Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 59
The .xvi Sonday after Trinitie. ¶The Gospell. Luke. vii.
ANd it fortuned that Iesus wente into a Citie called Naim, and many of his Disciples went with hym, and muche people. When he came nye to the gate of the Citie, beholde there was a dead man caryed out, whiche was the only sonne of his mother, and she was a widowe, and muche people of the citie was with her. And when the Lorde sawe her, he had compassion on her, and sayde vntounto her, wepe not, And he came nye and touched the coffen, and they that bare hym stode styll. And he sayde, yonge man I saye vntounto the, arise. And he that was deade set vp, and began to speake. And he deliuered him to his mother. And there came a feare on thē all. And they gaue the glory vntounto God, saying: A great Prophet is rysen vp amonge vsus, and GOD hath visited his people. And this rumour of hym went forth throughout all Iewry, and through out all the regions whiche lye rounde aboute.
THE EXPOSITION.
MAny thinges were to be spoken touching this gospell, howbeit we hauehave chosen but twoo thinges therof. The one is, how we ought, to take confort against death. The other is, as touchyng Christian pitie, and mutuall affection in these cōmon euills. Ye heare here of a miserable widow, whiche first lost her husbande, and then her sonne which was her only solace in al her trouble. For it was counted the cheif myserie in this people, to hauehave no sonne to be heyre of the familie. For the trade of this commonaltie was suche, that al was appointed to the heyre. Wherfore this widow was miserable in all pointes, & in great aduersitie, in so muche that this semed sure tokens, that God was displeased with her and againste her, for yt he tooke awaye first her husband & then her son. And it was no marueill, if she had caste away all her hope and trust in God. Christe hath respecte to this woman, and hath pitie vponupon her, and restoreth her ded chylde to lyfe, and turneth her greate sorow into great ioye.
This hystorie is therfore to be marked of vsus,A comfort agaynst deathe by Christe. that we may confirme our faith. For Christ doth the busines not only of this woman, but he studieth to certifie all vsus of this what a weake thinge death is, that we should not feare it at all, but that we should do all thinges with a pacient mynde on suche wise that we maye not be put in feare, by death or by anye other things: For that, that we hauehave such a prince to ayde vsus, which hath present and redie helpe againste all euill and death: yea, and in this example he declareth, how soone he can put awaye death. For who would hauehave thought, that this dead yonge man, that was carried foorth to be buried, coulde hauehave reliued again? But Christ coming vponupon them, when the matter was past cure, speaketh but this: yonge man, I say to thee arise.Christ is the lorde of death. And the dead rose and began to speake. Wherby ye may vnderstande that death before Christe is euen as lyfe. And all is one with him whether we liue or be dead. For although we be dead, yet are we not dead to our destruction. The reason why is this: with one worde he can cal lyfe again, and put away death, So that hereby we may well vnderstāde Christes saying to be true, euen that god is the god of the lyuynge and of the dead. For although Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and other holy Patriarkes be dead to vsus, yet they be alyue to god.
This muste we learne out of this Gospell in this widowes son, how great, god will declare his power to be in the last day through Christ, when he with one worde will call men to life againe, and geue to them that beleue, euerlasting lyfe. This shall be done in a moment, so that we nede not doubt but that both these thinges are in Christ, (that is) power, as he declareth here, and also wil, to do it gladly. For this is an euident proufe and example therof. The widowes son is deade, he is voyde of sence and felynge, but as soone as Christ speaketh with him, he heareth. Is not this a wonderful thynge? He that heareth not, nowe heareth, he that liueth not, nowe liueth, and yet is ther nothynge els done but that Christ speaketh a worde, and byddeth him, Arise. This only worde is of suche force and might, that it putteth awaye death and restoreth lyfe.
But for asmuche as we knowe, that Christ can so soon rydde vsus from death, and restore vsus to lyfe, let vsus se also how redie he is and willing to do it. For there is none amongest them all, that desire this of him, only is he moued with the miserie of the widow, and goeth vntounto her without askynge, and restoreth her son vntounto her alyue again. Wherfore let vsus thinke that this example belongeth vntounto vsus: that we should not feare death.We must not feare death. For this was done for our sake. As though he shold say. It is not vnknowen vntounto me, yt you feare death, but put awaye all feare. For what power can it hauehave on you at all? It maye make you feare, but prouide you such sauegard against it: yt ye may not only iudge according to your sense, which is the verie cause of your feare, but hauehave ye respect vntounto me also, what I can do, & what I will do, euen that I can as easely raise you from death, as you are wont to rayse a mā that is a slepe, & wil do it gladly & desirously, so that there can lacke neither power, neither will therto. Wherfore it foloweth therof, that they that are buried in their graues, do slepe more lightly,Iohn. …1. then we in our bodies. For it is possible that thou be in such a deade slepe, that although thou be called ten times, yet thou cāst not heare. But the dead awake at one word of Christ, as ye see by the example of this yonge man & of Lazarus.
Wherfore death before god is not called death before vsus it is both death & is so called,The deathe of Christen men is a swete and quiet sleape. but before god it is so quiet & light a slepe, yt nothing can be lighter. And this wold Christ hauehave to be wel beaten into vsus, yt we shold not feare, when ye pestilence, or death it selfe taketh vsus, but that we shold with a bold minde answere thus against it. What is thy greatest might then? Tou layst before me very greuous matters, thou puttest me in great feare, & how thou wil execute punishmēt on me like a tormēter. But I wil cōsider, what god on ye contrarie part can do, & wil do, whē y• hast slaine me. For he feareth thee not, neyther do he care for thy outragiouse furie, but iesteth more rather vponupon ye saying: O death I wil be thy death, o hel, I wil be thy destructiō. If thou killest my Christians I will kil thee again, & restore them to life. This is ye cōfort yt Christe setteth forth in this gospell, yt although Christiā men dye, yet they be not dead, but slepe a slepe, yea & yt, such a light slepe, yt Christ can awake thē wt his litle fingar, but this is but a litle praise for death, that whē it doth here the worste, yet it can do no more by all his rage but cast a mā into a slepe, so that Christ may raise him vp wt one worde. As it is written. The hower cōmeth, when they that are dead in their graues, shall heare ye voice of the sonne of man, and shall come forth,Iohn. 5. they that hauehave done wel to the resurrection of lyfe, but they that hauehave done euill, to the resurrection of Iudgement.
This hope hauehave Christians, but the Turkes & the Iewes hauehave it not, neyther the Papistes. This they knowe, that they must die, and that there remaineth iudgement and hell. But what do they? They hauehave no truste in Christ: But they seeke helpe of their diriges, Masses, trentalles, pardons, fastes, & such other thinges. And they take Christe for no other but for a Iudge whiche hath onelyonly the office to iudge and condemne. This is the greatest wickednes that is, that they Imagin that Christe is crueller then death. Wherfore when they heare of the day of Iudgement, they are afraid, they tremble & quake in their heartes. So do not Christian men. They know that Christe in that day shall iudge them that beleue not, whiche will not receaue the worde, or beleue it.
And therfore they boldly say: I am baptised and do beleue in Iesu Christe my Lord, that he dyed for my synnes, and that by his resurrection he hath gotten me righteousnes and euerlasting lyfe. Why shold I feare therfore? he is not mine enemie, but my frend and patrone with the father. Wherfore although the laste day draweth nigh, or death chanceth vntounto me by anye other meanes, al this shall not put me beside my state. My Lord Iesus Christ holdeth himselfe stil for a time, at the iniuries, that death doth vntounto me. But when death thinketh that I am wholly opprest, then am I only holden with slepe, and that with such lyght slepe, that Christe can scarselye speake a worde, but I heare and rise vntounto euerlastyng life.
Let this seme a necessarie lesson for vsus, that we may feare, neither at death, nor at the laste daye: For Christ cōmeth not to iudge and condemne vsus. He commeth as he came in this place to the widow, and to her dead sonne, to rayse vsus from death, that we may heare, see, speake again and do other thynges. After this sorte will he come to all vsus that beleue and saue vsus. But they that beleue not, them will he iudge. Wherfore we must accustome our selues to looke for this our Sauiour, & to beleue in hym, that by a litle & a litle we may be more and more certified of this oure hope and saluation, & that we may feare neither death, neither the laste day. But he that feareth, foloweth the fleshe and the olde man: and not Christe & his worde. For the matter is playne, that Christ shall come, and rayse vsus from death. Where Christians bodies reaste in their sepulchres, & slepe vntil Christ come & knocke at the sepulchre, and saith, Arise, arise. Then shall we rise as out of a most quiet and swete slepe, & we shall lyue and reioyce with Christ our Lord for euer. And thus ought Christians to hauehave other thoughtes, thā the Turkes or Iewes hauehave, whiche are vtterly confounded with feare. Yea and the Papistes, & mōkes all are dismayd in their heartes. And this chaunceth vntounto them worthily. For why come they not to learne this lesson, and beleue that CHRIST is the helper of them that beleue, & the iudge of them that beleue not? If thou art a Christian, and hast hope in Christ, he will not take away his helpe, succour and saluation from thee, when deliuerance, & defence shal be requisite for thee against death and the deuill. But if thou trustest for helpe any where els, and despisest his helpe, as the Pope both teacheth, & doth so in dede, looke for no other of Christ, but a very Iudge, for because thou art the seruant of ye deuil, & the minister of death, and takest that on thee, that is the worke of the deuill and of hell. They hate Christ, and care not for his kyngdome. Wherfore he can be no other to them then a iudge. But for the good, that put their truste in him, he wil procure them peace and saluation for euer and euer.
After this lesson & doctrine, which is called the doctrine of faith, must we learne also of Christ ye doctrine of pitie,Pytie or compassion. merci & compassion. And this ye heare often times in the yeare as touchyng charitie, that we shold remember, that one of vsus is bound to helpe an other. But pitie is a thing somwhat greater, as when we are greued with other mens miseries and calamities, no lesse then with our owne: as when I hauehave a neighbour that is nedie or sycke, I ought not only to be redie to helpe,Charitie issuethe out of faythe. but I must be sorie for his miserie, and that at my very heart, as though it were min owne euil. As this is put forth to vsus in Christ. He is in this place as a foreiner and stranger. But when he seeth the miserie of this widdow, he is asmuch greued as though it were his owne sonne, he geueth confort and helpe. This is ye exāple of charitie, which ought to folow after faith, & it doth alwais folow faith, if it be true faith So yt we ought not to behaue our self after ye exāple of certein mercilesse people which hath stonie and yron heartes, & laugh at their neighbours miseries, and are greued at their prosperitie. The affectiōs of Christian men ought to be otherwise, which ought to be greued at other mens misfortune, & glad at their prosperitie, as Paule saith, yt we may be greued with thē that are greued,Rom. 12. & reioyce with them yt are ioyfull. This is the propertie of enuious persons, to be glad of other mens hurt, & to be greued at eueryevery mās wealth sauing their own.Too sortes of compassion & pitie. But there are two sortes of pitie, A spiritual, & a corporall. In these corporal & bodilie euils, we muste succour & helpe al yt we can for their defēce, whā we see this, yt the poore hauehave nede of helpe, & can not helpe thē selues. It is a spiritual euil, whē ye soule is in peril,Spirituall pitie reprouethe synne. as whā I see a yōg mā voyde of al holines, & caryng nothing for religiō, holy doctrine, but is ignorāt of ye principles of religiō, & liueth wtout any discipline or order, fearce, stubborne, obstinat. Here it is ye office of pitie, not to speake faier & gentle wordes vntounto him, but to chide him & sharply rebuke him, yea & rather to beate him, or stricke him. For ther is greater peril, whē ye soule is diseased wt such euils, thā whā ye bodie is sicke of any disease. Wherfore we must let nothīg passe as touchīg this pitie, yt these euilles may wt wordes, stripes & wandes, & such other remedies be restrained. But yu saiest, yt this is a cruel pitie, to vexe ye bodie wt stripes? Yea but necessitie causeth this to be the beste pitie, that is in this case. For the Physitions must nedes shewe crueltie vponupon some part of the bodie, that the hole bodie maye be saued: and so is it also as concernynge this pitie. For suche chastisements are done, to see to thee, that thou mayst be deliuered from the tyranny of the deuill, & from his kingdome.Apte and very proper similitudes. He yt is almost drowned in a floude, taketh it for no wronge, if he be plucked out by the heare, although it be done to his great grief and payne. Wherfore if thou doest not refuse in the bodilie euiles to suffer a litle payne for the auoydynge of greate perill, why shouldeste thou in a more dangerous perill of soule and euerlastynge lyfe, take greuously suche chastisement as is requisite and necessarie? So is it truely the worke of pitie, when stubburne children and obstinate seruantes are sharply by stripes put in remembrance of their deutie. This is a spiritual medicin, against the disease of the soule, which is the rebellyng againste the parentes and maisters. Wherfore this is the worke of merciemercy, when mannes miserie is considered,Folyshe petie marrethe the citie. and helpe is geuen. This pitie ought parents cheifly to regard in a familie, and maiestrates in a communaltie, and to beware diligentlie, that neither yt sufferers impaciens, neither their own negligence make them geue vp this pitie, as it commeth to passe oftentimes. For he that would be pitifull, and wil dissemble or winke at syn, he should commit two kindes of crueltie towarde his neyghbour, & should fall into gods high displeasure. Wherfore thou must not seeke after the prayse of gentlenes and pitifulnes by dissembling and winkyng at sin,A good lesson for maiestrates. when euerlasting perill dependeth therof, neither must thou loke for that time when he wil come to himself and amende by his owne accorde. Thou must cut of the snares of the deuill by sharpe discipline, but as touchinge this sorte of pitie I wil intreate more largely in an other place.
But now is the example of Christ put forth to vsus, how he pitied the miserie of this woman, and therby taught vsus true pitie. That we shoulde remember that this precepte is set forth to vsus, to thinke surely yt this is oure duetie to helpe, yea with the lssoe of oure goodes, when our neighbour is in bodily necessitie, & so truly to shewe the office of pitie. Whiche thynge afterwarde hath so great renoum, that it is cōmended, not as though it were done to our neyghbour only, but also to God hymselfe, whiche promiseth also to requit it by a reward. Or if the contagion or disease be spiritual (that is to say) syn, as if our children and familie be stubburne, negligent, wanton in doinge and saying: here must be shewed pitie, that is cruel in sight, and yet for all that, dothe all thynges for the best. But that that is past tamyng & amendement geue it vp as a thyng past cure into the hands of the ministers and officers. For the matter can not scape vnpunyshed. And it is to be counted a parte of pitie to punyshe in suche case with extremitie of death. For they that are paste grace, can bee restrayned by no other meanes. They woulde be the destruction as well of other as theyr selues, yf thys office of pitie were not exercised vppon them by the sworde.To punishe the wycked is greate … and merciemercy. Wherfore punyshementes are very workes of pitie, seme they neuer so cruell and bytter to a mans syght. For if it were not for this punyshment and sharp correction, there could be no cōminaltie, nor ciuile felowshyp mainteyned. Wherfore let eueryevery man in his vocation shewe pitie not only with affection, but also with discretion, and let him not helpe in bodyly euyls onelyonly, but muche rather in spirituall euyls.
And these are the two doctrines out of this gospel wherof the one belongeth vntounto faith, that we shoulde be without feare in the myddest of all euyll, and specially when the feares and terrors of deth come to sight: And let vsus thynke that the almightie healpe of all our saluation is sette in Christ. Wherefore we can not despaire of hym without our hurte. The helpe of man and of vsus, is but vayn. For they can not represse deth: Death is valyant agaynst them. But we muste hauehave all our trust in God, and in his sonne Iesu. For that that wee can not, he can, if we oure selues hauehave no helpe, yet he hath wherwith to helpe vsus, and is ready to doo it with all his heart, as the matter is playne. And wher as is such a mynd which beleueth constātly in Christe, it dothe the true seruice, which he requireth All other that despayre, hate hym, and doo not acknowledge hym for God, or ells they would hauehave all theyr comfort in hym. The second example is, that we after the example of Christ hauehave respect to the necessitie of our neighbor, & pitie him. The Lord our God hauehave mercy on vsus, that we may learne bothe these lessons, and that with these men, we maye glorifie Christ for hys benefite. Amen.