talke presently wyth God, thus began to praye wyth himselfe. God I thanke the, that I am not lyke to y^e rest of folke, whych lyue by rauyne, pyllage, and extorcion, which do increase theyr substaunce by fraude and crafte, which defyle other mens beddes wyth aduoutrye, or finally whych bearynge any sklaunderouse rowme or office do pyll and poll the people of God or holy church, as is thys publicane, thys tribute gatherer, thys collectour. I am not riottouse and sumptuous in my fare and apparell, as is the common sorte of people, I fast twyse a weke, and in somuch defraude I noman, that also I distribute the tenth parte of my goodes vpon the poore people. Thys was the prayer of the swellynge and proude pharise, whyche albeit he reapported of hymselfe the trouth and thā ­ked God: yet he displeased the eyes of God euen by­cause he pleased hymselfe, flatterynge hymselfe, and [Page cxxxv] beynge cōtumeliouse agaynst hys neyghboure. On the contrarye, the publicane altogether displeasyng hymselfe for the knowlege of hys synnes stode a great waye of from the aultare, beynge so ashamed of hymselfe and penitent, that he durst not ones lyft vp hys eyen to heauen but strake hys brest, sayeng: Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori. That is to say, God, be thou mercyfull vnto me a synner. The pha­rise thought it ynough to gyue God thankes, sup­posynge that he lacked nothynge, that shulde be re­quisyte vnto perfyte holynes, and therfore he con­fessed no offenses, wheras in very dede euen in hys selfe prayers he synned moost greuouslye in that he boasted of hymselfe and despysed the penitent per­sone, beynge an arrogant prayser of hymselfe and a rashe accuser of hys neyghbour. Contrarye, the pu­blicane made no rehersall at all of hys good dedes. Only acknowlegynge and confessynge hys naugh­tynes, he knocketh hys brest, condemnyng hymselfe and humbly beggynge grace and pardon of hys of­fenses. My frendes, woll ye knowe the conclusion and ende of thys sondrye and dyuerse prayer? That same publicane, whych came a synner into y^e church, by Christes owne sentence and determination went home in the syght of God more iust and ryghtuouse than that pharise, whyche thought hymselfe moost ryghtuouse. For assuredly whosoeuer auaunceth hymselfe wyth hymself, shalbe deiected & cast downe in the eyen of God. And whosoeuer deiecteth and casteth hymselfe downe wyth hymselfe, shalbe hygh in the eyen of god. By thys parable then (good people) let vs lerne to humble and lowly our selues. Let vs [Page] lerne, whan we be out of gods fauoure for the hay­nousnes of our sinnes, by due penaunce to reconcile our selues agayne and to purchase remission of the same.Austine. I call penaūce (accordynge to saynt Austines definicion) a dayly payne and greue of the good and lowly christians wherin we knocke our brestes, say­enge:Math. vi Forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynst vs. And by these wordes (say­eth saynt Austine) humblynge oure soules we cease not after a maner to do dayly penaunce. But it is to be feared, lest many of vs playe rather the pharisees parte, thynkynge our selues hyghly in gods fauour and in the meane season despysynge our neghbours whych by theyr humble submission and penitent hertes shall get vp before vs. Heauen is gyuen not to such as iustifie themselues by their owne dedes, but to such as mekely and penitently call for mercy, pardon, and grace wherby they maye afterward worke that maye be pleasaunt in gods syght. Who wol surely in heauen crowne them wyth glorye immortall. To whome be honoure and prayse for euer and e­uer. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .ij. Epistle to the Corin. the .iij. Chap.

FOr bycause that saint Paule welbeloued brethrē in our sauiour Christe had a lytle before the be­gynnynge of the epistle of thys daye praysed the Corinthians sayenge vnto them that they were hys e­pistle in Iesu Christe in asmuch as they had recey­ued hys gospell and had wrytten and imprinted his fayth in theyr hartes by hys administration & prea­chynge. Ministred by vs (sayeth he) not wryttē with ynke but by the spirite of the lyuyng God. Not written in tables of stone as those that Moses had, but in tables of flesh in the harte: therfore to thyntent to gyue them none occasion that they shulde waxe therwyth proude and to hope and glorie in themselues and not in God, and also for to holde them in humi­litie vnder the sauegarde of God: saynt Paule say­eth: We haue truely such hope in God by Christ not that we are sufficient of our selues. &c. As yf he had sayd. Thys y^t I saye, I do not speake it arrogantly, presumynge of myne owne wyttes, but I haue such hope in God by Iesu Christ, that thys that I say, is [Page] true, and shall abyde true. I do not saye it of my selfe, as of my selfe, for we be not sufficient to thinke any thynge of our selues, as of our selues, but oure sufficientnes, and all that whyche we maye thynke, speake, and do, touchynge goodnes, cōmeth and de­pendeth from God, whych is begynnynge, myddes, and ende of all goodnes. The whych hath made vs and gyuen vs power to be ministers and preachers of the new testament, of the new and good promises whych are by Iesu Christ. He hath gyuen vs authoritie and commission to be a preacher, not of the let­ter, but of the spirite, for the letter sayeth saint Paul sleeth the soule, and the spirite doth quycken it. We ought here to note well the difference that there is to preache the letter and the spirite. For vnto y^e tyme that the lyuely worde of God be by feruēt fayth rooted in our hartes, vnto the tyme I say that we serue God nomore wyth euell wyll, but ioyfully and frely what studye or lections soeuer we take, yea yf we knewe the olde and new testament by rote of harte: yet folowe we the letter. But the spirite of God, the spirite of scripture, the spirite of the which S. Paul speaketh of here, is out of feare, it serueth in lybertie For where the spirite of the Lorde is, there is lyber­tie & fredome. Saynt Paule now after that he bare the lyght of God I meane the worde of Iesu Christ beynge desyrous and wyllynge, not to hyde it vnder a bushell, but exaltynge it and settynge it vp to be bruted and praysed of angels and of men: commeth to compare the eternall gospell vnto the transitorye lawe of Moses. He calleth the lawe of Moses the executynge or administracion of death & damnation. [Page cxxxvij] Not but that the law is good and holy, yf it be vsed lawfully: but forbycause the Iues haue abused it to theyr damnation. And for the same cause, by occasi­on, it is called administration of death. He sayeth than, yf the administration of death, that is to saye, yf the auncient lawe was delyuered and gyuen in lyght in puissaunce and in glorye: what shall y^e lawe of the gospell be whych is the administration of the spirite, of lyfe, and of iustice, But forasmuche as dy­uerse heretikes and vnlearned persones haue mys­vnderstanded thys wrytynge of saint Paule in thys place: therfore I thynke it not amysse brefly to make a faythfull reapport vnto you of S. Austines wor­des concernynge the interpretacion of thys place. Thus he wryteth in hys seconde boke agaynst the aduersary of the lawe and prophetes.

The lawe albeit it be holy, iust, and good,The wordes S. Austine. yet it bryngeth death to the transgressours and breakers ther­of, whome the grace of God helpeth not to fulfyl the iustice of the lawe. For it behoued, that in the olde testament a lawe shuld be layde vpon the proude and stubborne Iues and on such as trusted vpon the power of theyr owne wyll, whych lawe shuld not gyue them ryghtuousnes, but shulde commaunde vnto them ryghtuousnes, and so beynge wrapped and in tangled wyth the death for transgression, that they myght fle to grace, which grace not only cōmaūdeth but also helpeth, thys grace in the new testament is reuelate and opened vnto vs. And of thys occasion do these blasphemours of gods worde thynke, that the lawe was nought whych was gyuen by Moses, bycause it is called the ministration of death fygu­red [Page] in stony letters. They consyder not that it was so called bycause of them whyche thoughte by theyr owne fre wyll to satisfye the lawe & not holpen with the spirite of grace were holden gyltye of transgres­sion vnder the letter of the same lawe. For assuredly the transgression or breakinge of the lawe shuld not be euell: onles the law it selfe were good. What maruayle is it than, yf it be called the ministracion of death, where the letter kylleth in prohibitynge euell whych is done, and in commaundynge good whych is not done, and on the contrary syde that the other is called the ministracion of the spirite whych quyc­keneth, that we mought ryse from the death of pre­uarication and rede, not gyltie, in tables ryghtuousnes,☞ but beynge fre, might haue it in our hartes and maners, that is to saye, the newe testament, differ­rynge from the olde, in asmuch as in the one, the old man is hedged in wyth the straytes of feare, but in the other the new man walketh at large in the wydenes of charitie. For the prohibicion of sinne, bycause it is a lawe, vndoubtedly increaseth the desyre of sinnynge, whych is not quenched but by the cōtrary desyre of doynge well, where fayth worketh by loue. Hythervnto I haue reported the wordes of S. Au­stine, whych doth full well expounde and declare vnto vs the sentence & meanynge of the Apostle Paule in thys epistle, whose only mynde and purpose is to prouoke vs to loue, esteme; and folowe the holy and syncere gospell, by the whych the holy goost is gyuē vnto vs, and by y^e whych we be newly borne agayne and lyuynge in spirite or goost and no more after a fleshly sorte. God gyue vs the grace that it maye be [Page cxxxviii] shedde ouer all the worlde, as the foure floddes of paradyse, as a see flowynge, as floddes rysynge in lyfe eternal, that euery body may drinke plentefully of eternall lyfe, to thys ende & purpose that we may altogether prayse and glorifye God euerlastyngly, by our Lorde Iesu Christ. To whome be al honour, Amen.

The Gospel on the .xij. sonday after Trinitie. The .vij. Chapter of Marke.

THe Gospell redde in the church thys day good christen people teacheth vs, that after that our [Page] sauiour Christ had priuely stolen away out of Iew­ry and had amonges the Tyrians, Sidonians, and Cananites secretlye sowen there the sede of his holy worde, he reflected hys iourney, and came agayne to the lake of Galilee, takynge in hys waye the region of Decapoly, where before that tyme he had healed a man possessed of a deuell. Whan he was come hy­ther, they brought vnto hym a ryght myserable spectacle, that is to saye, a man both deafe and dombe. For he muste nedes be dombe, whyche is of nature deafe.☞ But he is more myserably deafe, whych hath no mete eares to heare gods word, he is worse dōbe, whych hath no tonge to confesse hys fylthynes and gods mercy. By hearynge of the fayth, is the begynnynge of health and saluation, and by confession of the mouth is the perfection of helth. The Iues, al­beit they dayly herde Iesus speakyng, yet hearynge they herde not, for asmuch as accordynge to thexemple of the serpent called the Aspik whyche stoppeth her eares agaynst the voyce of the wyse inchaunter,The propertie of the Aspike. they wolde not beleue such thynges as they herde, And therfore they had a tonge to backbyte and de­tracte, but they had no tōge to the holsome professiō of faith. But what shal this sely poore mā do, which hath no tonge wherewyth he maye craue hys soule helth of the Lorde, whych hath no eares wherby he maye perceyue the voyce of Iesus whych is wonte to rayse euen the deade to lyfe? They that had ton­ges and eares do helpe the sely mā, they brynge him to Iesus. They besech hym of hys tēder mercy, that he woll vouchsaue to laye hys hande vpon hym. Thus it pleaseth the moost mercyfull Lorde, that [Page cxxxix] euen other mens fayth shuld helpe synners.Other mens fayth other­whyles helpeth In lykewyse the hethen person whych is about to leaue his hethen lyfe & to become christianed in which state he is called of y^e aūcient fathers of y^e church catechumenus is brought to Iesus, he hath stynted to do euel, he hath stinted to speake euel, but he hath not yet lerned to do wel, he hath not yet lerned to cōfesse y^e goodnes of y^e gospel. For how cā he do thys, yf Iesus lay not hys hāde vpō hym? Mē labour in vayne, onles the secrete power and vertue of Christ be put therto It was an easy thynge for the Lorde, euen wyth the bare worde of hys mouth, to gyue helth to the deafe and dombe man, but thys forme of thynges is pur­posed and set forth vnto vs. For lyke as for y^e moost parte, it is a parable, that Christ speaketh: so often­tymes it is a parable, y^t he doth. He toke the man by the hāde, & led hym asyde frō y^e multitude of people. He is saufe, whom Iesus taketh vp, whō he leadeth away frō y^e hurley burly of thys worlde. He put hys fyngers into hys eares, and wyth hys spyttell, tou­ched hys tonge. Assuredly, my frendes,☜ helth and saluacion is then at hande, whan our sauioure Christe Iesus, by the vertue of hys spirite,The al­legorie. whych is the fynger of God, vouchsaueth to touch the eares of oure mynde, and as often as wyth the spyttell of the hea­uenly wysedome, whych is hymselfe, commynge out from y^e mouth of the father aboue, he vouchsaueth to touche the tonge of oure mynde, to thintent that those thynges myght sauour vnto vs, which belōge to God and be godly. For wythout thys humour is made no taste, & mans spyttell, yf it be infected, hath a peruerse iudgement. Thys spettell not onely lou­seth [Page] the tonge, but also openeth the eyen of him, that is borne blynde, as often as, beynge myxed w^t earth it be layde vpon the eyes, wheras on the contraryesyde,☞ the spettel of philosophers and of pharisees, do rather put out the eyes. The same thynge in maner do also the teachers of the gospell. They take men and leade them awaye from the multitude, whā out of the broade way, wherin the moost parte of people do walke into theyr owne damnacion, they cal them backe and brynge them agayne to the felowship of the lytle flocke. They put theyr fyngers into theyr eares, whan by callynge them awaye from the vanities of thys worlde, they sturre them to receyue the heauenly doctrine. They laye spettell vpon theyr tō ges, whan they exhorte them to professe the euange­licall fayth, they laye theyr handes vpon them, whā they gyue the holy goost to such as be baptised, by whome theyr synnes be wyped awaye, and innocen­cie is conferred. But all these thynges the curate or byshop doth outwardlye in vayne, yf Christe worke not wythin and sende out hys godly vertue frō heauen. Of thys thynge Christe Iesus, wyllynge to de­clare vnto vs as it were a certayne ymage or token, after he had taken the man vnto hym, after he had put hys fyngers into hys eares and had spetted on hys tonge: he lyfted vp hys eyen to heuen & syghed. Thys syghynge was no mystrustynge,Why Christ syghed. but a bewaylynge of mans mysery & calamitie. For what thinge can be more myserable, than they, whych haue y^e ea­res of theyr mynde so encombred and occupied with earthly lustes, that they can not heare the worde of God? and whych haue theyr tonge so entangled and [Page cxl] infected wyth vicious affectiōs, that they sauer not of heauenly thynges, that they be dombe to confesse theyr naughtynes, dombe to auaunce gods mercye? Wherfore the syghynge of Iesus admonysheth vs what we were,☜ and hys lokynge vp to heauen pluc­keth awaye desperation, declarynge from whence helpe commeth vnto vs, & also whome we be boūde to thanke, that wheras before we had our eares opē to detraction, backbytynge, to rybaudrye and foule wordes; to foolysh fables, to pharisaicall doctrine, to vayne philosophie, to the suggestiōs of the deuel: we haue them now open to receyue the heuenly doc­trine of the gospell, and wheras before we had oure tōge so infected wyth the spettel of flesh, that y^e deli­cate foode of the gospel was loothed of vs, so boūde wyth the bondes of Sathan, that we could neyther confesse our owne sinnes, nor yet auaunce the glorie of god: we now confesse, that of oure owne merytes we deserue nothynge but hell, and that it commeth holly of gods goodnes, that we be chosen to the na­me and inheritaunce of the chyldren of god. Wher­fore in lyke wyse doth euery good curate and preste bewayle rather then rage vpon mens synnes, he is rather sory than angrye, neyther doth he arrogant­ly calenge to hymselfe the power of assoylynge, but he loketh vp to heauen, confessyng and testifyenge, that all that euer is done through the rytes of holy sacramentes, is done by gods vertue, and not mans power. It foloweth in the texte, that Iesus sayd vn­to hym: Ephata, that is to say, be opened. And forthwyth the vertue folowed y^e worde. For strayght hys eares were opened, and the strynge of his tonge loused, [Page] and he spake distinctly. They had open cares, whych when the Lorde sayd vnto them: Come after me,Actu. ij. left all, and folowed hym. They had an vntan­gled and louse tonge, which after they had receyued the holy goost, spake wyth sondrye tonges the won­ders of God, and whych answered y^e ruler that charged them no more to preach y^e name of Iesu, in thys wyse.Act. iiij. Whyther it be ryght in the syght of God to o­beye you rather then God, iudge you. Nowe these thynges that Christe dyd, were done asyde from the multitude. For he thought it not best to make the rude multitude a wytnes of the euangelicall begynnynges, lest they shulde mocke the thynge that as yet they knew not. Iesus therfore cōmaunded them that they shuld tell nomā herof, not bycause he wold not that the thynge were knowē that was done, but bycause the thynge selfe speaketh better the heauēly vertue, than doth the brute and reapporte of men. They knewe all well ynough the deafe and dombe man. Now he herde and spake plainly, so he not dis­closynge the thynge yet bruted y^e benefyte of Christ. Furthermore Iesus bare here the ymage of man,☞ to thintent he wolde instructe men what they ought to do.An exē ­ple for vs to folowe. What soeuer excellent thynge a mā doth, let him couet to haue hys dede vnknowen, that the glorie of man myght be huyshed, and the glorie of God prea­ched. Man is ieopardously praysed, but the power & goodnes of God is worthely auaunced. Albeit ney­ther is mans glorye huyshed (yf yet he hath any glo­rie) but oftētymes y^e more it is eschued, the more it foloweth. Yet neuerthelesse a christē teacher ought to be thus affected, that as much as in hym lyeth, he couette [Page cxli] to be knowen d [...]ly of God. And herin he is the worthyer to be praysed amonges all men. For who soeuer seketh for glorie amonges men, is euen for that cause vnworthy therof. Wherfore that Iesus forbad them whych brought y^e do [...]be man, that they shulde tell no bodye what was done, the selfe same thynge prouoked them the more, to bl [...]se it abrode, and so much the more also they magnifyed & auaunced Christ which wheras he had so great vertue and power, & dyd them therwyth such pleasure not onely requyred no rewarde of them for the same, but also wolde not ones inioye the glorie of so noble a farre. But as it is the parte of a weldoer not to requyre prayse for hys benefyte: so agayne it is the office of a kynde man so much the more to gyue thankes, in that that he whych dyd y^e benefyte loke for no thāke. Wherfore they neuer ceased to blase abrod the name of Iesus in euery place where so euer they came, sayenge: He hath done all thynges well. He hath resto­red aswell hearynge to the deaffe, as tonge to the dombe. Assuredly my frendes thys prayse agreeth only vpon God. There is no earthly, no mortal per­son, that doth all thynges well. All Christes myra­cles no doubt were oure benefytes, which myracles, yf ye waye and expende them after the outward face of corporall thynges: in dede there were many myracles whych he dyd that were of much more excellēcy and worthynes than thys y^t of a deafe man he made an hearer, of a dombe a speaker.☜ But accordynge to the spirituall sense, the summe of all a christian mās felicitie standeth in thys poynt, that wyth hys eares he mought heare the worde of the gospell, & speake [Page] that he hath lerned and beleued. This thynge, good christen people yf we do, we shall surely at length in heryte the kyngdome of heauen prepared for vs. Where God the father, the sonne, & holy goost thre persons in deytie raygne eternally. To whome be al glorie. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xiij. sondaye after Trinitie. The .iij. chapter to the Galathians.

SAynt Paul my welbeloued frendes in the epistle of thys day declareth vnto vs, that they chaūge the testament & the euerlastynge wyll of God, which testament, wyll, or couenaunt god hath concluded in Christ our only iustifyer and sauiour, which seke saluation and iustification by the lawe & not by Christ I speake (sayeth saynt Paule) after mans fashion, that ye maye the better vnderstande me. Though it be but the testament and last wyll of a man, yet yf it be ones authorised and allowed, nomā cutteth it of, or addeth any thynge therto.Ambro­se. Here saynt Ambrose noteth, that the Apostle vseth thys comparison or similitude, to thintent he wold declare that they be falsifyers of goddes testament, whych wheras they be­leue in Christ, yet mengle w^t Christ the law & whych hope to be partly saued by the law. For in very dede the hole cause of our saluation is Christ Iesus, and no iote of the lawe, as the Apostle saynt Paule doth in thys epistle very fully and effectually proue. Yf mans testamēt ought to be of such strength, that we ought nether take ought therfro, nor put ought ther to: how much rather ought gods testament & wyl to be such? But in gods testamēt to Abraham was the promise of eternal saluacion and iustification made and vnto hys sede.Ge. xxij In thy sede (sayd god to Abrahā) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. He sayth not in the sedes as many, but in thy sede, as of one, whych is Christ. Now thā seynge this wrytyng, this testamente and couenaunte maketh mencion but of one heyre in whome God promysed, that we shulde all be saued and iustifyed: then we ought to allowe [Page] none other thynge to our iustification to oure blesse and saluation but only Christ.

Secondly, S. Paule proueth by the circūstaūce of the tyme, that the law blessed not nor iustifyed mā kynde. For the promyse or wrytyng of the testament was proued and confirmed by god in the only heyre Iesu Christ before the law was gyuen. For the law was gyuen longe after, that is to saye (as Paul here wytnesseth) aboue foure hundred and thyrty yeares after. Wherfore yf the law were any cause of our iu­stification: then the people whych were before y^e law was gyuen, coulde not be iustifyed, whych thynge is false,Ro xiiij as y^e Apostle manyfestly proueth in hys epistle to the Romaynes. For Abraham was iustifyed lōge before the lawe came, yea and that before he was circumcised. It is therfore playne, that the euerlastyng inheritaunce can not come by the law. For yf it were by the lawe, (as reasoneth saynt Paule) than it can not come by promyse. But so it is, that god gaue it vnto Abraham by promyse. Ergo the heritage of heuen and saluacion commeth by promyse and not by the lawe.

An obiection.But here (sayeth he) ye wol aske me, syth the law is not the cause of saluation, but Christ is the onely gyuer of it to such as cleaue faste vnto hym by true fayth, hope, and charitie, wherfore then serueth the lawe,Solutiō what good do it? Surely much good my fren­des. The vse & profyte of the lawe is great, thoughe it be not cause of our iustification. I say the workes of the lawe saue vs not, but it is only the merytes of Christ that saueth vs, that iustifieth vs yf we stycke vnto hym by ernest & quycke fayth whych worketh [Page cxliij] of loue and not of compulsion. In dede a true and ryght christon man, I meane a person that is cleane turned into a new man & whych hath so great fayth and charitie in hym, that for Christes loue, he is rea­dy to do all thynges, such as man nede no lawe.i. Tim. i. For the lawe (as the Apostle also testifyeth) is not gyuē vnto the ryghtuouse man but vnto the vnryghtu­ouse and disobedient, to the vngodly and vnto syn­ners, to vnholy and vncleane, to murtherers of fa­thers and murtherers of mothers, to mansleers, to whoremongers, to beastly persons, to theues and so forth. The lawe than is rather a restrayner from e­uell, than a iustifyer, it is, as it were a brydell tyll Christ come and be setled in vs whyche maye cause vs to worke euen of loue wythout cōpulsion of law. The lawe (sayth Paule) was added bycause of trās­gression tyll Christ, whych was y^e sede that was pro­mysed came. So the lawe is not agaynst y^e promyse of God, but it standeth wyth the promyse, it is as it were our schole mayster and leader to Christe. For (sayeth saynt Paule) yf there had ben any lawe gy­uen which coulde haue gyuen vs lyfe, that is to say, whych coulde haue iustifyed and saued vs, than (no doubt) shulde ryghtuousnes haue come by the lawe. But that could not be. And therfore the scripture cō cluded al vnder synne to thende that the promyse by the fayth of Iesus Christ shuld be gyuen to al such as beleue the same. The lawe than was added not to iustifye, but to brydell vs in, to leade vs lyke a scholemayster vnto Christ. And it was ordeined and gyuen (sayeth Paule) by angels (as is wytnessed al­so in the Actes) in the hande of a mediatoure,Actu. vij that is [Page] to saye, in the hande of Moses, whych went betwene as a spokesman betwene the angels and the people. The people coulde not heare the lawe that was or­deyned and gyuen of the angels from god wythout a mediatour. Wherfore nowe we haue muche more nede of the mediatour Christ whych may brynge vs the waye to God.

Here therfore good people, ye lerne in this epistle two thynges, the one is wherfore Christ serueth and the other wherfore the lawe serueth. The lawe must be our brydell our staye our scholemayster to directe and leade vs to the true & vnfayned fayth in Christ whych fayth may make vs to worke euen of loue. But Christ must be counted our only iustifyer, and the only cause of our saluacion. We must do y^e wor­kes of the lawe not as compelled by law, but as prouoked by loue whych we beare fyrst to God and consequently to our neyghbour for Christes sake. This doynge we shall surely be iustifyed and sanctifyed persons, and shall inherite the eternall inheritaunce of God. To whome be glorye. &c.

The Gospel on the .xiij. sonday after Trinitie. The x. Chapter of Luke.

BLessed be the eyen whych se that you haue sene &c. Welbeloued audience these be the wordes of our Sauiour Christ spoken to hys disciples in the x. chapter of Luke whych be red in the churche thys daye. For the better vnderstandynge wherof, ye shal marke, that Christe a lytle before the speakynge of these wordes reioysyng in spirite, gaue prayses and thankes to hys father of heuen, bycause he had hyd the mysterye of the gospell from the proude Phari­sees whych were counted the wyse and wyttye per­sones of the worlde, and had disclosed and opened it to symple and vnlerned persons, as to fyshermē, pu­blicanes, and so forth, such as were hys disciples. And speakynge these wordes, he turned hymselfe to hys disciples apart, and sayde the wordes before re­hersed. Blessed be the eyen that se, whych you do se. For I tell you that many prophetes & kynges wold haue sene that you se, and sawe not, and wolde haue herde that you heare, & herde not. I praye you what herde, what sawe these disciples that the prophetes and kynges whych were before them, herde not nor sawe not? Truly, they sawe not, they herd not Christ as dyd thappostles. They busely wayted and loked for hym, they knewe such one shulde come to redeme and saue them from euerlastynge dānation & death wherof they were gyltie by the synne of Adam theyr fyrst father. But they coulde not se hym personally. For the tyme was not yet come, that the father of heuen [Page cxlv] had set and determined to sende hym. And amō ges other holy fathers whych loked for thys redēp­tion,Luce. ij. we reade in holy scripture of one Symeon a ryghtuouse and deuoute man, whyche had receyued an answere of the holy goost, that he shulde not se death, tyll he had sene wyth hys eyen the Christe of the Lorde, that is to saye, the Messias that shulde saue and redeme the worlde, whyche thynge came to passe. For whan Christ our sauiour was brought to the temple on the eyght daye to be circumcised accordynge to the custome of the Iues, thys Symeon in spyred with the holy goost came into the temple and takynge the chylde in hys armes praysed God and sayd: Now thou lycencest me thy seruaunt to depart (o Lorde) accordyng to thy word in peace. For myne eyen haue sene thy sauynge stocke, whych thou hast prepared before the face of all people. &c. We reade also of a certayne wydowe prophetisse named Anne doughter of Phanuell,Luce. ij. which was also in the temple the same tyme, and praysed the Lorde in lyke wyse & spake of thys Christ vnto all those that wayted for the redemption of Israell. These I saye and suche other whyche were in Christes tyme reioysed to se y^t they sawe, and to heare that they herde. But thys coulde not the holy prophetes and kynges whyche were before Christes commynge into thys world se, bycause y^e tyme was not yet come. So Christ myght very well call the disciples blessed bycause they saw thynges and also herde doctrine taught them which were not sene nor herde before. Now whan Christe had spoken these wordes and was come agayne to the people to teache and instructe them hys doctrine [Page] beholde, a certayne scribe which was a lawyer sterte vp to take Christ in a trippe and to tempte hym, sayenge: Mayster, what shall I do to inherite euerla­stynge lyfe? Christ perceyuynge wherabout he went answered and sayd to the lawyer. What is wrytten in the lawe?Deut. vi. How doest thou rede there? He sayd: In the lawe thus is it wrytten. Thou shalt loue y^e Lord thy God with thy hole harte, and thy hole soule, and wyth thy hole myght, and wyth all thy mynde, and thy neyghboure as thy selfe. Than sayd Christ vnto hym: Thou hast well answered. Thys do, and thou shalt lyue. As who shulde saye: Thou art a doctour a teacher and mayster in Israel. Do the thynge that thou teachest other to do, be a worker of the thynge that thou readest. For not the hearers of the lawe be iust before God,Rom. ij. but the doers of the lawe shalbe iu­stifyed. Thynke not, for al my new and straūge doc­trine to your eares,Math. v. y^t I am come to destroye the law and the prophetes as many do thinke of me. No no, I am not come to destroye, but to fulfyll. Ye scribes and pharisees cōmonly set lytle by gods hestes and commaundementes, all your busye studye & labour is to auaunce & set vp your owne lawes, your owne rytes and traditions. But I tel you, and take it for a warnynge, that who so euer breaketh one of these lytle prety cōmaundementes of God (for so ye coūte them in comparison of yours) and teacheth men to do as he doth, as cōmonly ye scribes and pharisees do,Math. v beleue me, he shall haue lest to do in heauen. But that person whych fyrst doth hymselfe, & afterwarde teacheth other men these cōmaundementes of God, of whych thou hast rekened vp the chefest of all and [Page cxlvi] that whych conteyneth all the rest, doubtles, thys fe­lowe shalbe called a great man in heuen. Now good people, ye shall vnderstande, that the scribes & pha­risees amonges the Iues in dede taught, whā they sate in Moses chaire, the lawe of God and hys commaundementes, but they added many gloses, inter­pretacions, and additions of theyr owne heades. They corrupted gods worde wyth theyr owne tra­ditions, as tauerners be wont to brewe and corrupt the pure wyne wyth other vnholsome thynges for theyr owne gaynes and auauntage. And therfore whan oure sauiour Christe came amonges them he went aboute to restore all agayne to the ryght sence and purenes, and to seuer and wede out the fansyes dreames and leuen of the pharisees wherwyth they had ensoured and corrupted y^e swete breade of lyfe, and he openly tolde the people, that onles theyr perfection, theyr goodnes and rightuousnes passed the ryghtuousnes and good lyuynge of the scribes and pharisees, they shulde neuer come to the kyngdome of heauen. Whervpon he went on, and taught the commaundementes of God and the pure and ryght vnderstandynge of them as in hys moost excellente and swete sermon whyche he made to hys disciples on the mountayne, whych the holy Euangelist saint Matthew setteth forth vnto vs in the .v.vi. and .vij. chapters, more at large doth appeare.Mat. vij A good tree (sayth Christ) bringeth forth good frute. For not euery one, that sayth vnto me, Lorde Lord, shal entre in to the kyngdome of heauen, but he that doth y^e wyll of my father whych is in heauen. Thou readest in y^e lawe. Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy [Page] harte, wyth al thy soule, wyth al thy power & minde. Do thys sayeth Christ, and thou shalte lyue eternally in heauen. Thou mayest not speake of God wyth thy mouth or praye vnto hym wyth thy lyppes, and thy harte be farre from God. Naye, thou must loue hym wyth thy hole harte, mynde and power, and not fayntly. And thou must loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe. Who soeuer doth thys, shall lyue. And who soeuer hath not done thys, let hym repent and become a newe mā. Let hym aske grace of God that he may be able through hys ayde and helpe to do it. He that seketh shall fynde, he that asketh shall obtayne, to hym that knocketh, it shalbe opened. There is no­thynge impossible to God. So longe as we be car­nall and vnrenewed by the spirite it is not possible for vs to loue God wyth harte. We maye wel drede hym as a Lorde & punysher of synne, but loue hym as a father we can not. We maye well lyke seruauntes feare hym, but reuerently loue hym lyke sonnes and doughters, we cānot. It is not possible (I say) for a carnall man to fulfyll the lawe whych is spiri­tuall.Rom. vij The lawe (as ye haue herde) requyreth y^e hart. We must loue God wyth harte, and not drede hym for feare of punyshment, as bondmen and bondwo­men do theyr lorde. Yf we woll consyder what God hath done for vs, fyrst he made vs of nought, he prouydeth for vs all thynges necessarie to oure soules helth, he hath made our soules not as be the soules of beastes wythout reason and whych peryshe & dye wyth y^e body, but reasonable, but immortall, he sente also hys owne sonne from heauen to redeme man­kinde from the tyranny and thraldome of the deuel, [Page cxlvij] and to teach them how to lyue a godly and an inno­cent lyfe. Yf I saye we woll consyder all thys, howe can we but loue god euen wyth harte & do his swete wyll and pleasure, onles we be harder then the Adamant stones, onles we be made of suche a churlyshe nature that nothynge can moue vs. But the phari­sees for moost parte were carnal and fleshly persons They obserued the letter of the lawe, they kepte the outwarde wordes, they dyd no lechery outwardlye, they cōmytted no thefte, no murther, no periury nor suche other vyces outwardlye, they dyd sacrifice to God, they offered vnto him, they sensed, they pyped, they played, they prayed after theyr fashiō, but none of all thys was done wyth the harte. For inwardly they were full of all abhominacion, as Christe hym­selfe wytnessed vnto them. For they dyd it onely for feare of punyshmēt and not for any harty loue that they had to God. They fulfylled the letter of y^e lawe outwardly. But theyr minde, theyr spirite, theyr hart was vpō other thynges, that is to wyt, vpō worldly vanities and pleasures. So they coulde not fulfyll the lawe so longe as they were in that case. For as Paule full well declareth, the lawe is spirituall,Rom. vij. and ought to be done and executed wyth the harte, wyth the spirite, and mynde, and not only outwardly. Yet neuertheles all the Iewes were not in thys case, for there were holy and iuste persons in all ages, as ap­peareth full wel in the bokes of holy scripture. And there were also many, whych had good intentes, but they were so drowned wyth the blyndnes, superstici­on, gloses, tradicions, interpretacions and dreames of the pharisees and elders that they espyed not the [Page] true honoure and worshyp of God, of whyche sorte was Nicodemus,Ioh. iij. whych came by nyght to Christ to learne of hym and to dispute wyth hym. But Christ perceyuynge that he was yet carnall and that he obserued but the letter of the lawe, and not the spirite and mynde of the lawe, sayd by and by vnto hym: Verely verely I say vnto the, onles thou be (as who shulde saye) new borne, not of thy mother, but of water and spirite, thou canst not enter into the kyng­dome of god. That that is borne of flesh is flesh, but that whych is borne of spirite is spirite. A fleshly mā a naturall man, a man vnbaptized, vnrenewed with the spirite can not smel nor haue any sauour of thinges spirituall, he can not worke y^e wyll and pleasure of God. He maye well for feare satisfye the outward wordes, but he shall neuer do the wyll of God wyl­lyngly, hartely, and with spirite, as it is requyred of God that he shulde do. For as I haue sayd, the law is spirituall and requyreth the harte. And surely it appeareth well that thys lawyer toke but the letter of the lawe & not y^e spirite, by the question folowyng where he asketh Christ who is hys neyghboure. For yf he had loued God hertely he shulde haue counted euery man hys neyghboure as Christes similitude byddeth and not only hys owne nation as cōmonly the Iues dyd. Wherfore my frendes yf we wol haue euerlastynge lyfe, let vs do as Christe here byddeth vs. Let vs not be speakers nor hearers of y^e law but doers, and not outwarde and lyterall doers, but hartye, but spirituall doers, not for feare as bondmen but for loue as fremē and sonnes and heyres. Thys let vs do and we shall lyue euerlastyngly in heauen [Page cxlviij] wyth God. To whome be all honoure and imperie for euer and euer. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie. The .v. chapter to the Galathians.

MY welbeloued brethren and systers in Christe, ye muste well consyder and vnderstande, that the lyfe of a christen man and womā in thys present worlde is as who shulde saye a continuall warfare, [Page] a dayly batell and fyghtynge, accordynge to the sayeng of Iob.Iob. vij Mans lyfe is on erth a warfare. And ye shall furthermore vnderstande, that the greatest ad­uersarie, the greatest enemye y^e mā hath, is him selfe. Neyther hath mā any thinge so harde and so strōge an enemye to ouercome as hys owne flesh, his owne stubborne and rebellous mynde and lust, forasmuch as of our owne corrupt natures we be inclined to al naughtynes and euels as it is wrytten in the boke of Genesis.Ge. viij. The vnderstandinge and ymaginacion of mans harte is euell euen from hys youth. The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite to the flesh.Ioh. iij Wherfore yf we be not regenerate, yf we be not borne agayne, yf we be not purged, clensed, & re­newed by the spirite of God and so gouerned and directed in al our procedinges and doynges of y^e same surely we shall neuer enter into the kyngdome of heuen, and thys is it that saint Paule doth here tel vs of. He byddeth vs walke in the spirite, that is to say, cast awaye our olde corrupt nature, and put on vs a new nature, that is to saye, a spirituall nature, a new man, so shall we not fulfyll the lustes and desy­res of the flesh. As who shulde say. Albeit your flesh wrastleth and fyghteth agaynst your spirite whyche ye haue obtayned by Christ and againe your spirite agaynst your fleshe bycause it is not yet throughlye mortifyed nor crucifyed in such wyse that somtyme ye do not the thynge that ye wold fayne do through the infirmitie and weakenes of the fleshe whyche ye haue not yet fully conquered: yet thys notwythstandynge se ye go styll on, and walke accordynge to the spirite. Folowe I saye the thynges of the spirite, as [Page cxlix] holy meditacions & readynges of scripture, deuoute prayers, abstinence of the body, and all godly exer­cises. Thus doynge, ye shall growe stronge in y^e spi­rite, ye shalbe hable by gods grace and assistence to wythstande the lustes and desyres of the flesh and of the corrupte nature, yea ye shalbe new mē, spirituall men, conducted, led and gouerned by the holy spirit of god, ye shall then embrase the wyll of God frelye without compulsion, and not as bondmen to y^e law. Ye shall then be enfraunchised from the thraldome of the deuell. Then shall charitie worke more in you than any outwarde lawe can do.i. tim. i. For a lawe is not made for iust and parfyte persons, but to brydel and represse the lustes of synfull persons of carnall and beastly folke, for as a certayne Philosopher sayeth:Plato. Of the euell maners of men dyd good lawes take begynnynge. For yf all men wold do as they ought to do, we shulde nede no lawes. Good men therfore be not vnder the lawe. For to be vnder the lawe is to be in seruile feare and not to do the lawe frely.

And bycause ye shulde knowe the better whan ye walke fleshly and whan spiritually, the Apostle S. Paule setteth forth vnto vs the frutes of the fleshe and the frutes of the spirite.Workes of the fleshe. The workes of y^e fleshe (sayeth he) be easely knowen, whych are these, aduoutrye, letchery, vnclennes, ydolatrye, wytchcraft, poy­sonynge, hatred, stryfe, hartbrennynge, fume, cha­fynge, discorde, heresies, sectes, enuye, dronkennes, ryotte, surfettynge, and such lyke. Of these foule vyces and frutes of the corrupte nature, I tell you be­fore (sayeth saynt Paule) that who so euer do them (onles he ryse agayne by dew penaunce) shall neuer [Page] inherite the kyngdome of God. On the contrarye syde, the frute of y^e spirite is loue, charitie, ioye, peace wyth all men, pacience, sufferaunce, myldnes, lyberalitie, faythfulnes, meknes, temperaūce. And against such persons sayeth S. Paule as shew these frutes, surely there is no lawe.i. tim. i. For (as sayde is) the lawe is made for the other sorte of men whych be iniust and disobedient, it is not ordeyned for the chyldren of the spirite whych be infraunchysed and whyche be wyl­lyngly wythout compulsion obedient ynough. For the chyldren of the spirite, I meane all suche whych belonge vnto Iesu Christ haue mortifyed and cru­cifyed and do cōtinually mortifye and crucifye theyr fleshe, theyr vyces and concupiscences by the power of the spirite that raygneth in them, as S. Paul dyd sayenge:i. cor. ix. I tame my bodye and brynge it into sub­iection. Assuredly my frendes the chyldren of the spirite be now nomore subiecte to the fleshe, but y^e fleshe rather is subiecte vnto them or at lest wayes vnto the spirite whych is in them. Our Lorde graūt, that hys spirite maye so worke in vs by hys lyuely word that we maye eschue the workes of the fleshe and fo­lowe the frutes and workes of the same spirite by our Lorde Iesu Christ. To whome wyth the father and holy goost thre persons and one God, be rēdred all honoure, glorie, prayse, and thankes for euer and euer. Amen.

The Gospel on the .xiiij. sonday after Trinitie. The .xvij. Chapter of Luke.

GOod christē people not only the wordes of our Lorde be full of great mysteries and significa­cions, but also hys myracles and hys workes be as it were parables and ful of mystery, and by them we ought to nourysh & increase oure weake fayth more and more and to make it stronge, as one may se and consyder in the gospell of thys daye, whych maketh mencion of .x. lazers or lepers, whome at that tyme our Lorde clensed of theyr leprye, and of hys large mercye made them hole. But what sygnifye these .x. lazers or lepers vnto vs? Truly in the lawe of Mo­ses God had forbydden that none shulde kepe com­pany with them whych were infected and sycke with [Page] bodely leprye but commaunded that they shulde be put forth from amonges them and from the company of the rest, lest they shulde infecte and pollute o­ther as it is redde in the boke of Numeri where it is wryttē in this wyse.Num. v The Lord god spake to Moses sayenge: Commaunde the chyldren of Israell, that they put out from theyr tentes all lazars or lepers. But certaynly we ought a great deale more to take hede that we do not communicate nor kepe compa­ny wyth such as be lazars spiritually. The spiritual lepry is infidelitie, heresie, and ignoraunce of God. For lyke as the bodely leprye doth corrupt al the body, euen so doth infidelitie corrupt all the soule, and by the stynkynge breath therof, that is to say, by the wordes and conuersacion of suche as be corrupted therwith, be other corrupted y^e company wyth them, accordynge to that sayenge. Corrumpūt bonos mores colloquia praua, that is to saye, euell communi­cacions do corrupt good maners. Wherfore al such ought to be eschued and fled from, as lepers and la­zars, they must be excōmunicate and put out of the assemble and congregacion of christen people. Yet thys notwythstandynge, there is no sycknes, no maladie, no lepry so greuous, but that the moost excel­lent phisician and surgeon our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus both can heale and wyll heale, yf he be faithfully sought and called vpon, as by exemple is well shewed in thys gospell. But I say it is our partes, to seke and call vpon hym, it is our offyce to go and mete Iesu Christ, yf we woll be cured. We must crye afarre of after hym, we muste wyth depe lowly­nes and humilitie of harte, pray vnto hym and say: [Page cli] Iesus, Sauioure, and mayster, haue mercy on vs, take pytie and compassion ouer vs. By this meanes after that we haue ones offred and presented our selues vnto the prestes, whych haue authoritie and power of God for to discerne and iudge,☜ accordyng vnto the scripture, betwene the lepry and not lepry, that is to saye, betwene heresye and veritie, betwene vice and vertue, and accordynge vnto the scripture, to assoyle, as saynt Paule dyd assoyle a synner of whych is made mencion in the seconde epistle vnto the Co­rinthians,ij. cor, ij we shalbe receyued agayne into the nom­ber of the faythful, euen into y^e flocke of Iesu Christ But after that we shalbe assoyled of God in trouth, and of men in sygnes, we muste yet beware that we be not ingrate, churlysh, nor vnthankfull to God, as the .ix. lazars were whyche dyd not retourne, for to yeld thankes and prayses to Christ, and for to gyue glorye vnto god for the great benefite and goodnes that they had receyued of hym. Let vs be lyke the lazar Samaritane, which fygured the christen gētyls, and let vs saye that whych the spirite of God sayeth by the prophete Dauid in the .cij. psalme. My soule, blesse thou the Lorde God and do not forget all hys rewardes, whych maketh hole all thyne iniquities & all thy syckenesses. Thys let vs do, to thintent oure Lorde maye semblably saye vnto euery one of vs. Ryse vp, and go thy waye, thy true ernest and catholyke fayth hath preserued and made the hole. Hense forth se thou synne nomore, walke nomore after the flesh, but after the spirite. Yf we thus do (my frēdes) doubt we not, but we shall haue the rewarde of euer lastynge blesse, whych is endles ioye in the heauenly [Page] Hierusalem wyth the father, sonne, and holy goost. To whome be all glorie and imperie, in infinita se­secula. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xv. sondaye after Trinitie. The .v. and .vi. chapter to the Galathians.

WElbeloued frendes in our Lorde Iesu Christ, ye shal vnderstande, that our Sauiour in the Gospell of saynt Mattheu sayeth,mat. viij that euery tree is knowen by hys frute, for a good tree beareth good frute, but an euell tree bryngeth forth euell frute. Therfore the holy Apostle of God saynt Paul doth in thys epistle admonyshe vs christen folke, that yf we be good trees we ought to bringe forth good frutes, and yf we lyue in the spirite, as christē mē ought to lyue, that we must walke also in spirite. For sure­ly it is not ynough for vs to be called christen folke, onles we do also the dedes and workes of christen folke. It is not ynough for the to saye, I haue receyued the holy goost, or I haue fayth,☜ yf thou shewest not worthy workes and frutes of the spirite. Nowe one of the fyrst and principall frutes of the spirite, is loue and brotherly supportacion or bearynge of one another, whych thynge saynt Paule doth admonysh vs here of, that we shulde kepe, where he sayeth: Let vs not be desyrous of vayne glorye. &c. Cer­tes it is not possible for a man or woman y^t is vayne gloriouse and that loueth to be auaunced and praysed of the worlde, eyther to supporte, or to forbeare much an other man, for he wyll alwayes couet to be herde afore all other, and to be obeyed in all places, wheresoeuer he goeth or rydeth. Certaynly my fren­des vayneglorie is an appetyte or luste of all lustes the moost daūgerouse and the moost subtyle and se­cretest [Page] that may be ymagined, in so much, that those persones, whych be estemed for moost spiritual, most holy, moost godly, be oftentymes infected therwyth. Let vs (sayeth Paule) not be couetous of vayneglorye, prouokyng one another, nor hauinge enuye one at an other. But yf any one amonges you be taken in any faulte or offence through frayltie of nature & not by obstinate euelnes, you (sayeth Paule) whyche be or ought to be spirituall, teach hym & helpe to a­mende hym in all mekenesse, in al swetnes of spirite, consyderynge in your selues, that ye also may fal in to lyke temptacion. As yf he shulde saye: Do not bragge nor vaunt your selues in the fall of another body, but rather consyder that euen the same or lyke erroure maye happen vnto you. And therfore saynt Paul sayth in another place.i. cor. x. He y^t thynketh hymselfe to be standynge, let hym take hede he fall not. Se ye beare & supporte one anothers burthen & charge, and so ye shall accomplysh the lawe of Iesu Christ.☞ Whosoeuer loueth hys neyghboure, he hath fulfyl­led the lawe,Ro xiij. as wytnesseth the apostle in hys epistle to the Romaynes. Abuse not then your selues in trustynge in your selues and thynkynge your selues to be any thynge. For surely ye be nothynge, ye can do nothynge, ye are worth nothyng, yf God put not his hande vnto you. So then of your selues ye can worthely chalenge nothynge. He that alloweth and praiseth hymselfe, is not forthwith approued & allowed, but he is prayse worthy, he is allowable, whom god prayseth & alloweth.ij. cor. x. Wherfore let euery bodye loke on hymselfe and well consyder hymselfe, and he shal haue none occasion to bragge and glorie wyth hymselfe [Page cliij] ouer the frailtie and weaknes of other persons. What so euer it be, euery man shall beare hys owne fardell, hys owne burthen.Mat. xvi The sonne of man shall yelde vnto euery man accordynge to hys wor­kes as he hymselfe testifyeth.

After saint Paule had thus greatly praysed and commended brotherly supportacion or bearyng one wyth another, he nowe exhorteth christen men to be helpynge and releuynge to all the bodely necessities of them that do teach the fayth and the gospel of Iesu Christ. He sayeth: Do not erre, abuse not your selues, for god can neyther be mocked nor begyled. For what thynge so euer a man soweth, the same shal he also reape and gather agayne, as who shulde saye. All that whych a man doth or soweth in thys world, he shall fynde it and reape it in the other world,Two feldes whyther it be good or euell. Certaynly my frendes there be two maner of feldes whych men do sowe, there is the fylde of the flesh, and the fylde of the spirite. He that soweth in hys flesh, that is to saye, he that doth the workes of the fleshe, whych be euell workes, deuelysh workes, vngodly workes, shal of the flesh reape corruption and euerlastynge curse and damnation But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape euerlastynge lyfe. Wherfore in the meane ty­me, whyle we haue space to sowe, let vs sowe in spi­rite, let vs sow good sedes, christen sedes, charitable sedes, let vs do well wythout fayntynge, wythoute beynge wery, not only to them, whych do good vnto vs, but vnto all, and principally vnto the good and faythfull christen men. And doubte we not, but we shall gather in, and reape in tyme conuenient good [Page] and full haruest in eternall lyfe to the glorie of the eternall father of heauen. Vnto whome be thankes. Amen.

The Gospel on the .xv. sonday after Trinitie. The .vi. Chapter of Matheu.

GOod people yf we were christen men and womē wyth hartes and wyth workes, I say yf we dyd beleue sufficiently as we boast our selues to beleue in Iesu Christ and in hys blessed and pure word, we shulde wythoute fayle not be so troubled nor dys­mayd nor yet so pensyfe and so carefull whan we haue any mysfortune and necessitie. Iesu Christ our sauiour doth cōmaunde vs that we shulde in no wyse take thought what we shuld eate, or what we shuld drynke, or wherwyth we shulde be clothed. And that they be the carnall men, the paynyms and infideles whych take thought for these thynges: and not the true & faythful christen men. He sayeth and assureth vs in the Gospell of thys daye, that God hys father and ours, shall nourysh vs and arraye vs: And for all thys, as yf he were a lyer & an abuser, we do not beleue in hym nor in hys wordes. Certes the infide­litie of the worlde is greate. The worlde I saye is blynde, whych thynketh to beleue so well and so fer­mely, and yet beleueth neuer a deale. We do great iniury vnto Iesu Christ in mystrustynge hym. But it is to be noted for the vnderstandynge of thys text y^t our Lord forbyddeth christen mē to take thought: [Page] but he doth not forbydde them to laboure: but com­maūdeth that euery body shulde laboure accordyng to the grace & might that god hath giuē him. In the sweate of thy vysage thou shalt eat thy breade (say­eth he in the .iij. chapter of Genesis) And for all the rest let hym cast all hys hope in god. And as S. Peter sheweth vs in the .v. chapter of hys fyrst Epistle, and the Prophete in the .liiij. psalme. Cast thy care vpon the Lorde God, and he shall nourysh the. And saynt Paule sayeth in the .iiij. chapter vnto the Phi­lippians. Be not carefull for any thynge but in all prayer and petition wyth thankesgyuynge let your prayers be knowen vnto God. And saynt Peter in y^e v. chapter of y^e aforesayd epistle sayeth: Cast al your thought in him which hath care of you. And for this cause saynt Hierome expounynge thys place sayeth in thys wyse.Hierom. We be here commaunded by Christe, not to be careful what we shulde eate, for in the swet of our face, we prepare vnto vs breade. Laboure ought therfore to be exercised,Chrysostomus suꝑ Mattheum. but care taken away. Here wyth agreeth Chrysostome sayenge: Not with spirituall cares, but wyth bodely labours, we muste seke our fode, whyche fode abundeth to suche as la­boure for it by gods gyfte for a rewarde of theyr di­ligence, and on the other syde it is wythdrawē from such as despyce laboure,☞ by gods doynge for a pu­nyshment. But thys that Christ speaketh here (say­eth saynt Hierome) is to be vnderstande, of the bodely meate and rayment. For of the goostly fode & ray­ment we ought alwayes to be carefull. Our Lorde for to rebuke vs the more of our lytle fayth byddeth vs beholde the byrdes, and the lylies of the feldes, [Page clv] vnto whō God prouideth. And be we no more worth then the byrdes: or then the floures of lylies of y^e fel­des? He doth then defende vs to take thought for earthly thynges, to thende that our spirite maye the better be lyfte vp vnto the heauenly thynges: for a man to take thought and care for the one and the o­ther, it is vnpossible. Who so euer hath tasted of the true goodnesse of God, he doth vntaste and myslyke the flatterynge and vayne goodnes of the earth. For none can serue two maysters at ones. He can not serue both God and also Mammon. Mammon in the Syriake spech (sayeth S. Hierom) is called ryches.Hierom. Let the couetouse person thā heare thys, that he can not both serue Christe and ryches, and yet he sayeth not, he that hath ryches but he that serueth ryches. For he that is the seruaunt of ryches, kepeth ryches as a seruaunt or bondman, but he that hath shaken of, the yoke of bondage or seruitude,Austine. he gyueth them as a lorde. And saynt Austine sayth: He that serueth Mammon, that is to say, ryches, serueth hym which by the meryte of hys peruersitie is called of our lord the prince of thys worlde that is to saye the deuell. Wherfore here be reproued all couetous folkes, whych do set and fixe so much theyr hartes vnto the worlde: and so lytle vnto god. Let vs then beleue at the lest Iesu Christ whych doth not lye: and care we not for to gather goodes, but let vs rather care for the kyngdome of God only and for hys iustice: and to obtayne hys grace and for the rest ther shalbe gyuen vs asmuche as we shall lacke for to passe sober­ly thys lyfe wyth pacience.Chrysostome Seke ye than fyrst (sayeth Christ) the kyngdome of god and the iustice therof [Page] The kyngdome of God,Kyngdō of God. as holy Chrysostome expouneth, is the retribucion or rewarde of good workes, and the iustice therof, is the waye of godlynes, wherby sayeth he, we go to the kyngdome of God. Yf thā thou wylt consyder, how great the glorye of the saintes shalbe, it must nedes folow, that eyther for feare of paynes thou must go frō euell, or for desyre of glo­rie, thou must hasten the to do good. And yf (sayeth thys holy doctour) thou wylte consyder, what is the iustice of God, I meane, what God hateth and what he loueth, the selfe iustice shall shewe vnto the her wayes which foloweth such as loue her. For we shal not be called to a rekenynge whether we be ryche or poore, but whether we haue done well or euel, which thynge (sayeth he) is in our fre wyll. Wherfore good people se ye do not care for your bodely sustenaūce, for our Lorde doth promyse you, that it shalbe gyuē vnto you, you nede not to doubt of it, yf ye cast from you thys fleshly & worldly thought full of mystrust of the prouision of God. Do ye rather the contrary, haue no trust in your selues, but al in God: and you shalbe truly faythfull and the chyldren of almyghty God: and you shall lacke nothynge in thys presente tyme nor in the other to come by oure Lorde Iesu Christe vnto whome be glorie and thankes worlde wythout ende. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie. The .iij. chapter to the Ephesians.

THe charge my frendes of a byshop or of a cu­rate, is to teache continually, and to praye for the people, whych is commytted vnto hym, to thin­tent that it wolde please God to redresse, cōforte, and assure them agaynst the temptacions of this world, as saynt Paule doth teach vs, by all hys epistles & in the epistle of thys daye he sayeth: I praye you my brethrē, that you do not discomforte your selues for my tribulacions, whych I suffre for you. That is to say, yf you se that I do suffre much harme, iniuries, [Page] and persecutions forbycause that I do preach vnto you the gospell, do not discourage your selues, but perseuer in y^e fayth of the same. Yf the mayster hath ben euell entreated, by good ryght the seruaūt must be in lyke maner. Our Lorde Iesu Christe sayeth in the .x. chapter of S. Mathew. It suffiseth vnto the disciple for to be lyke vnto hys Mayster. For thys cause to thende that you shuld not discourage your selues I pray and requyre humbly the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ, the great father of housholde of the heauen and of the earth, whych is the sprynge & fountayne of all goodnes. For I knowe well, that wythout hym, you nor I can do nothynge. I praye hym, that by the rychesses of hys glorie and grace, it woll please hym, to gyue vnto you by hys spirite, strēgth not bodely but spiritually and inwardly, for to endure and to suffer. And that it wol please Iesu Christ, the glorie of the father, the glorie of y^e angels and of men, to abyde in you by feruent faith in your hartes, founded and rooted in charitie to thyntente that you maye knowe and vnderstande the incom­prehensible graces whych by him be gyuen vnto vs the largenesse and length of the same, for the earth is full of the mercy of the Loroe God (sayeth y^e pro­phete Dauid) and the hyghnesse and depthnesse:Psalm. xxxij. for they do perse the heauens and the hylles. He whych is descended is he which hath ascended aboue al the heauens sayeth saint Paul.Eph. liij To thintent also that ye shall know the great charitie of Iesu Christ toward vs (the whych knowlege is more to be estemed than all the science of the worlde) and that you shulde be replenyshed in all aboundaunce wyth the graces of [Page clvij] God. In thys epistle saynt Paule declareth in short conclusions the perfection of the christen lyfe, vnto the whych we ought to breath and to sygh. He doth not praye that god shulde gyue them much tempo­rall goodes for to lyue at theyr ease, but he desyreth and prayeth, that they maye haue strength for to endure and to beare with him the crosse of Iesu Christ For all the lyfe of a christen mā is to endure. In the conclusion of the epistle, wyth profounde harte and wyth great spirite he yeldeth graces & louynge thankes vnto God, sayenge: Vnto him whych is able for to gyue vs more than we can demaunde or thynke, accordynge vnto the myght the whych puissantly & strongly worketh and laboureth in vs, vnto hym be yelden all glorie by all the church, by the meanes of hys sonne Iesu Christ. For euen as by him al grace is gyuē vs from the father, so it must nedes be that by hym, whych is the begynnynge and the ende, all glorie be vnto hym rendered. Then my brethren, let vs not discourage our selues of the worde of God, of the doctrine of the gospell, for any tribulation or worldly vexacion that may happē vnto any of them by which it shal haue pleased God y^t they shuld bear it: yf it be hys pleasure to make them to beare hys crosse: & vnto them whych shall beare it, but so much the more let vs be founded stedfast and ferme, & rooted in fayth, hope, and charitie, and we shall knowe the incōprehensible graces of God. And he that sur­mounteth all myght, shall delyuer vs from al euell, and shall leade vs vnto hys glorye, vnto hys heauē ly kyngdome, where in eternall ioye we shall yelde perpetuall graces and prayses vnto the father of heuen [Page] by our Lorde Iesu Christ. To whome. &c.

The Gospel on the .xvi. sonday after Trinitie. The .vij. Chapter of Luke.

THe thynge (good people) whych is moost agreable vnto god, and that whyche he demaundeth & requyreth of vs principally, is to beleue hys word, as saynt Paule saythin the .xi. chapter of hys epistle to the Hebrues. It is impossible to please God with out fayth. For thys cause all the myracles whyche were at any tyme done, aswel by Iesu Christ in erth as by hym in hys members, it hath not ben for to attribute the honoure vnto hys members, or that hys members hath done myracles, but for to approue y^e [Page clviij] worde of God, and for to manyfest hys glorie and myght, to thintent that he shulde be honoured and reuerenced of euery body, and in euery place, as the prophete sayeth: Lorde god all the earth doth wor­ship the. For thys cause oure Lorde hath raysed vp from death to lyfe the wedowes sonne, of the whych is made mention in the gospel of thys day. He hath here raised one from bodely death: for to make vs to beleue, that he hath the power also for to rayse vs agayne from spirituall death. And also he shall rayse vs vp agayne bodely at the day of dome: As he said vnto Martha: I am the resurrection and lyfe, who so beleueth in me, he shall not dye eternally.Ioh. xi All they therfore whych do not lyue accordynge vnto the spirite, whych folowe the olde lyfe of Adam, whyche ac­complish the desyres, concupiscences, and workes of the flesh (of the whych was spoken in y^e epistle of the last sondaye) they be deade spiritually. For who that hath not the holy goost, he hath no lyfe, he doth not belonge vnto Iesu Christ whych is the lyfe. Yf any hath not the spirite of Christ, he is not Christes. Ro. viij. He is borne and conducted of euell spirites to the pytte of hell: Yf Iesu Christ do not come quyc­kely for to touche hym wyth hys hande, the whyche sygnifyeth hys great puissaunce and myght conioyned wyth hys worde. Yf he do not speake and touch lyuely the harte, it is impossible, that the sayd creatures shulde haue power to ryse agayne, or that they shulde euer chaunge from the death of the soule vn­to newnes of lyfe and state of grace. For surely so longe as we be in deadly synne and vnder the thraldome and subiection of the fende, so longe we be as [Page] deade persons.S. Am­brose And therfore sayeth saynt Ambrose. We lye deade in secrete, whan eyther the fyre of vn­reasonable lust brenneth vs, or the colde humoure drowneth and as it were wyth a certayne slouthful­nesse of the bodye the sharpenesse of the mynde is accombred and ouerwhelmed, in which case we can not ryse out of our drousye slomber but by Christe. And yf sayeth thys holy doctour saynt Ambrose,An alle­gorie it be an heuye & greuouse synne whych thou thy selfe arte not able to wash awaye wyth the teares of thy penaunce and repentaunce, let thy mother the holy church wepe for the. Let the people also be assistente vnto her. And fortwyth thou shalt ryse agayne oute of the coffyn or beere and shalte begynne to speake wyth an other lyfe, and all that heare it shall feare & shalbe corrected by thexemple of one. They shal also prayse God,Bede whych hath gyuē vs so great remedies to eschue death. And here sayeth Bede is the errour of the heretiques called Nouatians confounded, whych whyle they go about to destroye the clensyng of penitent persons, do denye y^t our mother y^e church wepynge for y^e spiritual death of her chyldren ought to be comforted by hope of restoryng agayne to lyfe Whyche damnable opinion the wycked Anabapti­stes at thys daye haue renewed in dyuers places of christendome, whych denye, that they that fall into deadly synne after baptisme can by due penaunce or any other meanes come agayne to the state of grace whome we praye God to brynge out of theyr foule heresye. Let vs than good people instauntly & humbly praye to almyghty God the father of heuen that it wolde please hym so ofte as we fall into synne to [Page clix] touch and speake to vs so vertuous and pythy wor­des that maye quicken vs, and rayse vs from death to lyfe, in yeldynge and restorynge vs lyuyng truly in spirite vnto our mother, whych is the churche of faythfull men, and that we may speake continually the worde of prayse and of grace vnto God: in suche wyse that by occasion of vs, our neyghbours maye be edifyed and exhorted for to prayse & glorifye god wyth vs, knowynge that God hath vysited his people by Iesu Christe. Vnto whome ap­perteyneth glorie and honoure eternally. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xvij. sonday after Trinitie. The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians.

MY brethren and systers in Iesu Christe, let vs consyder the benignitie louynge kyndnes and swetnesse of the holy goost, the whych doth not com­maūde vs wyth rygoure and sharpnesse (as men do often) but doth desyre vs louyngly by his great messanger the apostle saynt Paule, that we shuld walke worthely in the vocacion or callynge vnto which we be callyd. Of thys vocacion is spoken in the fyrste chapter of the fyrst epistle vnto y^e Corinthias, where he sayeth: God is true and faythfull, by whome you are called into the company of hys sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ. Thys companyenge with Iesu Christ, is the christen and catholyke churche, the whyche is called a bodye, wherof he is the heade, and we be his members: in case we be conducted and leade by the holy goost. For he is the sturrer, the lyfe and the conductour of all the catholyke churche, for to make it to walke worthely wyth the heade in all humilitie, mekenesse and swetnesse. He doth teache vs also by true loue and charitie, in all pacience to supporte & beare y^e faultes and infirmities of our neyghbours. And saynt Paule induceth vs to do thys in the .vi. chapter of the epistle vnto the Galathians. Beare the burthens one of another and so ye shall accom­plysh the lawe of Christ. The whych doth admonysh vs aboue al thynges that we shulde endeuoure our selues to kepe the vnitie of the spirite of fayth in a bonde of peace and cōcorde: that is to wyte in sauourynge in fayth one selfe thynge. And what is y^t that we shulde all sauour? That we be one body, one spi­rite, and all called into one hope of saluation by Ie­su Christ. That ther is one Lord, one fayth, one baptisme, [Page clx] one God and father of all, whych is aboue al, and ouer all thynges, and in vs al, whych is he that is blessed in the worlde of worldes. Thys is y^e fayth in the whych we ought to be vnied and knytte with the holy goost, and to haue stedfast peace & concorde The whych thynges yf we haue, we shalbe conduc­ted by thys holy goost in all graces and vertues for to blesse, laude, and glorifye thys ryght hygh and souerayne father by our Lorde Iesu Christ vnto glo­rie of al the Trinitie wythout ende. Amen.

The gospell on the .xvij. sonday after Trinitie. The xiiij. chapter of Luke.

AT the begynnynge of our gospell good christē people Iesu Christ doth cōmende vnto vs syngularly loue and charitie towarde al men, whan we se that so familiarly he haūted and frequented wyth them that were hys enemyes and hys euell wyllers, that also he dyd eate and drynke wyth them for to haue occasion to teache them and to conuerte them vnto God hys father as the auncient doctour Cyrillus noteth.Cyrillus And here be rebuked and checked those whych haue hatred, malyce, & rancor agaynst theyr christen brethren, and do not vouchsaufe to compa­ny wyth them, nor also to speake vnto them, whan y^t by the diuine commaundement of almyghtye God they be bounde for to to remytte and to pardon al iniuries,math. vi and ought by all meanes they can for to recō cile them, or els God shall neuer be reconciled wyth them. Consequently Iesu Christe doth instructe vs that we ought at al tymes to accomplysh and do the workes of mercy towardes our brethren and neygh­bours. [Page clxi] And specially that the sondaye be not in any wyse violated by the sayd workes of charitie. The whych he shewed well, whan that vpon the sabboth day he dyd heale the poore mā of the dropsie. Which as holy doctours do expoune is truely the fygure of all humane nature,The spirituall dropsye whych was spiritually ful of the dropsye, and ful of waters of concupiscence: wherby it peryshed and drewe vnto eternall death. Moreo­uer in thys gospell Christ doth aduertise vs of these couetouse and proude scribes and pharisees whych by theyr ambition at the feastes and banckettes dyd take the fyrst and moost honourable places. For the whych cause Iesu Christ doth correcte them, and in­structeth them, and vs also, wyllynge vs whan we shalbe called vnto mariages and feastes, that we do not syt in the hyghest places but in the lowest. The whych maye be vnto vs very well a moral doctrine as to the exterior worke, as the holy doctours of the church do full well declare it, & in especiall the great clerke Basilius declareth it on thys wyse. To take the lowest place at feastes accordynge to the Lordes commaundement is conuenient, but agayne contenciously to runne into it, is a thynge reprouable as a disturbaunce of ordre and occasion of hurly burly. And surely sayeth thys clerke yf contencion be mo­ued who shuld syt lowest amonges you, ye shall dif­fre nothynge from those that stryue to syt hyghest, for al is one mater. Wherfore lyke as our lorde say­eth here, it is expedient for hym that maketh a feast to appoynt the order of syttynge. So shal one of vs in pacience susteyne eche other honestly, and doynge al thynges in order and not after the fansye of some [Page] we shall neyther seme to conterfayte humilitie by o­uermuche gaynsaynge but rather by humilitie we shall obtayne pacience. For surely it is a greater to­ken of pryde, by ouermuch repugnauncie & refusing not to syt in such place as the feastmaker thynketh mete for vs, and contenciously to occupie the lowest rowme, than it is to syt in the hyghest place whā we be commaunded so to do. Thys sayenge therfore of Christ morally is thus to be taken. Yet for all that spiritually, it maye be well vnderstanded as Bede & other expositours also do godly applie it of the ma­riage of the sonne of God wyth humayne nature: whych is the vnion and the mariage of hym and all faythfull soules.Math. xxij. Of the which it is wrytten in an o­ther place. That many be called but fewe elected. The whych sentence of God ought to astonny vs, & we ought diligently to consider what they be which be chosen, in desyrynge to be of theyr company. Truly Iesu Christe hymselfe doth shewe vs, sayenge: That whosoeuer doth hūble hymselfe in makynge hymselfe seruaunt vnto all and doynge the workes of charitie to hys brethrē for the honoure of hym, he shalbe elected or chosen and exalted. And on the contrary who soeuer shall exalte hymselfe in wyllynge by pryde to haue maystershyp and lordshyp ouer al, and vncharitably neglectynge and despysynge hys euen christen and poore brethren he shalbe humbled put downe, and cast backe frō the mariage, for God resysteth proude men, and gyueth grace vnto the hū ble. Wherfore my frēdes let vs at al tymes do good workes, and mercy vnto all. Let vs not be ambiti­ous of worldly honoure. Let vs humble our selues [Page clxij] vnder the myghty hande of God, & after thys lyfe we shalbe by hym exalted whan it shalbe hys plea­sure and godly wyll into eternal glorye wyth the cō pany of all those that be happy for to prayse hym & blesse hym wythout ende.

The Epistle on the .xviij. sonday after Trinitie. The .i. Epistle to the Corin. the .i. Chap.

SAynt Paul good christen people in the epistle of thys present sondaye doth teache vs, y^t he whych hath y^e grace of God in hys harte, whan he seeth the poore synners leaue theyr euell lyfe, and that they conuerte them vnto God in grace, is excedyngly ioyfull, and continually yeldeth graces and thankes vnto God. For it is wrytten in the .xiij. chapter of hys fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthiās. Charitie doth not reioyce at iniquitie, that is to saye, of the estate of sinners but is in heuynesse, pytie, and compassion But it reioyceth of truth, whych is whan they leaue [Page] theyr synnes and the vanitie of thys worlde, & that they conuerte them vnto God whych is all veritie. And also ioye is made in heauen amonges the an­gels of God, as it is wryttē in the .xv. chapter of S. Luke. It is ioye before the angels of God for a synner that doth penaunce. Also saynt Paule here yel­deth graces and thankes vnto God for the Corin­thians: knowynge y^t it was not by any workes that they had done, that they were conuerted, but by the only mercy of God not deserued on theyr behalfe. And thus it is of vs. In oure conuertynge by true fayth vnto Iesu Christ we be made ryche in hym in all thynges, in all wordes, and in al sciences, that is to saye, in the doctrine of the gospell, by the whyche is confermed vnto vs, the wytnes of our saluacion: knowyng certaynly, that the myght of god is in the Gospell for to saue all them whych shal beleue in it. But before that we be worthy to haue suche, and so great rychesses, we muste renounce and vtterly for­sake the vayne confidence and trust in the rychesses and delytes of thys worlde. For Iesu Christ hymselfe sayeth vnto vs,math. vi that we can not serue God, and also the rychesses of thys worlde. Moreouer in an other place he sayeth, that yf we do not renounce in our mynde and affection all the goodes that we do possesse we can not be hys disciples. Let vs thā hold vs by fayth in oure conuersion to God: the whyche fayth, foloweth so many gyftes and graces of God that there lacketh nothynge for saluation. And we shall abyde in all suertie and in peace of conscience, the commynge of Iesu Christ, whych shalbe parti­culerly at the daye of our death and departynge frō [Page clxiij] thys worlde, and generally at y^e daye of dome, at the whyche tyme he shall come and gyue vnto vs hys great & inestimable rychesses, the which we do nowe tarye for by fayth and hope, that is the eternal glo­rye of hys heauen. Into the whych that we maye all come by the graces and merytes of our Lorde Iesu Christ. &c.

The gospell on the .xviij. sonday after Trinitie. The .xxij. Chapter of Matheu.

THe Gospell red in the churche thys daye good christen audiēce doth reherse vnto vs, how the pharisees,Hierom hearynge that Iesus Christ had confounded the Saducees, whych as saynt Hierome noteth were of contrarye opinions wythin themselues and as it were enemyes one to another, yet they come & ioyne together agaynst Christe to thintent as Ihon Chrysostome sayeth they myghte ouercome hym by multitude,Chrysostome whome they coulde not cōuince wyth reasons. And so sayeth he they confessed themselues to be naked of the trouth whych armed thēselues with multitude. They come than all together. And one amonge them a doctour of the lawe speakynge for all the reste (to thintent yf that one ouercame they myght al seme to haue the vpperhande) in tēptynge our Lorde Iesu Christ, dyd put thys question vnto hym, sayenge: Mayster whyche is the greatest com­maundement of the lawe? Here you maye se what fashions these false foxes and ypocrites had. Fyrste they called Iesu Christe mayster: whose disciple for all that, they had no desyre to be. And they dyd de­maunde hym of the greatest commaundement (as Chrysostome sayeth) which neuer had accomplished the least:Chrysostome. but rather by theyr cursed and auaricious constitucions had transgressed all the lawe of God. And they thought that it was ynough for to dispute [Page clxiiij] the one agaynst the other by pryde and vanitie, for they dyd not desyre but all only to be sene and pray­sed of men, yet for all thys the swete Sauiour desy­rynge theyr saluation doth gyue them here true and sounde doctrine and healthfull correction, answe­rynge them mekely, that they ought to loue God w^t all theyr thought, the whych they dyd not: and theyr neyghbour as themselues, but they dyd cleane con­trarye. For he whych was theyr God, & theyr neygh­bour in as much as he was man, they wold put him to death. In whych he shewed them to be synners, y­pocrites that is to saye counterfayted holy & trans­gressours of all the lawe and of the prophetes. And accordynge vnto saynt Marke in the .xij. chapter, they wyst not what to answere, but theyr owne doc­toure gaue sentence agaynst them, sayenge: May­ster, in truth thou hast sayd well. For there is one only god, and ther is none other but he. And to loue hym wyth all the harte, wyth all the vnderstandyng wyth all the soule, and with all the strength, and the neyghbour as hymselfe: is a greater thynge then al the brentofferynges and sacrifices made vnto God. Here maye you se, howe he hymselfe gyueth iudge­ment agaynst the couetousnes of the scribes & pha­risees whych loued so well the sacrifices for the pro­fyte that came therof vnto them. And on the contrary syde he approueth the answere of Iesu Christ, the whych they thought to haue interrupted and chec­ked. Thus it appeareth that the craftye be taken in theyr craftynes, and y^t ther is no coūsell against god And then fynally our Lorde demaunded of the pharisees beynge all there together, whose sonne Christ [Page] was. And forbycause they were carnall they knewe nothynge in Christ & in Messias but flesh, and they answered hym that he was the sonne of Dauid.

And then oure Lorde wolde shewe them and teache theyr saluatiō. For it was not ynough for to beleue that he was a man cōmen of royall bloude, but also it must be beleued that he was God vnied vnto hu­mayne nature for to make the redemption of men. And therfore he sheweth them by y^e wytnesse of Da­uid selfe that he is God,Psal. xix where Dauid sayeth in spi­rite. The Lorde god hath sayd vnto my Lorde. Syt on my ryght hande vnto the tyme that I put thyne enemyes a foote stoole to thy feete. Dauid calleth Christ hys Lorde syttynge on the ryghte hande of God whych is to vnderstande (as the auncient doc­tour S. Remigius & other doth expoune it) not that God is corporall that he shulde haue a ryght or left syde but to syt on the ryghte hande of God,Remi­gius. is to re­mayne in the same honoure and dignitie egall wyth the father, so that herby he cōfesseth that he is God. And this the pharisees vnderstode not to be sayd of Christe: but they were those whych y^e spirite of god calleth the enemyes of Christe, for to be put vnder hys feete. Than my brethren let vs not tempt Iesu Christ. Let vs beleue, that the greatest and the fyrst commaundement: is to loue God wyth all our hart, wyth all our thought, and wyth all our soule, that he is true God and that he is true mā. And we shall be of the nombre of the chosen for to laude the hea­uenly father, and our Lorde Iesu Christ syttyng on hys ryght hande. Vnto the whyche wyth the holy goost be glorie wythout ende.

The Epistle on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie. The .iiij. chapter to the Ephesians.

MY welbeloued frendes in our sauiour Christ ye shall vnderstande that in the texte immediatly goynge before thys epistle of thys present daye, the Apostle doth admonysh vs for to leaue the olde mā, that is to say our fyrst natiuitie or byrth by y^e which we be borne chyldren of the yre and wrath of God, & we be fulfylled wyth synnes, wyth euel desyres, and wyth concupiscences, the whych woll turne vs vnto corrupcion and eternall death. After in our epistle he exhorteth vs, that we shuld be renewed, not accordynge vnto the body, but in the spirite of our soule. For it is the spirite of God that wyl inhabyte there, and do hys workes. Then we must, for to be renued in our hartes haue nede that the gyftes and graces of God maye abyde there in stede of the concupiscences [Page] whyche the deuell hath put there by the synne of Adam. As agaynst couetousnesse, mercy and lyberalitie. Agaynst lechery, continence, & chastite. Against pryde and rygoure, frendshyp mekenes and all hu­militie. Agaynst hathered and rancor, loue and cha­ritie. Agaynst iniquitie and synne, iustice & al grace. And thus we shalbe newly arrayed wyth the newe man Iesu Christ: whych by hys holy spirite shal make vs also new men, holy men, and vertuouse mē lyuynge no more in foule and stynkynge synne as we were wont to do, but walkyng in newnes of lyfe by the grace of God by whom we shalbe iustifyed and truly sanctifyed. And for bycause he is all trouth, yf we wolde abyde in hym, we muste cast out and put from vs al lyes and false tales, the whych from our byrth is conioyned and euen knytte fast vnto oure fleshe.Omnia homo mendax For as the prophete sayeth. All men be lyers, they haue spoken vanities and false thynges from theyr byrth, And god alone is veritable & euē trouth it selfe the whych wylleth that we speake trouth one to an other for we be all mēbers of hys body, which is hys church and spouse, whych spouse ought to be gouerned ledde & conducted by the spirite of trouth. And thys spirite of trouth yf it dwell in vs, shall doubtles gyue vs all holy zele and a certayne godly angre agaynst synne whych shalbe wythout synne. As in seynge the blyndnes and the vnhappynes of the poore synners, we shalbe sorowfull and heuy. As it is wrytten in the .iij. chapter of saynt Marke, that our sauiour Iesu Christ whan he dyd se the wyckednes of the scribes and pharisees he was sore trou­bled and heuy wyth anger for the blyndnes of theyr [Page clxvi] hartes. But here my frendes we must be well ware, that thys anger be not agaynst our christen brother but agaynst the wycked enemye and the synne. And also that it do not abyd ouerlonge in our hartes for feare that it shulde happen that the sonne of iustice, whych is Iesu Christe, shulde byde and go downe from vs for our anger and yre, for in leauynge god, we shulde gyue place to the deuell. Fynally the A­postle doth admonysh vs that they whych haue ben theues and robbers, that they shuld do nomore theftes & robberies: but rather that they shulde laboure wyth theyr handes in good workes, not by auaryce or couetousnes for to waxe ryche, but for to ayde charitably and reliefe theyr christen brethrē which haue nede and pouertie. And in doynge thys God shal be in lykewyse mercyfull vnto vs, and shall haue pitie of vs. For he loueth mercy more than sacrifice as our sauiour Christ hymselfe recordeth. After thys wyse yf we fynyshe the course of oure lyfe, we maye truste that the crowne of iustice is layde vp for vs whych our Lorde shall render vnto vs who is a iust iudge as S. Paule sayeth.ij. ti. iiij. For he shall render vnto euery man accordynge to hys workes. We shal say­eth Paule be set before the trone of Christ to beare a waye accordynge as we haue done in our bodye,ij. cor. v. ey­ther good or euell. Let oure fayth then brynge forth worthy frutes of christianite that by gods grace we maye be crowned accordyngly. To whome be al glorie and prayse for euer and euer. Amen.

The Gospel on the .xix. sonday after Trinitie. The .ix. chapter of Mathew.

MY welbeloued brethrē and frendes, the cytie of Iesu Christ as noteth Chrysostomus the holy doctour of the church is Capharnaum,Chrysostome the whyche is called hys cytie forbycause that in leuynge Nazareth he wente and dwelled there, and also for the no­ble sermons, and great myracles whych he dyd oftē there, as also now he doth one, whych we ought wel to marke and note: for therin is comprysed for vs noble and helthfull instruction. Fyrste of all then we ought to consyder that our Sauiour Iesu Christe, [Page clxvij] hath perceyued and beholden the fayth of them that dyd beare the man hauynge the palsey, but here is no mention at al made of the great payne that they toke. For saynt Marke in the seconde chapter, and saynt Luke in the .v. chapter do reherce thys selfe myracle and say that they vncouered the house, and so dyd let downe the bedde wherin the sycke man of the palsey laye before oure Lorde, for bycause that ther was so great multitude of people that dyd fo­lowe hym that they coulde not come nere vnto hym Notwythstandynge all thys, ther is made no men­cion here but of theyr fayth and trust: instructynge vs, that God doth not so greatlye esteme oure out­warde workes, though that they be fayre and in ap­paraūce good, yf we haue not fayth by charitie wor­kynge in vs, the whych only and her workes he estemeth. For certes what soeuer procedeth not of fayth whych is the roote and foundacion of al good wor­kes is synne as thapostle S. Paule doth wytnesse.Ro. xiij. And therfore the prophete Hieromie sayeth:Iere. v. Lorde God thy eyes do beholde y^e fayth. Therfore sayd our lord vnto y^e paralitique. Sōne haue hope, be of good chere thy synnes be forgyuē the, shewyng vnto vs y^t our sinnes is y^e sycknes y^t god wyl principally heale & of y^e whych aboue al thinges we ought to desyre y^e healyng, which is the remission: whych we shal haue not by outward workes done w^tout fayth, but by y^e fayth & cōfidēce y^t we shal haue in Iesu Christ in re­turning agayn vnto him for al our businesses aswel spirituall as corporall, as vnto our creatour & rede­mer, whych is only myghty ynough for to help vs, & prīcipally for to pardō our synnes, which is y^e moost [Page] daungerous syckenesse that can be to mākynde, for by the same we dye of euerlastynge death. And for­bycause that the scribes and doctours of the lawe dyd not beleue that Christe was God, they sayde in theyr hartes, that he blasphemed in forgyuinge and pardonynge the synnes vnto the palsye man. And it maye be that they had red that whych god had sayd in the .xliij. chapter of Esay: It is I, it is I my selfe that pardone the synnes bycause of me. Then God dyd shewe hymselfe true God, in rebukinge them of theyr euell thoughtes, and seynge theyr hertes (the whych apperteyneth vnto God onely, of whome is sayd. It is thou Lorde God whych sercheth the har­tes and the raynes. And yet more outwardly he she­wed hymselfe. For visibly and by hys only worde he healed the sycke mā, & dyd gyue him sodenly bodely strength, and wythout beynge in any maner weake of hys syckenesse, he commaunded hym to beare a­waye hys bedde and to go vnto hys house, shewyng that it was he of whom it is sayd. He hath sayd and they were done. Thys poore paralitique is the fy­gure of all synners, the whych be vnable as of themselues to do any good, & they be borne in theyr bed­des, that is to saye in the fleshe of theyr concupiscen­ces. But whan they haue fayth vnto the worde of God whych apprehēdeth gods promyse wyth an er­nest repentaunce of theyr former lyfe and a study of a newe lyfe they receyue full helth: and where as be­fore they were subiectes vnto theyr fleshe and fleshly desyres, they be now maysters, and holde them sub­iectes, and fynally they go by the grace of God and the vertue of hys worde beynge conducted and for­tifyed [Page clxviij] by the same in newnes of lyfe walkinge in the preceptes and ordinaūces of god, they go I say vnto theyr house whych is the moost blessed and ioyful kyngdome of heauen. And the people whā they saw thys myracle had feare and greate reuerence vnto God: and espyenge hys great benefytes to mākinde gaue to hym glorie, knowynge that the men coulde not do such workes whych be aboue nature, yf God do it not by them: and in thys doynge, they glorified Iesu Christe whych is true God and true man, and whych vndoubtedly is the iustice, the glorie, and perfection of all men, whych not trustynge in themsel­ues as dyd the proude pharisee whome the Gospell maketh mencion of but wyth sorowfull harte & due penaunce accordynge to thexemple of the publicane lamentynge theyr synnes haue stedfast fayth and cō fidence in hym beynge in full mynde and a redynes not only to be hearers of the lawe and Gospell but also to be doers and workers of the same as Christe hath appoynted vs to do. God graūt vs that grace To whome be all glorie imperie and peace in infini­ta seculorum secula. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie. The. v. chapter to the Ephesians.

MY good brethren and systers the wyse man sayeth in hys prouerbes that ther is a waye the whych semeth vnto mē to be strayght and good, but it leadeth vnto eternall death. Certes thys is y^e way of the worldly people, whych lyue accordynge to the desyres of the fleshe, not remēbrynge, how they shall descēde in a minute of an houre vnto hell. Therfore in our epistle whych thys day is redde in the church The apostle doth exhorte vs that we wol walke prudently and wysely as becommeth christē men in the meane tyme, whyle we shalbe in thys worlde & vale of mysery: not as the foolysh folke that shall perysh but as the wyse folke replenyshed with the true and heauenly sapience,we be here ex­horted to good workes. followyng the steppes so nere as God shall gyue vs grace of oure Sauioure Iesu Christe, sekynge by all meanes we possible can oc­casiō and oportunitie to do well, as workes of fayth workes of mercy and pytie towardes our euen chri­sten.☞ And in thus doynge vndoubtedly we shall re­deme or bye agayne the tyme whych we haue yll be­stowed. And certainly we shuld be moued vnto this namely forbycause that the dayes be euel, not in thē selues, [Page clxix] but for the synnes that be cōmytted in them. For the deuell doth all he can to turne vs from the good waye: whych be the cōmaundementes of God and the obseruation & executyng of hys holy worde vnto the whych we must dyrecte our hole lyfe yf we wyll be saued and not perysh eternally. Let vs not thā good people be as brute and vnreasonable beastes, imprudent, recheles, vncircumspecte & without vnderstandynge: but let vs vnderstande what the good wyll of our Lorde Iesu Christe is, the whyche wylleth that we shulde be saued all. And for y^t cause he hath suffred death, vnto the whyche we muste be confourmable in dyenge to our synnes lustes & concupiscences, to thende that we be sober and chaste, & replynyshed wyth the holy goost, the whyche shall cause vs to saye in our selues praysynges and spirituall songes vnto God: and that wyth a pure and a clene harte and not alonly with outwarde voyces & open deuotions, the whych be often full of hypocri­sye and pryde: and for that cause displeasaunt vnto God. And our Lorde sayeth in the Gospell of saynt Mathew,Mat. xv where he speaketh of the pharisees which dyd all that they dyd ether by hypocrisie or by couetousnes. Thys people (sayeth he) doth honoure me wyth theyr mouth, but theyr herte is farre from me, shewynge herby vnto vs that aboue all thynges he wold haue and requyre of vs the good desyre of the herte whych is true prayse and prayer. And thus we shall yelde graces and louynge thankes alwayes vnto God for all thynges in our Lorde Iesu Christ aswell for aduesitie and tribulation, as for prospe­ritie & welth. For we shall sauour of god in al good­nesse: [Page] in such wyse that al thynges that it shal please hym to sende vs, we shall beleue it to be ryght good ordeyned vnto hys glorie and honour, and vnto the saluation of our soules. And yet we ought to do all thys in the name of Iesu Christ, that is for to saye, that all the goodnes that we shall do, we do know­lege that it is he whych doth it in vs, and we ought to gyue hym the honoure and the glorie. For it is in hym only that the father hath taken pleasure. And also we shall suffre all thynges ioyously for the loue of hym whych hath suffred so much for vs. And in hys feare and charitie we must be subiectes the one to the other, for he hymselfe that was mayster and Lord by charitie was made minister & seruaunt vn­to all. God gyue vs then grace good people to accō ­plyshe in al thynges his wyl. To whom be gyuen al prayse glory and thankes for euer and euer. Amen.

The Gospel on the .xx. sonday after Trinitie. The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe.

THe mooste soueraygne goodnesse of god (good christen people) hathe bene so greate and large towardes vs sely poore synners that when we all worshiped ydoles, seruing the deuell of hell and for our rewarde and stipende descendinge with him vn­to eternall deathe and perdition, it yet hathe pleased him of his clemencye for to haue pitie and mercy on vs. And thervpon he vouchesaued to sende none o­ther [Page] [...] [Page clxx] [...] [Page] but euen his own sonne into this worlde for to take our fleshe vpon him and to be made man for to be the spouse (as saynte Gregorie saythe) of our na­ture then beyng so vyle and vnhappye.S. Gre­gorye. This hathe bene for to take vpon him all our synnes and myse­ryes: and for to gyue and distribute vnto vs all hys graces and richesses. And this as holy doctours ex­pounde is the weddinges wherof oure gospel spea­keth, whyche be truly weddinges: of the whyche the bodely and worldly weddinges is but a figure.☞ For as we saye, who weddethe the woman, weddethe the debtes, and is boūde for to paye them: in like maner our most mercyfull Sauiour Iesu Christe in wed­dinge oure soules is becommyn debtour and payer of al our synnes, and debtes. And also al the goodes of the husbonde be commyn vnto the wyfe, therfore he hathe made vs possessours & heritours with hym of all hys goodes and his realme, in whyche shalbe truly solemnised the weddinges, & ther shalbe made the greate euerlastinge banket whych he shall make vnto al them that shal haue bene in thys world per­seuerantly conioyned and vnied vnto hym by faith. Vnto the whych weddinges the Iues were called & inuited whyche haue dispised them, and wolde not comme thyther, but haue vilanously slayne the pro­phetes, and also Iesu Christe himselfe, and some of hys apostles and dysciples that did call them vnto the euerlastinge feaste. And therfore god hath sente hys men of warre that is to saye, as sainct Hierom and other expositours do expounde thys place, the romaines, Vaspasian and Titus, the whyche haue put the Iewes to death that were such murderers & [Page clxxi] homicides and haue put their citie in ruyne and de­struction. And when the Iewes shewed them selues thus vnworthy of the grace of god whych was thus frely offred and presented vnto them: the apostles & disciples by the commaundemente of god wente to preache vnto the Gentilles whych as then were idolaters, and out of the wayes of god, and did assem­ble a church, the whych is called catholike, a church of fayth and of christendome. And by the visitation that thys kynge maketh for to se them that be sette: is figurid vnto vs the examinatiō whych God shall make of all them that be in his churche, which shall do rigorous iustice vpon al them that shall be foūd wythoute the weddynge garmente: that is to wytte wythout fayth workinge by charitie or (as S Gre­gorie expouneth) wythout charitie.What the do­ctours call the weddīg garmēte Grego­rye. Hierom Chrysostome. He therfore (say­eth this holy doctour) entreth to y^e mariages or weddynges wythout the weddynge garmente which in the church hath faith but hath not charitie. Or after the mynde of saynt Hierome the weddyng garment be our Lordes commaundementes and the workes whych a man is bound to do by the lawe and gospel and whych make the garment of a newe man which garmente at the daye of iudgemente he that shalbe founde vnder a christen mans name not to haue, is forthwyth taken awey. And the kynge sayeth vnto him. Frend how comest thou hither or what makeste thou here not hauing the weddyng wede? He calleth him frend forasmoch as he was bydde to the maria­ges as he had bene a frende by fayth. But he repro­ueth hym of foly bycause wyth his fylthy garmente he hath defiled the clēnes of the mariage. For those [Page] that oure Lorde God almyghty the father of heuen doth call vnto this most noble and blessed wedding he woll haue them come not wyth fete (sayeth Chri­sostome) but wyth fayth & maners. This weddynge garmēt then they y^e lacke I meane they y^t haue not y^e liuely faith which by charitie worketh y^e wyl plesure and cōmaūdemētes of oure Lord, albeit in outward apparaunce they haue done many goodly workes & also myracles: yet for all that they shalbe gyuen vn­to the mynisters and hangmen of hell, for to be sent vnto the tormentes eternall, hauinge their fete and handes bounde, that is to saye, that they shall neuer desire nor do any thynge that shalbe pleasaūt vnto God. And for the ende and conclusion of our gospel bycause (as saynt Hierom sayth) not the begynnyng but the ende is to be sought,S. Hierō therfore oure sauyoure Iesu Christ saith that many be called, For assuredly all they that haue herde the apostles and disciples (whose wordes haue bene herde ouer all the earthe) be called but yet fewe be chosen and elected, The whyche sentence oughte to be a wonderfull cause of humilite before god: and specially a cause for vs to despise all the thynges that be in thys worlde for to wynne Iesu christe. Therfore the apostle in the .iij. chapter of his epistle vnto the Colossiās doth exhort vs sayenge: Arraye you as chosen of God holy and beloued from the entrayles of mercy, benignite, hu­milite, mekenesse, and patience. Supporte the one the other, and pardone and forgyue one an other a­monge your selues, if any hath quarell to other. So as god hathe pardonyd, so pardone you. And aboue all thynges haue charite whych is the bonde of per­fection. [Page clxxij] If we do thus we shall at laste comme vnto his bankete of the weddinges of the sonne of God and his spouse, and we shall haue the weddinge garment where shalbe nothinge reproched vnto vs: but we shalbe in the nombre of the chosen people, & shall haue the pleasures of the kingdome of heuen. Vnto the glory of the father and of the sonne & of the holy ghost whych conueyth all them that doth good vnto thys glorious weddinge, wherunto he bryng vs al. Qui viuit et regnat in infinita secula. Amen.

The Epistle on the .xxj. sondaye after Trinitie. The .vj. chapter to the Ephesians.

MY brethren and frendes ye shal marke & consy­dre that our enemye the deuel doth warre con­tynually agaynst vs, and sercheth by all wyles and meanes possible to bryng vs to cōfusyon and death, and that we maye be vnable to resiste hys assaultes and powers: The apostle doth therefore teache vs what thyng we haue to do in such and so greate pe­ryls: that is, that we shuld comfort and lyfte vp our selues in God and in hys moste comfortable myght and power.Ps. xxiij For as it is sayed in y^e .xxiij. psalme: The Lorde God is strong and mightye: The Lorde god is mighty in battel. Certes my frēdes it is our Lord Iesus Christe y^t the prophete here speaketh of which by hys moste triumphante and gloriouse death and passion hath bene mighty in surmountyng our ene­mye, I meane, oure mortall enemye the Deuyll. Then in thys bytter conflycte and battell that we haue agaynste both hym, the worlde, and the fleshe, let vs take good corage and harte vnto vs: not in trustyng so moch vnto our own power and strēgth, but in the strenght and puysaunce of Iesus Christe whyche shall fight for vs, and whych shall not leaue vs that be his membres: but in hym and by hym we shalbe made myghty to resiste & valiauntly to with­stande all temptacions, yea and all the maliciouse powers of any princes & myghty men that gouerne the darkenes of this worlde whych wolde inforce vs [Page clxxij] to vngodlynes or for vngodlynes wolde persecute and afflycte vs. Let vs then take the armour & her­neys of god wherwith we maye make resistence and stande stedfast agaynst the strenghtes assaultes and embushementes of the deuyl. For if we be knyghtes of Iesu Christ certeynly we must entre in to battayl wyth hym, for there shalbe none crowned,☜ but they that shall haue fought worthylye.The ar­mour of a chri­stē soul­diour. And what is the armoure of god? Certes it is thys. Firste we muste haue agaynst all corrupt lustes and concupiscences our loynes or raynes gyrthed with trueth. Agaynst synne, the brene plate of iustice and innocencye. For shoes, we must haue pure affection, whych is the preparacion for to walke in the gospell of peace. And in all thinges, we muste take faythe for oure shelde: by whych we maye put out the vehement temptacions of the deuell, wherewyth he doth assayle vs as wyth dartes inflamed, the whyche shal by no meanes an­noye vs, if we haue stedfast faith in Iesu Christ and in his holy worde. For helmet, we must haue hope of saluation. And thus armed yet muste we haue the sworde of the spirite, that is the worde of god, by the whyche sworde all the puissances and force of the e­uyl spirite shalbe cut. And furthermore we muste ne­uer leue these armours as longe as we be in thys worlde: for we shall alweyes haue batayle. But by these armours we shall vanquyshe in Iesu Christe, and by Iesu Christ: and not by oure owne strength, vnto hym then be perpetuall glorye togyther wyth the father and holy ghost, in infinita seculorum se­cula. Amen.

The gospel on the .xxi. sonday after Trinitie sonday. The .iiij. chap. of Iohn̄.

IN this gospell (good christen audience) our Lord Iesus Christ doth rebuke hym whych desired the health of his sonne, forbicause that he did not beleue sufficiently, that is to saye, that he had not hope in him as he ought to haue. And did reproche him that if they se not tokens, they wolde not beleue. But ye [Page clxxiiij] wol say, Why he that desired Christ to heale his son dyd not beleue?Sainte Austine To thys doubte thus aunswereth S. Austine. Aske not me but aske Christe what he thoughte of this mā. For it foloweth in the text that Iesus sayd vnto hym. Onles ye se sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleue. So (saith S. Austine) he reproueth him bicause he was colde in fayth or at leste way neither hot nor colde forasmoche as he thought our Sauiour Christ could not help hys sōne except he wente home wyth hym, where as in verye dede Christ was able by the only word and commaunde­ment of hys mouth to heal hym namely sith w^t hys wil he created and made al thynges of nought wherfore by thys he rebuked all them that do demaunde outward signes. For he wil not giue vs any signes, but only the token of his death and resurrection, as only sufficient for oure temporall consolation and e­ternal saluation, knowinge (as saith saynte Paule) that our olde man (that is our sinnes and concupis­cences) is crucified and deade wyth hym: to the ende that we serue no more to sinne, but y^t we shuld walke in newnes of lyffe as risen agayne wyth hym. Thys is the token that is giuen vnto vs for our saluation And albeit that he of whom we speake, had not such fayth vnto Iesu Christ as he ought to haue had (for he demaunded hys bodyly presence as neadefull for to helpe hys sōne) yet for all that by hys inestimable goodnes, he shewed hymselfe vnto hym suche as he was, that is to saye, God, whyche is not absent from any place, hauyng might by hys only word to heale all maladyes and infirmities as well spirituall as corporal, and sayd vnto hym: Go thy waye, thy sōne [Page] lyueth and he beleued hys word. And in goyng, dyd mete wyth hys seruaūtes the whych gaue hym wit­nesse of the lyfe and health of hys sonne. And whan he had demaunded of them the houre of the health of hys sonne, and that he knewe y^t at the selfe houre that Iesu Christ had spoken the worde he was hea­led, he beleued the more, and hys fayth was augmē ­ted, and he dydde not only beleue, but also all hys housholde.Degreis in fayth after. S. Bede. Wherfore my frēdes, the excellent clerke Bede noteth here in thys place that in fayth ther be degrees lyke as in other vertues whych haue initiū incrementum et perfectionem, that is to saye, a be­gynnynge, an increase, and a perfection. The faythe then of thys man had begynnynge, when he asked hys sōnes health: increase, when he beleued Christes wordes, saynge, thy sonne lyueth: perfection, when hys seruauntes brought hym tydynges y^t hys sōne was hole in dede & aboute what tyme he recouered. O howe the worde of god is myghty and of greate power, the whych destroyeth thus al syknesses, prin­cipally infidelite, whych is the greuoust syknes that maye be: for yt is cause of death not only bodely but eternall. Let vs then haue fayth and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesu Christ, whych seeth all and knoweth all and whyche is in all places. And wyth one onlye worde shall he gyue vs lyfe both bodely and gostly, vnto the glory of the celestiall father whych healeth all and wyll heale all that be sycke by him. Qui uiuit et regnat. &c. Amen.

Thepistle on the .xxij. Sondaye after Trinitie sonday. The first chap. to the Philippyans.

THe apostle saynt Paule good people doth here teach vs that we must abyde and wayte for frō God the perfection and accomplyshyng of all good workes begonne, sayeng: that it apperteyneth vnto hym to make an ende of the woorke that he hath be­gonne, the whych is w^tout doute the worke of fayth whych worketh by charytie. For Iesu Christe sayeth in the .vj. chapter of saynt Ihon:Ioh. xj. Yt is the worke of God (sayeth oure Lorde) that ye beleue in hym that he hath sente. And also Iesu Christe is called auc­tor of fayth. Also it apperteyneth vnto God for to [Page] gyue vs perseuerance and contynuaūce in the same fayth vnto the daye of Iesu Christe, as it is written in the .xxxvi. psalme. The afflictions of man shalbe redressed in welth by god, wherby we maye lightly vnderstand that man as of hymselfe cannot do any good: and that all they whych vaunte them of theyr power, do erre and blaspheme agaynste God, when they attribute vnto thēselfes y^t whych apperteyneth vnto God, whose power it is when we do any good. The daye of Iesu Christe is the daye of the death of euery body:The day of Iesus Christe. and to speke generally, it is domes daye at the whych daye he shall yelde vnto euery one ac­cordyng vnto hys fayth, or infidelitie, that they shal haue folowed: vnto the faythfull, lyfe eternall, and vnto the vnfaythfull, the deathe eternall. And the apostle might iustly thynke of the Philippians that god wold do vnto them this grace for to make them to perseuer vnto thende, for the charite that he had vnto them, the which beleue lightly al thinges that is to the honour, & forbycause also that themselues did reioyce, when they had vnderstande that in pry­sonmente at Rome he defended hym after suche a sorte that it was vnto the confirmation of the gos­pell, and the greate ioye of the same.

And therfore he prayed them that thys charytie to­warde god, and loue vnto hys worde might aboūde and increase alwayes more & more, in the knowlege of god, and in all spirituall sense for to discerne and approue the meruelouse thynges, and for to be pure and clene, and without offending and rebuke at the day of our lorde Iesu Christ, both particuler & vni­uersal, al replenished with y^e frute of iustice which is [Page clxxvi] y^e iustice of faith by our lord Iesu christ vnto y^e glory of y^e eternal father. In this saint Paule giueth vs to vnderstand how y^t al begynning & the endes of good workes ought to be attributed vnto God. And y^e charytie whych one ought to haue to another when one heareth or vnderstādeth that the worde of God doth growe, it augmenteth and confirmeth, whych is the doctrine of the Gospell, for in the same is the true science and knowlege of god, and the wit of the holy ghost: wherby one maye proue and assaye the better thinges whych be the welthes spirituall and heuenly. The whyche graunt vs the heuenly father by our lorde Iesu Christ. Amen.

The gospel on the .xxii. Sonday. the xviij. chapter of Mathewe.

In the parable declared in the gospell of this daye good people is shewed vnto vs howe god shall make hys iudgement of synners that shall not haue asked him mercy, Agayn al those whych shal know­ledge themselues synners before hym and shall de­maunde mercy and grace of hym he shall pardone [Page clxxvi] them of al their synnes, if so be they do remytte and pardone also wyth good harte and in charyte for the loue of hym the synnes & offences that theyr neygh­bours haue commytted agaynste them. For it is the rule to obteyne pardone of god for to forgyue. As it is wrytten in the prayer that oure lorde Iesu Christe hath gyuen vs for to pray vnto his father and ours, when we saye,Mat. vj. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, that is to say Forgyue vs our trespssaes as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynst vs. And after our lord sayth, if you pardon men theyr synnes, your father also that is in heuen shall pardone you your faultes. And if we do not pardon nor forgyue othr men, nomore woll your father pardon nor remytte you of your synnes. Alas my frēdes howe many be there nowe a dayes whych thynke lytle on these wordes, as if they were vayne and of none effect. And yet for al that, they be so true that it is a iudgement gyuen from y^e mouth of god, which is al trouth. Ther be many which oftentymes do saye thys most holy prayer without hauinge any will to forgyue the offences cōmytted against them, the whych suerly were better not to praye so agaynst themselues. This is well shewed vnto vs by the pa­rable of the kingdome of heuen in thys present gos­pell, of the seruaunt whych ought ten thousande ta­lentes vnto his kinge. And when he had not where­wyth he myght paye it, the kinge commaunded, that he and hys wife and hys chyldren and al his goodes shulde be solde, to thentente that he myght be payed of that that was due vnto him. The seruaunt seyng thys kneled down and prayed the king that he wold [Page] take patience and tary and he wolde paye him all. The lorde that was pitiful and mercifull had mercy on hym, and sente him awaye and forgaue hym the dette. But the seruaunte departinge from hys lorde, was not pitifull nor merciful as was hys lord. For in meting an other y^t was seruaunt with him which ought him only an hundreth pens, he toke him and strayned him by the throte and misintreatinge him sayd, paye me that, that thou owest me. And the pore seruant knelyd before the first seruant, & prayed him to haue pacience & to tarye and he wolde paye hym all. But he wolde not heare hym, but forthwith sente him to prison, vnto the tyme that he had payed him. but what did the lorde when he herde these newes? He keste in his teth the mercy whiche he had vsed to­wardes him, when he prayed hym, and on the other syde the cruelty whiche he had vsed agaynst his fe­lowe seruaūt. And therupon he dyd gyue him to the kepars of y^e prison, vntyl he had payed al his dutye. And this parable our lorde declareth himselfe. This kynge, is god the father almyghty. This fyrste det­tour: is a great synner to god. This seconde dettour is a lytle synner to man. And what may the offence be vnto man, but only a lytle offence to the regarde of that whiche is to god? And that y^t is to god what may it be but a ryght greate offence? For as the aun­cient douctour of the churche Iohn̄ Chrysostom sayeth,Chrysostome there is as greate difference betwene the synnes whiche be done to men and the synnes whiche be cō ­mitted agaynste god, as there is difference betwene ten thousāde talentes of golde & an hundreth pense. But God is so meke and so mercyfull, that if alonly [Page clxxvij] one do praye hym, he forgiueth all synne and offence howe greate so euer it be, yf that in folowyng of hys meakenesse and mercyfulnesse we pardone one lytle offence agaynste vs vnto our brother. But yf any of vs do not pardon, God shal aske of hym the greate debte,quous (que) pro infinito. and he shalbe in paynes vntyll he shall haue payed it out, whyche worde (vntyll) is taken of holy doctours, pro infinito. And thys is the meanynge & sense of thys texte sayeth Remigius y^e auncient doc­tour, semper soluet, sed nunquam persoluet, Remigius. et semper poenam luet, that is to saye, he shall euer paye but neuer paye it out, and he shall euermore suffre payne. Then my brethren and frendes, though that it be so that all the offences agaynst vs in the world be nothynge in regarde of one only offence agaynst God: let vs then pardone them lightly not alonlye by mouth and outwardly, but wyth good wyll, and in our hartes inwardly. And yf we thus do, assured­ly God shall pardone vs them that be so greate (for who is it that hath not offended hym many tymes) and we shalbe fynally made y^e chyldren of God and followers of hys swetenesse, meakenes, and mercye. The whyche it shall please thys greate kynge to graunte vs (vnto whom we be all so greate detters) the father of mercy, by our Lorde Iesus Christe, by whom he hathe done and doth mercy vnto all. To whom be gyuen al honour glory and prayse for euer and euer. Amen.

The Pystle on the .xxiij. Sonday after Trinyte sonday. The thyrde cha­piter to the Philippians.

SAynt Paul my welbeloued frendes, doth exhort vs in this epistle, that we shuld be his folowers that is to saye, that we shulde lyue lyke vnto him, folowynge the worde of fayth and of grace, whyche is the truthe of the gospell, and that we shulde so folowe the fourme and rule which is giuen vnto vs and that we shuld take exemple of them which lyue according to the same. For there be some other why­che be enemyes vnto the gospel and vnto the crosse, that is to say of y^e tribulatiōs suffred by Iesu Christ louyng the glory of the worlde, which is confusion, makyng god of theyr bely, and they be not to be fol­lowed, but occcasion to vepe. For our glory, our lyfe and conuersacion is not in earthly thynges, but in heauēly thynges from whence also we do abyde our Lorde Iesu Christe at his seconde commyng: which [Page clxxvjii] shal forme our body of newe, beyng now vyle, abiect corruptible & mortall, into a body noble, profytable incorruptible, & immortall. And he shall fygure and chaunge it vnto the similytude of the clearnesse and glorye of hys body, by the power that he hath for to make all thynges to obey at hys wyll.☜ Wherfore the apostle prayeth vs (and it is good reason y^t we shuld so do) that we do kepe ourselues stedfaste in the rule and cōuersation of y^e Gospell.Paules glorye. And thys he reputeth and taketh to be hys crowne and hys glorye, yf that by hys exhortation and motion we do thus. Yt is charitie y^t thus constreyneth the hartes of faythfull men for to desyre the saluation of euery bodye. And thys charytie dyd not alonly extende vnto men, but also vnto women, of the which here he prayeth sōme of them, that is to wit, Euodia and Synticha, that they shulde vnderstande none other thinge, but only this forme and rule of the gospell. And yet further­more he prayeth an other whyche he calleth his dere beloued felowe that she wolde helpe all them whych had laboured wyth him, and wyth Clement vnto the furtheraunce & promotion of the gospell, of whome (sayth he) the names be wrytten in the boke of liefe. And what helpe doth he desyre that she shuld do vn­to them but only to comforte and strengthe them in this purpose, for to drawe alweyes the other, aswell the virgins as the olde women vnto the fayth and vnto y^e doctrine of the gospel, the whych is the only rule of lief, & that of eternal life. Then my frēdes as wel men as womē, let vs hold this only rule. Let vs teache them y^t be not so perfite as we oure selues be. Let vs take exemple of them whych be iuste & sted­faste [Page] in fayth and ernest louers of the Gospell. Let vs haue in abhomination the lyfe of the enemyes of the Gospell, and of them y^t do not set by the paynes trauayles afflictions death & passyon that our Lord hath suffred for to redeme vs and them, and for to gyue vs the celestiall treasures. And let vs wepe in our hartes for theyr myscheuous and abhominable lyfe, prayeng vnto God y^t he wyll gyue them light, and that they maye not trouble any by theyr euyll lyfe and wicked exemple. Let our hartes be where oure treasure is, whych is in heauen and not in the earth. Let vs be stedfast and vnchaungeable in this fayth and purpose of the Gospel. Let vs laboure as well men as women that all maye come vnto thys light, vnto the only worde of God lyuynge. Let vs cōforte them in thys y^t we all haue but one doctrine, one God, and one helper. Let all our hope be there, as was the hope of saynt Paule, and of Clement, of Euodia, of Syntycha, and of all the other faythfull and true christen people of the fyrste and primatyue churche. And be we then well assured y^t oure names shalbe wrytten with them in heuen euen in the boke of liefe, vnto the glory of the father of heuē and our lorde Iesu Christe. Amen.

The Gospel on the .xxiij. sonday after Trinitie. The .xxij. Chapter of Matthewe.

THe Gospell of this present sondaye good peo­ple putteth before vs, the malice of the phara­sies which did send their disciples wyth the Herodi­ans,S. Hie­rome. which herodians after the mynd of saynte Hie­rom were the souldiours of Herod (for the pharasies durst not go themselues for feare of y^e people) wher­fore they sent theyr disciples wyth these souldiours, for to attrappe our Lorde and to fynde out some oc­casion for to delyuer hym to death. And they came subtylly accordyng to the malyce of the worlde and of the fleshe flattering and sayeng, maister. This is the first simulation of hypocrites (saythe Chrysosto­mus) to praise them whome we go aboute to destroy and vndo.Chrysostomus super Mat. And therfore they breake out into prayse sayeng Maister we knowe that thou arte rightfull & a teller of trouth. They call him maister to thintēt that beynge nowe honoured and praysed of them he [Page] myght open simplely the secretes of hys harte vnto them as desyrouse to haue them hys dyscyples. We knowe (saye they) that thou art rightfull and y^t thou teachest the doctrine of God in trouth, and regardest no persone, as who shulde saye, thou haste respecte neyther to Herode nor yet to Cesar, whych exacteth tribute of vs but only teachest frely y^e trouth. Ther­fore shewe vs playnly we beseche the if it be leful for vs to gyue tribute vnto Cesar or no? Oure sauiour and maister Iesus Christ whych knoweth all mens thoughtes sayde vnto them. Wherfore do ye tempte me you hypocrites? He answereth them, not fayerly accordinge to their fayer wordes but roughly accor­dinge to their cruel conscience. For god is wonte to aunswere to the will & not to the word. And he sayth vnto them. Shewe me y^e money of the tribute? And they did gyue him a pece. And he demaūded of them (to thende that he shuld shame them with their own wordes) whose was the ymage & the superscription? And they aunswered, of Cesar. And then he aunswe­red them. Thē yelde ye vnto Cesar, the thinges that apperteyne vnto Cesar. And paye to god that which belongeth to god. But these dissemblers surely did not vnderstande this aunswere, for they loked that he shulde haue sayde eyther ye or no. If he had sayd that they ought for to haue gyuen tribute vnto Ce­sar, they myghte haue accused hym as speakinge a­gaynst the lybertye gyuen vnto the children of Isra­ell and also as a transgressour of the lawe, and if he had sayd that it had not bene lawful to gyue tribute vnto Cesar, the Herodians wolde haue accused hym forthwyth of treason and sedicion agaynst thempe­rour [Page clxxx] of Rome. And so in all fashions they myght haue had open occasion to cause hym to be condemned to death, but by hys aunswere they had none oc­casion, but were all ashamed. And he shewed them well, y^t agaynst the Lorde God there is no counsell that can serue. Wherefore thys Gospell doth teach vs that they that teach the doctrine of Iesu Christe, I meane, the true Gospell, shall haue other whyles the Pharisees and theyr discyples lyenge in wayte agaynste them (whych shall accompany themselues wyth infidels beleuynge nothyng of God, suche as were these Herodians) for to attrappe them subtylly in theyr interrogations, in any thyng that they saye whether it be so or not so, searchyng apparant occa­sions for to delyuer them vnto death. And so they shall not be able to eschue it, yf the spirite of God do not delyuer them. Wherfore my brethren let vs all take good courage, for to announce and preache the word of Iesu Christ, the holy Gospell. Let vs leaue vnto the men, that y^t is of men. And let vs yeld vnto God that that is Gods, that is fayth, all hope and charytie, vnto hym dewe by hys holye worde. And our kynge whych is Iesu Christ shall reioyce in hys heauenly father, the whych wyth hym shall gyue vs hys graces, and our prayses shalbe of God, y^t whych also shall shutte vppe the mouthe of y^e sklaunderers and euyll speakers of hys holye worde, as it is also wrytten: But the kynge shall reioyce hym in God. All those wyth true hartes shalbe praysed, for the mouth of them whych speake iniquitie is close, vnto the glorye of oure Lorde Iesus Christe, Qui viuit et regnat in seculorum secula Amen.

The Epystle on the .xxiiij. sonday after Trinite sonday. The. fyrst chapi­ter to the Colossians.

THe epistle of thys daye, my welbeloued frnedes doth teache vs how all christen men ought continually to desire and syghe (whych is to pray and to demaunde) vnto god that all the contreyes and naci­ons maye be replenyshed wyth the holy ghoste, the whych folowe the fayth of the word of god, that they may be replenyshed wyth the knowledge of the wyll of god whyche is all wisdome from aboue, and vn­derstanding from aboue of the holy ghoste. Whiche thyng we ought to praye to thentent y^t in all places we maye walke worthyly accordyng vnto God, and that in al good workes we maye please God, that al maye fructifye and take encrease in the knowlege of God, which is the vnderstādyng of hys worde. Fur­thermore we must praye that al may be comforted in [Page clxxxi] all strength, vertue and might of god not according vnto our myght or the myght of men, but according vnto the puissaūce and incomparable might of hys glory, in the whych all they that knowledge to haue it of hym, do prayse hym & gloryfie hym in al meke­nesse and pacience of hys abydyng in spirituall ioye in our Lorde Iesu Christe.The de­syres of al christen men. Truly my brethren these be the desyres, sighes prayers and peticyons of all christen men, the whych be vnderstāded by y^e desyres prayers and peticiōs of. S. Paule for the Collosiēs for in y^e scriptures the thynges spoken particularly, oughte to be taken vniuersally, that is, that they be sayed vnto all men, as oure Lorde doth wytnesse it spekyng vnto hys disciples, this y^t I saye vnto you, I speake it vnto all. Let vs then praye contynually by these noble desyres and sighes, whych the holye ghost maketh in vs, & we shalbe spiritual, we shalbe a temple of y^e holye ghoste, and such as we desyre the other to be. We shall haue knowledge of y^e good wyll of God, whych is the saluation of euery body by the fayth in Iesus Christe and in hys worde. These de­syres and prayers be workes of charytye, workes of sapience, and such as teach the wysdom of God, and not of men, they be woorkes pleasaunte vnto God, frutefull and increasynge from daye to daye in the knowlege of god, they be the woorkes of pacience, abyding (in ioye of spirite) what soeuer thyng it shal please god for to sende, whether it be prosperytye or aduersytye, whether it be syckenes or health, for the strength from aboue gyuen by Iesu Christe and his spirite doth comforte & gyueth liefe to al. To whom be immortal glory and prayse wythout ende. Amen.

The Gospell on the .xxiiij. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye. The .ix. chapi­ter of Mathewe.

THys Gospell (good christen audience) doth put before our eyes how moche that our fayth and hope in god our sauiour doth please hym, and is to hym gratefull and acceptable, and whych thing our lorde doth shewe vs here by the faythe of a prince of the Sinagoge which (as sayeth saynte Marke) was named Iayrus. And albeit that hys fayth and con­fidence in god was vnperfite, yet neuerthelesse oure lorde did applye and graunte to his prayer, yea and wente also with him for to rayse his doughter which [Page clxxxij] was nere deade, and in dede she dyed. In whyche thing the holy doctour Remigius sayth that the hu­milite and mildnes of our lorde is moche to be won­dered at, and also to be folowed of vs by exemple,Remi­gius For forthwith as sone as he was desired he beganne to folowe him that desired him. Wherin he instruc­teth (sayth thys doctour) both subiectes and also pre­lates. To subiectes he hath left an exemple of obedi­ence. To prelates he did demōstrate and shewe howe they ought to be instaunte and paynfull in the office of teachynge, that as often as they here tell of any parson to be deade in soule, they shulde study forth­wyth to be at hand and presente with hym to reuiele and rayse him vp agayn, euen as our sauiour Christ of hys most tendre pitie and mercy was ready forth­with at the humble sute of this ruler to go with him to rayse vp his doughter. And if that he had had as perfecte fayth as he which saied, lord I am not wor­thy that thou shuldest entre in to my howse, but only saye the worde, and my chylde shalbe hole, he myght haue healed her wyth a worde and saye, be it done to the according vnto thy faith, and it shuld haue bene so, but he did to him accordinge vnto hys fayth, and so he doth to vs. He had thus moche fayth that if he touched her she shulde lyue, and so was it therfore done to hym according vnto his fayth. He shewed it vs also by the woman whych had the blody flyxe by the space of .xij. yeres, the whyche had thys fayth in him, that if she touched alonly hys garmēt she shuld be healed. She did touche it, and she had accordinge vnto her fayth, not that she had her fayth in the gar­mente or that the garmente shulde heale her, but her [Page] fayth and her hope was in Iesu Christ. For assured­ly the vertue of her healinge did not come from the garment, but from our lord Iesu Christ as he saied, I haue knowne that power is issued oute from me. For certes she touched oure lorde inuisibly by fayth, and the garment visibly by signe of fayth. And ther­fore oure Lorde sayde vnto her. Daughter haue full hope and be of good chere, thy fayth hath made y^t to be saued, for he did vnto her accordīg vnto her fayth Then the gospel dothe shew vs here, that if we haue right perfyte fayth, ther shalbe done vnto vs accor­dinge to our fayth.☞ O that mortall men and women wold haue this perfecte fayth working by charytie & confidēce, and thys trust in our lorde Iesus Chryst? Our lord did neuer denye any whych hath had sted­fast fayth & hope in hym. If we be in neuer so great sickenes of synne, yea if we be deade by synne, yet yf we praye vnto hym, and desyre him of pardon hauīg full hope and faythe in him, that in asking it of hym we shalbe healyd and iustified, that is for to saie that our sinnes shalbe pardomd, and that we shalbe reui­ued frō y^e death of synne, assuredlye it shalbe so done vnto vs, and we shal heare thys swete answere. Thy fayth hath saued the. And y^e gospel is ful of the same that he wyl do to vs according to oure fayth. Wher­fore let vs haue stedfast fayth in all the promysses of the wordes of God: and then shalbe accomplished in all hys promysses.Faythe without charitie is no­thinge worth. But thys fayth is a liuely fayth which worketh by charitie. The sōne which shyneth & gyueth no heate, dothe not gyue lyfe to any thyng, no more doth faiyh without charitie. If y^u haue thys fayth that Iesu Christ is dead for the, and for to put [Page clxxxiij] awaye thy synnes, it is soo, and thy synnes be put a­waye, and hys death is thine: and the merite of hys death thyne. If thou beleue also not faynedly but truly that he is risen agayne for thy iustificatiō, it is soo, and his resurrection is thyne & thy iustification and thou art truly iustified if y^u so perseuer & cōtinue in godly lyuing as becommeth a christen man. And thus of all the other wordes of God and of the holy scripture, the whych is clene hydde frō vs and made darke and vnprofitable without thys working faith and agayne all open and shyninge by thys fayth. It is it that is alwayes sene of God, and is neuer deny­ed in all signes and meruels & in al holy reuiuinges of God. For to be healed of all syckenesses and death we nede principally thys lyuely and workyng fayth whych is the most beloued grace of God. The womā hadde none other thynge to be healed of her bloudy flixe. The prince of the synagoge hadde none other thynge for to haue hys doughter reysed from death to lyffe. For to be inheritour vnto the kyngdome of heauen is required this fayth that I now speake of, as first & chife foūdatiō of all together. What wolde you that I shulde saye vnto you? There is nothyng impossible vnto fayth. Wherfore then lette vs praye vnto oure Lorde Iesu Christe whyche is auctour of fayth that he maye giue vs this fayeth: to thintent y^t we maye praye laude and glorifie him so as he wold be prayed, & that he wol not denye or hyde any thing vnto them whych so do praye hym in fayeth but that he woll enflambe them from daye to daye, for to luoe feare honoure and serue hym more and more, and to praye hym the more feruentlye vnto the glorie of the [Page] celestiall father whyche giueth vs all in hym and by hym in thys world and in the other by glorie eternally. Amen.

The epistle on the .xxv. sonday after Trinitie son­day which is the nexte sondaie before Aduent sonday. Ieremias .xxxiij.

THis prophecy of Hieremie (good people) which we rede for our epistle in the churche thys daye doth shew vs that the dayes of y^e comming of messi­as our Sauiour Iesu Christ be at hande & accōply­shed. This is y^e trew braunche which God shal rcyse [Page clxxxiiij] vp vnto Dauid. And when shal this braunche be ta­kē? Of a vyrgyn descendyd from Dauid, He shalbe trewly iust, for he shalbe the iustice of all iust: and he alonly ought of his owne purenes to be conceiued & borne among men without syn. But who shall reyse him vp vnto Dauid? God alone, and no tany man. And therfore he shalbe God, and sonne of God. And wherfore vnto Dauid? Forbicause y^t god shall reyse him vp and make him to be borne of a virgyn descē ­dyd of Dauid. He shall reygne kynge. For he shalbe kyng of kynges. It is he which sayeth in y^e person of kyng Dauid in the seconde psalme.Psal. ij. But I am con­stituted kyng by him ouer Sion his holy moūtayne preachyng his cōmaundement. And he shalbe wyse: not without cause, for he is the wysdome of god. He shall do iustice and iudgement in earth, for he shall condemne synne and the prynce of synne, and shall iustifie by him selfe which is the sacrifice, the redēp­cion and iustice of pore synners. And by this father: he shall iustifie the synners. In those dayes, Iuda, y^t is to saye, those that shall confesse in faith, shalbe sa­ued: and Israell that is for to saye those that shall knowledge there strengthe to come from God, shall liue in greate suertie and trust. Iudas signifieth cō ­fessyng, laudinge and thankyng, and Israel strong in God. And the name of messias shall be thys, The Lorde God which is the greate name of God. Wherby Hieremie in spirite giueth to vnderstande that he shall be the greate God, hys name also shalbe oure iuste. Oures: forbycause that he shall be made man for vs: and in such wyse iust, that he shall iustifie vs al that shal beleue in him, as in God and man & therfore [Page] he shalbe ours, and his iustice ours, and for this he shuld come. For (as Esaie sayeth) the lytle is borne vnto vs, and the sonne is gyuē vnto vs, and for this cause in the tyme of Messias one shall not affyrme any more in saieng. The lord liueth which hath with drawen the chyldren of Israel out from the lande of Egypte. But it shalbe affyrmed in one hole witnes. The lorde god lyueth that hath drawen out the sede of the chyldren of Israel from y^e lande of the North, and from all other places where they were cast. The lorde god is the Messias: of whome Heremie sayde, the dayes of his cōmyng is at hāde. The which whē he shulde be comen shulde renewe al thinges, al sha­dowes and all figures shulde cease, and then shulde truthe reygne, none shulde affyrme more accordyng to the olde lawe in fygure but according to the newe in truthe. The chyldrē of Israel were deliuered from the lande of Egypte and Pharon in fygure: But in the tyme of Messias the sede and chyldrē of true Is­rael which shalbe sede and chyldren of faythe, shalbe delyuered in all places where they were caste before by god as enemies of the lande, from the region and puissaunce of the greate Aquilon, from whence de­pendeth all euyll, which is the croked serpent the di­uell of hell the prynce of darkenesse. And they that shal inhabite in their lande of lyuinge people by the Messias which is our lorde Iesu Christ. Striue we then my brethren, with all our strength, to be of the sede of fayth of the trewe Israel whiche is the onely stronge, in our lorde Iesu Christ, that hath vainqui­shed the greate Aquilon: which hath drawen vs out from the puissance and tyrānye of the same, from all [Page clxxxv] places, from all nations. And then he shall leade vs with hym into the lande of the lyuyng men eternally And we muste be all wel assured of this: for this say­eth the lorde god almyghty. Vnto whom be glory honour and myght eternally. AMEN.

The Gospell on the .xxv. sondaye after Trinitie sondaye which is the nexte sonday before Aduent sonday. the .vi. cha. of Ihon.

THe royal prophete Dauid (welbeloued audiēce) knowing that the fedyng and meate as well of the body as of the soule is gyuen and distributed vnto men by the only goodnesse and grace of god, howbeit more diligently neuerthelesse that of the soule, then that of the body: he maketh this request vnto god. Lorde I haue had my refuge to the, teach me to do thy wyll. And in another place he fayth. The lord god doth noryshe me, and I shall lacke nothyng, he hath set me in the place of the fedyng, whiche is the place of the fedyng of god, my frendes? Trewly it is the holy scripture, in whiche is declared vnto ss the wyll of this greate lorde, and with the whiche euery christen soule is spiritually and ghostely fed reueled and nouryshed. And this is it whiche at this daye is represented vnto vs, by saynt Iohn in his .vj. chap. where as he sayeth, that whē Iesus had lyfte vp his eyes, and sawe that so greate a multitude was come vnto him, he sayde vnto his disciple saynt Philippe, wherwith shall we bye breade, that these folkes here may eate? He spake not this that he knewe not per­fetly, what he wolde do: but he proued his fayth (for it is he as sayeth Dauid that gyueth meate to bea­stes, and vnto smale rauens that call to him) and for [Page clxxxvi] to confyrme it, and to giue knowledge vnto him and vnto the other that he was god. Take we then doc­tryne of this place my frendys that our Lorde Iesu Christ is only gouernour of al thinges what so euer they be, not only as towchinge the bodye, but princi­pally as towching y^e sowl. And let vs not be as Phi­lip and Andrew, which not hauing yet stedfast fayth beleued not y^t he which by his only worde had made and created all the worlde, myghte lykewyse by hys worde create and gyue noryshynge by fyue loues & two fyshes vnto so great a multitude. But what signifieth vnto vs the fyue loues and the two fyshes? Suerly my frendes the fyue loues the whiche as S. Iohn sayeth were of barly, represent vnto vs (as S. Austine and other holy expositours thynke) the fyue bokes of Moyses.Austine For as barley outwarde hathe a huske very prickyng: euen so haue y^e bokes of Moy­ses, for as touchyng the lawe whiche they conteyne, they be merueilous rough and rygorous, but if they be spiritually vnderstandyd (which can not be with­out faythe) they gyue norishyng vnto the soule. For as sayeth the prophete Abacuc.Abac. ij. The rightwyse man shall lyue by fayth. And the two fyshes may sygnify the olde and newe testamēt. The newe testament as touchyng the euangelicall & apostolicall wrytinges wherin the christen mans faythe is lyuely described. The olde as touchyng the other bokes and prophe­cies.☜ For euē as the fyshes can not lyue without wa­ter, so lykewyse without faythe, none hathe bene, is, nor shalbe saued. These fyue loues therfore and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded haue bene distribu­ted vnto al christen people. And if ye aske by whom? [Page] Surely it is to be answered by the apostles & they which be sent from god. For this cause (my frendes) take ye the refection and fode of the soule in the fyue loues, and two fyshes spiritually vnderstanded: that is to say in the holy scriptures, and in fayth. And vnderstande that y^e worldly doctrines can nat nourishe your soules, but rather slee thē, for our lorde sayeth, that for nought we honour him in kepyng the doc­trine of men namely if it be not grounded of gods worde but rather made to ouerwhelme subuerte and darken the same. Let vs then desyre with instant and feruent peticions this heauenly fode of almyghty God and he wyll without doute gyue it vs aboundantly. To whom be all honour glory prayse & than­kes for euer and euer. Amen.