maynteyners and worshyppers haue vsed and vse the same outwarde rites maner of honouryng and worshipping theyr images as the Gentiles dyd vse before their idols and that therefore they commit idolatrie aswell inwardly and outwardlye as dyd the wycked Gentiles idolaters And concerning the first part of the idolatrious opinions of our image maynteyners What I pray you be suche saintes with vs to whom we attribute the defence of certayne countreyes spoylyng God of his due honour herein but Dij tutelares of the Gentiles idolaters Suche as were Belus to the Babylonians and Assyrians O siris and Isis to the Egyptians Vulcane to the Lemnians and such other What be such saintes to whom the sauegarde of certayne cities are appointed but Dij praesides with the Gentiles idolaters Suche as were at Delphos Apollo at Athens Minerua at Carthage Iuno at Rome Quirinus c. What be such saints to whom contrary to the vse of the primitiue Churche Temples and Churches be buylded and aulters erected but Dij patroni of the Gentiles idolaters Such as were in the Capitol Iupiter in Paphus temple Venus in Ephesus temple Diana such lyke Alas we seeme in thus thynkyng and doyng to haue learned our religion not out of Gods worde but out of the Pagan poets who say Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is to say All the gods by whose desence this Empire stoode are gone out of the temples and haue forsaken their aulters And where one saint hath images in diuers places the same saint hath diuers names thereof moste lyke to the Gentiles When you heare of our Lady of Walsingham our Lady of Ipswich our Lady of Wilsdon suche other what is it but an imitation of the Gentiles idolaters Diana Agrotera Diana Coriphea Diana Ephesia c. Venus Cipria Venus Paphia Venus Gnidia Whereby is euidently meant that the saint for the image sake shoulde in those places yea in the images them selues haue a dwellyng whiche is the grounde of theyr idolatrie For where no images be they haue no such meanes Terentius varro sheweth that there were three hundred Iupiters in his tyme there were no fewer Veneres and Dianae we had no fewer Christophers Ladies and Marie Magdalens and other saintes Oenomaus and Hesiodus shewe that in theyr time there were thirtie thousande Gods. I thinke we had no fewer saintes to whom we gaue the honour due to god And they haue not only spoyled the true liuing God of his due honour in temples cities countreyes and landes by suche deuises and inuentions as the Gentiles idolaters haue done before them but the Sea and waters haue aswell speciall saintes with them as they had Gods with the Gentiles Neptune Tritron Nereus Castor Pollux Venus and suche other In whose places be come saint Christopher saint Clement and diuers other and specially our Lady to whom shypmen syng Aue maris stella Neyther hath the fyre scaped theyr idolatrious inuentions For in steade of Vulcane and Vesta the Gentiles gods of the fyre our men haue placed saint Agatha and make letters on her day for to quenche fyre with Euerye artificer and profession hath his speciall saint as a peculier god As for example scollers haue saint Nicholas and saint Gregorie paynters saint Luke neyther lacke souldiers theyr Mars nor louers theyr Venus amongest Christians All diseases haue theyr speciall saintes as gods the curers of them The pockes saint Roche the fallyng euyll saint Cornelis the toothe ache saint Appoline c. neyther do beastes and cattell lacke theyr Gods with vs for saint Loy is the horseleache and saint Anthonie the swinehearde c. Where is Gods prouidence and due honour in the meane season who sayth The heauens be myne and the earth is myne the whole worlde and al that in it is I do geue victorie and I put to flight of me be al councels and helpe c. Except I kepe the citie in vayne doth he watch that kepeth it thou Lorde shalt saue both men and beastes But we haue left hym neyther heauen nor earth nor water nor countrey nor citie peace no warre to rule and gouerne neyther men nor beastes nor theyr diseases to cure that a godlye man myght iustlye for zelous indignation crye out O heauen O earth and seas what madnesse and wickednesse agaynst God are men fallen into What dishonour do the creatures to theyr creator and maker And yf we remember God sometime yet because we doubt of his habilitie or will to helpe we ioyne to hym another helper as he were a nowne adiectiue vsyng these sayinges suche as learne God and saint Nicholas be my speede such as neese God helpe and saint John to the horse God and saint Loy saue thee Thus are we become like horses and moyles whiche haue no vnderstandyng For is there not one God only who by his power and wysdome made all thynges and by his prouidence gouerneth the same and by his goodnes maynteyneth and saueth them Be not all thynges of hym by hym and through hym Why doest thou turne from the creatour to the creatures This is the maner of the Gentiles idolaters but thou art a Christian and therefore by Christe alone hast accesse to God the father and helpe of him only These thynges are not wrytten to any reproche of the saintes them selues who were the true seruauntes of God and dyd geue all honour to him taking none vnto themselues and are blessed soules with God but against our foolishnes and wickednes makyng of the true seruauntes of God false gods by attributyng to them the power and honour whiche is Gods and due to hym only And for that we haue suche opinions of the power and redy helpe of saintes al our Legendes Hymnes Sequences and Masses dyd conteyne stories laudes and prayses of them and prayers to them yea and sermons also altogether of them and to theyr prayses Gods worde beyng cleane layde asyde And this we do altogether agreeable to the saintes as dyd the Gentiles idolaters to theyr false gods For these opinions whiche men haue had of mortall persons were they neuer so holye the olde moste godlye and learned Christians haue written agaynst the faygned gods of the Gentiles and Christian princes haue destroyed theyr images who yf they were nowe lyuyng woulde doubtlesse lykewyse both wryte agaynst our false opinions of saintes and also destroye theyr images For it is euident that our image maynteyners haue the same opinion of saintes whiche the Gentiles had of theyr false gods and thereby are moued to make them images as the Gentiles dyd If aunswere be made that they make saintes but intercessours to God and meanes for suche thynges as they woulde obteyne of God that is euen after the Gentiles idolatrious vsage to make them of saintes gods called Dij Medioximi to be meane intercessours and helpers to God as though he dyd not heare or shoulde be weerye yf he
liueth for euer to make intercession for vs As the blood of Christe dyd redeeme vs on the crosse and cleanse vs from our sinnes euen so it is nowe able to saue all them that come vnto God by it For Christe sitting in heauen hath an euerlasting priesthoode and alwayes prayeth to his father for them that be penitent obtayning by vertue of his woundes whiche are euermore in the sight of God not only perfect remission of our sinnes but also all other necessaries that we lacke in this worlde so that his only mediatour is sufficient in heauen and nedeth no others to helpe him Why then do we pray one for another in this lyfe some man perchaunce wyll here demaunde Forsoothe we are wylled so to do by the expresse commaundement both of Christe and his disciples to declare therein aswell the fayth that we haue in Christe towardes God as also the mutuall charitie that we beare one towardes another in that we pitie our brothers case and make our humble petition to God for him But that we shoulde pray vnto Saintes neyther haue we any commaundement in all the Scripture nor yet example whiche we maye safely folowe So that beyng done without aucthoritie of Gods worde it lacketh the grounde of fayth and therefore can not be acceptable before god For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne And the Apostle sayth that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of god Yet thou wylt obiect further that the saintes in heauen do praye for vs and that their prayer proceedeth of an earnest charitie that they haue towardes their brethren on earth Where to it may be well aunswered First that no man knoweth whether they do pray for vs or no. And yf any wyll go about to prooue it by the nature of charitie concludyng that because they dyd praye for men on earth therefore they do muche more the same nowe in heauen Then may it be sayde by the same reason that as oft as we do weepe on earth they do also weepe in heauen because whyle they liued in this worlde it is moste certayne and sure they dyd so And for that place whiche is written in the Apocalips namely that the angell dyd offer vp the prayers of the saintes vpon the golden aulter it is properly meant and ought properly to be vnderstoode of those saintes that are yet liuing on earth and not of them that are dead otherwyse what neede were it that the angell shoulde offer vp their prayers beyng nowe in heauen before the face of aimightie god But admit the saintes do pray for vs yet do we not knowe howe whether specially for them whiche call vppon them or els generally for all men wishing well to euerye man a like If they pray speciallye for them whiche call vpon them then it is like they heare our prayers and also knowe our heartes desyre Which thing to be false it is alredy proued both by the scriptures and also by the aucthoritie of Augustine Let vs not therefore put our trust or confidence in the saintes or martyrs that be dead Let vs not call vppon them nor desyre helpe at their handes but let vs alwayes lift vp our heartes to GOD in the name of his deare sonne Christ for whose sake as God hath promised to heare our prayer so he wyll truelye perfourme it Inuocation is a thing proper vnto God whiche yf we attribute vnto the saintes it soundeth to their reproche neyther can they well beare it at our handes When Paul had healed a certayne lame man whiche was impotent in his feete at Listra the people woulde haue done sacrifice to him and Barnabas who renting their clothes refused it and exhorted them to worship the true GOD. Likewyse in the reuelation when saint John fell before the angelles feete to worship him the angell woulde not permit him to do it but commaunded him that he shoulde worship god Whiche examples declare vnto vs that the saintes and angels in heauen wyll not haue vs to do any honour vnto them that is due and proper vnto god He only is our father he only is omnipotent he onlye knoweth and vnderstandeth all thing he onlye can helpe vs at all times and in all places he suffereth the sunne to shine vppon the good and the bad he feedeth the young Rauens that crie vnto him he saueth both man beast he wyl not that any one heere of our head shall perishe but is alwayes redye to helpe and preserue all them that put their truste in him accordyng as he hath promised saying Before they call I wyll aunswere and whyles they speake I wyll heare Let vs not therefore any thing mistrust his goodnesse let vs not feare to come before the throne of his mercie let vs not seeke the ayde and helpe of saintes but let vs come boldlye our selues nothing doubting but God for Christes sake in whom he is well pleased will heare vs without a spokes man and accomplishe our desyre in all suche thinges as shal be agreeable to his most holye wyll So sayth Chrisostome an auncient Doctour of the Churche and so must we stedfastly beleue not because he sayth it but much more because it is the doctrine of our Sauiour Christe him selfe who hath promised that if we pray to the father in his name we shall certainely be hearde both to the reliefe of our necessities and also to the saluation of our soules whiche he hath purchased vnto vs not with golde or siluer but with his pretious blood shed once for all vppon the crosse To him therefore with the father and the holye ghost three persons and one God be all honour prayse and glory for euer and euer Amen The thirde parte of the Homilee concerning prayer YE were taught in the other part of this Sermon vnto whom ye ought to directe your prayers in time of neede and necessitie that is to witte not vnto angels or saintes but vnto the eternall and euerlyuing God who because he is mercifull is alwayes redye to heare vs when we call vppon him in true perfect faith And because he is omnipotent he can easily perfourme and bring to passe the thing that we request to haue at his handes To doubt of his power it were a plaine poynt of infidelitie and cleane agaynst the doctrine of the holye ghost which teacheth that he is al in all And as touching his good wyl in this behalfe we haue expresse testimonies in scripture howe that he wyll helpe vs and also deliuer vs if we call vpon him in time of trouble So that in both these respectes we ought rather to cal vpon him then vpon any other Neither ought anye man therefore to doubt to come boldlye vnto God because he is a sinner For the Lorde as the prophete Dauid sayth is gratious and mercifull yea his mercie and goodnesse endureth foreuer He that sent his owne sonne into the worlde to saue sinners wyll he
not be without lyes ought not to be made or put to anye vse of religion or to be placed in Churches and Temples places peculierly appoynted to true religion and seruice of god And thus much that no true image of God our sauiour Christe or his saintes can be made wherwithall is also confuted that their allegation that images be the laye mens bookes For it is euident of that whiche is afore rehearsed that they teache no thinges of God of our sauiour Christe and of his saintes but lyes and errours Wherfore either they be no bookes or if they be they be false and lying bookes the teachers of all errour And nowe if it should be admitted graunted that an image of Christe could truely be made yet it is vnlawfull that it shoulde be made yea or that the image of anye saint shoulde be made speciallye to beset vp in Temples to the greate and vnauoydable daunger of idolatrie as hereafter shal be proued And fyrste concernyng the image of Christe that though it myght be had truelye yet it were vnlawfull to haue it in Churches publiquely is a notable place in Ireneus who reproued the heritikes called Gnostici for that they caryed about the image of Christe made truely after his owne proportion in Pilates tyme as they said and therefore more to be esteemed then those lying images of hym which we nowe haue The whiche Gnostici also vsed to set garlandes vppon the head of the sayde image to shewe their affection to it But to go to Gods worde Be not I pray you the wordes of the scripture playne Beware least thou beyng deceaued make to thy selfe to say to any vse of religion anye grauen image or anye similitude of any thyng c. And cursed be the man that maketh a grauen or molten image abhomination before the Lorde c. Be not our images such Be not our images of Christe and his saintes 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ed or molten or caste or similitudes of men and women It is happye that we haue not folowed the Gentiles in makyng of images of 〈…〉 es fyshes and vermynes also Notwithstandyng the image of an Horse as also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Asse that Christe â—ode on haue in di 〈…〉 places ben brought into the Churche and Temple of god And is not that whiche is written in the begynning of the Lordes moste holye lawe and dayly read vnto you moste euident also Thou shalt not make any lykenesse of anye thyng in heauen aboue in earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth c. Coulde anye more beforbidden and sayde then this eyther of the kyndes of images whiche be eyther carued molten or otherwyse similitudes or of thynges whereof images are forbidden to be made Are not all thinges either in heauen earth or water vnder the earth And be not our images of Christe and his saintes lykenesses of thynges in heauen earth or in the water If they continue in their former aunswere that these prohibitions concerne the idols of the Gentiles and not our images Fyrste that aunswere is alreadye confuted concernyng the images of God and the trinitie at large and concerning the images of Christe also by Ireneus And that the lawe of God is lykewyse to be vnderstanded agaynst all our images aswell of Christe as his saintes in Temples and Churches appeareth further by the iudgement of the olde Doctours and the primatiue Churche Epiphanius rentyng a paynted cloth wherein was the picture of Christe or of some saint affyrmyng it to be agaynst our religion that any such image shoulde be had in the temple or Church as is before at large declared iudged that not onlye idols of the Gentiles but that all images of Christe and his saintes also were forbidden by Gods worde and our religion Lactantius affyrming it to be certayne that no true religion can be where an image or picture is as is before declared iudged that aswell all images and pictures as the idols of the gentiles were forbidden els woulde he not so generallye haue spoken and pronounced of them And saint Augustine as is before alleaged greatlye alloweth M. Varro affyrmyng that religion is moste pure without images and sayth hym selfe Images be of more force to crooke an vnhappye soule then to teache and instruct it And he sayth further Euery chyld yea euerye beast knoweth that it is not God that they see Wherefore then doth the holye ghost so ofte monishe vs of that whiche all men knowe Whereunto saint Augustine aunswereth thus For saith he when images are placed in Temples and set in honourable sublimitie begyn once to be worshypped foorthwith breedeth the most vyle affection of errour This is saint Augustines iudgemente of images in Churches that by and by they breede errour and idolatrie The Christian Emperours the learned Byshops all the learned men of Asia Grece and Spayne assembled in counselles at Constantinople and in Spayne vii and. viii C. yeres ago and more condemnyng and destroying al images aswell of Christ as of the Saintes set vp by the Christians as is before at large declared testifie that they vnderstood Gods worde so that it forbad our images as well as the idols of the Gentiles And as it is written Sapi. xiiij that images were not from the beginning neyther shall they continue to the end so were they not in the begynnyng in the primatiue Churche God graunt they may in the ende be destroyed For all Christians in the primatiue Churche as Origen agaynste Celsus Ciprian also and Arnobius do testified were sore charged and complayned on that they had no aulters nor images Wherefore dyd they not I pray you confourme themselues to the Gentiles in makyng of images but for lacke of them sustayned their heauie displeasure if they had taken it to be lawfull by Gods worde to haue images It is euident therefore that they toke al images to be vnlawful in the Churche or Temple of God and therefore had none though the Gentiles therefore were most highly displeased folowing this rule We must obey God rather then men And Zephirius in his notes vppon the Apologie of sertullian gathereth that all his vehement perswasion shoulde be but colde except we know this once for all that Christian men in his tyme dyd moste hate images with their ornamentes And Ireneus as is aboue declared reproueth the heretikes called Gnostici for that they caryed about the image of christ And therefore the primatiue Church which is speciallie to be folowed as most incorrupt and pure had publiquely in Churches neyther idols of the Gentiles nor any other images as thynges directly forbidden by Gods word And thus it is declared by Gods worde the sentences of the Doctours and the iudgement of the primatiue Churche whiche was moste pure and sincere that all images aswell ours as the idols of the Gentiles be by Gods word forbidden and therfore vnlawful specially in Temples and Churches Nowe yf they as their custome
the Lorde Which one benefite among all other is so great wonderfull that neyther tongue can well expresse it neither heart thinke it much lesse geue sufficient thankes to god for it But here is a great controuersie betwene vs and the Jewes whether the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie be the true Messias and true sauiour of the worlde so long promised prophesied of before They as they are and haue ben alwayes proude stiffe necked woulde neuer acknowledge hym vntil this day but haue loked and gaped for another to come They haue this fond imagination in their heades that Messias shall come not as Christ did like a poore pilgrime and simple soule rydyng vppon an Asse But lyke a baliaunt and mightie king in great royaltie honour Not as Christ did with a fewe fishermen and men of small estimation in the world but with a great armie of strong men with a great traine of wyse noble mē as knightes Lords Earles Dukes Princes so foorth Neither do they thinke that their Messias shal slaunderously suffer death as Christ dyd but that he shall stoutly conquer and manfully subdue al his enemies and finallie obtayne such a kingdome on earth as neuer was seene from the beginning While they faigne vnto them selues after this sort a Messias of theyr owne brayne they deceaue them selues and accompt Christe as an abiect foole of the worlde Therefore Christ crucified as saint Paul sayth is vnto the Jewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles foolishnes because they thinke it an absurde thing and contrary to all reason that a redemer and sauiour of the whole world should be handled after suche a sort as he was namelye scorned reuiled scourged condempned and last of al cruelly hanged This I say seemed in their eyes straunge and most absurde and therefore neyther they would at that tyme neyther wyll they as yet acknowledge Christe to be theyr Messias and sauiour But we dearely beloued that hope loke to be saued must both stedfastly beleue and also boldly confesse that the same Jesus which was borne of the virgin Marie was the true Messias and mediatour betweene God and man promised and prophecied of so long before For as the Apostle writeth With the heart man beleueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatiō Againe in the same place Whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall neuer be ashamed nor confounded Wherto agreeth also the testimonie of saint John written in the fourth Chapter of his first generall Epistle on this wyse Whosoeuer confesseth that Jesus is the sonne of God he dwelleth in God and God in hym There is no doubt but in this poynt all Christian men are fully and perfectly perswaded Yet shal it not be a lost labour to instruct and furnish you with a fewe places concerning this matter that ye maye be able to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all them that moste Jewishely or rather diuelishly shall at any time go about to teache or maintaine the contrary First ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the angel Gabriel declared aswel to Zacharie the high priest as also to the blessed virgin Secondly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of John the Baptist poynting vnto Christe and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Thirdly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of God the father who thundred from heauen and sayde This is my dearelye beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Fourthly ye haue the witnesse and testimonie of the holye ghost whiche came downe frō heauen in maner of a white doue and lighted vpon him in time of his baptisme To these myght be added a great number more namely the witnesse testimonie of the wise men that came to Herode the witnes and testimonie of Simeon and Anna the witnesse and testimonie of Andrew and Philip Nathanael and Peter Nicodemus and Martha with diuers other But it were to long to repeate all and a fewe places are sufficient in so plaine a matter specially among them that are alredye perswaded Therfore if the priuie impes of amechriste and craftie instrumentes of the deuil shal attempt or go about to withdrawe you frō this true Messias and perswade you to loke for another that is not yet come let thē not in any case seduce you but cōfirme your selues with these such other testimonies of holy scripture whiche are so sure certaine that all the deuils in hell shal neuer be able to withstand them For as truelye as God liueth so truelye was Jesus Christe the true messias and sauiour of the worlde euen the same Jesus which as this day was borne of the virgin Marie without all helpe of man only by the power and operation of the holy ghost Concerning whose nature and substaunce because diuers sundry heresies are rysen in these our dayes through the motion and suggestion of Satan therefore it shal be needefull profitable for your instruction to speake a worde or two also of this parte We are euidently taught in the scripture that our Lord and sauiour Christ consisteth of two seuerall natures of his manhood being thereby perfect man and of his Godhead being thereby perfect god It is written The worde that is to say the seconde person in Trinitie became fleshe GOD sendyng his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe fulfilled those thinges which the lawe coulde not Christ being in fourme of God toke on him the fourme of a seruaunt was made like vnto man beyng founde in shape as a man GOD was shewed in fleshe iustified in spirite seene of angels preached to the Gentiles beleued on in the world and receaued vp in glorye Also in another place There is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Jesus Christe These be plaine places for the profe and declaration of both natures vnited and knitte together in one Christe Let vs diligently consyder and waygh the workes that he dyd whiles he lyued on earth and we shall thereby also perceaue the selfe same thing to be most true In that he did hunger and thirst eate and drinke sleepe and wake in that he preached his Gospell to the people in that he wept and sorowed for Hierusalem in that he payde tribute for him selfe and Peter in that he dyed and suffered death what other thing dyd he els declare but onlye this that he was perfect man as we are For whiche cause he is called in holye scripture sometyme the sonne of Dauid sometime the sonne of man sometime the sonne of Marie sometime the sonne of Joseph and so foorthe Nowe in that he forgaue sinnes in that he wrought myracles in that he dyd cast out deuils in that he healed men with his only worde in that he knewe the thoughtes of mens heartes in that he had the seas at his cōmaundement in that he walked on the water in that
one that doth beleue By this then 〈…〉 wel perceaue that the only meane and instrument of saluation required of our partes is faith that is to saye a sure trust and 〈◊〉 in the mercies of God Whereby we perswade our selues that God both hath and 〈◊〉 our sinnes that he hath accepted vs againe into his sauour that he hath released vs frō the bondes of dampnation and receaued vs againe into the number of his elect people not for our merites or desartes but onlye solely for the merites of Christes death and passion who became man for our sakes and humbled him selfe to sustayne the reproche of the crosse that we thereby might be saued and made inheritours of the kingdome of heauen This fayth is required at our handes And this yf we keepe stedfastly in our heartes there is no doubt but we shall obtayne saluation at gods handes as did Abraham Isahac and Jacob of whom the scripture saith that they beleued and it was imputed vnto them for ryghteousnesse Was it imputed vnto them onlye and shall it not be imputed vnto vs also Yes yf we haue the same fayth as they had it shal be as truly imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse as it was vnto them For it is one fayth that must saue both vs and them euen a sure and stedfast fayth in Christ Jesu who as ye haue heard came into the worlde for this ende that whosoeuer beleue in him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting But here we must take heede that we do not hault with God through an vnconstant and wauering saith but that it be strong and stedfast to our liues ende He that wauereth saith saint James is lyke a waue of the sea neyther let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing at Gods handes Peter comming to Christe vpon the water because he fainted in faith was in daunger of drowning So we yf we beginne to wauer or doubt it is to be feared lest we shall sinke as Peter dyd not into the water but into the bottomlesse pit of hell fyre Therefore I saye vnto you that we must apprehende the merites of Christes death and passion by faith and that with a strong and stedfast fayth nothyng doubting but that Christe by his owne oblation and once offring of him selfe vpon the crosse hath taken away our sinnes hath restored vs agayne into Gods fauour so fully and perfectly that no other sacrifice for sinne shall hereafter be requisite or nedefull in all the worlde Thus haue ye hearde in fewe wordes the meane whereby we must applie the fruites and merites of Christes death vnto vs so that it may worke the saluatiō of our soules namely a sure stedfast perfect and grounded fayth For as all they whiche behelde stedfastly the brasen serpent were healed and deliuered at the very sight therof from their corporall diseases and bodyly stinges euen so all they which beholde Christe crucified with a true and liuely fayth shal vndoubtedly be deliuered from the greuous woundes of the soule be they neuer so deadly or many in number Therfore dearely beloued yf we chaunce at anye tyme through frailtie of the fleshe to fall into sinne as it can not be chosen but we must nedes fall often yf we feele the heauie burden thereof to presse our soules tormenting vs with the feare of death hell and dampnation let vs then vse that meane which God hath appoynted in his word to wit the meane of faith which is the only instrument of saluation nowe left vnto vs Let vs stedfastly beholde Christe crucified with the eyes of our heart Let vs only trust to be saued by his death and passion to haue our sinnes cleane wasshed away through his most precious blood that in the end of the world when he shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead he may receaue vs into his heauenly kingdome and place vs in the number of his elect and chosen people there to be partakers of that immortal and euerlasting life whiche he hath purchased vnto vs by vertue of his bloddy woundes To him therfore with the father and the holy ghost be al honour and glorie worlde without ende Amen An Homilee of the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus Christe For Easter day IF euer at any tyme the greatnesse or excellencie of anye matter spirituall or temporall hath stirred vp your mindes to geue diligent eare good Christian people and welbeloued in our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christe I doubt not but that I shall haue you nowe at this present season moste diligent and ready hearers of the matter whiche I haue at this tyme to open vnto you For I come to declare that great and most comfortable article of our Christian religion and fayth the resurrection of our Lorde Jesus So great surely is the matter of this article and of so great wayght and importaunce that it was thought worthie to kepe our sayde Sauiour still on earth fourtie dayes after he was rysen from death to lyfe to the confirmation and stablishment therof in the heartes of his disciples So that as Luke clearlye testifieth in the first Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles he was conuersaunt with his disciples by the space of fourtie dayes continuallye together to thintent he would in his person beyng nowe glorified teache and instruct them whiche shoulde be the teachers of other fullye and in most absolute and perfect wise the trueth of this moste Christian article whiche is the grounde and foundation of our whole religion before he would ascend vp to his father into the heauens there to receaue the glorye of his most triumphant conquest and victorie Assuredly so highly comfortable is this article to our consciences that it is euen the very locke and key of all our Christian religion and fayth If it were not true sayth the holy Apostle Paul that Christe rose agayne then our preaching were in vayne your fayth whiche you haue receaued were but voyde ye were yet in the daūger of your sinnes If Christ be not rysen againe sayth the apostle then are they in very euill case and vtterly perished that be entred their stepe in Christ then are we the most miserable of al men which haue our hope fixed in Christ if he be yet vnder the powre of death 〈…〉 not restored to his blisse againe But nowe is he rysen agayne from death sayth the Apostle Paul to be the first fruites of them that be a sleepe to thintent to raise them to euerlasting life agayne Yea yf it were not true that Christe is risen againe then were it neither true that he is ascended vp to heauen nor that he sent downe from heauen vnto vs the holy ghost nor that he sitteth on the right hand of his heauenly father hauing the rule of heauen earth raigning as the prophete sayth from sea to sea nor that he should after this worlde be the iudge aswell of the liuing
deuill and not of God albeit they pretende outwardly to the worlde neuer so muche holinesse For as the Gospell teacheth vs the spirit of Jesus is a good spirit an holy spirit a sweete spirite a lowely spirite a mercifull spirite full of charitie and loue ful of forgeuenes and pitie not rendring euil for euill extremitie for extremitie but ouercomming euill with good and remitting all offence euen from the heart Accordyng to which rule if any man liue vprightly of him it may be safely pronounced that he hath the holy ghost within him If not then it is a plaine token that he doth vsurpe the name of the holye ghost in vaine Therfore dearely beloued according to the good councel of S. John beleue not euery spirite but firste trie them whether they be of God or no. Manye shall come in my name sayeth Christe and shall transfourme them selues into Angels of light deceauing if it be possible the very elect They shall come vnto you in sheepes clothing being inwardlye cruell and rauening Wolues They shall haue an outwarde shewe of great holines and innocencie of lyfe so that ye shall hardly or not at all discerne them But the rule that ye must folowe is this to iudge them by their fruites Which if they be wicked and naught then is it vnpossible that the tree of whoÌ„ they proceede should be good Such were all the popes and prelates of Rome for the most parte as doth well appeare in the storye of their lyues and therefore they are worthylye accounted among the number of false prophetes and false Christes whiche deceaued the worlde a long whyle The Lorde of heauen and earth deâ—fende vs from their tirannie and pryde that they neuer enter into his vineyarde agayne to the disturbaunce of his feely poore flocke but that they may be vtterly confounded and put to flight in all partes of the worlde And he of his great mercy so worke in al mens heartes by the mighty power of the holy ghost that the comfortable Gospell of his sonne Christe may be truely preached truely receaued and truelye followed in all places to the beating downe of sinne death the pope the deuil all the kingdome of Antichrist that lyke scattered and dispearsed sheepe beyng at length gathered into one folde we maye in the ende rest altogether in the bosome of â—braham Isaac and Jacob there to be partakers of eternal and euerlasting life through the merites and death of Jesus Christ out sauiour Amen ⧠An Homilee for the dayes of rogation weeke That all good thynges commeth from God. I Am purposed this day good deuout Christian people to declare vnto you the most deserued praise commendation of almighty God not only in the consyderation of the marueylous creation of this worlde or for conseruation and gouernaunce thereof wherein his great power and wysedome might excellentlye appeare to moue vs to honour and dread him but moste specially in consyderation of his liberall large goodnes whiche he daylye bestoweth on vs his reasonable creatures for whose sake he made the whole vniuersall worlde with all the commodities and goods therein Which his singuler goodnes well and diligently remembred on our part shoulde moue vs as dutie is agayne with hartye affection to loue him and with word and deede to praise him and serue him all the dayes of our lyfe And to this matter being so worthye to entreate of and so profitable for you to heare I trust I shal not neede with much circumstaunce of words to stirre you to geue your attendance to heare what shal be said Only I would wish your affection inflamed in secrete wyse within your selfe to rayse vp some motion of thankes geuing to the goodnes of almightie God in euery 〈…〉 che poynt as shal be opened by my declaration particulerly vnto you For els what shall it auayle vs to heare and knowe the great goodnesse of God towarde vs to knowe that what soeuer is good proceedeth from him as from the principal fountayne and the onelye aucthour or to knowe that what soeuer is sent from him must needs be good and holsome if the hearing of suche matter moueth vs no further but to knowe it onely What auayled it the wyse men of the worlde to haue a knowledge of the power and diuinitie of God by the secrete inspiration of him where they did not honor and glorifie him in their knowledges as God What prayse was it to them by the consyderation of the creation of the world to behold his goodnesse and yet were not thankful to him againe for his creatures What other thing deserued this blindnes and forgetfulnes of them at Gods handes but vtter forsaking of him and so forsaken of God they could not but fall into extreme ignorance and errour And although they muche esteemed them selues in their wittes and knowledge and gloried in their wisdome yet vanished they away blyndly in their thoughtes became fooles perished in their folly There can be none other ende of suche as draweth nygh to God by knowledge and yet depart from him in vnthankfulnes but vtter destruction This experience sawe Dauid in his dayes For in his Psalme he saith Behold they which withdrawe them selues from thee shall perishe for thou hast destroyed them all that are strayed from thee This experieÌ„ce was perceaued to be true of that holy prophete Jeremie O Lord sayth he what soeuer they be that forsake thee shal be confounded they that depart from thee shal be written in the earth and soone forgotten It profiteth not good people to heare the goodnes of God declared vnto vs if our heartes be not inflamed therby to honour thanke hym It profited not the Jewes whiche were Gods elect people to here much of God seyng that he was not receaued in their heartes by fayth nor thanked for his benefites bestowed vpon them their vnthankfulnes was the cause of their destructioÌ„ Let vs esche we the maner of these before rehearsed and folowe rather the example of that holye Apostle Saint Paul whiche when in a deepe meditation he dyd beholde the marueylous proceedinges of almyghtie God and consydered his infinite goodnes in the ordering of his creatures he brast out into this conclusion Surely sayth he of hym by hym and in him be al thinges And this once pronounced he stacke not still at this poynt but forthwith therupon ioyned to these wordes To him be glory prayse for euer Amen Uppon the grounde of which wordes of Saint Paul good audience I purpose to builde my exhortation of this day vnto you Wherein I shall do my endeuour first to proue vnto you that al good things commeth downe vnto vs from aboue from the father of lyght Secondly that Jesus Christ his sonne and our sauiour is the meane by whom we receaue his liberall goodnesse Thirdly that in the power and vertue of the holy ghost we be made meete and able to receaue his giftes graces Which
and earth as is alredy made We must nedes agree that whatsoeuer good thyng is in vs of grace of nature or of fortune is of God only as the only aucthour worker And yet it is not to be thought that God hath created al this whole vniuersall worlde as it is and thus once made hath geuen it vp to be ruled and vsed after our owne wittes deuice so taketh no more charge therfore As we see the ship wright after he hath brought his ship to a perfect end then delyuereth he it to the maryners taketh no more cure therof Nay God hath not so created the worlde that he is carelesse of it but he styl preserueth it by his goodnes he styll stayeth it in his creation For els without his speciall goodnes it coulde not stande long in his condition And therfore saint Paule sayth that he preserueth all thynges and beareth them vp styl in his word left they should fall without hym to their nothing againe wherof of they were made If his speciall goodnes were not euery where present euery creature shoulde be out of order and no creature should haue his propertie wherein he was firste created Hee is therfore inuisible euery where and in euery creature and fulfilleth both heauen and earth with his presence In the fyre to geue heate in the water to geue moysture in the earth to geue fruit in the hart to geue his strength yea in our bread and drinke he is to geue vs norishment where without him the bread and drynke cannot geue sustinaunce nor the hearbe health as the wyse man plainly confesseth it saying It is not the increase of fruites that feedeth men but it is thy worde O Lorde whiche preserueth them that trust in thee And Moyses agreeth to the same when he sayeth Mans lyfe resteth not in bread onely but in euery word which proceedeth out of Gods mouth It is neyther the hearbe nor the plaster that geueth health of themselues but thy worde O Lord sayth the wyse man which healeth all thinges It is not therefore the power of the creatures which worketh their effectes but the goodnes of God which worketh in them In his worde truely doth al thinges consist By that same word that heauen and earth were made by the same are they vpholden maynteyned kept in order sayth saynt Peter shall be till almightie God shall withdrawe his power from them and speake their dissolution If it were not thus that the goodnes of God were effectuallye in his ceratures to rule them howe coulde it be that the maine sea so ragyng and labouring to ouerflowe the earth could be kept within his bondes and banks as it is That holy man Job euidentlye spyed the goodnes of God in this poynt and confessed that if he had not a speciall goodnes to the preseruation of the earth it coulde not but shortly be ouerflowed of the sea Howe coulde it be that the elementes so dyuers and contrary as they be among them selues should yet agree and abyde together in a concorde without destruction one of another to serue our vse if it came not onely of Gods goodnes so to temper them How could the fyre not burne and consume al things if it were left loose to go whyther it woulde and not stayed in his sphere by the goodnesse of God measurably to heate these inferiour creatures to their ryping Consyder the huge substaunce of the earth so heauye and great as it is Howe coulde it so stande stablye in the place as it doth if Gods goodnes reserued it not so for vs to trauayle on It is thou O Lorde sayeth Dauid which haste founded the earth in his stabilitie and duryng thy worde it shall neuer reele or fall downe Consyder the great strong beastes and fyshes farre passing the strength of man howe fierce so euer they be and strong yet by the goodnesse of God they preuayle not agaynst vs but are vnder our subiection and serue our vse Of whom came the inuention thus to subdue them and make them fit for our commodities Was it by mans braine Nay rather this inuētion came by the goodnes of God which inspyred mans vnderstandyng to haue his purpose of euerye creature Who was it sayth Job that put will and wisdom in mans head but god only of his goodnes And as the same saith agayne I perceaue that euery man hath a minde but it is the inspiration of the almightie that geueth vnderstanding It could not be veryly good Christian people that man of his owne wit vnholpen should inuent so many and dyuers deuyses in al craftes sciences except the goodnes of almyghtye God had ben present with men and had stirred their wittes and studies of purpose to knowe the natures and disposition of all his creatures to serue vs sufficiently in our needs and necessities Yea not only to serue our necessities but to serue our pleasures and delight more then necessitie requireth So liberall is Gods goodnes to vs to prouoke vs to thanke him if any heartes we haue The wise man in his contemplation by him self coulde not but graunt this thing to be true that I reason vnto you In his handes sayth he be we and our wordes and al our wisdom and al our sciences and workes of knowledge For it is he that gaue me the true instruction of his creatures both to know the disposition of the world and the vertues of the elementes the beginning and ende of tymes the change and diuersities of them the course of the yere the order of the starres the natures of beastes and the powers of them the power of the windes and thoughtes of men the differences of planets the vertue of rootes and what soeuer is hid and secrete in nature I learned it The artificer of all these taught me this wisdome And further he sayeth Who can searche out the thinges that be in heauen for it is harde for vs to searche suche thinges as be on earth and in dayly sight afore vs For our wits and thoughtes sayth he be imperfect and our pollicies vncertaine No man can therfore search out the meaning in these things except thou geuest wisdome and sendest thy spirit from aboue If the wise man thus confesseth all these thinges to be of God why should not we acknowledge it and by the knowledge of it consyder our dutye to Godward and geue him thanks for his goodnes I perceaue that I am farre here ouercharged with the plentie and copye of matter that myght be brought in for the proofe of this cause If I should enter to shewe howe the goodnesse of almightie god appeared euery where in the creatures of the worlde howe marueylous they be in their creation howe beawtified in their order howe necessary they be to our vse all with one voyce muste needes graunt their aucthour to be none other but almighty God his goodnes must they needes extoll and magnifie
much more of all spiritual graces behoueable for our soule without whose goodnesse no man is called to fayth or stayed therein as I shall hereafter in the next part of this Homilee declare to you In the meane season forget not what hath alredy ben spoken to you forget not to be conformable in your iudgementes to the trueth of this doctrine and forget not to practise the same in the whole state of your lyfe whereby ye shall obtayne the blessing promised by our sauiour Christ Blessed be they which heare the word of God fulfilleth it in lyfe Whiche blessing he graunt to vs all who raigneth ouer all one God in Trinitie the father the sonne and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ The thirde part of the Homilee for Rogation weeke I Promised to you to declare that all spirituall giftes graces commeth specially from god Let vs consyder the trueth of this matter and heare what is testified fyrst of the gyfte of faith the first entrie into the Christian life without the which no man can please god For S. Paul confesseth it plainely to be Gods gyft saying Fayth is the gyft of god And agayne saint Peter sayth It is of Gods power that ye be kept through fayth to saluation It is of the goodnes of god that we faulter not in our hope vnto him It is verily gods worke in vs the charitie wherwith we loue our brethren If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent whiche reacheth foorth his mercifull hande to rayse vs vp If any wyll we haue to ryse it is he that preuenteth our wyll disposeth vs therto If after contrition we feele our conscience at peace with god through remission of our sinne and so be reconciled againe to his fauour and hope to be his children inheritours of euerlasting lyfe who worketh these great myracles in vs our worthynesse our deseruinges endeuours our wittes and vertue Nay veryly Saint Paul wyll not suffer fleshe and clay to presume to such arrogancie therfore sayth All is of God which hath reconciled vs to hym selfe by Jesus Christe For God was in Christe when he reconciled the world vnto him selfe GOD the father of all mercie wrought this high benefite vnto vs not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane then his only beloued sonne whom he spared not from any payne trauayle that myght do vs good For vpon him he put our sinnes vpon him he made our raunsome hym he made the meane betwixt vs him selfe whose mediation was so acceptable to GOD the father through his profound and perfect obedience that he toke his acte for a full satisfaction of all our disobedience rebellion whose ryghteousnesse he toke to waye agaynst our sinnes whose redemption he would haue stande agaynst our dampnation In this poynt what haue we to muse within our selues good freendes I thinke no lesse then that which saint Paul sayde in the remembraunce of this wonderfull goodnesse of God Thankes be to almightie God through Christe Jesus our Lorde for it is he for whose sake we receaued this hygh gyft of grace For as by him beyng the euerlastyng wysdome he wrought all the worlde and that is contayned therein So by him only and wholy woulde he haue all thynges restored agayne in heauen and in earth By this our heauenly mediatour therefore do we knowe the fauour and mercie of God the father by him know we his wyll and pleasure towardes vs for he is the brightnesse of his fathers glorye and a verye cleare image and paterne of his substaunce It is he whom the father in heauen delyghteth to haue for his welbeloued sonne whom he aucthorised to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying Heare him It is he by whom the father of heauen doth blesse vs with all spiritual and heauenly giftes for whose sake and fauour writeth saint John we haue receaued grace fauour To this our sauiour mediatour hath God the father geuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction aucthoritie to distribute his goodes and gyftes committed to hym For so wryteth the apostle To euery one of vs is grace geuen accordyng to the measure of Christes geuing And thereupon to execute his aucthoritie committed after that he had brought sinne and the deuill to captiuitie to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his father agayne from thence sent liberall gyftes to his welbeloued seruauntes and hath styll the power to the worldes ende to distribute his fathers giftes continually in his Churche to the establishment and comfort thereof And by hym hath almyghtie God decreed to dissolue the world to call al before him to iudge both the quicke and the dead and finally by hym shall he condempne the wicked to eternall fyre in hell and geue the good eternall lyfe and set them assuredly in presence with hym in heauen for euermore Thus ye see how all is of God by his sonne Christe our Lord and sauiour Remember I say once againe your duetie of thankes let thē be neuer to want still ioyne your selfe to continue in thankes geuyng ye can offer to God ne better sacrifice For he sayth hym selfe It is the sacrifice of prayse and thankes that shall honour me Which thyng was well perceaued of that holy prophete Dauid when he so earnestly spake to him selfe thus O my soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within me blesse his holy name I say once again O my soule blesse thou the Lorde neuer forget his manifolde rewardes God geue vs grace good people to know these things to feele thē in our heartes This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it a great pitie it were that we shoulde lose so profitable knowledge Let vs therefore meekely cal vpon that bountiful spirite the holy ghost which proceedeth from our father of mercie from our mediatour Christ that he woulde assist vs and inspire vs with his presence that in him we may be able to heare the goodnes of god declared vnto vs to our saluation For without his liuely secrete inspiration can we not once so muche as speake the name of our mediatour as saint Paul plainely testifieth No man can once name our Lorde Jesus Christe but in the holye ghost Much lesse shoulde we be able to beleue knowe these great mysteries that be opened to vs by Christe Saint Paul sayth that no man can knowe what is of god but the spirite of god As for vs sayth he we haue receaued not the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of god for this purpose that in that holye spirite we myght knowe the thynges that be geuen vs by Christe The wyse man sayth that in the power vertue of the holy ghost
aucthoritie power be it in men or women are ordeyned of God are to be obeyed and honoured of their subiectes that suche subiectes as are disobedient or rebellious agaynst theyr princes disobey GOD and procure theyr owne damnation that the gouernment of princes is a great blessing of God geuen for the common wealth specially of the good and godly for the comfort and cherishing of whom God geueth and setteth vp princes and on the contrary part to the feare and for the punishment of the euyll and wicked Finally that yf seruauntes ought to obey theyr maisters not only beyng gentle but suche as be frowarde aswell and muche more ought subiectes to be obedient not only to their good and curteous but also to theyr sharpe and rigorous princes It commeth therfore neyther of chaunce and fortune as they tearme it nor of thambition of mortal men and women climing vp of theyr owne accorde to dominion that there be Kynges Queenes Princes and other gouernours ouer men beyng theyr subiectes but al Kinges Queenes and other gouernours are specially appoynted by the ordinaunce of god And as GOD him selfe beyng of an infinite maiestie power and wysdome ruleth and gouerneth all thynges in heauen and in earth as the vniuersal Monarche onlye Kyng and Emperour ouer all as beyng onlye able to take and beare the charge of all so hath he constituted ordayned and set earthly princes ouer particuler kyngdomes and dominions in earth both for the auoydyng of all confusion whiche els woulde be in the worlde if it should be without such gouernours and for the great quiet and benefite of earthly men theyr subiectes and also that the princes them selues in aucthoritie power wysdome prouidence and ryghteousnes in gouernment of people and countreys committed to their charge shoulde resemble his heauenly gouernaunce as the maiestie of heauenly thinges may by the bacenes of earthly thinges be shadowed and resembled And for that similitude that is betweene the heauenly Monarchie and earthly kyngdomes wel gouerned our sauiour Christe in sundry parables sayth that the kyngdome of heauen is resembled vnto a man a kyng and as the name of the kyng is very often attributed and geuen vnto GOD in the holy scriptures so doth GOD hym selfe in the same scriptures sometyme vouchsafe to communicate his name with earthly princes tearming them gods Doubtles for that similitude of gouernment which they haue or should haue not vnlike vnto GOD their kyng Unto the which similitude of heaueuly gouernment the nearer and nearer that an earthly prince doth come in his regiment the greater blessing of Gods mercie is he vnto that countrey and people ouer whom he raigneth and the further and further that an earthlye prince doth swarue from the example of the heauenly gouernment the greater plague he is of Gods wrath and punishment by Gods iustice vnto that countrey people ouer whom God for their sinnes hath placed suche a prince and gouernour For it is in deede euident both by the scriptures and by daylye experience that the maintenaunce of all vertue godlinesse and consequently of the wealth and prosperitie of a kyngdome and people both stand and rest more in a wyse and good prince on the one part then in great multitudes of other men being subiectes and on the contrary part the ouerthrowe of all vertue and godlinesse and consequently the decay and vtter ruine of a Realme and people doth growe and come more by an vndiscrete and euill gouernour then by many thousandes of other men being subiectes thus say the holye scriptures Well is thee O thou lande sayth the preacher whose kyng is come of nobles and whose princes eate in due season for necessitie and not for lust Agayne a wyse and ryghteous kyng maketh his Realme and people wealthye and a good mercifull and gratious prince is as a shadowe in heate as a defence in stormes as deawe as sweete showres as freshe water springes in great drougthes Agayne the scriptures of vndiscrete and euill princes speake thus â—o be to thee O thou lande whose kyng is but a childe and whose princes are early at their bankettes Agayne When the wicked do raigne then men go to ruine And agayne A foolishe prince destroyeâ—â— the people and a couetous kyng vndoeth his subiectes Thus speake the scriptures thus experience testifieth of good and euill princes What shall subiectes do then shall they obeye valiaunt stout wyse and good Princes and contempne disobey and rebel agaynst chyldren beyng theyr Princes or agaynst vndiscrete and euill gouernours GOD forbid For fyrst what a perilous thing were it to commit vnto the subiectes the iudgement whiche Prince is wyse and godly and his gouernmeÌ„t good and which is otherwyfe as though the foote must iudge of the head an enterprise very haynous and must needes breede rebellion For who els be they that are moste enclined to rebellion but suche hautie spirites From whom springeth suche foule ruine of Realmes Is not rebellion the greatest of all mischeefes And who are most redye to the greatest mischeefes but the worste men Rebelles therefore the worst of all subiectes are most redye to rebellion as beyng the worst of all vices and furthest from the duetie of a good subiect as on the contrary part the best subiectes are moste firme and constant in obedience as in the speciall and peculier vertue of good subiects What an vnworthy matter were it then to make the naughtiest subiectes and moste enclined to rebellion and all euill iudges ouer their princes ouer their gouernment and ouer their counsellers to determine whiche of them be good or tollerable and whiche be euyll and so intollerable that they must needes be remoued by rebels beyng euer redy as the naughtiest subiectes soonest to rebell agaynst the best Princes specially yf they be young in age women in sexe or gentle and curteous in gouernment as trusting by their wicked boldnesse easilye to ouerthrowe theyr weakenesse and gentlenesse or at the least so to feare the mindes of such princes that they maye haue impunitie of theyr mischeuous doynges But whereas in deede a rebell is worse then the worst Prince and rebellion worse then the worste gouernment of the worst prince that hitherto hath ben both are rebels vnmeete ministers and rebellion an vnfit and vnwholsome medicine to refourme any small lackes in a prince or to cure anye litle greefes in gouernment suche leude remedies beyng farre worse then anye other maladyes and disorders that can be in the bodye of a common wealth But whatsoeuer the prince be or his gouernment it is euident that for the moste part those princes whom some subiectes do thynke to be very godlye and vnder whose gouernment they reioyce to liue some other subiectes do take the same to be euill and vngodly and do wishe for a chaunge If therefore all subiectes that mislike of their prince should rebell no Realme shoulde euer be without rebellion It were more meete that
The second Tome of Homilees of such matters as were promised and intituled in the former part of Homilees Set out by the aucthoritie of the Queenes Maiestie And to be read in euery parishe Church agreeably 1571. The Table of homilees ensuyng 1 OF the ryght vse of the Churche 2 Against peril of Idolatrie iii. partes 3 For repayryng and kepyng cleane the Churche 4 Of good workes And first of fastyng ii partes 5 Agaynst gluttonie and dronkennesse 6 Agaynst excesse of apparrell 7 An Homilee of prayer iii. partes 8 Of the place and time of prayer ii partes 9 Of common prayer and sacramentes 10 An information for them which take offence at certayne places of holye scripture ii partes 11 Of almes deedes iii. partes 12 Of the Natiuitie 13 Of the passion for good Friday ii Homilees 14 Of the Resurrection for Easter day 15 Of the worthy receauing of the sacrament ii partes 16 An Homilee concerning the cōming downe of the holye Ghost for Whitsunday ii partes 17 An Homilee for rogation weeke iiii partes 18 Of the state of matrimonie 19 Agaynst idlenesse 20 Of repentaunce and true reconciliation vnto god iii. partes 21 An Homilee agaynst disobedience and wylfull rebellion vi partes ¶ An admonition to all Ministers ecclesiasticall FOR that the Lorde doth require of his seruaunt whom he hath set ouer his householde to shewe both faythfulnesse and prudence in his office it shal be necessarye that ye aboue al other do behaue your selfe moste faythfully and diligently in your so hygh a function that is aptly playnely and distinctly to reade the sacred scriptures diligently to instruct the youth in their Catechisme grauely and reuerently to minister his most holy Sacramentes prudently also to choose out such Homilees as be most meete for the time for the more agreeable instruction of the people committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homilee may appeare to long for one readyng to diuide the same to be read part in the fore noone and part in the after noone And where it may so chaunce some one or other chapter of the olde Testament to fal in order to be read vppon the Sundayes or holye dayes whiche were better to be chaunged with some other of the newe Testament of more edification it shal be wel done to spende your tyme to consyder wel of such chapters before hand wherby your prudence and diligence in your office may appeare so that your people may haue cause to glorifie God for you and be the redyer to imbrace your labours to your better commendatiō to the discharge of your cōsciences their owne An Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche or temple of God and of the reuerence due vnto the same ¶ The first part WHERE there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse negligence of a great sorte of people in resorting to the Church there to serue God their heauenly father accordyng to their most bounden duetie as also muche vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour of many persons in the same when they be there assembled and thereby maye iust feare aryse of the wrath of GOD and his dreadfull plagues hanging ouer our heades for our greeuous offences in this behalfe amongst other many great sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit before the Lorde Therefore for the discharge of al our consciences and the auoydyng of the common peryl plague hangyng ouer vs let vs consyder what may be sayde out of Gods holy booke concernyng this matter whereunto I pray you geue good audience for that it is of great wayght and concerneth you all Although the eternall and incomprehensible maiestie of God the Lorde of heauen and earth whose seate is heauen the earth his footestole can not be inclosed in temples or houses made with mans hande as in dwelling places able to receaue or conteyne his maiestie accordyng as is euidently declared by the prophete Esaias and by the doctrine of saint Steuen and saint Paul in the Actes of the Apostles And where kyng Salomon who builded vnto the Lorde the most glorious temple that euer was made sayth Who shal be able to buylde a meete or worthye house for hym if heauen and the heauen aboue all heauens can not contayne hym howe muche lesse can that whiche I haue builded And further confesseth What am I that I shoulde be able to buylde thee an house O Lord But yet for this purpose only it is made that thou mayest regarde the prayer of thy seruaunt and his humble supplication Muche lesse then be our Churches meete dwellyng places to receaue the incomprehensible maiestie of god And in deede the cheefe and speciall temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and moste delyghteth to dwell and continue in are the bodyes and myndes of true Christians and the chosen people of GOD accordyng to the doctrine of the holye scripture declared in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians Knowe ye not sayth Saint Paul that ye be the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God hym wyll God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are And agayne in the same Epistle Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of the holye ghost dwellyng in you whom ye haue geuen you of God and that ye be not your owne for ye are dearely bought Glorifie ye nowe therefore God in your body and in your spirite whiche are Gods. And therefore as our sauiour Christe teacheth in the Gospell of saint John they that worshyp God the father in spirite and trueth in what place so euer they do it worshyp hym a ryght for suche worshyppers doth God the father looke for For God is a spirite those that worshyp hym must worship him in spirit and trueth sayth our sauiour Christe Yet all this notwithstandyng the material Church or temple is a place appoynted aswell by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the olde Testament as in the newe for the people of God to resort together vnto there to heare Gods holy worde to call vpon his holy name to geue hym thankes for his innumerable and vnspeakeable benefites bestowed vppon vs and duely and truely to celebrate his holy sacramentes In the vnfayned doyng and accomplyshyng of the whiche standeth that true and right worshipping of God afore mentioned and the same Churche or temple is by the scriptures both of the olde Testament and the newe called the house and temple of the Lorde for the peculier seruice there done to his maiestie by his people for the effectuous presence of his heauenlye grace where with he by his sayde holye word endueth his people so there assembled And to the sayde house or temple of God at all tymes by common order appoynted are all people that be godly in deede bounde with all diligence to resorte vnlesse by sicknesse or other moste vrgente causes they be letted therefro And
first of Luke that when Zacharie the holy priest and father to John baptist dyd sacrifice within the temple al the people stoode without a long tyme praying suche was theyr zeale and feruencie at that tyme And in the seconde of Luke appeareth what great iourneyes men women yea and chyldren tooke to come to the temple on the feast day there to serue the Lorde and specially the example of Joseph the blessed virgin Marie mother to our Sauiour Jesus Christe and of our sauiour Christe hym selfe beyng yet but a child whose examples are worthy for vs to folowe So that yf we woulde compare our negligence in resortyng to the house of the Lorde there to serue hym to the diligence of the Jewes in commyng dayly verye early sometyme great iourneyes to theyr temple and when the multitude coulde not be receaued within the temple the feruent zeale that they had declared in standyng long without and praying We may iustly in this comparison condemne our slouthfulnesse and negligence yea playne contempt in comming to the Lordes house standyng so nere vnto vs so seldome and scarcely at none time So farre is it from a great many of vs to come early in the morning or geue attendaunce without who disdayne to come into the temple and yet we abhorre the verye name of the Jewes when we heare it as of a moste wycked and vngodly people But it is to be feared that in this poynt we be farre worse then the Jewes and that they shall ryse at the day of iudgement to our condemnation who in comparison to them shewe suche slackenesse and contempt in resortyng to the house of the Lorde there to serue him according as we are of duetie most bounde And besides this moste horrible dread of Gods iust iudgement in the great day we shall not in this lyfe escape his heauie hande and vengeaunce for this contempt of the house of the Lord and his due seruice in the same accordyng as the Lorde him selfe threatneth in the firste Chapter of his prophete Aggeus after this sort Because you haue left my house desert and without compayne sayth the Lorde and ye haue made haste euery man to his owne house for this cause are the heauens stayed ouer you that they shoulde geue no deaw and the earth is forbidden that it shall bryng foorth his fruite and I haue called drought vpon the earth and vppon the mountaynes and vpon corne and vpon wyne and vppon oyle and vpon al things that the earth bringeth foorth and vpon men and vppon beastes and vpon all thynges that mens handes labour for Beholde yf we be such worldlinges that we care not for the eternall iudgementes of GOD whiche yet of all other are moste dreadfull and horrible we shall not escape the punishment of God in this worlde by drought and famine and the takyng away of all worldlye commodities whiche we as worldlinges seeme only to regard and care for Whereas on the contrary part yf we woulde amende this faulte or negligence slouthfulnesse and contempt of the house of the Lorde and his due seruice there and with diligence resort thither together to serue the Lorde with one accorde and consent in all holines and ryghteousnesse before hym we haue promises of benefites both heauenly and worldly Wheresoeuer two or three be gathered in my name saieth our sauiour Christ there am I in the middest of them And what can be more blessed thē to haue our sauiour Christe amongst vs Or what againe can be more vnhappy or mischeuous then to driue our sauiour Christe from amongst vs and to leaue a place for his and our most auncient and mortall enemie the olde dragon and serpent Satan the deuyll in the middest of vs In the second of Luke it is written how that the mother of Christ and Joseph when they had long sought Christ whom they had lost coulde finde hym no where that at the last they founde hym in the temple sittyng in the middest of the doctours So if we lacke Jesus Christe that is to say the sauiour of our soules and bodyes we shall not finde hym in the market place or in the guylde hal much lesse in the alehouse or tauerne amongst good felowes as they call them so soone as we shall fynde hym in the temple the Lordes house amongst the teachers and preachers of his worde where in deede he is to be founde And as concerning worldly cōmodities we haue a sure promise of our sauiour Christe Seke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse therof and al these thinges shal withall be geuen vnto you And thus we haue in the first part of this Homilee declared by gods word that the Temple or Churche is the house of the Lorde for that the seruice of the Lorde as teaching and hearing of his holy worde calling vppon his holye name geuyng thankes to hym for his great and innumerable benefites and due ministring of his sacraments is there vsed And it is lyke wyse declared alredy by the scriptures howe all godly and Christian men and women ought at tymes appoynted with diligence to resort vnto the house of the Lord there to serue hym and to glorifie hym as he is most worthy and we most bounde to whom be all glory and honor world without ende Amen ¶ The seconde part of the Homilee of the ryght vse of the Churche IT was declared in the firste part of this Homilee by gods word that the temple or Churche is the house of the lord for that the seruice of the Lorde as teaching hearyng of his holy worde calling vpō his holy name geuyng thankes to hym for his great and innumerable benefites and due ministring of the sacramentes is there vsed And it is lyke wyse alredy declared by the scriptures how all godly and christian men women ought at times appointed with diligence to resort vnto the house of the Lorde there to serue him and to glorifie hym as he is most worthy and we most bounden Nowe it remayneth in this second parte of the Homilee concernyng the ryght vse of the temple of God to be likewyse declared by Gods worde with what quietnesse scilence and reuerence those that resort to the house of the Lord ought there to vse and behaue them selues It may teache vs sufficiently how well it doth become vs christian men reuerently to vse the Churche and holy house of our prayers by considering in how greate reuerence and veneration the Jewes in the olde lawe had their Temple whiche appeareth by sundrye places whereof I wyll note vnto you certayne In the xxvi of Matthewe it was laide to our sauiour Christes charge before a temporall iudge as a matter worthy death by the two false witnesses that he had sayde he could destroy the temple of GOD and in three dayes buylde it agayne not doubting but yf they might make men to beleue that he had sayde any thyng agaynst the honour and maiestie of
the temple he should seeme to al men moste worthy of death And in the. xxi of the Actes when the Jewes found Paul in the temple they layde handes vppon hym crying Ye men Israelies helpe this is that man who teacheth all men euery where agaynst the people and the lawe and agaynst this place besydes that he hath brought the Gentiles into the temple and hath prophaned this holy place Behold howe they tooke it for a lyke offence to speake agaynst the temple of God as to speake agaynst the lawe of God and howe they iudged it conuement that none but godly persons and the true worshippers of God should enter into the temple of god And the same fault is layde to Paules charge by Tertullus an eloquent man and by the Jewes in the. xxiiii of the Actes before a temporall Judge as a matter worthy death that he went about to pollute the temple of god And in the. xxvii of Matthewe when the cheefe priestes had receaued agayne the peeces of siluer at Judas hande they sayde It is not lawfull to put them into Corban whiche was the treasure house of the temple because it is the price of blood So that they coulde not abyde that not onely any vncleane person but also any other dead thyng that was iudged vncleane shoulde once come into the temple or any place thereto belonging And to this ende is saint Paules sayyng in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the vi Chapter to be applyed What felowshippe is there betwixt righteousnes vnrighteousnes or what communion betwene light darknesse or what concorde betweene Christe and Beliall or what part can the faythfull haue with thunfaythful or what agremēt can there be betwene the temple of God and images Which sentence although it be cheefly referred to the temple of the mynde of the godlye yet seeyng that the similitude and pith of the argument is taken from the material temple it enforceth that no vngodlines specially of images or idols may be suffred in the temple of God whiche is the place of worshyppyng God and therefore can no more be suffered to stande there then light can agree with darkenes or Christ with Belial for that the true worshipping of god and the worshipping of images are moste contrarye And the settyng of them vp in the place of worshyppyng may geue great occasion to the worshyppyng of them But to turne to the reuerence that the Jewes had to their temple You will say they honoured it superstitiously a great deale to much crying out the temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde being notwithstanding most wicked in life be therfore most iustly reproued of Jeremie the prophete of the Lorde Trueth it is that they were superstitiously geuen to the honouryng of theyr temple But I woulde we were not as farre to short from the due reuerence of the Lords house as they ouershot them selues therein And if the prophete iustlye reprehended them hearken also what the Lord requireth at our handes that we may know whether we be blame worthy or no. It is written in Ecclesiastes the fourth Chapter When thou doest enter into the house of God saith he take heede to thy feete draw neare that thou mayest heare for obedience is muche more worth then the sacrifice of fooles whiche know not what euill they do Speake nothyng rashly there neyther let thyne heart be swyft to vtter wordes before god For God is in heauen and thou art vpon the earth therfore let thy wordes be fewe Note welbeloued what quietnesse in gesture and behauiour what scilence in talke wordes is required in the house of God for so he calleth it See whether they take heede to theyr feete as they be here warned which neuer ceasse from vncomely walking and ietting vp downe and ouerthwarte the Churche shewyng an euident signification of notable contempt both of God and all good men there present and what heede they take to their tounges speach which do not only speake wordes swiftly and rashly before the Lorde whiche they be here forbydden but also often tymes speake fylthyly couetously and vngodly talkyng of matters scarce honest or fytte for the alehouse or tauerne in the house of the Lorde lytle consyderyng that they speake before God who dwelleth in heauen as is here declared when they be but vermins here creeping vpon the earth in camparison to his eternall maiestie and lesse regarding that they must geue an accompt at the great day of euery ydle worde whersoeuer it be spoken muche more of fylthye vncleane or wicked words spoken in the Lordes house to the great dishonour of his maiestie and offence of all that heare them And in deede concernyng the people and multitude the temple is prepared for thē to be hearers rather then speakers consyderyng that aswell the word of god is there read or taught whereunto they are bound to geue diligent eare with all reuerence and scilence as also that common prayer and thankes geuyng are rehearsed and sayde by the publique minister in the name of the people the whole multitude present wherunto they geuyng their redye audience shoulde assent and say Amen as S. Paul teacheth in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians And in another place glorifiyng God with one spirite and mouth which can not be when euery man and woman in seuerat pretence of deuotion prayeth priuately one askyng another geuyng thankes another readyng doctrine forceth not to heare the common prayer of the minister And peculierly what due reuerence is to be vsed in the ministring of the Sacramentes in the temple the same saint Paul teacheth in his Epistle to the Corinthians rebukyng suche as dyd vnreuerently vse them selues in that behalfe Haue ye not houses to eate and drynke in sayth he Do ye despise the Churche or congregation of God What shall I saye to you Shall I prayse you In this I prayse you not And God requireth not onely this outward reuerence of behauiour and scilence in his house but al inward reuerence in clensing of the thoughtes of our heartes threatning by his prophete Ose in the. ix Chapter that for the malice of the inuentions and deuises of the people he will cast them out of his house whereby is also signified the eternall castyng of them out of his heauenlye house and kyngdome whiche is most horrible And therefore in the. 19. of Leuit. God sayth Feare you with reuerence my sanctuarye for I am the Lorde And accordyng to the same the prophete Dauid sayth I wyll enter into thine house I wyll worshyp in thy holy temple in thy feare shewyng what inward reuerence and humblenes of mynde the godly men ought to haue in the house of the Lorde And to alleage some what concerning this matter out of the newe Testament in what honour God woulde haue his house or temple kepte and that by the example of our sauiour Christe whose aucthoritie ought
that most odious and abominable vice Of the whiche ordinaunces and lawes so geuen by the Lorde to his people concerning that matter I wyll rehearse and alleage some that be moste speciall for this purpose that you by them may iudge of the rest In the fourth Chapter of the booke named Deuteronomie is a notable place and most worthy with all diligence to be marked whiche begynneth thus And nowe Israel heare the commaundementes and iudgements which I teach thee sayth the Lorde that thou doyng them mayest liue and enter possesse the lande which the Lorde God of your fathers wyll geue you Ye shall put nothyng to the worde whiche I speake to you neyther shall ye take anye thyng from it Kepe ye the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaund you And by and by after he repeateth the same sentence three or foure tymes before he come to the matter that he woulde specially warne them of as it were for a preface to make them to take the better heede vnto it Take heede to thy selfe sayth he and to thy soule with all carefulnes lest thou forgettest the thynges whiche thyne eyes haue seene and that they go not out of thy heart all the dayes of thy life thou shalt teach them to thy children and nephues or posteritie And shortly after The Lorde spake vnto you out of the middle of fire but you hearde the voyce or sounde of his wordes but you did see no fourme or shape at al. And by and by foloweth Take heede therefore diligently vnto your soules you sawe no maner of image in the day in the which the lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the myddest of the fyre least peraduenture you beyng deceaued shoulde make to your selues any grauen image or lykenesse of man or woman or the lykenesse of any beaste whiche is vppon the earth or of the birdes that flee vnder heauen or of any creeping thing that is moued on the earth or of the fishes that do continue in the waters leste paraduenture thou lyftyng vp thyne eyes to heauen do see the sunne and the moone and the starres of heauen and so thou being deceaued by errour shouldest honour and worshyp them whiche the Lord thy God hath created to serue all nations that be vnder heauen And agayne Beware that thou forget not the couenaunt of the Lorde thy God whiche he made with thee and so make to thy selfe any carued image of them whiche the Lorde hath forbidden to be made for the Lorde thy God is a consumyng fyre and a ielous god If thou haue chyldren and nephues and do tary in the lande and beyng deceaued do make to your selues any similitude doyng euyll before the Lord your GOD and prouoke hym to anger I do this day call vppon heauen and earth to wytnesse that ye shall quicklye peryshe out of the lande whiche you shall possesse you shall not dwell in it anye long tyme but the Lorde wyll destroye you and wyll scatter you amongst all nations and ye shall remayne but a verye fewe amongst the nations whyther the Lorde wyll leade you away and then shall you serue gods whiche are made with mans handes of wood and stone whiche see not and heare not neyther eate nor smell and so foorth This is a notable Chapter and entreateth almoste altogether of this matter But because it is to lōg to write out the whole I haue noted you certayne principall poyntes out of it First howe earnestly and ofte he calleth vpon them to marke to take heede that vpon the perill of their soules to the charge which he geueth them Then howe he forbyddeth by a solemne long rehearsal of all thinges in heauen in earth and in the water any image or lykenes of any thyng at all to be made Thirdly what penaltie and horrible destruction he solemly with inuocation of heauen earth for recorde denounceth and threatneth to them their children and posteritie if they contrary to this commaundement do make or worshyppe anye images or similitude which he so straightly hath forbidden And whē they this notwithstanding partlye by inclination of mans corrupte nature moste prone to idolatrie and partly occasioned by the Gentiles and Heathen people dwellyng about them who were idolaters dyd fall to the makyng and worshyppyng of Images GOD accordyng to his worde brought vppon them all those plagues whiche he threatned them with as appeareth in the bookes of the kinges and the Chronacles in sundrye places at large And agreeable hereunto are many other notable places in the olde Testament Deuteronomie xxvii Cursed be he that maketh a carued image or a cast or moulten image whiche is abomination before the Lorde the worke of the artificers hand and setteth it vp in a secret corner and all the people shall say Amen Reade the xiii and. xiiii Chapters of the booke of wysedome concernyng idols or images howe they be made set vp called vppon and offered vnto and how he prayseth the tree whereof the gybbet is made as happye in comparison to the tree that an image or idoll is made of euen by these very wordes Happie is the tree wherethrough ryghteousnesse commeth meaning the gybbet but cursed is the idoll that is made with handes yea both it and he that made it and so foorth And by and by he sheweth how that the thynges whiche were the good creatures of God before as trees or stones when they be once altered and fashioned into images to be worshypped become abhomination a temptation vnto the soules of men and a snare for the feete of the vnwyse And why the seekyng out of images is the begynnyng of whoredome sayth he and the bryngyng vp of them is the destruction of lyfe for they were not from the begynnyng neyther shall they contynue for euer The welthy idlenesse of men hath founde them out vppon earth therefore shall they come shortlye to an ende and so foorth to the ende of the Chapter conteynyng these poyntes Howe idols or images were fyrste inuented and offered vnto how by an vngratious custome they were establyshed how tyrauntes compell men to worshyppe them how the ignoraunt and the common people are deceaued by the cunnyng of the workeman and the beawty of the image to do honour vnto it and so to erre from the knowledge of God and of other great and many mischefes that come by images And for a conclusion he sayth that the honouring of abhominable images is the cause the begynnyng and ende of all euyll and that the worshippers of them be either mad or most wycked See and view the whole Chapter with diligence for it is worthy to be well consydered speciallie that is wrytten of the deceauing of the simple and vnwyse common people by idols and images and repeated twyse or thrise least it shoulde be forgotten And in the Chapter folowyng be these wordes The paynting of the picture and carued image with dyuers colours enticeth the ignoraunt so that he
honoureth and loueth the picture of a dead image that hath no soule Neuerthelesse they that loue such euyll thynges they that trust in them they that make them they that fauour them and they that honour them are all worthy of death and so foorth In the booke of Psalmes the Prophet curseth the image honourers in diuers places Confounded be all they that worshyp carued images and that delight or glorye in them Like be they vnto the images that make them and al they that put their trust in them And in the Prophete Esai sayth the Lorde Euen I am the Lorde and this is my name and my glorye wyll I geue to none other neyther my honour to grauen images And by and by Let them be confounded with shame that trust in idols or images or saye to them you are our Gods. And in the. xl Chapter after he hath set foorth the incomprehensible maiestie of God he asketh to whom then wyll ye make God lyke Or what similitude wyll ye set vp vnto hym Shall the Caruer make hym a carued image and shall the Goldsmyth couer hym with Golde and cast hym into a fourme of syluer plates And for the poore man shal the image maker frame an image of tymber that he maye haue somewhat to set vp also And after this he cryeth out O wretches hearde ye neuer of this Hath it not ben preached vnto you since the begynnyng and so foorth how by the creation of the worlde and the greatnesse of the worke they myght vnderstande the maiestie of God the Creator and Maker of all to be greater then that it shoulde be expressed or set foorth in anye image or bodilye similitude And besides this preachyng euen in the lawe of God wrytten with his owne fynger as the scripture speaketh and that in the fyrste table and the begynnyng thereof is this doctrine aforesayde agaynst images not breefely touched but at large set foorth and preached and that with denuntiation of destruction to the contemners and breakers of this lawe and their posteritie after them And least it shoulde yet not be marked or not remembred the same is wrytten and reported not in one but in sundrye places of the worde of God that by ofte readyng and hearyng of it we myght once learne and remember it as you also heare daylie read in the Churche God spake these wordes and sayde I am the Lorde thy god Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the lykenesse of anye thyng that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I the Lorde thy God am a ielous God and visite the synne of the fathers vpon the chyldren vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousandes in them that loue me and keepe my commaundementes All this notwithstandyng neyther coulde the notablenesse of the place beyng the verye begynnyng of the lyuyng Lordes Lawe make vs to marke it nor the playne declaration by recountyng of all kynde of similitudes cause vs to vnderstand it nor the oft repeating and reportyng of it in diuers and sundrye places the oft readyng and hearyng of it coulde cause vs to remember it nor the dread of the horrible penaltie to our selues our children and posteritie after vs feare vs from transgressing of it nor the greatnesse of the rewarde to vs and our chyldren after vs moue vs any thing to obedience and the obseruyng of this the Lordes great lawe But as though it had ben wrytten in some corner not at large expressed but breefely obscurely touched as though no penaltie to the transgressours nor rewarde to the obedient had ben adioyned vnto it like blinde men without all knowledge vnderstandyng like vnreasonable beastes without dread of punishment or respecte or rewarde haue diminished dishonoured the high maiestie of the liuing God by the basenesse and vilenes of sundrye diuers images of dead stockes stones and mettals And as the maiestie of God whom we haue lefte forsaken and dishonoured and therefore the greatnesse of our synne and offence agaynst his maiestie can not be expressed So is the weakenesse vylenesse and foolishnesse in deuice of the images whereby we haue dishonoured hym expressed at large in the scriptures namely the Psalmes the booke of wysedome the Prophete Esaias Ezechiel and Baruch speciallye in these places and Chapters of them Psalm Cxv. and. Cxxxiiii Esai xl and. xliiii Ezechiel the. vi Wysedome xiii xiiii xv Baruch vi The whiche places as Jexhort you often and diligentlye to reade so are they to long at this present to be rehearsed in an Homilee Notwithstandyng I wyll make you certayne breefe or short notes out of them what they say of these idols or images Fyrste that they be made but of small peeces of wood stone or mettall and therfore they can not be anye similitudes of the greate maiestie of God whose seate is heauen and the earth his footestoole Secundarilye that they be dead haue eyes and see not handes and feele not feete and can not go c. and therefore they can not be fitte similitudes of the lyuyng god Thirdely that they haue no power to do good nor harme to others though some of them haue an axe some a sworde some a speare in their handes yet do theeues come into their Temples and robbe them and they can not once stur to defend them selues from the theeues nay if the Temple or Churche be set a fyre that their priestes can runne away and saue themselues but they can not once moue but tary still lyke blockes as they are and be burned and therefore they can be no meete figures of the puissaunt and myghtie GOD who alone is able both to saue his seruauntes and to destroy his enemies euerlastinglye They be trimlye deckt in Golde Siluer and Stone aswell the images of men as of women lyke wanton wenches sayth the Prophete Baruch that loue paramours and therefore can they not teache vs nor our wyues and daughters anye sobernesse modestie and chastitie And therefore although it is nowe commonly saide that they be the lay mens bookes yet we see they teache no good lesson neyther of GOD nor godlynesse but all errour and wyckednesse Therefore GOD by his word as he forbiddeth anye idols or images to be made or set vp so doth he commaund suche as we fynde made and set vp to be pulled downe broken and destroyed And it is wrytten in the booke of Numbers the. xxiii Chapter that there was no idoll in Jacob nor there was no image seene in Israel and that the Lorde God was with that people Where note that the true Israelites that is the people of GOD haue no images among them but that God was with them and that therefore their enemies can not hurt them as appeareth in the
wretches heard ye neuer of this Hath it not ben preached to you since the beginning how by the creation of the worlde and the greatnesse of the worke they myght vnderstande the maiestie of God the Maker and Creatour of all to be greater then that it could be expressed or set foorth in any image or bodily similitude Thus farre the Prophet Esaias who from the. xliiii Chapter to the xlix intreateth in a maner of no other thyng And. S. Paul in the Actes of the Apostles euidentlye teacheth the same that no similitude can be made vnto God in golde siluer stone or anye other matter By these and many other places of scripture it is euideÌ„t that no image either ought or can be made vnto god For how can God a most pure spirite whom man neuer sawe be expressed by a grosse bodily and visible similitude How can the infinite maiestie greatnes of god incomprehensible to mans mynde muche more not able to be compassed with the sense be expressed in an infinite and litle image How can a dead and dombe image expresse the lyuyng God What can an image which when it is fallen can not ryse vp agayne which can neyther help his freendes nor hurte his enemies expresse of the moste puissaunt and myghtie God who alone is able to rewarde his freendes and to destroy his enemies euerlastyngly A man myght iustly crye with the prophet Habacus Shall suche images instruct or teach any thyng ryght of God or shall they become doctours Wherfore men that haue made an image of God wherby to honour hym haue therby dishonoured him most hyghly diminished his maiestie blemished his glorye and falsified his trueth And therefore saint Paul saith that suche as haue framed anye similitude or image of God lyke a mortall man or anye other lykenes in tymber stone or other matter haue chaunged his trueth into a lye For both they thought it to be no longer that whiche it was a stocke or a stone and toke it to be that which it was not as God or an image of god Wherfore an image of God is not onlye a lye but a double lye also But the deuill is a lyer and the father of lyes wherefore the lying images which be made of God to his great dishonour and horrible danger of his people came from the deuyll Wherefore they be conuict of foolishnesse and wickednesse in making of images of God or the Trinitie for that no image of God ought or can be made as by the scriptures and good reason euidently appeareth yea and once to desyre an image of God commeth of infidelitie thinking not God to be present except they myght see some signe or image of hym as appeareth by the Hebrues in the wyldernesse wyllyng Aaron to make them gods whom they might see go before them Where they obiect that seeyng in Esaias and Daniel be certayne descriptions of God as sittyng on a hygh seate c. why may not a paynter lykewyse set him foorth in colours to be seene as it were a iudge syttyng in a throne as well as he is described in wrytyng of the prophetes seing that scripture or wrytyng and picture differ but a litle Firste it is to be aunswered that thynges forbidden by Gods worde as payntyng of images of God and thynges permitted of God as such discriptions vsed of the prophets be not all one neyther ought nor can mans reason although it shewe neuer so goodly preuayle anye thyng agaynste Gods expresse worde and playne statute lawe as I may well tearme it Furthermore the scripture although it haue certayne discriptions of God yet if you reade on foorth it expoundeth it selfe declaring that God is a pure spirite infinite who replenisheth heauen and earth whiche the picture doth not nor expoundeth not it selfe but rather when it hath set God foorth in a bodily similitude 〈◊〉 a man there and wyll easyly bryng one into the heresie of the Anthropomorphites thinking God to haue handes and feete to sit as a man doth which they that do sayth saint Augustine in his booke de fide simbolo cap. 7. fall into that sacriledge which the apostle 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 who haue chaunged the glorye of the 〈◊〉 God into the similitude of a 〈◊〉 â—â—n For it is wyckednesse for a Christian to 〈◊〉 suche an image to God in a Temple and muche more wyckednesse to erecte suche a one in â—is heart by 〈◊〉 â—â—yng of it But to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this reaâ—on notwithstandyng 〈◊〉 of Christe may be made for that he toke vppon him fleshe and became man It were well that they woulde firste graunt that they haue hytherto done moste wyckedlye in makyng and maynteyning of images of God and of the trinitie in euery place whereof they are by force of Gods word and good reason conuicted and then to discend to the tryall for other images Nowe concernyng their obiection that an image of Christe may be made the aunswere is easy For in Gods worde and religion it is not onlye requyred whether a thyng may be done or no but also whether it be lawfull and agreeable to Gods worde to be done or no. For al wyckednesse may be is dayly done which yet ought not to be done And the wordes of the reasons aboue alleaged out of the Scriptures are that images neither ought nor can be made vnto god Wherefore to reply that images of Christe maye be made excepte withall it be proued that it is lawfull for them to be made is rather then to holde ones peace to say somwhat but nothyng to the purpose And yet it appeareth that no image can be made of Christe but a lying image as the scripture peculierlye calleth images lyes For Christ is God and man Seing therefore that for the Godhead which is the most excellent parte no images can be made it is falsly called the image of Christe wherefore images of Christe be not onlye defectes but also lyes Which reason serueth also for the images of saintes whose soules the more excellent partes of them can by no images be represented and expressed Wherefore they be no images of saintes whose soules raigne in ioy with God but of the bodies of Saintes whiche as yet lye putrified in the graues Furthermore no true image can be made of Christes body for it is vnknowen nowe of what fourme and countenaunce he was And there be in Grece and at Rome and in other places dyuers images of Christe and none of them lyke to other and yet euerye of them affirmeth that theirs is the true and liuely image of Christ which can not possible be Wherefore as sone as an image of Christe is made by and by is a lye made of hym which by Gods word is forbidden Which also is true of the images of any Saintes of antiquitie for that it is vnknowen of what fourme and countenaunce they were Wherefore seeing that religion ought to be grounded vppon trueth images whiche can
nyght it auayleth not to light a candle before the blynde and god hath neyther vse nor honour thereof And concerning this candle lighting it is notable that Lactantius aboue a thousande yeres ago hath written after this maner If they woulde beholde the heauenlye lyght of the Sunne then should they perceaue that God hath no neede of theyr candelles who for the vse of man hath made so goodly a lyght And whereas in so lytle a circle of the Sunne whiche for the great distaunce seemeth to be no greater then a mans head there is so great bryghtnesse that the syght of mans eye is not able to behold it but if one stedfastlye looke vpon it a whyle his eyes will be dulled and blynded with darknesse Howe great lyght howe great clearenesse may we thinke to be with God with whom is no night nor darknesse and so foorth And by and by he sayth Seemeth he therefore to be in his ryght minde whiche offereth vp to the geuer of lyght the lyght of a waxe candell for a gyfte He requireth another lyght of vs whiche is not smokye but bryght and cleare euen the lyght of the mynde and vnderstandyng And shortlye after he sayeth But theyr gods because they be earthlye haue neede of lyght lest they remayne in darkenesse whose worshyppers because they vnderstande no heauenlye thyng do drawe religion whiche they vse downe to the earth in the whiche beyng darke of nature is neede of light Wherefore they geue to theyr gods no heauenlye but the earthlye vnderstandyng of mortall men And therefore they beleue those thynges to be necessarie and pleasaunt vnto them which are so to vs who haue neede eyther of meate when we be hungrye or drynke when we be thirstie or clothyng when we be a colde or when the sunne is set candle lyght that we maye see Thus farre Lactantius and muche more to long here to wryte of candle lyghtyng in temples before images and idols for religion whereby appeareth both the foolyshnesse thereof and also that in opinion and acte we do agree altogether in our candle religion with the Gentiles idolaters What meaneth it that they after the example of the Gentiles idolaters burne incense offer vp golde to images hang vp crouches chaynes and shyppes legges armes and whole men and women of waxe before images as though by them or saintes as they say they were deliuered from lamenesse sicknes captiuitie or shypwracke Is not this Colere imanines to worship images so earnestly forbidden in Gods worde If they denie it let them reade the xi Chapter of Daniel the prophete who sayth of Antechriste He shall worship God whom his fathers knewe not with golde syluer and with precious stone and other thinges of pleasure in whiche place the Latine worde is Colet And in the seconde of Paralepomenon the. xxix Chapter all the outwarde rites and ceremonies as burnyng of incence and suche other wherwith God in the temple was honoured is called Cultus to say worshyppyng whiche is forbidden strayghtly by Gods word to be geuen to images Do not all stories ecclesiasticall declare that our holy martyrs rather then they woulde bow and kneele or offer vp one crumbe of incense before an image or idoll haue suffered a thousande kindes of most horrible and dreadfull death And what excuse soeuer they make yet that all this running on pilgrimage burning of incence and candels hanging vp of crouches chaines ships armes legges and whole men and women of waxe kneelyng and holdyng vp of handes is done to the images appeareth by this that where no images be or where they haue ben and be taken away they do no suche thynges at all But the places frequented when the images were there now they be taken away be forsaken and left desart nay nowe they hate and abhorre the place deadlye whiche is an euident proofe that that whiche they dyd before was done in respect of the images Wherefore when we see men and women on heapes to go on pylgrimage to images kneele before them holde vp theyr handes before them set vp candles burne incense before them offer vp golde and siluer vnto them hang vp shyps crouches chaynes men and women of waxe before them attributyng health and sauegard the giftes of God to them or the saintes whom they represent as they rather woulde haue it Who I say who can doubt but that our image maynteyners agreeyng in all idolatrious opinions outwarde rites and ceremonies with the Gentiles idolaters agree also with them in committing moste abominable idolatrie And to encrease this madnesse wycked men whiche haue the kepyng of suche images for theyr more lucre and aduauntage after the example of the Gentiles idolaters haue reported and spreade abroade aswell by lying tales as wrytten fables diuers miracles of images Is that suche an image miraculously was sent from heauen euen lyke Palladium or magna Diana Ephesiorum Such another was as miraculously founde in the earth as the mans head was in Capitol or the horse head in Capua Suche an image was brought by angels Suche an one came it selfe farre from the east to the west as Dame Fortune flyt to Rome Suche an image of our Ladie was paynted by saint Luke whom of a phisitian they haue made a paynter for that purpose Such an one a hundred yokes of oxen coulde not moue lyke Bona Dea whom the shyp coulde not carry or Iupiter Olympius whiche laught the artificers to scorne that went about to remoue him to Rome Some images though they were harde and stony yet for tender heart pitie wept Some like Castor and Pollux helpyng theyr freendes in battayle swet as marble pyllers do in dankyshe weather Some spake more monstrouslye then euer dyd Balams Asse who had lyfe and breath in him Suche a creple came and saluted this saint of oke and by and by he was made whole and lo here hangeth his crouche Suche an one in a tempest vowed to saint Christopher and scaped and beholde here is his shyp of waxe Suche an one by saint Leonardes helpe brake out of pryson and see where his fetters hang. And infinite thousandes mo miracles by lyke oâ— more shamelesse lyes were reported Thus do our image maynteyners in earnest applye to theyr images all suche miracles as the Gentiles haue fayned of theyr idolles And yf it were to be admitted that some miraculous actes were by illusion of the deuill done where images be For it is euident that the moste part were fayned lyes and craftie iuglynges of men yet foloweth it not therefore that suche images are eyther to be honoured or suffred to remayne no more then Ezechias lefte the brasen serpent vndestroyed when it was worshipped although it were both set vp by Gods commaundement and also approued by a great and true miracle for as many as beheld it were by and by healed neyther ought miracles to perswade vs to do contrarye to Gods worde For the Scriptures haue for a warnyng hereof foreshewed that
errour of Purgatorie out of our heades neyther let vs dreame anye more that the soules of the dead are any thing at all holpen by our prayers But as the scripture teacheth vs let vs thinke that the soule of man passing out of the body goeth straightwayes eyther to heauen or els to hell whereof the one nedeth no prayer and the other is without redemption The onlye Purgatorie wherein we must trust to be saued is the death and blood of Christe which if we apprehend with a true and stedfast fayth it purgeth and clenseth vs from all our sinnes euen as well as if he were now hanging vpon the crosse The blood of Christe sayth saint John hath clensed vs from all sinne The blood of Christe sayth saint Paul hath purged our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god Also in another place he sayth We be sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Jesus Christe done once for all Yea he addeth more saying With the one oblation of his blessed body pretious blood he hath made perfect for euer and euer all them that are sanctified This then is that Purgatorie wherein all Christian men must put their whole truste and confidence nothing doubting but yf they truely repent them of their sinnes and dye in perfecte fayth that then they shall foorth with passe from death to life If this kinde of purgation wyll not serue them let them neuer hope to be releassed by other mens prayers though they shoulde continue therein vnto the worldes ende He that can not be saued by fayth in Christes blood howe shall he loke to be deliuered by mans intercessions Hath God more respect to man on earth then he hath to Christe in heauen If any man sinne sayth saint John we haue an aduocate with the father euen Jesus Christe the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes But we must take heede that we call vpon this aduocate whyle we haue space geuen vs in this life lest when we are once dead there be no hope of saluation left vnto vs For as euery man sleepeth with his owne cause so euerye man shall ryse agayne with his owne cause And looke in what state he dyeth in the same state he shal be also iudged whether it be to saluation or dampnation Let vs not therfore dreame either of purgatorie or of prayer for the soules of them that be dead but let vs earnestly diligently praye for them whiche are expresly commaunded in holye scripture namely for kinges and rulers for ministers of Gods holy worde and sacramentes for the saintes of this worlde otherwyse called the faithfull to be short for all men liuing be they neuer so great enemies to god and his people as Jewes Turkes Pagans Infidels Heretikes c. Then shall we truely fulfill the commaundement of God in that behalfe plainely declare our selues to be the true children of our heauenly father which suffreth the sunne to shine vpon the good and the bad and the rayne to fall vpon the iust and the vniust For whiche and al other benefites moste aboundauntlye bestowed vppon mankynde from the beginning let vs geue him hearty thankes as we are most bound prayse his name for euer and euer Amen ⧠An Homilee of the place and tyme of prayer GOD through his almighty power wisedome and goodnes created in the beginning heauen earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the fowles of the ayre the beastes of the earth the fishes in the sea and all other creatures for the vse commoditie of man whom also he had created to his owne image and likenesse and geuen him the vse gouernement ouer them al to the end he shoulde vse them in suche sort as he had geuen him in charge commaundement also that he should declare him selfe thankful and kynde for al those benefites so liberally so graciously bestowed vpon him vtterly without anye deseruing on his behalf And although we ought at al times in al places to haue in remēbrance to be thankful to our gracious Lord according as it is written I wil magnifie the lord at al times And agayne Wheresoeuer the lord beareth rule O my soule prayse the Lord Yet it appeareth to be Gods good wil and pleasure that we shoulde at special times and in special places gather our selues together to the intent his name might be renowmed and his glory set forth in the congregation and assembly of his saintes As concerning the tyme whiche almightie God hath appoynted his people to assemble together solemly it doth appeare by the fourth commaundement of God Remember saith God that thou kepe holye the Sabbath day Upon the which day as is playne in the actes of the Apostles the people accustomablye resorted together hearde diligently the lawe and the prophetes read among them And albeit this commaundement of God doeth not bynde christian people so straytlye to obserue and keepe the vtter ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was geuen vnto the Jewes as touching the forbearing of worke and labour in tyme of great necessitie and as touching the precise keeping of the seuenth day after the manner of the Jewes For we keepe now the first day which is our sunday and make that our sabbath that is our day of rest in the honor of our sauiour christ who as vpon that daye rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly Yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer is found in the commaundement apparteyning to the lawe of nature as a thyng most godlye moste iuste and needeful for the setting forth of Gods glorie it ought to be retayned and kept of all good Christian people And therfore by this commaundemēt we ought to haue a tyme as one day in a weeke wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawfull and nedefull workes For like as it appeareth by this commaundement that no man in the syxe dayes ought to be slouthfull or ydle but diligentlye to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Euen so God hath geuen expresse charge to all men that vpon the sabbath day which is now our sunday they should ceasse from all weaklye and workeday labour to the entent that lyke as God him selfe wrought sixe dayes and rested the seuenth and blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quyetnes and rest from labour euen so Gods obedient people shoulde vse the sundaye holyly and rest from their comon and daily businesse and also geue them selues whollye to heauenly exercises of Gods true religion and seruice So that God doth not onely commaunde the obseruation of this holy day but also by his owne example doth stirre and prouoke vs to the diligent keeping of the same Good natural children wil not onelye become obedient to the commaundemēt of their parents but also haue a diligent eye to their doings and gladly folow the same So if we wil be the children of our heauenly father we
be not vnderstanded of them that be present they can not thereby be edified For as when the trumpet that is blowen in the feelde geueth an vncertaine sounde no man is therby stirred vp to prepare him selfe to the fight And as when an instrument of musicke maketh no distinct sound no man can tel what is piped Euen so when prayers or administration of sacramentes shal be in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers which of them shal be thereby stirred vp to lyft vp his minde to God and to begge with the Minister at Gods hand those things which in the wordes of his prayers the minister asketh Or who shall in the ministration of the Sacramentes vnderstande what inuisible grace is to be craued of the hearer to be wrought in the inwarde man Cruely no man at al. For sayth S. Paul he that speaketh in a tongue vnknowen shal be vnto the hearer an alient whiche in a Christian congregation is a great absurditie For we are not straungers one to another but we are the citizens of the saintes of the householde of GOD yea and members of one bodye And therfore whiles our minister is in rehersing the prayer that is made in the name of vs all we must geue diligent eare to the wordes spoken by him and in hearte begge at Gods hande those thinges that he beggeth in wordes And to signifie that we so do we say Amen at the ende of the prayer that he maketh in the name of vs al. And this thing can we not do for edification vnlesse we vnderstand what is spoken Therfore it is required of necessitie that the common praier be had in a tongue that the hearers do vnderstande If euer it had ben tollerable to vse strange tongues in the congregations the same myght haue ben in the time of Paul the other apostles when they were miraculously endued with the gift of tongues For it might then haue perswaded some to imbrace the Gospell when they had hearde men that were Hebrues borne vnlearned speake the Greke the Latin other languages But Paul thought it not tollerable then And shall we vse it now when no man commeth by the knowledge of tongues other wyse then by diligent earnest study God forbid For we should by that meanes bring all our Church exercises to friuolus superstition and make them altogether vnfruitefull Luke writeth that when Peter and John were discharged by the Princes and high Priestes of Hierusalem they came to their felowes tolde them al that the princes of the priestes and elders had spoken vnto them Which when they heard they lyfted vp their voyce together to God with one assent and sayde Lord thou arthe that hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them c. Thus coulde they not haue done yf they had prayed in a straunge tongue that they had not vnderstande And no doubt of it they dyd not all speake with seuerall voyces but some one of them spake in the name of them all the rest geuing diligent eare to his wordes consented therunto and therefore it is sayd that they lifted vp their voyce together Saint Luke saith not Their voices as many but their voice as one That one voyce therefore was in suche language as they al vnderstood other wyse they coulde not haue lifted it vp with the consent of their heartes For no man can geue consent of the thing he knoweth not As touching the times before the comming of Christe there was neuer man yet that would affirme that eyther the people of God or other had their prayers or administrations of sacraments or sacrifices in a tongue that they them selues vnderstood not As for the time since Christe tyll that vsurped power of Rome began to spreade it selfe and to enforce al the nations of Europe to haue the Romishe language in admiration it appeareth by the consent of the most auncient learned writers that there was no straunge or vnknowen tongue vsed in the congregations of Christians Instinus martyr who liued about 160. yeres after Christ sayth thus of the administration of the Lordes supper in his time Upon the Sunday assembles are made both of them that dwel in cities and of thē that dwell in the countrey also Amongst whō as much as may be the writinges of the apostles prophets are read Afterwards when the reader doth ceasse the chiefe minister maketh an exhortatiō exhorting them to folow so honest things After this we ryse altogether and offer prayers which being ended as we haue saide bread and wine and water are brought foorth Then the head minister offereth prayers thankesgeuing with al his power the people aunswere Amē These wordes with their circumstaunces beyng duely consydered do declare plainly that not only the scriptures were read in a knowen tongue but also that praier was made in the same in the congregations of Iustines tyme Basilius magnus and Iohannes Chrisostomus dyd in theyr tyme prescribe publique orders of publique administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appoynted the people to aunswere to the prayers of the Minister sometime Amen sometyme Lorde haue mercie vppon vs sometyme and with thy spirite and we haue our heartes lyfted vp vnto the Lorde c. Which aunsweres the people coulde not haue made in due time yf the praiers had not ben in a tongue that they vnderstoode The same Basil writing to the Cleargie of Neocaesaria sayth thus of his vsage in common prayer appoynting one to beginne the song the rest folow And so with diuers songes prayers passing ouer the night at the dawnyng of the day altogether euen as it were with one mouth and one heart they sing vnto the Lorde a song of confession euery man framing vnto him selfe meete wordes of repentaunce In another place he sayth If the Sea be faire howe is not the assemble of the congregation muche more fayre in which a ioyned sounde of men women and children as it were of the waues beating on the shore is sent forth in our prayers vnto our God Marke his wordes A ioyned sounde sayth he of men women and children Which can not be vnlesse they all vnderstande the tongue wherein the prayer is sayde And Chrisostome vppon the wordes of Paul sayth So soone as the people heare these words worlde without ende they all do forthwith aunswere Amen This coulde they not do vnlesse they vnderstood the worde spoken by the priest Dionisius sayth that hymnes were sayde of the whole multitude of people in the administration of the Communion Ciprian sayth the Priest doth prepare the mindes of the brethren with a preface before the prayer saying Lyft vp your heartes That whyles the people doth aunswere VVe haue our heartes lyfted vp to the Lord they be admonished that they ought to thinke on none other thing then the Lorde Saint Ambrose wryting vppon the wordes of saint Paul sayth This is it that
their examples or that we ought to thynke that God dyd alow euery of these thyngs in those men But we ought rather to beleue and to iudge that Noe in his drunkennesse offended God highly Lot lying with his daughters committed horrible incest We ought then to learne by them this profitable lesson that if so godlye men as they were which otherwise felt inwardly Gods holy spitite inflamyng in their heartes with she feare and loue of God coulde not by their owne strength kepe them selues from committyng horrible sinne but dyd so greeuousâ—y fal that without Gods great mercie they had perished euerlastinglye Howe much more ought we then miserable wretches which haue no feeling of God within vs at al continually to feare not onely that we may fall as they did but also be ouercome and drowned in sinne which they were not And so by consydering their fal take the better occasion to acknowledge our owne infirmitie and weaknesse and therefore more earnestlye to call vnto almightie God with heartye prayer incessauntlye for his grace to strengthen vs and to defende vs from all euill And though through infirmitie we chaunce at any tyme to fall yet we may by harty repentaunce and true fayth speedily rise againe and not slepe and continue in sinne as the wicked doth Thus good people shoulde we vnderstande such matters expressed in the diuine scriptures that this holye table of Gods worde be not turned to vs to be a snare a trappe and a stumbling stone to take hurt by the abuse of our vnderstanding But let vs esteeme them in suche a reuerent humilitie that we may fynde our necessary foode therein to strengthen vs to comfort vs to instruct vs as God of his great mercye hath appoynted them in all necessarye workes so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our lyfe Whiche he graunt vs who hath redeemed vs our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christe to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory for euermore Amen ¶ The seconde part of the information for them which take offence at certayne places of the holy scripture YE haue heard good people in the Homilee last read vnto you the great commoditie of holye Scriptures ye haue heard how ignoraunt men voyde of godlye vnderstanding seeke quarrelles to discredite them Some of their reasons haue ye heard aunswered Nowe we will proceede and speake of suche politique wyse men whiche be offended for that Christes preceptes should seeme to destroy all order in gouernaunce as they do alleage for example such as these be If any man strike thee on the right cheeke turne the other vnto him also If anye man will contende to take thy coate from thee let him haue cloke and all Let not thy left hand knowe what thy ryght hand doth If thine eye thine hande or thy foote offende thee pull out thine eye cut of thine hand thy foote and cast it from thee If thine enemie sayeth saint Paul be an hungred geue him meate if he be thirstie geue him drinke so doing thou shalt heape hotte burning coales vpon his head These sentences good people vnto a naturall man seeme mere absurdities contrary to all reason For a naturall man as saint Paule sayeth vnderstandeth not the thinges that belong to God neyther can he so long as olde Adam dwelleth in him Christ therfore meaneth that he would haue his faithfull seruaunts so farre from vengeaunce and resisting wrong that he woulde rather haue him redy to suffer an other wrong then by resisting to breake charitie and to be out of pacience He would haue our good deedes so farre from al carnall respectes that he would not haue our nyest freendes know of our wel doing to win a vaine glorye And though our freendes and kynsfolkes be as deare as our right eyes and our right handes yet if they woulde plucke vs from God we ought to renounce them and forsake them Thus if ye wil be profitable hearers and readers of the holye scriptures ye must firste denye your selues and keepe vnder your carnall senses taken by the outward wordes and searche the inward meaning reason must geue place to Gods holye spirite you must submit your worldly wisedome and iudgement vnto his diuine wysdome and iudgement Consyder that the scripture in what straunge fourme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the lyuing god Let that alwayes come to your remembraunce which is so oft repeated of the prophete Esaias The mouth of the Lorde sayth he hath spoken it the almighty and euerlasting God who with his onely worde created heauen and earth hath decreed it the Lorde of hoastes whose wayes are in the Seas whose pathes are in the deepe waters that Lorde and God by whose worde all thynges in heauen and in earth are created gouerned and preserued hath so prouided it The God of Goddes and Lorde of all Lordes yea God that is God alone incomprehensible almyghty and euerlasting he hath spoken it it is his worde It can not therefore be but trueth whiche proceedeth from the God of all trueth it can not be but wisely and prudently commaunded what almightie God hath deuysed how vaynely soeuer through want of grace we miserable wretches do imagine and iudge of his most holy worde The prophete Dauid describing an happye man sayeth Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsayle of the vngodlye nor stande in the waye of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull There are three sortes of people whose companye the prophete would haue him to flee and auoyde which shall be an happy man and partakers of Gods blessing First he may not walke after the counsayle of the vngodlye Secondlye he may not stand in the waye of sinners Thirdlye he muste not sit in the seat of the scornefull By these three sortes of people vngodly men sinners and scorners all impietie is signified and fully expressed By the vngodly he vnderstaÌ„deth those which haue no regarde of almightye God being voyde of all faith whose heartes mindes are so set vpon the worlde that they studie onely howe to accomplishe their worldlye practises their carnall imaginations their filthy lust and desyre without anye feare of god The seconde sort he calleth sinners not such as do fal through ignoraunce or of frailenesse for then who should be found free What man euer liued vpon earth Christe onely excepted but he hath sinned The iust man falleth seuen times and ryseth agayne Though the godly do fall yet they walke not on purposely in sinne they stande not still to contynue and tarye in sinne they syt not downe like carelesse men without all feare of Gods iust punishment for sinne but defying sinne through Gods great grace and infinite mercye they ryse agayne and fight agaynste sinne The Prophete then calleth them sinners whose heartes are cleane turned from God and whose whole conuersation of lyfe is nothing but sinne they delight so much in
to be coÌ„dempned vnto death to take vpon him the rewarde of our sinnes and to geue his body to be broken on the crosse for our offences He sayth the prophete Esai meaning Christe hath borne our infirmities hath caried our sorowes the chastisement of our peace was vpoÌ„ him by his stripes are we made whole Saint Paul like wyse sayth God made him a sacrifice for our sinnes whiche knewe not sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God by him And saint Peter most agreeably wryting in this behalfe sayth Christe hath once died suffered for our sinnes the iust for the vniust c. To these myght be added an infinite number of other places to the same effect but these fewe shal be sufficient for this tyme Now then as it was said at the beginning let vs ponder weigh the cause of his death that therby we may be the more moued to glorifie him in our whole lyfe Whiche yf you wyll haue comprehended briefelye in one worde it was nothyng els in our parte but onlye the transgression and sinne of mankinde When the angell came to warne Joseph that he should not feare to take Mary to his wife Did he not therefore will the childes name to he called Jesus because he should saue his people from their sinnes When John the Baptist preached Christ and she wed hym to the people with his finger Dyd he not playnely say vnto them Behold the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde When the woman of Canaan besought Christ to helpe her daughter which was possest with a deuil did he not openly confesse that he was sent to saue the lost sheepe of the house of Israel by geuing his life for theyr sinnes It was sinne then O man eueÌ„ thy sinne that caused Christe the onlye sonne of God to be crucified in the fleshe and to suffer the most vyle slaunderous death of the crosse If thou haddest kept thy selfe vyryght if thou haddest obserued the commaundementes yf thou haddest not presumed to transgresse the wyll of God in thy fyrst father Adam then Christe being in fourme of God needed not to haue taken vppon him the shape of a seruaunt being immortall in heauen he needed not to become mortal on earth beyng the true bread of the soule he needed not to hunger being the healthfull water of lyfe he needed not to thirst being life it selfe he needed not to haue suffred death But to these and many other suche extremities was he dryuen by thy sinne which was so manifolde great that god could be onlye pleased in hym and none other Canst thou thinke of this O sinful man and not tremble within thy selfe Canst thou heare it quietlye without remorse of conscience and sorowe of heart Did Christ suffer his passion for thee and wylt thou shewe no compassion towardes hym Whyle Christe was yet hangyng on the Crosse and yelding vp the ghost the Scripture witnesseth that the vale of the temple did rent in twaine and the earth dyd quake that the stones claue asunder that the graues dyd open the dead bodyes rise And shall the heart of man be nothyng moued to remember how greeuously and cruelly he was handled of the Jewes for our sinnes Shall man shew himselfe to be more hard hearted then stones to haue lesse compassion theÌ„ dead bodies Call to minde O sinful creature and set before thyne eyes Christe crucified Thinke thou seest his body stretched out in length vppon the crosse his head crowned with sharpe thorne his handes his feete pearsed with nailes his heart opened with a long speare his fleshe rente and torne with whippes his browes sweating water and blood Thinke thou hearest hym nowe crying in an intollerable agonie to his father saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Couldest thou behold this wofull sight or heare this mournefull voyce without teares consydering that he suffered all this not for any desart of his owne but only for the greeuousnes of thy sinnes O that mankinde shoulde put the euerlasting sonne of God to such paines O that we should be the occasion of his death the only cause of his condempnation May we not iustly crye wo worth the time that euer we sinned O my brethren let this image of Christe crucified be alwayes printed in our heartes let it stirre vs vp to the hatred of sinne prouoke our mindes to the earnest loue of almightie god For why Is not sinne thinke you a greuous thing in his sight seing for the transgressing of Gods precept in eating of one apple he condempned all the world to perpetuall death and would not be pacified but only with the blood of his own sonne True yea moste true is that saying of Dauid Thou O Lorde hatest all them that worke iniquitie neyther shall the wicked and euill man dwell with thee By the mouth of his prophete Esai he cryeth mainely out agaynst sinners and sayth â—o be vnto you that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart ropes Dyd not God geue a plaine token howe greatly he hated abhored sinne wheÌ„ he drowned all the world saue only eyght persons when he destroyed Sodome Gomorra with fire and brimstone when in three dayes space he killed with pestilence threescore and ten thousande for Dauids offence when he drowned Pharao and al his hoast in the red sea when he turned Nabuchodonozor the kyng into the fourme of a bruite beast creeping vppon all foure when he suffered Achitophel Iudas to hang them selues vpoÌ„ the remorse of sinne whiche was so terrible to theyr eyes A thousand such examples are to be found in scripture yf a man would stand to seeke them out But what neede we This one example which we haue now in hande is of more force ought more to moue vs then all the rest Christe being the sonne of god and perfect God him self who neuer committed sinne was compelled to come downe from heauen to geue his body to be bruised broken on the crosse for our sinnes Was not this a manifest token of Gods great wrath and displeasure towardes sinne that he could be pacified by no other meanes but onlye by the sweete precious blood of his deare sonne O sinne sinne that euer thou shouldest dryue Christe to suche extremitie Wo worth the tyme that euer thou camest into the world But what booteth it now to bewayle Sinne is come and so come that it can not be auoyded There is no man liuing no not the iustest man on the earth but he falleth seuen times a day as Salomon sayth And our Sauiour Christe although he hath deliuered vs from sinne yet not so that we shal be free from committing sinne But so that it shal not be imputed to our condempnation He hath taken vpon him the iust rewarde of sinne which was death by death
vs and he rose agayne to sende downe his holy spirite to rule in our heartes to endowe vs with perfect righteousnes Thus it is true that Dauid song Veritas de terra orta est et iustitia de coelo prospexit The trueth of gods promise is in the earth to man declared or from the earth is the euerlasting veritie Gods sonne rysen to life the true righteousnesse of the holy ghost lookyng out of heauen and is in most liberal larges dealt vppon all the worlde Thus is glory and prayse rebounded vpwarde to God aboue for his mercie and trueth And thus is peace come downe from heauen to men of good and faythfull heartes Thus is mercie and trueth as Dauid wryteth together met thus is peace and ryghteousnesse imbrasing and kissing eache other If thou doubtest of so great wealth felicitie that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mynde that therefore haste thou receaued into thyne owne possession the euerlasting veritie our sauiour Jesus Christ to confyrme to thy conscience the trueth of all this matter Thou hast receaued hym yfin true fayth and repentaunce of heart thou haste receaued hym yf in purpose of amendement thou haste receaued hym for an euerlastyng gage or pledge of thy saluation Thou hast receaued his body which was once broken his blood which was shedde for the remission of thy synne Thou hast receaued his body to haue within thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strength thee agaynst thyne enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast receaued his body to endow thee with euerlasting righteousnes to assue thee of euerlastyng blisse and lyfe of thy soule 〈…〉 r with Christe by true fayth art thou quickened agayne sayth saint Paul from death of synne to lyfe of grace and in hope translated from corporal and euerlastyng death to the euerlastyng lyfe of glorye in heauen where nowe thy conuersation should be and thy heart and desyre set Doubt not of the trueth of this matter how great and hygh soeuer these thynges be It becommeth God to do no litle deedes how impossible so euer they seeme to thee Pray to God that thou mayest haue fayth to perceaue this greate mysterie of Christes resurrection that by faytâ— thou mayst certaynely beleue nothyng to be impossible with god Onlye bryng thou fayth to Christes holy worde and sacrament Let thy repentaunce shewe thy fayth let thy purpose of amendement and obedience of thy heart to Gods lawe hereafter declare thy true beleefe Endeuour thy selfe to saye with Saint Paul From hencefoorth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Jesus Christe whiche shall change our vile bodyes that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shal do by the same power wherby he rose from death and wherby he shal be able to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Thus good Christian people forasmuche as ye haue hearde these so great and excellent benefites of Christes myghtie and glorious resurrection as howe that he hath raunsomed synne ouercome the deuill death and hell and hath victoriouslye gotten the better hande of them all to make vs free and safe from them and knowyng that we be by this benefite of his resurrection rysen with hym by our fayth vnto lyfe euerlastyng beyng in full suretie of our hope that we shall haue our bodyes lykewyse raysed agayne from death to haue them glorified in immortalitie and ioyned to his glorious bodye hauyng in the meane while his holy spirite within our heartes as a seale and pledge of our euerlastyng inheritaunce By whose assistence we be replenished with all ryghteousnes by whose power we shal be able to subdue all our euyll affections rysyng agaynst the pleasure of god These thynges I say well consydered let vs nowe in the rest of our lyfe declare our fayth that we haue to this moste fruitful article by framyng our selues therunto in rysyng dayly from sinne to righteousnes holines of lyfe For what shall it auayle vs sayth saint Peter to be escaped deliuered from the filthynesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christe if we be entangled agayne therewith and be ouercome agayne Certaynely it had ben better sayth he neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after it is knowne and receaued to turne backwarde agayne from the holy commaundement of God geuen vnto vs For so shall the prouerbe haue place in vs where it is sayde The dogge is returned to his vomite agayne and the sowe that was washed to her wallowyng in the myre agayne What a shame were it for vs beyng thus so clearely and freely washed from our synne to returne to the filthynesse thereof agayne What a follie were it thus endowed with ryghteousnesse to lose it agayne What madnesse were it to lose the inheritaunce that we be nowe set in for the vyle and transitorie pleasure of synne And what an vnkyndenesse shoulde it be where our sauiour Christe of his mercie is come to vs to dwell within vs as our gâ—este to dryue hym from vs and to banishe hym violently out of our soules and in steade of hym in whom is all grace and vertue to receaue the vngratious spirite of the deuyil the founder of all naughtines and mischeefe How can we fynde in our heartes to shewe suche extreame vnkyndnesse to Christe which hath now so gently called vs to mercie and offered him selfe vnto vs and he nowe entred within vs yea howe dare we be so bolde to renounce the presence of the father the sonne and the holy ghost For where one is there is God all whole in maiestie together with all his power wysedome and goodnesse and feare not I say the daunger and peryll of so traiterous a defiaunce and departure Good Christian brethren and sisters aduise your selues consyder the dignite that ye be nowe set in let not follie lose the thyng that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wylfulnesse and blindnesse put out so great lyght that is now shewed vnto you Onlye take good heartes vnto you and put vppon you all the armour of God that ye may stand agaynst your enemies which woulde agayne subdue you and bryng you into their thraldome Remember ye be bought from your vain conuersation and that your freedome is purchased neyther with golde nor syluer but with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lambe Jesus Christe which was ordeined to the same purpose before the worlde was made But he was so declared in the latter tyme of grace for your sakes which by hym haue your fayth in God who hath raysed hym from death and hath geuen hym glory that you shoulde haue your fayth and hope towarde god Therefore as you haue hytherto folowed the vayne lustes of your myndes and so displeased God to
the daunger of your soules So nowe lyke obedient chyldren thus purified by fayth geue your selues to walk that way which God moueth you to that ye may receaue the end of your fayth the saluation of your soules And as ye haue geuen your bodyes to vnryghteousnes to synne after sin so now geue your selfe to ryghteousnes to be sanctified therein If ye delyght in this article of your fayth that Christ is rysen again from death to lyfe then folowe you the example of his resurrection as Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying As we be buried with Christ by our baptisme into death so let vs dayly dye to synne mortifiyng and kylling the euill desires and motions therof And as Christe was raysed vp from death by the glorye of the father so let vs ryse to a newe lyfe and walke continually therin that we may likewyse as naturall chyldren liue a conuersation to moue men to glorifie our father which is in heauen If we then be risen with Christ by our faith to the hope of euerlastyng lyfe let vs ryse also with Christe after his example to a newe lyfe and leaue our olde We shal then be truely rysen if we seeke for thynges that be heauenly if we haue our affection on things that be aboue and not on thynges that be on the earth If ye desyre to knowe what these earthly thynges be which ye shoulde put of and what be the heauenly thynges aboue that ye should seeke and ensue saint Paul in the Epistle to the Collossians declareth when he exhorteth vs thus Mortifie your earthly members and olde affections of synne as fornication vncleannesse vnnaturall luste euyll concupiscence and couetousnesse whiche is worshipping of idols for the whiche thinges the wrath of god is wont to fal on the children of vnbeleefe in which thinges once ye walked when ye liued in them But now put ye also away from you wrath fiercenes malitiousnes cursed speakyng filthie speaking out of your mouthes Lie not one to another that the olde man with his workes be put of and the newe be put on These be the earthly thinges whiche S. Paul moueth you to caste from you and to plucke your heartes from them For in folowing these ye declare your selues earthly and worldly These be the fruites of the earthly Adam These shoulde you daily kil by good diligence in withstandyng the desyres of them that ye might rise to righteousnesse Let your affection from henceforth be set on heauenly thinges sue and searche for mercie kyndnesse meekenes patience forbearing one another and forgeuyng one another If any man haue anye quarrell to another as Christe forgaue you euen so do ye If these and suche other heauenly vertues ye ensue in the residue of your lyfe ye shall shew playnely that ye be rysen with Christ that ye be the heauenly chyldren of your father in heauen from whom as from the geuer commeth these graces gyftes Ye shall proue by this maner that your conuersation is in heauen where your hope is and not on earth ▪ folowyng the beastly appetites of the fleshe Ye must consyder that ye be therefore cleansed renued that ye shoulde from hencefoorth serue God in holines righteousnesse al the dayes of your lyues that ye may raigne with them in euerlastyng lyfe If ye refuse so great grace whereto ye be called what other thing do ye then heape to you damnation more more and so prouoke God to caste his displeasure vnto you and to reuenge this mockage of his holy sacramentes in so great abusyng of them Apply your selues good freends to lyue in Christ that Christ may still liue in you whose fauour assistence if ye haue then haue ye euerlastyng life alredye within you then can nothyng hurt you Whatsoeuer is hitherto done cōmitted Christ ye se hath offered you pardon clearly receaued you to his fauour agayne in ful suretie wherof ye haue him now inhabiting and dwelling within you Only shew yourselues thankefull in your liues determine with your selues to refuse auoyde al such thinges in your conuersations as shoulde offend his eyes of mercy Endeuour your selues that way to rise vp agayne which way ye fell into the wel or pit of sin If by your tongue ye haue offended now therby rise agayne and glorifie God therewith accustome it to laude and prayse the name of God as ye haue there with dishonored it And as ye haue hurt the name of your neighbour or otherwise hindered hym so nowe intend to restore it to him agayne For without restitution God accepteth not your confession nor yet your repentaunce It is not enough to forsake euil except you set your courage to do good By what occasion soeuer you haue offended turne now the occasion to the honouring of God and profite of your neyghbour Trueth it is that synne is strong and affections vnrulye Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature so corrupt leauened with the sowre bitternes of the poyson whiche we receaued by the inheritaunce of our olde father Adam But yet take good courage sayth our sauiour Christe for I haue ouercome the worlde and all other enemies for you Synne shall not haue power ouer you for ye be now vnder grace saith saint Paul. Though your power be weake yet Christe is rysen agayne to strength you in your battayle his holy spirite shall helpe your infirmities In trust of his mercie take you in hande to purge this olde leauen of sinne that corrupteth and sowreth the sweetenes of your lyfe before God that ye may be as newe and freshe dowe voyde of all sowre leauen of wyckednesse so shall ye shewe your selues to be sweete bread to God that he may haue his delyght in you I saye kyll and offer you vp the worldly and earthly affections of your bodyes For Christe our Easter lambe is offered vp for vs to slea the power of synne to deliuer vs from the daunger therof and to geue vs example to dye to synne in our lyfe As the Jewes dyd eate their Easter lambe kept their feast in remembrance of their deliueraunce out of Egypt Euen so let vs kepe our Easter feast in the thankfull remembraunce of Christes benefites whiche he hath plentifully wrought for vs by his resurrection passing to his father whereby we be delyuered from the captiuitie and thraldome of all our enemies Let vs in lyke maner passe ouer the affections of our old conuersation that we may be delyuered frō the bondage therof rise with Christe The Jewes kept their feast in abstayning from leauened bread by the space of seuen dayes Let vs Christian folke kepe our holy day in spirituall maner that is in abstainyng not from material leauened bread but from the old leauen of synne the leauen of malitiousnes and wyckednesse Let vs cast from vs the leauen of corrupt doctrine that wyl infect our soules Let vs
thinges distinctly aduisedly consydered in our myndes must needes compell vs in most low reuerence after our bounden duety alwayes to render him thankes againe in some testification of our good hearts for his deserts vnto vs And that the entreating of this matter in hand may be to the glory of almighty God let vs in one faith and charitie call vpon the father of mercy from whom commeth euery good gyfte and euery perfect gift by the mediation of his welbeloued sonne our sauiour that we maye be assisted with the presence of his holye spirite and holsomelye on both our partes to demeane our selues in speaking and hearing to the saluation of our soules In the beginning of my speaking vnto you good Christian people suppose not that I do take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable wisdom of almightie God as though I would haue you beleeue that it myght be expressed vnto you by wordes Nay it maye not be thought that that thing maye be comprehended by mans wordes that is incomprehensible And too muche arrogancie it were for dust and ashes to thynke that he could worthyly declare his maker It passeth farre the darke vnderstanding of wysedome of a mortall man to speake sufficiently of that diuine maiestie whiche the Angels cannot vnderstand We shall therefore lay apart to speake of that profounde and vnsearcheable nature of almightie God rather acknowledging our weaknes then rashely to attempt that is aboue all mans capacitie to compasse It shall better suffise vs in low humilitie to reuerence and dreade his maiestie whiche we can not comprise then by ouermuch curious searchyng to be ouercharged with the glorie We shal rather turne our whole contemplation to aunswer a whyle his goodnes to wardes vs wherein we shall be muche more profitably occupied and more may we be bold to search To consyder this great power he is of can but make vs dreade and feare To consyder his hygh wisedome myght vtterly discomfort our frailtie to haue any thyng adoo with him But in consyderation of his inestimable goodnes we take good heart agayne to trust wel vnto hym By his goodnes we be assured to take him for our refuge our hope and comfort our mercyfull father in all the course of our lyues His power and wisedome compelleth vs to take hym for God omnipotent inuisible hauyng rule in heauen and earth hauyng all thynges in his subiection and wyll haue none in counsell with hym nor any to aske the reason of his doyng For he maye do what lyketh hym and none can resist hym For he worketh all thynges in his secrete iudgement to his owne pleasure yea euē the wicked to damnation saith Salomon By the reason of this nature he is called in Scripture consumyng fyre he is called a terrible and fearefull GOD ▪ Of this behalfe therefore we maye haue no familiaritie no accesse vnto hym but his goodnesse agayne tempereth the rigour of his hygh power and maketh vs bolde and putteth vs in hope that he wyll be conuersaunt with vs and easye vnto vs It is his goodnesse that moueth him to say in scripture It is my delyght to be with the children of men It is his goodnesse that moueth him to call vs vnto him to offer vs his frendship presence It is his goodnes that paciently suffereth our straying from him and suffreth vs long to winne vs to repentaunce It is of his goodnes that we be created reasonable creatures where els he myght haue made vs bruite beastes It was his mercye to haue vs borne among the number of christian people thereby in a muche more nyghnes to saluation where we might haue ben borne if his goodnes had not ben among the Panims cleane voyde from God and the hope of euerlasting lyfe And what other thing doth his louyng and gentle voyce spoken in his worde where he calleth vs to his presence frendship but declare his goodnes onelye without regarde of our worthynes And what other thing doth stirre him to call vs to him when we be straied from him to suffer vs paciently to win vs to repentaunce but onelye his singuler goodnes no whit of our deseruyng Let them all come together that be nowe glorified in heauen and let vs heare what aunswere they will make in these poyntes afore rehearsed whether their fyrst creation was in Gods goodnes or of them selues Forsooth Dauid woulde make aunswere for them all and say Knowe ye for suretie euen the Lorde is God he hath made vs and not we our selues If they were asked againe who should be thanked for their regeneration for theyr iustification and for their saluation whether their desertes or Gods goodnes only Although in this poynt euery one confesse sufficiently the truth of this matter in his owne person yet let Dauid aunswere by the mouth of them all at this tyme who cannot choose but saye Not to vs O Lord not to vs but to thy name geue all the thanke for thy louyng mercy and for thy truethes sake If we shoulde aske agayne from whence came their glorious workes and deedes which they wrought in their lyues wherewith God was so hyghly pleased and worshipped by them Let some other witnesse be brought in to testifie this matter that in the mouth of two or three may the truth be knowen Ueryly that holy prophete Esai beareth recorde and sayeth O Lord it is thou of thy goodnesse that hast wrought all our workes in vs not we our selues And to vpholde the truth of this matter agaynst all iusticiaries and hipocrites which rob almyghty God of his honour and ascribe it to them selues saynt Paule bringeth in his beleefe We be not sayeth he sufficient of our selues as of our selues once to thinke any thing but all our ablenes is of Gods goodnes For he it is in whom we haue all our beyng our lyuing and mouing If ye wil know furthermore where they had their gyftes and sacrifices which they offred continually in their liues to almighty god they cannot but agree with Dauid where he sayth Of thy liberal hand O Lord we haue receaued that we gaue vnto thee If this holy company therfore confesseth so constantly that al the goodes and graces wherewith they were indued in soule came of the goodnes of God only what more can be sayde to proue that all that is good commeth from almightie God Is it meete to thynke that all spiritual goodnes commeth from God aboue onely and that other good thinges eyther of nature or of fortune as we call them commeth of any other cause Doeth God of his goodnes adourne the soule with all the powers thereof as it is and commeth the giftes of the body wherwith it is indued from any other If he doth the more can not he do the lesse To iustifie a synner to newe create hym from a wicked person to a ryghteous man is a greater act sayeth S. Augustine then to make such a new heauen
euery where to whom be all honour and glory for euermore ¶ The seconde part of the Homilee for rogation weeke IN the former part of this Homilee good Christian people I haue declared to your contemplation the great goodnes of almightie God in the creation of this world with all the furniture thereof for the vse and comfort of man whereby we might the rather be moued to acknowledge our duetie againe to his maiestie And I trust it hath wrought not onelye credit in you but also it hath moued you to render your thankes secretly in your heartes to almightie God for his louing kyndnes But yet peraduenture some will say that they can agree to this that all that is good parteyning to the soule or what soeuer is created with vs in body should come from God as from the aucthour of all goodnesse and from none other But of suche thinges as be without them both I meane such good things which we call goodes of fortune as riches aucthoritie promotion and honour some men may thynke that they should come of our industrie diligeÌ„ce of our labour and trauayle rather then supernaturally Now then consyder good people if any aucthour there be of suche thinges concurraunt with mans labour and indeuour were it meete to ascribe them to any other then to God as the Panim Philosophers and Poets did erre which toke Fortune and made her a Goddesse to be honoured for such thynges God forbid good Christian people that this imagination shoulde earnestlye be receaued of vs that be worshippers of the true God whose workes and proceedings be expressed manifestly in his worde These be the opinions sayinges of Infidels not of true christians For they indeede as Iob maketh mention beleue and say that God hath his residence resting place in the cloudes consyder nothyng of our matters Epicures they be that imagine that he walketh about the coastes of the heauens and haue no respect to these inferiour thinges but that all these thinges shoulde proceede either by chaunce or at aduenture or els by disposition of fortune and God to haue no stroke in them What other thing is this to say then as the foole supposeth in his heart there is no God Whom we shall none otherwise reproue then with Gods owne words by the mouth of Dauid Heare my people sayeth he for I am thy God thy verye god All the beastes of the wood are myne Sheepe and Oxen that wandreth in the mountaynes I haue the knowledge of all the 〈…〉 les of the ayre the beawty of the feelde is my handy worke myne is the whole circuite of the worlde all the plentie that is in it And againe by the Prophete Hieremie Thinkest thou that I am a God of the place nye me sayeth the Lorde and not a God farre of Can a man hide him selfe in so secrete a corner that I shall not see him Do not I fulfill and replenishe both heauen earth sayth the Lorde whiche of these two shoulde be most beleued Fortune whom they paynte to be blynde of both eyes euer vnstable vnconstant in her wheele in whose handes they saye these thyngs be Or God in whose hand and power these thynges be in deede who for his truth and constance was yet neuer reproued For his sight loketh thorowe heauen and earth and seeth all thinges presently with his eyes Nothing is to darke or hidden from his knowledge not the priuie thoughtes of mennes myndes Trueth it is that of God is all ryches all power all aucthoritie all health wealth prosperitie of the which we shoulde haue no part without his liberal distribution and except it came from hym aboue Dauid first testifieth of rychesse and possesiions If thou geuest good lucke they shall gather and if thou openest thy hand they shal be full of goodnesse but yf thou turnest thy face they shal be troubled And Salomon sayth It is the blessyng of the Lord that maketh riche men To this agreeth that holy woman Anne where she saith in her song It is the Lord that maketh the poore and maketh the riche it is he that promoteth pulleth downe he can rayse a needye man from his miserie from the dounghill he can lyfte vp a poore personage to sit with princes and haue the seate of glory for all the coastes of the earth be his Nowe yf any man wyll aske What shal it auayle vs to knowe that euery good gyft as of nature and fortune so called and euery perfecte gyft as of grace concernyng the soule to be of God and that it is his gyft onlye Forsoothe for many causes is it conuenient for vs to knowe it For so shall we knowe if we confesse the trueth who ought iustly to be thanked for them Our pride shal be thereby abated perceauing naught to come of our selues but sinne and vice yf anye goodnes be in vs to referre all laude prayse for the same to almyghtie god It shal make vs not to aduaunce our selues before our neyghbour to despise him for that he hath fewer giftes seeyng God geueth his giftes where he wyll It shall make vs by the consyderation of our giftes not to extoll our selues before our neyghbours â—t shal make the wyse man not to glory in his wysdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the riche to glory in his riches but in the liuing god which is aucthour of all these lest yf we should do so we myght be rebuked with the wordes of saint Paul What hast thou that thou hast not receaued and if thou hast receaued it why gloriest in thy selfe as though thou haddest not receaued it To confesse that all good thinges commeth from almightie God is a great poynt of wysdome my freendes For so coÌ„fessing we know whyther to resort for to haue them yf we want as saint James bid vs saying If any man wanteth the gyft of wysdome let hym aske it of God that geues it it shal be geuen hym As the wyse man in the want of such a lyke gyft made his recourse to God for it as he testifieth in his booke After I knew sayth he that otherwyse I coulde not be chast except God graunted it and this was as he there wryteth hye wysdome to know whose gyft it was I made haste to the Lorde earnestly besought hym euen from the rootes of my heart to haue it I woulde to God my frendes that in our wantes and necessities we would go to God as saint James biddeth as the wyse man teacheth vs that he dyd I woulde we beleued stedfastly that God only geues them If we did we would not seeke our want and necessitie of the deuil and his ministers so oft as we do as dayly experience declareth it For yf we stand in necessitie of corporal health whyther go the coÌ„mon people but to charmes witchcraftes and other delusions of the deuill If we knewe that god
rebels shoulde heare the aduise of wyse men and geue place vnto theyr iudgement and folowe the example of obedient subiectes as reason is that they whose vnderstandyng is blinded with so euyll an affection shoulde geue place to them that be of sound iudgement and that the worse shoulde geue place to the better and so myght Realmes continue in long obedience peace and quietnesse But what yf the prince be vndiscrete and euil in deede and it also euident to all mens eyes that he so is I aske agayne what yf it be long of the wickednesse of the subiectes that the prince is vndiscrete and euyll Shal the subiectes both by their wickednesse prouoke God for their deserued punishment to geue them an vndiscrete or euyll prince and also rebell agaynst hym and withall agaynst God who for the punishment of their sinnes dyd geue them suche a prince Wyll you heare the scriptures concernyng this poynt God say the holy scriptures maketh a wicked man to raigne for the sinnes of the people Agayne God geueth a prince in his anger meanyng an euyll one and taketh away a prince in his displeasure meanyng speciallye when he taketh away a good prince for the sinnes of the people as in our memorie he toke away our good Josias kyng Edwarde in his young and good yeres for our wickednesse And contrarilye the scriptures do teache that God geueth wysdome vnto princes and maketh a wyse and good kyng to raigne ouer that people whom he loueth and who loueth hym Agayne yf the people obey God both they and theyr kyng shall prosper and be safe els both shal perishe sayth God by the mouth of Samuel Here you see that GOD placeth aswell euyll princes as good and for what cause he doth both If we therefore wyll haue a good prince eyther to be geuen vs or to continue nowe we haue suche a one let vs by our obedience to God and to our prince moue God thereunto If we wyll haue an euyll prince when God shall sende such a one taken away and a good in his place let vs take away our wickednesse whiche prouoketh God to place such a one ouer vs God wyll eyther displace hym or of an euyll prince make hym a good prince so that we first wyll chaunge our euyll into good For wyll you heare the scriptures The heart of the prince is in Gods hande which way soeuer it shall please hym he turneth it Thus say the scriptures wherfore let vs turne from our synnes vnto the Lorde with all our heartes and he wyl turne the heart of the prince vnto our quiet and wealth Els for subiectes to deserue through theyr synnes to haue an euyll prince then to rebel against hym were double and treble euyll by prouokyng GOD more to plague them Nay let vs eyther deserue to haue a good prince or let vs patiently suffer and obey suche as we deserue And whether the prince be good or euill let vs accordyng to the counsel of the holy scriptures pray for the prince for his continuaunce and increase in goodnesse yf he be good and for his amendement yf he be euyll Wyll you heare the scriptures concerning this most necessarie poynt I exhort therefore sayth saint Paul that aboue all thinges prayers supplications intercessions and geuing of thankes be had for all men for kynges and all that are in aucthoritie that we maye liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe with all godlinesse for that is good and acceptable in the syght of GOD our sauiour c. This is Saint Paules councel And who I pray you was prince ouer the moste part of Christians when Gods holye spirite by saint Paules pen gaue them this lesson Forsoothe Caligula Clodius or Nero who were not onlye no Christians but Pagans and also eyther foolishe rulers or most cruel tyrauntes Wyl you yet heare the worde of God to the Jewes when they were prisoners vnder Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon after he had slaine their king nobles parentes chyldren and kynsfolkes burned theyr countrey cities yea Hierusalem it selfe and the holy temple and had caryed the residue remayning aliue captiues with hym vnto Babylon Wyll you heare yet what the prophete Baruch sayth vnto Gods people being in this captiuitie Pray you sayth the prophete for the lyfe of Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon and for the lyfe of Balthaser his sonne that theyr dayes may be as the dayes of heauen vpon the earth that God also may geue vs strength and lighten our eyes that we may liue vnder the defence of Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon and vnder the protection of Balthaser his sonne that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their syght Praye for vs also vnto the Lorde our God for we haue sinned agaynst the Lorde our god Thus farre the prophete Baruch his wordes whiche are spoken by hym vnto the people of God of that kyng who was an heathen a tyraunt and cruell oppressour of them and had ben a murtherer of many thousandes of theyr nation and a destroyer of their countrey with a confession that theyr sinnes had deserued suche a prince to raigne ouer them And shall the olde Christians by saint Paules exhortation pray for Caligula Clodius or Nero Shall the Jewes pray for Nabuchodonozor these Emperours and kynges beyng straungers vnto them beyng Pagans and Infidels beyng murtherers tyrauntes and cruell oppressours of them and the destroyers of their countrey countreymen and kinsmen the burners of theyr villages townes cities and temples And shall not we pray for the long prosperous and godly raigne of our naturall prince No straunger whiche is obserued as a great blessing in the scriptures of our Christian our most gratious Soueraigne no heathen nor Pagan prince Shall we not praye for the health of our moste mercifull moste louyng Soueraigne the preseruer of vs and our countrey in so long peace quietnesse and securitie no cruell person no tyraunt no spoyler of our goodes no shedder of our blooddes no burner and destroyer of our Townes Cities and Countrey as were those for whom yet as ye haue hearde Christians beyng theyr subiectes ought to praye Let vs not commit so great ingratitude agaynst GOD and our Soueraigne as not continually to thanke GOD for this gouernment and for his great and continuall benefites and blessinges powred vpon vs by suche gouernment Let vs not commit so great a sinne agaynst God agaynst our selues and our countrey as not to praye continuallye vnto GOD for the long continuaunce of so gratious a ruler vnto vs and our countrey Els shall we be vnworthie any longer to enioy those benefites and blessinges of God whiche hytherto we haue had by her and shal be most worthy to fall into all those mischeefes and miseries which we and our countrey haue by Gods grace through her gouernment hytherto escaped What shall we say of those subiectes may we call them by the name of subiectes Who neyther be thankful nor make any