Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 61
The xviii Sonday after trinitie Sonday The Gospell Math xxii.
WHen the Phariseis had heard that Iesus dyd put the Saduceis to scilence, they came together, and one of them (whiche was a doctour of lawe) asked hym a question, temptyng hym and sayinge: Master, whiche is the greatest commaundement in the lawe? Iesus sayde vntounto hym: Thou shalt louelove the Lorde thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy mynde. This is the fyrst and greatest commaundement. And the seconde is like vntounto it: Thou shalt louelove thy neyghbour as thy selfe. In these two commaundementes hange all the lawe and the Prophetes. Whyle the Phariseis were gathered together, Iesus asked them, saying: what thynke ye of Christe? Whose sonne is he? They sayde vntounto hym, the sonne of Dauid. He sayde vntounto them: Howe then doth Dauid in spirite call hym Lorde? saying: The Lorde sayd vntounto my Lorde, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy foote stoole. If Dauid then call hym Lorde, howe is he then his sonne? And no man was hable to aunswere him any thing, neyther durst… any man (from that day forth) aske him any mo questions.
THE EXPOSITION.
IN this Gospel are two thynges to be marked aboue all other. The one is of yt scribe which demandeth what is the greatest commandement in the lawe? The other howe Christ demaundeth again the phariseis, as touching Christ whose son he shold be? For Dauid in spirit calleth him his lord. The first question declareth, yt the ignorance & blindnes of ye Iewes was so great, yt they had forgottē the ten commaundementes, which children are wont to learne by heart. Wherfore it were an easy thyng for a chylde to geue them answer: The first and greatest commandement is: Thou shalt hauehave no other Gods but me. But the phariseys and scribes take it not for the greatest, and they be fallen to suche foly, that they call in question what that commandement should be. One saieth that it is sacrifice, an other to geue almes, an other, to fast and to vse a peculiar kynd of apparell &c. As we see it to come to passe, when men fall from Gods commaundement and worde, and ordeyn and sette vp other workes for them selfe of their owne inuentyng. For this came to passe with oure religious men also, when they became cloysterers, they made their profession, they had no propre goodes, and therwith they forgat also what is faithe, and what is charitie. And their Religion they called afterwarde, the state of perfection.
What it is to be perfect.But is not a chyld now more able to declare, what is the state of perfection then all the monkes? The reason is, that they hauehave only in their syght, their rules of their profession? But a christen man saieth: To be perfect, signifieth to feare and louelove God, & to profite thy neighbour wt al kynd of benefit. For god gaue no other cōmaundement. But at last the matter came to that poynte, that ceremonies be inuented, whiche appeare pleasant, and full of pompe: as when dayes, vestures, meats be chosen, wherin they diffre from ye other multitude. This moueth the eyes of the rude, and turneth them on them selues. But in the mean tyme the principall workes and commandementes, where as God is commaunded to be loued, and thy neighbour to bee holpen, is cleane left a side, as the example of the phariseys and Scribes is euident in this place. Wherfore thys is a notable exaumple, where as suche notable learned menne were in so great blyndnesse, that they knewe not, whiche was the greatest or smallest precepte. And yet if a man may say the truthe, they were doctours, whiche oughte to make declaration to the people, howe God was to be worshypped truely As oure religious menne bee also: If a man shoulde demaunde of them, as touchynge good woorkes, and what is to be doone, they woulde not putte foorthe the tenne commaundementes, but aunswere, that he must become a religious man, and bye Masses, go on pilgrimage, faste. &c. But this is nothyng els, then to withdraw men frō the true cōmandements vntounto trifles. And such reward hauehave they at length for theyr errors, that folow mans doctrine, and sett foorth suche workes, as touchyng the whych God gaue no commaundement. By suche are menne deceaued, so that they hauehave no more respecte to the tenne commaundementes, but doo let them wholly passe. For yf it were not for that, it would not hauehave ben harde for them to answere, that that is the greatest precepte that God commanded. But the phariseys, Scribes, priests, and monkes knewe not that. Wherefore this erroure is to bee auoyded, and your owne foolyshe deuotion is alwaies to be eschued▪ But contrarily, the Catechisme and Christian discipline is not lightly to be regarded, yf that menne woulde be instructed to know what is theyr duetie to doo. For here we doo learne that GOD is to bee loued, and that we muste hauehave no other Gods (that is) we oughte to preferre nothyng before the louelove of God. but rather to lette all thyngs passe, and to suffer all thynges for his sake. And thou art in the state of perfection when thou doest thys: But they say, that this is the duetie of eueryevery common Christian, but they will doo some peculiar thyng, that eueryevery man doothe not: whiche rise not in the nyght, whiche eate fleshe, and are apparailed after the common sort, where as they bestowe the nyghte in holye seruice, and eate fyshe, and vse a kynd of apparaile by them selues: And so at laste the matter commeth to that poynt, that mans traditions kepe them so occupied, that they can hauehave no respect to Gods commandementes. Wherfore it is no small doctrine, where as Christ saieth, that it is the chiefest precept, to louelove god, and that the second is lyke to the fyrst, to louelove the neighbour as hym selfe.
For of these two depende all thynges that maye be taught as touchyng good workes. Out of this fountaine ought all thinges to procede, and to this ought they to be referred agayne· For this is decreed, if thou thynkest how thou mayst serue God, that can be done by no other meanes, then that thou louelove God and thy neighbour. This doctrine will cause a straight iudgement to be had in the last day. For what was done in the Papacie eueryevery manne knoweth.The blyndnes of seruing god in the papecie. He that would serue GOD, became a cloysterer, he went to Rome, or to Saincte Iames. He prayed to thys saincte, or that: he dydde serue hym eyther by feastyng or fastynge. And at that tyme was this called Gods seruice. But telle me, is not thys trewe, that thou seruest God, when thou doest that, that thou art commaunded? Wherfore to serue God, can be no other thyng,What it is to serue God. than to doo that, which God hathe commaunded, and not that whiche ye thynke beste youre selfe. But what hath God commaunded? truely, as Christ reherseth here: If thou thinkest to doo Gods seruice, thou must not go farre for that cause, or bestowe any great coste or charge. LoueLove God and thy neighbour. Howe can gods seruice be more nere vntounto thee, or bee done better cheape, then by this meanes, that when thou louest thy neyghbour, and doest all kynde of benefite for hym, God will accept it as thoughe it were doone to hymselfe? This is verily a meruailous doctrine, that this seruice is Gods, and done to God, whē thou doest good to thy neighbour. And this as I said before, shalbe the cause of a harde and greuous iudgement in the laste daye. For thus (saith Christ) that the wycked shall saye:Math. 2…. When dyd we see thee hungry or thirstie? But Christ shall answere: That ye hauehave not doone to any of the leaste of myne, that hauehave ye not doone to mee. Soo that thow mayest bee sure hereof, that whenne thou healpest a poore Christian wyth rayemente and meate, it seemeth to bee doone vntounto CHRIST. And it is euen all one. But is not thys a greuous thyng, that wee lette passe suche an easye and ready occasion to serue God? We think that yf we coulde tell where Christe myght be found, that there we would gladdely doo, and bestowe all that wee coulde. But it is no nede to thynke so. Wee do heare here, that the seconde precepte is lyke to the fyrste. There canne bee noo other meanynge thereof, thenne that GOD wyll take it as done vntounto hym selfe, what soeuer is doone to the neyghboure. But thow wylte saye, that God is in heauen. This maketh no matter, he is also here in earth. Wherfore, whenne thou seeste a Christian in perylle, thynke this, that it is Christe that suffreth it, and that he hath nede of thy healpe, as he saieth hymselfe, that in the laste daye he will make suche complayntes, that we hauehave not cared for his hunger and thyrst.
It was a common facion in the popedom, that the olde souldiours, which had ben horsmen and fotemen in warre, and also lawyers and such like, which were thought to hauehave liued in a prophan & an vnholy kynde of life, wold say, yt they had serued the world hitherto, & that now euer after they wold serue god,Monkery is against charitie and the true seruice of god. & so thei wēt to som monasterie, wher they wer made monkes and heremites▪ but this is a fals and peruers way. For he yt wil serue god must not seke solitarie places & corners but must be conuersant amongest men, and help them all that he can. For by so doing is seruice doone vntounto god, which cōmanded it. By monkerie is not gods seruice fulfilled. For it is not only a thing vncōmanded of god, but also al ye trade therof is against charitie & the true seruice of god, wherof Christ in this place speketh nothynge. This was vsed also amongest the Iewes. They hurted their neighbors diuersly, & thoughte that if they offered muche burnt offerynge, that all thyngs pleased god highly. But what saieth God also psal. 50. I wyll not argue with thee for thy Sacrifyces. Thy burnte offerynges are alwayes in my syghte. I wyll not take calues out of thy house, neyther kiddes out of thy heardes. For myne are all the wylde beastes of the woddes, and thousand beastes in thousandes vppon the mountaynes. In an other place he sayeth also, that hee hathe noo nede of theyr golde and Temple: But yf thou studyest to do me true seruice go thy waye vntounto thy neyghbour. Thou haste a wyfe, chyldren, a famyly, neyghbours, rulers, lordes, maisters, and many other states. These shall fynde the busines inough. Therin do me seruice. If ther be any stubburne in thy familie or children, wynke not at it, but see it duely punished. If thy neyghbour be nedie, sorowfull or sycke, helpe hym, se vntounto hym, conforte him. Obey thy gouernour, and thinke that all this is done vntounto me.
But it is greatly to be lamented that these thinges can by no meanes moue vsus. For whatsoeuer we hauehave trespassed against god, all that doth god forgeue vsus of his owne free will, so that we wil only be beneficiall vntounto our neighbour, which thing god wil so take, as though it were done vntounto himselfe. He therfore that were ignorant what the worlde were, and howe it handleth God, might learne hereby. For what other thing do al men of all degrees, then through wantonnes & folie daylye buffet god & treade him vnderunder fete? For this is all mens desyre how they may waxe riche them selues, how they may heape vp their owne, caring nothing, how it goeth with their neyghbour. He that could thinke this with himselfe surely, that what soeuer he doth to his neighbour, is done to god, might worthelie abhorre & trēble at the fashion and maners of the worlde. But ther is no man that thinketh this to be true. As Christ saith also. That the wicked shall say in the last day: Lord,Math. 25. when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie? But this shal nothing preuayle them. For as Christ sayth here. The second is like to the first: So shal he say then: That, that ye hauehave not done to one of y• least of mine, hauehave ye not done vntounto me. This is the first doctrine out of this Gospell. God graunt, that we maye be moued therewith, and let eueryevery man so consider his neyghbour when he doth hym good, that god may take it as done vntounto hymselfe. Then is ther nothyng in the worlde so vile & base, with which God may not be serued. The seruant in the stable. The mayde in the dayrie or kitchyn, the child in the schole, yea all shoulde be the Lordes seruantes, and worshippers, if they woulde do that diligently that God commande. So shoulde houses be made churches, where as nothyng is kepte but gods seruice. But no man cā be persuaded to care for this. No man will serue his neyghbour. All men endeuer to serue them selues & to seke their owne commoditie. Wherfore euen as by doing good to our neyghbour we may worke a thing acceptable to god: So the world doth alway gratifie and please the deuill in that it regard not Charitie toward his neyghbour. But the ende therof will be sorowfull. For how can this please God, wher as god hath ordayned his seruice to be done so nigh, that with out in the felde, within in the house, & whersoeuer thou doest the workes of thy vocation, thou art occupied as it were in an holy temple, wher moste acceptable seruice may be done to god. And yet we regard it not, but despise it, and had rather serue the deuil than hym.
Wherfore learne this, that he that geueth a benefite to his neyghbour, doth it not only to his neyghbour, but to his heauenly father also. For there is a sayinge in this place, that God will take this to be done vntounto him euen as though it were done to hym in heauen.Math. 25. For els woulde not Christ hauehave sayde: The second is lyke the first. He that can not be brought into this beleife,The benefite done to oure neyghboure on earthe, is done to god in heauen. that he maye do heauenly thynges in the earth, and that he may fynde eueryevery where a temple let hym get hym to the deuill. For euen as thou mayest make thee here a Paradise and an heauen, when thou doest good to thy neyghboure (for therin thou doest good to God whiche is in heauen) so when thou doest not good to thy neyghboure, thou makest a hell and damnation for thy selfe. For thou doest gratifie the deuill, whiche is appointed to hell. Neither doth it skyll, if thou doest not yet see it and fele it. For the tyme shall come when thou shall both fele it and see it, when thou shalte accuse thy selfe for thy stubburnes and great folye.
Wherfore it were very necessarie for vsus to learne to exercise oure selues to doe good vntounto our neyghbours.Why god geuethe vsus hys gyftes, and to what ende. For all thynges are geuen to vsus from god to this entent, hole and perfect senses, riches, vnderstandynge, and suche other, that we myght therby obey this commaundement, and do to hym this seruice. And as this doctrine as concernynge louelove of GOD and our neyghbour belongeth to this present lyfe: So the second doctrine whiche teacheth, whose sonne Christe is, doth teache vsus, howe we maye obtaine an other euerlastynge lyfe after this lyfe. For we shall not obtayne euerlastynge lyfe by this, if we knowe howe GOD and oure neyghbour ought to beloued of vsus, althoughe we begyne to performe this in dede with all diligence, as the Phariseyes dyd suppose, whiche thought that if they had Moses, they neded no more. But Christ sheweth here,Too knowe christe is most necessari vntounto saluacion, that this preuayleth not vntounto the obtayninge of euerlastyng lyfe. We must clyme and ascend to a hyer steppe, and learne perfectly what is Christ, and whose sonne he is. The Pharise…es knewe, that he should be the son of Dauid. But Christe requireth more in this place. The reason is this.
For if Christe were no more but the sonne of Dauid, he must nedes die, as Dauid dyd, and should he hauehave only a corporal kyngdome. But Christ hath an eternall kyngdome. And Dauid his father calleth hym father in spirite. Howe doth this agree that Christ should be both Dauides sonne and Lorde? This is a question, to the whiche, the Phariseyes can make no answer, neither can any of the Iewes at this present time answere therto. In this question is nothing belōging to thy neighbour, to charitie, & to good workes. But this is intented, euen to teache vsus to know what Christ is. He that learneth y• can not wander frō the kyngdom of heauen and euerlasting life. For it is not sufficient to euerlasting lyfe,The knoweledge of the lawe sufficeth not vntounto sal…cion. to know the law & what is to be don. The reason is this. Because, that also is required, that it should be done. Which thing is wont to procede very slowly. Wherfore this is of necessitie required, euen to know perfectly what CHRIST is. Wherfore Christ doth so put forth the question, and byddeth them to make answere, whose sonne Christe is, which after the flesh was Dauids sonne? But for as muche as Dauid calleth him not son but his Lord, yea and such a Lord, that sitteth at the right hande of god, & to whō god wil make all his enemies his footstoole. By this questiō Christ mindeth to stirre vp the Iewes and all vsus, to hauehave a more hygher iudgement of Christ, & to beholde him with other maner of eyes, than with suche as see hym only to be the son of Dauid. For he is Dauids Lorde also, that is, he is not only a man, but also very God borne eternallie out of the father. Or els would not Dauid hauehave called him Lorde, if he had not ben more then a man, and if he had only byn Dauids sonne. For Dauid was an excellent holy man, and a most learned Kyng, and yet he calleth Christ, which is his sonne, lorde. As though he should say and openly confesse-My son passeth me farre. I am a Kyng, and beare the name of his father, but yet he is my lord, and such a Lord, that sitteth at the right hand of God, and by gods commandement beareth rule ouer all his enemies. For wher as he is a man it is easie to iudge what maner of enemies he hath, euen the deuill & death, as Paule gathereth out of this very psalme.Psal. 110. 1. Cor. 15▪ If the deuill then & death ought to be made a footestoole to this sonne of Dauid, that he might be their Lord: this must nedes folowe, that a godly power is in this sonne of Dauid. For without this vertue he coulde do nothyng against death and the deuill, no more then other men can. By this meanes than doth Christ bringe vsus to the true meaning, declaring the way to euerlasting lyfe. The law is a most profitable & necessary doctrine.The lawe. For it sheweth what we ought to do to please God, & to serue him & to escape y• punishement of sinne. But this doctrine belongeth only to this present lyfe. But for as much as after this life we must come to an other lyfe which is euerlastynge: the doctrine of the lawe preuayleth nothing ther vntounto. The reason is. There can be no hope of lyfe, excepte we be whollie ridde and deliuered frō sinne. And although the law be geuen to this ende, that sinne might be restrained, yet synnes be not therby layde a syde. Wherfore we hauehave nede of an other doctrine aboue the lawe. For syth we can not perfectly fulfill the lawe. The law causeth vsus to hauehave an euil conscience, & to feare gods wroth for our synnes sake. Wherfore this doctrine tendeth to this ende that thou sholdest learne what is Christ, and what he hath done. And nowe this is his voyce, that he is not onelyonly the son of Dauid, as the Iewes beleue, but also Dauids Lord, that is an euerlastinge and verye god. But what dothe he? he putteth asyde from hym the forme of god as Paule sayeth and becommeth a man.Phil▪ … He taketh vponupon hym the deathe of the Crosse. And why so? Uerilye because he is the sonne of god. that is to saye, a sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde. After that he dyed and rosse agayne the thyrde day from death vntounto euerlastinge lyfe,Iohn. 1. and sytteth at the ryghte hande of god. This must we learne and beare awaye as touchinge Christ. For he that holdethe this faste, is safe. He that holdeth it not, shall perishe vnderunder his synnes. The reason is,Rom. 3.….7. we are all synners, and the lawe doth not only not deliuer vsus from oure synnes, but maketh vsus more greuous synners agaynst god, & accuseth vsus before God so that we are in greate daunger and can fynde no wayes to escape by all that we can doe. In sinnes are we conceaued and borne.Psal. 51. and the longer that oure lyfe is, the more do oure synnes encrease. For this burden is put on vsus not as an other burden, which we may put downe & cast of when we will. It cleaueth to our very mary bones, & most secret parts of vsus, & neuer suffereth vsus to be at reast, as we cā not denie this, if we wold cōsider wel, & proue our strēgth. Against this, is this the only remedie, to learne what is Christ. For assone as thou knowest, who he is, and then what he doth, this is the very way to come vntounto saluation. The reason why is this. If thou be a sinner and haste sinned muche againste God, hauehave respecte to this. God sendeth this Christ to suffer for synners & to make satisfaction for synnes. But what should this debte trouble the, whiche that most riche Christe hath taken vponupon hym to pay, yea and hath payd it allredie? wherfore this only remaineth, that thou embrace with true confidence and fayth this death and crosse of Christe.
This can be vnknowen to no man,Deathe▪ that death is dewe to vsus all, and no man can hauehave any hope of a priuilege for the contrarie. When we are dead, we are vndone. We can not helpe our selues. But consider wherof commeth death. Is it not for sinnes sake? Nowe haste thou heard wher thou muste set remission of thy synnes, euen in the death of thy Lorde Iesu Christ. This Christ whan he was deade,Christ Lorde ouer deathe. remained not in death. But he arose frō death to lyfe. And this is a sure profe, yt he is Lord ouer death. Wherfore euen as thou hast remission of syn through hym, so by him thou hast euerlastyng lyfe, in yt he shall rayse thee vp againe thy flesh & bodie in ye last day. And this the true knowing of Christ & to know whose sonne he is, euen ye son of Dauid. For he is a mā: & yet neuertheles ye Lord of Dauid which sitteth at ye right hāde of god, & hath for his footstoole his enemis, sin, death and hel. Wherfore he y• nedeth any helpe against these enemies must not require it of Moses, nor of ye law, nor of his own worke or righteousnes, but let him require it of ye son & Lord of dauid, wheras he shalbe sure to find it. This doth ye idle kind of Phariseies not know. Wherfore they care not for Christ, & are cōtent wt this yt they know out of ye law, how god & the neighbour is to be loued. Wheras yet it is not possible that god shold be knowen (I will not speake of the louelove of him) except Christ be knowen firste. As he saith in Math. 11.Math. 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne,No man can louelove god except he knowethe Christe. & he to whom the son openeth him And this is the cause why Christ by this occasiō moueth this presēt questiō: As though he should saye. This ye know, that god is to be loued. But ye shal neuer louelove god with all your heart, wyth all your soule, with all your mynde, excepte ye knowe Christ well and perceaue who he is. For how can we otherwise knowe, what grace and merciemercy God hath geuen vntounto vsus: This is no smale thinge, that God hath made vsus, and geuen vsus bodie and soule and all thinges. But we vse these thinges but for a litle time in this lyfe.Iohn. 3. Rom. 8. But herein appeareth moste especially the riches and great goodnes and mere mercy of God, wheras he spared not his only begotten sonne, but deliuered hym vntounto the death of ye Crosse for our sinnes, that we should be deliuered from sinne, and obtayne euerlasting lyfe through hym. This is the euerlasting infinite, and incomprehensible louelove and grace, whiche no man can know excepte he know Christ. And therfore he can neuer louelove God truely without Christ.
Wherfore it appeareth hereby, what the Phariseies and Scribes get by their question. Euen this verely, that they are openly conuicted of Christ before them al, that they can talke much of the louelove of God: But they vnderstande not, nor yet perceaue the leaste part therof truely. And wheras they knowe not god whiche hath bestowed so great benefittes and liberalitie vpō them, how shall they louelove their neyghbour, that hath nede of their helpe, and can recompence nothynge for their pouertie? Wherfore let vsus highly esteme this doctrine, and let vsus geue thankes to God with all oure heart, that we are deliuered out of vncredible darkenes vnderunder the Popedome, euen like as the darkenes of the Iewes were here. And we hauehave the pure doctrine of Christ, wherby we do not only knowe howe we ought to be deliuered and saued from sin, but we receaue the holy ghost. Whiche by this doctrine moueth oure mindes so farre, that we may begin to louelove God and our neyghbour. The whiche thing our Lord Iesus Christ graunt vsus. Amen. Amen.