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Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels · Thomas Becon

Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Dedication

TO HIS FAITHFVLL FELOVV Labourers in the Lordes haruest▪ the Ministers and Preachers of Gods most holy word, THOMAS BECON wisheth the spirite of knowledge, of strength, and of constancie vntounto the end, from God the Father, thorowe IESVS CHRIST our Lorde.

ALBEIT (Moste deare Brethren) GOD hath aboue all other mortall creatures greately garnished mankynds with diuers and manifold benefites:Psal. 8. Heb. 2. yet I knowe not (his sonne CHRIST onelyonly excepted) if he hath bestowed vppon vsus Christians,Psal. 148. a more noble and more excellent gyfte, then the gift of his most blessed and holy worde. For as concerning the gyftes of Nature, and the treasures of this worlde,The worde of god excellethe all other gifts of god. the Turke, the Sarazen, the Iewe, the Infidell hauehave them common with the Christians, yea for the moste parte the godlesse and wicked hauehave them more abundauntly, then the godly and faythfull,Of wordlye thynges the wycked hauehave more aboundāce then the godly. as not only examples in all ages both of diuine and prophane writers do euidently shewe, but very experience also in these our dayes proueth it most certain and true. Wisedome, eloquence, strength, beautie, fauour, richesse, honor, fame, promotions, dignities, welth, lyuynges, and what soeuer besydes the madde, dotyng, foolyshe, and wicked worldlynges hauehave in moste hygh admiration,1. Iohn. 2. Esa. 40. 1. Cor. 7. Baruc. 4.3. Esd. 4. Eccle. 40. 1. Pet. 1. Psal. 119. Heb. 12. are transitorie and not long endure, more vayne then smoke, more brittle then glasse, more inconstant then wynde, more flittyng then shadow. But the worde of God abydeth for euer and euer, euen from generation to generation, and neuer leaueth the embracers therof, vntil it hath safely brought them vntounto the heauenly hauen of most fortunate felicitie, and ioyfully placed them in that most ioyfull and celestiall Hierusalem, the citie of the lyuyng God, where IESVS the mediator of the new Testament, where also an innumerable syght of angels, a great congregation of the fyrst borne sonnes, and the spirites of iuste and perfect men, rule,Howe profitable the worde of god is. reigne, and triumph in all ioy, pleasure, and glory. And in the meane season, while we liue in this worlde, who is able to expresse, howe noble and notable cōmodities the word of god bryngeth vntounto vsus? Heauen and earthe yelde not suche multitudes of necessary fruictes for the sustentātion and safegard of this our vile, wretched, mortall, and corruptible bodye, as the word of God bringeth foorth for the healthe and saluation, for the righteous making and glorification of our soul. Is not the word of God the same to the soule,Deut. 8. Math. 4. Luc. 4. that meat is to the body? Is not the knowledge of Gods word to the mynde, that the syght of the eie is to the outward man? Can the body endure, the life beyng taken away? No more can the soule continue in saulfe estate, if the worde of God be drawen from it. Where there is no knowledge of Gods worde (saith the wyse man) there is no goodnesse for the soule.Prouerb. 19. Agayn: Uayn and thynges of nought are all those men,Sap. 13. in whome there is no knowledge of GOD. This is euerlastyng lyfe (sayth Christ vntounto his heauenly Father, euen to knowe thee the only true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou haste sent.Iohn. 17. To knowe thee (O our God) is perfect righteousnesse (saieth the wyse man) yea to know thy ryghteousnes and power,Sap. 15. is the roote of immortalitie. Are not these the wordes of God by the Prophete Ieremye? Lette not the wise man reioyce in his wysedome, nor the strong man in his strength,Iere. 9. nor the riche man in his ryches: but who soeuer wyl reioyce, lette hym reioyce in this, that he vnderstandeth & knoweth me: for I am the Lorde, whiche doo mercy, equitie, and righteousnes vponupon the earth. The blessed apostle S. Paule before his conuersion vntounto the Christen fayth was a great clerk and excellently learned not onelyonly in the law of Moses,S. Paule. and in the bokes of the Prophetes,Act. 2…. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 15. Tit. 1. but also in all kynd of liberall sciences, so that in knowledge he farre excelled the residue of the apostels: yet writyng to the Corinthians he bosteth not hym selfe of this his vniuersall knowledge, but he onelyonly glorieth in this, that he knoweth Christ. Thys was his delyghte, his confort,…. Cor. 2. his plesure, his ioy. I brethren (saith he) when I came vntounto you, came not in gloriousnes of wordes, or of wysedom, shewing vntounto you the testimonie of God. Neither shewed I my self, that I knew any thyng among you,Phil. 3. saue Iesus Christ euen the same that was crucified. And in his epistle to the Philippians, he coūteth al things in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, vile, base, and nothyng worth.Coloss. 1. Howe oftentymes in his epistles wysheth he, that suche as he writeth vntounto, may be fulfylled with the knowledge of God in all wysedome and spiritual vnderstanding, & that they may increase in the same daily more & more?Coloss. 3. Let the word of Christ (saieth he) dwell in you plenteously with al wisedom. This knowledge of God, and of his sonne Christ Iesu abundātly suffiseth vntounto the sanctification & saluation of all faithfull christians, as God saieth by the Prophet: By the knowledge of him, which is my rightous seruāt, he shal iustify the multitude.Esa. 53. And without this knowledge al other knowledges & sciences are nothing worth, & not onelyonly not profitable, but also wicked & damnable, as it is writtē:1. Cor. 3. Iac. 3. The wisedom of this world is foolishnes before God. Again: The wisdom, that descendeth not from aboue, is earthy, naturall, & deuillish. For this cause the holy apostle termed the great learned wise Gentiles, which stode much in their owne conceite, & thought them selues to knowe all things, fooles and vnwise. Their foolish heart (saith he) was blynded,Rom. 1. in so much that whē they counted themselues wise, they became fooles. In consideration wherof, if was wel said of that great lerned philosopher Socrates,Socrates. which notwithstanding by the oracle of Apollo was iudged of all men the wisest and best lerned. This one thing I know (saieth he) that I knowe nothynge. Uerily although a man know all natural & morall thynges with the documentes therof, and whatsoeuer other doctrine, science,All knowledg wythout the knowledge of God is vaine and vnprofitable. or knowledge can be reckned vp besides, so that in his one brest, there is conteined, whatsoeuer knowledge hath ben found in the breastes of all naturall men from the beginnynge of the worlde vntounto this day, or shalbe vntounto the end of the same: yet yf he knowe not Christ, he knoweth nothyng. Notable is this Distichon and worthy for euer to be remembred.

Hoc est nescire, sine Christo plurima scire.

Si Christum benescis, satis est▪ si caetera nescis.

Whiche is thus englished.

This is doubtlesse, to know nothyng at all,

Without Christ, many thyngs to know and see:

If thou know Christ well, as it thee befall,

Thou nedest no more, it is inough for thee.

The knowledge of god is only goten by the worde. Iohn. 5.But this knowledge of God and of his sonne Christ can we by no meanes obteyn, but by the word of God only, as our Sauior Christ saith: Serche the Scriptures, for in them ye think that ye hauehave eternal life: and they ar they, which testifie of me. And as Abraham sayd to the riche man beyng in the tormentes of hell fyre.Luc. 16. They hauehave Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. Agayn, as the Euangelist S. Iohn writeth. No mā hath sene God at any tyme. The only begotten sonne, whiche is in the bosome of the Father,Iohn. 1. he hath declared hym.

This word therfore is diligently bothe day and nyght to be read,Psal. 1. heard, considered, weighed and pondered. Yea our whole delight and pleasure is to be reposed in it, that we may truely vnfaynedly, and from the very bottome of the heart say with the disciples vntounto our Sauior Christ: Lord, to whom shall we go?Iohn. 6. Thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng lyfe. And we beleue & are sure, yt thou art Christ the son of the liuing God. And also with the Psalmograph on this maner:Psal. 119. I hauehave had O Lorde, as great delyght in the waie of thy testimonies, as in all maner of rychesse. For thy testimonies are my delight and my councellers. The lawe of thy mouthe is derer vntounto me, then thousandes of golde and siluer. For I louelove thy commandementes aboue gold and precious stone. And I am as glad of thy word, as one that fyndeth great spoyles. O how swete are thy wordes vntounto my throte? They are sweeter then honye vntounto my mouth.Psal. 19. They are more to be desyred then gold, yea then much fyne golde: sweter also then the hony combe. The woordes of the Lord are pure wordes,Psal. 12. euen as the syluer, whiche frome earth is tried and purifyed seuen tymes in the fyre. &c.

Moreouer thys worde of God is that hydde treasure in the fielde,Math. 13. whyche whenne a manne hathe founde, euen for verye ioye thereof, he goeth and selleth all that he hathe, and bieth the field. Yea it is that precious pearle, whiche when a merchant man by long sekyng hath ones found,The excellencie of gods worde. he selleth all that euer he hath, and byeth it. It is that swearde, for byenge wherof, Christe commandeth vsus to sell our very cote: signifieng hereby, that aboue all thynges the worde of God,Ephe. 6. Heb. 4. Luc. 22. and the knowledge therof is to be gotten, as he saith in an other place, Seke fyrst of all the kyngdome of God, and the ryghteousnes therof. And as he sayd to Martha, which was busyly occupied about housholde businesses, and preparynge for meate for the body, her sister Mary sittyng at Christes feete,Math. 6. Luc. 10. hearynge his worde and doctrine: Martha, Martha, sayd he, Thou art carefull and troubled about many thynges. Uerily one is nedeful. Mary hath chosen the good part, whiche shall not be taken away from her. It is that meate, which perisheth not,Iohn. 6. Exod. 16. Psal 78. Sap. 16. but abydeth vntounto euerlastynge lyfe. Yea it is that heauenly Manna, whych that princelike Prophete and moste counnyng musitian Dauid the Psalmograph calleth the bread of Angels, and the wyse man termeth it not only the foode of Angels, but also suche a meate as was very pleasant and of good taste.Exod. 17. Iohn. 4. It is that rock and fountayn of liuyng water, wherof who soeuer drinketh, shall neuer be more a thirst: but the water that he shall drinke shalbe in hym a well of water, springyng vp into euerlastynge life. It is that piller of fyre,Exod. 14. Psal. 78. Luc. 1. which geueth lighte to them that walke in darknes, and syt in the shadow of death, to guyde theyr fete into the way of peace, as Dauid saithe: Thy worde, O Lorde, is a lanterne to my feete, and a lyght to my pathwaies. And Salomon saith:Psal. 119. The commandement is a lanterne, and the lawe a light, yea it is the waye of life. Likewise saith S. Peter. We hauehave a right sure word of prophecie,Prouer. 6. 2. Pet. 1. whervnto if ye take heede, as vntounto a lighte that shyneth in a darke place, ye do well▪ vntill the day dawne, and the day starre aryse in your heartes. To ende:Rom. 1. it is the power of God vntounto saluation for so many as beleue.

Furthermore, who is able to expresse, what a ioyfull iewell,The frutes of the worde of god. precious pearle, incomparable ouche, and moste noble tresure the worde of God shall be founde, if we in fewe wordes consider the commodities, fruictes, and profites that come thereof? It turneth soules (saieth Dauid.) It maketh of an vnfaithfull man, a faithfull beleuer, as the Apostle saieth: Faith cōmeth by hearyng,Rom. 10. and hearing commeth by the word of God. It maketh of an Idolater, a true worshipper of God, as the Psalmograph saieth:Psal. 18. The people, whome I knewe not, hathe serued me: in the hering of the eare they hauehave ben obedient vntounto me. It maketh of a sinner a righteous person, as we reade of Noha Loth,Gen. 9.19. Exod. 2. Moyses, Dauid, Manasses, Zachee, Peter, the thiefe, Mary Magdalene. &c. It conuerteth synners, and maketh them to be sory for theyr former wycked lyfe, and to become newe creatures (as God saieth by the Prophete Ieremie:2. Reg. 12. 2. Par. 33. Luc. 9. Math. 26. Luc. 23. Luc. 7. Iere. 26. Luc. 1. Loke that thou kepe not the worde backe, if peraduenture they will herken, and turne eueryevery man from his wicked way. Likewise said the Angell of Iohn Baptist to his father Zacharie the priest, concernyng his preachyng: He shall turne many of the sonnes of Israell vntounto the Lorde their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Helias, to turne the herts of the fathers to the children, & the vnbeleuers to the wisdome of the iust mē, to make redy a perfect people for the Lord. That Iohn turned many by the preachyng of Gods word vntounto the Lord,Math. 3. Luc. 3. Act. 2.3.4. it is manifest in the Euāgelical history. What great multitudes of people S. Peter (as I may speake nothing of the other apostels) turned vntounto Christ by preaching the word, blessed Luke in his Chronicle of the Apostles acts doth partly declare. Was not the holle world in a maner turned vntounto the faith of Christ thorow the preaching of the word? As sainct Paul saith: Faith cōmeth by hearing,Rom. 10. Psal. 19. and hearing cōmeth by the worde of God. But I aske: HaueHave they not heard? No doubt their sound went oute into all landes, and their woordes into the endes of the worlde.In matters of cōtrouersye we must hauehave recourse vntounto the worde of god. In matters of controuersie concernyng religion, it declareth and sheweth, who maintaineth truthe, and who approueth falshode. It is the true touchestone, wherby we easily discerne the true doctrine of Christ, frō the fals & corrupte teachyng of Antichrist. And therefore it is called of the Psalmograph, the faithfull testimonie or wytnes of the Lorde. And in all matters of doubt the Prophet exhorteth vsus to flee vntounto this word,Psal. 19. & of that to learne the certaintie of al matters cōcerning Faith and Doctrine. If any man (saieth he) want lyght,Esa. …. lette hym looke vponupon the law & the testimonie, whether they speake not after this meanyng. If he doo not this, he stumbleth and suffreth hunger. And if he suffer hunger, he is out of pacience and blasphemeth his king & his God. So reade we of the noble men of Thessalonica,Act. 17. whiche when they herd Paul and Sylas preache, that Christ muste nedes suffer and rise agayn frome death for the saluation of the worlde, receaued the word wyth all diligence of mynde, and yet notwithstandyng searched the scriptures dayly, whether those things were euen so, as Paul and Sylas preached. And therfore S. Paul afterward writing vntounto thē, as one greatly alowing this their act, saith in his epistle: Quench not the spirite: despise not prophecyings: Examyn al things: kepe that which is good. And.1. Thess. 5. S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle saieth: Derely beloued, beleue not eueryevery spirite: but proue the spirites, whether they are of God or not. &c.1. Iohn. 4. Psal. 19. It geueth wisedom to the simple, to the poore in spirit, to ye hūble to the meke, to the litle ones, to the babes. This wisdom is the true knowlege of god & of his blessed wil. This wisedom cā we not hauehave, but by the word, as God himself saith by the prophet:Esa. 66. Unto whom shall I hauehave respect, but vntounto him that is poore, & of a lowly troubled spirit, and standeth in awe of my wordes? The fyne Phariseys, the sawcie Saduceis, the subtil Scribes, the lustye Lawyers, the bite…hepe Byshoppes, the patteryng Priestes, (as I maye speake nothyng of the eloquente Oratours, noble hystoriographers, learned Poetes, quickewitted Logitians, farre syghted Astronomers. &c.) were before the worlde great wyse learned men, and yet vnderstode they nothyng of God aryght. The symple ideots and vnlearned men had more true knowledge of God, then all they, as oure sauiour Christ sayd vntounto his heauenly Father, I thanke thee,Math. 11. O Father, Lord of heauen and earth, because thou hast hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent, & hast shewed them vntounto babes. Uerily Father, euē so was it thy good plesure. Likewise sayth S. Paule: Not many wise men after the flesh,1. Cor. … not many myghty, not many of highe degree, are called. But God hathe chosen the foolish thynges of the worlde to confound the wise. And God hath chosen the weake thynges of the worlde to confounde thynges, whiche are mightie: and vile thinges of the world, and thynges whiche are despised, hath God chosen: yea and thinges of no reputation, for to bring to naught things of reputation, that no flesh should reioyce in his presence. S. Iames also saith: Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde, suche as are riche in Faith,Iac. 2. and heyres of the kyngdom, which he promised to them that louelove hym?

It reioyceth and maketh the heart mery, as the Prophet Ieremie saieth:Psal. 19. Iere. 15. When I had found thy wordes, I dyd eate them vp gredily. They hauehave made my heart ioyfull & glad. For thy name was called vponupon me, O Lord God of Hostes. The Prophete Ezechiel saith also:Ezech. 3. I dyd eate the boke, and it was in my mouth sweter then hony. Were not these the woordes of the two disciples, that went vntounto Emaus, after that Christ had interpreted vntounto them the scriptures,Luc. 24. which wer writen of him? Did not our heartes (say they) burne within vsus, while he talked with vsus by the way, and opened to vsus the scriptures? Who is able to expresse, what ioy, what mirth, what solace, what confort, Adam and Heua receaued after their transgression, when they heard out of the mouth of God,Gen. 3. that the sede of the womā should treade downe the serpentes head? Who can sufficiently declare, how greatly king Dauid being rebuked of the prophet Nathan for his whoredome and manslaughter, was conforted and replenished with all true & perfect gladnes,…. Reg. 12. when he heard out of the prophetes mouthe these most swete and confortable wordes: The Lorde hath put away thy synne, thou shalte not dye. What ioye and confort the synfull woman conceaued in her heart, which before was almost swalowed vp of sorowe for her wicked and synfull life past,Luc. 7. as her teares and outward behauiour do manifestly declare, when she hearde these wordes out of the mouthe of Christ: Thy synnes are forgeuen thee: Go in peace: no man is able to expresse. The thefe likewise hanging on the crosse,Luc. 22. and hearyng these wordes spoken vntounto him of Christ: Uerily, verily I say vntounto thee, This day shalte thou be with me in Paradise: conceaued in his heart an vnoutspeakable ioye. Many suche examples fynde we in the Scriptures bothe of the olde and newe Testament. The worde of God (I meane the Gospel of our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesu) apprehended and layde hande on with a sure and strong faith, bryngeth to the heart and conscience of man, peace, rest, ioy, solace confort. &c. For thys cause it is called the worde of reconciliation or attonement, of ioy, of peace, of confort, of helth,2. Cor. …. Luc. 2. Ephe. 1. Iohn. 6. of spirite, of lyfe. &c. It lyghtneth the eyes. It sheweth vntounto men the ryght waie, howe they ought to walke to please God, and to doo those thynges which are acceptable vntounto him. It deliuereth men from the cloudes of ignorancie,Psal. 19. and from the darknes of mens traditions, and openeth vntounto them the glorious God, that they may not stumble, and walke safely in that way that the Lord hath appointed, declinyng neither on the righte hande nor on the left hande, as the Psalmographe saieth:Esa. 30. Psal. 119. Prouerb. 6. 2 Pet. 1. Ephe. 5. Iohn. 3. Thy worde, O Lord, is a lanterne vntounto my fete, and a lyghte to my pathewaies. For this cause it is termed of the holye writers, Light, in diuers places of the sacred Bible. Our Sauior Christ saieth: This is condemnation, that the light is come into the world, and men hauehave loued darknes more then the lyght.

It is a myghty shielde and stronge defence agaynst Satan, and all his infernall army (as Salomon sayth:Prouerb. 30.) The worde of God is a bucklar to such as beleue it. Therfore S. Paule in a certaine Epistle, where he appointeth, what armour we shold put on, that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the deuill,Ephe. 6. and to resist the gouernours of darknes in the euyl day and to stande perfect in all thynges, exhorteth vsus among other weapons, to put on the sworde of the spirite, which (saieth he) is the worde of God. With this spirituall sword dyd our sauiour Christ in the wyldernes fight against Sathan, and mightily ouercame him: by this his conflict declaring vntounto vsus,Math. 4. Luc. 4. what a noble weapon the word of God is to vanquishe and to ouercome Satan, so that who soeuer putteth on this swearde, and with a myghty faith falleth in hand with this olde cankred ennemy of mankind, he may be sure to hauehave the victory. For this word is that percyng stone,…. Reg. 17. wherewith Dauid ouerthrue and kylled that mighty great gyant Goliath that prowd Philstine and blasphemous rayler vponupon God and his hoste.

It ouercommeth and subdueth Antichrist, and all the aduersaries of Gods pure and true doctrine, as S. Paul witnesseth, saying:2. Thess. 2. That wycked, that synfull man, that sonne of perdition, whiche is an aduersarie (to Gods trueth) and is exalted aboue all that is called GOD, or that is worshipped, so that he dothe sitte in the Temple of God, bostyng himself to be God, shall be disclosed, vttered, and broughte to lyghte, whome the Lorde shall consume with the spirite of his mouth. &c. Agayn, As Iames and Iambres withstode Moses,2. Timoth. 3. Exod. 7. euen so do these also resyst the truth: men they are of corrupt myndes, and leude as concernyng the Faith: but they shall preuayle no longer. For their madnes shalbe vttered vntounto all men, euen as theirs was. Of this thing (God be thanked) wee hauehave experience at this daye, wherein Antichrist is reueled, and all his wycked doctrine disclosed, so that the very blynde begynne to see hys iugglyng. And though there be, whyche after the manner of Atlas, susteyn, vnderprop and hold vp wyth their shoulders, that is to say, with their writynges and preachings, the kyngdom of Antichrist, so much as they can, with his Antichristian actes, deuillish decrees, croked cōstitutions, trifling traditions drousie dreames, idle inuentions, vnwritten verities. &c. yet is the tyme of the iudgement of that great whore of Babylon at hande, wherin she with her marked merchauntes, wyth that blasphemous beast, and false prophete shall bee caste into that lake, that burneth with fyre and brymstone. He whome Iohn sawe syttyng vponupon a white horse,Apoc▪ …9. clothed with a vesture dipte in bloode, whose eies were as a flame of fyre, and whose name is the worde of God, and out of whose mouthe went a sharpe two edged sworde,Math. 5. shall smyte, kyll, and destroy them. EueryEvery plant (saieth Christ) that my heauenly Father hath not planted, shalbe pluckt vp by the rootes. Agayn, The Gospell of the kyngdome shall be preached in all the world,Math. 24. for a wytnesse vntounto all nations, and then shall the ende come.

It defendeth the louer and embracer therof frome all synne, wyckednesse, and lewde behauiour, as the Psalmograph saith: Thy wordes hauehave I hydde within my heart,Psal. 119.. that I should not synne agaynst thee. Agayne, wherwithall shall a yonge man clense hys waye? euen by rulyng hymselfe by thy word. Ones agayne: Order my steppes in thy worde: and so shall no wickednes hauehave dominion ouer me.

It comforteth the troubled in his tribulation, so that it suffereth not hym to faynt, or to be of a desperate mynde, as Dauid saythe: If my delight had not bene in thy lawe,Psal. 119. I should hauehave perished in my trouble. Agayne, O thinke vponupon thy seruant, as concernynge the woorde, wherein thou haste caused me to put my trust. The same is my conforte in my trouble: For thy woorde hath quickened me. In an other place he also sayeth: Though I walke through the valley of the shadowe of deathe, I will feare no euyll, for thou art with me.Psal. 22. Thy rod and thy staffe confort me.

It cureth and healeth all spiritual sicknesses and diseases, as the wyse man sayth: It is neyther herbe nor emplasture, that restored them to health,Sap. 16. Psal. 107. but thy woorde (O Lorde) which healeth al things. Likewise saieth the Psalmograph: He sent hys word, and healed them, & they were saued frō their destruction.

It purifieth and clenseth the hearte of man, yea the whole man, as our Sauiour Christ saieth: Nowe are ye cleane thorowe the worde, that I hauehave spoken vntounto you.Iohn. 15. Hereto pertaineth the saying of thapostle: Christe loued the congregation, and gaue hymselfe for it, to sanctifie it, & clensed it in the fountayne of water thorough the worde. S. Peter also saith:Ephe. 5. 1. Pet. 1. Ye are borne a newe, not of mortall seede, but of immortall, by the worde of God, whiche lyueth and abideth for euer.

It bringeth peace, rest, quietnes, ioye, and conforte to mens consciēces, as the Psalmograph saith: Great is the peace yt they hauehave, which louelove thy law, and they are not offended at it:Psal. 119. Peace peace vntounto thē that are farre of, & to them that are nye, saith the Lord, and I make him whole. But the wicked are lyke the ragyng sea that can not rest: whose water fometh with the myre and grauell. Euen so the wicked hauehave no peace, saieth God. It bringeth the holy Ghost to them y• beleue, as we rede in the chronicle of the apostles acts:Esa. 57. while Peter yet spake these wordes (saith the blessed historiograph S. Luke) the holy gost fell on al them, which heard the preaching. Likewise saeith S. Paule:Act. 10. In Christ also we beleue, forasmuch as we hauehave herd the word of trueth,Ephe. 1. euen the Gospel of your saluation: wherin when ye had beleued, ye were sealed with the holye Spirite. &c. And in his Epistle to the Galathians,Galat. 3. he saieth: that they receyued the spirite by the preachyng of the Faithe.

It is able to make a man learned vntounto saluation thorow the Faith, whiche is in Christ Iesu.

2. Timoth. 3.It teacheth al degrees, how they ought to behaue thē selues eueryevery one in theyr vocation and callyng, that they may please God, and woorke that whiche is acceptable before the eyes of hys diuine Maiestie.

It bryngeth health & lyfe, saluation & glorification to so many as beleue, accordyng to this testimonie of S. Paule: I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God vntounto saluation to eueryevery one ye beleueth.Rom. 1. Likewise saith sainct Iames in his Epistle. Lay apart all filthynes and superfluitie of maliciousnes,Iac. … and receaue with mekenes the worde that is graffed in you, which is able to saue your soules.

As I may ones make an ende, if an ende may be founde in an endlesse matter, All scripture geuen by inspiration of god, is profitable (as the Apostle saieth) to teache,2. timoth. …. to improue, to amend, and to instructe in righteousnes, that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vntounto all good workes.

Thus hauehave we heard (most dere brethren) both what a precious pearle, ioyfull iewell, and noble treasure the woorde of God is, and also what inestimable fruictes, incomparable commodities, and vnoutspeakable profites it bryngeth vntounto vsus. Uerily it is more woorthe then precious stones: and all the thynges (as Salomon saieth) that thou canst desyre,Pro. 5. are not to be compared vntounto it. For the gettyng of it is better then any marchandise of syluer, and the profite of it is better then gold. Upon her ryght hand is long lyfe, and vponupon her left hande is richesse and honour. Her waies are pleasant wayes, and all her pathes are peaceable. She is a tree of lyfe to them that lay holde vponupon her, and blessed is he that kepeth her faste. For her doctrine is better then syluer,Pro. 8. and the knowledge thereof is more worthe then fyne gold and precious stones. O blessed is the man, that heareth the word of God, watching dayly at her gates, and geuyng attendance at the postes of her doores. For who so fyndeth her, fyndeth lyfe, and shall obteyne fauoure of the LORDE. But who so offendeth agaynste her, hurteth his owne soule. But all they that hate her, are the louers of deathe.

Now what fruictes, cōmodities, and profites we receyue by the word of God, we hauehave tofore partly heard.Pro. 3. Salomon addeth and saith: That the worde of God geueth long life, maketh mē to walke safely, to slepe swetely, deliuereth from sodain feare,Pro. 4. preserueth such as embrace her, promoteth them, bringeth thē vntounto honor, is lyfe vntounto them, and health vntounto al their bodies,Pro. 7. deliuereth from the straunge woman, and from the harlote, which geueth swete woordes, enricheth her louers with wisedome, knowledge, vnderstanding, doctrine, learning, councell,Pro. 8. magnanimitie, strength, righteousnes, iudgement, richesse, wealth, prosperitie, honour, renoume, glorie. &c.

This incomparable treasure, I meane the woorde of God, with the fruites therof, hath God of his great mercy committed vntounto you, by callyng you vntounto the ministerie of his moste glorious Gospell, and vntounto the dispensation of his diuine misteries, not that ye should become dumbe dogges not able to barke, not that ye should conceale, hyde, and kepe secrete these ioyfull iewels and precious pearles, but that ye should publish sette foorth, declare, and make them to be knowen to other, as our Sauiour Christe saieth: A citie that is sette on an hyll, can not be hyd: neither doo men lyght a candel,Esa. 56. and put it vnderunder a bushell, but on a candell sticke, and it geueth lyght vntounto all that are in the house. Agayn: What I tell you in darknes, that speake ye in lyghte. And what ye heare in the eare, that preache ye on the house tops. God wyll hauehave his mysteries, his lawes, his decrees, his statutes, his testimonies blased abrode,Math. 5. and made knowen to all creatures, and not be kept in houcker moucker, as thynges not able to abyde the lyght, that all men may glorify & prayse his holy & blessed name, by hauyng knowledge of them.Math. 10. And that it may so come to passe accordynge to his godly wyll, he hath called you to an office, not to say masse not to mumble a great number of prayers in a strange tonge,The office of a spirituall Pastore. not to exorcise or coniure water: salt, bread, candles, fyre, palmes, ashes. &c. not to offer sacrifices for the quicke and the dead not to hear auricular confession, not to absolue men from their synnes with a fewe latin wordes. &c. but to preache the gospell to declare the lawe of the Lorde to the people,Math. 28. Marc. 16. Malach. 2. Esa. 58. Iohn. 16. to publyshe his holy testament, to reproue synne, to declare to the world their vices, synnes, and wickednes, to exhort al men to repentance, fayth, hope, louelove, pacience, long suffryng, mercy, gentlenes, and such other fruictes of the spirite: and to leade a lyfe agreable to theyr profession in all godlynesse and honestie. As my Father hath sent me (saieth Christ) so send I you.Iohn. 20.

Now who knoweth not, that Christ was sent to preache? as he hymselfe saieth by the Prophete: He hath sent me to preach the Gospell to the poore. And in the Euangelicall hystorie he saieth:Esa. 61. Luc. 4. Let vsus go into the next townes, that I may preache there also: For therfore am I come. And he preached, sayeth the Euangelist in theyr synagoges, and in all Galilee. Again he sayth:Marc. 1. I must preache also to other cities the Gospell of the kyngdome of God: for to that ende was I sent. If ye therfore be sent of Christ,Luc. 4. and called vntounto the ministerie, and hauehave not rather thruste in your selues for hope of worldly gayne and bodyly ease, euen to the entent that ye maye lyue wealthylye and ydelly of the labour of other mennes handes, and of the sweate of other mennes browes (as it is to bee feared that a greate number doo at this present daye, rather seekyng their owne, then the profyte of the flocke) so are ye sent to preache, not mennes traditions, but the Gospell of the kyngdome of God. And this was the commission that Christe gaue to his Apostles,Marc. 16. and to all theyr successours: Goe (sayeth he) thoroughe out the worlde, and preache the Gospell to euerye creature. If ye therefore bee the successours of Christes Apostles, so hauehave ye receaued an Iniunction frome the hyghe shepehearde and euerlastynge Byshoppe Iesus Christe, to preache the Gospelle. Neyther canne ye bee his Disciples, excepte ye earnestly studye to obeye and fulfyll his Iniunction. Christe woulde hauehave the louelove of hys Apostles towarde hym none otherwyse knowen,Iohn. 12. but by feedynge his lambes and shepe. If thou louest me, (sayeth he) feede my lambes: feede my shepe, fede my shepe. If ye therefore wyll shewe your selues to louelove Christe: so muste ye feede the flocke of Christ, as Sainct Peter saieth: The Elders, whiche are among you, I exhorte, whyche am also an elder,1. Pet. 5. and a wytnesse of the afflictions of Christe, and also a partaker of the glorye that shall bee opened: Feede ye Christes flocke, as muche as lieth in you, takyng the ouersyght of theym, not as compelled thereto, but wyllynglye, not for the desyre of fylthy lucre, but of a good mynde, not as thoughe ye were lordes ouer the paryshes, but that ye be an ensample to the flocke. And whenne the chiefe shephearde shall appeare, ye shall receaue an incorruptible crowne of glorie. Now yf ye feede not the flocke of Christe, but rather your selues:Ezech. 34. if ye eate vp the fatte, if ye clothe your selues wyth the wolle: if ye deuoure the mylke, and yet laboure not aboute the safe kepyng of the flocke, but rather churlyshly and cruelly reigne and rule ouer them, catchyng and snatchynge frome theym what ye can gette, so that they are scattered here and there, as shepe without a shephearde, and are deuoured of all the beastes of the fielde: howe can ye iustly saye that ye louelove Christ? If thou louest me (saith he) fede my lambes, and fede my shepe.

Agayne: Ye are my frendes, if ye doo those thynges,Iohn. 15. that I commaunde you. Christe hathe commaunded you to feede his flocke, and to preache the Gospell. If ye doo this, so are ye Christes frendes and louers: yf ye doo it not, so are ye his foes and ennemies. Christe saieth: A good shepheard geueth his lyfe for hys shepe: signifyinge hereby, that he whiche is a faithfull feder and trewe pastor of the Lordes flocke,1 …. 10. doth not only faithfully and truely feede the shepe, but he also (yf nede require) is redy to bestow his lyfe and al that euer he hath for the safegarde of the flocke. If these thynges be found in you, so are ye good shepheardes. But if ye doo not teache, but rather reache after as muche as ye can get, bearyng no good affection towarde the flocke concernyng theyr saluation, seking not ye cōmoditie of the shepe, but your own priuat lucre & gain, so are ye no shepheardes, but hyrelynges: no pastors, but wolues, no heardmen and teachers, but theues and robbers: no kepers, but murtherers. A theefe commeth not (saieth oure Sauioure Christe) but for to steale,Iohn. 10. to kylle, and to destroye. Agayn: An hirelyng seeth the wolfe commynge, and leaueth the shepe, and fleeth: and the wolfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe.Math. 24. Luc 12. Christe requireth, that suche as bee in the ministerye should be faithfull and wise seruants, euen such as in due time wil geue meate to the Lordes houshold. And Christ calleth that seruant blessed, whom his Lord when he commeth, shal fynd so doyng.A spirituall pastore ought to be faythfull and wise. He addeth more ouer, and saith, that the Lord wil make hym ruler ouer al his goodes. Here, heare you, that it is required of you, if ye be true seruautes, fyrst, that ye bee faithfull, as S. Paule sayth: It is required of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the secretes of God,1. Cor. 4. that a man be found faith full.Faythefull. Ye shall shew your selues faithfull, if ye truely, faithfully, purely, syncerely, and diligently behaue your selues accordyng to your commission, in executyng youre lordes and maisters commaundement. You may not display and sette abrode your owne will & fancie, nor yet the decrees and traditions of other, but ye must publish & set forth the good wyl and plesure of your Lord with al sinceritie & purenes, & without all corruption or cōmixtion of mans doctrine, yea & that after such sort, as is conteyned in your commission, alwais remembring, that ye are the Legates and Embassadours of the moste myghtye kyng, yea, that ye are the mouthe of the moste hygh God. He that heareth you,Luc. 10. Math. 10. heareth me (saieth Christ.) Agayne: It is not ye that speake, but the spirite of your father, whiche speaketh in you. For as he is a faythefull and true ambassadour, that symply and playnly without addition or diminution, expresseth his Lordes mynd, wyll, and pleasure to suche as he is sent vntounto: euen so shall ye shewe your selues faithfull seruantes, if ye vtter vntounto the people those thynges onelyonly, which are conteyned in your commission, that is to say, in the sacred Bible, as our Sauiour Christ saieth: teachynge them to obserue all thynges,Math. 23. what soeuer I hauehave commaunded you. Notable are these wordes of that most noble and eloquent Doctor S. Iohn Chrysostom: Nothing ought to be put vntounto the words of god.In Rom. nor to be pluckt away from them. For the very proper and peculiar worke and office of an Embassadour is, onelyonly to carye those thynges that are committed vntounto hym. Therefore the priest is called an Embassadour,Malach. 2. because he declareth not hys owne matters, but the matters of hym that sent hym. Again, he sayeth: The Apostles were sent vntounto this ende, that they should vtter, declare, and sette foorth those thynges that they had receaued, and not that they shoulde put any thyng thervnto of theyr owne.

Secondly, it is required of you,Wyse or prudent. that ye be not onelyonly faithfull, but also wyse and prudent seruantes, wherby is signified that ye ought to hauehave, not onelyonly a zeale to doo good (as many vnlearned ministers pretende nowe a dayes) but also a wysedome, a knowledge, an vnderstandyng, how to do good, howe to doo your duetie, howe to accomplishe that, which is enioyned you in your commission, lest it be sayd of you, as it is written of the Iewes:Rom. 1…. They hauehave a feruent zeale and good mynde to Godwarde, but not accordyng to knowlege. The ministers and seruantes of the Lord may not be lyke horses and moyles that hauehave no vnderstandyng,Psal. 32. but suche must be theyr knowledge, that they may be able (as thapostle saieth) to exhort by wholsome learnyng,Tit. 1. and to improue them that speke against it. In the priests lips (saieth the prophet) should be sure knowledge, that men may seke the law at his mouth:Malach. 2. for he is a messenger of the Lord of hostes. The blessed Apostle S. Paule in the description of a bishoppe or spirituall ouerseer requireth,1. Timoth. …. Tit. 1. that such one shold be chosen to be a pastor or feder of the Lords flocke, as is apte and able to teache, to distribute the worde of truthe iustly, to informe them that resist the truthe,2. Timoth. 2. to doo the worke throughly of an Euangelist, to fulfyl the office of a spirituall minister vntounto the vttermost, to preache the word, to be feruent in season, & out of season, to improue, to rebuke,2. Timoth. 4. to exhort with al long suffring & doctrine, to watche in all thinges, to suffer afflictions,Tit. 1. to rebuke sharply them that ar enemies to the truth, that they may be found in the faith, to speake those things which becom holsome doctrine. &c. Christ,Tit. 2. the Apostles and the Fathers of the primatiue churche committed the ministerie of the worde,To whom the ministerie of the worde was committed in tymes paste. not to dumbe dogges that were not able to barke, not to horses and moyles that had no vnderstandyng not to Mammonistes and Epicures, whyche onelyonly seke gayn and pleasure, lucre, and ease, but to suche as were myghtye in worde and doctrine, full of power, and of the holy Ghoste, and throughly furnyshed with wysdome, knowledge, and vnderstandyng of the holy scriptures, ready at all tymes to geue euen their very lyues (if nede so require) for the glory of God, for the confirmation of theyr doctrine, and for the healthe of the flock, which Christ purchased with his most precious blood, as the Apostle saith:Act. 20. The holy ghost witnesseth in eueryevery citie, sayeng: that bandes and trouble abyde me. But none of these thynges moue me, neyther is my lyfe deare vntounto me, so that I may fulfyll my course with ioy, and the ministration of the word, which I hauehave receued of the Lord Iesu, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.Act. 21. Agayn: I am redy not only to be bound but also to dy for the name of the Lorde Iesu.

Ignorancie or lacke of knowledge.Ignorancy is discommendable in common persones, but in them that ought to be teachers of other, it is not onelyonly discommendable, but also intollerable, yea and abhominable. For as Christe sayth: If the blynde leade the blynde, bothe falle into the dyche.Math. 15. Agayn: The lyght of the body is the eye. Wherfore if the eie be single, all the body shalbe full of lyght. But and if thyne eye be wicked,Math. 6. all thy body shalbe full of darknes. Wherfore if the lyght that is in thee, be darknes, how great is that darknesse? It becommeth not them, that professe them selues to be guides of the blynde, lyghtes of them which are in darknesse,Rom. 2. informers of them whiche lacke discretion, teachers of the vnlearned. &c. to be ignorant and vnlearned, voyde of the knowledge of Gods mysteries, and vtterly estraunged frome the true and perfect vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures.Math. 15. …sa. 56. Psal. 3…. Phil. 3. Act. 20. Math. 7. All suche the worde of God calleth blynde guydes, dumbe dogges not able to barke, horses and moyles that hauehave no vnderstandynge, euyll woorkemenne, whyte daubed walles, greuous and rauenynge wolues, hyrelynges, theues, robbers, murtherers, foolyshe shepeheardes, Idolls. &c. Sainct Hierome saieth: It is the office of Priestes,Iohn. 10. …acha. 11. whenne they be demanded of the lawe, to answere. If he be a priest, let hym knowe the lawe of the Lorde. If he know not the lawe of the Lorde, he declareth euidently that he is no priest.In Agge. Prophet. For it pertaineth vntounto the Lordes priest, to know the lawe, and when he is asked, to make answere of the lawe. Agayne he saythe: If after the mynde of the Apostle Paule, Christ be the power of God and the wysedome of God, it foloweth well, that he that knoweth not the Scriptures, knoweth not the power of God,In Esaiam. and the wysedom of hym. For the ignorance of the Scriptures, is the ignorance of Christe. Leo the byshoppe saythe:Dist. 38. Can. Si in Lai…cis. If ignorance seemeth intollerable euen in laye men: howe muche more is it worthye, neyther of excuse, nor of forgeuenes in them that beare rule? In Concilio Toletano, wee reade on this manner: Ignoraunce the mother of all errours,Dist. 33. Can Ignora…tia. is moste of all to be eschewed in the Priestes of GOD, whyche hauehave taken vppon theym the office of teachyng amonge the people of god. Priestes are warned to reade the holye Scriptures, as Paule the Apostle sayeth vntounto Timothe: Geue attendance vntounto redynge and exhortation, and to learnynge,1. Timoth. 4. and continue alwayes in these. Lette priestes therfore knowe the holy scriptures and Canons, and lette all theyr worke,The woke of a true pastore consysteth in preching and learning only. busynesse and trauayle consyste in preachyng and doctrine: And let theym edifye all men so well with the knowledge of Faith, as with the good information of workes.

Thus see you (dere brethren) that it is required of you, not onelyonly that ye shold be faithfull, but also wyse seruantes,Godlye wysedome is onlye learned of gods worde. which wysedome ye can by no meanes obtayne, excepte ye gett vntounto you the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, which alone make the man of God, wyse, as the Psalmograph saith: The vndefiled lawe of the Lord turneth soules: the faithfull wytnes of the Lorde geueth wysedom vntounto Babes.Psal. 19 Litle can fidelitie profite, where this wysedome wanteth.

Thyrdly, it is required of you, that ye geue meate to the Lordes household in due tyme, or in season.Who are the Lordes housholde. Thys houshold of the Lord is the congregation of God, whom the Lord Christe hathe purchased and reedemed by his precious bloudde.Act. 20. Thys householde,What the meate is wherwyth the Lord…s household must be fedde. thys Congregation, thys fellowshyppe, thys companye of the Lordes seruauntes, muste ye feede. To them muste ye geue meate. This meate is the woorde of God, that is to say, the lawe and the Gospell. With this …ode is the Christen mans soule fedde, as Christ saieth: Man shall not liue with breade alone,Math. 4. Luc. 4. but with eueryevery woorde that commeth out of the mouthe of God. This meate is ministred vntounto them by preachynge the lawe and the Gospell: the lawe to this ende,Lawe. that they may learne to know them selues, and the heauy wrathe of God agaynste synne: the Gospell, that they maye by the preachyng thereof,Gospell. receaue consolation and confort, ioye and peace agaynst the accusation, curse, and condemnation of the lawe, against the terroures of Gods iudgement,Rom. 5. agaynst the assaultes of Sathan. &c. and so through faith in Christ, be at peace with God. And this is it, that the Lorde Christe speaketh in the Gospel:Math. …3. EueryEvery Scribe which is taught vntounto the kyngdome of heauen, is lyke vntounto a man, that is an housholder, whiche bryngeth foorth out of his treasure thynges newe and olde. After his resurrection he also sayde to hys disciples:Luc. 24. Thus is it written, and thus it behoued Christe to suffer, and to ryse agayne from death the thyrde day, and that repentance and remission of synnes should be preached in his name amonge all nations. And this trade of teachynge vsed CHRIST and his Apostles,Math. 4. Marc. 1. Act. 2.20. Apoc. 2. Math. …6. 1. Cor. 5. and all other godly preachers, as wee maye euidently see bothe in the diuine and ecclesiasticall wryters: and so frome tyme to tyme they fedde the Lordes householde, not wyth the leauen of the Pharyseys, but with the sweete breade of purenesse and truthe. And here see ye, that ye are appoynted offycers in the Lordes house vntounto thys ende,Why spirituall pastores are appoynted Officers in the Lordes housholde. not that ye shoulde be loyterynge lubbers, marchantlyke Mammonistes, gredye gathergoodes, Ethnyke Epicures, voluptuous worldlynges, dumbe dogges, vnpreachyng prelates, ydell Idols. &c. but that ye should geue them meate in due tyme, that is, preache the lawe and the Gospell, and so fede them not with the fleshe pottes of Egypte, but wyth Manna that celestiall foode, that came downe frome heauen. The office of preachyng therfore is committed vntounto you. Looke well vntounto it, and take heede, that ye defraude not the Lordes familie of theyr foode and sustenance, euer settynge before your eyes this saying of the wyse man: when the word of God is not preached, the people peryshe.Prouerb 29. It is not the quarter sermon preachyng, that ought to suffise the Lordes householde. The worde of God oughte continually to be ministred and sette before the Lordes familie, as God hym selfe saieth by the Prophet: Cry, cease not: lyft vp thy voyce as a trompe and shew vntounto the people their wickednesses,Esa. 58. and to the house of Iacob theyr synnes. Agayn: I hauehave sette watchemen vppon thy walles (O Hierusalem) whyche shall neyther ceasse daye nor nyght to preache.Esa. 62. The godly inspired Apostle sainct Paule saithe, wrytyng vntounto Byshop Timothe:2. timoth. 4. Preach thou the worde: be feruent in season and out of season. Improue rebuke, exhort, with all long sufferyng and doctrine. For the tyme wyl come, when they shall not suffer wholsome doctrine, but after their owne lustes shall they (whose eares itche) gette them an heape of teachers, and shall withdrawe theyr eares from the trueth, and shall be turned vntounto fables. But watche thou in all thynges, suffer afflictions, do the worke throughly of an Euangeliste, fulfyll thyne office to the vttermoste. Blessed Luke in his Chronicle of the Apostles actes, wytnesseth, that Sainct Paule sendyng for the Elders of Gods congregation at Ephesus, to come to Mileton vntounto hym,Act. 20. among other, spake these woordes vntounto them: I take you to recorde this daye, that I am pure from the bloode of all menne. For I hauehave spared no labour, but hauehave shewed you all the counsayle of God. Take hede therefore vntounto your selues, and to all the flocke, amonge whom the holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers to rule the congregation of God, whiche he hath purchased with hys bloode. For I am sure of this, that after my departyng, shall greuous wolues enter in among you, not sparyng the flocke. Moreouer, of your owne selues shall men aryse, speakynge peruerse thynges, to drawe disciples after them. Therfore awake, and remember, that by the space of three yeares: I ceased not to warne eueryevery one of you, night and daye wyth teares. S. Peter speakyng of hym selfe,2. Pet. … writeth on this maner: I wyll not bee negligente to put you alwayes in remembrance of suche thynges, though ye knowe them your selues, and be stablyshed in the present truthe. Not withstandyng I thynke it mete (as longe as I am in this tabernacle to stere you vp, by puttyng you in remembrance. &c. Thus ye see, what diligence is required of you in feedynge the Lordes housholde wyth the holy worde of God. This office aboue all other, maye by no means be neglected. For herein (as I maye so speake) consisteth either the saluation or damnation bothe of you, and of the Lordes householde, as God saythe by the Prophete:Ezech. 33. O thou sonne of man, I hauehave made thee a watcheman vntounto the house of Israell, that where as thou hearest any thyng out of my mouth, thou mayst warn them on my behalfe. If I saye vntounto the wycked: Thou wicked, thou shalt surely dye, and thou geuest hym not warning, that he may beware of his vngodly way: the wicked shal die in his owne sinne, but his blood I will require of thy hande. Neuertheles, if thou warne the wicked of his way to turn frō it, where as he yet will not be turned from it: then shal he die, because of his sinne, but thou hast deliuered thy soule. But if the wicked turne frō his sinnes, & do the thing, yt is laufull & right: then shall he surely liue, & not dye. Yea the sinnes that he hath done, shall neuer be thought vponupon. For in somuche as he doth now the thyng that is laufull and ryght, he shall lyue.

If ye be tongue tyed or playe Placebo ▪ so that ye reproue not the wycked by the worde of God, of theyr wickednes, but suffer them to go forthe in theyr wickednes, as though they were good, righteous, and fautlesse: so bryng ye damnation bothe vponupon your selues, and vponupon them. But yf ye sharpely rebuke the wicked of theyr wyckednesse, so that by this meanes they turne from theyr lewdnes, and woorke that, whyche is good and pleasant, before the eyes of Gods maiestie: so do ye that, which shall bring saluation to you bothe,1. Timoth. 4, as the Apostle sayth: Take hede to thy selfe, and vntounto learnyng, and continue therin. For yf thou shalt so do, thou shalt saue thy self, & them that heare thee. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Iames: Brethren, yf any of you doo erre from the truth,Iacob. 5… & an other conuert hym: let the same know that he,Dist. 43. Cap. dispensatio. 1. Cor. 9. whiche conuerteth the synner from goyng astray out of his way, shall saue a soule from deathe, and shall hyde the multitude of synnes. As the Lord hath committed to you the meate, wherwith his housholde shoulde be fedde: so is it your duetie not to withdrawe it from them,Names appropriates to spiritual pastors. but liberally to geue it vntounto them, as good, faithfull, and wyse seruantes and stewardes. The distribution of the heauenly sede,Malach. 2. 1. timoth. 5. Ephe. 4. Act. 20. 1. Cor. 12. Math. 5. Math. 10. 1. Timoth. 2. Luc. 10. Math. 24. Tit. 1. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 4. Malach. 2. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 14. 2. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 5. …. Cor. 6. Galat. 6. Ephe. 4. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Timoth. 2. Heb. 13. Math. 23. Act. 2…. Apoc. 21. sayeth a certayne man, is enioyned vsus. Wo therfore be vntounto vsus, if we doo not sprinkle it abrode. Wo be vntounto vsus, yf wee holde oure peace, as the Apostle sayeth: Wo is vntounto me, yf I preache not the Gospelle. The verye titles and names, whiche are appropriated vntounto you by the holy Ghost in the sacred scriptures, ought to moue you to doo youre duetie in this behalfe, and by no meanes to be negligent herein. Ye are called priestes, elders, shepheardes, feders, ouerseers, apostles, prophetes, salt, lyght, workmen, preachers, labourers, seruantes, byshops, planters, waterers, fathers, angelles, embassadours, Gods labourers, buylders, ministers of Christ, stewardes of the secretes of God, schoolemasters, sowers of spirituall thynges, Gospell preachers, ministers of the newe testament, seruantes of the faithfull, preachers of the attonement, Christes messangers, Christes seruantes, Catechistes, doctors or teachers, Euangelistes, Christes witnesses, souldiours of Iesus Christ, husbandmen, laboures, distributers of the worde of truth, informers of them that resyst the truthe, watchers for the health of mens soules. &c. If your trauayles, doyngs, lyfe, and conuersation agree with these titles and names, so are ye faithfull and wise seruantes, and great is your reward in heauen. But contrarywyse, if ye vainly and withoute cause vsurpe these names, so that ye are not the same in dede, that ye are called in name and worde: what other thing are ye, then painted sepulchres, & white daubed walles, whose portion is in that lake that burneth with fyre and brymstone.

Moreouer the salarie, stipende and wages, that ye receaue of your parishoners, appointed for the true pastors of the Lordes flock, and for the faithful ministers of Gods word,The Stipend appoynted for the spirituall Pastors. ought to bee no dulle spurre vntounto you to pricke you forwarde to feede the Lordes housholde. The lyuynges, whiche many of you enioye, are neyther small nor slender, but ryche and wealthy, great and many. They are not geuen you vntounto thys ende, that ye shoulde lyue of them lyke voluptuous Epicures and ydell bellygods, but for thys purpose, that ye beynge voyde of worldly care, & hauyng al necessary thynges prouided for you, should the more frankely and freely geue your myndes to the study of the holy Scriptures, and to the preachyng of the same to the ministration of the sacramentes, to prayer, to thankes geuyng, and to suche other spirituall exercyses. Our sauiour Christ sayeth: The workeman is woorthy of his meate. Hee saieth not:Math. 10. The loyteryng lurden is worthye of his meate. If any man be in the mynisterie, and will liue of that, he muste labour fyrst, and afterwarde eate. If he labour not, so ought he not to eate, accordyng to this rule of S. Paule: He that laboureth not,2. thess. 3. ought not to eate. And his laboure is not, to hunte and hauke, to kepe great horses, to fede many dogges, and a sorte of ydell lasye lubbers, to lye lurkyng in the court, in Byshoppes, and noble mens houses, in the vniuersities &c. but as I sayd, to geue meate to the Lordes housholde, to preache the Gospell, to mynister the sacramentes, to pray vntounto God for the people, to thank God for his benefites, to watch day and nyght aboute the health of the Lordes flocke.Heb. 13. 1. Cor. 9. &c. The Apostle sayeth, that hee whyche soweth spirituall thynges, ought to reape temporall thynges. If ye therfore wyll reape temporall thynges, ye muste fyrst of all sowe spirituall thynges. If ye doo not sow, so oughte ye not to mowe. If ye doo mowe,Note well ye spirituall sheppardes. Iohn. 106. where ye dyd not sowe, so are ye not pastors, but raptors, no shepheardes, but hyrelynges, noo flockelouers, but flockelubbers, yea very playne theues (as CHRIST saieth: A thefe commeth not, but to steale, to kylle, and to destroye. Agayne he sayeth: Lette hym that is taught in the woorde, mynister vntounto hym that teacheth hym in all good thynges.Galat. 6. If ye wyll hauehave all good thynges mynistred vntounto you, so muste ye teache the worde of God to them of whom ye require suche thynges. If ye teache not, with what fo…heade aske ye that, whyche ye hauehave not deserued? Is any man so impudent as to aske wages of hym, to whome he hathe doone no seruice? Is the rewarde of a labourer due to a loyterer?1. timoth. 5. Deut. 2. 1▪ Cor. 9. Math. 10. In an other place he also saieth: The elders that rule well, ar worthy of double honour, most specially they, whych labour in the worde and teachynge. For the Scripture sayth: Thou shalt not mosell the mouthe of the oxe that treadeth out the corne. And: The labourer is worthy of his rewarde.What double honour is that is due to the sprituall pastor. Here is appoynted double honour, that is to saye, outwarde reuerence and prouision of all thynges necessarie to lyue withall. But to whome? To suche as rule euyll, and are carelesse for the Lordes flocke? Or to suche as be ydell, not caryng for the shepe, so that they may hauehave the mylke and the walle, that is, so that they maye eate of the fattest, and be clothed with the fynest? Nay verily: For God by the Prophet cryeth out vponupon such,Ezech. 24. and threatneth them euerlastyng damnation. To suche as rule well: to suche as labour in the worde and teachyng: to the oxe that treadeth out the corne: to the labourer is this double honoure due, and to none other. Ones agayn he sayth:2. Timoth. 2. The husband man that laboureth, muste fyrst receaue of the fruictes. If ye wyll reape the fruictes, ye muste fyrste of all playe the husbandmen, and labour. Wyl ye not labour? So ought ye to require no fruictes: For they belonge not vntounto you. To the labourer, not to the loyterer is rewarde appoynted in the worde of God. Heare what the hygh shepheard sayeth: Ye are the salte of the earthe. But yf the salt hauehave lost the saltnesse, what shalbe seasoned therwyth?Math. 5. It is thenseforth good for nothyng, but to be caste out, and to bee troden downe of menne. Heare also what S. Gregorye saieth:In hom. Dignus est mer…en &c. Consyder and weygh with youre selues, brethren, howe great damnation it is, without labour to receaue the reward of labour: againe, howe great an offence it is, to take the prices of synnes, and to speake nothyng agaynst synnes by preachyng. Agayne he saythe: We, whiche lyue of the oblations of the faithefull, whych they hauehave offered for theyr synnes, yf we eate and hold our peace, without doubt we eate theyr synnes.

Not onelyonly the names and titles therfore, whiche are attributed vntounto you of the holy ghoste in the holy Scripture, but also the salarie, stipende, wages and rewarde, that is appoynted for such as trauayle in the ministerie, ought worthily and iustly to prouoke you, diligently to watche and to see, that the Lordes housholde hauehave theyr meate in due tyme.Math. 24. Which thing yf ye faithfully doo accordyng to your vocation, the Lorde of the houshold wyll not leaue you vnrewarded, neither in thys worlde,The rewarde nor in the worlde to come. Yea (saieth our Sauioure Christ:) Blessed is that seruant, whom his Lord, when he commeth, shall fynde so doyng. Uerily I say vntounto you, that he shal make hym ruler ouer all his goodes. When the chiefe shepheard shall appeare (sayth blessed Peter to all faythful pastors) ye shall receaue an incorruptible crowne of glorie.1. Pet. 5. Are not these the wordes of the Prophete Daniel concernyng the rewarde of all true preachers?Dan. 12. The wyse (suche as hauehave taught other) shall glyster, as the shynyng of heauen: and those that hauehave instruct the multitude vntounto godlynes, shalbe as the starres, worlde without ende: yea as it is written in the Gospel, they shall shyne as the sunne in the kyngdom of the heauenly Father,Math. 13. Math. 22. and shalbe as the Angels of God in heauen.

But contrarywyse, if ye be negligent, slouthfull, euyl, and wycked seruantes, so that ye feede not the Lordes housholde, but rather begyn to stryke and churlyshely to handle your felow seruauntes,Math. 24. Luc. 12. yea to eate and drynke with the dronkardes Your lorde shall come in a daye, when ye looke not for hym, and in an hower that ye bee not ware of, and shall hewe you in pieces, and geue you your portion with hypocrites, where wepyng and gnashyng of teethe shall be,Esa. 66. where the worme that shall gnawe youre conscience shall neuer dye, and the fyre, wherwith ye shall be moste greuously tormented, shall neuer be quenched, yea the lake, whereinto ye shall be cast, shall burne with fyre and brymstone,Apo. 21. worldes without ende.

These thynges I doubt not (moste dere brethren) but that ye dayly and diligently consyder, and also labour to the vttermoste of your power to satisfye the good pleasure of God in framynge your selues to doo that, whyche your vocation and callynge requireth, seekynge in the same not youre owne glorie, but the glorye of God: not youre owne commoditie and profite temporally, but the commoditie and profit of Christes flocke eternally: not your owne bodyly ease and quietnesse, but the euerlastynge ease and quietnesse of Goddes people: not the enrychemente of you and youres in thys worlde,1. Cor. 2. Esa. 64. but the dignitie and aduancement of the Lordes housholde, bothe in this worlde, and in the world to come. So doyng, ye may be sure to be partakers in Goddes kyngdome of suche ioyes, as eye neuer sawe the lyke, eare neuer hearde, the lyke, no tongue is able to expresse the lyke, no, nor no heart is able to conceaue and to thynke the lyke. And to helpe forwarde these your godly studies and christen trauayles in fedynge Christes flocke, I hauehave doone my endeuour to sette forth this Postill, conteynynge moste godlye, learned, and fruitefull sermons vppon all the Sondaye Gospells that are redde in the Churche thorowe out the yeare. This woorke nedeth no commendation, beyng sufficiently commended, in that it is bothe learned, profitable, and necessarye, as it shall ryght well appere to the indifferent reader or hearer.

God graunt, that the voyce of this doctrine maye sounde in our churches vntounto the ende. Fare ye well moste deare brethren, and lette vsus praye one for an other vntounto oure heauenly Father, that he maye fynyshe that good worke whiche he hath begunne in vsus, vntounto the glorie of his name, and vntounto the profyte of his holye Congregation. Amen. The grace of our Lord Iesu Christ be with you all. Amen.

From my house at Cantorbury, the .xvi. of Iuly. In the yeare of our Lord. M.D. lxvi.