Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 30
The Gospell on Easter day. Iohn. xx.
THe fyrst day of the Sabbothes came Mary Magdalen early (when it was yet darke) vntounto the Sepulchre, and saw the stone taken away from the graue Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Iesus loued, and sayth vntounto them: They hauehave taken away the Lorde out of the graue, and we can not tell where they hauehave layde hym. Peter therfore went forth, and that other disciple, and came vntounto the Sepulchre. They ran bothe together, and that other disciple dyd outrunne Peter, and came firste to the Sepulchre. And when he had stowped downe, he sawe the lynnen clothes lyinge, yet went he not in. Then came Simon Peter folowynge hym, and wente into the Sepulchre, and sawe the lynnen clothes lye, and ye napkyn that was about his head, not lying with the lynnen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by it selfe. Then went in also that other disciple whiche came fyrst to the Sepulchre, and he sawe and beleued. For as yet they knewe not the Scripture, that he shoulde ryse agayne from death. Then the Disciples went away againe to theyr owne home
THE EXPOSITION.
IN as muche as thys daye accordyng to the auncient and commendable custome of Christs church we celebrate the laudable feast and worthy memorie of the moste noble and victorious resurrection of oure Sauioure Iesus Christ:The true kepyng of holy dayes. it is mete and conuenient, that we speake and entreate of the same at this present. For the true sanctifying and halowing of feastfull days consisteth in the true worshippyng of God, which is none other thing, (praiers & thankes geuing ones done) then to exercise the worde bothe in preachyng and readyng. We therfore at this tyme wyll make our conference according to the tyme, of the glorious resurrection of our moste louyng Lorde and swete Sauiour Christe Iesu. And in this our conference we will firste of all consyder, what maner of Resurrection, the risyng agayn of Christ frome death vntounto lyfe was. After that, we will declare, what vtilitie and profyte, what fruicte and goodnesse, the moste victorious and triumphant Resurrection of Christe hathe broughte vntounto vsus, as we hauehave to fore shewed of his Passion and deathe.
As touchynge the fyrste,The resurrection of Christ lette vsus not thynke that the resurrection of Christ was a common resurrection frome deathe, as was the Resurrection of Lazarus, but besydes thys,Iohn. 11. that Christe rose agayne in the fleshe, and corporallye: he also spiritually became the Lorde of deathe, and ouercame it, and broughte with hym euerlastynge lyfe, so that all that beleue, are risen agayne with hym, and hauehave ouercome deathe. And by this his resurrection he hath not onelyonly obteined a temporall life, but also a spirituall lyfe. For as he before by the temporall deathe of the Crosse, dyd slea and vtterly abolyshe the spirituall deathe of synne and hell: So he lykewise by his resurrection hath not only recouered and broughte agayne the temporall lyfe and quietnesse,Christ is rysen again two maner of waies. but also euerlastynge lyfe and perpetuall ioye. Wherof wee may learne, that Christe is rysen agayne twoo manner of wayes. Fyrste, after the fleshe, by the whyche Resurrection he made hys deade body, quicke: his despised body, glorious: His weake and feeble body, mightie and stronge: his naturall body, supernaturall, and spirituall. Of this resurrection we reade in many places of the scripture.Math. 2…. Marc. 16. Luc. 24. Iohn 20.21. Acts. 1.2.…. Among all Paule hath these wordes in the chronicle of the Apostles Actes, where he speaketh on this maner: And we shewe vntounto you, that ye promise, whiche was made vntounto ye fathers, God hath fulfilled to their children, euen vntounto vsus, in that he raised vp Iesus, as it is written in the first Psalme: Thou art my sonne, this day hauehave I begotten the. And in his firste epistle to the Corinthiās, he saith, that Christ after his resurrection was sene of more then of fiue hūdred brethren.1. Cor· 15. And moreouer that he shewed himself before to the .xii. and to many other brethren, as we maye see playnly written in the Euangelistes.
Secondly, there was in Christ also an inward & spirituall resurrection, in that he escaped from the horror of death, hell, syn, and the wrath of God, and came vntounto euerlasting ioy, life, health, peace, & gladnes. Of this he glorieth and speaketh by ye mouth of that prince like Prophet, sayinge: Thou haste made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me. Thou shalt fill me ful of gladnes with thy countenance.Psal. 6. Againe: Thou hast turned my heuines into ioye: thou hast put of my sackclothe, and girded me with gladnes.Psal 30. All these ar gratulations, reioycinges and thankes geuynges, that God the heauenly Father hath deliuered his sonne Christ from ye horror of hell and death, and not him only, but also with him and through him all faithfull christians. Whereof we shall speake more largely hereafter.
How the resurrection of Christ was don according to the historie: how he rose again on Easter day betymes in the morning, before the sonne was vp: & howe the women found the sepulchre emptie: Again, howe they were conforted of the Aungell, and admonished of his resurrection. This with diuers other things appertaining vntounto the resurrection of Christ, ar diligently written of the foure Euangelistes: and ye your selues hauehave hertofore both heard & red them. Therfore at this time we will speake nothinge of that matter: but we will rather declare & set forth vntounto you the profites and fruites, which Christ hath gotten for vsus by his glorious and royal resurrection: and opē vntounto you, how we ought to enter into a newe lyfe with Christ.
But before we come vntounto this matter, let vsus speake somwhat of the innocencie and Godhead of Christe by the whiche he myghtily brake the chawes of hell,Christe innoc…nte and free from all synn. & braste on pieces the paunche of death, and so valiantly, victoriously and triumphantly rose agayne frome deathe. Nowe for as muche as CHRIST was in all poyntes pure and innocente, and vtterly wythout all synne: Deathe, and hell coulde by no meanes ouercome hym:Rom. 6. For seynge that death is the rewarde of synne, as the Apostle saythe: and Christe hadde no synne at all: so doothe it ryghte well followe, that death had no power ouer Christ, and that it assaulted hym wythoute cause, and therfore deathe loste hys ryghte, because wythoute cause hee abused Christe beynge innocente and free frome all synne. The Innocencye therefore of Christe was the cause, that deathe and hell (they onelyonly hauehave power ouer synners. For,Rom. 5. for synne entred deathe into the worlde) coulde not retayne, holde, and deuoure hym, but that hee muste needes retourne vntounto lyfe, and ryse agayne frome deathe.
Besides this innocencie, Christe also had this,Christe true & naturall God, that he was the true and naturall sonne of God: and therfore coulde not he bee retained and holden of deathe, nor yet of helle, or of any other kynde of myserie, as hee hym selfe glorieth and reioyceth of thys power, sayinge, That he hathe power to geue ouer hys lyfe, and also to take it agayne.Ioan. 10. And that no man takethe hys lyfe frome hym, but he geueth it ouer of hym self Whiche is none other thyng then yf he should saye: I am GOD, and the Lord both of death and of lyfe, & I handle them, as I my selfe lyste. Therefore Saint Paule in hys Epistle to the Romaines writeth, that by thys he was declared to bee the Sonne of GOD,Rom. 1. whenne he rose agayne frome deathe. For no manne can escape deathe, as Dauid saythe: What manne is he that shall lyue,Psal. 89. Heb. 9. and not see deathe? And Saincte Paule to the Hebrues sayeth: That all menne muste needes ones dye, and after that commeth the Iudgement: Seyng then that Christe was not onelyonly man, but also very GOD, the Creator and lyfe geuer of all creatures,Ioan. 14. yea, the lyfe it selfe, as he hym selfe testifyeth in the Gospell of Sainct Iohn: It was not possible for deathe and helle to retayne and ouercome hym, as S. Peter recordeth in the Chronicle of the Apostles Actes, saying: Whome (he meaneth Christ) God hath raysed vp,Act. 2. and loosed the sorowes of death, because it was impossible, that he shoulde bee holden of it. For seyng he was the holy one of God, he could not abyde in helle, neyther coulde his fleshe see corruption:Psal 15. As S. Peter strongly proueth out of Dauid. By this it is an easye thynge to aunswere that question, howe this maye be, that the passion and deathe of Christe, and the syght of the infernall damnation, wherin Christe was but a short tyme,Qu…stion. could be a sufficient satisfaction for the synnes of the whole worlde which notwithstandyng after the seuere iudgemente of God ought to hauehave ben punyshed with euerlasting payne and endles damnation. I aunswere: This satisfaction is of an incomparable force,Answere. might, strength and power, and hath a meruailous energie and perfection because of the person of Christ. For seing Christe was true God and true man (the God head & the manhode ioyned in one person) and yet toke vponupon him this worke of our redemption, the peyn,The sufficienc of Christes sacrifice. which Christ God and man suffred, ought worthily to be iudged and taken to be of suche excellencie and dignitie: again, of so great and such inestimable price (that it ought to be estemed (as it is in dede) sufficiently great and large inough to the vttermoste for the synnes of the whole world. For as the synne of man, wherwith the noble maiestie of God is cōtemned and dishonored ought to be punished with perpetuall & euerlastyng paine:Note well. so in like maner ye punishmēt which ye sonne of God toke vponupon him, ought to be (as it is vndoubtedly) sufficiente, full, and perfect, for al yt beleue on him, & seke their saluation in his most blessed and glorious name. For the deuine maiestie is of so great glorie, yt worthily al that offend it, suffer euerlasting pain: & again, all, for whom it cam into so great ignominie & torment, and supplied their duties shold hauehave euerlastyng ioy and gladnes, & enioy the same worlds without end.EPhe. 5. Seing then that Christ Iesus ye true son of God, of one substāce & glory with ye father, hath offred himself an oblation & swete smelling sacrifice to god, & by his death & passion hath satisfied for our sinnes.The sacrifice of Christes. dethe abydeth in ful str…nght for euer. It is reason yt for the worthynes of his person, which was both god & man, it shold be also euerlasting and sufficient for euermore. For consider how great, worthye, hygh, infinite, and euerlasting the person was, that susteined this pain: so great worthy, high, infinite, and euerlasting is this worke of our redēption & satisfaction wrought by Christ, & must endure and remaine for euer and euer in full force and strength for so many as repent & beleue in his name. Now forasmuch as wee know that Christe for his innocencie and Godheade rose agayne frome Deathe vntounto lyfe: we wyl briefly reherse the fruicts, profytes, and benefites, which he hath purchased, gotten & deserued for vsus by his victorious, triumphaunt and glorious resurrection. What soeuer Christe by hys deathe and passion hathe gotten and deserued for vsus, that dydde hee afterwarde receaue by hys Resurrection, and broughte wyth hym, so that the fruites of Christes resurrection,The Fruites of Christes resurrection. doo not muche differ frome the fruites of hys Passion. Wee wylle therefore speake and entreate of theym brefely at this presente, for as muche as wee hauehave somewhat largely spoken of them, when we handeled the Passyon of CHRIST our Sauioure.
The Fyrste fruite.The fyrste fruicte and profyte of Christes resurrection is, that by it wee hauehave remyssion of synnes, althoughe we feele them in vsus,Remission of synnes. and are not vtterly free frome them. For when Christe dyed for vsus, and yet remayned not in deathe, whyche muste needes hauehave comme to passe, yf hee coulde not hauehave satisfied for synnes.) It followethe, that hee by hys Resurrection broughte wyth hym Remyssion of synnes, and gaue the same vntounto vsus, as blessed Paule proueth in hys Epistle to the Corinthians,1. Cor. 15. sayenge: If Christe bee not rysen agayne frome the dead, thenne is your faythe vayne, and you are stylle in youre synnes. And agayne: But nowe is Christe rysen agayn from the deade, beynge the fyrste fruites of them that wer fallen a sleape. For by manne came deathe, and by man commeth the Resurrection of the dead. As by Adam all dye: so lykewyse by Christ, all shall receaue lyfe.1. Cor. 13. Osee. 1…. Heb. 2. Afterwarde, the Apostle mocketh death & saieth: O deathe where is thy stynge? The stynge of death is synne, and the power of synne is the lawe. But thankes bee to GOD, whyche hathe geuen vsus the victorie thorough our Lorde Iesus Christe. Herof it is euident, that Christ by his death hath slayne synne, as we hearde in the Sermon of the Passion) and by hys Resurrection hee hathe broughte with hym remission of synnes, because all the faythfull are wyth hym rysen agayne frome synne, so that frome hensefoorth synne can not hurte theym, althoughe whyle they are in thys wycked mortall bodye, they can not be free from it. For Christ brought wyth hym oute of hys graue, remission of synnes.
The seconde fruicte foloweth of the fyrste, and it is this,The second Fruite. That Christe by his Resurrection hathe abrogated the Lawe, that is to saye, hathe delyuered and sette at libertie our conscience from it,Abrogacion of the lawe. and hath geuen our heartes peace, tranquillitie, and quietnesse. For seynge that Christ by his Resurrection hath slain deathe, whyche is the stypende of synne,Rom. 6. and hathe brought with hym vntounto vsus, remission of synnes: it necessarily foloweth, yt he hath also abolished the strength of synne, whyche is the lawe, that it can no more accuse vsus. Therfore sayth Paule,1. Cor 15. The lawe of the spirite, that is to saye, the Gospelle, whiche quickeneth, hathe delyuered me frome the power of synne and of death. The quickenyng of the Gospell,Rom. 8. or in that the Gospelle quickeneth and makethe alyue, it hathe hys strength, power, and efficacie of the Resurrection of Christe. For if Christe hadde not rysen agayne,1. Cor 15. then all oure preachynge, and all our Faith had ben vayne.
The third fruict of Christs resurrection is,The thirde fruite. that we by his Resurrection are deliuered from death. In consideration whereof, Paule glorieth with the Prophet Osee, saying: Deathe is swalowed vp into victorye.1. Cor. 15. Osee. 13. As though he should saye: The glorious and victorious resurrection of Christ hath swalowed vp,Deliueraunce From deathe. deuoured and abolyshed death, so that death from hensforth can doo nothyng at all against vsus. And his cruel and terrible sight is none other thyng then an hornet with out a stynge, whyche looketh terribly, and with her wynges maketh a great and dreadfull noyse, but yet hath she lost her styng and pricke, so that she can hurt or wounde no man. Our Sauior Christ sayth: I am the resurrection and the life: He that beleueth in mee, although he were dead,Ioan. 11. yet shall he lyue. And all that lyueth & beleueth in me, shal neuer dye. By the whiche wordes,Deathe to the Faythefull is no thin geelles then a sleape. Christ signifieth, that deathe to the Faithfull is nothyng ells then a sleape. For as he that sleapeth, lyueth, and may ryse agayne: so lykewise he that beleueth, although he dye corporally, yet abydeth he not in deathe, but returneth vntounto lyfe. yea death is vntounto him a very gate,Note well. wherby he passeth oute of thys myserable and sorowfull lyfe, vntounto a trewe and an euerlastyng lyfe, and is raysed vp frome thys sleape, so that for euer after he waketh,3. Reg. 2. 4. Reg. 20. Act. 7. and abydeth alyue worldes without ende. Therefore the holy Scripture callethe the corporall death of the Faithful, a sleape, as we rede in many places of the old and new Testament of Dauid, Ezechias, Stephen, and other holy Sainctes.
The fourth fruite,The fourthe fruict of Christes Resurrection is the deuastation or destruction of helle, so that nowe we are free and safe frome euerlastynge pestilence and curse.1. Cor. 15. For yf CHRIST (saieth Sainct Paule) be not rysen agayne, then they, whyche are fallen a slepe in Christ,The distruction of hell. are vtterly loste. Of the whyche wordes it foloweth, that all they are blessed, whyche sleape in Christe, for as muche as hee is rysen agayne frome death. And therefore dothe bothe the Prophete Osee, and the blessed Apostle sainct Paule mocke helle,Osee. 13. …. Cor. 15. and saye: O helle, where is thy victorie? And the Apostle streyghte waye addeth: Thankes bee vntounto GOD, whyche hathe geuen vsus the victorie thorowe Iesus Christe. If Christe had remayned in deathe, then had all we perished, as the Apostle sayth. But for as muche as he remayned not in death, therefore are we not loste, but with hym we are escaped out of helle, and made ioyfull and blessed.
The fyfth fruicte and profite of Christes Resurrection is,The fyfte-fruite. that CHRIST risynge agayne frome the dead, hathe gotten for vsus the victorie ouer Sathan, and all his kyngdome with all his membres also, as it is written:Heb. 2. Christe by his deathe hath expelled him whyche hadde lordshyppe ouer death, that is to say,Uictori ouer Satan and his kingdom. the deuyll, that hee myghte delyuer theym, whyche throughe feare of deathe were all theyr lyfe tyme subdued vntounto bondage. Christ by his Resurrection hathe taken away all power from Sathan: so that now he can no more exercyse hys tyrannye againste the elect and chosen people of GOD. For Christe hathe taken hym prysoner,Luc. 11. and taken hys weapons awaye from hym, bounde hym, and so vtterly weakened him that hee hathe no power at all. And thys hys victorye dydde hee in hys Resurrection myghtylye declare, when he ledde awaye captyue all the rulers of helle, as Saynct Paule sayth:Coloss. 2. He hath spoyled rule and power, and hath made a shewe of theym openly, & hath triumphed ouer them in his owne person. And of this victorie against Satā, it is recorded in a certen psalm of Dauid, wher it is cōmāded,Psal 24. yt ye gates & dores shoulde bee sette open, that the Kynge of glorie maye come in. And the rulers and Princes of hell demand and saye: Who is thys kynge of Glorye? The Prophete aunswereth them, sayenge: It is the Lorde of Hostes. He is the kynge of glorie. And of this victorie Christe also speakethe in a certayne Parable, sayenge: When a stronge manne armed watcheth hys house, the thynges that hee possesseth are in peace. But when a stronger then hee commeth vponupon hym, and ouercommeth hym:Luc. 11. Hee taketh frome hym all hys harneys, wherein hee trusted, and deuydeth hys goodes. So lykewyse the deuyll possessed the world, and shewed hys power,A declaracion of ye parable. in mainteynynge false worshyppynge of GOD, and dyuers kyndes of Idolatrye, and by thys hee stablyshed hys kyngedome, and greately encreased the swarme of wycked and damned persones, vntyll CHRIST, whyche was stronger thenne hee, inuaded hys kyngedome, and tooke frome hym hys harneisse, armour, and weapon, that is to saye, synne and deathe, wherewith he ouercamme the whole worlde, and made spoyle of theim, and by this meanes deliuered all the faithfull and electe people of GOD oute of his kingdome and sette theim free from his tirannie and power.
The sixt fruict of Christes resurrection is, the preachynge of the Gospell.The Syxte fruite. For althoughe he dydde preache the Gospell to hys Disciples, and to hys countreymenne the Iewes before hys deathe:Preachyng of the Gospell. yet gaue hee oute noo Commyssion, that it shoulde bee generally and vniuersallye preached to all Nations, tyll after his Resurrection. Therefore (saieth he in the Gospell of Mathewe: All power is geuen vntounto me, bothe in Heauen and in Earthe:Math. 228. Go ye therefore throughout the whole worlde, and teache all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy ghost. He that shal beleue,Mar. 16. and be baptised, shalbe saued, But he that shall not beleue, shall be damned. This is a moste noble gyft, whiche no man is able sufficiētly to expresse or to esteme. For all hadd ben frustrate and voyde, yf it had not ben publyshed and set foorth abrode.Rom. 10. For howe could we beleue on Christe, of whome we hadde not hearde? as it is wrytten: But howe shall they heare without a preacher? Fayth commeth by hearyng, hearyng commeth by the worde of God. Therefore Christ suffered that victorie ouer death and hell, and also that his glorious Gospell to be published to the whole world, and all nations thorow the preachyng of the holy apostles and other godly doctours and teachers to be inuited bydden, and called vntounto it.
The seuenth fruict of Christs Resurrection,The seuenthe fruite. is that Christe wyth his rysynge agayne frome death, hathe iustified vsus thorowe Faithe. For as hee by his deathe hath abolyshed and put awaye synne:Iustificacion. euen so by hys Resurrection hath he brought vntounto vsus ryghtousnes, as Paule saieth:Rom. 4. Christe was betrayde for oure synnes, and rose agayne for oure iustification. And blessed Peter sayth: Blessed be God and the Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe,1. Pet. 1. whyche accordyng to his abundant mercy begate vsus agayn vntounto a lyuely hope, by that that Iesus Christ rose agayne from deathe to an inheritance immortall, and vndefyled, and that perysheth not, reserued in heauen for you, which ar kept by the power of God thorough Faythe vntounto saluation. Thus hath Christe by his resurrection made vsus godly and ryghteous thorowe Fayth, that we shold not onelyonly by hym be made free frome synne, but also become holy and righteous in hym, if, as Peter saith, we beleue in God thorough hym which raised him vp from the dead, and gaue the glorie vntounto hym, that we myght hauehave faith and hope toward God.
The eyght fruicte of Christes Resurrection is, the glorious blessednesse and eternall lyfe of the soules,The eyght▪ fruite. whyche foloweth of Iustification and Faythe, wherof the holy Apostle S. Paul speaketh in hys Epistle to the Ephesians,Eternall lyfe Ephe. 2. sayenge: GOD whyche is ryche in mercye, for hys greate louelove, wherewyth hee loued vsus, euen whenne wee were deade in synnes, quyckned vsus together in CHRIST (by grace are ye saued) and raysed vsus vp together with hym, and made vsus sytte togyther wyth hym amonge them that are in heauen.Osee. 6. The Prophete Osee also saythe: He shall make vsus alyue after twoo dayes, and on the thyrde daye he shall rayse vsus vppe, that wee maye lyue in hys syghte. Hereof commeth it, that S. Peter calleth Christe, the Lorde of lyfe. For he that confesseth wyth hys mouthe, and beleueth wyth his heart, that GOD raysed vp Christe,Act. 3. he is saued. Thys lyfe and euerlastynge saluation Christe by hys Resurrection hath purchased and geuen vntounto vsus.Rom. 10. Therefore Christ sayde to Mary Magdalene, that she shoulde telle hys disciples,Ioan. 20. yt he would go vp vntounto his father, and their father. As though he shoulde saye: Nowe we hauehave a common inheritaunce, one father, one kyngedome, and an euerlastynge lyfe common to vsus all. For hee that sanctifyethe,Heb. 2. and they that are sanctifyed, are all one.
The nynte fruite.The laste fruite of Christes resurrection, is the glorification and dignitie of our mortall bodies. For as Christe in his Resurrection dydde caste awaye frome hym all weakenesse of mannes bodye,The resrreccion and glorificacion of our bodyes. because from hensefoorthe he shoulde bee no more mortall, weake, hungrye, thyrstie, nor hauehave any other infirmities, but immortall, and withoute all infirmitie and weakenesse: So shall our mortall bodies bee lyke vntounto hys glorious bodye at the Resurrection of the deade: and shall for euer remayne in that glory and honour worldes without ende.Phil. 36. Of thys speaketh Sainct Paule sayenge: Our conuersation is in heauen, from whens wee looke for a Sauioure, euen the Lorde Iesus Christe, whyche shall transfigure and chaunge thys oure vyle bodye, that hee maye make it lyke to his owne glorious bodye, accordyng to the power, wherwyth he is able to make all thynges subiecte to hymselfe. And in an other place Paule reioyceth wyth all the Christians,2. Cor. 5. that we hauehave an euerlastyng dwelling place in heauen, although this oure corruptible body destroyed and put awaye. For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed, and rose agayn:1. Thess. 4. then shall God bryng them with hym, that are fallen a sleape by Iesus. So shall we bee glorifyed with Christe, as he before was glorified by hys Resurrection, and made hys mortall bodye immortall, and brought it vntounto glorie. As he also before, gaue a shewe of this matter to hys Disciples in mount Thabor, where his face dydde shyne as the Sunne,Math. 17. and hys garmentes were made whiter thenne snowe. He that desyreth to heare more of this matter, lette hym reade the .xv. Chapter of saint Paules first epist. to the Corinthiās: There shall he abundātly find, how Christ rose again, & how manyfold and great fruict he hath purchased and gotten for vsus by that his glorious resurrection.
Nowe forasmuche as we hauehave hearde, and do perfectly knowe, what great and singuler benefites we hauehave receaued by the victorious and triumphant resurrection of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ: How he hath ouercome synne,… new lyfe. death, deuyll, and hell, and hath made vsus not only free and safe frome them, but also holy, godly, and rightous thorowe fayth, so that we shall hauehave with hym euerlastyng lyfe, and a glorified body: it becometh vsus as thankfull children with Christ to take vponupon vsus a new, pure, syncere, vncorrupt and fautlesse lyfe, as S. Paule exhorteth vsus in his Epistle to the Romains, saying: We are buryed with Christe by baptisme for to dye,Rom. 6. that likewyse as Christ was raised vp from death by the glorie of the father, euen so we also should walke in a newe lyfe. Nowe what other thyng is a new lyfe, then to eschew sinne, and to doo that, whiche is good and godly? As Paul saith in his foresaid Epistle:Gal. 1. We ought no more from hensforth to serue synne. And in an other Epistle hee sayth, that Christ dyed to this ende for all menne, that they whyche lyue, shoulde from hensefoorth lyue, not to them selues, but to hym that died for thē, and rose agayne. So lykewyse doothe Paule reioyce, that he lyueth not, but Christ in hym: And he exhorteth the Corinthians,…. Cor. 5. that forasmuche as they through faith in Christe are holye and righteous, and yet for the remnantes of the vncleane fleshe are synners and vnrighteous, they would purge out that olde leauyn. Know ye not (saith he) that a litle leauen so wreth the whole lumpe of dough? Purge out therfore the olde leauen, that ye may be new dough, as ye are swete bread. For Christ our passeouer is offred vp for vsus. Therfore lette vsus kepe a ioyfull feast, not with olde leauen, neyther with the leauen of maliciousnes & wickednes, but wt the swete bread of purenes & trueth. In the whiche wordes Paule doth euidentlye expresse & require, that we should leaue the olde vnpure lyfe whiche we hauehave of Adam, and in spirite begin & exercise a newe spirituall lyfe, vntounto the whiche Christe hath brought vsus, and that we should from tyme to tyme, if anye olde leauen of wyckednes we fynde in our selues, purge it out and vtterly cast it out awaye from vsus, so that for euer after as in profession, so lykewise in conuersation we maye be new doughe and swete bread. Therfore seing we by risen againe with Christe,Colloss. 3. let vsus seke the thinges that are aboue, where Christe sytteth on the righte hande of God: that is to saye, let vsus forsake earthye and transitorye thinges.An exhortaciō vntounto good life. And aspire and labour forewarde vntounto heauenlye and euerlastynge thynges, that the resurrection of Christe and the benefites therof, of the whiche ye hauehave now heard, may be fruitefull and full of efficacie and power in vsus, that by our newe lyfe and Christen conuersation we maye shewe oure selues thankfeull vntounto GOD, and proffitable to oure neyghbours: again, that they which are without & enemies to the Christian trueth maye thorowe oure Godly and honest behauiour, be conuerted, and turne from their Idolatrie vntounto the worshippynge of God, from their superstition vntounto Gods pure religion, from, corrupt and wicked maners vntounto holines and purenes of lyfe, that by this meanes GOD oure heauenly father maye be glorified both by them and by vsus, whiche vntounto this ende hath geuen vsus his holy Spirite, that in all pointes both in body and soule we being holy and righteous,Luk. 1. maye serue hym euen the Lorde oure GOD in holynes and righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe: to whome with Christe our Lorde and the holy ghoste be all prayse, honour and glorye worldes without end.
Amen.