THE Sermon of Christ vpon the Mount: containing the paterne of a Christian life,
in these three chapters folowing whereof S. Augustine hath two goodly bookes to. 4.
First, 3. he promiseth rewardes, 13. and he layeth before the Apostles their offices. 17.
Secondly, he protesteth vnto vs that we must keep the commandements, and that more exaclty then
the Scribes & Pharisees, whose iustice was counted most perfit; but yet it was vnsufficient, he
sheweth in the precepts of 21. Murder, 27. Aduoutrie, 31. Diuorce, 33. Swearing, 18. Reuenge, 42.
Vsurie, 43. Enemies.
1.
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THE EIGHT Beatitudes; which are a part of the Catechisme. The Ghospel vpon Alholowes
day, and vpon the Feast of many Martyrs.
AND seeing the multitudes, he
*
Luke 6,20.
went vp into a mountaine, and when he was set,
his Disciples came vnto him.
2. and opening his mouth he taught them, saying.
3. Blessed are the poore in Spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heauen.
4. Blessed are the meek: for they shal possess the land.
5. Blessed are they that mourne: for they shal be comforted.
6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after iustice: for they shal have their fil.
7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shal obtayne mercie.
8. Blessed are the cleane of harte: for they shal see God.
9. Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shal be called the children of God.
10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution
For iustice.
False Martyrs.
Heretickes and other malefactours sometime suffer willingly and stoutly: but they are not
blessed, because they suffer not for iustice. For (sayth S. Aug.) they can not suffer for iustice,
that have devided the Church, and, where sound faith or charitie is not, there cannot be iustice.
Cont. ep. Parm. li. 1 c. 9 Ep. 50 Psal. 34 Conc. 2. And so by this scripture are excluded
al false Martyrs, as S. Augustine often declareth, and S. Cypr. de Vnit. Eccl. nu. 8.
for iustice for theirs is the Kingdom of Heauen.
11. Blessed are ye when they shal revile you, and persecute you, & speake al that naught is
against you, vntruly, for my sake:
12. be glad & rejoyce, for your
Reward.
Merces. μισθὸς.
In Latin and Greeke the word signifieth very wages, and hire, due for workes, and so
presupposeth a meritorious deede.
reward is very great in Heauen. For so they persecuted the
Prophets, that were before you.
13.
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THE Ghospel of the feasts of Doctours.
You are the
*
Mar. 9,50.
Luke 14,34.
salt of the earth.
14. But if the salt leese his vertue, wherewith shal it be salted? it is good for nothing any more but to be cast forth, and to be troden
of men.
15. You are
The light.
The Church visible.
This light of the world, and citie on a mountayne, and candle vpon a candlesticke,
signifie the Clergie, and the whole Church, so built vpon Christ the mountayne, that
it must needes be visible, and cannot be hid nor unknowen. Aug. cont. Fulg. Donat. c.
18 Li. 16 cont. Faust. c. 17. And therfore, the Church being a candle not vnder
a bushel, but shining to al in the house (that is) in the world, what shal I say more
(sayth S. Augustine) then that they are blind which shut their eyes agaynst the candle that
is set on the candlesticke? Tract. 2 in ep. Io.
the light of the world. A citie cannot be hid, situated on a mountaine.
16. Neither do men light a
*
Mar. 4,21.
Luke 8,16. 11,33.
candel and put it vnder a bushel, but vpon a candlestike, that it may shine to al that are in the house.
17. So let
Your light.
The good life of the Clergie edifieth much, and is Gods great honor: whereas the contrarie
dishonoureth him.
your light shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your Father which
is in Heauen.
18. Doe not thinke that I am to breake the Law, or the Prophets. I am not come to breake, but to fulfil.
19. For assuredly I say vnto you,
*
Luke 16,17.
til Heauen and earth passe, one iot, or one tittle shal not passe the Law, til al be fulfilled.
20. He therfore that shal
*
Ia. 2,10
breake
One of these.
Behold how necessarie it is, not only to beleeue, but to keep al the commaundements, euen
the very least.
one of these least commandements, and shal so teach men, shal be caled the least in the Kingdom of Heauen.
But he that shal do and teach, shal be called great in the Kingdom of Heauen.
21.
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THE Ghospel vpon the fifth Sunday after Pentecost.
For I tel you, that vnles
Your iustice.
True inherent iustice.
It is our justice, when it is given us of God. Aug. in Ps. 30. Conc. 1 De Sp. & lit. c. 9.
So that Christians are truely iust, & haue in themselues inherent iustice, by doing Gods
commaundements, without which iustice of workes no man of age can be saued. Aug. de fid. & oper. c.
16. Whereby we see saluation, iustice, & iustification, not to come of only faith, or imputation
of Christes iustice.
your iustice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shal not enter into the Kingdom of Heauen.
22. You haue heard that it was said to them of old:
*
Exo. 20,13.
Deut. 5,17.
Thou shalt not kil. And whoso killeth, shal be in danger of iudgement.
23. But I say you, that whosoeuer is angrie with his brother, shal be in danger of iudgment. And whosoeuer shal say to his brother, Raca, shal
be in danger of councel. And whosoeuer shal say, Thou foole, shal be guilty of the
Hel of fyre.
Venial sinnes.
Here is a playne difference of sinnes, some mortal, that bring to Hel, some lesse, and lesse punished,
called venial.
Hel of fire.
24. If therfore thou offer thy
Guift at the Altar.
Beware of coming to the holy altar or any Sacrament out of charitie. But be first reconciled to
thy brother, and much more to the Catholike Church, which is the whole brotherhood of
Christian men, Heb. 13,1.
guift at the Altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath ought against thee;
25. leaue there thy offering before the Altar, and goe first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy guift.
26.
*
Luke 12,58.
Be at agreement with thy aduersarie betimes, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest perhaps the aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge,
and the iudge deliuer thee to the officer, and thou be cast into
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This Prison it taken of very ancient Fathers, for Purgatorie: namely S. Cypr. ep. 12 ad Anton.
nu. 6.
prison.
27. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not goe out from thence til thou repay the last farthing.
28. You haue heard that it was said to them of old:
*
Exo. 20,14.
Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie.
29. But I say to you, that whosoeuer shal see a woman to lust after her, hath already committed aduoutrie with her in his hart.
30. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, & cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy limmes perish, rather then thy
whole body goe into Hel.
31. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it of, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy limmes perish rather then that
thy whole body goe into Hel.
32. It was said also,
*
Deut. 14,1.
Mat. 19,6.
whosoeuer shal dismisse his wife, let him giue her a bil of diuorcemet.
33. But I say to you, whosoeuer shal dismisse his wife,
Excepting the cause of fornication.
Mariage a Sacrament and is not dissolued by diuorce.
This exception is only to shew, that for this one cause a man may put away his wife for ever:
but not that he may marrie an other as it is most plaine in S. Marke and S. Luke, who leave
out this exception, saying: *Whosoever dismisseth his Wife and marieth an other, committeth
aduoutrie. See the Annot. Luc. 19,9. But if both parties be in one and the same
fault, then can neither of them not so much as deuorce or put away the other.
*Mark 10,11. Luke 16,18.
excepting the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit to commit aduoutrie: And he that shal marie
her that is dismissed;
Committeth aduoutrie.
Mariage a Sacrament and is not dissolued by diuorce.
The knot of Mariage is a thing of so great a Sacrament, that not by separation itself of
the parties it can be loosed, being not lawful neither for the one part nor the other,
to marie agayne vpon devorce. Aug. de bo. coniug. c. 7.
committeth aduoutrie.
34. Againe you haue heard that it was sayd to them of old,
*
Exo. 20,7.
Leu. 19,11.
Thou shalt not commit periurie: but thou shal performe thy othes to our Lord.
35. But I say to you
Not to sweare.
The Anabaptists here not folowing the Churches iudgement, but the bare letter
(as other Heretikes in other cases) hold that there is no oath lawful, no not
before a iudge, whereas Christ speaketh against rashe and vsual swearing in common
talke, when there is no cause.
not to sweare at al: neither by heauen, because it is the throne of God: neither by the earth, because it is the citie of the great King.
36. Neither shalt thou sweare by thy head, because thou canst not make one heare white or blacke.
37. Let your talke be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is ouer & aboue these, is of euil.
38. You have heard that it was sayd,
*
Exo. 21,24.
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39. But I say to you
Not to resist euil.
Here also the Anabaptists gather of the letter, that it is not lawful to go to law for our right;
as Luther also vpon this place held, that Christians might not resist the Turke. Whereas by this,
as by that which foloweth, patience only is signified, & a wil to suffer more, rather then to reuenge.
For neither did Christ nor S. Paule folow the letter, by turning the other cheeke.
Iohn. 18. Act. 23.
not to resist euil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheeke, turne to him also the other:
40. and to him that will contend with thee in iudgement, and take away thy coate, let goe thy cloke also vnto him.
41. and whosoeuer wil force thee one mile, goe with him other twayne.
42. He that asketh of thee, giue to him: and
*
Deut. 15,7.
to him that would borow of thee, turne not away.
43.
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THE Ghospel vpon the Friday after Ashwensday.
You haue heard that it was sayd,
*
Leu. 19,28.
Thou shalt loue thy neighbour, &
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So taught the Pharisees, not the Law.
hate thine enemie.
44. But I say to you loue your enemies, doe good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and abuse you:
45. that you may be the children of your father which is in heauen, who maketh his sunne
to rise vpon good & bad, and rayneth vpon iust and
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We see then that the temporal prosperitie of persons and countries is no signe of better men
or truer religion
vniust.
46. For if you loue them that loue you, what reward shal you haue, do not also the Publicans this?
47. And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more, do not also the Heathen this?
48. Be you perfect therfore, as also your heauenly Father is perfect.