Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 18
The fyfte Sonday after twelfth daye, Upon the Gospel, Math. xiii.
THe kingdome of heauen is lyke vntounto a man whiche sowed good seede in his field: but whyle men slept, his enemye came, and sowed tares amonge the wheate, and went his waye. But when the blade was spronge vp, & had brought forth fruite, then appeared the tares also. So the seruauntes of the housholder came, and sayde vntounto him: Sir, didst not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde? from whēce then hath it tares? He said vntounto them: The enuious man hath done this. The seruauntes sayde vntounto him: Wilt thou then that we go and wede them vp? But he said: Nay, left whyle ye gather vp the tares, ye plucke vp also the wheate with thē: let both growe together vntil the haruest, and in the tyme of haruest, I will say to the reapers: Gather ye first the tares, and bynde them together in sheaues to be brent, but gather the wheate into my barne.
THE EXPOSITION.
IT appeareth that this Gospell in tymes paste was very easye to vnderstād,The expounding of this doctrin is diuers. & specially bycause Christ him self setteth forth the meaninge of yt parable, as concerning the field, the sower, the corrupter, ye good seed & the tares. &c. But this difficultie & hardnes afterward sprange in this Gospel yt was so playn, by the doctors not agreing together herein, so that we must take ye more diligēt hede, leaste ye true sentēce shold be takē from vsus. Some say, that tares signifie heresies, & therby gather that it belōgeth not to ye ciuill powers to punishe heretikes. Of the which opinion Augustin graunteth hym selfe to hauehave ben. But he sayeth that he was constrained by sure reasons and by experience it selfe, to yeld vp this opinion. Some make no differēce betwene a ciuil officer, and seruaunts of this housholder, and expounde tares to signifie common offences, and so conclude that a Christian officer ought not to be iudge in matters of life and death. Ther be some (of the whiche sorte is the Pope and his adherentes,) that while they regarde not that Christ forbiddeth to plucke vp the tares, by their owne Iudgement pronounceth the doctrine, of the gospel to be tares, and therfore they neuer cease to moue persecution againste the gospell & the professors therof by murderinge and kylling them. Wherfore seing the meaninge is so diuers, first muste we inquire and entreat of the true meaning, and than of the common question, what ought to be done with heretikes.
How the parable is to be applied.And as touching the true meaning, this it is. Christ putteth forth generallie the parable of the kyngdom of heauen, & in a maner declareth the fashion of ye church, shewing and geuing an example, on the which al godly men, and especiallie the rulers of the congregation, ought to hauehave their eyes attent, lest they sholde by their owne imaginations swarne and turne to a contrarie kyngdome, and dreame of vndefiled felowshippes of sainctes in earth. For this worde, Kyngdome of Heauē, semeth to receaue no kynde of mans filthines. For it maketh with reason, that nothing ought to be receaued into an holy place but holy thinges. As God suffered not man defiled with syn, to be in an holy place, yea for this cause he forthwith repelled Lucifer with all his, from hym. Wherfore this is the nature of the kingdome of heauen: As the sea can suffer no dead carcase in it: so no vncleane thinge, that is defyled with syn, can be abidyng in the kyngdome of God. This is one consideration of the kyngdome of God. But this gospel entreateth not especially herof. For the condition of this kyngdome is vnpossible for sinners.
An other kyngdome of GOD, The kyngdō of heauen or the churche in the earth.or of heauen in earth is reuealed by the sonne of God, That, GOD wolde hauehave to be suche, that in it might be set vp the horne of saluation and rightuousnes for synners. In this hath synners an interest and right, and are receaued into it for their synnes. There riseth in this kyngdome holines and iustice,1. Cor. 1. whiche is remission of synnes, through Christe, whiche is the wisedome, rightousnes and satisfyinge. And these thinges are not belonginge to determinat tymes or prescriptions, concerninge this or that person. For God will hauehave at no time that the waye to repent should be taken & stopped from synners, & there are no other thynges which are more necessarie for the executynge of this matter: than the synner comminge to the remission of sinnes. It is not demaunded when and of what kynde his sinnes were done or be: If he can but prouide for one thing, euen yt he surely beleue yt his sinnes are forgeuen for Christes sake, & that he neuer counted gods mercy to be lesse then that it can be sufficiente to pardon his sinnes. This strange kyngdome doth God set vp in the gospell of his sonne, and appointeth a certaine tyme to the administration therof, whiche is from the first vttering and reuelie of hym, vntil Christ come to iudge both the quicke and the dead, and now Christ wheras he compareth the kyngdome of gods saluatiō & mercy which is only necessary for synners, with the capacitie of the worlde, in the which the dyuel that cā neuer be fauorable to ye kingdō of God, seketh diuers occasions to fulfill his will. He forseeth in his mynde great offences to come, which by wickednes shall ryse in this kingdō of Gods merciemercy. For the word of God taketh roote in very fewe,The nature of true Christiās and this few esteminge the grace of God truely, embrace it with a true faith, & are renewed with ye holy ghoste, which alway moueth thē to hauehave faith thorough Christ in Gods merciemercy, and to performe such obediēce as is mete for them yt are new borne, & to praye & waight alway for certaine ayde for Christes sake, Al ye other multitude, although they wil be lothe to be named forsakers of their Christian professiō, & to be counted out of Gods kingdom, goeth to yt professiō in word: but for as much as they be void of righteousnes, & wtout ye holy Ghoste: therfore they are subiect to the diuels power to worke with them as he shal see occasiō. For yt dyuel settethe forth his hipocrisie meruailously by thē, wheras part beareth the name of the Church, but yet is it voyde of Gods grace & without the holy Ghost, and therfore it sheweth foorth no work of godlynes by any vpright holy and sober lyfe. An other part ther is which is cōtente to hauehave certaine enormities & errours corrected, whiche seeme contrarie to reason and vnprofitable for the cōmon welth. But yet they so order the matter, that they wreste Gods lawes to the maintenance of mannes inuentions, where as they should rather examine all mennes lawes by the rule of Gods worde. And herof sprang diuers heresies of the Arrians, Macedonians, Donatistes, Nouatians, Nestorians, and such other. For al these endeuored to make the heauenly doctrine to seme agreable to mans reason and iudgement. And all this they dyd bycause they knew not God and his kingdom: vntill at the laste the great aduersarie of his heauenly kingdome by the Byshoppe of Rome corrupted the pure sowen word of God by all kind of tares, which fell to so great wickednes, that he vsurped his false power ouer this kingdom, labouring to hauehave it in his daunger by his wicked Canons, Decrees and Decretalles.
And who can now expresse with any words the great corruption and hurt that it hath wrought in the Lordes felde? But we go not about now to shew the great hurt and damage that is done by him? But this is my studie to make the true face & forme of the Churche to be knowen,There must nedes be sectes in the Church amonge so many seducinge sectes, that the true Church may perceaue that (as long as it is in this feld, that is, in the world) it must of necessitie lyue amōge so many deadly sectes and heresies. For there be very many that will by no meanes suffer them selues to be counted out of this kingdome, and yet there be very few that are true hearted subiectes of this kingdome. And all the rest professe them selues so to be in words only. But they declare partly by their dedes and kynde of lyuinge, and partly by their doctrine and opinions, that they know not what belongeth to this kingdome, neither what are the true vertues and workes therof. But the sayntes and godly can not abyde and suffer this so great goodnes of GOD to be abused. But they ought here not so muche to care for the satisfyinge of there oune will & minde in seing to the glorie of God after this maner, but to marke rather to what ende this their ways shall come at the laste. For assone as the church beginneth to seclude from Gods kingdom all abusers of gods grace as vnworthy synners, and receaueth them for righteous, in whome is no suche kynd of vice espied, it abolished the kyngdome of gods grace and merciemercy. And by this meanes the Nouatiās and the Anabaptistes at our time also fell into this errour, that whilest they, before time goe about to pluke vp the tares from the corne: of Christianitie they make a monkrie, and so take away the kyngdome of gods grace. Neither were ye first monkes yt were most vncorrupt, circumspecte and warie ynough in this behalf. For when they went into solitarie places and into wildernes, for the auoidyng of many offences and euilles that chaunce amongest the ecclesiasticall ministers in the congregations of the citie, they began by a litle and a litle to be the maintainers of this lewed opiniō: as though that they were the true children of God, that all other that in ciuil corporations did gouerne either families, or ruled the cities & towns lyued in a prophane, vnholie and ley kynde of liuing, wheras neuer the lesse true godlines requireth no suche thing.
But the truth is this. First it behoueth all men to know the kyngdome of the grace of God, that he may knowe that he obtayneth merciemercy and remission of his synnes for Christes sake. And so after this let eueryevery man liue in ye euil felowshippes of men, let thē gouern housholdes, or communalties or let them be seruaunts and laborers in families, or subiectes and citisens in cities, & let eueryevery man for his owne part doe his owne duetie. The psalme admonisheth vsus of this superstitiō biddynge vsus to beware of it.Psalm. 35. The psalme agreeth with the meaninge of the parable. Trust in the Lord & doe good, dwell in the lande, and he shall fede thee in the riches therof. Here he forbiddeth vsus to be careful for pluckyng vp the tares, wheras he commaūdeth to inhabite the earth, either as rulers of families or gouerners of cities. For true godlines can be had by no other meanes than by this, least out of the kyngdome of Gods merciemercy ther shold spring monkry and other new inuented seruice. And yet the churche of God can not be, but it must nedes know the difference of the corne and tares. It knoweth for a suertie, that he can not liue in the kingdome of God, but throughe faith in Christ & in the holie gost, wher by man is newe borne and regenerate, man is sanctified and renewed to be made obedient to God. And yet least it should ouerthrowe this kingdome of grace, it suffereth long after the example of God, stablishinge his owne minde and conscience in the midle of so great temptations, that it be not seduced. Neither doth it loke for any helpe or succoure by flitting and by auoydyng of mennes company by going a side into wildernes. and into a cloister of a monkrie or nonrie, but it vseth circumspection and iugement, that it fall not into like euilles.
In this parable therfore are both these lessons set forth to be learned of the churche. First it must thinke it self to be in the kingdome of God, the lawes & condition wherof verie fewe do know and folowe at all times. For albeit it be the kyngdome of grace, wherunto all sinners ought most desirously to flee, yet the diuel by ye helpe of our fleshe, whiche is alwaies fauorable to his part: can doe so muche, that he euen in the middest of Gods holy people & cōgregations, thrusteth in a great heape of hypocrites. Now whē the church perceaueth that within it selfe in all her matters there is suche great offences, it must not violentlie resiste it, but defend and saue it self warelie against these offences. For For although these offences be euident, yet the state of this kingdome is suche that it can not by force and violence remedie these offences, after a ciuil & worldly maner.The offences in the Church may not be remedied by force after the ciuill maner. The state and maner of this kingdome must be kept. Whiche is this, euen that the doctrine of the Gospell be purelie set forth as touching remission of synne, and that men be wel instructed as concerning how they must be renued by the holy Ghost. And that merciemercy and forgeuenes be pronounced to suche as diligently in their vocation do the works of Godly louelove. This doctrine ought at no tyme to be omitted, be the carnall and wordly men neuer so much offended therby. Yet the feare of offending them must not be an occasion to vsus to ouerthrowe this kingdom.
Let vsus consider the example of the Mounkes and Bishop of Rome, whiche whyle they went about to auoyde such offences and seducinges as chance in this common lyfe, brought in more greuouse occasions to offende, where as they chaunged true religion into ceremonies, rites, and obseruatiōs. They vtterly abolished the kingdom of merciemercy and grace. And this is now also the very practice of ye diuel, for that he slaundereth the professers of the Gospell, bycause there be many offences and euill examples amongest them. For we can not denye, but suche offensiue examples be in many hypocrites, which boaste of Gods merciemercy and grace: and yet by their licentiouse liuinge and maners, by their aduoutrie, extortiō, vsurie, sensual lustes and many other vices, declare that they regard not the grace of God truely. But what remedie? we are forth with tempted to plucke vp the tares, and to seke such a separation of the euil from the good, that in the meane season, we corrupte the heauenly doctrine as touching the grace of God and remission of synnes. But if we be wise, we wil not suffer oure selues to be withdrawen from doing oure duetie by their importunite, and outragiouse behauioure. For it is muche better to resiste and striue with the wicked examples of their lyfe and maners by doing the contrarie, and so to preserue this doctrine of merciemercy and grace, then to correcte and plucke it vp violently, and so by that and examples of the Mounkes and Nouatians to flee from Scylla, and to fall into Charybdis, that is, for auoiding of the lesse daunger to fall into the greater. And especially syth ye nature of this kingdom is such, that it can not vterly auoyde all offences, bycause such muste be for the maintenance of this necessarie doctrine of grace. Wherfore where as the Papistes now lay to oure charge the frutes of oure Gospell, what other thing meane they therby, than that this kyngdom should be without all offences and euill examples? But we may iustly lay this to their charge again that where as they go about by the Mounkerye and other traditions of theirs to make this kingdom without offences, they are fallen into such errour and blyndnes therby, that they hauehave cleane loste all the doctrine of iustification and godly righteousnes and all the workes of true godlines also.
If therfore it should be put to oure choyce, whiche of these discommodities we had rather hauehave,In punishinge offences we ought to hauehave chief respecte to the doctryne of merciemercy and grace. whether of them both should we rather take? Uerily all wold graunt this, that for as muche as this kingdom can not be without offences, yet yt it were better to chose that offence, where with neuerthelesse the kingdom might be sumwhat vpholden, than that, wherby the kingdom should quite be destroyed without hope of recoueryng, & wherby the doctrine and true godlines should vtterlie decay & perishe, as it chanced amongest the papistes and monkes. And the doctrine and meaning of this parable of Christ was put forth to thende that aboue all thinges we might hauehave good respect to know the maner of gods kingdome, and not be offended with suche inconueniences as chaunce alwayes, in ye wordle vntounto it. For wheras it offereth free remission of sinnes to sinners, fyrste it cometh herby to passe, that many hypocrites, come to the felowshippe of this kingdome. Then also som men laboringe to remedie this discōmoditie finde out a meanes to make a ciuil separatiō, that they may falsly boste of the grace of God, and yet not be in the felowship with thē that vse it well. But Christ sheweth what greate damage ensueth therby, euen that by this separatiō they plucke vp the good corne also. For the doctrine of grace is pluckt vp by mens traditions whiche were inuented to make this separation. So that nowe the churche is brought to suche a miserable and vnscapable case, that where as before the members were in perill, now the hed is like to decay. Wherfore we muste folowe Christes councel which byddeth vsus to suffer the tares, and not to be so precise in pluckyng them vp, least we by oure vndiscrete diligence ouerthrowe the gouernaunce of this kyngdome as touchyng remission of sinnes.
Nowe must we vse this kyngdome, that many by remission of sinne may be forgeuen: If ther be any as ther be many, that had rather be sene to be in this kingdome of grace then to be true members therof in dede, what can we do therwith, if they will nedes misuse the gyfte of God? But if we shoulde be so extreme against them, that for their sake we would vse violēce and force in this kyngdome, what shall we get therby, than that (as we see in the examples before) while we go about to seperat the wycked for their abusynge of Goddes grace, we vtterlye subuerte the kyngdome of Grace?
Wherfore let vsus leue this to be done of the angels,The Angels shall make a separation whā gods kyngdō of mercy is come to an ende. that they may sunder the euill from the good. For after that shal the kyngdom of grace be no lenger amōg sinners. EueryEvery man then shall receaue accordynge to his workes. Ther shal be no such peril than, as is now, wher as if the grace of the gospel and of the kyngdom of heauen shoulde be taken away by pluckynge vp of the tares before the appearinge of the sonne of God: then the greatest yea and the onelyonly refuge for sinners might seme to be disturbed and taken awaye. And at this separation by the Angels, it shall not nede to inquire whether there are any more lefte to be called to saluation? But it shalbe cōsidered who hath vsed well this kyngdom of cōfort & hath ben true mēbers therof in dede, & who hath ben subiectes ther vntounto by name only, & yet in very dede had neuer any true felowship therwith. And this hauehave we spoken as touchinge the true meanyng of this parable.
After this we will intreat not onlye what must be done with heretikes, but vniuersally, what they yt hath offices to correcte offēces ought to do with al kynd of offenders, & whether it is ment by this saying: Let thē grow:A question as touchinge punishyng of heretikes and ther offēces. that no kynd of offence either in life or in doctrine, shold be punished & restrained? we hauehave declared before what is Christs especial entent by this parable. Euen that by the vndiscrete vsage of men, the kyngdome of heauē shold not be hindred. Now such things as by Gods commandement are ordeyned for the furtherance of this kingdom, ought not to be thought cō trarie to the same. And fyrst to begin at the principall matter,Excommunication. the excommunication vsed in the Churche is not against this parable. For it is so necessary for the preseruation therof that without it, merciemercy, remission of synne and the pure doctrine, therof can not be retayned, for as by absolution Gods grace must be applied to the penitent, so by byndinge must Gods wrathe & curse be applied to the vnpenitēt.2. Cor. 13. Paule hym self saith that power of binding was geuen to hym not to destroy, but to edifie. Wherfore they that are excommunicat, are not destroyd. Fyrst of all we ought to hauehave singular respecte to the maintenance of the ecclesiasticall body or Church. For then is that most in hasard, if these things that are ordeyned of God, to bring men to repentance and saluation, be not openly suffred to be vsed against them that are vnpenitent. Wherfore if the Church shold either for superstitiō or for a vayne ostentatiō of mercifulnes omit this authoritie of byndinge and excommunicatinge the vnpenitent, and not punishe very sharplie suche offenders, and so saue it self holy and vndefiled, and not suffer a litle leauen to corrupte ye whole dowe, it were greatly to be blamed. Consider also that this is not donne to destroy them that are excommunicat and excluded from the cōmunion and felowship of saintes. For herby are they put to shame to the entent they should amend and obtaine saluation with ye Church in Gods kingdō. Or if they wold not amēd at all, it may appeare that ye Churche is not in the faulte, whiche dyd the same for feare lest it also should be defyled and destroyd, by sufferinge the wicked to intermedell with holye thinges.
Wherfore the Church doth as it is commanded for a good cause excommunicat the stubbourne synners. Neither do they violat and breake CHRISTES commandement, which forbad the tares to be pluckt vp. For Christ hym self commanded, saying: Let hym be as an Ethnicke and Publicane.Math. 18. And yet is he not against his owne cōmandement, where as he forbad the tares to be pluckt vp: As it is euidēt by the former description. For excommunication hyndreth not the principall entent of Christ: it is not against the doctrine of his grace, but rather for ye maintenance therof, where as it casteth out them that behaue them selues disorderedly in the kyngdom of heauen, to the entent they may the beter come to them selues, and retourne again obediently, or if they wil not, to be vtterly caste out of this kingdom with the lesse daunger: where as otherwyse they should heape together more greuous offences by defilinge and prophaninge the holy company of saintes, and the Church also for her negligent regardīge her vndefiled holines should prouoke Gods hyghe displeasure and wrathe.
Now al other restrayninge of offences is amōgest the magistrates and officers,What offēces are to be punished by magistrates. they are bound diligētly to see therevnto, lykewyse fathers and mothers are gouerners of families, all informers of other in manners and learninge. These are not forbydden by this commandement of CHRIST to execute their office,Magistrates. but they are rather strayghtly commaunded and charged to do them. And as touching their iurisdiction power and gouernance: they exercise it not in the kingdom of heauen. They exacte not certaine offices and rites to be donne, whiche thing belongeth to the kyngdom of grace: But they hauehave the regimēt of that kyngdom, that belongeth to the body and bodilie thinges, to ciuill maners, office, order, humanitie, honestie, they firste procure that the bodie and bodelie thinges may be in safegard, that therby the soules and spiritual thynges maye be the better gouerned. And the magistrate maintaineth not onlie the second table, as touchynge the duetie towardes men, but also the firste, as concernynge our duetie towardes God. He punisheth Idolatrie, blasphemie, wytchcraftes, periurie. He punisheth & restraineth heretikes,Magistrates may lawfully punishe teachers of false doctrine. that are blasphemous against God, & such as teache false doctrine. He taketh to his correction them that are stiffe in defendinge of heresie and errors, and punisheth them for malefactors, bycause they seduce many from the truth. And when he doth this, he is not thought to plucke vp the tares, for bycause he and his office is not belongynge to that kyngdom whiche is forbid to plucke vp the tares. It were a superfluous thing to commande or teach that lesson to gouerners of housholdes or to ciuil officers or such other. For they hauehave all their charges geuen vntounto them, which they must nedes execute in their offices wt all diligence, and yet they plucke not vp the tares, for that they hynder not the kyngdome of grace: but cause rather by their order & discipline, the kyngdom of grace to be in better case & to be troubled wt fewe offences.
All officers shold se diligently to quiet and tranquillitie to be had both in house and citie, that the church & the kyngdome of heauen, might liue a quiet and a peaceable life, with all godlines and grauitie, in prayers & supplications, with thankes geuing and intercessions. For to thend that this kyngdome of prayer & true inuocation, which is called of Christ the kyngdom of heauen, might be reserued amōg men, it is very necessarie that parents & maiestrates see straightly to their offices. Wherfore magistrates and officers of this corporall lyfe do not plucke vp the tares againste the commandement of Christe, when they by sharp & straight correction and execution do withstand these offences that disordre the common welth: But they do the best that they can to see and prouide, that the good corne in the congregation be not ouercome with tares, & so the kyngdome of heauē shold vtterly be abolished in earth.
And this hauehave I sayd as touchynge the true meaning of this parable, least it shold by euil vnderstāding therof cause men through superstitiō to abstaine from doinge certaine offices necessarie in the cōmon welth. Now to declare at large what an haynouse thing it is that Christe here describeth, howe the ennemie in the night sowed his most pestilent tares, and howe the byshoppes and superattendēts by their sleping & sluggyshnes gaue hym occasion and leaue so to do, it were a long matter and not fyt to be handled in so shorte a tyme: but at this time I thinke sufficient for me to hauehave enstructed you as touching the true meanyng of this parable. And to thend that ye may earnestlye regarde it, euen as Christe would we shold, when he put forth this parable of the tares, let vsus pray vntounto our heuenly father as for a thyng most necessary, to whome be praise and glory for euer. Amen.