Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 2
The seconde Sonday of Aduent. ¶The Gospell of S. Luke. xxi.
THere shalbe signes in the Sonne and in the Moon, and in the Starres, & in the earth the people shalbe at their wittes ende through despaire. The sea and the water shall roare, and mens heartes shal fayle them for feare, and for lokyng after those things which shall come on the earthe. For the powers of heauen shall moue and than shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloude, with power & great glory. Whē these things begyn to come to passe, then loke vp, and lyft vp youre heades, for youre redemption draweth nye. And he shewed them a similitude: Beholde the fygge tree and al other trees, when they shoote foorth their buddes, ye see and knowe of youre owne selues that Sommer is nye at hand. So lykewise ye also (when ye see these thynges come to passe) be sure that the kyngdome of God is nye. Uerily I say vntounto you, this generation shall not passe, tyll all be fulfylled. Heauen and earth shall passe, but my wordes shall not passe.
THE EXPOSITION.
The signes of God goeth be fore strange & new mutations.THIS maner hath the Lord our GOD vsed alwayes from the beginnyng, when he is about to do any vnwonted thynge, he hath alwais sent before, great and meruailous signes. As when he wold punishe the Egyptians, and deliuer his children, and make him a peculiar people: there were sette foorth before, many great and wonderfull tokens of all kinde of plages. For the frogges, locustes, botches, and suche lyke, dyd greatly hurt the Egyptians, vntill at length all their first borne were slayne in one nyght, and the remnant of the people drowned vp in the red sea. But amonge the Iewes, these thinges were good signes, where as he led them dry foote through the red sea, & drowned their enemies, and giueth Manna, and suche lyke thinges. This was a token that God would worke some new practise with this people, that it shold be a kingdome and common wealthe. This was it also when he woulde punishe the Iewes, and ordeyne a congregation. For when Christe honge vponupon the Crosse, the graues wer opened, and the dead came out, and went into Ierusalem, a strange Eclipse of the Moone chanced, the vayle of the temple was rent. All this dydde signifie some straunge thynge to come, and an abolishing of the old, as experience proued after that, wher as the seruice of the Iewes vanyshed away, & Christe sette vp a newe kyngdome. This had the Iewes lerned often to their owne peryll. Wherfore the Apostles here come to Christe with a question: What sygnes should come before the destruction of Ierusalem, and the ende of the worlde, before the onelyonly and eternall kyngdome of Christ commeth?The apostles asketh of the destruction of Ierusalem, & also of the destruction of the world. Christ answereth as concernynge the destruction of Ierusalem: When ye shall see (sayth he) Ierusalem be sieged wyth an host, then know ye, that her desolation is not farre of. And therefore he counsaileth them to flee vntounto the mountains, for gods wrathe can not then be pacified. After lyke maner he teacheth also as concernynge the last day: When ye shal se signes in the sonne and moon in the starres, and in the sea, in the fluddes, in men, and in heauen: when these thynges (saythe he) begynne to come to passe (for we must not deferre it, vntyll men thynke that all is paste, or make lyght of it, as though suche thynges hath chaunced before) then take good hede, and thynk that there is no time to iest and laugh at these signes. For these signes are certayn, that the last day draweth nygh.Question. And here is a question, what signes these shalbe? and whether they shall fall all together? But this oughte not to bee demaunded. For Christ sayth hym selfe: When this begynneth to come to passe, than must ye looke vp. And therfore I beleue that certayn thyngs, and perchance the most part, shal then come to passe, when that day beginneth to be opened. Wherfore this is sufficient that Christe teacheth, where these signes must be marked and looked for,Where the signes muste be marked. in heauen, in the sonne, moone, and starres, in men, and in the sea. When some of them shalbe sene, ye must not loke, that all shall come to passe. But we muste make vsus redy in season, that we maye be prepared to the receauyng of this day.Signes in the Sonne & Moone. Two maner of signes are sette foorth and shewed in the Sonne and Moone. Fyrste when they hauehave Eclipse. And although this be of a naturall motion (for by art may it wel be knowen before the signe chance.) yet it is a signe, as it is playnely expressed in Mathew. But likewise also may there be signes in the sonne that could not be knowē before, but chaunceth sodeynly before they were perceyued of the prognosticators, or any thing thought vponupon. As the Eclipse at yt time when Christ was on the crosse. For the reason of the art is this, that the Eclipse of the Son is at the coniunction, or at the beginnyng of the Moone. But when it is in the opposition, as it was then, or in an other day of the monethmonth now it is not naturall. wherfore that eclipse was a great signe. And although we hauehave sene no such, yet it may chance sodenly before we loke for it. We also these .xx. yeares hauehave sene many strange things, which all ar counted strange & seldom As that a bough did cōpasse about the sonne of a great bignesse, that the sonne semed so to come downe, that there were more sonnes then one, yet it is very lyke, that some such thing is signified hereby, which we neuer proued, nor saw before. Wherfore we hauehave sygnes sufficient in the sonne, that we nede not to be carelesse, but to looke for the true and healthfull comming of our Lorde.
The other signes that Christ speaketh of,The signes in the sea and waters. are great rorynges and noises of the sea: wheras these thinges neuer chance cōmonly but with great destructiō. For euen as a mā, when naturall death approcheth, is first vexed with sycknes, and beginneth to be diseased with ye feuer, pesti…ence, or with some other disease. All these thynges are tokens that he must leaue this lyfe: so the world also, shal (as a man wold say) waxe sick, so that heauen, the sonne, the Moone, the starres, men, waters, and all thinges maye signify and geue warning by a notable infirmitie and sickenes, and by miserable affliction, before it vtterly perishe. As touching the signes in men,The sygnes in men. I thynke that they are fully declared in our tyme, that the most detestable pope, with his doctrine hath promoted and set forwarde these signes, because the fearefull consciences hauehave bene much vexed, for as muche as they taughte this, that it was a greuous synne, not to go to Confession, not to pray, fast, and here Masse. &c. But in suche vexation, no manne coulde learne howe to rydde hym selfe out therof. For the trewe comforte (that is) the remyssion of synnes throughe Christe, was abolyshed. And there at laste was sette vp a very place of tourment, nowe by thys Satisfaction, now by that. So that I may well beleue, that was the chiefest myserye in the earthe. As in deede I sawe manye, the whyche coulde not byde this tremblyng and dreade, and dydde for very feare and pensiuenes despaire, because they mystrusted that they wer not able to susteyn gods iudgement. For the popes doctrin brought vsus to this opinion, yt we feared Christ as an horrible iudge. And many hauehave bē in that case, that they thought there was no hope of saluatiō to be loked for of Christ for them. And for that cause they prayed to the virgin Mary, that she would bee theyr patronesse, and make intercession for theym to suche a iudge. For no man knew any other thyng, but that Christ was cleane loste. Wherfore there was no other thyng looked for, but that we dyd tremble and quake, when we thought of this Iudge.
Wherfore thynk this, that the greatest part of this signe is past. And I iudge likewise of the celestiall signes, that the lest part of them remaineth. And if thei be not all yet come to passe: yet it may chaunce dayely that they be done. But neuer the lesse we must be nothyng slacke in caryng therfore, that we may be redy to mete at that day, As Christ hereafter dothe exhort vsus so to do. In the ende Christ speaketh also of the other prodigious signe, and sayth: Men shal pyne away for feare, and for the dreadful expectation of these thinges that shall chance to the worlde. Here speaketh he of an other confusion, whiche is excedyng great. And thereof it chaunceth, that men feare the signes of the laste day.A speciall con…usion in men. But suche are not the wycked, & the vngodly, but the godly and timorous. Wherfore they ioyne with the signes the meanyng therof, whiche the wicked doo foolyshely despise, and thynke themselfe wyse in so doynge, because many suche sygnes hath chanced before, and yet the day came not. Wherefore they see these signes dayely, and are not an heare the better, neyther doo they thynke that the thyngs that chance on the last day, are shewed to make them to be ware and circumspect. Suche despisers dothe Christe caste frome hym. For seynge they are so dull harted,The wycked despise the sygnes that they are nothynge moued with the signes, much lesse wyll they care for the woorde and doctrine. But the good, whiche marke these signes, and are moued with them, dothe Christe take to his cure, and comforteth them swetely after this sort: Forasmuch as they confesse Christ, and set by his worde, and wyll not depart from it wyllyngly, or denye it, that they ought not to be afrayde or abashed at the syght of any sygnes, bee they neuer so horrible and dreadefull.The cōmyng of Christ after the signes Then shall they see (sayth Christ) the sonne of man commyng in a clowde with power and great glorye. This magnificence passeth all the triumphes of kynges and emperours. For then shall the ayre be full of angelles and Sainctes, whiche shall shyne more bryghter then the sonne, and Christe shall be in the myddest of them, and with his elect shal geue sentence agaynst the damned, whiche shall stande beneth in the earthe with the dyuell tremblyng and quakyng. Wherfore (sayth Christ) when these thynges begyn to come to passe, loke vp, and lyft vp your heades, be of good chere, and see that ye be mery. For all these thynges must be done. If the worlde muste nedes fall, it must fyrste geue a cracke. For such a great buildyng can not fall, except all thinges therof be fyrst shakē, & pluckt in pieces.These signes are not geuen to terrify the congregation As a man that is nowe at the poynt of death, he wrastleth and rolleth his eyes, mouthe, and all his membres, his face waxeth pale, and all about hym is sene great deformitie. Suche shall be the facion of the worlde, when it shall nowe perishe. But I say vntounto you, be not discoraged in your myndes. Lyfte vp youre heades: for to you it may be a pleasure to behold these thynges.These signes are not geuen to terrifie the congregation And this occasion of ioy is not to be despised, your redemption (saith he) is at hande: yours I meane that beleue, But the other that do not beleue, shalbe condempned. Wherfore they ought to feare,The cause of ioy by these signes. but they do not so. For Christ shall bryng with him both these things, that is, heauen for the beleuers and godly, and hell and damnation for the other. This speaketh Christ to the godly, whiche also shall be afrayde, when the Sonne and Moon shal change their countenances, and the world shall be full of signes.The sainctes also fear these signes, but not deathe. For the Sainctes bee not so stronge, yea Peter and Paule would thynke these signes fearfull, if they were lyuyng. But be strong (saith Christe: there shall be an horrible syght, but it shall not hurt you, it shall hurt the dyuell and the vngodly: but there shall come therof saluation and moste ioyfull redemption to you, whiche ye hauehave desyred so greately, and hauehave prayed, that my kingdom should come, your synnes forgeuen, and you your selues delyuered from all euill. That thyng therfore that ye hauehave prayed for so longe and so hartily, shall nowe be geuen vntounto you. For this is called the day of your redemption. Wherfore this latter day may wel be called the day of damnation and redemption,The last daye the day of dā nation and redemption. the daye of sorowe and ioye, the daye of hell, and of the kyngedome of heauen. As Christ in the .xxiiij. of Mathew sayth: Then shall all the tribes of the earth lament.Myth. 24. We shall not by Gods grace be amongest them: but here wyll we leaue the Pope, the fantasticall spirites, the wrongfull extorcioners, the wicked citizens, the seditious people, & suche other, whiche leaueth no kynde of wronge vndoone, whiche persecute the Gospell, and are the begynners of all these euyls: then shall they smoke for this. But we that are nowe oppressed with theyr myghte, and dare not looke them on the face, whiche wepe and are vexed, shall at that tyme laugh, and see before our faces howe they are dryuen with the dyuell into hell. Wherfore although it shall seme dreadfull vntounto you, be not afrayde, seeke no corners to hyde you in,Christes commyng is terrible, that the oppressed congregation myght be delyuered. whenne these thynges begynne to come to passe. But lyfte vp your heades meryly, and stryue agaynste youre temptation. Remembre that ye woulde hauehave me suche a one. For if ye woulde hauehave me your redemer, fyrste must I oppresse them that hold you captiue: Is it not so? If the robbers had taken thee, and put thee in a castell, and thou heardest that the castell were strongely besieged, thou woldest not care so muche for the cruelnes of thy enemies, but woldest rather reioyce, if thou knewest that this were doone for thy sake, that thou myghtest be delyuered from thy enemies. So thinke ye here also, that it ought not to seme terrible, when the world shall plunge miserably, and greuously be tormented. For this punyshement is not for you, but prouided for them, on whome ye made complaynte. Wherfore take this comynge, as the comyng of youre saluation. For I come not to condemne you to helle, but to delyuer you out of this wycked, frowarde, and corrupte worlde, and to separate you from the dyuell and his garde: and to put you amongest the angels, where ye shall suffer no euyll, but hauehave the fruition of euerlastyng lyfe.
And to this comforte belongeth the goodly similitude of the trees.Christes cō myng is lyke the sprynge. In the spryng (sayth he) when wynter is at an ende, and all the earthe is renewed, when colde departeth, and heate approcheth, and the bare trees begynne to bee greene wyth newe bowghes: no other thynge foloweth hereof: but that the trees bryng foorthe buddes, and after that spreade abroade theyr leaues. Then it is the common saying: Wynter is gone, and goodlye Sommer draweth nyghe: We gladly let wynter depart, and imbrace pleasant Sommer at hys commyng.
Therfore in his similitude of the trees, may we hauehave euident resons, declaring after what maner we ought to loke for this last day. For as after leaues commeth sommer: so when the earth shalbe moued, and the heauens shall tremble, and when the sonne and Moone shall appere mourneful: let these thyngs seme no more dreadfull vntounto vsus, then when the tender leaues crepe forth of the trees, when sommer begynneth to come in. For these sygnes are to vsus euen as the leaues and iuyce of the trees, that we may ioyfully looke for that euerlastyng sommer. For this presente miserable lyfe, is very well compared to bareyn and euil fauored winter. In the whiche all thyng dye and wyther awaye. But these thynges shall then come to their ende, and euerlastynge sommer shall come in theyr stede, that is, the kyngedome of GOD, whereby the kyngdome of the deuyll shall peryshe. Why are there so manye myseries geuen as a punisshement in the earthe? because ye lyue amongest the couetous and wycked, that blaspheme and curse the Gospell, and stirre vp all mischiefe in the worlde. This muste we see and here, and looke daiely for worse. Frome all these thynges will I deliuer you by my commyng, that ye may not be constrayned to behold any longer their wickednes. Wherfore this terrible state of the world doth not com for you, but for your enemies. They hauehave a good cause to be afrayde and sorowfull. But reioyce ye, as godly Loth dyd, whiche sayth Peter dwelt in Sodoma, The figure of the destructiō of Sodome compared to the destructiō of the worlde:and was constreigned with his innocent eyes and eares, to heare and se the detestable synnes, vntill they grew to such fulnesse and ripenesse, that God coulde no lenger refrayne. There came two Angels, whyche ledde godly Loth out of the citie. Surely this thyng was not without a terrible sighte, when the element was horrible wyth clowdes, when thunder was hard, and the clowde wente aparte with a great wydenesse, and brymstone and fyre fell downe by rayne, and the gaspyng of the ground ensued, and swalowed in all thinges. It is not otherwise to be thought, but that Loth was greatly dismayd at these thyngs. But this comfort was at hande, that this horrible and dredful tempest dyd not strike hym, but the Sodomites, whyche beleued not the word of God, but gaue themselues to all kynd of most abhominable lewdnesse, yea and that without al mesure. These must nedes be meruailously troubled at this fyry rayne. But godly Loth behelde this tempest as a pleasant tree in the spryng tyme, that putteth forth his buddes, and beginneth to be grene. For he feeleth and receyueth helpe and mercyfull deliuerance against the wicked. So shall it chaunce to vsus also in the latter daye, if it befall in oure lyfe tyme. It shall seeme a terrible thyng, when heauen and earthe shall burne: and we shalbe changed in a moment and dye. But a christian man must not here take his eyes for iudges, but marke howe Christe doeth expound it. That these flowers and boughes are moste pleasant. So that albeit,The sūme of the doctrine cō cernynge the last day. that the greuous syght of the worlde shall terrifie and abashe reason, yet let the heart truste to the worde of God, that it may not feare that outeward syght, but say: Mystrust not, there is no hurte or damage. This dothe not signifie as Christe sayth, any euyll: but that my redemption and redemer is at hande. Hayle my redemer Christe therfore, and come on as thou art wyshed for, as I hauehave desyred oftentymes, and prayed for, whyle I lyued, that thy kyngdome myght com vntounto me. He that can receyue Christ at his commyng after this maner, shall in a momente be chaunged into that glory, that he may shyne with the sonne for euer. After this sort dooth Christ teache vsus to knowledge truly the last day, that we may lerne how great succour we hauehave therin, and why also we ought to loke for, and feruently to desire his comyng.
The Popes doctrine of Christes cō myng.The Pope preacheth of Christe, that he is a seuere Iudge, and that we must hauehave healpe before hym by our good woorkes, and that the Intercession of saintes are to be hadde, yf any manne wyll be sure from damnation. For so hath he put it foorthe in picture, howe Christe commeth to iudgement, and howe he holdeth a swoorde and a rodde in his mouthe, whiche bothe are signes of wroth. And where as Mary and Iohn standeth on bothe sydes, it shewethe, that the prayers and intercessions of them, and of other suche good Sainctes, muste be soughte for and trusted in. As the good father Bernard persuaded hymself, that when the mother sheweth her pappes to the Sonne, that he can not denye her any thyng. Whiche was an euident proofe, that Christe should come lyke a seuere Iudge. But in this Gospell he teacheth vsus otherwyse, that is, that he shall not come to iudge and condemne vsus, but to deliuer & redeme vsus, and that he wil graunt in dede that that we praied for, and bring vsus to his kingdom. And as for other that beleue not in him and vexe the Christians with railyng and reuilyng, he will by his sharpe sentence punishe greuouslye. Thys (saieth he) beleue ye onelyonly, and looke for my cōmynge ioyfully: for it shalbe to your welthe, that ye may be saued by me for euer, from synne, deuyll, deathe, hell, and the worlde. This is a greate comforte. But in thys place one thyng remayneth,The daye of Iudgemente shall come sodeynly. wherby the fearefull consciences are troubled. For Christ saieth, that that daye shall come vnloked for. So that it shal chance likewise to men as it chanceth to byrdes, which flee in the mornyng hungry out of the woddes, to fynde meat somwhere, suspectyng no euyll, bycause they were not deceiued of their hope in that place before, and sodeinly they are wrapped in the nettes, taken, and killed. But thei that feare God wil take hede therof. And because they proue by dayly exaumples howe soone they that stande, fall: they are weake hearted, and soone ouerthrowen. For they thynke it vncertayne, what shall become of them to morowe. Perchance the houre wil come, when thou shalt be most vnready, and dydst not see it before: orels thou shalt be entangled with this or that sinne. Then art thou vndone, and this ioyfull day shalbe chaunged into mourninge.
In this doubt Christ leaueth vsus not comfortlesse,What is to be done▪ that the day of iudgement be not sodayn vntounto vsus? but teacheth christen men, howe they shall bee rydde from this pensifenes, and sayth: See that your heart be not ouerladen with surfet & dronkennes, and with the cares of this lyfe, least this daye oppresse you vnwares. But watche at all tymes, and praye, that ye maye bee founde woorthye to escape these thynges, which shall chance, and stand before the sonne of man. This is an excellent and a necessary doctrine, whiche ought neuer to fall out of our myndes. Christ geueth here no iniunction, to forbear meat and drink wholly, neither as the Pope dothe, commandeth to cast away all thynges, to lyue oute of the worldes trouble. God doeth not disalowe the vse of meate and drynke: neyther is it vngodly to prouide thyngs necessary for our household. For God for this cause made vsus to worke. But take hede of this, that your hartes be not opprest with these things so much, that ye forget my cōmyng. but watche,Watche. that is: loke that at all times ye wayt, and be armed with the feare of God, and with a good conscience.Prayer. Do this fyrst: Then ioyn herewith prayer, that your temptations and hard combrances may be escaped, and that ye may stande before the sonne of man. As it is comprised in the two last petitiōs of the Lordes prayer: Leade vsus not into temptation, but deliuer vsus from all yll. If ye do so, there wil be no peril, whether this daye come when we be suppyng or sleaping: whether we be in the churche, or in the market place, it is all one: for it shall fynd vsus in the feare and protection of God.
But in this place it is to be noted, that God can not well be prayde vntounto, neyther can the prayer bee true, when a man careth not to leaue certayn vices, and to amende his lyfe. Wherefore to true prayer is required true repentance, and that no man sinne wittingly, & so hynder his conscience.Repentance. After that let vsus call vponupon God for mercy, in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ, that he will kepe vsus in true feare of him: and by the holye ghost helpe vsus agaynst synne, and preserue vsus in true fayth vntounto the ende, that we may ioyfully looke after this helthfull daie, and that we receaue Iesu Christe as our Sauior with all confidence. Such prayer thorough Christ is heard without doubt. Wherfore let vsus folowe this counsell and precepte, and on this wyse prepare oure selues to the expectation of this daye. The whiche thyng our lord and redemer Iesu Christe graunt vsus. Amen.