Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 21
The Purification of S. Mary the virgin. The first parte of the Gospel. Luc. ii.
ANd when the tyme of their Purification (after the law of Moses) was come, they brought hym to Ierusalem, to present hym to the Lord (as it is written in the lawe of the Lord: eueryevery man chylde that fyrst openeth the matrix, shalbe called holy to the Lorde) and to offer (as it is said in the law of the Lord) a paire of turtle doues, or two yong pigeons.
THE EXPOSITION.
IN the historie of this Gospell is set foorth howe the chylde Iesus was presented in the Temple after the time of his mothers in lying. And the Euangelist after the maner of the lawe, calleth the whole tyme of her lyinge in, the dayes of Purification. For the same terme is vsed of Moses.Leui. 12. This was not the law of nature, wherfore the Gentiles vsed it not. But God dyd constitute this lawe amonge his people for a peculiar purpose, that the mother, if she brought foorth a man chylde, shoulde after .xxxiii. dayes come to the temple: but if it were a woman, after .lxvi The very same law hath the Pope made for churchyng (as it is named) of women that hauehave layne in chyld bed: cōmandyng that after certain dayes they should returne to the churche to be purified and halowed of their vncleannesse. As though by a certaine lawe, they were vncleane, & therfore vnmete to be present at any holy ceremonies, or to hauehave companie with the congregation. But the Pope doth this without right. For ceremoniall vncleannes was not natural, but a ceremonie cōmanded by a certayne law, whervnto none wer bound but ye Iewes, neither ought other to be yoked with this lawe.
But this was specially commaunded in the lawe, that the first begotten after the forsaid tyme was expired,The fyrst begott…n male muste be presented to the Lorde. should be presented and dedicate vntounto the Lorde. For so is it written in Moyses law: EueryEvery man child that openeth the matrix, shalbe called holy to the Lord And that not only of men, but of beastes also: All that was called the Lords, and was the Lordes. And herof sprong the prerogatiue and interest of the eldest son or first begottē, so that they wer preferred in the priesthode and in other things. And because that in so great a numbre of people,Exod. 13. Nu…. …. this wold hauehave growen to an infinite multitude, if al the first begotten should remain in the temple to serue the Lord: therfore GOD permitted the parentes to redeme their children by price, as by a lambe of one yeres age: or by a paire of turtle doues, accordynge to eueryevery mans habilitie. And so the sonne was restored to his parents, and yet was called the chylde of the Lord. Here it appereth, that Maries substance was not great, for that she offred but a pair of turtill doues, whiche was the gyfte of the poorer sorte. By this gyfte she redemeth her sonne, and so by this meanes confesseth: that although she be the true mother, yet that it is not her sonne only, but the sonne of God also as wel as her owne. For he was the first begotten.
The Turke taketh the first borne.The Turke in this counterfeiteth God, where as he taketh from the parentes the most towardest sons and daughters, causing them to be brought vp for his vse. And this is the cause yt he hath such store of mightye warriours. But god dealt more gentilly. He required the fyrste borne for hym selfe, after suche maner, that he neuerthelesse gaue power to redeme them: and to the ende that the Iewes should knowe theyr God, to be suche as delyuered them oute of the bondage of Aegypt, and destroyed in one nyght all the fyrst borne of the Egyptians. Therfore he commanded that the fyrst begotten of the Iewes,Exod. 11. for a memoriall of thys wonderfull deliuerance, shoulde be presented and offered in the temple. And thys lawe is nowe also abrogate and abolyshed, neyther are we Christian menne bounde to this law, no more then we are to other ceremonies made peculiarly for the Iewes.
Christ an example of obedience.And in all these thinges there is no great thyng for vsus to learne, except that only, wherof we hauehave entreated before as concerning the circōcision of Christ: euen that Christ is vnderunder the law, as though by no right he was subiect nor bound therunto. Wherfore this obedience of Christ I will now shew foorth, but yet not applying it to such an high degree, as I did before. For as I applied my doctrine before to the furtherance of rightuousnes before God, that is, how we were made rightous in the sight of God: so nowe lette it be vntounto vsus an exaumple of charitie and good workes. For the humble obedience of the chylde Iesus: is so hyghely praysed and sette before oure eies to make vsus ashamed: for that he by all hys laboure and longe trauaile can not stirre vsus to doo halfe our duetie. There is so muche crookednesse in vsus, that we can not doo that, that is commaunded to be done vnderunder peyne of damnation and euerlastynge punyshemente. Where as Mary neuerthe lesse, whyche was a virgin, and therfore not bounde to the lawe. For Moyses lawe is for suche women as were broughte with chylde after the common naturall course) yet shee demandeth no pryuiledge more then other womenne hadde, but humbly obeyeth the lawe as all other dyd. And the chylde IESVS, whyche is lorde of the lawe, with whome Moyses is not to be compared: yet submitteth hym selfe so lowely, that hee obeyeth the lawe of his seruant. These examples be suche as proue our vertues and doynges lytle worthy of prayse, and therfore are described in sermons, and sette before vsus to make vsus ashamed, for that we for this lordes sake, of whome we hauehave all thynges, do not so much as our necessary duetie byndeth vsus, where as he for oure sakes, dothe that that his seruaunt commaunded hym. He therefore that hathe anye vnderstandynge lyke a manne, woulde deteste and abhorre hym selfe: that where as hee seeth so greate an exaumple of CHRIST hys delyuerer, whiche so muche humbleth hym selfe, and sheweth suche obedience, as men coulde neuer hauehave inuented the lyke: yet wee not withstandynge that, lytle regarde to obey hym, whyche hath power, eyther to caste vsus into helle, or ells for to receaue vsus into heauen.
Wherfore CHRISTES obediēce putteth ours to confusion and shame, and it ought to admonysh vsus of our great dishonestie, yt we may reason thus with our selues: What doo we caytiues? what meane we? Shall we neuer come to our right wittes, obey hym, and folowe his example, whiche became man for our sake, whiche cried in his swadelynge bandes, whiche was accused at Hierusalem, whiche is obediente to Moyses his seruant, to whome he was not …ounde? For hee is the Lorde: and as for Moyses, is scarcely woorthy to bee his seruaunt, and yet he doth that that he was not cōmanded. And as for me I do not that that I am bound, and charged to do vnderunder pein of damnation.
And this is the first simple and playne doctrine, wherin by the example of Christ, we are put in remembrāce of our dutie, that when we cōsider his great obediēce, we may be pricked with shame, concernyng our lewd nature, for that we refuse to be obedient, for our owne necessarye cause & behofe.Of the fyrste borne. The other doctrine is of the preferment of the first born, for that yt God hath ordeined hym to be of suche an hygh degree, as to be called the sonne of God, and his proper god. This is a great honor, a great priuiledge wherof the Iewes were not a litle prowde. For they disdained all their other brothers, as though that they in comparison of them selues, were not of the numbre of them that pleased god. As many euident exaumples are redy to declare this true, wher as none did more degendre from their kind then the first borne, none dyd lesse behaue them selues to the contentation of their parents myndes. For they coulde not knowe or measure them selues for pryde, they thought them selues onelyonly holy before God, and despised all the reste. Neither coulde we at this tyme if we had suche preeminence, refrayne from like statelynesse, as wee maye perceaue this by the maners of monkes: If they could hauehave any thing to declare this their preferment and honour, and say truly: We ar the holye sonnes of God, this priuiledge hauehave we by his worde and ordinance: how glorious wold they be, seyng that nowe they take so muche vppon them, for a stinkyng coules sake?The first begottē by pride waxed worst. Lucifer. Cayne. And this pride was the ruine & ouerthrow of the first borne: As it was to Lucifer the chief angel. Cain also was the first begotten, and therfore he thought hymselfe most happiest. And this doth Eue declare by the name that she gaue hym, when he was borne, euen that this was the mā, that they shold loke for. She gaue hym this name to garnyshe hym as with a diademe or kynges robe, as though he shold be that promised heroicall persone to come. But euen as of Lucifer was made a deuil, so of Cain was made a wicked prince.Ismaell. There was also no small pride in Ismaell, whiche could not suffer his brother Isaac in the house. for he persuaded hymself, that he should be head of all. And suche pride for the most part was of them all, as thoughe they onelyonly were the holye ones of the Lord, and that all the residue were estemed but for vnderlynges. Wherfore GOD coulde not spare them. Esau for his fyrst byrthes preeminence, thought to become the chief. But God prouided otherwise.Esau. For whē he thought by the priuiledge of birthright, yt he mighte without lette oppresse and neglecte his brother, it pleased GOD to take hys ryghte frome hym, and to put hym besyde the blessyng, euen as he dyd with Ismaell and Cayn.
But for the profe of this matter the example of the Iewes passeth al other.The Iewes For they by good right should hauehave bene the fyrst begottten in the kyngdom of God and in the churche, and we Gentiles theyr yonger bretherne. But when they waxed stoute and proude, and would plucke vntounto them thinges due by birthrighte, God cast them of, for that they trusted so much in thē selues, and despised other. Wher as it had ben mete for them for that cause to be more gentil, kynd, & obediēt. And for this pride were they reiected from God, & the Gentils receaued. Dauid at Gods request preferred in his kyngdom,Dauid. Salomon the yongest, before his elder brethren, to exclude all prouocations of pride. And the chosyng of Dauid to his kingdom was after no other maner: when God sent Samuel the prophet, to anoint the sonne of Iesse to be kyng for Saule. First cam the eldest, whose pride appered, for that he so cruelly rated his brother in the tents, as though he counted him for his bondmā. But the Lord answered that it was not he, vntil seuen sons of Iesse were passed by, & the pro? phet was fain to aske whether he had any other sonne besides? To whō the father, as though he thought no likelihode in Dauid, answered that he had a litle sonne fedyng shepe. For Iesse could not thinke, yt God wold auanced his yongest sonne to such a chief fortune and state.1. Reg. 16. But this was he that God accepted. The fyrst begotten pleased not God, as he saith to Samuel: I iudge not by the outwarde shewe, but I beholde the hearte.
Carnall prerogatiues ought not to be applied to pryde.But what shall we say to be the cause, that God so greatly neglecteth the first birthright, whiche he ordeined hym self, and aduanceth Dauid to the kyngdom, that was the yongest amongest his brethren, wheras yet by Gods ordinance, the right of the kyngdome belonged to the fyrst borne? Ueryly all hys entente and purpose is, to persuade, that priuileges in bodily thinges, are not regarded or respected of God: Neyther wyll he that the vse of his priuileges and giftes shold be referred to suche an ende, that therby should spryng pride, statelynes, and contempte. GOD would hauehave his children sober and lowly, and not proude and loftie. But they that therby take occasion to be disdainfull and arrogant, although they were thervnto aduanced by God, yet be they soone broughte downe agayne. Wherefore when the Angels, Cain, Ismaell, Esau, Elias, and the Iewes waxed proude, and applyed theyr preeminence and priuiledge, geuen vntounto them to knowledge Gods goodnes thereby, fyrste to their own priuate pleasure and commoditie, and then to the oppressyng of other: they were reprobate & cast out of Gods fauor, notwithstādyng their fyrst birthright, and outlawed out of Gods kyngdom into the kyngdome of the deuyll. And this practise of God is described in the Psalme. 103.Psal. 103. Who is lyke vntounto the Lorde oure God, that hath his dwellyng on high, and yet humbleth hymselfe to behold thynges in heauen & earth. He raiseth the symple out of the durst, and lifteth the poore out of the myre: And the virgin Mary in her songe: He hath put down the myghty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meke.Luc. 1. This is Gods maner. He wholly resysteth the proude: neyther doth hee enryche and beautifie menne with his gyftes,1. Pet. 5. that they therby shoulde become extorcioners, and oppressours. And lest he should seme to be ouercome of the proude, he aduanceth nowe and then▪ most basest persons to high honor, and contrarywise throweth down kyngs from their thrones, and bryngeth them hedlong to extreme calamitie, whereout they can neuer escape,
Wherfore among the Iewes the fyrst borne hadde great priuileges in the priesthode and kyngdome was due to them by gods ordināce. But when they proudly abused this honor,Gen. 49. God dyd not alwais ratifie this lawe. Ruben also was the firste begotten, but he is so cursed of his father Iacob, that he obteined by his birthright neither kyngdome nor priesthode. Abraham also (as men thynke) was the youngest amonge his brethrē. But GOD bestowed on hym, that was due to his brother: And this may ye learne by many examples, that the first borne dyd for the most part degenerate. And there was no other cause of this, then pride whiche thought this: I am the first begotten, wherfore my priuiledge is chiefe in this house, I am Gods holy one, and his peculiar good.
Wherefore lette no manne be proude, yf he excelle in any gyfte of God more then other. If thou be endewed wyth the gyfte of learnyng, vse that gyfte to Goddes glorye, and to the profyte of thy neyghbour. Boast not thy selfe so muche thereof, as though thou receauedst it …t. They that passe other in holynesse, beautie, rychesse, or any other gyfte: Lette hym beware of thys, as muche as hee woulde of death, that he chalenge not those thyngs as his own, and so cast hym selfe out of Gods kyngdome by commyttynge sacrilege. For GOD in the fyrst moste excellent and auncient Patriarkes hath declared, howe greately he was offended with pryde and statelynesse: where as they all for the most part degendred. Iohn the Baptist continued accordyng to his fyrste birthright, and almost none els. But all other for the most part were of suche intollerable arrogance, that they obteyned not this chiefe commoditie of thys renoume: vntyll at laste the Iewes by theyr fall and ruyne gaue vp their ryghte to vsus Gentiles: For nowe the byrthryghte of the churche before God consisteth not in ciuill and corporal matters, as the Pope boasteth,They that beleue in Christ are the first be gotten. countyng himselfe chiefe Bishoppe, wheras he is scarsly a dreame: But the priuiledge of the Churche is in baptisme & in the worde of GOD. For although our bodelye and corporall birth maketh greate diuersitie in vsus, yet by baptisme we are all equall. For we are all borne out of the churche, whiche is an vndefiled virgin in spirit. For it hath the pure worde of God & his Sacramēts. And the church is pregnant and great with child, and alwaies bringeth forth Christians, which are the first frutes & proper goods of God. And one man no more than an other. God will hauehave vsus acknowlege our honour and renoum in this, that we through baptisme are borne the sonnes of God, and his proper goodes. He did not so by all nations, he shewed not the iudgements of his merciemercy and grace to them, whether they be Turkes or sarasens. For they regard not these priuileges of the first begotten. Neither will they hear or see these thinges that make vsus first borne before God. And for as muche as we obtaine this honour from God and his grace all Christians a like, we ought not by our fault so to behaue our selues, that the thinges that are geuen to our cōfort against the wicked, shold through pride be our destructiō. It is the greatest renoum of Christs churche. For she, as a mother, by baptisme, the worde and faith bringeth forth Christians, & the mēbers of the church. Wherfore in all those things if christiā men will hauehave respect to their birth & condicion, they shal hauehave no occasiō to be proude. For whatsoeuer they be, it cōmeth of the grace of God by baptisme, faith, & the worde, which are equallie belongyng to all Christian men, makyng no man more Christian then an other before God through his merciemercy. All before God are priests and kynges. And of this renoum can neither Turke nor Sarasyn boast. Yet is not this renoum graunted to our ambition to corrupte & seduce, as the Pope doth, that vsurpeth the supremacie ouer all christendome without the commandement of God, by the instinkte of ye deuil only. For this is a continual and vnchangeable rule among the Christiās (as it is taught in the parable of the hired laborers) that no man in dignitie and worthines prefer hymselfe before other.Math. 20. For there is but one baptisme of all. And wher as there must nedes be teachers and pastours: yet these be but ministrations and offices,Ephes. 4. that hauehave no power to make the children of God. For baptisme and the worde, and fayth in the worde causeth vsus to be the children of God, and the first borne.
God hateth pride.Wherfore it is well set foorth in the churche for a doctrine, that the example of the firste borne in the olde Testament, and their pride, shoulde teache vsus that GOD can not suffer pride. And he that wolde be safe from this daunger, must nedes humble and submitte hymselfe. But this tale were as well tolde to a deafe man as to the worlde. For it abuseth the most folishe and vaine thynges that be to pride. And for as muche as the worlde will in no wise folowe better councell,Iac. 4. GOD ceaseth not to withstand the stubborne and proude. They are by daylye examples caste downe,…. Pet. 5. euen as Lucifer and his angels were out of heauen. And this is one part of this gospell, as muche as belongeth to the historie and the presentynge in the churche.Iob. 4. 2. Pet. 2. After this doth the Euangeliste reherse, what chaunced, when they presented Iesus, as theyr firste begotten sonne in the Temple, and redemed hym wyth a gyfte. We wyll take that in hande at an other time to entreate of. And nowe let vsus pray vntounto GOD, that he will preserue vsus by his grace againste all pride, and kepe vsus in obedience and lowlines to his most godly wyll. Amen.