his word, and shortly after consented to his death, by persuasion of the priests: which was a great and heinous wickedness in the face of God. Therefore let us not follow their example, neither let us be persuaded, by any man living, to forsake God and his word, but rather let us suffer death for it. Howbeit I fear, that if there should come a persecution, there would be a great number of those who now speak fair of the gospel, like unto this people; for I fear they would soon be persuaded by the papistical priests, to do and say against Christ, to forsake his word, and deny the gospel; like as these people did, quite forgetting and setting aside all that which they had heard from our Saviour upon the mountain. Let us therefore, I say, beware, and let us acknowledge the great love of God our heavenly Father, showed unto us so plainly in these latter days, that none except he is wilful and obstinate, but may understand the same, which is as great a benefit as may be. And happy are we if we consider this great goodness of God, and show ourselves thankful unto him by godly living and honest conversation, according to his commandment. And in this gospel is specially to be noted, the great love and kindness of our Saviour toward mankind, who first preached unto the people, and taught them the way unto everlasting life, and then came down and healed the diseased man; that is, he first succoured our souls, and afterwards comforted our bodies.

There cometh a leper unto him, saying, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst help me." This leper took Christ to be a Saviour, and therefore he came unto him for help. So let us come unto him, for he is the Saviour of mankind, and he is the only helper that succours both our bodies and souls. He saveth our souls by his word, if when we hear the same we believe it. The salvation of our bodies shall appear at the last day, where soul and body shall come together, and there shall be rewarded. So that if the soul be saved, the body is saved; for soul and body shall go together; and so he saveth both our bodies and souls. Note here also the behaviour of this leper, for by his example the best doctor in divinity need not be ashamed to learn: for in him appears a marvellous strong faith and confidence which he had in Christ; for he doubted not but that Christ was able to help him: neither mistrusted he his goodness and mercy. Therefore faith moved him to come to Christ, and to desire help of him.

And note here also the love and great charity of our Saviour Christ, which he first showed to the whole multitude, in teaching them so earnestly and diligently the way to everlasting life. And then he extended his great compassion and mercy unto this leper, whom all men abhorred, because of his filthiness and uncleanness. But Christ abhorred him not; yea, he is content not only to hear his request, and to talk with him, but also he laid his hands upon his filthy body. O how great a kindness was this! what a wonderful thing is this! that the King of all kings talketh here most familiarly with a poor wretch and filthy leper! O what profound and incomprehensible love he bears unto us! It is esteemed a great thing, when a king vouchsafes to talk with a poor man, being one of his subjects: what a great thing then is it, that the King of all kings, yea, the Ruler of heaven and earth, talks with a poor man, hears his request, and mercifully grants the same! This Evangelist saith, "Behold, there came a leper, and worshipped him,” but another Evangelist saith, "He fell upon his knees before him." These are gestures and behaviour, which signify a reverence done unto him, or a subjection, or submission.

For although our Saviour went like a poor man, yet this leper had conceived such a faith and trust in him, that he had no regard to his outward appearance, but followed his faith, which faith told him, that this was the Saviour. Therefore he set aside all outward show, and came with great reverence unto him, desiring his help. And here you may learn good manners; for it is a good sight, and very commendable, and is also the commandment of God, that we should give honour to those to whom honour belongeth; especially preachers ought to be reverenced, and that for their office sake, for they are the officers of God, and God's treasurers. And such as are proud persons may be ashamed by this leper: for this is certain and true, that a proud heart never prayeth well, and therefore it is hated before God. Wherefore amongst other vices, beware of pride and stoutness. What was the cause that Lucifer, being the fairest angel in heaven, was made the most horrible devil; and cast down from heaven into hell? Pride only was the cause of it. Therefore St. Augustine hath a saying: "Whensoever thou seest a proud man, doubt not but he is the son of the devil." Let us learn therefore by this leper, to have a humble and meek spirit.

Moreover, this man was a leper and a miserable man, one despised of all men, and an outcast. For it was commanded in the law of God, that no man should keep company with a leper; therefore it appears that he was in great misery: but what doth he? whither runs he for help and succour? Even to Christ, to him only he runneth; not to witches or sorcerers, as ungodly men do; but he seeks for comfort of our Saviour. Now when you are in distress, in misery, in sickness, in poverty, or any other calamity, follow the example of this leper, run to Christ, seek help and comfort only at his hands, and then you shall be delivered and made safe, like as he was delivered after he came to Christ.

But what brought he with him? even his faith: he believed that Christ was able to help him, and therefore according to his faith it happened unto him. Then it shall be necessary for thee to bring faith with thee, for without faith thou canst get nothing at his hands. Bring therefore, I say, faith with thee; believe that he is able to help thee, and that he is merciful and will help thee. And when thou comest furnished with such a faith, surely thou shalt be heard; thou shalt find him a loving Father, and a faithful friend, and a Redeemer of thee out of all tribulation. For faith is like a hand wherewith we receive the benefits of God; and except we take his benefits with the hand of faith, we shall never have them.

Here in this gospel you may learn the right use of Scripture; for when you shall hear and read such stories as this is, you must not think that such stories and acts done by our Saviour are but temporal; but you must consider that they are done for our sake, and for our instruction and teaching. Therefore when you hear such stories, you must consider eternal things which are set before your eyes by such stories, and so we must apply them to ourselves. As for example, here is a leper, and he calleth upon Christ with a good faith, and was healed. You will say, What is that unto us? Even as he was a leper in his body, so are we lepers in our souls. He was unclean in his body, and we are unclean in our souls. He was healed by believing in Christ, so we must be healed by him, or else perish eternally. Therefore if thou wilt not perish, call upon him as this leper did, and thou shalt be helped and cleansed of thy leprosy; that is, from all thy sin. So I say, we must apply the Scriptures unto us, and

take out something to strengthen our faith withal, and to edify ourselves with God's word.

Another example we read in the Scripture, that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. Wherefore? Even for sin's sake. What manner of sin? whoredom, lechery, and other uncleanness. Also for despising and abusing of poor men and strangers. What is this to us now? We learn in this story, that God will not suffer sin, nor wilful sinners; but he will punish the same either here, or else in the world to come, or else in both: he will not let them go unpunished. Therefore when we hear this story, we may learn to avoid all sin and wickedness, and to live uprightly and godly; and this we learn by that story, which is an example of God's wrath and anger against sin.

Take another example of faith: we read in the Scripture that Abraham believed God, and his faith justified him. Now when I hear this, I must apply it to myself in this manner. Abraham believed in God, and his faith justified him; I will believe in God and follow his word, then shall I also be justified: for St. Paul saith, that the same believing of Abraham, is not written for Abraham's sake, but for our sakes, to teach us that God will justify us if we believe in him, and punish us when we are unfaithful.

For

Now note here how this man came: see how humbly and meekly he came, and what a good and strong faith he had in Christ, which faith appeared by his coming. if he had been without faith, he would not have come unto him, because our Saviour kept but a mean estate, not a king's court; he was poor, and therefore the more despised of the misbelievers. But this man believed, and therefore he came unto him. Learn therefore by his example, to go to Christ in what affliction soever we are: let us run to him, and pray unto God for his sake: allege him, put him before thee, and beware that thou call not upon any creature or saint for it is a great wickedness before God to pray to saints; for with the saints we have nothing to do, but to keep in memory and follow their godly life, and righteous living. But our prayer must be made unto Christ only, like as this man does here in this gospel.

But peradventure you will say, he was upon the earth when this man called upon him, and therefore he was so soon heard. I answer, he promised to his disciples after

his resurrection, that he would be with us to the end of the whole world: his words are true, for he cannot be made a liar; therefore we must believe him, and no doubt he will be present with us whenever we call upon him. Call upon him therefore, and not upon saints; for if we call upon saints we make them gods. For if I call upon St. Paul here, and another man that is a thousand miles off, calls upon him also, then we make him like unto God to be every where, to hear and see all things; which is against all Scripture: for God only is omnipotent, that is, he only is almighty, and he is every where, and seeth all things, and so no creature else doth. Therefore those who attribute such things as appertain to God only, who is our Creator, to any creature, they do naughtily and wickedly, and shall be punished for it in hell-fire, except they amend and be sorry for their faults.

But what was this man's prayer? Did he pray upon his beads, and say our Lady's Psalter? No, no; he was never brought up in any such popish schools. What said he? "If thou wilt, O Lord, thou canst make me clean, and put away my disease." This is but a short prayer, but it contains much. First, it teaches how we should pray unto God, namely, conditionally in our outward and bodily things, that is to say, when it pleases him; and so did our Saviour himself pray to his heavenly Father, saying, "If thou wilt, Father, let this cup pass from me." (Matt. xxvi.) So we should do, when we are in any manner of tribulation or sickness, that is, pray unto God conditionally, saying, O Lord God, if it please thee, and if it may stand with thy honour and glory, and the salvation of my soul, help and deliver me: we must put the matter to him, for he knows best what is good for us. Peradventure he sees, that if we should be without afflic tion, we should be wanton, wicked, and proud, and so sin against him, and damn our souls; and then it were better for us to be in sickness than in health. Therefore we must desire help, if it please him; that is to say, when it appertains to our salvation, or else it were a thousand times better to be sick still, than to be out of sickness, and fall from God and all goodness; he therefore knows best what is good for us. Trust in him, be content to be ruled by him; he shall and will order the matter so, that thou shalt find him a loving Father unto thee, as this man did here. Secondly, this prayer expresses the faith which this poor 30

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