sayth he Who trowe you is a faithful seruaunt He speaketh it as though it were a care thing to finde such a one as though he wonld say ther be but a few of them to finde in the world And howe fewe of them ther be throughout this realm that geue meate to their flocke as they should do the Uisitours can best tel To few to few the nioze is the pity neuer so few as now By thys then it appeareth that a prelate or any that hath cure of soul must diligently and subitancially worke labour Therefore saith Paule to Timothe Qui episcopatum desidcrat bic bonum opus desiderat He that desireth to haue the offi e of a Bishop or a prelate that man desireth a good woorke Then if it be good woorke it is worke Ye can make but a worke of it It is Gods worke Gods plough that plough God woulde haue styl goyng Suche then as 〈◊〉 lyue ydlelye are not good prelates or Ministers And of such as do not preach teache nor do not their duties God saith by his prophet Jeremy Ma ledictusqui facit opus dei fraudutenter 〈◊〉 or deceitfully some bookes haue negligenter negligently or slackly How ma ny such prelates how many such bishops Lord for thy mercy are there now in England And what shal we in this case do Shal we company with them O Lord for thy mercy shal we not company with them O Lord whither shal we flee frō them But curssed be he that doth the woorke of God negligently or gylefully A sore woord for them that are negligent in discharging their office or haue done it fraudulentlye for that is the thyng that maketh the people yll But true it must be that Christ saith Multi sunt 〈◊〉 pauci vero electi Many are called but few are chosen Here haue I an occasiō by the way somwhat to say vnto you yea for the place that I alledged vnto you before out of Jeremy the. 48. Chapter And it was spoken of a spirituall woorke of God a worke that was cōmaunded to be done it was of shedding bloud of destroying the Cities of Moab for saith he cursed be he that keepeth backe hys swoorde from sheddyng of bloud As Saule when he kept backe the swoord from sheddyng of bloud at what time he was sent agaynst Amalech was refused of God for beyng disobedient to Gods cōmaundementes in that he spared Agag the Kyng So that that place of the Prophet was spoken of them that went to the destruction of the Cities of Moab amonge the whych there was one called Nebo whych was much reproued for wolatry supersticion pride auarice cruelty tiranny for hurdnes of hart and for these synnes was plaged of God and destroied Now what shal we say of these rich citizens of Lōdon What shal I say of them shal I cal them proude men of London malicious men of London merciles men of Lōdon No no I may not say so they wyl be offended with me than Yet must I speake For is there not raygning in London as much pride as much couetousnes as much cruelty as much oppression as much supersticion as was in Nebo Yes I thynke and much more to Therfore I say repent O London repent repent Thou hearest thy faultes told thee amende them amende them I thynke if Nebo had had the preachyng that thou hast they would haue conuerted And you rulers officers be wise and circumspect 〈◊〉 to your charge se you doo your duties rather be glad to amende your 〈◊〉 lyuing then to be angrye when you are warned or told of your fault What a do was there made in London at a certain man because he said and in dede at that tyme on a sust cause 〈◊〉 quoth he nay butterflies Lord what a do there was for that word And yet would God they wer no wrose then Butterflies Butterflies do but theyr nature the Buttersly is not 〈◊〉 is not greedy of other mens 〈◊〉 is not ful of 〈◊〉 hatred is not malicious is not cruel is not merciles The Butterflye 〈◊〉 not in her own dedes 〈◊〉 preferreth the tradicions of men before Gods word it cōmitteth not idolatri nor worshippeth false Gods But London can not abide to be rebuked such is the nature of man If they be pricked they wyl kick If they be rubbed on the gale they wyl wynce But yet they wyl not amende theyr faultes they wyl not be yl spoken of But how shall I speake well of them If you could be content to receyue and folow the word of God and fauour good preachers if you could beare 〈◊〉 be tolde of your faultes if you could amend when you heare of them if you would be glad to refourme that is a mysse yf I might se any such inclinacion in you that you would leaue to be mercyles and begin to be charitable I would then hope wel of you I would then speake wel of you But London was neuer so yl as it is now In tymes 〈◊〉 men were ful of pity and compassion but now there is no pity for in London their brother shal die in the stretes for cold he shal lye sicke at theyr dore betwene stock and stock I cannot tell what to cal it and perish ther for hunger was there any more vnmercifulnes in Nebo I thinke not In tymes past when any ryche man dyed in London they were wont to help the poore Scholars of the 〈◊〉 with exhibycion When any man dyed they would bequeth great sums of mony towarde the relife of the poore When I was a scoler in Chambridge my self I heard very good report of London and knew many that had reliefe of the rich men of London but now I can heare no such good report and yet I enquire of it and herken for it but now charitie is waxen cold none helpeth the scholer nor yet the 〈◊〉 And in those 〈◊〉 what did they whē they helped the scholers Mary they main teined gaue them liuinges that were very 〈◊〉 and professed the Popes doctrine now that the knowledg of Gods word is brought to lyght and many earnestly study and labour to set it forth now almost no man helpeth to maintayn them Oh London London repent repent for I thinke God is more displeased with London then euer he was with the City of Nebo 〈◊〉 therfore repent London remembre that the same god liueth now that punished Nebo euen that same god none other he wil punish syn as wel now as he did then he wil punish that iniquity of Londō as wel as he did thē of Ne bo Amend therfore And ye that be prelates 〈◊〉 wel to your office for right prelating is busy labouring and not lordyng Therefore preach teach let your plow be doing Ye Lords I say that lyue like loiterers 〈◊〉 wel to your office that plow is your office charge
say this day is hydden from vs to the intente that we euer should be readye For yf we shoulde knowe the daye or the houre at what tyme he woulde come No doute we would bee carelesse we woulde take oure pleasure as longe as we myght tyll at suche tyme as we shoulde departe And therfore leaste we shoulde bee made carelesse this day is hydden from vs. For the Aungelles of GOD theymselues knowe not the houre or momente of thys greate and fearefull daye Neyther dydde Christe hymselfe knowe it as he was man but as he is God he knoweth all thynges nothyng canne bee hydde from hym as he sayeth hymselfe Pater commonstrat mihi omnia The father sheweth me all thynges therefore hys knowledge is infinite elles he were not verye God But as concernyng hys manhode he knewe not that tyme for he was a verye naturall man synne excepted therefore lyke as he was contente to suffer heate and colde to bee wearye and hungrye lyke as he was contente to suffer suche thynges so he was contente as concernyng his manheade to be ignoraunte of that daye He had perfecte knowledge to dooe hys fathers commission to instructe vs and teache vs the waye to heauen but it was not hys commission to tell vs the houre of thys daye Therfore he knewe not this day to tell vs of it anye thynge as concernyng when it shoulde bee For as farre forth as ignorancye is a paynefull thyng vnto man so farre forthe he was contente to be ignoraunt lyke as he did suffer other thynges I wyll rather spend the tyme in exhortyng you to make re dye against that day to prepare your selues then 〈◊〉 recyte or expound the sygnes thereof whyche shall goe before this fearefull day And there shal be sygnes in the 〈◊〉 and Moone There be some learned men which expounde those tokens of the 〈◊〉 of Ierusalem but that is not the matter yf thei haue gone beefore the destruction of Ierusalem then they haue gone before the ende of the world so admonish vs to make readye to leaue synne least we be taken with it As touchyng the Iewes our sauiour Christe wept ouer them and threatened them what should come vpon them be cause they dispysed hym and woulde not receyue gods holy worde and leaue theyr synnes lyke as we doe whiche take our pleasure care litle for hym or his word we cannot suffer when oure faultes are told vs we repyne and grudge at it lyke as that Iewes dyd Therfore our sauiour knowyng what should come vpon them wept ouer the city prophecying that it should so be destroyed that one stone should not be left vpon another and so it came to passe accordyng vnto hys 〈◊〉 for Titus the sonne of Uespasian which was Emperor at that tyme destroyed that same city Ierusalem vtterly lyke a fourtye yeres after the death of oure sauiour Christe But wherefore were they so destroyed because they woulde not beleue the sayinges of our fauiour Christ they woulde take theyr pleasures they would folowe theyr forefathers as our papistes are wonte to say When they cannot defende them selfes with Scripture then they wyll defende them selfes with the ignorauncye of theyr forefathers muche lyke vnto the Iewes which coulde not away with the doctryne of our Sauiour because it was disagreyng from the customes and traditions of their forefathers But what hapned theyr destruction fell vpon them before they perceiued it destroied the most paete of them full miserably god knoweth and not only that but as the storye dothe shewe they that were lefte and not broughte to destruction were so 〈◊〉 handled and so despised amongest all menne that thirty were solde for a penye and so by that meanes they were scattered throughout all the worlde and in euery countrey where they came they were made slaues and Tributaries and shal be so til to the ende of the worlde for Scripture saieth Hierusalem calcabitur a gentibus donec implebuntur tempora 〈◊〉 Hierusalem shal bee troden vnder the feete tyll the tymes of the gentiles be fulfylled By this prophecye is signified that the Iewes neuer shall come together agayne to inhabite Ierusalem and Iurye and to beare rule there as they haue done for by this woorde calcabitur is signified as muche as it shal bee inhabited it shal bee vnder the dominion of the gentyles Nowe whiche are gentiles Answere all the people in the whole world are gentiles be it whatsoeuer they wyll except the Iewes all other are gentiles We Englishmē are gentiles so likewise the Frenchmē Dutchmen and other nations all are gentiles Now the Prophet saieth that Ierusalem shall not bee inhabited Donec implebuntur tempora gentium tyll the tymes of the gentyles bee fulfylled that is to say tyll all they are come into the world which are appointed of god to come that is to say they shall neuer come together aḡayn tyll to the ende of the worlde Wherefore because they were 〈◊〉 that they woulde not bee ruled by goddes moste holye woorde but despised it and lyued according vnto theyr owne phantasies and vanities Lyke as we doe nowe adayes the moste part of vs. Therefore we maye recken that it shall goe with vs one day lyke as it wente with them whyche are made nowe outecastes of the whole worlde euerye manne despiseth theym and regardeth theym for nothyng for they haue no dominion more no kynge nor ruler no cities nor pollicye And thoughe Ierusalem bee builded agayne yet the Iewes shall haue it no more they shall neuer haue dominion ouer it but the gentyles they shall haue it it shal be in theyr handes And this is the meanyng of this pro phecye against the Jewes and thys God hath performed hitherto for the Jewes haue many tymes attempted to builde it agayne yet for all that they were not able to brynge it to passe for goddes worde wyll not nor can not bee falsifyed for the wrathe of GOD hangeth vppon theyr beades beecause of theyr wyckednesse wherewyth they baue prouoked God Further you muste vnderstande that not onely Jewes were at Jerusalem but they were scattered thoroughout all the worlde in euery countrey were some and therfore they were not all destroyed when Jerusalem was destroyed but for all that they were cursed in the sight of god so that they should not inhabite any more that citye We reade in stories that in the days of the Emperour Adzian the Jewes gathered themselues together out of al cities a wonderfull number of men al the Jewes which could be gotten to the intente that they myght get Jerusalem agayne which Jerusalem was at that tyme in the Emperors handes and therfore they made greate preparations to haue it agayne but what dothe the Emperour he gathered together a great and stronge heste and made agaynste 〈◊〉 and in the ende scattered them so that they were withoute anye hope afterwarde to recouer that citye agayne after whyche thynges the
hym Herode the kyng beyng a cruell man a 〈◊〉 kyng a miscreaunte a man of vnbeliefe No doute it is a greate matter that his disciples coulde haue libertye to speake with him for a man would thynke that no man shoulde haue bene permitted to come nere hym For I knowe that in christian 〈◊〉 some beyng 〈◊〉 into pryson for the 〈◊〉 for gods wordes sake haue not bene 〈◊〉 that their frendes should haue come nere vnto them and here it appeareth moste manifestly that christian princes haue some tymes more cruellye and extremely vsed goddes preachers then the gentiles the heathen vsed theyr preachers sente vnto them from God to teache theym they were more straightlye holden and more extremely handeled then 〈◊〉 was So we reade lykewise of S. Paule which was cast into prison at Rome 〈◊〉 that wicked and cruell tyraunt the em 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche Emperour though he was a cruell tyraunt a wycked man and a venemous persecutour of gods church and his holy worde yet for all that Paule had libertie to speake with euery one that would come vnto him and cōmune with 〈◊〉 So that there came vnto him which 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 might speake with him what they wold for s. Luke 〈◊〉 in the last chapter of the 〈◊〉 these wordes And Paul 〈◊〉 two yeres ful in his lodgyng 〈◊〉 all that came in vnto him preaching the kingdō of god and teaching those thinges which concerne the lord Iesus with all confidēce no mā forbidding him Here by these words we may perceiue that Paule had liberty to say his mynde and to commune with hys frends he was not so straightly kept But we see 〈◊〉 haue had experience that preachers whiche professe that same worde which Paul taught are more straightly handled in christian realms then in 〈◊〉 past they wer when that rulers 〈◊〉 princes were not christians christen princes be 〈◊〉 earnest to extin guish gods word and his true religion thē the heathen were which knew not or would not know god But now ye might aske what maner of workes were these which oure sauiour 〈◊〉 done in the presence of Iohns disciples which by and by afterward 〈◊〉 and told their maister of it what special thinges had our sauior 〈◊〉 Answer Luke the Euangelist she 〈◊〉 a gret meruelous act which Christ our sauior had done immediatly as Iohns disciples came vnto him The sto ry is this when Christ went into a city which is called Nain and many of his disciples folowyng him and muche people when he was come 〈◊〉 to the gate of the city beholde there was a ded mā caried out which was that only son of his mother 〈◊〉 she was a widow 〈◊〉 much people of that city wēt with her 〈◊〉 here you may note by the way that these citisens had their burying place wtout the city which no dout is a laudable thing and I do much maruel that London being so rich a city hath not a burieng place without for no dout it is an vnwholsome thing to bury within the city specially at such a time when there be great sicknesses so that many 〈◊〉 together I think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many a mā taketh his deth in Paules churchyarde 〈◊〉 thys I speak of experience for I my self when I haue bene there in some mornings to heare that sermons haue felt such an yl faud red 〈◊〉 sauor that I was the worse for it a gret while after And I think no lesse but it be the occasion of much sick nes 〈◊〉 diseases therfore the citisens of Nain had a good and laudable custome to bury the corses wtout that city which ensā ple we may 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 our sauior saw this corse 〈◊〉 the widow which was now a miserable 〈◊〉 sorowful womā for she had lost first her husband 〈◊〉 afterward her son in whō she had all her hope and comfort in this world hym she had loue no we therfore she was sorowfull and not without cause But what doth our sauiour Mary he comforted her saying wepe not Here may al widowes which are destitute of com forte in this worlde here I say they may learne to truste in Christe and to seeke ayde and helpe by him For no doute like as he hath comforted this miserable widowe so he wyll comfort and helpe all them that call vpon him in their nede and necessity For his hand is not abbreuiated or his power diminished he is as strong as ryche as mighty as euer he was therfore let wydowes learn here to seeke ayde and help by him Now when he had comforted her with his words he came nye and touched the coffyne and they that bare the cof fyne 〈◊〉 styll And he said A dolescens tibi dico surge yong man I say vnto thee aryse And he that was dead sate vppe and began to speake Now vpon this there went suche a rumour thoroughout all the countreys so that euery mā merueiled at it And Johns disciples went to theyr maister told him of it what wonderfull thynges he dyd Note here that when we heare that our sauiour is a doer of such wonderful su pernatural works it shal be a wonderous great comfort vnto vs. For by this his dede it appeared manifestly that he is a maister ouer deathe and hathe power to commaunde him so that death is in his dominion For to raise a man vp whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath deuoured already is as muche as to commaunde death But I tell you death is such an arrogant fellow and so proude yea and of so great might strength that he wyll geue no man place nor submit himself to any man saue onlye vnto god vnto him he must obey and humble himself before his diuyne maiesty And therfore it appeareth here that our sauiour is very god because deathe that stoute felowe muste obey hym he is not able to withstandfor disobey hys commaundementes whiche is a most comfortable thing vnto vs which beleue in suche a sauioure which hath power ouer deathe And therfore yf he hath power ouer death then we shal bee sure that death shall or can not hurte vs whyche beleue in hym for when we beleeue in him he is able to de sende vs from deathe hell and deuyll So that they shal beable with all theyr myghte or power to hurte vs or doe 〈◊〉 mischiefe but we shall haue lyfe 〈◊〉 For he saith Qui credit in me et si mortuus fuerit viuet He that beleueth in me and though he dye yet he shall liue that is to saye though he departe oute of this naturall bodely lyfe yet for all that he shall lyue euerlastingly with me worlde without ende This is now an ercedyng comforte to all chri stian people for they may be assured that when they beleue in Christe when Christe taketh theyr partes there shal bee nothyng neyther in heauen nor in earth that shal bee able to hurte them or lette theym of theyr saluation and so we
worldly thynges than GOD and his worde shall bee shutte out from his supper that is to say from euerlastyng ioy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a great matter to despyse Gods woorde or the mynister of the same for the office of preachynge is the office of saluation it hathe warrantes in Scripture it is grounded vpon Gods worde 〈◊〉 Paule to the Romaines maketh a gradation of suche wyse Omnis quicunque 〈◊〉 no men domini saluabitur quomodo ergo inuocabunt in quem nō 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quomodo credent 〈◊〉 quem non 〈◊〉 That is to say who soeuer shall 〈◊〉 on the name of the Lord shal be saued but how shal they call vpon hym in whom they beleue not how shal they beleue on him of whom they haue not herd How shal thei heare without a 〈◊〉 And how shal they 〈◊〉 except they be set At the length be concludeth sayeng Fi les ex 〈◊〉 faith commeth by hearyng where ye may perceiue how necessarye a thyng it is to heare gods word and how needefull a thing it is to haue preachers which may teach vs the worde of god for by 〈◊〉 we must come to faith thorough faithe we must bee instified And therfore Christe saieth himselfe Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam he that beleueth in me hath eucrla styng lyfe When we heare gods worde by the preacher and beleue that same then we shall be saued for s. Paule sayeth Euangelium est potentia dei ad salutem omm credenti the gospel is the power of god vnto saluation to all that beleue the gospel preached is gods power to the saluation of all beleuers this is a greate commendation of this 〈◊〉 of preachyng therfore we ought not to despise it or little regarde it for it is gods instrument whereby he worketh faith in oure heartes Our Sauiour saith to Nicodeme Nisi quis renatus fuerit except a man be borne a new he can not see the kingdome of god But how commeth this regeneration by hearyng and beleuyng of the worde of god for so saith s. Peter Renati non ex semine mortali corruptibili we are borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of god Likewise Paule sayth in an other place Visum est deo per 〈◊〉 predicationis saluos facore 〈◊〉 It pleased god to saue the beleuers thorough the foolishnes of preachyng But peraduenture you will say What shall a preacher teach foolishnes No not so the preacher when he is a right preacher he preacheth not foolishnes but he preacheth the word of god but it is taken for foolishnes the worlde estemeth it for a trifyll but howsoeuer the world estemeth it S. Paule sayeth that god will saue hys thorough it Here I myghte take occasion to inueigh agaynste those whiche little regarde the office of preachyng which are wont to say what nede we such prechings euery day Haue I not syue wyttes I know as well what is good or yll as he doth that preacheth But I tel thee my friende be not to hasty for whā thou hast nothyng to follow but thy syue wyttes thou shalte goe to the deuyll wyth them Dauid that holye Prophete saide not so he trusted not his fiue wittes but he said Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum domine Lord thy word is a candell vnto my feete here we learne not to despise the worde of god but highly to esteme it and reuerently to heare it for that holy day is ordeined apointed to none other thing but that we should at that day heare the word of god exercyse our selues in al godlines but there be some which think that this day is ordeyned only for feastyng drinking or gaming or such foolishnes but they be much deceiued this daye was apointed of god that we should heare his worde and learne his lawes and so serue him but I dare say the deuyll hathe no dayes so muche seruice as vpon sondayes or holye dayes which sondaies are apointed to preaching and to heare gods most holy worde therfore god saith not only in his commaū dements that we shall abstayne from working but he sayth sanctificabis thou shalt halow so that holyday keping is nothing els but to abstein from good workes and to do better workes that is to come together and celebrate the communion together and visite the sicke bodies these are holy dais workes And for that ende god commaunded vs to abstayne frō bodily works that we might be more mete apt to do those workes which he hath apointed vnto vs namely to fede our soules with his worde to remember his benefites to geue him thankes and to cal vpon him So that the holy day may be called a mariage daye wherein we are maried vnto god which day is very nedeful to be kept The foolishe common people thinketh it to be a belly 〈◊〉 day and so they make it a 〈◊〉 daye there is no wickednes no rebellion no 〈◊〉 but she hath most commonly her beginning vpō the holy day We read a story in the 15. chapiter of the booke of that Numbers That there was a 〈◊〉 which gathered sticks vpō the Sabboth day he was a 〈◊〉 of gods ordinances and lawes like as they that now a dayes go about other busines whan they should heare the worde of God and come to the common prayer whiche felowes truelye haue nede of sauce to be made more lustier to come and fede vpon Christ than they be Now Moses and the people consulted with the lord what they should do how thei should punish that felow which had so transgressed the Saboth day he shall dye sayth god which thing is an ensample for vs to take 〈◊〉 that we transgresse not the law of the Sabboth day for though God punish vs not by and by as this man was punished yet he is the very self same god that he was before and wil punish one day eyther here or els in the other worlde where the punishment shal be euerlasting Likewise in the 17. chapiter of the prophet Hieremy god threateneth his fearefull wrath anger vnto those which do 〈◊〉 his sabboth day Again he promiseth his fauour and all prosperity to them that will kepe the holy dayes sayeng princes and kynges shal go thorough thy gates that is to say thou shalt be in prosperity in wealth and greate estimation amongest thy neighbours Agayn yf ye will not kepe my sabboth day I will kyndell a fyre in your gates that is to saye I will destroy you I wyll bryng you to naught and burne your cities with fire These wordes pertain as well vnto vs at this tyme as they pertained to them at their tyme for god hateth the dishallowyng of the Saboth as wel now as then for he is and remaineth stil the old god he wil haue vs to kepe his Saboth as well now as then for vpon the Saboth day goddes sede plough goeth that
he can bryng thee alofte when it pleaseth him when it is to the furtherāce of his glorye and to the saluation of thy soule John Baptist made no sute for that office namely to be a preacher and to baptyse the people yet for all that god sought hym oute god called hym there unto god would haue him in this office of preachyng So lyke wise Iosephe when he was in Egypte solde of hys owne brethren where he serued with a great man a greate officer he was Potiphar was his name Nowe when he had bene a whyle with him his 〈◊〉 percetuyng his beauty cast her loue vpon him and so would haue hym to be naught with her but Joseph beyng a man that seared god wold not folow her but rather 〈◊〉 her beastly lustes ranne his wayes and lefte his cloke behynde hym And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thorough false accusations he was cast into prison Thynks ye now that god saw hym not yes yes he sawe him though he was in the darke pryson yet he saw him For when it seemed him good he brought him out agayne of the prison and made him lorde and ruler ouer all Egipt though he lay in a dongeon though he could make no sute for his 〈◊〉 yet god when it pleased him could call him therunto Therfore let vs learne here by the ensaumple of this good Josephe lette vs learne I saye that when we bee meete and that God wyll haue vs to beare offices he wyll call vs thereunto by law full meanes by hys magistrates he wyll not forgette vs for he seeth vs in euery corner he can pycke vs oute when it is hys wyll and pleasure Moyses that greate friende of God what was his occupation Mary he was a shepharde he kepte his fathers in lawe sheepe and though he was in a greate wyldernesse where there was no body aboute hym yet it pleased GOD to call hym and to make hym a captayne ouer his people Israell And thys Moses was very lothe to go to take such a greate charge vpon hym yet at the length he went because it was the callyng of god Therfore let vs folow this ensaumple of Moyses let vs not take in hande any office except we be called thereunto of GOD excepte we haue a lawfull callyng Oure Sauiour commaundeth his disciples and also vs that we shall praye vnto God that he wyll sende labourers into his haruest that is to saye that he wyll sende preachers Whereby it appeareth that our Sauiour woulde that no person shoulde take vpon hym that office excepte he be sent of god except god call hym thereunto Kynge Saule thoughe he was a wycked man in hys ende yet he was made a greate hinge of god for what was hys father No verye great man I tell you and Saule his sonne wente to seke hys fathers affes and so by chaunce because he could not fynde the asses he came to the Prophete Samuell whiche by and by before he departed from hym annoynted hym to bee kynge ouer Israell GOD commaundyng hym so to doe Nowe thys Saule he sceketh not for it it came neuer in hys hearte to thynke that he should bee kyng in so muche that he 〈◊〉 hymselfe when Samuell woulde prclaime him king before the whole congregation yet for all that he coulde not hyde himselfe so but GOD spyeth hym oute and so finally brought him to the kyngdome Here ye see moste manifestlye that whanne GOD wyll haue a thynge to bee doone he canne synde suche meanes whereby it muste needes bee doone Wherefore shoulde nowe anye of vs goe aboute to thruste theymselues into offices wyithoute the callyng of GOD And no doute they that 〈◊〉 so they shewe theymselues to haue no saythe in GOD at all they truste not GOD they thynke they shall brynge all matters to passe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 owne power and wyttes but it is seene that suche felowes spede euer yll that wyll take in hande to 〈◊〉 them selues without any laufull callyng Dauid that 〈◊〉 man holy 〈◊〉 of god what was he Mary a keper of shepe he thought not that he should be king till he was called ther 〈◊〉 of god But I pray 〈◊〉 what was Ionas the Prophet was he not in the bottome of the great sea in the bellye of a great and horrible whale what hapned vnto hym sawe not god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saw hym he had not forgotten hym he called hym out again and so sedeth 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to preach vnto them and teache them penaunce to leaue theyr synful life Now god would haue hym to that 〈◊〉 therfore he cal 〈◊〉 hym and was able to do it 〈◊〉 he lay euen in the hor rible fishes 〈◊〉 Now therfore lette vs well 〈◊〉 this that when god wil haue a man to beare an 〈◊〉 he can and is able to fetch him wheresoeuer he bee and that man that is so called of god to any office no doute god wil work with hym he wyl prosper all his doings he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all his enemies he wyll not let him perishe 〈◊〉 and yf any man take in 〈◊〉 an office whereunto he is not called no dout that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue no good lucke god will not prosper hym And not onely that but he will 〈◊〉 punishe that 〈◊〉 that wil take in hande an 〈◊〉 whereunto he is not called of god which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 aboute to promote himselfe As we haue an example in the boke of that Numbers that when 〈◊〉 Dathan and Abyram would not be contente with their vocation wherunto thei were called of GOD but woulde 〈◊〉 higher and promote themselues what hapned The grounde claue asonder and swalowed them vp with wife and children and al that they had this was their ende this rewarde they had for their ambition Whereby it appeareth that GOD wyll that euerye manne shall keepe hymselfe in his vocation til he be further called of god We reade further in the bookes of the kinges that when Dauyd would bryng in the arke of GOD into his citye as they were going with it there was one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name he fearyng leaste the arke shoulde fall because the 〈◊〉 stumbled went and helde it vp with his handes which was against his 〈◊〉 for he was not appointed 〈◊〉 for it 〈◊〉 the office of the Leuites to 〈◊〉 the Arke no body 〈◊〉 should come 〈◊〉 vnto it Now what hapned God stroke hym by and by to death because he toke vpon him an 〈◊〉 vnto which he was not called yet after mans reason 〈◊〉 Oza had done a good worke in keepyng the arke frome 〈◊〉 but what then God will that his order shal be kept which he hath appointed in his worde Further we reade in the Bible of a kyng which was called 〈◊〉 which woulde take vpon him the office of a prieste to offer incenses vnto the Lorde whervnto he was not called of god but would do it of his owne 〈◊〉 will would promote himselfe to
Emperour made a proclamation that not one Jewe shoulde come into the citye neyther to bye or to sell yea and further more to the intente that they shoulde bee wythoute any hope of recouerye he chaunged the name of the citye and called it 〈◊〉 So that by the storye it moste manifestlye appeareth that the worde of GOD can not bee falsified by anye power or cunnynge for thoughe they hadde a stronge and mighty hoaste yet for all that God whyche is the ruler of all thynges confounded them so that they coulde brynge nothyng to passe after theyr myndes as they woulde haue it but rather were banished further from the citye for they were in worse case after thys fightyng then they hadde bene before for they had an accesse vnto the city before which libertye afterward they loste After that in Julianus the Emperors tyme which Emperour was an Apostata for he had bene a Christian and after he came to be Emperor he forsoke the christian faith and al goodnes and godlines and not only that but he did al that he could to vanquishe and pul doune Christes true religion and therefore he went about to sette vppe the Jewes agayn and gaue them liberties to gather themselues together and to returne agayne to Jerusalem and not onelye gaue them this liberty but also he holpe them with al maner of thyng that they might bring to passe their purpose so vpon that the Jewes gathered themselues together in an infinite num ber of people and went to Jerusalem and so began to make preparations for the buildyng of the temple and so finallye layed the foundation The storye saith that this hoste of the Jewes was a wonderfull ryche hoste for their mattockes spades and the other instruments which they occupied to the buildyng of the temple were made of fyne syluer So these Jewes hadde the Emperoures fauour his aide and healpe they were ryche and able to set vp their kingdome agayne and so falsifye the worde of god after mans reason for they lacked no worldly thynges But what dothe God when he saw that no man would withstand them to verify his word he sendeth a wynde a strong hurlyng wynd whiche blue away all their prouisions whiche was made for the buildyng of the temple all the sande and morter and such lyke things whiche men vse in suche buildinges and after that there came such an earthquake that they were almost out of their wittes And this was not inough but there came also fyre burned by all their workes and so finally they wer scattered agayne one from another So by these stories it manifestlye appeareth that no mans power is able to stand against god or to disapoint him of his purposes for Christe our Sauiour had tolde them that they shoulde neuer come to their rule agayn And so his wordes are verified tyll this day and shall be styll to the worldes ende for he sayth Coelum terra peribunt verba autem meum non peribit heuen and earth shall perishe but my worde shall endure for euer A man woulde thynke that there were nothyng so durable as heauen earth is yet for all that they shall rather perish then that the word of god should be falsified And this appeared in the Jewes which though they had the aid help of this great emperor the mighty power of this world yet for al that they brought nothing to passe at all for god was able to confounde them and so no doute he will confound all his enemies tyll th end of the world for he is as able to verify his wordes nowe as he was then I woulde haue you to consider well the causes wherfore they were caste awaye from God and were made a mockyng stocke vnto the whole worlde wherfore I saye Marye for their wicked and synfull lyues Seyng then that they were cast out of theyr 〈◊〉 it shal be meete for vs to take heede For no doute this is writen for our instruction to geue vs warnyng as the Epistie which is red of this day 〈◊〉 vs. Now god hath fulfilled his word as touchyng that destruction of Jerusalem he hath made true his worde of wrath thynke ye not that he wyl fulfyl hys worde of mercy to yes no doute ye maye bee sure of it that he whiche promised that yf we beleeue in Christ we shal be saued he wyll as wel erecute and bryng to passe that woorde as he hathe brought to passe the worde of his wrathe and indignation ouer the Jewes The temple whiche was at Jerusalem was called the temple of god the people was goddes people but when they woulde not come vnto hym and lyue accordyng as he woulde haue them to lyue he caste them away and vtterlye destroyed theyr dominions and kyngdomes and made them slaues and bondmen for euer And no doute this is wrytten for our instruction and warnyng for no doute when we folow them in theyr wyckednes despyse gods worde regarde it as nothyng but lyue rather according vnto our phantasies and appetites than after his woorde No doute we shall receyue lyke reward with thē And though god tary long yet it shal be to our greater destruction for his longanimity and longe taryeng for our amendement shal increase augment and make greater our punishmentes and 〈◊〉 But yf we wyll leaue synne and wyckednes and studye to lyue accordyng vnto hys wyll and commanndementes No douts be wyll fulfyll hys promises whiche he hathe made vnto 〈◊〉 of euerlastyng lyfe for we baue his warraunt in Scripture therefore we oughte not to doute of it for so he saith Sic deus dilexit mundum So entierly hath God loued the world that he sent his onelye be gotten sonne to that ende that all that beleue in hym shold not perishe but haue lyfe euerlastyng This is nowe a comfortable thynge and a greate promise whiche GOD maketh vnto the whole worlde And no dout he is as able to fulfyll that promise of grace as he was able to fulfyll hys wrathfull worde agaynste the Jewes So lykewise he saieth Viuo ego dicit domin nolo mortem peccatoris sed vt conuertatur viuat As truely as I lyue saieth the Lorde god I wyll not the deathe of a synner but rather that he shall turne and lyue It is not his pleasure when we be damned therfore he sweareth an oth we ought to beleue hym without an othe yet to satisfye oure myndes and to the intente that we shoulde beleeue hym and bee the better assured of his good wil towardes vs he sweareth this othe Now therfore yf we wyll folow hym and leaue our wic ked lyuyng conuerte and turne our selfes vnto hym be sory for that which is paste intende to antend our lyfe now forward yf we do so no doute we shal lyue with hym euerlastingly world without ende Therfore let euery one of vs go in to hys owne heart and when he
a go the like hath ben since in this realme as I was enformed of credible persons some of them that saw it be a lyue yet There was a priest that was robbed of a great sum of money and there were ii or iii. attached for the same robbery and to be briefe were condemned brought to the place of execution The fyrst man when he was vpon the ladder denied that matter vtterly toke hys death vpon it that he neuer cōsented to the robbery of the prest nor neuer knew of it When he was dead the second felow cōmeth maketh his protestation acknoweledged the faut saying that among other greuous offences that he dad done he was accessary to this robbery and sayth he I had my part of it I cry God mercy so had thys felow that dyed before me hys parte Now who can iudge whether this felow dyed wel or no Who can iudge a mans heart The one denied the matter and the tother confessed it there is no iudging of such matters I haue heard much wickednes of thys man and I thought oft Iesu what wil worth what wyl be the end of thys man When I was wyth the Byshop of Chichestre in ward I was not so wyth hym but my frends might come to me and talke wyth me I was desirous to heare of execution done as there was euery weke some in one place of the City or other for there was thre wekes sessions at Newgate and fourthnight Sessions at the Marshalsey and so fourth I was desirous I say to heare of execution by cause I looked that my part should haue bene therein I looked euery day to be called to it my selfe Among al other I heard of a wanton woman a naughty lyuer A whore a vayne body was led from Newgate to the place of execution for a certayne robbery that she had committed and she had a wycked communication by the way Here I wyll take occasion to moue your grace that such men as shall be put to death may haue learned men to geue them instruction and exhortacion For the reuerence of God when they be put to execution let them haue instructours for many of them are cast away for lack of instruction die miserably for lack of good preaching Thys woman I say as she went by the waye had wanton and folysh talke as thys that yf good felowes had kept touch wyth her she had not bene at thys tyme in that case Christ sayth Memores estote vxoris Loth. Remember Lothes wyfe She was a woman that would not be content with her good state but wrestled with Gods calling she was for that cause turned into a salt stone therefore the scripture doth name her as an example for vs to take hede by Ye shal se also in the second Chapter how that God almighty spared not a nomber of his Aungels which had synned agaynst him to make them examples to vs to beware by He drowned the whole world in the time of Noe and destroyed for sinne that Cities of Sodom Gomor And why fecit cos exemplum its qui impi forent acturi He made them an example to them that would do wyckedly in tyme to come If God would not spare them thinke ye he wyll fauour vs I will go on a worde or two in the applicatiō of the parable and then I wyl make an ende To what end and to what purpose brought Christ this parable of that wicked Judge The ende is that we shoulde be continually in praier Prayer is neuer interrupte but by wyckednes Wee muste therfore walke orderly vpryghtly calling vpon God in all our troubles and aduersityes and for thys purpose there is not a more comfortable lesson in al that scripture thē here now in the lappynge vp of the matter Therefore I wyll open it vnto you You myserable people if ther be any here a 〈◊〉 you that are oppressed wyth great men and can get no 〈◊〉 I speake for your comfort I wyll open vnto you whyther ye shall resorte when ye be in any distres Hys good wyl is redy alwayes at hande when so euer we shall call for it And therfore he calles vs to hym selfe We shall not doubt if we come to him Marke what he sayeth to cause vs beleue that our prayers shal be heard Et deus non faciet vindictam he reasons after thys fashion Wyl not GOD sayth he reuenge hys electe and heare them seyng the wycked Judge hearde the wydowe He semeth to go plainely to worcke he willeth vs to pray to God and to none but to god We haue a maner of reasonynge in the scooles and it is called A minore ad maius from the lesse to the more and that maye be vsed here The indge was a tirant a wycked man God is a patron a defēder father vnto vs. If the iudge then being a tirant would heare the poore widow much more god wil heare vs in al distresses He being a father vnto vs he wyll heare vs sooner then the other beynge no father hauyng no fatherly affection Moreouer God is naturally merciful The Judge was cruel and yet he healped the wyddowe much more then wil God helpe vs at our neede He sayth by the oppressed Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in his trouble His tribulation is myne I am touched with this trouble If that Judge thē being a cruell manne hearde the wyddow muche more GOD wil healpe vs beyng touched wyth our affliction Furthermore thys Judge gaue the wyddowe no commandement to come to him we haue a commaundement to resorte to God for he sayth Inuoca me in die tribulationis call vpon me in the day of thy tribulacions which is as well a cōmaundement as Non furaberis thou shalt not steale He that spake the one spake the other and what soeuer he be that is in trouble and calleth not vpon God breaketh hys commaundement Take heede therfore the Judge dyd not promise the wyddow helpe God promised vs helpe wyl he not perfourme it He wyl he wil. The Judge J say did not promise the widdow help God wil geue vs both hearyng helpyng He hath promised it vs with a double othe Amen amen sayth he verely verely he doubles it Quecunque pecieritis c. what so euer ye shall aske in my name ye shal haue it And thoughe he put of some synner for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and suffer him to byte on the bridle to proue him for there be many begynners but few continuers in prayer yet we may not thinke that he hath forgotten vs wyl not helpe vs. Veniens veniet non tardabit When the helpe is most nedeful then he wyl come and not tary He knoweth when it shal be best for vs to haue helpe though he tarye he wyl come at the last I wyl trouble you but halfe a quarter of an houre in the application of
rushed so fast vpon him made such throng to him A wonderous thyng what a desire the people had in those days to here our Sauiour Christ preache and the cause may be gathered of the later end of the chapter that went before Our sauior Christ had preched vnto them healed the sicke folkes of such diseases maladies as 〈◊〉 had and therfore the people would haue retained him still But he made them answere and sayd Et alus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me euan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hoc missus sū I must 〈◊〉 that king dom of god to other cities also I must shew them my fathers will for I came for that purpose I was sent to preache the word of God Our Sauior Christ sayd how he must not ta ry in one place for he was sent toy t world to preache euery where Is it not a meruailous thyng that our vnpreachyng 〈◊〉 can rede this place yet preache no more than they do I 〈◊〉 that they can go quictly to bed and se how he allureth them with his example to be diligent in their office Here is a godly lesson also how our sauior Christ fled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If these ambitious persons that climbe to honor by bywalkes mordinatly wold 〈◊〉 this example of Iesus Christ they shold come to more honor then 〈◊〉 do for when they seke honour by such bywalkes they come to confusion honor foloweth them that 〈◊〉 from it Our sauior Christ gat him away early in the morning went vnto the wildernes I would they would folow this example of Christe and not seeke honour by such bywalkes as they do But what did the people when he had hid hymselfe they smelled him oute in the wyldernes and came vnto him by flockes and folowed him a great nombre But where rede you that a great number of Scribes and Pharisees and Bishops followed hym There is a doctor that writeth of this place his name is 〈◊〉 Gorrhā Nycholas Gorrham I knew him to be a schole doctor a great while ago but I neuer knew him to be an interpreter of scripture til now of late he saith thus maior deuotio in laicis vetulis quā in clericis c. There is more deuotion saith he in laye folke and olde wiues these symple folke the vulgar people then in the clerkes they be better affected to the word of god then those that be of the cleargy I meruail not at the sentence but I meruail to find such a sen tence in such a doctor If I shold say so much it wold be said to me that it is an 〈◊〉 birde that defiles his owne nest and Nemo leditur nisi à 〈◊〉 There is no man hurt but 〈◊〉 hys own self There was verified the saying of our sauior Christ which he spake in another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 que fuerit cadauer ibi 〈◊〉 aquilae Whersoeuer a dead carion is thither wil the Egles gather Our sauior Christ compares him self to a dead carrion for where the carrion is there will the Egles be though it be an euil smel to vs and 〈◊〉 in a mans nose yet it is a swete smel to the Egles they wil seeke it out So the people sought out Christ they smelt his sauor he was a swete smel to 〈◊〉 He is 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 the smel of life to life Thei flocked about him like Egles Christ was the carrion the people were the Egles They had no pleasure to heare the Scribes and the Pharisees they stanke in their nose their doctrine was vnsauory it was of Loliones of decimations of Anets seade and Cummyn and such gere There was no comfort in it for sore 〈◊〉 there was no cōsolatiō for wounded soules there was no remedy for sins as was in Christes doctrine His doctryne eased the burden of that soule it was swete to the common people sower to the Scribes It was such cōfort pleasure 〈◊〉 them that they came flocking about him wherfore came they Vt 〈◊〉 verbum dei it was a good cōming They came to here the word of god It was not to be thought that they came all of one mynde to here the worde of 〈◊〉 It is likely that in so great a 〈◊〉 som came of curiositie to heresom nouelles som came smel ling a swete sauor to haue consolatiō cōfort of gods word for we cānot be saued without hering of the word It is a ne cessary way to saluatiō We 〈◊〉 not be 〈◊〉 without faith and faith commeth by hearing of the word Fides ex 〈◊〉 And how shal they heare without a preacher I tell you it is the footesteps of the ladder of heauen of our saluation There must be preachers if we loke to be saued I tolde you of thys gradation before in the tenth to the Romaynes Consider it wel I had rather ye shold come of a naughty mynd to heare the word of god for noueltie or for 〈◊〉 to heare some pastime then to be away I had rather ye should come as the tale is by the gentlewoman of London One of her neighbors met her in the streate and said mistres whether go ye Mary said she I am goyng to s. Thomas of Acres to the Sermon I could not slepe al this last night I am going now thether I neuersayled of a good nap there And so I had rather ye shold go a nappyng to the sermōs thā not to goe at all For with what mynd soeuer ye come though ye come for an yll purpose yet peraduenture ye may chaunce to be cought or ye go the prea cher may chance to catche you on hys hoke Rather then ye shold not come at al. I would haue you come of curiositie as S. Augustine came to heare S. Ambrose When S. Augustine came to Millane he telles the story himself in the ende of his boke of confessions he was very desirous to heare S. Ambrose not for any loue he had to the doctrine the he taught but to here his eloquēce whether it was so great as that 〈◊〉 was and as the brute went Wel before he departed S. Am brose caught him on his hoke and conuerted him so that he became of a Maniche and of a Platonist a good christen a defender of Christes religion and of the faith afterward So I wold haue you to come to sermons it is declared in many mo places of scripture how necessary preachyng is as this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 omni 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 is the power of God to euery man 〈◊〉 dothe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 gods worde 〈◊〉 it is the 〈◊〉 and the thyng 〈◊〉 by we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ware beware ye 〈◊〉 not this office for if ye doo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to 〈◊〉 that do beleue Christ saith 〈◊〉 to the same Nisi quis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è 〈◊〉 nō potest videre 〈◊〉 de Except a mā be borne againe from aboue he cannot 〈◊〉 the
man he preached but one sermon it was but a short sermon neyther as touching the number of words yet he turned 〈◊〉 the whole City great and 〈◊〉 rich poore king al. We be many prea 〈◊〉 here in England we preach many long sermons and yet the people wil not repet nor conuert This was that frut the 〈◊〉 the good that his sermon did that all the whole City at 〈◊〉 preaching conuerted and amended theyr euill lyuing and dyd 〈◊〉 in sakcloth And yet here in thys Sermon of Ionas is no great curiousnes no great clerklines no great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of painted eloquence it was none other bat Ad huc quadraginta dies 〈◊〉 subuertitur Yet fortye dayes et Niniue subuertitur and Niniue shall be destroyed it was no more This was no great curious Sermon but thys was a nypping Sermon a pinching Sermon a biting 〈◊〉 it had a ful byte it was a 〈◊〉 Sermon a rough Sermō and a sharpe biting Sermon Doo you not here maruayle 〈◊〉 these Niniuites cast not Ionas in pryson that they did not 〈◊〉 hym and rebuke hym They did not 〈◊〉 him nor rebuke him but God gaue them grace to heare him and to conuert amend at this preaching A straunge matter so noble a Citye to gyue place to one 〈◊〉 Sermon Nowe England cannot a byde thys geare they cā not be content to heare Gods Minister and hys threatnyng for theyr sinne Though that Sermon be neuer so good though it be neuer so true It is a naughty fellowe a sedicious fellow he maketh trouble and rebellion in that 〈◊〉 he lacketh discression but the Niniuites rebuked not Ionas that he lacked dyscression or that he spake out of tyme that his Sermon was out of season made But in England if Gods Preacher Gods minister be anyething quicke or doo speake sharpelye then he is a foolysh fellow he is rash he lacketh discression Now adaies if they can not reproue the doctrin that is preached then they wyll reproue the preacher that he lacketh dew consideration of the tymes and that he is of learnyng sufficient but he wanteth discression What a tyme is this picked out to 〈◊〉 such thinges he should haue a respect and a 〈◊〉 to the tyme and to the state of thinges and of the Common weale It rewyceth me som times when my frende 〈◊〉 and telleth me that they fynde faute wyth my dyscression for by lykelyhood thinke I the doctrine is true for if they could finde faut wyth the doctrine they would not charge me with the lacke of discression but they woulde charge me wyth my doctrine and not with the lacke of discression or with that incōueniency of the tyme I wyll now aske you a question I pray you when shoulde Ionas haue preached agaynst that Couetousues of Niniue if that couetous men should haue appoynted him his tyme I know that preachers ought to haue a discression in theyr preaching that they ought to haue a consideracion and respecte to the place to the tyme that he preacheth in as I my selfe wyl say here that I wold not say in the country for no good But what then syn must be rebuked sinne must be playnly spoken agaynst And when should Ionas haue preached agaynst Niniue if he shoulde haue forborne for the respectes of the tymes or the place or the state of thinges there For what was Niniue a noble a rytche and a welthy Citye What is London to 〈◊〉 lyke a village as 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 burning if I wer in the fire shal I run into it therfore no no I must kepe that way that God hath ordayned vse the ordinary meanes that God hath assigned not seke new waies This office of preaching is the onely ordinary waies that god hath appoynted to saue vs al 〈◊〉 Let vs maintayne thys for I know none other neither thinke I God wyll appoynt or deuise any other Pay therefore to Ceasar that which is dewe to Ceasar And thys sayd Christ by an heathen king a painym how much more ought we to paye to our Ceasar our leige Lord and king a Christen King aud so Godly and vertuous a learned King And pay to God that is due to God tithes and al duties longing to the ministers and preachers of thys office of saluacion geue it them without 〈◊〉 without withdrawing or abridging of theyr dutyes Take hede of lying and setting thy selfe at les then thou art Marke the example of Ananias and 〈◊〉 hys wyfe They dyed sodenly for theyr lying and dissimulaciō in the like matter well this was Christes doctrine This was his aunswer giue to Cesar that which is Cesars and to God that which is Gods Et non potuerunt reprehendere uerbū eius coram populo and they could not finde faulte in hys word before the people it was so 〈◊〉 so consonaunt wyth scriptures and with reason Yet afterward they falsyfied his woord before Pilate accusing him Hune deprehendimus euertentem gentem et uetantem tributa dari Cesari We fonnd this felow turning a way the peoples harts 〈◊〉 the tribute to be geuen to Cesar. These be 〈◊〉 people to meddle withal malicious ond vncharitable that 〈◊〉 not what slaunder they accuse a man of deny they are ready to accuse affirme they wyll yet falsify hys word Then it is best to say nothing at al nay not so Let vs speake Gods truth and lyue according to hys commaundement he shal delyuer vs from the handes of our aduersaries and make vs safe in hys heauenly kingdom Let vs I say do Gods bidding and commaundement gyue to our Kinge our dutyes truly we shal haue neuer the lesse it shal not 〈◊〉 our stock we shall rather haue the more For God is true of his promyse let vs mayntayne the necessary office of saluacion pay to the ministers the thinges appoynted them mayntayne scholers and 〈◊〉 helpe the poore widowes and fatherles children study to do good whyle we haue tyme in thys present lyfe so shal the Lord in thys lyfe blesse vs and after thys lyfe geue vs eternal life through Iesu Christ. To whom wyth the Father and the holy Ghost be al laude and honour Amen Meruel not that I vse at the sermons end to make praier for I do it not of syngularyty but when I am at home and in the country where I go sometime when the poore people come and aske at me I appose them my selfe or cause my seruaunt to appose them of the Lordes prayer and they answer som I can my latin pater noster some I can the old pater noster but not the newe Therefore al that canne it not may learne I vse before the Sermon and after to say it Wherfore now I besech you let vs say it together Our Father which art c. A most fayth full Sermon preached before the Kings most excellent Maiesty and his most honorable
restitucyon Then sape I if thou wilt not make restitucion thou shalt go to the 〈◊〉 for it Now chuse the eyther restitucion or els endles dampnacion But now there be two maner of restitucions secrete restitucion and open restitucion whither of both it be so that restitucion be made it is all good inough At my fyrst preaching of restitucion one good man 〈◊〉 remorce of conscience and acknowledged him 〈◊〉 to me that he had deceyued the Kyng And willing be was to make restitucion and so the first Lent came to my handes twenty poundes to be restored to the Kinges vse I was promised xx pound more the same lent but it could not be made so that it came not Wel the nert Lent came three hundreth twenty pounds more I receyued it my selfe and payd it to that Kings Counsel So I was asked what he was that thus made restitucion But should I haue named hym nay they should as sone haue this 〈◊〉 of mine Wel now this lent cam one hundreth fore score poūds x. s. which I haue payd and delyuered thys present day to the Kinges counsayle And so thys man hath made a Godly restitucion And so quod I to a certaine noble man that is one of the Kinges Counsel if euery man that hath beguiled the king should make 〈◊〉 after thys sort it would cough the king xx M. pounds I think quod I yea that it would quod the other a whole C. M. pounds 〈◊〉 alac make restitucion for Gods sake make restitucion ye wyl cough in hel 〈◊〉 that al the 〈◊〉 there wil laugh at your coughing There is no remedy but restitucion open or secrete or els hel Thys that I haue now told you 〈◊〉 was a secret restitucion Some examples hath 〈◊〉 of open restitucion and glad may he be that God was so frendly vnto hym to bring him vnto it in thys world I am not a frayd to name him It was Maister Sherington an honest gentilman and one that God loueth He openlye 〈◊〉 that he had deceyued the King he made open restitucion 〈◊〉 what an argument 〈◊〉 he haus against the diuel whē he shal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 God brought this out to 〈◊〉 amendment It is a token that he is a chosen man of God and one of hys elected If he be of God he shal be brought to it therfore for gods sake make restitucion or els remember Gods prouerb There is nothing so secret c. If you doo either of these two in thys world then are ye of God if not then for lacke of restitucion ye shall haue eternall dampnacion Ye may do it by meanes if you dare not do it your selues bring it to an other and so make restitucion If ye be not of Gods flocke it shal be brought out to your shame and dampnation at the last daye when all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinnes shal be layed open before vs. Yet there is one way how al our synnes may be hidden which is repent amend Recipiscentia recibiscentia repenting amen ding is a sure remedy a sure wai to hide al that it shal not come out to our shame and confusion Yet there was an other sede that Christ was sowyng in that sermon of hys and thys was the seede I say to you my frendes 〈◊〉 not hym that kylleth the bodye but feare hym that after hee hath kylled hath power also to cast into hell fyre c. And there to putte hys disciples in comfort and sure hope of hys healpe and oute of all doubte and 〈◊〉 of hys assistaunce hee bryngeth in vnto them the example of the Sparrowes howe they are 〈◊〉 by Gods meere prouidence and goodnes and also of the heares of our heades how that not so muche as one heare falleth frō our heades wythout hym feare hym sayth he that when he hath kylled the bodye maye also cast into 〈◊〉 fyre Matter for all kyndes of people here but speciallye for Kynges And therefore here is an other sute to your hyghnes 〈◊〉 not him that kylleth the bodye 〈◊〉 not these 〈◊〉 Prynces and forayne powers 〈◊〉 shall make you strong inoughe Stycke to God feare God 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 God hath sent you many 〈◊〉 in your youthe But forsake not God aud he wyl not forsake you 〈◊〉 ye shall haue that shall 〈◊〉 you and saye vnto you 〈◊〉 oh suche a one is a great man he is a myghtye Prynce a Kynge of great power ye can not be wythout hys 〈◊〉 agree wyth hym in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 els ye shall haue hym your enemye c. Well feare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cleaue to God and he shall defende you 〈◊〉 not as Kyng 〈◊〉 dyd that was afrayde of the 〈◊〉 Kynge and for feare least he should haue hym to hys enemy was content to forsake God and to agree wyth hym 〈◊〉 Religion and worshyppyng of God And a none sent to 〈◊〉 the hygh Priest who was readye at once to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Assirian Kyng 〈◊〉 not your highnes 〈◊〉 feare not the best of them all but feare God The same 〈◊〉 was Capellanus ad manum a Chaplayne at hande 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaplayne If ye wyll tourne ye shall haue that wyll turne wyth you yea euen in theyr whyte rotches But followe not Achab Remember the heare how it falleth not wythout Gods prouidence Remember the Sparrowes how they buylde in euery house and God prouided for theym And ye are muche 〈◊〉 precious to me sayth Christ then Sparrowes or other byrdes God wyl defend you that before your tyme commeth ye shall not dye nor myscary On a time when Christ was going to Ierusalem hys Disciples said vnto hym They there would haue stoned thee and wylt thou nowe go thyther agayne What sayth he agayne to them Nonne duodecem sunt hore die c. Be ther not twelue houres in the daye sayth he God hath appoynted hys tymes as pleaseth hym and before the tyme commeth that God hath appoynted they shall haue no power agaynst you Therfore stycke to God and forsake hym not but feare him and feare not men And beware chiefly of two affections fear and loue Feare as A chab of whom I haue told you that for feare of the 〈◊〉 Kyng he chaunged his religion and therby purchased Gods hie indignation to hym and to his realme And loue as Dina Iacobs doughter who caused a chaunge of religion by 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who wer contented for lust of a wife to the destrucion and spoylyng of all the whole citye Reade the Chronicles of England and Fraunce and ye shall see what chaunges of religion hath come by mariages and for mariages Marye my daughter bee 〈◊〉 so fourth or els c. 〈◊〉 them not 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 And this rule should al estates 〈◊〉 of men folow wheras now they feare mē not God If thor be a iudgemet 〈◊〉 a great man a poore 〈◊〉 Then must ther be a corrupcion of iustice for feare
Oh he is a great man I 〈◊〉 not displease him c. 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 art thou a Iudge wilt be afrayd to geue right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hym not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great a man but vpryghtly do true iustice Likewyse some pastures go 〈◊〉 their cure they are 〈◊〉 of the plage they dare not com nye any sicke body but hyer other and they go away them selues Out vpon 〈◊〉 The Woulfe commeth vpon thy flocke to deuour 〈◊〉 and when they haue most nede of thee thou run nest away from them The souldiour also that shoulde go on 〈◊〉 he wyl draw backe asmuche as he can 〈◊〉 I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh suche and suche went and neuer came home agayne Suche men went the last yeare into Northfolke and were slayne there Thus they are 〈◊〉 to go They wyll labour to tarye at home If the Kyng commaunde thee to go 〈◊〉 bound to go and 〈◊〉 the King thou 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 serue God he wyl not shorten thy daies to thine hurt Well sayth some if they had not gon they had lyued vnto this 〈◊〉 How knowest thou that who made thee so pryuy of gods councel folow thou thy vocation and serue the kyng when 〈◊〉 calleth thee In seruyng hym thou shalt serue God And 〈◊〉 thy tyme come 〈◊〉 shalt not die It 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 escaped in such a cytie what then Yet God preserued hym so that he could not perish Lake therfore an example of 〈◊〉 and euery man follow hys vocation not fearing men but 〈◊〉 God An other seede that Christe was sowynge in the Sermon was thys Qui confessus me fuerit hominibus confitebor et ego illum coram patre meo He that confesseth me before men I shall also confesse hym hefore my Father We must confesse hym wyth mouthe It was of a Byshope not longe agoo asked as touchyng thys Lawes sayth he muste be obeyed and ciuyll ordynaunce I wyll follow outwardlye but my hearte in religyon is fre to thinke as I wyll So sayde Fryer Forest halfe a papyst yea worse then a whole Papist Well an other 〈◊〉 was he that sinneth agaynst the holy ghoste it shal not be 〈◊〉 him neither in this world nor in the world to come What is thys same synne agaynst the holy 〈◊〉 an horrible synne that neuer shal be forgeuen neither in thys world nor in the world to come What is thys synne final 〈◊〉 and some say impugning of the truth One came to me 〈◊〉 that dispayred because of synne agaynst the holye ghost 〈◊〉 was sore troubled in his conscience that he should bedamned and that it was not possible for him to be saued because 〈◊〉 had sinned against the holye 〈◊〉 I sayde to hym what man quod I comfort your selfe in these words of the Apostle Christus est propiciatio pro peccatis nostris And agayn Ideo me misit pater in mundum vt qui credit in me non 〈◊〉 sed habeat vitam eternam My father hathe for this purpose sent me into the world that he which beleueth in me maye not pearish but may haue the lyfe euerlasting Also Quaqumque hora ingemuerit peccator saluus erit In what hour soeuer the sinner shal mourn for his sinne he shal be saued I had scriptures inoughe for me as me thoughte but saye what I could say he could say more against him selfe then I could say at that tyme to doo him good with all Where some say that the sinne againste the holy ghost is originall sinne I allcdged against that the saying of S. Paule Sicut per vnius delictum c. And siquis egerit penitenciam If a man had don all the sinnes in the worlde and haue true repentaunce with fayth and hope in Gods mercy he shall be forgeuen But 〈◊〉 I said he could still obiect against me and aduoyde my reasons I was fayne to take an other daye and did so Let me go to my boke quod I and go you to your prayers for ye are not all together without fayth I got me to my study I red many doetours but none could content me no expositour could please me nor satisfye my minde in the matter And it is with me as it is with a schol ler of Cambridge who being demaunded of his Tutoure how he vnderstode his lesson and what it mente I knowe quod he what it meaneth but I can not tell it I can not expresse it So I vnderstode it well inoughe but I can not well declare it 〈◊〉 I will boungle at it as well as I can Nowe to tell you by the waye what sinne it was that he had committed he had fallen frō the truth knowen And afterward fell to mocking and scorning of it And this sinne it was that he thought to be vnforgeueable I sayde vnto him that it was a behement manner of spcakyng in scripture yet quod I this is not spoken vniuersallye nor it is not 〈◊〉 that God doothe neuer 〈◊〉 it but it is commonly called irremissible vnforgeueable because that God doth seldom forgeue it but yet there is no sin so great but God may forgeue it doth forgeue it to the repentant hart though in words it sound that it shall neuer be forgeuen As priuilegium paucorum non destruit regulam vniuersalem The priuelege of a few persons dothe not destroye an vniuersall rule or saying of scripture For the scripture sayth Omnes moriemur We shall dye euery one of vs yet som shall be rapt and taken a liue as S. Paule saith For this priuiledge of a few doth not hurte a generalty An irremissible sinne an vnercusable sin yet to him that will truly repent it is forgeueable In Christe it may be remitted if there be no more but one man forgeuen ye maye be that same one man that shall be forgeuen Vb abundauit delictum ibi abundabit et gratia Where iniquitie hathe habounded there shal grace habounde Thus by litle and litle this man came to a setled conscience agayne and toke comfort in Christes mer 〈◊〉 Therfore dispaire not though it be sayd it shall neucr be forgeuen Wher Lain said my wickednes is so greate that God cānot forgeue it Nay thou lyest sayeth Austē to Cain Maior est dei misericordia quam iniquitas 〈◊〉 The mercye of God is greater then thine iniquitie Therefore dispaire not but this one thynge I saye beware of this sin that ye fall not into it for I haue knowē no mo but this one man this one man that hath fallen frō the truth and hath afterward repented and come to grace again I haue knowen manye sēce god hath opened mine eies to see a litle I haue knowē many I say that knew more then I and some whom I haue honored that haue afterwards fallen from the truth but neuer one of them this man except that haue retourned to grace and to the truth againe But yet though God doth very seldom forgeue this sin although it be