Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 20
The Sonday called Sexagesima. ¶The Gospell. Luke. viii.
WHen muche people were gathered together, and were come to him out of al Cities, he spake by a similitude. The sower went out to sow his sede, and as he sowed, some felle by the waye side, and it was troden downe, and the foules of the ayre deuoured it vp. And some fell on stones, and assone as it was spronge vp, it wythered away, because it lacked moystnesse. And some felle amonge thornes, and the thornes sprang vp with it, and choked it. And som fell on good ground, and sprang vp, & bare fruict an hundreth folde. And as he saide these thynges, he cried: He that hath eares to heare, let hym heare. And his disciples asked him, sayinge: What maner of similitude is this? And he said: Unto you it is geuen to knowe the secretes of the kyngdome of God, but to other by parables, that when they see, they should not see, and when they heare, they shoulde not vnderstand. The parable is this. The sede is the words of God. Those that are besyde the waie, are they that heare then commeth the deuyll and taketh away the worde out of their heartes, least they should beleue, and be saued. They on the stones are they, whiche when they heare, receyue the worde with ioy, and these hauehave no rootes, which for a while beleue, and in tyme of temptation go awaie. And that whiche fell amonge thornes, are they, whiche when they hauehave hearde, go foorthe and are choked with cares and richesse, and voluptuous lyuyng, and brynge foorth no fruite. That whiche fell in the good ground, are they, which with a pure and good heart heare the worde, & kepe it, and bryng foorth fruite through pacience.
THE EXPOSITION.
IN this Gospell are put foorth fower kynd of disciples, that heare the word of God, to thend that eueryevery man shold cōsider with himselfe, of what sort he him self is of, and endeuour with all diligence to be made a part of that good ground and soile,Fower maner of disciples. that he maye bee fruictfull. The first (saith Christ) be as the sede cast by the hie way: and that can bring forth no fruict. For because it is either trode vnderunder foote, or deuoured of birdes. The second are they that heare and professe it not onelyonly in worde, but beleueth, & so groweth as though it wold bryng forth fruict, as that doth that is sowed amongest stones, but yet they can not abyde heate, for that they can not deepely caste their rootes, and so by iuyce and moysture saue them selues agaynste heate. Wherfore they, when there cometh any tempestuous persecution and temptation, wyther away before they yelde fruict in pacience, long suffering and hope. The third sort at most easiest to be knowen. They are christians, and as a man would saye, sede vnderunder thornes, which although it bringeth forth blade, yet before haruest, it is ouergrowen of thornes and choked vp. But the fourth ar true disciples, whē a pure mynd is ioyned with the word, & is not cast out therof vntil it bring forth fruict in paciēce. For they suffer all things for the wordes sake, their study is wholly to louelove & obey God, & yeldeth fruict a thousand fold. And these ar the foure sortes of mē yt hear the gospel. Now let eueryevery mā search himself, & cōsider of which sort he is of. For thre of them be naught & vnfruictful. And specially the first are worst of all, which heare the word, & when it is herd (saith Christ) the diuel cōmeth, & taketh ye word out of their heartes, yt they may not beleue, & be saued. Marke this wel. For by myne owne iudgement, I wold neuer hauehave thought yt the herts whilest thei hear the word of God,The deuyl is the cause that men remēber not the word and doctrine. ar besieged & assaulted of the diuel, & that though they here it, yet litle regard it, neuer remē ber it, but vtterly forget it. It semeth to our resō, to be but a chaūce, yt these mē are so careles, light, & negligēt enē as it is a natural vice of negligēt & forgetfull persons, to take litle hede to things yt ar most profitable & necessary. And it semeth also to be a like matter to our iudgemēt, whē the word of God is heard & not regarded but forthwith forgottē. But Christ iudgeth other wise, euē yt the diuel stealeth the word out of the herts of mē. And here ye se, what ye ought to iudge of those men, yt ar forgetful when they here the word. For thei behaue themselues so afterwarde as though they had neuer heard it. They can not trust yt they hauehave the holy ghost, for the deuil is so nigh thē, yt he putteth his hand into their heart, & stealeth out the worde. Wherfore all kind of vice must nedes ensue therof, stubbornesse, disobedience, vnfaithfulnes, iniquitie, filthines, & diuelish desire to reuenge. For if the word remained still in the heart, & they had herd it attentiuely, it wold hauehave garnished their heartes with true obedience, faith, modestie, merciemercy, & such lyke vertues. And these are the first & worst of al. Christ is not a littell offended with these vntoward persons, and therfore he rebuketh none so sharply as them. For this he opēly affirmeth, yt the dyuels flying in the aire, steale the word out of their hertes, yt they may not regard it, nor set so much by it, nor thinke it to be so great a faulte, if men lightly esteme the voyce of Gods worde. But if thou wilte knowe, how this trespas is to be iudged, heare the iudgement of Christ, which without doubt vnderstandeth better thā al the wisedom of the world can. And he saith precisely yt the diuel doth it. wherfore, whersoeuer any such be, that here the word, & yet ar no more moued therby then blocks, as we se the plaine experiēce herof by the examples of the couetous byers and sellers of husbandmen and townes men, and especially of our aduersaries the Papistes, which regarde the doctrine of the gospell no more than the wolfe dothe the lambe: Thinke here verilye that the diuell dwelleth in their hearts and swaloweth vp al the word of God that cō meth therein, yt they may not beleue & be saued. For if the diuel wer not present, or if this forgetfulnes, came of nature (as we se yt one man hath a better remēbrāce & memory then an other) yet the ferue…t desyre & losse of it, would constrayn hym to thynk this: How miesrable am I, that I can not remember muche? O Lord bee mercyfulle to me, and fashion thou my mynde, that I may regard and marke these thynges, whiche are set foorth vntounto me in thy Gospel. With such as on this wise thirst after the worde, and embrace it with their full wyl, the deuil can not preuaile. For this hartie desyre and the deuyll can not abyde together. But these forsayde persones, that are described of Christe, care not a iote when Gods word is sente vntounto them. No they thynke it not so muche worthe as is a lytle gaynes or lucre. Lette no man thynke otherwise, but that these men are in the deuils power. And verily the greatest part of men ar of this sort: they here the word and regard it not, because the deuill plucketh it out of their heartes.
The other two sorts ar not so wicked, but ar weake they despise not to be instructed, they begyn well, and are delighted therwith. Wherfore Christ doth not here say, that they are so farre in the diuels daunger, as the fyrst are, although neuerthelesse, there appeareth not in them the true fruites of godlynes, that should therof consequently succede. And first ar they of both, that in tyme of persecution & temptation forsake ye worde. Which after the maner of corrupt fruicte, as long as they are not shaken with the wynde, abyde in their place with the other: but as soone as a tempest ryseth & shaketh the tree, they fall of one after an other: So they also accordyng to Christes wordes, for a tyme beleue: but when they see the crosse commyng, they can not abyde that terrour, and they seke how to be out of danger as the multitude dothe. So that here can not folow the fruite of euerlasting life, nor any other good fruict that springeth of the worde and faith.
The thyrd be they, that for louelove of worldly riches & pleasures regard not the worde. For he that is geuen to worldly cares, seketh, sercheth, scrapeth togither, & bestoweth all labour that he can, to get hym store of riches. This man ouerladeth his heart, as Christ saith in Luke, and so it cometh to passe, that the fruicte of godlynesse is choked vp,Luc. 21. euen as the corn is with thornes. Substance must be gotten by labour, and eueryevery man acording to his vocation, is boūd therin to shew industrie and diligence as God hath cōmanded.Gen. 3. But when al the mynd & care is bent, & al thy heart wholly addict & geuē to such kynd of study & care, that almost thou studiest nothyng els: this is that mischief of thornes yt presseth down Gods word, that it cannot grow vp to bring forth fruit. For it is not studied as it shold be, but other things are alwais set more by then it.
And these are the thre sortes, in whom Gods word taketh no place, neither can it bryng forth in them the feare of euerlastyng lyfe: which thing is not to be coū ted any small losse. Wherfore Christ exhorteth all that heare, & saith: Se that ye geue good eare. For to him that hath, shalbe geuen, and to hym that hath not, shall that also be taken from hym, that he thinketh that he hath. By these wordes it appereth, that he speaketh of no light matters. For it is no litle daunger thus to neglect and contemne ye word:Howe dangerous a rhynge it, is lyghtly … regarde Gods worde. As when a mā doth this deuise with hymselfe: I wyl without cessyng vse my customable trade in bargainyng, in occupying, in gaynyng, in winnyng, in takyng my pleasure, in folowing my heartes lust, and in dissemblyng what I thynk of gods truthe and worde: I shall hauehave tyme sufficient to heare it, and to lyue accordingly therunto hereafter when I shal hauehave more leisure to take ye fruition of my goodes. But take diligent hede, that thou be not preuented in making thyne accompt. Thou knowest not how long thou hast to liue, neither whether thou shalt euer again hauehave such oportunitie & occasiō to heare it, neither what chāce god shal sēd the. And al this deuise is to thyne owne peril & danger only. Al thy craft shal turne to no mans hurt but to thyne owne. Wherfore heare Christ when he warneth thee: He that hath eares to heare, let hym hear. By the which saying he meaneth that we shold not in this busines prolong, lynger, and delaye the tyme, as it is the maner of vsus all. Begynne nowe (sayth he) whyle thou hearest, to study for this, that death may not come out of season.
Wherfore let vsus so order our selues, that we maye be in the fowerth sort, although it be small. Let vsus by prayer and diligence so prouide, that our mynde be not sinistrall and vntoward. Let vsus regarde the worde of God, and kepe it, and bryng forth good fruicts. And of this sorte is the company of sainctes, I meane not of the Pope holy sainctes, which are disguysed & shorne, whyche are Massmongers, and fryday fasters, whose holynes is in their wedes & strange vestures. &c. But they yt heare the word of God, wher as contrary wise, the Pope & his holy ones (as it euidently appereth) are very extreme persecuters of Gods worde. They that heare the word, bringeth foorthe fruicte, yea a hundred fold, that is, much and plentifully: or as Mathew speketh in parcels:Math. 13. som a hundred fold, som sixtie fold, som thirtie fold. For as ye ministrations & offices ar sundry so are the fruits vnlike. The ministration of ye precher in the church, is better in the cōmon congregation, thā is the craftesman in rulyng his owne house. And yet bothe are Christians made free from synne and death and ordeined heires of euerlasting life through Christ. Let vsus be of this number, which truly is small.
But we hauehave nede of a toward and pure heart (as Christ saith) that is,What maner of thynge a good hart is. suche a heart that is not negligent and forgetfull, but careth earnestly for Gods woorde. For that thynge is fyrst of all necessary, that the deuyl may hauehave no waye in, leste he come and steale awaye ye word. Secondarily, it is necessary to hauehave a strong and a couragious heart, and not a feareful & dastardly, that wyll be moued with terror and dreade, or care for mens hatred or fauor. For except we louelove God aboue all thynges, and dread hym, the woorde can not longe endure with vsus. For it is neuer suffered in any place of the worlde long without persecution. For the dyuell can not abyde it. It is a very busy and styrryng kyngdome of hys. He suffereth not his seruauntes to be ydle, as we proue and feele by the Papistes dayely more and more. Thyrdely, he muste take diligent hede in this poynt also, that the thornes trouble it not, that is, that he regard not his substance, rychesse, pleasures concupiscence of the flesh and eies, and the pompe and pryde of lyfe, so muche as he dothe the woorde. And worldly trauayle is not more to bee estemed, then the worde of God. But as CHRIST saythe:Math. 6. Fyrste seeke the kyngdome of GOD, and the ryghteousnesse thereof.
When the heart is becom studious, strong,Fruicte in pacience. & religious with the fear and louelove of God, then it is pure and apt to this purpose, to yeld fruict in pacience and long sufferance. For the crosse, tribulation & affliction cānot be lacking at al.2. Tim. 3. For (as Paul saith) all yt will liue godly in Christ, shal suffer persecution. Wherfore pacience is a necessary remedy in christian men, and so is praier. For fyrst of all, our greatest incommoditie is, that wee are tangled and combered wyth suche lettes, we can not by reson of our natural inclinatiō, neglect and despise worldly things. Besides all this, the deuil letteth no occasion passe: but deuiseth all meanes possible to take the word from vsus, and to put in the place therof, couetousnes, pride, wrath, and other thinges of like sort. As there be exāples to shew. For ther shold be many excellent persons in the cōgregation, if they wer not hyndred by auarice, ambition, lechery, so that they can not regard Gods word. Wherfore it is very expedient, diligently to marke our vicious nature, and not to lyue so carelesly, as the most part doo, but to entreate God for the gift of the holy ghost (which he promised for a suretie to geue vsus.Luc. 11. The father geueth yt holy ghost to all that aske it) that he may remoue frō vsus all suche stops and staies, and that he wold cut a sunder these thornes and snares, that we may heare and kepe the worde of God, and bring forth true fruicte of faith in Christ. By the which faith, we may shew, not onelyonly obedience to God, but may become also his children and heires. For this is the chiefest cause, why this seede is spread, and the Gospell preached throughoute all the worlde, euen to yelde suche fruictes into euerlastyng lyfe.
Nowe after this description of true godlynesse and hope of good encreace therof, this doctrine is not to be let passe in this parable. Let it not seme any meruaile vntounto vsus,The word is not euerye where fruictfull. that Gods worde shoulde not eueryevery where yelde fruict. For that we learne by the distinction that Christ maketh of fower kynds of hearers, wherof one onelyonly is good, the other thre ar fautie. Yet they ought not to hynder or let the fourthe in doyng theyr duetie. For the maner of Gods worde is suche: neither can it be otherwise. It is put forth to men for their saluatiō. But in the most part of men it nothing preuaileth, as this parable specifieth. Howebeit, the worde and the precher is not in the fault, as the ragious and furious Papists thinke, they may boast against vsus in that behalfe, for that there rose also many sectes and offences with the settyng foorth of our doctrine.
But if this made any thing against vsus, what wold they saye to the example of Christ, Iohn, and the apostles? Were not all thynges in their tyme also full of greuous offences and trespasses? Do not hystories record, that there were that hearde Iohn, and yet sayd,Math. 11. Math. …14. Marc. 6. Luc. 9. that he had a diuell? Herode hym selfe that so greatly estemed hym, and was delighted with his doctrine, as the Euangelistes testifie, at last caused hym to be …mprisoned & beheaded. They heard Christ, the sonne of God, and yet crucified hym. Why saiest thou not nowe, that Iohn, Christe, and the Apostles were false teachers, for that there was suche incredible stubbornes, and malice, that verye fewe were conuerted by theyr woorde.
But here they dare not speake what they thynk, lest they should openly betray them selues to be Antichristes.The word of Christ himself was not eueryevery where fruitfull. They think that they hauehave a lauful cause therfore to raile vponupon our doctrine. What is the cause of oure doctrine, and by what right we may maintayn it, and set it foorth: I will not shew at this tyme, I hauehave only respect that it is Christes worde. For thus he sayth: The sede is the worde. And verily it can not fall into a wicked Papistes heart to saye, that this worde, that Christ speaketh of here, is euill and corrupt.
But now what saieth Christ, as touchyng the pure and good ground? what encrease cōmeth therof? The fourth part (saith he) commeth to good, and groweth to ripenesse.
Who therfore can doubt, but that the worlde continueth in wickednes & without amendemēt, although the worde and the doctrine be pure true and without faulte? I pleade not the cause (as I sayde before) for our doctrine. But we at the least proue this, that oure aduersaries the Papists can not but confesse whether they will or no, that the wickednes of the worlde can not bee amended thereby or taken awaye, althoughe that bothe pure doctrine and preachers come vntounto it. The very example of Christ besydes Iohn and the Apostles sheweth sufficiently, that the matter can not be brought to suche case, that all shall beleue and embrace the worde. It is the greater parte, and it wyll be alwaies euyll, lewde, and vnfruictfull, and very fewe be conuerted and brought to beleue.
Now if it so chanced to the sonne of God, what meruaile is it, if it chaunced so to Iohn, and to the Apostles, and now to vsus also at this time? Shal the fault therfore be layde to the doctrine? Why doo they not as well blame and denie the good sede, that fell vponupon the way, the stones, and the thornes. But they should rather folow the truth, and refrayn from railyng and backbityng. His worde is the sede that is sowen. And that is neuer euyll, neither dooth it of his owne pure nature bring forth any other fruicts then good. And if fruicts folow not thereafter, beware thou blame not God and his word.The cause why ye worde is not fruictfull. The fault is in the ground, wherin the good sede is hurte, corrupte, and made vnfruictfull. Wherefore this is but a sclander of the Papistes where as they mysreport our doctrine, for that it is assaulted with so many offences and sectes. Let them condemne them selues rather, and such other that wil not receiue the worde with a true heart. For the fault is not in the word, but in the hearte and mynd. They are corrupt & also stirred by the diuel to forsake Gods worde: As Christe sheweth in an other parable of a good ground, which is sowed with good sede,Math. 13. and yet it can not be without tares. If ye demand how this commeth so to passe: the diuel (saith Christ) soweth thē in the night: which can not suffer, that all thyngs shold be cleane & pure, and albeit, he can not vtterly roote vp altogither, yet he mingleth his tares with ye residue yt is pure. Now who can blame gods worde, as though it wer ye cause of al sects? Wherfore let al mē take hede to thēselues by this doctrin. For this propretie of ye gospell will neuer be other. Som shal therby be restored & brought to ripe corne. But cōtrarywyse, the greater part shal alwais remaine vnfruitfull. Wherfore here it cōmeth to passe, yt Christ said in the last part of ye Gospell: Many are called, but few are chosen. For when they wil not make their mynds agreable and conformable to the Gospel, but hearkeneth rather to the diuel, & let passe the word, they can not by such wickednes please God. Wherfore they fal not only into cōmon & vulgar sins & offēces, but also (as Christ saith here) thei are strikē with madnes & blindnes, as with a plague for their vnclenlines, so yt in seing they see not: & in hearing they vnderstād not, nor know not, howe yt matter stādeth. Wherfore let eueryevery mā here beware he fall not, neither let him blaspheme ye Gospel for it. For it neuer cōmeth forth without offences & falling: which is not the fault of ye word, but of the malicious & diuelish hert: As the fault is not in ye sede, yt in the way it bringeth forth no fruit, nor amōg stones & thorns. We must fight agaīst this offēce, & labor rather yt eueryevery mā mai get this sede and praye God, that he will fascion forme and frame our heartes through his holye spirite, and so prepare a way, that when we heare the worde, it may perce into our heartes, and bring foorth fruict in pacience, and that we may obteyn saluation by our faith in Christe, whiche the holy ghost by the word of God and the sacramentes worketh in vsus. Which thyng God graunt luckily to come to passe. Amen.