to come together to the holy communion. What, to remedy them that were dead? No, no, a straw, it was not instituted for any such purpose. But then they would call to remembrance God's goodness, and his passion that he suffered for us, wherein they comforted much their faith. Others came afterward, and set up all these kinds of massing, all these kinds of iniquity. What an abomination is it, the foulest that ever was, to attribute to man's work our salvation! God be thanked, that we have this blessed communion set forth so now, that we may comfort, increase, and fortify our faith at that blessed celebration.

If he be guilty of the body of Christ that takes it unworthily, he fetcheth great comfort at it, that eats it worthily. He doth eat it worthily, that doth eat it in faith. In faith, in what faith? Not long ago a great man said in an audience, "They babble much of faith, I will keep a mistress, and have as good a faith, as the best of them all." I think he never knew other, but the whoremonger's faith. It is no such faith that will serve. It is no bribing judge's or justice's faith, no whoremonger's faith, no leasemonger's faith, nor no seller's of benefices faith, but the faith in the passion of our Saviour Christ. We must believe that onr Saviour Christ hath taken us again into his favour, that he hath delivered us his own body and blood, to plead with the devil, and by the merit of his own passion, of his own mere liberality. This is the faith, I tell you, that we must come to the communion with, and not the whoremonger's faith.

Look, where remission of sin is, there is acknowledging of sin also. Faith is a noble duchess, she hath ever her gentleman-usher going before her, the confessing of sins. She hath a train after her, the fruits of good works, the walking in the command,

ments of God. He, that believeth, will not be idle, he will walk, he will do all his business. Have ever the gentleman-usher with you: so if you will try faith, remember this rule. Consider, whether the train be waiting upon her. If you have another faith than this, a whoremonger's faith, you are like to go to the scalding house, and there you shall have two dishes, weeping and gnashing of teeth: much good do it you, you see your fare. If you will believe and acknowledge your sins, you shall come to the blessed communion of the bitter passion of Christ, worthily, and so attain to everlasting life, to the which the Father of heaven bring you and me. Amen.

A SERMON,

PREACHED ON THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.

A. D. 1552.

Luke, ii. 42. The father and mother of Jesus went to Jerusalem, after the custom, &c.

HERE in this Gospel is to be noted, how Mary, the mother of Christ, went to Jerusalem, having her husband and the child Jesus, which was twelve years of age, with them, &c. But before I come to this Gospel, I will rehearse unto you something, which I took in hand the last holy day, where I, taking occasion of the Gospel that was read the same day, made mention how Jesus, the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, was born in Bethlehem, and how God opened his birth unto the Gentiles, which were the three wise men, commonly called the three kings of Colen, but they were not kings, as the fond opinion of the common people is, but they were religious men, and men that feared God. Yea, and as some great learned men gather, they were of the remnant of those, which Daniel the prophet had taught and instructed in the knowledge of God and of his will. For Daniel, being in captivity, bore great rule amongst the Gentiles, as it appeareth in his book of prophecy, and therefore was able to set forth and promote the true religion of God, which was known at that time only among the Jews. Which knowledge these wise men had, and had also a special understanding of astronomy. And now they, seeing the star, perceived that it was not a common thing, but a token that the greatest king was born, of whom they had heard their forefathers tell, and

therefore they came to Jerusalem, and inquired for this king, &c.

The last holy day I had no time to entreat of this matter fully, and therefore I intend to speak somewhat of it at this time. And first of this word Jesus, what it is.

The Evangelist saith here, "When Jesus was born." What is Jesus? Jesus is an Hebrew word, and signifieth in our English tongue a Saviour and Redeemer of all mankind born into this world. This title and name, "to save," pertaineth properly and principally unto him, for he saved us, else we had been lost for ever. Notwithstanding the name of Saviour is used in common speech; as the king is called a saviour, for he saveth his subjects from all danger and harm, that may ensue of the enemies. Likewise the physician is accounted a saviour, for he saveth the sick man from the danger of his disease with good and wholesome medicines. So fathers and mothers are saviours, for they save their children from bodily harm, that may happen unto them. So bridges, leading over the waters, are saviours, for they save us from the water. Likewise ships and boats, great and small vessels upon the seas, are saviours, for they save us from the fury, rage, and tempest of the sea. So judges are saviours, for they save, or at least should save the people from wrong and oppression.

But all this is not a perfect saving, for what availeth it to be saved from sickness, calamities, and oppression, when we shall be condemned after our death both body and soul for ever to remain with the devil and his angels? We must therefore come to Jesus, which is the right and true Saviour, and he it is that hath saved us from sin. Whom hath he saved? His people. Who are his people? All that believe in him, and put their whole trust in him, and those that

seek help and salvation at his hands, all such are his people. How saved he them? First, by magistrates he saved the poor from oppression and wrong: the children he saved through the tuition of the parents from danger and peril: by physicians he saveth from sickness and diseases; but from sin, he saveth only through his passion and blood-shedding. Therefore he may be called and is the very right Saviour, for it is he that saveth from all infelicity all his faithful people. And his salvation is sufficient to satisfy for all the world, as concerning itself, but as concerning us, he saved no more than such as put their trust in him. And as many as believe in him shall be saved: the other shall be cast out as infidels into everlasting damnation, not for lack of salvation, but for infidelity and lack of faith, which is the only cause of their damnation.

He saved us from what? Even from sin. Now when he saved us from sin, then he saved us from the wrath of God, from affliction and calamities, from hell and death, and from damnation and everlasting pain; for sin is the cause and fountain of all mischief. Take away sin, then all other calamities, wherein mankind is wrapped, are taken away and clean gone and dispersed. Therefore, he, saving us from sin, saved us from all affliction. But how doth he save us from sin? In this manner, that sin shall not condemn us, sin shall not have the victory over us. He saved us, not so that we should be without sin, that no sin should be left in our hearts. No, he saved us not so, for all manner of imperfections remain in us, yea, in the best of us: so, that if God should enter into judgment with us, we should all be damned. For there are none, nor ever was any man born into this world, which could say, I am clean from sin, except Jesus Christ. Therefore, he saved us not so from sin, in taking clean away the